1 00:00:00,000 --> 00:00:02,320 We're going to jump right in. 2 00:00:02,320 --> 00:00:04,400 So we go back about 10 years ago. 3 00:00:04,400 --> 00:00:07,040 I was a Christian following the Lord, the best I knew how, 4 00:00:07,040 --> 00:00:09,320 serving God, pastor of New Heights Fellowship Baptist 5 00:00:09,320 --> 00:00:11,520 Church, praise the Lord, director of the Southside Light 6 00:00:11,520 --> 00:00:12,720 Station. 7 00:00:12,720 --> 00:00:17,360 This is pre-encouragement call, texting, and that kind of thing. 8 00:00:17,360 --> 00:00:23,080 And we had a busy week. 9 00:00:23,080 --> 00:00:23,920 And I was tired. 10 00:00:23,920 --> 00:00:25,360 And I went to bed. 11 00:00:25,360 --> 00:00:27,680 And I had a dream. 12 00:00:27,680 --> 00:00:30,520 And in this dream, I was being chased. 13 00:00:30,520 --> 00:00:32,040 You ever have a chased dream where 14 00:00:32,040 --> 00:00:33,520 you felt like you're being chased? 15 00:00:33,520 --> 00:00:36,240 It's not a super uncommon kind of dream to have. 16 00:00:36,240 --> 00:00:38,120 And I was in a rickety shack made of wood. 17 00:00:38,120 --> 00:00:40,360 And I could kind of see through the walls a little bit. 18 00:00:40,360 --> 00:00:41,640 And I ran outside. 19 00:00:41,640 --> 00:00:42,240 And I knew. 20 00:00:42,240 --> 00:00:45,000 I didn't see who it was that was chasing me. 21 00:00:45,000 --> 00:00:46,640 But I knew I was being chased. 22 00:00:46,640 --> 00:00:47,640 And I got outside. 23 00:00:47,640 --> 00:00:49,300 And right outside the front of the house, 24 00:00:49,300 --> 00:00:51,240 there was lined up some vehicles. 25 00:00:51,240 --> 00:00:54,840 There was a tank, a truck, a car, and a moped. 26 00:00:54,840 --> 00:00:56,120 And I ran down off the porch. 27 00:00:56,120 --> 00:00:57,640 And I go, I got to go. 28 00:00:57,640 --> 00:00:58,680 They're coming right now. 29 00:00:58,680 --> 00:00:59,480 And I got to get out of here. 30 00:00:59,480 --> 00:01:01,040 I knew I had to get out of here. 31 00:01:01,040 --> 00:01:05,520 And somehow, I just knew I had to take the moped. 32 00:01:05,520 --> 00:01:07,000 And I'm like, OK, whatever. 33 00:01:07,000 --> 00:01:08,080 So I jump on the moped. 34 00:01:08,080 --> 00:01:09,120 Sure enough, started right up. 35 00:01:09,120 --> 00:01:10,960 I rode a moped when I was 14, by the way, 36 00:01:10,960 --> 00:01:13,200 14 and 15 years old, before I got my driver's license 37 00:01:13,200 --> 00:01:15,240 and then a motorcycle license. 38 00:01:15,240 --> 00:01:18,320 And jumped on this moped and fired that bad boy up 39 00:01:18,320 --> 00:01:19,920 and took off at 23 mile an hour. 40 00:01:19,920 --> 00:01:21,080 And as I'm looking at the speedometer, 41 00:01:21,080 --> 00:01:23,920 it's going 23 mile an hour, which even my moped that I had 42 00:01:23,920 --> 00:01:26,680 when I was 14 and 15 could go a little faster than that. 43 00:01:26,680 --> 00:01:28,920 I'm going, well, at least they're on foot. 44 00:01:28,920 --> 00:01:30,080 And the moped's running. 45 00:01:30,080 --> 00:01:31,880 And I'm getting away. 46 00:01:31,880 --> 00:01:34,560 But even while I'm driving the moped and I'm escaping, 47 00:01:34,560 --> 00:01:37,840 I'm thinking to myself, a tank? 48 00:01:37,840 --> 00:01:39,320 That might have been better. 49 00:01:39,320 --> 00:01:40,400 Or a truck? 50 00:01:40,400 --> 00:01:42,240 What if I got to go off road? 51 00:01:42,240 --> 00:01:43,200 Or a car? 52 00:01:43,200 --> 00:01:44,720 Be a lot faster right on there. 53 00:01:44,720 --> 00:01:46,200 I could get away a lot further. 54 00:01:46,200 --> 00:01:48,480 And I'm thinking to myself, as I'm driving the moped 55 00:01:48,480 --> 00:01:50,320 and I'm feeling like I'm just getting away, Scott Free, 56 00:01:50,320 --> 00:01:51,840 whoever was chasing me is way behind me. 57 00:01:51,840 --> 00:01:53,120 They're not going to catch me now. 58 00:01:53,120 --> 00:01:55,880 I'm thinking to myself, what do you think of a moped? 59 00:01:55,880 --> 00:01:57,320 That's really dumb. 60 00:01:57,320 --> 00:01:58,840 They're going to take me now wherever I'm going. 61 00:01:58,840 --> 00:02:00,800 It's going to take me forever to get there. 62 00:02:00,800 --> 00:02:02,840 So I want you to remember that, if you will, 63 00:02:02,840 --> 00:02:06,040 then as we look at the final verse today 64 00:02:06,040 --> 00:02:09,280 of what has been a relatively long journey for us. 65 00:02:09,280 --> 00:02:13,120 And we are in 1 Corinthians 13, 13. 66 00:02:13,120 --> 00:02:14,000 Woo! 67 00:02:14,000 --> 00:02:14,840 Praise the Lord. 68 00:02:14,840 --> 00:02:17,720 So you won't probably forget that reference, will you? 69 00:02:17,720 --> 00:02:20,280 I mean, 13, 13, that's pretty good. 70 00:02:20,280 --> 00:02:22,400 Pretty easy to remember. 71 00:02:22,400 --> 00:02:24,520 1 Corinthians 13, 13. 72 00:02:24,520 --> 00:02:27,240 So there are, as you might expect now, 73 00:02:27,240 --> 00:02:31,200 13 verses in chapter 13 of 1 Corinthians. 74 00:02:31,200 --> 00:02:33,920 And so we're in 1 Corinthians 13, 13. 75 00:02:33,920 --> 00:02:36,080 Now, if you could break this verse down 76 00:02:36,080 --> 00:02:37,320 that we're about to read, 77 00:02:37,320 --> 00:02:40,400 you could get everything from the chapter that we got. 78 00:02:40,400 --> 00:02:43,120 The problem is, you would really have to break it down. 79 00:02:43,120 --> 00:02:44,120 You'd have to look at the words 80 00:02:44,120 --> 00:02:45,880 and go into the little bit deeper meaning. 81 00:02:45,880 --> 00:02:47,920 And then from there, you'd have to fold that all out 82 00:02:47,920 --> 00:02:49,080 and look at what all of that means. 83 00:02:49,080 --> 00:02:51,920 So for example, the very first part of it says, 84 00:02:51,920 --> 00:02:54,960 but now abide or remain, right? 85 00:02:54,960 --> 00:02:56,880 So everything that we've been talking about, 86 00:02:56,880 --> 00:02:58,400 here's what continues. 87 00:02:58,400 --> 00:02:59,560 Here's what stays the course. 88 00:02:59,560 --> 00:03:04,560 Here's what's still alive, thriving and powerful, okay? 89 00:03:05,000 --> 00:03:07,760 He says, but now abide. 90 00:03:07,760 --> 00:03:09,720 And then he gives us a short list, a very short list. 91 00:03:09,720 --> 00:03:12,040 And you've probably heard these three words quoted 92 00:03:12,040 --> 00:03:14,720 in every kind of, all over in Christian kingdom 93 00:03:14,720 --> 00:03:16,280 and God's kingdom and so on. 94 00:03:16,280 --> 00:03:19,360 In fact, they are the name of my favorite movie. 95 00:03:19,360 --> 00:03:22,840 And it is faith, hope, love, okay? 96 00:03:22,840 --> 00:03:26,680 So now abide faith, hope, love. 97 00:03:26,680 --> 00:03:29,800 Notice that the verse does not really have it as and, 98 00:03:29,800 --> 00:03:31,960 and in the original language, it's just the three words, 99 00:03:31,960 --> 00:03:33,400 faith, hope and love. 100 00:03:33,400 --> 00:03:36,040 Now we talked about faith, hope and love 101 00:03:36,040 --> 00:03:39,080 throughout this chapter pretty extensively. 102 00:03:39,080 --> 00:03:41,440 We talked about faith and we said how faith 103 00:03:41,440 --> 00:03:45,880 is essentially believing in God, 104 00:03:45,880 --> 00:03:49,120 believing in something that you cannot physically see 105 00:03:49,120 --> 00:03:51,800 or touch or feel or taste, right? 106 00:03:51,800 --> 00:03:56,440 But that there are things just outside our understanding 107 00:03:56,440 --> 00:03:58,000 and we know that they are there. 108 00:03:58,000 --> 00:04:00,000 God is like that. 109 00:04:00,000 --> 00:04:03,120 When you believe in God and have faith in God, 110 00:04:04,280 --> 00:04:07,040 then that opens a channel of faith between you and God. 111 00:04:07,040 --> 00:04:11,720 And Ephesians two says, for by grace, through faith, right? 112 00:04:11,720 --> 00:04:13,640 And the through is a little dia in the Greek. 113 00:04:13,640 --> 00:04:14,800 And it means that's the pathway. 114 00:04:14,800 --> 00:04:15,720 That's how it's accomplished. 115 00:04:15,720 --> 00:04:16,560 You have to believe. 116 00:04:16,560 --> 00:04:18,760 When you believe and receive, you get saved. 117 00:04:18,760 --> 00:04:19,600 What do you believe? 118 00:04:19,600 --> 00:04:21,640 You believe that God the Father sent Jesus the Son 119 00:04:21,640 --> 00:04:23,280 to save us, right? 120 00:04:23,280 --> 00:04:26,600 In Him as Lord, He has a right to be in charge 121 00:04:26,600 --> 00:04:29,760 and as Savior, He paid the price for your sins, right? 122 00:04:29,760 --> 00:04:33,280 And if you believe that, have faith in God that way, 123 00:04:33,280 --> 00:04:35,400 then the channel is open between you and God. 124 00:04:35,400 --> 00:04:38,000 And then as we learned very, very strongly 125 00:04:38,000 --> 00:04:41,320 in the story of Asa at that point, 126 00:04:41,320 --> 00:04:44,880 that's when God by His grace shows up and does all the work. 127 00:04:44,880 --> 00:04:45,720 Right? 128 00:04:45,720 --> 00:04:47,720 There's no work that you'll ever do to be saved. 129 00:04:47,720 --> 00:04:49,160 Even faith is not a work. 130 00:04:49,160 --> 00:04:50,480 It's just a believing, right? 131 00:04:50,480 --> 00:04:52,320 So I know this is true. 132 00:04:52,320 --> 00:04:53,280 God is real. 133 00:04:53,280 --> 00:04:54,160 God wants to save me. 134 00:04:54,160 --> 00:04:55,680 So that's faith. 135 00:04:55,680 --> 00:04:57,320 And then we talked about hope. 136 00:04:57,320 --> 00:04:59,640 And hope is a little bit different than faith, right? 137 00:04:59,640 --> 00:05:04,360 So hope, if faith is believing in God, 138 00:05:04,360 --> 00:05:05,640 then what's the difference? 139 00:05:05,640 --> 00:05:10,120 Hope is believing God, that God can, right? 140 00:05:10,120 --> 00:05:11,120 It's believing in God. 141 00:05:11,120 --> 00:05:12,120 Believing in God's promise. 142 00:05:12,120 --> 00:05:14,960 It's believing that He will do what He said He will do, 143 00:05:14,960 --> 00:05:17,640 which of course is a logical extension of His character. 144 00:05:17,640 --> 00:05:19,800 God has never made a promise that He didn't keep. 145 00:05:19,800 --> 00:05:21,280 God does not lie. 146 00:05:21,280 --> 00:05:23,080 God Himself does not die out. 147 00:05:23,080 --> 00:05:24,040 And He does remain. 148 00:05:24,040 --> 00:05:25,400 And He has the power to do everything 149 00:05:25,400 --> 00:05:26,760 that He said He would do, all right? 150 00:05:26,760 --> 00:05:31,760 So we trust or hope in God once we know Him. 151 00:05:31,920 --> 00:05:33,880 So we believe that He exists. 152 00:05:33,880 --> 00:05:37,240 And then hope is us hoping or believing 153 00:05:37,240 --> 00:05:39,160 that He will do what He has said He will do. 154 00:05:39,160 --> 00:05:41,520 And that's those two things. 155 00:05:41,520 --> 00:05:42,640 And then there's love. 156 00:05:42,640 --> 00:05:44,480 And that's what we've been talking about. 157 00:05:44,480 --> 00:05:47,200 And so we could go back to the beginning of the chapter 158 00:05:47,200 --> 00:05:50,760 and we could talk about how love is the validator 159 00:05:50,760 --> 00:05:53,200 or qualifier of all the good Christian works 160 00:05:53,200 --> 00:05:55,240 and the gifts themselves are worthless without love. 161 00:05:55,240 --> 00:05:57,360 In fact, Christians are worthless without love. 162 00:05:57,360 --> 00:06:00,040 It says, if I give all my possessions to feed the poor, 163 00:06:00,040 --> 00:06:01,360 if I deliver my body to be burned, 164 00:06:01,360 --> 00:06:04,280 but do not have love, it profits me nothing. 165 00:06:04,280 --> 00:06:07,320 Love is patient, kind, does not brag, 166 00:06:07,320 --> 00:06:08,760 it's not arrogant, does not, 167 00:06:08,760 --> 00:06:11,040 but we drill down on all of those things. 168 00:06:11,040 --> 00:06:14,840 We spent a week on every one of those qualifiers. 169 00:06:14,840 --> 00:06:18,480 So by now, you know to an extent what love is. 170 00:06:18,480 --> 00:06:22,360 Here in 13, he says, but now abide, 171 00:06:22,360 --> 00:06:27,360 faith, hope, love, these three things, these three. 172 00:06:29,320 --> 00:06:33,880 And then he says, but the greatest of these is love. 173 00:06:33,880 --> 00:06:35,800 But the greatest of these is love. 174 00:06:35,800 --> 00:06:38,760 And that word there, greatest, really is a lot, isn't it? 175 00:06:38,760 --> 00:06:42,120 Because we know faith, we know hope, we know love. 176 00:06:42,120 --> 00:06:44,840 And now when we say love stands out, 177 00:06:44,840 --> 00:06:47,000 how love stands out really matters, doesn't it? 178 00:06:47,000 --> 00:06:48,120 How does love stand out? 179 00:06:48,120 --> 00:06:49,080 That's what really matters. 180 00:06:49,080 --> 00:06:51,840 If you have a list of three and one of them stands out, 181 00:06:51,840 --> 00:06:54,840 then the point is that one that stands out 182 00:06:54,840 --> 00:06:57,160 is really important in some way. 183 00:06:57,160 --> 00:07:00,360 And the word there that's being used 184 00:07:00,360 --> 00:07:01,240 would be pronounced like, 185 00:07:01,240 --> 00:07:02,560 if you kind of brought it over in English, 186 00:07:02,560 --> 00:07:04,600 it'd be like my zone, okay? 187 00:07:04,600 --> 00:07:09,600 And it means greater, larger, stronger, elder, okay? 188 00:07:09,600 --> 00:07:13,560 I have an older brother, he's my elder. 189 00:07:13,560 --> 00:07:18,560 Zoe has a bunch of older brothers, they're her elder, right? 190 00:07:18,560 --> 00:07:20,800 And when Zoe wrestles with Jason, 191 00:07:20,800 --> 00:07:24,440 Zoe only wins if Jason allows it, okay? 192 00:07:24,440 --> 00:07:27,840 And that is because not only is he her elder, 193 00:07:27,840 --> 00:07:31,600 but also because he's stronger, okay? 194 00:07:31,600 --> 00:07:33,760 He's also larger. 195 00:07:33,760 --> 00:07:36,240 Now there is some question as to whether or not 196 00:07:36,240 --> 00:07:38,120 he is greater, right? 197 00:07:38,120 --> 00:07:40,760 She is a human and extremely creative in her own right, 198 00:07:40,760 --> 00:07:42,480 fast, thoughtful, all kinds of things. 199 00:07:42,480 --> 00:07:46,080 He is the same, but different, okay? 200 00:07:46,080 --> 00:07:51,080 And so this says that love is greater, larger, stronger, 201 00:07:51,920 --> 00:07:54,840 and the elder of hope, faith, and love. 202 00:07:54,840 --> 00:07:56,000 That's what the word means. 203 00:07:56,000 --> 00:07:57,080 That's a lot. 204 00:07:57,080 --> 00:07:58,640 And it's not just one of those things. 205 00:07:58,640 --> 00:08:03,160 It's not just greater, it's also greater, stronger, 206 00:08:03,160 --> 00:08:05,360 larger, and elder, right? 207 00:08:05,360 --> 00:08:07,280 So to say something is greater 208 00:08:07,280 --> 00:08:12,280 is to say that it is bigger or has a bigger impact, right? 209 00:08:12,400 --> 00:08:15,520 It makes a bigger difference, if you will. 210 00:08:15,520 --> 00:08:17,960 So love makes a bigger difference than faith and hope. 211 00:08:17,960 --> 00:08:20,600 And that's scary because faith opens the channel to God 212 00:08:20,600 --> 00:08:22,240 whereby we can be saved, 213 00:08:22,240 --> 00:08:25,440 and love as a person comes and resides in us. 214 00:08:25,440 --> 00:08:28,560 And so without faith, it feels like it would be impossible 215 00:08:28,560 --> 00:08:32,800 for love to do its work, and yet love is greater. 216 00:08:34,880 --> 00:08:36,760 Love is stronger. 217 00:08:36,760 --> 00:08:39,320 So stronger is being able to lift more, 218 00:08:39,320 --> 00:08:40,640 being able to get more done. 219 00:08:40,640 --> 00:08:43,440 It's literally that word, love gets more done. 220 00:08:43,440 --> 00:08:45,320 Love is stronger. 221 00:08:45,320 --> 00:08:48,720 We talked about how love covers a multitude of sins. 222 00:08:48,720 --> 00:08:51,120 Faith doesn't cover any sins. 223 00:08:51,120 --> 00:08:52,120 I mean, you wish it did. 224 00:08:52,120 --> 00:08:53,800 I mean, because it's like a gift from God. 225 00:08:53,800 --> 00:08:54,960 You almost kind of, you don't have to do anything. 226 00:08:54,960 --> 00:08:56,040 I wish my sins could all be covered. 227 00:08:56,040 --> 00:08:57,180 I just don't do anything. 228 00:08:57,180 --> 00:09:00,960 I believe in Jesus, and so nothing's gonna happen to me 229 00:09:00,960 --> 00:09:03,240 for all the bad things that I did, right? 230 00:09:03,240 --> 00:09:05,480 No, faith opens the channel. 231 00:09:05,480 --> 00:09:08,200 Grace covers the sins, right? 232 00:09:08,200 --> 00:09:13,200 And so love then is stronger than faith and hope. 233 00:09:13,720 --> 00:09:15,160 It can do more lifting. 234 00:09:16,440 --> 00:09:21,440 Then also it is, love is larger. 235 00:09:24,240 --> 00:09:25,080 Larger. 236 00:09:26,840 --> 00:09:28,760 Love is big. 237 00:09:28,760 --> 00:09:30,120 Love is so big, in fact, 238 00:09:30,120 --> 00:09:31,720 that it's almost impossible to fathom. 239 00:09:31,720 --> 00:09:33,480 It's almost impossible to get your mind 240 00:09:33,480 --> 00:09:35,640 wrapped around the concept of what love is. 241 00:09:35,640 --> 00:09:38,280 So this word that we've been talking about, love, 242 00:09:38,280 --> 00:09:40,680 all throughout this chapter is always the same word. 243 00:09:40,680 --> 00:09:44,200 And it's in the King James translated as charity. 244 00:09:44,200 --> 00:09:45,560 And you know why that is? 245 00:09:45,560 --> 00:09:48,320 Because this word love is love in action. 246 00:09:48,320 --> 00:09:52,400 Love enacted, love carried out, love done, if you will. 247 00:09:52,400 --> 00:09:55,320 Love been, if I may say it that way. 248 00:09:56,200 --> 00:10:01,200 And so then we can think of love being greater, 249 00:10:01,200 --> 00:10:06,200 larger, stronger, and then lastly, elder. 250 00:10:07,080 --> 00:10:09,760 Love is old. 251 00:10:09,760 --> 00:10:12,680 Love goes back to the very beginning. 252 00:10:14,240 --> 00:10:15,240 Faith is good. 253 00:10:16,400 --> 00:10:18,560 But the truth is before mankind was created, 254 00:10:18,560 --> 00:10:20,840 faith was unnecessary. 255 00:10:20,840 --> 00:10:22,760 Faith didn't exist, right? 256 00:10:22,760 --> 00:10:24,760 People have faith. 257 00:10:24,760 --> 00:10:26,480 But God is love. 258 00:10:26,480 --> 00:10:29,360 And so love existed even before people existed. 259 00:10:29,360 --> 00:10:31,920 Because love existed even before people existed, 260 00:10:31,920 --> 00:10:34,240 God created people. 261 00:10:34,240 --> 00:10:37,760 And He made people able to love like He could love. 262 00:10:38,920 --> 00:10:43,160 And then people sinned against God 263 00:10:43,160 --> 00:10:46,160 and began even then to turn something into, 264 00:10:46,160 --> 00:10:49,400 turn love into something that was not what love was. 265 00:10:51,320 --> 00:10:53,720 Love doesn't die out, it remains. 266 00:10:53,720 --> 00:10:56,560 Love doesn't become absolute, absolute. 267 00:10:56,560 --> 00:10:57,920 It's always useful. 268 00:10:57,920 --> 00:11:01,320 It's always greater, larger, stronger, and the elder. 269 00:11:01,320 --> 00:11:02,560 Love doesn't wear out. 270 00:11:02,560 --> 00:11:04,160 It doesn't pale by comparison. 271 00:11:04,160 --> 00:11:06,920 Nothing is going to come along at any point 272 00:11:06,920 --> 00:11:08,600 that's going to be as good as love 273 00:11:08,600 --> 00:11:10,840 or make love look any less. 274 00:11:10,840 --> 00:11:13,000 Even though the world is putting out there right now 275 00:11:13,000 --> 00:11:15,200 a certain kind of love, a certain kind of sacrifice, 276 00:11:15,200 --> 00:11:18,680 a compassion that observes the opinions of men 277 00:11:18,680 --> 00:11:20,800 more than the opinions of God. 278 00:11:20,800 --> 00:11:24,480 Even though that's come and it seems to be an easier road, 279 00:11:24,480 --> 00:11:26,520 it seems to be better at times 280 00:11:26,520 --> 00:11:28,560 because you can do whatever you want to do 281 00:11:28,560 --> 00:11:30,520 and whoever it is that you're talking about 282 00:11:30,520 --> 00:11:34,600 has to love you compulsory. 283 00:11:34,600 --> 00:11:38,320 They're required, regardless of your actions. 284 00:11:38,320 --> 00:11:41,560 So that makes free will seem better than love, 285 00:11:41,560 --> 00:11:45,120 but love does not pale under the influence 286 00:11:45,120 --> 00:11:47,320 or comparison with free will 287 00:11:47,320 --> 00:11:49,760 because free will is simply necessary for love. 288 00:11:49,760 --> 00:11:54,000 In fact, free will culminates in love. 289 00:11:54,000 --> 00:11:56,400 The Bible says that those who love God 290 00:11:56,400 --> 00:11:59,360 are His elect in Romans 8.28, 291 00:11:59,360 --> 00:12:00,760 where it says all things will work together 292 00:12:00,760 --> 00:12:02,560 for the good of those who what? 293 00:12:02,560 --> 00:12:05,360 Love God and are called according to His purpose. 294 00:12:05,360 --> 00:12:07,960 So who on the earth has God's favor? 295 00:12:07,960 --> 00:12:10,160 Who on the earth has God on their side? 296 00:12:10,160 --> 00:12:12,720 Who on the earth are the people 297 00:12:12,720 --> 00:12:14,080 that God will always intervene 298 00:12:14,080 --> 00:12:18,000 and turn out the end result for their blessing? 299 00:12:18,000 --> 00:12:18,960 Well, those who love God 300 00:12:18,960 --> 00:12:20,920 and are called according to His purpose. 301 00:12:21,880 --> 00:12:25,240 Also says in 1 Corinthians 8.3, which that's so close, 302 00:12:25,240 --> 00:12:27,760 we'll just have to flip there and read it word for word, 303 00:12:27,760 --> 00:12:30,360 although we've done it once before in the last few weeks. 304 00:12:30,360 --> 00:12:31,640 1 Corinthians 8.3 says, 305 00:12:31,640 --> 00:12:35,600 but if anyone loves God, he is known by Him. 306 00:12:35,600 --> 00:12:38,320 So who is it that God knows? 307 00:12:38,320 --> 00:12:40,480 Who is it that God has your number? 308 00:12:40,480 --> 00:12:42,160 If your soul has a serial number, 309 00:12:42,160 --> 00:12:44,680 who has memorized that serial number? 310 00:12:44,680 --> 00:12:46,120 If there are hairs on your head, 311 00:12:46,120 --> 00:12:47,440 who knows the exact number? 312 00:12:47,440 --> 00:12:49,560 Well, that would be God. 313 00:12:49,560 --> 00:12:51,640 Those who love God are God's elect. 314 00:12:51,640 --> 00:12:52,920 And what does it mean to be elected? 315 00:12:52,920 --> 00:12:55,440 It means chosen, He has owned you. 316 00:12:55,440 --> 00:12:57,400 He has taken you as His very own child. 317 00:12:57,400 --> 00:12:59,040 One theologian said it this way, 318 00:12:59,040 --> 00:13:02,440 they are known fully, savingly, personally, 319 00:13:02,440 --> 00:13:04,400 and everlastingly by God. 320 00:13:04,400 --> 00:13:05,960 And so those who are like this, 321 00:13:05,960 --> 00:13:07,640 those who have loved God, 322 00:13:07,640 --> 00:13:09,880 those who have had a loving relationship with God, 323 00:13:09,880 --> 00:13:10,720 they are known fully. 324 00:13:10,720 --> 00:13:13,480 That means God knows everything about you in completeness. 325 00:13:13,480 --> 00:13:14,520 They are known savingly. 326 00:13:14,520 --> 00:13:18,240 That means God will save your soul, has saved your soul. 327 00:13:18,240 --> 00:13:20,360 His love has the ability to save your soul. 328 00:13:20,360 --> 00:13:22,080 They are known personally. 329 00:13:22,080 --> 00:13:24,920 That means He knows you in your kind of idiosyncrasies 330 00:13:24,920 --> 00:13:26,880 and the oddities and the strange things that you do. 331 00:13:26,880 --> 00:13:29,320 He knows how you feel about stuff. 332 00:13:29,320 --> 00:13:31,080 And they are known everlastingly. 333 00:13:31,080 --> 00:13:32,880 It does not wear out, it does not quit, 334 00:13:32,880 --> 00:13:34,120 and it will take you right into heaven. 335 00:13:34,120 --> 00:13:37,240 Our focus now should be on God's knowledge of us, 336 00:13:37,240 --> 00:13:38,920 not on our knowledge of Him. 337 00:13:39,800 --> 00:13:43,400 As important as it is in the proper context, 338 00:13:43,400 --> 00:13:45,680 it is more important that He knows us 339 00:13:45,680 --> 00:13:47,840 than that we know Him. 340 00:13:47,840 --> 00:13:50,640 To know that we are known by God, 341 00:13:50,640 --> 00:13:52,840 personally, savingly, completely, 342 00:13:52,840 --> 00:13:54,840 is the greatest knowledge. 343 00:13:54,840 --> 00:13:57,920 It surpasses all other knowledge 344 00:13:57,920 --> 00:14:00,200 as the light of our sun surpasses all lights. 345 00:14:00,200 --> 00:14:03,760 You don't burn a candle in the daytime outside, 346 00:14:03,760 --> 00:14:05,920 and you certainly don't get any benefit by it 347 00:14:05,920 --> 00:14:07,280 if you choose to do so. 348 00:14:08,560 --> 00:14:11,520 Thus love is the greatest of these three things, 349 00:14:11,520 --> 00:14:14,520 because number one, Christian virtues 350 00:14:14,520 --> 00:14:15,920 and ministries of the Spirit 351 00:14:15,920 --> 00:14:17,800 depend on it for their validity. 352 00:14:17,800 --> 00:14:20,440 In other words, everything you do right, 353 00:14:20,440 --> 00:14:22,400 everything you do for God, 354 00:14:22,400 --> 00:14:24,160 every action that you carry out, 355 00:14:24,160 --> 00:14:25,840 every time you deny yourself 356 00:14:25,840 --> 00:14:28,800 and take up your cross daily and follow after Him, 357 00:14:28,800 --> 00:14:31,680 every time you do that depends on love. 358 00:14:33,000 --> 00:14:34,920 And if you're doing it for some other reason 359 00:14:34,920 --> 00:14:36,680 so that someone will see you, 360 00:14:36,680 --> 00:14:39,520 someone will bless you, someone will want you, 361 00:14:39,520 --> 00:14:41,520 someone will think highly of you, 362 00:14:41,520 --> 00:14:44,160 that's not love and you are nothing. 363 00:14:45,200 --> 00:14:48,200 Not my words, Paul's to the Corinthians 364 00:14:48,200 --> 00:14:50,160 at the beginning of this chapter. 365 00:14:50,160 --> 00:14:52,160 So our Christian virtues and ministries of the Spirit 366 00:14:52,160 --> 00:14:55,160 depend on love for their validity. 367 00:14:57,160 --> 00:15:00,960 Also, love is greater because it lasts for eternity, 368 00:15:00,960 --> 00:15:03,600 and it is the method, as we talked about last week 369 00:15:03,600 --> 00:15:08,520 at the very end, by which we store up treasures in heaven. 370 00:15:08,520 --> 00:15:11,120 That which you do in love, because love lasts, 371 00:15:11,120 --> 00:15:13,360 will make what you do last. 372 00:15:13,360 --> 00:15:15,960 Also, it binds the Christian community together now 373 00:15:15,960 --> 00:15:16,800 and eternally. 374 00:15:16,800 --> 00:15:21,800 The church is God's composite agency. 375 00:15:23,200 --> 00:15:24,640 In this room, we have some, 376 00:15:24,640 --> 00:15:26,560 I'm just gonna be kind of gentle with this one, 377 00:15:26,560 --> 00:15:28,560 some oddballs. 378 00:15:28,560 --> 00:15:30,800 We have some knuckleheads. 379 00:15:30,800 --> 00:15:32,880 We have some jerks. 380 00:15:32,880 --> 00:15:34,440 We have some wenches. 381 00:15:35,240 --> 00:15:36,840 They're all those things. 382 00:15:36,840 --> 00:15:40,240 But God, in His love, has taken those things 383 00:15:40,240 --> 00:15:43,640 and turned them into loving brothers and sisters in Christ. 384 00:15:43,640 --> 00:15:48,640 He has cleansed and regenerated and sealed us for eternity. 385 00:15:48,880 --> 00:15:50,560 And because those things have happened, 386 00:15:50,560 --> 00:15:55,560 we become His good composite agency, acting on behalf. 387 00:15:55,600 --> 00:15:59,120 That's why we are called the body of Christ. 388 00:15:59,120 --> 00:16:01,480 And if you read there, those words literally mean 389 00:16:01,480 --> 00:16:04,720 the body of Christ, the body owned by Christ, 390 00:16:04,720 --> 00:16:06,080 the body that is Christ's body. 391 00:16:06,080 --> 00:16:06,920 We are that. 392 00:16:06,920 --> 00:16:10,560 Despite all that we were and how far away from God we were, 393 00:16:10,560 --> 00:16:12,240 because of God's love for us, 394 00:16:12,240 --> 00:16:14,840 He translated us to become His people. 395 00:16:16,160 --> 00:16:19,640 And this love then binds the Christian community together. 396 00:16:19,640 --> 00:16:20,960 We love one another. 397 00:16:20,960 --> 00:16:22,960 And because we know that others love us, 398 00:16:22,960 --> 00:16:25,000 we are free to do the things that we're supposed to do. 399 00:16:25,000 --> 00:16:27,000 And because we know that we love them, 400 00:16:27,000 --> 00:16:28,720 we are free to do the things we're supposed to do 401 00:16:28,720 --> 00:16:30,720 to sacrifice on their behalf. 402 00:16:30,720 --> 00:16:34,280 The Christian community is essentially bound by love. 403 00:16:34,280 --> 00:16:36,640 It is the, lastly, it is greater 404 00:16:36,640 --> 00:16:38,360 because it is the nature of God 405 00:16:38,360 --> 00:16:39,800 as revealed in Jesus Christ. 406 00:16:39,800 --> 00:16:41,840 If you wanna know something about God, 407 00:16:41,840 --> 00:16:44,280 look at Jesus. 408 00:16:44,280 --> 00:16:47,000 All of the qualities of the God of the universe, 409 00:16:47,000 --> 00:16:51,680 everything that is God was displayed in Jesus. 410 00:16:51,680 --> 00:16:53,360 And those who say that they know God 411 00:16:53,360 --> 00:16:55,440 by some other method are just wrong. 412 00:16:56,640 --> 00:16:59,440 If they know they're wrong, they're liars. 413 00:16:59,440 --> 00:17:02,040 If they don't know they're wrong, they're deceived. 414 00:17:02,040 --> 00:17:05,040 Because if you wanna know God, you gotta know Jesus. 415 00:17:05,040 --> 00:17:07,160 That's why Jesus was able to say 416 00:17:07,160 --> 00:17:11,880 that whosoever cometh to the Father cometh through me. 417 00:17:11,880 --> 00:17:13,760 That's the only way. 418 00:17:13,760 --> 00:17:17,920 Because Jesus is the image of the God of the universe. 419 00:17:17,920 --> 00:17:18,800 Pardon me. 420 00:17:18,800 --> 00:17:22,520 Jesus is the one who's, R.G. talked about how 421 00:17:22,520 --> 00:17:24,200 we don't want our children to be like us, 422 00:17:24,200 --> 00:17:27,000 we want our children to be like Jesus. 423 00:17:27,000 --> 00:17:29,040 That's the goal. 424 00:17:29,040 --> 00:17:34,040 And Jesus is the full embodiment of God's love. 425 00:17:34,040 --> 00:17:36,800 This is love that a man might lay down his life 426 00:17:36,800 --> 00:17:38,040 for his brothers. 427 00:17:38,040 --> 00:17:40,640 You think Jesus set that model, that example for us 428 00:17:40,640 --> 00:17:43,440 so that we could then go on and rewrite love, 429 00:17:43,440 --> 00:17:46,720 make love a different thing, make love a lesser thing? 430 00:17:46,720 --> 00:17:50,560 How many churches preach all you need to do is believe. 431 00:17:50,560 --> 00:17:51,760 Just believe. 432 00:17:51,760 --> 00:17:54,640 I submit to you that if you believe in God 433 00:17:54,640 --> 00:17:59,160 and open the door, that channel of faith is present. 434 00:17:59,160 --> 00:18:02,080 If God does not do the grace of saving you, 435 00:18:02,080 --> 00:18:05,080 you're still lost and you'll still be in hell. 436 00:18:05,080 --> 00:18:06,720 You'll still rot in hell for eternity 437 00:18:06,720 --> 00:18:09,560 unless God by His grace saves you. 438 00:18:09,560 --> 00:18:12,280 It is an action of God that provides salvation. 439 00:18:12,280 --> 00:18:14,200 The action of faith is essentially knowing 440 00:18:14,200 --> 00:18:15,480 that God can be appealed to. 441 00:18:15,480 --> 00:18:20,480 Now will God ever not do the action of God to save you? 442 00:18:20,480 --> 00:18:24,120 Is there ever a time in which a person cried out verbally, 443 00:18:24,120 --> 00:18:28,360 Lord, God saved me through Jesus Christ, and he did not? 444 00:18:28,360 --> 00:18:30,640 Before you say no, never such a time. 445 00:18:30,640 --> 00:18:34,800 Be careful, because a man may speak many words. 446 00:18:34,800 --> 00:18:38,760 Jesus said, not everyone who says unto me, Lord, Lord, 447 00:18:38,760 --> 00:18:39,920 will enter the kingdom of heaven. 448 00:18:39,920 --> 00:18:41,400 So that says what? 449 00:18:41,400 --> 00:18:44,040 Yes, there will be those who cried out unto him 450 00:18:44,040 --> 00:18:45,840 and called him Lord, and yet will not 451 00:18:45,840 --> 00:18:47,000 enter the kingdom of heaven. 452 00:18:47,000 --> 00:18:49,560 For it is those who do the actions of God, 453 00:18:49,560 --> 00:18:51,640 the actions that God calls them to, 454 00:18:51,640 --> 00:18:54,680 who have truly called upon the name of the Lord. 455 00:18:54,680 --> 00:18:58,440 And so the answer is, yes, you might cry out to God, save me, 456 00:18:58,440 --> 00:19:00,880 and even though it says, whosoever called upon the name of the Lord 457 00:19:00,880 --> 00:19:05,560 will be saved, you might cry out to him and not mean it. 458 00:19:05,560 --> 00:19:08,200 The channel may not actually be open. 459 00:19:08,200 --> 00:19:11,040 You don't actually believe that God will answer your prayer. 460 00:19:11,040 --> 00:19:12,880 You don't actually believe that God exists, 461 00:19:12,880 --> 00:19:15,480 and he is a rewarder of those who seek him, 462 00:19:15,480 --> 00:19:19,040 of those who believe in him, and that he is a rewarder 463 00:19:19,040 --> 00:19:21,520 of those who seek him. 464 00:19:21,520 --> 00:19:24,000 So faith and hope, they are essentials. 465 00:19:24,000 --> 00:19:25,040 It's true. 466 00:19:25,040 --> 00:19:27,600 There is how you can be saved. 467 00:19:27,600 --> 00:19:32,040 There is how you experience love from God and love in God 468 00:19:32,040 --> 00:19:34,680 and God's love through you and all of that. 469 00:19:34,680 --> 00:19:38,400 But unless God by grace saves you, that love will not exist in you. 470 00:19:38,400 --> 00:19:40,760 And if it does not, you're kindling for the fire. 471 00:19:43,640 --> 00:19:45,760 So what is this Christian love? 472 00:19:45,760 --> 00:19:48,240 What is it that we have been talking about? 473 00:19:48,240 --> 00:19:49,720 I'm going to sum it up for you now. 474 00:19:49,720 --> 00:19:52,600 After everything that we've been through and all that we've looked at, 475 00:19:52,600 --> 00:19:56,400 I'm going to make it super easy for you to act on it. 476 00:19:56,400 --> 00:19:57,280 That's tough, right? 477 00:19:57,280 --> 00:19:59,840 Because it's hard to think, how do I love somebody 478 00:19:59,840 --> 00:20:04,800 without ever thinking about me, without dwelling on the wrongs 479 00:20:04,800 --> 00:20:06,160 that they've done? 480 00:20:06,160 --> 00:20:07,280 How do I do all of that? 481 00:20:07,280 --> 00:20:08,920 Let's make it a lot simpler than that. 482 00:20:08,920 --> 00:20:09,520 It is this. 483 00:20:09,520 --> 00:20:12,960 It is the identification of ourselves. 484 00:20:12,960 --> 00:20:14,240 In other words, this is who I am. 485 00:20:14,240 --> 00:20:20,960 I am now identifying with this God's interests in other people. 486 00:20:20,960 --> 00:20:22,000 That's what you do. 487 00:20:22,000 --> 00:20:24,680 That's how you love like God has called us to love. 488 00:20:24,680 --> 00:20:27,480 That's how you become the love of Christ and the body of Christ, 489 00:20:27,480 --> 00:20:31,400 is you look at others and you say, I identify. 490 00:20:31,400 --> 00:20:32,680 Here is my identity. 491 00:20:32,680 --> 00:20:35,880 Not just my identity as Pastor Daniel R. Stevenson. 492 00:20:35,880 --> 00:20:37,440 That's my name. 493 00:20:37,440 --> 00:20:38,960 Who is Pastor Daniel R. Stevenson? 494 00:20:38,960 --> 00:20:40,520 This is who I am. 495 00:20:40,520 --> 00:20:45,560 I identify with God's interests, what God is trying to accomplish 496 00:20:45,560 --> 00:20:47,720 in other people. 497 00:20:47,720 --> 00:20:48,840 That's it. 498 00:20:48,840 --> 00:20:51,600 Not I want. 499 00:20:51,600 --> 00:20:53,480 Not I think. 500 00:20:53,480 --> 00:20:55,560 Not I pursue. 501 00:20:55,560 --> 00:20:57,360 Not I have a plan. 502 00:20:57,360 --> 00:21:00,480 Not if I say this, this will be the outcome. 503 00:21:00,480 --> 00:21:01,480 But I identify. 504 00:21:01,480 --> 00:21:05,600 My identity is now wrapped up in God's interests 505 00:21:05,600 --> 00:21:09,920 coming to fulfillment in other people. 506 00:21:09,920 --> 00:21:14,480 Love is what God in Christ has shown or done for others. 507 00:21:14,480 --> 00:21:17,520 See, if God didn't send Jesus, that 508 00:21:17,520 --> 00:21:20,640 would not be keeping in His character of love. 509 00:21:20,640 --> 00:21:21,600 He is love. 510 00:21:21,600 --> 00:21:23,600 And therefore, of course, He sent Jesus. 511 00:21:23,600 --> 00:21:25,560 Not He had to, but of course, He sent Jesus. 512 00:21:25,560 --> 00:21:29,320 In some sense, you could say that God had a love debt to pay 513 00:21:29,320 --> 00:21:31,760 and He paid it through Jesus. 514 00:21:31,760 --> 00:21:33,520 And you are in the same place being 515 00:21:33,520 --> 00:21:35,240 created in the image of God. 516 00:21:35,240 --> 00:21:37,640 You have a love debt to pay. 517 00:21:37,640 --> 00:21:41,160 And you pay that debt most completely, most successfully, 518 00:21:41,160 --> 00:21:45,960 most wholly when you love others and become identified 519 00:21:45,960 --> 00:21:48,600 with God's interests at work in them. 520 00:21:48,600 --> 00:21:50,400 You say, well, God wants to save them. 521 00:21:50,400 --> 00:21:51,240 They don't profess to be saved. 522 00:21:51,240 --> 00:21:52,360 God wants to save them. 523 00:21:52,360 --> 00:21:54,440 So now I want to do everything I can 524 00:21:54,440 --> 00:21:55,960 to see that person get saved. 525 00:21:55,960 --> 00:21:59,800 Not just I want to do, but I want to become. 526 00:21:59,800 --> 00:22:04,280 I want to identify with God's action, His motivation, 527 00:22:04,280 --> 00:22:07,440 His direction inside that other person. 528 00:22:07,440 --> 00:22:10,880 Now obviously, this takes place most completely in the church. 529 00:22:10,880 --> 00:22:12,400 In fact, Jesus said it. 530 00:22:12,400 --> 00:22:14,000 And then Paul said it a bunch of times. 531 00:22:14,000 --> 00:22:16,480 You read the first chapter of the book of Philippi, 532 00:22:16,480 --> 00:22:18,320 the first chapter of the book of Colossians. 533 00:22:18,320 --> 00:22:19,860 And I think it's probably in every one, 534 00:22:19,860 --> 00:22:21,240 but I didn't go through every single one 535 00:22:21,240 --> 00:22:22,640 to check all the letters. 536 00:22:22,640 --> 00:22:24,640 One of the things he observes about the church 537 00:22:24,640 --> 00:22:29,560 and quotes and talks about every single time is their love. 538 00:22:29,560 --> 00:22:30,640 That's it. 539 00:22:30,640 --> 00:22:33,160 And so he says, this too I have seen in you. 540 00:22:33,160 --> 00:22:36,360 Or this, I pray, will come to even more fruition in you. 541 00:22:36,360 --> 00:22:38,120 He's always talking about their love. 542 00:22:38,120 --> 00:22:40,080 God's people love each other. 543 00:22:40,080 --> 00:22:41,520 We love each other. 544 00:22:41,520 --> 00:22:45,880 So first and foremost, you need to identify yourself. 545 00:22:45,880 --> 00:22:48,320 I, and you want to put your name on it, you can. 546 00:22:48,320 --> 00:22:51,800 But this walking being, this living, breathing human body, 547 00:22:51,800 --> 00:22:54,560 and all my soul and all my mind and all my heart 548 00:22:54,560 --> 00:22:59,560 are at this purpose, at the whim of this purpose, 549 00:22:59,760 --> 00:23:02,040 for this purpose, working in this purpose, 550 00:23:02,040 --> 00:23:05,720 that God's interests may be served in other people. 551 00:23:05,720 --> 00:23:08,180 And so when I look at the teenagers in this room, 552 00:23:08,180 --> 00:23:13,180 I think, who am I that I can work God's purposes 553 00:23:14,200 --> 00:23:15,520 in them somehow? 554 00:23:15,520 --> 00:23:17,320 When I look at the older adults, I think, 555 00:23:17,320 --> 00:23:19,240 who am I, who might I be? 556 00:23:19,240 --> 00:23:21,560 What is God gonna make me into? 557 00:23:21,560 --> 00:23:23,480 See, a lot of times people talk about how Paul, 558 00:23:23,480 --> 00:23:25,320 Paul says, I became, right? 559 00:23:25,320 --> 00:23:29,520 I became all things to all men that by some means, 560 00:23:29,520 --> 00:23:31,820 I might reach some, right? 561 00:23:32,960 --> 00:23:34,960 Except we forget. 562 00:23:34,960 --> 00:23:38,480 It doesn't say, we then translate or transliterate 563 00:23:38,480 --> 00:23:40,600 his words to say that he says, well, 564 00:23:40,600 --> 00:23:42,160 he did all of these things. 565 00:23:42,160 --> 00:23:43,880 Like I did this so that I might reach some, 566 00:23:43,880 --> 00:23:45,000 and I did this so I reach some. 567 00:23:45,000 --> 00:23:46,240 That's not what it says. 568 00:23:46,240 --> 00:23:47,880 It says, I became. 569 00:23:47,880 --> 00:23:49,660 This is about your identity. 570 00:23:49,660 --> 00:23:53,200 You have to be willing to surrender your personal identity 571 00:23:53,200 --> 00:23:56,500 into the efforts of God that the interests of God 572 00:23:56,500 --> 00:23:57,920 may be achieved in other people. 573 00:23:57,920 --> 00:24:00,760 And that is the very love that we've been talking about. 574 00:24:00,760 --> 00:24:04,940 Love is what God in Christ has shown and done for others. 575 00:24:04,940 --> 00:24:07,120 While we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. 576 00:24:07,120 --> 00:24:07,960 Why? 577 00:24:07,960 --> 00:24:10,920 Because God became what he had to become 578 00:24:10,920 --> 00:24:14,220 so that God's interests could be worked in other people. 579 00:24:14,220 --> 00:24:16,540 And if we're gonna follow God's example, 580 00:24:16,540 --> 00:24:19,740 we must become whatever we must become 581 00:24:19,740 --> 00:24:22,940 so that God's interests may be worked in other people. 582 00:24:22,940 --> 00:24:26,660 Love makes God's interests in others our own interests. 583 00:24:26,660 --> 00:24:28,540 Once you've done it, this is how you know, 584 00:24:28,540 --> 00:24:30,260 this is the measure, would you figure it out? 585 00:24:30,260 --> 00:24:33,920 You become whatever it takes to work God's interests 586 00:24:33,920 --> 00:24:38,920 in those other people, and then God's interests 587 00:24:38,920 --> 00:24:43,920 in those people become our interests, right? 588 00:24:45,000 --> 00:24:47,700 Because we essentially become God's love, 589 00:24:47,700 --> 00:24:48,960 and God is loving. 590 00:24:48,960 --> 00:24:51,840 Finally, as Christians, we've achieved that place 591 00:24:51,840 --> 00:24:54,680 in which we represent God, which is what we were doing 592 00:24:54,680 --> 00:24:56,880 all the while, it's what God was working at 593 00:24:56,880 --> 00:24:59,440 all the while since Adam and Eve. 594 00:24:59,440 --> 00:25:02,420 Faith is believing in God, hope is believing God, 595 00:25:02,420 --> 00:25:06,720 and love is identifying with God's interests in others. 596 00:25:06,720 --> 00:25:10,080 Predominantly true for Christians, 597 00:25:10,080 --> 00:25:13,840 but also because we are aware of God's nature outside time. 598 00:25:13,840 --> 00:25:15,800 So in other words, I look around this room 599 00:25:15,800 --> 00:25:17,640 and I see people who are professing to be Christian. 600 00:25:17,640 --> 00:25:19,440 Because you're professing to be Christian, 601 00:25:19,440 --> 00:25:22,520 I want to let God change my identity 602 00:25:22,520 --> 00:25:24,960 into that whichever it is that will work 603 00:25:24,960 --> 00:25:26,560 God's interests in you. 604 00:25:26,560 --> 00:25:28,560 But I'm gonna leave this room eventually. 605 00:25:28,560 --> 00:25:30,380 Or I know that there could be people in this room 606 00:25:30,380 --> 00:25:33,240 who are not truly Christian at this time. 607 00:25:33,240 --> 00:25:34,960 And when I do, I'm gonna run into people 608 00:25:34,960 --> 00:25:37,040 who do not even profess to be Christian 609 00:25:37,040 --> 00:25:38,680 out there in the world, at the park, 610 00:25:38,680 --> 00:25:40,320 at the restaurant, et cetera. 611 00:25:40,320 --> 00:25:44,280 And I still want to see God's interests at work in them. 612 00:25:44,280 --> 00:25:47,620 Now I can be loving to them, I can expend my resources, 613 00:25:47,620 --> 00:25:49,640 I can work hard, I can slave away, 614 00:25:49,640 --> 00:25:53,760 I can be outspoken though I am shy or introverted normally, 615 00:25:53,760 --> 00:25:56,200 or whatever, I can do that, I can talk about God with them 616 00:25:56,200 --> 00:25:57,840 to work God's interests in them. 617 00:25:57,840 --> 00:26:00,240 And I can do that because I know 618 00:26:00,240 --> 00:26:02,280 that we're all on the same page. 619 00:26:02,280 --> 00:26:04,240 And so we go to a restaurant, I have no problem 620 00:26:04,240 --> 00:26:06,520 asking the waitress if she has any prayer requests 621 00:26:06,520 --> 00:26:08,800 and trying to open the conversation, right? 622 00:26:08,800 --> 00:26:10,640 And you can tell usually from that point on 623 00:26:10,640 --> 00:26:12,280 whether they're open to talk more, 624 00:26:12,280 --> 00:26:14,360 or they'll be kind of scarce at the table after that point, 625 00:26:14,360 --> 00:26:15,800 just pop in real quick so you don't bring up 626 00:26:15,800 --> 00:26:17,480 anything more about Jesus, you know. 627 00:26:17,480 --> 00:26:20,040 But the bottom line is, I feel comfortable doing that 628 00:26:20,040 --> 00:26:21,880 when I'm out with the people from the church 629 00:26:21,880 --> 00:26:24,320 because I know we're all supposed to be on that same page. 630 00:26:24,320 --> 00:26:26,200 I can't make you be on that page, 631 00:26:26,200 --> 00:26:28,680 we can't force each other to be on that page, 632 00:26:28,680 --> 00:26:31,680 but that is God's interests in me. 633 00:26:31,680 --> 00:26:34,240 God's interests in us, that we would be used as His agents 634 00:26:34,240 --> 00:26:38,120 to act out and work on His interests in other people. 635 00:26:38,120 --> 00:26:40,600 And so it says in Galatians 6, 636 00:26:40,600 --> 00:26:43,920 that we work on behalf of one another first, 637 00:26:43,920 --> 00:26:45,960 and then the rest of the world second. 638 00:26:47,720 --> 00:26:49,280 So you have to make a choice between 639 00:26:49,280 --> 00:26:52,200 loving your church members and loving other people 640 00:26:52,200 --> 00:26:54,240 out that are not part of your local church, 641 00:26:54,240 --> 00:26:55,720 and the Bible gives you the direction 642 00:26:55,720 --> 00:26:59,360 to seek God's interests in the people in your church, 643 00:26:59,360 --> 00:27:00,840 and then seek God's interests in the people 644 00:27:00,840 --> 00:27:02,400 outside your church second. 645 00:27:03,920 --> 00:27:06,200 This last we can do because we are unified 646 00:27:06,200 --> 00:27:07,560 in the bonds of brotherly love, 647 00:27:07,560 --> 00:27:09,400 and we can believe in God's interests 648 00:27:09,400 --> 00:27:12,200 in brothers and sisters, that they too want to see 649 00:27:12,200 --> 00:27:14,240 this love manifested above all else, 650 00:27:14,240 --> 00:27:17,280 that God's interests may be served and furthered. 651 00:27:17,280 --> 00:27:20,560 Because of this reason, joining the church 652 00:27:20,560 --> 00:27:23,800 is actually recognizing the work of God. 653 00:27:23,800 --> 00:27:28,800 It's not doing a work of God, it's recognizing God at work. 654 00:27:28,800 --> 00:27:31,720 Like when I was sitting in front of the ordination council, 655 00:27:31,720 --> 00:27:32,720 and they asked me and said, 656 00:27:32,720 --> 00:27:35,400 so you're here today to be ordained to be a pastor, 657 00:27:35,400 --> 00:27:37,480 and so what happens if this ordination council 658 00:27:37,480 --> 00:27:38,960 votes for you to not do that? 659 00:27:40,400 --> 00:27:41,480 And you're not supposed, 660 00:27:41,480 --> 00:27:42,800 we think you're not supposed to preach, 661 00:27:42,800 --> 00:27:44,520 or we think you're not supposed to pastor. 662 00:27:44,520 --> 00:27:46,920 And my answer was, well, I guess I'll just do 663 00:27:46,920 --> 00:27:48,920 the same thing I'm doing now. 664 00:27:49,880 --> 00:27:52,240 Because I believe it's God that called me, 665 00:27:52,240 --> 00:27:54,880 and I'm gonna do what God called me to do. 666 00:27:54,880 --> 00:27:56,560 And if you're all right, what do you do 667 00:27:56,560 --> 00:27:58,440 when it gets really super dark? 668 00:27:58,440 --> 00:28:00,120 You just keep lighting. 669 00:28:00,120 --> 00:28:02,280 That's what you do, right? 670 00:28:02,280 --> 00:28:07,280 And so God did not call you to be part of the church 671 00:28:08,520 --> 00:28:10,880 so that you could do a work of God. 672 00:28:10,880 --> 00:28:12,480 God called you to be part of the church 673 00:28:12,480 --> 00:28:14,200 so that your identity would be changed. 674 00:28:14,200 --> 00:28:16,000 See, in some sense, when you became 675 00:28:16,000 --> 00:28:17,880 New Heights Fellowship Baptist Church of East Lido, 676 00:28:17,880 --> 00:28:19,400 you became New Heights Fellowship, 677 00:28:19,400 --> 00:28:21,480 that's why we say you can now have in your answer machine, 678 00:28:21,480 --> 00:28:23,880 or you can now get a return address label, 679 00:28:23,880 --> 00:28:25,880 or you could put New Heights Fellowship Baptist Church 680 00:28:25,880 --> 00:28:29,920 on your voicemail if you want, right? 681 00:28:29,920 --> 00:28:31,680 Or on your texting signature. 682 00:28:31,680 --> 00:28:33,160 If you're a member of the church, you can do that 683 00:28:33,160 --> 00:28:35,040 because your identity changed. 684 00:28:35,040 --> 00:28:38,040 We are the church now if you've become the church. 685 00:28:38,040 --> 00:28:42,760 And that's why, because we are not doing the work of God. 686 00:28:42,760 --> 00:28:44,520 We are recognizing the work of God 687 00:28:44,520 --> 00:28:46,320 to change us into something. 688 00:28:46,320 --> 00:28:47,160 What? 689 00:28:47,160 --> 00:28:48,360 To change us into that identity 690 00:28:48,360 --> 00:28:50,920 which seeks his interests in others. 691 00:28:50,920 --> 00:28:54,120 We join, joining the mission is a choice, 692 00:28:54,120 --> 00:28:56,400 but it's not like joining a club or a gym. 693 00:28:56,400 --> 00:28:58,600 It's not like signing on a membership role. 694 00:28:58,600 --> 00:29:01,400 It's your identity being changed to become a thing 695 00:29:01,400 --> 00:29:04,680 that desires to see God's interests at work in others. 696 00:29:04,680 --> 00:29:07,520 That works to see God work in others. 697 00:29:07,520 --> 00:29:10,880 That's not what I do, that's who I am. 698 00:29:12,320 --> 00:29:14,200 I have known. 699 00:29:14,200 --> 00:29:15,960 I have become. 700 00:29:15,960 --> 00:29:17,800 I am known. 701 00:29:17,800 --> 00:29:19,480 So what are God's interests? 702 00:29:19,480 --> 00:29:21,760 Well, this is some pretty easy answers right here. 703 00:29:21,760 --> 00:29:24,280 So he desires to see everybody saved. 704 00:29:24,280 --> 00:29:26,560 He desires to see everybody sanctified. 705 00:29:26,560 --> 00:29:29,000 That means to be progressively more holy 706 00:29:29,000 --> 00:29:30,720 with every day of your life. 707 00:29:30,720 --> 00:29:32,160 So you're gonna become more like Jesus, 708 00:29:32,160 --> 00:29:34,520 more like God with every day of your life. 709 00:29:34,520 --> 00:29:36,880 To be justified so that it will be just 710 00:29:36,880 --> 00:29:38,080 as if you never sinned. 711 00:29:38,080 --> 00:29:39,920 So you're cleansed, all your sins are forgiven, 712 00:29:39,920 --> 00:29:41,720 and everything that you currently do that is a sin 713 00:29:41,720 --> 00:29:44,600 will be immediately forgiven just as if you had never sinned. 714 00:29:44,600 --> 00:29:47,040 And then ultimately to be translated 715 00:29:47,040 --> 00:29:49,160 into heaven with him for an eternity. 716 00:29:49,160 --> 00:29:51,480 He claims for himself a people. 717 00:29:51,480 --> 00:29:54,520 He lives in that people, and he brings that people 718 00:29:54,520 --> 00:29:56,840 to heaven for an eternity. 719 00:29:56,840 --> 00:29:59,280 Through faith and hope we know this, 720 00:29:59,280 --> 00:30:02,000 and through love we join in it. 721 00:30:02,000 --> 00:30:04,760 We essentially become it. 722 00:30:04,760 --> 00:30:07,480 We deliver faith and hope into other people. 723 00:30:07,480 --> 00:30:09,960 So now faith and hope become not the tools 724 00:30:09,960 --> 00:30:14,160 by which we recognize grace and allow grace to come into us. 725 00:30:14,160 --> 00:30:16,840 They're no longer that, but rather they are the things 726 00:30:16,840 --> 00:30:18,880 that we deliver to others so that they can be saved. 727 00:30:18,880 --> 00:30:22,120 We're moving into the conclusion. 728 00:30:22,120 --> 00:30:26,200 Through faith and hope we know this, 729 00:30:26,200 --> 00:30:28,080 and through love we join it. 730 00:30:28,080 --> 00:30:30,440 Because we have joined in it, we are known, 731 00:30:30,440 --> 00:30:35,600 according to scripture, by him and known by others as his. 732 00:30:35,600 --> 00:30:37,280 Many years ago, and I use this illustration, 733 00:30:37,280 --> 00:30:40,680 before many years ago my brother sang in the choir, 734 00:30:40,680 --> 00:30:42,960 the OSU Honors Choir. 735 00:30:42,960 --> 00:30:46,280 And so they picked about 300 teenagers from all over the state 736 00:30:46,280 --> 00:30:48,200 in their high school choirs, and they tried out, 737 00:30:48,200 --> 00:30:49,560 and they got picked, and he went down there, 738 00:30:49,560 --> 00:30:51,320 and there's a 300-person choir in OSU, 739 00:30:51,320 --> 00:30:53,760 and they sang every day at a concert, 740 00:30:53,760 --> 00:30:56,120 like every 90 minutes to two hours, 741 00:30:56,120 --> 00:30:58,240 and they did that for like a long time. 742 00:30:58,240 --> 00:30:59,880 It wasn't the whole time the fair was open, 743 00:30:59,880 --> 00:31:02,000 but it was like two weeks or something. 744 00:31:03,560 --> 00:31:06,600 While we were down there, a famous country star was there, 745 00:31:06,600 --> 00:31:09,800 and we got to go see her concert. 746 00:31:09,800 --> 00:31:11,800 And my mom really wanted to meet her. 747 00:31:11,800 --> 00:31:14,840 It was Loretta Lynn, I don't know if you know that name or not. 748 00:31:14,840 --> 00:31:16,680 We had eaten at her restaurant in Tennessee, 749 00:31:16,680 --> 00:31:18,080 on the edge of Tennessee. 750 00:31:18,080 --> 00:31:20,000 And my mom really wanted to meet her in person. 751 00:31:20,000 --> 00:31:21,480 They said, sometimes she goes to the restaurant. 752 00:31:21,480 --> 00:31:22,840 We went to the restaurant, she wasn't there, 753 00:31:22,840 --> 00:31:23,680 and my mom was put out. 754 00:31:23,680 --> 00:31:26,360 So here was my opportunity for my mom to meet Loretta Lynn. 755 00:31:26,360 --> 00:31:29,120 And so then after the choir concert, 756 00:31:29,120 --> 00:31:31,520 we raced over to the Loretta Lynn concert, 757 00:31:31,520 --> 00:31:33,520 and there she was coming out, and lo and behold, 758 00:31:33,520 --> 00:31:35,920 my mom got to go up and meet Loretta Lynn. 759 00:31:36,840 --> 00:31:39,560 And my brother was there. 760 00:31:39,560 --> 00:31:41,160 He'd come at the very end of the conversation, 761 00:31:41,160 --> 00:31:43,200 because he was coming straight from, 762 00:31:43,200 --> 00:31:45,280 breaking up from the choir, and I was there for a few minutes. 763 00:31:45,280 --> 00:31:47,160 My dad was there, and we all got to meet Loretta Lynn. 764 00:31:47,160 --> 00:31:48,520 It was all very exciting. 765 00:31:48,520 --> 00:31:52,320 Walked away, and my mom said, I know Loretta Lynn. 766 00:31:52,320 --> 00:31:55,600 And I said, I don't think that's true. 767 00:31:55,600 --> 00:31:57,840 I mean, I think you know, you've met her. 768 00:31:57,840 --> 00:31:59,200 You've met Loretta Lynn. 769 00:31:59,200 --> 00:32:00,040 I didn't say anything at the time, 770 00:32:00,040 --> 00:32:00,880 because I didn't want to get in trouble, 771 00:32:00,880 --> 00:32:02,640 but I was thinking to myself. 772 00:32:02,640 --> 00:32:04,880 And then my brother, he'd come, 773 00:32:04,880 --> 00:32:06,080 and was at the end of the conversation, 774 00:32:06,080 --> 00:32:07,560 then he kind of drifted away, and he came back. 775 00:32:07,560 --> 00:32:09,800 He wasn't excited about Loretta Lynn, apparently. 776 00:32:09,800 --> 00:32:11,120 And my mom said it again. 777 00:32:11,120 --> 00:32:12,920 She said, I'm so glad I know Loretta Lynn. 778 00:32:12,920 --> 00:32:14,800 I'll be able to tell all my friends and family members 779 00:32:14,800 --> 00:32:16,360 that I know Loretta Lynn. 780 00:32:16,360 --> 00:32:18,520 From now on, I can say I know Loretta Lynn. 781 00:32:18,520 --> 00:32:22,200 And my brother, because he was four and a half years older 782 00:32:22,200 --> 00:32:23,480 than me, a little bolder than me, 783 00:32:23,480 --> 00:32:25,960 and he'd been in a lot of trouble in his life, 784 00:32:25,960 --> 00:32:28,680 said, Mom, you don't know Loretta Lynn. 785 00:32:28,680 --> 00:32:29,920 And she said, what do you mean I don't know? 786 00:32:29,920 --> 00:32:30,760 I just met her. 787 00:32:30,760 --> 00:32:34,440 He said, you met her, but you really don't know her. 788 00:32:34,440 --> 00:32:37,060 And she says, I know her, and she knows me. 789 00:32:37,060 --> 00:32:38,920 I told her my name, so we know each other now. 790 00:32:38,920 --> 00:32:39,760 That's what that means. 791 00:32:39,760 --> 00:32:41,040 You meet somebody, you know each other now. 792 00:32:41,040 --> 00:32:42,760 And I was thinking in my head, no, 793 00:32:42,760 --> 00:32:44,160 I wasn't gonna jump in the conversation, 794 00:32:44,160 --> 00:32:45,680 but I was thinking, no, I don't think so. 795 00:32:45,680 --> 00:32:48,040 And then my brother and I got away a little bit. 796 00:32:48,040 --> 00:32:49,400 He said, you understand what I mean, right? 797 00:32:49,400 --> 00:32:50,360 She doesn't know her. 798 00:32:50,360 --> 00:32:51,840 She just met her once. 799 00:32:51,840 --> 00:32:53,800 And then we were talking about it some time later, 800 00:32:53,800 --> 00:32:55,720 I don't know, like months later or something like that. 801 00:32:55,720 --> 00:32:58,520 And my dad brought up after she said, 802 00:32:58,520 --> 00:32:59,840 I know Loretta Lynn still, 803 00:32:59,840 --> 00:33:01,280 she was still saying this like months later. 804 00:33:01,280 --> 00:33:02,280 My mom was very stubborn, 805 00:33:02,280 --> 00:33:04,080 she raised us to be stubborn too. 806 00:33:04,080 --> 00:33:05,800 And she said, I know Loretta Lynn. 807 00:33:05,800 --> 00:33:08,880 And my dad says, honey, I doubt she even remembers you. 808 00:33:09,880 --> 00:33:11,440 She met hundreds of people that day. 809 00:33:11,440 --> 00:33:13,600 She gets concerts all the time. 810 00:33:13,600 --> 00:33:16,200 And she said, do you think she would even remember you? 811 00:33:17,280 --> 00:33:19,960 Now that could be the end of the story. 812 00:33:19,960 --> 00:33:22,040 And you could know that just meeting somebody, 813 00:33:22,040 --> 00:33:23,520 just kind of getting close to somebody, 814 00:33:23,520 --> 00:33:25,360 coming in their proximity, that's not enough. 815 00:33:25,360 --> 00:33:27,440 But some years later, 816 00:33:27,440 --> 00:33:29,560 my parents visited Loretta Lynn's restaurant 817 00:33:29,560 --> 00:33:31,880 on the edge of Tennessee again. 818 00:33:32,800 --> 00:33:37,360 And lo and behold, Loretta Lynn was there that day. 819 00:33:37,360 --> 00:33:40,240 And my mom walked up to her like an old friend. 820 00:33:40,240 --> 00:33:42,240 And she said, you remember me? 821 00:33:42,240 --> 00:33:44,680 We met at the Ohio State Fair, 822 00:33:44,680 --> 00:33:46,720 and you could have heard a pin drop. 823 00:33:46,720 --> 00:33:51,120 And Loretta Lynn said, I do remember you. 824 00:33:51,120 --> 00:33:52,360 I remember meeting you at the fair. 825 00:33:52,360 --> 00:33:55,400 She said, your son was singing in the choir, right? 826 00:33:55,400 --> 00:33:57,120 And he came over right at the end of we were talking, 827 00:33:57,120 --> 00:33:58,160 I remember you. 828 00:33:59,560 --> 00:34:04,440 And I was stunned that Loretta Lynn remembered my mom. 829 00:34:08,400 --> 00:34:11,240 When we have joined in God's purposes, 830 00:34:11,240 --> 00:34:13,280 when we have loved like God, 831 00:34:13,280 --> 00:34:18,000 we are known by Him and known by others as His. 832 00:34:19,240 --> 00:34:21,400 God orchestrates the ongoing death. 833 00:34:21,400 --> 00:34:22,960 There are a lot of dead people in the world 834 00:34:22,960 --> 00:34:24,320 walking around doing things. 835 00:34:24,320 --> 00:34:26,480 They'll be shopping at Walmart later today. 836 00:34:26,480 --> 00:34:27,520 There are a lot of dead people 837 00:34:27,520 --> 00:34:29,320 dead in their trespasses and sins. 838 00:34:29,320 --> 00:34:30,560 That's Ephesians two. 839 00:34:30,560 --> 00:34:32,560 They're walking around and God orchestrates their life 840 00:34:32,560 --> 00:34:35,000 that they might find life available in Christ, 841 00:34:35,000 --> 00:34:37,800 that they might be reborn and become the father's children, 842 00:34:37,800 --> 00:34:41,480 experiencing God's love and then becoming a part 843 00:34:41,480 --> 00:34:44,840 of His effort, becoming a part of His love, 844 00:34:44,840 --> 00:34:49,360 to love others, to see His purposes enacted in other people. 845 00:34:49,360 --> 00:34:52,760 The one who loves God is known by God. 846 00:34:52,760 --> 00:34:54,440 We read those verses at the beginning, 847 00:34:54,440 --> 00:34:56,800 1 Corinthians 8.3 and Romans 8.28. 848 00:34:57,680 --> 00:35:02,120 First John chapter four, basically John, not Paul, 849 00:35:02,120 --> 00:35:05,360 says the very same things that we are reading, 850 00:35:05,360 --> 00:35:09,520 that we are learning today and he uses different words. 851 00:35:09,520 --> 00:35:12,040 And so sometimes I find that when I want to learn something, 852 00:35:12,040 --> 00:35:13,080 I want to hear it a different way. 853 00:35:13,080 --> 00:35:15,880 And this is what it says in 1 John chapter four, 854 00:35:15,880 --> 00:35:16,720 beginning in verse eight, 855 00:35:16,720 --> 00:35:19,360 the one who does not love does not know God, 856 00:35:19,360 --> 00:35:20,520 for God is love. 857 00:35:21,520 --> 00:35:23,800 By this, the love of God was manifested in us, 858 00:35:23,800 --> 00:35:26,720 that God has sent His only begotten Son into the world 859 00:35:26,720 --> 00:35:29,120 so that we might live through Him. 860 00:35:29,120 --> 00:35:32,120 In this is love, not that we loved God, 861 00:35:32,120 --> 00:35:34,160 but that He loved us and sent His Son 862 00:35:34,160 --> 00:35:35,480 to be the propitiation, 863 00:35:35,480 --> 00:35:38,560 that means the full payment for our sins. 864 00:35:38,560 --> 00:35:40,080 Beloved, if God so loved us, 865 00:35:40,080 --> 00:35:43,320 we ought also to love one another. 866 00:35:43,320 --> 00:35:45,320 No one has beheld God at any time. 867 00:35:45,320 --> 00:35:48,480 If we love one another, God abides in us, 868 00:35:48,480 --> 00:35:50,880 and His love is perfected in us. 869 00:35:50,880 --> 00:35:54,640 For this we know, that we abide in Him, 870 00:35:54,640 --> 00:35:56,880 I'm sorry, by this we know that we abide in Him 871 00:35:56,880 --> 00:36:00,080 and He in us because He has given us of His Spirit. 872 00:36:01,040 --> 00:36:02,960 And we have beheld and bear witness 873 00:36:02,960 --> 00:36:04,560 that the Father has sent the Son 874 00:36:04,560 --> 00:36:06,240 to be the Savior of the world. 875 00:36:06,240 --> 00:36:09,760 Whoever confesses that Jesus is the Son of God, 876 00:36:09,760 --> 00:36:12,320 God abides in Him and He in God. 877 00:36:12,320 --> 00:36:15,280 And we have come to know and have believed the love 878 00:36:15,280 --> 00:36:18,200 which God has for us, God is love. 879 00:36:18,200 --> 00:36:20,560 And the one who abides in love abides in God 880 00:36:20,560 --> 00:36:22,480 and God abides in Him. 881 00:36:22,480 --> 00:36:25,200 By this love is perfected with us, 882 00:36:25,200 --> 00:36:27,600 that we may have confidence in the day of judgment 883 00:36:27,600 --> 00:36:30,720 because as He is, so also are we in this world. 884 00:36:30,720 --> 00:36:34,240 Remember I said, it's not anymore that we would know God, 885 00:36:34,240 --> 00:36:35,280 that's not the point. 886 00:36:36,680 --> 00:36:39,320 It's that what God would know us. 887 00:36:39,320 --> 00:36:43,000 There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear 888 00:36:43,000 --> 00:36:44,600 because fear involves punishment. 889 00:36:44,600 --> 00:36:47,560 And the one who fears is not perfected in love. 890 00:36:47,560 --> 00:36:49,960 We love because He first loved us. 891 00:36:49,960 --> 00:36:52,200 If someone says I love God and hates His brother, 892 00:36:52,200 --> 00:36:53,480 He is a liar. 893 00:36:53,480 --> 00:36:55,880 For the one who does not love His brother, 894 00:36:55,880 --> 00:36:59,640 whom He has seen, cannot love God whom He has not seen. 895 00:36:59,640 --> 00:37:01,760 And this commandment we have from Him, 896 00:37:01,760 --> 00:37:04,880 that the one who loves God should love His brother also. 897 00:37:06,760 --> 00:37:10,240 May the Lord our God be with us as He was with our fathers. 898 00:37:10,240 --> 00:37:12,520 May He not leave us or forsake us, 899 00:37:12,520 --> 00:37:16,200 that He may incline our hearts to Himself, 900 00:37:16,200 --> 00:37:18,560 to walk in all His ways and to keep His commandments 901 00:37:18,560 --> 00:37:20,600 and His statutes and His ordinances, 902 00:37:20,600 --> 00:37:22,600 which He commanded our fathers. 903 00:37:22,600 --> 00:37:24,680 And may these words of mine, 904 00:37:24,680 --> 00:37:27,320 with which I have made supplication before the Lord, 905 00:37:27,320 --> 00:37:29,680 be near to the Lord our God day and night, 906 00:37:29,680 --> 00:37:32,520 that He may maintain the cause of His servant 907 00:37:32,520 --> 00:37:36,360 and the causes of His people Israel as each day requires. 908 00:37:36,360 --> 00:37:37,760 So that all the people of the earth 909 00:37:37,760 --> 00:37:39,600 may know that the Lord is God. 910 00:37:39,600 --> 00:37:41,200 There is no one else. 911 00:37:41,200 --> 00:37:44,920 Let your heart therefore be wholly devoted 912 00:37:44,920 --> 00:37:47,120 to the Lord our God, to walk in His statutes 913 00:37:47,120 --> 00:37:49,680 and to keep His commandments as at this day. 914 00:37:49,680 --> 00:37:52,120 Does anybody recognize where that comes from? 915 00:37:53,360 --> 00:37:56,280 Comes from the prayer of Solomon to dedicate the temple 916 00:37:56,280 --> 00:37:59,720 a long time before Paul escaped the womb. 917 00:38:01,040 --> 00:38:03,880 God's people have always known this, 918 00:38:03,880 --> 00:38:06,920 that God is love and if we love the way He loves, 919 00:38:06,920 --> 00:38:10,520 that is if we desire to see His purposes enacted 920 00:38:10,520 --> 00:38:15,520 in other people, if we become His purposes 921 00:38:15,760 --> 00:38:18,520 enacted in other people, then we love the way He is loved 922 00:38:18,520 --> 00:38:20,720 and we shall know Him and be known by Him. 923 00:38:20,720 --> 00:38:21,760 How shall we know Him? 924 00:38:21,760 --> 00:38:26,280 Only in part, how shall we be known by Him fully? 925 00:38:26,280 --> 00:38:29,520 Know that the Lord Himself is God. 926 00:38:29,520 --> 00:38:32,080 It is He who has made us and not we ourselves. 927 00:38:32,080 --> 00:38:34,280 We are His people and the sheep of His pastor. 928 00:38:34,280 --> 00:38:35,600 That's Psalm 100. 929 00:38:35,600 --> 00:38:38,640 Psalm 100, know my anxious thoughts. 930 00:38:38,640 --> 00:38:41,480 I know that everything God does will remain forever. 931 00:38:41,480 --> 00:38:43,160 There is nothing to add to it 932 00:38:43,160 --> 00:38:44,720 and there is nothing to take from it 933 00:38:44,720 --> 00:38:47,600 for God has so worked that men should fear Him. 934 00:38:47,600 --> 00:38:49,080 That's Ecclesiastes 3. 935 00:38:49,080 --> 00:38:52,280 You are my witnesses, declares the Lord, 936 00:38:52,280 --> 00:38:54,840 and my servant whom I have chosen 937 00:38:54,840 --> 00:38:56,600 so that you may know and believe me 938 00:38:56,600 --> 00:38:58,200 and understand that I am He. 939 00:38:58,200 --> 00:39:00,120 Before me there was no God formed 940 00:39:00,120 --> 00:39:01,320 and there will be none after me. 941 00:39:01,320 --> 00:39:02,840 Boy, that sounds like it's New Testament, 942 00:39:02,840 --> 00:39:05,360 but actually it's Isaiah 44. 943 00:39:05,360 --> 00:39:07,080 Do not tremble and do not be afraid. 944 00:39:07,080 --> 00:39:10,960 I have not long since announced it to you and declared it. 945 00:39:10,960 --> 00:39:12,280 And you are my witnesses. 946 00:39:12,280 --> 00:39:15,520 Is there any God besides me or is there any other rock? 947 00:39:15,520 --> 00:39:19,520 I know of none, Isaiah 45. 948 00:39:19,520 --> 00:39:21,080 The one who says, I have come to know Him 949 00:39:21,080 --> 00:39:22,960 and does not keep His commandments is a liar 950 00:39:22,960 --> 00:39:24,200 and the truth is not in Him, 951 00:39:24,200 --> 00:39:26,480 but whoever keeps His word in Him, 952 00:39:26,480 --> 00:39:28,560 the love of God has truly been perfected. 953 00:39:28,560 --> 00:39:31,720 For this we know that we are in Him. 954 00:39:31,720 --> 00:39:33,760 By this we know that we are in Him. 955 00:39:33,760 --> 00:39:35,360 The one who says He abides in Him 956 00:39:35,360 --> 00:39:39,960 ought himself also to walk in the manner He walked. 957 00:39:39,960 --> 00:39:42,680 However, at that time when you did not know God, 958 00:39:42,680 --> 00:39:47,680 you were slaves to those which by nature are no gods, by now. 959 00:39:49,120 --> 00:39:51,120 But now that you have come to know God 960 00:39:51,120 --> 00:39:53,320 or rather to be known by God, listen to that. 961 00:39:53,320 --> 00:39:55,560 He says, but now that you have come to know God, 962 00:39:55,560 --> 00:39:58,280 but rather actually better, more important, 963 00:39:58,280 --> 00:40:01,200 notice this, to be known by God, 964 00:40:01,200 --> 00:40:03,160 how is it that you turn back again 965 00:40:03,160 --> 00:40:05,160 to the weak and worthless elemental things 966 00:40:05,160 --> 00:40:07,720 to which you desire to be enslaved all over again? 967 00:40:07,720 --> 00:40:08,880 In other words, don't. 968 00:40:08,880 --> 00:40:13,880 God has called us to be His very purposes on the earth, 969 00:40:13,880 --> 00:40:14,720 not to do. 970 00:40:16,400 --> 00:40:18,080 I think we're confused about that. 971 00:40:18,080 --> 00:40:22,120 Why is there always wrestling going on in Christians? 972 00:40:22,120 --> 00:40:23,600 The answer is because we think 973 00:40:23,600 --> 00:40:26,080 we are supposed to do certain things. 974 00:40:26,080 --> 00:40:28,760 God did not die so that you could do certain things. 975 00:40:28,760 --> 00:40:29,600 Lots of people do certain things. 976 00:40:29,600 --> 00:40:33,320 You understand that atheists give charitably. 977 00:40:34,560 --> 00:40:37,440 Atheists do nice things. 978 00:40:37,440 --> 00:40:39,520 They do nice things for people. 979 00:40:39,520 --> 00:40:44,280 In fact, when Sherri and I were living in Lansing, 980 00:40:44,280 --> 00:40:46,640 just south of Lansing, and I was going to Bible college, 981 00:40:46,640 --> 00:40:49,240 one of our friends, who at that time was a professing atheist, 982 00:40:49,240 --> 00:40:50,560 prepared a guest room in our house 983 00:40:50,560 --> 00:40:52,080 and we would come down on Saturday 984 00:40:52,080 --> 00:40:54,600 and spend the night in his house and eat his food. 985 00:40:54,600 --> 00:40:56,200 He always made sure, Becky, ask us, 986 00:40:56,200 --> 00:40:57,440 what are your favorite foods? 987 00:40:57,440 --> 00:40:59,680 What needs to be in the kitchen when you come? 988 00:41:00,600 --> 00:41:02,520 And he would prepare a guest room 989 00:41:02,520 --> 00:41:04,480 and have food in his bathroom. 990 00:41:04,480 --> 00:41:05,960 And we would come down every Saturday. 991 00:41:05,960 --> 00:41:06,880 And then every Sunday morning, 992 00:41:06,880 --> 00:41:08,000 we would get up and teach Sunday school. 993 00:41:08,000 --> 00:41:09,880 And every Sunday, late morning, 994 00:41:09,880 --> 00:41:11,320 we would go to church and we'd worship. 995 00:41:11,320 --> 00:41:12,280 And I would sing in the choir. 996 00:41:12,280 --> 00:41:14,560 And every Sunday night, we would work in the Iwana program. 997 00:41:14,560 --> 00:41:16,200 And afterwards, we'd go to choir practice. 998 00:41:16,200 --> 00:41:18,120 And then we'd drive back home at 11, 12 o'clock, 999 00:41:18,120 --> 00:41:20,320 absolutely exhausted, and do it over again the next week. 1000 00:41:20,320 --> 00:41:22,320 And it was my atheist friend, 1001 00:41:22,320 --> 00:41:23,920 my friend who did not know God, 1002 00:41:23,920 --> 00:41:25,320 who did those kind things for us, 1003 00:41:25,320 --> 00:41:26,800 my friend who did not know God, 1004 00:41:26,800 --> 00:41:29,160 who went to the grocery store every Saturday morning 1005 00:41:29,160 --> 00:41:30,880 or every Friday night and bought groceries 1006 00:41:30,880 --> 00:41:32,440 to make sure that in his kitchen 1007 00:41:32,440 --> 00:41:35,280 was stuff that we could eat, would eat. 1008 00:41:35,280 --> 00:41:37,640 He provided that hospitality to us. 1009 00:41:37,640 --> 00:41:39,240 Does that not sound like love? 1010 00:41:39,240 --> 00:41:40,480 It absolutely does. 1011 00:41:40,480 --> 00:41:44,320 And so you doing these things is not enough. 1012 00:41:44,320 --> 00:41:47,520 You showing up and being a better person is not enough. 1013 00:41:47,520 --> 00:41:49,160 This is not about the work that you do. 1014 00:41:49,160 --> 00:41:51,280 Yes, we must follow the command of the Lord. 1015 00:41:51,280 --> 00:41:53,840 But let me tell you, it'll get a little bit easier 1016 00:41:53,840 --> 00:41:56,160 when we stop thinking we must do something 1017 00:41:56,160 --> 00:41:58,480 and realize that Jesus Christ died 1018 00:41:58,480 --> 00:42:01,640 to make us become something, 1019 00:42:01,640 --> 00:42:04,160 to change us, to transform us, 1020 00:42:04,160 --> 00:42:07,000 to make us reborn and new in his people 1021 00:42:07,000 --> 00:42:10,280 so that we can love like he loves, 1022 00:42:10,280 --> 00:42:14,320 which is to see his purposes fulfilled in others. 1023 00:42:14,320 --> 00:42:16,400 That is first accomplished in the body of Christ 1024 00:42:16,400 --> 00:42:17,800 and by this, our love, 1025 00:42:17,800 --> 00:42:19,960 they will know that we are his people. 1026 00:42:19,960 --> 00:42:21,960 And then as we love each other that way, 1027 00:42:21,960 --> 00:42:24,560 we free each other up to go out into the world 1028 00:42:24,560 --> 00:42:27,920 to spend our resources and our time and our energy 1029 00:42:27,920 --> 00:42:30,240 to reach others with the gospel of Christ. 1030 00:42:30,240 --> 00:42:34,120 Here is the problem why the church is not loving the world. 1031 00:42:34,120 --> 00:42:36,880 It's not even that the church is not loving itself. 1032 00:42:36,880 --> 00:42:38,320 That isn't even the problem. 1033 00:42:38,320 --> 00:42:40,560 The real problem is this, 1034 00:42:40,560 --> 00:42:44,920 that we have not become the love of God. 1035 00:42:44,920 --> 00:42:47,120 We do not love others to see the purposes 1036 00:42:47,120 --> 00:42:48,720 of God fulfilled in them. 1037 00:42:48,720 --> 00:42:50,520 That's what it means to love. 1038 00:42:50,520 --> 00:42:53,800 And according to Paul in the beginning of the chapter, 1039 00:42:53,800 --> 00:42:58,600 if you do not do those things and become those things, 1040 00:42:58,600 --> 00:43:02,560 you are worthless in the kingdom of God. 1041 00:43:02,560 --> 00:43:05,080 I don't want to be worthless. 1042 00:43:05,080 --> 00:43:07,440 I don't want my loving kind statements 1043 00:43:07,440 --> 00:43:10,400 to be heard as a clanging gong. 1044 00:43:10,400 --> 00:43:11,520 Bang! 1045 00:43:11,520 --> 00:43:12,360 What did he say? 1046 00:43:12,360 --> 00:43:13,680 I don't know, I didn't hear him really. 1047 00:43:13,680 --> 00:43:15,840 All I heard was bang! 1048 00:43:17,840 --> 00:43:22,280 But we can become what he died to make us into. 1049 00:43:23,440 --> 00:43:25,440 And when you become identified, 1050 00:43:25,440 --> 00:43:27,760 when your identity is wrapped up 1051 00:43:27,760 --> 00:43:29,960 in whether or not God's purposes, 1052 00:43:29,960 --> 00:43:34,320 God's work, God's interests are happening in other people, 1053 00:43:34,320 --> 00:43:35,920 when that's your identity, 1054 00:43:35,920 --> 00:43:39,400 then you think about like RJ was saying being an example. 1055 00:43:39,400 --> 00:43:41,560 Or you think about like, hey, can I punch him? 1056 00:43:41,560 --> 00:43:42,680 Can I yell at him? 1057 00:43:42,680 --> 00:43:45,200 Can I post nasty things about him on Facebook? 1058 00:43:45,200 --> 00:43:47,560 How on earth the half the things that we do 1059 00:43:47,560 --> 00:43:50,480 on a daily basis contribute to God's interests 1060 00:43:50,480 --> 00:43:52,200 being fulfilled in other people? 1061 00:43:54,280 --> 00:43:56,880 And if your actions are not contributing, 1062 00:43:56,880 --> 00:43:58,560 then yeah, it could be well-assigned 1063 00:43:58,560 --> 00:44:00,000 that you are not being transformed 1064 00:44:00,000 --> 00:44:02,200 into the thing that God is making you into. 1065 00:44:04,560 --> 00:44:06,120 But now abide. 1066 00:44:06,120 --> 00:44:07,480 Faith, I believe. 1067 00:44:08,600 --> 00:44:10,000 Now so do the demons. 1068 00:44:10,000 --> 00:44:11,360 But I believe. 1069 00:44:11,360 --> 00:44:14,320 In fact, they don't really believe because of faith. 1070 00:44:15,640 --> 00:44:18,160 They were around a long time ago and they saw it. 1071 00:44:21,040 --> 00:44:24,480 I hope, I hope that the world will be reached to the gospel. 1072 00:44:24,480 --> 00:44:25,880 I hope that we will see people get saved. 1073 00:44:25,880 --> 00:44:27,640 I hope that the people in this body 1074 00:44:27,640 --> 00:44:30,280 will take a stand and be transformed 1075 00:44:30,280 --> 00:44:33,880 and identified with the person who died for us 1076 00:44:34,760 --> 00:44:36,920 that we might live with God for an eternity. 1077 00:44:39,080 --> 00:44:41,960 But better than faith and hope is love. 1078 00:44:42,920 --> 00:44:44,120 And how do we love? 1079 00:44:45,120 --> 00:44:50,120 We become identified with God's interests in other people. 1080 00:44:50,920 --> 00:44:52,680 That's how you love. 1081 00:44:52,680 --> 00:44:55,240 Starting with the body of faith, 1082 00:44:55,240 --> 00:44:58,680 we have God's interests as our identity 1083 00:44:58,680 --> 00:45:03,680 in the body of faith and overflowing to the world. 1084 00:45:06,080 --> 00:45:07,520 I pray that as we finish up 1085 00:45:07,520 --> 00:45:11,440 thinking about chapter 1 Corinthians 13, 1086 00:45:11,440 --> 00:45:14,480 we will not stop thinking about this chapter. 1087 00:45:15,840 --> 00:45:17,880 That we will be able to say to ourselves, 1088 00:45:17,880 --> 00:45:19,560 I am doing this good work, 1089 00:45:21,520 --> 00:45:23,280 but what is my actual motivation? 1090 00:45:23,280 --> 00:45:25,680 Has this become the person that I am? 1091 00:45:26,880 --> 00:45:28,200 I had a good, dear friend of mine 1092 00:45:28,200 --> 00:45:29,800 who went to be with the Lord 1093 00:45:29,800 --> 00:45:32,200 and he had the gift of giving. 1094 00:45:32,200 --> 00:45:34,120 He called it the gift of giving. 1095 00:45:34,120 --> 00:45:36,800 I think really it was faith, the spiritual gift of faith, 1096 00:45:36,800 --> 00:45:38,880 but he called it the gift of giving. 1097 00:45:38,880 --> 00:45:41,600 And he said, I just give. 1098 00:45:41,600 --> 00:45:43,080 I see a need and I give. 1099 00:45:43,080 --> 00:45:44,720 And the week I met him, 1100 00:45:44,720 --> 00:45:46,880 the first time I met him the week before, 1101 00:45:46,880 --> 00:45:50,160 he had just gotten a guy that was working with him, 1102 00:45:50,160 --> 00:45:52,280 that got hired, he found out the guy was homeless, 1103 00:45:52,280 --> 00:45:53,560 he found out the guy was, 1104 00:45:53,560 --> 00:45:55,520 he didn't have anywhere to eat, 1105 00:45:55,520 --> 00:45:56,360 didn't have food to eat, 1106 00:45:56,360 --> 00:45:58,000 he was just barely getting by in that kind of thing, 1107 00:45:58,000 --> 00:45:59,120 but he had just started a new job. 1108 00:45:59,120 --> 00:46:02,080 And so he took that man and he bought him clothes for work 1109 00:46:02,080 --> 00:46:05,360 and he took that man and he went to the American Table 1110 00:46:05,360 --> 00:46:07,400 restaurant out on 25 and he said, 1111 00:46:07,400 --> 00:46:10,080 I want him to be able to eat breakfast, lunch, 1112 00:46:10,080 --> 00:46:12,680 and dinner here every day for the next two weeks 1113 00:46:12,680 --> 00:46:14,680 until he gets the first paycheck. 1114 00:46:14,680 --> 00:46:16,240 And he bought him clothes 1115 00:46:16,240 --> 00:46:18,600 and I think he repaired his car once 1116 00:46:18,600 --> 00:46:21,680 and then he got a new car. 1117 00:46:21,680 --> 00:46:23,920 He got him a place to stay. 1118 00:46:23,920 --> 00:46:26,960 And so now, mind you, he was wealthy. 1119 00:46:26,960 --> 00:46:29,280 I understand we're not wealthy like he was, 1120 00:46:29,280 --> 00:46:31,360 but he was wealthy and he did all of that. 1121 00:46:31,360 --> 00:46:32,840 Then I met him. 1122 00:46:32,840 --> 00:46:35,120 Then he helped our family with a financial burden 1123 00:46:35,120 --> 00:46:36,720 that we were facing. 1124 00:46:36,720 --> 00:46:39,840 And then I met him again two months later 1125 00:46:39,840 --> 00:46:42,600 and I had, after he helped us, 1126 00:46:42,600 --> 00:46:45,040 I think at that time he helped us get tires on our van, 1127 00:46:45,040 --> 00:46:46,360 after he helped us, 1128 00:46:46,360 --> 00:46:49,160 I was supposed to give him the receipt. 1129 00:46:49,160 --> 00:46:52,280 And he contacted me and he said, 1130 00:46:52,280 --> 00:46:53,280 hey, you want to get lunch? 1131 00:46:53,280 --> 00:46:54,720 And I thought for sure he was going to ask me 1132 00:46:54,720 --> 00:46:57,080 for the receipt for the tires. 1133 00:46:59,360 --> 00:47:02,040 And he said, at the end, I forget I'm eating. 1134 00:47:02,040 --> 00:47:04,400 He said, I want to ask you something. 1135 00:47:04,400 --> 00:47:05,320 And I thought, here it comes. 1136 00:47:05,320 --> 00:47:06,160 He's going to say, why didn't you receive? 1137 00:47:06,160 --> 00:47:08,000 And I had, I anticipated this. 1138 00:47:08,000 --> 00:47:08,960 I had the receipt in my pocket. 1139 00:47:08,960 --> 00:47:10,760 I was going to give it to him as soon as he asked for it. 1140 00:47:10,760 --> 00:47:13,720 And he said, is there any way that I can help you today? 1141 00:47:14,720 --> 00:47:15,960 They didn't ask for the receipt, 1142 00:47:15,960 --> 00:47:17,240 even though he needed a receipt 1143 00:47:17,240 --> 00:47:18,560 probably for his tax purposes or whatever. 1144 00:47:18,560 --> 00:47:19,400 I don't know what he was going to do with it. 1145 00:47:19,400 --> 00:47:20,440 He asked me for it. 1146 00:47:20,440 --> 00:47:22,800 He said, is there any way that I can help you today? 1147 00:47:22,800 --> 00:47:25,120 And I said, well, I really can't ask you for more help. 1148 00:47:25,120 --> 00:47:26,840 I said, you really helped us. 1149 00:47:26,840 --> 00:47:28,160 We don't really need anything right this second. 1150 00:47:28,160 --> 00:47:30,560 And he didn't help us right then, 1151 00:47:30,560 --> 00:47:32,120 but he did help us again later. 1152 00:47:33,160 --> 00:47:35,320 And I said, by the way, I have that receipt. 1153 00:47:35,320 --> 00:47:37,920 You asked me to give you the receipt for the tires. 1154 00:47:37,920 --> 00:47:40,440 And I said, I have it right here in my pocket. 1155 00:47:40,440 --> 00:47:41,440 And he said, you know what? 1156 00:47:41,440 --> 00:47:42,280 I forgot about this. 1157 00:47:42,280 --> 00:47:44,200 I helped you get tires. 1158 00:47:44,200 --> 00:47:45,320 Did I do that? 1159 00:47:45,320 --> 00:47:46,160 I said, yeah. 1160 00:47:46,160 --> 00:47:47,720 He said, I totally forgot I helped you get tires. 1161 00:47:47,720 --> 00:47:48,640 When did I do that? 1162 00:47:48,640 --> 00:47:49,480 It was like a month before. 1163 00:47:49,480 --> 00:47:50,300 I said, when did I do that? 1164 00:47:50,300 --> 00:47:51,140 It was like a month before. 1165 00:47:51,140 --> 00:47:52,800 And I said, well, last month, you know, 1166 00:47:52,800 --> 00:47:55,400 and he said, I totally forgot I did that. 1167 00:47:55,400 --> 00:47:56,680 He said, that happens to me a lot. 1168 00:47:56,680 --> 00:47:58,040 I give and I forget. 1169 00:47:58,040 --> 00:47:59,400 I even gave. 1170 00:47:59,400 --> 00:48:04,000 Once you start loving like God has you loving, 1171 00:48:04,000 --> 00:48:06,720 once you start being the person that God wants you to be, 1172 00:48:06,720 --> 00:48:08,400 and you're more concerned about God's interests 1173 00:48:08,400 --> 00:48:09,880 being met in other people, 1174 00:48:11,000 --> 00:48:12,360 you're gonna start forgetting, 1175 00:48:12,360 --> 00:48:17,720 you're gonna start not worrying about the expenditures in question. 1176 00:48:17,720 --> 00:48:19,080 If you have to ask yourself, look, 1177 00:48:19,080 --> 00:48:22,080 I've been trying to help them and they keep doing this, 1178 00:48:22,080 --> 00:48:23,520 they keep doing that, they keep wanting this, 1179 00:48:23,520 --> 00:48:24,760 they keep wanting that. 1180 00:48:24,760 --> 00:48:26,760 It's not going, they're not doing what I'm wanting them to do. 1181 00:48:26,760 --> 00:48:28,060 If that's where you're at, 1182 00:48:28,060 --> 00:48:31,120 you have not become the love of God in their life. 1183 00:48:31,120 --> 00:48:34,040 Because love keeps no record of wrongs. 1184 00:48:34,040 --> 00:48:37,280 Love does not dwell on the bad things that people do. 1185 00:48:37,280 --> 00:48:38,680 But if you have become love, 1186 00:48:38,680 --> 00:48:42,600 if you have become what God is desiring you to be, 1187 00:48:42,600 --> 00:48:45,960 then the next time somebody does something stupid to you, 1188 00:48:45,960 --> 00:48:48,040 instead of thinking, man, I'm not gonna tolerate that, 1189 00:48:48,040 --> 00:48:49,200 or I'm gonna come back against them, 1190 00:48:49,200 --> 00:48:50,040 or I'm gonna chastise them, 1191 00:48:50,040 --> 00:48:51,600 I'm gonna raise my voice, 1192 00:48:51,600 --> 00:48:53,240 or I'm not gonna have anything to do with them anymore, 1193 00:48:53,240 --> 00:48:56,000 you're gonna be thinking, what can I do? 1194 00:48:56,000 --> 00:48:58,000 What kind of person can I be 1195 00:48:58,000 --> 00:49:01,060 to see God's interests at work in them? 1196 00:49:02,080 --> 00:49:03,320 What would that look like? 1197 00:49:04,280 --> 00:49:06,300 And then as long as that is not unbiblical, 1198 00:49:06,300 --> 00:49:08,840 and at times it might be, and you might have to say no, 1199 00:49:08,840 --> 00:49:10,960 but as long as that is not unbiblical, 1200 00:49:10,960 --> 00:49:12,480 then that's the kind of person 1201 00:49:12,480 --> 00:49:15,600 you're going to become in that situation. 1202 00:49:15,600 --> 00:49:18,840 That's how we know that we have known God, 1203 00:49:18,840 --> 00:49:20,660 and we know him only in part, 1204 00:49:20,660 --> 00:49:23,560 but it's also how we know that he has known us. 1205 00:49:24,640 --> 00:49:26,720 If you have lived otherwise, 1206 00:49:26,720 --> 00:49:30,140 turn to God today and say, okay, God, 1207 00:49:30,140 --> 00:49:32,580 make me into the kind of person 1208 00:49:32,580 --> 00:49:34,040 that this word is talking about 1209 00:49:34,040 --> 00:49:37,360 so that I can know the single most important thing to know, 1210 00:49:37,360 --> 00:49:38,800 and that is that you know me, 1211 00:49:40,060 --> 00:49:44,760 so that I can remain as love remains, 1212 00:49:44,760 --> 00:49:46,480 so that I can continue, 1213 00:49:46,480 --> 00:49:47,900 so that I will not wear out, 1214 00:49:47,900 --> 00:49:49,680 so that I will be greater, 1215 00:49:49,680 --> 00:49:51,280 so that I will be larger, 1216 00:49:51,280 --> 00:49:53,520 so that I will be stronger, 1217 00:49:53,520 --> 00:49:56,860 so that I will be endless. 1218 00:49:59,960 --> 00:50:02,020 Would you turn to God today and say, 1219 00:50:02,020 --> 00:50:04,320 I want to love, 1220 00:50:06,040 --> 00:50:09,240 or will you be back and forth, back and forth 1221 00:50:09,240 --> 00:50:12,800 over the next one year, 10 years, 50 years? 1222 00:50:12,800 --> 00:50:14,200 Some of us, let's see, 1223 00:50:14,200 --> 00:50:15,160 some of the youngest people in the room, 1224 00:50:15,160 --> 00:50:16,400 100 years maybe, 1225 00:50:16,400 --> 00:50:18,040 especially with modern science advancing, 1226 00:50:18,040 --> 00:50:18,880 that kind of thing, 1227 00:50:18,880 --> 00:50:20,320 if Jesus doesn't come again first, 1228 00:50:20,320 --> 00:50:21,960 then you'll fight your whole life. 1229 00:50:23,760 --> 00:50:25,080 Or if you just let God turn you 1230 00:50:25,080 --> 00:50:27,680 into what he's trying to turn you into, 1231 00:50:27,680 --> 00:50:28,880 then you'll find yourself loving 1232 00:50:28,880 --> 00:50:31,240 without even realizing you're doing it. 1233 00:50:31,240 --> 00:50:33,520 That's what God has called us to. 1234 00:50:33,520 --> 00:50:34,880 At this time, we ask the praise team 1235 00:50:34,880 --> 00:50:37,480 to come forward and lead our closing hymn. 1236 00:50:37,480 --> 00:50:40,080 I'm asking you to seriously consider 1237 00:50:40,080 --> 00:50:41,820 how you feel about your siblings, 1238 00:50:41,820 --> 00:50:43,620 how you feel about your church members, 1239 00:50:43,620 --> 00:50:46,000 how you feel about your children. 1240 00:50:46,000 --> 00:50:48,640 It's the most important thing to you 1241 00:50:48,640 --> 00:50:52,680 that God's purposes would be happening in their lives. 1242 00:50:54,240 --> 00:50:55,440 When you look around this room, 1243 00:50:55,440 --> 00:50:58,040 and if they go that perfect God under my skin, 1244 00:50:58,040 --> 00:50:59,740 boy, I got mad at that person. 1245 00:50:59,740 --> 00:51:02,700 You need to realize, you need to defend, 1246 00:51:02,700 --> 00:51:04,740 because that's not love. 1247 00:51:04,740 --> 00:51:06,700 And we're called for love. 1248 00:51:06,700 --> 00:51:09,900 We're called to be identified 1249 00:51:09,900 --> 00:51:12,400 with the purposes of God at work in others. 1250 00:51:16,380 --> 00:51:18,180 Stand with me as we sing this song. 1251 00:51:22,540 --> 00:51:23,740 If the Lord's speaking to your heart today, 1252 00:51:23,740 --> 00:51:25,780 you respond, maybe you're accepting Jesus Christ 1253 00:51:25,780 --> 00:51:28,220 as your Lord and Savior for the first time. 1254 00:51:28,220 --> 00:51:29,780 May your commitment to love like this 1255 00:51:29,780 --> 00:51:31,220 be granted to a lot of God's, 1256 00:51:31,220 --> 00:51:35,020 starting with the person who desires his interests 1257 00:51:35,020 --> 00:51:36,540 in others more than anything. 1258 00:51:39,900 --> 00:51:41,400 It's a miracle only he can do. 1259 00:51:43,100 --> 00:51:44,600 Try me, cross me. 1260 00:51:50,180 --> 00:51:51,520 Never let me go. 1261 00:51:51,520 --> 00:51:52,940 Never let me go. 1262 00:51:57,240 --> 00:51:59,160 May it all come again. 1263 00:52:04,320 --> 00:52:06,740 Please say that I won't rest. 1264 00:52:11,360 --> 00:52:12,860 You are my desire. 1265 00:52:12,860 --> 00:52:17,860 I'm your desire. 1266 00:52:17,860 --> 00:52:20,860 No one else way out, you know. 1267 00:52:24,860 --> 00:52:27,860 There's nothing else to take your place. 1268 00:52:31,860 --> 00:52:34,860 Feel the warmth of your embrace. 1269 00:52:34,860 --> 00:52:39,860 Help me find a way, bringing me back to you. 1270 00:52:51,860 --> 00:52:52,860 You're all I want. 1271 00:52:52,860 --> 00:52:57,860 You're all I want. 1272 00:52:59,860 --> 00:53:04,860 You're all I've ever needed. 1273 00:53:06,860 --> 00:53:09,860 You're all I want. 1274 00:53:13,860 --> 00:53:16,860 Help me find a way to find you. 1275 00:53:19,860 --> 00:53:21,860 As we were just singing that song I was thinking about, 1276 00:53:21,860 --> 00:53:23,860 so back in the day, it's been a little while now, 1277 00:53:23,860 --> 00:53:26,860 it's really pre-COVID, we had a couple, 1278 00:53:26,860 --> 00:53:30,860 three mission teams come every summer to do ministry. 1279 00:53:30,860 --> 00:53:33,860 And they would get real wrapped up in sharing the gospel, 1280 00:53:33,860 --> 00:53:35,860 get excited about it, come to our services. 1281 00:53:35,860 --> 00:53:37,860 I think one of the great blessings of New Heights 1282 00:53:37,860 --> 00:53:39,860 is that God is always present in our services, 1283 00:53:39,860 --> 00:53:40,860 and I'm grateful for that. 1284 00:53:40,860 --> 00:53:42,860 And they would come and they would experience God, 1285 00:53:42,860 --> 00:53:43,860 that would be awesome. 1286 00:53:43,860 --> 00:53:45,860 And they would go out into the community and knock on doors, 1287 00:53:45,860 --> 00:53:49,860 they'd do a VBS or Bible club in the yard, things like that. 1288 00:53:49,860 --> 00:53:52,860 And after five days of doing that, they were on, 1289 00:53:52,860 --> 00:53:55,860 they were tired because it was a long five days, 1290 00:53:55,860 --> 00:53:57,860 they were sleeping on air mattresses in the church building or whatever, 1291 00:53:57,860 --> 00:54:00,860 and dealing with all the different personalities and that kind of thing, 1292 00:54:00,860 --> 00:54:02,860 but they were on such a high. 1293 00:54:02,860 --> 00:54:05,860 Everybody had an experience, so VBS, we did VBS, 1294 00:54:05,860 --> 00:54:07,860 we were a teacher, we got some teachers in the room, 1295 00:54:07,860 --> 00:54:09,860 we'd teach kids for five days VBS, 1296 00:54:09,860 --> 00:54:11,860 and at the end of the week you're like, man, I'm tired, 1297 00:54:11,860 --> 00:54:15,860 but at the same time, it was awesome. 1298 00:54:15,860 --> 00:54:17,860 It was awesome to be teaching people about Jesus, 1299 00:54:17,860 --> 00:54:20,860 awesome to be serving, awesome to be loving in this way. 1300 00:54:20,860 --> 00:54:23,860 Or maybe we do a block party, come together for a block party, 1301 00:54:23,860 --> 00:54:27,860 or have a lot of fun, and we're serving people, 1302 00:54:27,860 --> 00:54:29,860 and we're working together, we're working out our problems, 1303 00:54:29,860 --> 00:54:33,860 and it's like, yes, it's hard, it's tiring, 1304 00:54:33,860 --> 00:54:39,860 but at the same time, it's awesome. 1305 00:54:39,860 --> 00:54:41,860 You know why that is? 1306 00:54:41,860 --> 00:54:43,860 Because when we're doing that, 1307 00:54:43,860 --> 00:54:48,860 it begins to feel like what we're actually supposed to be. 1308 00:54:48,860 --> 00:54:51,860 So we're doing what we're actually supposed to be doing. 1309 00:54:51,860 --> 00:54:55,860 Now maybe some of us, and I won't even say it's me, 1310 00:54:55,860 --> 00:55:00,860 but maybe some of us are being that, 1311 00:55:00,860 --> 00:55:05,860 and it feels normal because they need to be what they know they're supposed to be, 1312 00:55:05,860 --> 00:55:08,860 what they want to be during that period of time, 1313 00:55:08,860 --> 00:55:10,860 and then it ends. 1314 00:55:10,860 --> 00:55:13,860 And so this is the story that I heard about the Mission Community. 1315 00:55:13,860 --> 00:55:16,860 They would go home, and all the people that came up and served with us for five days, 1316 00:55:16,860 --> 00:55:18,860 they'd go home, and they would impact their church, 1317 00:55:18,860 --> 00:55:20,860 they would impact their community, 1318 00:55:20,860 --> 00:55:22,860 they would do mission work in their community, they're knocking on doors, 1319 00:55:22,860 --> 00:55:24,860 they're loving on people like they never have before. 1320 00:55:24,860 --> 00:55:27,860 And we heard a lot of positive things about how they came up to Toledo, 1321 00:55:27,860 --> 00:55:29,860 and had such a great experience, 1322 00:55:29,860 --> 00:55:31,860 and they walked away loving like they were supposed to do, 1323 00:55:31,860 --> 00:55:33,860 and they're serving and stuff like that. 1324 00:55:33,860 --> 00:55:36,860 And then they go home, and then the next week, or two weeks later, 1325 00:55:36,860 --> 00:55:38,860 they're knocking on doors and serving people in our community, 1326 00:55:38,860 --> 00:55:40,860 telling people about Jesus and stuff, 1327 00:55:40,860 --> 00:55:46,860 and we are not. 1328 00:55:46,860 --> 00:55:49,860 See it? 1329 00:55:49,860 --> 00:55:53,860 What I'm saying is, there will be another DBS, 1330 00:55:53,860 --> 00:55:55,860 there will be another mission, 1331 00:55:55,860 --> 00:55:57,860 there will be another like craft night, 1332 00:55:57,860 --> 00:56:01,860 because you can see Josh is in his element when he's doing craft night and stuff like that, 1333 00:56:01,860 --> 00:56:04,860 because he loves to do that. 1334 00:56:04,860 --> 00:56:07,860 There will be another youth Bible study. 1335 00:56:07,860 --> 00:56:10,860 Those things are going to happen. 1336 00:56:10,860 --> 00:56:14,860 But God's not calling us to have one more event, 1337 00:56:14,860 --> 00:56:16,860 or to be like that during one more period of time, 1338 00:56:16,860 --> 00:56:19,860 or like He's calling us to do that 24 hours a day. 1339 00:56:19,860 --> 00:56:22,860 And the reason we're so excited, the reason we enjoy it so much, 1340 00:56:22,860 --> 00:56:24,860 when we get to serve like that, and we go, 1341 00:56:24,860 --> 00:56:27,860 yes, I feel like God was really working through me at that time, 1342 00:56:27,860 --> 00:56:31,860 is because that's what we're supposed to be all the time, every day, 1343 00:56:31,860 --> 00:56:34,860 seven days a week. 1344 00:56:34,860 --> 00:56:38,860 Once we become that, once God starts loving through us that way, 1345 00:56:38,860 --> 00:56:41,860 it's going to be like DBS every week. 1346 00:56:41,860 --> 00:56:43,860 It's going to be like, okay, what can I do to help? 1347 00:56:43,860 --> 00:56:44,860 How can I make a difference? 1348 00:56:44,860 --> 00:56:45,860 How can I serve? 1349 00:56:45,860 --> 00:56:46,860 How can I jump in there? 1350 00:56:46,860 --> 00:56:48,860 Where can I fix a problem or whatever? 1351 00:56:48,860 --> 00:56:50,860 And not because I'm trying to get that glory, 1352 00:56:50,860 --> 00:56:52,860 not because I'm trying to feel better about it or whatever, 1353 00:56:52,860 --> 00:56:57,860 but because that's just who I am. 1354 00:56:57,860 --> 00:57:00,860 People serve, and people are servants. 1355 00:57:00,860 --> 00:57:03,860 The difference between people who serve and people who are servants 1356 00:57:03,860 --> 00:57:06,860 is a servant will literally do anything to serve. 1357 00:57:06,860 --> 00:57:09,860 They don't care what it is, when it is, first opportunity, any opportunity, 1358 00:57:09,860 --> 00:57:11,860 whatever, that's a servant. 1359 00:57:11,860 --> 00:57:14,860 People who serve are called a servant while they're serving, 1360 00:57:14,860 --> 00:57:18,860 but they're serving that time. 1361 00:57:18,860 --> 00:57:20,860 But then like a week later, they're like, 1362 00:57:20,860 --> 00:57:22,860 well, I'm not available to serve because I've got to do this. 1363 00:57:22,860 --> 00:57:25,860 Or maybe I am, I'm going to go, you know, I can't afford it, 1364 00:57:25,860 --> 00:57:30,860 I'm too busy, or it didn't work out the way I wanted it to, 1365 00:57:30,860 --> 00:57:31,860 or things like that. 1366 00:57:31,860 --> 00:57:33,860 That's the difference. 1367 00:57:33,860 --> 00:57:35,860 And so one is identity, and one is activity. 1368 00:57:35,860 --> 00:57:38,860 And what this word is calling us to do is identity. 1369 00:57:38,860 --> 00:57:40,860 So let's change our identity. 1370 00:57:40,860 --> 00:57:42,860 It's not that we can do it by ourselves. 1371 00:57:42,860 --> 00:57:44,860 Let's trust God to change our identity, 1372 00:57:44,860 --> 00:57:49,860 and wherever we are, to think, how can I be aligned, 1373 00:57:49,860 --> 00:57:53,860 how can I be the person who desires more than anything else 1374 00:57:53,860 --> 00:57:55,860 God's interest at work in other people? 1375 00:57:55,860 --> 00:57:56,860 That's it. 1376 00:57:56,860 --> 00:57:58,860 What an opportunity we have. 1377 00:57:58,860 --> 00:57:59,860 Can you imagine that? 1378 00:57:59,860 --> 00:58:01,860 Think of the world the way it is. 1379 00:58:01,860 --> 00:58:03,860 First of all, the world is very spiritually aware 1380 00:58:03,860 --> 00:58:05,860 or thinks they are right now. 1381 00:58:05,860 --> 00:58:09,860 They're very open to Christianity and to God at work. 1382 00:58:09,860 --> 00:58:11,860 There's all over the place it's happening, 1383 00:58:11,860 --> 00:58:14,860 where dozens, hundreds, thousands of people are hearing the gospel 1384 00:58:14,860 --> 00:58:16,860 and responding in some way. 1385 00:58:16,860 --> 00:58:20,860 The world is very open and aware to it. 1386 00:58:20,860 --> 00:58:23,860 And they get super excited about an event, right? 1387 00:58:23,860 --> 00:58:27,860 But what really has to be happening is you have to transform. 1388 00:58:27,860 --> 00:58:31,860 Born again, starting fresh, learning to love the way God loves. 1389 00:58:31,860 --> 00:58:32,860 Let us do that. 1390 00:58:32,860 --> 00:58:34,860 We're going to close in prayer at this time, 1391 00:58:34,860 --> 00:58:38,860 but I would ask you to don't leave Chapter 13 behind. 1392 00:58:38,860 --> 00:58:42,860 Walk out of this building and think, how do I do this? 1393 00:58:42,860 --> 00:58:45,860 How do I become what God is calling me to? 1394 00:58:45,860 --> 00:58:47,860 And then you're going to find it's like you can't. 1395 00:58:47,860 --> 00:58:50,860 So then you're going to appeal to God in faith 1396 00:58:50,860 --> 00:58:54,860 that God will do that work in us individually and cooperatively, 1397 00:58:54,860 --> 00:58:56,860 that we will become the body of Christ. 1398 00:58:56,860 --> 00:59:00,860 We will love the way Jesus loved and see God's purposes at work in others. 1399 00:59:00,860 --> 00:59:02,860 That's very good. 1400 00:59:02,860 --> 00:59:07,860 Proud in heaven, I thank you so much for having called us 1401 00:59:07,860 --> 00:59:09,860 to 1 Corinthians Chapter 13. 1402 00:59:09,860 --> 00:59:12,860 This is a passage of Scripture that's read at weddings 1403 00:59:12,860 --> 00:59:18,860 and it's on T-shirts and it's all over the place. 1404 00:59:18,860 --> 00:59:23,860 And at the same time, there has been such an effort by the world, 1405 00:59:23,860 --> 00:59:26,860 by evil spirits, by even by the church, 1406 00:59:26,860 --> 00:59:30,860 when the church is not being very church-like, 1407 00:59:30,860 --> 00:59:34,860 to pollute the understanding of love. 1408 00:59:34,860 --> 00:59:36,860 And it isn't comfortable, 1409 00:59:36,860 --> 00:59:42,860 especially if we're not having our identity rooted in your love, 1410 00:59:42,860 --> 00:59:46,860 to see your purposes unveiled at others. 1411 00:59:46,860 --> 00:59:52,860 It's not comfortable to realize that the kind of loving that you and families do, 1412 00:59:52,860 --> 00:59:55,860 and even the world does, is not this kind of love. 1413 00:59:55,860 --> 00:59:57,860 It's not the kind of love that you do. 1414 00:59:57,860 --> 00:59:59,860 It's not the kind of love that is you. 1415 00:59:59,860 --> 01:00:01,860 There is a difference. 1416 01:00:01,860 --> 01:00:06,860 And so Father, I praise you that you saw a race of people. 1417 01:00:06,860 --> 01:00:09,860 There was just one race, the human race. 1418 01:00:09,860 --> 01:00:13,860 You saw a race of people that was distant from you, 1419 01:00:13,860 --> 01:00:19,860 that regardless of what they thought they knew, they didn't know you. 1420 01:00:19,860 --> 01:00:25,860 And you desired to have that lasting relationship with us, to know us, 1421 01:00:25,860 --> 01:00:28,860 through your son, Jesus Christ. 1422 01:00:28,860 --> 01:00:30,860 And that's what we desire to you. 1423 01:00:30,860 --> 01:00:35,860 And I pray for myself that whatever my skills or abilities might be, 1424 01:00:35,860 --> 01:00:38,860 whatever my scheduled activities might be, 1425 01:00:38,860 --> 01:00:42,860 whatever my preferences might be, or even my personal taste, 1426 01:00:42,860 --> 01:00:47,860 that all that I am will be transformed, 1427 01:00:47,860 --> 01:00:52,860 that will be identified with your purposes at work in others. 1428 01:00:52,860 --> 01:00:55,860 And we know that your Word says in Galatians 6-10 that it is then, 1429 01:00:55,860 --> 01:00:57,860 especially in your church, in your people. 1430 01:00:57,860 --> 01:01:02,860 And we think, how about that guy that works in the ministry? 1431 01:01:02,860 --> 01:01:05,860 How about that guy? How about that gal? How about that kid? 1432 01:01:05,860 --> 01:01:12,860 How do we surround that person to see God's interests unveiled in them? 1433 01:01:12,860 --> 01:01:14,860 That's love. 1434 01:01:14,860 --> 01:01:16,860 How do we be like that? 1435 01:01:16,860 --> 01:01:19,860 Not how do we do that, but how do we be like that, 1436 01:01:19,860 --> 01:01:21,860 that every opportunity and more and more and more. 1437 01:01:21,860 --> 01:01:23,860 We understand it's a journey. 1438 01:01:23,860 --> 01:01:25,860 That's what it means to be sanctified. 1439 01:01:25,860 --> 01:01:29,860 But we submit ourselves, I submit myself, and I hope others are joining me in it, 1440 01:01:29,860 --> 01:01:36,860 to submit ourselves to that identity, that new identity in Christ, 1441 01:01:36,860 --> 01:01:43,860 that identity that aligns with your purposes at work in us and in others. 1442 01:01:43,860 --> 01:01:46,860 We praise you for it. We ask your blessings upon the cupcakes 1443 01:01:46,860 --> 01:01:51,860 and a little bit of time of fellowship as we celebrate. 1444 01:01:51,860 --> 01:01:59,860 We say it's not at the beginning, but actually it's the great triumph of our God 1445 01:01:59,860 --> 01:02:07,860 to Chris and Holly to make a wonderful young lady who is growing as a servant of God. 1446 01:02:07,860 --> 01:02:11,860 And we're grateful. We ask your blessings upon it. In Jesus' name, Amen. 1447 01:02:11,860 --> 01:02:16,860 Thank you very much. This concludes our services. Cupcakes, short fellowship, 1448 01:02:16,860 --> 01:02:43,860 and then don't forget the team leader meeting.