1 00:00:00,000 --> 00:00:02,560 So in just a couple weeks, I'm gonna be on a plane 2 00:00:02,560 --> 00:00:06,600 with about 10 other villagers, village people, 3 00:00:06,600 --> 00:00:08,800 and we're gonna be heading down 4 00:00:08,800 --> 00:00:13,360 to the Central American country of Guatemala. 5 00:00:13,360 --> 00:00:15,760 Anyone else ever been to Guatemala? 6 00:00:15,760 --> 00:00:16,880 No? 7 00:00:16,880 --> 00:00:18,640 Okay, didn't think so. 8 00:00:18,640 --> 00:00:20,360 But we're heading down to Guatemala 9 00:00:20,360 --> 00:00:22,960 to hook up with our missions partner down there. 10 00:00:22,960 --> 00:00:25,240 Village has been supporting and connected 11 00:00:25,240 --> 00:00:28,240 to Village of Hope down in Guatemala. 12 00:00:28,240 --> 00:00:29,600 And so we're gonna tell you a little bit more 13 00:00:29,600 --> 00:00:31,000 about that trip in the next two weeks. 14 00:00:31,000 --> 00:00:32,200 You'll hear a lot more details. 15 00:00:32,200 --> 00:00:35,240 But for me to be able to go on that trip 16 00:00:35,240 --> 00:00:37,240 and the others to go on that trip, 17 00:00:37,240 --> 00:00:40,640 I've gotta have a very important document with me. 18 00:00:40,640 --> 00:00:42,440 You guys know what that document is? 19 00:00:42,440 --> 00:00:44,280 I have a passport. 20 00:00:44,280 --> 00:00:46,320 A passport, right? 21 00:00:46,320 --> 00:00:47,640 I've gotta have a passport. 22 00:00:47,640 --> 00:00:50,720 Now a passport is this official government issued document, 23 00:00:50,720 --> 00:00:54,800 right, that identifies me and my nationality 24 00:00:54,800 --> 00:00:58,080 and allows me to internationally travel. 25 00:00:58,080 --> 00:01:00,640 It allows for an individual to enter 26 00:01:00,640 --> 00:01:03,880 and leave a foreign country and provides evidence 27 00:01:03,880 --> 00:01:06,520 that that holder has a right to return 28 00:01:06,520 --> 00:01:09,760 to the country of their origin. 29 00:01:09,760 --> 00:01:11,520 And I don't know if you guys have ever done this, 30 00:01:11,520 --> 00:01:14,880 but inside that passport, if you have a passport, 31 00:01:14,880 --> 00:01:18,320 there's some text written inside that front cover 32 00:01:18,320 --> 00:01:19,960 of the US passport. 33 00:01:19,960 --> 00:01:22,160 And these words are written right there 34 00:01:22,160 --> 00:01:25,160 from the Secretary of State and it says this. 35 00:01:25,160 --> 00:01:29,360 The Secretary of State of the United States of America 36 00:01:29,360 --> 00:01:32,800 hereby requests all whom it may concern 37 00:01:32,800 --> 00:01:36,280 to permit the citizen national of the United States 38 00:01:36,280 --> 00:01:40,480 named herein to pass without delay or hindrance 39 00:01:40,480 --> 00:01:45,480 and in case of need to give all lawful aid and protection. 40 00:01:47,080 --> 00:01:50,920 So basically this states that when I travel, 41 00:01:50,920 --> 00:01:52,520 I'm an American citizen 42 00:01:52,520 --> 00:01:57,520 and that I am under the US protection 43 00:01:57,560 --> 00:02:01,360 and therefore as a US citizen under its protection, 44 00:02:01,360 --> 00:02:03,920 this document, the passport, actually acts 45 00:02:03,920 --> 00:02:07,000 as an official diplomatic request. 46 00:02:07,000 --> 00:02:12,000 Our country is asking another country a diplomatic request 47 00:02:12,240 --> 00:02:16,480 and their request is, hey, allow him to travel 48 00:02:16,480 --> 00:02:18,520 and provide for him any assistance 49 00:02:18,520 --> 00:02:20,600 and protection he might need. 50 00:02:20,600 --> 00:02:21,920 That's pretty extraordinary. 51 00:02:21,920 --> 00:02:24,120 And a small little booklet there, 52 00:02:24,120 --> 00:02:27,320 you're carrying diplomatic documents to another country. 53 00:02:29,520 --> 00:02:31,600 I was born a citizen of the US, 54 00:02:31,600 --> 00:02:34,440 my parents were as well and theirs and so on. 55 00:02:34,440 --> 00:02:37,600 In fact, we've traced both sides of my parents back 56 00:02:37,600 --> 00:02:40,160 to the mid to early 1600s. 57 00:02:40,160 --> 00:02:43,680 So we were here on the East Coast 58 00:02:43,680 --> 00:02:46,960 before the US was the US. 59 00:02:46,960 --> 00:02:50,280 But not everyone has that history. 60 00:02:50,280 --> 00:02:53,480 Not everyone was born in the US. 61 00:02:53,480 --> 00:02:56,000 Some folks who are from elsewhere, 62 00:02:56,000 --> 00:02:57,960 they come and they want to become oftentimes 63 00:02:57,960 --> 00:03:00,040 a naturalized citizen. 64 00:03:00,040 --> 00:03:03,120 They wanna become a citizen of the US. 65 00:03:03,120 --> 00:03:06,200 And to do so, they have to go through a series of classes 66 00:03:06,200 --> 00:03:10,680 and interviews, they've got classes on history and language, 67 00:03:10,680 --> 00:03:15,040 all kinds of things related to what it means to be a citizen. 68 00:03:15,040 --> 00:03:18,240 And once they're approved, their citizenship is approved, 69 00:03:18,240 --> 00:03:23,240 they have to, the final step is an oath of allegiance. 70 00:03:23,720 --> 00:03:26,840 An oath of allegiance and that oath of allegiance 71 00:03:26,840 --> 00:03:31,080 for those seeking citizenship begins with these words. 72 00:03:31,080 --> 00:03:35,440 I hereby declare on oath that I absolutely 73 00:03:35,440 --> 00:03:38,960 and entirely renounce and abjure, 74 00:03:38,960 --> 00:03:40,840 that's not a word we use every day, 75 00:03:40,840 --> 00:03:43,840 abjure all allegiances and fidelity 76 00:03:43,840 --> 00:03:48,840 to any foreign prince, potentate, state or sovereignty 77 00:03:51,280 --> 00:03:54,360 of whom or which I have heretofore 78 00:03:54,360 --> 00:03:56,440 been a subject or citizen. 79 00:03:58,080 --> 00:03:59,240 As though in other words, 80 00:03:59,240 --> 00:04:03,240 once you become a citizen of one country, 81 00:04:03,240 --> 00:04:06,720 you become a foreigner of all others. 82 00:04:07,760 --> 00:04:11,280 To become a citizen of the US is to forsake 83 00:04:11,280 --> 00:04:14,000 all other allegiances and ties. 84 00:04:15,000 --> 00:04:17,120 To become a citizen of one country, 85 00:04:17,120 --> 00:04:20,200 you become a foreigner of all others. 86 00:04:21,280 --> 00:04:24,960 To be a Christian is to make that very change. 87 00:04:25,920 --> 00:04:29,000 It is a move from being a citizen of the world 88 00:04:29,000 --> 00:04:31,280 to a citizen of the kingdom of heaven. 89 00:04:32,200 --> 00:04:34,040 You belong to the kingdom of heaven, 90 00:04:34,040 --> 00:04:35,880 you are a citizen of the kingdom of heaven 91 00:04:35,880 --> 00:04:39,560 and the kingdom of heaven is not some distant future reality 92 00:04:39,560 --> 00:04:42,840 but is to be experienced and lived 93 00:04:42,840 --> 00:04:45,200 through its citizens today. 94 00:04:46,240 --> 00:04:48,680 And this morning we're gonna look out of Philippians 95 00:04:48,680 --> 00:04:51,520 chapter three, beginning in verse 17. 96 00:04:51,520 --> 00:04:53,680 If you have your Bibles, feel free to turn over there. 97 00:04:53,680 --> 00:04:57,440 Philippians chapter three, beginning in verse 17. 98 00:04:58,760 --> 00:05:02,360 Paul in the book of Philippians is writing to a church 99 00:05:02,360 --> 00:05:04,400 in a town called Philippi. 100 00:05:04,400 --> 00:05:08,000 It's a Macedonian city named after Alexander the Great's 101 00:05:08,000 --> 00:05:12,240 father but at this time it's a part of the Roman Empire 102 00:05:13,200 --> 00:05:17,840 and it's located about 800 miles from Rome itself. 103 00:05:18,800 --> 00:05:22,080 And so the people of Philippi would be very familiar 104 00:05:22,080 --> 00:05:24,880 with the idea of being a part of a kingdom 105 00:05:26,200 --> 00:05:30,000 about consistently hearing news of the kingdom 106 00:05:30,000 --> 00:05:34,080 and what's going on and even as many of these towns 107 00:05:34,080 --> 00:05:37,080 were familiar with, they would eagerly await 108 00:05:37,080 --> 00:05:40,480 for the chance to see the emperor, the Caesar, 109 00:05:40,480 --> 00:05:43,000 make his rounds and his trips through 110 00:05:43,000 --> 00:05:44,960 the different towns and countries. 111 00:05:46,960 --> 00:05:49,320 Philippians chapter three, verse 17 begins, 112 00:05:49,320 --> 00:05:52,760 join in imitating me, brothers and sisters, 113 00:05:52,760 --> 00:05:56,320 and pay careful attention to those who live according 114 00:05:56,320 --> 00:05:58,800 to the example you have in us. 115 00:05:58,800 --> 00:06:02,320 For I have often told you and now say again with tears 116 00:06:02,320 --> 00:06:06,480 that many live as enemies of the cross of Christ. 117 00:06:06,480 --> 00:06:10,560 Their end is destruction, their God is their stomach, 118 00:06:10,560 --> 00:06:12,520 their glory is in their shame 119 00:06:12,520 --> 00:06:15,320 and they are focused on earthly things. 120 00:06:16,280 --> 00:06:20,040 Our citizenship is in heaven and we eagerly wait 121 00:06:20,040 --> 00:06:23,480 for a savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ. 122 00:06:23,480 --> 00:06:26,840 He will transform the body of our humble condition 123 00:06:26,840 --> 00:06:29,760 into the likeness of his glorious body 124 00:06:29,760 --> 00:06:33,800 by the power that enables him to subject everything 125 00:06:33,800 --> 00:06:35,680 to himself. 126 00:06:35,680 --> 00:06:36,840 This is God's word. 127 00:06:39,080 --> 00:06:40,440 We're gonna work through a couple of points. 128 00:06:40,440 --> 00:06:41,880 If you're taking notes, the first point 129 00:06:41,880 --> 00:06:45,320 that I'll have you write down is be imitators. 130 00:06:46,280 --> 00:06:48,000 Be imitators. 131 00:06:49,440 --> 00:06:53,080 Paul begins Philippians chapter three by saying, 132 00:06:53,080 --> 00:06:55,400 join in imitating me, brothers and sisters, 133 00:06:55,400 --> 00:06:57,920 and pay careful attention to those who live according 134 00:06:57,920 --> 00:07:01,280 to the example you have in us. 135 00:07:01,280 --> 00:07:04,080 As Christians, we're not meant to walk alone. 136 00:07:04,080 --> 00:07:09,080 We are designed to live and learn and walk in community. 137 00:07:10,000 --> 00:07:13,880 There's a really fancy word called koinonia, 138 00:07:13,880 --> 00:07:17,360 it's a Greek word that translates to the English word 139 00:07:17,360 --> 00:07:20,640 fellowship and we oftentimes talk about fellowship 140 00:07:20,640 --> 00:07:24,000 and lots of churches will put a sign up that says koinonia 141 00:07:24,000 --> 00:07:25,800 or something somewhere, right? 142 00:07:25,800 --> 00:07:27,920 Koinonia fellowship, right? 143 00:07:27,920 --> 00:07:30,400 But fellowship doesn't mean donuts, coffee, 144 00:07:30,400 --> 00:07:31,560 and some gossip. 145 00:07:31,560 --> 00:07:34,720 Yeah, fellowship doesn't mean we shoot the breeze 146 00:07:34,720 --> 00:07:36,880 and we talk about the weather. 147 00:07:36,880 --> 00:07:40,160 The koinonia, the Greek word for fellowship 148 00:07:40,160 --> 00:07:42,840 means to work alongside each other, 149 00:07:43,800 --> 00:07:46,080 as in the family business. 150 00:07:46,080 --> 00:07:50,200 To fellowship is to have a common goal or purpose 151 00:07:50,200 --> 00:07:52,640 to which we are all working toward. 152 00:07:53,800 --> 00:07:56,360 And to be a Christian means that we don't walk alone, 153 00:07:56,360 --> 00:07:59,360 we are designed to walk and live in community 154 00:07:59,360 --> 00:08:03,520 in koinonia fellowship, working towards the common purpose 155 00:08:03,520 --> 00:08:07,040 of honoring and glorifying God through our lives. 156 00:08:07,040 --> 00:08:10,000 That's our job, that's our purpose, that's our aim. 157 00:08:11,520 --> 00:08:16,520 In many of the trades, a beginner will oftentimes 158 00:08:16,520 --> 00:08:19,280 have to first complete an apprenticeship 159 00:08:19,280 --> 00:08:23,240 before they're qualified or cleared to work unsupervised. 160 00:08:23,240 --> 00:08:26,920 They carefully work alongside a journeyman or a master 161 00:08:26,920 --> 00:08:29,440 to hone their skills and learn, 162 00:08:29,440 --> 00:08:32,040 partly because these trades, they're so complex 163 00:08:32,040 --> 00:08:34,080 that you can't just learn them in a classroom, 164 00:08:34,080 --> 00:08:36,600 you can't just sit down with a book and then go to town. 165 00:08:36,600 --> 00:08:40,560 You have to be on the job and see how it's done. 166 00:08:40,560 --> 00:08:42,840 And apprenticeships in the trades oftentimes 167 00:08:42,840 --> 00:08:44,880 take several years to complete. 168 00:08:46,960 --> 00:08:50,560 As Christians who are learning to surrender to Christ 169 00:08:50,560 --> 00:08:53,080 and learning to follow Him every day, 170 00:08:53,080 --> 00:08:55,560 we have something to learn from the Lord 171 00:08:55,560 --> 00:08:59,360 and we have something like the trades have. 172 00:08:59,360 --> 00:09:03,320 They call it apprenticeship, we call it discipleship. 173 00:09:04,480 --> 00:09:05,600 Discipleship. 174 00:09:06,520 --> 00:09:10,720 Discipleship is the process of apprenticing with Jesus 175 00:09:10,720 --> 00:09:14,240 by learning from and imitating the faith and life 176 00:09:14,240 --> 00:09:16,040 of more mature believers. 177 00:09:16,040 --> 00:09:20,160 It's always been that way and it continues to be that way. 178 00:09:20,160 --> 00:09:22,880 If Jesus was present here, I'm sure all of us 179 00:09:22,880 --> 00:09:24,280 would be walking around after Him 180 00:09:24,280 --> 00:09:26,360 and learning from Him, right? 181 00:09:26,360 --> 00:09:30,360 But in His stead, He's placed mature believers in our midst 182 00:09:30,360 --> 00:09:35,360 for us to grow and learn from in order to walk with Christ. 183 00:09:36,480 --> 00:09:40,720 And it is Christ in them that is leading us to Christ. 184 00:09:40,720 --> 00:09:44,000 Dallas Willard, the Christian philosopher and author, 185 00:09:44,000 --> 00:09:47,600 has said, discipleship is the process of becoming 186 00:09:47,600 --> 00:09:50,120 who Jesus would be if He were you. 187 00:09:50,120 --> 00:09:53,640 We need examples, people who are striving to live 188 00:09:53,640 --> 00:09:57,720 as Christ would to help guide us in that journey. 189 00:09:57,720 --> 00:09:59,520 We need examples. 190 00:09:59,520 --> 00:10:03,960 And Paul began by saying, imitate me, brothers and sisters, 191 00:10:03,960 --> 00:10:07,320 as I've imitated Christ and pay careful attention 192 00:10:07,320 --> 00:10:12,320 to others who live like me so that you can walk as they walk. 193 00:10:13,160 --> 00:10:15,680 The reformer John Calvin also said 194 00:10:15,680 --> 00:10:19,600 that true followers of Christ walk after the Lord 195 00:10:19,600 --> 00:10:22,200 and walk after the pattern of godly men. 196 00:10:23,160 --> 00:10:27,200 By following them, we are not led to men, 197 00:10:27,200 --> 00:10:30,600 but to Christ, the supreme example. 198 00:10:31,480 --> 00:10:35,320 And you can trade in men and women where he said men. 199 00:10:35,320 --> 00:10:38,920 We are not led to the men or women, 200 00:10:38,920 --> 00:10:42,080 but we're led to Christ through the pattern of their life. 201 00:10:43,160 --> 00:10:44,600 They lead us to Christ. 202 00:10:44,600 --> 00:10:48,840 Every single one of us needs discipleship. 203 00:10:48,840 --> 00:10:52,200 Everyone needs a pattern to imitate. 204 00:10:52,200 --> 00:10:54,680 And Paul says to the church in Philippi, 205 00:10:54,680 --> 00:10:56,920 imitate him and those who pattern their life 206 00:10:56,920 --> 00:10:59,000 and faith after him. 207 00:10:59,000 --> 00:11:00,680 And we already know this, actually. 208 00:11:00,680 --> 00:11:02,520 This is how we teach children, right? 209 00:11:03,520 --> 00:11:06,960 We teach children all the time by what we do in front of them 210 00:11:06,960 --> 00:11:08,120 and have them imitate. 211 00:11:08,120 --> 00:11:12,200 Most of what children do in the beginning is imitation. 212 00:11:12,200 --> 00:11:13,680 They do what daddy does. 213 00:11:13,680 --> 00:11:16,040 They do what mommy does. 214 00:11:16,040 --> 00:11:20,400 There's one study that says 50 to 80% of all behavioral 215 00:11:20,400 --> 00:11:23,120 and social skills and values are shaped by the environment 216 00:11:23,120 --> 00:11:26,240 that children grow up in, not by what they're taught. 217 00:11:26,240 --> 00:11:29,600 50 to 80% of what they know, 218 00:11:29,600 --> 00:11:31,920 they got by watching examples around them. 219 00:11:33,840 --> 00:11:36,280 The church, we need godly patterns. 220 00:11:36,280 --> 00:11:40,920 And here at Village, we have opportunities for discipleship. 221 00:11:40,920 --> 00:11:43,840 We have what you might call one to one, 222 00:11:43,840 --> 00:11:46,760 one to some, and one to many. 223 00:11:46,760 --> 00:11:49,320 So in our Sunday morning service, 224 00:11:49,320 --> 00:11:50,760 this is kind of a one to many. 225 00:11:50,760 --> 00:11:53,560 I'm speaking and you guys are just listening. 226 00:11:53,560 --> 00:11:56,000 We're not having a dialogue here. 227 00:11:56,000 --> 00:11:58,720 But you can get together with lots of folks all together 228 00:11:58,720 --> 00:12:00,720 and hear the same word and then that can cause 229 00:12:00,720 --> 00:12:02,840 all kinds of conversations to happen 230 00:12:02,840 --> 00:12:04,960 and all kinds of life change to happen. 231 00:12:04,960 --> 00:12:05,800 One to many. 232 00:12:05,800 --> 00:12:09,720 And then there's one to some, we call those small groups. 233 00:12:09,720 --> 00:12:11,640 Small groups gather throughout the week 234 00:12:11,640 --> 00:12:14,200 and you can go and process the things that you're learning 235 00:12:14,200 --> 00:12:16,840 or the things that God is teaching you in your life 236 00:12:16,840 --> 00:12:19,760 or the things that you're struggling with. 237 00:12:19,760 --> 00:12:21,960 And other believers more mature than you 238 00:12:21,960 --> 00:12:24,200 can speak truth into your life, 239 00:12:24,200 --> 00:12:26,800 help you along the way, pray for you. 240 00:12:26,800 --> 00:12:30,760 And so, and then there's always the one to one, right? 241 00:12:30,760 --> 00:12:33,480 Find another believer who's more mature. 242 00:12:33,480 --> 00:12:36,200 See if you can't regularly connect with them. 243 00:12:36,200 --> 00:12:38,160 See if you can't grow in relationship 244 00:12:38,160 --> 00:12:40,360 and follow the pattern of their faith. 245 00:12:40,360 --> 00:12:41,880 Watch how they pray. 246 00:12:41,880 --> 00:12:43,960 Watch how they share the gospel. 247 00:12:43,960 --> 00:12:46,200 Watch how they live in public 248 00:12:46,200 --> 00:12:47,960 and pattern your life after them. 249 00:12:50,240 --> 00:12:53,200 The great evangelist D.L. Moody once said, 250 00:12:53,200 --> 00:12:58,200 out of 100 men, one will read the Bible, 251 00:12:58,200 --> 00:13:00,280 the other 99 will read the Christian. 252 00:13:01,440 --> 00:13:03,600 Let your life be one worth reading. 253 00:13:03,600 --> 00:13:06,600 May not be able to get everyone to read the Bible every day. 254 00:13:06,600 --> 00:13:07,440 Right? 255 00:13:07,440 --> 00:13:09,080 We've all heard that if you grew up in the church, 256 00:13:09,080 --> 00:13:10,120 you gotta read your Bible every day. 257 00:13:10,120 --> 00:13:12,920 You gotta do your devotions, whatever it is. 258 00:13:12,920 --> 00:13:15,560 But can we get people around, godly people, 259 00:13:15,560 --> 00:13:18,640 and pattern the life of what it means to follow Christ? 260 00:13:18,640 --> 00:13:21,200 People are watching, more people than you think. 261 00:13:23,920 --> 00:13:25,920 So are you connected to someone who is mature 262 00:13:25,920 --> 00:13:28,880 and are you imitating their life and faith? 263 00:13:29,840 --> 00:13:31,880 Are you imitating their faith? 264 00:13:31,880 --> 00:13:34,880 Are you close enough to see their life and faith 265 00:13:34,880 --> 00:13:36,960 on a regular basis? 266 00:13:36,960 --> 00:13:41,200 Have you connected to the many and the some and the one? 267 00:13:41,200 --> 00:13:44,240 So that you, as a disciple of Christ, can grow, 268 00:13:44,240 --> 00:13:47,480 Paul says, be imitators. 269 00:13:47,480 --> 00:13:50,000 That's what the Christian life looks like. 270 00:13:51,560 --> 00:13:54,960 One of our congregants, Michelle, 271 00:13:54,960 --> 00:13:56,960 you may have met her, Michelle Cooper. 272 00:13:56,960 --> 00:14:00,640 She was out and about this last week. 273 00:14:00,640 --> 00:14:02,640 And she responded to the word of God 274 00:14:02,640 --> 00:14:05,200 that was preached a couple of weeks back. 275 00:14:06,000 --> 00:14:07,760 She felt moved to respond. 276 00:14:07,760 --> 00:14:12,240 And in doing so, she shot my wife a voicemail 277 00:14:12,240 --> 00:14:14,520 just to encourage Adrian and to say, 278 00:14:14,520 --> 00:14:17,040 hey, I want you to know that I'm hearing the word 279 00:14:17,040 --> 00:14:19,000 and I'm responding to the word. 280 00:14:19,000 --> 00:14:20,160 And we got her permission. 281 00:14:20,160 --> 00:14:21,400 We're gonna go ahead and play that voicemail. 282 00:14:21,400 --> 00:14:23,880 This is Michelle's voicemail to my wife this week. 283 00:14:23,880 --> 00:14:25,680 Let's go ahead and make sure the audio's up. 284 00:14:25,680 --> 00:14:27,640 Go ahead and restart it. 285 00:14:27,640 --> 00:14:28,480 There we go. 286 00:14:28,480 --> 00:14:29,320 Audio's up. 287 00:14:29,320 --> 00:14:30,720 Here we go. 288 00:14:30,720 --> 00:14:32,880 I just wanted to testify. 289 00:14:32,880 --> 00:14:37,880 Maybe this will give a little pep to your step today. 290 00:14:37,880 --> 00:14:42,880 But I had some labs for just medical reasons 291 00:14:42,960 --> 00:14:46,960 and was sitting across from a young lady 292 00:14:46,960 --> 00:14:51,120 and as we got to talking, I just felt like the Lord was like, 293 00:14:51,120 --> 00:14:53,120 you need to speak up. 294 00:14:53,120 --> 00:14:53,960 You need to say something. 295 00:14:53,960 --> 00:14:55,400 You need to share faith. 296 00:14:55,400 --> 00:14:58,600 And so as I did that, it just opened up my heart. 297 00:14:58,600 --> 00:15:02,600 It just opened up the doors and I invited her to church. 298 00:15:02,600 --> 00:15:04,720 I got to pray for her. 299 00:15:04,720 --> 00:15:07,080 She is a believer, but she's coming out 300 00:15:07,080 --> 00:15:10,080 of some really hard times and has been judged 301 00:15:10,080 --> 00:15:15,080 for her appearance, not looking like a churchgoer 302 00:15:16,040 --> 00:15:18,240 in the places she's been before. 303 00:15:18,240 --> 00:15:20,800 And it was just incredible. 304 00:15:20,800 --> 00:15:25,800 I just am so thankful to be encouraged and convicted 305 00:15:26,520 --> 00:15:28,520 by what John shared a couple weeks ago 306 00:15:28,520 --> 00:15:33,080 and just know that I was able to let my life shine 307 00:15:33,080 --> 00:15:38,080 and hopefully it just produces the fruit 308 00:15:38,320 --> 00:15:41,920 that we desire to see for people to know 309 00:15:41,920 --> 00:15:43,360 how good our God is. 310 00:15:43,360 --> 00:15:45,800 So just sharing that today. 311 00:15:45,800 --> 00:15:47,040 Have a great day, buddy. 312 00:15:49,720 --> 00:15:51,520 Michelle was at a doctor's appointment, 313 00:15:51,520 --> 00:15:53,840 if you didn't hear, and she was getting testing 314 00:15:53,840 --> 00:15:55,640 and there was a gal sitting across from her 315 00:15:55,640 --> 00:15:59,440 and she felt convicted, start a conversation. 316 00:15:59,440 --> 00:16:01,960 And it led to her opening up her life 317 00:16:01,960 --> 00:16:05,080 and sharing her struggles and that she was a believer, 318 00:16:05,080 --> 00:16:07,800 but she'd been a part of a church and hadn't been received 319 00:16:07,800 --> 00:16:10,280 because she didn't look like a church person. 320 00:16:10,280 --> 00:16:12,560 And so that had hurt her and driven her out of the church, 321 00:16:12,560 --> 00:16:15,480 but Michelle was able to minister to her 322 00:16:15,480 --> 00:16:17,400 and speak truth to her. 323 00:16:17,400 --> 00:16:19,160 And who knows what will come out of that. 324 00:16:19,160 --> 00:16:20,640 That was just one little touch point. 325 00:16:20,640 --> 00:16:24,440 But then she gets to share that with us. 326 00:16:24,440 --> 00:16:25,960 And in a sense, disciple us. 327 00:16:25,960 --> 00:16:28,520 She sets a pattern for us to follow, 328 00:16:28,520 --> 00:16:31,200 to say, hey, maybe next time I'm at the doctor's office 329 00:16:31,200 --> 00:16:34,200 or in the grocery store or wherever I'm at, 330 00:16:34,200 --> 00:16:37,280 I should be looking for opportunities to share. 331 00:16:37,280 --> 00:16:41,000 This is what it means to be in community and to disciple, 332 00:16:41,000 --> 00:16:43,600 is to learn from one another and look at the patterns. 333 00:16:43,600 --> 00:16:45,440 Godly life lived out. 334 00:16:45,440 --> 00:16:48,200 Doesn't mean we always nail it or we're always perfect. 335 00:16:48,200 --> 00:16:51,360 In fact, we're more often than not, we're not. 336 00:16:51,360 --> 00:16:53,240 But it does mean that these patterns 337 00:16:53,240 --> 00:16:55,000 can begin to take shape in our lives 338 00:16:55,000 --> 00:16:58,200 and we can see and tell these stories over and over again. 339 00:16:59,400 --> 00:17:01,200 Don't go it alone. 340 00:17:01,200 --> 00:17:02,600 Imitate, be imitators. 341 00:17:02,600 --> 00:17:04,320 And number two, if you're taking notes, 342 00:17:04,320 --> 00:17:08,600 write down the words watch out or watch for imposters. 343 00:17:08,600 --> 00:17:10,200 Watch for imposters. 344 00:17:11,840 --> 00:17:15,880 So Paul backs up his case for needing godly patterns 345 00:17:15,880 --> 00:17:18,640 by saying that there are many who live 346 00:17:18,640 --> 00:17:21,520 as enemies of the cross in the church. 347 00:17:21,520 --> 00:17:23,520 And he says that we need good patterns 348 00:17:23,520 --> 00:17:25,440 because there are bad ones out there. 349 00:17:27,400 --> 00:17:30,920 Verse 18, for I have often told you and now say with tears 350 00:17:30,920 --> 00:17:33,560 that many live as enemies of the cross of Christ. 351 00:17:33,560 --> 00:17:36,240 Their end is destruction, their God is their stomach, 352 00:17:36,240 --> 00:17:37,920 their glory is in their shame 353 00:17:37,920 --> 00:17:40,760 and they are focused on earthly things. 354 00:17:41,640 --> 00:17:43,560 And here's the deal. 355 00:17:43,560 --> 00:17:45,720 If you've been around, you know this. 356 00:17:45,720 --> 00:17:47,560 I've been around. 357 00:17:47,560 --> 00:17:49,560 They're in every church. 358 00:17:49,560 --> 00:17:52,560 They are in every church. 359 00:17:52,560 --> 00:17:54,640 They are in this church. 360 00:17:56,280 --> 00:18:00,480 Impostors, fake citizens. 361 00:18:00,480 --> 00:18:03,240 They may know all the right words. 362 00:18:03,240 --> 00:18:05,840 They love religious rituals. 363 00:18:05,840 --> 00:18:08,280 They know scripture even. 364 00:18:08,280 --> 00:18:11,000 Paul says in another place in First Corinthians, 365 00:18:11,000 --> 00:18:14,400 he says they masquerade as servants of righteousness 366 00:18:14,400 --> 00:18:18,520 just as Satan masquerades as an angel of light. 367 00:18:18,520 --> 00:18:21,520 They don't deny doctrine outright. 368 00:18:21,520 --> 00:18:23,360 They wouldn't stand up in the middle of a sermon 369 00:18:23,360 --> 00:18:24,760 and say, I disagree. 370 00:18:26,120 --> 00:18:29,360 What they'll do is they'll deviate. 371 00:18:29,360 --> 00:18:31,520 Subtle deviations. 372 00:18:31,520 --> 00:18:34,760 They'll say what itching ears want to hear 373 00:18:34,760 --> 00:18:37,800 in a private conversation somewhere. 374 00:18:37,800 --> 00:18:40,640 They'll backtrack on things that are true 375 00:18:40,640 --> 00:18:43,200 to try to give people space for their sin. 376 00:18:44,360 --> 00:18:46,160 They'll do all kinds of things 377 00:18:46,160 --> 00:18:50,000 like that, manipulate, they prey on emotions. 378 00:18:50,000 --> 00:18:51,880 Sometimes validating those emotions 379 00:18:51,880 --> 00:18:54,120 in order to gain trust and loyalty 380 00:18:54,120 --> 00:18:57,920 so the person's ears are open to hear more of what they say, 381 00:18:57,920 --> 00:18:59,640 more of what they spew. 382 00:19:01,920 --> 00:19:05,920 In places where discipleship and sound teaching lack, 383 00:19:06,880 --> 00:19:10,320 those people are easy pickings for imposters. 384 00:19:10,320 --> 00:19:13,640 They can be taken any which way. 385 00:19:13,640 --> 00:19:18,640 It's why Paul warned his protege, his apprentice, Timothy, 386 00:19:20,080 --> 00:19:23,880 to be very concerned about teaching sound doctrine 387 00:19:23,880 --> 00:19:26,360 and to look out for these people. 388 00:19:26,360 --> 00:19:31,360 Teach sound doctrine as a bulwark against these people, 389 00:19:31,360 --> 00:19:35,360 but keep your eye open because there are those 390 00:19:35,360 --> 00:19:37,360 who are here, who are imposters, 391 00:19:37,360 --> 00:19:40,720 who are looking for a following of their own. 392 00:19:40,720 --> 00:19:44,640 In Acts 20, Paul's talking to the elders from Ephesus. 393 00:19:44,640 --> 00:19:47,080 They've come to visit him before he heads off 394 00:19:47,080 --> 00:19:51,080 and he tells the elders in Ephesus that savage wolves 395 00:19:51,080 --> 00:19:53,440 are coming in among them 396 00:19:53,440 --> 00:19:56,360 and these savage wolves will not spare the flock. 397 00:19:57,640 --> 00:20:01,560 Even from their own number, people will rise up 398 00:20:01,560 --> 00:20:04,040 and distort the truth in order to draw away disciples 399 00:20:04,040 --> 00:20:05,160 after them. 400 00:20:05,160 --> 00:20:07,560 That's what Paul said to the church in Ephesus. 401 00:20:07,560 --> 00:20:11,080 But he repeated it in Romans and Corinthians and Timothy 402 00:20:11,080 --> 00:20:12,400 and Titus. 403 00:20:12,400 --> 00:20:15,720 In fact, in Romans 16, Paul says that there will be those 404 00:20:15,720 --> 00:20:18,040 who cause division and will teach things 405 00:20:18,040 --> 00:20:20,680 that are contrary to what is true. 406 00:20:20,680 --> 00:20:24,720 He says to keep away from them, stay away from them, 407 00:20:24,720 --> 00:20:27,600 for such people are not serving our Lord Jesus 408 00:20:27,600 --> 00:20:30,160 but their own appetites. 409 00:20:31,400 --> 00:20:34,400 Paul clearly had that in his mind multiple times. 410 00:20:34,400 --> 00:20:37,640 Including in our scripture in Philippians. 411 00:20:37,640 --> 00:20:39,440 They're serving their appetites. 412 00:20:40,120 --> 00:20:42,400 Their end is their destruction 413 00:20:43,560 --> 00:20:46,200 and there will be a lot of collateral damage along the way. 414 00:20:48,440 --> 00:20:50,480 Their God is their stomach. 415 00:20:51,360 --> 00:20:53,320 Very well though, young lady that Michelle 416 00:20:53,320 --> 00:20:55,920 was ministering to, met one of them. 417 00:20:57,040 --> 00:20:59,760 Met one of them and got a side eye or a gossip 418 00:20:59,760 --> 00:21:01,240 about how she looked. 419 00:21:01,240 --> 00:21:04,880 And that caused her to meet her destruction, 420 00:21:04,880 --> 00:21:08,120 to wander away, to no longer want to be a part 421 00:21:08,120 --> 00:21:11,480 of the church because someone twisted the truth, 422 00:21:11,480 --> 00:21:15,280 the gospel, and made it about how someone looks. 423 00:21:15,280 --> 00:21:19,160 The gospel's never been about how someone looks, ever. 424 00:21:19,160 --> 00:21:21,720 The church has often fallen into that error. 425 00:21:24,240 --> 00:21:27,200 Such people are not serving our Lord but their appetites. 426 00:21:27,200 --> 00:21:30,160 And that's what Paul said to the church in Ephesus. 427 00:21:30,160 --> 00:21:31,560 Their God is their stomach. 428 00:21:31,560 --> 00:21:34,120 And that's just a way of saying that they are driven 429 00:21:34,120 --> 00:21:36,400 by temporal appetites. 430 00:21:37,440 --> 00:21:38,840 They're driven by their appetites, 431 00:21:38,840 --> 00:21:42,560 their fleshly appetites, their appetites for pride 432 00:21:42,560 --> 00:21:44,560 and exaltation. 433 00:21:44,560 --> 00:21:47,080 Their appetites to be known or seen. 434 00:21:47,080 --> 00:21:49,480 Their appetites to be followed or to have leadership 435 00:21:49,480 --> 00:21:51,400 or dominion over people. 436 00:21:51,400 --> 00:21:53,640 Their appetite for sexual desire. 437 00:21:53,640 --> 00:21:56,040 Their appetite for all kinds of things. 438 00:21:57,000 --> 00:21:58,480 Their God is their stomach. 439 00:21:58,480 --> 00:22:00,720 Their God is their stomach. 440 00:22:00,720 --> 00:22:02,760 Their God is their appetite. 441 00:22:02,760 --> 00:22:06,160 And they feed their flesh in their sin nature. 442 00:22:06,160 --> 00:22:08,560 And these folks that we are to watch out for, 443 00:22:08,560 --> 00:22:12,120 they have a twisted value system in which they take pride 444 00:22:12,120 --> 00:22:14,640 in behaviors and desires that are disobedient 445 00:22:14,640 --> 00:22:16,160 and dishonorable to God. 446 00:22:17,320 --> 00:22:20,240 They celebrate things that according to God's standard 447 00:22:20,240 --> 00:22:22,400 are sinful and morally wrong. 448 00:22:22,400 --> 00:22:24,960 And Paul says they're enemies of the cross. 449 00:22:25,880 --> 00:22:26,800 And you remember the cross. 450 00:22:26,800 --> 00:22:28,680 The cross is an implement of death. 451 00:22:28,680 --> 00:22:30,520 It represents the Christian life. 452 00:22:30,520 --> 00:22:33,440 The cross represents the Christian life. 453 00:22:33,440 --> 00:22:35,920 And the cross is an implement of death. 454 00:22:35,920 --> 00:22:38,560 The call of discipleship is to come follow me, 455 00:22:38,560 --> 00:22:42,400 to take up your cross, to deny yourself, 456 00:22:42,400 --> 00:22:45,680 to lay your life down to follow Christ. 457 00:22:45,680 --> 00:22:49,600 And these imposters live for the here and now. 458 00:22:51,520 --> 00:22:53,160 They don't die to themselves 459 00:22:53,160 --> 00:22:57,240 and therefore they're enemies of the cross. 460 00:22:57,240 --> 00:22:59,480 They don't put to death their worldly appetites 461 00:22:59,480 --> 00:23:00,960 and live for God. 462 00:23:00,960 --> 00:23:04,840 They feed their worldly appetites and live for themselves. 463 00:23:06,560 --> 00:23:08,520 And the final thing he says about them is that 464 00:23:08,520 --> 00:23:11,680 they are focused on earthly things. 465 00:23:13,160 --> 00:23:15,120 They are focused on earthly things. 466 00:23:16,600 --> 00:23:19,040 So what is our proper approach to those 467 00:23:19,040 --> 00:23:21,760 once we have understood or seen 468 00:23:21,760 --> 00:23:24,760 and watched out for these imposters? 469 00:23:24,760 --> 00:23:29,080 I think it's telling that Paul's approach, even here, 470 00:23:30,720 --> 00:23:33,680 whether they're misguided followers or intentional wolves, 471 00:23:33,680 --> 00:23:36,520 it says that Paul weeps. 472 00:23:36,520 --> 00:23:38,000 He is crying. 473 00:23:38,000 --> 00:23:40,920 He is weeping for those who are perishing. 474 00:23:41,920 --> 00:23:43,160 He weeps for those who are, 475 00:23:43,160 --> 00:23:46,600 Paul is brokenhearted by their failure to love 476 00:23:46,600 --> 00:23:49,280 and their failure to find their all in Christ. 477 00:23:49,280 --> 00:23:52,600 He's broken and grieved that they are deceiving others 478 00:23:52,600 --> 00:23:55,320 and that they're leading others to destruction. 479 00:23:55,320 --> 00:23:57,360 It breaks his heart. 480 00:23:57,360 --> 00:23:59,560 It breaks his heart for the effects of their life, 481 00:23:59,560 --> 00:24:02,440 but his heart is broken for that which is lost 482 00:24:02,440 --> 00:24:04,760 because he has a heart of God. 483 00:24:04,760 --> 00:24:06,880 He has got a godly heart. 484 00:24:07,840 --> 00:24:09,680 And God would have that none would perish, 485 00:24:09,680 --> 00:24:12,000 but all would find life. 486 00:24:12,000 --> 00:24:15,680 And so for us, our posture towards these imposters 487 00:24:15,680 --> 00:24:17,840 is not to curse them to hell, 488 00:24:17,840 --> 00:24:19,760 as we might be inclined to, 489 00:24:19,760 --> 00:24:22,680 but it is to weep over their state, 490 00:24:22,680 --> 00:24:26,680 to be moved and grieved over their lostness 491 00:24:27,360 --> 00:24:29,440 and to pray for their salvation. 492 00:24:30,440 --> 00:24:33,200 At the same time, getting the rest of the sheep 493 00:24:33,200 --> 00:24:35,000 as far away from them as possible. 494 00:24:36,160 --> 00:24:39,600 We can love someone by removing from them 495 00:24:39,600 --> 00:24:41,920 the opportunity to hurt others. 496 00:24:41,920 --> 00:24:44,720 We can love them by praying for their salvation. 497 00:24:44,720 --> 00:24:46,560 Watch for imposters. 498 00:24:48,240 --> 00:24:52,280 Number three, know your true identity. 499 00:24:53,560 --> 00:24:55,480 You gotta know your true identity. 500 00:24:55,480 --> 00:24:58,000 Our citizenship is in heaven, verse 20, 501 00:24:58,000 --> 00:25:01,240 and we eagerly wait for a savior from there, 502 00:25:01,240 --> 00:25:02,920 the Lord Jesus Christ. 503 00:25:04,120 --> 00:25:08,320 As citizens of heaven, as kingdom of God people, 504 00:25:08,320 --> 00:25:11,240 we are all about our King Jesus. 505 00:25:11,240 --> 00:25:16,240 The Greek word that's used for citizenship is polyuma, 506 00:25:16,720 --> 00:25:19,760 polyuma, and it has that same root word 507 00:25:19,760 --> 00:25:21,760 that we get the word politics from. 508 00:25:23,280 --> 00:25:25,640 And so as a believer, if you're a citizen of heaven, 509 00:25:25,640 --> 00:25:26,920 you know what your politics are? 510 00:25:26,920 --> 00:25:29,080 Your politics are in heaven. 511 00:25:30,480 --> 00:25:32,480 Your politics are all about heaven. 512 00:25:33,560 --> 00:25:35,640 Our ballot has one name, 513 00:25:35,640 --> 00:25:37,760 and that's the word politics. 514 00:25:37,760 --> 00:25:41,400 Our ballot has one name on it. 515 00:25:41,400 --> 00:25:44,880 Every year it comes up and it's always got his name on it. 516 00:25:45,760 --> 00:25:47,360 And we actually don't get to vote. 517 00:25:48,360 --> 00:25:51,040 And it ain't your name and it ain't my name. 518 00:25:51,040 --> 00:25:54,040 One name stands above them all. 519 00:25:54,040 --> 00:25:55,400 There's not a blue mark next to him, 520 00:25:55,400 --> 00:25:58,040 there's not a red mark next to him. 521 00:25:58,040 --> 00:25:59,800 That means nothing in heaven. 522 00:26:01,240 --> 00:26:04,160 Notice that Paul says our address is in heaven, 523 00:26:04,160 --> 00:26:06,320 our citizenship is in heaven. 524 00:26:06,320 --> 00:26:08,920 He actually at the beginning of the letter says, 525 00:26:08,920 --> 00:26:10,760 when he's addressing the church in Philippi, 526 00:26:10,760 --> 00:26:15,760 he says to the church in Philippi, in Christ Jesus. 527 00:26:15,840 --> 00:26:18,720 See, there's a physical address, they live in Philippi. 528 00:26:18,720 --> 00:26:22,720 I'm addressing the church in Sacramento, in Christ Jesus. 529 00:26:22,720 --> 00:26:24,520 There's a spiritual address too. 530 00:26:25,400 --> 00:26:28,840 And the spiritual address is the one that's more important. 531 00:26:28,840 --> 00:26:32,080 The spiritual address is the one that's more important, 532 00:26:32,080 --> 00:26:34,640 but heaven itself is not the goal. 533 00:26:34,640 --> 00:26:36,480 Not heaven as our concept is. 534 00:26:36,480 --> 00:26:38,320 We're not gonna go float on some clouds, 535 00:26:38,320 --> 00:26:41,080 play some harps, shoot a few arrows, 536 00:26:41,080 --> 00:26:43,840 frolic about in the sky for a little while. 537 00:26:43,840 --> 00:26:45,880 That's not the goal. 538 00:26:45,880 --> 00:26:49,680 You notice what Paul says, our citizenship is in heaven 539 00:26:49,680 --> 00:26:52,440 and we eagerly await a person. 540 00:26:54,160 --> 00:26:55,480 Our citizenship is in heaven, 541 00:26:55,480 --> 00:26:58,680 but we eagerly await a person, a savior 542 00:27:00,360 --> 00:27:02,440 from there, the Lord Jesus Christ. 543 00:27:02,440 --> 00:27:04,280 The goal is a person. 544 00:27:04,280 --> 00:27:07,800 The object of our waiting is King Jesus. 545 00:27:07,800 --> 00:27:10,880 The desire of our heart is his return, 546 00:27:10,880 --> 00:27:12,920 that Christ would come. 547 00:27:12,920 --> 00:27:14,680 You want a good citizenship test? 548 00:27:14,680 --> 00:27:18,800 You wanna know if you are a kingdom citizen, 549 00:27:18,800 --> 00:27:21,120 how badly do you wanna see the King? 550 00:27:22,160 --> 00:27:24,480 How badly do you wanna see the King? 551 00:27:25,680 --> 00:27:27,720 How are you waiting for the King? 552 00:27:27,720 --> 00:27:29,080 Are you excited? 553 00:27:29,080 --> 00:27:31,280 Are you eager to see the King? 554 00:27:31,280 --> 00:27:32,600 Are you excited? 555 00:27:32,600 --> 00:27:33,880 Are you eager? 556 00:27:33,880 --> 00:27:36,200 Are you like Zacchaeus who couldn't catch a glimpse 557 00:27:36,200 --> 00:27:37,960 of Jesus as he was passing by? 558 00:27:37,960 --> 00:27:39,360 And so he had to find a tree 559 00:27:39,360 --> 00:27:42,200 that he could climb up and see the King. 560 00:27:45,480 --> 00:27:47,400 Jesus is the only way. 561 00:27:49,720 --> 00:27:53,120 And you may be wondering, how do I become a citizen of heaven? 562 00:27:53,120 --> 00:27:54,360 Well, there's only one way. 563 00:27:56,480 --> 00:27:59,640 That way is this, you need to have your name 564 00:27:59,640 --> 00:28:01,480 written in heaven. 565 00:28:01,480 --> 00:28:03,920 If your name isn't written in heaven, 566 00:28:03,920 --> 00:28:05,040 you're not a citizen. 567 00:28:06,680 --> 00:28:08,720 You need your name written down in heaven. 568 00:28:08,720 --> 00:28:11,880 You need to be in the book of life, 569 00:28:11,880 --> 00:28:14,720 as Paul references one chapter over 570 00:28:14,720 --> 00:28:16,320 in Philippians chapter four. 571 00:28:18,320 --> 00:28:21,400 You need to be in the heavenly citizens' role. 572 00:28:24,680 --> 00:28:26,960 You need to be in the Lamb's book of life. 573 00:28:26,960 --> 00:28:31,960 I, it's been about a year doing security guard work 574 00:28:31,960 --> 00:28:35,160 a while back in another life. 575 00:28:35,160 --> 00:28:39,160 And they stationed me most of the time at the guard house. 576 00:28:40,000 --> 00:28:43,200 And I was the guard house of a gated community 577 00:28:43,200 --> 00:28:48,200 up in El Dorado Hills, Serrano, the gated, beautiful, 578 00:28:48,200 --> 00:28:50,800 those homes that are on the cliff, they were all in there. 579 00:28:51,800 --> 00:28:53,320 And I was at the guard house, right? 580 00:28:53,320 --> 00:28:57,160 So my job was to watch and report, 581 00:28:57,160 --> 00:28:59,280 but I was also, you know, access control. 582 00:29:00,640 --> 00:29:02,880 And someone, when I was in station, 583 00:29:02,880 --> 00:29:06,800 someone couldn't just go in to the gated community. 584 00:29:06,800 --> 00:29:07,960 You can't just drive up and say, 585 00:29:07,960 --> 00:29:09,120 I wanna drive around a little bit 586 00:29:09,120 --> 00:29:11,720 and look at these multimillion dollar homes. 587 00:29:12,720 --> 00:29:16,160 No, in order to get in, you either had to live there 588 00:29:16,160 --> 00:29:20,160 and be able to prove it, or someone else had to call you in. 589 00:29:20,160 --> 00:29:22,400 They had to call your name in to me. 590 00:29:22,400 --> 00:29:25,000 And then you had to prove that you were who you said you were 591 00:29:25,000 --> 00:29:28,280 before I ever let you in to Serrano. 592 00:29:28,280 --> 00:29:31,440 They needed someone to make an appeal on their behalf. 593 00:29:31,440 --> 00:29:34,520 They needed someone to intercede for them, 594 00:29:34,520 --> 00:29:36,200 otherwise they weren't getting in. 595 00:29:38,600 --> 00:29:40,440 You can't make it in on your own. 596 00:29:41,840 --> 00:29:44,240 No amount of trying, no amount of wanting, 597 00:29:44,240 --> 00:29:47,960 no amount of working will get you an address in heaven. 598 00:29:47,960 --> 00:29:50,960 You need someone to call your name in. 599 00:29:50,960 --> 00:29:54,960 You need someone to call your name in to get you access. 600 00:29:54,960 --> 00:29:58,120 And there's only one someone who can do that, 601 00:29:58,120 --> 00:29:59,920 and that someone is Jesus. 602 00:30:01,720 --> 00:30:05,040 He said that he is the way, the truth, and the life. 603 00:30:05,040 --> 00:30:08,000 That the only one with access to the Father 604 00:30:08,000 --> 00:30:12,240 and the right to put any names in that book is Jesus. 605 00:30:13,320 --> 00:30:16,280 And the Bible says that Jesus is the way, the truth, 606 00:30:16,280 --> 00:30:18,280 and the life, and the life. 607 00:30:18,280 --> 00:30:20,400 And the Bible says that we're saved by grace 608 00:30:20,400 --> 00:30:23,000 through faith in Jesus Christ alone. 609 00:30:23,000 --> 00:30:26,560 That we must throw the whole weight and hope of our life, 610 00:30:26,560 --> 00:30:28,840 the whole weight and hope of our future, 611 00:30:28,840 --> 00:30:31,360 the whole weight and hope of the afterlife 612 00:30:31,360 --> 00:30:34,000 has got to be thrown into the arms of Jesus, 613 00:30:34,000 --> 00:30:36,560 and that we must trust him fully. 614 00:30:38,360 --> 00:30:42,800 Faith is the condition that God has put on salvation. 615 00:30:42,800 --> 00:30:46,160 No faith, no salvation, but with faith. 616 00:30:46,160 --> 00:30:51,160 If you believe in all that Jesus is, you can be saved. 617 00:30:51,200 --> 00:30:53,440 Your name can be added to that book. 618 00:30:53,440 --> 00:30:55,800 You can get a heavenly address. 619 00:30:57,040 --> 00:30:59,560 This is the promise of the gospel. 620 00:30:59,560 --> 00:31:00,720 It's not through your working, 621 00:31:00,720 --> 00:31:03,160 it's not through your cleaning up. 622 00:31:03,160 --> 00:31:04,880 It's through your faith in the one 623 00:31:04,880 --> 00:31:06,720 who can add your name to the book. 624 00:31:09,680 --> 00:31:11,120 Let me invite the worship team up 625 00:31:11,120 --> 00:31:16,120 as we examine one last point from Philippians. 626 00:31:19,000 --> 00:31:24,000 The final point is invest for eternity. 627 00:31:26,000 --> 00:31:27,680 Invest for eternity. 628 00:31:29,960 --> 00:31:33,280 Verse 21 says, he will transform the body 629 00:31:33,280 --> 00:31:36,280 of our humble condition into the likeness 630 00:31:36,280 --> 00:31:39,920 of his glorious body by the power that enables him 631 00:31:39,920 --> 00:31:42,480 to subject everything to himself. 632 00:31:44,520 --> 00:31:47,640 For all our concerns and cares on this earth, 633 00:31:47,640 --> 00:31:50,280 we have this one resurrection hope, 634 00:31:50,280 --> 00:31:54,840 and that hope is that God will transform these lowly bodies, 635 00:31:54,840 --> 00:31:57,320 the bodies of our humble condition, 636 00:31:57,320 --> 00:32:00,360 into the likeness of his glorious body. 637 00:32:02,360 --> 00:32:04,880 You guys ever, your knees ever ache? 638 00:32:05,880 --> 00:32:07,200 Your back ever ache? 639 00:32:07,200 --> 00:32:09,400 Kirk has been laying a lot of this flooring here, 640 00:32:09,400 --> 00:32:12,280 I'm sure, knees and back ache a little bit, right? 641 00:32:15,560 --> 00:32:18,040 This lowly body, get this, 642 00:32:18,040 --> 00:32:20,280 even the most physically fit person, 643 00:32:20,280 --> 00:32:24,040 the specimen of humanity we could bring up here, 644 00:32:24,040 --> 00:32:28,760 and Paul would say, lowly body, humble body. 645 00:32:29,960 --> 00:32:33,480 It has an end, it will perish. 646 00:32:33,480 --> 00:32:37,400 All that work, all that care, 647 00:32:37,400 --> 00:32:39,720 whether the care is into the physical body, 648 00:32:39,720 --> 00:32:42,080 the strength or whether the care is into beauty, 649 00:32:42,080 --> 00:32:47,080 all of that will meet an end, will go away. 650 00:32:48,200 --> 00:32:50,520 All of that is a lowly body, a humble, 651 00:32:50,520 --> 00:32:53,640 the humble condition of our bodies, 652 00:32:53,640 --> 00:32:56,440 but we have a promise that our humble bodies, 653 00:32:56,440 --> 00:32:59,600 our lowly bodies will be transformed 654 00:32:59,600 --> 00:33:03,720 into the likeness of his glorious body. 655 00:33:03,720 --> 00:33:05,400 What was his glorious body like? 656 00:33:05,400 --> 00:33:07,000 Well, some people got to experience that 657 00:33:07,000 --> 00:33:09,960 after his resurrection, before he went up to heaven. 658 00:33:10,880 --> 00:33:14,880 They could touch him, he was real, he wasn't a ghost. 659 00:33:15,960 --> 00:33:18,960 He still had the scars in his hands and in his side. 660 00:33:20,360 --> 00:33:22,280 But then he could pass through walls, 661 00:33:23,280 --> 00:33:28,280 just be gone, disappear, or conceal who he was. 662 00:33:28,280 --> 00:33:33,280 But even in that, people could still recognize him, 663 00:33:33,280 --> 00:33:35,360 he looked like him, Jesus was Jesus. 664 00:33:36,280 --> 00:33:41,280 It's just different, it's glorified, changed forever. 665 00:33:43,000 --> 00:33:45,800 And we have this promise that in Christ, 666 00:33:45,800 --> 00:33:47,080 if our citizenship is in heaven, 667 00:33:47,080 --> 00:33:48,880 if we have an address in heaven, 668 00:33:48,880 --> 00:33:51,880 our lowly bodies too can be changed 669 00:33:51,880 --> 00:33:54,760 by that same power in Christ. 670 00:33:54,760 --> 00:33:59,360 In Christ. I heard one pastor ask, 671 00:33:59,360 --> 00:34:00,920 how am I gonna look in heaven? 672 00:34:02,160 --> 00:34:03,800 And he told his congregations 673 00:34:03,800 --> 00:34:06,840 to turn to the person next to him and say, better. 674 00:34:07,840 --> 00:34:09,680 You're gonna look better, 675 00:34:09,680 --> 00:34:11,240 that's what you're gonna look. 676 00:34:13,240 --> 00:34:16,320 You may be the most physically fit, 677 00:34:16,320 --> 00:34:20,720 you may struggle to walk, it's going to be better. 678 00:34:20,720 --> 00:34:25,720 You may pay super close attention to everything you eat, 679 00:34:27,440 --> 00:34:30,720 you may have a workout routine, you may not. 680 00:34:32,320 --> 00:34:33,600 This body is going away 681 00:34:33,600 --> 00:34:35,560 and the new one is going to be better. 682 00:34:36,760 --> 00:34:39,600 It's incorruptible, eternal. 683 00:34:42,200 --> 00:34:45,720 So I'll close by saying, you belong to a kingdom 684 00:34:45,720 --> 00:34:50,720 that is far greater than any earthly nation. 685 00:34:50,880 --> 00:34:55,080 And in Christ, you have pledged allegiance to a king 686 00:34:55,080 --> 00:34:58,600 who supersedes and triumphs over all other allegiances. 687 00:34:59,800 --> 00:35:02,440 In order to be the citizen of the kingdom of heaven, 688 00:35:02,440 --> 00:35:05,720 you must renounce all other citizenships. 689 00:35:05,720 --> 00:35:07,600 This doesn't mean you don't live in America, 690 00:35:07,600 --> 00:35:08,920 you don't vote. 691 00:35:08,920 --> 00:35:12,880 This doesn't mean you shouldn't be a proper citizen 692 00:35:12,880 --> 00:35:15,960 as you traverse this world in this world. 693 00:35:18,040 --> 00:35:22,520 But I'm telling you what the word allegiance really means. 694 00:35:25,560 --> 00:35:28,680 It means that which is greater than the thing. 695 00:35:28,680 --> 00:35:32,680 So if you pledge allegiance to the United States of America, 696 00:35:32,680 --> 00:35:35,000 to the flag of the United States of America, right? 697 00:35:35,000 --> 00:35:36,960 Those used to be on stage, right? 698 00:35:36,960 --> 00:35:38,000 At churches. 699 00:35:38,000 --> 00:35:41,320 And you go into the kingdom of heaven, 700 00:35:41,320 --> 00:35:45,600 your allegiance to him supersedes your allegiance 701 00:35:45,600 --> 00:35:46,440 to this nation. 702 00:35:47,600 --> 00:35:50,200 Your allegiance supersedes all other allegiances. 703 00:35:50,200 --> 00:35:52,960 We make it about the nation, all other allegiances, 704 00:35:54,360 --> 00:35:55,800 Christ and Christ alone. 705 00:35:57,440 --> 00:36:00,840 Did you know that you have faith brothers and sisters 706 00:36:01,920 --> 00:36:06,320 who upon threat of death, public humiliation, 707 00:36:06,320 --> 00:36:09,960 were commanded to say Caesar is Lord, 708 00:36:11,080 --> 00:36:12,480 and they wouldn't do it. 709 00:36:13,840 --> 00:36:16,360 They were commanded with the knife to their throat 710 00:36:16,360 --> 00:36:19,080 to say Caesar is Lord, just say it. 711 00:36:19,080 --> 00:36:21,880 You can cross your fingers and have it behind your back. 712 00:36:21,880 --> 00:36:23,880 It doesn't have to mean it, just say it. 713 00:36:25,120 --> 00:36:30,120 Just add also in there, they wouldn't do it. 714 00:36:30,120 --> 00:36:31,280 I won't do it. 715 00:36:32,240 --> 00:36:33,880 Jesus is Lord. 716 00:36:33,880 --> 00:36:34,960 Jesus is Lord. 717 00:36:36,600 --> 00:36:37,920 Jesus is Lord. 718 00:36:41,680 --> 00:36:44,800 The belonging that we have as a citizen of the kingdom 719 00:36:44,800 --> 00:36:49,080 isn't just a future hope, but it's a present reality 720 00:36:49,080 --> 00:36:52,560 that should shape our very daily lives. 721 00:36:52,560 --> 00:36:55,960 As citizens of heaven, we're called to imitate Christ. 722 00:36:57,760 --> 00:37:00,240 We're called to imitate those who follow him faithfully 723 00:37:00,240 --> 00:37:03,960 and to eagerly await our King's return. 724 00:37:05,200 --> 00:37:08,160 This heavenly belonging should transform 725 00:37:08,160 --> 00:37:10,320 all of our priorities. 726 00:37:10,320 --> 00:37:12,080 It should change our relationships 727 00:37:12,080 --> 00:37:15,400 and get down to the very core of our identity. 728 00:37:16,840 --> 00:37:21,840 You are not of this world, but you are here for a purpose, 729 00:37:21,880 --> 00:37:24,240 to represent your true home 730 00:37:24,240 --> 00:37:27,080 and to invite others into this eternal kingdom. 731 00:37:27,080 --> 00:37:30,640 So my challenge for us is to live as one who belongs 732 00:37:30,640 --> 00:37:35,640 to Christ, knowing that one day he will bring us home, 733 00:37:35,640 --> 00:37:40,120 perfected and glorified, to the place where we all truly belong. 734 00:37:40,120 --> 00:37:55,680 Amen.