WEBVTT 00:00:02.410 --> 00:00:07.349 Let's pray together. Heavenly Father, we're thankful 00:00:07.349 --> 00:00:10.169 for your help thus far, and we come to you now 00:00:10.169 --> 00:00:12.630 to ask for your continued help and guidance and 00:00:12.630 --> 00:00:16.190 power. That your word would go forth in the power 00:00:16.190 --> 00:00:18.690 of your spirit, that you would accomplish all 00:00:18.690 --> 00:00:21.250 of your perfect purposes in the lives of your 00:00:21.250 --> 00:00:24.350 people, that you might yet have mercy on some 00:00:24.350 --> 00:00:27.129 who are yet in their sins, and grant unto them 00:00:27.129 --> 00:00:30.320 repentance and faith. We asked that you'd overcome 00:00:30.320 --> 00:00:32.820 the messenger that you'd speak in spite of me 00:00:32.820 --> 00:00:36.100 that your word and your word alone would go forth 00:00:36.100 --> 00:00:39.859 that there would be No barriers to the work of 00:00:39.859 --> 00:00:42.500 your spirit today and the lives of your people 00:00:42.500 --> 00:00:46.659 here But we would be anxious to conform ourselves 00:00:46.659 --> 00:00:50.899 to your word and spirit And so we ask in Christ's 00:00:50.899 --> 00:00:59.649 name Well last week we started a series on the 00:00:59.649 --> 00:01:03.890 church, a mini series probably, but we look throughout 00:01:03.890 --> 00:01:08.209 the New Testament to get some of the I guess 00:01:08.209 --> 00:01:10.790 the basic principles that are involved in the 00:01:10.790 --> 00:01:15.590 church hopefully to whet our appetites for further 00:01:15.590 --> 00:01:19.629 study to look into the great privilege that is 00:01:19.629 --> 00:01:25.049 ours as being part of the church and as we hopefully 00:01:25.049 --> 00:01:27.829 all know and have always known that the church 00:01:27.980 --> 00:01:32.000 is the people. It's not this building or any 00:01:32.000 --> 00:01:36.760 other building, but we are the Church. So the 00:01:36.760 --> 00:01:39.099 first two verses that we looked at last week 00:01:39.099 --> 00:01:45.680 were Jesus, after Peter's confession that he 00:01:45.680 --> 00:01:50.379 is Jesus, the Messiah, Son of God, and Christ 00:01:50.379 --> 00:01:57.219 telling them that based upon that rock, he will 00:01:57.219 --> 00:02:01.680 build his church. So that's important for us 00:02:01.680 --> 00:02:07.519 to remember. Christ will build his building and 00:02:07.519 --> 00:02:10.639 will continue to build on into the future until 00:02:10.639 --> 00:02:16.500 all the church is saved. All the elect, in other 00:02:16.500 --> 00:02:20.080 words, are saved. He is building his church. 00:02:20.919 --> 00:02:25.680 Nothing else is building his church. We may be 00:02:25.680 --> 00:02:29.000 those who are faithful, carrying out what the 00:02:29.000 --> 00:02:32.759 Lord told us to do, and therefore useful in Kingdom's 00:02:32.759 --> 00:02:36.500 work, but the actual building of the Church is 00:02:36.500 --> 00:02:40.360 Christ's work. And the second we looked at was 00:02:40.360 --> 00:02:43.139 the so -called Great Commission given to the 00:02:43.139 --> 00:02:47.699 Apostles, where he tells them to encourage it, 00:02:47.699 --> 00:02:50.759 to let them know, all power, all authority is 00:02:50.759 --> 00:02:56.810 given unto me. now and forever. So we want to 00:02:56.810 --> 00:02:59.930 expand that. We want to look at that this morning 00:02:59.930 --> 00:03:07.669 as to how that all works out in reality. So I'd 00:03:07.669 --> 00:03:10.750 like us to turn to the first chapter of Ephesians 00:03:10.750 --> 00:03:30.280 this morning. so Ephesians obviously was written 00:03:30.280 --> 00:03:38.819 by Paul and I believe the purpose of Ephesians 00:03:38.819 --> 00:03:43.919 is to show the love of God for his people and 00:03:43.919 --> 00:03:48.360 to encourage his people to love him and one another 00:03:48.360 --> 00:03:54.000 more and more and he gives lots of specific instructions 00:03:55.449 --> 00:03:59.409 But this first chapter here is kind of like the 00:03:59.409 --> 00:04:05.069 foundational teaching. Now, if you remember, 00:04:05.610 --> 00:04:08.789 Paul was the biggest sinner that had ever lived, 00:04:09.069 --> 00:04:14.129 according to Paul. Right? And he was a terrible 00:04:14.129 --> 00:04:18.290 sinner. In truth, you know, he murdered people, 00:04:18.430 --> 00:04:22.110 he killed people, he hated Christ. He was a Pharisee 00:04:22.110 --> 00:04:28.339 of the Pharisees. That was Saul. But what happened? 00:04:28.500 --> 00:04:31.420 Well, God got ahold of him, didn't he? And he 00:04:31.420 --> 00:04:36.160 changed him all around. He became Paul, probably 00:04:36.160 --> 00:04:38.839 the foremost apostle, the majority of the New 00:04:38.839 --> 00:04:43.279 Testament written by him. So in other words, 00:04:43.439 --> 00:04:46.759 he declares himself to be an example for those 00:04:46.759 --> 00:04:50.439 who would come after him. But if God can get 00:04:50.439 --> 00:04:53.560 a hold of me and save me he can do the same for 00:04:53.560 --> 00:04:59.639 anybody That's what he said He's the writer obviously 00:04:59.639 --> 00:05:06.160 as I said to the Ephesians So it's it's rather 00:05:06.160 --> 00:05:11.620 Wonderful really That such a man could be got 00:05:11.620 --> 00:05:15.139 a hold of and changed in such a way as to actually 00:05:15.139 --> 00:05:19.259 write scripture It's marvelous to think about. 00:05:21.439 --> 00:05:24.480 And Hiss describes Paul in the second chapter. 00:05:24.779 --> 00:05:28.120 I'm just going to read this one verse. And you 00:05:28.120 --> 00:05:31.420 hath he quickened who were dead in trespasses 00:05:31.420 --> 00:05:37.259 and sins. That's all of us. We're all dead in 00:05:37.259 --> 00:05:40.160 trespasses and sin at some point in our life. 00:05:41.040 --> 00:05:43.160 And unless the Lord does something, that's where 00:05:43.160 --> 00:05:47.079 we're going to stay. Exactly there. I mean, you 00:05:47.079 --> 00:05:50.160 can make all kinds of declarations. You can turn 00:05:50.160 --> 00:05:53.899 over as many new leaves as you want to. You can 00:05:53.899 --> 00:05:56.860 affiliate yourself with the best people around. 00:05:57.300 --> 00:06:00.759 You can give away all of your money. But unless 00:06:00.759 --> 00:06:04.100 the Lord quickens us, we're all going to hell. 00:06:05.180 --> 00:06:13.050 That's it. That's all there is to it. In other 00:06:13.050 --> 00:06:15.449 words, I could have just as easily said and probably 00:06:15.449 --> 00:06:18.509 should have in the light of the series, unless 00:06:18.509 --> 00:06:20.990 the Lord brings you into the church, you're going 00:06:20.990 --> 00:06:26.709 to hell. There's no difference in those two statements. 00:06:30.170 --> 00:06:32.389 But we're going to look at this, you know, a 00:06:32.389 --> 00:06:35.029 lot of people think, well, it's just a matter 00:06:35.029 --> 00:06:36.990 of you just share the gospel and you believe 00:06:36.990 --> 00:06:38.769 that somebody believes and that's it, they're 00:06:38.769 --> 00:06:42.240 in the church. And that's, you know, that is 00:06:42.240 --> 00:06:45.500 true as far as it goes. But Paul goes deeper 00:06:45.500 --> 00:06:47.459 than that. And that's what we're going to look 00:06:47.459 --> 00:06:52.379 at here in this first chapter. So follow along 00:06:52.379 --> 00:06:54.939 or look at your Bibles as I read beginning in 00:06:54.939 --> 00:06:58.860 the first verse of Ephesians chapter 1. Paul 00:06:58.860 --> 00:07:01.639 an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God 00:07:01.639 --> 00:07:04.220 to the saints which are at Ephesus and to the 00:07:04.220 --> 00:07:07.879 faithful in Christ Jesus. Grace be to you and 00:07:07.879 --> 00:07:10.920 peace from God our father and from the Lord Jesus 00:07:10.920 --> 00:07:16.540 Christ Okay, so Paul Paul's an apostle because 00:07:16.540 --> 00:07:19.060 Christ made him an apostle by the will of God 00:07:19.060 --> 00:07:22.300 So he didn't take the obligations responsibilities 00:07:22.300 --> 00:07:26.379 privileges onto himself. He was called to it 00:07:26.379 --> 00:07:30.500 It's what God had for him to do now He was a 00:07:30.500 --> 00:07:33.500 Christian on the road when he saw Christ on the 00:07:33.500 --> 00:07:36.829 road to Damascus, right? Did he start all of 00:07:36.829 --> 00:07:40.569 a sudden writing the New Testament? No, he was 00:07:40.569 --> 00:07:44.269 in the desert for three years He was isolated. 00:07:44.350 --> 00:07:46.790 He was he was with Christ. He was fellowship. 00:07:46.870 --> 00:07:52.730 He was learning Christ out in the desert And 00:07:52.730 --> 00:07:55.569 he was being prepared for the work of an apostle 00:07:55.569 --> 00:08:01.550 For three years at least maybe more But he says 00:08:01.550 --> 00:08:05.019 then grace to you and peace And don't ever get 00:08:05.019 --> 00:08:08.860 those two reversed. In the scriptures, they're 00:08:08.860 --> 00:08:13.360 always in that order. Grace and peace. In order 00:08:13.360 --> 00:08:16.540 to have peace, you've got to have grace. You 00:08:16.540 --> 00:08:20.680 don't have peace to get grace. Peace comes from 00:08:20.680 --> 00:08:23.939 grace. In other words, God has intervened. He's 00:08:23.939 --> 00:08:27.040 poured out His grace upon you and given you His 00:08:27.040 --> 00:08:31.100 peace. And it's nothing that you've earned or 00:08:31.100 --> 00:08:35.610 anything else. It's all from God grace and peace 00:08:35.610 --> 00:08:39.009 That's just how he expresses it isn't it from 00:08:39.009 --> 00:08:42.809 God our father and from the Lord Jesus Christ 00:08:42.809 --> 00:08:46.049 Continuing then blessed be the God and father 00:08:46.049 --> 00:08:48.610 of our Lord Jesus Christ who hath blessed us 00:08:48.610 --> 00:08:51.590 with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places 00:08:51.590 --> 00:08:56.629 in Christ According as he hath chosen us in him 00:08:56.629 --> 00:09:00.700 before the foundation of the world That we should 00:09:00.700 --> 00:09:06.399 be holy and without blame before him That's that's 00:09:06.399 --> 00:09:11.779 before there ever was a world God has chosen 00:09:11.779 --> 00:09:15.460 each and every one of us. He's elected us we 00:09:15.460 --> 00:09:19.620 sometimes say but he's chosen us before the foundation 00:09:19.620 --> 00:09:25.200 of the world Can you can you get your mind around 00:09:25.200 --> 00:09:32.919 that can you believe it that you were on the 00:09:32.919 --> 00:09:36.039 mind of God before the foundation of the world. 00:09:37.059 --> 00:09:40.539 Every one of us who is in Christ, that's true 00:09:40.539 --> 00:09:47.139 of us. And he did so because he's going to bless 00:09:47.139 --> 00:09:51.480 us with all spiritual blessings in Christ and 00:09:51.480 --> 00:09:57.840 he's going to, what? He's going to make us holy. 00:09:58.090 --> 00:10:04.269 and without blame before Him. All of that, that's 00:10:04.269 --> 00:10:06.809 all part of the plan. That's all part of the 00:10:06.809 --> 00:10:10.009 salvation of God. It's all part of God's salvation. 00:10:13.970 --> 00:10:19.230 And that's true of every Christian. He says, 00:10:19.330 --> 00:10:23.179 in love, having predestinated us unto the adoption 00:10:23.179 --> 00:10:26.960 of children by Jesus Christ to Himself according 00:10:26.960 --> 00:10:31.100 to the good pleasure of His will." There you 00:10:31.100 --> 00:10:35.200 have it again. It's God's salvation. God's doing 00:10:35.200 --> 00:10:39.679 His will. He's carrying out His will. He's predestinating 00:10:39.679 --> 00:10:45.200 people to be His children. Every Christian is 00:10:45.200 --> 00:10:49.019 a child of God. Every Christian is a part of 00:10:49.019 --> 00:10:54.590 the family. of God. He's part of the Church. 00:10:55.169 --> 00:10:57.769 They're in the Ephesian Church here in this particular 00:10:57.769 --> 00:11:02.929 place. They're here at Believer's Chapel. All 00:11:02.929 --> 00:11:06.389 of us who were predestinated, who have believed 00:11:06.389 --> 00:11:13.009 in Christ before the world began. All of this 00:11:13.009 --> 00:11:16.009 is in the... We don't have to preach this. I'm 00:11:16.009 --> 00:11:19.830 not saying we preach this. I'm saying we have 00:11:19.830 --> 00:11:23.950 to know this. We have to have an appreciation 00:11:23.950 --> 00:11:28.909 of God. These truths must be known. To have a 00:11:28.909 --> 00:11:31.929 deeper fellowship with God, you must embrace 00:11:31.929 --> 00:11:37.090 these truths. And you must be searching and learning 00:11:37.090 --> 00:11:44.649 and finding out. In verse 6, He's doing all of 00:11:44.649 --> 00:11:47.669 these things, these many blessings and promises. 00:11:48.120 --> 00:11:53.080 all to the praise of the glory of His grace wherein 00:11:53.080 --> 00:11:58.519 He hath made us acceptable in the beloved." He's 00:11:58.519 --> 00:12:02.899 doing it, why? For His own glory, for the praise 00:12:02.899 --> 00:12:08.720 of His own grace. He makes us acceptable in the 00:12:08.720 --> 00:12:13.919 beloved, in Christ. As I said, it's God's salvation. 00:12:15.259 --> 00:12:18.200 He's done it all for His own glory. And that 00:12:18.200 --> 00:12:21.740 would be a terrible thing if you or I did that. 00:12:22.799 --> 00:12:25.820 But it's not terrible because God has done it. 00:12:26.360 --> 00:12:30.720 He's worthy to do it. We shouldn't expect anything 00:12:30.720 --> 00:12:36.500 less from God. And we should gladly give Him 00:12:36.500 --> 00:12:40.179 all the glory and praise that is due to His name. 00:12:42.500 --> 00:12:45.639 Wherein, in verse 8, wherein he has abounded 00:12:45.639 --> 00:12:48.580 toward us in all wisdom and prudence, having 00:12:48.580 --> 00:12:52.659 made known unto us the mystery of his will, according 00:12:52.659 --> 00:12:55.340 to his good pleasure, which he hath purposed 00:12:55.340 --> 00:12:59.179 in himself, that in the dispensation of the fullest 00:12:59.179 --> 00:13:02.600 of times he might gather together in one all 00:13:02.600 --> 00:13:06.139 things in Christ, both which are in heaven and 00:13:06.139 --> 00:13:13.429 which are on the earth, even in him. So he's 00:13:13.429 --> 00:13:17.710 revealed the mystery all throughout the Old Testament. 00:13:18.309 --> 00:13:23.509 There's hints and such of it that this Messiah 00:13:23.509 --> 00:13:26.470 was not going to be simply the Jewish Messiah, 00:13:26.570 --> 00:13:28.710 but he was going to be the Messiah for all the 00:13:28.710 --> 00:13:32.090 world, for all the nations, that the Gentiles 00:13:32.090 --> 00:13:36.490 were going to be brought in. And this wall of 00:13:36.490 --> 00:13:39.870 enmity that is between them is going to be removed. 00:13:40.750 --> 00:13:44.429 And they would be one spiritual people before 00:13:44.429 --> 00:13:48.970 God. That's what he's talking about here. That 00:13:48.970 --> 00:13:54.190 we are one people. Now, you know, that's drastic 00:13:54.190 --> 00:13:58.950 at the time that it was spoken. That's just, 00:13:59.009 --> 00:14:01.450 that's radical. It's unheard of. Who would have 00:14:01.450 --> 00:14:03.690 ever believed it? Who could ever have believed 00:14:03.690 --> 00:14:09.490 it? But it's hardly, it borders on nothing to 00:14:09.490 --> 00:14:15.879 us. Until we take another look at the world and 00:14:15.879 --> 00:14:19.639 Then we should really fall before God as to what 00:14:19.639 --> 00:14:26.620 he has done in all the churches I'm talking the 00:14:26.620 --> 00:14:30.840 true churches There's nothing National about 00:14:30.840 --> 00:14:33.840 it. There's nothing Ethnical about it. There's 00:14:33.840 --> 00:14:37.179 nothing Racial about it that there is such a 00:14:37.179 --> 00:14:41.190 thing as that They're all one in Christ. We are 00:14:41.190 --> 00:14:45.850 all one in Christ We have peace one with another 00:14:45.850 --> 00:14:49.549 through Christ because we are all in Christ That's 00:14:49.549 --> 00:14:53.409 a glorious thing That God could make that possible 00:14:53.409 --> 00:14:58.190 in mankind, but he's done it He did it from the 00:14:58.190 --> 00:15:03.409 start The gospel went forth to the Jews first 00:15:03.409 --> 00:15:06.509 then to the Gentiles and the Gentiles were grafted 00:15:06.509 --> 00:15:10.730 in with the same privileges as the Jews and they 00:15:10.730 --> 00:15:15.210 became one person before Him. They are one spiritual 00:15:15.210 --> 00:15:20.009 person before them even now. That was the plan. 00:15:21.110 --> 00:15:25.149 That was the purpose. All of this is transpiring. 00:15:25.230 --> 00:15:28.789 All of this is being set in motion. It's all 00:15:28.789 --> 00:15:32.710 accomplished by God. Nobody played any part in 00:15:32.710 --> 00:15:37.509 this other than God. It's all God's salvation. 00:15:37.509 --> 00:15:42.269 It's according to His plan. And then in verse 00:15:42.269 --> 00:15:46.230 11, He says, in whom also we have obtained an 00:15:46.230 --> 00:15:52.450 inheritance, being predestinated according to 00:15:52.450 --> 00:15:57.009 the purpose of Him who worketh all things after 00:15:57.009 --> 00:16:02.370 the counsel of His own will, that we should be 00:16:02.370 --> 00:16:05.100 to the praise of His glory. who first trusted 00:16:05.100 --> 00:16:08.799 in Christ, in whom ye also trusted after that 00:16:08.799 --> 00:16:11.799 ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your 00:16:11.799 --> 00:16:16.840 salvation, in whom also that ye believed ye were 00:16:16.840 --> 00:16:23.120 sealed with that Holy Spirit of promise. So here 00:16:23.120 --> 00:16:26.419 now, we're introduced to the third person in 00:16:26.419 --> 00:16:30.019 the Godhead, the Holy Spirit. First we had the 00:16:30.019 --> 00:16:32.460 Father and Jesus Christ, and now we have the 00:16:32.460 --> 00:16:38.080 Holy Spirit. And God so then working in us that 00:16:38.080 --> 00:16:42.059 we indeed have trusted because we were chosen 00:16:42.059 --> 00:16:46.460 and we were predestinated and now then we are 00:16:46.460 --> 00:16:51.820 sealed with the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit 00:16:51.820 --> 00:16:56.860 of promise. So it was promised in the old, it 00:16:56.860 --> 00:17:00.799 was promised on Pentecost, the Holy Spirit came. 00:17:01.200 --> 00:17:05.440 The Holy Spirit is now. He's in the world. He's 00:17:05.440 --> 00:17:07.880 carrying out His continual ministry. And one 00:17:07.880 --> 00:17:11.700 of those ministries is that we are sealed. In 00:17:11.700 --> 00:17:14.779 other words, we're His. We're Christ. We've got 00:17:14.779 --> 00:17:19.539 to seal. The Holy Spirit was promised, was given, 00:17:20.000 --> 00:17:24.720 and He has sealed us. He sealed us in our relationship 00:17:24.720 --> 00:17:30.490 to God through Jesus Christ. That's a fact. You 00:17:30.490 --> 00:17:34.670 may fall, you may sin, in other words, but you 00:17:34.670 --> 00:17:37.890 will never fall away. You will never lose that 00:17:37.890 --> 00:17:40.230 relationship that you have with Jesus Christ 00:17:40.230 --> 00:17:43.609 because the Holy Spirit has sealed you. You will 00:17:43.609 --> 00:17:46.210 be brought to repentance and faith. You will 00:17:46.210 --> 00:17:50.950 not be able to continue in your sin. So there's 00:17:50.950 --> 00:17:54.029 a big difference there. If you continue in your 00:17:54.029 --> 00:17:56.529 sin, you have reason to believe you've never 00:17:56.529 --> 00:17:59.769 been sealed. Because what? It's contrary to scripture. 00:18:01.829 --> 00:18:05.950 If you're repentant, you know that you're sealed 00:18:05.950 --> 00:18:09.210 and the Holy Spirit has worked in you and brought 00:18:09.210 --> 00:18:12.809 to you repentance and faith and put you back 00:18:12.809 --> 00:18:18.769 upon the proper path. It's a seal. It's official. 00:18:20.369 --> 00:18:23.130 And it's an earnest of our inheritance. Did I 00:18:23.130 --> 00:18:27.329 read that? No. 14, which is the earnest of our 00:18:27.329 --> 00:18:30.109 inheritance until the redemption of the purchased 00:18:30.109 --> 00:18:35.589 possession unto the praise of His glory. So it's 00:18:35.589 --> 00:18:37.970 earnest. It's earnest money. You ever bought 00:18:37.970 --> 00:18:42.289 a house, you put down earnest money. That's a 00:18:42.289 --> 00:18:44.549 token that you're going to pay the whole amount. 00:18:45.930 --> 00:18:49.829 Same as the Holy Spirit here. We have the Holy 00:18:49.829 --> 00:18:53.380 Spirit of promise and it's an earnest. of the 00:18:53.380 --> 00:18:57.460 greater glory to come, the greater relationship 00:18:57.460 --> 00:19:02.920 with God to come. That will come, will definitely 00:19:02.920 --> 00:19:07.160 come. There's no doubt about it. It will come 00:19:07.160 --> 00:19:10.700 because we have been sealed by the Holy Spirit 00:19:10.700 --> 00:19:19.160 of promise. He is our earnest and we do therefore 00:19:19.160 --> 00:19:29.349 have an inheritance. Now, that's all foundational 00:19:29.349 --> 00:19:33.789 stuff. That's all the truth of God, the truth 00:19:33.789 --> 00:19:36.369 of His Word. It's not all of it. It's a great 00:19:36.369 --> 00:19:39.630 deal of it, though. It's all involved in our 00:19:39.630 --> 00:19:43.170 salvation. That's what happens to us when we're 00:19:43.170 --> 00:19:46.289 saved. That's what happens to us when we're brought 00:19:46.289 --> 00:19:50.329 to Christ and when He puts us into His Church. 00:19:51.990 --> 00:19:55.079 All of that. That's happened to every one of 00:19:55.079 --> 00:19:59.380 us if you're in Christ You're a new creature 00:19:59.380 --> 00:20:03.039 You were dead, but now you've been quick and 00:20:03.039 --> 00:20:08.279 you're alive Just like Saul was turned into Paul 00:20:08.279 --> 00:20:15.220 You know you're not the same if you're in Christ 00:20:15.220 --> 00:20:26.640 you're not the same So then, that being said, 00:20:26.700 --> 00:20:31.140 what are you? Well, you are. You're a Christian. 00:20:31.880 --> 00:20:35.480 You're free. Your sin has no power over you. 00:20:35.619 --> 00:20:39.960 All of that's true. But have you been turned 00:20:39.960 --> 00:20:46.220 into Paul? Well, probably none of us here, anyway, 00:20:46.319 --> 00:20:50.779 will ever be turned into Paul. But have you been 00:20:50.779 --> 00:20:55.720 turned into much of anything? Other than you're 00:20:55.720 --> 00:21:01.099 in Christ and all legally You're justified you 00:21:01.099 --> 00:21:05.079 you're you're set apart You're cleansed your 00:21:05.079 --> 00:21:07.480 your sins are covered all those things that we've 00:21:07.480 --> 00:21:12.019 just read are true But in the in reality in everyday 00:21:12.019 --> 00:21:18.319 life What are you? Well, the Bible would call 00:21:18.319 --> 00:21:21.839 you probably for the first and I'm just making 00:21:21.839 --> 00:21:26.559 this up five years for the first three years? 00:21:27.319 --> 00:21:33.240 You're just a baby. That's what you are. You're 00:21:33.240 --> 00:21:39.180 a baby Christian. Do you realize that you're 00:21:39.180 --> 00:21:47.960 a baby Christian? Do you act like a baby Christian? 00:21:48.400 --> 00:21:52.690 Remember? We read it. They desire milk. They've 00:21:52.690 --> 00:21:54.589 got to have milk. They've got to have food. They 00:21:54.589 --> 00:21:56.809 won't be quiet. They won't be happy until they 00:21:56.809 --> 00:22:02.210 get their food. A baby. And the Bible tells us 00:22:02.210 --> 00:22:06.329 that a baby Christian is the same. You can't 00:22:06.329 --> 00:22:09.089 be satisfied with anything other than more and 00:22:09.089 --> 00:22:13.069 more about Jesus. More and more about Jesus. 00:22:13.130 --> 00:22:16.470 That's what I want. That's what I want to know. 00:22:17.809 --> 00:22:21.839 How can I love him more? How can I serve him 00:22:21.839 --> 00:22:31.259 better? And we think that we're, I did, and you 00:22:31.259 --> 00:22:35.799 know, I think I was doing all right. I was after 00:22:35.799 --> 00:22:39.799 Jesus. Well, and it was fine, but I was a baby 00:22:39.799 --> 00:22:45.920 Christian. And when you start to walk, normally 00:22:45.920 --> 00:22:50.079 you stumble, if you know what I'm saying. Normally 00:22:50.079 --> 00:22:52.740 you have a little bit of a problem that has growing 00:22:52.740 --> 00:22:57.259 pains maybe is what it's called. There's some 00:22:57.259 --> 00:22:59.819 difficulties on the road. It's not all what you 00:22:59.819 --> 00:23:02.920 thought it was going to be. It's not all coming 00:23:02.920 --> 00:23:07.119 easy. Some of this stuff is work. Is this what 00:23:07.119 --> 00:23:11.119 I signed up for? Some of this stuff is ridicule. 00:23:12.559 --> 00:23:15.500 You work in a factory with 300 people of 300 00:23:15.500 --> 00:23:19.819 men and all of a sudden you're changed. You're 00:23:19.819 --> 00:23:24.500 going to hear about it. Believe it. They're going 00:23:24.500 --> 00:23:27.559 to be on you like I don't know what. And they're 00:23:27.559 --> 00:23:30.000 going to be trying to make you slip up and fall. 00:23:33.359 --> 00:23:36.039 It's a baby Christian. That's what we go through. 00:23:36.180 --> 00:23:39.680 If you're a Christian, have you experienced these 00:23:39.680 --> 00:23:43.779 things? Do you know anything about this? That's 00:23:43.779 --> 00:23:46.160 all I'm asking. I'm not saying you have or you 00:23:46.160 --> 00:23:50.069 haven't. But do you have a right view of yourself 00:23:50.069 --> 00:23:53.450 remember that's part of Bible You have to have 00:23:53.450 --> 00:23:56.650 the right view of God and the right view of yourself 00:23:56.650 --> 00:24:01.910 Without it you're not going anywhere you're just 00:24:01.910 --> 00:24:08.769 gonna be on a treadmill walking in place And 00:24:08.769 --> 00:24:15.970 you're not being Conform to Jesus if you're on 00:24:15.970 --> 00:24:19.700 the treadmill Not saying that you're not a Christian 00:24:19.700 --> 00:24:21.880 or that you're going to be going to hell, not 00:24:21.880 --> 00:24:24.720 saying any of those things. Because we know, 00:24:24.920 --> 00:24:29.220 if we're Christians, we're secure. But there's 00:24:29.220 --> 00:24:31.160 going to come a time when there's going to have 00:24:31.160 --> 00:24:34.779 to be some change. And this is what Paul's going 00:24:34.779 --> 00:24:37.660 to be talking about here in the last part of 00:24:37.660 --> 00:24:46.660 this chapter. We read then, in verse 15, After 00:24:46.660 --> 00:24:49.539 I heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus and love 00:24:49.539 --> 00:24:51.720 unto all the saints." There's those two things 00:24:51.720 --> 00:24:56.299 together, remember? Faith toward Jesus and love 00:24:56.299 --> 00:25:00.380 to the saints. We cease not to give thanks for 00:25:00.380 --> 00:25:04.960 you, making mention of you in my prayers. Again, 00:25:05.079 --> 00:25:08.160 that's Paul's example. This isn't the only place. 00:25:08.220 --> 00:25:10.619 He's always praying for people. He's always praying 00:25:10.619 --> 00:25:14.980 for the saints. He doesn't even know these people. 00:25:15.580 --> 00:25:20.420 Hardly any. He's praying for him. That the God 00:25:20.420 --> 00:25:23.079 of our Lord Jesus Christ, the father of glory, 00:25:23.299 --> 00:25:26.759 may give unto you the spirit of wisdom and revelation 00:25:26.759 --> 00:25:30.279 in the knowledge of him, that the eyes of your 00:25:30.279 --> 00:25:33.099 understanding being enlightened, that you may 00:25:33.099 --> 00:25:36.039 know what is the hope of his calling and what 00:25:36.039 --> 00:25:38.920 the riches of the glory of his inheritance in 00:25:38.920 --> 00:25:44.480 the saints. And. What is the exceeding greatness 00:25:44.480 --> 00:25:48.220 of his power toward us who believe? According 00:25:48.220 --> 00:25:51.640 to the working of his mighty power Which he wrought 00:25:51.640 --> 00:25:54.799 in Christ when he raised him from the dead and 00:25:54.799 --> 00:25:58.000 set him on his own right hand in the heavenly 00:25:58.000 --> 00:26:04.079 places comma Okay, that's his prayer folks. Do 00:26:04.079 --> 00:26:08.880 you pray that for yourself? Do you pray for anybody 00:26:08.880 --> 00:26:13.759 else? That's a pretty big deal. That's a pretty 00:26:13.759 --> 00:26:17.799 important prayer. The very Apostle Paul prayed 00:26:17.799 --> 00:26:21.279 that. What's he saying? He's saying that the 00:26:21.279 --> 00:26:23.779 Spirit would so work in you that your understanding 00:26:23.779 --> 00:26:26.099 would be increased, that you'd be enlightened, 00:26:26.839 --> 00:26:30.140 that you'd be knowing more and more and more 00:26:30.140 --> 00:26:33.059 and growing and growing in your love and appreciation 00:26:33.059 --> 00:26:36.500 for Jesus Christ, for your love to the saints. 00:26:36.900 --> 00:26:41.029 In other words, this relationship is alive. It's 00:26:41.029 --> 00:26:45.109 having an effect upon you. You're no longer going 00:26:45.109 --> 00:26:49.210 to stay a baby all your life. You're going to 00:26:49.210 --> 00:26:52.349 grow. And you're going to enjoy it so much that 00:26:52.349 --> 00:26:56.529 you can't stop. Because the Holy Spirit's at 00:26:56.529 --> 00:27:01.349 work in you. And you have to. You have to know 00:27:01.349 --> 00:27:05.369 more. It's your desire to know more. You come 00:27:05.369 --> 00:27:09.190 to grips with the privilege of knowing God. You 00:27:09.190 --> 00:27:13.410 ladies are studying in the women's ministry, 00:27:13.490 --> 00:27:18.589 knowing God. There's no greater thing to strive 00:27:18.589 --> 00:27:23.410 after, to know God. And that's what the Spirit 00:27:23.410 --> 00:27:27.190 has given you. The Spirit is turning us all into 00:27:27.190 --> 00:27:33.650 these people who are just sold out for God, perhaps. 00:27:35.230 --> 00:27:39.069 Nothing's more important. million other responsibilities 00:27:39.069 --> 00:27:42.269 that we have to do. But none of them take the 00:27:42.269 --> 00:27:44.990 place of our desire to have fellowship with God. 00:27:45.529 --> 00:27:48.690 That should be the reality, folks. That's what 00:27:48.690 --> 00:27:53.970 Paul's saying here. You're doing your daily work, 00:27:54.210 --> 00:27:57.750 your daily duties. You're all engaged in this 00:27:57.750 --> 00:28:01.190 world's activities. And we have to be. There's 00:28:01.190 --> 00:28:03.210 no doubt about that. If we're going to be responsible 00:28:03.210 --> 00:28:06.950 people, we have plenty of things to do. We now 00:28:06.950 --> 00:28:09.890 sit around and read the Bible all day. We can't 00:28:09.890 --> 00:28:12.950 do it. Does that mean that we don't want to do 00:28:12.950 --> 00:28:16.589 it? Does that mean that, oh, I've got an opportunity 00:28:16.589 --> 00:28:19.849 here. I'm going to read the Bible. I've got an 00:28:19.849 --> 00:28:24.029 opportunity. I can pray. And it certainly should 00:28:24.029 --> 00:28:27.190 set, at the very minimum, we should be saying, 00:28:27.450 --> 00:28:29.950 I've got a certain block of time that's set aside 00:28:29.950 --> 00:28:33.069 every day to do just that, the fellowship with 00:28:33.069 --> 00:28:38.339 God, to learn of Him, to grow. to pray for my 00:28:38.339 --> 00:28:40.579 brothers and sisters in Christ who have bared 00:28:40.579 --> 00:28:43.359 their hearts and souls to me and asked me to 00:28:43.359 --> 00:28:46.500 do so. They've told me of their problems. They've 00:28:46.500 --> 00:28:49.140 told me of their difficulties. They've told me 00:28:49.140 --> 00:28:55.299 of their needs. And will I refuse to pray? How 00:28:55.299 --> 00:29:01.180 is that love? It's not. It's not a work of the 00:29:01.180 --> 00:29:05.940 Holy Spirit. It's a work of our own sinful flesh. 00:29:06.670 --> 00:29:10.809 That's all. We've got to face reality, folks. 00:29:12.150 --> 00:29:15.970 That's the reality. That's a Christian. That's 00:29:15.970 --> 00:29:18.890 Christianity. That's a spiritual relationship 00:29:18.890 --> 00:29:23.009 that we have with Christ Jesus. The power of 00:29:23.009 --> 00:29:26.829 the Holy Spirit living within us. The same power 00:29:26.829 --> 00:29:29.849 that raised Christ from the dead. Oh, I can't 00:29:29.849 --> 00:29:32.529 do it. Well, what are you talking about? Do you 00:29:32.529 --> 00:29:36.809 know how sinful that is? To say that about God? 00:29:38.650 --> 00:29:43.309 Oh, I can't do this. The Holy Spirit raised up 00:29:43.309 --> 00:29:45.349 Christ from the dead and He can't empower you 00:29:45.349 --> 00:29:48.470 to do what God's called you to do. That's just 00:29:48.470 --> 00:29:52.269 a total contradiction. That's the truth. Total 00:29:52.269 --> 00:29:56.470 contradiction. Now, He's not going to make you 00:29:56.470 --> 00:30:00.970 do it. I didn't say that. You don't want to do 00:30:00.970 --> 00:30:02.940 it, you're not going to do it. And you're not 00:30:02.940 --> 00:30:05.640 going to get any help to do it. But according 00:30:05.640 --> 00:30:08.680 to Paul's prayer here, it's all waiting there 00:30:08.680 --> 00:30:12.559 for us. All the help that we need, all the guidance, 00:30:12.720 --> 00:30:16.140 everything that we need, all the growth, everything 00:30:16.140 --> 00:30:20.279 to bring us to maturity is in the Word and Spirit. 00:30:21.519 --> 00:30:26.200 We don't have to stay babies. And I was generous 00:30:26.200 --> 00:30:30.839 when I said five years. That's a long time to 00:30:30.839 --> 00:30:38.799 stay a baby a five -year -old is not a baby Okay, 00:30:38.920 --> 00:30:51.480 so wrapping it up we finish it with this 21 far 00:30:51.480 --> 00:30:55.289 above all principality and power might dominion 00:30:55.289 --> 00:30:57.990 and every name that is named not only in this 00:30:57.990 --> 00:31:01.609 world but also in that which is to come and hath 00:31:01.609 --> 00:31:04.730 put all things under his feet and gave him to 00:31:04.730 --> 00:31:08.369 be the head over all things to the church which 00:31:08.369 --> 00:31:12.150 is his body the fullness of him that filleth 00:31:12.150 --> 00:31:16.710 all in all." So there you have it. That's the 00:31:16.710 --> 00:31:18.690 end of the argument or that's the end of the 00:31:18.690 --> 00:31:22.170 teaching. Jesus Christ is the head of the church. 00:31:22.569 --> 00:31:25.470 Everything has been put under His authority for 00:31:25.470 --> 00:31:32.170 the sake of the Church. Again, think on that. 00:31:32.910 --> 00:31:36.890 God governs this world in every way possible 00:31:36.890 --> 00:31:41.390 for the good of the Church. That's a handful 00:31:41.390 --> 00:31:45.730 there, to get your mind around that. Sometimes, 00:31:46.329 --> 00:31:48.890 probably most of the time, we can't figure it 00:31:48.890 --> 00:31:53.740 out. How is this going to help the church? Well, 00:31:54.240 --> 00:31:57.319 that's what it says. I just read it to you. So, 00:31:57.619 --> 00:31:59.420 if you doubt it, you're doubting the Word of 00:31:59.420 --> 00:32:05.380 God. All the difficulties, all the crazy circumstances, 00:32:05.599 --> 00:32:10.759 it's all for our good. If we grasp it, if we 00:32:10.759 --> 00:32:14.500 use it in that way, if we come to a proper understanding. 00:32:15.960 --> 00:32:21.400 But the most radical thing here... is where I'm 00:32:21.400 --> 00:32:25.980 closing. It says, the church which is his body, 00:32:26.660 --> 00:32:33.039 the fullness of him. That phrase has gendered 00:32:33.039 --> 00:32:35.440 more controversy probably or at least as much 00:32:35.440 --> 00:32:38.700 as any other phrase in the Bible. The church 00:32:38.700 --> 00:32:54.190 is the fullness of Christ. is going to be benefited 00:32:54.190 --> 00:32:58.069 it's his inheritance so to speak by the people 00:32:58.069 --> 00:33:02.670 whom he came to save they're his fullness he's 00:33:02.670 --> 00:33:06.390 growing he's expanding daily more and more people 00:33:06.390 --> 00:33:09.390 are being brought to Christ the church is his 00:33:09.390 --> 00:33:15.190 fullness now we can't add anything to Christ 00:33:15.190 --> 00:33:19.789 I'm not saying silly things like that But I am 00:33:19.789 --> 00:33:22.769 saying that that's the value that God puts on 00:33:22.769 --> 00:33:28.150 the church. It's the fullness of Christ. Christ 00:33:28.150 --> 00:33:32.230 has worked. Christ has brought people to Himself. 00:33:33.829 --> 00:33:37.690 He's empowered these people to live to His glory. 00:33:39.049 --> 00:33:45.650 And He's made full by the additions, continual 00:33:45.650 --> 00:33:50.599 additions to this church. Look at Jesus, all 00:33:50.599 --> 00:33:53.559 that he's doing, all that he's accomplished. 00:33:54.640 --> 00:33:57.960 It's a wonderful thing to be in his family, to 00:33:57.960 --> 00:34:02.920 be a part of his church. To have that much purpose 00:34:02.920 --> 00:34:05.500 in your life that you're said to be the fullness 00:34:05.500 --> 00:34:10.800 of Christ. How much purpose do we need? That's 00:34:10.800 --> 00:34:16.539 plenty for me. I can do it. I got the Holy Spirit. 00:34:17.130 --> 00:34:21.130 I can live to His glory. I can do what He's called 00:34:21.130 --> 00:34:25.449 me to do. I can remember the first time I had 00:34:25.449 --> 00:34:29.349 to do a lot of things. And it was with quaking 00:34:29.349 --> 00:34:33.469 knees and full of doubt. And I was scared to 00:34:33.469 --> 00:34:39.429 death. First time I've tried to do things. But 00:34:39.429 --> 00:34:42.550 I had those verses in my mind. God's gonna help 00:34:42.550 --> 00:34:45.590 me do this. He's called me to do it and I'm gonna 00:34:45.590 --> 00:34:49.639 do it. I'm not going to be deterred. I'm going 00:34:49.639 --> 00:34:52.760 to go through with this. And lo and behold, it 00:34:52.760 --> 00:34:55.980 was just like he said it would be. Now, I'm not 00:34:55.980 --> 00:34:58.179 saying I did great at it the first time, but 00:34:58.179 --> 00:35:04.500 I did it. I followed the Lord, and I did it. 00:35:05.099 --> 00:35:08.559 And the more I did it, the more I liked it, the 00:35:08.559 --> 00:35:11.599 greater enjoyment it was, and the more help I 00:35:11.599 --> 00:35:15.940 was, and the more glory I gave to God. And that's 00:35:15.940 --> 00:35:25.239 just how it works. If you're a Christian. It 00:35:25.239 --> 00:35:29.960 says Christ, Christ filleth all in all. Christ 00:35:29.960 --> 00:35:33.800 is everything, in other words. He's all there 00:35:33.800 --> 00:35:36.920 is. He's everything. He's all that I need. He's 00:35:36.920 --> 00:35:41.519 all that I want. He fills it all. Is that how 00:35:41.519 --> 00:35:46.010 we think? Is that what we're after? A really 00:35:46.010 --> 00:35:50.329 big time relationship with Jesus Christ. Learning 00:35:50.329 --> 00:35:54.909 and growing in our faith. Serving more and more. 00:35:54.969 --> 00:35:58.329 Serving the people of God more and more. Loving 00:35:58.329 --> 00:36:00.630 one another more and more. That's all hand in 00:36:00.630 --> 00:36:05.849 hand. I hope it is. Because that's what the church 00:36:05.849 --> 00:36:09.230 should be. And that's what we want to strive 00:36:09.230 --> 00:36:13.929 at. The biblical view of the church. Well, we'll 00:36:13.929 --> 00:36:18.489 pick it up next week, and if I get the verses 00:36:18.489 --> 00:36:20.210 soon enough, I'll email you.