WEBVTT 00:00:02.400 --> 00:00:05.900 Thank you Paul and musicians. It's good to have 00:00:05.900 --> 00:00:08.859 our brass with us today. Thanks for playing. 00:00:09.259 --> 00:00:11.679 Oh, I should say reeds too. We have some reeds 00:00:11.679 --> 00:00:17.559 there and full orchestra. All right. Thanks for 00:00:17.559 --> 00:00:21.739 playing for us today. Colossians chapter 3 verse 00:00:21.739 --> 00:00:33.310 3 is where we begin this morning. This morning, 00:00:33.509 --> 00:00:38.570 the secrets of saints. There was a sign on someone's 00:00:38.570 --> 00:00:42.530 desk in the Pentagon that said, the secrecy of 00:00:42.530 --> 00:00:45.689 my job does not permit me to know what I am doing. 00:00:47.369 --> 00:00:50.929 Perhaps you can identify with that. Nearly everyone 00:00:50.929 --> 00:00:53.770 does have secrets. Some of them may be exciting. 00:00:54.929 --> 00:00:58.570 I called my sister in Kansas City. About a week 00:00:58.570 --> 00:01:01.049 ago, and she said well I have some exciting news 00:01:01.049 --> 00:01:03.990 for you We were trying to keep it a secret, but 00:01:03.990 --> 00:01:05.969 because of some things that happened We had to 00:01:05.969 --> 00:01:07.430 tell the news a little bit early, and I said 00:01:07.430 --> 00:01:10.010 what's that and she said we're expecting another 00:01:10.010 --> 00:01:15.590 baby Some secrets are happy secrets There are 00:01:15.590 --> 00:01:18.129 some secrets that make us ashamed or fearful 00:01:18.129 --> 00:01:23.450 Heard a story one time about a man who sent an 00:01:23.450 --> 00:01:28.569 anonymous message to five of his very best friends 00:01:28.569 --> 00:01:35.790 in town. It was a prank. The message was unsigned. 00:01:35.870 --> 00:01:40.250 It was anonymous. But it said this, flee. All 00:01:40.250 --> 00:01:44.209 is discovered. The next morning, three of the 00:01:44.209 --> 00:01:50.969 five had left town. Some secrets are not good. 00:01:51.909 --> 00:01:55.519 Saints have secrets. They're not secrets because 00:01:55.519 --> 00:02:00.000 they are concealed. They're not secrets because 00:02:00.000 --> 00:02:03.980 they're bad or sinister, but they are secrets 00:02:03.980 --> 00:02:08.280 because the world does not understand them. They 00:02:08.280 --> 00:02:12.219 are secrets that are delightful and encouraging. 00:02:13.840 --> 00:02:18.960 Our text Colossians 3 .3 says, you have died 00:02:18.960 --> 00:02:25.310 and your life is hidden. with Christ in God. 00:02:27.069 --> 00:02:30.169 I'm especially interested in this verse in that 00:02:30.169 --> 00:02:35.710 word hidden. Your life is hidden. The idea there 00:02:35.710 --> 00:02:41.030 is that the source of your life is like a secret 00:02:41.030 --> 00:02:45.530 spring which nurtures it in your pilgrimage. 00:02:46.830 --> 00:02:52.060 Your life is rooted in Jesus Christ. and no one 00:02:52.060 --> 00:02:56.240 sees the roots of the tree. Your life is hidden 00:02:56.240 --> 00:03:00.939 in Christ. Our resource is in Jesus Christ and 00:03:00.939 --> 00:03:04.740 in the union that we share with Him. We have 00:03:04.740 --> 00:03:07.699 died with Christ. We have been raised with Christ. 00:03:07.759 --> 00:03:11.199 When He is revealed, then we will be revealed 00:03:11.199 --> 00:03:15.419 with Him in glory. These verses talk about our 00:03:15.419 --> 00:03:19.960 union with Him. And because of that union, says 00:03:19.960 --> 00:03:25.280 the apostle, our life is hidden with Christ in 00:03:25.280 --> 00:03:32.060 God. The secrets of the saints. Turn back with 00:03:32.060 --> 00:03:35.080 me to the twin epistle of Colossians, which is 00:03:35.080 --> 00:03:39.439 the book of Ephesians for a moment. We see the 00:03:39.439 --> 00:03:41.840 apostle Paul expressing it a little differently, 00:03:41.939 --> 00:03:44.400 but saying essentially the same thing. In chapter 00:03:44.400 --> 00:03:50.699 2, beginning in verse 4 where it says, but God 00:03:50.699 --> 00:03:53.340 being rich in mercy because of his great love 00:03:53.340 --> 00:03:58.060 with which he loved us, even when we were dead 00:03:58.060 --> 00:04:02.879 in our transgressions, made us alive together 00:04:02.879 --> 00:04:08.580 with Christ. Notice the union there? He has made 00:04:08.580 --> 00:04:13.039 us alive together with Christ. By grace you've 00:04:13.039 --> 00:04:17.209 been saved. He's raised us up with Him, notice 00:04:17.209 --> 00:04:21.670 again the union in resurrection, raised us up 00:04:21.670 --> 00:04:26.149 with Him and seated us with Him, again the union, 00:04:26.790 --> 00:04:30.370 seated us with Him in the heavenly places in 00:04:30.370 --> 00:04:34.629 Christ Jesus. We are related to Jesus Christ, 00:04:35.050 --> 00:04:40.029 united to Him in His victorious and exalted status. 00:04:40.430 --> 00:04:43.410 in the realm of spiritual realities, which the 00:04:43.410 --> 00:04:47.310 Bible calls the heavenlies. The saints, those 00:04:47.310 --> 00:04:50.910 set apart to belong to Jesus Christ by God's 00:04:50.910 --> 00:04:56.329 gracious choice, have resources unknown by and 00:04:56.329 --> 00:05:00.829 withheld from the world. I want to talk about 00:05:00.829 --> 00:05:06.470 our secrets today, our secret resources. To do 00:05:06.470 --> 00:05:09.430 this, I'm going to go through the book of Ephesians, 00:05:09.589 --> 00:05:13.050 chapter by chapter, and pick out just one resource 00:05:13.050 --> 00:05:17.310 from each chapter. We're only going to just take 00:05:17.310 --> 00:05:20.350 the top of the resources. We're not going to 00:05:20.350 --> 00:05:22.430 get into all of them. We don't have time to do 00:05:22.430 --> 00:05:26.250 that. But at least one secret resource of the 00:05:26.250 --> 00:05:29.870 saints from each of the chapters of Ephesians. 00:05:30.769 --> 00:05:33.670 Some of you may recall years ago that there was 00:05:33.670 --> 00:05:37.759 a television program called I've Got a Secret. 00:05:38.560 --> 00:05:43.079 How many of you remember that? Yes. Even some 00:05:43.079 --> 00:05:45.939 of the younger ones remember that. It's not on 00:05:45.939 --> 00:05:50.240 cable anywhere, is it? Not on reruns. Well, the 00:05:50.240 --> 00:05:53.000 idea in this game show was that guests would 00:05:53.000 --> 00:05:57.759 come on who had secrets. And after being introduced, 00:05:57.779 --> 00:06:00.240 they would sit down beside Gary Moore, who was 00:06:00.240 --> 00:06:03.769 the MC of the program. and they would lean over 00:06:03.769 --> 00:06:06.810 and whisper something in his ear. And then there 00:06:06.810 --> 00:06:09.810 was a panel of four people who through a series 00:06:09.810 --> 00:06:14.009 of questions tried to guess what the secret was 00:06:14.009 --> 00:06:17.829 of the guest. Well, this morning you and I, as 00:06:17.829 --> 00:06:22.389 the saints of God, have secrets. Secret number 00:06:22.389 --> 00:06:28.310 one. We have the purpose of God. Ephesians chapter 00:06:28.310 --> 00:06:35.120 1 verse 9. In all wisdom and insight, God made 00:06:35.120 --> 00:06:39.740 known to us the mystery of His will, according 00:06:39.740 --> 00:06:43.480 to His kind intention which He purposed in Christ, 00:06:44.019 --> 00:06:48.779 with a view to an administration suitable to 00:06:48.779 --> 00:06:53.579 the fullness of the times. You and I have this 00:06:53.579 --> 00:06:58.040 secret resource, the purpose of God. It provides 00:06:58.040 --> 00:07:02.839 us hope. Now why is this important? Because we 00:07:02.839 --> 00:07:06.980 live in a world that is doomed. We live in a 00:07:06.980 --> 00:07:10.360 world that has no hope. Ephesians chapter 2. 00:07:10.660 --> 00:07:15.279 Why? Because it is without God. We live in a 00:07:15.279 --> 00:07:19.139 world that is under the judgment of God. We live 00:07:19.139 --> 00:07:21.480 in a world that is headed toward an appointment 00:07:21.480 --> 00:07:28.579 with a Creator who is angry. who is angry with 00:07:28.579 --> 00:07:34.759 sin every day. The Bible says there is a day 00:07:34.759 --> 00:07:38.319 of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment 00:07:38.319 --> 00:07:42.079 of God, who will render to every man according 00:07:42.079 --> 00:07:47.300 to his deeds. It's a day when God will judge 00:07:47.300 --> 00:07:53.000 the secrets of men through Christ Jesus. The 00:07:53.000 --> 00:07:57.350 Bible also warns that God will deal out retribution 00:07:57.350 --> 00:08:00.870 to those who do not know God and to those who 00:08:00.870 --> 00:08:05.230 do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ. 00:08:05.850 --> 00:08:09.209 These will pay the penalty of eternal destruction. 00:08:11.069 --> 00:08:15.089 You and I live in a world that is doomed. It 00:08:15.089 --> 00:08:18.009 is under the judgment of God. It is without hope. 00:08:19.349 --> 00:08:22.290 How then can Christians live in a world like 00:08:22.290 --> 00:08:26.050 this? Because we have a secret resource that 00:08:26.050 --> 00:08:30.129 provides us hope in the midst of a truly hopeless 00:08:30.129 --> 00:08:34.450 situation. And what is that resource? It is an 00:08:34.450 --> 00:08:39.490 understanding of the purpose of God. God has 00:08:39.490 --> 00:08:44.929 been pleased to give to us the big picture. And 00:08:44.929 --> 00:08:47.370 we understand that what God is about, what God 00:08:47.370 --> 00:08:51.799 is doing, God is at work in our world today. 00:08:51.960 --> 00:08:54.620 The boys and girls this last week in VBS learned 00:08:54.620 --> 00:08:58.919 something about that. God is at work in our world 00:08:58.919 --> 00:09:04.120 today. What is He doing? He is working out the 00:09:04.120 --> 00:09:07.779 mystery of His will. Well, what is that? Well, 00:09:07.779 --> 00:09:12.940 notice how Paul puts it. He says, it's an administration 00:09:12.940 --> 00:09:18.149 suitable to the fullness of the times. Is that 00:09:18.149 --> 00:09:23.669 the Clinton administration? Is that the next 00:09:23.669 --> 00:09:26.470 administration that will come from the other 00:09:26.470 --> 00:09:31.710 political party? No. He's not talking about man's 00:09:31.710 --> 00:09:33.990 administration. He's talking about a brand new 00:09:33.990 --> 00:09:36.789 administration of things, not just in the United 00:09:36.789 --> 00:09:42.269 States, but in the world. He goes on to explain 00:09:42.269 --> 00:09:44.509 it further. He says, that is, here's what I mean, 00:09:44.690 --> 00:09:50.029 he says, The summing up of all things in Christ. 00:09:50.610 --> 00:09:54.029 Things in heaven, things on the earth. What is 00:09:54.029 --> 00:09:57.110 God doing? What's the big picture? It is that 00:09:57.110 --> 00:10:00.789 God is going to bring everything under the lordship 00:10:00.789 --> 00:10:05.149 of Jesus Christ. He's going to draw the line 00:10:05.149 --> 00:10:07.970 one day and sum up everything and everything 00:10:07.970 --> 00:10:10.830 is going to be put under the authority of Jesus 00:10:10.830 --> 00:10:13.830 Christ. You and I know that. The world does not 00:10:13.830 --> 00:10:17.789 know that. And if it's told that, it doesn't 00:10:17.789 --> 00:10:22.429 understand it. You and I have a secret resource 00:10:22.429 --> 00:10:26.250 because we are the saints of God. We have the 00:10:26.250 --> 00:10:29.590 purpose of God. We know that. And God's purpose 00:10:29.590 --> 00:10:33.289 in all of human history is eventually to bring 00:10:33.289 --> 00:10:37.190 everything in heaven and on earth under the throne 00:10:37.190 --> 00:10:41.029 of Jesus Christ and He will reign forever and 00:10:41.029 --> 00:10:45.659 forever. That's His purpose. And we can rejoice 00:10:45.659 --> 00:10:50.200 in that because we're part of it by His gracious 00:10:50.200 --> 00:10:54.580 choice, not because we deserve it. You and I 00:10:54.580 --> 00:10:58.120 need hope in a world like we're living in. If 00:10:58.120 --> 00:11:00.659 you feel like our culture is collapsing, you're 00:11:00.659 --> 00:11:06.820 absolutely right. God is working through it, 00:11:06.820 --> 00:11:10.950 however. God is still on His throne and He is 00:11:10.950 --> 00:11:13.429 working in human history not to preserve the 00:11:13.429 --> 00:11:16.649 United States of America. That is not His purpose. 00:11:19.450 --> 00:11:22.250 God is working in human history not to preserve 00:11:22.250 --> 00:11:27.230 Western culture. That's not His purpose. God 00:11:27.230 --> 00:11:31.549 is working in human history to bring to an end 00:11:31.549 --> 00:11:35.590 human reign and to bring everything under the 00:11:35.590 --> 00:11:38.230 authority of Jesus Christ. And He's going to 00:11:38.230 --> 00:11:42.690 do it. He is going to do it. That is His purpose. 00:11:43.950 --> 00:11:48.149 It provides us hope. We know the last chapter 00:11:48.149 --> 00:11:50.750 of human history, therefore we have hope in a 00:11:50.750 --> 00:11:53.750 world that is doomed, desperate, and depressed. 00:11:56.289 --> 00:11:59.129 Saints have secrets. The second secret we have 00:11:59.129 --> 00:12:03.269 is access to God. It provides us relief. Chapter 00:12:03.269 --> 00:12:07.379 2, verse 18. Through Him, through Christ, we 00:12:07.379 --> 00:12:13.980 both have our access in one spirit to the Father. 00:12:14.919 --> 00:12:19.960 Access to God. Why is this important? Our world 00:12:19.960 --> 00:12:24.159 today is caught up with supports. You hear a 00:12:24.159 --> 00:12:28.139 lot about support groups in our world that worships 00:12:28.139 --> 00:12:31.179 at the altar of psychology. Well, there's nothing 00:12:31.179 --> 00:12:34.659 wrong with support groups in one sense. but they 00:12:34.659 --> 00:12:37.279 dare not be the foundation of our lives and our 00:12:37.279 --> 00:12:42.080 relationships. The world believes in support, 00:12:42.320 --> 00:12:44.440 but it's limited support, it's only what man 00:12:44.440 --> 00:12:49.100 can provide. You go to your friends, you go to 00:12:49.100 --> 00:12:51.940 people who are struggling with the same issues 00:12:51.940 --> 00:12:54.860 you are, you pour out your secrets to them, they 00:12:54.860 --> 00:12:58.000 tell you their problems, and in that there is 00:12:58.000 --> 00:13:02.220 some kind of support. But it's nothing that provides 00:13:03.070 --> 00:13:09.029 permanent or eternal relief or alleviation. The 00:13:09.029 --> 00:13:15.629 saints of God have a secret. We have relief at 00:13:15.629 --> 00:13:19.970 the mercy seat of Jesus Christ. We have access 00:13:19.970 --> 00:13:24.710 to God. The world does not have that. It's something 00:13:24.710 --> 00:13:27.509 for us, though, to enjoy. God provides it for 00:13:27.509 --> 00:13:31.309 all of His saints. We can come freely to God 00:13:31.309 --> 00:13:35.879 Himself in the power of the Holy Spirit through 00:13:35.879 --> 00:13:40.120 the Lord Jesus Christ. And we can lay before 00:13:40.120 --> 00:13:45.779 God all of our problems and all of our battles 00:13:45.779 --> 00:13:49.919 and all of our struggles. And we can know in 00:13:49.919 --> 00:13:56.879 doing that relief. Not merely temporal support, 00:13:58.700 --> 00:14:07.500 but relief that God provides by His grace. Hugh 00:14:07.500 --> 00:14:12.539 Stoll was born in 1799 in the Isle of Man and 00:14:12.539 --> 00:14:15.399 in his 30s became a well -known preacher in the 00:14:15.399 --> 00:14:19.019 Church of England. He wrote a number of poems 00:14:19.019 --> 00:14:23.799 and verses including one that is in our hymnals, 00:14:23.820 --> 00:14:28.080 432. It's one of those old hymns we don't sing 00:14:28.080 --> 00:14:31.440 a lot anymore, but oh, the meaning in it. It 00:14:31.440 --> 00:14:34.700 says, From every stormy wind that blows, From 00:14:34.700 --> 00:14:39.639 every swelling tide of woes, There is a calm 00:14:39.639 --> 00:14:43.860 and sure retreat, Tis found beneath the mercy 00:14:43.860 --> 00:14:50.120 seat. Ah, whither could we flee for aid, When 00:14:50.120 --> 00:14:54.350 tempted, desolate, dismayed? or how the hosts 00:14:54.350 --> 00:14:58.850 of hell defeat had suffering saints, no mercy 00:14:58.850 --> 00:15:04.889 seat. Ah, there on eagle wings we fly, we soar, 00:15:05.370 --> 00:15:09.809 and sin and sense molest no more. And heaven 00:15:09.809 --> 00:15:14.169 comes down, our souls to greet, while glory crowns 00:15:14.169 --> 00:15:18.649 the mercy seat. You and I have a secret. It is 00:15:18.649 --> 00:15:23.799 access to God. That access to God provides his 00:15:23.799 --> 00:15:30.620 saints relief in the midst of life's trials and 00:15:30.620 --> 00:15:32.779 battles. Chapter number three brings us to a 00:15:32.779 --> 00:15:37.620 third secret of saints. It is found in verse 00:15:37.620 --> 00:15:41.600 20. Now to him who is able to do exceeding abundantly 00:15:41.600 --> 00:15:44.980 beyond all that we ask or think according to 00:15:44.980 --> 00:15:49.179 the power that works within us. the power that 00:15:49.179 --> 00:15:53.700 works within us. We've got a secret. It is the 00:15:53.700 --> 00:15:57.340 power of God. Why is this important? Because 00:15:57.340 --> 00:16:01.419 we need this power. We live in a world that relies 00:16:01.419 --> 00:16:08.320 upon the resources of self. Self -realization 00:16:08.320 --> 00:16:14.480 is one of the key terms. Self -reliance. You 00:16:14.480 --> 00:16:16.919 can't depend on anybody else. You've got to dig 00:16:16.919 --> 00:16:21.179 down deep and rely on yourself. And if you dig 00:16:21.179 --> 00:16:24.259 deep enough, you'll find in yourself a little 00:16:24.259 --> 00:16:28.320 bit of God or what God is about. You can unite 00:16:28.320 --> 00:16:31.620 that with all of the universe where God is and 00:16:31.620 --> 00:16:36.399 you find in yourself the strength you need. That 00:16:36.399 --> 00:16:41.580 whole idea is a flat tire. The saints have a 00:16:41.580 --> 00:16:45.019 better secret. It is the power of God. It provides 00:16:45.019 --> 00:16:50.059 sufficiency. Sufficiency in every trial and in 00:16:50.059 --> 00:16:53.940 every opportunity. Saints have God's power at 00:16:53.940 --> 00:16:57.379 work in them to be released in dynamic ways. 00:16:58.799 --> 00:17:03.000 It says here that He's able to do exceeding, 00:17:03.179 --> 00:17:05.940 abundantly beyond all that we could ask or think. 00:17:05.980 --> 00:17:14.890 How much can you ask God for? Someone said to 00:17:14.890 --> 00:17:20.049 me this last week, what would you attempt for 00:17:20.049 --> 00:17:28.190 God if you knew that you could not fail? What 00:17:28.190 --> 00:17:31.349 about you? How would you answer that? What would 00:17:31.349 --> 00:17:35.029 you attempt for God if you knew in advance you 00:17:35.029 --> 00:17:40.589 could not fail? It's hard to put a circumference 00:17:40.589 --> 00:17:44.230 around that. It's hard to throw a rope out there 00:17:44.230 --> 00:17:47.490 and catch it. It's one of those ideas, those 00:17:47.490 --> 00:17:49.849 concepts that just kind of expands your mind 00:17:49.849 --> 00:17:53.509 a bit. And ultimately you say, well, I would 00:17:53.509 --> 00:17:56.250 do anything. If I knew in advance, I couldn't 00:17:56.250 --> 00:18:02.789 fail. What could you ask God for today? Do you 00:18:02.789 --> 00:18:07.589 know whatever you would ask, God's able to do 00:18:07.589 --> 00:18:13.349 far beyond that? What can you think of today? 00:18:13.369 --> 00:18:16.650 What can you dream about that you'd like to see 00:18:16.650 --> 00:18:21.569 happen for God in your life? As you stir up the 00:18:21.569 --> 00:18:24.890 pot of your imaginations and you sniff it and 00:18:24.890 --> 00:18:31.490 enjoy the aroma, what's there? God's able to 00:18:31.490 --> 00:18:33.970 do beyond anything that you could dream about. 00:18:35.410 --> 00:18:39.329 He's able. According to the power that is at 00:18:39.329 --> 00:18:44.019 work in you right now. You see, that's the power 00:18:44.019 --> 00:18:46.799 of the Holy Spirit, by the way. The power of 00:18:46.799 --> 00:18:50.180 the resurrection of Jesus Christ. The saints 00:18:50.180 --> 00:18:56.519 have a secret. It is the power of God. It provides 00:18:56.519 --> 00:19:00.160 for us sufficiency in every opportunity and in 00:19:00.160 --> 00:19:03.619 every trial that comes to us. The world knows 00:19:03.619 --> 00:19:08.059 nothing about this secret. It can only rely upon 00:19:08.059 --> 00:19:12.950 its meager resources. We have the power of God. 00:19:16.190 --> 00:19:18.890 It is our believing obedience, by the way, that 00:19:18.890 --> 00:19:22.930 releases God's energy in our lives, our faith. 00:19:24.970 --> 00:19:27.890 That potential is inside of us, but it is as 00:19:27.890 --> 00:19:32.890 we believe God in trusting obedience that God 00:19:32.890 --> 00:19:36.390 then allows that power to be released and expressed. 00:19:38.920 --> 00:19:41.720 Chapter number four brings us to a fourth secret 00:19:41.720 --> 00:19:47.220 of the saints. It's hard to find just one verse 00:19:47.220 --> 00:19:49.640 that says it succinctly, but let me just pick 00:19:49.640 --> 00:19:51.920 one verse out of a paragraph that says it well. 00:19:52.000 --> 00:19:57.099 Verse 16, he talks about Christ being the head 00:19:57.099 --> 00:19:59.619 of the body in verse 15. And then he goes on 00:19:59.619 --> 00:20:03.039 to say, from whom the whole body being fitted 00:20:03.039 --> 00:20:06.920 and held together by that which every joint supplies. 00:20:07.699 --> 00:20:10.420 according to the proper working of each individual 00:20:10.420 --> 00:20:14.240 part, causes the growth of the body for the building 00:20:14.240 --> 00:20:18.359 up of itself in love. The fourth secret of the 00:20:18.359 --> 00:20:23.019 saints is the Church of God. It provides us significance. 00:20:23.819 --> 00:20:26.880 Why is it important? Because everybody seeks 00:20:26.880 --> 00:20:34.079 significance. A couple years ago somebody gave 00:20:34.079 --> 00:20:37.000 me a great insight to the gang culture in the 00:20:37.000 --> 00:20:39.059 United States. We have a gang summit going on 00:20:39.059 --> 00:20:41.859 right now in St. Paul, which is fine, I guess. 00:20:43.640 --> 00:20:49.079 I hope it accomplishes some good. Are gangs about 00:20:49.079 --> 00:20:55.460 economic conditions? About not having jobs? About 00:20:55.460 --> 00:20:59.329 oppression? and all the rest of the things that 00:20:59.329 --> 00:21:02.049 we so often hear about as the root causes of 00:21:02.049 --> 00:21:06.710 gangs. Well, those things may contribute in some 00:21:06.710 --> 00:21:11.410 way, but at the heart of the gang mentality is 00:21:11.410 --> 00:21:17.349 a drive for significance. Everybody wants to 00:21:17.349 --> 00:21:22.430 have meaning, and so often those young kids in 00:21:22.430 --> 00:21:25.700 the inner city cannot find meaning. anywhere 00:21:25.700 --> 00:21:31.039 else except in the gangs that they create. Everybody 00:21:31.039 --> 00:21:34.000 hungers for significance. Our world does not 00:21:34.000 --> 00:21:39.240 know how to provide that. The saints have a secret. 00:21:39.900 --> 00:21:42.799 It is the Church of God. We have significance 00:21:42.799 --> 00:21:45.640 because we are part of something that God is 00:21:45.640 --> 00:21:49.819 building for all of eternity. It's not a movement 00:21:49.819 --> 00:21:52.299 that's going to last a few years and then peter 00:21:52.299 --> 00:21:57.509 out. It's not a cause that's going to achieve 00:21:57.509 --> 00:22:00.930 its goals and then die for lack of something 00:22:00.930 --> 00:22:05.869 more. You and I are members of the body of Jesus 00:22:05.869 --> 00:22:11.710 Christ, the Church of God. And as members of 00:22:11.710 --> 00:22:14.630 that body, we are being built up and added to 00:22:14.630 --> 00:22:18.150 it. And we do our part and others do their part. 00:22:18.170 --> 00:22:20.670 And as we do that, it builds up the whole body 00:22:20.670 --> 00:22:25.029 of Christ, the Church. And this body of Jesus 00:22:25.029 --> 00:22:29.250 Christ is going to be around for eternity. It's 00:22:29.250 --> 00:22:33.650 an eternal building. It's a forever family. And 00:22:33.650 --> 00:22:38.569 we're part of it. So we have significance. That's 00:22:38.569 --> 00:22:42.529 a secret. The world doesn't know it. We're a 00:22:42.529 --> 00:22:46.950 part of the Church of God. As a member of the 00:22:46.950 --> 00:22:48.869 body, I'm part of something that's far bigger 00:22:48.869 --> 00:22:53.119 than just me, myself. I'm part of a work that 00:22:53.119 --> 00:22:56.319 God is doing, a work that's going to extend into 00:22:56.319 --> 00:22:59.680 eternity. And in the church of Christ, I find 00:22:59.680 --> 00:23:05.460 meaning and I find fellowship. Well, let's go 00:23:05.460 --> 00:23:08.180 on to chapter 5 and find another secret of saints. 00:23:12.819 --> 00:23:17.299 I'm going to select verse 26 in this case. In 00:23:17.299 --> 00:23:20.079 a paragraph that talks to husbands and wives 00:23:20.079 --> 00:23:24.200 and compares that blissful marital relationship 00:23:24.200 --> 00:23:27.779 to the relationship between Christ and the church. 00:23:29.039 --> 00:23:32.319 Verse 25 he says, husbands love your wives just 00:23:32.319 --> 00:23:35.519 as Christ loved the church and gave himself up 00:23:35.519 --> 00:23:39.619 for her that he might sanctify her having cleansed 00:23:39.619 --> 00:23:46.420 her by the washing of water with the word. The 00:23:46.420 --> 00:23:48.880 fifth secret of saints I want to talk about today 00:23:48.880 --> 00:23:52.099 is the Word of God. You and I have that. And 00:23:52.099 --> 00:23:55.480 it provides for us cleansing. Why is that important? 00:23:55.759 --> 00:24:00.759 Because we live in a world that is dirty. As 00:24:00.759 --> 00:24:03.180 you and I go about our lives, we cannot help 00:24:03.180 --> 00:24:06.279 but pick up some of the dirt that's in the dust 00:24:06.279 --> 00:24:10.740 of the world. And just like the people in Bible 00:24:10.740 --> 00:24:13.750 times had to come into the house after a journey 00:24:13.750 --> 00:24:17.529 and sit down and have their feet washed. So you 00:24:17.529 --> 00:24:20.890 and I have need of having our feet washed by 00:24:20.890 --> 00:24:25.730 God. What is it that washes our feet as we walk 00:24:25.730 --> 00:24:28.410 through this world in our pilgrimage? It is the 00:24:28.410 --> 00:24:32.529 Word of God. The washing of water by the Word. 00:24:33.730 --> 00:24:38.319 The Word of God is God's cleansing agent. It 00:24:38.319 --> 00:24:42.440 is His Word that He uses to wash our lives so 00:24:42.440 --> 00:24:44.900 that the contamination that we pick up in the 00:24:44.900 --> 00:24:47.859 course of our day and the things we see, the 00:24:47.859 --> 00:24:51.759 things we hear, these things don't influence 00:24:51.759 --> 00:24:55.740 our lives. So we come to the Word of God and 00:24:55.740 --> 00:24:59.059 we find there a basin of water in which to wash 00:24:59.059 --> 00:25:02.700 ourselves so that the dirt doesn't accumulate 00:25:02.700 --> 00:25:06.640 and we get infected and become spiritually sick. 00:25:07.259 --> 00:25:11.140 because of contamination. The world doesn't have 00:25:11.140 --> 00:25:19.980 that. I saw a little child a few weeks ago, and 00:25:19.980 --> 00:25:23.200 part of a wonderful family, but I don't know 00:25:23.200 --> 00:25:26.420 where the child had been playing, but his hands 00:25:26.420 --> 00:25:28.839 were the crimiest hands I have seen in a long 00:25:28.839 --> 00:25:32.299 time. And this little child just eating his food 00:25:32.299 --> 00:25:34.279 with his hands and all this dirt was going in 00:25:34.279 --> 00:25:40.319 his mouth. And I thought to myself, boy, his 00:25:40.319 --> 00:25:43.839 hands need to be washed. You know, we live in 00:25:43.839 --> 00:25:48.460 a world that's like that. It's just filthy. And 00:25:48.460 --> 00:25:51.339 it gets all contaminated and sicker and sicker, 00:25:51.339 --> 00:25:54.160 and it's going to die because of its dirt, its 00:25:54.160 --> 00:25:58.880 filth, its moral contamination. And we live in 00:25:58.880 --> 00:26:01.460 the midst of that. And I'll tell you something, 00:26:01.480 --> 00:26:03.460 if we don't keep ourselves clean, we're going 00:26:03.460 --> 00:26:07.609 to get sick too. So God has provided for us a 00:26:07.609 --> 00:26:11.369 wonderful cleansing agent in His Word. We have 00:26:11.369 --> 00:26:14.390 a secret. We can keep ourselves clean. We don't 00:26:14.390 --> 00:26:17.490 have to get sick. We don't have to be contaminated. 00:26:18.349 --> 00:26:21.309 Because we can use God's Word to keep our minds 00:26:21.309 --> 00:26:26.910 clean. To wash ourselves after our walk through 00:26:26.910 --> 00:26:30.849 the day. The Word of God expunges the contamination 00:26:30.849 --> 00:26:33.849 that we pick up in our daily course. Just as 00:26:33.849 --> 00:26:36.670 the psalmist said, how shall a young man cleanse 00:26:36.670 --> 00:26:42.069 his way? By taking heed according to thy word. 00:26:43.869 --> 00:26:45.990 Well, I must go on to the fifth secret of saints. 00:26:46.170 --> 00:26:48.430 It's in chapter six. And you can tell I'm just 00:26:48.430 --> 00:26:50.990 picking one out of each chapter. We could get 00:26:50.990 --> 00:26:55.730 lots more secrets. But the sixth secret of the 00:26:55.730 --> 00:27:00.079 saints Chapter 6 and verse 11. Put on the full 00:27:00.079 --> 00:27:03.960 armor of God that you may be able to stand firm 00:27:03.960 --> 00:27:08.460 against the schemes of the devil. The armor of 00:27:08.460 --> 00:27:11.160 God is a secret to the saints. The world does 00:27:11.160 --> 00:27:14.440 not have this armor. It is not available to them. 00:27:15.180 --> 00:27:18.599 It is only available to the saints of God. It 00:27:18.599 --> 00:27:21.940 provides us protection. Now what is the importance? 00:27:22.670 --> 00:27:25.230 But we live in a world that is dangerous. It 00:27:25.230 --> 00:27:31.490 is a hostile world. And that hostility is rooted 00:27:31.490 --> 00:27:35.390 in the spiritual realm. It's not flesh and blood 00:27:35.390 --> 00:27:37.690 that we struggle against, as he says in this 00:27:37.690 --> 00:27:43.509 text. It is demonic powers. It is spiritual beings 00:27:43.509 --> 00:27:49.019 and realities that are invisible to us. These 00:27:49.019 --> 00:27:52.500 personalities are evil and they seek to destroy 00:27:52.500 --> 00:27:56.619 us. And they seek to destroy all human beings 00:27:56.619 --> 00:27:59.200 because all human beings have something of the 00:27:59.200 --> 00:28:02.700 image of God in them. And their deep desire is 00:28:02.700 --> 00:28:05.740 to destroy the image of God wherever it's found. 00:28:06.559 --> 00:28:09.559 People in the world are enslaved to these powers. 00:28:12.559 --> 00:28:14.940 They're in the world and they follow the course 00:28:14.940 --> 00:28:18.180 of the world that Satan sets out for them. They 00:28:18.180 --> 00:28:21.180 are blinded by Satan. They follow in goose -step 00:28:21.180 --> 00:28:24.960 obedience to what he wants. We are the saints 00:28:24.960 --> 00:28:30.039 of God. We live in this world that is hostile 00:28:30.039 --> 00:28:34.180 in its environment, but we have protection. It's 00:28:34.180 --> 00:28:37.720 called the armor of God. That's our secret. And 00:28:37.720 --> 00:28:41.680 he lays out the pieces for us in God's panoply. 00:28:42.980 --> 00:28:50.150 He says we have the belt of truth to put about 00:28:50.150 --> 00:28:57.650 us. The belt of truth. One of Satan's chief weapons 00:28:57.650 --> 00:29:02.410 is accusations and lies and doubts and temptation. 00:29:02.990 --> 00:29:06.789 He gives us here pieces of armor that protect 00:29:06.789 --> 00:29:09.930 us from all of these. The belt of truth protects 00:29:09.930 --> 00:29:13.190 us from the lies of Satan. When you and I have 00:29:13.190 --> 00:29:16.000 truth in our character, That's what he's talking 00:29:16.000 --> 00:29:18.839 about here, the belt of truth. It is truthfulness 00:29:18.839 --> 00:29:21.759 in our lives. There's no hypocrisy there. Then 00:29:21.759 --> 00:29:24.720 we are invincible to the lies that Satan directs 00:29:24.720 --> 00:29:28.559 against us. They will not be able to effectively 00:29:28.559 --> 00:29:33.220 work in us because we have God's truth. He talks 00:29:33.220 --> 00:29:38.440 about the breastplate of righteousness. Again, 00:29:38.480 --> 00:29:42.559 Satan's tactic is to accuse, to throw darts of 00:29:42.559 --> 00:29:46.089 accusation against us. But when our lives are 00:29:46.089 --> 00:29:50.410 filled with righteous deeds, then those accusations 00:29:50.410 --> 00:29:54.930 cannot sink in. They will not stick to us because 00:29:54.930 --> 00:29:58.549 of the breastplate of righteousness. We have 00:29:58.549 --> 00:30:03.230 our shoes of the good news of peace. What is 00:30:03.230 --> 00:30:05.250 that? Well, it's the good news that God's on 00:30:05.250 --> 00:30:08.529 our side. Or maybe better said that we're on 00:30:08.529 --> 00:30:12.029 God's side. And there's peace between us and 00:30:12.029 --> 00:30:15.279 God. And so Satan, when he comes with his doubts, 00:30:16.359 --> 00:30:18.960 can't get to us because we have on the armor 00:30:18.960 --> 00:30:21.660 that protects us from doubt. It's the good news 00:30:21.660 --> 00:30:27.019 that we have peace with God. He talks about the 00:30:27.019 --> 00:30:30.980 helmet of salvation. That is the assurance in 00:30:30.980 --> 00:30:34.720 our mind that we are God's children. That God 00:30:34.720 --> 00:30:38.240 is working to save us in every sense. So that 00:30:38.240 --> 00:30:41.119 when Satan comes with his condemning thoughts, 00:30:41.529 --> 00:30:44.230 and we are tempted to think about ourselves in 00:30:44.230 --> 00:30:47.549 a condemning way. We have the helmet of salvation 00:30:47.549 --> 00:30:49.890 to protect our minds in the way that we think. 00:30:51.069 --> 00:30:53.210 You and I have an armor from God and we've only 00:30:53.210 --> 00:30:57.670 touched on the pieces of it. If we don't put 00:30:57.670 --> 00:31:00.730 on this resource from God, however, we are vulnerable. 00:31:01.730 --> 00:31:06.720 We are left exposed and unprotected. These pieces 00:31:06.720 --> 00:31:09.819 of armor are provided for us to keep us from 00:31:09.819 --> 00:31:13.039 becoming a victim of the evil one Let me tell 00:31:13.039 --> 00:31:15.200 you there are lots of God's children who have 00:31:15.200 --> 00:31:17.980 failed to put on the armor and a fallen victim 00:31:17.980 --> 00:31:21.160 But we have a resource that doesn't have to happen. 00:31:21.240 --> 00:31:24.410 That's the point And that resource is God's armor. 00:31:24.650 --> 00:31:27.910 It provides us protection. And if we are diligent 00:31:27.910 --> 00:31:30.890 to put on each piece of armor, then you and I 00:31:30.890 --> 00:31:33.910 can walk through this hostile world in the victory 00:31:33.910 --> 00:31:39.609 of Jesus Christ. Well, we've only begun to uncover 00:31:39.609 --> 00:31:43.990 the secret resources of the saints of God. Are 00:31:43.990 --> 00:31:48.210 you choosing today to live in light of your resources 00:31:48.210 --> 00:31:52.660 or to live without them? The choice is yours. 00:31:52.740 --> 00:31:56.039 One of the things that I am learning, and I've 00:31:56.039 --> 00:31:59.539 learned this late in life, I guess, is that growing 00:31:59.539 --> 00:32:04.200 up means having more choices. Now, I understood 00:32:04.200 --> 00:32:06.799 that better when I was growing up. When my children 00:32:06.799 --> 00:32:10.980 are growing up, it's harder for me to allow them 00:32:10.980 --> 00:32:17.000 to have choices. I'm a better sergeant than I 00:32:17.000 --> 00:32:21.539 am a layer out of choices. But I'm learning, 00:32:22.220 --> 00:32:26.640 and I'm slow, but I'm learning that teenagers 00:32:26.640 --> 00:32:30.660 need choices. Now you give them choices that 00:32:30.660 --> 00:32:34.119 are compatible with what's okay with you, but 00:32:34.119 --> 00:32:36.480 they need to have some sense of control. You 00:32:36.480 --> 00:32:43.740 just can't order them around. God gives us choices 00:32:43.740 --> 00:32:48.809 too, because we have to grow up. God says, here 00:32:48.809 --> 00:32:52.589 I give you these resources, now you may use them. 00:32:54.789 --> 00:32:57.329 Or if you don't want to use them, you can live 00:32:57.329 --> 00:33:03.069 that way. You know one of the neat things about 00:33:03.069 --> 00:33:06.769 choices? That when you have the privilege of 00:33:06.769 --> 00:33:10.150 making choices, you also have the opportunity 00:33:10.150 --> 00:33:13.250 to learn from the consequences of those choices. 00:33:14.589 --> 00:33:17.529 You can't blame the sergeant anymore who didn't 00:33:17.529 --> 00:33:22.769 tell you what to do. Suddenly, you're the one 00:33:22.769 --> 00:33:25.250 who made the choice and now you have to face 00:33:25.250 --> 00:33:28.369 the consequences or enjoy the rewards if you 00:33:28.369 --> 00:33:31.210 made the right choice. Isn't it the same way 00:33:31.210 --> 00:33:34.630 in God's family? If we make the right choice, 00:33:35.230 --> 00:33:37.769 then we have reward, we have blessing, we have 00:33:37.769 --> 00:33:40.390 joy. If we make the wrong choices, then our lives 00:33:40.390 --> 00:33:44.359 can be miserable in this world. Not because God 00:33:44.359 --> 00:33:47.099 wants them that way or they have to be, but because 00:33:47.099 --> 00:33:49.640 those are the choices we make and we live with 00:33:49.640 --> 00:33:55.940 our consequences. Today, you and I have the resources 00:33:55.940 --> 00:34:00.279 of God at our disposal. We have all kinds of 00:34:00.279 --> 00:34:04.519 secrets that the world has no availability of 00:34:04.519 --> 00:34:10.019 that we can draw upon. Do you today need hope? 00:34:10.980 --> 00:34:16.829 God gives you purpose. Do you need relief? Well, 00:34:16.829 --> 00:34:21.130 God gives you access. Do you need sufficiency 00:34:21.130 --> 00:34:22.969 for something that's coming up in your life? 00:34:23.030 --> 00:34:27.030 God gives you His power. Are you hungering for 00:34:27.030 --> 00:34:29.769 significance? God's made you a part of the church. 00:34:29.789 --> 00:34:33.289 You have a job to do. Do you need cleansing? 00:34:34.110 --> 00:34:36.570 God has given you His Word to keep yourself clean. 00:34:38.760 --> 00:34:41.360 Are you left exposed and you need protection? 00:34:41.460 --> 00:34:46.380 God's given you His armor. Now use them. Use 00:34:46.380 --> 00:34:49.500 the resources. Take advantage of the secrets 00:34:49.500 --> 00:34:53.659 of the saints and learn to live in the fullness 00:34:53.659 --> 00:34:56.719 that God wants you to know. Warren Wiersbe in 00:34:56.719 --> 00:34:59.840 his book Be Joyful says, all of nature depends 00:34:59.840 --> 00:35:03.519 on hidden resources. The great trees send their 00:35:03.519 --> 00:35:06.739 roots down into the earth to draw up water and 00:35:06.739 --> 00:35:09.860 minerals. The most important part of a tree is 00:35:09.860 --> 00:35:13.679 the part you cannot see, the root system. And 00:35:13.679 --> 00:35:15.840 the most important part of the Christian's life 00:35:15.840 --> 00:35:19.420 is the part that only God sees. Unless we draw 00:35:19.420 --> 00:35:23.440 upon the deep resources of God by faith, we fail 00:35:23.440 --> 00:35:27.719 against the pressures of life. Life is tough. 00:35:30.159 --> 00:35:33.739 Life is just a constant challenge. It's filled 00:35:33.739 --> 00:35:37.110 every day with trials and opportunities. and 00:35:37.110 --> 00:35:41.250 challenges and pitfalls and snares and tricks 00:35:41.250 --> 00:35:45.409 that you and I have in Jesus Christ, everything 00:35:45.409 --> 00:35:49.750 we need. Oh, may God teach us to use our resources 00:35:49.750 --> 00:35:53.570 that we may walk in this world as His saints, 00:35:54.250 --> 00:36:00.769 filled with His joy, living in His power, rejoicing 00:36:00.769 --> 00:36:07.860 in His presence. Let's pray. Well, dear Prince 00:36:07.860 --> 00:36:12.579 of God, Saint of God sitting here today, you're 00:36:12.579 --> 00:36:17.719 wealthy in Christ. But is your life right now 00:36:17.719 --> 00:36:20.599 impoverished? Are you suffering some consequences 00:36:20.599 --> 00:36:25.179 of bad choices? Your Heavenly Father loves you 00:36:25.179 --> 00:36:30.119 and He wants to bring those resources as an active 00:36:30.119 --> 00:36:33.179 part of your life. that requires your response, 00:36:33.619 --> 00:36:36.280 your surrender to Him, your trusting obedience. 00:36:37.699 --> 00:36:41.179 Will you today, if you're living an impoverished 00:36:41.179 --> 00:36:45.780 life, make a different choice? Will you choose 00:36:45.780 --> 00:36:49.340 today to drop on the resources you have in Christ? 00:36:54.199 --> 00:36:58.159 And if you're here today without Jesus, if you've 00:36:58.159 --> 00:37:02.900 not made that eternally important choice to trust 00:37:02.900 --> 00:37:08.059 Him. Will you today do that? I hope you will. 00:37:08.820 --> 00:37:11.139 Because He suffered and died for you. He rose 00:37:11.139 --> 00:37:15.019 again for you. That your sins might be forgiven. 00:37:15.519 --> 00:37:18.000 And that you might have these resources. That 00:37:18.000 --> 00:37:21.380 you might know the secrets of the saints. And 00:37:21.380 --> 00:37:24.460 they can be yours today if you will trust Him. 00:37:30.280 --> 00:37:34.960 Would you stand together with me? I'd like for 00:37:34.960 --> 00:37:46.960 us to sing a chorus. God is so good God is so 00:37:46.960 --> 00:38:00.210 good God is so good He's so good to me Lord, 00:38:00.230 --> 00:38:03.010 You are good and You have given to us resources 00:38:03.010 --> 00:38:11.090 that so often we fail to use. We all make bad 00:38:11.090 --> 00:38:14.809 choices and we all understand the consequences 00:38:14.809 --> 00:38:21.769 that come from those. Teach us, Lord. Grow us, 00:38:21.929 --> 00:38:28.090 we pray. Deepen our roots. May we draw upon the 00:38:28.090 --> 00:38:31.170 secrets that belong to us, those resources, that 00:38:31.170 --> 00:38:36.610 hidden spring that is ours in Christ. And as 00:38:36.610 --> 00:38:40.750 we grow in Him, may our lives bear the fruit 00:38:40.750 --> 00:38:46.369 of blessing and joy that would give praise to 00:38:46.369 --> 00:38:52.199 you and bring delight to our lives. I pray today 00:38:52.199 --> 00:38:54.679 for some brothers and sisters who are struggling 00:38:54.679 --> 00:39:01.460 and hurting and in pain, some because of disobedience, 00:39:02.300 --> 00:39:06.920 because of choices. Lord, love them back to yourself 00:39:06.920 --> 00:39:11.679 today. Break through that pain, the resistance, 00:39:12.480 --> 00:39:15.659 the walls have been put up, and put your arms 00:39:15.659 --> 00:39:19.150 around those who are your children. and love 00:39:19.150 --> 00:39:22.070 them back to a place of obedience and fellowship. 00:39:24.389 --> 00:39:26.650 Thank you for hearing us. Thank you for ministering 00:39:26.650 --> 00:39:29.369 to our lives by the Holy Spirit and through your 00:39:29.369 --> 00:39:32.670 Word. In Jesus' name, amen.