1 00:00:01,240 --> 00:00:04,760 My name is Matt Frey and I want to welcome you to Winter Grace. 2 00:00:05,080 --> 00:00:07,280 I have the privilege of serving as one of the pastors here at 3 00:00:07,280 --> 00:00:11,640 PCPC, and we're really delighted that you are here with us this 4 00:00:11,640 --> 00:00:14,480 morning. Winter Grace is our church's 5 00:00:14,480 --> 00:00:19,720 annual on campus retreat for our congregation. 6 00:00:19,720 --> 00:00:23,760 It features a variety of activities centered around some 7 00:00:23,760 --> 00:00:26,920 key theme of God's grace in our lives. 8 00:00:28,120 --> 00:00:30,680 The first Winter Grace I learned this week, the first winter 9 00:00:30,680 --> 00:00:33,560 grace was actually 30 years ago, 1996. 10 00:00:34,840 --> 00:00:37,200 Alec Moitier was the guest preacher. 11 00:00:37,200 --> 00:00:40,200 Some of you may have been there and enjoyed that. 12 00:00:41,120 --> 00:00:43,240 For the last several years, Winter Grace has not only 13 00:00:43,240 --> 00:00:46,920 included special worship services and a guest preacher, 14 00:00:46,920 --> 00:00:50,440 but has also included times of fellowship and teaching. 15 00:00:50,440 --> 00:00:52,160 That's part of what we're doing this morning. 16 00:00:52,760 --> 00:00:54,840 Beautiful music. There will be a concert this 17 00:00:54,840 --> 00:00:57,920 evening with Sandra McCracken. It's not too late to register 18 00:00:57,920 --> 00:01:04,920 for tickets and and and time together that in several 19 00:01:04,920 --> 00:01:09,040 different ways we might emphasize and and embody the 20 00:01:09,040 --> 00:01:12,000 themes of God's grace that we're focused on. 21 00:01:12,840 --> 00:01:15,840 Before I introduce our guest preacher for this weekend to 22 00:01:15,840 --> 00:01:18,360 lead us in devotions this morning, I want to say just a 23 00:01:18,360 --> 00:01:22,120 few words about the theme for this year's winter grace. 24 00:01:22,120 --> 00:01:25,320 This the theme this year is God's grace in our fellowship. 25 00:01:27,080 --> 00:01:30,080 Fellowship is one of those unique Christian vocab words 26 00:01:30,080 --> 00:01:33,040 that's often used and rarely defined. 27 00:01:35,400 --> 00:01:38,400 Fellowship is a Bible word. The Greek word is Koinonia. 28 00:01:38,920 --> 00:01:41,440 Interestingly, it's not used with great frequency in the 29 00:01:41,440 --> 00:01:43,440 Bible. It's kind of like the word 30 00:01:43,440 --> 00:01:49,680 covenant, a good Reformed word, rarely used, but the concept is 31 00:01:49,680 --> 00:01:52,760 everywhere. And similarly with fellowship. 32 00:01:52,760 --> 00:01:57,000 Fellowship is not really something we do as an activity. 33 00:01:57,680 --> 00:02:00,720 Fellowship is not really somewhere we go even yes, I know 34 00:02:00,720 --> 00:02:02,880 this room is called the fellowship hall. 35 00:02:04,080 --> 00:02:09,240 Fellowship is above all, it's a relationship we've been given. 36 00:02:10,360 --> 00:02:13,680 It's a relationship we've been given between God and his 37 00:02:13,680 --> 00:02:16,520 people. The union we have with the 38 00:02:16,520 --> 00:02:21,520 triune God through Jesus Christ, It's, it's this covenantal bond 39 00:02:21,520 --> 00:02:25,280 with God and therefore between people in the church. 40 00:02:25,280 --> 00:02:29,120 We recited the Apostles Creed and worship this past Sunday and 41 00:02:29,120 --> 00:02:32,440 we recited that we believe in the communion of the Saints. 42 00:02:32,440 --> 00:02:36,480 That's what we're getting at and what we talk about fellowship. 43 00:02:36,640 --> 00:02:41,080 Like the church in Acts 242, we as God's people are to be 44 00:02:41,520 --> 00:02:46,400 devoted to prayer and to the apostles teaching, to the 45 00:02:46,400 --> 00:02:52,000 breaking of bread, which means breakfast tacos, and devoted to 46 00:02:52,320 --> 00:02:55,000 the fellowship. Devoted to the fellowship. 47 00:02:55,000 --> 00:02:59,360 That's how the early church was described and certainly how we 48 00:02:59,360 --> 00:03:03,360 would want to be characterized continually until Christ 49 00:03:03,360 --> 00:03:06,760 returns. So why that theme this year? 50 00:03:06,760 --> 00:03:08,800 Why talk about fellowship this year? 51 00:03:09,800 --> 00:03:13,320 Well, it's especially timely because fellowship is a 52 00:03:13,320 --> 00:03:17,360 beautiful gift that that seems to be increasingly 53 00:03:17,360 --> 00:03:20,960 countercultural, increasingly countercultural. 54 00:03:20,960 --> 00:03:23,880 First, fellowship is countercultural because we live 55 00:03:23,880 --> 00:03:27,800 in a culture of loneliness. Loneliness is a problem 56 00:03:27,800 --> 00:03:30,480 throughout history, throughout cultures, but it's an especially 57 00:03:30,480 --> 00:03:33,960 profound problem today. Listen to what author Andy 58 00:03:33,960 --> 00:03:38,440 Crouch wrote a few years ago. He said if there was one word 59 00:03:39,000 --> 00:03:43,080 that sums up the crisis of personhood in our time for the 60 00:03:43,080 --> 00:03:46,720 powerful and the powerless alike, it is loneliness. 61 00:03:47,680 --> 00:03:51,960 Loneliness has spiked just as our media became social, our 62 00:03:51,960 --> 00:03:55,520 technology became personal, and our machines learned to 63 00:03:55,520 --> 00:03:59,400 recognize our faces. It is the shadow side of living 64 00:03:59,400 --> 00:04:04,000 in a technological world. Against that dark cultural 65 00:04:04,000 --> 00:04:08,160 backdrop of loneliness, the fellowship of the Saints in the 66 00:04:08,160 --> 00:04:11,480 Church is a bright light and a healing balm. 67 00:04:11,920 --> 00:04:15,400 Second, fellowship is countercultural in a culture of 68 00:04:15,400 --> 00:04:18,720 religious consumerism. We in Dallas are still, quote UN 69 00:04:18,720 --> 00:04:23,360 quote, enjoying the broad acceptance of the church and of 70 00:04:23,360 --> 00:04:27,040 the Christian faith. But that acceptance comes at the 71 00:04:27,040 --> 00:04:31,600 cost at times of people viewing churches consumeristically. 72 00:04:32,760 --> 00:04:35,920 Too often we unthinkingly treat the church as a provider of 73 00:04:35,920 --> 00:04:40,080 goods and services for the family, or for a particular 74 00:04:40,080 --> 00:04:43,760 mission or a particular aesthetic of musical taste. 75 00:04:44,680 --> 00:04:49,120 And so we need to work hard at both teaching and embodying the 76 00:04:49,120 --> 00:04:54,200 truth that the church is first and foremost a covenant family 77 00:04:54,800 --> 00:05:00,040 that worships our Savior Jesus Christ together and proclaims 78 00:05:00,040 --> 00:05:04,720 him together. And so to push back against this 79 00:05:04,720 --> 00:05:08,080 loneliness and consumerism, God's given us a few resources 80 00:05:08,080 --> 00:05:13,680 to help us swim upstream. The first, the first resource is 81 00:05:13,680 --> 00:05:17,080 a conceptual resource. The best conceptual resource we 82 00:05:17,080 --> 00:05:21,640 have against loneliness is good, strong biblical theology. 83 00:05:22,800 --> 00:05:25,720 It helps us see that loneliness is a result of the fall. 84 00:05:25,720 --> 00:05:28,760 It helps us see that Jesus has come as our only healer, our 85 00:05:28,760 --> 00:05:32,840 only Redeemer, offered us the gift of union with him and with 86 00:05:32,840 --> 00:05:36,680 one another. And so in that vein of strong 87 00:05:36,680 --> 00:05:40,240 biblical theology, this morning we have some breakout sessions. 88 00:05:40,920 --> 00:05:43,200 I encourage you to pay attention, specially if you're 89 00:05:43,200 --> 00:05:47,400 interested in that kind of lens. Look at those breakout sessions 90 00:05:47,400 --> 00:05:49,440 by Kelly Kapick and Mark McDowell. 91 00:05:50,000 --> 00:05:52,480 Lean into the Sermons Tomorrow by David Gibson. 92 00:05:53,760 --> 00:05:56,720 The second resource God's given us is a practical resource. 93 00:05:56,720 --> 00:06:00,280 The best practical resource we have to push against loneliness 94 00:06:00,280 --> 00:06:04,720 and lean into fellowship is the practice of healthy Christian 95 00:06:05,000 --> 00:06:07,400 fellowship. Doing it, embodying it. 96 00:06:08,200 --> 00:06:10,800 So I encourage you to look at those breakout sessions by 97 00:06:10,800 --> 00:06:14,400 Robbie Higginbottom and John Paul Schultz and Sandra 98 00:06:14,400 --> 00:06:18,480 McCracken. Invite a friend to lunch today 99 00:06:18,520 --> 00:06:23,320 after breakout sessions conclude in your home or at a cafe. 100 00:06:24,400 --> 00:06:27,320 Spend time with someone talking about what you heard this 101 00:06:27,320 --> 00:06:30,760 morning. Come back for a concert tonight 102 00:06:30,760 --> 00:06:35,240 and linger and talk. Come for worship tomorrow. 103 00:06:35,280 --> 00:06:39,280 Tomorrow evening we'll have a time of food and fellowship and 104 00:06:39,280 --> 00:06:42,840 just extra time lingering in in the Grand Hall tomorrow night 105 00:06:43,200 --> 00:06:47,360 after worship. Also, you'll hear more about 106 00:06:47,360 --> 00:06:51,400 this through the weekend, but sign up for parish dinners 107 00:06:51,400 --> 00:06:54,960 that'll happen in February for our time of parish prayer 108 00:06:54,960 --> 00:07:01,400 that'll happen in March 3rd. And finally, and maybe the 109 00:07:01,400 --> 00:07:06,320 easiest of all, the the best resource God has given us to 110 00:07:06,320 --> 00:07:10,960 lean into this value and reality of fellowship is to simply give 111 00:07:10,960 --> 00:07:15,280 him thanks for it, to recognize it, and to thank Him. 112 00:07:16,680 --> 00:07:22,320 Fellowship in the church isn't ever perfect, and it is rarely 113 00:07:22,640 --> 00:07:26,760 easy, but it's a good and gracious gift from our Heavenly 114 00:07:26,760 --> 00:07:29,640 Father. And so consider these words from 115 00:07:29,640 --> 00:07:33,480 Dietrich Bonhoeffer from his book Life Together, and then 116 00:07:33,480 --> 00:07:38,480 I'll pray, Bonhoeffer writes between the death of Christ and 117 00:07:38,480 --> 00:07:41,120 the last day. It is only by a gracious 118 00:07:41,120 --> 00:07:44,840 anticipation of the last things that Christians are privileged 119 00:07:44,840 --> 00:07:47,600 to live in visible fellowship with other Christians. 120 00:07:48,480 --> 00:07:51,480 It is by the grace of God that a congregation is permitted to 121 00:07:51,480 --> 00:07:55,160 gather visibly in this world and to share God's Word and 122 00:07:55,160 --> 00:07:58,280 sacrament. Not all Christians receive this 123 00:07:58,280 --> 00:08:01,360 blessing. The imprisoned, the sick, the 124 00:08:01,360 --> 00:08:04,240 scattered, lonely, The Proclaimers of the gospel and 125 00:08:04,240 --> 00:08:08,080 heathen lands stand alone. They know that visible 126 00:08:08,080 --> 00:08:12,160 fellowship is a blessing. Therefore, let him who until now 127 00:08:12,520 --> 00:08:15,160 has had the privilege of living a common Christian life with 128 00:08:15,160 --> 00:08:19,760 other Christians praise God and praise his grace from the bottom 129 00:08:19,760 --> 00:08:23,200 of his heart. Let him thank God on his knees 130 00:08:23,200 --> 00:08:27,600 and declare it is grace, nothing but grace, that we are allowed 131 00:08:27,600 --> 00:08:30,240 to live in community with Christian brethren. 132 00:08:30,720 --> 00:08:34,200 And so let me pray, Father, we do give you thanks for the gift 133 00:08:34,200 --> 00:08:39,240 of life in your Son Jesus. And we give you thanks for the 134 00:08:39,240 --> 00:08:43,960 days of life together as your people in the Pilgrim journey 135 00:08:43,960 --> 00:08:49,440 that you've called us to in being your church to worship and 136 00:08:49,440 --> 00:08:53,840 to break bread and to pray and to proclaim your name. 137 00:08:53,960 --> 00:08:57,480 And we pray this weekend that you would renew our our sense of 138 00:08:57,480 --> 00:09:01,680 appreciation and gratitude and even increase the health of our 139 00:09:01,680 --> 00:09:06,640 practice of a fellowship in this particular church, in the 140 00:09:06,640 --> 00:09:08,160 churches that you've called us to. 141 00:09:09,000 --> 00:09:13,640 We pray that you would that you would by your spirit be at work 142 00:09:14,520 --> 00:09:19,080 building us up, sending us out, causing us to be more faithful 143 00:09:19,080 --> 00:09:22,640 reflections of your love and your faithfulness to us. 144 00:09:22,640 --> 00:09:28,280 We pray in Jesus name, Amen. A year ago we had the privilege 145 00:09:28,280 --> 00:09:31,480 of having Sinclair Ferguson as our guest preacher for Winter 146 00:09:31,480 --> 00:09:34,920 Grace. And before the evening service 147 00:09:35,000 --> 00:09:38,320 last February, I was talking with Sinclair and I told him 148 00:09:38,320 --> 00:09:40,880 about the theme that I was considering for this year's 149 00:09:41,080 --> 00:09:44,480 Winter Grace. And I asked him, who would you 150 00:09:44,480 --> 00:09:49,600 recommend that we invite to preach on the theme of God's 151 00:09:49,600 --> 00:09:53,000 grace in our fellowship? You know the format, Sinclair. 152 00:09:53,000 --> 00:09:54,760 You've been here twice for Winter Grace. 153 00:09:56,080 --> 00:09:59,320 You know our congregation. Who would you recommend? 154 00:09:59,800 --> 00:10:02,120 And I said, who is who's, who's written something that you found 155 00:10:02,120 --> 00:10:04,160 helpful? Who's who have you heard speak 156 00:10:04,160 --> 00:10:06,440 on the topic in a way that you found compelling? 157 00:10:06,840 --> 00:10:12,680 And if you know Sinclair, he responded very gently and wisely 158 00:10:13,280 --> 00:10:19,880 and correcting me and said, well, I do read many books and I 159 00:10:19,880 --> 00:10:25,280 travel quite a bit, and I hear other people speak, but I don't 160 00:10:25,280 --> 00:10:28,640 often visit their churches. And if you're going to invite 161 00:10:28,640 --> 00:10:31,440 someone to speak on fellowship, you really ought to know a man's 162 00:10:31,440 --> 00:10:36,040 church and you really ought to know his life in that church. 163 00:10:36,920 --> 00:10:42,720 And so for me, he said, I would recommend my own pastor. 164 00:10:44,200 --> 00:10:46,200 And so he recommended David Gibson. 165 00:10:47,200 --> 00:10:49,360 I took that as a fairly strong endorsement. 166 00:10:51,400 --> 00:10:55,600 Our session seemed to agree, and so we are privileged to have 167 00:10:55,600 --> 00:10:59,080 David Gibson here with us this weekend. 168 00:11:00,000 --> 00:11:02,720 David is not only Sinclair's pastor, but he's become a good 169 00:11:02,720 --> 00:11:05,360 friend to many in our congregation. 170 00:11:05,360 --> 00:11:08,640 Paul Goebel and his family spent time with David during their 171 00:11:08,640 --> 00:11:13,640 sabbatical last summer. David is the minister of Trinity 172 00:11:13,640 --> 00:11:17,080 Church in Aberdeen, Scotland. He's published a number of 173 00:11:17,080 --> 00:11:21,240 beloved books, including The Lord of Psalm 23 and Radically 174 00:11:21,240 --> 00:11:26,840 Whole and Living Life Backward. By the way, David mentioned that 175 00:11:26,840 --> 00:11:31,400 100% of the proceeds from that Living Life Backward book go to 176 00:11:31,400 --> 00:11:34,680 help fund the the construction of Trinity Church's new 177 00:11:34,680 --> 00:11:37,520 building. So buy more than one of those. 178 00:11:41,040 --> 00:11:43,280 David's married to Angela. They have four children. 179 00:11:43,280 --> 00:11:45,720 And we're really, really grateful that they are sharing 180 00:11:45,720 --> 00:11:48,880 you with us this weekend. Please join me in welcoming 181 00:11:48,880 --> 00:12:02,200 David Gibson. Well, good morning, everybody. 182 00:12:03,280 --> 00:12:05,280 A real delight to be here with you I. 183 00:12:05,280 --> 00:12:07,840 Do not remember Matt telling me that story about Sinclair, but 184 00:12:07,840 --> 00:12:13,280 it it now means you know who to blame for what's going to what 185 00:12:13,280 --> 00:12:14,280 you're going to get this weekend. 186 00:12:14,280 --> 00:12:18,040 It's all his fault. I bring you his greetings and 187 00:12:18,560 --> 00:12:21,680 the greetings of the Trinity Church family in Aberdeen, my 188 00:12:21,680 --> 00:12:25,960 own family. Like Matt said, it really feels 189 00:12:25,960 --> 00:12:28,840 like being among friends this morning, and that's I simply 190 00:12:28,840 --> 00:12:30,200 want to say thank you to many of. 191 00:12:30,200 --> 00:12:34,600 You who over the last? Years have opened your heart to 192 00:12:34,600 --> 00:12:38,120 us in Aberdeen, given us of your time and your wisdom, your 193 00:12:38,120 --> 00:12:40,720 friendship. It's a very, very special. 194 00:12:40,720 --> 00:12:43,400 Blessing to be with you and speaking on this topic of. 195 00:12:43,760 --> 00:12:46,320 The grace of fellowship because. We've known that fellowship 196 00:12:47,040 --> 00:12:50,280 between our congregation and this congregation and many of us 197 00:12:50,280 --> 00:12:52,720 in it. So thank you very much indeed 198 00:12:52,720 --> 00:12:54,160 for having me. I want to say thank you to you, 199 00:12:54,520 --> 00:12:57,800 Mark, your pastor, senior pastor, and to Paul and to Matt 200 00:12:58,480 --> 00:13:01,040 for the warmth of welcome and looking after me so well. 201 00:13:01,040 --> 00:13:03,080 Kirk and Carrie Jay and I'm staying in the Sinclair. 202 00:13:03,080 --> 00:13:07,320 Suite at the Pogalofts. On the on the Ferguson. 203 00:13:07,320 --> 00:13:10,600 Floor. So it's a it's a very special 204 00:13:10,600 --> 00:13:13,720 place to be. I want to begin 222 things. 205 00:13:13,720 --> 00:13:16,120 I want to commend a book to you over this weekend. 206 00:13:17,000 --> 00:13:19,440 Your bookstore Amy's done an amazing job of getting. 207 00:13:19,440 --> 00:13:23,160 Lots of these little books. If you buy nothing else. 208 00:13:23,240 --> 00:13:24,800 We've got to buy books by doctor. 209 00:13:24,800 --> 00:13:28,000 Kelly Kapick by Sandra McCracken You've got to buy those if you 210 00:13:28,000 --> 00:13:30,720 buy nothing else. Please pick up this little book. 211 00:13:31,440 --> 00:13:34,000 John Calvin, A Little Book on the Christian Life. 212 00:13:35,080 --> 00:13:36,840 I do feel a. Little bit embarrassed doing 213 00:13:36,840 --> 00:13:38,160 because. Doctor Kapick has just. 214 00:13:38,160 --> 00:13:40,960 Published a book called Christian Life and here I am 215 00:13:40,960 --> 00:13:43,640 recommending a different book. I think he will be happy with 216 00:13:43,640 --> 00:13:47,960 this being commended and really everything I'm going to give you 217 00:13:48,440 --> 00:13:51,440 in different ways comes from Calvin South view of the 218 00:13:51,440 --> 00:13:53,320 Christian life. You'll find it all in here. 219 00:13:53,600 --> 00:13:55,840 This is the most wonderful translation. 220 00:13:55,840 --> 00:13:57,480 It is readable. It is smooth. 221 00:13:57,480 --> 00:13:59,200 It's. Accessible if you're at. 222 00:13:59,200 --> 00:14:02,040 All intimidated of Calvin and think I don't where should I 223 00:14:02,040 --> 00:14:03,560 begin? There are two places to. 224 00:14:03,560 --> 00:14:06,440 Begin one is to read Calvin on the Lord S prayer and the 225 00:14:06,440 --> 00:14:07,480 second. Place is to read. 226 00:14:07,480 --> 00:14:09,600 Calvin on the Christian Life I'll say a little bit more 227 00:14:09,600 --> 00:14:11,280 about. This book I think particularly. 228 00:14:11,760 --> 00:14:15,280 Tomorrow evening, Sunday evening service, but I want to commend 229 00:14:15,280 --> 00:14:16,920 that to you. I don't know how many Amy's got 230 00:14:16,920 --> 00:14:19,400 a couple of hundred of these, I think 200 yet. 231 00:14:19,400 --> 00:14:23,480 So please don't leave without picking up picking up one of 232 00:14:23,480 --> 00:14:24,440 these. From your bookstore. 233 00:14:25,880 --> 00:14:29,400 What we're going to look at over three sessions this morning and 234 00:14:29,400 --> 00:14:32,680 then tomorrow morning in church and Sunday evening, 3 235 00:14:33,120 --> 00:14:35,600 expositions from the book of Ephesians on the. 236 00:14:35,680 --> 00:14:38,280 The topic of fellowship. This morning is the foundation 237 00:14:38,280 --> 00:14:40,840 of fellowship. Tomorrow morning is going to be 238 00:14:40,840 --> 00:14:41,680 the. Wardrobe. 239 00:14:42,040 --> 00:14:45,480 Of fellowship and Sunday evening is going to be the. 240 00:14:45,480 --> 00:14:46,920 Walk. Of fellowship. 241 00:14:46,920 --> 00:14:49,960 So I want to invite you to turn to Ephesians chapter 4. 242 00:14:50,200 --> 00:14:53,000 Think it's printed in inside the little bulletin that's on your 243 00:14:53,160 --> 00:14:56,120 on your tables. You can read it from there with 244 00:14:56,120 --> 00:15:00,400 me, or if you have a Bible, you might want to turn to Ephesians. 245 00:15:00,400 --> 00:15:03,400 Chapter 4. And I'm simply going to read 246 00:15:03,400 --> 00:15:06,800 this morning from verses 17 to 24. 247 00:15:06,800 --> 00:15:08,920 This is the foundation of fellowship. 248 00:15:19,090 --> 00:15:22,490 Let's hear God's word together, the apostle Paul. 249 00:15:22,490 --> 00:15:27,250 Says Now I say this and testify in the Lord, that you must no 250 00:15:27,250 --> 00:15:30,690 longer walk as the Gentiles do in the futility of their minds. 251 00:15:31,570 --> 00:15:35,330 They are darkened in their understanding, alienated from 252 00:15:35,330 --> 00:15:37,050 the life. Of God because of the. 253 00:15:37,090 --> 00:15:40,650 Ignorance that is in them due to their hardness of heart. 254 00:15:41,520 --> 00:15:44,280 They have become callous and have given themselves up to 255 00:15:44,280 --> 00:15:48,720 sensuality, greedy to practice every kind of impurity. 256 00:15:49,600 --> 00:15:54,480 But that is not the way you learned Christ, assuming that 257 00:15:54,480 --> 00:15:57,960 you have heard about Him and were taught in Him, as the truth 258 00:15:57,960 --> 00:16:01,680 is in. Jesus to put off your old self. 259 00:16:02,400 --> 00:16:05,040 Which belongs to your former manner of life and is. 260 00:16:05,040 --> 00:16:07,120 Corrupt through deceitful desires. 261 00:16:07,760 --> 00:16:12,120 And to be renewed in the spirit of your minds, and to put on the 262 00:16:12,120 --> 00:16:16,440 new self created after the likeness of God in true 263 00:16:16,440 --> 00:16:21,680 righteousness and holiness. Amen. 264 00:16:23,040 --> 00:16:27,400 Have any of you ever been asked this question? 265 00:16:28,320 --> 00:16:30,920 Who? Are you wearing this evening? 266 00:16:32,360 --> 00:16:35,760 Now, some of you, some of you in the room, You know immediately 267 00:16:35,800 --> 00:16:38,800 what that question means. You know who would ask it if the 268 00:16:38,800 --> 00:16:40,680 question seems very strange to? You. 269 00:16:40,880 --> 00:16:42,600 Who are you? Wearing this evening. 270 00:16:43,480 --> 00:16:46,840 That is the red carpet. Event question. 271 00:16:47,760 --> 00:16:50,000 There, there's the celebrity at the Star. 272 00:16:50,000 --> 00:16:53,000 Studded event there for the premiere of the film or some 273 00:16:53,000 --> 00:16:55,160 grand opening and the red. Carpet is rolled out. 274 00:16:55,640 --> 00:16:58,560 And the celebrity walks down the carpet and there's a certain 275 00:16:58,560 --> 00:17:00,600 type of journalist at the end of the row. 276 00:17:01,320 --> 00:17:06,800 That always asks, who are you? Wearing and what are what are 277 00:17:06,800 --> 00:17:15,000 the answers is going to be Louis Vuitton Armani Gucci not not 278 00:17:15,000 --> 00:17:20,160 what are you wearing but. Who are you wearing you? 279 00:17:20,160 --> 00:17:22,079 Wear the person. You. 280 00:17:22,079 --> 00:17:24,359 Wear their brand. You walk down the carpet in 281 00:17:24,359 --> 00:17:25,240 whatever. Bizarre. 282 00:17:25,240 --> 00:17:26,800 Creation it is that they've. Created. 283 00:17:27,480 --> 00:17:31,120 And everybody sees you. And as the cameras flash and the 284 00:17:31,120 --> 00:17:35,360 lights are flashing at the same time as the world looks at you, 285 00:17:35,360 --> 00:17:38,360 that person's name is up in lights, isn't it? 286 00:17:38,800 --> 00:17:42,480 You are wearing them, taking them out into the world, 287 00:17:44,360 --> 00:17:46,560 friends, as we think. About fellowship. 288 00:17:46,560 --> 00:17:48,800 This weekend, here's the picture. 289 00:17:50,000 --> 00:17:51,680 The fact that. You and I know what. 290 00:17:51,680 --> 00:17:57,680 It is to put a piece of. Clothing on and off in the Bible 291 00:17:57,680 --> 00:18:00,840 to put a different piece of clothing on and. 292 00:18:00,840 --> 00:18:04,320 Off to put a. Garment on and to take it off in 293 00:18:04,320 --> 00:18:05,960 the Bible. That is a picture. 294 00:18:05,960 --> 00:18:09,840 Of what it means to become a Christian and to live as a 295 00:18:09,840 --> 00:18:12,480 Christian. I don't know if you spotted it 296 00:18:12,480 --> 00:18:14,920 in our passage twice. There is the language of putting 297 00:18:14,920 --> 00:18:19,040 off and putting on. And so I want to ask you this 298 00:18:19,040 --> 00:18:20,640 morning. Who are you? 299 00:18:21,000 --> 00:18:26,680 Wearing Who are you wearing it is a simple. 300 00:18:26,680 --> 00:18:30,640 Wardrobe choice. That there are in fact in life 301 00:18:30,680 --> 00:18:33,600 only ever. Two people to wear. 302 00:18:34,200 --> 00:18:36,160 It's a really simple fact. You will only. 303 00:18:36,160 --> 00:18:40,840 Ever wear? Two people in your life, and 304 00:18:40,840 --> 00:18:44,240 some people, in fact, only ever wear one person. 305 00:18:45,480 --> 00:18:47,600 Well, I want you if you have a Bible, just to turn back to the 306 00:18:47,600 --> 00:18:49,760 book of Galatians. I was, as I was thinking about 307 00:18:49,760 --> 00:18:51,520 this, because it's a kind of informal setting. 308 00:18:51,520 --> 00:18:54,160 I was going to get someone to read it and shouted out, but I 309 00:18:54,160 --> 00:18:56,120 don't I I guess the size of the room you might not. 310 00:18:56,120 --> 00:19:00,080 Hear each other so. Galatians chapter 3, verse 27. 311 00:19:02,200 --> 00:19:03,920 Let's just do a little bit of thinking about this. 312 00:19:03,920 --> 00:19:07,160 Galatians, chapter 3, verse 27. Paul says. 313 00:19:07,160 --> 00:19:12,360 For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on 314 00:19:12,560 --> 00:19:14,400 Christ. You ever noticed? 315 00:19:14,400 --> 00:19:17,840 That before but. When was the last time you went 316 00:19:17,840 --> 00:19:22,480 to a baptism in a church service and somebody at the baptism said 317 00:19:22,480 --> 00:19:26,040 to you, welcome to today's clothing ceremony. 318 00:19:27,200 --> 00:19:31,880 But we are here today. At this baptism to dress someone 319 00:19:32,440 --> 00:19:36,800 in the Lord Jesus Christ that we we are actually used to it in 320 00:19:36,800 --> 00:19:38,840 life, aren't we? Think about a graduation that 321 00:19:38,840 --> 00:19:41,160 you go to and you're given the new. 322 00:19:41,160 --> 00:19:44,760 Clothes of the college or. The mortar board is placed on 323 00:19:44,760 --> 00:19:48,000 your head. The ribbon and the clothes do 324 00:19:48,000 --> 00:19:51,160 not belong to you until your head is ceremoniously. 325 00:19:51,160 --> 00:19:53,160 Touched or your shoulder touched. 326 00:19:53,440 --> 00:19:57,400 By the person in the university conferring the degree and the 327 00:19:57,400 --> 00:19:59,600 moment they touch. Your head or your shoulder? 328 00:19:59,600 --> 00:20:02,680 You are now for life, dressed in the. 329 00:20:02,680 --> 00:20:08,000 Colours of the university The the the water pours. 330 00:20:08,000 --> 00:20:12,560 Down on the baby. 'S head or the the adults head. 331 00:20:12,560 --> 00:20:16,400 The water pours. Down and they are dressed in 332 00:20:16,400 --> 00:20:20,560 Christ for life. Just just turn back again to 333 00:20:20,560 --> 00:20:25,840 Romans this time Romans chapter 13, Romans chapter 13. 334 00:20:25,840 --> 00:20:29,040 Again just one verse. Romans, chapter 13, verse 14. 335 00:20:30,800 --> 00:20:33,240 Paul. Finishes the chapter saying but 336 00:20:33,720 --> 00:20:36,800 put on. The Lord Jesus Christ. 337 00:20:37,800 --> 00:20:41,320 And make no provision for the. Flesh to gratify its desires. 338 00:20:41,520 --> 00:20:47,240 Put on Christ, isn't it true? We tend to think about in in 339 00:20:47,240 --> 00:20:51,920 relation to Christ, believing in him, trusting in him and we 340 00:20:51,920 --> 00:20:55,440 don't really use that preposition on very much. 341 00:20:55,440 --> 00:20:59,200 But here it is in our in our Bibles, a beautiful, beautiful 342 00:20:59,200 --> 00:21:02,000 idea. But what what I want us to know 343 00:21:02,000 --> 00:21:06,040 this morning, friends, is that fellowship with each other 344 00:21:06,040 --> 00:21:12,000 horizontally needs to begin. With fellowship with Christ 345 00:21:12,280 --> 00:21:16,600 first. My fellowship with you begins 346 00:21:16,600 --> 00:21:19,360 individually with my fellowship with Christ. 347 00:21:19,560 --> 00:21:23,160 The foundation of fellowship is not anything between us. 348 00:21:23,800 --> 00:21:30,520 First of all, the foundation is me and Christ and the image that 349 00:21:30,520 --> 00:21:32,000 Paul. Uses is the idea of. 350 00:21:32,000 --> 00:21:37,640 Putting Jesus on, and as I put him on, putting me. 351 00:21:37,880 --> 00:21:43,080 Off the old self off. If you come back to Ephesians 352 00:21:43,080 --> 00:21:46,720 with me again, I want you to see this morning that there are only 353 00:21:46,720 --> 00:21:51,080 ever. Two people to wear only ever two 354 00:21:51,080 --> 00:21:55,240 people to wear in all. The world look at verse 22 you 355 00:21:55,240 --> 00:21:57,680 were taught in him as the truth is in Jesus to. 356 00:21:57,680 --> 00:22:02,800 Put off your old self which? Belongs to your former manner of 357 00:22:02,800 --> 00:22:04,440 life and is. Corrupt through deceitful 358 00:22:04,440 --> 00:22:09,040 desires. Friends you can spend your life 359 00:22:09,040 --> 00:22:10,880 wearing only. You. 360 00:22:13,280 --> 00:22:18,880 You can spend your life trusting you, spend your life being true 361 00:22:18,880 --> 00:22:22,520 to you, following you, finding truth for yourself, inside 362 00:22:22,520 --> 00:22:25,080 yourself. That there is you yourself. 363 00:22:25,080 --> 00:22:28,720 And that's all there is. You can you can take what is in 364 00:22:28,720 --> 00:22:34,080 here and project. It out to the world, I guess 365 00:22:34,080 --> 00:22:35,320 people say it over here as much as they. 366 00:22:35,320 --> 00:22:39,000 Say in Scotland, your truth. Be be true to yourself. 367 00:22:39,000 --> 00:22:41,680 Find your truth, be true. To you. 368 00:22:42,680 --> 00:22:48,080 You can wear. You forever or you can. 369 00:22:48,080 --> 00:22:50,080 Wear well. What's Paul's language here? 370 00:22:50,080 --> 00:22:52,120 What did Galatians say? What did Romans say? 371 00:22:52,400 --> 00:22:56,160 You can wear Christ. Look at verse 20. 372 00:22:56,160 --> 00:23:02,480 Four, put off your old. Self and to put on the new self 373 00:23:03,240 --> 00:23:07,480 created after the likeness of God and true righteousness and 374 00:23:07,480 --> 00:23:08,440 holiness. Who? 375 00:23:08,440 --> 00:23:10,640 Who is the new? Self here that you put. 376 00:23:10,640 --> 00:23:14,200 On. The Lord Jesus Christ. 377 00:23:14,200 --> 00:23:19,040 Is the invisible image of God. He is the one true likeness of 378 00:23:19,040 --> 00:23:23,120 God if you want to know. What God is like you, You look 379 00:23:23,120 --> 00:23:24,280 at Jesus. Don't you? 380 00:23:25,120 --> 00:23:27,600 You see who? God is by looking at Jesus that 381 00:23:27,600 --> 00:23:29,800 that is God's likeness in the flesh. 382 00:23:30,480 --> 00:23:33,000 Look at Jesus in Jesus. That's. 383 00:23:33,000 --> 00:23:36,800 Where you see true righteousness, true holiness. 384 00:23:36,920 --> 00:23:39,840 So he although Paul doesn't use exactly that phrase here in 385 00:23:39,840 --> 00:23:44,200 verse 24 to put on the new. Self created after. 386 00:23:44,320 --> 00:23:47,240 The likeness of God and true righteousness and holiness. 387 00:23:47,240 --> 00:23:50,800 Friends, you don't have to make those things up yourself. 388 00:23:50,800 --> 00:23:54,160 You don't have to find righteousness and holiness. 389 00:23:54,560 --> 00:23:57,640 You don't have to create them yourself and then stick them on 390 00:23:57,640 --> 00:24:01,320 to. You God gives you his. 391 00:24:01,320 --> 00:24:02,600 Image his. Likeness. 392 00:24:02,600 --> 00:24:05,560 He gives you Jesus. And as you. 393 00:24:05,560 --> 00:24:07,440 Clothe. Yourself in him. 394 00:24:08,200 --> 00:24:12,800 Now you have a new self. There is a new. 395 00:24:12,840 --> 00:24:14,800 You. In him. 396 00:24:16,320 --> 00:24:19,160 See, here's the message of Ephesians we're diving into. 397 00:24:19,160 --> 00:24:22,640 Chapter 4 over this this. Weekend, but here's the message 398 00:24:22,640 --> 00:24:27,800 of Ephesians chapters 1 to. Three, God has brought you. 399 00:24:27,800 --> 00:24:30,880 Together in Christ go to under understand the book of 400 00:24:30,880 --> 00:24:35,120 Ephesians, chapters 1 to 3. God has brought us together. 401 00:24:35,120 --> 00:24:37,760 In Christ. So it's the whole message. 402 00:24:37,760 --> 00:24:40,640 Of the first 3 chapters, God has raised Jesus. 403 00:24:40,640 --> 00:24:44,440 From the dead. And now he is joining the world 404 00:24:44,440 --> 00:24:47,280 together in him. Chapter 2 June Gentile The wall 405 00:24:47,280 --> 00:24:50,080 has been taken down. You are one in him. 406 00:24:52,560 --> 00:24:56,280 God has brought us together. Chapters 4 to 6. 407 00:24:56,920 --> 00:25:01,000 So let's stick together, if God has brought us. 408 00:25:01,000 --> 00:25:03,080 Together in Christ you can look at if you have a Bible, the 409 00:25:03,080 --> 00:25:05,080 heading. Over chapter 4. 410 00:25:05,240 --> 00:25:08,320 In my Bible it says unity in the body of Christ. 411 00:25:09,280 --> 00:25:11,080 That's what the rest of the book is about. 412 00:25:11,080 --> 00:25:13,880 If God has. Joined us to Christ, joined us 413 00:25:13,880 --> 00:25:16,160 to each other. Let's stick together. 414 00:25:17,400 --> 00:25:21,200 And friends, the foundation of fellowship that the rock 415 00:25:21,200 --> 00:25:25,040 underneath this church family's feet is that you come to. 416 00:25:25,040 --> 00:25:28,520 Church week by week. And you now notice no. 417 00:25:28,520 --> 00:25:33,880 Other label that. Somebody is wearing other than 418 00:25:33,880 --> 00:25:37,800 Christ himself. It's as simple as that. 419 00:25:37,800 --> 00:25:42,480 This morning you are either in. Christ or out of Christ? 420 00:25:43,160 --> 00:25:47,280 You're either in him, wearing him, if. 421 00:25:47,280 --> 00:25:48,400 So you're a. Christian. 422 00:25:48,400 --> 00:25:52,240 And then because of that, you belong to me beside me. 423 00:25:52,360 --> 00:25:54,960 If you're wearing Christ, you are the same as me. 424 00:25:54,960 --> 00:25:56,320 Doesn't matter. Your age. 425 00:25:56,520 --> 00:25:59,120 Your gender, your background. Your social status. 426 00:26:01,440 --> 00:26:03,400 You know we, we. Use clothes to. 427 00:26:03,400 --> 00:26:05,480 Differentiate ourselves from each other, don't we? 428 00:26:05,480 --> 00:26:05,840 We. We. 429 00:26:05,840 --> 00:26:11,080 Use clothes to express status to express wealth, We we use 430 00:26:11,080 --> 00:26:12,760 clothes to. Create an in. 431 00:26:12,760 --> 00:26:14,560 Crowd. A cool crowd. 432 00:26:15,240 --> 00:26:19,600 And an outcry and I know in the in the United. 433 00:26:19,600 --> 00:26:21,920 States you don't. Really have a class system like 434 00:26:21,920 --> 00:26:23,800 we do in the United Kingdom working class. 435 00:26:23,800 --> 00:26:27,840 Middle class, upper class, but there will be ways. 436 00:26:27,840 --> 00:26:30,640 In which in your world you different differentiate 437 00:26:30,640 --> 00:26:35,040 yourselves from one another. By what you wear, Paul is. 438 00:26:35,040 --> 00:26:39,880 Saying there is no class system in Christian fellowship. 439 00:26:40,840 --> 00:26:43,000 There is no class system in that. 440 00:26:43,000 --> 00:26:46,920 The Christian uniform is not individual things. 441 00:26:46,920 --> 00:26:51,280 The Christian uniform is a person, the Lord Jesus, and we 442 00:26:51,280 --> 00:26:56,000 all wear him together. If you belong to Jesus, you 443 00:26:56,000 --> 00:26:58,440 belong to me. It's as simple as that. 444 00:26:58,440 --> 00:27:02,520 Friends is an incredible thing to fly thousands of miles across 445 00:27:02,520 --> 00:27:06,120 the world and to land and be at home. 446 00:27:07,240 --> 00:27:11,360 Because we are together. In Christ we belong to him, you, 447 00:27:11,360 --> 00:27:12,560 you. I I get off the. 448 00:27:12,560 --> 00:27:15,520 Plane and meet people and I see are you wearing him? 449 00:27:15,960 --> 00:27:19,960 Too well. What I hope these sessions are 450 00:27:19,960 --> 00:27:22,200 going to show us. Is the. 451 00:27:22,200 --> 00:27:26,160 Tragedy. And it is a tragedy, isn't it? 452 00:27:26,160 --> 00:27:30,520 The tragedy of seeking to have more fellowship in our lives 453 00:27:30,880 --> 00:27:33,160 with the kind of people who wear the same. 454 00:27:33,160 --> 00:27:37,720 Literal physical clothes as us. Than those who wear the same 455 00:27:37,720 --> 00:27:42,560 savior as us. So think of the the other realms 456 00:27:42,560 --> 00:27:45,680 in which you can walk the, the club that you belong to, the 457 00:27:45,920 --> 00:27:47,040 the. School that you go. 458 00:27:47,040 --> 00:27:49,840 To the fraternity group, the mums group, the the young 459 00:27:49,840 --> 00:27:51,240 people. 'S group, whatever it is. 460 00:27:51,480 --> 00:27:54,520 Friends. What a tragedy to have. 461 00:27:54,520 --> 00:27:58,120 More in common with people who wear the same physical things 462 00:27:58,120 --> 00:28:02,680 than than with people who wear the same spiritual thing as you. 463 00:28:03,480 --> 00:28:07,400 It is a tragedy. So you know what the Christian 464 00:28:07,400 --> 00:28:10,760 life is, the Christian life, Ephesians says very simply. 465 00:28:10,760 --> 00:28:14,720 Is be who you are. That's what the Christian life. 466 00:28:14,720 --> 00:28:18,840 Is if you have. Put on Jesus, then where? 467 00:28:18,960 --> 00:28:23,640 Jesus, if you have. Put on the new self, verse 24. 468 00:28:23,960 --> 00:28:25,800 If you have. Put the new self on. 469 00:28:25,800 --> 00:28:27,440 Do you know what the Christian life is? 470 00:28:28,280 --> 00:28:30,680 Then put on. The new self. 471 00:28:31,400 --> 00:28:33,560 If you've done it once. Do it again. 472 00:28:33,640 --> 00:28:34,440 Keep. Doing it. 473 00:28:34,440 --> 00:28:38,800 Keep doing it again and again. If you are. 474 00:28:38,800 --> 00:28:42,520 A Christian today you are wearing Jesus's righteousness, 475 00:28:43,160 --> 00:28:48,960 you're wearing Jesus's holiness. So dress yourselves in those 476 00:28:48,960 --> 00:28:52,840 things, wear them, put them on clothes, yourselves in them 477 00:28:52,840 --> 00:28:55,920 every day. I simply want to ask you that 478 00:28:55,920 --> 00:28:58,280 this morning. Are you wearing him? 479 00:29:00,720 --> 00:29:01,880 You, you say? Well, that's a bit. 480 00:29:01,880 --> 00:29:03,120 Abstract. How do I? 481 00:29:03,480 --> 00:29:04,800 How? Do I know if I'm wearing him? 482 00:29:04,800 --> 00:29:10,920 Here's the question. Can someone look at you and then 483 00:29:10,920 --> 00:29:12,400 look? At the Lord Jesus. 484 00:29:13,040 --> 00:29:18,520 And see, they're the same, that that's how you know if you're 485 00:29:18,520 --> 00:29:21,040 wearing him. You you look. 486 00:29:21,040 --> 00:29:27,040 The same as him, if you've put him on he he should be seen. 487 00:29:27,240 --> 00:29:28,720 By all the world. Around you. 488 00:29:30,440 --> 00:29:32,520 So, so think about it in terms of clothing. 489 00:29:32,520 --> 00:29:38,520 Are you wearing Christ or are you embarrassed to be seen out 490 00:29:38,720 --> 00:29:45,960 in Christ? Are you wearing Jesus or or is 491 00:29:45,960 --> 00:29:47,760 wearing Jesus? A little bit like my. 492 00:29:47,760 --> 00:29:50,000 Kids are at the stage now. It's a bit like going to a. 493 00:29:50,000 --> 00:29:52,200 Party with your dad. It's. 494 00:29:52,520 --> 00:29:55,200 It's it's really, really embarrassing. 495 00:29:56,440 --> 00:29:58,040 And the reason it's embarrassing is. 496 00:29:58,040 --> 00:30:03,040 Because look at what? Dad is wearing, you know, not, 497 00:30:03,040 --> 00:30:05,680 not, not, not here, Dad not, not with my friends. 498 00:30:07,360 --> 00:30:09,560 There, there's the old. Joke isn't there that two women 499 00:30:10,760 --> 00:30:15,560 turn up to a party wearing the same dress and it is a disaster. 500 00:30:15,560 --> 00:30:19,040 They have to go home and change because they're wearing the same 501 00:30:19,040 --> 00:30:23,120 dress, but two men turn up to the same party wearing the same 502 00:30:23,120 --> 00:30:25,240 shirt and they are best friends for life. 503 00:30:25,960 --> 00:30:28,640 It's not right. You. 504 00:30:28,640 --> 00:30:32,920 Just think, amazing what a legend you are wearing. 505 00:30:32,920 --> 00:30:36,040 Exactly the same as me. I had no idea anyone else was as 506 00:30:36,040 --> 00:30:42,520 cool as this. You're the same friends. 507 00:30:42,520 --> 00:30:48,160 Be, be, be. More male than female when it 508 00:30:48,160 --> 00:30:52,880 comes to what we're wearing. Isn't Paul saying we should all 509 00:30:52,880 --> 00:30:57,200 be wearing the same thing? All wearing the same thing? 510 00:30:58,640 --> 00:31:00,160 Here's the question. Can people? 511 00:31:00,160 --> 00:31:03,480 Look at you. And see who you're wearing. 512 00:31:04,400 --> 00:31:07,360 Can someone look at me and the only label they? 513 00:31:07,360 --> 00:31:11,360 Spot is that he looks like Christ. 514 00:31:11,960 --> 00:31:15,520 He looks like the Lord. Jesus, brothers and sisters, 515 00:31:15,520 --> 00:31:17,480 look at our passage again this morning. 516 00:31:17,480 --> 00:31:20,480 Look at the apostles, the Apostle Paul's language in verse 517 00:31:20,480 --> 00:31:23,520 17. There is only one command in our 518 00:31:23,600 --> 00:31:27,800 passage, one at one at the start, one imperative. 519 00:31:27,800 --> 00:31:32,680 Verse 17 You must no longer walk as the Gentiles do. 520 00:31:33,480 --> 00:31:35,920 You must no longer walk as the Gentiles do. 521 00:31:36,160 --> 00:31:39,240 Coming to Christ means. That that lifestyle. 522 00:31:39,240 --> 00:31:41,920 Choice that you've been living up to now the way that you were 523 00:31:41,920 --> 00:31:44,760 living. It has to change you. 524 00:31:44,760 --> 00:31:48,560 You must stop dressing like that and instead start dressing like 525 00:31:48,560 --> 00:31:51,000 this. Look how we live is not pick and 526 00:31:51,000 --> 00:31:55,800 mix. Look at the words you must and 527 00:31:55,800 --> 00:31:57,640 look how the must is given in the rest. 528 00:31:57,640 --> 00:32:00,720 Of the verse. Now I say this, and testify in 529 00:32:00,720 --> 00:32:03,680 the Lord, that you must no longer walk as the Gentiles. 530 00:32:03,680 --> 00:32:08,600 Who testify It is a legal word. It's it's. 531 00:32:08,640 --> 00:32:12,520 I'm here, I am in court, swearing to give the truth, the 532 00:32:12,520 --> 00:32:14,320 whole truth and nothing but the truth. 533 00:32:15,320 --> 00:32:17,320 Paul. Paul is testifying in the Lord. 534 00:32:17,320 --> 00:32:19,560 In other words, friends, what Paul is saying. 535 00:32:20,120 --> 00:32:23,360 Is that what I say? Jesus says that's what verse. 17 536 00:32:23,360 --> 00:32:28,400 means I I say and testify in the Lord, and here's the command. 537 00:32:28,400 --> 00:32:34,440 This must stop. What Paul says, Jesus says. 538 00:32:35,360 --> 00:32:39,200 That the Lord Jesus here is. Saying we must, you must, I 539 00:32:39,200 --> 00:32:42,280 must. I want to ask you this morning, 540 00:32:42,280 --> 00:32:45,600 do you have a must? Jesus. 541 00:32:46,880 --> 00:32:53,360 Do you have a must Bible or do you only have a maybe Bible? 542 00:32:54,640 --> 00:33:00,880 Do you have an if you want to Jesus or do you have a must 543 00:33:01,440 --> 00:33:08,240 Jesus can the boardroom? You OK? 544 00:33:08,240 --> 00:33:11,560 The boardroom you, I imagine. Is that the no nonsense? 545 00:33:11,560 --> 00:33:17,240 You the the brook no peer you the the no one tells me what to. 546 00:33:17,240 --> 00:33:20,600 Do you? Can that you? 547 00:33:21,520 --> 00:33:26,880 Submit to the Bible. If you can't or you won't, you 548 00:33:26,880 --> 00:33:29,160 might. Say that you love the Lord 549 00:33:29,160 --> 00:33:31,160 Jesus. But you are not listening to 550 00:33:31,280 --> 00:33:35,400 Jesus wearing the. Jesus, we have put. 551 00:33:35,400 --> 00:33:40,600 On must mean change. It must mean we leave certain 552 00:33:40,600 --> 00:33:42,400 things behind just. Look at the way Paul. 553 00:33:42,400 --> 00:33:45,680 Describes what we once were verses 17 to 19. 554 00:33:46,440 --> 00:33:50,520 And notice how Paul is saying in those verses 17 to 19 that. 555 00:33:50,800 --> 00:33:53,480 The old self, the old way of life. 556 00:33:53,480 --> 00:33:59,840 Is now left behind verse 20, but but that is not the way you 557 00:33:59,840 --> 00:34:03,600 learned Christ. Friends, I think in these verses 558 00:34:03,600 --> 00:34:07,120 this morning. Verse 20 is the most beautiful 559 00:34:07,120 --> 00:34:09,639 verse in the whole of our passage. 560 00:34:10,080 --> 00:34:13,000 It's so beautiful and you probably didn't even notice. 561 00:34:13,000 --> 00:34:15,080 The beauty of the phrase. Tucked into it. 562 00:34:15,400 --> 00:34:18,080 Notice Paul does not say in verse 20. 563 00:34:18,080 --> 00:34:19,800 But that is not the way you learned. 564 00:34:19,800 --> 00:34:22,920 About Christ, do you notice? That. 565 00:34:24,280 --> 00:34:27,159 Here's what you were verses. 17 to 19 here's. 566 00:34:27,159 --> 00:34:31,719 What you used to wear? Verse 20 But that is not the way 567 00:34:31,719 --> 00:34:34,600 you learned Christ literally. He says, do you know what? 568 00:34:34,600 --> 00:34:38,400 Do you know what changed you? It was a person that changed 569 00:34:38,400 --> 00:34:42,199 you. It it wasn't information about 570 00:34:42,199 --> 00:34:45,280 the person, it was him you learned. 571 00:34:45,400 --> 00:34:48,159 Christ. You, you learned the Lord Jesus, 572 00:34:48,159 --> 00:34:53,360 you came face to face with him. Yes, there was an intellectual, 573 00:34:53,360 --> 00:34:57,080 mental, cognitive aspect to it. You see that in in verse 21, 574 00:34:57,600 --> 00:34:59,520 assuming that. You have heard about. 575 00:34:59,520 --> 00:35:01,920 Him and we're taught in Him as the truth that is in him. 576 00:35:02,120 --> 00:35:04,120 You you were not converted by looking at. 577 00:35:04,120 --> 00:35:07,640 Pictures of Jesus. No, Someone had to tell you 578 00:35:07,640 --> 00:35:09,280 about him. Someone had to use. 579 00:35:09,280 --> 00:35:11,400 Words to teach you. About him, yes. 580 00:35:11,680 --> 00:35:13,120 But what? What you. 581 00:35:13,120 --> 00:35:19,840 Learned was a person you learned a person of incredibly. 582 00:35:19,840 --> 00:35:22,760 Beautiful, beautiful phrase. Can I can I put it like this? 583 00:35:23,480 --> 00:35:25,800 It it was like. Falling in love. 584 00:35:25,800 --> 00:35:28,720 Do you remember that? Those of you in the room that. 585 00:35:29,000 --> 00:35:30,480 That's happened to you, happened. 586 00:35:30,480 --> 00:35:32,720 To. If it hasn't happened to you 587 00:35:32,720 --> 00:35:34,080 yet, it's. Maybe hard to grasp. 588 00:35:34,080 --> 00:35:37,400 This to understand this, but many of you in this room you, 589 00:35:37,400 --> 00:35:39,800 you do know what that's like. You can remember it. 590 00:35:41,080 --> 00:35:43,560 Let me put it like this man, if you're married. 591 00:35:44,400 --> 00:35:46,160 I hope. You don't just know. 592 00:35:46,160 --> 00:35:50,320 About your wife, I hope. You know. 593 00:35:50,800 --> 00:35:53,800 Your wife. There's a difference, isn't 594 00:35:53,800 --> 00:35:55,480 there? You can tell me after this 595 00:35:55,480 --> 00:35:57,160 session. About. 596 00:35:57,160 --> 00:36:01,240 Your wife hope you can you can tell me about her till the cows 597 00:36:01,240 --> 00:36:04,520 come home and I can learn about. Her. 598 00:36:05,360 --> 00:36:11,400 But only you know her. Not right, only you have learned 599 00:36:11,400 --> 00:36:15,360 her. It's the language of heart to 600 00:36:15,360 --> 00:36:19,440 heart relationship, heart to heart change. 601 00:36:19,920 --> 00:36:22,200 That the Lord Jesus is that real? 602 00:36:22,200 --> 00:36:25,920 He's that true? He's that beautiful that you 603 00:36:25,920 --> 00:36:29,520 don't just want to learn about him, you want to learn him, 604 00:36:29,680 --> 00:36:34,280 don't you? You want to know him, and when 605 00:36:34,280 --> 00:36:37,480 you learn him, that is the foundation of everything else. 606 00:36:37,800 --> 00:36:41,680 When you learned your wife. You put off. 607 00:36:42,120 --> 00:36:44,560 Everything else you knew about every other woman. 608 00:36:45,120 --> 00:36:47,080 Every old. Girlfriend, it was taken off. 609 00:36:47,080 --> 00:36:49,440 It was gone. You now learned her. 610 00:36:50,120 --> 00:36:54,960 You put off everything in verses 17 to 19 and now verse 24. 611 00:36:54,960 --> 00:37:00,360 You put on everything in verse 24 true righteousness and 612 00:37:00,360 --> 00:37:04,680 holiness. I wonder if you have the apple 613 00:37:05,040 --> 00:37:07,240 lie here in Dallas. I I know you. 614 00:37:07,240 --> 00:37:08,440 Do. It's everywhere, isn't it? 615 00:37:08,960 --> 00:37:10,840 We we have the apple lie in Aberdeen. 616 00:37:10,840 --> 00:37:13,640 Do you know what the Apple lie? Is the Apple lie? 617 00:37:13,640 --> 00:37:16,680 Is. That there is a new you in you. 618 00:37:18,000 --> 00:37:19,840 Did they, did they use that advert here, there with? 619 00:37:19,880 --> 00:37:22,000 I think it came out with the watch the Apple Watch in. 620 00:37:22,000 --> 00:37:24,760 Particular there is a better. You in you. 621 00:37:25,880 --> 00:37:29,120 You get our product. And it will unlock the. 622 00:37:29,120 --> 00:37:35,200 New you the better you. Friends, I have flown a few 1000 623 00:37:35,200 --> 00:37:39,920 miles to tell you this morning, there is not a new you in you. 624 00:37:41,800 --> 00:37:44,320 There is not a better you in you. 625 00:37:45,280 --> 00:37:49,240 No verse 18 in you. There was a hard hearted. 626 00:37:49,240 --> 00:37:54,160 Ignorant you? Is that what Paul saying in you? 627 00:37:54,160 --> 00:38:01,680 There was a dark you, a dead you, a callous you, a reckless 628 00:38:01,680 --> 00:38:04,640 you. There is not a new you in you, 629 00:38:04,640 --> 00:38:10,640 but there is a new you in Jesus, in Christ. 630 00:38:10,880 --> 00:38:15,480 He is the new you. And if you know that, and if I 631 00:38:15,480 --> 00:38:17,840 know that, we have the foundation of fellowship, don't 632 00:38:17,840 --> 00:38:21,120 we? That is what makes US1 together 633 00:38:22,760 --> 00:38:25,720 remember how it. Works the story of the Gospel. 634 00:38:25,720 --> 00:38:27,360 Do you know? Do you know why the Lord Jesus 635 00:38:27,360 --> 00:38:30,280 was born of a virgin? Do you know why it had to be 636 00:38:30,280 --> 00:38:33,320 done that way? It's because it's because. 637 00:38:33,320 --> 00:38:37,320 In in his birth, God was going right back to the beginning of 638 00:38:37,320 --> 00:38:41,360 the world again, wasn't he? He was putting into the world 639 00:38:41,360 --> 00:38:48,240 and knew Adam, putting into the world a new image of himself, a 640 00:38:48,240 --> 00:38:50,920 true man, a perfect, exact likeness. 641 00:38:51,480 --> 00:38:54,240 The Lord Jesus is. Born of Mary, so that his 642 00:38:54,240 --> 00:38:57,320 humanity is. True, but he's. 643 00:38:57,320 --> 00:38:58,760 Born of. God so that his. 644 00:38:58,760 --> 00:39:02,000 Humanity is new. It is a fresh. 645 00:39:02,000 --> 00:39:04,920 Start a new beginning. He is not tainted with Adam's 646 00:39:04,920 --> 00:39:07,320 sin. He is not the same as us, 647 00:39:07,320 --> 00:39:13,800 corrupt from the inside out. And in him you can be new. 648 00:39:14,480 --> 00:39:19,040 God takes you and puts you inside him, and His newness 649 00:39:19,040 --> 00:39:23,280 becomes your newness. Wonder if you remember? 650 00:39:23,280 --> 00:39:25,520 I just want to finish with this for this morning. 651 00:39:25,520 --> 00:39:28,080 Do you remember the beautiful incident in The Voyage of the 652 00:39:28,080 --> 00:39:31,240 Dawn Treader? If you've read CS Lewis 653 00:39:31,320 --> 00:39:35,440 Chronicles of Narnia, it's often forgotten and neglected because 654 00:39:35,440 --> 00:39:38,160 The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe is so dominant, so, so 655 00:39:38,160 --> 00:39:40,360 well known. But in the Voyage of the Dawn 656 00:39:40,360 --> 00:39:45,160 Treader, you have Eustace. And Eustace is vain, cowardly, 657 00:39:45,160 --> 00:39:49,400 obnoxious, and he finds some enchanted gold. 658 00:39:50,680 --> 00:39:53,800 And because of what happens in his heart when he finds. 659 00:39:54,000 --> 00:39:57,960 The gold he. Turns into a dragon, remember? 660 00:39:58,720 --> 00:40:01,440 Because of his greed, CS Lewis says. 661 00:40:01,440 --> 00:40:04,520 Let me. Let me take what is inside that 662 00:40:04,520 --> 00:40:06,280 heart and turn it outwards. Let me. 663 00:40:06,280 --> 00:40:08,120 Show you what it's really like. He is. 664 00:40:08,240 --> 00:40:11,480 A dragon. It's a mesmerizing sequence. 665 00:40:11,480 --> 00:40:16,000 In the story, Aslan rescues Eustace and he. 666 00:40:16,000 --> 00:40:18,440 Takes Eustace to a. Garden where there's a well and 667 00:40:18,440 --> 00:40:21,400 he says, Eustace, you must. Bathe but. 668 00:40:21,400 --> 00:40:26,000 Before you can bathe, you must undress and Eustace. 669 00:40:26,000 --> 00:40:28,280 Scratches off his scales. He's. 670 00:40:28,480 --> 00:40:30,760 Running his fingers. All over his body, scratching 671 00:40:30,760 --> 00:40:33,560 off his scales. Or, or so he thinks with every 672 00:40:33,560 --> 00:40:35,960 layer, that. He takes off the outer. 673 00:40:35,960 --> 00:40:39,440 Skin just simply reveals the next layer of the dragon skin, 674 00:40:40,240 --> 00:40:41,840 no matter how much he. Takes off. 675 00:40:41,840 --> 00:40:43,760 There is. Dragon, dragon, more dragon 676 00:40:43,760 --> 00:40:47,080 everywhere. He peels off layer after layer 677 00:40:47,080 --> 00:40:49,520 after layer. He goes down to the. 678 00:40:49,520 --> 00:40:51,040 Water to bathe, but he's. Got no. 679 00:40:51,040 --> 00:40:55,600 Further, he's still a dragon. What's he doing? 680 00:40:56,640 --> 00:41:01,720 He's believing the apple lie, that there's a new you in you, 681 00:41:01,720 --> 00:41:04,360 in him. He's looking for the new you 682 00:41:04,360 --> 00:41:08,600 inside himself. Then the lion said, you will 683 00:41:08,600 --> 00:41:12,920 have to let me undress you. The very first tear. 684 00:41:12,920 --> 00:41:14,520 He made was so. Deep that I thought he. 685 00:41:14,520 --> 00:41:17,440 Had gone right into my heart and when he began pulling the skin 686 00:41:17,440 --> 00:41:18,800 off. It hurt worse. 687 00:41:18,800 --> 00:41:22,560 Than anything I've ever felt. Then he caught hold of me and 688 00:41:22,560 --> 00:41:25,840 threw me into the water. It's smarted like anything, but 689 00:41:25,840 --> 00:41:29,280 only for a moment. And after that it became 690 00:41:29,280 --> 00:41:31,560 perfectly delicious. And as soon as I started 691 00:41:31,560 --> 00:41:35,520 swimming and splashing, I find that all the pain had gone. 692 00:41:36,040 --> 00:41:38,040 And then I saw. Why I had? 693 00:41:38,040 --> 00:41:43,440 Turned into a boy again. After a bit, the lion took me 694 00:41:43,480 --> 00:41:46,840 out and dressed me in new. Clothes. 695 00:41:47,920 --> 00:41:50,600 CS Lewis knew the gospel, didn't he? 696 00:41:51,600 --> 00:41:54,640 What a picture of new life in Christ. 697 00:41:56,200 --> 00:41:58,360 He took me out, dressed me in new clothes. 698 00:41:58,360 --> 00:42:00,280 So. What are the clothes? 699 00:42:01,160 --> 00:42:03,840 Tomorrow morning, the wardrobe of. 700 00:42:03,840 --> 00:42:07,120 Fellowship. That's what we wear. 701 00:42:08,120 --> 00:42:15,880 Well, let me pray. Loving Heavenly Father, we thank 702 00:42:15,880 --> 00:42:20,640 you for the immense, really indescribable blessing that you 703 00:42:20,640 --> 00:42:26,360 have taken us from old Adam, in whom we were born, in whom we 704 00:42:26,960 --> 00:42:31,280 entered this world, and you have taken us and placed us in the 705 00:42:31,280 --> 00:42:34,800 true and 2nd last Adam, your Son, our Saviour. 706 00:42:35,880 --> 00:42:38,760 Lord Jesus, we simply want to thank you together this morning 707 00:42:38,760 --> 00:42:43,520 for what You have done in making us belong to You, for placing us 708 00:42:43,520 --> 00:42:48,560 in You, for beginning this lifelong process of transforming 709 00:42:48,560 --> 00:42:49,760 us. To look like you. 710 00:42:50,960 --> 00:42:53,280 And our prayer together this morning is very simple. 711 00:42:53,280 --> 00:42:57,520 Would you take your life and plant it deep within us 'cause 712 00:42:57,520 --> 00:42:58,120 it? To. 713 00:42:58,440 --> 00:43:01,320 Extend and grow to every single part of. 714 00:43:01,320 --> 00:43:04,640 Who we are so that those who. Look at us, see, not us, but. 715 00:43:04,640 --> 00:43:08,440 You. We long to love you more and to 716 00:43:08,440 --> 00:43:10,680 be like you in every aspect of our lives. 717 00:43:10,680 --> 00:43:14,120 So help us, we pray. Be the foundation of all our 718 00:43:14,120 --> 00:43:15,240 fellowship. Together. 719 00:43:15,920 --> 00:43:18,800 We ask it in your precious name. Amen.