1 00:00:00,240 --> 00:00:03,440 Please remain standing for the reading of God's Word. 2 00:00:03,440 --> 00:00:07,480 Our Scripture this evening is Ephesians chapter 5, and you'll 3 00:00:07,480 --> 00:00:10,440 find it printed there if you want to follow along in the 4 00:00:10,440 --> 00:00:15,080 bulletin as I read it for us. Ephesians chapter 5, verses 1 to 5 00:00:15,080 --> 00:00:17,280 21. Let's hear God's Word together. 6 00:00:17,280 --> 00:00:23,120 Therefore, Paul says, Be imitators of God as beloved 7 00:00:23,120 --> 00:00:28,280 children, and walk in love as Christ loved us and gave himself 8 00:00:28,280 --> 00:00:32,520 up for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God. 9 00:00:33,520 --> 00:00:39,000 But sexual immorality and all impurity or covetousness must 10 00:00:39,000 --> 00:00:42,720 not even be named among you, as is proper among Saints. 11 00:00:43,880 --> 00:00:47,800 Let there be no filthiness, nor foolish talk, nor crude joking 12 00:00:47,960 --> 00:00:51,360 which are out of place, but instead let there be 13 00:00:51,360 --> 00:00:54,760 Thanksgiving. For you may be sure of this, 14 00:00:54,760 --> 00:00:58,520 that everyone who is sexually immoral or impure, or who is 15 00:00:58,520 --> 00:01:02,560 covetous, that is, an idolater, has no inheritance in the 16 00:01:02,560 --> 00:01:07,800 Kingdom of Christ and God. Let no one deceive you with 17 00:01:07,800 --> 00:01:10,600 empty words. For because of these things the 18 00:01:10,600 --> 00:01:13,600 wrath of God comes upon the sons of disobedience. 19 00:01:13,960 --> 00:01:16,520 Therefore do not become partners with them. 20 00:01:17,760 --> 00:01:21,000 For at one time you were darkness, but now you are light 21 00:01:21,000 --> 00:01:25,680 in the Lord. Walk as children of light, for 22 00:01:25,680 --> 00:01:28,640 the fruit of light is found in all that is good and right and 23 00:01:28,640 --> 00:01:33,280 true, and try to discern what is pleasing to the Lord. 24 00:01:34,440 --> 00:01:38,800 Take no part in the unfruitful works of darkness, but instead 25 00:01:38,800 --> 00:01:42,800 expose them. For it is shameful even to speak 26 00:01:42,800 --> 00:01:44,600 of the things that they do in secret. 27 00:01:45,680 --> 00:01:49,200 But when anything is exposed by the light, it becomes visible, 28 00:01:49,920 --> 00:01:52,240 for anything that becomes visible is light. 29 00:01:52,240 --> 00:01:56,680 Therefore it says, Awake, O sleeper, and arise from the 30 00:01:56,680 --> 00:01:58,520 dead, and Christ will shine on you. 31 00:02:00,320 --> 00:02:05,960 Look carefully then, how you walk, not as unwise but as wise, 32 00:02:06,720 --> 00:02:09,800 making the best use of the time, because the days are evil. 33 00:02:11,000 --> 00:02:13,840 Therefore, do not be foolish, but understand what the will of 34 00:02:13,840 --> 00:02:17,960 the Lord is, and do not get drunk with wine, for that is 35 00:02:17,960 --> 00:02:21,800 debauchery, but be filled with the Spirit, addressing one 36 00:02:21,800 --> 00:02:25,600 another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and 37 00:02:25,600 --> 00:02:30,280 making melody to the Lord with your heart, giving thanks always 38 00:02:30,280 --> 00:02:33,960 and for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord 39 00:02:33,960 --> 00:02:38,600 Jesus Christ, submitting to one another out of reverence for 40 00:02:38,600 --> 00:02:42,400 Christ. This is the word of the Lord. 41 00:02:43,280 --> 00:02:46,600 Thanks be to God. Please be seated. 42 00:02:52,200 --> 00:02:56,560 This morning in the sermon looking at Ephesians chapter 4 43 00:02:56,560 --> 00:03:01,920 this morning, I said that a part of the text was a direct quote 44 00:03:02,280 --> 00:03:06,840 from Psalm 4. And after the service, dear 45 00:03:06,840 --> 00:03:09,280 friends, came up to me afterwards was talking to me and 46 00:03:09,280 --> 00:03:12,640 said, can you just help me find that Scripture? 47 00:03:12,640 --> 00:03:19,240 I've turned to First Samuel 4 and Second Samuel 4 and I cannot 48 00:03:19,320 --> 00:03:23,040 find it. And I said, no, it's in Psalm 4. 49 00:03:25,680 --> 00:03:30,200 So let me try. Is it Psalm, Psalm, Psalm 4? 50 00:03:31,880 --> 00:03:35,160 So I I realized that as I read the text again this evening, 51 00:03:35,160 --> 00:03:39,960 verse 19, and needed another translation moment for you 52 00:03:42,480 --> 00:03:47,160 friends, this evening's sermon has a very high bar. 53 00:03:48,400 --> 00:03:52,240 I want to tell you what God's will is for your life. 54 00:03:53,720 --> 00:03:56,680 I want to tell you this evening. I hope you want to know that. 55 00:03:56,680 --> 00:03:59,560 And looking around the room, seeing the sheer variety in 56 00:03:59,560 --> 00:04:03,600 ages, I know that at least many of you will want to know that. 57 00:04:03,600 --> 00:04:05,760 Maybe you're even anxious to know that. 58 00:04:07,040 --> 00:04:13,680 Should I marry him or her? What college should I go to? 59 00:04:14,600 --> 00:04:17,040 Lord, would you guide me? Would you lead me? 60 00:04:17,040 --> 00:04:20,240 Show me. We pray that often, don't we? 61 00:04:20,240 --> 00:04:22,600 All the time. They are good prayers to pray. 62 00:04:23,560 --> 00:04:27,680 And I have the answer for you tonight, here this evening. 63 00:04:28,320 --> 00:04:32,600 In fact, you have the answer. We've read it together that the 64 00:04:32,600 --> 00:04:35,760 big issue is there in verse 17. Did you see it? 65 00:04:35,760 --> 00:04:39,480 Therefore, do not be foolish, but understand what the Lord's 66 00:04:39,480 --> 00:04:43,800 will is. Friends, you will have 67 00:04:43,800 --> 00:04:48,320 fellowship here at PCPC, one with the other. 68 00:04:48,320 --> 00:04:52,200 You will have fellowship if you get this one thing right, if you 69 00:04:52,200 --> 00:04:58,640 know what God's will is for you. We're about to see it together 70 00:05:00,080 --> 00:05:03,760 that this was my choice of passage this evening. 21 verses. 71 00:05:03,760 --> 00:05:07,280 But I'm afraid when I sat to look at it this afternoon and 72 00:05:07,280 --> 00:05:09,560 began to think about the structure of this thought, I 73 00:05:09,560 --> 00:05:14,400 realized that I'm just getting older and I want to slow down a 74 00:05:14,400 --> 00:05:18,200 lot more now that I'm in my 50s. I want to take my time. 75 00:05:18,200 --> 00:05:21,360 This is 2 big attacks to handle all in one go. 76 00:05:21,360 --> 00:05:26,000 Everything around me, my life is getting slower and older all the 77 00:05:26,000 --> 00:05:29,520 time. I said to my teenage son Sam, 15 78 00:05:29,520 --> 00:05:32,720 year old boy, not long ago. We run together sometimes on a 79 00:05:32,720 --> 00:05:36,520 Saturday morning, a 5 kilometer fun run. 80 00:05:37,400 --> 00:05:39,160 And he said to me one Saturday morning, he said I'm going to, 81 00:05:39,160 --> 00:05:40,240 I'm going to run with you this morning. 82 00:05:40,240 --> 00:05:41,840 Daddy said, but I'm not feeling very well. 83 00:05:41,840 --> 00:05:44,360 So I'm not going to run. I'm not going to run fast. 84 00:05:44,640 --> 00:05:46,040 I'm just going to run it with you. 85 00:05:48,440 --> 00:05:52,280 And so slowness is the mark of my life. 86 00:05:52,280 --> 00:05:55,480 You know the famous John Piper quote in any, in any one thing 87 00:05:55,480 --> 00:05:58,960 God is doing 1000 things. My wife says in any one thing 88 00:05:58,960 --> 00:06:02,440 she is doing 1000 things while I'm doing one thing slowly. 89 00:06:03,040 --> 00:06:06,520 And I think that's about right. I, I, what we, we are not going 90 00:06:06,520 --> 00:06:08,760 to get through everything in this text this evening. 91 00:06:08,760 --> 00:06:11,920 I, I want to just give you the shape of the text. 92 00:06:12,480 --> 00:06:14,800 I want to show you how these verses work. 93 00:06:15,440 --> 00:06:18,320 And then I'm going to leave you to get a good commentary and to 94 00:06:18,320 --> 00:06:21,720 fill in, fill in the details. I want to show you three things. 95 00:06:21,720 --> 00:06:27,360 Number one, I want to show you the main command which is at the 96 00:06:27,360 --> 00:06:33,200 heart of All true fellowship #2 I want to show you the 97 00:06:33,200 --> 00:06:37,400 surprising application which is the life of all true fellowship. 98 00:06:38,480 --> 00:06:42,600 Two things, The main command in this text that is the heart of 99 00:06:42,600 --> 00:06:47,000 all true fellowship #2 the surprising application that is 100 00:06:47,160 --> 00:06:50,560 the life of all true fellowship. And the third thing actually 101 00:06:50,560 --> 00:06:53,160 comes in between them. We're going to do .1. 102 00:06:53,760 --> 00:06:57,800 Then I'm going to give you a beautiful illustration, and then 103 00:06:57,800 --> 00:07:00,560 we're going to do .2. So the three things are two 104 00:07:00,560 --> 00:07:03,440 points in an illustration sandwiched in the middle. 105 00:07:04,920 --> 00:07:07,760 Let's look at the first thing, the main command, which is at 106 00:07:07,760 --> 00:07:10,040 the heart of all true fellowship. 107 00:07:10,040 --> 00:07:12,760 Friends, what is God's will for your life? 108 00:07:14,040 --> 00:07:16,200 Do you see the main command in the text? 109 00:07:16,200 --> 00:07:19,080 I love how it is laid out in the bulletin for you. 110 00:07:19,080 --> 00:07:22,800 It's even clear it's right in the very first verse, the very 111 00:07:22,800 --> 00:07:26,040 first sentence. The main command in this text, 112 00:07:26,040 --> 00:07:34,280 friends, is copy God. You see it be imitators of God. 113 00:07:35,240 --> 00:07:38,200 Friends, this evening. God's will for your life is that 114 00:07:38,200 --> 00:07:41,960 you imitate him, that that you copy him. 115 00:07:43,520 --> 00:07:47,640 God is fixing the world by making imitators of himself, 116 00:07:47,680 --> 00:07:50,880 making little mini versions of himself. 117 00:07:51,760 --> 00:07:57,080 God is fixing the world with mimics, impersonators, copycats. 118 00:07:58,680 --> 00:08:01,360 That is the main command in the text this evening. 119 00:08:01,360 --> 00:08:04,960 And then three times we are given our marching orders for 120 00:08:04,960 --> 00:08:08,400 that command. Verse 2, we're told to walk in 121 00:08:08,400 --> 00:08:11,080 love. Verse 8, we're told to walk in 122 00:08:11,080 --> 00:08:14,840 light. Verse 15, we're told to walk in 123 00:08:14,840 --> 00:08:18,640 wisdom. Walk in love, walk in light, 124 00:08:18,640 --> 00:08:21,480 walk in wisdom. But wouldn't that be beautiful? 125 00:08:22,400 --> 00:08:25,600 The the word walk is a metaphor for for living. 126 00:08:25,600 --> 00:08:30,440 It simply means live in love, live in light, live in wisdom, 127 00:08:30,640 --> 00:08:35,520 move forward in those things and you will be copying God and you 128 00:08:35,520 --> 00:08:38,919 will be living in God's perfect will for your life. 129 00:08:39,960 --> 00:08:43,159 And you will be in fellowship with me and I will be in 130 00:08:43,159 --> 00:08:47,800 fellowship with you. But who should I marry? 131 00:08:48,440 --> 00:08:50,200 What? What school should I go to? 132 00:08:52,000 --> 00:08:54,160 Ask yourself in in those questions. 133 00:08:54,160 --> 00:09:00,120 If I do this, can I copy God and wear what Christ wears as I do A 134 00:09:00,160 --> 00:09:03,200 or B or C? If the answer is yes to all of 135 00:09:03,200 --> 00:09:05,280 them, then friends, knock yourself. 136 00:09:05,280 --> 00:09:08,760 I do any of them. Pick any one of them. 137 00:09:08,760 --> 00:09:14,800 That's his will for your life. Simply that you imitate him as 138 00:09:14,800 --> 00:09:18,560 you do them. Wonder if you know this evening. 139 00:09:18,560 --> 00:09:22,760 There are ways that you can imitate God, and there are ways 140 00:09:22,760 --> 00:09:27,840 that you can't imitate him. God has attributes that he 141 00:09:27,840 --> 00:09:31,040 communicates to us which we can copy. 142 00:09:31,800 --> 00:09:33,880 God is holy. God is loving. 143 00:09:33,880 --> 00:09:35,840 God is good. God is just. 144 00:09:35,840 --> 00:09:39,640 God is merciful, patient, gracious, faithful, truthful. 145 00:09:39,720 --> 00:09:42,640 Wise. Theologians say these are God's 146 00:09:42,640 --> 00:09:45,600 communicable attributes. He shares them with us. 147 00:09:47,160 --> 00:09:52,960 You can imitate God in all those things, but friends, God also 148 00:09:52,960 --> 00:09:57,600 has attributes that you cannot copy, that you cannot share. 149 00:09:57,600 --> 00:10:02,040 God is infinite, God is incomprehensible, God is self 150 00:10:02,040 --> 00:10:07,080 existent, God is eternal, God is unchanging, He is omniscient, He 151 00:10:07,080 --> 00:10:09,960 is omnipresent, He is omnipotent, He is sovereign. 152 00:10:10,160 --> 00:10:14,640 Only God can be those things. Those are His in communicable 153 00:10:14,640 --> 00:10:19,720 attributes. Now friends, here's the thing. 154 00:10:19,720 --> 00:10:24,720 Most of your misery this evening is in trying to copy the wrong 155 00:10:24,720 --> 00:10:31,480 attributes of God. Are you exhausted all the time? 156 00:10:32,640 --> 00:10:37,040 If so, it's because you are trying to be omnipresent, like 157 00:10:37,040 --> 00:10:40,360 only God can be. Burning yourself out in life, 158 00:10:40,360 --> 00:10:43,360 trying to do what only He can do, Being all things to all 159 00:10:43,360 --> 00:10:45,520 people, at all times, in every place. 160 00:10:47,200 --> 00:10:50,320 Friends, this evening, it's possible that your anxiety is 161 00:10:51,200 --> 00:10:53,920 not because of your upbringing, your family, your circumstances. 162 00:10:53,920 --> 00:10:57,840 It's because of trying to know what only God can know. 163 00:10:58,840 --> 00:11:02,680 You are not omniscient. He hasn't ever promised to share 164 00:11:02,680 --> 00:11:06,520 that with you. But when we strive to be like 165 00:11:06,520 --> 00:11:10,080 God in any one of his incommunicable attributes, we 166 00:11:10,080 --> 00:11:13,240 set ourselves up as God's rival. And you know what the name for 167 00:11:13,240 --> 00:11:15,760 that is? It is idolatry. 168 00:11:17,200 --> 00:11:21,160 It's what sin is, isn't it? Trying to be like God in all the 169 00:11:21,160 --> 00:11:24,280 wrong ways. Adam and Eve, you can be like 170 00:11:24,280 --> 00:11:27,280 God. Brothers and sisters this 171 00:11:27,280 --> 00:11:32,160 evening, true happiness, deep, deep contentment, beauty, 172 00:11:32,160 --> 00:11:36,080 holiness, joy, godliness, those things are finding God's 173 00:11:36,080 --> 00:11:40,640 communicable attributes, imitating him in all the ways he 174 00:11:40,640 --> 00:11:46,760 can be copied. Verse 1 be imitators of God. 175 00:11:46,760 --> 00:11:51,240 It can be done. You can copy him, the infinite 176 00:11:51,240 --> 00:11:56,200 eternal, ever living, ever blessed God here as his beloved 177 00:11:56,200 --> 00:11:59,040 children, you can copy him. What does Paul say next? 178 00:11:59,040 --> 00:12:01,080 Immediately you can copy him in what? 179 00:12:01,280 --> 00:12:09,960 In love, in love, friends, the most supreme, sublime, perfect 180 00:12:09,960 --> 00:12:13,480 example of the love of God. Look at the text is is not an 181 00:12:13,480 --> 00:12:19,040 idea to wrap your head around, but it is a person to learn. 182 00:12:20,040 --> 00:12:25,800 What does the text say? Walk in love as Christ loved us 183 00:12:26,440 --> 00:12:30,000 and gave himself up for us, as a fragrant offering and a 184 00:12:30,000 --> 00:12:32,840 sacrifice to God. On Saturday morning, I commended 185 00:12:32,840 --> 00:12:37,040 this little book to everybody who began Winter Grace thinking 186 00:12:37,040 --> 00:12:38,800 about fellowship. It's called, It's by John 187 00:12:38,800 --> 00:12:41,000 Calvin. The book is called A Little Book 188 00:12:41,280 --> 00:12:45,240 on the Christian Life. Want to want to recommend this 189 00:12:45,240 --> 00:12:47,080 to you above. And I say this even though 190 00:12:47,160 --> 00:12:49,880 Sandra and others are here and I've got books here above 191 00:12:49,960 --> 00:12:54,080 anything else, please get hold of this little book this evening 192 00:12:54,080 --> 00:12:57,160 and take it home with you. Listen to what John Calvin says 193 00:12:57,160 --> 00:13:00,800 if you want to know what the Christian life is all about. 194 00:13:01,760 --> 00:13:05,320 There are two main parts. First part, we need a love of 195 00:13:05,320 --> 00:13:08,800 righteousness to which we are not naturally prone. 196 00:13:09,080 --> 00:13:12,880 That love of righteousness has to be implanted into us by God 197 00:13:12,880 --> 00:13:18,320 poured into us. Secondly, we need a model of 198 00:13:18,320 --> 00:13:22,320 righteousness to stop us from losing our way in pursuit of 199 00:13:22,320 --> 00:13:26,120 righteousness. And beautifully, Calvin shows 200 00:13:26,120 --> 00:13:30,120 how the Lord Jesus Christ is that model of righteousness. 201 00:13:31,440 --> 00:13:34,160 See, if you put your eyes on verse 2. 202 00:13:35,280 --> 00:13:38,760 Friends, you know you belong to Jesus when you love others by 203 00:13:38,760 --> 00:13:44,040 giving yourself up for them like He did, and when your life 204 00:13:44,200 --> 00:13:46,840 smells like a beautiful sacrifice. 205 00:13:48,600 --> 00:13:52,280 What did the Lord Jesus say? Here I am, I have come to do 206 00:13:52,280 --> 00:13:56,000 your will. And his self offering of His 207 00:13:56,000 --> 00:14:02,520 body as He took on to Himself human nature, as the eternal Son 208 00:14:02,680 --> 00:14:06,240 joined himself to a tiny human embryo. 209 00:14:06,240 --> 00:14:10,040 And he entered the darkness and the smallness and the weakness 210 00:14:10,040 --> 00:14:14,640 of a woman's womb and his downward humiliation that 211 00:14:14,840 --> 00:14:18,960 happened from that point onwards all through his life, as he 212 00:14:19,080 --> 00:14:23,960 first sheds his sacrificial blood in his circumcision and 213 00:14:23,960 --> 00:14:27,040 then his life of being an outcast and an embarrassment to 214 00:14:27,040 --> 00:14:31,080 his family and a reject to his friends, all the way to the 215 00:14:31,080 --> 00:14:35,120 cross. And as he dies alone and 216 00:14:35,120 --> 00:14:37,960 abandoned and forsaken, what does his father say? 217 00:14:38,760 --> 00:14:44,120 This is my beloved son with whom I am well pleased. 218 00:14:44,120 --> 00:14:48,960 He, he offers his life up to God, his Father on the cross for 219 00:14:48,960 --> 00:14:51,800 his people. And his father says, yes, I am 220 00:14:52,080 --> 00:14:56,800 well pleased. Yes, this is right, that the 221 00:14:56,800 --> 00:15:02,880 head dying for the body, the shepherd laying down his life 222 00:15:03,040 --> 00:15:06,360 for for the sheep, the bridegroom laying down his life 223 00:15:06,360 --> 00:15:10,120 for the bride. Yes, says the father, the the 224 00:15:10,120 --> 00:15:16,320 aroma of that is beautiful. That the fragrance of that is 225 00:15:16,360 --> 00:15:19,960 pleasing. Friend, do you know what God's 226 00:15:19,960 --> 00:15:25,880 will is for your life? To copy that to? 227 00:15:25,920 --> 00:15:29,920 To do what He did? To walk in love like that? 228 00:15:30,440 --> 00:15:33,640 To love others as Christ has loved us? 229 00:15:34,760 --> 00:15:36,440 Can I put it really simply like this? 230 00:15:36,440 --> 00:15:38,560 It does not matter where you work. 231 00:15:40,520 --> 00:15:44,400 Are you the kind of person laying down your life for those 232 00:15:44,400 --> 00:15:48,800 with whom you work with friends? The biggest shock of all? 233 00:15:48,800 --> 00:15:51,280 It does not matter who you marry. 234 00:15:52,800 --> 00:15:56,080 Do you love them? Are they opposite sex? 235 00:15:56,760 --> 00:16:00,440 Are they a Christian? Knock yourself out. 236 00:16:01,800 --> 00:16:04,080 Those are the only three things you need. 237 00:16:04,760 --> 00:16:09,280 Here's the bigger question. Are you the right person 238 00:16:09,280 --> 00:16:11,840 yourself for someone else? Never mind. 239 00:16:11,840 --> 00:16:19,280 Are they right for you when they join themselves to you and wake 240 00:16:19,280 --> 00:16:21,360 up next to you for the rest of their life? 241 00:16:21,360 --> 00:16:25,080 Will they discover that they have bind themselves to someone 242 00:16:25,080 --> 00:16:30,640 who gives them, gives themselves up for them, someone who spends 243 00:16:30,640 --> 00:16:34,840 the best that they have on them and for other people? 244 00:16:34,840 --> 00:16:37,040 Is that you? Paul is asking. 245 00:16:38,160 --> 00:16:40,560 That is God's will for your life. 246 00:16:42,160 --> 00:16:47,480 OK, so that is the main command, the big idea be be imitators of 247 00:16:47,480 --> 00:16:50,680 God. We've done #1 Now here is the 248 00:16:50,680 --> 00:16:55,280 beautiful illustration. I call it beautiful because it's 249 00:16:55,280 --> 00:16:58,920 not mine. This comes from CS Lewis in Mere 250 00:16:58,920 --> 00:17:01,840 Christianity. CS Lewis has a wonderful chapter 251 00:17:01,840 --> 00:17:06,359 called, Let's pretend the little section tucked inside that 252 00:17:06,359 --> 00:17:09,520 famous book, Mere Christianity. And what CS Lewis does is he 253 00:17:09,520 --> 00:17:11,920 says, OK, let's let's just pause, David. 254 00:17:11,920 --> 00:17:16,280 All this talk about putting on clothes this weekend, this idea 255 00:17:16,280 --> 00:17:21,319 of dressing yourself in Christ. CS Lewis says, isn't that 256 00:17:21,319 --> 00:17:26,160 actually the opposite of what we want to, to just put something 257 00:17:26,160 --> 00:17:28,520 on on the outside? Like a robe that I had on this 258 00:17:28,520 --> 00:17:30,120 morning and it's off and it's gone. 259 00:17:31,360 --> 00:17:36,520 But put, put love on. I want love to come from inside 260 00:17:36,520 --> 00:17:38,240 of me. I don't want to put love on on 261 00:17:38,240 --> 00:17:41,600 the outside. Is, isn't that just pretending? 262 00:17:43,760 --> 00:17:46,400 And who wants to pretend, says Lewis? 263 00:17:47,800 --> 00:17:50,640 CS Lewis says this is serious business. 264 00:17:50,640 --> 00:17:54,120 If that's what it means to be a Christian, to put on Christ. 265 00:17:54,120 --> 00:17:57,480 I thought he changed us from the inside out, not from the outside 266 00:17:57,480 --> 00:18:01,520 in. Here's what CS Lewis says 267 00:18:01,520 --> 00:18:04,800 somewhere else. He says in becoming a Christian, 268 00:18:04,800 --> 00:18:09,120 Christ is beginning to turn you into the same kind of thing as 269 00:18:09,120 --> 00:18:12,280 himself. He is beginning, so to speak, to 270 00:18:12,280 --> 00:18:16,080 inject his kind of life and thought into you. 271 00:18:16,120 --> 00:18:19,920 And we think, well, yes, that's more like it. 272 00:18:19,920 --> 00:18:22,240 What? Why this language of putting 273 00:18:22,240 --> 00:18:25,720 something on isn't isn't dressing in clothes that aren't 274 00:18:25,720 --> 00:18:30,600 our own just pretending? And then CS Lewis says this. 275 00:18:30,600 --> 00:18:34,640 He says, friends, didn't you ever play? 276 00:18:34,640 --> 00:18:39,080 Let's let's pretend as kids? Didn't you ever play let's 277 00:18:39,080 --> 00:18:41,480 pretend as children? Well, what the children do? 278 00:18:41,480 --> 00:18:43,440 I hope your kids do this at home, mums and dads. 279 00:18:43,440 --> 00:18:46,560 They, you, you come into the room and you find them wearing 280 00:18:46,560 --> 00:18:49,560 mummies, high heeled shoes, staggering across the living 281 00:18:49,560 --> 00:18:53,720 room. Your children play mummies and 282 00:18:53,720 --> 00:18:57,040 daddies. Your children play doctors and 283 00:18:57,040 --> 00:18:59,840 nurses. They play baseball in A and I've 284 00:18:59,840 --> 00:19:05,360 tried to contextualize in a Clayton Kershaw top there in in 285 00:19:05,360 --> 00:19:10,240 my world, it's playing soccer in a Lionel Messi soccer top his 286 00:19:10,240 --> 00:19:13,160 name on their back. And they are weaving their way 287 00:19:13,160 --> 00:19:15,640 through the soccer pitch, pretending to be him. 288 00:19:17,680 --> 00:19:20,000 And CS Lewis says, you know, do you know what that shows you? 289 00:19:20,000 --> 00:19:25,200 The clothes don't fit yet, but one day they will. 290 00:19:26,560 --> 00:19:30,320 The whole point of let's pretend it only works because there 291 00:19:30,320 --> 00:19:33,120 actually is a reality for them to grow up into. 292 00:19:34,000 --> 00:19:37,880 One day mum's high heels will be their high heels. 293 00:19:38,680 --> 00:19:41,600 That there really is a real fireman whose uniform they're 294 00:19:41,600 --> 00:19:44,960 wearing and pretend who they might grow up one day to be. 295 00:19:45,960 --> 00:19:47,960 That there is a real baseball team. 296 00:19:48,640 --> 00:19:53,880 There is a real soccer team. If the clothes actually belong 297 00:19:53,880 --> 00:19:59,320 to a real person and you put them on oversized, not really 298 00:19:59,320 --> 00:20:03,280 belonging to you. CS Lewis says yes, but one day 299 00:20:03,640 --> 00:20:07,480 they will fit you will grow into them. 300 00:20:09,120 --> 00:20:13,400 Listen to this, he says this. Being a Christian means that a 301 00:20:13,400 --> 00:20:17,200 real person. The Lord Jesus Christ here and 302 00:20:17,240 --> 00:20:21,240 now, in this very room where you are saying your prayers, He is 303 00:20:21,240 --> 00:20:25,280 doing things to you. The Christian faith is not a 304 00:20:25,280 --> 00:20:28,600 question of a good man who died 2000 years ago. 305 00:20:28,800 --> 00:20:32,720 It is a living man, still as much a man as you and still as 306 00:20:32,720 --> 00:20:35,080 much God as he was when He created the world. 307 00:20:35,280 --> 00:20:39,640 It is really Him coming and interfering with your very self. 308 00:20:40,680 --> 00:20:45,040 He is killing the old natural self in you, replacing it with 309 00:20:45,040 --> 00:20:51,520 the kind of self He has. At first only for moments, then 310 00:20:51,520 --> 00:20:55,120 for longer periods. Finally, when it all goes well 311 00:20:55,120 --> 00:20:59,120 at the end, He will turn you permanently into a different 312 00:20:59,120 --> 00:21:03,360 sort of thing. He will turn you into a little 313 00:21:03,520 --> 00:21:09,240 Christ, a being which in its own small way has the same kind of 314 00:21:09,240 --> 00:21:14,160 life as God. Friends, this evening I want to 315 00:21:14,160 --> 00:21:20,800 say to you with all my heart, if you walk in love and if you walk 316 00:21:20,960 --> 00:21:27,560 in light and walk in wisdom, even if those things do not feel 317 00:21:27,560 --> 00:21:30,040 like they fit you, they will change you. 318 00:21:31,640 --> 00:21:34,800 They will begin to change you. Yes, Christ is changing you from 319 00:21:34,800 --> 00:21:36,960 the outside, from the inside out. 320 00:21:36,960 --> 00:21:39,280 They will also change you from the outside in. 321 00:21:39,640 --> 00:21:42,880 Friends, do not wait to become a loving person. 322 00:21:43,840 --> 00:21:46,200 Sitting here this evening thinking how do I do? 323 00:21:46,440 --> 00:21:49,200 How do I do verse 2 to become a loving person. 324 00:21:49,400 --> 00:21:52,400 God is not going to ZAP you from heaven and make you a loving 325 00:21:52,400 --> 00:21:57,520 person. Find some person to lay your 326 00:21:57,520 --> 00:22:01,600 life down for and you will become a loving person. 327 00:22:02,680 --> 00:22:07,720 Sacrifice yourself. That action will be the life of 328 00:22:07,720 --> 00:22:11,480 Christ in you, beginning to define you, to shape you to, to 329 00:22:11,480 --> 00:22:15,800 erase the old you, and the life of Christ will be growing in 330 00:22:15,800 --> 00:22:19,360 you. That was the illustration. 331 00:22:19,360 --> 00:22:22,440 I want to finish with this, the second point this evening. 332 00:22:23,720 --> 00:22:28,120 The one main command be imitators of God is the heart of 333 00:22:28,120 --> 00:22:32,360 all true fellowship #2 the surprising application which is 334 00:22:32,360 --> 00:22:37,960 the life of all true fellowship. See, if you were to say to me, 335 00:22:37,960 --> 00:22:42,320 OK, David, this evening, look what, what does a life of love 336 00:22:42,320 --> 00:22:45,920 look like? What, what does a life of 337 00:22:45,960 --> 00:22:49,440 walking in the light look like? What does a life of wisdom look 338 00:22:49,440 --> 00:22:51,520 like? I would say to you, it is one 339 00:22:51,520 --> 00:22:58,000 word, gratitude, Gratitude. Friends, the surprising 340 00:22:58,000 --> 00:23:01,560 application in this text, which is the life of all true 341 00:23:01,560 --> 00:23:05,640 fellowship, is that Paul is saying here the defining mark of 342 00:23:05,640 --> 00:23:10,200 the person who is mimicking Christ is thankfulness, 343 00:23:11,320 --> 00:23:14,960 gratitude. See, just put your eyes on the 344 00:23:14,960 --> 00:23:17,240 text with me. Verse 4, verse 2. 345 00:23:17,400 --> 00:23:21,000 Here we have Christ loved us, gave himself up for us, a 346 00:23:21,000 --> 00:23:23,240 fragrant offering and sacrifice to God. 347 00:23:23,800 --> 00:23:27,400 But sexual immorality and all impurity or covetousness must 348 00:23:27,400 --> 00:23:30,840 not even be named among you, as is proper among Saints. 349 00:23:31,000 --> 00:23:34,920 Let there be no filthiness nor foolish talk, nor crude joking, 350 00:23:35,080 --> 00:23:40,760 which are out of place. But instead, well, what would 351 00:23:40,760 --> 00:23:44,880 you put there? What would you replace all those 352 00:23:44,880 --> 00:23:48,360 things with? Just look at it again. 353 00:23:48,360 --> 00:23:50,440 It's a, it's a really important question. 354 00:23:50,440 --> 00:23:54,280 If I was writing it, if I was given the task of finishing 355 00:23:54,280 --> 00:23:57,920 verse verse four, I would say instead of filthiness, let there 356 00:23:57,920 --> 00:24:02,160 be purity. Instead of foolish talk, let 357 00:24:02,160 --> 00:24:06,440 there be wise talk. Instead of crude joking, let 358 00:24:06,440 --> 00:24:11,400 there be wholesome joking. But Paul says, do you, do you 359 00:24:11,400 --> 00:24:13,680 know, friends, why we have a problem with lust? 360 00:24:14,800 --> 00:24:20,240 Because we are not thankful. Did you know why we often sin in 361 00:24:20,240 --> 00:24:24,880 our speech about sex? Because we are not grateful. 362 00:24:26,400 --> 00:24:28,280 Not a surprise. It's not what I would say. 363 00:24:28,280 --> 00:24:32,960 It's strange, isn't it? But I I thought this was really 364 00:24:32,960 --> 00:24:37,240 strange, wrestling with this. Why is the life of love a 365 00:24:37,240 --> 00:24:43,440 grateful life a thankful life? John John Stott says in itself, 366 00:24:43,960 --> 00:24:48,080 Thanksgiving is not an obvious substitute for vulgarity. 367 00:24:49,360 --> 00:24:54,280 So what is going on here? Here's what 1 commentator says. 368 00:24:54,280 --> 00:24:58,080 I think this is excellent. He says this sexual impurity and 369 00:24:58,080 --> 00:25:04,000 covetousness verses 3 and 4. Sexual impurity and covetousness 370 00:25:04,240 --> 00:25:08,120 both express self-centered acquiring. 371 00:25:08,880 --> 00:25:15,400 How can I use you for my ends? But Thanksgiving is the exact 372 00:25:15,400 --> 00:25:18,840 opposite. It recognizes God's generosity 373 00:25:18,840 --> 00:25:23,080 and so Thanksgiving is the antidote to that sin. 374 00:25:24,480 --> 00:25:27,400 Friends, let me put that theologians commentator phrase 375 00:25:27,400 --> 00:25:29,720 into simple English for all of us. 376 00:25:30,000 --> 00:25:36,720 If I cannot say thank you Jesus for X, then I should not be 377 00:25:36,720 --> 00:25:40,360 doing it. Now what Paul is saying verse 378 00:25:40,360 --> 00:25:47,240 four, if I cannot thank God for it, I should not be wearing it. 379 00:25:47,240 --> 00:25:52,640 It has no place in my life. We have Thanksgiving in verse 4. 380 00:25:52,960 --> 00:25:55,200 It comes again right at the end of the passage. 381 00:25:55,200 --> 00:25:58,640 Notice in verse 20. Giving thanks always. 382 00:25:59,520 --> 00:26:02,560 Friends. I think Thanksgiving is the 383 00:26:02,560 --> 00:26:05,400 surprising life of all true fellowship. 384 00:26:06,840 --> 00:26:09,520 It's a surprising heart of all true fellowship. 385 00:26:10,920 --> 00:26:17,880 The IT is very hard to use someone or to abuse someone or 386 00:26:17,880 --> 00:26:23,320 to lust after someone if you stop and thank God for that 387 00:26:23,320 --> 00:26:26,640 someone. It is. 388 00:26:26,640 --> 00:26:30,280 It is very hard to steal from someone if you thank God for 389 00:26:30,280 --> 00:26:33,760 that person. It is very hard to be angry with 390 00:26:33,760 --> 00:26:37,360 someone if you stop and thank God for that person. 391 00:26:39,000 --> 00:26:43,160 Isn't that it? It is very hard to objectify 392 00:26:43,160 --> 00:26:46,080 that woman or to use that woman sinfully. 393 00:26:46,080 --> 00:26:50,920 In my mind if if instead of doing that about her or to her. 394 00:26:50,920 --> 00:26:54,760 In my mind, instead of speaking crudely about her, I stop and I 395 00:26:54,760 --> 00:27:01,200 thank God for her. A woman, a person who God has 396 00:27:01,200 --> 00:27:05,120 put in the world to image him, not to be used by me. 397 00:27:06,880 --> 00:27:09,720 Friends, this is a way of living that Paul is holding out to us, 398 00:27:09,720 --> 00:27:13,040 which says that this world in which we live is a world of 399 00:27:13,040 --> 00:27:16,760 wonder, a marvel of God's goodness, not a mere list of 400 00:27:16,760 --> 00:27:19,840 things that I can take and use however I like. 401 00:27:21,640 --> 00:27:23,880 Do you know the famous quote of GK Chesterton? 402 00:27:23,880 --> 00:27:26,800 He said you say grace before meals. 403 00:27:27,640 --> 00:27:31,360 All right, but I say grace before the concert and the 404 00:27:31,360 --> 00:27:33,520 opera. I say grace before the play and 405 00:27:33,520 --> 00:27:36,040 the pantomime. I say grace before I open a 406 00:27:36,040 --> 00:27:38,440 book. I say grace before I sketch and 407 00:27:38,440 --> 00:27:41,960 paint and swim, before I fence and box and walk and play and 408 00:27:41,960 --> 00:27:45,040 dance. I say grace before I dip my pen 409 00:27:45,200 --> 00:27:49,880 in the ink. Do you see it in verse three, 410 00:27:49,880 --> 00:27:54,600 friends? But verse 2, rather walk in love 411 00:27:54,600 --> 00:27:58,960 as Christ loved us, and look at this, gave himself up for us, a 412 00:27:59,000 --> 00:28:02,880 fragrant offering and sacrifice to God. 413 00:28:04,600 --> 00:28:09,000 Christ gave himself up for us, a fragrant Thanksgiving to God. 414 00:28:09,000 --> 00:28:13,120 That's what an offering is. He, he loved his heavenly Father 415 00:28:13,120 --> 00:28:16,600 and he in his prayers, he thanked the Father for all that 416 00:28:16,600 --> 00:28:19,720 he had given. Friends, do you know that this 417 00:28:19,720 --> 00:28:26,120 evening that the Lord Jesus has thanked God in your place, He 418 00:28:26,120 --> 00:28:29,280 has thanked God in your place. He didn't just live in your 419 00:28:29,280 --> 00:28:34,360 place or die in your place. He, he thanked God in your 420 00:28:34,360 --> 00:28:37,680 place. See, I think in verse 2, we, we 421 00:28:37,680 --> 00:28:41,120 look at that phrase, a fragrant offering and a sacrifice and we 422 00:28:41,120 --> 00:28:44,960 think it's, we think it's one phrase saying the same thing, 423 00:28:44,960 --> 00:28:48,920 but it's not. It's two different things in the 424 00:28:48,920 --> 00:28:51,520 Old Testament. There are guilt offerings for 425 00:28:51,520 --> 00:28:54,160 sin. There are sacrifices for sin. 426 00:28:55,120 --> 00:28:59,240 Things have gone wrong. Punishment must be handed out. 427 00:28:59,240 --> 00:29:02,440 There must be bloodshed. But friends, there are also 428 00:29:02,560 --> 00:29:07,320 Thanksgiving offerings, and we only have the guilt offerings 429 00:29:07,320 --> 00:29:10,640 because we failed, first of all, in the Thanksgiving offerings. 430 00:29:12,480 --> 00:29:16,320 The first Adam in the garden failed in thanking God for all 431 00:29:16,320 --> 00:29:19,520 that he'd been given. Friends, if there had been no 432 00:29:19,520 --> 00:29:25,040 sin in Eden, Adam would have had to bring sacrifices to God. 433 00:29:25,040 --> 00:29:29,320 Not for sin, the sacrifice of praise, Thanksgiving to God. 434 00:29:30,520 --> 00:29:33,920 Adam was to offer to God a sacrifice of praise. 435 00:29:34,440 --> 00:29:38,320 Lord, this garden that I'm in, it is a benediction. 436 00:29:39,600 --> 00:29:44,000 What a blessing. And you've given it to me, to 437 00:29:44,000 --> 00:29:47,880 us. Now I will stop what I am doing 438 00:29:47,880 --> 00:29:50,000 every hour. Lord and bless you for it. 439 00:29:51,720 --> 00:29:57,120 Brothers and sisters, the truly human life is a grateful life. 440 00:29:59,080 --> 00:30:02,520 Here's my all time favorite quote from an Old Testament 441 00:30:02,760 --> 00:30:07,480 commentator, wonderful man Derek Kidner, commenting on Psalm 73. 442 00:30:07,480 --> 00:30:11,280 He said this in the Garden of Eden. 443 00:30:11,280 --> 00:30:15,800 The nerve that the serpent touched was to make even 444 00:30:15,800 --> 00:30:20,000 paradise seem an insult. It's not incredible. 445 00:30:20,400 --> 00:30:25,200 What an insight. The nerve that the serpent 446 00:30:25,200 --> 00:30:30,640 touched was to make even paradise seem an insult. 447 00:30:30,800 --> 00:30:34,560 This Lord, this is all you're giving us? 448 00:30:36,320 --> 00:30:39,920 How dare you. I want that tree. 449 00:30:40,560 --> 00:30:46,520 I want that fruit instead of gratitude to God, Adam returned 450 00:30:46,840 --> 00:30:51,520 grasping for God, and all was lost. 451 00:30:52,880 --> 00:30:56,960 All was lost until the last Adam, the Son of the Father, one 452 00:30:56,960 --> 00:31:00,040 day would enter the world and say to God, what did he say? 453 00:31:00,160 --> 00:31:06,160 Here I am. I have come to do your will to 454 00:31:06,160 --> 00:31:09,240 offer back to you a life of praise and Thanksgiving. 455 00:31:10,600 --> 00:31:13,320 Friends, I've been captivated today by Sandra's song that we 456 00:31:13,320 --> 00:31:16,840 had this morning. Christ is the life of the world. 457 00:31:16,840 --> 00:31:20,240 In Christ we offer all that He has offered. 458 00:31:20,320 --> 00:31:25,120 How incredibly true. We offer all that He has 459 00:31:25,120 --> 00:31:27,080 offered. He is the perfect offering, 460 00:31:28,280 --> 00:31:33,080 brothers and sisters, not just his body on the cross, but his 461 00:31:33,080 --> 00:31:36,480 life in the world. He offered to God to take us 462 00:31:36,480 --> 00:31:42,320 back to the garden again. And so friends, this evening, be 463 00:31:42,440 --> 00:31:47,160 like him, be thankful. Be thankful. 464 00:31:48,880 --> 00:31:53,640 Friends, this passage is saying, can you thank God for that link 465 00:31:53,760 --> 00:31:59,240 as you prepare to click on it? If you cannot thank Him for it, 466 00:31:59,520 --> 00:32:02,840 do not click on it. Can you thank God for that 467 00:32:02,840 --> 00:32:05,400 social media app as you scroll through? 468 00:32:05,400 --> 00:32:08,600 Can you Can you thank him out loud for it and in front of 469 00:32:08,600 --> 00:32:13,280 others for it? If you cannot, don't use it, 470 00:32:13,280 --> 00:32:15,160 don't touch it. We should not be watching it, 471 00:32:15,160 --> 00:32:17,600 sharing it, saying it or consuming it. 472 00:32:19,440 --> 00:32:23,480 Sinclair Ferguson says ask in any action, how can I be 473 00:32:23,480 --> 00:32:27,800 thankful for this? And you have the first step 474 00:32:27,800 --> 00:32:32,400 towards a purer life. You ever thought about that? 475 00:32:32,400 --> 00:32:34,320 I don't think. I don't think I have often. 476 00:32:34,320 --> 00:32:37,000 What do we normally think? The health, the healthy, 477 00:32:37,440 --> 00:32:42,600 wholesome growing Christian is doing what attending church, 478 00:32:42,920 --> 00:32:45,720 reading the right authors, listening to the right songs, 479 00:32:45,720 --> 00:32:50,880 growing in godliness and along comes the apostle Paul and says, 480 00:32:50,880 --> 00:32:53,360 I'll tell you what takes somebody's spiritual temperature 481 00:32:53,360 --> 00:32:58,160 like nothing else. Gratitude, Thanksgiving 482 00:32:59,320 --> 00:33:02,440 Philippians chapter 4 do not be anxious about anything but 483 00:33:02,440 --> 00:33:07,120 instead do what speak to God with Thanksgiving. 484 00:33:09,280 --> 00:33:11,400 You know, I want to say this evening that if you have a 485 00:33:11,400 --> 00:33:16,400 grumpiness problem, if you have a mood problem, if you're the 486 00:33:16,400 --> 00:33:20,480 kind of Presbyterian that looks like you're cheering a wasp if 487 00:33:20,480 --> 00:33:26,600 you if you if you sound like you belong to the frozen chosen, if 488 00:33:26,600 --> 00:33:31,400 there is no overflowing gratitude, no giving thanks 489 00:33:31,400 --> 00:33:34,760 always and for everything. If there is none of those 490 00:33:34,760 --> 00:33:39,800 things, friends, the problem, Paul says, is a lack of love, a 491 00:33:39,880 --> 00:33:43,840 lack of walking in light, a lack of walking in wisdom. 492 00:33:44,920 --> 00:33:50,200 Your grumpy heart is not because you've had a bad day, it's 493 00:33:50,200 --> 00:33:52,680 because you are not loving others. 494 00:33:53,960 --> 00:33:57,800 Your own grateful spirit is because you are not living in 495 00:33:57,800 --> 00:33:59,720 the light. Your Moody words are because 496 00:33:59,720 --> 00:34:02,680 you're walking through life unwisely. 497 00:34:05,200 --> 00:34:06,760 Well, let me leave you with this. 498 00:34:06,760 --> 00:34:10,080 I want to give you my favorite John Stott's story. 499 00:34:10,080 --> 00:34:11,840 Many of you will know the name of John Stott. 500 00:34:11,840 --> 00:34:15,960 He was the minister of All Souls Langham place in London for over 501 00:34:15,960 --> 00:34:21,280 30 years worldwide. Well known, deeply respected 502 00:34:21,320 --> 00:34:25,679 evangelical leader. Tremendous gift that God gave to 503 00:34:25,679 --> 00:34:30,159 us in the church, wasn't he? Some of you will know this story 504 00:34:30,159 --> 00:34:33,480 that many, many years ago he had a study assistant who was 505 00:34:33,480 --> 00:34:35,400 working with him. He always had rotating study 506 00:34:35,400 --> 00:34:37,639 assistants. In one year he had an assistant 507 00:34:37,639 --> 00:34:40,719 who was bringing Uncle John cups of tea to the table. 508 00:34:40,719 --> 00:34:42,440 That's what he was known as to everybody. 509 00:34:42,440 --> 00:34:46,960 Uncle John and the study assistant said that every single 510 00:34:46,960 --> 00:34:49,920 time I brought him a cup of tea, Uncle John Stop would be working 511 00:34:49,920 --> 00:34:52,199 at the table. I'd set a a cup of tea down. 512 00:34:52,199 --> 00:34:55,239 It's very British, isn't it, A cup of tea down on the table. 513 00:34:55,960 --> 00:34:58,480 Every single time I put the cup of tea down, he said, I would 514 00:34:58,480 --> 00:35:03,160 hear John Stop, say, I'm not worthy, I'm not worthy. 515 00:35:04,120 --> 00:35:07,520 Do the next afternoon study time, cup of tea, thank you, I'm 516 00:35:07,520 --> 00:35:10,680 not worthy. Thursday, thank you, I'm not 517 00:35:10,680 --> 00:35:13,560 worthy. And the study assistant says in 518 00:35:13,560 --> 00:35:17,600 the end, it just became the most infuriating thing in the world 519 00:35:17,600 --> 00:35:20,600 to hear this man say this. One day he simply snapped and 520 00:35:20,600 --> 00:35:23,280 said, Uncle John, it's just a cup of tea. 521 00:35:25,040 --> 00:35:28,400 And John Stott said, ah, yes, but it's also just the thin end 522 00:35:28,400 --> 00:35:34,280 of the wedge. In other words, if I stop being 523 00:35:34,280 --> 00:35:41,120 grateful for this, even this, this tiny thing, it will not be 524 00:35:41,120 --> 00:35:44,440 long before I am no longer grateful for this thing, the big 525 00:35:44,440 --> 00:35:47,560 thing, the greater gifts, the bigger gifts. 526 00:35:48,560 --> 00:35:52,680 Even this is an undeserved blessing. 527 00:35:54,360 --> 00:35:57,560 If any of you ever met John Stott or heard about him or read 528 00:35:57,560 --> 00:35:59,560 about him, how many of us would ever say that? 529 00:35:59,560 --> 00:36:02,240 The thing that you remember about him is that he was harsh 530 00:36:03,080 --> 00:36:10,720 or domineering or lied? No, he was gentle, loving, kind, 531 00:36:11,800 --> 00:36:13,120 and you know why he was like that? 532 00:36:13,120 --> 00:36:18,920 The answer is verse 20, because in everything and for 533 00:36:18,920 --> 00:36:24,400 everything, for everything, he gave thanks to God the Father in 534 00:36:24,400 --> 00:36:26,280 the name of the Lord Jesus Christ. 535 00:36:27,240 --> 00:36:31,600 Friends, May God bless you and keep you. 536 00:36:33,640 --> 00:36:37,200 And until that day when we become like him in all his 537 00:36:37,200 --> 00:36:42,480 perfect radiant glory, until that day, may He make you and me 538 00:36:42,480 --> 00:36:48,200 and us together like him. So may it be in Jesus name, 539 00:36:48,520 --> 00:36:49,960 Amen. Let's pray together. 540 00:36:55,000 --> 00:36:59,760 Gracious Heavenly Father, the riches of Your word are so great 541 00:36:59,760 --> 00:37:03,200 we will spend forever trying to Plumb their depths. 542 00:37:03,200 --> 00:37:06,840 And so I simply ask this evening that you would take something 543 00:37:06,840 --> 00:37:12,400 that has been said in faltering words and to refract the light 544 00:37:12,400 --> 00:37:17,200 of Your perfect word through it. Thank you that you know each and 545 00:37:17,200 --> 00:37:20,920 every one of us that our lives this evening are an open book to 546 00:37:20,920 --> 00:37:23,800 you. And so would you, by your 547 00:37:23,800 --> 00:37:27,520 Spirit, we pray. Put your finger on each of our 548 00:37:27,520 --> 00:37:31,880 lives. Show us the beauty of the Lord 549 00:37:31,880 --> 00:37:36,040 Jesus Christ, the true and last second man, the true and proper 550 00:37:36,040 --> 00:37:41,600 man, the last Adam in whom we now live and move and have our 551 00:37:41,600 --> 00:37:44,320 being. Wonder of wonders make us like 552 00:37:44,320 --> 00:37:46,920 Him. We pray all our days where we 553 00:37:46,920 --> 00:37:49,680 ask it for His precious namesake. 554 00:37:50,440 --> 00:37:50,920 Amen.