1 00:00:00,600 --> 00:00:04,800 Father in Heaven, we are so thankful for all that you have 2 00:00:04,800 --> 00:00:08,680 given us this day. Holy Spirit, we're so thankful 3 00:00:08,680 --> 00:00:11,320 for the work that you have done and will do. 4 00:00:11,320 --> 00:00:16,040 Even now, as we open Your word, we pray, Holy Spirit, that you 5 00:00:16,040 --> 00:00:19,800 would transform us, that You would press the truth of this 6 00:00:19,800 --> 00:00:24,480 Holy Word so deep into us, teaching us, rebuking us, 7 00:00:24,680 --> 00:00:28,240 correcting us, and training us in righteousness, that even as 8 00:00:28,240 --> 00:00:32,640 we who are in Christ exit this sanctuary today, a watching 9 00:00:32,640 --> 00:00:35,480 world would know that there's something different. 10 00:00:35,880 --> 00:00:41,520 It would be your fruits in and through us in a world that's 11 00:00:41,520 --> 00:00:45,600 dark, Your people radiant because of Christ. 12 00:00:45,880 --> 00:00:49,840 We pray this in your holy name, Jesus, Amen. 13 00:00:50,080 --> 00:00:52,560 You would remain standing for the reading of God's Word. 14 00:00:53,080 --> 00:00:56,000 The passage I'm reading from today is the same text we were 15 00:00:56,000 --> 00:00:58,720 in last week. So if you were not here, I spent 16 00:00:58,720 --> 00:01:02,720 the majority of time focusing on the first few verses of our 17 00:01:02,720 --> 00:01:05,239 passage. And today we're going to pick up 18 00:01:05,239 --> 00:01:08,720 where I left off last week, looking at what it means to be 19 00:01:08,720 --> 00:01:11,200 seated with Christ in the heavenlies. 20 00:01:11,200 --> 00:01:14,480 I'm going to begin in chapter 2, verse four, and read through 21 00:01:14,720 --> 00:01:19,280 verse 10. But God, being rich in mercy, 22 00:01:19,280 --> 00:01:23,120 because of the great love with which He loved us, even when we 23 00:01:23,120 --> 00:01:27,120 were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with 24 00:01:27,120 --> 00:01:31,520 Christ. By grace you have been saved and 25 00:01:31,520 --> 00:01:35,160 raised us up with Him, and seated us with Him in the 26 00:01:35,160 --> 00:01:40,320 heavenly places in Christ Jesus, so that in the coming ages He 27 00:01:40,320 --> 00:01:44,280 might show the immeasurable riches of His grace and kindness 28 00:01:44,480 --> 00:01:48,600 toward us in Christ Jesus. For by grace you have been saved 29 00:01:48,600 --> 00:01:51,840 through faith, and this is not your own doing. 30 00:01:52,120 --> 00:01:56,960 It is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one 31 00:01:56,960 --> 00:02:00,160 may boast. For we are His workmanship, 32 00:02:00,400 --> 00:02:04,800 created in Christ Jesus for good works which God prepared 33 00:02:04,800 --> 00:02:07,400 beforehand, that we should walk in them. 34 00:02:07,800 --> 00:02:11,640 This is the word of the Lord. Thanks be to God. 35 00:02:11,800 --> 00:02:20,280 Please be seated for a moment. I want you to reflect upon the 36 00:02:20,280 --> 00:02:28,080 very best seat that you have ever set in a concert, a 37 00:02:28,080 --> 00:02:35,240 sporting event, a banquet. The very best seat that you have 38 00:02:35,240 --> 00:02:36,840 ever set in. Where was it? 39 00:02:37,400 --> 00:02:39,560 When was it? Who were you with? 40 00:02:40,800 --> 00:02:45,280 I've had the privilege of sitting in some amazing places, 41 00:02:45,720 --> 00:02:49,920 start finish line of the Indy 505 or 6 years in a row when I 42 00:02:49,920 --> 00:02:53,960 lived in Saint Louis. I have been in remarkable places 43 00:02:53,960 --> 00:02:57,840 at concerts and sporting events, usually because of someone I 44 00:02:57,840 --> 00:03:03,200 knew. Maybe the best seat my wife and 45 00:03:03,200 --> 00:03:06,600 I've ever been given was for a concert that I did not want to 46 00:03:06,600 --> 00:03:11,480 go to. This concert here in Dallas, one 47 00:03:11,480 --> 00:03:14,880 show scheduled ended up needing 3, each one selling out very 48 00:03:14,880 --> 00:03:17,280 quickly. And we were there in the 49 00:03:17,280 --> 00:03:22,520 corporate sponsors box, not in a normal seat in the stadium, but 50 00:03:22,520 --> 00:03:26,680 in a La Z Boy leather recliner. It was wonderful. 51 00:03:27,600 --> 00:03:31,760 About two hours into the three hours show, I suddenly felt the 52 00:03:31,760 --> 00:03:36,480 tap in the back of my head and it is my wife who is so 53 00:03:36,560 --> 00:03:40,920 embarrassed that I had somehow fallen asleep in the midst of 54 00:03:40,920 --> 00:03:44,080 this concert. She then looked at me and said 55 00:03:44,280 --> 00:03:49,640 you don't deserve this seat and she was right. 56 00:03:50,200 --> 00:03:52,120 And I knew immediately that will preach. 57 00:03:56,800 --> 00:04:02,280 We are not living, most of us as Christians in the reality of 58 00:04:02,280 --> 00:04:06,640 what Paul is saying here. Part of it's because when we 59 00:04:06,640 --> 00:04:13,120 begin our discipleship in a way that is not really biblical, not 60 00:04:13,120 --> 00:04:18,079 saturated in Scripture, it's hard to unwind what begins to 61 00:04:18,079 --> 00:04:21,440 happen to us. Being in the Bible Belt, what 62 00:04:21,440 --> 00:04:25,320 the culture says a Christian is, what a disciple of Christ is, 63 00:04:25,800 --> 00:04:31,200 often looks different than what the Word of God itself says. 64 00:04:31,680 --> 00:04:35,400 It's not so far different, but it's different enough. 65 00:04:35,400 --> 00:04:38,160 In fact, I would say one of Satan's favorite words is the 66 00:04:38,160 --> 00:04:40,840 Word almost. It's almost true. 67 00:04:40,840 --> 00:04:42,960 It's almost right. There's things people who 68 00:04:42,960 --> 00:04:46,800 proclaim Christ, say that they think are biblical, that are not 69 00:04:46,800 --> 00:04:51,160 even in the Bible. Most of us, when we come to 70 00:04:51,160 --> 00:04:56,040 saving faith, we're told all about grace, all about the free 71 00:04:56,040 --> 00:05:00,560 gift of God's forgiveness, then coming to save the sinner's 72 00:05:00,560 --> 00:05:03,520 prayer, receiving Christ. We're then told a whole list of 73 00:05:03,520 --> 00:05:05,080 things that we've got to start doing. 74 00:05:05,680 --> 00:05:09,360 Yes, if we're truly in Christ, our life does change. 75 00:05:10,040 --> 00:05:13,040 We are no longer dead, but made alive. 76 00:05:13,040 --> 00:05:15,800 As I preached last week, remember, we weren't spiritually 77 00:05:15,800 --> 00:05:18,080 sick. We weren't a little bit immoral. 78 00:05:18,240 --> 00:05:21,760 We were spiritually dead. There was no way we could have a 79 00:05:21,760 --> 00:05:26,000 thought or affection or a pure desire for Christ apart from him 80 00:05:26,200 --> 00:05:28,280 resurrecting us. And He did. 81 00:05:28,280 --> 00:05:33,640 He made us alive in Christ. Justification is a legal term 82 00:05:33,640 --> 00:05:37,360 that speaks of an act where we because of what Christ has done 83 00:05:37,360 --> 00:05:41,400 to us and His righteousness imputed to us, we are seen as 84 00:05:41,400 --> 00:05:46,520 forgiven and free in Christ. It's a remarkable gift to know 85 00:05:46,520 --> 00:05:50,720 that this is God's free grace. He pardons our sin, accepts us 86 00:05:50,720 --> 00:05:54,560 as righteousness in His sight, based not on our self but on 87 00:05:54,760 --> 00:06:00,880 Jesus Christ. But for many of us, our 88 00:06:00,880 --> 00:06:03,920 discipleship didn't look like the way Paul was discipling the 89 00:06:03,920 --> 00:06:07,920 people of Ephesus. He is going to get to the 90 00:06:07,920 --> 00:06:11,280 specific ways God's people should live in the world. 91 00:06:11,920 --> 00:06:15,760 He's going to speak about relationships like marriage, 92 00:06:16,200 --> 00:06:18,520 parenting. He is going to talk about what 93 00:06:18,520 --> 00:06:22,240 it means to walk in the life that we now have in Christ in 94 00:06:22,240 --> 00:06:25,400 very specific ways. But before he gets to the 95 00:06:25,400 --> 00:06:30,040 behavior, he is telling this young church that he planted 96 00:06:30,560 --> 00:06:35,000 that what you must understand is what's changed about your 97 00:06:35,000 --> 00:06:40,320 identity, about who you are. And he says three things. 98 00:06:40,800 --> 00:06:42,760 He speaks of us. I've already mentioned being 99 00:06:42,760 --> 00:06:44,840 made alive in Christ. That has to do with 100 00:06:44,840 --> 00:06:48,600 resurrection. Lazarus come out. 101 00:06:49,040 --> 00:06:53,400 Just like Lazarus who is dead physically, we are dead 102 00:06:53,400 --> 00:06:56,200 spiritually. And by his grace, the Lord says 103 00:06:56,280 --> 00:06:59,440 rise, come out. And if that's you, you are one 104 00:06:59,480 --> 00:07:04,000 with Christ. He then speaks in verse 6 about 105 00:07:04,000 --> 00:07:06,680 how we're raised up with him there. 106 00:07:06,680 --> 00:07:10,040 He's referencing the ascension. And then he says, and this is 107 00:07:10,040 --> 00:07:14,080 where we're going to start today and seated us with him in the 108 00:07:14,080 --> 00:07:17,440 heavenly places in Christ Jesus. Now this is really important. 109 00:07:17,800 --> 00:07:20,320 Each of those actions is in the heiress. 110 00:07:20,320 --> 00:07:23,720 That means it's past tense. What Paul is saying to the 111 00:07:23,720 --> 00:07:27,920 Saints and Ephesus and the word St. doesn't mean a super highly 112 00:07:28,360 --> 00:07:31,120 committed Christian. All Christians are Saints. 113 00:07:32,640 --> 00:07:34,840 That's what God's Word teaches us. 114 00:07:35,720 --> 00:07:38,280 And So what he's saying about these Saints is that you have 115 00:07:38,360 --> 00:07:42,080 already been made alive, resurrected, you have already 116 00:07:42,080 --> 00:07:45,680 ascended. You are already right now 117 00:07:45,960 --> 00:07:52,320 sitting with Jesus in the heavenly places in Christ, the 118 00:07:52,320 --> 00:08:00,720 best seat forever, forever. But it doesn't start when we 119 00:08:00,720 --> 00:08:03,560 die. It starts when we have been 120 00:08:03,560 --> 00:08:08,960 given new life in Christ. If you're in Jesus, you are 121 00:08:08,960 --> 00:08:13,760 right now sitting with him in the heavenlies. 122 00:08:14,400 --> 00:08:16,840 Now this word heavenly is translated into the ESV. 123 00:08:17,080 --> 00:08:21,760 Heavenly places is unique to Paul and unique to this letter. 124 00:08:22,360 --> 00:08:26,520 Paul uses it at the beginning of the letter in chapter 1, verse 125 00:08:26,520 --> 00:08:28,280 three. He says blessed be the God and 126 00:08:28,280 --> 00:08:32,679 Father of our Lord Jesus Christ who has blessed us in Christ 127 00:08:32,679 --> 00:08:37,760 with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places. 128 00:08:38,400 --> 00:08:42,600 He's going to use that same phrase again in verse 20 of 129 00:08:42,600 --> 00:08:46,640 chapter 1 when he speaks of the immeasurable greatness of 130 00:08:46,640 --> 00:08:50,120 Christ's power toward us who believe according to the working 131 00:08:50,120 --> 00:08:54,040 of his great might that he worked in Christ when he raised 132 00:08:54,040 --> 00:08:58,360 him from the dead and seated Him at His right hand in the 133 00:08:58,360 --> 00:09:02,080 heavenly places. He uses it as we've just read in 134 00:09:02,080 --> 00:09:07,360 chapter 2, verse 6, and then near the end of his letter is 135 00:09:07,360 --> 00:09:10,240 Paul is teaching about spiritual warfare. 136 00:09:10,880 --> 00:09:15,760 He speaks of how we are in a battle, and the verse that he 137 00:09:15,760 --> 00:09:18,360 uses in chapter 6, verse 12 says this. 138 00:09:18,720 --> 00:09:21,880 For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the 139 00:09:21,880 --> 00:09:26,480 rulers, against the authorities, against those cosmic powers, 140 00:09:26,680 --> 00:09:31,320 over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of 141 00:09:31,320 --> 00:09:37,880 evil in the heavenly places. So This is why it matters what 142 00:09:37,880 --> 00:09:42,600 Paul is teaching the people of Ephesus, those who are in 143 00:09:42,600 --> 00:09:46,560 Christ, the Saints, is that because of who they are in 144 00:09:46,560 --> 00:09:49,800 Christ, their union, because they are seated with Jeezy 145 00:09:50,120 --> 00:09:54,480 Jesus, they have all the authority because of who we are 146 00:09:54,480 --> 00:09:56,960 in Christ. This is really important. 147 00:09:57,560 --> 00:10:03,920 Most of us are not living in the reality of this truth in our 148 00:10:03,920 --> 00:10:05,680 daily walk. Let me ask you a question. 149 00:10:06,360 --> 00:10:09,760 Does this reality you being seated in the heavenly places 150 00:10:09,760 --> 00:10:13,600 with Christ, does it inform the way you think about every day, 151 00:10:14,200 --> 00:10:17,760 every meeting of every day? Does your small group Bible 152 00:10:17,760 --> 00:10:20,720 study spend a lot of time talking about what it means to 153 00:10:20,720 --> 00:10:27,040 be seated with Christ now, not just one day after we die? 154 00:10:27,960 --> 00:10:31,360 So much of our discipleship is not focused on that. 155 00:10:31,800 --> 00:10:33,840 Instead, it's focused on our behaviors. 156 00:10:34,120 --> 00:10:36,480 Did you look at this? Did you not look at this? 157 00:10:37,760 --> 00:10:40,480 How are you thinking about the ways in which you give? 158 00:10:40,960 --> 00:10:45,720 All these things matter, but it must come out of the identity of 159 00:10:45,720 --> 00:10:50,160 who we are. So what does this mean to be 160 00:10:50,160 --> 00:10:53,360 seated with Christ? Well, first let's talk about 161 00:10:53,360 --> 00:10:58,600 what it was for Christ in the book of Hebrews, chapter 1. 162 00:10:59,840 --> 00:11:03,240 The author of that book, really the preacher of that sermon, 163 00:11:03,640 --> 00:11:08,120 Speaking of Jesus, says this. He is the radiance of the glory 164 00:11:08,120 --> 00:11:13,360 of God and the exact imprint of his nature, and he that's Jesus 165 00:11:13,400 --> 00:11:17,640 upholds the universe by the word of his power after making 166 00:11:17,640 --> 00:11:21,800 purification for our sins. That means his life, his death, 167 00:11:22,280 --> 00:11:26,240 his resurrection, his reign after making purification for 168 00:11:26,240 --> 00:11:30,120 our sins. He that's Jesus, sat down at the 169 00:11:30,120 --> 00:11:34,520 right hand of the majesty on high, having become as much 170 00:11:34,520 --> 00:11:38,480 superior to angels as the name he has inherited is more 171 00:11:38,480 --> 00:11:41,800 excellent than theirs. And then later in the chapter 172 00:11:41,800 --> 00:11:45,560 verse 13, the author, the preacher says, and to which of 173 00:11:45,560 --> 00:11:50,240 the angels has he ever said, Sit at my right hand until I make 174 00:11:50,240 --> 00:11:52,520 your enemies a footstool for your feet. 175 00:11:53,680 --> 00:11:55,560 OK, This is the 6th Sunday of Easter. 176 00:11:56,720 --> 00:12:02,360 On Easter Sunday I preached the last words that are recorded by 177 00:12:02,360 --> 00:12:04,720 Matthew and the Gospel according to Matthew. 178 00:12:05,360 --> 00:12:10,440 And that is when Jesus says to them, All authority in heaven 179 00:12:10,440 --> 00:12:12,600 and on earth has been given to me. 180 00:12:13,320 --> 00:12:16,440 Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them 181 00:12:16,440 --> 00:12:19,520 in the name of the Father and the Son, teaching them to obey 182 00:12:19,680 --> 00:12:20,720 all. I've come into you. 183 00:12:20,720 --> 00:12:23,040 Then what does he say? The last words of Matthew's 184 00:12:23,040 --> 00:12:26,200 Gospel. And surely I will be with you 185 00:12:26,440 --> 00:12:31,200 always to the end of the age. How can that be? 186 00:12:32,200 --> 00:12:36,880 How can it be? They watch as Acts records it. 187 00:12:37,400 --> 00:12:40,280 Jesus move into the sky as he has sinned. 188 00:12:41,200 --> 00:12:47,040 How can he ascend to this throne to sit at the right hand of the 189 00:12:47,040 --> 00:12:49,960 Father and yet still be present with us? 190 00:12:50,520 --> 00:12:53,880 It has to do with the reality of the Holy Spirit. 191 00:12:54,560 --> 00:12:56,440 But what does it mean that he's seated there? 192 00:12:58,560 --> 00:13:04,480 First, He's in a realm of glory, the greatest realm of glory. 193 00:13:04,920 --> 00:13:09,720 He is returned to that place. Second, the fact that he is 194 00:13:09,720 --> 00:13:17,160 seated signifies victory. It symbolizes what he said on 195 00:13:17,160 --> 00:13:19,240 the cross. It is finished. 196 00:13:19,760 --> 00:13:25,760 I have conquered our great enemy, sin, Satan, and death. 197 00:13:26,280 --> 00:13:30,800 Sitting symbolizes that great victory, that there in this 198 00:13:30,800 --> 00:13:37,280 realm of glory, he sits. He rests, but he's not finished 199 00:13:38,080 --> 00:13:40,840 with his reigning there on that throne. 200 00:13:40,840 --> 00:13:46,880 As he rest, he also reigns. He reigns because everything in 201 00:13:46,880 --> 00:13:49,640 heaven and on earth is under him. 202 00:13:50,120 --> 00:13:53,960 And he waits until the Father says return. 203 00:13:54,840 --> 00:13:58,320 And when he returns, he's not coming as an infant in a cradle. 204 00:13:58,720 --> 00:14:01,080 He's coming as the King of Kings and Lord of Lords. 205 00:14:01,240 --> 00:14:05,480 And when he comes, every knee will bow and tongue confess that 206 00:14:05,480 --> 00:14:12,280 Jesus Christ is Lord. Now here's what's utterly 207 00:14:12,280 --> 00:14:17,760 astonishing. If you are in Jesus Christ, you 208 00:14:17,840 --> 00:14:25,560 are seated with Him right now. You are resting in Him in the 209 00:14:25,560 --> 00:14:30,680 realm of glory. You, because He is in you and 210 00:14:30,680 --> 00:14:36,240 you are in him, are reigning with Him, who is the one who has 211 00:14:36,240 --> 00:14:42,120 authority over all. This is why Paul emphasizes and 212 00:14:42,120 --> 00:14:46,800 laborers this new identity. You and I have an earthly zip 213 00:14:46,800 --> 00:14:51,000 code. You have an earthly address. 214 00:14:52,440 --> 00:14:56,040 But for those who are in Christ, this is not our home. 215 00:14:57,480 --> 00:15:03,960 Our home is already in the heavenly places, and we already 216 00:15:04,120 --> 00:15:11,800 are sitting with Jesus in Jesus. What might that do to our small 217 00:15:11,800 --> 00:15:14,760 groups? What might they do to our daily 218 00:15:14,760 --> 00:15:21,840 devotions if we remember where we are and who we are in? 219 00:15:23,640 --> 00:15:27,800 This is mysterious. And because it's mysterious, 220 00:15:28,320 --> 00:15:30,400 it's our temptation to ignore it. 221 00:15:31,000 --> 00:15:34,040 And when we ignore it, we do so to our peril. 222 00:15:34,360 --> 00:15:36,480 Because this is true of who we are. 223 00:15:37,480 --> 00:15:40,440 Tim Jeffers. This week a friend elder in our 224 00:15:40,440 --> 00:15:44,960 church came across as old Scottish Presbyterian from the 225 00:15:44,960 --> 00:15:48,560 19th century named Robert Smith Candlisch. 226 00:15:49,680 --> 00:15:53,200 He wrote and preached on this particular phrase. 227 00:15:53,200 --> 00:15:56,960 Sitting with Jesus seated in the heavenlies. 228 00:15:57,440 --> 00:16:02,040 Listen to what he says. Sitting with Christ at the right 229 00:16:02,040 --> 00:16:04,840 hand of the majesty on high, that's the Father. 230 00:16:05,360 --> 00:16:08,720 Sitting with Christ at the right hand of the majesty on high. 231 00:16:09,080 --> 00:16:14,920 You, that's whoever's in Christ. You sit very near the Father. 232 00:16:15,640 --> 00:16:17,800 Not one day you will sit near the Father. 233 00:16:18,040 --> 00:16:22,080 Right now, brother, sister in Christ, you're sitting in Christ 234 00:16:22,200 --> 00:16:28,560 near the Father, close beside him, as it were, under the very 235 00:16:28,720 --> 00:16:34,720 I with which he regards Christ, with the very embrace in which 236 00:16:34,720 --> 00:16:43,600 he clasped his Son to his bosom. And you sit above all else but 237 00:16:43,800 --> 00:16:48,040 God. All outward things you may 238 00:16:48,040 --> 00:16:52,520 command to be your servants in the Lord. 239 00:16:55,480 --> 00:16:59,760 I don't think much of our discipleship centers on this 240 00:16:59,760 --> 00:17:02,920 reality. We run to the back half of the 241 00:17:02,960 --> 00:17:07,280 letter of Ephesians, missing the reality of what he's saying at 242 00:17:07,280 --> 00:17:10,560 the front and what's at the front and what's at the back. 243 00:17:10,560 --> 00:17:15,079 Both matter, but getting them in the right order is most 244 00:17:15,119 --> 00:17:22,000 important. If you're in Jesus, this is now 245 00:17:22,400 --> 00:17:30,600 and forever the best seat. If you're in Christ Jesus, this 246 00:17:30,600 --> 00:17:34,440 is now and forever the best seat. 247 00:17:34,440 --> 00:17:44,440 The best seats require planning. Best seats require payment. 248 00:17:45,560 --> 00:17:53,040 Best seats require person. Every time I receive great 249 00:17:53,040 --> 00:17:56,280 seats, there was some plan towards those. 250 00:17:56,960 --> 00:18:01,480 Or every time I've provided great seats, like later today, 251 00:18:02,080 --> 00:18:06,240 it's because planning took place, a reservation was made. 252 00:18:06,720 --> 00:18:09,800 Confidence that the reservation will be kept as part of the 253 00:18:09,800 --> 00:18:15,320 plan, payment is made. Somebody purchased those tickets 254 00:18:15,320 --> 00:18:19,520 for me. It's somebody of influence, 255 00:18:20,440 --> 00:18:25,040 somebody of power that got me into that suite that enabled me 256 00:18:25,040 --> 00:18:28,880 to sleep like a baby for a little while. 257 00:18:31,240 --> 00:18:33,000 But here's what we don't think about enough. 258 00:18:34,440 --> 00:18:39,160 The plan for you, sister, brother in Christ. 259 00:18:39,920 --> 00:18:42,960 The plan for me, your brother in Christ. 260 00:18:43,480 --> 00:18:46,920 The plan for the Saints at Ephesus for every Christian of 261 00:18:46,920 --> 00:18:50,040 all time. That plan was written before all 262 00:18:50,040 --> 00:18:53,520 creation. Your name was in the reservation 263 00:18:53,520 --> 00:18:57,800 book. If you're in Christ, that is how 264 00:18:57,800 --> 00:19:01,960 far back your testimony goes. Meditate on that. 265 00:19:02,800 --> 00:19:08,000 Since the love, even in the mystery, the plan was made. 266 00:19:08,840 --> 00:19:14,760 That plan included payment, and the payment of that seat was the 267 00:19:14,760 --> 00:19:21,960 very blood, the very life of the man that we're seated with in 268 00:19:22,000 --> 00:19:25,680 that seat. Do you see how Paul phrased it, 269 00:19:25,880 --> 00:19:32,920 verse 6, and raised us up with him and seated us with him in 270 00:19:32,920 --> 00:19:36,600 the heavenly places in Christ Jesus? 271 00:19:37,520 --> 00:19:43,240 He was the payment. He was the person, a person so 272 00:19:43,240 --> 00:19:48,160 meek and humble, yet no one more powerful. 273 00:19:49,840 --> 00:19:52,120 All authority in heaven on earth has been given to me. 274 00:19:52,920 --> 00:19:56,640 But here's the question, why was this such a burden to Paul? 275 00:19:57,440 --> 00:20:00,320 Why did he start here and stay here for some time? 276 00:20:00,920 --> 00:20:04,360 And what does it mean for my life today? 277 00:20:05,520 --> 00:20:10,600 Let me quote Candlush again, answering the question. 278 00:20:11,040 --> 00:20:16,360 Where are the heavenlies? Is that just some place far 279 00:20:16,360 --> 00:20:20,560 away, that periodically I will take things to the Lord and 280 00:20:20,560 --> 00:20:22,600 receive from Him? No. 281 00:20:24,480 --> 00:20:29,680 Wherever a believer is, there are the heavenlies in his 282 00:20:29,680 --> 00:20:36,480 closet, his family, his shop, his office, for in the mall he 283 00:20:36,680 --> 00:20:42,360 has in his inmost soul what is the essence of the heavenlies. 284 00:20:42,800 --> 00:20:47,400 It's your union with Jesus. And So what that means 285 00:20:47,400 --> 00:20:53,760 practically, and I can't get more practical to this, is that 286 00:20:53,760 --> 00:20:58,080 when you are seated in the conference room or in the 287 00:20:58,080 --> 00:21:05,000 classroom or in the corner, when you are on a job interview or a 288 00:21:05,000 --> 00:21:10,800 second date, when you are in carpool or in the waiting room 289 00:21:11,640 --> 00:21:19,680 or even at the DMV, When you are on the bench in the Pew or on 290 00:21:19,680 --> 00:21:28,360 the hot seat, Christian St. you are seated in the heavenlies. 291 00:21:29,560 --> 00:21:34,960 And if we believe that's true, it changes everything about the 292 00:21:34,960 --> 00:21:39,240 way we see our day, the appointments we have, the 293 00:21:39,240 --> 00:21:42,800 errands we run, the dreams we pursue. 294 00:21:46,720 --> 00:21:50,680 If you're not in Christ, then you're not in that seat. 295 00:21:51,920 --> 00:21:56,320 You're still on your own throne, seeking to rule your own world. 296 00:21:57,360 --> 00:22:00,560 And all that I'm preaching this morning, all that's been 297 00:22:00,560 --> 00:22:03,440 promised to you is not yet yours. 298 00:22:04,160 --> 00:22:09,160 And if you never turn to Christ, if you never rest and receive 299 00:22:09,160 --> 00:22:13,520 Him alone for salvation, you will remain on your throne for 300 00:22:13,520 --> 00:22:15,640 all eternity, separated from Him. 301 00:22:17,440 --> 00:22:21,880 Listen carefully, how do we receive this seat? 302 00:22:23,400 --> 00:22:25,280 How do we receive this salvation? 303 00:22:25,960 --> 00:22:29,280 Paul's very clear to labor throughout all of his letters 304 00:22:29,280 --> 00:22:32,880 about the grace of God. In verse 7, he seems to 305 00:22:32,880 --> 00:22:37,160 interrupt his thoughts, even speaking about the grace of God, 306 00:22:37,160 --> 00:22:40,840 moving into verses 8 and 9 saying for by grace you have 307 00:22:40,840 --> 00:22:44,200 been saved through faith, and this not of your own doing. 308 00:22:44,200 --> 00:22:48,480 It is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no man 309 00:22:48,640 --> 00:22:51,960 may boast, no one may boast. Now this is important. 310 00:22:52,560 --> 00:22:55,520 You know this doctrine because we preach it all the time. 311 00:22:56,280 --> 00:23:03,560 But like me, we are constantly tempted to smuggle something of 312 00:23:03,560 --> 00:23:11,080 our own flesh into that reality. I'm not as bad as them. 313 00:23:12,640 --> 00:23:16,440 I'm doing pretty good. I know more dead authors than 314 00:23:16,440 --> 00:23:20,400 they do. I am more zealous than them. 315 00:23:21,000 --> 00:23:24,720 Friends, you and I have the same thing in common. 316 00:23:25,240 --> 00:23:31,520 There's nothing we bring. Not one work, not one thought, 317 00:23:31,840 --> 00:23:34,520 not one discipline, not one idea. 318 00:23:35,160 --> 00:23:37,760 We're in a moment. We're going to sing naked. 319 00:23:37,760 --> 00:23:42,280 Come to thee for dress nothing in my hand. 320 00:23:42,280 --> 00:23:47,680 I bring you sing that, I sing that. 321 00:23:47,800 --> 00:23:52,400 And yet I'm so tempted still to be smuggling something of 322 00:23:52,400 --> 00:23:56,600 myself, and there's nothing, no works. 323 00:23:57,840 --> 00:24:03,360 Now this is important. At this point many people begin 324 00:24:03,360 --> 00:24:07,760 to confuse the gospel. Some of them say I've come to 325 00:24:07,760 --> 00:24:11,160 face and because works don't matter, I can live any way I 326 00:24:11,160 --> 00:24:14,320 want. If that's how you are living, I 327 00:24:14,320 --> 00:24:16,960 want you to hear this clearly. You should have very little 328 00:24:16,960 --> 00:24:18,600 confidence that you're in the seat. 329 00:24:19,280 --> 00:24:21,520 You should have very little confidence that you're saved 330 00:24:22,240 --> 00:24:28,040 because when someone is saved, they went from being dead to now 331 00:24:28,040 --> 00:24:30,440 suddenly being resurrected to life. 332 00:24:31,280 --> 00:24:34,480 And it doesn't just happen that forgiveness is all it's about. 333 00:24:35,120 --> 00:24:37,920 The new life. And the person begins to take 334 00:24:37,920 --> 00:24:41,760 deep roots. The desire for Christ begins to 335 00:24:41,760 --> 00:24:45,400 grow. And suddenly your love for the 336 00:24:45,400 --> 00:24:49,200 Word of God, your love for the things of God, your desire to 337 00:24:49,200 --> 00:24:52,880 worship God begins to swell in your heart and mind. 338 00:24:53,200 --> 00:24:55,720 None of it by you, none of it by your works. 339 00:24:55,720 --> 00:24:59,920 You can't boast. All because of His love and 340 00:24:59,920 --> 00:25:03,720 mercy and even the gift of faith that He gets us. 341 00:25:04,160 --> 00:25:11,280 We are saved by grace, by faith alone, but never by a faith that 342 00:25:11,280 --> 00:25:15,400 is alone. And that's why verse 10 must be 343 00:25:15,400 --> 00:25:19,560 coupled with eight and nine. It says this. 344 00:25:19,880 --> 00:25:24,480 For we are His workmanship, created in Jesus for good works 345 00:25:24,840 --> 00:25:28,640 which God prepared before him that we should walk in them. 346 00:25:30,840 --> 00:25:35,320 Look at that verse again. This is to those Saints, those 347 00:25:35,320 --> 00:25:39,880 who are in Christ. It's to Christians, for we are 348 00:25:40,160 --> 00:25:45,720 his workmanship. The word for workmanship in the 349 00:25:45,720 --> 00:25:49,000 Greek is poema. It means poem. 350 00:25:49,960 --> 00:25:52,840 It is a general term for a work of art. 351 00:25:53,760 --> 00:25:57,720 Here's what that means. Richard Phillips says God's 352 00:25:57,720 --> 00:26:02,800 highest masterpiece is his spiritual transformation of the 353 00:26:02,800 --> 00:26:08,960 man or woman long dead in sin. That's all of us who God raised 354 00:26:08,960 --> 00:26:14,400 from spiritual death and now is saved to do good works in his 355 00:26:14,400 --> 00:26:17,120 name. The good works that we do in His 356 00:26:17,120 --> 00:26:20,680 name are not what save us. They do not earn our salvation 357 00:26:21,160 --> 00:26:24,080 because salvation is by grace through faith alone. 358 00:26:24,400 --> 00:26:29,840 We who have been resurrected, we who have been ascended, we who 359 00:26:29,840 --> 00:26:35,560 are right now sitting with Jesus next to God the Father on high 360 00:26:36,320 --> 00:26:39,080 in Christ, we want to live for him. 361 00:26:39,960 --> 00:26:45,160 We want no part of our life to not look like He desires for it 362 00:26:45,160 --> 00:26:48,480 to look. We're changed and we're being 363 00:26:48,480 --> 00:26:50,840 changed. That's sanctification. 364 00:26:51,080 --> 00:26:55,120 Sanctification is not an act like justification A1 time 365 00:26:55,120 --> 00:26:58,160 reality. It is a work of God's free grace 366 00:26:58,360 --> 00:27:03,400 whereby we are renewed in the whole man after the image of God 367 00:27:04,040 --> 00:27:07,680 and are enabled more and more to die into sin and live under 368 00:27:07,680 --> 00:27:10,800 righteousness. So friend, let me ask you a few 369 00:27:10,800 --> 00:27:14,000 questions. Are you in that seat? 370 00:27:14,880 --> 00:27:18,000 Do you know what it means to trust in Christ alone for 371 00:27:18,000 --> 00:27:24,320 salvation? Do you desire to be holy because 372 00:27:24,320 --> 00:27:27,880 of who Christ is? Do you desire to live according 373 00:27:27,880 --> 00:27:31,560 to His Word? If the answer is yes, that 374 00:27:31,560 --> 00:27:34,840 transformational work is at play, praise God. 375 00:27:35,920 --> 00:27:38,880 Some of you today might be here and you're being honest about a 376 00:27:38,880 --> 00:27:42,000 particular struggle. You might even say I struggle to 377 00:27:42,000 --> 00:27:44,800 desire God. Well, let me ask you to take it 378 00:27:44,800 --> 00:27:48,760 a level lower as you hear what I'm preaching, as you hear what 379 00:27:48,760 --> 00:27:50,880 Paul wrote, is anything stirring in you? 380 00:27:51,840 --> 00:27:55,640 Is there a part of you that's saying I desire to desire those 381 00:27:55,640 --> 00:28:00,080 things and take them to the Lord and ask him for the grace to 382 00:28:00,080 --> 00:28:02,480 meet that prayer? And I trust that he will. 383 00:28:05,680 --> 00:28:10,920 Poema poem, a general term for a work of art. 384 00:28:11,720 --> 00:28:17,200 Sinclair Ferguson says this and as I say this, I want you to 385 00:28:17,200 --> 00:28:19,760 think about the people who are in Christ all around you. 386 00:28:20,360 --> 00:28:26,120 Listen to what he says. The Church Triumphant is an art 387 00:28:26,120 --> 00:28:31,320 gallery where God displays reflections of his glory. 388 00:28:32,360 --> 00:28:35,720 It is a Portrait Gallery in which the family likeness is 389 00:28:35,720 --> 00:28:41,320 seen in countless different individuals who together display 390 00:28:41,760 --> 00:28:46,240 His infinite glory. But here's the key. 391 00:28:47,320 --> 00:28:55,800 If you're in Christ, you are being molded by Him like clay in 392 00:28:55,800 --> 00:29:01,440 the hands of the Potter to do good works that will bring him 393 00:29:01,440 --> 00:29:05,280 glory. You who are in Christ, seated 394 00:29:05,280 --> 00:29:09,800 with Him in the heavenlies, are left here now like me on earth, 395 00:29:10,240 --> 00:29:13,720 to live for His glory, displaying His glorious work 396 00:29:13,720 --> 00:29:17,120 through us. These works that He's called 397 00:29:17,120 --> 00:29:21,240 you, these works that He's called me to do, these works 398 00:29:21,240 --> 00:29:23,960 were written by Him also before all creation. 399 00:29:24,520 --> 00:29:27,800 That's mind blowing. But I want you to hear one final 400 00:29:27,800 --> 00:29:32,560 thing. While we are the Master's 401 00:29:32,760 --> 00:29:40,480 masterpiece, His work in and through us, we are not to be 402 00:29:40,480 --> 00:29:45,400 seated on a shelf. We are not to be hung on a wall. 403 00:29:46,560 --> 00:29:53,680 We are to live in the reality of that identity everywhere we go. 404 00:29:54,840 --> 00:29:58,880 And the righteousness of Christ, the radiance of Christ shines 405 00:29:58,880 --> 00:30:06,840 from us all by his grace, all for his glory. 406 00:30:08,240 --> 00:30:13,640 Last thing, sometimes you might feel like God is distant. 407 00:30:15,640 --> 00:30:22,080 These two pictures are being seated right now with Christ in 408 00:30:22,080 --> 00:30:27,880 the heavenlies and the picture of us being clay in the hands of 409 00:30:27,880 --> 00:30:32,360 the masterful artworker. We couldn't be closer. 410 00:30:33,760 --> 00:30:37,320 He has you for all who are in Christ. 411 00:30:37,840 --> 00:30:41,360 This is who you are today if you're here, but you don't know 412 00:30:41,360 --> 00:30:43,960 him. Oh, I pray that you recognize 413 00:30:43,960 --> 00:30:47,880 that maybe why you're here was so that you could hear this 414 00:30:47,880 --> 00:30:51,160 truth and surrender your life to Christ today. 415 00:30:51,760 --> 00:30:54,120 Father, thank you so much for your word. 416 00:30:54,960 --> 00:30:59,520 In just a few verses, Paul unveils a reality that is so 417 00:30:59,520 --> 00:31:02,520 hard for us to believe and understand. 418 00:31:02,920 --> 00:31:06,160 But through the working of your spirits, you give us those eyes. 419 00:31:06,440 --> 00:31:09,800 You give us those ears and most significantly, you give us a 420 00:31:09,800 --> 00:31:13,960 heart that now beats for you. I pray that you would bless us 421 00:31:14,280 --> 00:31:18,480 even as we sing with voice full the gospel of Jesus Christ. 422 00:31:19,040 --> 00:31:21,200 We pray this in Jesus name, Amen. 423 00:31:21,400 --> 00:31:21,920 Please stand.