1 00:00:04,500 --> 00:00:08,500 Good morning. How are you guys Jasper? 2 00:00:08,500 --> 00:00:11,000 I don't do this to you, but there's one thing to announce, 3 00:00:12,300 --> 00:00:16,500 we got the Bible reading plan for January is going to be 4 00:00:16,500 --> 00:00:20,100 available very soon and what we're doing for this year for 5 00:00:20,100 --> 00:00:21,500 our Bible. Reading plan is taking you 6 00:00:21,500 --> 00:00:25,100 through a five-day plan. And so you'll get through the 7 00:00:25,100 --> 00:00:28,900 whole Bible in a year but the five-day plan allows you the 8 00:00:28,900 --> 00:00:30,800 weekends. It's a Monday through Friday 9 00:00:30,800 --> 00:00:33,600 plan, so it allows you Saturday and Sunday either maybe to catch 10 00:00:33,600 --> 00:00:36,100 up on. But you didn't get to that week, 11 00:00:36,800 --> 00:00:41,500 read something else or maybe meditate a little longer about 12 00:00:41,500 --> 00:00:43,900 some of the review your notes from what you had been reading. 13 00:00:44,500 --> 00:00:48,600 That will be available on our website before too much longer 14 00:00:48,900 --> 00:00:52,400 and so if you don't have a Bible reading plan going into 2022, 15 00:00:52,900 --> 00:00:57,400 something you do already. We encourage you to look at that 16 00:00:57,500 --> 00:00:59,900 and you'll hear a little bit more about that next week. 17 00:01:00,300 --> 00:01:02,700 And and on Bible reading all together. 18 00:01:02,800 --> 00:01:07,700 Also so, Anyway, well as I do hope you had a Merry Christmas. 19 00:01:08,000 --> 00:01:13,000 Ours has been full of You know, just sickness. 20 00:01:13,000 --> 00:01:16,700 So it's been, we had a good time overall. 21 00:01:16,700 --> 00:01:20,800 It's been a good good weekend, but I'm tired and exhausted. 22 00:01:20,800 --> 00:01:23,600 And so I come to you very depleted feeling today. 23 00:01:23,600 --> 00:01:26,000 I haven't been sick yet but just take helping Patricia. 24 00:01:26,000 --> 00:01:30,300 Take care of of the kids is, got me a little worn out if I'm 25 00:01:30,300 --> 00:01:35,800 being honest. And so, but I could not forego 26 00:01:35,800 --> 00:01:38,900 today's sermon today. Serving, I think is important to 27 00:01:38,900 --> 00:01:41,800 wrapping up this. The series that we've done this 28 00:01:41,800 --> 00:01:46,100 Advent season, and this one's on fellowship with the Triune God. 29 00:01:46,100 --> 00:01:48,000 So fellowship with the Triune God, everything we've been 30 00:01:48,000 --> 00:01:51,500 looking at really has come to a crescendo. 31 00:01:51,500 --> 00:01:53,700 I hope in this one. I did that. 32 00:01:53,700 --> 00:01:58,400 You can now have fellowship with God, which is largely due to the 33 00:01:58,400 --> 00:02:03,400 fact that Christ came Christ, came Christ, lived, Christ, 34 00:02:03,400 --> 00:02:07,900 died, a perfect sacrifice for our sins, Christ rose again. 35 00:02:08,500 --> 00:02:12,200 And now sits on. Throne ruling over all of 36 00:02:12,200 --> 00:02:13,700 creation. Everything has been put under 37 00:02:13,700 --> 00:02:18,600 his feet and so you and I though now walking in this life we have 38 00:02:19,400 --> 00:02:23,300 as Christians we can have fellowship with this God daily. 39 00:02:23,700 --> 00:02:26,100 We have fellowship with our Triune God and that's really 40 00:02:26,100 --> 00:02:29,600 what I want to talk to you about is the good news of foreign to 41 00:02:29,600 --> 00:02:31,200 us. God has come the good news of 42 00:02:31,200 --> 00:02:35,500 that is that you and I are now reconciled to God by faith in 43 00:02:35,500 --> 00:02:38,200 Jesus Christ. And so we are not at odds with 44 00:02:38,200 --> 00:02:41,600 him any longer, which we Looked at last week we've kind of 45 00:02:41,600 --> 00:02:44,600 focused on that over the last two services that we've had with 46 00:02:44,600 --> 00:02:47,800 our candlelight service and then last Sunday service. 47 00:02:47,800 --> 00:02:52,900 But let me pray for us and then we'll we'll dive into a brief 48 00:02:52,900 --> 00:02:55,000 excerpt ation on Second Corinthians 13. 49 00:02:55,300 --> 00:02:58,800 Heavenly Father we love you. And God I thank you for today. 50 00:02:58,800 --> 00:03:01,300 I think you for your word. I thank you for the time we 51 00:03:01,300 --> 00:03:04,200 have. Now two to read it to hear from 52 00:03:04,200 --> 00:03:06,600 it. Lord, would you, would you be 53 00:03:06,600 --> 00:03:09,400 with us today? I asked it, Lord, by your spirit 54 00:03:09,400 --> 00:03:11,700 that you Luminate these, these verses for us. 55 00:03:11,700 --> 00:03:13,600 Help us father to understand them. 56 00:03:14,200 --> 00:03:15,700 Help us, Lord to know what they mean. 57 00:03:15,700 --> 00:03:19,200 Help us to walk in them and Lord, I pray that you help me. 58 00:03:19,200 --> 00:03:24,700 Now, it's never dependent upon me, but if I were ever tempted 59 00:03:24,700 --> 00:03:26,800 to think so, today is not one of those days. 60 00:03:27,200 --> 00:03:30,400 Father, I am completely dependent upon you and your 61 00:03:30,400 --> 00:03:32,800 spirit today for the encouragement of the Saints for 62 00:03:32,800 --> 00:03:37,200 their strengthening, for their healing, for their ability, to 63 00:03:37,200 --> 00:03:40,900 walk with you Faithfully. And Lord, I Thank you that 64 00:03:40,900 --> 00:03:43,600 you're with us now, in Christ's name, we pray. 65 00:03:43,900 --> 00:03:45,300 Amen. Amen. 66 00:03:45,300 --> 00:03:47,900 So if you have your Bible turn to Second Corinthians 13, that's 67 00:03:47,900 --> 00:03:50,100 where we'll we'll get started today. 68 00:03:52,200 --> 00:03:56,300 And second Corinthians. The Apostle Paul concludes this 69 00:03:56,300 --> 00:04:00,100 wonderful letter. It's a second letter that we 70 00:04:00,100 --> 00:04:02,000 have record of. It's probably the third. 71 00:04:02,000 --> 00:04:04,500 It seems the way. This one is worded that there 72 00:04:04,500 --> 00:04:06,700 was actually one in between first and second but this is 73 00:04:06,700 --> 00:04:11,400 second Corinthians and it's a letter full of expectations and 74 00:04:11,400 --> 00:04:16,500 warnings and rebukes and encouragement to walk Faithfully 75 00:04:16,500 --> 00:04:19,500 with the Lord. And then Paul concludes with 76 00:04:19,500 --> 00:04:24,300 this very A reinstatement, which acts as a benediction it acts as 77 00:04:24,300 --> 00:04:28,100 a final little prayer of sorts and he says this, he says in the 78 00:04:28,100 --> 00:04:32,000 grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, sorry, verse 14. 79 00:04:32,000 --> 00:04:36,000 S early as 13 verse 14. The grace of the Lord Jesus 80 00:04:36,000 --> 00:04:38,500 Christ and the love of God and The Fellowship of the Holy 81 00:04:38,500 --> 00:04:41,800 Spirit, be with you. All the grace of the Lord Jesus 82 00:04:41,800 --> 00:04:44,900 Christ, the love of God, and The Fellowship of the Holy Spirit, 83 00:04:45,100 --> 00:04:47,600 be with you. Also present in his statement as 84 00:04:47,600 --> 00:04:52,200 the Trinity, Paul was assumed the Trinity. 85 00:04:52,200 --> 00:04:57,900 Paul knew knew about the Trinity because the spirit had revealed 86 00:04:57,900 --> 00:05:01,600 himself in such a way for him to write about these things. 87 00:05:01,600 --> 00:05:04,000 And so we've talked about this as we walked through. 88 00:05:04,100 --> 00:05:08,700 The Trinity over the last few weeks is that the way God 89 00:05:08,700 --> 00:05:12,200 reveals himself is in Trinity. It's one Essence. 90 00:05:12,200 --> 00:05:16,500 It's one being in God who exists in three persons. 91 00:05:16,500 --> 00:05:21,100 And so there's three, distinct persons within the Trinity who 92 00:05:21,100 --> 00:05:24,000 have different roles and have different parts, they fulfill. 93 00:05:24,300 --> 00:05:29,200 And so, but all of them working together as God not separate, 94 00:05:29,500 --> 00:05:36,000 not not Rogue, not on there. Old, but in unity. 95 00:05:36,400 --> 00:05:40,400 And so 2nd Corinthians. 13:14 Paul is offering a very 96 00:05:40,400 --> 00:05:42,900 trinitarian statement here in the purpose of the letter was 97 00:05:42,900 --> 00:05:47,300 not a trinitarian letter, he wasn't teaching trinitarian 98 00:05:47,300 --> 00:05:52,500 theology, but this is how Paul understood our relationship to 99 00:05:52,500 --> 00:05:54,800 God was through the Trinity. And I think this is why it's 100 00:05:54,800 --> 00:05:56,500 important for you. And I is that we need to 101 00:05:56,508 --> 00:06:00,100 understand our relationship with God as a relationship with a 102 00:06:00,100 --> 00:06:04,000 Triune God, that that this God exists in three purse. 103 00:06:04,100 --> 00:06:06,300 It's, and so it's not three Gods. 104 00:06:06,300 --> 00:06:10,500 We are not, we are monotheistic. We're not polytheistic. 105 00:06:10,600 --> 00:06:13,000 We worship one, God, and we'll talk more. 106 00:06:13,400 --> 00:06:15,500 We have talked a lot about that, but will mention some things 107 00:06:15,500 --> 00:06:19,000 about it today. But here, what we get is a small 108 00:06:19,000 --> 00:06:22,600 picture of what communing with the Triune God is supposed to 109 00:06:22,600 --> 00:06:27,600 look like, how it comes to us how we relate to God. 110 00:06:28,200 --> 00:06:34,200 And and really, I think that second Corinthians 13:14 Is a 111 00:06:34,200 --> 00:06:39,200 very short, it's a one-sentence way of saying, what Paul says in 112 00:06:39,200 --> 00:06:45,200 Ephesians 1:3 through 14 and just a few pages over. 113 00:06:45,200 --> 00:06:47,100 But let me just read it out loud to you. 114 00:06:47,900 --> 00:06:50,900 I had written down a paragraph summary, but but I would rather 115 00:06:50,900 --> 00:06:54,700 just read it to you in Ephesians 1 verse 3. 116 00:06:56,000 --> 00:07:00,300 Listen to how Paul describes, this Triune work to the Church 117 00:07:00,300 --> 00:07:02,800 of Ephesus. He says blessed be the God and 118 00:07:02,800 --> 00:07:05,500 father of our Lord. Jesus Christ who has blessed us 119 00:07:05,500 --> 00:07:08,300 in Christ, with every spiritual blessing. 120 00:07:08,300 --> 00:07:12,700 In the Heavenly places even as he chose us in him before the 121 00:07:12,700 --> 00:07:16,100 foundation of the world that we should be holy and blameless 122 00:07:16,100 --> 00:07:20,500 before him in love, he predestined us for adoption to 123 00:07:20,500 --> 00:07:23,300 himself as Sons through Jesus Christ. 124 00:07:23,300 --> 00:07:25,200 According to the purpose of his will. 125 00:07:25,800 --> 00:07:29,300 The praise of his glorious Grace with, which he has blessed us in 126 00:07:29,300 --> 00:07:32,600 the Beloved, in him. We have Redemption through his 127 00:07:32,600 --> 00:07:36,500 blood, the Forgiveness of our sins, according to the riches of 128 00:07:36,500 --> 00:07:40,300 his grace, which he lavished Upon Us in all wisdom and 129 00:07:40,300 --> 00:07:44,800 insight making known to us, the mystery of his will according to 130 00:07:44,800 --> 00:07:48,600 his purpose, which he set forth in Christ, as a plan, for the 131 00:07:48,600 --> 00:07:53,000 fullness of time to unite, all things in him, things in heaven 132 00:07:53,000 --> 00:07:57,000 and things on earth. In him, still talk talking about 133 00:07:57,000 --> 00:08:01,100 in Christ, in Christ, we have obtained, an inheritance having 134 00:08:01,100 --> 00:08:03,600 been predestined. According to the purpose of him 135 00:08:03,600 --> 00:08:07,400 who works, all things according to the counsel of his will so 136 00:08:07,400 --> 00:08:11,800 that we who were the first hope in Christ might be to the praise 137 00:08:12,200 --> 00:08:15,700 of his glory in him. You also, when you heard the 138 00:08:15,700 --> 00:08:19,900 word of Truth, The Gospel of your salvation and believed in 139 00:08:19,900 --> 00:08:21,500 him were sealed with the promised. 140 00:08:21,500 --> 00:08:24,500 Holy Spirit, who is the guarantee of our inheritance? 141 00:08:24,600 --> 00:08:29,800 And until we acquire possession of it to the praise of his 142 00:08:29,800 --> 00:08:31,800 glory. Amen. 143 00:08:33,000 --> 00:08:41,100 And so there you see that God the Father saves Us by his love, 144 00:08:41,299 --> 00:08:45,600 through his predetermined plan of adoption as Sons through 145 00:08:45,600 --> 00:08:52,400 Jesus Christ, and it's an act of free Grace and he Stills Us by 146 00:08:52,400 --> 00:08:53,800 the promised. Holy Spirit, who is the 147 00:08:53,800 --> 00:08:56,600 guarantee? T of our Eternal inheritance to 148 00:08:56,600 --> 00:09:00,600 the praise of his glory. That's my summation of Ephesians 149 00:09:00,600 --> 00:09:04,900 1:3 through 14. And so what happens is, God 150 00:09:05,000 --> 00:09:08,300 brings us you were not in fellowship with God. 151 00:09:08,300 --> 00:09:12,300 God brings you into fellowship with himself, by his own 152 00:09:12,300 --> 00:09:15,300 actions. God is at the foundation. 153 00:09:15,300 --> 00:09:18,000 God is in the middle of the process. 154 00:09:18,000 --> 00:09:20,600 God is at the end of the process of your salvation. 155 00:09:20,600 --> 00:09:25,000 He's at the beginning, the middle and the end it is Act of 156 00:09:25,000 --> 00:09:30,100 God through and through, this is why John in chapter one of John 157 00:09:30,100 --> 00:09:35,100 says that that he gave them right? 158 00:09:35,100 --> 00:09:38,400 Who believed in Christ, he gave them right to be children of God 159 00:09:38,400 --> 00:09:43,200 and he says, not by their birth rights, not by their will and 160 00:09:43,200 --> 00:09:47,200 not by their exertion, but by God. 161 00:09:47,900 --> 00:09:52,100 And so there's an act of Grace at the foundation of your 162 00:09:52,100 --> 00:09:54,400 salvation, you were saved by grace. 163 00:09:54,500 --> 00:09:57,100 Race through and through. Amen. 164 00:09:57,500 --> 00:10:01,600 And this is what we see when Christ descends into the 165 00:10:01,600 --> 00:10:06,900 Brokenness of creation into the Brokenness of our world, as we 166 00:10:06,900 --> 00:10:10,800 looked at, even in Sunday school this morning, it wasn't just 167 00:10:10,800 --> 00:10:13,200 Humanity. That was fractured by the Fall. 168 00:10:13,200 --> 00:10:15,700 It was all of creation. That was fractured by the fall. 169 00:10:15,800 --> 00:10:19,100 And in fact, what we read in Romans 8 is that all of creation 170 00:10:19,300 --> 00:10:22,800 is yearning. It's longing for the day of 171 00:10:22,800 --> 00:10:26,500 restoration when God will redeem, All things, who make all 172 00:10:26,500 --> 00:10:32,000 things new? So it's not just humans that are 173 00:10:32,000 --> 00:10:34,800 broken, but the whole world is broken. 174 00:10:34,800 --> 00:10:36,500 That's part of the curse on the atom, right? 175 00:10:36,500 --> 00:10:39,200 Thorns and thistles will come from the ground that you work. 176 00:10:41,800 --> 00:10:46,900 But God has by his grace brought us into fellowship with himself 177 00:10:47,300 --> 00:10:50,300 by himself. His act. 178 00:10:50,400 --> 00:10:53,500 And so, when we speak about fellowship with God, I think 179 00:10:53,500 --> 00:10:58,100 it's important or at least helpful to the discussion to 180 00:10:58,100 --> 00:11:01,200 distinguish between a couple of things to make some distinctions 181 00:11:01,200 --> 00:11:04,200 here. I think fellowship with God, 182 00:11:04,200 --> 00:11:09,500 this idea of fellowshipping, with God, Comes with, it's 183 00:11:09,500 --> 00:11:12,300 almost an umbrella with two points under it. 184 00:11:12,900 --> 00:11:20,000 The first would be this is your union with Christ is the is the 185 00:11:20,000 --> 00:11:24,600 foundation of your fellowship with God, your union with Christ 186 00:11:24,600 --> 00:11:27,000 is the foundation. Now your union with Christ is 187 00:11:27,000 --> 00:11:30,200 what we just read about in Ephesians 1. 188 00:11:30,500 --> 00:11:33,900 Your union with Christ is the work of God from the beginning 189 00:11:33,900 --> 00:11:42,200 of the world to And for adoption as Sons, you and he'd United you 190 00:11:42,200 --> 00:11:47,200 to himself through Christ Jesus. It's an act of marvelous Grace 191 00:11:47,200 --> 00:11:51,400 that you were once in darkness and now you are in Marvelous 192 00:11:51,600 --> 00:11:53,800 Light. You were once dead in your 193 00:11:53,800 --> 00:11:57,600 trespasses and sin and sins and now you are alive in Christ 194 00:11:57,600 --> 00:12:01,400 Jesus, because of the great love and mercy, which God hath shown 195 00:12:01,400 --> 00:12:04,600 for us in Christ. Paul goes on to say you are 196 00:12:04,600 --> 00:12:09,100 saved by grace. You're saved by grace and so 197 00:12:09,200 --> 00:12:14,300 your union with Christ is this. Once for all action that takes 198 00:12:14,300 --> 00:12:16,700 place, it's called justification. 199 00:12:18,300 --> 00:12:22,500 When You Believe In Christ, when you believe the word, which 200 00:12:22,500 --> 00:12:24,500 you've received about Jesus Christ, you believe in the 201 00:12:24,500 --> 00:12:27,400 gospel, the good news of the coming of Christ Jesus, his 202 00:12:27,400 --> 00:12:33,000 salvation from sin, Can you are united with Christ? 203 00:12:33,900 --> 00:12:37,400 Amen. United with Christ, you become a 204 00:12:37,400 --> 00:12:43,900 CO are Ephesians 1 says You're an heir of Salvation, you're an 205 00:12:43,900 --> 00:12:48,700 air of Eternity, you receive eternal life from God. 206 00:12:50,000 --> 00:12:52,700 And so you're brought into fellowship with God. 207 00:12:52,700 --> 00:12:54,700 You were once distant because of the Fall. 208 00:12:54,900 --> 00:12:59,200 You're brought into fellowship with God because of the death 209 00:12:59,200 --> 00:13:02,500 burial and resurrection of the perfect man. 210 00:13:02,500 --> 00:13:04,800 Jesus Christ. Amen. 211 00:13:07,100 --> 00:13:10,000 And then on the backside of that, there's an ongoing 212 00:13:10,000 --> 00:13:14,300 fellowship with God. You're United with Christ. 213 00:13:16,200 --> 00:13:19,400 By justification. And then there's an ongoing 214 00:13:19,400 --> 00:13:22,600 fellowship with God that we might call communion with God. 215 00:13:23,200 --> 00:13:26,200 And it's what I have in mind today as we think about 216 00:13:26,200 --> 00:13:30,100 Fellowship wing with God, I want to talk to us a bit about our 217 00:13:30,200 --> 00:13:32,500 communion with God, but I want to help us make these 218 00:13:32,500 --> 00:13:37,000 distinctions. We live in a culture as we 219 00:13:37,000 --> 00:13:40,600 looked about at last week, we live in a culture that largely 220 00:13:40,600 --> 00:13:45,900 mimics what false religions need for salvation. 221 00:13:46,900 --> 00:13:49,300 And that's Works based salvation. 222 00:13:50,200 --> 00:13:55,000 We think often and by our action, maybe not by our 223 00:13:55,000 --> 00:13:58,500 thoughts, but by the way that we live and the way that we think 224 00:13:58,500 --> 00:14:01,400 about righteousness, the way that we think about Good Works, 225 00:14:01,400 --> 00:14:04,700 the way that we think about evil Deeds, all of these things. 226 00:14:04,700 --> 00:14:09,600 We we show that largely. We believe We are saving 227 00:14:09,900 --> 00:14:15,000 ourselves by our good works. I think God has done a work to a 228 00:14:15,000 --> 00:14:20,700 certain extent, but now it's up to you to maintain your 229 00:14:20,700 --> 00:14:23,400 salvation. You understand what I mean? 230 00:14:23,400 --> 00:14:26,600 We live in in a culture especially in the Bible though. 231 00:14:28,700 --> 00:14:32,700 We're being a Christian is more about your church, attendance. 232 00:14:34,900 --> 00:14:37,100 And whether or not you really attend, this kind of doesn't 233 00:14:37,100 --> 00:14:38,400 matter. It's just as long as you 234 00:14:38,400 --> 00:14:41,900 identify with the church, as long as you call yourself a 235 00:14:41,900 --> 00:14:45,700 Christian and try to do good things, you must be a Christian. 236 00:14:47,300 --> 00:14:51,700 Well, now you're just you might be a decent person from all 237 00:14:51,700 --> 00:14:55,200 accounts. But none of these things, make 238 00:14:55,200 --> 00:14:59,800 you distinctly Christian to be a Christian means that you have 239 00:15:00,500 --> 00:15:03,600 United yourself with Christ Jesus by faith, meaning that you 240 00:15:03,600 --> 00:15:08,900 are, you were putting everything on Christ for your Eternal 241 00:15:08,900 --> 00:15:12,800 well-being, you're trusting him alone for your salvation. 242 00:15:14,000 --> 00:15:18,100 Not sure works. And so, it is your faith in 243 00:15:18,100 --> 00:15:20,000 Christ. Not your faith in your works. 244 00:15:20,000 --> 00:15:23,300 That produces salvation. It's your faith in the finished 245 00:15:23,300 --> 00:15:27,300 work of Christ, not your faith in your unfinished, works that 246 00:15:27,300 --> 00:15:29,000 give you salvation. Amen. 247 00:15:29,700 --> 00:15:33,100 And this is the, the fuel. This is the foundation and 248 00:15:33,100 --> 00:15:36,000 really the the fuel of how we are to live. 249 00:15:36,600 --> 00:15:40,900 And what Paul is laying out here in this benediction is something 250 00:15:40,900 --> 00:15:46,400 that should catch our attention. He says things how many of you 251 00:15:46,400 --> 00:15:50,600 know that the words in the Bible are intentional the written the 252 00:15:50,600 --> 00:15:55,300 way they are on purpose, right? There's a purpose behind this 253 00:15:56,800 --> 00:16:01,600 And so when Paul says the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ and the 254 00:16:01,600 --> 00:16:05,400 love of God, and The Fellowship of the Holy Spirit, be with you 255 00:16:05,400 --> 00:16:08,000 all, is he getting things out of order? 256 00:16:09,400 --> 00:16:12,800 Did any of you catch as we were reading it, that Christ is 257 00:16:12,800 --> 00:16:18,500 first, but Grace is first. But this seems to be a bit of a 258 00:16:18,508 --> 00:16:21,100 contradiction of everything I've preached for the last three 259 00:16:21,100 --> 00:16:26,500 weeks, right? That out of the Overflow of 260 00:16:26,500 --> 00:16:29,800 love, God creates. It's a love. 261 00:16:29,800 --> 00:16:33,700 That was shared among the Trinity from eternity past and 262 00:16:33,700 --> 00:16:37,000 so God creates how the Overflow of his love. 263 00:16:39,100 --> 00:16:43,100 And so, what does what does Paul do in does Grace received go 264 00:16:43,100 --> 00:16:48,400 before God's love? Does God's love go before Grace 265 00:16:48,400 --> 00:16:52,500 received? And how does the one or the 266 00:16:52,500 --> 00:17:00,000 other instruct our fellowship? Paul starts with Grace but does 267 00:17:00,000 --> 00:17:03,300 this contradict what I've been preaching? 268 00:17:03,600 --> 00:17:07,200 Does it contradict a verse like John 3:16 Says for God. 269 00:17:07,300 --> 00:17:16,000 So loved the world that he gave his only son From God's 270 00:17:16,000 --> 00:17:20,500 perspective. Which is where we must start 271 00:17:21,099 --> 00:17:24,099 from God's perspective and this is what I've been trying to show 272 00:17:24,400 --> 00:17:30,000 love goes first out of the Overflow of love he creates out 273 00:17:30,008 --> 00:17:33,400 of the Overflow of love he redeems out of the Overflow of 274 00:17:33,400 --> 00:17:35,900 love. Amen. 275 00:17:40,500 --> 00:17:46,200 And it's out of his love that we have the Overflow of Grace for 276 00:17:46,200 --> 00:17:50,800 guilty, Sinners. And so, from man's perspective, 277 00:17:51,500 --> 00:17:55,500 and the way that we relate to God, we don't. 278 00:17:55,600 --> 00:18:01,200 This is why you end up with man-centered songs and worship. 279 00:18:01,800 --> 00:18:04,900 This is why you end up with man-centered Theology and 280 00:18:04,900 --> 00:18:13,000 preaching. is is if you think that God, if you misread John 281 00:18:13,000 --> 00:18:20,000 3:16 to make it all about you. Then you end up with a lot of 282 00:18:20,000 --> 00:18:24,100 man-centered theology in the songs that you sing songs you 283 00:18:24,100 --> 00:18:27,000 hear on the radio. The songs are the words that are 284 00:18:27,000 --> 00:18:32,600 preached in many pulpits. But for man's perspective it's 285 00:18:32,600 --> 00:18:34,300 not that we don't receive the love of God. 286 00:18:34,300 --> 00:18:37,400 Of course we do. From man's perspective though, 287 00:18:37,400 --> 00:18:43,700 we relate to this love by grace. We know this love because of 288 00:18:43,700 --> 00:18:48,500 Grace, you and I are incapable of knowing the love of God apart 289 00:18:48,500 --> 00:18:53,700 from the grace of God, because we're guilty, Sinners apart from 290 00:18:53,700 --> 00:19:06,800 the grace of God. Amen. and so, the And then the 291 00:19:06,800 --> 00:19:09,100 spirit comes along in the fellowship, right? 292 00:19:09,100 --> 00:19:13,200 It's a sign and a seal of this. Covenant of Grace, the spirit 293 00:19:13,500 --> 00:19:18,200 helps us in our fellowship. Jesus said in John chapter 14, 294 00:19:18,200 --> 00:19:21,700 he's instructing the disciples after he told them that the hour 295 00:19:21,700 --> 00:19:27,600 has come for his crucifixion. The disciples are getting really 296 00:19:27,600 --> 00:19:29,900 stirred up. Judas is already left to go. 297 00:19:29,900 --> 00:19:35,000 Do what he's going to do. And Jesus tells them in John 298 00:19:35,000 --> 00:19:42,000 chapter. 14, not to be troubled. And then he promises the Holy 299 00:19:42,000 --> 00:19:48,200 Spirit a comforter he says and the comforter is to come and to 300 00:19:48,900 --> 00:19:53,600 provide the kind of Fellowship on an even deeper level than the 301 00:19:53,600 --> 00:19:55,900 fellowship. They knew with God in Christ 302 00:19:55,900 --> 00:20:00,000 Jesus because the comforter was going to come and dwell in you. 303 00:20:00,600 --> 00:20:01,900 Right? This is what happens in Acts 304 00:20:01,900 --> 00:20:06,000 chapter 2 with Pentecost the Holy Spirit falls on the 305 00:20:06,000 --> 00:20:11,600 Believers, dwells inside believers. and Jesus says that 306 00:20:11,600 --> 00:20:18,300 when the spirit comes, that this is, The father and the son, 307 00:20:18,300 --> 00:20:21,000 taking up residence in your life. 308 00:20:22,800 --> 00:20:28,200 And so by the spirit of God, Because of the grace received in 309 00:20:28,200 --> 00:20:31,100 Christ, Jesus. Because of the love that that 310 00:20:31,100 --> 00:20:36,600 was poured forth from you. Now have fellowship with God. 311 00:20:37,300 --> 00:20:44,900 Amen, because of the fellowship, you have with the spirit, And so 312 00:20:44,900 --> 00:20:48,400 I think what Paul wants his audience to understand is is 313 00:20:48,400 --> 00:20:53,300 that Grace founds and fuels our fellowship with God. 314 00:20:55,300 --> 00:21:01,400 I think Paul lists Grace first for a purpose He wants you to 315 00:21:01,400 --> 00:21:04,900 remember the grace of Christ Jesus. 316 00:21:07,000 --> 00:21:12,800 Which is from the love of God. And gives you the Fellowship of 317 00:21:12,900 --> 00:21:21,000 the spirit. but this idea of communion of daily Fellowship, 318 00:21:22,600 --> 00:21:28,900 it's fueled by grace. Communion is fueled by grace. 319 00:21:31,300 --> 00:21:35,800 And it's distinct from your union with Christ, which is that 320 00:21:35,800 --> 00:21:45,300 once for all time justification. Which comes through faith, in 321 00:21:45,300 --> 00:21:51,700 Christ, it's founded on Grace, your communion. 322 00:21:54,700 --> 00:22:00,100 It's fueled by grace and your union is founded on Grace. 323 00:22:00,800 --> 00:22:08,300 Amen. And so you might be asking 324 00:22:08,300 --> 00:22:13,200 yourself why does this matter what's the point of this? 325 00:22:15,100 --> 00:22:18,700 Why I think the danger is this, at least the danger was for me, 326 00:22:19,700 --> 00:22:23,400 still is at times, but for many years of my life, the danger was 327 00:22:23,400 --> 00:22:28,500 this is that I saw, I saw a fellowship not as an umbrella of 328 00:22:28,500 --> 00:22:34,100 Union and communion. I saw a fellowship with God as 329 00:22:34,100 --> 00:22:40,100 just the thing. And so, how many of you sin each 330 00:22:40,100 --> 00:22:41,500 day? Show me your hands you sent 331 00:22:41,500 --> 00:22:43,200 every day. Yeah. 332 00:22:45,100 --> 00:22:50,600 Have you had a sense of guilt or shame over those sins before? 333 00:22:50,600 --> 00:22:54,800 Raise your hand? All right, few of you, most of 334 00:22:54,800 --> 00:22:58,200 you, the spirit may not be present, okay? 335 00:23:02,600 --> 00:23:07,900 the point is this is that when we if we think that Fellowship 336 00:23:08,600 --> 00:23:12,300 communion with God is distinctly tied to our Union with God, 337 00:23:14,200 --> 00:23:18,200 Didn't one my fellowship waxes and wanes, right? 338 00:23:18,200 --> 00:23:23,400 Like a like a roller coaster. When I sin in a moment. 339 00:23:25,300 --> 00:23:28,100 When I say something, I shouldn't I fly off the handle. 340 00:23:30,600 --> 00:23:34,200 when my eyes behold things, they shouldn't when my mind thinks 341 00:23:34,200 --> 00:23:42,100 thoughts, it shouldn't when I have desires in my heart that 342 00:23:42,100 --> 00:23:49,300 are contrary to God's word, the Temptation is to think that God 343 00:23:49,300 --> 00:23:54,100 is Is playing some sort of spiritual peekaboo with us. 344 00:23:55,500 --> 00:23:59,400 That he hides his eyes. and then he's able to look at us again 345 00:23:59,400 --> 00:24:02,600 when we're in, right fellowship, and now we're separated from him 346 00:24:02,600 --> 00:24:05,400 again because we've sinned and now we're able to look at him 347 00:24:05,400 --> 00:24:12,600 again because we've repented or ask for forgiveness. and you end 348 00:24:12,600 --> 00:24:17,100 up on this spiritual roller coaster, but Christ was not 349 00:24:18,500 --> 00:24:24,800 Christ was not born in flesh. Christ did not live a perfect 350 00:24:24,800 --> 00:24:28,000 life and die a completely wrongful death. 351 00:24:28,000 --> 00:24:33,400 The only person, the only person in history to ever died 352 00:24:33,600 --> 00:24:43,900 unjustly. Christ did not rise from the 353 00:24:43,900 --> 00:24:47,500 grave. Christ is not seated at the 354 00:24:47,500 --> 00:24:53,400 right hand of God. Now making petition for you Able 355 00:24:53,400 --> 00:24:56,700 to save Hebrews 7 says to the uttermost. 356 00:24:56,700 --> 00:24:58,700 Those who draw? Dear to him Christ. 357 00:24:58,700 --> 00:25:03,000 Did not do all of that, so that you can think that by your 358 00:25:03,000 --> 00:25:05,500 Works. Your fellowship is either broken 359 00:25:05,500 --> 00:25:20,100 or Unbroken. You've showing yourself. 360 00:25:21,800 --> 00:25:25,000 You're putting yourself on too high a pedestal. 361 00:25:26,200 --> 00:25:31,100 You're glorifying yourself if you think by your works, but 362 00:25:31,100 --> 00:25:34,500 your relationship with God is broken or Unbroken. 363 00:25:39,000 --> 00:25:43,000 There's no glory for Christ and thinking that you lose your 364 00:25:43,000 --> 00:25:46,300 salvation in a moment and that you gain it back in another 365 00:25:46,300 --> 00:25:47,900 moment. When you do the right thing, 366 00:25:47,900 --> 00:25:51,000 either Christ died for you while you were still a sinner or he 367 00:25:51,000 --> 00:25:56,800 did not But I'm going to choose to believe Romans 5:8 that says 368 00:25:56,800 --> 00:26:00,400 while we were still sinners Christ died for us. 369 00:26:05,100 --> 00:26:10,000 And so your communion does not disrupt your union, amen. 370 00:26:10,500 --> 00:26:14,200 Your communion is not causing your union to fluctuate. 371 00:26:14,200 --> 00:26:18,000 Now, your communion. Might fluctuate your fellowship 372 00:26:18,000 --> 00:26:21,300 with God on the daily might fluctuate? 373 00:26:24,100 --> 00:26:27,900 Because you have some responsibility in that. 374 00:26:30,000 --> 00:26:33,300 You're not responsible for your salvation, you're not even 375 00:26:33,300 --> 00:26:35,800 responsible. Totally for your sanctification. 376 00:26:36,000 --> 00:26:38,100 You're not responsible for your glorification. 377 00:26:38,300 --> 00:26:42,400 You are responsible though, for your daily pursuit of the Lord, 378 00:26:42,400 --> 00:26:46,800 for your war, against the flesh. For your Walking rightly, with 379 00:26:46,800 --> 00:26:57,400 God or not, you are responsible. But you must hear me your life 380 00:26:57,400 --> 00:27:01,300 might be more difficult if you don't pursue the Lord, a right? 381 00:27:01,900 --> 00:27:05,700 But if your faith is in Christ, you're not changing your union. 382 00:27:08,500 --> 00:27:11,800 You might show a little more faith than someone else. 383 00:27:15,700 --> 00:27:19,400 But you're not changing your union with Christ. 384 00:27:21,500 --> 00:27:26,600 Your union with Christ. Is given to you by God. 385 00:27:28,900 --> 00:27:32,200 And so if you're a believer in here then your union with Christ 386 00:27:32,200 --> 00:27:37,400 is decided. And what isn't necessarily 387 00:27:37,400 --> 00:27:40,200 decided is whether or not you'll wake up tomorrow morning and 388 00:27:40,200 --> 00:27:43,200 pursue Christ or pursue your own desires. 389 00:27:45,900 --> 00:27:47,700 Or shoot. Why wait till tomorrow morning? 390 00:27:47,800 --> 00:27:52,400 What about after church? WIll you pursue Christ? 391 00:27:54,400 --> 00:27:59,100 as a husband, as a wife as a mother as a father, as a child 392 00:27:59,900 --> 00:28:04,100 as an employee, will you pursue the Lord Jesus Christ in your 393 00:28:04,100 --> 00:28:09,900 life or Will he be something that just kind of sits on the 394 00:28:09,900 --> 00:28:15,000 side to be experienced? At other moments, it's kind of a 395 00:28:15,000 --> 00:28:24,100 loose Pursuit. There's a book. 396 00:28:25,600 --> 00:28:28,900 Written by a guy named John Owen Puritan pastor and it's called 397 00:28:28,900 --> 00:28:34,100 communion with the Triune God and actually just in and send 398 00:28:34,100 --> 00:28:38,100 introduction the editor of the book is summing up. 399 00:28:39,500 --> 00:28:46,900 Some of Owens thoughts. and this is what the editor writes, as a 400 00:28:47,000 --> 00:28:50,400 kind of a summation of Owens thoughts, he says those who are 401 00:28:50,400 --> 00:28:55,200 united to Christ or call to respond to God's loving embrace, 402 00:28:56,900 --> 00:28:59,600 While Union with Christ, is something that does not ebb and 403 00:28:59,600 --> 00:29:02,800 flow, one's experience of communion with Christ. 404 00:29:02,800 --> 00:29:08,300 Can fluctuates, when a Believer grows comfortable with sin, this 405 00:29:08,300 --> 00:29:12,200 invariably affects the level of intimacy, this person feels with 406 00:29:12,200 --> 00:29:17,600 God, It is not that the Father's Love Grows and diminishes for 407 00:29:17,600 --> 00:29:21,700 his children and accordance with their actions for his love is 408 00:29:21,700 --> 00:29:24,200 unflinching. Amen. 409 00:29:26,400 --> 00:29:30,700 It is not that God turns from us, but that we can turn from 410 00:29:30,700 --> 00:29:33,100 God. Now Owen is not saying in an 411 00:29:33,100 --> 00:29:37,900 unsaved sense. Then come the accusations both 412 00:29:37,900 --> 00:29:42,100 from Satan and from self, which can make the believer worried 413 00:29:42,100 --> 00:29:44,700 that he is under God's Wrath and Truth. 414 00:29:44,700 --> 00:29:49,000 However, Saints stand not under wrath, but in the safe shadow of 415 00:29:49,000 --> 00:30:00,800 the Cross and then And I have to wonder if Grace fuels your 416 00:30:00,800 --> 00:30:04,900 communion with Christ, how much joyous is your walk with the 417 00:30:04,900 --> 00:30:11,000 Lord. I mean, if you're going to 418 00:30:11,000 --> 00:30:14,600 church begrudgingly, It's like, well, this is something I really 419 00:30:14,600 --> 00:30:16,800 need to do. I know I need to do this, I need 420 00:30:16,800 --> 00:30:19,500 to read my Bible in the morning. I really got to check that box 421 00:30:19,500 --> 00:30:22,900 off to get through the Bible in a year and I need to be praying 422 00:30:22,900 --> 00:30:24,900 to my goodness. I don't pray enough. 423 00:30:27,600 --> 00:30:29,100 Man in journaling would probably help me. 424 00:30:29,100 --> 00:30:32,100 Maybe I should pick up a journal in journal, Simon, goodness, 425 00:30:32,100 --> 00:30:35,100 I've missed Home Group the last two weeks in a row, and it's not 426 00:30:35,100 --> 00:30:37,200 looking like I'll make Sunday school this week, but I'll be 427 00:30:37,200 --> 00:30:40,100 good to make it to church, but that's only twice in the last 428 00:30:40,100 --> 00:30:43,700 month. You see what I mean? 429 00:30:45,900 --> 00:30:50,300 That's Works based salvation. That's Works based 430 00:30:50,300 --> 00:30:52,200 righteousness. That's Works based 431 00:30:52,200 --> 00:30:54,400 sanctification. That's you thinking that, by 432 00:30:54,400 --> 00:30:58,700 your works. You're saving yourself. 433 00:31:02,400 --> 00:31:07,700 Now, all of those. Should act as like the check 434 00:31:07,700 --> 00:31:09,600 engine light coming on in your car. 435 00:31:13,200 --> 00:31:16,000 Their alarm Bells, their red flags, for sure. 436 00:31:17,600 --> 00:31:21,600 If if I'm making it through Bible reading each day thinking, 437 00:31:22,700 --> 00:31:26,000 I made it through another day, man. 438 00:31:28,100 --> 00:31:34,500 You know, I got to check this box. if there's no desire for 439 00:31:34,500 --> 00:31:42,100 the Lord to commune with God in your life, that's a red flag, 440 00:31:43,900 --> 00:31:50,800 and it's likely as Believers anyway, as people who profess to 441 00:31:50,800 --> 00:31:59,700 know Christ, it's likely that your desires are waning because 442 00:31:59,700 --> 00:32:04,400 you've you've got desires for other things that are contrary 443 00:32:04,400 --> 00:32:07,800 to God. Contrary to his commands and his 444 00:32:07,800 --> 00:32:20,000 wants for you, his desires. And so your communion. 445 00:32:21,800 --> 00:32:25,600 The fruit of your communion with God, May fluctuates. 446 00:32:27,900 --> 00:32:30,400 But that's not changing your union with Christ. 447 00:32:34,700 --> 00:32:41,100 All this kind of gets into that argument that Paul foresees and 448 00:32:41,100 --> 00:32:45,700 Romans chapter 6, and Romans chapter 5 Paul comes off this. 449 00:32:45,700 --> 00:32:53,700 This wonderful look at The first atom and how we've all inherited 450 00:32:53,700 --> 00:32:57,400 Sin from the first atom that we are. 451 00:32:58,600 --> 00:33:04,000 Like he gone astray. That we're Sinners by one's man, 452 00:33:04,000 --> 00:33:07,400 sinned, all have sinned. He says and then he gets into 453 00:33:07,400 --> 00:33:10,000 the second atom, which is a reference to Christ. 454 00:33:10,000 --> 00:33:13,700 He talks about Christ and how about one man's righteousness, 455 00:33:17,300 --> 00:33:21,200 you become righteous. And so you inherit Sin from 456 00:33:21,200 --> 00:33:24,300 Adam, but you can inherit righteousness from Christ by 457 00:33:24,300 --> 00:33:31,000 faith. And and then what Paul foresees 458 00:33:31,800 --> 00:33:34,000 as he's laying it on thick with Grace. 459 00:33:35,400 --> 00:33:40,400 And Romans chapter 1, he asked the question should buy it, he 460 00:33:40,400 --> 00:33:45,600 says, should we go on sinning, so that Grace May abound because 461 00:33:45,600 --> 00:33:49,600 in chapter 5, he's letting his hearers know that by Grace. 462 00:33:49,600 --> 00:33:55,200 You're saved. And you're not changing that. 463 00:33:57,300 --> 00:34:02,600 And so the question becomes from sinful man, I sinful Minds is 464 00:34:03,400 --> 00:34:07,000 well I'll just keep sending Grace abounds. 465 00:34:09,000 --> 00:34:11,400 And Paul says, by no means do. We do that? 466 00:34:12,300 --> 00:34:17,300 Absolutely not. That would be trampling on the 467 00:34:17,300 --> 00:34:22,600 grace you've received. That would be exchanging Grace 468 00:34:23,100 --> 00:34:27,199 for lies, that would be exchanging Grace for sin. 469 00:34:29,699 --> 00:34:34,100 We don't trample on the grace of Christ and then Grace is a 470 00:34:34,100 --> 00:34:36,699 motivator for experiencing more Grace. 471 00:34:36,699 --> 00:34:41,300 Grace is a motivator for wanting to know, God more fully, amen. 472 00:34:43,800 --> 00:34:47,300 It's not an enabler, so that we might keep sinning. 473 00:34:53,500 --> 00:35:03,900 I'm way off the notes at this point, so, Brothers and sisters. 474 00:35:03,900 --> 00:35:09,200 What I don't want is for you to avoid understanding the Fountain 475 00:35:09,200 --> 00:35:18,400 of Grace that you have. We live in this culture, where 476 00:35:18,400 --> 00:35:21,700 your Christianity can ebb and flow, and you're in, or you're 477 00:35:21,700 --> 00:35:23,300 out, you're in, or you're out, he loves me. 478 00:35:23,300 --> 00:35:24,800 Loves me, not, he loves me, loves me. 479 00:35:24,800 --> 00:35:30,800 Not right. And I don't think that that's at 480 00:35:30,800 --> 00:35:33,100 all what God wants for his people. 481 00:35:35,600 --> 00:35:38,000 It doesn't want you wondering whether or not you're in, or 482 00:35:38,000 --> 00:35:42,500 you're out. He doesn't want you unsure of 483 00:35:42,500 --> 00:35:47,100 Grace. And so, the bottom line is 484 00:35:47,100 --> 00:35:49,900 really that all professing Christians should know this 485 00:35:49,900 --> 00:35:52,900 unbroken Union. The should have a concept of it 486 00:35:52,900 --> 00:35:55,700 should understand it. But we don't because we grow up 487 00:35:55,700 --> 00:35:59,600 in churches where everything's man centered and work centered. 488 00:36:02,500 --> 00:36:06,800 And in many ways. And so the sad reality is that 489 00:36:06,800 --> 00:36:10,500 we choose to avoid the Trinity. The Trinity is the Fountain of 490 00:36:10,500 --> 00:36:14,300 Grace. We choose to avoid understanding 491 00:36:14,300 --> 00:36:19,300 God in this in this way. And as I mentioned in week, 1 of 492 00:36:19,300 --> 00:36:21,600 the series, sometimes we do it just because we're told it's too 493 00:36:21,600 --> 00:36:24,100 difficult to understand and so well must be too difficult to 494 00:36:24,107 --> 00:36:27,500 understand why try. If the preacher saying, it's too 495 00:36:27,500 --> 00:36:29,300 difficult to understand. Why the heck should I give a 496 00:36:29,308 --> 00:36:33,600 care? It's just not true. 497 00:36:35,100 --> 00:36:37,600 You're not avoiding. You can you avoid the Trinity or 498 00:36:37,600 --> 00:36:41,800 trying to understand what Ephesians 1 is talking about? 499 00:36:44,800 --> 00:36:47,900 You're not just avoiding some brain teaser meant for trivia 500 00:36:47,900 --> 00:36:52,000 games. You're avoiding knowing god. 501 00:36:54,900 --> 00:36:58,800 You're trading what the Bible says about God for your own 502 00:36:59,000 --> 00:37:01,300 understanding of what God might be like. 503 00:37:03,200 --> 00:37:08,100 And so, you're avoiding Surety. You're avoiding knowledge in 504 00:37:08,100 --> 00:37:13,300 that you're avoiding growth. You want to know the Sovereign 505 00:37:13,300 --> 00:37:17,100 Creator and ruler of Heaven. The one who saves all, who call 506 00:37:17,100 --> 00:37:18,900 on his name, you want to know him? 507 00:37:19,800 --> 00:37:25,500 Amen. But when you do avoid, you avoid 508 00:37:25,500 --> 00:37:28,200 the foundation and the Fountain of Grace. 509 00:37:30,400 --> 00:37:32,300 Number minded of Ephesians 3 were Paul. 510 00:37:32,300 --> 00:37:38,000 He's, he's praying there and he says this is his prayer in three 511 00:37:38,000 --> 00:37:40,200 for the church at Ephesus. He's gone through chapter 1, 512 00:37:40,200 --> 00:37:42,800 it's got through chapter 2, about you saved by grace, and 513 00:37:42,800 --> 00:37:45,800 then in chapter 3, says that you he's talking about how you your 514 00:37:45,800 --> 00:37:47,900 United together. Now, because of Christ, there's 515 00:37:47,900 --> 00:37:50,800 no dividing wall of hostility more, between Jews and Gentiles. 516 00:37:50,800 --> 00:37:52,700 You've been brought together as one people. 517 00:37:54,100 --> 00:37:57,000 And he says, this is what I want you to know that you being 518 00:37:57,000 --> 00:38:01,000 rooted and grounded in love may have strength to comprehend with 519 00:38:01,000 --> 00:38:03,800 all the saints, what is the breadth? 520 00:38:03,800 --> 00:38:05,900 And the length, and the height, and the depth. 521 00:38:06,000 --> 00:38:10,800 And to know the love of Christ, that surpasses knowledge that 522 00:38:10,800 --> 00:38:14,700 you may be filled with all the fullness of God. 523 00:38:17,200 --> 00:38:20,500 Filled with all the fullness of God. 524 00:38:20,500 --> 00:38:23,400 This is what is available to you. 525 00:38:25,800 --> 00:38:27,800 Because of the work of our Triune God. 526 00:38:31,500 --> 00:38:34,400 And so kind of getting back to John Owens Point Christians 527 00:38:34,400 --> 00:38:39,800 aren't you're not haphazardly stumbling into being filled with 528 00:38:39,900 --> 00:38:43,900 all the knowledge of God are all the fullness of God you don't 529 00:38:43,900 --> 00:38:49,400 have Hazard Lee walk into that. It takes effort, it takes 530 00:38:49,400 --> 00:38:53,500 intentionality, it takes Pursuits, it takes increased 531 00:38:53,500 --> 00:38:58,500 desires, and decreased desires. You must put to death the old 532 00:38:58,500 --> 00:39:02,100 man. The old manners of Life, the old 533 00:39:02,100 --> 00:39:06,600 ways of walking, you must take on his new life which you've 534 00:39:06,600 --> 00:39:10,500 received in Christ, Jesus, your lord and you do it by the power 535 00:39:10,500 --> 00:39:17,800 of the spirit of God. And you think we'll how how do 536 00:39:17,800 --> 00:39:22,400 we even begin that? Well, you must begin from the 537 00:39:22,400 --> 00:39:27,800 security of your salvation. Because that salvation is 538 00:39:27,800 --> 00:39:33,000 accomplished by the Triune God. And so you can be sure that God 539 00:39:33,000 --> 00:39:37,000 who is unable to lie. As not promise you something he 540 00:39:37,000 --> 00:39:42,300 will not deliver them. You must hold on to God by faith 541 00:39:42,300 --> 00:39:50,600 in Christ Jesus. Eternal security, rest on God 542 00:39:50,600 --> 00:39:54,700 Alone, eternal security freeze the Christian from fears and 543 00:39:54,700 --> 00:40:00,400 doubts about their salvation, it enables you to focus on placing 544 00:40:00,400 --> 00:40:05,600 yourself. In the streams of God's grace 545 00:40:05,700 --> 00:40:10,700 each day to walk with him. You say, well, what are the 546 00:40:10,700 --> 00:40:13,600 streams of God's grace? Is this a river? 547 00:40:13,600 --> 00:40:22,900 I don't know about. the streams of God's grace, or anything out 548 00:40:22,900 --> 00:40:28,300 there that puts you in the in the way of the flow of God's 549 00:40:28,300 --> 00:40:33,700 grace. It's Bible reading with the 550 00:40:33,700 --> 00:40:37,800 right heart. It's prayer. 551 00:40:39,300 --> 00:40:43,000 It's singing. It's fellowship with the Saints. 552 00:40:43,500 --> 00:40:47,500 It's participating in the Lord's supper or baptism. 553 00:40:50,200 --> 00:40:51,800 And many other things like these. 554 00:40:51,800 --> 00:40:55,900 It's, this is where we experience the grace of God 555 00:40:56,200 --> 00:41:04,100 daily for our lives. so tomorrow morning, when I opened my Bible, 556 00:41:06,200 --> 00:41:09,800 And I'm just going through a little plan with a dear brother 557 00:41:09,800 --> 00:41:13,100 here and when I open my bible in the morning and I read my 558 00:41:13,100 --> 00:41:15,000 chapters that are assigned to me for the day. 559 00:41:17,400 --> 00:41:19,900 The posture of my heart in that moment matters. 560 00:41:22,100 --> 00:41:24,800 Do I open these words? Do I open this book? 561 00:41:27,800 --> 00:41:31,400 Like, it's a history book. You open it like it's some 562 00:41:31,400 --> 00:41:35,600 textbook. Or do I open this book and read 563 00:41:35,600 --> 00:41:39,300 it as though God is actually speaking to us? 564 00:41:41,600 --> 00:41:43,200 The posture of your heart matters. 565 00:41:44,500 --> 00:41:47,300 And so there's moments, I tell people all the time. 566 00:41:47,800 --> 00:41:50,900 People come to me and say, Kyle, it just really struggle to read 567 00:41:50,900 --> 00:41:53,400 my Bible like it doesn't feel fruitful, but I know I need to 568 00:41:53,400 --> 00:41:57,800 do it. I'm just honest with him at, 569 00:41:57,800 --> 00:42:00,900 like, reading your Bible. Like that is better than not 570 00:42:00,900 --> 00:42:06,300 reading your Bible but we don't want to stay there and then it's 571 00:42:06,300 --> 00:42:08,900 better to keep hearing the word of God, because nothing will 572 00:42:09,000 --> 00:42:12,300 bless you guys. Nothing will jumpstart your 573 00:42:14,500 --> 00:42:17,300 Warming, your heart's desires towards the Lord, like reading 574 00:42:17,300 --> 00:42:23,400 his word. but if you're going to numbers to try to understand 575 00:42:23,400 --> 00:42:27,900 Christ, maybe maybe jump to a different book of the Bible and 576 00:42:27,900 --> 00:42:32,700 then This is why most people quit their Bible reading plan 577 00:42:32,700 --> 00:42:41,700 after about February. But keep pressing forward, read 578 00:42:41,700 --> 00:42:46,600 the Psalms and their struggles with God, the wrestling fears 579 00:42:46,600 --> 00:42:49,100 and doubts and failures and hearts, that just weren't 580 00:42:49,200 --> 00:42:57,800 affectionate read the word. Again, John Owen says this, he 581 00:42:57,800 --> 00:43:01,800 says Grace must be understood as the ground of this relationship 582 00:43:01,800 --> 00:43:04,800 with God. From first to last from 583 00:43:04,800 --> 00:43:07,900 justification to preservation of the Saints, from God's 584 00:43:07,900 --> 00:43:09,900 acceptance of us to his glorifying. 585 00:43:09,900 --> 00:43:14,200 The Saints Grace is the bottom of the entire understanding of 586 00:43:14,200 --> 00:43:16,000 the Saints security and privilege. 587 00:43:16,000 --> 00:43:20,500 Before God, he goes on to say this Grace, however demands 588 00:43:20,500 --> 00:43:24,200 rather than denies human response, amen. 589 00:43:25,500 --> 00:43:29,500 But if we are to respond, rightly, we must know to who we 590 00:43:29,500 --> 00:43:33,700 are responding. That's why from the beginning of 591 00:43:33,700 --> 00:43:36,700 the series, I'm saying it's important for us to know who 592 00:43:36,700 --> 00:43:38,800 this God is. Who saves us? 593 00:43:40,400 --> 00:43:43,500 We want to know him because we can't worship him. 594 00:43:43,500 --> 00:43:48,800 We rightly, if we don't know him, And knowing that God has 595 00:43:48,800 --> 00:43:55,000 saved you on his own by his own actions is a beautiful truth 596 00:43:55,000 --> 00:43:59,400 that does not deny your human response, it demands your human 597 00:43:59,400 --> 00:44:01,400 response. Amen. 598 00:44:04,000 --> 00:44:07,000 And so it's the foundation of response. 599 00:44:07,000 --> 00:44:15,100 It's the fuel of response. I love to that, God has not 600 00:44:16,400 --> 00:44:20,400 Required something of us that he is not also giving us the stuff 601 00:44:20,400 --> 00:44:25,500 to accomplish by his spirit. It doesn't require faithful 602 00:44:25,500 --> 00:44:28,300 followship and then tell you go figure it out. 603 00:44:29,400 --> 00:44:31,300 He's with you through and through. 604 00:44:31,500 --> 00:44:37,900 Amen. So I think if we're to recover, 605 00:44:37,900 --> 00:44:40,700 the beauty of the doctrine of the Trinity, then we must start 606 00:44:40,700 --> 00:44:45,000 by becoming men and women who strive to understand our Triune 607 00:44:45,000 --> 00:44:53,000 God and to worship Him rightly. There's a Creed written. 608 00:44:55,200 --> 00:44:59,900 I got name athanasius. And this was at the height of 609 00:44:59,900 --> 00:45:06,700 another controversy early in church history debates on the 610 00:45:06,700 --> 00:45:11,300 Triune God. His substance is makeup. 611 00:45:12,300 --> 00:45:15,400 How do we Define them in the statement? 612 00:45:15,400 --> 00:45:17,100 Just starts with this wonderful sense. 613 00:45:17,100 --> 00:45:19,300 We actually looked at it in Sunday school, several weeks 614 00:45:19,300 --> 00:45:23,000 ago, but the whole statement, it's really quite lengthy. 615 00:45:23,000 --> 00:45:25,600 But it's amazing. It's the best, I think. 616 00:45:27,300 --> 00:45:29,700 Creed. We have summation of the 617 00:45:29,700 --> 00:45:31,700 doctrine of the Trinity is called the athanasian Creed. 618 00:45:31,700 --> 00:45:35,000 And this is how he starts in. At the end of like paragraph 1. 619 00:45:35,000 --> 00:45:38,800 He says we worship one, God and Trinity, and The Trinity and 620 00:45:38,800 --> 00:45:42,300 unity either confusing, the person's, and we're dividing the 621 00:45:42,300 --> 00:45:48,200 Divine being You think, you know? 622 00:45:48,200 --> 00:45:50,200 So one it's a it's a great statement because it's a 623 00:45:50,207 --> 00:45:56,500 statement about the Trinity one being three persons But what I 624 00:45:56,500 --> 00:46:02,000 love about it. Is the way it starts we worship. 625 00:46:03,100 --> 00:46:05,900 Amen. That the point of understanding 626 00:46:05,900 --> 00:46:08,900 the Trinity was not so that athanasius or anyone else could 627 00:46:08,900 --> 00:46:13,700 walk around with a head this large Full of knowledge. 628 00:46:15,200 --> 00:46:20,700 The point for athanasius and his cohorts was, we worship one God. 629 00:46:21,800 --> 00:46:26,400 We worship. And so we must know who it is 630 00:46:26,900 --> 00:46:30,300 that we worship. And when we recover, the 631 00:46:30,300 --> 00:46:33,100 doctrine of the Trinity, we find, right, worship. 632 00:46:33,700 --> 00:46:35,700 We find daily communion with God. 633 00:46:35,700 --> 00:46:41,100 Can soar to new heights, And so the Trinity is necessary for 634 00:46:41,100 --> 00:46:45,600 knowing god, it's necessary for communion with God daily. 635 00:46:47,700 --> 00:46:51,500 How next week you're going to discover more about where those 636 00:46:51,500 --> 00:46:56,000 streams of Grace lie. You're going to discover how it 637 00:46:56,000 --> 00:46:59,400 is that you experienced unbroken fellowship with God. 638 00:46:59,900 --> 00:47:05,600 Daily, But I think our takeaway for today is this. 639 00:47:06,600 --> 00:47:11,200 That Grace founds and fuels our fellowship with God. 640 00:47:12,500 --> 00:47:16,100 Grace founds and fuels our relationship with God, our 641 00:47:16,100 --> 00:47:20,200 fellowship with God and so your fellowship with God is secure in 642 00:47:20,200 --> 00:47:25,500 Christ Jesus, by the power of the Spirit Alive in you, and you 643 00:47:25,500 --> 00:47:27,900 cannot undo. What God has done? 644 00:47:30,400 --> 00:47:33,700 I think I first heard John MacArthur say it, but I'm not 645 00:47:33,700 --> 00:47:37,800 sure he was the originator, but the statement goes like this. 646 00:47:37,900 --> 00:47:44,100 If you could, if you could lose your salvation, you would and 647 00:47:44,100 --> 00:47:49,300 then, And so what we're not advocating for is the kind of 648 00:47:49,500 --> 00:47:53,500 faux salvation where somebody says I am in Christ, I believe 649 00:47:53,500 --> 00:47:57,200 in Jesus I'm a Christian. Most people who say that won't 650 00:47:57,200 --> 00:48:00,700 say they're in Christ will just say I'm a Christian And then 651 00:48:00,700 --> 00:48:05,400 they live, like all hell. The rest of their life. 652 00:48:06,500 --> 00:48:09,500 There's no fruitfulness right where the spirit of the Lord is 653 00:48:09,500 --> 00:48:13,000 there is freedom of spirit of the Lord is there's new desires. 654 00:48:13,500 --> 00:48:17,100 The spirit of the Lord is There's fruit. 655 00:48:17,800 --> 00:48:20,300 Amen. And so, we're to be fruit 656 00:48:20,300 --> 00:48:24,400 inspectors. Not first of others. 657 00:48:24,400 --> 00:48:30,600 But first of our own hearts and minds and so I ask you what are 658 00:48:30,600 --> 00:48:32,700 your desires? Look like, daily. 659 00:48:34,300 --> 00:48:37,100 What is it that you're after? What is it? 660 00:48:37,200 --> 00:48:39,300 What is it that fuels you from day to day? 661 00:48:44,600 --> 00:48:47,000 Is it to glorify God and enjoy him forever? 662 00:48:49,800 --> 00:48:54,100 Are you finding someone else to glorify something else to enjoy? 663 00:48:57,400 --> 00:48:58,900 Did you stand to your feet? This morning? 664 00:48:59,000 --> 00:49:03,500 We pray for you as we respond today. 665 00:49:03,500 --> 00:49:06,500 The worship team is going to lead us in a song called abide. 666 00:49:07,000 --> 00:49:08,500 Is that right? It's still correct. 667 00:49:08,500 --> 00:49:12,900 Okay, abide is a wonderful little Anthem that goes 668 00:49:12,900 --> 00:49:16,500 hand-in-hand with what we're talking about right now. 669 00:49:17,600 --> 00:49:20,900 And so, as you sing this, sing it as a prayer. 670 00:49:22,800 --> 00:49:30,400 Sing it as a prayer. I depend on you. 671 00:49:32,100 --> 00:49:33,700 Let me pray for you. Father, we love you. 672 00:49:34,500 --> 00:49:35,900 We thank you. Lord, for your word. 673 00:49:35,900 --> 00:49:38,500 I thank you for these men and women, these boys, and girls. 674 00:49:39,800 --> 00:49:42,300 God would you help us to be men and women boys and girls who 675 00:49:42,400 --> 00:49:44,700 love the Lord Jesus Above All Else. 676 00:49:46,300 --> 00:49:49,900 Heavenly Father, we thank you for your love which has been 677 00:49:49,900 --> 00:49:53,800 poured out in Christ that in him we have received as John says 678 00:49:53,800 --> 00:50:00,300 Grace upon Grace. That is Believers. 679 00:50:01,300 --> 00:50:04,300 We have fellowship with you by the spirit, which is alive and 680 00:50:04,300 --> 00:50:09,600 us. Help us to know this. 681 00:50:10,700 --> 00:50:16,700 God, I can remember the moment that my life forever changed 682 00:50:17,400 --> 00:50:26,700 when I came to understand that salvation comes from you, And 683 00:50:26,700 --> 00:50:30,300 praise God. I thank you that you are not. 684 00:50:31,300 --> 00:50:37,300 You are not dependent upon my right or wrong Fellowship, but 685 00:50:37,300 --> 00:50:42,800 that you love me in Christ. No matter how many good things I 686 00:50:42,800 --> 00:50:48,600 do and no matter how many bad things I do, your love is 687 00:50:48,600 --> 00:50:51,500 perfect and your love. For me is I'm broken because 688 00:50:51,500 --> 00:50:56,000 your love for your son is unbroken and I'm United to him. 689 00:50:57,900 --> 00:51:00,500 But father would you help me? Would you help these men and 690 00:51:00,500 --> 00:51:01,700 women? These boys and girls? 691 00:51:02,000 --> 00:51:04,900 Would you help us walk Faithfully with you? 692 00:51:05,700 --> 00:51:07,900 Where we have desires that go against your word? 693 00:51:07,900 --> 00:51:11,200 Would you reveal them to us? Father, that we might confess 694 00:51:11,200 --> 00:51:15,400 them and repentance? Help us to be good. 695 00:51:15,600 --> 00:51:20,400 Quick repenters, truly putting to death, the Deeds of the flesh 696 00:51:20,400 --> 00:51:23,000 that we might walk by the spirit of God. 697 00:51:25,100 --> 00:51:26,500 Or does we sing this song? Now? 698 00:51:26,500 --> 00:51:30,400 Would you be near to our hearts and Minds help us to be 699 00:51:30,600 --> 00:51:33,200 children. Dependent upon their heavenly 700 00:51:33,200 --> 00:51:36,100 father in Christ Jesus name. I pray. 701 00:51:36,600 --> 00:51:37,000 Amen.