1 00:00:03,200 --> 00:00:04,800 I want to thank you for being here tonight. 2 00:00:04,800 --> 00:00:07,000 It's great to see each one of you and I appreciate so much 3 00:00:07,000 --> 00:00:10,700 your presence. I know when a hot evening it is 4 00:00:10,700 --> 00:00:13,400 perhaps easy to stay home and stay out of the Heat and kick 5 00:00:13,400 --> 00:00:16,000 back and relax. But you've chosen to be here and 6 00:00:16,000 --> 00:00:19,400 I certainly appreciate that because I think it shows your 7 00:00:19,400 --> 00:00:23,800 interest in spiritual things and things that ultimately will 8 00:00:23,800 --> 00:00:26,300 endure forever. You know, this life is fleeting 9 00:00:26,400 --> 00:00:29,500 this life is passing and of course, the things that many 10 00:00:29,500 --> 00:00:34,400 times we hold so dear and near in this Sly freely at the end of 11 00:00:34,400 --> 00:00:38,600 the day and at the end of life's little day, really means so 12 00:00:38,600 --> 00:00:40,800 little. And so you're here tonight, 13 00:00:41,000 --> 00:00:43,800 we're going to study God's word together and certainly, we 14 00:00:43,800 --> 00:00:48,000 believe that what we're going to study is indeed the mind of God. 15 00:00:48,400 --> 00:00:51,600 You know, I think we're blessed tonight that we can actually 16 00:00:51,600 --> 00:00:56,200 hear the words that God had in his mind, you know, a long time 17 00:00:56,200 --> 00:01:00,600 ago, God placed man in the Garden of Eden and God began to 18 00:01:00,600 --> 00:01:05,900 speak to man that point God gave them the rules the laws so that 19 00:01:05,900 --> 00:01:08,800 they might be protected and of course so that they might come 20 00:01:08,800 --> 00:01:12,600 to know him man. Violated that man, still 21 00:01:12,600 --> 00:01:15,500 violates God's laws today. In fact, it seems that the 22 00:01:15,500 --> 00:01:21,000 history of our world is a violation of God's law. 23 00:01:21,500 --> 00:01:23,900 But we're here tonight, we're going to look at some things 24 00:01:23,900 --> 00:01:27,100 that the word of God says. We're going to look at some 25 00:01:27,100 --> 00:01:30,100 things that the Apostle Paul has to say actually in the book of 26 00:01:30,100 --> 00:01:34,200 Ephesians and of course Paul as he began Ins to speak the mind 27 00:01:34,200 --> 00:01:38,400 of God in the book of Ephesians talks about how God predestined 28 00:01:38,400 --> 00:01:41,800 a great plan so that we might be saved. 29 00:01:42,200 --> 00:01:44,400 You know, the book of Ephesians is one of those books that I 30 00:01:44,400 --> 00:01:48,200 love to preach from because it's a book that really, I think cuts 31 00:01:48,200 --> 00:01:52,800 through all of the nonsense and gives us a theological 32 00:01:52,800 --> 00:01:58,500 perspective, a clear perspective of really God's love for us, you 33 00:01:58,500 --> 00:02:03,200 know, on chapter 1 Paul begins and Ephesians and speaks of His 34 00:02:03,200 --> 00:02:08,600 plan that he in his mind long before he created, man had and 35 00:02:08,600 --> 00:02:11,900 of course he created, man, he placed man in the Garden of Eden 36 00:02:12,200 --> 00:02:14,900 man. Sinned and fell from that 37 00:02:14,900 --> 00:02:19,400 initial state of Covenant relationship and even from that 38 00:02:19,400 --> 00:02:23,500 point on God began to prepare the coming messiah. 39 00:02:23,700 --> 00:02:26,500 In fact, one of the greatest passages and I think all the Old 40 00:02:26,500 --> 00:02:31,500 Testament is Genesis 3:15 were God says that the seed of woman 41 00:02:31,500 --> 00:02:35,100 that's Christ the seed. Of woman would come and crush 42 00:02:35,100 --> 00:02:38,000 the head of the serpent. That's the devil. 43 00:02:38,400 --> 00:02:40,600 And, of course, we know that that happened at the cross 44 00:02:40,600 --> 00:02:44,700 because Jesus, the seed of woman, born of a virgin born of 45 00:02:44,700 --> 00:02:48,600 Mary, when he died, Satan had bruised him. 46 00:02:48,900 --> 00:02:53,700 But when Jesus arose, he crushed the head he crushed as it were, 47 00:02:53,700 --> 00:02:58,200 the main power of Satan, you see Satan has always been about 48 00:02:58,200 --> 00:03:02,100 death, the devil is always been about destruction, but Jesus 49 00:03:02,300 --> 00:03:06,200 overcame. That he overcame, death Hades 50 00:03:06,300 --> 00:03:08,900 and the grave, and he arose again the third day. 51 00:03:08,900 --> 00:03:11,800 So the first chapter of the book of Ephesians, Paul speaks of 52 00:03:11,800 --> 00:03:15,400 this great plan, this providential plan where he 53 00:03:15,400 --> 00:03:20,200 predestined those, that would be in Christ, they would be saved. 54 00:03:20,600 --> 00:03:23,800 And then in Chapter 2, you remember that Paul speaks of the 55 00:03:23,800 --> 00:03:26,900 grace of God that very famous passage. 56 00:03:26,900 --> 00:03:29,800 Where Paul says by grace are you saved? 57 00:03:29,800 --> 00:03:32,600 Not of Works. Lest any man should boast now of 58 00:03:32,608 --> 00:03:34,900 course, That doesn't mean that we don't have some 59 00:03:34,900 --> 00:03:40,300 responsibilities as individuals, but it is truly by God's grace 60 00:03:40,300 --> 00:03:44,400 that we are saved now. Grace is God's unmerited favor. 61 00:03:44,800 --> 00:03:47,400 In other words, Grace is something that we don't deserve. 62 00:03:47,400 --> 00:03:50,600 It's something that we did nothing to earn. 63 00:03:50,900 --> 00:03:55,100 And of course, when we look at Ephesians 2 verse 8, in the 64 00:03:55,100 --> 00:03:59,100 context of Ephesians 1, it's this great plan. 65 00:03:59,100 --> 00:04:02,100 That Paul is still. Speaking of it's the grace that 66 00:04:02,100 --> 00:04:07,200 God Long before we were around so we can't claim any any any 67 00:04:07,200 --> 00:04:10,400 credit in it. It is that plan that God set in 68 00:04:10,400 --> 00:04:15,100 motion out of graciousness out of pure love for us so that we 69 00:04:15,100 --> 00:04:17,500 might be saved. You know, the very famous 70 00:04:17,500 --> 00:04:20,300 passage in John 3:16 Says that God. 71 00:04:20,300 --> 00:04:25,100 So loved the world that he gave his only begotten son, you know 72 00:04:25,100 --> 00:04:29,800 again, when man was so evil. In fact, her Romans 5, when we 73 00:04:29,800 --> 00:04:32,800 were yet without strength, Paul says Christ. 74 00:04:32,900 --> 00:04:35,900 Died for the ungodly. That's one of the most 75 00:04:35,900 --> 00:04:39,000 incredible passages I think of all the New Testament because 76 00:04:39,000 --> 00:04:43,500 there we are shown that while we should have died while we 77 00:04:43,600 --> 00:04:48,800 deserve nothing from God Christ came and God gave us eternal 78 00:04:48,800 --> 00:04:50,800 life. Well, of course, in Ephesians 79 00:04:50,800 --> 00:04:54,900 chapter 3 we begin to see this great mystery. 80 00:04:55,100 --> 00:04:59,200 That Paul begins to elucidate where the Jews and the Gentiles 81 00:04:59,200 --> 00:05:02,600 and all of those of the world can come into the church, you 82 00:05:02,600 --> 00:05:04,300 know, you Today, we talked about the church. 83 00:05:04,300 --> 00:05:08,600 You know, Jesus promised to build his church, he promised to 84 00:05:08,600 --> 00:05:12,800 build the Church of Christ if you will, and he said, Upon This 85 00:05:12,800 --> 00:05:14,700 Rock, I will build my church in that rock. 86 00:05:14,700 --> 00:05:19,000 We discussed was the great truth that he was the son of God. 87 00:05:19,400 --> 00:05:22,700 And of course, that great promise, Jesus fulfilled, on the 88 00:05:22,700 --> 00:05:25,000 day of Pentecost, when he built the church. 89 00:05:25,400 --> 00:05:27,900 But, you know, in the Old Testament as God began to 90 00:05:27,900 --> 00:05:31,700 prophesy about the church, he did that to the Jews. 91 00:05:32,000 --> 00:05:33,700 You remember the old Nation of Israel. 92 00:05:33,700 --> 00:05:36,800 They were God's chosen people. They were the ones that he had 93 00:05:36,800 --> 00:05:40,900 formed out of this ragtag group of slaves that he had brought 94 00:05:40,900 --> 00:05:42,700 out of Egypt under the hand of Moses. 95 00:05:43,100 --> 00:05:46,100 And they became this great nation of Israel and to them, he 96 00:05:46,100 --> 00:05:49,300 gave the covenants and to, then he gave the temple and to them, 97 00:05:49,300 --> 00:05:52,500 he gave the priesthood. But the Gentiles, the others, 98 00:05:52,500 --> 00:05:56,000 the pagans in the world were left out but, you know, God had 99 00:05:56,000 --> 00:06:00,700 a plan even there, didn't he? God planned to bring the Jews 100 00:06:00,700 --> 00:06:03,600 and all of the world together. Ian. 101 00:06:03,600 --> 00:06:06,600 Jesus Christ. And of course the Old Testament 102 00:06:06,600 --> 00:06:10,500 is really the working out of the beginnings of that great plan. 103 00:06:10,900 --> 00:06:14,700 God begins to deal with the Patriarchs or the fathers of 104 00:06:14,700 --> 00:06:16,800 families and then he deals with a nation. 105 00:06:17,000 --> 00:06:20,300 And then of course, the nation of Israel gives way to the 106 00:06:20,300 --> 00:06:24,600 tribes of Israel and to Jesus Christ who then through whom God 107 00:06:24,600 --> 00:06:27,800 begins to deal with the world. And so we're in the Christian 108 00:06:27,800 --> 00:06:31,000 age now. God is giving all people. 109 00:06:31,400 --> 00:06:35,200 All the Races, the world, the chance to be saved. 110 00:06:35,500 --> 00:06:38,600 And of course Paul speaks of that in Ephesians chapter 3, he 111 00:06:38,600 --> 00:06:41,200 calls it. A great mystery and by mystery 112 00:06:41,200 --> 00:06:43,500 he doesn't mean something that can't be understood. 113 00:06:43,800 --> 00:06:47,100 He doesn't mean something that is that is difficult necessarily 114 00:06:47,100 --> 00:06:51,700 even understand, but he revealed he refers to something that was 115 00:06:51,700 --> 00:06:54,100 not revealed until the time was, right? 116 00:06:54,500 --> 00:06:57,900 And of course, Paul in Galatians 4 says that when the time was 117 00:06:57,900 --> 00:07:02,000 right, God sent his son made of a woman made under the law to 118 00:07:02,000 --> 00:07:04,300 redeem those That were under the law. 119 00:07:04,700 --> 00:07:09,000 And so the point is this, Paul in Ephesians 1 and chapter 2 and 120 00:07:09,000 --> 00:07:12,700 chapter 3 is preparing the minds of his readers. 121 00:07:12,700 --> 00:07:17,000 There at the church at Ephesus to understand and to truly 122 00:07:17,000 --> 00:07:22,000 appreciate this great Plan of Salvation for them in Jesus 123 00:07:22,000 --> 00:07:25,300 Christ, you know, today, we can enjoy that same plan. 124 00:07:25,700 --> 00:07:28,800 We can be saved today. We can be saved from our sins. 125 00:07:28,900 --> 00:07:33,200 We can have that same relationship with Jesus and With 126 00:07:33,200 --> 00:07:37,100 God that they had back in the first century and of course that 127 00:07:37,100 --> 00:07:40,400 is a wonderful thing for us today because when we heed the 128 00:07:40,400 --> 00:07:43,900 gospel and when we obey the gospel, when we obey the good 129 00:07:43,900 --> 00:07:47,400 news of Jesus coming to this world when we hear it, and we 130 00:07:47,400 --> 00:07:49,600 believe it. And we repent of our sins and we 131 00:07:49,600 --> 00:07:54,100 confess Jesus as Lord and Savior and deity and then have our sins 132 00:07:54,100 --> 00:07:57,700 washed away in baptism. We are added to the Lord's 133 00:07:57,700 --> 00:08:00,300 church. We are added to the Lord's body. 134 00:08:00,300 --> 00:08:02,900 We are added to that group of saved that poor. 135 00:08:03,000 --> 00:08:05,800 All the speaking of in Ephesians ones when he said, God 136 00:08:05,800 --> 00:08:11,300 predestined those in Christ to be saved and to be part of 137 00:08:11,300 --> 00:08:14,300 heaven with god. Well, we can go on through the 138 00:08:14,300 --> 00:08:16,800 beginning fusions and look at the other chapters. 139 00:08:16,800 --> 00:08:20,400 He'll chapter 5, the book of Ephesians is a wonderful chapter 140 00:08:20,600 --> 00:08:24,600 chapter 5 speaks to the analogy of the Christ and the church. 141 00:08:24,900 --> 00:08:28,200 He speaks their of the husband wife and Allergy and gives the 142 00:08:28,200 --> 00:08:31,200 parallels and then a chapter 6, you remember the book of 143 00:08:31,207 --> 00:08:32,799 Ephesians speaks of the Christian Army. 144 00:08:32,900 --> 00:08:36,900 Armor and how that we put on the word of God, and other things to 145 00:08:36,900 --> 00:08:38,700 keep us strong against the devil. 146 00:08:39,100 --> 00:08:41,400 But I want us to look this evening just for a few moments 147 00:08:41,400 --> 00:08:45,200 at Ephesians chapter 4, you know, if these receptor for is 148 00:08:45,200 --> 00:08:47,800 one of those chapters that I think is pivotal in our 149 00:08:47,800 --> 00:08:51,900 understanding of the basics, you know, we were talking yesterday 150 00:08:51,900 --> 00:08:55,800 about going back to foundational principles, going back to the 151 00:08:55,800 --> 00:09:01,000 basics because it is the basics on which everything is based 152 00:09:01,300 --> 00:09:06,000 every structure. Every career everything that we 153 00:09:06,000 --> 00:09:10,000 do in life has to be based on the basics. 154 00:09:10,300 --> 00:09:14,200 You know, if you want to learn piano or you want to learn to do 155 00:09:14,200 --> 00:09:18,600 drawing or writing, you have to learn some Basics and I believe 156 00:09:18,600 --> 00:09:22,800 the basics for Christian Living. And even for the church, and 157 00:09:22,800 --> 00:09:27,100 what it really is, is found here at least in part, in Ephesians, 158 00:09:27,100 --> 00:09:30,800 chapter 4, verses 1 through 4. Now typically, when we preach on 159 00:09:30,800 --> 00:09:33,600 this, or when we study it, we realized is that Paul is 160 00:09:33,600 --> 00:09:38,700 speaking of the ones, he mentioned, seven ones in these 161 00:09:38,700 --> 00:09:44,500 four short verses, he speaks of the Oneness of God system and 162 00:09:44,500 --> 00:09:46,500 you know, that makes sense. Because really what he's talking 163 00:09:46,500 --> 00:09:50,600 about is Unity, he's talking about the the the system that 164 00:09:50,600 --> 00:09:56,100 God is created that is complete and cohesive and always holds 165 00:09:56,100 --> 00:10:00,500 together and so then Paul begins to tell us about that system. 166 00:10:00,500 --> 00:10:04,500 Now he does that in a very interesting Way, he begins. 167 00:10:04,500 --> 00:10:07,500 First of all, with relationships in the congregation. 168 00:10:08,000 --> 00:10:10,600 You know, the Church, of course, is about relationships, isn't 169 00:10:10,600 --> 00:10:12,300 it? First of all, the church is 170 00:10:12,300 --> 00:10:16,500 about relationships with God. You know, when we were separated 171 00:10:16,500 --> 00:10:21,300 from God, we come to God in Salvation and through obedience 172 00:10:21,300 --> 00:10:23,900 to Salvation and the Waters of baptism. 173 00:10:23,900 --> 00:10:26,300 And we are united. We are at one with God. 174 00:10:26,300 --> 00:10:29,300 We are at peace with God. And, of course, once we get into 175 00:10:29,300 --> 00:10:32,800 the church, and we become a member of the body of Christ, we 176 00:10:32,900 --> 00:10:36,300 Began. Then to work out our differences 177 00:10:36,300 --> 00:10:39,500 in our differences, in culture, and maybe languages, and and 178 00:10:39,500 --> 00:10:42,600 other things in the church. And so there is a, there's a 179 00:10:42,600 --> 00:10:46,300 point of unity in the church, and, of course, being humans. 180 00:10:46,300 --> 00:10:49,200 Sometimes we strive, we struggle, we struggle with that 181 00:10:49,200 --> 00:10:51,000 note. We sometimes, you know, we had 182 00:10:51,000 --> 00:10:54,900 Crossways with one another. In fact, you know, as I've lived 183 00:10:54,900 --> 00:10:57,100 my life. As I've looked around that, you 184 00:10:57,100 --> 00:10:59,800 know, various congregations that have had problems. 185 00:11:00,300 --> 00:11:02,800 Sometimes it is over doctrinal issues. 186 00:11:03,500 --> 00:11:07,100 And of course, Doctrine must be maintained at all cost. 187 00:11:07,400 --> 00:11:12,000 But many times the difficulties that we experience as Christians 188 00:11:12,000 --> 00:11:15,300 in congregations, many times stem, at least for my 189 00:11:15,300 --> 00:11:18,300 perception, from personal grievances, we have with each 190 00:11:18,300 --> 00:11:21,900 other, we have personality conflicts, we have difficulties, 191 00:11:21,900 --> 00:11:25,100 we're human, we get on each other's nerves and it's kind of 192 00:11:25,108 --> 00:11:28,600 like a family, you know? We again, sort of picking each 193 00:11:28,600 --> 00:11:32,900 other and sometimes that can be even lead to division not, oh, I 194 00:11:32,908 --> 00:11:36,100 want to dwell on that, can I? But that's not my main point and 195 00:11:36,100 --> 00:11:38,000 I see no reason here in this congregation. 196 00:11:38,000 --> 00:11:41,100 I know of nothing that I need to speak on about that. 197 00:11:41,100 --> 00:11:44,500 But nonetheless, Paul begins with the church at Ephesus and 198 00:11:44,500 --> 00:11:47,400 he tells them. Listen, you need to be United 199 00:11:47,400 --> 00:11:50,700 because ultimately God is United, and he's going to get to 200 00:11:50,708 --> 00:11:53,400 these seven ones. The one Lord, One Faith, one 201 00:11:53,400 --> 00:11:55,500 baptism, one God. And Father of all, you know, 202 00:11:55,500 --> 00:11:57,500 that, you know, the seven. Once you've heard them preached 203 00:11:57,500 --> 00:11:59,900 on, I'm sure before, but let's begin. 204 00:11:59,900 --> 00:12:04,100 And 4:1, and as we like to do, we're going To go expository 205 00:12:04,100 --> 00:12:07,400 through the first four. Verses, the Paul says this. 206 00:12:07,800 --> 00:12:12,700 He says, I therefore, the prisoner of the Lord beseech. 207 00:12:12,700 --> 00:12:16,600 You now, that sets up then the overall context for the book of 208 00:12:16,600 --> 00:12:18,800 Ephesians. Now, the book of Ephesians is a 209 00:12:18,800 --> 00:12:21,700 book that is called a prison Epistles. 210 00:12:21,900 --> 00:12:26,400 The Apostle Paul found himself on this occasion in prison and 211 00:12:26,400 --> 00:12:29,400 he writes the book of Ephesians the book of Philippians and 212 00:12:29,400 --> 00:12:32,700 probably a couple of other letters as welcome. 213 00:12:32,800 --> 00:12:35,600 Washington's. And they need another letter or 214 00:12:35,600 --> 00:12:40,200 sothe high Lehman to individuals and the churches while he is 215 00:12:40,200 --> 00:12:42,600 under house arrest or while he's in prison. 216 00:12:42,600 --> 00:12:48,700 And so, then he begins to write this letter, A begins to focus 217 00:12:48,700 --> 00:12:51,500 upon his own authority and his own situation. 218 00:12:51,500 --> 00:12:55,600 And I think he throws this in there, to make them understand 219 00:12:55,600 --> 00:12:59,100 what he was willing to go through for the cause of Christ 220 00:12:59,100 --> 00:13:02,900 in other words. Jesus was so important to the 221 00:13:02,900 --> 00:13:07,600 Apostle Paul that he was willing to even go to prison and to 222 00:13:07,600 --> 00:13:09,800 death. In fact, of course, tradition 223 00:13:09,800 --> 00:13:12,400 tells us that that's exactly what happens. 224 00:13:12,600 --> 00:13:16,200 Most of the Apostles except for, maybe the Apostle, John, at the 225 00:13:16,200 --> 00:13:21,100 end of the first century died through a martyrdom of of life 226 00:13:21,100 --> 00:13:25,800 because they held onto the tenets of the Gospel will Paul 227 00:13:25,800 --> 00:13:28,900 says listen, I'm a prisoner. He says, I'm a prisoner of the 228 00:13:28,900 --> 00:13:33,800 Lord and then he says because of this or this being who I am and 229 00:13:33,800 --> 00:13:36,700 my willingness to dedicate my life to Christ. 230 00:13:36,700 --> 00:13:40,600 Here's what I want you to do. He says I beseech you or I beg 231 00:13:40,600 --> 00:13:44,300 you to walk worthy of the calling with which you were 232 00:13:44,300 --> 00:13:49,300 called now you know the idea of walking is an idea of continuing 233 00:13:49,300 --> 00:13:52,600 in something, it's idea of maintaining a status in 234 00:13:52,600 --> 00:13:55,600 something. You know, the gospel of our, the 235 00:13:55,600 --> 00:13:58,400 Epistles of John speak, a lot about walking. 236 00:13:58,600 --> 00:14:01,700 You remember John for example, says that if we walk in the 237 00:14:01,700 --> 00:14:05,600 light as He is in the light, we have Fellowship one with another 238 00:14:05,600 --> 00:14:08,700 one with another and the blood of Jesus Christ cleanses us from 239 00:14:08,700 --> 00:14:12,600 all sins, John speaks of this continual walking and of course 240 00:14:12,600 --> 00:14:15,600 in the Greek it's in the continual type tense which 241 00:14:15,600 --> 00:14:19,300 indicates that we don't just take a few steps in Christ. 242 00:14:19,500 --> 00:14:24,200 We have to walk we have to continue walking long term for 243 00:14:24,200 --> 00:14:27,500 Christ to be pleased with us. Well Paul says, listen you 244 00:14:27,500 --> 00:14:31,300 church at Ephesus. I want you to walk in Christ. 245 00:14:31,300 --> 00:14:34,800 I want you to walk worthy. Worthy of Jesus Christ. 246 00:14:35,100 --> 00:14:38,800 Now, of course that would imply, would it not that it is possible 247 00:14:38,800 --> 00:14:43,500 by Our Lives, to walk in an unworthy manner, you know, when 248 00:14:43,500 --> 00:14:47,200 we sin and when we live, you know, riotous wives and our 249 00:14:47,200 --> 00:14:51,600 communities are we don't uphold the gospel we, in reality are 250 00:14:51,600 --> 00:14:55,300 walking in a way that brings shame and reproach upon Christ. 251 00:14:55,700 --> 00:14:59,700 And so Paul says, I want you to hold forth the torch of truth 252 00:14:59,700 --> 00:15:04,800 and light to your community, I want you Wall daily in the way 253 00:15:04,800 --> 00:15:08,600 that you should walk and I want you to be a good influence to 254 00:15:08,600 --> 00:15:11,500 those around you. Now, of course, on a practical 255 00:15:11,500 --> 00:15:14,300 level of the season, that's exactly what we are the news. 256 00:15:14,300 --> 00:15:19,300 Well, we are to go out everyday in our Walk of Life, and we are 257 00:15:19,300 --> 00:15:24,100 to shine forth the Praises of him who has called us into this 258 00:15:24,100 --> 00:15:27,700 glorious life and that others see the light of Jesus Shine 259 00:15:27,700 --> 00:15:31,000 through us you know Jesus in The Sermon on the Mount said, let 260 00:15:31,000 --> 00:15:34,600 your light so shine before. Before men that they may see 261 00:15:34,600 --> 00:15:39,500 your good works and not boy for you, but glorify your father who 262 00:15:39,500 --> 00:15:42,900 is in heaven. And so Paul begins to remind 263 00:15:42,900 --> 00:15:46,700 them that he wants them to walk in Christ, be strong in the Lord 264 00:15:46,700 --> 00:15:50,500 and continue in this. Strong relationship with Jesus. 265 00:15:50,500 --> 00:15:52,900 You know what I think about walking with Jesus, I think 266 00:15:52,900 --> 00:15:57,500 about hand-in-hand that song hand in hand, we walk each day 267 00:15:57,900 --> 00:16:02,700 hand in hand along the way walking, thus, I will not stray. 268 00:16:02,900 --> 00:16:05,200 Hand in hand with Jesus, you may remember that as long as it's 269 00:16:05,200 --> 00:16:08,900 very picturesque, a path that leads off into perhaps the 270 00:16:08,900 --> 00:16:13,000 distant Hills and you with Jesus walking along that road of life, 271 00:16:13,200 --> 00:16:16,900 knowing that you're safe and knowing that you have everything 272 00:16:16,900 --> 00:16:20,500 you need spiritually. Because Jesus is by your side 273 00:16:20,500 --> 00:16:22,700 and you had put your hand and he is. 274 00:16:22,700 --> 00:16:26,200 Now, Jesus won't hold your hand. If you want to go, Jesus will 275 00:16:26,200 --> 00:16:29,500 not force you to follow him by his side. 276 00:16:29,700 --> 00:16:31,500 He let you go and many times we do. 277 00:16:31,500 --> 00:16:35,000 Go astray. But Jesus always has His Hands 278 00:16:35,000 --> 00:16:38,900 Extended just like he did on the cross to engulf our hands and 279 00:16:38,900 --> 00:16:41,000 golf us and bring us back to him. 280 00:16:41,000 --> 00:16:43,200 But that's not the point that I want to continue with this 281 00:16:43,200 --> 00:16:45,400 evening. I want to go on to see what Paul 282 00:16:45,400 --> 00:16:48,300 begins to say. He says, I want you to walk with 283 00:16:48,300 --> 00:16:52,300 this calling, I want you to do it in a worthy Manner, and then 284 00:16:52,300 --> 00:16:56,500 he says with all lowliness and gentleness, you know, that's 285 00:16:56,500 --> 00:17:00,200 something that all of us need to learn because we live in a rough 286 00:17:00,200 --> 00:17:02,400 world. You know, we live in a world 287 00:17:02,400 --> 00:17:07,099 where It is dog, eat, dog. We live in a world where, you 288 00:17:07,099 --> 00:17:10,700 know, someone slaps us on the cheap we want to turn slap them 289 00:17:10,700 --> 00:17:12,200 on the other cheek. You know, that's what Jesus 290 00:17:12,300 --> 00:17:14,599 really was dealing with when he said turn the other cheek. 291 00:17:15,000 --> 00:17:17,300 He's talking about. Being Meek and gentle. 292 00:17:17,300 --> 00:17:20,700 He's talking about being those who are, you know, unafraid to 293 00:17:20,700 --> 00:17:23,599 take abuse upon themselves for the cause of Christ. 294 00:17:23,599 --> 00:17:27,200 He says, I want you to walk with loneliness and gentleness. 295 00:17:27,500 --> 00:17:29,900 In other words, we don't have to always have our way. 296 00:17:29,900 --> 00:17:34,800 We can defer to others and of course in matters that are not 297 00:17:34,900 --> 00:17:37,500 gone for an old. We certainly should defer to 298 00:17:37,500 --> 00:17:41,400 others and he says, with long-suffering bearing with one 299 00:17:41,400 --> 00:17:45,500 another in love, the idea of long-suffering is to literally 300 00:17:45,500 --> 00:17:48,200 suffer long. In other words were patient with 301 00:17:48,200 --> 00:17:50,300 others. You remember the Apostle Paul in 302 00:17:50,300 --> 00:17:53,700 First Corinthians chapter 13 gave this as one of the 303 00:17:53,700 --> 00:17:59,100 characteristics of true love. Love suffers long and is kind. 304 00:17:59,100 --> 00:18:01,400 It's patient. It's all of those wonderful 305 00:18:01,400 --> 00:18:04,500 characteristics that Others first. 306 00:18:04,900 --> 00:18:07,600 So Paul says all of this. Don't why would he say this? 307 00:18:08,000 --> 00:18:12,000 Because whether or not they were problems, then at the church of 308 00:18:12,000 --> 00:18:16,700 Ephesus, Paul certainly knew that people have problems and he 309 00:18:16,700 --> 00:18:19,500 wants to show them that they need to be United. 310 00:18:19,700 --> 00:18:23,100 And he's going to do that, not only by beseeching them with 311 00:18:23,100 --> 00:18:27,500 these, very emotive, sort of arguments, but now he's going to 312 00:18:27,500 --> 00:18:31,100 switch and show that God in everything is United. 313 00:18:31,600 --> 00:18:36,300 God is a god of unity. God is a God that has a system 314 00:18:36,300 --> 00:18:41,100 that holds together very well. God is a god of order. 315 00:18:41,600 --> 00:18:45,300 You know, we look at course the universe and we think about the 316 00:18:45,300 --> 00:18:48,900 universe and the stars and the planets, and how they all work 317 00:18:48,900 --> 00:18:51,500 in their orbits. You see, God did all that God 318 00:18:51,500 --> 00:18:55,100 placed order, he placed a pattern in the world, God is a 319 00:18:55,100 --> 00:18:57,400 god of order and that's what Paul. 320 00:18:57,400 --> 00:19:00,100 Now is going to address in the spiritual realm as well. 321 00:19:00,500 --> 00:19:03,500 What does he say? Say he now begins to talk about 322 00:19:03,500 --> 00:19:07,800 the church and so he says in verse 4 he says there is one 323 00:19:07,800 --> 00:19:11,600 body and one Spirit I'm going to read through down to verse 6 324 00:19:11,600 --> 00:19:14,600 action and read this. Then come back and we'll analyze 325 00:19:14,800 --> 00:19:18,700 each of these seven ones. He says there is one body and 326 00:19:18,700 --> 00:19:21,800 one Spirit just as you were called in one. 327 00:19:21,800 --> 00:19:28,600 Hope of your calling one Lord, One Faith, one baptism, one God 328 00:19:28,600 --> 00:19:32,200 and Father of all, who is above all Through all. 329 00:19:32,300 --> 00:19:36,600 And in you all now, again, there are seven ones here, there are 330 00:19:36,600 --> 00:19:42,000 seven proofs that God system is United that God's plan of 331 00:19:42,000 --> 00:19:46,100 providence is one. And that we then should be one 332 00:19:46,100 --> 00:19:49,000 as members of Christ's body the Paul begins. 333 00:19:49,000 --> 00:19:52,500 And he says, first of all, there is one, body know, what does 334 00:19:52,500 --> 00:19:54,500 that mean? What is the body? 335 00:19:54,800 --> 00:19:57,300 Well, of course, when we think about the body, we think about, 336 00:19:57,300 --> 00:20:00,800 Jesus Christ, don't lie. And, of course, Jesus did have 337 00:20:00,800 --> 00:20:02,300 one. Physical body. 338 00:20:02,500 --> 00:20:05,900 But now if we let the text explain the text, what Paul is 339 00:20:05,900 --> 00:20:10,100 dealing with here is not the physical body of Jesus Christ, 340 00:20:10,400 --> 00:20:13,700 but the spiritual body. You see when we are baptized, we 341 00:20:13,708 --> 00:20:19,900 are baptized into Christ. We become part of his spiritual 342 00:20:20,000 --> 00:20:25,300 body and it is as if we were grafted in to a physical body. 343 00:20:25,300 --> 00:20:27,300 But the scientist spiritual body. 344 00:20:27,300 --> 00:20:31,200 We become one and part and parcel with Christ. 345 00:20:31,500 --> 00:20:35,200 Body spiritually. Now in chapter 1, Paul says this 346 00:20:35,200 --> 00:20:39,100 in verse 22 he speaks of the power of Christ and he says he 347 00:20:39,100 --> 00:20:43,500 put all things under his feet and gave him to be head, over 348 00:20:43,500 --> 00:20:49,100 all things to the church which is his body Solis, use that. 349 00:20:49,200 --> 00:20:52,900 And let's go back in and plug in what Paul says in Ephesians 4. 350 00:20:53,200 --> 00:20:56,300 He says there is one bottle now. What is Paul saying? 351 00:20:56,400 --> 00:21:02,000 He's saying there is one Church, there is one spiritual body of 352 00:21:02,000 --> 00:21:04,600 Jesus Christ. Now, I think we need to develop 353 00:21:04,600 --> 00:21:08,200 that just for a moment because I think that concept is created a 354 00:21:08,200 --> 00:21:11,600 lot of division and misunderstanding especially 355 00:21:11,600 --> 00:21:13,600 amongst the denominational world. 356 00:21:13,900 --> 00:21:16,800 Now, of course, when we think of the body, if we think of a large 357 00:21:16,800 --> 00:21:19,200 circle. Now of course the biblical 358 00:21:19,200 --> 00:21:23,900 pattern, the biblical Paradigm in picture of the one body. 359 00:21:24,000 --> 00:21:29,100 Is that first of all, there is a one universal body in Matthew 16 360 00:21:29,100 --> 00:21:32,200 passage and we looked at yesterday when Says, I will 361 00:21:32,200 --> 00:21:35,900 build my church. He was speaking of the one 362 00:21:35,900 --> 00:21:40,900 universal body, composed of all the faithful Christians of all 363 00:21:40,900 --> 00:21:43,900 time. And of course to the end of time 364 00:21:44,300 --> 00:21:49,400 that body though is composed of faithful congregations. 365 00:21:49,700 --> 00:21:52,700 When you look at the New Testament, the Apostle Paul was 366 00:21:52,700 --> 00:21:55,200 writing for example to the Church of Corinth. 367 00:21:55,500 --> 00:21:58,400 He wrote to the church at Ephesus, he wrote to the church 368 00:21:58,400 --> 00:22:01,100 at Philippi. Now all of those congregation 369 00:22:01,300 --> 00:22:06,400 Ins look to Jesus as their head, all of them look to the apostles 370 00:22:06,400 --> 00:22:11,400 Doctrine just like in Acts. 2:42 the Jerusalem Church, did they 371 00:22:11,400 --> 00:22:14,900 continued steadfastly in the apostles Doctrine and they did 372 00:22:14,900 --> 00:22:18,300 those things which the apostles having been Guided by the Holy 373 00:22:18,300 --> 00:22:22,700 Spirit late down, and of course, the biblical Paradigm then is 374 00:22:22,700 --> 00:22:25,000 that we have this body of Christ. 375 00:22:25,000 --> 00:22:29,800 This Universal body, composed of faithful, we want to underscore 376 00:22:29,800 --> 00:22:32,200 that faithful congregations. Congregation. 377 00:22:32,500 --> 00:22:36,200 So for example, there is hopefully the congregation in 378 00:22:36,200 --> 00:22:39,400 Bakersfield on that Circle. There's the congregation locally 379 00:22:39,400 --> 00:22:41,500 at home, we call it 85th and Euclid. 380 00:22:41,500 --> 00:22:46,700 Our street on that Circle. Maybe there's another town Lodi 381 00:22:46,700 --> 00:22:49,100 or something that would have different, you know, different 382 00:22:49,100 --> 00:22:52,000 Congress different towns with congregations, all of whom are 383 00:22:52,000 --> 00:22:55,700 looking to the Bible, all of whom are worshiping according to 384 00:22:55,700 --> 00:23:00,900 a Biblical pattern and that then consists of the one body. 385 00:23:01,200 --> 00:23:02,700 And that's what Paul is speaking of. 386 00:23:02,700 --> 00:23:06,600 He says there's one body or there's one church now, the 387 00:23:06,600 --> 00:23:09,900 denominational world and I think this is where we need to see the 388 00:23:09,900 --> 00:23:15,000 distinction does not look at the one body or the church as being 389 00:23:15,000 --> 00:23:19,500 the universal church with faithful congregations in it, 390 00:23:19,500 --> 00:23:23,900 but they look at the one body as a universal church with 391 00:23:23,900 --> 00:23:28,100 denominations in it. So what you do then is you take 392 00:23:28,100 --> 00:23:31,900 that big circle and rather than having the little Has of the 393 00:23:31,900 --> 00:23:36,500 faithful congregations within it, you then replace that with 394 00:23:36,500 --> 00:23:39,500 denominations and so when you talk to your friends in the 395 00:23:39,508 --> 00:23:44,200 religious world really, they will say, you know, we're all 396 00:23:44,200 --> 00:23:46,100 going to heaven. We're just going by different 397 00:23:46,100 --> 00:23:47,900 roads. I've had people tell me that 398 00:23:48,000 --> 00:23:50,700 that not long ago. I was sitting on the plane and 399 00:23:50,700 --> 00:23:52,400 the man said, you know, we all pray to the same. 400 00:23:52,400 --> 00:23:54,300 God, we were talking about religion. 401 00:23:54,600 --> 00:23:57,600 Well, you see that's the that's the kind of postmodern. 402 00:23:57,700 --> 00:23:59,500 I'm okay. You're okay view. 403 00:23:59,700 --> 00:24:05,200 It comes out of a Vision and a denominational mindset of what 404 00:24:05,200 --> 00:24:09,600 the church should be Beyond. Again, Jesus says there's these 405 00:24:09,600 --> 00:24:13,300 as our Paul says, there is one body, and, of course, that one 406 00:24:13,300 --> 00:24:15,300 body is not composed of denomination. 407 00:24:15,300 --> 00:24:18,900 It's why because those denominations all teach 408 00:24:18,900 --> 00:24:21,500 different things. In other words, it would be as 409 00:24:21,500 --> 00:24:24,300 if a body had divisions within it. 410 00:24:24,700 --> 00:24:27,600 You know, when you look at the denominational world, it is 411 00:24:27,600 --> 00:24:30,500 filled with the Visions, you've got some denominations, or 412 00:24:30,500 --> 00:24:32,200 having kids. Borders over here. 413 00:24:32,400 --> 00:24:35,000 You have some denominations and have a headquarters over here or 414 00:24:35,000 --> 00:24:37,300 the other place. You have some that look to this 415 00:24:37,300 --> 00:24:41,500 law or some to this catechism and it's really a religious 416 00:24:41,500 --> 00:24:44,500 mess. No wonder people are confused in 417 00:24:44,500 --> 00:24:47,100 the religious world today. You don't think Jesus was 418 00:24:47,100 --> 00:24:51,000 praying in John 17. Jesus, pray for Unity. 419 00:24:51,000 --> 00:24:56,100 Why so That Others May believe that his Apostles, having said 420 00:24:56,400 --> 00:25:01,000 you see the you disunity in our religious world tonight. 421 00:25:01,200 --> 00:25:04,700 Is an indication, of course that something is wrong. 422 00:25:05,000 --> 00:25:07,600 Will you say when people go back to New Testament? 423 00:25:07,800 --> 00:25:08,900 And of course, that's what the church is. 424 00:25:08,900 --> 00:25:12,600 A priced of always plan, go back to the Bible, go back to the New 425 00:25:12,600 --> 00:25:16,000 Testament when we go back to New Testament, and every 426 00:25:16,000 --> 00:25:20,000 congregation whether it's here, or whether it is in Kansas City, 427 00:25:20,000 --> 00:25:23,700 or whether it was back Ephesus time, go only to the New 428 00:25:23,700 --> 00:25:28,500 Testament and see, only the New Testament as it spatter and law, 429 00:25:28,700 --> 00:25:32,900 then we can have that biblical. Picture that Paul speaks of, we 430 00:25:32,900 --> 00:25:36,900 can have that one body, you know, Paul wrote to Corinth who 431 00:25:36,900 --> 00:25:38,500 was a divided. Sure. 432 00:25:38,800 --> 00:25:42,900 And he says is Christ. Divided was Paul crucified for 433 00:25:42,900 --> 00:25:44,500 you. You know, there were people in 434 00:25:44,500 --> 00:25:48,100 that congregation apparently who are beginning to have factions 435 00:25:48,100 --> 00:25:51,200 or denominations if you will. They begin to follow different 436 00:25:51,200 --> 00:25:54,000 individuals and Paul conditions that he says? 437 00:25:54,000 --> 00:25:59,200 No, the church is one, the body is one and it is consistent of 438 00:25:59,200 --> 00:26:05,000 those who are Faithful in their worship, faithful in their 439 00:26:05,000 --> 00:26:07,600 lives. Who go back to the biblical 440 00:26:07,600 --> 00:26:09,700 pattern. So, when Paul says, there is one 441 00:26:09,700 --> 00:26:12,500 bottle, he speaking of the one church. 442 00:26:12,500 --> 00:26:17,300 He speaking of the one spiritual body of Jesus Christ. 443 00:26:17,700 --> 00:26:20,500 And of course Jesus had one spiritual body. 444 00:26:20,900 --> 00:26:24,300 He had one physical body, and that do we not remember that 445 00:26:24,300 --> 00:26:27,300 every Lord's day, with the single Blow from the Lord's 446 00:26:27,300 --> 00:26:31,000 table, as we think about the one body of Jesus Christ, you see? 447 00:26:31,200 --> 00:26:35,000 The unity, the Oneness is throughout the New Testament 448 00:26:35,000 --> 00:26:37,500 system. But Paul says, there is one body 449 00:26:37,600 --> 00:26:40,000 and then he says, there is one Spirit. 450 00:26:40,300 --> 00:26:41,600 Now, what is he thinking of your well? 451 00:26:41,600 --> 00:26:45,400 Obviously he speaking of the Holy Spirit now there's a lot of 452 00:26:45,400 --> 00:26:48,500 things we could say about the Holy Spirit and we get perhaps 453 00:26:48,500 --> 00:26:52,200 even discuss and maybe even argue over how the spirit works 454 00:26:52,200 --> 00:26:55,400 and he dwells and all of those other little Nuance stains. 455 00:26:55,800 --> 00:26:58,600 But what does the spirit do? A spirit in life? 456 00:26:58,600 --> 00:27:02,100 Has a spirit gives life in fact, you know, Our own bodies have a 457 00:27:02,100 --> 00:27:04,500 spirit, do they not? You know, James makes the 458 00:27:04,500 --> 00:27:08,600 argument that the body without the spirit is dead and he goes 459 00:27:08,600 --> 00:27:10,700 on to say that faith without works is dead. 460 00:27:11,000 --> 00:27:14,000 In other words, if you just have a body without a spirit of that 461 00:27:14,000 --> 00:27:16,400 some life in it, it's a dead body. 462 00:27:16,900 --> 00:27:20,100 Will the spirit the holy spirit in livens? 463 00:27:20,100 --> 00:27:22,800 The church. Now, without getting into all 464 00:27:22,800 --> 00:27:26,800 the nuances of how it interacts, with the individual, how does it 465 00:27:26,800 --> 00:27:30,800 interact with the church? Well, through the written word, 466 00:27:31,100 --> 00:27:35,400 In fact, the word of God has always been that, which the Holy 467 00:27:35,400 --> 00:27:38,000 Spirit brought, you know, Peter said that even in the Old 468 00:27:38,000 --> 00:27:43,000 Testament, Holy men of God were moved Along by the spirit, as 469 00:27:43,000 --> 00:27:45,900 they wrote, and as they gave, the things that then would guide 470 00:27:45,900 --> 00:27:50,100 God's people back then. And of course, in John 14:26, 471 00:27:50,400 --> 00:27:56,900 John 15:26, John 16 verse 13. Jesus Promised, the holy spirit 472 00:27:57,100 --> 00:28:02,000 to guide the apostles into all truth and So you see when Paul 473 00:28:02,000 --> 00:28:05,600 says there is one Spirit what he's saying is there's only one 474 00:28:05,600 --> 00:28:09,200 source of spiritual life and that ultimately is going to come 475 00:28:09,200 --> 00:28:13,000 through, what the spirit revealed which is the word of 476 00:28:13,000 --> 00:28:15,900 God. In other words, any other doctor 477 00:28:16,300 --> 00:28:19,600 any other teaching that is brought by another spirit. 478 00:28:19,600 --> 00:28:23,700 So to speak is certainly not that which Paul would agree 479 00:28:23,700 --> 00:28:26,200 with. In fact, in Galatians, Paul even 480 00:28:26,200 --> 00:28:28,500 reprimanded. The churches of galatia about 481 00:28:28,500 --> 00:28:33,300 going off for another gospel and he said, even We or an angel 482 00:28:33,300 --> 00:28:36,300 from heaven, preach any other gospel to you and that which we 483 00:28:36,300 --> 00:28:39,600 have preached, he says let him be accursed. 484 00:28:39,800 --> 00:28:43,200 And so when Paul says there is one Spirit he's saying there's 485 00:28:43,200 --> 00:28:46,500 one source for that which enlightens the church and that 486 00:28:46,500 --> 00:28:50,100 Spirit brings the mind of God. In fact, the First Corinthians 2 487 00:28:50,400 --> 00:28:54,800 Paul speaks of the spirit which knows the mind of God and he 488 00:28:54,800 --> 00:28:57,600 goes on to say that we cannot know what's in the thoughts of 489 00:28:57,600 --> 00:29:00,900 another man and last Batman reveals it to us and so it is 490 00:29:01,000 --> 00:29:05,700 With God, God through his holy spirit, has revealed it to us 491 00:29:05,900 --> 00:29:07,800 those things that he wants us to know. 492 00:29:08,100 --> 00:29:11,200 And so Paul says there's one body and one spirit and then he 493 00:29:11,200 --> 00:29:15,500 says, just as you were called in one, hope of your call. 494 00:29:15,700 --> 00:29:19,200 Now the book of Colossians Paul speaks of this hope as being 495 00:29:19,200 --> 00:29:23,600 found in the gospel, but what is the ultimate hope that we have? 496 00:29:24,100 --> 00:29:28,900 Well, the ultimate hope that we have is eternal life with God, 497 00:29:29,100 --> 00:29:32,300 in heaven and Paul says There is one. 498 00:29:32,300 --> 00:29:35,100 Hope we only have one way, you know. 499 00:29:35,100 --> 00:29:40,000 Jesus, in John 14 said I am the way the truth, the life. 500 00:29:40,300 --> 00:29:46,200 No man comes to the father, except by me and so Jesus is the 501 00:29:46,200 --> 00:29:49,700 only way the only hope of Salvation. 502 00:29:50,100 --> 00:29:56,200 So, again, Paul indicates the unity and the Oneness of God's 503 00:29:56,200 --> 00:29:59,700 beautiful system. There is one body, one Spirit, 504 00:29:59,900 --> 00:30:02,900 one hope. And then he says, there is one 505 00:30:02,900 --> 00:30:06,900 Lord now, of course, when he says, Lord here, he means Jesus 506 00:30:06,900 --> 00:30:09,700 Christ. He means the authority. 507 00:30:10,100 --> 00:30:13,400 Remember the convention Peter made yesterday, as we study 508 00:30:13,400 --> 00:30:18,100 that, you are the Christ, the son of the Living, God that 509 00:30:18,100 --> 00:30:22,200 Authority that God had bestowed upon Christ Jesus. 510 00:30:22,200 --> 00:30:25,600 In Matthew 28:18 said, all authority is given to me, that's 511 00:30:25,600 --> 00:30:30,300 from God, on Heaven and in Earth and he says, I have all 512 00:30:30,300 --> 00:30:33,100 authority. What Paul says that there is 513 00:30:33,100 --> 00:30:37,200 again, one more there is only one with all authority. 514 00:30:37,600 --> 00:30:39,800 They know that's very important, it's important. 515 00:30:39,800 --> 00:30:43,300 First of all, personally, as we pointed out yesterday because 516 00:30:43,400 --> 00:30:48,900 Jesus wants to sit as Lord on the throne of our hearts. 517 00:30:49,300 --> 00:30:52,500 You know, many times, when we think of Jesus, we see Jesus 518 00:30:52,500 --> 00:30:55,200 hanging on the cross. That's a wonderful beautiful 519 00:30:55,200 --> 00:30:57,400 picture. That's a necessary picture 520 00:30:57,400 --> 00:30:59,900 because without the shedding of Jesus blood, there would have 521 00:30:59,900 --> 00:31:03,000 been no remission of sins. And sometimes we see Jesus with 522 00:31:03,000 --> 00:31:07,700 a basin and how kneeling to wash the disciples feet. 523 00:31:07,800 --> 00:31:10,600 That's a very necessary picture because we see there, the 524 00:31:10,600 --> 00:31:14,600 humility of the god man and his lesson to us. 525 00:31:15,200 --> 00:31:18,400 But, you know, we often don't like the picture of Jesus as 526 00:31:18,400 --> 00:31:20,800 Lord. You see, Paul was living in a 527 00:31:20,800 --> 00:31:26,100 day when there were literally slaves and where the Lord had as 528 00:31:26,100 --> 00:31:30,200 Master every right to do whatever he wanted to the 529 00:31:30,200 --> 00:31:32,700 slaves. Now, Jesus is not a hard 530 00:31:32,700 --> 00:31:35,400 Taskmaster. In fact, Jesus in his own day 531 00:31:35,400 --> 00:31:38,200 said, take my yoke upon you and learn of me for. 532 00:31:38,200 --> 00:31:43,200 I am meek and lowly in heart. Jesus is as easy task master, 533 00:31:43,300 --> 00:31:46,700 but he is our Lord, he's not just our friend. 534 00:31:46,700 --> 00:31:49,600 Although that is true. But he is our Lord. 535 00:31:50,000 --> 00:31:55,000 And in the, the times of Paul, when a boss or a slave owner, 536 00:31:55,000 --> 00:31:59,800 our lord said something, it meant that individual, who was 537 00:31:59,800 --> 00:32:02,900 listening had to do, Do it. Well you know many times we were 538 00:32:02,900 --> 00:32:06,500 building and Star-Lord don't we? We rebelled against the lordship 539 00:32:06,500 --> 00:32:11,300 of Jesus, we rebelled against Jesus having total control of 540 00:32:11,300 --> 00:32:13,200 our hearts. You know we used to sing the 541 00:32:13,208 --> 00:32:17,900 song have Vine own way. Lord have I Long Way You Are The 542 00:32:17,900 --> 00:32:23,100 Potter and the clay mold me and make me after your will while I 543 00:32:23,100 --> 00:32:26,300 am yielding waiting still. And you know, many times we 544 00:32:26,308 --> 00:32:30,000 don't like that, you know, we are on as it were the the the 545 00:32:30,200 --> 00:32:35,700 the The Wheel of Life and Christ is wanting to mold us and he's 546 00:32:35,700 --> 00:32:39,500 wanting us to lay still what he makes of us a vessel to his 547 00:32:39,500 --> 00:32:44,400 glory and we fight to get off the will we fight so that we can 548 00:32:44,400 --> 00:32:48,400 do and be what we want to be and look like what we want to look 549 00:32:48,400 --> 00:32:50,700 like? Well this is only one Lord, 550 00:32:51,100 --> 00:32:52,800 there were many mores back at that time. 551 00:32:52,800 --> 00:32:55,000 For the pagans. They have many gods. 552 00:32:55,000 --> 00:32:56,800 They have many goddesses. They had many things that they 553 00:32:56,800 --> 00:32:58,000 worship. Hall says, None. 554 00:32:58,400 --> 00:33:01,700 He says, there's only one more and then he says, Is there is 555 00:33:01,700 --> 00:33:06,300 one Faith, you know, many times when we talk of they'll say What 556 00:33:06,300 --> 00:33:09,200 Faith are you? We know Paul says, there's only 557 00:33:09,200 --> 00:33:11,500 one Faith. Now when we speak of faith and 558 00:33:11,500 --> 00:33:15,000 I'll have to hurry here, but faith can be used in two ways. 559 00:33:15,500 --> 00:33:19,500 It can be used in a subjective way referring to our own 560 00:33:19,500 --> 00:33:23,900 personal faith. Our own personal convictions or 561 00:33:23,900 --> 00:33:28,700 it can be used in an object of way referring to something 562 00:33:28,700 --> 00:33:31,500 outside of ourselves. And I believe that's what Paul 563 00:33:31,500 --> 00:33:34,700 is referring to here when he says, there is one Faith. 564 00:33:35,100 --> 00:33:39,200 What he is thinking of, is that body of doctrines, those things 565 00:33:39,200 --> 00:33:42,700 that we must believe in order to be saved? 566 00:33:43,000 --> 00:33:48,300 You know, Jude says in Jude verse 32 earnestly contend for 567 00:33:48,300 --> 00:33:52,800 the faith that was once for all time delivered to the Saints. 568 00:33:53,300 --> 00:33:55,400 You see what Judas righty there is. 569 00:33:55,400 --> 00:34:00,400 He's writing to Christians who had the word of God, the faith. 570 00:34:00,700 --> 00:34:03,800 The Truth that had been delivered once for all. 571 00:34:03,800 --> 00:34:07,300 There was not going to be anymore and he says, content are 572 00:34:07,300 --> 00:34:11,600 holdfast lie to it in spite of everything that comes your way. 573 00:34:12,100 --> 00:34:15,199 Well, Paul says, there's only one Faith, there's only one 574 00:34:15,199 --> 00:34:19,400 system in other words by which we can be saved and yes, it 575 00:34:19,400 --> 00:34:23,699 includes the baptism that Jesus taught, and yes, it includes the 576 00:34:23,699 --> 00:34:27,100 doctrines of worship. Yes, it includes our Holiness of 577 00:34:27,100 --> 00:34:31,300 Life Style, One Faith. And then he says, there's In 578 00:34:31,300 --> 00:34:35,199 baptism a very quickly if you do a study on baptism in the New 579 00:34:35,199 --> 00:34:38,400 Testament it's really quite interesting because really you 580 00:34:38,400 --> 00:34:42,400 know while Paul says there's one baptism you know you really you 581 00:34:42,400 --> 00:34:46,100 can read about more than one baptism in the New Testament, 582 00:34:46,400 --> 00:34:50,000 you can read about the baptism of John, you can read about the 583 00:34:50,007 --> 00:34:54,699 baptism of Jesus, you can read about Holy Spirit, baptism, you 584 00:34:54,699 --> 00:34:57,800 can read about the baptism of fire, you can read about the 585 00:34:57,800 --> 00:35:01,700 baptism of suffering. So what in the World is Paul 586 00:35:01,700 --> 00:35:04,300 mean when he says there's only one baptism. 587 00:35:04,900 --> 00:35:08,100 Well, it is that baptism contextually, I think. 588 00:35:08,100 --> 00:35:11,000 Paul will show this over and over, not only in his missionary 589 00:35:11,000 --> 00:35:13,900 Journeys. But also in his writing such as 590 00:35:13,900 --> 00:35:19,600 in Romans 6 that that one baptism is the baptism immersion 591 00:35:19,600 --> 00:35:22,200 in water for the remission of sins. 592 00:35:22,600 --> 00:35:25,500 You see all of those other baptisms are either obsolete 593 00:35:25,500 --> 00:35:29,100 such as John's baptism. Or they were things that were 594 00:35:29,100 --> 00:35:32,400 never commanded you. Baptism the Holy Spirit was 595 00:35:32,400 --> 00:35:35,600 never a command. It was something that was poured 596 00:35:35,600 --> 00:35:39,100 out by God on a couple of occasions to demonstrate the 597 00:35:39,100 --> 00:35:42,300 coming of the Kingdom but he was never a command to people. 598 00:35:42,300 --> 00:35:47,300 So what is the baptism that was commanded to every single person 599 00:35:47,400 --> 00:35:49,600 that was ever said? All you have to do, is read the 600 00:35:49,600 --> 00:35:54,300 book of Acts in every example of conversion, every single one 601 00:35:54,300 --> 00:35:58,900 without exception. They were baptized in water for 602 00:35:58,900 --> 00:36:00,900 the remission of sins, by, and mercy. 603 00:36:01,100 --> 00:36:03,800 Ian, in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit 604 00:36:04,000 --> 00:36:08,300 just exactly like Jesus had commanded in Matthew 28 just as 605 00:36:08,300 --> 00:36:12,200 Jesus had said in Mark 16 460 when he said he that believeth 606 00:36:12,300 --> 00:36:16,500 and is baptized shall be saved, you know, it really boggles my 607 00:36:16,500 --> 00:36:20,100 mind tonight as I talk to a lot of my friends and again I have 608 00:36:20,100 --> 00:36:24,900 these discussions over and over about baptism and its necessity 609 00:36:24,900 --> 00:36:28,100 or lack thereof. You know, Paul says there is one 610 00:36:28,100 --> 00:36:32,700 baptism now, why would Paul even talk about Out baptism, if it 611 00:36:32,700 --> 00:36:36,500 were not necessary, you know, Peter says in First Peter 3:21, 612 00:36:36,600 --> 00:36:40,300 that the baptism that we go through the like figure unto 613 00:36:40,300 --> 00:36:45,000 Noah, he said, saves us. He says, it is not the washing 614 00:36:45,000 --> 00:36:49,400 of our bodies as we go under the water, but it is the answer of a 615 00:36:49,400 --> 00:36:52,900 good conscience. You know, those old sacrifices 616 00:36:52,900 --> 00:36:56,300 in the Old Testament, never totally cleanse the conscience, 617 00:36:56,700 --> 00:37:00,900 but when we are baptized into Jesus Christ, we have our sins. 618 00:37:01,000 --> 00:37:05,000 Totally taken away because Jesus is the perfect sacrifice. 619 00:37:05,000 --> 00:37:09,000 He is as Johnson and John 1:29, the Lamb of God that takes away 620 00:37:09,000 --> 00:37:12,100 the sins of the world. He is the perfect lamb. 621 00:37:12,300 --> 00:37:16,900 The one that every other sacrifice pointed to Wars, he is 622 00:37:16,900 --> 00:37:20,400 the Lamb of God. And so when we are baptized in 623 00:37:21,000 --> 00:37:24,400 water for the remission of our sins, it is there that we 624 00:37:24,400 --> 00:37:27,300 contact the death of Christ and it's there that the blood of 625 00:37:27,300 --> 00:37:29,600 Jesus Christ cleanses us from our sins. 626 00:37:30,000 --> 00:37:32,900 Well, let's go great. At the in some up with what Paul 627 00:37:32,900 --> 00:37:37,700 then continues, he says one God and Father of all, who is above 628 00:37:37,700 --> 00:37:42,000 all and through all, and in you all now, he's already spoken of 629 00:37:42,000 --> 00:37:44,100 one. Lord, that's Jesus, he's already 630 00:37:44,100 --> 00:37:46,700 spoken of the one Spirit. That's the Holy Spirit. 631 00:37:47,100 --> 00:37:50,100 Now, he speaks of God, the Father, you see, he speaks of 632 00:37:50,100 --> 00:37:52,500 the godhead. There is Oneness and the 633 00:37:52,500 --> 00:37:55,800 godhead, they, you know, one of the great Mysteries of the 634 00:37:55,800 --> 00:37:58,400 godhead or what some people call the Trinity. 635 00:37:58,600 --> 00:38:01,300 I tend to shy away from that term because it carries you so 636 00:38:01,300 --> 00:38:03,600 much baggage. But one of the great 637 00:38:03,600 --> 00:38:06,300 difficulties is, how can three V1? 638 00:38:07,000 --> 00:38:09,500 I don't know. I've tried to figure it out. 639 00:38:09,600 --> 00:38:11,800 Theologians have tried to figure it out for 20, centuries. 640 00:38:12,100 --> 00:38:15,100 I don't know. But yet there is such Unity 641 00:38:15,400 --> 00:38:18,300 between God, the Father God, the son, and God the holy spirit, 642 00:38:18,400 --> 00:38:19,900 that there is never a disagreement. 643 00:38:19,900 --> 00:38:23,000 They are one, they are one in. Thought they were one in 644 00:38:23,000 --> 00:38:26,100 purpose. They are one in essence, they 645 00:38:26,100 --> 00:38:28,600 are one. And so Paul now gets to that 646 00:38:28,600 --> 00:38:34,100 third part of the god yet, God, the Father, can you imagine can 647 00:38:34,100 --> 00:38:37,800 you think of anything more absurd than for Christians, or 648 00:38:37,800 --> 00:38:39,900 for, even a Jew for that matter to say? 649 00:38:40,000 --> 00:38:41,800 Well, you know, there's a lot of God, the father's. 650 00:38:41,900 --> 00:38:43,000 There's a lot of God's out there. 651 00:38:43,000 --> 00:38:47,500 That's polytheism. Know, God is one, we are a 652 00:38:47,500 --> 00:38:53,500 monotheists and Paul says there is one God one God. 653 00:38:53,500 --> 00:38:58,500 And Father of all, who is above all and through all and in us 654 00:38:58,500 --> 00:39:03,000 all now again he's above Paul because he has all power. 655 00:39:03,300 --> 00:39:06,600 He's the one again that came up with the plan, he's the one that 656 00:39:06,600 --> 00:39:08,700 sent his son to instigate the planet. 657 00:39:08,800 --> 00:39:13,200 The Holy Spirit to tell about the plan, he is the one God, 658 00:39:13,900 --> 00:39:18,300 anything beyond Oneness, would be absurd and he says, he's 659 00:39:18,300 --> 00:39:20,500 through all, and he's in assault. 660 00:39:20,900 --> 00:39:23,900 Now, I don't take from this. That, he literally means that we 661 00:39:23,900 --> 00:39:26,100 are deity. I don't take from this, that he 662 00:39:26,100 --> 00:39:30,400 means that we literally have God running around in US. 663 00:39:31,100 --> 00:39:34,100 But he means, he's in Us in his influence. 664 00:39:34,500 --> 00:39:38,500 He's in Us in the sense that we give our lives to him, and he is 665 00:39:38,500 --> 00:39:42,400 in us and the sense that, you know, we espouse his word and we 666 00:39:42,408 --> 00:39:47,200 become like him. And so, then the Oneness of this 667 00:39:47,200 --> 00:39:50,800 great system that Paul deals with in Ephesians four verses 668 00:39:50,800 --> 00:39:54,600 one through, six is so incredibly evident now. 669 00:39:54,600 --> 00:39:57,000 What's the point? Well, there's a lot of points, 670 00:39:57,000 --> 00:40:00,800 really, because one of the points that he begins with is 671 00:40:01,000 --> 00:40:04,300 leave the point that we should be United amongst ourselves, but 672 00:40:04,300 --> 00:40:10,200 the other points are theological One Lord, One Faith, one 673 00:40:10,200 --> 00:40:14,400 baptism, one body. And I think if we look at those 674 00:40:14,400 --> 00:40:19,000 things and really study what Paul is saying, we'll see that a 675 00:40:19,000 --> 00:40:22,700 lot of the denominational things that we hear simply cannot be 676 00:40:22,700 --> 00:40:26,300 true the, you know, in Africa, and other countries where it go, 677 00:40:26,500 --> 00:40:29,900 we spend a lot of time we're not criticizing our friends that are 678 00:40:29,900 --> 00:40:33,500 denominational, but we are tweaking. 679 00:40:33,600 --> 00:40:36,000 Not tweaking. We are critiquing rather the 680 00:40:36,000 --> 00:40:39,400 plans that they offer. Because what the Church offers, 681 00:40:39,500 --> 00:40:43,600 what Jesus offered was simply the word we want to go back to 682 00:40:43,600 --> 00:40:47,600 the word, we want to go back to the principles of the Bible and 683 00:40:47,600 --> 00:40:49,600 probably at this meeting at some point. 684 00:40:49,600 --> 00:40:53,000 We'll talk about that pattern that God has given us through 685 00:40:53,000 --> 00:40:54,400 his word. Well, those are the thoughts 686 00:40:54,500 --> 00:40:58,300 this evening and again, I would encourage you to read the entire 687 00:40:58,300 --> 00:41:00,700 book of Ephesians. You can do it within really a 688 00:41:00,700 --> 00:41:04,000 few minutes or one evening. Anyway, it's only six chapters 689 00:41:04,000 --> 00:41:07,900 long as a great book and it really gives us the higher Her 690 00:41:07,900 --> 00:41:11,100 thoughts. I think of Paul on the church 691 00:41:11,100 --> 00:41:15,600 and the gloriousness of God's remedial system as found through 692 00:41:15,600 --> 00:41:19,400 his son Jesus Christ. We thank you for listening to 693 00:41:19,400 --> 00:41:24,200 our podcast, put on by the Church of Christ at 22:15 plans. 694 00:41:24,200 --> 00:41:27,700 Road in Bakersfield, if you would like any additional 695 00:41:27,700 --> 00:41:31,000 information or you would like to receive a free Bible 696 00:41:31,000 --> 00:41:36,000 correspondence, course by mail. Please email us at info at 697 00:41:36,300 --> 00:41:40,100 search of Christ. Bakersfield.com, our service 698 00:41:40,100 --> 00:41:45,400 times are on Sundays at 10:30 a.m. and 5 p.m. and Wednesdays 699 00:41:45,400 --> 00:41:49,200 at 7:30 p.m. Please make plans to join us. 700 00:41:49,700 --> 00:41:51,900 We would love for you to be our honored guest.