Good to see all who are here tonight.
Good to have many from Brundage here this evening as well.
And I'm thankful that what we have to share this evening is
from God and not from me, I'm so thankful for that because the
word of wisdom and the word of men, does it really bring about
being pleasing with God? But if we reflect our knowledge
of his will, then we know what pleases him and we know how to
please him. There are so many people who
think if it pleases me. It must please.
God and that's not necessarily the case.
We find that we have to know God's Will and be familiar with
it to know what pleases him and that is our desire to know what
pleases are gone. One of the things we learned
this morning that pleases our God is the need for us to change
in some way, some aspects of our behavior and our attitudes.
And most of all the the fact that the essence of the
Christian Life Is Calling ourselves to not follow.
Ourselves. But to follow him who died for
us, that is to be imitators of Jesus Christ.
We talked about acts 17, verse 30, this morning where God is,
commanding all men everywhere. That doesn't mean men gender.
That means all mankind, all everywhere to repent, to repent
that word. Repent means to change to change
direction to change some aspect of our Behavior.
God doesn't want us if we're good to be bad, he doesn't want
just Change for change sake, speak.
He wants us to be able to identify what part of our Lives
is not conforming to the Life of Christ.
And that's why we wrote this part of this passage on our
board. This morning, the Bible says,
it's the Christians purpose to be conformed to the image of the
sun. We've read this from Romans 8,
chapter verse 29. If you're taking notes, this is
a very important. Verse in the scripture notice it
says For Those whom he foreknew He also predestined to become
conformed, to the image of his son.
That is what our Christian life is all about.
Now, this doesn't mean externally as we already talked
about this morning, it doesn't mean that we're all supposed to
wear robes and and, you know, like so many did in the 60s wear
sandals and long hair and look like Jesus on the outside, it
doesn't mean that we're supposed to be trying to perform Miracles
like walk on water and and different kinds of things like
that people who try to imitate Jesus externally.
You missed the whole point. Jesus came here to be an exact
representation of the father. Not Father's external
attributes. This character his morality his
ethics, his righteousness. That's what Jesus came and
personified. That is literally lived out
through his life. He was the exact representation
of his nature. The Bible says, and whenever God
calls us to follow, Jesus. It's not externally.
It's that internal. The character of Jesus that
we're supposed to meet him at 80, you know.
But there's a lot of people who don't follow the character of
Jesus don't act like Jesus, don't talk like, Jesus aren't
interested in the same thing. Jesus is interested in yet
there. How is that?
So many people have this disconnect between living in a
Christian country, or living it going to church.
And they believe that that that makes them a Christian.
Or they'll say I've been baptized as if just going in and
out of water is all it takes to be a follower of Jesus Christ.
No, my friends. No Bible more often 03:00 time.
It's this morning. Uses the word disciple,
disciple. Which means pupil, which means
follower of Jesus Christ in the sense that he is a master
teacher, and we are his students, we're supposed to be
like him. The Bible says, we looked at
that. Passage this morning, a
disciple, excuse me, a disciple when he is fully trained, will
be like his teacher. That's what we're supposed to
become. Luke 6, and verse 40, a disciple
when he is fully trained will be Like his teacher.
So this idea of being conformed is the essence.
This image is an external but inwardly, the Bible says, we're
going to be like our teacher, not externally, but inwardly.
We're supposed to have the heart of God, the mind of Christ, his
compassion, his desire to obey and glorify his father in
Heaven. That's what it's all about.
And we're going to talk more about that tonight.
I'm not going to re-preach this morning's sermon.
That was just That was just the preview to bring us up to
tonight a little bit. We talked about how God
required. This isn't an option.
God requires all everywhere to repent, acts 17:30, if we're
going to be a Christian, what aspect of our life does the
word, repent, apply to, what aspects of change.
Does God want to bring out it to us?
Well, before we go into some specifics, please turn to
Hebrews 2:12 chapter right quick and The twelfth chapter of the
Bible tells us that our transformation comes from the
inside to the outside. As we noticed this morning, now
with this little chart right here is really taken from
Matthew 23, and verse 23, if you're taking notes where Jesus
challenged the scribes and the Pharisees, you know, the
Pharisees were obedient to God and a lot of things, but they
did it heartlessly. They did it without any internal
motivation. They tied me.
Mint and come in the Bible says Dill mint and coming but he says
it wasn't right. They needed to clean these the
inside of the cup, they were like a whitewash, sup liqueur,
the indeed outwardly, they peered pure and white.
But inside they were full of dead, men's bones and all
uncleanness. And he told them that was a
false form of religion. God wants the real thing.
He wants us to clean the inside of the cup and the outside will
be clean. Also as we notice this morning
we must worship God in spirit and in truth John 4, verse 23,
and 24. Well, here in Hebrews 12
chapter, notice what it says. In verse 1.
He In this passage, he's talking about fixing what we're supposed
to do in order to run the Christian race.
Notice? Therefore, since we have so
great, a cloud of witnesses surrounding us let us and he
begins to talk about the change. He says, let us lay aside every
encumbrance. Here's some change.
There are some things in our life that are encumbering us
that are hindering us from running the Christian race from
being successful at the image of Jesus and getting it into our
hearts and our minds. And so one of the things that
we've got to do in order to bring about change, I'm not just
going to get up here and say change and not talk about how to
do it. It's easy to tell somebody stop
it. Parents mothers do that to kids
all the time, but sometimes you have to tell your children what
to do, instead of what you're telling them to stop doing, you
have to tell them how to be constructive instead of
destructive. And so, he says here.
First of all, here's what I want you to do.
I want you to lay aside every encumbrance, if you're having a
difficult time following Jesus Christ, maybe it's because you
haven't laid aside incumbrances laid aside things that are
hindering you from being what You need to be.
You don't, nobody is born, just imitating Jesus.
I listened to a sermon one time that was so helpful to me in my
Christian Life and brother Linwood Smith still preaches.
It it's called why rivers are crooked.
Why are rivers crooked? Because often they take the path
of least resistance. That's why rivers are crooked.
They take the path of least resistance.
Why are people crooked same reason?
A lot of times it's easier to just go with the flow instead of
sometimes. Go against the environment is
telling us, we need to do or be or what they want us to do,
who's in control of your life? Are you in control?
Are you going with the crowd? You like to be proud.
I'm in control. That's why I go with the crowd.
That doesn't make any sense at all.
I remember in the late 60s, early 70s boy that dates me.
I'll tell you that right quick. How I wanted to have long hair
and musicians I wouldn't have some longer I want to add Y and
I said, Dad, I want to be an individual just like everybody
else. That makes a lot of sense.
You want to be an individual and the reason why you're feeling
pressure to wear long hairs because everybody has it, that
doesn't make sense. But a lot of times, that's what
happens in our lives. We want to be an individual just
like everybody else. Is that the what it is, God
tells us that there sometimes whenever we have to go against
the flow, whenever we're going to have to stand up, and we're
going to have to be different, because that's what Jesus would
do if he was here. Notice he says here lay aside
every encumbrance and the sin which does so easily entangles
us and let us run with endurance.
The race that is set. Before us notice verse to fixing
our eyes on Jesus the author. You know, if you fix your eyes
on, anybody else, you're going to be disappointed somewhere,
sometime you're going to find hypocrisy, you're going to find
inconsistency, you're going to find somebody who fell short,
you're going to find somebody who's human, but when you fix
your eyes on Jesus, then there's no disappointment there, no
disappointment at all. How many times have you talked
to? Somebody who's quit the church
because of salt, 1 sub brother, or sister?
Did somebody in the church is a hypocrite.
Somebody in the Corrupt correctly, and so they'll quit.
And I'll go to the Masjid who you Worship in, you Worship in
the church or him about the church.
Who are you looking at, where your eyes focused?
My friends. If you look at other people in
church here and I'd be disappointed but stop it.
God didn't tell you to focus on them.
He said focus on him fixing our eyes on Jesus.
That's supposed to be the one you're supposed to be measuring
yourself do and comparing yourself to not other people.
Not other people. You'll always, if you compare
yourself with the other people, you know, what's going to find,
you're going to be disappointed, some and you're going to become
arrogant because you're better than somebody else.
And it's all not going to work the righteousness of God.
God does it say don't compare yourself among yourselves.
If you do, you're not wise, he says fix your eyes on Jesus.
Now, that is the one we're all supposed to be following.
He's the one we're supposed to be following.
I don't care if you're better than everybody else church are.
You better than him? Are you coming up and measuring
yourself to his stature of maturity?
Are you coming up to his character?
Are you coming up to his morality?
Are you, do you have his heart? Do you have his eyes?
That's the question. I don't care how better, how
much better you are than anybody else in the church.
How fewer times you sin than anybody else?
That's not the point. It is not the point.
We're not here to worship the church.
We're here to worship Him. Who purchased the church?
So fix your eyes on him. That's the point.
Then you won't be disappointed. Then you won't lose.
You won't lose your enthusiasm. Because Jesus always always
inspires me, and always should inspire you fix your eyes on
Jesus. Notice the Bible tells us,
there's something happens. Whenever we do this, please go
to Romans 12 chapter. In Romans 12 chapter notice what
he says here, Romans 12, starting in verse 1.
Therefore, I urge you Brethren by the mercies of God, to
present your bodies, a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable
to God, which is your spiritual service of worship or reasonable
service is what the King James says, and believe it or not, the
original Greek is pretty accurate on this which is your
reasonable or rational service very accurate, New American
Standard didn't do good on this one.
I'll tell you the truth. Both ways.
It means reasonable or rational service.
Notice? What it goes on to say and do
not be conformed to this world. But be transformed, how?
By the renewing of your mind. Oh, there's how I bring about
real and Lasting change become transformed.
He says by the renewing of your mind.
So that you may prove that is demonstrate, you can demonstrate
for absolute proof, you prove that which is good and
acceptable. Whenever we transform our minds,
then we are transformed to be conformed to the image of.
I don't Mean that to be a tongue twister but we're transformed
into conforming by the renewing of our mind.
How do we get our mind? How do we make sure that we have
the proper image up here? My friends, there is no way to
be transformed into the image of Jesus Christ.
If you don't know him, if you don't know him, you can know a
lot of facts about him but did not know him.
You may know a lot of facts about the president.
That doesn't mean you know him, you know, him intimately.
You understand how he thinks and how he feels There's a in the
Greek, there's a, there's a difference between what they
call experiential knowledge and just external knowledge and it's
sometimes difficult to get into our language.
But there's a difference between knowing about somebody and
really understanding someone are knowing someone and that's what
the Bible's trying to say here. You can be transformed by
getting the knowledge of Jesus Christ into our hearts and into
our minds. That's how we're really changed.
That's how change comes about, and as We ask ourselves as we
continually examine ourselves every Lord's day not only just
that but we examine ourselves as we partake of the bread and
drink of the cup. But as we day-by-day examine
ourselves to see whether we're in the faith as we day by day
our humble, before the word as we read it, then that message,
then those words get into a hearts and into our minds and it
transforms us. We become ones who understand
and know God. By the Revelation that he gave
us. That's how we come to know him.
That's how we know. Jesus Christ, there are many
Christians who haven't got a clue about how Jesus Christ
lived. They call themselves Christians
and they don't think they don't Focus.
They don't fix their eyes on Jesus.
How can such a thing be? Well, as we talked about this
morning, Doing good. Just doesn't automatically make
us good. In Matthew the 23rd chapter,
they were doing good by tithing dill and cumin, but the point
is, is that didn't make him good.
God said they were dead. And so a lot of times getting
good, external habits and having a good relationship, a good
relationship with everybody. We think we'd be, we think we
must be pleasing to God when God knows within our hearts that
maybe we are not right with him. We talked this morning about the
church at laodicea and Revelation, Third chapter, how
that they thought they were rich and increased with goods and
have need of nothing but God said you don't, you know, you're
poor and blind and naked you haven't got a clue how I view
you as opposed to how you boo view, you They thought they
didn't need anything, but God said that they did.
Well, we need to be able to identify what it is in our life
that needs to change. And so, let's go on, I promise.
All my introductions aren't going to be this long as we go
on down, but we do have to focus.
We do have to get the concept here.
That's what we're going to try to do this week is talk about
real authentic, Christianity. Not a form of it, not a form of
godliness. But the real thing, what is the
real thing? Please turn to Colossians if you
will, no Me, I want to go to Colossians, but first, I want to
go to Ephesians Ephesians 4:22, please turn over to Ephesians 4
and there's a few verses that I really want you to write down
and this is one of those passages.
I want you to write down, Ephesians 4 and verse 22,
because here he specifically gives us a list of things were
supposed to put on and take off or we're supposed to get rid of
lay aside. We've already talked about how
Hebrews 12 tells. Us to lay aside some
encumbrances, but now we get a list of those encumbrances, we
get a list of things specifically, to get out of our
hearts and out of our lives. But notice what he says here in
Ephesians the fourth chapter, we're going to assert well.
Let's go to verse 17, to make sure we got the context.
This I say our firm together with the Lord that you no longer
walk just as Gentiles walk in the futility of their mind,
being darkened in their understanding excluded from the
life of God because of the ignorance that is in them.
That's what we've just talked about.
They're excluded because of the ignorance that is in them
because of the hardness of their heart and they having becomed
callus have given themselves over to sensuality.
For the practice of every kind of impurity with greediness.
Just a side note here, the word greediness doesn't mean that
he's talking about money here in this.
Passage the word greediness means somebody who is insatiable
are unsatisfied and contextually probably the word should be
translated. In other words, they've given
themselves over to kind of every kind of impurity with with a
desire for even more is what he's trying to say and other
Words there is there is no satisfaction.
They're never full there. Never satiated.
In other words, every sin leads to a desire for more and more
sin in. There's never a barrier at all
in their lives. That's what he's talking about.
But anyway, let's go on down verse 20.
But you did not learn Christ in this way.
I want you to notice that meant that the imagery that's being
taught here. Instead of Christianity being
the word named here. He says you didn't learn Christ
in this way. Yes, That the essence of
Christianity whenever we're talking about our manner of
life, the way you and I live, and the way we act, the way we
behave, and the way we have relationships, he uses that to
say you didn't learn Christ in that way.
Isn't that talking about all of Christian doctrine?
Yes, he's using it as a synonym for all Christian doctrine.
He says, whenever you've learned it, then you've learned Christ.
Isn't that interesting? He says, but you didn't Learn
Christ. In this way, notice what he
says, if indeed you have heard of enema taught him just as the
truth is in Jesus that in reference to your former manner
of life. Oh, this was something before
repentance or, as one brother said it was BC before Christ in
my life, this was BC. He says, here's what it was
before, Christ came into my life.
He said, this is what I supposed to lay aside then Informer.
Reference to your former manner of life.
You laid aside the old self, the old self which is being
corrupted in accordance with the lusts of Deceit.
And other words, this was the kind of life you lived before.
It was your former manner of life, it was a life which led to
corruption. It was a life full of Deceit.
Stop that you laid that aside whenever you became a Christian
and that you be renewed verse 23 in the spirit of your mind.
Now, that's not Holy Spirit there he's talking about the
spirit of our mind. In other words, what kind of
spirit aren't you? What, what is the spirit of your
mind? What kind of attitudes do you
have? You need to be renewed in that
renewed, right here. Conform transformed by this
renewal. Has and put on the new self.
which in the likeness of God has been created in righteousness
and Holiness of the truth, He says, this is the likeness of
God, The New American Standard translates, this verse very
well. This new self is in the likeness
of God godliness. When was the last time we talked
about that in our manner of Life?
Oftentimes when we talk about Christianity, it's just whether
we're saved or not, not whether anybody's living a Godly life or
not how unfortunate, because that's not the way.
The Bible talks about it. Whenever he talks about, you
didn't learn Christ in this way, he's talking about God likeness
godliness in our matter of life and he said, some people are
unable to attain it because of the ignorance.
It is in them, my friends, we need the word.
We need to get that knowledge into our hearts and into our
minds because only then can it transform us only then can we
know what we need to do to conform to the image of Jesus?
Only then can we conform to the path that Jesus would have
turned and made the decisions Jesus would have made notice and
that you put on the new self which in the likeness of God is
being created in righteousness. No Lie is of the truth and then
he makes a list. therefore, Laying aside falsehood speak.
Truth. Each one with his neighbor for.
We are members one of another. Okay.
The first thing he really delineates here is as a
Christian. If you're going to transform
your life, the first thing you work on is the tongue.
That's right. You laying aside lying, you put
it out of your life, you've laid that aside speak the truth, each
one of you one with another, where your members one of
another, your parts of one another, you know, that is the
hardest thing, whenever you work with people out in the world and
you study with people as Frankie, probably knows whenever
you study with people, a lot of times, a lot of times they're
intimidated by the Christian Life.
I know one guy who said, who told me he didn't want to be
baptized right then he was a truck driver and Placerville,
California. He said Glenn I can't come to
church, I'm a truck driver. I use language all day that I
can't use in the church. He said I would feel like a
hypocrite coming to the church with my mouth the way it is.
I said listen you give Jesus your heart and the mouth of come
with it, you know. And and he later on a year later
he told me it's amazing. I never thought I could have
quit cussing. I never thought I could have
quit swearing like I did but he said it's amazing.
I don't have to think about it anymore.
I just try to follow. Jesus in my, in my life and it's
amazing and I said, that's right.
That's how it works. That's how it works.
You don't do it all at once and you don't get well before you go
to the doctor, those who are well, do not need the physician
but those who are sick. And I'm here to tell you, if
your sin sick even though no matter what your habits are, no
matter how much you've lied, it may be easier for you to lie
than tell the truth. But don't give up.
If you want to come to Jesus you come and you bring it to him and
you start laying it aside every time it puts itself on you know
you lay it aside. You maybe unconsciously putting
on those old dirty clothes that you once laid aside and every
time you recognize it, you put it on, take it off, lay it aside
again, put it down, get rid of it.
But that's what he says here. These telling Christians he's
telling Christians, delay, aside lying.
Evidently there were some Christians had trouble with it.
Members, one of another, he had to tell Christians to stop
lying. Did you ever think of that?
Yeah, that's what happens sometimes.
Sometimes we have to be consciously aware and force
ourselves to tell the truth. All the time.
All the time, notice notice verse 20, verse 26, he starts
out with some be angry and do not sin.
Do not let the sun. Go down on your anger, on your
on, your anger. Is that your problem?
Perhaps, you're here it. You could say, you know, I'm
angry a lot. Well, the first question needs
to be as well. Is that following the image of
Jesus? Are you behaving like Jesus?
My friends? I want you to ask yourself for
just a question. When you were raffle whenever
you're angry whenever you're impatient.
Are you acting like Jesus? You know like one guy told me
one time it's not the parts of the Bible, I don't understand.
That gives me problems. It's a parts I do understand.
That's it. This is a real specific thing
here, be angry, and do not sin, evidently some in Ephesus
needed, to lay it aside. I'm asking you brother and
sister, I'm not there in your home, which is often called the
closet of secrets in, but I'll tell you what, if you don't
practice the presence of Jesus Christ in your home, if you
think, somehow you left him here, when you went home, you
are sadly, sadly deceived. If you think Jesus is always
someplace else whenever you got mad whenever you spoke that way
whenever you acted that way. Whenever you spit in whenever
you spewed whenever you lost your temper.
Don't you ever think that? Oh Jesus just wasn't there.
He was just covering it up. He was just embarrassed and
turned away know he was there. And he said, listen, I
understand what it is to be angry, but you be angry and sin,
not do not let the sun go down on your wrath.
Oh yes, God is righteously indignant.
But God is always in control of his anger.
Always, he never blows it, he never blows up.
He never just lets it Fly and gives vent to all of his wrath.
Wrath means uncontrolled anger. My friend's child abuse should
never be in the church, but it is.
I knew of a Christian one time that drop kicked his kids
through the front screen door of his house.
That's sad. You just got mad.
I know of other men who have hit their wives.
Fortunately, I've no other wives who have hit their men and I
just want you men to be aware of a statistic.
More often than not, men will beat up a wife, but more often
than not, a wife will kill her husband.
She doesn't mess around It's scary, it's scary.
Whenever you get into counseling situations and you hear what
happened? And you go.
These people are both trying to be Christians, how can it be so
out of control. So out of control is because you
failed to practice the presence of Jesus Christ.
We're going to talk more about that.
This isn't coming week. We're going to talk about
specific tools. We're going to come back, but
tonight, I just want to give you some list.
Why do I want to give you some lists?
I have led you astray here just a little bit.
I want you to pick something to work on this week.
Oh yeah. Oh man.
I hate Glenn's meetings. He gives us homework.
That's right. Give you some homework because
we're not going to go away and be forgetful.
Here's we're going to be specific.
Let's understand. God says specifically, this is
something I want you to work on lay aside anger.
Let's go on down notice what it says. do not give the devil
opportunity, he who steals must steal no longer perhaps your You
know, shopping for the new fall fashions without a checkbook.
Five, finger discount. Perhaps you have a problem with,
oh we're not going to call it stealing, or just kind of call
it shoplifting and it's a game to see if we can get away with.
There's some kids who think that that's nothing more than what it
is. It's a game.
It's not a game, it's stealing notice.
When it goes on to say he is steals, must steal, no longer
but rather he must labor performing with his own hands.
What is good? So that will have something to
share with him as need. Perhaps you need to get into the
discipline of work. For what you acquire, verse 29,
let no unwholesome word proceed out of your mouth.
Unwholesome word, we all know what that is an unwholesome word
is a word that doesn't have any any teaching in it.
There's nothing beneficial in those words, they're just words.
Usually slung as a weapon in a conversation.
The Bible says let no unwholesome word proceed out of
your mouth notice. If he goes on down, but only
such a word as his good for edification, according to the
need of the moment so that it will give Grace to those who
hear husbands wives parents children.
When you speak to your mom and dad are your words, edifying
are, they truly giving Grace. Are they empowering?
Your parents? Are they just telling off your
parents? What are they?
You know, I was so thankful.
My dad there was six of us kids. I won't talk about what I know
about Terrier, right. Tracy.
But anyway, the whole point is, you know, it's hard.
Taking care of six kids, especially when dad's up
preaching and it was, it was often tough and difficult and
The Bible says honor as well as obey your parents and it was
awful tough. And oftentimes dad would say, do
what I told you to do and we would go.
But and he would say now look now, look, I understand, there
may be some reason, some reason why you can't do what I'm asking
you to do right now. And I'm going to practice the
rule of giving you one shot. There may be something to bore
part. The reason why the kid may be
saying, but is because Mom told him to do something, I mean,
there's a logical reason. Reason.
And so I'm thankful for my dad, he often said okay, if I asked
you to do something, you get one but and that means but you had
to make your words clear and concise because you only got one
shot at it and you had to give an answer And then after that,
the decision was fine, I understand, but, no, go do what
I ask is. Do you know, that's often what
needs to happen. Whenever you, whenever you have
a relationship with someone, then it works that way because
everybody understands the parameters.
Well, so it is with God to, he doesn't say, don't blow out the
Planters, Don't Break Down The Walls.
I want you to let your words be edifying.
Make sure they're helpful. If you're going to have a
criticism, make sure you have a help.
Suggestion, Let It Be edifying. Try to think of something
beneficial to say. Mom, you're a great cook
tonight. Supper was great.
But, you know, at least give the compliment, let something good
come out of it, if you will all our relationships and our
transactions in this way, if we would obey these passages, how
much things would be better. But guess what?
And following Christianity, we're commanded to behave in
this way. This isn't an option, these
aren't just words. Yeah, while it's a great
self-help. God says let no unwholesome word
proceed out of your mouth. In other words, if you do it's a
sin, that's what he's saying. If you do it's a sin you can't
call yourself follower of Jesus Christ.
If you let unwholesome word proceed out of your mouth, Jesus
doesn't talk that way. How about that?
Jesus doesn't talk that way. That's what we need to get back
to is, how would Jesus handle this?
Notice do not grieve the holy spirit of God by whom you were
sealed for the day of redemption.
Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be
put away from you along. With all malice, now malice is
that active ill will towards someone, but be kind to one
another. Here's what we're supposed to be
like Be kind to one another tender-hearted forgiving each
other just as God in Christ. Has forgiven.
You all. Look at the example, look at the
example. Just as God for Christ's sake
has forgiven, you does that list?
Describe the way you handle disappointment, describe the way
you handle problems. There's some putting off and
putting on isn't there with our knowledge.
Now we need to have a transform our lives so that we can be
conformed to the image of his dear son.
I want you to think about that list and I want you to write
down what you're going to be working on.
Yeah, I know I need to change. What are you working on?
I haven't got a clue. That's not supposed to be the
Christian way guys. We need to know what it is.
We're working on when you're working on.
A house. You don't just say, I'm working
on the house. You have specific things in mind
that you're going to do you have a list and that's what the Bible
gives us. He says, here's what to put off,
here's what to put on, I want you to think about these things.
I want you to ask, not how they apply to others, but how do they
apply to me? What am I working on?
Let's go to Colossians 3 verse 8.
This is another list right down this passage and look at it as
your leisure and think about the things that brings about the
changes that it needs to bring about in our life in.
In the third chapter. Excuse me, Colossians 3.
We're going to start reading verse 8, mmm.
But now you also put them all aside anger, wrath, malice,
slander and abusive speech. I thought we just quoted that
passage. Well.
Maybe God sometimes needs to repeat himself because we
weren't listening the first time.
Evidently this is a pretty important thing to put aside
notice. Now, put them all aside.
Put them all aside my friends. If you have this in your
character, In order to imitate Jesus, you're going to have to
put it aside. Are you known for your hot
temper? Have you blamed it on your
genetics, your Irish heritage? Have you blamed it on your
mother or your father or your grandma?
Well I'm just that way. God says you're not my way.
You lay it aside, notice do not lie.
One to another since you've laid aside the old self which its
evil practices and put on the new self which is being renewed
to a true knowledge. According to listen the image of
the one who created him. It's being renewed into the
image of God. God doesn't lie.
And we're his children. How dare US law is your word
trustworthy? That's what we need to have in
Christ. A real duel verse 11 in which
There's no distinction between Greek and Jew circumcised and
uncircumcised Barbarian slave free man.
But Christ is all and in all notice verse 12, so as those who
have been chosen of God, holy and beloved put on a put on put
yeah Circle that little phrase out there put on because that's
what he wants us to do to add to our lives.
That's a something he wants us to change and put on.
A heart of compassion. Kindness, humility gentleness.
And patience does that describe you?
As a Christian, it's got to be what we're striving to put on.
Because this verse tells us to do that, put on these qualities
of spirit of heart, bearing with one another verse 13 for giving
each other, Whoever has a complaint against anyone.
Just as the Lord forgave you, are you a grudge holder?
Are you somebody that's irreconcilable.
I don't care if they said, I'm sorry.
Really. That doesn't make you
christ-like notice forgiving each other wherever it's because
a complaint against anyone just as the Lord forgave you just as
the Lord forgave you? So also should you Those of us
who wears name beyond all these things.
Put on, there's the keyword Circle it again, verse 14, put
on love which is the perfect Bond of unity put on love.
Yeah, What is love? It's active thinking of someone
else's benefit, somebody else's welfare above your own.
It first Corinthians 13 describe W.
Love does, but real love is found a Philippians 2.
Real love is described the find if you will in Philippians 2.
Notice what Philippians 2 says here, if I can get there verse
3, Philippians 2 verse 3. do nothing from selfishness or
empty conceit but with humility of Mind, Let each of you regard
one another as more important than himself, Do not merely.
Look out for your own personal interests, but also for the
interests of others. This attitude in yourself.
Which was also in Christ, Jesus. He hit it on the think of
someone else's spiritual welfare, their welfare above
your own, have this attitude yourself which was greist were
called to imitate him. Have this attitude, how wouldn't
it be wonderful? If everyone in the church had
this attitude in themselves which was also in Christ Jesus?
Although it's not just a great idea.
It's the the idea it's what we're supposed to be working
toward. We're really supposed to be
caring for one another. And our spiritual welfare.
That motivates our correction, it motivates our encouragement,
it motivates our instruction. We actively try to encourage one
another to love and good works. Do not merely look out for your
own personal interests, but also for the interests of others.
Let's look at another passage right quick.
And we're just going to run down the Reeds, right?
Real quickly if you would in Luke Luke the 12th chapter verse
22. Luke 12 verse 22.
And he said to his disciples for this reason, I say to you do not
worry about your life as to what you shall eat, or what your
body, what you should put on, is not life more than food and the
body more than clothing. Consider the Ravens they neither
sow nor reap. And they have no Storehouse or
barn yet. God feeds them.
How much more value are you than the birds?
Which one of you by worrying can add a single?
There is a time. We're here at The New American
Standard rates, a single hour to his life.
An if you cannot do a lie, even a very little thing.
Why do you worry about other matters?
Consider the lilies, how they grow?
They neither toil nor do they spend but I tell you Solomon in
all his glory was not arrayed like one of these.
But if God, so clothes the grass of the field and which is alive
today and tomorrow is thrown into the furnace.
How much more will he clothe you?
Oh you meant a lot of little faith.
Do not seek what you will eat or what you will drink and do not
keep worrying for these things that Nate's, the kingdoms of the
world are the nations of the world eagerly seek, but your
father knows that you have need of all these things.
Listen, here's the culmination. But seek first or see, but seek
his kingdom. And all these things will be
added to you. All these things.
What does he tell us to see? You know, so many times people
spend their whole life on that, which will not Outlast it, but
he says, your Christians. God knows that you have need of
these things. Seek first, his kingdom.
And all these things will be added unto you all these things.
Isn't that amazing? Please turn to Matthew 6.
Matthew the 6 chapter. Verse 25.
For this reason, I do not say I say, I say to you do not be
worried about your life as to what you shall eat or drink nor
for your body. As to what you shall put on, is
not life more than food and the body more than clothing.
Here's that same thing found in Matthew, look at the birds of
the air, they do not sow, nor reap, nor gather into barns, yet
your heavenly father feeds them, you're not where you are, are
you not worth more than they and who of You by worrying can add a
single hour to his life. Why do you worry about Clothing.
Notice he once again, challenges these these people, but no doubt
verse 33, go down to verse 33. Listen.
But seek first, his kingdom, if you were looking for the word
first, it's because Matthew includes it in his gospel, but
seek first, his kingdom, and his righteousness, and all these
things will be added unto you. There's what we need to work on.
Is seeking first the kingdom of God, and all these things, is
that what we really have in our lives?
Seeking first, the kingdom of God, and looking, everything
else, as just supporting that, you know, some work in the
gospel of the Lord of our kingdom, the kingdom of Our
Lord, in the field of the Lord. And yet, they are known by men
as as painters as Builders as mechanics and everything else.
But you know, when you ask them what their life is about.
Out or you ask their friends. What does that person live for?
They don't want their life to be defined by how they make a
living. They are not a painter.
They are not a builder. They are not.
They are a Christian and how they make their money is another
thing. But their life is not what they
do. Their life is what they are.
They're following Jesus Christ, they're Christians.
You know, how wonderful it is to meet people who, you know, live
for something greater than how they make a living.
Doesn't that challenge you? When you look at them and they
say, well, they do this on the side but how why they live is
for Christ. That's the whole point.
That's where God wants us to be. He says seek first, the kingdom
of God and all these things will be added unto you.
Well, I didn't even get to my Last point tonight.
So we're going to save it for tomorrow tomorrow.
Come back and we're going to talk about the importance of
goals, but I will tell you this. I do want you to do some
homework tonight. I want you to go home and look
at the scriptures. If you have a concordance, look
at all those passages that say put off and put on, I want you
to look because those are specific things that God wants
us to do specifically what the word repentance means come back
tomorrow night. Lord willing, and we're going to
talk about how to bring about real change in your life.
If you want to change your tongue, if you want to change.
In your heart. If you have hatred, if you have
Envy, if you have any of these attitudes, if you have wrath
tonight. Oh yeah.
Don't you know, I know people have problems.
You might say well they have problems with love problems.
They don't know how to love. Well, my some people come with
that problem, but I'll tell you, I've had it.
I've counseled with a lot of people have trouble with anger,
frustration, frustration. They feel out of control.
And so, what they do to get in control is they make everybody
fear them? And they dominate through fear
and it's not what Jesus would do if he were here.
So today is fear the main attitude Pete, that people
describe your home as Have you laid aside all of that, anger
and Wrath? Or perhaps you're working on
other things. Perhaps people don't think that
going to heaven and seeking first.
The kingdom of God is what you're all about, for where your
treasure is, there will your heart be also, they see your
heart in your car. They see your heart in somewhere
else. They don't see it in heaven,
they don't see you laying up. Treasures in Heaven.
They see you get more emotional over.
Something that happens to your car that over some brother or
sister, who fell away, They see you getting more upset about
some temporal thing rather than Eternal things.
The real key to a transformed life.
The real K2 athletic Christianity is someone who has
fixed Their Eyes On Jesus. And recognize he is the
embodiment of the mind of God In the Flesh.
He is the exact representation of his nature.
He lived righteousness. He Illustrated what it was to be
Godlike. And being christ-like as being
god-like. Now, you may want to act like
God, but that's not being god-like.
We're talking about being like our Father in heaven.
And if there's a discrepancy, between what the Bible says, God
is like And what you are. I are like, then there's where
the change needs to begin. Stop accepting.
Your shortcomings. Stop excusing.
Your shortcomings and blaming it on your genetics.
Blaming it on your environment, blaming it on your friends, your
wife, your husband, your children, your parents.
We love to excuse ourselves. But God says I will no longer
accept excuses the times of ignorance.
God wants winked at, but his now commanding all men everywhere to
repent accepting 30, all that so tough, I'd rather have a form of
godliness. It's easier to practice some new
habits than to change old ones. My friends, God wants you to put
off the old man had to put on the new one and that takes work.
That takes effort. Come back tomorrow night.
We'll talk about what specifically to do, but I want
you to look over these verses tonight and I want you to write
down something, you are going to specifically work on.
I want you to ask yourself, how am I going to be measurably
different next year? Next month than I am today, are
you satisfied? If your self satisfied?
Then you've got more problems. If you're say sure, I need to
change but I have no clue where I pretty happy with myself then.
Maybe we're like the church at laodicea more than we like to
ever think we're rich and increased with goods and have
need of nothing. Are you one of those people who
are sitting there tonight going? Yeah, I'm humble.
But I can't think anything I need to change.
Sorry, it's not going to get it. We're going to have to need
something specifically to work on.
So please come back tomorrow with that in mind.
And we're going to talk about how to bring about real change.
In our life, we're going to talk about goal setting.
We're going to talk about how businesses aren't successful
without goals. We're going to talk about how
Christians aren't successful without goals either.
So come back tomorrow night. We're going to talk about tools
for Real Change in our life. Come back be with us tomorrow
night. Bring your friends.
Bring your friends, won't you tonight?
If you need to start off on your path of change, if you're fully
aware that you made by looking into the word of God tonight
that you have not laid aside the old self, we're going to call
for a crucifixion. Right here, we're going to call
for you to in faith. Repent of your sins Acts 2 verse
38, that means put to death the old man lay it aside, do some
active taken it off. We're going to ask you to take
it off right now. Somebody's got to make that
decision sometime when he going to do it.
Why not now why? If you decide to lay aside the
you do not have to be the same person when you leave this
building that you were when you came here tonight, you don't
have to be you. Maybe you don't have to be
tonight. You can leave something dead in
here. Bury it, you can bury it in a
watery grave of baptism. If you're not a Christian, you
can as Romans 6 says, you can take that old man and you can
bury him and be United with Christ.
And in the likeness of his resurrection be raised to walk
in newness of life. Romans 6:3 66.
You could do that tonight but you must repent.
You've got to put to death. God won't kill him for you.
You've got to take it off, God's.
Not going to rip it off your body.
You got to take it off. You've got to lay it aside.
My friends. A lot of people want to get
baptized without repentance, will have friends that it with
without repentance in our life. Like, we talked about this
morning, you'll go in a wet Center, come out.
Argo in a dry Center. Come out of wet Center.
Repentance is the key. So tonight you've got to make a
decision. You're no longer going to live
that kind of Life. Have that heart, you have that
more Ally. You're going to lay it aside my
friend, you got to come and you've got to bring it and
you've got to lay it at the feet of the cross.
We thank you for listening to our podcast, put on by the
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