1 00:00:00,500 --> 00:00:04,200 So what I'm going to do this morning is we are going to look 2 00:00:04,200 --> 00:00:07,500 at our heavenly father given of course that it is Father's day 3 00:00:07,900 --> 00:00:10,100 and I rather thought it would be nice to do a bit of a Bible 4 00:00:10,100 --> 00:00:13,300 study together. And this really came out of some 5 00:00:13,500 --> 00:00:15,100 time with the law that I was having. 6 00:00:15,100 --> 00:00:18,400 And I was reading through, Romans, what a wonderful book 7 00:00:18,400 --> 00:00:21,600 that is, who wrote that letter to the, the church in Rome. 8 00:00:21,600 --> 00:00:27,000 And it's just such a wonderful theological outpouring of our 9 00:00:27,000 --> 00:00:28,500 faith in Christ and what it means. 10 00:00:28,500 --> 00:00:32,100 And I was really struck as I I was reading chapter 8 and I'd 11 00:00:32,100 --> 00:00:35,400 like us to turn together to 8:12, it's going to be on the 12 00:00:35,400 --> 00:00:38,000 screen and the room and if you're online it will be on your 13 00:00:38,000 --> 00:00:40,300 device. And what I'd like to do is I'm 14 00:00:40,300 --> 00:00:45,300 going to read from verses 12 to 25 and then we're going to take 15 00:00:45,300 --> 00:00:50,200 it section by section and we're going to see how this applies to 16 00:00:50,200 --> 00:00:55,600 our present-day reality and the title, for this talk is present 17 00:00:55,600 --> 00:00:59,800 reality future, hope our present reality. 18 00:01:00,000 --> 00:01:03,400 Tea and our present hope and we're going to see this 19 00:01:03,400 --> 00:01:04,800 together. So let us read. 20 00:01:04,800 --> 00:01:11,200 As I said verse, 12 onwards So then brothers and of course, he 21 00:01:11,200 --> 00:01:14,600 means sisters. We are debtors not to the flesh 22 00:01:14,900 --> 00:01:17,300 to live, according to the flesh for if you live. 23 00:01:17,300 --> 00:01:19,300 According to the flesh, you will die. 24 00:01:20,200 --> 00:01:24,500 But if by the spirit, you put to death, the Deeds of the body, 25 00:01:25,200 --> 00:01:28,900 you will live. All who are led by the spirit of 26 00:01:28,900 --> 00:01:33,600 God are sons of God. Or you did not receive the 27 00:01:33,600 --> 00:01:38,000 spirit of Slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received 28 00:01:38,000 --> 00:01:47,200 the spirit of adoption as Sons by whom we cry, Abba Father The 29 00:01:47,200 --> 00:01:53,400 spirit himself Bears witness with our spirit that we are 30 00:01:53,400 --> 00:01:59,200 children of God. And if children then heirs Heirs 31 00:01:59,200 --> 00:02:05,300 of God and fellow heirs with Christ, Provided we suffer with 32 00:02:05,300 --> 00:02:10,900 him in order that we may also be glorified with him. 33 00:02:12,100 --> 00:02:15,600 For I consider that the sufferings of, this present time 34 00:02:16,500 --> 00:02:22,300 are not worth comparing with the glory, that is to be revealed to 35 00:02:22,300 --> 00:02:26,100 us. The creation Waits with eager 36 00:02:26,100 --> 00:02:30,200 longing for the revealing of the sons of God for the creation was 37 00:02:30,200 --> 00:02:33,900 subjected to futility not willingly. 38 00:02:35,500 --> 00:02:38,900 But because of him who subjected it in Hope. 39 00:02:40,300 --> 00:02:44,500 But the creation itself will be set free from its bondage to 40 00:02:44,500 --> 00:02:48,100 corruption and obtain the freedom of the glory of the 41 00:02:48,100 --> 00:02:58,600 children of God. But we know that the whole until 42 00:02:58,600 --> 00:03:04,300 now and not only the creation. But we ourselves who have the 43 00:03:04,300 --> 00:03:11,400 first fruits of the spirit groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for 44 00:03:11,400 --> 00:03:15,900 our adoption as Sons. The Redemption of our bodies for 45 00:03:15,900 --> 00:03:24,200 in this hope we were saved. Lord, we thank you for your 46 00:03:24,200 --> 00:03:25,300 word. You pray. 47 00:03:25,300 --> 00:03:27,100 Holy spirit. That you would enable us to 48 00:03:27,100 --> 00:03:31,000 understand it and apply it to our lives. 49 00:03:32,100 --> 00:03:34,700 Your word is truth. Your word brings life. 50 00:03:35,600 --> 00:03:38,200 I pray for the fruit of freedom in this house today. 51 00:03:38,200 --> 00:03:40,000 Lord, we pray in your name, amen. 52 00:03:41,400 --> 00:03:44,400 I mean there is just so much jam-packed in that, I mean, we 53 00:03:44,400 --> 00:03:48,500 could do a tweak season on those versus maybe more. 54 00:03:49,200 --> 00:03:52,800 And so what I'd like to do is briefly, as I said, take it 55 00:03:52,800 --> 00:03:57,300 chunk by chunk and see the truth that is given to us this 56 00:03:57,300 --> 00:03:59,500 morning. Let's start with the first 57 00:03:59,500 --> 00:04:03,200 section then so then Brothers. We are debtors not to the flesh 58 00:04:03,200 --> 00:04:06,000 to live, according to the flesh for if you live. 59 00:04:06,000 --> 00:04:07,800 According to the flesh, you will die. 60 00:04:08,300 --> 00:04:11,200 But if by the spirit, you put to death, the The Deeds of the 61 00:04:11,200 --> 00:04:15,600 body, you will live, all who are led by the spirit of God are 62 00:04:15,600 --> 00:04:20,700 sons of God. Give a read scripture think say 63 00:04:20,700 --> 00:04:24,500 what that is that is a that's a lot of spirits involved here in 64 00:04:24,500 --> 00:04:29,500 a lot of Flesh. We need to understand why this 65 00:04:29,500 --> 00:04:31,400 is here because you see Paul starts with. 66 00:04:31,400 --> 00:04:36,500 So then all therefore therefore means it is there for a reason 67 00:04:36,500 --> 00:04:39,900 because of what came before it. So why don't we quickly look at 68 00:04:39,900 --> 00:04:43,500 what came before it, you see verse 9 in chapter 7 is really 69 00:04:43,500 --> 00:04:46,700 the key here. It says this, if I can actually 70 00:04:46,700 --> 00:04:51,500 find it, it says I was once a live apart from the law, but 71 00:04:51,500 --> 00:04:54,500 when the Commandment came sin, came alive and I died. 72 00:04:54,600 --> 00:04:56,900 Let me go and find the actual verse that I wanted. 73 00:05:01,100 --> 00:05:05,000 Otis. Why I know that. 74 00:05:05,000 --> 00:05:08,300 Nothing good. Dwells in me, for I Delight in 75 00:05:08,300 --> 00:05:10,900 the law of God in my inner being, but I see him my members 76 00:05:10,900 --> 00:05:15,200 and other law Waging War against the law of my mind and making me 77 00:05:15,200 --> 00:05:18,700 captive. And then as we see in chapter 8, 78 00:05:18,700 --> 00:05:21,900 verse 9, and this is the actual one that I wanted you. 79 00:05:21,900 --> 00:05:23,500 How what? You got some free versus for 80 00:05:23,500 --> 00:05:24,900 free there? Hey, check that out. 81 00:05:25,200 --> 00:05:30,300 You however are not in the flesh but in the spirit, if in fact, 82 00:05:30,300 --> 00:05:35,300 the spirit of God dwells in you anyway, Spirit of God does not 83 00:05:35,300 --> 00:05:36,600 belong to him. What is he saying? 84 00:05:36,800 --> 00:05:39,900 You see, you can live your life in two ways, either in the flesh 85 00:05:40,500 --> 00:05:43,900 or in the spirit. Now, what that means therefore, 86 00:05:44,800 --> 00:05:49,000 is that if you choose to live in the flesh, you have not accepted 87 00:05:49,000 --> 00:05:53,400 Christ as your savior. What it is saying here is that, 88 00:05:53,400 --> 00:05:58,800 if you live in the flesh, then what dictates how you live is 89 00:05:58,800 --> 00:06:02,300 your fleshly desires? Not the desire of God in your 90 00:06:02,300 --> 00:06:04,900 life. And so there are two ways to 91 00:06:04,900 --> 00:06:08,100 live here and pull in the preceding chapter is say, 92 00:06:08,100 --> 00:06:12,400 listen, you don't need to live by the flesh because the penalty 93 00:06:12,400 --> 00:06:17,100 of that Is death. If you want to live by your 94 00:06:17,100 --> 00:06:22,200 carnal, your mind and your fleshly desires and ignore God. 95 00:06:22,500 --> 00:06:24,700 That's fine. But there is a consequence to 96 00:06:24,700 --> 00:06:28,500 that and that consequence is death and separation from God. 97 00:06:29,400 --> 00:06:34,600 But there is a choice, because if you say yes to the saving 98 00:06:34,600 --> 00:06:38,700 power of Jesus, on the cross that he took the penalty of that 99 00:06:38,700 --> 00:06:42,000 sin when we lived in the flesh, if you want to say yes to Jesus 100 00:06:42,000 --> 00:06:45,400 and what happens all of us, Sudden the Holy Spirit, dwells 101 00:06:45,400 --> 00:06:49,000 in you and you no longer walk by the flesh. 102 00:06:50,100 --> 00:06:53,500 You walk by the spirit. That is what Paul is saying 103 00:06:53,500 --> 00:06:55,300 here. Now, it doesn't mean to say that 104 00:06:55,300 --> 00:06:58,500 we don't battle with the flesh, it doesn't mean to say that 105 00:06:58,500 --> 00:07:01,800 Temptation doesn't come our way it does. 106 00:07:02,300 --> 00:07:06,800 But we are seeking a lifestyle where we choose to follow the 107 00:07:06,800 --> 00:07:10,700 spirit of God in our lives. That's what Paul is saying here. 108 00:07:11,000 --> 00:07:14,600 He's saying listen. We are not debtors to the flesh 109 00:07:14,600 --> 00:07:17,300 anymore. We don't have to pay the price 110 00:07:17,300 --> 00:07:21,300 of the flesh, which is death. If you have made a choice to say 111 00:07:21,300 --> 00:07:24,800 yes, to Jesus. Because this is what Paul is 112 00:07:24,800 --> 00:07:28,200 saying if you choose to live by the Flesh and not accept Jesus 113 00:07:28,200 --> 00:07:31,900 fine. But that is going to lead to 114 00:07:31,900 --> 00:07:35,200 death. But if you put the Deeds of the 115 00:07:35,200 --> 00:07:41,200 body to death, IE you accept, Jesus as your savior, you will 116 00:07:41,300 --> 00:07:43,400 live. That is what Paul is saying. 117 00:07:43,400 --> 00:07:46,800 Yeah, that is the good news because for all who are led by 118 00:07:46,800 --> 00:07:52,900 the spirit of God, they are sons of God. 119 00:07:59,000 --> 00:08:04,600 Something has happened here. you see the present realities if you 120 00:08:04,600 --> 00:08:12,100 say yes to Jesus and you receive his sacrifice on the cross. 121 00:08:14,000 --> 00:08:18,400 In your place. Then you become a child of God. 122 00:08:18,500 --> 00:08:21,100 That's what happens. Adoption happens. 123 00:08:22,100 --> 00:08:25,000 You see saying yes to. Jesus isn't about getting a 124 00:08:25,000 --> 00:08:28,000 ticket to Heaven. Although we go there. 125 00:08:28,800 --> 00:08:32,799 It's about a restored relationship with a father who 126 00:08:32,799 --> 00:08:35,299 loves us. That is what this whole thing is 127 00:08:35,299 --> 00:08:39,700 about. Yes, we get to heaven because 128 00:08:39,700 --> 00:08:45,900 God is in heaven. But the whole point, the whole 129 00:08:45,900 --> 00:08:50,000 Redemption narrative in the Bible isn't about giving us an 130 00:08:50,000 --> 00:08:51,900 amazing life and getting us to Heaven. 131 00:08:52,100 --> 00:08:56,700 It's about restoring a broken relationship with a father who 132 00:08:56,700 --> 00:09:04,400 loves us. And we Jesus. 133 00:09:04,600 --> 00:09:10,300 You are not a child of God. Now, I know that often times, we 134 00:09:10,300 --> 00:09:12,800 speak to people in compassion and love will say to them, 135 00:09:13,300 --> 00:09:14,800 you're a child of God and he loves you. 136 00:09:16,000 --> 00:09:20,200 That's not truth. Because the whole gospel message 137 00:09:20,200 --> 00:09:23,800 is that you would have a restored relationship with a 138 00:09:23,800 --> 00:09:26,300 father because if you tell someone you're a child of God 139 00:09:26,300 --> 00:09:27,600 and they're not that what was the point of Jesus? 140 00:09:27,600 --> 00:09:35,000 Then I'm already God's child. You see now God loves them and 141 00:09:35,000 --> 00:09:38,100 he sent his only son to die for them, and they are his creation 142 00:09:38,200 --> 00:09:41,400 but they're yet to be adopted into the family. 143 00:09:41,500 --> 00:09:58,500 That Father. 144 00:09:59,500 --> 00:10:04,200 That is the good news. And you're missing out on that 145 00:10:04,200 --> 00:10:06,900 son ship. You're missing out on saying 146 00:10:06,900 --> 00:10:10,200 Abba Father because it doesn't come from the flesh. 147 00:10:10,200 --> 00:10:12,400 The flesh wants to run a mile from God. 148 00:10:13,800 --> 00:10:18,200 But the spirit in US, Cries Out Abba. 149 00:10:18,400 --> 00:10:22,000 Father ra New Creation in Christ Jesus. 150 00:10:22,000 --> 00:10:25,700 You've heard that phrase. It means we've been adopted into 151 00:10:25,700 --> 00:10:30,300 the family and let's read this carry on Billy says this for you 152 00:10:30,300 --> 00:10:34,100 did not receive the spirit of Slavery to fall back into fear. 153 00:10:34,200 --> 00:10:38,300 That is what happens without God does it not saying in 2 Timothy, 154 00:10:38,300 --> 00:10:41,500 God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power love, and of 155 00:10:41,500 --> 00:10:46,900 a sound mind. you when you are adopted into the family, you no 156 00:10:46,900 --> 00:10:51,400 longer operate under that spirit of fear of slavery but you have 157 00:10:51,400 --> 00:10:56,900 received here, it is, the spirit of adoption as we cry out Abba 158 00:10:57,400 --> 00:11:01,000 and the spirit himself Bears witness, with our Spirits, 159 00:11:01,200 --> 00:11:09,400 listen to this, that we are children of God The news. 160 00:11:14,600 --> 00:11:18,300 But this is where Paul takes an interest in turn because he 161 00:11:18,308 --> 00:11:21,400 doesn't leave it there. Oh, he gets excited. 162 00:11:21,400 --> 00:11:23,300 I can just imagine Paul's writing this. 163 00:11:23,300 --> 00:11:26,300 These Scholars think he's probably in Corinth writing this 164 00:11:26,300 --> 00:11:32,900 letter and he goes on, but listen. and if children, Are you 165 00:11:32,900 --> 00:11:36,500 comprehending this? If children then heirs, huh? 166 00:11:38,600 --> 00:11:41,200 And then he goes. It's a are you understanding the 167 00:11:41,200 --> 00:11:43,000 ramifications of what this means is? 168 00:11:43,900 --> 00:11:49,400 If you're a child then you're an heir and Heirs of God and listen 169 00:11:49,400 --> 00:11:52,400 to this. This is mind-blowing fellow 170 00:11:52,400 --> 00:11:55,900 heirs with Christ. What? 171 00:11:57,200 --> 00:12:05,600 But, what about? The present reality of adoption. 172 00:12:06,700 --> 00:12:10,800 Gives us a future hope of an inheritance. 173 00:12:14,600 --> 00:12:18,700 Hmm. The present reality of being, a 174 00:12:18,700 --> 00:12:23,500 child of God means that we have a future hope of an inheritance. 175 00:12:24,000 --> 00:12:26,300 That's the gospel message. You tell everybody, they're a 176 00:12:26,300 --> 00:12:28,000 child of God. There's no inheritance. 177 00:12:30,600 --> 00:12:33,900 Do you see how important this understanding is? 178 00:12:36,100 --> 00:12:37,200 Listen, you're not a child of God. 179 00:12:37,200 --> 00:12:39,500 Yeah, he's not your father. I'm really sorry to tell you 180 00:12:39,500 --> 00:12:40,800 that but I got good news for you. 181 00:12:41,500 --> 00:12:45,500 Jesus Paid It All and not only can you be a child of God? 182 00:12:45,600 --> 00:12:49,400 You can be a CO are with Christ and this is where Paulie just 183 00:12:52,900 --> 00:12:55,800 What a calm down. I'm just too excited. 184 00:12:56,900 --> 00:13:00,500 Thank you. Let's just get our minds around 185 00:13:00,500 --> 00:13:07,600 this because don't fit What has Christ inherited? 186 00:13:09,100 --> 00:13:12,000 Because if you can understand that, you can say that's set for 187 00:13:12,000 --> 00:13:15,900 me. Christ had a resurrected body. 188 00:13:16,100 --> 00:13:20,900 Check. It says, Incorruptible will 189 00:13:20,900 --> 00:13:23,700 close corruptible. They're gonna get a new body. 190 00:13:25,700 --> 00:13:28,400 I mean, I'm happy about that. Just see me trying to get our 191 00:13:28,400 --> 00:13:33,500 bed this morning. We're getting you resurrected 192 00:13:33,500 --> 00:13:34,300 body. Hallelujah. 193 00:13:34,300 --> 00:13:38,000 We won't see decay. That's good enough. 194 00:13:39,100 --> 00:13:44,000 Christ was glorified, you're gonna be glorified, you're gonna 195 00:13:44,000 --> 00:13:45,200 be lifted up. Really? 196 00:13:45,200 --> 00:13:48,600 Yes, you're a co-heir with Christ, trust me? 197 00:13:48,608 --> 00:13:51,800 It gets better. It says in the scriptures that 198 00:13:51,800 --> 00:13:55,500 Christ will rule and Reign. Can I tell you that you're a 199 00:13:55,500 --> 00:13:59,800 co-heir with that? You are gonna get busy in 200 00:13:59,800 --> 00:14:02,700 eternity, ruling and reigning with Christ. 201 00:14:03,600 --> 00:14:05,800 You know, it says in the scriptures you we will judge 202 00:14:05,800 --> 00:14:07,200 Angels. Did you know that? 203 00:14:07,700 --> 00:14:13,900 I mean, this is what's to come. That's why being his child that 204 00:14:13,900 --> 00:14:16,100 present. Reality gives us such an amazing 205 00:14:16,100 --> 00:14:18,700 future. Hope you think the heaven is 206 00:14:18,700 --> 00:14:20,400 just a place where we play Harps. 207 00:14:20,500 --> 00:14:23,100 You haven't read your Bible. And 208 00:14:47,700 --> 00:14:52,000 I love Father's Day. Cuz that's my prison reality. 209 00:14:54,000 --> 00:14:58,400 That is your future. Hope the riches of Heaven check. 210 00:15:02,400 --> 00:15:05,700 Your present reality. I just want to just drive this 211 00:15:05,700 --> 00:15:10,000 home, your present reality, as a child of God, guarantees you a 212 00:15:10,000 --> 00:15:15,600 future hope of an inheritance. You know, my, my parents live in 213 00:15:15,600 --> 00:15:19,800 Australia. I don't see my father that much. 214 00:15:20,800 --> 00:15:22,900 But I know I have an inheritance coming, I'm his heir. 215 00:15:25,900 --> 00:15:27,100 Bother. If you're watching this. 216 00:15:31,600 --> 00:15:37,400 Don't spend it all. We can't see him, but the 217 00:15:37,400 --> 00:15:45,100 present reality guarantees it Now, this is when Paul takes a 218 00:15:45,108 --> 00:15:48,100 little bit of a turn, I don't mean he faints. 219 00:15:48,100 --> 00:15:51,600 I mean, he takes, he takes the theological change of Direction, 220 00:15:51,600 --> 00:15:55,100 which is the thing that really hit me hard because I was 221 00:15:55,100 --> 00:15:58,800 getting excited to this point and then he says this provided, 222 00:15:58,800 --> 00:16:04,200 whoa, I don't like the word provided That means there's a 223 00:16:04,200 --> 00:16:07,100 condition. Please don't say provided Paul. 224 00:16:07,700 --> 00:16:11,600 I was having so much fun provided, you know where we're 225 00:16:11,600 --> 00:16:13,600 going with this. We suffer with him. 226 00:16:13,600 --> 00:16:19,000 What hold the foam pool? Where I got that phrase. 227 00:16:19,000 --> 00:16:21,200 I'm that is a phrase, right? It is right. 228 00:16:23,300 --> 00:16:27,400 Provided we suffer with him. Listen to this bit, in order 229 00:16:27,400 --> 00:16:30,200 that we may also be glorified with him. 230 00:16:36,100 --> 00:16:39,300 You want to enjoy the glory, then the suffering needs to come 231 00:16:39,300 --> 00:16:42,700 to, I'm sorry, that's the deal. Why is that the case? 232 00:16:42,800 --> 00:16:50,200 Let me tell you, Jesus came, Incarnate Emmanuel God With Us, 233 00:16:50,900 --> 00:16:55,200 fully God, fully human why. So he could identify with us and 234 00:16:55,300 --> 00:16:58,400 take our place on the cross. Right. 235 00:16:58,400 --> 00:17:01,500 He needed to be human in order for that to happen. 236 00:17:01,500 --> 00:17:04,800 Do you get it? And we identity identifies with 237 00:17:04,800 --> 00:17:08,099 us and we love that we love the fact that he is a high priest as 238 00:17:08,099 --> 00:17:11,300 it says in the scriptures, who can identify with us, who knows 239 00:17:11,300 --> 00:17:13,800 what we go through, because he's been through it. 240 00:17:13,900 --> 00:17:16,700 But here's the truth of it, you have to identify with Christ. 241 00:17:17,800 --> 00:17:19,900 That's why Jesus said pick up your cross. 242 00:17:23,099 --> 00:17:25,000 Well, I don't like that gospel message. 243 00:17:25,599 --> 00:17:27,700 It's all about what you did on the cross, Jesus, and giving me 244 00:17:27,700 --> 00:17:29,900 an amazing life, please. Nope. 245 00:17:29,900 --> 00:17:35,900 That isn't biblical. He identifies with us, we 246 00:17:35,900 --> 00:17:45,700 identify with him. I want to be sensitive to 247 00:17:45,700 --> 00:17:51,900 suffering. because, I had the benefit of pastoring, you 248 00:17:51,900 --> 00:17:55,000 wonderful people and I know that I get the opportunity given type 249 00:17:55,000 --> 00:17:57,200 and size of church to sit down with each of you. 250 00:17:57,300 --> 00:17:59,500 But of the many conversations I have with many of you. 251 00:17:59,500 --> 00:18:02,300 I know that everyone is suffering in a way. 252 00:18:05,600 --> 00:18:11,400 In many different ways. And I am not trying to minimize 253 00:18:11,400 --> 00:18:15,300 suffering because it's hard. But what Paul is going to do for 254 00:18:15,300 --> 00:18:19,400 us in a moment, which will look at Is give us a new lens to see 255 00:18:19,408 --> 00:18:22,000 that through. But when Paul talks about 256 00:18:22,000 --> 00:18:24,100 suffering there really are two types of suffering. 257 00:18:24,100 --> 00:18:27,400 And in a kind of in a categorization sent one is a 258 00:18:27,400 --> 00:18:31,200 general sense of suffering, whether you're a child of God 259 00:18:31,200 --> 00:18:34,200 are not a child of God. He says in Ecclesiastes that it 260 00:18:34,200 --> 00:18:37,300 that it's Shines on the righteous and the unrighteous it 261 00:18:37,300 --> 00:18:40,300 rains on the good and the bad. Right there is, we all go 262 00:18:40,300 --> 00:18:44,900 through this world, which is a Fallen World with the, with a 263 00:18:44,908 --> 00:18:47,400 curse on it and so we all experience suffering Being in 264 00:18:47,400 --> 00:18:50,600 one way or another right? But you see Paul is writing to 265 00:18:50,600 --> 00:18:53,600 this to Christians in the church in Rome and this suffering that 266 00:18:53,600 --> 00:18:55,300 he's talking about is a different kind of suffering. 267 00:18:55,300 --> 00:18:58,700 This is a suffering that comes with following Jesus and there's 268 00:18:58,700 --> 00:19:00,900 a few ways. Number one, when we pick up our 269 00:19:00,900 --> 00:19:04,000 cross what does that mean? It means dying to our fleshly 270 00:19:04,000 --> 00:19:09,700 desires dying to ourselves. It means humbling ourselves and 271 00:19:09,700 --> 00:19:11,200 recognizing that God is our creator. 272 00:19:11,900 --> 00:19:14,900 It means saying I'd rather do what's in the word than what the 273 00:19:14,908 --> 00:19:17,100 culture says. It says Iran. 274 00:19:17,200 --> 00:19:21,400 Rather do what God says I should do, rather than what I feel like 275 00:19:21,400 --> 00:19:25,500 I want to do. And that is painful. 276 00:19:27,200 --> 00:19:29,400 That guy interest. Do we really are? 277 00:19:29,400 --> 00:19:32,000 You know, I was had a picture of earlier this morning. 278 00:19:32,000 --> 00:19:35,400 I was thinking about this. I don't think we treat. 279 00:19:35,400 --> 00:19:38,800 I, I'll rephrase it. I don't treat sin as I should. 280 00:19:40,500 --> 00:19:43,600 I almost treat it sometimes if I'm honest with certain things 281 00:19:43,600 --> 00:19:49,500 like a pet snake, It's there in a box or in a cage most of the 282 00:19:49,500 --> 00:19:52,100 time, but sometimes I'll get it out. 283 00:19:52,100 --> 00:19:53,700 So well. As long as I handle it in this 284 00:19:53,700 --> 00:19:55,900 way, or that way, won't buy, it may just be careful. 285 00:19:56,600 --> 00:19:58,800 You've been to those places. I want to show this, you go to a 286 00:19:58,800 --> 00:20:01,000 farm or not Farm. The zoo was some of those and 287 00:20:01,000 --> 00:20:03,900 you and they bring out the snake world just hold it like this, as 288 00:20:03,900 --> 00:20:06,700 long as you won't and we almost treat scene like that. 289 00:20:06,700 --> 00:20:08,700 But as long as I do it like this, it will be okay. 290 00:20:08,700 --> 00:20:11,500 I won't get bitten on that. I've just got to maybe if I do 291 00:20:11,500 --> 00:20:16,800 it once a week, I'll be You'll look at me as if I'm the only 292 00:20:16,800 --> 00:20:19,100 one that does. I probably but you know what I 293 00:20:19,100 --> 00:20:21,400 mean? I think the picture holds we 294 00:20:21,400 --> 00:20:27,100 treat sin, Not realizing the seriousness of sin because 295 00:20:27,100 --> 00:20:30,600 here's a reality, you still get slime off those reptiles, you 296 00:20:30,600 --> 00:20:33,300 might not get bitten. And you probably get bitten at 297 00:20:33,300 --> 00:20:37,300 some point. But dying to self pull. 298 00:20:37,300 --> 00:20:41,400 You know it says in Hebrews that we should throw off every sin 299 00:20:41,400 --> 00:20:45,500 and everything that hinders us from running the race and living 300 00:20:45,500 --> 00:20:50,100 by the spirit that takes effort. It takes determination and it 301 00:20:50,100 --> 00:20:52,200 requires us to go through suffering. 302 00:20:54,800 --> 00:20:57,500 Just the reality. So you want to, you want that 303 00:20:57,500 --> 00:21:00,000 inheritance? You can have to go through that 304 00:21:00,000 --> 00:21:02,200 dying to self. Number two, what else? 305 00:21:02,300 --> 00:21:06,400 Kind of suffering we talkin about making Godly decisions and 306 00:21:06,400 --> 00:21:08,900 say, Lord, I commit my ways onto you and I'll do what you call me 307 00:21:08,900 --> 00:21:10,900 to do. There's going to be sacrificed 308 00:21:10,900 --> 00:21:12,300 in that. Stephen, I have known that. 309 00:21:12,300 --> 00:21:15,000 You guys have known. They different areas, you know, 310 00:21:15,000 --> 00:21:17,000 friends or family members. I don't believe you're doing 311 00:21:17,000 --> 00:21:21,000 that, you're ridiculous. Heap in shame or abuse from 312 00:21:21,000 --> 00:21:25,100 people because of your decision to stand for what is right and 313 00:21:25,100 --> 00:21:28,900 to live a life that glorifies God, there's persecution in 314 00:21:28,900 --> 00:21:32,300 that, that comes, you know, in this present day, there are more 315 00:21:32,300 --> 00:21:36,600 Christians persecuted around the world than any other time in 316 00:21:36,600 --> 00:21:44,600 history for their faith. That's the kind of suffering 317 00:21:44,600 --> 00:21:46,600 that Jesus, is that Paul is talking about. 318 00:21:50,100 --> 00:21:53,600 You know, Chuck Swindoll, some of you may know, he is a, an 319 00:21:53,600 --> 00:21:59,100 American pastor and theologian. He says a Christian is either 320 00:21:59,300 --> 00:22:02,400 going through a trial, coming out of a trial, are going into a 321 00:22:02,408 --> 00:22:06,900 troll. I'm not is the next suffering 322 00:22:06,900 --> 00:22:11,600 which is God puts us through trials kind of a loving heavenly 323 00:22:11,600 --> 00:22:14,700 father is that a kind of loving heavenly father one that wants 324 00:22:14,700 --> 00:22:16,500 to conform you to the likeness of his son? 325 00:22:18,700 --> 00:22:22,200 Psalm 23. Very famous, isn't it? 326 00:22:22,300 --> 00:22:24,300 As I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I fear no 327 00:22:24,300 --> 00:22:25,400 evil for your rod and your staff. 328 00:22:25,400 --> 00:22:26,600 They comfort me. What does that mean? 329 00:22:26,600 --> 00:22:27,900 It means that Jesus led you in there. 330 00:22:31,600 --> 00:22:33,300 I didn't just walked in on my own. 331 00:22:34,000 --> 00:22:37,100 Don't go in the valley, Mark, I'll stay back here, this is 332 00:22:37,108 --> 00:22:38,600 Jesus. Speaking you 333 00:22:48,900 --> 00:22:51,300 being a Christians like a it's like a crutch if you heard that 334 00:22:51,900 --> 00:22:53,100 have you ever have you ever tried? 335 00:22:55,900 --> 00:22:58,300 You got it, easy. My loving. 336 00:22:58,300 --> 00:23:00,900 Father, is conforming me to light it to his son and I'm 337 00:23:00,900 --> 00:23:03,700 bearing fruit in the garden of Trials and you're not there, 338 00:23:03,700 --> 00:23:05,100 fine. Okay, that's your choice. 339 00:23:05,300 --> 00:23:08,000 But hey, I would inherit his coming. 340 00:23:09,100 --> 00:23:11,100 So these are the sufferings. And, you know, we often, as 341 00:23:11,100 --> 00:23:14,100 Christians can come up with this phrase, which is I don't believe 342 00:23:14,100 --> 00:23:16,100 it. I'm a Christian, they're not and 343 00:23:16,100 --> 00:23:19,400 have a better life than me. I have you said this, I suffer 344 00:23:19,400 --> 00:23:21,000 more than them, and I don't know. 345 00:23:21,000 --> 00:23:22,700 Jesus. I'm sorry to say there's a 346 00:23:22,700 --> 00:23:28,100 reason for that. If you're here looking to sign 347 00:23:28,100 --> 00:23:30,600 up to a religion that's going to give you the most easiest of 348 00:23:30,600 --> 00:23:33,900 life than please. I'm sorry to tell you in love, 349 00:23:33,900 --> 00:23:40,000 that's not this religion. But if you're looking for a 350 00:23:40,000 --> 00:23:43,900 place of peace and of comfort and of growing in Christ and 351 00:23:43,900 --> 00:23:46,100 having a restored relationship with the creator of the 352 00:23:46,100 --> 00:23:48,100 universe, then good news are in the right place. 353 00:23:49,500 --> 00:23:52,500 So that's the suffering. And then Paul goes on you with 354 00:23:52,500 --> 00:23:53,800 me. Good. 355 00:23:53,800 --> 00:23:57,700 All right. Where we up to verse 18 for now 356 00:23:57,700 --> 00:24:02,200 this is interesting. It's as if as Theologian pool 357 00:24:02,300 --> 00:24:04,400 all of a sudden goes, I've just realized what I said, let me put 358 00:24:04,400 --> 00:24:07,000 my pastors hat on this is what's going on here? 359 00:24:07,600 --> 00:24:10,600 We got pour the pasta now. For listen guys, listen, I 360 00:24:10,608 --> 00:24:15,700 consider that the present suffering It's not worth 361 00:24:15,700 --> 00:24:19,200 comparing with the glory. That is to be revealed in US. 362 00:24:23,800 --> 00:24:25,000 Well, you don't know what I'm going through. 363 00:24:27,200 --> 00:24:29,500 Paul says, I've been Shipwrecked Shipwrecked in one be 364 00:24:29,500 --> 00:24:32,100 Shipwrecked. I've been battered and bruised 365 00:24:32,100 --> 00:24:34,700 and beaten and persecuted and locked up. 366 00:24:36,500 --> 00:24:38,500 I don't think I can survive on any of those. 367 00:24:39,700 --> 00:24:45,700 Paulie said, hi. I consider that the sufferings 368 00:24:45,700 --> 00:24:49,500 I've been through. Let's compare him. 369 00:24:50,600 --> 00:24:53,100 And I think this is very interesting and as I said 370 00:24:53,100 --> 00:24:55,400 before, I don't want to be insensitive to the sufferings 371 00:24:55,400 --> 00:24:59,400 we're going through. This is a pastoral instruction 372 00:24:59,400 --> 00:25:01,900 for how we deal with suffering, because I think this is very 373 00:25:01,900 --> 00:25:03,900 interesting. How do we deal with suffering? 374 00:25:04,400 --> 00:25:06,200 Well, there's a few ways we have coping mechanism. 375 00:25:06,200 --> 00:25:08,900 Number one, we compare ourselves to other people's suffering. 376 00:25:10,400 --> 00:25:12,200 Thank God. It's not like Joe down the road 377 00:25:12,200 --> 00:25:18,200 because man, he is got it bad. Thank god. 378 00:25:18,200 --> 00:25:20,200 Listen, did you hear about Sarah's? 379 00:25:20,200 --> 00:25:23,700 I mean, I know we've got it, you know, we could we try and help 380 00:25:23,700 --> 00:25:26,900 ourselves and I get why we do it because we try and put things in 381 00:25:26,900 --> 00:25:29,000 perspective and there's some value in that. 382 00:25:29,400 --> 00:25:31,600 The problem is, you can't keep doing that because the suffering 383 00:25:31,600 --> 00:25:36,200 still comes up. How else do we do with 384 00:25:36,200 --> 00:25:39,900 suffering? Well, I'm one of those annoying 385 00:25:39,900 --> 00:25:43,200 people that is either ignores the suffering because I can't 386 00:25:43,200 --> 00:25:45,600 deal with it. That's my coping mechanism. 387 00:25:45,600 --> 00:25:48,800 Ignore it, and it won't hurt me. All I do is I seem to just the 388 00:25:48,800 --> 00:25:51,000 bottle it until it gets to Breaking Point. 389 00:25:51,000 --> 00:25:52,300 Anyone else I made that bit hands up? 390 00:25:53,800 --> 00:25:56,700 Or glass is always half full. It's fine. 391 00:25:56,700 --> 00:26:00,300 It's not that big a deal. It'll blow over no Mark. 392 00:26:00,300 --> 00:26:04,200 It's quite serious, whatever. Just how it is. 393 00:26:04,200 --> 00:26:05,900 How I'm wired. So we deal with suffered in 394 00:26:05,900 --> 00:26:08,000 different ways but Paul is giving us a different way. 395 00:26:08,100 --> 00:26:11,200 He's saying this don't compare your suffering with a temporal 396 00:26:11,200 --> 00:26:13,100 stuff. I've got a way better plan for 397 00:26:13,100 --> 00:26:20,100 you compare it with eternity. Listen, he say live your lives. 398 00:26:22,300 --> 00:26:24,300 With your eyes on your future, hope. 399 00:26:25,500 --> 00:26:27,900 Stop thinking about this world so much. 400 00:26:29,000 --> 00:26:31,200 Stop thinking that this is your home. 401 00:26:34,200 --> 00:26:38,400 Stop thinking that this is all there is it says in the Bible 402 00:26:38,400 --> 00:26:42,800 that we're here for a moment. If you fully understand, pull it 403 00:26:42,808 --> 00:26:44,600 toward you saying this paraphrasing. 404 00:26:44,600 --> 00:26:47,900 Of course, if you fully understood the fact that you're 405 00:26:47,900 --> 00:26:51,600 a child of God, if you get that your present reality, then you 406 00:26:51,600 --> 00:26:56,300 have to understand that you have an amazing inheritance waiting 407 00:26:56,300 --> 00:26:59,500 for you. And once you walk into it, man 408 00:26:59,500 --> 00:27:05,000 alive, this is going to seem like naught to you Clearly a lot 409 00:27:05,000 --> 00:27:10,100 of paraphrase in there. you know what in the Scripture it says 410 00:27:10,200 --> 00:27:12,600 you know just like labor pains you know, when you have the when 411 00:27:12,600 --> 00:27:14,500 childbirth when you've got the child, the mother kind of 412 00:27:14,500 --> 00:27:25,100 remember the pie mean Fortune the point being is it's worth it 413 00:27:25,100 --> 00:27:27,900 and you don't you don't think about it really do you because 414 00:27:27,900 --> 00:27:30,000 you're like wow look at this baby. 415 00:27:30,000 --> 00:27:33,600 It was worth it. Paul saying listen, I consider 416 00:27:33,600 --> 00:27:37,000 the present suffering. Nothing just fix your eyes on 417 00:27:37,008 --> 00:27:40,800 Jesus and I've got to tell you. This coping mechanism is 418 00:27:40,800 --> 00:27:47,500 brilliant. I use it a lot. a lot y because 419 00:27:47,500 --> 00:27:52,700 I live in with lenses of Eternity not temporal The 420 00:27:52,700 --> 00:27:54,700 problem we have is we don't want to get to heaven. 421 00:27:56,900 --> 00:27:58,200 What does it? What does he mean by that? 422 00:28:00,500 --> 00:28:04,700 Let me say it this way. The early church, they knew 423 00:28:04,700 --> 00:28:07,200 Jesus was coming again, and they were properly excited. 424 00:28:08,100 --> 00:28:11,600 Then a generation kind of went and the people that they love to 425 00:28:11,600 --> 00:28:13,700 a Christian side. I'm there like, oh my word. 426 00:28:14,700 --> 00:28:16,200 They died before. Jesus came. 427 00:28:16,300 --> 00:28:20,100 This is bad news. So they inadvertently reach out 428 00:28:20,100 --> 00:28:21,600 to Paul. Who would have planted them? 429 00:28:21,600 --> 00:28:23,100 This is a church in thessalonica. 430 00:28:23,300 --> 00:28:26,200 And you know 1 Thessalonians is the first epistle. 431 00:28:26,200 --> 00:28:28,900 The first letter that Paul wrote and in it he dresses the 432 00:28:28,900 --> 00:28:31,900 questions as listen, don't worry about it because those who have 433 00:28:31,900 --> 00:28:33,900 died will be raised first and then we will raise in a 434 00:28:34,000 --> 00:28:37,600 twinkling of I talking about the Rapture that moment when We are 435 00:28:37,600 --> 00:28:41,200 brought up taken up to be with the Lord because Jesus said, I 436 00:28:41,208 --> 00:28:44,100 go to prepare a place for you. Where my father's house is 437 00:28:44,100 --> 00:28:46,600 there, you will be also. And so, Paul is saying like 438 00:28:46,600 --> 00:28:49,500 this, when we talked about this, when I Church planted you it's 439 00:28:49,500 --> 00:28:51,600 interesting, isn't it? That Endtime stuff isn't in 440 00:28:51,600 --> 00:28:53,200 church planting syllabuses these days. 441 00:28:53,800 --> 00:28:59,000 Anyway, as a side note, Paul is saying, listen, don't worry. 442 00:28:59,500 --> 00:29:02,400 Jesus is going to come for all of us but you know what, we 443 00:29:02,400 --> 00:29:03,800 don't live like that anymore, do we? 444 00:29:04,800 --> 00:29:08,000 Do we really are? We really eagerly waiting for 445 00:29:08,000 --> 00:29:09,100 when Jesus is going to come again? 446 00:29:09,200 --> 00:29:12,800 I'm just asking that question. Do we really actually want him 447 00:29:12,800 --> 00:29:14,400 to? Because next Monday is going to 448 00:29:14,400 --> 00:29:16,500 be fantastic. And next Sunday, I'm going on 449 00:29:16,500 --> 00:29:18,800 holiday. So if you could wait until 450 00:29:19,000 --> 00:29:23,500 following Tuesday, that would be fantastic. the reason we think 451 00:29:23,500 --> 00:29:30,400 like that is because we haven't got the right glasses on Why is 452 00:29:30,400 --> 00:29:33,000 it in the Scriptures? It says eagerly await. 453 00:29:33,900 --> 00:29:36,600 Why is it in the Scripture? It says be alert and of 454 00:29:36,600 --> 00:29:39,300 sober-minded keeping watch for when Jesus is going to come. 455 00:29:39,300 --> 00:29:41,800 Why? Because it's good news because 456 00:29:41,800 --> 00:29:46,100 we won our inheritance because we're not of this world. 457 00:29:46,200 --> 00:29:49,200 Why are you an ambassador? An ambassador is posted in a 458 00:29:49,208 --> 00:29:52,300 foreign country. This is not your home. 459 00:29:56,000 --> 00:30:01,400 I'm down, mark. You know, c.s. 460 00:30:01,400 --> 00:30:04,200 Lewis said this. The fact that our heart yearns 461 00:30:04,200 --> 00:30:09,500 for something Earth. Cannot Supply is proof that 462 00:30:09,500 --> 00:30:16,400 Heaven Must Be our home. the fact that our heart yearns for 463 00:30:16,400 --> 00:30:23,000 something Earth, cannot Supply is proof that Heaven Must Be 464 00:30:30,700 --> 00:30:34,000 First nineteen as I attempt to bring this plane into a land for 465 00:30:34,000 --> 00:30:36,200 the creation, Waits with eager longing, for the revealing of 466 00:30:36,200 --> 00:30:38,200 the sons of God, for the creation was subjected to 467 00:30:38,200 --> 00:30:42,200 futility, not willingly, but because of him who subjected it 468 00:30:42,200 --> 00:30:46,500 in hope that the creation itself will be set free from its 469 00:30:46,500 --> 00:30:50,200 bondage to corruption and obtain the freedom of the glory of the 470 00:30:50,200 --> 00:30:51,600 children of God. For. 471 00:30:51,600 --> 00:30:54,100 We know that the whole creation has been groaning together in 472 00:30:54,100 --> 00:30:56,600 the Pains of childbirth until now side point. 473 00:30:57,200 --> 00:31:00,400 His Sports and listen, it's not just you who are grown in when 474 00:31:00,400 --> 00:31:02,900 suffering the world is as well. You know, the world is put under 475 00:31:02,900 --> 00:31:09,800 a curse Creation itself is under the curse and God is going to 476 00:31:09,800 --> 00:31:12,800 redeem this Earth as well as redeeming us. 477 00:31:12,800 --> 00:31:15,300 That is why there will be a new Heaven and a new Earth, right? 478 00:31:17,000 --> 00:31:21,300 Side note, we are called to be good stewards of this Earth. 479 00:31:21,300 --> 00:31:26,600 Not to save it. You want a theological 480 00:31:26,600 --> 00:31:29,500 understanding? Then please read your Bible. 481 00:31:30,800 --> 00:31:33,600 You are not cool to say the planet, I understand the 482 00:31:33,600 --> 00:31:35,500 language. And I get that it motivates 483 00:31:35,500 --> 00:31:37,300 people are not, you know, and I understand why. 484 00:31:38,900 --> 00:31:41,700 But you can't save it because it's heading in One Direction. 485 00:31:41,700 --> 00:31:43,300 That's why. Jesus says, in the end times 486 00:31:43,300 --> 00:31:45,500 will be earthquakes in is crazy prank. 487 00:31:45,500 --> 00:31:47,600 Places will be pestilence and plague. 488 00:31:47,800 --> 00:31:51,500 This planet is under a curse now that doesn't obligate abrogate 489 00:31:51,500 --> 00:31:55,800 our responsibility to be good stewards And they have been 490 00:31:55,900 --> 00:31:58,900 historically, parts of the Evangelical Church that of use 491 00:31:58,900 --> 00:32:00,600 that to say. Well, we'll do what we like with 492 00:32:00,600 --> 00:32:02,200 the planet. I'm not saying that we need to 493 00:32:02,200 --> 00:32:03,800 be very good stewards and we haven't been. 494 00:32:04,500 --> 00:32:08,300 But can I just say that God is going to save this planet? 495 00:32:09,200 --> 00:32:14,300 Not us, you're not the Creator. He is That's just a side note. 496 00:32:15,100 --> 00:32:18,600 I hope that's helpful. Open 21 noises out of joint. 497 00:32:20,000 --> 00:32:22,100 Remind me to remove my email address from the website this 498 00:32:22,100 --> 00:32:27,000 week. But you, but listen, I just want 499 00:32:27,000 --> 00:32:30,100 you to hear my heart on this. Let's have a good theological 500 00:32:30,100 --> 00:32:32,300 understanding of our place in creation. 501 00:32:32,900 --> 00:32:34,700 Okay. God is going to redeem. 502 00:32:34,700 --> 00:32:36,900 Everything and that is good news. 503 00:32:37,400 --> 00:32:44,800 And Spirit Pentecost? Was that first fruits of the 504 00:32:44,808 --> 00:32:49,500 spirit we groan inwardly as we eagerly await adoption as Sons. 505 00:32:49,500 --> 00:32:53,200 The Redemption of our bodies that's the inheritance for in 506 00:32:53,200 --> 00:32:59,000 this hope we were say, you see, The first fruits when you are 507 00:32:59,000 --> 00:33:01,800 harvesting, you'd go out to harvest and get a bit to 508 00:33:01,800 --> 00:33:03,900 demonstrate the, you can have a fantastic Harvest. 509 00:33:03,900 --> 00:33:08,200 That was the first fruits. What we are experiencing now 510 00:33:08,900 --> 00:33:11,900 from Pentecost till now the church age or the dispensation, 511 00:33:11,900 --> 00:33:14,700 which means a time period of what we call, Grace is the first 512 00:33:14,700 --> 00:33:17,200 fruits. But that is a promise of the 513 00:33:17,200 --> 00:33:19,700 Harvest that is to come because God's going to bring in his 514 00:33:19,700 --> 00:33:22,200 Harvest and he will separate the wheat from the chaff. 515 00:33:24,700 --> 00:33:26,700 He's going to bring his children to him. 516 00:33:29,000 --> 00:33:32,300 And so we inwardly grown for that, you know, I have times 517 00:33:32,300 --> 00:33:35,900 where I look at this world. I look at the suffering and I 518 00:33:35,908 --> 00:33:39,600 just say, God would you come Maranatha? 519 00:33:39,600 --> 00:33:44,300 God, would you come? That is such a Biblical 520 00:33:44,300 --> 00:33:50,200 response, eagerly groaning. I will challenge you to say. 521 00:33:50,400 --> 00:33:52,200 Maybe you're not grown in enough for God. 522 00:33:52,900 --> 00:33:56,800 Maybe you've got yourself so comfortable in this world that 523 00:33:56,800 --> 00:33:59,500 you've got yourself. So, rooted in living by the 524 00:33:59,500 --> 00:34:03,100 flesh that quite frankly, the concept of Jesus coming again, 525 00:34:03,100 --> 00:34:06,500 puts you off. I don't want to offend you but 526 00:34:06,500 --> 00:34:10,000 as your pastor, I need to do some doctors work. 527 00:34:11,100 --> 00:34:15,699 Because if you let that, if you let that grow your going to get 528 00:34:15,699 --> 00:34:18,800 more and more detached from the hope that comes. 529 00:34:18,800 --> 00:34:22,199 You see this? Because when you dwell on the 530 00:34:22,199 --> 00:34:26,500 intelligence that comes and the father who loves you hope rises 531 00:34:26,500 --> 00:34:31,600 in the midst of suffering. If you look to this world to 532 00:34:31,600 --> 00:34:34,900 help you with your suffering, you might get a quick hit in my 533 00:34:34,900 --> 00:34:38,100 help for a moment, but it is not a future hope that you can live 534 00:34:38,100 --> 00:34:41,600 by. And what I love about what Paul 535 00:34:41,600 --> 00:34:46,000 has done here, as as we end is that he's saying he's given us a 536 00:34:46,199 --> 00:34:48,500 perspective on. This is a good news, your 537 00:34:48,500 --> 00:34:52,300 current present reality. If you have said, yes to Jesus, 538 00:34:52,500 --> 00:34:55,500 is that you are adopted and he is your father, that is the 539 00:34:55,500 --> 00:34:58,700 present reality but it doesn't stop. 540 00:34:59,300 --> 00:35:03,800 In fact, The Best Is Yet To Come, you have a future, hope 541 00:35:03,800 --> 00:35:06,700 and a glory and inheritance that wait for you. 542 00:35:06,700 --> 00:35:09,900 So stick your eyes on Jesus. Fix him. 543 00:35:10,000 --> 00:35:13,200 Fix your eyes on Jesus. That's what Paul is saying. 544 00:35:14,600 --> 00:35:18,800 And I think for some of us, I speak to myself, I need to 545 00:35:18,800 --> 00:35:22,200 re-orientate how I see this world and this life that I lead 546 00:35:22,200 --> 00:35:26,100 right now. Because this is an opportunity 547 00:35:26,100 --> 00:35:30,000 for me. To offer a sacrifice of praise 548 00:35:30,000 --> 00:35:32,900 in the suffering. Because when we get to heaven, 549 00:35:33,200 --> 00:35:36,800 we won't have that opportunity to sacrifice where it hurts. 550 00:35:37,700 --> 00:35:40,000 I don't want to get to him and I go, I wish I could have showed 551 00:35:40,000 --> 00:35:41,900 you Lord. How much I loved you in spite of 552 00:35:41,900 --> 00:35:43,600 the difficulty. I don't want to miss that 553 00:35:43,600 --> 00:35:46,500 opportunity. That's what this time gives us 554 00:35:46,900 --> 00:35:50,300 this time, gives us an opportunity to grow in our faith 555 00:35:50,300 --> 00:35:52,900 and our giftings. And to save the lost to fulfill 556 00:35:52,900 --> 00:35:56,300 the Great Commission that is our present reality as sons and 557 00:35:56,300 --> 00:35:58,800 daughters. But that is just almost like the 558 00:35:58,800 --> 00:36:03,700 first second. Of an amazing journey that is 559 00:36:03,700 --> 00:36:07,200 about to come as we inherit what God has for us. 560 00:36:08,700 --> 00:36:11,900 I'd like us to Bow our heads as I pray and Lizzie had a 561 00:36:11,900 --> 00:36:14,500 fantastic idea rather than the band come up and we're going to 562 00:36:14,500 --> 00:36:17,900 sing a song. There's a wonderful song, A 563 00:36:17,900 --> 00:36:22,200 Vineyard song about being a child of God and the lyrics, the 564 00:36:22,200 --> 00:36:28,500 words are just so powerful. And I just want us to receive. 565 00:36:29,700 --> 00:36:31,600 I'm going to pray that the Holy Spirit would come and then we're 566 00:36:31,600 --> 00:36:34,500 going to play this song. But as you do this I want you to 567 00:36:34,500 --> 00:36:39,400 allow the holy spirit in you to reveal areas in your life where 568 00:36:40,000 --> 00:36:42,500 you need to either repent. Say Lord I just turn from that 569 00:36:42,500 --> 00:36:45,800 and I turned towards you and allow the Holy Spirit to pour 570 00:36:45,800 --> 00:36:51,500 his love into you and the realization that you are a child 571 00:36:51,500 --> 00:36:52,500 of God. Let me pray. 572 00:36:54,200 --> 00:36:58,400 Lord, we are so grateful for the good news, which is that Jesus 573 00:36:58,400 --> 00:37:03,100 has restored our sonship, our daughter ship with a father who 574 00:37:03,100 --> 00:37:06,400 loves us. I'm so grateful. 575 00:37:06,400 --> 00:37:12,200 Lord, that we are yours and that we are co-heirs with Christ. 576 00:37:14,300 --> 00:37:19,500 That is an amazing future hope that is guaranteed because of 577 00:37:19,500 --> 00:37:21,600 our present reality as your child. 578 00:37:22,800 --> 00:37:25,800 I pray, holy spirit that, as we listen to this song, you will 579 00:37:25,800 --> 00:37:30,100 minister to our hearts. I ask that you would come. 580 00:37:30,300 --> 00:37:23,900 Oh, Lord, thank you, Jesus. I pray, holy spirit that, as we 581 00:37:23,900 --> 00:37:28,000 listen to this song, you will minister to our hearts. 582 00:37:28,300 --> 00:37:31,800 I ask that you would come. Oh, Lord, thank you, Jesus.