The Future of the Promised Land
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All right, we're in Ephesians Chapter 4 and this is what I like to call a list sermon.
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They're oftentimes one of my favorites because there's often not a a lot of like a grammar issues and translation issues.
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You have to work through, but frankly you get to preach through a list of items, each each one, oftentimes.
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Being really fun to kind of explore different illustrations and things like that.
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So this is a list sermon.
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And I've been thinking a lot about the subject of unity, since it will be a list of things that we are united in.
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And as I've been thinking about unity, one of the reasons I even chose the book of Ephesians was to get to this passage.
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So this is sort of the years in coming.
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I've been wanting to talk about our oneness because we've lived and gone through a very fracturing polarizing time, not only.
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In our churches, but in our nation and in the world.
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And So what a better subject to try and speak into than the sun.
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Object of unity.
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So I was going to hit it really hard.
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This idea of.
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You know, pulling together as a church.
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But as I got closer and closer to getting to Ephesians 4, it just became clear.
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You know you're if you're looking for like a silver bullet like you just preached a couple of sermons.
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On unity and all of a sudden, everyone's going to be united. Just think about all the other things you preach about.
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Does that you know?
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Is it just you preach once about putting your hope in Christ and all of a sudden no one ever has any trouble putting the hope in Christ you you preach a couple of times about, you know, loving your neighbor and all of a sudden we're perfect at loving your neighbor.
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So I had kind of this false idea coming into this, as if there is a instant remedy or shortcut.
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To being united as Christians, it's just like any other subject of Christ.
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And belief and and faith that you oftentimes need to hear it multiple times in different ways and have God bring that that that conviction to you from this angle and that angle.
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And from this portion of your life and through this trial, so on the one hand I'm I'm really excited to talk about church.
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Andy and it's important to Paul because he's leading.
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He is himself leading up to it.
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You have 3 chapters of of theology and doctrine about who God is and and the pinnacle conclusion he has or the first conclusion he has in terms of application is you.
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Sitting at the same time, I know that in our hearts it's difficult to sometimes truly grasp anything and so I I say all that because there was a a pull in my heart to think, OK, you're going to preach about this and then you're going to launch into this whole thing.
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About church unity, you got the business meeting coming out at the end of February going to.
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You know, cast this.
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Vision about our church.
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United and standing against the culture and all this stuff.
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We don't have to do.
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I mean, if you can just make it through the sermon this morning, not fall asleep.
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If if you can.
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If you can make it through and just and just have been compelled by one word or one sentence, that's enough for me.
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I I really hope.
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I don't ever.
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Come across like I'm trying to bully people into obeying the Lord.
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Now, should we obey the Lord?
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Yes, but no one should ever have to be bullied into that.
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So I do want to ask start by asking a few questions though and you can write down the answers on your notes.
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We can talk about it a little bit more.
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You know, during fellowship time, but in your mind what?
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What does unity look like in the church?
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I I can't tell you how much I've thought about this over the past weeks and months and even years.
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Just what?
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What would unity in the church look alike?
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Does it mean that there's no cliques, because every church has cliques?
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Every church has little groups that do this, and and a group of friends that does that.
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People who came to the church together and so they naturally gravitate towards each other.
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There's people who form based on mutual age range.
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You got the young marrieds or the young families together.
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Is unity in a church?
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Meaning there's never any cliques.
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Little little groups that kind of naturally form together and have sort of, you know, not not completely closed off to other people, but this is this is your group is that unity.
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Is it unity if?
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All of us.
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Looked and acted the same.
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In other words, it was very clear that we.
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Were all of.
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Say 1 ethnicity, and in fact we're one subsection of it that looked the same way.
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I mean, would it be you truly united if we all came in and we're all wearing even the same clothes?
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And the same outfit, just like teams, have a a uniform to show that they are.
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Would that be unity is unity that we agree on everything that we don't do anything until 100% of the people of ICC say yes we are behind this?
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Or is unity?
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When only when everyone is fully participating in in an event, so we don't have unity unless everyone is here Sunday morning, they can they can be.
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And So what does that mean about Sunday evening, where it's much smaller group or a Bible study?
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I mean, is it only unity if we're all there?
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So I I've been trying to figure this out.
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The elders have been sometimes racking our brains about how do we.
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How do we draw people together?
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How do we convince and persuade people?
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It's worth it to get involved in each other's lives or break down some of these walls. And it's funny because that quote last week was in last week's bulletin. I think I mentioned in the sermon to that Johnny Erickson taught.
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Gave completely, just blows up all of those questions and thoughts, and even when I prefaced about yeah, I'm going.
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To you know.
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I'm I'm waiting to get to effusions for and talk about unity and urges to unity and and she said if you forgot the quote.
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Believers are never told to become one.
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We already are one and are expected to act like it.
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I don't need to try and make US1.
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We already are.
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Are we acting like it?
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Maybe that's where we could use a reminder, but if I need to do some big push or drive for unity or Oneness II in a sense, I don't need to.
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If you're a Christian, we're already in it together.
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Whether you like.
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That or not 41.
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But there is a benefit to acting like it.
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In fact, we could very much define the Christian life of acting like what Our Calling is.
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Remember, that's how Ephesians four starts.
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I urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you've been called.
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You are already called a child of God as we have been memorizing.
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Moments 816 and 17.
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We are already heirs with Christ.
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Fellow heirs with him.
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That is true.
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You don't earn that you don't get there.
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We are that.
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So how are you going to live?
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That's always the question we are already one.
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I don't if I need to persuade you of that it all it takes is to say when you believe in Jesus, you are part of his family.
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That's it.
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You didn't ask for that.
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You are now.
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In this mass together.
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Are we going to act like it?
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So really, what we're going to talk about in this list, and it'll go somewhat fast.
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I think seven ways we're not gonna get to the 7th today.
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Actually, seven ways were already won and are expected to act like it from Ephesians 4.
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We'll just jump right in and seasons 4/4.
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Paul says there is one body and one spirit.
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The first
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Illustration or first reminder that Paul gives is that we are.
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Already one body.
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And we are to act like that now. We've talked about this many times before, especially in the context of Ephesians, Ephesians 123, Ephesians 214 through 16, Ephesians 36. It's always this context of what Jews and Gentiles now coming together as one.
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And this is controversial.
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You could say because Jews and Gentiles are so different, they are opposite groups.
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As far as the Bible is concerned, these are east and West.
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Never the two shall meet, and yet they were common in needing salvation, the same way from God.
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Because the Bible is crystal clear that Jews and Gentiles alike are sinners, for all of their oppositeness, for all of their being on completely different sides.
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As far as the Bible is concerned, yet they share this in common.
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They are all sinners and eyes of God, and so this very one thing that brings them in common.
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Their sin also unites them in their need of a savior.
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And so these two very different groups now are because of Jesus in one body and all believers we've talked about.
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This before too.
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All believers are part of 1 body.
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We call this the Universal Church.
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It's catechism question.
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Even a few weeks ago that all Christians.
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Everywhere and at every time past present, future, we all make up this single body and when you really, really think of that beautiful picture.
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Of people from every tribe, tongue and nation all across the globe.
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Those who have passed away.
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And those who will be all of us being together, that's a truly beautiful tapestry and picture.
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And so Paul is saying, act like it act like that's meaningful to you.
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Act like that's something that's true in your life.
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How do you do that?
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Well, one of Paul's favorite illustrations of the church and church life is a body. We read it in First Corinthians Chapter 12, where he uses that.
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Illustration that we're all members of 1 body.
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We all need each other.
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The eye can't say to the hand.
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I don't need you right or the the ear can't say to the foot because I'm not a foot.
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I'm not as good, no.
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The beauty of a body being an illustration is that while the your body is whole and one it is united.
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It's made-up of so many different parts that function in so many different ways. It's truly incredible when you think about your body and all the different.
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The things that they do.
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All the different things your your organs and your fingers and your your ears.
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Even though the tiny hairs in your nose they all have a function and a purpose, they all are doing so and they're so different from each other.
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And yet they're part of 1 body.
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That's beautiful.
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That's glorious.
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So what does that mean about us?
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It it means that at.
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Least one part of.
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Unity is not necessarily that we all look the same.
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They're all cookie cutter that we all have.
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To be good at the.
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Same things that we all are.
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Exactly, you know equivalent and experience.
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Or or or gift things.
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No, we could be very different, but for part of 1 body it means that we are all moving and working together.
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That's how we.
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Act like it.
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We appreciate the differences.
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We give glory and honor to the things even that are not.
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What I'm good at?
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We don't just be jealous or resentful, but we thank the Lord that he's brought so many different kinds of people together into one and that the one thing that unites us is is not how clever we are, or how spiritual we are, but just that we are sinners.
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We are of 1 spirit. Now we we have talked about this many times before as well and Ephesians 218 through him.
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We both have access in one spirit to the father in verse 22 of Ephesians 2IN him you also are being built together into a dwelling place for God by the spirit.
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We talked about last week, eager to maintain the unity of the spirit and the bond of peace.
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The spirit is all about bringing together.
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Maybe you have been a part of a friend group where there was that one person who was always the one that was initiating.
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The interactions, planning and inviting people to events.
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They're always trying to get people together.
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The glue of.
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The group, or the tortilla that's holding the burrito together?
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Just that person in your group.
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Maybe you can think of him.
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Now I'm not trying to diminish the Holy Spirit by making an analogy to to the glue, but he is the person of the.
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Trinity that is always active.
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In connecting people to the Lord.
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And connecting people to each other we don't have access to the father.
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Without them we don't have peace with each other without him.
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The spirit is what?
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Brings us here.
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The spirit drew us to Christ.
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The spirit exposed our sins and our need for a savior.
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The spirit illuminated our hearts and regenerated us made us born again.
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That's all.
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The spirits work now.
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Maybe it's hard to imagine, and I've.
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Thought about this.
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Thought to you, what does it really mean?
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To live.
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In a spirit filled kind of way, I know that there are certainly some like a denominations that would have a very.
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That their understanding of that is very.
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Experiential and and maybe very obvious things like speaking in tongues or or healing and things like that and and yet that's not normative as far as I think, the expectation of the church when you see what spiritual living is throughout the Bible.
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It's maybe easier to understand.
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By contrast, like what is not spiritual living versus what is spiritual living?
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Go to Galatians chapter 5.
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Maybe that seems a little bit nebulous to you, but.
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Galatians is just before Ephesians, so just a couple of pages to the left.
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Here's what spirit filled living is by way of contrast to what is not spirit filled living.
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Alright Galatians 5 starting in verse 15 or 16, but I say walk by the spirit and you will not gratify the desires of the of the flesh.
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So it's the opposite of spirit filled living.
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It's fleshly living.
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What does fleshly living look like?
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Well, for the desires of the flesh are against the spirit.
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The desires of the spirit are against the flesh, for these are opposed to each other.
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To keep you from doing the things you want to do.
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But if you are led by the spirit, you are not under the law.
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Now the works of the flesh are evident.
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So here's the list.
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Sexual immorality.
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Impurity sensuality idolatry sorcery enmity.
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Life jealousy fits of anger, rivalries, dissensions, divisions, envy, drunkenness, and things like these.
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I warn you, as I warned you before, that those who do such things will not inherit the Kingdom of God.
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So what is not being of 1 spirit look like?
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So it looks like that list now when it.
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Some of those things I think not a problem.
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Sorcery probably not going to be a problem, but then you see it right there along with jealousy, strife, fits of anger and you see you're going to see yourself somewhere in here.
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Maybe it's not all of them.
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Maybe it's not most of them, but you are going to fit some of those.
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That's not spiritual living.
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That's not being one in spirit.
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In contrast, what is spiritual living? Verse 22 the fruit of the spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such things there is no law. Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh.
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With its passions and desires.
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Spiritual living being of 1 spirit, that that isn't something that is some heightened experience for the most mature Christians or the the most advanced.
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You know Christians, once you graduate from all this low level, you know learning the the the fundamentals kind of stuff, no?
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Spiritual living you don't really move past love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.
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That is what being of 1 spirit would look like as opposed to that other list.
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If we are of 1 spirit, we should act like we have been brought together and have been borne by this one spirit.
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Back in Ephesians you have this statement by Paul, just as you were called to 1 hope that belongs to your call.
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When we were called by God.
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Hearing and responding to the gospel, we were immediately brought into a unity.
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Of hope with.
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All others who have been called by God.
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There's a common destiny that we share as we've talked about already.
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We have a common inheritance as children of God to have eternal life, the share and the glory of Christ.
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We have one common hope, one common desire now.
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If I asked you what do you hope happens in 2023 or what do you hope would happen by the time you're 304050607080, I think we'd probably get 100 different answers.
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We all have very diverse things that we are looking forward to that we would like to happen that we would that we would enjoy seeing come to pass.
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Whether you're looking at your your your house or your investments, or your family, or your career wildly different goals.
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Would be represented.
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But Paul is reminding us if you've been.
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Called by the Lord.
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We've all entered into one common hope.
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One common destiny and desire.
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Whatever our little goals here on Earth might be, and as much investment of time and effort we make into those, we should never lose sight that there is one hope common to us all that all who have been called by God will be justified, sanctified, glorified.
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And will be with him in heaven for eternity.
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How should that change us?
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How should having one hope change the dynamic of our church?
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Well, OK, I'm not a. I'm not a super. I'm not a football fan really. I know the Super Bowl's coming up. It always catches me by surprise.
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'cause I just I don't really follow it.
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I know it sometime in February.
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So it always sneaks up on me, but the way I understand it, you know fans of one team.
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They're sharing a common hope right that their team will win.
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That is what they desire.
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That's what they long for.
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That's what they're expecting this common hope.
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It allows them to cheer together, yell at the bad call together.
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Endure the stress together.
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There's just something about it that makes them willing to pull alongside even strangers when you go to a stadium when you know that they're on the same team hoping for the same conclusion that immediately bonds you together and you know if you don't know anything else about them, that if if your team wins.
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You know you're gonna be you're gonna be so excited for them.
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You know you're sharing that that glory and that enthusiasm, right?
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Now, unlike the Super Bowl champion the Christian, we don't have any question about who wins, so I know hope you can have the idea when we use it, it's for an outcome that you would like to happen, but in the Bible the word hope is used to refer to God's plans that will happen that haven't happened yet.
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That they will happen, and our attitude about it.
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So what would it look like if we all acted like we all really believe that our future was assured and that it was going to be glorious and good that we share that in common?
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Even if we share no other goals in common, if we say, but you know what?
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I'm looking forward to that day.
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When I see Christ face to face.
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Well, I think there's something that builds warmth.
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And and enthusiasm with each other.
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We're all in this together.
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In other words, we'd be saying we're going to make it.
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I need you to remind me when I'm going through the hard time that there is a hope in heaven and it's the same one that you have so.
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You can speak to it.
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You see me discouraged or you see someone else down.
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You all share a common hope, you know.
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What to say?
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It's when you have a common destiny you can point to that and.
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Say, but don't worry, it'll be worth it all.
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It's my hope too.
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When we get distracted about what we should be focusing on.
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Do we or do we not have a common goal that we can remind ourselves what's important?
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What are we trying to do here?
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It happens a lot in in our in our elder meetings because we can get very bogged down by the minutiae by the by the details by leaky roofs and and and you know.
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The carpets tore up and and those kinds of things, and so oftentimes some of one of us will have to step.
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Back and say what are we really here about?
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We're trying to make disciples.
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You know, we're trying to glorify God and teach people to put their hope in him.
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OK, so then how does this drive towards that goal?
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It recentered us.
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Re prioritizes us.
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It refocuses us when we can say yeah that you know what that's my hope too.
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Let's get there together.
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It's very unifying to have one hope with each other.
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Furthermore, Paul says we have one Lord.
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Now this refers to Jesus because we've just talked about the spirit in verse four, and we're going to talk about the father in verse six when God and Father Paul.
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So this is referring to to Jesus now as a title.
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Lord means that Jesus is ultimately the.
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One in charge.
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What is he, Lord over he's Lord over everything, of course, but specifically Paul is trying to bring up that he is Lord over the church.
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Ephesians 122 and 23 and he that is God the father, put all things under his, that is Jesus his feet, and gave him his head.
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Over all things to the church, which is his body, the fullness of him who fills All in all.
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Jesus is the Lord of the church.
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He is the Lord of the world as well.
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In terms of unifying us, Jesus is our Lord.
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Now, how is this?
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A unifying idea to rally around.
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Well, I know there's one sense.
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Where saying Jesus is Lord can be used as an excuse to do your own thing.
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Some have this attitude well.
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Only God can judge me.
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Only Jesus, I only need to please Jesus.
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I don't care about what you say or think.
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That is not what Paul is trying to bring up when he says that we have one.
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Lord isn't obviously not thinking about you taking this.
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You know, individualistic stand well I don't care about you guys, I just serve my Lord and and that's it.
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No, when he says 1 Lord and he's meaning a Lord over us all that is trying to unite us together.
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Into one.
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You could say it like this.
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We all have the same boss.
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And he treats us fairly.
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He treats us equally.
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And that's a good thing.
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I don't know if you ever had a class where the teacher clearly treated some students better than others.
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And what does that do?
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Tends to breed resentment.
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It doesn't incentivize working hard.
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If you know that you could put in a lot of effort and the teachers just going to give you a bad grade, whereas the the the darling of the class can give trash and the teachers going to praise it.
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You're not going to try to work hard.
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It breeds resentment and division.
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You're going to think less of the teacher.
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Don't think less of your classmates.
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Or maybe you've had a job where you didn't know who your boss was because your immediate boss, who you like was just fine and dandy, but you know his boss is the micromanager trying to get into everything.
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So now who you're trying to please, I don't know.
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Am I trying to please the the the the, my boss or the boss?
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Over him it's very confusing.
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And you don't know who you are trying to make happy, who ultimately has the final say over you.
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And I have heard actually that kind of test so many many times from many of you who who are in the the work.
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World see how confusing it is.
00:27:18
If your boss doesn't treat people fairly, or if you don't know who your boss is.
00:27:24
Having one Lord is a statement.
00:27:27
Of unity because it means that we have all one in the same boss to please, no confusion, no distraction about that, no favorites.
00:27:37
There's no middle management.
00:27:39
We all work for the same person who thankfully views us all equally with grace.
00:27:48
And equity.
00:27:50
Without any favoritism, it's very clear statement of that, and James, that that that God almost hates favoritism.
00:27:59
Now that's very, very, very helpful for.
00:28:04
Building unity to know.
00:28:08
That this is not.
00:28:11
My church and it's not.
00:28:13
The elders church and we're not trying to put you in a position ever where.
00:28:19
You know which which passer should I be trying to please?
00:28:24
And if you've ever, you know if you've been in churches like that, and I hope our churches never like that, but it can be very confusing when you get the sense that the elders are at odds with each other and then you start having to pick you know, OK which which one is is really the one that we need to follow.
00:28:40
It's how a lot of church.
00:28:41
The visions start actually and church splits.
00:28:46
But no if if there is one Lord oversaw.
00:28:50
And this is Christchurch, and we're equal in it, then we are all.
00:29:00
As members of his church, now we might have different roles and responsibilities.
00:29:04
The Deacons have a different responsibility.
00:29:06
I have a different responsibility.
00:29:08
You have a different responsibility, but we're all equally accountable to God who is looking and seeing and and judging.
00:29:15
You based on how you are involved in the capacity that's giving you.
00:29:19
Again, not everyone's an I not everyone's a foot, so we have different roles and functions, but.
00:29:23
Are you doing?
00:29:24
It for him.
00:29:28
Wholly and totally, even if it's a small, you know ministry, are you doing it totally wholly for him?
00:29:34
We're all equally responsible to be a part of his church.
00:29:39
We're all equally needing to do it his way, not our own.
00:29:44
Plane, and so this is our church under the Lord, one boss.
00:29:49
But this is our church, so I don't have problems.
00:29:53
We have problems.
00:29:55
OK it's not my job to honor the Lord.
00:29:59
It's our job to honor the Lord.
00:30:03
This isn't my church.
00:30:05
It's our church and we all work for one boss, so if there's any problems here, I know it's 10.
00:30:12
This thing.
00:30:13
To just turn a blind eye, you know, oh, I see this is going on again.
00:30:18
Someone should say something, but it's not going to be me.
00:30:21
That is not we have one Lord kind of idea that's thinking that other people have an obligation to please the boss, but not you.
00:30:30
This is Pastor Yuri's problem, not my problem. No, it's our problem right because God is the boss. I'm not the boss Jesus.
00:30:41
It is and we all have to obey him.
00:30:44
As a church body.
00:30:46
So we have one Lord.
00:30:49
We have one faith.
00:30:51
Paul continues.
00:30:53
Now, sometimes theologians.
00:30:55
They talk about, let's say, objective faith and subjective faith.
00:31:00
Objective faith means the things that we put our faith in.
00:31:05
We put our faith in the Bible so the faith passed down once for all, for this delivered once for all.
00:31:12
For the Saints, Jude three that is using faith as like the the body of doctrine, and Paul uses it that way in first Timothy, four one and four six.
00:31:23
Objective faith is this thing that we put our faith in.
00:31:27
It doesn't change.
00:31:27
It doesn't matter your opinion about it.
00:31:30
The Bible, the gospel, Jesus, et cetera.
00:31:33
Subjective faith is the faith that a subject has or that a person has.
00:31:41
The Christian.
00:31:42
So when we talk about having faith living by faith, that personal experience, that experience of of faithful living that is subjective faith, you don't necessarily need to memorize that.
00:31:55
But that's a thing that that often comes up in commentaries.
00:31:59
So there's this.
00:32:00
Two ideas now.
00:32:00
They obviously go together because you can't have a true subjective faith without believing in the right objective truth that has to go together.
00:32:13
I can't have a real faith if it's not faith in the real Jesus, a real object of faith.
00:32:20
But here.
00:32:22
What's the emphasis when he says one faith?
00:32:24
Is it referencing the fact that we all have faith in the same thing?
00:32:29
In other words, like one body of truth or doctrine, or is he talking about we should all be exercising a similar faith?
00:32:38
As in, we're all trying to live by 1 faith.
00:32:45
Don't want to get into too much of the weeds, but this is talking most likely about that subjective faith.
00:32:53
That's the most common use in the New Testament, and that's what Paul usually uses.
00:32:59
When he talks.
00:33:00
About faith is our that experience of faith.
00:33:02
Our walking in faith.
00:33:04
And remember he's trying to encourage.
00:33:05
Unity amongst believers.
00:33:08
He's trying to emphasize that we have a common faith.
00:33:12
That we are trying to live out.
00:33:15
Let's say this way, whether you're a pastor or a parent, a student or you.
00:33:21
Work from home.
00:33:22
Whether you commute, you know three hours round trip every day, whether you're retired, whether you have grandkids, whether you have no kids, whether you like classical music, whether you like mumble rap.
00:33:33
Whether you live paycheck to paycheck or you have 10 investment properties, we are all trying to live.
00:33:40
By faith.
00:33:43
We're all just trying to be Christians out here.
00:33:47
Living faithfully to the Lord, there's one faith that is uniting us.
00:33:54
I think it's worth being.
00:33:58
It's it's worth talking about.
00:33:59
It's worth reminding each other that we're just trying to.
00:34:03
Live out our faith.
00:34:04
I'm just trying to live out my faith as a Christian.
00:34:07
I happen to be a pastor.
00:34:09
But every day I'm not trying to do anything different than you are, which is, I just want to be a Christian.
00:34:16
I just want to live faithfully to the Lord.
00:34:18
I just want to actually trust him.
00:34:20
I just want to speak truth.
00:34:22
I just want to live.
00:34:26
And that means if we're all just trying to live out this one faith, it doesn't look the same, let's say, but it is the same.
00:34:33
That means we can help each other. It doesn't matter how different you might think your situation is from someone else's. We share faith and the desire to live faithfully.
00:34:46
Help me help each other speak to one another about things that matter for time and for eternity.
00:34:53
If you're a physically healthy person, you may have more to learn from about faith from someone who's suffering health issues.
00:35:00
It's all the same faith.
00:35:02
It's just you're not going through that.
00:35:04
So, so maybe your faith.
00:35:06
Could be strengthened by someone else's faith who's just trying to live faithfully as well.
00:35:12
If you're older, maybe there's something to gain from interacting with the younger.
00:35:18
It's all one faith.
00:35:19
We're all trying to live.
00:35:21
I think if you're here as a Christian, just what does it mean to be a Christian?
00:35:25
We're all trying to do that.
00:35:27
We all have that in common.
00:35:29
How can I live a life pleasing to the Lord where I am?
00:35:34
I think there's something very unifying. When we acknowledge that when we say that we're all trying to do that, to not judge people's walks or envy.
00:35:44
People's walks, but to say we're all walking by faith we're trying to. It looks different me for me than it looks for.
00:35:51
You, but we're all.
00:35:53
Trying to exercise this the same faith in in the gospel, forgiveness of sins, the hope of eternal life.
00:36:02
There's one faith we're trying to live here.
00:36:07
One baptism.
00:36:09
Of course, the natural assumption when we read that in Ephesians four or five is to see that as a reference to, you know, water, baptism, physical baptism, which was expected in common.
00:36:19
For believers, I mean, it's certainly what what what we believe in is that when we make disciples, we baptize them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit.
00:36:29
It's obviously part of Disciple making that's Jesus own words in Matthew 2818 through 20. The Great Commission.
00:36:37
But Paul he.
00:36:41
The way he talks about baptism and the way he thinks about baptism, it's rarely.
00:36:46
He rarely references the the water.
00:36:49
Physical act of it.
00:36:51
In fact, if you don't have to turn there, but in first Corinthians 113 through 17, Paul tries to distance himself from the act of baptizing because some people.
00:37:00
Just saying, well, I was baptized by Paul and I was just baptized by, you know some other guy and they were they were making a thing of comparison.
00:37:09
Who baptized the Paul says I'm thankful I I barely baptized anyone that wasn't my calling was to do the physical baptism.
00:37:16
My calling was to preach.
00:37:18
So he in his theology also typically emphasize not the the water baptism, and that's not to diminish it at all.
00:37:25
It's a necessary part of disciple.
00:37:26
Making like I said, but it seems more obvious that Paul likes to talk in terms of our spiritual baptism with Jesus in his death and resurrection.
00:37:38
That when we believe in Jesus, it's like we are united with him.
00:37:43
Going into the ground and rising up again to new life spiritually.
00:37:47
Now that's obviously what water baptism represents, but it is representing what is already happened spiritually when we believe water baptism doesn't make that happen, faith makes that spiritual baptism happen.
00:38:02
Water baptism.
00:38:03
This represents it.
00:38:05
So when you go to many many passages, Romans 6 is the big one, Roman six one through 11, but we.
00:38:12
I also read.
00:38:13
One in first Corinthians 12 this morning about baptism, it's clear that Paul is talking about our spiritual union with Christ, that baptism that we, in by faith, enjoin ourselves to Jesus in his death, so that when he died.
00:38:33
We died to our sin.
00:38:34
And we enjoin ourselves to Jesus, so that when he rose from the dead and came out of that tomb to a new, glorious life and body, we also were raised with him to live a new and glorious life here and then in the next life that we are to be different.
00:38:51
Because we've been spiritually united with Jesus baptized with him in his death.
00:38:55
And his resurrection gaining go to Romans six one through 11.
00:38:59
But for sake of time we don't go there now.
00:39:03
Either way, pause point Ephesians 4-5.
00:39:08
Whether that you know means physical water baptism or the spiritual baptism, his point is that all believers are united with Christ in that mutual experience.
00:39:24
When I was in the army.
00:39:28
Now all people.
00:39:28
Who go in the army have to?
00:39:29
Go through basic.
00:39:30
Training, but if you join the infantry.
00:39:33
There's a totally different distinct basic training you go to, unless things have changed.
00:39:39
Army whatever job you have in the in the army, they call it job and MOS military occupational specialty.
00:39:45
All of them go through basic training.
00:39:48
It's nine weeks.
00:39:49
It's the same basic training.
00:39:50
Everyone does it if you join the infantry, it's a very.
00:39:54
Basic training, it's specialized.
00:39:57
It's 14 weeks instead of nine.
00:39:59
It all happens in Fort Benning, GA, whereas our U.S.
00:40:01
Army basic training can happen here.
00:40:03
There infantry basic training very specific or it happens very specific place.
00:40:09
It's more rigorous.
00:40:10
There's different expectations physically, et cetera.
00:40:14
Now when you meet then.
00:40:15
Another infantry guy.
00:40:17
You know that they went through that training.
00:40:20
Like if you know that they specifically went through Fort Benning, GA, their infantry basic training, you don't.
00:40:28
If you talked to someone in another MOS, they they could have done basic training here there or every everywhere.
00:40:32
But eventually you know that they went to Fort Benning, GA.
00:40:36
You know that they went through the same training you went through and the same rigors.
00:40:41
That you went through, you share that experience together.
00:40:45
Even if you don't know anything about that person, you know if they're it's called 11 Bravos.
00:40:50
The the MOS.
00:40:50
If they're an infantry guy, you know that they went through the same experience.
00:40:56
That you went through and came out of it.
00:40:59
And now knows what they know and can do what they do.
00:41:02
There's a level of common understanding that instantly bonds you because you know what they went through.
00:41:08
Even if you weren't there, you know what they went through, and you know that you can stand next to them as a soldier in arms.
00:41:16
Now this is sort of the way.
00:41:17
That Paul is using bapp.
00:41:19
Prism in this passage, I mean, baptism represents a spiritual rebirth and experience that makes us different when we're on the other side of it, before being united with Christ, I was one way I was in my sin.
00:41:34
I was blind to spiritual things.
00:41:38
Now that I have been united.
00:41:39
With Christ in his death.
00:41:42
In his resurrection I have a new life.
00:41:45
I live, I am someone different saying there is one baptism as a way to say that there is a common experience that we are testifying to in our past that unites us and defines us now.
00:41:59
It instantly connects us and lets us know something.
00:42:02
About the other.
00:42:03
Person, what does it tell you when someone has been baptized now again?
00:42:08
I think it's spiritual baptism, but if there's a reason we require water baptism to be a member of our church, it's to know that you have followed the Lord and that ordinance.
00:42:18
But what does it tell you when someone has been baptized, it it?
00:42:23
It should tell you that person understands that her Sinner in need of grace.
00:42:29
That they looked at their lives and realized I if I have to stand before God, I will be ashamed of all my sin and all the things that I've done and my own self righteousness and my own ego and pride.
00:42:42
Baptism tells us that you know that only through Jesus death and resurrection can I have forgiveness from that sin and hope to be with him and to not be as I was.
00:42:57
That you're saying, if you know the other person's been baptized, that I can only live now and move and breathe and have my being.
00:43:04
In Christ.
00:43:07
And by the power of his spirit, live a life that is pleasing and honoring to him.
00:43:11
I want something different from my life.
00:43:15
Because I've been baptized, I want to honor God, not myself.
00:43:19
I want to love other people, not love me.
00:43:23
That's what baptism ought to tell you, both spiritual and.
00:43:29
And in water, that's what that represents.
00:43:32
You know something.
00:43:34
About the other person that connects you in terms of that common experience, and we say oh, we're different people now, aren't we?
00:43:42
We've been baptized by Christ, and again, I don't think it's necessarily meaning water baptism, but you know, you're Christian now.
00:43:50
I put that faith in Jesus.
00:43:53
Ohh OK, that means we're something.
00:43:55
Different now aren't we?
00:43:57
It means we're we're part of something bigger now, aren't I?
00:44:00
I mean something about me and and my own abilities and and thoughts about myself, doesn't it?
00:44:08
When we have one.
00:44:11
I'm sorry we have a yeah one body.
00:44:15
An attitude of 1 Spirit 1 Hope 1 Lord, One Faith, one baptism.
00:44:23
Those things that already are when we actually.
00:44:28
Open our eyes and and embrace them.
00:44:31
We'll have unity, the kind of unity that I would love to see.
00:44:35
But I know we need the reminder.
00:44:37
I know you need to remind me I know the world can is always trying to tear us apart from each other.
00:44:45
You know and and.
00:44:48
We can't let the world win in trying to to to get us to start disparaging each other looking at each other with the suspicion.
00:45:01
We we can't let the world tell us.
00:45:04
That there are many, many ways and many many spirits.
00:45:07
Many, many bodies, many, many faiths, many, many baptisms, many, many Lords.
00:45:12
Oh, there's just one.
00:45:15
And the great thing about Sunday mornings is we can remind each other of.
00:45:19
That so we.
00:45:19
Gather so I we're a little bit averse to having, like many many services.
00:45:23
It's cause we want.
00:45:25
The whole body to be able to see each other at once.
00:45:28
Now I know people are sick and on vacation and things, but I I think giving that opportunity is really precious.
00:45:33
So I hope.
00:45:34
That at least one follow up idea to this is to make the most of this time that you have on Sunday morning.
00:45:41
If you can't get enough of it.
00:45:43
We have Sunday evening service.
00:45:46
We have Bible studies.
00:45:47
We've got, you know, Dorn small groups.
00:45:49
We got, you know, men's breakfast all different ways to show our.
00:45:52
Unity, it's not that.
00:45:53
Any one thing means we're unit.
00:45:57
It's not that one time we vote on the budget at the annual budget meeting, and it's unanimous, uh, we've finally achieved peak, you know, Christian unity.
00:46:04
No, unity is something that we are and.
00:46:07
That we just show.
00:46:08
We believe in the little moments throughout the day and we pray for someone we call someone up and we have lunch with someone and we ask someone.
00:46:16
How they're doing when we organize an event and invite people to come, those are all the ways we just show what we already are in our unity.
00:46:24
So no silver bullets.
00:46:25
Unfortunately for me, no magical formulas, no secret words.
00:46:30
I can say to you and all of a sudden we're going to be, you know, Kumbaya and holding hands, and then no one has any problem with anyone and we're just, you know, loving each other.
00:46:38
No, instead there's.
00:46:39
Just I think the daily expectation to think of each other.
00:46:44
Think of the Lord know that we are together, even if we're apart.
00:46:49
I mean you can still be united with people.
00:46:51
You don't see every day.
00:46:54
But to understand that that is true and we are expected to live it out as Johnny Erickson, Todd has said.
00:47:00
So we pray we won't get to the one God, one father.
00:47:03
We'll do that next time we're together.
00:47:05
Heavenly Father, thank you that you have brought us together in this unity with each other and and here I look at it at such a.
00:47:15
Beautiful tapestry of colors and and people, and I think it does say Lord, who else could have done this?
00:47:22
Who else could have brought this together except our one Lord through you know, one baptism and one spirit bringing us together as one body.
00:47:30
What a glorious picture it is every Sunday morning and so.
00:47:33
I I hope.
00:47:34
Maybe even just today that we'd appreciate that afresh really look around and say thank you, God, for bringing us all together by faith in Jesus.
00:47:44
So Lord, you're good.
00:47:46
You're kind.
00:47:46
Help us to remember you.
00:47:48
It's so hard in a world that seems so increasingly.
00:47:51
Able to distract us and and tear us apart and then we maybe we love each other more fervently and be more closely connected to each other and it's the days and weeks pass and I know it's going to get tougher in the world.
00:48:05
So help us learn to really find the unity that we already are in Jesus name we pray Amen.
00:48:12
We're going to.
00:48:13
Close with the church's one foundation, we sing it last week, but this week we're going to sing stands at 2. So let's stand together.