Steve Gentry
[0:00] Once again, welcome to the Village. If you’ve never been here before or if you [0:05] forgot, my name is Steve. I’m one of the pastors here. Typically on Sunday [0:10] mornings, if you come on an average Sunday, I’ll be the one teaching. I’m so [0:14] happy to hear you, hear you, to see you. I will do that a few times. I’m not perfect. [0:21] All right, if you have your Scriptures, I want you to open to two different places [0:24] this morning. First, I want you to open to 1st Corinthians chapter 15. And then
[0:29] I want you to do the old school, if you went to a Baptist church thing, and put [0:34] your thumb there. And then turn over to Romans chapter 12, and that’s where we’re [0:39] going to end up. Romans chapter 11, 36, actually, is where we’re going to spend a [0:43] lot of time this morning, and then over to 12 verse 2. But I want to start in 1st [0:48] Corinthians 15. If you were here last week, that’s where we spent the majority [0:52] of our day last week, talking about the reality of the resurrection and what
[0:57] the resurrection does to us, as well as for us. But what it does to us is it [1:03] brings us life. Without the resurrection of Jesus Christ, we are hopeless. And [1:10] that’s how Paul put it. There is only hope if Jesus rose from the dead. If he [1:15] had simply died, then we would have no hope. But the fact that Jesus bodily, [1:20] physically rose from the dead is where we find our hope that we can have life. [1:26] That Jesus, dying for our sins, paid the price for what we have done for our
[1:31] rebellion against God, and that in his resurrection, he brings us life. And Paul [1:37] puts it at the end of last week, I think it’s around chapter 15 verse 23. He puts [1:40] it that if God could raise Jesus from the dead, if Jesus under his own volition, [1:46] under his own power as God, can raise up from the dead, then we have hope. Because [1:54] if he can do that, then he can raise us from the dead. Now, we as people who are [2:01] sinners, because God is the source of life, us rebelling against him, we have
[2:06] disconnected ourselves from the very source that life began, from the very [2:11] life’s blood that we have. And Jesus, one of his big messages was, is that you can [2:16] only find life in me. It is only if you connect to me. In John 15, he actually [2:22] puts it this way, if you abide in me, you will have life. And then later he [2:26] says, you will have it more abundantly than you even think that you can have [2:31] it. And he’s telling us this in light because he knows what is coming. He knows
[2:37] that he’s gonna raise up from the dead and ultimately give us victory over sin. [2:44] See, he didn’t need victory over sin. We did. And he does it for us. He does it on [2:48] our behalf so that we can know God. And so we find life in Jesus. But this week [2:55] and the next four weeks, what we’re gonna do is, is we’re gonna see, okay, if we [3:00] have this life like we spelled out, and if you missed it last week, please go [3:03] listen to the podcast, because that is the foundation. The resurrection serves
[3:07] as the foundation for everything we’re gonna talk about for the next, counting [3:11] today, five weeks. So what does he bring us life for? He constantly tells us that [3:19] in him we find eternal life. But the big question we have to ask ourselves is, [3:24] where does that start? Do we wait until death to begin that, or is that something [3:29] that we can kind of experience a little in the here and now? So what I want to [3:35] do today is, I want to start breaking down, starting in 1st Corinthians, chapter
[3:39] Because last week I made mention that in chapter, excuse me, in verses one, he says [3:44] it this way, and then we kind of only covered verse 3 and forward last week. And [3:49] 15-1 he says,
[3:52] So he’s reminding us of something. Part of the most important part of [3:58] discipleship as a believer is realizing that once you grow past the gospel, and [4:04] you’re like, why do we have to keep talking about that? Your discipleship is [4:09] cut off. You cease discipleship once you grow past the gospel. There is no growing [4:16] past the gospel. One of Paul’s major points in all of his writings is, I write [4:21] you by reminder. He says it over and over and over again, because we constantly
[4:27] have to come back to the core of what life is and where we find it, and that’s [4:31] the gospel. So he tells them, I want to remind you, brothers, the gospel that I [4:36] preached to you, which you received, and then in which you stand. And it’s going [4:42] to take us five weeks to break apart that word, stand. Because Paul is telling [4:49] us, once we realize the redemption that we have in the resurrection, this is [4:54] something that we’re going to stand in for the rest of our lives, here and in
[5:01] glory. We will stand in the hope of the resurrection. And what that means is what [5:09] life hinges on. And then in verse two, he goes even further and he says, and by [5:14] which you are being saved. It’s an interesting way to put it. And he says, [5:21] if you hold fast to the word I preached to you, unless you believed in vain. And [5:28] there’s so much there that we couldn’t even get it in last week. So it’s going [5:32] to serve as where we’re going for the rest of the time. Because what Paul is
[5:37] breaking apart here when he says, in which you stand, in which you are being [5:42] saved, because salvation is something that we ask, are you saved? That’s kind [5:48] of the way it’s put most times, especially with the people that come to [5:50] your door. You know, are you saved? If you were to stand before Jesus right now, [5:55] why would you tell him to let you into heaven? And to my response is, if I wait [6:00] that long, I’m in trouble. All right. Are you saved? And here Paul puts it
[6:05] differently. He uses a different word because the word saved is a stagnant [6:11] word. It’s just static. It’s there. It’s a state. What Paul says here is that the [6:16] resurrection that you’re standing in, and he uses that word, that sedentary stand, [6:21] this isn’t a walking, he’s saying stand, and then he says being saved. It’s a [6:27] continuous action that’s taking place for us by Jesus that never ends. So it’s [6:34] something that I’m standing in as well as walking in. So it’s a transformation
[6:41] that happened, but is also happening. So basically his point here is be being [6:50] transformed. That doesn’t make any sense grammatically, but in theology, [6:55] some things just don’t make sense grammatically. That’s just the way they [6:58] are. So let’s unpack what that being transformed thing really looks like, what [7:05] it’s all about. And it’s going to boil down to the word, which is why we’re [7:10] resurrected from our death and sins, which is why we’re transformed, which is
[7:15] why God wants us for himself, which is why God reveals himself to us, and that [7:20] word is worship. We are alive, the first thing, and we have to start here because [7:27] this is something that we all often get to, but this is the basis for mission. [7:31] This is the basis for community. This is the basis for everything that we do is [7:37] worship. It’s our life. Standing in the resurrection is about worship, but the [7:46] first thing I want you to understand about worship, and this is all just
[7:48] intro, all right, I’m not even getting there yet, is that you were not created [7:53] to worship and you were not created for worship. You’re like, what? I thought God [7:58] created us so that we would worship him. This is different, all right? And to [8:03] understand that, we have to understand first the outcome of the gospel. I’m [8:07] going to challenge your brains today, all right? We’re going into seminary [8:10] together, all right? Because I don’t even know if I can say it, so it may be hard
[8:14] for you to think about because I don’t even know if I’m going to say it right, [8:17] all right? Jump down in 1 Corinthians chapter 15, I want you to see verses 27 [8:21] and 28, which is what Paul is going to say was the outcome of the gospel on a [8:28] level, all right? In verse 27 he says, [8:30] For God has put all things in subjection under his feet. But when it [8:35] says all things are put in subjection, it is plain that he is expected, excuse
[8:41] me, he is accepted, who put all things in subjection under him. When all things [8:46] are subjected to him, when the Son himself will also be subjected to him, [8:51] who put all things in subjection under him, that God may be all in all. You got [8:56] that? It’s like something’s subjected. I know that. There’s a lot of [9:03] subjection going on in that verse between somebody and something else back [9:06] to somebody ping pong, all right? I don’t know. Here’s how we can break this
[9:12] down, all right? What Paul is saying is that in the resurrection, the gospel [9:18] found its completion, mission accomplished. Jesus had done what he came [9:24] to earth to do in that obedience to the will of the Father, because you [9:30] remember in the Garden of Gethsemane when Jesus says, Not my will, but thine [9:33] be done, all right? What is happening here is the completion of thy will be [9:39] done. He subjects himself to the will of the Father, and through the resurrection
[9:45] we find the completion of that obedience. And what happens there is the Father [9:51] takes the Son when he ascends up into heaven and exalts him and gives him [9:56] authority over all creation. Like Jesus said in Matthew 28 when he said, All [10:02] things in heaven and on earth are under my authority. This is the completion of [10:07] that. And he’s saying, Jesus is in subjection to the Father, but through [10:12] that subjection, the Father lifts him up and gives him everything under him so
[10:18] that everything is subjected to him who was subjected to him. Got it yet? No? Okay. [10:25] Let’s break it on even more. Go back to the book of John, chapter 16. I’m gonna [10:30] start in verse 7, all right? Because now we’ve got this thing going on between [10:34] the Father and the Son, but even more is happening than that. We’ve also got the [10:37] Holy Spirit involved. In John chapter 16, verse 7, we see, Nevertheless, Jesus is [10:42] speaking here, I tell you the truth, it is to your advantage that I go away.
[10:46] Because the disciples, Jesus was like, I’m going to Jerusalem, I’m gonna be [10:49] killed, I’m gonna leave you. And the disciples are like, No, no, no, don’t do [10:52] that. All right? Which makes sense to me. You got the Son of God there, you’re [10:55] like, well, don’t leave. Right? And Jesus says, No, it’s to your benefit that I [11:00] leave. And here’s why. He says, For if I do not go away, the helper will not come [11:07] to you. But if I go, I will send him to you. Right? So Jesus is saying, I’m leaving to
[11:13] you. He says, I will send the helper. Who is the helper? Look down in verse 13 of [11:17] chapter 16. When the Spirit of truth comes, the Holy Spirit is the helper. He [11:23] says, He will guide you into all truth, for he will not speak on his own [11:28] authority. But whatever he hears, he will speak and he will declare to you all [11:32] things that are to come. He will glorify me, for he will take what is mine and [11:38] declare it to you. You see, it’s interesting. In 1 Corinthians, Paul is
[11:44] talking about the relationship between the Father and the Son, and how the Son [11:48] is subjected to the Father. When the Son subjects to the Father, the Father [11:50] exalts him to equality with the Father, where everything’s under the Son’s feet, [11:56] but everything’s also under the Father’s feet, and God has authority over [11:59] everything. And then Jesus says, if you understand, when I’m leaving, it’s to [12:03] your benefit, because I’m gonna send the Holy Spirit, who will benefit you, and
[12:08] the Spirit will glorify me, because he will tell you everything that I tell [12:14] him. And then in the very next chapter, chapter 17, start reading in verse 1. [12:26] When Jesus had spoken these words, and it’s very soon after what he says in 16, [12:33] he lifted up his eyes to heaven and said, Father, the hour has come. Notice this, [12:38] glorify your Son, that the Son may glorify you. Since you have given him, [12:46] there it is, authority, that subjection that we’re all under through Jesus, over
[12:51] all flesh, to give eternal life to all whom you have given him. And the Father [12:56] gives him this. And this is eternal life, that they know you, the only true God, [13:02] and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent. I glorified you on earth, having [13:07] accomplished the work that you gave me to do, and now, Father, glorify me in your [13:11] presence with the glory that I had with you before the world existed. [13:18] All right, so here is as simple as I can put what is taking place right here.
[13:24] There is this thing inside of the Trinity, and if you’ve been in church, [13:28] you’ve heard the word Trinity, you probably haven’t understood it, but you’ve [13:31] heard the word Trinity, that God is the three in one. God the Father, God the Son, [13:35] God the Holy Spirit, different, yet completely equal, yet completely united [13:41] in one being. And it’s like something that in our finite minds, we can’t wrap [13:44] ourselves around. But what C.S. Lewis calls what takes place within the Trinity
[13:48] as a cosmic dance of glory. And what happens is, the Father is constantly [13:54] saying, Son, to God the Son. He sends the Son, he glorifies the Son, he loves the [14:02] Son, and when the Son finishes his work, he exalts the Son, and he points everybody [14:07] to the Son, and then the Son points everybody to God the Father, and says, [14:12] eternal life is in knowing my dad. But then the Son says, Spirit, and he sends the Spirit, [14:21] and the Spirit comes, and the Son is saying, the Spirit is better than me, the Spirit is
[14:25] equal to me, the Spirit has authority like me, and then the Spirit comes, and the [14:30] Spirit comes to us, and says, come see the Son, look at the Son, look at the Son, [14:36] and then when we get to the Son through the Spirit, the Son says, look at the [14:39] Father, look at the Father, look at the Father, and so the Father’s going Son, the [14:43] Son’s going Spirit, the Spirit’s going Son, the Son’s going Father. We have this [14:47] eternal cosmic outpouring of each other to one another, this perfect glory, this
[14:54] perfect worship, this perfect exaltation within the Trinity, where it’s just [14:58] perfect love, perfect unity, perfect in every way, where they love, they exalt, [15:03] they worship, they find meaning within themselves inside of the Trinity. Wow, [15:12] what a God. But what Paul is saying is that in the resurrection, you have the [15:20] perfect picture of what that looks like. Outside of the resurrection, you cannot [15:29] know God, because in the resurrection, we have a revelation of how the Trinity
[15:37] works in the first place, and without that, you cannot comprehend what worship [15:43] really looks like, because to understand worship, you have to understand God, which [15:53] brings us to Romans chapter 11, verse 36. We had to get there. That’s the intro.
[16:03] Here’s point number one before we even get into this. We are made alive to know [16:09] God. We’re made alive in Jesus so that we can know God. And here’s how it works. [16:18] Romans chapter 11. Paul finishes chapter 11 by writing a praise song, where he [16:24] basically says, God is greater than everything. How inscrutable are his [16:29] judgments, how unsearchable are his ways. He knows far more than we can ever know. [16:33] We can’t even grasp his eternality. And then he says in verse 36, he says,
[16:38] for from him and through him and to him are all things. To him be glory forever. [16:41] Amen. So Paul is looking at this dance inside of the Trinity, and then he’s [16:46] looking at creation, and he’s saying, inside of the Trinity, we have the glory [16:50] of God. We have everything working out so that the Trinitarian Godhead is just [16:56] glorified. But then he’s saying, outside of the Trinity is everything else. And if [17:02] we look at the Trinity, we’ll understand that when God spoke everything into
[17:06] being, he spoke it into being to point back to himself. And when he created us, [17:12] we were created in the image of God. Okay. If you notice back in Genesis [17:17] chapter one, when it says God breathed life into man, he breathed his essence in [17:22] demand, the image of God. And I said, we were not created to worship. We were not [17:27] created for worship. Here’s how what we were created. We were created as [17:31] worshippers.
[17:33] It’s just who we are. We worship. [17:38] All right. We were not created for it to be part of us. We were created because [17:44] it is the totality of us, because we were created in the image of this God [17:49] that just constantly worships.
[17:54] And so what were we created in the image of God? The very basis of the image of [17:59] God is worship. So we are made alive to know this God, to be connected to this [18:06] God. And we find the fulfillment of our lives inside of worship.
[18:14] Because look, from him, through him, to him are all things to him be glory.
[18:26] Outside of this glory, there is no life. In Titus chapter three, verses four [18:34] through verse seven, it says this, But when the goodness and loving kindness of [18:38] God our Savior, notice that he’s saying Jesus is God, God our Savior appeared. [18:46] He saved us, not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to [18:50] his own mercy by the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy [18:55] Spirit, whom he poured on us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior, so that
[19:01] being justified by his grace, we might become heirs according to the hope of [19:05] eternal life. All right. What I want you to see in there is this hope that we [19:09] have in the gospel. In verse six, it says whom he poured out on us richly. [19:13] What did the, in the Hebrew, this word for worship is this pouring. So what does [19:19] Jesus pour on us? He pours the Holy Spirit on us. Part of that continual [19:24] outpouring of himself and through the resurrection of Jesus Christ, what he
[19:29] does is, is what’s been taking place inside of the Trinity forever and ever [19:34] and ever and ever through the resurrection, God says, even though [19:38] you’re a sinner, I want you to be a part of this. The same word used to describe [19:46] what’s going on inside of the Trinity at all times is used to explain what goes [19:51] on in the life of a believer in the light of the resurrection of Jesus Christ. [19:55] He pours himself and when he pours himself, when the Spirit comes on you,
[19:59] when he regenerates you, when he transforms you, the only possible [20:05] response is to look back at God and just say, glory. Worship is the only [20:15] response to transformation. To know God is to worship God. If you do not desire [20:28] to live a life in worship of God, you do not know God. It’s impossible. [20:41] That’s not what takes place. You cannot look at the scriptures, the revelation [20:45] of God to us and see it differently. God from eternity past, the one who has
[20:51] existed at all times, the one who is constantly existing, the one who is [20:54] constantly in worship, he creates us and he redeems us for the sole purpose [20:58] of just coming back to where life began and it began in worship. When he [21:08] redeems us, he just says, be what you were. Worshipers. But our worship must [21:15] point to God. To know God is to worship him because here’s the thing. If the [21:21] president calls you, and I don’t know the president, I don’t know, but if he
[21:26] called me this week, because I’m pretty sure he could get my number, but if he [21:31] called me and he said, Steve, I know you don’t know me, but I know you and I [21:38] need your help. Come to Washington and I need to partner with you on a few [21:43] policies. I would be like, good, because I know a lot. You could use me. I’m [21:49] sure I’m smarter than you. No, that wouldn’t be my response at all. I don’t [21:53] know anything. Most of us think we know, but we don’t. And so I’d walk in and I’d
[22:00] be driving in my GMC Sonoma. I’d be rolling up there in my 14s and I’d be [22:05] like, I’m going to the president’s house. I have no idea what he wants to know [22:10] from me because I don’t know anything. Why in the world would he want to [22:15] partner with me? He has authority. I have no authority. He has all this [22:20] governmental stuff going on that works and it just works the way that it works. [22:25] And I think I know I have all these opinions. I watch CNN and Fox News.
[22:29] You know, I’m kind of bipartisan. Probably not. But nobody’s really [22:33] bipartisan. So just a little side note. Whenever anybody’s like, I’m just [22:36] bipartisan. It’s completely fair and balanced. No, it’s not. No, it’s not. [22:42] And you’re definitely not. All right. You’re about as bipartisan as I am and [22:46] I’m not bipartisan, but I’m some kind of partisan, I guess. I don’t even know [22:49] what partisan means. But I sure do say it and so do you. We’re like, we just
[22:55] need some bipartisanship so we can get these things accomplished. And everybody’s [22:58] like, bipartisanship. And I’m just sitting in my house watching the news saying, [23:00] I don’t even know what that word means. But I guess for something to get [23:03] accomplished, that’s what we need. So I’m going and the president, he shouldn’t [23:08] ask me. I don’t even know why he’s asking me. But would I feel honored?
[23:14] Absolutely. I would be like, look, I’m probably going to get a good meal out of [23:17] this at least. I hear he’s got a chef on call 24 hours a day and I bet he’s got [23:24] good hot dogs. I don’t know why I would want hot dogs. But if there’s a good hot [23:28] dog to be had, I’m guessing they’re at the White House. You know, it’s better [23:32] than Guantanly at least. Now, if you like Guantanly hot dogs, I don’t mean to [23:37] offend you. I love Guantanly hot dogs. What’s wrong with you? But I would be
[23:45] honored. And J.I. Packer in his awesome book, Knowing God, if you haven’t read [23:49] it, pick it up. He writes that imagine the authority that a president would [23:54] have now. Imagine the authority that God of the universe has. And he knows us. [24:01] And he knows that we don’t know anything. He knows that all we know is death. He [24:06] knows that all we know is sin. And in spite of that, in spite of my lack of [24:12] knowledge, my lack of even knowing how to worship, he says, look, I’m going to
[24:17] do everything. I’m going to sacrifice everything. I’m going to kill my own son [24:22] to find justice for my holiness, but to also pour my love out on you. I want you [24:27] to come in. I don’t want to just know you. I want you to know me. I want to be [24:35] in a relationship with you.
[24:39] The authority of the God of the universe, who is authority and power, he just [24:44] speaks and things exist.
[24:49] And if your response to that is anything less than worship, you don’t know him. [24:57] You don’t know him because you don’t know his power. You don’t know his [25:03] authority. You don’t know what he’s done for us. You don’t know how far he went. [25:09] You don’t know how far the sun went. He took my sin onto himself and he didn’t [25:15] have any on his own. It’s just mine. He dies for it. And he raises again.
[25:24] What a great God.
[25:27] What great power. What great authority. [25:32] But more than that, what amazing love that he has for each and every one of us [25:44] that he says, you have sinned against me greatly, but your debt has been paid in full. [25:54] I don’t know how to respond except.
[26:01] Yes, Lord. [26:04] Thank you. I praise you.
[26:08] Outside of that.
[26:11] What do you have? [26:14] Look in John chapter 17, verse 3, we just read through part of this.
[26:21] Notice this. And this is eternal life. And Jesus is speaking here again. [26:27] And this is eternal life that they know you, the only true God and Jesus Christ, [26:33] whom you have sent. I want you to think about knowing God in this way. [26:38] He constantly tells us eternal life is what we get when we get God. [26:43] OK, but get this concept. There is no eternal life outside of God. [26:49] OK, there’s no eternality because there’s no life.
[26:53] There’s just eternity, but no life. [26:56] But eternality is something that belongs to God because he is the only one that has [27:02] always existed. Everything and everyone else has been created by him. [27:09] So when he brings us in and says, you can know me, you can be connected back to me [27:17] in spite of your sin. I wash you. I regenerate you. [27:21] I’m the great God. I’m the greatest that has ever been.
[27:24] We can then know what eternal life is meant to be. [27:29] Outside of that is just condemnation.
[27:34] Because who’s the eternal one? God. [27:37] So to have eternal life, we have to be a part of him. [27:41] But here’s the concept. Here’s the key. [27:43] Eternal life is not something that simply begins when I die. [27:48] Eternal life is something that begins the moment I am regenerated by the Holy Spirit. [27:54] It’s something that he comes in. It’s something that he gives me.
[27:57] It’s something he regenerates or transforms me for. [28:01] It is the definition of eternal life is connection with God. [28:05] And once I’m regenerated, I do not lose that. [28:09] So my eternal life of worship begins right now. [28:13] Many of us have this concept that right now I still live for me. [28:19] And then in the age that is to come in heaven, then I will worship forever.
[28:28]
[28:31] Eternal life is something that, yes, will be far different then, but begins now. [28:38] Jesus, Matthew 28 verse 20, and I behold, I am with you always to the end of the age. [28:45] What does that mean? It means our source of eternal life is with us now. [28:50] It’s in us now. Jesus said through the Spirit, he’s speaking to us now. [28:55] He’s guiding us now. In John chapter 10 verse 27, he says, [29:00] In the sheep, they hear my voice and they follow me now.
[29:05] There’s no future. There’s just presence into the future. [29:09] They follow me. Notice, they hear my voice. [29:14] Worship is a response to the call of God to salvation through the resurrection of Jesus Christ. [29:22] And in that, we are awoken to a life of worship. [29:28] Romans chapter 12 verse 1, [29:31] I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God.
[29:36] I just want to stop for one second, unpack that. [29:39] When he says therefore, he’s pointing you backwards and saying, [29:43] Because this is true, now this is true. [29:47] But he’s not simply talking about chapter 11 verse 36, [29:51] which is the last verse in chapter 11. [29:55] Because if all we had was chapter 11 verse 36, we’d be in serious trouble.
[30:00] Because there’s no salvation there. There’s just the awesomeness of God. [30:04] And in light of the awesomeness of God, I deserve hell. [30:08] But notice what he says, because of the mercies of God. [30:13] He’s actually making a transition here. [30:16] Chapters 1 through chapter 11, Paul spends 11 chapters unpacking the Gospel. [30:23] First, he’s unpacking our need for the Gospel.
[30:27] In chapter 1, he says, we were created as worshippers of God. [30:33] Continuous outpouring of ourselves to God. [30:35] But then in chapter 1, I believe it’s in verse 20 to 23, he says, [30:40] But you exchanged the worship of God for the worship of created things. [30:47] So in our sin, we did not stop worshipping.
[30:51] We just started worshipping other things. [30:54] And this is what we do to this day. [30:56] Rather than living our lives for God, what do we live for? [30:59] We live for our careers, we live for our families, we live for drugs, [31:02] we live for alcohol, we live for sex, we live for fun on Friday nights, [31:06] we live for Little League, we live for basketball, we live for NASCAR,
[31:09] we live for football, and you’re like, why are you naming sports? [31:11] Ask a man. [31:12] All right, I mean, have you ever talked to a guy during football season? [31:16] It’s shocking sometimes. [31:18] I was looking on Twitter on the NFL draft, and I was like, [31:21] man, what a worship service is taking place tonight.
[31:24] Wow, it’s remarkable. [31:26] Why didn’t the Redskins choose this guy? [31:27] And I’m like, I don’t even know who these people are. [31:29] But then the race was on Saturday night, and my worship service started. [31:33] So then I had to repent of my sin too. [31:35] So don’t think I’m picking on you, because I just like different sports.
[31:41] GSP won last night, just in case you were wondering.
[31:45] Only the dudes know who that is, too, man. [31:47] Some guys are like, oh, I know it. GSP. Oh, yeah. [31:51] All right. [31:52] And how did we get on that one? [31:53] All right, chapters 1 through 11. [31:55] Stan has this testament where he’s saying,
[31:57] you exchanged the worship of God for the worship of created things. [32:01] But then in chapters 2 forward, he begins to unpack what God did about that. [32:06] He begins to unpack the overwhelming mercy of God. [32:12] So the reason he says mercies of God is because he’s just unpacked [32:17] that God has taken us from death in sins to life in Jesus. [32:22] And he’s saying, no longer are you condemned to worship created things.
[32:27] God has brought you back in. [32:29] And in chapter 8, he says, there is therefore now no condemnation [32:32] to those who are in Christ Jesus. [32:35] And in chapter 12, what he’s saying is, [32:37] in light of everything that God has done, you now can do this. [32:44] And he says, by the mercies of God,
[32:48] I urge you to present your bodies as a living sacrifice.
[32:55] I used to look at that verse and say, [32:57] I’ve got to try really hard to follow God. [33:01] But I totally misunderstood that verse. [33:04] Because I would do that and I would fail miserably.
[33:11] Just religion. It was just religion. It wouldn’t work. [33:14] I would end up doing great for like two weeks [33:16] and I would listen to nothing but DC Talk. [33:18] But then I would flip to MTV one day and I’d be like, [33:21] this is really good stuff. [33:22] No!
[33:26] Sorry.
[33:30] No. It doesn’t connect. [33:33] It connects to the kids that grew up in church. [33:34] I’ll tell you that right now. [33:36] It does. [33:37] So moms and dads, ask your kids.
[33:42] I would try and try and try and it wouldn’t work. [33:45] But that’s because I miss that mercies of God part.
[33:49] See, I’m not presenting myself as a living sacrifice [33:52] because I’m trying to earn God. [33:53] Jesus got me that. [33:55] Jesus has gotten me God. [33:57] I’ve been regenerated. I’ve been transformed. [33:59] So here’s what’s happening.
[33:59] Here’s what’s happening is, [34:00] and this is why he finishes verse one, [34:02] and he says, [34:03] Holy acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. [34:07] Paul knows that this is only possible through Jesus. [34:09] Read Galatians.
[34:11] He knows that we can’t do this under our own effort. [34:13] But he’s writing in light of the greatness of what God’s done [34:17] and then knowing that he just wrote that worship song in 1136 where it ended. [34:23] What he’s saying is, [34:25] in Jesus, you can present your life as a living sacrifice [34:28] because here’s how it works.
[34:30] We, through Jesus, see the amazing, awesome nature of God. [34:34] And in his nature, he has brought us to himself, [34:37] revealed himself in all of his might to us. [34:40] And then when we view that, [34:43] we want to worship him [34:45] because we have the greatest gift that has ever been given to anyone,
[34:50] the knowledge of God himself. [34:54] And what living as a living sacrifice looks like [34:57] is you looking to God and saying, [35:00] God, if I have you, I have everything. [35:03] And anything that stands between me having you, [35:07] knowing you, walking with you, following you,
[35:11] hearing the voice of Jesus, [35:12] being your follower, being your child, [35:15] being your partner in mission to take redemption to the world, [35:18] anything that stands between you and I will be sacrificed [35:23] because there is nothing better than you. [35:28] Because the way I looked at it in previous times,
[35:31] before I got this, which I know it takes years to get this, guys, [35:34] I’ve been in church my entire life. [35:36] It takes years. [35:37] So if you don’t get it yet, stay with us. [35:40] In a couple of years you might. [35:42] Some hope, alright?
[35:45] Here’s the concept. [35:45] I looked at it and I said, [35:47] to follow God I have to give up everything I want, [35:50] everything that makes me happy, [35:52] everything that brings me joy, everything that’s good. [35:55] I have to sacrifice that and I have to be religious.
[35:59] No!
[36:01] The Gospel says that God gives us himself [36:05] and there’s nothing better than knowing him [36:09] and he regenerates me, he recreates me so that I can have that [36:14] and I will begin to look at the things that I exchanged, [36:18] the worship of the Creator for the worship of the creation, [36:20] I look at those things I was worshiping and I’m like,
[36:23] that is not as good as God.
[36:27] I’ve been fooled. [36:28] I’ve been lied to. [36:30] I’ve believed a lie my entire life. [36:33] I shouldn’t base my life on things that aren’t going to be around in a hundred years. [36:39] The only thing worth basing my life on is God. [36:44] And in the resurrection I get that.
[36:48] Worship. [36:49] He says, it’s your spiritual worship. [36:52] It’s what Jesus earns us. [36:54] It’s what Jesus gives us. [36:56] And rather than saying, I guess I have to sacrifice,
[37:01] now when you’ve been regenerated, when you’ve been transformed, [37:04] when you’ve been made new, you get to say, I gladly sacrifice.
[37:11] Like Jim Elliott said, he is no fool who gives up what he cannot keep to gain what he cannot lose.
[37:19] You get God. [37:21] There’s nothing better.
[37:28] Worship, then, is the pursuit of your life. [37:33] In the book of Jeremiah, chapter 9, Jeremiah puts it this way. [37:38] Thus says the Lord, let not the wise man boast in his wisdom, [37:42] let not the mighty man boast in his might, [37:45] let not the rich man boast in his riches, [37:47] but let him who boasts, boast in this,
[37:50] that he understands and knows me, [37:53] that I am the Lord who practices steadfast love, justice, and righteousness in the earth. [37:58] For in these things I delight, declares the Lord. [38:05] Jeremiah lays it plain before Jesus ever comes [38:07] that having the knowledge of God and knowing him and who he is, [38:12] is what you must spend your life pursuing.
[38:15] Because in pursuit of that, you begin to look at all the material things, [38:19] you begin to look at all the things that fade away, [38:21] you just look at them and you’re like, they’re not as good. [38:24] God is better. [38:25] So, in the end, you begin asking yourself this question, [38:28] you ask yourself some crazy questions that you never thought you’d ask before.
[38:31] Can I use this for God or is this deterring me from God? [38:35] And the things that deter you from God, you say, I want to do away with those things. [38:39] But the things that you can use for God, you then begin leveraging your riches, [38:43] you leverage your family, you leverage your talents, [38:47] you leverage your spiritual gifts, and you say, [38:49] how can I use everything in my life to point to God?
[38:54] You begin to pursue the glory of God with each and every day of your life [39:00] in each and every way that you can find. [39:03] And sometimes you’re shocked because you’re like, [39:05] I can’t believe what God allows me to do with my life. [39:09] And then you wake up in the morning and you’re like, well, I have really changed. [39:13] That’s kind of what the Gospel does.
[39:16] It’s that whole transformation concept.
[39:19] But what you pursue inevitably is what you worship and what you will become.
[39:30] Because worship transforms.
[39:34] Worship, GKB will put it this way. [39:37] Other people are smarter than me. [39:39] So sometimes I want to quote other people because they know more. [39:42] Theologian GKB puts it this way. [39:44] Whatever people revere, and back then is what they used for the word worship, [39:48] was revere.
[39:49] What people revere, they resemble either for ruin or restoration.
[39:59] If you spend your life chasing anything other than God, it will ruin you. [40:07] It will ruin you. [40:08] Maybe not today. [40:10] You don’t feel like it’s going to ruin you, but it will. [40:13] What you worship will transform you one way or the other. [40:19] Have you ever met anyone that was just obsessed with something that made no sense to you?
[40:29] Even as silly as Beanie Babies back in the 90s. [40:33] You go over to somebody’s house and all of a sudden there are thousands of Beanie Babies everywhere. [40:37] And you’re like, you’ve changed. [40:38] I love them. [40:41] Worship transforms, guys. [40:43] Kids do this with baseball cards.
[40:46] It becomes an obsession. [40:48] It becomes the thing that defines you. [40:50] Have you ever met an honor student that got a B? [40:54] Have you ever met a businessman that just lost a fortune?
[40:59] Have you ever met a baseball player that struck out?
[41:04] Talk to a NASCAR driver after the race when he wrecks.
[41:12] See, what we’re obsessed about is what we’re worshiping.
[41:18] What if it was out of your life tomorrow would take you to your knees in despair [41:25] and make you question the goodness of God?
[41:30] I submit to you that’s what you’re worshiping. [41:34] Because it’s ruining you. [41:36] It can be your own family.
[41:41] Because your kids will never meet those expectations you’re putting on them.
[41:46] Your husband or wife is imperfect. [41:48] They can’t meet those expectations. [41:51] But if they don’t, it’ll ruin you.
[41:54] It’s because you’re worshiping this fake picture of what you want. [41:59] But you don’t think you can have it. [42:01] Because you can’t. [42:04] Worship transforms, you guys. [42:07] 2 Corinthians 3, verse 18, Paul puts it this way.
[42:13] He says, [42:13] And we all with unveiled face, beholding the glory of God, [42:16] are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another. [42:21] For this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit. [42:25] See that? [42:26] This is what happens in the gospel.
[42:28] When you believe, [42:31] when you trust in Jesus for your salvation, [42:35] what happens is that God takes you and he says, [42:37] pursue me, follow me. [42:39] Come on, come on. [42:41] I’ve brought you in.
[42:42] You’re my covenant partner. [42:44] I’ve made promises to you and I’ve kept them all in Jesus. [42:46] Look at what Jesus did. [42:47] Come on, I love you. [42:48] I want to pour myself out onto you. [42:49] And he begins and we begin to pour it back and say, I love you.
[42:52] I worship you. [42:53] I want to sacrifice all this stuff for you because you’re the best.
[42:59] He says, then begins this life where you’ve been transformed.
[43:06] But you’re also being transformed from one degree of glory. [43:13] That moment of redemption, that one degree of glory.
[43:27] And he says, [43:29] for this comes from the Lord. [43:34] He very quickly says, [43:36] it’s coming from me because you can’t do it. [43:39] It’s all about me. [43:40] A living sacrifice.
[43:42] I’m doing it. [43:43] But then in verse two, and then we close.
[43:47] He says, do not be conformed to this world. [43:49] [43:49] [43:49] [43:49]
[43:52] First, John, Chapter five, Verse 20.
[43:57] And we know that the Son of God has come and given us understanding.
[44:03] See, we, God doesn’t make sense until you know Jesus. [44:06] And then, oh, it’s getting clearer. [44:08] You get one glory transformations taking place. [44:10] You understand. [44:11] Then he says, so that we may know. [44:13] I love the New Testament.
[44:15] I love Paul, John, James. [44:16] They’re no God. [44:18] The knowledge of God is greater than anything. [44:20] I love that. [44:21] And then he says, and we are in him who is true in his son, Jesus Christ. [44:27] He is the true God and what?
[44:31] Eternal life. [44:34] But then notice how John ends. [44:36] He says, little children. [44:38] I love that he’s not talking to a children’s church there. [44:41] He’s talking to adults because he knows us. [44:46] He knows the church he’s writing to.
[44:48] He says, little children, because we are childish. [44:50] I know I am.
[44:54] Keep yourselves from idols.
[44:59] He says, the same thing Paul’s saying in the Book of Romans when he says, [45:01] do not be conformed to this world because you’re like, man, look at what I have in Jesus. [45:05] I’m never going to have another problem again.
[45:10] John says, this is what took place. [45:13] You know God, but keep yourself from idols.
[45:19] Because our sin is there until we get there. [45:24] That’s why we need this continual transformation. [45:27] That’s why you need to be being transformed.
[45:32] It’s a continuous thing over and over every day. [45:36] Because John Calvin put it this way. [45:38] He said, the human heart is a factory for idols.
[45:44] He says, we want this instant gratification. [45:48] So what we do is we try to find things that just give it to us right here, right now. [45:53] And C.S. Lewis put it that we’re like kids playing with mud pies [45:56] because we can’t imagine a holiday on a cruise ship [46:00] where we have an unending feast of glory. [46:03] But we don’t know what that looks like, so we just settle for our mud pies in the slums.
[46:08] God is offering us an unending feast. [46:11] But because it’s not as easy as you want it to be, [46:14] some of you are simply not being transformed. [46:18] And you’re just being conformed to this world and you’re living life like everybody else. [46:21] But notice what he says.
[46:24] He says, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind. [46:29] Romans 12.2. [46:31] That by testing you may discern what is the will of God, [46:34] what is good and acceptable and perfect.
[46:39] Through the resurrection, Jesus brings transformation that takes us from death to life. [46:45] This is the work of the Holy Spirit whom Jesus has sent in light of his resurrection. [46:49] The Spirit
[46:54] continues this work of transformation by continuously filling us with the Word of God [46:59] and transforming us by equipping us to live in the truth of God [47:02] by giving us a passion for Christ that works its way out in pursuit of God.
[47:09] In other words, God is doing it in us.
[47:13] But that does not mean it’s going to happen by accident.
[47:18] Too many of you are sitting in your easy chair in the morning [47:21] and saying, look God, when you make yourself more alive to me, [47:26] I’ll start trying. [47:29] I’ll start doing. [47:31] I’ll start worshiping.
[47:37] His response is, I’ve already done it.
[47:42] The gospel is sealed, it’s delivered. [47:46] What else do you need? [47:47] The only proof that you need for the love of God on your behalf is the work of Jesus.
[47:55] That’s why in light of everything that Jesus has done, [47:59] Paul says you still need to get up and walk.
[48:04] Because that’s what people that are alive do.
[48:09] Dead men sit.
[48:11] People that are alive follow.
[48:16] You will not experience the day to day transformation in the Holy Spirit [48:20] until you intentionally say, okay, I will follow you, Jesus. [48:26] I will do it. I will go. [48:29] You will not experience the work of the Holy Spirit in your life just sitting there. [48:36] Christianity is not a spectator sport. [48:39] There are no bleachers.
[48:41] There’s just the field. [48:43] And you’re either on it
[48:47] or you don’t know God.
[48:54] Some of you cannot comprehend a living sacrifice in the life of Jesus Christ [48:58] because you don’t know Jesus Christ. [49:01] Let me ask you a question.
[49:06] Is the idea of worshiping God with everything that you have mundane to you? [49:14] Does it sound boring? [49:17] Does it sound lifeless? [49:19] Can you not even imagine that? [49:20] Can you not even imagine what that would be like [49:22] living for something that the rest of the world doesn’t see?
[49:26] Not chasing the same successes and failures that everyone else is chasing? [49:31] Chasing something outside and bigger than your life?
[49:37] You see, if you look at the worship of God,
[49:43] you just don’t see life.
[49:46] I’m not judging. I just want to ask a question. [49:51] Do you know God?
[49:55] I mean, do you really know Him?
[49:58] Have you been transformed? [50:01] Remember last week, as Peter said, have you been born again?
[50:07] You can know God
[50:13] and follow Him.
[50:16] As Karl Barth said, a theologian, he was German, a weird last name,
[50:21] you can be a covenant partner with God for His glory.
[50:28] But that’s for next week.
[50:32] Right now we’re going to partake in the Lord’s Supper. [50:35] I know I said a lot today. [50:38] I know that’s a lot to chew on in the Scriptures.
[50:42] And I haven’t even broken the ice of worship.
[50:48] But I just want to tell you that if you don’t know God, [50:51] if you’re sitting there and you’re struggling, [50:53] do I know God? Know that you’re not alone. [50:55] I’ve been there. Everyone that knows God has been there. [50:58] Don’t be ashamed. Don’t be embarrassed.
[51:02] Just know that today can be the day of salvation for you. [51:06] Jesus died for you, more than that. [51:09] He rose again for you. [51:11] To bring you redemption. [51:13] To bring you into the knowledge of God that is eternal life.
[51:19] And we’re here so that you can know God.
[51:23] You can know Him today. [51:25] If you know God, please take communion. [51:30] If you don’t know God, [51:32] I invite you to come up and talk to me or talk to someone in the back. [51:38] And today you can know Him. [51:41] I don’t want a Sunday to pass where you don’t have that opportunity.
[51:46] Be transformed today.
[51:50] Father, we love you. [51:53] We ask that you would work in the lives of every man, every woman, [51:58] every child in our auditorium today.
[52:05] God, may we come alive to worship in you.
[52:11] May we follow you with absolutely everything that we have. [52:16] May we love you. [52:18] But God, our best efforts are futile.
[52:25] You’ve done it in the cross. [52:29] May today be the day where we say, I’m going to stop my effort. [52:33] I’m going to stop trying to earn your love. [52:36] I’m going to stop running from you. [52:37] And I’m just going to let you be my salvation.
[52:44] Lord, may we worship with passion.