A Redeeming Community, Part 1.

Steve Gentry

[0:00] Good morning. Go ahead and have a seat. My name is Steve one of the pastors here at Village Church [0:05] I want to thank you all for being here. Just if you’re new [0:09] Welcome, I hope this feels like a a place where it’s it’s safe for you to come with questions [0:17] Come with answers come with doubts because everybody here is gonna find yourself in one or two lanes of traffic [0:23] Either you are a person who’s a devoted follower of Jesus seeking discipleship [0:28] Seeking to worship him or you’re someone with with doubts with questions

[0:32] Maybe you’re not a follower of Jesus and you simply want answers [0:36] And I just want to let you know that no matter what lane of traffic you find yourself in you’re in a safe place [0:41] To come with questions to come and worship to come and seek [0:44] relationships with people that maybe are struggling with the same things you’re struggling with or [0:49] Seeking to worship in the way that you’re seeking to worship. This is a place for you and [0:55] Right now where we find ourselves is really kind of right in the middle of

[1:00] A series that we’re doing on the book of Ephesians called the blueprint because what Ephesians really is is this great

[1:08] Payon of praise that the Apostle Paul wrote [1:12] Describing what God has done. He writes it to a church [1:15] It’s in Ephesus and it’s a church that at that time was a faithful church seeking to live for God [1:21] But what Paul does in the book of Ephesians is he gives us two different views of what God is doing in and through and for [1:29] The church the first is the viewpoint of God over all creation what he’s doing eternally [1:34] To bring himself a people who will worship him

[1:38] That he’s redeeming for himself through the work of Jesus a people for himself for all time [1:44] And that’s really what chapters one through three are that the overhead view of eternity [1:49] What God’s doing and where he’s taking us and then from chapter four through chapter six [1:55] What we have is really the viewpoint from the ground as to how this all really works out and [2:02] Last week what we saw is that we must realize and begin to think like someone who’s reconciled to God [2:09] That if we are someone who trusts in Jesus then that is going to really shape

[2:15] The way that we view life the way that we build our values for life and the way that that causes us to live [2:23] Everything that I do for God everything that I do in my life is going to begin in my mind [2:32] Because that’s where I begin trusting in God it happens there before I ever live it out. So last week we saw [2:40] Paul right don’t think like someone who is not living in relationship with God [2:47] Don’t think like someone who’s accepted by God because of the work that Jesus did think like someone [2:55] Who is loved cared for and accepted?

[2:59] By God because of what Jesus has done not because of what you’ve done [3:04] And we saw that when you begin to think like that [3:07] It’s going to necessarily affect the way that you live [3:11] Because what you believe about life [3:16] Comes out and what you do in your life [3:19] If you believe that life is all about you if you believe that life is all about

[3:25] Getting as much as you can whether it be happiness or money or fame [3:30] Whatever if you believe that then you are going to live like that [3:36] As what we saw last week is Paul laid out that if you believe [3:40] That Jesus is God if you believe that he died for your sins that he has forgiven you of your sins [3:48] And that he has given you his righteousness in order to live as one who has access with God [3:54] Who’s able to worship God with no barriers if you believe that you’ll live like that

[4:00] It’ll affect the way that you live and so what we’re gonna do this week [4:04] Is he takes what happens in the mind and [4:09] To end out chapter 5 he begins a section with how that’s going to affect the way that you actually live your life [4:17] So today what happens up here translates into really what you do with your hands with your feet with your entire life [4:25] So let’s go ahead and let’s jump into it in Ephesians chapter 4. We’re gonna start reading in verse 25

[4:35] Therefore and we know that every time he says that he’s writing in [4:40] light of what he just said [4:42] Because you have access to God because you have redemption in Jesus because you have the life of Christ in you [4:50] Having put away falsehood in other words you have that new life in Christ [4:55] You’re a new creation now created in Jesus through the power of the Holy Spirit to live a life and following him [5:01] You put away that which is a lie that life’s about you that life’s about your comfort that you’re building your kingdom instead

[5:08] You’re building the kingdom of God [5:10] Let each one of you speak the truth [5:13] with his neighbor [5:15] For we are members one of another [5:17] Be angry and do not sin do not let the Sun go down on your anger and give no opportunity to the devil [5:25] Let the thief no longer steal

[5:28] Let him labor doing honest work with his own hands so that he may have something to share with [5:36] anyone in need [5:39] The first thing that we have to see here in this text in this very first part of this section of verses is that the mission [5:45] of Jesus moves from redeemed to [5:50] redeeming [5:51] Right, you see that one’s past tense one’s present and future tense

[5:56] That what happens in your mind is this [6:00] Understanding that because Jesus is the Son of God because he came he became a man lived a perfect life [6:07] Went to the cross died for your sins you’re redeemed [6:10] If you trust in him, you’re redeemed you’re saved. You’re a Christian. You’re accepted by God [6:16] You have all the benefits all the access that a child of God has Romans chapter 8 says that we cry unto God abba [6:23] Father in other words, he is our familiar father. He’s our daddy

[6:27] He’s someone that we can come freely into his presence. Hebrews chapter 4 says we are [6:33] redeemed to God [6:36] What Paul is writing here is that that is not just a static reality [6:42] But rather it moves into a dynamic [6:46] movement in your life where that [6:49] Understanding of redemption begins to actually affect the way that you live and the things that you do

[6:57] They talked about [6:58] Believing that you are now gone from dead and sin that we talked about in Ephesians chapter 2 to life in Christ [7:05] Ephesians 2 10 created in Christ Jesus to do good works or to walk into good works that God has prepared beforehand for you to do [7:14] and [7:14] This is the work that he’s talking about [7:17] That you because of redemption begin to look at every area of your life and say

[7:25] Where has redemption taken root there? [7:30] Where has redemption taken root there and what he’s doing is is he’s giving us complete [7:37] Opposites in this list and what’s tempting is for us to look at this list and say, okay [7:44] I used to steal don’t steal any longer if I used to be angry just don’t be angry any longer [7:49] So we start to look at sin and say the Christian walk is about not sinning [7:58] The Christian life is about the absence of something

[8:02] But what Paul is doing here is two things [8:05] He’s telling us first that to live a redeeming life is not as much about the [8:12] Absence of one thing as it is about the presence of another thing [8:17] Not only should the thief stop stealing but the thief should replace [8:22] stealing with honest work [8:26] That which was a self-centered need for consumption is now work for the opportunity

[8:34] to give [8:37] You see how opposite those ends of the spectrum are if you’re angry [8:42] Don’t let the Sun go down on your anger, but use it as an opportunity for forgiveness [8:48] Because what is anger other than saying you have offended my [8:52] Kingdom well if you’re a follower of Jesus, you know, it’s not your kingdom. It’s God’s kingdom [8:57] And if it’s not your kingdom, then those offenses are no longer just an opportunity to be offended

[9:04] But rather it’s an opportunity to show the love of God and forgiveness [9:07] You see these are opposite ends of the spectrum and he begins with the greatest one falsehood is [9:14] To be replaced with what? [9:16] truth [9:17] But not just truth that you believe [9:21] Spoken truth that is active in your life and is engaging other people

[9:29] Notice that the greatest opposite here is the one that’s really gonna drive the sermon today [9:34] And that is in that verse 25 where he says you are members one of another

[9:42] Sin [9:44] From the book of Genesis causes immediate isolation [9:47] If you notice in the story of Adam and Eve what do they start doing? [9:50] Start blaming each other as soon as God confronts them with your sin. Well, who told you you were naked [9:55] Well, we just are well, why do you think that because the woman you gave me?

[10:02] It’s all her [10:03] Husbands get this because it’s your default mode [10:06] You blame your wife and then the wife of course Eve in that section of verses. What does she do the snake?

[10:15] See you do nothing but you find someone to be your scapegoat [10:20] Okay, so sin necessarily it isolates you from having a relationship [10:25] From being in community with other people but in Jesus, what do we have? [10:30] We have really what is the ultimate scapegoat

[10:36] Jesus comes and he says I will take all of those offenses. I will take all of your sins [10:42] I will take everything that has ever offended you everything that has ever been done to harm you and [10:48] Everything that you have ever done to harm someone else [10:51] Ultimately to harm God and I take it on myself and I die for it [10:56] so now [10:57] Those barriers to relationships are gone

[11:00] Now you have a tangible real ability to not sweep people sins under the rug and pretend it never happened [11:08] But a place where you can actually find justice

[11:12] So what we have is we have this lifestyle where we move from redeemed to redeeming [11:16] It’s a natural progression of what the Christian life must be like [11:21] but [11:22] There’s a great temptation in this section [11:25] There’s a lot of what some people like to call coffee cup verses in this section [11:30] All right. In other words, we like to look at some places in Scripture and say that’s really good advice

[11:37] I’ll try that. All right, like be angry and do not sin

[11:43] Don’t let the Sun go down on your anger [11:46] Now I try to apply that in my life, but sometimes my wife goes to bed without saying I’m sorry

[11:53] I [11:54] Don’t I don’t really get that how she does that and lives with herself. I’ve never had to do that by the way [12:00] I’m just kidding. But there’s this tension to look and say my wife’s right there. So you don’t have to tell her [12:08] She she knows what happens in here [12:11] Is that there’s a way to look at this and say this is great advice that I need to work with and when we get [12:17] What I like to call the ultimate coffee cup verse of all time Ephesians 4 32

[12:23] Talk about that in just a minute like to look at that and say I might try that sometimes [12:27] So so we look at it and we say this is what life in Jesus looks like I’m gonna work really hard [12:32] At doing this stuff [12:35] That is not the context of this passage at all [12:40] What Paul is doing is is he’s using these as great examples first of how

[12:49] astronomically [12:50] Opposite the life of a follower of Jesus should be from the life of someone who’s not following Jesus [12:55] It’s as different as life is from death. It’s completely different [13:00] But more than that he’s wanting us to take a look at the environment [13:06] But this stuff must be lived out in [13:09] If you notice about everything that he says in this passage

[13:13] The environment is relationships [13:17] If you’re a thief [13:19] There’s someone you’re stealing from [13:21] If you’re angry, well, there’s someone that you’re angry at if you’re doing work [13:29] So that you can then be generous [13:32] There’s someone that that generosity is going towards if you’re living a life in which you are just really dead set on

[13:41] Forgiving other people there’s someone that’s going to be either the recipient of that forgiveness or you [13:47] Yourself need to be the recipient of that forgiveness and the place that he’s talking about is the community that the gospel is [13:55] necessarily going to form in your life

[13:59] All right, because here’s the key about the gospel and what is really going to drive you towards and what it’s gonna do a redeeming life [14:07] builds [14:07] relationships that make disciples [14:10] Okay, if you’ve gone from redeemed to redeeming it’s going to build relationships [14:15] Why because the reason that you may not be in relationship or you avoid? [14:22] relationships with other people

[14:24] It’s almost like a rule. It is sin

[14:30] Sin is what makes relationships unbearable [14:36] It’s it’s always [14:37] It’s either you’re being offended or you are you have my problem. You have a tendency to put your foot in your mouth and offend other people [14:45] Okay, and that puts huge wedges in our life between us and other people and what this passage of verses is saying when it says [14:51] You’re members one of another put away falsehood [14:56] In other words when those sins come up that begin to separate us

[15:00] We must remember the cross of Jesus and we must realize that those barriers are gone [15:07] We must preach the gospel to ourselves and to other people and when we trust and believe the gospel it is [15:15] necessarily going to drive our lives together [15:19] There is no gospel living apart from relationships being built it doesn’t exist [15:27] Dave Ramsey has this great quote that five years from now you are going to be the same person that you are right now [15:35] Except for the books that you read and the people that you meet

[15:38] Because one has to do with knowledge attained the other has to do with relationships built and those are the two things that [15:46] Ultimately change our lives for the good or for the worse [15:52] and [15:53] The entire last section we went over last week was about knowledge [15:58] It was about understanding and this entire section is about relationships [16:03] But here’s the key relationships are very very hard

[16:08] You see here’s what Paul has to say about that. I want to go back to verse 25 and then I’m gonna jump down to verse 29 [16:16] Therefore having put away falsehood let each one of you speak the truth with his neighbor [16:20] All right, that’s number one very hard thing to do [16:23] So we’re gonna deal with that then he says the reason that you can speak the truth and you should speak the truth is [16:28] Because you are members one of another then jump down to verse 29 [16:32] Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths

[16:36] But only such as is good for building up as fits the occasion that it may give grace to those [16:44] Who hear? [16:47] Paul is here [16:48] casting a vision [16:50] For the community that God is building through the gospel and what it exists for

[16:59] Okay, I want you to think in your mind right now about all of the relationships in your life [17:04] Okay, all of them the good ones the bad ones [17:07] All right that mother-in-law that you hate that brother that you haven’t talked to in 26 years [17:13] I want you to think about all of them. All right, and I want you to understand that your relationships exist [17:20] in the gospel for one of two things [17:22] They either exist

[17:25] for you and your betterment in your kingdom or [17:31] They exist for the purpose of the gospel of God in [17:36] discipleship [17:38] Okay, and the vision that Paul is casting here is that your? [17:43] relationships all [17:45] exist for the purpose of

[17:48] discipleship [17:49] And when I think about the scripture as a whole when I think about things like like Psalms 1 when I think about things [17:55] Like the entire book of Proverbs when I think about what Paul is casting here in Ephesians and what he does in other texts [18:01] What I begin to understand is that the scripture has this one thing that it always puts into our lives about our relationships [18:08] All right, and that is that they’re either going to further the work of discipleship in my life and in someone else’s life or [18:16] They’re going to make it worse

[18:19] My relationships are [18:21] discipling me [18:24] either towards the cross or away from the cross [18:29] because the more I realized that my relationships exist as [18:34] tangible evidences and proofs of the gospel of God in my life [18:39] The more that I begin to look at my relationships and say where is God in this relationship?

[18:46] Because what Paul is really casting here is this vision that our relationships exist for far different things [18:52] than we think that they really exist for and [18:56] What he’s saying is that relationships that you have if they’re based on the gospel what they’re going to form is [19:02] This thing I like to call the church [19:04] Okay, if you are [19:07] Reconciled to God through Christ Jesus you’re going to ultimately

[19:12] Receive that from someone else [19:14] All right [19:15] You heard the gospel from someone at some point in time and the way that God [19:19] Designed for the gospel to go out into the world is through those who have been redeemed and has come together as [19:25] The biblical church remember what we talked about a few weeks ago in the gifts and leadership [19:29] That God has given to the church well

[19:32] It’s all trickling down from here and in chapters 5 and 6 of the book of Ephesians what we’re gonna see is he begins [19:38] With the top view of our relationships inside of the church, and then he’s gonna get more and more and more personal about our lives [19:46] Here what we’re talking about is relationships inside of the church and inside of my life in general [19:51] It to be in the middle of chapter 5. He’s gonna shift and he’s gonna go into my house [19:55] He’s gonna talk about my relationship with my wife [19:58] then my relationship with my children and then he’s gonna talk about the relationships with people at work and

[20:03] Just in my life in general [20:04] But right here what he’s saying is is the relationships that you have inside of the church are for the purpose of [20:13] You becoming a fully equipped follower of Jesus Christ for the purpose of living the mission of Jesus [20:19] And you’re like, where do you see that? [20:22] All right, when we take a look at verse 29 [20:24] We have a tendency to say let no corrupt communication come out of your mouth. We’re like, okay, stop cussing

[20:31] All right, when you’re on the job don’t tell those dirty jokes and don’t listen to them when someone starts one immediately run [20:37] Just as fast as you can [20:39] But that’s how we tend to look at it because we want it to be black or white and it does mean those things by the way [20:46] Don’t hear me. Don’t don’t hear what I’m not saying. But what I’m saying is that this is more than good advice [20:54] It’s saying more than that because what does he say after that look at verse 29 again [21:01] He says let no corrupting talk come out of your mouth, but only such as is good for what?

[21:08] Building up as fits the occasion that it may give grace to those who hear [21:15] What is this entire book been about? [21:19] the building of God’s church [21:22] So when he talks about building up he’s not just talking about your self-esteem

[21:29] He’s talking about the building up of God’s vision for his church [21:33] So when I am in communication [21:36] First with another follower of Jesus my communication is to be [21:41] saturated with the effects of the gospel and the content of the gospel [21:47] So that we may both be mutually [21:50] Benefited in following Jesus Christ more closely and more dearly in our lives

[21:57] So that the mission of Jesus and his view in his mission of building the church may become more and more tangible in my life [22:05] This is not a new vision [22:07] All right. God gave this vision in the book of Deuteronomy for the nation of Israel in Deuteronomy chapter 4 [22:14] This is what Moses writes to his people he says hero Israel the Lord our God the Lord is one [22:21] And then he says this is what that means is the implication of God in our lives [22:27] You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart with all your soul and with all your might

[22:34] Who else said that Jesus [22:37] Tell you summed up the law [22:39] But then he says in these words that I command you today shall be on your heart [22:43] He says you shall teach them diligently to your children and shall talk of them when you sit in your house and [22:50] When you walk by the way and when you lie down and when you rise

[22:56] So what is Moses casting a vision of [22:59] Every part of your life is about the fact that you are a follower and a child of God [23:07] Nothing is to be left untouched [23:09] The chief aim of a mother and a father if they’re followers of God [23:14] Especially now in this world that we’ve been reconciled to Jesus Christ [23:17] Then our chief aim is that our child becomes a disciple our chief aim must be our child’s relationship with Jesus Christ

[23:25] And then secondly when you sit in your home [23:28] No, it’s your entire home in general your relationship with your wife or your relationship with your husband [23:33] Relationship with other family members. I don’t know how many people live in your house [23:37] I was a joke did the delivery was just way off

[23:44] But no matter what’s going on in your family the chief aim for you and your family is redeeming them [23:51] Closer and closer to God pointing them closer and closer to God [23:54] Then he says when you walk by the way [23:57] In other words when you’re out of your home [24:00] No matter where you are. No matter what you’re doing [24:03] It’s to be saturated with the gospel of Jesus Christ all of your

[24:08] Relationships in your life will either push you closer to Jesus or will push you away from Jesus

[24:16] The relationships that happen in your life are the most important thing [24:22] About who you are in Jesus and determining whether or not you will follow God or not

[24:28] Because the chief aim here is that number one you have a relationship with God you’ve been reconciled to him

[24:35] But secondly he says [24:37] You are going to live among other people [24:42] That is going to have a dramatic impact in your life [24:48] So the question there is is what do you? [24:52] Believe your relationships exist for and what are your relationships accomplishing?

[24:59] Are you seeking out real? [25:01] relationships about the gospel or are you seeking out relationships that are only furthering a [25:08] Kingdom of your own hands for the glory of yourself [25:11] That make you feel better about you [25:14] Let me you more comfortable in your life are these relationships actually challenging you to follow Jesus [25:19] Here’s the big determining factor and here’s the big problem with relationships, especially where discipleship is concerned

[25:24] And this is the problem that we have with church [25:27] discipleship causes tension

[25:31] Discipleship causes tension it’s inevitable [25:34] I’ve never met a person that says to me. Hey actually maybe one or two people along the path [25:41] But have ever looked at me and said hey, could you just point out everything I’m doing wrong [25:44] So I’ll stop it and then tell me exactly what to do right no [25:49] No one really wakes up in the morning and and kind of looks at their life and say I am an utter failure

[25:56] I [25:57] Wish there was someone to just really point out everything. I’m doing wrong. What do we typically do we avoid those people?

[26:05] There’s that person at work. That’s always showing you the flaws in your job. Do you go to lunch with that person every day? [26:11] No, you hate them [26:13] Let’s just be honest you don’t like them [26:17] All right [26:18] But inside of the church we have this strange reality that takes place in our lives that we are fully [26:26] Accepted by God, but what that means is is that I love him and I want to please him

[26:32] And I want to just be closer to him [26:34] So we really do have a desire in ourselves to do it and to be that and to seek change [26:41] But then when someone has the audacity to point one of those places in my life where that’s not happening [26:47] What do you think you’re better than me? [26:50] You’re not here’s where you’re a sinner. I’m not going back to that group

[26:56] It’s what we do so we do

[27:01] Because there are places in your life where you need to experience redemption and here’s the deal [27:08] Christianity is not a faith that God designed for you to do alone [27:14] But because of the way culture tends to condition us we seek to do it alone [27:21] growth through podcast [27:23] Growth through reading all the books on this one subject, and we want to do it by ourselves and those things are great [27:31] But only if you’re using them as a catalyst to drive you deeper into the Christian community

[27:38] So that you can grow but tension will arise [27:43] It will [27:45] Disagreements will come up

[27:49] That’s why Paul kind of caps it off with this all right look at the chapter 4

[28:01] Verse 30 and do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God [28:08] By whom you were sealed for the day of redemption [28:11] Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you along with all malice

[28:21] be kind [28:22] one excuse me to one another [28:25] tender-hearted [28:26] Forgiving one another as God and Christ forgave you

[28:33] The work of the gospel is shown in a life that seeks reconciliation [28:41] it is [28:42] Because that’s what the gospel does [28:45] It reconciles me to God and when I’m reconciled to God in Jesus when my relationship with him is made right [28:52] What that is going to do is it’s going to remove all those barriers that I talked about being reconciled with other people and the way [28:59] God has said the gospel works is that it needs to go from my life to someone else’s life and that forms community

[29:05] That gives us real [29:07] relationships for the purpose of discipleship, but here’s the key [29:11] We have in our culture what a body bakum pastor down in Texas what he likes to call the 11th commandment [29:17] You know we have those ten well. He says now in our culture. We have an 11th one. It’s thou shalt be nice

[29:23] Thou shalt be nice and in one sense. That’s a good thing. We should be nice [29:28] All right, but here’s what we mean in our pluralistic culture [29:33] It means that we should never do anything that might possibly cause an inkling of offense in another person [29:40] In other words their belief system is legitimate [29:45] Everything subjective I’m okay. You’re okay, and our unity is just that we’re nice to each other

[29:54] And everything’s great [29:55] And we’re just show up on Sunday mornings we smile beautiful day outside. How are you good? [30:02] And we can’t get any deeper than that [30:04] because if we do [30:06] differences may come up and [30:09] I may be following Jesus in a place where you’re not following Jesus

[30:13] You might be following Jesus in a place that I’m not following Jesus and if those two paths ever merge World War three [30:20] And we both have to leave the church

[30:25] That is not God’s vision of community folks

[30:31] Sometimes community is gonna bring conflict especially when sin is found in my life [30:38] And back in verse 25 the catalyst for verse 32 when it says be kind one to another it defines kindness [30:44] As speaking the truth and love

[30:48] That love is [30:50] The grace of Jesus Christ [30:52] Because our communications be peppered with it so that we can offer grace to each other grace grace. I love you [30:58] You’re forgiven, but then on the end of that. It’s you’re forgiven therefore you need to live a different way [31:05] And if we’re really living in community with each other we should love those opportunities

[31:12] Not because we’re trying to lord anything over each other [31:15] Not because we’re trying to be mean to each other but because we all have a unique desire [31:22] To be a follower of Jesus Christ [31:25] And if we want to live by the scripture [31:27] We will want to follow Jesus the best way we can because we want to glorify him and we want others to see the [31:33] Forgiveness is taking root in our lives, and I realize that when sin comes up

[31:37] It is not condemning because I’ve been forgiven of it [31:41] And if I’ve been forgiven of it, then I can live differently [31:46] Because Jesus didn’t just die for the sins of the past [31:49] He also died for the sins of the present. He also died for the sins of the future. I’m completely forgiven [31:54] But the reality of my forgiveness goes deeper and deeper into my life the older and the older I get and if I’m not [32:02] Ever seeing anywhere in my life that I need to change then that means growth has stopped

[32:14] That’s a problem

[32:16] Because until I’m face to face with Jesus growth must not stop [32:20] Because if growth stops [32:23] It says interesting things negative things about my faith [32:28] And I must seek to grow and what that requires is real relationships with other people that are sometimes going to chide [32:36] Against the way that I want to live my life because I’ve been in a relationship with other people [32:39] Deep relationships with the other pastors of this church for years and guess what we argue

[32:47] Guess what? [32:49] Sometimes my life has needed to have the mirror of their lives so that I can follow Jesus more [32:57] Faithfully and guess what sometimes our responses to each other when that happens are not pretty [33:03] But you know what it’s beautiful [33:07] Because it makes me a more equipped follower of Jesus because community serves as a [33:14] mirror and a mentor in

[33:18] my life for the gospel [33:20] Because what community shows me is the truth about myself [33:25] The truth about where in my life. I’m living like a thief [33:31] Where in my life, I’m angry and I am sinning [33:36] Where in my life, I am not [33:39] Giving words that build up but rather I’m giving words that tear down and I

[33:47] oftentimes [33:49] Often you have no idea how often often is I [33:53] need correction I [33:56] Need it [33:58] Because I’ll never grow if I don’t have it [34:02] Because we are so much like the children that we raise

[34:07] If I never correct my son ever

[34:12] What we’d be like by the time he’s a teenager [34:16] You won’t want him around [34:19] And he’ll probably be dead [34:22] Because if I never correct him he’ll play with knives. I mean he will he’s that crazy. I love my son. I really do honey

[34:32] If you don’t have kids you don’t get that [34:34] But here’s the key I need correction too [34:39] But sometimes when you’re being corrected, it’s uncomfortable and sometimes [34:43] When you’re correcting me, it’s uncomfortable. That’s why we have this great thing here about speaking the truth and love [34:50] All right. That’s why we have this great [34:53] Scripture here this text that says be kind to each other

[34:58] Forgive each other but kindness is not always a smile that just [35:04] Says hello and lets you walk on the pathway to hell

[35:10] Kindness is [35:12] oftentimes [35:13] walking beside you and [35:16] saying hey [35:17] Here’s a better way [35:19] And it walks with you on the path that leads to the cross

[35:23] Kindness is sometimes [35:27] confrontational [35:28] But it is always for the purpose of reconciliation and not revenge [35:36] Do you understand the difference there? [35:40] Be angry and don’t sin when your feelings are hurt don’t retaliate

[35:46] Look to the cross worship Jesus look at his person look at his work and then say I’m gonna take [35:55] Reconciliation to that person and it’s gonna be hard [36:03] Because here’s the key sometimes that other person will not want to seek reconciliation with God with you

[36:13] Sometimes that other person will not want to follow Jesus even in the church

[36:21] And that’s when the road gets very difficult [36:24] That’s when the road gets very hard and that’s when you have to lean on that other relationship your relationship with the father all the more

[36:33] Because sometimes pathways do [36:36] Go different directions

[36:39] The gospel of Jesus will bring great mourning into your life [36:42] But it’ll bring great trust that the Holy Spirit has the power to bring them back

[36:48] And finish with just two more thoughts the first thought is that one section where it says and don’t quench the Holy Spirit [36:55] You ever think about that? What is quenching the spirit? You say well, it’s it’s when I do bad things that quench the spirit [37:01] That’s true, but there’s more there [37:03] When it says don’t quench the Holy Spirit it kind of brings to my mind Philippians chapter 2 [37:09] If I get that bubble on the screen real quick Philippians 2 it says so if there’s any encouragement in Christ any comfort in love [37:14] Look at that any

[37:15] Participation in the spirit. That’s the opposite of quenching the spirit any affection and sympathy complete my joy [37:22] Being full of the same mind that’s the mindset of Christ Jesus [37:27] Having the same love [37:29] Being in full accord and of one mind [37:33] Do nothing nothing from rivalry or conceit [37:37] But in humility count others more significant than yourselves. Let each of you not look to his own interests

[37:44] But also the interests of others [37:46] The only heart that that attitude can come from is a heart that’s been redeemed by Jesus Christ because when you’ve been redeemed by [37:53] Jesus you have everything and you need nothing else [37:57] And you live to offer that to other people [38:02] So you actually have the ability to count others as more significant than yourselves [38:07] Participation in the spirit is a life that seeks reconciliation for the purpose of being and making

[38:13] disciples of Jesus Christ

[38:17] Quenching the Holy Spirit is when you seek things out of rivalry and conceit [38:24] When you seek your benefit over the benefit of others when you seek isolation over community when you seek retaliation [38:31] Over forgiveness when you seek revenge rather than reconciliation you quench the Holy [38:37] Spirit of God because what Ephesians chapter 4 is telling us and what Philippians chapter 2 is telling us is that the [38:43] Location and the environment that the Holy Spirit of God is going to work and give you strength and give you power [38:51] unimaginable is the

[38:53] environment and atmosphere that takes place in [38:56] Community where we are equipped for our work of living the mission of Jesus out in the world [39:02] And here’s why be ye kind one to another tender-hearted forgiving one another just as God in Christ forgave you [39:11] Did Jesus wait until someone sought me out excuse me saw him out before he forgave

[39:21] No

[39:25] Jesus went to the cross and died for rebels [39:30] Jesus went to the cross and died for those who were living in offense to him [39:36] He brought forgiveness anyway [39:40] So the great temptation that exists is that we are going to wait until someone seeks community with us and [39:48] Then sit on the bay on the in the stands and say well nobody loves me

[39:55] That’s rivalry and conceit

[39:59] Community happens when we seek one another there’s there’s responsibility on both ends

[40:05] If we’re going to grow in Jesus [40:08] We must trust the cross of Jesus Christ [40:12] We must trust that he’s forgiven us [40:15] Because that is the only place where real forgiveness is possible [40:20] We together [40:22] Must seek to follow Jesus Christ in our lives

[40:28] Where do you see the new life in Jesus Christ coming through in your actions?

[40:38] Where do you see it?

[40:41] The thief that’s an example

[40:45] Where are you like a thief? [40:48] And secondly where can you see the new life in Christ in your relationships?

[40:57] If you’re in a community group here this morning go deep

[41:02] Be transparent commit to those people

[41:08] Commit to them it could take years [41:12] You need to commit to go deep with those people and to help one another because here’s what we do [41:17] And we don’t even realize we do it is we want to commit to seven different churches [41:20] 32 different Bible studies and five pair of church organizations, and then ask ourselves a big question [41:26] Why I’m not seem to be going deep with anyone

[41:31] Because you’re spreading yourself tooth in

[41:34] Spreading yourself tooth in

[41:38] Commit to [41:39] Following Jesus in community with others because that is where the spirit works [41:46] Don’t quench him [41:48] participate with him