A Redeeming Community, Part 2.

Steve Gentry

[0:00] My name is Steve. I am one of the pastors here at a Village Church. A couple [0:05] of business items. First I want to thank each and every one of you that were [0:09] able to make it out to the Change Who Waits rally yesterday. It was a great [0:15] time. Village Church was represented so well and I just want to thank you for [0:19] kind of taking that step of action with us yesterday as we just kind of catch a [0:24] vision for what God would have our response to be in foster care and

[0:29] adoption as His people. It was a great time. I don’t know if you were there and [0:34] you’re like me, your world got rocked a little bit watching some of the videos [0:37] hearing some of the testimonies. I caught a vision yesterday of what we [0:43] can do as a people. If you have no idea what I’m talking about, that’s okay. [0:48] Go to changewhowaits.org. Check out that site as we just try to raise awareness [0:53] for the need in our state as there are 1,300 give or take children free for

[1:02] adoption within our state as well as about 5,800 children in the foster care [1:07] system. So a movement is needed in that direction and we are the people with a [1:14] reason, a real gospel centered reason for reacting. Also the 33 series just as [1:21] Clint said it so well earlier, we can get up early. Now some of us you know we [1:27] got you have to be at work you know like 7 o’clock but if you don’t have to be [1:30] worked till 8 or 9 we’ve we’ve scheduled it to give you enough time to go to

[1:35] work afterwards if your work starts at 8 and if your only reason is because you [1:39] want a little bit more sleep, come on man. Come on. [1:44] Manhood. Man up. All right because I’m not asking you to do this every day it’s [1:49] just once a week then in six weeks you can go back to your sinful habits of [1:55] sleeping too late. I know it’s not biblical but I’ve chosen to view it that [2:01] way. It’s wrong. I’ll repent openly right now. I’m sorry but you’re a sinner too.

[2:06] But so let’s just spend six weeks with me getting up early going through the [2:11] scriptures learning what it is biblically to live as a man and next [2:16] Sunday is Mother’s Day. Okay so your gift to your wife because personally if [2:23] you are a wife I view you in one way as a mother because we know you have one [2:28] child already and that’s your husband. I am one child that my wife is raising [2:32] right now and so part of the gift to your wife is to spend six weeks learning

[2:37] about biblical manhood or if you’re single and you hope to get married then [2:42] you need to come to this and learn what it is to be a biblical man because your [2:48] future wife will thank you. I know before I got married I needed something like [2:52] this to go through and so I spent a lot of time that first year of marriage [2:55] learning what a sinner I was and I’m still learning through that. So come on [3:00] out and next Sunday’s Mother’s Day and one awesome thing providentially I think

[3:04] this is working out. I didn’t plan it this way but we’re gonna begin a three [3:08] week series on the home called a redeeming family going through the rest [3:13] of Ephesians 5 and the beginning of Ephesians 6 and as a gift to the mothers [3:18] and the wives out there next week I’m gonna spend the whole sermon beating [3:21] your husband up. So next week we’re gonna talk about what it is to be a biblical [3:25] husband what it is to be a biblical father and so look forward to that. I’m

[3:31] gonna be beating myself up as well because if it’s one thing that you [3:35] go through the scriptures it is really what an imperfect person you are and what [3:40] a need for gospel centered sanctification that I still have and you [3:45] still have. So I’m gonna ask the men next Sunday to show up wives drag them here [3:50] and come with a heart that is open to change and repentance next week because [3:56] I know I need it and if I need it then I just assume you do as well. It’s just

[4:00] the way we all live. All right so go ahead and open your Bibles to Ephesians [4:04] chapter 5. Ephesians chapter 5 we’re on the home stretch in the Ephesians series [4:10] as we continue to go through this book and one thing that I want you to keep on [4:15] your mind this week is just a short phrase that is really the theme as we go [4:21] through this and that is in light of reconciliation. All right and what I mean [4:27] by that is in light of what Jesus has done in my life this is the effect. This

[4:34] is the outcome of trusting in Jesus as my Savior trusting that he has done it [4:41] all trusting that he has accomplished redemption trusting that he has [4:46] reconciled me to God the Father so that I can have a full joyful relationship [4:51] with God apart from any any reason that I could have not to in light of that [4:57] reconciliation this is true of my life. All right and with that mentality let’s [5:03] jump in Ephesians chapter 5 verse 1. Therefore be imitators of God as beloved

[5:12] children and walk in love as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us a [5:20] fragrant offering and sacrifice to God. Let’s go ahead and stop there and just [5:25] unpack that for a moment. So last week what we saw is this great community that [5:31] God is building through our reconciliation with God that when we are [5:36] reconciled with God we catch the heart of the Father we’re in relationship with [5:40] him he pours his life into ours and what happens is is we begin to seek

[5:45] reconciliation with others as we take redemption the finished work of Jesus [5:50] that message to them and so what naturally is going to be the outcome of [5:54] that is the church as we take redemption as we seek to be and make disciples [6:01] relationships will be formed and last week the purpose of those relationships [6:06] was really defined the purpose of those relationships is our sanctification is [6:11] us following Jesus as we saw last week the thief is to steal no longer not only

[6:16] that but he’s to work and not only that he’s to now be generous so instead of [6:21] seeing possessions and belongings as being me me me for me now I work hard [6:27] but now I view them as God’s as he owns everything and so what am I going to do [6:32] with that in light of the gospel what did Jesus do with his life he was [6:35] generous he gave fully he gave everything that he had on the cross and [6:41] so the natural outcome of that is going to be generosity well how do I express

[6:44] that with others all right I’m not just generous with my dog all right I’m [6:51] generous with people with others what does that what is that that’s gospel [6:55] and then we saw a great deal of it was with how we deal with our anger and the [7:00] fact that anger is now turned into forgiveness now mercy and grace because [7:05] of Jesus with the defining ethic of our lives and then it finishes off and it [7:10] says be kind one to another forgiving one another as God in Christ has

[7:16] forgiven you and so the real basis for all of this change is not to earn God’s [7:25] acceptance because in Jesus we know that he loves us fully he accepts us [7:29] fully he’s given us full access with God but what it is is that we’re now living [7:33] in light of that acceptance in light of that love and we see that Jesus has [7:39] given us a defining ethic for our lives to build a culture that is ripe with [7:46] redemption with hope for sinners in relationship with others and the fact

[7:53] that now my relationships aren’t built on just simple commonalities or simple [7:58] personality traits now relationships are built for the purpose of pursuing the [8:03] gospel and what he calls us here in Paul says because of all of that stuff when [8:08] he says therefore in light of reconciliation be imitators of God and [8:19] what he lays out there is the beautiful realization that to be an imitator of [8:25] God is not a subjective thing it is an objective truth that has been revealed

[8:34] in the person and work of Jesus Christ to imitate God is to imitate Jesus who [8:45] second part of the Trinity so we know what that looks like we have a full [8:51] picture we are not left in a mystery of what it means to follow God and that is [8:58] the theme of the book of Ephesians if I could just rewind real quick to [9:02] Ephesians chapter 1 in verse 7 I want to read that says way of reminder it says [9:08] in him we have redemption through his blood the forgiveness of our

[9:13] trespasses according to the riches of his grace which he lavished upon us in [9:17] all wisdom and insight and here’s the kicker making known to us the mystery [9:23] of his will so when the scripture says imitate God it is not a mystery he has [9:32] made it known through Jesus he has cleared it up he’s shown us where our [9:38] lives are supposed to go and it’s the direction that Jesus went and what is [9:42] that direction redemption after leaving the home of a man that everyone thought

[9:48] was a sinner in the book of Luke the Pharisees who are the religious right of [9:52] that day they look at him and said why were you eating with a sinner and Jesus [9:55] said I came to seek and to save that which was lost so who else am I supposed [9:58] to eat with our lives are to be spent in pursuit of the very things that Jesus [10:05] spent pursuing and because of that I just want to make us my first point this [10:08] morning which is going to come off and I’m gonna have to explain it but here’s

[10:11] the key without mission people fail without mission people fail here’s what [10:18] I mean by that in light of reconciliation in light of what Jesus has [10:25] done in light of what he has revealed when it says in the beginning was the [10:28] word and the word was God and the word was with God and nothing came except for [10:32] the word and then in verse 14 of John chapter 1 it says and the word came and [10:35] dwelt among us what that means is he tabernacled with us the same word in

[10:40] the presence of God was the presence of God is in Jesus because he is God the [10:45] Son and he tabernacles with us he makes his presence with us and why does he do [10:52] that he was born to die he was born with a vision that he’s head towards the [10:58] cross in the Garden of Gethsemane it’s so weighty on him that he knows where he’s [11:02] going he knows he’s taking the sins of the world onto his back and he says God [11:07] there’s any other way father let this cup pass for me and then he says these

[11:10] words that must be ringing true in our lives in light of reconciliation and [11:14] that is not my will but thine be done Jesus knows where he’s going he knows [11:21] why he’s going for this what the book of Hebrews says that that he took on the [11:26] cross he pursued it with his life despising the shame because of the joy [11:33] that was set before him he went through the suffering because he knew what was [11:38] on the other side he knew that redemption was on the other side and that

[11:43] was his joy that is to be our joy and so here’s the awesome key of this if you [11:49] look back in the text it says in verse 2 and walk in love as Christ loved us that [11:56] love has a distinct feel to it and it says he gave himself up for sins a [12:01] offering and sacrifice to God okay if you remember back at the beginning of [12:06] Ephesians chapter 4 it gave us this idea that Jesus after the resurrection he [12:11] went home to heaven and he said to the right hand of the father but he went in

[12:14] a triumphal procession and then we took a look at 2nd Corinthians chapter 2 [12:19] where it says that he leads us through this life in a triumphal procession in [12:24] light of the resurrection but a little bit later right after that in 2nd [12:30] starting in verse 14 we read but thanks be to God who in Christ always leads us [12:35] in triumphal procession and through us spreads what the fragrance of the [12:42] knowledge of him everywhere for we are the aroma of Christ to God among those

[12:49] who are being saved among those who are perishing so it says that we imitate [12:55] and this is what Jesus showed us we’re supposed to walk in his love which is a [13:01] sacrificial love for the purpose of redemption and that through his sacrifice [13:05] he gave off a pleasing aroma to God but then in 2nd Corinthians chapter 2 we [13:11] have the same idea written by the same author who says this triumphal procession [13:16] of the resurrection is us being the aroma of Christ to everyone around us so

[13:24] it is clear that we are to live with a missional mindset in this life and what [13:30] is that mission can it be defined absolutely it’s in light of [13:36] reconciliation in light of the relationship that we have with God we [13:39] intentionally set out in our lives seeking ways to reach others with the [13:46] gospel it’s not some mystical reality that we can’t figure out so each person [13:53] just does it in his own way might look different in your life but the basis

[13:57] must be the same it is the mission of Jesus it is evangelism it is living to [14:07] show the truth of the gospel in my life as well as to speak the truth of the [14:11] gospel into other people’s lives and finding effective ways to do that this [14:16] what Jesus did without that we fail and I realize that it is not a politically [14:25] correct thing to say that we can fail but the fact of the matter is his faith [14:32] does have specifics trusting Jesus will reveal itself in certain ways in your

[14:41] one base commonality in light of all of the differences that we have in light of [14:47] all of the different gifts that God’s going to give some of us some of us are [14:50] going to be good at speaking some of us are going to be good at serving some of [14:53] us are good in other ways but the one base commonality that you see throughout [14:58] all of scripture is the realization that there is a mission that God set out to [15:04] accomplish through the world in Jesus is the ultimate revelation of what that

[15:08] mission is and that we are to imitate that with our lives what else am I [15:14] supposed to call it if we don’t do that but failure when we do not do that which [15:23] God has made abundantly clear what else should we call it the great failure of [15:35] the church throughout all time has been making it about other things the great [15:44] failure in my life as a follower of Jesus is just that it’s in not following [15:49] him because the direction that he went in the direction that he’s taking us is

[15:56] direction of mission we don’t do that we set our life up for all sorts of other [16:07] purposes and other visions and other things and we try to kind of get that in [16:12] the back end it’s not revealing faith in Christ it is revealing a faith and [16:18] trust in myself and with just bringing him in on the back end so that I feel a [16:22] more comfortable about eternity as Paul wrote last week in Ephesians chapter 4 [16:29] that is not the way you learned Christ assuming that you’ve heard of him it’s

[16:36] not the way that’s not the way and so what is the most effective way for us [16:43] to begin that journey of following him into a life of mission how can we really [16:49] out these biblical implications for what it means to intentionally engage all of [16:57] life with the truth of reconciliation that Jesus Christ gives us well he kind [17:02] of spells it out a little more and it gets really specific as to what it [17:06] doesn’t look like and then he’s going to give us on the back end what it does and

[17:11] he says but sexual immorality and all impurity or covetousness must not even [17:18] be named among you as is proper among the saints let there be no filthiness [17:23] nor foolish talk or crude joking which are out of place but instead let there [17:28] be thanksgiving for you may be sure of this that everyone who is sexually [17:33] immoral or impure who was covetous that is an idolater has no inheritance in the [17:38] kingdom of Christ and God let no one deceive you with empty words for because

[17:44] of these things the wrath of God comes upon the sons of disobedience therefore [17:48] do not become partners with them for at one time you were darkness but now you [17:57] are light in the Lord walk as children of light for the fruit of light is found [18:02] in all that is good and right and true and try to discern what is pleasing to [18:08] the Lord

[18:12] here’s what I want you to understand is that what he’s doing is he’s amassing [18:17] kind of like he did last week a great deal of examples as to what we can pursue [18:23] on our own and what can become a vision for ourselves on our own apart from the [18:28] work of God and we must be careful not to do that there are things that do not [18:37] glorify God you cannot do whatever you want to do and then just at the end of [18:43] it say I’m doing it in the name of Jesus and then it glorifies God that’s not

[18:48] how it works I cannot come up to you for no reason and just punch you in the face [18:54] and say in the name of Jesus and you’re like hallelujah no there are things that [19:05] will further the work of the gospel and things that will detract from the work [19:09] of the gospel there are ways that God has defined in his perfect holiness for [19:16] us to live in obedience to him that if we don’t do it that way it does not [19:22] further redemption and it does not bring the gospel to more and more people the

[19:27] gospel is not something that we can really look at and say okay whatever it [19:32] takes we’ll do it whatever level we have to kind of stoop to whatever sinful [19:37] habit we must engage and embrace whatever we’ll just do it because it’s [19:41] all about just this one message of Jesus saves no that’s not biblical it’s not [19:48] the way it’s defined God says that what really defines us is ultimately the way [19:56] that we looked at last week is living a life for God and others this is why Jesus

[20:03] says the great commandment is to love the Lord your God with all your heart [20:06] your soul in your mind and the second is like it love your neighbor as yourself [20:09] here’s the key if you’re living your life in pursuit of sexual immorality do [20:13] you know who you are seeking to please above all you’re seeking to please [20:16] yourself that’s self gratification you’re not seeking the benefit of others [20:23] seeking the benefit of you what if you look at another person I deserve

[20:28] everything that they have I work harder than they do I deserve what they have so [20:31] much so that I wish they didn’t have it who’s the beneficiary there you what is [20:38] the total sum of all idolatry as he kind of gets to the root and put in [20:43] parentheses that is idolatry the pursuit of idolatry is the pursuit of [20:47] your God’s your definition of what life looks like what you want and ultimately [20:52] what it’s going to cause is going to cause a huge barrier between you and

[20:57] anyone else that’s going to have a competing virtue than that and what do [21:01] you have if you have two people seeking to fulfill nothing but themselves can [21:07] they come together and form community for anything no no so what are you going [21:15] to have you can have isolation so the vision of the gospel reconciling us to [21:22] God and others while we are pursuing that which only benefits us and that [21:27] which only fills us up is not going to further the gospel in my life I must

[21:37] biblically set it up in such a way that it pushes the gospel as hard as it can [21:42] as far as it can and anything that’s going to limit that is to be thrown off

[21:49] that’s why Hebrews chapter 12 when it describes the life of a believer and [21:54] says we’re surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses it says then [21:58] therefore throw off every weight and sin that entangles you it’s not just this [22:07] list of things that you’re like well yeah that’s sin it’s also any other [22:13] thing that you can’t look at and label as a sin but when it becomes that which [22:17] you seek ultimately it becomes a sin so if my life is spent in nothing but a

[22:23] pursuit of a career and that’s my God is promotion 401k the corner office that’s [22:32] what I want that’s what will make me the happiest that is your God that is your [22:39] golden calf and so in that light it is at the same level as sexual immorality [22:49] and covetousness because you’re the only beneficiary of that it is for your [22:53] gratification it is an idol that you have created and you must throw that [22:59] weight off but what we like to do is we like to limit it and we like to say well

[23:08] I’m married so I’m not sexually immoral it’s pretty hard to get through the [23:13] covetous one and not say you’re guilty of it because I haven’t met anybody [23:17] that’s gotten through that one yet because man we are really we want things [23:22] everyone else has but some of you might say well I’m doing all right there and [23:28] see you’re like okay I’m good now what is the heart of what he’s building here [23:34] remember he is building something that is not for you it’s for others he’s

[23:41] building a vision for God’s church that’s the entire purpose of the book of [23:45] Ephesians if you’ve been with us thus far so he’s saying whatever is going to [23:50] build a community for God through the work of the gospel is that what your [23:54] life is supposed to be pointed towards and you will not build your kingdom that [24:03] why do you think in that text he says for such people will not inherit the [24:08] kingdom of God because you’re not seeking to build his kingdom you’re

[24:14] seeking your own so whose kingdom will you inherit yours yours that is hell

[24:26] CS Lewis once said that the best definition that he can come up with hell [24:30] is God giving you exactly what you want a life where you are king and the [24:37] ultimate outcome of that is destruction and terror for eternity without [24:47] community mission fails without it I’m talking about tangible relationships [24:56] because it is only in a community built by the gospel that we spent so much time [25:01] on last week that what we see is people giving of themselves to other people in

[25:06] discipleship in helping each other when it’s needed in helping each other through [25:11] hard times and graduating each other in the really good times in seeking the [25:15] benefit of someone else for the purpose of the gospel it’s only in there that we [25:21] can catch a vision of what God has done in the gospel so the key is is when I am [25:27] pursuing a life of nothing but self gratification it is impossible for me to [25:35] live the mission of Jesus I cannot be an imitator of God when I am not seeking

[25:43] reconciliation with others through the gospel in my life because God is seeking [25:48] reconciliation with people through the work of the cross that’s what God is [25:53] doing that is his eternal pursuit and what he is forming through that is the [25:57] church which will be in this life a sign of the kingdom that he is bringing and [26:04] we live to show the restoration of all things that we will ultimately and we [26:09] now that he will deliver to us and when we don’t do that mission fails here’s

[26:21] the key you can form a community without the gospel you can but it will do [26:29] nothing but pacify you and it will do nothing but glorify you and it is not [26:37] God’s vision it’s not because you can be out there you can be living a life of [26:43] sin you can be seeking the things on this list you can just be a sexually [26:46] destructive as you want to be with your life and you can thank you got a [26:50] community if you can just surround yourself with enough people seeking the

[26:54] same thing go downtown on a Saturday night and that’s what you’ll find you’ll [27:05] find a group of people in their 20s so desperately want community that they’re [27:11] willing to destroy the rest of their lives for it and they’re seeking it [27:16] through the very things that God says does not bring him glory you may be like [27:24] well I don’t know but that is true it’s true God is seeking to build a community [27:32] that will propel his gospel not mine and it is not through these things which are

[27:41] so destructive sex is a beautiful thing I’m married I know all right it’s great [27:50] it’s a gift and it it boggles my mind when people want to act like it’s [27:55] terrible all right and a parents I’ve got I’ve got a son maybe when he’s 13 [27:59] I’ll change my mind and I’ll be like it’s terrible son but but he’s too [28:02] young so he doesn’t care about that yet but it’s a beautiful thing when it’s [28:05] done for the purpose of the gospel you’re like what we’ll get more into that

[28:11] in the next coming weeks but the reason he’s singling this out is because what [28:15] happens between a husband and a wife is something that’s going to show us the [28:20] beauty of the relationship that God desires to have with us where it’s just [28:24] is perfect unity and the reason it can only be one man one woman for one [28:31] lifetime is because Jesus number one has that relationship with his church and [28:36] also the Trinity has that type of joy in and of itself where it’s perfectly

[28:41] united for eternity so when we seek it for any other purpose than unity to [28:50] reveal to the world the relationship that God has in and of himself what we [28:54] do is we seek to do nothing but justify and please ourselves and it’s going to [28:58] destroy you maybe not today but I know once you die if you do that it will [29:04] destroy your soul he’s going to finish this one more thing before we do that [29:13] all right so we want community and I think it’s kind of one thing that we do

[29:18] want is community but here’s one key I want you to understand community as [29:22] awesome as it is to come between other people that we cannot be condemned by [29:27] because God won’t condemn us because of the work of Jesus community is not the [29:32] ends of the mission of God okay so if you get in your community group and you [29:38] experience some great things which we have experienced some great things in [29:41] our community groups here all right it’s not just so that you can come together

[29:44] be united with about 12 people for the rest of your lives and that’s it you [29:48] guys just come together and that’s all you have mission must drive community [29:55] because when it doesn’t what we end up with is ultimately the 12 of you just [30:02] together to make you feel better about yourselves and that is not what [30:08] community exists for mission trumps community because mission is to drive [30:14] us into community for the purpose of discipleship so that we can grow and

[30:19] learn about the work in person of Jesus so we can grow and learn about our [30:23] giftings so that we can grow and learn what has Jesus gifted me with to further [30:28] his gospel and then community drives us out into the culture around us to take [30:33] that message of redemption to others and then bring them into community with us [30:37] that’s why the community of the gospel by very nature should be one that grows

[30:45] and when it doesn’t we have to say are we in this for the gospel are you in [30:53] this so the people who don’t know Jesus can know Jesus and can experience [30:58] redemption so that we can continue this thing so that it grows and grows and [31:03] grows are you in this just so that you can feel like you’re growing well if you [31:08] have no vision for mission in your life you will not grow you won’t impossible [31:14] no matter how many books you read no many sermons you listen to many times

[31:18] you get coffee with that friend of yours or how many times if your vision is only [31:23] you you will not grow in discipleship it’s impossible because the gospel is a [31:32] reproductive thing it’s something that is to go from my life into the lives of [31:37] others so for that very purpose Paul ends it this way verse 11 take no part [31:46] in the unfruitful works of darkness but instead do what expose them right [31:53] that’s one reason you need a community around you is different perspectives in

[31:58] your life and you need to be open and trusting enough that the gospel has [32:03] you from judgment that you don’t feel judged by others and I know how hard [32:08] that is all right I don’t have so much self-esteem that it doesn’t get at me [32:13] either that I feel judged sometimes I feel judged every Sunday morning all [32:18] right because sometimes I look at you and you’re like oh are you like okay [32:23] that’s judgment stop it but it’s gonna look funny on the video but here’s the

[32:32] thing when that light of the gospel exposes the darker parts of our souls [32:37] what it does is it gives rise to opportunity for further repentance and [32:42] for redemption to go deeper in my life so that I can help others do the same [32:48] thing and if I am unwilling to have the light of the gospel exposing my sins [32:52] then you are not going to be helpful in the life of someone else doing the same [32:55] thing because you’ll avoid it so they won’t do it to you so neither one of

[32:58] you will grow all right that’s not mission-driving community that’s your [33:02] self-centeredness driving community remember what’s the opposite of [33:07] unfruitful fruitful so what do you want to be fruitful all right when but when [33:15] anything is excuse me for it is shameful to even speak of the things that they [33:20] do in secret but when anything is exposed by the light it becomes visible [33:24] for anything that becomes visible as light therefore it says awake oh sleep

[33:28] and arise from the dead and Christ will shine on you look carefully then how [33:31] you walk not as unwise but as wise making the best use of the time because [33:35] the days are evil therefore do not be foolish but understand what the will of [33:40] the Lord is and do not get drunk with wine yesterday was Cinco de Mayo for [33:44] that is debauchery but be filled with the spirit sometimes they the thoughts [33:48] just come out I don’t know addressing one another in Psalms and hymns and

[33:53] spiritual songs singing and making melody to the Lord with your heart giving [33:57] thanks always and for everything to the to God the Father in the name of the [34:02] Lord Jesus submitting to one another out of reverence for Christ how do you get [34:07] to verse 21 submitting to one another out of reverence for Christ how do you [34:14] get there my final point this morning is the simplest one I think I’ve ever come [34:23] up with all right and goes like this don’t sin because you have better

[34:30] things to do with your time that’s simple that’s his message you have [34:37] better things to do with your time all right and it’s very simple but it’s a [34:42] profound reality that Paul gives us because here’s how most of us were very [34:46] somewhat desensitized to the work of the gospel in our lives I believe that you [34:51] know how a person will build up an immunity to poison the only way to do [34:55] it is to ingest small amounts of it over an extended period of time all right and

[35:01] then eventually you build up an immunity to it and I think that’s what many of us [35:06] have done to the gospel two three hours a week we’re in church we’re in group we [35:13] might read our verse for the day and so we take it in very small amounts we’ve [35:17] got just enough of it to where we think we’ve got knowledge we can answer all of [35:24] the questions all right and what happens in the end of that is we are [35:30] desensitized to the power of the gospel because we have just enough knowledge to

[35:35] get by but not enough of it to actually have a profound impact on our lives and [35:40] what it does is it lulls us into apathy towards the work of God it lulls us to

[35:49] sleep and Paul’s combating that here you say wake up wake up to the work of [35:56] the gospel do you not understand that the days are evil and what he means by [36:01] that is that life is short stop saying I’ll do that later because what you’re [36:06] ultimately saying and that is when I’m done building my kingdom I’ll have room [36:10] for gods that will never happen and he says your time is limited therefore you [36:20] need to fill your life with the things of God with the work of the gospel with

[36:25] the words of the gospel with the people of the gospel in view of what the gospel [36:30] is going to do so that you can know the power of the gospel and live to seek it [36:35] with your life you must spend your time and your days seeking to discern what’s [36:46] the best use of your time for the work of the gospel it’s defined it’s not [36:54] subjective it’s something that God has made has made clear to us what Paul is [37:02] when you continue to seek your kingdom with your time and you just lull yourself

[37:08] to sleep with the reality of the gospel over a short amount of time you’re [37:12] inviting destruction into your life you’re inviting pain you’re inviting [37:17] turmoil that that desensitized feeling to the gospel is not something that we [37:24] should seek but rather we should realize that it is foolishness wisdom is seen in [37:28] using your time and energy pursuing what God has revealed that is his will [37:36] the question this morning is is if you do not desire the things of God in your

[37:42] life if we talk about these things and you’re like I don’t really see it that [37:45] way which is my words the words of scripture when we do that what we reveal [37:53] is that we desire something else above the work of God and when we do not [37:59] desire the things of God and have no passion whatsoever to be a true disciple [38:05] as defined by God in scripture and these things look like sexual immorality and [38:10] covetousness and building my kingdom and having false gods that I know I’m

[38:14] pursuing higher than I’m pursuing the work of God in my life what does that [38:18] about me it does not reveal faith in Jesus and we need to be that honest [38:28] because the scripture says walk in the love of Christ and what’s loving is that [38:35] which points to the cross and if my life is not pointing to the cross is it [38:41] revealing faith is it revealing that I’ve been redeemed you need the shame [38:46] killing force of the gospel in the life growing light of the gospel see one of

[38:50] the reasons that I’ll be done that Paul uses this dark and light analogy is [38:56] because when we live a life of sin especially if we’re someone that’s going [39:00] to church trying to follow Jesus when we live in the darkness that sins going to [39:04] cause its darkness because we want to hide it because we’re shamed we don’t [39:10] want anybody to know the truth and we’re afraid of the light of the gospel but [39:15] here’s the key your life will never be alive in the gospel if you do not have

[39:22] your sin exposed by the light of the gospel you do not want to live in [39:29] darkness friends do not want to do it that’s why these communities being built [39:37] that’s why the church exists is because it exists to give us the shame killing [39:44] light of the gospel it’s not for shame that your sin needs to be exposed it’s [39:50] to kill the shame as the band comes up I just want to ask you a couple of [39:58] questions first question this morning is are you living your life pursuing the

[40:09] church are you living your life in a deep-seated pursuit that God’s church [40:19] is built by you in you in relationship with other believers are are you [40:26] consumed with every reason not to be committed to that God has given his [40:33] the key is submitting to that vision the key is entrusting him with his vision [40:41] above mine what are the desires of your heart because that reveals whose kingdom [40:54] you’re building and don’t lie to yourself because finally what are you

[41:00] doing with your time what are you doing with your time because friends if you [41:07] want to know what the desires of your heart really are look at your time whose [41:15] kingdom are you building God loves us so much that he sent his very son to take [41:27] all of those things that keep me from doing that onto himself he died for my [41:34] sense of that I won’t have to die in judgment for them he died so that one [41:40] day I can stand before God having all of my sins forgiven having all of my

[41:45] unrighteousness cleansed and he can get all of the glory so if you’re out there [41:51] and you feel a little condemned we’ve shined some light on some pretty dark [41:57] parts of your life maybe trust Jesus trust because he died for your sense and [42:05] he rose in victory over sin and death if you’re a follower of Jesus these tables [42:14] up here are wide open for you this is the Lord’s Supper he wants to have [42:18] fellowship with you represents the broken body and shed blood of Jesus and

[42:23] we reflect on his death and victory as followers of Jesus Christ because we [42:29] realize he didn’t stay dead he rose in victory and if you’re trusted in Jesus I [42:36] invite you to come to his table and partake of proclaiming the gospel to [42:41] others if you’re not a follower of Jesus I ask that you don’t reflect in [42:46] but instead I asked that today be the day of salvation in your life today be [42:51] the day that you trust him I’ll be up here there will be some in the back I

[42:58] just want to talk to you about maybe you can take communion for the first time [43:05] today where it actually means something whenever you’re ready reflect