Faith Working Through Love.

Steve Gentry

[0:00] In Jesus’ name, amen.

[0:03] All right, go ahead and have a seat. [0:05] Welcome to Village Church. [0:06] If this is your first time here, my name’s Steve, [0:08] one of the pastors here at Village, [0:09] and I’m always glad to see each and every one of you. [0:12] If you have your Bibles, go ahead and open them up

[0:15] to Galatians chapter five. [0:17] We’re gonna be there this morning. [0:19] And you can also hold a finger on Acts chapter two [0:21] if you are so inclined and don’t wanna follow along [0:24] on the screen, but as always, all these texts [0:27] will also be on the screen behind me.

[0:30] And so you find yourself kind of halfway [0:32] through a series with us this morning [0:35] on the Gospel-Centered Community. [0:37] So if this is your first week here during this series, [0:41] just kinda catch you up. [0:42] What we’re doing here is we are covering the foundation

[0:46] for building a Gospel-Centered Community [0:48] here at Village Church. [0:50] Now what this starts with is a foundation [0:53] of understanding God’s design for us. [0:56] And in that, what we see when we begin to kinda probe [0:59] how did God create us, what did God create us for,

[1:02] and what distinct passions did he create us to have, [1:06] what kind of unity and community did he have [1:08] for us to have with one another, [1:10] we can very clearly and very easily see [1:13] in each and every one of us that we are not living up [1:16] to God’s vision for our lives.

[1:18] Absolutely none of us are. [1:20] And sin, that thing that is not living up [1:23] to God’s vision for our lives, [1:25] has broken our community with God. [1:29] And because our community with God is broken, [1:31] our community with others is broken as well.

[1:35] Now the only way to recover what has been lost [1:38] is for God to redeem us out of our sin [1:43] and to work restoration of his vision into our lives. [1:47] And that is exactly what he has done through Jesus. [1:50] Jesus has paid the penalty for our sin on the cross [1:54] and risen from the dead in order that we can have

[1:57] a new life of real reconciliation with God, [2:00] and then through that, we can actually have reconciliation [2:04] with others on this earth and begin to rebuild again [2:08] that which God determined for us to build with our lives. [2:13] And so the gospel of Jesus is the foundation [2:16] upon which any real community will be built in this life.

[2:20] And Jesus alone offers real reconciliation, [2:23] Jesus alone offers real love, [2:25] Jesus alone offers real forgiveness in our lives. [2:29] But we’re going to be tempted throughout our lives [2:31] to build community and or avoid community because of sin. [2:38] We’re all going to struggle with sin

[2:39] for the rest of our lives until we’re actually [2:41] in the presence of God for eternity in his kingdom. [2:44] And so because of that, what you’re bringing [2:46] into the community that you’re seeking to form [2:48] is you are bringing in baggage, [2:51] you are bringing in your messiness,

[2:53] you are bringing in your preferences, [2:55] you are bringing in your faulty vision [2:59] for what community should be. [3:01] And even if it’s by like the letter of the law [3:04] as to, okay, I think this is what God has for us, [3:07] you’re going to then look around you,

[3:09] and if people aren’t living up to your expectations, [3:11] you’re going to blame everyone else [3:13] and you’re just going to have the mentality, [3:14] what’s everybody else’s problem? [3:16] I’m really good at this community thing. [3:18] And that’s sin.

[3:21] That’s what sin is. [3:23] Is you believing that you are the one [3:27] who has the grand vision, [3:28] you are the one that’s got it all under control, [3:30] you are the one that can do it all right. [3:32] And if everybody else doesn’t live up to your expectation,

[3:35] well, obviously you’re not the problem. [3:36] So you need to leave that, [3:37] you need to go and find another place [3:40] for you to build community with other people. [3:42] And that’s a cycle that’s going to happen [3:44] over and over and over and over and over in your life.

[3:48] If you’ve been a Christian for any length of time, [3:50] you’ve probably already been five or six different churches. [3:54] And you just keep bringing the problems with you. [3:58] As I’ve told many people, wherever you go, there you are. [4:03] The biggest problem in your life [4:04] stares you in the mirror every single morning.

[4:07] And the issue is, is that most of us, [4:10] we live by the lie that we are not the problem, [4:14] but everybody externally is the problem. [4:17] And so as we seek to trust the gospel [4:19] to form us into this type of community, [4:21] we have to begin to take a look

[4:23] at how we can specifically take actions to do this. [4:27] And so now that we have identified the type of community [4:30] that we want to build in the first three weeks, [4:33] the second half of this series [4:35] is kind of the hows of that community. [4:38] What do we need to do to build habits

[4:41] to have a formative community here [4:44] as a church in the gospel? [4:46] And this week is really going to serve [4:48] as a hinge point in this study. [4:50] As we seek to put into action the good things [4:53] that God wants to restore in our lives,

[4:55] we must always remember the gospel in our efforts. [4:59] But very quickly, what you will do in your life [5:02] is you will seek to obey God. [5:05] And very quickly as you’re seeking to obey God, [5:07] you will catch gospel amnesia. [5:10] You will begin to forget the gospel.

[5:14] You will begin to try to move past the gospel. [5:17] You will begin to build something [5:19] that isn’t necessarily going to be something [5:21] that constantly reminds you of the gospel [5:24] over and over and over and over. [5:27] And if you’re beginning to be tempted to sit there

[5:29] and think, well, that’s not my problem,

[5:32] friend, do you sin? [5:35] Then you have a problem remembering the gospel. [5:37] That’s the issue in every one of our lives. [5:41] We must always remember this in our efforts. [5:43] And today, our hope is to make sure [5:48] that our community swings on the right hinge

[5:51] rather than gravitating away from the gospel [5:55] and to begin to build a hinge of self-righteousness. [5:58] To begin to build a hinge where we try to build it [6:01] by our efforts. [6:02] Where we kind of, then can we get on a hinge of, [6:05] oh, well, it disappointed me,

[6:06] so I’m just going to resign from it. [6:08] And I’m going to just kind of gravitate away [6:10] from community because that’s just too messy for me. [6:13] It’s just too much effort for me. [6:15] It’s something that’s disappointed me. [6:17] It’s something that I don’t have time for.

[6:19] And so you’ll either kind of gravitate [6:20] to one of two extremes. [6:21] You’re going to be a self-righteousness [6:23] where you’re better than everybody else [6:25] and you’re just gonna do it. [6:27] You’re gonna be the change that you wanna see.

[6:31] And in that, what you’re gonna build [6:33] is you’re going to build a lot of pride. [6:35] And you’re going to begin to measure everybody else by you. [6:39] Or you’re going to resign completely away [6:42] from the community of Jesus. [6:43] You’re going to resign away

[6:44] from building relationships with others. [6:46] And you’re going to begin to lie to yourself [6:48] and be like, well, all I need is Jesus anyway. [6:49] I don’t need other people. [6:52] You’re going to begin to kind of build a life [6:53] where you’re like, well, it’s just too much effort.

[6:56] I don’t have enough time. [6:57] It’s too disappointing. [6:58] I failed too much. [7:01] So I can’t enter into the type of community [7:03] that God has for me. [7:04] And you’re going to begin to do one of those two things.

[7:09] And so I wanna jump right into it [7:11] and I want us to kind of review just for about five minutes [7:14] with number one this morning, [7:15] faith in Christ restores our capacity for community. [7:20] Faith in Christ restores our capacity for community. [7:25] Note that it’s about capacity here.

[7:27] You have to actually put forward effort [7:29] to build the community, [7:30] but what the gospel does is it comes in, [7:32] it redeems you, takes you out of sin, [7:35] fills you with the spirit [7:36] and then through the power of the spirit,

[7:38] you have to build the community of Jesus. [7:41] If you ever read Acts chapter two, [7:43] what it gives is this great vision [7:45] for the effects of the gospel [7:46] on the community that is formed. [7:49] And whenever we talk about the church,

[7:51] most of us, we kind of look at Acts chapter two [7:54] to kind of look at what should our community be like? [7:57] What should we build community on? [7:59] And this is where we go. [8:00] Here’s what it says. [8:00] It says, they, those first Christians,

[8:03] devoted themselves to first the apostles teaching, [8:06] then to fellowship, then to breaking of bread [8:08] and the prayers. [8:09] And all came upon every soul [8:11] and many wonders and signs were being done [8:13] through the apostles.

[8:15] And all who believed were together [8:16] and had all things in common. [8:18] And they were even selling their possessions [8:20] and belongings and distributing the proceeds [8:23] to all as any had need. [8:26] And when you read that,

[8:28] if you’re trying to actually say, [8:29] what should the community I’m building be like? [8:31] And you read that and you’re like, [8:32] man, I want that. [8:35] That’s good. [8:36] It is a very good thing.

[8:38] And there’s a good reason for that [8:40] being your vision for community. [8:43] What you are witnessing in that passage [8:45] is the formation of the church of Jesus. [8:49] And the actions of the early church [8:51] should inspire us as we are able to see

[8:53] the effects of the gospel in building community [8:56] and forming the actions that the church took [8:58] to foster a move of God. [9:02] Note the marks that they had. [9:04] They were devoted to scripture. [9:06] They were devoted to prayer.

[9:09] They were devoted to fellowship. [9:10] They were devoted to worship, helping one another. [9:13] And all of these things are signifiers [9:16] of a healthy community. [9:19] And this is the capacity for community [9:21] that God gives us as he restores us

[9:24] to his created vision for our lives. [9:27] This is a passion that gospel change puts in us [9:31] when we have faith in Jesus. [9:33] And so if you read through that [9:35] and you’re like, I don’t want any of that. [9:37] It’s what we would call a problem.

[9:40] Okay, that’s not a mark of sanctification. [9:43] That is not a mark of gospel change in your life [9:46] if you read that and you’re just actually repulsed by it. [9:50] So if you’re reading that [9:51] and you’re getting a passion here [9:53] and you’re like, and no, maybe it’s not natural.

[9:56] Maybe it doesn’t come to me. [9:57] But this is what the church should be about. [10:00] Therefore, this is what I should be about. [10:03] That is a very good thing. [10:06] And seeing this happen should be a desire [10:10] that God puts in every one of his children.

[10:13] But understand that it is belief in the gospel [10:16] that leads to those effects. [10:20] The logical question here then is, how do we get there? [10:25] What do we need to do to get into this type of shape? [10:29] Well, understand that it begins with faith in Jesus. [10:32] That’s the starting point for absolutely everything here.

[10:36] Galatians 5, 6, I want you to understand, [10:37] serves as a precursor to the effects of the gospel [10:42] that you see in Acts chapter two. [10:44] Here’s what it says. [10:44] For in Christ Jesus, neither circumcision nor uncircumcision [10:49] counts for anything,

[10:51] but only faith working through love. [10:56] Now this text serves as the prerequisite activity [10:59] that is going on in the life of the believer [11:02] that brings about the effects of the gospel. [11:06] Note that the emphasis in this text is about the motivation [11:09] upon which people are finding their identity in Christ.

[11:14] Now if you’re a man, we start talking about circumcision, [11:17] you’re probably uncomfortable for very good reason. [11:20] But what I want you to see here [11:23] is what the apostle Paul’s actually rooting down in [11:26] when he talks about neither circumcision nor uncircumcision [11:29] counts for anything.

[11:32] For the first group, those who are looking [11:34] at their circumcision, this is an identity [11:37] in their pride for religious activity. [11:41] But then another group is finding their identity [11:44] in their pride of no religious activity. [11:48] And that usually tends to be the way the pendulum swings.

[11:54] That half of us, we’re really active. [11:57] I mean, we’re signing up for everything. [12:00] We’re doing as much as we possibly can. [12:03] Our efforts are exhaustive. [12:05] You’re up at 5 a.m. in the word. [12:07] You’re praying before breakfast.

[12:10] You’re making sure everybody else [12:12] is having their devotions. [12:13] You’re calling all of your accountability partners. [12:15] You’re in a community group and you’re involved in it. [12:18] You’re in a discipleship group, maybe two, maybe three, [12:20] maybe 16 discipleship groups during the week.

[12:23] You are so involved. [12:25] You’re here early, every Sunday morning. [12:27] You stay for both services. [12:29] You’re back for Theology Matters [12:31] every Sunday night that they have it. [12:32] I mean, you’re doing everything that you can.

[12:33] You’ve read all the bestsellers.

[12:38] And you begin to say, well, I’m doing everything. [12:43] Everyone else should be like me. [12:46] But then there’s the other half of you. [12:48] I mean, you’re free in Christ. [12:50] You’re so free in Christ [12:52] that you’re having no impact for Christ.

[12:54] All right, well, you don’t need to have devotions. [12:56] Jesus redeems you from that. [12:58] You don’t need to pray. [12:59] Grace covers your sin. [13:02] What do you need to be here early for? [13:04] You don’t even need Village Group.

[13:06] I’m free in Christ. [13:07] I’m not saved by Village Groups. [13:09] I’m saved by Grace. [13:11] You’re not in a discipleship group. [13:13] What do you need an accountability partner for? [13:15] The cross saves you from all of your sins.

[13:17] So what do you, your forgiveness is set. [13:19] It’s sealed. [13:20] You don’t need to do anything. [13:22] Effort is bad. [13:24] Because it takes away from the grace [13:26] of Jesus Christ in your life.

[13:27] And what, you don’t need to measure up [13:29] to anybody else’s standards anyway. [13:30] Who do they think they are? [13:31] They’re Pharisees.

[13:34] So you’re like, you can circumcise all you want to. [13:38] Uncircumcised for life, sucker.

[13:41] That’s me.

[13:45] But the issue in both of those camps, [13:48] the Apostle Paul is telling them is, [13:50] you’re finding your identity in the wrong place. [13:52] You’re finding your identity in yourself.

[13:56] And he’s saying, neither of those count for anything. [13:59] The only thing that counts is faith. [14:02] See, he always begins with faith. [14:06] Working through love. [14:08] And so he sets very good standards for us to understand. [14:13] When he begins with faith,

[14:15] and then he says, faith works. [14:20] But what does faith work through? [14:21] It works through love. [14:23] How does that begin? [14:24] Well, it begins in your relationship with God. [14:26] And then it’s going to branch out

[14:28] into that love of God transforming you, [14:32] and then that love of God works [14:33] into the lives of other people. [14:37] And only then can you have legitimate love. [14:41] When you build it on anything else, [14:45] it typically either leads to motivations of resolution,

[14:50] or you’re going to do it through your own actions, [14:54] or resignations from effort. [14:57] And that’s what the Apostle Paul’s talking about. [14:58] So first, I want to talk about religious community. [15:02] It is that it is not enough to resolve to love others. [15:06] It’s not enough.

[15:08] You can’t do it. [15:09] Some of you are going to try. [15:11] You’re going to sit here through the whole thing, [15:13] and not hear a word I say. [15:14] And then as soon as you go out of here, [15:15] you’re gonna be like, all right, I’m good enough.

[15:17] I’m gonna do this.

[15:20] Don’t do that. [15:22] Don’t do that. [15:23] You are going to hurt yourself. [15:27] Your effort alone will not build God’s vision. [15:30] You’re going to try, but it’s not gonna work. [15:35] You might build something.

[15:37] I mean, if you’re driven enough, [15:38] and you’re type A enough, [15:40] you’re going to be able to build something. [15:42] That’s just a natural law of the way that life works. [15:46] Type A driven people are typically able to build [15:50] bigger, better, stronger, faster,

[15:53] and has nothing to do with the gospel of Jesus Christ, [15:55] and that’s the problem. [15:57] The gospel of Jesus is opposed to earning. [16:01] Understand that. [16:02] The gospel of Jesus is opposed to earning. [16:05] And so the weakness of driven people,

[16:07] the weakness of those of you, [16:09] I mean, you’ve got a type A personality. [16:11] You’re going to get it done, [16:13] and you’re not gonna rest until you get it done.

[16:18] Is that you’re trying to earn favor.

[16:21] You’re trying to earn your place in this world.

[16:24] You’re trying to earn value for yourself. [16:28] Your self-worth is dictated by how much you accomplish.

[16:34] And that is what the gospel is opposed to, [16:37] because you can’t find your identity in Christ [16:39] and find your identity in yourself at the same time. [16:42] You can’t do it. [16:43] But understand, though, [16:44] that the gospel is not opposed to effort.

[16:48] Now, friend, again, you cannot earn your way [16:49] into God’s favor. [16:51] Salvation is by grace alone through faith alone, [16:54] yet there sure are a lot of commands [16:56] that go along with it. [16:58] And so when we think about the commands of community,

[17:01] we’re faced with, look at Romans 12, 10, [17:02] it says love and honor each other. [17:04] That’s a command. [17:05] Ephesians 4, 29, build people up with your talk [17:08] so they can receive God’s grace. [17:09] That’s a command.

[17:11] James 1, 19, listen to others. [17:13] That’s painful. [17:14] And be slow to speak and slow to anger. [17:19] That sounds a lot like a command.

[17:23] And so sometimes we struggle. [17:26] Say, I know that God doesn’t want me to earn his favor. [17:28] He’s given it to me, [17:29] but he keeps giving me these commands. [17:32] And if I break them, what is that? [17:34] That’s sin.

[17:36] Friend, when we move past gospel motivation [17:39] and move from a foundation of the gospel, [17:45] we will begin to believe the lie [17:47] of I just need to obey more.

[17:52] And that’s when you very quickly move on [17:55] to building an identity that’s based on your effort. [18:00] And this identity, understand, it is destructive to you. [18:03] But it is also destructive to the community [18:07] that you’re going to seek to build as you obey. [18:11] When simple obedience and disobedience

[18:13] are the barometer of our identity in God, [18:16] you will not build a healthy life. [18:20] You won’t do it. [18:22] You can’t do it. [18:23] That is not a restoration of God’s vision for your life. [18:27] When you simply seek to love people

[18:30] out of your own strength, it isn’t about faith. [18:35] And it will either lead you to a place of pride [18:39] or you will hurt yourself and you will damage others. [18:42] Make no mistake. [18:44] Or it will just lead you to a place of burnout.

[18:49] Because the key in community, [18:52] when you are a driven person who wants to obey, [18:55] who wants to meet the standards, [18:56] who wants to measure up, [18:58] is you very quickly begin to judge others [19:01] from your strengths.

[19:03] And you need to be careful of that. [19:06] Always be careful of judging other people [19:08] in areas where you are naturally strong. [19:11] Now every single one of us, if you are redeemed, [19:15] you have gifts from God that make you naturally better [19:18] at some things than other people are.

[19:21] That’s the way it works from the power of the Spirit. [19:24] That’s the body of Christ. [19:26] Some of us are gifted in some areas, [19:28] some of us are gifted in other areas. [19:30] But when you measure your worth by your giftedness, [19:36] you will view community through the wrong lens.

[19:40] You will adapt a view.

[19:45] Well, what’s your problem?

[19:48] It’s easy enough to me. [19:50] I don’t know what your problem is. [19:52] Oh, why, oh, oh, oh. [19:54] Well, I guess you just don’t believe in community then. [19:58] Oh, well, excuse me for believing the gospel [20:00] more than you do, friend.

[20:04] And see, I’ve had things like that said to me, all right, [20:07] because I’m pretty brash and I’m very open. [20:11] So people are like, I just can’t believe Steve Sins. [20:15] He doesn’t naturally love community? [20:18] Well, I’m glad I have a better Holy Spirit than he does.

[20:23] And so what we’ll do sometimes is somebody will look, [20:26] and they’ll be struggling, and they’ll be like, [20:28] I’m not gifted in the same areas that you are. [20:31] And you just honesty. [20:32] And you see, you come into community, [20:33] you’re like, well, that’s a great place

[20:34] for me to be honest. [20:35] Listen, I just, oh my goodness, I just, I’m struggling. [20:40] And you, gospel-formed X-Men will rise up, [20:48] and you’ll be like, oh, I’m not gifted. [20:50] So you struggle, do you? [20:53] Do you even believe the gospel?

[20:57] I mean, Jesus died on the cross, you believe that, right? [20:59] Well, yeah, he rose to give you a new life, [21:03] you believe that, right? [21:05] I thought so. [21:07] Repent, sinner. [21:09] I’m sorry, I even showed up.

[21:11] And so what’s happening is, is sometimes we get so driven, [21:15] sometimes we grow to a point where we cease [21:18] to be trusting the gospel for what he’s building, [21:21] and we begin to judge everything [21:23] by what I am naturally strong in. [21:26] And when we do that, it is destructive

[21:29] to absolutely everyone around you. [21:32] And you need to safeguard yourself [21:34] from that type of mentality. [21:36] You cannot measure people by your strengths, [21:41] because it can build an unrealistic expectation [21:46] of community based on your preference

[21:50] more than it is based on God’s word. [21:54] It’s much like the example that Jesus gives us in Luke 18 [21:58] where the Pharisee prays this. [21:59] The Pharisee standing by himself prayed thus, [22:01] God, I thank you that I am not like other men. [22:05] Extortioners, unjust, adulterers

[22:08] are even like this tax collector. [22:10] I fast twice a week. [22:12] I give tithes of all that I get.

[22:17] You see, in his mind, everything that he’s doing, [22:21] God should be impressed by, [22:23] because he’s so much more impressive than other people.

[22:29] Of course, the end of the story is, [22:31] is that that man walked away totally unjustified. [22:35] Because it is never about you. [22:38] It is always, every time, about Jesus. [22:42] Obedience in this area comes so naturally to you [22:45] that you are just thankful God made you

[22:48] better than everybody else.

[22:52] Friend, you are not better than everybody else.

[22:56] You could literally obey Jesus in every regard, [22:59] and I pray that you do. [23:02] Don’t misunderstand me. [23:05] Go to the greatest places in the world obeying Jesus, [23:09] but understand it doesn’t make you better than anybody else.

[23:14] If you’re actually obeying Jesus, [23:17] as you grow in your faith in Jesus, [23:19] you will become so much more aware of your sin [23:21] that you will have humility that marks you [23:24] with an understanding that you are worse than most.

[23:29] So if your growth in the gospel [23:31] is taking you to a place where you’re thankful [23:33] you’re better than someone else, [23:36] friend, I warn you, you are not growing in the gospel. [23:39] Do not measure your worth. [23:42] By yourself.

[23:44] The truth is that if your obedience was God’s vision, [23:48] you wouldn’t look to yourself as the standard, [23:51] rather you would look to Jesus. [23:53] You would be more helpful, others would be more loved, [23:57] and you would actually be growing in faith [23:59] rather than growing in pride.

[24:04] Growth in pride is never a mark of gospel centeredness, [24:07] and it will not build a gospel centered community. [24:10] You cannot do it under your own strength, [24:13] and even if you think you can, [24:15] you won’t build a healthy community. [24:17] But also understand, number three,

[24:20] that it is never faithful to resign from loving others. [24:23] It is never faithful. [24:25] So I just smacked a couple of you around, [24:28] and now you’re thinking, well, I guess I should just quit.

[24:33] That’s not the answer. [24:35] Resigning from loving others is never the answer either. [24:38] Discouragement should never define your actions. [24:43] Understand that. [24:44] Discouragement should never define your actions. [24:49] There is also a great temptation to resignation

[24:53] from seeking God’s community. [24:55] Obedience can be discouraging.

[24:59] I mean, I know sometimes when you’re a new believer, [25:01] nobody tells you that down the road, [25:04] following Jesus and obeying him [25:06] can become extremely discouraging, [25:10] but it will happen to each and every one of you. [25:12] It will happen to everybody.

[25:15] I mean, God knows it has happened to me many, many times. [25:19] But discouragement should never be [25:22] what you base your actions for the gospel on. [25:26] In all of these instances, [25:29] there’s either a fear of failure [25:31] or there is a reality that you have failed.

[25:35] And in both of those instances, [25:37] your effort towards having a faith that works [25:40] can be hampered. [25:42] But understand, this is still a symptom [25:44] of self-righteousness. [25:46] You are finding your identity

[25:48] in what you are incapable of [25:51] rather than what you are capable of. [25:54] And that’s not what the gospel of Jesus is all about. [25:56] The gospel of Jesus does not want you [25:58] to build your identity in your pride, [26:00] but it also doesn’t want you to build your identity

[26:03] in what you are incapable of either. [26:06] You don’t think you are worth God’s love. [26:09] And what you do with that is you build the idea [26:12] that your faith actually producing a love [26:15] that can be used in community is fearful and discouraging [26:19] rather than something that excites you

[26:22] to build God’s vision in Acts chapter two. [26:26] But understand that there are also some [26:29] that is not even about discouragement, [26:32] it’s not even about failure, it’s not even about fear, [26:35] it’s not a self-worth thing, you just get the gospel wrong. [26:38] And you believe that you are free

[26:41] from the need to obey God. [26:44] And you may be finding your identity [26:46] and not needing to measure up [26:47] the way other religious people do. [26:49] Why? [26:50] I’m free in Christ.

[26:51] And so instead of the Pharisee looking at all that he does, [26:55] you’re like the anti-Pharisee, right? [26:57] You go in and you’re like, God, I am so thankful [27:00] I don’t need to obey the way everybody else does.

[27:04] And you’re still finding your identity in yourself. [27:07] That is still self-righteousness. [27:09] It just looks a little bit different. [27:13] Friend, you may not be finding your identity [27:15] and the need to measure up, [27:17] but you are still finding your identity in yourself.

[27:21] You don’t need any structure around your life in Christ. [27:25] Why are they trying to put organization behind this? [27:28] If it was organic, if it was real, [27:30] if it was a move of the Spirit, [27:32] well, it wouldn’t need any organization. [27:34] It would just be happening.

[27:36] Yeah, good luck with that. [27:38] The history of the church, [27:38] that’s the way it’s always worked. [27:41] Community, when it’s organized [27:44] and they’re like, I have to show up at a certain, [27:46] I mean, show up at a certain time.

[27:50] I mean, if this was real, we’d just be showing up all day.

[27:54] We’d just naturally be eating lunch, dinner, [27:57] late night, fourth dinner, Taco Bell. [27:59] We’d all just be there.

[28:03] Good luck. [28:05] All the while, all right, you’re spouting this nonsense. [28:09] All right, you’re just so unstructured. [28:11] And so, you know, you’re just not inhibited [28:13] by all of these laws that all of these religious people [28:16] are inhibited by.

[28:17] You aren’t growing. [28:20] You aren’t making disciples. [28:22] You aren’t taking part in the life of the church [28:24] that God is building. [28:26] So what are you doing?

[28:29] What are you doing? [28:30] You’re not understanding the gospel. [28:32] You’re not understanding what God is trying to do. [28:35] Friend, the gospel admonishes us [28:37] to put forward great effort. [28:40] In either case, whether it’s fear of failure,

[28:43] disappointment, discouragement, [28:45] or you are someone who believes that you’re free [28:47] from doing anything positive with your life, [28:51] you have to understand that this great vision [28:54] that God gives us in Acts chapter two [28:56] and in Galatians five about our faith

[28:59] actually producing lives of love, [29:01] the big indicator for you is that that isn’t happening. [29:06] And it should be. [29:08] That’s the mark of the natural Christian life, [29:10] whereas watch, Mani called it the normal Christian life. [29:15] I mean, look at 1 Thessalonians chapter five, verse 14.

[29:17] The apostle Paul writes to tell us [29:19] that when we become idle, when we become complacent, [29:22] when we become so discouraged that we’re lazy, [29:25] we need to be told to get to work in a sense.

[29:31] And so when you’ve resigned yourself [29:34] away from God’s vision, friend, you need to be admonished. [29:39] You need to be encouraged.

[29:42] Laziness and discouragement are real things. [29:45] They’re real things, they really happen. [29:47] And the answer is faith. [29:51] That’s what the answer to it is. [29:53] You need to trust Jesus to use you [29:56] based on who he is rather than who you are not.

[30:01] And our freedom in Jesus is one that grows us. [30:05] It inspires us towards God’s vision [30:07] of what he can work through us. [30:11] You see, friend, the truth is that the potential in us [30:14] is defined by the power of God [30:16] through the finished work of Jesus and nothing else.

[30:21] It’s not about you, it’s not about what you want. [30:25] It’s not about what you’ve determined that you need, [30:28] and it certainly isn’t about what you’ve determined [30:31] everyone else needs.

[30:34] So stop doing that. [30:36] And just stop it. [30:39] Completely stop it.

[30:43] You need to constantly begin [30:45] to build a gospel-centered identity [30:47] for you to begin to grow, [30:50] and then for anyone else in your life [30:53] to have the potential to grow. [30:54] You have to always come back to

[30:56] this is about what Jesus has done. [30:59] This is not about what I am doing, [31:01] what I have done, or what I think I can do or can’t do. [31:07] It’s never about any of that. [31:09] Number four this morning, [31:10] gospel-empowered community builds a faith that loves.

[31:14] It’s the only way that this is going to happen. [31:17] It’s the only way that we are going to build [31:18] a gospel-centered community here as a church. [31:23] You need a new life that restores us. [31:26] And so you need to be in a sense reminded [31:30] of the gospel each and every day.

[31:32] Look at what Romans 6, 4 says. [31:35] Apostle Paul writing to the church at Rome says, [31:37] We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death. [31:41] In order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead [31:44] by the glory of the Father, [31:45] we too might walk in newness of life.

[31:50] You need to sear that vision.

[31:54] Your capabilities apart from Jesus are so valuable, [32:00] God had to bury them.

[32:05] Your natural giftedness so useful to God, [32:10] they had to bury them.

[32:13] Why? [32:13] Because he wanted to resurrect something better. [32:18] He wanted to resurrect faith in Jesus into your life [32:21] so that you can walk in newness of life. [32:25] This is what gives us an objective truth [32:28] for newness of life into our daily struggles.

[32:33] That means that your resolve to obey can be healthy.

[32:41] If it is undergirded by the truth [32:44] that God’s acceptance of you and your effort [32:47] is based on what Jesus has done [32:49] and what Jesus is empowering you to do. [32:54] But in that understand that it’s not about you. [32:57] It’s all about Jesus.

[33:01] I think Galatians 5 makes it abundantly clear. [33:04] When you trust Jesus, you are in Christ.

[33:11] You are in Christ. [33:13] All of your identity, all of your days, [33:17] all of your fears, all of your failures, [33:19] all of your abilities, all of your desires, [33:22] all of your passions, all of your disappointments, [33:25] all of your discouragements are defined through the lens.

[33:30] I am in Christ. [33:34] Everything that comes through your life [33:36] is then about him and what you have in him [33:39] and what you desire through him. [33:41] And so as we build a community, [33:44] our efforts should be about who we are in Christ.

[33:48] It is not about you being great at it [33:51] or you being terrible at it. [33:54] Understand that those of you that are the greatest at it, [33:58] you’re typically the worst at it [34:00] because you begin to build things after your image [34:03] rather than after God’s image.

[34:05] And if you are someone who’s kind of more [34:07] of a driven person, the most healthy thing [34:09] that you can do is realize that.

[34:13] Because you can do great harm to people around you. [34:18] But when you make it about the gospel of Jesus Christ, [34:22] it’s about you being in Christ and desiring [34:25] for others to be in Christ. [34:29] When we’re in Christ, his vision dominates our lives. [34:33] His desires become our desires.

[34:36] Our freedom is about building the kind of community [34:39] that he envisions.

[34:42] Because faith works through love. [34:45] Why? [34:46] Because of Jesus, that’s why. [34:49] We’re united with Jesus through faith. [34:52] Our lives are empowered to build a community of love [34:55] because Jesus has shown us love.

[34:58] And so because of that, every command, [35:01] every obedience and every failure [35:06] should bring us back to Jesus every single time. [35:12] So in that, Ephesians 432 is one of those anchor verses [35:15] about relationships, but it’s also one of those verses [35:18] that can really convict you

[35:19] because there’s a big command there. [35:22] Here’s what it says. [35:24] It says, be kind to one another, tenderhearted, [35:27] forgiving one another. [35:29] Kindness, tenderness, forgiveness, all to one another. [35:36] And this is a great vision for community.

[35:39] Unless you read that and you do one of two things. [35:45] You read that and you say, all right, [35:49] that’s the measuring line. [35:52] I’ve got to get about it. [35:54] I can do this. [35:55] I will out kind everybody.

[35:57] I will out tender everybody. [35:59] And I’m gonna out forgive you because I can do this.

[36:06] Or you look at this and you say, [36:08] well, people have been very kind to me. [36:11] People have been very tenderhearted to me. [36:14] Nobody’s forgiven me. [36:17] So I guess I can’t do that to anybody.

[36:21] See, in all of that, you’re seeing all command [36:23] and you’re seeing zero gospel.

[36:26] So where’s the gospel?

[36:29] It’s the last phrase.

[36:31] As God in Christ Jesus forgave you.

[36:39] You see, because you are becoming [36:41] the best person that you can be is not the goal. [36:46] Not here. [36:47] It’s not so that you can set a standard [36:49] for everyone else to follow. [36:53] Nor should it be based on your failures

[36:55] or someone else’s failures towards you. [36:57] It should be based in one thing. [37:00] Because God in Christ forgave you. [37:04] And when it’s about Jesus, it’s healthy. [37:08] When it’s about anything else, [37:10] it will eventually kill you.

[37:14] Friend, understand everything in our community [37:16] must hinge on Jesus. [37:20] Only then can faith work through love. [37:26] It’s the only way.

[37:28] As the band comes up,

[37:33] other people can serve as a great obstacle [37:37] to your life in Jesus Christ. [37:39] That’s why community is such a vital thing [37:44] for us to focus on in our life in Christ, [37:47] in our discipleship. [37:48] And so when we view these things the wrong way,

[37:51] we can get a little bit too wrong this side, [37:54] we can get a little bit too wrong on the other side, [37:56] but what we need to do is we need to find a life [37:59] when it’s all about Jesus. [38:00] Because when it’s all about Jesus, [38:01] you’re free to build a community.

[38:04] You’re free to go big. [38:06] You’re free to fail big. [38:07] You’re free to have somebody hurt you. [38:10] Sometimes you need to be free to hurt somebody else. [38:13] And then seek forgiveness for that. [38:16] But when it’s all about Jesus, it’s better.

[38:22] Because it’s after God’s image [38:23] and it’s not after your image.

[38:26] Friend, God in Christ Jesus has forgiven us. [38:31] Therefore our faith can work through love.

[38:36] The basis for that is what Jesus did for us on the cross, [38:40] what he did through the resurrection. [38:42] And every Sunday we confront ourselves [38:44] with the gospel through communion. [38:47] The broken bread represents his broken body. [38:50] The cup represents his shed blood.

[38:52] And when we eat and drink, it stands as a symbol [38:56] of what God has done for us. [38:58] And the fact that he wants to be in our lives. [39:02] God invites us to his table. [39:04] When we do it, we proclaim, yes, [39:06] I believe that God has forgiven me

[39:08] through the work of Jesus Christ. [39:10] And then we walk out those doors [39:12] and we seek to grow as disciples of Jesus, [39:15] repenting of our sin, [39:17] and always seeking to follow him in obedience. [39:21] If you believe that, come celebrate the death of our King.