How to Think.

Steve Gentry

[0:00] Alright, go ahead and have a seat. [0:02] Welcome to Village Church. [0:03] If this is your first time here, my name is Steve and I am thankful and grateful to see [0:07] each and every one of you here this morning. [0:10] If you have your Bibles, go ahead and open them up to Romans chapter 8. [0:13] We’re going to be starting in verse 5 this morning, but before we get to that, you know,

[0:19] we live in a time when the gospel of Jesus is more, in a sense, timely than maybe most [0:29] of us have ever experienced it in our lives. [0:32] That the culture around us is calling us to stand in our faith and testify to what life [0:41] is really about. [0:44] And just for a moment, I want to express to you that one of the greatest aspects of [0:51] gospel for us in this time is the reality that it means that life matters to God.

[1:01] And that God is a God who values human life and was willing to express his love in such [1:09] a way that he laid down his life for his created beings. [1:17] You know, the book of Ephesians tells us and it reminds us in chapter 2, starting around [1:23] verse 11, that the gospel breaks down all barriers that exist between race, between [1:32] ethnicity.

[1:35] And so anything that stands between you and another human being that could act as a barrier [1:46] for the message of the cross, that barrier must come down. [1:52] And you must love people more than you love any symbol. [2:00] More than you love any tradition. [2:04] More than you love any heritage.

[2:07] The gospel of Jesus has brought down the wall of hostility that stands between any [2:14] ethnic group, between any race of man. [2:18] Because God loves all people. [2:23] And therefore the ethic that God has put in place for me is that I must love all people. [2:34] And I must be the one, because of the work that the gospel has done in me, I must be [2:39] the one to remove barriers that stand in my life that could cause a conflict, that could

[2:49] cause a barrier for me to communicate the gospel across cultural barriers.

[2:59] Therefore it is my job, it is my task, it is the burden that the father has put on [3:03] my shoulders to take those barriers down.

[3:11] The father has also taught us through the gospel of Jesus Christ that the way that he [3:17] created life to exist in Genesis 1 and in Genesis 2 is he lays that foundation for [3:25] us. [3:25] That is how he deems life to be. [3:28] And Jesus said that sexual integrity that existed from the beginning is between a man [3:38] and a woman for a lifetime.

[3:43] Therefore it is my responsibility to live in fidelity to the wife that God has given [3:49] to me and has told me to steward her purity. [3:55] Even at the cost of my own life. [3:58] Yes, Jesus did make statements about same sex marriage.

[4:05] His statement about same sex marriage is that from the beginning has it not been so that [4:10] it is one man and one woman for one lifetime.

[4:14] That’s the totality of the sexuality of the kingdom of God. [4:18] Therefore I am not free to redefine it no matter how I want it to be. [4:24] I must define my sexual ethic by how God has defined it. [4:29] And I must live with the sexual integrity to my wife so that I am not found to be a [4:37] hypocrite when I attempt to make such stands.

[4:44] In the kingdom of God there will also be no Planned Parenthood to the praise of his glorious [4:51] grace.

[5:01] Friends we’ve… [5:03] It is legal in many places right now for my wife who is 27 weeks pregnant to terminate [5:17] and murder my baby.

[5:23] It will not be so in the kingdom of God. [5:27] Therefore the gospel teaches me that I must stand in faith against anyone who would seek [5:39] to extinguish a life that God has deemed should flourish. [5:45] Friends may we not be ignorant that the great astounding majority of abortions occur as [5:54] a matter of convenience.

[5:57] It’s a matter of convenience that we find life so inconvenient in our culture that we [6:04] are willing to stand idly by and turn our eyes away from the reality that we now have [6:10] people who are merchants of the body parts of the unborn.

[6:16] May we repent of our silence. [6:20] May we repent of waffling and say but they do so much good.

[6:28] I was reminded this week that historically speaking Hitler did so much good for the economy [6:33] of Germany at the cost of more than 6 million human lives.

[6:41] Since Roe vs Wade almost 60 million babies have died.

[6:47] 60 million.

[6:50] That is life that matters to God. [6:54] How do I know that? [6:56] Because we serve a God who laid his life down because he found our lives so precious.

[7:06] Pray with me. [7:09] Our Father, I pray that you would at this moment give us the gift of faith that is [7:20] so strong that we are willing to stand and endure for the causes that we know matter [7:28] to you.

[7:31] May we be people who fill our minds with the defense of the faith so that when we are asked [7:37] for a reason of the hope that stands within us, a hope that defends life, a hope that [7:44] has integrity, a hope that cares for our brothers regardless of creed, ethnicity or race. [7:51] May we be so filled with the truth of the gospel of Jesus Christ that we are able to [7:56] have conversations that lead to the repentance of other sinful mindsets. [8:03] And Lord, when the times are difficult to make these stands, may you fill us with faith,

[8:09] may we have the armor of God so that when we are about to fall, we can continue to stand [8:15] and we can withstand and we can endure in faith.

[8:20] God, I pray for our community that you would draw them into relationships with members [8:25] of Village Church so that they can hear the gospel and repent of their sins. [8:30] Lord, I pray for our nation.

[8:35] I pray that we would repent of the belief that we are our own gods who can live making [8:42] choices that only you are allowed to make.

[8:46] I pray that Planned Parenthood would be completely 100% defunded.

[8:53] I pray that your judgment would be felt by every doctor, every nurse, every counselor [9:00] and every employee of Planned Parenthood so that they could repent of their sins, [9:07] trust in the gospel of Jesus Christ and no longer serve merchants of death, [9:12] but only the merchant of life, Jesus Christ.

[9:17] Lord, I pray for our world.

[9:21] I pray that we would be a people with a vision of your grace changing lives everywhere.

[9:31] But God, I pray that you would begin with my own heart.

[9:36] Give me faith to trust your grace and to trust your gospel to live with reckless abandon [9:42] for the truth of your love.

[9:45] Help the people of Village Church to do the same.

[9:50] Lord, may repentance begin with us and go out into this world.

[9:57] In the name of Jesus Christ, I pray. Amen. [10:01] Last week we started taking a look at Romans chapter 8. [10:05] This chapter transitions to focus on the life that the follower of Jesus will live. [10:12] Verses 1 through 4 contained a summary of the entire work of the gospel. [10:19] Those who are in Christ will never face condemnation for sin [10:23] because Jesus has set his followers free from the law of sin and death.

[10:31] The condition on that promise though, being on faith in Jesus Christ. [10:37] We know that we are in Christ through faith and God works in us to produce a life of trust [10:44] in the finished work of Jesus. [10:48] He met every condition that the law has ever put on us to give his righteous love to us.

[10:57] And since he met those requirements, he gives those requirements to us in faith [11:02] so that the life that he has given us can come out of our lives and go into the lives of others. [11:09] So that we will no longer live under the power of sin, which is called the flesh in chapter 8, [11:16] all throughout it, but is instead under the power of the Holy Spirit. [11:21] Throughout this chapter, what you are going to see over and over again, [11:25] is that the Spirit of God in us is contrasted with the power of the flesh that is also in us.

[11:34] And the way in which we are to wage war on the sin that so easily besets us [11:40] is through having our mind stayed on the Spirit of God through the gospel of Jesus Christ [11:46] and by living for what the Spirit calls us to live for. [11:50] Those whose minds are driven by the flesh and those whose minds are driven by the Spirit of God [11:58] is that which this chapter is going to pit against one another. [12:02] But the question is ultimately for you, this chapter tells us.

[12:07] What is it that is driving your life? [12:13] You see, faith in Jesus gives you the power to put your mind on the Spirit rather than on the flesh. [12:25] And the point of Romans chapter 8 verses 5 through 8, which is what we are going to cover today by God’s grace, [12:31] is to teach us that the starting point of obeying God is actually not in your actions, [12:38] but instead it is in your mind. [12:42] It is not simply what you do that defines your life.

[12:47] What defines your life is why you do what you do. [12:53] He wants to change your life from the inside out. [12:57] And the only thing that can change your motivations, which is what God wants us to get to, [13:02] to actually worship God, is the supernatural power of God that converts you from being self-centered [13:11] to actually being God-centered. [13:15] God means to change the way that you think.

[13:20] And through that, to lead you into an obedient life. [13:26] Look in Romans chapter 8 starting in verse 5 this morning.

[13:32] The Spirit who lives according to the flesh, [13:34] set their minds on the things of the flesh. [13:38] But those who live according to the Spirit, [13:42] set their minds on the things of the Spirit. [13:45] For to set the mind on the flesh is death. [13:48] But to set the mind on the Spirit is life and peace.

[13:52] For the mind that is set on the flesh is hostile to God. [13:56] For it does not submit to God’s law. [13:59] Indeed it cannot. [14:02] Those who are in the flesh cannot please God. [14:09] Point number one this morning, as I want you to see in this text, [14:12] is that following Jesus begins by setting your mind on the Gospel.

[14:18] Following Jesus begins by setting your mind on the Gospel. [14:24] He tells us in this text that worship actually begins with your whole mentality. [14:31] Paul deals over and over with your mind in verses 5 through 8 [14:35] and what your mind is actually set on. [14:37] But he is not only addressing your intellectual capacity, [14:43] but rather he is addressing the entire person, the core of who you are.

[14:48] He is going to root out what it is that you want, [14:51] what it is that you value, [14:53] what it is that you base the actions that define you on, [14:58] and it is certainly not less than how you think. [15:05] That is the thing that determines the focus of our lives [15:09] and the source of all of our actions.

[15:12] Friends, your life will be determined by the sinful desires of the flesh [15:19] or by the godly desires of his spirit.

[15:25] Where do your attitudes take you in life? [15:29] Have you ever considered that? [15:31] That everything in your life really is about your attitude. [15:35] That what your attitude is about one thing or another [15:38] really does then begin to set in motion a lifestyle of actions [15:44] towards how you actually approach things.

[15:47] But when we think about our attitude towards our family, [15:50] if you think positively about your family, [15:52] you are probably going to treat them better [15:54] than if all of your thoughts are absolutely negative about every single one of them. [15:59] And for some of us, we are able to, for a great large season, [16:02] push through our negative attitude

[16:05] and really manufacture some outwardly good behavior. [16:08] But after a while, your negative thoughts are going to chip through those actions [16:14] and what you are really thinking is going to begin to unfold towards those people. [16:19] I have seen it time and time and time again. [16:22] Therefore, when all that you focus on is changing your behavior [16:28] rather than changing your actual attitude and your dispositions

[16:33] and how you think about specific things, [16:36] at best you will have temporary modification. [16:41] Because you will ultimately begin to put forward the attitudes [16:46] that are beginning to take place inside of you. [16:49] You know, in verse 4, which precedes verse 5, [16:53] this text begins by telling us that Jesus has met every demand

[16:57] of being reconciled to relationship with God [17:01] so that the righteousness of God can actually pour out of our lives. [17:08] And of course, this corresponds with the actions that we take in life. [17:14] But guess what? The actions that you take in life [17:17] flow out of what is going on inside of your life. [17:23] You cannot leave it unaddressed.

[17:25] Because if you think that your actions have nothing to do with what is going on in your life, [17:29] then you reduce yourself to simply living a robotic life. [17:34] But we know that is not the way it works. [17:36] Instead, God works out of your mindset. [17:40] He works out of your affections. [17:42] He works out of your values.

[17:44] He works out of your desires, etc. [17:46] Because that is the source of worship. [17:50] It is one thing to do the right thing. [17:55] It is a completely different thing to want to do the right thing. [18:02] It is that age old problem that many husbands and boyfriends have had [18:09] when they see right through your action to your heart.

[18:13] They say, well it is not that I wanted you to do it, [18:15] I wanted you to want to do it.

[18:20] When you want to do it, it always means more.

[18:25] So it is with our worship of God. [18:27] He has not called us to come to Him begrudgingly laying things down and sacrifice to Him. [18:35] What He has done is He has called us to value Him to such a degree. [18:41] To find Him so worthy. [18:44] To find Him so treasured. [18:47] To find Him so lovely and beautiful.

[18:50] That we willingly and joyfully lay down that which prevents us from being in His presence with our whole person. [19:02] And that begins with how you think about your relationship with Jesus Christ. [19:07] And then it flows out into your actions. [19:10] It flows out into how you think about everything else in your life. [19:14] Which then flows out into the very actions that you take in your life. [19:19] Your wants then need to translate to action.

[19:24] But it begins with your wants. [19:28] Do you know that changing the way that you think is a major part of discipleship? [19:33] I see in Matthew 28 Jesus told us, He says, go, make disciples. [19:38] But then He says teach them to observe all that I have commanded you. [19:42] And then say, just teach them to follow the rules. [19:46] Now He says teach them to observe.

[19:49] Teach them to have their mind on it. [19:50] Teach them to look at it. [19:52] Because when your mind is fixated on the gospel of Jesus Christ. [19:56] When your mind is saturated with the truth of the gospel of Jesus Christ. [19:59] Well then your actions necessarily will follow after what it is that you are desiring. [20:05] What it is that you are valuing.

[20:07] What it is that you are thinking about. [20:11] He wants you to want things to happen and it begins with your mindset. [20:16] But one of the hardest things that you will ever do in your life. [20:21] Is to unlearn the things that you have always learned about. [20:27] And what you base your life on. [20:29] Let’s not kid ourselves.

[20:31] This is one of the hardest things that you will ever have to do. [20:34] Because for most of us we have built a life for a while. [20:39] Where God really wasn’t the core value. [20:42] And when God comes in. [20:44] He says well we need to change all of our core values. [20:47] And may we not pretend that destroying everything that we have ever built in our lives.

[20:52] Is going to be an easy task. [20:54] It’s going to be a difficult task. [20:56] And that’s why the apostle Paul uses things like you cannot submit. [21:00] You are very hostile towards the things of God. [21:03] Because everything in your flesh is going to fight against changing your values. [21:09] It’s going to fight against changing your background.

[21:12] It’s going to fight against changing the very narrative of the story that your life has been telling for some of us. [21:19] For many decades.

[21:25] But what God is telling us about the gospel of Jesus Christ. [21:28] Is that it is so powerful. [21:30] It is so monumental. [21:31] It is so great. [21:34] That it redefines every aspect of your life. [21:42] We went to Colossians chapter 3.

[21:45] Last Sunday to begin to discuss what it means to actually live under the power of the Spirit. [21:51] And I just want to remind you. [21:53] Of what it’s talking about in Colossians chapter 3 verses 1 through 4. [21:56] It tells us that you go from focusing on all that you can get out of this world before you know Christ. [22:05] To actually begin to take a thought about how you can live. [22:11] To get all that you can get out of actually knowing God.

[22:17] In Colossians chapter 3 verse 4. [22:19] Explains what the outcome of setting your mind on Christ is. [22:23] The outcome is that it says Christ who is your life. [22:30] You can’t make a larger statement than that. [22:33] You see that when you set your mind on Christ. [22:35] Then in verse 4 he is the very definition of what your life is.

[22:40] And you live in anticipation. [22:43] To when he returns. [22:44] To take you to home. [22:46] Where you can be with him forever. [22:48] Physically, spiritually and emotionally. [22:50] That his presence is the very thing that defines who you are.

[22:55] But understand that you cannot have verse 4 without verse 2. [23:03] Where he tells us set your mind on the things that are above. [23:09] Not on the things that are on earth.

[23:15] You see your focus has to be on Christ. [23:17] You have to set your mind. [23:21] Note that the text does not say for an hour a week focus on. [23:27] 15 minutes every morning focus on. [23:31] Right before you go to bed focus on. [23:35] No he uses a terminology here in the original language when he says set.

[23:39] It is a concrete term. [23:41] It is a fixed gaze. [23:43] Never stop looking on Christ. [23:49] Is what he wants your mind set to be. [23:51] In other words everything that comes in my life filters through the lenses of the gospel. [23:57] Therefore everything that goes out of my life will go through the filter of the gospel of Jesus Christ.

[24:03] He wants you to fix your gaze. [24:07] That is what he is commanding of your actions as well.

[24:13] The question you need to ask yourself about your attitudes and actions. [24:19] Are you filling your life with the gospel? [24:24] If not what is it that needs to change? [24:29] Change is necessary in following the gospel. [24:32] We established that last week. [24:33] Understand more specifically that the Christian life is not the life you had plus Jesus.

[24:42] So often most of our spiritual frustration in our life and relationship with God comes from that being what we think it is all about. [24:52] You cannot just tack Jesus on to the life that you have and then claim that it is the Christian life. [24:58] Romans chapter 1 reveals that the basis for what many of us have built our lives on and all of us have considered what we were like before we came to faith in Jesus Christ. [25:08] That it is anti-God. [25:10] That we were created specifically for one thing. [25:14] Yet one job.

[25:16] Worship God. [25:17] And you blew it. [25:20] We were created to worship him but instead we worship ourselves. [25:25] And other created things around us. [25:27] Friends understand that if that is going to happen it is going to necessitate that you change the way that you live. [25:36] What many attempt though is to keep doing exactly what you have been doing and add a Jesus compartment to your already full life.

[25:45] We wear Jesus like a spiritual fanny pack. [25:49] We have a few supplies in there and whenever we run into a problem just unzip the fanny pack and that is where your supplements are. [25:55] Supplements of your faith and that Jesus compartment though always exhausts us. [26:01] You see when we attempt to live the Christian life that way six months to a year later you begin to wonder. [26:09] You know my life isn’t better with this Jesus compartment. [26:13] And I am exhausted.

[26:17] Because Jesus hasn’t replaced any aspect of your life. [26:21] Instead he has just added more activities to what you were already doing. [26:25] So you are running around like you have always been running around. [26:27] You are living the same way that you were always living. [26:29] Doing the exact same activities. [26:31] Doing the exact same things.

[26:32] But now you have to go to this meeting every week. [26:35] You have to go to another meeting every week. [26:36] And they want you to go to a third meeting. [26:38] And they say well you need to serve. [26:39] So you have to do all this service stuff. [26:41] You have to meet with people that you didn’t used to meet with that always feel kind of judgy.

[26:45] Like they are doing everything right and you are doing everything wrong. [26:47] And you never know as much of the Bible as they know. [26:49] And you just feel kind of defeated after about six months to a year. [26:53] So you begin to burn out. [26:57] You begin to say what is it that is new that has come into my life that has made me feel so exhausted. [27:03] It’s Jesus.

[27:06] So what do you do? [27:07] Maybe I will just scale back those meetings. [27:11] Maybe I will just scale back serving. [27:15] Maybe I will just, I am a little tired so I am not going to saturate my mind with the scriptures today. [27:21] I made it a while without prayer so I am just going to fast from prayer.

[27:27] I am going to eat a lot and replace prayer with that. [27:35] You see we laugh. [27:38] But in all honesty how often has that functionally been true about your life? [27:44] Or maybe you didn’t say you were going to fast from following Jesus. [27:47] Maybe you didn’t say you were going to fast from prayer and scripture. [27:50] You didn’t say you were going to fast from sacrifice.

[27:53] But you did.

[27:56] All the while wondering.

[28:00] Why don’t I feel the joy of the Lord? [28:03] Why do I feel nothing when I attempt to worship? [28:08] Well the issue is that God wants to control your life. [28:15] Not just be a part of it. [28:17] God wants to control your life. [28:20] He doesn’t just want to be a part of your life.

[28:23] You know God doesn’t really want to be a part of your life at all. [28:26] The gospel is pretty good evidence that God is actually offended by your life. [28:33] The life that you are building apart from him. [28:36] I mean look at what Ephesians chapter 4 says. [28:37] Look at what God says in Ephesians chapter 2. [28:39] Starting in verse 1.

[28:41] About the life that you are living apart from him. [28:42] He says, and you were dead in your trespasses and sins. [28:46] In which you once walked. [28:47] Following the course of this world. [28:49] Following the prince of the power. [28:51] The spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience.

[28:54] Now the life that you were building apart from God. [28:57] According to this text. [28:59] Has more to do with Satan. [29:02] Than it has to do with God. [29:03] And you say well not me. [29:07] According to Ephesians 2.

[29:09] Yes you. [29:10] And me. [29:12] So when I attempt to add a Jesus compartment. [29:16] To what God labels as death.

[29:21] Like the rest of mankind. [29:24] I am attempting to do something. [29:26] That quite frankly. [29:27] Really is offensive to God. [29:30] Because you see God wants to be God. [29:33] God wants you to live.

[29:36] As though he is God. [29:39] And he means. [29:40] What he says.

[29:43] You see one of the things that I really do love. [29:45] About what is happening. [29:47] In culture right now. [29:48] Is that our culture. [29:50] Loves transparency. [29:53] And you know no one likes a liar.

[29:55] We want to have a community. [29:57] In which we can be authentic. [29:59] And reveal who we really are. [30:02] And this is a great thing. [30:02] It is a great idea. [30:04] And it is actually God’s idea.

[30:07] It is a huge part. [30:08] Of what the church of Jesus Christ is about. [30:11] The problem comes though. [30:13] When our transparency. [30:15] Becomes nothing more. [30:16] Than us just revealing our idols.

[30:19] And sin to each other. [30:21] With no intention. [30:23] Of actually repenting of them. [30:25] Or having any life change actually happen in our lives. [30:28] It is a problem. [30:29] When we are not actually.

[30:30] Addressing the issues that you are dealing with. [30:33] We just want others to nod along. [30:35] With our struggle. [30:36] Without any intention. [30:38] Of getting help. [30:40] Or seeing any need.

[30:42] For actual change to take place. [30:44] In our lives. [30:45] And that is what Romans chapter 8 verse 6. [30:49] Calls death.

[30:52] It is us having no submission. [30:55] To the law of God. [30:56] And us actually revealing. [30:59] Hostility. [31:00] Towards God. [31:02] Because it can feel very therapeutic.

[31:04] To sit in a group of people. [31:05] And actually say. [31:08] I got issues. [31:10] And trust me. You do. [31:13] So do I. [31:15] But it is a whole other thing.

[31:17] To actually sit in a room. [31:18] And say. [31:20] I got issues. [31:22] And I need change. [31:24] And I want change. [31:26] And I desire change.

[31:29] And I need repentance. [31:31] Why? [31:32] Because Jesus is so much better.

[31:38] You see. [31:39] That can only happen. [31:41] In the mind. [31:42] That can only happen. [31:44] From your desires. [31:45] And that is what God is calling us.

[31:48] To build the community of the church on. [31:51] The best case study of this. [31:53] In my opinion from the bible. [31:54] Is the apostle Paul. [31:55] Look at what the apostle Paul says. [31:58] In Philippians chapter 3.8.

[31:59] He says. Indeed. [32:01] I count. Remember that word in the Greek. [32:03] Means consider. [32:04] I consider or I think of. [32:07] Everything as lost. [32:09] Because of what?

[32:10] The surpassing worth of knowing. [32:13] Christ Jesus my Lord. [32:15] For His sake. [32:16] I have suffered the loss of all things. [32:19] And count them as rubbish. [32:22] In order that I may gain Christ.

[32:25] You see what Paul is doing there. [32:27] Is he is expressing. [32:30] The source of his life change. [32:32] And he is not saying. [32:33] I did all of these things. [32:36] To the extent where I just kind of

[32:38] Didn’t have those other things in my life. [32:39] He is saying. I treasure Jesus.

[32:45] And as I am doing that. [32:47] I am looking at the things that I am losing. [32:49] Because of it. [32:50] I am looking at the things that are passing out of my life. [32:53] I am looking at the things that I am repenting of. [32:55] The things that I used to treasure.

[32:57] The things that I used to love. [32:59] The things that I used to build my identity on. [33:01] The things that I used to think were so valuable.

[33:05] And I consider them as rubbish.

[33:10] What Paul is saying is. [33:11] Is that when you are following Jesus. [33:12] You need to get to a place in your life. [33:14] Where you look back and you say. [33:16] What was wrong with me?

[33:20] All of that time wasted. [33:22] All of those pursuits. [33:25] All of that energy. [33:26] That I expelled. [33:28] Building those things. [33:30] Worthless things.

[33:34] But I have gained Christ.

[33:37] And he is better. [33:39] You see friends. [33:40] Can you think. [33:42] Of anything. [33:44] That you have forsaken. [33:46] In order to follow Jesus.

[33:49] Can you think of anything?

[33:52] If you can’t. [33:55] And even more. [33:56] If you don’t see how that is a problem.

[34:02] Consider Ephesians 2 again. [34:05] Consider how God labels the life that you had before him.

[34:10] And quite frankly. [34:11] If then. [34:14] We still don’t see a problem.

[34:17] That following Jesus has cost us nothing. [34:20] From our own life. [34:20] [34:20] [34:20] [34:20]

[34:25] Then I guess the question is. [34:27] What did you need to be redeemed from then?

[34:32] If you had nothing. [34:33] That you were wasting your life on. [34:34] If you had no sin. [34:36] To be redeemed from. [34:38] Friends. [34:40] Look harder.

[34:42] If you haven’t forsaken anything. [34:44] For the cause of Christ. [34:45] Friends I call you to begin to consider.

[34:49] Set your mind. [34:50] [34:50] [34:50] Set your mind on Christ. [34:51] Set your mind on who he is. [34:55] And follow him.

[34:57] Because when we begin to look. [34:59] At the text. [34:59] And he tells us that your mind. [35:02] Being set on the flesh. [35:04] Is death. [35:06] In verse 6.

[35:09] Well Paul is actually telling us. [35:11] He’s saying. [35:11] When we aren’t forsaking. [35:14] Anything to follow Jesus. [35:16] Understand it’s because there’s a potential. [35:18] That Jesus isn’t there.

[35:21] It’s the potential that we’re still worshiping ourselves.

[35:26] It’s the potential. [35:27] That instead of living a God centered life. [35:29] We are still just living a very. [35:32] Self centered life. [35:34] And attempting to add. [35:36] A Jesus compartment.

[35:38] And it won’t work. [35:40] It never has. [35:42] And it never will. [35:44] Because thirdly this morning. [35:45] We understand that following Jesus. [35:48] Means.

[35:49] Being motivated. [35:50] By the gospel. [35:53] Your motivations. [35:54] Matter. [35:56] Sometimes when dealing with the change of the gospel. [35:58] We uncover the reality.

[36:00] That we don’t really want to submit to God’s law.

[36:04] We don’t. [36:05] The text is clear. Look at verse 7. [36:07] He says for the mind that is set on the flesh. [36:10] Is hostile to God. [36:12] It does not submit to God’s law. [36:15] Indeed it cannot.

[36:17] Because those who are in the flesh. [36:19] They can’t please God. [36:21] So he’s telling us. [36:23] A measurement. [36:24] By which we can actually begin to set up. [36:27] To say how am I doing.

[36:29] In my relationship with Jesus Christ. [36:31] He says well how do you feel. [36:33] When the gospel of Jesus. [36:35] Confronts you with change that needs to happen.

[36:40] Do you make excuses? [36:41] Do you explain why your situation is different? [36:46] Do you explain why this is too hard? [36:49] I just can’t give that much to God right now. [36:53] It’s just too difficult. [36:55] It’s just too much.

[36:57] It’s a bridge that’s too far for me to cross. [37:00] What the apostle Paul is saying. [37:01] Is when that happens in your life. [37:03] Understand that is hostility. [37:06] Against God.

[37:09] Because verse 4 says that he’s giving. [37:11] He’s giving you the power of the spirit. [37:13] In order to change your life. [37:17] So when you begin to say I can’t. [37:19] I can’t. I can’t. [37:21] God’s answer is I know you can’t.

[37:25] And God says I can.

[37:29] And that’s why you’ve got the spirit of God.

[37:33] See friends a large portion of what it means to follow Jesus. [37:35] Is about submitting. [37:37] To his law.

[37:40] Submitting. [37:41] To who he says he is. [37:44] Submitting. [37:45] To what he says he wants.

[37:48] And as hard as the struggle is. [37:52] And it will be difficult.

[37:58] You set your mind on Christ. [38:00] Your mind is stayed on him. [38:02] Your life is being saturated by the truth of the gospel. [38:05] Found in the word of God. [38:07] You’re praying to him for strength. [38:10] And when you are living that type of life.

[38:13] What begins to happen is. [38:15] Is that you are overcoming obstacles. [38:17] That you never thought that you could. [38:20] You’re finding relief from idolatry. [38:22] That you never thought you would. [38:24] You’re finding obedience in places.

[38:26] That you’ve only found disobedience in the past. [38:29] You’re finding joy in places. [38:31] That used to just seem hopeless. [38:33] For you. [38:34] You actually begin to want to. [38:37] To serve God.

[38:39] And the thought stops being. [38:41] While I’ve got to limit how much I do for the Lord. [38:44] And it begins to become. [38:46] Oh I can’t give enough.

[38:48] To the Lord. [38:49] Because he’s given everything to me. [38:51] And that’s where Colossians chapter 3 verse 4 says. [38:55] Christ who is your life.

[39:00] See for instance. [39:00] This is not about what you’re doing. [39:06] This is about what’s motivating you to do it. [39:12] Because your motivations matter. [39:14] God is after your heart.

[39:18] Because the gospel needs to be the reason. [39:21] That you do the things that you do in this life. [39:26] Is the gospel the reason? [39:28] See when God is after your heart. [39:30] Understand that that does not mean that your actions are inconsequential. [39:34] Your actions matter.

[39:38] Every action that you do. [39:40] Is based on a decision. [39:42] That you have made. [39:44] Those decisions. [39:46] Always trace back. [39:47] To the core of who you are.

[39:51] And what you have set your mind on. [39:53] It should be very simple. [39:56] To decipher how the choices that you are making in life. [40:00] And where you are investing your actions. [40:03] Trace back to the gospel of Jesus Christ. [40:06] But if you struggle to explain the connection.

[40:10] Of why you do what you do. [40:14] With the gospel of Jesus Christ. [40:17] Understand that it probably isn’t. [40:20] And you need to make changes in your life. [40:25] You see you can’t live for yourself. [40:28] And please God at the same thing.

[40:31] You see we tend. [40:34] To live in a society. [40:36] Where everything is based on results. [40:39] And the results that we are after. [40:41] Is happiness. [40:43] If I am happy.

[40:44] If I am comfortable. [40:45] Then everything is good. [40:47] My relationship with God is great. [40:48] But that is not necessarily true. [40:50] You see Romans chapter 8 verses 7 and 8 reveal that the outcomes are important. [40:55] But only if they submit to God.

[40:57] You see if you are looking for a result that God wants. [41:00] In verses 5 through 8. [41:01] What do you actually find in the text? [41:04] Well the result that he wants is submission to God’s law. [41:09] And then finally in verse 8 he says.

[41:13] A pleased God. [41:15] So what do you need in your life? [41:17] You need to submit to God. [41:19] And you need to please God. [41:22] And so everything that you are doing in your life. [41:25] If your motivations come from there.

[41:27] If your actions come from there. [41:28] He says don’t worry about the results. [41:31] That are going to come from those things. [41:32] Understand the results that I want from you. [41:34] Are that God is pleased. [41:36] And that is the result that you want.

[41:38] And so your whole world can be falling around. [41:41] Down around you. [41:42] And as long as God is pleased. [41:45] You have joy.

[41:48] See that is worship.

[41:51] That is what the results based system of the gospel is. [41:53] Is that the joy of the Lord is the foundation upon which you want to rest. [42:00] And you leave everything else to him. [42:03] Look in Isaiah chapter 26 verse 3. [42:07] The prophet writes these words. [42:09] He says you.

[42:10] Speaking of God. [42:11] Keep him in perfect peace. [42:14] Whose mind is stayed on you. [42:16] Because he trusts in you.

[42:20] See the text says perfect peace. [42:23] And the way that we are often tempted to read that. [42:27] Is that there is no trouble. [42:29] No pain. [42:31] No suffering. [42:32] Nothing hard is happening.

[42:34] That is what peace really looks like. [42:36] No. [42:37] No how do I know that? [42:39] Because of the end of the text. [42:42] The end of the text says. [42:43] Because he trusts in you.

[42:47] Friend if you have no trouble. [42:49] If you have no pain. [42:51] If you have no hardship. [42:53] If you have no suffering.

[42:56] Then trust is pretty worthless.

[43:00] See the prophet writes in a time.

[43:04] Trouble.

[43:07] Where he needed trust. [43:09] To know that everything was going to be alright. [43:12] If you want perfect peace in your mind. [43:15] Understand that God is going to be the one. [43:18] The foundation upon which you deal with everything that comes into your life. [43:23] Both pleasant and unpleasant.

[43:27] The promise is. [43:29] That when we trust God through Jesus. [43:34] As hard things come into our lives. [43:36] We will endure them. [43:38] With peace.

[43:45] Some of you this morning. [43:47] You have a mind of flesh.

[43:51] You do not have the mind of the spirit. [43:54] And you can’t figure out why you can’t fix your life.

[43:59] Friends it is because you need to repent of your sin. [44:04] You need to put your faith in Jesus. [44:07] And you need to receive the Holy Spirit to transform your mind.

[44:13] You need faith. [44:15] For others of you you have put your faith in Jesus Christ. [44:21] But you are struggling to endure in the fight between the flesh and the spirit. [44:25] You are struggling to focus. [44:27] It is a daily battle between flesh and spirit. [44:32] Friend repentance is not a one time event.

[44:34] It is a continuous thing in your life. [44:36] You need to continue to repent. [44:38] You need to decide today to walk in faith and to make changes. [44:42] The problem is not that God is not powerful enough to change your life. [44:47] The problem is that you are fighting him. [44:51] He is waiting for you to make changes in faith.

[44:57] And in trust.

[45:00] Because that is where his peace is found. [45:03] His trust in him. He has got it.

[45:06] See as the band comes forward. [45:09] I want us to understand this morning. [45:12] What it is that the gospel testifies to our lives about.

[45:17] The gospel testifies to your life. [45:22] That there is a God. [45:24] Who is always in control. [45:27] 24 hours a day. 7 days a week. [45:30] 365 days a year. [45:31] Sometimes 366.

[45:33] He did not forget that one day.

[45:37] He is always in control. [45:39] How do I know that? [45:42] Because this is the God.

[45:45] Who had the power to speak everything out of nothing that is. [45:48] And make it exist and make it work. [45:50] And he still upholds it.

[45:54] And he also had the power to enter into it. [45:58] As a man.

[46:00] And the whole world came up against him. [46:04] The whole world sought to destroy him. [46:06] With our sin, with our blasphemy. [46:09] With our disobedience. [46:10] With our hostility, with our refusal to submit to his law. [46:13] And then we put him on a cross.

[46:16] And we killed him.

[46:19] He says it does not look like God is in control.

[46:23] But sometimes what looks like failure to me is success to God.

[46:28] Three days later. [46:31] God the son got up out of the grave. [46:33] And he said. [46:34] I still got control. [46:37] And now I have proven it. [46:39] Because I have defeated sin and death for you.

[46:45] Friend if you want a life worth living. [46:48] That needs to be the focus of your life. [46:49] Is that we have that kind of God. [46:52] If you do not know him. [46:53] I invite you right now to repent of your sins. [46:56] And trust in him.

[46:58] And he will eternally. [47:00] Have a relationship with you.

[47:04] If you are a follower of Jesus Christ. [47:05] I am going to invite you in just a minute to one of the six stations in this room. [47:08] Four up front. [47:10] Two in the back.

[47:12] I want you to realize that you are called to his table with empty hands.

[47:18] Leave your sin at your chair. [47:20] Repent. Turn away. [47:22] Come up to these tables empty handed. [47:24] And our good God says when you come empty handed. [47:27] I will fill you with my meal. [47:30] The body and blood of Jesus Christ.

[47:35] A symbol of what fills our entire life.

[47:41] When you are ready come.