Found in Christ
Series: in Christ
Speaker: Steve Jeffrey
Date: 26th July 2026
Passage: Ephesians 1:3-14
00:00:00 --> 00:00:07 Imagine the scenario where you're conversing with a person who has never heard of Christianity.
00:00:08 --> 00:00:14 ! They might be in the hospital and they've got the little form and there's no version of Christianity there.
00:00:15 --> 00:00:16 ! There's no knowledge of it at all.
00:00:17 --> 00:00:20 They've never heard of the fact that their Bible exists.
00:00:20 --> 00:00:21 They've never seen a Bible.
00:00:22 --> 00:00:23 They've never heard of Jesus Christ.
00:00:23 --> 00:00:26 No concept of the church at all.
00:00:26 --> 00:00:30 And in conversing with them, you mentioned that you're a Christian.
00:00:32 --> 00:00:36 And it's a term that they are just not familiar with.
00:00:37 --> 00:00:40 And so they ask you, what do you mean by that?
00:00:40 --> 00:00:41 What is a Christian?
00:00:43 --> 00:00:44 How would you answer that?
00:00:45 --> 00:00:46 What would you say?
00:00:47 --> 00:00:48 How do you answer that question?
00:00:50 --> 00:00:54 Maybe various forms of it might be something like,
00:00:54 --> 00:01:01 well, I believe in Jesus of Nazareth and I follow his teachings.
00:01:02 --> 00:01:07 Maybe you're a person who follows and adheres to Christianity.
00:01:07 --> 00:01:10 Maybe, well, my parents were Christian.
00:01:10 --> 00:01:12 I was born a Christian.
00:01:12 --> 00:01:13 I've been baptized.
00:01:13 --> 00:01:14 That's what makes me a Christian.
00:01:14 --> 00:01:22 Maybe it's a person who lives in a way that's guided by the values of Jesus of Nazareth.
00:01:22 --> 00:01:24 Someone who's a member of the church.
00:01:25 --> 00:01:28 Its potential, particularly if you've been hanging around churches for a bit,
00:01:29 --> 00:01:33 you might use language like, well, I'm someone who's been born again.
00:01:33 --> 00:01:34 I've been saved.
00:01:34 --> 00:01:35 I believe in Jesus.
00:01:35 --> 00:01:36 I have faith in Jesus.
00:01:36 --> 00:01:38 Or I'm a follower of Jesus.
00:01:38 --> 00:01:44 Now, a number of those descriptors are certainly descriptors of the Bible, the Bible uses.
00:01:45 --> 00:01:52 But none of them are the dominant descriptor of what it means to be a Christian.
00:01:53 --> 00:02:01 The New Testament uses a phrase to describe the Christian that is everywhere in the pages of the New Testament,
00:02:01 --> 00:02:08 very dominant in the New Testament, but almost nowhere in our churches,
00:02:08 --> 00:02:11 to the point where I've not had a single Christian,
00:02:11 --> 00:02:16 and I myself have not used it when someone's asked me, what is a Christian?
00:02:17 --> 00:02:21 I've never used the term in Christ.
00:02:22 --> 00:02:24 I'm in Christ.
00:02:24 --> 00:02:33 In our society, a Christian, the term Christian is often open to a broad interpretation.
00:02:34 --> 00:02:35 Broad interpretation.
00:02:36 --> 00:02:40 And anyone can identify themselves as being Christian,
00:02:40 --> 00:02:42 particularly if it helps their political agendas.
00:02:42 --> 00:02:52 But in our society, Christianity is not so much connected to the person of Jesus,
00:02:52 --> 00:02:58 or vaguely so, but it can be connected to things like traditional values and ethics
00:02:58 --> 00:03:00 and conservative politics and institutions.
00:03:01 --> 00:03:03 This is particularly in Western civilization.
00:03:04 --> 00:03:10 And all of those things together kind of blur what it means to be a Christian,
00:03:10 --> 00:03:14 and therefore what it means to live the Christian life.
00:03:15 --> 00:03:19 The term in Christ is entirely different.
00:03:20 --> 00:03:20 Entirely different.
00:03:20 --> 00:03:30 Because the term in Christ demands that we reflect on something that is a dynamic relationship
00:03:30 --> 00:03:33 and a living relationship.
00:03:35 --> 00:03:39 And so what we're doing is, as we launch into term three,
00:03:39 --> 00:03:46 we're spending this term on this issue, on the term in Christ,
00:03:47 --> 00:03:51 on this deep foundational biblical term.
00:03:52 --> 00:04:01 Theologians call this whole topic, the theology, it's called union with Christ.
00:04:02 --> 00:04:03 It's a theology of union.
00:04:03 --> 00:04:16 And the reason we're doing this term is because if we misunderstand the dynamic of what it means to be Christian,
00:04:16 --> 00:04:19 the dynamic of our relationship to Jesus and his relationship to us,
00:04:20 --> 00:04:24 then we entirely misunderstand Christianity,
00:04:25 --> 00:04:28 and we entirely misunderstand what it means to live the Christian life.
00:04:28 --> 00:04:33 And if you've been with us throughout the course of this year,
00:04:34 --> 00:04:42 you might initially think that this topic here is entirely left field.
00:04:42 --> 00:04:43 How do they come up with this one?
00:04:43 --> 00:04:44 Why now?
00:04:44 --> 00:04:45 Why this one?
00:04:46 --> 00:04:48 The reality is, if you've been with us,
00:04:48 --> 00:04:52 you would have hopefully seen that we've touched on it multiple times already.
00:04:52 --> 00:04:56 We started the year in the book of Ephesians,
00:04:57 --> 00:05:00 looking at who is the church.
00:05:00 --> 00:05:02 Not what is the church, but who is the church.
00:05:03 --> 00:05:07 And which is why we've read Ephesians 1 again this morning,
00:05:07 --> 00:05:15 is because what we understand the book of Ephesians is that the church is in Christ.
00:05:16 --> 00:05:19 Wrapped up in him, all that is his is ours.
00:05:19 --> 00:05:25 Everything that the church is and has been called to do is hinge,
00:05:25 --> 00:05:30 is entirely connected and hinges on us being united to Christ.
00:05:31 --> 00:05:36 And last term, we were looking at Ephesians 5 and marriage,
00:05:36 --> 00:05:39 and we were confronted with this startling claim
00:05:39 --> 00:05:47 that when God brought Adam and Eve together in the union of marriage,
00:05:47 --> 00:05:49 right at the very beginning of the Bible,
00:05:51 --> 00:05:54 Ephesians 5 says that right at the beginning of the Bible,
00:05:54 --> 00:05:55 when God did that,
00:05:57 --> 00:06:01 that is a picture of a far greater reality.
00:06:02 --> 00:06:06 The marriage, as the Bible describes it,
00:06:07 --> 00:06:09 points to something much bigger,
00:06:09 --> 00:06:12 the union of a man and a woman in marriage,
00:06:12 --> 00:06:14 where the two become one,
00:06:15 --> 00:06:18 which Ephesians 5 says is a profound mystery,
00:06:18 --> 00:06:24 is a pointer to the greater reality of the union between Christ
00:06:24 --> 00:06:26 and his church, his people.
00:06:28 --> 00:06:30 And so we're going to unpack that reality.
00:06:31 --> 00:06:34 To understand the dynamic of our union with Christ
00:06:34 --> 00:06:38 ultimately leads to a greater confidence
00:06:38 --> 00:06:42 of what Christ has done for us,
00:06:42 --> 00:06:45 a deeper assurance and a hope as Christians,
00:06:46 --> 00:06:50 and particularly confidence in living out the Christian life.
00:06:50 --> 00:06:54 And that really is what we want for you here at St. Paul's,
00:06:54 --> 00:06:57 for you to see not just the truth,
00:06:57 --> 00:06:59 the goodness and the beauty of it,
00:06:59 --> 00:07:04 that your affections and your hearts would grow for Christ.
00:07:05 --> 00:07:06 So that's where we're heading.
00:07:06 --> 00:07:09 And today is really an introductory.
00:07:11 --> 00:07:12 In fact, when you think about it,
00:07:12 --> 00:07:15 the whole term is really going to be an introduction to the topic.
00:07:16 --> 00:07:20 There's a lot of old history stuff written about this.
00:07:21 --> 00:07:22 Ironically, amazingly,
00:07:23 --> 00:07:25 the theology of union with Christ
00:07:25 --> 00:07:31 went unnoticed for,
00:07:31 --> 00:07:32 in recent history,
00:07:32 --> 00:07:34 the last couple of hundred years,
00:07:34 --> 00:07:35 not referred to much.
00:07:36 --> 00:07:37 But fortunately,
00:07:37 --> 00:07:38 more recently,
00:07:38 --> 00:07:39 theologians are going,
00:07:39 --> 00:07:39 hang on a bit,
00:07:40 --> 00:07:42 we've left this one behind
00:07:42 --> 00:07:44 and we need to re-engage with it.
00:07:45 --> 00:07:46 So, first of all,
00:07:47 --> 00:07:49 I've got three points on the St. Paul's app.
00:07:49 --> 00:07:52 Ephesians 1 opens with an astonishing claim.
00:07:52 --> 00:07:54 Praise be the God and Father,
00:07:54 --> 00:07:55 our Lord Jesus Christ,
00:07:55 --> 00:07:57 who has blessed us in the heavenly realms
00:07:57 --> 00:08:00 with every spiritual blessing.
00:08:03 --> 00:08:04 See there?
00:08:05 --> 00:08:07 Every spiritual blessing.
00:08:09 --> 00:08:11 He has blessed us.
00:08:12 --> 00:08:13 It's already happened.
00:08:14 --> 00:08:15 Not that he will bless us,
00:08:15 --> 00:08:16 he has blessed us,
00:08:16 --> 00:08:19 and with every spiritual blessing.
00:08:19 --> 00:08:21 And the language here is absolute language.
00:08:21 --> 00:08:22 That is,
00:08:22 --> 00:08:23 that is,
00:08:23 --> 00:08:24 there's nothing held back.
00:08:25 --> 00:08:27 There's nothing overlooked at all.
00:08:28 --> 00:08:29 Nothing is lacking.
00:08:29 --> 00:08:32 The word blessed is a very significant word.
00:08:33 --> 00:08:34 It means,
00:08:35 --> 00:08:39 it's close to the Hebrew word shalom,
00:08:39 --> 00:08:44 which means that every joy and every benefit
00:08:44 --> 00:08:48 that your heart and your soul needs and longs for
00:08:48 --> 00:08:50 has been fulfilled.
00:08:50 --> 00:08:52 That's what it means to be blessed.
00:08:52 --> 00:09:00 And what we see in Ephesians is God's plan for all time and eternity
00:09:00 --> 00:09:01 is to bless,
00:09:02 --> 00:09:05 and that he has blessed.
00:09:05 --> 00:09:13 A Christian is someone who's been already blessed
00:09:13 --> 00:09:19 with every spiritual blessing from God.
00:09:19 --> 00:09:23 And then what Paul does is he goes on
00:09:23 --> 00:09:23 and he writes,
00:09:23 --> 00:09:25 he gives a list for it.
00:09:25 --> 00:09:28 And each one of these lists,
00:09:28 --> 00:09:31 each one of these words could be expanded again,
00:09:31 --> 00:09:33 more and more and more to libraries of books.
00:09:34 --> 00:09:36 We're referred to as being holy,
00:09:36 --> 00:09:37 blameless,
00:09:37 --> 00:09:38 adopted,
00:09:38 --> 00:09:38 redeemed,
00:09:39 --> 00:09:39 forgiven,
00:09:39 --> 00:09:40 we're given knowledge of God.
00:09:41 --> 00:09:43 The blessings go on and on.
00:09:43 --> 00:09:45 The implications of them are huge,
00:09:45 --> 00:09:50 but the key to receiving all of the blessings
00:09:50 --> 00:09:51 in verse 4,
00:09:51 --> 00:09:52 sorry,
00:09:52 --> 00:09:52 3,
00:09:52 --> 00:09:52 4,
00:09:52 --> 00:09:53 5,
00:09:53 --> 00:09:53 6,
00:09:53 --> 00:09:53 7,
00:09:53 --> 00:09:54 9,
00:09:54 --> 00:09:54 and 11
00:09:54 --> 00:09:57 is the term in Christ
00:09:57 --> 00:09:58 and its various forms.
00:10:00 --> 00:10:04 That is how you receive all the blessing.
00:10:05 --> 00:10:08 That is how you get every desire and longing
00:10:08 --> 00:10:11 of your heart and your soul fulfilled.
00:10:11 --> 00:10:12 It's in Christ.
00:10:12 --> 00:10:19 And so the language here in Ephesians,
00:10:19 --> 00:10:20 as is the New Testament,
00:10:21 --> 00:10:23 is that to become a Christian
00:10:23 --> 00:10:27 is not simply to get Jesus as your Lord to obey
00:10:27 --> 00:10:30 or as a model in life to follow
00:10:30 --> 00:10:33 or as a saviour to be grateful for.
00:10:34 --> 00:10:39 A Christian is someone who has been put in Christ,
00:10:39 --> 00:10:42 being put in Christ
00:10:42 --> 00:10:47 so that everything that is his
00:10:47 --> 00:10:49 becomes yours.
00:10:50 --> 00:10:51 That's what it means.
00:10:52 --> 00:10:54 All the blessings and privileges
00:10:54 --> 00:10:56 of the Christian life
00:10:56 --> 00:11:01 is by virtue of being united to Jesus Christ.
00:11:01 --> 00:11:03 Now,
00:11:03 --> 00:11:04 our union with Jesus,
00:11:04 --> 00:11:05 as I said,
00:11:06 --> 00:11:07 is by far
00:11:07 --> 00:11:11 one of the most important theological concepts
00:11:11 --> 00:11:13 in the New Testament.
00:11:13 --> 00:11:16 It's the umbrella theology
00:11:16 --> 00:11:17 that connects
00:11:17 --> 00:11:21 so many of the important truths
00:11:21 --> 00:11:22 and doctrines of the Christian faith.
00:11:22 --> 00:11:26 many scholars agree
00:11:26 --> 00:11:28 that the term in Christ
00:11:28 --> 00:11:30 is the central category
00:11:30 --> 00:11:32 in the Apostle Paul's thinking
00:11:32 --> 00:11:34 and his writing in the New Testament.
00:11:35 --> 00:11:38 He uses the term himself
00:11:38 --> 00:11:41 over 160 times.
00:11:42 --> 00:11:43 But it's not just Paul.
00:11:44 --> 00:11:46 The term in all its various forms
00:11:46 --> 00:11:48 is used over 200 times
00:11:48 --> 00:11:50 in the New Testament
00:11:50 --> 00:11:52 as the default way
00:11:52 --> 00:11:53 of identifying
00:11:53 --> 00:11:55 someone
00:11:55 --> 00:11:56 who is
00:11:56 --> 00:11:57 what we would call
00:11:57 --> 00:11:58 a Christian
00:11:58 --> 00:11:59 or a follower of Jesus.
00:12:01 --> 00:12:03 And the language of union
00:12:03 --> 00:12:06 in the New Testament
00:12:06 --> 00:12:08 is used in two different ways.
00:12:09 --> 00:12:09 First of all,
00:12:09 --> 00:12:11 there's the cosmic level,
00:12:12 --> 00:12:15 the big level,
00:12:15 --> 00:12:15 if you like,
00:12:15 --> 00:12:19 where on the cosmic level,
00:12:20 --> 00:12:21 union with Christ
00:12:21 --> 00:12:22 means that
00:12:22 --> 00:12:24 he is your leader.
00:12:26 --> 00:12:28 And as he goes,
00:12:28 --> 00:12:29 so you go.
00:12:32 --> 00:12:34 His fate
00:12:34 --> 00:12:36 becomes your fate.
00:12:37 --> 00:12:39 Now that may seem odd,
00:12:39 --> 00:12:40 especially for those of us
00:12:40 --> 00:12:41 who would come from
00:12:41 --> 00:12:42 more of a Western
00:12:42 --> 00:12:43 cultural perspective.
00:12:43 --> 00:12:45 But for most
00:12:45 --> 00:12:47 human cultures
00:12:47 --> 00:12:48 throughout
00:12:48 --> 00:12:49 most of human history,
00:12:49 --> 00:12:51 including the Bible times,
00:12:51 --> 00:12:53 this way of thinking
00:12:53 --> 00:12:53 about a leader
00:12:53 --> 00:12:55 and his people
00:12:55 --> 00:12:56 or their people
00:12:56 --> 00:12:58 was actually normal
00:12:58 --> 00:12:58 and natural.
00:12:59 --> 00:13:00 Entirely normal.
00:13:01 --> 00:13:02 The idea
00:13:02 --> 00:13:03 is the idea
00:13:03 --> 00:13:05 of corporate solidarity
00:13:05 --> 00:13:07 or another
00:13:07 --> 00:13:08 theological term
00:13:08 --> 00:13:09 to referring to it
00:13:09 --> 00:13:09 is
00:13:09 --> 00:13:11 a federal headship.
00:13:11 --> 00:13:13 that is
00:13:13 --> 00:13:15 the idea
00:13:15 --> 00:13:16 that
00:13:16 --> 00:13:18 as
00:13:18 --> 00:13:20 the leader goes
00:13:20 --> 00:13:22 so that people go.
00:13:22 --> 00:13:23 I don't want to
00:13:23 --> 00:13:24 delve into it too much
00:13:24 --> 00:13:25 because I'm stealing
00:13:25 --> 00:13:26 too much of John's sermon
00:13:26 --> 00:13:27 for next week
00:13:27 --> 00:13:28 as he takes us
00:13:28 --> 00:13:30 a bit deeper into this.
00:13:30 --> 00:13:31 But the Bible
00:13:31 --> 00:13:33 usually uses it
00:13:33 --> 00:13:34 in a very big
00:13:34 --> 00:13:35 cosmic way.
00:13:35 --> 00:13:39 simply
00:13:39 --> 00:13:40 is
00:13:40 --> 00:13:41 that the idea
00:13:41 --> 00:13:42 is that the one
00:13:42 --> 00:13:43 represents the many
00:13:43 --> 00:13:44 and the many
00:13:44 --> 00:13:45 are represented
00:13:45 --> 00:13:47 by the one.
00:13:48 --> 00:13:49 If the
00:13:49 --> 00:13:50 President
00:13:50 --> 00:13:52 of the United States
00:13:52 --> 00:13:53 declares war
00:13:53 --> 00:13:54 on another country,
00:13:54 --> 00:13:55 the citizens
00:13:55 --> 00:13:56 of that country
00:13:56 --> 00:13:56 are at war
00:13:56 --> 00:13:57 with that country
00:13:57 --> 00:13:58 by the declaration
00:13:58 --> 00:13:58 of the President.
00:13:59 --> 00:14:00 It's that idea.
00:14:00 --> 00:14:04 2 Corinthians 5.14
00:14:04 --> 00:14:05 speaking of the work
00:14:05 --> 00:14:06 of Christ
00:14:06 --> 00:14:07 and how it connects
00:14:07 --> 00:14:07 to us
00:14:07 --> 00:14:08 says
00:14:08 --> 00:14:09 one has died
00:14:09 --> 00:14:10 for all
00:14:10 --> 00:14:10 and therefore
00:14:10 --> 00:14:11 all have died
00:14:11 --> 00:14:13 because Christ
00:14:13 --> 00:14:13 has died
00:14:13 --> 00:14:14 and those
00:14:14 --> 00:14:14 who are united
00:14:14 --> 00:14:15 to him
00:14:15 --> 00:14:17 share his fate.
00:14:18 --> 00:14:19 Like Jesus,
00:14:19 --> 00:14:20 the Christian too
00:14:20 --> 00:14:21 has died
00:14:21 --> 00:14:24 to their old life.
00:14:24 --> 00:14:25 1 Corinthians
00:14:25 --> 00:14:27 15.22
00:14:27 --> 00:14:28 is the whole Bible
00:14:28 --> 00:14:29 in a short summary.
00:14:29 --> 00:14:31 As in Adam
00:14:31 --> 00:14:31 all die,
00:14:32 --> 00:14:33 so also in Christ
00:14:33 --> 00:14:34 shall all
00:14:34 --> 00:14:35 be made
00:14:35 --> 00:14:36 alive.
00:14:37 --> 00:14:37 And so
00:14:37 --> 00:14:39 every human being
00:14:39 --> 00:14:40 alive
00:14:40 --> 00:14:41 or has ever
00:14:41 --> 00:14:42 walked the face
00:14:42 --> 00:14:43 of this earth
00:14:43 --> 00:14:44 is either
00:14:44 --> 00:14:45 in one of those
00:14:45 --> 00:14:45 two categories.
00:14:46 --> 00:14:46 They're either
00:14:46 --> 00:14:47 in Adam
00:14:47 --> 00:14:48 or they are
00:14:48 --> 00:14:49 in Christ
00:14:49 --> 00:14:50 and that is
00:14:50 --> 00:14:52 the absolute
00:14:52 --> 00:14:53 fundamental
00:14:53 --> 00:14:54 defining reality
00:14:54 --> 00:14:56 of all
00:14:56 --> 00:14:56 of humanity.
00:14:56 --> 00:15:00 and the message
00:15:00 --> 00:15:01 of the New Testament
00:15:01 --> 00:15:03 is absolutely
00:15:03 --> 00:15:04 thrilling at this
00:15:04 --> 00:15:04 point.
00:15:05 --> 00:15:06 To be united
00:15:06 --> 00:15:07 to Christ
00:15:07 --> 00:15:08 as your
00:15:08 --> 00:15:09 federal head
00:15:09 --> 00:15:11 is to be
00:15:11 --> 00:15:12 placed in
00:15:12 --> 00:15:13 that new
00:15:13 --> 00:15:13 realm
00:15:13 --> 00:15:14 with him
00:15:14 --> 00:15:15 alive
00:15:15 --> 00:15:16 in his
00:15:16 --> 00:15:17 new creation.
00:15:18 --> 00:15:19 Jesus Christ
00:15:19 --> 00:15:21 plunged
00:15:21 --> 00:15:22 through death
00:15:22 --> 00:15:23 and out
00:15:23 --> 00:15:24 of the
00:15:24 --> 00:15:24 other
00:15:24 --> 00:15:25 side
00:15:25 --> 00:15:26 resurrected
00:15:26 --> 00:15:27 into the
00:15:27 --> 00:15:28 dawning
00:15:28 --> 00:15:28 of a new
00:15:28 --> 00:15:29 creation
00:15:29 --> 00:15:30 and to be
00:15:30 --> 00:15:31 in him
00:15:31 --> 00:15:33 means
00:15:33 --> 00:15:34 that he
00:15:34 --> 00:15:35 has pulled
00:15:35 --> 00:15:35 you
00:15:35 --> 00:15:36 with him
00:15:36 --> 00:15:37 from death
00:15:37 --> 00:15:37 to life.
00:15:39 --> 00:15:40 That's what
00:15:40 --> 00:15:40 it means.
00:15:41 --> 00:15:42 Now,
00:15:42 --> 00:15:43 the other way
00:15:43 --> 00:15:44 that the New Testament
00:15:44 --> 00:15:46 uses the image,
00:15:47 --> 00:15:47 the language
00:15:47 --> 00:15:47 of union
00:15:47 --> 00:15:48 with Christ
00:15:48 --> 00:15:49 is much
00:15:49 --> 00:15:49 more
00:15:49 --> 00:15:50 personal
00:15:50 --> 00:15:51 and intimate,
00:15:52 --> 00:15:52 not just
00:15:52 --> 00:15:52 a federal
00:15:52 --> 00:15:53 headship
00:15:53 --> 00:15:53 sense.
00:15:55 --> 00:15:56 And to
00:15:56 --> 00:15:57 display this,
00:15:57 --> 00:15:57 the authors
00:15:57 --> 00:15:58 of the New
00:15:58 --> 00:15:58 Testament
00:15:58 --> 00:16:00 use vivid
00:16:00 --> 00:16:01 imagery
00:16:01 --> 00:16:02 to communicate
00:16:02 --> 00:16:03 it
00:16:03 --> 00:16:04 so that we
00:16:04 --> 00:16:04 can understand
00:16:04 --> 00:16:05 a bit clearer.
00:16:05 --> 00:16:06 One of the
00:16:06 --> 00:16:07 images
00:16:07 --> 00:16:08 is that
00:16:08 --> 00:16:08 of the vine
00:16:08 --> 00:16:09 and the
00:16:09 --> 00:16:09 branches
00:16:09 --> 00:16:10 in John's
00:16:10 --> 00:16:11 Gospel.
00:16:11 --> 00:16:12 So John
00:16:12 --> 00:16:13 15, 5,
00:16:13 --> 00:16:14 I'm the vine,
00:16:14 --> 00:16:14 you are the
00:16:14 --> 00:16:15 branches,
00:16:15 --> 00:16:16 if you
00:16:16 --> 00:16:17 remain in me
00:16:17 --> 00:16:18 and I
00:16:18 --> 00:16:19 in you,
00:16:20 --> 00:16:21 you will
00:16:21 --> 00:16:21 bear much
00:16:21 --> 00:16:22 fruit and
00:16:22 --> 00:16:22 apart from
00:16:22 --> 00:16:23 me,
00:16:23 --> 00:16:23 you can
00:16:23 --> 00:16:23 do
00:16:23 --> 00:16:24 nothing.
00:16:27 --> 00:16:27 That's
00:16:27 --> 00:16:27 going to be
00:16:27 --> 00:16:28 unpacked further
00:16:28 --> 00:16:29 down the track
00:16:29 --> 00:16:30 by Ash,
00:16:30 --> 00:16:31 if I remember
00:16:31 --> 00:16:31 correctly.
00:16:32 --> 00:16:34 Jesus says,
00:16:34 --> 00:16:35 he's the vine,
00:16:36 --> 00:16:37 we are the
00:16:37 --> 00:16:38 branches.
00:16:38 --> 00:16:39 And so what
00:16:39 --> 00:16:40 we have here
00:16:40 --> 00:16:41 is a picture
00:16:41 --> 00:16:42 of our
00:16:42 --> 00:16:42 relationship
00:16:42 --> 00:16:43 with Jesus
00:16:43 --> 00:16:44 that is
00:16:44 --> 00:16:45 an organic
00:16:45 --> 00:16:46 connection.
00:16:46 --> 00:16:46 connection.
00:16:47 --> 00:16:47 It's an
00:16:47 --> 00:16:47 organic,
00:16:48 --> 00:16:48 alive
00:16:48 --> 00:16:49 connection.
00:16:50 --> 00:16:50 There's
00:16:50 --> 00:16:51 also the
00:16:51 --> 00:16:51 imagery
00:16:51 --> 00:16:52 that we
00:16:52 --> 00:16:53 saw last
00:16:53 --> 00:16:54 term of
00:16:54 --> 00:16:54 the one
00:16:54 --> 00:16:55 flesh
00:16:55 --> 00:16:56 union
00:16:56 --> 00:16:57 in
00:16:57 --> 00:16:57 Ephesians
00:16:57 --> 00:16:58 5.
00:16:58 --> 00:16:58 We are
00:16:58 --> 00:16:59 members
00:16:59 --> 00:17:00 of his
00:17:00 --> 00:17:00 body.
00:17:02 --> 00:17:02 For
00:17:02 --> 00:17:02 this
00:17:02 --> 00:17:03 reason,
00:17:03 --> 00:17:04 a man
00:17:04 --> 00:17:05 will leave
00:17:05 --> 00:17:05 his father
00:17:05 --> 00:17:05 and mother
00:17:05 --> 00:17:06 and be
00:17:06 --> 00:17:06 united to
00:17:06 --> 00:17:07 his wife
00:17:07 --> 00:17:07 and the
00:17:07 --> 00:17:07 two
00:17:07 --> 00:17:08 will
00:17:08 --> 00:17:08 become
00:17:08 --> 00:17:08 one
00:17:08 --> 00:17:09 flesh.
00:17:09 --> 00:17:10 This
00:17:10 --> 00:17:10 is a
00:17:10 --> 00:17:11 profound
00:17:11 --> 00:17:11 mystery,
00:17:12 --> 00:17:13 but I'm
00:17:13 --> 00:17:14 talking about
00:17:14 --> 00:17:15 Christ and
00:17:15 --> 00:17:15 the church.
00:17:16 --> 00:17:18 And so
00:17:18 --> 00:17:19 in Ephesians
00:17:19 --> 00:17:19 5,
00:17:20 --> 00:17:21 as we
00:17:21 --> 00:17:21 looked at
00:17:21 --> 00:17:22 last term,
00:17:22 --> 00:17:24 we have
00:17:24 --> 00:17:25 here a
00:17:25 --> 00:17:25 sexual
00:17:25 --> 00:17:26 imagery and
00:17:26 --> 00:17:27 a very
00:17:27 --> 00:17:27 deeply
00:17:27 --> 00:17:28 intimate
00:17:28 --> 00:17:29 imagery
00:17:29 --> 00:17:29 that
00:17:29 --> 00:17:30 portrays
00:17:30 --> 00:17:31 the
00:17:31 --> 00:17:32 exclusivity,
00:17:33 --> 00:17:33 the
00:17:33 --> 00:17:34 closeness,
00:17:35 --> 00:17:35 the
00:17:35 --> 00:17:36 intimacy
00:17:36 --> 00:17:37 of our
00:17:37 --> 00:17:37 union
00:17:37 --> 00:17:39 with
00:17:39 --> 00:17:39 Jesus.
00:17:40 --> 00:17:41 Just like
00:17:41 --> 00:17:41 a couple
00:17:41 --> 00:17:42 in marriage,
00:17:42 --> 00:17:43 the Christian
00:17:43 --> 00:17:44 is made
00:17:44 --> 00:17:45 one
00:17:45 --> 00:17:46 flesh
00:17:46 --> 00:17:46 with
00:17:46 --> 00:17:47 Jesus.
00:17:47 --> 00:17:47 We are,
00:17:48 --> 00:17:48 as it
00:17:48 --> 00:17:49 says in
00:17:49 --> 00:17:49 Ephesians
00:17:49 --> 00:17:49 5,
00:17:49 --> 00:17:50 we are
00:17:50 --> 00:17:50 members
00:17:50 --> 00:17:51 of
00:17:51 --> 00:17:52 his
00:17:52 --> 00:17:53 body.
00:17:54 --> 00:17:55 Another
00:17:55 --> 00:17:56 image
00:17:56 --> 00:17:57 of union
00:17:57 --> 00:17:58 is how
00:17:58 --> 00:17:58 the New
00:17:58 --> 00:17:59 Testament
00:17:59 --> 00:17:59 refers to
00:17:59 --> 00:18:00 the church
00:18:00 --> 00:18:01 as the
00:18:01 --> 00:18:01 body of
00:18:01 --> 00:18:01 Christ
00:18:01 --> 00:18:02 with
00:18:02 --> 00:18:03 Christ
00:18:03 --> 00:18:04 as our
00:18:04 --> 00:18:05 head.
00:18:05 --> 00:18:06 1
00:18:06 --> 00:18:06 Corinthians
00:18:06 --> 00:18:07 12
00:18:07 --> 00:18:08 27.
00:18:08 --> 00:18:09 Now
00:18:09 --> 00:18:09 you are
00:18:09 --> 00:18:10 the body
00:18:10 --> 00:18:10 of Christ
00:18:10 --> 00:18:11 and each
00:18:11 --> 00:18:11 one of
00:18:11 --> 00:18:12 you is
00:18:12 --> 00:18:13 a part
00:18:13 --> 00:18:14 of it.
00:18:15 --> 00:18:16 What we
00:18:16 --> 00:18:17 see in
00:18:17 --> 00:18:17 every case
00:18:17 --> 00:18:20 is there's
00:18:20 --> 00:18:21 this organic
00:18:21 --> 00:18:23 intimate
00:18:23 --> 00:18:24 uniting
00:18:24 --> 00:18:25 where we
00:18:25 --> 00:18:26 share in
00:18:26 --> 00:18:26 the properties.
00:18:27 --> 00:18:28 We are
00:18:28 --> 00:18:28 one
00:18:28 --> 00:18:30 with
00:18:30 --> 00:18:30 Christ,
00:18:31 --> 00:18:32 in
00:18:32 --> 00:18:32 Christ.
00:18:33 --> 00:18:33 The vine
00:18:33 --> 00:18:34 gives life
00:18:34 --> 00:18:35 to the
00:18:35 --> 00:18:35 branches,
00:18:35 --> 00:18:36 the head
00:18:36 --> 00:18:36 directs the
00:18:36 --> 00:18:37 body and
00:18:37 --> 00:18:37 the body
00:18:37 --> 00:18:38 parts,
00:18:38 --> 00:18:39 neither can
00:18:39 --> 00:18:39 exist without
00:18:39 --> 00:18:40 the other.
00:18:41 --> 00:18:41 The
00:18:41 --> 00:18:42 husband
00:18:42 --> 00:18:43 nourishes
00:18:43 --> 00:18:44 and cherishes
00:18:44 --> 00:18:44 his wife
00:18:44 --> 00:18:45 as he
00:18:45 --> 00:18:46 does his
00:18:46 --> 00:18:46 own body.
00:18:47 --> 00:18:47 So what
00:18:47 --> 00:18:49 we see
00:18:49 --> 00:18:49 in the
00:18:49 --> 00:18:49 New
00:18:49 --> 00:18:50 Testament
00:18:50 --> 00:18:52 is that
00:18:52 --> 00:18:53 a Christian,
00:18:53 --> 00:18:54 becoming a
00:18:54 --> 00:18:54 Christian,
00:18:54 --> 00:18:55 being a
00:18:55 --> 00:18:55 Christian,
00:18:55 --> 00:18:56 is far
00:18:56 --> 00:18:57 deeper.
00:18:58 --> 00:18:58 It is
00:18:58 --> 00:18:59 far more
00:18:59 --> 00:19:00 wondrous
00:19:00 --> 00:19:02 than
00:19:02 --> 00:19:03 walking an
00:19:03 --> 00:19:03 aisle or
00:19:03 --> 00:19:04 praying a
00:19:04 --> 00:19:05 prayer or
00:19:05 --> 00:19:06 raising a
00:19:06 --> 00:19:07 hand or
00:19:07 --> 00:19:08 going forward
00:19:08 --> 00:19:08 in evangelistic
00:19:08 --> 00:19:09 reality.
00:19:09 --> 00:19:11 being a
00:19:11 --> 00:19:12 Christian is
00:19:12 --> 00:19:13 far deeper
00:19:13 --> 00:19:14 than coming
00:19:14 --> 00:19:14 to church
00:19:14 --> 00:19:14 and reading
00:19:14 --> 00:19:15 the Bible
00:19:15 --> 00:19:16 and praying.
00:19:17 --> 00:19:18 To be a
00:19:18 --> 00:19:20 Christian is
00:19:20 --> 00:19:20 to be
00:19:20 --> 00:19:21 united,
00:19:22 --> 00:19:22 one,
00:19:23 --> 00:19:24 with the
00:19:24 --> 00:19:24 living,
00:19:25 --> 00:19:25 reigning,
00:19:25 --> 00:19:26 resurrected
00:19:26 --> 00:19:27 Jesus Christ
00:19:27 --> 00:19:29 so that all
00:19:29 --> 00:19:30 is his,
00:19:30 --> 00:19:31 is ours.
00:19:33 --> 00:19:34 And at
00:19:34 --> 00:19:35 the core
00:19:35 --> 00:19:36 of it,
00:19:36 --> 00:19:37 implication
00:19:37 --> 00:19:39 of it for
00:19:39 --> 00:19:39 us,
00:19:39 --> 00:19:40 is 2
00:19:40 --> 00:19:40 Corinthians
00:19:40 --> 00:19:41 5.17.
00:19:42 --> 00:19:42 Therefore,
00:19:43 --> 00:19:43 if anyone
00:19:43 --> 00:19:44 is in
00:19:44 --> 00:19:45 Christ,
00:19:46 --> 00:19:46 they are a
00:19:46 --> 00:19:47 new creation.
00:19:47 --> 00:19:48 The old
00:19:48 --> 00:19:49 has passed
00:19:49 --> 00:19:49 away.
00:19:49 --> 00:19:50 Behold,
00:19:50 --> 00:19:51 the new
00:19:51 --> 00:19:52 has come.
00:19:53 --> 00:19:54 Being in
00:19:54 --> 00:19:55 Christ
00:19:55 --> 00:19:56 brings a
00:19:56 --> 00:19:57 absolute
00:19:57 --> 00:19:58 radical
00:19:58 --> 00:19:59 transformation
00:19:59 --> 00:19:59 and
00:19:59 --> 00:20:01 reorientation.
00:20:01 --> 00:20:02 God's
00:20:02 --> 00:20:03 is a
00:20:03 --> 00:20:04 movement
00:20:04 --> 00:20:06 from an
00:20:06 --> 00:20:07 external
00:20:07 --> 00:20:08 attempt to
00:20:08 --> 00:20:09 make myself
00:20:09 --> 00:20:09 right in
00:20:09 --> 00:20:10 God's eyes
00:20:10 --> 00:20:11 to an
00:20:11 --> 00:20:11 inward
00:20:11 --> 00:20:12 righteousness
00:20:12 --> 00:20:12 that
00:20:12 --> 00:20:13 entirely
00:20:13 --> 00:20:14 reorientation
00:20:14 --> 00:20:15 transforms my
00:20:15 --> 00:20:15 life.
00:20:17 --> 00:20:18 That's what it
00:20:18 --> 00:20:18 means to be
00:20:18 --> 00:20:19 in Christ.
00:20:21 --> 00:20:21 Now,
00:20:21 --> 00:20:21 admittedly,
00:20:21 --> 00:20:24 it's an
00:20:24 --> 00:20:25 elusive
00:20:25 --> 00:20:25 concept.
00:20:27 --> 00:20:27 And so,
00:20:28 --> 00:20:29 maybe one
00:20:29 --> 00:20:29 of the
00:20:29 --> 00:20:30 reasons why
00:20:30 --> 00:20:30 we don't
00:20:30 --> 00:20:30 talk about
00:20:30 --> 00:20:31 it much,
00:20:32 --> 00:20:33 it's much
00:20:33 --> 00:20:34 easier to
00:20:34 --> 00:20:35 grasp the
00:20:35 --> 00:20:35 ideas of
00:20:35 --> 00:20:36 being a
00:20:36 --> 00:20:37 follower of
00:20:37 --> 00:20:37 Jesus,
00:20:38 --> 00:20:39 or to
00:20:39 --> 00:20:39 being someone
00:20:39 --> 00:20:40 who,
00:20:40 --> 00:20:40 Jesus,
00:20:40 --> 00:20:41 my Lord,
00:20:41 --> 00:20:41 and I
00:20:41 --> 00:20:42 obey Jesus,
00:20:43 --> 00:20:44 or that
00:20:44 --> 00:20:45 Jesus is my
00:20:45 --> 00:20:45 saviour and
00:20:45 --> 00:20:46 he's forgiven
00:20:46 --> 00:20:46 me for my...
00:20:46 --> 00:20:47 Much easier to
00:20:47 --> 00:20:47 grasp hold of
00:20:47 --> 00:20:48 those concepts
00:20:48 --> 00:20:49 and to explain
00:20:49 --> 00:20:50 those concepts.
00:20:51 --> 00:20:52 Much easier to
00:20:52 --> 00:20:53 grasp the
00:20:53 --> 00:20:53 concept of
00:20:53 --> 00:20:54 Jesus being
00:20:54 --> 00:20:55 my leader,
00:20:55 --> 00:20:55 or my Lord,
00:20:56 --> 00:20:56 or my saviour,
00:20:56 --> 00:20:57 or my inspiration,
00:20:57 --> 00:20:58 or my teacher,
00:20:58 --> 00:20:59 or my ruler.
00:21:00 --> 00:21:00 So,
00:21:01 --> 00:21:01 how does
00:21:01 --> 00:21:02 being in
00:21:02 --> 00:21:03 Christ work?
00:21:03 --> 00:21:05 Maybe this
00:21:05 --> 00:21:06 illustration
00:21:06 --> 00:21:06 might help.
00:21:07 --> 00:21:08 And it's an
00:21:08 --> 00:21:08 illustration I
00:21:08 --> 00:21:09 got from one
00:21:09 --> 00:21:09 of the resources
00:21:09 --> 00:21:11 that I've been
00:21:11 --> 00:21:12 reading in the
00:21:12 --> 00:21:13 past few
00:21:13 --> 00:21:13 weeks.
00:21:15 --> 00:21:16 You book a
00:21:16 --> 00:21:18 trip to
00:21:18 --> 00:21:19 Tasmania,
00:21:19 --> 00:21:20 say,
00:21:20 --> 00:21:20 for instance,
00:21:20 --> 00:21:22 hi to all
00:21:22 --> 00:21:23 the Tasmanians
00:21:23 --> 00:21:23 online.
00:21:25 --> 00:21:25 You're at
00:21:25 --> 00:21:26 the airport,
00:21:27 --> 00:21:28 you're ready
00:21:28 --> 00:21:28 to begin
00:21:28 --> 00:21:29 your trip,
00:21:30 --> 00:21:31 and the
00:21:31 --> 00:21:32 plane going
00:21:32 --> 00:21:34 to Tasmania
00:21:34 --> 00:21:35 is also
00:21:35 --> 00:21:36 at the
00:21:36 --> 00:21:36 airport,
00:21:37 --> 00:21:37 ready for
00:21:37 --> 00:21:38 the trip.
00:21:40 --> 00:21:41 The question
00:21:41 --> 00:21:41 is,
00:21:42 --> 00:21:43 what is your
00:21:43 --> 00:21:44 relationship
00:21:44 --> 00:21:44 to the
00:21:44 --> 00:21:45 plane?
00:21:47 --> 00:21:48 What's your
00:21:48 --> 00:21:49 relationship to
00:21:49 --> 00:21:49 the plane?
00:21:50 --> 00:21:55 would it
00:21:55 --> 00:21:55 help,
00:21:55 --> 00:21:56 for example,
00:21:57 --> 00:21:58 to be
00:21:58 --> 00:21:58 under the
00:21:58 --> 00:21:59 plane?
00:22:02 --> 00:22:03 To submit
00:22:03 --> 00:22:03 yourself to
00:22:03 --> 00:22:04 the plane's
00:22:04 --> 00:22:04 authority,
00:22:05 --> 00:22:05 because it
00:22:05 --> 00:22:06 is a much
00:22:06 --> 00:22:07 more greater
00:22:07 --> 00:22:08 authority you
00:22:08 --> 00:22:09 are on this
00:22:09 --> 00:22:09 whole thing of
00:22:09 --> 00:22:11 aerodynamics and
00:22:11 --> 00:22:12 airline travel,
00:22:12 --> 00:22:13 so just to
00:22:13 --> 00:22:14 submit yourself
00:22:14 --> 00:22:15 and be under
00:22:15 --> 00:22:16 the plane.
00:22:16 --> 00:22:18 would it be
00:22:18 --> 00:22:18 helpful to be
00:22:18 --> 00:22:19 inspired by
00:22:19 --> 00:22:19 the plane?
00:22:21 --> 00:22:22 Stand in the
00:22:22 --> 00:22:22 terminal as you
00:22:22 --> 00:22:23 see the plane
00:22:23 --> 00:22:24 take off and
00:22:24 --> 00:22:24 you go,
00:22:25 --> 00:22:26 my goodness,
00:22:27 --> 00:22:27 look at,
00:22:27 --> 00:22:27 I mean,
00:22:27 --> 00:22:28 how,
00:22:29 --> 00:22:29 you know,
00:22:29 --> 00:22:30 one day I'm
00:22:30 --> 00:22:30 going to do
00:22:30 --> 00:22:30 that.
00:22:32 --> 00:22:33 One day,
00:22:33 --> 00:22:33 a bit more
00:22:33 --> 00:22:34 practice,
00:22:35 --> 00:22:36 I too am going
00:22:36 --> 00:22:37 to run down
00:22:37 --> 00:22:37 this runway,
00:22:38 --> 00:22:38 and I too am
00:22:38 --> 00:22:39 going to flap
00:22:39 --> 00:22:39 my wings,
00:22:40 --> 00:22:41 and I am going
00:22:41 --> 00:22:41 to fly just
00:22:41 --> 00:22:42 like that.
00:22:42 --> 00:22:44 Would that be
00:22:44 --> 00:22:44 helpful?
00:22:45 --> 00:22:46 Is that your
00:22:46 --> 00:22:47 relationship to
00:22:47 --> 00:22:47 the plane?
00:22:48 --> 00:22:48 Would it be
00:22:48 --> 00:22:49 helpful to
00:22:49 --> 00:22:49 follow the
00:22:49 --> 00:22:50 plane?
00:22:52 --> 00:22:53 Open up
00:22:53 --> 00:22:53 flight radar
00:22:53 --> 00:22:54 24,
00:22:54 --> 00:22:55 push follow,
00:22:56 --> 00:22:56 get,
00:22:57 --> 00:22:58 and as the
00:22:58 --> 00:22:58 plane takes
00:22:58 --> 00:22:59 off,
00:23:00 --> 00:23:01 you run down
00:23:01 --> 00:23:02 the runway,
00:23:02 --> 00:23:02 and you get
00:23:02 --> 00:23:03 after it as
00:23:03 --> 00:23:04 fast as your
00:23:04 --> 00:23:04 little legs can
00:23:04 --> 00:23:05 go,
00:23:05 --> 00:23:07 and you follow
00:23:07 --> 00:23:07 the path on
00:23:07 --> 00:23:08 flight radar,
00:23:09 --> 00:23:09 and eventually,
00:23:10 --> 00:23:11 maybe,
00:23:11 --> 00:23:12 you get to
00:23:12 --> 00:23:13 Tasmania.
00:23:14 --> 00:23:14 Is that your
00:23:14 --> 00:23:15 relationship to
00:23:15 --> 00:23:15 the plane?
00:23:20 --> 00:23:20 You see,
00:23:20 --> 00:23:21 the key
00:23:21 --> 00:23:21 relationship you
00:23:21 --> 00:23:22 need with the
00:23:22 --> 00:23:24 plane is to
00:23:24 --> 00:23:24 get in it.
00:23:25 --> 00:23:26 Is that not
00:23:26 --> 00:23:26 right?
00:23:27 --> 00:23:27 I mean,
00:23:27 --> 00:23:28 it might be,
00:23:29 --> 00:23:29 I might be
00:23:29 --> 00:23:29 pushed out,
00:23:29 --> 00:23:30 but it's to
00:23:30 --> 00:23:30 get in the
00:23:30 --> 00:23:30 plane.
00:23:32 --> 00:23:32 It's not
00:23:32 --> 00:23:33 helpful to be
00:23:33 --> 00:23:33 under it,
00:23:33 --> 00:23:34 not helpful to
00:23:34 --> 00:23:34 be behind it,
00:23:35 --> 00:23:35 not helpful to
00:23:35 --> 00:23:36 be inspired by
00:23:36 --> 00:23:36 it.
00:23:37 --> 00:23:38 You need to
00:23:38 --> 00:23:38 be in it,
00:23:38 --> 00:23:41 and the
00:23:41 --> 00:23:42 reason is
00:23:42 --> 00:23:45 because by
00:23:45 --> 00:23:46 virtue of
00:23:46 --> 00:23:47 being in
00:23:47 --> 00:23:48 the plane,
00:23:49 --> 00:23:50 what happens
00:23:50 --> 00:23:51 to the plane
00:23:51 --> 00:23:51 happens to
00:23:51 --> 00:23:51 you.
00:23:55 --> 00:23:56 The question
00:23:56 --> 00:23:57 of your
00:23:57 --> 00:23:58 arrival to
00:23:58 --> 00:23:59 Tasmania
00:23:59 --> 00:24:00 will be
00:24:00 --> 00:24:01 answered,
00:24:02 --> 00:24:02 that is,
00:24:02 --> 00:24:02 the question
00:24:02 --> 00:24:03 of did I
00:24:03 --> 00:24:03 arrive to
00:24:03 --> 00:24:04 Tasmania,
00:24:05 --> 00:24:05 will be
00:24:05 --> 00:24:06 answered by
00:24:06 --> 00:24:07 a prior
00:24:07 --> 00:24:08 and more
00:24:08 --> 00:24:08 important
00:24:08 --> 00:24:08 question.
00:24:10 --> 00:24:10 Did the
00:24:10 --> 00:24:11 plane
00:24:11 --> 00:24:11 arrive in
00:24:11 --> 00:24:12 Tasmania?
00:24:14 --> 00:24:14 Because if
00:24:14 --> 00:24:15 it did,
00:24:15 --> 00:24:16 I do too.
00:24:16 --> 00:24:17 It's as
00:24:17 --> 00:24:17 simple as
00:24:17 --> 00:24:17 that.
00:24:23 --> 00:24:23 And at
00:24:23 --> 00:24:24 its heart,
00:24:24 --> 00:24:25 that is the
00:24:25 --> 00:24:26 New Testament's
00:24:26 --> 00:24:27 idea of
00:24:27 --> 00:24:27 being in
00:24:27 --> 00:24:28 Christ.
00:24:31 --> 00:24:32 What the
00:24:32 --> 00:24:32 New Testament
00:24:32 --> 00:24:33 is saying
00:24:33 --> 00:24:34 is that
00:24:34 --> 00:24:35 through faith
00:24:35 --> 00:24:35 in Jesus
00:24:35 --> 00:24:36 Christ,
00:24:36 --> 00:24:37 we become
00:24:37 --> 00:24:39 united to
00:24:39 --> 00:24:39 him,
00:24:40 --> 00:24:41 and that
00:24:41 --> 00:24:42 unity with
00:24:42 --> 00:24:43 him means
00:24:43 --> 00:24:45 that anything
00:24:45 --> 00:24:46 that is true
00:24:46 --> 00:24:47 of Jesus
00:24:47 --> 00:24:49 is true
00:24:49 --> 00:24:49 of you.
00:24:53 --> 00:24:54 And you
00:24:54 --> 00:24:56 had as
00:24:56 --> 00:24:57 much to
00:24:57 --> 00:24:58 do with
00:24:58 --> 00:25:01 it as
00:25:01 --> 00:25:01 being someone
00:25:01 --> 00:25:02 who sits
00:25:02 --> 00:25:02 on a
00:25:02 --> 00:25:04 plane waiting
00:25:04 --> 00:25:04 for the
00:25:04 --> 00:25:05 destination
00:25:05 --> 00:25:05 to arrive.
00:25:06 --> 00:25:09 it's
00:25:09 --> 00:25:09 all
00:25:09 --> 00:25:09 him.
00:25:13 --> 00:25:13 The
00:25:13 --> 00:25:15 late
00:25:15 --> 00:25:16 theologian
00:25:16 --> 00:25:16 and
00:25:16 --> 00:25:17 pastor
00:25:17 --> 00:25:17 John
00:25:17 --> 00:25:17 Stott
00:25:17 --> 00:25:18 summed
00:25:18 --> 00:25:19 up really
00:25:19 --> 00:25:19 neatly,
00:25:19 --> 00:25:20 I think.
00:25:20 --> 00:25:20 He said,
00:25:20 --> 00:25:21 the relationship
00:25:21 --> 00:25:22 is
00:25:22 --> 00:25:22 the
00:25:22 --> 00:25:24 relationship
00:25:24 --> 00:25:24 is
00:25:24 --> 00:25:25 something
00:25:25 --> 00:25:26 much more
00:25:26 --> 00:25:26 than a
00:25:26 --> 00:25:27 formal
00:25:27 --> 00:25:27 attachment
00:25:27 --> 00:25:28 or a
00:25:28 --> 00:25:28 nodding
00:25:28 --> 00:25:29 acquaintance,
00:25:30 --> 00:25:30 something
00:25:30 --> 00:25:30 more than
00:25:30 --> 00:25:31 even than
00:25:31 --> 00:25:32 a personal
00:25:32 --> 00:25:32 friendship.
00:25:33 --> 00:25:33 It is
00:25:33 --> 00:25:34 nothing less
00:25:34 --> 00:25:34 than a
00:25:34 --> 00:25:35 vital,
00:25:35 --> 00:25:35 organic,
00:25:36 --> 00:25:36 intimate
00:25:36 --> 00:25:37 union with
00:25:37 --> 00:25:37 Jesus Christ
00:25:37 --> 00:25:39 involving a
00:25:39 --> 00:25:40 shared life
00:25:40 --> 00:25:42 and love.
00:25:42 --> 00:25:42 life.
00:25:44 --> 00:25:44 That's
00:25:44 --> 00:25:44 what it
00:25:44 --> 00:25:45 means to
00:25:45 --> 00:25:45 be in
00:25:45 --> 00:25:46 Christ,
00:25:47 --> 00:25:48 a vital
00:25:48 --> 00:25:49 union,
00:25:49 --> 00:25:50 a dynamic
00:25:50 --> 00:25:51 union with
00:25:51 --> 00:25:51 him.
00:25:52 --> 00:25:52 Now,
00:25:52 --> 00:25:53 this,
00:25:53 --> 00:25:53 of course,
00:25:53 --> 00:25:54 leads to
00:25:54 --> 00:25:55 another
00:25:55 --> 00:25:55 question,
00:25:55 --> 00:25:56 and this
00:25:56 --> 00:25:56 again will
00:25:56 --> 00:25:57 be unpacked
00:25:57 --> 00:25:57 more and
00:25:57 --> 00:25:57 more,
00:25:57 --> 00:25:58 so very
00:25:58 --> 00:25:58 brief,
00:25:59 --> 00:26:00 on how
00:26:00 --> 00:26:00 to get
00:26:00 --> 00:26:01 in Christ,
00:26:02 --> 00:26:02 therefore.
00:26:02 --> 00:26:03 What does it
00:26:03 --> 00:26:03 mean to be
00:26:03 --> 00:26:04 in Christ?
00:26:04 --> 00:26:04 How does
00:26:04 --> 00:26:05 that happen?
00:26:05 --> 00:26:07 And this
00:26:07 --> 00:26:07 is where
00:26:07 --> 00:26:09 we might be
00:26:09 --> 00:26:09 confused about
00:26:09 --> 00:26:10 this,
00:26:10 --> 00:26:11 because in
00:26:11 --> 00:26:11 so many
00:26:11 --> 00:26:12 places,
00:26:12 --> 00:26:13 in so many
00:26:13 --> 00:26:14 people's
00:26:14 --> 00:26:14 thinking,
00:26:14 --> 00:26:15 the way to
00:26:15 --> 00:26:15 get in
00:26:15 --> 00:26:16 Christ is
00:26:16 --> 00:26:16 to find
00:26:16 --> 00:26:17 myself
00:26:17 --> 00:26:18 approved
00:26:18 --> 00:26:18 of him,
00:26:19 --> 00:26:20 to live
00:26:20 --> 00:26:20 in such
00:26:20 --> 00:26:21 a way
00:26:21 --> 00:26:21 that he
00:26:21 --> 00:26:22 will approve
00:26:22 --> 00:26:22 of me,
00:26:23 --> 00:26:23 God will
00:26:23 --> 00:26:23 approve of
00:26:23 --> 00:26:23 me.
00:26:24 --> 00:26:25 But the
00:26:25 --> 00:26:25 key to
00:26:25 --> 00:26:25 unlock
00:26:25 --> 00:26:26 every
00:26:26 --> 00:26:26 spiritual
00:26:26 --> 00:26:27 blessing
00:26:27 --> 00:26:28 in
00:26:28 --> 00:26:30 Ephesians
00:26:30 --> 00:26:31 1 is
00:26:31 --> 00:26:32 verse 7.
00:26:32 --> 00:26:33 In
00:26:33 --> 00:26:33 him,
00:26:33 --> 00:26:34 that's
00:26:34 --> 00:26:34 Christ,
00:26:34 --> 00:26:35 we have
00:26:35 --> 00:26:36 redemption
00:26:36 --> 00:26:37 through his
00:26:37 --> 00:26:37 blood,
00:26:38 --> 00:26:38 the forgiveness
00:26:38 --> 00:26:39 of sins.
00:26:39 --> 00:26:39 In
00:26:39 --> 00:26:40 Christ,
00:26:41 --> 00:26:42 God has
00:26:42 --> 00:26:43 redeemed
00:26:43 --> 00:26:43 us,
00:26:44 --> 00:26:45 brought us
00:26:45 --> 00:26:46 back into
00:26:46 --> 00:26:46 relationship
00:26:46 --> 00:26:47 with himself
00:26:47 --> 00:26:49 through the
00:26:49 --> 00:26:50 blood of
00:26:50 --> 00:26:50 Jesus.
00:26:52 --> 00:26:52 And in
00:26:52 --> 00:26:53 that,
00:26:53 --> 00:26:53 my sins
00:26:53 --> 00:26:54 are forgiven.
00:26:55 --> 00:26:55 And this
00:26:55 --> 00:26:56 is really
00:26:56 --> 00:26:56 a summary
00:26:56 --> 00:26:57 or points
00:26:57 --> 00:26:58 to the
00:26:58 --> 00:26:58 deep
00:26:58 --> 00:26:59 central
00:26:59 --> 00:27:00 point of
00:27:00 --> 00:27:00 the Christian
00:27:00 --> 00:27:01 faith,
00:27:01 --> 00:27:02 that Jesus
00:27:02 --> 00:27:02 Christ,
00:27:02 --> 00:27:03 the Son
00:27:03 --> 00:27:03 of God,
00:27:03 --> 00:27:04 came into
00:27:04 --> 00:27:05 this world.
00:27:06 --> 00:27:07 Note that,
00:27:07 --> 00:27:08 the eternal
00:27:08 --> 00:27:09 God who
00:27:09 --> 00:27:10 always existed,
00:27:11 --> 00:27:11 God the
00:27:11 --> 00:27:12 Son,
00:27:12 --> 00:27:13 came into
00:27:13 --> 00:27:13 this world
00:27:13 --> 00:27:15 made as
00:27:15 --> 00:27:16 a human.
00:27:17 --> 00:27:18 God
00:27:18 --> 00:27:20 took the
00:27:20 --> 00:27:21 initiative
00:27:21 --> 00:27:24 to unite
00:27:24 --> 00:27:25 himself to
00:27:25 --> 00:27:26 us
00:27:26 --> 00:27:27 in human
00:27:27 --> 00:27:28 flesh
00:27:28 --> 00:27:31 in order
00:27:31 --> 00:27:31 to
00:27:31 --> 00:27:32 represent
00:27:32 --> 00:27:33 humanity
00:27:33 --> 00:27:34 to God,
00:27:35 --> 00:27:36 back to
00:27:36 --> 00:27:36 himself.
00:27:37 --> 00:27:38 He not
00:27:38 --> 00:27:39 only became
00:27:39 --> 00:27:40 like us,
00:27:41 --> 00:27:42 but he
00:27:42 --> 00:27:43 came like
00:27:43 --> 00:27:44 us in
00:27:44 --> 00:27:44 order to
00:27:44 --> 00:27:44 deal with
00:27:44 --> 00:27:46 our deepest
00:27:46 --> 00:27:47 problem and
00:27:47 --> 00:27:47 the thing
00:27:47 --> 00:27:48 that was
00:27:48 --> 00:27:49 keeping us
00:27:49 --> 00:27:49 separated from
00:27:49 --> 00:27:50 God and
00:27:50 --> 00:27:51 his blessing,
00:27:51 --> 00:27:51 and that
00:27:51 --> 00:27:53 is that
00:27:53 --> 00:27:54 word sin
00:27:54 --> 00:27:57 in Ephesians 1.
00:27:58 --> 00:28:01 sin,
00:28:02 --> 00:28:03 some reform in
00:28:03 --> 00:28:03 the Bible,
00:28:04 --> 00:28:05 is a desire to
00:28:05 --> 00:28:05 live independently
00:28:05 --> 00:28:06 of our
00:28:06 --> 00:28:06 creator,
00:28:07 --> 00:28:08 to not be in
00:28:08 --> 00:28:09 him at all,
00:28:09 --> 00:28:10 not even be
00:28:10 --> 00:28:10 with him.
00:28:12 --> 00:28:13 It's the sin
00:28:13 --> 00:28:13 that Adam
00:28:13 --> 00:28:14 committed with
00:28:14 --> 00:28:15 Eve at the
00:28:15 --> 00:28:16 very beginning
00:28:16 --> 00:28:17 of the very
00:28:17 --> 00:28:17 beginning of the
00:28:17 --> 00:28:17 Bible.
00:28:17 --> 00:28:18 Bible.
00:28:21 --> 00:28:22 And as
00:28:22 --> 00:28:23 Jesus came
00:28:23 --> 00:28:23 into this
00:28:23 --> 00:28:24 world,
00:28:24 --> 00:28:24 taking on
00:28:24 --> 00:28:25 human flesh,
00:28:26 --> 00:28:27 he lived a
00:28:27 --> 00:28:27 life of
00:28:27 --> 00:28:28 perfect
00:28:28 --> 00:28:29 obedience to
00:28:29 --> 00:28:29 God,
00:28:30 --> 00:28:31 the one
00:28:31 --> 00:28:31 person who
00:28:31 --> 00:28:32 is the
00:28:32 --> 00:28:33 only one
00:28:33 --> 00:28:33 who's ever
00:28:33 --> 00:28:34 done every
00:28:34 --> 00:28:34 single thing
00:28:34 --> 00:28:35 that God's
00:28:35 --> 00:28:36 always required.
00:28:37 --> 00:28:37 And that
00:28:37 --> 00:28:38 included
00:28:38 --> 00:28:39 obedience,
00:28:41 --> 00:28:42 dying on a
00:28:42 --> 00:28:43 Roman cross,
00:28:44 --> 00:28:45 being rejected
00:28:45 --> 00:28:46 by God
00:28:46 --> 00:28:48 so that we
00:28:48 --> 00:28:48 could be
00:28:48 --> 00:28:49 brought back
00:28:49 --> 00:28:50 to God.
00:28:51 --> 00:28:52 He faced
00:28:52 --> 00:28:53 expulsion so
00:28:53 --> 00:28:53 that we
00:28:53 --> 00:28:54 could be
00:28:54 --> 00:28:54 brought in.
00:28:56 --> 00:28:57 He
00:28:57 --> 00:28:57 willingly
00:28:57 --> 00:28:58 allowed God's
00:28:58 --> 00:29:00 justice for
00:29:00 --> 00:29:02 our sin to
00:29:02 --> 00:29:03 be poured out
00:29:03 --> 00:29:04 on him,
00:29:04 --> 00:29:05 on that cross,
00:29:05 --> 00:29:06 so that we
00:29:06 --> 00:29:07 could be
00:29:07 --> 00:29:07 redeemed,
00:29:07 --> 00:29:08 we could be
00:29:08 --> 00:29:08 ransomed,
00:29:08 --> 00:29:09 we could be
00:29:09 --> 00:29:10 brought back
00:29:10 --> 00:29:12 in Christ.
00:29:13 --> 00:29:14 And when God
00:29:14 --> 00:29:15 poured out his
00:29:15 --> 00:29:16 anger on
00:29:16 --> 00:29:16 Jesus on
00:29:16 --> 00:29:17 that cross,
00:29:19 --> 00:29:21 he satisfied
00:29:21 --> 00:29:22 the just
00:29:22 --> 00:29:23 demands
00:29:23 --> 00:29:28 of God's
00:29:28 --> 00:29:28 justice.
00:29:31 --> 00:29:32 It's like
00:29:32 --> 00:29:33 in Australia,
00:29:35 --> 00:29:35 one of the
00:29:35 --> 00:29:36 things, in
00:29:36 --> 00:29:36 fact, in my
00:29:36 --> 00:29:37 previous life,
00:29:37 --> 00:29:39 Rob said he
00:29:39 --> 00:29:39 used to work
00:29:39 --> 00:29:40 as a nurse,
00:29:40 --> 00:29:41 I used to
00:29:41 --> 00:29:42 work in the
00:29:42 --> 00:29:42 national parks,
00:29:43 --> 00:29:44 and apart from
00:29:44 --> 00:29:45 things to do
00:29:45 --> 00:29:45 with feral
00:29:45 --> 00:29:46 animals, the
00:29:46 --> 00:29:46 other things I
00:29:46 --> 00:29:47 used to do
00:29:47 --> 00:29:49 was bushfire,
00:29:49 --> 00:29:50 I used to
00:29:50 --> 00:29:51 fight bushfires,
00:29:51 --> 00:29:52 and one of
00:29:52 --> 00:29:53 the things we
00:29:53 --> 00:29:53 used to do
00:29:53 --> 00:29:53 in fighting a
00:29:53 --> 00:29:55 bushfire is
00:29:55 --> 00:29:56 a thing called
00:29:56 --> 00:29:59 control burning.
00:30:01 --> 00:30:02 And with
00:30:02 --> 00:30:04 control burning,
00:30:04 --> 00:30:05 what you do
00:30:05 --> 00:30:06 is it's a
00:30:06 --> 00:30:06 defensive
00:30:06 --> 00:30:07 mechanism,
00:30:08 --> 00:30:09 and it's
00:30:09 --> 00:30:10 one of the
00:30:10 --> 00:30:10 tips for
00:30:10 --> 00:30:11 those of you
00:30:11 --> 00:30:11 who have
00:30:11 --> 00:30:12 never been out
00:30:12 --> 00:30:12 there in the
00:30:12 --> 00:30:12 bush and
00:30:12 --> 00:30:13 you're going to
00:30:13 --> 00:30:13 be in the
00:30:13 --> 00:30:13 summer,
00:30:13 --> 00:30:13 here's a
00:30:13 --> 00:30:14 little tip for
00:30:14 --> 00:30:15 you, always
00:30:15 --> 00:30:15 take a box
00:30:15 --> 00:30:16 of mattress
00:30:16 --> 00:30:16 with you.
00:30:17 --> 00:30:17 If there's a
00:30:17 --> 00:30:19 bushfire that's
00:30:19 --> 00:30:19 looming on
00:30:19 --> 00:30:20 you, one of
00:30:20 --> 00:30:21 the most,
00:30:21 --> 00:30:23 the clearest
00:30:23 --> 00:30:24 ways to be
00:30:24 --> 00:30:25 safe in a
00:30:25 --> 00:30:26 bushfire is to
00:30:26 --> 00:30:26 start a fire.
00:30:28 --> 00:30:29 That is, as a
00:30:29 --> 00:30:30 fire's looming on
00:30:30 --> 00:30:31 you, start a
00:30:31 --> 00:30:32 fire, and as
00:30:32 --> 00:30:34 this fire's coming
00:30:34 --> 00:30:35 and this fire's
00:30:35 --> 00:30:36 burning, step
00:30:36 --> 00:30:36 into the fire
00:30:36 --> 00:30:37 zone.
00:30:37 --> 00:30:38 Step into
00:30:38 --> 00:30:38 what's been
00:30:38 --> 00:30:39 burnt.
00:30:39 --> 00:30:39 Why?
00:30:39 --> 00:30:40 Because a
00:30:40 --> 00:30:40 fire can't
00:30:40 --> 00:30:41 burn what's
00:30:41 --> 00:30:41 already been
00:30:41 --> 00:30:41 burnt.
00:30:42 --> 00:30:43 It's burnt.
00:30:44 --> 00:30:45 It's one of
00:30:45 --> 00:30:45 the safety
00:30:45 --> 00:30:46 mechanisms.
00:30:46 --> 00:30:46 So I used to
00:30:46 --> 00:30:47 go and start
00:30:47 --> 00:30:48 fires, it was
00:30:48 --> 00:30:48 fantastic.
00:30:50 --> 00:30:51 In fact, one
00:30:51 --> 00:30:52 back burning
00:30:52 --> 00:30:53 control burn, or
00:30:53 --> 00:30:54 one control burn
00:30:54 --> 00:30:55 I started to
00:30:55 --> 00:30:56 ward off a
00:30:56 --> 00:30:57 bushfire that
00:30:57 --> 00:30:59 was coming, was
00:30:59 --> 00:31:00 so fierce, it
00:31:00 --> 00:31:01 started another
00:31:01 --> 00:31:02 fire 10
00:31:02 --> 00:31:02 kilometres away.
00:31:03 --> 00:31:04 That was my
00:31:04 --> 00:31:04 bad.
00:31:04 --> 00:31:08 anyway, I
00:31:08 --> 00:31:08 mean, gave
00:31:08 --> 00:31:08 those people
00:31:08 --> 00:31:09 something to
00:31:09 --> 00:31:09 do too.
00:31:10 --> 00:31:11 Anyway, so
00:31:11 --> 00:31:13 what the Bible's
00:31:13 --> 00:31:14 telling us here
00:31:14 --> 00:31:16 is that God
00:31:16 --> 00:31:17 has poured
00:31:17 --> 00:31:18 out his
00:31:18 --> 00:31:20 justice for
00:31:20 --> 00:31:21 our sin on
00:31:21 --> 00:31:22 the person of
00:31:22 --> 00:31:23 Jesus Christ,
00:31:23 --> 00:31:25 scorched earth,
00:31:25 --> 00:31:26 and Jesus
00:31:26 --> 00:31:27 calls us to
00:31:27 --> 00:31:28 stand in the
00:31:28 --> 00:31:29 scorched earth,
00:31:29 --> 00:31:34 cling to the
00:31:34 --> 00:31:34 cross, the
00:31:34 --> 00:31:35 work of
00:31:35 --> 00:31:37 Christ, because
00:31:37 --> 00:31:37 when you are
00:31:37 --> 00:31:39 in Christ, you
00:31:39 --> 00:31:40 have died with
00:31:40 --> 00:31:41 him and you
00:31:41 --> 00:31:43 are safe from
00:31:43 --> 00:31:44 the justice of
00:31:44 --> 00:31:45 God.
00:31:50 --> 00:31:51 The fire can't
00:31:51 --> 00:31:52 strike there
00:31:52 --> 00:31:54 again because
00:31:54 --> 00:31:55 you're safe in
00:31:55 --> 00:31:55 Christ.
00:31:55 --> 00:31:55 Christ.
00:31:57 --> 00:31:57 And so what
00:31:57 --> 00:31:58 the union of
00:31:58 --> 00:31:59 God and man in
00:31:59 --> 00:32:00 the coming of
00:32:00 --> 00:32:01 Jesus Christ is,
00:32:01 --> 00:32:03 it is so, so
00:32:03 --> 00:32:03 affirming, but
00:32:03 --> 00:32:04 it's not
00:32:04 --> 00:32:04 flattering.
00:32:06 --> 00:32:08 His presence in
00:32:08 --> 00:32:09 flesh, uniting
00:32:09 --> 00:32:10 himself with us,
00:32:10 --> 00:32:12 tells us that we
00:32:12 --> 00:32:13 are on the wrong
00:32:13 --> 00:32:13 track as
00:32:13 --> 00:32:14 humanity.
00:32:15 --> 00:32:16 And we need
00:32:16 --> 00:32:17 redemption.
00:32:18 --> 00:32:20 As we didn't
00:32:20 --> 00:32:21 say it, one of
00:32:21 --> 00:32:22 the old creeds
00:32:22 --> 00:32:23 of the church,
00:32:23 --> 00:32:24 the thing called
00:32:24 --> 00:32:25 Nicene Creed,
00:32:25 --> 00:32:26 helps us to
00:32:26 --> 00:32:27 understand our
00:32:27 --> 00:32:28 union with
00:32:28 --> 00:32:29 Christ in
00:32:29 --> 00:32:30 salvation terms.
00:32:32 --> 00:32:33 For us and
00:32:33 --> 00:32:34 for our
00:32:34 --> 00:32:36 salvation, he
00:32:36 --> 00:32:38 came down and
00:32:38 --> 00:32:39 took on human
00:32:39 --> 00:32:39 flesh.
00:32:41 --> 00:32:43 It is for us
00:32:43 --> 00:32:43 and our
00:32:43 --> 00:32:44 salvation that
00:32:44 --> 00:32:45 he united
00:32:45 --> 00:32:46 himself to
00:32:46 --> 00:32:46 us.
00:32:48 --> 00:32:48 And things
00:32:48 --> 00:32:49 only need
00:32:49 --> 00:32:49 saving when
00:32:49 --> 00:32:50 they've gone
00:32:50 --> 00:32:51 horribly wrong.
00:32:51 --> 00:32:54 and if God
00:32:54 --> 00:32:55 is united to
00:32:55 --> 00:32:56 us in the
00:32:56 --> 00:32:56 coming of
00:32:56 --> 00:32:57 his son, in
00:32:57 --> 00:32:57 the person of
00:32:57 --> 00:32:58 Jesus Christ,
00:32:59 --> 00:33:00 then in his
00:33:00 --> 00:33:01 saving death and
00:33:01 --> 00:33:02 resurrection, we
00:33:02 --> 00:33:02 are united to
00:33:02 --> 00:33:03 him.
00:33:06 --> 00:33:07 In
00:33:07 --> 00:33:07 Philippians
00:33:07 --> 00:33:09 3, Paul
00:33:09 --> 00:33:10 uses this
00:33:10 --> 00:33:11 language.
00:33:11 --> 00:33:11 He says,
00:33:11 --> 00:33:12 all the things
00:33:12 --> 00:33:13 I used to have
00:33:13 --> 00:33:14 confidence in,
00:33:15 --> 00:33:16 all the things
00:33:16 --> 00:33:16 that I put my
00:33:16 --> 00:33:17 hope and my
00:33:17 --> 00:33:17 trust in, that
00:33:17 --> 00:33:18 God would find
00:33:18 --> 00:33:19 me approved.
00:33:19 --> 00:33:20 He said, I
00:33:20 --> 00:33:21 now consider
00:33:21 --> 00:33:22 them lost.
00:33:22 --> 00:33:22 I consider
00:33:22 --> 00:33:23 them garbage,
00:33:23 --> 00:33:24 refuge,
00:33:24 --> 00:33:25 sewage.
00:33:25 --> 00:33:26 In fact, the
00:33:26 --> 00:33:26 language is even
00:33:26 --> 00:33:27 stronger than
00:33:27 --> 00:33:27 that.
00:33:29 --> 00:33:31 Now that I
00:33:31 --> 00:33:31 am in
00:33:31 --> 00:33:32 Christ.
00:33:36 --> 00:33:37 And the
00:33:37 --> 00:33:37 language he
00:33:37 --> 00:33:38 uses is, I
00:33:38 --> 00:33:40 am found to
00:33:40 --> 00:33:41 be in
00:33:41 --> 00:33:42 Christ.
00:33:43 --> 00:33:44 Not that I
00:33:44 --> 00:33:46 went finding
00:33:46 --> 00:33:46 Christ, I am
00:33:46 --> 00:33:48 found in
00:33:48 --> 00:33:48 Christ.
00:33:48 --> 00:33:49 Jesus Christ
00:33:49 --> 00:33:50 came to
00:33:50 --> 00:33:51 him, found
00:33:51 --> 00:33:52 him, initiated
00:33:52 --> 00:33:53 union with
00:33:53 --> 00:33:53 him.
00:33:55 --> 00:33:56 It is what
00:33:56 --> 00:33:57 he has done
00:33:57 --> 00:33:58 for us all.
00:33:59 --> 00:33:59 And
00:33:59 --> 00:34:00 Ephesians 1
00:34:00 --> 00:34:00 tells us that
00:34:00 --> 00:34:01 his whole
00:34:01 --> 00:34:02 motive, God's
00:34:02 --> 00:34:02 whole motive,
00:34:02 --> 00:34:03 was a motive
00:34:03 --> 00:34:04 of love, of
00:34:04 --> 00:34:05 his goodwill, of
00:34:05 --> 00:34:06 his grace.
00:34:07 --> 00:34:07 And the
00:34:07 --> 00:34:09 promise is that
00:34:09 --> 00:34:10 everyone who
00:34:10 --> 00:34:11 repents and
00:34:11 --> 00:34:11 believes and
00:34:11 --> 00:34:12 puts their
00:34:12 --> 00:34:13 faith in him
00:34:13 --> 00:34:14 is united to
00:34:14 --> 00:34:15 him.
00:34:16 --> 00:34:16 And in being
00:34:16 --> 00:34:18 united to him,
00:34:18 --> 00:34:19 everything that
00:34:19 --> 00:34:20 is his is
00:34:20 --> 00:34:21 yours.
00:34:24 --> 00:34:25 The heart of
00:34:25 --> 00:34:26 the matter is
00:34:26 --> 00:34:27 not how much
00:34:27 --> 00:34:28 faith you
00:34:28 --> 00:34:29 have.
00:34:32 --> 00:34:32 You know,
00:34:32 --> 00:34:33 imagine jumping
00:34:33 --> 00:34:34 in that plane,
00:34:35 --> 00:34:36 you're heading to
00:34:36 --> 00:34:37 Tasmania and
00:34:37 --> 00:34:37 you've done it
00:34:37 --> 00:34:38 multiple times,
00:34:38 --> 00:34:39 you don't even
00:34:39 --> 00:34:40 take any notice
00:34:40 --> 00:34:41 anymore of the
00:34:41 --> 00:34:43 safety briefing and
00:34:43 --> 00:34:44 every time there's
00:34:44 --> 00:34:45 a bit of a bump
00:34:45 --> 00:34:46 and stuff like
00:34:46 --> 00:34:46 that and there's
00:34:46 --> 00:34:47 a little bit of
00:34:47 --> 00:34:47 turbulence, you
00:34:47 --> 00:34:48 go, whatever,
00:34:49 --> 00:34:49 you know, been
00:34:49 --> 00:34:50 here before,
00:34:50 --> 00:34:50 joy.
00:34:51 --> 00:34:52 But over the
00:34:52 --> 00:34:52 aisle from you,
00:34:52 --> 00:34:53 there's someone in
00:34:53 --> 00:34:54 the safety briefing
00:34:54 --> 00:34:55 taking notes and
00:34:55 --> 00:34:56 reflecting on it and
00:34:56 --> 00:34:57 asking the hostess
00:34:57 --> 00:34:59 multiple times,
00:34:59 --> 00:35:00 you know, can you
00:35:00 --> 00:35:01 please go and
00:35:01 --> 00:35:01 check on the
00:35:01 --> 00:35:02 pilots to make
00:35:02 --> 00:35:02 sure everything's
00:35:02 --> 00:35:03 as they're
00:35:03 --> 00:35:03 expecting it to
00:35:03 --> 00:35:04 be.
00:35:04 --> 00:35:04 You know,
00:35:04 --> 00:35:05 they're a nervous
00:35:05 --> 00:35:06 traveller, every
00:35:06 --> 00:35:06 time there's a
00:35:06 --> 00:35:07 bump, we're
00:35:07 --> 00:35:08 going to die.
00:35:08 --> 00:35:12 When you get to
00:35:12 --> 00:35:17 Tasmania, do you
00:35:17 --> 00:35:18 both get to
00:35:18 --> 00:35:18 Tasmania?
00:35:20 --> 00:35:21 The nervous,
00:35:21 --> 00:35:22 anxious flyer and
00:35:22 --> 00:35:23 the confident flyer,
00:35:23 --> 00:35:24 do you both get
00:35:24 --> 00:35:24 there?
00:35:25 --> 00:35:26 Yes, you do.
00:35:26 --> 00:35:28 Because your anxiety
00:35:28 --> 00:35:30 levels mean absolutely
00:35:30 --> 00:35:30 nothing to the
00:35:30 --> 00:35:31 process.
00:35:33 --> 00:35:34 It's got everything
00:35:34 --> 00:35:34 to do with the
00:35:34 --> 00:35:35 plane.
00:35:35 --> 00:35:35 It's got everything
00:35:34 --> 00:35:35 plane.
00:35:38 --> 00:35:41 See, one of the
00:35:41 --> 00:35:42 many wonderful
00:35:42 --> 00:35:43 things about being
00:35:43 --> 00:35:46 in Christ is that
00:35:46 --> 00:35:48 it causes us to
00:35:48 --> 00:35:49 take our eyes off
00:35:49 --> 00:35:51 ourselves and to
00:35:51 --> 00:35:52 put our eyes
00:35:52 --> 00:35:53 fiercely focused
00:35:53 --> 00:35:54 on him.
00:35:55 --> 00:35:56 When we understand
00:35:56 --> 00:35:57 the foundation of
00:35:57 --> 00:35:58 our salvation is to
00:35:58 --> 00:36:00 be found in him,
00:36:00 --> 00:36:01 then we know that
00:36:01 --> 00:36:02 it's not faith in
00:36:02 --> 00:36:04 the abstract or
00:36:04 --> 00:36:04 the amount of
00:36:04 --> 00:36:05 faith that will
00:36:05 --> 00:36:06 save us, but it's
00:36:06 --> 00:36:07 the one to whom
00:36:07 --> 00:36:08 we have our
00:36:08 --> 00:36:08 faith, that we
00:36:08 --> 00:36:09 are saved in
00:36:09 --> 00:36:10 him.
00:36:10 --> 00:36:11 Which just brings
00:36:11 --> 00:36:12 me briefly to my
00:36:12 --> 00:36:15 last point that we
00:36:15 --> 00:36:16 are secure in
00:36:16 --> 00:36:17 Christ.
00:36:17 --> 00:36:18 That's one of the
00:36:18 --> 00:36:19 big implications
00:36:19 --> 00:36:21 for this, which is
00:36:21 --> 00:36:22 why we want to be
00:36:22 --> 00:36:23 speaking in this
00:36:23 --> 00:36:24 season.
00:36:24 --> 00:36:25 The whole point
00:36:25 --> 00:36:26 for us to
00:36:26 --> 00:36:27 understand it is
00:36:27 --> 00:36:28 so that our
00:36:28 --> 00:36:29 comfort and our
00:36:29 --> 00:36:31 joy soars,
00:36:32 --> 00:36:34 soars as we
00:36:34 --> 00:36:35 melt into the
00:36:35 --> 00:36:37 calm reassurance
00:36:37 --> 00:36:38 of who God
00:36:38 --> 00:36:39 actually is and
00:36:39 --> 00:36:41 who we are in
00:36:41 --> 00:36:41 Christ.
00:36:43 --> 00:36:44 I would be
00:36:44 --> 00:36:44 encouraging you
00:36:44 --> 00:36:45 in this series to
00:36:45 --> 00:36:46 let your mind and
00:36:46 --> 00:36:47 your heart go deep
00:36:47 --> 00:36:48 into the reality of
00:36:48 --> 00:36:49 this truth of
00:36:49 --> 00:36:50 union with
00:36:50 --> 00:36:51 Christ.
00:36:51 --> 00:36:52 You are in
00:36:52 --> 00:36:53 Christ.
00:36:54 --> 00:36:55 You have every
00:36:55 --> 00:36:56 spiritual blessing.
00:36:57 --> 00:36:58 He is your
00:36:58 --> 00:36:59 intimate companion
00:36:59 --> 00:37:01 moment by moment.
00:37:02 --> 00:37:03 Being in Christ
00:37:03 --> 00:37:04 means you cannot
00:37:04 --> 00:37:05 lose.
00:37:05 --> 00:37:06 You are
00:37:06 --> 00:37:08 inexhaustibly rich
00:37:08 --> 00:37:10 for you are
00:37:10 --> 00:37:11 one with
00:37:11 --> 00:37:12 Christ and
00:37:12 --> 00:37:13 he is
00:37:13 --> 00:37:14 himself
00:37:14 --> 00:37:15 inexhaustibly
00:37:15 --> 00:37:16 rich.
00:37:16 --> 00:37:17 He is the
00:37:17 --> 00:37:18 heir of the
00:37:18 --> 00:37:19 universe.
00:37:21 --> 00:37:21 And through
00:37:21 --> 00:37:22 no activity
00:37:22 --> 00:37:23 of your own
00:37:23 --> 00:37:24 or my own,
00:37:24 --> 00:37:25 but by the
00:37:25 --> 00:37:26 sheer and
00:37:26 --> 00:37:27 mighty grace
00:37:27 --> 00:37:28 of God,
00:37:28 --> 00:37:29 you have been
00:37:29 --> 00:37:31 folded in,
00:37:31 --> 00:37:32 brought in,
00:37:32 --> 00:37:35 the triumphant
00:37:35 --> 00:37:35 and tender
00:37:35 --> 00:37:37 ruler of the
00:37:37 --> 00:37:37 cosmos,
00:37:38 --> 00:37:39 Jesus Christ.
00:37:42 --> 00:37:43 That means
00:37:43 --> 00:37:47 nothing can
00:37:47 --> 00:37:48 touch you
00:37:48 --> 00:37:49 that does not
00:37:49 --> 00:37:49 touch him.
00:37:52 --> 00:37:53 Nothing can
00:37:53 --> 00:37:53 touch you
00:37:53 --> 00:37:54 that does not
00:37:54 --> 00:37:54 touch him.
00:37:55 --> 00:37:55 That's what it
00:37:55 --> 00:37:56 means.
00:37:56 --> 00:38:01 anything to
00:38:01 --> 00:38:02 get to you,
00:38:03 --> 00:38:05 every pain,
00:38:05 --> 00:38:06 every assault,
00:38:06 --> 00:38:08 every disappointment
00:38:08 --> 00:38:09 has to go
00:38:09 --> 00:38:10 through him
00:38:10 --> 00:38:12 first because
00:38:12 --> 00:38:13 you are in
00:38:13 --> 00:38:13 him.
00:38:15 --> 00:38:15 And when you
00:38:15 --> 00:38:16 are in the
00:38:16 --> 00:38:17 midst of that
00:38:17 --> 00:38:18 moment of pain
00:38:18 --> 00:38:18 and suffering
00:38:18 --> 00:38:19 and doubting
00:38:19 --> 00:38:20 and confusion
00:38:20 --> 00:38:21 and disillusionment,
00:38:22 --> 00:38:23 he's not out
00:38:23 --> 00:38:24 there, you are
00:38:24 --> 00:38:25 still in him.
00:38:26 --> 00:38:28 and it has
00:38:28 --> 00:38:28 to go through
00:38:28 --> 00:38:29 him to get
00:38:29 --> 00:38:30 to you,
00:38:31 --> 00:38:33 to get to
00:38:33 --> 00:38:33 me.
00:38:36 --> 00:38:37 You are
00:38:37 --> 00:38:38 shielded by
00:38:38 --> 00:38:39 his invincible
00:38:39 --> 00:38:40 love.
00:38:43 --> 00:38:44 Everything that
00:38:44 --> 00:38:44 comes into
00:38:44 --> 00:38:45 your life,
00:38:45 --> 00:38:46 no matter how
00:38:46 --> 00:38:47 hard it is,
00:38:48 --> 00:38:49 comes from
00:38:49 --> 00:38:50 and through
00:38:50 --> 00:38:51 the tender
00:38:51 --> 00:38:52 care of
00:38:52 --> 00:38:53 Christ.
00:38:53 --> 00:38:56 he himself
00:38:56 --> 00:38:57 feels your
00:38:57 --> 00:38:57 anguish
00:38:57 --> 00:38:59 even more
00:38:59 --> 00:39:00 deeply than
00:39:00 --> 00:39:01 you do.
00:39:03 --> 00:39:03 He feels
00:39:03 --> 00:39:04 it even more
00:39:04 --> 00:39:05 deeply than
00:39:05 --> 00:39:05 you do
00:39:05 --> 00:39:09 because you're
00:39:09 --> 00:39:10 one with
00:39:10 --> 00:39:10 him.
00:39:11 --> 00:39:12 You're united
00:39:12 --> 00:39:13 to him.
00:39:14 --> 00:39:15 Amid the
00:39:15 --> 00:39:16 storms of
00:39:16 --> 00:39:17 your and
00:39:17 --> 00:39:18 my little
00:39:18 --> 00:39:18 existences,
00:39:18 --> 00:39:19 sins,
00:39:19 --> 00:39:20 the sins
00:39:20 --> 00:39:21 that we
00:39:21 --> 00:39:22 know we
00:39:22 --> 00:39:23 struggle with,
00:39:23 --> 00:39:24 the sufferings,
00:39:24 --> 00:39:24 the failures,
00:39:25 --> 00:39:25 the faltering,
00:39:25 --> 00:39:26 the waywardness,
00:39:26 --> 00:39:27 the wandering,
00:39:28 --> 00:39:29 the lack of
00:39:29 --> 00:39:29 following.
00:39:31 --> 00:39:33 In all
00:39:33 --> 00:39:34 those things,
00:39:35 --> 00:39:37 he will
00:39:37 --> 00:39:38 walk you
00:39:38 --> 00:39:38 into his
00:39:38 --> 00:39:39 eternal
00:39:39 --> 00:39:40 presence.
00:39:41 --> 00:39:41 He will
00:39:41 --> 00:39:42 do it.
00:39:42 --> 00:39:48 not just
00:39:48 --> 00:39:49 with you,
00:39:49 --> 00:39:50 he is
00:39:50 --> 00:39:50 in you
00:39:50 --> 00:39:51 and you
00:39:51 --> 00:39:51 are in
00:39:51 --> 00:39:52 him.
00:39:52 --> 00:39:52 His
00:39:52 --> 00:39:53 destiny
00:39:53 --> 00:39:55 falls on,
00:39:55 --> 00:39:56 sorry,
00:39:56 --> 00:39:57 his destiny
00:39:57 --> 00:39:58 now falls
00:39:58 --> 00:39:58 on you.
00:40:00 --> 00:40:00 Everything
00:40:00 --> 00:40:01 that is
00:40:01 --> 00:40:01 his is
00:40:01 --> 00:40:01 yours
00:40:01 --> 00:40:02 in Christ.
00:40:03 --> 00:40:03 His union
00:40:03 --> 00:40:04 with you
00:40:04 --> 00:40:04 at both
00:40:04 --> 00:40:05 the macro
00:40:05 --> 00:40:06 and the
00:40:06 --> 00:40:06 micro levels
00:40:06 --> 00:40:07 guarantees
00:40:07 --> 00:40:09 that he
00:40:09 --> 00:40:09 will walk
00:40:09 --> 00:40:10 you into
00:40:10 --> 00:40:10 heaven,
00:40:11 --> 00:40:11 into
00:40:11 --> 00:40:12 everything
00:40:12 --> 00:40:12 that he's
00:40:12 --> 00:40:13 promised.
00:40:13 --> 00:40:13 How do
00:40:13 --> 00:40:14 I know?
00:40:24 --> 00:40:25 Because
00:40:25 --> 00:40:25 he's
00:40:25 --> 00:40:25 achieved it
00:40:25 --> 00:40:26 all already.
00:40:28 --> 00:40:28 How do
00:40:28 --> 00:40:29 I know
00:40:29 --> 00:40:29 that he's
00:40:29 --> 00:40:29 not going
00:40:29 --> 00:40:30 to reverse
00:40:30 --> 00:40:30 his plans?
00:40:31 --> 00:40:31 He won't
00:40:31 --> 00:40:32 reverse his
00:40:32 --> 00:40:32 plans.
00:40:32 --> 00:40:32 He can't
00:40:32 --> 00:40:33 undo
00:40:33 --> 00:40:34 his union
00:40:34 --> 00:40:35 with you
00:40:35 --> 00:40:35 any more
00:40:35 --> 00:40:36 than he
00:40:36 --> 00:40:37 can be
00:40:37 --> 00:40:39 de-incarnated
00:40:39 --> 00:40:40 in human
00:40:40 --> 00:40:40 flesh
00:40:40 --> 00:40:41 any more
00:40:41 --> 00:40:42 than he
00:40:42 --> 00:40:42 can be
00:40:42 --> 00:40:43 de-crucified,
00:40:44 --> 00:40:44 any more
00:40:44 --> 00:40:44 than he
00:40:44 --> 00:40:45 can be
00:40:45 --> 00:40:46 de-resurrected,
00:40:46 --> 00:40:46 any more
00:40:46 --> 00:40:47 than he
00:40:47 --> 00:40:48 can de-ascend.
00:40:52 --> 00:40:52 And if
00:40:52 --> 00:40:52 he was
00:40:52 --> 00:40:53 to do
00:40:53 --> 00:40:53 any of
00:40:53 --> 00:40:54 that,
00:40:55 --> 00:40:55 union
00:40:55 --> 00:40:56 stops.
00:40:58 --> 00:40:59 But it
00:40:59 --> 00:40:59 won't.
00:41:02 --> 00:41:02 It
00:41:02 --> 00:41:02 won't.
00:41:02 --> 00:41:04 you
00:41:04 --> 00:41:07 were in
00:41:07 --> 00:41:07 Christ.
00:41:13 --> 00:41:13 And so
00:41:13 --> 00:41:14 as we
00:41:14 --> 00:41:15 go through
00:41:15 --> 00:41:15 this
00:41:15 --> 00:41:16 series,
00:41:16 --> 00:41:17 draw strength
00:41:17 --> 00:41:18 from your
00:41:18 --> 00:41:18 oneness
00:41:18 --> 00:41:19 with Jesus.
00:41:20 --> 00:41:20 You are
00:41:20 --> 00:41:21 no longer
00:41:21 --> 00:41:21 alone.
00:41:22 --> 00:41:23 You are
00:41:23 --> 00:41:23 not isolated.
00:41:24 --> 00:41:25 And when
00:41:25 --> 00:41:25 you sin,
00:41:26 --> 00:41:28 don't give
00:41:28 --> 00:41:28 up.
00:41:28 --> 00:41:29 he
00:41:29 --> 00:41:30 hasn't
00:41:30 --> 00:41:30 turned
00:41:30 --> 00:41:30 his
00:41:30 --> 00:41:30 back
00:41:30 --> 00:41:31 on you
00:41:31 --> 00:41:31 in any
00:41:31 --> 00:41:32 way,
00:41:32 --> 00:41:32 shape,
00:41:32 --> 00:41:33 or form.
00:41:36 --> 00:41:36 In fact,
00:41:36 --> 00:41:37 in that
00:41:37 --> 00:41:37 moment,
00:41:38 --> 00:41:40 he draws
00:41:40 --> 00:41:40 close to
00:41:40 --> 00:41:41 you,
00:41:41 --> 00:41:41 even closer
00:41:41 --> 00:41:42 than you
00:41:42 --> 00:41:42 thought he
00:41:42 --> 00:41:43 was.
00:41:46 --> 00:41:47 In that
00:41:47 --> 00:41:47 moment,
00:41:48 --> 00:41:48 he draws
00:41:48 --> 00:41:48 close and
00:41:48 --> 00:41:49 he lifts
00:41:49 --> 00:41:49 your chin
00:41:49 --> 00:41:51 and he
00:41:51 --> 00:41:52 looks you
00:41:52 --> 00:41:52 in the
00:41:52 --> 00:41:52 eye
00:41:52 --> 00:41:54 and he
00:41:54 --> 00:41:55 says,
00:41:55 --> 00:41:56 I am
00:41:56 --> 00:41:57 your
00:41:57 --> 00:41:57 existence,
00:41:58 --> 00:41:58 not your
00:41:58 --> 00:41:59 sin,
00:41:59 --> 00:41:59 I am
00:41:59 --> 00:41:59 your
00:41:59 --> 00:42:00 existence
00:42:00 --> 00:42:02 and your
00:42:02 --> 00:42:02 existence
00:42:02 --> 00:42:03 is this,
00:42:04 --> 00:42:05 I am
00:42:05 --> 00:42:05 in the
00:42:05 --> 00:42:06 Father
00:42:06 --> 00:42:08 and you
00:42:08 --> 00:42:08 are in
00:42:08 --> 00:42:09 me
00:42:09 --> 00:42:10 and I
00:42:10 --> 00:42:11 am in
00:42:11 --> 00:42:11 you.