We are Blessed
Series: Who is the Church?
Speaker: Steve Jeffrey
Date: 1st February 2026
Passage: Ephesians 1:1-14
00:00:00 --> 00:00:07 Well, good morning, friends. It's 2026. The first month of 2026 is gone already. We're into
00:00:07 --> 00:00:16 ! Month two, how fast it goes. And this year marks 125 years since this church here, St. Paul's
00:00:16 --> 00:00:24 ! Chastwood was started. And so this term, as Nick has said, we are launching our vision for the next
00:00:24 --> 00:00:31 five to 10 years of what our life and ministry will be together in this place. And as we get into
00:00:31 --> 00:00:40 those details of those plans and what we're hoping to do under God, it's crucial that we understand
00:00:40 --> 00:00:51 that it is built on a foundation of who we are. Who is the church? It's not often the way that we
00:00:51 --> 00:00:58 think about church, though, is it? Who is the church? We normally think of it in terms of an
00:00:58 --> 00:01:04 institution or things like a denomination or a building. The church is a building.
00:01:06 --> 00:01:11 Or people say it's a lovely church, which they're referring to the building. Or it's the place,
00:01:11 --> 00:01:19 it's a destination. I'm going to church this morning. When we think of the church, we think
00:01:19 --> 00:01:24 of plans, we think of methodologies, we think of vision, we think of structures, we think of programs,
00:01:24 --> 00:01:32 we think of budgets, we think of all those things. And they all have a place. But first and foremost,
00:01:33 --> 00:01:39 we must understand who the church is. Not what the church is, but who the church is.
00:01:39 --> 00:01:50 You see, the Bible overflows with powerful imagery of God's affection and his love for his church.
00:01:54 --> 00:02:06 Imagery of the family, the body of Christ. And the one that we often maybe don't talk about
00:02:06 --> 00:02:17 is the church being the bride of Christ. That is, the church reflects God's eternal beauty and glory.
00:02:18 --> 00:02:25 And I wish I could unpack this one in just a sermon by itself. But the great English preacher,
00:02:25 --> 00:02:30 Charles Spurgeon, called the church the dearest place on earth.
00:02:30 --> 00:02:40 Not often the way we think of the church, the dearest place on earth. And so what we have in the
00:02:40 --> 00:02:46 Apostle Paul's letter to the church at Ephesus, the Ephesians here, which is what we're going to be
00:02:46 --> 00:02:59 working through this term, is the grand vision of the church's cosmic role as the body of Christ,
00:02:59 --> 00:03:05 Christ as the bride of Christ in God's eternal plans. That's what we have in the book Ephesians. You
00:03:05 --> 00:03:12 won't find anywhere else in the Bible so clear about the vision that God has for his church,
00:03:12 --> 00:03:20 the bride of his son, Jesus. The Ephesians reveals the position and the job description of the church
00:03:20 --> 00:03:32 in effecting God's grand plan for all time and eternity. In fact, the church is central to God's plans.
00:03:34 --> 00:03:43 The 18th century American pastor and theologian, Jonathan Edwards, emphasized this point in a sermon
00:03:43 --> 00:03:58 where he said that so centralism. He said, God created the entire universe for one main end.
00:04:00 --> 00:04:08 And that end was to obtain a spouse for his beloved son.
00:04:08 --> 00:04:21 And so as you read through the Bible, what you see reflected again and again is the language of God's
00:04:21 --> 00:04:25 love and affection for his church.
00:04:29 --> 00:04:35 When he looks at his church, he doesn't look at the things that we look for,
00:04:35 --> 00:04:44 the programs, the timing, the people, the buildings, the air conditioners, whether they're working or not,
00:04:44 --> 00:04:49 which one of them isn't working this morning. He doesn't look at that.
00:04:52 --> 00:05:03 He sees the beauty of his bride for his son, beautified by the blood of his son.
00:05:05 --> 00:05:15 And he longs for the day, as Revelation tells us, where the buyer is beautifully prepared
00:05:15 --> 00:05:19 and ready for the marriage feast.
00:05:20 --> 00:05:22 That's his church.
00:05:22 --> 00:05:29 And so as we look ahead for our plans for our next phase of life and ministry together,
00:05:29 --> 00:05:41 my prayer is that our affections would be awakened for his church
00:05:41 --> 00:05:46 and why we exist.
00:05:46 --> 00:05:50 And that that would transform our lives.
00:05:50 --> 00:05:56 To quote Spurgeon again, nothing in the world is dearer to God's heart than his church.
00:05:57 --> 00:06:07 Therefore, being his, let us belong to it, that by our prayers, our gifts, and our labours,
00:06:07 --> 00:06:09 we may support and strengthen it.
00:06:10 --> 00:06:11 May that be the outcome.
00:06:11 --> 00:06:19 So the first thing I want us to see this morning is that who we are, we are blessed.
00:06:19 --> 00:06:24 And I've got three points, which you can get on the St. Paul's app as we go through.
00:06:24 --> 00:06:27 So first of all, God has a plan.
00:06:28 --> 00:06:38 Now, no English translation of the New Testament is able to capture fully Ephesians 3 to 14.
00:06:38 --> 00:06:45 Because in the original language, the Greek language, that is one sentence.
00:06:46 --> 00:06:48 Verses 3 to 14 is one sentence.
00:06:50 --> 00:06:53 202 words in one sentence.
00:06:54 --> 00:06:57 And to get to the meaning of a sentence, as you would know,
00:06:58 --> 00:07:01 I had to Google this, but you probably don't need to Google this.
00:07:01 --> 00:07:06 But to get to the meaning of a sentence, you need really to find two things.
00:07:07 --> 00:07:12 You need to find the subject of a sentence, and you need to find the predicate of a sentence.
00:07:13 --> 00:07:15 And then you capture the what is the sentence about.
00:07:16 --> 00:07:18 The subject and the predicate.
00:07:18 --> 00:07:24 So for those of you in basic English, you might want to write that bit down.
00:07:24 --> 00:07:32 So the subject tells us who or the what the sentence is about.
00:07:33 --> 00:07:37 And the predicate tells us what the subject does.
00:07:39 --> 00:07:44 And in this very long sentence, it's very clear the subject is God.
00:07:44 --> 00:07:50 And the predicate in the English language is a little bit harder to spot.
00:07:51 --> 00:07:57 Because there's a number of little, you know, predicates in this sentence, in the English language.
00:07:57 --> 00:07:59 God is doing many things in this.
00:08:00 --> 00:08:05 But in the original language, in the Greek, the predicate is very clear.
00:08:05 --> 00:08:08 And it's in verses 9 to 11.
00:08:09 --> 00:08:13 And it is very simply, particularly verses 8 and 9.
00:08:14 --> 00:08:19 With all wisdom and understanding, he made known to us the mystery of his will,
00:08:19 --> 00:08:23 according to his good pleasure, which he purposed in Christ.
00:08:24 --> 00:08:25 And verse 10.
00:08:25 --> 00:08:28 Everything in history is in his plan.
00:08:29 --> 00:08:32 To be put into effect when the times reach their fulfillment.
00:08:32 --> 00:08:38 And Jesus is the point of the plan.
00:08:39 --> 00:08:40 The second half of verse 10.
00:08:40 --> 00:08:47 To bring unity to all things in heaven and on earth under Christ.
00:08:48 --> 00:08:49 Subject is God.
00:08:50 --> 00:08:59 And the predicate is what God is doing through all of history is to bring everything unified under Christ.
00:08:59 --> 00:09:02 That is what God is doing through all of history.
00:09:03 --> 00:09:07 And his church is central to that plan.
00:09:08 --> 00:09:13 Which means, having read that from Ephesians, Bertrand Russell was wrong.
00:09:16 --> 00:09:20 Bertrand Russell's view, which is basically the secular view of our time,
00:09:20 --> 00:09:25 is that there is no plan for time and space.
00:09:26 --> 00:09:30 In his book, The Free Man's Worship, he wrote,
00:09:30 --> 00:09:38 Man, humanity, is the product of causes which have no prevision of the end that they were achieving.
00:09:38 --> 00:09:44 That is, that his origin, his growth, his hopes and fears, his loves and his beliefs,
00:09:45 --> 00:09:50 are but the outcome of accidental collocation of atoms.
00:09:50 --> 00:09:55 That no fire, no heroism, no intensity of thought and feeling,
00:09:56 --> 00:09:59 can preserve an individual life beyond the grave.
00:09:59 --> 00:10:05 In other words, Russell was absolutely convinced, as our secular age is,
00:10:05 --> 00:10:07 that everything is an accident.
00:10:11 --> 00:10:16 There's no plan, there's no creator, there's no purpose, there's no meaning.
00:10:17 --> 00:10:19 And he goes on to say,
00:10:19 --> 00:10:25 Therefore, there's no heroism, no sacrifice, no human achievement,
00:10:25 --> 00:10:30 no human advancement at all, will ultimately make any difference in the long run.
00:10:31 --> 00:10:33 It might in the short term, but in the long run,
00:10:34 --> 00:10:37 it'll make absolutely no difference whatsoever.
00:10:37 --> 00:10:43 And so Russell concluded that the best way to live life,
00:10:43 --> 00:10:46 to embrace life, the only safe way to live life,
00:10:46 --> 00:10:48 is to embrace despair.
00:10:48 --> 00:10:59 Now, to be honest with you,
00:10:59 --> 00:11:02 Bertrand Russell was more courageous than the average secular person.
00:11:08 --> 00:11:09 Ephesians here says,
00:11:09 --> 00:11:11 There is a plan.
00:11:11 --> 00:11:13 Verse 11,
00:11:13 --> 00:11:25 And absolutely everything in history is in that plan.
00:11:26 --> 00:11:28 Everything is in that plan.
00:11:28 --> 00:11:31 And because that raised a big question for us.
00:11:34 --> 00:11:39 Is everything therefore determined or do humans have free will?
00:11:41 --> 00:11:46 You know, that's a question that's been in history since,
00:11:47 --> 00:11:50 well, as far back as you can record in history.
00:11:51 --> 00:11:57 Are we free or is there a plan that we can't escape in any kind of way?
00:11:57 --> 00:12:01 And the Bible's answer to that question is very simple.
00:12:02 --> 00:12:02 Yes.
00:12:04 --> 00:12:05 Yes.
00:12:07 --> 00:12:13 That's because the Bible is way more nuanced than any philosophy in life.
00:12:15 --> 00:12:18 You see, one view says that everything is absolutely fixed,
00:12:18 --> 00:12:20 our choices don't matter,
00:12:20 --> 00:12:25 and whatever you choose in life is ultimately going to be overridden by the fixed plan.
00:12:25 --> 00:12:27 And what that does,
00:12:28 --> 00:12:29 if it's just that,
00:12:29 --> 00:12:34 what that does is it entirely saps a person of any hope at all.
00:12:35 --> 00:12:39 The other view says that your future,
00:12:39 --> 00:12:41 which is more common nowadays,
00:12:41 --> 00:12:45 that your future is whatever you make it.
00:12:45 --> 00:12:48 All of your choices determine your destiny,
00:12:48 --> 00:12:52 so make sure that you make the right choices in life.
00:12:52 --> 00:12:55 And if that's the case,
00:12:56 --> 00:13:02 if absolutely everything in your life is determined by the choices you make,
00:13:02 --> 00:13:05 the best choice you can make is don't get out of bed in the morning.
00:13:07 --> 00:13:08 Much safer.
00:13:08 --> 00:13:16 You can see because that view of history just loads people up with fear.
00:13:18 --> 00:13:22 And you can see it worked out in the younger generation nowadays,
00:13:23 --> 00:13:25 sucked into a culture of expressive individualism,
00:13:26 --> 00:13:28 and you make all the right choices,
00:13:29 --> 00:13:30 you be who you are.
00:13:30 --> 00:13:41 The Bible says that both of those views are wrong and right.
00:13:43 --> 00:13:46 The Bible says our choices matter,
00:13:46 --> 00:13:48 and God will hold us accountable to them.
00:13:49 --> 00:13:49 But ultimately,
00:13:50 --> 00:13:51 God is in charge,
00:13:51 --> 00:13:53 and his plan will advance,
00:13:53 --> 00:13:54 and his plan is to bless.
00:13:54 --> 00:14:02 It means that we can be absolutely alert,
00:14:03 --> 00:14:05 and at peace at the same time.
00:14:09 --> 00:14:10 It means that.
00:14:11 --> 00:14:12 God is sovereign,
00:14:13 --> 00:14:15 and we get to choose.
00:14:21 --> 00:14:22 Think about this.
00:14:22 --> 00:14:23 How many of your decisions,
00:14:23 --> 00:14:24 for you older people,
00:14:24 --> 00:14:27 how many of your decisions in your 20s
00:14:27 --> 00:14:30 that you desperately felt you needed in order to live life,
00:14:30 --> 00:14:31 that never came to fruition,
00:14:32 --> 00:14:33 that you look back now and go,
00:14:33 --> 00:14:34 geez, I'm glad that never happened?
00:14:38 --> 00:14:40 When I was in my mid-20s,
00:14:40 --> 00:14:45 I was desperately trying to get a young lady to marry me,
00:14:46 --> 00:14:49 praying God would sovereignly overrule,
00:14:49 --> 00:14:49 blah, blah, blah.
00:14:49 --> 00:14:54 And it never happened.
00:14:56 --> 00:14:56 And instead,
00:14:57 --> 00:14:57 this week,
00:14:58 --> 00:15:01 Nat and I celebrate 27 years of marriage.
00:15:03 --> 00:15:03 Yeah,
00:15:04 --> 00:15:04 I mean,
00:15:04 --> 00:15:07 that's goodwill there.
00:15:09 --> 00:15:09 So,
00:15:09 --> 00:15:09 you know,
00:15:09 --> 00:15:10 like,
00:15:10 --> 00:15:11 after 27 years,
00:15:11 --> 00:15:15 I'm glad that my plans never came to fruition.
00:15:15 --> 00:15:18 Back in those days.
00:15:22 --> 00:15:25 Ephesians 1 tells us that God has a plan for all things.
00:15:26 --> 00:15:28 Jesus is the center of God's plan,
00:15:28 --> 00:15:29 and it's a plan to bless.
00:15:30 --> 00:15:34 Verses 1 to 3 is the summary verse of this chapter,
00:15:34 --> 00:15:36 and it's an astonishing claim.
00:15:36 --> 00:15:40 Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,
00:15:40 --> 00:15:44 who has blessed us in the heavenly realms
00:15:44 --> 00:15:47 with every spiritual blessing in Christ.
00:15:49 --> 00:15:52 Has blessed us.
00:15:53 --> 00:15:54 It's already happened.
00:15:56 --> 00:16:00 With every spiritual blessing,
00:16:01 --> 00:16:03 which is absolute language.
00:16:03 --> 00:16:04 Nothing is lacking here.
00:16:04 --> 00:16:05 Nothing is overlooked.
00:16:05 --> 00:16:07 Nothing is held back from God.
00:16:08 --> 00:16:11 I sign off my emails on most cases
00:16:11 --> 00:16:12 with,
00:16:12 --> 00:16:13 you know,
00:16:14 --> 00:16:15 with things like,
00:16:15 --> 00:16:15 you know,
00:16:15 --> 00:16:15 regards,
00:16:16 --> 00:16:16 kind regards.
00:16:17 --> 00:16:18 But most often,
00:16:18 --> 00:16:19 I think,
00:16:19 --> 00:16:21 particularly when I'm
00:16:21 --> 00:16:22 communicating
00:16:22 --> 00:16:24 to Christians,
00:16:24 --> 00:16:25 excuse me,
00:16:25 --> 00:16:25 with Christians,
00:16:26 --> 00:16:27 I often use
00:16:27 --> 00:16:28 blessings,
00:16:28 --> 00:16:30 or many blessings from Steve.
00:16:31 --> 00:16:31 You know,
00:16:31 --> 00:16:32 it means,
00:16:32 --> 00:16:33 in our culture,
00:16:33 --> 00:16:35 to wish someone well.
00:16:36 --> 00:16:38 But that's not what it means here.
00:16:41 --> 00:16:43 God's not wishing us well.
00:16:44 --> 00:16:45 In the New Testament,
00:16:45 --> 00:16:46 the word blessed
00:16:46 --> 00:16:50 is closer to the Hebrew word shalom.
00:16:50 --> 00:16:56 It means to have every joy
00:16:56 --> 00:16:59 and benefit of your heart
00:16:59 --> 00:17:00 and soul
00:17:00 --> 00:17:03 and every longing
00:17:03 --> 00:17:04 for your being fulfilled.
00:17:05 --> 00:17:08 That's what the word blessed means here.
00:17:08 --> 00:17:13 A Christian is someone
00:17:13 --> 00:17:16 who has already
00:17:16 --> 00:17:18 been blessed.
00:17:18 --> 00:17:19 How's that possible?
00:17:20 --> 00:17:20 Well,
00:17:20 --> 00:17:21 the key to it
00:17:21 --> 00:17:23 is right at the end of verse 3,
00:17:23 --> 00:17:25 in Christ.
00:17:25 --> 00:17:25 Verse 4,
00:17:26 --> 00:17:27 God chose us in him.
00:17:27 --> 00:17:28 Verse 5,
00:17:29 --> 00:17:30 we are adopted
00:17:30 --> 00:17:32 through Christ Jesus.
00:17:32 --> 00:17:32 Verse 6,
00:17:33 --> 00:17:34 in the one he loves.
00:17:34 --> 00:17:35 Verse 7,
00:17:35 --> 00:17:36 in him we have redemption.
00:17:36 --> 00:17:37 Verse 9,
00:17:37 --> 00:17:39 God purposed those things
00:17:39 --> 00:17:40 in Christ.
00:17:40 --> 00:17:40 Verse 11,
00:17:41 --> 00:17:41 in him
00:17:41 --> 00:17:43 we were chosen.
00:17:43 --> 00:17:44 You see,
00:17:44 --> 00:17:45 to become a Christian
00:17:45 --> 00:17:47 is not simply
00:17:47 --> 00:17:48 to get Jesus
00:17:48 --> 00:17:50 as your Lord
00:17:50 --> 00:17:50 to obey,
00:17:51 --> 00:17:52 although he is that,
00:17:53 --> 00:17:53 or
00:17:53 --> 00:17:55 a model
00:17:55 --> 00:17:56 to follow in life,
00:17:57 --> 00:17:57 although he is that,
00:17:58 --> 00:17:59 or as a saviour
00:17:59 --> 00:18:01 to be grateful for,
00:18:02 --> 00:18:02 although
00:18:02 --> 00:18:03 you should do that.
00:18:05 --> 00:18:06 A Christian
00:18:06 --> 00:18:07 is someone
00:18:07 --> 00:18:08 who has been put
00:18:08 --> 00:18:10 in Christ,
00:18:12 --> 00:18:14 the theological language of it,
00:18:14 --> 00:18:15 you have union
00:18:15 --> 00:18:17 with Christ.
00:18:17 --> 00:18:20 It's a marriage union.
00:18:22 --> 00:18:23 In such a way
00:18:23 --> 00:18:25 that everything
00:18:25 --> 00:18:26 that belongs to Christ
00:18:26 --> 00:18:28 is now yours.
00:18:29 --> 00:18:31 You are united
00:18:31 --> 00:18:32 to Jesus Christ,
00:18:32 --> 00:18:33 and we are united
00:18:33 --> 00:18:35 to Jesus legally.
00:18:36 --> 00:18:37 Imagine the scenario
00:18:37 --> 00:18:40 of a very poor person
00:18:40 --> 00:18:42 marrying
00:18:42 --> 00:18:43 an extremely
00:18:43 --> 00:18:45 wealthy person
00:18:45 --> 00:18:46 without any
00:18:46 --> 00:18:48 prenuptial agreements.
00:18:50 --> 00:18:52 In that moment,
00:18:53 --> 00:18:54 when you are legally married,
00:18:55 --> 00:18:56 everything
00:18:56 --> 00:18:58 that is owned
00:18:58 --> 00:19:00 by the wealthy person
00:19:00 --> 00:19:01 is shared
00:19:01 --> 00:19:02 with you legally.
00:19:04 --> 00:19:05 You share it
00:19:05 --> 00:19:05 legally.
00:19:06 --> 00:19:07 You have a right
00:19:07 --> 00:19:08 to it
00:19:08 --> 00:19:09 through
00:19:09 --> 00:19:10 legal union.
00:19:13 --> 00:19:13 And so
00:19:13 --> 00:19:14 what it says here,
00:19:15 --> 00:19:15 everything
00:19:15 --> 00:19:16 that belongs
00:19:16 --> 00:19:17 to Jesus,
00:19:18 --> 00:19:19 every single thing
00:19:19 --> 00:19:20 that he has accomplished
00:19:20 --> 00:19:21 belongs
00:19:21 --> 00:19:23 to the Christian.
00:19:23 --> 00:19:26 but we're also
00:19:26 --> 00:19:26 united to him
00:19:26 --> 00:19:27 vitally.
00:19:27 --> 00:19:28 The Holy Spirit
00:19:28 --> 00:19:29 comes into the life
00:19:29 --> 00:19:30 of the Christian
00:19:30 --> 00:19:31 and the life
00:19:31 --> 00:19:32 of the church,
00:19:32 --> 00:19:33 and it brings
00:19:33 --> 00:19:34 character change.
00:19:34 --> 00:19:35 The Spirit brings
00:19:35 --> 00:19:36 character change
00:19:36 --> 00:19:38 into the likeness
00:19:38 --> 00:19:38 !
00:19:38 --> 00:19:40 of the bridegroom.
00:19:41 --> 00:19:42 So the bride
00:19:42 --> 00:19:44 reflects the bridegroom
00:19:44 --> 00:19:47 until eventually
00:19:47 --> 00:19:48 on the final day
00:19:48 --> 00:19:50 at the wedding feast,
00:19:50 --> 00:19:51 we are glorified.
00:19:51 --> 00:19:54 we will be
00:19:54 --> 00:19:57 who we are now
00:19:57 --> 00:19:58 in every sense,
00:19:59 --> 00:20:00 perfected,
00:20:00 --> 00:20:01 flawless,
00:20:02 --> 00:20:03 sin-free,
00:20:04 --> 00:20:05 suffering-free,
00:20:05 --> 00:20:06 existence forever
00:20:06 --> 00:20:07 on that final day.
00:20:08 --> 00:20:09 A Christian
00:20:09 --> 00:20:10 is in Christ
00:20:10 --> 00:20:11 with all
00:20:11 --> 00:20:12 his benefits,
00:20:13 --> 00:20:14 even though
00:20:14 --> 00:20:15 it may take
00:20:15 --> 00:20:15 a lifetime
00:20:15 --> 00:20:17 to work those benefits
00:20:17 --> 00:20:18 out into our lives
00:20:18 --> 00:20:19 until we are
00:20:19 --> 00:20:20 finally glorified.
00:20:21 --> 00:20:23 All Christians,
00:20:24 --> 00:20:25 all Christians
00:20:25 --> 00:20:27 have every
00:20:27 --> 00:20:29 spiritual blessing
00:20:29 --> 00:20:31 in Christ.
00:20:31 --> 00:20:32 They're not two
00:20:32 --> 00:20:33 categories of Christian,
00:20:34 --> 00:20:35 the more spiritual
00:20:35 --> 00:20:36 and the less spiritual.
00:20:37 --> 00:20:38 Either you are a Christian
00:20:38 --> 00:20:40 or you're not a Christian.
00:20:40 --> 00:20:45 and every Christian
00:20:45 --> 00:20:45 has every
00:20:45 --> 00:20:46 spiritual blessing.
00:20:48 --> 00:20:49 If you're not a Christian,
00:20:50 --> 00:20:51 you have
00:20:51 --> 00:20:51 no
00:20:51 --> 00:20:52 spiritual
00:20:52 --> 00:20:53 blessings
00:20:53 --> 00:20:56 and all
00:20:56 --> 00:20:56 those blessings
00:20:56 --> 00:20:57 come from
00:20:57 --> 00:20:59 union with Christ,
00:20:59 --> 00:21:00 connected to Christ.
00:21:01 --> 00:21:01 Now,
00:21:01 --> 00:21:02 there's an interesting
00:21:02 --> 00:21:03 incident
00:21:03 --> 00:21:04 that happened
00:21:04 --> 00:21:06 during the
00:21:06 --> 00:21:06 Paris
00:21:06 --> 00:21:08 Peace Conference
00:21:08 --> 00:21:09 at the end
00:21:09 --> 00:21:10 of World War I.
00:21:10 --> 00:21:11 It went from
00:21:11 --> 00:21:12 1919
00:21:12 --> 00:21:13 to 1920
00:21:13 --> 00:21:15 as they divided
00:21:15 --> 00:21:16 up the world,
00:21:16 --> 00:21:16 basically.
00:21:17 --> 00:21:18 The delegates
00:21:18 --> 00:21:19 which came
00:21:19 --> 00:21:20 from Arabia
00:21:20 --> 00:21:22 were astonished
00:21:22 --> 00:21:24 when they were
00:21:24 --> 00:21:25 staying in the
00:21:25 --> 00:21:26 hotel rooms
00:21:26 --> 00:21:27 in Paris.
00:21:27 --> 00:21:28 They were astonished
00:21:28 --> 00:21:30 by the instant
00:21:30 --> 00:21:31 and endless
00:21:31 --> 00:21:32 supply
00:21:32 --> 00:21:33 of water
00:21:33 --> 00:21:34 that came
00:21:34 --> 00:21:34 from these
00:21:34 --> 00:21:35 taps
00:21:35 --> 00:21:36 in the hotel
00:21:36 --> 00:21:37 rooms.
00:21:37 --> 00:21:38 They'd never
00:21:38 --> 00:21:39 experienced
00:21:39 --> 00:21:40 anything like
00:21:40 --> 00:21:40 that
00:21:40 --> 00:21:41 in the desert
00:21:41 --> 00:21:42 of Arabia.
00:21:44 --> 00:21:45 And so,
00:21:45 --> 00:21:47 as they prepared
00:21:47 --> 00:21:49 to leave
00:21:49 --> 00:21:49 the peace
00:21:49 --> 00:21:50 conference,
00:21:51 --> 00:21:52 some members
00:21:52 --> 00:21:53 of the delegation
00:21:53 --> 00:21:53 from Arabia
00:21:53 --> 00:21:55 were found
00:21:55 --> 00:21:56 trying to
00:21:56 --> 00:21:56 remove the
00:21:56 --> 00:21:57 taps
00:21:57 --> 00:21:58 from their
00:21:58 --> 00:21:59 hotel rooms
00:21:59 --> 00:22:00 to take them
00:22:00 --> 00:22:00 back and
00:22:00 --> 00:22:01 attach them
00:22:01 --> 00:22:02 to their
00:22:02 --> 00:22:02 tents
00:22:02 --> 00:22:04 in Arabia.
00:22:04 --> 00:22:07 and they
00:22:07 --> 00:22:07 thought
00:22:07 --> 00:22:08 that the
00:22:08 --> 00:22:08 magic of
00:22:08 --> 00:22:09 instant and
00:22:09 --> 00:22:10 endless water
00:22:10 --> 00:22:10 came from
00:22:10 --> 00:22:12 these taps.
00:22:13 --> 00:22:13 And T.E.
00:22:14 --> 00:22:14 Lawrence,
00:22:14 --> 00:22:15 Lawrence of
00:22:15 --> 00:22:15 Arabia,
00:22:15 --> 00:22:16 for those who
00:22:16 --> 00:22:16 don't know,
00:22:17 --> 00:22:18 he was acting
00:22:18 --> 00:22:19 as advisor
00:22:19 --> 00:22:20 and translator
00:22:20 --> 00:22:21 for the
00:22:21 --> 00:22:21 delegation.
00:22:21 --> 00:22:22 He had to
00:22:22 --> 00:22:23 explain to
00:22:23 --> 00:22:23 them that
00:22:23 --> 00:22:24 the taps
00:22:24 --> 00:22:25 themselves
00:22:25 --> 00:22:26 have no,
00:22:26 --> 00:22:27 there's no
00:22:27 --> 00:22:27 water that
00:22:27 --> 00:22:28 comes instantly
00:22:28 --> 00:22:28 from the
00:22:28 --> 00:22:29 taps.
00:22:29 --> 00:22:30 They are
00:22:30 --> 00:22:30 connected
00:22:30 --> 00:22:31 through pipes
00:22:31 --> 00:22:32 and reservoirs
00:22:32 --> 00:22:32 in order to
00:22:32 --> 00:22:33 get to the
00:22:33 --> 00:22:33 water.
00:22:34 --> 00:22:37 And friends,
00:22:37 --> 00:22:38 we have no
00:22:38 --> 00:22:40 spiritual blessing
00:22:40 --> 00:22:41 unless we are
00:22:41 --> 00:22:42 connected to
00:22:42 --> 00:22:43 Jesus by
00:22:43 --> 00:22:44 faith.
00:22:46 --> 00:22:47 United to
00:22:47 --> 00:22:47 Christ,
00:22:47 --> 00:22:48 union with
00:22:48 --> 00:22:48 Christ,
00:22:49 --> 00:22:50 in Christ,
00:22:51 --> 00:22:51 is who the
00:22:51 --> 00:22:52 Christian is.
00:22:53 --> 00:22:53 And every
00:22:53 --> 00:22:55 spiritual blessing
00:22:55 --> 00:22:55 flows from
00:22:55 --> 00:22:56 that and
00:22:56 --> 00:22:57 continues to
00:22:57 --> 00:22:58 flow from
00:22:58 --> 00:22:58 that.
00:22:59 --> 00:23:00 The word
00:23:00 --> 00:23:02 every means
00:23:02 --> 00:23:02 it would in
00:23:02 --> 00:23:03 fact to be
00:23:03 --> 00:23:04 impossible
00:23:04 --> 00:23:06 to list
00:23:06 --> 00:23:07 all of
00:23:07 --> 00:23:08 those blessings.
00:23:09 --> 00:23:10 Although Paul
00:23:10 --> 00:23:10 does mention
00:23:10 --> 00:23:11 some in
00:23:11 --> 00:23:12 this sentence,
00:23:13 --> 00:23:14 even this
00:23:14 --> 00:23:15 list is
00:23:15 --> 00:23:16 overwhelming
00:23:16 --> 00:23:16 in its
00:23:16 --> 00:23:17 implications.
00:23:17 --> 00:23:17 Verse 5,
00:23:18 --> 00:23:19 verse 7,
00:23:19 --> 00:23:20 verse 8,
00:23:20 --> 00:23:21 adopted,
00:23:21 --> 00:23:21 forgiveness,
00:23:22 --> 00:23:22 lavish with
00:23:22 --> 00:23:23 wisdom and
00:23:23 --> 00:23:23 understanding,
00:23:23 --> 00:23:24 the mystery of
00:23:24 --> 00:23:24 the Holy
00:23:24 --> 00:23:25 Spirit,
00:23:25 --> 00:23:26 guaranteed,
00:23:26 --> 00:23:27 every one of
00:23:27 --> 00:23:28 those blessings
00:23:28 --> 00:23:29 is staggering,
00:23:31 --> 00:23:32 staggering enough
00:23:32 --> 00:23:32 in its
00:23:32 --> 00:23:33 richness by
00:23:33 --> 00:23:34 itself.
00:23:35 --> 00:23:36 And they
00:23:36 --> 00:23:36 have many
00:23:36 --> 00:23:37 arms to
00:23:37 --> 00:23:37 them,
00:23:37 --> 00:23:38 each one.
00:23:41 --> 00:23:41 For instance,
00:23:41 --> 00:23:42 verse 5,
00:23:43 --> 00:23:43 let me just
00:23:43 --> 00:23:44 have a couple
00:23:44 --> 00:23:44 here,
00:23:45 --> 00:23:45 adoption to
00:23:45 --> 00:23:46 sonship.
00:23:47 --> 00:23:47 In Jesus
00:23:47 --> 00:23:48 Christ,
00:23:49 --> 00:23:50 God becomes
00:23:50 --> 00:23:51 our father
00:23:51 --> 00:23:53 as we are
00:23:53 --> 00:23:54 included into
00:23:54 --> 00:23:56 his family.
00:23:56 --> 00:23:56 family.
00:23:57 --> 00:23:57 And one
00:23:57 --> 00:23:58 implication of
00:23:58 --> 00:23:59 that fatherhood
00:23:59 --> 00:24:00 is that we
00:24:00 --> 00:24:01 have access to
00:24:01 --> 00:24:02 him as his
00:24:02 --> 00:24:02 much-loved
00:24:02 --> 00:24:03 children.
00:24:04 --> 00:24:04 There's one
00:24:04 --> 00:24:05 very famous
00:24:05 --> 00:24:05 photo of
00:24:05 --> 00:24:06 John F.
00:24:06 --> 00:24:07 Kennedy when
00:24:07 --> 00:24:08 he was
00:24:08 --> 00:24:08 president of
00:24:08 --> 00:24:08 the United
00:24:08 --> 00:24:09 States.
00:24:10 --> 00:24:11 His young
00:24:11 --> 00:24:11 son,
00:24:11 --> 00:24:12 John Junior,
00:24:12 --> 00:24:13 was playing
00:24:13 --> 00:24:13 under his
00:24:13 --> 00:24:14 desk, the
00:24:14 --> 00:24:15 resolute desk,
00:24:16 --> 00:24:16 in the Oval
00:24:16 --> 00:24:17 Office while he
00:24:17 --> 00:24:18 was meeting
00:24:18 --> 00:24:19 with officials
00:24:19 --> 00:24:21 in the Oval
00:24:21 --> 00:24:22 Office.
00:24:22 --> 00:24:24 I'm not
00:24:24 --> 00:24:25 allowed to
00:24:25 --> 00:24:25 do that
00:24:25 --> 00:24:26 with Donald
00:24:26 --> 00:24:27 Trump.
00:24:28 --> 00:24:29 Not that
00:24:29 --> 00:24:29 necessarily I
00:24:29 --> 00:24:29 want to,
00:24:29 --> 00:24:32 but no one's
00:24:32 --> 00:24:32 allowed to do
00:24:32 --> 00:24:32 that.
00:24:33 --> 00:24:33 Of course,
00:24:33 --> 00:24:34 Donald Trump
00:24:34 --> 00:24:35 went and
00:24:35 --> 00:24:36 redid that
00:24:36 --> 00:24:38 photo with
00:24:38 --> 00:24:38 his grandson
00:24:38 --> 00:24:39 under the
00:24:39 --> 00:24:40 desk, just
00:24:40 --> 00:24:40 so that he
00:24:40 --> 00:24:41 can go down
00:24:41 --> 00:24:41 to history
00:24:41 --> 00:24:42 as well.
00:24:43 --> 00:24:45 But if I
00:24:45 --> 00:24:45 just decide
00:24:45 --> 00:24:46 to do
00:24:46 --> 00:24:48 that, I'd
00:24:48 --> 00:24:48 be stopped.
00:24:48 --> 00:24:49 If I ran
00:24:49 --> 00:24:51 towards the
00:24:51 --> 00:24:51 president, I'd
00:24:51 --> 00:24:53 be shut if
00:24:53 --> 00:24:53 the Secret
00:24:53 --> 00:24:54 Service is
00:24:54 --> 00:24:54 working.
00:24:55 --> 00:24:55 As a
00:24:55 --> 00:24:56 child of
00:24:56 --> 00:24:57 God, we
00:24:57 --> 00:24:59 have access
00:24:59 --> 00:25:00 to God
00:25:00 --> 00:25:01 without
00:25:01 --> 00:25:02 appointments,
00:25:03 --> 00:25:04 free access
00:25:04 --> 00:25:04 to the
00:25:04 --> 00:25:05 creator of
00:25:05 --> 00:25:06 the universe,
00:25:06 --> 00:25:07 and we
00:25:07 --> 00:25:08 can boldly
00:25:08 --> 00:25:08 run into
00:25:08 --> 00:25:09 his arms.
00:25:09 --> 00:25:10 He is our
00:25:10 --> 00:25:10 father.
00:25:13 --> 00:25:14 Adoption
00:25:14 --> 00:25:15 also means
00:25:15 --> 00:25:15 inheritance,
00:25:17 --> 00:25:17 which is
00:25:17 --> 00:25:18 why here
00:25:18 --> 00:25:19 in this
00:25:19 --> 00:25:19 verse,
00:25:19 --> 00:25:21 it's
00:25:21 --> 00:25:21 why the
00:25:21 --> 00:25:22 emphasis
00:25:22 --> 00:25:23 is
00:25:23 --> 00:25:23 specific
00:25:23 --> 00:25:24 that we
00:25:24 --> 00:25:25 are being
00:25:25 --> 00:25:25 adopted
00:25:25 --> 00:25:26 as
00:25:26 --> 00:25:27 sons of
00:25:27 --> 00:25:28 God.
00:25:28 --> 00:25:28 Not sons
00:25:28 --> 00:25:29 and daughters,
00:25:30 --> 00:25:31 sons.
00:25:32 --> 00:25:32 You know,
00:25:32 --> 00:25:32 Paul,
00:25:33 --> 00:25:33 a bit more
00:25:33 --> 00:25:33 inclusive
00:25:33 --> 00:25:34 language.
00:25:34 --> 00:25:35 The word
00:25:35 --> 00:25:36 sons is
00:25:36 --> 00:25:36 inclusive
00:25:36 --> 00:25:37 language.
00:25:39 --> 00:25:40 In the
00:25:40 --> 00:25:40 culture that
00:25:40 --> 00:25:41 Paul is
00:25:41 --> 00:25:41 writing into
00:25:41 --> 00:25:42 here,
00:25:43 --> 00:25:44 only sons
00:25:44 --> 00:25:46 could be
00:25:46 --> 00:25:47 heirs and
00:25:47 --> 00:25:48 inherit the
00:25:48 --> 00:25:49 estate of
00:25:49 --> 00:25:49 the
00:25:49 --> 00:25:50 father.
00:25:53 --> 00:25:53 And what
00:25:53 --> 00:25:54 it's saying
00:25:54 --> 00:25:55 here is
00:25:55 --> 00:25:55 that as
00:25:55 --> 00:25:56 adopted,
00:25:56 --> 00:25:57 all people,
00:25:57 --> 00:25:57 male,
00:25:57 --> 00:25:57 female,
00:25:58 --> 00:25:58 know who
00:25:58 --> 00:25:58 you are,
00:25:58 --> 00:25:58 whatever
00:25:58 --> 00:25:59 culture you
00:25:59 --> 00:25:59 are,
00:25:59 --> 00:26:00 as you
00:26:00 --> 00:26:00 adopted
00:26:00 --> 00:26:02 into the
00:26:02 --> 00:26:03 family,
00:26:04 --> 00:26:04 as you
00:26:04 --> 00:26:05 inherit the
00:26:05 --> 00:26:05 family,
00:26:05 --> 00:26:06 you are
00:26:06 --> 00:26:07 co-heirs of
00:26:07 --> 00:26:08 the future
00:26:08 --> 00:26:09 with Christ.
00:26:10 --> 00:26:11 Whoever you
00:26:11 --> 00:26:11 are,
00:26:12 --> 00:26:13 co-heirs.
00:26:14 --> 00:26:14 We don't know
00:26:14 --> 00:26:15 completely what
00:26:15 --> 00:26:16 that means,
00:26:16 --> 00:26:16 but Jesus
00:26:16 --> 00:26:17 says the
00:26:17 --> 00:26:17 meek will
00:26:17 --> 00:26:18 inherit the
00:26:18 --> 00:26:18 earth.
00:26:20 --> 00:26:21 Adoption also
00:26:21 --> 00:26:22 means security.
00:26:23 --> 00:26:24 If you're an
00:26:24 --> 00:26:24 employee,
00:26:25 --> 00:26:26 how long does
00:26:26 --> 00:26:26 an employer
00:26:26 --> 00:26:27 put up with
00:26:27 --> 00:26:27 your bad
00:26:27 --> 00:26:28 behaviour and
00:26:28 --> 00:26:29 your failures?
00:26:29 --> 00:26:30 Everyone has
00:26:30 --> 00:26:30 their limit,
00:26:30 --> 00:26:31 I suppose.
00:26:33 --> 00:26:34 But how long
00:26:34 --> 00:26:34 does a parent
00:26:34 --> 00:26:35 put up with
00:26:35 --> 00:26:35 the waywardness
00:26:35 --> 00:26:36 of a child?
00:26:39 --> 00:26:40 Kind of
00:26:40 --> 00:26:40 forever in
00:26:40 --> 00:26:41 one way or
00:26:41 --> 00:26:41 another.
00:26:43 --> 00:26:44 Carried in
00:26:44 --> 00:26:44 their heart
00:26:44 --> 00:26:45 all of their
00:26:45 --> 00:26:45 life.
00:26:46 --> 00:26:48 God is
00:26:48 --> 00:26:49 our father
00:26:49 --> 00:26:49 and we
00:26:49 --> 00:26:50 are secure
00:26:50 --> 00:26:50 in his
00:26:50 --> 00:26:50 love.
00:26:51 --> 00:26:52 That's
00:26:52 --> 00:26:52 adoption to
00:26:52 --> 00:26:53 sons and
00:26:53 --> 00:26:53 you could
00:26:53 --> 00:26:54 just unpack
00:26:54 --> 00:26:55 that more
00:26:55 --> 00:26:55 and more.
00:26:56 --> 00:26:56 But the
00:26:56 --> 00:26:56 pride of
00:26:56 --> 00:26:57 place here
00:26:57 --> 00:26:57 is redemption.
00:26:59 --> 00:26:59 In verse
00:26:59 --> 00:27:00 seven we are
00:27:00 --> 00:27:00 told,
00:27:00 --> 00:27:01 in him we
00:27:01 --> 00:27:02 have
00:27:02 --> 00:27:03 redemption.
00:27:03 --> 00:27:04 Now
00:27:04 --> 00:27:04 redemption
00:27:04 --> 00:27:06 is a
00:27:06 --> 00:27:06 loaded
00:27:06 --> 00:27:07 word.
00:27:08 --> 00:27:09 It's
00:27:09 --> 00:27:10 interchangeable
00:27:10 --> 00:27:11 with the
00:27:11 --> 00:27:11 word
00:27:11 --> 00:27:11 ransom,
00:27:12 --> 00:27:13 which is
00:27:13 --> 00:27:14 a little
00:27:14 --> 00:27:14 bit more
00:27:14 --> 00:27:16 than
00:27:16 --> 00:27:18 paying a
00:27:18 --> 00:27:18 debt.
00:27:19 --> 00:27:20 Redemption
00:27:20 --> 00:27:20 is a
00:27:20 --> 00:27:20 little bit
00:27:20 --> 00:27:20 more than
00:27:20 --> 00:27:21 paying a
00:27:21 --> 00:27:21 debt.
00:27:21 --> 00:27:22 For
00:27:22 --> 00:27:22 instance,
00:27:22 --> 00:27:23 in New
00:27:23 --> 00:27:23 South
00:27:23 --> 00:27:24 Wales,
00:27:25 --> 00:27:26 there are
00:27:26 --> 00:27:27 certain
00:27:27 --> 00:27:27 violations
00:27:27 --> 00:27:29 that you
00:27:29 --> 00:27:29 could do
00:27:29 --> 00:27:31 which would
00:27:31 --> 00:27:32 mean that
00:27:32 --> 00:27:33 your car
00:27:33 --> 00:27:33 would be
00:27:33 --> 00:27:34 impounded.
00:27:35 --> 00:27:36 Certain
00:27:36 --> 00:27:36 violations.
00:27:37 --> 00:27:38 Your car
00:27:38 --> 00:27:39 would be
00:27:39 --> 00:27:39 towed and
00:27:39 --> 00:27:40 locked away
00:27:40 --> 00:27:41 and it
00:27:41 --> 00:27:42 would be
00:27:42 --> 00:27:42 locked away
00:27:42 --> 00:27:43 until you
00:27:43 --> 00:27:44 paid the
00:27:44 --> 00:27:44 fines.
00:27:46 --> 00:27:47 And when
00:27:47 --> 00:27:48 you pay
00:27:48 --> 00:27:49 the fine,
00:27:49 --> 00:27:50 whatever is
00:27:50 --> 00:27:51 owed,
00:27:51 --> 00:27:51 when you
00:27:51 --> 00:27:51 pay the
00:27:51 --> 00:27:52 fine,
00:27:53 --> 00:27:54 your car
00:27:54 --> 00:27:55 gets released
00:27:55 --> 00:27:55 from
00:27:55 --> 00:27:56 captivity.
00:27:58 --> 00:27:59 It's not
00:27:59 --> 00:28:00 just paying
00:28:00 --> 00:28:00 a debt,
00:28:01 --> 00:28:01 it's paying
00:28:01 --> 00:28:02 the debt
00:28:02 --> 00:28:02 so that you
00:28:02 --> 00:28:02 might be
00:28:02 --> 00:28:03 released from
00:28:03 --> 00:28:04 captivity.
00:28:06 --> 00:28:06 You
00:28:06 --> 00:28:07 liberate it.
00:28:10 --> 00:28:11 Now,
00:28:11 --> 00:28:11 Indian
00:28:11 --> 00:28:12 lawyer and
00:28:12 --> 00:28:12 activist
00:28:12 --> 00:28:13 Mahatma Gandhi
00:28:13 --> 00:28:14 said that,
00:28:15 --> 00:28:16 quite interestingly,
00:28:16 --> 00:28:16 and I would
00:28:16 --> 00:28:17 agree with him
00:28:17 --> 00:28:17 on this,
00:28:18 --> 00:28:18 that both
00:28:18 --> 00:28:19 Eastern and
00:28:19 --> 00:28:19 Western
00:28:19 --> 00:28:20 religions
00:28:20 --> 00:28:22 agree that
00:28:22 --> 00:28:23 every human
00:28:23 --> 00:28:24 being is
00:28:24 --> 00:28:24 not free.
00:28:26 --> 00:28:26 All
00:28:26 --> 00:28:27 humanity
00:28:27 --> 00:28:28 is
00:28:28 --> 00:28:28 enslaved.
00:28:29 --> 00:28:30 And Gandhi
00:28:30 --> 00:28:31 said,
00:28:31 --> 00:28:32 we are
00:28:32 --> 00:28:33 slaves to
00:28:33 --> 00:28:33 selfishness
00:28:33 --> 00:28:34 and the
00:28:34 --> 00:28:34 ego,
00:28:35 --> 00:28:36 which is a
00:28:36 --> 00:28:37 great description
00:28:37 --> 00:28:37 of what the
00:28:37 --> 00:28:38 Bible calls
00:28:38 --> 00:28:38 sin.
00:28:40 --> 00:28:41 We are
00:28:41 --> 00:28:42 always
00:28:42 --> 00:28:43 grasping at
00:28:43 --> 00:28:44 things because
00:28:44 --> 00:28:45 our egos
00:28:45 --> 00:28:46 are so
00:28:46 --> 00:28:46 needy.
00:28:46 --> 00:28:47 We're
00:28:47 --> 00:28:47 grasping at
00:28:47 --> 00:28:48 power and
00:28:48 --> 00:28:49 money and
00:28:49 --> 00:28:49 beauty and
00:28:49 --> 00:28:50 status and
00:28:50 --> 00:28:50 popularity and
00:28:50 --> 00:28:51 recognition because
00:28:51 --> 00:28:52 our egos are
00:28:52 --> 00:28:53 so needy.
00:28:55 --> 00:28:55 And Gandhi
00:28:55 --> 00:28:56 went on to
00:28:56 --> 00:28:58 say that
00:28:58 --> 00:28:58 Christianity
00:28:58 --> 00:29:00 helps because
00:29:00 --> 00:29:01 in Jesus,
00:29:01 --> 00:29:02 and Gandhi was
00:29:02 --> 00:29:02 not a
00:29:02 --> 00:29:03 Christian at
00:29:03 --> 00:29:03 all,
00:29:04 --> 00:29:04 Christianity
00:29:04 --> 00:29:06 helps because
00:29:06 --> 00:29:07 he says,
00:29:07 --> 00:29:08 in Jesus,
00:29:08 --> 00:29:09 we have a
00:29:09 --> 00:29:09 way to be
00:29:09 --> 00:29:11 free from
00:29:11 --> 00:29:12 the selfishness
00:29:12 --> 00:29:13 and egocentricity
00:29:13 --> 00:29:14 that enslaves
00:29:14 --> 00:29:16 us purely
00:29:16 --> 00:29:17 by the
00:29:17 --> 00:29:18 example of
00:29:18 --> 00:29:18 Jesus.
00:29:20 --> 00:29:20 And so
00:29:20 --> 00:29:20 for him,
00:29:21 --> 00:29:21 the Sermon
00:29:21 --> 00:29:22 of the
00:29:22 --> 00:29:23 Mount was
00:29:23 --> 00:29:23 the pinnacle
00:29:23 --> 00:29:25 of Christian
00:29:25 --> 00:29:25 teaching.
00:29:28 --> 00:29:28 And so
00:29:28 --> 00:29:28 for him,
00:29:29 --> 00:29:29 Jesus was
00:29:29 --> 00:29:30 the ultimate
00:29:30 --> 00:29:32 example of
00:29:32 --> 00:29:33 nonviolence to
00:29:33 --> 00:29:33 which he
00:29:33 --> 00:29:34 modelled his
00:29:34 --> 00:29:35 life on.
00:29:36 --> 00:29:37 He's the
00:29:37 --> 00:29:37 ultimate
00:29:37 --> 00:29:38 example of
00:29:38 --> 00:29:38 giving up a
00:29:38 --> 00:29:39 power and
00:29:39 --> 00:29:40 wealth and
00:29:40 --> 00:29:41 influence and
00:29:41 --> 00:29:41 the ultimate
00:29:41 --> 00:29:42 example of
00:29:42 --> 00:29:43 sacrificial service
00:29:43 --> 00:29:44 of others.
00:29:45 --> 00:29:45 And he
00:29:45 --> 00:29:47 suggested that
00:29:47 --> 00:29:48 when we see
00:29:48 --> 00:29:49 Jesus
00:29:49 --> 00:29:51 forgiving,
00:29:51 --> 00:29:52 loving,
00:29:52 --> 00:29:52 serving,
00:29:52 --> 00:29:53 dying for
00:29:53 --> 00:29:53 others,
00:29:53 --> 00:29:54 it will move
00:29:54 --> 00:29:55 us and
00:29:55 --> 00:29:56 liberate us
00:29:56 --> 00:29:57 from our
00:29:57 --> 00:29:57 selfishness and
00:29:57 --> 00:29:58 our ego.
00:30:01 --> 00:30:01 Now,
00:30:01 --> 00:30:01 with all due
00:30:01 --> 00:30:02 respect to
00:30:02 --> 00:30:02 Gandhi for
00:30:02 --> 00:30:05 his accomplishments
00:30:05 --> 00:30:06 in life and
00:30:06 --> 00:30:07 I respect
00:30:07 --> 00:30:08 them,
00:30:09 --> 00:30:10 he missed
00:30:10 --> 00:30:12 Christianity.
00:30:13 --> 00:30:14 He missed
00:30:14 --> 00:30:15 the point of
00:30:15 --> 00:30:15 it all.
00:30:18 --> 00:30:18 You see,
00:30:18 --> 00:30:19 seeing the
00:30:19 --> 00:30:20 amazing life
00:30:20 --> 00:30:20 of Jesus
00:30:20 --> 00:30:24 and trying
00:30:24 --> 00:30:25 to live up
00:30:25 --> 00:30:25 to that,
00:30:26 --> 00:30:29 it will crush
00:30:29 --> 00:30:29 you,
00:30:30 --> 00:30:31 make you feel
00:30:31 --> 00:30:32 worse than you
00:30:32 --> 00:30:33 already feel about
00:30:33 --> 00:30:33 yourself.
00:30:34 --> 00:30:35 Trying to
00:30:35 --> 00:30:36 be him
00:30:36 --> 00:30:37 would end up
00:30:37 --> 00:30:38 crushing us
00:30:38 --> 00:30:38 under the
00:30:38 --> 00:30:39 weight of
00:30:39 --> 00:30:40 expectations that
00:30:40 --> 00:30:41 we can never
00:30:41 --> 00:30:41 meet.
00:30:43 --> 00:30:43 We would be
00:30:43 --> 00:30:44 cursed,
00:30:44 --> 00:30:45 not blessed.
00:30:46 --> 00:30:47 We don't
00:30:47 --> 00:30:47 need someone to
00:30:47 --> 00:30:48 live up to,
00:30:49 --> 00:30:49 we need someone
00:30:49 --> 00:30:51 to liberate us,
00:30:52 --> 00:30:53 to redeem us,
00:30:56 --> 00:30:56 to set us
00:30:56 --> 00:30:57 free.
00:30:57 --> 00:30:59 and that
00:30:59 --> 00:31:01 is at the
00:31:01 --> 00:31:02 centre of
00:31:02 --> 00:31:02 God's plan
00:31:02 --> 00:31:03 to bless.
00:31:04 --> 00:31:04 And the
00:31:04 --> 00:31:05 key that
00:31:05 --> 00:31:05 unlocks
00:31:05 --> 00:31:06 every
00:31:06 --> 00:31:07 spiritual
00:31:07 --> 00:31:07 blessing
00:31:07 --> 00:31:09 is verse
00:31:09 --> 00:31:09 seven.
00:31:10 --> 00:31:10 In him
00:31:10 --> 00:31:11 we have
00:31:11 --> 00:31:11 redemption
00:31:11 --> 00:31:12 through his
00:31:12 --> 00:31:13 blood,
00:31:13 --> 00:31:14 the forgiveness
00:31:14 --> 00:31:15 of sins.
00:31:15 --> 00:31:16 You see,
00:31:16 --> 00:31:16 if I see
00:31:16 --> 00:31:17 Jesus Christ
00:31:17 --> 00:31:17 loving,
00:31:18 --> 00:31:18 forgiving,
00:31:18 --> 00:31:19 serving,
00:31:19 --> 00:31:20 dying,
00:31:21 --> 00:31:22 not for
00:31:22 --> 00:31:23 others,
00:31:23 --> 00:31:25 but for
00:31:25 --> 00:31:25 me,
00:31:27 --> 00:31:28 doing all
00:31:28 --> 00:31:28 of that
00:31:28 --> 00:31:29 in my
00:31:29 --> 00:31:30 place,
00:31:31 --> 00:31:32 that's
00:31:32 --> 00:31:33 entirely
00:31:33 --> 00:31:33 different.
00:31:36 --> 00:31:36 Jesus
00:31:36 --> 00:31:36 Christ,
00:31:37 --> 00:31:37 God the
00:31:37 --> 00:31:37 Son,
00:31:38 --> 00:31:38 came to
00:31:38 --> 00:31:39 earth and
00:31:39 --> 00:31:39 took on
00:31:39 --> 00:31:40 human flesh.
00:31:40 --> 00:31:41 He sided
00:31:41 --> 00:31:42 with us
00:31:42 --> 00:31:43 so that
00:31:43 --> 00:31:43 he could
00:31:43 --> 00:31:45 represent us
00:31:45 --> 00:31:46 to God.
00:31:46 --> 00:31:49 not only
00:31:49 --> 00:31:49 took on
00:31:49 --> 00:31:50 our
00:31:50 --> 00:31:50 identity,
00:31:51 --> 00:31:52 he took
00:31:52 --> 00:31:52 on our
00:31:52 --> 00:31:53 sin.
00:31:55 --> 00:31:56 He died
00:31:56 --> 00:31:56 on a
00:31:56 --> 00:31:57 Roman cross
00:31:57 --> 00:31:58 to pay
00:31:58 --> 00:31:59 the debt
00:31:59 --> 00:32:00 that we
00:32:00 --> 00:32:00 owe to
00:32:00 --> 00:32:01 God for
00:32:01 --> 00:32:01 our
00:32:01 --> 00:32:03 egocentricity.
00:32:04 --> 00:32:05 The debt
00:32:05 --> 00:32:06 that keeps
00:32:06 --> 00:32:07 us enslaved
00:32:07 --> 00:32:08 to ourselves,
00:32:09 --> 00:32:09 captive to
00:32:09 --> 00:32:10 ourselves.
00:32:12 --> 00:32:12 And in
00:32:12 --> 00:32:13 paying that
00:32:13 --> 00:32:13 debt he
00:32:13 --> 00:32:14 has set us
00:32:14 --> 00:32:14 free,
00:32:15 --> 00:32:15 he's
00:32:15 --> 00:32:15 redeemed
00:32:15 --> 00:32:16 us,
00:32:16 --> 00:32:16 he has
00:32:16 --> 00:32:17 ransomed
00:32:17 --> 00:32:17 us back
00:32:17 --> 00:32:18 into
00:32:18 --> 00:32:18 relationship
00:32:18 --> 00:32:19 with God,
00:32:20 --> 00:32:21 part of
00:32:21 --> 00:32:22 his bride
00:32:22 --> 00:32:22 for his
00:32:22 --> 00:32:22 son,
00:32:23 --> 00:32:23 his church,
00:32:24 --> 00:32:24 his plan.
00:32:26 --> 00:32:26 The
00:32:26 --> 00:32:27 limitless
00:32:27 --> 00:32:27 God
00:32:27 --> 00:32:29 became
00:32:29 --> 00:32:29 limited
00:32:29 --> 00:32:30 to human
00:32:30 --> 00:32:31 flesh,
00:32:32 --> 00:32:32 nailed
00:32:32 --> 00:32:33 fast
00:32:33 --> 00:32:34 to a
00:32:34 --> 00:32:35 Roman
00:32:35 --> 00:32:35 cross,
00:32:36 --> 00:32:36 enclosed
00:32:36 --> 00:32:37 in a
00:32:37 --> 00:32:37 tomb
00:32:37 --> 00:32:40 to set
00:32:40 --> 00:32:40 us
00:32:40 --> 00:32:40 free.
00:32:40 --> 00:32:45 to pay
00:32:45 --> 00:32:45 our
00:32:45 --> 00:32:46 debt
00:32:46 --> 00:32:48 he
00:32:48 --> 00:32:48 was
00:32:48 --> 00:32:49 cursed
00:32:49 --> 00:32:51 so that
00:32:51 --> 00:32:52 we might
00:32:52 --> 00:32:52 be blessed.
00:32:54 --> 00:32:55 And why
00:32:55 --> 00:32:55 would he
00:32:55 --> 00:32:56 bother to
00:32:56 --> 00:32:56 do that?
00:32:58 --> 00:32:58 Why?
00:33:00 --> 00:33:01 Because we
00:33:01 --> 00:33:01 were the
00:33:01 --> 00:33:02 best option
00:33:02 --> 00:33:03 as a bride
00:33:03 --> 00:33:03 for his
00:33:03 --> 00:33:04 son when
00:33:04 --> 00:33:05 he looked
00:33:05 --> 00:33:05 at all
00:33:05 --> 00:33:05 of humanity?
00:33:06 --> 00:33:06 No.
00:33:07 --> 00:33:07 Verse 4,
00:33:07 --> 00:33:09 in love
00:33:09 --> 00:33:09 he
00:33:09 --> 00:33:09 predestines
00:33:09 --> 00:33:10 us.
00:33:10 --> 00:33:10 Verse 7,
00:33:10 --> 00:33:11 we have
00:33:11 --> 00:33:11 redemption
00:33:11 --> 00:33:12 in accordance
00:33:12 --> 00:33:13 with the
00:33:13 --> 00:33:14 riches of
00:33:14 --> 00:33:14 his grace.
00:33:14 --> 00:33:15 Verse 9,
00:33:16 --> 00:33:16 he may
00:33:16 --> 00:33:16 know to
00:33:16 --> 00:33:17 us the
00:33:17 --> 00:33:17 mystery of
00:33:17 --> 00:33:17 his will
00:33:17 --> 00:33:18 according
00:33:18 --> 00:33:20 to his
00:33:20 --> 00:33:20 good
00:33:20 --> 00:33:20 pleasure.
00:33:22 --> 00:33:23 All
00:33:23 --> 00:33:24 because of
00:33:24 --> 00:33:25 his love,
00:33:26 --> 00:33:27 his grace,
00:33:28 --> 00:33:29 his pleasure.
00:33:29 --> 00:33:35 which brings
00:33:35 --> 00:33:37 me to
00:33:37 --> 00:33:38 us and
00:33:38 --> 00:33:39 where we
00:33:39 --> 00:33:39 are and
00:33:39 --> 00:33:40 as we
00:33:40 --> 00:33:40 think about
00:33:40 --> 00:33:41 our future
00:33:41 --> 00:33:42 together.
00:33:44 --> 00:33:44 Receiving
00:33:44 --> 00:33:44 every
00:33:44 --> 00:33:45 spiritual
00:33:45 --> 00:33:46 blessing in
00:33:46 --> 00:33:46 God's
00:33:46 --> 00:33:47 grace to
00:33:47 --> 00:33:47 us in
00:33:47 --> 00:33:48 the Lord
00:33:48 --> 00:33:48 Jesus has
00:33:48 --> 00:33:49 a profound
00:33:49 --> 00:33:50 impact on
00:33:50 --> 00:33:50 your life.
00:33:52 --> 00:33:53 You spend
00:33:53 --> 00:33:54 the rest of
00:33:54 --> 00:33:54 your life
00:33:54 --> 00:33:55 realizing
00:33:55 --> 00:33:56 this blessing
00:33:56 --> 00:33:57 by working
00:33:57 --> 00:33:58 it into
00:33:58 --> 00:33:58 your heart
00:33:58 --> 00:34:00 until it
00:34:00 --> 00:34:00 shapes
00:34:00 --> 00:34:02 who you
00:34:02 --> 00:34:02 are by
00:34:02 --> 00:34:03 conforming
00:34:03 --> 00:34:04 you to
00:34:04 --> 00:34:04 the image
00:34:04 --> 00:34:05 of the
00:34:05 --> 00:34:05 bridegroom.
00:34:07 --> 00:34:08 And these
00:34:08 --> 00:34:09 verses give
00:34:09 --> 00:34:09 us one
00:34:09 --> 00:34:10 important way
00:34:10 --> 00:34:11 that it
00:34:11 --> 00:34:12 changes us.
00:34:13 --> 00:34:13 One important
00:34:13 --> 00:34:14 way.
00:34:14 --> 00:34:14 We're going
00:34:14 --> 00:34:15 to see more
00:34:15 --> 00:34:16 changes as we
00:34:16 --> 00:34:16 go through
00:34:16 --> 00:34:17 the rest of
00:34:17 --> 00:34:17 Ephesians.
00:34:17 --> 00:34:18 But
00:34:18 --> 00:34:23 verse 6,
00:34:24 --> 00:34:25 to the
00:34:25 --> 00:34:25 praise of
00:34:25 --> 00:34:26 his glorious
00:34:26 --> 00:34:26 grace.
00:34:27 --> 00:34:28 Verse 12,
00:34:28 --> 00:34:29 for the
00:34:29 --> 00:34:30 praise of
00:34:30 --> 00:34:31 his glory.
00:34:31 --> 00:34:32 Verse 14,
00:34:33 --> 00:34:33 for the
00:34:33 --> 00:34:34 praise of
00:34:34 --> 00:34:35 his glory.
00:34:36 --> 00:34:37 When
00:34:37 --> 00:34:40 you have
00:34:40 --> 00:34:40 every
00:34:40 --> 00:34:41 spiritual
00:34:41 --> 00:34:42 blessing
00:34:42 --> 00:34:42 through
00:34:42 --> 00:34:43 Jesus
00:34:43 --> 00:34:44 in
00:34:44 --> 00:34:44 Christ,
00:34:45 --> 00:34:46 you don't
00:34:46 --> 00:34:46 just
00:34:46 --> 00:34:47 assent to
00:34:47 --> 00:34:48 believe that
00:34:48 --> 00:34:49 in your
00:34:49 --> 00:34:49 mind.
00:34:51 --> 00:34:52 It
00:34:52 --> 00:34:53 becomes
00:34:53 --> 00:34:53 glorious
00:34:53 --> 00:34:54 to you.
00:34:55 --> 00:34:55 It
00:34:55 --> 00:34:56 becomes
00:34:56 --> 00:34:57 praiseworthy
00:34:57 --> 00:34:58 to you.
00:34:59 --> 00:34:59 In other
00:34:59 --> 00:34:59 words,
00:35:00 --> 00:35:01 you move
00:35:01 --> 00:35:01 from
00:35:01 --> 00:35:02 praising
00:35:02 --> 00:35:03 and seeking
00:35:03 --> 00:35:03 the glory
00:35:03 --> 00:35:04 of self
00:35:04 --> 00:35:04 and your
00:35:04 --> 00:35:05 egocentricity,
00:35:06 --> 00:35:06 working for
00:35:06 --> 00:35:06 that,
00:35:07 --> 00:35:08 and you
00:35:08 --> 00:35:09 turn beyond
00:35:09 --> 00:35:10 yourself to
00:35:10 --> 00:35:11 praise his
00:35:11 --> 00:35:12 glorious grace.
00:35:12 --> 00:35:15 God
00:35:15 --> 00:35:16 in other
00:35:16 --> 00:35:16 words,
00:35:16 --> 00:35:16 what it
00:35:16 --> 00:35:17 means is
00:35:17 --> 00:35:19 as
00:35:19 --> 00:35:20 God
00:35:20 --> 00:35:20 looks at
00:35:20 --> 00:35:21 his
00:35:21 --> 00:35:21 church,
00:35:22 --> 00:35:22 the bride
00:35:22 --> 00:35:22 for his
00:35:22 --> 00:35:23 son,
00:35:23 --> 00:35:23 and says,
00:35:23 --> 00:35:24 it is
00:35:24 --> 00:35:24 beautiful
00:35:24 --> 00:35:25 to me,
00:35:26 --> 00:35:27 you
00:35:27 --> 00:35:28 look to
00:35:28 --> 00:35:29 God
00:35:29 --> 00:35:30 and his
00:35:30 --> 00:35:30 son and
00:35:30 --> 00:35:31 you say,
00:35:31 --> 00:35:32 he is
00:35:32 --> 00:35:33 beautiful
00:35:33 --> 00:35:33 to me.
00:35:36 --> 00:35:36 He
00:35:36 --> 00:35:37 has
00:35:37 --> 00:35:38 captured
00:35:38 --> 00:35:38 my
00:35:38 --> 00:35:39 heart.
00:35:39 --> 00:35:42 He
00:35:42 --> 00:35:43 captures
00:35:43 --> 00:35:43 my
00:35:43 --> 00:35:44 imagination.
00:35:45 --> 00:35:46 You
00:35:46 --> 00:35:46 praise
00:35:46 --> 00:35:46 his
00:35:46 --> 00:35:47 grace,
00:35:47 --> 00:35:47 you
00:35:47 --> 00:35:47 lift
00:35:47 --> 00:35:47 your
00:35:47 --> 00:35:48 voice
00:35:48 --> 00:35:48 and
00:35:48 --> 00:35:48 you
00:35:48 --> 00:35:49 sing.
00:35:53 --> 00:35:53 You
00:35:53 --> 00:35:53 see,
00:35:53 --> 00:35:53 this is
00:35:53 --> 00:35:54 not just
00:35:54 --> 00:35:56 evidence
00:35:56 --> 00:35:56 of having
00:35:56 --> 00:35:57 received
00:35:57 --> 00:35:57 every
00:35:57 --> 00:35:58 spiritual
00:35:58 --> 00:35:58 blessing,
00:35:58 --> 00:35:59 but it's
00:35:59 --> 00:36:00 also the
00:36:00 --> 00:36:01 way that
00:36:01 --> 00:36:01 every
00:36:01 --> 00:36:02 spiritual
00:36:02 --> 00:36:02 blessing
00:36:02 --> 00:36:03 works its
00:36:03 --> 00:36:04 way into
00:36:04 --> 00:36:04 your
00:36:04 --> 00:36:05 life.
00:36:06 --> 00:36:07 Praising
00:36:07 --> 00:36:08 the glory
00:36:08 --> 00:36:09 of his
00:36:09 --> 00:36:09 grace
00:36:09 --> 00:36:11 in every
00:36:11 --> 00:36:12 aspect of
00:36:12 --> 00:36:12 life.
00:36:16 --> 00:36:17 Is there
00:36:17 --> 00:36:18 nothing more
00:36:18 --> 00:36:18 beautiful?
00:36:20 --> 00:36:21 Is there
00:36:21 --> 00:36:22 nothing more
00:36:22 --> 00:36:23 captivating for
00:36:23 --> 00:36:24 the human
00:36:24 --> 00:36:24 heart?
00:36:26 --> 00:36:26 Nothing
00:36:26 --> 00:36:27 more glorious?
00:36:28 --> 00:36:28 Nothing
00:36:28 --> 00:36:29 more powerful?
00:36:33 --> 00:36:34 Nothing
00:36:34 --> 00:36:35 more moving?
00:36:37 --> 00:36:39 than someone
00:36:39 --> 00:36:40 giving their
00:36:40 --> 00:36:41 life for
00:36:41 --> 00:36:41 others.
00:36:43 --> 00:36:43 It's
00:36:43 --> 00:36:44 in whatever
00:36:44 --> 00:36:45 culture you
00:36:45 --> 00:36:46 come from,
00:36:46 --> 00:36:48 that is the
00:36:48 --> 00:36:49 most powerful
00:36:49 --> 00:36:50 narrative of
00:36:50 --> 00:36:50 life.
00:36:53 --> 00:36:53 We're
00:36:53 --> 00:36:54 amazed by
00:36:54 --> 00:36:55 the acts
00:36:55 --> 00:36:55 of those
00:36:55 --> 00:36:56 who intervened
00:36:56 --> 00:36:56 at grace
00:36:56 --> 00:36:57 risk to
00:36:57 --> 00:36:58 their own
00:36:58 --> 00:36:58 life to
00:36:58 --> 00:36:59 save others
00:36:59 --> 00:37:00 in the
00:37:00 --> 00:37:01 recent
00:37:01 --> 00:37:01 Bondi
00:37:01 --> 00:37:02 massacre.
00:37:03 --> 00:37:04 I'm amazed
00:37:04 --> 00:37:05 by those who
00:37:05 --> 00:37:05 jumped in the
00:37:05 --> 00:37:06 water,
00:37:06 --> 00:37:07 bloody water
00:37:07 --> 00:37:07 to rescue
00:37:07 --> 00:37:08 a shark,
00:37:08 --> 00:37:09 attack
00:37:09 --> 00:37:09 victim.
00:37:10 --> 00:37:10 Amazed
00:37:10 --> 00:37:11 by those
00:37:11 --> 00:37:11 people who
00:37:11 --> 00:37:12 do those
00:37:12 --> 00:37:12 things.
00:37:14 --> 00:37:15 And what
00:37:15 --> 00:37:16 Jesus done
00:37:16 --> 00:37:16 for us
00:37:16 --> 00:37:17 to bless
00:37:17 --> 00:37:17 us,
00:37:18 --> 00:37:18 it was
00:37:18 --> 00:37:20 not a
00:37:20 --> 00:37:21 rush of
00:37:21 --> 00:37:21 adrenaline.
00:37:23 --> 00:37:23 It wasn't
00:37:23 --> 00:37:24 a thoughtless
00:37:24 --> 00:37:25 act.
00:37:28 --> 00:37:28 It was
00:37:28 --> 00:37:29 planned
00:37:29 --> 00:37:30 before the
00:37:30 --> 00:37:31 creation of
00:37:31 --> 00:37:31 the world.
00:37:33 --> 00:37:34 There is
00:37:34 --> 00:37:34 no more
00:37:34 --> 00:37:35 powerful
00:37:35 --> 00:37:36 narrative
00:37:36 --> 00:37:36 structure,
00:37:36 --> 00:37:37 there is
00:37:37 --> 00:37:38 no more
00:37:38 --> 00:37:38 powerful
00:37:38 --> 00:37:38 moral
00:37:38 --> 00:37:39 beauty
00:37:39 --> 00:37:40 than
00:37:40 --> 00:37:41 sacrificial
00:37:41 --> 00:37:41 love.
00:37:46 --> 00:37:46 Especially
00:37:46 --> 00:37:48 a patient
00:37:48 --> 00:37:49 plan flowing
00:37:49 --> 00:37:50 from the
00:37:50 --> 00:37:50 heart of
00:37:50 --> 00:37:52 God in
00:37:52 --> 00:37:52 what Jesus
00:37:52 --> 00:37:53 done for
00:37:53 --> 00:37:55 us before
00:37:55 --> 00:37:56 he even
00:37:56 --> 00:37:57 created
00:37:57 --> 00:37:58 anything.
00:37:58 --> 00:38:01 Jesus
00:38:01 --> 00:38:01 did all
00:38:01 --> 00:38:02 of it
00:38:02 --> 00:38:02 to secure
00:38:02 --> 00:38:04 us for
00:38:04 --> 00:38:04 the
00:38:04 --> 00:38:04 eternal
00:38:04 --> 00:38:05 blessing,
00:38:05 --> 00:38:05 glory,
00:38:05 --> 00:38:06 and love
00:38:06 --> 00:38:07 that is
00:38:07 --> 00:38:08 his,
00:38:09 --> 00:38:09 that we
00:38:09 --> 00:38:10 might share
00:38:10 --> 00:38:10 in it.
00:38:11 --> 00:38:12 And those
00:38:12 --> 00:38:12 blessings
00:38:12 --> 00:38:14 change the
00:38:14 --> 00:38:15 driving center
00:38:15 --> 00:38:15 of your
00:38:15 --> 00:38:16 life.
00:38:17 --> 00:38:18 It will
00:38:18 --> 00:38:19 move you
00:38:19 --> 00:38:20 so that the
00:38:20 --> 00:38:20 things you
00:38:20 --> 00:38:21 used to find
00:38:21 --> 00:38:22 captivating no
00:38:22 --> 00:38:23 longer drive
00:38:23 --> 00:38:23 you,
00:38:24 --> 00:38:24 no longer
00:38:24 --> 00:38:25 captivate
00:38:25 --> 00:38:25 you.
00:38:27 --> 00:38:28 His
00:38:28 --> 00:38:28 glorious
00:38:28 --> 00:38:29 grace will
00:38:29 --> 00:38:30 captivate
00:38:30 --> 00:38:30 you,
00:38:31 --> 00:38:31 capture
00:38:31 --> 00:38:31 you,
00:38:31 --> 00:38:32 it will
00:38:32 --> 00:38:32 lift your
00:38:32 --> 00:38:33 heart to
00:38:33 --> 00:38:33 praise.
00:38:35 --> 00:38:36 And you
00:38:36 --> 00:38:36 will start
00:38:36 --> 00:38:37 to see that
00:38:37 --> 00:38:37 his plan to
00:38:37 --> 00:38:38 work all
00:38:38 --> 00:38:39 things through
00:38:39 --> 00:38:39 his church
00:38:39 --> 00:38:40 is beautiful.
00:38:41 --> 00:38:42 And you'll
00:38:42 --> 00:38:43 start to see
00:38:43 --> 00:38:44 his church,
00:38:44 --> 00:38:45 his bride,
00:38:45 --> 00:38:46 in a
00:38:46 --> 00:38:46 different way.
00:38:47 --> 00:38:48 It will
00:38:48 --> 00:38:49 become beautiful
00:38:49 --> 00:38:51 to you in
00:38:51 --> 00:38:51 such a way
00:38:51 --> 00:38:52 that you'll
00:38:52 --> 00:38:52 give yourself
00:38:52 --> 00:38:53 to it.
00:38:53 --> 00:38:55 Now one
00:38:55 --> 00:38:57 gift the
00:38:57 --> 00:38:58 Lord Jesus
00:38:58 --> 00:38:58 has given
00:38:58 --> 00:38:59 to his
00:38:59 --> 00:38:59 body,
00:38:59 --> 00:39:00 his bride,
00:39:00 --> 00:39:01 his church,
00:39:02 --> 00:39:02 was what we
00:39:02 --> 00:39:03 call the
00:39:03 --> 00:39:03 Lord's
00:39:03 --> 00:39:04 Supper.
00:39:06 --> 00:39:06 And in
00:39:06 --> 00:39:07 the Lord's
00:39:07 --> 00:39:07 Supper,
00:39:08 --> 00:39:09 what it
00:39:09 --> 00:39:09 does is it
00:39:09 --> 00:39:10 reminds us
00:39:10 --> 00:39:11 of the
00:39:11 --> 00:39:12 cross of
00:39:12 --> 00:39:13 Christ as
00:39:13 --> 00:39:14 the place
00:39:14 --> 00:39:15 of deliverance
00:39:15 --> 00:39:16 for us,
00:39:16 --> 00:39:16 the place
00:39:16 --> 00:39:17 of redemption
00:39:17 --> 00:39:18 for our
00:39:18 --> 00:39:18 sin,
00:39:18 --> 00:39:19 our death,
00:39:19 --> 00:39:20 and from
00:39:20 --> 00:39:20 hell.
00:39:21 --> 00:39:22 It reminds
00:39:22 --> 00:39:22 us of
00:39:22 --> 00:39:23 God's
00:39:23 --> 00:39:23 loving
00:39:23 --> 00:39:24 plan
00:39:24 --> 00:39:24 for us.
00:39:26 --> 00:39:27 I'm going
00:39:27 --> 00:39:28 to invite
00:39:28 --> 00:39:28 those who
00:39:28 --> 00:39:29 are serving
00:39:29 --> 00:39:30 to distribute
00:39:30 --> 00:39:31 that now
00:39:31 --> 00:39:32 as I
00:39:32 --> 00:39:33 continue.
00:39:34 --> 00:39:35 You see,
00:39:35 --> 00:39:37 when Jesus
00:39:37 --> 00:39:38 celebrated his
00:39:38 --> 00:39:39 last supper
00:39:39 --> 00:39:40 with his
00:39:40 --> 00:39:41 disciples,
00:39:41 --> 00:39:41 what they
00:39:41 --> 00:39:42 were celebrating
00:39:42 --> 00:39:42 was the
00:39:42 --> 00:39:42 Passover,
00:39:44 --> 00:39:44 which God
00:39:44 --> 00:39:45 had instituted
00:39:45 --> 00:39:46 in the Old
00:39:46 --> 00:39:47 Testament for
00:39:47 --> 00:39:47 his people
00:39:47 --> 00:39:48 to continue
00:39:48 --> 00:39:48 celebrating.
00:39:48 --> 00:39:50 and the
00:39:50 --> 00:39:51 Passover
00:39:51 --> 00:39:52 meal was
00:39:52 --> 00:39:53 about
00:39:53 --> 00:39:55 temporal
00:39:55 --> 00:39:55 redemption,
00:39:56 --> 00:39:57 temporal
00:39:57 --> 00:39:58 deliverance
00:39:58 --> 00:39:59 from captivity.
00:40:00 --> 00:40:00 The
00:40:00 --> 00:40:01 Lord's
00:40:01 --> 00:40:01 Supper
00:40:01 --> 00:40:03 in Jesus
00:40:03 --> 00:40:04 points to
00:40:04 --> 00:40:05 eternal
00:40:05 --> 00:40:06 deliverance.
00:40:08 --> 00:40:09 The
00:40:09 --> 00:40:09 Passover
00:40:09 --> 00:40:10 lamb had
00:40:10 --> 00:40:10 to be
00:40:10 --> 00:40:11 slaughtered
00:40:11 --> 00:40:12 every year.
00:40:13 --> 00:40:13 The
00:40:13 --> 00:40:13 Lord's
00:40:13 --> 00:40:13 Supper
00:40:13 --> 00:40:14 points us
00:40:14 --> 00:40:14 to the
00:40:14 --> 00:40:15 Lord Jesus
00:40:15 --> 00:40:16 who died
00:40:16 --> 00:40:17 a sufficient
00:40:17 --> 00:40:18 death for
00:40:18 --> 00:40:18 all people
00:40:18 --> 00:40:19 for all
00:40:19 --> 00:40:20 time to
00:40:20 --> 00:40:21 set us
00:40:21 --> 00:40:21 free.
00:40:23 --> 00:40:23 And so
00:40:23 --> 00:40:23 what the
00:40:23 --> 00:40:23 Lord's
00:40:23 --> 00:40:24 Supper
00:40:24 --> 00:40:25 does is
00:40:25 --> 00:40:26 it radiates
00:40:26 --> 00:40:27 with the
00:40:27 --> 00:40:28 glory of
00:40:28 --> 00:40:28 Christ
00:40:28 --> 00:40:32 in his
00:40:32 --> 00:40:33 flesh and
00:40:33 --> 00:40:33 his blood.
00:40:35 --> 00:40:35 And what it
00:40:35 --> 00:40:36 does is it
00:40:36 --> 00:40:37 causes us,
00:40:38 --> 00:40:39 his bride,
00:40:40 --> 00:40:42 to reflect
00:40:42 --> 00:40:44 back to
00:40:44 --> 00:40:45 when our
00:40:45 --> 00:40:45 sins were
00:40:45 --> 00:40:46 atoned
00:40:46 --> 00:40:46 for
00:40:46 --> 00:40:49 by our
00:40:49 --> 00:40:49 bridegroom,
00:40:50 --> 00:40:51 God's
00:40:51 --> 00:40:51 spotless
00:40:51 --> 00:40:52 lamb,
00:40:53 --> 00:40:54 while also
00:40:54 --> 00:40:55 looking forward,
00:40:55 --> 00:40:56 causing us to
00:40:56 --> 00:40:56 look forward
00:40:56 --> 00:40:58 to the
00:40:58 --> 00:40:59 great
00:40:59 --> 00:40:59 marriage
00:40:59 --> 00:41:00 supper of
00:41:00 --> 00:41:00 the lamb
00:41:00 --> 00:41:02 when we
00:41:02 --> 00:41:02 shall
00:41:02 --> 00:41:03 bask
00:41:03 --> 00:41:03 together
00:41:03 --> 00:41:04 in the
00:41:04 --> 00:41:05 resplendent
00:41:05 --> 00:41:06 glory of
00:41:06 --> 00:41:06 the Father.
00:41:08 --> 00:41:09 And these
00:41:09 --> 00:41:10 simple elements
00:41:10 --> 00:41:11 of these
00:41:11 --> 00:41:11 wafers and
00:41:11 --> 00:41:12 the juice
00:41:12 --> 00:41:12 that we're
00:41:12 --> 00:41:13 having this
00:41:13 --> 00:41:13 morning,
00:41:13 --> 00:41:15 as we
00:41:15 --> 00:41:16 participate in
00:41:16 --> 00:41:16 this and
00:41:16 --> 00:41:17 as we
00:41:17 --> 00:41:17 remember
00:41:17 --> 00:41:18 Christ,
00:41:18 --> 00:41:20 they become
00:41:20 --> 00:41:21 a beautifying
00:41:21 --> 00:41:23 influence on
00:41:23 --> 00:41:26 us as it
00:41:26 --> 00:41:27 demonstrates the
00:41:27 --> 00:41:28 importance of
00:41:28 --> 00:41:29 our remembering,
00:41:31 --> 00:41:33 the importance
00:41:33 --> 00:41:33 of our loving,
00:41:34 --> 00:41:35 and the
00:41:35 --> 00:41:36 importance of
00:41:36 --> 00:41:36 our examining.
00:41:37 --> 00:41:38 The Apostle
00:41:38 --> 00:41:39 Paul repeated
00:41:39 --> 00:41:40 the words of
00:41:40 --> 00:41:41 Jesus when he
00:41:41 --> 00:41:41 instructed the
00:41:41 --> 00:41:42 Corinthian church
00:41:42 --> 00:41:43 in the
00:41:43 --> 00:41:44 Lord's
00:41:44 --> 00:41:44 Supper,
00:41:44 --> 00:41:44 do this
00:41:44 --> 00:41:45 as often
00:41:45 --> 00:41:45 as you
00:41:45 --> 00:41:46 drink it
00:41:46 --> 00:41:46 in remembrance
00:41:46 --> 00:41:47 of me.
00:41:49 --> 00:41:50 In other
00:41:50 --> 00:41:50 words,
00:41:50 --> 00:41:51 the supper
00:41:51 --> 00:41:52 becomes a
00:41:52 --> 00:41:54 path to
00:41:54 --> 00:41:55 congregational
00:41:55 --> 00:41:57 beauty as
00:41:57 --> 00:41:58 we come
00:41:58 --> 00:41:59 together and
00:41:59 --> 00:42:01 remember our
00:42:01 --> 00:42:02 bridegroom.
00:42:02 --> 00:42:02 people.
00:42:05 --> 00:42:05 And he
00:42:05 --> 00:42:06 reminds the
00:42:06 --> 00:42:06 Corinthians
00:42:06 --> 00:42:07 again,
00:42:07 --> 00:42:08 because there
00:42:08 --> 00:42:09 is one
00:42:09 --> 00:42:09 bread,
00:42:09 --> 00:42:10 we who
00:42:10 --> 00:42:10 are many
00:42:10 --> 00:42:10 are one
00:42:10 --> 00:42:11 body,
00:42:11 --> 00:42:11 for we
00:42:11 --> 00:42:12 all partake
00:42:12 --> 00:42:12 in the
00:42:12 --> 00:42:13 one bread.
00:42:14 --> 00:42:15 What the
00:42:15 --> 00:42:16 early church
00:42:16 --> 00:42:16 did,
00:42:16 --> 00:42:17 which we've
00:42:17 --> 00:42:18 sort of
00:42:18 --> 00:42:18 shut down
00:42:18 --> 00:42:19 since COVID
00:42:19 --> 00:42:20 unfortunately,
00:42:20 --> 00:42:20 but what the
00:42:20 --> 00:42:21 early church
00:42:21 --> 00:42:21 did was they
00:42:21 --> 00:42:22 passed around
00:42:22 --> 00:42:23 one loaf of
00:42:23 --> 00:42:24 bread amongst
00:42:24 --> 00:42:25 the church,
00:42:25 --> 00:42:25 and each
00:42:25 --> 00:42:26 would pinch
00:42:26 --> 00:42:27 off a small
00:42:27 --> 00:42:28 piece of
00:42:28 --> 00:42:30 bread to
00:42:30 --> 00:42:31 celebrate the
00:42:31 --> 00:42:31 Lord's
00:42:31 --> 00:42:31 supper.
00:42:33 --> 00:42:33 And through
00:42:33 --> 00:42:35 that physical
00:42:35 --> 00:42:36 representation,
00:42:37 --> 00:42:38 the Apostle
00:42:38 --> 00:42:38 Paul was
00:42:38 --> 00:42:39 reminding you,
00:42:39 --> 00:42:39 you are one
00:42:39 --> 00:42:40 body, and
00:42:40 --> 00:42:41 your body is
00:42:41 --> 00:42:42 connected to
00:42:42 --> 00:42:43 the bread of
00:42:43 --> 00:42:44 life, Jesus,
00:42:45 --> 00:42:45 your bridegroom.
00:42:47 --> 00:42:48 And for this
00:42:48 --> 00:42:49 type of mutual
00:42:49 --> 00:42:50 love and
00:42:50 --> 00:42:51 reconciliation to
00:42:51 --> 00:42:52 be present in
00:42:52 --> 00:42:52 the life of
00:42:52 --> 00:42:53 the church,
00:42:53 --> 00:42:54 that's what
00:42:54 --> 00:42:55 we're doing as
00:42:55 --> 00:42:55 we participate
00:42:55 --> 00:42:57 in Christ.
00:43:00 --> 00:43:01 And also,
00:43:01 --> 00:43:03 it's also
00:43:03 --> 00:43:03 calling us to
00:43:03 --> 00:43:04 examine ourselves.
00:43:06 --> 00:43:07 When he said
00:43:07 --> 00:43:07 to the church
00:43:07 --> 00:43:08 of Corinth,
00:43:08 --> 00:43:08 whoever
00:43:08 --> 00:43:09 therefore eats
00:43:09 --> 00:43:10 the bread or
00:43:10 --> 00:43:11 drinks the
00:43:11 --> 00:43:11 cup of the
00:43:11 --> 00:43:12 Lord in an
00:43:12 --> 00:43:13 unmerthy manner
00:43:13 --> 00:43:13 will be guilty
00:43:13 --> 00:43:16 concerning the
00:43:16 --> 00:43:17 body and blood
00:43:17 --> 00:43:17 of the Lord.
00:43:19 --> 00:43:20 So let's just
00:43:20 --> 00:43:20 spend a moment
00:43:20 --> 00:43:24 to examine
00:43:24 --> 00:43:26 our hearts.
00:43:27 --> 00:43:27 And I wonder
00:43:27 --> 00:43:28 whether the
00:43:28 --> 00:43:29 quote of Spurgeon
00:43:29 --> 00:43:29 might be helpful
00:43:29 --> 00:43:31 here once again.
00:43:31 --> 00:43:32 Nothing in the
00:43:32 --> 00:43:33 world is dearer
00:43:33 --> 00:43:34 to God's heart
00:43:34 --> 00:43:35 than his
00:43:35 --> 00:43:35 church.
00:43:36 --> 00:43:37 Therefore,
00:43:37 --> 00:43:38 being his,
00:43:38 --> 00:43:39 let us belong
00:43:39 --> 00:43:39 to it,
00:43:40 --> 00:43:41 that by our
00:43:41 --> 00:43:42 prayers, our
00:43:42 --> 00:43:43 gifts, and our
00:43:43 --> 00:43:44 labours, we may
00:43:44 --> 00:43:45 support and
00:43:45 --> 00:43:45 strengthen it.
00:43:47 --> 00:43:48 Is God's
00:43:48 --> 00:43:50 plan in his
00:43:50 --> 00:43:52 church beautiful
00:43:52 --> 00:43:52 to you?
00:43:53 --> 00:43:54 And is that
00:43:54 --> 00:43:56 reflected in
00:43:56 --> 00:43:57 your life?
00:43:59 --> 00:43:59 Is his
00:43:59 --> 00:44:00 church beautiful?
00:44:01 --> 00:44:01
00:44:01 --> 00:44:01
00:44:01 --> 00:44:01
00:44:01 --> 00:44:01
00:44:01 --> 00:44:01
00:44:01 --> 00:44:01
00:44:01 --> 00:44:01
00:44:01 --> 00:44:01
00:44:01 --> 00:44:01
00:44:01 --> 00:44:01
00:44:01 --> 00:44:01
00:44:01 --> 00:44:01
00:44:01 --> 00:44:01
00:44:01 --> 00:44:01
00:44:01 --> 00:44:01
00:44:01 --> 00:44:01
00:44:01 --> 00:44:01
00:44:01 --> 00:44:01
00:44:01 --> 00:44:01
00:44:01 --> 00:44:01
00:44:01 --> 00:44:01
00:44:01 --> 00:44:01
00:44:01 --> 00:44:01
00:44:01 --> 00:44:01
00:44:01 --> 00:44:01
00:44:01 --> 00:44:01
00:44:01 --> 00:44:01
00:44:01 --> 00:44:01
00:44:01 --> 00:44:01
00:44:01 --> 00:44:01
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00:44:01 --> 00:44:01
00:44:01 --> 00:44:01
00:44:01 --> 00:44:01
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00:44:01 --> 00:44:01
00:44:01 --> 00:44:01
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00:44:01 --> 00:44:01
00:44:01 --> 00:44:01
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00:44:01 --> 00:44:01
00:44:01 --> 00:44:01
00:44:01 --> 00:44:01
00:44:01 --> 00:44:01
00:44:01 --> 00:44:31 Thank you.