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2 Corinthians 5:1-10 · Providence Baptist Church - Sermons

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Our text this morning is 2 Corinthians chapter 5.
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!
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How does what will occur affect us now?
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Romans 8, we just got finished.
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Nathan just got finished preaching through Romans 8.
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And it ends with the love of God.
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It ends with God's love being played out.
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For we receive future glory.
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And that nothing can take that away from us.
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Not even our sin.
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The future glory of being perfected.
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The future glory of no longer dealing with sin and death and suffering.
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The future glory of being perfect.
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That's what we're going to talk about this morning.
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When we talk about this future glory,
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there are two typical responses or reactions to it.
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One is that people don't understand it,
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so they take that teaching and they just kind of shelf it.
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They just kind of put it up on the shelf and say,
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okay, I'm going to just leave that alone.
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I don't really understand it, so let's just...
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The other reaction is,
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it's so far out there in the future
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that they take it and they just shelf it.
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They just put it up on the shelf and say,
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let's not worry about it.
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It's not anything that affects us right now.
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Well, in both cases, it doesn't affect us now.
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In both cases, it has nothing to do with us now
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because we ignore it.
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We just let it sit there.
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I don't know if this is a curse or this is a good thing,
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but I'm wired to ask the question, so what?
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So if I read something in the Bible,
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if I read some commandment,
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or if I read some story,
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I always ask the question, so what now?
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So why is this important?
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How does this really affect me now?
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What's the purpose of reading this?
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And this morning,
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I want to answer that question for us
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concerning future glory,
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our future glory.
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Now here's the important thing
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to answer, to talk about for a second.
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Our future glory affects our ministry now.
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I've already said that,
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and I want to make it clear to you
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that you guys are all ministers,
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not just me or Nathan
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or any other ordained pastor or reverend in here.
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You guys are all ministers of the gospel.
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In fact, that's one of the criteria
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or requirements of being a member
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of Christ's family church
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is you to accept that responsibility
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of being a minister.
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So when we're out,
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when we're living life with people,
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when we're trying to live out
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this Christian life,
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we are ministers.
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We are communicating a truth.
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And I want you to see this morning
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through our text,
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and hopefully through my words,
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that our future glory affects
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how we live,
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how we act,
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how our day is played out.
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So let me pray,
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and then I'll read our text,
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and we'll dig in.
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Father, I thank you for this moment in time.
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I thank you that you have called us here
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this morning to hear your word.
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God, I pray that I will hear your word
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this morning through you speaking to me.
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Pray, God, that all of us
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will receive your word this morning
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through you speaking to us.
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God, use me this morning.
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Let what is spoken not be my opinions,
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but let it be your word,
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your truth to us.
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God, I ask for boldness
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and for clarity of mind.
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God, that I can make much of you
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and little of me this morning.
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Help us to hear,
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not only hear,
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but to obey,
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to follow through,
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to live out
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what we hear this morning.
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We love you
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because you first loved us
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through your son Jesus,
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and it's in his wonderful name I pray.
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Amen.
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I'm going to start reading
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in chapter 4, verse 1.
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Our text is chapter 5,
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but I think when I read it,
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you guys understand,
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it kind of gives us a little bit of context
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for our text this morning.
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So starting in chapter 4, verse 1.
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Therefore,
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having this ministry by the mercy of God,
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we do not lose heart,
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but we have renounced
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disgraceful, underhanded ways.
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We refuse to practice cunning
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or to tamper with God's word.
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But by the open statement of the truth,
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we would commend ourselves
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to everyone's conscience
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in the sight of God.
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And even if our gospel is veiled,
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it is veiled only to those
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who are perishing.
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In their case,
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the God of this world
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has blinded the minds
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of the unbelievers
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to keep them from seeing
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the light of the gospel,
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the glory of Christ,
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who is the image of God.
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For what we proclaim
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is not ourselves,
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but Jesus Christ as Lord,
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with ourselves as your servants
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for Jesus' sake.
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For God, who said,
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let light shine out of darkness,
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has shown in our hearts
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to give the light
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of the knowledge
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of the glory of God
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in the face of Jesus Christ.
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But we have this treasure
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in jars of clay
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to show that the surpassing power
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belongs to God
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and not to us.
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We are afflicted in every way,
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but not crushed.
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Perplexed,
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but not driven to despair.
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Persecuted,
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but not forsaken.
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Struck down,
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but not destroyed.
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Always carrying in the body
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the death of Jesus,
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so that the life of Jesus
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may also be manifested
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in our bodies.
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For we who live
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are always being given over
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to death for Jesus' sake,
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so that the life of Jesus
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also may be manifested
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in our mortal flesh.
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So death is at work in us,
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but life in you.
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Since we have the same spirit of faith
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according to what has been written,
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I believed and so I spoke,
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we also believe,
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and so we also speak,
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knowing that He who raised
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the Lord Jesus
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will raise us also with Jesus
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and bring us with you
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into His presence.
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For it is all for your sake
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that as grace extends
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to more and more people,
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it may increase thanksgiving
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to the glory of God.
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So we do not lose heart.
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Though our outer self
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is wasting away,
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our inner self
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is being renewed day by day.
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For this light,
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momentary affliction
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is preparing for us
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an eternal weight of glory
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beyond all comparison.
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As we look not
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to the things that are seen,
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but the things that are unseen.
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For the things that are seen
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are transit,
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but the things that are unseen
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are eternal.
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For we know that at the tent
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that is our earthly home
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is destroyed,
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we have a building from God,
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a house not made with hands,
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eternal in the heavens.
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But in this tent we groan,
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longing to put on
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our heavenly dwelling.
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If indeed by putting it on
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we may not be found naked.
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For while we are still
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in this tent,
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we groan,
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being burdened,
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not that we will be unclothed,
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but that we will be
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further clothed,
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so that what is mortal
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may be swallowed up by life.
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He who has prepared us
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for this very thing
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is God,
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who has given us
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the Spirit
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as a guarantee.
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So we are always
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of good courage.
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We know that while
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we are at home in the body,
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we are away from the Lord.
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For we walk by faith,
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not by sight.
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Yes,
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we are of good courage,
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and we would rather
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be away from the body
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and at home with the Lord.
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So whether we are
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at home or away,
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we make it our aim
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to please Him.
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For we must all appear
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before the judgment seat
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of Christ,
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so that each one
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may receive what is due
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for what he has done
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in the body,
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whether good or evil.
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Therefore,
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knowing the fear
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of the Lord,
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we persuade others.
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But what we are
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is known to God,
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and I hope it is known
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also to your conscience.
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We are not commending
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ourselves to you again,
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but giving you cause
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to boast about us,
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so that you may be able
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to answer those
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who boast about
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outward appearance
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and not about
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what is in the heart.
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For if we are beside
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ourselves,
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it is for God.
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If we are in our right mind,
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it is for you.
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For the love of Christ
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controls us,
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because we have
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concluded this,
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that one has died
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for all,
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therefore all have died.
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And He died for all,
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that those who live
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might no longer live
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for themselves,
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but for Him
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who for their sake
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died and was raised.
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From now on,
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therefore,
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we regard no one
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according to the flesh,
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even though we once
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regarded Christ
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according to the flesh.
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We regard Him
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thus no longer.
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Therefore,
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if anyone is in Christ,
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he is a new creation.
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The old has passed away,
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behold,
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the new has come.
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All this is from God,
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who through Christ
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reconciled us to Himself
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and gave us
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the ministry
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of reconciliation.
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That is,
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in Christ,
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God was reconciling
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the world to Himself,
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not counting their trespasses
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against them
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and entrusting to us
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the message
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of reconciliation.
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Therefore,
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we are ambassadors
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for Christ.
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God making His appeal
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through us.
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We implore you
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on behalf of Christ,
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be reconciled to God.
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For our sake,
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He made Him to be sin
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who knew no sin,
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so that in Him
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we might become
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the righteousness
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of God.
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I don't know
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if you picked up
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on some of the language
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that Paul was using,
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but in chapter 4,
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verse 17,
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he says,
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for this light
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momentary affliction.
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I just kind of chuckled
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when I read that
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for the first time.
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What in the world
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is he talking about,
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this light momentary affliction?
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He's talking about
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all the suffering
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and everything
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that he's gone through.
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Not right now,
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but later on
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in your studies
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and you're reading,
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flip over and look
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at chapter 11
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and see all the stuff
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that Paul has gone through.
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He gives you a giant list
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of his afflictions
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and he's calling
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those things
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light momentary afflictions.
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So,
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just incredible
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by itself.
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Now,
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our text this morning
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is chapter 5,
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1 through 10.
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And it's a big chunk
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and I understand that,
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but I wanted to read
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before and after
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for you
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so you can kind of
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see where it sits.
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What I want to do
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with 1 through 4
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is kind of give you guys
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a quick summary.
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This is basically
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Romans chapter 8 again
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talking about
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our future glory.
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It relates very well,
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transfers very well.
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I want to go through that,
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give it the respect
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that it's due
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and then our points
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this morning
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are 5 through 10.
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So,
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1 through 4,
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really quick.
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Verse 1,
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it says,
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For we know
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that if the tent
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that is our earthly home
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is destroyed,
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we have a building
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from God,
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a house not made
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with hands,
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eternal in the heavens.
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Now,
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what Paul does here,
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Paul,
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the author of 2 Corinthians,
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what he does here
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is he compares
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tent and building.
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He compares
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mortal and immortal.
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He compares
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this life
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and the life to come.
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Our life here
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is like living in a tent
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or being in a tent.
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It's temporary.
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Storms come.
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It gets beaten down.
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You've got to put it back up.
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There's guys in here
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who love camping.
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I don't really enjoy camping.
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There's several reasons why.
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One of them,
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I hate laying on the floor
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or laying on the ground.
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I'm a tall guy
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so it's hard to find
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padding that fits my body.
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I hate trying to set up the tent
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and usually you're setting it up
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at night
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and you're trying to do it
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with a headlamp.
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I just don't enjoy any of that.
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But,
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you go camping,
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you have to set up the tent,
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you have to take it down
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and that's kind of the idea
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that Paul is getting at here.
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It's temporary.
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It's going to be taken down.
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It's going to be removed.
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And he's communicating here
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that our tent,
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our earthly home
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is going to be destroyed.
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We're going to leave this place.
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And what we're going to leave too
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is that earthly building,
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an earthly home
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that God is building for us,
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that God has built for us.
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One thing I want you to see
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is here it says,
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for we know,
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the first three words,
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for we know,
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and that is a certainty.
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That is a,
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you die as a Christian,
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as a believer,
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as a follower of Jesus Christ,
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you die,
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you're going to be in the building
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and the home
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that he is building for you.
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It's not a question.
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It is as certain
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as dying is.
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It is positive,
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definite,
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going to happen.
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And in Romans chapter 8,
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we learn about
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nothing is going to take us away
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from the love of God.
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In Romans chapter 8,
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we learn,
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we learn that we have this assurance
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in our salvation
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that Nathan said last week
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that even our sin
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can't take that away.
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Even our sin
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can't ruin that
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because of Christ.
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And,
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and that assurance,
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that certainty
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is the same certainty here
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that when we die,
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we are in
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the building
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that God is building.
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Well,
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in verse 2,
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we see another,
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a term here
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that is similar
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and found in Romans chapter 8 also.
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Verse 2,
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it says,
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for in this tent
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we groan,
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longing to put on
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our heavenly dwelling.
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This groaning,
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if you remember
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in chapter 8 of Romans,
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the creation groans
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to be finally perfected.
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This groaning here
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is not just a,
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it's not a sigh,
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it's not a,
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it's not a,
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mmm,
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that'd be great,
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you know,
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that'd be good,
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but I'm really
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looking forward to that.
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No,
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it's a,
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it's a deep down
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longing and desire
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that can't be curved.
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It's a,
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it's a hunger
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that can't be crushed.
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Can't be quenched.
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Do you long?
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Do you groan
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for future glory,
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for our heavenly dwelling,
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for that building,
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that time,
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that perfect body
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that God is,
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is getting ready
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for us?
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So,
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the suffering,
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the death,
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the pain,
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the mortality,
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all of that goes away.
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All of that disappears.
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Do you,
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do you long for that moment?
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Is that,
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is that a great desire
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in your life?
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In,
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in,
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in verse 4,
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we get the same text,
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the same language,
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for while we are still
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in this tent,
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we groan,
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being burdened,
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being burdened,
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just that weight,
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that longing here,
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that,
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that overwhelming power,
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overwhelming feeling
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that we want to be
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somewhere else.
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Do you have that?
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You know,
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it's cliche to say that,
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that death is the beginning.
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Death is only just the beginning.
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You know,
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it's just kind of,
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kind of a silly statement.
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And I,
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but Paul believed that.
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Paul,
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the writer of this text,
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the writer of this book,
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believed that.
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Philippians 1,
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21,
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for to live is Christ
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and to die is what?
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Gain.
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He,
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he,
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he saw death
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as being the,
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the,
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the greatest thing
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because then he's with,
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with the Savior,
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he's with God,
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he's perfected.
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I wonder how many of us
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have that perspective.
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How many of us
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are groaning,
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are eagerly awaiting
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that moment,
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that moment when,
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when we no longer
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suffer with sin
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and death,
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mortality,
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from every,
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every fiber of our being.
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Do we,
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do we long for that?
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That's,
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that's the picture here
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of this future glory
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to be,
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as we,
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we desire,
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we long for it.
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In,
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in verse 3,
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if indeed by putting it on
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we may not be found naked,
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and the end of verse 4,
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not that we would be unclothed,
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but that we would be
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further clothed
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so that what is mortal
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may be swallowed up
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by life.
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He makes another comparison
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saying the same thing.
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Clothed and unclothed.
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Here,
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we're unclothed.
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But in eternity,
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future glory,
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we're clothed.
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He compares the two for us.
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He wants to make a,
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he wants to make a point
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that we understand
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that,
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that when we die here,
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immediately,
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we're in heaven.
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Immediately,
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we're perfected.
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Immediately,
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there's not this waiting,
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there's not this,
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time of,
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of purgatory,
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or whatever these other,
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literary,
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creations,
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have come up with.
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We,
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we die,
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we are in eternity.
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We are future glory.
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There's no moment
17:33
of unclothed time.
17:35
And that's important
17:36
because,
17:37
because it,
17:39
it kind of,
17:39
kind of fuels us.
17:42
It fuels living
17:43
even now.
17:44
We know that,
17:46
that when we die,
17:48
we are with Him.
17:51
And that's,
17:52
that should be encouraging
17:53
to us.
17:54
So,
17:56
that kind of sets us up,
17:57
that kind of gives us
17:58
one through four.
17:58
That's the future glory
17:59
related to Romans chapter 8,
18:02
kind of bringing us
18:03
and keep carrying that through.
18:06
Now,
18:07
five points this morning,
18:09
and we're going to see them
18:09
in five through ten.
18:12
Five points of how does
18:14
our future glory
18:15
affect our ministry now.
18:18
Now,
18:18
the first point
18:19
is found in verse five.
18:22
Verse five reads,
18:23
He who has prepared us
18:24
for this very thing
18:25
is God,
18:26
who has given us
18:27
the Spirit
18:28
as a guarantee.
18:30
Now,
18:30
this may not sound like
18:31
something that affects us,
18:33
but the truth is
18:34
that God is right now
18:35
preparing us
18:36
for our future glory.
18:39
God is preparing us
18:40
and making us ready
18:41
for that,
18:41
that time.
18:43
God,
18:44
who,
18:44
who put the stars
18:45
by His word
18:47
where they are
18:48
and told them to stay,
18:49
who raised the mountains
18:51
to a certain point
18:52
and told them
18:52
to stay right there.
18:54
The God who gave us,
18:56
who planned eternity past,
18:59
that on,
19:01
what was yesterday,
19:02
May 5th,
19:02
we would have a super moon.
19:05
This God,
19:06
through His word,
19:06
decided that was going to happen.
19:09
The God whose word
19:11
is redeeming a people
19:13
of every tribe and tongue.
19:15
This God is preparing us
19:17
for future glory.
19:19
Now,
19:21
I had the privilege,
19:22
I'll say privilege,
19:23
to go to the outlet mall yesterday.
19:25
I had to make a return
19:26
and had to make a purchase.
19:29
And as I'm driving down 400,
19:31
headed that way,
19:32
I am formulating a plan
19:34
of where I'm going to go,
19:36
how I'm going to get there,
19:37
and what's going to be
19:37
my most efficient way
19:39
of getting in and out.
19:40
So if I go to this store,
19:42
return this,
19:43
and I go down there,
19:43
come there,
19:44
so where do I need to park
19:45
within that area
19:47
so that I can just get out of there
19:48
as fast as possible
19:49
because Saturday
19:51
at the outlet mall,
19:52
this is crazy.
19:55
Well,
19:55
my plan didn't work.
19:58
I failed.
20:00
But I tried
20:01
to come up with a plan.
20:02
God is coming up
20:04
with a plan.
20:04
God is working His plan out
20:06
for you and for me
20:07
and permitting
20:08
and allowing things to happen
20:09
that is perfecting us
20:11
and getting us
20:12
and preparing us
20:13
for future glory.
20:16
He's preparing us
20:17
for that moment in time.
20:22
In chapter 4, verse 17,
20:25
I kind of touched on it.
20:27
It says,
20:28
for this light,
20:29
momentary affliction,
20:30
so everything that Paul
20:32
has suffered through,
20:34
is preparing for us
20:36
an eternal weight of glory
20:37
beyond all comparison.
20:42
Beyond all comparison.
20:44
So if God is preparing us
20:46
for future glory
20:47
and it is beyond comparison,
20:49
that should lighten our step
20:52
and make our voices bold
20:54
and live a certain way.
20:58
God is preparing us.
21:02
This light,
21:04
momentary affliction,
21:05
the suffering,
21:07
the sickness that we deal with,
21:09
the sin that we struggle with,
21:11
death,
21:12
the fight and the stride
21:14
that we have for holiness.
21:17
Those moments where we just say
21:19
we can't make it.
21:20
I can't live sinless.
21:22
I can't fight this sin any longer.
21:26
The desires to be somewhere else.
21:30
Those Southwest Airlines commercials
21:32
want to get away.
21:33
Desire to be somewhere else
21:37
because we just can't make it anymore.
21:39
All of that goes away.
21:41
All of that disappears
21:42
when we reach our future glory.
21:50
All of that will be no more.
21:52
And what's going to be left
21:54
is pure worship
21:56
and euphoria
21:57
and thanksgiving
21:58
to the suffering
22:02
that we go through now.
22:04
The struggle
22:05
and the fight
22:05
and the harsh,
22:07
the hard struggles
22:08
that we have,
22:10
all of that
22:11
is going to make
22:12
our Savior
22:13
that much better.
22:14
Our Savior
22:15
that much sweeter
22:16
to our eyes.
22:17
That much greater
22:18
because He's going to get us
22:19
through those times
22:20
and He's going to
22:21
take all of that away.
22:24
God is preparing us
22:29
even now.
22:31
Even now
22:32
for future glory.
22:34
And that should,
22:36
and I think does,
22:36
affect our ministry here.
22:38
Knowing that what we're going through,
22:40
God is using
22:41
to prepare us
22:42
for something greater.
22:45
So if we know
22:46
that God is preparing us,
22:48
then in verse 6,
22:49
first part of verse 6,
22:50
we have courage then.
22:54
Look at verse 6.
22:55
So we are always
22:56
of good courage.
22:59
So we are always
23:00
of good courage.
23:03
We know from the story
23:04
of Paul
23:05
that Paul abandoned
23:07
his life.
23:09
Like he just said,
23:10
to live is Christ
23:11
and to die is gain.
23:13
So I'm just going to go
23:13
full bore
23:14
and I'm going to preach
23:15
the Gospel
23:15
no matter what.
23:16
If it puts me in jail,
23:17
great.
23:18
If it kills me,
23:20
great.
23:20
If it makes me
23:22
shipwrecked on a boat,
23:25
great.
23:25
I'm going to put everything
23:26
aside for the Gospel.
23:28
That was what Paul did
23:29
for the mission
23:32
that God had called him.
23:33
I remember
23:34
in 2006
23:36
at the Summer X Games,
23:38
I remember watching
23:39
Travis Pastrana,
23:42
I don't know if you guys know,
23:42
motocross guy.
23:45
And they had built up
23:46
this hype
23:47
that he was going to
23:48
attempt to do
23:49
a double back flip
23:50
on the big air
23:51
motocross trick
23:52
or whatever.
23:52
I don't even know
23:52
what it's called anymore.
23:53
I'm too old.
23:57
They built it up
23:58
and so you had to watch.
24:00
It was just this moment
24:00
and he's up
24:02
at the top of the ramp
24:03
to get speed
24:04
and there's a moment
24:08
where he's sitting up there
24:08
before he goes down
24:09
that he needs to decide
24:11
whether or not
24:11
he's going to do this
24:12
or not.
24:12
Now, it's never been done before.
24:16
He's done it in pools
24:18
filled with padding.
24:19
I mean, that's about
24:20
all he's done it in.
24:21
So now he's trying to do it
24:22
on a motorcycle,
24:24
double back flip,
24:25
big, big deal.
24:27
And there's this moment
24:28
where he's got to decide,
24:30
am I going to abandon my life
24:32
and attempt this
24:34
or am I just going to
24:35
stay safe
24:37
and just kind of
24:37
ride down real slow
24:38
and just do
24:39
some silly trick
24:41
that everybody does.
24:42
And he, you know,
24:44
went forward
24:45
and did it.
24:46
Of course,
24:47
they made it way more dramatic
24:48
and his mom's crying
24:49
and, you know,
24:50
really scared for him
24:52
and, you know,
24:53
he gets off
24:53
and everybody's
24:54
jumping up and down
24:55
and he ends up doing it.
24:57
Well,
24:58
we may not do
24:59
double back flips.
25:00
I'm pretty sure
25:01
none of us in here
25:02
will do double back flips
25:03
on a motocross bike.
25:05
But we will abandon
25:07
and we can abandon
25:08
our lives.
25:09
We can say
25:10
the gospel
25:12
is more important.
25:12
We can say
25:13
that building the kingdom
25:15
and extending the kingdom
25:16
is far more important
25:17
than our comfort
25:19
or than this life here.
25:21
We can certainly,
25:23
certainly say that.
25:25
And in fact,
25:26
you and I
25:27
abandon everything good
25:29
when we choose to sin.
25:31
And that's the reality.
25:32
So,
25:32
it's not really
25:33
that hard of a thought.
25:34
So,
25:38
we can abandon
25:39
our lives.
25:41
We can live courageously,
25:42
live boldly
25:43
because we know,
25:46
Romans chapter 8,
25:48
that God will not
25:49
abandon us
25:49
no matter what.
25:52
If we are His child,
25:53
we are His child forever.
25:56
God is preparing us
25:57
for glorious destiny.
26:00
And we can be courageous,
26:01
courageous.
26:02
We can be bold
26:04
in how we act
26:05
and how we live.
26:06
We can also be bold
26:07
through the suffering
26:08
and through the hardships
26:09
and through the troubled times.
26:14
Here are some examples
26:15
of being courageous
26:17
and being bold.
26:20
Move to a place
26:21
that doesn't make sense.
26:24
Maybe it's dangerous.
26:26
Maybe it's dangerous.
26:27
Maybe it's just culturally
26:29
not even your culture
26:30
at all.
26:31
But maybe God
26:32
is calling you there.
26:35
Maybe to be courageous
26:37
and live boldly,
26:39
you run a business
26:40
just so that you can
26:41
give your profit
26:42
to building a kingdom.
26:48
Maybe you,
26:49
you know,
26:50
some of the hardest moments
26:51
of being a Christian
26:52
and trying to share
26:53
the Gospel
26:54
that I find
26:55
are those moments
26:57
where you're having
26:59
a conversation
27:00
with somebody
27:00
and you're trying
27:01
to turn it
27:02
towards the Gospel.
27:03
You guys know
27:03
those moments, right?
27:04
You're trying to just,
27:06
I wish you'd just say
27:07
something about Jesus.
27:08
Then I could just
27:09
turn it.
27:10
Those are like
27:11
the hardest moments
27:12
to try to turn
27:15
those conversations.
27:17
They're hard
27:18
because you've got
27:18
to be bold.
27:19
You've got to just say,
27:20
look,
27:21
let me tell you
27:21
about Jesus.
27:22
Let me tell you
27:24
about what Christ
27:25
has done in my life.
27:28
So,
27:29
can you be bold
27:30
in speaking
27:31
and turning
27:32
those conversations,
27:34
turning those conversations
27:36
to the Gospel?
27:39
How about,
27:40
a lot of you guys
27:41
are college students
27:42
and you don't have
27:42
kids right now
27:43
and this relates
27:44
to me and a few
27:45
others in here,
27:45
but what if,
27:47
what if you had kids
27:48
and God called you
27:50
to an inner city
27:51
where crime
27:53
is rampant,
27:54
where it's uncomfortable
27:55
and culture
27:57
is totally different
27:58
and totally
27:59
unrelatable to you,
28:01
but God is calling
28:02
you there?
28:04
Would you do it?
28:05
Would you be bold?
28:06
Would you be courageous
28:06
to do just that?
28:11
So we know
28:12
God is preparing us.
28:14
We have courage.
28:15
We're bold.
28:16
But also,
28:19
in verse 7,
28:20
we find that our faith
28:21
is secure
28:23
or sure.
28:24
Our faith
28:25
is secure
28:26
or sure.
28:29
Verse 7,
28:30
for we walk
28:31
by faith,
28:32
not by sight.
28:35
Now,
28:36
what this
28:37
verse is,
28:38
there's far more
28:39
to it than
28:39
just these
28:40
seven or eight
28:41
words.
28:41
words.
28:42
What it's saying
28:43
is that our footing
28:44
or the root
28:46
of our faith
28:47
is sure.
28:48
It's going to happen.
28:49
It's almost like
28:51
a synonym
28:52
for hope
28:53
here.
28:54
We know
28:54
that it's going
28:55
to occur.
28:57
Related to
28:58
verse 18
28:59
in chapter 4
29:00
where it says,
29:02
as we look,
29:03
not to the things
29:03
that are seen,
29:04
but to the things
29:05
that are unseen.
29:06
For the things
29:06
that are seen
29:07
are transit,
29:07
but the things
29:08
that are unseen
29:09
are eternal.
29:10
Things that are unseen
29:11
are eternal.
29:12
They're going to
29:13
happen.
29:13
They're in play.
29:18
They're sure
29:19
to occur.
29:22
We have a certainty
29:23
that it's going
29:25
to happen.
29:26
It reminds me
29:26
of Romans chapter 4
29:28
where it talks
29:29
about Abraham.
29:30
In verse 21
29:31
it says,
29:31
Abraham was fully
29:32
convinced that God
29:34
was going to do
29:35
what He promised.
29:37
Now,
29:38
our faith
29:39
the root
29:41
of our faith
29:42
is sure.
29:42
It's going
29:43
to happen.
29:46
But here,
29:47
people like
29:49
to illustrate
29:50
faith by saying
29:51
that if I sit
29:52
down in a chair,
29:53
I have faith
29:53
in that chair
29:54
that's not going
29:55
to break under me.
29:56
That is going
29:56
to hold me.
29:57
I agree
29:58
that that's a
29:59
description of faith,
30:00
but I think it
30:01
loses something
30:01
because that chair
30:02
could break.
30:04
That chair
30:04
could be faulty.
30:05
That chair
30:06
could mess up
30:07
somehow,
30:07
some way.
30:09
This type
30:09
of faith,
30:10
this surety
30:11
here,
30:12
is that chair
30:12
will never,
30:13
ever,
30:14
ever break.
30:16
The illustration
30:17
kind of falls
30:18
short a little
30:18
bit there.
30:21
Abraham was
30:22
fully convinced
30:23
that God
30:23
would do
30:24
what He promised.
30:25
Can you be
30:26
fully convinced
30:27
that what God
30:28
has called you
30:29
to,
30:29
He's going
30:30
to enable
30:33
you to do
30:33
it?
30:34
He's going
30:34
to empower
30:35
you to do
30:35
it?
30:36
He's going
30:37
to walk
30:37
you through
30:37
it.
30:40
Here's a
30:40
trouble that
30:41
we have.
30:42
Faith is
30:42
internal.
30:45
It's something
30:46
that's hard
30:46
to measure.
30:48
It's hard.
30:49
I can't tell you
30:50
how faithful
30:51
I am.
30:52
On a scale
30:52
of 1 to 10,
30:53
I'm an 8 right
30:54
now.
30:54
It just doesn't
30:55
work.
30:55
I can't look at
30:57
Josh or look
30:58
at anybody
30:58
else in here
30:59
and say,
31:00
faithful.
31:01
I see your
31:03
faith level.
31:03
It's high.
31:04
Well done.
31:06
It doesn't
31:07
work.
31:08
What I can
31:09
measure and
31:11
what we can
31:11
measure is
31:12
the actions.
31:13
It's the play
31:15
out of that
31:16
faith.
31:19
So how do
31:20
we react
31:21
to the
31:22
suffering?
31:23
How do we
31:24
react when
31:25
things don't
31:25
go our
31:26
way?
31:26
How do
31:31
we deal
31:32
with certain
31:33
people?
31:34
How do we
31:34
deal with our
31:36
struggles?
31:37
Do we hide
31:38
them?
31:38
Or are we
31:38
faithful to
31:40
confess them?
31:41
Are we
31:41
faithful to
31:41
communicate them
31:42
and to say,
31:43
I need your
31:44
help?
31:46
Those are
31:47
how we
31:47
measure our
31:48
faith.
31:49
And what we
31:49
put our
31:49
faith in
31:50
is sure.
31:52
It's never
31:53
going to fail.
31:54
What we put
31:55
our faith in
31:55
is certain.
31:58
And knowing
31:59
that we
32:01
can and
32:02
will be
32:02
courageous.
32:04
Knowing that
32:04
God is
32:05
going to do
32:06
fully convinced
32:08
that he's
32:08
going to do
32:08
what he
32:09
promised.
32:13
Look what
32:14
Abraham did.
32:15
Fully
32:16
convinced.
32:17
What can
32:18
you and I
32:18
do fully
32:19
convinced that
32:20
God will
32:22
never leave
32:22
us nor
32:22
forsake
32:23
us?
32:24
That nothing
32:25
can separate
32:26
us from
32:26
the love
32:26
of God.
32:27
Romans
32:27
chapter 8.
32:30
Our faith,
32:31
what our
32:31
faith is in,
32:33
is sure.
32:36
But not
32:36
only that,
32:39
not only
32:40
that,
32:41
but out of
32:42
our faith
32:43
that is sure
32:43
and living
32:44
courageously
32:45
and knowing
32:46
that God
32:46
is preparing
32:47
us for
32:48
future glory,
32:49
we please
32:51
him.
32:52
We strive
32:53
to please
32:54
him.
32:54
Verse 8
32:55
and 9.
32:58
It says,
32:59
yes,
32:59
we are of
33:00
good courage
33:00
and we
33:01
would rather
33:02
be away
33:02
from the
33:03
body and
33:03
at home
33:03
with the
33:04
Lord.
33:05
So whether
33:05
we are at
33:06
home or
33:06
away,
33:08
we make
33:08
it our
33:09
aim to
33:10
please
33:10
him.
33:13
Here or
33:14
there,
33:14
here on
33:15
earth,
33:15
mortal or
33:16
immortal,
33:18
perfect or
33:18
imperfect.
33:22
Baseball
33:23
season is
33:24
going.
33:25
The Atlanta
33:25
Braves,
33:26
they play
33:26
162 games
33:28
a year,
33:29
81 games
33:30
at home,
33:30
81 games
33:31
away.
33:32
And I'm
33:32
pretty sure
33:33
the manager
33:33
of the
33:34
Braves
33:34
doesn't say,
33:35
guys,
33:37
we're just
33:37
going to
33:37
throw in
33:37
the towel
33:38
on the
33:38
away games.
33:40
Don't worry
33:41
about it.
33:41
We'll just,
33:42
we'll work
33:43
really hard
33:43
for our
33:43
home games.
33:45
We'll work
33:45
really hard
33:45
when we're
33:46
home.
33:46
When we're
33:47
away,
33:47
we'll just
33:48
forget about
33:49
it.
33:49
No big
33:50
deal.
33:50
Pretty sure
33:51
that doesn't
33:51
happen.
33:53
For us,
33:54
here,
33:55
living here,
33:56
living away
33:57
from the
33:57
Lord,
33:58
away from
33:58
his presence,
34:01
and this
34:02
body,
34:03
imperfect
34:04
and sinful
34:05
a lot of
34:06
the time,
34:07
we strive
34:08
to please
34:09
him.
34:10
We strive.
34:12
It is a
34:13
fight
34:13
to please
34:16
him.
34:16
him.
34:17
And him
34:17
alone.
34:19
Not our
34:20
parents,
34:21
not others,
34:23
not our
34:24
teachers,
34:24
not our
34:25
significant
34:26
others,
34:27
our wives,
34:27
our husbands,
34:28
our boyfriends,
34:28
our girlfriends,
34:29
or our pastors.
34:31
We seek and
34:32
aim to please
34:33
him and
34:34
him alone.
34:35
Every decision,
34:37
every action,
34:39
every word that
34:40
comes from our
34:40
mouth,
34:41
does it
34:41
please him?
34:43
Does it,
34:44
is it
34:45
acceptable to
34:46
him?
34:47
Remember those
34:47
WWJD bracelets?
34:49
What would
34:49
Jesus do?
34:50
You guys
34:51
remember those?
34:51
Shake your
34:51
head,
34:51
you do.
34:52
You guys
34:53
all had
34:53
them,
34:53
didn't you?
34:54
Everybody
34:55
did.
34:56
I had
34:56
one.
34:59
WWJD,
35:00
what would
35:00
Jesus do?
35:02
The better
35:02
question is,
35:04
does this
35:05
please God?
35:06
Would this
35:06
be acceptable
35:07
acceptable to
35:08
God?
35:11
Without
35:11
Jesus,
35:13
without the
35:13
Spirit as
35:14
our guarantee,
35:15
without being
35:16
a Christian,
35:17
it's pointless
35:17
to even ask
35:19
that question.
35:20
It's pointless
35:21
to ask,
35:22
would this be
35:23
acceptable to
35:23
God?
35:24
Because it's
35:25
impossible to
35:26
please God
35:26
without Jesus.
35:28
It's impossible
35:29
to please
35:31
him because
35:32
of the
35:33
sin.
35:37
The
35:37
gospel reminds
35:38
us of our
35:39
sin.
35:39
It reminds
35:40
us of who
35:41
we are,
35:42
of our need
35:43
of a Savior,
35:45
that we
35:45
can't do
35:46
anything,
35:47
can do
35:47
nothing about
35:49
our sin,
35:51
that we
35:51
need God.
35:54
The
35:54
gospel also
35:55
enables us
35:56
to please
35:56
God.
35:57
Through the
35:58
gospel,
35:58
through Jesus
35:59
Christ,
36:00
his life,
36:01
death,
36:01
and
36:01
resurrection,
36:02
through what
36:03
he has done
36:04
on the
36:04
cross,
36:05
we can
36:06
be acceptable
36:08
to God.
36:08
Because,
36:09
as I read
36:09
in 2 Corinthians
36:11
5.21,
36:13
for our
36:13
sake,
36:14
he made
36:14
him,
36:15
being Jesus,
36:15
to be sin,
36:16
who knew
36:16
no sin,
36:18
so that in
36:18
him we
36:19
might become
36:19
the righteousness
36:20
of God.
36:26
It is
36:26
impossible
36:27
to please
36:28
God
36:28
without
36:30
Jesus.
36:32
it is
36:33
only by
36:34
the power
36:35
of God
36:35
in your
36:36
life that
36:36
you can
36:36
please
36:37
him for
36:38
your glory,
36:40
for his
36:40
glory,
36:41
and your
36:42
good.
36:43
So the
36:44
question is,
36:46
Paul says
36:46
that we
36:47
please him,
36:48
we aim to
36:49
please him,
36:50
but he
36:50
doesn't tell
36:51
us how.
36:51
He doesn't
36:52
give us
36:52
three steps,
36:53
five steps,
36:54
to pleasing
36:55
him,
36:55
so here I
36:55
thought I'd
36:56
help you
36:56
out just
36:56
a little
36:57
bit.
36:58
We've
36:58
got to
36:58
look at
36:59
some other
36:59
verses in
37:00
this letter,
37:03
but I
37:03
think we'll
37:04
all agree
37:06
that these
37:07
are here.
37:09
So how
37:09
do we
37:10
please God?
37:11
Well,
37:11
first of all,
37:12
we speak
37:12
boldly
37:13
the gospel.
37:17
We speak
37:18
boldly
37:18
the gospel.
37:19
In chapter
37:20
five,
37:20
later on,
37:21
in verse
37:21
20,
37:22
it says,
37:23
therefore,
37:24
we are
37:24
ambassadors for
37:25
Christ.
37:26
We are his
37:26
representatives.
37:28
God making
37:29
his appeal
37:30
through us.
37:31
We implore
37:32
you on
37:33
behalf of
37:33
Christ,
37:35
be reconciled
37:36
to God.
37:37
Paul
37:37
communicating
37:38
to the
37:39
church at
37:39
Corinth.
37:40
Chapter
37:41
three,
37:42
verse 12,
37:43
it says,
37:44
since we
37:44
have such
37:44
a hope,
37:46
such a
37:46
surety that
37:47
what is going
37:48
to be
37:48
promised will
37:49
happen,
37:51
we are
37:53
very bold.
37:56
Speak
37:57
boldly
37:58
the gospel.
38:01
Secondly,
38:01
how do we
38:02
please God?
38:03
Living
38:04
courageous
38:05
lives,
38:06
this life
38:07
in suffering
38:09
and pain.
38:10
This is
38:10
found in our
38:11
text,
38:11
verse 6.
38:13
So we are
38:14
always of
38:14
good courage,
38:16
always of
38:17
good courage,
38:18
living courageously
38:19
through this
38:20
life.
38:22
Third thing
38:23
to please God
38:24
is living by
38:24
faith.
38:26
Found in
38:26
our text,
38:27
verse 7,
38:28
for we walk
38:29
by faith,
38:30
not by sight.
38:31
We walk
38:32
knowing that
38:34
God is
38:34
faithful.
38:35
God is
38:35
what He
38:36
promised is
38:37
sure to
38:38
occur.
38:40
Fourth,
38:41
bringing glory
38:42
to God,
38:44
not to
38:45
ourselves,
38:46
glory to
38:46
God.
38:47
Found in
38:48
chapter 4,
38:50
verse 15,
38:50
for it is
38:52
all for
38:52
your sake,
38:53
so that
38:53
as grace
38:54
extends to
38:55
more and
38:56
more people,
38:56
it may
38:57
increase
38:57
thanksgiving
38:58
to the
38:59
glory of
39:00
God.
39:02
And then
39:02
fifthly,
39:03
living out
39:04
the message
39:05
of Christ
39:06
reconciling
39:07
death.
39:08
End of
39:08
chapter 5.
39:12
In
39:12
Christ,
39:12
verse 19,
39:13
in Christ
39:14
God was
39:14
reconciling the
39:15
world to
39:16
Himself,
39:17
not counting
39:18
their trespasses
39:18
against them,
39:19
and entrusting
39:20
to us the
39:21
message of
39:21
reconciliation.
39:23
Therefore,
39:23
we are
39:24
ambassadors for
39:25
Christ,
39:25
God making
39:26
His appeal
39:26
through us.
39:27
We implore
39:28
you on
39:28
behalf of
39:29
Christ,
39:29
be reconciled
39:30
to God.
39:31
For our
39:32
sake He
39:32
made Him
39:33
to be
39:33
sin who
39:34
knew no
39:34
sin,
39:34
so that
39:35
in Him
39:35
we might
39:36
become the
39:37
righteousness
39:37
of God.
39:39
Living the
39:40
message of
39:40
Christ
39:41
reconciling
39:42
death out
39:43
for people
39:44
to see.
39:46
So finally,
39:47
the last
39:48
point,
39:48
this doesn't
39:49
sound like
39:50
a point,
39:50
but I
39:51
promise it
39:51
is.
39:53
We are
39:54
going to
39:54
be judged
39:55
for what
39:55
we do
39:55
here on
39:56
earth.
39:57
We are
39:58
going to
39:58
be judged
39:59
for what
40:00
we do
40:00
here on
40:01
earth.
40:02
Chapter
40:02
5,
40:03
verse 10.
40:05
For we
40:06
must all
40:07
appear before
40:08
the judgment
40:08
seat of
40:09
Christ,
40:10
so that
40:10
each one
40:11
may receive
40:12
what is
40:12
due for
40:12
what he
40:13
has done
40:13
in the
40:13
body,
40:14
whether
40:15
good or
40:16
evil.
40:17
there is
40:19
no chance
40:20
of avoiding
40:23
this.
40:24
There is
40:25
no chance
40:25
of melting
40:28
into the
40:29
crowd,
40:29
of just
40:30
kind of
40:30
disappearing
40:31
and not
40:31
being held
40:32
accountable.
40:33
There is
40:33
no chance
40:34
that you
40:35
or I
40:36
can fool
40:37
God.
40:38
There is
40:38
no ability
40:40
for us
40:41
to be able
40:41
to say,
40:42
God,
40:42
I am not
40:43
that person.
40:43
we will
40:48
be judged
40:48
and held
40:49
responsible
40:49
for how
40:50
we live
40:51
as
40:51
Christians.
40:53
This
40:54
judgment
40:54
is not
40:55
to determine
40:56
whether
40:57
we're
40:57
saved or
40:58
not,
40:58
whether we
40:59
are a
40:59
Christian
40:59
or not.
41:00
It's
41:00
nothing
41:01
like
41:02
that.
41:08
It's
41:08
to show
41:09
us that
41:10
what we
41:10
do here
41:10
has
41:11
eternal
41:11
implications.
41:13
To remind
41:14
us that
41:16
we have
41:17
been saved
41:17
not for
41:19
aimlessness
41:20
or indifference,
41:22
but to
41:23
live for
41:24
the Lord.
41:25
We read
41:26
in verse
41:26
15,
41:28
chapter 5.
41:31
To remind
41:32
all believers
41:32
that we
41:36
are righteous
41:36
by faith
41:37
alone,
41:38
in Christ
41:39
alone,
41:40
and the
41:40
faith that
41:40
justifies is
41:41
to be expressed
41:42
by love
41:43
and obedience.
41:44
Meaning,
41:46
that we're
41:46
saved by
41:49
faith alone
41:49
and Christ
41:50
alone.
41:51
We all
41:51
shake our
41:52
head to
41:52
that.
41:53
But it's
41:53
to be
41:53
played out
41:54
in our
41:54
love and
41:55
obedience
41:55
to others.
41:57
Our love
41:58
and obedience
41:58
to those
41:59
who need
42:01
Jesus.
42:03
Our love
42:04
and obedience
42:04
to God.
42:06
God,
42:06
how we
42:08
live here
42:08
has eternal
42:09
implications.
42:12
Listen to
42:13
one of the
42:14
commentators
42:15
wrote,
42:15
and this is
42:15
how he
42:16
explained it,
42:16
and I
42:16
couldn't put
42:17
it in any
42:18
better terms.
42:19
He says,
42:19
you can be
42:19
certain of
42:20
this.
42:21
When the
42:22
day of
42:22
judgment
42:22
comes,
42:24
we shall
42:24
not be
42:25
asked what
42:25
we have
42:26
read,
42:27
but what
42:28
we have
42:29
done.
42:30
Not how
42:31
well we
42:32
have spoken,
42:33
but how
42:33
well we
42:34
have lived.
42:36
We will
42:37
not be
42:37
judged,
42:39
or not be
42:39
asked what
42:39
we have
42:40
read,
42:41
but what
42:42
we have
42:42
done.
42:43
Not how
42:44
well we
42:44
have spoken,
42:46
but how
42:46
well we
42:47
have lived.
42:47
Whoa.
42:50
That gets
42:51
me.
42:53
We don't
42:54
do good
42:55
deeds,
42:55
we don't
42:55
love our
42:56
neighbor,
42:56
we don't
42:57
love and
42:58
obey God,
42:58
we don't
42:59
leave this
42:59
place and
43:00
live a
43:00
different
43:00
life for
43:01
the kingdom
43:04
because we're
43:05
trying to
43:06
earn God's
43:07
favor.
43:07
We live
43:08
that way
43:08
because He's
43:09
already shown
43:10
us that
43:10
favor.
43:11
He's already
43:11
shown us
43:12
that love
43:12
and that
43:13
grace.
43:17
when you
43:20
diet,
43:21
I have no
43:23
experience in
43:23
dieting,
43:24
I'm this
43:25
big for a
43:26
reason,
43:28
when you
43:29
diet,
43:29
you don't
43:29
think about
43:30
the food
43:31
that you
43:31
can't eat.
43:34
You don't
43:35
think about
43:35
the cakes
43:37
and the
43:38
snacks and
43:39
the cookies
43:39
and the
43:40
sodas and
43:41
all of that
43:41
that you
43:42
can't eat.
43:44
You also
43:45
don't think
43:45
about the
43:46
horrible,
43:46
how horrible
43:47
the food
43:48
is that
43:48
you are
43:49
eating.
43:50
The no
43:50
flavor,
43:51
the vegetables,
43:52
whatever.
43:54
You do
43:55
either of
43:55
those,
43:56
you're going
43:57
to fail
43:57
at dieting.
44:00
It's going
44:01
to last a
44:02
week,
44:02
maybe,
44:03
depending on
44:03
how strong
44:04
you are.
44:06
You're not
44:07
going to
44:07
last.
44:09
When you
44:10
do diet,
44:11
though,
44:11
you think
44:11
about what's
44:13
going to
44:13
happen.
44:13
You think
44:14
about how
44:14
you're going
44:14
to look.
44:15
You think
44:16
about the
44:16
clothes that
44:16
you're going
44:17
to be able
44:17
to wear.
44:19
You think
44:19
about how
44:20
long you're
44:20
going to be
44:21
able to run
44:21
or what
44:22
sport you're
44:23
going to be
44:23
able to
44:23
play or
44:24
how good
44:24
you're going
44:25
to look
44:25
in a
44:25
bathing
44:25
suit.
44:28
Likewise,
44:30
our future
44:33
glory should
44:34
have that
44:34
same impact
44:35
on us.
44:36
What's going
44:37
to happen,
44:38
what's going
44:39
to occur
44:39
should fuel
44:40
how we live
44:41
here,
44:41
how we love
44:42
people,
44:42
how bold
44:43
we are,
44:43
how courageous
44:45
we are.
44:48
God is
44:49
preparing us
44:50
for future
44:50
glory.
44:51
He is
44:52
working and
44:53
permitting things
44:53
to happen in
44:54
our lives so
44:55
that we can
44:56
cherish even
44:59
more that
45:01
moment.
45:02
Our faith and
45:03
what we put our
45:04
faith in is
45:05
secure.
45:06
It does not
45:07
move.
45:07
It does not
45:08
change.
45:08
It's going to
45:09
happen.
45:09
we strive to
45:12
please him.
45:14
We live
45:15
courageous
45:16
lives.
45:19
We're going
45:20
to be held
45:20
accountable for
45:21
how we live.
45:24
Our future
45:25
glory affects
45:26
our ministry
45:27
now.
45:29
It affects
45:30
how we live
45:30
now, how we
45:31
love now,
45:33
others and
45:35
God.
45:36
Let's pray
45:37
together.
45:38
Let's pray
45:39
Let's pray
45:40
together.
45:40
Let's pray