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Colossians 2:4-8 · Providence Baptist Church - Sermons

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Please take your copy of God's Word and turn to Paul's letter to the church at Colossae.
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At the risk of giving you ammunition to mess with me during a sermon.
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A little over a year ago, I had a hard time getting my notes to print on a Sunday morning.
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And as such, I just grabbed the iPad and pulled up the information on it and preached that Sunday
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and discovered that I love it because I can see it. I'm getting a bit older, my eyes are getting harder,
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and this light's a bit bright. Such a wonderful, wonderful thing.
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But I get text messages on my iPad. And from time to time, I'll get a text message.
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It pops up at the top of the screen. It's kind of funny.
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And just now I got a text, but from four days ago, from my father that said, please call me.
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So I just opened my iPad and went, what? Not now.
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Well, but it came many days later onto the iPad, apparently.
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So don't text me during the service.
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It's ultimately the moral of that. But four days ago, you're certainly welcome to.
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Our text today is Colossians 2, verses 4 through 8.
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Before I read it, though, I want to remind you where we've been in our text.
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The church at Colossae is a fairly unsubstantial church in our definition of what is substantial.
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A small group of believers in a very small, insignificant town.
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I don't remember the exact history as I presented it to you at the beginning of our study,
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but the Romans had moved the major highway around Colossae and went through Laodicea,
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and Colossae was just kind of left in the middle of nowhere.
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This wasn't a church that Paul established.
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It's most likely that Epaphras, who's mentioned in the letter multiple times,
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carried the gospel from Ephesus, where Paul was, back to his hometown,
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saw converts and started a church there.
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And it's also most likely that it's Epaphras who has come to Paul while he's in prison.
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We think in Roman imprisonment.
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We do know that he's in prison.
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We're not sure exactly where, but more than likely in Roman imprisonment.
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And has come to him and asked for his help in correcting some erroneous doctrine,
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some heresy that's encircling the church and possibly making some inroads into the church.
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We don't know the exact nature of that heresy.
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In some of Paul's other letters, it's much more clear,
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specifically the heresies of the day that he's addressing.
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Here we're not entirely sure, but in some way or another,
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as most heresies concerning Christianity do,
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these people seem to be denying the deity of Christ,
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that he was himself actually God,
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because Paul so clearly addresses that beginning in verse 15.
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And they seem to, in some way, be attacking the sufficiency of Christ,
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that faith in Christ is what brings salvation and adding work to that,
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as he expounds upon, oh, interspersed amongst 12, 13, down 19, down through 23.
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So these seem to be the two issues of the day,
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which are fairly massive heresies.
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I hope for our church and for most Christian churches this morning,
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that if these types of things were being taught,
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denying that Jesus Christ is himself God,
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or that we must work in order to maintain our salvation,
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that these people would be fairly readily shut down.
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So as we come to these texts, sometimes it feels distant to us.
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We seem to live in a place where these aren't great challenges.
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But I would put forth to you that they are, in fact.
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That there are many ways in which the world and the enemy
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is trying to deceive us about who Jesus is.
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It just seems to be much more subversive these days,
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much more, as we live in such a Christian culture, deceptive.
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So it's important that we, especially important, I think,
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that we draw our attention to how it is that Paul addresses
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and what it is he's trying to press upon the Colossian believers
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and how it is we ought to also take up these things
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in order to stand firm in Christ.
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So beginning in verse 4, I read,
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I say this in order that no one may delude you with plausible arguments.
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For though I am absent in the body, yet I am with you in spirit,
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rejoicing to see your good order and the firmness of your faith in Christ.
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Therefore, as you receive Christ Jesus, Lord, so walk in him,
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rooted and built up in him and established in the faith,
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just as you were taught, abounding in thanksgiving.
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See to it that no one takes you captive by philosophy and empty deceit
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according to human tradition,
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according to the elemental spirits of the world,
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and not according to Christ.
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This is God's word to us.
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It was written for his glory and our good.
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We would all do well to listen to it in order to believe its promises
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and obey its commands.
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So Paul directly takes on here these doctrinal heresies.
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And again, the application is there's many such challenges to our faith today.
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And this is why, and this will be the outline for the text today,
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that disciples of Jesus Christ, true disciples,
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those who have placed their faith in his saving work,
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number one, must have a resolute understanding.
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Number two, must walk in him.
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And number three, must abound in thanksgiving.
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So firstly, disciples of Jesus Christ must have a resolute understanding
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of who their Lord is and of our salvation.
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This is imperative for us, beloved.
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And in fact, he in caps this text today with two charges for this.
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Verse four, I say this in order that no one may delude you with plausible arguments.
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And verse eight, see to it that no one takes you captive.
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And then he lists off a number of ways in which this can take place,
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which we'll address in a moment.
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We have to pay attention to the very beginning of verse four,
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where he says, I say this in order that.
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What is the this that he is referring to?
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And last week, we fairly glanced over verses two and three of chapter two.
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And now I want to kind of help tie that in here
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as Paul speaks of his struggle on behalf of the Colossian believers.
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And then in verse two, he writes that their hearts may be encouraged,
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being knit together in love to reach all the riches of full assurance of understanding
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and the knowledge of God's mystery, which is Christ,
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in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and of knowledge.
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So his struggle on their behalf, even though he hasn't seen these people,
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his struggle on their behalf in prayer,
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his struggle on their behalf in the writing of this letter,
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his struggle in that he's going to send faithful workers to them,
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is that they would have a full assurance of understanding
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and the knowledge of God's mystery, which is Christ,
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that they would know Christ,
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that they would understand who Christ is and who he is to them,
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that they would get a clear and full confidence in Christ's deity
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and his sufficiency, as I referenced earlier in chapter one.
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This is who Jesus is.
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Fully God, yet man, come to earth,
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lived a perfect life that we may have his righteousness,
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bore on the cross the wrath for our sin,
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ascended and seated at the right hand of the Father,
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now making intercession for us,
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will one day come back and judge the world,
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will separate the righteous from the unrighteous,
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the righteous for eternal glory,
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the unrighteous to eternal damnation.
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This is our Christ.
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And we must have a very clear understanding of who he is
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and that his work was sufficient for the saving of us,
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that we must simply believe that it is his work
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that accomplished this thing on our behalf.
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1 Timothy 3.16
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And what very likely was a first century hymn,
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Paul beautifully writes,
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maybe somebody else wrote it and he's simply quoting it,
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but verse 16,
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Great indeed, we confess,
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is the mystery of godliness.
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Being Christ.
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The mystery of godliness.
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He was manifested in the flesh,
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vindicated by the Spirit,
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seen by angels,
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proclaimed among the nations,
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believed on in the world,
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taken up in glory.
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So it is Christ
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that we must have a resolute understanding of.
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And as with Paul's writing,
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as it's so beautiful,
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and there's so much depth to it,
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it has to be unraveled.
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In verses 2 and 3,
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this is the maybe even a bit trite summation
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of what he's trying to say.
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Christ.
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The treasure of wisdom and knowledge.
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It's Him that we must know.
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And we must know Him
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so that no one may delude us
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with plausible arguments.
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This idea of delusion
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is simply to be led astray,
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to be confused by,
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to be, as he says later,
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taken captive by.
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And he uses this interesting language
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of plausible arguments,
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which I appreciate.
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It means that people who believe in other things
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aren't entirely insane in the world,
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but these are persuasive arguments
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that people are making.
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They're arguments that contain within them
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some bit of truth.
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All believable lies
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contain within them some truth.
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To be able to grasp it,
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to be able to understand it.
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An example to this,
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if I told you a story
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that yesterday I met
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and was punched by Mike Tyson,
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you'd be very unlikely to believe me.
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Thinking that,
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how is it possible
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that Nathan met Mike Tyson yesterday?
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What if I told you
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that my wife punched me yesterday?
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Well, she didn't.
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But it'd be much more believable
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because I see her all the time
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and I certainly deserve to get punched
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at times as well.
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You see that in order for something
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to be believable,
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it has to contain some truth within it
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that resonates within us.
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So there's a truth mixed with the error.
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So these arguments are plausible.
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They could sound to us at times like,
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oh, well that sounds pretty good.
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Do you know people like that
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or are you that person possibly?
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That it's very easy and simple
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for somebody to convince you?
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You may be convinced of one thing
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and they make a simple argument
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and now you're suddenly convinced
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of the opposite of that very thing.
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So easily swayed back and forth
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by plausible arguments.
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This has been promised to us
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that in the future of the church,
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Paul writes much about this,
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that there would be false prophets.
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There would be people
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who would come in amongst the church
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and lead members of that church astray
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with plausible arguments.
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There's much strong warning given against this
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in the scriptures.
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It should be no surprise to us
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that we need to be firmed up in our faith,
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that we need to contend for the truth
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because this is a thing that's repeated again
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and again and again.
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A couple quick examples of that.
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2 Corinthians 11, 13-15.
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Paul writes,
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For such men are false apostles,
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deceitful workmen,
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disguising themselves as apostles of Christ.
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Sounds so good
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because they're coming in the name of Jesus.
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In verse 14,
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And no wonder,
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for even Satan disguises himself
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as an angel of light.
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People come and they say good things
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that resonate with us
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and then they slip in underneath
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the falsehood, the lies,
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those things that lead us astray.
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Verse 15,
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So it is no surprise
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if his servants also disguise themselves
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as servants of righteousness.
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It's difficult to discern these people at times
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if we're not founded in the truth
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of who Christ is.
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The end of verse 15 says
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their end will correspond to their deeds.
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Paul wrote to the Galatian believers,
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chapter 1, verses 6-9,
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I am astonished that you are so quickly
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deserting Him who called you
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in the grace of Christ
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and are turning to a different gospel.
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Here are people already being turned
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by plausible argument.
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Verse 7,
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Not that there is another one.
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There is no other gospel.
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There's one true good news.
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But there are some who trouble you
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and want to distort the gospel of Christ.
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The great heresy we know
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for the Galatian church
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was from the Judaizers
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who said that Jesus is good and acceptable.
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You can believe in Jesus
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and you can follow Jesus,
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but you also must obey the law.
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You must keep the practice of the Jews
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and therefore you must be circumcised.
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This was the great thing
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that Paul is addressing
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to the Galatian church.
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Verse 8 he says,
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But even if we or an angel from heaven
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should preach to you
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a gospel contrary to the one
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we preach to you,
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let him be accursed.
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That is, cut off from the grace of God.
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As we have said before,
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so now I say again,
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if anyone is preaching to you
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a gospel contrary to the one you received,
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let him be accursed.
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And it's a challenge in our day, beloved.
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It's so very, very difficult
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because there's so few people I know
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that are so blatantly heretical.
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The kind of people,
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you just want them almost like
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people our day,
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preachers our day,
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I just want them to step across that line
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just so I can say,
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no, never listen to that man.
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But there's good stuff happening
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and I think good motivation
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and intention happening.
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I listen fairly often
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to conservative talk radio.
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The CD player doesn't work in my truck
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so the radio comes on
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when I'm driving places.
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And there's often a previous
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Southern Baptist leader,
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currently the pastor
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of a rather large church
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in the Atlanta area,
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and he has these little moments
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that he gets on and shares something.
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And they're usually incredibly good.
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More often than not,
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I really appreciate
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the things he has to say.
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He takes these big grand truths
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about who God is
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and he brings them down
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in a simple way
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to a broad audience.
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I really appreciate it.
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This week, however,
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he started off by talking about
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how in racing,
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people look for
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every little competitive edge
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they can get.
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The tenths of a second matter
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in racing.
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And so they're always trying
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to find the way racers are
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that they can just
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get a little bit
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of a competitive edge.
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And then he went on to say
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that in life,
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Jesus is our competitive edge
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in our race.
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Oh my gosh,
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like I just wanted to tackle him
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and stop the broadcast
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of it all.
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That's not the case at all.
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Jesus puts us in a different race.
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He shatters the race.
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He says this is a pointless,
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fruitless race,
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and he puts us on another track.
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Completely different.
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And then we run after him.
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He's not a competitive edge.
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He is the goal.
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He is the prize
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of the race that we run.
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So you have to be so careful
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about what you take in
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and what you hear
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and where the foundation is
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for your understanding
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of truth.
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Bookended again.
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Plausible arguments.
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This is a man
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that people listen to
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and probably just consumed
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what he had to say.
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He said,
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oh, that's very good.
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Competitive edge.
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I like it.
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This bookending, though,
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goes on in verse 8.
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See to it that no one
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takes you captive
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literally means to kidnap,
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right?
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To bag up and take away
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by philosophy, right?
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This is not referring
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to our modern study
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of general and fundamental problems,
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but it's a much broader term,
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which certainly can include
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our modern philosophy,
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but also allows for
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religious sex.
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Just as an example,
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the first century historian
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Josephus wrote in Jewish Wars,
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there are three philosophical,
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same Greek word,
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sex among the Jews.
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So it allowed for that,
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a much looser term
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of philosophy,
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ways of thinking,
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worldview.
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Don't be taken captive
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by the varying worldviews
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that are out there
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or by empty deceit.
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Certainly the Colossian heretics
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and those of our day
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would have found great value
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in their teaching,
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believed it.
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Otherwise,
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they wouldn't teach it.
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But Paul here deems it
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empty and deceitful,
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of no value whatsoever.
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According to human tradition,
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which is to say that
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just because somebody
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believed it before,
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in the past,
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doesn't make it true.
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It doesn't necessarily
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make it true.
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It's of interest
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for us today
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to study church history
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because it informs
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so much about what we believe.
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If you tend to believe something
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that most of Christianity
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has deemed a heresy,
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you're probably wrong.
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There's some value
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in looking at the church itself.
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I would encourage you
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to look at the great heresies
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that have come
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and been squashed
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throughout the days
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of the church
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and find that you may believe
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some of those things
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and may have,
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at one point in history,
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been burned for it.
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Human tradition
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is not the reason
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that we believe things
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to be true.
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It can have some value,
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but you never say
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just because,
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just because
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grandma and grandpa,
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just because
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mom and dad,
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therefore it must be.
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The standard for our truth
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is the Scripture,
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is Christ.
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according to the
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elemental spirits
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of the world.
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Now there's a lot of conjecture
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about what this
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could mean.
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I think the simplest explanation
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is the proper explanation,
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so I'm just going to give you
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that one.
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If you are interested,
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I would encourage you
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to study it
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on your own time.
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The phrase
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elemental spirits
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is a single noun
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and it refers,
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its weightiest definition
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is referring to
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the letters of the alphabet,
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the way the letters
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of the alphabet
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come in order.
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The suggestion seems to be
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that Paul is stating
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that to believe in heresy
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is to descend
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to foolishness.
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Having been enlightened,
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having been taught
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the glorious truth,
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it's to come back down
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to the more base things.
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It's like a child
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learns to read
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and then they go back
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to just like learning ABCs.
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You already know your ABCs.
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Move on to the reading.
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This seems to be
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what he's communing.
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It's a regression
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in one's understanding.
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He's juxtaposing,
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I think,
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the mature teaching
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of Christ's deity
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and sufficiency
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to the childish teachings
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that oppose his deity
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and his sufficiency
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that would suggest
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that Jesus was just a man
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and would suggest
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that we can somehow
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work and earn
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our salvation.
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This same language
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is used elsewhere,
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Galatians 4.3.
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In the same way,
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we also,
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before we were
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in the faith,
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when we were children,
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were enslaved
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to the elementary principles
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of the world.
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Same phrase,
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elementary principles
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and elemental spirit
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used in both places.
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I think this is what
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he's trying to say.
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It's childish
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to believe such things
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that are,
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the end of verse 8,
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not according
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to Christ.
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So anything that is
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in opposition
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to who he is,
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the things that he has
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accomplished
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are heretical.
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So,
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we must know
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who Christ is
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and have an understanding,
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a resolute understanding
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of who Christ is.
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So how does that
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come to pass?
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How do we foster
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a resolute understanding
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of who Christ is
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and what he's accomplished
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as deity
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and his sufficiently?
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Two quick points to that.
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Firstly,
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prayerfully
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read the text
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in its context.
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That's the exhortation.
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Prayerfully
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read the text
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in its context.
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Before you ever come
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to the Word of God,
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which completely speaks
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of Christ,
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we need the Holy Spirit's
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illumination.
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We need His illumination.
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We need Him
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to give us
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spiritual eyes
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to understand rightly
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what is contained
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within this book.
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It was spiritually inspired.
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It was given to us
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by God
21:36
and we need Him
21:36
to help us
21:37
understand it rightly.
21:39
There's a wrong way
21:40
to read this book,
21:41
beloved.
21:42
We must read it rightly.
21:43
We must prayerfully,
21:44
we must ask,
21:44
we must come to the Word of God
21:45
on our knees.
21:47
This is why Paul prays
21:48
for the Ephesian church
21:48
as we see recorded
21:50
in Ephesians 1.18
21:51
that the eyes
21:52
of their hearts
21:53
would be enlightened.
21:54
That they would understand
21:55
the truth
21:56
of the Gospel.
21:58
So read it prayerfully.
22:02
And read it.
22:03
Prayerfully,
22:04
read the text.
22:07
We never,
22:09
never
22:10
outgrow
22:11
our need
22:12
of the Scripture.
22:14
This is such
22:15
a beautifully complex
22:16
book
22:17
in the way that God
22:18
has orchestrated
22:19
its writing
22:19
and the way
22:20
in which He uses it
22:21
in application
22:22
to our life.
22:23
I am continually
22:25
astounded
22:26
at the way
22:27
that God speaks
22:28
to me
22:28
through His Word.
22:30
It still blows my mind.
22:31
Texts that I am
22:32
so incredibly
22:33
familiar with.
22:34
Things that I can
22:34
rattle off to you.
22:35
And I'll go back
22:36
and reread it
22:36
and a phrase
22:37
will like stamp me
22:39
on the forehead
22:39
as if I've never
22:40
seen it before.
22:42
It's alive
22:43
and it's active
22:44
because the Spirit
22:45
uses it as a tool
22:47
to change us
22:48
from one degree
22:49
of glory
22:49
to the next.
22:52
99% of the time
22:53
someone comes
22:54
to me for counsel
22:55
and we're talking
22:56
about what's going
22:57
on in their life
22:58
and I ask them
22:59
have you been
22:59
consistently
23:00
prayerfully
23:01
reading your Bible?
23:02
The answer is
23:03
no.
23:05
It's incredible.
23:06
Go.
23:07
Read your Bible.
23:09
Ask that God
23:09
would work the truth
23:10
into your life
23:11
and then come back
23:12
and let's talk.
23:13
He uses the church
23:13
as a tool.
23:14
But you have to be
23:15
practicing these things
23:17
beloved.
23:18
You have problems
23:19
in your life
23:19
and we all do.
23:20
Go to the Scriptures
23:21
for them.
23:22
They're sufficient
23:22
to give us
23:23
the guide
23:24
for holy living.
23:26
You must read
23:28
the text.
23:29
You never,
23:30
ever,
23:30
ever outgrow
23:31
your need of it.
23:32
You never become
23:33
so familiar with it
23:34
that meditation
23:34
becomes unnecessary
23:36
for you.
23:38
You've heard me say
23:39
before that no doctrine
23:40
stays alive in the mind.
23:41
No truth just
23:42
automatically gets
23:44
in our heads
23:44
and stays in our heads
23:46
and has effect
23:47
in our lives.
23:48
It must be fed.
23:50
You must continually
23:50
remind yourself
23:52
of the truth
23:53
of the Gospel.
23:54
Sunday morning's
23:55
not enough.
23:57
Necessary,
23:57
good,
23:58
valuable,
23:59
important.
23:59
Please come and hear
24:00
the preaching
24:00
of God's Word.
24:01
But it's not enough.
24:03
You have to be
24:03
in this book.
24:04
If you spent
24:05
all summer with us,
24:06
the only thing
24:06
you're going to hear
24:07
about is the book
24:08
of Colossians.
24:08
Go study something
24:09
else as well.
24:12
And I'm in no way
24:13
suggesting legalism
24:15
to you.
24:15
You have to get up
24:16
at a certain time.
24:17
You have to do
24:18
this many minutes
24:18
in the Bible,
24:19
etc.
24:20
But it ought to be
24:21
the meditation
24:22
of your life.
24:23
You ought to be
24:24
continually considering
24:25
what it is
24:26
the Word of God
24:27
has to say
24:27
to you.
24:29
Psalm 1, 1, and 2.
24:31
Blessed is the man
24:32
who walks not
24:33
in the counsel
24:33
of the wicked,
24:34
nor stands in the way
24:35
of sinners,
24:36
nor sits in the seat
24:38
of scoffers.
24:40
Happy is the man
24:41
who's not this man,
24:43
but instead,
24:44
verse 2,
24:45
but his delight
24:46
is in the law
24:47
of the Lord.
24:47
Not a labor for him,
24:49
but his delight,
24:50
his joy,
24:51
is to come
24:52
to the fountainhead
24:55
of God's truth
24:56
and impact
24:57
in our lives.
24:58
His delight
24:58
is in the law
24:59
of the Lord,
25:00
and on his law,
25:01
he meditates
25:02
day and night.
25:06
I know very few people
25:07
who can meditate
25:08
on the law
25:09
of the Lord
25:09
day and night
25:10
and not spend time
25:12
reading it.
25:13
I shouldn't even say
25:14
very few.
25:14
I don't think
25:14
I know anybody
25:15
who could do
25:16
such a thing.
25:17
There are days
25:18
that I don't
25:19
open the Scripture
25:20
for the study
25:21
of my own soul
25:23
because there's
25:24
something that's
25:24
running around
25:25
inside my head
25:26
from the day before.
25:27
Something I've learned.
25:28
Something that's
25:28
stuck with me
25:29
and I'm still
25:30
in the process
25:30
of meditating
25:31
on that very thing.
25:33
So it isn't to say
25:33
that you've got to
25:34
have your quiet time
25:35
every single morning,
25:36
but you need to
25:37
if you want to have
25:38
a life that's fulfilling
25:40
and beneficial
25:41
and honors God.
25:43
You need to be
25:43
in the Scripture.
25:44
Constantly.
25:45
Constantly letting it
25:46
work through you.
25:48
So prayerfully
25:49
read the text.
25:50
It's a jewel,
25:51
a gift given to us.
25:54
And prayerfully
25:54
read the text
25:54
in its context.
25:57
Both immediate
25:58
context
25:58
and broader context.
26:00
And I'm saying this
26:01
and I'm adding this
26:01
phrase to the end
26:02
of this because
26:02
there are so many
26:03
people who spend
26:04
lots of time
26:04
in the Bible
26:05
and misunderstand
26:05
it completely.
26:08
A very favorite
26:09
verse of so many
26:10
people.
26:11
And I hope I'm not
26:12
squashing your
26:13
favorite verse
26:14
right now,
26:14
but it's Philippians
26:15
4.13.
26:17
I can do all things
26:18
through him
26:19
who strengthens me.
26:21
Athletes love
26:22
Philippians 4.13.
26:25
It seems that
26:25
they believe that
26:26
God's great concern
26:27
is that they win
26:28
games.
26:31
It's not.
26:32
It's not what
26:32
Paul's even talking
26:33
about at all.
26:34
Does it include that
26:35
as a much lesser
26:36
thing?
26:36
Yeah, sure.
26:37
Can we do anything
26:38
apart from Jesus?
26:39
No.
26:40
There's some element,
26:41
some kernel of truth
26:42
contained within there.
26:43
But if we back up
26:44
just a little bit,
26:44
oh, I don't know,
26:45
read the chapter
26:46
before we make this
26:48
our favorite verse.
26:50
Beginning in the
26:50
last half of verse
26:51
11, Paul says,
26:53
I have learned in
26:54
whatever situation
26:55
I am to be content.
26:57
Verse 12,
26:58
I know how to be
26:59
brought low
26:59
and I know how to
27:01
abound.
27:02
And Paul's version
27:03
of abounding
27:03
is not our version
27:04
of abounding.
27:05
In any and every
27:06
circumstance,
27:07
I have learned
27:08
the secret of
27:08
facing plenty
27:09
and hunger,
27:11
abundance and need.
27:13
Paul is talking
27:14
about in the midst
27:15
of his struggle
27:16
in advancing
27:17
the kingdom of God,
27:18
that he's able
27:19
to walk through
27:20
the trials
27:21
as well as
27:22
the comfortable
27:23
times because
27:24
he can do all things
27:25
through Christ
27:26
who strengthens him.
27:27
The context
27:28
matters a lot
27:30
for these verses.
27:32
Another great
27:32
example in a broad
27:34
sense,
27:35
to understand
27:35
the scriptures,
27:37
another favorite
27:38
of many peoples,
27:39
Jeremiah 29.11.
27:43
For I know the plans
27:43
I have for you,
27:44
declares the Lord,
27:46
plans for welfare
27:47
and not for evil,
27:48
to give you a future
27:50
and a hope.
27:51
You need to know
27:52
the broader context
27:53
of what's happening
27:55
and who the you is
27:57
in this particular text.
27:58
God is making a promise
28:00
to exiled Israel.
28:02
Israel.
28:03
So,
28:04
unless you're an Israelite
28:05
in Babylonian captivity,
28:07
this promise
28:07
is not for you.
28:10
A lot of
28:10
health and wealth
28:12
is based
28:13
on this verse.
28:15
Right?
28:16
Subversively,
28:17
subliminally,
28:17
based on this verse.
28:20
Recently,
28:20
I went to a dance
28:21
recital for my niece
28:22
and the church building
28:24
that the dance
28:24
recital was in.
28:25
Had this verse
28:26
painted on the wall
28:27
huge
28:28
when you first walked in.
28:30
And what it seems
28:30
to communicate to people,
28:32
the way people quote it
28:33
all the time,
28:34
is that God has
28:36
welfare plans
28:38
for us.
28:40
Future and hope.
28:43
It's not what the verse means.
28:45
Certainly,
28:45
we can look at God's character.
28:47
We can go other places
28:48
in the Scripture
28:49
to see that God
28:50
has a great deal of care
28:51
and compassion for us.
28:52
We can see that He has
28:53
our good in mind,
28:55
but defined much differently
28:57
than here.
28:59
Himself giving us Himself.
29:02
So you must prayerfully
29:03
read the text
29:04
in its context.
29:07
And beloved,
29:07
you don't have to be
29:08
brilliant to do this.
29:10
You don't have to
29:11
be a scholar
29:13
to be able to do
29:14
this type of thing.
29:15
All of us are theologians.
29:17
All of us can spend time
29:18
in the Scriptures
29:19
prayerfully asking
29:20
that God would teach us
29:22
about Himself.
29:23
that we might
29:25
understand it better.
29:27
So firstly,
29:28
prayerfully read the text
29:29
in its context.
29:30
Second,
29:31
surround yourself
29:32
with biblical teaching.
29:35
Surround yourself
29:35
with biblical teaching
29:36
with people
29:37
and other ways
29:38
that you can
29:39
take in
29:40
the truth of the Bible.
29:42
We have
29:42
the most amazing,
29:44
almost limitless resources
29:45
at our fingertips
29:46
to be able to do this.
29:47
We have no excuse
29:48
for not knowing
29:50
this book
29:50
and knowing it
29:52
very well.
29:54
Be in fellowship
29:55
with a church.
29:57
For us,
29:58
show up to
29:58
our congregational meetings
29:59
like this morning.
30:01
Be involved
30:01
in a community outreach group
30:03
where people study the Scripture
30:04
and minister the Scripture
30:05
to one another.
30:06
Get involved
30:06
in some small group
30:07
discipleship,
30:08
meeting with people
30:09
on an individual basis
30:10
or in small crews
30:11
to talk about
30:12
the Scriptures
30:13
to be of encouragement
30:14
to one another
30:15
in that way.
30:17
I have been told
30:18
that my preaching style
30:19
tends to be a bit academic.
30:20
If you don't like that,
30:21
I apologize.
30:22
But part of the reason
30:22
I do that
30:23
is because I want you
30:24
to see how I arrive at things
30:25
because I want you
30:26
to be able to do it
30:26
on your own.
30:27
I want you to need me.
30:29
Like you have to come
30:29
and I impart something
30:30
to you every Sunday
30:31
and you just go,
30:32
oh, thank you.
30:33
That was so good.
30:33
And then you try to
30:34
nourish yourself
30:35
throughout the week on it.
30:36
I want you to understand
30:37
how it is we come
30:38
to the Scripture
30:39
and understand the Scripture
30:40
so that you can go
30:41
and do it yourself.
30:42
This fellowship
30:43
is really, really important
30:44
to that end.
30:46
The church is a grace
30:48
given to us
30:48
to help us be founded
30:49
in the truth.
30:50
Remember that Paul
30:51
is writing to a church
30:52
and the way in which
30:53
they're meant to be
30:54
functioning together.
30:56
You remember in verse 2
30:56
that he talked about
30:57
them being knit together
30:58
in love.
31:00
That this seems to be
31:00
important and conditional
31:02
for them coming
31:03
to a full assurance
31:05
of faith.
31:06
And there are ways
31:07
to access the broader church.
31:10
Don't just come
31:11
and hear my preaching.
31:13
I've not written any books
31:14
so you can't read
31:14
anything I've written
31:15
but throughout history
31:17
brilliant scholars
31:19
of the Scripture
31:20
have written books
31:22
for us to enjoy
31:23
that speak of the Scriptures.
31:25
And so,
31:25
kind of prioritized
31:26
in this order,
31:27
be in fellowship.
31:29
Read books
31:30
that employ the Bible heavily,
31:31
that tell you
31:32
what the Bible says,
31:33
that helps you
31:33
pull it together
31:34
thematically.
31:36
Flip to the back
31:36
of a book
31:37
and check the Scripture index.
31:38
If it has a good
31:39
Scripture index,
31:40
it's probably,
31:40
not always,
31:41
still need to be
31:42
discerning
31:42
concerning the book,
31:43
but probably
31:44
a good book.
31:46
If you want to read
31:47
good books,
31:47
there's a lot of men
31:49
and women in this church
31:49
you can ask
31:50
about good books.
31:52
Read biography.
31:53
Access the lives
31:54
of saints
31:54
that have gone before.
31:56
See these examples
31:57
of faithfulness,
31:58
the breadth
31:59
of somebody's life
32:00
and the way
32:00
in which God
32:01
has worked
32:01
and moved through them.
32:02
It's always so nice
32:03
in the midst
32:04
of your trouble
32:05
and the way
32:06
the truth applies
32:06
to you
32:07
to step back up high
32:08
and look down
32:09
at somebody's life
32:10
and see the way
32:10
in which God
32:11
has been providential
32:12
through it all.
32:13
Read.
32:14
Take up and read
32:15
good books.
32:18
Listen to sermons
32:19
beyond mine.
32:20
Man, we have a great
32:21
wealth of sermons.
32:23
You have so much
32:23
little bits of downtime
32:24
in your day.
32:26
Driving in the car,
32:28
waiting in the doctor's office.
32:31
John Piper,
32:32
it's a wonderful resource,
32:33
DesiringGod.org.
32:35
Decades of his preaching
32:36
recorded on there.
32:37
Amazing project
32:38
that they made available.
32:40
John MacArthur,
32:41
GraceToYou,
32:41
GTY.org.
32:43
Also another wonderful one.
32:45
Arturo Azzerdia,
32:47
SpiritEmpoweredPreaching.com.
32:49
He's my favorite,
32:50
so if you have
32:51
limited time,
32:52
go check out
32:53
Pastor Art.
32:55
And more recently,
32:56
Martin Lloyd-Jones,
32:58
The Doctor,
33:00
MLJTrust.org
33:01
is a wonderful,
33:02
wonderful resource.
33:04
Listen to podcasts.
33:05
Three that I listen to daily.
33:09
Five Minutes in Church History
33:10
by Stephen Nichols.
33:12
Ask Pastor John
33:13
by John Piper.
33:14
And The Briefing by Al Mohler.
33:15
These things will help you
33:17
to have a resolute understanding
33:19
of who Christ is.
33:23
This should be our activity,
33:24
beloved.
33:25
You are a theologian
33:27
if you're a Christian.
33:28
You must understand God rightly.
33:31
It matters for your life.
33:32
So, disciples must have
33:35
a resolute understanding.
33:36
Secondly, disciples of Jesus
33:37
must walk in Him.
33:40
Must walk in Him.
33:44
Verses 5, 6 and 7,
33:48
I guess the first part of 7.
33:49
For though I am absent in the body,
33:51
yet I am with you in spirit,
33:53
rejoicing to see your good order
33:54
and the firmness of your faith in Christ.
33:56
Therefore, as you received Christ Jesus the Lord,
33:58
so walk in Him.
34:01
Rooted and built up in Him
34:02
and established in the faith
34:03
just as you were taught.
34:06
Now, remember that Paul
34:08
has never seen these believers.
34:09
He's never been to this church.
34:11
And as far as we know,
34:12
he never did go there.
34:14
And he says,
34:14
as I'm absent in the body,
34:15
I'm with you in spirit.
34:16
Just to say that I'm longing
34:18
to be there with you.
34:19
I'd like to be there with you.
34:21
I'm considering you.
34:22
I'm praying for you.
34:23
I'm writing to you now.
34:25
And he's rejoicing.
34:27
He's heard reports
34:28
from Epaphras of their good order.
34:31
The way in which
34:32
the Gospel is having effect in their life
34:35
and that they are in fact
34:36
standing against some of these heresies.
34:39
There's a challenge to it.
34:42
There's a tearing at the seams.
34:43
But yet, there's a firmness
34:45
of their faith in Christ.
34:47
And so Paul commends them
34:48
for their conduct.
34:50
Good order and the firmness
34:52
of their faith.
34:53
Proper learning,
34:54
a resolute understanding
34:56
yields proper living.
34:59
It's the necessary outcome
35:01
of understanding
35:02
that we get it to the degree
35:04
that we act on it.
35:06
That it's not just some thing
35:07
in modern terms
35:08
we call it philosophy,
35:10
but that it's a reality.
35:12
It's a thing that
35:12
who Jesus is
35:14
causes us to turn
35:16
and to move
35:17
and to work
35:17
and to act.
35:20
A good example of this
35:22
is Romans 12.
35:23
Verse 2
35:24
where Paul writes,
35:27
Do not be conformed
35:28
to this world,
35:30
but be transformed
35:31
by the renewal
35:32
of your mind,
35:34
that by testing
35:35
you may discern
35:36
what is the will of God,
35:38
what is good
35:38
and acceptable
35:40
and perfect.
35:42
So don't be like the world.
35:44
Be different.
35:45
Be changed
35:46
from one degree to another
35:47
by the changing of your mind.
35:49
Resolute understanding.
35:51
Getting who God is
35:52
and how He functions
35:53
with you
35:54
now that you're His child.
35:56
That by testing
35:58
you may discern.
35:59
And the word discern
36:00
here in the ESV
36:01
is kind of a word
36:03
too weak,
36:04
I think.
36:05
It means,
36:06
some of your translations
36:06
may say,
36:07
approve
36:07
what is the will of God.
36:10
Still,
36:11
maybe not quite there.
36:13
The word carries with it
36:14
the meaning of
36:15
valuing.
36:17
Doing something
36:18
because you have
36:19
assessed it
36:20
and that you agree
36:22
that it is the proper
36:23
thing to do.
36:24
That you have looked
36:26
at something
36:26
and you've said,
36:27
yes,
36:28
because my mind
36:28
is being transformed,
36:30
I'm looking at this
36:31
thing in the world
36:32
and I'm seeing that
36:33
it is good
36:33
and right
36:34
and true.
36:34
It's a thing
36:35
that God treasures,
36:36
therefore I will
36:37
treasure it.
36:38
It's good
36:39
and it's acceptable
36:39
and it's perfect.
36:42
And this is the way
36:43
in which we're meant
36:44
to walk
36:44
in truth
36:46
under God.
36:47
Ephesians 4.18
36:49
It's an interesting
36:51
connection here
36:52
that Paul makes.
36:54
I think I just realized
36:55
that every single
36:55
reference today
36:56
was written by Paul.
36:58
Ephesians 4.18
36:59
Paul says,
37:00
speaking of
37:01
those who are not
37:02
in the faith,
37:02
unbelievers,
37:03
I hope categorically
37:05
different than who you
37:05
are this morning,
37:07
it says,
37:07
they are
37:07
darkened in their
37:09
understanding,
37:11
alienated from the
37:12
life of God
37:12
because of the
37:13
ignorance
37:13
that is in them
37:15
due
37:15
to their
37:16
hardness
37:17
of heart.
37:19
So it's an interesting
37:20
kind of phrasing
37:21
that he connects
37:21
on the end here.
37:22
Rather than just saying
37:23
they are darkened
37:24
in their understanding,
37:25
they don't understand
37:25
who God is
37:26
and how they're
37:26
meant to relate to Him
37:27
and therefore
37:28
they're alienated
37:29
from the life of God
37:29
because of this
37:30
ignorance
37:31
that is in them,
37:32
he takes it a step
37:33
further to say
37:34
it's due
37:34
to their
37:35
hardness
37:35
of heart.
37:37
And I just want
37:38
to press to you
37:39
and say to you
37:40
again
37:40
that man is
37:41
dichotomous,
37:42
that our head
37:43
and our heart
37:43
are never divorced,
37:46
that the two
37:46
function together,
37:48
that these
37:49
people have
37:50
a hardness
37:51
of heart,
37:51
their emotions,
37:52
their desire
37:54
for the things
37:55
of God
37:55
are turned
37:56
away from God
37:57
and therefore
37:58
they're darkened
37:58
in understanding.
38:00
And for those
38:00
of us who have
38:01
been delivered
38:01
from that,
38:03
our affections
38:04
are turned
38:04
toward God
38:05
and therefore
38:06
our mind
38:07
should also be
38:08
as well.
38:08
We should desire
38:09
to know Him
38:10
more.
38:10
These two things
38:11
should be functioning
38:12
together,
38:13
kind of conduiting
38:14
one from the
38:16
other.
38:17
So it's important
38:19
that we see
38:20
this,
38:20
that we see
38:20
that there should
38:21
be an outflow,
38:22
an outcome
38:22
of the way
38:23
in which we
38:24
think.
38:25
That there
38:26
shouldn't be
38:26
head without
38:27
heart or
38:28
heart without
38:29
head.
38:32
And so in
38:32
verse 6
38:33
He says to
38:33
them,
38:34
as you received
38:35
Christ Jesus
38:35
the Lord,
38:37
so walk
38:38
in Him.
38:40
And there is
38:40
so very much
38:41
to be said
38:42
about walking
38:42
in Christ.
38:44
This little
38:45
tiny phrase,
38:46
so walk
38:47
in Him.
38:48
We could
38:49
expound on
38:50
the entire
38:50
Christian experience
38:51
of what it
38:52
would mean
38:52
to walk
38:53
in Christ.
38:54
And I'm
38:55
not going
38:55
to go
38:56
there today.
38:56
We don't
38:56
have time
38:57
for it,
38:57
or you
38:58
guys have
38:58
the bandwidth
38:59
for it,
38:59
or myself,
39:00
but lest
39:01
you think
39:01
I'm neglecting
39:02
this,
39:02
the breadth
39:03
of that
39:04
phrase,
39:05
let me
39:05
assure you
39:06
that there's
39:06
much opportunity
39:07
to divulge
39:08
more concerning
39:08
this in the
39:09
rest of
39:09
chapter 2
39:10
and chapter 3.
39:11
In fact,
39:11
that's what
39:11
Paul intends
39:12
to go
39:13
on to do.
39:14
In the coming
39:15
weeks,
39:15
we'll look
39:16
more at
39:16
what it
39:17
looks like
39:17
to walk
39:18
in Christ.
39:21
But here
39:21
it is,
39:22
and we
39:22
can't
39:22
possibly
39:23
overlook
39:24
it here
39:25
in its
39:25
immediate
39:26
context.
39:27
We have
39:28
to deal
39:28
with it.
39:28
He says,
39:29
therefore,
39:30
therefore,
39:31
because you
39:31
have received
39:32
Christ and
39:33
have settled
39:34
convictions about
39:34
His deity and
39:35
sufficiency,
39:36
this is working
39:37
in your lives
39:38
for good
39:39
order.
39:40
You've come
39:41
to this
39:41
resolute
39:41
understanding
39:42
and now
39:42
it's out
39:43
working.
39:44
He's saying
39:44
don't stop.
39:46
Just as you
39:47
received Christ,
39:49
walk in Him.
39:50
Don't stop
39:50
doing the
39:51
thing that
39:52
you're doing.
39:52
I've heard
39:52
of your
39:53
good order.
39:53
I've heard
39:54
of your
39:54
firmness of
39:54
faith.
39:55
Don't
39:55
stop.
39:58
Walk
39:58
refers to
39:59
daily
40:00
conduct.
40:02
Continue
40:02
believing the
40:03
truth concerning
40:04
Christ.
40:05
Have an
40:06
unwavering
40:07
Christology and
40:08
have an
40:09
effect in
40:10
your life.
40:11
This is
40:11
specifically what
40:12
he's talking
40:13
about.
40:13
As he goes
40:14
on in the
40:14
letter,
40:15
he talks
40:15
about how
40:15
that should
40:16
come out
40:16
of you
40:17
more
40:17
practically.
40:20
But in the
40:20
beginning of
40:21
verse 7,
40:21
there are
40:22
three
40:23
participles
40:24
that elaborate
40:25
on so walk
40:26
in Him.
40:27
This idea
40:28
rooted and
40:30
built up in
40:31
Him and
40:32
established in
40:33
the faith.
40:33
Those are the
40:33
three.
40:34
First part of
40:35
verse 7,
40:35
rooted and
40:36
built up in
40:36
Him and
40:37
established in
40:38
the faith.
40:40
The phrase
40:41
here,
40:42
rooted,
40:42
you have
40:42
been firmly
40:43
planted in
40:45
Christ.
40:46
This took
40:47
place at your
40:47
salvation.
40:48
If you have
40:48
placed faith
40:49
in Him,
40:51
it's in the
40:51
perfect tense
40:52
which denotes
40:53
it is a
40:53
completed and
40:54
eternal work.
40:57
You have
40:57
power to
40:58
walk in
40:58
Him, to
40:59
be sustained
40:59
in the
41:00
truth because
41:00
you have
41:01
been rooted
41:02
in Him.
41:03
You've been
41:03
planted by
41:05
God.
41:07
And you
41:07
are being
41:08
built up
41:09
in Him.
41:11
The present
41:11
tense here
41:12
indicates that
41:12
it is a
41:13
continuous action.
41:14
It is an
41:14
ongoing thing.
41:15
That God
41:16
is at work
41:16
building us
41:17
up in
41:18
Christ.
41:18
We've been
41:19
rooted in
41:19
Christ and
41:20
we're being
41:20
built up
41:20
in Christ.
41:23
And we
41:23
have been
41:24
established
41:24
in the
41:25
face.
41:29
The passive
41:30
voice denotes
41:31
that the
41:32
establishing
41:33
happens outside
41:34
of us.
41:34
we have
41:35
been
41:36
established.
41:36
We have
41:37
not
41:37
established
41:37
ourselves,
41:38
but we
41:39
have been
41:39
established.
41:40
And that
41:41
is that
41:41
it is
41:42
God who
41:43
does the
41:45
establishing.
41:46
It should be
41:46
of a great
41:47
deal of
41:48
encouragement
41:48
to us
41:49
as disciples
41:50
of Jesus
41:51
Christ must
41:51
have a
41:52
resolute
41:52
understanding,
41:53
must walk
41:54
in Him.
41:55
And lastly,
41:57
disciples of
41:57
Jesus Christ
41:58
must abound
42:00
in
42:01
thanksgiving.
42:02
The last
42:02
part of
42:03
verse 7,
42:03
abounding
42:04
in
42:06
thanksgiving.
42:07
This is
42:07
the fourth
42:08
participle
42:09
that explains
42:10
the walking
42:11
in Him.
42:13
And it
42:13
would seem,
42:14
the way the
42:15
Greek works,
42:16
get down and
42:17
start trying to
42:18
sentence diagram
42:18
this all out,
42:19
that it's a
42:20
response to
42:21
the other
42:21
three
42:22
aforementioned
42:23
participles.
42:24
Rooted and
42:25
built up in
42:25
Him and
42:26
established in
42:26
the faith
42:27
because of
42:28
these things
42:29
abounding
42:30
in
42:31
thanksgiving.
42:32
It kind of
42:33
seems on
42:33
first reading
42:34
to almost be
42:34
like an
42:35
afterthought.
42:36
Like Paul's
42:36
like, oh
42:36
yeah, yeah,
42:37
oh and be
42:37
thankful.
42:38
It's good,
42:38
important to
42:38
be thankful.
42:40
But it really
42:40
deserves a
42:41
closer look
42:41
because there's
42:42
a giving
42:44
thanks theme,
42:46
a theme of
42:47
thanksgiving
42:47
that develops
42:48
in the book
42:49
of Colossians.
42:50
Look quickly,
42:50
chapter 1,
42:51
verse 12.
42:52
You'll see it
42:52
there.
42:55
Here in
42:55
chapter 2,
42:56
verse 7.
42:58
And again,
42:59
in chapter 4,
43:01
verse 2.
43:01
I'll talk about
43:02
each of those
43:03
briefly.
43:04
But why is it
43:05
that Paul
43:06
finds thanksgiving
43:08
to be so
43:08
incredibly
43:09
important?
43:11
It seems to
43:11
be, what he
43:12
seems to be
43:12
presenting it
43:13
as, is a
43:14
weapon against
43:15
the very false
43:16
teaching that
43:17
he's addressing.
43:18
Thanksgiving
43:18
is a weapon,
43:20
an offensive
43:21
against
43:22
false teaching.
43:25
So how could
43:26
that be true?
43:27
Chapter 1,
43:27
verse 12.
43:29
Giving thanks is
43:29
the proper
43:30
response of
43:31
what has
43:31
proceeded in
43:32
chapter 9,
43:33
verse 11,
43:34
and what
43:34
follows in
43:35
verses 12-14.
43:39
Right?
43:40
The goodness
43:40
of God
43:42
to us,
43:43
the brevity
43:44
of it,
43:45
the breadth
43:45
of it,
43:47
in Christ.
43:48
How is it
43:48
God has
43:49
saved us
43:50
by the
43:50
work of
43:51
Christ?
43:52
And giving
43:52
thanks is
43:53
given as
43:54
this proper
43:55
and right
43:55
response to
43:56
that.
43:56
Again,
43:57
here in
43:57
2-7,
43:58
abounding in
43:59
thanksgiving
43:59
is the
43:59
proper response
44:00
of the
44:01
things that
44:01
have been
44:01
said previously,
44:03
rooted and
44:03
built up in
44:04
Him,
44:04
established in
44:04
the faith,
44:05
just as you
44:06
were taught.
44:08
Taught what?
44:09
The things
44:10
that we've
44:10
seen to be
44:10
true in
44:11
chapter 2,
44:12
2 and 3,
44:13
which I read
44:13
to you
44:13
previously.
44:15
Hearts
44:15
encouraged,
44:16
together in love,
44:17
to reach the
44:18
riches of
44:19
full assurance,
44:20
of understanding,
44:21
and the
44:21
knowledge of
44:22
God's mystery,
44:23
which is
44:23
Christ,
44:24
in whom are
44:25
hidden all the
44:26
treasures of
44:27
wisdom and
44:28
of knowledge.
44:29
So it's a
44:29
proper response
44:30
giving thanks
44:31
to who
44:32
Christ is
44:34
and who
44:34
He is
44:35
to us.
44:38
Being
44:38
thankful,
44:39
beloved,
44:40
is the
44:41
outworking
44:42
of,
44:43
the
44:43
grasping
44:46
of the
44:46
reality of
44:47
what Christ
44:47
has done
44:47
on our
44:48
behalf.
44:49
It gives
44:50
it wheels.
44:51
When our
44:52
hearts overflow
44:53
with
44:54
thankfulness,
44:54
it takes
44:55
it from
44:55
being high
44:56
and philosophical
44:57
to being
44:58
real to us
44:58
when we
44:59
respond to
45:00
it with
45:01
thanksgiving.
45:03
Being
45:03
thankful has
45:04
perspective
45:05
shifting
45:06
power.
45:08
Let me
45:08
give you
45:09
a very
45:09
obtuse
45:10
example of
45:11
this,
45:11
then I'll
45:12
give you
45:12
a spiritual
45:12
application
45:13
as well.
45:14
Yesterday,
45:15
I mowed
45:16
the grass
45:16
at our
45:16
house.
45:17
I really
45:18
hate
45:18
mowing
45:18
grass.
45:20
I would
45:21
love
45:21
someday
45:21
to pay
45:22
somebody
45:22
to mow
45:22
my grass
45:23
all the
45:23
time.
45:25
It was
45:25
hot out
45:26
yesterday.
45:27
I have
45:28
allergies,
45:28
so as soon
45:28
as I start
45:29
kicking up
45:29
the dust
45:30
and the
45:30
other weeds
45:32
and things
45:32
that are in
45:33
our yard,
45:33
I sneeze
45:34
a lot.
45:37
But I'm
45:37
out there
45:38
and I'm
45:38
cutting the
45:38
grass and
45:39
my mind's
45:39
beginning to
45:40
take this
45:40
grass and
45:42
kind of
45:43
an attitude
45:44
about it.
45:46
And I
45:46
was thinking
45:46
about this
45:49
text and
45:49
I was
45:50
thinking about
45:50
how it
45:51
is that
45:51
being
45:52
thankful
45:53
combats
45:54
lives.
45:56
So here
45:57
I am
45:57
beginning to
45:58
pick up
45:59
all of
45:59
these things
46:00
like it's
46:00
hot,
46:01
starting to
46:01
get damp
46:02
up here.
46:03
I couldn't
46:03
get my
46:04
earbud to
46:05
stay in my
46:05
ear.
46:06
Every time I
46:06
turned my
46:06
head,
46:06
it would
46:06
pop out
46:07
of my
46:07
ear and
46:07
I'd
46:07
have to
46:07
put the
46:08
music back
46:08
in my
46:09
ear.
46:10
It was
46:10
annoying,
46:11
I was
46:11
sneezing
46:11
a lot.
46:14
I'm
46:15
thinking about
46:15
being
46:15
thankful and
46:16
the power
46:16
of being
46:17
thankful and
46:18
all of a
46:19
sudden this
46:19
breeze just
46:20
blew through
46:21
our backyard
46:21
and it was
46:22
so nice and
46:22
cool,
46:22
it felt so
46:23
good and
46:23
I went,
46:24
it's actually
46:24
not that
46:24
hot out
46:25
here.
46:26
The cloud
46:26
covers out
46:27
and yesterday
46:27
got hot but
46:28
when I was
46:29
cutting the
46:29
grass it was
46:29
cloudy at
46:30
our house and
46:31
there was this
46:32
nice breeze.
46:32
I realized that
46:33
I just hadn't
46:33
noticed the
46:34
breeze before but
46:34
the breeze had
46:35
been blowing
46:35
the entire
46:35
time I
46:36
was out
46:37
there.
46:38
I began to
46:39
think about
46:39
how I'm
46:40
thankful that
46:40
I have a
46:41
yard.
46:42
We just
46:43
recently did
46:43
a bunch of
46:43
work on the
46:44
yard and
46:44
it went
46:45
well and
46:46
there's some
46:46
good and
46:47
some value
46:48
in having a
46:48
space to
46:49
enjoy in
46:50
that way and
46:51
suddenly my
46:51
mind shifted
46:52
doing the
46:53
exact same
46:54
activity and
46:55
my mind
46:55
shifted from
46:56
being grumbly
46:57
about it to
46:58
being happy,
47:00
happy that I
47:01
was cutting the
47:01
grass.
47:02
I have grass
47:03
to cut and
47:03
it's a nice
47:04
cool day and
47:05
God has been
47:05
good and
47:06
blessed me
47:06
with this
47:07
house.
47:08
So there's
47:08
this ability
47:10
to shift.
47:12
If you leave
47:13
here and I
47:13
hope that you
47:14
do and you
47:14
go with
47:15
people and
47:15
go have
47:16
food together,
47:17
some form of
47:18
fellowship,
47:19
I'd encourage you
47:20
to talk about
47:20
sermons.
47:21
If the first
47:22
thing you talk
47:22
about is how
47:23
long the
47:23
sermon was
47:24
today,
47:25
you're likely
47:26
not going to
47:26
say a whole
47:27
lot positive
47:27
about the
47:28
sermon beyond
47:29
that.
47:29
You say,
47:30
man,
47:30
Nathan preached
47:31
all the way
47:31
to noon,
47:32
which now I
47:33
have to,
47:33
to just make
47:34
the example
47:35
work well
47:36
for you.
47:39
What a long
47:39
sermon that
47:40
was.
47:41
Rather than
47:42
somebody breaks
47:43
the ice and
47:43
says,
47:44
isn't it good
47:45
that we have
47:46
the truth of
47:46
God,
47:47
that we can
47:47
sit it in our
47:48
laps and we
47:48
can listen to
47:49
it preached?
47:50
Whether I do a
47:51
good job or not,
47:52
I'm always very
47:53
hard on myself,
47:53
that someone this
47:55
week took the
47:55
time to try to
47:57
divulge to you
47:58
the truth contained
47:59
in the Scriptures.
48:00
You begin a
48:01
conversation like
48:01
that and it
48:02
changes.
48:02
The perspective
48:03
changes.
48:04
Yes,
48:04
God is good
48:06
to us.
48:08
Right?
48:08
It causes
48:09
cynicism,
48:11
which I am so
48:12
guilty of,
48:12
to flee.
48:14
It turns our
48:15
hearts.
48:16
It's the
48:17
outcome of
48:19
recognition of
48:20
how very good
48:21
God is to us.
48:23
And Paul places
48:24
it so strategically
48:25
in here as the
48:27
way in which we
48:28
turn our minds
48:29
from the lies
48:30
that the world
48:31
is telling us
48:31
to the truth
48:32
of God.
48:34
And just to
48:34
drive that home
48:35
for you,
48:37
chapter 4,
48:37
verse 2,
48:38
and this is it.
48:38
We're going to
48:39
wrap up here in
48:39
just a moment.
48:40
Chapter 4,
48:40
verse 2.
48:42
He says,
48:43
continue steadfastly
48:45
in prayer,
48:46
so persevere in
48:48
your prayer,
48:49
being watchful in
48:50
it with
48:52
thanksgiving.
48:53
Not and be
48:54
thankful or be
48:55
thankful in your
48:56
praying,
48:57
but be watchful in
48:58
it,
48:59
and the way
48:59
you're being
48:59
watchful is
49:00
with thanksgiving.
49:02
And why is that?
49:03
Because the
49:04
enemy does not
49:05
want us praying.
49:07
God's people
49:07
praying are a
49:08
dangerous thing
49:09
because God
49:09
uses the prayers
49:10
of his people
49:10
to accomplish
49:11
his will.
49:12
He doesn't
49:13
need us,
49:14
but he uses us
49:15
in that regard.
49:16
We're dangerous
49:17
when we get on
49:18
our knees.
49:19
John Piper said
49:19
it this way,
49:20
which I just love,
49:21
really appreciate.
49:22
He said,
49:23
when we pray,
49:23
we kneel in a
49:25
hornet's nest
49:26
of evil.
49:27
That,
49:28
that evil
49:28
pours out.
49:29
Have you,
49:29
have you not
49:30
experienced this
49:31
in your prayers?
49:32
You're so easily
49:32
distracted.
49:34
You buy lies
49:36
so readily.
49:37
The greatest lie
49:38
that I believe
49:38
is that God
49:39
doesn't hear my
49:40
prayers.
49:40
That my prayers
49:41
aren't worthy
49:42
to go up to
49:42
him.
49:43
And this is
49:43
something that's
49:44
told to me
49:45
by the enemy.
49:47
When the truth
49:48
of it is,
49:48
that I'm clothed
49:50
in Christ's
49:50
righteousness,
49:51
by myself,
49:52
they're certainly
49:52
not,
49:52
but because I'm
49:53
clothed in Christ's
49:54
righteousness,
49:54
when God sees
49:55
me,
49:55
he sees Christ.
49:56
And that Christ
49:57
is sitting at
49:58
his right hand
49:58
and he leans
49:59
over when I
50:00
pray and he
50:00
goes,
50:01
you should hear
50:01
this,
50:02
I've got him.
50:03
That my life
50:05
has been redeemed
50:06
and therefore
50:08
my prayers
50:08
are heard.
50:11
So,
50:11
thankfulness is
50:12
the way in
50:13
which we are
50:14
watchful.
50:15
That we can
50:16
rejoice in the
50:18
truth of the
50:18
gospel and
50:20
rightly pray
50:21
and not be
50:22
attacked by
50:23
these outside
50:24
influences
50:25
because it's
50:26
the outcome,
50:27
it's the
50:27
outflow of
50:28
our recognition
50:28
of God's
50:29
goodness to
50:30
us in
50:31
Christ.
50:31
I hope you're
50:32
seeing that
50:32
connection.
50:33
I'm not sure
50:33
my mind is
50:34
totally wrapped
50:35
it up yet,
50:35
but I'm
50:37
going to end
50:37
there because
50:38
it is now
50:38
noon.
50:41
And now my
50:41
example doesn't
50:42
work if I go
50:42
much further.
50:43
So let me
50:43
just conclude
50:45
this,
50:45
beloved.
50:45
If we're
50:46
going to
50:46
contend for
50:46
the truth,
50:47
if we're
50:47
going to
50:47
stand firm
50:47
in the
50:48
faith,
50:48
in the
50:49
midst of
50:49
a day
50:50
when the
50:51
truth is
50:51
being torn
50:52
asunder,
50:53
when the
50:53
truth is
50:54
being distorted,
50:55
the enemy
50:56
is certainly
50:57
at work
50:57
trying to
50:58
lead us
50:59
astray,
50:59
trying to
50:59
take us
51:00
captive,
51:01
we must
51:02
have a
51:02
resolute
51:02
understanding.
51:04
We must
51:04
walk in
51:05
Him,
51:06
Christ,
51:07
and we
51:08
must abound
51:08
in
51:09
thanksgiving.
51:10
Let's pray
51:10
together.