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Romans 13:11-14 - Part 1 · Providence Baptist Church - Sermons

0:00
Well, a very good morning to you all. It's very good to be here this day. I missed last week's service, not because I was sick, although I think a lot of people believe that to be the case, which is normally the case, so I can understand why, but I had a family, a whole family that was very, very sick, but we're doing much better today, and I do appreciate your prayers.
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I'm very, very thankful this morning to be here with you all, not to be sick. I'm very, very thankful for our glorious God who sent us a Savior to redeem our souls, that we might even come together and worship this day in spirit and in truth.
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I'm thankful this day to celebrate the first year birthday, I guess I should say, birthday of our little guy, Judah. Today is his birthday, and we're so blessed to have him, and I'm thankful today for God's written word to us.
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We are continuing our study through Romans, so you can go ahead and turn there to the book of Romans, chapter 13.
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And we've been working our way through now this practical working out of these doctrines that he's presented to us in the first 11 chapters.
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We've come to chapter 12 and seen that our reasonable service is the sacrifice of our whole selves now to God in light of these glorious truths of the gospel, this salvation that we have by faith through grace.
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And he's gone on to talk about how we can sum up then our godliness, what that should look like in the little phrase at the beginning of verse 9 of chapter 12.
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Let love be genuine.
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And he begins to expand upon that, abhor what is evil, hold fast to what is good, and he works that out even more practically going through the end of chapter 12 and into the beginning of 13.
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A couple of weeks ago when I was with you, we talked about verses 8 through 10, when he starts out to say,
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Oh, no one anything except to love one another.
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He goes on to say that love is the fulfilling of the commandment, that if we love genuinely, as he said in verse 9 of chapter 12, then we're fulfilling the commandment.
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We are living as God would have us live.
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And he even expresses to us that this is a continuing debt of love.
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In light of what God has done for us, we're to be moved to continue on and on and on to love others, both in practical ways and with the gospel itself.
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Today we're going to look at verses 11 through 14, and we're going to address a particular part of it today, and we're going to deal with the rest of it next week.
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I think there's too much richness in it to try to cram it into one, but join with me in reading.
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We're going to read verse 8 all the way through the end of the chapter, through verse 14, to set some context for us.
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Owe no one anything except to love each other, for the one who loves another has fulfilled the law.
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For the commandments, you shall not commit adultery, you shall not murder, you shall not steal, you shall not covet,
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and any other commandment are summed up in this word, you shall love your neighbor as yourself.
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Love does no wrong to a neighbor, therefore love is the fulfilling of the law.
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Besides this, you know the time that the hour has come for you to wake from sleep,
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for salvation is nearer to us now than when we first believed.
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The night is far gone, the day is at hand.
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So then let us cast off the works of darkness and put on the armor of light.
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Let us walk properly as in the daytime, not in orgies and drunkenness,
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not in sexual immorality and sensuality, not in quarreling and jealousy,
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but put on the Lord Jesus Christ and make no provision for the flesh to gratify its desires.
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Join me in praying for God's blessing on this time.
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Father, we praise you for your written word.
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It is a grace to us.
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We praise you also for the preaching of your word, not because I have any good in and of myself,
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but that the proclamation of your written word, the explanation of what it means, has in it power.
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And I pray, God, by your spirit, that you will ignite my tongue,
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and you will soften all of our hearts to receive the truths contained herein,
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and that apply them to our lives, that you might find us more obedient,
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being transformed in the image of your son as a result of our activity together in these coming moments.
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We pray this in Christ's name. Amen.
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So Paul has laid out for us this continuing debt of love,
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not a love by the world's standards,
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not our romantic comedy version of love,
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but a much, much higher version of love,
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an idealistic version of love.
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He says that it's a genuine love,
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a love that's rooted in the gospel truth,
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that seeks the great end of other people before yourself,
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that wants the best for all that you encounter.
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He says that's the fulfilling of the law,
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but then in verse 11, he begins to explain to us further
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how it is we're going to love this way
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by saying simply, besides this.
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So love is the fulfilling of the law,
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which is a great motivation in and of itself to love,
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but then he says, besides this, you know the time.
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He goes on to further explain that,
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but what an interesting little phrase here.
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Besides this,
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so another reason we ought to love this way
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is because we know the time.
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So I'm going to ask two questions this morning.
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The first is, what does he even mean?
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What does Paul mean by knowing the time?
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And some clues to that are in the following verses.
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He qualifies it.
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What does he mean by the time in 11b through 12a?
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If you will allow me to break these verses up in that way.
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He does so with a metaphor
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that seeks to explain the reality of the time
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that we all know.
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The metaphor.
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Look at it firstly.
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In 12a, he says,
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The night is far gone.
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The day is at hand.
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And then in 11b,
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The hours come for you to wake from sleep.
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So he's using this analogy to say to us,
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Listen, the night is gone.
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The night is over.
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It is now the daytime.
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And as those who know the time,
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speaking to believers in this case,
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those who are found in Christ,
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it's time for you to wake up.
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We ought not slumber any longer.
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We've been made alive in Christ,
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and now we ought to be about the activity of love.
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You can see also Ephesians 5, 1-21,
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verse 14,
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Awake, O sleeper,
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and rise from the dead,
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that Christ may shine on you.
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Speaking to those believers
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who had become lackadaisical in their Christian living,
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who had ceased pursuing Christ
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by loving those around them.
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Wake up.
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It's not nighttime any longer.
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It's now the day.
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Walk as one who is awake in the daytime.
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So this metaphor,
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to help us better understand
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understand the time
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that he's talking about,
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which helps us to understand
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a reality
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found in 11c,
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the third portion of verse 11.
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He says,
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For salvation is nearer to us now
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than when we first believed.
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What does he mean by that?
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So, we're to wake up,
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be in the day,
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walk, begin to move,
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and be active
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in this activity of genuine love.
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Because salvation is nearer to us now
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than when we first believed.
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Is Paul here suggesting
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that we must live in a certain way
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in order to obtain salvation?
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Is it coming,
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and if we're not living the right way,
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we won't be able to grab hold of it?
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Right?
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No.
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Clear and emphatic answer to that.
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He's not saying at all
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that it's our work
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that brings us salvation.
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Look back in the book of Romans,
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the first 11 chapters,
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to be certain,
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but just focus your attention
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on Romans 5, 1 and 2,
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where he says,
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Therefore,
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since we have been justified
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by faith,
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not by works,
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we've been justified by faith,
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we have peace with God
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through our Lord Jesus Christ.
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Through Him,
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we also have obtained access
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by faith
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into this grace
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in which we stand.
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Right?
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So then what does he mean?
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Right?
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Look at the rest of verse 2,
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and we rejoice
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in the hope
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of the glory of God.
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So we have been redeemed,
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but we are waiting
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for the full consummation
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of that to happen.
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Right?
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We are waiting
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for the full realization
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of us being delivered
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from this world,
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from the weight
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and the baggage
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of our sinful flesh.
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Right?
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The very end
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of chapter 5, verse 2,
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and we rejoice
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in the hope
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of the glory of God.
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Right?
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We long for that day
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when our full salvation
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will be finished.
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There's a picture
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all throughout the scriptures
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in talking of the kingdom of God,
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of what has arrived
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and what is in the process
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of being,
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of arriving.
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Right?
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You have been sanctified
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as a believer.
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You've been set apart
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for God,
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but you are still
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being sanctified
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in that you're being
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perfectly set apart
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for God.
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Right?
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So that's what he's referring to
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as he's saying
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that it's coming.
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It's on its way.
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Salvation is close
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at hand.
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And what he's saying
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is that the reality
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that Paul's saying here
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is that believers
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know to be true
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of the time
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is that the kingdom
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of God
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is here.
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It's arrived.
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It's at hand.
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We've arrived
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at the juncture
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between the passing away
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of the reign
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of sin
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and death
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to the reign
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of Christ
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and the subsequent
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joy
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and hope
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and glory
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that accompanies him.
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Right?
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We stand
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between
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those two ages,
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those two worlds.
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Paul said
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in 1 Corinthians 10-11
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that the Old Testament
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and events
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were written down
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for our instruction
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on whom
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the end
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of the ages
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has come.
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That is,
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the transition
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between this age
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and the age to come
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has arrived
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in Jesus Christ.
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2 Corinthians 5-17
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states,
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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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So if you are found
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in Christ
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by your faith in Him,
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then you are
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a new creation.
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The new creation.
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It's come.
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Colossians 1-13
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reads,
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God delivered us
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from the domain
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of darkness
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and transferred us
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to the kingdom
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of His beloved Son.
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So then,
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the kingdom
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of our great deliverer
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has come.
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Just as Jesus said
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in Mark 1-15,
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the time is fulfilled
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and the kingdom of God
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is at hand.
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And now,
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we,
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as God's very own,
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long to see
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the full realization
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of this kingdom.
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Recall back in Romans 8-23,
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it says that
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we ourselves,
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who have the first fruits
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of the Spirit,
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groan inwardly
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as we wait eagerly
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for adoption of Son,
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the redemption
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of our bodies.
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That is the place
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in which we exist
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right now.
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The time
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that he's referring to.
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Many of you
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may not recognize,
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know what
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the Christ Family Church
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logo looks like.
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I'll encourage you
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as you leave
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to look up at the sign
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on the hill,
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the temporary sign,
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temporary slash permanent sign
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that's up on the hill.
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You'll notice that
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it's a silhouette of trees
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with the rising sun.
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That's meant to be
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a picture of this time
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that we all live in.
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Those of us
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who have been redeemed
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standing together,
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facing and awaiting
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the coming of our King,
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who is currently
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in the process
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of shedding light
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on this world.
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What happens though?
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Why is something
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a silhouette?
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You're looking at
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something from behind
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and it's in silhouette.
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It's because one side
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of it is exposed
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to the magnificent
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light of the sun
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and what's behind it
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is not.
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That's why it appears
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dark to you.
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There's no light
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on the backside of it.
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So we're in between
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those two places.
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This reign of sin
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and death
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where Satan prevails
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in this world
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and Christ,
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who has come
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and is ushering
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in his kingdom.
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kingdom.
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It's not an
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interstitial gap.
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That term makes sense
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to you, right?
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Where there's this gap
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where this kingdom
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is done
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and this kingdom
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is coming
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and we stand
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in between it,
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between two worlds
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in that way.
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But it looks
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more like this.
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It's a Venn diagram.
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It's an overlap
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of the two happening.
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We live in a very
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unique time,
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the age of the church,
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right?
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When this world
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and the things
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of this world
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still exist,
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but yet the new world,
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the new age,
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is on its way.
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This is the time
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that he is talking about.
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Turn with me
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to 2 Peter 3.
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Paul says,
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besides this,
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you,
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believers,
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those in Rome
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who are believers
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and now us,
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those of us
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who have Christ,
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you know the time.
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Peter wrote
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some similar language.
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Chapter 3 of 2 Peter
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beginning in
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verse 3.
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Knowing this first of all,
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that scoffers will come
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in the last days
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with scoffing,
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following their own
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sinful desires,
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they will say,
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where is the promise
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of his coming?
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For ever since
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the fathers fell asleep,
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all things are continuing
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as they were
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from the beginning
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of creation.
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Feels that way
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sometimes,
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doesn't it?
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Right?
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That the age
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is not passing away
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that we live in
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in this world
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and the age of Christ
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is not coming,
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it just seems to never come.
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The world just seems
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to get more and more
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sinful and evil.
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That's exactly what
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Peter's writing about here.
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It's exactly what he's saying,
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that these scoffers
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will come
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and they will say,
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nothing's changed.
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Right?
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You talk about this coming.
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Nothing's coming.
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Nothing's changing.
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Nothing's getting better.
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It's only getting worse.
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Verse 5,
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For they deliberately
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overlooked this fact,
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that the heavens existed
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long ago,
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and the earth was formed
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out of water
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and through water
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by the word of God,
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and that by means of these
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the world that then existed
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was deluged with water
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and perished.
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But by the same word,
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the heavens and earth
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that now exist
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are stored up for fire,
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being kept
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until the day of judgment
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and destruction
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of the ungodly.
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But do not overlook
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this one fact, beloved,
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that with the Lord
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one day is as a thousand years
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and a thousand years
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as one day.
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The Lord is not slow
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to fulfill His promise
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as some count slowness,
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but is patient towards you,
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not wishing that any
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should perish,
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but that all should
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reach repentance.
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But the day of the Lord
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will come like a thief,
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and the heavens will pass away
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with a war,
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and the heavenly bodies
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will be burned up
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and dissolved,
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and the earth
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and the works
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that are done on it
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will be exposed.
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Since all these things
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are thus to be dissolved,
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what sort of people
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ought you to be
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in lives of holiness
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and godliness,
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waiting for and hastening
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the coming of the day of God,
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because of which
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the heavens will be set
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on fire and dissolved,
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and the heavenly bodies
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will melt as they burn.
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But according to His promise,
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we are waiting for new heavens
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and a new earth
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in which righteousness dwells.
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Peter says the same thing
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to us here.
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You know the time,
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and when it doesn't feel like
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the old age is passing away
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and the new age is coming,
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we can rest sure
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that God is faithful
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to His promises.
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We can recognize
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that we're finite
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in our understanding of time,
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yet God is infinite.
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That's what He says, right?
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The earth,
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the heavens created,
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existed long ago.
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Long ago they existed.
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Outside of even your scope
16:52
of eternity past,
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they existed.
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And God will in fact
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bring His promises
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to pass.
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So how then should we live?
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We should be living lives
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of holiness and godliness,
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waiting for and hastening
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the coming day of our Lord.
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What is Peter referring to?
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God's time is God's time.
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It is perfect.
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It will come to pass
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when it comes to pass.
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Why would He even use
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the word hastening?
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It's our great goal,
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our great mission as the church,
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to find everybody
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in this dark, dark world,
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every corner of it,
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every recess,
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the place that they're hiding,
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and share the good news
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of Jesus Christ with them.
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We want to try to press light
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into every possible dark place
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because when the church's numbers
17:43
are complete,
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Christ will return.
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So He's speaking in human terms,
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right?
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There's an urgency
17:50
that we should feel
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to get it done.
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God, He is patient.
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He will accomplish His purpose.
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It will come to pass
17:56
when He wants it to come to pass,
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but we are to press on
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to love genuinely,
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to carry the gospel,
18:04
the greatest expression of love,
18:06
to everyone that we can
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in the hopes
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that it's going to happen soon.
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It's that dark shadow
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at our back
18:14
that should drive us
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to the face of Christ.
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Turn your eyes upon Jesus.
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Look full in His wonderful face,
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and the things of earth
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will go strangely dim
18:23
in the light of His glorious grace.
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That is the motivating factor.
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So let's ask the second question,
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even though I'm already
18:34
working on answering it.
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So how does a knowledge
18:36
of the time motivate us
18:37
to love properly?
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How is it that it does so?
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So verse 12,
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back in Romans 12b,
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so then let us
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cast off the works of darkness
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and put on
18:50
the armor of light.
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So we have this knowledge
18:54
of the time,
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and He says,
18:55
so then.
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So since we have this knowledge
18:57
of the time,
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we understand the analogy,
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right?
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We ought to then
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walk properly.
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It's a casting off,
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a throwing away
19:04
of the works of darkness
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and a putting on
19:07
of the armor of light.
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Right?
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It's all these things
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He's been discussing
19:11
in chapter 12
19:12
and this part of 13
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up until now.
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It's all those things
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is what we ought to be
19:17
putting on.
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Right?
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He's simply adding
19:20
further clarity
19:21
to everything He has said
19:23
to the point so far
19:25
with a summary.
19:28
Right?
19:28
He's helping us to see
19:29
that as those of the light
19:32
we should walk in light.
19:33
Right?
19:33
The night is gone.
19:34
It's time to quit slumbering.
19:36
It's time to live in the day.
19:37
Not doing the things
19:38
that are hidden in darkness,
19:39
but doing the things
19:40
that happen in the light.
19:44
We're to cast off
19:45
the one thing.
19:46
Language is strong
19:47
in the Greek.
19:47
Throw it away.
19:48
It's not a, like,
19:49
take it off and put it down
19:51
to be picked back up later.
19:52
No, it's a casting off.
19:54
It's a throwing it away.
19:55
In disgust of it.
19:57
Getting it away from you.
19:58
And putting on
19:59
another thing.
20:01
We're to cast off
20:02
the works of the past age
20:03
and put on the works
20:03
of the age to come.
20:05
We're to cast off evil
20:06
and put on righteousness.
20:08
Right?
20:09
Paul, in fact,
20:10
further clarifies
20:12
what he means
20:12
by putting on
20:13
the armor of light
20:15
in verse 14
20:15
when he says,
20:18
put on the Lord
20:19
Jesus Christ.
20:21
We'll get into
20:22
more practically
20:23
what that looks like.
20:25
What that looks like.
20:26
When we are enthralled
20:27
with who Jesus Christ is,
20:30
the work of darkness
20:31
is no longer beautiful to us.
20:34
The work of light is.
20:37
We'll talk about this
20:38
more next week,
20:38
but when you find yourself
20:40
tempted by sin,
20:42
when you find yourself
20:43
loving it,
20:44
it's because you don't
20:46
love Christ
20:47
the way you ought.
20:50
It's because you don't
20:51
behold him
20:52
for who he truly is.
20:54
His person and his work
20:55
is drifting
20:56
from your heart.
20:58
put on Jesus Christ.
21:03
Right?
21:03
And you'll flee
21:04
from the works of darkness.
21:05
And you'll flee
21:06
to the works of light.
21:08
You will love it.
21:11
As Christian,
21:12
life is not easy.
21:13
We've been put in this
21:14
overlap.
21:16
Right?
21:16
We so desperately,
21:18
at least I hope you do,
21:19
want to be rid
21:20
of your flesh.
21:21
This baggage.
21:22
Paul in Romans chapter 7
21:23
talks about this great
21:24
struggle in himself
21:25
and cries out at the end,
21:26
who will deliver me
21:27
from this body
21:28
of death?
21:30
He says,
21:30
praise be to Jesus Christ
21:32
our Lord.
21:33
Right?
21:34
What he's referring to
21:35
when he talks about
21:35
the body of death
21:36
was a old
21:38
Roman punishment.
21:40
If you murdered somebody,
21:42
they would tie that individual
21:43
to your back.
21:44
The dead body
21:45
to your back.
21:46
And as that flesh
21:47
rotted away,
21:49
that rot would spread
21:50
to your body
21:50
and it would kill you.
21:52
You have to carry around
21:54
the dead man
21:55
on your back.
21:56
And that's how Paul
21:57
refers to his flesh.
21:59
Right?
22:00
His flesh and it's killing me.
22:01
It's infecting
22:02
my new nature.
22:04
Right?
22:04
Who would deliver me
22:05
from it?
22:06
Jesus Christ.
22:07
Put on Jesus Christ.
22:09
Cast off the old.
22:12
Put on the new.
22:15
Remember in Romans 12, 2.
22:18
Not too long ago,
22:19
we talked about this.
22:22
Paul said,
22:22
do not be conformed
22:23
to this world.
22:25
Also could be translated
22:26
age.
22:27
Right?
22:28
It's the same word
22:29
used here
22:29
for the time.
22:32
Okay?
22:32
It's the same Greek word.
22:33
He's talking about
22:34
a period of time.
22:35
Don't be conformed
22:35
to this age
22:36
that we live in,
22:37
this time
22:38
that we live in,
22:39
the typical
22:40
cultural
22:41
normities.
22:43
Don't be conformed
22:44
to that,
22:44
but be transformed.
22:46
Be transformed.
22:47
Be different
22:47
then.
22:49
Because you don't
22:50
belong to this age
22:51
any longer.
22:54
In verse 1,
22:55
it's our reasonable
22:56
service because of
22:57
who we are.
22:58
Because of who we are.
22:59
Because Christ has
22:59
redeemed us.
23:00
It's our reasonable
23:01
service,
23:02
our spiritual worship,
23:03
to offer up
23:04
our whole bodies
23:05
as living
23:06
sacrifices.
23:08
So our knowledge
23:09
of the time
23:10
includes in it
23:12
the knowledge
23:13
of who we are.
23:14
and that's the
23:15
motivating factor.
23:17
Understanding
23:18
the time
23:19
that you all
23:21
know includes,
23:22
if you properly
23:22
understand it,
23:23
it includes
23:23
who you are
23:25
in the time.
23:27
One who's been
23:28
freed from the
23:29
bondage of sin.
23:30
Body of flesh,
23:32
carrying it around,
23:33
absolutely.
23:34
Temptation at
23:35
every turn,
23:36
absolutely.
23:37
Failure at
23:38
every turn,
23:39
yes.
23:40
Right?
23:40
But you've been
23:41
set free from
23:42
that bondage.
23:43
You don't have
23:43
to go on
23:44
sinning.
23:46
You've been
23:46
given life
23:47
in Christ.
23:48
You've been
23:48
given His Spirit
23:49
to abide in you
23:50
and motivate
23:51
proper living
23:53
out of you.
23:54
So many
23:55
Christians
23:55
these days
23:56
are woe
23:58
is me,
23:58
Christians.
23:59
My flesh,
24:01
always at my
24:02
heels,
24:03
always tempting
24:03
me.
24:04
You've been
24:04
set free.
24:06
Live in that.
24:07
You were a
24:07
child of light.
24:08
Walk as
24:09
children of
24:10
light.
24:12
You don't
24:12
have to be
24:13
a slave
24:14
to your
24:14
sin.
24:16
We've been
24:16
redeemed,
24:18
bought with
24:19
a price.
24:20
The blood
24:21
of Jesus
24:22
Christ.
24:23
So it's
24:23
knowing who
24:23
we are.
24:25
It's the
24:26
recognition of
24:27
this reality
24:27
that we live
24:28
in this
24:28
overlap,
24:29
but that we've
24:30
been set
24:30
apart to
24:31
walk in
24:31
the way
24:32
of our
24:32
Lord.
24:33
Ephesians
24:33
5,
24:34
7,
24:34
and 8
24:34
says,
24:35
Do not
24:35
become
24:35
partakers
24:36
with them,
24:37
for at
24:37
one time
24:38
you were
24:38
darkness,
24:38
but now
24:39
you are
24:39
light in
24:40
the Lord.
24:41
Walk
24:41
as
24:42
children
24:42
of
24:43
light.
24:45
We close
24:46
with a
24:46
passage from
24:47
1 Thessalonians
24:47
chapter 5,
24:48
and please
24:49
turn there
24:49
with me.
24:57
I'm going to
24:58
read verses 1
24:58
through 9
24:59
together.
24:59
1 Thessalonians
25:00
5,
25:00
verses 1
25:00
through 9.
25:02
Now,
25:03
concerning the
25:03
times and the
25:04
seasons,
25:05
brothers,
25:05
you have no
25:06
need to have
25:07
anything written
25:07
to you.
25:08
You catch
25:09
that?
25:09
Besides this,
25:11
you know
25:11
the time.
25:13
You have
25:13
no need
25:14
to have
25:14
anything
25:14
written to
25:15
you,
25:15
for you
25:16
yourselves
25:16
are fully
25:17
aware that
25:17
the day
25:18
of the
25:18
Lord will
25:18
come like
25:19
a thief
25:19
in the
25:20
night.
25:20
While
25:21
people are
25:21
saying there
25:22
is peace
25:22
and security,
25:23
then sudden
25:24
destruction will
25:25
come upon
25:25
them as
25:25
labor pains
25:26
come upon
25:27
a pregnant
25:27
woman,
25:28
and they
25:28
will not
25:29
escape.
25:30
But you
25:30
were not
25:31
in darkness,
25:32
brothers,
25:32
for that day
25:33
to surprise
25:34
you like
25:34
a thief,
25:35
for you
25:35
are all
25:36
children of
25:37
light,
25:37
children of
25:38
the day.
25:39
We are
25:39
not of
25:40
the night
25:40
or of
25:41
the darkness.
25:43
So then,
25:43
let us
25:44
not sleep
25:44
as others
25:45
do.
25:45
He's not
25:45
speaking of
25:46
literal sleep,
25:47
right?
25:47
Do not
25:48
sleep as
25:48
others do,
25:48
but let
25:49
us keep
25:49
awake
25:49
and be
25:50
sober.
25:51
For those
25:52
who sleep
25:52
sleep at
25:52
night,
25:53
and those
25:53
who get
25:53
drunk
25:54
are drunk
25:54
at night.
25:55
But since
25:55
we belong
25:56
to the
25:56
day,
25:57
let us
25:57
be
25:57
sober,
25:58
having
25:58
put on
25:58
the breastplate
25:59
of faith
25:59
and love,
26:00
and for
26:01
a helmet
26:01
the hope
26:02
of salvation.
26:03
For God
26:03
has not
26:04
destined us
26:04
for wrath,
26:05
but to
26:05
obtain salvation
26:06
through our
26:07
Lord,
26:08
Jesus Christ.
26:10
The day
26:11
of salvation
26:12
is nearer
26:13
now than
26:14
when we
26:14
first
26:14
believe.
26:16
I can't
26:17
begin to
26:17
tell you
26:17
when the
26:18
world's
26:18
going to
26:18
end.
26:19
I wouldn't
26:19
be so
26:20
arrogant
26:21
to even
26:22
try.
26:24
I would
26:25
be wrong,
26:25
I can
26:25
guarantee
26:26
you that.
26:28
But I
26:29
can say
26:29
with confidence
26:31
to you,
26:31
it's nearer
26:32
now than
26:34
it was when
26:34
you first
26:34
believed.
26:36
We get
26:37
a little
26:37
bit closer
26:37
to it
26:38
as each
26:39
day passes.
26:40
And the
26:41
reality of
26:42
that,
26:42
that we
26:43
are children
26:44
of light,
26:45
we have
26:45
been redeemed,
26:46
we are
26:46
God's
26:47
own,
26:48
because of
26:48
what he's
26:48
done for
26:49
us,
26:50
and he's
26:50
coming back
26:51
to finish
26:52
it.
26:53
This world
26:54
will someday
26:55
pass away,
26:56
and he will
26:56
restore it,
26:57
we will have
26:58
a new
26:58
heaven,
26:59
and a new
27:00
earth,
27:01
that we
27:01
will abide
27:02
in forever.
27:02
Those that
27:04
don't know
27:04
Christ will
27:06
abide in
27:06
eternal
27:07
destruction.
27:09
The lake
27:09
of fire,
27:10
a miserable
27:11
place,
27:12
more for
27:14
its separation
27:14
from God
27:15
than from
27:15
its physical
27:16
torture.
27:19
That's the
27:20
reality of
27:21
what's to
27:21
come.
27:22
And that
27:23
is why
27:23
the knowledge
27:24
of the
27:25
time,
27:26
where we
27:27
are,
27:27
and what
27:27
we know
27:28
is coming,
27:29
should
27:29
motivate us
27:30
to genuine
27:31
love.
27:32
It's a
27:32
response
27:32
to the
27:33
great
27:34
love
27:34
that has
27:35
been shown
27:35
to us
27:36
in Jesus
27:36
Christ.
27:37
It's being
27:37
poured out
27:38
into us,
27:39
and it
27:39
should overflow
27:40
in everything
27:41
that we
27:42
do.
27:44
Let's pray
27:44
together.
27:45
together.