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Ambassadors for Christ (Part 3) · Near East Christian Fellowship Sermons

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Welcome to NECF Sermons. Each message here is
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designed to uplift and strengthen you in your
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walk with God. Don't miss out. Stay with us until
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the end for a rewarding experience. Let's dive
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right in. So we'll continue with our teaching.
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Let's see, we'll continue with our teaching.
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Ambassadors for Christ. Ambassadors for Christ
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or Christ's ambassadors, but ambassadors for
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Christ. We're going to continue with our teaching,
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and our text is in 2 Corinthians. We're going
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to do a bit, we'll go back, but let's just read
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2 Corinthians 5 .20. 2 Corinthians 5 .20. Thank
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you. It says, Now then, we are ambassadors for
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Christ, as though God were pleading through us.
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We implore you on Christ's behalf, be reconciled
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to God. Be reconciled to God in our first...
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We had gone over identity, privileges. We looked
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at the servant leadership structure that Jesus
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Christ was teaching and encouraging his disciples
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to follow. And we talked about a couple of things.
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We looked at motives. We looked at the message
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and we looked at the means. We looked at the
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motives, the message, and the means. We said
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love is our motive. Love is the reason which
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we do the things that we do. We have God's love
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and we have the love that we have for our brothers
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and our sisters. And then we have the message
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of reconciliation, which is what we see in the
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passage. We have the message of reconciliation.
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This message is to be preached to all, irrespective
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of their gender, irrespective of their race,
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or whatever status, it's to be preached. And
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we preach it with persuasion, and we preach it
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with understanding that it's a sacrifice. Because
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of the sacrifice of Christ, we are to sacrifice
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our time, our energy, and all that God has given
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to us to do likewise. And in the second teaching,
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we talked about the things that we entrust, that
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the gospel that we're entrusted with. We're entrusted
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with this gospel. And I want us to look at 2
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Timothy 2 .2. 2 Timothy 2 .2. It says, And the
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things that you have heard from me, amongst many
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weaknesses, commit these to faithful men who
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will be able to teach others also. So what we
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have been entrusted, we will entrust unto. And
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then we had taken time to look at 1 Corinthians
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3, 5 to 6. 1 Corinthians 3, 5 to 6. Just a reminder
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that there's a planting and there's a watering
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and God is the one that does give the increase.
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So it means that in all of our labor and all
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of our toilings, we have a responsibility to
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labor. We have a responsibility to sow seeds
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of God's word. And also God is the one that does
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increase. And we also saw in Acts 1, 8 that the
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power to witness has been given unto us. We're
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able to witness. be effective witnesses. We're
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able to be effective witnesses. So with all of
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that teaching, remember we said we had established
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the fact that every one of us are ambassadors.
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We are not left out in this work. The fact that
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you have been reconciled to God, you have a responsibility
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to reconcile others. And it's an extraordinary
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privilege. It's a privilege that's been given
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to everyone of us. No one is left out. And everyone
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is responsible to carry out the task of representing
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Christ Jesus. everywhere they find ourselves.
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We're not limited to representing him in certain
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places and not in other places. It means that
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this identity that we have goes with us everywhere
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we go. Praise God. And we are doing that representing
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here on earth. Because for you to be an ambassador,
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you're representing a country in a foreign country.
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Praise God. And I'll repeat that over and over
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again so that we understand that we'll see that.
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We'll see our citizenship, where our citizenship
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is of. It is we are representatives of Christ
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in the earth. And what we do is that we compel
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others in love. to respond to the blessings or
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respond to what Christ has done. And we say that
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that fact, that has been entrusted to us, as
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we saw from 2 Timothy. And it doesn't stop with
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us. It doesn't stop with us. What we have received,
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we continue to pass on to others. We're encouraged
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to do so. And many times we discourage ourselves
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from what we are encouraged to do by self -talking
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ourselves out of identity, self -talking ourselves
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out of the responsibility we have been given
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by God to minister to people. And we are encouraged
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to understand that, you know, I think I use the
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analogy of when you put something in the ground,
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it takes a while for the thing, for you to see
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it grow, germinate. It means that there's a process
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that it takes for certain things to happen. And
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many a times we're discouraged when you have
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been giving it your best and nothing has been
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happening. What God calls us to is faithfulness,
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right? He calls us to just be faithful at it.
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And today what we're going to be looking at is
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we're going to look more on the message that
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we carry. We're going to focus more on that.
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And we're going to see how our lives must make
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the appeal that we make, must make that appeal
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that we make onto others believable and credible.
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Because you can't be saying one thing and your
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life is saying something contrary to what you're
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saying. I told us that we're going to be looking
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at the message and looking at how it's applicable.
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So I'll go back to a story I shared about I going
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and then I think somewhere at the cars and you
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see some people selling stuff. And they're bold
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enough to tell you, look, we believe in this
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product. That's why we're selling it to you.
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And the lady had asked me, oh, do you want a
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new line? And I looked at her without flinching.
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I said, the one I have is still working, and
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I've been using it for 13 years. And it still
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works, so I don't need a new one. And I didn't
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have to be cajoled or forced or persuaded to
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buy a new line that I don't need. Praise God.
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And that is because I'm very sure that the one
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I have still works. There's nothing broken about
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it. I still use it. It's still functioning. You
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can't make me get a new one. And that is the
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confidence and the boldness of someone that knows
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what they have and uses what they have. And they're
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sure of what they have. And they're able to tell
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the person that is bringing something different
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from what you're holding on to that, no, I don't
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need it. This one is foreign. This one is not
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what I need. Praise God. So I use that analogy
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to just remind us that we have a message, right?
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We have a message. And what we have is more valuable
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as ambassadors. It's more valuable. You can lose
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a line, right? You can lose a line. You can leave
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this place and it's useless to you because you
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get another line when you go to a different location.
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But what we have is far beyond what man can give.
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Praise God. What we have is far beyond what man
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can make. What we have is far beyond what man
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can. And our ability to know what we have and
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explain what we have is very important. And that
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is the question, that's the challenge I'm throwing
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to us. And we'll have certain times in the teaching
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where I'll ask us questions to work down and
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reflect on this question. Because really, if
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we're not able to put together what we believe
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in or are bold enough to say, okay, this is what
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I believe in and stand for it, we'll be swept
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off by any... and every other thing that is around.
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So I'm going to go back to the chapters 10, verses
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10, sorry. Go back to verse 10 and then we'll
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walk our way downwards. I want us to see certain
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things, even though we're going to look a bit
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on some things that we touch on the cell, not
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that we look at it, we'll just gloss over it.
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But for those of us that not attend the cell,
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you will not be left out. So I want us to go
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to second, it's still the same chapter, 2 Corinthians
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5. And then I want to walk us down from there
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because we're going to be looking at the appeal.
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So it starts off by saying, this Apostle Paul
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writing the Quran says, for we must all appear.
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Just take us back to the nine, I think nine,
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because it starts with a therefore. So nine now
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says, therefore we make it our aim, whether present
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or absent. to be well -pleasing to him. Remember
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that our end goal, our purpose is to do things
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pleasing to the one who has called us. Remember
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the ambassador is representing God, not himself.
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So our actions are to be pleasing to the one
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who has given us life, who we are alive in. He
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says, for we must all appear before the judgment
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seat of Christ. How many of us remember the teaching
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that we did in the cell? Still remember because
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I think it's around now, still fresh. Those of
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us that don't, we say that that judgment seat
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there is Bema. The judgment seat there is Bema.
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We say that that seat is for the believers, where
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the judgment seat is for the believer, not for
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the unbeliever. Right? We say that judgment seat
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is for the believer, not for the unbeliever.
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And it's contrast with what we see in Revelation
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20, 11 to 15, which is the white throne judgment,
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right? Which is the great white throne judgment.
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That's in contrast. Note that the believer will
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have a time where there's a reward for everything
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they have done. Note that the believer will feel
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the same, but there's a time that will be rewarded.
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They say that each one will receive the things
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done in the body, may receive the things done
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in the body according to what he has done, whether
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good or bad, right? And I want us to understand
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that when he says all must appear, I think, you
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know, when we see all, and in fact... subsequent
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verses, you'll see a lot of all. And know that
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when you see all in a passage, you don't generalize,
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right? You don't generalize. There's a context
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to the all. Because the Paul here is writing
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and writing to believers, right? He's writing
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and writing to believers. That's what will make
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the judgment seat make sense, that he's speaking
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of believers, people who are saved. So they will
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receive that which is coming to them. Because
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when we see reward or when we see judgment, we
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think of... Judgment as, remember when Jesus
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Christ was speaking, there's the good and there's
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the good. Meaning that there's two sides to judgment.
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There's the part that is palatable, there's the
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part that is not palatable. So know that when
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he's speaking here, he's speaking to those that
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are going to be on the good side of the world.
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When we say good or bad. Then let's look at 11.
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Let's look at 11. 11 now says, knowing therefore
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the terror of the Lord. You know, when you see
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terror and then you see of the Lord. That word
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there, terror, is phobos. The word there, terror,
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is phobos. And in other translations, like the
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NIV, you see fear. And when you look at the word
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fear, I will come back to the fear of God. If
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you look at the word fear, if you go back through
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scriptures, you will see instances, and I want
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us to be here. You will see instances where this
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same God tells us not to be afraid or not to
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fear, right? He tells us not to be afraid or
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not to fear. You see him in Genesis 15 verse
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1, in his communication to Abraham. Genesis 15
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verse 1. Genesis 15 verse 1, it says, After these
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things, the word of the Lord came to Abraham
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and Abishai, saying, Do not be afraid, Abraham,
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for I am your shield and exceedingly great reward.
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So the instruction here is do not be afraid.
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It's not like be afraid. terror. That's not what
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it says. It says, do not be afraid. In Exodus
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2, Exodus 14, 13, Exodus 14, 13, Exodus 14, 13,
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and Moses said to the people, do not be afraid.
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Stand still and see the salvation of the Lord,
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which he will accomplish for you today. For the
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Egyptians whom you see today, you shall see.
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them no more forever. Well, 14, let's just 14.
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Put it 14 in the NLP. I love this part. Anytime
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I come around, I just... It says, the Lord himself
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will fight for you. Just stay calm. Praise God.
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If he is fighting for you, if he is the one battling
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and he's encouraging you not to be afraid, it
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means that it's an encouragement. It's a command.
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Don't be afraid. It says, do not be. It says,
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you can be afraid if you want to. That's not
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what it says. It says, do not be afraid. Do not
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be afraid. And it says, Stay calm. The children
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of Israel were crossing. They were crossing and
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they were trapped. It was almost like the Egyptians
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coming on this side and the Red Sea on the other
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side. And the instruction is do not be afraid.
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And I want to encourage someone. You hear a lot
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of times, there are more times in scripture.
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You can count over a hundred times where she
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encouraged me to do not be afraid. And you can
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be going through difficult situations. You can
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be in between something coming on that side.
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The other side, there's no way of escape. The
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encouragement from the Lord is do not be afraid.
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Praise God. Do not be afraid. And in Joshua 1
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.9, we see Joshua being commissioned in Joshua
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1 .9. Go back to the New King James, Joshua 1
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.9. It says, this is the command. It says, have
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I not commanded you? Be strong and of good courage.
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Be strong and of good courage. Do not, did he
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say do be afraid? What did he say? Do not be
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afraid. nor be dismayed, for the Lord your God
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is with you wherever you go. So it's not just
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do not be afraid, it is his presence also with
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you wherever you go. So we don't just have the
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encouragement to not be afraid, we also have
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the confidence that he's there backing us, he's
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there with us wherever we go. And in Psalm, Isaiah,
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sorry, Isaiah 41 verse 10. Isaiah 41 verse 10.
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I'm walking us through so that we'll see a couple
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of places. He said, fear not, for I am with you.
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See another place where he reminds that he is
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with us. He says, be not dismayed, for I am your
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God. I will strengthen you. Yes, I will help
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you. I will uphold you with my righteous right
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hand. Praise God. So we see an encouragement
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of him being there, not just being there, not
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just he's with you, he's strengthening you and
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encouraging you with his. Righteous right hand.
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And we see Daniel too. Daniel 10, I want us to
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see 12 and 19. Daniel 10, 12 and 19. Daniel 10,
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12 and 19. It says, and he, that's the angel
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said unto Daniel, it says, do not fear, Daniel,
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for from the first day that you set your heart
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to understand and that you humbled yourself before
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God, your words were heard. I mean, I want you
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to see. Turn to somebody and say, your words
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were heard. Your words were heard. So he continues
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and says, I have come because of your words.
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I have come because of your words. I have come
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because of your words. And he said, oh, great
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man, be loved. Fear not. Peace be with you. Be
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strong. I mean, if you have seen the repeated
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him strengthening, him being strong, he says,
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yes, be strong. So when he spoke to me, I was
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strengthened. and say, let my Lord speak, for
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you have strengthened me. Praise God. So he was
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strengthened. It was instruction, be strong,
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and he was, in other words, strengthened. Let's
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go to the New Testament and see instances where
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the instruction, that's in Luke 1 .13 and then
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Luke 1 .13. Luke 1 .13. So it says, what the
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Lord said to him, Do not be afraid, Zacharias,
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for your prayer is heard, and your wife Elizabeth
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will be her son, and you shall be called, and
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it shall be called, you shall call his name John.
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Go to 13. Then the angel said to her, that's
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her now is Mary, do not be afraid, Mary, for
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you have found favor with the Lord. So we see
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an instruction consistently. So Zacharias says,
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do not be afraid, your prayer has been heard.
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For Mary says, do not be afraid, you have found
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favor with the Lord. Then also look to the stand.
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The shepherds also look to the stand. It says,
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Then the angel said to them, Do not be afraid,
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for behold, I bring you good tidings of great
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joy, which will be to all people. Which will
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be to all people. Then also go to Matthew 28,
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sorry, Matthew 28 verse 5. Matthew 28 verse 5.
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Matthew 28 verse 5. It says, But the angel answered
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and said to the women, Do not be afraid, for
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I know that you seek Jesus who is crucified.
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Do not be afraid, for I know that you seek Jesus
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who is crucified. And we see Jesus also gives
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that instruction of not being afraid. In Matthew
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14 verse 27. Matthew 14 verse 27. Matthew 14
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verse 27. But immediately Jesus spoke to them,
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saying, Be of good cheer, it is I. Do not be
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afraid. Be of good cheer, it is I. Do not be
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afraid. Be of good cheer, it is I. Do not be
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afraid. Mark 5, 36. Mark 5, 36. It says, As soon
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as Jesus heard the word that was spoken, he said
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to the ruler of the synagogue, Do not be afraid,
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only believe. Do not be afraid, only believe.
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Do not be afraid, only believe as to Jairus.
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In Luke 5 verse 10, this is to Peter now, in
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Luke 5 verse 10, it says, And so also were James
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and John, the sons of Zebedee, who were partners
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with Simon. And Jesus said to Simon, Do not be
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afraid, from now on you will catch men. From
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now on you will catch men. From now on... You
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will catch men. So let's go to Acts of Apostle
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18, 9 and 10. Acts of Apostle 18, 9 and 10. It
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says, Now the Lord spoke to Paul in the night
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by vision. Do not be afraid, but speak, and do
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not keep silent. Do not be afraid and speak,
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and do not keep silent. Then 10 now says, For
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I am with you, and no one will attack you. So
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no one will reach you and attack you because
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I have many people in this city. Let's look at
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Hebrews 13 verse 6. We're seeing all the instances
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where the encouragement comes to not be afraid.
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So we may boldly say, the Lord is my helper.
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I will not fear what man can do to me. I will
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not fear what man can do to me. I will not fear.
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what man can do to me. You should not fear what
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man can do to you. And God encouraging Paul that
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he should not be afraid because he is with him.
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And there are many people in the city that will
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be of help to him. And know that we have the
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phrase, the fear of the Lord scattered around
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the Old Testament and we'll see it in the New.
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We'll see in Proverbs 1 verse 7. Know that now
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we're looking at the whole phrase, the fear of
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the Lord. Proverbs 1 verse 7. It says, the fear
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of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge, but
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fools despise wisdom and instruction. It says,
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the fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge,
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but fools despise wisdom and instruction. And
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also in Proverbs 8, verse 13. Proverbs 8, verse
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13. It says, the fear of the Lord is to hate
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evil. Pride and arrogance and the evil way and
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the perverse mouth I hate. And the perverse mouth
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I hate. Also, Proverbs 14, 26. Proverbs 14, 26.
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Proverbs 14, 26. It says, in the fear of the
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Lord, there is strong confidence and his children
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will have a place of refuge. In the fear of the
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Lord, there is strong confidence and the children
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will have a place of refuge. We see that this
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is, the fear of the Lord is a characteristic
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of his people. Anywhere the children of the Lord,
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there's... The fear of the Lord is part of what
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is sin in the children of God. It's part of sin
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in the children of God. I want us to see it in
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Acts. Acts ties it into growth. Acts 9 .31. We
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will do Acts 9 .31. It says, Then the churches
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throughout all Judea, Galilee, and Samaria had
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peace and were edified. And walking in the fear
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of the Lord, walking in the fear of the Lord,
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notice that they walk, characteristic of them,
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and in comfort. in the comfort of the Holy Spirit,
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they were multiplied. They were multiplied. So
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we see that the fear of the Lord, walking in
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the fear of the Lord, and in the comfort of the
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Holy Spirit, there was multiplication. It means
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that for health in the Lord, there has to be
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a walk in the fear of Him. Praise God. There
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has to be a walking in the fear of Him. And it's
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very important that we see that walk in the fear
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of Him. Let's see Philippians 2 .12. Philippians
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2 .12. It says, My beloved, as you have always
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obeyed, we read this during the prayers, not
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as in my presence only, but now much more in
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my absence. Walk out your salvation with fear
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and trembling. Walk out your salvation with fear
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and trembling. The fear here is not the fear
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of, it's fear and trembling. It's reverential
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respect for God, reverential respect for God.
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So now go back to our second Corinthians 5 .11.
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2 Corinthians 5 .11. So it says, knowing therefore
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a terror, we say that fear there is not a fear
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of trembling. It's a reverential fear. It's a
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reverential fear, and it ties it to persuading
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men. It ties it. It connects that fear to our
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motivation to evangelize, our motivation to minister
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to people. So you're not threatening them. We
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will see that as a plea. You're not threatening
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them. You are persuading them. You are presenting
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to them what was presented to you. You're not
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terrifying. You're not, you know, when you see
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the terror, you think of, you know, in our teaching
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in the cell of hell, you know, there are people
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that they are terrified into being in. Praise
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God. You are presenting, you're connecting because
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it's there as it connects the fear of the Lord
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to persuading men. As we said, it's love motivated.
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It's a reverential fear. It ties both together.
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So the fear of the Lord is a reverence and an
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awareness. It's not that of panic or trembling.
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Apostle Paul intentionally does this because
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he says, we persuade them, we reconcile them
24:11
to God. So you see that synergy, even in the
24:14
passage, you see that talk of love and fear of
24:17
the Lord brought together. You see the talk of
24:20
the love of the Lord and the fear of the Lord
24:23
all... brought together because it's love that
24:26
motivates us to go into the world and preach.
24:29
Because we're obeying the instruction of our
24:31
loving Father, we do His bidding. Praise God.
24:33
And it's not something that we say, it cannot
24:36
be casual. It cannot be casual. And the teaching,
24:40
and we know that because you know the end of
24:43
anyone that doesn't believe, love is what motivates
24:46
us because we don't want the end to be hopeless
24:50
for them, right? We don't want the end to be
24:52
hopeless for them. And that's what motivates
24:54
us to do what we do. And it's selfless service.
24:57
Does it function? Because you know that what
24:59
Christ has done is selfless because he left everything
25:03
he had and then he came to lay down his life.
25:06
He came to lay down his life so that we will
25:08
be reconciled to the Father. So it's not something
25:11
that is, it's something that is selfless. So
25:13
when we go out and speak to people, it's us carrying
25:17
out the selfless action that was done to us,
25:19
to others. Praise God. And it's very important
25:21
that we understand that an ambassador is no longer
25:24
living for himself. As an ambassador, you're
25:27
not living for yourself. You are doing the bidding
25:30
of the one who has called you. And if the one
25:33
who has called you said, go out and make orders
25:35
like yourself, you do without question. You do
25:40
without asking. I know that for many of us, we'll
25:42
say, okay, I don't know how to go about this.
25:46
I don't know what the next step is. That's why
25:49
you have... a system where you can be trained,
25:52
you have a system where you can be discipled.
25:54
I want us to see the verse 15 of this chapter,
25:59
verse 15 of this chapter, chapter five. He says,
26:03
and he died for all, right? He died for all that
26:08
those who live should live no longer for themselves,
26:11
but for him who died for them and rose again.
26:17
So yeah, we're not living for ourselves. I'm
26:20
not naming for himself. And the person that is
26:22
spoken about, the he here is Christ Jesus. He
26:26
died for us that we no longer live for ourselves,
26:30
that we live his life and do his living. He has
26:36
called us to be ambassadors. He didn't just lay
26:39
dead. He says, but for him who died for them
26:44
and rose again. He died and he rose again. Then
26:47
verse 16. Now it says, it says, therefore, from
26:52
now on, we regard no one according to the flesh.
26:56
Even though we have known Christ according to
26:59
the flesh, yet now we know him to us no longer.
27:03
Praise God. Let's go back. Go back to the 16.
27:08
You know, many of the times when you read the
27:09
passage, you'll be wondering, okay, what does
27:12
that mean? What's the implication of knowing
27:15
no man after the flesh? And we know that. When
27:17
he says no man after the flesh means that you're
27:19
not looking at the person in the physical. You're
27:22
looking at that person as someone who has been
27:26
died for. Praise God. You have to apply it practically
27:29
now. You're looking at the individual that is
27:32
standing before you or the individual that is
27:35
next to you. You're looking at them as your brother
27:37
and sister in Christ. Because if you are looking
27:39
at people based on what you see, you have a limited
27:43
view of the individual. Praise God. And that's
27:47
why when you have interactions with people, you
27:49
are staying there now, but you are, by the grace
27:53
of God, able to see what God is able to do to
27:56
them going forward. Praise God. When you're speaking
27:59
to someone, you're having a conversation with
28:01
someone, sometimes it can be difficult because
28:05
the person is adamant and insisting that what
28:08
they believe is true. When the end, what is at
28:14
the end of what they believe is death. Praise
28:16
God. And then you knowing that, see, this person
28:21
cannot see. You know, when you see someone that
28:24
can't see and is struggling to move, you that
28:27
can see what, something comes away, you don't
28:31
want to see the person fall. You don't want to
28:33
see the person make a mistake and you go there
28:35
and lend a hand to that person and move them
28:37
from where they are to where they want to go.
28:39
And that is what motivates because some people,
28:41
I think I was saying that when somebody needs
28:44
help, and you don't render help, I think they
28:46
say, under some certain laws and conditions,
28:48
you should be arrested, or you should be sued,
28:50
because you had an opportunity to help the person,
28:53
and you let the person go without help. And the
28:56
same thing applies even spiritually, where you
28:59
know. It's not like you don't know. You have
29:02
had a conversation with this person, and you
29:04
know that this person is in a bad place. Right?
29:09
What you should do, even when they insist, because,
29:12
you know, the worst... thing to, or the worst
29:15
of situations to be in is where somebody is in
29:17
a place where they need help and they insist
29:19
that they don't need help, that they are fine
29:22
by themselves. And that is the worst place to
29:24
be. Because when somebody knows they need help,
29:26
you know, help will find them in some shape or
29:29
form and you're able to, in fact, they will ask
29:30
for help and they will be given help. But the
29:32
worst place to be is when a person is in that
29:35
place where they need help but they insist that
29:38
they are fine and they can do fine by themselves.
29:41
And what you do at that point is, You will speak.
29:44
You will not be silent. You will speak and you
29:47
will pray for them. Praise God. You will pray
29:49
for them. And there's something that we have
29:51
in the place of prayer that we always often undermine.
29:54
Our ability to pray and the Holy Spirit minister
29:57
to the individual where we can't, where mere
30:01
words will not be able to minister to them. Because
30:03
our words have power, right? But when we pray,
30:07
we translate those words into something more
30:10
powerful. Praise God. Into something more powerful.
30:13
and something able to. So when we interact with
30:15
our classmates, our classes, our work colleagues,
30:20
our housemates, even a stranger that you come
30:23
across, you are not seeing them in the light
30:25
of the physical, right? You're not seeing them
30:28
in the light of just the physical person you're
30:30
seeing there. You're seeing them, and even, I
30:32
think when I say this, I say, even for some of
30:34
us, we still see ourselves as just, we don't
30:38
see ourselves in the light of what we are in
30:41
Christ Jesus. And that is what brings us back
30:44
to where we don't want to be. Because once we
30:46
see ourselves in the light of the fact that we
30:48
are saved, it helps. And I use that analogy to
30:52
bring us, I think we're familiar with a lifeguard.
30:55
I think we're familiar with a lifeguard. We have
30:58
lifeguards in pools or in sea area. And those
31:02
lifeguards, they have certain implements. They
31:04
have a whistle. They sit on a platform high so
31:08
that they can be able to see. Know that when
31:10
there is a challenge, with someone, when they
31:12
see danger, they will have to alert the person
31:17
that you are in danger. And it's happening when
31:21
they are whistling and saying you are in danger
31:23
and then you keep on going. What will eventually
31:26
happen is that the person will lose their life
31:28
if they don't listen to the instruction given.
31:30
I think I'm reminded of another thing, another
31:32
analogy of someone talking about how when they
31:37
were kids, they were playing on a rail line.
31:39
They thought it was abandoned, but... The parent
31:42
on the other side now heard a train coming, and
31:47
then she screamed and told the children to come
31:50
out of the railroad because they were playing
31:52
on the railroad. If the children had said, leave
31:56
us alone, as kids we just, leave us alone, it
31:59
would be the death of those children. But they
32:02
knew the seriousness on the face of the mom,
32:05
the urgency for them to act on her instruction
32:09
got them to move away from the railroad. And
32:11
that was how they saved their life. Because you
32:12
can imagine when the train comes and they're
32:15
like wandering to themselves or whatever. So
32:17
it means that there is that warning that we give
32:21
to people that there's a danger that lies ahead.
32:24
And the lifeguard is able to see the danger.
32:27
But the individuals that are in the situation
32:30
might not be able to see the danger. So for someone
32:33
that is in that place, and by the way, I think
32:35
I checked up, the lifeguards are not just any,
32:38
they are trained, right? They are trained. because
32:42
you have to be able to know how to do CPR, all
32:44
the necessary things. You are able to use a first
32:47
aid kit. You are able to do that effectively
32:49
because if you can't do that, you can't be able
32:50
to, you'll be able to see the danger, but you
32:53
cannot be able to help the person once you have
32:56
seen them from the danger. Praise God. So we
32:59
are here to be able to, because we're in a position
33:02
where we are being ourselves, we have ourselves
33:06
experienced God's love, we have experienced God's
33:09
faithfulness, we have experienced God. Because
33:12
remember, we are reminded that the reconciliation
33:16
is a broken relationship that requires reconciliation.
33:22
A relationship that was never broken will just
33:25
go on from there. Or it's a broken relationship
33:28
that requires, hence the word, reconciliation.
33:30
Because there's a broken relationship, there's
33:34
a need for reconciliation. So when we are reconciled
33:37
to God, we are able to effectively do that to
33:40
others. Now I want to ask us this question because
33:43
we can have situations where we're treating or
33:46
dealing with people according to what they know,
33:48
their behavior, according to their background,
33:51
according to where they come from. We can have
33:54
the situation where we're looking at them not
33:56
in the light of what Christ has done for them.
33:58
And it can be difficult because we're physical
34:01
beings and you can have interactions where you
34:05
don't really necessarily understand. Why is this
34:07
person acting the same way? And many times, if
34:10
you remind yourself of where you're coming from,
34:12
you will very much understand that this is the
34:15
norm. This is the norm. And I want you to ask
34:18
yourself this question. Are there times or are
34:21
there instances where you interact with people
34:22
and you are not able to see beyond their actions,
34:27
you're not able to see beyond their behavior,
34:29
you're not able to see beyond their background,
34:31
you're not able to see beyond whatever it is
34:34
that you can see in the blank? where you cannot
34:37
be able to see beyond what you are, what comes
34:39
at you when you interact with them? And what
34:43
is the difficulty that you experience seeing
34:45
them in the light of what Christ has done, seeing
34:47
them in the light of the fact that this is someone
34:49
that Christ died for? What are the things that
34:51
limit you from doing that? And what is that fear
34:58
or embarrassment that weighs down on you, that
35:02
stops you from being able to open your mouth?
35:05
and warn because know that if a lifeguard decides
35:09
not to warn a person that is in danger or the
35:13
analogy of use of a mom trying to warn the kids,
35:15
if they decide not to do that, know that there's
35:17
something that happens that is a disaster. Praise
35:22
God. So I want us to go to what the announcement
35:25
is. What are we announcing? What exactly are
35:27
we announcing? What are we talking about? And
35:29
I know that we have had this over and over again,
35:32
but it's worth repeating. That the message of
35:34
reconciliation is not a vague message. It's not
35:36
a nebulous message. It's a message that has this
35:39
clear basis on what Christ has done, right? It's
35:42
clear. There's a clear basis of the message.
35:44
There's a reason why we have the message. It's
35:46
not an unclear message. There's a reason why
35:47
we have the message. And the message tells us
35:50
of the problem, right? It tells us of a problem,
35:52
and the problem has been resolved. The problem
35:53
is not going to be resolved. It tells us of a
35:56
problem that has been resolved with a price.
35:59
And all of those, the resolution of that problem
36:02
with a price, is based on a fulfillment of a
36:05
promise. It's based on a fulfillment of promise.
36:07
So the resolution of that problem with a prize
36:10
is based on the fulfillment of a promise. A promise
36:13
was made and that promise is fulfilled. That
36:15
is why the problem is resolved. Praise God. And
36:19
then we'll see Romans 5 verse 10 because there
36:25
was a separation. You know, in our teaching,
36:26
it said there's a separation from God and that
36:29
separation, if not dealt with, will be an eternal
36:32
separation. Praise God. Because if that separation
36:35
is not dealt with, if that separation, if there's
36:37
no reconciliation, no restoration, it can be
36:39
an eternal one if it is not addressed. In Romans
36:42
5 verse 10, it says, for if when we were enemies,
36:46
we were reconciled to God through the death of
36:49
his son, how much more having been reconciled,
36:52
we shall be saved by his life. You know, he talks
36:56
about his death, being saved by his death, and
36:58
then how much more. So the key word there is
37:00
what we were, enemies. That's the problem. The
37:05
problem is that we were enemies, we're an enemy.
37:07
And even Colossians 1 verse 21 echoes the same
37:12
enemy in this passage. Colossians 1 verse 21.
37:15
It says, And you who once were alienated and
37:21
enemies in your mind by the wicked works, yet
37:26
now he has reconciled. Yet now he has reconciled.
37:29
Notice that there's the... Enemity is the alienation,
37:32
that's the separation, and then now there's a
37:34
reconciliation. Also Ephesians 2 says the same
37:36
thing, Ephesians 2, 12 to 13. Ephesians 2, 12
37:42
to 13. It says that at that time you were without
37:49
Christ, being aliens, not the word, aliens, alienated
37:54
from the commonwealth of Israel and strangers
37:56
from the covenant of promise, having no hope
37:59
and without God in the world. And it says, but
38:03
now in Christ Jesus, you who once were afar of,
38:08
it says, have been brought near by the blood
38:12
of Christ. It says, have been brought near by
38:14
the blood of Christ. So, know that the sin there
38:17
is not, and by the way, when we talk about sin,
38:20
it's not just bad behavior. It's a broken relationship,
38:23
as I said earlier. It's a broken relationship,
38:25
and what it requires is a reconciliation. So,
38:29
that reconciliation is done. by what Christ has
38:32
done, by the blood of Christ, by what Christ
38:34
has done. And the price that has been paid with
38:37
what we'll see in 2 Corinthians 5, verse 21.
38:41
2 Corinthians 5, verse 21. Let's go back to that.
38:44
2 Corinthians 5, verse 21. It says, And he made
38:50
him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we
38:56
might become the righteousness of God in him.
38:59
So he made him who knew no sins, that we might
39:01
become the righteousness of God in him. What
39:03
we see there is an exchange, right? He made him
39:08
who knew no sin become sin for us so that we
39:12
can become from him. Praise God. He made him
39:15
who knew no sin become, that we might become
39:19
the righteousness of God. So he took our place
39:22
and that is the exchange. That's basically what
39:24
had happened for us to come into this place.
39:27
So when we see what Christ has done, see the
39:30
fact that he did not improve, go back to 19.
39:33
He did not impute trespasses. That is, God was
39:38
in Christ reconciling the world to himself, not
39:41
imputing trespasses to them. He had committed
39:47
to us the word of reconciliation. That exchange
39:51
had happened, and we don't have those trespasses
39:54
imputed to us. And we see that as his resurrection,
39:58
with us believing, we have accepted what he has
40:01
done. And that is basically what we see in the
40:04
verse 17 of this chapter. It says, therefore,
40:09
if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creature.
40:11
All things are passed away. Behold, all things
40:14
are new. That is the promise to everyone that
40:17
believes. So you're in Christ, you're a new creature.
40:21
All things are passed away. All things are new.
40:23
And that forms the foundation or the basis for
40:26
identity. That forms the foundation, base of
40:28
identity. So the ambassador speaks. From this
40:33
point, that he's in Christ, he's a new creator.
40:37
All things are passed away, all things are new.
40:39
That is where the ambassador speaks from. Because
40:41
that is his reality. That is basically where
40:44
he speaks from. He doesn't stand from a place
40:47
where he needs this. He's already done. And he
40:52
doesn't have to, you know, sometimes we're in
40:55
a world where everything comes from a place of,
40:57
you have to feel like it. This is... This is
41:01
done already. The moment you are in Christ, you're
41:05
a new creation. The moment you're in Christ,
41:08
you're a new creation. It's on the strength of
41:10
all of this now that we're able to make the appeal
41:13
that we saw in 19, right? 20, 1920. In the 20,
41:18
let's go to 20. It says, now then, we are ambassadors
41:23
for Christ as though God were pleading through
41:28
us. We implore you. on Christ's behalf, be reconciled
41:33
to God. So notice that he uses the word employ,
41:37
right? Yeah, we use the word employ. We employ
41:41
you. We appeal to you. As I said earlier, it's
41:45
not a threat. You are appealing. You are appealing.
41:51
And then this invitation now is what is extended,
41:53
and we're doing the invitation to all. And understand,
41:57
I think I like the way in 19, go to 19 and put
42:00
it in Amplified. 19 Amplified. 19 Amplified.
42:05
So he says that is, God was in Christ when he
42:08
was signing the wall to himself, not counting
42:10
people's sins against them, but cancelling them.
42:15
Praise God. The fact that it's cancelled. It's
42:18
cancelled. It's cancelled. Just imagine you have
42:21
a debt. I think I used this previous time. So
42:23
you have a debt and then that debt is, you just
42:25
wake up and then someone has paid for it. Then
42:27
the debt will not disappear. It's there. Someone
42:31
now comes and... pays for it. Once that person
42:34
pays for it, you're not indebted and you're not,
42:37
you are free. And for, if you have been in a
42:40
place where you owe so much and then someone,
42:42
it's like a weight leaves you. It's like you're
42:46
no longer moving around like someone that is
42:48
terrorized or someone that is, that owes, you
42:51
know, you don't owe anybody anything because
42:53
now all of that is gone. Praise God. And then
42:56
on the strength of that, it says, he has committed
42:58
to us the message of reconciliation. That is
43:00
restoration, to favor with God, right? As we
43:05
should favor with God. So he has committed to
43:07
us that message now. You're telling people that,
43:10
look, you don't need to move around because the
43:12
debt has been paid, right? The debt you have
43:15
on you, you know, speaking to someone, the fact
43:18
that once you, the salaries you get paid for
43:22
your action is debt. And that is what is hanging
43:26
on you. And just knowing the fact that it has
43:29
been cleared already. moves you from one place
43:32
to a place where you are free. Someone was speaking
43:38
and talked about how when you see a string of
43:41
an instrument just laying there, the string of
43:45
an instrument, it looks to you like it's free,
43:47
like it's free to move around, you can pull it,
43:49
it's not. But know that once you attach that
43:52
string to the instrument, you attach the string
43:55
to an instrument, that is when the string is
43:57
truly free, even though it's bounded to something.
44:00
The string is free to do that which is its purpose.
44:04
Because the main purpose of that string is not
44:06
to lay around. The main purpose of the string
44:07
is to make music. It's to be able to sound. It's
44:11
to be able to sound. And the string cannot sound
44:13
when it's just hanging there. And for us, it's
44:16
in our restored relationship to Christ that we're
44:20
able to relieve out our purposes. It's when we
44:24
are bounded to Him. It's when we are reconciled
44:26
to Him. Not that it's a broken relationship.
44:28
It's a restoration of brokenness. That is when
44:30
we're able to live at our purpose. And being
44:32
bound, a string being bound is the first step,
44:37
right? That string being bound is the first stage
44:40
of the whole process. Going ahead to do the work,
44:45
like being played is now the other step where
44:48
you are now actively allowing yourself to be
44:51
used and be a source of blessing to others. Praise
44:54
God. So we say, are you able to communicate what
45:00
Christ has done for you? in a couple of sentences?
45:06
Are you able to effectively communicate what
45:08
Christ has done for you? Because sometimes when
45:12
you ask this question, it'll be like, oh, it's,
45:15
you know, if you want to do something, you have
45:17
to practice as much as you can. And that's what
45:20
happens when we go out, you talk to someone,
45:23
you talk to someone, the other time you're able
45:25
to listen to them, ask questions, and then you're
45:27
able to communicate. And you ask yourself, what
45:30
part of the... Do you cover all the grounds?
45:35
Do you talk about sin, which is the problem?
45:38
Do you talk about how the cross, talk about the
45:41
resurrection? Do you even allow for them to respond
45:44
to what you have said? Sometimes you do the whole
45:48
thing and then you ask the person. The person
45:50
will say, I'm not yet ready to respond. You have
45:52
instances where the person says, I'm not yet
45:56
convinced. You have instances where the person
45:58
says, I'm not yet convinced. So what do you do
46:00
from there and how? Do you go about it? But do
46:03
you still at least go ahead and be able to give
46:06
something clear enough that the person can walk
46:10
with? Like, do you go ahead and still fill the
46:12
seat? Praise God. So I want us to see, which
46:18
is the third point where we see how we wrap up
46:21
from here. I want to see Philippians 3 .20 just
46:25
to remind us that where we operate from is our
46:30
citizenship, which is our heavenly citizenship.
46:33
Philippians is not amplified now. So it says,
46:38
for our citizenship is in heaven, from which
46:41
we also eagerly wait for the Savior, Lord Jesus
46:46
Christ. And I want you to just quickly take us
46:47
to 1 Peter 2 .11. That's that one you gave me
46:52
in NLT. 1 Peter 2 .11 in NLT. It says, Dear friends,
47:01
I warn you as temporary residents and foreigners.
47:06
to keep away from worldly desires that wage war
47:09
against your very souls. Verse 12, let's see.
47:13
It says, be careful to live properly amongst
47:16
your unbelieving neighbors. Then, even if they
47:21
accuse you of doing wrong, they will see your
47:25
honorable behavior and they will give honor to
47:29
God when he judges the world. Praise God. So,
47:32
we see that there's a way, the ambassador, just,
47:35
you know, Your words, you know, when you're speaking
47:40
to someone, I think that was last week. That
47:44
was on Monday. I was on Monday. When speaking
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to someone, you know, you can be passive about
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something where you just feel like, okay, my
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life will be able to show the goodness of God.
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My life will be able to bring people over to
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Christ. That is good. Well, you can do both.
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Praise God. You can do both. Your life, And then
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also the part where you speak, praise God. Because
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none of them is a waste. Because every one of
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them is necessary for the proclamation. Because
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you can't say something and then leave something
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contrary to what you are saying. So this is just
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a reminder that our citizenship is of heaven.
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We're here. We're resenting Christ. We're resenting
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Christ. I go back to the 11, the NLT. It says
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we're temporary residents here. I'm a foreigner.
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So it means that... As much as this feels like
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home, we're here to represent him. We're ambassadors
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and our loyalty is to him. And the standards
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that we live by is the standards that are not
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of this world. Praise God. The standards are
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not of this world. And we adopt and we reflect
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the standards of the kingdom which we live by.
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And you see different instances where we're reminded
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that we are an epistle, we're a letter. Let's
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look at 2 Corinthians 3, 3, 2, 2, 3. Apostle
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Paul speaking, he says, Okay, go back. New King
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James. So he says, You are an epistle written
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in our hearts, known and read by all men. He
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says, Clearly you are an epistle of Christ, ministered
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by us, written not with ink. but by the Spirit
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of the living God, not on tablets of stone, but
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on tablets of flesh, that is, of the heart. Meaning
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that people are able to see something. People
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are able to read. People are able to behold.
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People are able to see. And one of the practical
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ways that people can see this is in how we conduct
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ourselves, how we conduct ourselves, how we carry
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out our assignments, how we, even in our classrooms,
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how we are able to sit for an exam, how we're
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able to treat others who frustrate us. How are
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we able to speak to others? How we handle our
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time? How we handle our money? How we give for
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the work of God? How we participate even in the
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work of God? Those are practical ways. And then
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we're reminded of the teaching that our lead
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pastor walked us through. Even the way we speak,
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because it's not just our actions. It's also
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our words. Our words seasoned with grace. Are
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we able to persuade people, not threaten them?
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How are we able to persuade them, not... put
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them not to be under pressure, how we're able
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to encourage them and see that they are reconciled
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to him. So I want to, in just helping us to picture
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this in closing, I want you to think of, or just
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imagine, if there's going to be a video recording
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of your actions from tomorrow, Monday to Saturday,
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a video recording of your actions from tomorrow,
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Monday to Saturday, will you be comfortable if
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that is displayed to us? Will you be okay with
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it being displayed to us? Like a video, just
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a video, like, you know, people do vlog. They
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vlog your entire life from Monday to Saturday
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and they say, let's watch it. It's going to be
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a long watch and I believe that it's going to
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be a beautiful watch. Praise God. I want you
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to just imagine and just write that as a question.
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If you had to video yourself on Monday for the
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whole week, will somebody be able to see it and
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conclude that this is, This person is ambassador
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of Christ. Will the person be able to see and
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conclude that this person is ambassador of Christ?
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So what you want to do is you want to make an
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effort, right? Make an effort to look around
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you and ask yourself, okay, are there broken
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relationships that are around me with people
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around me that needs to be dealt with, that I
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need to make right? And then what is stopping
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you from making those relationships right? making
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peace. Because we have a message and the motive
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for our message is love. And the means by which
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we're doing it is going to be with everything
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that the Lord has given to us. So I want us to
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just close our eyes and just pray that we'll
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continue to be people that will desire to reconcile
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many to Him. We appreciate you being here today.
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We hope you carry this word with you throughout
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your week. Until next time, stay blessed.