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Christ and Work · Providence Baptist Church - Sermons

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We are continuing our sermon series on Christ and culture.
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! And this morning I have the privilege of talking about work, vocation, job, job.
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! Martin Luther once said, a dairymaid can milk cows to the glory of God.
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How does that happen? How can we do that?
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How can we milk a cow to the glory of God?
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How does that apply to us today?
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Why do we work?
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Why is it important to work?
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All questions I hope to answer this morning in our Christ and Culture series this morning, topic of work.
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Let's pray together.
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Holy, holy, holy are you, O God.
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Worthy of all praise this morning, I pray that that would occur.
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God, as I stand up here, as I speak, I speak your words, I would make much of you and little of me.
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God, that we would all be touched by you this morning.
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God, that we would see our calling in our life as nothing elementary or simple or not important.
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That we would see it as a calling from you, placed us where we are, to make much of you, to bring glory to you, to worship you alone.
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Help us, God, this morning.
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Help us to hear.
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Help me to speak.
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Help us to act as if we did hear a word from you this morning.
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As I pray that will occur.
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I love you.
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We love you because you first loved us.
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For your son, Jesus.
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In his name I pray.
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Amen.
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Ephesians 4, verse 28 is our text this morning.
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It's the main text, but we're going to springboard off of it.
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We're going to go different directions in the Bible.
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So, mark it.
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Open up to 428 and we'll just kind of dig through.
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Chapter 4, verse 28 reads,
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Let the thief no longer steal, but rather let him labor, doing honest work with his own hands, so that he may have something to share with anyone in need.
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Now, this verse sets up very similar to the book or the letter to the Ephesians.
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In that chapters 1 through 3 define for us who we are in Christ and because of Christ.
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It tells us, because of the work of Christ on the cross, because of the work of Christ in our hearts, who we are.
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So, we are adopted sons.
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We who were dead are now alive.
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We are one in Christ.
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Chapters 1 through 3.
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Chapters 4 through 6 then tell us how we should live in light of who we are in Christ.
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So, a higher calling.
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A higher way to live.
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Well, if we read verse 28, we have the first part of who we are, a thief.
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Second part, how we should live then.
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A higher calling once again.
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My sermon this morning is two parts as well to kind of keep the theme going.
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First part, I'm going to talk about stealing, how it applies to us.
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Second part, I'm going to talk about work and how that applies to us.
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So, the verse starts out by saying, let the thief no longer steal.
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Some quick observations, just for all of us to be on the same page here with this verse.
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Paul is speaking to Christians.
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If you flip back to the beginning of chapter 4, it says,
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I therefore, a prisoner for the Lord,
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Lord, urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called.
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He's speaking to Christians.
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He's writing to the church in Ephesus.
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So, we can't say that this thief is not a believer.
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He's speaking to believers.
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Second observation, Paul is speaking to Christians who have not yet given up the practice of stealing.
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He says, let the thief no longer.
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If it was somebody or people who had once stolen and not stolen anymore,
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it would say something in past tense, that those who stole.
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Third observation really quick.
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Thieves are not outside the grace of God.
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These are Christians, once again, the church at Ephesus.
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In 1 Corinthians chapter 6, verse 9 through 11, we have a list.
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It says, or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God?
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Do not be deceived.
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Neither the sexual immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor men who practice homosexuality, nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God.
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That's where a lot of us want to grab that stone that Nathan talked about two weeks ago and throw it and just stop there.
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But, verse 11, and such were some of you, but you were washed, you were sacrificed, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.
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Even thieves are not outside the grace of God.
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Think about the thief on the cross, Luke 23.
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He turns to Jesus and says, remember me.
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Jesus says, today you will be with me in paradise.
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Fourth observation, real quick.
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Salvation changes the heart, but does not automatically change a man's conduct or thinking.
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Okay?
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We have redemption stories all around us where this has happened.
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Where guys have had addictions and the moment they've received Christ, the moment they become a Christian, that addiction is over with.
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Drugs, alcohol, those types of things.
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And those of redemption stories are to be rejoiced and to be excited about.
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But that's not the norm.
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That's not an automatic thing.
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Coming to faith in Jesus does not end our struggle with sin.
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Romans 6, Romans 7 tells us that it is a process.
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We need to continually fight that sin.
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This process is God perfecting us.
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It's God working in us.
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In a book called When Sinners Say I Do, which is what we've been studying through with a couple couples for marital counseling.
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He gives an illustration of buttoning a shirt.
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Now if you start at the top of your shirt and you get one button wrong, what happens?
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All the rest of them are all wrong and your shirt's all wonky.
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You've got to get the first one right and then you work your way down.
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Well, it's the same here.
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God is perfecting us.
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We've got the first button.
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And it's a process.
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He is continually buttoning and getting that shirt right on us.
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God is working in us.
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Perfecting us.
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It is a process where we fight against sin.
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Turn to Romans real quick.
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We'll end with these quick observations here.
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Romans chapter 6.
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Just so you don't just have to take my word for it.
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Romans chapter 6 verse 12.
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It says,
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Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body to make you obey its passions.
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Do not present your members to sin as instruments for unrighteousness.
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But present yourselves to God as those who have been brought from death to life.
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And your members to God as instruments for righteousness.
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For sin will have no dominion over you since you are not under law but under grace.
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Romans chapter 12.
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Romans chapter 12 verse 1 and 2.
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Satan doesn't automatically end our struggle with it.
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So, the verse in Ephesians 4 verse 28 says,
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Let the thief no longer steal.
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It is no shock to you when I say that stealing is wrong.
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We all agree.
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Shake your heads.
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Yes.
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Stealing is wrong.
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here's some things that stealing does.
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Stealing seeks to turn over
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what Adam was given to do.
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And thus, us.
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Adam was given to work.
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He was commanded to work the garden.
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It was a delight to work.
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It was a joy.
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But because of the fall,
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work became toil,
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became hard,
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became painful.
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And as we see in the curse
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in Genesis chapter 3,
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things that wore a delight
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became, because of the fall, painful.
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Women, childbearing, became painful.
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Men, work, became toil.
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Stealing seeks to turn over
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what Adam and we were created to do.
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So are there areas in your life
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where you avoid work?
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Where you avoid what you were given to do?
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Where you avoid the curse?
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Where there's laziness and slothfulness
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in your life?
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Are there times where you avoid work
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at your job by cheating on your time
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or stealing from your employees?
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Employers.
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I have a temptation every week.
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Every week to do just that.
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I have an hourly rate.
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I work for a friend of mine
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and he trusts me and believes me.
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And he asks me,
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what time do I get off at the end of the day?
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And I can very easily say,
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I got off at 5 when I left at 4.
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I can very easily say,
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I got off at 5.30.
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The temptation is there for all of us.
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The question is,
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are you stealing from your employer?
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Are you stealing and trying to turn over
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what we were created and given to do?
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That is, work.
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Stealing is also self-worship.
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Stealing is putting your needs
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above everyone else's.
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It is feasting on the labor of others.
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It is forcing others to sacrifice,
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to serve your own self-interest.
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Think about it.
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Somebody does the work,
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and what do you do?
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You steal.
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You take.
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I'm not calling anybody out.
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You as a general term, I promise.
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Me as well.
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When we worship ourselves,
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we are not worshiping Jesus.
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Jesus, the one who died,
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so that we could have victory
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over this very sin
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of self-worship and of theft.
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So is there an area in your life
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where you take advantage of others
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by stealing or by avoiding
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a particular job even?
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Do you worship yourself
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instead of the Creator?
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Stealing is also not trusting God.
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God who promises to provide
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for His children.
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Remember Ephesians 4, our text.
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He is talking to true Christians.
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Not trusting God.
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You guys remember the Sermon on the Mount
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in Matthew 6?
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The subtitle will say something like
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do not worry, do not be anxious.
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Jesus says do not be anxious about tomorrow.
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Look at the birds of the air.
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Look at the fields.
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The fields are dressed better than Solomon ever was.
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The flowers are dressed.
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The birds are provided for.
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Much more does the Father provide for you.
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See, God is the provider for His children
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and stealing does not trust God.
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A person steals because they no longer believe
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God is God.
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That He is who He says He is.
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Stealing puts trust in the thief
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and not in the giver.
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Not in the Creator.
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Think about the thief on the cross again.
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At the end of His life.
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Moments, seconds even before death.
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Where was His trust put?
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Where did He trust?
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His entire life as a thief was
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He trusted in His ability.
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He trusted in what He could do
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to avoid work.
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He was hopeless in this moment at death.
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He could not trust in Himself.
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His bag of tricks was empty.
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The skills that He learned
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to avoid work
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could not help Him.
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And what did He do?
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He turned to the Savior.
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Are there areas in your life
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where you are not trusting God to provide?
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Are there areas in your life
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where you say,
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God, I've got this.
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I will steal.
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I will take care of this.
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Maybe your anxiousness
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has overcome you
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and forced you to take
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what isn't yours.
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Do you believe the promises of the Bible?
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Do you believe the promises of God?
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If so, then why do you steal?
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And let's be honest,
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I'm not even talking about physical things
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for the most part.
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We steal the glory of God.
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We steal the worship that is due Him.
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And we try to worship ourselves.
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That's bigger.
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That's worse than stealing a pack of gum.
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Or a stapler.
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Or name it.
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At work.
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Time.
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There are times
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where we steal His worship
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and His glory.
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We try to bring it to us.
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Bring it to our attention.
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You believe the promises of God.
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You believe.
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Then why don't you trust?
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Why don't you trust?
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See, what you don't trust,
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you don't worship.
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So if you don't trust God,
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you will not worship God.
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God is our provider.
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And stealing is not trusting God.
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Last thing about stealing.
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Stealing is a rebellion
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against the sovereignty of God.
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Stealing is a rebellion
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against the sovereignty of God.
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God provides.
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God knows the needs of His children.
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And He distributes material things accordingly.
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To God is good,
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no matter what.
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God is good whether you
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drive a nice car
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or a dumpy car.
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God is good.
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No matter if you live
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on the streets or not,
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He is still good.
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Stealing robs you
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of accepting that truth.
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Stealing rebels
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against God
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and His control.
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To eat trust,
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faith,
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joy,
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love,
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all of them are robbed
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from the life of a thief.
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Think about it.
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You trust in the Lord.
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No.
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You trust in yourself.
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You have faith in God
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and His promises.
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No.
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You have faith in your abilities
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and your skills.
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You have joy in the Lord.
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No.
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You have pain,
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sorrow,
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anxiousness
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from yourself
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and your circumstances.
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You have love for God.
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No.
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You have love for self.
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God is sovereign.
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He is good.
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We can trust Him completely.
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We don't need to rebel
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against this truth.
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So,
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in our text,
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in Ephesians 4,
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verse 28,
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it says,
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let the thief
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no longer steal.
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Christians
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in the church at Ephesus.
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Christians
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at the church
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at Christ's family church.
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Christians
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here
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at 60 South.
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Christians
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in Dahlonega.
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let the thief
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no longer steal.
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So,
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that's the first part
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of our verse.
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Let us now
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dig in
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to our topic.
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Work.
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The second part
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of the verse
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applies,
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again,
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just like the first,
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to all of us.
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Speaks to all of us.
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Whether we are a thief
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or not,
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and I would argue
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that all of us
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at one time
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or another
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are thieves,
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have been thieves.
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So,
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here we go.
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Gives us a definition
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of a Christian
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work ethic,
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so to speak.
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Verse 28,
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let the thief
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no longer steal,
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but rather
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let him labor
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doing honest work
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with his own hands
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so that he may have
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something to share
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with anyone
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in need.
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Now,
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what I have
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is I have five
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reasons why
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we work.
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And,
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maybe or maybe not,
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it applies,
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it fits real well
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into our Christ-end culture,
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but here's why I put
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five reasons
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why we work.
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Because I believe
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that the how
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we work,
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how we
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spend our time
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working,
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how we work
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our tails off,
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how we
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act at work,
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will come out of
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the why
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we work.
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Okay?
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So,
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first one.
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why do we work?
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Five reasons
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we work.
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We've already
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talked about it.
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Reason one,
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we work because
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we were created
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to work.
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It was put in
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from the Creator
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in Genesis chapter 2
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verse 15,
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Adam was given
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to work.
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And it was a pleasure
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to do so.
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He delighted
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in it.
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See,
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when we work,
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when we work,
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as the text says
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in Ephesians 4,
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when we labor
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doing honest work,
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we bring glory to God.
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We'll touch on that
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in just a little bit.
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See,
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it was the curse.
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It was the curse
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that made work
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a burden,
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painful.
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ESV translates it
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toil.
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Toil.
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Toil.
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Now,
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I had a curse-filled
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day of work
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this week.
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510 feet of conduit
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in trenches
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and ditches,
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running wire
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under the scorching sun.
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It was toil.
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It was hard.
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No matter
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how hard it was,
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no matter
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how hard
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and difficult,
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I was created
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to do
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that work.
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I was given
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that moment
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to work
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to the glory
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of God.
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we work
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because we were
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created
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to work.
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Secondly,
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we work
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to provide
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for our families.
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In 1 Timothy
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chapter 5,
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and I'm going to
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highlight verse 8,
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but 3 through 8
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gives us
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a little bit of
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guidance here.
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Verse 8,
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Paul says to Timothy,
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if anyone
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does not provide
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for his relatives
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and especially
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for members
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of his household,
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he has denied
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his faith
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and is worse
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than an unbeliever.
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Those are
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strong words.
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If anyone
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does not provide
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for his relatives
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and especially
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for members
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of his household,
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he is denied
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the faith
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and is worse
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than an unbeliever.
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If you are
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a Christian,
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if you are
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a child of God
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and you do not
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provide for your
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family,
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repent this morning.
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God has put you
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in the place
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where you are
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to provide
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for your family.
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Not to provide
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for the pleasures
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that you want
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to participate in,
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not to buy
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all the toys
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and fun things
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that are out there
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for you to play with.
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I'm going to speak
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to the young guys
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here for a minute.
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Now,
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as Nathan did
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a couple weeks ago,
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opinion alert.
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Okay,
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here's my opinion,
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but I think
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it's based
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in truth.
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Okay?
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Young guys,
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you may be
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paying bills.
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You may be
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paying a credit card bill,
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paying a cell phone bill.
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You may be
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paying a car payment
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or insurance.
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But you have
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not arrived.
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You have not
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arrived.
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There is another
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level to manhood.
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There is another
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level to
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being a man
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and that is
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providing
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for mouths.
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That is for
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providing
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for a family.
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There are mouths
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to feed.
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It's like the
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picture of
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the mother bird
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coming in.
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It's got food
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hanging out of her beak
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and the kids
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are all open.
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The baby birds,
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not kids.
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Baby birds are all
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open squawking
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and the mom
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drops the worms
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and stuff in the mouth.
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Well,
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that's you guys.
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Men,
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that's you.
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You are to provide
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for your families.
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Are you providing
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for your family?
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Young guys,
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do you want
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to provide
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for your family?
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You have been
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created
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to do it.
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You have been
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commanded
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to do it.
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Now,
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commercial break,
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intermission.
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Of course,
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there are
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disabled
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mentally and
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physically
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people
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who cannot
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provide.
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They cannot
23:24
work.
23:26
But what is
23:27
the heart
23:27
of that person?
23:28
What is the
23:28
heart of that
23:29
disabled person?
23:31
Do they
23:31
desire to
23:32
provide?
23:33
Do they
23:33
try to
23:34
provide
23:34
spiritually?
23:35
Do they
23:35
try to
23:36
provide for
23:37
their family?
23:38
Do they
23:38
want to?
23:38
Is there
23:39
a burden
23:39
in them
23:40
to provide?
23:44
Guys,
23:45
this is not
23:45
a loophole.
23:47
It's because
23:48
you have a
23:48
desire to.
23:50
It doesn't
23:50
mean you
23:51
do.
23:52
It's because
23:52
I say I'm
23:52
a stick.
23:53
It doesn't
23:53
make me
23:53
a stick.
23:56
We work
23:58
to provide
23:59
for our
23:59
families.
24:01
If anyone
24:02
does not
24:02
provide for
24:03
his relatives
24:04
and especially
24:05
for members
24:05
of his
24:06
household,
24:06
he has
24:06
denied the
24:07
faith and
24:08
is worse
24:09
than an
24:10
unbeliever.
24:12
Men,
24:13
provide for
24:14
your families.
24:15
Future men,
24:17
future
24:17
patriarchs of
24:19
your family,
24:19
provide for
24:20
your families.
24:23
Thirdly,
24:24
so first,
24:25
we work,
24:26
we were
24:26
created to
24:27
work.
24:28
Second,
24:28
we work
24:29
to provide
24:29
for our
24:30
families.
24:31
Third,
24:32
we work
24:33
to be
24:34
generous
24:35
from our
24:36
text in
24:37
Ephesians
24:37
chapter 4
24:38
verse 28.
24:39
Let the
24:41
thief no
24:41
longer
24:42
steal,
24:43
but rather
24:43
let him
24:43
labor,
24:44
doing honest
24:45
work with
24:45
his own
24:45
hands,
24:46
so that he
24:47
may have
24:47
something to
24:48
share with
24:49
anyone in
24:50
need.
24:52
We work
24:52
to be
24:53
generous.
24:54
Yes,
24:55
point two
24:55
was we
24:55
work to
24:56
provide for
24:56
our families,
24:57
but we also
24:58
work to be
24:59
generous.
25:00
We work
25:01
so that we
25:02
can give
25:02
more,
25:03
so that we
25:04
have something
25:04
to share
25:05
with anyone
25:06
in need.
25:08
Now that's a
25:09
paradigm shift.
25:10
That's a big
25:10
shift in
25:11
thinking compared
25:11
to what the
25:12
world teaches.
25:15
Agree?
25:16
That's a huge
25:18
change in
25:20
thought.
25:22
Now we have a
25:23
paradox here in
25:24
this verse.
25:25
The beginning of
25:26
the verse says,
25:27
let the thief
25:28
no longer
25:29
steal.
25:31
Selfish,
25:32
self-worship,
25:33
self-gratification,
25:35
self-provision,
25:37
and then at
25:37
the end it
25:38
says,
25:38
work to
25:39
share with
25:39
anyone in
25:41
need.
25:42
Selfless,
25:43
others-focused,
25:45
kingdom-minded,
25:47
gospel-centered,
25:48
God-exalting.
25:50
So, we no
25:51
longer think of
25:51
ourselves, we
25:53
think of others
25:53
and we provide
25:54
for them.
25:55
That's the
25:56
idea here.
25:59
Isn't that
25:59
what the
26:00
gospel of
26:00
Jesus Christ
26:01
does?
26:02
Isn't that
26:02
what Jesus
26:02
did himself?
26:04
He thought
26:05
of others
26:05
and went
26:06
ahead and
26:07
died for
26:08
others to
26:09
have life.
26:12
College
26:12
students,
26:13
you are on
26:15
a collision
26:16
course to
26:17
making good
26:17
money.
26:19
You're headed
26:20
in that
26:21
direction.
26:22
Some of you
26:22
maybe,
26:23
some of you
26:23
might not,
26:25
but most of
26:25
you have an
26:27
opportunity to
26:28
make good
26:28
money.
26:29
money.
26:31
What are
26:31
you going to
26:32
work for?
26:33
What is
26:34
going to be
26:34
your end
26:35
goal?
26:36
Is it to
26:37
give away?
26:38
Is it to
26:39
be generous?
26:40
So, let's
26:41
say you make
26:41
$50,000,
26:42
$60,000,
26:43
$70,000,
26:45
$80,000 a
26:46
year.
26:46
What can
26:47
you live off
26:47
of?
26:49
What can
26:49
you live off
26:50
of?
26:53
Give the
26:54
rest.
26:55
Give the
26:55
rest away.
26:56
Be generous,
26:58
as Ephesians
26:58
4.28 tells
26:59
us.
27:01
Maybe,
27:03
just maybe,
27:05
you will be
27:06
put in that
27:07
position to
27:08
provide for
27:09
a kingdom
27:11
movement that
27:12
we have never
27:12
seen before.
27:13
Just maybe
27:14
your money
27:15
that you
27:15
give might
27:16
be the
27:16
fuel,
27:19
might be
27:19
what provides
27:21
for a
27:23
movement.
27:26
six-figure
27:28
income even.
27:28
That's not
27:29
for your
27:29
kingdom.
27:31
That's not.
27:32
That's for
27:33
God's kingdom.
27:35
Live modestly.
27:36
Give much.
27:39
Don't fall
27:40
for what
27:40
others in the
27:41
world tells
27:42
you.
27:43
You don't
27:44
need the
27:46
$50,000
27:46
car or
27:48
the $200
27:49
jeans or
27:50
the $300,000
27:51
house.
27:52
your kingdom
27:55
will fall.
27:56
That's what
27:57
you try to
27:57
build.
28:00
Babylon,
28:01
Roman Empire,
28:02
they built
28:03
their kingdoms
28:04
and what
28:05
happened?
28:05
They fell.
28:06
Now,
28:06
of course,
28:07
you're not
28:08
going to be
28:08
building a
28:09
Roman Empire,
28:11
but you are
28:12
going to be
28:12
building a
28:13
castle.
28:14
If you're
28:15
trying to build
28:16
your kingdom,
28:16
you're trying
28:16
to build
28:17
your castle.
28:18
You're trying
28:18
to build
28:18
your retirement,
28:19
you're trying
28:19
to build this,
28:20
you're trying
28:20
to build that.
28:21
You get all
28:21
your stuff
28:22
around you.
28:24
That stuff
28:25
is worthless.
28:27
Worth nothing
28:29
in the big
28:30
picture.
28:32
And here
28:32
in Ephesians
28:33
4, 28,
28:36
let the thief
28:36
no longer
28:37
steal, but
28:37
rather let
28:37
him labor,
28:38
doing honest
28:39
work with
28:39
his own
28:40
hands.
28:40
We would
28:40
agree with
28:41
that, yes.
28:42
Let us all
28:42
do honest
28:43
work with
28:43
our own
28:44
hands, dig
28:44
ditches,
28:45
teach students,
28:47
be lawyers,
28:47
doctors, heal
28:48
people.
28:49
Yes.
28:51
So that he
28:52
may have
28:53
something to
28:54
share with
28:54
anyone in
28:55
need.
28:56
That should
28:57
be our
28:58
drive.
28:59
That should
29:00
be our
29:01
direction we're
29:01
headed.
29:02
That's why we
29:03
get a six
29:03
figure income,
29:04
so that we
29:04
can then be
29:05
generous to
29:05
people in
29:06
need.
29:06
We can
29:07
provide for
29:07
them.
29:08
That's what we
29:09
can provide
29:09
for ourselves.
29:12
We work to
29:13
be generous.
29:15
Do you
29:15
work to be
29:16
generous?
29:17
College students,
29:18
will you
29:19
work to
29:20
be generous?
29:23
Fourthly,
29:25
we work to
29:26
build the
29:27
kingdom.
29:28
We work to
29:29
build the
29:30
kingdom.
29:31
Turn to
29:31
1 Peter 2.
29:35
If you've
29:36
got a
29:36
bookmark or
29:37
keep your
29:37
finger there
29:38
because we
29:38
will come
29:39
back to
29:39
this text
29:40
in a
29:41
moment.
29:45
In 1
29:46
Peter 2,
29:47
we have a
29:49
couple verses
29:49
and I want
29:51
to highlight
29:51
actually just
29:52
one right
29:53
now.
29:54
1 Peter 2,
29:56
verse 12.
30:00
The text
30:01
says,
30:03
keep your
30:03
conduct among
30:04
the Gentiles
30:05
honorable,
30:06
so that when
30:07
they speak
30:07
against you
30:08
as evildoers,
30:09
they may see
30:10
your good deeds
30:11
and glorify
30:12
God on the
30:13
day of
30:14
hesitation.
30:14
salvation.
30:17
We work
30:19
to build
30:20
the kingdom.
30:24
Keep your
30:24
conduct among
30:25
the Gentiles
30:26
honorable.
30:27
Now here,
30:28
Gentiles is a
30:29
people group,
30:30
yes,
30:32
but he's also
30:32
speaking,
30:33
the people group
30:34
represents sinners,
30:35
lost people,
30:36
non-believers.
30:36
Non-believers.
30:37
believers.
30:39
So they may
30:40
see your
30:41
good deeds,
30:42
the way
30:43
you work,
30:44
how you
30:45
work,
30:45
why you
30:46
work.
30:48
And the
30:49
end result
30:50
here from
30:50
this text,
30:52
so they may
30:53
glorify God
30:54
on the day
30:55
of visitation,
30:57
so that they
30:57
may become
30:57
Christians.
31:00
We work
31:01
to be
31:02
generous
31:02
in and out
31:04
of our
31:04
circle of
31:05
influence,
31:06
but now
31:08
we work
31:09
to preach
31:10
the gospel
31:10
in our
31:11
circle
31:12
of influence
31:14
and build
31:14
the kingdom.
31:17
Colossians 1
31:18
verse 28-29
31:20
says,
31:21
Him we
31:23
proclaim,
31:23
Him being
31:23
Christ,
31:24
warning everyone
31:26
and teaching
31:26
everyone with
31:27
all wisdom
31:28
that we may
31:29
present everyone
31:31
mature in
31:32
Christ.
31:32
for this
31:34
I toil,
31:36
there's that
31:36
word again,
31:37
painful,
31:38
struggling,
31:39
struggling with
31:40
all His
31:41
energy that
31:42
He powerfully
31:43
works within
31:45
me.
31:46
We have an
31:47
impact on
31:48
people around
31:48
us,
31:49
people who we
31:50
work with,
31:51
people who we
31:51
sit next to
31:52
and cubicle
31:53
next to us
31:54
or dig
31:55
ditches with
31:55
or heal
31:57
people with.
31:57
we have an
31:59
impact on
32:00
people's lives.
32:02
The people
32:02
in your life
32:03
have been
32:04
placed there.
32:05
You have
32:05
been placed
32:06
there for a
32:07
reason.
32:08
Been placed
32:09
there by a
32:09
sovereign God.
32:11
The question
32:12
is,
32:13
will you make
32:13
much of
32:14
yourself,
32:17
will you
32:18
steal,
32:20
self-worship,
32:21
or will
32:23
you make
32:24
much of
32:24
Jesus?
32:27
You're
32:27
going to
32:28
do one
32:29
of two
32:29
things.
32:31
You will
32:32
either make
32:32
much of
32:33
yourself by
32:34
complaining,
32:35
by grumbling,
32:37
by having
32:38
conversations in
32:39
secret about
32:39
co-workers and
32:41
the employer and
32:42
the company and
32:43
how horrible it
32:43
is, by
32:44
stealing, by
32:46
hating the
32:46
work and
32:47
even by being
32:48
apathetic and
32:49
not caring.
32:51
Or,
32:53
you will
32:53
make much
32:54
of Jesus
32:54
by talking
32:57
about Him,
32:58
by preaching
32:59
the gospel,
32:59
by having
33:00
hard conversations,
33:01
by working
33:02
to your
33:03
fullest
33:03
potential.
33:06
Now,
33:06
there's a
33:07
sports
33:07
cliche.
33:10
It applies
33:11
to a
33:12
temporal
33:12
thing,
33:12
sports,
33:13
temporal
33:13
activities,
33:15
here today,
33:16
maybe gone
33:16
tomorrow.
33:17
But we
33:18
can apply
33:19
it to an
33:19
eternal
33:19
application.
33:21
application
33:21
here.
33:23
Sports
33:23
of the
33:23
Slave is
33:24
leaving it
33:25
all on
33:25
the field,
33:27
giving our
33:27
everything out
33:28
there on
33:28
the field so
33:29
we have
33:29
nothing left.
33:31
That team
33:31
really left
33:32
it all on
33:32
the field.
33:33
They really
33:33
worked hard.
33:34
They played
33:34
hard.
33:35
They played
33:35
together.
33:36
They really
33:36
showed us
33:37
something.
33:41
We should
33:43
leave it all
33:43
on the field
33:44
when we
33:45
are at work.
33:46
We should
33:46
work to our
33:47
fullest potential.
33:48
Why?
33:49
Because we
33:50
can make
33:50
much of
33:51
Jesus.
33:52
We can
33:53
make much
33:53
of Him
33:54
by working
33:55
and leaving
33:56
it all
33:57
out on
33:58
the field.
34:00
As
34:00
Colossians
34:01
says,
34:02
do you
34:02
toil?
34:03
Do you
34:04
grow tired?
34:05
Do you
34:06
grow weary
34:06
to teach
34:07
and warn
34:08
the people
34:08
at your
34:09
workplace
34:09
with your
34:10
words and
34:11
with your
34:11
actions?
34:12
sins?
34:13
Let us
34:14
all repent
34:15
of our
34:16
selfishness
34:17
and fear.
34:18
Let us
34:18
trust God.
34:22
Let us
34:23
all work
34:24
as if
34:24
eternity
34:25
hangs in
34:26
the balance.
34:28
Let us
34:28
all work
34:29
and be
34:30
the employees
34:31
of the
34:32
month.
34:34
We should
34:35
be the
34:35
best employees.
34:36
We should
34:37
be the
34:37
guys working
34:38
our tails
34:38
off.
34:39
We should
34:40
be the
34:40
guys that
34:40
are hated
34:41
honestly.
34:44
Oh,
34:46
that Daniel,
34:47
he works
34:48
his tail off.
34:48
He makes
34:49
us all
34:49
look bad.
34:51
Amen.
34:53
Why do
34:53
you work
34:54
that way,
34:54
Daniel?
34:55
Well,
34:56
because God
34:56
tells me to,
34:57
because I
34:57
love Jesus,
34:58
I don't
34:58
make much
34:58
of Jesus.
34:59
Let me
35:00
tell you
35:00
about Jesus.
35:03
There's
35:03
opportunities
35:04
through the
35:04
way you
35:05
work to
35:06
make much
35:07
of Jesus,
35:07
to make
35:07
much of
35:08
Him,
35:09
or to
35:10
try to
35:10
make much
35:11
of
35:11
yourself.
35:13
Fifthly,
35:14
and we've
35:15
touched on
35:15
it,
35:16
pieces here
35:17
and there,
35:18
we work
35:19
to glorify
35:20
the King.
35:21
We work
35:21
to glorify
35:22
Jesus.
35:24
Okay?
35:24
Turn to
35:25
1 Corinthians
35:25
chapter 10.
35:27
Put a mark
35:27
in 1 Peter
35:28
because we'll
35:28
be back.
35:30
1 Corinthians
35:31
chapter 10.
35:34
If you're
35:35
familiar with
35:35
1 Corinthians
35:36
chapter 10,
35:37
then you know
35:37
where we're
35:37
headed.
35:38
at the end
35:40
of the
35:40
chapter,
35:41
we work
35:46
to glorify
35:47
the King.
35:48
Not only
35:48
do we work
35:49
to build
35:49
the Kingdom,
35:51
capital K,
35:52
we work
35:52
to glorify
35:53
the King,
35:54
capital K.
35:57
1 Corinthians
35:58
chapter 10,
35:59
verse 31.
36:00
So whether
36:01
you eat
36:01
or drink
36:03
or whatever
36:04
you do,
36:05
do all
36:06
to the glory
36:07
of God.
36:08
Give no offense
36:09
to Jews
36:09
or to Greeks
36:10
or to the
36:10
church of God.
36:12
Just as I try
36:13
to please
36:13
everyone in
36:14
everything I do,
36:15
not seeking
36:16
my own
36:17
advantage,
36:19
we work
36:19
to be generous,
36:20
we work
36:21
to be selfless,
36:23
but that of
36:23
many that
36:24
they may
36:25
be saved.
36:27
Our ultimate
36:28
purpose to
36:29
work,
36:30
our ultimate
36:31
trump card,
36:31
is the work
36:33
for the glory
36:34
of God
36:35
and to
36:35
the glory
36:36
of God.
36:37
So whatever
36:37
you do,
36:38
do all
36:39
the glory
36:39
of God.
36:41
This means
36:41
that whoever
36:42
you are
36:43
and whatever
36:44
you do,
36:45
no matter
36:46
what,
36:47
okay,
36:47
not no matter
36:48
what,
36:48
scratch that,
36:49
there's some
36:49
things we can't
36:50
do to the glory
36:50
of God
36:51
and you guys
36:51
can figure
36:52
those out.
36:55
Due to
36:56
the glory
36:57
of God.
36:58
William Tyndale,
37:00
who translated
37:00
the Bible
37:01
into English,
37:02
he says this,
37:03
he says,
37:04
if we look
37:04
externally,
37:06
look externally,
37:08
so from
37:08
our vantage
37:09
point,
37:10
there is a
37:10
difference
37:11
between
37:11
washing of
37:12
dishes
37:13
and preaching
37:14
of the
37:14
Word of
37:15
God.
37:16
But,
37:17
as touching
37:18
to please
37:18
God,
37:19
none at
37:20
all.
37:21
God
37:21
looketh not
37:22
principally
37:24
at the
37:24
external part
37:25
of the
37:25
work,
37:26
but much
37:27
more to
37:27
the heart
37:28
of Him
37:28
that does
37:29
it.
37:31
In other
37:31
words,
37:32
God looks
37:32
at the
37:32
heart of
37:33
a man
37:33
and not
37:35
the task
37:35
that the
37:35
man is
37:36
doing
37:36
or woman.
37:40
Think about
37:41
it,
37:41
He's right.
37:42
The Sermon on the
37:43
Mount,
37:43
Jesus repeatedly
37:44
raised the bar.
37:45
Why?
37:46
Because it was
37:46
about the
37:46
heart.
37:47
It was not
37:47
about what
37:48
the people
37:48
were doing.
37:49
He called
37:49
the religious
37:50
leaders
37:50
whitewashed
37:51
tombs.
37:52
Tombs have
37:53
dead carcasses,
37:54
dead bodies
37:55
in them,
37:56
dead corpses,
37:58
smelly,
37:58
stinky,
37:59
disgusting,
38:00
and the
38:00
outside,
38:00
it's all
38:01
pretty and
38:01
prim and
38:02
proper and
38:02
painted.
38:05
What you
38:06
do on the
38:06
outside does
38:07
not matter.
38:11
It's what's
38:11
on the inside
38:12
is what He's
38:12
saying.
38:14
It means
38:16
that whether
38:17
you gather
38:17
garbage,
38:18
you dig
38:18
ditches,
38:19
or you
38:19
preach to
38:20
thousands,
38:21
all of it
38:22
can be done
38:22
for the
38:23
glory of
38:23
God.
38:25
It also
38:26
means that
38:27
you're calling
38:27
to teach.
38:30
You're calling
38:31
to sit in a
38:31
cubicle all
38:32
day.
38:33
You're calling
38:33
to take care
38:34
of animals.
38:35
You're calling
38:36
to build
38:37
houses.
38:38
It's no
38:38
less important
38:39
than the
38:39
preacher who's
38:40
preaching on
38:41
Sunday morning
38:41
or at a
38:43
major conference
38:45
in a big
38:45
city.
38:46
Which also
38:47
means that
38:48
preachers in
38:49
this room,
38:49
you're not
38:50
any more
38:50
important,
38:51
I'm not
38:51
any more
38:51
important than
38:52
any of
38:53
you.
38:53
that is
38:55
empowering.
38:57
That is
38:57
freeing.
38:59
That is
38:59
good news
39:00
for all
39:01
of us.
39:01
All of us
39:02
in this
39:02
room who
39:03
are called
39:03
into the
39:04
world as
39:05
county
39:06
employees,
39:07
corporate
39:08
employees,
39:09
small business
39:10
owners,
39:11
preachers and
39:11
counselors,
39:12
all of us
39:13
can bring
39:14
glory to
39:14
God in
39:15
what we
39:15
do.
39:16
We can
39:17
all storm
39:18
the world
39:18
with the
39:18
gospel,
39:19
by the
39:19
power of
39:20
the gospel,
39:21
for the
39:21
love of
39:21
people,
39:21
and for
39:22
the love
39:23
of God.
39:25
See,
39:25
we infiltrate
39:27
the workplace
39:27
with the
39:28
gospel when
39:30
and only
39:31
when we
39:31
let the
39:32
gospel
39:32
infiltrate
39:32
every area
39:33
of our
39:34
life.
39:36
So then
39:37
culture is
39:39
then engaged
39:40
by the
39:41
gospel in
39:41
us,
39:42
in our
39:42
workplaces.
39:45
So why
39:46
do we
39:46
work?
39:47
The how
39:47
comes out
39:48
of why
39:49
we work.
39:50
we work
39:51
to bring
39:51
glory to
39:52
God.
39:53
We work
39:54
to be
39:54
generous.
39:57
Now,
39:57
if you
39:58
notice the
39:58
five reasons
39:59
that I
39:59
gave you,
40:01
there are
40:02
no selfish
40:02
reasons.
40:03
There are
40:04
no self-centered
40:05
me reasons.
40:07
We don't
40:08
work for
40:08
ourselves.
40:10
Sure,
40:10
we have
40:10
bills.
40:12
Sure,
40:12
we pay
40:12
our bills.
40:13
Sure,
40:14
we have
40:15
to buy
40:15
groceries.
40:16
We take
40:16
care of
40:16
our
40:16
families.
40:17
but
40:19
nothing
40:19
self-focused.
40:24
We're
40:24
to be
40:24
focused on
40:25
others in
40:26
God's
40:27
kingdom.
40:29
Because the
40:30
gospel leads
40:31
to a heart
40:31
change.
40:32
And when the
40:32
heart changes,
40:34
our want-tos
40:35
change as
40:36
well.
40:37
What we
40:37
want to
40:38
do.
40:39
So out of
40:40
the why,
40:40
why we
40:41
work,
40:42
the how
40:42
we work.
40:44
Why we
40:44
work because
40:45
of the
40:45
gospel,
40:47
how do
40:47
we work?
40:48
How do
40:48
we live?
40:49
I made
40:50
an assumption
40:51
this morning.
40:53
I assume
40:54
that everyone
40:54
in this
40:55
room are
40:56
Christians.
40:58
And the
40:59
assumption
40:59
was,
41:00
or is,
41:00
because you
41:02
can't live
41:03
this way
41:03
without
41:04
Christ.
41:06
You cannot
41:06
live and
41:07
work these
41:08
five ways.
41:09
You can
41:09
try.
41:11
But you
41:11
can't work
41:12
this way
41:13
without
41:14
Christ.
41:16
In
41:16
Ephesians
41:17
chapter 4
41:17
and in
41:18
1 Peter
41:19
chapter 2,
41:19
both texts
41:20
come after
41:23
deep doctrinal
41:24
statements about
41:25
who you are
41:26
as a
41:26
Christian.
41:28
Ephesians
41:29
chapter 4
41:29
verse 17
41:33
says,
41:34
Now this I
41:34
say and
41:35
testify in
41:36
the Lord
41:36
that you
41:36
must no
41:37
longer walk
41:38
as the
41:38
Gentiles do
41:39
in the
41:40
futility of
41:41
their minds.
41:42
They are
41:42
darkened in
41:43
their
41:43
understanding,
41:44
alienated from
41:45
the life of
41:46
God because
41:46
of the
41:46
ignorance that
41:47
is in
41:47
them due
41:48
to their
41:48
hardness of
41:49
heart.
41:50
They have
41:50
become callous
41:51
and have
41:51
given themselves
41:52
up to
41:52
sensuality,
41:53
greedy to
41:54
practice every
41:54
kind of
41:55
impurity.
41:56
But that
41:57
is not the
41:57
way you
41:58
learn Christ.
42:00
Assuming that
42:01
you have heard
42:02
about Him and
42:02
were taught in
42:03
Him as the
42:03
truth is in
42:04
Jesus, to
42:05
put off your
42:06
old self which
42:07
belongs to your
42:08
former manner of
42:09
life and is
42:09
corrupt through
42:10
deceitful desires
42:11
and to be
42:12
renewed in the
42:13
spirit of your
42:14
minds and to
42:14
put on the
42:15
new self created
42:17
after the
42:18
likeness of
42:18
God in true
42:19
righteousness and
42:21
holiness.
42:22
Put off the
42:23
old self.
42:25
Put on the
42:26
new.
42:26
You are a
42:27
Christian.
42:27
You are born
42:28
again.
42:28
You are bought
42:29
with the blood
42:29
of Jesus Christ.
42:31
Live like it.
42:34
Big doctrinal
42:35
statement.
42:37
1 Peter 2.
42:39
verse 9 and
42:43
10.
42:44
But you are a
42:46
chosen race, a
42:48
royal priesthood, a
42:49
holy nation, a
42:50
people for His
42:51
own possession, that
42:53
you may proclaim the
42:54
excellency of Him who
42:55
called you out of
42:56
darkness into His
42:57
marvelous light.
42:59
Once you were not a
43:00
people, but now you
43:02
are God's people.
43:03
Once you had not
43:04
received mercy, but
43:05
now you have
43:06
received mercy.
43:07
mercy.
43:10
You are a chosen
43:11
race.
43:11
You are a royal
43:12
priesthood, and the
43:13
only way that you are
43:15
a royal priesthood is
43:16
that you are adopted
43:17
into the family of
43:18
God royalty.
43:21
So the assumption
43:22
is that everyone in
43:24
here is a Christian.
43:27
And it is a mistake
43:28
for me to assume
43:29
that.
43:32
Our text tells us
43:34
you cannot live this
43:36
way without being a
43:38
Christian.
43:39
So are you a
43:41
chosen race?
43:43
Are you a royal
43:44
priesthood?
43:45
Are you a holy
43:46
nation?
43:47
Do you know Jesus
43:48
as your Savior?
43:50
Do you work to His
43:51
glory or to your
43:53
own?
43:54
See, work really
43:56
becomes a worship
43:59
issue.
44:01
When you really
44:02
unfold it, when you
44:05
really peel back all
44:06
the layers, do you
44:07
work to worship
44:09
yourself or do you
44:10
work to worship
44:11
God?
44:12
And that is the
44:13
question we have to
44:14
ask and that we have
44:15
to answer this
44:16
morning.
44:19
So when we see
44:20
our, our, uh, uh,
44:21
what's it called?
44:26
What's it called,
44:26
Nathan?
44:27
Our Christ family
44:28
exists to, yeah, our
44:31
vision.
44:31
It's called a vision.
44:32
Hey, John, delete that
44:34
part out of the
44:35
recording.
44:37
When you see our
44:38
vision, we exist to
44:41
proclaim, display, and
44:44
experience the
44:46
supremacy of Christ in
44:48
all things.
44:51
It becomes a worship
44:53
issue.
44:54
Work is a worship
44:56
issue.
44:56
And I think as we go
44:58
through this sermon
44:59
series, we're going to
45:00
see that every topic
45:02
comes down to a
45:03
worship issue.
45:05
Every topic.
45:06
Do we worship
45:06
ourselves?
45:08
Do we worship
45:08
culture?
45:09
Do we worship
45:10
whatever big thing it
45:11
is?
45:12
Or do we worship
45:13
the creator?
45:17
Let's pray.