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Character and Characters · Stornoway Free Church of Scotland - Sermons

0:00
The Philippines will give our minds to a section we read there in chapter 2 for a short time.
0:11
Philippines has been a book that was written with Paul encouraging them to work in partnership with one another for the good of the gospel.
0:20
He's pleading with them to work together, to show compassion to one another, and to ultimately find out encouragement in Christ.
0:30
Prior to what we read, you can see if you have the ESV Bible, it titles that section, Christ's example of humility.
0:41
And through there it says, maybe the most notable verse that we have within our memories is verse 5.
0:49
Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus.
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One of not doing things from selfish ambition there in verse 3.
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Out of humility, counting others more significant than ourselves.
1:03
All these attributes that we find in Christ are our example to follow in our working together to build up one another and to build up the church of Christ.
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And in this section here, we have that therefore at the beginning, which immediately points us back to what Paul is saying and that example that we have in Christ.
1:29
Because of what Christ has done, he says, therefore, look at Christ first.
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And then, therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, as he talks to the people, so now, not only as in my presence, but much more in my absence.
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Work out your own salvation with fear and trembling.
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For it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure.
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And in this, what comes through is the character that is built within the people of Christ.
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The character that is formed by the work of Christ in their hearts.
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Paul says, set your mind, pretty much, set your mind on the things of Christ.
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Look to Christ.
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Therefore, then you will be shaped by all that he has done and should be shaped by the character and example that he leaves for us.
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And the character here from verse 12 through.
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It's a character that will be defined by certain things.
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It says there.
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As you have always obeyed, the people had an obedience.
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That was what defined them as a people of God.
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They had an obedience.
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And it wasn't to Paul.
3:00
It wasn't to any man, as it says.
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Much more in my absence.
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They didn't do it for the admiration of man.
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They did it because of their heart to Christ.
3:12
It's like the conscience, when it's awakened by God.
3:17
It has that heart desire to obey what Christ teaches us, what God says to us.
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As that working within us draws us to obedience.
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As Spurgeon says that believing and obedience, they run side by side.
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You cannot separate believing and obedience.
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We take these things from within our hearts.
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And if we do not listen to it and obey what it speaks to us, then what is our belief without obeying what we are told to believe?
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And do we believe?
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Do we obey what we are told?
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What is said before us in the word of God?
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What God wants us to do?
4:15
Are we being obedient?
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To what he speaks to us?
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To do what God asks of us?
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Paul says and continues on in saying, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling.
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Not that we contribute to our salvation by our working.
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Or we can work out our salvation by work.
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But work out is maybe better understood as outworking.
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The outworking of the salvation within us.
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It defines us.
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It defines us.
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It defines us.
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What is in us and comes out of us.
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It defines who we are as Christians and our character.
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It's like we are defined by that salvation that is in us.
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That is worked within us.
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Salvation that draws us to obedience.
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Things that run side by side.
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But so also when we are obedient to God and we do the things that are asked of us.
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We outwork that salvation that is born within us.
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As we outwork our obedience.
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In a sense that itself defines us even more.
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By who we are and what we do.
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And the character of the Christian.
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And it's like that character is built up step by step.
5:57
Character is like embroidery made stitch by stitch.
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It is said.
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It's that building upon the work that is within us.
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And we do that.
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And we do have that obedience.
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Because there is a reverence there.
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To God.
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What he has done for us.
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What Christ has done for us.
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To have reverence.
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Fear and trembling.
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What has been asked of us.
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That we would fulfill the work that Christ has for us.
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And that salvation that works in us comes out in what we do.
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And it may be different for us.
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We may have different work.
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God has work for all his people.
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We are not called to be idle people.
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And this can vary greatly from person to person.
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We're not all called to the same tasks.
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Obedience is not always doing what we want either.
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Very rarely even in our own lives.
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Someone would ask us to do something.
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And we're glad.
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That's what he asked us to do.
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It's like, oh yeah, that's good that he asked me to do this.
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Whereas usually the case is.
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We're told to do something.
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And we just do it out of obedience.
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If it's an employer or parent or elder or whoever it is.
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Obedience is, in this case, trusting and having faith in what is asked of us.
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But this voice of God speaks to us.
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Even when every fiber of our being is.
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Maybe trying to suppress our voice.
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Of what has been asked of us.
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Or that salvation from.
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That has worked within us.
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Maybe we fight.
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Against it.
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Maybe we kick against it in a sense.
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Because we're not comfortable with what has been asked of us.
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Because to be obedient.
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To what God asks us.
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It calls us.
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It calls to affect every part of us.
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Our whole life.
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Our speech.
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Our manner.
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Our attitudes.
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Our work.
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What we devote our time to.
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Are we being obedient.
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To what has been asked of us.
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Maybe we doubt the possibility.
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Why would God ask that of me?
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How can I do that?
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Maybe.
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We present an image to.
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To us that.
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I would say help me.
9:00
In my doubts.
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But.
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And we help you in your doubts.
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That we can.
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So often.
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As a child.
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It's not limited to childhood.
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It goes into adulthood as well.
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That we.
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We do things we shouldn't do.
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And then.
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If we're.
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Caught.
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Or.
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A parent would come and say.
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Why did you do that?
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We would point and say.
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Well he told me to do it.
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And it essentially takes us back to the garden of Eden.
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Where the blame is passed on to another.
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And he says.
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Well he told me to do it.
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And yet.
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It's something that we find ourselves.
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Doing so easily.
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When a pure voice tells us to do something.
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That we know is wrong.
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And yet we find ourselves.
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Doing it.
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With us.
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On the flip side.
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When it is.
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God that asks us of something.
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To do.
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Something good.
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Something hard.
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Most likely.
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And yet.
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We don't do it.
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What.
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What would it mean for you.
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Having been.
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Directed to something.
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Or.
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Having something to be.
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Obedient to.
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Whatever it is.
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I don't know.
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And yet we.
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It's so clear to you.
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And yet.
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You kind of kick against it.
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Because.
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You're not sure.
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If you can fulfill.
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What is asked of you.
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And yet.
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What do you.
10:42
What.
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What.
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What would we say.
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When we stand before Christ.
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And he.
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He says to me.
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He says.
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To you.
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Or to me.
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That.
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It was me.
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That told you to do it.
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It wasn't a poor voice.
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That you.
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A poor voice.
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That you so easily.
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Listen to.
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And would do.
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To bring you into things.
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That were.
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Not good for you.
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You listen to them voices.
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But when.
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When.
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When I spoke to you.
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When I spoke to you.
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From my word.
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With all assurance.
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To do what I asked you to do.
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And yet you did not do it.
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You were not obedient.
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I couldn't imagine myself.
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I couldn't imagine myself.
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Standing before Christ.
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Having.
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The direction.
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That I had.
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And to kick against it.
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When he would ask.
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And say to me.
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I gave you encouragement.
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Every encouragement.
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To do.
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What I asked you to do.
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And I told you to do.
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But you listened.
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To a poorer voice.
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Which.
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Could often be our own voice.
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Because I cannot do it.
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Calvin says on that.
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That.
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Nothing is more fatal.
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To us.
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Than to refuse.
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To give.
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Ourselves.
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In obedience.
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To God.
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Nothing is more fatal.
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To us.
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Than to refuse.
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To give ourselves.
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In obedience.
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To God.
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Because then.
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If we don't have.
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The obedience.
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Where is our belief?
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Where is our faith?
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In the one who asks us?
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But Paul says.
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And goes on to say.
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It is God.
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Who works.
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In you.
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So.
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The doubts.
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That you have.
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Put them to the side.
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I know you have doubts.
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But it is God.
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Who works in you.
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It is God.
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That does that work.
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Of redefining you.
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Who.
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In the beginning.
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He redefines you.
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As.
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A Christian.
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Within you.
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God is at work.
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In.
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Your heart.
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But so.
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He continues.
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To define you.
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Clearly.
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And with more clarity.
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Step by step.
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Stitch by stitch.
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In that.
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Almost.
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Sanctifying.
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Nature.
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As we become.
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More.
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Christ like.
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In obedience.
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It is God.
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God.
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Who works.
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In you.
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And there.
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We have confidence.
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Not in ourselves.
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But in the one.
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That works.
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Within us.
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And see what.
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Obedience.
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Brings.
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There.
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For it is God.
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Who works in you.
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Both to will.
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And to work.
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For his.
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For his.
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Good.
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Pleasure.
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You ask yourself.
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Can we please God.
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Well.
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We can.
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If we obey him.
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And we listen to him.
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If we obey his will.
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And do his work.
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For his.
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Good pleasure.
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Pleasing to God.
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And.
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It always puts.
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Before you.
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The idea.
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Being obedient.
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To God.
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Is pleasing to God.
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And yet.
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Manage to find.
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Is to glorify God.
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And to enjoy him forever.
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As we.
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Glorify.
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God.
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And what we do.
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And that.
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Outworking.
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Of our salvation.
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And being obedient.
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And giving him.
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It is glorifying God.
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And what we're doing.
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And yet.
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We ourselves.
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Have enjoyment.
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In God.
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Because of these things.
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Also.
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It's an interesting comparison.
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To make.
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But.
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There's other marks.
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That distinguish.
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Define.
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And distinguish.
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The people.
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Of God.
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They do all things.
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Without grumbling.
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Or disputing.
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Well.
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That's a challenge.
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To us all.
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We also.
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Find it so natural.
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To do these.
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To do grumble.
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And dispute things.
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But he's saying.
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Don't.
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Do all things.
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Without that.
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It's like.
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If you think about.
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Grumbling.
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And disputing.
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It puts like a layer.
15:26
Of negativity.
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Into things.
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It's like.
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This.
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Under.
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Hidden layer.
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That just.
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Does not help.
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And Paul says.
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It does.
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You know.
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Good.
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To be grumbling.
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And disputing.
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With one another.
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Or.
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At things.
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That are happening.
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Within the church.
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Paul's calling them.
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To partnership.
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Together.
15:51
To work together.
15:52
For the glorifying.
15:54
Of God's name.
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Just.
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Do things.
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Without grumbling.
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Or disputing.
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Blameless.
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And innocent.
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There's high standards.
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Being spoken of here.
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That is asked.
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Of the Christian's character.
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We should be blameless.
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And innocent.
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Without blemish.
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In a twisted.
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Crooked generation.
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In.
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A twisted.
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And crooked generation.
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We're not separated.
16:25
From the twisted.
16:26
And crooked generation.
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We live.
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We live within.
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And I'll give you an example.
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Of that.
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In a wee minute.
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And you know.
16:37
Sometimes it's hard.
16:38
To live within.
16:40
To be this character.
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Within the twisted.
16:42
And crooked generation.
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As it were.
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To be this light.
16:46
In the darkness.
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To shine.
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You know.
16:50
Sometimes.
16:51
People.
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Can spot.
16:55
That you are different.
16:57
It's a distinguishing.
16:59
Feature about you.
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And they can ask.
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Even if they don't know.
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Anything about Christ.
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They can say to you.
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Well.
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You don't swear.
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Like we do.
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You don't.
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You don't.
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Drink like we do.
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You don't take drugs.
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Like we do.
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You don't have relations.
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With other people.
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Like we do.
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You are.
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Distinguished.
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From us.
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In many ways.
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It can be quite clear.
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How we're distinguished.
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Even if they don't know.
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About Christianity.
17:31
They spot.
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The.
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Working of salvation.
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And thinking.
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Coming out of.
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Even in these small things.
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Other times.
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People don't pick up on it.
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And they.
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And that's far.
17:49
That's way harder.
17:51
When you're a Christian.
17:52
Living within the twisted.
17:53
And crooked generation.
17:54
People do not pick up.
17:57
That you're a Christian.
17:57
And.
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And they're expecting.
18:00
The same things of you.
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To be.
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Living.
18:03
As they live.
18:05
Almost to be.
18:06
As the same family.
18:07
As they are.
18:08
And you've got.
18:09
We've got to tell them.
18:10
Who we are.
18:11
It's hard.
18:13
And.
18:14
And.
18:14
It seems to be.
18:16
Lights in this world.
18:17
And to shine.
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It's not just to be our light.
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But.
18:21
To shine.
18:22
To.
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Let people know who we are.
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Without being ashamed.
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To.
18:30
Give out.
18:31
The light.
18:32
Of Christ.
18:34
That has been worked within me.
18:38
Do we not.
18:39
If we put off telling people.
18:41
It just makes it harder.
18:43
And actually.
18:45
You know.
18:46
We may.
18:46
Spend time with.
18:48
People.
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Two.
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Three.
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Four.
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Five times.
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And then tell them.
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It.
18:52
It.
18:52
It.
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It doesn't do any good.
18:53
Because they.
18:54
They don't.
18:56
They would prefer.
18:57
To know who you are.
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And they maybe.
18:59
Feel ashamed.
19:00
Of the things.
19:00
That they've said.
19:02
And it's far better.
19:03
Just to be that light.
19:04
That Paul tells us to be.
19:06
To shine.
19:07
Amongst people.
19:11
But to plug in.
19:13
It says.
19:13
To be lights in the world.
19:15
Holding fast.
19:16
To the word of life.
19:18
But we.
19:21
Continue.
19:23
To have that.
19:24
Illuminating effect.
19:25
In a sense.
19:27
By the words.
19:28
That we read.
19:28
By the word of life.
19:30
That we.
19:31
Come to every day.
19:34
And encourages us.
19:35
And prepares us.
19:36
And strengthens us.
19:37
And we find strength.
19:38
From that.
19:39
Word of life.
19:41
That gives us life.
19:44
That we are a people.
19:46
That hold on to it.
19:49
Don't let go of it.
19:49
I want to read.
19:53
Just in conclusion.
19:55
Something that we had to read.
19:56
For college.
19:57
I thought it was.
19:58
It was.
19:59
It was.
20:01
Encouraging.
20:02
It's one of the.
20:06
First.
20:07
Apology.
20:08
Christian.
20:09
Apologetic.
20:10
Writings.
20:11
So this was written.
20:13
In 125 AD.
20:16
This is.
20:17
Old.
20:17
Old.
20:18
Just after the apostles.
20:20
And it's a letter.
20:21
To someone.
20:22
Called.
20:24
If I can say it right.
20:26
Dionitas.
20:27
So the letter.
20:28
To Dionitas.
20:31
It's about.
20:32
Someone say.
20:33
To this man.
20:35
About the mystery.
20:36
Of this.
20:37
New people.
20:38
The character.
20:40
Of.
20:41
Christianity.
20:44
They call themselves.
20:45
Christians.
20:47
And so this.
20:48
Comes across.
20:49
As a strange.
20:49
Character.
20:50
Of the Christian.
20:51
Someone from.
20:51
The twisted.
20:52
And crooked.
20:53
Generation.
20:53
Someone outside.
20:56
Trying to understand.
20:58
What is.
20:59
The Christian.
21:00
Character.
21:01
Let me read.
21:02
This for you.
21:04
But Christians.
21:04
Cannot be.
21:05
Distinguished.
21:06
From the rest.
21:07
Of human.
21:08
Race.
21:09
By country.
21:10
Or language.
21:10
Or customs.
21:12
They live.
21:13
Within.
21:14
The people.
21:16
They're not.
21:17
Distinguished.
21:17
Outwardly.
21:18
You can't go into London.
21:19
And say.
21:20
He's a Christian.
21:21
He's a Christian.
21:21
He's a Christian.
21:22
By what they wear.
21:23
They appear.
21:24
They cannot be.
21:25
Distinguished.
21:26
By the rest.
21:26
Which is.
21:28
They live.
21:29
In.
21:30
Greek.
21:30
And barbarian.
21:31
Cities.
21:32
Alike.
21:33
They follow.
21:34
The customs.
21:35
Of the country.
21:36
And the clothing.
21:36
And the food.
21:37
Etc.
21:38
The daily living.
21:40
They live.
21:41
In their own.
21:42
Countries.
21:43
But only.
21:44
As aliens.
21:45
They have a share.
21:47
In everything.
21:47
As citizens.
21:49
And endure.
21:51
Everything.
21:51
As foreigners.
21:54
Every foreign land.
21:55
Is their fatherland.
21:56
And yet.
21:57
For them.
21:58
Every fatherland.
21:59
Is a foreign land.
22:01
This guy.
22:01
Is trying.
22:02
To understand.
22:04
These Christian.
22:05
People.
22:06
They marry.
22:07
Like everyone else.
22:09
And they beget.
22:10
Children.
22:10
But they do not.
22:11
Cast.
22:12
Out their offspring.
22:14
They share.
22:15
Their board.
22:16
With one another.
22:17
Their homes.
22:18
But not their marriage bed.
22:21
It is true.
22:22
That they are.
22:23
In the flesh.
22:24
But they do not live.
22:26
According to the flesh.
22:28
They busy themselves.
22:30
On earth.
22:31
But their citizenship.
22:32
Is in heaven.
22:34
They obey.
22:35
The established laws.
22:36
But in their own lives.
22:38
They go far beyond.
22:39
What the laws require.
22:41
They love all men.
22:43
And by all men.
22:45
Are persecuted.
22:45
They are unknown.
22:50
And still.
22:51
They are condemned.
22:52
They are put to death.
22:53
And yet.
22:54
They are brought.
22:55
To life.
22:57
They are poor.
22:58
And yet.
22:59
They make many.
23:00
Rich.
23:02
They are completely.
23:03
Destitute.
23:04
And yet.
23:05
They enjoy.
23:06
Complete.
23:07
Abundance.
23:09
They are dishonored.
23:10
And in their very dishonor.
23:12
Are glorified.
23:14
They are defamed.
23:15
And are vindicated.
23:17
They are reviled.
23:18
And yet.
23:18
They bless.
23:20
When they are affronted.
23:22
Yet.
23:23
They still.
23:24
Pay respect.
23:26
When they do good.
23:27
They are punished.
23:29
As evildoers.
23:31
Undergoing punishment.
23:33
They rejoice.
23:34
Because they are brought to life.
23:36
They are treated.
23:37
By the Jews.
23:38
As foreigners.
23:39
And enemies.
23:40
And are hunted down.
23:41
By the Greeks.
23:42
And all the time.
23:43
Those who hate them.
23:46
I find it impossible.
23:47
To justify their.
23:49
Emnity.
23:50
Towards them.
23:52
This man.
23:53
Is looking at these people.
23:55
And going.
23:55
Who are these people?
23:58
The characteristics of them.
24:02
Is there grappling with them?
24:06
What has been worked.
24:08
Within their hearts.
24:09
And we know it is a salvation.
24:12
That Christ has given them.
24:15
And their obedience.
24:17
To follow the example.
24:19
That Christ has left for them.
24:21
I just found that quite encouraging.
24:24
That the character of the Christian.
24:26
Was there right from the beginning.
24:28
And so may it continue.
24:31
To be.
24:32
With each of us.
24:34
I pray these would be.
24:35
Thoughts.
24:36
That we were blessed.
24:37
And encouraging.
24:38
Cheers.
24:38
We'll conclude by.
24:40
Singing to.
24:41
Thank you.