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Philippians 2:12-13 · Providence Baptist Church - Sermons

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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 is at work in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure.
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Do all things without grumbling or questioning,
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that you may be blameless and innocent, children of God, without blemish,
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in the midst of a crooked and twisted generation,
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among whom you shine as lights in the world, holding fast to the word of life,
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so that in the day of Christ I may be proud that I did not run in vain or labor in vain,
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even if I am to be poured out as a drink offering upon the sacrificial offering of your faith.
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I am glad and rejoice with you all.
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Likewise, you also should be glad and rejoice with me.
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And that's all flowing together.
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They're not disconnected, but tonight we're going to talk about just verses 12 and 13,
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because that's kind of a loaded two verses I think we could really benefit from.
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So at the beginning of chapter 2, if you remember when Swanson taught a few weeks ago
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that Paul is calling the Philippians not to live with selfish ambition or conceit or rivalry
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because that's what causes division.
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That's what causes people to be torn apart in the church.
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But he rather calls them to live in love and be united in humility,
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which is the fruit of what God does inside of us as believers.
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So he calls them to do that, and that's the beginning of chapter 2.
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And so when God saves us, he produces a fervent love for the other believers
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as well as like a humility before him as God.
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And so we live that way.
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It binds us together as his people.
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And that's verses 1 through 4.
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I kind of talk about that.
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But then Paul gives us the supreme example of that in Christ in the following verses,
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from verses 5 through 11, how Christ dwelt in eternal glory,
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but he left the glories of heaven and came to earth as a man and humbled himself,
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took on the creator, took on the created, and he lived a life of perfect obedience to the Father
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and eventually completed that obedience by dying at the cross.
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And because of such an amazing act of love and sacrifice,
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God has rewarded Christ with the name that is above all names,
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that every knee should bow and every tongue will confess that Christ is Lord.
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So that's what Christ's reward will be.
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And so that's where we find ourselves after verses 1 through 11.
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But now we get into 12 and 13.
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And so following that example of Christ,
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the example that Christ has left us to walk in in love and humility,
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we are by God's power to strive to live as lights in a dark world.
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That's where we're going with this later and live by his strength in us.
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So if we look at verse 12, we'll see that he calls him to live in continued obedience.
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He says,
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Therefore, my beloved, as you always have obeyed,
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so now, not only as in my presence, but much more in my absence.
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And it's such a great joy for those that you have poured your life into,
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those that you have discipled or spent a lot of time with,
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younger believers in the faith that you've given your life to,
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and you've tried to, as it says in 1 Timothy 2,
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to take what you've been entrusted with and to pass that on to other faithful men or women
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that will be faithful to teach others also.
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It's a picture of, like, discipleship.
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And so nothing is more encouraging to someone who is making disciples
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than seeing those people that they've poured their lives into continue on
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and make disciples on their own and remain steadfast for Christ
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and giving their lives away to the lost world
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and just giving their lives to the church.
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As John wrote in 3 John, you don't have to turn there,
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everybody said,
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For I rejoiced greatly when the brothers came and testified to your truth,
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as indeed you are walking in truth.
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I have no greater joy than to hear that my children are walking in the truth.
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And it's this idea that, like, it just brings you great joy to hear
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that you don't have to be there to babysit them.
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Like, I know guys like that that I spend a lot of time with.
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Unless I'm there telling them to do it, they're not going to do it.
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And they drive me crazy.
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So if you just need to smack in the face,
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sometimes I'll quit behaving like kids and be men.
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And other guys, you think about them, you look at them,
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you think, I just don't have to worry about him.
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Man, that's encouraging.
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He gets this.
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He's doing this.
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He's being faithful to pass this on.
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And so Paul is experiencing that joy that comes from that.
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He's like, you're continuing obedience,
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even though I'm not there with you physically.
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You're pressing on in these things.
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And he doesn't have to worry about the Philippian church.
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He's excited to hear about what's going on there.
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But then in the end of verse 12,
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we start getting into a mystery that exists in the Christian life.
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And a mystery that we fully don't know how it works,
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but it is there.
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And it's the mystery of what the Bible would call sanctification.
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The mystery of sanctification.
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And if you want to spell that,
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S-A-N-C-T-I-F-I-C-A-T-I-O-N.
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Sanctification.
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Big Bible word.
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It's not made up.
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It's in the Bible.
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But in the study of salvation,
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which we call in theology,
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soteriology,
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the study of salvation,
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there's a lot of things that we understand to be completely the work of God alone.
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Like salvation is nothing that we achieve.
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It's not something that we work with God on.
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It's something that God has done completely in us.
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Salvation.
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And I've talked about these terms in the past,
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but I don't say these to sound,
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whenever Nathan or Chris or myself,
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Wes or Swanson,
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whenever we use big words,
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it's not to sound smart.
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It's so you'll remember it because it's different.
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You'll be like,
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ah,
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that word.
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You'll remember a concept that's behind it.
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So use these words.
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But the truth is that salvation is what we would call monergistic.
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M-O-N-E-R-G-I-S-T-I-C.
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Monergistic,
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meaning that it's the work of God alone.
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This was a big debate throughout a lot of church history.
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That's where others said that salvation was synergistic.
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We get the word synergy from two pieces or more,
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working together to accomplish something.
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We're not synergistic in how I think about salvation here.
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We're completely monergistic.
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Salvation is the work of God alone.
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Things like justification that you read about,
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in Scripture,
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which is the instantaneous legal act of God,
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where he declares a sinner righteous in his sight
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because of the work of Christ
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and the righteousness of Christ that has been put on him.
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That's all the work of God alone.
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Regeneration,
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we're born again,
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and the Holy Spirit imparts to us new spiritual life.
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All the work of God.
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We don't agree,
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or we don't cooperate with God to be born again.
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It's the work of God alone.
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And the Holy Spirit applies the work of Christ to our lives.
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So,
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but when we get to sanctification,
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it's a little different.
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And sanctification,
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if you want,
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you can go online and find probably four or five different definitions
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for what sanctification is.
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And they're not all disconnected from each other,
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but it's used in a lot of different ways in Scripture.
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That's why.
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That's why the confusion.
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But,
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I'll try to give you a definition
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that I think is helpful.
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It's a progressive,
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not instantaneous,
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it's a progressive work of God
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and man.
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So,
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it's a synergistic thing.
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We work with God
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to accomplish this.
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The progressive work of God
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and man
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that makes us
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more free
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from sin
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and more like Christ
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in our actual lives,
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like right now,
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present time.
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It's progressive work of God
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and man
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that makes us
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more free from sin
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and more like Christ
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in our actual lives.
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Or,
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it's another way,
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it's the outworking
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of the new life
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that is in us
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that we've been born again,
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we've been regenerated
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and sanctification
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is the outworking of that
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in our actual lives
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right now.
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And,
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it's more of a gradual,
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incremental,
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spiritual work
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that,
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of putting the flesh to death
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and putting sin to death
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in our lives
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as we remain here
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and putting on
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the likeness of Christ
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and becoming
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who God has actually made us.
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And,
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so,
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we're going to look at
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three different things
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about sanctification
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and they're all right out
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of the text tonight.
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So,
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the first thing,
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and they're in the form
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of questions,
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what is,
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first question,
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what is the goal
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of our sanctification?
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And we see that
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in verse 12
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where it says,
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your own salvation.
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Okay,
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now,
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I've hardly,
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there's been a lot
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of people I know
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that have read this
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and,
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and like,
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didn't know how to
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interpret that
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because they thought
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it was saying,
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like,
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you need to work
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to figure out
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your salvation,
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like,
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you need to work
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with God
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to achieve your salvation.
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And,
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not really at all
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it says,
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not even by the
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original language,
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but just to keep reading
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what Paul is saying
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around that.
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but,
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remember that
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sanctification itself
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is not the goal
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of the Christian life.
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It's not the,
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not the ends.
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Our own salvation
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is the goal
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and the ends
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for what we're striving.
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So,
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though the work
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of salvation
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is completely God's,
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God's alone,
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monergistic,
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however,
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though we have been
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fully saved by God
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and fully redeemed
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by God,
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in this life
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we never rise
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to the totality
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of that.
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We never fully
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get the taste
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of fullness
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of what is ours
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yet in this life
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because we still live
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in fallen flesh
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that's going to die,
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like this is going to die.
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That's what I see
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in my eyes
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is not going to
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be around forever
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and that's the consequences
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of sin
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in our life.
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And,
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and even as followers
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of Christ,
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as you know,
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you can still,
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you can still experience
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like the devastating
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effects of sin
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in your life.
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Pain,
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suffering,
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fallen to temptation,
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that's all things
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that we have to deal
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with.
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So the fullness
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of what is ours
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in Christ,
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what Christ has won
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for us,
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by his work
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is not fully ours
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yet.
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And there's a lot
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of language.
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The Bible
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says things like
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we are saved,
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we are being saved,
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and we will be saved.
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It kind of talks
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about it in
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three different
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tenses.
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It'll be a good study
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for you to do
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sometime.
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And so,
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God's accomplished
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a work
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and is being
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worked out
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in us now
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and is going
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to be brought
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to completion.
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And so,
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you are in the
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process of becoming
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what you are.
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You're a new
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creation,
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you're a child
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of God.
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And so,
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when we think
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about that,
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we are sanctification,
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we're becoming
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who we are,
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we're just kind
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of pressing
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into the fullness
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of who we are
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in Christ
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in this life.
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And so,
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when it says
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the goal
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is our own
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salvation,
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what I want
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you to focus
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on,
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I guess,
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out of that
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is that
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as children
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of God,
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it's very,
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very easy
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to grow weary
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in the fight
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and want to quit
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and just say
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this is just
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too hard
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and I want to quit.
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I've been there
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all the time.
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I'm there
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all the time.
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And we want
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to love Christ
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with our heart,
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soul,
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mind,
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and strength,
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but we fail
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to rise
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to the totality
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of that.
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And it's easy
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for us to get
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discouraged
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and focus
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on our problems
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and our
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shortcomings
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and inadequacies
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and we constantly
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fall into the
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same sins,
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same temptations
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and you just
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want to quit.
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You're like,
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I just can't do this.
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I can't reach
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what is mine
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and you want
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to stop.
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And so,
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this is
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calling us
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to focus
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on what is
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ahead of us
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which is
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our salvation.
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It's going
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to come
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and if we
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keep that
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in sight,
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it'll give us
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strength to
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keep moving
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on.
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And while
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I was,
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I have just
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a lot of
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hiking analogies,
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sorry,
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because I'm
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not a runner.
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I can't
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really run
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that far.
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Most of you
13:09
know that
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because I'm
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a lunger.
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And so,
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this summer
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that I was
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climbing,
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it was a
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mountain in
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Northern Ireland
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in Donegal
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and it was a
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pretty tall
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mountain.
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It was raining,
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really,
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really misty.
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Nothing new
13:26
about raining
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over there.
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And so,
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like before
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that,
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I was just
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like so excited,
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like jacked up,
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like bring
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that mountain
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on,
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you know,
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kind of
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attitude,
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had all the
13:38
right gear,
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like had
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everything ready
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to go.
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And I was
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pretty like
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going to
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conquer this
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mountain kind
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of feeling,
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you know,
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some of you
13:45
probably know
13:46
what I'm
13:46
talking about.
13:47
But so,
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when I was
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climbing up it
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though,
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like it was
13:50
just kicking
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my butt.
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Like it was
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like a lot
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of the trail
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wasn't really
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marked and so
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you just kind
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of had to
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figure it out
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and which
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means you
13:58
would just
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go to places
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that really
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weren't trail
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cut at all
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and like sink
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into mud
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and bog
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and you
14:04
were just,
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God,
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it was just,
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it wore me
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out.
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And finally,
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like we got
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a little further
14:10
up and,
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and the trail
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like started
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getting,
14:13
like you're
14:13
like walking
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in the mist.
14:14
All you could
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see was like
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maybe five feet
14:16
in front of you.
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And I knew
14:17
that if I went
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too far that way,
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I would fall
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off the mountain.
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so it was
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getting pretty
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treacherous.
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and I just
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remember asking
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my friend
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with me,
14:25
he was a
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pastor that
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I know and
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really good
14:28
friends with
14:28
over there
14:28
named Ronnie.
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He used to
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be in the
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military and
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I asked him,
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man,
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like are we
14:33
there yet?
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Like are we,
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is this even
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close?
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And he's like,
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oh no,
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we're only about
14:39
halfway.
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And I thought,
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oh my gosh,
14:41
I'm going to
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die.
14:42
Like I'm not
14:43
going to make
14:43
this.
14:43
And my heart's
14:44
pounding like I'm
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just,
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you know,
14:46
headache and
14:47
everything.
14:47
And finally,
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like the
14:50
mess cleared a
14:51
little bit and
14:51
I could see
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the top.
14:52
And I thought,
14:53
man,
14:53
like it's right
14:54
there.
14:54
And I just
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kind of kept
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going.
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And like seeing
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like the end
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made me just
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want to keep
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pressing on.
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And I knew
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that I was
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close to what
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was being mine.
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And the
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Christian life is
15:05
like that.
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Like we're
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told to run
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the race with
15:08
endurance and
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with perseverance
15:09
and to keep
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before us what's
15:12
ours.
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Because if you
15:12
just focus on
15:13
your present
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circumstances and
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the problems of
15:17
the Christian
15:17
life,
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you just want
15:18
to quit.
15:19
Like you'll
15:19
want to stop.
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You have to
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keep like your
15:21
salvation that
15:23
is yours in
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Christ.
15:24
It says in
15:25
Hebrews 10
15:25
that Christ has
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perfected for
15:27
all time those
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being sanctified.
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Which is like,
15:30
what?
15:31
It's one of those
15:31
verses that is
15:33
fully ours.
15:34
But we're reaching
15:35
out in this life
15:36
to become who we
15:38
are in Christ.
15:39
So the goal of
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sanctification is our
15:41
salvation.
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The second thing,
15:42
number two,
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okay,
15:45
this is that
15:46
mystery.
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What is our
15:49
role in
15:51
sanctification?
15:52
Yours and
15:52
mine,
15:52
what is our
15:53
role in
15:53
sanctification?
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And look at
15:55
the verse 12,
15:58
part of verse 12.
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It says,
16:01
work out your
16:02
own salvation
16:03
with fear and
16:04
trembling.
16:05
In verse 12.
16:06
So,
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it's not
16:10
saying,
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what do you
16:12
think that
16:13
means?
16:13
Like,
16:13
you can read
16:14
that out of
16:14
the bat and
16:14
think,
16:15
wow,
16:15
that sounds
16:15
like we're
16:16
having to
16:16
work out
16:18
being saved.
16:19
I don't
16:19
know what
16:19
that means.
16:20
And it's
16:22
not saying,
16:23
save yourself,
16:24
justify yourself,
16:25
adopt yourself,
16:26
clean your life
16:27
up on your
16:27
own,
16:28
and hopefully
16:29
you'll be
16:29
accepted and
16:30
be good enough
16:30
to be saved
16:31
at the very
16:31
end.
16:31
It's not
16:32
kind of what
16:33
it's saying
16:33
at all.
16:34
Not even the
16:34
language talks
16:35
like that.
16:36
But we
16:37
all know
16:37
that,
16:38
as we
16:38
said,
16:38
salvation is
16:39
a work of
16:40
God alone.
16:41
Paul's taught
16:42
in Romans 3,
16:43
Romans 4,
16:44
Ephesians 2,
16:45
the whole book
16:45
of Galatians,
16:46
that salvation
16:47
is completely
16:48
by grace.
16:48
It's not
16:49
something that
16:49
we earn.
16:50
It's not
16:51
something that
16:51
we can merit
16:51
by being good
16:53
or observing
16:54
the law.
16:54
It's like,
16:55
not there.
16:56
You can read
16:57
the whole New
16:57
Testament and
16:58
you don't
16:58
see that.
16:59
And even
16:59
the Old
16:59
Testament,
17:00
they couldn't
17:00
keep the law
17:01
and so they
17:01
were looking
17:02
forward to a
17:03
Messiah who
17:04
would come
17:04
and save them
17:04
from their sin.
17:06
And so what
17:08
it is saying
17:08
though,
17:09
what it is
17:10
saying where
17:10
it says work
17:11
out your
17:11
salvation with
17:12
fear and
17:12
trembling,
17:13
it says that
17:14
we are to be
17:16
active in our
17:17
own salvation.
17:18
We are to
17:19
become what
17:20
God has
17:20
already made
17:21
us.
17:22
We're to
17:22
press into the
17:24
fullness of
17:24
what that is.
17:25
Greek there
17:27
really means
17:27
to carry out
17:29
or to bring
17:30
to completion
17:30
something that
17:31
has already
17:31
started inside
17:32
of you.
17:33
That's what
17:33
it really is
17:34
implying.
17:35
So,
17:36
really,
17:36
really cool
17:37
thing.
17:38
So in
17:38
light of that,
17:40
God has
17:41
started this
17:41
work in us.
17:42
He saved us.
17:43
He's made us a
17:44
new creation.
17:45
We're adopted
17:46
children of God.
17:47
We have a new
17:48
identity.
17:50
In light of
17:50
all that,
17:51
now it's like
17:51
God is saying,
17:52
now just live,
17:54
press into the
17:55
fullness of who
17:56
you actually are
17:57
in Christ.
17:58
Become what
17:58
you are.
17:59
Get rid of the
18:00
old and put on
18:01
the new.
18:01
This is who you
18:02
are.
18:02
No longer walk
18:03
contrary to
18:04
your new
18:04
identity in
18:05
Christ.
18:07
And Martin
18:08
Luther said
18:09
this.
18:10
He said,
18:11
this life,
18:12
therefore,
18:13
is not
18:13
righteousness,
18:14
but growth
18:14
and righteousness,
18:16
not health,
18:17
but healing,
18:18
not being
18:19
but becoming,
18:20
not rest,
18:21
but exercise.
18:23
We are not
18:23
yet what we
18:24
shall be,
18:26
but we are
18:26
growing towards
18:27
it.
18:28
The process
18:28
is not yet
18:29
finished,
18:30
but it is
18:30
going on.
18:31
And this is
18:32
not the end,
18:33
but the road
18:33
is ahead of
18:34
us.
18:35
All does
18:36
not yet
18:38
gleam in
18:39
glory,
18:39
but yet is
18:40
being purified.
18:41
So it's
18:42
this process
18:42
of how we're
18:43
to work
18:44
and toil
18:45
and strive
18:46
in this
18:46
life.
18:47
And so
18:49
flip over
18:50
to
18:50
Colossians 3.
18:53
I'll show
18:53
you a verse
18:54
there.
18:56
But if you
18:57
remember that
18:58
man was
19:00
originally
19:00
created
19:01
in the image
19:03
of God,
19:03
he was to
19:04
mirror forward
19:05
to reflect
19:05
who God
19:07
was,
19:07
God's holy
19:08
character,
19:09
God's dominion
19:10
and rule
19:10
over the
19:10
earth.
19:12
Man was
19:12
to be the
19:13
image bearer
19:14
of God.
19:14
And sin
19:16
destroyed that,
19:17
we know.
19:17
We know that
19:18
sin,
19:19
after the fall,
19:19
after Genesis
19:20
3,
19:21
is what we
19:21
call the
19:22
shattered image
19:22
of God
19:23
because of
19:23
sin.
19:25
And so
19:26
since then,
19:27
God has
19:28
been in the
19:28
process of
19:29
reconciling man
19:31
to himself.
19:32
And Christ
19:33
came in one
19:34
way that when
19:34
we're saved,
19:35
we're born
19:35
again,
19:36
we become a
19:37
new creation,
19:38
we are
19:39
again able
19:41
to reflect the
19:41
glory of our
19:42
creator like we
19:43
should.
19:43
That's what's
19:43
being done,
19:45
like that image
19:46
is being
19:46
restored.
19:48
So if you
19:48
look at
19:48
Colossians 3
19:49
verse 8,
19:51
just an
19:52
example,
19:53
he says,
19:54
do not
19:54
lie to one
19:55
another,
19:56
seeing that
19:56
you have
19:57
put off
19:57
the old
19:58
self with
19:59
its practices
20:00
and have
20:01
put on
20:01
the new,
20:03
which is
20:03
being renewed
20:04
in the
20:05
knowledge
20:05
after the
20:06
image of
20:06
its creator.
20:08
So this
20:09
idea that
20:09
that's the
20:10
image of
20:11
putting it
20:11
on or
20:12
taking it
20:12
off and
20:13
putting on
20:13
clothes is
20:14
what that
20:14
is saying.
20:15
This is
20:16
who we
20:16
are and
20:17
we're being
20:18
renewed,
20:19
being like
20:19
in the
20:19
process of
20:21
becoming like
20:21
we originally
20:22
were intended
20:22
to be,
20:23
image bearers
20:24
of God,
20:25
like the
20:25
perfect image
20:26
bearers of
20:26
God.
20:27
And we all
20:28
know that
20:28
Christ came
20:29
here and
20:30
showed us
20:31
what a
20:31
perfect image
20:33
bearing life
20:33
looked like.
20:34
He showed
20:35
us what a
20:35
life completely
20:36
devoted to
20:37
and obedient
20:38
to the
20:38
Father looked
20:39
like.
20:39
and so
20:40
since he
20:41
is that
20:41
apex of
20:42
what that
20:43
is,
20:43
that's
20:43
what we're
20:43
told in
20:44
Romans,
20:46
we are to
20:48
become the
20:48
image of
20:49
Christ who
20:49
is the
20:50
image of
20:50
God,
20:51
to press
20:52
into that.
20:53
So
20:53
we're going to
20:56
talk some
20:57
more about
20:57
our role,
20:58
but I'm just
20:58
going to keep
20:59
moving on.
21:00
Where it
21:00
says fear and
21:01
trembling,
21:01
you might be
21:01
like,
21:02
what's up
21:03
with that?
21:04
Like,
21:04
if God's
21:04
our Father
21:05
and we're
21:05
saved,
21:05
like,
21:05
why are we
21:06
fearing,
21:07
why do we
21:07
need to be
21:07
in fear and
21:08
trembling?
21:09
And,
21:10
do you think
21:11
it means
21:11
we should be
21:12
utterly terrified
21:13
and depressed
21:15
and unconfident
21:15
and jittery
21:16
like in the
21:17
presence of
21:17
God,
21:17
like a lot
21:19
of people
21:19
might think?
21:21
No,
21:22
but in
21:23
Scripture,
21:24
it's filled
21:25
with like,
21:26
this image
21:27
of how a
21:27
godly person
21:28
has a fear
21:29
of the Lord.
21:29
Like the
21:30
Old Testament
21:30
says this
21:31
kind of stuff
21:32
a lot,
21:32
like even
21:33
in the beginning
21:33
of Proverbs
21:34
it says,
21:34
the fear
21:34
of the Lord
21:35
is the
21:36
beginning
21:36
of wisdom,
21:37
the fear
21:37
of the Lord
21:37
is the
21:37
beginning
21:38
of knowledge.
21:38
This is what
21:39
it says,
21:40
a godly man
21:40
fears the
21:41
Lord.
21:43
And,
21:43
so Paul is
21:44
simply saying
21:45
that we're,
21:45
as we continue
21:46
to follow Christ
21:47
and joyful
21:48
obedience,
21:49
that we're
21:50
working out
21:51
our sanctification,
21:52
we're to live
21:53
like in reverent
21:54
humility
21:54
towards the
21:55
living God.
21:57
And,
21:58
in sanctification,
21:59
like,
22:00
it's like having
22:00
a healthy fear
22:01
of offending
22:02
God or hurting
22:03
God,
22:04
in a righteous
22:06
awe and respect
22:07
of Him,
22:08
we don't just
22:09
kind of throw
22:09
that part of
22:10
God away,
22:10
He's God.
22:11
Like,
22:11
He is our
22:12
Father and we
22:13
can come to
22:14
Him and call
22:15
Him Abba,
22:15
but He's not
22:16
just like another
22:17
earthly father,
22:18
like He's God
22:19
Almighty.
22:19
I mean,
22:19
read just the
22:20
encounters of
22:21
Moses on Mount
22:22
Sinai with God
22:23
or any man
22:24
that, like,
22:24
encountered God
22:25
in the Scripture
22:27
and there was
22:28
like a sense
22:29
of reverence
22:30
and awe
22:30
and fear
22:31
and trembling
22:31
and not just,
22:32
Jesus is my
22:33
homeboy,
22:34
like,
22:35
let me prop
22:35
my feet up
22:36
in the presence
22:36
of God
22:37
and have a
22:37
cigar with Him,
22:38
like,
22:38
not that kind
22:39
of image.
22:40
and it's a
22:42
healthy knowledge
22:44
of, like,
22:44
knowing that
22:45
God is God
22:45
and that God
22:46
could,
22:46
He holds your
22:47
very life in
22:48
His hands
22:48
and it's like
22:49
a reverent fear,
22:50
like you might
22:50
have,
22:51
like some of you
22:51
might have
22:52
for somebody
22:53
in your life,
22:53
maybe your
22:54
father or
22:54
something,
22:55
that where
22:57
you know He
22:58
loves you,
22:58
you know He
22:58
would die for
22:59
you,
22:59
He provides
23:00
for you,
23:00
but you know
23:00
also He
23:01
could put it
23:02
on you,
23:02
like discipline
23:03
you in a
23:03
second if He
23:04
needed to.
23:05
I have that
23:05
about my
23:06
dad.
23:08
So,
23:08
turn to
23:10
Hebrews 12
23:11
real fast,
23:13
I'll show you
23:13
an example
23:13
of this.
23:17
Hebrews 12
23:18
verse 28
23:20
As we
23:26
revere God
23:27
and look to
23:28
Him as God,
23:29
it will cultivate
23:29
a humility in
23:30
us.
23:30
And remember
23:31
what we've
23:31
been reading
23:32
in Philippians
23:32
about living
23:33
in humility
23:34
towards one
23:35
another.
23:35
And how you
23:36
do that is
23:36
by looking
23:37
to God.
23:39
Hebrews 12
23:39
verse 28
23:40
says this,
23:41
He's talking
23:42
to the
23:43
believers and
23:43
He says,
23:44
Therefore let
23:45
us be
23:45
grateful for
23:46
receiving a
23:46
kingdom that
23:47
cannot be
23:48
shaken.
23:50
That's awesome.
23:50
And then He
23:51
says,
23:52
And thus let
23:53
us offer to
23:53
God acceptable
23:54
worship with
23:56
reverence and
23:57
awe, for our
23:58
God is a
23:59
consuming fire.
24:01
It's that
24:01
idea of like,
24:03
man, we have
24:03
a kingdom with
24:04
Him, we belong
24:06
to Him, we have
24:06
a salvation in
24:07
Him, but let
24:09
us live in
24:09
reverence and
24:10
awe of Him.
24:10
And why?
24:11
Because our
24:11
God is a
24:12
consuming fire.
24:13
This idea that
24:13
God is God
24:15
and He should
24:16
humble us to
24:18
be in His
24:18
presence.
24:20
So a quick
24:20
answer.
24:21
I want you to
24:22
remember that it's
24:22
like statement
24:23
one, I'm going to
24:24
have statement
24:24
two in the next
24:25
question.
24:25
Statement one,
24:27
as far as our
24:27
role in
24:29
sanctification,
24:29
salvation, we
24:31
are called to
24:31
be faithful,
24:33
obedient, to
24:36
labor, and
24:37
toil in the
24:39
work of living
24:40
godly lives,
24:41
like we are.
24:42
We're to work,
24:43
labor, toil, be
24:44
faithful, obedient.
24:46
That is our
24:47
responsibility, that's
24:48
what we're called
24:48
to do.
24:50
And remember
24:51
that, that's
24:52
statement one.
24:53
Moving into the
24:54
next part, question
24:55
three.
24:56
And hold your
24:57
hand in Hebrews,
24:58
we're going to
24:58
go back there,
24:59
but go back to
24:59
Philippians.
25:04
Question three
25:04
is, what is the
25:06
Holy Spirit's
25:07
role in
25:08
sanctification?
25:10
What is the
25:11
Holy Spirit's
25:11
role in
25:12
sanctification?
25:14
Verse 13,
25:16
back in
25:16
Philippians,
25:18
for it is God
25:19
who works in
25:20
you, both to
25:21
will and to
25:22
work for His
25:23
good pleasure.
25:25
Okay, now,
25:25
there you go,
25:26
there's the
25:26
mystery.
25:27
Go out there,
25:28
and go for it,
25:29
but know what?
25:30
It's God at
25:30
work in you,
25:31
His will, and
25:32
to work for His
25:33
good pleasure.
25:34
And this is the
25:35
mystery.
25:36
And so, since
25:39
God has brought
25:40
salvation to us,
25:41
He's not now
25:41
left us on our
25:42
own to work out
25:43
the Christian
25:44
life.
25:45
He's not, He's
25:45
not done that.
25:48
God has saved
25:49
us, and now we're
25:49
on our own.
25:50
Like, it doesn't
25:50
work that way.
25:51
Like, I've done
25:51
my part by
25:52
saving you, and
25:53
now you need to
25:53
do your part to
25:54
straighten yourself
25:55
up, get your
25:56
life straight.
25:56
It's not how it
25:58
works.
25:59
We have that
25:59
idea that, you
26:00
know, it's me and
26:01
Jesus mentality, and
26:02
like, I can, I'm on
26:05
my own, and I thank
26:06
Him for what He did,
26:07
but now I can work
26:09
this out on my own.
26:09
If you remember in
26:10
the book of Galatians,
26:11
they did the same
26:12
thing.
26:12
They began to forget,
26:14
like, how they were
26:16
saved, which was by the
26:17
grace of God and by
26:18
God's power.
26:19
God's power, and
26:20
Paul says to them,
26:21
having begun by the
26:22
Spirit, or by the
26:24
Spirit's power, are you
26:25
now being perfected by
26:27
your flesh, by working
26:28
on your own?
26:29
He calls them you
26:30
foolish Galatians.
26:31
It's like, he's kind
26:32
of like, don't forget,
26:33
like, God started this
26:34
work in you, and he's
26:36
continuing it right
26:37
now.
26:38
And, jump back over to
26:41
Hebrews, and go over to
26:42
chapter 13, and show
26:43
you something else.
26:44
He has given us the
26:48
Holy Spirit to energize
26:49
us to live godly lives,
26:51
to give us the strength
26:52
we need.
26:53
Hebrews 13, verse 20,
26:56
it says this,
27:00
Now may the God of
27:01
peace, who brought
27:02
again from the dead
27:05
our Lord Jesus, the
27:06
great shepherd of the
27:07
sheep, by the blood of
27:09
the eternal covenant,
27:11
all right, now, may
27:12
Christ do this.
27:13
It says, verse 21,
27:14
equip you with every
27:16
good that you may do
27:18
his will, working in
27:20
us that which is
27:21
pleasing in his sight,
27:22
through Jesus Christ,
27:23
to whom glory, belong
27:26
glory forever.
27:27
Amen.
27:28
So, see that?
27:30
Like, it's this idea,
27:31
like how Christ did
27:32
this, and now he's
27:32
continuing this work
27:33
inside of us, equipping
27:35
us with every good work
27:36
so we may do his will,
27:38
working in us so that
27:39
it would be pleasing in
27:40
his sight.
27:41
It's this idea that God
27:42
is now in us, and
27:44
working in us.
27:45
This is the Holy
27:46
Spirit.
27:47
So though we're
27:47
responsible for being
27:50
obedient and being
27:51
responsible and stepping
27:53
out of the faith, but it's
27:57
not by our own strength
27:57
that we do, it's God's
27:59
strength that's going to
27:59
be working in us, and it's
28:03
God's grace, God's power,
28:04
God's energy that enables
28:05
us to live the Christian
28:06
life.
28:08
And guess what?
28:08
It pleases the Father.
28:11
It pleases the Father.
28:12
And let's jump back to
28:13
Philippians again.
28:14
The second part of that,
28:16
verse 13 in Philippians,
28:18
where it says, to work for
28:20
his good pleasure.
28:22
So, as we live upright lives
28:25
and we're obedient and we
28:26
follow Christ, it brings joy
28:29
and delight to our Father to
28:31
see that.
28:32
He's not like we have to earn
28:34
his salvation or he's going
28:35
to love us more or love us
28:37
less, depending on how
28:38
obedient we are.
28:39
It just means that he takes
28:41
delight when he sees his
28:42
children walking in the
28:44
truth, when he sees his
28:45
children living as they
28:47
ought to live.
28:49
I've heard of many stories
28:51
of fathers who have delighted
28:54
in hearing that the stuff
28:55
that they put into their
28:56
children at a young age is
29:00
now being tested by, you
29:03
know, girls and guys
29:06
tempting their children to
29:07
be sexually active or to
29:10
live a certain kind of
29:10
lifestyle and they hold
29:12
fast to like what they
29:14
learned from their parents
29:16
and it brings great joy to
29:19
their parents and encourage
29:20
them to see God's work
29:21
inside of them and they're
29:22
holding on to what they
29:23
were taught and in the midst
29:25
of trial and temptation.
29:26
And so whenever, I mean,
29:28
think about how God spoke
29:29
about Christ when Christ was,
29:32
he resisted the temptation
29:34
in the wilderness.
29:35
He pressed on when he was
29:37
baptized and then again,
29:39
the transfiguration, he
29:40
said this same thing.
29:41
He said, this is my beloved
29:43
son with whom I'm well
29:44
pleased.
29:44
This idea of how he just
29:46
delights in seeing us walk
29:48
in the truth.
29:50
He doesn't hate us when we
29:51
mess up, but it just brings
29:52
him joy to see us walking
29:54
in the truth.
29:54
It's for God's good
29:55
pleasure.
29:57
And so, so statement two,
29:59
I told you statement one,
30:00
the last question, number
30:01
three.
30:03
So where's the Holy Spirit's
30:04
role in sanctification?
30:06
And here's the answer for
30:08
statement two.
30:09
As we step out in faith and
30:12
obedience, the Holy Spirit
30:16
will empower, encourage,
30:20
guide, and comfort us to live
30:22
godly lives.
30:23
All right.
30:26
As we step out in faith and
30:27
obedience, the Holy Spirit is
30:30
faithful to empower, encourage,
30:33
guide, and comfort us to live
30:35
godly lives.
30:36
This is what he does.
30:37
He gives us the strength to do
30:38
it.
30:39
So jumping into some
30:40
application of this, that's
30:41
the three questions and that's
30:43
kind of walking through the
30:44
text.
30:45
But bringing your group, Tom,
30:47
you're going to have a question
30:48
about this.
30:49
So listen carefully.
30:52
There's, I see, at least in my
30:54
own life, in the lives of
30:55
others, two camps of people
30:57
that kind of can be on one
31:00
extreme or the other.
31:02
And one camp is like the
31:05
working camp.
31:07
And they believe this idea that
31:08
go out there and get busy.
31:10
God did all this work for you.
31:12
Now you need to go out there and
31:13
get really busy for him and you
31:15
need to work hard and do all
31:17
this stuff.
31:17
He's dependent on you.
31:19
Come on, go out there and do
31:20
something big for God.
31:22
It's all up to you, so get it
31:23
done.
31:24
That kind of attitude is if it
31:26
just all was on your shoulders
31:29
and like God has an employment
31:31
problem and he needs people to
31:33
go out there and get busy and
31:34
start working.
31:35
And you need to realize like no,
31:38
like God needs no man.
31:42
Even people who are in rare
31:43
conditions, I know that something
31:45
happened to me.
31:46
It wouldn't be the end of the
31:47
world.
31:47
God will continue the work.
31:49
He could raise up ten of me if
31:50
he wanted to.
31:52
The same thing within global
31:54
missions.
31:55
Like God could raise up as many
31:56
people as he wanted to, but this
31:58
idea that God needs us for
32:01
something is not appropriate.
32:03
God can do as he will.
32:05
It says in Acts that God is not
32:07
served by human hands as though he
32:08
needed anything.
32:10
And so he's invited us to be a part
32:14
of what he is doing.
32:16
And if you live in that camp, you're
32:17
usually going to end up just very
32:19
whipped, burned out and tired because
32:21
you're trying to work in your own
32:22
strength all the time and your own
32:24
skills and your own talents and you're
32:27
just going to burn out.
32:29
And you love like the hype about the
32:32
Christian life, but you rush out there
32:35
and before you know it, you're wiped
32:36
out.
32:37
And, you know, I've been also hiking
32:40
with some people who, who, one guy
32:44
used to teach here a little bit.
32:46
We'd go out and buy like all the best
32:48
gear, all the stuff.
32:48
And then he would go out there and he
32:50
hated it.
32:50
Like he would just like want to quit,
32:52
want to turn back.
32:53
We're like, no, bro, you got to keep
32:54
going.
32:55
And he was all excited about it, but
32:58
he was just trying to, he didn't really
33:00
understand why there was something
33:01
behind it that kind of pushed us on.
33:03
That was like our love for what we did.
33:05
And so the second camp is, is this camp.
33:13
Let completely go and let God.
33:16
Now I understand there's a measure of
33:17
truth to that, but it depends on which
33:18
way you're implying that truth.
33:20
But let completely go and let God.
33:22
And, and it's this idea of like, well,
33:26
if it's all God's power inside of us,
33:28
is God a sovereign, if God is going to
33:30
give us the strength of the Christian
33:31
life, he can just, if he wants to get
33:33
me off the couch, he can just get me
33:34
off the couch.
33:35
If I, I'm just going to sit here and
33:37
wait for something to happen.
33:38
Like, hope he just hits me with a wave
33:40
of emotion.
33:41
And then all of a sudden I'm going to
33:41
get up and do something.
33:43
This idea that you're just waiting for
33:44
God to ignite something in you.
33:47
And he doesn't need me.
33:49
So I just sit here until he does.
33:50
And he'll just do something really
33:51
dramatic and emotional and I'll get
33:53
off my butt and be obedient.
33:56
That's the other extreme idea, like
33:58
the lazy boy of grace kind of idea.
34:02
And so let's marry those two
34:05
statements together.
34:07
The two statements I mentioned
34:08
earlier.
34:09
So the first statement, we're called to
34:12
be faithful and obedient, to labor and
34:14
toil and live in godly lives.
34:16
And the second statement, as we step
34:18
out in faith and obedience, the Holy
34:21
Spirit will empower us and give us the
34:23
strength and energy and the will, the
34:26
desire to live godly lives.
34:29
And the mysteries, you'll see these right
34:31
beside each other in Scripture.
34:33
And we're going to turn to two examples
34:36
of that.
34:36
first one in Colossians chapter one.
34:39
Go to Colossians chapter one.
34:42
You need to see like how these are just right
34:43
beside each other.
34:44
It's not saying one or the other.
34:46
It's saying how both of these work
34:48
simultaneously together.
34:52
Colossians one and go to,
34:54
let's see,
34:57
verse 11 first.
35:01
Colossians one verse 11.
35:02
And he says,
35:03
May you be strengthened with all power
35:06
according to his glorious might for all
35:10
endurance and patience and joy, giving
35:11
thanks to the Father who has qualified you
35:14
to share in the inheritance of the saints
35:16
in light.
35:18
First part, jump down to verse 27,
35:21
same chapter.
35:24
To them, God chose to make known how great
35:26
among the Gentiles are the riches of the
35:29
glory of this mystery, which is Christ in
35:32
you the hope of glory.
35:35
Him we proclaim, warning everyone
35:38
and teaching everyone with all wisdom
35:40
so that we present everyone mature in Christ.
35:43
That's what I'm talking about.
35:44
You know, I get out there and get busy,
35:46
get busy teaching, get busy warning,
35:48
proclaiming.
35:49
We want to make everybody mature.
35:51
That's that camp.
35:53
And then look at verse 29.
35:56
For this I toil.
35:58
There you go.
35:58
Labor.
35:59
Labor.
36:00
Struggling with all his energy
36:02
that he powerfully works within me.
36:04
There's the other part.
36:05
See that?
36:06
It's like this idea.
36:07
And last example.
36:10
This one's a great one.
36:12
It's the last place you have to turn.
36:13
1 Corinthians 15.
36:15
Jump over to that.
36:16
1 Corinthians 15, verse 9.
36:23
1 Corinthians 15, verse 9.
36:27
Paul kind of giving a defense of his ministry
36:29
to the Corinthian church.
36:34
He says in verse 9,
36:35
For I am the least of the apostles,
36:39
unworthy to be called an apostle,
36:41
because I persecuted the church of God,
36:43
a reference to his old life.
36:45
But the grace of God,
36:48
excuse me,
36:49
by the grace of God,
36:50
I am who I am.
36:52
And his grace towards me
36:54
was not in vain.
36:56
Listen to this.
36:56
On the contrary,
36:57
I worked harder than any of them.
37:00
See that?
37:01
Got there and worked hard.
37:02
I worked really hard.
37:03
Paul saying,
37:04
Though it was not I,
37:06
but the grace of God that is in me.
37:09
Whether then it was I or they,
37:12
so we preach and so we believe.
37:14
So,
37:15
I worked hard.
37:16
I was out there
37:17
pouring my blood, sweat, and tears out for you guys.
37:20
But guess what?
37:21
It was the power of God.
37:23
It was the grace of God working in me
37:24
as I did that.
37:26
So,
37:27
we step out in obedience
37:28
and we cling to God.
37:29
We beg him
37:29
to give us what we need
37:31
to live the Christian life.
37:33
And that's the mystery
37:34
that is there.
37:36
We clearly have a part.
37:37
We need to be responsible.
37:39
God will hold us accountable
37:40
for being disobedient.
37:42
He's not going to say,
37:43
Well,
37:44
we can't plead that cause with God.
37:46
Like,
37:46
You just didn't give me the strength to do it, God.
37:48
He's going to say,
37:48
You weren't obedient.
37:50
You didn't step out in obedience.
37:52
And,
37:53
we'll be consequences for our actions.
37:55
But,
37:56
but as we step out,
37:58
it's God's work
37:58
and He'll get the glory for it.
38:00
Hudson Taylor,
38:01
missionary to China,
38:03
awesome guy,
38:04
he wrote,
38:06
God's work done in God's way
38:08
will never lack God's supplies.
38:11
So,
38:11
we,
38:12
we step out
38:13
and we work,
38:15
God will provide for us.
38:17
God's work done in God's way
38:18
will never lack God's supplies.
38:21
Hudson Taylor,
38:22
St. Augustine,
38:23
5th century,
38:23
he goes,
38:24
this is what he said,
38:25
work as if everything depended on you
38:29
and pray as if everything depended on God.
38:32
And,
38:33
he wasn't saying it depends on you,
38:34
he's like just saying,
38:35
work,
38:36
as if it did,
38:37
but at the same time,
38:38
pray in humble recognition
38:40
that you need God's grace.
38:42
Augustine said a long time ago,
38:45
God,
38:45
you know,
38:45
command what you will,
38:47
command us to do what you will,
38:48
but give us the grace to command,
38:50
or give us the grace to,
38:51
to follow those commands.
38:53
And so,
38:55
I remember,
38:57
back in Philippians,
38:58
the first message,
38:59
I think,
39:00
of this,
39:00
this series in Philippians,
39:03
Philippians 1.6,
39:04
let this encourage you,
39:06
that God has promised to finish this work.
39:08
He said,
39:10
Paul said,
39:10
I'm sure this,
39:11
he who began the good work in you
39:12
will bring it to completion
39:14
at the day of Christ Jesus.
39:16
That's Philippians 1.6.
39:18
He began it,
39:19
he will bring it to completion.
39:20
He's not going to just stop
39:21
and abandon the work
39:23
that he started.
39:25
He's going to finish it.
39:27
And so,
39:28
in conclusion,
39:30
I have a,
39:31
kind of a little brief story here
39:33
that I was going to read to you.
39:35
There's a,
39:36
there's a pastor,
39:38
an awesome guy,
39:39
Presbyterian dude named Harry Reeder.
39:42
Some of you went to New Year's conference last year
39:44
at campus outreach.
39:45
He spoke there.
39:46
He was the older guy that spoke there.
39:47
He said,
39:48
and really loves the Lord.
39:50
And,
39:51
he told a story
39:52
about relating how
39:54
God's power works within us
39:56
and that we have,
39:57
we are,
39:58
um,
39:59
his,
40:00
and he has something inside of us.
40:01
This is something that he wrote.
40:02
He said,
40:03
when I was 16,
40:05
so,
40:05
this was like,
40:06
good way back
40:07
for him.
40:09
My father bought me a car
40:10
at an auction
40:11
for $75.
40:13
He said,
40:14
it was pink.
40:16
A 57 Ford,
40:17
which my dad insisted
40:19
was coral color,
40:20
not pink.
40:21
He said,
40:22
I couldn't drive a pink car to school.
40:25
And then I heard the words
40:26
that he always said to me,
40:28
um,
40:29
that I would one day say
40:30
to my future children,
40:32
son,
40:32
it is,
40:32
a poor ride is better
40:34
than a proud walk.
40:36
And he said,
40:37
he said it so convincingly
40:39
that I knew
40:39
that it probably was from the Bible.
40:41
He said,
40:44
um,
40:42
he said,
40:44
then my dad opened the hood
40:46
of that car,
40:47
that 57 Ford.
40:49
And my dad opened the hood
40:50
of that car.
40:52
And to my surprise,
40:53
underneath it was a
40:54
390 engine
40:56
with two four-barrel
40:58
carburetors.
41:00
Some of you
41:00
don't know
41:01
what that is.
41:03
And then he said,
41:04
um,
41:05
the car
41:06
had been
41:07
a South Carolina
41:09
State Interceptor,
41:10
a highway patrol car.
41:12
Nothing,
41:12
nothing had more power
41:13
under the hood.
41:15
Space
41:16
and conviction
41:18
prevents me
41:18
from detailing
41:19
the surprises
41:20
that Corvettes
41:21
and Roasters
41:23
would get
41:23
after they looked at
41:24
and laughed
41:25
at my pink
41:25
57 Ford
41:27
while I was sitting
41:28
by them
41:28
at the stoplight.
41:30
So in other words,
41:31
like he dusted them,
41:31
like in races,
41:32
they just,
41:33
he just like left them
41:33
behind in his car.
41:35
He says,
41:36
it didn't look like much,
41:37
but there was power
41:38
under the hood.
41:41
And
41:41
it's this idea
41:43
that we feel
41:44
inadequate
41:45
and broken.
41:46
There's not a lot
41:47
to us at all.
41:49
I mean,
41:49
just look at me,
41:50
look at yourself.
41:51
There's not really
41:51
much,
41:52
much to us.
41:54
Nothing really
41:54
to brag about.
41:56
Um,
41:56
but God has chosen
41:57
to put like his power
41:59
inside of us
42:00
and remember
42:00
like there's power
42:02
under the hood
42:02
in your life.
42:03
We can,
42:04
there's not a lot
42:05
to us,
42:05
but because of
42:07
what Christ has done
42:08
and the work
42:09
of the Holy Spirit
42:10
in our lives,
42:11
we have power
42:11
to live the Christian life,
42:14
to,
42:14
to present to the fullness
42:15
of what God
42:16
has for us.
42:17
He's made us his
42:18
and we can press into that
42:20
by his grace
42:21
and by his power alone.
42:22
So,
42:23
that's the mystery
42:24
of sanctification.
42:27
Step out,
42:28
be obedient,
42:28
be responsible,
42:30
um,
42:30
work,
42:31
labor,
42:32
toil,
42:32
pour out your blood,
42:34
sweat,
42:34
and tears
42:35
for the cause
42:36
of Christ,
42:37
but at the same time
42:38
look to God
42:39
and be like,
42:39
I need you
42:40
to help me.
42:41
I need your grace.
42:42
I need your strength.
42:43
Um,
42:44
I need your power.
42:44
I need your energy.
42:46
I don't want to do this.
42:47
I need your,
42:48
to work in me.
42:49
I need you to give me
42:49
this desire to do this.
42:51
And that's how we live.
42:53
And that's the,
42:54
that's the mystery.
42:55
Both are there.
42:56
You can't,
42:57
you can't get rid
42:57
of one or the other.
42:58
They're both there
42:59
together in Scripture.
43:01
And so,
43:01
let's,
43:03
uh,
43:04
let's pray together
43:05
and then we'll respond
43:06
in just a time of singing
43:07
and then we'll break up
43:08
into groups.
43:09
So,
43:10
um,
43:10
Alex,
43:11
bags,
43:11
actually,
43:11
you can come up.
43:13
Father,
43:14
uh,
43:15
we give you praise
43:16
for just allowing us
43:21
to be together tonight
43:23
to open your word,
43:24
to read about the work
43:26
that you started in us,
43:28
the work that is going on
43:31
and is now,
43:33
um,
43:33
God is,
43:35
your power that is work
43:36
within us,
43:37
both to will and work
43:38
for your good pleasure.
43:41
And Lord,
43:41
that you promised
43:42
to bring that work
43:43
to completion.
43:43
You would finish
43:44
the work you began
43:45
in us.
43:46
and,
43:47
so,
43:48
Father,
43:48
help us
43:49
to understand,
43:51
experience,
43:52
apply the,
43:53
uh,
43:54
the mystery
43:55
that exists
43:56
between us
43:57
and your power
43:59
that works within us,
44:00
Lord,
44:01
um,
44:02
to step out
44:02
in obedience
44:03
and to work
44:05
and,
44:06
um,
44:06
to make disciples,
44:09
to reach the lost,
44:10
to expand the kingdom
44:12
both here
44:13
and around the world.
44:14
God,
44:16
and we would look
44:16
to you
44:17
for every,
44:19
every grace,
44:19
every strength
44:20
that we need
44:21
to accomplish that
44:22
and,
44:23
you would empower
44:24
your people
44:24
to that end
44:25
and help us
44:25
to remember
44:26
there is,
44:28
there's not a lot
44:29
to us,
44:29
um,
44:30
ordinary people,
44:31
Lord,
44:31
we don't have
44:32
anything cool
44:33
about us
44:34
getting to save us
44:35
because we had
44:35
something good
44:37
to offer you.
44:38
Um,
44:38
you saved us
44:39
out of grace
44:40
and because
44:41
of that
44:41
we have power
44:42
in our lives,
44:44
the power
44:44
under the hood
44:45
to live
44:45
the Christian life
44:46
and,
44:48
so Lord,
44:48
be glorified
44:48
and be honored.
44:50
Help us,
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Lord.
44:52
We love you
44:52
in Christ's name.
44:53
Amen.
44:53
Amen.