WEBVTT 00:00:02.720 --> 00:00:06.639 We're in the middle of a sermon series in the book of Ephesians, and we've been titled In Christ. 00:00:06.639 --> 00:00:08.160 Have you guys enjoyed this so far? 00:00:08.160 --> 00:00:09.119 It's been good. 00:00:09.119 --> 00:00:10.000 It's been really good. 00:00:10.000 --> 00:00:14.080 I've really enjoyed this, and we've heard messages, three different messages so far. 00:00:14.080 --> 00:00:18.399 Tyler kicked it off with a series when he when he talked about. 00:00:18.399 --> 00:00:22.239 He focused on how Christ is in us, but how we are in Christ as well. 00:00:22.239 --> 00:00:23.359 And it was really in light. 00:00:23.359 --> 00:00:24.719 I appreciate that message. 00:00:24.719 --> 00:00:27.120 I'd never really thought about that before in that way. 00:00:27.120 --> 00:00:28.800 It was really, really helpful. 00:00:28.800 --> 00:00:34.399 And then Derek gave a great message on what it means to be adopted into the family of God. 00:00:34.399 --> 00:00:37.359 I appreciated what he shared, his transparency there. 00:00:37.359 --> 00:00:48.159 And then Kelly last week taught on verses seven and eight, where he talked about what is biblical redemption and how that, how we can relate to that and how we should really grasp that. 00:00:48.159 --> 00:00:50.320 And it was really, really enjoyed that. 00:00:50.320 --> 00:00:53.200 We weren't out of town camping, but I got to listen to it online. 00:00:53.200 --> 00:00:56.320 Kelly, you're just as good online as you are in person, by the way. 00:00:56.320 --> 00:00:57.119 Enjoyed that. 00:00:57.119 --> 00:01:02.399 But our text for today is uh verses nine through twelve of Ephesians one. 00:01:02.399 --> 00:01:04.079 So let's go ahead and read this. 00:01:04.079 --> 00:01:22.640 So beginning in verse nine of Ephesians one, making known to us the mystery of his will, according to his purpose, which he set forth in Christ as a plan for the fullness of time to unite all things in Christ, things in heaven and things on earth in him. 00:01:22.640 --> 00:01:39.359 In him we have obtained an inheritance, having been predestined according to the purpose of him who works all things according to the counsel of his will, so that we who are the first to hope in Christ might be to the praise of his glory. 00:01:39.359 --> 00:01:40.239 This is God's word. 00:01:40.239 --> 00:01:44.159 Father, we thank you for this amazing book. 00:01:44.159 --> 00:01:46.159 We thank you for Paul. 00:01:46.159 --> 00:01:54.560 We thank you for relating to Paul and realizing that at one time he was an enemy of the church just like we were. 00:01:54.560 --> 00:01:56.719 And Father, we thank you for these words. 00:01:56.719 --> 00:02:10.800 We pray that as we unpack this, Father, and as we study about the unity that is brought to us through Christ, and pray that we would all be refreshed in our hearts and reconvicted in our hearts and minds about the importance of this unity. 00:02:10.800 --> 00:02:13.919 And so we give this to you and thank you in Jesus' name. 00:02:13.919 --> 00:02:14.879 Amen. 00:02:14.879 --> 00:02:27.520 Well, see, in this passage, we're really seeing an introduction to one of the most prevalent themes in the entire book of Ephesians, and that is this theme of unity, unity. 00:02:27.520 --> 00:02:38.560 Paul threads the concept of the unifying work of Christ throughout this epistle in just a beautiful tapestry that focuses on the redemptive work of Jesus. 00:02:38.560 --> 00:02:49.439 And as the result of that work, we're not just individually in Christ, not just individually in Christ, but we are collectively in Christ as well. 00:02:49.439 --> 00:02:52.479 So today we're gonna really focus on two things. 00:02:52.479 --> 00:03:00.240 The first thing is we're just gonna walk through this passage and do a little bit of exposition and just explain what Paul is talking about here. 00:03:00.240 --> 00:03:08.240 And then we're gonna look at three reasons why we should all want to be part of the unified body of Christ, which is the church. 00:03:08.240 --> 00:03:09.840 You guys ready for that? 00:03:09.840 --> 00:03:11.280 Well, let's do that. 00:03:11.280 --> 00:03:19.680 So let's start by walking through the passage and let's take a look at what Paul is saying, especially about this unity, which is really sandwiched right in the middle of this passage. 00:03:19.680 --> 00:03:28.319 So beginning in verse 9, he says, making known to us the mystery of his will according to his purpose, which he set forth in Christ. 00:03:28.319 --> 00:03:33.039 Now, the word mystery sometimes you get this little eerie, ooh, it's a mystery. 00:03:33.039 --> 00:03:35.120 What is this mystery? 00:03:35.120 --> 00:03:40.639 Well, it's it's actually a word that Paul uses other times in his other epistles. 00:03:40.639 --> 00:03:42.240 He's used this word before. 00:03:42.240 --> 00:03:47.120 And sometimes when you're studying this and you run into a word like that and go, so what is this mystery? 00:03:47.120 --> 00:03:51.599 It's really good to look at the context of other passages where it's used. 00:03:51.599 --> 00:03:56.960 So in Romans 16, 25, he uses that word mystery, but he gives it a little bit more context. 00:03:56.960 --> 00:04:15.360 In Romans 16, 25, he says, Now to him who is able to establish you according to my gospel, which is really the gospel of Jesus, and the preaching of Jesus Christ according to the revelation of the mystery which has been kept secret for long ages past. 00:04:15.360 --> 00:04:21.759 So what we're seeing here is a coupling of the gospel with this term mystery. 00:04:21.759 --> 00:04:35.920 Paul is writing this at the very end of the Epistle of Romans, which, by the way, I think is arguably probably one of the most comprehensive and in-depth explanations of the gospel that you'll find in the entire New Testament. 00:04:35.920 --> 00:04:45.120 And Paul is saying that the revelation of the mystery which has been kept secret for long ages past is the redemptive work of Jesus Christ. 00:04:45.120 --> 00:04:46.319 That's a mystery. 00:04:46.319 --> 00:04:48.399 And it's revealed to you and it's revealed to me. 00:04:48.399 --> 00:04:53.680 And we're going to understand a little bit more about what that means when we talk about being called. 00:04:53.680 --> 00:04:58.240 So let's continue in Ephesians 9 or 1, verse 9. 00:04:58.240 --> 00:05:04.399 Making known to us the mystery will according to his purpose, which he set forth in Christ. 00:05:04.399 --> 00:05:12.800 Listen, it was God's sovereign will from the very beginning to redeem mankind through Jesus Christ. 00:05:12.800 --> 00:05:14.000 That was his purpose. 00:05:14.000 --> 00:05:19.839 And when you see words like according to his purpose, does God get his way? 00:05:19.839 --> 00:05:22.639 Yeah, he absolutely gets his way. 00:05:22.639 --> 00:05:27.120 If God has called you, do you think you can run from him? 00:05:27.120 --> 00:05:31.120 I can I can show you whole books about people trying to run from God. 00:05:31.120 --> 00:05:32.800 You can't run from God. 00:05:32.800 --> 00:05:43.439 If he has purposed this, and it's going to do, and so when he purposed his plan, and this is what's something we sometimes miss, it was never in jeopardy of not being carried out. 00:05:43.439 --> 00:05:48.800 Do you think Jesus was going into the wilderness and, like, oh, I hope he makes it? 00:05:48.800 --> 00:05:49.759 No. 00:05:49.759 --> 00:05:52.160 It was a done deal. 00:05:52.160 --> 00:05:54.639 It was a done deal from the very beginning. 00:05:54.639 --> 00:05:59.920 And in Christ means that the redemption came in the form of Jesus Christ and what he did. 00:05:59.920 --> 00:06:08.639 If you put all of verse 9 together, we can clearly see that God has purposed his plan for the redemption of mankind through Jesus Christ. 00:06:08.639 --> 00:06:11.439 That's why we're calling this sermon in Christ. 00:06:11.439 --> 00:06:12.079 Right? 00:06:12.079 --> 00:06:13.199 That's the focus. 00:06:13.199 --> 00:06:15.680 So let's jump over now to verse 10. 00:06:15.680 --> 00:06:23.439 And this is where God, where Paul's going to introduce God's concept of united and uniting us together in Christ. 00:06:23.439 --> 00:06:32.720 So, as a plan for the fullness of time to unite all things in Christ, things in heaven and things on earth. 00:06:32.720 --> 00:06:37.439 Now, let's just talk a little bit, let's break this down a little bit. 00:06:37.439 --> 00:06:41.120 So, as a plan for the fullness of time, what does a fullness of time mean? 00:06:41.120 --> 00:06:45.759 Because we read sometimes we read these scriptures and we go, fullness of time? 00:06:45.759 --> 00:06:48.800 You know, what how do you wrap your head around that? 00:06:48.800 --> 00:06:49.839 Remember the context. 00:06:49.839 --> 00:06:55.040 You got to look and see if that's ever been used before by the Apostle Paul, and indeed it has. 00:06:55.040 --> 00:06:57.279 Galatians 4, verse 4. 00:06:57.279 --> 00:06:59.040 This is what he says. 00:06:59.040 --> 00:07:04.000 But when the fullness of time had come, oh, everybody's on the edge of your seat. 00:07:04.000 --> 00:07:06.240 Okay, what happened? 00:07:06.240 --> 00:07:15.920 God sent forth his son, born of a woman, born under law, to redeem those who were under the law, so that me, what uh we might receive adoption as sons. 00:07:15.920 --> 00:07:24.959 So clearly, the fullness of time is referring to the time frame covering the birth, life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. 00:07:24.959 --> 00:07:26.720 It's here. 00:07:26.720 --> 00:07:28.079 It's here. 00:07:28.079 --> 00:07:36.160 And Paul is identifying this is what the fullness of time is it's the life of Christ and his death and his resurrection. 00:07:36.160 --> 00:07:37.839 So let's go back to verse 9. 00:07:37.839 --> 00:07:43.600 As for the plan of uh as a plan for the fullness of time, and he says this, now that's a key verse that we're going to focus on. 00:07:43.600 --> 00:07:50.879 To unite all things in Christ, things in heaven and things on earth. 00:07:50.879 --> 00:07:54.800 This is what Christ came to do. 00:07:54.800 --> 00:07:58.480 He came to unite. 00:07:58.480 --> 00:08:02.399 And when you are uniting something, what are they before they are united? 00:08:02.399 --> 00:08:04.720 They're separate, right? 00:08:04.720 --> 00:08:05.759 They're separate. 00:08:05.759 --> 00:08:09.360 You can almost make a case that this is reuniting. 00:08:09.360 --> 00:08:13.279 Because the sin of Adam in the in the garden, we know what happened. 00:08:13.279 --> 00:08:18.480 It separated us, mankind, it separated mankind from God. 00:08:18.480 --> 00:08:22.319 And it put us in a very unnatural state. 00:08:22.319 --> 00:08:32.399 And all of us, as we've preached from the stage before, are living under that curse, if you will, of Adam. 00:08:32.399 --> 00:08:38.559 He is our federal head, meaning he is the one that represented us, and now we're dealing with his sin. 00:08:38.559 --> 00:08:42.639 I know it's not fair, but it's truth. 00:08:42.639 --> 00:08:46.000 We are the ones dealing with that. 00:08:46.000 --> 00:09:06.879 However, and this is what I love, God forordained from the foundations of the earth that his son was going to come into the world, live that perfect life that we couldn't live, die as a perfect sacrifice so that we can be redeemed, united together once again with God. 00:09:06.879 --> 00:09:10.080 I need to hear a hallelujah for that one. 00:09:10.080 --> 00:09:12.720 Can you imagine if we didn't have that? 00:09:12.720 --> 00:09:22.720 I don't know about you, but once you've been walking with the Lord for a long time, the thought about not walking with him just you can't even fathom it. 00:09:22.720 --> 00:09:25.360 Every day I wake up under the grace of God. 00:09:25.360 --> 00:09:28.639 Remember, it says his mercies are new every morning, right? 00:09:28.639 --> 00:09:30.240 Every morning I'm just thankful. 00:09:30.240 --> 00:09:32.320 God, thank you for another day of life. 00:09:32.320 --> 00:09:37.919 Not because I get a big charge of a living that life, but because I get to live it under his grace. 00:09:37.919 --> 00:09:40.639 And wow, that's beautiful to think about. 00:09:40.639 --> 00:09:48.879 And you know, under that bridge, as I was talking to these people and praying for them, that's the one thing that kept coming through my mind and my heart. 00:09:48.879 --> 00:09:52.960 Just I want them to have what I have. 00:09:52.960 --> 00:09:56.480 I want them to receive the gift that I received. 00:09:56.480 --> 00:09:57.840 What a beautiful plan. 00:09:57.840 --> 00:09:59.600 All right, verse 11. 00:09:59.600 --> 00:10:08.320 In him we have obtained an inheritance, having been predestined according to the purpose of him who works all things according to the counsel of his will. 00:10:08.320 --> 00:10:10.240 Here's Paul's going off again. 00:10:10.240 --> 00:10:14.960 He's he's sounds like he's rambling, but every word has got so much meaning, right? 00:10:14.960 --> 00:10:18.720 In him we have obtained an inheritance. 00:10:18.720 --> 00:10:27.279 I loved, I really appreciated Derek's message a couple weeks ago because he talked about this, what it means to be adopted. 00:10:27.279 --> 00:10:30.000 Because when you hear the word inheritance, guess what? 00:10:30.000 --> 00:10:31.919 Who inherits things? 00:10:31.919 --> 00:10:34.240 Yeah, the children. 00:10:34.240 --> 00:10:35.440 Your inheritance. 00:10:35.440 --> 00:10:42.240 So we are the adopted sons and daughters of God, and we now receive that inheritance. 00:10:42.240 --> 00:10:44.559 By the way, do they earn it? 00:10:44.559 --> 00:10:48.639 You know, you were born into the family. 00:10:48.639 --> 00:10:50.879 You receive it, you don't have to earn it. 00:10:50.879 --> 00:10:58.320 We've been adopted into the family, and we have obtained that inheritance, not by anything we have done, but what Christ did for us. 00:10:58.320 --> 00:11:00.639 And what a beautiful thing. 00:11:00.639 --> 00:11:10.320 So it says, In him we have attained an inheritance, having been predestined according to the purpose of him who works all things according to the counsel of his will. 00:11:10.320 --> 00:11:18.960 When my dad first started going to church, I was about 10, and he got the little three by five flashcards. 00:11:18.960 --> 00:11:23.279 Well, they were just cards, and he we he made me write the verses on them. 00:11:23.279 --> 00:11:26.320 And I'll never forget one was John 6.44. 00:11:26.320 --> 00:11:28.799 Don't put it on the screen. 00:11:28.799 --> 00:11:30.240 Oh, don't put it on the screen. 00:11:30.240 --> 00:11:31.279 I was gonna test him. 00:11:31.279 --> 00:11:32.399 I was gonna test him. 00:11:32.399 --> 00:11:36.000 Who can who can quote nice and loud John 6.44? 00:11:36.000 --> 00:11:38.480 Oh, come on. 00:11:38.480 --> 00:11:43.679 All right, I guess my dad wouldn't pick the kind of a remote one. 00:11:43.679 --> 00:11:51.840 No one, this is Jesus speaking, no one can come to me unless the Father himself draw him, right? 00:11:51.840 --> 00:11:56.000 God has to draw you to Jesus. 00:11:56.000 --> 00:11:56.799 Right? 00:11:56.799 --> 00:12:07.759 And the whole purpose of this scripture, the church we were in, was trying to show is that you can't respond unless God's allowing you to respond, unless he's calling to you. 00:12:07.759 --> 00:12:14.080 You know, I love what Neil always says when he's talking about we're dead spiritually. 00:12:14.080 --> 00:12:17.919 He said, you can't reason with a dead person. 00:12:17.919 --> 00:12:19.759 They're dead. 00:12:19.759 --> 00:12:21.120 They're dead spiritually. 00:12:21.120 --> 00:12:32.639 If you've ever tried to talk to somebody who's not being called by God and you're trying to share truth with them, and you see that blank look, maybe they're not being called just yet. 00:12:32.639 --> 00:12:35.840 Maybe later, but right now they're just shut off. 00:12:35.840 --> 00:12:41.120 No man can come to me unless the father who sent me draw him. 00:12:41.120 --> 00:12:43.679 And I love this, and I will raise him up in the last day. 00:12:43.679 --> 00:12:55.039 This doctrine of predestination, which is that God has determined beforehand that he is going to call some to him, is a doctrine that's all through the New Testament. 00:12:55.039 --> 00:12:59.840 And by the way, it's also a pretty divisive doctrine because there's two different ways to look at it. 00:12:59.840 --> 00:13:02.080 And this sermon's not about predestination. 00:13:02.080 --> 00:13:03.679 We're gonna give that one to Mark. 00:13:03.679 --> 00:13:05.919 I think we should let Mark teach that one. 00:13:05.919 --> 00:13:08.879 Seriously, though. 00:13:08.879 --> 00:13:12.080 Um predetermined that I would get it. 00:13:12.080 --> 00:13:14.559 I predetermined that you were gonna get this sermon. 00:13:14.559 --> 00:13:19.679 That's a word of knowledge, I think, right there. 00:13:19.679 --> 00:13:28.559 But literally, all you have to do is read scriptures like Romans 8 28 through 30, uh, Colossians 3.12. 00:13:28.559 --> 00:13:34.799 There's lots of passages that talk about this, and this is a good thing for you to embrace and wrestle with a little bit. 00:13:34.799 --> 00:13:37.919 But the fact is, this is all I know. 00:13:37.919 --> 00:13:46.000 If you're sitting here today understanding the gospel and receiving the truth from the word of God that I'm teaching, then I know you're called. 00:13:46.000 --> 00:13:48.000 And that's a beautiful thing. 00:13:48.000 --> 00:13:49.519 That's a beautiful thing. 00:13:49.519 --> 00:13:50.960 We need to rejoice in that. 00:13:50.960 --> 00:13:53.519 All right, verse 12. 00:13:53.519 --> 00:13:58.399 So that we who were the first to hope in Christ might be to the praise of his glory. 00:13:58.399 --> 00:14:03.679 Now, this phrase, we have to read this in context, and we have to think about the author on this one. 00:14:03.679 --> 00:14:05.039 This is Paul. 00:14:05.039 --> 00:14:09.279 Before Paul was called, what was he? 00:14:09.279 --> 00:14:11.200 He was a Jew. 00:14:11.200 --> 00:14:12.399 Well, yeah, he was solved. 00:14:12.399 --> 00:14:13.279 Good point. 00:14:13.279 --> 00:14:17.600 What was he in his standing? 00:14:17.600 --> 00:14:20.159 He was a Jew, and he still was a Jew, by the way. 00:14:20.159 --> 00:14:22.000 So Paul was a Jew. 00:14:22.000 --> 00:14:22.960 All right. 00:14:22.960 --> 00:14:28.879 So this phrase, we who are the first to hope in Christ, it's a pretty clear reference to the Jewish believers. 00:14:28.879 --> 00:14:31.519 He'll pull out commentaries, they'll talk about that. 00:14:31.519 --> 00:14:35.679 But obviously, Paul was the disciple to the Gentiles, right? 00:14:35.679 --> 00:14:37.360 He was an apostle to the Gentiles. 00:14:37.360 --> 00:14:44.799 So this whole thing, he was just simply saying, listen, you know, we who were the first to hope in Christ might be to the praise of his glory. 00:14:44.799 --> 00:14:47.440 All of this is done to glorify God. 00:14:47.440 --> 00:14:54.799 And this gospel that was preached to us, all of us, we should be thankful for and be grateful for. 00:14:54.799 --> 00:15:17.519 You know, when we start looking at how Paul introduces this theme of unity, we're gonna see right from the beginning that there is a collective unification that he talks about. 00:15:17.519 --> 00:15:20.480 And this is really one of I want to focus on. 00:15:20.480 --> 00:15:33.840 In fact, from the very first verse in the book of Ephesians, chapter one, you start to see Paul setting this stage by using collective language. 00:15:33.840 --> 00:15:35.120 Right? 00:15:35.120 --> 00:15:38.240 He and he uses specific pronouns. 00:15:38.240 --> 00:15:42.399 Now, isn't it terrible that the word pronoun has just gotten a bad meaning lately? 00:15:42.399 --> 00:15:47.360 I brought this up in the elder meeting, and there was like a five-minute laugh session about pronouns. 00:15:47.360 --> 00:15:49.840 I'm like, guys, that's not what I'm talking about. 00:15:49.840 --> 00:15:54.320 No, he literally said, Listen, look about this, think about this, what he says. 00:15:54.320 --> 00:16:00.879 From the very beginning, beginning actually in verse 3, he uses we four times. 00:16:00.879 --> 00:16:06.960 He used the pronoun us five times, and the pronoun our twice. 00:16:06.960 --> 00:16:09.279 Who's he speaking to? 00:16:09.279 --> 00:16:12.480 He's speaking to the collective body of Christ, right? 00:16:12.480 --> 00:16:15.120 There is this collective body of Christ. 00:16:15.120 --> 00:16:18.159 And I think we miss that sometimes. 00:16:18.159 --> 00:16:19.360 But look what he says. 00:16:19.360 --> 00:16:23.120 Verse 3, blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing. 00:16:23.120 --> 00:16:27.919 He in verse 4, he chose us in him before the foundations of the world. 00:16:27.919 --> 00:16:31.600 Verse 7, in him we have redemption through his blood. 00:16:31.600 --> 00:16:44.960 There is a distinct expectation that those who are redeemed by Christ would be a collective, unified group of people identified as the church. 00:16:44.960 --> 00:16:47.360 The church. 00:16:47.360 --> 00:16:56.080 And that's true. 00:16:56.080 --> 00:17:02.399 There is a inter very close interpersonal relationship that you're gonna have with God and your Savior. 00:17:02.399 --> 00:17:03.440 You should. 00:17:03.440 --> 00:17:07.039 But you can't cut it off like that. 00:17:07.039 --> 00:17:09.599 It's more than just that. 00:17:09.599 --> 00:17:12.880 And that's what Jesus is pointing out here. 00:17:12.880 --> 00:17:17.119 He's not just talking about you and God, he's talking about a collective body. 00:17:17.119 --> 00:17:18.640 And I think it's really important. 00:17:18.640 --> 00:17:25.680 And I marvel at those who claim to be born-again believers of Christ, yet they reject the church. 00:17:25.680 --> 00:17:34.000 Not just don't come to church, some of them will get on soap boxes and they will basically tear down the body of Christ. 00:17:34.000 --> 00:17:40.799 Now, I understand, by the way, because many times the church has been a source of pain. 00:17:40.799 --> 00:17:49.759 In fact, if I were to ask you, put up your hand if you've ever been church hurt, meaning somebody hurt you. 00:17:49.759 --> 00:17:53.359 In fact, let's just do this so everybody can see that my point is valid. 00:17:53.359 --> 00:17:56.400 If you've ever been hurt at church, put your hand up. 00:17:56.400 --> 00:17:59.039 Well, lucky there. 00:17:59.039 --> 00:18:02.160 The motion stands. 00:18:02.160 --> 00:18:07.279 So why does this happen? 00:18:07.279 --> 00:18:09.599 Why do we get hurt in church? 00:18:09.599 --> 00:18:15.200 Well, sometimes the enemy places wolves in churches. 00:18:15.200 --> 00:18:19.039 If you've ever been to church, you've probably run across some wolves. 00:18:19.039 --> 00:18:24.400 People that really aren't Christians, they're acting the part, and they hurt people. 00:18:24.400 --> 00:18:26.319 We've seen that before. 00:18:26.319 --> 00:18:35.359 But more often than not, it's simply because of sinful acts completed committed by imperfect people. 00:18:35.359 --> 00:18:42.880 I often tell people, if I haven't offended you, please be patient, I'll get around to it. 00:18:42.880 --> 00:18:50.960 It's true, and I won't do it on purpose, or maybe I'm having a bad day and I might do it on purpose. 00:18:50.960 --> 00:19:00.319 But this is interesting because we know that the church is imperfect because it's made up of imperfect people. 00:19:00.319 --> 00:19:05.039 And I like that quote by the way if you find a perfect church, don't go because you won't fit in. 00:19:05.039 --> 00:19:10.960 In fact, when you start going, you're gonna make the church imperfect, right? 00:19:10.960 --> 00:19:12.640 But isn't it interesting? 00:19:12.640 --> 00:19:17.920 The fact that the church is made up of imperfect people, it really should make us comfortable, shouldn't it? 00:19:17.920 --> 00:19:20.799 Shouldn't it make it comfortable? 00:19:20.799 --> 00:19:24.480 But see, Satan twists this around, brethren. 00:19:24.480 --> 00:19:27.920 He twists this around. 00:19:27.920 --> 00:19:34.960 He makes us blind to our own imperfections and we focus on everybody else's imperfections. 00:19:34.960 --> 00:19:39.440 When someone hurts us, we focus on that person's imperfections. 00:19:39.440 --> 00:19:48.079 And the result is we begin placing unrealistic expectations on our brothers and sisters in Christ. 00:19:48.079 --> 00:19:50.480 I can't believe that Andy said that. 00:19:50.480 --> 00:20:00.079 You get the idea? 00:20:00.079 --> 00:20:07.599 We start putting these expectations on people and we totally ignore that we ourselves are imperfect, right? 00:20:07.599 --> 00:20:15.599 And so we take offense and we walk away from the body of Christ thinking we're justified, yet for some reason we forgot to look in a mirror. 00:20:15.599 --> 00:20:19.440 And mirrors are all over the place, by the way. 00:20:19.440 --> 00:20:28.240 And the greatest spiritual mirror is probably sitting beside you that could be interpreted in many ways. 00:20:28.240 --> 00:20:33.279 It's your Bible, could be your wife or your husband, by the way. 00:20:33.279 --> 00:20:36.400 Isn't that sad though? 00:20:36.880 --> 00:20:37.440 Yes. 00:20:37.920 --> 00:20:40.480 See, nobody can live up to perfection. 00:20:40.480 --> 00:20:50.880 Why do you think all through scripture we hear this, we hear admonitions to dwell with one another with love and understanding and extend grace to one another? 00:20:50.880 --> 00:20:52.400 Because we have to. 00:20:52.400 --> 00:20:54.319 We have to. 00:20:54.319 --> 00:21:00.880 Because if we don't, we'll walk away from the very thing Christ came and created the church. 00:21:00.880 --> 00:21:10.319 The result is we have people who claim to be Christ's followers, but they directly disobey scriptures that clearly state we are to be in the body of Christ. 00:21:10.319 --> 00:21:12.880 And let me just make it really clear to you. 00:21:12.880 --> 00:21:17.599 I'm not saying this to try to shame anybody or promote this church. 00:21:17.599 --> 00:21:25.599 One of the things I love about this church when we do announcements is that we say, if you're a visitor here, we thank you for coming. 00:21:25.599 --> 00:21:27.680 And we're glad that you're here. 00:21:27.680 --> 00:21:31.119 And if you're looking for a church, we hope it's ours. 00:21:31.119 --> 00:21:36.160 But if it's not, we're going to be praying that God places you in the body of Christ where He wants you. 00:21:36.160 --> 00:21:39.519 We're not about just filling this room up. 00:21:39.519 --> 00:21:42.160 It's not our job, it's God's job. 00:21:42.160 --> 00:21:49.200 We want you in the body of Christ, wherever that is that you need to be placed. 00:21:49.200 --> 00:21:52.720 For Amy, you had to come to this body of Christ. 00:21:52.720 --> 00:21:56.000 Sometimes it's a win-win for us. 00:21:56.000 --> 00:22:04.960 You know, the result of this, by the way, is can be really sad, and I actually call it oxymoronic. 00:22:04.960 --> 00:22:07.680 I call it that because I just want to use a big word. 00:22:07.680 --> 00:22:10.640 But literally think about it. 00:22:10.640 --> 00:22:12.960 I'm a Christian, but I don't need the church. 00:22:12.960 --> 00:22:18.720 It's the same thing as saying, I love being married, I just don't like to be with my spouse. 00:22:18.720 --> 00:22:24.319 I don't want to be around them, I don't want to talk to them, I don't want to hang around them or nothing. 00:22:24.319 --> 00:22:26.319 But I love being married. 00:22:26.319 --> 00:22:27.839 It doesn't make sense. 00:22:27.839 --> 00:22:29.440 It's a contradiction. 00:22:29.440 --> 00:22:32.720 And that's the same way that God looks at it. 00:22:32.720 --> 00:22:37.440 If you truly love God, you will love the church. 00:22:37.440 --> 00:22:40.720 The imperfect church that's gonna hurt you. 00:22:40.720 --> 00:22:42.079 But you know what? 00:22:42.079 --> 00:22:46.000 More often they're gonna love you and encourage you. 00:22:46.000 --> 00:22:48.240 And we have to keep that in mind. 00:22:48.240 --> 00:23:03.039 Those that claim they can be Christians without the church have bought into a lie that being united in Christ is exclusively referencing a personal relationship with Jesus and not also a collective relationship with the church he established. 00:23:03.039 --> 00:23:07.680 By the way, I used to carry a soapbox around because I got church hurt big time. 00:23:07.680 --> 00:23:11.759 And I used to jump on that soapbox and I said exactly this. 00:23:11.759 --> 00:23:14.400 All you need is God. 00:23:14.400 --> 00:23:17.279 And why was I wrong? 00:23:17.279 --> 00:23:20.559 All you have to do is read the scriptures in the New Testament. 00:23:20.559 --> 00:23:21.759 You can't avoid them. 00:23:21.759 --> 00:23:23.039 They're all over the place. 00:23:23.039 --> 00:23:25.039 John 13, 35. 00:23:25.039 --> 00:23:26.799 Jesus says this. 00:23:26.799 --> 00:23:28.720 This is Jesus speaking. 00:23:28.720 --> 00:23:37.680 By this all men will know that you are my disciples if you have a great understanding of doctrine and a close individual relationship with God. 00:23:37.680 --> 00:23:39.920 No, no, no. 00:23:39.920 --> 00:23:41.920 That's from a movie, by the way. 00:23:41.920 --> 00:23:43.200 I won't say it. 00:23:43.200 --> 00:23:55.279 If you have love for one another, you want to know one of the hardest things to do is to love people that you don't like or you don't get along with really well, or somebody that maybe offended you. 00:23:55.279 --> 00:23:58.000 That shows that you have love. 00:23:58.000 --> 00:23:59.519 And that's what he's saying. 00:23:59.519 --> 00:24:01.599 Romans 1 or 12, verse 5. 00:24:01.599 --> 00:24:04.319 This is such a powerful scripture. 00:24:04.319 --> 00:24:12.319 Paul says, so we in Romans 12, 5, so we, though many, though many, here we are, many, are one body in Christ. 00:24:12.319 --> 00:24:14.880 That's the unification that Christ did, right? 00:24:14.880 --> 00:24:20.000 As individual members, one of another. 00:24:20.000 --> 00:24:24.079 Whew! That's like almost the Trinity type of complex, right? 00:24:24.079 --> 00:24:28.000 One of another, but yet we're individual, but yet we're one. 00:24:28.000 --> 00:24:29.839 That's the body of Christ. 00:24:29.839 --> 00:24:31.440 It's so beautiful. 00:24:31.440 --> 00:24:48.400 God designed the church, God's design for the church was that it would be a unified group of people actively engaging this world with the gospel message and living an example that people would look at and say, that is real. 00:24:48.400 --> 00:24:50.640 That is real. 00:24:50.640 --> 00:25:01.680 Okay, so with that, I want to quickly go through three reasons why the God wants us to be united in a body of Christ, with the body of Christ. 00:25:01.680 --> 00:25:03.200 I'll go through these fairly quickly. 00:25:03.200 --> 00:25:05.519 The first is true fellowship. 00:25:05.519 --> 00:25:07.279 True fellowship. 00:25:07.279 --> 00:25:12.240 As believers, we're placed within the family of God and we live our lives together. 00:25:12.240 --> 00:25:22.480 In Ephesians 4, 1 through 3, he says this I therefore, a prisoner for the Lord, urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called. 00:25:22.480 --> 00:25:27.359 With all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another. 00:25:27.359 --> 00:25:28.240 Thank you, Paul. 00:25:28.240 --> 00:25:29.440 That's what I've been saying. 00:25:29.440 --> 00:25:34.240 Eager to maintain the unity of the spirit in the bond of peace. 00:25:34.240 --> 00:25:36.880 Here's that phrase unity again. 00:25:36.880 --> 00:25:40.079 Fellowship. 00:25:40.079 --> 00:25:46.319 We do it together with gentleness, humility, patience, bearing with one another in love. 00:25:46.319 --> 00:25:57.279 And one of the reasons Jesus created the church was to create a place where we could, where that would, by the way, meet the emotional, spiritual, and physical needs of the body of Christ. 00:25:57.279 --> 00:25:59.920 And that happens at this church, by the way. 00:25:59.920 --> 00:26:09.279 A church that's truly representing the unity of Christ will be a church that epitomizes love, care, and compassion for each other. 00:26:09.279 --> 00:26:11.759 We celebrate with each other. 00:26:11.759 --> 00:26:14.480 We grieve with each other. 00:26:14.480 --> 00:26:17.519 We serve one another. 00:26:17.519 --> 00:26:20.079 We share with one another. 00:26:20.079 --> 00:26:22.079 We work alongside. 00:26:22.079 --> 00:26:23.599 We learn together. 00:26:23.599 --> 00:26:24.960 We encourage. 00:26:24.960 --> 00:26:27.680 That's what the body of Christ looks like. 00:26:27.680 --> 00:26:30.319 It's so wonderful. 00:26:30.319 --> 00:26:32.640 Serve day is just a hoot. 00:26:32.640 --> 00:26:35.440 Because we get to be, and you know what? 00:26:35.440 --> 00:26:36.319 I got to know better. 00:26:36.319 --> 00:26:39.119 I got to know the people better that I worked with. 00:26:39.119 --> 00:26:42.400 And we serve the needs of the community. 00:26:42.400 --> 00:26:46.720 That's what the unified body of Christ looks like. 00:26:46.720 --> 00:26:50.480 And by the way, I just wanted to speak on behalf of the eldership. 00:26:50.480 --> 00:26:55.519 There's neither, none of us believe that we're doing this perfectly. 00:26:55.519 --> 00:26:59.119 And we all believe that we can do this better. 00:26:59.119 --> 00:27:01.519 We talk about it in the elder meetings a lot. 00:27:01.519 --> 00:27:08.960 Tyler is a great encourager that way to keep us focused on what our calling is as pastors and shepherds. 00:27:08.960 --> 00:27:13.119 But again, all of you are called to do the same thing. 00:27:13.119 --> 00:27:17.359 We're called to have fellowship together. 00:27:17.359 --> 00:27:21.039 Fellowship is living out our lives with one another. 00:27:21.039 --> 00:27:26.000 Second reason that God wants us in the church is being accountability. 00:27:26.000 --> 00:27:32.079 Being a part of a healthy family means we take advantage of the accountability that's available to us. 00:27:32.079 --> 00:27:34.480 Now, Ephesians 4.25 says this. 00:27:34.480 --> 00:27:42.960 And here it is, one of another. 00:27:42.960 --> 00:27:51.839 Notice the theme of unity that you see here. 00:27:51.839 --> 00:27:57.279 You know, the term accountability in this culture has kind of become a bad word. 00:27:57.279 --> 00:28:00.319 It's got a negative connotation. 00:28:00.319 --> 00:28:05.119 Because sometimes we don't want anybody that we have to answer to. 00:28:05.119 --> 00:28:07.839 I don't have to answer to Matt. 00:28:07.839 --> 00:28:10.319 I don't want to have to answer to anybody. 00:28:10.319 --> 00:28:25.680 The very thing, by the way, that can be a strength when it's not mixed together with God and the Spirit of Christ can be a real negative. 00:28:25.680 --> 00:28:28.240 But accountability is a good thing. 00:28:28.240 --> 00:28:35.440 Accountability in the body of Christ is freedom for the believer. 00:28:35.440 --> 00:28:43.680 You know, if you're if you're struggling with a specific sin, you know, maybe you maybe you I don't care what it is. 00:28:43.680 --> 00:28:53.279 If you're struggling with something and and you're just keeping it to yourself and you're just trying to fight that along, you and your little sword and guess what? 00:28:53.279 --> 00:28:57.279 You're gonna get wiped out. 00:28:57.279 --> 00:29:01.920 You're gonna get wiped out. 00:29:01.920 --> 00:29:11.200 I love the I I'm gonna misquote Neil, but he says, I think he says the sheep that leaves the herd gets shorn or eaten. 00:29:11.200 --> 00:29:12.240 I don't know, something like that. 00:29:12.240 --> 00:29:15.039 But he basically, if you leave the herd, you're vulnerable. 00:29:15.039 --> 00:29:17.599 Accountability is a good thing. 00:29:17.599 --> 00:29:22.400 Satan loves for us, by the way, to keep secrets. 00:29:22.400 --> 00:29:24.640 He loves that. 00:29:24.640 --> 00:29:33.839 You know, this concept, you know, if if if you want to get free from something, here's a real simple process you can follow. 00:29:33.839 --> 00:29:34.960 Very simple formula. 00:29:34.960 --> 00:29:37.680 First, confess your sin to somebody honestly. 00:29:37.680 --> 00:29:39.680 Someone, obviously, that you trust. 00:29:39.680 --> 00:29:41.359 Don't just confess it to anybody. 00:29:41.359 --> 00:29:43.759 Find someone that's trustworthy that you know. 00:29:43.759 --> 00:29:47.279 Ask them to help you work through the result of the sin. 00:29:47.279 --> 00:29:52.400 Sometimes it can be of uh of actual consequences you have to deal with. 00:29:52.400 --> 00:29:54.079 Sometimes it's just shame. 00:29:54.079 --> 00:29:57.599 Whatever it is, ask them to help you with that, encourage you through that. 00:29:57.599 --> 00:29:59.839 And then ask them to follow up with you. 00:29:59.839 --> 00:30:01.839 Keep you accountable. 00:30:01.839 --> 00:30:04.720 Hey, ask me about this. 00:30:04.720 --> 00:30:08.319 Ask me if I have neglected my Bible study. 00:30:08.319 --> 00:30:10.559 Ask me if I've neglected my prayer time. 00:30:10.559 --> 00:30:13.279 Ask me if I've gone to that website. 00:30:13.279 --> 00:30:18.160