WEBVTT 00:00:05.519 --> 00:00:06.719 Ephesians 6. 00:00:08.880 --> 00:00:12.640 Verse 7 passage, Ephesians 6, verses 10 through 18. 00:00:13.199 --> 00:00:14.480 And this is the word of God. 00:00:14.640 --> 00:00:18.640 It says, Finally be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might. 00:00:18.960 --> 00:00:24.239 Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil. 00:00:24.480 --> 00:00:37.439 For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places. 00:00:37.759 --> 00:01:02.159 Therefore, take up the whole armor of God that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all to stand, stand, uh having done all to stand, stand firm, stand, therefore, having fastened on the belt of truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness, highlight that, the breastplate of righteousness, and as shoes for your feet, having put on the readiness given by the gospel of peace. 00:01:02.320 --> 00:01:19.840 In all circumstances, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming darts of the evil one, and take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God, praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication to that end. 00:01:20.000 --> 00:01:25.040 Keep alert with all perseverance, making supplication for all the saints. 00:01:25.280 --> 00:01:26.640 Let's pray together. 00:01:26.959 --> 00:01:28.640 Father, we thank you for your word. 00:01:29.040 --> 00:01:33.439 We thank you, Lord, that the entrance of your word brings life and light. 00:01:33.599 --> 00:01:47.200 And Father, we ask that you would shine your light and life into our hearts, that you would change us, that you would transform us, that you would help us to understand more fully the righteousness of God in Christ Jesus and how to apply it to our lives. 00:01:47.439 --> 00:01:56.239 And Father, we just ask that the end result of that would be that we would show others who you are, just as we've been talking about here tonight. 00:01:56.400 --> 00:01:58.560 We thank you for it in Jesus' name. 00:01:58.799 --> 00:01:59.359 Amen. 00:01:59.519 --> 00:02:05.599 So we're in the middle of this Bible study called On the Armor of God, called Equipped to Stand, right? 00:02:06.000 --> 00:02:11.759 And over the last several weeks, we've discussed the fact that the strength that we need comes from who? 00:02:13.360 --> 00:02:13.599 Yeah. 00:02:14.159 --> 00:02:17.680 I'm not going to give you, if I give you a trick question, I'll let you know it's a trick question. 00:02:17.840 --> 00:02:18.159 Okay. 00:02:18.400 --> 00:02:21.039 So the strength that we need comes from the Lord. 00:02:21.199 --> 00:02:22.319 It comes from God. 00:02:22.479 --> 00:02:24.400 What does Philippians 4.13 say? 00:02:24.719 --> 00:02:26.479 I can do all things through Christ through strength. 00:02:26.719 --> 00:02:30.400 I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me, right? 00:02:30.560 --> 00:02:42.639 And then we've been instructed, out of that strength, we've been instructed to put on the whole armor of God in order to stand against the real enemy, which is not people, it's not nations. 00:02:43.120 --> 00:02:48.400 The real enemy that we face is Satan and evil spiritual forces, right? 00:02:48.639 --> 00:03:03.360 And when Paul compares the armor of God with military gear, which is what he's doing here in Ephesians 6, each piece represents a part of God's strength that can be applied or extended to us when we become his children. 00:03:03.680 --> 00:03:11.919 So each piece of the armor is an extension of verse 10, which is finally be strong in the Lord and in the power of his might, right? 00:03:12.240 --> 00:03:18.639 So you talked about, I think last week was the first uh piece of the armament that you talked about, which was, do you remember? 00:03:18.879 --> 00:03:21.919 Those who were here, the belt of truth, right? 00:03:22.080 --> 00:03:26.319 And so how does the belt of truth represent the strength of God in our lives? 00:03:26.479 --> 00:03:28.560 What are some ways that it can do that? 00:03:33.360 --> 00:03:35.759 What is the opposition to truth? 00:03:39.280 --> 00:03:43.840 Counterfeit, lies, deception, distraction, all of those things, right? 00:03:44.400 --> 00:03:48.159 So how does the strength of God work through truth? 00:03:49.280 --> 00:03:55.439 I've always been taught that the heart is actually in the gut because it says out of the belly. 00:03:55.919 --> 00:03:56.000 Yeah. 00:03:58.159 --> 00:04:03.360 So that belt protects the heart from receiving water. 00:04:03.680 --> 00:04:04.000 Sure. 00:04:04.240 --> 00:04:06.080 You realize she doesn't mean physical heart. 00:04:06.159 --> 00:04:14.000 She's she's aware of the placement of the physical heart, but she's talking about the center core of man, the spirit of man, which the Bible calls heart. 00:04:14.080 --> 00:04:16.560 Sometimes it even calls it soul spirit. 00:04:16.720 --> 00:04:18.959 All of that, the center point of who we are. 00:04:19.120 --> 00:04:20.879 And that's what lives forever, right? 00:04:21.040 --> 00:04:22.560 That's the part of us that lives forever. 00:04:22.720 --> 00:04:32.399 So last week, again, you talked about gospel truth, uh, God's truth as a belt of truth, is proverbially fastened around our waist and it holds everything together. 00:04:32.560 --> 00:04:44.319 I don't know if any of you gentlemen have accidentally um forgotten to wear your belt on an occasion where you were working on something, and all of a sudden you became accused of being a plumber. 00:04:44.480 --> 00:04:50.240 And uh I won't go into, I won't give the reasons for that, but I think all of us have probably found ourselves there. 00:04:50.480 --> 00:04:53.199 We need the belt of truth, right? 00:04:53.360 --> 00:05:04.879 So tonight we're gonna move on to the next element of armament, the next piece of the armor of God that we are encouraged, encouraged to wear, and that is the breastplate of righteousness. 00:05:05.120 --> 00:05:06.800 The breastplate of righteousness. 00:05:06.959 --> 00:05:08.319 And what is the main purpose? 00:05:08.399 --> 00:05:20.399 If you think about a Roman soldier, right, clad in armor, um, uh, whether it's the uh steel, what do you call the stuff that looks like a curtain, but it's made out of steel. 00:05:21.839 --> 00:05:28.319 Chain whether it's that or whether it's a hard piece of armament like you would see in a in a museum somewhere, right? 00:05:28.480 --> 00:05:28.959 What's that? 00:05:29.040 --> 00:05:30.800 That's called something different, though. 00:05:31.279 --> 00:05:33.279 The hard armament, our armament. 00:05:33.360 --> 00:05:34.240 What's that called? 00:05:34.800 --> 00:05:35.600 Breastplate? 00:05:35.839 --> 00:05:38.560 No, no, I'm talking about the whole thing, like the whole thing. 00:05:39.360 --> 00:05:40.319 That's just called armor. 00:05:40.480 --> 00:05:40.800 Okay. 00:05:41.120 --> 00:05:42.959 I'm overcomplicating it, aren't I? 00:05:43.360 --> 00:05:44.720 Let's keep it simple tonight. 00:05:44.800 --> 00:05:45.120 All right. 00:05:45.199 --> 00:05:52.399 So, anyway, the main purpose of the breastplate in warfare is to protect the vital organs, right? 00:05:52.639 --> 00:05:57.360 So, what is protected by the breastplate that is that a soldier wears? 00:05:57.519 --> 00:05:58.800 Well, first of all, the heart. 00:05:59.040 --> 00:06:00.959 And what happens with the heart? 00:06:01.680 --> 00:06:03.120 No heart, no what? 00:06:04.079 --> 00:06:04.879 No life. 00:06:05.120 --> 00:06:07.199 And then secondly, what about your lungs? 00:06:07.439 --> 00:06:09.519 Lungs are important, absolutely, right? 00:06:09.600 --> 00:06:12.319 We need to be able to breathe in order to live. 00:06:12.480 --> 00:06:16.959 So heart and lungs, uh, the also the vulnerable digestive system. 00:06:17.040 --> 00:06:26.079 So that breastplate extends beyond just the top uh and down towards the center portion as well, where the where it connects up with the belt, right? 00:06:26.480 --> 00:06:31.199 Um, and so all of these things are covered and protected from the fiery darts of the enemy. 00:06:31.279 --> 00:06:33.040 I'm using a mixed metaphor here. 00:06:33.199 --> 00:06:41.279 Obviously, the fiery darts of the enemy when it came to it, comes to a Roman, came to a Roman soldier looks different than when it we're talking about it in the spiritual realm. 00:06:41.519 --> 00:06:42.560 Same concept. 00:06:42.800 --> 00:06:52.079 But the fiery darts of the enemy, by properly wearing the breastplate, we can keep them at bay, and they cannot do the damage that they were intended to do. 00:06:52.240 --> 00:06:55.040 So, in a spiritual sense, the breastplate is what? 00:06:55.199 --> 00:06:56.399 What does it protect? 00:06:56.639 --> 00:06:57.519 And uh Ms. 00:06:57.680 --> 00:07:06.879 Pegg mentioned it here, but the breastplate of righteousness protects our heart and our soul from evil and deception. 00:07:07.120 --> 00:07:13.759 The breastplate of righteousness protects our heart, spirit, um, inner being. 00:07:13.920 --> 00:07:17.519 You know, these are interchangeable words that are found throughout scripture. 00:07:17.759 --> 00:07:21.920 Our soul protects those things from evil and deception. 00:07:22.000 --> 00:07:26.000 And the Greek word for righteousness here is de kaios une. 00:07:26.959 --> 00:07:28.879 Anybody have the interpretation for that? 00:07:29.199 --> 00:07:32.480 Decaus uh de kaios une. 00:07:33.360 --> 00:07:38.079 Um and it righteousness in its simpler, simplest terms, is right standing with God. 00:07:38.319 --> 00:07:41.519 So if you had to define righteousness, it is right standing with God. 00:07:41.600 --> 00:07:46.639 In other words, it describes the state of being in right relationship with God. 00:07:47.199 --> 00:07:50.560 So let's take it to the the other uh extreme. 00:07:50.720 --> 00:07:53.839 What does it mean to not be in right relationship with someone? 00:07:54.959 --> 00:07:56.240 What does that look like? 00:07:56.800 --> 00:07:57.519 Animosity. 00:07:57.759 --> 00:07:59.199 Yeah, maybe animosity. 00:07:59.360 --> 00:07:59.839 What else? 00:08:00.959 --> 00:08:02.240 Opposition, right? 00:08:02.720 --> 00:08:03.360 Anything else? 00:08:04.879 --> 00:08:06.879 Yeah, not having favor, right? 00:08:07.439 --> 00:08:08.000 Rift. 00:08:08.319 --> 00:08:10.959 A rift, all of those things, right? 00:08:11.199 --> 00:08:15.120 And when we think of that, we always think of somebody else that does that, right? 00:08:15.279 --> 00:08:16.399 Not we ourselves. 00:08:16.560 --> 00:08:19.839 But sometimes we can get engaged in that too, unfortunately. 00:08:20.079 --> 00:08:27.279 But it's it's the state righteousness, the state of not being in wrong relationship with God, but being in right relationship with Him. 00:08:27.600 --> 00:08:32.240 And we have to go back a long ways in order to understand this, I think, uh most fruitfully. 00:08:32.399 --> 00:08:39.840 So the first thing we need to understand is the in the original creation only understood living in the state of righteousness. 00:08:40.080 --> 00:08:46.399 When Adam and Eve were created and placed in the Garden of Eden, they only knew righteousness. 00:08:46.720 --> 00:08:47.919 Can you imagine that? 00:08:48.080 --> 00:08:49.200 Can you fathom that? 00:08:49.360 --> 00:08:53.919 What it must have been like to never wonder if you have a right relationship with God. 00:08:54.159 --> 00:08:58.559 It says that they walked and talked with God in the cool of the day. 00:08:58.720 --> 00:09:04.399 It says that God gave them authority over the fish of the sea and the fowl of the air. 00:09:04.559 --> 00:09:12.000 And for any fisherman in here, I try to practice that in today's in today's context, it doesn't always work for me, but for Adam it worked, right? 00:09:12.159 --> 00:09:17.519 He was uh he worked with God to name all of the animals, to name all of the plant life. 00:09:17.759 --> 00:09:22.720 We don't know the extent of time that went by when things were right in the garden. 00:09:22.879 --> 00:09:27.679 I have to believe that it must have been some somewhat of a substantial amount of time, right? 00:09:28.080 --> 00:09:42.080 There are some people that have estimated or guessed around, but for that time in the beginning, the way that God originally created for things to be, he intended for his creation to be, to live in right relationship with him. 00:09:42.559 --> 00:09:47.200 That is God's desired and designed order of things. 00:09:47.759 --> 00:09:48.399 Right? 00:09:50.399 --> 00:09:51.279 You agree? 00:09:51.600 --> 00:09:52.320 Okay, good. 00:09:52.480 --> 00:09:53.919 Just making sure. 00:09:54.320 --> 00:09:59.120 Father, Son, and Spirit have lived in perfect community for all of eternity. 00:09:59.279 --> 00:10:03.440 They are our example of what it looks like to walk in right relationship. 00:10:04.159 --> 00:10:07.200 They are continuously in fellowship with each other. 00:10:07.360 --> 00:10:09.919 They are continuously in relationship. 00:10:10.000 --> 00:10:12.639 They are continuously one, right? 00:10:13.039 --> 00:10:22.159 And again, out of that fellowship, they decided to create the heavens and the earth, and finally to create people in their image and likeness, to place them in the garden. 00:10:22.240 --> 00:10:33.440 They experienced the joy of knowing God with no fear, with no shame, because they were created righteous. 00:10:34.000 --> 00:10:34.320 Okay. 00:10:36.080 --> 00:10:39.759 How we long for a day when we will return to that state. 00:10:40.159 --> 00:10:47.120 All of creation cries out for a day when we will return to that state. 00:10:47.600 --> 00:10:56.559 That is the way God intends, and that is the way that eternity will be experienced by those who follow after Jesus Christ. 00:10:56.720 --> 00:11:00.159 That is the promise and the hope that we hold on to. 00:11:00.320 --> 00:11:06.879 And for those of us who have lost loved ones that are that were in Christ, they're experiencing that even now. 00:11:07.279 --> 00:11:08.399 There's no shadow of doubt. 00:11:08.559 --> 00:11:12.480 In fact, there's not even any darkness in heaven. 00:11:12.720 --> 00:11:18.240 Like, you know, where shame would hide or where guilt would find itself lurking. 00:11:18.399 --> 00:11:21.120 There's not even any any shadow of turning. 00:11:21.200 --> 00:11:25.600 Like when you even move like this, there's there's no darkness that accompanies it. 00:11:25.840 --> 00:11:34.960 It's completely light, it's completely bright, and everyone is in perfect relationship with their heavenly father and with each other. 00:11:35.120 --> 00:11:37.120 And that's God's intent. 00:11:37.360 --> 00:11:38.799 So, what's the problem? 00:11:39.039 --> 00:11:42.799 There's a three-letter word that we all know about sin. 00:11:43.519 --> 00:11:48.879 Sin broke the relationship that mankind had with God, right? 00:11:49.200 --> 00:11:56.559 When Adam and Eve rebelled against God's commandment, they chose to walk away from God and live an unrighteous life. 00:11:56.799 --> 00:11:58.240 They chose that. 00:11:59.039 --> 00:12:00.320 The devil made me do it. 00:12:00.720 --> 00:12:04.399 Remember, they tried that argument against God when they got caught. 00:12:04.559 --> 00:12:05.600 The devil made me do it. 00:12:05.919 --> 00:12:08.720 The wife you gave me made me do it, right? 00:12:09.440 --> 00:12:16.960 The price that they would pay for their for unrighteousness was separation from the God that they had known and loved. 00:12:17.919 --> 00:12:19.679 What a price to pay. 00:12:19.919 --> 00:12:27.600 This wouldn't only affect them, but how many of us have been affected by that decision all those years ago? 00:12:27.840 --> 00:12:38.240 Everyone except for Jesus, we have all sinned and fallen short of the glory of God, and we were born separated from God in our sins and trespasses. 00:12:38.879 --> 00:12:42.320 Um but that's not the end of the story. 00:12:42.399 --> 00:12:45.600 Well, first of all, do you remember life when it was like that? 00:12:46.320 --> 00:12:57.679 When all you knew was shame and guilt and misfortune and condemnation, when you had no hope in this world and in this life? 00:12:58.799 --> 00:13:01.120 Can we remember back to that point in our lives? 00:13:01.679 --> 00:13:17.360 I know a lot of us were church church kids and we experienced a lot of, maybe we didn't experience as much externally, but how many of you know the internal struggle of a church kid is no different than it is anybody else that's in the world? 00:13:17.519 --> 00:13:17.840 Right? 00:13:18.000 --> 00:13:23.840 Like the thoughts, the perceptions, the attitudes, the motivations, right? 00:13:25.519 --> 00:13:37.360 So sometimes before we get the heart that God wants us to have of reaching other people with the love of God and with the truth that we talked about earlier, we have to remember where we've come from. 00:13:37.919 --> 00:13:38.559 Right? 00:13:40.639 --> 00:13:47.679 So even though we've fallen short of the glory of God, God had a plan, and I know this is going to sound pretty elementary, but it's so true. 00:13:47.840 --> 00:14:02.480 And if we're not applying it to our lives and if we're not preaching this gospel to ourselves on a daily basis, Satan will accuse us, and suddenly his voice gets much louder in our ears than God's voice does. 00:14:02.639 --> 00:14:04.480 And we have to guard against that. 00:14:04.720 --> 00:14:19.440 God had a plan to restore righteousness to his children at the very moment of sin in the Garden of Eden, at the condemnation that would come, the conviction that God brought against humanity and against Satan. 00:14:19.519 --> 00:14:22.639 How many of you know in Genesis 3:15, God also made a promise? 00:14:22.879 --> 00:14:24.480 And what was that promise? 00:14:27.039 --> 00:14:28.879 What was God gonna do? 00:14:30.559 --> 00:14:30.879 Yep. 00:14:31.039 --> 00:14:38.559 There was gonna be a seed that would come, and the enemy was going to strike at his heel, but what was the seed going to do? 00:14:39.360 --> 00:14:41.120 He's gonna crush his head. 00:14:41.360 --> 00:14:45.120 He's gonna crush his head, right? 00:14:45.600 --> 00:14:48.879 And obviously, we know that this was speaking about Jesus. 00:14:49.039 --> 00:14:54.320 You see, Jesus' willing sacrifice made a way for mankind to be made right with God. 00:14:54.799 --> 00:15:08.559 Jesus made a way for us to live from a positional standpoint, from an identity standpoint, just like Adam and Eve were in the garden before they sinned. 00:15:08.720 --> 00:15:10.559 That's amazing to me. 00:15:10.879 --> 00:15:13.200 Uh 2 Corinthians 5, 21. 00:15:13.519 --> 00:15:22.720 For he, for our sake, he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God. 00:15:23.039 --> 00:15:26.720 This is the type of breastplate that we are called to wear. 00:15:26.960 --> 00:15:28.960 The breastplate of righteousness. 00:15:29.200 --> 00:15:32.799 We know that the promise of God was fulfilled in the person of Jesus Christ. 00:15:32.879 --> 00:15:34.399 He was born of a virgin. 00:15:34.720 --> 00:15:36.720 He lived the life that we couldn't live. 00:15:36.879 --> 00:15:39.519 He perfectly obeyed in every way. 00:15:39.679 --> 00:15:48.320 He represented the Father to us in everything that he said and everything that he did, he represented our Heavenly Father to us. 00:15:48.559 --> 00:15:53.600 He took upon Himself our sin and our shame and was nailed to the cross. 00:15:53.759 --> 00:15:58.639 And we know that as he breathed his last breath, he was placed in a tomb. 00:15:58.879 --> 00:16:06.639 And three days later he rose from the grave, proving that he had defeated Satan and death, hell, and the grave. 00:16:07.200 --> 00:16:11.120 He was here on this earth and seen by over 500 people over time. 00:16:11.200 --> 00:16:12.879 And then he ascended into heaven. 00:16:12.960 --> 00:16:26.559 And when he ascended into heaven, he was seated at the right hand of the Father, and he was given the name above every other name that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord. 00:16:27.039 --> 00:16:33.919 He also sent the Holy Spirit to not only be with us like he was with people, but to dwell in us. 00:16:34.240 --> 00:16:39.360 And then he also promised that if he went away, that he would one day what? 00:16:39.679 --> 00:16:45.440 Return again so that we might be with him. 00:16:46.320 --> 00:16:49.039 This is the price that Jesus paid. 00:16:49.200 --> 00:16:51.679 This is the victory that Jesus won. 00:16:51.840 --> 00:16:55.279 This is the hope that we put our trust in. 00:16:55.919 --> 00:17:00.720 This is the source of righteousness that we are able to access. 00:17:00.960 --> 00:17:04.799 It's not our own, it's his that we access. 00:17:05.119 --> 00:17:07.519 So how do we put on the breastplate of righteousness? 00:17:07.599 --> 00:17:09.839 It says here for us to put it on. 00:17:10.079 --> 00:17:14.079 We put it on by grace through faith. 00:17:14.720 --> 00:17:17.440 We put it on by grace through faith. 00:17:17.759 --> 00:17:24.240 Ephesians chapter 2 says, For by grace you have been saved through faith, and this is not your own doing. 00:17:24.400 --> 00:17:29.440 It is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast. 00:17:29.680 --> 00:17:37.920 For we are his workmanship created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared before him, that we should walk in them. 00:17:38.480 --> 00:17:40.079 This is the truth. 00:17:40.480 --> 00:17:42.799 This is the gospel of Jesus Christ. 00:17:42.960 --> 00:17:44.960 We cannot earn righteousness. 00:17:45.200 --> 00:17:57.920 Many of us came out of traditions and even spiritual traditions that told us that if we did this or we did that, then we could somehow earn favor with God or we could earn righteousness with God. 00:17:58.400 --> 00:18:06.079 How many of you know if one person on the planet could do that except for Jesus, then Jesus didn't need to die? 00:18:08.400 --> 00:18:08.960 Right? 00:18:09.759 --> 00:18:14.000 So let's be careful what we hold on to and what we grasp at. 00:18:14.240 --> 00:18:26.079 We're grasping at straws literally, if we believe that there's something that we can do to somehow earn the righteousness of God, which is a free gift given to us by grace. 00:18:26.240 --> 00:18:29.039 He made a way where there was no way for us to be made right with God. 00:18:29.200 --> 00:18:36.400 God gives the grace, and the definition for grace is the empowerment that we need to do what we can't do in our own strength. 00:18:36.640 --> 00:18:41.359 The grace of God is God's empowerment in me to do what I can't do in my own strength. 00:18:41.440 --> 00:18:48.720 I cannot make myself righteous, but the grace of God gives me the ability to be righteous. 00:18:49.680 --> 00:18:57.599 He even, God even not only gave us the grace that we needed, but he also plants the seed of faith that we exercise by doing what? 00:18:57.839 --> 00:19:07.839 By repenting of our sins, by putting our trust in the finished work of Jesus Christ and by confessing him as our Savior and Lord. 00:19:08.000 --> 00:19:12.319 Now, I know that it's very easy to say, we already did that. 00:19:13.440 --> 00:19:16.640 But how many of you know that there is another verse? 00:19:16.799 --> 00:19:18.559 What does 1 John 1 7 say? 00:19:18.640 --> 00:19:19.920 You can look it up if you need to. 00:19:20.160 --> 00:19:22.880 1 John 1, let's read 7 through 9. 00:19:25.599 --> 00:19:31.759 This is not in my notes, so we'll have to refer to you to read it for me. 00:19:32.240 --> 00:19:33.599 Who is that written to? 00:19:34.000 --> 00:19:34.799 Unbelievers. 00:19:36.160 --> 00:19:37.119 To believers. 00:19:37.359 --> 00:20:15.359 So not only do we receive the righteousness of God, which is positional, which isn't going to change, but how many of you know we can stay in right relationship with him as far as the uh the application of that by not only repenting and believing one time, but by confessing our sins to him, by repenting and believing in him every time, over and over and over again, not to uh not to ensure our salvation or to for there to be a need to shore up our salvation, but because God has created this avenue, this pathway for us to keep things clear between us and God. 00:20:15.519 --> 00:20:16.559 That's amazing. 00:20:16.720 --> 00:20:19.599 And that's a lot of times what Christians forget. 00:20:20.160 --> 00:20:25.440 The process of redemption is a process that happens over and over and over again. 00:20:25.680 --> 00:20:29.920 Not redemption to salvation, but that we might be changed. 00:20:30.000 --> 00:20:34.000 The process of sanctification is the process of repentance. 00:20:34.240 --> 00:20:38.720 It's God saying to you, saying to me, Hey, you need to work on that attitude. 00:20:38.960 --> 00:20:41.359 And means me saying, I can't do that. 00:20:41.519 --> 00:20:42.559 I've tried. 00:20:42.799 --> 00:20:45.839 My wife's told me I need to change that. 00:20:46.319 --> 00:20:48.480 Can uh I need some help here. 00:20:48.559 --> 00:20:58.400 And then the grace of God, the Holy Spirit, enables us to be able to make a change in that area in our lives, and we put our faith in Jesus in order for that to happen. 00:20:58.480 --> 00:20:59.759 So think of it, Christian. 00:20:59.920 --> 00:21:02.480 You have been made right with God. 00:21:03.440 --> 00:21:05.119 How does that feel? 00:21:08.559 --> 00:21:20.160 Every time, I'm a friend teacher, but every time I took communion, I got to I should say, thank you for the blood that cleanses me from all my sin. 00:21:20.559 --> 00:21:22.400 I receive your righteousness. 00:21:22.720 --> 00:21:22.880 Yes. 00:21:23.839 --> 00:21:24.400 That's good. 00:21:26.720 --> 00:21:26.880 Yep. 00:21:28.240 --> 00:21:29.200 That's beautiful. 00:21:29.759 --> 00:21:31.359 The gift of righteousness. 00:21:31.599 --> 00:21:31.759 Yeah. 00:21:35.200 --> 00:21:36.160 Yes, absolutely. 00:21:36.319 --> 00:21:44.480 We remind ourselves and and we should uh have extreme gratitude for it and and apply it regularly, right? 00:21:44.799 --> 00:21:56.960 So those who are blessed to wear the breastplate of righteousness should not it should not only affect their vantage point or the way they view God or the way they view themselves, what else should it do? 00:21:57.680 --> 00:21:59.440 It should affect the way that we live. 00:22:00.160 --> 00:22:03.839 If we are wearing the breastplate, remember whose armament is it? 00:22:05.119 --> 00:22:06.079 It's his armament. 00:22:06.240 --> 00:22:12.640 So if we're wearing his armor, if we're wearing the breastplate of righteousness, then it should affect the way that we live. 00:22:12.799 --> 00:22:21.359 Remember that last part of the verse in Ephesians 2, it says, For we are his workmanship created in Christ Jesus for good works. 00:22:21.519 --> 00:22:23.920 It just told us that we're not saved by works. 00:22:24.079 --> 00:22:28.160 We're saved by grace through faith, but we are saved unto something. 00:22:28.400 --> 00:22:32.240 We are saved from something and we're saved to something. 00:22:32.480 --> 00:22:36.640 And the thing that we're saved to is good works, right? 00:22:37.440 --> 00:22:41.359 Which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them. 00:22:42.400 --> 00:22:47.759 A lot of times we we think of God placing strengths within us and we should do that. 00:22:47.839 --> 00:22:51.359 And God giving us certain personality traits and we should do that. 00:22:51.519 --> 00:23:00.319 But there are also certain missional things that God has ordained for each and every one of us to fulfill that are unique to us. 00:23:00.559 --> 00:23:06.880 Certain callings, certain ways of doing something from a ministry standpoint that God's placed in us. 00:23:07.119 --> 00:23:13.599 And as important as all of the other gifts are that He gives us, and we we do, we are so grateful for those things. 00:23:13.759 --> 00:23:16.720 Let's not forget the main thing, right? 00:23:17.039 --> 00:23:31.440 The main thing is that we might be made right with God and have a relationship with Him that is real and authentic, and that we also might represent that relationship to other people so that they might desire the same thing. 00:23:32.960 --> 00:23:37.119 We are not called in this life to simply display the work of another. 00:23:37.680 --> 00:23:38.960 You know what I'm saying by that? 00:23:39.119 --> 00:23:44.000 We're not called to just simply display somebody else's handiwork or someone else's artwork. 00:23:44.240 --> 00:23:52.400 We are in turn to emulate our champion warrior, Jesus Christ, by living righteously toward others. 00:23:52.559 --> 00:23:55.279 We represent him to others. 00:23:55.519 --> 00:23:59.519 We have been remade for this very purpose. 00:23:59.839 --> 00:24:00.480 Right? 00:24:01.599 --> 00:24:05.039 Good work should be the natural result of being made righteous. 00:24:05.200 --> 00:24:17.119 It should be absolutely like our um uh what's what's the word like English is our what language, our first language or our primary language, right? 00:24:17.519 --> 00:24:23.440 This uh good works should be our primary language, it should be something that comes out of us naturally. 00:24:24.240 --> 00:24:30.160 Like the thing that that um I'm really losing my words today, I'm so sorry. 00:24:30.480 --> 00:24:32.240 Our sister right over here. 00:24:32.799 --> 00:24:34.640 I can't even get your name right now. 00:24:34.799 --> 00:24:35.759 I'm sorry. 00:24:38.720 --> 00:24:39.759 It's coming through. 00:24:40.240 --> 00:24:40.960 Gabby. 00:24:41.200 --> 00:24:53.119 Okay, so our sister Gabby today, she was hit by God with something that was is completely natural for her because she was created for this. 00:24:53.359 --> 00:24:56.559 She was remade for good works. 00:24:57.039 --> 00:25:02.960 And so the righteousness that she's received as a gift, she now gets to emulate towards other people. 00:25:03.359 --> 00:25:07.119 We represent the family of God when we sacrifice like Jesus. 00:25:07.279 --> 00:25:12.319 We wear the breastplate well when we love like Jesus. 00:25:12.559 --> 00:25:19.680 We model the new creation best when others see our good works and glorify our Father in heaven. 00:25:20.240 --> 00:25:21.839 We have a family chat. 00:25:22.000 --> 00:25:29.440 You guys, some of you that have kids and grandkids, maybe you have a family chat where you send texts and pictures and all of this. 00:25:29.519 --> 00:25:35.599 And it's kind of funny within our family because we have two sets of kids that have their own kids. 00:25:35.680 --> 00:25:47.519 And so whenever one posts a picture of one of the grandkids, within 30 seconds or a minute or so, there's I don't know if it's a competition or not, but it feels a little bit like a competition, right? 00:25:47.759 --> 00:25:56.720 But it was so funny the other day I was at work and uh one of those pictures popped up and I looked at it and I'm like, I don't know, I have to enlarge it, right? 00:25:56.799 --> 00:25:58.160 I didn't have my glasses on. 00:25:58.319 --> 00:26:03.359 And when I enlarged it, I saw a picture, I saw something that looked very familiar. 00:26:03.519 --> 00:26:08.079 I noticed that somebody was in my chair in the living room. 00:26:08.240 --> 00:26:09.680 So I'm called Pops. 00:26:10.079 --> 00:26:12.319 Pops has a chair in the living room, right? 00:26:12.559 --> 00:26:15.039 And usually nobody sits in my chair. 00:26:15.279 --> 00:26:20.880 It's not that I don't, I wouldn't mind if they sat in my chair that much, but they a little bit maybe. 00:26:23.039 --> 00:26:24.000 Right, right, yeah. 00:26:25.519 --> 00:26:26.240 We were out of town. 00:26:26.480 --> 00:26:32.880 Oh, yeah, we were out of town, which was another why are these why are our kids out of us when we're not anyway? 00:26:33.039 --> 00:26:34.799 A lot of things happen when we're out of town. 00:26:35.839 --> 00:26:37.279 This is a little aside. 00:26:37.519 --> 00:26:41.680 We got home uh Monday, right, from this last trip. 00:26:42.319 --> 00:26:47.519 And Amy immediately says, It's like Goldilocks and the three bears. 00:26:47.680 --> 00:26:49.680 She said, Somebody stayed the night here. 00:26:50.559 --> 00:26:51.920 Not our kids. 00:26:52.799 --> 00:26:57.839 So she immediately calls our youngest son Benjamin and said, Who stayed the night? 00:26:58.079 --> 00:27:05.519 And it wasn't that there was a lot of visible whatever of that, and it didn't matter because the person who did stay was fine. 00:27:05.839 --> 00:27:08.240 Yeah, there was just something she just knew, right? 00:27:08.319 --> 00:27:09.519 There was just a knowing. 00:27:09.839 --> 00:27:12.240 But anyway, back to back to the other picture. 00:27:12.400 --> 00:27:24.559 So I see this picture, I'm I'm looking in on it, and it is my grandson Hudson, who has found his way into my closet and has dressed himself in all of my clothing, including my shoes. 00:27:25.359 --> 00:27:31.519 And he sits in my chair and pushes the button and reclines it back as far as it'll go. 00:27:31.759 --> 00:27:36.640 And his parents surround him and stuff, and they look at him and they say, What are you doing, Hudson? 00:27:36.799 --> 00:27:38.880 He goes, You can call me Pops. 00:27:42.880 --> 00:27:45.599 I mean, you can't make that up. 00:27:45.680 --> 00:27:47.599 It was amazing, it was beautiful. 00:27:47.839 --> 00:27:56.319 But how many of you know in the spiritual world, in the spiritual realm, we should be that eager to represent our Heavenly Father, right? 00:27:56.880 --> 00:27:59.440 We put on his robe of righteousness. 00:27:59.680 --> 00:28:01.599 He actually places it on us. 00:28:01.839 --> 00:28:05.200 And we get to wear it around, and we get to represent the family well. 00:28:05.359 --> 00:28:10.640 We get to say, hey, I don't know, I don't know if you're going to remember me or not, and that doesn't really matter. 00:28:10.799 --> 00:28:13.119 But let me represent my father to you. 00:28:13.279 --> 00:28:15.359 Let me tell you about my dad, right? 00:28:15.839 --> 00:28:21.440 And that's what we as believers have have the privilege and responsibility of doing. 00:28:21.680 --> 00:28:26.559 So let's put on the breastplate of righteousness and let's wear it every day. 00:28:26.799 --> 00:28:27.440 Every day. 00:28:27.680 --> 00:28:28.319 Amen.