Welcome to "Anchors of Truth".
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The Extravagant Love
Series with Ty Gibson.
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What do you think of
when you hear the word Love?
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I suspect if we asked a
thousand different people,
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we would get a
thousand different answers.
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Because there is
no word I suspect
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in the English language that
has been more misunderstood,
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misdirected, misinterpreted,
maligned than the word love.
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It has so much meaning
and yet so little meaning
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in our language today.
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And isn't just like Satan to
take a word soulful of beauty
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that is at the foundation
of the government of God.
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So, nuanced a
word and turn it into
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can't get enough
for your love baby.
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Ooh, baby, oh, baby,
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she loves you, yeah, yeah, yeah.
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So the word doesn't
have meaning in many places,
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and in other places the meaning
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has been totally obscured,
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but during the
last several nights,
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we've gotten a new respect
for love and for what love is.
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And let me employ a
Stinsonian locution.
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We've gotten a view of
love from God's point of view,
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from heaven's point of view.
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We've seen the
great condensation,
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particularly in
last night's message,
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what a powerful message?
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Christ coming down
here to be not only with us,
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but part of us,
powerful message.
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And today, we expect
no less than the blessing
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from the hand of
God, as we move through
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this series called
"Extravagant Love. "
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Part of our
Anchors of Faith series.
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Our speaker is our
friend, our pastor, Ty Gibson,
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who has been
doing a wonderful job,
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used by the Lord to
teach us these things,
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the deep things of love.
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Melody Firestone is
coming to bring us music,
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but before she
does, I would ask you
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to bow your heads with
me in a word of prayer.
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Gracious Father,
we just praise You
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and thank You for
Your powerful love,
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a love that simply
will not let us go,
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a love that reaches all
the way from heaven to earth,
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from Your heart to ours.
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We thank You for these
meetings where we've been
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refocused and redirected
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and our minds has been elevated
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to the nobility
of heavenly love.
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And the lengths
that love will go to,
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to call and capture its own.
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Oh! Father, this day,
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we submit
ourselves to You yet again.
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We ask for open
hearts, open minds,
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open ears to
receive the word of God.
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We ask that You would
bless Ty with Your spirit,
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with Your power, with
clarity, so that he will be,
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but a conduit of
Your grace to our souls.
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Bless Melody, as she sings,
may we sit in heavenly places.
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Oh! Dear God, bless us this day,
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not only those
of us who sit here
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in the Thompsonville
Church, but those who
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around the world
worship You and worship with us.
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We thank You, we praise You,
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we love You in Jesus
name, amen. Happy Sabbath.
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In the beginning of creation
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When the world was found
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The God in His splendor
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This world He had render
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Still the best was yet to come
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God waited slowly
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The world's love story,
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written just for me
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Jesus has got greatest glory
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From His birth in a manger
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to His death on Calvary
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He fulfilled the Father's plan
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Jesus Christ thou sacrifice
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The sacrifice!
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Giving hope to every man
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God's greatest glory
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The world's love story,
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written just for me
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Jesus has got greatest glory
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Jesus has got greatest glory
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Amen. Thank you
Melody. What a blessing?
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I tell you what, music just
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penetrates the heart in a way
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that no other medium
of communication can.
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I'm often reminded and
love to bring to the attention
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of congregations that
the Bible actually teaches
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that God Himself is a
songwriter and the singer.
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You know that, don't you?
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In Zephaniah 3 and verse
17, the bible literally says
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that He that is the
Creator of the Universe
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will rejoice
over you with singing
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and quiet you with His love.
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So if God's doing the singing,
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I think that it is a logical
next step in our reasoning
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to believe that He is
writing His own lyrics, right?
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I don't think He downloaded
the lyrics from the Internet.
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I think God is a
songwriter and a singer.
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And we know this in
many other ways as well,
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because the Bible
says that Holy men of Lord
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spoke as they
were moved upon by who?
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By the Holy Spirit and you'll
notice that the scriptures,
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the Bible just happens to
be filled with song lyrics.
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The most obvious
example is the Book of Psalms.
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These are songs that
were inspired by who?
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The Holy Spirit, obviously.
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Then you have the Song of Songs,
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the Song of
Solomon, right? Amen.
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Who wrote the Song of Solomon?
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Well, Solomon,
but the Holy Spirit
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moving through Solomon?
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Much of the Book of Isaiah
is a composition of song lyrics.
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So it's just
beautiful to realize that God
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not only thinks,
but He also feels.
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God is an emotional
being and He expresses Himself
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through songs, so that
we can know Him in that way.
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Well, I'm so excited
about our time together.
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We have entitled our
series, "Extravagant Love".
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Now that word extravagant,
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some people have been
struggling with that word.
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I thought it was
a very common word.
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Somebody last night
said is it, what is it?
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Is it excruciating
love? I said, no, no, no.
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It's not
excruciating love, although,
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we learnt last evening
in our message of the charts
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that there was a
point at which this love
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was excruciating for God, right?
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Someone else said, is it
the exceptional love series?
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No, no, no.
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It's extravagant
love, extenuating, is that?
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No, no, no, extravagant love,
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of the charts over the top
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extreme radical
posh luxurious love.
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That's what we're talking about?
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We're talking about
the fact that God's love
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is the most
beautiful and powerful
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reality in all the universe.
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And this morning,
we're going to talk about
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the fact that we as
human beings are to receive
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God's love, as a living reality,
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and as a practical
reality into our hearts
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which you receive it?
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We're going to
talk about what it means
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to receive God's love.
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How do we, how
do we get it out of
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the realm of mere
theory, concept, idea, theology,
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and bring it to the
inside to the interior
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of our hearts and minds?
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How do we, how
do we drink it in?
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How does it get from
God in to our hearts?
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That's the
question this morning.
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Now in order to get there,
I've to call your attention
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to something that
you probably know,
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but we just don't
think about it a lot.
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And that is that,
we as human beings
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by nature because of
what we are by nature,
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we as human beings are permeable
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and habitable creatures.
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We're what kind of
creatures everybody?
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We're permeable
and we're habitable.
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In other words, we were made
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or designed to be occupied.
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Are you with me so far?
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Now the Bible speaks of
this in many different ways.
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You're familiar
with the words of Jesus
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in John Chapter
15 verses 3 and 4,
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where Jesus said, abide, where,
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in me and I will
abide, where, in you.
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There is some sense in which
the human being is habitable.
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You remember where Paul said
in 1st Corinthians Chapter 6,
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"Don't you know that you're
body is the'...what everybody?
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'It's the temple
of the Holy Spirit."
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There is some sense
in which the human mind
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is a citadel, if
you will, a throne room.
00:12:23.83\00:12:27.60
Let's put it that way.
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That the mind is to
be inhabited by God.
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Now, not inhabited in
the way a person inhabits
00:12:34.84\00:12:40.17
an automobile
and pushes the pedals
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and shifts the gears and
steers the steering wheel,
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not in a
micromanaging control sense.
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We're not to be
inhabited by God the same way
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a man or a woman inhabits a
plane and pushes the buttons
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and controls the
entire flight process.
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We're not puppets.
We're not to be controlled.
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God is in the business
of inhabiting us in the way
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that a person, one
person inhabits another person's
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heart through friendship,
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through
interaction, through fellowship.
00:13:21.80\00:13:26.77
Now this idea that
is pervasive throughout
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scripture that human
beings are a habitation
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for the Holy
Spirit to be in throne,
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to occupy the human
being, comes even clearer
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to our understanding
when we realize that there are
00:13:41.65\00:13:44.30
essentially two
dimensions to human nature.
00:13:44.31\00:13:48.26
There is the physical dimension
00:13:48.27\00:13:49.73
and then there is
the spiritual dimension.
00:13:49.74\00:13:52.97
We're not fundamentally,
listen carefully now,
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we're not fundamentally physical
creatures with a spiritual part.
00:13:55.94\00:14:02.47
We're fundamentally spiritual
creatures with a physical part.
00:14:02.48\00:14:09.14
In other words, as human beings,
00:14:09.15\00:14:11.45
we're not merely of
an animalistic nature.
00:14:11.46\00:14:16.79
We're not just
physical brute bees.
00:14:16.80\00:14:20.35
There is a spiritual
dimension to our identity.
00:14:20.36\00:14:23.90
We were made for
interaction with God
00:14:23.91\00:14:27.57
on the highest imaginable level.
00:14:27.58\00:14:30.75
And we're going to get
into that in greater detail
00:14:30.76\00:14:32.96
this afternoon at 2 o'clock,
but right now I just want to
00:14:32.97\00:14:36.66
point out that
our physical bodies
00:14:36.67\00:14:40.66
are the medium
through which the mind,
00:14:40.67\00:14:43.38
the spirit, the character,
00:14:43.39\00:14:44.82
the personality is
in fellowship with God.
00:14:44.83\00:14:49.34
Think about it for a moment,
if you and I were to die,
00:14:49.35\00:14:54.41
rather recently, I
don't want to be morbid,
00:14:54.42\00:14:56.20
so I won't say today.
00:14:56.21\00:14:57.71
But we're going
to eventually die,
00:14:57.72\00:14:59.39
every one of us, when
we die what happens to us
00:14:59.40\00:15:03.79
when we die, what
happens to us physically?
00:15:03.80\00:15:07.65
Well, there is immediately
a decay process that occurs
00:15:07.66\00:15:10.29
and the Bible says
it far more poetic,
00:15:10.30\00:15:13.15
it doesn't say
we become composed,
00:15:13.16\00:15:14.88
it says, basically that,
00:15:14.89\00:15:16.69
that dust you are into the dust,
00:15:16.70\00:15:19.68
you will return, right?
00:15:19.69\00:15:23.26
So the physical dimension just
blends with the earth again.
00:15:23.27\00:15:30.29
Now, I've a question for you.
00:15:30.30\00:15:33.25
When you come forth
in the resurrection,
00:15:33.26\00:15:36.55
are you the same
person, same character,
00:15:36.56\00:15:39.60
same history, same personality,
00:15:39.61\00:15:43.32
same person when
you're resurrected, yes or no?
00:15:43.33\00:15:47.04
I mean, when I'm
resurrected if I should die
00:15:47.05\00:15:49.60
before the
second coming of Jesus,
00:15:49.61\00:15:52.10
and I meet my mother,
for example, who is deceased.
00:15:52.11\00:15:56.00
Will I know her?
00:15:56.01\00:15:57.44
Is she still the same
person I knew her to be?
00:15:57.45\00:16:01.54
Yes, but does she
have a different body?
00:16:01.55\00:16:04.13
Has according to scripture,
has God given her a new body?
00:16:04.14\00:16:09.51
Yes, a new body.
00:16:09.52\00:16:10.85
Think about it this way,
00:16:10.86\00:16:12.23
there is a lot of
transplant surgery
00:16:12.24\00:16:13.98
going on in our culture now.
00:16:13.99\00:16:15.62
Medical science
has just gone crazy
00:16:15.63\00:16:18.52
with what it's capable of doing.
00:16:18.53\00:16:21.58
And so let's just say
that on Monday, you go in,
00:16:21.59\00:16:24.78
you have-to-have
a heart transplant?
00:16:24.79\00:16:28.02
Is that a surgery that's
going on and can be done?
00:16:28.03\00:16:30.63
Can you get a heart transplant?
00:16:30.64\00:16:32.79
And when you get
a heart transplant,
00:16:32.80\00:16:34.27
where do they get the heart?
00:16:34.28\00:16:37.84
I hate to say it
this way, from a Cadaver,
00:16:37.85\00:16:41.00
from another person's body.
00:16:41.01\00:16:43.27
They're paying attention,
they have all this going on
00:16:43.28\00:16:46.19
in a communication network
and somebody across town dies,
00:16:46.20\00:16:49.99
they call you immediately
we've the right heart
00:16:50.00\00:16:52.19
for you, get to
the hospital quick.
00:16:52.20\00:16:54.40
You go in then
the person's whose job
00:16:54.41\00:16:58.05
it is to be the organ harvester.
00:16:58.06\00:17:02.45
Some people that's
their job description,
00:17:02.46\00:17:05.36
he goes across town,
she goes across town,
00:17:05.37\00:17:08.50
she gets the heart
out of this other body,
00:17:08.51\00:17:11.47
take it to the doctor,
the doctor does what with it.
00:17:11.48\00:17:14.14
Opens you up and puts
the new heart in, question.
00:17:14.15\00:17:17.92
Are you the same person?
00:17:17.93\00:17:20.16
Yeah, but life's
not going good for you
00:17:20.17\00:17:22.49
because on Tuesday,
00:17:22.50\00:17:23.47
you have -to-have
a kidney transplant.
00:17:23.48\00:17:26.56
And sure enough they
find the right kidney
00:17:26.57\00:17:29.82
and somebody else's
kidney is put in your body.
00:17:29.83\00:17:33.70
Are you the same
person? You're the same person.
00:17:33.71\00:17:36.85
And they're even doing
forehand transplants now.
00:17:36.86\00:17:41.79
A number of them have
been performed successfully.
00:17:41.80\00:17:44.70
And you've been in a
terrible accident on Wednesday
00:17:44.71\00:17:47.52
and your hand has been separate,
00:17:47.53\00:17:49.31
but you're in luck because a guy
00:17:49.32\00:17:51.80
who is serving a
life sentence in prison
00:17:51.81\00:17:54.32
has just passed away and
so they separate his hand
00:17:54.33\00:17:58.47
and this is
horrible, isn't that?
00:17:58.48\00:18:00.11
Should I even? And
they run across town
00:18:00.12\00:18:02.39
and they put his hand on yours.
00:18:02.40\00:18:05.66
I'm not talking science
fiction, this is happening.
00:18:05.67\00:18:08.37
You look down
after the hand transplant
00:18:08.38\00:18:10.51
which I think
we're at Wednesday now.
00:18:10.52\00:18:12.93
And there are scars,
you're not familiar with
00:18:12.94\00:18:15.33
and even a little tattoo.
00:18:15.34\00:18:19.84
Maybe even the
hair color is different
00:18:19.85\00:18:22.73
and it's a fully operable hand.
00:18:22.74\00:18:26.21
Is it your hand? Is
it a trick question?
00:18:26.22\00:18:30.22
It's his, but now it's yours.
00:18:30.23\00:18:33.61
And are you the same
person? And the answer is, yes.
00:18:33.62\00:18:39.02
And I hate to
make your week so bad,
00:18:39.03\00:18:43.33
but on Thursday, you
need a full face transplant.
00:18:43.34\00:18:49.81
And I remember when the first
full face transplant was done.
00:18:49.82\00:18:53.18
It was a French
woman, and she had been in a
00:18:53.19\00:18:57.08
terrible accident and she needed
00:18:57.09\00:18:59.55
serious cosmetic
surgery and they said that
00:18:59.56\00:19:02.00
the reconstruction
would be so complete
00:19:02.01\00:19:05.36
that we may as well
give you a whole new face.
00:19:05.37\00:19:07.97
And so they literally,
do you want me to tell you?
00:19:07.98\00:19:11.50
They literally cut
off another person's face,
00:19:11.51\00:19:15.62
peeled it off, aah!
00:19:15.63\00:19:21.01
And then they
peeled her face off
00:19:21.02\00:19:23.42
and put the new face
on this French woman.
00:19:23.43\00:19:28.96
She went through
the healing process,
00:19:28.97\00:19:32.03
she came through
the surgery successful.
00:19:32.04\00:19:34.33
She looked in the mirror
for the first time and said,
00:19:34.34\00:19:37.92
wow, I thought I was
better looking than that.
00:19:37.93\00:19:43.54
And she proceeded to pick
up her bad habit of smoking.
00:19:43.55\00:19:47.70
And the French
people were criticizing her
00:19:47.71\00:19:51.43
in the public
media, how dare you smoke
00:19:51.44\00:19:54.43
with someone else's face?
00:19:54.44\00:19:57.87
But the truth is that now
it was her face, question.
00:19:57.88\00:20:03.82
You've been through all
these transplants surgeries
00:20:03.83\00:20:06.72
all week long,
new heart, new kidney,
00:20:06.73\00:20:09.64
new hand, new face.
00:20:09.65\00:20:11.76
Are you the same person? Yes.
00:20:11.77\00:20:14.47
You're the same person
because what defines personhood.
00:20:14.48\00:20:19.35
I mean,
seriously, the Bible says,
00:20:19.36\00:20:21.77
that we will die, we
will return to the dust
00:20:21.78\00:20:25.51
and then we'll be
resurrected and receive
00:20:25.52\00:20:29.35
what the Bible
calls a glorious body
00:20:29.36\00:20:32.97
like unto His glorious body
00:20:32.98\00:20:35.57
in the Book of
Philippians Chapter 3.
00:20:35.58\00:20:37.92
That is we will receive a
glorified body like the body
00:20:37.93\00:20:41.40
that Jesus presently
has, as a human being
00:20:41.41\00:20:45.17
and as fully God,
but glorified, right?
00:20:45.18\00:20:48.47
So there is something more
to you and me than appearance.
00:20:48.48\00:20:54.51
There is something more
to us than merely the body.
00:20:54.52\00:20:58.22
And some of us quite frankly,
we're done with this model
00:20:58.23\00:21:01.11
and we're looking forward
to the new one, aren't we?
00:21:01.12\00:21:04.38
Yes, I can't believe it
just recently I noticed,
00:21:04.39\00:21:07.92
I said to myself,
wow, I used to wake up
00:21:07.93\00:21:10.38
in the morning and come
to immediate consciousness
00:21:10.39\00:21:14.05
and hit the ground running.
00:21:14.06\00:21:15.75
And now I have to sit
on the edge of the bed
00:21:15.76\00:21:17.46
for a good, I
don't know 30-45 seconds
00:21:17.47\00:21:20.31
and get some momentum and
just kind of wander around
00:21:20.32\00:21:23.78
the room a little
bit to get it going.
00:21:23.79\00:21:27.72
We're changing, we're
in the process of dying,
00:21:27.73\00:21:32.90
but praise God there is a
resurrection from the dead
00:21:32.91\00:21:38.06
and a new body, but there is
something more to you and me.
00:21:38.07\00:21:42.59
The Bible tells
us very clearly in
00:21:42.60\00:21:46.91
Colossians
Chapter 2 verses 9 and 10,
00:21:46.92\00:21:50.36
that in Him, that is,
00:21:50.37\00:21:52.13
in the Lord Jesus
Christ in His human form,
00:21:52.14\00:21:54.87
in Him dwelt all
the fullness of the God
00:21:54.88\00:22:00.40
had in bodily
formed, you've read this?
00:22:00.41\00:22:04.15
But then the next
verse says and King James,
00:22:04.16\00:22:06.67
New King James Version,
"And you are complete in Him."
00:22:06.68\00:22:11.27
But the Greek is the
same as in the previous verse.
00:22:11.28\00:22:14.18
It literally reads that
in Him dwelt all the fullness
00:22:14.19\00:22:18.82
of the God had in bodily form
00:22:18.83\00:22:21.90
and you are made full
of the God had in Him.
00:22:21.91\00:22:26.47
In other words, the
human being was made
00:22:26.48\00:22:30.50
to be inhabited by God.
00:22:30.51\00:22:34.70
Now the question
is at this point,
00:22:34.71\00:22:38.38
what does that mean
in a practical sense?
00:22:38.39\00:22:43.21
In what practical way, do we
become inhabited by the Lord?
00:22:43.22\00:22:49.16
Turn your Bible to
Ephesians Chapter 3,
00:22:49.17\00:22:52.48
this is our text this
morning, this is our key text
00:22:52.49\00:22:54.70
and we'll be
looking at a number of them,
00:22:54.71\00:22:56.47
but this is the
bottom line here.
00:22:56.48\00:22:59.56
Ephesians Chapter 3,
starting with verse 14,
00:22:59.57\00:23:02.99
the Apostle Paul is
engaging in a marvelous prayer
00:23:03.00\00:23:06.17
for all believers for you
and for me and if you ever,
00:23:06.18\00:23:10.97
if you ever have a
prayer block and you don't know
00:23:10.98\00:23:14.71
what to pray about and
you're at loss for words
00:23:14.72\00:23:18.41
open to Ephesians Chapter
3 and makes this your prayer
00:23:18.42\00:23:21.64
for yourself and for anybody
else that you care about.
00:23:21.65\00:23:26.02
Verse 14 of
Chapter 3 of Ephesians,
00:23:26.03\00:23:29.14
"For this reason I bow my knees
00:23:29.15\00:23:32.59
to the Father of
our Lord Jesus Christ."
00:23:32.60\00:23:34.75
So you see here that
Paul is on his knees,
00:23:34.76\00:23:36.44
he is in prayer from
whom the whole family
00:23:36.45\00:23:39.04
and heaven and earth is named.
00:23:39.05\00:23:40.55
In verse 16, here's the prayer,
00:23:40.56\00:23:42.93
"That he would grant
you, according to the riches
00:23:42.94\00:23:48.67
of his glory, to be strengthened
00:23:48.68\00:23:52.10
with might through his Spirit,
00:23:52.11\00:23:53.94
where everybody,
in the inner man,
00:23:53.95\00:23:56.26
in the inner person."
00:23:56.27\00:23:59.05
So Paul is
beginning his prayer by asking
00:23:59.06\00:24:01.94
that the Lord will
give you and me strength
00:24:01.95\00:24:06.22
in the inner person.
00:24:06.23\00:24:08.03
Now he goes on in
verse 17 and explains
00:24:08.04\00:24:11.34
the practical
ramifications of this strength
00:24:11.35\00:24:15.02
in the inner man,
where it comes from
00:24:15.03\00:24:16.89
and what it is? Verse 17,
00:24:16.90\00:24:18.91
"That Christ may
dwell, where, in your hearts."
00:24:18.92\00:24:23.04
Is that a statement
about the physical organ
00:24:23.05\00:24:26.57
we call the heart that
pumps blood through the body.
00:24:26.58\00:24:30.30
No, this is the word
heart as the centre of life
00:24:30.31\00:24:34.14
in the body being
used as a metaphor,
00:24:34.15\00:24:37.64
as a symbol for the
mind, for the emotions,
00:24:37.65\00:24:42.84
for the perceptions,
the thought process,
00:24:42.85\00:24:45.02
the motives, all
of that inner stuff
00:24:45.03\00:24:48.15
that makes up the
identity of the human being
00:24:48.16\00:24:51.76
because everyone of
us we have a personhood,
00:24:51.77\00:24:58.55
a character, a collection,
00:24:58.56\00:25:00.99
a whole history of
thoughts, and feelings,
00:25:01.00\00:25:03.01
and experiences, and memories,
00:25:03.02\00:25:04.84
and we all have a
history, don't we?
00:25:04.85\00:25:07.97
We've all have things
said to us that registered
00:25:07.98\00:25:10.76
deep inside us maybe
words that were not positive
00:25:10.77\00:25:14.43
like you'll never amount
to anything and it registered
00:25:14.44\00:25:17.54
and it directed
some part of our life
00:25:17.55\00:25:20.98
or maybe positive
words, you are incredible
00:25:20.99\00:25:23.54
and I love you,
and I'll never ever,
00:25:23.55\00:25:27.14
ever stop loving you.
00:25:27.15\00:25:29.53
And those words register
and they shape your identity,
00:25:29.54\00:25:34.62
they shape your character.
00:25:34.63\00:25:37.18
All of these outside
influences through our
00:25:37.19\00:25:39.80
relationships make
us, who and what we are?
00:25:39.81\00:25:44.68
But the Bible tells us
that God wants us to have
00:25:44.69\00:25:47.78
the ultimate
relational encounter with Him.
00:25:47.79\00:25:53.33
So that in
relationship with Him,
00:25:53.34\00:25:55.94
He will feed into our
minds, into our hearts,
00:25:55.95\00:25:59.46
the truth about Himself
00:25:59.47\00:26:01.61
and about how He
regards us in His eyes.
00:26:01.62\00:26:06.03
And the Bible says
that the truth of God's love
00:26:06.04\00:26:10.49
for you and me
will set you free.
00:26:10.50\00:26:14.11
There will be liberation
from all the bad data,
00:26:14.12\00:26:18.94
if you will
that's been downloaded
00:26:18.95\00:26:20.37
into your hard
drive so of speak.
00:26:20.38\00:26:23.08
You've been told things, you've
been treated certain ways,
00:26:23.09\00:26:26.65
you've been hurt,
some of you have been
00:26:26.66\00:26:28.30
through the horrific
rejection of divorce.
00:26:28.31\00:26:34.34
Some of you have
had children you loved
00:26:34.35\00:26:36.95
with all your heart
and they walked away.
00:26:36.96\00:26:42.11
Other ones of you have
experienced what it's like
00:26:42.12\00:26:47.32
to love somebody only
to not be loved in return
00:26:47.33\00:26:52.60
and it's shaped
you, it's defined you,
00:26:52.61\00:26:56.90
it's made you in
some serious degree
00:26:56.91\00:27:02.83
who you are and God
says, no, no, no, no,
00:27:02.84\00:27:05.77
I am going to enter into a
process of erasing all that
00:27:05.78\00:27:09.97
bad data until there is
no more remembrance of sin.
00:27:09.98\00:27:17.66
The shame and the
guilt both true and false.
00:27:17.67\00:27:21.40
Sometimes there is guilt
that we feel that is valid,
00:27:21.41\00:27:25.08
we've done wrong and
we will feel bad for it
00:27:25.09\00:27:26.92
and we need in
repentance and confession
00:27:26.93\00:27:30.16
to have that
guilt resolved, right?
00:27:30.17\00:27:33.31
Other times even though,
we know God has forgiven us
00:27:33.32\00:27:36.71
because His word promises
that He has for some reason
00:27:36.72\00:27:41.40
because of our
negative relationships
00:27:41.41\00:27:43.66
we can't even imagine that
God has genuinely forgiven us,
00:27:43.67\00:27:48.71
and yet He has and He says,
00:27:48.72\00:27:51.13
I want you to have
an encounter with me.
00:27:51.14\00:27:54.29
So that I can heal
the deep wounds and hurt
00:27:54.30\00:27:58.60
that you've
experienced through life
00:27:58.61\00:28:00.91
and so that I can
define you in my eyes
00:28:00.92\00:28:04.21
and you can begin to
believe about yourself
00:28:04.22\00:28:07.38
what I believe about you
and what I believe about you
00:28:07.39\00:28:10.92
is that you are my
son, you are my daughter,
00:28:10.93\00:28:13.78
and I love you with a
love that has no bounds
00:28:13.79\00:28:19.13
and I will safely
lead you to the other side.
00:28:19.14\00:28:23.01
This is what's
happening as Paul prays
00:28:23.02\00:28:26.71
that we would be strengthened
with might by His spirit
00:28:26.72\00:28:29.70
in the inner man that
Christ will dwell in your hearts
00:28:29.71\00:28:34.02
through faith, that's
the believing process.
00:28:34.03\00:28:37.46
Faith is the mental
process of agreeing with God.
00:28:37.47\00:28:42.85
It's the process of
saying, yes amen, I agree,
00:28:42.86\00:28:47.57
God's opinion is the valid one.
00:28:47.58\00:28:50.47
Jesus died for me and I trust
00:28:50.48\00:28:54.87
that that sacrifice is
for me, for me by name.
00:28:54.88\00:29:02.75
So Christ was in our
hearts through faith,
00:29:02.76\00:29:06.13
but now watch where Paul goes
00:29:06.14\00:29:07.66
because this is just
absolutely brilliant.
00:29:07.67\00:29:10.29
He says verse 17,
''That Christ may dwell
00:29:10.30\00:29:13.82
in your hearts
through faith, that you being
00:29:13.83\00:29:19.06
rooted and
grounded in something,
00:29:19.07\00:29:22.36
in what everybody?" In love.
00:29:22.37\00:29:24.30
He is using an
agricultural metaphor here.
00:29:24.31\00:29:27.00
Did you catch it?
Rooted and what, grounded.
00:29:27.01\00:29:32.34
There is a sense in which
you and I as human beings,
00:29:32.35\00:29:34.33
we've a root system.
00:29:34.34\00:29:37.11
In other words,
there is a part of us
00:29:37.12\00:29:39.18
that takes root that
reaches down in to the soil
00:29:39.19\00:29:45.41
of the surrounding
influences in our lives.
00:29:45.42\00:29:49.62
I come from the
pacific north-west
00:29:49.63\00:29:51.94
and we have what are
called ponderous pine trees.
00:29:51.95\00:29:54.91
Some of them are just massive,
00:29:54.92\00:29:57.51
they are huge and
I remember learning,
00:29:57.52\00:30:01.80
one simple little
fact and that is that
00:30:01.81\00:30:04.07
one ponderous of pine
tree during the process of
00:30:04.08\00:30:08.57
the hot summer months, each day,
00:30:08.58\00:30:11.12
each 24 hour period
one ponderous of pine tree
00:30:11.13\00:30:14.36
will draw up through its
root system, approximately,
00:30:14.37\00:30:17.96
five bath tubs full of
water, up into its foliage,
00:30:17.97\00:30:23.02
in its upper most branches.
00:30:23.03\00:30:24.96
It's drinking, it's drawing.
00:30:24.97\00:30:27.46
All of those roots
that are reaching down
00:30:27.47\00:30:29.91
into the soil are like straws.
00:30:29.92\00:30:32.33
Can I put it that way?
00:30:32.34\00:30:33.79
And the tree is,
this isn't a great word,
00:30:33.80\00:30:36.32
the tree is sucking.
00:30:36.33\00:30:37.98
The tree is drawing up
into itself the nutrients
00:30:37.99\00:30:44.95
that are in the
liquid, that are in the water,
00:30:44.96\00:30:49.02
that its drawing up, that
are free floating molecules,
00:30:49.03\00:30:52.80
vitamins, minerals,
drawing that all up.
00:30:52.81\00:30:55.08
Paul says, you as a human being,
00:30:55.09\00:30:58.24
you have a root system.
00:30:58.25\00:31:00.64
Mentally, emotionally,
you have a root system
00:31:00.65\00:31:05.32
and you need to plant yourself,
00:31:05.33\00:31:07.80
you need to root yourselves
specifically Paul says
00:31:07.81\00:31:11.50
in the love of Christ.
00:31:11.51\00:31:14.11
This is the most concentrated
form of spiritual nourishment
00:31:14.12\00:31:19.68
you can partake
of, the love of Christ.
00:31:19.69\00:31:23.26
And he says, "Become
rooted and grounded in love."
00:31:23.27\00:31:26.94
And then he
unravels the metaphor,
00:31:26.95\00:31:29.58
the agricultural metaphor,
00:31:29.59\00:31:31.35
he's speaking
symbolically so far,
00:31:31.36\00:31:33.22
roots and get
grounded and draw it up,
00:31:33.23\00:31:36.42
but then he tells us in
more practical straight forward
00:31:36.43\00:31:39.84
non-symbolic
language how it happens?
00:31:39.85\00:31:42.36
Verse 18, "That
you may be able to."
00:31:42.37\00:31:45.44
What's that
word in your version?
00:31:45.45\00:31:47.45
"Comprehend with all sins,
what is the width and length
00:31:47.46\00:31:53.17
and depth and height and
to know the love of Christ."
00:31:53.18\00:31:56.48
To what? To know
it, to comprehend it,
00:31:56.49\00:32:00.94
to understand the love of Christ
00:32:00.95\00:32:03.07
which passes
knowledge, now watch this.
00:32:03.08\00:32:07.82
"So that you maybe filled
with all the fullness of God."
00:32:07.83\00:32:14.80
There is our
habitation language gain.
00:32:14.81\00:32:17.16
There is this idea
that the human being
00:32:17.17\00:32:19.25
is a habitable creature
and that God is to fill us
00:32:19.26\00:32:23.72
to the full with
all His fullness.
00:32:23.73\00:32:28.02
And how does He do
it according to Paul?
00:32:28.03\00:32:30.89
By His love, taking up
space in our hearts and minds,
00:32:30.90\00:32:37.59
by his love crowding
out all the negative history
00:32:37.60\00:32:42.40
and the negative memories
and the sin and the guilt
00:32:42.41\00:32:44.97
and the shame, His
love is to take up space
00:32:44.98\00:32:49.19
in our thinking
and feeling process.
00:32:49.20\00:32:52.50
And Paul says that
this happens through
00:32:52.51\00:32:55.71
comprehending it
and I want to just,
00:32:55.72\00:32:57.70
I just want to emphasize this.
00:32:57.71\00:33:00.57
This is a very practical
thing we're talking about,
00:33:00.58\00:33:02.93
it's not
mystical, it's not distant,
00:33:02.94\00:33:04.99
it's not, it's
not just a theory.
00:33:05.00\00:33:07.94
If you want to know
where you and I can engage
00:33:07.95\00:33:10.59
with God in the
most practical level
00:33:10.60\00:33:13.00
actually do something.
00:33:13.01\00:33:14.95
Okay, we can't do
anything to earn our salvation.
00:33:14.96\00:33:18.61
We can do anything
by way of good works
00:33:18.62\00:33:22.51
to merits His love,
we can't save ourselves,
00:33:22.52\00:33:27.82
we're not saved
by works, but listen,
00:33:27.83\00:33:29.72
there is something you and I
can do is free more relations.
00:33:29.73\00:33:33.65
We can root
ourselves in the love of God.
00:33:33.66\00:33:37.04
We can intentionally,
deliberately engage our minds
00:33:37.05\00:33:42.21
and our hearts in a process of
00:33:42.22\00:33:45.01
comprehending
the love of Christ.
00:33:45.02\00:33:47.69
What is the meaning
to comprehend something?
00:33:47.70\00:33:50.27
Throughout some
synonyms, to understand it,
00:33:50.28\00:33:53.64
to grasp it, to wrap
the mind around the subject.
00:33:53.65\00:34:02.43
Now here's what I
believe Paul is saying
00:34:02.44\00:34:05.05
and this is testified
to throughout scripture.
00:34:05.06\00:34:07.98
And that is this.
00:34:07.99\00:34:10.16
To the degree that I know
and believe that I comprehend
00:34:10.17\00:34:16.41
the love of a God for
me and for all others.
00:34:16.42\00:34:19.52
To the degree that I
comprehend God's love
00:34:19.53\00:34:22.29
to that same degree precisely
will my heart, and mind,
00:34:22.30\00:34:27.60
and life be filled
with the fullness of God,
00:34:27.61\00:34:33.15
and to the degree conversely
on the negative flip side
00:34:33.16\00:34:38.58
of this to the degree
that I belief lies about God
00:34:38.59\00:34:44.99
and about His love, to
the degree that I harbor
00:34:45.00\00:34:48.66
false conceptions
about His character
00:34:48.67\00:34:51.93
and His attitude toward
me, His feelings, His thoughts
00:34:51.94\00:34:56.51
to the degree that
I harbor any falsehood
00:34:56.52\00:34:59.52
about the character of God.
00:34:59.53\00:35:00.69
To that degree, I will
find myself distant from Him.
00:35:00.70\00:35:07.01
Now I may go to
Church, I may hold an office,
00:35:07.02\00:35:11.03
I may have employment
even in a Christian work,
00:35:11.04\00:35:15.02
I may be a
missionary in the mission field,
00:35:15.03\00:35:16.87
I maybe going
through the motions,
00:35:16.88\00:35:20.68
but listen, it's
possible to be engaged
00:35:20.69\00:35:25.38
in all the external
activities of religiosity
00:35:25.39\00:35:30.24
and disconnected from
God at the heart level
00:35:30.25\00:35:35.32
because quiet frankly, I'm not
totally comfortable with Him.
00:35:35.33\00:35:40.37
Why am I not
comfortable with Him?
00:35:40.38\00:35:41.63
Because I
believe things about Him
00:35:41.64\00:35:43.34
that are not true because
I have distorted concepts
00:35:43.35\00:35:49.19
of Him that lead me
to be dissent, I mean,
00:35:49.20\00:35:51.89
think about it this way,
all relationships work this way,
00:35:51.90\00:35:55.48
all relationships work this way.
00:35:55.49\00:35:57.77
Intimacy is
engaged in to the degree
00:35:57.78\00:36:03.12
that a person feels trust.
00:36:03.13\00:36:05.28
Am I right? Yeah.
00:36:05.29\00:36:07.65
But trust is
predicated on knowing that the
00:36:07.66\00:36:11.19
individual is genuinely good.
00:36:11.20\00:36:14.63
That the person is
trustworthy we might say,
00:36:14.64\00:36:18.03
but even if you
believe I lie about someone,
00:36:18.04\00:36:20.65
let's just say hypothetically
it's not even true.
00:36:20.66\00:36:23.81
One of your, one of
your friends comes by
00:36:23.82\00:36:27.16
one day and
just whispers to you,
00:36:27.17\00:36:28.78
I saw your
husband with another woman
00:36:28.79\00:36:33.20
and it didn't look right.
00:36:33.21\00:36:36.43
Now you don't even
know, if it's true,
00:36:36.44\00:36:38.81
but here is the power
of information, right?
00:36:38.82\00:36:43.56
Immediately what do
you feel in your spirit?
00:36:43.57\00:36:45.70
Especially if you and
your husband, let's say,
00:36:45.71\00:36:47.27
had a bad
argument the day before,
00:36:47.28\00:36:49.93
let's just say
there is some context,
00:36:49.94\00:36:51.55
let's say there is some history,
00:36:51.56\00:36:53.26
and in every marriage there is,
00:36:53.27\00:36:55.24
unless you delude
it. So there is history.
00:36:55.25\00:36:59.95
What is going on
in your spirit now
00:36:59.96\00:37:01.94
when you hear those words?
00:37:01.95\00:37:04.14
Well, there is fear,
there is insecurity, right?
00:37:04.15\00:37:06.89
He comes home
that evening from work
00:37:06.90\00:37:10.07
and is there some
degree of emotional wall
00:37:10.08\00:37:12.65
between even if you
don't know it's true.
00:37:12.66\00:37:14.65
Yes or No?
There are some kind of
00:37:14.66\00:37:16.56
wall there, and then he
just casually says and passing,
00:37:16.57\00:37:19.91
hey, I don't know where I,
I saw my Aunt Millie today.
00:37:19.92\00:37:24.79
Aunt Millie? Yeah!
00:37:24.80\00:37:26.89
How, we're just, I was just got
00:37:26.90\00:37:28.34
and walking down
the street to get lunch,
00:37:28.35\00:37:30.36
out of the office
and there she was,
00:37:30.37\00:37:31.77
I haven't seen it for
years and we began interacting,
00:37:31.78\00:37:34.59
she gave me just the
most affectionate hug,
00:37:34.60\00:37:37.47
I just can't believe.
00:37:37.48\00:37:38.70
Aunt Millie? Yeah, Aunt Millie.
00:37:38.71\00:37:42.26
Why? Nothing.
00:37:42.27\00:37:45.63
The truth shall
set you? Free. Free.
00:37:45.64\00:37:49.55
All of the sudden, what
happens to the emotional wall
00:37:49.56\00:37:51.69
she was feeling.
00:37:51.70\00:37:52.86
It's gone, she
realizes that she had believed
00:37:52.87\00:37:55.84
or was tempted to believe a lie.
00:37:55.85\00:37:58.87
Now to the degree
relationally that we believe
00:37:58.88\00:38:02.07
the truth about
God to that same degree
00:38:02.08\00:38:05.69
we will enter
into intimacy with him.
00:38:05.70\00:38:10.16
Trusting, loyal,
openhearted intimacy,
00:38:10.17\00:38:14.03
now our world is
filled with false conceptions
00:38:14.04\00:38:16.97
of the character of God.
00:38:16.98\00:38:19.18
I want to share
with you a series of
00:38:19.19\00:38:23.15
seven dimensions of
God's love that will have a
00:38:23.16\00:38:28.73
liberating influence
on your heart and mind
00:38:28.74\00:38:31.13
if you believe them.
00:38:31.14\00:38:33.45
A series of how many? Seven.
00:38:33.46\00:38:35.14
Seven, you're
saying, wait a minute,
00:38:35.15\00:38:36.58
I thought it was
almost done a whole seven,
00:38:36.59\00:38:38.95
can't you do three?
00:38:38.96\00:38:39.93
Can you narrow it
down? No! They're seven.
00:38:39.94\00:38:43.16
Actually there is more
and I did narrow it down,
00:38:43.17\00:38:46.96
but you noticed
something in this text in
00:38:46.97\00:38:49.59
Ephesians 3, didn't you?
00:38:49.60\00:38:51.65
You noticed that God's love
is a multidimensional reality.
00:38:51.66\00:38:56.70
Did you see that?
00:38:56.71\00:38:57.89
He prayed that we would
comprehend with all saints,
00:38:57.90\00:39:00.32
what is the-did you catch it?
00:39:00.33\00:39:02.85
The width and the what,
00:39:02.86\00:39:06.01
length and the
depth and the height?
00:39:06.02\00:39:10.34
God's love isn't a
one dimensional reality.
00:39:10.35\00:39:12.52
It's not seeing an
image on a television screen.
00:39:12.53\00:39:16.28
It's not even a
three dimensional reality,
00:39:16.29\00:39:18.60
so that if you
put on 3D glasses,
00:39:18.61\00:39:20.38
have you seen
one of those movies?
00:39:20.39\00:39:23.14
And every thing is
kind of jumping out at you.
00:39:23.15\00:39:25.32
No, God's love
is four dimensional,
00:39:25.33\00:39:28.01
it's multidimensional.
00:39:28.02\00:39:30.40
God's love has a
deep contours and color,
00:39:30.41\00:39:34.69
it's living, it's
a beautiful thing,
00:39:34.70\00:39:37.74
and the more we understand it
00:39:37.75\00:39:39.74
from every conceivable angle,
00:39:39.75\00:39:42.22
the more we will be
liberated in that love.
00:39:42.23\00:39:45.25
So I'm gonna share with you
00:39:45.26\00:39:46.23
seven dimensions of God's love.
00:39:46.24\00:39:47.78
If you're a note taker,
I encourage you to write
00:39:47.79\00:39:49.78
all seven down as fast as
you can and then I'll back up,
00:39:49.79\00:39:52.26
and I'll cover each one.
00:39:52.27\00:39:53.88
Number one, God's
love is universal.
00:39:53.89\00:39:57.21
It's what
everybody? It's universal.
00:39:57.22\00:39:59.28
Number two,
God's love is personal,
00:39:59.29\00:40:01.89
that's the intimacy dimension.
00:40:01.90\00:40:03.90
We'll look at in just a moment.
00:40:03.91\00:40:05.35
Number three,
God's love is pursuing.
00:40:05.36\00:40:08.86
It's after you.
00:40:08.87\00:40:11.22
Number four, God's love is
changeless, it's unalterable.
00:40:11.23\00:40:16.23
Number five, God's
love is non-condemning.
00:40:16.24\00:40:22.13
Number six, God's love is,
and this is just mind boggling.
00:40:22.14\00:40:26.41
God's love is selfless.
00:40:26.42\00:40:30.15
And Number seven,
God's love is empowering.
00:40:30.16\00:40:34.33
It's what
everybody? It's empowering.
00:40:34.34\00:40:37.17
First of all, the universal
dimension of God's love,
00:40:37.18\00:40:41.08
by universal I
mean that God's love is
00:40:41.09\00:40:46.70
total and complete in its
embrace of the human race.
00:40:46.71\00:40:54.13
Everybody is
included nobody is excluded,
00:40:54.14\00:40:56.49
God doesn't love
some and not love others
00:40:56.50\00:41:00.51
as the extreme
forms of Calvinism
00:41:00.52\00:41:03.60
would have us believe.
00:41:03.61\00:41:05.24
That God's love
is limited because
00:41:05.25\00:41:08.86
He from eternity past
chose, whom He would love
00:41:08.87\00:41:13.38
and whom He would not love.
00:41:13.39\00:41:15.71
According to the
Bible, what ought to be
00:41:15.72\00:41:18.49
one of your
favorite Bible verses
00:41:18.50\00:41:20.19
and the one you
should know like your
00:41:20.20\00:41:21.22
social security
number unless you don't know
00:41:21.23\00:41:23.43
your social security number
and then you should know like
00:41:23.44\00:41:25.45
your phone number and
that verses John 3:16,
00:41:25.46\00:41:31.13
notice the
language, for God so loved,
00:41:31.14\00:41:35.72
what are the next
two worlds, words?
00:41:35.73\00:41:37.35
The world, that's the
universal scope of God's love.
00:41:37.36\00:41:41.18
It takes in everybody.
00:41:41.19\00:41:44.44
You have a very narrow
circle as a human being
00:41:44.45\00:41:48.04
of intimate
relationships, right?
00:41:48.05\00:41:51.47
It's very
narrow by comparison to
00:41:51.48\00:41:53.05
God's larger
scope of relationship
00:41:53.06\00:41:57.64
with people, right?
00:41:57.65\00:41:58.65
You know a few
people on an intimate level.
00:41:58.66\00:42:03.73
Beyond that,
it's a lot of names,
00:42:03.74\00:42:08.17
a few faces, you
see people on the news,
00:42:08.18\00:42:13.06
what about the little boy
and his face is indelible edged
00:42:13.07\00:42:17.74
in your mind in
Afghanistan that you saw
00:42:17.75\00:42:21.43
on the news three nights ago.
00:42:21.44\00:42:24.60
What about that
haunting little girl
00:42:24.61\00:42:28.03
with her piercing
blue eyes on the cover of
00:42:28.04\00:42:31.86
National
Geographic back in the 1970s?
00:42:31.87\00:42:35.64
That iconic face, that
eventually after many years,
00:42:35.65\00:42:41.09
National Geographic
went searching for her
00:42:41.10\00:42:43.73
and found her as an adult woman.
00:42:43.74\00:42:46.58
Does God know her
name? Does God his name?
00:42:46.59\00:42:50.23
Yes, and that bring us
to the second dimension
00:42:50.24\00:42:53.50
of God's love, it's personal.
00:42:53.51\00:42:56.03
Not only is God's love
universal taking in all,
00:42:56.04\00:42:59.55
it is personal in the sense
that it is focused on each.
00:42:59.56\00:43:04.47
Now you need to make
sure, I need to make sure
00:43:04.48\00:43:06.51
that we don't allow
the big idea of God's love
00:43:06.52\00:43:10.77
for all to
crowd out the intimate
00:43:10.78\00:43:14.62
idea of God's love for each.
00:43:14.63\00:43:17.20
God knows you, in fact,
00:43:17.21\00:43:18.81
when you woke up this morning,
00:43:18.82\00:43:21.03
it was probably a
slow process of coming to
00:43:21.04\00:43:26.26
consciousness of
your surroundings
00:43:26.27\00:43:28.12
and if you're
like me, I travel a lot
00:43:28.13\00:43:30.38
is the weirdest thing
in the world to wake up
00:43:30.39\00:43:32.57
and for the first few seconds,
00:43:32.58\00:43:34.79
wonder, okay, where am I?
00:43:34.80\00:43:38.93
Oho, okay, and all of
the sudden you realize,
00:43:38.94\00:43:41.88
I mean, this city at this hotel
00:43:41.89\00:43:44.55
and you get your
bearings and you get out
00:43:44.56\00:43:46.53
on the right side of the
bed or the side you happened
00:43:46.54\00:43:49.70
to be closest to
and you know what to do.
00:43:49.71\00:43:53.79
It's a slow process waking up,
00:43:53.80\00:43:55.50
but I want you to
know something that
00:43:55.51\00:43:56.80
according to
scripture God is hyperconscious
00:43:56.81\00:44:01.93
of you every nano
second of the day.
00:44:01.94\00:44:04.69
In your first few
seconds of consciousness
00:44:04.70\00:44:06.82
as you open your
eyes in the morning,
00:44:06.83\00:44:09.15
His eyes are upon your face.
00:44:09.16\00:44:12.60
The first time that you
crack a smile in the day,
00:44:12.61\00:44:17.01
He is elated and
He is perfectly aware
00:44:17.02\00:44:19.82
of whatever it is
that made you happy.
00:44:19.83\00:44:22.42
The first time in
the day that you feel
00:44:22.43\00:44:24.46
a sense of frustration
00:44:24.47\00:44:28.37
or maybe your eyes
well up with tears.
00:44:28.38\00:44:32.01
The Bible says, he
collects those tears
00:44:32.02\00:44:34.29
discard in a bottle.
00:44:34.30\00:44:36.96
He has them all
numbered which is a beautiful,
00:44:36.97\00:44:39.77
biblical poetic
way of saying that
00:44:39.78\00:44:42.27
God takes note of
every tear you ever shed
00:44:42.28\00:44:45.58
and he knows the
emotional condition
00:44:45.59\00:44:48.22
that brought forth those tears.
00:44:48.23\00:44:50.41
He collects them in a bottle.
00:44:50.42\00:44:52.70
So God's love is universal,
but it's also very personal
00:44:52.71\00:44:59.69
and this is
because love by nature.
00:44:59.70\00:45:03.67
Now follow carefully,
love by nature is not,
00:45:03.68\00:45:08.25
how can I say this?
00:45:08.26\00:45:09.23
It is not a divisible quantity,
00:45:09.24\00:45:13.17
it's not a divisible sum,
it is a exponential quality.
00:45:13.18\00:45:21.00
Did you catch that?
00:45:21.01\00:45:22.33
Love is not
divisible, it's exponential.
00:45:22.34\00:45:26.00
Let me illustrate
how this works, okay.
00:45:26.01\00:45:28.04
Let's just say for example
that you have ten children.
00:45:28.05\00:45:32.44
The first question
of course would be,
00:45:32.45\00:45:33.94
why did you do that to yourself?
00:45:33.95\00:45:36.65
The second
question however would be,
00:45:36.66\00:45:39.18
do you know all of
their names? Do you?
00:45:39.19\00:45:42.52
Yes, I mean, if you
take the illustration too far
00:45:42.53\00:45:47.36
you'd lose track and you
have to start assigning numbers
00:45:47.37\00:45:49.83
and just throwing spaghetti
00:45:49.84\00:45:51.47
on the middle of
the table and saying,
00:45:51.48\00:45:52.83
come and get it because we
are finite as human beings.
00:45:52.84\00:45:57.98
But tens are a good
number, you have ten children.
00:45:57.99\00:46:01.57
You know all of their names,
but here's the real question.
00:46:01.58\00:46:04.10
Do you love each
one of them? Yes.
00:46:04.11\00:46:06.91
Question, do you
love each one of the ten
00:46:06.92\00:46:09.90
with a 10% strength
love because, I mean,
00:46:09.91\00:46:14.18
there is only a
100% to go around,
00:46:14.19\00:46:15.83
so 10% for you, 10 for you,
00:46:15.84\00:46:17.75
10, is love divisible?
00:46:17.76\00:46:19.85
No, you don't love
each one of the ten
00:46:19.86\00:46:23.67
with 10% of your love,
you love each one of the ten
00:46:23.68\00:46:26.47
with 100% of your love.
00:46:26.48\00:46:31.72
So the human heart
has the capacity to love
00:46:31.73\00:46:35.23
more than one person with
all the love you have to give.
00:46:35.24\00:46:41.17
Yes or No? Yes.
It's exponential.
00:46:41.18\00:46:45.27
What God's love
is just like that,
00:46:45.28\00:46:47.65
but on an infinite scale?
00:46:47.66\00:46:50.33
He literally knows
every person by name,
00:46:50.34\00:46:53.09
each person's history,
00:46:53.10\00:46:54.25
every thing
that's ever touched them
00:46:54.26\00:46:56.94
and he loves each one
get this as if he was along
00:46:56.95\00:47:02.35
with that
individual in the universe.
00:47:02.36\00:47:04.92
God loves every person as
if they were the only person
00:47:04.93\00:47:08.81
in all the universe to love.
00:47:08.82\00:47:11.53
His love is universal and
it's embraced in its scope,
00:47:11.54\00:47:15.80
and it is
personal, very personal,
00:47:15.81\00:47:19.97
it's intimate, it's
hyperaware of the individual.
00:47:19.98\00:47:23.81
Now the third
dimension of God's love
00:47:23.82\00:47:26.80
is a favorite of mine
because I experienced it
00:47:26.81\00:47:30.48
and I was very aware of
the fact that I experienced it.
00:47:30.49\00:47:32.74
God's love is pursuing
or we might say pursuant.
00:47:32.75\00:47:38.54
God's love is
chasing you. He's after you.
00:47:38.55\00:47:43.80
Psalm Chapter 23, you
know, Psalm 23, right?
00:47:43.81\00:47:47.57
The Lord is my
Shepherd, I shall not want.
00:47:47.58\00:47:50.33
He makes me lie
down in green pastors
00:47:50.34\00:47:52.09
and it goes on and
then it comes to the end
00:47:52.10\00:47:54.14
to the climax of the song.
00:47:54.15\00:47:55.82
Surely goodness and mercy,
the word there is he said,
00:47:55.83\00:47:59.67
the Old Testament ought
for love, unfailing love.
00:47:59.68\00:48:02.68
Surely goodness and love shall,
00:48:02.69\00:48:06.07
do you know the rest?
00:48:06.08\00:48:07.20
Follow me all
the days of my life.
00:48:07.21\00:48:10.53
I mean, you and I,
00:48:10.54\00:48:11.58
we are in His
sights and He is after us.
00:48:11.59\00:48:17.15
He's pursuing us, He pursued me.
00:48:17.16\00:48:20.53
And finally, got hold of me
00:48:20.54\00:48:23.52
as a young man
of 18 years of age.
00:48:23.53\00:48:26.69
He'd been pursuing me all along,
00:48:26.70\00:48:29.86
but I only became
aware of it, when I was 18.
00:48:29.87\00:48:33.25
Then I turned to him as it were,
00:48:33.26\00:48:35.71
I was running and
then suddenly I stopped
00:48:35.72\00:48:39.34
and I turned around
and bumped into him.
00:48:39.35\00:48:41.90
He was running break
neck sprint toward me
00:48:41.91\00:48:48.02
and finally got hold of me.
00:48:48.03\00:48:49.81
Number four is changeless.
God's love is changeless.
00:48:49.82\00:48:52.30
What does that mean?
00:48:52.31\00:48:53.76
Well, God's love is unalterable,
00:48:53.77\00:48:56.06
think of it this way.
00:48:56.07\00:48:57.77
The Bible says in Jeremiah 31:3,
00:48:57.78\00:49:00.44
"Yes, I have loved
You with what kind,
00:49:00.45\00:49:02.69
what quality of
love, you know the,
00:49:02.70\00:49:04.16
you know, the
modifying word there
00:49:04.17\00:49:06.43
and everlasting
love, that's right.
00:49:06.44\00:49:08.70
I have loved You with a
certain quality of love.
00:49:08.71\00:49:12.05
It's a love that is everlasting,
00:49:12.06\00:49:14.51
change that around
for what does that mean,
00:49:14.52\00:49:15.87
if it's everlasting, it means,
00:49:15.88\00:49:17.21
it last for ever, right?
00:49:17.22\00:49:20.23
It doesn't have any
edges, no ceiling, no floor,
00:49:20.24\00:49:23.69
you can't, don't
misunderstand me,
00:49:23.70\00:49:26.74
you can't sin yourself.
00:49:26.75\00:49:28.82
Yes, I am. You
can't sin yourself
00:49:28.83\00:49:30.56
out of the
parameters of God's love.
00:49:30.57\00:49:33.77
There is nothing you can
do to make Him love you less.
00:49:33.78\00:49:38.22
By logical extension
there is nothing you can do
00:49:38.23\00:49:40.03
to make Him
love you more because
00:49:40.04\00:49:42.36
He already loves you
with a totality of His love,
00:49:42.37\00:49:45.38
with all His heart.
00:49:45.39\00:49:47.16
God's love is everlasting.
00:49:47.17\00:49:48.39
James 1:17 says, that with
Him there is no variableness.
00:49:48.40\00:49:55.03
Not even a shadow of turning.
00:49:55.04\00:49:57.64
He doesn't change, He
is the same yesterday,
00:49:57.65\00:49:59.68
today, and forever.
00:49:59.69\00:50:01.64
In Malachi 3,
you know this verse,
00:50:01.65\00:50:04.01
no doubt where he says, I
am the Lord, I change not.
00:50:04.02\00:50:07.42
That's sounds pretty immutable,
00:50:07.43\00:50:09.17
pretty immovable, but you know
00:50:09.18\00:50:10.29
the rest of the
verse, have you ever looked?
00:50:10.30\00:50:12.53
I am the Lord I change not,
00:50:12.54\00:50:15.04
therefore you are not consumed.
00:50:15.05\00:50:18.87
What's he saying?
00:50:18.88\00:50:20.71
If I were to change
my attitude towards you,
00:50:20.72\00:50:25.35
you would be
annihilated in an instant.
00:50:25.36\00:50:27.67
I love you with a
love that never changes
00:50:27.68\00:50:30.97
and your rebellion and your sin
00:50:30.98\00:50:32.88
can't even alter
my heart towards you.
00:50:32.89\00:50:35.31
God is not dependent
00:50:35.32\00:50:36.86
on external
circumstances to love.
00:50:36.87\00:50:41.40
God is love and He loves
you and me with all His heart.
00:50:41.41\00:50:44.62
Number five is that
God's love is non-condemning,
00:50:44.63\00:50:47.50
back to John 3:16,
"For God so loved the world,
00:50:47.51\00:50:52.19
that He gave His
only begotten Son,
00:50:52.20\00:50:54.24
that whosoever believeth
in Him should not perish,
00:50:54.25\00:50:56.04
but have everlasting life."
00:50:56.05\00:50:57.30
But then verse 17
actually defines that love.
00:50:57.31\00:51:02.43
"For God did not send
His Son into the world
00:51:02.44\00:51:05.00
to condemn the
world, but that the world
00:51:05.01\00:51:08.14
through Him might be saved."
00:51:08.15\00:51:10.73
So grammatically the
word love in verse 16
00:51:10.74\00:51:14.96
is modified or defined
by the lack of condemnation
00:51:14.97\00:51:19.40
in verse 17.
00:51:19.41\00:51:21.28
"For God so loved the world that
00:51:21.29\00:51:23.59
He didn't condemned you.''
00:51:23.60\00:51:25.16
He could have by all rights,
but He simply profoundly,
00:51:25.17\00:51:29.74
chooses not to.
00:51:29.75\00:51:32.33
Could God hold us
accountable for our sins,
00:51:32.34\00:51:34.56
if we win His heart to do so?
00:51:34.57\00:51:36.02
Could He just
call us to account?
00:51:36.03\00:51:38.16
Yes, but the Apostle Paul says,
00:51:38.17\00:51:42.45
that if any man is in
Christ, he is a new creature,
00:51:42.46\00:51:45.61
"Old things are
passed away, behold,
00:51:45.62\00:51:47.04
all things are become new
and all things are of God,
00:51:47.05\00:51:49.54
who has reconciled
us to himself through
00:51:49.55\00:51:52.24
His Son Jesus
Christ and has given to us
00:51:52.25\00:51:55.07
the ministry of
reconciliation to it that God
00:51:55.08\00:51:59.37
was in Christ reconciling
the world to Himself." How?
00:51:59.38\00:52:04.52
Not imputing their
trespasses onto them
00:52:04.53\00:52:10.20
or New International Version,
00:52:10.21\00:52:12.90
not counting
men's sins against them.
00:52:12.91\00:52:16.73
How does God reconcile
us? How does He save us?
00:52:16.74\00:52:19.74
By not counting
our sins against us,
00:52:19.75\00:52:22.38
by choosing not to condemn us.
00:52:22.39\00:52:24.45
First John
Chapter 3 verse 20 says,
00:52:24.46\00:52:26.38
if your heart
condemns you and will it? Yes.
00:52:26.39\00:52:31.92
Do you feel this
stink of guilt and shame?
00:52:31.93\00:52:33.80
Yes. John says, if
your heart condemns you,
00:52:33.81\00:52:38.19
God is greater than your heart
00:52:38.20\00:52:40.04
and He knows
everything that is to say,
00:52:40.05\00:52:42.42
He knows everything about
you and He still loves you.
00:52:42.43\00:52:47.43
His love supersedes
your guilt and shame.
00:52:47.44\00:52:51.36
Number six,
God's love is selfless.
00:52:51.37\00:52:55.39
This is amazing,
if you think about it.
00:52:55.40\00:52:57.78
God is the only
person in the whole universe
00:52:57.79\00:53:02.86
who literally has
proved in a demonstration,
00:53:02.87\00:53:09.17
a living demonstration
that He loves all others
00:53:09.18\00:53:11.99
above and before Himself.
00:53:12.00\00:53:14.32
Chapter 9 and verse
26 of Hebrew says that,
00:53:14.33\00:53:16.65
"He appeared once at
the end of the world,
00:53:16.66\00:53:20.27
get this, to do away with sin
00:53:20.28\00:53:23.34
by the sacrifice of Him self."
00:53:23.35\00:53:27.20
How does God save you and me?
00:53:27.21\00:53:29.32
By self sacrifice.
00:53:29.33\00:53:31.95
We don't witness a
pageant sacrifice at the cross.
00:53:31.96\00:53:35.02
This isn't a third
party whipping boy.
00:53:35.03\00:53:37.54
This isn't God wanting
His wrath on someone else.
00:53:37.55\00:53:41.13
This is God
absorbing your sin and mine,
00:53:41.14\00:53:44.73
and giving Himself to suffer
the consequences of our sin.
00:53:44.74\00:53:50.71
This is God loving you and me
00:53:50.72\00:53:53.01
to the nth degree
of self sacrifice.
00:53:53.02\00:53:58.72
He hung upon the
cross in Mark Chapter 15,
00:53:58.73\00:54:01.81
and they said, marking Him.
00:54:01.82\00:54:03.66
"He saved others
Himself He cannot save."
00:54:03.67\00:54:08.89
If you are the Son of
God, come down from the cross
00:54:08.90\00:54:10.80
and save yourself.
00:54:10.81\00:54:14.63
Three times that
marking chant was hurled at Him.
00:54:14.64\00:54:19.86
Save yourself, save
yourself, save yourself,
00:54:19.87\00:54:24.26
and prove that you
are the Son of God.
00:54:24.27\00:54:26.46
But the irony and
the paradox says that
00:54:26.47\00:54:31.00
in choosing not to save Himself,
00:54:31.01\00:54:34.21
He proved that He
is the Son of God.
00:54:34.22\00:54:37.97
But remaining on the
cross, Jesus proved that
00:54:37.98\00:54:43.55
He loves you and me
more than His own life.
00:54:43.56\00:54:46.89
And do you know what
that does for you and me?
00:54:46.90\00:54:49.27
If you're really comprehended,
it arouses a response.
00:54:49.28\00:54:54.49
It arouses an outreaching
adoring worshipping response.
00:54:54.50\00:54:59.65
It causes us to say
wow, if God loves me
00:54:59.66\00:55:03.01
like that I can't
help, but love Him in return.
00:55:03.02\00:55:07.94
First John 4:19
says, "We love Him
00:55:07.95\00:55:10.62
for only one reason
because He first loved us."
00:55:10.63\00:55:16.43
His love is primary.
00:55:16.44\00:55:18.32
We don't have any natural love
to muster up and give to Him.
00:55:18.33\00:55:25.13
We love Him only
because He first loved us
00:55:25.14\00:55:28.79
and His love as a
creative force has aroused
00:55:28.80\00:55:33.45
and recreated in us a
responsive love to Him,
00:55:33.46\00:55:39.58
which brings us to
the seventh dimension
00:55:39.59\00:55:41.67
of God's multifaceted love.
00:55:41.68\00:55:45.22
It is empowering.
00:55:45.23\00:55:48.73
You know Second Corinthians
Chapter 5 verse 14, I'm sure.
00:55:48.74\00:55:54.42
Think about it in our
context right know though.
00:55:54.43\00:55:58.17
Where the Apostle Paul
says, the love of Christ,
00:55:58.18\00:56:03.31
first let's do the King
James Version, constraineth us.
00:56:03.32\00:56:08.95
King James Version,
New King James Version,
00:56:08.96\00:56:11.65
the love of Christ
compels us, Amplified Version,
00:56:11.66\00:56:16.44
the love of Christ urges us on.
00:56:16.45\00:56:20.64
The idea here is that God's
love is the empowering factor
00:56:20.65\00:56:26.54
in our spiritual experience.
00:56:26.55\00:56:28.54
God's love awakens in
us a new energy and power
00:56:28.55\00:56:34.88
that we've never known before,
00:56:34.89\00:56:35.96
a moral power and energy
we've never known before.
00:56:35.97\00:56:38.66
He says the love of
Christ compels us to
00:56:38.67\00:56:42.31
seize living for ourselves
and to begin living for Him
00:56:42.32\00:56:44.60
who died for us and rouse again,
00:56:44.61\00:56:47.37
but my favorite empowering
statement in scripture is
00:56:47.38\00:56:51.14
Galatians 5:6, where we are told
00:56:51.15\00:56:55.36
that faith works by love.
00:56:55.37\00:57:00.47
And the word works there
is the word Energeo, energy.
00:57:00.48\00:57:05.04
Paul literally says that
faith is energized by love.
00:57:05.05\00:57:12.36
My friends, we this morning
and throughout this series
00:57:12.37\00:57:16.75
have been spending
our time in an effort
00:57:16.76\00:57:19.41
to encounter God's love,
not for the sake of theory,
00:57:19.42\00:57:24.57
but so that it would
impact our hearts and life.
00:57:24.58\00:57:27.84