Participants: John Lomacang
Series Code: ASHF
Program Code: ASHF000013
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00:20 Hello, friends.
00:21 Welcome to another Wednesday night edition 00:23 of A Sharper Focus here in the Midwest 00:26 at 3ABN here in little town of Thompsonville 00:30 at our 3ABN worship center. 00:32 Also, the place where Thompsonville 00:34 has its Seventh-day Adventist Church. 00:35 Thank you for tuning in tonight. 00:37 We hope you have your Bibles, your syllabus, 00:40 your friends, your family members, 00:42 if there are people walking around your house say, join me. 00:45 Have a seat for the next hour, 00:47 we're gonna be walking through the Word of God together 00:48 on the topic that we've been covering 00:50 for a number of weeks, 00:51 "How to live a spiritual life in a natural body?" 00:55 That's what God has called us to do 00:57 until we get a spiritual body. 00:58 When He comes right now we just have a natural body. 01:01 We also like to encourage 01:03 if you like a copy of the lesson 01:04 go to our website. 01:06 Don't put www. It's ASF.3abn.org 01:10 that's A Sharper Focus, ASF.3abn.org 01:14 Download the lesson 01:16 and tonight you should have lesson 005 01:19 but there is also 006 which we may get too tonight. 01:23 So get yourself ready. 01:24 If you're one of those techie people, 01:26 you can download it on your iPad 01:28 and follow along with us. 01:29 But before we do anything else 01:31 we always invite the presence of God. 01:33 Let's bow our heads for prayer. 01:35 Our gracious Father in heaven, we thank You, Lord, 01:36 for the opportunity of opening Your word 01:39 putting before us the bread of life. 01:42 We do ask, Father, that Your Holy Spirit will come 01:44 and be our teacher tonight. 01:46 We do know that in this world 01:48 we have trials and tribulation. 01:49 We have temptations on every side 01:52 but because we are Your children 01:53 we want to live successful and victorious Christian lives. 01:57 Teach us, Father, tonight, 01:58 make it clear in our hearts and our minds. 02:01 In Jesus' name we pray, amen. 02:03 Amen. 02:05 I'm gonna say good evening to Thompsonville. 02:06 Good evening, everyone. 02:07 Good evening. Good to have you here. 02:09 We're gonna sing tonight 02:10 and those of you who know the song 02:11 you can join us. 02:13 It's gonna be on our screen 02:14 locally here. It's entitled "Change My Heart O God" 02:17 which is, in fact, what the Lord will do 02:20 as He gets us ready for that spiritual walk. 02:22 Let's sing that song together tonight. 02:28 And raise your voices to the glory of God. 02:36 Change my heart oh, God 02:42 Make it ever true 02:48 Change my heart oh, God 02:54 May I be like You 03:00 You are the potter 03:05 I am the clay 03:11 Mold me and make me 03:16 This is what I pray 03:22 Change my heart oh God 03:28 Make it ever true 03:33 Change my heart oh God 03:39 May I be like You 03:42 Key change. 03:45 Change my heart oh, God 03:51 Make it ever true 03:56 Change my heart oh, God 04:02 May I be like You 04:06 You are the potter. 04:09 You are the potter 04:14 I am the clay 04:20 Mold me and make me 04:25 This is what I pray 04:31 Change my heart oh, God 04:36 Make it ever true 04:42 Change my heart oh, God 04:48 May I be like You 04:51 May I be. 04:54 May I be like You 05:06 Amen. Amen. 05:07 That's our prayer. 05:08 That is the prayer 05:10 when Jeremiah talked about how He is the potter, 05:14 God is the potter we are the clay. 05:17 And David prayed, 05:18 "Create in me a clean heart O God 05:21 and renew a right spirit within me." 05:24 Now before we can live righteous Christian lives 05:27 we've got to have a new heart, we've got to have a new mind, 05:31 we've got to have power from a different source. 05:34 And so this Christian life-- I was thinking today 05:38 when I was putting this together. 05:41 For those of you who are transcribing this program 05:43 you have a difficult time because New Yorkers 05:45 stop in the middle of a sentence 05:46 when another thought comes to the surface. 05:48 But I was thinking about this topic 05:50 about how to live a spiritual life 05:52 in a natural body and I thought to myself, 05:54 everybody that's watching the program, 05:56 the local audience those are listening 05:58 to the program on radio, 05:59 everyone of us is in two categories. 06:02 We-- if we've given ourselves to Christ 06:04 we have a spiritual commitment but we have a natural body. 06:08 Say that with me, we have a what kind of commitment? 06:10 Spiritual commitment. Spiritual commitment. 06:12 What kind of body? 06:13 Natural body. Natural body. 06:15 So every one of us in the place 06:17 where we need the answer of how to live a spiritual life 06:20 in this natural body. 06:22 Well, we did last lesson, I want to begin tonight 06:24 with a comparison because we talked 06:26 about the attributes 06:28 that separate the first Adam from the last Adam. 06:31 The last Adam being Christ. 06:33 Now for those of us 06:34 who are children of the first Adam 06:36 let me give you a story. 06:37 We had a baptism this Sabbath, 06:39 couple of baptisms as a matter of fact, 06:41 and one of our children that go to our school, 06:45 I won't mention the name. 06:48 I was studying with her again after her baptism on Monday. 06:51 We were going through our lessons and she said, 06:54 "Guess what, Pastor John?" 06:55 I said, "Well, what?" 06:57 She says, "On Friday I was a child of Adam 07:01 but it's Monday now I'm a child of God." 07:04 Amen. Amen. 07:05 Ten-years-old, and I thought no adult has said that to me. 07:10 So that is, in fact, the case. 07:12 When we give our lives to Jesus, 07:13 when we are baptized we enter the family. 07:16 We leave the Adam's family. 07:17 Remember that years ago the Adam's family? 07:20 Matter of fact, I did this sermon many years ago, 07:21 I called it the Adam's family and the question was 07:24 which Adam's family member are you? 07:26 The last Adam or the first Adam? 07:28 But I want to begin with this slide 07:31 after our title slide, "How to be Alive to God" 07:34 Last week we compared 07:37 the first Adam to the last Adam. 07:39 So being alive to God is significant. 07:41 Look at the slide, it appears on our screen 07:44 how to be Alive to God. 07:45 And I want you to notice as I walk through this 07:47 very, very quickly. 07:48 If you look at the left column you will see that in Adam 07:51 every one of is Dead In Sin. 07:55 You see that. 07:56 In Jesus, we are Dead, say that with me To Sin. 08:01 In Adam, we are Earthly. 08:04 In Christ, we are Heavenly. 08:06 In Adam, we are Natural. 08:08 In Christ, we are Spiritual. 08:11 In Adam, we are Corruptible. 08:13 In Christ, we are Incorruptible. 08:16 In Adam, we are Mortal. 08:17 In Christ, we will be Immortal. 08:20 Now the last two, the last two lines 08:23 are very important because right now 08:27 these things are true and this is amazing. 08:29 The last two lines, the corruptible, incorruptible, 08:31 mortal, immortal, 08:34 incorruptible and immortal is yet to happen. 08:38 Right now we are spiritual 08:39 but we still have a mind that is corruptible. 08:43 That is in fact, if we don't allow 08:46 the right things to enter into our minds 08:48 our minds are naturally corruptible. 08:52 They naturally lean in the direction 08:55 of our sinful flesh. 08:57 So we have to be very, very careful that the things 08:59 we allow to come into our minds 09:01 don't allow these natural minds 09:02 to become more and more corrupt. 09:06 That's the natural part of our spiritual walk. 09:09 The other thing that is part of our spiritual walk 09:10 is we are still mortal. 09:12 What's that word? Mortal. 09:13 You know that means? We're still gonna die. 09:17 We are gonna die a physical death. 09:19 Everyone, and this is sobering thought 09:21 unless everybody, unless somebody-- 09:24 well, let me make it very clear. 09:26 Everybody in this room today in about 100 years 09:28 we'll be dead. 09:29 Isn't that sad? 09:33 Man, that's sad. 09:35 Why did I say that? 09:38 That's the mortal fact. 09:41 We are-- what's, somebody once said 09:43 the mortality rate is 100 percent. 09:46 Meaning everybody that's ever lived is going to what? 09:48 Die. 09:50 Except for the few and, you know, 09:51 don't get theological on me right now. 09:53 But every one of us is destined to die. 09:55 There is a spot some place in the ground 09:57 that we are going to end up. 09:59 That's why I'm looking forward to the immortal. 10:02 Amen. Amen. 10:03 And then one day we are gonna be in a society 10:05 where there is nothing that could corrupt our minds. 10:07 We are gonna have an incorruptible mind. 10:09 Perfect made after the similitude of Christ. 10:12 His character is gonna be completely reproduced in us 10:15 so therefore we will never have to worry about 10:17 being in a corrupt environment. 10:18 But that's yet to come. Amen. 10:21 But there is something that we must do 10:22 and tonight I want to go to question number eight. 10:24 Question number eight is our next question for tonight. 10:26 If you have your syllabus, if you've downloaded that 10:28 from ASF.3abn.org 10:31 question number eight is where we are right now. 10:33 And in order for our minds to stay incorruptible. 10:38 Now let me just mention this. 10:39 I mentioned a moment ago that one day 10:41 we are going to have incorruptible minds, right. 10:43 Yes. 10:45 But that doesn't mean that 10:46 we have to put corruptible things 10:47 in our minds right now. 10:49 That doesn't mean that we have to furnish our minds 10:51 with things that keep it corrupt. 10:54 So we have a mind that can be corrupted. 10:56 So we have to make sure that we don't put things 10:58 in it that will corrupt it. 10:59 In other words, 11:02 my wife had a flat tire on her truck. 11:05 She had two in one day. 11:08 You know, how that happened? 11:09 Because tires can get flat. 11:13 Now if she drove to work in a Sherman tank 11:16 and drove over pieces of glass, it would do nothing 11:19 because the Sherman tank could handle glass and nails 11:21 without any problem. 11:23 But the most expensive tires can get punctured. 11:29 Here's my point, no matter how spiritual you are 11:32 until Jesus changes your mind permanently, 11:36 your mind is susceptible to being corrupted. 11:39 That's a fact. 11:41 All it takes is one glimpse, it takes one thought, 11:44 it takes exposing yourself to something 11:46 that you should not have heard, 11:48 should not have seen, 11:49 a place you should not have gone. 11:51 Something you should not have done. 11:52 All it takes is to expose yourself 11:54 to the wrong thing. 11:55 It's kind of like dropping a small-- 11:58 has this ever happened to you before? 11:59 Have you ever had a really nice cold drink 12:02 and it was a summer day and you turned around 12:04 and a fly landed in your drink? 12:08 Now for most of us we would get ourselves 12:10 a fresh drink, right. 12:12 I know very few people 12:14 that will fish that fly out and say, 12:15 "Hey, let's keep on drinking." 12:18 But the most part we will say, man alive. 12:20 And you say, you don't need a whole lot of flies 12:22 to corrupt it. 12:24 And so we have to make sure 12:25 that our minds are furnished with those things 12:28 that are gonna keep it as pure as possible. 12:31 Like in my garage 12:32 I have two, one gallon plastic bottles of motor oil 12:38 and I check my motor oil in my car periodically 12:41 to see what color it is. 12:43 The darker it is that means I need to get what? 12:45 New oil. An oil change. 12:48 In the very same way if we do things 12:51 that lean towards the darkness of this world 12:54 we need a spiritual oil change. 12:56 So the spiritual oil change will happen 12:58 by the things we put in our minds. 13:00 That's the practical aspects of what we are talking about. 13:02 So let's look at question number eight, 13:05 it lays the foundation. 13:06 Here it is. 13:07 "Why should making godly choices be 13:09 delightful to the Christian?" 13:11 "Why should making godly choices be 13:14 delightful to the Christian?" 13:17 We're gonna look at Romans 6:6. 13:20 You all know it's gonna be on the screen 13:22 but if you're gonna turn your Bibles you can. 13:24 Here's the first part. It's a three parter. 13:26 Actually a four parter. Wow, high-tech. 13:29 Here we go, first part. 13:31 It says, "Knowing this, that our old man was" what? 13:35 Crucified. 13:36 "Crucified with Him," that is with Christ. 13:38 "That the body of sin might be" what? 13:41 "Done away with, 13:43 that we should no longer be" what? 13:45 Slaves. "Slaves to sin." 13:47 So why should making godly choices be 13:49 delightful to the Christian? 13:50 So that we are no longer slaves. 13:53 I mean, who wants to be a slave? 13:56 No one. 13:58 Say it again. 14:00 To God. Slaves to God. 14:03 I'm not too crazy about the word slaves, excuse me. 14:06 I rather the word servant. 14:09 Come one somebody say amen to that. 14:10 It's just for whatever reason 14:11 it doesn't have a right connotation. 14:13 But let me tell you why it's used in the Bible 14:14 because lot of people may say, 14:16 "Well, why is that in the Bible?" 14:17 It's not supporting slavery 14:19 as it's known in the human history. 14:21 It is saying, when you are connected to Christ 14:24 the choices that you are making are actually controlled 14:27 by the person you are connected to. 14:29 That's what the word slaves mean. 14:31 So when we willingly connect ourselves to Christ 14:34 our choices were first His choices. 14:39 Our desires were first His desires. 14:43 As the slave has no control over his or her direction, 14:46 so also the one who is connected to the Master, 14:50 He is our Master. 14:51 Jesus is our Master. 14:53 When we are in a loving, 14:54 victorious Christian relationship 14:57 our good actions are first born in the mind of Christ. 15:02 That's what that slave, Master relationship 15:04 is really all about. 15:06 So first of all, the reason why it should be delightful to is 15:08 it says, "so that we should no longer be slaves" to what? 15:11 "To sin." "To sin," okay. 15:12 So that first of all, in Roman 6:6 15:15 that "We should no longer be slaves to sin." 15:16 That's the answer for that one. 15:18 Now let's look at the next one Romans 6:11. 15:22 And there is a reason why I leave out the middle verses 15:23 because they come up later on in the lesson. 15:25 Sometimes people say, 15:26 just read the whole thing through. 15:28 I know you are thinking, I could hear you. 15:29 Here we go Romans 6:11. 15:32 Together, it says, "Likewise you also, 15:37 reckon yourselves to be" what? 15:39 "Dead indeed to sin, 15:40 but alive to God in Christ Jesus our Lord." 15:45 The second reason why it should be delightful 15:47 for us to make Christian choices or good choices 15:50 is that it makes us alive to God. 15:54 Say that gain. 15:56 Alive to God. Alive to God. 15:57 Now before I go to the next one 15:59 this is a really important scripture. 16:00 I did a lot of study on this verse alone. 16:02 There is a lot that this verse says 16:05 that I don't want you to miss. 16:09 If you simply reckon yourselves dead, 16:13 you know, that is like saying, "Okay." 16:16 Here's my illustration. 16:18 "I'm not gonna sin. I'm not gonna lie. 16:20 I'm not gonna cheat. I'm not gonna murder. 16:22 I'm not gonna-- 16:24 I'm not going to, I'm dead to that. 16:25 I'm dead to that. I'm dead to that." 16:28 You are corpse, you are living in death. 16:31 You haven't got, you are only living into the, 16:33 into the "what I'm not going to do" category. 16:36 So you are saying, 16:38 "Okay, I'm dead to sin, I'm dead to that. 16:39 I'm dead to that. I'm dead to that." 16:41 But death was the beginning of the process. 16:45 There is the burial and then there is the newness of life. 16:48 So when it says reckon yourselves 16:51 to be dead to sin, that is an intellectual thing 16:54 but it doesn't stay there. 16:56 If it's only in your head it's like a person saying, 16:59 "I know I could jump across that. 17:00 I know I could jump across that opening. 17:02 I could, no, I could jump across the..." 17:04 You're just standing there, you are saying you know 17:05 you could do but did you do it yet? 17:07 No. 17:08 It's like saying "I know I can make the shot. 17:09 I know I can make the shot." 17:11 This is my basketball terminology. 17:12 I know I can make the shot but until you shoot it 17:13 you will never know. 17:15 See reckoning yourselves to be dead 17:16 is simply severing yourself from the things 17:19 that you used to do. 17:20 But that's not the end of it. 17:22 The rest of it says, 17:23 you can't stop at the dead to sin part, 17:27 you have to get to the place 17:28 where you are alive to God, right. 17:30 Amen. 17:32 So there are so many people that I know-- 17:33 you know, why this is important? 17:35 Let me just really illustrate this. 17:39 There are those that live a sour Christian existence. 17:44 You know why? 17:45 Because they spend all their time 17:47 condemning people that do what they used to do. 17:51 They avoid people that do what they used to do. 17:56 Now while Jesus did not hang around people 17:59 that were sinful to become sinful. 18:03 He was an ambassador. 18:04 He was a heavenly ambassador. 18:06 No, I'm not saying to hang around people 18:08 that do things 18:09 that will cause you to fall or tremble or slip 18:12 but here's the point. 18:14 If you are only living the life 18:15 where "I don't do this, I don't do that," 18:17 you are a very unhappy person to be around. 18:22 And then what happens is you begin to be self righteous. 18:25 Remember the Pharisees prayer? 18:27 What did he pray? 18:29 "Thank God, that I'm not like other men." 18:34 They do that, I don't that. They do, I don't do. 18:37 "I pay tithe, well, I fast twice a week. 18:40 Man alive, I'm just not-- I'm not like that guy." 18:46 What did the publican say? 18:48 "Be merciful to me a sinner." 18:51 They don't look at it. Exactly. 18:53 Don't just look at yourself and say, "I don't do." 18:55 And there is so many of us that have this, 18:57 don't, don't, don't, don't, don't category. 18:59 But sometimes what it does, it creates a barrier between us 19:02 and our other brothers and sisters 19:04 in other places in other walks of life, 19:05 in other spiritual denominations, 19:07 in other churches that are still growing 19:11 like we are still growing. 19:12 And they may not know all that we know. 19:15 But here's the key. 19:16 Be very careful because "to whom much is given, much is required." 19:21 So make sure this part, 19:22 it doesn't say just reckon yourselves to be dead. 19:24 Don't say, I don't do that anymore. 19:25 I don't smoke anymore. 19:27 I don't watch those movies anymore. 19:28 I don't watch these on the internet. 19:29 I don't go to these places anymore. 19:31 If that's all that our new life is comprised of then, 19:33 man, what do you do? 19:36 So people say, 19:37 so what do you want-- What can you do? 19:40 And that very thought was planted in the mind of Eve 19:42 when Satan said, 19:44 "Has God really said that 19:45 you cannot eat of every tree of the garden." 19:47 He was in essence saying is there anything you can do? 19:49 Has God prohibited you from doing anything? 19:52 So don't just reckon yourself to be dead 19:54 but you have to have 19:55 a living relationship with Christ 19:58 so that when people see it, and they say, 19:59 "Man, that person has something 20:01 that I need to have." 20:03 Right? 20:05 Like a team wins a championship they don't say, 20:08 "Ah, we just won the championship." 20:11 The fans are going nuts. They are going crazy. 20:15 And while the people in the stands 20:17 are yelling we won. 20:18 The only ones that really won were the ones on the court. 20:22 You have to have a living, thriving life 20:23 so that people are positively affected 20:26 by the life you have in Christ. 20:29 I'll give some illustrations as I go on. 20:31 Look at the third part of this. 20:33 So that verse what makes it delightful? 20:37 Why should making godly choices be delightful to the Christian? 20:39 So that we could be alive unto God. 20:42 Good choices brings life. 20:43 It doesn't just death 20:45 but it introduces life to us. Third part. 20:47 Here it is. 20:49 Romans 6:13 "And do not present your members 20:54 as instruments of unrighteousness to sin, 20:58 but present yourselves to God as being" what? 21:01 Alive. "Alive from the dead." 21:03 And what about your mind, your faculties? 21:05 "And your members as" what? Instruments. 21:08 "Instruments of righteousness to God." 21:11 Let's break that down, all right. 21:15 How of you have a mind? Raise your hand. 21:19 Some of you don't have a mind. 21:22 Caught you. 21:27 Her mind was working that's why she didn't raise her hand. 21:32 Okay. 21:35 when you look at the scripture it's saying 21:38 the same hand that you used to do wrong 21:41 you got to now use to do right. 21:44 But you got to train it. 21:47 The same mind that you use to store evil 21:50 you got to now use it to store good. 21:52 Go with me to Isaiah 1. 21:54 I just want to show you this. 21:55 I'm not gonna show you the part that we're gonna use later on. 21:58 But I want to show you Isaiah 1. 22:00 And by the way, many of you who are watching tonight 22:02 may have seen as the camera panned around 22:04 you didn't see my wife. 22:05 My wife is spending some time in Orlando with her mom. 22:08 Hello, family, in Orlando. Miss you, Honey. 22:10 Look forward to seeing you in just a couple of days. 22:13 Yes, that's the fun of a live program. 22:17 Praise the Lord. 22:19 Okay, Isaiah 1, is that where you are? 22:23 Yes. Great. 22:25 Isaiah 1. 22:27 Let's look... 22:31 at verse 16. 22:34 Isaiah 1:16, 22:36 and we will get the fourth part 22:37 of this question in just a moment 22:39 but Isaiah 1:16 reads as follows. 22:41 "Wash yourselves, make yourselves clean, 22:46 put away the evil of your doings 22:49 from before My eyes. 22:52 Cease to do evil, learn to do good." 22:56 Notice that it's talking about choices that we make. 23:00 Now who really makes us clean? 23:01 Somebody tell me. 23:03 Who makes us clean? 23:04 Jesus. Jesus does. 23:05 "Though your sins be as scarlet, 23:07 they shall be as white as snow, 23:08 though they are red like crimson, 23:10 they shall be as wool." 23:11 That's clearly who makes us clean. 23:12 But when the Bible says, 23:14 "He that has this hope in himself purifies himself, 23:15 even as he is pure." 23:16 Even as he is pure means 23:18 like the parent will clean the house 23:20 and say to the kids, "I'm going out now 23:21 and I've cleaned the house. 23:22 Keep it that way." 23:25 So when you look at this 23:27 it's saying here are the choices. 23:29 "Wash yourselves" in other words make sure 23:30 that you are living a clean life, 23:32 a clean existence. 23:33 Everything about our lives need to be clean. 23:37 That is, our choices need to be clean. 23:39 Our environment need to be clean. 23:40 The things we watch and listen to need to be clean. 23:43 And here's what else it says. 23:44 Verse 16, "Put away the evil of your doings 23:47 from before Mine eyes. 23:48 Cease to do evil, learn to do good." 23:51 And then you get to the part, 23:52 "Seek justice, reprove the oppressor, 23:54 defend the fatherless, plead for the widow." 23:56 All these are characters and attributes, 23:59 characteristics and attributes of those 24:01 who are now walking in the newness of life. 24:03 They cease to do what they did before 24:06 and now they are making choices that are living choices. 24:08 Choices that cause them to become stronger. 24:11 Amen. Praise God. Right. You got that? 24:13 Look at the next one, 24:14 the fourth one of the same question, 24:16 2 Corinthians 5:15, 24:18 here it is speaking about the Christian, 24:21 speaking about Christ. 24:23 "And He died" for how many of us? 24:25 "For all, that those who live 24:29 should live no longer for themselves, 24:33 but for Him who died for them and rose again." 24:37 Now that is an unselfish verse. 24:40 You know, what it is, in essence, saying? 24:42 Before you gave your life to Christ 24:43 who did you live for? 24:45 Somebody, who did you live for? 24:46 Self. Say it loudly. 24:48 Who did you live for? Self. 24:49 Self. Exactly. 24:50 That's why Lucifer got kicked out. 24:52 He had "I" problems. 24:54 Have you noticed-- this is scary. 24:57 We live in the "I" generation. 24:59 iPad, iPod, 25:02 I, I, I, I, I, iPhone. 25:07 I mean, you go down the list. 25:09 I have an iPad, I have an iPod 25:13 but I don't want to have "I" trouble. 25:15 Amen. I think you're right. 25:16 See. 25:18 Satan, he lost his estate in heaven because he had, 25:21 everything was about him. 25:23 Brothers and sisters, when it becomes, 25:25 when we become Christians 25:26 it should no longer be about us. 25:28 We are not living for ourselves, 25:30 we are living for who now? 25:31 Christ. We're living for God. 25:32 Let me tell you why that text is vitally important. 25:34 When it says, 25:36 "But for Him who died for them and rose again." 25:39 In other words, for people that don't know God 25:43 they need to have some kind of representation in the earth 25:47 that God really does exist. 25:48 So somebody who is an atheist says, 25:51 "What can you tell me to prove to me that God exist?" 25:55 Here's your testimony. 25:57 Here's how I used to be. 25:59 Here's how I am now and there is no one 26:03 that could have changed me 26:04 except a power greater than myself. 26:07 Amen. Amen. 26:09 So the changed life is the greatest testimony 26:11 that's why I think it's in Matthew 5 26:13 when the Lord says, 26:14 "Let your light so shine before men, 26:17 that they may see your" what? 26:19 "Good works and" do what? 26:21 "Glorify your Father" which is where? 26:23 "In heaven." That's a key. 26:25 We will say, they will say, "where is God?" 26:27 He is in heaven. 26:29 And they say, "Well, how do I know that?" 26:31 Look at my works. 26:33 Now you know who I used to be. 26:35 And some of our friends, whenever I go back to New York 26:38 and I revisit the neighborhood where I was raised 26:41 that pool hall is still there where I used to gamble. 26:44 Some of my friends have since then died 26:46 from whatever they got involved in. 26:49 But sometimes I meet people that would say, 26:51 "Man, you look like you're doing good for yourself. 26:55 So what you're up to?" 26:56 And when I say, "Well, I'm a pastor." 26:58 They say, "Now, really, are you serious? 27:01 You are pastor, come on now." 27:03 Hey, you know, they call that-- 27:04 they want to take me back to where we were. 27:06 "I mean, really you're pastor?" 27:08 "I mean, you don't shoot no pool anymore?" 27:09 No, I lay that down." 27:10 "You don't gamble anymore?" No, I lay that down. 27:13 "So when you become a preacher?" 27:16 See, the life, the changed life is a testament 27:20 because I'll tell you honestly I would have never guessed, 27:23 you could have never said to me 27:24 when I was in the clubs and partying and gambling 27:26 and pool hustling 27:29 and all the other things that go along with that. 27:31 You could have never said to me 27:32 that I would be standing here doing what I'm doing today. 27:34 But that's the power of a changed life. 27:35 That's an amen right there. 27:37 Amen. 27:38 There ought to be a difference so we-- but the only way that 27:41 that difference is gonna be seen to others 27:43 is if we begin to no longer live for ourselves 27:47 well, we began to live for who? 27:48 Christ. 27:49 So people would say, 27:51 "Well, how do you know that Jesus lives?" 27:52 What's the song says? 27:54 "You ask me how I know He lives? 27:56 He lives" where? "Within my heart." 27:58 See. 28:00 But they won't-- 28:02 True story, check this out when you get a chance. 28:04 Mahatma Gandhi, Mahatma Gandhi 28:08 before he became Buddhist 28:11 he spent the summer at a Christian's house 28:14 and he concluded if that's what a Christian is 28:16 I don't want to be a Christian. 28:19 And he became now one of the most 28:20 prominent individuals in his religion 28:25 because he saw the wrong representation of Jesus. 28:29 You see, when we live for Christ 28:31 people no longer get distorted. 28:35 I was in Wal-Mart few hours ago 28:39 and somebody walked by and said 28:40 "Hi, how you're doing?" 28:42 And I turned to see who was and he said, 28:43 "You don't know me but I do know you." 28:46 And I'm thinking... 28:51 that's why we have to always be mindful 28:53 that we don't live unto ourselves. 28:55 Isn't that right? It's right. 28:56 So when you, 28:58 this is some of the most practical stuff. 28:59 I mean, I like this say because what happens is 29:02 this is not saying well, the Sabbath 29:03 you can't change at the state of the dead, 29:04 that's the fact no matter whether you believe it or not. 29:06 All those doctrinal things are facts 29:08 but how do we live this thing called Christianity? 29:10 We ought to live the life 29:12 that we're preparing to live for eternally. 29:14 Amen. 29:15 Don't wait till we get on the boat to say, 29:17 "Hey, vacation is tomorrow. 29:18 I'll pack when I go on vacation." 29:20 You better pack before you go. 29:22 Get everything you need 29:23 before you go on vacation, right. 29:25 So let's go to question number nine. 29:26 If you want to put the answer there 29:28 on the fourth part of question number eight 29:30 you begin to live for Jesus. 29:33 "Why should making godly choices be 29:34 delightful to the Christian?" 29:36 Because you represent Christ. You represent Jesus. 29:40 While my wife is not here I represent my wife. 29:44 I life as though she is standing right next to me. 29:49 Amen. 29:52 The single people didn't say anything. 29:58 Whether we see God or not as somebody once said, 30:02 "How can you love those, 30:06 how can you love a God that you do not see 30:09 if you don't love those that you can see?" 30:11 So we have to live. 30:12 The witness has to be one to one. 30:14 It has to be horizontal 30:19 before it's vertical, all right. 30:22 Number nine, this is really important. 30:25 Here we go, number nine. 30:26 "What makes the death of Jesus different 30:30 from the resurrection of Jesus?" 30:32 Now I want you to get this. 30:33 This is, this one, you see ROTC, 30:35 no that's not a military service, okay. 30:39 I'm not gonna ask you what it is 30:41 because it's my own acronym. 30:45 "What makes the death of Jesus 30:46 different from the resurrection of Jesus?" 30:48 Here it is. 30:49 The death of Jesus this is on the screen, 30:52 represents the redemption of the cross. 30:56 The death of Jesus represents the redemption. 30:59 The cross redeemed us. 31:00 The redemption of the cross. 31:02 There are those who have been redeemed. 31:05 There are those who are redeemed. 31:07 But that's simply what the death of Jesus does. 31:11 But what does the resurrection of Jesus do? 31:14 You see, if we only live the death of Jesus, 31:16 then we die to sin. 31:18 But that's not where the Lord wants us to stop. 31:20 We have to live on the other side 31:21 of the death of Christ. 31:22 So we have the resurrection of Jesus, TROC, 31:26 the resurrection of the cross. 31:28 ROTC is resurrection of the cross, okay. 31:31 But now here is the other side of that. 31:34 This is the practical side. 31:39 The second part is the "Fellowship of the Cross." 31:43 The death of Jesus was the redemption of the cross. 31:46 The resurrection of Jesus brings us into the what? 31:49 The fellowship of the cross. 31:53 It brings us into what? 31:55 The fellowship of the cross. 31:56 So you have here the resurrection. 31:59 Now you wouldn't have fellowship with Christ. 32:01 Could we have fellowship with somebody that's still dead, 32:03 yes or no? 32:05 No. No, you can't. 32:06 So now He didn't stand the grave, He came out. 32:09 The word fellowship there is the Greek word Koinonia. 32:14 Now the fellowship is talking about, 32:15 there is not fellowship dinner, all right. 32:19 It's not a social, 32:21 it's not popcorn and corn dogs, 32:27 Veja-Links, that's not what he is talking about. 32:30 He is talking about the only way 32:31 that you're gonna have fellowship with the Lord 32:34 who represents the light 32:36 as if you also are in that light. 32:39 Now the fellowship of the cross brings to our table 32:44 something that was not available before 32:46 because it was not until Jesus died 32:48 that the fellowship of the cross 32:50 was made available. 32:51 Now there were those who lived for God prior to that 32:53 but until Jesus rose again 32:55 until He came forth from the empty tomb 32:57 the fellowship of the cross was not available 33:00 because it came forth as a redemptive act. 33:03 It came forth as a redemptive act 33:05 when the resurrection was complete 33:07 then fellowship was made possible. 33:10 That's why and get-- 33:12 look at what fellowship did to the New Testament Church. 33:15 On the day of Pentecost 33:16 what happened because of fellowship? 33:18 How many people joined the church? 33:19 How many people? Somebody tell me. 33:21 Three thousand. Three thousand. 33:23 Next baptism was how many? 33:25 Five thousand. 33:26 Then by the time you get to Acts Chapter 5 33:28 it says then multitudes. 33:30 Now get this, this is so important 33:31 you don't want to miss this. 33:32 Fellowship should not happen with brothers and sisters 33:35 of the like faith just once a week. 33:37 Amen. That's right. 33:39 That is not the redemptive, that's not the redemption 33:42 that Jesus gave to us. 33:43 What did the New Testament Church do? 33:45 This is vitally important. 33:47 The one of the reasons why-- and this is what troubles me. 33:50 When "Christians" can only stand 33:52 a few hours in church once a week 33:54 and I got to get out of here as quickly as I can. 33:57 I'm asking myself the question, 33:58 they don't understand the fellowship of the cross. 34:00 Amen. 34:03 Because the fellowship of the cross says 34:05 we abide not in the shadow of the cross 34:08 which is the death 34:09 but we now abide in the light of the cross, 34:12 which is a new life. 34:14 So can you imagine, 34:16 I know when holidays come sometimes 34:18 I see people walk out of Wal-Mart 34:20 there are like seven or eight videos. 34:22 What do you think they are gonna do all weekend? 34:24 They got Monday off. 34:25 I got Monday off, I'm gonna watch videos 34:27 and eat popcorn all weekend long. 34:29 And those same individuals give me 45 minutes of church, 34:31 and I'm out of here. 34:33 That is not. 34:35 That is not the fellowship of the cross. 34:37 So here's my point. 34:39 The fellowship of the cross 34:40 brings you into a relationship with Christ 34:43 and with like believers that brings a joy 34:46 that nothing else can ever sustain. 34:50 Amen. 34:51 Because people, they are like computers. 34:53 What do they talk about? 34:54 What do they talk about? 34:55 Computers. Whatever you're interested. 34:57 Okay, whatever we are interested in 34:59 that's the majority of our conversation. 35:05 Our lives that we live should be a constant testimony 35:08 that we can't wait for fellowship 35:10 that's gonna be in heaven. 35:12 From one Sabbath to another 35:14 "Shall all flesh come to worship before me." 35:18 Amen. Praise God. 35:19 They're not gonna say, "Lord, you know, it's 12:15. 35:25 I got to go and sit home for the rest of the Sabbath." 35:30 How long You're gonna talk? 35:31 Paul the apostle understood the fellowship of the cross 35:34 that's why he said, Eutychus, until you get this, 35:37 he brought him back to life by the power of God. 35:40 Eutychus, you didn't get this. 35:41 The fellowship of the cross doesn't end at midnight. 35:45 You get what I'm saying here? Yes. 35:48 The reason why they were there all day long, 35:49 it was the fellowship of the cross. 35:51 The reason why they went from house to house every day 35:53 was the fellowship of the cross. 35:55 Here's what I'm saying, 35:56 how can you ever get strong in something 35:58 you professed to have as a living, 35:59 as a living experience 36:01 if you spend so little time in it? 36:04 This is what I'm talking about. 36:06 This is the practical parts, alive unto God. 36:07 How can you be a cook 36:10 if you only cook one meal a week? 36:13 Amen. 36:14 You can't get a culinary degree with TV dinners in your oven. 36:20 Oh, exactly. 36:22 But the point of the matter is 36:23 you've got to spend time 36:24 in the very thing that you professed 36:26 to be a living experience of yours. 36:29 So those are comfortable in fellowship 36:32 are getting ready for eternal life 36:35 are getting ready for the kingdom to come. 36:38 Wow, amazing concept. 36:41 Here it is. Look at the third part of this. 36:43 That's why the third part is so vitally important. 36:45 Roman 6:8. 36:47 I'm breaking it down tonight. 36:49 Let's read this together. 36:51 "Now if we" what? 36:53 "Died with Christ, 36:54 we believe that we shall also" do what? 36:57 "Live with Him." 36:58 One of the biggest mistakes we make is that 37:00 is to apply that text to just eternity. 37:05 Where do we live with Him? 37:06 Down here, right now. 37:09 Remember a couple of weeks ago we had that text, 37:11 I think was last week. 37:12 Let me see if it's in my lesson. 37:14 Here it is. 37:15 "For the grace of God," Titus 2:11, 12. 37:16 "For the grace of God 37:18 that brings salvation has appeared to all men, 37:20 teaching us that, 37:21 denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, 37:24 we should live soberly, righteously, 37:27 and godly in this present age." 37:29 Amen. Amen. 37:31 That's what's happening. 37:32 When you are so excited about something, 37:33 when I was growing up I had baseball cards galore. 37:39 That was my hobby. 37:40 Whatever your hobby is 37:42 you have a whole lot of that stuff. 37:43 Amen. Right? 37:45 You know, it's so nice. 37:47 I got so many, on my bedhead 37:49 I want a change on our bed head 37:50 because my bed has become a library. 37:53 I got three Bibles, 37:54 I got all the books that I'm reading, 37:55 all the latest materials. 37:57 You know, why? Because that fascinates me. 37:59 Here's my point, 38:01 if your diet is not a spiritual diet 38:02 and it doesn't bring you delight 38:05 then that new life in Christ 38:06 has not yet taken root inside of your heart. 38:09 Amen. 38:11 And there are some people that studied 38:13 their Sabbath school lesson. 38:14 It's like, "Do we have to study the whole week?" 38:20 You see what I'm saying. 38:22 When spiritual things are not of delight 38:24 then you are not alive in Christ. 38:25 Let's look at this, question number 10. 38:28 We are moving at a good pace. 38:30 Question number 10, 38:32 "How does the Bible describe the change made 38:34 after the tomb?" 38:37 "How does the Bible describe the change made 38:40 after the tomb?" 38:43 It sure does describe it. 38:45 Okay, here it is. Are you ready for it? 38:48 Romans 6:4, It reads as follows. 38:52 "Therefore we were" what's the next word? 38:55 Buried. 38:56 "Buried with Him through" what? 38:58 "Baptism into death," that's what happened, Budd. 39:00 That's what happed, Dave. That's what happened, Marlene. 39:01 And that's what happened to all of you 39:03 who are baptized. 39:04 When you are baptized you are 39:05 "Buried with Him through baptism into death, 39:07 that just as Christ was raised from the dead 39:09 by the glory of the Father," 39:12 let's together end this 39:13 "even so we also should walk in the newness of life." 39:19 Question, you have to ask yourself this question 39:21 and answer it yourself. 39:22 I don't want your hands to be raised. 39:24 What's new since you were baptized? 39:28 What's new? What's different? 39:32 According to 2 Corinthians 5:17, 39:34 "Old things have passed away, behold, 39:36 all things have become new." 39:37 If that's not the case in your life 39:39 then you find yourself maybe being exposed to things 39:41 that are causing to slip back. 39:43 Now let me just tell you why that's vitally important. 39:45 What we have is we have a spiritual walk 39:47 or what do we struggling with? 39:49 What kind of body do we have? 39:50 A natural body. It's flesh. 39:52 So we've got this dictionary, we've got this hard drive 39:55 that has a whole lot of junk in it, right. 39:58 Every time you try to defrag it 40:00 you find that there is more junk in it. 40:02 You can't put a virus stopper. 40:04 The virus is chronic. 40:06 Matter of fact, the virus is so bad 40:08 that Lord is gonna get rid of this hard drive 40:09 and give you a new one. 40:10 Amen for that. Amen. 40:12 So you can't-- there is nothing on this hard drive. 40:14 I mean, you could, sometimes you walk past a store 40:16 and you hear a song that takes you back 30 years. 40:20 Now if you are only 15 40:21 it doesn't take you back 30 years. 40:24 But sometimes you walk past the store, 40:26 am I right, that will take you back way back? 40:29 Or sometimes you smell a perfume and you say, 40:33 "Why do I remember that? 40:35 Oh, yeah, I remember that." 40:37 And it takes you back to a place 40:38 that don't stay there too long, 40:41 that's the natural body. 40:42 And sometimes you see an ad 40:44 or sometimes you walk past a person 40:46 that just blows the cigarette as you walk by. 40:53 "Well, that's a Marlboro. 40:55 I used to smoke that, you know." 40:57 And I didn't smoke but I'm just saying. 40:58 This is what happens. 41:00 You are living in a natural world. 41:01 You walk past a bar and as you walk past it, 41:04 it just so happened the devil organizes, 41:05 so when you walk past that's when the guys coming out 41:08 so the door is wide open and you get a whiff of bear 41:11 and alcohol all mixed in one. 41:13 You know that smell of a bar. 41:15 It just comes out and hits you. 41:16 You say, 41:20 "Man, and you peek in." 41:24 And you hear a voice say, "don't go in there." 41:28 See-- but that's the struggle until you overcome all that 41:32 that's the battle that we face every day. 41:36 So this newness of life is not a suggestion. It's a command. 41:41 When you-- Christ is saying 41:43 once you enter into this walk with me 41:46 what you do after that is not optional. 41:49 This is the way that person who is in me now lives. 41:51 They live in the newness of life. 41:53 Amen. Amen. 41:54 But now let's look at this. 41:56 Go to question number 11 now 41:58 because we are breaking this down. 42:00 Here we go, "How does the resurrected life 42:04 differ from the redeemed life?" 42:11 That's a question that will make you scratch your forehead. 42:14 "How does the resurrected life differ from the redeemed life?" 42:19 Okay, 2 Corinthians 4:10. 42:24 Wow, this was important verse. 42:27 I read this verse before. 42:29 I mean I read this verse many times 42:31 but as I was studying this 42:32 it just reminded me of something 42:35 that is gonna fascinate you right now. 42:36 Are you ready? You ready? 42:38 Here we go, look at the text. 42:40 What's the first word? 42:42 Always. Say the first word again. 42:43 Always. 42:44 "Always carrying about in the body the" what? 42:49 "Dying of the Lord Jesus, 42:51 that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our" what? 42:57 "In our body." 42:58 Full stop, that's what they say in Australia, full stop. 43:01 Now get this. 43:03 Look what's the first word in that text? 43:04 Always. 43:06 What's the next word? 43:07 Carrying. 43:08 What's the next three words? 43:10 Carrying about in the body. 43:13 What are we carrying about? 43:15 Let me tell you a story. 43:16 This illustrates it very well. 43:18 Story about a man whose son dove in the Pacific. 43:21 He dove for oysters. 43:23 Where you get those-- what do you get in oysters? 43:25 Pearls. Pearls. 43:27 He was known for diving very, very deep in the ocean. 43:31 And people would come to him. 43:33 He had the record. 43:34 There are some guys and if you look at 43:35 that there are some guys 43:37 that don't put any kind of mask, nothing. 43:39 They just know how to hold their breath 43:40 and they have these fins that are very, very long 43:42 and they just dive in, people pay them 43:45 and they go down to get these oysters and come up 43:47 and if they get a good oyster then they get a good pearl. 43:49 That how the situation is. 43:51 Well, this one particular young man 43:52 who pride himself and I saw this documentary 43:55 but this story is not connected to the documentary. 43:57 I just saw the documentary about these divers 43:59 who many, many years later suffer from the bends. 44:03 It incapacitates them 44:04 and somebody dedicated himself to go 44:07 and to give me them hyperbaric chamber treatments 44:10 that begins to restore the use of their limbs. 44:12 Well, this particular story didn't happen 44:13 when the hyperbaric chamber was accessible. 44:16 This young man dove and he dove 44:18 and his father knew how long he could stay down. 44:21 But in this particular occasion with all the hype of the crowds 44:23 he wanted to just really fascinate people. 44:26 He dove and he dove and he dove and he dove 44:28 and his father was thinking, 44:30 "I hope he is all right 44:31 because he is down longer than he's ever been." 44:34 The tragedy of the story is he died. 44:37 As he came to the surface, rushing to the surface 44:40 he had gone so far down 44:42 that he had too much build up in his lungs. 44:46 And he lost conciseness, died in the hospital 44:51 but he died with that oyster in his hand. 44:55 And father opened the oyster 44:59 after the whole trauma of the situation 45:02 and he had that pearl in the oyster. 45:04 And it was a good one. 45:08 People heard about it 45:09 and they want to buy this oyster 45:11 and his father said, "This one is not for sale." 45:15 Everywhere that father went he carried about, 45:17 he carried that with him in his pocket. 45:19 When he sits down amongst his friends 45:21 he put on the desk and he just turned around. 45:23 They say, "what is that?" 45:25 That's the last thing my son got 45:26 when he went diving. 45:28 He always carried about in his body. 45:33 He always carried about the memory 45:34 of what his son's death meant to him. 45:37 He never separated it. 45:38 You could not get much space 45:39 between that man and that little oyster 45:42 or that little pearl because it represented 45:45 the life of his son. 45:47 You know, and the Parable of the Great Pearl 45:48 is told in the Bible. 45:50 It says, when a person finds the field 45:52 where that pearl is in 45:53 they go and sell everything they have 45:55 to purchase that field. 45:57 Now, you know, 45:58 what we misunderstand about that? 45:59 What we think is that when we find a pearl 46:03 we go by the field 46:04 because we found a great price in that field. 46:07 Brother, that's a misunderstanding of the story. 46:08 When you read what Ellen White says about that story, 46:10 she says, "When Christ came to this earth 46:14 and found a field He saw in that field pearls." 46:18 You, you, you of great price and He sold everything. 46:23 His royalty, 46:24 His seat in the kingdom, His perfection, 46:27 He sold adoration of the-- He gave, He gave, He said, 46:30 I'm not gonna be back for a while. 46:32 When I come back I'm not gonna be the same 46:34 but I found this sea, 46:35 I found the place of great price 46:37 I'm gonna God down there and get all those pearls. 46:40 So when the Lord makes up His jewels one day 46:42 we will all be in those jewels. 46:44 What do you say to that? Amen. 46:45 So when you think about this, what it says 46:47 is when we conceptualize that, 46:49 when we realize what the Lord 46:51 has paid to redeem every one of us 46:53 that's what this is saying here. 46:54 Paul is saying, always carrying about in the body. 46:57 In our body is the dying of the Lord Jesus Christ. 46:59 And if you live realizing 47:00 how much He has given to redeem you 47:03 then the life of Christ maybe manifested in your body. 47:07 You begin to live with an appreciation 47:09 and a different temperament. 47:10 So that father from that day on 47:13 when people talked about his son 47:14 he had nothing but good things to say about his son. 47:17 The greatest stories about his son 47:19 and he never parted 47:20 and I'm sure maybe till the day he passed away 47:22 that pearl was a constant reminder 47:25 of how valuable his son is to us. 47:27 Well, when we live our lives always remembering 47:29 what Jesus had done for us, 47:31 He died for us that the life that His life maybe seen in us. 47:35 So when you put that down, 47:36 how does the resurrected life defer from the redeemed life? 47:39 The redeemed life reveals Christ. 47:42 The redeemed life reveals Christ. 47:46 That's what you put on that first line, 47:47 the redeemed life reveals Christ in us. 47:51 The resurrected life simply makes Christ available to us. 47:54 But the redeemed life reveals Christ in us. 47:58 that's why it says, 48:00 "That the life of Jesus also may be 48:02 manifested in" whose body? 48:04 Our body. 48:05 What kind of body do we have, somebody tell me? 48:08 What kind of body do we have? 48:10 Say it loud. I heard word, mortal. 48:12 Mortal, natural. 48:13 Natural and what else? Mortal. 48:15 What kind of flesh do we have? 48:17 Sinful flesh. We've got sinful flesh. 48:20 We've got a mortal body. 48:21 We got corruptible minds and the Lord is saying, 48:25 if you consider the great redemptive price 48:31 that I've paid for you 48:32 that life will be revealed in your mortal, 48:35 corruptible and natural body. 48:38 Only divinity can reveal and something imperfect, 48:41 something perfect. 48:43 Praise God. Christ is saying. 48:45 Perfection can be seen in you now 48:51 and the Christ that died for you 48:52 His life can be revealed in our lives. 48:55 It's an amazing thought I get caught up in that. 48:57 So let me take a breath. Look at the next one. 49:03 Part two, 49:05 "How does the resurrected life differ from the redeemed life?" 49:07 Romans 8:15-17, this is long one. 49:10 Well, let's read this together. 49:11 It says, 49:13 "For you did not receive 49:14 the spirit of bondage again to" do what? 49:17 "Fear, but you received the Spirit of" what? 49:21 "Adoption by whom we cry out," together "'Abba, Father.'" 49:28 So what happens now? 49:31 What is made available to you now? 49:33 What do we have now? What do we receive? 49:36 The redeemed life. Come on, say it again. 49:38 The spirit of adoption. 49:39 The spirit of adoption, you got to get that. 49:42 Now when that helps you understand 49:44 what that means, it goes back to the story. 49:46 Whose children are we? 49:47 I told you that earlier in the story of the young girl 49:49 who just got baptized. 49:50 Whose children are we? 49:53 Whose children are we? We are God's children. 49:57 Now if you know that 49:59 whose children do you live as though you are connected to? 50:02 Whose children do you represent? 50:04 God. 50:05 We should in our lives represent God's children 50:09 because people are watching. 50:11 And, you know, what the devil does 50:12 and I think Dave and I were talking about this. 50:13 The devil will do all he can 50:17 for people to say to you, 50:19 "I thought you were Christian." 50:23 And that's what the devil tries to do. 50:24 He tries to get you. 50:25 Remember when Jonah was running from the Lord? 50:27 Remember that story in the Book of Jonah 50:28 it's an amazing story? 50:30 It's only four chapters in the whole Book of Jonah 50:31 but it's all about Jonah. 50:33 Running from God and when he got in trouble 50:34 that's when he started testifying. 50:36 "Who are you? What meanest thou, O sleeper?" 50:39 Oh, I fear God. I'm a Hebrew. 50:42 He starts testifying about his connection to God. 50:45 And in other words, he said, "If you are so connected to God 50:48 why are we going through so much trouble?" 50:51 You see the story. 50:52 Our connection to God must not be the reason 50:55 why peoples' lives are troubled. 50:59 If our presence is brining trouble to other peoples' lives 51:03 and what we are doing is not right 51:05 then our connection with God is not 51:06 where that connection should be. 51:07 That's the story of Jonah. 51:10 He claimed to be connected to God 51:11 but he spent more time going in the opposite direction 51:15 from where God was leading him. 51:16 So if we claim to be connected to God 51:17 we have to ask ourselves a question, 51:19 are we going in the opposite direction 51:21 or are we going in the direction 51:23 that God is leading us? 51:26 We're adopted. 51:28 We are children of God now. 51:31 That's right. 51:33 Look at third part of that. 51:35 Third part of that is what? 51:36 Galatians 2:20. 51:38 I think you all know this one. 51:39 Oh, I forgot I didn't finish the scripture. 51:41 I didn't finish the verse. 51:43 It says, "The Spirit Himself bears witness 51:46 with our spirit that we are" what? 51:49 "Children of God, and if children, 51:51 then" we are what? 51:52 "Heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ, 51:57 if indeed we suffer with Him, that we may also be" what? 52:01 "Glorified together." 52:03 So we're gonna go through stuff. 52:05 Have you ever gone through anything as a Christian? 52:08 Have you been tempted? Have you had trials? 52:11 Paul the Apostle is saying, don't worry about it. 52:14 It's a part of the journey. 52:18 Why is it a part of the-- 52:19 why is difficulty and suffering 52:20 a part of the Christian journey down here? 52:22 That's what Jesus went through. Okay, very good point. 52:25 But why is it a part of the journey down here? 52:28 Okay, say it again. Satan is here. 52:30 Satan is here. We are in enemy's territory. 52:32 There is nothing about this world 52:33 that's designed for the Christian. 52:38 That's why it's got to be more than Christian music, 52:39 it's got to be more than Christian entertainment, 52:41 it's got to be a Christian connection with Christ. 52:44 If we suffer we will suffer 52:46 but we will be glorified together with Him, 52:48 praise the Lord for that. 52:50 Now here's Galatians 2:20 we could all say this together. 52:52 "How does the resurrected life differ from the redeemed life?" 52:55 Here it is. 52:57 "I have been crucified with" what? 52:59 "Christ, it is no longer I who" what? 53:03 "Live, but Christ lives" where? 53:05 "In me, and the life which I now live in the flesh 53:09 I live by faith in the Son of God, 53:12 who" did what? 53:13 "Loved me and gave Himself for me." 53:17 Now the redeemed life is 53:20 I have been crucified with Christ. 53:21 That's the redeemed life. 53:23 Lot of people are redeemed. 53:24 That's the redeemed part. 53:26 The question is 53:28 "How is the resurrected life 53:30 different from the redeemed life?" 53:32 If he just simply say, I've been crucified with Christ 53:34 that simply means you accepted His death on Calvary. 53:38 But if you get to the resurrected life 53:44 the fellowship part you say, "It is no longer I who live, 53:48 but Christ who lives in me, 53:49 and the life I now live in this faulty messed up body 53:52 I live by faith in the Son of God, 53:55 who loved me and gave Himself for me." 53:56 We've got a different connection. 53:58 We're gonna talk about how faith is a significant part 54:00 of our walk with Christ. 54:01 You don't see Him but you know he exists. 54:03 People that don't see Him must know that He exists 54:06 and the way they know is 54:07 He exists in our lives and through our lives. 54:09 Did you get that? 54:11 So who is alive now? 54:12 If you are gonna ask the-- answer the question, 54:14 "How does the resurrected life 54:16 different from the redeemed life?" 54:17 The answer for Galatians 2:20 54:20 "It is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me." 54:25 Want to break that down. 54:26 "Christ lives in me." 54:28 That's the resurrected life. 54:30 "Christ lives in me." Praise God. 54:34 Here it is, number 12. 54:37 I was thinking we would get 54:38 to the next lesson but that's okay. 54:40 For next week we have the materials 54:41 and time for that, next week. 54:44 Question number 12 okay, here it is. 54:47 "Why is it important to live daily 54:50 in the 'Light of the Cross?' " 54:53 In the light of the cross. 54:55 1 John 1:7, 1 John 1:7. 55:00 Let me pick up the pace little here 55:01 so we could get these last two in 55:03 and if we miss them we can get them for next, 55:05 next week. 55:06 "Why is it important to live daily 55:07 in the 'Light of the Cross?' " 55:09 Here's the answer 1 John 1:7, 55:11 "But if we walk in the light 55:13 as He is in the light, we have" what? 55:16 "Fellowship with one another, 55:19 and the" added benefit " 55:20 and blood of Jesus Christ His Son" does what? 55:24 "Cleanses us from all sin." 55:25 Now how many of you like fellowship? 55:29 We sure all like fellowship but get this, this is powerful. 55:31 The key to fellowship is this. 55:33 You got to walk in the light and I've got to walk in light. 55:36 If you walk in the darkness, Amos says, 55:39 "Can two walk together, unless they be agreed? 55:41 And what's the answer? 55:42 No. 55:44 Lot of us want friendship but the Lord says 55:46 you can have something greater than just friendship. 55:47 You could have fellowship but both of you have to decide 55:50 to walk in the light as He is in the light. 55:56 You know, what's nice about walking in the light? 55:57 If you walk in the light and you are living right 55:59 you have nothing to hide. 56:01 Right? Amen. 56:02 You won't hesitate to walk in the light. 56:04 Because those who walk in the light the Bible says, 56:05 Jesus says, they are deeds are manifest. 56:08 But men love darkness rather than light 56:10 because their deeds are what? 56:12 Evil. 56:14 John Chapter 1. 56:16 Let's get the other one. 56:17 I think we can get these last two and if not 56:19 don't worry about it. 56:20 Question number 13 here it is. 56:23 "Why is it necessary that we trust God 56:25 and not trust feelings or ourselves?" 56:28 Why is it necessary? 56:30 I'm gonna go quickly beyond this one. 56:32 And this is a statement of affirmation 56:34 because sometime this has to sync in 56:36 and I want to get the part of this text 56:38 that really talks about hearing now. 56:39 Here it is, 1 John 3:2, 56:42 "Beloved" what is the very next word? 56:44 "Now we are" what" "Children of God." 56:46 When are we children of God? 56:49 When are we children of God? Now. 56:51 Say when? Now. 56:53 Now are children, right now. 56:55 "And it has not yet been revealed 56:57 what we shall be." In other words, 56:58 we don't look like we're gonna look yet. 57:00 We're not living like we should live eternally yet. 57:02 "But we know that when He is revealed," what? 57:06 "We shall be like Him, for" what? 57:08 "We shall see Him as He is." 57:12 What do you say? Amen. 57:13 So the Lord is saying, don't get discouraged, Yanick, 57:15 you are not yet where you are gonna be eternally 57:17 but I'm gonna keep going. 57:20 Here's the text. 57:21 Last one I think you know this one 57:22 and we could always cover this again next week. 57:24 What is the answer? Philippians 1:6. 57:26 "Being confident of this very thing, 57:29 that He who has begun a good work in you will" 57:32 do what, friends? 57:33 "Complete it until the day of Jesus Christ." 57:36 So is the Lord gonna complete what He started, yes or no? 57:38 Amen. He's gonna do what He began. 57:40 He's gonna finish what He started. 57:42 And we are like sculptings 57:44 that are still being chiseled away. 57:46 Friends, if you want to know 57:48 what it's like to be alive in God, 57:50 allow Jesus to chisel you away to change your life, 57:54 to fashion and mold you to be more like Jesus Christ. 57:57 So until we see you again focus on Christ 58:00 and you will have a sharper focus. 58:02 God bless you. |
Revised 2016-03-03