Joshua Shetter - Ephesians 3
Alright, Ephesians chapter 3. We have some extra Bibles, anybody need a Bible, if you didn't bring one. John has some
Lance.
I remember last week. There you go. Anyone else? Alright if you'll turn to Ephesians chapter 3?
We'll go to verse 13.
Ephesians 3 starting verse 1.
For this reason, I Paul the prisoner of Jesus Christ, for the sake of you gentiles. if indeed you have heard of the stewardship of God's grace, which was given to me for you, That by Revelation There was made known to me the mystery as I wrote before in brief. By referring to this when you read you can understand my insight into the mystery of Christ. Which another generation was not made known to the sons of men as it has now been revealed to His Holy Apostles and prophets in the spirit. To be specific that the Gentiles, are fellow heirs and fellow members of the body and fellow partakers of the promise, in Christ Jesus Through The Gospel. Of which I was made a minister according to the gift of God's grace, which was given to me, according to the working of his power. To me, the very least of All Saints. This Grace was given, to preach to the Gentiles The unfathomable Riches of Christ. and to bring to light What is the administration of the mystery Which for ages has been hidden in God who created all things. So, that the manifold wisdom of God might now be made known through the church to the rulers and authorities In the Heavenly places. This was in accordance with the Eternal purpose which he carried out in Christ Jesus Our lord. In whom we have boldness and confident access through faith in him. Therefore I ask you not to lose heart at my tribulations on your behalf for they are your glory.
and so, if you've been with us the past few weeks you've seen, in chapters 1 & 2, How Godward Paul is. how God focused Paul is. And that is countercultural. it flies in the face of everything that we were taught or the things that are preach to us often times in the TV and media, and sometimes, even televangelists and things. And that is that, that this, this existence, this reality is inherently about me. There was a book released a few years ago called generation me. And the sociologist wrote about how the Millennials that's me. Born in 1980, I believe and after are all about themselves. I need this. I need that. It's a Burger King, kind of culture, have it your way. and I think you may or may not agree with me, but I think as the internet connectivity grows and we have dishwashers that connect to the internet and we have fridges that can order milk for you. You won't ever have to get off the couch, you can just do everything from the couch, even your pastor could come to your house and preach in your face if you want. You know? Like, you don't have to go anywhere, you don't have to do anything. you can pick things that you like , get rid of things you don't like, people You like, you don't like. it's all about you, right? And what's dangerous is that seeps into faith and so you build your faith, or your build your understanding of God based on your preferences. We are making God in our image in a sense. And so to Read Paul's words here in chapters 1 and 2. And continuing chapter 3, is almost to climb the mountain and to breathe The fresh air. to see Truth for what it is, or to see reality for what it really is. What is this world? What's the purpose of reality? Why am I here?
It's not so people can all focus on me. Right. It's not so people can all go, there goes Josh, let's go see what, Let's see, what his opinion is, right? That's not that's not that's not the purpose of reality. It's not why I'm here. I was put here for a reason. What is that reason? Paul handles that beautifully in chapters 1 and 2 and here he continues his radical, God focusedness, there in verse one right off the bat "for this reason, I Paul the prisoner of Christ Jesus." Anyone ever call himself a prisoner of Christ?
Not very often don't we ? We say, Christ set us free from prison, Maybe. But consider yourself as a prisoner of Christ Jesus? just that phrase alone flies in the face of a lot of what we hear in church doesn't it? "Jesus came to set you free and to be the man, you're supposed to be." Yes. But by becoming a prisoner of him. That doesn't mean he's Shackles You to the wall and he throws bread at you and water occasionally. It means that he's Shackles you to himself that he put you in himself and he puts himself in You by his spirit and you become his and by becoming his you truly live. that's what God made you to be, to be his, his means of glorifying himself. And that's not going to happen Apart from Christ. Because apart from Christ, we follow the ways of the world And we glorify ourselves. We say I'm the most interesting thing in this room. And you say, no, I'm the most interesting thing in this room. Then we all just started competing,
But Paul says, I set myself aside. And I put Christ as the focus. he is the ultimate. so much so that I am his prisoner, I am his prisoner, I am his slave, he uses the word slave sometimes in Romans 6. I am his and what a wonderful Master he is and then Paul interrupts himself and says " for this reason I Paul the prisoner of Christ Jesus for the sake of Gentiles. And then he is like he has to explain what he just meant, what he just said, for the sake of the Gentiles. What do I mean by that? So in verse 2 is his Like 11 verse digression. Paul does that. he kind of goes on little rants. They're good ones though. Verse 2 " If indeed you have heard of the stewardship of God's grace, which was given to me for you, that is the Gentiles. that by Revelation There was made known to me the mystery as I wrote before in brief. by referring to this when you read you can understand my insight into the mystery of Christ which in other Generations was not made known to the sons of men as it has now been revealed to His Holy Apostles and prophets in the spirit. Notice in verse 2 He says, this mystery that I'm going to give you It's a stewardship of God's grace. So Paul is continuing this God theme. He doesn't say God's great Let's talk about me now or God's great Now, let's talk about this mission that God gave me and how I'm doing it. Paul says, this thing that God gave me this mystery that God has revealed to me, it's out of Grace. It was given to me for you. Paul's not saying I have this clever message. I'm this special person. Paul's saying, this is God's grace, that was entrusted to me for you. And that it was given to him in verse 3 by revelation. God revealed to Paul the mystery which was hidden in ages past. What is that mystery? verse 6. That Gentiles, are fellow heirs and fellow members of the body and fellow partakers of the promise, in Christ Jesus, Through The Gospel. We talked about this last week, the Gentiles and the Jews were hostile to each other. A Gentile is essentially someone who's not Jewish. And they were hostile to each other. The Jews remember they call them " oh they're uncircumcised, I don't want to mess with the uncircumcised. they're they're pagans, they're dirty unwashed masses" but God in Christ is reconciling the two groups into a new man. Remember that? The new man is Christ Jesus and it is only by virtue of their being in Christ that they are created or that they are brought together. It's not by one side becoming more like the other. it's by them both becoming in Jesus together, In Christ in them by his spirit. This was revealed to the prophets and the apostles. And then verse 7.
Of which I was made a minister, What's he talkin about? verse 6. He's talking about the gospel that this promise, that the Gentiles are fellow heirs and fellow members of the body. that happens in Christ Jesus Through The Gospel.
And the very essence of the gospels, We talked about in Sunday, school is repentance and humility. I can't bring, all my sin, all my stuff and say, this is just who I am. you take me as I Am Lord, all these things , all these other gods I'm going to bring in . Remember, y'all have heard the phrase that God is a jealous God. That's what it means. He will not. Have you worship anyone but him. So if you bring these other idols and you bringing these other sins and you say God, you'll have to accept me with all these things. God says, I will not You must repent of those other gods. You must turn away from them as false Idols as lies and turn to me as your only source of Truth and rightness and goodness, righteousness, Justice and your only hope of salvation. the gospel has within it Repentance and humility. So as we talked about before, Gentiles and Jews coming together, both of them have to lay aside. Those things that they say are what make me me.
I Identify with my sin. I have so engrafted sin into my very being that it has become part of who I am in my eyes. But when I come to God, he says, that's not who you are, those are distortions. You are not that, you are what I made you to be. now Lay aside those lies, lay aside what the world says, lay aside the self-exaltation that the world teaches you to do. Humble yourself, come to me on your knees. And in Christ be made whole be made Well. be born again.
See often times people who are different in this Society can't come together because they're holding onto themselves, aren't they? Doesn't he know who I am? I will join that group if they recognize how awesome I am.
Or I will get along with that person if they will quit being annoying. Right, really annoyance A lot of times comes from your selfishness. I like my friends to be this certain way, and when they wear clothes by this designer, I don't like it, right? That's how I am. No I'm kidding. I don't even know designers. But people need to conform to what? me. people need to conform To my standard. Brent If you're going to be around me, you need to be more like me. Don't we kindof do that. Let me step on a little toes here. Social media encourages that. I'm sorry It does. It encourages Gathering people around you who are like you and then badmouthing people who are not like you. "can you believe those other people? I know they're terrible. Let's go get coffee and talk about how terrible they are. Yes." That's kind of what our society has become. So when we come before a holy God and we're just blown away, we're knocked to our knees and we realize that all these things that we're holding onto about ourselves and about the people around who pump us up and make us little Gods. when we come before a holy God That's just blown away and we fall on our knees and we cry. Holy
and we look to our left and we look to our right. And we see people unlike us who have also Fallen to their knees and cried. Holy. And we say brother and we say sister. why? Because we're all looking at the holy God. When I'm looking at the holy God, I'm not thinking about myself. I'm thinking about how wonderful he is, what he has done for me in Christ through the gospel. That I'm not worth saving and yet he saved me. He sent his son to Die For This? Ah
The distance between me and him was bridged by Jesus Christ. Therefore I will not hold on to this because this is what dams me. He and his son is what saves me. And so those differences Fall Away. And Gentiles and Jews come together as one in Jesus Christ. So he said, this is the mystery that was given you, and it's through the gospel. that I was made a minister according to the gift of God's grace. There it is again verse 7, which was given to me according to the working of his power. and then Paul as if to make the point exceedingly clear in verse 8, he says, to me the very least of all saints
He gave this grace to me to preach this mystery to reveal this truth this beautiful truth to the world. He gave it to me!
Now, Paul has from our view, I'm sure you'll agree with me, Paul has some reasons to boast maybe. he was like the First Missionary, he was bold, He's he's good with words, you know, he healed people by the power of the spirit, you know. So you're like Paul man, He had it going on as a Christian. Compared to Paul, man, we don't look so good and yet this is his attitude. This is his attitude. I think if Paul was on television today, preaching. I don't think he would be like, send me money so I can get a jet. Send me money, so I can build a big mansion.
Paul would be saying. I don't even deserve to be on TV. I don't even deserve to be speaking to y'all, but only by God's grace, is he giving me this message and I cannot keep it inside me. I must say it, but I'm speaking of God's grace of God's grace, don't even Look at me. Of God's grace. I'm the very least of All Saints. To me, the very least of All Saints this grace their it is again, was given to me to preach to the Gentiles, the unfathomable Riches of Christ.
Jesus is more than you ever imagined more than you've ever fathomed. I fear that Christians in America, in the states and in Canada, their understanding of Christ is built on pop culture. Or what society says Jesus is. that he's there when you need him, he's a friend , he's your buddy. And then you just go to him when you need something. Oh, he's so much more than that. He's so much more than that. To Give you a picture I showed you in Revelations chapter 5. That he's the only one to open up the book, but if you go to Revelation chapter 19,
And I saw heaven, open. This is verse 11 and behold a white horse and he who sat on it is called faithful and true. And in righteousness, he judges and wages war now get that image of your mind of the cute little cuddly Jesus, that's often talked about And compare that to these verses. This is Jesus, his eyes are a flame of fire and on his head are many diadem's and he has a name written on him which no one knows except himself. He is clothed with a robe dipped in Blood and his name is called the word of God and the armies which are in heaven clothed In fine, linen, white and clean were following him on white horses. from his mouth comes a sharp sword So that with it, he may strike down the Nations and he will rule them with a rod of iron and he Treads the winepress of the fierce wrath of God, the almighty, and on his robe And on his thigh, he has a name written king of kings and Lord of lords.
Jesus did not come to be your BFF. To use the teenage parlance your best friend forever? I guess it's the last one? He didn't come to just wait in the corner until you needed him. I'm having a hard time. Jesus where you at? There he is. no. He's like, I will rule you.
I will be your king. I will be your master as Paul says he's his prisoner. But see, this is the beauty of it Christ will rule you, he will Reign Over You. He will be your lord, he will be your savior but he is not harsh. His burden is easy and light compared to the self-righteous legalism that we put on ourselves. Jesus Will Rule you but he will rule You lovingly, kindly patiently, drawing you to himself.
And that is a paradox. But what we see here and in Revelation, what we see throughout the New Testament In fact, is that Jesus will not be subject to you. You are not to make Jesus in your own image. You are to Bow before him and say he is my only hope he is the ultimate Authority.
So when he says the unfathomable Riches of Christ, we have barely scratched the surface. And then in verse 9 and to bring to light What is the administration of the mystery, Which for ages has been hidden in God who created all things. Verse 10. So that the manifold wisdom of God, might be made known through the church to the rulers and authorities in the Heavenly places. So, why did God?
Keep this shrouded in mystery in the Old Testament, give us hints in the abrahamic Covenant that through through him, all the nations will be blessed, And then not till the New Testament in Paul reveal this mystery? Why? Here's the answer verse 10. So that, all this is so that the manifold wisdom of God, might be made known. Doesn't this kind of keep in theme with the two previous chapters? The glory of God, the riches of his grace, the glory of God, over and over chapters one and two talks about - this is for God! God Saves you for himself. As I said before, he doesn't look down from heaven, and say, look how cute They are. Aw they're trying to make it, I'll go help him out.
No, he looks down and says I'm going to save these people and I'm going to change them because they can't do it. I'm going to put my spirit within them and they will reflect because of this action they will reflect me to the world. and then we have here in verse 10, not only to the world but to the Heavenly places. so, the church Reflects the wisdom of God To the rulers and authorities, in the Heavenly places. How does that work? But first, were going to look at that in a second, but first Let's look at what this wisdom is. It says the manifold wisdom of God. What what wisdom, what does that mean? I think it's tied, if you go to chapter 1, turn a few pages to the left chapter 1, look at verses 9 and 10.
He made known to us the mystery of his will according to His Kind intention, which he purposed in him with a view to Administration suitable, to the fullness of times, that is the summing-up of all things in Christ, things in heaven and things on earth. The mystery of his will. According to His Kind intention, which he purposed in him. That language is similar to chapter 3 that we're just looking at says he might make known the wonderful wisdom of God Through the church to the rulers and authorities In Heavenly places verse 11, this was in accordance with the Eternal purpose which he carried out in Christ Jesus our lord. So what is this wisdom? And what is this purpose? I think the answer is back there in chapter 1:10 the summing-up of all things in Christ, things in the heavens and things on earth. So, here it is. God shrouded this in mystery. And didn't reveal it till they had the prophets and the apostles and Paul particularly in the New Testament, why? So that his wisdom in displaying his glory and in showing himself to the world might be made manifest, in his displaying himself in his son, you see, if the Gentiles and the Jews have been United in the law
That wouldn't be as clear a picture as we have of Jesus Christ as it says in Colossians, that Jesus is the image of the invisible. The first born of all creation, and in Hebrews chapter 1 It says that he has spoken to us in these last days through his son, he has revealed himself through his son that God is showing himself to the World by saying. Look at my son.
Is that wise? Oh, it's so wise. We're not going to understand All the ways it is. I mean he says that word manifold wisdom means multifaceted. All these different ways that God's wisdom is shown. But I think what he's saying is, through the church, Jesus will be shown. through the church The summing-up of all things will be shown.
All of human history, all of creation, indeed points to Jesus Christ. Some of y'all, I don't know if y'all read The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy. Seen the movie? Oh you read the book? Okay. Well, these Advanced alien species create this computer and they call it appropriately Deep thought. in the movie, it's a computer sitting there like that thinking. And they say, okay, now that we made the most advanced computer ever in the existence of anything, what are we going to do? So they say, let's ask it the meaning of life. So they say, oh, great computer, what's the meaning of our existence? What's the meaning of life? And the computer says, I can answer that, but it's going to take me seven and a half million years. And so their Generations later, they finally get to, they come to the computer, 7 and a half million years later. They have this big celebration. They picked these two men to go in there and say you're going be the ones to hear the answer and so these men are nervous. They walk in there and they say, oh, great deep thought. Do you have the answer? And the computer says, yes, I do, but you're not going to like it. Well tell us anyway. Okay. Here's the answer. I know you're not going to like it. 42. That's the answer. The answer to the meaning of life is 42. and they're like, yes, you're right. We don't like that. And then the did Civil War happens. There's all this stuff. Anyway. So the computer says, You have asked the wrong question, you need the right question and the only way that you're going to get the right question is if you're going to create this computer after me. That's even more powerful than me. whose circuits I am not even worthy to count. And just as an aside, when a guy says this is getting unnecessarily Messianic cuz you remember that's what John the Baptist said about Jesus. Anyway, so they create this new computer, and this new computer is going to give the the question to the answer of the meaning of life and this new computer will be called Earth and that's how Earth was formed according to the book. Now, course that's wrong. But in a way, it's right. Earth was formed to answer the question to the meaning of life. In fact, creation, was formed to answer the question to the meaning of life, or to point to the answer, to the question of the meaning of life. What is the meaning of life?
Y'all know, the Westminster catechism. First question, what is the chief end of man? Someone want to
To glorify God and enjoy him forever. That's the meaning of life, which makes it a great catechism by the way. So, all of the Earth, all of creation was built to glorify God. to point to God. To reflect God. The guy who wrote the book is an atheist so he wouldn't go that way but he's almost there. the meaning of life can be understood if we look at creation or at least, we can understand that there's a God behind it, as Romans 1 shows us. And then the god behind it says, I'm going to ultimately reveal myself in my son Jesus. you want to know what the purpose of all of this is? look at Jesus. He reveals who I am. He reveals What I'm doing. Showing myself to be holy and righteous and pure. But at the same time, merciful and patient and loving to sinful men and women. That's who I am. That's who I am. So when he says in chapter one, The summing-up of all things, that's what he means. Everything, all creation bows before the Son of God as the ultimate culmination or picture or Vindication of God's holiness and truth. And Paul, I think here is saying, if we are going to display the manifold wisdom of God, through the church, Then we need to display or show who Jesus is in the church. How do we do that? We just talked about it. The end of chapter 2.
Nothing shows Christ. So much as love between two people who are so different.
Powerful. There are so many reasons for me and this person to hate each other. We're on opposite sides of a wall. We are raised to two with animosity between each other. We have racism or classism or any kind of isms just pounded into us until we are raised hating each other with in Christ Jesus. By his Spirit came and demolished me. And rebuilt me in himself. And now I see only love for this brother sister. Another beautiful picture of God's wisdom and his summing-up of all things in his son Christ. So when the church displays fighting and animosity and can you believe that they chose that song? I told him not to, I don't like that song that chord changes to the color of the carpet. Why they picked that color looks like puke. Why do people pick that? Are they ever on Pinterest? I don't think they are, right. We laugh at that kind of how we are, aren't we? You know, we get together and we talked about how all these things that kind of just church was good. But they're a lot of these little things that just ate at me and I couldn't focus.
The reason for churches, this is to focus on God.
Is to come before him and say How Great Is Our God, how beautiful he is, how wonderful he is, that he would include this that he would include this and his plan to show himself to the world that include this.
I'm the least of all like why would he use me?
He uses the foolish to shame. The wise. He's showing himself what he's doing. And that, that is through the church.
And then to the rulers and authorities in Heavenly places.
So God is Not only showing himself pure and true and just to the world, but he's showing it to the Heavenly places. Now, what's that? Who's that. That's the spiritual realm. That's the good and the bad angels. So why would he do that within what it, what do they care? God is showing himself. He's vindicating himself, he's saying I will do what I will do. And at the end of time, when he judges all sin, he will say that it will be a Vindication of his Holiness. As we see in Romans chapter 3, he passed over sins in a former time, but then he shows in his son, he he there's a payment for sin. And then do all those who are celebrates in who have run incentive ignored God and shook their fists at God at the end of time, God will say now, you will come to pay for that cuz I will vindicate, my Holiness or I will show my hole in his to be real. And so he's doing it to the Heavenly places. He's showing himself to be wise to the Heavenly places. There is precedent for the humor in the book of Jobe.
Satan comes and presents himself to God and they have a discussion. And God says, have you seen my servant job? And Satan says what he just follows you because you got a hedge of protection around it. Got his. Okay, beat up on him a little bit. He'll still search me. See, God was proving to Satan.
That Joe was righteous. That Joe was his. Now, it's not, but that's not. So there they have a bet. God doesn't have a bet with Satan, but he's showing himself to these rulers and authorities in the Heavenly places, as being what he truly is. He's vindicating himself. In other words, he does that, to the evil to the wicked. He says, I am, who I say? I am and this proves it, I hold onto Joe, that's why he hold onto me and you can beat up on him a little bit, and he will still hold on. You can attack my church, you can attack my people, they will still show my wisdom to be true at the end of time. I will bring together people from different walks of life. I will bring them together to glorify my son and they will say, Worthy is the Lamb. Then we see that in Revelation chapter 5, Men from every tribe and tongue and Nation. So this isn't just God saying, I want all people to come he does but he does it for a purpose. I want all people to come so they will show to the world who I am. That I am no respecter of persons that they are all one in Jesus Christ. My son. He is the culmination of my plan. So when you look at somebody different from you and you saved me, I don't like now.
You are disobeying God's plan to glorify himself, he wants to do it through you and how you treat your brother or sister in Christ? Who's different from you?
How you treat your brother or sister in Christ in the same church as you who may want to do things a little different than you. Am I going to focus on the ways that they annoy me? Or I'm going to focus on Jesus Christ in them and in me our hope of glory but not do it.
Just as an aside, that's also how you do marriage. I'm not married, but that's how you do it. You can't put two people together for that amount of time. I've had roommates, but I know it's different, but you can put two people together for that amount of time and not have like all. That's why does it? Why does he do that? Why does she do that? Pick up your clothes? My goodness. Why do you put your clothes in the washer? Not turn it on, that's so weird, right? The only way to do it is to say, This person is in Christ. And I'm going to love them through it all. Jesus is the center of our marriage.
And when they are, especially when they get on my nerves and I'm mad at him. The first thing I'm going to remember is Jesus Christ. My what I need and what I feel and what I deserve, it's going to be Jesus Christ and him crucified. I have died to my old selfish self and I have been raised with Jesus to live a loving, open generous, Mercy field life. And that better. Better. That's how to people get along in the faith. This was in accordance with the Eternal purpose which he carried out in Christ Jesus. Our lord in whom we have boldness and confident access through faith in him, therefore asked, you not to lose heart. At my tribulations on your your behalf for they are your glory. So finally, how do we show the wisdom of God as we've already said, by getting along by loving each other?
We also show it by showing love to the world and by good works if you look at the 4:1 Therefore I the prisoner of the Lord there. Is it in good? I implore you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling with which you have been called with all humility and gentleness with patients showing tolerance for one another in love being diligent to preserve the unity of the spirit and bond in the bond of Peace. There is one body and one Spirit just as also you were called in one, hope of your calling one Lord, One Faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all Does Paul just like saying the word? All No, he's making a point here.
Do all these things. Be humble, be gentle. Be patient show. Tolerance for one another in love. Be diligent to preserve the unity of the spirit in the bond of Peace. Why? Because there is one body. One Spirit, you were called in one, hope of your calling one Lord, One Faith, one baptism, one God one father. So is the driving force of your relationship for the unifying principle of the church is God who is all in? All my preference is my desires pale in comparison to him. My purpose is my planned pale in comparison to his will. Which began as we see. It's on chapter 1, in eternity past and goes into eternity future. Who am I to stand in the face of Eternity and say why aren't you listening to me? Who am I to do that? How much will go to the Grand Teton mountain and say, get out of my way. I need a ride that goes right through here. Get it out of the way. It's ridiculous. And yet we do that. Let me warn you, that's what the world is telling you to do. It's barging in your ear all the time. You're not getting what you deserve, your husband just made a funny. Look at you, punch me in the face, you know, like it's telling you all these things that you're not getting me that you need to get this. You need to get that.
And Paul says, oh, I'm a prisoner. God's grace was given to me to to write letters that becomes scripture. I'm the least of All Saints. I'm the least of all people in the church here with my brothers and sisters. Who am I to impose on them? Who am I to bark at them? And order them around? I am the least of all.
4 hours of cosmic rebel against God. He saved me anyway. I have nothing to offer God but sin and he still save me. Can I live humbly that way?
Or do I need to continually assert my Authority or my opinion? When all that matters is we see from Paul is God's plan, God's wisdom, God's glory and he was made us for it. Finally. Colossians chapter 1,
I'll put it this way.
Of this church. I was made a minister. According to the stewardship from God, bestowed on me for your benefit. so that I might fully carry out the preaching of the word of God that is the mystery which has been hidden from the past ages and generations, but has now been manifested to his Saints, to whom God will to make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles The Riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles. What is the glory? What is this mystery that you talk about Paul? Christ in you the hope of glory. We Proclaim him and monitoring every man and teaching every man with all wisdom. So that we may present every man complete in Christ for this purpose also, I Labour are striving according to his power which works mightily Within Me. So the mystery of God, bringing the Gentiles into the people of faith and making them joint heirs. Happens by virtue of this mystery and caution chapter 1. Christ in you.
When Jesus was leaving the disciples he says it's good that I leave. How to make the side of the house, that house that good. They didn't understand this mystery. He goes from being beside you to being within you Christ in you.
so is Dietrich, Bonhoeffer says
When Christ ascended to the father and sent his Spirit to live within us. In a sense, the church becomes the Incarnation of Jesus, not that we are Jews, but that he has come to live within us. And so, when we think about our life together and we think about how we treat each other is that at the Forefront of our minds. When I speak to this person, when I think about this person, am I realizing that Jesus Christ is in them as also he is in me
And will that affect how we act to each other? Well, we reflect God's wisdom and Glory. Or. We act in such a way that people say, God would have been better to glorify himself in another way than through the church. Cuz look at them. They're always fighting denomination, just exploded everywhere knowing to get along. We got these Christians that shoot people and do all these things. So I don't see how good or will we be so loving and kind and so gospel centered in Christ. Focused that people will say oh I see the wisdom of God in this. These people who have not been brothers and sisters have come together and love each other is family. I need to be a part of that. And you can say it's only by God's grace and his son, Jesus Christ that we love. So, can we?
Good good. Kevin well. Arlis Perry.
Thank you, Lord. That this is all of Grace, has Paul takes pains to make clear
How was the seal or that if we buy the flesh? Try to love each other. It's not going to work. We're going to get burned out. Going to get tired of it. We're going to get frustrated. Or bottle it all up and explode. One day, the Lord help us to just live and walk and move and Grace understanding that my love for my brother and sisters. Only comes by you from you, through your spirit. So Lord help me to rest in that rely on that. I be like a beggar waiting at your table. To fill me up with gray so that I can pour it out on others, Grace and love.
Lord help us to see the cosmic, significance of that that we buy our love. For one another, by our acceptance of each other, we show the world, your manifold Witness. Your manifold wisdom. We show the rulers in the Heavenly places. We shows the Satan and his minions. God is true, God is faithful, God is wise, in revealing himself to the world through his church.
Give us humility Lord.
So that we obey For Your Glory, not for ours will be For Your Glory. Not for the furtherance of your church, not for the furtherance of this church. Redeeming Grace. But for your glory and so that people come to you and believe your gospel and join the family.
so that they know us by our love for one another
Thank you, Lord. That ends with the lamb, that was slain taking the scroll.
It ends with him, executing judgment on sin and death. And it ends with us taking with him taking us to himself in the marriage supper. Thank you. Lord. For that promise. We lay hold of it. We believe you. You're faithful and true. Just now, pray. Amen.