Remembrance

A man a man. Well on this weekend, I want to talk about Remembrance in the role of remembering in the gospel. Jesus as he was getting ready to depart and on that night that he's been betrayed right after the Last Supper. He was talking with his disciples and he he gave them this promise of the holy spirit that he wouldn't leave them as orphans. He wouldn't leave them alone. It wasn't going to be up to them, but that he was going to give them His Holy Spirit and in John 14:26 Jesus Edwin when the helper the Holy Spirit comes to you. He will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance. All the things that I have said to you. Really when I when I talk about gospel fluency. That's really what I'm talking about being the kind of people that are not only filled but led by the spirit of God the kind of people who are humble and open and listening to what God has to say to us in every aspect and area of our la And that when the spirit comes what the spirit does what the spirit teaches what the spirit reveals is Jesus he reminds us of who Jesus is he reminds us of what Jesus has done and then he reminds us of who we are now in cry. The growing gospel fluency is to keep in step with the rhythms of the spirit who is constantly drawing us back to G. You have your Bibles with you. I'd love for you to open up to Ephesians chapter 4 Ephesians chapter 4. I want to I want to start here this morning because I want to remind us I want us to remember. What it is that we're trying to do and to be as God's people. This is a phenomenal foundational text about and for the church. What is it that Jesus wants the church to be about what is it that we are trying to be coming to do. There's an old cliche Maxim that says if you aim at nothing. You'll hit it every time what are we aiming at for too long in the church? We've been aiming at the Sunday morning church service. That's what we've been any now we got to get people to church to church. That's your job. You got to get people to pray the prayer, you know, the prayer the Prayer of Salvation Out of Hell get me into Heaven prayer that's been our goal. That's what the church has been about. My job as a preacher is to get you to pray the prayer your job as the people is to get people here to pray the prayer. the problem is what happens next?

truncated vision of the Gospel which gives us a truncated vision of the church We lost sight of what it is. I got an actually asking us to be and to do this. This reminds us powerfully. Starting verse 11. It says he Jesus gave the apostles the prophets the Evangelist the Shepherds and the teachers.

I'm going to just keep going cuz I could spend a couple hours on that. Let me just say God's gifted in a variety of ways the church and we need all of those gifting. For far too long in the church in America. We've really only focused on teachers and Shepherds. And that's to our detriment but it's as if he gave them to equip the Saints for the work of the ministry. And that's backwards. The how church has done in America has done America you come we pass the offering plate you put the money in you pay my salary and I'm supposed to do the work of the ministry of the only problem with that is everything. All right. It's impossible. One person can't do it all a group of pastors or else. The way the church is supposed to work. The church is designed by God that every member has been gifted to each one. The manifestation of the spirit has been given for the common good. The job of Apostles and evangelists and Prophets and teachers and Shepherd is to equip the body to be the body.

What purpose for building up the body of Christ? What does that mean? Well, well, then we are all chained to the unity of the faith. and of the knowledge of the son of God So where to equip the Saints for the work of ministry so that we grow up together so that we have unity in the faith and knowledge of Jesus.

immature manhood Womanhood grow up for far too long. We've been concerned with spiritual birth, and that was spiritual growth. So what's happened is in forgive me if it's cut a little too close to home. We got church after church at the church filled with spiritual babies that are not growing up.

What's up, what the gospel supposed to do the gospel got concerned with creating a bunch of spiritual infants or toddlers for babies that run on sucking their thumbs and soiling their diapers. And that's what babies do.

the gospel Jesus came died and rose again that we might go up into the fullness of what God wants us to be mature men and women. rooted in the gospel To the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ. You want to talk about a high bar. It doesn't get any higher than Jesus. That's what the text said. That's what your dad wants for you. He wants you to grow up so that you have the same kind of maturity and life that Jesus had. That's a goal right? That's a goal. We lower the bar. I want to have the kind of Charity of my Sunday school teacher or a Billy Graham or a or Mother Teresa would like life. I can't even measure up to them and paws like them. You are calling that Mother. Teresa was called To Be A Mother Teresa. You aren't called to be Mother Teresa. You and Mother Teresa were called to be like Jesus.

Sure measure stature the fullness of Christ. So that we may no longer be children. tossed to and fro by the waves carried about by every wind of Doctrine by human cunning by craftiness in deceitful schemes.

I love it when I read a passage of scripture and I and I see myself in it. I hate it when I read this passage of scripture and see myself in it. But I do. How many you know what it means when he says the waves? The back and forth the I believe help my unbelief imperfect and broken people and we're constantly being bombarded with false messages. True false gods false worship.

He says it's not enough to just pray a prayer. It's not enough to just be a spiritual infant in Bandy what God wants for you and what God wants from you what Jesus died and rose again. It's for you to grow up in the fullness of Christ so that you're not inconsistent. You're not going back and forth and then he says this rather. Speaking the truth in love we are to grow up in every way into him. Who is the head into Christ?

What does God want for us as individuals? What does God want for us as a spiritual Community? This is what he wants. He wants us to grow up into Christ.

You want that?

Or do you want Jesus to give you your health insurance and guarantee you a nice afterlife in the basically leave you alone so that you can live your life the way that you want to.

The gospel that's only concerned with what happens after you die, or have you heard the gospel of Life the gospel of grace the gospel of Salvation to all all of life. It's not enough to just start in the gospel. We got to stay in the gospel. We have to grow in the gospel who wants to grow up in the gospel who wants to grow in the cry. How do we do it? He tells speaking the truth in love now. I know it's speaking the truth in love me of names saying really mean and harsh things to people. in love

U g l y you ain't got no alibi. You ugly? in Jesus name

In-N-Out in Texas I learned all you had to do is say all bless their heart really enjoyed that for a while. Why did I just say whatever I wanted their terrible person? I'll bless their heart.

Speaking. The truth in love is not saying mean or harsh or hard things. I mean sometimes speaking the truth in love requires that we say hard thing. But what does Paul mean when he says this this is how we grow we grow speaking the truth in love we grow up in every way into him. Who is the head into Christ? Speaking. The truth in love is positive speaking with the same speaking the gospel with the truth. Jesus is the way the truth and the life. Truth in love to each other means we speak to each other Christ in all of life. You having family troubles? You need Jesus haven't worked troubles. You need Jesus. You trying to figure out your finances you need Jesus. Do we go to Dave Ramsey? Not Jesus. We going to dr. Phil not Jesus.

The reality of the Gospel is a Jesus is the wisest smartest most efficient enable human being who has ever lived. He has the best knowledge. He has the most power the greatest inside. He has absolute discernment and wisdom. He is the one that we are to go to and when we speak to each other if we're going to speak in we going to speak the truth to each other. We need to speak Jesus to each other.

What help one another grow up into Christ in every way we need to learn how to speak the truth of Christ into everything. That's not something most of us have been trained to do we've been trained to speak the gospel about Jesus to unbelievers. Do you believe in Jesus do you believe that he died and rose again? Have you put any prayed the prayer have you put your faith in him? Do you know what will happen to you after you die if you stand before a holy and righteous God and he says why should you let me into your Heaven? What would you tell people how to answer that? We say this exclusively focused on how to speak Jesus to unbelievers. We're almost clueless when it comes to speaking Jesus to each other.

And that's why we're not growing up. because we don't grow up because of our will or intelligence or even our determination we grow up because the truth when you know, the truth the truth will set you free speaking the truth in love speaking Jesus in love to one another we grow up. We have to learn how to speak the truth of Christ in the everything every aspect of life every situation. We stay the Gospel of Jesus teaches us about our finances it teaches us how to address emotional anxiety and fear. Jesus can shape how we respond. To the realities of a complex and challenging life. We speak the truth of Jesus in the each of these issues or situations. We will grow together. In every way with Christ, which also means we will grow up in every way into cry. In other words if we are going to grow up to be like Christ we have to grow up with the very truth of Jesus that make sense. If we if we're trying to grow up into that, we got to grow up with that like if you want to be a great pianist. You don't get great by playing the saxophone. Description said if you want to run a marathon.

You don't binge watch Netflix.

The the go right the end the memes have to match up to the end if you want to grow up into Christ. You don't grow up into Christ with something else. You grow up into Christ with Christ.

What we have to learn to speak the gospel to each other and when I say that the gospel applies to everything. The gospel applies to Everything. Jesus is good news, but he is good news for everyday stuff of life. He has better truth. He is better truth. Jesus is the true and better human everything in life is better if Jesus is brought into it.

Did you believe I don't give me a church believe that. Everything in life is better when Jesus is brought into it. Is not an area of your life. There's not us an arena of existence that Jesus is not the king of And that Jesus is not God's wisdom and God's power and got solution for. Many of us have bought into the light of the world. That's what Jesus belongs to ancient people in ancient Tricia believe that we got iPhones like we're we're awesome.

What we bought into the LIE even in the church, we bought into the lie that Jesus doesn't speak better. To the realities of our life than anyone or anything else. Jesus is the true that are human and everything in life is better. If Jesus is brought into it. He has done everything better. He he can make everything better the truth about who he is and what he has done when applied to our lives. Are always a better answer than anything out?

They're always better answer than any thing else.

That's hard last last week. We looked at this text that I want to go back to 1st Corinthians chapter 1. Richmond things chapter 1 Paul addresses the reality that what I just said doesn't make sense to the world. That when I say Jesus is better. Jesus is wise or Jesus is stronger that everything in life is better with Jesus brought into it the World Hears that and goes that's crazy. I mean don't you haven't you thought that yourself? Haven't you met people who think that like God's the great Cosmic killjoy, like if you bring God into things it's going to Harsh your trip. Been watching a lot of that 70 show forgive me.

I guess idea that you bring Jesus in all your funds going to evaporate. Jesus is just out there to go there smiling. I better get involved in that.

The word of the Cross is folly to those who are perishing. Let us who are being saved. It is the power of God for it is written. I will destroy the wisdom of the wise and the discernment of the Discerning I will sort Where is the one who is wise where is the Scribe? Where is the debater of this age the wisdom of the world?

Do you believe that? And if we looked at your life objectively would we say that you believe that? Do you look to Jesus to be your wisdom or you looking to the wisdom of the world to give you guidance? Where do we run to who do we turn to? When things get out of control and they're too much who do we think can help us out?

4 cents in the wisdom of God the world did not know God through wisdom. It pleased God through the following. foolishness the craziness of what we preach to save those who believe

we live in a world where knowledge is power. If we just educate people and they can overcome any obstacle and you can be anything you want to be you can do anything you want to do.

I don't know anything more blatantly fall.

The wisdom of this world there's a way that seems right to a man. but it's end is

It pleased God to turn things up around here hubris. The hubris of man, we can do life without you. God will figure it out on your own. We've got our own wisdom. And since man did not know God through wisdom it pleased God through the foolishness of what we preach to save those who believe.

That's making a point.

four Jews demand signs and Greeks seek wisdom But we preach Christ crucified. a stumbling block the Jews and falling pagenta

But to those who are called but Jews and Greeks Christ the power of God. and the wisdom of God if Christ is the power of God if Christ is the wisdom of God, why would we not speak Christ to each other in all of life?

Gospel fluency people think and steal and perceive everything in light of what has been accomplished in the person and work of Jesus Christ. C4 gospel fluent people the gospel is not just Dogma. Although it does have Doctrine it's not just history though. It's historical. It's not just passed. Although it happened. The gospel is the power of God made available to us through the Son of God gave his life for us. He is alive and at work in those who believe by his spirit and that power was exerted is presently available and will keep us safe until the end. The gospel is the power of God for salvation. for our entire lives

Bryan tire shops We can send you see says for the foolishness of God is wiser than men and what a great as of God's foolish. But if God were fool is the foolishness of God. Is wiser the map and the weakness of God as if there's a weakness in God, but if there was his weakness would be stronger than men. There's no comparison, right? The wisest strongest human being you've ever met or ever heard of. How long does that last night the strength of humanity, isn't we all bag stag and drag eventually?

Some of us have started early but whatever is it. human strength

the Mist Scott human wisdom Molly Tyga just reconsider your calling Brothers. This is why I wanted to preach this on Memorial Day. So I called the sermon remembrance remember? Consider your calling remember where you came from? Remember? How Christ came to you remember? What price did you consider your calling? You weren't called cuz I how great you are. Not many of you were wise according to worldly standards. Not many more powerful not many were of noble birth as I've said before there's no Paparazzi outside waiting to see what we're wearing when we walked out. Although I do look good in pink.

Come on, brother.

Not many of you were wise not many were powerful not many were of noble birth. But God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the why God chose? What is weak in the same the strong? I see myself in that verse. And I know what it is to be weak and foolish and to see God show up in my life in ways that don't make sense to this world. That's a God. That's that's not looking for the superstars. That's my looking for the prepared.. Looking for the equip. He's looking, you know he's looking for. He's looking for fat people.

baseball available teachable

the only time I want to be fat

I got. I'm looking for the the superstars what?

Cuz we have the Superstars names Jesus.

We don't need anybody out. God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise what is weak in the world to shame the strong God chose? What is low and despised in the world even things that are not to bring nothing brings nothing things that are

so that no human being might boast in the presence of God This is where it gets real. God has set this up in such a way. But he gets the glory and we get the good. We get his power we did his salvation we get his goodness, but none of us get to stand up and say look what I did.

I mean we can but it usually looks like well I did this and it went really really bad and then I asked God and he rescued me.

God Delights in taking broken people and putting them back together got to love to take the marginalized the disenfranchised the spiritual Rejects and turning them into the people that demonstrate his goodness in his glory.

When somebody see if we got us through them nobody's tempted to think while they pulled that off. How did they pull that off at must have been got?

Because of him you are in Christ Jesus. Let that sink in this morning rejoicing at this point because of him you're in Christ Jesus. Don't take credit for your own salvation. Don't think you're better than everybody else. Don't think you believe cuz you're smarter than somebody else don't think you got more wisdom spiritual strength than those who have I believe it's because of him that you're in Christ Jesus because of his plan before the foundation of the world because of his wisdom because of his design you're in Christ Jesus, Who becomes us wisdom from God righteousness and sanctification and Redemption so that as it is written let the one who boasts boast in the Lord.

I want you to post this week. I want you to buff and wet like just saying that you got we're not supposed to. Not supposed to post about herself, but we are supposed to be out most about Jesus. Depart of gospel fluency is learning to acknowledge Jesus in all of life to give him the proper credit to acknowledge what he's done to both about his wisdom his power his righteousness his faithfulness. his love As is written let him who boasts boast in the Lord.

Gospel fluency That's What It Is it supposed to be in the Lord? We boast in the Lord to ourselves. We boast in the Lord to each other. We boast in the Lord to those who have not yet her. We don't stop busting Lord wants somebody walks an aisle, or praise a prayer. We don't stop boasting in the Lord so that they remain in spiritual infancy and immaturity we continue boasting in the Lord proclaiming Christ to each other speaking the truth in love until we all grow into the full maturity of Jesus. Who is the king.

God has incredible plans for you. And for me God has raised the bar as high as it can go. And God is more than sufficient. The pull it off. I believe with all my heart that we can grow up. Not because we're so smart or were so strong. but because God Is So able I'm absolutely confident in this that the one who began a good work in US. What carry it on to the day of completion in Christ Jesus?

Some of us man. We just got to start taking baby steps. Baby steps in the gospel every good thing starts with baby stats.

Search let us be people. That are on a shame. and unafraid The boast and glory in the Gospel of Jesus. Who is the king. Amen?