1 00:00:00,000 --> 00:00:00,870 Speaker: In our flesh. 2 00:00:00,900 --> 00:00:03,330 If our flesh is unchecked, this can get down to like, whoa. 3 00:00:04,019 --> 00:00:05,940 The person that set up the chairs this week, I don't like the way 4 00:00:05,940 --> 00:00:06,840 they set up the chairs this week. 5 00:00:06,930 --> 00:00:08,730 I set up the chairs better than they set up the chairs. 6 00:00:10,290 --> 00:00:12,719 Something as petty as that can begin to creep into the church, right? 7 00:00:13,559 --> 00:00:15,809 Gossip, envy, covetousness. 8 00:00:17,009 --> 00:00:20,160 These are all things that work against unity Unforgiveness. 9 00:00:21,195 --> 00:00:24,345 Things that, that create a breeding ground for division in the church 10 00:00:24,345 --> 00:00:27,915 and things that are all antigo things that are all things that work 11 00:00:27,915 --> 00:00:29,415 against the mission of the church. 12 00:00:29,925 --> 00:00:32,715 Instead, what do we need to do if, if we're gonna be a church that that's 13 00:00:32,715 --> 00:00:34,305 gonna catch the world's attention? 14 00:00:34,665 --> 00:00:39,975 We have to be a church united for a common purpose, a common mission, and 15 00:00:39,975 --> 00:00:41,895 it's gonna involve things like this. 16 00:00:41,895 --> 00:00:43,065 There's more, but some things like this. 17 00:00:43,065 --> 00:00:46,035 Number one, commit to a Philippians two preference of one another. 18 00:00:46,980 --> 00:00:49,920 When Paul writes in Philippians two, Hey, do nothing from selfish ambition or 19 00:00:49,920 --> 00:00:52,950 conceit, but in humility, count others is more significant than yourselves. 20 00:00:53,250 --> 00:00:55,890 That's gonna foster unity in the bride of Christ. 21 00:00:57,180 --> 00:01:00,540 Commit to killing envy in covetousness at the earliest 22 00:01:00,540 --> 00:01:01,950 sign when they rise up within us. 23 00:01:03,030 --> 00:01:06,630 If you find yourself envying, one of your brothers or sisters in Christ are 24 00:01:06,630 --> 00:01:11,190 coveting what they have, man, put that to death as quickly as you possibly can. 25 00:01:12,330 --> 00:01:16,380 Commit to killing gossip in the church and not contributing to its spread. 26 00:01:17,550 --> 00:01:21,060 You hear a brother or sister sharing something that, that is, is laced 27 00:01:21,060 --> 00:01:23,820 with gossip, then, then you need to, to say, Hey, we need to not 28 00:01:23,820 --> 00:01:25,050 be talking about this right now. 29 00:01:25,620 --> 00:01:27,120 Or, Hey, have you talked to them about this? 30 00:01:27,120 --> 00:01:28,980 Have you gotten to them about these things? 31 00:01:30,090 --> 00:01:32,370 Commit to seeking forgiveness when you've wronged a brother, a sister 32 00:01:32,370 --> 00:01:35,820 in Christ that's gonna foster unity within the bride of Christ. 33 00:01:37,080 --> 00:01:39,090 Commit to forgiving as we have been forgiven. 34 00:01:39,690 --> 00:01:41,460 And that one's huge and so hard too. 35 00:01:42,180 --> 00:01:45,509 But that's gonna foster unity with the, with the, in the bride of of Christ. 36 00:01:46,590 --> 00:01:49,560 Learn to weep with those who weep and rejoice with those who rejoice. 37 00:01:51,960 --> 00:01:55,710 Take more of an interest in each other than just the passing comment about, how's 38 00:01:55,710 --> 00:01:56,970 your week and how's the weather been? 39 00:01:58,200 --> 00:02:00,180 This is what's gonna produce unity here. 40 00:02:00,180 --> 00:02:02,790 That's gonna cost somebody to walk in here from the world that's not a 41 00:02:02,790 --> 00:02:05,130 believer and say, what do you have here? 42 00:02:06,000 --> 00:02:06,750 I want that. 43 00:02:08,174 --> 00:02:11,204 Again, that that's why we're we're, we're called to be united. 44 00:02:11,204 --> 00:02:14,234 That's the reason for the unity that Christ is praying for in our 45 00:02:14,234 --> 00:02:15,434 lives, that we would be one such. 46 00:02:15,434 --> 00:02:18,584 The world stops and takes notice of what we have going on here, 47 00:02:19,394 --> 00:02:20,204 but he prays more for them. 48 00:02:20,204 --> 00:02:21,045 Look at verse 24. 49 00:02:21,945 --> 00:02:25,484 He says, father, I desire that they also, whom you have given me, may be 50 00:02:25,484 --> 00:02:29,924 with me where I am to see my glory that you have given me because you loved 51 00:02:29,924 --> 00:02:31,605 me before the foundation of the world. 52 00:02:31,950 --> 00:02:35,099 Now he's praying that we would be with him and this is in keeping 53 00:02:35,099 --> 00:02:38,249 with John 14, John 14 verses two and three in my father's house. 54 00:02:38,249 --> 00:02:39,299 There's many rooms. 55 00:02:39,659 --> 00:02:42,329 If it were not, so would I have told you that I go to prepare a place 56 00:02:42,329 --> 00:02:47,249 for you and if I go verse three and prepare a place for you, I will 57 00:02:47,249 --> 00:02:49,769 come again and take you to myself. 58 00:02:49,769 --> 00:02:52,260 That where I am you may be. 59 00:02:52,529 --> 00:02:56,039 Also, Jesus wants us to be with him, church. 60 00:02:56,894 --> 00:03:00,855 And he's praying that we would be united with that in mind, that ultimately 61 00:03:00,855 --> 00:03:04,334 our final destination is not here, but there it's gonna be with him. 62 00:03:04,334 --> 00:03:06,224 It's gonna be in the presence of Jesus. 63 00:03:06,855 --> 00:03:10,635 In fact, so much so one commentator put it this way, he says this, he 64 00:03:10,635 --> 00:03:15,015 says, the ultimate goal for the disciple is not participation in the 65 00:03:15,015 --> 00:03:16,994 mission to which Jesus called them. 66 00:03:17,624 --> 00:03:17,864 Okay. 67 00:03:18,015 --> 00:03:20,594 That's startling to read that alone. 68 00:03:20,864 --> 00:03:24,164 The ultimate goal for the disciple is not the great commission, is 69 00:03:24,164 --> 00:03:25,244 what this commentator just said. 70 00:03:25,244 --> 00:03:30,404 It, but before you pick up stones, he goes on here, he says, as vital 71 00:03:30,404 --> 00:03:34,694 as that is, but last half of this, he says, but the ultimate goal is 72 00:03:34,694 --> 00:03:38,714 to see the glory of their exalted redeemer in the presence of the Father. 73 00:03:39,765 --> 00:03:40,934 That is the ultimate goal. 74 00:03:40,934 --> 00:03:46,244 Rush Church is to be with Jesus, to be in his presence, to see his 75 00:03:46,244 --> 00:03:50,204 glory, to experience the, the joy of being face to face with our savior. 76 00:03:50,474 --> 00:03:54,224 That's what Jesus is praying for, ultimately to the Father, for you and me. 77 00:03:55,079 --> 00:03:58,079 He's saying, father, I desire, I'm asking that they would be with me where 78 00:03:58,079 --> 00:03:59,880 I am, that they might see my glory. 79 00:03:59,880 --> 00:04:01,950 And the reason he's praying that is because he knows that's what is 80 00:04:01,950 --> 00:04:06,059 best for us, is to be with him and to be in the presence of his glory, 81 00:04:08,429 --> 00:04:08,700 y'all. 82 00:04:08,730 --> 00:04:11,279 That's that, that truly is what, what? 83 00:04:11,925 --> 00:04:12,735 Connects us. 84 00:04:13,010 --> 00:04:15,945 That that truly is a, the, the bond, the glue. 85 00:04:15,945 --> 00:04:18,165 It's, it's what keeps us together. 86 00:04:18,195 --> 00:04:21,375 It's the foundation of our unity, if I can put it that way. 87 00:04:21,825 --> 00:04:24,765 The fact that no matter who you are, what your background looks like, where 88 00:04:24,765 --> 00:04:27,285 you come from, what your religious beliefs were prior to coming to faith 89 00:04:27,285 --> 00:04:31,995 in Christ, what you make a year, no matter what it is, all of us together 90 00:04:31,995 --> 00:04:35,475 sit here in this morning as those that are on the, the road to the same place. 91 00:04:35,475 --> 00:04:39,045 That is if you are in Christ and that destination is actually 92 00:04:39,045 --> 00:04:40,605 a person and that person is. 93 00:04:40,905 --> 00:04:41,474 Jesus. 94 00:04:41,474 --> 00:04:45,495 That's our common future, and that is the foundation of what unites us together. 95 00:04:45,735 --> 00:04:47,505 Point number two, this morning, along those lines, is this 96 00:04:47,505 --> 00:04:49,005 unite around a common future? 97 00:04:49,724 --> 00:04:57,405 Unite around a common future Being with Jesus, we're not, we're uniting for 98 00:04:57,405 --> 00:05:00,885 the, the common mission of reaching the lost and our, our unity is, is a 99 00:05:00,945 --> 00:05:06,615 passive expression of that mission, but we unite around the foundation of 100 00:05:06,615 --> 00:05:09,315 is, of our union is a common future. 101 00:05:09,780 --> 00:05:11,850 And that is being with Jesus, 102 00:05:15,510 --> 00:05:18,000 Jesus desires that we would be in his presence. 103 00:05:18,000 --> 00:05:20,730 The question for us this morning is, do we desire to be in his presence too? 104 00:05:23,400 --> 00:05:24,540 I don't know if you feel it this morning, guys. 105 00:05:24,540 --> 00:05:25,800 I'll just, just sidebar. 106 00:05:25,800 --> 00:05:26,400 I'll just stop here. 107 00:05:26,640 --> 00:05:30,150 I, I feel like I'm like the, the, the heirs out of the room this morning. 108 00:05:30,180 --> 00:05:31,470 That's just what I'm feeling right now. 109 00:05:31,470 --> 00:05:32,400 I don't know what that is. 110 00:05:32,400 --> 00:05:34,950 It just feels like we're, we're a little dead here this morning. 111 00:05:35,850 --> 00:05:37,409 Anybody else with me on that this morning? 112 00:05:38,040 --> 00:05:40,409 We need to stand up and do jumping jacks or something and sit back down. 113 00:05:41,850 --> 00:05:43,770 I'm, I'm for it if, if we need to. 114 00:05:43,980 --> 00:05:45,750 I, I, I feel that need too. 115 00:05:45,750 --> 00:05:46,740 And, and I, I get it. 116 00:05:46,740 --> 00:05:50,550 Sometimes it's, it's hard and, and, and you're coming off of a week where you've 117 00:05:50,550 --> 00:05:53,220 been busy and you're coming off of a week where you've gone through it and you're 118 00:05:53,220 --> 00:05:55,890 coming off of a week where your car's been in the shop or you're coming off of 119 00:05:55,890 --> 00:05:57,845 a week where you've had marital problems. 120 00:05:57,870 --> 00:05:59,490 You're coming off of a week of being sick. 121 00:05:59,490 --> 00:06:02,430 You're coming off of a week of problems at, at work with your boss. 122 00:06:02,430 --> 00:06:06,090 You're coming off of a week in a broken and fallen world. 123 00:06:07,125 --> 00:06:07,994 And you're drained. 124 00:06:07,994 --> 00:06:09,674 I, I get it. 125 00:06:09,705 --> 00:06:11,445 I fully understand where you're at this morning. 126 00:06:14,775 --> 00:06:16,455 This is our future though. 127 00:06:17,265 --> 00:06:18,794 We get to go be with Jesus. 128 00:06:20,205 --> 00:06:21,375 We get to be with Jesus. 129 00:06:21,375 --> 00:06:24,525 And, and I don't think about that enough. 130 00:06:25,575 --> 00:06:29,804 And, and, and the disadvantage that we have is that he's not, he's not 131 00:06:29,804 --> 00:06:31,635 sitting right here in the room with us. 132 00:06:32,804 --> 00:06:36,765 Right, and, and so it's hard for us to conceive of, man, what's it 133 00:06:36,765 --> 00:06:38,205 gonna be like to be with Jesus? 134 00:06:39,254 --> 00:06:43,183 And so let's piggyback for a second if we can on Peter. 135 00:06:43,754 --> 00:06:45,525 Peter, he has his high points. 136 00:06:45,944 --> 00:06:50,955 There are not a lot of 'em before Pentecost, but he's got some, he's got 137 00:06:50,955 --> 00:06:53,414 some, you remember Matthew chapter 17. 138 00:06:54,075 --> 00:06:56,895 Jesus calls Peter, James and John up on this mountain with him, 139 00:06:56,895 --> 00:06:58,155 and we call it the mount of what. 140 00:06:59,294 --> 00:07:00,164 Transfiguration. 141 00:07:00,164 --> 00:07:00,705 Right. 142 00:07:00,765 --> 00:07:02,445 Why do we call it the Mount of Transfiguration? 143 00:07:02,984 --> 00:07:06,315 Because Jesus was transfiguration on the mountain. 144 00:07:07,755 --> 00:07:08,054 Yeah. 145 00:07:08,385 --> 00:07:11,804 He was transfigured on the mountain, meaning he, he showed up in his full 146 00:07:11,804 --> 00:07:14,624 glory on the mountain there, and there were two other people with him. 147 00:07:14,624 --> 00:07:15,374 Who else was with him? 148 00:07:16,544 --> 00:07:17,744 Moses and Elijah. 149 00:07:17,744 --> 00:07:18,465 Exactly. 150 00:07:18,554 --> 00:07:18,945 Yes. 151 00:07:18,945 --> 00:07:20,505 Moses and Elijah and Jesus. 152 00:07:20,744 --> 00:07:21,765 And they're on the mountain. 153 00:07:22,034 --> 00:07:25,065 And Peter and the, and James and John are up there with Jesus 154 00:07:25,275 --> 00:07:27,104 and Peter says this to Jesus. 155 00:07:27,405 --> 00:07:30,885 He says, Lord, it's good that we are here. 156 00:07:32,385 --> 00:07:33,914 It's good that we're with you. 157 00:07:34,335 --> 00:07:36,405 It's good that we're in your presence, Lord. 158 00:07:37,215 --> 00:07:40,605 And then he says, in just as honesty here, he says, I, I'll make these tents. 159 00:07:41,474 --> 00:07:43,604 One for you, one for Moses, one for Elijah. 160 00:07:44,534 --> 00:07:45,735 We don't need anybody else. 161 00:07:45,765 --> 00:07:46,485 Lord, we're good here. 162 00:07:46,515 --> 00:07:47,534 Let's just hang out here. 163 00:07:48,585 --> 00:07:49,395 Moses is here. 164 00:07:49,395 --> 00:07:50,775 He's got the manna covered. 165 00:07:51,405 --> 00:07:54,795 He can hit a rock or speak to it, whatever you want him to do. 166 00:07:55,350 --> 00:07:56,640 We'll get some water out of there. 167 00:07:56,640 --> 00:07:57,810 We'll be set. 168 00:07:58,170 --> 00:07:59,310 Let's just be here. 169 00:07:59,310 --> 00:08:00,900 Jesus, I just wanna be with you. 170 00:08:01,980 --> 00:08:04,410 That's Peter in the presence of Jesus. 171 00:08:05,250 --> 00:08:07,980 And so for us, I think it's just that, that the work that we have 172 00:08:07,980 --> 00:08:10,500 to do to, to get there, to be like, that's gonna be so good. 173 00:08:11,010 --> 00:08:12,810 Peter's not on the Mount of Transfiguration going, 174 00:08:12,810 --> 00:08:13,980 Jesus, do I get to fly? 175 00:08:17,490 --> 00:08:20,310 Am I gonna get a hole in one on every golf course that I ever play? 176 00:08:20,310 --> 00:08:20,850 Now Jesus. 177 00:08:21,719 --> 00:08:23,969 He's not sitting there looking around the Mount of Transfiguration going, 178 00:08:23,969 --> 00:08:25,590 is there anything else to do up here? 179 00:08:27,869 --> 00:08:29,550 Sometimes we fall prey to that, don't we? 180 00:08:29,609 --> 00:08:34,289 When we think about eternity, w we think about man, oh yeah, 181 00:08:34,289 --> 00:08:35,130 it's gonna be about Jesus. 182 00:08:35,130 --> 00:08:36,900 And it's gonna be about this over here too. 183 00:08:37,710 --> 00:08:40,320 It's gonna be about Jesus, but it's also gonna be about this over here too. 184 00:08:41,190 --> 00:08:42,870 It's gonna be about Jesus, but I'm also gonna get to see 185 00:08:42,870 --> 00:08:44,039 this person over here too. 186 00:08:46,410 --> 00:08:47,160 And, and, and listen. 187 00:08:47,250 --> 00:08:49,950 Eternity's gonna be more than than choir robes and pews. 188 00:08:51,960 --> 00:08:55,320 But it's certainly not gonna be less than us being overwhelmingly consumed with 189 00:08:55,320 --> 00:09:01,650 being in the presence of Jesus, being in his presence and saying with Peter, 190 00:09:01,650 --> 00:09:03,270 good Lord, it is good that we are here. 191 00:09:04,500 --> 00:09:05,910 It's good for us to be here. 192 00:09:07,380 --> 00:09:09,960 Is it good for you this morning to think about being in the presence of Jesus? 193 00:09:10,980 --> 00:09:12,120 That's where we're all headed. 194 00:09:14,160 --> 00:09:15,360 That's our common future. 195 00:09:15,360 --> 00:09:17,760 That's the thing that is the foundation of what unites us. 196 00:09:17,760 --> 00:09:20,280 No matter where you come from, what your background looks like is you and I are 197 00:09:20,280 --> 00:09:22,740 gonna be together for eternity with Jesus. 198 00:09:23,880 --> 00:09:28,110 And you might be thinking, well, why should I look forward to that? 199 00:09:28,170 --> 00:09:29,520 Help me understand that a little bit. 200 00:09:30,030 --> 00:09:30,540 Two thoughts. 201 00:09:30,540 --> 00:09:32,280 Number one, you're gonna be like him when you're with him. 202 00:09:33,569 --> 00:09:38,400 You can be like Jesus and I, I don't mean that in the sense that Satan wanted 203 00:09:38,400 --> 00:09:40,590 to be like God and fell from heaven. 204 00:09:41,565 --> 00:09:42,765 I mean that in the best sense. 205 00:09:44,355 --> 00:09:48,465 We talked about sanctification a handful of weeks ago, that we've 206 00:09:48,465 --> 00:09:51,015 got our positional sanctification that is at the moment of salvation, 207 00:09:51,015 --> 00:09:54,645 you are justified and positionally set apart as holy to the Lord. 208 00:09:55,485 --> 00:09:57,435 Then we've got progressive sanctification, and that's what 209 00:09:57,435 --> 00:09:58,965 we're all in the midst of right now. 210 00:09:59,295 --> 00:10:01,605 This progression of being made more like Jesus, the longer that 211 00:10:01,605 --> 00:10:05,115 we live here, and then ultimately is the perfect sanctification. 212 00:10:06,105 --> 00:10:09,075 That's what I'm talking about here with the fact that you're, 213 00:10:09,225 --> 00:10:09,975 you're gonna be like him. 214 00:10:11,115 --> 00:10:14,055 Uh, John describes it, our author from John's Gospel in one John. 215 00:10:14,055 --> 00:10:17,445 He says, beloved, we are now God's children and what we will be has 216 00:10:17,445 --> 00:10:22,695 not yet appeared, but we know that when he appears we shall be like him 217 00:10:23,415 --> 00:10:24,825 because we shall see him as he is. 218 00:10:25,935 --> 00:10:26,955 We'll be in his presence. 219 00:10:27,825 --> 00:10:31,905 No more sin nor any of its effects will be there. 220 00:10:32,355 --> 00:10:34,845 Mark was reading about it in, in Revelation 22, earlier. 221 00:10:35,565 --> 00:10:36,435 That's our future. 222 00:10:37,590 --> 00:10:38,250 There's no son. 223 00:10:38,250 --> 00:10:38,430 Why? 224 00:10:38,430 --> 00:10:40,740 Because the glory of Jesus is all the light we're gonna need. 225 00:10:41,970 --> 00:10:44,520 You don't need a temple because you've got the Lamb of God 226 00:10:45,960 --> 00:10:46,800 and you're gonna be like him. 227 00:10:46,800 --> 00:10:48,240 You're gonna be able to draw near to him. 228 00:10:49,290 --> 00:10:50,370 You're gonna have access to him. 229 00:10:52,410 --> 00:10:55,440 Paul says in Philippians three 20, our citizenship is in heaven. 230 00:10:55,800 --> 00:11:00,690 And from it, we await our savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, who will transform 231 00:11:00,690 --> 00:11:04,680 our lowly body to be like his glorious body by the power that enables him 232 00:11:04,920 --> 00:11:06,990 even to subject all things to himself. 233 00:11:07,380 --> 00:11:13,050 Jesus is gonna make your earthly body like his glorious, heavenly, holy body. 234 00:11:14,685 --> 00:11:15,615 Colossians three, four. 235 00:11:15,615 --> 00:11:18,135 Paul says, when Christ who is your life appears, then you also 236 00:11:18,135 --> 00:11:19,185 will appear with him in glory. 237 00:11:19,185 --> 00:11:22,275 So church, one of the reasons why you should long to be with Jesus 238 00:11:22,275 --> 00:11:24,915 is because you will be like Jesus. 239 00:11:25,815 --> 00:11:26,415 You'll be like him. 240 00:11:27,585 --> 00:11:28,485 No more sin. 241 00:11:28,515 --> 00:11:30,825 All the sin that besets you, the sin that frustrates you. 242 00:11:33,165 --> 00:11:33,795 It's gone. 243 00:11:34,785 --> 00:11:35,985 And you'll be with them and you'll be like him. 244 00:11:37,545 --> 00:11:39,855 Not only will you be like him, but also second, you will 245 00:11:39,855 --> 00:11:42,555 know true joy and true peace. 246 00:11:44,715 --> 00:11:48,975 True joy and true peace to be in the presence of Jesus. 247 00:11:48,980 --> 00:11:51,465 And, and there's other things that I could have pointed to besides these 248 00:11:51,465 --> 00:11:55,725 things, but I think the, the, the presence of Jesus conveys these things. 249 00:11:57,045 --> 00:12:01,725 Psalm 1611, David says, in your presence there's fullness of 250 00:12:01,725 --> 00:12:04,155 joy, and that's your right hand. 251 00:12:04,155 --> 00:12:05,175 Our pleasure's forevermore. 252 00:12:08,925 --> 00:12:09,795 John chapter 20. 253 00:12:11,565 --> 00:12:16,245 After the resurrection, we read this on the evening of that day, the first day of 254 00:12:16,245 --> 00:12:18,915 the week, the doors being locked, where the disciples were for fear of the Jews. 255 00:12:19,155 --> 00:12:24,285 Jesus came and stood among them and said to them, peace be with you. 256 00:12:25,230 --> 00:12:27,900 And so here we see the, the presence of Jesus is accompanied 257 00:12:27,900 --> 00:12:29,010 by the peace of Christ. 258 00:12:29,010 --> 00:12:32,160 The presence of Jesus is, is imbued with peace. 259 00:12:32,160 --> 00:12:33,150 That's going to last. 260 00:12:33,150 --> 00:12:33,420 Peace. 261 00:12:33,420 --> 00:12:37,740 That's going to transcend, and, and, and there's an already not yet component 262 00:12:37,740 --> 00:12:40,950 of that, that as Christians, we get to experience Philippians four, that 263 00:12:40,950 --> 00:12:44,160 the peace of Christ would guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. 264 00:12:44,160 --> 00:12:44,400 Right? 265 00:12:44,640 --> 00:12:47,580 There's an already component to that, but the fullness of it, we will know 266 00:12:47,580 --> 00:12:50,520 in eternity we will be with him and we will know a peace that will never end 267 00:12:51,780 --> 00:12:53,250 a piece that will never be threatened. 268 00:12:55,605 --> 00:12:57,465 But he not only says, peace be with you. 269 00:12:57,465 --> 00:13:00,255 Notice the, the response to the disciples when he said this, he 270 00:13:00,255 --> 00:13:04,335 showed them his hands and his side, and then the disciples were glad. 271 00:13:04,845 --> 00:13:07,095 And that is the understatement of the century right there. 272 00:13:08,355 --> 00:13:08,985 It's him. 273 00:13:09,195 --> 00:13:10,245 It's Jesus. 274 00:13:10,815 --> 00:13:13,725 They're not just glad, they're rejoicing with joy and expressible, 275 00:13:14,775 --> 00:13:17,745 and that is a, a byproduct of being in the presence of Jesus. 276 00:13:18,300 --> 00:13:22,950 And so to be with him, you will know true joy and true and lasting 277 00:13:23,100 --> 00:13:25,200 peace will be yours as well. 278 00:13:27,150 --> 00:13:32,189 CS Lewis, I think hit the nail on the head with how little we think about how great 279 00:13:32,189 --> 00:13:35,340 that's gonna be and how satisfied we are with the things that this world offers us. 280 00:13:35,340 --> 00:13:36,510 Instead, when Lewis wrote this. 281 00:13:37,170 --> 00:13:41,730 He said, if we consider the un blushing promises of reward and the staggering 282 00:13:41,730 --> 00:13:45,750 nature of the rewards promised in the gospels, it would seem that our Lord finds 283 00:13:45,750 --> 00:13:48,690 our desires not too strong, but too weak. 284 00:13:48,690 --> 00:13:52,770 And then he says this, we are half-hearted creatures fooling around with drink and 285 00:13:52,770 --> 00:13:58,170 sex and ambition when infinite joy is offered to us like an ignorant child 286 00:13:58,170 --> 00:14:02,400 who wants to go on making mud pies in a slum because he cannot imagine what's 287 00:14:02,400 --> 00:14:03,960 meant by the offer of a holiday at. 288 00:14:03,995 --> 00:14:08,315 See, we are far too easily pleased. 289 00:14:09,815 --> 00:14:11,405 Amen to that. 290 00:14:11,915 --> 00:14:16,415 We are far too easily pleased and I, I'm, I'm convicted of that. 291 00:14:16,415 --> 00:14:16,775 Anytime. 292 00:14:16,775 --> 00:14:20,975 I think, man, Jesus, I wanna be with you, but can you wait until this happens first? 293 00:14:22,325 --> 00:14:27,665 And to be with Jesus is better than anything else This world can offer us. 294 00:14:29,310 --> 00:14:30,480 And that's our common future. 295 00:14:30,960 --> 00:14:32,460 That's what unites us together. 296 00:14:32,700 --> 00:14:36,900 That's what ow allows us and enables us to come together as brothers and sisters 297 00:14:36,900 --> 00:14:40,320 in Christ and to sing songs of praise and to encourage each other and to spur 298 00:14:40,320 --> 00:14:41,730 one another on towards Christ likeness. 299 00:14:41,730 --> 00:14:44,070 Because we get to say, this world is not it. 300 00:14:45,420 --> 00:14:46,560 It's not it. 301 00:14:46,980 --> 00:14:49,650 We're not here to just try to make the world a, a better place. 302 00:14:50,550 --> 00:14:53,610 We're here to, to try to, to, to introduce more people to a better 303 00:14:53,610 --> 00:14:56,970 savior until we get to the better place. 304 00:14:57,450 --> 00:14:58,200 Which is with him. 305 00:14:59,880 --> 00:15:01,800 And so you might say, well, okay, how do I get there? 306 00:15:01,980 --> 00:15:03,060 How do I cultivate this? 307 00:15:03,060 --> 00:15:06,360 If, if I, if I say, man, I, I want to want Jesus more. 308 00:15:08,280 --> 00:15:09,480 It's a great desire. 309 00:15:09,480 --> 00:15:11,160 It's a great hope. 310 00:15:11,160 --> 00:15:12,960 That's a great ambition. 311 00:15:12,960 --> 00:15:15,120 Let me give just a handful of suggestions. 312 00:15:15,480 --> 00:15:17,040 Number one, spend time with Jesus. 313 00:15:18,600 --> 00:15:21,420 If you wanna be with Jesus, there want to be with Jesus here. 314 00:15:23,460 --> 00:15:25,800 If you don't wanna be with Jesus here, why do you think you're 315 00:15:25,800 --> 00:15:26,580 gonna wanna be with Jesus? 316 00:15:26,580 --> 00:15:26,700 There? 317 00:15:28,320 --> 00:15:29,490 Spend time with Jesus. 318 00:15:31,350 --> 00:15:32,490 How do I spend time with Jesus? 319 00:15:32,490 --> 00:15:34,650 You spend time in His word and you spend time in prayer. 320 00:15:37,260 --> 00:15:40,380 I will never, ever, ever, ever, ever apologize for telling you to 321 00:15:40,380 --> 00:15:43,290 read your Bible and pray more ever. 322 00:15:45,210 --> 00:15:48,660 That is the, that's the conduit of your relationship with Christ. 323 00:15:49,890 --> 00:15:50,640 Spend time with him. 324 00:15:51,540 --> 00:15:52,980 You wanna cultivate a desire to be with him. 325 00:15:52,980 --> 00:15:55,350 Spend time with him, talk to him. 326 00:15:56,850 --> 00:16:01,560 Talk to him, pray, engage in relationship with him. 327 00:16:04,410 --> 00:16:05,430 Spend time with Jesus. 328 00:16:05,430 --> 00:16:08,580 Friends, say, who are Jesus friends? 329 00:16:09,240 --> 00:16:10,920 Look around the room at those that are in Christ. 330 00:16:11,730 --> 00:16:13,770 Remember what Jesus told his disciples, no longer do I call you 331 00:16:13,770 --> 00:16:15,150 servants, but I call you friends. 332 00:16:15,930 --> 00:16:18,420 Spend time with other people that love Jesus and that's 333 00:16:18,420 --> 00:16:19,740 gonna stir a love for Jesus. 334 00:16:19,740 --> 00:16:20,250 And you too. 335 00:16:20,460 --> 00:16:21,720 A desire to be with Jesus. 336 00:16:22,800 --> 00:16:24,510 Do the things that Jesus loves. 337 00:16:25,710 --> 00:16:29,880 Jesus loves the Father and loves to submit and obey to the obey the Father. 338 00:16:29,880 --> 00:16:33,660 So be submissive and obedient to the Father, to the word of God. 339 00:16:35,340 --> 00:16:37,020 Put off the things that Jesus hates. 340 00:16:38,190 --> 00:16:42,510 You wanna cultivate a desire to be with Jesus if, if you are engaged in a lot 341 00:16:42,510 --> 00:16:45,540 of things that Jesus hates, that's not gonna produce affections to be with Jesus. 342 00:16:45,540 --> 00:16:49,890 You're not gonna wanna be with Jesus if you're doing the things that Jesus 343 00:16:50,040 --> 00:16:53,190 hates, which we call sin, right. 344 00:16:55,465 --> 00:16:58,560 The, the more Christlike, the more sanctified, the more holy you can become 345 00:16:58,560 --> 00:17:02,730 this side of eternity, the, the more you will desire to be with Jesus in eternity. 346 00:17:04,650 --> 00:17:07,380 And so you wanna cultivate that desire to be with Jesus so that you would say, man, 347 00:17:07,500 --> 00:17:09,060 that that's, that, that is what I want. 348 00:17:09,660 --> 00:17:10,530 That is what it looks like. 349 00:17:11,520 --> 00:17:15,960 It's that old quote from Piper, if you could have heaven in everything 350 00:17:15,960 --> 00:17:18,900 they're in and not have Jesus, would you be okay with that? 351 00:17:20,130 --> 00:17:21,869 We wanna all get to the place of saying no. 352 00:17:23,175 --> 00:17:26,473 Because we're all tracking that direction. 353 00:17:27,105 --> 00:17:29,955 Did you know that there are such things as cruises to nowhere? 354 00:17:31,665 --> 00:17:33,405 So it's a thing, it's a, it's a real thing. 355 00:17:33,405 --> 00:17:36,135 I was listening to another pastor who, who called this to my attention first, 356 00:17:36,195 --> 00:17:38,715 and then I, I dug into it this week. 357 00:17:38,715 --> 00:17:41,115 This is a, a, a real ship that's a cruise to nowhere. 358 00:17:41,445 --> 00:17:44,504 Um, and it's, it's that there's no destination for this cruise. 359 00:17:45,225 --> 00:17:48,764 You get on the ship, you, you leave your port, and the whole point of 360 00:17:48,764 --> 00:17:50,294 this cruise is just to enjoy the ship. 361 00:17:50,294 --> 00:17:52,170 It is just to be on the ship. 362 00:17:52,170 --> 00:17:53,370 Enjoy the amenities of the ship. 363 00:17:53,370 --> 00:17:55,440 Enjoy the views from the deck on the ship. 364 00:17:55,440 --> 00:17:56,370 I've never been on a cruise. 365 00:17:56,370 --> 00:17:57,810 I have no desire to go on a cruise. 366 00:17:58,320 --> 00:18:00,000 The Titanic will always be there. 367 00:18:02,850 --> 00:18:04,230 My wife would let me on the door. 368 00:18:04,230 --> 00:18:05,220 There was enough room. 369 00:18:05,220 --> 00:18:08,730 We've covered that already, but I just, I don't wanna go on a cruise. 370 00:18:08,910 --> 00:18:12,510 Some people like to go on cruises to nowhere, and the whole point of a cruise 371 00:18:12,510 --> 00:18:13,830 to nowhere is just to enjoy the ship. 372 00:18:13,830 --> 00:18:17,910 In fact, here's from their website, the cruise itself is the 373 00:18:17,910 --> 00:18:19,530 destination on a nowhere cruise. 374 00:18:20,159 --> 00:18:23,490 And with the innovations that cruise lines, cruise lines have implemented on 375 00:18:23,490 --> 00:18:27,629 their world-class, state-of-the-art ships, what a destination it is With a nowhere 376 00:18:27,629 --> 00:18:31,020 cruise, you could find yourself bathing in the sun on a spacious deck with a city 377 00:18:31,020 --> 00:18:32,879 as a background surrounded by ocean waves. 378 00:18:33,210 --> 00:18:37,020 A nowhere Cruise is all about exploring your ship and letting the ocean breeze 379 00:18:37,020 --> 00:18:39,000 put you in a relaxed state of mind. 380 00:18:40,440 --> 00:18:43,320 Somebody who apparently enjoyed their nowhere crews, they had a a, a. 381 00:18:43,845 --> 00:18:46,995 A recommendation for it on the website said Our cruise to nowhere 382 00:18:46,995 --> 00:18:49,695 was the perfect way to experience cruising for the first time. 383 00:18:49,965 --> 00:18:52,995 We weren't sure we that we would like cruising, but now we're hooked 384 00:18:52,995 --> 00:18:54,345 and ready to plan our next cruise. 385 00:18:54,705 --> 00:18:58,335 We witnessed spectacular wildlife and enjoyed all the amenities on board. 386 00:18:58,575 --> 00:19:01,815 Being at sea for two nights allowed us to take advantage of the pools and 387 00:19:01,815 --> 00:19:04,335 the entertainment, which was perfect. 388 00:19:05,445 --> 00:19:06,165 See, that's just it. 389 00:19:06,165 --> 00:19:09,225 Everyone on a cruise to nowhere is content to just enjoy the ride without 390 00:19:09,225 --> 00:19:10,514 any concern for their destination. 391 00:19:12,405 --> 00:19:14,595 A lot of people treat the church like a cruise to nowhere. 392 00:19:15,945 --> 00:19:17,595 You're just here to enjoy the benefits. 393 00:19:18,254 --> 00:19:19,845 You just wanna enjoy the amenities. 394 00:19:20,745 --> 00:19:23,475 Just be able to check the box, feel good about yourself, feel good about your 395 00:19:23,475 --> 00:19:25,065 family, because you're involved in church. 396 00:19:25,065 --> 00:19:27,075 You've got your kids in a kid's ministry, that's good. 397 00:19:27,075 --> 00:19:28,186 We're doing what we're supposed to do. 398 00:19:28,191 --> 00:19:28,460 That's great. 399 00:19:31,665 --> 00:19:32,024 Church. 400 00:19:32,085 --> 00:19:33,495 This is not a cruise to nowhere. 401 00:19:35,085 --> 00:19:40,725 We have a destination, and the destination is a person, and the person is Jesus. 402 00:19:42,945 --> 00:19:46,245 We're, we're here not to just simply enjoy being here. 403 00:19:47,205 --> 00:19:49,605 We're here because this is meant to take us somewhere else. 404 00:19:50,505 --> 00:19:52,035 It's meant to take us to Jesus. 405 00:19:52,395 --> 00:19:55,035 It's meant to usher us into the presence of Jesus with our 406 00:19:55,035 --> 00:19:56,805 brothers and sisters in Christ. 407 00:19:57,855 --> 00:20:00,165 So if you're wanting to just enjoy the amenities of the world and 408 00:20:00,165 --> 00:20:02,415 float around aimlessly, that's not what the church is about. 409 00:20:03,285 --> 00:20:07,575 The church is the bride of Christ united together around this common 410 00:20:07,575 --> 00:20:09,705 future, which is our foundation. 411 00:20:11,010 --> 00:20:13,530 He continues though, and wraps up in verse 25 and 26. 412 00:20:13,530 --> 00:20:17,670 He says, oh, righteous father, even though the world does not know you, I know you 413 00:20:17,670 --> 00:20:19,200 and these know that you have sent me. 414 00:20:19,530 --> 00:20:22,740 So here Jesus is praying similar to what he had said earlier. 415 00:20:22,740 --> 00:20:23,700 I'm sending them into the world. 416 00:20:23,700 --> 00:20:24,690 The world's gonna hate them. 417 00:20:24,690 --> 00:20:27,840 He's creating this distinction again between us and the world. 418 00:20:28,440 --> 00:20:31,020 The world doesn't know you, but I know you and these know 419 00:20:31,020 --> 00:20:32,520 that you have sent me verse 26. 420 00:20:33,000 --> 00:20:36,389 I made known to them your name and I will continue to make it known. 421 00:20:36,450 --> 00:20:38,460 That's, again, think the spirit. 422 00:20:38,490 --> 00:20:40,620 This is all in the context of the upper room discourse. 423 00:20:40,889 --> 00:20:43,860 He's prayed that the spirit would continue to enlighten them and and 424 00:20:43,860 --> 00:20:46,410 teach them and call to mind the things that he had taught them. 425 00:20:46,740 --> 00:20:50,340 So that's how Jesus is gonna continue to make the Father's name known to them. 426 00:20:50,910 --> 00:20:53,280 And then he goes on here and he says this in order that. 427 00:20:53,955 --> 00:20:57,855 With the result that the love with, with which you have loved me may 428 00:20:57,855 --> 00:21:02,685 be in them and I in them, that the love with which you have loved 429 00:21:02,685 --> 00:21:05,085 me may be in them and I in them. 430 00:21:05,145 --> 00:21:05,475 Okay? 431 00:21:06,045 --> 00:21:09,105 We gotta ask ourselves the question, what's the nature of this love? 432 00:21:09,465 --> 00:21:13,575 Is it a love in us in the sense that it's, it's in us as believers. 433 00:21:13,575 --> 00:21:16,845 We've received this love, we've experienced the love of the Father 434 00:21:17,145 --> 00:21:18,765 through the son, applied by the spirit. 435 00:21:18,770 --> 00:21:21,195 Is, is that what he's talking about, that the love is in us as 436 00:21:21,195 --> 00:21:23,805 believers, or is this love among us? 437 00:21:24,405 --> 00:21:26,205 Which is another translation of that preposition. 438 00:21:26,205 --> 00:21:30,885 Therein is the love among us as believers in that it's showing up in the love of 439 00:21:30,885 --> 00:21:34,065 God, has manifested in our relationships with one another as the church. 440 00:21:34,305 --> 00:21:36,885 So is it the love in us or the love among us? 441 00:21:36,885 --> 00:21:38,685 If you've listened to the podcast long enough, you know 442 00:21:38,685 --> 00:21:39,645 the answer to this question. 443 00:21:39,645 --> 00:21:40,095 What is it? 444 00:21:40,160 --> 00:21:41,565 Yes, yes. 445 00:21:41,595 --> 00:21:42,735 Is the answer to this question. 446 00:21:43,455 --> 00:21:45,285 Yes, it's both. 447 00:21:45,345 --> 00:21:48,195 It's not one over the other because you can't have one without the other. 448 00:21:49,050 --> 00:21:50,400 Teacher, what's the greatest commandment? 449 00:21:50,610 --> 00:21:52,440 Love the Lord your God with everything that you've got. 450 00:21:52,440 --> 00:21:55,620 Oh, by the way, the second is like it, love one another as yourself. 451 00:21:55,860 --> 00:21:57,060 Why is the second like it? 452 00:21:57,060 --> 00:21:58,890 Because the, the first produces the second. 453 00:21:59,610 --> 00:22:03,030 And so as Jesus hears praying and saying that we would know the love that the 454 00:22:03,030 --> 00:22:07,260 Father has shown to the son, and that that love might be in us, which is read, 455 00:22:07,260 --> 00:22:11,400 salvation, there experiencing the love of the Father for the son applied to 456 00:22:11,400 --> 00:22:14,520 us through the Spirit is by faith alone through grace alone, right by grace alone 457 00:22:14,520 --> 00:22:15,480 through faith alone in Christ alone. 458 00:22:16,080 --> 00:22:16,950 That's salvation. 459 00:22:17,280 --> 00:22:19,140 That, that, that we would experience, that love. 460 00:22:19,140 --> 00:22:20,550 And if we experience that love, guess what? 461 00:22:20,550 --> 00:22:22,440 It's gonna show up in our relationships with one another. 462 00:22:23,190 --> 00:22:25,710 It's gonna be the love that's manifested among us. 463 00:22:26,310 --> 00:22:29,190 This is why, again, we, we talked about this passage last week, first Peter 464 00:22:29,190 --> 00:22:34,410 1, 2, 22 through 23, having purified your souls by your obedience to the 465 00:22:34,410 --> 00:22:39,450 truth for a sincere, brotherly love, love one another, earnestly from a pure 466 00:22:39,450 --> 00:22:40,920 heart since you've been born again. 467 00:22:42,030 --> 00:22:46,470 Love flows out of our relationship with Christ out of our being born again. 468 00:22:46,680 --> 00:22:47,520 And so we talked about it. 469 00:22:47,520 --> 00:22:51,420 We've got a reason, we've got a, a purpose for our unity, and that is the mission. 470 00:22:51,840 --> 00:22:56,010 We've got the foundation of our unity, and that is the, the, uh, 471 00:22:56,015 --> 00:22:58,320 the, the future with with Christ. 472 00:22:58,320 --> 00:23:02,580 And then finally, we've got the means of our unity, and that is the common love 473 00:23:02,580 --> 00:23:03,840 that we should have for one another. 474 00:23:03,840 --> 00:23:07,110 So point number three this morning is this unite by a common love. 475 00:23:08,250 --> 00:23:10,350 Unite by a common love. 476 00:23:10,350 --> 00:23:13,920 This is the means for how we're gonna be a United Unified Church. 477 00:23:14,190 --> 00:23:15,600 Without this, we can't have it. 478 00:23:17,370 --> 00:23:19,920 Your relationships with people in this room should be tangibly 479 00:23:19,920 --> 00:23:24,720 different than your relationships with your neighbors and your coworkers. 480 00:23:25,200 --> 00:23:28,110 And I would even go so far as to say even your extended family members. 481 00:23:29,430 --> 00:23:31,860 And if they're not, then there's a disconnect here. 482 00:23:33,225 --> 00:23:36,585 We moved into our, our new offices this past week, a couple 483 00:23:36,585 --> 00:23:38,175 weeks ago, which was, was great. 484 00:23:38,175 --> 00:23:40,575 And by the way, those of you guys that made it out for the, the open 485 00:23:40,575 --> 00:23:41,504 house, thanks for stopping by. 486 00:23:41,504 --> 00:23:42,225 It was so fun. 487 00:23:42,615 --> 00:23:46,845 Uh, we, we loved having you there, but as, as we're there, I replaced 488 00:23:46,845 --> 00:23:49,485 the light switch in my office and it came with a three pack. 489 00:23:49,485 --> 00:23:50,805 So I gave one to Pastor Ron. 490 00:23:50,805 --> 00:23:53,145 I gave one to, to mark too to, to put into their offices. 491 00:23:53,805 --> 00:23:57,555 And I all of a sudden had Mark asking me, Hey, did, did 492 00:23:57,555 --> 00:23:59,565 your wires look like my wires? 493 00:24:00,450 --> 00:24:04,260 And this is a, we're, we're a bunch of guys in, in ministry, right? 494 00:24:04,290 --> 00:24:07,140 None of us, none of us are electricians. 495 00:24:07,710 --> 00:24:10,740 Mark's probably the smartest guy amongst us when it comes to these things. 496 00:24:11,250 --> 00:24:15,510 Um, and so I walk into his office and it's got three extra wires that I didn't have. 497 00:24:15,930 --> 00:24:18,000 So I'm like, I, I don't know what to do with that. 498 00:24:18,750 --> 00:24:22,530 I said, mine didn't have this wire, and it also didn't have those three wires. 499 00:24:23,190 --> 00:24:24,870 So Mark's like, okay, well, I'll figure it out. 500 00:24:24,870 --> 00:24:25,290 So Mark. 501 00:24:26,010 --> 00:24:30,630 Pulled one wire out and tried to hook it up and, and then he broke the office. 502 00:24:31,050 --> 00:24:31,380 Um, 503 00:24:33,570 --> 00:24:36,900 well he broke his lights in Kelly's, lights in the hallway, 504 00:24:36,900 --> 00:24:40,800 lights in the bathroom lights, which made that an adventure. 505 00:24:40,890 --> 00:24:46,230 Um, anyways, I don't understand how it happened and John 506 00:24:46,230 --> 00:24:47,820 Kingsolver can explain it to us. 507 00:24:48,150 --> 00:24:50,730 I'm gonna say it was the short circuit 'cause it fits my illustration. 508 00:24:50,820 --> 00:24:51,120 Okay. 509 00:24:52,980 --> 00:24:53,669 Short circuiting. 510 00:24:53,669 --> 00:24:54,510 What is short circuiting? 511 00:24:54,600 --> 00:24:58,620 I had to look it up, but I figured out what it's a short circuit is 512 00:24:58,620 --> 00:25:03,480 when the, the, the, the electricity, the, the current doesn't complete 513 00:25:03,480 --> 00:25:04,679 the loop that's meant to complete. 514 00:25:05,250 --> 00:25:08,429 Instead, it takes the path of least resistance and it bypasses the 515 00:25:08,429 --> 00:25:12,780 ultimate destination and it ends up overheating and overloading because 516 00:25:12,780 --> 00:25:15,389 it, it, it's not able to dissipate its energy the way it's meant to. 517 00:25:15,570 --> 00:25:16,770 John, did I get that somewhat right? 518 00:25:16,800 --> 00:25:17,010 Thanks. 519 00:25:17,010 --> 00:25:18,480 He gave me somewhat of a head nod there. 520 00:25:18,480 --> 00:25:20,415 We'll take that so. 521 00:25:21,210 --> 00:25:26,189 When we as Christians don't display the love that we've received from God, we're 522 00:25:26,189 --> 00:25:29,189 short circuiting part of the purpose for that love that he's given to us. 523 00:25:30,149 --> 00:25:32,760 The love that he's shown us in Christ is meant to be expressed in 524 00:25:32,760 --> 00:25:36,450 our relationships with one another, in other words, and so we should be 525 00:25:36,450 --> 00:25:38,070 loving each other tangibly this way. 526 00:25:39,270 --> 00:25:42,899 That's why these relationships are different than any other relationship 527 00:25:42,899 --> 00:25:43,889 that exists on the planet. 528 00:25:44,985 --> 00:25:49,995 Uh, because they are, are grounded by, and united by and expressed through 529 00:25:49,995 --> 00:25:52,245 a love that's unique to Christians. 530 00:25:53,235 --> 00:25:56,895 This is why your relationships with your brothers and sisters in Christ 531 00:25:57,254 --> 00:26:00,285 are in many ways more significance than your relationship with your 532 00:26:00,285 --> 00:26:02,535 biological unbelieving family members. 533 00:26:03,465 --> 00:26:07,215 Because there is a love that you can express mutually between one another that 534 00:26:07,245 --> 00:26:10,004 cannot be expressed outside of the church. 535 00:26:11,355 --> 00:26:12,764 It's, it's not possible. 536 00:26:15,810 --> 00:26:19,710 Jesus was meeting with people and, and preaching to them and talking to 537 00:26:19,710 --> 00:26:22,470 them, and his mother and brothers and sisters come and they're outside and 538 00:26:22,470 --> 00:26:25,140 somebody says, teacher, your, your family's here, and they, they need you. 539 00:26:25,500 --> 00:26:28,650 And Jesus says, who is my mother, who are my brothers? 540 00:26:28,830 --> 00:26:33,750 And stretching out his hand towards his disciples, he said, here are my mother 541 00:26:33,750 --> 00:26:36,690 and my brothers, for whoever does the will of my father, and heaven is my 542 00:26:36,870 --> 00:26:38,520 brother and my sister and my mother. 543 00:26:39,555 --> 00:26:42,465 Jesus is establishing the paradigm that there are relationships within 544 00:26:42,465 --> 00:26:46,095 the body of Christ that transcend the depth of even blood relationships. 545 00:26:47,685 --> 00:26:49,665 Paul experienced this and knew this one. 546 00:26:49,665 --> 00:26:54,195 Thessalonians two, verse eight, one Thessalonians chapter two, verse eight. 547 00:26:54,195 --> 00:26:58,455 Paul says this, he says, being affectionately desirous of you, we were 548 00:26:58,455 --> 00:27:02,565 ready to share with you not only the gospel of God, but also our own selves, 549 00:27:02,925 --> 00:27:04,965 because you would become very dear to us. 550 00:27:05,895 --> 00:27:07,635 That's what we need to have in the church. 551 00:27:08,415 --> 00:27:11,745 A love for one another that's even sharing our own selves with one another. 552 00:27:12,885 --> 00:27:15,495 Paul says, in one Corinth or second Corinthians seven, five, he says, 553 00:27:15,495 --> 00:27:18,915 when we came into Macedonia, I mean, our bodies had no rest, but we were 554 00:27:18,915 --> 00:27:23,085 afflicted at every turn and we were fighting without fear or fighting 555 00:27:23,085 --> 00:27:24,915 without, and and fear within. 556 00:27:25,545 --> 00:27:28,395 And then he says this in verse six, but God who comforts 557 00:27:28,395 --> 00:27:30,285 the downcast comforted us. 558 00:27:30,285 --> 00:27:34,425 Notice how by providing a brother in Christ to comfort them, 559 00:27:35,205 --> 00:27:36,945 he comforted us with Titus. 560 00:27:37,485 --> 00:27:41,265 He comforted us with the relationship of another believer, and not only by 561 00:27:41,265 --> 00:27:45,885 his coming, but also by the comfort with which he comforted us by you as Titus told 562 00:27:45,885 --> 00:27:49,995 us of your longing, your mourning, your zeal for me so that I rejoice still more. 563 00:27:49,995 --> 00:27:52,395 You see how Paul is built up in the midst of affliction and suffering 564 00:27:52,395 --> 00:27:55,335 and pain, knowing that he's got Titus there and knowing through 565 00:27:55,335 --> 00:27:58,365 Titus that he has other brothers and sisters in Christ who love him and 566 00:27:58,365 --> 00:27:59,955 are building him up and care for him. 567 00:28:00,825 --> 00:28:06,255 Church, our unity is, is, is only realized through our love for one another. 568 00:28:06,255 --> 00:28:08,805 We don't have time, but Philippians chapter two verses 19 through 30, 569 00:28:08,805 --> 00:28:12,165 we, you, you see another example of this as Paul talks about Timothy and 570 00:28:12,165 --> 00:28:14,205 a paphitis there in that passage. 571 00:28:14,385 --> 00:28:15,645 This is the how y'all. 572 00:28:15,645 --> 00:28:19,275 In other words, if we're saying, okay, we need to be un unified for 573 00:28:19,275 --> 00:28:23,115 our mission, and we are unified on the foundation of our common future, 574 00:28:23,205 --> 00:28:24,855 how does, how do we realize this? 575 00:28:24,855 --> 00:28:26,325 We realize it through our love for each other. 576 00:28:27,060 --> 00:28:30,090 We realize it through the love of Christ that we've experienced 577 00:28:30,090 --> 00:28:31,410 poured into our hearts. 578 00:28:31,800 --> 00:28:34,950 Then as we turn around and we, we show that love to one another 579 00:28:35,730 --> 00:28:39,390 as we walk through this life, it's the one Corinthians 13 love 580 00:28:39,390 --> 00:28:40,560 that we talked about last week. 581 00:28:41,280 --> 00:28:43,830 It's the love that's patient that's kind, that doesn't envy. 582 00:28:43,830 --> 00:28:44,550 Doesn't boast. 583 00:28:44,550 --> 00:28:45,300 It's not arrogant. 584 00:28:45,300 --> 00:28:46,530 It doesn't insist on its own way. 585 00:28:46,530 --> 00:28:48,660 It's not irritable, it's not resentful. 586 00:28:48,660 --> 00:28:49,380 It doesn't rejoice. 587 00:28:49,380 --> 00:28:51,180 It wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth. 588 00:28:51,180 --> 00:28:55,110 It bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. 589 00:28:57,010 --> 00:29:01,395 I, it's the love that Peter calls the earnest, brotherly love. 590 00:29:01,395 --> 00:29:02,655 The sincere brotherly love. 591 00:29:02,655 --> 00:29:06,285 In one Peter, chapter one, verse 22, it's the love of Colossians, 592 00:29:06,285 --> 00:29:10,515 chapter three of kindness, humility, meekness, patience, forgiveness, peace, 593 00:29:10,515 --> 00:29:13,575 instruction, admonishment, singing thanksgiving above all these things. 594 00:29:13,575 --> 00:29:18,255 He says, put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony. 595 00:29:19,290 --> 00:29:23,520 It's the love that Jesus commended to us in John 1334, A new commandment 596 00:29:23,520 --> 00:29:26,520 I give you that you love one another, just as I have loved you. 597 00:29:26,520 --> 00:29:30,090 You also are to love one another, and by this, will all people 598 00:29:30,090 --> 00:29:34,890 know that you are my disciples if you have love for one another. 599 00:29:38,130 --> 00:29:41,700 Here's the thing though, y'all, this love is going to cost us. 600 00:29:42,900 --> 00:29:46,680 If you look around this room and at this pulpit. 601 00:29:47,985 --> 00:29:51,735 All of us are sinners, and just like any other family, we're 602 00:29:51,735 --> 00:29:52,965 gonna step on each other's toes. 603 00:29:53,145 --> 00:29:57,195 Sometimes people are gonna step on your toes intentionally, and 604 00:29:57,195 --> 00:29:58,514 they're gonna step on all of them. 605 00:29:59,985 --> 00:30:00,855 A couple times. 606 00:30:02,085 --> 00:30:03,405 You're gonna step on theirs too. 607 00:30:05,475 --> 00:30:08,055 If we're gonna remain, remain united together as a church, we 608 00:30:08,055 --> 00:30:11,325 have got to count the cost and love this way, and it's gonna count us. 609 00:30:11,504 --> 00:30:14,504 It's gonna cost us forgiving when we don't feel like forgiving. 610 00:30:15,735 --> 00:30:18,405 It's gonna cost us having to humble ourselves and go and seek forgiveness. 611 00:30:18,405 --> 00:30:23,115 Even though we don't want to do that, it's gonna cost us covering a, an 612 00:30:23,115 --> 00:30:25,275 offense of a brother or sister in Christ. 613 00:30:25,305 --> 00:30:26,865 'cause love covers a multitude of sins. 614 00:30:28,575 --> 00:30:29,775 It's gonna cost us weeping. 615 00:30:29,775 --> 00:30:30,885 The, with those who weep. 616 00:30:31,905 --> 00:30:34,215 It's gonna cost us our time, it's gonna cost us our comfort. 617 00:30:34,215 --> 00:30:35,685 It's gonna cost us these things. 618 00:30:36,795 --> 00:30:39,585 But church, I'm convinced it's worth the cost, and I hope you are too. 619 00:30:41,294 --> 00:30:44,415 Y'all if, if you're not hungry for this kind of unity expressed in a 620 00:30:44,415 --> 00:30:46,935 community, committed to Christ and committed to one another, if you're just 621 00:30:46,935 --> 00:30:51,465 looking for a place to get expository preaching once a week, I've said 622 00:30:51,465 --> 00:30:54,165 it before, but there are far better podcast preachers out there than me. 623 00:30:57,495 --> 00:31:04,274 Church if, if you want the unity that Jesus is talking about here, it's more 624 00:31:04,274 --> 00:31:05,685 than an hour and a half every Sunday. 625 00:31:08,625 --> 00:31:09,825 You can't get it that way. 626 00:31:12,435 --> 00:31:16,635 You need to be all in with other people who love Jesus. 627 00:31:18,705 --> 00:31:20,655 You need to plug in, you need to invest, you need to 628 00:31:20,655 --> 00:31:21,946 connect, you need to be with us. 629 00:31:24,405 --> 00:31:26,115 I, I don't know what the future holds here. 630 00:31:27,765 --> 00:31:30,315 You may have seen the news, but over towards McKinney, they're building a, 631 00:31:30,315 --> 00:31:34,575 a, a massive Islamic community that is purported to be pursuing Sharia law. 632 00:31:34,635 --> 00:31:34,875 There. 633 00:31:35,925 --> 00:31:36,465 McKinney. 634 00:31:36,555 --> 00:31:39,945 I said, I didn't say Flint, Michigan. 635 00:31:40,725 --> 00:31:41,565 I didn't say the Middle East. 636 00:31:41,570 --> 00:31:43,665 I, I said our backyard here. 637 00:31:45,700 --> 00:31:48,195 I, I, I don't know what the future holds with us. 638 00:31:48,195 --> 00:31:50,865 I know one thing, I'm, I'm thankful for our administration, but I also 639 00:31:50,865 --> 00:31:52,455 know Donald Trump is not Jesus 640 00:31:54,885 --> 00:31:58,365 and there's no political savior that's coming for, for us. 641 00:31:59,205 --> 00:32:03,735 So what the next administration does, we have no idea if the heat gets turned up. 642 00:32:04,935 --> 00:32:06,585 We're gonna need one another in this room. 643 00:32:07,635 --> 00:32:10,514 We're gonna need to be able to know what oneness in this room looks like. 644 00:32:11,024 --> 00:32:13,814 In a way, again, that being here for an hour and a half every week is not 645 00:32:13,814 --> 00:32:15,314 gonna, is not gonna do the trick. 646 00:32:17,534 --> 00:32:19,215 We need to have relationships with each other. 647 00:32:19,935 --> 00:32:22,125 We need to actually be building into those things with each other. 648 00:32:25,010 --> 00:32:28,155 Uh, this past week, my dad took Josh and I to a a Dallas Stars game. 649 00:32:29,250 --> 00:32:33,630 And, uh, we were, for about two and a half hours, we were united with about 650 00:32:33,630 --> 00:32:38,520 19,000 other people in the American Airline Center, and we were rejoicing 651 00:32:38,520 --> 00:32:42,720 with those who rejoiced when the good guys scored a goal High five, in celebrating. 652 00:32:42,720 --> 00:32:43,530 It was awesome. 653 00:32:43,890 --> 00:32:45,480 And we were weeping with those who Weep won. 654 00:32:45,480 --> 00:32:48,120 The bad guys, scored a goal, which unfortunately they 655 00:32:48,120 --> 00:32:49,260 scored one more than we did. 656 00:32:49,260 --> 00:32:49,530 So. 657 00:32:50,595 --> 00:32:53,925 But we were united with these 19,000 other people in this building, all 658 00:32:53,925 --> 00:32:56,715 of us together with one cause and we're all like, yes, this is great. 659 00:32:56,715 --> 00:33:00,315 Ghost stars, Dallas Stars Pantera was playing, it was goals, it's great. 660 00:33:02,355 --> 00:33:06,195 But as soon as we walked out those doors and got our cars to leave the parking lot, 661 00:33:09,045 --> 00:33:13,820 any unity that existed inside that building was a distant memory. 662 00:33:18,419 --> 00:33:19,560 Don't treat the church that way. 663 00:33:22,110 --> 00:33:27,929 Don't be all in as long as we're here under this roof and then have 664 00:33:27,929 --> 00:33:31,530 no thought or connection to the bride of Christ for the rest of the week. 665 00:33:34,860 --> 00:33:37,710 Make this place different than anything else out there in the world. 666 00:33:39,600 --> 00:33:41,010 I think Jesus wanted that. 667 00:33:41,730 --> 00:33:43,860 That's why he's praying for this right before the cross. 668 00:33:45,254 --> 00:33:48,014 He's praying for our unity right before the cross. 669 00:33:49,965 --> 00:33:51,435 How do we know if we're alive and not dead? 670 00:33:52,274 --> 00:33:56,385 I think the pulse at least a good place to check the pulse is 671 00:33:56,385 --> 00:33:59,295 checking the pulse of our unity as brothers and sisters in Christ. 672 00:34:00,045 --> 00:34:00,885 Will you stand with me? 673 00:34:00,945 --> 00:34:02,715 I'll pray and then we'll be dismissed.