1 00:00:00,160 --> 00:00:03,520 Hello and welcome to the Middletown Baptist Church Podcast, 2 00:00:03,600 --> 00:00:06,480 where we are proclaiming the truth to the world. 3 00:00:06,640 --> 00:00:09,720 My name is Pastor Josh, and I want to thank you for listening to 4 00:00:09,720 --> 00:00:10,480 this podcast. 5 00:00:10,960 --> 00:00:14,680 I hope that this podcast can be a blessing to you and strengthen 6 00:00:14,680 --> 00:00:16,080 you in the word of God. 7 00:00:16,800 --> 00:00:20,160 Now come along, let's look into the Bible and see what God has 8 00:00:20,160 --> 00:00:21,440 for us here today. 9 00:00:23,440 --> 00:00:26,800 If you have your Bibles, turn with me to Romans chapter eight. 10 00:00:27,870 --> 00:00:28,790 Romans, chapter eight. 11 00:00:28,790 --> 00:00:32,510 We've been studying why theology matters. 12 00:00:33,550 --> 00:00:36,110 What we believe affects what we do. 13 00:00:37,070 --> 00:00:39,390 What we believe affects how we think. 14 00:00:40,590 --> 00:00:42,510 What we believe really gives us hope. 15 00:00:43,229 --> 00:00:45,270 Or maybe what we believe doesn't give. 16 00:00:45,270 --> 00:00:47,310 Us hope, depending on what we believe in. 17 00:00:47,310 --> 00:00:49,510 And here In Romans chapter 8, we. 18 00:00:49,510 --> 00:00:52,950 Are seeing the type of confidence that we can have in the 19 00:00:52,950 --> 00:00:56,190 Lord, and more specifically, the type of confidence that. 20 00:00:56,190 --> 00:00:58,510 We can have in the salvation that. 21 00:00:58,510 --> 00:00:59,830 He has extended to us. 22 00:01:00,230 --> 00:01:01,510 And so we see at the very. 23 00:01:01,510 --> 00:01:04,830 Beginning In Romans chapter 8, we are reminded that when we are 24 00:01:04,830 --> 00:01:05,310 in Christ. 25 00:01:05,310 --> 00:01:07,950 When we trust finish and we no. 26 00:01:07,950 --> 00:01:11,390 Longer have to have that guilt upon our life, there's. 27 00:01:11,390 --> 00:01:11,910 There's. 28 00:01:11,990 --> 00:01:14,230 By the way, there's conviction, right? 29 00:01:14,230 --> 00:01:15,390 Because there's times in our life as. 30 00:01:15,390 --> 00:01:17,270 Christians that we sin and God works. 31 00:01:17,270 --> 00:01:18,190 In our life with that. 32 00:01:18,190 --> 00:01:20,320 But there's no more condemnation. 33 00:01:20,720 --> 00:01:24,080 The comfort comes by knowing this, that when the conviction comes, 34 00:01:24,080 --> 00:01:25,120 I can confess. 35 00:01:25,280 --> 00:01:26,880 And I can be restored. 36 00:01:27,520 --> 00:01:28,720 Condemnation is this. 37 00:01:28,800 --> 00:01:29,840 Condemnation is this. 38 00:01:29,840 --> 00:01:32,760 I'm guilty and I can't fix this, and now I have to face the 39 00:01:32,760 --> 00:01:33,200 charges. 40 00:01:33,840 --> 00:01:37,640 But the confidence that we have in him is this, that when we 41 00:01:37,640 --> 00:01:41,160 sin, we know that we can find forgiveness in him. 42 00:01:41,160 --> 00:01:44,480 And so with that, excuse me, with that comes verse nine. 43 00:01:44,480 --> 00:01:48,110 He says, but ye are not so in the flesh, but in the Spirit. 44 00:01:48,670 --> 00:01:50,230 If so be that the Spirit of. 45 00:01:50,230 --> 00:01:51,470 God dwell in you. 46 00:01:51,710 --> 00:01:54,630 Now, if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his. 47 00:01:54,630 --> 00:01:56,550 And so the Bible says, to be. 48 00:01:56,550 --> 00:02:00,790 A believer means to not only know that we have freedom from condemnation, 49 00:02:00,790 --> 00:02:03,510 from punishment, but we are also given the. 50 00:02:03,510 --> 00:02:05,510 Indwelling of the Spirit so that we. 51 00:02:05,510 --> 00:02:08,350 Can walk in confidence knowing that God is with us. 52 00:02:08,910 --> 00:02:11,150 You've maybe heard in Scripture that the Bible says that 53 00:02:11,150 --> 00:02:14,410 he's never going to leave us nor forsake us, that he's. 54 00:02:14,410 --> 00:02:16,090 Going to be with us through the storms. 55 00:02:16,490 --> 00:02:17,530 Well, how can that be? 56 00:02:17,530 --> 00:02:20,330 Well, the only way that that can be is that the Lord is obviously 57 00:02:20,330 --> 00:02:21,210 omnipresent. 58 00:02:21,530 --> 00:02:25,170 But not only is he there with us, he's there in us, in the indwelling 59 00:02:25,170 --> 00:02:25,690 of the Spirit. 60 00:02:25,690 --> 00:02:28,250 So the Bible says the determining factor of whether or 61 00:02:28,250 --> 00:02:29,090 not someone is a. 62 00:02:29,090 --> 00:02:31,770 Believer, a child of God or someone. 63 00:02:31,770 --> 00:02:35,250 Who is lost and not a child of God is what the indwelling of the 64 00:02:35,250 --> 00:02:35,570 Spirit. 65 00:02:35,570 --> 00:02:36,890 That's what verse nine tells us. 66 00:02:37,130 --> 00:02:39,130 We can't say that we're Christians and. 67 00:02:39,180 --> 00:02:40,370 We not have the Spirit. 68 00:02:40,530 --> 00:02:42,970 Now there's times in our life as Christians that we can have the 69 00:02:42,970 --> 00:02:44,050 indwelling of the Spirit. 70 00:02:44,210 --> 00:02:45,890 But what has Paul been talking about? 71 00:02:46,130 --> 00:02:47,850 Are we led by the Spirit or. 72 00:02:47,850 --> 00:02:49,090 Are we led by the flesh? 73 00:02:49,650 --> 00:02:50,970 As a Christian, we can have the. 74 00:02:50,970 --> 00:02:54,250 Spirit indwelling us, but we can feed the flesh. 75 00:02:54,250 --> 00:02:57,770 We can go after the way of the flesh and go back to the spirit of 76 00:02:57,770 --> 00:02:58,370 bondage. 77 00:02:58,450 --> 00:03:00,770 But the Bible says that we don't have the spirit of bondage. 78 00:03:00,770 --> 00:03:02,290 Verse 15 of Romans 8. 79 00:03:02,450 --> 00:03:05,730 But we have been what we have received, the spirit of adoption, 80 00:03:06,080 --> 00:03:08,640 whereby we cry, abba, Father, meaning this. 81 00:03:09,120 --> 00:03:12,640 You don't have to live in the sin that defines you like before. 82 00:03:13,200 --> 00:03:16,640 Now we are adopted into the family of God with full benefits, 83 00:03:16,800 --> 00:03:18,000 with full blessings. 84 00:03:18,080 --> 00:03:20,400 And we can tap into his guidance. 85 00:03:20,480 --> 00:03:23,440 His strength, his wisdom, his peace. 86 00:03:23,440 --> 00:03:24,720 And no longer do we have to. 87 00:03:24,720 --> 00:03:25,840 Go back to the flesh. 88 00:03:26,320 --> 00:03:29,840 But when we go back to the flesh, we can feel that conviction, 89 00:03:30,080 --> 00:03:32,920 perceive that conviction, confess our sins and reunite. 90 00:03:32,920 --> 00:03:36,860 Ourselves with him, just as a child who has walked away from his 91 00:03:36,860 --> 00:03:38,980 parents can come back and that is restored. 92 00:03:39,540 --> 00:03:43,980 And so he says in verse 16, it is the Spirit itself that bears witness 93 00:03:43,980 --> 00:03:45,700 with our Spirit, that we are. 94 00:03:45,700 --> 00:03:46,580 The children of God. 95 00:03:46,580 --> 00:03:48,900 The Spirit confirms in our heart that. 96 00:03:48,900 --> 00:03:49,700 We are his children. 97 00:03:50,820 --> 00:03:53,940 The Spirit tells us that he's there with us. 98 00:03:53,940 --> 00:03:57,300 There's that comfort, there's that strength, there's that peace 99 00:03:57,300 --> 00:03:58,380 that only comes through the. 100 00:03:58,380 --> 00:04:01,310 Indwelling and filling of the Holy Spirit. 101 00:04:01,310 --> 00:04:04,030 Indwelling means the Holy Spirit lives within us. 102 00:04:04,430 --> 00:04:09,550 Filling means that we are following and obeying the will of 103 00:04:09,550 --> 00:04:10,590 God in our lives. 104 00:04:11,150 --> 00:04:12,470 So we left off in verse number. 105 00:04:12,470 --> 00:04:15,110 17, and this is really our main thought this morning. 106 00:04:15,110 --> 00:04:17,230 We're just going to look at verses 17 and 18. 107 00:04:17,870 --> 00:04:20,190 Now we're going to look at a lot of other verses, but these are 108 00:04:20,350 --> 00:04:22,110 our main verses for the day. 109 00:04:22,110 --> 00:04:23,310 Verse 17 says this. 110 00:04:23,790 --> 00:04:25,070 And if children. 111 00:04:25,150 --> 00:04:26,510 Now we'll stop right there. 112 00:04:28,020 --> 00:04:28,900 If we are children. 113 00:04:30,340 --> 00:04:32,180 Everybody in this world that's walking around. 114 00:04:33,380 --> 00:04:34,820 Is not a child of God. 115 00:04:35,220 --> 00:04:37,540 The Bible says that we are children of God through faith and 116 00:04:37,540 --> 00:04:38,900 through the indwelling of the Spirit. 117 00:04:39,300 --> 00:04:42,180 So we can't say that what he's about to talk about is for everyone. 118 00:04:42,820 --> 00:04:47,140 This is a promise of a blessing that is found only with 119 00:04:47,300 --> 00:04:48,340 God's children. 120 00:04:48,420 --> 00:04:50,980 So he says the big question is this, are you his children? 121 00:04:52,830 --> 00:04:58,870 And he says, if you are his children, verse 17, then heirs, meaning 122 00:04:58,870 --> 00:05:02,190 this, if I'm an heir, I receive everything that my father 123 00:05:02,190 --> 00:05:02,670 owns. 124 00:05:04,190 --> 00:05:07,870 If I'm an heir, I get to partake in everything that he is 125 00:05:07,870 --> 00:05:08,629 partaking in. 126 00:05:08,629 --> 00:05:11,550 And so he says in verse 17, heirs of God. 127 00:05:13,150 --> 00:05:14,710 And so what that means is, if. 128 00:05:14,710 --> 00:05:17,230 We are believers in Jesus Christ, if we have the Holy Spirit 129 00:05:17,230 --> 00:05:17,970 indwelling us. 130 00:05:17,970 --> 00:05:21,660 We, we are heirs, as it says there, of God, and joint heirs with 131 00:05:21,660 --> 00:05:21,980 Christ. 132 00:05:23,420 --> 00:05:25,460 If so, be that we suffer with. 133 00:05:25,460 --> 00:05:29,060 Him, that we may be also glorified together. 134 00:05:29,060 --> 00:05:30,940 I want you to think about two different things there. 135 00:05:31,580 --> 00:05:33,580 He says, when we are in Christ. 136 00:05:33,740 --> 00:05:38,940 When we are joint heirs with him, we identify in multiple ways, 137 00:05:38,940 --> 00:05:40,220 but two main ways. 138 00:05:40,220 --> 00:05:43,820 One, through his suffering and two, through. 139 00:05:44,300 --> 00:05:46,140 The glory that we find together with Him. 140 00:05:46,380 --> 00:05:49,340 And that's what we're going to talk about here today, Suffering 141 00:05:50,380 --> 00:05:54,980 in our salvation, but also the longing for the glorification of 142 00:05:54,980 --> 00:05:56,300 our salvation one day. 143 00:05:56,620 --> 00:05:59,220 Now, I'm going to use an analogy here this morning that maybe 144 00:05:59,220 --> 00:06:00,579 will resonate, maybe it won't. 145 00:06:00,579 --> 00:06:04,220 Anytime I try to do an analogy, I, I, I stress about it's 146 00:06:04,220 --> 00:06:05,940 just going to communicate, but let's try it. 147 00:06:05,940 --> 00:06:08,780 So I'm going to add, my children have not been prepped on 148 00:06:08,780 --> 00:06:08,980 this. 149 00:06:08,980 --> 00:06:11,000 This is not something that I prepped them on. 150 00:06:11,000 --> 00:06:13,240 And I promised I wouldn't do this, but I've broken my promise. 151 00:06:13,240 --> 00:06:15,520 So I need both of my children that are present. 152 00:06:16,000 --> 00:06:17,520 Micah and Nora, come on up here. 153 00:06:18,000 --> 00:06:18,880 Come on up here. 154 00:06:19,520 --> 00:06:21,560 Okay, so what I'm going to do. 155 00:06:21,560 --> 00:06:25,320 I'm going to give my two children everything that I have in 156 00:06:25,320 --> 00:06:25,760 my suit. 157 00:06:25,760 --> 00:06:29,040 Pocket right here, all the money that's in my suit pocket. 158 00:06:29,040 --> 00:06:30,800 Now, do you think I have a lot of money in my suit pocket? 159 00:06:31,040 --> 00:06:31,360 No. 160 00:06:31,360 --> 00:06:32,800 She has no faith in her father. 161 00:06:32,960 --> 00:06:36,080 Okay, so I'm going to give you an analogy as my children. 162 00:06:36,080 --> 00:06:37,200 Now, I have another child. 163 00:06:37,580 --> 00:06:41,540 He's not here right now, and he's, he's in the nursery, so we 164 00:06:41,540 --> 00:06:41,780 can't. 165 00:06:41,780 --> 00:06:42,500 Pull him out for that. 166 00:06:42,500 --> 00:06:46,540 But just picture that these are my children and I am their father. 167 00:06:46,540 --> 00:06:49,700 And I'm going to impart to them what it means for them to be 168 00:06:49,700 --> 00:06:50,220 my children. 169 00:06:50,460 --> 00:06:53,940 This is their inheritance in my pocket, all right? 170 00:06:53,940 --> 00:06:55,660 And I'm going to pass it along to them. 171 00:06:55,660 --> 00:06:57,460 Now, the blessing for them is that. 172 00:06:57,460 --> 00:06:59,660 Hey, I get to have everything that dad has. 173 00:07:00,380 --> 00:07:02,940 The suffering for them is that, hey, you know what? 174 00:07:03,570 --> 00:07:04,450 I don't have that much. 175 00:07:06,130 --> 00:07:09,930 And so the idea for them is this look, whether or not I want 176 00:07:09,930 --> 00:07:13,410 to be in someone else's family with more money or a different path, 177 00:07:13,410 --> 00:07:15,210 look, they are part of my family. 178 00:07:15,210 --> 00:07:16,090 They are my children. 179 00:07:16,090 --> 00:07:17,490 They cannot deny that. 180 00:07:17,890 --> 00:07:19,250 And I would not deny them. 181 00:07:19,890 --> 00:07:21,050 And I want to give them everything. 182 00:07:21,050 --> 00:07:22,250 That they possibly can have. 183 00:07:22,250 --> 00:07:26,130 And so what I will do by way of illustration is I will give them. 184 00:07:26,530 --> 00:07:27,330 And you gotta. 185 00:07:27,330 --> 00:07:29,410 You gotta share this, but don't tear it in half, okay? 186 00:07:29,650 --> 00:07:32,850 I've got one crisp dollar bill that I'm going to give to them. 187 00:07:32,850 --> 00:07:36,450 Now, again, that's the joke, is that it's not that much, but I'm 188 00:07:36,450 --> 00:07:36,530 going. 189 00:07:36,530 --> 00:07:38,210 To give that to them and let Mike go. 190 00:07:38,210 --> 00:07:38,370 Hold it. 191 00:07:38,370 --> 00:07:39,570 Because he's the eldest, okay? 192 00:07:41,330 --> 00:07:43,010 And, and so the idea would be this. 193 00:07:43,650 --> 00:07:46,050 They are partaking in my blessing. 194 00:07:46,050 --> 00:07:47,770 Now, the bigger picture is this. 195 00:07:47,770 --> 00:07:49,450 If, if, if in the case we. 196 00:07:49,450 --> 00:07:51,090 Look at God as our heavenly Father. 197 00:07:51,090 --> 00:07:54,530 He has no limitations to what he has in his pockets, right? 198 00:07:55,100 --> 00:07:59,260 Well, we know that his wealth is infinite, but we're not just talking 199 00:07:59,260 --> 00:08:00,380 about material wealth. 200 00:08:00,380 --> 00:08:02,100 We're talking about the spiritual riches that. 201 00:08:02,100 --> 00:08:03,700 We find in Ephesians, right? 202 00:08:03,700 --> 00:08:06,340 The spiritual prosperity that God imparts to us. 203 00:08:06,340 --> 00:08:10,300 And so sometimes in our life, you know what, my kids, at some point, 204 00:08:10,300 --> 00:08:12,380 maybe, if they haven't already, might say, you know what? 205 00:08:12,380 --> 00:08:13,780 I wish some of you have had. 206 00:08:13,780 --> 00:08:15,500 Children, maybe have heard this. 207 00:08:15,500 --> 00:08:17,420 I wish that I wasn't part of that family. 208 00:08:17,420 --> 00:08:19,340 I see that family over there having more. 209 00:08:19,980 --> 00:08:21,980 I see that path over there looking better. 210 00:08:23,060 --> 00:08:24,140 But the truth is, is that we. 211 00:08:24,140 --> 00:08:27,620 As believers are sometimes to be tempted to think maybe that other 212 00:08:27,620 --> 00:08:28,100 way is. 213 00:08:28,100 --> 00:08:33,620 Not as bad as what my dad or what the Bible says. 214 00:08:34,500 --> 00:08:37,140 Maybe God's way isn't going to bring me what I need. 215 00:08:37,140 --> 00:08:39,300 Look at all the suffering that I might be facing. 216 00:08:39,300 --> 00:08:40,420 Look at all this pain. 217 00:08:40,580 --> 00:08:43,620 And so that's what Paul talks about here in Romans, chapter 8. 218 00:08:43,700 --> 00:08:47,140 Paul talks specifically about, yes, when we are identified in Christ, 219 00:08:47,220 --> 00:08:49,420 we will go through struggles just as he did. 220 00:08:49,420 --> 00:08:49,630 But. 221 00:08:49,940 --> 00:08:53,300 But there's something bigger about being in the family of God. 222 00:08:53,620 --> 00:08:54,580 And that's what we're going to talk. 223 00:08:54,580 --> 00:08:55,180 About here this morning. 224 00:08:55,180 --> 00:08:55,700 So thank you. 225 00:08:55,700 --> 00:08:56,180 Thank you. 226 00:08:56,660 --> 00:08:57,660 Split that, okay? 227 00:08:57,660 --> 00:08:58,740 But don't tear it apart. 228 00:08:58,740 --> 00:08:59,220 Okay? 229 00:09:00,340 --> 00:09:01,100 All right, Very good. 230 00:09:01,100 --> 00:09:01,780 Thank you, guys. 231 00:09:01,940 --> 00:09:05,460 So the picture is this morning is that God has a blessing for us. 232 00:09:05,460 --> 00:09:06,180 We know that. 233 00:09:06,660 --> 00:09:08,700 And the Bible tells us that it's. 234 00:09:08,700 --> 00:09:12,020 Not just for eternal because we know that God is here to bless 235 00:09:12,020 --> 00:09:14,420 us and give us life and life more abundantly here and now. 236 00:09:14,740 --> 00:09:17,940 But the bigger picture, the eternal perspective. 237 00:09:17,940 --> 00:09:20,300 Is that I'm living for More. 238 00:09:20,860 --> 00:09:26,860 And so he says here in verse 17, that we are identified in Christ. 239 00:09:27,020 --> 00:09:28,260 That will bring suffering. 240 00:09:28,260 --> 00:09:28,540 Why? 241 00:09:28,540 --> 00:09:33,740 We know Jesus suffered physical suffering, emotional. 242 00:09:33,740 --> 00:09:37,980 Suffering, even to some degree, spiritual conflict, spiritual 243 00:09:37,980 --> 00:09:40,700 suffering, persecution through doing what is right. 244 00:09:40,860 --> 00:09:45,210 Sometimes we as Christians can be persecuted or hated on for our 245 00:09:45,210 --> 00:09:48,650 own sin, for our own problems, for our own bad decisions. 246 00:09:48,730 --> 00:09:51,770 But it even hurts sometimes more when we're doing the right thing. 247 00:09:52,090 --> 00:09:53,370 And persecution comes. 248 00:09:53,530 --> 00:09:54,330 Well, think about it. 249 00:09:54,330 --> 00:09:57,929 On the biggest picture, Jesus was perfect in every way and was 250 00:09:57,929 --> 00:10:02,970 still betrayed, was still put on a cross, though he went willingly. 251 00:10:03,770 --> 00:10:06,090 So he says, yes, there's going to be suffering. 252 00:10:06,810 --> 00:10:10,860 Paul says here there's going to be to be pain, there is going 253 00:10:10,940 --> 00:10:14,700 to be persecution, there is going to be confusion. 254 00:10:15,660 --> 00:10:18,700 Unless you think that Paul doesn't understand. 255 00:10:19,180 --> 00:10:24,060 Confusion and pain and suffering and persecution. 256 00:10:24,060 --> 00:10:27,180 We need to go back to our study in second Corinthians. 257 00:10:27,420 --> 00:10:28,740 Take your Bibles with me. 258 00:10:28,740 --> 00:10:29,980 And I want you to see this. 259 00:10:30,140 --> 00:10:33,660 I want you to see what the testimony of Paul was in the midst. 260 00:10:33,660 --> 00:10:35,100 Of his earthly ministry. 261 00:10:36,170 --> 00:10:38,250 Because sometimes the temptation is the thing that Paul 262 00:10:38,250 --> 00:10:39,410 was living in a resort. 263 00:10:39,410 --> 00:10:41,370 On the beach, living the good life. 264 00:10:41,610 --> 00:10:44,250 And saying, hey, guys, trust me, it's worth it. 265 00:10:44,970 --> 00:10:46,570 But the reality is, is that here. 266 00:10:46,570 --> 00:10:50,610 In Second Corinthians, chapter four, we are reminded about what 267 00:10:50,610 --> 00:10:51,769 Paul went through. 268 00:10:53,210 --> 00:11:00,090 We are reminded his circumstances of difficulty. 269 00:11:01,380 --> 00:11:02,980 But we are also reminded here in. 270 00:11:02,980 --> 00:11:08,020 Second Corinthians of his perspective in the midst of the difficulty. 271 00:11:08,660 --> 00:11:12,740 Because it would be easy as a Christian to quit when it gets hard. 272 00:11:13,540 --> 00:11:16,420 It would be easy to doubt when things don't go our way. 273 00:11:16,420 --> 00:11:16,700 Why? 274 00:11:16,700 --> 00:11:19,940 Because we think, well, if God loves me, why does he allow this 275 00:11:19,940 --> 00:11:20,420 to happen? 276 00:11:21,300 --> 00:11:22,180 That's a big question. 277 00:11:22,180 --> 00:11:24,580 It's a deep question that we're going to address here in a 278 00:11:24,580 --> 00:11:24,980 little bit. 279 00:11:25,140 --> 00:11:27,820 But here in second Corinthians, chapter four, we see 280 00:11:27,820 --> 00:11:31,810 in verse eight, Paul is about to give his, for lack of. 281 00:11:31,810 --> 00:11:35,130 A better term, his testimony of what he has gone through to the 282 00:11:35,130 --> 00:11:36,010 church at Corinth. 283 00:11:36,570 --> 00:11:40,130 But, but right before, but right before, you need to see his 284 00:11:40,130 --> 00:11:41,850 perspective going into this. 285 00:11:42,730 --> 00:11:45,850 Because the reality is, is that if we have a materialistic, 286 00:11:46,410 --> 00:11:51,450 earthly, fleshly perspective going into the difficulties, we cannot 287 00:11:51,450 --> 00:11:52,490 have this perspective. 288 00:11:52,730 --> 00:11:56,920 But he says in verse seven, but we have this treasure in earthen 289 00:11:56,920 --> 00:12:01,920 vessels, that the excellency of the power of God may be the power 290 00:12:02,000 --> 00:12:02,480 may be. 291 00:12:02,480 --> 00:12:03,600 Of God and not of us. 292 00:12:03,600 --> 00:12:08,680 Meaning this, he was like, we go through difficulties and God has 293 00:12:08,680 --> 00:12:09,200 blessed us. 294 00:12:09,200 --> 00:12:11,000 In these bodies, but these bodies are. 295 00:12:11,000 --> 00:12:13,040 Not here for us to glorify ourselves. 296 00:12:13,760 --> 00:12:18,040 Our bodies and Our life is given to us so that we can glorify. 297 00:12:18,040 --> 00:12:22,720 Him, so that the power of God can be seen in us and through us. 298 00:12:23,080 --> 00:12:27,120 Not the power of Pastor Josh, not the wisdom, but the power of 299 00:12:27,120 --> 00:12:29,680 God resting on us in the midst of difficulty. 300 00:12:29,680 --> 00:12:34,840 So look at verse number eight with me, some of the most encouraging 301 00:12:34,840 --> 00:12:38,040 verses, but also difficult to really take in our own life. 302 00:12:38,040 --> 00:12:40,600 It says, we are troubled on every side. 303 00:12:40,600 --> 00:12:42,160 The way that Paul mentions is this. 304 00:12:42,160 --> 00:12:44,600 He says it feels like we have. 305 00:12:44,600 --> 00:12:46,120 Trouble on every side. 306 00:12:46,120 --> 00:12:48,640 On the front, on the back, on the right, on. 307 00:12:48,710 --> 00:12:50,030 On the left, every angle. 308 00:12:50,030 --> 00:12:52,990 It feels like we're being surrounded with trouble. 309 00:12:52,990 --> 00:12:53,390 But the. 310 00:12:53,390 --> 00:12:54,070 What does he say? 311 00:12:54,310 --> 00:12:56,470 He says, yet not distressed. 312 00:12:57,910 --> 00:13:01,190 Sometimes as Christians, we can walk in this life distressed. 313 00:13:01,190 --> 00:13:01,510 Why? 314 00:13:01,590 --> 00:13:05,670 Because we cannot find a path that leads to just smoothness. 315 00:13:05,670 --> 00:13:08,350 It's trouble on this side, trouble on this side, trouble on 316 00:13:08,350 --> 00:13:08,670 this side. 317 00:13:08,670 --> 00:13:10,150 Paul says, that's okay. 318 00:13:10,710 --> 00:13:11,110 Why? 319 00:13:11,350 --> 00:13:13,910 Because we're not distressed. 320 00:13:14,960 --> 00:13:16,080 Well, how can you not be distressed? 321 00:13:16,080 --> 00:13:18,240 Well, he's going to get there and he's going to explain how this 322 00:13:18,240 --> 00:13:18,960 all comes about. 323 00:13:19,040 --> 00:13:20,680 He says, we are perplexed. 324 00:13:20,680 --> 00:13:23,600 We are confused, but not in despair. 325 00:13:24,640 --> 00:13:27,680 Sometimes we can be so confused that we find our place in 326 00:13:27,680 --> 00:13:28,320 despair. 327 00:13:29,120 --> 00:13:30,720 But he says, no, I'm not in despair. 328 00:13:32,080 --> 00:13:34,000 Persecuted, but not forsaken. 329 00:13:35,200 --> 00:13:38,320 Cast down, but not destroyed. 330 00:13:38,400 --> 00:13:42,320 Why always bearing about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, 331 00:13:42,320 --> 00:13:42,640 that. 332 00:13:42,940 --> 00:13:46,260 The life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our body. 333 00:13:46,260 --> 00:13:47,020 Meaning this. 334 00:13:47,180 --> 00:13:48,460 It's all for his glory. 335 00:13:48,460 --> 00:13:49,940 If I go through a struggle, it's. 336 00:13:49,940 --> 00:13:51,900 Just about his power working through me. 337 00:13:52,460 --> 00:13:54,500 For we which live are always delivered. 338 00:13:54,500 --> 00:13:55,700 Unto death for Jesus sake. 339 00:13:55,700 --> 00:13:57,340 Meaning this is what we should expect. 340 00:13:57,420 --> 00:13:58,380 Difficulty. 341 00:13:58,380 --> 00:14:02,100 That the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our mortal 342 00:14:02,100 --> 00:14:02,460 flesh. 343 00:14:02,540 --> 00:14:03,260 Meaning this. 344 00:14:03,580 --> 00:14:08,580 All I go through is so that Jesus can be glorified, so that I 345 00:14:08,580 --> 00:14:10,450 can praise him for the victory. 346 00:14:12,130 --> 00:14:15,690 He goes on to say more, says we having the same spirit of faith. 347 00:14:15,690 --> 00:14:17,290 According as it is written, I believe. 348 00:14:17,290 --> 00:14:18,610 And therefore I have spoken. 349 00:14:18,690 --> 00:14:22,330 We also believe and therefore speak, knowing that he which raised 350 00:14:22,330 --> 00:14:26,850 up the Lord Jesus shall, what does it say here? 351 00:14:27,090 --> 00:14:31,370 Raise up us also by Jesus and shall present us to you. 352 00:14:31,370 --> 00:14:32,050 Meaning this. 353 00:14:32,770 --> 00:14:36,440 I look forward to the day that the Lord glorifies, not that I glorify 354 00:14:36,440 --> 00:14:38,720 myself, that I am reunited with him. 355 00:14:38,720 --> 00:14:41,600 When I understand that it will all be worth it. 356 00:14:42,560 --> 00:14:46,160 And so in that time, whether good or whether bad, we know this 357 00:14:46,160 --> 00:14:48,400 in Philippians, he says, I know how to be hungry. 358 00:14:48,400 --> 00:14:49,320 I know how to be full. 359 00:14:49,320 --> 00:14:50,400 I know how to not have money. 360 00:14:50,400 --> 00:14:51,280 I know how to have money. 361 00:14:51,280 --> 00:14:54,760 He says it's going to be circumstantial ups and downs, but 362 00:14:54,760 --> 00:14:57,800 the only thing that we can say at the end is, look, I am longing 363 00:14:57,800 --> 00:14:58,120 for the. 364 00:14:58,120 --> 00:14:59,600 Day that I'm going to be with my Savior. 365 00:14:59,760 --> 00:15:01,040 That's what I'm doing it for. 366 00:15:01,460 --> 00:15:02,380 So go back to Romans. 367 00:15:02,380 --> 00:15:03,780 Go back to Romans with me, okay? 368 00:15:03,940 --> 00:15:05,620 So he gives us that perspective. 369 00:15:05,620 --> 00:15:06,180 We can. 370 00:15:06,180 --> 00:15:07,380 So Paul understands. 371 00:15:07,380 --> 00:15:09,060 I know what it's like to be distressed. 372 00:15:09,300 --> 00:15:11,140 I know what it's like to be perplexed. 373 00:15:11,300 --> 00:15:13,140 I know what it's like to be persecuted. 374 00:15:13,140 --> 00:15:16,900 But you can have this hope in the glory that is to come. 375 00:15:16,900 --> 00:15:19,340 So he says in verse 17 and. 376 00:15:19,340 --> 00:15:23,380 Romans 8, so if you're identify with him, you're going to 377 00:15:23,380 --> 00:15:23,980 suffer with him. 378 00:15:23,980 --> 00:15:25,460 That's not the end of the world. 379 00:15:26,100 --> 00:15:27,580 He's actually going to tell us in. 380 00:15:27,580 --> 00:15:30,100 Other passages of Scripture that it can. 381 00:15:30,100 --> 00:15:34,540 Can be considered a blessing to go through difficulties for him. 382 00:15:34,780 --> 00:15:35,180 Why? 383 00:15:35,420 --> 00:15:38,220 Well, back in Second Corinthians, chapter 12, he says 384 00:15:38,300 --> 00:15:41,660 that it's when we are weak that he can be seen strong. 385 00:15:42,620 --> 00:15:44,860 And Paul says, then that's when I'm going to glory. 386 00:15:45,420 --> 00:15:46,700 That's when I'm going to boast. 387 00:15:47,020 --> 00:15:48,540 That's when I'm going to be joyful. 388 00:15:48,540 --> 00:15:50,060 In the midst of my persecutions. 389 00:15:50,060 --> 00:15:50,380 Why? 390 00:15:50,460 --> 00:15:52,220 Because that's going to be seen in. 391 00:15:52,220 --> 00:15:54,540 The world as God's power working through me. 392 00:15:55,910 --> 00:15:58,310 So he says, yes, there is that. 393 00:15:58,310 --> 00:16:05,270 Suffering that we might face, but is that suffering enough to make 394 00:16:05,270 --> 00:16:05,910 us quit? 395 00:16:06,230 --> 00:16:09,830 Is that suffering worth it to turn back to the things of this world? 396 00:16:09,910 --> 00:16:12,390 Well, we're reminded in Mark, chapter 8. 397 00:16:12,630 --> 00:16:15,710 Verse 36, something very interesting here, because. 398 00:16:15,710 --> 00:16:19,830 There'S a lot of people that might be tempted to think that the 399 00:16:19,830 --> 00:16:23,740 struggling or the suffering or any pain that. 400 00:16:23,740 --> 00:16:26,900 We might face is a reason to quit. 401 00:16:29,380 --> 00:16:32,140 But Jesus says something completely different here in Mark, 402 00:16:32,140 --> 00:16:32,820 chapter 8. 403 00:16:32,820 --> 00:16:33,580 Mark, chapter 8. 404 00:16:33,580 --> 00:16:36,380 We'll actually start in verse 34 when. 405 00:16:36,380 --> 00:16:39,300 Jesus calls his disciples to follow him. 406 00:16:39,300 --> 00:16:41,940 He never promises them easy circumstances. 407 00:16:41,940 --> 00:16:44,660 He actually promises them the opposite. 408 00:16:45,140 --> 00:16:49,200 But he says something so meaningful here in Mark chapter eight 409 00:16:49,440 --> 00:16:53,040 that I think all of us need to meditate upon what he says here. 410 00:16:53,040 --> 00:16:55,520 Because he says, do you want to follow me? 411 00:16:55,760 --> 00:16:57,200 Do you want to be my child? 412 00:16:57,920 --> 00:17:02,400 Do you want to be an heir of the blessings of salvation? 413 00:17:02,640 --> 00:17:04,160 Then he says in verse 34 of. 414 00:17:04,160 --> 00:17:07,480 Mark chapter 8, and when he had called the people unto him with 415 00:17:07,480 --> 00:17:10,560 his disciples, also he said unto them, whosoever. 416 00:17:10,560 --> 00:17:12,680 Will come after me, let him deny. 417 00:17:12,680 --> 00:17:16,730 Himself and take up his cross and follow me. 418 00:17:18,090 --> 00:17:19,850 There's a lot packed into that Verse. 419 00:17:20,490 --> 00:17:25,290 To be a disciple of Jesus means to what does it say there? 420 00:17:25,370 --> 00:17:26,810 To go after him. 421 00:17:27,690 --> 00:17:28,690 Many of us have done that. 422 00:17:28,690 --> 00:17:31,410 Many of us have said, lord Jesus, I want you, I want you to 423 00:17:31,410 --> 00:17:31,890 teach me. 424 00:17:31,890 --> 00:17:34,130 I want to follow your, your word. 425 00:17:34,130 --> 00:17:37,050 I want to be in the church, I want to love you. 426 00:17:37,050 --> 00:17:40,650 But then it says, then let him deny himself. 427 00:17:42,950 --> 00:17:45,750 Sometimes we're tempted to want the things of God. 428 00:17:46,070 --> 00:17:49,030 I want to be an heir of Jesus, but I also want to be. 429 00:17:49,030 --> 00:17:50,470 An heir of this world. 430 00:17:51,430 --> 00:17:55,750 I want to, I, I, I want what I want and I want what God wants and 431 00:17:55,750 --> 00:17:56,270 I kind of want. 432 00:17:56,270 --> 00:18:00,150 To merge those two together, the best of both worlds. 433 00:18:00,230 --> 00:18:02,550 But the Bible says no, that's a. 434 00:18:02,550 --> 00:18:05,110 Double minded man who is unstable in all of his ways. 435 00:18:05,110 --> 00:18:11,350 Jesus says deny himself and then there's more and take up his 436 00:18:11,350 --> 00:18:11,870 cross. 437 00:18:13,470 --> 00:18:15,150 Now we, we've heard that phrase. 438 00:18:15,150 --> 00:18:16,590 Well that's my cross, the bear. 439 00:18:17,630 --> 00:18:19,150 Think about what that means. 440 00:18:19,630 --> 00:18:21,390 What was the cross at that time? 441 00:18:21,390 --> 00:18:22,990 It was a way of execution. 442 00:18:23,710 --> 00:18:25,390 It was a symbol of death. 443 00:18:26,510 --> 00:18:27,550 So for me to take up my. 444 00:18:27,550 --> 00:18:29,790 Cross, that's not just a little minor inconsistency. 445 00:18:29,790 --> 00:18:31,390 We call them first world problems. 446 00:18:32,110 --> 00:18:32,630 You know what? 447 00:18:32,630 --> 00:18:35,030 I didn't get my coffee today, so just my day is just not the way 448 00:18:35,030 --> 00:18:35,350 it needs to. 449 00:18:36,220 --> 00:18:37,780 I woke up on the wrong side of the bed. 450 00:18:37,780 --> 00:18:40,980 Oh my this or my that is not performing well. 451 00:18:40,980 --> 00:18:42,060 That I thought it should perform. 452 00:18:42,380 --> 00:18:43,620 Folks, we've got a lot of what. 453 00:18:43,620 --> 00:18:46,540 We would call first world problems that we think is suffering 454 00:18:46,540 --> 00:18:47,140 for Jesus. 455 00:18:47,140 --> 00:18:49,580 But folks, that's not what he's talking about here. 456 00:18:49,660 --> 00:18:53,860 He's talking about dying to everything in our lives. 457 00:18:53,860 --> 00:18:58,260 He says to mortify the flesh, deny himself, take up the cross and 458 00:18:58,260 --> 00:18:59,020 then follow. 459 00:18:59,900 --> 00:19:00,860 That's the path. 460 00:19:01,440 --> 00:19:02,680 But then he goes on to say something. 461 00:19:02,680 --> 00:19:06,000 He Jesus always gives the bigger picture. 462 00:19:06,720 --> 00:19:09,600 Just for whosoever will save his life shall lose it. 463 00:19:10,160 --> 00:19:13,920 But whosoever shall lose his life for my sake and the gospel's 464 00:19:14,000 --> 00:19:15,440 the same shall save it. 465 00:19:15,440 --> 00:19:18,720 For what shall it profit a man if he shall gain the whole world. 466 00:19:19,760 --> 00:19:21,120 And lose his own soul? 467 00:19:22,800 --> 00:19:25,760 What shall a man give in exchange for a soul? 468 00:19:28,410 --> 00:19:31,490 Whosoever therefore shall be ashamed of me and my words in this 469 00:19:31,490 --> 00:19:34,450 adulterous and sinful generation of him Also shall the 470 00:19:34,450 --> 00:19:38,170 Son of man be ashamed when he cometh into the glory of his Father 471 00:19:38,170 --> 00:19:39,370 is with his holy angels. 472 00:19:40,570 --> 00:19:43,930 So he says this, what does it profit a man? 473 00:19:45,130 --> 00:19:46,490 What does it profit a person? 474 00:19:46,730 --> 00:19:50,050 To chase after all the things of this world and forget what God 475 00:19:50,050 --> 00:19:50,210 has. 476 00:19:50,210 --> 00:19:53,460 Called us to do profits us nothing. 477 00:19:54,100 --> 00:19:54,980 It's a Waste. 478 00:19:56,340 --> 00:19:59,700 At the end, it'll just be, as the Bible says, things that moth 479 00:19:59,700 --> 00:20:01,220 and rust can corrupt. 480 00:20:02,660 --> 00:20:06,500 So what matters is the thing that lasts for eternity. 481 00:20:07,140 --> 00:20:10,740 Number one, my profession of faith in Jesus Christ and my salvation 482 00:20:10,740 --> 00:20:14,580 that I find with him, but also the things that I do for him that 483 00:20:14,580 --> 00:20:16,100 will impact eternity. 484 00:20:16,660 --> 00:20:19,590 So go back to Romans, Romans, chapter 8. 485 00:20:20,230 --> 00:20:24,790 He says that there, yes, is an identification with the difficulty, 486 00:20:25,750 --> 00:20:30,670 but there's also an identification with the glory, with. 487 00:20:30,670 --> 00:20:34,749 With ultimately our ultimate reward, and that is to have glorified 488 00:20:34,749 --> 00:20:38,310 bodies reunited with him, walking with him for eternity and 489 00:20:38,310 --> 00:20:39,830 being with our Savior. 490 00:20:40,710 --> 00:20:48,240 So Paul says this in verse 18, for I reckon that the sufferings 491 00:20:48,320 --> 00:20:49,720 of this present time. 492 00:20:49,720 --> 00:20:51,800 He's talking about the here and now, the. 493 00:20:51,800 --> 00:20:53,720 The years that we have on this earth. 494 00:20:53,720 --> 00:20:59,240 He says that I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are 495 00:20:59,240 --> 00:20:59,600 not. 496 00:20:59,680 --> 00:21:07,720 Worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in 497 00:21:07,720 --> 00:21:08,000 us. 498 00:21:08,720 --> 00:21:10,080 And he's speaking of the end. 499 00:21:10,080 --> 00:21:12,520 He's speaking of that restoration with him. 500 00:21:12,520 --> 00:21:13,480 He's speaking of heaven. 501 00:21:13,480 --> 00:21:15,680 He's speaking of our eternal destination. 502 00:21:16,240 --> 00:21:20,440 And so he says, hey, basically, in 2025, Pastor Josh terms 503 00:21:20,440 --> 00:21:20,960 is this. 504 00:21:20,960 --> 00:21:24,120 The things that we're going through right now are, are not going 505 00:21:24,120 --> 00:21:25,040 to even matter. 506 00:21:25,040 --> 00:21:29,560 When we see the grandeur of the glory of God and in his presence. 507 00:21:29,560 --> 00:21:33,040 In his perfection, we're going to say, of course it was worth it. 508 00:21:33,040 --> 00:21:34,640 That was nothing for me. 509 00:21:34,800 --> 00:21:35,640 That was easy. 510 00:21:35,640 --> 00:21:38,520 That was light work in comparison to the blessing that I'm 511 00:21:38,520 --> 00:21:39,360 receiving right now. 512 00:21:40,050 --> 00:21:45,050 So Paul appeals to, again, the eternal perspective, the eternal 513 00:21:45,050 --> 00:21:49,250 glory, our eternal destination. 514 00:21:50,370 --> 00:21:52,290 So there's more here, but because basically. 515 00:21:52,290 --> 00:21:56,730 Paul is saying this, if you're living for eternity, everything is 516 00:21:56,730 --> 00:21:57,570 going to make sense. 517 00:21:57,970 --> 00:22:01,530 If you're living for heaven, everything that you go through now 518 00:22:01,530 --> 00:22:03,090 is just pointing people to heaven. 519 00:22:03,650 --> 00:22:05,010 And that's the kind of perspective that. 520 00:22:05,010 --> 00:22:05,650 We have to have. 521 00:22:06,910 --> 00:22:08,950 But he says in another passage, which. 522 00:22:08,950 --> 00:22:11,870 We'Re going to look at here in a few moments, that if we're living 523 00:22:11,870 --> 00:22:14,710 for this world and the blessings of Jesus just in the here 524 00:22:14,710 --> 00:22:15,790 and now, and that's it. 525 00:22:16,030 --> 00:22:17,310 That is hopelessness. 526 00:22:17,630 --> 00:22:18,110 That is. 527 00:22:18,110 --> 00:22:18,590 That is. 528 00:22:18,590 --> 00:22:19,550 That is not enough. 529 00:22:20,590 --> 00:22:25,230 Because if I'm serving Jesus for the approval of man here today, 530 00:22:25,710 --> 00:22:29,070 that is going to give me temporary satisfaction, but. 531 00:22:29,070 --> 00:22:30,910 It will not give me eternal satisfaction. 532 00:22:31,720 --> 00:22:33,480 Because a person can turn their minds away. 533 00:22:33,480 --> 00:22:35,520 And then, am I serving for someone's. 534 00:22:35,520 --> 00:22:36,760 Approval here on this earth? 535 00:22:36,840 --> 00:22:38,440 Am I serving for praise? 536 00:22:38,600 --> 00:22:40,040 Am I serving for position? 537 00:22:40,440 --> 00:22:42,360 Am I serving for some kind of payment? 538 00:22:42,520 --> 00:22:45,720 Am I serving for anything outside of the glory of God and the 539 00:22:45,720 --> 00:22:49,600 eternal Riches in him if I am, that will eventually fall away. 540 00:22:49,600 --> 00:22:52,440 And we will be, as the Bible says, very miserable. 541 00:22:53,000 --> 00:22:55,800 I want you to see that in First Corinthians, chapter 15. 542 00:22:57,010 --> 00:22:58,890 This is such an amazing passage of Scripture. 543 00:22:58,890 --> 00:23:01,250 If you know anything about First Corinthians. 544 00:23:01,330 --> 00:23:05,530 15, Paul starts with the Gospel and. 545 00:23:05,530 --> 00:23:09,010 Then he merges eventually to the hope that we have in glorification. 546 00:23:09,570 --> 00:23:10,850 Now, what's glorification? 547 00:23:11,170 --> 00:23:12,850 Glorification is that one day. 548 00:23:12,850 --> 00:23:13,209 So. 549 00:23:13,209 --> 00:23:13,890 So there's this. 550 00:23:13,890 --> 00:23:15,250 I'm going to get a little bit theological. 551 00:23:15,250 --> 00:23:18,050 I know it's Family Sunday, so kids, you know, put your thinking 552 00:23:18,050 --> 00:23:18,410 caps on. 553 00:23:18,410 --> 00:23:19,890 Adults, put your thinking caps on. 554 00:23:20,290 --> 00:23:22,450 So at the moment of salvation, we are. 555 00:23:23,670 --> 00:23:24,710 We are justified. 556 00:23:24,870 --> 00:23:26,070 That's declared righteous. 557 00:23:26,310 --> 00:23:28,310 Okay, so you know that word justified. 558 00:23:28,870 --> 00:23:30,110 But there's a word that should hear. 559 00:23:30,110 --> 00:23:31,830 In the Bible called sanctification. 560 00:23:33,270 --> 00:23:35,510 There's something called positional sanctification. 561 00:23:35,510 --> 00:23:36,150 What is that? 562 00:23:36,230 --> 00:23:38,710 That's the moment of our justification in salvation. 563 00:23:38,789 --> 00:23:42,270 We are positionally taken out of the world and in our sin and in 564 00:23:42,270 --> 00:23:42,750 darkness. 565 00:23:42,750 --> 00:23:45,670 And we are moved, as the Bible says, to marvelous light. 566 00:23:46,550 --> 00:23:48,190 We are moved into the family of God. 567 00:23:48,190 --> 00:23:49,510 We are moved into salvation. 568 00:23:49,560 --> 00:23:49,720 We. 569 00:23:49,870 --> 00:23:52,430 But that's not the end, because then there's something called 570 00:23:52,510 --> 00:23:54,950 what we would call progressive sanctification. 571 00:23:54,950 --> 00:23:56,270 That's our spiritual growth. 572 00:23:56,830 --> 00:24:00,430 So if we're saved Today, hopefully in 20 years, we're not 573 00:24:00,430 --> 00:24:01,910 where we were 20 years ago. 574 00:24:01,910 --> 00:24:03,870 We're growing more and more like Christ. 575 00:24:04,350 --> 00:24:07,750 That's what we would call progressive sanctification, to be 576 00:24:07,750 --> 00:24:08,350 more like Him. 577 00:24:08,350 --> 00:24:11,590 But ultimately on this earth, before we get to heaven, we are never 578 00:24:11,590 --> 00:24:12,670 going to reach perfection. 579 00:24:13,070 --> 00:24:16,430 But there is one day when we get to be reunited with our Savior. 580 00:24:16,500 --> 00:24:16,660 And. 581 00:24:16,730 --> 00:24:20,010 And some scholars call this perpetual sanctification. 582 00:24:20,010 --> 00:24:21,610 Which means I'm going to be with. 583 00:24:21,610 --> 00:24:23,850 Him forever and I'm completely sanctified. 584 00:24:24,970 --> 00:24:26,810 That's what we call glorification. 585 00:24:27,210 --> 00:24:28,730 One day, there will not be this. 586 00:24:28,730 --> 00:24:30,650 Physical flesh that we struggle with today. 587 00:24:30,810 --> 00:24:33,770 And I'm not just talking about the pain that we feel, because some 588 00:24:33,770 --> 00:24:36,450 of us that are getting older, we know that when we wake up, those 589 00:24:36,450 --> 00:24:39,130 aches and pains are getting stronger and stronger. 590 00:24:39,210 --> 00:24:41,410 That's not just what we're talking about, even though we do 591 00:24:41,410 --> 00:24:45,390 have salvation from that one day, but I'm also talking about that 592 00:24:45,390 --> 00:24:48,950 sinful flesh that rears its ugly head over and over again. 593 00:24:49,030 --> 00:24:53,390 And we, even, as much as we are being sanctified in Christ, so 594 00:24:53,390 --> 00:24:54,910 then we still struggle with that sin. 595 00:24:54,910 --> 00:24:56,110 Paul even talked about it. 596 00:24:56,110 --> 00:24:58,230 The things that I want to do, I don't do, and the things that I 597 00:24:58,230 --> 00:24:58,629 don't want to. 598 00:24:58,629 --> 00:25:00,350 Do I keep doing that? 599 00:25:00,350 --> 00:25:02,030 One day we will be saved from that. 600 00:25:02,030 --> 00:25:06,110 In our glorification, there will no longer be the pain of that 601 00:25:06,110 --> 00:25:09,030 sinful flesh that we have to wrestle with every single day. 602 00:25:09,900 --> 00:25:11,260 And that's hard for us to imagine. 603 00:25:11,260 --> 00:25:11,580 Why? 604 00:25:11,660 --> 00:25:15,060 Because from the moment we were born till the day we die, we 605 00:25:15,060 --> 00:25:17,700 struggle with that flesh, and we don't know what it's like to be 606 00:25:17,700 --> 00:25:18,300 without that. 607 00:25:18,300 --> 00:25:19,700 But one day, the Bible says that. 608 00:25:19,700 --> 00:25:22,860 We will experience no longer the pool. 609 00:25:22,860 --> 00:25:26,940 To sin, but ultimately 100% towards glorifying. 610 00:25:26,940 --> 00:25:27,940 God in every way. 611 00:25:27,940 --> 00:25:30,380 And so we get to First Corinthians, chapter 15. 612 00:25:30,940 --> 00:25:33,180 Paul says something so amazing here in verse 19. 613 00:25:35,910 --> 00:25:37,910 He says basically this. 614 00:25:38,550 --> 00:25:41,990 If all we're living for in our Christian life is the here and now, 615 00:25:43,110 --> 00:25:43,830 it's going to be. 616 00:25:44,790 --> 00:25:46,310 There's not going to be satisfaction. 617 00:25:46,950 --> 00:25:48,470 First Corinthians 15, verse 19. 618 00:25:48,470 --> 00:25:50,790 He says, if in this life only. 619 00:25:52,550 --> 00:25:57,590 We have hope in Christ, we are of all men, most miserable. 620 00:25:58,630 --> 00:25:59,790 You say, what is he talking about here? 621 00:25:59,790 --> 00:26:00,070 Jesus? 622 00:26:00,070 --> 00:26:02,150 We're not supposed to have hope in Christ right now. 623 00:26:02,550 --> 00:26:02,750 No. 624 00:26:02,750 --> 00:26:05,790 But he says, hope in Christ now and hope in Christ for eternity. 625 00:26:05,790 --> 00:26:07,230 Because if all we're living for is. 626 00:26:07,230 --> 00:26:09,910 The here and now, and then when we die, it's over. 627 00:26:10,310 --> 00:26:11,270 That's most miserable. 628 00:26:11,270 --> 00:26:13,950 That means, hey, look, we can just try to do all we can now, and 629 00:26:13,950 --> 00:26:14,470 then that's it. 630 00:26:14,470 --> 00:26:15,830 We don't have any hope for eternity. 631 00:26:15,910 --> 00:26:18,670 But First Corinthians, chapter 15 is all about having hope in the 632 00:26:18,670 --> 00:26:20,070 more, in. 633 00:26:20,070 --> 00:26:24,310 The eternal, infinite grace forever. 634 00:26:25,190 --> 00:26:27,510 And so we see a lot of Christians who are living their lives 635 00:26:27,590 --> 00:26:27,850 as. 636 00:26:28,000 --> 00:26:29,680 As people who are miserable. 637 00:26:29,680 --> 00:26:30,080 Why? 638 00:26:30,240 --> 00:26:33,840 Because they're living for the here and now. 639 00:26:36,080 --> 00:26:39,280 And in the here and now, hey, that's going to fulfill for a moment. 640 00:26:39,520 --> 00:26:42,240 But maybe not tomorrow, maybe not in 20 years. 641 00:26:42,720 --> 00:26:47,400 But one thing that will never fail us, the only thing that will 642 00:26:47,400 --> 00:26:48,240 satisfy. 643 00:26:48,240 --> 00:26:52,360 As we see in Scripture, is that eternal hope that we have in 644 00:26:52,360 --> 00:26:52,880 Jesus Christ. 645 00:26:52,880 --> 00:26:56,000 So he says, keep it in the forefront of your mind. 646 00:26:56,320 --> 00:26:58,680 Keep it in the forefront of your mind. 647 00:26:58,680 --> 00:27:00,360 The whole picture. 648 00:27:00,360 --> 00:27:01,520 The whole picture. 649 00:27:01,680 --> 00:27:07,840 So going forward, we see In Romans, chapter 8, verse 18, he says 650 00:27:07,920 --> 00:27:14,160 the suffering of this present time, the sufferings. 651 00:27:14,240 --> 00:27:15,760 So he actually puts it plural, there. 652 00:27:15,760 --> 00:27:18,560 It's like, it's not just like one thing that you're suffering with 653 00:27:19,130 --> 00:27:21,770 the multiple difficulties that you're going to face in this present 654 00:27:21,770 --> 00:27:24,010 time are not worthy. 655 00:27:24,970 --> 00:27:26,690 They're not even, like, in the ballpark. 656 00:27:26,690 --> 00:27:28,690 They're not even close to being compared. 657 00:27:28,690 --> 00:27:33,290 To how great that glorification will one day be. 658 00:27:34,010 --> 00:27:36,530 There's so many other passages of the scripture that we could go 659 00:27:36,530 --> 00:27:39,890 to, but I think one that's very common when we're dealing with 660 00:27:39,890 --> 00:27:44,130 this idea of treasures on earth or treasures in heaven is in 661 00:27:44,130 --> 00:27:46,170 Jesus's teaching in Matthew, chapter six. 662 00:27:47,430 --> 00:27:48,950 Most of you know this passage. 663 00:27:49,590 --> 00:27:51,910 If you don't know this passage, this is a wonderful passage 664 00:27:51,910 --> 00:27:55,790 to study when it deals with, am I living for here and now, or 665 00:27:55,790 --> 00:27:57,110 am I living for eternity? 666 00:27:58,630 --> 00:28:02,110 And it says in Matthew, chapter 6, verse 19, lay not up for 667 00:28:02,110 --> 00:28:06,710 yourselves treasures upon earth where moth and rust doth corrupt 668 00:28:07,030 --> 00:28:09,510 and where thieves break through and steal. 669 00:28:10,390 --> 00:28:13,110 Folks, anything that we have here on this earth that's material 670 00:28:13,110 --> 00:28:14,190 can be taken away from us. 671 00:28:14,190 --> 00:28:17,200 It can rot, it can break, it can be taken. 672 00:28:17,600 --> 00:28:18,840 And I don't know about you, but. 673 00:28:18,840 --> 00:28:20,120 Sometimes in my life that I felt. 674 00:28:20,120 --> 00:28:22,400 The most violated was when someone stole from me. 675 00:28:22,640 --> 00:28:24,320 Just like, come on, why are you doing that? 676 00:28:24,320 --> 00:28:25,120 I work for this. 677 00:28:25,120 --> 00:28:27,800 I do everything that I can, and someone takes that away from 678 00:28:27,800 --> 00:28:28,920 me, and they didn't work for it. 679 00:28:28,920 --> 00:28:32,200 But the reality is, is that life in and of itself outside of 680 00:28:32,200 --> 00:28:34,880 the gospel, outside of the Lord, is unfair. 681 00:28:35,840 --> 00:28:39,480 But then he goes on to say this, but lay up for yourselves treasures 682 00:28:39,480 --> 00:28:43,130 in heaven where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, where thieves 683 00:28:43,130 --> 00:28:45,650 do not break through nor steal. 684 00:28:46,290 --> 00:28:47,090 Meaning this. 685 00:28:47,410 --> 00:28:49,330 The things that you store away and. 686 00:28:49,410 --> 00:28:51,810 Invest into the kingdom of God, into. 687 00:28:51,810 --> 00:28:55,330 The things of God, those are the things that nobody can take away 688 00:28:55,330 --> 00:28:55,810 from you. 689 00:28:56,530 --> 00:28:56,850 It. 690 00:28:56,850 --> 00:28:58,210 It will never run dry. 691 00:28:59,250 --> 00:29:01,130 And we're not just talking about salvation. 692 00:29:01,130 --> 00:29:03,650 Even though salvation is the greatest gift that we can lay up. 693 00:29:03,650 --> 00:29:06,330 But we know that even after that, we're called to do things that 694 00:29:06,330 --> 00:29:09,620 will impact eternity from first and foremost telling other 695 00:29:09,620 --> 00:29:12,820 people about the blessing of God, telling other people about the 696 00:29:12,820 --> 00:29:13,340 gospel. 697 00:29:13,900 --> 00:29:16,900 And then as we tell other people about the gospel, then teaching 698 00:29:16,900 --> 00:29:19,940 them, as the Great Commission says to teach them and to lead them 699 00:29:19,940 --> 00:29:20,620 into a path. 700 00:29:20,620 --> 00:29:22,300 Of obedience to Christ. 701 00:29:22,940 --> 00:29:24,900 These are all things that are going to last for eternity. 702 00:29:24,900 --> 00:29:29,500 Giving to the work of God, serving in the work of God, lifting 703 00:29:29,500 --> 00:29:32,540 up other Christians in the work of God, giving other people 704 00:29:32,540 --> 00:29:34,600 that don't have what we have help in. 705 00:29:34,840 --> 00:29:38,040 That's a blessing that God has called us to live out in our life. 706 00:29:38,600 --> 00:29:40,360 That's what's going to last for eternity. 707 00:29:41,560 --> 00:29:45,200 Sometimes I grip so tightly to the things that I have in this world. 708 00:29:45,200 --> 00:29:46,280 And I don't have much. 709 00:29:47,320 --> 00:29:49,080 And so, you know, one of the. 710 00:29:49,080 --> 00:29:51,760 Common misconceptions is that people that have. 711 00:29:51,760 --> 00:29:53,280 A lot don't want to let go of that. 712 00:29:53,280 --> 00:29:54,680 And sometimes that is the case. 713 00:29:54,920 --> 00:29:56,080 But let me tell you a little secret. 714 00:29:56,080 --> 00:29:57,800 Sometimes people that don't have very much. 715 00:29:57,800 --> 00:29:59,080 Don'T want to let go of that either. 716 00:29:59,080 --> 00:29:59,640 Okay? 717 00:29:59,840 --> 00:30:02,160 And the reality is, is that sometimes it doesn't matter If I've 718 00:30:02,160 --> 00:30:05,760 got $1 or a million dollars, I can hold tight to that so tightly 719 00:30:05,920 --> 00:30:10,200 that I have relinquished my tight hold that I want to have on 720 00:30:10,200 --> 00:30:10,520 the Lord. 721 00:30:10,520 --> 00:30:11,960 And I focus on the things that. 722 00:30:11,960 --> 00:30:13,480 I have in this earth, and I. 723 00:30:13,480 --> 00:30:14,680 Can miss out on what God has. 724 00:30:14,680 --> 00:30:15,440 Called me to do. 725 00:30:16,960 --> 00:30:19,600 Now, the ultimate reality is that even if I'm not holding on to 726 00:30:19,600 --> 00:30:20,880 the Lord, he's holding on to me. 727 00:30:21,520 --> 00:30:22,560 But at the end of the day. 728 00:30:22,560 --> 00:30:24,800 We have to come back and we have to see that Paul is saying, 729 00:30:24,800 --> 00:30:27,260 it's this perspective of the eternal. 730 00:30:27,260 --> 00:30:29,340 It's the perspective, because what does it. 731 00:30:29,340 --> 00:30:30,700 Say at the end of that passage? 732 00:30:30,700 --> 00:30:36,860 In Matthew 6, verse 21, Jesus says this, for where your treasure 733 00:30:36,860 --> 00:30:39,940 is, there will your heart be also. 734 00:30:40,900 --> 00:30:44,060 So where you're treasuring, what you're treasuring, that's where 735 00:30:44,060 --> 00:30:44,820 your heart is. 736 00:30:46,020 --> 00:30:46,940 So at the end of the day. 737 00:30:46,940 --> 00:30:49,060 If we want our heart in Jesus Christ, that's what we're going to 738 00:30:49,060 --> 00:30:49,540 treasure. 739 00:30:50,420 --> 00:30:50,740 That. 740 00:30:50,740 --> 00:30:52,900 That's something that, as a Christian, we have to. 741 00:30:53,060 --> 00:30:56,410 We have to get to a place in our life where we say, is there anything 742 00:30:56,410 --> 00:30:58,090 that's pulling my affection away. 743 00:30:58,090 --> 00:31:01,690 From my Lord, away from his work in my life? 744 00:31:03,930 --> 00:31:04,570 You know what? 745 00:31:05,290 --> 00:31:09,210 Let me use the example of a marriage, right? 746 00:31:09,770 --> 00:31:10,290 If I. 747 00:31:10,290 --> 00:31:13,210 If I have my wife and I say, okay, I know I need to love my wife, 748 00:31:13,450 --> 00:31:14,090 but I have. 749 00:31:14,090 --> 00:31:18,730 I have a problem with loving her, so what am I going to do? 750 00:31:19,130 --> 00:31:20,970 Well, it's not going to other things. 751 00:31:22,690 --> 00:31:24,330 Because that's sometimes what it is with us when we. 752 00:31:24,330 --> 00:31:26,650 When we're struggling with our love for God, we go to places that 753 00:31:26,650 --> 00:31:27,410 aren't even related. 754 00:31:28,770 --> 00:31:32,770 And so I have to give my wife 100% of my love. 755 00:31:35,730 --> 00:31:38,570 Because God has called me to love my wife completely, not love 756 00:31:38,570 --> 00:31:42,810 my wife 50% and someone else 50% not love my wife 99% and love 757 00:31:42,810 --> 00:31:44,770 someone else 1% with my marital love. 758 00:31:45,410 --> 00:31:46,370 So what do I do? 759 00:31:46,370 --> 00:31:48,950 I remove anything away and I remove. 760 00:31:48,950 --> 00:31:53,310 Anything in my way that's causing me not to love my wife 100%. 761 00:31:54,110 --> 00:31:55,950 It's the same thing within our spiritual lives. 762 00:31:56,350 --> 00:31:59,430 If something is getting in the way of me loving the Lord with all 763 00:31:59,430 --> 00:32:01,790 my heart, I need to get that out of my life. 764 00:32:02,110 --> 00:32:06,030 I need to stop loving that, and I need to remove it, not just. 765 00:32:06,030 --> 00:32:07,310 Move it back a Little bit. 766 00:32:07,310 --> 00:32:08,510 I need to take it out. 767 00:32:10,030 --> 00:32:11,430 If there was an infection on. 768 00:32:11,430 --> 00:32:13,750 On your part of your body, and they say, okay, you can just cut 769 00:32:13,750 --> 00:32:17,460 it off a little bit, but it might come back later, or you can. 770 00:32:17,460 --> 00:32:18,300 Cut it all the way out and. 771 00:32:18,300 --> 00:32:19,420 Get rid of it, and it's gone. 772 00:32:19,900 --> 00:32:22,020 I don't know about you, but for me, I'd say, like, let's. 773 00:32:22,020 --> 00:32:23,540 Let's take the drastic measure. 774 00:32:23,540 --> 00:32:24,700 Let's get it out of my life. 775 00:32:25,420 --> 00:32:28,580 And the truth is, is that Paul says there are things in our life 776 00:32:28,580 --> 00:32:31,660 that can cause us not to have that eternal perspective. 777 00:32:32,220 --> 00:32:35,420 And instead of just trying to put it back on the priority lines, 778 00:32:35,420 --> 00:32:37,340 sometimes we just got to get that out of our lives. 779 00:32:37,900 --> 00:32:39,220 Now, I'm not saying that we have. 780 00:32:39,220 --> 00:32:41,170 To not have any hobbies or not. 781 00:32:41,170 --> 00:32:42,610 Have any friends or not have any. 782 00:32:42,610 --> 00:32:44,610 Things that we do for entertainment, I'm not saying that. 783 00:32:44,610 --> 00:32:48,890 But if it's stealing away the love that should be appropriated 784 00:32:48,890 --> 00:32:49,690 to the Lord. 785 00:32:49,690 --> 00:32:50,970 I've got to get rid of it. 786 00:32:52,170 --> 00:32:54,210 Like, I'll use back to my marriage. 787 00:32:54,210 --> 00:32:56,889 Okay, let's say, for example, I'm. 788 00:32:56,889 --> 00:33:05,730 I'm loving this sports team so much that it's not just a nice hobby 789 00:33:05,730 --> 00:33:08,410 that I have, but it now is stealing away my love for my family. 790 00:33:09,480 --> 00:33:13,640 So say, for example, my kids have a big event coming up, and I 791 00:33:13,640 --> 00:33:14,960 say, well, I can't come to that event. 792 00:33:14,960 --> 00:33:15,640 I've got a. 793 00:33:15,640 --> 00:33:17,040 Now, some of you are like, you can tape it. 794 00:33:17,040 --> 00:33:18,280 But, you know, let's just say for. 795 00:33:18,280 --> 00:33:21,120 A way of analogy, I say, I've got to watch my sports team. 796 00:33:21,120 --> 00:33:22,120 I've got to be there. 797 00:33:23,240 --> 00:33:23,800 Okay? 798 00:33:23,960 --> 00:33:25,360 Now, my wife, if she's a good. 799 00:33:25,360 --> 00:33:28,600 Wife, recognizes that, hey, Pastor Josh has taken it farther 800 00:33:29,160 --> 00:33:30,840 than just, it's a nice hobby. 801 00:33:30,840 --> 00:33:33,560 It's been something that is stealing away from things that he 802 00:33:33,560 --> 00:33:34,760 should be doing in his life. 803 00:33:35,530 --> 00:33:36,690 That's what a Christian is sometimes. 804 00:33:36,690 --> 00:33:38,170 A Christian, hey, we can have a good time. 805 00:33:38,170 --> 00:33:40,050 We can have hobbies, we can have things that we do. 806 00:33:40,050 --> 00:33:44,650 But if it's pulling us away from what God wants us to do, that's 807 00:33:44,650 --> 00:33:45,250 when it's a problem. 808 00:33:45,250 --> 00:33:46,650 And that's what Paul is talking about. 809 00:33:46,650 --> 00:33:49,650 You lose your eternal perspective, and then. 810 00:33:49,650 --> 00:33:50,770 It'S tempting to go like this. 811 00:33:50,770 --> 00:33:52,010 Well, you know what? 812 00:33:52,890 --> 00:33:53,970 They don't want me at that church. 813 00:33:53,970 --> 00:33:54,290 I'm. 814 00:33:54,290 --> 00:33:55,050 Yeah, whatever. 815 00:33:55,290 --> 00:33:55,650 Or. 816 00:33:55,650 --> 00:33:58,130 Or if I'm serving in this ministry and no one's happy about 817 00:33:58,130 --> 00:34:00,010 me serving here, then fine, I'm just gonna go. 818 00:34:02,100 --> 00:34:06,980 And we see people losing the passion for serving God because other 819 00:34:06,980 --> 00:34:07,980 people steal it away. 820 00:34:07,980 --> 00:34:09,100 Now, I Get that I've. 821 00:34:09,100 --> 00:34:10,860 I've had my passion stolen away because. 822 00:34:10,860 --> 00:34:12,660 Of certain circumstances in my life. 823 00:34:12,900 --> 00:34:17,180 But the remedy to that is loving God so much that it doesn't 824 00:34:17,180 --> 00:34:18,220 matter what's going on around you. 825 00:34:18,220 --> 00:34:18,900 And that's hard. 826 00:34:19,540 --> 00:34:20,180 That's hard. 827 00:34:20,420 --> 00:34:21,620 I struggle with that. 828 00:34:22,020 --> 00:34:24,660 I struggle with, Lord, look, I'm pulling everything out here for 829 00:34:24,660 --> 00:34:24,780 you. 830 00:34:24,780 --> 00:34:26,020 I'm doing everything that I can. 831 00:34:26,440 --> 00:34:26,680 Why? 832 00:34:26,680 --> 00:34:29,200 Why can't it just seem to work out this one time? 833 00:34:29,200 --> 00:34:31,320 No, at the end of the day, it is working out. 834 00:34:31,320 --> 00:34:34,040 Whether you have your expectations or not met. 835 00:34:34,200 --> 00:34:36,760 God's expectation is that you're just faithful to him. 836 00:34:37,880 --> 00:34:38,840 That's what he says here. 837 00:34:38,840 --> 00:34:41,880 He says, those sufferings that you're facing now, those sufferings 838 00:34:41,880 --> 00:34:42,479 might come from you. 839 00:34:42,479 --> 00:34:44,520 Doing the right thing or maybe the wrong thing. 840 00:34:45,400 --> 00:34:49,360 There is a time and a place to stop things, but only when God tells 841 00:34:49,360 --> 00:34:51,200 us to stop, not when someone. 842 00:34:51,200 --> 00:34:52,200 Else tells us to stop. 843 00:34:53,280 --> 00:34:54,960 Someone came up to me today and they said, when? 844 00:34:54,960 --> 00:34:55,920 I'm leaving here today. 845 00:34:55,920 --> 00:34:58,000 And if you want to say this, feel free. 846 00:34:58,000 --> 00:34:58,800 It's open door. 847 00:34:58,800 --> 00:34:59,960 But you said, you know what? 848 00:34:59,960 --> 00:35:01,600 You just need to stop preaching. 849 00:35:02,080 --> 00:35:02,640 You know what? 850 00:35:02,640 --> 00:35:04,240 It's just like, it's not working for you. 851 00:35:04,800 --> 00:35:06,560 The idea for me would be I. 852 00:35:06,560 --> 00:35:08,160 Could be like, oh, maybe they're right. 853 00:35:08,800 --> 00:35:10,160 Maybe the call that I think God. 854 00:35:10,160 --> 00:35:11,400 Has for me in my life is wrong. 855 00:35:11,400 --> 00:35:13,120 And so, you know what? 856 00:35:13,120 --> 00:35:15,400 Maybe I'll just try to go find something else that God wants me 857 00:35:15,400 --> 00:35:15,680 to. 858 00:35:16,320 --> 00:35:19,970 Or I could say, lord, when you tell me it's time, when you tell 859 00:35:19,970 --> 00:35:20,650 me it's time. 860 00:35:21,530 --> 00:35:24,690 And the idea for us as Christians is everyone has an avenue 861 00:35:24,690 --> 00:35:25,210 of service. 862 00:35:25,610 --> 00:35:27,610 Everyone has an avenue of ministry. 863 00:35:27,610 --> 00:35:30,170 And there's a time and a place to adjust those things. 864 00:35:30,250 --> 00:35:32,250 And so sometimes God changes the roles. 865 00:35:32,730 --> 00:35:34,410 Sometimes God changes our path. 866 00:35:34,810 --> 00:35:35,770 For some of you in this room. 867 00:35:35,770 --> 00:35:36,690 You say, you know what, Pastor? 868 00:35:36,690 --> 00:35:38,570 I can't serve the way I served 50 years ago. 869 00:35:38,730 --> 00:35:39,650 You should have seen me. 870 00:35:39,650 --> 00:35:40,570 I was on the bus routes. 871 00:35:40,570 --> 00:35:41,610 I was knocking on doors. 872 00:35:41,690 --> 00:35:43,890 Today, I can't even barely, you know. 873 00:35:43,890 --> 00:35:44,730 Get out of my house. 874 00:35:45,460 --> 00:35:47,380 Well, praise God for what he's given you. 875 00:35:47,380 --> 00:35:49,500 Today might not be the same as. 876 00:35:49,500 --> 00:35:51,380 It was 50 years ago, but he's given you something. 877 00:35:51,940 --> 00:35:53,860 And the Bible says to redeem that for the. 878 00:35:53,860 --> 00:35:54,980 For the days are evil. 879 00:35:55,540 --> 00:35:58,220 And sometimes God has us to take breaks, and sometimes God has 880 00:35:58,220 --> 00:36:01,019 us to take rest and all those types of things. 881 00:36:01,019 --> 00:36:04,300 But what I will say is this, as a Christian, we have a bigger 882 00:36:04,300 --> 00:36:06,100 picture to live for. 883 00:36:06,500 --> 00:36:10,180 So whether or not I'm a pastor, God still has an eternal 884 00:36:10,180 --> 00:36:11,290 expectation for me. 885 00:36:11,760 --> 00:36:12,880 Whether or not you're a Sunday school. 886 00:36:12,880 --> 00:36:18,840 Teacher or a ministry leader or a ministry worker, at the end 887 00:36:18,840 --> 00:36:20,800 of the day, God has a bigger plan for you. 888 00:36:20,880 --> 00:36:23,840 Your identity is not in your ministry role. 889 00:36:25,040 --> 00:36:25,600 You know what? 890 00:36:25,600 --> 00:36:26,680 One of the things I struggle with. 891 00:36:26,680 --> 00:36:28,640 Greatly, and I just. 892 00:36:28,640 --> 00:36:29,840 I'm going to confess it. 893 00:36:30,000 --> 00:36:32,920 Some of you in this room know me well enough to know that I don't. 894 00:36:32,920 --> 00:36:35,120 I'm not going to try to set any false pretenses. 895 00:36:35,760 --> 00:36:37,040 There was a time in my life. 896 00:36:37,040 --> 00:36:40,240 Where my identity was wrapped up in my role as a pastor. 897 00:36:41,520 --> 00:36:43,760 Everything in my life was that is that is it. 898 00:36:44,480 --> 00:36:45,760 If I'm not a pastor, I don't. 899 00:36:45,760 --> 00:36:46,560 Know what I could be. 900 00:36:47,280 --> 00:36:48,920 And you would say, well, that's good. 901 00:36:48,920 --> 00:36:50,080 Pastor should have that role. 902 00:36:50,080 --> 00:36:52,320 No, because my identity is not in my title. 903 00:36:52,320 --> 00:36:53,600 My identity is in Christ. 904 00:36:54,320 --> 00:36:57,600 So no matter what comes my way. 905 00:36:57,600 --> 00:36:59,760 I still have my salvation. 906 00:36:59,760 --> 00:37:01,360 I still have my hope in him. 907 00:37:03,040 --> 00:37:06,080 But oftentimes we wrap up our identity in something that's not. 908 00:37:08,050 --> 00:37:09,570 What does he say here in Romans 8? 909 00:37:10,930 --> 00:37:16,610 And if children, child of God, first and foremost, all of us, if 910 00:37:16,610 --> 00:37:16,810 we. 911 00:37:16,810 --> 00:37:19,810 Are believers, we're children of God, and then God decides and 912 00:37:19,810 --> 00:37:21,330 blesses us in different avenues. 913 00:37:22,050 --> 00:37:22,970 But at the end of the day. 914 00:37:22,970 --> 00:37:24,250 If we're believers here, we're all on. 915 00:37:24,250 --> 00:37:25,090 The same equal level. 916 00:37:25,090 --> 00:37:27,930 We are all children of God with different calls and different 917 00:37:27,930 --> 00:37:30,490 paths in our life, and there's different sufferings. 918 00:37:30,490 --> 00:37:31,370 But at the end of the day. 919 00:37:31,370 --> 00:37:34,360 He says, it is worth, is worth it. 920 00:37:35,080 --> 00:37:37,680 I'm going to go to one last passage of Scripture and then I want 921 00:37:37,680 --> 00:37:40,760 to conclude again, it's another Pauline epistle, the Book 922 00:37:40,760 --> 00:37:41,480 of Philippians. 923 00:37:42,520 --> 00:37:44,200 You know anything about the book of Philippians? 924 00:37:45,240 --> 00:37:47,880 Paul says, rejoice in the Lord, always be content. 925 00:37:47,880 --> 00:37:50,520 And where you're at again, where is he at? 926 00:37:50,680 --> 00:37:51,360 He's in jail. 927 00:37:51,360 --> 00:37:52,040 He's in prison. 928 00:37:52,600 --> 00:37:55,160 And in the book of Philippians, Paul has a perspective 929 00:37:55,160 --> 00:37:57,480 at the end of chapter three that I want you to see. 930 00:37:58,690 --> 00:38:00,770 And then we'll conclude our thought here this morning. 931 00:38:02,930 --> 00:38:09,250 Folks, I'm not saying that what we're talking about is easy. 932 00:38:10,130 --> 00:38:12,130 I'm actually going to tell you that it's impossible. 933 00:38:12,130 --> 00:38:16,890 Outside of the Holy Spirit guiding your lane, there is no way 934 00:38:16,890 --> 00:38:17,330 to look. 935 00:38:17,330 --> 00:38:19,330 At something that we don't fully believe. 936 00:38:19,410 --> 00:38:21,890 In and trust in that for everything that we do. 937 00:38:23,330 --> 00:38:24,570 There's a lot of people that I. 938 00:38:24,570 --> 00:38:26,930 Believe truly are not convinced that the. 939 00:38:26,930 --> 00:38:31,290 Glory of God is going to be enough, that we need to find glory 940 00:38:31,290 --> 00:38:31,930 somewhere else. 941 00:38:32,730 --> 00:38:35,530 But here's what he says in Philippians chapter 3, verse 20. 942 00:38:37,610 --> 00:38:40,890 He says, and he's talking about people who are living for themselves. 943 00:38:40,890 --> 00:38:43,610 He's talking about people who are living all about their flesh. 944 00:38:43,610 --> 00:38:48,170 And he says, for our conversation or our citizenship is 945 00:38:48,170 --> 00:38:49,130 a good word there. 946 00:38:50,410 --> 00:38:52,810 For our conversation is in heaven. 947 00:38:53,630 --> 00:38:56,910 He says, really, if we're Christians, we're citizens of heaven. 948 00:38:56,910 --> 00:38:59,230 Ultimately we're just pilgrims passing through. 949 00:39:00,190 --> 00:39:03,750 For our conversation is in heaven, for whence also we look for 950 00:39:03,750 --> 00:39:08,190 the salvate Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, who shall. 951 00:39:08,190 --> 00:39:09,790 Change our vile body. 952 00:39:10,830 --> 00:39:16,190 That's he's talking about our flesh that it may be fashioned like 953 00:39:16,190 --> 00:39:17,870 unto his glorious body. 954 00:39:18,440 --> 00:39:18,600 He's. 955 00:39:18,600 --> 00:39:22,680 He's describing glorification according to the working whereby 956 00:39:22,680 --> 00:39:26,520 he is able even to subdue all things unto Himself, Meaning this. 957 00:39:27,720 --> 00:39:30,680 When we look at the things that we have in this world, the news, 958 00:39:31,160 --> 00:39:34,920 our circumstances, our pain, our persecution, whatever it is, 959 00:39:35,320 --> 00:39:38,440 we have to remind ourselves that this is not our eternal home. 960 00:39:39,480 --> 00:39:43,320 We might spend, if we're super healthy, a hundred, one hundred ten 961 00:39:43,320 --> 00:39:44,440 years here on this planet. 962 00:39:44,440 --> 00:39:47,620 That's like super healthy and very fortunate. 963 00:39:48,020 --> 00:39:50,820 But at the end of the day, we have eternity. 964 00:39:51,140 --> 00:39:56,420 That hundred years is just a dot, a little tiny microscopic speck 965 00:39:56,500 --> 00:39:57,940 on the map of eternity. 966 00:39:58,740 --> 00:40:00,020 And so if we're living for that. 967 00:40:00,020 --> 00:40:01,819 Little spot, that little speck, we are. 968 00:40:01,819 --> 00:40:03,300 Missing the bigger picture. 969 00:40:04,020 --> 00:40:07,020 He says, hey, our conversation, our citizenship is 970 00:40:07,020 --> 00:40:10,180 not here, even though we are called to be good citizens in the 971 00:40:10,180 --> 00:40:11,140 land that we are in. 972 00:40:12,240 --> 00:40:15,440 Ultimately, the biggest picture is that we are citizens of 973 00:40:15,440 --> 00:40:15,720 heaven. 974 00:40:15,720 --> 00:40:17,200 And if we live that way, we'll. 975 00:40:17,200 --> 00:40:18,800 Be a lot more focused on what we're doing. 976 00:40:20,320 --> 00:40:23,880 I want to bring as many people to my home as I can. 977 00:40:23,880 --> 00:40:25,560 If I could take you all back to Tampa, Florida. 978 00:40:25,560 --> 00:40:26,960 Some of you have been to Tampa, Florida. 979 00:40:27,040 --> 00:40:30,080 It may or may not be what you love, but I love my hometown. 980 00:40:30,080 --> 00:40:31,160 And I would love to bring you. 981 00:40:31,160 --> 00:40:33,760 Guys there and show you my old church and show you where my old 982 00:40:33,760 --> 00:40:34,640 stomping grounds were. 983 00:40:34,640 --> 00:40:36,440 Okay, you wouldn't have to twist my arm. 984 00:40:36,440 --> 00:40:37,240 I'm going back soon. 985 00:40:37,240 --> 00:40:38,080 If you guys all want to come. 986 00:40:38,080 --> 00:40:38,720 With me, you can. 987 00:40:39,040 --> 00:40:40,240 But the idea would be this. 988 00:40:40,720 --> 00:40:45,000 If we are proud, if we have glory, if we are excited about where. 989 00:40:45,000 --> 00:40:49,760 We are from and where we are going, we will tell others we're 990 00:40:49,760 --> 00:40:51,440 not ashamed of our hope in Jesus Christ. 991 00:40:52,160 --> 00:40:54,560 And so a good citizen that decides. 992 00:40:54,560 --> 00:40:58,840 To want to believe in what God has called us to believe in, we are 993 00:40:58,840 --> 00:41:00,400 to project that in the way. 994 00:41:00,400 --> 00:41:03,840 That we live, by the way that we love, by the way that we serve, 995 00:41:03,840 --> 00:41:05,280 by the way that we sacrifice. 996 00:41:05,440 --> 00:41:08,750 By the way here, here it is, by the way, that we suffer. 997 00:41:09,150 --> 00:41:13,230 Do you know that there's a biblical theology on suffering? 998 00:41:14,510 --> 00:41:15,950 Say, no, no, no, no, no, no. 999 00:41:16,110 --> 00:41:17,550 We're not called to suffer at all. 1000 00:41:18,510 --> 00:41:19,710 Where have you been the last hour? 1001 00:41:19,710 --> 00:41:20,150 You know? 1002 00:41:20,150 --> 00:41:21,230 But the idea is this. 1003 00:41:21,790 --> 00:41:25,030 There is a biblical theology of suffering, and it's resting in 1004 00:41:25,030 --> 00:41:30,190 the eternal being, driven by the Spirit and looking for that being 1005 00:41:30,190 --> 00:41:33,310 the light of the testimony of Christ in our life. 1006 00:41:34,670 --> 00:41:36,510 So you've heard people suffering for Jesus. 1007 00:41:37,230 --> 00:41:40,790 Well, truly, that's what we are doing so that people can see 1008 00:41:40,790 --> 00:41:41,390 who we are. 1009 00:41:41,550 --> 00:41:41,830 Now. 1010 00:41:41,830 --> 00:41:42,630 There's glory in that. 1011 00:41:42,630 --> 00:41:45,670 I wish I could tell you that there isn't going to be suffering, 1012 00:41:45,670 --> 00:41:47,310 but I will say this. 1013 00:41:47,310 --> 00:41:51,670 There is suffering, but God has given us a good life, too. 1014 00:41:51,670 --> 00:41:54,830 If we really sit back and think about it sometimes, we often 1015 00:41:54,830 --> 00:41:55,910 only think about the negatives. 1016 00:41:55,910 --> 00:41:57,550 But think about all the blessings that. 1017 00:41:57,550 --> 00:41:59,260 God has given us in the midst of the suffering. 1018 00:41:59,970 --> 00:42:05,130 Folks, I'm going to tell you one of the strongest lessons that 1019 00:42:05,130 --> 00:42:07,810 God ever taught me was in one of the hardest points of my life. 1020 00:42:09,650 --> 00:42:11,010 I didn't understand it in the time. 1021 00:42:11,010 --> 00:42:12,450 I did not want to go through suffering. 1022 00:42:12,530 --> 00:42:15,449 But in the midst of that suffering, God revealed to me a truth 1023 00:42:15,449 --> 00:42:15,810 that. 1024 00:42:16,210 --> 00:42:20,610 Has impacted my life that will I will never, never forget. 1025 00:42:21,010 --> 00:42:23,730 And so sometimes in the midst of suffering comes the greatest blessing. 1026 00:42:25,260 --> 00:42:28,580 And I pray that you're not in those times of suffering and feeling 1027 00:42:28,580 --> 00:42:31,340 alone and feeling hopeless and feeling empty. 1028 00:42:31,340 --> 00:42:32,700 If you are in the midst of. 1029 00:42:32,700 --> 00:42:34,260 One of those seasons of suffering right. 1030 00:42:34,260 --> 00:42:36,140 Now, go to him, cling to him. 1031 00:42:36,460 --> 00:42:41,180 Find solace in his peace, in his comfort, and be perceptive to 1032 00:42:41,180 --> 00:42:43,940 what he's telling you in this time, because it. 1033 00:42:43,940 --> 00:42:45,420 Might be a lesson that will impact. 1034 00:42:45,420 --> 00:42:47,020 Your life for eternity. 1035 00:42:48,140 --> 00:42:49,500 I can tell you there was a. 1036 00:42:49,500 --> 00:42:51,020 Time in my life where I believed. 1037 00:42:51,020 --> 00:42:53,580 I had an agreement with God, that if I did this, God would do 1038 00:42:53,580 --> 00:42:53,820 this. 1039 00:42:54,110 --> 00:42:57,470 And when God didn't keep that expectation of my life, I was ready 1040 00:42:57,470 --> 00:42:58,430 to say, God, why? 1041 00:42:59,150 --> 00:43:02,110 And he revealed to me that there the only expectation that he 1042 00:43:02,110 --> 00:43:04,990 asked for me is to save me. 1043 00:43:06,350 --> 00:43:08,750 And the only expectation he has for me is to be faithful. 1044 00:43:08,990 --> 00:43:09,790 And that's it. 1045 00:43:10,750 --> 00:43:11,790 And I had to learn that in. 1046 00:43:11,790 --> 00:43:13,230 The midst of a suffering moment. 1047 00:43:13,550 --> 00:43:15,310 Some of us can say, I don't know why. 1048 00:43:15,310 --> 00:43:16,350 And let me tell you this. 1049 00:43:16,430 --> 00:43:18,910 Sometimes there isn't an answer on this side of heaven. 1050 00:43:19,230 --> 00:43:22,110 Sometimes you will never know the why behind the loss. 1051 00:43:22,550 --> 00:43:27,830 But I will tell you what Paul says, and I believe it, that one 1052 00:43:27,830 --> 00:43:31,630 day we will see it all for what it is, and why God did what 1053 00:43:31,630 --> 00:43:33,670 he did and why he allows what he allows. 1054 00:43:33,670 --> 00:43:35,150 And one day he makes it all right. 1055 00:43:35,150 --> 00:43:38,910 One day we will say, I believe it, that it was worth. 1056 00:43:40,030 --> 00:43:40,790 Was worth it. 1057 00:43:41,510 --> 00:43:42,950 And that's what Paul is telling us here. 1058 00:43:42,950 --> 00:43:43,990 Romans, chapter 8. 1059 00:43:44,390 --> 00:43:45,910 Anticipation for Glory. 1060 00:43:46,790 --> 00:43:49,470 Well, we'll come back here in a few weeks and we'll continue to 1061 00:43:49,470 --> 00:43:53,870 see that that anticipation for glory should drive what we do in 1062 00:43:53,870 --> 00:43:54,630 the here and now. 1063 00:43:55,270 --> 00:43:57,750 It should change what we say. 1064 00:43:57,750 --> 00:43:59,430 It should change how we live. 1065 00:43:59,670 --> 00:44:04,110 And we'll come back to look more about that in the way of application 1066 00:44:04,110 --> 00:44:04,470 later. 1067 00:44:05,430 --> 00:44:08,110 Well, I'm going to ask if you're able to, for the next few 1068 00:44:08,110 --> 00:44:11,750 moments, to stand with me, every head bowed, every eye closed. 1069 00:44:12,310 --> 00:44:13,670 It's a simple message. 1070 00:44:16,240 --> 00:44:17,280 What are we living for? 1071 00:44:17,680 --> 00:44:19,280 Are we living for the here and now? 1072 00:44:20,560 --> 00:44:22,080 Are we living for eternity? 1073 00:44:22,560 --> 00:44:24,000 Where's our affection place? 1074 00:44:24,000 --> 00:44:25,280 Where is our treasure at? 1075 00:44:25,360 --> 00:44:26,640 Where is our heart at? 1076 00:44:27,600 --> 00:44:29,640 Folks, we can say whatever we want to say. 1077 00:44:29,640 --> 00:44:30,120 I can. 1078 00:44:30,120 --> 00:44:33,120 It's so easy for me to say, well, my focus is on eternity. 1079 00:44:33,280 --> 00:44:36,880 But if my life is not looking like that, I can say whatever I want 1080 00:44:36,880 --> 00:44:37,280 to say. 1081 00:44:37,360 --> 00:44:39,560 But what Jesus said is, it's where your treasure is. 1082 00:44:39,560 --> 00:44:40,640 That's where your heart is. 1083 00:44:41,610 --> 00:44:43,930 So here's a good test, here's a good evaluation. 1084 00:44:44,330 --> 00:44:46,330 And we never want to be evaluated. 1085 00:44:46,490 --> 00:44:47,370 But here it is. 1086 00:44:47,370 --> 00:44:51,450 The evaluation is, where are my treasures placed? 1087 00:44:52,250 --> 00:44:55,050 What do I think about what do I dream about? 1088 00:44:55,450 --> 00:44:56,970 What do I long for? 1089 00:44:56,970 --> 00:45:00,530 When no one's around, that will indicate. 1090 00:45:00,530 --> 00:45:03,770 To me where my heart is. 1091 00:45:04,570 --> 00:45:07,770 And if it's not in Jesus Christ, if it's not in his will, 1092 00:45:08,060 --> 00:45:08,180 if. 1093 00:45:08,180 --> 00:45:11,820 It'S not in his way, hey, it's time to reevaluate and then say, 1094 00:45:11,900 --> 00:45:12,940 how can I change? 1095 00:45:13,900 --> 00:45:17,140 What can I get rid of or add to my life that will allow. 1096 00:45:17,140 --> 00:45:18,140 Me to love him? 1097 00:45:18,940 --> 00:45:22,620 Am I appropriating the love that I should be giving to the Lord 1098 00:45:22,620 --> 00:45:22,900 to. 1099 00:45:22,900 --> 00:45:24,700 Someone or something else? 1100 00:45:25,420 --> 00:45:27,020 If so, get that right with him today. 1101 00:45:27,500 --> 00:45:29,860 There's no shame in the admission that. 1102 00:45:29,860 --> 00:45:31,420 I'm not where I need to be. 1103 00:45:31,500 --> 00:45:34,900 And really, the truth of the matter is, is that nobody is exactly 1104 00:45:34,900 --> 00:45:36,100 where we need to be, and so we. 1105 00:45:36,100 --> 00:45:37,500 Need to be striving after Him. 1106 00:45:38,780 --> 00:45:43,300 Maybe you just need to be reminded of the glory that it will 1107 00:45:43,300 --> 00:45:45,660 be to be reunited with your Savior. 1108 00:45:46,460 --> 00:45:48,340 Maybe you've been living in the shortsighted. 1109 00:45:48,340 --> 00:45:50,940 Future of saying, well, look at this world, look at my life. 1110 00:45:51,580 --> 00:45:54,220 Go to what he has given you in the hope of salvation. 1111 00:45:56,300 --> 00:45:58,780 If we live this way, things will change. 1112 00:46:00,630 --> 00:46:01,430 Things will be different. 1113 00:46:02,950 --> 00:46:06,470 Let's not be comfortable with being status quo Christians. 1114 00:46:06,550 --> 00:46:08,110 Let's be Christians that are willing to. 1115 00:46:08,110 --> 00:46:10,870 Change the world because of our hope in Jesus Christ. 1116 00:46:12,470 --> 00:46:14,830 Lord, I pray that you'd be in this time of invitation, working 1117 00:46:14,830 --> 00:46:15,590 hearts and lives. 1118 00:46:16,150 --> 00:46:18,430 Lord, I pray that there's someone here today that does not 1119 00:46:18,430 --> 00:46:21,350 know you, that does not have the hope of Jesus Christ in his or 1120 00:46:21,350 --> 00:46:23,350 her life that today can be the day of that glory. 1121 00:46:23,510 --> 00:46:26,710 Today can be that day of that confidence in Jesus and only him 1122 00:46:27,250 --> 00:46:29,490 for what he has provided for us in salvation. 1123 00:46:29,650 --> 00:46:31,570 Well, I pray that there's others here today that maybe need 1124 00:46:31,570 --> 00:46:38,170 to be re reminded of the glory of that salvific hope that we have 1125 00:46:38,170 --> 00:46:38,610 in you. 1126 00:46:38,930 --> 00:46:41,250 Pray that you be in this time of invitation, working hearts and 1127 00:46:41,250 --> 00:46:41,490 lives. 1128 00:46:41,970 --> 00:46:42,969 Jesus name Amen. 1129 00:46:42,969 --> 00:46:47,010 As the music plays if you're suffering here today, come to Him. 1130 00:46:47,810 --> 00:46:49,810 He is the remedy to all of our suffering. 1131 00:46:51,170 --> 00:46:53,730 If you need Jesus as your Savior, we've got some folks up here 1132 00:46:53,730 --> 00:46:55,790 in the front that can talk to you about the Bible. 1133 00:46:55,870 --> 00:46:58,910 Men, men, women, with women, and we can show you in the word of 1134 00:46:58,910 --> 00:47:01,150 God what it means to know him and be a child of God. 1135 00:47:01,390 --> 00:47:04,510 Remember, the promises are only for the children and the children 1136 00:47:04,590 --> 00:47:06,910 are only found in faith in Jesus Christ. 1137 00:47:07,150 --> 00:47:08,830 So that's something that you need here this morning. 1138 00:47:10,190 --> 00:47:11,590 Remember, Jesus loves you. 1139 00:47:11,590 --> 00:47:12,350 He died for you. 1140 00:47:12,350 --> 00:47:14,030 He rose again on the third day for you. 1141 00:47:14,270 --> 00:47:16,590 And if you believe in that, the Bible says you can be His. 1142 00:48:20,140 --> 00:48:22,580 Thank you again for listening to the Middletown Baptist Church 1143 00:48:22,580 --> 00:48:23,180 Podcast. 1144 00:48:23,420 --> 00:48:25,820 I hope that this sermon has been a blessing for you. 1145 00:48:26,380 --> 00:48:28,740 If you would like to find out more information about our church 1146 00:48:28,740 --> 00:48:32,220 or this sermon, you can find us at middletownbaptistchurch.org 1147 00:48:32,460 --> 00:48:35,020 or find us on Facebook or YouTube. 1148 00:48:35,820 --> 00:48:40,710 You can also email me directly at Josh Massaro@middletownbaptistchurch.com 1149 00:48:41,190 --> 00:48:44,670 if you've enjoyed this podcast, please subscribe and follow 1150 00:48:44,670 --> 00:48:47,510 along for future podcast and updates. 1151 00:48:48,150 --> 00:48:49,110 Thank you so much. 1152 00:48:49,350 --> 00:48:50,070 God Bless. 1153 00:48:50,310 --> 00:48:51,590 Have a wonderful day.