January 31, 2016

And really when I think about this series and what we're talking about and I think about our church as an independent Christian church or a restoration movement church. I I think of one of the slogans that was cool to our church is founding and the slogan is in Essentials unity in nonessentials Liberty in all things love and that was one of the founding principles of of the independent Christian Church the restoration Movement we found herself not to be a denomination but to be not the only Christians but Christians only was one of our slogans where we focus on the New Testament and Christ and the Simplicity of following him and I'm part of the beauty of being that sort of focus congregation and that sort of focus Christian Church is its really answering Jesus prayer in John 17, I think about that Concept in an amazing of all the things that Christ does for us. And all the prayers that he has answered for us. Think about that for a moment during your lifetime. How many times have you called out to Jesus? From that very first prayer for salvation Lord. Save me a center. To the hundreds thousands of prayers you prayed over your life Lord if I could just get a parking space during this Christmas season so that I can get that gift and get back to a less stressful life to the more serious prayers by the bedside in a hospital near a loved one. How many prayers would you say Jesus has answered for you. Do you look at your spouse and think me and you answered really good on that one Jesus. I I married up do you look at your children and think all despite the Hard Day's? What a blessing Lord. Thank you so much. So, isn't it amazing to think that we can answer one of Jesus prayers?

John 17 his prayer is father. I pray that they would be one so that the world would see their unity and it would be a testimony to the reality of you father the day would see you and I in the church that they would see our fellowship in our love represented in the church's Fellowship of the church is left that the way they are one would be a witness and a testimony to the world around us. It's all our movement started with that broken heart for the divisions in the church is all over the globe for all the denominations of the debate over non-essentials in the the movement that you don't want can't wait. Let's focus on Essentials in Essentials unity in nonessentials Grace and Liberty love and in all things price and Liberty in life. It so as I thought about the series on the gospel. Really I didn't plan it this way from the beginning but it dawned on me that what we're talking about. Are the essentials? The gospel itself when you say what is essential what is the core of Christianity? And if you've been here the past couple Sundays that's what I've preached about the gospel itself as the very heart the very core of the Christian faith that the essential that's where you start Jesus Christ work on the cross. Amen. Is there anything else more Central than the Cross of Christ as a we've talked about that these past couple of weeks we talked about how the gospel is historical. The event of Christ on the cross is news. Not at Vice Christianity stand separate from every other world religion because it doesn't announce a path to God hears what you must do to be saved, please Our God this way gravitate toward great wisdom during doing this path excetera instead Christianity announces that the work has been done through Christ on the cross in announces news. There is a good and loving King who is your creator and maker and he has won the victory for you. If you come to Christ if you believe the good news the gospel the God so loved the world that he gave his son to do the work he gave his son to provide salvation for us amazing. Good news Christianity the gospel hits. Torkoal is the announcement of what Christ did on the cross?

Think about it all the thority. Jesus says in Matthew 28 think about the radical Des of that statement. When he comes to his disciples and the Great Commission, he says all authority in heaven and on Earth has been given to me. Then is there any name above the name of Christ?

Is there any Authority above Christ? Is there any thought or lie or down or confusion that could overturn the truth that Christ speaks there is not that's why the Romans nothing can separate us from the love of God revealed in Christ. Nothing nothing because Authority has been given to him upon Heaven and her and I believe that because he says that right after having walked out of the Grave originally dead, but now I live Resurrection gets quite a bit of credibility to the statement. I have all authority on heaven and on Earth until then he issues the Great Commission that we would go to All Peoples of the earth Ponte taught F name all the people groups of the earth another distinction of Christianity from any other religion on the face of the Earth. It is not about ethnicity. It's not about your race or your nation or where you're born is not about Champion one group of people who won ethnicity One Nation One race over another it's to All Peoples All Peoples. So Jesus resurrection says he hears that man. I've come back from the dead everything. I told you everything in the Old Testament everything to the prophets. It's all true. The gospel is true that all authority has been given to me now go and preach that message to everyone to the whole globe. It's not too far to walk Paul talking about when he says there is neither male nor female slave nor free Greek nor Jew in Christ, Jesus. All those barriers are gone and all people are offered the gospel or 1st. Peter 2. And Peter says we are now a priesthood of all believers. There's no longer this distinction. The weather was in the Jewish religion or another religion that everyone who follows Christ is a priest granted that Authority preaching the Good News of Jesus Christ. The gospel is historical. That's what we talked about the past couple weeks this morning. I want to add to that the gospel is doxological. And again, I've shared that this whole sermon series is inspired by 120 or 30 minute lecture. I heard by Tim Keller at a Pastors conference and he rattled off all these things and I thought this is awesome that one day this will breech that's his language. The gospel is not a logical I prefer maybe all inspiring the gospel is all inspiring. That's what he means by doxological that the gospel calls forth from us a response to God himself because of the great beauty of the Gospel itself the Revelation that's why I'm Peter which I read one begin this series 1st Peter. He says this gospel truth be said the Angels long to see this news in the original Greek. It's the sense of hearing him this leaning. What is God the Father up to is he really going to send you some as long as he said he's

Wanting to see this amazing work that God is doing it's all inspiring. That's the gospel itself is when Peter writes in that passage. We read a couple of weeks ago a very long passage 1st Peter chapter 1 verses 3 through 12. It's one sentence in the original Greek, and I'm going to read it at the end here, but it's one sentence. It's a long Passage.

There's another verse like that Ephesians chapter 1 verse where Paul says praise be to God our Father Lord Jesus Christ, and it's one big reason. He just he just names all these things because he has redeemed us. He's lavage his grace upon his he saved us through his blood and it goes on and on through this passage because it's worship. See as Paul starts to preach and explain the gospel the beauty of it overwhelmed him. Because here's what God did in Christ on the cross. And then he can't separate teaching and preaching from worship itself. It becomes this one big sentence where it's all about praising. God Peter does the same thing in this freak? It's one sentence. There's there's one statement at the beginning and everything after that first statement is a dependent clause in the original language. So it's one statement than everything else is dependent on that first statement.

The main Clause is this praise be to God the father of our Lord Jesus Christ.

The even Peter like Paul is moved by the gospel as he prepares to share it with those he's riding to and the first word the statement as you know, what the gospel inspires worship. It inspires all of God praise be to God and that he unfolds through the rest of those versus the implications of the Gospel with great excited worship. One author Kari jobe's who has a commentary on 1st Peter title this section and 1st Peter doxology as the basis for the entire Christian Life That's How definitive that statement is in 1st Peter that that praising God worshipping God that that's what the gospel calls forth out of us. That's that's one of the first response as we have to hearing and understanding the gospel is to worship God because his goodness is revealed in the gospel reformer Martin Luther said this and me back up for a second. Think about who sang this when you think about Martin Luther write if you know your history, he stood up against the global church as it existed at that time, not an easy thing to do as he study the scriptures and study the word of God his heart was broken over and over and over much like those who started our movements were broken by the division, they soft and the denominations they saw and they were moved to have this bold as to stand up. And start this new church this new movement Martin Luther was moved. He was broken-hearted by the corruption. He saw in the church. And so he stood up against the church the known church as it existed at that time. There wasn't Protestant and Catholic there was church and this nutty little monk Professor Martin Luther who does he think he is but he's going to stand up against the church. I can't even get his mind around that but the Holy Spirit give me the read Romans as you read Galatians. He says we got it all wrong. We're focused on the wrong thing. We slipped into Works righteousness which cease to believe the gospel itself. It's all with a broken heart and boldness. He he nailed to the door the Wittenburg door in Germany the church his 95 Theses that said here's the things the church must repent of and turn back toward. And became the firing spark of the Reformation that called forth the Protestant Church the focused on scripture as our guide in the gospel as our truth and Christ as our Lord even above the church itself because Jesus is Lord. Not the pastor. Not the church. Jesus is Lord. And he's the heart of Christianity some Martin Luther when he looks at the wrong side when he was talking about obedience and Commandments in scriptures, he made this observation because he became an avid student of the word studying reflecting again. And again breaking any Commandments stems from breaking the first commandment you shall have no other gods before me. That's an insightful operation. Think about it. He would say you don't lie unless you have already made something greater to you than God like approval or money. Please make an observation about the human dilemma that were in we don't commit any sin. Unless the route is were already breaking the first commandment to have no other God but God himself. So if I'm choosing to lie, I'm making in my heart in that moment. Whatever it is. I'm getting out of that lie. I'm making that my God. Because that is taking priority over God weather weather that lie gives me a little shot of self-esteem or little adrenaline will gossip works that way and it's so exciting to have something to tell to someone else and the devil has a hay a day in the life of Christian. Sometimes you don't gossip doesn't have to be untrue to be gossip. I could know that that a family struggling with with relationship within their family and I could know about that. It could be a Christian who's caring for them and praying for them. But then if I say thank you when I've got something juicy to share and what I'm doing in that moment when I'm lying or gossiping or whatever it is that whatever sin is drawing my heart away. I'm making whatever I'm getting out of that money could be money. You set down to prepare your taxes. Like we say quit preaching to Gangnam Ellen altogether you're tempted in that moment to say. Well, you know if I just fudge a little bit on these numbers Right here. I'm going to save some money and if you choose to lie on your taxes in that moment, I think Martin Luther's right? What you're doing is you're making your desire for money more important. Then God himself it all stems back to the breaking of that first commandment. He continues to teach and say and some of his writing under every sin is idolatry. So underneath that send when you're choosing that you're making something else more important than God himself. You're making something else and I and under idolatry is Works righteousness because the thing that you make more important than God ends up being your savior and your idol. Do you understand the logic of that? So whatever it is, you're choosing your making that into your savior to the ultimate thing in your life. You know what scripture when it talks about the heart the heart is it just our emotions the way we think of it in today's culture the heart and in scripture is both your thoughts and your emotions. It's both those things together. It's what really captures your imagination captures your adoration. We said, what is it that your mind drift to when you're given the opportunity to daydream? That might be a window on your heart if you're given the opportunity to daydream and all you think about is man. I should have bought a lottery ticket. Oh, would it be wonderful if I could have won the lottery there's a there's a brief level of doing that that's kind of fun and innocent to don't miss hear me. But if if your heart consistently gravitates, how can I get more money? What can I do to get more money or how can I would it be great to be more physically attractive and what can I do that? So that others say Auto, you know and look at whatever your heart dwells on consistently becomes a window on what is your god? What is your lord? What what is capturing? What is gripping your imagination? What is your Idol?

So here's here's the punchline of this call to worship by the truth and beauty of the Gospel a central key to a changed heart is there for responding to acknowledging dwelling upon the reality of the goodness love and truth of God revealed through Christ with worship. I mean look what it when we talk at the very beginning about what it means to be at church that unified. What it means is our Founders desired to see a church. So unified that the gospel would go to the whole world that we would be a powerful witness because folks across will be your central Focus we struggle with that me that's a beautiful call. But the truth is our human nature gets in a way. Amen, and we could all fruits that sermon couldn't we? I mean, we all see things we have this vision of this moment. We think that's beautiful. That's why I want to be that kind of person anyway run out and our human nature just trips us up. And before we know it the best of us who love the Lord Jesus find her something like slipped in the gossip. You know, what I didn't need to come and I did because it was like I fudged some numbers on something because I thought you know, it's technically a chair. Charity. I'll just go ahead to be who God is calling us to be we long for hearts that are changed. Not just a vision to Aspire to not just a goal to say I want to be like Christ. We long beyond that to have the power to be like Christ. Amen. Do you want that? Do you want to be like Christ in your life? You want send to quit being this boot on your net that owns you you want that power to be who God wants you to be this is what scripture is talking about these passages when it says that the gospel itself calls forth from us cost force from us adoration when we hear and see in fully understand the gospel. We are called to respond in worship because worship hear me. This is this is important worship is one of those paths one of those doors that takes us toward changed hearts. It is not simply self discipline or knowledge by itself pushing up my sleeves and trying harder or doing yet one more study that gives me knowledge those things and isolation. Do not transform the human heart. They could be good thing but they're not effective in isolation. One of the key factors that combines with our own efforts and our own knowledge is worship of God bringing our thoughts and our emotions and drawing their attention dwelling upon the goodness and the reality of God. 18th century Scottish preacher and 1800 pin these words and I don't want to read them to you so long quote, but I hope it's it's one of my favorites and it's the kind of thing. I turn over my own art and think how can I aspire to go closer to God when I read the story things he talks about this truth. He says it's seldom it is seldom that any of our bad habits or flaws or sends Disappear by a mere process of natural Extinction at least is very seldom that this is done through the instrumentality of reasoning or by the force of mental determination. We could also Amy and yeah, I've tried really hard before I even tried smart and still failed before he continues but what cannot be destroyed we can't destroy that Senator hard sometimes maybe dispossessed and one taste or desire or longing may be made to give way to another and to lose its power entirely as the reigning affection in the mind. So I sang to her own effort weekend. Sorry, push up your sleeves and say I'm going to overcome send and be a better Christian. He says the reality is that can't happen, but we can replace a send a desire a corruption in her heart with something else and have that power displaced and have this new thing become the reigning power in our mind. He continues to spin his gives an illustration that a boy ceases that link after some time to be a slave to his appetite but it's because a more mature taste has brought his appetite in the subordination. He continues.

Click here properly the youth see cysts idolized his appetite Central pleasure or sensual pleasure, but it is because the idol of wealth has gotten the ascendancy. So he says in natural human life. We see this happen sometime. Somebody might be consumed with physical pleasure. But at some stage in their life, they cease to be consumed at those physical pleasure. And so then they work a hundred and 20 hours a week at the office because now they're consumed with another pleasure this desire for success or well. He continues even the Love of Money can cease to have Mastery over the heart because it is drawn into the world of ideology in politics. And he is now this young man Lord it over by the love of power and moral superiority to even we see you in a line that someone can move from being controlled by their appetites to being controlled by the desire to succeed in their career and wealth itself and even that could be replaced one by the desire for power or superiority over others. This is common sense observation of human nature, which left most people in the TV was invented and we just didn't spend any time reflecting you'll soon as it gets quiet. We turn on something to get some noise going because reflection will lead the inside Insight will often leads obligation on our part. And so let's avoid that at all cost. I think we slip into sometimes he continued success but there was not one of these transformations in which the heart is left without an object. Its desire for one particular object is Concord, but his desire to have some object. Is uncomfortable, we are created beings created by the Lord God Almighty and our hearts are made to know him as our maker and our creator. They are made that way. There's no such thing as living a life without something being on the throne of your heart because your heart is made with a throne and if it's not the Lord Jesus Christ that's on that Throne of your heart. It will be your own appetite your own desires for your goals or aspirations. It will be your own making you'll be a self-made man or woman. You'll be in your own God but there's no such thing as living a life without something being your ultimate. You understand that there's no neutral. There's no no, there's no walking through this last thing. You know what I'm just going to be neutral. Something is going to be your lord. It's either going to your own pleasure or your own power for your own ego. Or it could be some calls or means but ultimately that feedback to your ego your own choice your own desire. He continues the only way to dispossess the heart of an old affection is by the expulsive power of a new one. Amen. And that's what we want. Right? We want to be people who are changed whose hearts are transformed. So that our lives aren't continue efforts to somehow get the next new book or the next new study the somehow become more disciplined to push up our sleeves and Achieve on our own strength because that is that is finite and a victory. We will never win. Our only Victory will be the one Christ hands to us through his work on the cross. And so our path to Victory is tying our self linking ourselves dwelling turning Our Eyes Upon Jesus being in Christ. Continually trying to him as our Lord and savior. He continues it is only when it melted into the number of God's children through faith in Jesus Christ that the spirit of adoption is poured out on us it is then that the heart under the Mastery of one great and predominant affection is delivered from the tyranny of his former desires. And the only way that Deliverance is possible. And so we're back where we started a central key to a changed heart is there for responding to acknowledging dwelling upon the reality of the goodness the love and the truth of God revealed through Christ. In Worship The gospel is the historical reality the announcement of the good news that our good King has won our standing with God that through Christ we can approach the throne of God boldly. The Hebrews 4:16 says knowing we're going to receive the grace. We need that in Christ Romans 8:1, there is no condemnation. The good news is the announcement of that reality that our good King has done that for us. And therefore the good news is also all inspiring and our minds and hearts and dwell upon the goodness of Christ the goodness of the Gospel in such a way. The Christ and his Beauty but the gospel itself captures our imagination our adoration are very hearts and they are changed by looking up on his Beauty and his goodness. They are changed by faith in the gospel itself that God is that good that he's so loved you and I that he gave his only son. That whoever believes would live forever.

I want to read this passage. I'm about to worship team to come forward. When we finish this passage, the worship team is going to lead us and worship. And so that's that's your call this morning a little bit later. I'll provide an opportunity for a decision and prayer so don't don't fret right. Now the invitation is to worship. To hear these words from Peter and to be an all of the amazing goodness of the Gospel itself. And then to worship God as a result of that. He says blessed or praising many translations praise be to God the father of our Lord Jesus Christ. Now, that's the statement. Everything else is a subordinate clause after that bold statement praise be to God the father of our Lord Jesus Christ his great Mercy has given us a new birth into a living hope to the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead end into a Heritage that can never be spoiled or soiled and Never Fade Away. It is reserved in heaven for you were being kept safe by God's power through faith until the Salvation which has been prepared is revealed in the final point of time for this is a great joy to you, even though for a short time you must Bear all sorts of trial so that the worth of your faith more valuable than gold which is perishable. Even if it has been tested by fire may be proved to your praise and honour when Jesus Christ is revealed. You have not seen him yet you love him. And still without seeing him you believe in him. And so we are already filled with the joy So Glorious that it cannot be described and you are sure of the goal of your faith. That is the Salvation of your souls this salvation was the subject of The Surge and investigation of the prophets who spoke of the grace that you were to receive searching out the time in the circumstances for which the spirit of bearing witness in them was revealing the sufferings of Christ and the glories to follow them. It was revealed to them that it was for your sake and not their own that they were acting as servants delivering the message which has now been announced to you by those who preach to you the gospel through the Holy Spirit Sent From Heaven, even the angels long to catch a glimpse of these things.

Blessed be God the father of our Lord Jesus Christ.