Episode Transcript
WEBVTT
1
00:00:01.120 --> 00:00:03.439
What's good to be with you all
this morning. I am going to have
2
00:00:03.600 --> 00:00:06.759
you turn with me to the book
of First Corinthians, the opening portion of
3
00:00:06.919 --> 00:00:11.830
that book, the first chapter,
and we will read the text once I've
4
00:00:11.910 --> 00:00:15.509
introduced the message. First Corinthians one, one, two, nine. So
5
00:00:15.589 --> 00:00:18.510
if you want to have your Bible
open to there, it'll help you as
6
00:00:18.550 --> 00:00:22.859
we follow along. It's good to
be with you. It's good to be
7
00:00:23.059 --> 00:00:27.460
part of a partnering Church. Though
in the PCA, we at Rincon pray
8
00:00:27.579 --> 00:00:33.579
for you all. We Love the
Faithful Ministry of the word and our reformed
9
00:00:33.700 --> 00:00:37.729
heritage that you all bring to this
community and we're glad to be partners with
10
00:00:37.929 --> 00:00:43.409
you in this work. And I
had a really delightful coffee with Pastor Chris
11
00:00:44.409 --> 00:00:47.770
Opportunity to get to know him better
and look forward to getting to know him
12
00:00:47.770 --> 00:00:51.359
more. We share a common education. I spent a year and a half
13
00:00:51.359 --> 00:00:55.640
at Westminster as I came into the
PCA, so we know a lot of
14
00:00:55.719 --> 00:01:00.000
people together and we're able to tell
some pretty amusing stories about some of our
15
00:01:00.039 --> 00:01:04.870
professors in those days. Well,
today I'm going to give you an eye
16
00:01:04.909 --> 00:01:11.590
exam. I have all kinds of
eye problems throughout my life and I've gotten
17
00:01:11.629 --> 00:01:15.150
used to eye exams. I'm going
to talk to you about how you see
18
00:01:15.549 --> 00:01:19.819
and from First Corinthians one, we're
going to ask questions about how we see.
19
00:01:19.819 --> 00:01:27.099
Specifically, I'm going to talk to
you about how you see each other,
20
00:01:29.620 --> 00:01:33.329
how you see other believers, not
just in this church but beyond this
21
00:01:33.569 --> 00:01:37.609
church, and we're going to talk
about how you see the church. When
22
00:01:37.650 --> 00:01:42.129
you look at the church, if
you're like me, when you look out
23
00:01:42.129 --> 00:01:49.120
around you, there are things you
notice and things you don't notice. Advertisers
24
00:01:49.159 --> 00:01:53.599
are aware that you're only going to
see certain billboards when you have an interest
25
00:01:53.640 --> 00:01:56.799
in them, and otherwise they're invisible. So we notice some things and we
26
00:01:56.879 --> 00:02:00.549
don't see others, and some of
us just have a certain thing we're always
27
00:02:00.629 --> 00:02:07.590
looking for. For example, I
am by nature a proof reader. Now
28
00:02:07.709 --> 00:02:13.030
what does that mean? That means
you can hand me your essay upside down
29
00:02:13.830 --> 00:02:16.699
to my view, handed across to
me if I'm teaching you, and I
30
00:02:16.979 --> 00:02:21.699
will, just by looking at the
paper, identify every Typo on the front
31
00:02:21.780 --> 00:02:25.740
page. I don't want to read
it, I just want to show you
32
00:02:25.939 --> 00:02:35.610
your mistakes. And I'm that way
with people when I first meet people.
33
00:02:35.689 --> 00:02:40.370
I'm sizing them up, trying to
assess their personality, their faults, their
34
00:02:40.449 --> 00:02:46.199
flaws. I tend to see people
as critically as I see a typed page.
35
00:02:49.439 --> 00:02:53.960
And over the years I've noticed that
we of the reform tradition can and
36
00:02:54.719 --> 00:03:01.590
can be a little bit focused on
sin and a little bit focused on doctrine.
37
00:03:01.629 --> 00:03:06.150
So the first thing we notice has
to do with Sin and Righteousness and
38
00:03:06.270 --> 00:03:10.509
doctrinal faithfulness. And it's right to
take sin seriously and take truth seriously,
39
00:03:12.860 --> 00:03:15.900
but we have filters we use,
you use, I use, depends on
40
00:03:15.020 --> 00:03:21.300
how you put together your state of
sanctification and your particular gifts and history.
41
00:03:22.300 --> 00:03:23.659
Well, like this morning, I'd
like to talk about a different way of
42
00:03:23.780 --> 00:03:31.969
seeing. I think the Gospel changes
how we see and what we see when
43
00:03:32.009 --> 00:03:38.930
we look on others. I I
call it Gospel Eyes. When I look
44
00:03:38.969 --> 00:03:43.879
at God's people through the Work of
Christ on the Cross, I'm looking at
45
00:03:43.879 --> 00:03:51.719
them with Gospel eyes. I'm seeing
them as Christ sees them and died for
46
00:03:51.840 --> 00:03:55.870
them and rose again for them.
Now I get that idea from a lot
47
00:03:55.949 --> 00:04:00.469
of places in the New Testament.
And what it looks like I get from
48
00:04:00.469 --> 00:04:01.949
a lot of places in the New
Testament. But the place I like to
49
00:04:01.990 --> 00:04:06.750
go to talk about this is First
Corinthians, chapter one, because this chapter,
50
00:04:08.430 --> 00:04:11.900
these opening verses, as much as
anywhere in the New Testament, are
51
00:04:11.900 --> 00:04:17.980
a fabulous example of Gospel eyes.
Now I pick Korn for a reason.
52
00:04:19.139 --> 00:04:26.250
The CORINTHIAN church is are the bad
boys of the New Testament. They're like
53
00:04:26.410 --> 00:04:30.170
the Oakland Raiders in football. We
have nothing good to say about them that
54
00:04:30.290 --> 00:04:38.170
they have loyal fans and this church
deserves its reputation. They had all the
55
00:04:38.290 --> 00:04:42.439
basic categories of problems in their myths. They they had immorality. As a
56
00:04:42.480 --> 00:04:45.959
matter of fact, they had an
example of immorality in their myths that would
57
00:04:45.959 --> 00:04:50.000
make a pagan blush. They had
contention and divisions among them. They even
58
00:04:50.000 --> 00:04:55.709
had lawsuits, believers taking other believers
before the courts of the Roman world.
59
00:04:56.389 --> 00:05:01.550
They had factions around their various teachers
and theologians. They resisted Paul's leadership.
60
00:05:01.550 --> 00:05:05.910
They were competitive and they also had
heresy and crept among them. They had
61
00:05:05.949 --> 00:05:11.779
people actually questioning the doctrine of the
resurrection. Why? I would put it
62
00:05:11.819 --> 00:05:15.300
as some churches of the New Testament
have problems. This church has all of
63
00:05:15.379 --> 00:05:23.089
the problems and this church is dear
to Paul. Before we read the passage,
64
00:05:23.089 --> 00:05:26.410
if to understand this church is dear
to Paul Paul. Paul came into
65
00:05:26.490 --> 00:05:31.490
Corinth to preach the Gospel, a
very weary man, having been persecuted down
66
00:05:31.730 --> 00:05:38.800
the peninsula, the the from the
Balkans all the way to corinth, persecuted,
67
00:05:39.079 --> 00:05:43.879
worn out, hot, treated with
hostility. arrived in Corinth worn down
68
00:05:44.920 --> 00:05:48.199
and while he began, God gave
Him the vision that there would be great
69
00:05:48.240 --> 00:05:53.189
fruit and a city. You'll find
it an acse eighteen, and Paul took
70
00:05:53.269 --> 00:05:57.949
courage from that and with his team
preach the Gospel. God called people to
71
00:05:58.069 --> 00:06:00.829
faith. A church was formed.
There was opposition to the church. God
72
00:06:00.949 --> 00:06:06.339
preserve the Church and God was doing
a great work in Corinth and Paul moved
73
00:06:06.459 --> 00:06:13.300
on as he did, continued in
his his church planting journey and he had
74
00:06:13.379 --> 00:06:15.939
some friends from Corinth come over to
see him while he was an ephesus,
75
00:06:16.060 --> 00:06:21.009
just across the water from Corinth.
They arrived and they brought him good news
76
00:06:21.050 --> 00:06:24.930
of everything I just described. There
was a problem of their morality, there
77
00:06:24.970 --> 00:06:29.170
was a problem with vision, there
was a problem of heresy. Now just
78
00:06:29.329 --> 00:06:33.120
stop and ask if you were Paul
having spent eighteen months planting that church at
79
00:06:33.160 --> 00:06:39.519
great cost. If you are Paul, having watched that church formed and preserved
80
00:06:39.600 --> 00:06:44.199
in the midst of a wave of
harsh persecution, what would that feel like?
81
00:06:46.399 --> 00:06:48.189
What would that feel like to pull? He was a man like us.
82
00:06:49.670 --> 00:06:53.589
He didn't sprout wings when he became
an apostle. He was a man
83
00:06:53.709 --> 00:06:59.189
like us and and he would have
felt maybe disillusioned, maybe tempted to anger.
84
00:06:59.389 --> 00:07:06.860
May Be disappointed, maybe discouraged.
He might tend to think he had
85
00:07:06.939 --> 00:07:12.420
failed in his work, that within
short periods of time, all his work
86
00:07:12.459 --> 00:07:15.139
seemed to be undone. He must
have made mistakes, didn't do it well.
87
00:07:15.620 --> 00:07:18.730
He might be angry that they were
ungrateful and he might be tempted to
88
00:07:18.810 --> 00:07:23.569
give them a talking to, as
my mother in law says it. Being
89
00:07:23.649 --> 00:07:29.769
from the south, he might be
tempted to dress them down. Paul,
90
00:07:29.930 --> 00:07:35.160
Paul is looking at a messy situation
now. He's not going immence words.
91
00:07:35.199 --> 00:07:38.800
As you get into the book you'll
find that he doesn't. He's not going
92
00:07:38.879 --> 00:07:42.600
to dodge the issues at hand.
But with all that is background. Now
93
00:07:42.680 --> 00:07:47.550
let me read the first nine verses. This is what Paul writes to a
94
00:07:47.629 --> 00:07:55.790
church where there is immorality, division
and heresy. Paul, called by the
95
00:07:55.829 --> 00:08:00.180
will of God to be an apostle
of Christ Jesus, and our brother Sostanes,
96
00:08:01.100 --> 00:08:05.420
to the Church of God that is
in Corint to those sanctified in Christ
97
00:08:05.500 --> 00:08:09.300
Jesus, called to be saints,
together with all those who, in every
98
00:08:09.379 --> 00:08:13.930
place, call upon the name of
our Lord Jesus Christ, both their Lord
99
00:08:13.930 --> 00:08:18.569
and ours. Grace to you in
peace from God, our father and the
100
00:08:18.730 --> 00:08:24.209
Lord Jesus Christ. I give thanks
to my God always for you, because
101
00:08:24.250 --> 00:08:26.360
of the grace of God that was
given you in Christ Jesus, that in
102
00:08:26.560 --> 00:08:30.920
every way you were enriched in him, at all speech and all knowledge,
103
00:08:31.519 --> 00:08:35.840
even as the testimony about Christ was
confirmed among you, so that you are
104
00:08:35.000 --> 00:08:39.120
not lacking in any gift as you
wait for the revealing of our Lord Jesus
105
00:08:39.159 --> 00:08:43.350
Christ, who will sustain you to
the end, guiltless, in the day
106
00:08:43.830 --> 00:08:48.909
of our Lord Jesus Christ. God
is faithful by whom you were called into
107
00:08:48.950 --> 00:08:54.590
the fellowship of his son, Jesus
Christ, our Lord. And, knowing
108
00:08:54.669 --> 00:09:07.259
the background, you might say what
he's expressing gratitude, confidence, hope.
109
00:09:07.940 --> 00:09:16.129
Christ is mentioned nine times as he's
introducing this letter to an immoral, divided,
110
00:09:16.289 --> 00:09:26.039
heretical church. That's not what I
would have expected. It's a matter
111
00:09:26.080 --> 00:09:30.279
of fact. If all I had
was these opening nine verses with me as
112
00:09:30.360 --> 00:09:35.399
I was heading to visit Corinth,
I would have expected something very different than
113
00:09:35.480 --> 00:09:41.029
what I would have found when I
arrived. How can Paul write this way
114
00:09:41.110 --> 00:09:43.750
to this church? Well, he's
not buttering them up. A friend of
115
00:09:43.789 --> 00:09:46.309
mine years ago said, Oh,
he is buttering them up before the kill.
116
00:09:46.389 --> 00:09:50.429
Apostles don't butter up. Okay,
let me just make that clear.
117
00:09:50.509 --> 00:09:56.860
They write God's word. God doesn't
butter up. Now he's writing to them
118
00:09:56.940 --> 00:10:03.259
as he's looking at them through the
eyes of the Gospel. He's looking at
119
00:10:03.379 --> 00:10:07.009
them through the death, burial and
resurrection of Christ. He seeing them as
120
00:10:07.169 --> 00:10:13.250
Christ sees them. Not just here, it throughout the letters. So I
121
00:10:13.289 --> 00:10:16.529
want to walk through that with you
today and hopefully it will be as helpful
122
00:10:16.570 --> 00:10:20.250
to you as it has been to
me for well over fifteen years since I
123
00:10:20.289 --> 00:10:24.519
first began to think on this.
So three things were going to look at
124
00:10:24.600 --> 00:10:28.559
in these opening verses. Number one, Paul, with Gospelie, sees what
125
00:10:28.720 --> 00:10:33.480
Christ has made them. Number two, he sees what Christ is doing among
126
00:10:33.519 --> 00:10:37.909
them. And number three, he
sees what Christ will do for them,
127
00:10:37.950 --> 00:10:43.110
or you might say past tense,
present tense, future tense of what Christ
128
00:10:43.149 --> 00:10:48.509
is doing. Number One sees what
Christ has made them. Now you'll notice
129
00:10:48.590 --> 00:10:54.940
in those verses I read to you, he he's describing them. He calls
130
00:10:54.019 --> 00:10:58.059
them, in verse too, the
Church or the congregation of God's people.
131
00:10:58.220 --> 00:11:03.289
Like Israel, they are a holy
nation. He says in verse two that
132
00:11:03.370 --> 00:11:09.490
they are sanctified in Christ Jesus.
That's that's means that they have been owned
133
00:11:09.529 --> 00:11:13.970
by God and set apart for God. God says to them, you are
134
00:11:13.169 --> 00:11:22.120
mine completely. He calls them saints. Same idea. You belong to God,
135
00:11:22.200 --> 00:11:26.399
the Holy One, and he says
they are saints. It has nothing
136
00:11:26.480 --> 00:11:31.679
to do with their performance. It
has to do with Christ. He says
137
00:11:31.799 --> 00:11:35.350
they are together with all those in
every place call upon the Lord Jesus Christ.
138
00:11:35.429 --> 00:11:41.629
They are part of the one true
church, now manifested in many particular
139
00:11:41.750 --> 00:11:46.990
churches. They are Christ's congregation,
they are his people, fully owned,
140
00:11:46.139 --> 00:11:54.460
set apart for Christ. They are
saints. He sees what Christ has made
141
00:11:54.139 --> 00:12:01.019
them, and that's how he writes
to them. If we were to add
142
00:12:01.059 --> 00:12:05.809
other scripture to this picture, we
could say, as Hebrews does, Jesus
143
00:12:05.809 --> 00:12:11.490
is not ashamed to call this church
his own. He has placed his name
144
00:12:11.970 --> 00:12:18.480
on this church and he has not
withdrawn his name from this church, though
145
00:12:18.559 --> 00:12:24.360
they have these problems. He is
not ashamed, says Hebrews, to call
146
00:12:24.480 --> 00:12:31.990
US brothers. And that is what
Paul Sees, what Christ has made them,
147
00:12:33.309 --> 00:12:39.909
what Jesus sees when he looks on
this church. Well, how can
148
00:12:39.990 --> 00:12:41.710
he say that? Well, yet
yes, there is sin among them,
149
00:12:43.379 --> 00:12:46.740
but from Paul's point of view,
looking at us through the eyes of the
150
00:12:46.860 --> 00:12:54.139
Gospel, their identity is not grounded
in their sin. But in fact their
151
00:12:54.220 --> 00:13:00.730
identity isn't grounded in their good behavior. Their identity is grounded in Jesus Christ,
152
00:13:00.889 --> 00:13:07.649
crucified and risen. That's who they
are. They have had their whole
153
00:13:07.850 --> 00:13:13.759
identity swallowed up in the death,
Marylyn resurrection of God's son. For Sinners,
154
00:13:15.440 --> 00:13:20.279
their sin does not define them.
Christ defines them. And Paul,
155
00:13:20.960 --> 00:13:28.590
though he sees their sin, also
sees them with Gospel eyes and therefore he
156
00:13:28.710 --> 00:13:33.509
approaches them as those who have been
made God's people, Holy, beloved owns,
157
00:13:33.629 --> 00:13:41.539
set apart for Christ and saints switch
the analogy. It's as though Paul
158
00:13:41.580 --> 00:13:46.259
sees the disease, that he sees
them in light of the great physician,
159
00:13:48.740 --> 00:13:52.019
which changes your perspective on the disease, doesn't it? If you know there
160
00:13:52.139 --> 00:13:58.809
is an infallible cure, how you
see the sickness changes. Christ has made
161
00:13:58.809 --> 00:14:03.450
them his people. They are fully
owned, set apart for Christ, they
162
00:14:03.490 --> 00:14:09.559
are saying. So let me ask
you, let me ask myself, when
163
00:14:09.600 --> 00:14:16.960
you look around, when you look
at other believers in this congregation, in
164
00:14:16.120 --> 00:14:24.470
your relationships outside this congregation, what
do you see? What do you see?
165
00:14:24.629 --> 00:14:31.669
What do you notice? What identity
or are you attributing to them?
166
00:14:31.990 --> 00:14:35.909
How do you define them the church? Do you look for their behavior,
167
00:14:37.710 --> 00:14:41.019
good or bad? Do you look
for their theology, good or bad?
168
00:14:43.620 --> 00:14:50.419
So here's another analogy. If Jesus
were introducing them to you, these people
169
00:14:50.460 --> 00:14:54.049
around you, what would he say? Here's what Jesus would say about the
170
00:14:54.090 --> 00:14:58.009
Corinthians. These are my people,
my congregation, saints, Holy Ones.
171
00:14:58.490 --> 00:15:03.850
I own them, their mine.
Let me introduce you to what would Jesus
172
00:15:03.929 --> 00:15:09.600
say about you? How would Jesus
introduce you? This is such a helpful
173
00:15:09.639 --> 00:15:13.639
exercise for me because because this is
how I introduce people. All this is
174
00:15:13.679 --> 00:15:22.070
bill he's a five point calvinist.
Let me different than what Jesus might say.
175
00:15:22.149 --> 00:15:28.710
Or this is this is brother sound. So he has a problem with
176
00:15:28.789 --> 00:15:35.580
anger, or he's not a really
good dad. There's I tended to find
177
00:15:35.659 --> 00:15:39.179
people by their behavior, that with
their beliefs, good behavior, bad behavior,
178
00:15:39.379 --> 00:15:43.580
whatever it may be. Now Jesus
would introduce every one of us saying
179
00:15:43.659 --> 00:15:48.019
this is mark, this is Mary, this is Pete, this is my
180
00:15:48.179 --> 00:15:56.610
beloved son, the one I've made
my own. He's mine, she's mine.
181
00:15:58.529 --> 00:16:04.559
That's who you are. So Paul
begins by seeing what Christ has made
182
00:16:04.600 --> 00:16:08.919
them. Secondly, he doesn't just
see what Christ has made them. Past
183
00:16:08.960 --> 00:16:12.120
tense. That's their identity. He
sees what Christ is doing among them,
184
00:16:12.200 --> 00:16:15.000
how he is at work among them, what he is doing, what he
185
00:16:15.039 --> 00:16:19.509
has done and what he is doing. Highlighting again, you'll notice what Paul
186
00:16:19.549 --> 00:16:23.870
says in these opening verses. He
says, I give thanks to my God
187
00:16:23.950 --> 00:16:26.789
always for you, because of the
grace of God that was given you.
188
00:16:26.950 --> 00:16:33.139
There's there's an operation of God's grace
among them, and he describes it in
189
00:16:33.379 --> 00:16:37.779
every way. You were enriched in
him. In all speech and all knowledges
190
00:16:37.779 --> 00:16:45.220
are activities of God's spirit. In
this church. The testimony about Christ is
191
00:16:45.379 --> 00:16:49.450
confirmed among you and you are not
lacking in any gift and waiting for the
192
00:16:49.529 --> 00:16:56.370
revealing of the Lord Jesus Christ.
He has poured out grace and is working
193
00:16:56.409 --> 00:17:03.080
in this church. Yes, in
the midst of Pharisee, immorality and division,
194
00:17:03.119 --> 00:17:07.680
God is at work in the midst
of his people. How can Paul
195
00:17:07.720 --> 00:17:12.119
say that? Well, Paul knew
there was no such thing as a pure
196
00:17:12.240 --> 00:17:22.269
work of God. The flesh tarnishes
everything, but he also knew God was
197
00:17:22.309 --> 00:17:30.819
at work here and is at work
in this church. He sees men and
198
00:17:30.900 --> 00:17:33.980
women who were objects of God's Wrath, now, through Christ, washed and
199
00:17:34.180 --> 00:17:38.259
forgiven. He sees men and women
in whom the Holy Spirit dwells and in
200
00:17:38.380 --> 00:17:47.410
whom God is at work and sin
is present. Paul, Paul reminds them
201
00:17:47.490 --> 00:17:51.329
of his generous of God's generous grace
to them, the grace of God that
202
00:17:51.490 --> 00:17:55.569
was given your he he he believes
all that God is doing is not because
203
00:17:55.609 --> 00:17:59.039
of anything they've done. He'll later
say, what do you have that you
204
00:17:59.160 --> 00:18:03.480
have not received? Everything is received. There's no grounds of boasting in it.
205
00:18:03.319 --> 00:18:08.160
But Paul is focusing on the things
God has done in them and the
206
00:18:08.359 --> 00:18:15.069
things only God can do. God
has been at work in this church and
207
00:18:15.509 --> 00:18:19.990
the the analogy I use as Paul
is looking for the finger Prince of God.
208
00:18:22.430 --> 00:18:26.539
What is God touching? Where is
God at work? He's looking for
209
00:18:26.900 --> 00:18:34.059
the signs and the indications of God's
activity and he names them. Here the
210
00:18:34.180 --> 00:18:40.819
enriching of God's spirit that gives gifts
to this church, the assurance of Salvation.
211
00:18:44.329 --> 00:18:47.170
He sees the sin, but he's
looking for the finger prints of God.
212
00:18:48.289 --> 00:18:53.650
These people in this church are people
who are a work of God in
213
00:18:53.809 --> 00:19:03.359
progress, and that's what Paul looks
for. He sees the sickness that he
214
00:19:03.480 --> 00:19:07.079
sees the healing work of the savior
progressing in them. He sees what God
215
00:19:07.319 --> 00:19:12.910
is doing. Here's another way to
say this. He's not shocked by their
216
00:19:12.990 --> 00:19:21.829
sin. He shocked that God would
save sinners. He's not amazed that they
217
00:19:21.910 --> 00:19:25.700
have problems. He's amazed that Christ
is at work among people like us.
218
00:19:30.660 --> 00:19:33.700
It's always a good question to ask
what shocks me. Am I shockable?
219
00:19:33.980 --> 00:19:41.089
I think a mark of people that
understand God saving grace to sinners, as
220
00:19:41.130 --> 00:19:45.089
we're not shocked by anything, does
mean we diminish it and mean we minimize
221
00:19:45.170 --> 00:19:48.569
the sin. But it's like yeah, that's why we need a savior.
222
00:19:49.690 --> 00:19:53.880
It's exactly why we need a savior. Isn't it amazing that there is a
223
00:19:53.960 --> 00:20:02.000
savior for people like us? See, it's all about expectations, isn't it?
224
00:20:02.079 --> 00:20:06.839
Paul is looking here in a congregation
with its members and pastors, and
225
00:20:06.880 --> 00:20:11.309
I think if we used a modern
analogy, we might say a church has
226
00:20:11.430 --> 00:20:18.230
some elements in it that are like
a hospital and a hospital this hospital is
227
00:20:18.349 --> 00:20:23.940
a hospital where everyone eventually walks out
totally cured. But it's all so we're
228
00:20:25.019 --> 00:20:33.539
sick, people go and there's a
slow process of healing and recovery. My
229
00:20:33.019 --> 00:20:37.769
son is a doctor up in Minneapolis
and I don't think he ever walks into
230
00:20:37.809 --> 00:20:41.410
his shift in the emergency room and
look around and say what's all? What's
231
00:20:41.450 --> 00:20:45.210
up with all the sick people here? Get Out of here now. What
232
00:20:45.410 --> 00:20:51.440
that's what hospitals are for, is
the sick. But you look for signs
233
00:20:51.480 --> 00:20:56.480
of healing and you look for signs
of healing in the church. That's what
234
00:20:56.640 --> 00:21:00.400
Paul's doing. God is at work, he has made them his own and
235
00:21:00.519 --> 00:21:06.309
he is at work in them.
So Paul focuses on the finger prints of
236
00:21:06.390 --> 00:21:08.589
God. What does he see?
He sees what God has done. He
237
00:21:08.710 --> 00:21:15.029
sees what God is doing, the
finger prints of God. Is that where
238
00:21:15.069 --> 00:21:21.740
you and I focus? Are We
quick to identify sin and faults and flaws
239
00:21:21.779 --> 00:21:27.099
and errors? Are we quick to
see the amazing fingerprints of God in each
240
00:21:27.140 --> 00:21:37.329
other's lives? Are you and I
proof readers or encouragers? Do we love
241
00:21:37.410 --> 00:21:44.490
to find the disease or talk about
the cure? See, I've learned over
242
00:21:44.569 --> 00:21:52.119
the years finding fault is a child's
job. Anybody can do it. But
243
00:21:52.240 --> 00:22:00.160
to see the finger prints of God
requires eyes changed by God's grace and wonderful,
244
00:22:00.430 --> 00:22:07.710
wonder filled eyes amazed at grace for
people like us. Paul sees with
245
00:22:07.789 --> 00:22:12.029
Christ has done, made them his
own, their identity. Paul sees with
246
00:22:12.109 --> 00:22:18.420
Christ is doing his present activity and
finally, Paul sees what Christ will do
247
00:22:18.259 --> 00:22:25.339
their certain glory. I love versus
eight and nine. They become more and
248
00:22:25.420 --> 00:22:29.900
more meaningful over the years and ministry. But listen with Paul says. Listen
249
00:22:29.940 --> 00:22:33.490
to what Paul says about this church. He says to them, after describing
250
00:22:33.569 --> 00:22:41.809
all this, Christ God who will
sustain you to the end, guiltless in
251
00:22:41.970 --> 00:22:48.960
the day of our Lord Jesus Christ, God is faithful by whom you were
252
00:22:48.079 --> 00:22:53.599
called. So this the last way
Paul looks on this church. The Gospel
253
00:22:53.640 --> 00:22:59.789
came by grace. They believed God
made them as holy people. They are
254
00:23:00.029 --> 00:23:03.549
his church. They were created by
the word of the Gospel. God as
255
00:23:03.589 --> 00:23:07.630
at work freely among them, all
by grace. The finger prints of God
256
00:23:07.670 --> 00:23:14.420
are all over this church. He's
purifying them, ridding them of the innumerable
257
00:23:14.500 --> 00:23:18.180
diseases of their souls. They are
in the Hospital of redemption and Paul says
258
00:23:18.740 --> 00:23:26.019
God will not forsake the work he
has begun. God will present them guiltless
259
00:23:26.170 --> 00:23:30.210
some day before him with great joy. Paul is saying, I am not
260
00:23:30.569 --> 00:23:37.890
despairing because God is faithful. God
does what he says he will do and
261
00:23:38.089 --> 00:23:41.920
sets out to do. He is
utterly reliable. The other way, the
262
00:23:41.960 --> 00:23:47.400
way I paraphrase this is Paul looks
at this church and says sin will not
263
00:23:47.640 --> 00:23:52.799
be the last word. The last
word will be Christ paid for sin,
264
00:23:53.160 --> 00:23:57.750
Christ defeated the powers of darkness,
Christ broke the power of death. You
265
00:23:57.910 --> 00:24:06.670
are his. He will bring you
home. So I have no reason to
266
00:24:06.750 --> 00:24:15.460
despair. What an amazing thing.
Paul looks on this troubled church that is
267
00:24:15.539 --> 00:24:19.420
at the head of all troubled churches
in the New Testament, with confidence in
268
00:24:19.660 --> 00:24:26.490
God's saving work among them. He
doesn't say, well, we'll see how
269
00:24:26.529 --> 00:24:33.250
it works out. He Says No, God is faithful and this is what
270
00:24:33.170 --> 00:24:41.319
his work looks like and he will
bring it to completion. I don't know
271
00:24:41.400 --> 00:24:48.559
about you, some of you are
in my stage of life, but I
272
00:24:48.680 --> 00:24:53.069
can tell you, having walked with
Christ for forty seven years, the only
273
00:24:53.230 --> 00:25:00.869
reason I am standing before you faithful
today is because God is faithful and that
274
00:25:00.990 --> 00:25:06.029
gives me confidence that he will complete
the work he has begun, and that
275
00:25:06.190 --> 00:25:08.779
helps me look on others and be
confident that he will complete the work he
276
00:25:08.859 --> 00:25:15.779
has begun. So that's what gospelize
are. Looking at people through their identity
277
00:25:15.859 --> 00:25:23.130
with Christ has done, through God's
progression in their life, looking for the
278
00:25:23.170 --> 00:25:27.250
fingerprints of God and looking at people
through the certain future that awaits them if
279
00:25:27.289 --> 00:25:33.970
they are in Christ. There are
lots of examples of gospelizes in the rest
280
00:25:33.009 --> 00:25:36.799
of the New Testament. How we
see each other, how we see the
281
00:25:36.839 --> 00:25:41.480
church, and learning to see,
disciplining ourselves to see as Christ see,
282
00:25:42.920 --> 00:25:48.920
because our savior does not deal with
us as our sins deserve or reward us
283
00:25:48.920 --> 00:25:53.390
according to our iniquities. See,
I need Gospelize, you need gospelize.
284
00:25:55.430 --> 00:25:59.470
It is a shaping of our eyes
by the Gospel that changes how we see.
285
00:26:00.470 --> 00:26:03.910
So I'm going to tell you about
one area of my life where this
286
00:26:03.150 --> 00:26:11.099
became very challenging and very fruitful.
It's one of many areas, because God
287
00:26:11.220 --> 00:26:18.380
is still working on these proofreading eyes
of mine to become Gospel lives. We
288
00:26:18.460 --> 00:26:22.329
have three children and they're many things
we did as parents that were good and
289
00:26:22.450 --> 00:26:26.890
many we did that we're wrong,
as is true with all parents, and
290
00:26:26.049 --> 00:26:33.160
I parted with a very deep confidency
in the my ability to pressure my kids
291
00:26:33.440 --> 00:26:42.240
into conforming to my wishes, and
I was good at it. I scrutinized
292
00:26:42.319 --> 00:26:48.430
them, found their faults and corrected
them, and I had a lot of
293
00:26:48.470 --> 00:26:52.029
different ways to correct them. I
A lot of tools in the tool kit,
294
00:26:52.190 --> 00:26:59.029
subtle nagging, outright criticism, using
guilt to pressure them to try harder
295
00:26:59.109 --> 00:27:03.420
and do better. You've heard of
tiger MOM's. I was a Tiger Dad
296
00:27:03.579 --> 00:27:08.259
as a helicopter den and the fruit
of that was early on in the kids
297
00:27:08.380 --> 00:27:14.700
lives. They were they learned to
conform outwardly, but as they moved into
298
00:27:14.740 --> 00:27:18.849
young adulthood and moved through the teenagers, they became discouraged because they could never
299
00:27:18.930 --> 00:27:26.769
measure up. Not only discourage but
at times alienation begin to set in.
300
00:27:29.329 --> 00:27:34.000
As they dug in their heels,
I dug in mine and I kept criticizing
301
00:27:34.119 --> 00:27:41.200
and correcting. Well, I was
anticipating a summer with all the kids home,
302
00:27:41.400 --> 00:27:45.990
as they were scattered in their various
colleges and moving into young adulthood,
303
00:27:45.990 --> 00:27:52.150
and I was troubled because my relationship
with one of my kids wasn't so good.
304
00:27:52.670 --> 00:27:56.470
There was a significant amount of alienation
and a lot of anger had developed
305
00:27:56.509 --> 00:28:02.380
between me and this child of ours, and I I went to a friend
306
00:28:02.619 --> 00:28:06.579
to ask him how I could fix
my child. That was what I did.
307
00:28:06.660 --> 00:28:11.339
So my son, my child,
is coming home this summer and he
308
00:28:11.500 --> 00:28:14.289
and I have a difficult relationship and
I just wanted to get your AC council
309
00:28:14.769 --> 00:28:19.009
meaning tell me how to fix him. But my friend listen to me talk
310
00:28:19.089 --> 00:28:23.329
about this relationship and got all done
any pause and he said, Mark,
311
00:28:26.410 --> 00:28:29.319
I've known you a while and and
what I find in you as a man
312
00:28:29.400 --> 00:28:36.960
with very high standards and you're someone
who never measures up to your own standards
313
00:28:36.960 --> 00:28:40.279
and you're very hard to please.
You never please your own standards and you're
314
00:28:40.319 --> 00:28:44.950
very demanding with yourself. I see. Well, that's true. He said,
315
00:28:44.950 --> 00:28:47.390
I wonder what it's like to be
a child in a home with a
316
00:28:47.470 --> 00:29:00.539
father like that. There was a
long silence and I realized I had never
317
00:29:00.619 --> 00:29:07.859
looked at it from that angle,
that yes, I I'm very hard to
318
00:29:07.900 --> 00:29:12.809
please and I never measure up to
my own standards, and my children grew
319
00:29:12.809 --> 00:29:18.849
up with a dad like that.
My wife grew up with a husband like
320
00:29:18.970 --> 00:29:22.410
that and I grew up. We
grew in our marriage together. As somebody
321
00:29:22.450 --> 00:29:26.680
said, it must be really hard
being married to you, mark. And
322
00:29:26.839 --> 00:29:32.920
then this friend of Mine, who
is twenty years younger, said I have
323
00:29:33.079 --> 00:29:37.240
something to challenge you with, and
I said challenge on. He said,
324
00:29:37.319 --> 00:29:41.670
this summer, when your kids are
home, especially this one child that you
325
00:29:41.750 --> 00:29:48.509
feel alienated from, maybe what God
wants you to do is see the fingerprints
326
00:29:48.549 --> 00:29:55.779
of God in their life and refuse
to offer any criticism the whole summer.
327
00:29:56.259 --> 00:29:59.859
I thought he was going to say
the whole Weekk, first week, you
328
00:29:59.940 --> 00:30:02.500
know, could we do this for
a week? He said. Now,
329
00:30:02.539 --> 00:30:07.289
how about this during this summer.
I challenge you, and you can talk
330
00:30:07.329 --> 00:30:10.970
to randy about it if she agrees. I challenge you to abstain from all
331
00:30:11.410 --> 00:30:17.170
criticism of your child, not once
in the summer where you find fault with
332
00:30:17.250 --> 00:30:19.609
them or correct them or tell them
how they need to change. But all
333
00:30:19.690 --> 00:30:25.039
you will do in the summer is
see and look for the finger prints of
334
00:30:25.119 --> 00:30:26.240
God in their life. He said, you believe God's at work in your
335
00:30:26.279 --> 00:30:30.519
child? Oh yeah, they're a
believer. Do you see it? Do
336
00:30:30.640 --> 00:30:33.000
you see where it's going on?
Well, not so much. He said.
337
00:30:33.000 --> 00:30:37.910
Why don't you just make a point
this summer of noticing every day everything
338
00:30:37.029 --> 00:30:41.430
that looks like the fingerprints of God
in their life and saying that to them?
339
00:30:48.230 --> 00:30:51.059
Well, that that. You May
as well have asked me to leap
340
00:30:51.099 --> 00:30:53.579
over a tall building with a single
bound. For All the likelihood I thought
341
00:30:53.579 --> 00:31:00.660
that was going to happen. But
I took the challenge and I covenanted with
342
00:31:00.779 --> 00:31:04.930
my wife and it was very hard, gritted teeth, agony biting my tongue.
343
00:31:07.930 --> 00:31:11.490
The God was at work and me, I was saying what a selfrighteous
344
00:31:11.569 --> 00:31:21.200
and critical father I was. I
was seeing how much I thought pressuring changed
345
00:31:21.559 --> 00:31:29.480
my kids and I would get up
every morning before this child of Mima drive
346
00:31:29.519 --> 00:31:33.509
off to their summer job and I
would sit up my desk and pray through
347
00:31:33.509 --> 00:31:37.869
the day before and look for some
evidence, some fingerprint of God in their
348
00:31:37.950 --> 00:31:40.910
life, and I would write it
on a three by five card and go
349
00:31:41.029 --> 00:31:45.150
out and stick it in the steering
wheel of their car and go back inside
350
00:31:47.069 --> 00:31:52.220
to encourage them. Did it five
days a week for the entire summer.
351
00:31:55.859 --> 00:32:00.700
They never said anything. I thought
the first day they come and say,
352
00:32:00.980 --> 00:32:02.930
Oh, wow, this is great, everything's changed. How do you want
353
00:32:04.250 --> 00:32:06.369
to change now? I mean,
I was sort of hoping for that kind
354
00:32:06.410 --> 00:32:10.529
of result. But what I what
I noticed was as the summer progressed,
355
00:32:14.130 --> 00:32:19.759
God was at work in my child. In the presence of my encouragement,
356
00:32:19.920 --> 00:32:24.839
our relationship changed and in the presence
of my encouragement they were changing. It's
357
00:32:24.839 --> 00:32:29.160
a matter of fact, the way
I described this as when they got my
358
00:32:29.240 --> 00:32:31.470
nagging, demanding voice out of their
heads, they could hear the voice of
359
00:32:31.589 --> 00:32:38.430
God and God was much better at
speaking to their hearts than I was,
360
00:32:38.509 --> 00:32:46.059
and they heard and they change and
our relationship changed and it's changed all the
361
00:32:46.099 --> 00:32:52.660
way to the present day because God
changed. How I saw my child.
362
00:32:55.380 --> 00:33:00.009
I'm the guy with a sharp eye
for problems in sins so I can help
363
00:33:00.049 --> 00:33:02.410
people fix them. God was showing
me to, teaching me to have a
364
00:33:02.450 --> 00:33:09.049
sharp eye for his finger prints and
his work so I could encourage that's what
365
00:33:09.170 --> 00:33:14.559
gospelizes. Are Looking for what God
has done, the new identity he gives
366
00:33:14.599 --> 00:33:17.480
us in Christ, looking for what
God is doing, the finger prints of
367
00:33:17.599 --> 00:33:22.759
God and people's lives, and looking
at people with confidence that would God has
368
00:33:22.880 --> 00:33:29.589
begun, he will continue and finish
for them. Would you join me as
369
00:33:29.630 --> 00:33:30.029
we pray
