1 00:00:00,800 --> 00:00:05,320 Speaker 1: Let us pray. Cause me to hear thy loving kindness 2 00:00:05,320 --> 00:00:09,120 Speaker 1: in the morning. For in THEE do I trust Cause 3 00:00:09,160 --> 00:00:11,960 Speaker 1: me to know the way wherein I should walk. For 4 00:00:12,119 --> 00:00:15,680 Speaker 1: I lift up my soul unto thee Psalm one forty 5 00:00:15,680 --> 00:00:19,639 Speaker 1: three eight. Dear God, allow your light to shine upon 6 00:00:19,720 --> 00:00:23,520 Speaker 1: me this morning. Today is a new day, filled with 7 00:00:23,680 --> 00:00:28,400 Speaker 1: endless opportunities to be kind to others. Allow my thoughts 8 00:00:28,480 --> 00:00:31,280 Speaker 1: to be present with you before I begin my day. 9 00:00:32,360 --> 00:00:35,519 Speaker 1: Guide me with your righteous hand so that I may 10 00:00:35,600 --> 00:00:39,400 Speaker 1: stay on the right path to day. Allow my words 11 00:00:39,440 --> 00:00:42,239 Speaker 1: to be kind so that I may always put a 12 00:00:42,280 --> 00:00:46,360 Speaker 1: smile on others faces. Allow my thoughts to be encouraging 13 00:00:47,040 --> 00:00:50,920 Speaker 1: so that I can begin my day with confidence. Amen. 14 00:00:52,600 --> 00:00:55,880 Speaker 1: Thank you for listening to today's daily prayer for more 15 00:00:55,920 --> 00:01:00,120 Speaker 1: inspiration and an incredible message from our feature pastor. Stay 16 00:01:00,120 --> 00:01:02,280 Speaker 1: tuned to pray dot COM's Sunday service. 17 00:01:03,480 --> 00:01:07,280 Speaker 2: Welcome to pray dot COM's Sunday service sponsored by Altrue Health. 18 00:01:07,360 --> 00:01:10,920 Speaker 2: Share follow this podcast and listen weekly to receive godly 19 00:01:10,959 --> 00:01:14,560 Speaker 2: wisdom and practical advice for daily living. Stay tuned for 20 00:01:14,720 --> 00:01:18,360 Speaker 2: Sunday service coming up. 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Altru a health share where we care 30 00:01:48,360 --> 00:01:49,040 Speaker 2: for one another. 31 00:01:57,360 --> 00:01:59,480 Speaker 3: This morning, we're going to continue in our serve and 32 00:01:59,560 --> 00:02:04,440 Speaker 3: cud on life Redefined. Today we're talking about the third question, 33 00:02:05,840 --> 00:02:12,840 Speaker 3: Biblical identity. Who am I? Who am I? These are 34 00:02:12,880 --> 00:02:18,519 Speaker 3: the eight key questions for spiritual formation, Biblical theology, who 35 00:02:18,560 --> 00:02:23,480 Speaker 3: is God? And biblical allegiance? Who is truly my master 36 00:02:23,760 --> 00:02:29,760 Speaker 3: in life? And thirdly, biblical identity, Who am I? Now? 37 00:02:29,800 --> 00:02:34,320 Speaker 3: Why are these questions important? Because these are important because 38 00:02:34,360 --> 00:02:37,720 Speaker 3: we want to explore how we are to grow as 39 00:02:37,760 --> 00:02:43,240 Speaker 3: a disciple of Christ. It begins by acknowledging who God is. 40 00:02:44,400 --> 00:02:49,239 Speaker 3: Because who God is determines who is truly the master 41 00:02:49,520 --> 00:02:53,120 Speaker 3: of my life. I have to examine my heart. Do 42 00:02:53,240 --> 00:02:55,680 Speaker 3: I know this God of the Bible? And if this 43 00:02:55,800 --> 00:02:59,720 Speaker 3: God of the Bible is truly Lord, easy, Lord of 44 00:02:59,720 --> 00:03:02,760 Speaker 3: my life, life, easy Master of my life? Am I 45 00:03:02,840 --> 00:03:06,280 Speaker 3: living life on my terms? Or am I living life 46 00:03:06,360 --> 00:03:11,960 Speaker 3: on His terms? Therefore, if you truly acknowledge who God is, 47 00:03:12,919 --> 00:03:16,600 Speaker 3: you ask the question who's truly the master in life? 48 00:03:17,240 --> 00:03:20,480 Speaker 3: At the same time, when you acknowledge who your master is, 49 00:03:20,960 --> 00:03:26,480 Speaker 3: it leads to biblical identity. Who am I? You know? 50 00:03:26,520 --> 00:03:31,120 Speaker 3: A story was told of a long line in the 51 00:03:31,320 --> 00:03:34,720 Speaker 3: check in counter at the airport. The passengers have been 52 00:03:34,760 --> 00:03:38,000 Speaker 3: waiting for hours and the queue doesn't seem to move. 53 00:03:38,800 --> 00:03:42,840 Speaker 3: There was one businessman dressed in a business suit, carrying 54 00:03:42,840 --> 00:03:46,440 Speaker 3: his briefcase. He walked straight up to the check in 55 00:03:46,520 --> 00:03:50,600 Speaker 3: counter and demanded to know what's going on? Do you 56 00:03:50,720 --> 00:03:55,400 Speaker 3: know who I am? At that moment, the airport's staff 57 00:03:55,960 --> 00:03:59,600 Speaker 3: just turned on the intercom and announced to everyone who 58 00:03:59,640 --> 00:04:03,400 Speaker 3: is standing on the queue, ladies and gentlemen, does anyone 59 00:04:03,680 --> 00:04:06,600 Speaker 3: know who this man is? He seems to have forgotten 60 00:04:06,840 --> 00:04:10,920 Speaker 3: his identity. I want you to listen to me. Do 61 00:04:10,960 --> 00:04:15,680 Speaker 3: you know who I am? That's what people always talk 62 00:04:15,720 --> 00:04:20,560 Speaker 3: about when they are talking about themselves, their identity. I 63 00:04:20,600 --> 00:04:23,600 Speaker 3: want to give you some questions to explore how would 64 00:04:23,640 --> 00:04:28,400 Speaker 3: you identify yourself? Am I? What I do? Am I? 65 00:04:28,520 --> 00:04:32,640 Speaker 3: What I own? Am I? What I want? Am I 66 00:04:33,000 --> 00:04:36,839 Speaker 3: my past? Am I what others tell me? I? Am 67 00:04:37,440 --> 00:04:40,200 Speaker 3: think about this? Am I? What I do? You know? 68 00:04:40,360 --> 00:04:43,279 Speaker 3: You are responsible for what you do, but what you 69 00:04:43,360 --> 00:04:48,360 Speaker 3: do cannot truly define who you are? You am I 70 00:04:48,400 --> 00:04:51,559 Speaker 3: what I own? You know? Your worth is not tied 71 00:04:51,640 --> 00:04:55,000 Speaker 3: up to your possessions or what you own. Your possessions 72 00:04:55,040 --> 00:04:59,440 Speaker 3: or your purchasing power does not define your identity. Am 73 00:04:59,480 --> 00:05:02,320 Speaker 3: I what I want? You know? Many times people think 74 00:05:02,480 --> 00:05:05,119 Speaker 3: this are my personal ambitions, this is what I'm trying 75 00:05:05,160 --> 00:05:09,760 Speaker 3: to become, and I'm pursuing my carnal ambitions. But once 76 00:05:09,800 --> 00:05:13,960 Speaker 3: they pursue these things, they know that it truly doesn't satisfy. Therefore, 77 00:05:14,120 --> 00:05:17,240 Speaker 3: these things are fleeting. That's why it cannot define who 78 00:05:17,279 --> 00:05:21,440 Speaker 3: you are? Am I? My past? Yes, you can be 79 00:05:21,600 --> 00:05:24,800 Speaker 3: shaped by your past, but you can certainly not be 80 00:05:25,160 --> 00:05:30,000 Speaker 3: defined by your past. Am I what others tell I? AM? 81 00:05:30,440 --> 00:05:34,240 Speaker 3: Can I humbly say this? Your opinion? What others think 82 00:05:34,279 --> 00:05:38,000 Speaker 3: of you will always keep changing from time to time. 83 00:05:38,160 --> 00:05:41,800 Speaker 3: That's why you and I cannot base our identity on 84 00:05:41,920 --> 00:05:45,960 Speaker 3: these things that are fleeting and doesn't satisfy. So what 85 00:05:46,080 --> 00:05:51,240 Speaker 3: is biblical identity? Who am I? That question can only 86 00:05:51,279 --> 00:05:55,720 Speaker 3: be addressed in our relationship to Jesus. You know, biblical 87 00:05:55,760 --> 00:05:59,800 Speaker 3: identity is based on knowing Jesus and being known by him. 88 00:06:00,080 --> 00:06:03,440 Speaker 3: Let me give you a principle. Our identity is defined 89 00:06:03,680 --> 00:06:07,480 Speaker 3: by a relationship to Jesus. It is not about who 90 00:06:07,520 --> 00:06:11,680 Speaker 3: we are. It's always about whose we are. Let me 91 00:06:11,720 --> 00:06:14,560 Speaker 3: say that again. It's not about who you are, it 92 00:06:14,640 --> 00:06:18,680 Speaker 3: is about whose you are. In other words, your identity 93 00:06:18,960 --> 00:06:25,040 Speaker 3: is defined by your relationship to Jesus. Hallelujah. I want 94 00:06:25,040 --> 00:06:27,159 Speaker 3: to take you to a passage of scripture. It is 95 00:06:27,200 --> 00:06:29,680 Speaker 3: a very familiar passage and it's a passage that's very 96 00:06:29,680 --> 00:06:32,160 Speaker 3: close to my heart. And I want to show you, 97 00:06:32,200 --> 00:06:36,640 Speaker 3: from Galatians chapter two and verse twenty, how Apostle Paul 98 00:06:37,000 --> 00:06:41,679 Speaker 3: identified himself, because in this passage he actually shares about 99 00:06:41,680 --> 00:06:46,719 Speaker 3: the radical reorientation of his identity. And from this study, 100 00:06:47,400 --> 00:06:51,520 Speaker 3: I want you to discover how relationship with Jesus defines 101 00:06:51,960 --> 00:06:57,280 Speaker 3: our identity. Let's look at it. Galatians chapter two and 102 00:06:57,400 --> 00:07:00,880 Speaker 3: verse twenty says this, I have been crucived fight with Christ. 103 00:07:01,240 --> 00:07:04,560 Speaker 3: It is no longer I who live but Christ, who 104 00:07:04,640 --> 00:07:07,560 Speaker 3: lives in me, and the life I now live in 105 00:07:07,560 --> 00:07:10,680 Speaker 3: the flesh. I lived by faith in the Son of God, 106 00:07:10,920 --> 00:07:15,360 Speaker 3: who loved me and gave himself for me. Let me 107 00:07:15,400 --> 00:07:18,800 Speaker 3: give you the background of Paul. Paul was a Pharisee. 108 00:07:19,080 --> 00:07:22,480 Speaker 3: He was a Roman citizen by birth. Now, how did 109 00:07:22,480 --> 00:07:26,000 Speaker 3: he get his Roman citizenship. Maybe his parents or his 110 00:07:26,120 --> 00:07:30,800 Speaker 3: grandparents were best stored, were conferred this citizenship. Maybe they 111 00:07:30,840 --> 00:07:34,680 Speaker 3: did something great, or maybe they had a great benefactor. 112 00:07:35,360 --> 00:07:39,320 Speaker 3: Whatever it is, they were conferred Roman citizenship. So he 113 00:07:39,440 --> 00:07:43,360 Speaker 3: must have come from a very wealthy family. Now, even 114 00:07:43,400 --> 00:07:47,720 Speaker 3: though he was born in Tasses, we can clearly tell 115 00:07:47,840 --> 00:07:51,800 Speaker 3: that he was raised in Jerusalem because he must have 116 00:07:51,840 --> 00:07:54,720 Speaker 3: had some sort of family connections, because he studied under 117 00:07:54,800 --> 00:08:00,760 Speaker 3: the famous Gamaleo, the Rabbi Gamaleo. Now Paul Paul defines 118 00:08:00,880 --> 00:08:04,960 Speaker 3: himself like this in Philippians, I'm the Hebrew of Hebrews. 119 00:08:05,440 --> 00:08:10,160 Speaker 3: In other words, he adhered to the Judaistic rituals, Judaistic 120 00:08:10,280 --> 00:08:14,840 Speaker 3: way of life very strictly, and therefore he gained that 121 00:08:14,920 --> 00:08:18,120 Speaker 3: thing Hebrew of Hebrews. At the same time, you and 122 00:08:18,200 --> 00:08:23,920 Speaker 3: I we need to understand that Saul was treated special 123 00:08:24,000 --> 00:08:27,840 Speaker 3: in Jerusalem. He might have had familiarity with the high 124 00:08:27,840 --> 00:08:31,360 Speaker 3: priest in Jerusalem through family connections. So I would even 125 00:08:31,400 --> 00:08:34,440 Speaker 3: imagine that Paul may have been there on the day 126 00:08:34,480 --> 00:08:37,400 Speaker 3: of crucifixion. He might have been there on the trial 127 00:08:37,400 --> 00:08:40,240 Speaker 3: and the crucifixion of Jesus Christ. So in Paul's mind, 128 00:08:40,600 --> 00:08:46,240 Speaker 3: Jesus was an apostate, he was a Jewish criminal, and 129 00:08:46,360 --> 00:08:48,920 Speaker 3: he needed to be dealt with, and he needed to 130 00:08:48,960 --> 00:08:54,520 Speaker 3: be crucified. But only on the way to Damascus. On 131 00:08:54,559 --> 00:08:59,360 Speaker 3: the road to Damascus, Paul encounters this Jesus, whom he 132 00:08:59,480 --> 00:09:05,400 Speaker 3: thought was a crucified criminal. He only realized that day 133 00:09:05,600 --> 00:09:09,079 Speaker 3: that he is the Exalted Messiah. As the result, the 134 00:09:09,120 --> 00:09:13,120 Speaker 3: Bible says, his life was radically changed. I want you 135 00:09:13,160 --> 00:09:16,720 Speaker 3: to think about how radically his change was, because he 136 00:09:16,880 --> 00:09:20,320 Speaker 3: not only acknowledged Jesus, who this man who is an 137 00:09:20,360 --> 00:09:23,959 Speaker 3: apostate and a crucified criminal. From crucified criminal, he became 138 00:09:24,000 --> 00:09:28,520 Speaker 3: the Exalted Messiah, the lord of Paul's life. Not only 139 00:09:28,559 --> 00:09:32,040 Speaker 3: that he not only became Paul's lord, but he also 140 00:09:32,520 --> 00:09:36,680 Speaker 3: changed his view about himself. He says, I'm a servant 141 00:09:37,040 --> 00:09:41,640 Speaker 3: of Christ, a bond servant, a slave of Christ, So 142 00:09:41,679 --> 00:09:44,199 Speaker 3: I want you to take you to Galatians to twenty 143 00:09:44,480 --> 00:09:48,760 Speaker 3: for this study and look in detail how he identifies himself. 144 00:09:49,679 --> 00:09:53,240 Speaker 3: I want to give you three principles that pertain to 145 00:09:53,320 --> 00:09:59,640 Speaker 3: biblical identity. Number one, our identity in Christ living the 146 00:09:59,679 --> 00:10:03,920 Speaker 3: dis stinct life. Paul says, I have been crucified, no 147 00:10:03,960 --> 00:10:07,680 Speaker 3: longer I who live. You look at that in Galatians 148 00:10:07,720 --> 00:10:10,720 Speaker 3: chapter two and verse twenty. I have been crucified with Christ. 149 00:10:10,800 --> 00:10:14,240 Speaker 3: Circle that word crucified with Christ. It is no longer 150 00:10:14,520 --> 00:10:18,679 Speaker 3: I who live, but Christ who lives in me. In 151 00:10:18,720 --> 00:10:23,479 Speaker 3: other words, Paul had this view of himself. My identity 152 00:10:23,760 --> 00:10:29,520 Speaker 3: change the day I encountered Christ. The day I encountered Christ, 153 00:10:30,000 --> 00:10:33,520 Speaker 3: my identity no longer belonged to me. It was an 154 00:10:33,559 --> 00:10:39,720 Speaker 3: association with Christ. See, human beings naturally attach their identity 155 00:10:39,760 --> 00:10:44,160 Speaker 3: to what they do, what they have, all these things. 156 00:10:44,559 --> 00:10:48,440 Speaker 3: But Paul says, my identity is tied up with Christ. See, 157 00:10:48,480 --> 00:10:53,120 Speaker 3: in Paul's mind, Christ is his Messiah, and Christ being 158 00:10:53,200 --> 00:10:55,640 Speaker 3: his messiah, He's not only the Messia, but he's also 159 00:10:55,880 --> 00:11:00,360 Speaker 3: the creator. I'm created for him, I am redeemed and 160 00:11:00,440 --> 00:11:03,760 Speaker 3: for him by his blood. Therefore I'm owned by Christ. 161 00:11:04,360 --> 00:11:08,440 Speaker 3: So my identity is tied with Christ and the language 162 00:11:08,520 --> 00:11:13,240 Speaker 3: Paul uses. It's a definitive word that Paul uses is crucified. 163 00:11:14,240 --> 00:11:18,280 Speaker 3: He says, I am being crucified with Christ. It is 164 00:11:18,360 --> 00:11:22,200 Speaker 3: no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. 165 00:11:22,800 --> 00:11:25,520 Speaker 3: I want to think about that word crucified. It is 166 00:11:25,559 --> 00:11:29,840 Speaker 3: a compound word in the Greek. It actually denotes two things. 167 00:11:29,960 --> 00:11:34,840 Speaker 3: It denotes union with Christ, a complete food union with him, 168 00:11:35,200 --> 00:11:38,800 Speaker 3: but it also denotes a communion with Christ. It also 169 00:11:38,840 --> 00:11:44,319 Speaker 3: denotes the oneness, in other words, togetherness. I'm together co 170 00:11:44,600 --> 00:11:52,160 Speaker 3: crucified with Christ. That's why Paul uses this term no longer. See, 171 00:11:52,160 --> 00:11:55,720 Speaker 3: whenever you think about this, Christian life is a life. 172 00:11:55,880 --> 00:11:58,520 Speaker 3: There is a before and an after. You know, why 173 00:11:58,600 --> 00:12:01,720 Speaker 3: do we ask new believers to their testimony, They usually 174 00:12:01,760 --> 00:12:05,280 Speaker 3: share before I met Christ and after I met Christ. 175 00:12:05,400 --> 00:12:09,680 Speaker 3: Why Because when I met Christ or when Christ found me, 176 00:12:10,480 --> 00:12:15,400 Speaker 3: there was a decisive change in my life. There was 177 00:12:15,480 --> 00:12:20,360 Speaker 3: a definite change, There was a transformation. In other places, 178 00:12:20,360 --> 00:12:23,640 Speaker 3: Paul actually uses that word, I have been delivered from 179 00:12:23,679 --> 00:12:26,520 Speaker 3: the domain of darkness into the kingdom of his Son. 180 00:12:26,640 --> 00:12:29,359 Speaker 3: In other words, when I met Christ, I have been delivered. 181 00:12:30,240 --> 00:12:34,000 Speaker 3: When I met Christ, I have been totally transformed. I'm saved, 182 00:12:34,679 --> 00:12:38,040 Speaker 3: all is gone, the new has come. That's why Paul 183 00:12:38,200 --> 00:12:41,640 Speaker 3: highlights here by saying no longer. I want you to 184 00:12:41,679 --> 00:12:45,280 Speaker 3: circle those two words, no longer. Can you definitely say 185 00:12:45,320 --> 00:12:48,040 Speaker 3: about your Christian life that there was a before and 186 00:12:48,120 --> 00:12:52,360 Speaker 3: then after. There is a distinctiveness about your Christian life. 187 00:12:52,760 --> 00:12:55,600 Speaker 3: I lived like this. I used to live like this, 188 00:12:55,880 --> 00:12:58,520 Speaker 3: but now I live like this, and they both are 189 00:12:58,720 --> 00:13:02,640 Speaker 3: very separate. I want you to think about this because 190 00:13:03,559 --> 00:13:06,040 Speaker 3: one of the things that burdens our life, one of 191 00:13:06,040 --> 00:13:08,640 Speaker 3: the things that burdens my heart is a disapple making pasta. 192 00:13:08,760 --> 00:13:13,800 Speaker 3: Is this that carnality has robbed the church of its power? 193 00:13:15,000 --> 00:13:19,800 Speaker 3: Connality has robbed the Church of its distinctiveness. See, only 194 00:13:19,840 --> 00:13:22,640 Speaker 3: when we are separate from the world. Only when our 195 00:13:22,679 --> 00:13:27,880 Speaker 3: life is distinct then we can be the church. You know, 196 00:13:28,000 --> 00:13:31,440 Speaker 3: like one this theologian said, when I was looking for 197 00:13:31,520 --> 00:13:35,000 Speaker 3: the church, I found it in the world. When I 198 00:13:35,040 --> 00:13:37,800 Speaker 3: was looking for the world, I found it in the church. 199 00:13:38,400 --> 00:13:41,600 Speaker 3: How sad is that that the church is full of 200 00:13:41,640 --> 00:13:46,280 Speaker 3: the world. That means worldliness have crept in. See Jesus 201 00:13:46,280 --> 00:13:48,880 Speaker 3: said to us that you are the salt of the earth. 202 00:13:49,120 --> 00:13:53,600 Speaker 3: You plural collectively. The church is the salt of the earth. 203 00:13:54,520 --> 00:13:58,800 Speaker 3: Why does he say salt because salt is unique. He 204 00:13:58,920 --> 00:14:01,520 Speaker 3: wasn't just thinking about the usefulness of salt, but he 205 00:14:01,640 --> 00:14:04,960 Speaker 3: was thinking about the uniqueness of salt. There's nothing like salt. 206 00:14:05,760 --> 00:14:09,400 Speaker 3: And he says you are unique. That means you are distinct. 207 00:14:09,559 --> 00:14:12,760 Speaker 3: He was talking about the distinctiveness of church. But today 208 00:14:13,760 --> 00:14:16,880 Speaker 3: when you see the global church, the global church is 209 00:14:17,080 --> 00:14:20,160 Speaker 3: losing that distinctiveness. You know, many people will look at 210 00:14:20,160 --> 00:14:23,560 Speaker 3: the church and say the church has a lack of depth. 211 00:14:24,600 --> 00:14:27,280 Speaker 3: I agree, the church has a lack of depth. That's 212 00:14:27,320 --> 00:14:30,280 Speaker 3: why in our conferences we always keep calling the church 213 00:14:30,320 --> 00:14:33,280 Speaker 3: to come back to deepening their life in the Word 214 00:14:33,280 --> 00:14:36,120 Speaker 3: of God. Deepening the church through the Word of God. 215 00:14:36,840 --> 00:14:39,200 Speaker 3: There is a lack of depth. But can I humbly 216 00:14:39,240 --> 00:14:42,160 Speaker 3: say this, much more than the lack of depth, there 217 00:14:42,200 --> 00:14:46,600 Speaker 3: is a lack of distinctiveness. You and I we need 218 00:14:46,640 --> 00:14:51,480 Speaker 3: to understand. Paul says, no longer I used to be 219 00:14:51,560 --> 00:14:54,120 Speaker 3: that way, but when I met Christ, I have been 220 00:14:54,200 --> 00:14:59,200 Speaker 3: crucified with him. I no longer live, but Christ now 221 00:14:59,680 --> 00:15:03,920 Speaker 3: live in me. Hallelujah. You know, when I visited London, 222 00:15:04,160 --> 00:15:08,720 Speaker 3: had the privilege of visiting George Muller's home in Bristol. 223 00:15:09,600 --> 00:15:14,400 Speaker 3: George Mueller was a man who God used mightily. In 224 00:15:14,440 --> 00:15:19,240 Speaker 3: his journal, George Mueller writes like this, there was a 225 00:15:19,360 --> 00:15:23,240 Speaker 3: day when George Mueller died. There was a day when 226 00:15:23,280 --> 00:15:26,840 Speaker 3: George Mueller died. He submitted his will to God. His 227 00:15:27,200 --> 00:15:31,440 Speaker 3: agenda change from self to God. His ambition was transformed, 228 00:15:32,200 --> 00:15:35,800 Speaker 3: and as a result he could no longer live the 229 00:15:35,840 --> 00:15:39,280 Speaker 3: way he used to live. But there was a definite change. 230 00:15:39,520 --> 00:15:41,840 Speaker 3: Look at how he wrote about himself in this book. 231 00:15:42,080 --> 00:15:46,440 Speaker 3: Let's read it now. My life became very different, though 232 00:15:46,480 --> 00:15:49,440 Speaker 3: not so that my sins were all given up at once. 233 00:15:50,040 --> 00:15:53,880 Speaker 3: My wicked companions were given up. The going to taverns 234 00:15:54,000 --> 00:15:57,640 Speaker 3: was discontinued. The habitual practice of telling falsehood was no 235 00:15:57,720 --> 00:16:00,760 Speaker 3: longer indulged in, but a few times I'm more I 236 00:16:00,880 --> 00:16:04,480 Speaker 3: spoken untruth. I now no longer lived habitually in sin, 237 00:16:04,800 --> 00:16:08,840 Speaker 3: though I still often overcome, and sometimes even by open sins, 238 00:16:09,080 --> 00:16:12,960 Speaker 3: though file less frequently than before, and not without sorrow 239 00:16:13,000 --> 00:16:17,480 Speaker 3: of heart. I read the scriptures, prayed often, loved the brethren, 240 00:16:17,720 --> 00:16:20,320 Speaker 3: went to church from right motives, and stood on the 241 00:16:20,360 --> 00:16:23,560 Speaker 3: side of Christ. Though laughed at by my fellow students, 242 00:16:24,040 --> 00:16:27,320 Speaker 3: Can you see the picture? There was a definite change 243 00:16:27,640 --> 00:16:30,760 Speaker 3: in his life. It's like this, when you walk on 244 00:16:30,800 --> 00:16:34,040 Speaker 3: the road and you're hit by a truck. An eighteen 245 00:16:34,080 --> 00:16:37,960 Speaker 3: wheeler comes and hits you. When you wake up from that, 246 00:16:38,400 --> 00:16:41,240 Speaker 3: your life would no longer the same. You can never 247 00:16:41,520 --> 00:16:46,320 Speaker 3: go back to business as usual. Why because something has happened. 248 00:16:47,120 --> 00:16:50,080 Speaker 3: The same thing can be said of salvation. You are 249 00:16:50,120 --> 00:16:53,960 Speaker 3: now translated from death to life, from error to truth. 250 00:16:54,320 --> 00:16:57,960 Speaker 3: There is something fundamentally shifted about you. The old is 251 00:16:58,000 --> 00:17:01,200 Speaker 3: gone and the new has come. And Paul identifies himself 252 00:17:01,320 --> 00:17:05,840 Speaker 3: as someone who has been crucified with Christ. So my 253 00:17:06,000 --> 00:17:10,280 Speaker 3: question to you this morning is this, are you identified 254 00:17:10,320 --> 00:17:14,919 Speaker 3: with Christ or just interested in Christ? Would you be 255 00:17:14,960 --> 00:17:19,760 Speaker 3: able to say boldly, pastor I no longer live It 256 00:17:19,840 --> 00:17:22,920 Speaker 3: is Christ who lives in me and through me. My 257 00:17:23,119 --> 00:17:29,560 Speaker 3: identification is with Christ. You know that being crucified is 258 00:17:29,600 --> 00:17:34,000 Speaker 3: almost like saying I'm pregnant. You cannot be little bit pregnant. 259 00:17:34,720 --> 00:17:37,359 Speaker 3: Either you're pregnant or you're not pregnant. You cannot be 260 00:17:37,440 --> 00:17:40,200 Speaker 3: little bit pregnant. The same way, either you're crucified or 261 00:17:40,240 --> 00:17:44,160 Speaker 3: you're not. You cannot be little bit crucified. That's why 262 00:17:44,280 --> 00:17:46,600 Speaker 3: you and I we need to understand this question. Are 263 00:17:46,640 --> 00:17:52,840 Speaker 3: you interested in Christ or are you truly identified in Christ. 264 00:17:53,600 --> 00:17:56,040 Speaker 3: The second thing that we can learn from this passages 265 00:17:56,320 --> 00:18:00,520 Speaker 3: our imitation of Christ living the directed life life. The 266 00:18:00,560 --> 00:18:03,919 Speaker 3: life I now live, I live by faith. Paul says, 267 00:18:04,520 --> 00:18:07,119 Speaker 3: see you and I got to think about the life. 268 00:18:07,440 --> 00:18:11,119 Speaker 3: The moment a person comes to faith in Christ, that 269 00:18:11,200 --> 00:18:15,000 Speaker 3: person dies together with Christ. They are crucified with Christ. 270 00:18:15,200 --> 00:18:19,840 Speaker 3: Their identity is now tied up with him. And Paul says, 271 00:18:19,960 --> 00:18:23,280 Speaker 3: my identity is I'm a servant of Christ. I'm a 272 00:18:23,320 --> 00:18:26,080 Speaker 3: slave of Christ. That means I want to be directed 273 00:18:26,240 --> 00:18:29,399 Speaker 3: by Him. That's why he says in Galatians to twenty 274 00:18:29,440 --> 00:18:32,520 Speaker 3: the second part, and now the life I now live 275 00:18:33,240 --> 00:18:36,040 Speaker 3: in the flesh, I live by faith in the Son 276 00:18:36,080 --> 00:18:40,080 Speaker 3: of God. Hallelujah. The life I now live in the flesh, 277 00:18:40,160 --> 00:18:44,280 Speaker 3: I live by faith in the Son of God, hallelujah. 278 00:18:44,800 --> 00:18:48,880 Speaker 3: You know, Paul is like this, just like the Apostles 279 00:18:49,359 --> 00:18:52,880 Speaker 3: when they were called by Jesus. The Bible says, they 280 00:18:52,960 --> 00:18:57,080 Speaker 3: left everything immediately, they left their nets and followed him. 281 00:18:57,359 --> 00:18:59,840 Speaker 3: I shared with you in the first lesson that they 282 00:19:00,119 --> 00:19:04,800 Speaker 3: followed Christ fully. They followed Christ gladly, and they followed 283 00:19:04,840 --> 00:19:09,960 Speaker 3: Christ only in the same manner. Here Paul immediately chooses 284 00:19:10,000 --> 00:19:13,880 Speaker 3: to follow him, to be directed by him. See this 285 00:19:13,920 --> 00:19:16,520 Speaker 3: is what you and I we need to understand. See, 286 00:19:16,600 --> 00:19:20,880 Speaker 3: Christian believers, many will say many people, many Christians will 287 00:19:20,880 --> 00:19:27,280 Speaker 3: say I like Jesus, but many people may not. They 288 00:19:27,320 --> 00:19:30,400 Speaker 3: are not like Jesus. Let me say that again. Many 289 00:19:30,480 --> 00:19:35,040 Speaker 3: Christians may like Jesus, but they are certainly not like Jesus. 290 00:19:35,119 --> 00:19:39,080 Speaker 3: In other words, there's something about their life that hasn't 291 00:19:39,119 --> 00:19:43,240 Speaker 3: been transformed. You know. One of the court things is 292 00:19:43,840 --> 00:19:47,600 Speaker 3: to be like Jesus, to become more and more like him, 293 00:19:47,840 --> 00:19:50,960 Speaker 3: and to ultimately become christ Like. That's the end goal 294 00:19:51,119 --> 00:19:54,840 Speaker 3: of discipleship. That I just don't just follow Christ, but 295 00:19:54,880 --> 00:19:58,840 Speaker 3: I'm continually being mastered by Christ until I become christ Like. 296 00:20:00,040 --> 00:20:02,560 Speaker 3: And the way you now do that is when you 297 00:20:02,680 --> 00:20:07,639 Speaker 3: become determinate, when you now tie yourself with your identity 298 00:20:07,680 --> 00:20:10,080 Speaker 3: with Christ. And now you say I am not only 299 00:20:10,800 --> 00:20:14,120 Speaker 3: I'm not only identified with him. I want to imitate him. 300 00:20:14,240 --> 00:20:17,040 Speaker 3: I want to live a directed life, not only a 301 00:20:17,119 --> 00:20:22,520 Speaker 3: distinctive life, but a directed life. And the Bible says, yeah, 302 00:20:23,000 --> 00:20:26,639 Speaker 3: I now live Look at that verse, I want you 303 00:20:26,680 --> 00:20:30,160 Speaker 3: to circle those three words. I now live In those 304 00:20:30,200 --> 00:20:34,119 Speaker 3: three words. There is a determination. There is a decisiveness 305 00:20:34,480 --> 00:20:37,399 Speaker 3: that he says, I cannot go about business as usual 306 00:20:37,560 --> 00:20:39,960 Speaker 3: because my life no longer belongs to me. My life 307 00:20:40,000 --> 00:20:42,439 Speaker 3: belongs to the one who was crucified together with me. 308 00:20:42,600 --> 00:20:46,760 Speaker 3: I was crucified with him. Therefore, the life I now 309 00:20:46,840 --> 00:20:51,600 Speaker 3: live there is a determination, There is a decisiveness. And 310 00:20:51,640 --> 00:20:54,280 Speaker 3: you know what is the defining mark of that decisiveness. 311 00:20:54,720 --> 00:20:57,600 Speaker 3: It is a life of faith. That's why he says, 312 00:20:57,680 --> 00:21:00,320 Speaker 3: I live by faith in the Son of God, who 313 00:21:00,440 --> 00:21:03,000 Speaker 3: loved me and gave himself for me. Now, how do 314 00:21:03,040 --> 00:21:06,000 Speaker 3: you define faith? If that is the defining mark of 315 00:21:06,040 --> 00:21:08,520 Speaker 3: a Christian? The Bible says in the Old Testament by 316 00:21:08,600 --> 00:21:12,040 Speaker 3: faith that just shall live by faith? How do you 317 00:21:12,040 --> 00:21:14,879 Speaker 3: define faith? Faith is this to hear God and to 318 00:21:14,960 --> 00:21:18,520 Speaker 3: obey him. Whenever you hear him, you obey him. In 319 00:21:18,600 --> 00:21:21,080 Speaker 3: other words, when you know that He is your master, 320 00:21:21,920 --> 00:21:24,560 Speaker 3: when you know that you are truly identified with him, 321 00:21:25,000 --> 00:21:30,080 Speaker 3: you put aside your own perceived personal rights, your personal ambitions, 322 00:21:30,320 --> 00:21:33,679 Speaker 3: and you now die to yourself and you embrace His vision, 323 00:21:33,920 --> 00:21:39,280 Speaker 3: his mission for your life. Therefore, what happens he directs 324 00:21:39,680 --> 00:21:45,880 Speaker 3: your life. Hallelujah. It involves laying down our life completely 325 00:21:46,520 --> 00:21:50,639 Speaker 3: for him, laying down our heart completely for him. To 326 00:21:50,840 --> 00:21:53,480 Speaker 3: love what he loves, to hate what he hates, to 327 00:21:53,600 --> 00:21:56,320 Speaker 3: go after things that he goes after, to do what 328 00:21:56,359 --> 00:21:59,880 Speaker 3: he has called you to do, that is being directed 329 00:22:00,280 --> 00:22:03,000 Speaker 3: by him. You know, when I think of this, I 330 00:22:03,040 --> 00:22:08,800 Speaker 3: think of the testimony of Adoniram Judson. Adoniram Judson was 331 00:22:08,840 --> 00:22:13,680 Speaker 3: a missionary to Burma. At the age of twenty five, 332 00:22:14,320 --> 00:22:18,400 Speaker 3: he left North America to actually be a missionary to India, 333 00:22:18,840 --> 00:22:23,400 Speaker 3: but he ended up by divine appointment in Burma. Now, 334 00:22:23,520 --> 00:22:28,520 Speaker 3: before he left for Burma, actually he stayed there for 335 00:22:28,520 --> 00:22:32,120 Speaker 3: forty years, and before he left, he fell in love 336 00:22:32,119 --> 00:22:35,760 Speaker 3: with a girl named Anne. So he wanted to propose 337 00:22:35,840 --> 00:22:38,520 Speaker 3: to her and bring her along with him in this 338 00:22:38,560 --> 00:22:41,920 Speaker 3: missionary journey. And this is how he proposed to her. 339 00:22:42,680 --> 00:22:45,000 Speaker 3: Give me your hand to go with me to the 340 00:22:45,119 --> 00:22:49,160 Speaker 3: jungles of Asia, and there die with me for the 341 00:22:49,200 --> 00:22:52,520 Speaker 3: cause of Christ. I want you to let that sink in. 342 00:22:52,920 --> 00:22:54,919 Speaker 3: Give me your hand to go with me to the 343 00:22:55,000 --> 00:22:58,560 Speaker 3: jungles of Asia, and there die with me for the 344 00:22:58,600 --> 00:23:05,040 Speaker 3: cause of Christ. And eventually said yes, and they've got married. 345 00:23:05,960 --> 00:23:09,280 Speaker 3: They sailed together and they ended up in Burma. When 346 00:23:09,359 --> 00:23:13,000 Speaker 3: they came to Burma, there was no other believers. So 347 00:23:13,080 --> 00:23:16,000 Speaker 3: the first communion they ever had, it was twosome. Just 348 00:23:16,040 --> 00:23:19,280 Speaker 3: the two of them had communion, break bread before the Lord. 349 00:23:20,359 --> 00:23:25,920 Speaker 3: Now that Anne did eventually die, and not only Anne, 350 00:23:25,960 --> 00:23:32,919 Speaker 3: even Adoniram, Judson's second wife, along with six out of 351 00:23:33,000 --> 00:23:36,879 Speaker 3: their thirteen children, died. I want you to listen to me. 352 00:23:37,520 --> 00:23:43,960 Speaker 3: Judson suffered illness, imprisonment, chains and filth. And this is 353 00:23:43,960 --> 00:23:48,520 Speaker 3: what they say. He was actually thrown in a prison 354 00:23:49,000 --> 00:23:53,959 Speaker 3: that was vermin ridden. It was called a death prison, 355 00:23:54,560 --> 00:23:57,439 Speaker 3: and he was held there for seventeen months during the 356 00:23:57,520 --> 00:24:01,320 Speaker 3: Anglo Burmese War. And one of the fellow prisoners looked 357 00:24:01,320 --> 00:24:03,679 Speaker 3: at him and asked him this question, So, what's the 358 00:24:03,720 --> 00:24:07,920 Speaker 3: prospect of conversion of this heathen? You know what he said? 359 00:24:08,800 --> 00:24:12,720 Speaker 3: He instantly replied, the prospects are just as bright as 360 00:24:12,800 --> 00:24:17,440 Speaker 3: the promises of God. Now, that is faith in the throne. 361 00:24:17,520 --> 00:24:23,320 Speaker 3: In prison, last wife, even the second one, lost six 362 00:24:23,600 --> 00:24:26,760 Speaker 3: out of thirteen children. And yet he kept his faith 363 00:24:26,800 --> 00:24:29,760 Speaker 3: because he knew God had called him and directed him 364 00:24:29,840 --> 00:24:36,600 Speaker 3: to be there. Now when he died, there were seven 365 00:24:36,680 --> 00:24:42,800 Speaker 3: thousand baptized believers in sixty three churches. That's his legacy, 366 00:24:43,200 --> 00:24:46,480 Speaker 3: and today there are more than three million Burmese Christians 367 00:24:46,600 --> 00:24:51,600 Speaker 3: as a result. That's the life that is directed by Jesus. 368 00:24:52,119 --> 00:24:57,080 Speaker 3: He identified himself with Christ, crucified with him, therefore now 369 00:24:57,200 --> 00:25:01,040 Speaker 3: being directed by Him to do his will. I want 370 00:25:01,080 --> 00:25:04,400 Speaker 3: you to listen to me carefully. Faith sometimes is seen 371 00:25:04,440 --> 00:25:07,199 Speaker 3: as h I believed God for an aeroplane, or I 372 00:25:07,280 --> 00:25:10,760 Speaker 3: believe God for this, I believe God for that. Faith 373 00:25:10,840 --> 00:25:14,640 Speaker 3: is thought in many circles as something that you give 374 00:25:14,720 --> 00:25:18,959 Speaker 3: to God to receive from him. Listen carefully. Faith is 375 00:25:19,359 --> 00:25:24,440 Speaker 3: holding onto him. Faith is trusting in him and believing 376 00:25:24,480 --> 00:25:27,439 Speaker 3: in him and having a confidence in his word that 377 00:25:27,480 --> 00:25:30,000 Speaker 3: he will stay true to his word, that when you 378 00:25:30,080 --> 00:25:32,680 Speaker 3: step out and do his will, that he will look 379 00:25:32,720 --> 00:25:38,119 Speaker 3: after you. And that is faith. And even when things 380 00:25:38,160 --> 00:25:40,320 Speaker 3: don't go the way you want it to go, you 381 00:25:40,440 --> 00:25:42,840 Speaker 3: still hold on to him and say, Lord, I hold 382 00:25:42,880 --> 00:25:45,680 Speaker 3: on to you. That's faith. I want you to listen 383 00:25:45,760 --> 00:25:49,280 Speaker 3: to me carefully. Let me ask you this reflection question. 384 00:25:50,040 --> 00:25:55,280 Speaker 3: How crucified are you to follow Christ in faith? How 385 00:25:55,320 --> 00:25:58,920 Speaker 3: crucified are you to follow Christ in faith. In other words, 386 00:25:58,920 --> 00:26:00,720 Speaker 3: what is he asking you to stay papan dou in 387 00:26:00,800 --> 00:26:03,800 Speaker 3: this season? What is it that you have been procrastinating? 388 00:26:03,800 --> 00:26:05,600 Speaker 3: What is it that you have been shunning? What is 389 00:26:05,640 --> 00:26:08,000 Speaker 3: that one area? That way, he says, I want you 390 00:26:08,080 --> 00:26:10,600 Speaker 3: to let go and let God and trust me and 391 00:26:10,640 --> 00:26:13,160 Speaker 3: step out in faith and do this for me. And 392 00:26:13,200 --> 00:26:17,840 Speaker 3: you have been holding back? Ask God, because if you're 393 00:26:17,920 --> 00:26:22,760 Speaker 3: identified with him, you are crucified with him. Your call 394 00:26:22,840 --> 00:26:25,119 Speaker 3: to live a distinct life, your call to live a 395 00:26:25,240 --> 00:26:31,480 Speaker 3: directed life. Thirdly, our indebtedness to Christ living the devoted life, 396 00:26:32,160 --> 00:26:37,359 Speaker 3: who loved me and gave himself for me. I want 397 00:26:37,440 --> 00:26:40,280 Speaker 3: you to think about this, Paul writes in Relations, chapter 398 00:26:40,280 --> 00:26:43,520 Speaker 3: two and verse twenty. The last part he says, the 399 00:26:43,640 --> 00:26:48,840 Speaker 3: Lord who loved me and gave himself for me the 400 00:26:48,920 --> 00:26:50,920 Speaker 3: life I now live in the flesh, I live by 401 00:26:51,040 --> 00:26:53,959 Speaker 3: faith in the Son of God, who loved me and 402 00:26:54,160 --> 00:27:00,000 Speaker 3: gave himself for me. How good is that he recognized 403 00:27:00,800 --> 00:27:04,359 Speaker 3: that not only he is crucified with Christ, that his 404 00:27:04,520 --> 00:27:08,399 Speaker 3: identity is in Christ, not only that he is called 405 00:27:08,440 --> 00:27:11,320 Speaker 3: to live a directed life, to imitate Christ, to be 406 00:27:11,520 --> 00:27:14,879 Speaker 3: Christ Like in the day to day life, but he 407 00:27:14,960 --> 00:27:18,440 Speaker 3: also recognized that he is the beloved of God, that 408 00:27:18,480 --> 00:27:22,600 Speaker 3: God has given him the love of God. The Bible says, 409 00:27:22,720 --> 00:27:28,120 Speaker 3: he loved me. Christ loved me and gave himself for me. See, 410 00:27:28,200 --> 00:27:31,480 Speaker 3: Christian life begins by this, not what I can do 411 00:27:31,560 --> 00:27:35,280 Speaker 3: for him, but what He has done for me. To 412 00:27:35,359 --> 00:27:39,119 Speaker 3: recognize that He has given himself for me, that he 413 00:27:39,200 --> 00:27:43,760 Speaker 3: has given all of himself. Therefore, in return, I give 414 00:27:44,000 --> 00:27:49,760 Speaker 3: all of myself to him. Listen carefully. Many times we 415 00:27:49,880 --> 00:27:55,159 Speaker 3: have received from God, but then we forget God. We 416 00:27:55,359 --> 00:27:58,840 Speaker 3: are taken by the gifts he gives, and we forget 417 00:27:58,880 --> 00:28:02,560 Speaker 3: the giver. We seek after the blessing of God, but 418 00:28:02,680 --> 00:28:06,520 Speaker 3: we forget the one who blessed us. That's the human nature. 419 00:28:06,960 --> 00:28:11,200 Speaker 3: The human nature is always self seeking, self preservation. It's 420 00:28:11,240 --> 00:28:16,000 Speaker 3: always about self preoccupation. That's the narcissistic way of life. 421 00:28:16,440 --> 00:28:19,240 Speaker 3: But what God is inviting us to is to recognize 422 00:28:19,240 --> 00:28:21,880 Speaker 3: that our identity is tied up with him. You are 423 00:28:21,920 --> 00:28:25,560 Speaker 3: crucified with him. Now you are directed by him. You 424 00:28:25,560 --> 00:28:28,119 Speaker 3: are a servant of Christ. That's your identity to do 425 00:28:28,280 --> 00:28:32,480 Speaker 3: his will, to do the Master's will. And now he's saying, 426 00:28:32,840 --> 00:28:34,760 Speaker 3: it's not just that you are a servant, but you 427 00:28:34,800 --> 00:28:38,400 Speaker 3: are a beloved that the more you recognize who he 428 00:28:38,480 --> 00:28:41,800 Speaker 3: is and what he has done, automatically you will come 429 00:28:42,040 --> 00:28:46,959 Speaker 3: to him. But as I said before, many times believers 430 00:28:47,400 --> 00:28:50,200 Speaker 3: fall in love with what God has given them rather 431 00:28:50,240 --> 00:28:53,320 Speaker 3: than falling in love with him. It's almost like this. 432 00:28:55,000 --> 00:28:58,440 Speaker 3: See if I go and buy a very very expensive 433 00:28:58,640 --> 00:29:03,760 Speaker 3: diamond ring, my wife, I'd buy it, says it's fifty 434 00:29:03,840 --> 00:29:08,200 Speaker 3: thousand dollars worth. I'd buy a very expensive diamond ring, 435 00:29:08,960 --> 00:29:12,360 Speaker 3: and I bring it to her. It's in the original 436 00:29:12,400 --> 00:29:15,920 Speaker 3: box that it came from. I come and offer it 437 00:29:15,960 --> 00:29:18,800 Speaker 3: to her. Honey, I love you so much, and to 438 00:29:18,920 --> 00:29:22,520 Speaker 3: express my love for you, I give you this diamond ring. 439 00:29:23,520 --> 00:29:26,800 Speaker 3: And she opens the diamond ring and she looks at 440 00:29:26,800 --> 00:29:30,120 Speaker 3: the box in which it came from. That velvet box. 441 00:29:30,240 --> 00:29:35,200 Speaker 3: That beautiful. It's so soft to touch, it's beautiful. And 442 00:29:35,240 --> 00:29:37,560 Speaker 3: what she does is she takes this diamond ring, puts 443 00:29:37,560 --> 00:29:39,960 Speaker 3: it aside, and she says, I love this box, thank 444 00:29:40,000 --> 00:29:44,040 Speaker 3: you so much. I love it. Thank you, Paul. I 445 00:29:44,080 --> 00:29:45,960 Speaker 3: want you to listen to me. You and I will 446 00:29:46,000 --> 00:29:52,160 Speaker 3: be laughing because the box is not the gift. The 447 00:29:52,200 --> 00:29:55,720 Speaker 3: diamond ring is the gift. Sometimes it's like this, God 448 00:29:55,760 --> 00:29:58,680 Speaker 3: has blessed us with so much we get caught up 449 00:29:58,760 --> 00:30:03,040 Speaker 3: in the box. We lose the diamond, We lose sight 450 00:30:03,080 --> 00:30:06,840 Speaker 3: of what is actually precious, what is actually the thing 451 00:30:06,840 --> 00:30:11,400 Speaker 3: that he wants you to focus on. See, he loves you. 452 00:30:11,400 --> 00:30:14,440 Speaker 3: You could be even working for him. But can I 453 00:30:14,520 --> 00:30:17,360 Speaker 3: humbly say this? Are you doing that work out of 454 00:30:17,600 --> 00:30:21,160 Speaker 3: love for him or out of duty? See? You and 455 00:30:21,160 --> 00:30:23,800 Speaker 3: I we need to recognize the first call of the 456 00:30:23,880 --> 00:30:27,479 Speaker 3: kingdom is not just advance the kingdom of God. The 457 00:30:27,520 --> 00:30:29,840 Speaker 3: first call of the kingdom is to abide in the 458 00:30:29,920 --> 00:30:33,920 Speaker 3: king so that you can advance his kingdom. The first 459 00:30:33,920 --> 00:30:36,440 Speaker 3: call is to come back to him. That's the last days. 460 00:30:36,480 --> 00:30:39,480 Speaker 3: The message to the church, Jesus says in Revelation when 461 00:30:39,520 --> 00:30:42,120 Speaker 3: he writes to the seven churches, he says, come back 462 00:30:42,160 --> 00:30:45,120 Speaker 3: to me, Return to me, Return back to your first love. 463 00:30:45,960 --> 00:30:49,760 Speaker 3: Know that you are loved, Know that you're precious in 464 00:30:49,800 --> 00:30:53,200 Speaker 3: his sight. I want you to recognize this church, he says, 465 00:30:53,320 --> 00:30:57,240 Speaker 3: the one who loved me and gave himself for me. 466 00:30:57,640 --> 00:31:00,840 Speaker 3: And because he loved me and gave himself for me, 467 00:31:01,320 --> 00:31:05,680 Speaker 3: therefore I'm going to love him and give myself to him. 468 00:31:06,960 --> 00:31:10,640 Speaker 3: Praise God. You know there is an Old Testament passage 469 00:31:11,240 --> 00:31:14,600 Speaker 3: where it speaks about how a servant ought to be 470 00:31:14,680 --> 00:31:19,080 Speaker 3: treated in a household. In Exegus chapter twenty one, right 471 00:31:19,120 --> 00:31:22,320 Speaker 3: after the law was given in chapter twenty God gives 472 00:31:22,360 --> 00:31:26,640 Speaker 3: this first command, this about the social life. How would 473 00:31:26,640 --> 00:31:30,640 Speaker 3: you treat a slavey say, an owner bought a slave 474 00:31:30,680 --> 00:31:33,760 Speaker 3: in the agora in the marketplace. He brings him into 475 00:31:33,800 --> 00:31:37,000 Speaker 3: his house, and the servant serves him for six years. 476 00:31:37,280 --> 00:31:40,560 Speaker 3: At the end of six years, the seventh year, that 477 00:31:40,680 --> 00:31:46,120 Speaker 3: slave is free to go. But in the meantime, the 478 00:31:46,160 --> 00:31:50,200 Speaker 3: master had given him a wife. Maybe she's another slave 479 00:31:50,240 --> 00:31:52,600 Speaker 3: that he bought. But now he is giving it to 480 00:31:52,800 --> 00:31:56,880 Speaker 3: this man as a wife. And this slave gave birth 481 00:31:56,920 --> 00:32:01,600 Speaker 3: to children. Now on the said seventh year, the man 482 00:32:01,880 --> 00:32:05,640 Speaker 3: leaves by himself. The slave is free to go by himself. 483 00:32:05,920 --> 00:32:12,000 Speaker 3: The master will own the wife and the children. Now 484 00:32:12,040 --> 00:32:15,560 Speaker 3: Here this slave has a choice. So this is what 485 00:32:15,600 --> 00:32:18,520 Speaker 3: the Bible says in verse five and verse six. But 486 00:32:18,600 --> 00:32:23,560 Speaker 3: if the slave plainly says I love my master, I 487 00:32:23,640 --> 00:32:26,560 Speaker 3: love my wife, I love my children, I will not 488 00:32:26,720 --> 00:32:30,680 Speaker 3: go free. Then his master shall bring him to God, 489 00:32:31,000 --> 00:32:33,240 Speaker 3: and he shall bring him to the door or to 490 00:32:33,320 --> 00:32:36,600 Speaker 3: the door post, and his master shall bore his year 491 00:32:36,920 --> 00:32:40,440 Speaker 3: with an owl, and he shall be his slave forever. 492 00:32:41,240 --> 00:32:43,600 Speaker 3: I want you to think about this beautiful picture. This 493 00:32:43,720 --> 00:32:46,720 Speaker 3: man has earned his freedom, he has served his master 494 00:32:46,840 --> 00:32:49,040 Speaker 3: six years. On the seventh year, he's free to go. 495 00:32:49,760 --> 00:32:52,160 Speaker 3: But you know what he says. On the seventh year. 496 00:32:52,240 --> 00:32:56,479 Speaker 3: Instead of him going away, he turns around and he says, 497 00:32:56,640 --> 00:32:59,880 Speaker 3: I love my master, I love my wife, I love 498 00:33:00,080 --> 00:33:04,440 Speaker 3: my children. Therefore I voluntarily come back to be a 499 00:33:04,520 --> 00:33:09,240 Speaker 3: slave forever. Therefore the master brings him to the door post, 500 00:33:09,960 --> 00:33:13,959 Speaker 3: and he will put a hole in his year. In 501 00:33:14,000 --> 00:33:16,760 Speaker 3: other words, when you go to the marketplace, you see 502 00:33:16,800 --> 00:33:20,160 Speaker 3: many slaves, but you see certain slaves who have a 503 00:33:20,280 --> 00:33:23,600 Speaker 3: ring here on the year, and that ring in the 504 00:33:23,720 --> 00:33:26,920 Speaker 3: year represents that there is a hole in the year. 505 00:33:27,240 --> 00:33:30,320 Speaker 3: That means they chose not to go free, but to 506 00:33:30,480 --> 00:33:33,960 Speaker 3: remain a slave in the master's house. Why not because 507 00:33:34,000 --> 00:33:38,720 Speaker 3: of duty, but because they are loved, because they love 508 00:33:38,800 --> 00:33:42,400 Speaker 3: the master. I wanted to think about this. That's exactly 509 00:33:42,400 --> 00:33:47,000 Speaker 3: the pitchure Paul carries here. God gave me freedom, He 510 00:33:47,160 --> 00:33:50,400 Speaker 3: forgave me of my sin, He released me from my bondage. 511 00:33:50,520 --> 00:33:54,760 Speaker 3: All my curses removed, broke, all my brokenness is healed. 512 00:33:54,880 --> 00:33:57,800 Speaker 3: He has come into my life transform me. And now 513 00:33:57,840 --> 00:34:01,120 Speaker 3: he says, you have freedom, and out of this freedom 514 00:34:01,400 --> 00:34:05,760 Speaker 3: I choose to be his servant. Hallelujah. You know that's 515 00:34:05,960 --> 00:34:10,880 Speaker 3: actually the picture of Jesus Christ. Jesus did that. You know, 516 00:34:10,920 --> 00:34:14,200 Speaker 3: the Bible says in Psalm forty and verse six and 517 00:34:14,239 --> 00:34:17,960 Speaker 3: to verse eight, in sacrifice and offering, you have not delighted, 518 00:34:18,120 --> 00:34:21,520 Speaker 3: but you have given me an open year burnt offering 519 00:34:21,560 --> 00:34:24,719 Speaker 3: and sin offering you have not required. Then I said, behold, 520 00:34:24,800 --> 00:34:26,759 Speaker 3: I have come. In the scroll of the book, it 521 00:34:26,800 --> 00:34:29,760 Speaker 3: is written of me. I will delight to do your will. 522 00:34:29,800 --> 00:34:32,440 Speaker 3: Oh my God, your law is within my heart. I 523 00:34:32,480 --> 00:34:34,880 Speaker 3: want you to listen to me. This speaks of Jesus. 524 00:34:34,960 --> 00:34:38,279 Speaker 3: It's a prophetic messianic palm. It says that one day 525 00:34:38,560 --> 00:34:42,120 Speaker 3: Jesus will come offerings and sacrifices. God did not desire, 526 00:34:42,400 --> 00:34:45,920 Speaker 3: but a year you have opened for me. In other words, 527 00:34:46,000 --> 00:34:49,200 Speaker 3: I've come to do your will, Jesus says. And how 528 00:34:49,239 --> 00:34:52,000 Speaker 3: did he do God's will? He was taken to the 529 00:34:52,080 --> 00:34:56,040 Speaker 3: door post and his year was peers, just like that's lay. 530 00:34:56,880 --> 00:34:59,640 Speaker 3: But you know, the writer to Hebrews takes this prophetic 531 00:34:59,719 --> 00:35:04,600 Speaker 3: imageury and he uses it in Hebrews chapter ten, look 532 00:35:04,640 --> 00:35:08,160 Speaker 3: at verse five to verse seven. Consequently, when Christ came 533 00:35:08,200 --> 00:35:12,280 Speaker 3: into the world, Christ said this. Jesus said this, sacrifices 534 00:35:12,360 --> 00:35:16,000 Speaker 3: and offerings you have not desired, but a body you 535 00:35:16,080 --> 00:35:19,480 Speaker 3: have prepared for me. In burnt offerings and sin offerings, 536 00:35:19,520 --> 00:35:22,680 Speaker 3: you have taken no pleasure. Then I said, behold, I 537 00:35:22,719 --> 00:35:24,839 Speaker 3: have come to do your will, Oh God, as it 538 00:35:24,880 --> 00:35:26,920 Speaker 3: is written of me in the scroll of the book. 539 00:35:27,520 --> 00:35:31,279 Speaker 3: In other words, when Jesus came into the world, just 540 00:35:31,320 --> 00:35:36,560 Speaker 3: like that's Hebrew slave, he willingly went back and he 541 00:35:36,680 --> 00:35:42,000 Speaker 3: got his year piisd. Some forty says his year was piisd. 542 00:35:42,520 --> 00:35:46,600 Speaker 3: Hebrews chapter ten says, his body that was prepared was piaisd. 543 00:35:46,960 --> 00:35:50,600 Speaker 3: Was his body piisd. Absolutely, it's like this. Jesus could 544 00:35:50,640 --> 00:35:54,160 Speaker 3: have walked away any time without dying on the cross. 545 00:35:54,520 --> 00:35:57,960 Speaker 3: He could have said, I'm free to do whatever I want. 546 00:35:58,080 --> 00:36:00,799 Speaker 3: But you know what he said, I love my I 547 00:36:00,840 --> 00:36:04,160 Speaker 3: love my wife, I love my children. Therefore my year 548 00:36:04,520 --> 00:36:08,000 Speaker 3: is going to be pierced, and he remains a servant 549 00:36:08,440 --> 00:36:11,719 Speaker 3: even today. You know, John saw in the Book of 550 00:36:11,800 --> 00:36:16,600 Speaker 3: Revelation Jesus had a golden sash around his waist, symbolizing 551 00:36:16,920 --> 00:36:19,920 Speaker 3: he is there representing us in heaven, and he has 552 00:36:19,960 --> 00:36:22,600 Speaker 3: a sash around his waist to show that he is 553 00:36:22,640 --> 00:36:27,080 Speaker 3: still serving his people today. Hallelujah. You and I are 554 00:36:27,120 --> 00:36:30,520 Speaker 3: his body. You and I are his bride. You and 555 00:36:30,560 --> 00:36:33,920 Speaker 3: I are his children. You are I are his prized possession. 556 00:36:34,120 --> 00:36:37,520 Speaker 3: He is still serving us, and the Bible says he 557 00:36:37,640 --> 00:36:42,720 Speaker 3: gave himself completely for us. That's why, in turn, we 558 00:36:42,800 --> 00:36:47,960 Speaker 3: completely give ourselves for him. Earlier I shared with you 559 00:36:48,000 --> 00:36:53,319 Speaker 3: about Adoniram Judson how he proposed to end. You know, 560 00:36:53,360 --> 00:36:56,359 Speaker 3: when he proposed to his wife Anne, she actually turned 561 00:36:56,440 --> 00:36:58,839 Speaker 3: him down. She actually said to him, you need to 562 00:36:58,920 --> 00:37:03,000 Speaker 3: ask my father's permission first. So he didn't have the 563 00:37:03,080 --> 00:37:07,040 Speaker 3: guts to ask the father in person. So he wrote 564 00:37:07,080 --> 00:37:09,600 Speaker 3: a letter, and this is the letter he wrote. I 565 00:37:09,640 --> 00:37:12,359 Speaker 3: want you to read this. This is the letter that 566 00:37:12,400 --> 00:37:15,400 Speaker 3: Adoni Ram Judson wrote to his future father in law 567 00:37:15,560 --> 00:37:19,239 Speaker 3: to ask for consent to marry Anne, his daughter. Look 568 00:37:19,280 --> 00:37:22,280 Speaker 3: at what he wrote. I have now to ask whether 569 00:37:22,360 --> 00:37:26,200 Speaker 3: you can consent to part with your daughter early next spring, 570 00:37:26,840 --> 00:37:29,840 Speaker 3: to see her no more in this world. Whether you 571 00:37:29,880 --> 00:37:32,880 Speaker 3: can consent to her departure to a heathen land and 572 00:37:32,960 --> 00:37:37,120 Speaker 3: her subjection to the hardships and sufferings of a missionary life. 573 00:37:37,520 --> 00:37:40,360 Speaker 3: Whether you can consent to her exposure to the dangers 574 00:37:40,360 --> 00:37:43,440 Speaker 3: of the ocean, to the fatal influence of the southern 575 00:37:43,440 --> 00:37:47,840 Speaker 3: climate of India, to every kind of want and distress, 576 00:37:48,000 --> 00:37:54,040 Speaker 3: to degrade, to degradation, insult, persecution, and perhaps a violent death. 577 00:37:54,560 --> 00:37:57,120 Speaker 3: Can you consent to all this for the sake of 578 00:37:57,200 --> 00:38:00,359 Speaker 3: Him who left his heavenly home and died for her 579 00:38:00,440 --> 00:38:04,200 Speaker 3: and for you, for the sake of perishing immortal souls, 580 00:38:04,320 --> 00:38:06,960 Speaker 3: for the sake of Zion and the glory of God. 581 00:38:07,400 --> 00:38:10,120 Speaker 3: Can you consent to all this in hope of soon 582 00:38:10,239 --> 00:38:13,239 Speaker 3: meeting your daughter in the world of glory, with a 583 00:38:13,280 --> 00:38:17,279 Speaker 3: crown of righteousness, brightened by the accompilations of praise which 584 00:38:17,280 --> 00:38:21,120 Speaker 3: shall resound to her savior from heathen, saved through her 585 00:38:21,200 --> 00:38:25,680 Speaker 3: means from eternal war and despair. I want you to 586 00:38:25,680 --> 00:38:29,799 Speaker 3: listen to me. Can you consent to all of this 587 00:38:31,239 --> 00:38:34,320 Speaker 3: for the sake of Him who left his heavenly home 588 00:38:34,640 --> 00:38:40,160 Speaker 3: and died for her, for the sake of perishing immortal souls, 589 00:38:40,480 --> 00:38:45,160 Speaker 3: for the sake of Zion and the glory of God. 590 00:38:45,320 --> 00:38:49,680 Speaker 3: What a beautiful letter can you see? That church? He 591 00:38:49,840 --> 00:38:53,839 Speaker 3: wrote like that, so that he reminded the father in law, 592 00:38:53,880 --> 00:38:55,920 Speaker 3: and the father in law could not make that decision. 593 00:38:56,400 --> 00:38:59,120 Speaker 3: He actually called Anne and said to her, it's up 594 00:38:59,160 --> 00:39:02,279 Speaker 3: to you. If you want to follow him to India, 595 00:39:02,520 --> 00:39:07,360 Speaker 3: go for it, and she did. How want you to 596 00:39:07,440 --> 00:39:14,279 Speaker 3: listen to me carefully? Who am I? Biblical identity? Who 597 00:39:14,280 --> 00:39:20,319 Speaker 3: am I? That question can only be identified, That can 598 00:39:20,360 --> 00:39:24,839 Speaker 3: only be answered by your relationship to Christ. That's why, 599 00:39:24,840 --> 00:39:30,279 Speaker 3: in closing, let me share this with you. There's only 600 00:39:30,320 --> 00:39:34,000 Speaker 3: one thing you and I need to understand. What is 601 00:39:34,040 --> 00:39:38,880 Speaker 3: the key to biblical identity? What is the key to 602 00:39:38,920 --> 00:39:46,360 Speaker 3: biblical identity? The key to biblical identity is double crucifixion. 603 00:39:48,520 --> 00:39:53,840 Speaker 3: Double crucifixion. What do I mean by double crucifixion? In 604 00:39:53,880 --> 00:39:58,200 Speaker 3: Galatians Chapter two and verse twenty, Paul writes and says, 605 00:39:58,280 --> 00:40:03,000 Speaker 3: I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer 606 00:40:03,080 --> 00:40:07,120 Speaker 3: I who live, but Christ, who lives in me, and 607 00:40:07,160 --> 00:40:09,080 Speaker 3: the life I now live in the flesh. I live 608 00:40:09,160 --> 00:40:11,319 Speaker 3: by faith in the Son of God, who loved me 609 00:40:11,480 --> 00:40:14,399 Speaker 3: and gave himself for me. I want you to think 610 00:40:14,400 --> 00:40:21,000 Speaker 3: about this. I've been crucified with Christ. Secondly, it is 611 00:40:21,040 --> 00:40:25,760 Speaker 3: not only I have been crucified with Christ. The Bible 612 00:40:25,840 --> 00:40:30,960 Speaker 3: says in Galatians chapter six and verse fourteen. But far 613 00:40:31,080 --> 00:40:36,640 Speaker 3: be it, But far be it from me to boast 614 00:40:36,800 --> 00:40:40,560 Speaker 3: except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by 615 00:40:40,600 --> 00:40:44,000 Speaker 3: which the world has been crucified to me and I 616 00:40:44,600 --> 00:40:50,080 Speaker 3: to the world. Listen carefully. There is a double crucifixion. 617 00:40:51,640 --> 00:40:56,839 Speaker 3: I am crucified with Christ, and Christ and I are 618 00:40:56,840 --> 00:41:01,600 Speaker 3: crucified together. But it also means I have crucified to 619 00:41:01,640 --> 00:41:06,120 Speaker 3: the world, and the world is crucified to me. The 620 00:41:06,160 --> 00:41:11,800 Speaker 3: first one speaks of I'm crucified with Christ. It speaks 621 00:41:11,800 --> 00:41:16,560 Speaker 3: of a complete union with someone. I'm crucified to the 622 00:41:16,600 --> 00:41:21,600 Speaker 3: world speaks of a complete separation from something. You and I. 623 00:41:21,640 --> 00:41:24,520 Speaker 3: We need to recognize this that you and I, as 624 00:41:24,600 --> 00:41:28,400 Speaker 3: believers in Christ, we have a biblical theology. What is 625 00:41:28,400 --> 00:41:32,640 Speaker 3: the theology? Who is God? And who God is? This 626 00:41:32,760 --> 00:41:36,000 Speaker 3: God of the Bible, who created me, who sent his 627 00:41:36,080 --> 00:41:41,600 Speaker 3: son to redeem me. Because He owns me twice, therefore 628 00:41:41,760 --> 00:41:44,640 Speaker 3: I need to acknowledge biblical allegiance. He is truly my 629 00:41:44,800 --> 00:41:48,480 Speaker 3: master in life. And when I recognize that he is 630 00:41:48,520 --> 00:41:51,240 Speaker 3: not only a God of the Bible, he is my God. 631 00:41:51,320 --> 00:41:53,360 Speaker 3: He is not only a God, but he is my Master. 632 00:41:53,600 --> 00:41:58,399 Speaker 3: He is my king in life. Therefore it defines who 633 00:41:58,400 --> 00:42:04,399 Speaker 3: I am, and I am a crucified one. And when 634 00:42:04,440 --> 00:42:08,440 Speaker 3: you are a crucified one, you recognize this that your 635 00:42:08,440 --> 00:42:13,520 Speaker 3: life is not yours, your call to live a distinct life, 636 00:42:14,040 --> 00:42:17,240 Speaker 3: distinct from the rest of the world. That you're called 637 00:42:17,280 --> 00:42:21,480 Speaker 3: to live a directed life, directed by Him, to obey Him, 638 00:42:21,640 --> 00:42:25,360 Speaker 3: to fulfill his mission, his will in your life. Therefore 639 00:42:25,400 --> 00:42:29,280 Speaker 3: you are his. I'm a bond servant, I'm a slave 640 00:42:29,320 --> 00:42:34,560 Speaker 3: of Christ. At the same time, you're also a person 641 00:42:34,600 --> 00:42:38,160 Speaker 3: who is beloved of God. You're loved, and knowing how 642 00:42:38,200 --> 00:42:41,560 Speaker 3: much you are loved, you love him in return. You 643 00:42:41,719 --> 00:42:46,280 Speaker 3: love him in return. And as you love him in return, 644 00:42:47,080 --> 00:42:49,680 Speaker 3: you come before God and you say, Lord, here is 645 00:42:49,760 --> 00:42:53,080 Speaker 3: my life. You know. Two speakers were speaking in a 646 00:42:53,120 --> 00:42:58,319 Speaker 3: conference ct Stud and fb My ct stud is what 647 00:42:58,360 --> 00:43:01,760 Speaker 3: they call it, and Cia. He was a missionary to China, 648 00:43:01,880 --> 00:43:06,360 Speaker 3: India and Africa. Fb Meyer was a renowned teacher of 649 00:43:06,400 --> 00:43:09,320 Speaker 3: the word. They were both invited to speak in the 650 00:43:09,480 --> 00:43:14,480 Speaker 3: Kensington Convention and as they were speaking, this is what happened. 651 00:43:15,120 --> 00:43:19,359 Speaker 3: When fb Meyer spoke, the entire audience were mesmerized by 652 00:43:19,360 --> 00:43:22,200 Speaker 3: the auditory skills and the word and the depth of 653 00:43:22,239 --> 00:43:25,719 Speaker 3: wisdom that came out of him. But when Citi stud 654 00:43:25,880 --> 00:43:30,080 Speaker 3: came up on stage and spoke just after ten minutes, 655 00:43:30,760 --> 00:43:34,880 Speaker 3: that whole place was filled with tears. People were weeping, 656 00:43:34,920 --> 00:43:39,479 Speaker 3: people were crying. And after he spoke, Citistud was going 657 00:43:39,520 --> 00:43:43,040 Speaker 3: off the stage. Fb Meyer approached him and said, I 658 00:43:43,120 --> 00:43:47,000 Speaker 3: want to learn why there is a difference between what 659 00:43:47,120 --> 00:43:49,560 Speaker 3: happened when you spoke and what happened when I spoke. 660 00:43:50,360 --> 00:43:54,680 Speaker 3: What's the difference? Why is there a difference? And Ctistud 661 00:43:54,719 --> 00:43:57,600 Speaker 3: looked at Fpmeya and said to him, have you given 662 00:43:57,880 --> 00:44:02,360 Speaker 3: all your keys to Jesus? In other words, he is 663 00:44:02,400 --> 00:44:06,840 Speaker 3: your awe. Whatever you do you do for him. Whoever 664 00:44:06,880 --> 00:44:10,399 Speaker 3: you are, you are for him. Whatever you do, you're 665 00:44:10,400 --> 00:44:12,879 Speaker 3: doing it for him. And when you have given all 666 00:44:12,920 --> 00:44:19,000 Speaker 3: your keys to Jesus, that's how your life will. I 667 00:44:19,000 --> 00:44:21,360 Speaker 3: will have a reflection question for you. Have you given 668 00:44:21,480 --> 00:44:26,200 Speaker 3: all your keys to Jesus? You know, sometimes we hold 669 00:44:26,239 --> 00:44:29,600 Speaker 3: back because we are afraid that if I give everything 670 00:44:29,600 --> 00:44:33,719 Speaker 3: to Jesus, Jesus might tell me to leave my job, 671 00:44:34,480 --> 00:44:38,839 Speaker 3: sell my house, give away everything, pack my bags, move 672 00:44:38,880 --> 00:44:43,000 Speaker 3: to Timbuktu. As a missionary, we have this view that 673 00:44:43,080 --> 00:44:46,520 Speaker 3: God will somehow take everything away from us. And I 674 00:44:46,560 --> 00:44:50,759 Speaker 3: harmly say this. If he leads you to Timbuktuo, timbuktoo 675 00:44:50,800 --> 00:44:54,799 Speaker 3: will be heaven on earth for you. But if you 676 00:44:54,920 --> 00:44:58,680 Speaker 3: disobey God and stay where you are, you'll be a 677 00:44:58,760 --> 00:45:05,040 Speaker 3: living hell. Listen, carefully obeying him. Knowing who you are 678 00:45:05,280 --> 00:45:09,160 Speaker 3: is the key, and knowing that I'm doubly crucified. I'm 679 00:45:09,160 --> 00:45:12,080 Speaker 3: crucified together with him, and I'm crucified to the world 680 00:45:12,160 --> 00:45:15,040 Speaker 3: and the world to me. Therefore, my life is not mine, 681 00:45:15,040 --> 00:45:18,759 Speaker 3: My life is his. Therefore I come before him like that. 682 00:45:19,640 --> 00:45:21,640 Speaker 3: And you know what, when you truly live like this, 683 00:45:22,840 --> 00:45:27,000 Speaker 3: your life will be filled with meaning and purpose and victory. 684 00:45:28,120 --> 00:45:30,759 Speaker 3: Why I say victory because I want you to listen 685 00:45:30,760 --> 00:45:37,240 Speaker 3: to this story. When Charlton Heston was filming this movie 686 00:45:37,719 --> 00:45:41,800 Speaker 3: ben Her. In this movie ben Her, there's this famous 687 00:45:41,800 --> 00:45:46,680 Speaker 3: scene where he has to win a chariot race. So 688 00:45:46,719 --> 00:45:48,719 Speaker 3: all the chariots have been lined up and he has 689 00:45:48,800 --> 00:45:52,319 Speaker 3: to win this race. And when Charlton Heston got on 690 00:45:52,400 --> 00:45:57,160 Speaker 3: his chariot, he could hardly remain in the chariot. So 691 00:45:57,239 --> 00:46:02,000 Speaker 3: he called the director and told the director, if I 692 00:46:02,080 --> 00:46:05,480 Speaker 3: can't even stand on this chariot, How am I going 693 00:46:05,560 --> 00:46:09,279 Speaker 3: to win? And you know what, the director replied to him. 694 00:46:10,440 --> 00:46:14,719 Speaker 3: Your job is to hold on tight and stand there. 695 00:46:16,000 --> 00:46:20,360 Speaker 3: My job is to make you win. Let that sink in. 696 00:46:21,600 --> 00:46:23,680 Speaker 3: Your job and my job is to do the will 697 00:46:23,719 --> 00:46:27,680 Speaker 3: of the Father is to be identified with Christ, is 698 00:46:27,760 --> 00:46:31,080 Speaker 3: to be directed by Christ. It's to be devoted to Christ. 699 00:46:31,440 --> 00:46:35,239 Speaker 3: And as we live for him, as we recognize we 700 00:46:35,280 --> 00:46:38,840 Speaker 3: are the crucified one, he will line up the victories 701 00:46:38,880 --> 00:46:42,919 Speaker 3: for us. He will line up things that glorify Him, 702 00:46:43,200 --> 00:46:47,920 Speaker 3: that edify the world. Why, because he wants to live 703 00:46:48,800 --> 00:46:52,600 Speaker 3: through you. It is no longer I who live, but Christ, 704 00:46:52,640 --> 00:46:54,799 Speaker 3: who lives in me, and the life I now live 705 00:46:54,800 --> 00:46:57,080 Speaker 3: in the flesh. I live by faith in the Son 706 00:46:57,120 --> 00:46:59,880 Speaker 3: of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. 707 00:47:01,000 --> 00:47:03,480 Speaker 3: Every head, by every eye close, all across this place. 708 00:47:04,400 --> 00:47:08,520 Speaker 3: Ask yourself this question this morning, Who am I? And 709 00:47:08,560 --> 00:47:11,440 Speaker 3: if your answer is, I have a God in heaven 710 00:47:11,480 --> 00:47:14,000 Speaker 3: who loves me, who created me, and who sent his 711 00:47:14,080 --> 00:47:17,799 Speaker 3: son to redeem me. Therefore he is my God. And 712 00:47:17,840 --> 00:47:21,760 Speaker 3: because he redeemed me, he's also my king, my master 713 00:47:21,960 --> 00:47:26,839 Speaker 3: in life. And because of who he is, I am 714 00:47:26,840 --> 00:47:30,480 Speaker 3: what I am, Because I am not defined by myself. 715 00:47:30,680 --> 00:47:32,959 Speaker 3: I'm defined by the one who loved me and gave 716 00:47:33,040 --> 00:47:36,440 Speaker 3: himself for me. It's not about who I am, it 717 00:47:36,520 --> 00:47:42,240 Speaker 3: is about whose I am. Heavenly Father, we come before 718 00:47:42,239 --> 00:47:45,200 Speaker 3: you this morning. We ask that you open our eyes 719 00:47:45,200 --> 00:47:47,600 Speaker 3: and give us listening years and a heart that is 720 00:47:47,640 --> 00:47:50,400 Speaker 3: willing to obey your word, Lord, to help us to 721 00:47:50,480 --> 00:47:54,719 Speaker 3: recognize the state of our own soul. Sometimes we could 722 00:47:54,719 --> 00:47:57,480 Speaker 3: be so caught up in the narcissistic way of life, 723 00:47:58,040 --> 00:48:02,600 Speaker 3: being self preoccupied, that we have neglected to think about 724 00:48:02,800 --> 00:48:06,200 Speaker 3: who Christ is, and who we are in Him and 725 00:48:06,280 --> 00:48:09,399 Speaker 3: whose we are. But today we come before you, Lord 726 00:48:09,440 --> 00:48:12,840 Speaker 3: to ask for your forgiveness. Cleanse us, forgive us of 727 00:48:12,880 --> 00:48:15,680 Speaker 3: our sin. Cleanse us, Mighty God, that we will become 728 00:48:15,760 --> 00:48:18,400 Speaker 3: theo centering we are God centered in our lives. We 729 00:48:18,480 --> 00:48:21,919 Speaker 3: become Christ mustered, that we are continually mustered by Him 730 00:48:22,040 --> 00:48:25,319 Speaker 3: to become Christ like that every single day of our 731 00:48:25,360 --> 00:48:29,440 Speaker 3: life we acknowledge that we are identified with Him, that 732 00:48:29,480 --> 00:48:32,799 Speaker 3: we are called to imitate Him, that we are called 733 00:48:32,880 --> 00:48:35,680 Speaker 3: to live a life that is indebted to Him. Oh, 734 00:48:35,719 --> 00:48:39,480 Speaker 3: we belong to you, Lord, Jesus, be glorified in our lives. 735 00:48:40,120 --> 00:48:42,640 Speaker 3: And today I pray for every single person under the 736 00:48:42,680 --> 00:48:45,239 Speaker 3: sound of my voice, that Lord, that you will do 737 00:48:45,280 --> 00:48:49,160 Speaker 3: that deep work throughout the season, that as we examine 738 00:48:49,920 --> 00:48:54,320 Speaker 3: these questions, may it truly help us to get closer 739 00:48:54,360 --> 00:48:57,799 Speaker 3: to You, to get back to You, to return back 740 00:48:57,840 --> 00:49:00,799 Speaker 3: to that first love. We thank you, We praise you 741 00:49:01,080 --> 00:49:03,800 Speaker 3: in Jesus' precious name, and the people of God said 742 00:49:04,360 --> 00:49:07,280 Speaker 3: Amen and Amen, hallelujah. 743 00:49:07,520 --> 00:49:10,400 Speaker 4: The podcast The Bible in a Year with Jack Graham 744 00:49:10,600 --> 00:49:13,920 Speaker 4: is a moving and inspiring Biblical audio experience that will 745 00:49:13,960 --> 00:49:17,040 Speaker 4: help you master wisdom from the world's greatest book. In 746 00:49:17,080 --> 00:49:21,160 Speaker 4: each episode, you'll learn to apply Biblical principles to everyday life. 747 00:49:21,719 --> 00:49:24,759 Speaker 4: Each cinematic episode is a journey through the Bible's most 748 00:49:24,800 --> 00:49:28,239 Speaker 4: profound stories that will strengthen your appreciation of the Word 749 00:49:28,520 --> 00:49:32,760 Speaker 4: and inspire you to keep learning. Listen to The Bible 750 00:49:32,760 --> 00:49:35,399 Speaker 4: in a Year with Jack Graham on the iHeartRadio app 751 00:49:35,480 --> 00:49:37,719 Speaker 4: or wherever you get your podcasts.