Complete In Christ: Curing the Human Condition

[0:00] I hope these transitions are okay. I feel like we just moved from one thing to the next, but it's just the way that we honor the Lord as we sing and get into his word.

[0:14] But it's all truth, isn't it? Colossians is where I'll have you again today. Such a joy to rehearse these wonderful truths together.

[0:30] And I have a good bit of truth I'd like to share with you as we get into this together.

[0:43] The title of my message is Complete in Christ, Curing the Human Condition. I'll be talking to you about the human condition, what I mean by that, what the scripture means by that.

[0:56] I'd like to read in Colossians chapter 2, and I'm going to begin in verse 8. Paul comes to the place where he says to these Christians, See to it that no one takes you captive through philosophy and empty deception, according to the tradition of men, according to the elementary principles of the world, rather than according to Christ.

[1:26] For in him all the fullness of deity dwells in bodily form, and in him you have been made complete, and he is the head over all rule and authority.

[1:47] Jesus is the head over all rule and authority. Now, the human condition. The human condition is complex. I know that I'm going to say some things here that really don't have to be said to you.

[2:01] You're very aware of this, but we're going to rehearse it together and put it right out here in the middle of the room for all of us to see. Since there has been sin, wrong, and evil in the world, people have had a hard time dealing with life in many ways and on many, many levels.

[2:19] And we see this across society, at every level of society. Marriages fail across the world. It's not an American thing.

[2:30] It's not a European thing. It's not a black thing, a white thing. Marriages fail because of sin, because of the human condition. Families tear apart.

[2:41] The workplace is harsh, hostile even at times, as people gossip and backbite and act in petty ways.

[2:52] Societies. Societies threaten and tear at each other. Wars upon wars. Even in church life. I don't want to leave that one out as I was thinking through this.

[3:03] Even in church life, people can and do use religion for their own gain. Now, we see that throughout Scripture, right?

[3:14] We saw that with the religious leaders in Israel as we casually read through the Bible about the life of Jesus. Who were his greatest enemies? The religious leaders of Israel.

[3:26] That's just crazy, but it's true. This is the reality that we live in. In Ecclesiastes, since we're fresh off of that book, in Ecclesiastes, Solomon told us that life is full of emptiness and vanity.

[3:42] He called it striving after wind. Striving after wind. All of that is true. Hear this now. If.

[3:52] If we pursue life on our own terms and in our own ways. This is the same as saying that life is meaningless, according to Solomon, if we act as our own God seeking our own answers.

[4:13] Now, that characterizes most of the world. So, Christianity swims upstream from what we're talking about right here. This is the reality of the broken world that we live in.

[4:25] You encounter it every day of your life, and you never have to leave your own home. Is that true? You don't even have to get out of your bed.

[4:36] You don't even have to turn and look at the person lying in the bed next to you. You just have to lay there and deal with your own thoughts. That's as far as you have to go to face the brokenness in your world.

[4:48] And I'm the same way. And that's why you need a savior. And I need a savior. Because we're in a mess. We're in a mess.

[4:59] So, Paul. Paul here in our text is telling the Colossian Christians. They are going to face off with all kinds of philosophies.

[5:10] Which seek to explain, diagnose, and cure the human condition. These systems of thought are often persuasively presented in religious language and rituals.

[5:29] They can be couched in religious terminology. They can be hidden within the actual practices of a religion.

[5:43] All in the name of seeking God, knowing God, doing for God. How many atrocities across human history have been done in the name of religion?

[5:55] That's the truth. These are often put forward as the pursuit of even higher learning.

[6:07] So, they exist in our higher institutions of learning. They can be couched as intellectual sophistication. And oddly enough, they can be known and described even as the truth.

[6:24] The truth. Now, in chapter 2, verse 8. See to it that no one takes you captive through philosophy and empty deception.

[6:35] According to the tradition of men. According to the elementary principles of the world. Rather than according to Christ. This tells us what's wrong with these philosophies.

[6:48] And these claims. At the very, very core of what they are. They are not according to Christ. No matter how intellectually sophisticated they sound.

[6:59] No matter what their source or origin is. No matter how brilliant their authors are. And no matter what they promise. The reality is. They're not according to Christ.

[7:11] And that's what's wrong with them. That's the bottom line that we're dealing with. As far as the Apostle Paul is concerned. He calls these things. These theories.

[7:23] These truth claims. This worldly wisdom. Traditions of men. And elementary. Elementary principles. Or elementary notions. Empty.

[7:34] Deceitful. Philosophies of life. In our time. In our time. People teach and train in. They copy and codify.

[7:45] They research and refine. They posit and they publish. These philosophies. They pass them off as deep discoveries. Breakthroughs.

[8:00] Science. Paths. Paths to wholeness. Ways people. Are to understand and order their lives. In order to experience a maximum value.

[8:12] In being human. That's the kind of stuff that we read and see. That comes down the pipe. Colossians 2.8 tells us. These claims at the very core.

[8:23] Are not according to the Lord. They're not according to Christ. And they will lead you away from God. And into spiritual poverty. Do you remember. If you were here last week.

[8:33] This is something of what we covered. They lead you away from Jesus. But listen friends. That they don't leave you there. It's not like they lead you away from Jesus. And just leave you in a desert.

[8:45] To wander around. That's not what they do. It's much worse than that. They lead you away from Jesus. And into something else. You live for something else.

[8:58] Other than Jesus. That's the most hideous part about it for me. The most scary part. You know. Would you rather deal with someone.

[9:11] In trouble. Who's a blank slate. As it were. Or would you rather deal with someone. Who's in trouble. And very very committed. To a false way.

[9:22] Of living. Which would you rather deal with. I can tell you which one's harder. It's a lot harder. To deal with somebody. Who's committed to something false. Even though it's ruining their life.

[9:35] You'd rather work with somebody. Who's neutral. You just are never going to find. A person like that. Nobody's neutral. Everybody has an agenda. Everybody has a master.

[9:48] Every single human being. On the planet. Has a master. Now the Bible breaks it down. Into two masters. God. Or Satan. Of course the world hates to hear that.

[9:59] They want to think that their own master. And that's the deception. So chapter 2 verse 8. Warns us away. From emptiness.

[10:10] And deceit. So it's about two ways. Of looking at. And living life. One is false. And counterfeit. That's the way that men invent.

[10:25] It takes you away from. Or apart from. A true knowledge of God. And then there's the true way. Which Paul says. Is found. Only. In him.

[10:36] That is in Jesus Christ. As God reveals him to us. In scripture. Now what men. What men. In their traditions. Proffer. In the way of explanations.

[10:48] And diagnoses. And offers. Offers of. Cure for the realities. Of human suffering. Evil. Brokenness. The maladies of your own soul. Hear this. Are not new.

[11:00] They're not new. What we're facing today. Is exactly what the people. In the ancient world faced. Maybe with just a little bit. Of a twist. A little bit of a modern twist.

[11:11] But people are still people. Satan is still Satan. Evil is still evil. They all amount. To empty deceptions. Now in contrast.

[11:22] To what isn't new. Today. That the ancients. Had to deal with. And what Paul's writing about here. In contrast. Paul tells the Colossians. What you receive from us.

[11:33] Is nothing short. Of God's own. Son. Who is Christ. So. Live. In. Him. Now you understand.

[11:44] What we're putting forward here. From the Apostle Paul. As we get ready to launch into our first point. Is this. We are not talking about. A plan. Or a strategy. We're talking about.

[11:55] A relationship. With a person. And this is what is so different. With Christianity. Christianity. Christianity. Drives us. To a person.

[12:06] And that person. Just happens to be. The creator. Who made you. And made all of this. We're. We're taken right. To the source. We are being ushered.

[12:18] Right in. To the author. The very maker. The designer. The brain. Behind all of this. As it were. Nothing short of that.

[12:29] And more. More. And Paul. And Paul. Wants to tell him. The more. He can't wait. To tell him. The more. He's going to spend. The rest of this book. Telling him. About the more. It's just wonderful.

[12:41] Here's what he argues. We haven't. Just given you. Knowledge. Of Christ. We haven't. Taught you to.

[12:53] Add. Jesus. To your life. As one of many. Avenues of truth. For living in relationship. To God. And others. No. No. We have. Given you.

[13:04] Nothing. Short. Or less. Than. The very. Person. Of Jesus. Christ. Himself. God's. Beloved. Son. In. Whom.

[13:16] Are. All. The treasures. Of God's. Wisdom. And. Knowledge. Not a little bit. Not some. Not just a tiny bit. For you. And then a little speck.

[13:27] Over here. For you. Oh. When you've. Been pretty good. So you get. Just a little more. Than they got. Because I like you. You're kind of my favorite. No. It doesn't work like that. In him.

[13:38] Is all. The fullness. All the wisdom. All the treasure. All the knowledge. Of God. And in whom.

[13:49] You can have. The only. True knowledge. Of God. For himself. For the forgiveness. Of sins. Let me put this up here. So you can see it. And read along with me.

[14:01] Just for impact. Paul. Exposes. The deceptive. Lie. Of false. Philosophies. Through the theme. Of emptiness. False philosophy. Empty.

[14:12] And he counters. With the truth. That is God's truth. In the theme. Of fullness. And that fullness. Is found. In a person. The world. Wants to give you.

[14:24] Strategies. Plans. Philosophies. Ideas. Whatever. Over here. On the other side. God says. No. No. No. I give you. A person. And I call you.

[14:34] To a relationship. Not an idea. Or an ideal. There are lots. And lots. Of people. In the world. Who are dying. Wicked. Horrible. Gross.

[14:45] Wasted. Deaths. For an ideal. And they're taking people. With them. And it's infuriating. The remainder.

[14:57] Of the letter. Is the remedy. The remedy. For the emptiness. And deceit. Which stems. From philosophies. Or world views. Which are not. According.

[15:08] To Christ. So. We all suffer. Listen now. We all suffer. From the empties. To some extent. The empties. We all do. The remedy.

[15:19] For human. Empty. Is. And I'll put it up here. On the screen. Point number one. In him. Is all the fullness. That's verse nine. In Christ.

[15:30] Is all the fullness. Paul says. In verse nine. For in him. All the fullness. Of deity. Dwells in bodily form.

[15:41] All of it. Now. What is God's design. For being human. I'm going to come in. A back door here. This verse. Has everything.

[15:51] To do. With telling us. About the deity. Of Jesus. Which is. So. Supreme. It's the whole. It's driving. This whole thing. But kind of. In the back door.

[16:01] Of all of that. With Jesus. Being also. Fully human. We have to talk about. What that has to do. With us. What is Jesus. Being fully human. Have to do.

[16:12] With us. Given the reality. That now. Paul is telling us. He's fully God. Because he's walking around. In a human body. What in the world. What do we do.

[16:22] With that mind blowing reality. What is God's design. For being human. Well we look at Christ. In the scriptures. And we see it walking around. And talking.

[16:37] Every word. With every single word. Of this verse. Paul glories. In the sufficiency. And preeminence. Of Jesus Christ. So set against.

[16:48] The emptiness. Of man's inventions. About being human. Because that's exactly. What all these other stuff is. They're inventions. About what it means. To be a human being. Set against that.

[16:59] Is this beautiful. Powerful verse. About God's design. For being human. And that's what we're being. Called to. Verse nine. Has everything to do.

[17:09] With God. Making possible. Our knowing. And living. A truly full. Life. Full life. So. The point of this verse. Is this.

[17:20] Verse nine. The point is this. All the fullness. Of God. Is in. Jesus Christ. In him.

[17:33] All. The fullness. Of deity. Dwells in bodily form. I was just saying that. Over and over and over again. This morning. As I was praying. And thinking.

[17:44] Preparing to come here. In all the fullness. Man. I love it. All the fullness. Of deity. Dwells. In bodily form.

[17:56] In the Lord. Jesus Christ. And this is where. All unbelievers. All unbelievers. Always. Get it.

[18:07] Wrong. It doesn't matter. If they're Jew. Or Gentile. In Paul's time. It doesn't matter. If they're ancient people. Or modern people.

[18:17] Or us. This is where. Unbelievers. Get it wrong. They get it wrong. At Jesus. And getting it wrong.

[18:27] At Jesus. Means death. This is life. And death. And we kind of anticipate that. When we hear that. As Christians. Unbelievers.

[18:38] Get it wrong. At Jesus. We kind of. But listen to this. This is interesting. We're being warned here. That even Christians. Go astray. Concerning the sufficiency. And preeminence of Jesus.

[18:48] Now does that surprise you. Would it surprise you. To hear that. That even Christians. Have to deal with this. Going astray. From the supremacy.

[18:59] And preeminence of Jesus. In their life. In my life. In your life. What does that. What does that even mean.

[19:10] All. The fullness of God. Is found. Only. In. Jesus. Christ. Now. Why should this reality. Matter so much.

[19:20] To you. And how does it relate. To your life. And we're talking. About Christians. Because that's who. Paul's writing to here. Right. Well. We can begin.

[19:30] To see Paul's answer. To these questions. In the first word. Of verse nine. Here's where we start. To dive. The first word. Of verse nine. It's the word. For. I don't know what your translation says.

[19:41] That's what mine have. For. In him. And it goes on. Verse nine. For. Links. This verse. With verse eight. Verse eight.

[19:52] Don't be taken prisoner. By anything. Which isn't. According to Christ. For. In. Him. And that's where the. Punch comes.

[20:03] For. In him. Look. Not in something else. But in him. Is all the fullness. Of God. So mark that. In your mind. Only in Christ.

[20:15] Can you find. All the fullness. Of God. And relationship. With God. So in Christ alone. Is all the fullness. Of God. How much of the fullness. Of God.

[20:25] Is in Jesus. Not part. But all. The fullness. Why is that important? See. I just. When I study the Bible. I get curious.

[20:36] I just. Ask question. After question. And that's how I do it. And that's how I roll. Right through. The text. The verse. Sometimes I won't get past. The first clause. Because I'm just peppering it.

[20:47] With so many questions. That I want to answer. And I try to find the answers. First. Within the context. That I'm asking the question in. So I'm looking all around.

[20:57] Verses eight and nine. For these answers. And the question. That I just asked myself. Is it's telling me. All the fullness of God. Is in Christ. Why is that important?

[21:07] Paul. Why are you continuing. To say this over and over again? Why are you making such a big deal of this? Why is that important? Well here it is. Since Jesus Christ. Is all the fullness of God.

[21:19] Nothing else. No one else. Is that fullness. Nor shares in that fullness. Nothing. Well Jeff. That's elementary.

[21:31] Why are we out of camp out there? Okay. Let me ask you this. Why do we look for fullness in life. In other things. Because you've done that. Don't look at me like I'm the only one in here.

[21:42] That does that. You do that. Why do you look for fullness? Why do you look for meaning? Why do you look for joy. In other things in life. Now hear this part. To the exclusion of Jesus.

[21:52] Have you ever kind of put Jesus on the back shelf? Been apathetic about the Lord? Have you ever come to a place in your life. Where you're doing something. You've said something. Or you find yourself in some situation.

[22:03] Where you're like. You know what? This is not. This is not good. I'm not in the right attitude. Or what I just did wasn't good. Well where was Christ in that moment? Where was he? Where was Jesus with you in that moment?

[22:16] Parent. When you parented in a way that you knew. Didn't reflect the love and gentleness of Christ. Guilty. When you husband.

[22:26] Or when you wife. In a way that's more selfish than savior. Where was Jesus? Did he just go away? Did he stop being Christ? Well if for that moment.

[22:37] Maybe in your life. Right? This is what we do. This is how it works. In that moment. We're not seeking the savior. We're seeking something else. Why do we do that?

[22:48] Because when Paul's saying. All the fullness is in him. All the meaning. All the joy. All the knowledge. All the reality. All the goodness. All the gentleness. You're not going to find it anywhere else.

[23:01] But we retreat into what's familiar sometime. And what's familiar isn't him. And that's a problem. The reason Paul's writing this. Is because this is a problem in these people's lives.

[23:13] They need to be told this. They're struggling with this. So he's rehearsing this reality. Jesus has and is. All the fullness of God.

[23:25] God's fullness doesn't reside. Folks hear me. God's fullness does not reside in a system. It doesn't reside in a religion. It doesn't reside in a secret code.

[23:40] Or a ritual. Or in any other earthly or heavenly being. Or in some aspect of creation. Or in some distant part of the universe.

[23:51] That we're going to send a rover to find. And land on the planet. And now we unlock the secret of life. Did you know that that's something that's what's behind the Mars stuff?

[24:03] I've been fascinated by the Mars stuff. I've been watching every documentary I could find on the Mars stuff. And it is awesome. The technology. And all they had to troubleshoot. To just land one of those rovers on that planet.

[24:16] Is absolutely mind boggling. I'm like there are some super bright people in the world man. And they stuck with it for years. Trying to just figure out how to get the thing. To land on the planet without smashing to pieces.

[24:30] And they did it. And they've done it multiple times. You know what they're looking for? Life. You know why they want to find that life? They want to unlock the secret to how we got here.

[24:43] I'm like goodnight. And I wonder how many of those technicians have a Bible laying around somewhere in their house. Or I could just tell them.

[24:54] Go to any hotel almost in America. And open up one of the drawers. And get one. And it'll tell you those things. Why do we look for life in every place other than where God has put life for us in his son?

[25:08] Jesus doesn't share his God fullness with anyone or anything. He alone is all the fullness of God. So that there isn't any God fullness left over for anyone or anything else.

[25:23] God lacks nothing. And possesses everything. Hear this. God is sufficient in himself. Christ lacks nothing.

[25:36] And possesses everything. Christ is fully sufficient in himself. Why? Because Christ is all the fullness of God. Christ is fully God.

[25:48] We make much of Jesus. Because he deserves for us to make much of him. Notice that Paul drives home the point of Christ's self-sufficiency then.

[25:59] By emphasizing that his fullness of deity, this God fullness, dwells. Dwells. For in him all the fullness of deity dwells.

[26:14] In bodily form. He wants us to key in on that. If you look in chapter 1 verse... Where is it?

[26:24] 18. He is also the head of the body, the church. And he is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, so that he himself will come to have first place in everything.

[26:38] For it was the Father's good pleasure for all the fullness of Christ. Dwell in verse 19. Dwell. Dwell in him.

[26:51] It was God's good pleasure for all the fullness of him to dwell in Christ. And Christ then has first place in everything.

[27:03] Now dwell has a rich meaning. It emphasizes this. To be permanently settled in and at home with. That makes sense.

[27:15] To be permanently settled in and at home with. That's dwell. That's the meaning in verse 9 of chapter 2. But in 2.9, take note of the grammar as well.

[27:27] I don't know how your text reads. It's in the present tense in mind. Dwells. Not dwell. Dwells. This adds the force of this fullness of God being constant and continuing.

[27:42] It's a constant and continuing ongoing reality about the Lord Jesus Christ. He is God. He is dwelling God.

[27:54] And I love it. Why is that important? Here I go again. Why is that important? Because Jesus never stops being exclusively fully God. Never. Jesus is always fully God.

[28:07] All the time. Do you understand the ramifications of that when Paul says that he lives in you? The full God lives in you.

[28:22] How did he pull that off? I don't know. I just know that's what it says. The full God lives in you. Oh my goodness.

[28:40] Suzanne. Has there ever been a day in your life when you observed my life at any given moment and you didn't see the full God living in me? Yes or no? She's too quick.

[29:00] I should have known better than to pick on my own wife. I married way over my head. So I'll answer it. The answer is yes. And that's the trouble.

[29:10] That's the thing that gets to me. I have this fully God living in me through the person of the Lord Jesus. But there are times when you wouldn't know that.

[29:24] Now that ought to do something to us. That ought to do something to us. What I don't want it to do is leave you there. I don't want to depress you and leave you there without any hope.

[29:37] The hope is this. That God never stops living in you. In the same way that Paul is saying here.

[29:48] God never stops living in the person of the Lord Jesus Christ. He is God. And when he comes to live in you. That's what happens with you. He lives in you.

[30:01] Continuously. That's why that's important. The answer that we need to look at is in the word bodily. He took on human form and had a body in the person of the Lord Jesus Christ.

[30:18] The fullness of God dwelt in a human body. Jesus walked on this earth. He dwells in the glorified body. That he has now sitting at the throne of the right hand of the father.

[30:31] You know this story. We're about to get ready to celebrate it as the holidays come upon us. Right? What do we sing? We sing about a baby in a manger. God came to us in the bodily form of a baby.

[30:44] That baby grew into a man. That man lived a sinless life. He walked. Listen to this list. He walked. He talked. He ate. He slept.

[30:56] He loved. He laughed. Cried. Healed. Hurt. Sang. I want to hear Jesus sing in heaven.

[31:10] Rejoiced. Worshipped. Taught. Counseled. Suffered. Bled. And died. As a man.

[31:21] Full. Of all the fullness. Of God. Why is that important to every Christian? Because only Jesus Christ was and is.

[31:34] God. With. Us. Jesus is the wisdom of God. The love of God.

[31:45] The knowledge. The forgiveness. The hope. The peace. The truth. The life. The fullness. That he is all of that. With.

[31:57] Us. God. The father. Brought. All. Of that. To. Us. In Christ.

[32:10] Nobody else. Can say that. You want. You want. You want. You want. That. Or you want. A big fat. Buddha. You want.

[32:24] That. Or you want. An ideal. And a concept. You want. That. Or you want. A promise. That if you. Go out. And strap on. A.

[32:35] Bomb. And blow. A lot. A lot. Of people up. It'll. Usher you. Into heaven. Where you'll have. Virgins. And. I don't know what that does. For the ladies. But. That's what they. You want that.

[32:46] Or do you want. The fullness. Of Christ. God. In human form. Living. In. You. People do.

[32:58] All kinds. Of crazy stuff. In the name. Of religion. Philosophies. Ideals. Systems. Of thought. What do we think. This stuff is. But there's only. One place.

[33:08] That God. Has made himself. Known. To us. Available. To us. For relationship. God. Came. To us. In Christ. All the fullness.

[33:19] Of God. Is found. Only in Jesus. And so. I ask again. Why is that. So very. Very important. To the life. Of every Christian. And I want to put this. Up here for us. Because.

[33:30] Jesus Christ. Is the only. Hope. And way. For our fullness. Of life. Jesus. Brings. God. To us. We are made.

[33:45] Right. With God. Our fullness. Of life. Is found. In a right. Relationship. With God. So. Keep in mind. Paul. Is arguing. Against. Error. Here. And warning.

[33:55] Against. Becoming. A prisoner. Or. A captive. To it. We said. Last time. This word. Could mean. Kidnapped. Taken. Hostage. By. Here.

[34:07] It's a philosophy. Of life. That would do that. And he tells you. What you need. To add. It tells you. That you need. To add. To your faith. In Christ.

[34:17] So that you have this. Seemingly. Higher. And better. And richer. Walk. With God. Paul says. No. That's an empty. Hollow. Deceitful. Reality.

[34:28] Jesus. Is fully God. And that. Is our answer. To a spiritually. Empty. Life. And so. According to verse. 10.

[34:38] The fullness. Of God. In Christ. Fulfills. Fulfills. Our own need. For spiritual. Fullness. We have a need. For that. God answers.

[34:49] That in his son. It is only. In Christ. The fullness. Of God. That God. Has made it. Possible. For us. To truly. Know. God. And.

[35:01] To secure. His forgiveness. For our sins. Against him. So point number. Two. Would be this. In him. Is all. Our. Fullness. In him.

[35:12] Is all. Our. Fullness. Now it just becomes. A little more personal. This bleeds over. I'm just going to be able. To use verse 10. To make even more. A point of it. For in him.

[35:22] All the fullness. Of deity. Dwells in bodily form. And then verse 10. Brings this. And in him. In him. You. You. Have been.

[35:34] Made. Complete. And he is the head. Over all rule. And authority. In him. You have been made complete.

[35:45] How important. Are those two. Little words. In him. In him. You have been. Made something. Complete.

[35:55] Complete. And in him. You. So I'm going to ask this question.

[36:08] Who are you Christian? Who are you Christian? And the answer comes from the apostle Paul. Christian. You. You.

[36:19] Are. In. Him. Him. Him. That's who you are. You are.

[36:33] In him. What God has made you. He has made you. In. Him. That's life.

[36:43] God. God. Came to us in Christ. We have been made complete in Christ. So God makes us full.

[36:55] And he does this to us. For us. And in us. In Christ. And in him alone. We can't say it enough. We can't be made complete. In any.

[37:05] Other. Way. And yet. There are all kinds of ways. That we try to go through our daily lives. Dealing with this sense of incompleteness.

[37:18] Folks. Listen. If we are only made complete in Christ. What does that say about us before Christ? Empty.

[37:28] Incomplete. Incomplete. We were incomplete. Incomplete is a way of saying that something is not whole. We are incomplete without God.

[37:39] We are empty without Jesus. And we know it. We sense it. We even fight against it. Without Jesus. What we're lacking. And this is very important.

[37:50] Without Jesus. What we're lacking. Is not a better sense of ourselves. We got plenty of that. Or a need for higher self-esteem.

[38:01] These are the world's. Supposedly sophisticated answers for all of this. Nope. What we need most. Doesn't come from within.

[38:12] Or from the world. Paul is telling us very clearly. That we cannot find what we need. In the empty deceptive philosophies. And ideas of men.

[38:23] Now. I realize that doesn't sound sophisticated. That. It might even sound kind of backwards. And harsh. Or weird. Given what we hear so much about these days.

[38:34] In the way of. What we need to make us whole. But God tells us very straightforwardly. None of the answers the world offers. Are true. True. And only God's answer.

[38:46] Is true. And there's only one that he offers. It's not like we get a pick. Let me ask you it this way. Is the issue. Of.

[38:57] Our need. We've been talking about the human condition. Is the issue of our need. Our brokenness. Our suffering.

[39:07] Evil. Wickedness. Wrong. That we do to others. And that we suffer. From others. Is the issue really solved. By being. A better. You.

[39:22] Now. Please. Think about everything. I've been saying. Where's the only hope found. Yeah. It's not in you. It's just not. So being a better you.

[39:33] Is not the answer. You're not saved. To be a better you. Does that surprise you. Go through the scriptures. And find me. Where it says. That you get saved. To be a better you.

[39:46] We're just not going to let it be. About us. Are we. We can't. Because it's not. It's about him. We get saved.

[39:58] To know a better God. A better God. Than myself. A better God. Than you can ever be. To yourself. And along the way.

[40:10] You're not conformed. To being a better you. You're conformed. To someone else. Who are you conformed to? Right.

[40:23] Well. So much. For self-esteem. So much. For all of the strategies. That they want to employ. To help elevate you. To a better position.

[40:34] Of thinking. About who you are. And how valuable you are. The more we value Christ. The more we understand.

[40:45] The value of the love of God. On our life. Life. No. We're not the answer. Are you.

[40:58] Your own. Answer. To life. No. Is that the ultimate. Goal of life. That each of us. Must come to terms.

[41:09] With. If we're to be complete. And whole. As humans. I just need to come to terms. With myself. That you need to find. The path. To being. And becoming.

[41:19] A higher. Better. More enlightened. And more all around. Nice version. Of yourself. Does it all really. Revolve around. You. And then.

[41:31] I can ask this. Is that what. Christianity. Is all about. Is Christianity. All about. Making you. A better version. Of yourself. Than you were. Before. You trusted. In Jesus.

[41:41] As your savior. I'm going to ask. That one more time. Because that's. Get your head. Around this one. And then. I'm going to answer. It from scripture. From the same guy. Who wrote this.

[41:53] He just wrote it. To another set. Of Christians. Let me ask it again. Even with. Christianity. Is Christianity. About making you. A better version. Of yourself.

[42:03] Than you were. Before you trusted. Jesus. As your savior. Is that what. Is that what. It's all about. I think. Some of you. Probably know. Exactly. Where I'm going.

[42:14] Go to Galatians. Chapter 2. Verse 20. And here's. How we'll. Answer that question. This is Paul.

[42:29] I have. Been. Crucified. Well. That settles. It. Right there. I'm not. A better version. Of me. The best version. Of me. Died. Now.

[42:41] What. I have. Been. Crucified. With. Christ. There. It is. Again. I just. Can't. Get away. From Jesus. I. Have. Been. Crucified. With. Christ.

[42:52] And it. Is. No. Longer. I. Who. Live. But. Christ. Lives. In. Me. And the. Life. Which. I. Now. Live. In. The. Flesh. I. Live. By. Faith. In. The. Son.

[43:02] Of. God. Who. Loved. Me. And. Gave. Himself. Up. For. Me. I'm. Not. A. Better. Version. Of. Me. You're. Not. A. Better. Version. Of. You. Before. Jesus. Christ. Lives. In. You.

[43:13] Why. Would. Jesus. Tell. Us. That. We. Were. Just. Now. A. Better. Version. He. Just. Came. In. And. Made. Us. A. Better. Version. Of. Of. Us. And. Then. Tell. Us. If. You. Want. To. Be. My. Disciple. The.

[43:23] First. Thing. You. Have. To. Do. Is. Deny. Yourself. Take. Up. Your. Cross. And. Follow. Me. This. Is. What. We're. Being. Called. To. Friends. Folks.

[43:34] The. World. Defines. Living. A. Full. Life. As. Being. A. Better. You. The. World. Doesn't. Understand. That. You. Are. The. Problem. You.

[43:44] Understand. That's. Not. What. They. Want. To. Build. All. Of. Their. Self. Help. Strategies. On. Is. That. You're. The. Problem. How.

[43:55] Many. Of. You. Would. Keep. Going. In. And. Paying. One. Hundred. And. Four. For. Counseling. To. Have. The. Counselor. Look. Across. The. Table. And. Say. Well. You. You're.

[44:11] The. Pity. Party. One. You're. The. Brat. And. You. Say. Here's. My. Hundred. And. Forty. I'll. Come. Back. Next. Week. For. Some. More. You. Wouldn't. Do. That. So. What. Do.

[44:21] They. Tell. You. You. Can. Be. A. Better. You. Here's. How. You. Can. Be. Oh. I. Know. You're. A. You're. A. A. A. A. A. But. God. Drives.

[44:32] Right. To the. Very. Point. And. He. Says. No. You're. The. Problem. And. You. Need. To. Die. You. Need. To. Die. And. Then. Someone.

[44:42] Else. Needs. To. Live. In. You. And. Your. Entire. Life. Needs. To. Be. For. That. Someone. Else. And. That's. The. Meaning. Of. Life. Wow.

[44:54] Pretty. Radical. Stuff. Isn't it? Yeah. That's. Why. They. Chopped. This. Guy's. Head. Off. That's. Why. They. Crucified. Peter. Upside. Down. That's.

[45:04] Why. They. Ran. James. Through. With. A. Spear. That's. Why. They. Exiled. John. To. The. Isle. Of. Patmos. That's. Why. They. Murdered. Every. Single. Disciple. That. Follow. Jesus. Christ. Murdered.

[45:15] Them. That's. Why. Many. Many. Many. Christians. Throughout. The. World. Have. Been. Martyred. Because. They. Live. This. Life. And. Brought. This. Message. And. It's. Offensive. It's.

[45:27] Offensive. You. Need. To. Be. In. Him. So.

[45:37] That. You. Can. Truly. Know. What. Fullness. Of. Life. Really. Is. Fullness. Of. Life. Is. Life. With. God. In. Christ. Because. Christ. Frees. Us. From. Sin.

[45:47] And. Forgives. Us. For. Those. Sins. Forever. Only. Jesus. Can. Bring. You. That. Life. So. That. Is. Why. We. Say. That. Real. Life. Full. Life.

[45:58] Is. Only. Found. In. Him. It's. Found. In. A. Relationship. It's. Found. In. Spiritual. Union. And. That. Is. A. Work. By. Miracle. Grace. That. Comes. From.

[46:08] Heaven. It's. Other. Worldly. It. Isn't. Found. In. Our. World. And. It. Isn't. Found. In. You. Or. Me. It's. Not. Found. In. Human. Tradition. Or. Elementary. Principles. In.

[46:18] This. World. It's. Found. Through. God. In. Christ. What. We. Lack. Then. Is. Spiritual.

[46:29] What. We. Lack. Is. Spiritual. Please. Hear. Me. Carefully. As. I. Move. To. A. Close. At. The. Root. Of. All. Human. Suffering. Is. The. Issue. Of. Sin.

[46:39] And. Separation. From. God. So. Everything. That. You. Face. In. Life. If. You. Think. Right. Now. About. Something. Going. On. In. Your. Life. That. You're. Struggling.

[46:49] With. All. Of. Us. Have. Something. You. Something. You're. Being. Tempted. In. Something. That's. That's. Troubling. You.

[47:00] Something. You're. Trying. To. Deal. With. In. Your. Life. All. Of. Us. Have. Something. Like. That. Going. On. All. The. Time. At. Different. Levels. What. I. Want. To. Say. To. You. Is.

[47:11] That. The. Root. Of. With. Worship. It.

[47:21] All. Has. To. Do. With. Who. Jesus. Is. And. Where. You. Are. In. Your. Relationship. With. Him. Why. Because. All. The. Fullness. Dwells. In. Christ.

[47:33] You. Won't. Find. The. Fullness. You're. Looking. For. To. Face. Life. In. Anyone. Else. Or. In. Anything. Else. Let. Me. Put. This. Up. Here. For. You. To. See. Only. Jesus.

[47:44] Can. Offer. You. You. The. Fullness. Of. God's. Forgiveness. Love. Joy. Peace. Patience. Kindness. Only. Jesus. Can. Bring. The. Fullness.

[47:54] Of. God's. Goodness. And. Gentleness. To. Your. Life. The. Fullness. Of. God's. Healing. Purpose. Wisdom. Knowledge. Only. In. Christ. Can. We. Know. The. Completeness.

[48:04] That. We're. So. Desperate. For. And. Then. This. The. World. The. World's. Philosophies. And. Views. Of. Being. Human. Of. Being. Helped. In. This. Human. Condition. Of. What. To.

[48:14] Hope. In. They're. All. Vain. Empty. And. Lead. To. Dead. Ends. Because. Of. One. Primary. Reason. They. Are. Not. According. To. Christ. That's. It. That's. What. The.

[48:35] Model. Of. What. Is. Seen. It's. The. Temporal. Stuff. Of. The. World. And. Not. The. Eternal. Consequently. It's. No. Surprise. The. World's. Answers. Are. Rooted. In.

[48:45] The. Physical. They're. Designed. To. Cure. The. Physical. Aspects. Of. Our. Lives. We. Never. Get. Down. To. Dealing. With. The. Spiritual. Root.

[48:56] Of. All. Of. This. But. We. Are. Spiritual. Our. Deepest. Problems. Are. Spiritually. Rooted. And. Our. Deepest. Need. Is. A. Spiritual. One. Listen. If. That. Weren't. True. Why.

[49:06] Would. God. Send. Jesus. Why. Didn't. He. Send. An. Idea. Why. Didn't. He. Send. A. Concept. Why.

[49:18] Didn't. He. Send. An. Army. Why. Did. He. Send. A. Human. Baby. Why.

[49:28] Did. He. Do. That. Why. Did. He. Why. Did. He. Let. Let. Let. Let. Let. Let. Let. Like. We. Do. And. Then. Walk. The. Earth. Why. Why. Did.

[49:38] God. Let. People. Treat. Him. So. Mean. And. Awful. He. Didn't. Deserve. Any. Of. That. Why. Did. God.

[49:48] Let. People. Spread. Lies. About. Him. And. Plot. To. Murder. Him. Why. Did. Why. Did. God. Let. All. Of. His. Friends. Run. Away. When. He. Was. In. His. Greatest. Hour. Of. Need. And. Abandon.

[49:59] Him. And. Leave. Him. Standing. There. All. Alone. Why. Did. He. Do. That. And. Then. Why. Did. He. Let. Him. Get. Nailed. To. A. To. Be. Tortured. To. Death. Why.

[50:10] You. Why. You. Do. All. That. If. All. He. Needs. An. Idea. Ideal. Concept. Philosophy. Because. Because. That's. Not. What. We. Need. We.

[50:20] Need. A. Person. We. Need. Somebody. To. Die. For. Us. We. Need. Somebody. To. Pay. Our. Penalty. Somebody. Person. It's.

[50:31] Personal. It's. Personal. Personal. It'll. Always. Be. Personal. Thank. God. Thank. God. It'll. Always. Be. Personal.

[50:42] Because. That. Means. He. Knows. Who. You. Are. And. He. Knows. How. To. Get. Yeah. He. Is. A. Good. Rescuer. Is. A. Good. Rescuer. Put.

[50:55] Your. Hope. In. Christ. Because. That's. Who. God. Sent. That. Will. Always. Be. The. Answer. It's.

[51:05] The best. One. Isn't it? That's. What. We. Say. If. You're. In. Him. You're. Complete. In. Him. Jesus.

[51:15] Has. Purchased. Your. Privilege. To. Know. Him. And. To. Grow. In. Him. He's. Your. Life. Because. He's. All. The fullness. Of. God. Let's.

[51:27] Pray. Together. Father. Thank. You. For. Sending. Jesus. I need. This. I need. This. Reminder. As I go.

[51:38] Through. My. Life. Each. Week. Tempted. And. Tried. And. Sometimes. Failing. I need. You. To. Remind. Me. That. You. Sent. A.

[51:48] Person. And. That. In. That. Person. I. Know. You. And. In. You. I. Find. All. That. I. Need. For. Life. And. God. God. I. Have. Everything. In.

[51:58] You. That. I. Need. To. Be a. Dad. And. A. Husband. And. A. Pastor. And. A. Friend. I. Have. Everything. In. You. That. I. Need. To. Be. Human. And.

[52:09] To. Face. The. Human. Condition. Of. Sin. And. I. Pray. That. For. My. Brothers. And. Sisters. And. So. It. Is. Father. That. We. Would. Go. From.

[52:19] This. Place. Now. With. The. Encouragement. And. The. Hope. Ringing. In. Our. Hearts. You. Have. Given. Us. Jesus. Your. Son. And. In. Jesus. Your. Son. We.

[52:29] Have. Life. And. Life. Everlasting. And. So. Let. Us. Rejoice. Let. Us. Take. Great. Courage. And. Hope. Let. Us. Take. Great. Joy. In.

[52:39] Knowing. Jesus. Serving. Jesus. Living. For. Jesus. Help. Us. Walk. With. You. Father. Even. As. We. Seek. To.

[52:49] Love. You. Well. And. To. Love. Others. Well. In. Christ's. Name. We. Pray. And. For. His. Glory. Amen.