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[0:00] that's the first time that we've sung it with you here i think micah did it with you is that right you recall that yeah and that's actually the theme of my message so it it worked out wonderfully we're going to be in colossians again beloved colossians the title of my message for this morning is the highest road to being human the highest road to being human and i would like to begin reading here in colossians chapter two paul says for i want you to know how great a struggle i have on your behalf and for those who are at laodicea and for all those who have not personally seen my face that their hearts may be encouraged having been knit together in love and attaining to all the wealth that comes from the full assurance of understanding resulting in a true knowledge of god's mystery that is christ himself in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge now i say this so that no one will delude you with persuasive argument for even though i'm absent in body nevertheless i'm with you in spirit rejoicing to see your good discipline and the stability of your faith in christ boy that's the that's the hope of any pastor's heart therefore as you have received christ jesus the lord so walk in him having been firmly rooted and now being built up in him and established in your faith just as you were instructed and overflowing with gratitude see to it that no one takes you captive through philosophy and in him you were also circumcised with a circumcision made when you were without hands that is in the removal of the body of the flesh by the circumcision of christ having been buried with him in baptism in which you were also raised up with him through faith in the working of god who raised him from the dead when you were dead in your transgressions and the uncircumcision of your flesh he made you alive together with him having forgiven us all our transgressions having canceled out the certificate of debt consisting of decrees against us which was hostile to us and he has taken it out of the way having nailed it to the cross when he had disarmed the rulers and authorities he made a public display of them having triumphed over them through him therefore no one is to act as your judge in regard to food or drink or in respect to a festival or a new moon or a sabbath day things which are a mere shadow of what is to come but the substance belongs to christ let no one keep defrauding you of your prize by delighting in self-abasement and the worship of the angels taking his stand on visions he's seen inflated without cause by his own fleshly mind and not holding fast to the head from whom the entire body being supplied and held together by the joints and joints and ligaments grows with a growth which is from god if you have died with christ to the elementary principles of the world why as if you were living in the world do you submit yourself to decrees such as do not handle do not taste do not touch which all refer to things destined to perish with use in accordance with the commandments and teachings of men these are matters which have to be sure the appearance of wisdom in self-made religion and self-abasement and severe treatment of the body but they are of no value against fleshly indulgence beloved for the christian fleshly indulgence is the issue no longer captive to sin as prisoners of phil farther to theняя esno having been delivered by the lord jesus christ transferred農Вот Caius cracked тысяч 저도 the her figlo in calgarines of the歡迎 and wherein life paul says in chapter 1 verses 13 and 14 we nevertheless fight against the flesh that is we fight against the remaining sin that we have to deal with in this life we belong to the lord but we still fight against self, self-indulgence and the deceitful lusts that want to counterfeit true living for Jesus. So we're talking about the highest road to being human. And I want to ask you an important question, and I'm going to put this entire paragraph up here for you to see right at the very beginning. Who are you, Christian? And that's the answer.

[6:10] You are a Christ and right. You are a Christ follower. You are saved by God's grace through faith in Jesus. This is who you are as a Christian. Jesus makes you someone entirely other than what you were before you trusted him to forgive you for your sins.

[6:40] The apostle Paul, a sinner who was also saved by grace through faith, lived and died for Jesus because Jesus first lived and died for Paul. That was the measure of his life as an apostle, as a follower of Christ, as a brother in Christ to other brothers and sisters he was ministering to.

[7:04] Paul measured his life by Christ. He lived for Jesus. He didn't measure himself by himself or by any other worldly idea according to his own sense of self-worth.

[7:19] Paul got over self a long time ago when Jesus saved him and put him into ministry and told him, you will suffer much on my account. And boy, did he. So here's the question. By what do you measure yourself? Each day, each moment, how do you measure yourself as a parent, as a man, as a woman, an employee, a manager in your role, whatever it is you do for a living, as a mom, as a dad, husband, wife, neighbor? Do you measure yourself by others? Do you compare yourself to other people so that sometimes you come out looking real rosy? Do you measure yourself to other people and sometimes you come out and say, uh, I can probably do better there like they do?

[8:18] Do you measure yourself by yourself? Maybe by your past. Maybe by the wrongs you've suffered.

[8:31] You measure and define your life by the way people have hurt you. Maybe even by your upbringing or fill in the blank there. I could go on, right? The list is endless.

[8:44] Here's another question. Does God have anything at all to do with why you are you? And why you live as you do is your life, a clear example of the undeserved favor grace of God at work in your life.

[9:05] In other words, here's what I'm asking us is the best explanation for the life that you live. God's grace at work in your life. Or are you self-made?

[9:20] Because you don't want self in that equation. What did Jesus say? What do we like to say? Deny yourself, take up your cross and follow me. Right? We don't want to get in the way.

[9:32] Well, today, here's what I'm going to do. I'm going to zero in on two spiritual truths about the supremacy of Jesus and his life in you.

[9:42] I'm going to hammer and hammer Jesus life in you. Now, these are truths to help you live faithfully in holiness and honor to Jesus.

[9:55] Holiness and honor to Christ. That's the end game that we're looking at together as we move through chapter two of Colossians.

[10:06] What I did was kind of tweak all of this and bring it together and highlight some of the things that he says in chapter two rather than continuing to go verse by verse through it with you, which I've done in a prior time.

[10:19] So to to take the high road, to take the high road, that's an expression that I've used with my kids as we raise them. I've used it in my ministry along the way.

[10:31] And here's what I've tried to convey with it. I've tried to convey the idea of striving to live at the highest level of personal holiness in any given moment or situation.

[10:43] You say, Jeff, as we're saved in the Lord Jesus and as Jesus lives in us, we are supposed to strive. We are supposed to labor. We're supposed to work at being holy.

[10:55] I thought that we were made holy when we were saved. Yes. Yes to both. You were made holy when you were saved. That is, God took you from being in one position of not being holy before him because of your sin nature.

[11:09] And as Christ entered you. At the moment of your salvation, God then positionally transferred you from one place to another and fixed you in an and now a position of spiritual rightness, righteousness, holiness before him.

[11:28] That position doesn't change. And it was fixed in a moment in time. So that at that same moment, God could declare to the universe, you are righteous in my sight.

[11:41] Wow. That's positional righteousness, positional holiness, positional sanctification. And then we are left on this earth dealing with sin and we need to grow in that position.

[11:56] More and more of how I speak and live and relate to people needs to take on the look of where I've been positioned, seated in the heavenlies with Christ so that when he is revealed, I will be revealed with him in glory.

[12:11] That's how tight that is. He's my identity. So Paul says, strive. Let me show you. Let me show you. Don't take my word for it. Look at chapter one. And at the very end of chapter one, what he tells these Christians.

[12:27] Paul says in verse 28, we proclaim him, admonishing every man and teaching every man with all wisdom so that we may present every man complete in Christ.

[12:38] That's why he says we proclaim him Christ. We want to proclaim Christ and we have as our objective to see every person, man and woman complete in Christ.

[12:50] Now notice in verse 29 for this purpose. Also, I labor striving according to his power, which mightily works within me.

[13:03] And then in chapter two, verse one, I want you to know how great a struggle I have on your behalf and for those whom he's ministering to. So labor, strive, struggle in the faith.

[13:17] Does that kind of capture what it's like for you to battle sin in your life? Is it labor? Is it a struggle? Is it striving? Sure. Why?

[13:28] Because we're still here in this broken place. We're not in heaven yet. That's what we're dealing with. To take the high road in your Christian living day to day means to ask yourself in this situation and moment in my life, what can I say and do that will most honor Jesus Christ?

[13:49] How do I acknowledge Jesus in this moment and situation? Not how do I get out of my problem? That's not the first thing. Or how do I rectify the situation or how do I fix this?

[14:04] That's not the answer. That's not the question you want to ask first. The first thing you want to deal with in any of these moments is how do I acknowledge Jesus in this moment and situation so that I'm seeking to please him in all aspects of my life and bring honor and glory to him in this moment.

[14:20] That's what I'm most supremely concerned with. If you put that as the priority, you'll be able to step your way through the situation in a way that will help you and be good for the people around you.

[14:33] Why? Because you're seeking to honor God in all of that. So it becomes a win-win. This is what we're looking at. The answer here reveals the highest path of personal holiness in your walk with Jesus.

[14:51] It's another way of saying that you are identifying the best way for you to demonstrate personal obedience to Jesus in that moment.

[15:02] Now, are you catching this with me? I am not telling you that personal obedience as an end in itself is the end game. That's not what I'm saying. I'm saying personal obedience happens as we become concerned with our own devotion to Jesus as our Lord and Savior.

[15:20] We are concerned with the quality of that relationship. And out of that relationship of devotion and worship, we desire to do things that please him. So we want to obey.

[15:32] We want to obey. Right? I remember raising my kids and sometimes they obeyed because they knew the hammer was there. And I was good with that.

[15:44] Right? Especially when they were little. Okay? But as they got older and older, I wanted them to realize the function of the hammer. And I wanted the hammer to take more and more of a back seat because I wanted them to obey out of a sense of love and gratitude to their parents.

[16:02] And why did I want to model that? Because I knew that if they became a Christian, that would be exactly the way I would want them to live in their relationship with the Lord. So you're modeling that with your children as well.

[16:17] Now, we do it imperfectly, don't we? But nevertheless, we're called to do that. So the highest road to being human is the title of my message.

[16:28] And walking that road begins with what makes you, you as a Christian. And it's this. Can we put this next one up there for a Michelle? Fullness.

[16:39] That's my first point. Fullness from chapter 2 and the first part of verse 6. Paul says, therefore, referring back up into the context of chapter 2, as you have received Christ Jesus, the Lord.

[16:55] We'll stop right there. As you therefore have received Christ Jesus, the Lord. When Paul tells us that in him, all the fullness of deity dwells in bodily form.

[17:07] Look at chapter 2, verse 9. And you see that. In Christ, in him, all the fullness of deity dwells in bodily form. We've dealt with that in a previous message.

[17:18] Listen, when Paul tells us that, he's telling us that Jesus is fully God. Jesus is God in human form. Now, we believe that, don't we? Because the scripture teaches that.

[17:30] So, what are we to make of what it means for each one of you to receive him who is fully God into your being?

[17:45] Are you in me? Are you tracking about how absolutely stellar and miraculous what I just said is? Not because I said it, because it's in the Bible.

[17:58] What is Paul telling us? In Jesus, all the fullness of deity dwells in bodily form. Now, Jesus comes to live in you spiritually. What does that mean, Christian?

[18:10] Who is living in you? G-O-D. Can I ask you something? Why, why in heaven's name would God ever want to come live in you?

[18:29] You with me? I've certainly asked that. God, why would you want to live in me? Now, you know what the answer is? Because I love you, Jeff.

[18:42] Because there is no hope for you in heaven or earth unless I do just that. If I don't come live in you, Jeff, you have no hope.

[18:54] Sin will take you, and you will live for all eternity in the devil's hell. I'm your only hope, Jeff. That's why. Because I love you.

[19:06] Because it pleased me to choose you and to come live in you. And God lives in me. And if you're a Christian, God lives in you.

[19:19] Man, I almost feel like we could just stop right there, close the Bible, say amen, sing hallelujah, and say let's go out of here with Christ living in us. But I'm going to say more. Because I worked hard on this.

[19:30] All right. Listen. When God gives you Jesus, what do you get? In a word, you get fullness. You get the fullness of Jesus as God.

[19:43] Paul goes on to say this. And in him, you have been made full. Look at verse 10. And in Christ, him, you have been made complete or full.

[20:02] He is affirming that God lives inside of you. Boy, I hope that encourages you this morning. I hope it's just a really wonderful and refreshing reminder for you.

[20:14] Have you been spiritually united to Jesus Christ so that you are living in the fullness of his life in you?

[20:24] In him, all the fullness of God dwells. And in him, you have been made full. Does your life show that fullness?

[20:36] If you say, Jeff, I just don't know that it does. Well, there are reasons for that. There are reasons for that. Do you know what it means to be made full in him?

[20:51] Well, here's what it means. He doesn't leave it to chance or for us to just go off and wander around trying to figure out. He tells us word for word. Verse 11. And in him, you were also circumcised with a circumcision made without hands in the removal of the body of flesh by the circumcision of Christ, having been buried with him in baptism in which you were also raised up with him through faith in the working of God who raised him from the dead.

[21:25] So God's doing in you what he did in Christ. When you were dead in your transgressions and in the uncircumcision of your flesh, he made you alive together with him, having forgiven us all our transgressions, having canceled out the certificate of debt that was consisting of decrees against you and against me, which was hostile to you and to me.

[21:52] And he has taken all of that out of the way, having nailed it to the cross. And when he had disarmed the rulers and authorities, he made a public display of them, having triumphed over them through Jesus Christ.

[22:06] Boy, that is that's the bugle. Not the not the not the not the not the not the not the not the not the not the not the not the not the that's charge. That's charge, Christian. That's Jesus living in you.

[22:18] Now, listen, attack life. Attack life. Why? Because he lives in you.

[22:32] I went in an instant from being God's enemy to being God's son. I went in an instant from being full of self sin and Satan to being full of my savior.

[22:48] And he conquered every bit of that right now. That's a done deal. Jeff. Do you ever live like that's not a done deal?

[22:59] Yes, yes. Yes. I do. Jeff, what does that tell you? It tells me that I never outgrow my need for grace as long as my heart is beating on this planet.

[23:13] The same grace that saved me is the grace that I need every day to save me. The grace that I now look to to live in. That's the grace that I need to help transform me into the image of my savior who positioned me in heaven for all eternity.

[23:30] We call that the gospel. The good news. So I get saved by the gospel and I stay saved by the gospel and I never outgrow it.

[23:43] And when we all die and go to heaven and we're with Christ and we see him as he is, there won't be any need for any more grace because we'll be there with him.

[23:56] Operating in it for eternity all the time. No sin. Are you encouraged? Boy, I am. And I needed this message. As I wrote this this week, I was like, I really need this.

[24:09] I really need this. And boy, how God ministers his grace to us. In verse 11, you'll notice of chapter two. We were spiritually circumcised by God with a circumcision made without human hands.

[24:27] That's your sin nature. It's referred to here as your body of flesh is how my translation says it. And that body of flesh, that sin nature that you were born with kept you in rebellion against God as his enemy.

[24:45] But through the spiritual circumcision, God performed on you in Christ. He cut out this sin nature and gave you the nature of his beloved son.

[24:58] You are now a new creature in Jesus. A new one. Do you remember how I've told you? When you become a Christian and put your faith in Christ and that spiritual transaction happens in the blink of an eye, you don't get another chapter in the same book.

[25:19] That book goes away and God starts writing a new chapter in a fresh new book. Why do I use that terminology with you? Because the scripture says you are a new creature in Christ.

[25:31] You're not a better version of the old one. You're a new one. Difference. Difference. And he makes the difference. He makes the difference.

[25:41] Isn't that? That's insane, isn't it? It's insanely wonderful. That he would do this for us. He cuts out our sin nature.

[25:52] He gives us the nature of Jesus and makes us a new creature in Christ. Second Corinthians 5 17. Verse 12.

[26:03] Look at verse 12 with me. Having been buried with him in baptism in which you were also raised up with him through faith in the working of God. So we have a burial and we have a resurrection happening in this verse and it all applies to you.

[26:20] Buried with him so that you died to sin and you joined Jesus in the grave. This is all God's perspective. I hope it'll be yours.

[26:34] This is God's perspective on you. You joined Jesus in the grave. Only to also be raised up with him through faith in the working of God who raised Jesus from the dead.

[26:48] That's right out of the text. Boy, I tell you, if there's if there's any one thing that I've continued to come across. Perhaps in in in what Christians misunderstand.

[27:01] And and misapply. Or even fail to apply in their life. It is the spiritual concept of being dead.

[27:14] Dead with him. Dead with him. So that I'm raised with him. I can't be raised with him if I didn't die.

[27:25] In order to there for there to be a resurrection, there has to be a death. Now we're talking about your death. Right now. That's what these verses. You're being compared to Jesus.

[27:40] Likened to him. Unioned with him now. And so what happened to him happened to you. Now, listen, this is so good. This is Charles Spurgeon.

[27:51] And I'm going to put this up here on the on the deal so you can see it with me. And I hope it burns into your soul. Charles Spurgeon said this about this. If I am to be buried, it shouldn't be so much because I accept the substitutionary death of another for me.

[28:09] As because I am dead myself. Why should a living man be buried? Why should he even be buried? Because another died on his behalf.

[28:19] No. My burial with Christ means not only that he died for me. But also that I died in him. So that my death with him needs a burial with him.

[28:33] Jesus died for us. Because he is one with us. That's not only brilliant.

[28:47] It's beautiful. That's just beautiful. That's what it means. For us to die with him and to be raised with him. You died.

[28:59] It's so interesting to me. I was dead in transgressions and sins. And then I died with Jesus to those very things.

[29:10] So that I could be raised with Jesus against those very things. And that's where I live now. That's where you live now if you're a Christian. And then in verse 13.

[29:22] When you were dead in your transgressions. There it is. And the uncircumcision of your flesh. He made you alive. Who made you alive? He did. Having forgiven us all our transgressions.

[29:36] All of that took place together with him. To be made full in Christ means that you who were once spiritually dead in your sins. And in your sin nature.

[29:46] Were made alive together with Jesus. God forgave you for all those sins forever in Christ. That's finished. Absolutely done.

[29:58] In 2.14. Then he canceled out the certificate of debt consisting of decrees against you, against me.

[30:09] Which was hostile to us. He's taken it out of the way having nailed it to his cross. It simply means that your debt of sin. Rightly condemning you to eternal hell.

[30:22] And your record of breaking God's law. Law has all been canceled and taken out of the way. Because Jesus. Jesus took it on himself.

[30:34] And God nailed it all to his cross. So that it could be done with forever. These are the beautiful realities of what we have in him. And then finally in verse 15.

[30:45] Look at this. When he had disarmed the rulers and authorities. He made a public display of them. Having triumphed over them through him. Let's put this one up there for them Michelle. From verse 15. Being full in him means that.

[31:01] His triumph over all of the powers and authorities of evil. Which held you captive. Is also your triumph through him. Because Jesus triumphed over evil on your behalf.

[31:13] He overcame what had overcome you. And he did it for you. Very personal. Very personal. Knowing this.

[31:24] That your old self was crucified with him. That your body of sin might be done away with. That you should no longer be slaves to sin. For he who has died is freed from sin.

[31:36] Romans 6. 6 and 7. Friends. You were crucified with him. So that your body of sin. So that your body of sin might be done away with. To receive Christ Jesus the Lord.

[31:50] Now we're back in 2.6. To receive Christ Jesus the Lord. Is to receive God's gift of new life in him. So once again. By your spiritual union with Jesus.

[32:02] Your in him reality. You now share in all the treasures of wisdom. Knowledge. Which are hidden in the person of Jesus. According to chapter 2 verse 3.

[32:15] In whom are hidden. All the treasures of wisdom. And knowledge. I told you before. When we get Jesus. God doesn't slack out on us.

[32:27] We get all we need. For wisdom. We get all we need. In the way of treasure. And what's precious. In life. We know the highest treasure.

[32:37] Of what's precious in life. Because Jesus lives in us. We don't have to ruin. And waste our lives. Running around out here. Trying to find out what's precious. And what's meaningful.

[32:48] And what's purposeful. When it's living inside of us. In the person of the Lord Jesus. Folks.

[32:59] Your spiritual identity. Is the most important thing. About you. Because. That is what makes you. You. Your spiritual identity.

[33:10] And it's what makes you do. What you do. Michelle. Let's put this next one up there for them. If you are a Christian. Your spiritual identity. Is in him.

[33:21] All caps. For you have died. And your life is hidden. With Christ in God. When Christ. Who is your life. Is revealed. Then you also. Will be revealed. With him in glory.

[33:33] That's the difference. Between heaven and hell. So I ask you again. Who are you? Your spiritual self. Is the life of Jesus Christ.

[33:43] In you. Your place in the universe. Is fixed. Your identity. Is secure. In Jesus. When Christ. Who is our life.

[33:54] Is revealed. You also. Will be revealed. With him. In glory. That's how union. You are to Jesus. When he is revealed. You'll be revealed.

[34:04] As well. Because you're in him. And then let's put this up there. For you to see. I just want this.

[34:15] To get into your heads. And maybe if you see this. In a running tally. If you want to understand. Your relationship. To this world. Understand your relationship. To Jesus. You are in him.

[34:29] If you want to understand. Your place. In the world. To come. Understand Jesus. His place in it. You are in him. Let's put that one up there.

[34:40] Michelle. If you want to understand. Your place in the world. To come. Understand Jesus. Place in it. You are in him. And then next. Throw this one up there. If you want to understand.

[34:51] Your relationship. To your fellow man. Understand Jesus. Relationship. To his fellow man. You are in him. And then finally. This one Michelle. To understand.

[35:02] Your purpose. In this life. Understand Jesus. Purpose. In the life. He lived. You. Are in. Him. And what was his supreme. Purpose in life. He said it.

[35:13] To honor and glorify. His father. That's your purpose. Because. You are in. Him. You are in him. I could go on and on with this.

[35:27] This is more than asking. What would Jesus do? It's living out. Jesus. Living in you. It's the highest road.

[35:38] To being human. Because living out of the character. Of God. Is what God created you. To be. Suzanne.

[35:48] How long have I been going? With you. My timekeeper. Really?

[36:00] How long does it seem like I've been going? Somebody say five minutes. I have another point. That I want to. Want to communicate to you.

[36:11] But. Is it hot in here to you? I'm burning up. And I know I've got all this nonsense on.

[36:22] But. All right. Let me. Let me say this. Here's the kicker. Here's the kicker in all of this.

[36:33] To this point. You cannot live. Out. What doesn't first live. Within. You ever heard somebody say.

[36:45] You can't take people. Where you've never been. You can tell them about it. But there's a difference between.

[36:55] Telling them about it. And taking them there. Because you've been there. And preparing them to be there. Because you've been there. Or to put it in more positive terms.

[37:09] You can only live out. What lives within. You will always live. What you really are. You'll live out of your nature. So for you to live out Christ.

[37:21] Christ has to first live. In you. That's the work of the Holy Spirit. That's a miracle. That isn't something that men and women. Work up on their own.

[37:32] It's something that God. Draws them to. And then works in them. And then we're called to work that out. What he puts in. We work out.

[37:43] And that's the striving. That's the striving. We're living in spiritual union to Jesus. As God's gift. Of his life. In you and in me.

[37:56] All right. Let's throw this up there for Michelle. This next slide. God puts his life in you. So that his life can come out of you. As you therefore have received Christ Jesus the Lord.

[38:10] God's life in you. So walk in him. That is God's life coming out of you. You see that? He puts his life in you.

[38:23] You've received Jesus. That goes in. Now. So walk in him. That's it coming out. What you want to do?

[38:34] Just hold him inside. And never share him. Stingy. No. No. Of course not. God calls that life coming out of you.

[38:46] Spiritual fruitfulness. Or faithfulness. Obedience. Good works. And we never want to get those backwards. Every single cult.

[38:57] In the world. Gets that backwards. Every single cult. In the world. Speaks about good works. Happening first. So that I can get God to come in.

[39:09] Nope. That ain't what the Bible says. The Bible says. There ain't none good in you. So a very special miracle has to happen. From heaven. To you.

[39:20] And in you. And God does that. And we give him all the credit for that. And then we live a life. Working out. What he has worked in. That's how it works. Because we are dead in our sins.

[39:34] There's no life in us. To reach out to God. We need God to animate us. Spiritually. And so that brings us to the second point. And I'll just say a couple things.

[39:45] And close out. Fruitfulness. That's two. Verse six. The latter part. Therefore. As you've received Christ Jesus the Lord. So walk in him.

[39:57] Fullness in Christ. Brings about spiritual fruitfulness. In Christ. So what does a life look like. That is being lived in him. It looks like God.

[40:08] Lives in you. Does it look like God. Lives in you. Mom. Does it look like God. Lives in you. Dad. Husband.

[40:18] Wife. I look at all these. Young folks in here. Does it look like God. Lives in you. Are you a Christian.

[40:31] Are you trusting Jesus. To forgive you for your sins. There's a really simple. Straightforward list.

[40:41] Of these Christ like characteristics. That we're to take on. As the spiritual fruit of our life. In Galatians five. You remember that list. You know. Love.

[40:51] Joy. Peace. Patience. Kindness. Gentleness. Self-control. But there's another list. In Colossians three. And since we're in Colossians. Let's look at it. Colossians three.

[41:02] Beginning in verse 12. So as those who have been chosen of God. Now do you see that qualifier there. As those who have been chosen of God.

[41:14] That's so wonderful. Holy. And beloved. Put on a heart of. Now here it goes. This drives right into the very core.

[41:24] Of who you are as a person. Your heart. Put on a heart of. What's the first one in your Bible. Mine says compassion. Compassion.

[41:35] Kindness. Humility. Gentleness. And patience. Bearing with one another. And forgiving each other. Whoever has a complaint against anyone.

[41:47] Just as the Lord forgave you. So also. Should. You. And it goes on. Now look. This is what the life of Jesus living in you.

[41:58] Looks like. Especially towards the people in this room. So I ask you this. What is your spiritual plan. To live like this. Do you have a plan.

[42:10] To live this. Because this is your command. This. This is your marching order. Just as. God. Chose you. Holy. And beloved.

[42:21] By him. You need to put on. A heart of compassion. Kindness. Humility. Gentleness. Patience. Bearing with one another. And forgiving each other. Do you actively pursue.

[42:32] That life. With these people. People. It's very intentional. Isn't it. Isn't it great. That the Bible. Is so in your face.

[42:44] Or is it. Yes. Amen. Remember now. I'm the mailman. This. I didn't write this stuff. This comes back on me too.

[42:55] The highest road. To being human. Is the road. Of walking. In a manner. Worthy. Of the Lord. Pleasing him. In all respects. Bearing the fruit. Of the Holy Spirit. In every good work. And increasing.

[43:06] In the knowledge of God. That's chapter 1. Verse 10. Word for word. So when are you. And I. Most human. We're most human. When we're most like Christ.

[43:17] In the life. That we're living. You can't be a higher. Human being. Than being like Christ. Being a human being. And so be like him. He lives in you.

[43:30] In chapter 1. Verse 9. Paul prays. For a life like this. For the Colossians. And he asks God. That they be filled. With the knowledge. Of his will. In all spiritual. Wisdom.

[43:41] And understanding. Spiritual. Of the Holy Spirit. Wisdom. This isn't the wisdom. Of the world. We can't have. A church family. Walking together.

[43:51] In spiritual. Joy. Compassion. Gentleness. Forgiveness. Unity. Humility. Apart from our minds. Being filled. With the knowledge. Of God's will. And in submission.

[44:02] To the Holy Spirit. Sin in the camp. Short circuits. Christian unity. A true knowledge. Of Christ himself.

[44:13] Is our highest road. To living. As God's holy people. Let me show you. In Matthew. In Matthew. Let me give you. Just another little example. Matthew 16.

[44:30] Beginning in verse 13. You'll recognize. This section of scripture. As we read it together. This is familiar to you. Matthew 16.

[44:41] 13. Now when Jesus. Came in. To the district. Of Caesarea Philippi. He was asking. His disciples. Who do people. Say that the son of man is. So the question. On the table is.

[44:51] Who are people. Saying that I am. And they said. The disciples responded. Some say. John the Baptist. Others. Elijah. Still others.

[45:02] Jeremiah. Are one of the prophets. Now interestingly. Those are all dead guys. Verse 15. He said to them. But who do you say. That I am.

[45:12] Now it's going to get. In your face. Who do you say. That I am. Well Peter. Answered. You are the Christ. That is the Messiah. The anointed one. The son of the living God.

[45:23] Jesus said to him. Blessed are you. Simon Barjona. Because flesh and blood. Did not reveal this to you. But my father. Who is in heaven.

[45:34] And then go over to verse 21. If you would. From that time. Jesus began to show his disciples. That he must go to Jerusalem. And suffer many things.

[45:45] From the elders. And chief priests. And scribes. And be killed. And be raised up. On the third day. Peter took him aside. And began to rebuke him. Saying God forbid it Lord. This shall never happen to you.

[45:57] But he turned and said to Peter. Get behind me Satan. You are a stumbling block to me. For you are not setting your mind. On God's interests. But man's.

[46:08] Isn't it interesting. In the first scene. Peter's mind. Was filled with the knowledge. Of God. And his will. Which is what Paul's praying. For the Colossians.

[46:20] Then. In almost the same instant. In scene two. Peter's mind. Was not on God's interest. But his own. And Jesus had to rebuke him. Right on the heels.

[46:32] Of affirming him. And the testimony. Of his mind and mouth. Jesus says now. That's trash talk. Peter. Get away from me. Satan.

[46:43] You're a stumbling block. To me. Boy I just can't even imagine. Jesus looking at me. And saying that. And how crushing. That would be to my soul. Where does Satan.

[46:56] Want to do. His worst. Among us. As a church family. What is Satan's scheme. For tearing us apart. And dishonoring Jesus. Hear me church.

[47:07] He wants to attack us. At the very root. Of our power. Over sin and self. He wants to sabotage. And counterfeit. Our spiritual wisdom.

[47:17] And understanding. Of our union. To Jesus. He. He. He cannot. Disjoin us. He cannot. Disunion us.

[47:27] From Jesus. He can't do it. Nothing in the universe. Has the power. To take you out of the hand. Of God. You belong. And are safe. And secure. To Jesus. That's all good.

[47:38] Well what can he do? He can come in. And he can take that union. And he can try to put. Cloaks over it. Layer after layer. He can try to distort it. Confuse it.

[47:49] Counterfeit it. He can try to take that union. And pull it over here. And distract it. Put the emphasis on this. Instead of this. Where does God want us.

[47:59] To live our life. And focus our life. Right there. God wants us. To live and focus our lives. On that spiritual union. That is. Our life.

[48:10] There is no life. Apart from that union. We draw our life. And everything that we are. From that union. With Jesus. Everything. You are defined.

[48:20] By that union. You breathe. By that union. You live. And move. And have your being. By that union. To Christ. He is everything. He isn't just first.

[48:33] He isn't just highest. He isn't just best. He is everything. You miss Jesus. And you miss life. That is all. This is the final thing.

[48:47] I will put up. And I will close with this. I am saying to us. That. God. Has given us. The highest. And fullest. Of treasures. In Jesus Christ.

[48:58] Living in us. Our highest road. To being human. Is to seek. The highest honor. Of Christ. In everything. We say and do. It is all about him. You have been made. Complete and full.

[49:09] In Jesus. So that you can be fruitful. And faithful. To Jesus. In all things. Why would you want. To be faithful. And fruitful.

[49:19] To Jesus. In all things. Because Jesus. Has been faithful. And fruitful. To you. In all things. First. So you are. Just responding. God bless you guys.

[49:34] Thank you for. Being so attentive. And prayerful. Even as we move. Through this. Together. Let's make it all. About Jesus. Yes. Amen. Let's pray. Father.

[49:45] We give you. The glory. And thank you. For your goodness. And grace. We thank you. For your word. That. Tells us. Very clearly. That we have been. Made new creatures. In Christ.

[49:56] We have been. Given the hope. Of heaven. We have been. Given the thankfulness. In our hearts. To be able. To come to you. And say. Lord. It is a marvelous. And miraculous.

[50:07] Thing. That you would come. To live in me. Thank you. For doing that. I pray. That we would. Leave here today. Super abundantly. Encouraged. That whatever it is.

[50:18] We're facing. In life. You love us. You live in us. And nothing. Will ever change that. And one day. We'll leave this place. To join you in heaven. And in eternity. Where there are treasures.

[50:30] And wonders. That. That our eyes. Can't. We can't even imagine. In our minds. Much less take in. As we try to think about them. What would that look like?

[50:42] Help us to hold. In our hearts. The highest treasure. Of loving Jesus. And walking with you. Help us to be devoted to you. Deliver us from being double minded.

[50:55]  And help us to walk in love. Even as you. Walked in love. We thank you. In Jesus name. Amen. Amen.