LIVE IN CHRIST (CC)

LET US RISE FOR THE READING OF THIS MORNING'S SERMON TEXT RECORDED FOR US IN THE LETTER TO THE EPHESIANS WHERE WE READ FROM CHAPTER 4, BEGINNING WITH VERSE 17: SO I TELL YOU THIS, AND INSIST ON IT IN THE LORD, THAT YOU MUST NO LONGER LIVE AS THE GENTILES DO, IN THE FUTILITY OF THEIR THINKING. THEY ARE DARKENED IN THEIR UNDERSTANDING AND SEPARATED FROM THE LIFE OF GOD BECAUSE OF THE IGNORANCE THAT IS IN THEM DUE TO THE HARDENING OF THEIR HEARTS. HAVING LOST ALL SENSITIVITY, THEY HAVE GIVEN THEMSELVES OVER TO SENSUALITY SO AS TO INDULGE IN EVERY KIND OF IMPURITY, AND THEY ARE FULL OF GREED. THAT, HOWEVER, IS NOT THE WAY OF LIFE YOU LEARNED WHEN YOU HEARD ABOUT CHRIST AND WERE TAUGHT IN HIM IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE TRUTH THAT IS IN JESUS. YOU WERE TAUGHT, WITH REGARD TO YOUR FORMER WAY OF LIFE, TO PUT OFF YOUR OLD SELF, WHICH IS BEING CORRUPTED BY ITS DECEITFUL DESIRES; TO BE MADE NEW IN THE ATTITUDE OF YOUR MINDS; AND TO PUT ON THE NEW SELF, CREATED TO BE LIKE GOD IN TRUE RIGHTEOUSNESS AND HOLINESS. THIS IS THE WORD OF OUR LORD. LET US PRAY: GLORIOUS AND GRACIOUS GOD, MAY THE WORDS OF MY MOUTH AND THE MEDITATION OF EACH OF OUR HEARTS BE ACCEPTABLE IN YOUR SIGHT, OUR ONLY SOURCE OF HOPE AND COMFORT. AMEN. [TEXT TAKEN FROM THE HOLY BIBLE NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 BY BIBLICA, INC.] DEAR FOLLOWERS OF OUR LORD AND SAVIOR JESUS CHRIST: OUR READINGS FOR THIS MORNING'S SERVICE, I THINK ARE READINGS THAT ARE TRULY FAMILIAR TO US. WE KNOW THAT ACCOUNT OF GOD PROVIDING QUAIL AND MANNA TO HIS CHILDREN AS THEY TRAVELED THROUGH THE DESERT ON THEIR WAY TO THE PROMISED LAND. WE KNOW THOSE WORDS OF JESUS SAYING: I AM THE BREAD OF LIFE. BUT THERE'S A FLAVOR IN ALL OF THESE LESSONS THAT I THINK STANDS OUT IN OUR MODERN CURRENT HEARING. A FLAVOR THAT REMINDS US THAT WITH GOD IT REALLY IS NOT JUST A MATTER OF: THIS IS MAYBE SOMETHING YOU SHOULD REALLY LIKE TO DO IN THE FUTURE. OR WITH GOD THAT: IT'S OKAY. I, YOU KNOW, I'M GONNA OVERLOOK THE FACT, YOU KNOW. YOU'RE NOT REALLY HAPPY WITH ME. AND EVERYTHING'S GONNA BE ALL RIGHT. WE SEE HOW GOD DEALS WITH THE PEOPLE THAT HE HAS CALLED TO BE HIS OWN. SAVED, WITH HIS OUTSTRETCHED ARM, AS SCRIPTURE TELLS US, FROM THE EGYPTIANS AND BROUGHT THEM OUT INTO THE DESERT. AND ALL THEY COULD FIND TIME TO DO WAS COMPLAIN! TO COMPLAIN ABOUT MOSES. TO COMPLAIN ABOUT AARON. AND GOD HEARS THAT GRUMBLING. AND HE DOESN'T IGNORE IT. HE COMES TO THEM AND HE SAYS: AARON AND MOSES, YOU GO TO MY PEOPLE AND YOU TELL THEM: I AM THE LORD! AND I'M GOING TO SHOW YOU THAT I AM THE LORD. AND I AM GOING TO PROVIDE FOR YOU FOOD IN THIS WILDERNESS WITH MY MIRACULOUS POWER. DO YOU REMEMBER WHAT MOSES AND AARON SAID TO THE PEOPLE? WHY ARE YOU GRUMBLING ABOUT US? WHO ARE WE? YOU'RE GRUMBLING AGAINST GOD! YOU HAVE PLACED YOURSELF IN THE ALMIGHTY ALL-POWER ETERNAL GOD'S PRESENCE AND NOW YOU'RE GOING TO TELL HIM WHAT'S WRONG THAT HE HAS DONE. KNOW THIS. GOD HAS HEARD YOU. AND HE IN LOVE RESPONDS AND ANSWERS YOU BY PROVIDING YOU WITH FOOD THAT YOU NEED. BUT BE CAREFUL HOW YOU USE IT. DON'T GET GREEDY. TAKE ENOUGH FOR THE DAY. TAKE TWICE AS MUCH ON THE SIXTH DAY. BECAUSE THE LORD HAS PROVIDED THAT. THE PEOPLE WENT OUT AND SAW THAT DEW ON THE GROUND. THEY SAW THE GLORY OF THE LORD IN THEIR PRESENCE. AND WHEN THE DEW DRIED UP, THERE WERE THOSE LITTLE FLAKES AND THEY ASKED EACH OTHER: WHAT IS IT? AND MOSES SAID: THE FOOD OF THE LORD. GATHER IT IN. AN OMER PER PERSON. SOME GATHERED IN A LOT. SOME GATHERED IN A LITTLE AND WE'RE TOLD THAT IT ALL WORKED OUT. BUT THEY WEREN'T TO KEEP ANY FOR THE NEXT DAY. BUT YET SOME PEOPLE DIDN'T TRUST THE LORD. SO WHAT DID THEY WAKE UP TO IN THE NICE LITTLE HOARD OF FOOD THAT THEY THOUGHT THEY WERE GONNA KEEP FOR THEMSELVES? A PILE OF MAGGOTS AND STENCH! IT'S IMPORTANT TO OBEY THE LORD. IT'S IMPORTANT TO HONESTLY UNDERSTAND WHAT'S GOING ON. JESUS WAS THAT HONEST WITH THOSE PEOPLE WHO SAW HIM PROVIDE THAT MIRACULOUS FOOD FOR THEM FROM A FEW LOAVES OF BREAD AND SOME FISH. AND THEY CAME AFTER HIM BECAUSE THEY WANTED TO BE FED. THEY WANTED TO BE WITH HIM BECAUSE OF WHAT HE COULD DO. AND JESUS SAID TO THEM: IT'S NOT ABOUT WHAT I CAN DO. IT'S ABOUT WHO I AM! AND WHY I HAVE COME TO YOU. AND I KNOW WHY YOU'RE HERE. AND YES, THEY WANTED TO DO THE WORK FOR THE LORD - THEY ASKED THAT OF CHRIST, AND WHAT DID HE SAY? BELIEVE IN ME IS THE WORK OF THE LORD! BELIEVE IN ME! BECAUSE HE SAID: I AM THE BREAD OF LIFE! I AM THE ONE WHO SATISFIES ALL OF YOUR NEEDS. NOT JUST PHYSICAL NEEDS. BUT I AM THE ONE WHO SATISFIES YOUR LONGING AND YEARNING IN YOUR HEART. THOSE ARE HONEST WORDS. TODAY PEOPLE MIGHT SAY HARSH. OR EVEN THE WORDS THAT THE APOSTLE PAUL WROTE TO THE EPHESIANS. I WANT TO TELL YOU SOMETHING. AND I AM GOING TO INSIST ON IT. THIS IS NOT SOMETHING THAT IS WISHY-WASHY. THIS IS NOT SOMETHING THAT YOU CAN TAKE OR NOT TAKE. THAT YOU CAN PUT INTO PRACTICE OR NOT PUT INTO PRACTICE. I INSIST ON THIS: THAT YOU NO LONGER LIVE IN YOUR FORMER WAY OF LIFE. THAT YOU DO NOT LIVE IN THE FUTILITY OF THOSE WHO DO NOT HAVE FAITH. LIVE IN CHRIST! DON'T BE IGNORANT. BE MADE NEW IN RIGHTEOUSNESS. THEY'RE SIMPLE WORDS TO US AND WORDS THAT WE HEAR BUT WORDS THAT WE CONSANTLY NEED TO REMIND OURSELVES OF BECAUSE OF OUR VERY HUMAN NATURE. OUR VERY HUMAN NATURE IS THAT WE LIKE TO BE IGNORANT. WE DON'T LIKE TO HEAR THE LAW COME DOWN ON US. WE DON'T LIKE TO HEAR THE FACT THAT GOD IS NOT PLEASED WHEN WE DO NOT ACT IN ACCORD WITH HIS WILL. WHEN WE'RE LIKE THOSE PEOPLE IN THE OLD TESTAMENT WHO DIDN'T TRUST GOD ENOUGH BUT HAD TO HOARD FOOD BECAUSE THEY THOUGHT THEY WEREN'T GONNA GET ANYTHING TOMORROW. OR THOSE PEOPLE WHO ALL THEY COULD DO WAS GRUMBLE AND COMPLAIN ABOUT THE SERVANTS THAT GOD HAD APPOINTED TO THEM. OR THAT WE RUN TO GOD LIKE THE PEOPLE RAN TO JESUS BECAUSE WE WANT HIM TO TAKE CARE OF OUR LIFE HERE AND MAKE IT EASY FOR OUR PHYSICAL NEEDS. BUT WE DON'T TURN TO GOD AND REALIZE THAT HE IS: 'THE BREAD OF LIFE'! WHO HAS SAVED US. WHO HAS COME IN TO OUR HELPLESS DARKENED LIVES WITH HIS LIGHT. TO SHOW US THE TRUTH. TO SHOW US THE WAY. TO POINT TO HIMSELF AS THE ONE WHO TAKES AWAY ALL OF OUR SIN! THAT'S WHAT WE LEARN OF CHRIST. THAT'S WHAT THE SCRIPTURES ARE FILLED WITH. THAT HE IS THE ONE WHO SAVES US FROM OUR SINS. THAT GOD FORGIVES US OUR SINS THROUGH CHRIST. THAT HE IS THE ONE WHO SAVES US FROM CONDEMNATION OF DEATH ETERNALLY AND GIVES US LIFE IN HEAVEN. THAT HE IS THE ONE WHO HAS DEFEATED THE DEVIL AND IS ON OUR SIDE IN THAT STRUGGLE. IN THAT STRUGGLE TO DO WHAT IS RIGHT. AND THAT STRUGGLE IS A PART OF OUR DAILY LIFE AS LONG AS WE AS CHRISTIANS TAKE BREATH IN THIS WORLD. WE NEED TO KNOW THAT. AND BE AWARE OF THAT. BECAUSE WHEN WE BECOME IGNORANT OF THAT WE LOSE OUR SENSITIVITY. AND THE WORLD WANTS TO BEAT US DOWN SO THAT WE DON'T HAVE A SENSITIVITY ANYMORE. THAT WE DON'T STRUGGLE. THAT WE DON'T FIGHT TO PRESERVE WHAT GOD'S WILL IS IN OUR LIFE. DO WHAT YOU WANT IS WHAT THE WORLD SAYS. BUT WE AS CHRISTIANS SOMETIMES JUST LOOK AT WHAT GOES ON AND WE THINK HOW CAN THIS BE? AND THE APOSTLE PAUL TELLS US: VERY EASILY ... BECAUSE THEIR HEARTS HAVE BEEN HARDENED. THEIR HEARTS HAVE BEEN HARDENED AGAINST GOD, AGAINST HIS WILL, AGAINST HIS WORD. AND WITHOUT GOD, THE ONLY THING THAT MATTERS IS ME AND MY FEELINGS AND MY THOUGHTS AND WHAT MAKES ME HAPPY. AND IT'S AN EMPTY LIFE THAT ENDS IN ETERNAL DEATH. OUTSIDE OF THE GRACE OF GOD. BUT GOD HAS COME TO EACH OF US. CALLED US BY THAT GOSPEL TO BELIEVE AND TRUST IN JESUS CHRIST HIS SON. THAT WE HAVE FAITH THAT KNOWS AND UNDERSTANDS THE STRUGGLE. I MEAN THE APOSTLE PAUL HIMSELF PUT IT VERY CLEARLY IN THE ROMANS: THE GOOD THAT WE WANT TO DO THAT WE DON'T DO. WE KNOW THE GOOD THAT GOD WANTS US TO DO, BUT WE DON'T DO IT. WE ALSO KNOW WHAT GOD DOESN'T WANT US TO DO, AND THAT'S WHAT WE KEEP DOING. IT'S A REMINDER TO US THAT OUR SINFUL NATURE IS STILL WITH US. STILL WANTING US NOT TO LISTEN TO GOD. NOT TO DO HIS WILL. TO DO EVERYTHING AGAINST HIM. BUT PAUL ENCOURAGED THE EPHESIANS AND HE ENCOURAGES US TO LIVE IN CHRIST. STOP THINKING LIKE THE WORLD. STOP THINKING LIKE THE UNBELIEVERS BECAUSE YOU ARE NOT THEM. YOU ARE DIFFERENT. YOU HAVE BEEN CALLED OUT OF THE WORLD TO BE THE CHILDREN OF GOD. LIVE IN CHRIST. IMITATE HIM. FOLLOW HIS EXAMPLE. PUT THAT INTO PRACTICE IN YOUR LIFE AND TRUST IN HIM. TRUST IN HIM AS YOUR LORD AND SAVIOR. TRUST IN HIM THAT HE WILL BE WITH YOU. TRUST IN HIM THAT HE WILL PROTECT YOU. TRUST IN HIM THAT HE IS ACTIVE IN YOUR DAILY LIFE. BECAUSE YOU HAVE BEEN MADE NEW IN THE RIGHTEOUSNESS OF CHRIST. THAT OLD SELF THAT WAS SUCH A PART OF YOU, THAT SINFUL NATURE, WAS DROWNED IN THE WATERS OF YOUR BAPTISM. HELD UNDER WATER UNTIL IT WAS DEAD. AND THROUGH CHRIST, WE ARE DEAD TO SIN. AND EACH AND EVERY DAY, WE ARE ALLOWED BY CHRIST'S GRACE TO PUT ON HIS ROBE OF RIGHTEOUSNESS. TO LIVE IN THAT GRACE. TO LIVE IN THE KNOWLEDGE THAT WE ARE THE VICTORS THROUGH JESUS CHRIST AND WHAT HE HAS DONE. TO GET UP EACH MORNING WITH A RENEWED ZEAL AND A RENEWED LOVE OF GOD. TO PRAY TO HIM FOR THE STRENGTH TO GET THROUGH THE DAY LIVING FOR CHRIST. SHOWING OUR FAITH. FOLLOWING THAT WILL OF GOD TO MAKE US AWARE OF WHAT'S GOING ON; TO THINK ABOUT WHAT WE'RE DOING. TO THINK ABOUT WHAT WE'RE SAYING. TO STOP IN OUR LIFE AND ASK OURSELVES: HOW DO I SHOW THAT I AM A CHILD OF GOD? INSTEAD OF LETTING THAT BASE NATURE IN US COME OUT AND WE JUST GET ANGRY. OR WE JUST EXPLODE. OR WE JUST DO NOTHING. WE HAVE A TREMENDOUS GIFT. WE HAVE A TREMENDOUS GIFT. IT IS THE GIFT OF OUR FAITH. AND IT IS ONE THAT WE NEED TO KEENLY BE AWARE OF. IT MATTERS IN OUR DAILY LIFE. TO DO THE WORK OF GOD IS TO BELIEVE IN HIM. TO TRUST IN JESUS CHRIST AS THE LORD OF YOUR LIFE. AS THE ONE WHO HAS SAVED YOU. AND YOU SHOW YOUR THANKS IN THAT LIFE BY LIVING IN ACCORD WITH HIS WILL. LIVING IN CHRIST AS HIS FOLLOWERS. DOING WHAT HE SAYS. OBEYING HIS COMMANDS. PUTTING INTO PRACTICE OUR FAITH. AND I COME TO YOU TODAY WITH HONEST WORDS. NOT TO JUST TRY THIS. NOT TO MAYBE TRY IT ON MONDAYS, WEDNESDAYS AND FRIDAYS BECAUSE THAT'S ABOUT ALL I CAN HANDLE THIS WEEK WITH EVERYTHING ELSE THAT'S GOING ON. BUT AS PAUL SAYS: I INSIST ON IT. LIVE YOUR FAITH. LOOK AT YOUR LIFE. WHAT ARE YOU LIVING FOR? WHAT CONSUMES YOUR DAY AND YOUR TIME AND YOUR THOUGHTS? WHAT'S NUMBER ONE IN YOUR HEART? THE LORD SAYS HE WANTS THAT PLACE. ABOVE EVERYTHING ELSE. THAT WE LOVE HIM AND FEAR HIM AND TRUST IN HIM ABOVE EVERYTHING ELSE. AND HOW DO WE SHOW HIM THAT WE KNOW THAT? WE PUT OUR TRUST IN HIM. TO LIVE IN CHRIST. TO STOP WITH THE FUTILITY OF THE THINKING THAT IS AROUND US. TO NOT BE IGNORANT, BUT BE SMART, BECAUSE WE'VE ALL BEEN TAUGHT WHAT GOD'S WORD SAYS. WE'VE BEEN TAUGHT WHAT GOD WANTS FROM US. HE HAS TAKEN US FROM OUR FORMER WAY OF LIFE AND GIVEN US NEW LIFE IN CHRIST. LIVE IN CHRIST! AMEN. LET US RISE. NOW MAY THE PEACE OF GOD WHICH GOES BEYOND ALL OF OUR UNDERSTANDING KEEP YOUR HEARTS AND YOUR MINDS AND ESPECIALLY YOUR LIVES IN THE ONE TRUE FAITH UNTO LIFE EVERLASTING. AMEN.