Calvary Baptist Church - Canyon Texas - David Crump, Pastor

The Power of the Gospel

Part 3: He Condemned Sin

All over the world this gospel is bearing fruit and growing, just as it has been doing among you. (Colossians 1:6)

Romans 8:1-4

v. 1 Those of us who are in Christ are no longer under any condemnation.

v. 2 The power of the Spirit overcame the power of sin and death over me, through Christ Jesus.

v. 3 God condemned sin in sinful man. How could God condemn sin in the flesh of Jesus Christ? There was no sin in Jesus Christ to condemn.

So the question is: Whose sin was condemned when Jesus' flesh was tortured and killed? God condemned sin in the flesh of his completely innocent Son. What sin? Whose sin?

2 Corinthians 5:21, "[God] made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him."

It was my sin and your sin that was condemned in Jesus Christ. He was innocent. He committed no sin. He deserved no punishment.

But he took on the punishment of your sin and my sin once and for all that that we should never bear it.

My sin, oh, the bliss of this glorious thought!

My sin, not in part but the whole,

Is nailed to the cross, and I bear it no more,

Praise the Lord, praise the Lord, O my soul!

Sin Has Been Condemned, not Merely Shown to Be Condemnable

What does it mean that God condemned sin? Did he criticize sin? Like when a political figure condemns and act of terrorism?

No, God did something more than the law could do. The law criticized and called sin condemnable.

He means that in Jesus' flesh – in his suffering and dying body on the cross – God executed a final sentence of condemnation on the sin of everyone who is in Christ.

"God condemned sin" means God found sin guilty and sentenced sin to be finally punished and carried out the penalty of suffering in the death of his Son.

The death of Jesus Christ takes away all my condemnation. Because when he died God was condemning sin, sentencing it, and punishing it completely and fully and finally for all who are in Christ by faith. It was my sin that was being condemned and sentenced and punished when Christ died. And if my sin was punished there finally and fully, I will not be punished for it again.

The punishment for our sins was carried out on Jesus Christ.

This is why, for us who believe in Him, that we find sin so appalling.

1 John 3:9

9No one who is born of God will continue to sin, because God's seed remains in him; he cannot go on sinning, because he has been born of God.

Romans 6:1-2

1What shall we say, then? Shall we go on sinning so that grace may increase? 2By no means! We died to sin; how can we live in it any longer?

Sin is what was killing us. It is what killed Jesus. How can we live in it anymore?

As a believer, I want to live my life that honors Jesus’ sacrifice.

I don’t want to treat His sacrifice as if it doesn’t matter. He died to set me free from sin.

Romans 6:15-18

15What then? Shall we sin because we are not under law but under grace? By no means! 16Don't you know that when you offer yourselves to someone to obey him as slaves, you are slaves to the one whom you obey—whether you are slaves to sin, which leads to death, or to obedience, which leads to righteousness? 17But thanks be to God that, though you used to be slaves to sin, you wholeheartedly obeyed the form of teaching to which you were entrusted. 18You have been set free from sin and have become slaves to righteousness.

We were slaves to sin. Jesus death broke sin’s claim over my life. I have been set free from sin’s grip on me. I am no longer its slave.

I am now a slave to righteousness, to do what is right and honorable.

All over the world this gospel is bearing fruit and growing, just as it has been doing among you. (Colossians 1:6)

Three decades after Christ’s resurrection, the Gospel had spread rapidly to every corner of the Roman Empire.

Everywhere the Gospel was introduced, in every culture, every socioeconomic group it was growing and bearing fruit. Among the poor, rich, slave, free, Jew, Gentile, it was overcoming every boundary and changing lives all over the known world.

The Gospel has the power to change lives. Not just one time. We put so much emphasis on conversion that too often people miss the power of the Gospel throughout the rest of our lives.

We think that conversion is up to God, and then the rest of sanctification is up to us. Not true.

The Gospel is so powerful, that the fullness of what Christ has done for us has to be explored for the rest of our lives.

Talking to other parents… the hope we have for our children is not our ability as parents, not our wisdom, the only real hope we have for them is the mercy and power of God (the Gospel) to be at work in their lives. We grow in our faith, to have more trust in God for our children. That’s the power of the Gospel.

Because of the fullness of all that Christ has brought, the Gospel has the power to continue the work of sanctification and redemption in you and me.

If the Gospel has the power to rescue us from the dominion of darkness and bring us into the kingdom of the Son, it has power for transformation, renewal, and change.

Our problem is that we can become very comfortable where we are – even comfortable with bad things.

Being merciless, unloving, ungenerous, ungrateful, discontent, apathetic, disengaged in what God is doing.

When was the last time you had significant change your life because of the Gospel?

What fruit are you bearing? How are you growing?

If Jesus returned today, would you be embarrassed by some things that are still in your life?

Some things you never got around to?

God has given us His power to love Him, follow Him, and carry out His calling.

I pray that God would reveal to us the power He has for us in the Gospel to redeem, sanctify, grow us, and bear fruit through us.

Romans 8:1-2

V 1 – “There is no condemnation for those in Christ Jesus”

The law brought condemnation because it points out, condemns and even stimulates sin in us.

But Christians are no longer under the law, but in Christ.

Chapter 6 declares that Christians have a life of holiness in union with Christ.

Chapter 7 declares that Christians have a life of freedom from the law.

Chapter 8 declares that Christians are indwelt by the Holy Spirit and He gives us life, sustains us, directs us, and enriches our lives.

Defeat permeates nearly all of Chapter 7, but in Chapter 8, Paul shows that the Spirit brings to the Believer’s life power and victory.

V 2 – “law of the Spirit of life set me free”

The Spirit set me free from sin and death.

The Spirit is life-giving.

Paul uses the term the “law” here to mean the “controlling power.”

I was once under the power of sin and the result would be my death.

But the power of the Spirit overcame the power of sin and death over me, through Christ Jesus.

Romans 8:3

The law could not change my sinful nature. In fact, the law points out and even stimulates sin.

Telling me what I should and could not do, did not help. It could not overcome my sinful nature.

Behavior modification does not work. We need transformation.

God did what the law could not do; He made me righteous by overcoming my sin through the death of Jesus Christ.

God sent Jesus, God in the flesh, so that…

I could get his righteousness and He took on my sin to make me right before God.

Matt Chandler: There is nothing more exhausting than not having genuine affection for Jesus and trying to obey all the rules.

You can spend your life checking the boxes, trying to modify your behavior without any love for Jesus or understanding of the Gospel. Its’ exhausting.

Kids get muddy in the back yard. You don’t let them clean themselves up.

Honestly trying to clean yourself up only makes a bigger mess.

The problem with all of it – is us. No list of rules, behavior modification cannot overcome our sinful nature.

There is no silver bullet to being healed or made whole.

There is only pursuit of Jesus Christ and the fullness of what He has done for us.

He came in the flesh so that you could have his righteousness and He could take your sin

You can be right before God, not because you checked all the boxes, but because He’s beautifully gracious.

He offers anyone who would believe that Jesus came to pay the penalty for your sins and to give you his righteous life, anyone’s sins can be forgiven and they can receive Christ’s righteousness.

Two weeks ago: Laodiceans were rich and did not know their need for God. They became lukewarm in their faith. Jesus told them “come to me for His true riches, His white clothes to cover their shameful state, and salve for their eyes so they could see their true spiritual condition.”

Last week: He is the treasure in the field. He is the pearl of great value.

If we lose everything, but gain Christ, we are truly blessed.

Deuteronomy 4:29

But if from there you seek the LORD your God, you will find him if you look for him with all your heart and with all your soul.

God must be pursued.

Jeremiah 2:11-13

11 Has a nation ever changed its gods? (Yet they are not gods at all.)

But my people have exchanged their Glory for worthless idols.

12 Be appalled at this, O heavens, and shudder with great horror,"

declares the LORD.

13 "My people have committed two sins: They have forsaken me,

the spring of living water, and have dug their own cisterns,

broken cisterns that cannot hold water.

God is forsaken (left behind, abandoned, deserted). It’s appalling, horrifying.

He is the Glory of Israel, the spring of living water.

People in the OT had idols, I don’t have them.

The problem is we’ve all forsaken God. Not back in our teens, THIS WEEK.

We all look for fulfillment and significance and having our needs met in other places besides God.

“That to which you heart clings is your god.” – Martin Luther

God will not take second place to anything.

Not your pursuit of wealth, not your busy life, not anything.

The Bible says 10 times that God is a jealous God or that His people made him jealous.

Exodus 34:14

14 Do not worship any other god, for the LORD, whose name is Jealous, is a jealous God.

You will never know the fullness of God without pursuing Him.

You will never know the fullness of his peace, hope, grace, help, direction, purpose, without pursuing him.

But if you pursue Him, He’ll come near to you.

James 4:8

8Come near to God and he will come near to you. Wash your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded.

Christianity is not a passive faith. It is active.

It is leaving the past behind, pressing on, moving forward, advancing, maturing faith.

Following Christ is a battle.

On one side, your sinful nature is looking anywhere else but to God for your deep needs of significance, security, purpose, fulfillment and joy in your life.

On the other side, you are feeding your soul with knowledge of God, meditating on His goodness, and His word. Praying to God to bring transformation of our minds and hearts to love Him more.

Kindling.

When you pray – not to just to ask God for what you want – but in an attempt to commune with the Lord.

When you read the scriptures – not just to check it off your list – but in hope that the Lord will use it to transform your heart and mind.

When you meditate on His word and His goodness.

When you pray throughout the day for the Lord to use you and be glorified in your life.

The kindling is not the goal. It is the means.

The goal is to draw near to Christ so that He might draw near to us and ignite in us a changed heart and mind to love Him more, to follow Him better.

The goal is that we might look to Him more and more as our great reward.

The Rewarder

Your Very Great Reward

Last week: Laodiceans were rich and did not know their need for God. They became lukewarm in their faith. Jesus told them they needed to come to Him for His true riches, His white clothes to cover their shameful state, and salve for their eyes so they could see their true spiritual condition.

Genesis 15:1-6

1 After this, the word of the LORD came to Abram in a vision:

"Do not be afraid, Abram.

I am your shield,

your very great reward."

Abram’s very great reward is not only the inheritance that God had promised him, but that God Himself was his reward. For Abram to know God was in itself a reward.

Matthew 13:44-46

44"The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field. When a man found it, he hid it again, and then in his joy went and sold all he had and bought that field.

45"Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant looking for fine pearls. 46When he found one of great value, he went away and sold everything he had and bought it.

The kingdom of heaven is synonymous with the kingdom of God.

The kingdom of God is the present and future saving reign of God and of Christ.

The treasure in the field and the pearl of great value is the kingdom of God – His saving reign.

The point of the parable is the value of the kingdom of God. The kingdom of God is so valuable that losing everything on earth, but getting the kingdom, is a happy trade-off. Having the omnipotent, saving reign of Christ in our lives is so valuable that, if we lose everything, in order to have it, it is a joyful sacrifice.

Parables usually make one main point. And the point here is not that the kingdom is bought, but that if it costs you everything you have, it’s worth it. Notice two things: The man sold everything he had, and he did it with joy.

The kingdom of God is so valuable that losing everything on earth, but getting the kingdom, is a happy trade-off. That’s the main point.

The apostle Paul expresses the same thought in…

Philippians 3:7-8

7But whatever was to my profit I now consider loss for the sake of Christ. 8What is more, I consider everything a loss compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them rubbish, that I may gain Christ

Knowing Christ is more valuable than anything else in this life.

If we lose everything, but gain Christ, we are blessed.

Jesus tells us how great our love for him should be in comparison to the rest of our life.

Matthew 10:37-39

37"Anyone who loves his father or mother more than me is not worthy of me; anyone who loves his son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me; 38and anyone who does not take his cross and follow me is not worthy of me. 39Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.

Our love for God should be so great that our love for everything else in this life pales in comparison.

He is the treasure in the field, worth everything else in this life.

He is the pearl of great value.

Gaining Christ is worth losing everything else.

How is your love and desire for God?

Is it half-hearted? Is your relationship with Him mediocre? Are your affections split between the things of this life and Him?

This is the battle we all face in following Christ. Our hearts are easily swayed.

Ephesians 1:17

17I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know him better.

In knowing Him better, we find we love him more.

What do you need from God?

To Moses, God described Himself "as compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness, 7 maintaining love, and forgiving wickedness, rebellion and sin.”

He is described in scripture as the God who hears, sees me, provides, heals me. The God Who is present, is peace. The God Who is my righteousness.

God is seen in the scriptures as the unending source of life, light, joy, truth, wisdom.

Spring of living water (Jeremiah 2 & 17, John 4, and Revelation 21)

He is to the psalmist the rock, fortress, shelter in who we can find strength and safety.

He is the giver of joy and comfort, the God in Whom we delight.

He provides wisdom and strength to those who ask of Him.

He is the One who shows mercy, forgiveness, and love.

He is the One who brings salvation, redemption,

Jesus is referred to as the “Author and Finisher” of our faith

The richness of God is something that can be forever explored, but never fathomed.

Isaiah 64:4

4 Since ancient times no one has heard, no ear has perceived, no eye has seen any God besides you, who acts on behalf of those who wait for him.

Because we are so empty and God is so full;

Because we are so destitute and He is so abounding;

Because we are so limited and He is so limitless;

Because we are so needy and He is so desiring to meet our need;

When God’s people do not go to Him with their needs, it’s appalling.

Jeremiah 2:12-13

12 Be appalled at this, O heavens, and shudder with great horror,"

declares the LORD.

13 "My people have committed two sins: They have forsaken me, the spring of living water, and have dug their own cisterns, broken cisterns that cannot hold water.

Revelation 3:14-22

v 14 – Jesus is the “Amen”, “so be it”, telling of his sovereignty

The true and faithful witness – John previously wrote that Jesus is the truth

Ruler of God’s creation – He existed before and rules over all creation

Vv15,16 – The Laodiceans were neither hot nor cold; disgusting to the palette.

V17 – “I am rich… and don’t need anything” – They were content with material wealth, but did not realize their spiritual poverty.

Why were they lukewarm?

Luke 7:41-42 – Jesus anointed by a sinful woman

41"Two men owed money to a certain moneylender. One owed him five hundred denarii, and the other fifty. 42Neither of them had the money to pay him back, so he canceled the debts of both. Now which of them will love him more?"

43Simon replied, "I suppose the one who had the bigger debt canceled."

"You have judged correctly," Jesus said.

They did not know their need for God. They were fine with their stuff. That made them lukewarm.

The God of Jeremiah, who said, “be appalled” at my people who go to other places to have their needs met. How do you think He responds to people who don’t know they need him?

“I’m about to spew you out of my mouth.”

Of all the letters to the 7 churches, the church at Laodicea was the only one that Christ did not commend for something.

He said, you are “wretched, pitiful, poor, blind, and naked.”

V18 – what does God counsel them to do? Stop being so wretched? No, “buy from me…

Gold – the things from God that are truly valuable (truth, light, life, salvation)

Clothes – to cover over your sin and shame with His righteousness.

Salve – to open their eyes to see spiritual truth: their pitiful condition and God’s generous offer.

V19 Those I love, I discipline – See Hebrews 12.

Be earnest and repent. Of what? Not knowing your need for me.

Being so satisfied with your stuff that you don’t know you need me.

V20-22 Jesus is outside, knocking at the door. Who is inside – its’ His church. He says He wants to fellowship, but we can’t do that while you’re inside and I’m outside.

Hebrews 11:6

6And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.

Psalm 37:4

4 Delight yourself in the LORD and he will give you the desires of your heart.

The idea that God is to be our joy and delight is lost on most Christians.

We know God is to be feared, obeyed, respected, devoted… but enjoyed sounds foreign to our minds when it comes to God.

But delighting in God is no less a command than the commands to obey him.

We have a mindset that the things of this world are what bring us joy. But this is not the psalmist’s view

Psalm 4:7

7 You have filled my heart with greater joy than when their grain and new wine abound.

The truth is that we are all looking for joy, delight, happiness.

“All men seek happiness, this is without exception. Whatever different means they employ, they all tend to this end. The cause of some going to war, and of others avoiding it, is the same desire in both, attended with different views. The will never takes the least step but to this object. This is the motive of every action of every man, even of those who hang themselves.” – Blaise Pascal

Augustine's view is that the entire Christian life is seen as a relentless quest for the fullest joy in God. He said, "The whole life of a good Christian is a holy desire." In other words, the key to Christian living is a thirst and a hunger for God.

"O Lord, that I may love you [freely], for I can find nothing more precious. Turn not away your face from me, that I may find what I seek. Turn not aside in anger from your servant, lest in seeking you I run toward something else.” – Augustine

And one of the main reasons people do not understand or experience the awakening of sovereign joy is that their hunger and thirst for God is so small.

If there lurks in most modern minds the notion that to desire our own good and earnestly to hope for the enjoyment of it is a bad thing, I submit that this notion… is no part of the Christian faith. Indeed, if we consider the unblushing promises of reward and the staggering nature of the rewards promised in the Gospels, it would seem that our Lord finds our desires, not too strong, but too weak. We are half-hearted creatures, fooling about with drink and sex and ambition when infinite joy is offered us, like an ignorant child who wants to go on making mud pies in a slum because he cannot imagine what is meant by the offer of a holiday at the sea. We are far too easily pleased. (C.S. Lewis, The Weight of Glory)

Phil 4 – Rejoice in the Lord always.

Psalm 32 – Rejoice in the Lord and be glad.

The problem is, we think we should find joy in everything else but God.

Psalm 16

1 Keep me safe, O God, for in you I take refuge.

2 I said to the LORD, "You are my Lord; apart from you I have no good thing."

3 As for the saints who are in the land, they are the glorious ones in whom is all my delight.

4 The sorrows of those will increase who run after other gods.

I will not pour out their libations of blood or take up their names on my lips.

5 LORD, you have assigned me my portion and my cup; you have made my lot secure.

6 The boundary lines have fallen for me in pleasant places; surely I have a delightful inheritance.

7 I will praise the LORD, who counsels me; even at night my heart instructs me.

8 I have set the LORD always before me. Because he is at my right hand, I will not be shaken.

9 Therefore my heart is glad and my tongue rejoices; my body also will rest secure,

10 because you will not abandon me to the grave, nor will you let your Holy One see decay.

11 You have made known to me the path of life; you will fill me with joy in your presence, with eternal pleasures at your right hand.

God is to be enjoyed and delighted in. When we are in his presence, He gives us joy and eternal pleasures.

Jesus taught the greatest commandment: Love God with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength

For us to love God is a miracle. It is the product of God’s work in our lives.

George Mueller prayed, “when I wake up, fill me or else I will step out with my vacancies and use people to try to meet my needs. I don’t want to do that to them and I don’t want to live that way. I must have you. I must feast on you. You’re the satisfaction of my soul. Then my soul overflows to bless other people.”

When we pray, “God, I must have you. Fill me.”

There is a yearning in the hearts of men for meaning; a cause; something significant; bigger than ourselves.

We look for meaning all around us.

We hope to find it in love – in the eyes of a man or woman, but it’s never enough.

In a career, but so many people are either bored or lost in work.

In your talents, finding what you’re good at and doing it well. But there’s never enough success.

All of those things, love, career, talents are good, but they’re not ultimate, not able to satisfy.

What is THE answer?

Psalm 19:1-2 Creation declares His glory.

1 The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands.

2 Day after day they pour forth speech; night after night they display knowledge.

Isaiah 48:9-11 His patience is for His own name’s sake.

9 For my own name's sake I delay my wrath; for the sake of my praise I hold it back from you, so as not to cut you off.

10 See, I have refined you, though not as silver; I have tested you in the furnace of affliction.

11 For my own sake, for my own sake, I do this. How can I let myself be defamed?

I will not yield my glory to another.

Exodus 9:13-16 The plagues against Egypt for his name.

13 Then the LORD said to Moses, "Get up early in the morning, confront Pharaoh and say to him, 'This is what the LORD, the God of the Hebrews, says: Let my people go, so that they may worship me, 14 or this time I will send the full force of my plagues against you and against your officials and your people, so you may know that there is no one like me in all the earth. 15 For by now I could have stretched out my hand and struck you and your people with a plague that would have wiped you off the earth. 16 But I have raised you up for this very purpose, that I might show you my power and that my name might be proclaimed in all the earth.

Psalm 106:7-8 He saved the Israelites for his name’s sake

7 When our fathers were in Egypt, they gave no thought to your miracles;

they did not remember your many kindnesses, and they rebelled by the sea, the Red Sea. 8 Yet he saved them for his name's sake, to make his mighty power known.

Psalm 79:9 In petition, His help for us for His glory. His deliverance and forgiveness for His name’s sake

9 Help us, O God our Savior, for the glory of your name; deliver us and forgive our sins for your name's sake.

1 Samuel 17 – the reason David faces Goliath

“the whole world will know that there is a God in Israel.”

Psalm 23:3 He guides me in righteousness for his name’s sake.

3 he restores my soul. He guides me in paths of righteousness for his name's sake.

Luke 2:14 The birth of Jesus, angels declared:

“Glory to God in the highest”

Luke 11:2 Jesus taught the disciples what to pray.

“He said to them, “when you pray, say: ‘Father, hallowed be your name.’”

John 12:27-28 The crucifixion

27"Now my heart is troubled, and what shall I say? 'Father, save me from this hour'? No, it was for this very reason I came to this hour. 28Father, glorify your name!" Then a voice came from heaven, "I have glorified it, and will glorify it again."

Isaiah 43:6-7 God’s sons and daughters are created for His glory.

6 I will say to the north, 'Give them up!' and to the south, 'Do not hold them back.'

Bring my sons from afar and my daughters from the ends of the earth-

7 everyone who is called by my name, whom I created for my glory, whom I formed and made."

1 Peter 2:9 We declare His praises

9But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light.

1 Peter 2:12 Morality for God’s glory

12Live such good lives among the pagans that, though they accuse you of doing wrong, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day he visits us.

1 Corinthians 6:19-20 Sexual purity to honor God

19Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; 20you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your body.

1 Corinthians 10:31 Whatever you do, for the glory of God

31So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God.

Everything is about Him. To display and treasure His glory.

Romans 11:33-36

33Oh, the depth of the riches of the wisdom and knowledge of God!

How unsearchable his judgments, and his paths beyond tracing out!

34"Who has known the mind of the Lord? Or who has been his counselor?"

35"Who has ever given to God, that God should repay him?"

36For from him and through him and to him are all things.

To him be the glory forever! Amen.

Everything is about Him – the heavens, his patience, his mercy, my life, your life, it’s all from him, through him and to him.

Sounds selfish of God, “love does not seek its own.”

But if you have something valuable, you share it with people you love.

God is the most valuable, so He shares Himself.

Isaiah 26:8 God’s people declare His name and His renown.

8 Yes, LORD, walking in the way of your laws, we wait for you;

your name and renown are the desire of our hearts.

Pressing On

Your High Calling

What fills your heart with passion?

The human spirit is built with a desire for significance and impact.

Most men lead lives of quiet desperation and go to the grave with the song still in them. -Henry David Thoreau

There is a yearning in the souls of men for meaning.

God created us this way.

Philippians 3:12-14

To Paul, his calling was something he followed after; chased.

It did not strike him like lightning. It wasn’t handed to him on a silver platter from heaven.

He had to press on to attain it.

Calling must be actively pursued. “not that I have already taken hold of all this, but I press on”

He hadn’t taken hold of it – When Philippians was written Paul had already taken three missionary journeys. The third he went all the way to Greece and Macedonia.

Calling is a lifelong pursuit.

You cannot tire of chasing after Christ and His purpose for you.

You must press on and press in to Christ.

It rarely comes all at one time. It comes step by step.

Calling is unique. “for which Christ Jesus took hold of me.”

Paul’s calling was specifically his. He saw a specific purpose that Jesus had for him.

Your calling is yours. My calling is mine.

God created us uniquely and calls us to unique work.

Ephesians 2:10

For we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.

You must discover it for yourself. You cannot discover God’s purpose for you vicariously through someone else.

You have to press on and pursue Christ on your own.

The people you read and podcast are pursuing their own calling. They can help inspire you and teach you, but the pursuit of your calling belongs to you.

Calling cannot be separated from relationship with Christ. “I want to know Christ.”

Philippians 3:8

8What is more, I consider everything a loss compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them rubbish, that I may gain Christ

God is infinitely more interested in you than in what you can do for Him.

Isaiah 43:6-7 – my people, created for my glory

6 I will say to the north, 'Give them up!' and to the south, 'Do not hold them back.'

Bring my sons from afar and my daughters from the ends of the earth-

7 everyone who is called by my name, whom I created for my glory,

whom I formed and made."

In case you’re thinking that Paul was a superstar Christian and that this only pertains to him,

Philippians 3:15

15All of us who are mature should take such a view of things. And if on some point you think differently, that too God will make clear to you.

God put a desire in mens’ hearts for meaning and significance and purpose.

He will be the One to lead you into it.

Tell God your desire for meaning in this life.

Ask God for what purpose am I here?

Philippians 3:7-11

v. 7 “what was to my profit” – the things Paul used to hold on to as valuable.

Paul’s superior Jewish tradition had once made him confident in His standing with God.

Now, he considers them “loss” for Christ. He renounced them.

They were actually a hindrance in gaining righteousness in Christ.

Pharisaic righteousness was a danger to his soul.

v. 8 “everything a loss” – any religious effort, everything that I he thought gained God’s favor.

To come to Christ, you have to give up everything else that you think gives you merit with God.

Everything else is a hindrance from gaining Christ.

The knowledge of Christ eclipsed everything else in Paul’s vision.

Christ came into Paul’s life and transformed him. God made him conscious of a new way. The old things passed away gone and everything became new.

“rubbish” refuse or excrement.

“that I may gain Christ” to gain His righteousness and enjoy all the grace and glory that surrounds Him.

v. 9 “found in him” passive voice – discovered or proved to be.

To be in Christ is to be linked with Him in active relationship so His life pulsates through my being, His power and motivation spur us on.

If Paul is in Christ, then he has Christ’s righteousness. It has been given to (imputed to) Paul.

All of Paul’s efforts, successes and failures are null and void. “All our righteous acts are like filthy rags” www.vimeo.com/12348372.webloc(Isaiah 64:6)

v. 10 Paul knows Christ, but compared to how he’d like to know Him.

The power of his resurrection –

Ephesians 1:18-20

18I pray also that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints, 19and his incomparably great power for us who believe. That power is like the working of his mighty strength, 20which he exerted in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly realms

Fellowship of His sufferings – to suffer like Christ suffered, for the cause for which Christ suffered: the glory of the Father and the salvation of men.

Conformed to His death – to die to self and sin as Christ did

Psalm 78:38

38 Yet he was merciful; he forgave their iniquities and did not destroy them.

Time after time he restrained his anger and did not stir up his full wrath.

Exodus 34:6-7

6 And he passed in front of Moses, proclaiming, "The LORD, the LORD, the compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness, 7 maintaining love to thousands, and forgiving wickedness, rebellion and sin. Yet he does not leave the guilty unpunished; he punishes the children and their children for the sin of the fathers to the third and fourth generation."

In describing Himself, God says He is

• slow to anger

• abounding in love (hesed) and faithfulness

• maintaining love (hesed)

• forgiving wickedness, rebellion and sin

God, in His nature, exhibits a forgiving love. It is part of Who He is.

When we look at the righteousness of God, we see that we need a forgiving God, because we’re nowhere close.

I’ve been walking with God for 24 years, I can see growth in my life, but I see better now than ever that I’m a hopeless case.

Were it not for the forgiveness of God, I would never be able to find Him, walk with Him, and ultimately to be with Him.

I need His forgiveness.

Ephesians 4:32

32Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.

Be kind and compassionate to one another – because your heavenly Father is kind and compassionate.

Forgive each other; just as in Christ God forgave you.

Matthew 18:21-35

Vv 21-22 Peter thought 7 was a lot to forgive someone.

Jesus taught that there is no limit to how many times we are to forgive someone.

Vv 23-25 Ten thousand talents – probably several million dollars. A talent was probably a measure of god between 58 and 80 pounds.

He owed a debt he could never repay, even giving all that he had, it was not enough.

Vv 26-27 When he begged for mercy, the master took pity on him. He canceled the debt. He let him go.

Vv 28-30 A denarius was a silver coin worth about 16 cents – a few dollars.

He had been forgiven an enormous amount, but wouldn’t forgive a tiny amount.

Vv 31-35 The servants knew it was wrong.

The master called him in and turned him over to be jailed and tortured.

“This is how my heavenly Father will treat each of you unless you forgive your brother from your heart.”