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Our culture longs for authenticity. We’re tired of fakers and phonies who say one thing and do another. People should just be true to themselves and have the courage to flout tradition when it holds them back from genuine self-expression. However, this mentality results in major individual and social problems from sexually transmitted diseases to sexual harassment to racism and mass shootings. Christianity offers a better way, by providing a standard to conform ourselves to that maximally enables human flourishing.

Colossians 3:1-5 The terminology in v5 is excessively hostile: “put to death what is earthly in you.” Don’t reason with it, or seek to diminish its influence. Don’t try to understand it, or make excuses for it. Kill it! Put it down.

Colossians 3:6 God did not design us to behave this way. He gave us passions but placed boundaries on them. When people defy His original intention, it bothers Him.

Colossians 3:7-10 This is the language of clothing: put off and put on. We must strip off the old way of being a human (Adam) and clothe ourselves with the new way of being a human (Christ), which is being renewed in knowledge according to the image of its Creator--the way God originally designed us.

Colossians 3:11 Not only behavior but social barriers need to change. Ethnicity, social status, education, independence are all outshone by the splendor of Christ’s radiant glory, enabling harmony between us all.

Colossians 3:12-17 Imagine that there are two towns that live by each of these opposing ways: Freetown and Corpus Christi. Which would you rather live in? As you conform to the Christian lifestyle, it becomes second nature. It does not crush you or rob you of your humanity, but it provides the necessary boundaries to make human growth and flourishing possible.

Matt. 12:46-50 - Jesus radically redefines what constitutes being family.

Why can the church love those outside the church, but fail to love those inside?

The issue comes down to identity. We have forgotten who we are, thus it affects our treatment of each other.

We have forgotten that our battle is not against flesh and blood - Eph. 6:12

How we should treat one another is with love: 1 Corinthians 13

1. Love is patient / love is not frustrated or indifferent

2. Love is kind / love is not mean or vindictive

3. Love is not arrogant / love is humble

4. Love does not seek its own / love serves others

5. Love is not provoked / love sees through the out lash

Galatians 6:9-10 - Treat the household of God well!

Hebrews 10:24-25 - Stir people to life!

1. Remember you and the family of God are royalty. Treat each other as such.

2. The enemy is not people but the spiritual forces of wickedness.

3. Love, encourage, and stir one another to good deeds.

God’s demonstration of His love for you

Romans 5:6-9 - Much More - Even more than being justified, we are saved from the wrath to come.

10 -- Much More than enemies reconciled, we shall be saved by His life.

11 -- The Greek word translated exult is also translated rejoice, boast, glory, and exalt. “Exult” in English means show or feel elation or jubilation, especially as the results of a success.

12 -- Begins to show the relationship of the two Adams that are parallel and the antithesis, counterpart. As one of a pair of gloves is to its mate, corresponding but in reverse, so is Jesus Christ to Adam.

15 -- Much More The result of Adam had a specific ending -- death; however, in Christ much more the result is unending life.

17 -- Much More With Adam death reigned; much more with Christ, we reign in life.

20 -- Finally, Much More (worded a little differently “abounded all the more”) - Sin had increased; now, much, much more grace abounds.

1 Corinthians 15:20-22, 45-49 - As one of a pair of gloves is to its mate, corresponding but in reverse, so is Jesus Christ to Adam.

Since God so abundantly demonstrated to you His love, you should unalterably pursue Him.

Matthew 5:6 - Do not lose the passion, or make a point to regain the passion.

6:33 Seek His Kingdom unendingly; seek His righteousness

7:7-12 Ask, seek, and knock. Do more, much more, like He did for you. Do not lose heart; and if you do, ask Him to revive you.

Deuteronomy 32:3-4 All His ways are just.

Psalm 89:13-14 Righteousness and justice are the foundation of His throne.

Isaiah 30:18 Yahweh is a God of justice.

Luke 23:13-25 Jesus was interrogated by Annas, Caiaphas, the Sanhedrin, Pilate, and Herod, and no fault was found.

Jesus was innocent, and Barabbas was guilty. The innocent should be freed, and the guilty be punished, but the opposite happened. Little did anyone understand that the situation with Jesus and Barabbas was a type for all humanity’s redemption.

To understand God’s justice, we must first understand sin.

Romans 6:19 Sin is lawlessness. Matthew 7:23; 13:41-43; 1 John 3:4

Romans 5:10 Sin makes us God’s enemies.

Romans 8:6-8 We were hostile toward God.

Just like Barabbas was insurgent against Rome, we were against God and deserved death by crucifixion. The reason Pilate eventually agreed to crucify Jesus was the people saying he made himself out to be king in the stead of Caesar, basically insurrection, sedition. The Romans punished the insurgent this way so everyone would fear and not rebel. Jesus died for insurrection, and the really guilty one, Barabbas, was freed.

Luke 23:33 When viewed with the other gospels, we understand that 4 others were crucified with Jesus. Luke focuses on these two.

39-43 Again we see a type here, justification through God’s grace, mercy received by the one of faith.

Romans 3:23-31; 5:6-11; 6:1-3 We are justified through Jesus by faith.

Ephesians 6:11-12 Notice the Apostle Paul doesn’t just say “the devil” here, rather he warns about rulers, authorities, cosmic powers, and spiritual forces of evil.

Psalm 89:5-7; Job 1:6-7; 38:4-7 According to these verses there are heavenly beings beside God, including the sons of God and Satan

Genesis 6:4; Deuteronomy 4:19-20; 32:7-9; Daniel 10:12-14; 12:1 We can glean a few details about these heavenly beings. God may have assigned these heavenly beings to serve as guardians over the nations.

Psalm 82:1-8 These “gods” did not guide the people aright; instead they showed partiality to the wicked! As a result of this behavior, God will judge them.

1 Corinthians 10:19-21 It could be that the idols of the nations were not merely statues, but physical pointers to powerful spirits.

Ephesians 6:11-12 Regardless of what the backstory is, it is clear that these spiritual powers are real, and we need to take them seriously.

Christ has defeated them through his ministry (John 12:31-33; 14:30-31), crucifixion (1 Corinthians 2:6-8), resurrection (Colossians 2:13-15), and ascension (Ephesians 1:19-23).

Ephesians 2.4-6; Colossians 2:10 We are seated with him in heavenly places, above all rule and authority.

Colossians 3.1-4 This fact should affect how we live, giving us both confidence and victory.

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Revelation 20:1-3 The devil was not created evil; rather, according to Ezekiel 28, he was beautiful and blameless, the cherub anointed to cover in Eden. He became evil in the garden. He was lifted up with pride and motivated by jealousy of God.

Genesis 3:14 His fall seems to be simultaneous with Adam’s and Eve’s for after their fall the devil is cursed.

Revelation 12:4 - Sometime between the fall of man and the flood, he convinced 1/3 of the angels to join with him against Yahweh. Revelation 5:11 John’s vision there are myriads of myriads (exceeding great, countless), and thousands...

2 Peter 2:4 and Jude 1:6. Some of these demons were locked in chains awaiting their final judgment in the abyss, the same place the devil will go.

2 Corinthians 11:3-ff The devil tries to deceive us as he did Eve.

Revelation 12:9 He deceives the whole world.

John 10:10 He is the thief that steals, kills, and destroys.

Revelation 12:10 He is the accuser of the brethren.

Ephesians 2:2 He is the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now works within the children of disobedience.

1 Peter 5:8 Our adversary

2 Corinthians 4:4 He is the god of this age, the object of man’s worship.

Ephesians 6:12 Our struggle in life is against him.

5 -- Acts 24:15; Daniel 12:2 Two resurrections (everlasting life or everlasting contempt) separated by 1,000 years

John 5:29 Resurrection of life or resurrection of judgment

Luke 14:14 The first is the resurrection of the righteous - 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18

1 Corinthians 15:1-ff Called “the resurrection of the just”

Luke 20:36 The children of God, being the children of the resurrection

Hebrews 11:35 The better resurrection

9 -- During the 1,000 years, many people will be born, and the earth will be repopulated. These people live during a time when the temptations of the devil are nonexistent, so perhaps they (like all those before them) must decide the lordship of Christ when facing evil choices. Apparently, many are deceived.

11-15 -- The second resurrection and final judgments for all those who were not included in the first resurrection including those born in the millennial

The lake of fire is a symbol of eternal destruction, not a literal lake. It is the same as Gehenna, but it is different from hell, which is the common grave of mankind. It occurs five times 19:20; 20:10, 14, 15; 21:8. The following are cast into the lake of fire:

Devil and his angels - Matthew 25:41

Death cannot literally be burned.

Hades or the grave cannot be harmed by literal fire

The beast and false prophet

All the unrighteous

The Lake of fire is a symbol of eternal destruction; it is the second death. The first kind of death... To read the rest of the notes visit lhim.org/sermons

Matthew 25:1-13 Parable of the Virgins: Don’t fool yourself into thinking you’re ready when you’re not.

V1 “Kingdom of heaven” is confusing for us, but rather than thinking of a triple-decker afterlife geography, think of a three-part timeline

“Kingdom of heaven” occurs 32 times (only in the Gospel of Matthew)

“Kingdom of heaven” = “kingdom of God” (Matthew 19:23-24)

Prophecies about God’s Kingdom: Isaiah 35:1-2; Amos 9:13; Isaiah 2:4; Micah 4:6-7; Zephaniah 3:17-19

Matthew 19:28

Jesus said to them, "Truly, I say to you, in the new world, when the Son of Man will sit on his glorious throne, you who have followed me will also sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel.

Matthew 25:14-30 Parable of the Talents: Don’t sit on your salvation, but use your talents for God.

- 1 talent = 6,000 drachmas = 16.44 years of labor

- median* USA salary in 2016 was $30,533.31

- 1 talent = $500,000 ($501,967.62)

- 2 talents = $1 million ($1,003,935.23)

- 5 talents = $2.5 million ($2,509,838.08)

*According to the Social Security Administration (Average and Median Amounts of Net Compensation) ssa.gov/OACT/COLA/central.html

Whatever your ability, are you using it to serve the Lord?

Matthew 25:31-46 Judgment of the Sheep and the Goats: Jesus takes it personally how people treat his followers, especially the poor.

This is not so much a parable as it is a prophecy about the end. (See also Matthew 7:21-23; 24:29-31.)

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