WEBVTT 00:00:02.219 --> 00:00:11.588 Ephesians 1. 00:00:11.588 --> 00:00:13.384 Let's pick up in verse 16 00:00:13.384 --> 00:00:15.660 through the end of the chapter. 00:00:15.660 --> 00:00:17.721 "I do not cease to give thanks for you..." 00:00:17.721 --> 00:00:22.266 the Apostle Paul speaking 00:00:22.266 --> 00:00:25.483 to the Ephesian Christians. 00:00:25.483 --> 00:00:29.866 The saints who are in Ephesus. 00:00:29.866 --> 00:00:35.516 "I do not cease to give thanks for you..." 00:00:35.516 --> 00:00:38.330 So Paul is actually speaking to them 00:00:38.330 --> 00:00:43.444 about his own prayer life. 00:00:43.444 --> 00:00:45.735 I don't cease to give thanks for you, 00:00:45.735 --> 00:00:49.014 "remembering you in my prayers." 00:00:49.014 --> 00:00:53.149 This is a window into the prayers of Paul. 00:00:53.149 --> 00:00:54.742 And he's going to tell them 00:00:54.742 --> 00:00:59.108 about certain petitions that he makes 00:00:59.108 --> 00:01:04.775 on behalf of these Ephesian Christians. 00:01:04.775 --> 00:01:07.050 "...Remembering you in my prayers 00:01:07.050 --> 00:01:09.639 that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, 00:01:09.639 --> 00:01:11.955 the Father of glory, 00:01:11.955 --> 00:01:15.629 may give you..." 00:01:15.629 --> 00:01:21.646 See, he wants and he prays for 00:01:21.646 --> 00:01:23.684 these Ephesians that God would 00:01:23.684 --> 00:01:26.110 give them something. 00:01:26.110 --> 00:01:28.049 It's a petition. 00:01:28.049 --> 00:01:30.499 May God give you "the spirit of wisdom 00:01:30.499 --> 00:01:35.599 and revelation in the knowledge of Him." 00:01:35.599 --> 00:01:40.287 He's praying for the spirit, or a spirit your Bible may say 00:01:40.287 --> 00:01:42.770 of wisdom and of revelation 00:01:42.770 --> 00:01:48.090 in the knowledge of God. 00:01:48.090 --> 00:01:53.243 "...Having the eyes of your hearts enlightened." NOTE Paragraph 00:01:53.243 --> 00:01:55.148 And he's asking specifically 00:01:55.148 --> 00:01:56.900 that their eyes would be open 00:01:56.900 --> 00:02:02.831 to three realities. 00:02:02.831 --> 00:02:04.702 One, "that you may know 00:02:04.702 --> 00:02:08.358 what is the hope of your calling." 00:02:08.358 --> 00:02:11.154 Or "the hope to which you have been called," 00:02:11.154 --> 00:02:12.365 or "He has called you." 00:02:12.365 --> 00:02:17.598 "What are the riches of His glorious inheritance in the saints." 00:02:17.598 --> 00:02:19.184 That's the second petition. 00:02:19.184 --> 00:02:24.305 The third, "and what is the immeasurable greatness 00:02:24.305 --> 00:02:27.863 of God's power toward us who believe, 00:02:27.863 --> 00:02:30.327 according to the working 00:02:30.327 --> 00:02:33.495 of His great might that He worked in Christ 00:02:33.495 --> 00:02:35.351 when He raised Him from the dead 00:02:35.351 --> 00:02:37.038 and seated Him at His right hand 00:02:37.038 --> 00:02:38.570 in the heavenly places 00:02:38.570 --> 00:02:40.496 far above all rule and authority 00:02:40.496 --> 00:02:42.338 and power and dominion, 00:02:42.338 --> 00:02:46.997 and above every name that is named, 00:02:46.997 --> 00:02:49.302 not only in this age, 00:02:49.302 --> 00:02:51.183 but also in the one to come. 00:02:51.183 --> 00:02:52.991 And He put all things under His feet 00:02:52.991 --> 00:02:55.235 and gave Him as head over all things 00:02:55.235 --> 00:02:57.385 to the church which is His body, 00:02:57.385 --> 00:03:02.662 the fullness of Him who fills all in all." 00:03:02.662 --> 00:03:05.558 I want to draw your attention 00:03:05.558 --> 00:03:07.781 to verses 20 and 21. 00:03:07.781 --> 00:03:10.936 Let's go to the Lord. NOTE Paragraph 00:03:10.936 --> 00:03:17.368 Father, it's Your Word. 00:03:17.368 --> 00:03:18.639 Thank You, Father, 00:03:18.639 --> 00:03:25.854 that You've given us a Bible. 00:03:25.854 --> 00:03:31.358 Oh Lord, You have given us a treasure. 00:03:31.358 --> 00:03:35.281 I pray for these my brothers and sisters, 00:03:35.281 --> 00:03:37.353 for myself, 00:03:37.353 --> 00:03:41.572 that we might have the eyes of our hearts 00:03:41.572 --> 00:03:44.896 enlightened and made aware 00:03:44.896 --> 00:03:50.328 and kept freshly cognizant of the fact 00:03:50.328 --> 00:03:56.393 that we possess the very words of God 00:03:56.393 --> 00:04:00.673 in a book. 00:04:00.673 --> 00:04:06.292 Father, I pray that this Word 00:04:06.292 --> 00:04:08.773 would be preached in this place today. 00:04:08.773 --> 00:04:11.380 That is the charge 00:04:11.380 --> 00:04:12.824 that You have given to me, 00:04:12.824 --> 00:04:17.542 and I pray that I would be able 00:04:17.542 --> 00:04:20.927 to be faithful to preach this Word 00:04:20.927 --> 00:04:24.033 as You intended it to be preached. 00:04:24.033 --> 00:04:26.558 I pray that You'd give us that help. 00:04:26.558 --> 00:04:29.493 Amen. NOTE Paragraph 00:04:29.493 --> 00:04:32.238 Verses 20 and 21. 00:04:32.238 --> 00:04:36.009 Look at them. 00:04:36.009 --> 00:04:37.427 "...That He worked in Christ 00:04:37.427 --> 00:04:39.017 when He raised Him from the dead 00:04:39.017 --> 00:04:40.599 and seated Him at His right hand 00:04:40.599 --> 00:04:42.073 in the heavenly places 00:04:42.073 --> 00:04:43.973 far above all rule and authority 00:04:43.973 --> 00:04:45.562 and power and dominion 00:04:45.562 --> 00:04:47.291 and above every name that is named, 00:04:47.291 --> 00:04:49.169 not only in this age, 00:04:49.169 --> 00:04:52.728 but also in the one to come." 00:04:52.728 --> 00:04:54.852 Loaded. 00:04:54.852 --> 00:04:59.662 Loaded with foundational doctrines 00:04:59.662 --> 00:05:02.914 of our Christianity. 00:05:02.914 --> 00:05:05.847 Think about the doctrines specified here. 00:05:05.847 --> 00:05:09.087 One being that Christ was indeed dead. 00:05:09.087 --> 00:05:10.736 You don't raise Him from the dead 00:05:10.736 --> 00:05:14.125 unless He was dead. 00:05:14.125 --> 00:05:20.041 Two: That He's been raised from the dead. 00:05:20.041 --> 00:05:23.534 Three: Christ was raised from the dead 00:05:23.534 --> 00:05:25.157 by God the Father; 00:05:25.157 --> 00:05:29.121 by the power of God the Father. 00:05:29.121 --> 00:05:32.252 A fourth truth here: Christ has ascended up to glory; 00:05:32.252 --> 00:05:36.309 is enthroned at the right hand of the majesty on high; 00:05:36.309 --> 00:05:39.272 the right hand of God the Father. 00:05:39.272 --> 00:05:41.458 A fifth truth here: Christ has been exalted 00:05:41.458 --> 00:05:43.384 far above all rule and authority 00:05:43.384 --> 00:05:45.381 and power and dominion. 00:05:45.381 --> 00:05:47.153 He is Lord. He is King. 00:05:47.153 --> 00:05:49.400 He is above all. 00:05:49.400 --> 00:05:52.689 And sixth, Christ now reigns supreme, 00:05:52.689 --> 00:05:55.298 not only through the end of this age, 00:05:55.298 --> 00:05:57.887 but out into the eternal age to come. 00:05:57.887 --> 00:06:00.357 Forevermore enthroned. 00:06:00.357 --> 00:06:01.752 He is there. 00:06:01.752 --> 00:06:05.750 This is the ultimate fulfillment 00:06:05.750 --> 00:06:09.122 of Him being seated on the throne 00:06:09.122 --> 00:06:11.146 of His father David 00:06:11.146 --> 00:06:13.595 at the right hand of His Father 00:06:13.595 --> 00:06:19.225 forever - this age and the age to come. NOTE Paragraph 00:06:19.225 --> 00:06:21.662 These two texts - 00:06:21.662 --> 00:06:24.135 what a Christology is contained 00:06:24.135 --> 00:06:25.820 just here in these truths! 00:06:25.820 --> 00:06:27.903 Paul may go through them very quickly. 00:06:27.903 --> 00:06:30.424 Brethren, this is the bedrock 00:06:30.424 --> 00:06:32.950 of what we believe. 00:06:32.950 --> 00:06:37.666 I mean these truths right here - 00:06:37.666 --> 00:06:39.196 I'll tell you this, 00:06:39.196 --> 00:06:42.920 these truths fly in the face of Catholicism. 00:06:42.920 --> 00:06:44.434 Do they not? 00:06:44.434 --> 00:06:46.389 I mean, they want to exalt Mary. 00:06:46.389 --> 00:06:49.708 Everything about this text is the exaltation of Christ. 00:06:49.708 --> 00:06:51.797 Flies in the face of Islam. 00:06:51.797 --> 00:06:53.552 Does it not? 00:06:53.552 --> 00:06:58.904 This is it. NOTE Paragraph 00:06:58.904 --> 00:07:04.286 Well, you know what Paul's talking about? 00:07:04.286 --> 00:07:08.042 He's talking about the power of Christianity. 00:07:08.042 --> 00:07:13.296 And what I want to do is tie 00:07:13.296 --> 00:07:18.312 verse 19 through verses 20 and 21. 00:07:18.312 --> 00:07:20.496 You remember, we've been looking 00:07:20.496 --> 00:07:21.914 at these three petitions. 00:07:21.914 --> 00:07:23.700 They all start with the word "what." 00:07:23.700 --> 00:07:24.841 The third of them: 00:07:24.841 --> 00:07:26.906 What is the immeasurable 00:07:26.906 --> 00:07:28.994 or the exceeding greatness 00:07:28.994 --> 00:07:30.922 of this power of God. 00:07:30.922 --> 00:07:32.999 He wants us to have the eyes - 00:07:32.999 --> 00:07:35.657 how's he praying? 00:07:35.657 --> 00:07:41.542 God, enable Your people to see this! 00:07:41.542 --> 00:07:46.424 A power that is towards the believer. 00:07:46.424 --> 00:07:49.608 We're talking about the might of God 00:07:49.608 --> 00:07:51.823 that was worked in Christ. 00:07:51.823 --> 00:07:53.398 It's according to that. 00:07:53.398 --> 00:07:55.663 Not only that raised Him from the dead - 00:07:55.663 --> 00:07:57.133 you don't want to stop there. 00:07:57.133 --> 00:08:00.316 Many talk here that this is basically 00:08:00.316 --> 00:08:02.166 the power of resurrection. 00:08:02.166 --> 00:08:03.653 Brethren, it's beyond that. 00:08:03.653 --> 00:08:05.230 It's the power of ascension. 00:08:05.230 --> 00:08:07.026 It's the power of enthronement. 00:08:07.026 --> 00:08:10.867 It's the power of the ruling supreme Christ 00:08:10.867 --> 00:08:13.139 over every rule and authority 00:08:13.139 --> 00:08:14.467 and power and dominion. 00:08:14.467 --> 00:08:15.838 And it's forever! 00:08:15.838 --> 00:08:17.172 It's not just temporary. 00:08:17.172 --> 00:08:19.191 It's not a temporary enthronement; 00:08:19.191 --> 00:08:20.452 a temporary kingdom. 00:08:20.452 --> 00:08:21.682 It is forever. 00:08:21.682 --> 00:08:23.538 This age and the age to come. 00:08:23.538 --> 00:08:26.082 This is taking Christ not only out of the grave 00:08:26.082 --> 00:08:27.313 and up into life, 00:08:27.313 --> 00:08:29.942 but ascending up into supremacy. 00:08:29.942 --> 00:08:33.446 This is the power that is being put on the table. 00:08:33.446 --> 00:08:34.859 And what he's saying is, 00:08:34.859 --> 00:08:38.058 the power at work or towards you 00:08:38.058 --> 00:08:41.819 that is directed at the believer 00:08:41.819 --> 00:08:47.602 is in accord with this reality. 00:08:47.602 --> 00:08:50.062 We're talking about the power of Christianity. NOTE Paragraph 00:08:50.062 --> 00:08:52.351 Have you come to know this? 00:08:52.351 --> 00:08:53.918 Have you come to know 00:08:53.918 --> 00:08:56.724 of a Christianity 00:08:56.724 --> 00:09:01.947 in which the power of God Almighty is real? 00:09:01.947 --> 00:09:03.846 That's the reality. 00:09:03.846 --> 00:09:06.328 Is there some sort of power 00:09:06.328 --> 00:09:08.768 that accords in your life 00:09:08.768 --> 00:09:10.582 that is somehow or another 00:09:10.582 --> 00:09:12.609 a reflection of Christ 00:09:12.609 --> 00:09:14.131 being raised from the dead? 00:09:14.131 --> 00:09:15.660 Make no mistake about it, 00:09:15.660 --> 00:09:19.590 this is the Christianity of Scriptures. 00:09:19.590 --> 00:09:21.446 We're not talking dead religion here. 00:09:21.446 --> 00:09:23.161 This is the authentic thing. 00:09:23.161 --> 00:09:24.771 This is the real thing. 00:09:24.771 --> 00:09:28.650 We need to come to grips with that reality. 00:09:28.650 --> 00:09:29.621 I think we are. 00:09:29.621 --> 00:09:32.013 I think we are largely. 00:09:32.013 --> 00:09:36.437 But brethren, don't be satisfied 00:09:36.437 --> 00:09:39.687 with powerless Christianity. 00:09:39.687 --> 00:09:41.060 Not in others. 00:09:41.060 --> 00:09:42.582 Not in yourself. 00:09:42.582 --> 00:09:44.156 Not in this church. 00:09:44.156 --> 00:09:47.902 Don't be satisfied. 00:09:47.902 --> 00:09:50.330 I mean, do you see what God is inspiring 00:09:50.330 --> 00:09:52.358 Paul to say to us? 00:09:52.358 --> 00:09:54.809 Brethren, we have every reason to expect 00:09:54.809 --> 00:09:57.491 that we - well, like I was praying before, 00:09:57.491 --> 00:09:59.396 that God is going to make a difference 00:09:59.396 --> 00:10:01.649 between us and Egypt. 00:10:01.649 --> 00:10:03.316 God is going to make a difference. 00:10:03.316 --> 00:10:05.142 Where this kind of power is unleashed, 00:10:05.142 --> 00:10:07.244 it can't help but make a difference. 00:10:07.244 --> 00:10:08.449 Where you have the power 00:10:08.449 --> 00:10:10.511 of Almighty God being unleashed, 00:10:10.511 --> 00:10:12.866 and you compare that to an environment 00:10:12.866 --> 00:10:14.999 where His power is not being unleashed, 00:10:14.999 --> 00:10:17.181 but people play at Christianity. 00:10:17.181 --> 00:10:20.589 Would you expect there is going to be a difference? 00:10:20.589 --> 00:10:22.706 Brethren, I hope you have that expectation. 00:10:22.706 --> 00:10:25.019 I hope in the days ahead you have an expectation 00:10:25.019 --> 00:10:26.938 of a Christianity that resembles this. NOTE Paragraph 00:10:26.938 --> 00:10:28.546 This is the only Christianity 00:10:28.546 --> 00:10:30.471 that offers any hope to this world. 00:10:30.471 --> 00:10:31.645 This idea of going out 00:10:31.645 --> 00:10:33.166 and just multiplying decisions, 00:10:33.166 --> 00:10:34.715 you know full well, 00:10:34.715 --> 00:10:37.548 regeneration is on the table, brethren. 00:10:37.548 --> 00:10:40.890 We need power that brings life. 00:10:40.890 --> 00:10:44.165 Power that brings exaltation. 00:10:44.165 --> 00:10:47.051 Power that brings enthronement. 00:10:47.051 --> 00:10:49.196 This is what he's talking about here. 00:10:49.196 --> 00:10:51.085 This is what he wants them to grasp. 00:10:51.085 --> 00:10:55.659 This is the real deal. NOTE Paragraph 00:10:55.659 --> 00:10:58.665 We should never be satisfied with dead religion. 00:10:58.665 --> 00:11:00.923 Never. 00:11:00.923 --> 00:11:02.398 You see churches planted 00:11:02.398 --> 00:11:03.726 or the Gospel going forth 00:11:03.726 --> 00:11:07.420 in Nicaragua or in Mexico 00:11:07.420 --> 00:11:09.872 or in Lebanon or in China 00:11:09.872 --> 00:11:11.092 or in Indonesia. 00:11:11.092 --> 00:11:13.303 Brethren, we should not be content 00:11:13.303 --> 00:11:15.850 with anything but this. 00:11:15.850 --> 00:11:18.163 This is it. 00:11:18.163 --> 00:11:19.914 This is what we must have. 00:11:19.914 --> 00:11:21.926 It is a religion of power. 00:11:21.926 --> 00:11:24.194 We're talking about the God of power. 00:11:24.194 --> 00:11:27.007 The God who acts in power. 00:11:27.007 --> 00:11:28.606 Do you recognize that? 00:11:28.606 --> 00:11:30.622 That's what Christianity is all about. 00:11:30.622 --> 00:11:32.304 It's about the God who acts. 00:11:32.304 --> 00:11:33.973 It's about the God who arises. 00:11:33.973 --> 00:11:37.679 It's about the God who does something. 00:11:37.679 --> 00:11:39.150 If God doesn't do anything, 00:11:39.150 --> 00:11:40.452 we're dead in the water. 00:11:40.452 --> 00:11:43.239 And what he's saying is, do you recognize? 00:11:43.239 --> 00:11:45.880 Ephesians, you're not dead in the water. 00:11:45.880 --> 00:11:47.934 Do you recognize the kind of power 00:11:47.934 --> 00:11:49.489 that is at work there? 00:11:49.489 --> 00:11:51.302 True Christianity is always 00:11:51.302 --> 00:11:54.889 the activity of God powerfully breaking in. 00:11:54.889 --> 00:11:58.228 Brethren, Christianity is not us waking up 00:11:58.228 --> 00:12:00.114 and reaching out towards God. 00:12:00.114 --> 00:12:02.214 It's God powerfully reaching down 00:12:02.214 --> 00:12:04.356 into the depths of where we're at 00:12:04.356 --> 00:12:05.707 and doing something; 00:12:05.707 --> 00:12:07.610 initiating something. 00:12:07.610 --> 00:12:09.598 Always that is the picture. 00:12:09.598 --> 00:12:11.973 Any notion of Christianity 00:12:11.973 --> 00:12:13.536 that's mainly the result 00:12:13.536 --> 00:12:15.372 of something that we do - 00:12:15.372 --> 00:12:16.576 you know what it is. 00:12:16.576 --> 00:12:18.323 It's always fake. It's always false. 00:12:18.323 --> 00:12:20.663 It's always fatal. You can be sure of it. 00:12:20.663 --> 00:12:24.359 Always. 00:12:24.359 --> 00:12:32.881 We are being faced by something here. NOTE Paragraph 00:12:32.881 --> 00:12:36.433 Brethren, I remember. 00:12:36.433 --> 00:12:38.311 Now you talk about an unworthy view 00:12:38.311 --> 00:12:40.757 of Christianity. 00:12:40.757 --> 00:12:43.707 I had it. 00:12:43.707 --> 00:12:46.440 I have an image in my mind 00:12:46.440 --> 00:12:52.480 and thoughts that went on in my head. 00:12:52.480 --> 00:12:54.870 I can't even hardly believe I'd say this, 00:12:54.870 --> 00:12:59.858 but almost 30 years ago, 00:12:59.858 --> 00:13:03.692 it was the summer after I got out of college. 00:13:03.692 --> 00:13:05.702 New job. 00:13:05.702 --> 00:13:07.869 New car. 00:13:07.869 --> 00:13:10.835 Sunday morning - not gloomy like this. 00:13:10.835 --> 00:13:13.311 Sunny southwest Michigan. 00:13:13.311 --> 00:13:17.581 Sunny summer Sunday morning. 00:13:17.581 --> 00:13:23.730 And a buddy and I are headed to Lake Michigan. 00:13:23.730 --> 00:13:26.860 And I'm driving down that highway, 00:13:26.860 --> 00:13:29.444 and I look over, 00:13:29.444 --> 00:13:34.414 and I see a church building. 00:13:34.414 --> 00:13:36.141 And it's just that time when people 00:13:36.141 --> 00:13:39.466 are driving into the parking lot. 00:13:39.466 --> 00:13:45.747 Families are walking across. 00:13:45.747 --> 00:13:50.498 They're going into the building. 00:13:50.498 --> 00:13:55.931 Brethren, I remember thinking to myself, 00:13:55.931 --> 00:14:02.814 I'm going to need to take care of that one day. 00:14:02.814 --> 00:14:05.812 Basically, my mindset was this. 00:14:05.812 --> 00:14:07.149 They got up. 00:14:07.149 --> 00:14:08.669 They decided to go to church. 00:14:08.669 --> 00:14:10.816 That's how you be a Christian. 00:14:10.816 --> 00:14:13.363 I got up, decided to buy beer, 00:14:13.363 --> 00:14:15.770 throw it in the trunk, grab my buddy, 00:14:15.770 --> 00:14:20.704 head west to the beach. 00:14:20.704 --> 00:14:21.989 And the day's going to come 00:14:21.989 --> 00:14:23.728 when I need to get up 00:14:23.728 --> 00:14:25.737 on a Sunday morning and I need to decide 00:14:25.737 --> 00:14:30.207 to do that rather than this. 00:14:30.207 --> 00:14:32.636 Pretty much, that was my idea of Christianity. 00:14:32.636 --> 00:14:34.792 I possessed the willpower. 00:14:34.792 --> 00:14:37.084 I possessed the power to do 00:14:37.084 --> 00:14:40.648 or not to do the Christian thing. 00:14:40.648 --> 00:14:46.489 Christianity was a choice. 00:14:46.489 --> 00:14:48.513 It was a choice I could make. 00:14:48.513 --> 00:14:49.993 Those people chose church. 00:14:49.993 --> 00:14:51.941 I chose the beach. 00:14:51.941 --> 00:14:55.418 That's how it is. NOTE Paragraph 00:14:55.418 --> 00:14:58.039 And you know as well as I do, 00:14:58.039 --> 00:15:02.682 all you've got to do is read this passage. 00:15:02.682 --> 00:15:04.714 What is the power? 00:15:04.714 --> 00:15:07.509 What is the exceeding greatness? 00:15:07.509 --> 00:15:09.826 The immeasurable greatness 00:15:09.826 --> 00:15:13.183 of the power - His power 00:15:13.183 --> 00:15:16.704 towards you; us-ward. 00:15:16.704 --> 00:15:19.616 Toward the believer. 00:15:19.616 --> 00:15:22.120 What sort of power is this? 00:15:22.120 --> 00:15:27.080 Ten thousand miles away 00:15:27.080 --> 00:15:29.568 from what I was thinking that day. NOTE Paragraph 00:15:29.568 --> 00:15:32.801 Christianity is a matter of power. 00:15:32.801 --> 00:15:34.941 It is a matter of God. 00:15:34.941 --> 00:15:36.341 It always has been. 00:15:36.341 --> 00:15:37.757 It always will be. 00:15:37.757 --> 00:15:39.554 And you know, 00:15:39.554 --> 00:15:41.873 I mean, let's go back there 30 years ago. 00:15:41.873 --> 00:15:43.587 Let's supposed on a whim 00:15:43.587 --> 00:15:45.931 my willpower had said, 00:15:45.931 --> 00:15:49.254 "Hey, Shawn, we're going in here." 00:15:49.254 --> 00:15:51.563 This will be fun before we head to the beach. 00:15:51.563 --> 00:15:54.461 We're going to sit in this service. 00:15:54.461 --> 00:15:56.204 Maybe my conscience is bothering me. 00:15:56.204 --> 00:15:59.031 We've got to do some work here. 00:15:59.031 --> 00:16:01.173 And so on a whim, I pull in there. 00:16:01.173 --> 00:16:03.078 And let's just suppose for a second 00:16:03.078 --> 00:16:06.805 those really were God's people. 00:16:06.805 --> 00:16:08.731 And they were really going in 00:16:08.731 --> 00:16:11.015 to meet with a true church 00:16:11.015 --> 00:16:13.384 and a true man of God was going to take the pulpit 00:16:13.384 --> 00:16:15.091 and really preach the Word of God. 00:16:15.091 --> 00:16:16.764 And he was going to do so in power. 00:16:16.764 --> 00:16:19.515 And I go in there in my willpower. 00:16:19.515 --> 00:16:22.630 What would I have had the capability of doing? 00:16:22.630 --> 00:16:24.767 Reality - what would that have looked like? 00:16:24.767 --> 00:16:26.323 It basically would have been 00:16:26.323 --> 00:16:29.649 a filthy pig walking in amongst doves 00:16:29.649 --> 00:16:31.786 or lambs, and what? 00:16:31.786 --> 00:16:34.246 What would I have done in my own power? 00:16:34.246 --> 00:16:35.897 I could have played the hypocrite. 00:16:35.897 --> 00:16:38.137 But I'll tell you how I was wired. 00:16:38.137 --> 00:16:39.855 Not so much the religious hypocrite, 00:16:39.855 --> 00:16:42.952 as much as I would have detested it. 00:16:42.952 --> 00:16:44.438 I would have hated being there. 00:16:44.438 --> 00:16:46.337 Everything in me would want to 00:16:46.337 --> 00:16:48.808 grab my buddy and run to my car 00:16:48.808 --> 00:16:52.562 and head west and get out of there. 00:16:52.562 --> 00:16:57.498 It would have been absolutely distasteful. NOTE Paragraph 00:16:57.498 --> 00:17:00.694 And you know what the sad reality is. 00:17:00.694 --> 00:17:04.136 The sad reality is this: 00:17:04.136 --> 00:17:05.380 With our Lord telling us 00:17:05.380 --> 00:17:08.028 many are going to say to Him in that day, "Lord, Lord." 00:17:08.028 --> 00:17:11.014 You know I just prayed these verses. 00:17:11.014 --> 00:17:13.304 That many have a form of godliness 00:17:13.304 --> 00:17:14.984 and they deny the power thereof. 00:17:14.984 --> 00:17:16.789 You know what the very likelihood is? 00:17:16.789 --> 00:17:19.088 Most of those people or all of those people 00:17:19.088 --> 00:17:22.304 attending that church probably weren't saved either. 00:17:22.304 --> 00:17:25.615 I mean, if you're just basically taking it as a whole 00:17:25.615 --> 00:17:27.568 and summing up what's said in Scripture. 00:17:27.568 --> 00:17:29.648 How many good churches are across the land? 00:17:29.648 --> 00:17:31.450 You know what the very likelihood is? 00:17:31.450 --> 00:17:33.512 They were playing the religious hypocrites. 00:17:33.512 --> 00:17:37.933 I would have gone in as a pagan. 00:17:37.933 --> 00:17:41.193 But brethren, whether it's powerless 00:17:41.193 --> 00:17:42.892 religious hypocrisy 00:17:42.892 --> 00:17:44.853 or powerless paganism, 00:17:44.853 --> 00:17:46.763 we all land in the same boat. 00:17:46.763 --> 00:17:49.225 We are incapable of doing anything 00:17:49.225 --> 00:17:52.059 unless God comes down; 00:17:52.059 --> 00:17:53.651 unless God acts. 00:17:53.651 --> 00:17:55.318 That's the way it always is. 00:17:55.318 --> 00:17:58.209 I had no idea driving down the road that day. 00:17:58.209 --> 00:18:01.331 My ideas... oh, my ideas 00:18:01.331 --> 00:18:05.149 were totally unworthy of Christianity. 00:18:05.149 --> 00:18:06.894 Totally unworthy of what it was 00:18:06.894 --> 00:18:08.157 to become a Christian. 00:18:08.157 --> 00:18:10.920 Totally. I had no idea. 00:18:10.920 --> 00:18:12.927 I had an idea once it really happened. 00:18:12.927 --> 00:18:16.226 I had an idea once God really broke into my life. 00:18:16.226 --> 00:18:19.043 Brethren, this is how it always is 00:18:19.043 --> 00:18:22.232 unless God shows up. 00:18:22.232 --> 00:18:26.567 It's dead religion or it's dead paganism. 00:18:26.567 --> 00:18:28.436 That's how it always is. NOTE Paragraph 00:18:28.436 --> 00:18:30.607 Some of you here know exactly that 00:18:30.607 --> 00:18:32.266 because that's where you're at. 00:18:32.266 --> 00:18:33.898 It's either dead religion 00:18:33.898 --> 00:18:35.337 or dead paganism. 00:18:35.337 --> 00:18:36.422 You've come in here, 00:18:36.422 --> 00:18:38.133 and you've got a form of godliness, 00:18:38.133 --> 00:18:40.179 but this kind of power we're talking about 00:18:40.179 --> 00:18:43.163 is not a reality in your life. 00:18:43.163 --> 00:18:45.694 Or you're just pagan. 00:18:45.694 --> 00:18:47.191 You come in here but you know, 00:18:47.191 --> 00:18:50.075 you're just like I would have been if I'd have gone in there. 00:18:50.075 --> 00:18:52.860 Everything in you is like the pig wanting the mire. 00:18:52.860 --> 00:18:54.427 You want it. You want it bad. 00:18:54.427 --> 00:18:56.802 All you can think about is getting out of here. 00:18:56.802 --> 00:19:01.169 All you can think about is the world. 00:19:01.169 --> 00:19:02.608 My willpower. 00:19:02.608 --> 00:19:06.064 What a pathetic thing is that? 00:19:06.064 --> 00:19:09.931 But that's basically what this world is all about. 00:19:09.931 --> 00:19:12.978 Self-righteousness, pride... 00:19:12.978 --> 00:19:14.350 Men's will. 00:19:14.350 --> 00:19:17.894 Men's willpower. 00:19:17.894 --> 00:19:20.304 Oh, what do we have? NOTE Paragraph 00:19:20.304 --> 00:19:21.641 I had no idea in those days 00:19:21.641 --> 00:19:23.522 about the truth of Ephesians 1:19, 00:19:23.522 --> 00:19:25.752 that the Christian's salvation only happens 00:19:25.752 --> 00:19:28.248 when you have some sort of massive demonstration 00:19:28.248 --> 00:19:30.912 of the power of God in the sinner. 00:19:30.912 --> 00:19:35.276 A Christian happens as a result 00:19:35.276 --> 00:19:37.109 of something outside himself. 00:19:37.109 --> 00:19:38.779 That's the reality. 00:19:38.779 --> 00:19:40.418 It depends not on the human will 00:19:40.418 --> 00:19:41.640 we're told in Scripture, 00:19:41.640 --> 00:19:44.108 or human exertion, but on God who has mercy. 00:19:44.108 --> 00:19:45.648 You show me a genuine Christian; 00:19:45.648 --> 00:19:47.935 you show me a genuine Christian in this place, 00:19:47.935 --> 00:19:50.261 and I will show you something 00:19:50.261 --> 00:19:54.598 that God is responsible for. 00:19:54.598 --> 00:19:57.312 God is responsible. 00:19:57.312 --> 00:19:58.881 No boasting, brethren. 00:19:58.881 --> 00:20:01.337 We just simply cannot boast here. 00:20:01.337 --> 00:20:08.903 It's like Lord, why? Why me? 00:20:08.903 --> 00:20:12.579 And you know what rings back to our ears from Scripture is: 00:20:12.579 --> 00:20:16.722 "I chose to have mercy on you." 00:20:16.722 --> 00:20:19.364 That's the answer. 00:20:19.364 --> 00:20:25.388 To bring one soul to true repentance 00:20:25.388 --> 00:20:28.192 and faith in the Lord Jesus Christ 00:20:28.192 --> 00:20:31.230 demands the immeasurable 00:20:31.230 --> 00:20:34.026 exceeding greatness of the strength 00:20:34.026 --> 00:20:36.298 of God's eternal might. 00:20:36.298 --> 00:20:38.837 And brethren, we're dead in the water without it. 00:20:38.837 --> 00:20:40.340 We need God. 00:20:40.340 --> 00:20:42.737 We need Him badly, brethren! 00:20:42.737 --> 00:20:45.518 We need Him badly! 00:20:45.518 --> 00:20:46.909 And I am so thankful 00:20:46.909 --> 00:20:49.335 that prayer meetings continue to be full 00:20:49.335 --> 00:20:51.022 because what that resonates 00:20:51.022 --> 00:20:54.396 is I'm among a group of people 00:20:54.396 --> 00:20:56.308 that feel that reality. 00:20:56.308 --> 00:21:00.028 We need You, Father! We need You! 00:21:00.028 --> 00:21:03.588 Is that not what these verses scream at us? 00:21:03.588 --> 00:21:07.522 We need Him. 00:21:07.522 --> 00:21:12.089 Paul's petition is that we would have eyes to see 00:21:12.089 --> 00:21:13.664 the reality of this power. NOTE Paragraph 00:21:13.664 --> 00:21:15.416 Now, here's the thing. 00:21:15.416 --> 00:21:19.355 Let's tie verse 19 together 00:21:19.355 --> 00:21:21.447 with verses 20 and 21. 00:21:21.447 --> 00:21:27.341 And really, the point of attachment, 00:21:27.341 --> 00:21:30.216 it comes through a preposition 00:21:30.216 --> 00:21:32.928 that is several words from the end 00:21:32.928 --> 00:21:35.571 of verse 19. 00:21:35.571 --> 00:21:41.122 Your Bibles say, "according to." 00:21:41.122 --> 00:21:43.309 Or the NAS if any of you have that, 00:21:43.309 --> 00:21:47.249 "in accordance with." 00:21:47.249 --> 00:21:52.118 According to. 00:21:52.118 --> 00:21:55.549 You all see that. 00:21:55.549 --> 00:21:58.165 "That you may have the eyes 00:21:58.165 --> 00:22:00.593 of your hearts enlightened 00:22:00.593 --> 00:22:03.328 that you may know what is the immeasurable 00:22:03.328 --> 00:22:05.146 greatness of His power 00:22:05.146 --> 00:22:06.993 toward us who believe 00:22:06.993 --> 00:22:11.140 according to the working 00:22:11.140 --> 00:22:14.012 of His great might that He worked in Christ 00:22:14.012 --> 00:22:15.572 when He raised Him from the dead 00:22:15.572 --> 00:22:18.837 and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly places." 00:22:18.837 --> 00:22:20.969 Two English words: 00:22:20.969 --> 00:22:22.790 either "in accordance" 00:22:22.790 --> 00:22:24.775 or "according to" 00:22:24.775 --> 00:22:29.414 all of your English Bibles say. 00:22:29.414 --> 00:22:32.622 It's a preposition. NOTE Paragraph 00:22:32.622 --> 00:22:35.744 But what does it mean? 00:22:35.744 --> 00:22:37.355 Here's the thing I wrestled with, 00:22:37.355 --> 00:22:40.961 what does that mean? 00:22:40.961 --> 00:22:49.189 What am I supposed to take away with that? 00:22:49.189 --> 00:22:52.476 There's a lot of questions I ask of Scripture 00:22:52.476 --> 00:22:54.487 that I don't necessarily come away 00:22:54.487 --> 00:22:57.501 with such a thorough answer for as I want. 00:22:57.501 --> 00:23:00.930 But let's delve into this somewhat. 00:23:00.930 --> 00:23:03.025 In accordance with. 00:23:03.025 --> 00:23:05.550 Brethren, what does that mean? 00:23:05.550 --> 00:23:09.819 According to... 00:23:09.819 --> 00:23:15.583 It carries that meaning: "according to." 00:23:15.583 --> 00:23:21.575 It can mean "equivalent to." 00:23:21.575 --> 00:23:24.373 Equivalent almost carries the idea 00:23:24.373 --> 00:23:28.049 of equal to. 00:23:28.049 --> 00:23:29.908 Well, it does carry that meaning. 00:23:29.908 --> 00:23:33.764 But the word doesn't always have to 00:23:33.764 --> 00:23:40.910 carry that - it can mean: "in proportion to." 00:23:40.910 --> 00:23:43.499 It can mean "in agreement with." 00:23:43.499 --> 00:23:45.642 It can mean "corresponding to." 00:23:45.642 --> 00:23:48.126 Or, "in conformity with." 00:23:48.126 --> 00:23:50.015 It's actually a preposition that has 00:23:50.015 --> 00:23:51.761 extremely broad range of use, 00:23:51.761 --> 00:23:53.700 but as it's used here, 00:23:53.700 --> 00:23:57.483 these are the ways that we can 00:23:57.483 --> 00:24:00.088 define the word. 00:24:00.088 --> 00:24:02.538 It's basically this idea 00:24:02.538 --> 00:24:09.154 that it indicates a standard. 00:24:09.154 --> 00:24:14.565 A standard that there is agreement with. 00:24:14.565 --> 00:24:16.551 Agreeable to. 00:24:16.551 --> 00:24:19.782 The standard is Christ's resurrection. 00:24:19.782 --> 00:24:21.835 What's happening in us 00:24:21.835 --> 00:24:25.776 is agreeable to that standard. 00:24:25.776 --> 00:24:27.717 That's really the idea here. 00:24:27.717 --> 00:24:29.958 But even that - does that really help? 00:24:29.958 --> 00:24:35.377 It's agreeable to. 00:24:35.377 --> 00:24:37.549 What are we dealing with? 00:24:37.549 --> 00:24:39.919 And here's the question that I'm asking. 00:24:39.919 --> 00:24:43.033 Does this mean it's agreeable to 00:24:43.033 --> 00:24:45.768 in the sense that there's a likeness? 00:24:45.768 --> 00:24:49.448 You know, when we use allegories 00:24:49.448 --> 00:24:52.692 or parables, we basically are describing 00:24:52.692 --> 00:24:54.792 something that is like something else. 00:24:54.792 --> 00:24:56.635 Is that what's happening here? 00:24:56.635 --> 00:24:58.371 Is there a likeness between them? 00:24:58.371 --> 00:25:03.025 Is there a similarity between them? 00:25:03.025 --> 00:25:05.318 Is it that it's saying: 00:25:05.318 --> 00:25:08.275 well, the power of God did this in Christ, 00:25:08.275 --> 00:25:15.421 and proportionately, maybe less, 00:25:15.421 --> 00:25:20.468 God's same power was at work in us? 00:25:20.468 --> 00:25:24.299 Is it saying that basically 00:25:24.299 --> 00:25:27.470 the magnititude of power - God's power 00:25:27.470 --> 00:25:30.968 that was at work in Christ - 00:25:30.968 --> 00:25:36.104 same magnitude is required 00:25:36.104 --> 00:25:42.573 to raise us from the dead? 00:25:42.573 --> 00:25:46.624 Is it the same power? 00:25:46.624 --> 00:25:52.109 Not just equal, but did the very same power 00:25:52.109 --> 00:25:55.246 that raised Christ from the dead 00:25:55.246 --> 00:26:00.397 pull us up with Him? NOTE Paragraph 00:26:00.397 --> 00:26:03.857 Now, I just want to delve into this 00:26:03.857 --> 00:26:07.543 because look, 00:26:07.543 --> 00:26:13.955 if you think about this in the speed of reading, 00:26:13.955 --> 00:26:15.451 as soon as Paul tells us 00:26:15.451 --> 00:26:19.557 that he is praying about our eyes 00:26:19.557 --> 00:26:23.118 being opened to grasp the power 00:26:23.118 --> 00:26:25.040 that's towards us, 00:26:25.040 --> 00:26:30.621 immediately, he takes our heads 00:26:30.621 --> 00:26:33.537 and turns them to the resurrection 00:26:33.537 --> 00:26:36.438 and ascension and enthronement of Christ. 00:26:36.438 --> 00:26:37.499 Immediately. 00:26:37.499 --> 00:26:39.711 I mean, in the speed of reading, 00:26:39.711 --> 00:26:41.131 it's just bang! 00:26:41.131 --> 00:26:43.869 He does not allow us to think, 00:26:43.869 --> 00:26:46.375 as we think about the work 00:26:46.375 --> 00:26:48.563 that's happening in ourselves, 00:26:48.563 --> 00:26:50.327 he doesn't allow us to just sit 00:26:50.327 --> 00:26:51.535 and kind of ponder. 00:26:51.535 --> 00:26:54.930 There's no "selah" there. 00:26:54.930 --> 00:26:59.410 It's immediately look to the death, 00:26:59.410 --> 00:27:02.655 the resurrection, the ascension. 00:27:02.655 --> 00:27:04.516 Why? What's the attachment? 00:27:04.516 --> 00:27:08.025 How should we process this? NOTE Paragraph 00:27:08.025 --> 00:27:10.149 Just listen to this. 00:27:10.149 --> 00:27:13.204 John Gill said, 00:27:13.204 --> 00:27:17.606 "The resurrection of any person 00:27:17.606 --> 00:27:20.220 is an instance of great power, 00:27:20.220 --> 00:27:22.364 but Christ's resurrection from the dead 00:27:22.364 --> 00:27:25.843 was an instance of peculiar and special power." 00:27:25.843 --> 00:27:27.433 So in John Gill's thinking - 00:27:27.433 --> 00:27:29.298 this is an old Baptist - 00:27:29.298 --> 00:27:35.294 he said yes, the work of God within us 00:27:35.294 --> 00:27:37.643 is great, 00:27:37.643 --> 00:27:39.409 but he has us look at Christ 00:27:39.409 --> 00:27:44.104 because it's a greater power. 00:27:44.104 --> 00:27:46.446 It's the standard by which everything else 00:27:46.446 --> 00:27:48.482 is measured. 00:27:48.482 --> 00:27:49.557 That's his idea. NOTE Paragraph 00:27:49.557 --> 00:27:50.905 Matthew Poole. 00:27:50.905 --> 00:27:54.662 He was a Puritan commentator. 00:27:54.662 --> 00:27:58.451 He says what's being talked about here, 00:27:58.451 --> 00:28:00.746 the association, the connection, 00:28:00.746 --> 00:28:05.508 "the power God exercises 00:28:05.508 --> 00:28:09.938 toward believers is such as that was 00:28:09.938 --> 00:28:13.485 whereby He raised up Christ from the dead." 00:28:13.485 --> 00:28:15.224 Don't you love that? 00:28:15.224 --> 00:28:20.557 "...Is such as that was." 00:28:20.557 --> 00:28:23.306 Such as. 00:28:23.306 --> 00:28:27.080 He refrains from saying it's equal to. 00:28:27.080 --> 00:28:28.595 Just: "it's such as..." 00:28:28.595 --> 00:28:30.891 To me that feels like according to. 00:28:30.891 --> 00:28:33.531 It's like give me some more meat there 00:28:33.531 --> 00:28:35.170 to put my teeth in. 00:28:35.170 --> 00:28:38.666 Such as? NOTE Paragraph 00:28:38.666 --> 00:28:40.466 Others. 00:28:40.466 --> 00:28:41.664 Some have suggested 00:28:41.664 --> 00:28:44.228 that the resurrection of Jesus 00:28:44.228 --> 00:28:47.710 is merely an illustration or a specimen 00:28:47.710 --> 00:28:50.710 of the power that should encourage us 00:28:50.710 --> 00:28:54.661 about what God is able to do in us. 00:28:54.661 --> 00:28:58.765 Some see the resurrection as a sort of pledge. 00:28:58.765 --> 00:29:01.346 There's that power there. 00:29:01.346 --> 00:29:02.852 There's no real connection 00:29:02.852 --> 00:29:04.923 between the power, other than 00:29:04.923 --> 00:29:07.294 it is a promise 00:29:07.294 --> 00:29:09.351 because that power happened, 00:29:09.351 --> 00:29:11.526 and what's accomplished there, 00:29:11.526 --> 00:29:15.812 now is a promise that in turn 00:29:15.812 --> 00:29:20.262 that power's going to be demonstrated upon us. 00:29:20.262 --> 00:29:22.665 Someone has said that the power in us - 00:29:22.665 --> 00:29:29.080 now this is someone else in church history. 00:29:29.080 --> 00:29:31.520 Someone has said that the power in us 00:29:31.520 --> 00:29:36.205 is not less than that in Christ. 00:29:36.205 --> 00:29:37.762 Don't you like that too? 00:29:37.762 --> 00:29:42.565 It's not less than. 00:29:42.565 --> 00:29:44.418 Think about that. 00:29:44.418 --> 00:29:48.831 They say, well, here's the power that raised Christ. 00:29:48.831 --> 00:29:52.950 And what happens in us is not less than. 00:29:52.950 --> 00:29:55.656 Do you see how they're just not wanting to commit 00:29:55.656 --> 00:29:58.762 to too much in what they say? 00:29:58.762 --> 00:30:00.448 It's not less than. 00:30:00.448 --> 00:30:01.850 Well, what are you saying? 00:30:01.850 --> 00:30:03.708 Okay, tell me then. Is it equal to? 00:30:03.708 --> 00:30:05.227 Or is it more than? 00:30:05.227 --> 00:30:11.985 At least Chrysostom said 00:30:11.985 --> 00:30:15.678 he believed that to heal a dead soul 00:30:15.678 --> 00:30:19.227 is a far greater thing than to raise the dead. 00:30:19.227 --> 00:30:21.299 He believed that the power at work in us 00:30:21.299 --> 00:30:22.643 is even greater than that 00:30:22.643 --> 00:30:29.700 which took place in Christ. NOTE Paragraph 00:30:29.700 --> 00:30:31.679 Here's what I know. 00:30:31.679 --> 00:30:33.807 I know this. 00:30:33.807 --> 00:30:41.060 I know that Paul repeatedly; 00:30:41.060 --> 00:30:43.161 I know that the New Testament - 00:30:43.161 --> 00:30:46.501 the apostles, the apostle's doctrine - 00:30:46.501 --> 00:30:50.801 I know they were stunned 00:30:50.801 --> 00:30:52.913 by the resurrection of Christ. 00:30:52.913 --> 00:30:54.435 In the book of Acts, 00:30:54.435 --> 00:30:55.838 wherever they went they were 00:30:55.838 --> 00:30:58.732 proclaiming His resurrection from the dead. 00:30:58.732 --> 00:31:04.997 And they attached extreme significance 00:31:04.997 --> 00:31:08.275 to the power of that resurrection. NOTE Paragraph 00:31:08.275 --> 00:31:09.861 Just think with me here. 00:31:09.861 --> 00:31:13.807 Acts 2:23 - don't turn there. 00:31:13.807 --> 00:31:15.682 Peter. 00:31:15.682 --> 00:31:19.207 He said, "This Jesus 00:31:19.207 --> 00:31:21.482 was delivered up according to the definite plan 00:31:21.482 --> 00:31:23.573 and foreknowledge of God, 00:31:23.573 --> 00:31:25.051 you crucified and killed 00:31:25.051 --> 00:31:27.263 by the hands of lawless men." 00:31:27.263 --> 00:31:30.885 Listen, "God raised Him up, 00:31:30.885 --> 00:31:34.838 loosing the pangs of death..." 00:31:34.838 --> 00:31:36.381 Even though the word "power" 00:31:36.381 --> 00:31:38.470 isn't specifically used here, 00:31:38.470 --> 00:31:40.756 he says this about death: 00:31:40.756 --> 00:31:43.833 "Because it was not possible 00:31:43.833 --> 00:31:46.454 for Him to be held by it." 00:31:46.454 --> 00:31:48.809 No possibility. Why? 00:31:48.809 --> 00:31:50.468 There is a power here 00:31:50.468 --> 00:31:52.218 that is above and beyond death. 00:31:52.218 --> 00:31:54.668 It's chains were ripped - 00:31:54.668 --> 00:31:56.597 "Up from the grave He arose!" 00:31:56.597 --> 00:31:58.154 We sing that song. 00:31:58.154 --> 00:32:00.608 It could not contain Him. 00:32:00.608 --> 00:32:02.872 It was not able. Why? 00:32:02.872 --> 00:32:04.407 Something was at work 00:32:04.407 --> 00:32:07.230 that was more powerful than death. 00:32:07.230 --> 00:32:09.705 And it could not - it did not have 00:32:09.705 --> 00:32:12.106 greater strength than that 00:32:12.106 --> 00:32:14.238 which was being unleashed in Christ. 00:32:14.238 --> 00:32:18.965 It was not able. 00:32:18.965 --> 00:32:21.379 That's the kind of thing the New Testament says. NOTE Paragraph 00:32:21.379 --> 00:32:22.224 How about this? 00:32:22.224 --> 00:32:23.202 When you come over? 00:32:23.202 --> 00:32:25.949 Romans 1 - that glorious epistle. 00:32:25.949 --> 00:32:27.443 And at the very beginning 00:32:27.443 --> 00:32:28.865 as we're being introduced 00:32:28.865 --> 00:32:31.482 to these glories, right from the get-go, 00:32:31.482 --> 00:32:32.898 the first four verses, 00:32:32.898 --> 00:32:35.165 Paul hits these Romans 00:32:35.165 --> 00:32:38.035 with this glorious reality of Christ 00:32:38.035 --> 00:32:39.857 being resurrected from the dead. 00:32:39.857 --> 00:32:42.388 And what does he say? 00:32:42.388 --> 00:32:47.391 He's declared to be the Son of God with power. 00:32:47.391 --> 00:32:49.140 This is a declaration. 00:32:49.140 --> 00:32:51.214 You see Christ. 00:32:51.214 --> 00:32:54.530 He's declared to be the Son of God with power. 00:32:54.530 --> 00:32:56.359 He's declared to be the Messiah. 00:32:56.359 --> 00:32:58.321 He's declared to be the sent one. 00:32:58.321 --> 00:33:02.366 What declares that about Him? 00:33:02.366 --> 00:33:04.755 His resurrection from the dead. 00:33:04.755 --> 00:33:05.966 That's what we're told. 00:33:05.966 --> 00:33:09.865 He said, "He's declared to be 00:33:09.865 --> 00:33:11.708 the Son of God in power 00:33:11.708 --> 00:33:14.067 according to the Spirit of holiness 00:33:14.067 --> 00:33:17.509 by His resurrection from the dead, 00:33:17.509 --> 00:33:19.701 Jesus Christ our Lord." NOTE Paragraph 00:33:19.701 --> 00:33:21.408 Or you think about what Paul said 00:33:21.408 --> 00:33:22.944 in Philippians 3. 00:33:22.944 --> 00:33:24.108 Many of you know this. 00:33:24.108 --> 00:33:26.880 Paul - what was he crying out for? 00:33:26.880 --> 00:33:28.206 What was he longing for? 00:33:28.206 --> 00:33:33.643 "That I may know Him..." and what? 00:33:33.643 --> 00:33:36.240 "The power of His resurrection." 00:33:36.240 --> 00:33:38.324 I can tell you this. 00:33:38.324 --> 00:33:42.623 I don't know if you feel this. 00:33:42.623 --> 00:33:45.755 When I think of the resurrection, 00:33:45.755 --> 00:33:47.800 yes, because I know those verses, 00:33:47.800 --> 00:33:50.851 I would say there's an attachment to power. 00:33:50.851 --> 00:33:52.518 But do you think that way? 00:33:52.518 --> 00:33:55.570 When you think of Christ rising from the dead, 00:33:55.570 --> 00:33:59.642 is that the natural connection in your mind? 00:33:59.642 --> 00:34:02.641 Do you think, "wow, that was powerful"? 00:34:02.641 --> 00:34:13.485 Powerful. 00:34:13.485 --> 00:34:16.100 Probably we could do a whole sermon 00:34:16.100 --> 00:34:18.704 on the power of death. 00:34:18.704 --> 00:34:22.474 Death is a powerful thing. NOTE Paragraph 00:34:22.474 --> 00:34:25.247 I was at the gym this week. 00:34:25.247 --> 00:34:26.348 Some guy walked by - 00:34:26.348 --> 00:34:27.842 you know those big hulking guys 00:34:27.842 --> 00:34:31.016 that hang out at gyms. 00:34:31.016 --> 00:34:36.853 But he walked by and he was huge. 00:34:36.853 --> 00:34:39.771 But you know, thinking on this message, 00:34:39.771 --> 00:34:43.743 I thought, "but, he's going to die." 00:34:43.743 --> 00:34:45.933 He's strong - he's a lot stronger than me, 00:34:45.933 --> 00:34:46.792 but you know what? 00:34:46.792 --> 00:34:50.464 He cannot resist death. 00:34:50.464 --> 00:34:54.231 You just can't fight it. 00:34:54.231 --> 00:34:58.016 And it's on us. 00:34:58.016 --> 00:34:59.081 You know it! 00:34:59.081 --> 00:35:02.212 Your outer body is wasting away. 00:35:02.212 --> 00:35:03.708 You cannot stop the wrinkles. 00:35:03.708 --> 00:35:05.243 You cannot stop the baldness. 00:35:05.243 --> 00:35:07.657 You can't stop the flab. 00:35:07.657 --> 00:35:11.161 You can't stop the degradation of the body. 00:35:11.161 --> 00:35:12.755 You cannot stop the grey hair. 00:35:12.755 --> 00:35:15.324 You can dye them, but you roots will give you away. 00:35:15.324 --> 00:35:18.736 You can't stop what's happening to you. 00:35:18.736 --> 00:35:21.295 It is pulling you down. 00:35:21.295 --> 00:35:23.528 Brethren, it's coming. 00:35:23.528 --> 00:35:25.246 Every one of us, we recognize 00:35:25.246 --> 00:35:27.324 death is coming. 00:35:27.324 --> 00:35:29.039 You can't run fast enough, 00:35:29.039 --> 00:35:30.893 far enough, jump high enough, 00:35:30.893 --> 00:35:32.584 you cannot get away from it. 00:35:32.584 --> 00:35:34.335 It is massively powerful. 00:35:34.335 --> 00:35:36.817 And here is this thing that holds man 00:35:36.817 --> 00:35:39.787 in its grips, in its fear. 00:35:39.787 --> 00:35:41.583 He who has the power of death - 00:35:41.583 --> 00:35:43.945 the devil himself is involved in all of this, 00:35:43.945 --> 00:35:46.036 and he has power and he has control. 00:35:46.036 --> 00:35:47.910 And brethren, he comes along 00:35:47.910 --> 00:35:57.730 and he constantly is defeating man, 00:35:57.730 --> 00:36:00.226 damning men. 00:36:00.226 --> 00:36:01.554 What does he have to use? 00:36:01.554 --> 00:36:02.900 He's got the wrath of God. 00:36:02.900 --> 00:36:04.946 He basically baits us into sin 00:36:04.946 --> 00:36:11.575 which unleashes the wrath of God upon us. 00:36:11.575 --> 00:36:14.498 The power of death. 00:36:14.498 --> 00:36:17.460 The power of sin. 00:36:17.460 --> 00:36:19.290 The power of the devil. NOTE Paragraph 00:36:19.290 --> 00:36:23.108 We think ridiculous thoughts about the devil. 00:36:23.108 --> 00:36:24.504 He is powerful 00:36:24.504 --> 00:36:26.427 and he is like a roaring lion 00:36:26.427 --> 00:36:29.135 and he has fangs and he kills. 00:36:29.135 --> 00:36:34.005 He killed our first father. 00:36:34.005 --> 00:36:36.113 The power of these things 00:36:36.113 --> 00:36:38.691 is beyond our control. 00:36:38.691 --> 00:36:40.696 Men may make light of them. 00:36:40.696 --> 00:36:42.263 Men want to ignore death. 00:36:42.263 --> 00:36:44.173 They make fun of the devil. 00:36:44.173 --> 00:36:46.051 They make light of sin. 00:36:46.051 --> 00:36:51.450 These things are so powerful. NOTE Paragraph 00:36:51.450 --> 00:36:53.600 And what happens is you find 00:36:53.600 --> 00:36:56.181 that in the resurrection of Christ, 00:36:56.181 --> 00:36:59.112 there is a defeating; there is a removal 00:36:59.112 --> 00:37:02.041 of these obstacles that are in our way, 00:37:02.041 --> 00:37:03.581 and Christ took them out. 00:37:03.581 --> 00:37:05.980 You want to know something about the resurrection? 00:37:05.980 --> 00:37:07.663 Whatever it may speak to you, 00:37:07.663 --> 00:37:08.981 it speaks power, 00:37:08.981 --> 00:37:11.091 and it speaks the power to remove 00:37:11.091 --> 00:37:13.133 the obstacles out of your life 00:37:13.133 --> 00:37:16.085 and out of my life that keep us from God, 00:37:16.085 --> 00:37:17.608 that keep us from glory, 00:37:17.608 --> 00:37:21.327 that keep us from everlasting life. 00:37:21.327 --> 00:37:23.054 Power. NOTE Paragraph 00:37:23.054 --> 00:37:28.349 Here's another thing. 00:37:28.349 --> 00:37:29.726 When you study Ephesians, 00:37:29.726 --> 00:37:31.211 you need to keep your eyes open 00:37:31.211 --> 00:37:34.426 to what's happening in Colossians, 00:37:34.426 --> 00:37:36.418 because even though in some ways 00:37:36.418 --> 00:37:41.448 they're very different, 00:37:41.448 --> 00:37:43.375 you can tell they were obviously written 00:37:43.375 --> 00:37:46.797 around the same time, 00:37:46.797 --> 00:37:50.270 and that Paul deals with many 00:37:50.270 --> 00:37:53.841 of the same themes. 00:37:53.841 --> 00:37:56.649 So, over here in Ephesians 1, 00:37:56.649 --> 00:37:58.509 you get this language. 00:37:58.509 --> 00:37:59.658 But you know what? 00:37:59.658 --> 00:38:01.370 Over in Colossians 2, 00:38:01.370 --> 00:38:03.574 you get some similar language. 00:38:03.574 --> 00:38:09.210 Let's turn over there. NOTE Paragraph 00:38:09.210 --> 00:38:21.738 Colossians 2:11. 00:38:21.738 --> 00:38:23.680 Notice this. 00:38:23.680 --> 00:38:30.101 In Christ - "In Him also, 00:38:30.101 --> 00:38:31.409 you were circumcised 00:38:31.409 --> 00:38:34.472 with the circumcision made without hands 00:38:34.472 --> 00:38:36.909 by putting off the body of the flesh, 00:38:36.909 --> 00:38:41.318 by the circumcision of Christ, 00:38:41.318 --> 00:38:44.366 having been buried with Him 00:38:44.366 --> 00:38:47.624 in baptism..." 00:38:47.624 --> 00:38:52.156 See, the thing is, here where Paul talks this way, 00:38:52.156 --> 00:38:54.921 there's much about union. 00:38:54.921 --> 00:38:57.217 And look, you don't want to miss it - 00:38:57.217 --> 00:38:59.522 if you think as we went through 00:38:59.522 --> 00:39:02.314 those first 14 verses about how many times 00:39:02.314 --> 00:39:07.498 we were taught about "in Christ." 00:39:07.498 --> 00:39:09.312 Union - bringing all things together. 00:39:09.312 --> 00:39:11.299 Uniting all things together in Christ. 00:39:11.299 --> 00:39:12.388 This idea of union. 00:39:12.388 --> 00:39:14.941 And in fact, before you get to the end of the chapter, 00:39:14.941 --> 00:39:16.452 he's going to talk about Christ 00:39:16.452 --> 00:39:19.076 being the Head over all things to the church 00:39:19.076 --> 00:39:20.190 which is His body, 00:39:20.190 --> 00:39:22.215 the fullness of Him who fills all in all. 00:39:22.215 --> 00:39:23.979 Christ is the Head. We are the body. 00:39:23.979 --> 00:39:26.213 There is unity. 00:39:26.213 --> 00:39:30.139 Notice the unity here. 00:39:30.139 --> 00:39:32.886 "Buried with Him in baptism 00:39:32.886 --> 00:39:38.627 in which you were also raised with Him." 00:39:38.627 --> 00:39:40.181 Now notice this: 00:39:40.181 --> 00:39:42.658 "...Through faith." 00:39:42.658 --> 00:39:43.993 And then we're going to get 00:39:43.993 --> 00:39:45.798 some of the exact same wording 00:39:45.798 --> 00:39:50.649 that we get from Ephesians 1:19. 00:39:50.649 --> 00:39:53.273 Again, similar veins of thoughts run 00:39:53.273 --> 00:39:54.762 through both of these Ephesian 00:39:54.762 --> 00:39:56.176 and Colossian epistles. 00:39:56.176 --> 00:39:58.311 And tying them together oftentimes 00:39:58.311 --> 00:40:02.098 helps give a fuller picture. 00:40:02.098 --> 00:40:05.088 We're raised with Christ. 00:40:05.088 --> 00:40:06.676 You see what Paul has in mind? 00:40:06.676 --> 00:40:08.719 The two happen at once: 00:40:08.719 --> 00:40:10.407 raised with Him - one action; 00:40:10.407 --> 00:40:12.400 one demonstration of power. 00:40:12.400 --> 00:40:16.047 We both come up together. 00:40:16.047 --> 00:40:18.512 But keep reading there. 00:40:18.512 --> 00:40:22.394 "...Raised with Him through faith; 00:40:22.394 --> 00:40:26.221 faith in the powerful working of God." 00:40:26.221 --> 00:40:28.719 This is the "energia" that we saw 00:40:28.719 --> 00:40:30.620 back in 1:19 of Ephesians. 00:40:30.620 --> 00:40:32.812 This is the energy; 00:40:32.812 --> 00:40:35.742 the operative power of God. 00:40:35.742 --> 00:40:36.985 It's in motion. 00:40:36.985 --> 00:40:39.196 It's moving. 00:40:39.196 --> 00:40:42.373 "...Who raised Him from the dead." 00:40:42.373 --> 00:40:44.233 But see what he says first? 00:40:44.233 --> 00:40:46.868 We're "raised with Him," 00:40:46.868 --> 00:40:48.248 and there is this power 00:40:48.248 --> 00:40:51.283 that raised Him from the dead. 00:40:51.283 --> 00:40:54.352 "And you (v. 13) who were dead 00:40:54.352 --> 00:40:55.814 in your trespasses 00:40:55.814 --> 00:40:57.793 and the uncircumcision of your flesh..." 00:40:57.793 --> 00:41:00.150 Now listen, if you go back over to Ephesians 00:41:00.150 --> 00:41:01.778 you recognize, 00:41:01.778 --> 00:41:05.233 Paul has the same thought in mind. 00:41:05.233 --> 00:41:07.112 When you get to Ephesians 2:1, 00:41:07.112 --> 00:41:09.613 he is going to say the exact same thing here 00:41:09.613 --> 00:41:12.016 about us being dead in trespasses and sins, 00:41:12.016 --> 00:41:13.807 being raised together with Christ. 00:41:13.807 --> 00:41:15.290 It's the same thing. 00:41:15.290 --> 00:41:17.645 He just takes a little bit more time 00:41:17.645 --> 00:41:19.844 in saying it all in Ephesians. 00:41:19.844 --> 00:41:21.677 He develops it a bit more. 00:41:21.677 --> 00:41:25.988 It's more compact here in Colossians 2. 00:41:25.988 --> 00:41:27.758 "You who were dead in your trespasses 00:41:27.758 --> 00:41:29.490 and uncircumcision of your flesh, 00:41:29.490 --> 00:41:33.533 God made alive together with Him, 00:41:33.533 --> 00:41:35.682 having forgiven us all our trespasses 00:41:35.682 --> 00:41:37.382 by cancelling the record of debt 00:41:37.382 --> 00:41:41.098 that stood against us with its legal demands, 00:41:41.098 --> 00:41:48.194 this he set aside nailing it to the cross." NOTE Paragraph 00:41:48.194 --> 00:41:52.421 Brethren, look. 00:41:52.421 --> 00:41:53.704 I would just say this. 00:41:53.704 --> 00:41:57.044 Based on what Paul says right here, 00:41:57.044 --> 00:42:01.656 however you want to interpret the "according to," 00:42:01.656 --> 00:42:06.014 "what is the immeasurable greatness 00:42:06.014 --> 00:42:09.140 of his power toward us who believe." 00:42:09.140 --> 00:42:11.383 It is "according to the working 00:42:11.383 --> 00:42:14.805 of His great might that He worked in Christ 00:42:14.805 --> 00:42:16.901 when He raised Him from the dead 00:42:16.901 --> 00:42:18.916 and He seated Him at His right hand..." 00:42:18.916 --> 00:42:19.906 According to. 00:42:19.906 --> 00:42:21.609 Whatever you want to do with that, 00:42:21.609 --> 00:42:24.120 one thing you cannot get away from - 00:42:24.120 --> 00:42:26.063 especially when you compare it 00:42:26.063 --> 00:42:27.778 to the Colossian passage 00:42:27.778 --> 00:42:35.582 is that Paul sees the two united. NOTE Paragraph 00:42:35.582 --> 00:42:39.284 It's like a picture. 00:42:39.284 --> 00:42:41.872 I imagine Christ. 00:42:41.872 --> 00:42:43.604 Imagine this. 00:42:43.604 --> 00:42:51.705 A man in a deep dark well. 00:42:51.705 --> 00:42:56.184 And there's a strong man at the top of that well. 00:42:56.184 --> 00:42:59.236 And he's pulling the rope up. 00:42:59.236 --> 00:43:02.875 This man who's down in this well 00:43:02.875 --> 00:43:07.534 is being pulled up out of the darkness. 00:43:07.534 --> 00:43:13.490 And you pull him up and you set him down. 00:43:13.490 --> 00:43:15.534 And this man you come to find out 00:43:15.534 --> 00:43:20.117 had two children in his arms. 00:43:20.117 --> 00:43:23.139 You see, if you start talking about 00:43:23.139 --> 00:43:26.385 the work, the force, the power 00:43:26.385 --> 00:43:30.273 that pulled that man out of the well, 00:43:30.273 --> 00:43:33.695 you don't separate it from the force 00:43:33.695 --> 00:43:39.376 that pulled those two children out. NOTE Paragraph 00:43:39.376 --> 00:43:46.030 Brethren, I envision it like this. 00:43:46.030 --> 00:43:50.204 Christ and all of His people, 00:43:50.204 --> 00:43:53.935 and there is a chain from Him 00:43:53.935 --> 00:43:57.174 to every one of us. 00:43:57.174 --> 00:44:01.659 And when He's pulled up out of there, 00:44:01.659 --> 00:44:06.196 that chain - it's the chain of His love; 00:44:06.196 --> 00:44:07.905 it's the chain of His grace - 00:44:07.905 --> 00:44:11.557 it's the lifeline of salvation. 00:44:11.557 --> 00:44:14.418 And when He's pulled up out of there, 00:44:14.418 --> 00:44:17.096 pulling a man up out of that deep darkness, 00:44:17.096 --> 00:44:19.689 that deep dark pit of death. 00:44:19.689 --> 00:44:22.198 We're chained to Him. We're one with Him. 00:44:22.198 --> 00:44:23.804 And up we come. 00:44:23.804 --> 00:44:27.300 Now the chain may lay there coiled up. 00:44:27.300 --> 00:44:29.540 He comes out. 00:44:29.540 --> 00:44:31.204 For some of us, the chain's longer. 00:44:31.204 --> 00:44:32.263 For some, shorter. 00:44:32.263 --> 00:44:35.038 What I mean by that is He's coming up, 00:44:35.038 --> 00:44:38.115 that thing is unraveling, 00:44:38.115 --> 00:44:40.332 and before it actually becomes taut, 00:44:40.332 --> 00:44:41.853 it pulls us up too. 00:44:41.853 --> 00:44:43.150 For some, it's longer. 00:44:43.150 --> 00:44:46.240 For some, sooner than others. 00:44:46.240 --> 00:44:47.789 Different times in history. 00:44:47.789 --> 00:44:50.012 Different times in your life. 00:44:50.012 --> 00:44:53.996 When that chain goes taut, up you go too. 00:44:53.996 --> 00:44:56.719 But we're connected. 00:44:56.719 --> 00:45:00.161 As God draws Him up, 00:45:00.161 --> 00:45:03.008 that power that is unleashed 00:45:03.008 --> 00:45:04.565 is the same power - 00:45:04.565 --> 00:45:08.870 the power of resurrection. 00:45:08.870 --> 00:45:11.252 However you want to join those together; 00:45:11.252 --> 00:45:15.529 however you want to put these together, brethren, 00:45:15.529 --> 00:45:17.097 we're connected with Him. 00:45:17.097 --> 00:45:18.390 We're one with Him. 00:45:18.390 --> 00:45:20.400 Paul won't let us get away from that. 00:45:20.400 --> 00:45:25.997 This power so absolutely guarantees 00:45:25.997 --> 00:45:28.300 these realities in our lives. 00:45:28.300 --> 00:45:29.828 Brethren, these obstacles 00:45:29.828 --> 00:45:31.251 are moved out of the way. 00:45:31.251 --> 00:45:32.476 Every bit of gravity, 00:45:32.476 --> 00:45:33.801 every bit of resistance, 00:45:33.801 --> 00:45:36.554 every bit of difficulty that stood in our way, 00:45:36.554 --> 00:45:38.859 and the obstacles and the enemies 00:45:38.859 --> 00:45:40.954 were great - they were insurmountable. 00:45:40.954 --> 00:45:47.073 They were absolutely impossible enemies to us. 00:45:47.073 --> 00:45:49.461 Totally daunting. 00:45:49.461 --> 00:45:50.924 Totally overwhelming. 00:45:50.924 --> 00:45:53.549 Totally. 00:45:53.549 --> 00:45:57.378 And this power... 00:45:57.378 --> 00:45:59.564 And there's a certainty in all of this. 00:45:59.564 --> 00:46:03.950 Brethren, there's a certainty. 00:46:03.950 --> 00:46:07.468 When he gets to chapter 3 00:46:07.468 --> 00:46:10.960 and he talks about even our ability 00:46:10.960 --> 00:46:15.151 to think - you can turn there. NOTE Paragraph 00:46:15.151 --> 00:46:17.026 Let's just end with this. 00:46:17.026 --> 00:46:28.899 I want you to see this in Ephesians 3:20. 00:46:28.899 --> 00:46:31.169 It's like here you have the same: 00:46:31.169 --> 00:46:33.792 "according to." 00:46:33.792 --> 00:46:36.296 "Now to Him who is able 00:46:36.296 --> 00:46:38.860 to do far more abundantly than all 00:46:38.860 --> 00:46:42.482 we ask or think, according to..." 00:46:42.482 --> 00:46:44.974 Very same preposition. 00:46:44.974 --> 00:46:48.275 Really the same thing is going on here. 00:46:48.275 --> 00:46:53.884 God's ability "is according to the power 00:46:53.884 --> 00:46:55.804 at work within us." 00:46:55.804 --> 00:46:58.469 Do you know what's interesting here? 00:46:58.469 --> 00:47:03.046 In 1:19-20, Christ's resurrection 00:47:03.046 --> 00:47:06.927 seems to be the standard. 00:47:06.927 --> 00:47:10.065 Here, the power at work within us 00:47:10.065 --> 00:47:12.760 seems to be the standard. 00:47:12.760 --> 00:47:15.880 It's like Paul has established 00:47:15.880 --> 00:47:18.721 the greatness of this power toward us 00:47:18.721 --> 00:47:21.560 and compared it to the resurrection; 00:47:21.560 --> 00:47:25.264 united us with this resurrection power - 00:47:25.264 --> 00:47:28.276 not just resurrection, 00:47:28.276 --> 00:47:31.880 but to place Him on the throne. 00:47:31.880 --> 00:47:33.841 You may remember last week. 00:47:33.841 --> 00:47:35.503 Craig said something about us 00:47:35.503 --> 00:47:39.644 being seated with Christ in the heavenly places. 00:47:39.644 --> 00:47:40.758 But I'll tell you, 00:47:40.758 --> 00:47:43.195 those chains are so real 00:47:43.195 --> 00:47:46.235 that Him being pulled up there - 00:47:46.235 --> 00:47:49.463 not just out of the well - 00:47:49.463 --> 00:47:52.572 but all the way up 00:47:52.572 --> 00:47:55.843 and set on the mountain top. 00:47:55.843 --> 00:48:00.265 Those chains hold tight. 00:48:00.265 --> 00:48:01.914 And many of us, 00:48:01.914 --> 00:48:04.062 the chains have pulled us up out of the well, 00:48:04.062 --> 00:48:05.443 but not to the mointaintop, 00:48:05.443 --> 00:48:06.944 at least, not in reality. 00:48:06.944 --> 00:48:12.517 Not in our position as far as where we're at. NOTE Paragraph 00:48:12.517 --> 00:48:16.438 There may be a sense that there's a veil right here. 00:48:16.438 --> 00:48:18.907 We may be on the throne already 00:48:18.907 --> 00:48:21.413 even in a real sense. 00:48:21.413 --> 00:48:25.272 Because if we could pull back the veil - 00:48:25.272 --> 00:48:27.054 think of times in Scripture 00:48:27.054 --> 00:48:31.985 when the veil was pulled back - 00:48:31.985 --> 00:48:34.414 Christ is right there. 00:48:34.414 --> 00:48:36.083 Stephen - you just pull it back, 00:48:36.083 --> 00:48:39.071 there He is. He's right there. 00:48:39.071 --> 00:48:40.935 Probably right here all around us. 00:48:40.935 --> 00:48:44.790 We are in the midst. 00:48:44.790 --> 00:48:47.363 But there is such a connection 00:48:47.363 --> 00:48:50.012 that we are presently seated 00:48:50.012 --> 00:48:54.739 with Christ in the heavenly places. NOTE Paragraph 00:48:54.739 --> 00:48:58.238 The power at work in us, 00:48:58.238 --> 00:49:01.072 when you get to 3:20, 00:49:01.072 --> 00:49:03.247 becomes the standard by which 00:49:03.247 --> 00:49:10.380 God's ability is measured. 00:49:10.380 --> 00:49:14.844 Brethren, there are such things, 00:49:14.844 --> 00:49:16.626 there are such demonstrations 00:49:16.626 --> 00:49:19.059 of the power of God, as we said last time, 00:49:19.059 --> 00:49:20.941 we don't feel this. 00:49:20.941 --> 00:49:23.349 And we have to be reminded of its reality. 00:49:23.349 --> 00:49:24.816 And I'll remind you again, 00:49:24.816 --> 00:49:26.732 Paul is not praying for them 00:49:26.732 --> 00:49:29.117 that they would come to recognize their need 00:49:29.117 --> 00:49:30.831 of more power and ask for it. 00:49:30.831 --> 00:49:34.499 Now, look, it's not wrong to recognize your need. 00:49:34.499 --> 00:49:36.797 Paul's going to get there in chapter 3. 00:49:36.797 --> 00:49:38.326 He's going to talk that way 00:49:38.326 --> 00:49:41.082 about them receiving more power. 00:49:41.082 --> 00:49:42.928 He is. That's not a wrong thing. 00:49:42.928 --> 00:49:44.728 But right here, he is talking about 00:49:44.728 --> 00:49:49.558 recognizing what is going on inside them. NOTE Paragraph 00:49:49.558 --> 00:49:52.701 Oh, brethren, 00:49:52.701 --> 00:49:55.820 you take individuals like us, 00:49:55.820 --> 00:49:58.862 and you throw them out into this darkness, 00:49:58.862 --> 00:50:00.794 and you know what happens? 00:50:00.794 --> 00:50:06.428 You shine and you're lights of the world. 00:50:06.428 --> 00:50:12.291 You have a God-given ability 00:50:12.291 --> 00:50:15.328 to resist the decay of the decadence. 00:50:15.328 --> 00:50:17.963 You become the salt of the earth. 00:50:17.963 --> 00:50:20.320 You're out there. 00:50:20.320 --> 00:50:23.568 You are the lights of the world. 00:50:23.568 --> 00:50:25.316 We can so often feel so defeated, 00:50:25.316 --> 00:50:27.282 and Satan always is whispering in our ear 00:50:27.282 --> 00:50:29.119 and telling us how worthless we are 00:50:29.119 --> 00:50:31.838 and how we can't do this and we can't accomplish that, 00:50:31.838 --> 00:50:34.562 and we can't - no we can't in our own power. 00:50:34.562 --> 00:50:37.515 But brethren, we are not a product of our own power. 00:50:37.515 --> 00:50:39.676 We are not a product of our willpower. 00:50:39.676 --> 00:50:40.860 If that's what you are, 00:50:40.860 --> 00:50:42.327 yes, you're dead in the water, 00:50:42.327 --> 00:50:43.875 but we as true Christians 00:50:43.875 --> 00:50:46.375 are not dead in the water. 00:50:46.375 --> 00:50:48.208 There is a power at work within us. 00:50:48.208 --> 00:50:50.274 There is a power of victory, 00:50:50.274 --> 00:50:51.748 a power of overcoming. 00:50:51.748 --> 00:50:53.543 And we will overcome. 00:50:53.543 --> 00:50:54.918 And we must overcome 00:50:54.918 --> 00:50:58.210 because this power will always create overcomers. 00:50:58.210 --> 00:51:03.178 Brethren, do you recognize this reality about yourself? 00:51:03.178 --> 00:51:05.182 And you can look at the cross 00:51:05.182 --> 00:51:07.237 and you can look at Christ seated there 00:51:07.237 --> 00:51:09.410 and you can look at Him ruling 00:51:09.410 --> 00:51:11.912 and reigning and above every power, 00:51:11.912 --> 00:51:13.355 every rule, every authority, 00:51:13.355 --> 00:51:15.190 every power, every dominion. 00:51:15.190 --> 00:51:17.673 And not only in this age, but in the age to come. 00:51:17.673 --> 00:51:19.097 And He says to us, 00:51:19.097 --> 00:51:23.759 "You will sit with Me on My throne." 00:51:23.759 --> 00:51:25.323 That's what He says! 00:51:25.323 --> 00:51:27.418 This is not just coming from death to life. 00:51:27.418 --> 00:51:29.264 This is the ultimate victory. 00:51:29.264 --> 00:51:30.636 This is the ultimate. 00:51:30.636 --> 00:51:35.997 There's no back little hut 00:51:35.997 --> 00:51:38.404 in the alley somewhere 00:51:38.404 --> 00:51:40.210 where some of the least of His people 00:51:40.210 --> 00:51:41.948 are going to find themselves. 00:51:41.948 --> 00:51:43.983 It's on the throne. 00:51:43.983 --> 00:51:45.622 Every one of us. 00:51:45.622 --> 00:51:46.712 Every one of us - 00:51:46.712 --> 00:51:48.507 even the least of His children 00:51:48.507 --> 00:51:52.077 have this kind of resurrection power, 00:51:52.077 --> 00:51:53.828 and when in doubt, 00:51:53.828 --> 00:51:55.706 obviously, Paul's saying: 00:51:55.706 --> 00:51:57.828 Look at Christ! 00:51:57.828 --> 00:51:59.527 There's your confidence! 00:51:59.527 --> 00:52:01.186 Look at His resurrection! 00:52:01.186 --> 00:52:02.753 Look at His ascension! 00:52:02.753 --> 00:52:04.392 Look at the power! 00:52:04.392 --> 00:52:05.721 You are one with that. 00:52:05.721 --> 00:52:07.549 You are connected to that. 00:52:07.549 --> 00:52:09.074 That is the standard, 00:52:09.074 --> 00:52:10.694 but you're one with Him. 00:52:10.694 --> 00:52:14.843 When He's torn up out of the jaws of death, 00:52:14.843 --> 00:52:16.786 you come with Him. 00:52:16.786 --> 00:52:18.470 When He's set upon that throne, 00:52:18.470 --> 00:52:20.084 you go with Him. 00:52:20.084 --> 00:52:21.388 He is one with us. 00:52:21.388 --> 00:52:23.594 He is the Head. We are the body. 00:52:23.594 --> 00:52:25.073 You would never talk about 00:52:25.073 --> 00:52:26.689 bringing a man up out of the well 00:52:26.689 --> 00:52:28.959 and distinguish between the head and the body, 00:52:28.959 --> 00:52:30.972 and the power that raised the head 00:52:30.972 --> 00:52:32.674 and the power that raised the body. 00:52:32.674 --> 00:52:33.751 It's ridiculous. 00:52:33.751 --> 00:52:34.812 They're one. 00:52:34.812 --> 00:52:36.869 Paul wants us to see this as one. 00:52:36.869 --> 00:52:39.598 You are the fullness of Him 00:52:39.598 --> 00:52:41.426 who fills all in all. 00:52:41.426 --> 00:52:44.025 Brethren, it's just a wake up call 00:52:44.025 --> 00:52:45.803 for us to have eyes to recognize 00:52:45.803 --> 00:52:48.936 what in the world is going on in us. 00:52:48.936 --> 00:52:52.560 This is not willpower religion. 00:52:52.560 --> 00:52:54.769 This is not dead religion. 00:52:54.769 --> 00:53:00.124 This is biblical Christianity. NOTE Paragraph 00:53:00.124 --> 00:53:01.636 Father, we pray, 00:53:01.636 --> 00:53:04.629 oh, the power of resurrection. 00:53:04.629 --> 00:53:06.099 I pray it would be a reality 00:53:06.099 --> 00:53:08.443 in the lives of my brothers and sisters, 00:53:08.443 --> 00:53:10.240 that there would be a recognition 00:53:10.240 --> 00:53:12.000 and a perception and a revelation, 00:53:12.000 --> 00:53:13.876 and that we would have Your Spirit 00:53:13.876 --> 00:53:16.531 open our eyes; 00:53:16.531 --> 00:53:18.871 tear those scales away. 00:53:18.871 --> 00:53:20.590 Lord, help us to see things 00:53:20.590 --> 00:53:22.636 as we ought to see them. 00:53:22.636 --> 00:53:24.568 I pray in Christ's name. Amen.