Believed and Glorified

1 Timothy 3:16
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Pastor Colin explains that Christian faith is not based on personal opinions, feelings, or experiences but on believing what God has revealed about Jesus Christ, who was manifested in the flesh, vindicated by the Spirit, seen by angels, proclaimed among the nations, believed on in the world, and taken up in glory. This mystery of godliness, according to Pastor Colin, leads us to understand that the life God calls us to is attainable only through Jesus.

The sermon further delves into what believing in Jesus entails. Pastor Colin outlines three steps: confessing what God has revealed about Jesus, ceasing to rely on our own attempts to achieve godliness, and trusting Jesus for godliness. He describes believing as confessing Jesus as Lord, recognising our failures in living godly lives, and placing faith in Jesus’ power to transform us rather than relying on self-effort.

Pastor Colin also touches on the analogy of marriage to illustrate the union with Christ, explaining that just as Meghan Markle’s royal status is through her union with Prince Harry, our godliness is obtained through our union with Christ. Believing in Jesus means we become one with Him, thus what is true of Jesus becomes true of us.

Finally, Pastor Colin discusses where believing leads. He explains that just as Jesus was taken up in glory, those who believe in Him will also be taken up to glory, where they will be with Him and share in His eternal life. This promise of being with Jesus in glory is the ultimate purpose for which He came into the world.

1 00:00:00,000 –> 00:00:06,760 You’re listening to a sermon from Pastor Colin Smith of Open the Bible. 2 00:00:06,760 –> 00:00:16,500 To contact us call us at 1-877-OPEN-365 or visit our website openthebible.org. 3 00:00:16,500 –> 00:00:17,719 Let’s get to the message. 4 00:00:17,719 –> 00:00:19,360 Here is Pastor Colin. 5 00:00:19,360 –> 00:00:24,760 Well good morning everyone and Merry Christmas to you all. 6 00:00:24,820 –> 00:00:30,920 Would you open your Bible please at 1st Timothy chapter 3 and verse 16. 7 00:00:30,920 –> 00:00:35,919 We are looking for the fourth and last time at this marvelous description of the Lord 8 00:00:35,919 –> 00:00:40,480 Jesus Christ who was born on that first Christmas morning. 9 00:00:40,480 –> 00:00:45,360 1st Timothy chapter 3 and verse 16 we read these words, 10 00:00:45,360 –> 00:00:50,540 Great indeed we confess is the mystery of godliness, 11 00:00:50,540 –> 00:00:53,639 He was manifested in the flesh, 12 00:00:53,639 –> 00:00:55,840 vindicated by the Spirit, 13 00:00:55,840 –> 00:00:58,160 seen by angels, 14 00:00:58,160 –> 00:01:00,380 proclaimed among the nations, 15 00:01:00,380 –> 00:01:02,680 believed on in the world, 16 00:01:02,680 –> 00:01:06,500 taken up in glory. 17 00:01:06,500 –> 00:01:10,699 Now this verse very obviously is about godliness. 18 00:01:10,699 –> 00:01:13,580 God made you for himself 19 00:01:13,580 –> 00:01:16,699 and to be Godly very simply as we saw means 20 00:01:16,699 –> 00:01:20,379 to be God’s man or to be God’s woman. 21 00:01:20,379 –> 00:01:22,940 Godliness in other words is the life for which 22 00:01:22,940 –> 00:01:26,540 God made you and the life to which God calls you 23 00:01:26,540 –> 00:01:28,440 and here we’re told in this verse 24 00:01:28,440 –> 00:01:32,260 that how we become Godly is a mystery 25 00:01:32,260 –> 00:01:34,820 and we saw that in the Bible that word mystery 26 00:01:34,820 –> 00:01:38,160 means a secret that God has revealed 27 00:01:38,160 –> 00:01:42,040 though its full wonder is still to be made known 28 00:01:42,040 –> 00:01:43,860 and what God has revealed 29 00:01:43,860 –> 00:01:46,419 is that godliness, the life for which you were made, 30 00:01:46,419 –> 00:01:47,540 the life to which you are called, 31 00:01:47,720 –> 00:01:51,279 is possible through Jesus Christ. 32 00:01:51,279 –> 00:01:54,300 Great is the mystery of godliness. 33 00:01:54,300 –> 00:01:58,680 He was manifested in the flesh 34 00:01:58,680 –> 00:02:00,900 and vindicated by the spirit 35 00:02:00,900 –> 00:02:03,639 and so we have these six marvelous statements 36 00:02:03,639 –> 00:02:05,260 about the Lord Jesus Christ. 37 00:02:05,260 –> 00:02:07,660 He is the mystery of godliness. 38 00:02:07,660 –> 00:02:09,940 He is the secret that God has revealed 39 00:02:09,940 –> 00:02:12,220 though its full wonder is still to be made known 40 00:02:12,220 –> 00:02:14,300 of how you can come to live the life 41 00:02:14,779 –> 00:02:18,460 of which God made you the life to which God calls you. 42 00:02:18,460 –> 00:02:21,940 We’re told here that he was seen by angels. 43 00:02:21,940 –> 00:02:22,800 We saw last time 44 00:02:22,800 –> 00:02:25,139 that angels are messengers. 45 00:02:25,139 –> 00:02:28,580 They announced the meaning of the baby in the manger 46 00:02:28,580 –> 00:02:32,559 and they announced the meaning of the empty tomb. 47 00:02:32,559 –> 00:02:35,199 In other words they announced the incarnation 48 00:02:35,199 –> 00:02:38,080 and they announced the resurrection. 49 00:02:38,080 –> 00:02:43,059 The one who was born in the manger is Christ the Lord. 50 00:02:43,059 –> 00:02:47,259 The one who lay in the tomb is risen from the dead 51 00:02:47,259 –> 00:02:50,100 and is alive for evermore. 52 00:02:51,100 –> 00:02:54,059 Therefore we saw that Christian faith 53 00:02:54,059 –> 00:02:59,059 is not a matter of personal opinion or interpretation. 54 00:02:59,839 –> 00:03:04,839 Christian faith is not based on personal feelings 55 00:03:05,080 –> 00:03:08,660 or impulses, or even experiences. 56 00:03:08,660 –> 00:03:11,059 Christian faith at it’s heart 57 00:03:11,059 –> 00:03:15,580 is believing what God has revealed regarding Jesus. 58 00:03:15,580 –> 00:03:19,259 Which is, that he was manifested in the flesh 59 00:03:19,259 –> 00:03:23,139 and that he was vindicated by the Spirit. 60 00:03:23,139 –> 00:03:26,740 And this good news revealed by God concerning Jesus 61 00:03:26,740 –> 00:03:29,679 seen by angels and announced by them 62 00:03:29,679 –> 00:03:32,660 was proclaimed among the nations by the apostles 63 00:03:32,660 –> 00:03:35,779 and of course this is still our calling today. 64 00:03:35,779 –> 00:03:39,380 You can say to any person, at any time, 65 00:03:39,380 –> 00:03:42,839 any culture, any place, you can say 66 00:03:42,839 –> 00:03:45,580 there is a life for which God made you, 67 00:03:46,460 –> 00:03:49,699 there is a life to which God calls you 68 00:03:49,699 –> 00:03:52,559 and that life which is a life of godliness, 69 00:03:52,559 –> 00:03:56,020 to be God’s man, God’s woman is made possible for you 70 00:03:56,020 –> 00:03:58,399 in and through Jesus Christ. 71 00:03:58,399 –> 00:04:02,759 Great is the mystery of godliness. 72 00:04:02,759 –> 00:04:06,320 Now today we’re going to look at how this life 73 00:04:06,320 –> 00:04:09,259 for which God made you and to which God calls you, 74 00:04:09,360 –> 00:04:12,160 how this life can be yours. 75 00:04:12,160 –> 00:04:13,660 And it’s in the last lines 76 00:04:13,660 –> 00:04:16,640 of this marvelous statement about Jesus 77 00:04:16,640 –> 00:04:20,040 that he was believed on in the world 78 00:04:20,040 –> 00:04:23,739 and taken up into glory. 79 00:04:23,739 –> 00:04:27,880 I want today that we should see clearly 80 00:04:27,880 –> 00:04:32,880 what believing means and where believing leads. 81 00:04:34,920 –> 00:04:38,040 Let’s start here, what believing means. 82 00:04:38,059 –> 00:04:43,059 He was believed on in the world. 83 00:04:45,459 –> 00:04:48,200 Now, the Bible says a very great deal 84 00:04:48,200 –> 00:04:53,200 about believing for God so loved the world 85 00:04:54,559 –> 00:04:58,220 that he gave his one and only Son 86 00:04:59,399 –> 00:05:04,399 that whoever believes in him should not perish 87 00:05:05,320 –> 00:05:08,540 but have everlasting life. 88 00:05:09,540 –> 00:05:14,359 So, everlasting life can be yours by believing, 89 00:05:16,959 –> 00:05:18,140 by believing. 90 00:05:19,160 –> 00:05:22,019 In the Bible we also read these marvelous words, 91 00:05:22,019 –> 00:05:27,019 believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and you will be saved. 92 00:05:28,779 –> 00:05:33,760 So, not only is everlasting life yours by believing 93 00:05:33,799 –> 00:05:38,799 but to be saved from the final judgment of Almighty God, 94 00:05:39,359 –> 00:05:41,779 that also is yours by believing. 95 00:05:41,779 –> 00:05:43,980 So, to know what is meant by believing 96 00:05:43,980 –> 00:05:46,700 is therefore of supreme importance 97 00:05:46,700 –> 00:05:49,160 and that is what is before us today. 98 00:05:50,059 –> 00:05:52,959 I want to suggest to you from these verses 99 00:05:52,959 –> 00:05:55,700 that believing in the Lord Jesus Christ 100 00:05:55,700 –> 00:05:59,440 involves three steps and I hope that each and every one 101 00:05:59,440 –> 00:06:02,880 of us in this service today will take these steps 102 00:06:02,880 –> 00:06:07,179 and believe in the Lord Jesus Christ. 103 00:06:08,239 –> 00:06:13,079 Number one, believing means that you confess 104 00:06:13,079 –> 00:06:15,880 what God has revealed about Jesus. 105 00:06:15,880 –> 00:06:18,720 That’s the first step if you like, in believing, 106 00:06:18,720 –> 00:06:23,720 that you confess what God has revealed about Jesus. 107 00:06:23,799 –> 00:06:28,720 Great indeed, we confess is the mystery of godliness. 108 00:06:28,720 –> 00:06:30,799 He was manifested in the flesh 109 00:06:30,839 –> 00:06:32,959 and vindicated by the spirit. 110 00:06:32,959 –> 00:06:36,279 These words are a confession of faith. 111 00:06:36,279 –> 00:06:38,040 That is what it is to believe. 112 00:06:38,040 –> 00:06:42,559 It is to confess what God has revealed concerning Jesus. 113 00:06:42,559 –> 00:06:44,399 We confess the mystery. 114 00:06:44,399 –> 00:06:47,320 That is we confess the secret that God has revealed, 115 00:06:47,320 –> 00:06:49,760 though its full wonder is still to be made known. 116 00:06:49,760 –> 00:06:51,920 And what has God revealed regarding Jesus? 117 00:06:51,920 –> 00:06:54,000 He was manifested in the flesh. 118 00:06:54,000 –> 00:06:57,200 He was vindicated by the spirit. 119 00:06:57,200 –> 00:07:01,279 So very simply, to believe in Jesus 120 00:07:01,279 –> 00:07:06,279 means that you confess what God has revealed about him. 121 00:07:06,899 –> 00:07:11,899 Yes, I believe that God became Man in Jesus Christ, 122 00:07:14,760 –> 00:07:19,760 that the Baby who lay in the manger is God with us. 123 00:07:21,000 –> 00:07:23,880 That he is indeed Lord of all 124 00:07:23,880 –> 00:07:28,820 and therefore by definition must be Lord of me. 125 00:07:30,000 –> 00:07:34,760 Yes, I believe that he lived that perfect life 126 00:07:34,760 –> 00:07:36,459 that no one else has ever lived 127 00:07:36,459 –> 00:07:39,820 and that he laid that perfect life down 128 00:07:39,820 –> 00:07:43,959 as a sacrifice for my sins. 129 00:07:43,959 –> 00:07:46,320 I believe that he rose from the dead 130 00:07:46,320 –> 00:07:48,440 and he ascended into Heaven 131 00:07:48,440 –> 00:07:51,579 and I believe that one day he will come again 132 00:07:51,579 –> 00:07:53,820 in power and in glory. 133 00:07:54,760 –> 00:07:57,059 Now the Bible says very clearly, 134 00:07:57,059 –> 00:07:59,559 if you confess with your mouth 135 00:07:59,559 –> 00:08:01,679 that Jesus is Lord 136 00:08:01,679 –> 00:08:03,220 and believe in your heart 137 00:08:03,220 –> 00:08:05,720 that God raised him from the dead 138 00:08:05,720 –> 00:08:07,040 you will be saved. 139 00:08:07,040 –> 00:08:08,140 Notice the connection, 140 00:08:08,140 –> 00:08:09,660 you confess with your mouth, 141 00:08:09,660 –> 00:08:10,959 you believe in your heart. 142 00:08:10,959 –> 00:08:14,000 Confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord. 143 00:08:14,000 –> 00:08:16,380 Believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead 144 00:08:16,380 –> 00:08:17,239 you will be saved. 145 00:08:17,239 –> 00:08:18,480 You notice the connection 146 00:08:18,480 –> 00:08:20,079 between confessing and believing 147 00:08:20,079 –> 00:08:22,700 because in the first instance 148 00:08:22,700 –> 00:08:25,739 believing is a matter of confessing 149 00:08:25,739 –> 00:08:29,220 what God has revealed about Jesus. 150 00:08:29,220 –> 00:08:31,260 So I want to ask you very simply this morning 151 00:08:31,260 –> 00:08:34,520 are you ready to take the first step in believing? 152 00:08:35,479 –> 00:08:39,380 I confess what God has revealed about Jesus. 153 00:08:39,380 –> 00:08:41,400 That he was manifested in the flesh, 154 00:08:41,400 –> 00:08:43,940 vindicated by the spirit. 155 00:08:43,940 –> 00:08:46,140 That Jesus is the sovereign Lord 156 00:08:46,140 –> 00:08:49,039 and the Saviour who was born into the world, 157 00:08:49,039 –> 00:08:53,059 died on the cross and rose again from the dead. 158 00:08:53,059 –> 00:08:55,479 Believing means that you confess 159 00:08:55,479 –> 00:09:00,159 what God has revealed about Jesus. 160 00:09:00,159 –> 00:09:05,159 Second, believing means that you stop trusting 161 00:09:06,960 –> 00:09:10,619 in your own attempts to be godly. 162 00:09:11,479 –> 00:09:16,479 Now remember godliness is the life for which God made you 163 00:09:16,820 –> 00:09:19,260 and it is the life to which God calls you. 164 00:09:20,460 –> 00:09:24,960 But what does this godly life look like? 165 00:09:24,960 –> 00:09:29,000 Well, God lays it out in the ten commandments 166 00:09:29,000 –> 00:09:30,500 and here’s the first of them. 167 00:09:31,479 –> 00:09:36,479 You shall have no other gods before me. 168 00:09:38,719 –> 00:09:41,820 Now you see that’s the essence of godliness isn’t it? 169 00:09:41,820 –> 00:09:45,039 To be godly is to be God’s man. 170 00:09:45,059 –> 00:09:50,059 It is to be God’s woman, God made you for himself. 171 00:09:50,460 –> 00:09:54,919 To be godly means that you are wholly devoted to him. 172 00:09:55,820 –> 00:09:59,340 Or as Jesus put it, that you love the Lord your God 173 00:09:59,340 –> 00:10:04,219 with all your heart, with all your soul, 174 00:10:04,219 –> 00:10:09,200 with all your mind, and with all your strength. 175 00:10:09,840 –> 00:10:14,840 Now here’s how you get to believing in Jesus. 176 00:10:16,059 –> 00:10:20,679 You take an honest look at your own life 177 00:10:20,679 –> 00:10:24,700 in the light of the life for which God made you 178 00:10:24,700 –> 00:10:27,359 and the life to which he calls you. 179 00:10:27,359 –> 00:10:30,820 Love the Lord your God with all your heart, 180 00:10:30,820 –> 00:10:33,739 with all your soul, with all your mind, 181 00:10:33,739 –> 00:10:36,580 and with all your strength. 182 00:10:37,359 –> 00:10:40,099 And when you take an honest look at your own life 183 00:10:40,099 –> 00:10:42,400 in the light of the life to which God calls you, 184 00:10:42,400 –> 00:10:44,179 you will come to this conclusion. 185 00:10:45,340 –> 00:10:48,559 I am nowhere close to being Godly! 186 00:10:50,359 –> 00:10:52,059 I haven’t even done the first thing 187 00:10:52,059 –> 00:10:53,940 that God calls me to do! 188 00:10:55,140 –> 00:10:59,260 My life is stretched out between competing loves. 189 00:11:00,880 –> 00:11:03,799 I love myself too much. 190 00:11:03,940 –> 00:11:08,219 I love this world too much. 191 00:11:08,219 –> 00:11:11,280 I love this life too much. 192 00:11:13,020 –> 00:11:18,020 And when you become convinced that you are not Godly, 193 00:11:20,020 –> 00:11:22,739 you will say, well, this is no use. 194 00:11:23,780 –> 00:11:26,559 I cannot continue to put confidence 195 00:11:26,559 –> 00:11:30,340 in my own feeble attempts to live a Godly life 196 00:11:30,340 –> 00:11:32,760 because these attempts at their best 197 00:11:33,080 –> 00:11:36,619 fall pitifully short of the life for which God made me 198 00:11:36,619 –> 00:11:38,539 and the life to which God calls me. 199 00:11:40,479 –> 00:11:43,119 That’s how you will come to believe in Jesus. 200 00:11:43,119 –> 00:11:44,919 You won’t put your trust in Jesus 201 00:11:44,919 –> 00:11:47,400 until you’ve given up trusting in yourself. 202 00:11:49,599 –> 00:11:51,280 Now all over the world, friends, 203 00:11:51,280 –> 00:11:53,640 people are pursuing different paths 204 00:11:53,640 –> 00:11:56,500 in an attempt to be godly. 205 00:11:56,500 –> 00:12:00,159 Each of the world’s religions offers a different path. 206 00:12:00,380 –> 00:12:02,780 They all tell you what you must do. 207 00:12:03,940 –> 00:12:05,760 There are rights to be observed, 208 00:12:05,760 –> 00:12:07,599 there are pilgrimages to be made, 209 00:12:07,599 –> 00:12:09,460 there are sacrifices to be offered, 210 00:12:09,460 –> 00:12:11,940 there are evils to be opposed. 211 00:12:12,820 –> 00:12:17,380 The Gospel says something completely different. 212 00:12:17,380 –> 00:12:19,979 What God says to us in scripture is, 213 00:12:19,979 –> 00:12:21,500 you’re not godly. 214 00:12:22,440 –> 00:12:23,940 And what’s more, 215 00:12:23,940 –> 00:12:27,739 you don’t have it in you to become godly. 216 00:12:28,599 –> 00:12:31,960 And that, of course, goes against the grain 217 00:12:31,960 –> 00:12:34,739 of all that we are taught in our culture. 218 00:12:34,739 –> 00:12:36,559 Our culture is always saying to us, 219 00:12:36,559 –> 00:12:38,960 now you’re a good person, 220 00:12:38,960 –> 00:12:42,780 and you can do whatever you set your mind to do. 221 00:12:42,780 –> 00:12:44,979 And we like that message, so we believe it, 222 00:12:44,979 –> 00:12:48,000 and we say yes, no, I have integrity. 223 00:12:48,000 –> 00:12:49,799 I tell the truth. 224 00:12:49,799 –> 00:12:51,219 I’m a good person. 225 00:12:52,739 –> 00:12:57,179 And, you know, the more ethical you are, 226 00:12:58,219 –> 00:13:02,380 the harder it is to believe that you are not godly. 227 00:13:03,900 –> 00:13:08,059 But if you confess that Jesus really is God with us, 228 00:13:08,960 –> 00:13:11,440 manifested in the flesh and vindicated by the spirit, 229 00:13:11,440 –> 00:13:14,159 at some point you are going to say to yourself, 230 00:13:14,159 –> 00:13:18,739 if you confess that Jesus is who He says He is, 231 00:13:18,739 –> 00:13:20,320 if I confess Jesus, 232 00:13:21,679 –> 00:13:25,179 I can no longer hold onto a view of myself 233 00:13:25,219 –> 00:13:29,159 that is a direct contradiction to why He came into the world. 234 00:13:31,059 –> 00:13:32,960 You shall call His name Jesus, 235 00:13:32,960 –> 00:13:36,239 for He shall save His people from their sins. 236 00:13:39,520 –> 00:13:40,919 So here’s my question, 237 00:13:42,039 –> 00:13:45,940 if you confess what God has revealed about Jesus, 238 00:13:45,940 –> 00:13:47,080 that’s the first step, 239 00:13:48,340 –> 00:13:52,380 are you ready today to take the second step, 240 00:13:52,380 –> 00:13:55,059 which is to stop trusting 241 00:13:55,059 –> 00:13:57,880 your own attempts to be godly? 242 00:13:59,039 –> 00:14:01,059 And I will tell you, when you stop trusting 243 00:14:01,059 –> 00:14:01,960 what’s not working, 244 00:14:01,960 –> 00:14:04,080 you will know the most enormous relief. 245 00:14:05,340 –> 00:14:06,820 Believing means, first, 246 00:14:06,820 –> 00:14:09,179 that you confess what God has revealed about Jesus, 247 00:14:09,179 –> 00:14:11,719 second, that you stop trusting 248 00:14:11,719 –> 00:14:13,960 your own attempts to be godly. 249 00:14:14,820 –> 00:14:16,979 And you say, where do you go from there? 250 00:14:16,979 –> 00:14:19,119 What are you going to put in the place 251 00:14:19,119 –> 00:14:20,299 of trusting in yourself? 252 00:14:20,299 –> 00:14:23,659 That’s the third step in what it means to believe. 253 00:14:23,659 –> 00:14:28,659 Believing means that you trust Jesus for godliness 254 00:14:28,859 –> 00:14:30,580 and isn’t that the whole point of this verse? 255 00:14:30,580 –> 00:14:32,979 Great indeed we confess, 256 00:14:32,979 –> 00:14:35,000 is the mystery of godliness, 257 00:14:35,000 –> 00:14:36,380 the secret that God has revealed 258 00:14:36,380 –> 00:14:39,239 of how you can become the person God calls you to be, 259 00:14:39,239 –> 00:14:40,859 and the answer is it’s in Jesus. 260 00:14:40,859 –> 00:14:43,219 He was manifested in the flesh 261 00:14:43,219 –> 00:14:48,099 and vindicated by the Spirit. 262 00:14:48,099 –> 00:14:50,539 When you believe, 263 00:14:50,599 –> 00:14:55,520 Jesus becomes yours and you become his. 264 00:14:57,799 –> 00:15:02,799 Faith unites you to Jesus Christ 265 00:15:02,840 –> 00:15:07,320 so that when he is yours, 266 00:15:07,320 –> 00:15:12,320 all that is in him becomes yours as well. 267 00:15:13,820 –> 00:15:16,640 Now let me try and illustrate that in this way. 268 00:15:16,640 –> 00:15:20,520 Something very, very wonderful 269 00:15:21,059 –> 00:15:24,140 happened in Britain this year. 270 00:15:25,340 –> 00:15:30,340 An American became a member of the Royal Family. 271 00:15:31,119 –> 00:15:34,760 I tell you, I felt like the two halves of my whole life 272 00:15:34,760 –> 00:15:36,859 were being brought together 273 00:15:36,859 –> 00:15:40,000 on this marvelous occasion when Meghan Markle 274 00:15:40,000 –> 00:15:44,659 married Prince Harry on a perfect summer’s day 275 00:15:44,659 –> 00:15:49,659 watched by a staggering 1.9 billion people around the world. 276 00:15:51,460 –> 00:15:55,099 Now think about this, 277 00:15:56,059 –> 00:15:59,780 Harry is royal by birth, 278 00:16:00,960 –> 00:16:05,239 Meghan is royal by marriage. 279 00:16:05,239 –> 00:16:08,239 His royalty is his own. 280 00:16:09,239 –> 00:16:13,380 Her royalty is in him 281 00:16:13,380 –> 00:16:15,280 and through him 282 00:16:15,280 –> 00:16:19,080 and by virtue of her union with him. 283 00:16:19,719 –> 00:16:23,580 Meghan would not be royal without Harry. 284 00:16:24,479 –> 00:16:27,960 But when she became one with him 285 00:16:27,960 –> 00:16:32,619 what was true of him became true of her. 286 00:16:34,479 –> 00:16:36,159 Now, we’re looking at the question, 287 00:16:36,159 –> 00:16:38,679 how can you be godly? 288 00:16:38,679 –> 00:16:40,559 The answer is Jesus Christ 289 00:16:40,559 –> 00:16:44,799 and Jesus Christ alone is godly in himself. 290 00:16:45,559 –> 00:16:50,559 We become godly in him, through him 291 00:16:51,760 –> 00:16:55,340 and by virtue of union with him. 292 00:16:55,340 –> 00:16:59,900 You would not and could not be godly without Jesus 293 00:16:59,900 –> 00:17:02,219 but when you become one with him 294 00:17:02,219 –> 00:17:07,219 what is true of him becomes true of you as well. 295 00:17:08,280 –> 00:17:09,560 So here’s my question. 296 00:17:10,579 –> 00:17:14,579 If you confess what God has revealed about Jesus 297 00:17:14,640 –> 00:17:18,339 and if in the light of that you have stopped trusting 298 00:17:18,339 –> 00:17:21,380 in your own attempts to be godly 299 00:17:21,380 –> 00:17:24,520 are you ready then to take the third step 300 00:17:24,520 –> 00:17:28,859 of believing today which is to trust Jesus 301 00:17:28,859 –> 00:17:31,359 for what you do not have and to find in him 302 00:17:31,359 –> 00:17:34,400 the godliness that is in him alone. 303 00:17:35,300 –> 00:17:38,339 Actually this analogy of marriage 304 00:17:38,339 –> 00:17:40,699 that the bible uses many many times 305 00:17:40,699 –> 00:17:44,900 to help us understand union with the Lord Jesus Christ 306 00:17:44,900 –> 00:17:47,239 it is such a helpful picture. 307 00:17:47,239 –> 00:17:50,260 Every marriage involves consent. 308 00:17:51,140 –> 00:17:54,540 Will you take this man to be your lawful wedded husband? 309 00:17:54,540 –> 00:17:56,140 I will, will you take this woman 310 00:17:56,140 –> 00:17:58,099 to be your lawful wedded wife? 311 00:17:58,099 –> 00:18:00,939 I will involves consent. 312 00:18:02,140 –> 00:18:03,920 May put it to you this way, 313 00:18:03,920 –> 00:18:06,060 that by coming into the world 314 00:18:07,060 –> 00:18:08,599 living that perfect life 315 00:18:08,599 –> 00:18:11,079 and then by going to that cross 316 00:18:11,079 –> 00:18:13,979 where he laid down his life for us 317 00:18:13,979 –> 00:18:16,180 Jesus was consenting 318 00:18:17,500 –> 00:18:21,060 to be your savior and to be your Lord 319 00:18:21,060 –> 00:18:23,760 and to be made one with you. 320 00:18:25,000 –> 00:18:27,979 And when you believe you are consenting 321 00:18:27,979 –> 00:18:31,260 to be made one with him, to be in him 322 00:18:31,260 –> 00:18:34,140 so that that which is true of him alone 323 00:18:34,660 –> 00:18:36,459 becomes true of you in him 324 00:18:36,459 –> 00:18:40,459 by virtue of your union with him. 325 00:18:41,540 –> 00:18:44,859 Here’s what believing means. 326 00:18:44,859 –> 00:18:47,060 It means that you confess 327 00:18:47,060 –> 00:18:50,020 what God has revealed about Jesus. 328 00:18:50,020 –> 00:18:51,560 It means that in the light of that 329 00:18:51,560 –> 00:18:54,439 you stop trusting your own attempts to be godly 330 00:18:54,439 –> 00:18:56,160 and in the light of that 331 00:18:56,160 –> 00:19:01,040 you start trusting Jesus for godliness. 332 00:19:01,719 –> 00:19:05,280 That’s what believing means. 333 00:19:05,280 –> 00:19:07,160 And one more thing more briefly today, 334 00:19:07,160 –> 00:19:10,459 I want you to see from this marvelous verse 335 00:19:10,459 –> 00:19:14,739 where believing leads. 336 00:19:14,739 –> 00:19:17,020 Look at it. 337 00:19:17,020 –> 00:19:22,020 He was taken up in glory. 338 00:19:23,119 –> 00:19:25,300 Now we read from the book of Acts 339 00:19:25,300 –> 00:19:27,319 how 40 days after the resurrection 340 00:19:27,319 –> 00:19:30,119 Jesus ascended into heaven. 341 00:19:30,180 –> 00:19:32,599 We read these words from Acts chapter one and verse nine, 342 00:19:32,599 –> 00:19:36,939 he was lifted up 343 00:19:36,939 –> 00:19:40,359 and a cloud took him out of their sight. 344 00:19:40,359 –> 00:19:42,900 And here we’re reading in 1 Timothy in chapter three 345 00:19:42,900 –> 00:19:45,319 that Jesus who was manifested in the flesh, 346 00:19:45,319 –> 00:19:46,859 born in that manger, 347 00:19:46,859 –> 00:19:49,900 Jesus who rose from the dead, 348 00:19:49,900 –> 00:19:54,280 he was taken up in glory. 349 00:19:55,339 –> 00:19:57,699 And you say what does that mean for us today? 350 00:19:58,680 –> 00:20:03,079 Well, listen to what Jesus says to his disciples, 351 00:20:03,079 –> 00:20:05,280 because those who believe 352 00:20:05,280 –> 00:20:09,060 will one day also, like Jesus be taken up. 353 00:20:09,060 –> 00:20:10,699 Jesus said this, 354 00:20:10,699 –> 00:20:13,640 “‘Let not your heart be troubled. 355 00:20:13,640 –> 00:20:16,520 Believe in God, 356 00:20:16,520 –> 00:20:20,219 believe also in me.’ 357 00:20:21,199 –> 00:20:23,699 Then to those who believe, he says this, 358 00:20:23,819 –> 00:20:28,420 Now I am going to prepare a place for you. 359 00:20:28,420 –> 00:20:29,260 Then he says this, 360 00:20:29,260 –> 00:20:31,699 “‘I will come again 361 00:20:31,699 –> 00:20:36,300 and I will take you to be with myself 362 00:20:36,300 –> 00:20:40,280 that where I am,’ that’s in glory, 363 00:20:40,280 –> 00:20:44,040 “‘you may be also.’” 364 00:20:44,040 –> 00:20:47,979 Christ was taken up in glory. 365 00:20:49,500 –> 00:20:53,660 And if you believe by union with Jesus Christ, 366 00:20:54,000 –> 00:20:58,579 what happened to him will one day happen to you. 367 00:20:58,579 –> 00:21:00,839 You will be taken up in glory. 368 00:21:00,839 –> 00:21:03,540 He says, I will take you to myself 369 00:21:03,540 –> 00:21:07,739 that where I am you also will be. 370 00:21:07,739 –> 00:21:09,959 And this is the ultimate purpose 371 00:21:09,959 –> 00:21:13,180 for which Jesus Christ came into the world. 372 00:21:13,180 –> 00:21:14,939 Just before he went to the cross, 373 00:21:14,939 –> 00:21:16,859 he declared it. 374 00:21:16,859 –> 00:21:18,719 Father, he says, 375 00:21:18,719 –> 00:21:21,079 I desire that they also, 376 00:21:21,079 –> 00:21:23,920 whom you have given me may be with me 377 00:21:23,920 –> 00:21:28,219 where I am to see my glory. 378 00:21:28,219 –> 00:21:30,680 Jesus says, I’m going to the cross for this reason, 379 00:21:30,680 –> 00:21:32,459 I want them to be with me 380 00:21:32,459 –> 00:21:34,760 and I want them to see my glory. 381 00:21:37,199 –> 00:21:40,160 Think of what that means to you, 382 00:21:41,839 –> 00:21:44,900 that what happened to Jesus manifested in the flesh 383 00:21:44,900 –> 00:21:46,579 now taken up into glory. 384 00:21:48,560 –> 00:21:50,040 One day that’s gonna happen to you 385 00:21:50,040 –> 00:21:51,199 if you believe in him, 386 00:21:51,199 –> 00:21:53,040 that’s the promise that’s being given here. 387 00:21:53,040 –> 00:21:55,640 What believing means where believing leads, 388 00:21:58,319 –> 00:22:02,319 he was manifested in the flesh. 389 00:22:04,880 –> 00:22:09,420 That means that nails being driven 390 00:22:09,420 –> 00:22:13,920 through his hands felt exactly as it would feel to you 391 00:22:13,920 –> 00:22:15,920 if a nail was driven through your hand, 392 00:22:18,099 –> 00:22:19,859 he was manifested in the flesh. 393 00:22:20,660 –> 00:22:24,680 So he knew in the flesh what it was 394 00:22:24,680 –> 00:22:27,199 to be weary, as you do 395 00:22:29,199 –> 00:22:33,660 and he knew what it was to suffer, as you do, 396 00:22:36,319 –> 00:22:41,160 but now, he is taken up in glory 397 00:22:42,500 –> 00:22:46,800 and he has a resurrection body that cannot suffer. 398 00:22:46,800 –> 00:22:48,500 It will never tire 399 00:22:48,500 –> 00:22:51,040 and it will never age and one day, 400 00:22:51,040 –> 00:22:53,640 that resurrection body will be yours 401 00:22:53,640 –> 00:22:55,819 if you believe in the Lord Jesus Christ. 402 00:22:57,900 –> 00:23:00,040 He was manifested in the flesh. 403 00:23:01,599 –> 00:23:06,599 That means also that he knew great grief and sorrow, 404 00:23:07,939 –> 00:23:11,140 that burdens were carried in his own soul 405 00:23:11,140 –> 00:23:14,140 and weighed upon his mind and his heart 406 00:23:15,180 –> 00:23:17,339 as you experience that, too. 407 00:23:18,280 –> 00:23:21,239 He was even known as the man of sorrows, 408 00:23:21,239 –> 00:23:23,040 but he’s not the man of sorrows now. 409 00:23:24,400 –> 00:23:27,560 No, now he is taken up in glory 410 00:23:28,739 –> 00:23:30,479 where there is no sorrow 411 00:23:31,680 –> 00:23:34,199 and when you are with him, 412 00:23:34,199 –> 00:23:38,260 he will wipe every tear away from your eyes. 413 00:23:40,119 –> 00:23:43,579 Jesus was manifested in the flesh 414 00:23:44,180 –> 00:23:47,140 and he came into the world to be our sin bearer 415 00:23:48,459 –> 00:23:50,359 and when he carried our sins, 416 00:23:50,359 –> 00:23:54,140 he was plunged into the deepest darkness 417 00:23:54,140 –> 00:23:56,420 in which he cried out, 418 00:23:56,420 –> 00:24:01,420 my God, my God, why have you forsaken me? 419 00:24:03,099 –> 00:24:05,780 And you know what it is to ask why? 420 00:24:07,239 –> 00:24:08,420 And you know what it is 421 00:24:08,420 –> 00:24:11,040 to find yourself in great darkness 422 00:24:11,079 –> 00:24:13,640 and to wonder and perhaps even to fear, 423 00:24:13,640 –> 00:24:16,540 has God actually left me, 424 00:24:18,359 –> 00:24:20,319 but Jesus is not in darkness now, 425 00:24:21,699 –> 00:24:25,040 no, he is taken up in glory 426 00:24:25,040 –> 00:24:28,119 and he says to all who believe, 427 00:24:28,119 –> 00:24:30,599 one day you will be with me 428 00:24:30,599 –> 00:24:33,280 and see my glory and brother, sister, 429 00:24:33,280 –> 00:24:35,479 when you see his glory, 430 00:24:35,479 –> 00:24:38,239 you will no longer be asking why. 431 00:24:38,699 –> 00:24:42,959 Jesus was manifested in the flesh 432 00:24:45,280 –> 00:24:46,579 and he took our human flesh 433 00:24:46,579 –> 00:24:48,640 because he was going to the cross 434 00:24:48,640 –> 00:24:50,400 and he died, 435 00:24:52,800 –> 00:24:56,119 they laid his body in a tomb, 436 00:24:57,880 –> 00:24:59,359 but he’s not in the tomb now. 437 00:25:00,699 –> 00:25:03,040 He has taken up into glory 438 00:25:03,040 –> 00:25:06,359 where death no longer has power over him, 439 00:25:06,540 –> 00:25:09,319 for he lives in the power of an endless life 440 00:25:09,319 –> 00:25:11,780 and if you believe in him, 441 00:25:11,780 –> 00:25:14,459 that endless life will be yours also. 442 00:25:16,420 –> 00:25:21,420 Great indeed we confess is the mystery of godliness. 443 00:25:22,739 –> 00:25:25,439 He was manifested in the flesh, 444 00:25:25,439 –> 00:25:28,760 he was vindicated by the Spirit, 445 00:25:28,760 –> 00:25:33,199 angels announced his incarnation and his resurrection, 446 00:25:33,199 –> 00:25:37,099 apostles proclaimed the good news of Jesus Christ 447 00:25:37,099 –> 00:25:37,939 to the nations. 448 00:25:37,939 –> 00:25:38,760 Why? 449 00:25:38,760 –> 00:25:43,760 So that by believing the godliness that is in him 450 00:25:43,900 –> 00:25:46,900 and in him alone, might become yours. 451 00:25:46,900 –> 00:25:48,780 So that you might begin to pursue 452 00:25:48,780 –> 00:25:50,219 the life for which God made you 453 00:25:50,219 –> 00:25:52,020 and the life to which God calls you 454 00:25:52,020 –> 00:25:55,500 and that when he comes or calls for you, 455 00:25:56,739 –> 00:26:01,739 you will be taken up in glory. 456 00:26:04,079 –> 00:26:05,680 Let’s pray together. 457 00:26:07,300 –> 00:26:11,560 Father, we bless you today 458 00:26:11,560 –> 00:26:15,859 that when godliness was not found in us, 459 00:26:15,859 –> 00:26:19,680 Christ came so that we might find it in him. 460 00:26:21,500 –> 00:26:26,500 Thank you that he was manifested in the flesh, 461 00:26:26,660 –> 00:26:29,339 vindicated by the Spirit, 462 00:26:29,339 –> 00:26:33,339 seen by angels proclaimed among the nations. 463 00:26:34,800 –> 00:26:38,839 Grant today that we may believe in him, 464 00:26:41,319 –> 00:26:44,579 that, by his grace, we too may one day 465 00:26:44,579 –> 00:26:47,400 be taken up in glory 466 00:26:48,560 –> 00:26:52,099 through Jesus Christ our Lord 467 00:26:52,099 –> 00:26:53,920 to whom be all praise and glory. 468 00:26:53,920 –> 00:26:57,540 And God’s people who believe together said, amen. 469 00:27:00,339 –> 00:27:02,140 You’ve been listening to a sermon 470 00:27:02,140 –> 00:27:04,500 with Pastor Colin Smith of Open the Bible. 471 00:27:04,500 –> 00:27:08,500 To contact us, call us at 1-877-open-365 472 00:27:09,780 –> 00:27:13,339 or visit our website, OpenTheBible.org.

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Colin Smith

Trustee / Founder and Teaching Pastor

Colin Smith is the Senior Pastor of The Orchard Evangelical Free Church in the northwest suburbs of Chicago. He has authored a number of books, including Heaven, How I Got Here and Heaven, So Near – So Far. Colin is the Founder and Teaching Pastor for Open the Bible. Follow him on X formerly Twitter.

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