1 00:00:00,000 –> 00:00:05,920 We’re continuing to look together at this whole subject of worship. What we do and why we do it. 2 00:00:05,920 –> 00:00:12,240 And we’ve seen together that authentic worship is God-centered and Christ-focused. 3 00:00:13,600 –> 00:00:18,799 That is our highest priority. It is our greatest need when we gather together for worship. 4 00:00:19,360 –> 00:00:25,200 And today we’re going to take a third step together in asking, well now how is this going 5 00:00:25,200 –> 00:00:31,040 to happen. Getting a family organized on a Sunday morning isn’t without its challenges. 6 00:00:31,920 –> 00:00:37,840 Young children especially, you know, someone can’t find one shoe. Someone else knocks over the milk 7 00:00:37,840 –> 00:00:42,720 on the table. Someone else cuts himself shaving. You know this is all part of life. And then we 8 00:00:42,720 –> 00:00:47,759 arrive here and we’re supposed to be God-centered and Christ-focused. How is that going to happen? 9 00:00:47,759 –> 00:00:53,919 We’re going to need a little bit of help. And this morning I want to simply then to 10 00:00:53,919 –> 00:01:02,720 see how it is that this kind of worship takes place and what comes of it as a result. 11 00:01:03,680 –> 00:01:07,360 And we’re going to discover together that the very center of this kind of 12 00:01:07,360 –> 00:01:13,360 authentic worship taking place lies in the work and ministry of the Holy Spirit. 13 00:01:14,320 –> 00:01:17,839 Now let me introduce two characters. I’m going to call them Bill and Ben, 14 00:01:17,839 –> 00:01:20,559 just a couple of fictitious characters to sketch out. 15 00:01:21,760 –> 00:01:28,720 Bill comes to church. He stands up for the hymns. He mumbles along with the words. 16 00:01:28,720 –> 00:01:32,879 He closes his eyes for the prayers. He listens respectfully to the sermon. 17 00:01:32,879 –> 00:01:36,639 He says hello to a few friends in the foyer afterwards and then he goes home. 18 00:01:37,440 –> 00:01:42,400 Bill comes to church. It is part of his routine. 19 00:01:44,320 –> 00:01:54,559 Ben comes to worship. Ben uses the words of the hymns or the songs to fill his mind with 20 00:01:54,559 –> 00:02:01,199 the truth of who Jesus Christ is and to think about that. He uses the words of the prayer 21 00:02:01,199 –> 00:02:09,440 to confess his own sins and to, by faith, lay hold of the forgiveness that he knows is in Jesus Christ. 22 00:02:10,240 –> 00:02:16,119 He finds that in the sermon God speaks to him so that he’s stretched and challenged 23 00:02:16,119 –> 00:02:22,399 and encouraged as he engages with what God says in the bible. Then at the end of the 24 00:02:22,399 –> 00:02:26,639 service he looks for opportunities to reach out to others and to encourage them. 25 00:02:27,919 –> 00:02:34,559 And when he goes home Ben knows that he has been in the presence of God. He has met with God, 26 00:02:34,559 –> 00:02:43,199 Bill went to church, Ben went to worship. Now there is all the difference in the world 27 00:02:43,199 –> 00:02:48,479 between these two things. And if you can understand and grasp the difference at all 28 00:02:48,479 –> 00:02:52,479 you will see immediately that one can be nothing more than a dull routine, 29 00:02:52,479 –> 00:02:59,360 whereas the other will be a life changing experience. And when we understand that 30 00:02:59,360 –> 00:03:05,119 the obvious question will be, well then how can I move from simply coming to church 31 00:03:06,160 –> 00:03:12,559 to engaging in worship. The answer to this question in the Scriptures lies in the person 32 00:03:12,559 –> 00:03:20,320 and work of the Holy Spirit. Now in order to understand this in its biblical frame I want us 33 00:03:20,320 –> 00:03:25,119 to take four simple steps. We’re going to begin in the book of Ephesians today, and then come 34 00:03:25,199 –> 00:03:30,160 back to 2nd Corinthians which we read. But you might like to turn to Ephesians and Chapter 2 35 00:03:30,160 –> 00:03:35,679 just a few pages forward from Corinthians, and I want us to see there first in the Bible that 36 00:03:35,679 –> 00:03:44,479 human beings are naturally unresponsive to God. Human beings are naturally unresponsive 37 00:03:45,039 –> 00:03:49,600 to God. Look at four statements in Ephesians. First Ephesians Chapter 2 and verse 1. 38 00:03:50,479 –> 00:03:59,039 As for you, Paul says you were dead in your transgressions and sins. That’s an extraordinary 39 00:03:59,039 –> 00:04:05,600 phrase. If you’re dead in your sins, you obviously can’t be responsive to God. 40 00:04:06,559 –> 00:04:11,759 If you’re spiritually dead, you can’t love God, you certainly can’t worship God. 41 00:04:13,279 –> 00:04:18,640 Secondly, look at verse 12 of Chapter 2 where he gives another description of the natural state of 42 00:04:18,640 –> 00:04:24,559 a human being. At that time he said, you were separate from Christ, excluded from the citizenship 43 00:04:24,559 –> 00:04:33,040 in Israel and foreigners to the covenants of promise. You were a foreigner to God’s promises. 44 00:04:33,040 –> 00:04:37,040 You could read God’s promises. You could say, oh, there are marvellous, marvellous promises in the 45 00:04:37,040 –> 00:04:44,559 bible but they didn’t belong to you. They were outside of you. You were at a distance from them. 46 00:04:45,519 –> 00:04:50,640 You notice He uses the phrase foreigners to the covenants of promise in verse 12. In other words 47 00:04:50,640 –> 00:04:57,359 hearing the promise of God would have been rather like listening to the National Anthem of another 48 00:04:57,359 –> 00:05:05,279 country. So if I were to sing you the National Anthem of my country, which by the way some 49 00:05:05,279 –> 00:05:09,040 folks told me afterwards they thought was an American song which I thought almost unbelievable, 50 00:05:09,040 –> 00:05:14,000 but while you would still be singing this tune after independence I have no idea, 51 00:05:14,000 –> 00:05:23,040 but it goes like this… 52 00:05:25,279 –> 00:05:26,239 God save the queen. 53 00:05:27,679 –> 00:05:31,359 Now that’s the British National Anthem you can listen to that tune. 54 00:05:31,359 –> 00:05:35,359 You can say it’s a very nice tune but it doesn’t belong to you. 55 00:05:37,040 –> 00:05:37,839 Here’s one that does. 56 00:05:39,440 –> 00:05:45,679 You see immediately you say, 57 00:05:45,679 –> 00:05:48,160 ah that’s ours! That’s ours. 58 00:05:49,119 –> 00:05:51,359 Now you see what the Apostle Paul is saying here? 59 00:05:52,480 –> 00:05:55,200 You are an outsider to God’s promise. 60 00:05:55,200 –> 00:05:56,799 You could hear the promises of God. 61 00:05:56,799 –> 00:05:58,959 You could say oh these are marvelous promises in the Bible, 62 00:05:58,959 –> 00:06:01,119 but they didn’t belong to you. 63 00:06:01,119 –> 00:06:02,880 You were at a distance from them. 64 00:06:02,880 –> 00:06:04,959 You were an outsider to them. 65 00:06:05,839 –> 00:06:07,760 Thirdly, chapter 4 and verse 18. 66 00:06:07,760 –> 00:06:10,079 If you flick over a page in Ephesians, 67 00:06:10,079 –> 00:06:11,839 darkened in their understanding, 68 00:06:11,839 –> 00:06:13,519 this is exactly what we saw in the Bible 69 00:06:13,519 –> 00:06:15,839 last week from the book of Corinthians. 70 00:06:15,839 –> 00:06:17,359 Also that the God of this world 71 00:06:17,359 –> 00:06:19,760 has blinded the minds of unbelievers 72 00:06:19,760 –> 00:06:22,000 so that the natural state of a human being 73 00:06:22,000 –> 00:06:23,519 is that they just can’t see 74 00:06:23,519 –> 00:06:25,440 the glory of Jesus Christ. 75 00:06:26,160 –> 00:06:28,559 And then verse 19 that follows in chapter 4. 76 00:06:28,559 –> 00:06:30,320 Having lost all sensitivity, 77 00:06:30,959 –> 00:06:34,160 the more we pursue a self-centered life 78 00:06:34,239 –> 00:06:35,920 go down the path of sin, 79 00:06:35,920 –> 00:06:38,959 the less sensitive we are towards God. 80 00:06:39,920 –> 00:06:41,440 Now if these things are true, 81 00:06:41,440 –> 00:06:43,760 if it is the natural condition of human beings 82 00:06:43,760 –> 00:06:46,000 to be dead in trespasses and sins, 83 00:06:46,000 –> 00:06:48,640 outsiders or foreigners to God’s promise, 84 00:06:49,200 –> 00:06:50,720 darkened in understanding 85 00:06:50,720 –> 00:06:52,640 and without sensitivity to God, 86 00:06:53,200 –> 00:06:56,559 that makes worship impossible. 87 00:06:58,160 –> 00:07:01,440 How can you possibly be alive to God 88 00:07:01,440 –> 00:07:02,559 if you’re dead in your sins? 89 00:07:04,160 –> 00:07:07,200 How can you rejoice in God’s promises 90 00:07:07,200 –> 00:07:08,480 if they don’t belong to you? 91 00:07:09,920 –> 00:07:12,399 How can you love the scriptures 92 00:07:12,399 –> 00:07:13,920 if you’re darkened in your mind, 93 00:07:14,959 –> 00:07:16,640 and how can you appreciate 94 00:07:16,640 –> 00:07:18,880 and savor the glory of Christ 95 00:07:19,519 –> 00:07:21,839 if you’ve lost all sensitivity towards God? 96 00:07:23,600 –> 00:07:25,839 Now you see, some of us know 97 00:07:25,839 –> 00:07:27,279 as we come to church 98 00:07:28,559 –> 00:07:30,399 that there’s a dimension missing. 99 00:07:31,600 –> 00:07:32,959 We go through the routine, 100 00:07:32,959 –> 00:07:34,559 we become familiar with it, 101 00:07:34,559 –> 00:07:36,480 we appreciate many things about it. 102 00:07:36,480 –> 00:07:39,359 And yet we feel that we’re doing something 103 00:07:39,359 –> 00:07:40,079 like Bill, 104 00:07:41,920 –> 00:07:44,720 and we long to do something like Ben. 105 00:07:47,600 –> 00:07:49,440 Here’s where to begin. 106 00:07:49,440 –> 00:07:50,880 You have to understand 107 00:07:50,880 –> 00:07:53,040 that the natural state 108 00:07:53,040 –> 00:07:55,279 of the human condition 109 00:07:55,839 –> 00:07:59,519 makes it impossible to engage in worship. 110 00:07:59,519 –> 00:08:03,440 Okay you say, I can understand that 111 00:08:03,440 –> 00:08:04,480 if that’s true of me, 112 00:08:04,480 –> 00:08:06,640 if there’s something spiritually dead within me 113 00:08:06,640 –> 00:08:09,200 and I do actually feel an outsider 114 00:08:09,200 –> 00:08:10,000 to these promises, 115 00:08:10,000 –> 00:08:11,119 what can be done about it? 116 00:08:12,239 –> 00:08:13,760 Well here we come to the second thing. 117 00:08:13,760 –> 00:08:19,600 The Holy Spirit makes people responsive to God. 118 00:08:20,640 –> 00:08:22,880 He comes into a person’s life 119 00:08:22,880 –> 00:08:25,279 and creates the capacity 120 00:08:26,160 –> 00:08:27,920 for responsiveness to God. 121 00:08:28,000 –> 00:08:29,519 . 122 00:08:29,519 –> 00:08:33,280 And trying to describe this, 123 00:08:33,280 –> 00:08:34,080 it’s so difficult. 124 00:08:34,080 –> 00:08:34,799 The bible says, 125 00:08:35,760 –> 00:08:38,960 taste and see that the Lord is good. 126 00:08:40,479 –> 00:08:42,080 Imagine trying to describe 127 00:08:42,080 –> 00:08:43,520 the sweetness of honey 128 00:08:44,719 –> 00:08:46,880 to a person whose taste buds 129 00:08:46,880 –> 00:08:47,760 do not function. 130 00:08:49,599 –> 00:08:50,960 Imagine trying to describe 131 00:08:50,960 –> 00:08:54,000 the smell of freshly baked bread 132 00:08:55,119 –> 00:08:56,960 to someone who has no sense of smell. 133 00:08:58,640 –> 00:08:59,919 Imagine trying to describe 134 00:08:59,919 –> 00:09:01,359 the sound of the ocean 135 00:09:01,359 –> 00:09:02,799 to someone who can’t hear. 136 00:09:04,799 –> 00:09:07,599 Or the beauty of the grand canyon 137 00:09:07,599 –> 00:09:09,280 to someone who cannot see. 138 00:09:11,679 –> 00:09:14,960 Now it is the special work 139 00:09:14,960 –> 00:09:16,159 of the Holy Spirit 140 00:09:17,119 –> 00:09:21,200 to open up the senses of your soul 141 00:09:22,239 –> 00:09:24,559 so that you will have the capacity 142 00:09:25,280 –> 00:09:27,119 to respond to God in worship. 143 00:09:28,239 –> 00:09:30,159 to taste His goodness 144 00:09:31,119 –> 00:09:32,960 for you to be able to see 145 00:09:32,960 –> 00:09:35,119 His glory, to hear 146 00:09:35,119 –> 00:09:37,359 His voice in the scriptures. 147 00:09:37,359 –> 00:09:39,440 To feel His love 148 00:09:39,440 –> 00:09:41,679 and to discern His presence. 149 00:09:41,679 –> 00:09:43,280 It is the Holy Spirit 150 00:09:43,280 –> 00:09:46,080 who gives that capacity 151 00:09:46,080 –> 00:09:48,239 so that these things may be known. 152 00:09:49,359 –> 00:09:50,320 And I want you just to see 153 00:09:50,320 –> 00:09:52,000 how wonderfully this is stated 154 00:09:52,000 –> 00:09:52,799 in the Bible. 155 00:09:52,799 –> 00:09:54,960 To people who are spiritually dead 156 00:09:54,960 –> 00:09:57,280 He can make you alive 157 00:09:57,280 –> 00:09:58,239 to God. 158 00:09:58,239 –> 00:10:00,080 That’s Ephesians 2-4. 159 00:10:00,080 –> 00:10:01,119 God in His mercy 160 00:10:01,119 –> 00:10:03,200 made us alive with Christ 161 00:10:03,200 –> 00:10:04,400 when we had been dead. 162 00:10:06,400 –> 00:10:08,000 People who were foreigners 163 00:10:08,000 –> 00:10:08,880 to the promise 164 00:10:09,840 –> 00:10:11,359 become included 165 00:10:11,359 –> 00:10:13,359 as citizens of God’s Kingdom. 166 00:10:13,359 –> 00:10:15,440 That’s Ephesians 2-19. 167 00:10:15,440 –> 00:10:16,479 You are no longer 168 00:10:16,479 –> 00:10:18,000 foreigners and aliens 169 00:10:18,000 –> 00:10:19,119 but fellow citizens 170 00:10:19,119 –> 00:10:19,919 with God’s People. 171 00:10:20,880 –> 00:10:22,080 It’s the work of the Spirit 172 00:10:22,080 –> 00:10:22,640 to take people 173 00:10:22,640 –> 00:10:24,479 who don’t see Christ’s glory 174 00:10:24,479 –> 00:10:26,479 and to open up their eyes 175 00:10:27,280 –> 00:10:28,400 Ephesians 1-18 176 00:10:29,119 –> 00:10:30,559 I pray that the eyes of your heart 177 00:10:30,559 –> 00:10:32,000 may be enlightened 178 00:10:32,640 –> 00:10:33,760 that you may know the hope 179 00:10:33,760 –> 00:10:34,960 to which you’ve been called 180 00:10:34,960 –> 00:10:37,039 and the riches of your inheritance 181 00:10:37,039 –> 00:10:37,840 in Christ 182 00:10:38,719 –> 00:10:40,559 And people who were insensitive 183 00:10:40,559 –> 00:10:41,359 to God 184 00:10:41,359 –> 00:10:43,440 are opened up by the Spirit 185 00:10:44,080 –> 00:10:46,479 to the experience of His love 186 00:10:46,479 –> 00:10:47,520 That’s why Paul says 187 00:10:47,520 –> 00:10:48,400 I’m praying that you 188 00:10:48,400 –> 00:10:49,200 will know the breadth 189 00:10:49,200 –> 00:10:50,080 and length and depth 190 00:10:50,080 –> 00:10:51,679 and height of the love of Christ 191 00:10:51,679 –> 00:10:53,039 and to know this love 192 00:10:53,039 –> 00:10:54,479 that surpasses knowledge 193 00:10:54,479 –> 00:10:56,960 that’s Ephesians 3-17 and 18. 194 00:10:56,960 –> 00:10:57,200 Now 195 00:10:57,520 –> 00:11:00,320 that’s where worship begins 196 00:11:02,159 –> 00:11:03,840 in the opening up 197 00:11:03,840 –> 00:11:06,239 of the senses of the soul 198 00:11:06,239 –> 00:11:07,200 to make a person 199 00:11:07,200 –> 00:11:09,520 who was once unresponsive to God 200 00:11:10,400 –> 00:11:12,400 able to respond to God 201 00:11:12,400 –> 00:11:14,320 so that instead of being like Bill 202 00:11:14,320 –> 00:11:15,520 who comes to church 203 00:11:15,520 –> 00:11:16,960 we become like Ben 204 00:11:16,960 –> 00:11:19,119 who engages in worship 205 00:11:22,159 –> 00:11:24,239 Now this is at the very heart 206 00:11:24,239 –> 00:11:25,840 of what God offers to us 207 00:11:25,840 –> 00:11:26,799 in Jesus Christ 208 00:11:26,799 –> 00:11:27,840 in fact it has been 209 00:11:27,840 –> 00:11:29,039 all the way through the Bible 210 00:11:30,320 –> 00:11:31,760 in the old testament 211 00:11:31,760 –> 00:11:32,559 there was a time 212 00:11:32,559 –> 00:11:33,599 when worship became 213 00:11:33,599 –> 00:11:34,799 like a dead ritual 214 00:11:34,799 –> 00:11:35,679 for loads of people 215 00:11:36,640 –> 00:11:37,919 and this is what God said 216 00:11:37,919 –> 00:11:40,159 this is Ezekiel 36 26 217 00:11:41,200 –> 00:11:42,799 I will give you a new heart 218 00:11:44,400 –> 00:11:45,359 and I God said 219 00:11:45,359 –> 00:11:46,880 will put a new spirit in you 220 00:11:47,840 –> 00:11:49,119 I’ll remove from you 221 00:11:49,119 –> 00:11:51,039 take away the heart of stone 222 00:11:52,159 –> 00:11:53,760 and I’ll give you a heart of flesh 223 00:11:54,719 –> 00:11:57,359 I will put my spirit in you 224 00:11:58,559 –> 00:11:59,760 and make you careful 225 00:11:59,760 –> 00:12:01,200 to follow my decrees 226 00:12:01,200 –> 00:12:02,000 and my laws 227 00:12:02,719 –> 00:12:04,400 I’ll take away a heart of stone 228 00:12:05,440 –> 00:12:07,280 I’ll give you a heart of flesh 229 00:12:08,640 –> 00:12:10,000 You can’t worship God 230 00:12:10,000 –> 00:12:11,200 with a heart of stone 231 00:12:12,719 –> 00:12:14,559 You can’t love God 232 00:12:14,559 –> 00:12:15,679 with a heart of stone 233 00:12:17,039 –> 00:12:19,280 You can’t feel God’s love 234 00:12:19,280 –> 00:12:20,239 with a heart of stone 235 00:12:20,239 –> 00:12:21,760 Who wants to be incapable 236 00:12:21,760 –> 00:12:23,200 of feeling the love of God 237 00:12:23,200 –> 00:12:25,679 It takes a work of the Holy Spirit 238 00:12:25,679 –> 00:12:27,200 to change that heart 239 00:12:27,200 –> 00:12:28,719 from stone to flesh 240 00:12:28,719 –> 00:12:30,239 and God says this happens 241 00:12:30,239 –> 00:12:33,440 as I put my spirit in you 242 00:12:34,960 –> 00:12:36,320 Now, the Bible refers to this 243 00:12:36,320 –> 00:12:37,359 in a number of ways 244 00:12:37,359 –> 00:12:39,599 One of them is to call it 245 00:12:39,599 –> 00:12:41,760 the new birth 246 00:12:41,760 –> 00:12:43,840 That’s what is being referred to here 247 00:12:43,840 –> 00:12:44,559 the new birth 248 00:12:45,679 –> 00:12:48,880 and this is authentic Christianity 249 00:12:49,840 –> 00:12:52,719 if you thought that Christianity 250 00:12:52,719 –> 00:12:55,119 was coming to church like Bill 251 00:12:56,719 –> 00:12:58,080 I want to plead with you 252 00:12:58,080 –> 00:13:00,960 don’t settle for anything less 253 00:13:00,960 –> 00:13:04,400 than engaging with God like Ben 254 00:13:05,599 –> 00:13:07,440 and the difference lies 255 00:13:07,440 –> 00:13:10,159 in an inner work of the Holy Spirit 256 00:13:10,159 –> 00:13:11,919 in which he gives the capacity 257 00:13:11,919 –> 00:13:14,159 to taste and to see 258 00:13:14,159 –> 00:13:16,320 and to hear and to feel 259 00:13:16,320 –> 00:13:17,440 the knowledge of God 260 00:13:17,599 –> 00:13:19,440 that’s his work 261 00:13:20,559 –> 00:13:22,960 and that is what is offered to us 262 00:13:22,960 –> 00:13:24,400 in Jesus Christ 263 00:13:25,200 –> 00:13:26,039 Jesus says 264 00:13:26,039 –> 00:13:28,239 ask, seek, knock 265 00:13:28,239 –> 00:13:29,840 if fathers on earth 266 00:13:29,840 –> 00:13:31,520 give good gifts to their children 267 00:13:31,520 –> 00:13:33,679 why will your heavenly father 268 00:13:33,679 –> 00:13:35,599 not also give the spirit 269 00:13:36,880 –> 00:13:38,159 to those who ask? 270 00:13:39,599 –> 00:13:41,599 Don’t sell yourself short 271 00:13:42,559 –> 00:13:43,760 now it is the Spirit 272 00:13:43,760 –> 00:13:45,280 who brings us to the position 273 00:13:45,280 –> 00:13:47,119 where worship actually begins 274 00:13:47,119 –> 00:13:48,359 it is the Spirit therefore 275 00:13:48,359 –> 00:13:49,239 thirdly 276 00:13:49,239 –> 00:13:50,960 who gives the capacity 277 00:13:51,679 –> 00:13:52,320 for worship 278 00:13:53,080 –> 00:13:55,159 when God removes 279 00:13:55,159 –> 00:13:56,440 your heart of stone 280 00:13:57,719 –> 00:13:59,799 and gives you a heart of flesh 281 00:13:59,799 –> 00:14:01,080 then you have 282 00:14:01,080 –> 00:14:02,919 the capacity to worship 283 00:14:02,919 –> 00:14:04,599 that is where worship begins 284 00:14:04,599 –> 00:14:06,599 we learn and we grow in it 285 00:14:06,599 –> 00:14:09,000 but that is where it begins 286 00:14:10,440 –> 00:14:11,799 and I want you to remember this 287 00:14:12,640 –> 00:14:14,239 age 288 00:14:14,239 –> 00:14:14,840 makes 289 00:14:14,840 –> 00:14:18,559 absolutely no difference whatsoever 290 00:14:19,719 –> 00:14:22,080 you can be seven 291 00:14:22,719 –> 00:14:24,799 or you could be 70 292 00:14:25,559 –> 00:14:27,919 you could be 60 293 00:14:27,919 –> 00:14:29,880 or you could be 16 294 00:14:30,760 –> 00:14:32,840 the capacity for worship 295 00:14:32,840 –> 00:14:35,919 does not come with age 296 00:14:35,919 –> 00:14:37,840 it comes with the presence 297 00:14:37,840 –> 00:14:39,359 of the Holy Spirit 298 00:14:40,280 –> 00:14:40,919 that is why to me 299 00:14:40,919 –> 00:14:42,559 it’s a wonderful thing 300 00:14:42,559 –> 00:14:43,960 to see a seven-year-old 301 00:14:43,960 –> 00:14:45,280 engaging in worship 302 00:14:45,280 –> 00:14:46,960 and from the heart 303 00:14:46,960 –> 00:14:49,719 praising the name of Jesus 304 00:14:50,559 –> 00:14:51,799 you see, the Holy Spirit 305 00:14:51,799 –> 00:14:53,559 is at work within that heart 306 00:14:53,559 –> 00:14:54,840 evoking praise 307 00:14:54,840 –> 00:14:56,400 connecting with the God 308 00:14:56,400 –> 00:14:57,760 in whom a little one 309 00:14:57,760 –> 00:15:00,239 has put his or her trust 310 00:15:01,200 –> 00:15:03,280 that’s why it’s a sadness 311 00:15:03,280 –> 00:15:04,280 if there is someone 312 00:15:04,280 –> 00:15:05,760 who’s been in church for 50 years 313 00:15:05,760 –> 00:15:07,320 and has never done any more 314 00:15:07,320 –> 00:15:08,440 than come to church 315 00:15:08,440 –> 00:15:09,400 and has never 316 00:15:09,400 –> 00:15:11,679 discovered what it is to engage 317 00:15:11,679 –> 00:15:13,880 in this holy encounter 318 00:15:13,880 –> 00:15:14,880 with God 319 00:15:14,880 –> 00:15:17,599 it doesn’t come with experience 320 00:15:17,599 –> 00:15:18,719 it comes 321 00:15:18,719 –> 00:15:20,239 by a work 322 00:15:20,239 –> 00:15:21,719 of the Holy Spirit 323 00:15:21,719 –> 00:15:22,960 that’s why you could be 324 00:15:22,960 –> 00:15:23,919 very, very new 325 00:15:23,919 –> 00:15:25,039 to the Christian faith 326 00:15:25,039 –> 00:15:26,359 and yet immediately 327 00:15:26,359 –> 00:15:27,640 have a sense of 328 00:15:27,640 –> 00:15:28,599 engaging 329 00:15:28,599 –> 00:15:29,960 with the presence of God 330 00:15:29,960 –> 00:15:30,719 and of 331 00:15:30,719 –> 00:15:31,960 glimpsing his glory 332 00:15:31,960 –> 00:15:33,400 by the Spirit 333 00:15:33,919 –> 00:15:34,640 now all of that 334 00:15:34,640 –> 00:15:35,880 will lead us to the question 335 00:15:35,880 –> 00:15:37,200 now, how do I know 336 00:15:37,200 –> 00:15:38,119 if the Holy Spirit’s 337 00:15:38,400 –> 00:15:39,520 at work in me? 338 00:15:40,440 –> 00:15:41,440 how do I know 339 00:15:41,440 –> 00:15:42,719 if the Holy Spirit 340 00:15:42,719 –> 00:15:43,799 has done this 341 00:15:43,799 –> 00:15:45,119 new birth 342 00:15:45,119 –> 00:15:45,840 work 343 00:15:45,840 –> 00:15:46,840 in me? 344 00:15:47,679 –> 00:15:48,679 how do I know 345 00:15:48,679 –> 00:15:49,919 when it’s happened? 346 00:15:52,000 –> 00:15:52,520 now that’s a very 347 00:15:52,520 –> 00:15:53,479 important question 348 00:15:53,479 –> 00:15:54,239 and the New Testament 349 00:15:54,239 –> 00:15:54,960 gives us a 350 00:15:54,960 –> 00:15:56,080 wonderfully clear answer 351 00:15:56,080 –> 00:15:57,799 there are two marks 352 00:15:57,799 –> 00:15:58,840 that are clearly 353 00:15:58,840 –> 00:16:00,000 identifiable 354 00:16:00,000 –> 00:16:00,880 in the life of 355 00:16:00,880 –> 00:16:02,080 any person 356 00:16:02,080 –> 00:16:03,239 who has been born 357 00:16:03,239 –> 00:16:05,119 again of the Spirit of God 358 00:16:05,119 –> 00:16:06,280 and it’s very good 359 00:16:06,280 –> 00:16:07,119 for us to have them 360 00:16:07,239 –> 00:16:08,440 clear in our minds 361 00:16:08,440 –> 00:16:10,000 and to be able 362 00:16:10,000 –> 00:16:11,039 to lodge them 363 00:16:11,039 –> 00:16:12,559 within our hearts 364 00:16:12,559 –> 00:16:13,440 first 365 00:16:13,440 –> 00:16:13,919 a person 366 00:16:13,919 –> 00:16:14,320 who has been 367 00:16:14,320 –> 00:16:15,280 born 368 00:16:15,280 –> 00:16:16,799 again by the Spirit of God 369 00:16:16,799 –> 00:16:18,080 knows the love 370 00:16:18,080 –> 00:16:19,200 of God 371 00:16:19,200 –> 00:16:20,359 and second 372 00:16:20,359 –> 00:16:20,960 a person 373 00:16:20,960 –> 00:16:21,520 who is born 374 00:16:21,520 –> 00:16:21,880 again 375 00:16:21,880 –> 00:16:23,000 of the Spirit of God 376 00:16:23,000 –> 00:16:23,919 lives under 377 00:16:23,919 –> 00:16:24,960 the Lordship 378 00:16:24,960 –> 00:16:26,359 of Christ 379 00:16:26,359 –> 00:16:26,919 let me show you 380 00:16:26,919 –> 00:16:27,359 these two 381 00:16:27,359 –> 00:16:27,840 plainly 382 00:16:27,840 –> 00:16:29,039 in the Scriptures 383 00:16:29,039 –> 00:16:29,840 the first one 384 00:16:29,840 –> 00:16:30,400 Romans 385 00:16:30,400 –> 00:16:31,320 chapter 8 386 00:16:31,320 –> 00:16:32,919 and verse 15 387 00:16:32,919 –> 00:16:34,520 this great verse 388 00:16:34,520 –> 00:16:35,400 You did not 389 00:16:35,400 –> 00:16:36,559 receive a Spirit 390 00:16:36,559 –> 00:16:37,640 that makes you a slave 391 00:16:37,640 –> 00:16:39,359 again to fear 392 00:16:39,359 –> 00:16:40,359 but you received 393 00:16:40,359 –> 00:16:42,559 the Spirit of sonship 394 00:16:42,559 –> 00:16:42,919 he’s talking 395 00:16:42,919 –> 00:16:43,000 about 396 00:16:43,000 –> 00:16:44,640 the Holy Spirit here 397 00:16:44,640 –> 00:16:45,440 and by 398 00:16:45,440 –> 00:16:46,280 Him 399 00:16:46,280 –> 00:16:47,760 we 400 00:16:47,760 –> 00:16:48,840 cry 401 00:16:48,840 –> 00:16:49,840 Abba 402 00:16:49,840 –> 00:16:51,719 Father 403 00:16:51,719 –> 00:16:53,200 So the first evidence 404 00:16:53,200 –> 00:16:53,679 here 405 00:16:53,679 –> 00:16:54,919 of the Holy Spirit 406 00:16:54,919 –> 00:16:55,200 in the 407 00:16:55,200 –> 00:16:55,679 life 408 00:16:55,679 –> 00:16:55,960 of 409 00:16:55,960 –> 00:16:57,679 a believer 410 00:16:57,679 –> 00:16:58,119 is that 411 00:16:58,119 –> 00:16:58,960 there is a sense 412 00:16:58,960 –> 00:16:59,119 of 413 00:16:59,119 –> 00:17:00,280 relationship 414 00:17:00,280 –> 00:17:00,520 with 415 00:17:00,520 –> 00:17:01,320 God 416 00:17:01,320 –> 00:17:01,559 that 417 00:17:01,559 –> 00:17:01,799 is 418 00:17:01,799 –> 00:17:02,039 that 419 00:17:02,039 –> 00:17:02,719 within 420 00:17:02,719 –> 00:17:03,280 us 421 00:17:03,280 –> 00:17:03,559 which 422 00:17:03,559 –> 00:17:03,919 comes 423 00:17:03,919 –> 00:17:04,079 to 424 00:17:04,079 –> 00:17:04,599 know 425 00:17:04,599 –> 00:17:05,119 God 426 00:17:05,119 –> 00:17:05,319 is 427 00:17:05,319 –> 00:17:05,560 my 428 00:17:05,560 –> 00:17:06,439 Father 429 00:17:06,479 –> 00:17:06,880 my 430 00:17:06,880 –> 00:17:07,599 Father 431 00:17:07,599 –> 00:17:08,040 loves 432 00:17:08,040 –> 00:17:08,560 me 433 00:17:08,560 –> 00:17:09,040 and I 434 00:17:09,040 –> 00:17:09,319 have 435 00:17:09,319 –> 00:17:09,760 come 436 00:17:09,760 –> 00:17:09,959 to 437 00:17:09,959 –> 00:17:10,400 love 438 00:17:10,400 –> 00:17:10,959 Him 439 00:17:10,959 –> 00:17:11,280 that is 440 00:17:11,280 –> 00:17:11,680 the 441 00:17:11,680 –> 00:17:12,040 first 442 00:17:12,040 –> 00:17:12,920 mark 443 00:17:13,479 –> 00:17:13,719 of 444 00:17:13,719 –> 00:17:13,839 a 445 00:17:13,839 –> 00:17:14,479 person 446 00:17:14,479 –> 00:17:14,640 who 447 00:17:14,640 –> 00:17:15,199 knows 448 00:17:15,199 –> 00:17:15,439 the 449 00:17:15,439 –> 00:17:15,760 inner 450 00:17:15,760 –> 00:17:16,040 work 451 00:17:16,040 –> 00:17:16,160 of 452 00:17:16,160 –> 00:17:16,280 the 453 00:17:16,280 –> 00:17:16,560 Holy 454 00:17:16,560 –> 00:17:17,319 Spirit 455 00:17:17,319 –> 00:17:17,640 you 456 00:17:17,640 –> 00:17:17,839 in 457 00:17:17,839 –> 00:17:18,400 some 458 00:17:18,400 –> 00:17:19,119 measure 459 00:17:19,119 –> 00:17:19,400 know 460 00:17:19,400 –> 00:17:19,520 the 461 00:17:19,520 –> 00:17:19,719 love 462 00:17:19,719 –> 00:17:19,839 of 463 00:17:19,839 –> 00:17:20,359 God 464 00:17:20,359 –> 00:17:20,599 and 465 00:17:20,599 –> 00:17:20,760 in 466 00:17:20,760 –> 00:17:21,160 some 467 00:17:21,160 –> 00:17:21,719 measure 468 00:17:21,719 –> 00:17:21,839 you 469 00:17:21,839 –> 00:17:22,040 have 470 00:17:22,040 –> 00:17:22,280 come 471 00:17:22,280 –> 00:17:22,439 to 472 00:17:22,439 –> 00:17:22,680 love 473 00:17:22,680 –> 00:17:23,160 Him 474 00:17:23,160 –> 00:17:23,319 it 475 00:17:23,319 –> 00:17:23,520 may 476 00:17:23,520 –> 00:17:23,719 be 477 00:17:23,719 –> 00:17:24,000 like 478 00:17:24,000 –> 00:17:25,479 light 479 00:17:25,479 –> 00:17:25,680 as 480 00:17:25,719 –> 00:17:25,800 the 481 00:17:25,800 –> 00:17:26,479 Sun 482 00:17:26,479 –> 00:17:27,280 Rises 483 00:17:27,280 –> 00:17:27,439 at 484 00:17:27,439 –> 00:17:27,520 the 485 00:17:27,520 –> 00:17:27,920 beginning 486 00:17:27,920 –> 00:17:28,079 of 487 00:17:28,079 –> 00:17:28,199 the 488 00:17:28,199 –> 00:17:28,560 day 489 00:17:28,560 –> 00:17:28,760 it 490 00:17:28,760 –> 00:17:28,920 is 491 00:17:28,920 –> 00:17:29,000 a 492 00:17:29,000 –> 00:17:29,439 little 493 00:17:29,439 –> 00:17:30,160 light 494 00:17:30,160 –> 00:17:30,359 it 495 00:17:30,359 –> 00:17:30,400 it 496 00:17:30,400 –> 00:17:30,479 will 497 00:17:30,479 –> 00:17:30,880 become 498 00:18:07,439 –> 00:18:07,880 and 499 00:18:07,880 –> 00:18:08,000 you 500 00:18:08,000 –> 00:18:09,760 know 501 00:18:09,760 –> 00:18:10,000 that 502 00:18:10,000 –> 00:18:10,560 He 503 00:18:10,560 –> 00:18:11,520 Loves 504 00:18:11,520 –> 00:18:13,040 You 505 00:18:13,199 –> 00:18:14,079 when 506 00:18:14,079 –> 00:18:14,280 you 507 00:18:14,280 –> 00:18:14,680 in 508 00:18:14,680 –> 00:18:15,119 love 509 00:18:15,119 –> 00:18:15,119 510 00:18:15,119 –> 00:18:15,280 a 511 00:18:15,280 –> 00:18:15,719 desire 512 00:18:15,719 –> 00:18:15,920 to 513 00:18:15,920 –> 00:18:16,199 be 514 00:18:16,199 –> 00:18:16,520 with 515 00:18:16,520 –> 00:18:16,640 the 516 00:18:16,640 –> 00:18:17,000 person 517 00:18:17,000 –> 00:18:17,160 that 518 00:18:17,160 –> 00:18:17,319 you 519 00:18:17,319 –> 00:18:17,640 in 520 00:18:17,640 –> 00:18:17,920 love 521 00:18:17,920 –> 00:18:18,000 to 522 00:18:18,000 –> 00:18:18,359 draw 523 00:18:18,400 –> 00:18:18,760 near 524 00:18:18,760 –> 00:18:18,880 to 525 00:18:18,880 –> 00:18:19,079 the 526 00:18:19,079 –> 00:18:19,560 person 527 00:18:19,560 –> 00:18:19,719 that 528 00:18:19,719 –> 00:18:20,160 you 529 00:18:20,160 –> 00:18:20,280 love 530 00:18:20,280 –> 00:18:20,640 to 531 00:18:20,640 –> 00:18:21,479 express 532 00:18:21,479 –> 00:18:21,640 your 533 00:18:21,640 –> 00:18:21,920 love 534 00:18:21,920 –> 00:18:22,280 to 535 00:18:22,280 –> 00:18:22,560 the 536 00:18:22,560 –> 00:18:22,719 one 537 00:18:22,719 –> 00:18:23,000 that 538 00:18:23,000 –> 00:18:23,199 you 539 00:18:23,199 –> 00:18:23,560 love 540 00:18:23,560 –> 00:18:23,959 there 541 00:18:23,959 –> 00:18:24,040 is 542 00:18:24,040 –> 00:18:24,119 the 543 00:18:24,119 –> 00:18:24,520 first 544 00:18:24,520 –> 00:18:24,920 mark 545 00:18:24,920 –> 00:18:25,079 of 546 00:18:25,079 –> 00:18:25,119 the 547 00:18:25,119 –> 00:18:25,319 work 548 00:18:25,319 –> 00:18:25,479 of 549 00:18:25,479 –> 00:18:25,680 the 550 00:18:25,680 –> 00:18:26,239 Spirit 551 00:18:26,239 –> 00:18:26,280 you 552 00:18:26,280 –> 00:18:26,599 see 553 00:18:26,599 –> 00:18:26,760 that 554 00:18:26,760 –> 00:18:27,599 yourself 555 00:18:27,599 –> 00:18:27,680 because 556 00:18:27,680 –> 00:18:27,760 you 557 00:18:27,760 –> 00:18:27,959 see 558 00:18:27,959 –> 00:18:28,040 it 559 00:18:28,040 –> 00:18:28,280 even 560 00:18:28,280 –> 00:18:29,760 beginning 561 00:18:29,760 –> 00:18:30,000 to 562 00:18:30,000 –> 00:18:30,079 know 563 00:18:30,079 –> 00:18:30,160 the 564 00:18:30,160 –> 00:18:30,400 love 565 00:18:30,400 –> 00:18:30,640 of 566 00:18:30,640 –> 00:18:30,920 God 567 00:18:30,920 –> 00:18:31,119 and 568 00:18:31,119 –> 00:18:31,239 to 569 00:18:31,239 –> 00:18:31,439 come 570 00:18:37,000 –> 00:18:37,880 confession 571 00:18:37,880 –> 00:18:38,040 that 572 00:18:38,040 –> 00:18:38,560 comes 573 00:18:38,560 –> 00:18:38,719 when 574 00:18:38,719 –> 00:18:38,800 the 575 00:18:38,800 –> 00:18:39,040 Holy 576 00:18:39,040 –> 00:18:39,439 Spirit 577 00:18:39,439 –> 00:18:39,640 is 578 00:18:39,640 –> 00:18:39,760 at 579 00:18:39,760 –> 00:18:40,040 work 580 00:18:40,040 –> 00:18:40,880 it’s 581 00:18:40,880 –> 00:18:41,040 in 582 00:18:41,040 –> 00:18:41,160 one 583 00:18:41,160 –> 00:18:41,719 Corinthians 584 00:18:41,719 –> 00:18:42,040 chapter 585 00:18:42,040 –> 00:18:42,400 12 586 00:18:42,400 –> 00:18:42,560 and 587 00:18:42,560 –> 00:18:42,880 verse 588 00:18:42,880 –> 00:18:43,400 3 589 00:18:43,400 –> 00:18:44,319 Jesus 590 00:18:44,319 –> 00:18:45,599 is 591 00:18:45,599 –> 00:18:47,319 Lord 592 00:18:47,319 –> 00:18:47,599 no 593 00:18:47,599 –> 00:18:47,880 one 594 00:18:47,880 –> 00:18:48,199 says 595 00:18:48,199 –> 00:18:48,680 Paul 596 00:18:48,680 –> 00:18:49,239 speaking 597 00:18:49,239 –> 00:18:49,439 by 598 00:18:49,439 –> 00:18:49,560 the 599 00:18:49,560 –> 00:18:50,239 spirit 600 00:18:50,239 –> 00:18:50,439 of 601 00:18:50,439 –> 00:18:50,880 God 602 00:18:50,880 –> 00:18:51,599 says 603 00:18:51,599 –> 00:18:52,160 Jesus 604 00:18:52,160 –> 00:18:52,400 be 605 00:18:52,400 –> 00:18:53,760 cursed 606 00:18:53,760 –> 00:18:54,160 and 607 00:18:54,160 –> 00:18:54,520 no 608 00:18:54,520 –> 00:18:54,920 one 609 00:18:54,920 –> 00:18:55,400 can 610 00:18:55,400 –> 00:18:55,959 say 611 00:18:55,959 –> 00:18:56,680 Jesus 612 00:18:56,680 –> 00:18:56,920 is 613 00:18:56,920 –> 00:18:58,719 Lord 614 00:18:58,719 –> 00:18:59,280 except 615 00:18:59,280 –> 00:18:59,439 by 616 00:18:59,439 –> 00:18:59,599 the 617 00:18:59,599 –> 00:18:59,839 Holy 618 00:18:59,839 –> 00:19:00,119 Spirit 619 00:19:01,160 –> 00:19:01,439 here 620 00:19:01,439 –> 00:19:01,560 is 621 00:19:01,560 –> 00:19:01,640 the 622 00:19:01,640 –> 00:19:02,359 second 623 00:19:02,359 –> 00:19:03,079 clear 624 00:19:03,079 –> 00:19:04,239 evidence 625 00:19:04,239 –> 00:19:04,400 of 626 00:19:04,400 –> 00:19:04,520 the 627 00:19:04,520 –> 00:19:04,880 work 628 00:19:04,880 –> 00:19:04,959 of 629 00:19:04,959 –> 00:19:05,079 the 630 00:19:05,079 –> 00:19:05,400 Holy 631 00:19:05,400 –> 00:19:05,920 Spirit 632 00:19:06,239 –> 00:19:06,439 the 633 00:19:06,439 –> 00:19:06,719 life 634 00:19:06,719 –> 00:19:07,040 of 635 00:19:07,040 –> 00:19:07,160 a 636 00:19:07,160 –> 00:19:08,079 believer 637 00:19:08,079 –> 00:19:08,359 if 638 00:19:08,359 –> 00:19:09,199 Jesus 639 00:19:09,199 –> 00:19:09,400 is 640 00:19:09,439 –> 00:19:10,199 Lord 641 00:19:10,199 –> 00:19:10,319 of 642 00:19:10,319 –> 00:19:10,560 your 643 00:19:10,560 –> 00:19:12,280 life 644 00:19:12,280 –> 00:19:12,520 you’ve 645 00:19:12,520 –> 00:19:12,760 come 646 00:19:12,760 –> 00:19:12,920 to 647 00:19:12,920 –> 00:19:13,119 that 648 00:19:13,119 –> 00:19:13,599 position 649 00:19:13,599 –> 00:19:13,719 where 650 00:19:13,719 –> 00:19:14,319 you say 651 00:19:14,319 –> 00:19:15,280 it’s 652 00:19:15,280 –> 00:19:15,560 not 653 00:19:15,560 –> 00:19:15,680 up 654 00:19:15,680 –> 00:19:15,800 to 655 00:19:15,800 –> 00:19:16,160 me 656 00:19:16,160 –> 00:19:16,359 where 657 00:19:16,359 –> 00:19:16,800 things 658 00:19:16,800 –> 00:19:17,439 go 659 00:19:17,439 –> 00:19:17,640 I 660 00:19:17,640 –> 00:19:17,920 have 661 00:19:17,920 –> 00:19:18,479 to 662 00:19:18,479 –> 00:19:19,079 follow 663 00:19:19,079 –> 00:19:19,560 him 664 00:19:19,560 –> 00:19:19,800 and 665 00:19:19,800 –> 00:19:20,079 live 666 00:19:20,079 –> 00:19:20,239 for 667 00:19:20,239 –> 00:19:21,880 him 668 00:19:21,880 –> 00:19:22,079 if 669 00:19:22,079 –> 00:19:22,319 you’ve 670 00:19:22,319 –> 00:19:22,479 been 671 00:19:22,479 –> 00:19:22,800 brought 672 00:19:22,800 –> 00:19:22,920 to 673 00:19:22,920 –> 00:19:23,319 that 674 00:19:23,319 –> 00:19:24,400 position 675 00:19:24,400 –> 00:19:24,680 then 676 00:19:24,680 –> 00:19:24,880 you 677 00:19:24,880 –> 00:19:25,119 know 678 00:19:25,119 –> 00:19:25,280 for 679 00:19:25,280 –> 00:19:25,719 sure 680 00:19:25,719 –> 00:19:25,880 that 681 00:19:25,880 –> 00:19:25,959 the 682 00:19:25,959 –> 00:19:26,239 Holy 683 00:19:26,239 –> 00:19:26,599 Spirit 684 00:19:26,599 –> 00:19:26,719 is 685 00:19:26,719 –> 00:19:26,839 at 686 00:19:26,839 –> 00:19:27,119 work 687 00:19:27,119 –> 00:19:27,239 in 688 00:19:27,239 –> 00:19:27,400 you 689 00:19:27,400 –> 00:19:28,239 because 690 00:19:28,239 –> 00:19:28,959 nobody 691 00:19:28,959 –> 00:19:29,400 comes 692 00:19:29,400 –> 00:19:29,520 to 693 00:19:29,520 –> 00:19:29,640 the 694 00:19:29,640 –> 00:19:30,000 place 695 00:19:30,000 –> 00:19:30,119 of 696 00:19:30,119 –> 00:19:30,479 saying 697 00:19:30,479 –> 00:19:31,040 Jesus 698 00:19:31,040 –> 00:19:31,199 is 699 00:19:31,199 –> 00:19:31,599 Lord 700 00:20:36,800 –> 00:20:37,119 is 701 00:20:37,119 –> 00:20:37,359 the 702 00:20:37,359 –> 00:20:38,040 journey 703 00:20:38,040 –> 00:20:38,439 of 704 00:20:38,439 –> 00:20:38,640 a 705 00:20:38,640 –> 00:20:40,520 lifetime 706 00:20:40,520 –> 00:20:40,760 and 707 00:20:40,760 –> 00:20:41,000 the 708 00:20:41,000 –> 00:20:41,439 name 709 00:20:41,439 –> 00:20:41,719 of 710 00:20:41,719 –> 00:20:41,920 the 711 00:20:41,920 –> 00:20:44,119 journey 712 00:20:44,119 –> 00:20:44,359 is 713 00:20:44,359 –> 00:20:46,920 worship 714 00:20:46,920 –> 00:20:47,280 Abba 715 00:20:47,280 –> 00:20:49,160 Father 716 00:20:49,160 –> 00:20:49,680 Jesus 717 00:20:49,680 –> 00:20:50,119 is 718 00:20:50,119 –> 00:20:51,359 Lord 719 00:20:51,359 –> 00:20:52,280 discovering 720 00:20:52,280 –> 00:20:52,400 the 721 00:20:52,400 –> 00:20:52,680 love 722 00:20:52,680 –> 00:20:53,000 of 723 00:20:53,000 –> 00:20:53,199 God 724 00:20:53,199 –> 00:20:53,680 living 725 00:20:53,680 –> 00:20:53,959 under 726 00:20:53,959 –> 00:20:54,079 the 727 00:20:54,079 –> 00:20:54,560 Lordship 728 00:20:54,560 –> 00:20:54,719 of 729 00:20:54,719 –> 00:20:55,359 Christ 730 00:20:55,359 –> 00:20:55,599 the 731 00:20:55,599 –> 00:20:56,239 journey 732 00:20:56,239 –> 00:20:56,400 of 733 00:20:56,400 –> 00:20:56,880 a 734 00:20:56,880 –> 00:20:58,560 lifetime 735 00:20:58,560 –> 00:20:58,680 and 736 00:20:58,680 –> 00:20:58,800 the 737 00:20:58,800 –> 00:20:59,400 name 738 00:20:59,400 –> 00:20:59,719 of 739 00:20:59,719 –> 00:20:59,839 the 740 00:20:59,839 –> 00:21:02,400 journey 741 00:21:02,400 –> 00:21:02,680 is 742 00:21:02,680 –> 00:21:05,800 worship 743 00:21:05,800 –> 00:21:10,439 Against that background I want us now to turn back to 2nd Corinthians and chapter 3. 744 00:21:10,439 –> 00:21:13,439 The last verse that we read there, which 745 00:21:13,439 –> 00:21:20,520 I’m convinced is the greatest statement on worship in the whole of the New Testament, 746 00:21:20,520 –> 00:21:29,359 we can see that on the screen as well as turning to it in your Bibles, and I’d like us to read that verse allowed together. 747 00:21:29,479 –> 00:21:32,260 Let’s read this marvelous statement aloud together. 748 00:21:32,260 –> 00:21:41,400 We, who with unveiled faces all reflect the Lord’s glory, are being transformed into 749 00:21:41,400 –> 00:21:48,920 his likeness with ever increasing glory, which comes from the Lord who is the Spirit. 750 00:21:48,920 –> 00:21:55,760 Now you’ll not find a greater description of worship than this. 751 00:21:55,880 –> 00:22:05,060 Notice who he’s talking about, people with unveiled faces. 752 00:22:05,060 –> 00:22:15,020 Now think about that picture, a veil hides you, you wear a veil if you don’t want somebody 753 00:22:15,020 –> 00:22:17,800 to see you. 754 00:22:17,800 –> 00:22:23,819 You wear a veil if you want to cover yourself up, if you want to hide away, if you don’t 755 00:22:23,819 –> 00:22:29,760 want someone to be able to look into your eyes. 756 00:22:29,760 –> 00:22:37,859 Now imagine coming to God with a veil over your face, that’s the picture, the picture 757 00:22:37,859 –> 00:22:40,280 of coming to God with a veil. 758 00:22:40,280 –> 00:22:46,339 Coming to God and yet hiding from God at the same time. 759 00:22:46,339 –> 00:22:51,060 Coming to church and you say, ”Lord, I’m here, I’m in church, but I don’t want you 760 00:22:51,339 –> 00:22:58,339 to see me, I’ve got stuff that I want to keep hidden away from you, don’t really want your 761 00:22:59,239 –> 00:23:05,060 piercing eyes getting too close into the recesses of my soul here so let me just keep the veil 762 00:23:05,060 –> 00:23:07,959 on.” 763 00:23:07,959 –> 00:23:15,000 And you know, it’s easy to become well practiced at hiding from God in church. 764 00:23:15,079 –> 00:23:26,319 Now, as long as you keep the veil on you’ll never see the glory of the Lord, but notice 765 00:23:26,319 –> 00:23:34,579 what Paul says in verse 16, whenever anyone turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away, 766 00:23:34,579 –> 00:23:42,479 that’s a beautiful picture, I’ve seen it happen many many times right here on this spot, in 767 00:23:42,500 –> 00:23:48,520 a wedding service, a bride comes in down this aisle and very often she’ll be wearing a veil, 768 00:23:48,520 –> 00:23:53,219 groom comes this side, pastor comes down to the front, begins the service, then says, 769 00:23:53,219 –> 00:23:58,979 who gives this woman to be married to this man? And her father or someone else says, 770 00:23:58,979 –> 00:24:07,619 I do, and then he will lift the veil, and she will turn towards her husband to be, and 771 00:24:07,760 –> 00:24:14,479 he will turn towards her, and they will look directly and deeply, and without hindrance 772 00:24:14,479 –> 00:24:22,479 into each other’s eyes. Now that’s a beautiful picture of worship. 773 00:24:24,260 –> 00:24:28,599 That’s what’s to take place when we encounter God in the presence and by the power of the 774 00:24:28,599 –> 00:24:40,680 Holy Spirit. God looking deep into your heart, and you by faith looking up into His face. 775 00:24:40,680 –> 00:24:47,119 And it only happens when you take the veil off. And it is therefore the privilege that 776 00:24:47,119 –> 00:24:53,000 is given to those who will truly turn to Jesus Christ. And knowing this work of the Spirit 777 00:24:53,000 –> 00:24:57,359 in which we come to know God’s love on the one hand and submit to the lordship of Jesus 778 00:24:57,400 –> 00:25:04,400 Christ on the other hand, Spirit-filled worship begins when you come to God with an unveiled 779 00:25:06,180 –> 00:25:13,180 face. And when that happens, notice the result. We who with unveiled faces reflect the Lord’s 780 00:25:17,640 –> 00:25:24,640 glory. You come with an unveiled face to look into the face of God. By faith, you will 781 00:25:24,900 –> 00:25:31,900 reflect, Paul says, his glory. Now, I think the best way to think about this is to think 782 00:25:35,060 –> 00:25:41,140 about a photocopier. So, everyone who works in an office can remember this analogy next 783 00:25:41,140 –> 00:25:48,140 week. A photocopy is produced by exposure to the original in the environment of intense 784 00:25:49,140 –> 00:25:56,140 light. And that is what happens in worship. Paul talks about the Lord’s glory. He is the 785 00:25:58,719 –> 00:26:05,719 original. He is the Master. And what happens in God-centered and Christ-focused worship—and 786 00:26:06,020 –> 00:26:11,660 it obviously must be God-centered and Christ-focused for this to happen—is that we are exposed 787 00:26:12,660 –> 00:26:19,660 to something of the beauty, the love, the grace, the majesty, the glory of the Lord. 788 00:26:20,939 –> 00:26:27,939 And as by faith we apprehend something of the glory of God, it impinges upon and is 789 00:26:29,420 –> 00:26:36,420 copied into, reflected in our lives. That’s why worship must be God-centered and Christ-focused. 790 00:26:36,560 –> 00:26:41,560 But if Paul says we come to him with unveiled faces, and if in our worship we are 791 00:26:41,560 –> 00:26:48,560 apprehending something of his glory, it will rub off on us. 792 00:26:49,560 –> 00:27:01,560 You see, we are changed by whatever we are intensely exposed to. 793 00:27:01,560 –> 00:27:08,560 If children watch 100 hours of television in a week, do you think it affects them? 794 00:27:12,300 –> 00:27:14,579 What do you think? 795 00:27:14,579 –> 00:27:15,819 Of course. 796 00:27:15,819 –> 00:27:21,280 You watch 100 hours of television, it has an effect upon you. 797 00:27:21,280 –> 00:27:27,280 It has a dulling effect actually, a dulling of the senses. 798 00:27:27,280 –> 00:27:30,619 What a person is exposed to affects them. 799 00:27:30,660 –> 00:27:34,119 When a person’s exposed to violence, do you think it affects them? 800 00:27:34,119 –> 00:27:38,319 The person’s exposed to pornography, you think it affects them? 801 00:27:38,319 –> 00:27:39,579 Of course. 802 00:27:39,579 –> 00:27:48,400 If a person is exposed to the truth and the glory and the brightness and the beauty of 803 00:27:48,400 –> 00:27:51,040 Jesus Christ, will it affect us? 804 00:27:51,040 –> 00:27:53,579 Yes, if we come with an unveiled face. 805 00:27:53,579 –> 00:27:58,459 We who, with unveiled faces, are beholding the glory of the Lord. 806 00:27:58,459 –> 00:28:02,819 We reflect this glory, and in this way we are being transformed. 807 00:28:02,819 –> 00:28:08,099 Authentic worship results in transformation of life. 808 00:28:08,099 –> 00:28:13,199 Coming to church will never make you different. 809 00:28:13,199 –> 00:28:20,439 Coming to worship will never leave you the same. 810 00:28:20,439 –> 00:28:22,520 And notice what he says, we come to this last point. 811 00:28:22,520 –> 00:28:25,160 We are being transformed. 812 00:28:25,180 –> 00:28:32,160 So we come with unveiled faces, reflecting the Lord’s glory, being exposed to who He 813 00:28:32,160 –> 00:28:34,319 is. 814 00:28:34,319 –> 00:28:37,900 We are being transformed. 815 00:28:37,900 –> 00:28:43,319 Three things, number one, notice that it’s continuous. 816 00:28:43,319 –> 00:28:45,140 We are being transformed. 817 00:28:45,140 –> 00:28:50,060 In other words, the apostle Malachi Paul is not talking about life change being an instant 818 00:28:50,060 –> 00:28:53,739 experience that happens in a day, a week, a month, or a year. 819 00:28:53,859 –> 00:28:56,819 Don’t press the button and it’s done. 820 00:28:56,819 –> 00:29:03,060 But as I pursue the life of a worshipper, learning by the power of the Spirit, the love 821 00:29:03,060 –> 00:29:08,300 of the Father, submitting by the power of the Spirit to the Lordship of the Son, as 822 00:29:08,300 –> 00:29:17,660 I pursue the life of a worshipper, Paul says you will find that you begin to change. 823 00:29:17,660 –> 00:29:19,160 It won’t be a passing change. 824 00:29:19,160 –> 00:29:23,099 It will be a gradual and a progressive change. 825 00:29:23,099 –> 00:29:28,819 It will be a change into an ever-increasing glory that comes from the Lord, who is the 826 00:29:28,819 –> 00:29:29,819 Spirit. 827 00:29:29,819 –> 00:29:34,979 You follow this path of the life of a worshipper. 828 00:29:34,979 –> 00:29:39,699 You will find that God changes you. 829 00:29:39,699 –> 00:29:42,420 Second, notice that it is passive. 830 00:29:42,420 –> 00:29:45,020 We are being transformed. 831 00:29:45,020 –> 00:29:48,319 I know I’m really up against it, trying to talk grammar here, but really this is very 832 00:29:48,319 –> 00:29:50,739 important – we are being transformed. 833 00:29:51,040 –> 00:29:55,839 Notice Paul doesn’t say we transform ourselves. 834 00:29:55,839 –> 00:30:01,819 A lot of people are asking that question – how can I change? 835 00:30:01,819 –> 00:30:04,619 And the idea is always how can I change myself? 836 00:30:04,619 –> 00:30:07,900 What Paul is saying here is you don’t change yourself at all. 837 00:30:07,900 –> 00:30:15,739 What you do is you open yourself up to the truth, and the presence, and the life, and 838 00:30:15,739 –> 00:30:22,160 the lordship, and the love of Jesus Christ and as you open yourself up to Jesus Christ, 839 00:30:22,160 –> 00:30:24,839 the Holy Spirit will change you. 840 00:30:24,839 –> 00:30:28,780 You focus your attention and your whole self on being God-centered and Christ-focused, the 841 00:30:28,780 –> 00:30:31,380 Holy Spirit will do the changing within you. 842 00:30:31,380 –> 00:30:36,359 It’s a marvelously freeing thing, that’s why he says, where the Spirit of the Lord 843 00:30:36,359 –> 00:30:39,199 is, there is freedom. 844 00:30:39,719 –> 00:30:43,180 Lastly, it’s plural. 845 00:30:43,180 –> 00:30:46,359 We are being transformed. 846 00:30:46,359 –> 00:30:52,020 He’s talking about what happens when the whole body of believers engages in the worship of 847 00:30:52,020 –> 00:30:54,819 the Lord Jesus Christ. 848 00:30:54,819 –> 00:30:58,219 It’s not I, it’s we. 849 00:30:58,219 –> 00:31:01,219 That’s a beautiful picture of the Church. 850 00:31:01,219 –> 00:31:04,540 This is probably the most unlikely analogy of the church you’ll ever hear, but I’m 851 00:31:04,540 –> 00:31:05,979 going to go for it anyway. 852 00:31:06,020 –> 00:31:12,020 The Church of Jesus Christ is like a disco ball. 853 00:31:12,020 –> 00:31:21,760 It is like the globe with multiple mirrors that reflect the light of Jesus Christ. 854 00:31:21,760 –> 00:31:28,699 And you see, it takes the whole church to reflect the whole glory of the Lord. 855 00:31:28,699 –> 00:31:33,699 I’m just a little piece of mirror, a little face. 856 00:31:34,160 –> 00:31:39,599 You’re just a little face of mirror reflecting something but you bring them all together 857 00:31:39,599 –> 00:31:46,079 and join them together in one and together the whole church reflects the whole glory 858 00:31:46,079 –> 00:31:47,219 of the Lord. 859 00:31:47,219 –> 00:31:51,060 And we all do it in different ways. 860 00:31:51,060 –> 00:31:58,619 Young people are able to especially reflect the passion and the energy of Christ. 861 00:31:58,699 –> 00:32:07,260 Old people who love Christ they’re able to reflect the staying power of Jesus Christ. 862 00:32:07,260 –> 00:32:15,180 Those who have great sadness, maybe you come here and you have such sadness today, but 863 00:32:15,180 –> 00:32:22,819 your very presence as a worshiper here who believes reflects the comfort of Jesus Christ 864 00:32:22,819 –> 00:32:26,380 which is part of his glory. 865 00:32:26,439 –> 00:32:33,979 Someone who cares for a person who is chronically dependent and you reflect the patience of 866 00:32:33,979 –> 00:32:39,560 Jesus Christ, someone who might even today feel that the Lord is laying it upon them 867 00:32:39,560 –> 00:32:44,719 to open their home to someone who is in need, a teenager or a child, you’re going to reflect 868 00:32:44,719 –> 00:32:47,300 the compassion of Christ. 869 00:32:48,260 –> 00:32:52,579 Someone who has been terribly wounded and you’re in great pain, you’re going to be 870 00:32:52,579 –> 00:32:55,339 able to reflect the forgiveness of Christ. 871 00:32:55,339 –> 00:33:03,040 And all these pieces brought together reflect the glory of the Lord in ever-increasing measure 872 00:33:03,040 –> 00:33:10,479 which is why in every stage and in every experience of life, there is some way in which you can 873 00:33:10,479 –> 00:33:18,479 reflect the glory of Christ that will add to him being glorified in his body here on 874 00:33:18,479 –> 00:33:19,479 earth. 875 00:33:19,479 –> 00:33:20,760 So my last question is simply this. 876 00:33:20,959 –> 00:33:28,660 If you come to recognize your need of the Holy Spirit, you come to see what the Holy 877 00:33:28,660 –> 00:33:31,319 Spirit can do for you. 878 00:33:31,319 –> 00:33:37,260 I feel so dead towards God, I feel such an outsider to his promises. 879 00:33:37,260 –> 00:33:42,760 Do you see that the Spirit of God wants to touch the deep inner place of your life. 880 00:33:42,760 –> 00:33:47,119 Will you come and ask him to do that? 881 00:33:47,119 –> 00:33:54,680 Will you turn to the Lord so that the veil can be taken away as far as you are concerned? 882 00:33:54,680 –> 00:33:57,920 Maybe there are some of us who have come to that knowledge of Christ. 883 00:33:57,920 –> 00:33:58,959 We’re born again. 884 00:33:58,959 –> 00:34:03,800 We have the capacity for worship, but we’re rather like a car that’s got all its working 885 00:34:03,800 –> 00:34:06,719 parts but no fuel. 886 00:34:06,719 –> 00:34:09,919 We’re going no place fast. 887 00:34:09,919 –> 00:34:16,520 We need to come and say Oh Lord Spirit of the Living God, fall afresh on me. 888 00:34:16,520 –> 00:34:19,159 Fill me. 889 00:34:19,159 –> 00:34:26,679 Instead of this dull routine of coming to church, I may be one who engages in God-centered, 890 00:34:26,679 –> 00:34:29,239 Christ-focused worship. 891 00:34:29,239 –> 00:34:34,939 Sensitize my heart again! 892 00:34:34,939 –> 00:34:42,959 Open my eyes that by faith I may begin to see something more of your greatness and your 893 00:34:42,959 –> 00:34:45,659 glory. 894 00:34:45,739 –> 00:34:51,219 Because none of us came here simply to go through a ritual. 895 00:34:51,219 –> 00:34:57,939 We come here to meet with God. 896 00:34:57,939 –> 00:35:03,100 Let’s pray together, shall we? 897 00:35:03,100 –> 00:35:15,020 Lord some needs a whole new capacity to be born within them, and yet even in this moment 898 00:35:15,199 –> 00:35:19,280 we feel a hunger and a thirst. 899 00:35:19,280 –> 00:35:29,800 The first evidence that you are even now at work within us, for this we thank you. 900 00:35:29,800 –> 00:35:35,260 So believing in the Lord Jesus Christ, we ask that that life from above which is your 901 00:35:35,260 –> 00:35:44,179 promise to all who believe will be born within us, that it may be nurtured and that it may 902 00:35:44,260 –> 00:35:55,060 grow as we pursue the life of a worshipper, and find that we are ever increasingly brought 903 00:35:55,060 –> 00:35:59,840 to reflect the glory of the Lord. 904 00:35:59,840 –> 00:36:04,659 Let it be true as we think of this body in this place, dear Lord. 905 00:36:04,659 –> 00:36:11,659 Thank you that every face of the mirror reflects something of the glory of Christ. 906 00:36:12,040 –> 00:36:16,360 Let us come before you with unveiled faces. 907 00:36:16,360 –> 00:36:20,820 Let us be done with pretense. 908 00:36:20,820 –> 00:36:23,719 Let us seek you. 909 00:36:23,719 –> 00:36:30,540 Let us find you in the energies of your spirit, we pray. 910 00:36:30,540 –> 00:36:33,540 Let us glorify you together. 911 00:36:33,540 –> 00:36:40,060 Let it be that as time passes, because of that pattern of engagement with you and with 912 00:36:40,459 –> 00:36:48,500 and with your claims and with your glory, that we may increasingly grow in your likeness. 913 00:36:48,500 –> 00:36:57,500 That we may become what you call us to be and that you may be glorified through Jesus 914 00:36:57,500 –> 00:37:00,500 Christ our Lord, in whose name we pray. 915 00:37:00,500 –> 00:37:01,580 Amen.