Transcript
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The speaker honors Jesus, the church staff, and the global 28:19 family, then welcomes guests and unbelievers. He introduces the sermon series and prays for God to move through the message.
I want to take this moment to honor
three people.Two groups specifically.I want to take this moment to first honor our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ who
put the vision in my heart to call a nation to prayer.In a historic act assembled 80,000 brothers and sisters from around the world and across America
to AT&T Stadium in Texas for 1 hour of prayer.
To him and him only
we give glory and honor and homage praise.
I want to honor all of our staff and the reserved of 2819
men and women who
came in from all around the country and around the world to serve at Access that powerful hour of prayer.
And lastly, I want to honorall the local and digital disciples of 2019 who make global events like that possible, Access and crusades through your generosity and your faithful giving.
And we are a grassroots global churchwith no connection to any affiliations.And it is your generosity that allows us to take ministry outside of this local house to the whole world.And for that, I'm eternally grateful for your generosity.We honor you, all of our givers
in Atlanta and around the world.
If you are guests, we welcome you.To all of our digital disciples, we love you.We cherish you.We pray for you.You are our family in cities across America and around the world.To the unbeliever in the room or watching right now, wherever you are, we're thankful that you are here.We pray.
By God's sovereign power, you will come to know the person we call savior and redeemer.
The person we call healer and provider.
Yes.The person we call way maker.
Yes.Hallelujah.
The person who called themself the way, the life,
Yes, the life.
and the truth.
Yes.Hallelujah.
We pray you will come to know him before time has run out on you.
He identifies the passage for the day in Ephesians 1:11-14 and prays over the sermon. This section frames the message as a Spirit-led teaching from the New Testament.
We are in week four of a powerful series called In Christ.It is our teaching series through the New Testament letter of Ephesians.
Our text today is coming from four short verses.Ephesians chapter 1 verses 11 through 14.Four short verses.
Spirit of the living God,
we thank you for your work in the earth, your work through this global revival called 28:19.
We thank you for the work you're doing in our house locally and abroad around the world.We thank you for your presence that we feel right now in this room and across this camera.And asking you to simply have your way as the word you authored through 40 men is proclaimed.I pray we will be deeply impacted and moved, challenged, changed, and transformed by your power.I ask in the mighty and the majestic and the matchless name of our soon coming king, the Lord Jesus Christ.And all God's people said, "Amen."And amen.And amen.
The sermon traces humanity's fall into discord and God's long-term plan to form a united people for His glory. It explains how Paul reveals the hidden mystery of a multi-ethnic family in Christ.
I want to start this message in the very beginning.In the garden with God first fashioned mankind in a perfect state of harmony between themselves and himself.And it was in that garden when mankind was in a perfect state of harmony with themselves and with God with the first signs of discord against that unity entered into the garden where Satan that dragon and serpent ofold sold seeds of discord between the first man and the first woman to dismantle their unity.It is the same satanic thing he does right now to this day to dismantle unity.Where as a result of that satanic seed, mankind rebels against God and plunges the whole human race into the sinful state that we are in right now by which we can testify of that sinful state through all ofthe sufferings of mankind that has come as result of that fall.
God enters into that garden and he confronts the man about his sinful act of rebellion.And in the first act of discord and a break from unity, the man, instead of saying, "God, it was us who rebelled against you."He slanders his wife.
AND SAYS, "NO, IT WAS THE WOMAN YOU GAVE ME THAT CAUSES ME TO SIN.And we see this disunity spread to the next generation where in their own CHILDREN THE SCRIPTURE RECORDS THE VERY FIRST MURDER where Cain kills his brother Abel out of an act of rage and jealousy.And we see this kind of discord and disunity spread to the whole world where men will begin to murder and kill one another and wars and battles AND CHALLENGES ALL MOTIVATED by the sinful state of man driven bydiscord and disunity.GOD HAD A PLAN FROM THE VERY BEGINNING OF TIME TO HAVE A UNITED people to display his glory in the earth.That plan began with a man named Abraham who God called to be the progenitor of the Jewish race and that through that race he will impart to them laws THROUGH WHICH AS THEY OBSERVE THOSE LAWS other people groups
would see them observing the laws of this God men cannot see and through the observance of those laws as a unified body God will get glory out of them as they serve God as one.But God's plan did not end or terminate with the Jewish race called Israel.No, God had a deeper plan in mind to go beyond the nation of Israel
to unite a multi-ethnic people group.Now I feel the spirit TO GO BEYOND THE JEWS to unite a multi-ethnic PEOPLE GROUP INTO ONE FAMILY UNDER ONE BANNER AND HE KEPT THAT PLAN HIDDEN FOR THOUSANDS OF YEARS UNTIL AFTER THE COMING PREACHING, TEACHING, life death,BURIAL, RESURRECTION, and ascension of the Lord JESUS CHRIST.AND AFTER THE ASCENSION OF CHRIST, GOD RAISES UP A MAN NAMED PAUL TO NOW REVEAL A MYSTERY that had been hidden from the very beginning of time.Oh, man, I feel the spirit.
A mystery that is SITTING AT THE CENTER OF OUR TEXT WHEN THE APOSTLE PAUL BEGINS TO REVEAL THAT MYSTERY TO THE brothers and sisters in the ancient city of Ephesus.HOW NOW PAUL, some 10 years after he planted THAT CHURCH, IS SITTING IN A ROMAN prison chained to a guard.HE REMEMBERS THE BROTHERS AND SISTERS who he loved at Ephesus and spent 3 years there building up that church.HE SITS DOWN WITH PEN AND PARCHMENT AND WRITES TO THEM THE MOST CHRISTOLOGICAL DOCUMENT RECORDED anywhere in the New Testament, the document that exalts the person and work of Jesus Christ, the document that exalts our identity in Christin his ascension.Beyond the RESURRECTIONPAUL TAKES PEN TO PARCHMENT AND HE WRITES TO THEM THIS BEAUTIFUL greeting announcing himself and announcing what they are, calling them saints in Christ and faithful.And he prays for them in the beginning and then he launches into the longest sentence in the Greek New Testament.
He begins that sentence with an explosion of praise.He praises first and testifies after.Where he sent to them and I want to read to you in verse 3 of chapter 1, blessed which is an explosion of praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.Who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places because there are blessings that are greater than monetary blessings.For what will it profit a man to gain the whole world and then in the end HE LOSE HIS SOUL?
AND SINCE A PERSON CAN GAIN THE WHOLE WORLD, STATUS, MONEY, MONETARY FAME, ALL THESE THINGS, AND STILL LOSE THEIR SOUL, WE KNOW BY THE WRITING OF PAUL THAT THERE ARE BLESSINGS THAT ARE GREATER THAN MONEY AND STATUS ANDPLATFORMS.AND HE LAUNCHES INTO ALL THE GREATEST BLESSINGS any human being will ever know right here in Ephesians chapter 1.Who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places.Even as he chose us before the foundation of the world that we should be holy and blameless before him.He mentions the first blessing that you were chosen in Christ before the foundation, before you was born, before your PARENTS CAME TOGETHER, BEFORE YOU MADE A MISTAKE, BEFORE YOUR INSECURITIES, BEFORE YOUR SIN.
And he saw you before you were even born and predetermined that you would be long to him.
In love he predestined us for adoption to make you his own, to call you son and daughter, which is your highest title next to servant, to himself as sons through Jesus Christ according to the purpose of his will.To the praise of his glorious grace, with which he has blessed us in the beloved.In him we have the next set of blessings, redemption through his blood and forgiveness of our trespasses according to the riches of his grace, which he lavished upon us in all wisdom and insight, WHICH IS ANOTHER BLESSING, whichis he opens your eyes to see truth.
And you know what it is TO NOT BE WATCH THIS, SPIRITUALLY BLIND.In a world full of people who are spiritually blind, it is a BLESSING OF GOD, YOUR EYES HAVE BEEN OPENED.
Making known to us there was the word the mystery of his will.According to his purpose, which he set forth in Christ as a plan for the fullness of time to unite all things in him things in heaven and things in the earth that all things have been united in Christ.And then he launches into the final verses of this glorious Greek sentence with no periods.Watch the text.Verse 11.He says to them, "In him we have obtained an inheritance.Jesus.Having been predestined according to the purpose of him, God who works all things according to the counsel of his will.So that we who were the first to hope in Christ might be to the praise of his glory.
The speaker unpacks Paul's use of 'we' as referring to Jewish believers and explains their inheritance in Christ. He describes the blessings of adoption, redemption, forgiveness, and God's guidance in this life.
I WANT TO DRAW YOUR ATTENTION to the plural pronoun in the text, we.That Paul writes twice in this phrase.He said, "IN HIM WE HAVE OBTAINED."And he said, "So that we who were the first to hope in in might."Now, this plural PRONOUN IS VERY IMPORTANT.AND WE CAN'T JUST READ PAST IT WITHOUT LEANING INTO IT.FOR SCHOLARS WRESTLE OVER THE WE.WHO IS PAUL TALKING TO?IS THIS A GENERAL WE, meaning all of us, or is this another we, meaning someone more specific?I will TAKE THE ROUTE, BASED ON MY STUDY AND INTERPRETATION OF THE TEXT, THAT THIS we is talking about A SPECIFIC GROUP OF people in the city OF EPHESUS, THAT THIS STATEMENT IS NOT GENERIC.IT IS NOT FOR ALL OF US IN THE MOMENT.IT IS FOR A CLASS OF PEOPLE HE IS WRITING TO in Ephesus.NOW, FOLLOW THE TEXT VERY CAREFULLY.
He says, "We."Meaning, he included himself in the group.And who was Paul?PAUL WAS A JEWISH MAN who became a Messianic Jew when HE WAS SAVED BY CHRIST HIMSELF.SO, HERE IS A MESSIANIC JEWISH MAN WRITING TO A PREDOMINANTLY JEWISH NATION IN ISRAEL, to a city in Rome called Ephesus, and he's saying, "We."Including himself, a Jewish man.Watch.He says to them, "We have obtained an inheritance."Who is PAUL TALKING TO?PAUL IS TALKING TO ETHNIC JEWS in the city of Ephesus and reminding them that we ethnic Jews have obtained an inheritance.The evidence that he's talking to ethnic JEWS IS THE FOLLOWING STATEMENT WHEN HE SAYS, "WE who were the first to hope in Christ."Now, let me ask you, all my scholars, WHO WERE THE FIRST PEOPLE to hope in Christ?The apostles.They were what?Ethnic Jews.Who were the first people to receive the gospel?
THE JEWISH RACE.HOW DO WE KNOW THAT?ROMANS.You know what he said?For we are unashamed of the gospel of Jesus Christ.You know 1:16?For it is THE POWER OF GOD FOR THOSE who believe unto salvation.For who first?For the Jew first.AND SO THIS GOSPEL THAT WE ARE PART OF TODAY FIRST WENT TO THE Jews before it came to you.
It was first preached TO THE JEWS BEFORE IT WAS preached to you.And Jesus first came to his OWN PEOPLE BEFORE HE came to anybody else is what he said to a woman who begged for crumbs falling from the table.And so Paul SAYS TO THE JEWISH PEOPLE in Ephesus, we have obtained an inheritance.Peep the word obtained, finished work.It is the same inheritance that every follower in Christ has received.It is a monumental blessing in the TEXT THAT YOU HAVE AND I HAVE and he's talking to these Jews who at the time thought that the gospel was only for Jews.He says to them, you and I have received an inheritance.Now he does not name what the inheritance is, but we know from READING THE WHOLE BODY of scriptures, we have some peek, some window into the text of what the inheritance is.
THAT INHERITANCE IS THAT EVERYBODY who was a follower of Christ, he's explaining it to them, we have this massive inheritance that we was chosen, predestined, ADOPTED, THAT WE WAS SEALED IN GOD'S NAME IN the lamb's book of life.Our names are there THAT IN THIS LIFE YOU DON'T WALK ALONE, but you walk with God in this life.YOU'VE BEEN ANOINTED BY GOD IN THIS LIFE.YOU'VE BEEN GIVEN GIFTS BY GOD IN THIS LIFE.HE IS ORDERING your footsteps IN THIS LIFE.HE'LL WALK YOU THROUGH THROUGH EVERY MOUNTAIN TOP AND THROUGH EVERY VALLEY IN THIS LIFE.He will be with you in everything in this life.He will talk to you in this life and love on you in THIS LIFE AND PROTECT YOU IN THIS LIFE and be with you in this life and he will save you, safely walk you out of this life
with no fear of damnation.
He expands on the believer's inheritance, describing eternal rewards and the new creation. Then he emphasizes God's absolute sovereignty, teaching that every event is working according to God's will.
How's that for an inheritance?THAT HE WILL WALK YOU OUT OF THIS LIFE WITH NO FEAR OF HELLFIRE.BUT THE INHERITANCE DON'T STOP THERE.NO, BECAUSE ACCORDING TO THAT INHERITANCE, YOU WILL BE IN THE PRESENCE OF ALMIGHTY GOD.
YOU WILL MEET CHRIST, THE RESURRECTED SAVIOR, IN GLORY.YOU WILL BE REWARDED WITH AN ABUNDANCE OF REWARDS for your labors in this life.You will reign and rule with Christ in the new world to come.YOU WILL BE IN HEAVEN FOR THE MARRIAGE SUPPER OF THE LAMB.I'M TALKING TO YOU, MAN.You will WALK THE STREETS OF GOLD.YOU WILL DRINK PURE WATER.YOU WILL EAT BRAND NEW FRUIT.YOU WILL SEE THE TREE OF LIFE.YOU WILL NEVER KNOW TEARS, PAIN, SUFFERING, DEATH, LOSS, ISSUES, PROBLEMS, TRIALS.
YOU WILL NEVER KNOW THOSE THINGS EVER AGAIN.
BUT THE INHERITANCE DON'T STOP THERE.READ ALL THE WAY TO THE END OF THE BOOK.YOU WILL BE in the people who when the NEW CITY COMES DOWN FROM HEAVEN into the new earth, we will reign and rule with Christ in the new earth.NEW SKY, NEW CLOUDS, NEW ANIMALS, NEW TREES, NEW LIFE, NEW HOMES, NEW FAMILY.
WATCH THESE WORDS.PERMANENT JOY.
Permanent peace.PERMANENT BLESSINGS.
Permanently blessed.Watch these words.Forever.
Can I go deeper?And that's only what we know.
What about everything he did not tell us on purpose?So that we would receive it by faith.
That you we can't even imagine.
The full extent
of the inheritance that is laid up for the redeemed.An inheritance is something that somebody sets aside to give to a person in the future.
He said to the Jews,"We have already obtained that inheritance is waiting for us."And who put it there?Him, God, who does what?Watch the text.Works all things.I like this part, according to the counsel of his will.That is ain't no accidents.No.He works all things according to the counsel of his will.He raises UP NATIONS AND PUTS DOWN NATIONS.HE RAISES UP LEADERS AND PUTS DOWN LEADERS.HE ALLOWS MOUNTAIN TOPS AND VALLEYS, JOYS AND SORROWS, TEARS AND LAUGHTER, TRIALS AND HARDSHIP.HE'S WORKING EVERYTHING RIGHT NOW ACCORDING TO THE COUNSEL OF HIS WILL.AIN'T NO OOPSIES.AIN'T NO MISTAKES.AIN'T NO I SHOULD HAVE DONE NO.AIN'T NO MISTAKES WITH GOD.
EVEN WHEN HELL IS BREAKING LOOSE IN THE EARTH AND in your life, he is working right now all things according to THE COUNSEL OF HIS WILL.HE WAS WORKING IN YOUR LIFE KEEPING YOU ALIVE BEFORE YOU WERE SAVED.HE WAS WORKING IN YOUR LIFE WHEN YOU FELT THE CONVICTION OF THE HOLY SPIRIT THAT BROUGHT YOU INTO THE KINGDOM.HE'S BEEN WORKING IN YOUR LIFE SINCE YOU WERE SAVED.HE'S WORKING IN YOUR LIFE RIGHT NOW ORDERING your steps.Leading you to Atlanta TO BE A PART OF 2819 in person.OPENING NEW DOORS.CLOSING DOORS.REMOVING PEOPLE FROM YOUR LIFE.BRINGING PEOPLE INTO YOUR LIFE.
ALLOWING PEOPLE TO LIE ON YOU SO HE COULD GET GLORY THROUGH YOU.HE IS WORKING ALL THINGS.
THE THINGS THAT BRING PAIN.AND THE THINGS THAT BRING PRAISE.
HE IS RIGHT NOW AS YOU'RE SITTING LISTENING WATCHING WORKING IN YOUR LIFE ALL THINGS.
YOUR STRUGGLES.YOUR HARDSHIPS AND YOUR TRIALS PERFECTING CHARACTER AND BUILDING FAITH.WHAT YOU CALL LACK FOR A SEASON.OPPRESSION.OR OPPOSITION.HE'S WORKING THROUGH ALL OF IT.
Even the thorn.He leaves in your side.That he won't take from you.To show you that his grace is sufficient.Philip.Talking to myself.EVEN THE THORN HE WON'T remove from your side, PHILIP.TO TEACH YOU MY BROTHER AND SISTER THAT HIS GRACE is sufficient even that.Every yes from God, every no FROM GOD, EVERY WAIT FROM GOD, HE IS WORKING.
ALL THINGS.I SAID ALL THINGS.I SAID ALL THINGS.ACCORDING TO THE COUNSEL WATCH THAT HE DON'T NEED NOBODY'S ADVICE OR OPINION.
Of his own will.
He don't even got to consult with you concerning you.
He'll take your prayers into consideration.But at the end of the day
He hear their lies.But at the end of the day He see the attacks.But at the end of the day HE DON'T NEED NOBODY'S ADVICE.
WORKING.All things.According to the counsel of his will.
Paul's shift from 'we' to 'you' marks the inclusion of Gentile believers in the promise. The speaker explains the gospel message, how the Ephesians heard it, and how they were sealed with the Holy Spirit.
Now watch Paul's transition in the text from we, Jews to somebody else.Okay.It's going to come together for you in a moment.First he talked about we.Then in verse 13, there was a transition in the text.In him, Christ, YOU.OH.YOU ALSO.YOU KNOW WHAT THE WORD ALSO IS?INCLUSION.HELP US, JESUS.
YOU ALSO WHEN YOU HEARD THE WORD of truth, THE GOSPEL OF YOUR SALVATION, AND BELIEVED IN HIM, YOU WERE SEALED.
THE NEXT BLESSING, YOU WERE SEALED WITH THE PROMISED HOLY SPIRIT.OH MY GOD.OH MY GOD.OH MY GOD.PAUL NOW SHIFTS GEARS TO TALK TO A DIFFERENT GROUP OF PEOPLE.HE WENT FROM WE, ONE PLURAL PRONOUN, INCLUDING HIMSELF AS A JEW.NOW HE SWITCHES THE PRONOUN TO YOU, NOT INCLUDING HIMSELF.SO NOW HE'S NOT TALKING TO JEWS, BUT NOW HE'S SEEDING INTO THE CHURCH AT EPHESUS THIS MIGHTY WORD CALLED UNITY that he will build ON IN THE REST OF THE LETTER.GOSH.WHO IS PAUL TALKING TO NOW?EVERY NON-JEWISH PERSON.ALL GENTILES, BLACK, WHITE, BROWN, ASIAN, EVERY PERSON OUTSIDE OF THE JEWISH RACE.
YOU, he said.AND THEN HE INCLUDES US WITH THE COVENANT PEOPLE ALSO.
WHEN you heard the word of truth, NOTICE THE WORD IS SINGULAR.MEANING THERE IS NO OTHER TRUTH EXCEPT WHAT HE ATTACHES TO IT, WHICH IS THE GOSPEL OF YOUR SALVATION.THAT MEANS THERE IS NO MESSAGE OF HOPE ANYWHERE IN THE WORLD OUTSIDE OF THE WORD SINGULAR OF TRUTH, THE GOSPEL
OF SALVATION.THERE IS NO TRUTH OF ANY MESSAGE OF HOPE ANYWHERE IN THE WORLD OUTSIDE OF THE GOSPEL OF TRUTH.THAT THEY HEARD AND PRODUCED IN THEM SALVATION.LISTEN TO ME BECAUSE THERE IS ONLY one message THAT HAS A SUPERNATURAL POWER built into it THAT WHEN PEOPLE HEAR IT, IT HAS THE POWER TO SNATCH THEM FROM THE FIRES OF HELL.
AND bring them into THE KINGDOM OF LIGHT.
WHAT WAS THE MESSAGE THEY HEARD?THE GOSPEL.WHAT IS THE GOSPEL?THAT GOD CREATED A WORLD THAT WAS PERFECT.THAT MEN REBELLED AGAINST GOD.THAT BECAUSE OF REBELLION, SIN ENTERED INTO THE WORLD.BECAUSE OF SIN, IF ANYONE DIES IN SIN, THEY WILL BE eternally separated from God forever in a conscious state of of torment.They will be damned.THE GOSPEL MESSAGE CONTINUES.BUT GOD
IN AN ACT OF UNPRECEDENTED LOVE, NOT WANTING MEN TO PERISH, SENT HIS SON INTO THE EARTH WHO LIVED A PERFECT LIFE FULFILLING THE LAW, DIED A SACRIFICIAL DEATH UPON THE CROSS THAT FROM THE CROSS HE EXCHANGES HIS RIGHTEOUSNESSFOR YOUR UNRIGHTEOUSNESS.BUT BY IF WE TURN IN REPENTANCE TOWARDS CHRIST,
A PERSON CAN BE SAVED E D spared from damnation and brought into fellowship with God Almighty.Redeemed in Christ.
He said, "This is the message."Watch.They heard When did they hear that?When he first pulled up in Ephesus.
On that missionary journey when he pulled in you know like pull up.He pulled up in Ephesus, a city entrenched in magic and idolatry, AND HE PREACHED THE ONLY MESSAGE OF HOPE TO THEM.They heard the message.Who heard the message?Blacks, whites, Asians, mix, Latinos, BLASIANS, WHATEVER YOU WANT.EVERYBODY OUTSIDE THE JEWISH RACE.In Ephesus, they heard the message.And that supernatural message brought them into the kingdom.We see the whole process salvation in one verse.Watch.Brought them into the kingdom.The gospel that they believed in.And then he talks to them about the final blessing they have in Christ.Look up to me.Look at me.He said that when you heard the message, everybody watch.Everybody look.Eye contact.The last blessing in Christ.He said, "When y'all heard that message, watch.You were sealed
with the promised Holy Spirit."
Using the illustration of fake luxury bags, he argues that true Christians are authenticated by the Holy Spirit, not by a title alone. He explains the seal as proof of ownership, protection, and genuine belonging to God.
Now, okay.A few weeks ago, my travel team and I went to New York cuz I had a round of recordings and interviews in New York.And one of the travel team members who's in the room right now, it was her first time in New York.So, I wanted to treat her.So, I TOOK THE TRAVEL TEAM TO Times Square.So, she can walk the most popular tourist spot in New York.It's night time, it's dark, it's raining, lights is everywhere, we're walking through the street, we mobbing.I travel deep, we mobbing.We mobbing through Times Square in black.In 28:19 gear.And people asking US AND STOPPING US AND TALKING ABOUT THE CHURCH BECAUSE THE MERCH IS A TESTIMONY, THE MERCH PROPHESIES, THE MERCH CAUSES GOSPEL CONVERSATIONS.SO, WE ROCK IT EVERYWHERE.
It's not a logo, IT IS A SCRIPTURE.
SO, WE WANT TO WEAR IT SO WE CAN TALK TO PEOPLE ABOUT THE GOSPEL.
AND WE MOBBING THROUGH TIMES SQUARE DRESSED IN OUR 28:19 GEAR.And some of them needed something from the store, so we stop at Walgreens, and then I'm posted up outside the store on a brick wall with my foot up there like I'm a New Yorker, right?So
Right?Right?You was with me?You was with me?And we posted up.We posted up on the brick wall.Some of the team in the store, the other members outside, we posted up on the brick wall.And then I tap them.I said, "Y'all look look right there on the corner.Look at this family right here.I know they tourists, they're about to get got."That means they're about to be taken advantage of.Get got?Yes, they're about to be tak- Philip, what is get got?They're I got to give y'all some urban the urban translation of the text.
I'm giving them the urban translation of the text.THEY'RE ABOUT TO GET GOT.BECAUSE WE'RE I SAID I I I TAPPED THEM, I said, "Pay attention.Look.Look Look at this family from out of town.About to buy these fake Louis Vuitton bags on the floor by a street vendor with fake bags sitting on a sheet on the floor.
And I tapped the team, I said y'all pay attention.YOU KNOW ALL THESE BAGS ARE FAKE.CUZ NO way you going to have real Louis Vuitton bags out here on the floor selling them on a street corner.And I tapped them and said watch, LOOK, THEY PULLING OUT THEIR MONEY.They about to get got.
The bags HAD THE BRAND LOUIS VUITTON.But they WAS NOT AUTHENTICATED BY LOUIS VUITTON.
Let me repeat this to you so I can walk YOU BACK TO THE TEXT.THE FAKE BAGS HAD THE BRAND LV.BUT THEY WAS NOT AUTHENTICATED BY LV.THEY HAD A TITLE WITH NO AUTHENTICATION.
THIS IS THE SAME thing that happens right now.When people TAKE UPON THEMSELVES THE TITLE CHRISTIAN.
AND SOME PEOPLE CALL THEMSELVES A CHRISTIAN unknowingly because of their family upbringing.OR PROXIMITY to real believers.Or because of church attendance.Or because OF A PODCAST THEY HEARD OR BOOKS THAT THEY READ, they take on the title Christian.AND SOME PEOPLE ERRONEOUSLY TAKE ON THE TITLE CHRISTIAN FOR CLOUT OR CULTURAL ACCEPTANCE OR CULTURAL IDENTITY.AND NOW WE LIVE IN A TIME WHERE ANYBODY, NO MATTER THEIR BEHAVIOR, CAN PUT THE BRAND ON THEMSELVES CHRISTIAN.BUT GOD DOES NOT DEAL IN FAKE LOUIS VUITTON.
So he did something TO AUTHENTICATE EVERY REAL CHRISTIAN.
SINCE GOD DOES NOT BOOTLEG CHRISTIANITY,
HE AUTHENTICATES EVERY REAL BELIEVER BY SEALING THEM
WITH THE HOLY SPIRIT.
HEY!IS ANYBODY SEALED IN THIS PLACE?
AND YOU KNOW YOU HAVE BEEN SEALED BECAUSE YOU FEEL HIM ALIVE ON THE INSIDE OF YOU.
YOU FELT WHEN HE CONVICTED YOU.YOU FELT WHEN YOU PASSED FROM DEATH TO LIFE.YOU FELT WHEN YOUR EYES WAS OPEN.YOU FELT WHEN HE STARTED TALKING TO YOU.YOU FELT WHEN HE STARTED LEADING YOU.YOU FELT WHEN HE STARTED GUIDING YOU.YOU FELT WHEN HE anointed you.
YOU FELT WHEN HE GAVE YOU GIFTS.
BECAUSE THE EVIDENCE OF A TRUE BELIEVER IS THAT THEY HAVE BEEN SEALED AND DWELT byGod himselfWHO SAID FOR THOUSANDS OF YEARS, "I'm going to do something that is monumental.I'm going to put my spirit
in a group of people.And I will be their God.
And they will be my people."
AND SO THE EVIDENCE OF A TRUE CHRISTIAN, A TRUE FOLLOWER OF Christ is we see the fruit SINGULAR OF THE HOLY SPIRIT working out of their lives.
That is not enough to say I'm Christian.The question is are you sealed?
Which is the most monumentalblessing on that list.AND AFTER GOD CHOSE YOU, PREDESTINED YOU, ADOPTED YOU, REDEEMED YOU, FORGAVE YOU.ENLIGHTENED YOU.He sealed you.
And in the ancient world, a seal
communicated three things.Authentication, that's real.Ownership, that's mine.And protection.
That if you're sealed, he says, "You're mine cuz I'm in you.
I authenticate you.I will protect your soul.It will never see hell.I will protect your soul and guide it all the way until it reaches my throne."
The sermon concludes by tying together Jews, Gentiles, and the church as one inheritance in Christ. He calls for unity, holiness, and gospel advance, then ends with a prayer and unified praise.
And Paul finished his longest verse sentence in the Greek New Testament when he says this about the Holy Spirit in verse 14.It was he who is the guarantee of watch the last pronoun.Watch the unity in the text.What's the word?Now watch the progression of the text.We, you, our.Jews, non-Jews, all of us who are in Christ.Our inheritance until we acquire possession of it to the praise of his glory.This was Paul revealing a mystery to a people who only thought the gospel was for one people group.
That God was going to go beyond the nation of Israel to take the gospelto the whole world.Until all have heard that glorious message.
This is me being grieved to the point of tears for those who have still yet to hear the message of hope while we play church in America.
This is me being grieved to the point of tears that there are the whole nations that sit in spiritual darkness THAT HAVE STILL NOT HEARD the message OF CHRIST WHILE WE PLAY CHURCH IN AMERICA.While we won't give to move THE MESSAGE FORWARD AND SERVE TO MOVE THE MESSAGE FORWARD AND PRAY TO MOVE THE MESSAGE FORWARD.THIS is me being grieved of the fact that there are brothers and sisters waiting to hear that message.
And that God did all OF THIS FOR WHAT PURPOSE?TO THE PRAISE OF HIS GLORY.THAT PAUL WAS SEEDING IN THE BEGINNING OF THE LETTER THAT GOD WAS ABOUT TO CREATE A UNIFIED BODY OF PEOPLE HE WOULD CALL THE BODY.AND THAT THEIR INHERITANCE WILL BE CHRIST AND CHRIST'S INHERITANCE WILL BE US.THAT GOD WILL CREATE THIS UNIFIED BODY, CALL THE BRIDE, AND HAND US OVER TO CHRIST THE GROOM.WE WOULD BE HIS inheritance and he would be ours.And that IF WE WOULD DISPLAY HIS GLORY IN THE EARTH WE WOULD SLANDER LESS AND PRAY MORE.WE WOULD JUDGE LESS AND PRAY MORE.WE WOULD FIGHT FOR WHAT JESUS PRAYED FOR, UNITY OF THE FAITH.
WE WILL STOP OUR OVERLY PERSECUTION OF ONE ANOTHER.That even IF WE DON'T AGREE, WE CAN PRAY IN SILENT WITHOUT SLANDERING ONE ANOTHER.WE CAN FIGHT FOR UNITY AND COME AGAINST DISCORD AND STRIFE and slander, WHICH IS ALL SATANIC.
I don't like that brother over there.Pray for him.He moves DIFFERENTLY THAN US.PRAY FOR HIM.SHE OUT OF ORDER.PRAY FOR HER.
THAT IF WE WOULD DISPLAY THE GLORY OF CHRIST, IT WOULD BE seen in the family likeness.
If we, you, our,and that if we would display the glory of Christ, I close with these words.Then we will stop acting like we not sealed and stop ignoring the person who is alive on the inside of us who should be leading us to live a holy, pure, surrendered, submitted, godly, faithful, loving life.So that in us, through the spirit, the world will see something and marvel and say, "I want to be a part of that unique body of people to the praiseof his glory."
So eternal garden of a wise father,
I pray over those who are the redeemed and the sealed.
That we will fight for unity above discord.
We will fight for unity above sin.We will lay down our weapons and pray more than we slander and judge and condemn.We will be conscious of the unbelieving world that is watching and that has sealed brothers and sisters, we will begin to live out a life to the best of our ability of holiness, purity, and faithfulness, and generosity, andsurrender, and glad submission to the one who is working right now all things according to the counsel of his will.I pray for an explosion of the spread of the gospel to the unheard
and a fight for unity beginning with 28:19 to the world.I pray this over the redeemed in the mighty and the majestic and the matchless name of our soon coming king, the Lord Jesus Christ.Now let's give him a unified praise.
Hallelujah.
Hallelujah.
Hallelujah.
Hallelujah.
Somebody give them a unified clap.
Hallelujah.