We are God's Demonstrations

You're going to be in Ephesians 2 still, verses 5 through 7. Let's look at that together. Ephesians 2, 5 through 7. And God made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions. And it is by grace you have been saved. You are being saved, the Greek perfect tense. And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus, in order that in the coming ages he might show or demonstrate the incomparable riches of his grace expressed in his kindness to us in Christ Jesus. Just a quick review because we've spent time on what life and death is. So God makes us alive by breathing his spirit into us. God is spirit, that is his life. So the way that God imparts life to us is he breathes his spirit into us. The spirit is life. So a person without the Holy Spirit is not alive in Christ. They may be religious, they may be moral, in some sense they may try to be a good person, but they don't have the life of God. So God is life and he relates to us through his spirit. So being made alive is like restoring a broken connection. Because if there's a broken circuit in an electrical circuit, then even though there's power there, the power cannot flow because of the break in the circuit. To be made alive means we must be restored to God himself. In other words, we must be plugged into him directly. Then his life begins to flow in us and we experience that through the Holy Spirit. And Paul says this, and I'd like someone if you would, nice and loud, read for me Romans chapter 8, 1 and 2. We've gone over this, but we can never say this too much. I'll read it. Sure. It says, life through the spirit. So now there is no condemnation for those who belong to Christ Jesus. And because you belong to him, the power, the life-giving spirit has to be to you, the power of sin that leads to death. That's right. The law of the spirit of life in Christ. See before that in Romans 7, Paul was saying, oh wretched man that I am, who will save me from this body of death? The body of death in Romans 7 when Paul could agree with the law, but it was captive, a slave to the law of sin and its members. Only in Christ, once a person comes in Christ, then the law of the spirit of life in Christ sets us free from that law of sin and death that was before him. Because we know, like it says in John 1, 4, that in him was life and that life was the life of men. So let's not look at something in the wrong way. Eternal life. Some people think eternal life is some spiritual hocus-pocus. You believe in Jesus and he sprinkles his holy life dust on you. You have life. No, no. He is life. Yes. And unless you're walking with him, unless you have a relationship with him, unless you are side by side in step with him, you don't share his life. It's not a card he gives you, get out of jail free, get out of hell free, go straight to heaven. No, no. He is life. And he said this, my sheep hear my voice. They know me and they follow me and I give them eternal life. Yes. So eternal life is something Jesus gives to his followers. He shares his life with them. It's not something that happens because if anything has been done to you in some church somewhere, it doesn't matter how many times you've been baptized, if you're not walking with Christ, it doesn't matter if you've been confirmed, if you're not walking with Christ and it doesn't matter if you claim to be a Christian and you're not walking with Christ. Jesus is life. So let's say that eternal life is Jesus. Jesus is that life. And we must live in Jesus to have this life. So that's how God made us alive. He joined us with Christ and that's what it says in Ephesians. The next thing he did is he seated us with him. Now, where is he seated? We studied this already. Where is he seated? At the right hand of God. We talked about that. What does it signify being at the right hand of God? Yeah, that's the question. What does it signify? What does the right hand of God signify? What privileges come along with being at the right hand of God? Authority. You know who the right hand is reserved for? Kings have to appoint someone to sit there. And who are they going to appoint? Someone they completely trust. Someone who will carry out their will, who will follow their law, who's pleasing to them. So we want, if we're seated with him, that better characterize us, right? We better, we better be all about the King's authority. We better love his law and we better live our lives in such a way that is pleasing to him. And it's interesting because Christ seated there means we're with him. All the authority and the privileges that come along with being in the King's favor are with us as long as we are with him. Amen. Okay. There's not some, it's not something, it's not something Jesus will give you. And then you go live your life and you're not walking with him. And then you get to heaven expecting that you're going to be there. And you've not been walking with Jesus. No, no. You sit with him because you agree with him. It's like the section, you know, at football games, they usually have the visitors and the home. Heaven has no place for visitors. It's only the home team. Yeah. If you're a visitor, you've been at the game. Some people visit church. They're not the home team. You got to be a member of the home team to get in heaven. That's where they sit. You sit in the section with Jesus. He's a, he's the representative of the father. We have to be with him. If someone read for me, revelations chapter three, verse 21, revelations three 21. Is it up there Rudy? Whoever comes, I will give to him to sit down with me on my throne. As I also overcame and sat down with my father on his throne. Whether this is a description or a condition, it's very pertinent for us. Who is going to be, who is going to be allowed to sit with our Lord according to this? He who overcomes. Someone give me the opposite of an overcomer. What's the opposite of overcome? Well, in a way, yes. A failure. I'm going to look for a certain word that's very popular in our society. Not a loser. That's well, people like to call others losers. Yeah, that's sad. They use that a lot. Defeated. The word I'm thinking of is victim. We are such advocates for the victims. You hurt me. He hurt me. She hurt me. What they did to me. My life would be good, but what they did to me, I, I, I've asked for help, but they didn't help me. The victim is a person who looks to others outside themselves and can tell you all the reasons why they're not able to do what they want to do because they don't have the help. Well, that person doesn't go to heaven. The person who goes to heaven is the person who's not the victim, but the overcomer. And how do we overcome spirit? Ah, it's a spirit. That's a good question. There's a scripture that says that tells how we overcome. Can you think of the scripture that says how we overcome anybody? Well, by the way, yes, by the word of God is one, but there's a specific scripture. This I'll help you out. Then first John chapter five, verse four, this is the victory that overcomes the world. Even our faith, faith is the victory. We sing that song. They is the victory. Remember you've seen it now you get it now think with me. Okay. So let's look at the process of overcoming. If we know that faith is the victory that overcomes the world, how does faith come by hearing? And how does hearing come? Also, how does a person overcome the world by hearing the word of God and believing? So you live by the word of God. And who is the word of God? Jesus. He's the word. So you live your life following the Lord. Jesus, you overcome. That's, that's, that's how we overcome the world. And it's interesting. Um, there's, there's two, there's two contrasting fears in that Paul talks about in Ephesians, actually throughout the new Testament, there's two realms or two spheres of activity. If I say one is the earthly fear, what would the other one be? The heavenly. Right. And we see that. So where, where, where are we seated together with him in the heavenlies? Okay. Now did any of you spend any time thinking about this reality, the heavenlies, it's pretty important. Can you, can you think of any verses or any, any expressions in the new Testament to talk about the heavenlies and what impact does that make on our life? Anybody or I'll help you out. Yeah. There's a lot of those. Yeah. In Ephesians six. Well, we'll, we'll, of course we'll get to some of those because we're in this late, this letter. Remember when Jesus was talking to Nicodemus in his conversation, Nicodemus expressed an inability to grasp what Jesus was saying. And Jesus said, if I have spoken to you about earthly things, how are you going to understand if I begin to talk to you about heavenly things? So clearly there's two, there's two spheres. There's two realms, an earthly realm and a heavenly realm. Uh, this is also, uh, portrayed in Hebrews, Hebrews chapter eight, verses one through five. If someone has that in your Bible, read that nice. And David, do you have that back there? Hebrews eight, one through five, nice and loud. Also, if he were on earth, he would not be a priest for there are already priests who offer the gift prescribed by the law. They serve at the sanctuary that is a coffee and a shower. What is it headed? This is why Moses was warned when he was about to build the town of Adam, see to it that you make everything according to the pattern shown you on the mountain. Okay. So according to this, where was the first tabernacle on earth or in heaven, in heaven, in Moses was given a glimpse of the heavenly tabernacle. And he said, you make sure that it's on earth as it is in heaven. You heard that sound familiar. Yes. Thy kingdom come, thy will be done on earth as it is, as it already is. And if there's righteousness in heaven, let there be righteousness on earth. There's holiness in heaven. Let there be holiness in the earth. That's it. As things are in heaven, let there be an earth. Someone read Hebrews chapter 11. Sam, if you've got that over there, Sam server, Hebrews 11 versus 13 through 16. Yes. 13 to 16. All these died in faith without receiving the promises, but having seen them and having welcomed them from a distance and having confessed that they were strangers and exiles on the earth. For those, for those who say such things, make it clear that they are seeking a country of their own. And indeed, if they have been remembering that country from which they went out, they would have had opportunity to return. But now they aspire to a better country. That is a heavenly one. Therefore, God is not ashamed to be called their God, but he prepared a city for them. Hmm. They, if you don't have a home city, what are you? You're lost. Yeah. You're, you're, you're an alien, aren't you? You're a stranger or you're an immigrant. You remember how the scripture says we're supposed to live our lives, live your lives here as aliens and strangers, pilgrims. You don't have any home here. It's not your home. If you were born in San Antonio, that doesn't make San Antonio your home. Be careful that you make your identity here on the earth, because these people didn't, they were looking for a place, not even on the earth. He says, God is not ashamed to call them his, his children. Wow. I want, I want to know that this is, this is a similar thought. And if Larry, if you'll read this Colossians three, one through eight, for this reason, we're told that we're to live like these people live with our minds, where our home really is in the heavenlies. Three Colossians three, one through eight. Okay. Now if we're seated with Christ and he's seated at the right hand of God, that's where our home is. And according to us, there's a common saying home is where the heart is. Is that where our home is? And if that's really where our home is, there's just no place like home. And it's going to be constantly in our heart and our mind. And with that, the case we're told to do this, put to death, what belongs to your earthly nature, didn't say evil nature, put to death, the things that are natural to your earthly man, the selfishness, the greed, the covetousness, the evil desires, put them to death. And while you're at it, get rid of anger, rage, malice, slander, and filthy language. You know, if all of us did that, you know what that would make us? Harmless as dust. This would be a safe place because there'd be no hatred, no malice, no slander, no backbiting, no envy, no jealousy. It'd be a wholesome place like God intended for church to be because there would be a people sanctified and empowered by grace who love one another and do no wrong to one another. Those places are possible. Listen, they're rare. They're rare. I admit they're rare, but so are diamonds, so are rubies, and so are precious metals. And the rarer they are, the more valuable they are. So just because they're not everywhere does not mean they're not real. We need to be this kind of people, a people without anger, without malice, without slander, without filthy communications, without envy, without jealousy, pure, harmless, loving one another, identifying us as disciples in Christ because people see how we love one another. That needs to be us. Joe Hernandez, would you read Philippians 3, 17 to 20? Philippians 3, 17 to 20. Brothers, join in imitating me and keep your eyes on those who walk according to the example you have in us, for many of whom I have often told you and now tell you even with tears walk as enemies of the cross of Christ. Their end is destruction. Their God is their belly, and they glory in their shame with minds set on earthly things. But our citizenship is in heaven, and from it we await the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ. Okay, let's break that down a little bit. Join together in following my example, brothers and sisters, just as you have us as a model, and keep your eyes on those who live as we do. So look at me, saints. Stop looking at the other believer here that talks in the wrong way, and focus on the brother or sister who never complains, who never murmurs, who never has a harsh or critical thing to say about someone else. Focus on them, and ignore the person who's living in the wrong way. That's not our example, and don't comfort yourself by saying, well, nobody's perfect. We all got our hang-ups. All of us are called and predestined to be conformed to the image of the Lord Jesus Christ, and that's the model and our example we're to follow. Don't comfort yourselves by saying this false statement by nobody's perfect. No, few people are mature in that way, possibly, but there are mature saints who do everything without murmuring and complaining, and you know what those saints are? They're like stars shining in the universe, holding forth the word of life. They're blameless, and they are pure children of God. Rare, yes, but real. Real, and they're going to be in the home of heaven with the righteous, and there will be those who don't live that way, who are just like everybody else, who sing their mantra, nobody's perfect, and they'll stand before Jesus saying, Lord, Lord, and what will he say to them? Depart from me, you workers of iniquity. I never knew you, because Paul says this. I tell you the truth. He says this with tears. Not everybody is an example. Not everybody is worth following. There are some people, he says in this passage, they live like they're an enemy of the cross of Christ. What's sad? Look, he's not talking about people of the world. Of course they're going to live like they're enemies of the cross of Christ. He's talking about it's sad that there are people in churches who live like they're an enemy of the cross of Christ. That's what's sad, and what he describes it. They live like they're an enemy of the cross of Christ. Their destiny is destruction. Their God is their belly. In the eastern mind, the belly was the seat of desire. That's it. In other words, they live by what they want. What they want is how they live their life. That's it. And it's their glory is their shame, and then it says the most intriguing thing to me. Their mind is on earthly things. Didn't say evil things. Earthly things. A preacher from India, from Bangalore, India, gave this illustration one time, and I'll never forget it. We have things that we have to be involved in. You have jobs to do, and while you're teaching or doing your job or fulfilling your duties at work or home, your mind has to be on those things because, you know, we all hear that statement, he's so heavenly minded, he's no earthly good. I have a feeling that there are very few of those people on the earth. I think that the whole problem is that people are so earthly minded, they're no heavenly good. But he gave this illustration that, you know, if you're tied to a like a big bungee cord, and the bungee cord is anchored to the earth, well, you can try and try and try. On Sunday, you're stretching out to reach for those things of heaven, but what's pulling against you? You're tied to the earth. So as soon as you let go, where are you going? Boom, you're going to ride back down. But then there's a person whose anchor is in heaven, and they're forced to give themselves to what they do, their job, and be responsible. But as soon as they let go of what they have to do, they go right back to where they really want to be. They're anchored. They're anchored in heaven because that's where their heart is. Yes. They have to do certain things on the earth, but that's not what drives them. They live a heavenly life because that's just that's where their heart is. So anyway, Paul goes on in Ephesians, he's seated us with Christ in the heavenly realms, the heavenly realms, and we're supposed to have that's where our mind and heart is supposed to be now. And why does he do this? He, this is what he says, why he does this, that he might demonstrate in the coming ages the surpassing riches of his kindness expressed to us in Christ Jesus, that he might demonstrate. Let me, the idea of the word to demonstrate is this, to make fully evident, to show undeniable proof that demonstrates something is real. Let me tell you what is not undeniable proof that the Lord is real to the world. It's the Christian bumper sticker that says Christians aren't perfect, just forgiven. That's not a great impressive to the world. I mean, it's a humble statement. Okay. We're, we are saying, okay, we're not claiming to be perfect. We're not claiming to be holier than thou. That's not our attitude. But if any man is in Christ, God wants to prove something. And what, how does he, what does he want? What is he wanting to prove? He's wanting to prove his power is undeniably real. And he's chosen to seat us in the place of authority with Christ so that all the authority that Jesus has and all his power is literally visibly proven by us. We prove the holiness of God. We prove the righteousness of God, because if any man is in Christ, he is a new creature. Old things are passing away. All things become new. And you know what that proves? God is at work in us. That's what it proves. We're demonstrations of the power of his grace. Somebody read this. Jasmine, if he pulls it up there, read 2 Corinthians chapter 8, 24 for me. 2 Corinthians chapter 8, 24. Therefore show the proof of your love to them in front of the assembly and of our boasting on your behalf. Okay. The word show there is demonstrate. Paul had been telling the other churches of how generous the Corinthians were. So Paul writes them ahead of time. Okay. I've been telling everybody how generous when, when, when you are, when they get there, prove it, demonstrate it, let them see because actions. Okay. All right. So how can I know whether you really love Christ? I really don't need you to tell me a thing. I just need to watch. I just need to watch. Isn't that what Jesus said? You shall know them by their proofs. It's evident. Prove it. Somebody read 1 Timothy chapter 1, 16. Who have I not picked on yet? Body selling. 1 Timothy 1, 16. All right. I'm going to add the verse 15 to that. Here's a trustworthy saying that deserves full acceptance. Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners of whom I am the worst. But for that reason, I was shown mercy so that in me, the worst of sinners, Christ, Christ Jesus might demonstrate his immense patience as an example. So, you know, what's wonderful as rotten and as wicked and as stubborn and as foolish as all of us were, that makes us perfect for God to use us as demonstrations of how patient and how long suffering, how forgiving he is and how much he can do with so little. Because remember this, Jesus told Paul, when Paul asked for the relief and he said, no, my grace is sufficient for you for my power is what? Made perfect in your weakness. So great. I want everybody let's agree. The reason Jesus Christ can be so glorified in our life is because we're weak. It's not the reason that you keep tripping up. That's what you tell me. Oh, I knew that because I'm weak. No, no, no. Let's get over that. You've already proven that your weakness exists, that the power of Christ would be displayed right there. That's the reason that's how we live up because that's why we're seated with Christ is that we can be living demonstrations of the reality of Christ. Titus chapter two, verse 10. Somebody you'll I like it. Like, I like this wording, teach slaves to be subject to their masters and everything to try to please them, not to talk back to them, not to steal for them, but to demonstrate that they can fully be trusted so that in every way they will make the teaching about God, our savior, attractive. How many of you ladies put on makeup today? You don't have to raise your hand. Why do you do that? Why do you do that? Because you want to look attractive. Every believer here. Listen to me. You put on the Lord Jesus Christ before you go to work. You put him on and you make the gospel attractive. Amen. You should be the best employee at your company. And your, your reason for being there is to make the gospel attractive because it produces, if this is the kind of people that produces, I want all Christians working for me. And they should be asking you, do you have any friends? Do you have anyone that lives like you? We'll give you a bonus. If you bring them, that's the kind of life we should live. That's what Paul is. But this is the, God is using us to demonstrate this. This is part of this demonstration. Okay. I think I'm going to skip the next verse in Hebrew and go to Matthew. Most of us know this Matthew chapter five, 14 and 16. You are the light of the world. We know that a city built on a hill, you can't hide it. You know, you can hide a city built on a hill. Neither do people put a lamp and then you don't light a lamp and then cover it over with a bowl. No, you don't do that. Instead, you put it on a stand because you want everyone to be able to see that's what light is for in the same way. Let your light so shine before men that they see what? Your good works. They see your kindness. They see your patience. They see how careful you are with your speech. They see your tenderness. They see it's different from work. It works from men's point of view. We know that it's God producing it. It's really fruit of the spirit in us. But Jesus is just, you know, to men, it looks like something you're doing. We know what's really happening is God is working in us. But when you're kind to someone, it looks to them like, wow, that person is being kind. Or when you help someone, that person, he came over and helped to them. It looks like something you did. And the point of that is that when they see the things that you do that are good, what do they do? They glorify our Father in heaven. Because you're such a good neighbor, you're such a good employee, you're such a good wife, you're such a good husband, you're such a good parent. You're such a good friend. You're such a good sister. You're such a good brother. You're such a good encourager. You're such a good listener. They glorify our Father in heaven. And in that way, we're used to demonstrate. And it's interesting. It says that he might demonstrate in the coming ages. There's more than one age. This is the dawning of the age of Aquarius. So, you know, you already know that there's ages. I don't know if we're in the age of Aquarius or somebody thought we were or about to be, you know, but the Bible does speak of different ages. What would you say? What age do you say we're in now? What's the age now? Liberty. Oh, liberty. Okay. In Rudy's mind, it's the age of liberty. What else? How about the age of mercy? In the age of grace. Because there's coming an age of judgment and destruction. What Yolanda was mentioning. There's coming a time when Jesus comes back again. The first time he came, God sent not his son the first time into the world to condemn the world, but the world may be saved through him. The second time he's coming, it is the destruction of wickedness. So, there's not all ages are the same. And if not all ages are the same, let's demonstrate that. Someone read for me Matthew 13 verses 40 through 43. Matthew 13. Do you have it over there, Marie Garcia? Matthew 13, 40 through 43. Caught you off guard. Gotta be ready. Be instant in season, Allison. 13, 40 through 43. So, just as the tares are gathered up and burned with fire, so shall it be at the end of the age. The Son of Man will send forth his angels, and they will gather out of his kingdom all stumbling blocks and those who commit lawlessness, and will throw them into the furnace of fire. In that place, there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. Then the righteous will shine forth as the son in the kingdom of their father. He who has ears will hear. Okay, so this is going to happen at the end of this age. So, you know what that means now? There's a mixture. So, not everybody who's, not everybody, there's a mixture in God's kingdom right now. There's some doing evil still. There's some that cause other people to stumble still. It's sad, but that's only to the end of this age. At the end of this age, Jesus is going to take care of that first thing. He's going to send his angels, and he's going to take out of his kingdom everything that causes sin and all who do evil, and that's when they will be thrown into the furnace. Not now. That's not the age we're in now, okay? Now, the age we're in now is characterized by something that Jesus said that makes it difficult for us to actually live by the word, and this is in Mark chapter 4, 18-19. Tom, can you read this from way back there? Mark 4, 18-19. Others are those who are sown among the thorns. These are those who are in the cares of this age, in the deceitfulness of riches, in the lust of other things entering in. Choke the word, and be defenseless of your fault. So, but the cares of this age, and what do the cares of this age do to the word? They choke it. It doesn't get its full breath. Some people are dealing with COPD or asthma, and it is not pleasant when it's difficult to take a deep breath. You know, bronchitis, or the coughing fits, and things that we deal with. Breath is so important to be able to get a good breath. So important for your, for health, but be careful, because there's a hindrance to good spiritual health, and it's the cares of this age. It's, what does my boyfriend think? Or when's the next movie coming out? Or, I should hope my team wins the game today. You, whatever it is, it, it, if it's choking out the word, if those things are more important to you, it's, beware of it. The things of this age, and the things of the age to come, are not always on the same, the same track. And just the word, so you understand. The word eternal life, the literal translation is life of the ages. It's life that will continue through the ages, because according to what we've talked about already, at the end of this age, judgment and destruction is going to come. And for some, that's the end of life. But eternal life means you're going to go right on in Christ, through the judgment in Christ, into the glory of the next stage in Christ. You have life through the ages. We just call it eternal life, but literally in the, in the original language, it's life through the ages, goes on and on into the ages. And Jesus just mentions this, as I wrap this up, that I'm just going to read Luke 20, 34 and 35. Jesus replied, the people of this age marry and are given in marriage, but those who are considered worthy of the coming age or taking part in the age to come, and in the resurrection from the dead, they won't either marry nor be given in marriage and they can no longer die for they are like the angels. They are God's children since they are children of the resurrection. Okay. So we've talked this morning about the heavenlies, about the coming ages, the best way for us to live inconsistently and with the coming age in mind, having our mind and our hearts set on the things that are heavenly is to realize they're the permanent. The things of this age are temporary. They're temporal. That's why John said this, and I don't have it in my notes. So it's not going to be in that slide. First John chapter two, do not love the world, nor the things of the world. If any man loves the world or the things of the world, the love of the father is not in him for all that is in the world, the lust of the eyes, the lust of the flesh, the pride of life comes not from the father, but from the world and the world and its desires are passing away. But he who does the will of my father lives forever to the age. So if you're living for the heavenly things, you'll make it into the next age. You follow me? So when should, if you're wise, what age should you live for now? The age to come, the age to come, and you should live and focus on heavenly things. Seek ye first the kingdom of God and his righteousness. And what else? All these things will be added to you. Okay? That's our goal. And to find it in such a way, to so find the power of his spirit and the power of his grace and the kingdom of God here, that we are living demonstrations of God's power. And we are such good demonstrations that our lives actually make the word of God attractive. And may the Lord raise up among us more and more people who are models and examples to follow. So we can look, yes, this brother lives this way. This sister lives this way. This, this young man lives this way. This family lives this way. There doesn't even have to be a lot because you remember what it says in the old Testament, the book of Job, it says when Satan appeared before it had to come before the Lord, you remember what the Lord said to him? He couldn't say, have you seen all my people? But he was able to say, have you considered my servant, Job? He's a righteous man. He fears God and he hates evil. And the eyes of the Lord, they run to and back and forth throughout the earth, seeking to show himself mighty in behalf of the person whose heart is perfect towards him. You know what that means? What I take that the person with a perfect heart towards him, it would be this Lord, show yourself to be who you are through what you do in me, show who you are, show your power through the change you make in my life. That's a perfect heart for the Lord. All right.