August 12, 2024 • 35 mins
Dove-tailing off of last weeks message, we take a closer look at the profound truths found in 2 Corinthians 5; in Christ, we are restored to our original design. We also examine the reason that Jesus became sin so that we would become the righteousness of God. Did Jesus die for sin...or for love?
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Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:01):
All right, darling, we miss you already.
We're going to be looking at 2Corinthians 5.
We're going to be in a fewdifferent places, but 2
Corinthians 5 is a good startingpoint.
It's good to see you, brother.
2 Corinthians, chapter 5.
I'm not going to be long todaybecause it feels a little chilly
(00:21):
and all God's people said Amen,so I'll probably only be about
an hour and a half an hour andmaybe 40.
That's beautiful.
He's got jokes.
Last week we talked whoremembers what we talked about
last week?
Righteousness and wholeness andsomething else, wow.
(00:45):
Hope, very good.
Righteousness, holiness andwhole Very good, very good, wow,
okay.
Yeah, we talked aboutrighteousness, thank you, titus.
We talked about holiness, okayNow.
And being whole, that's right.
I don't want to give too longof a pop quiz, but I'll just
(01:13):
make the statements instead ofdoing a pop quiz for the sake of
time.
The kind of the thesis for lastweek was if you believe that
Jesus is who he says he is, ifyou're born again again, then
you are as righteous as Jesus,you are as holy as Jesus.
And remember, we, we, we tookinventory.
(01:36):
Okay, how does that make youfeel when I make such a bold
statement like that to make youuncomfortable.
We talk through what does itmean to be righteous?
It doesn't mean to be in rightstanding with God.
It means to be restored back toyour original design.
We said, okay, what does itmean to be holy?
Holy does not mean to bewithout sin, as most of us have
(02:00):
been taught.
Holy means to be completelyunique, unlike anything else.
For example, if we worship Godin song, we say you are so holy,
we're not saying you are sosinless, we're saying there's
none like you.
You are absolutely distinct inevery way.
(02:21):
And then God turns around andlooks at us and says you are so
holy, remain that way, choose tobe distinct.
So then step two would be don'tdo anything sin that causes you
(02:47):
to dilute your uniqueness.
That contaminates your otherthan-ness.
We had lots of differentscriptures that we looked at.
One of the main ones is we'regoing to look at it again today
2 Corinthians 5, 21.
I would encourage you to goback and listen to that message
If you haven't yet.
It is a foundational message tothe culture of this church
family, knowing who we are inChrist.
(03:09):
All right, I just want to readthrough 2 Corinthians 5,.
I'll begin in verse 14, andthen today's going to be a
little bit more of a discussionformat as opposed to more of a
preaching format.
(03:30):
2 Corinthians 5,.
I'll begin in verse 14 andwe'll read through the end of
the chapter.
The love of Christ compels us,controls, consumes, dominates,
seizes, rules over, pressesagainst us.
(03:50):
The love of Christ compels usbecause we judge thus If one
died for all, then all died, andhe died for all, so that those
who live should live no longerfor themselves, but for him who
died for them and rose again.
There's that surrender thingthat we touched on during
(04:11):
worship he died for all, sothose who live should no longer
live for themselves, but for himwho died and rose again.
Therefore, from now on, weregard no one according to the
flesh, even though we have knownChrist according to the flesh.
If you want to dig deep downinto that verse, pastor Jad
(04:34):
Bohai, he can explain to youwhat verse 16 means Verse 17.
Praise Jesus forever.
If anyone is in Christ, he is anew creation.
Old things have passed away.
(04:54):
Behold, all things have becomenew.
How many things Come on, man.
All things, little Greek lesson, the Greek word that we
translate all.
It means all.
All things have become new.
(05:15):
Now all things are of God, whohas reconciled we're going to
talk about that word as well.
He is who has reconciled us tohimself through Jesus Christ and
has given us the ministry ofreconciliation.
That is that God was in Christ,reconciling the world to
(05:36):
himself.
Where was the father when Jesuswas on the cross In Christ,
reconciling the world to himself?
You can't tell me that thefather turned his back on the
son.
That's not what this message isabout, but I can't read through
this and not point that out.
(05:56):
God was in Christ, reconcilingthe world to himself.
He never left the son, not fora moment, which means he will
never leave you, not for amoment.
I know that's a hot buttonissue.
We can talk about the detailsof that later if you want to,
(06:16):
but I feel pretty passionateabout this.
God was in Christ.
Where was the father when Jesuswas talking to the woman caught
in adultery In Christ,reconciling that woman to
himself?
Where was the father when Jesuswas putting his hands on the
(06:37):
leper in Christ, reconcilingthat man to himself.
Not imputing, not countingtheir wrongdoings against them,
is committed to us the word ofreconciliation.
Now, then, we are ambassadorsfor Christ, as though God were
(07:01):
now pleading through us.
We implore you on Christ'sbehalf, be reconciled to God.
Here's the payoff verse For hemade him, who knew no sin, to be
sin for us.
This is scandalous, man.
You can't tell me that thisgospel is something that man
(07:23):
came up with.
Man would not write somethinglike this.
The God that we worship becamesin Scandalous.
He made him, who knew no sin,to be sin for us.
Jesus didn't sin that's heresybut he became sin.
(07:44):
He took on sin.
He bore in himself and in hissacrifice the weight of all of
our sin.
He made him, who knew no sin,to be sin for us, so that we
would become the righteousnessof God in Christ.
That's why it's illegal for youto think something about
(08:07):
yourself that Jesus doesn'tthink about you.
You are now righteous,anne-marie.
See how many times I can tripover that today.
I'm going to do that so I don'tfall.
It's illegal for you to thinksomething about yourself that
(08:29):
Jesus doesn't think about you.
All right, so let's look atsome of these verses here,
beginning in verse 14 and 15,.
The love of Christ controls us.
Having concluded this, that onedied for all.
Thank you for pointing that out, john.
All, therefore all, died, andhe died for all.
Thank you for pointing that out, john.
All, therefore, all died and hedied for all so that those who
(08:49):
live should no longer live forthemselves, but for him, who
died and rose on their behalf.
This is born again language.
You are now dead.
The walking dead.
How's that definition of achurch?
The community of the walkingdead?
(09:10):
This is born again language.
If you believe that Jesus is whohe says he is and that he died
for all, then, friend, you havedied.
You have died.
You died to everything thatonce controlled you.
(09:36):
So paul says now the love ofchrist controls me.
Before religion controlled me,being right controlled me,
chasing, but now the love ofChrist controls me.
The word for control is sinece.
Say sinece, sinece.
Sinece means to control, tocompel, to seize, to rule over,
(10:00):
to dominate, to surround over,to dominate, to surround, to
press against.
It's a violent word, it's anaggressive word.
Paul's not saying yeah, I justsit back and I soak in the
presence of Jesus.
He is consumed by the love ofJesus.
(10:20):
Verse 15 doesn't say that Jesuslet me read verse 15 again real
quick he died for all so thatthose who live would no longer
live for themselves.
Verse 15 doesn't say that Jesusdied for all so that, when we
die, we can go to heaven someday.
Jesus didn't die so that wecould just go to heaven someday.
(10:42):
Jesus died so that we can live.
So he says he died for all sothat those who live would no
longer live for themselves.
He died so that you would livefor him.
Remember the things that usedto control you no longer do, the
things that you used to livefor you.
(11:03):
No longer do.
You live for Him, amen.
And to live for Him means thatyou are now controlled by the
very thing that brought Jesus tothe cross.
Okay, I'm getting ready to makea bold statement.
You don't have to answer outloud, but just to yourself.
(11:24):
Answer this question why didJesus die on the cross?
Just think about it for aminute.
Why did Jesus die?
Jesus didn't die for sin.
Jesus died for love.
Jesus died for love.
(11:47):
Jesus wasn't compelled to thecross by sin.
Jesus was compelled by love.
The eradication of sin didn'tpress against Jesus and propel
him to the cross.
Love did.
Welcome, brother.
(12:09):
John 3, 16 doesn't say for Godso despised sin that he gave his
only son.
It says for God so loved theworld that he gave his only son,
jesus, didn't die for sin.
He didn't die for theeradication of sin, he died for
love.
Now, was the forgiveness of sinaccomplished?
(12:34):
Yes, was there something thatneeded to be done that only he
could do?
Yes, absolutely.
But that's not what compelledhim.
That's not what motivated him.
Love did.
There are massive implicationsto this.
I'm going to give an analogy.
When I asked Lindsay to marryme, she was single.
(13:00):
That was her identity a singlewoman.
I didn't ask her to marry mebecause she was single.
I asked her to marry me becauseI loved her.
Now, did that engagementaccomplish her moving from being
a single person to now beingmarried?
(13:21):
Yes, that was what wasaccomplished by the engagement,
but that wasn't the motivation.
The motivation was love.
I have to be with her.
When Jesus died on the cross,the annihilation of sin was
accomplished, but the motivatorwas accomplished, but the
(13:50):
motivator, the foundation thathe stood on.
What compelled him was love.
I'm going to read some scriptureverses to you, because some of
you look like you're a littleskeptical, a little hesitant to
buy into the Kumbaya Jesus diedfor love slogan.
Dominic's like man.
I just got here, it's my firsttime.
I don't even know a man that'spreaching.
I'm going to prove it.
I've got seven verses.
Okay, romans 5, 8.
(14:14):
God demonstrates his own lovetoward us and that, while we
were still sinners, christ diedfor us.
What's he demonstrating?
His hatred of sin, his love forus, by doing what?
Dying for the sinners who arestill enemies.
But he's demonstrating his love.
(14:35):
First, john 3, 16,.
By this we know love.
He laid down his life for us.
Why did he lay down his lifefor us?
In so doing, forgiveness,salvation was accomplished.
But why did he lay down hislife?
(14:57):
Because of love for us.
1 John 4.10.
This is love, not that we loveGod, but that he loved us and
sent his son to be the exchangefor our sins.
What was accomplished?
There was an exchange that tookplace my sin for your life.
(15:17):
Why?
Because of love.
This is love.
Anne-marie's getting it.
If nothing else, anne-marie isgetting it.
Galatians 2.20.
Galatians 2.20.
The life that I now live in theflesh.
I live by faith in the Son ofGod, who hated my sins so much
(15:41):
he had to do something about it.
No, I live by faith in the Sonof God, who loved me.
And because of that love, whatdid he do?
He gave himself for meEphesians 5, 2.
Walk in love, just as Christalso loved you and gave himself
(16:04):
up for us, an offering and asacrifice to God.
Two more Ephesians 5, 25.
Husbands, love your wives justas Christ also loved the church
and gave himself for her.
One more Ephesians 2, 4 through7.
(16:25):
But God, who is rich in mercybecause of his great love, with
which he loved us even when wewere dead in our trespasses, he
made us alive together withChrist, and he raised us up
together and caused us to sittogether in heavenly places in
(16:47):
Christ, so that in the ages tocome, he might show the
exceeding riches of his graceand kindness towards us, aimed
at whatever hinders love.
That is not my own statement,it's someone else's, but it's a
(17:12):
good one.
Jesus didn't die for sin, hedied for love.
One more example in case any ofyou are skeptical If, when we
(17:35):
were living in the Middle East,if ISIS ever came and took
Lindsay, I would punch them.
I would punch them right in thenose.
If they ever came and tookLindsay, I would move heaven and
earth to get her back.
Nothing would stand in my way.
Why?
Because she's lost, because Ilove her.
(17:57):
Now, is she lost?
Is she kidnapped?
Her current identity would bethat of a lost person, a
kidnapped individual.
But I'm not going to go moveheaven and earth and find her
because, oh, she's lost, sheneeds to be found.
Oh, it's love that is moving meto put myself in harm's way.
(18:18):
For the sake of the one that Ilove, nothing is going to stand
in the way of a man or a womanor a God in love.
Have I made my point?
I hope so, man.
I hope so.
What's that?
(18:42):
The banner over us is love,amen, amen.
He died because he loved us.
Back to 2 Corinthians 5.
Verse 17 says therefore, what'sthe?
Therefore?
Therefore, because he loves us,he gave himself for us and
(19:07):
we're now born again.
Therefore, if anyone is inChrist, he is a new creation.
The old things have passed away.
Behold, the new things havecome.
That's born again, languageagain.
Lindsay and I have been talkinga lot about how important it is
(19:29):
to be born again.
That sounds simple, but I thinkwe take for granted the fact
that we could brush up againstsomething like the gospel over
and over and over.
We can be raised in a Christianhome.
We could go to church everySunday, we could read our Bibles
, but not actually be born again.
Are you born again?
(19:54):
Have you given your life?
Have you surrendered?
Have you said no to the old manand yes to Jesus?
Have you been born again?
I would encourage you to askyourself that question.
Take it to Jesus in prayer andsay God, I must know that I am
(20:16):
born again, that I'm brand new,that I'm a new creation.
I don't want to just have theright language, I don't want to
just hang out with the peoplewho don't cuss anymore.
I have to be brand new and Ihave to know it.
If you walked out on that roadright now and you got smacked by
a truck, you would know it.
There'd be a change that tookplace.
In the same way, if you have anencounter with the living,
(20:38):
all-consuming fire of God,there's going to be a change
that takes place.
There's going to be someevidence that there was a death,
that it's a crime scene.
Verse 17 is born-again language.
Verse 17 is born again language.
(21:00):
We have been in the language ofI believe damon thompson said
this we gened.
We have new genes.
We have new dna.
Now we've received a bloodtransfusion from the lamb.
I no longer have adam's bloodflowing in my veins.
I've got the lamb of god'sblood flowing in my veins.
I've got the name of God'sblood flowing in my veins.
I've been recoded.
It's a new DNA structure that'sinside of me.
I no longer have agravitational pull toward the
(21:25):
things that I used to.
That's a downward spiral.
It's the gravity of this worldthat pulls sinners down.
We have an upward draft thatcalls us up into heavenly places
.
We've been regened.
What we were has passed awayand we are now reborn into a new
(21:48):
image, the image and likenessof God.
I have two verses I want to readto you, because I haven't read
enough scripture 2 Peter 1, 3-4.
The point I want to make withthese two verses is we no longer
(22:09):
have Adam's sin nature nowcontrolling us.
Jesus and his spirit and thenew birth now defines us and
controls us.
Does that make us perfect?
Do I mind repeating it?
We no longer have Adam's sinnature inside of us, meaning
(22:32):
that my gravitational pull ishow I picture it is towards sin.
Now, because we've been rebornin the image of God, our
propensity, our gravitationalpull is towards I'm getting
ready to say a strong wordperfection, but it's in the
Bible.
The Greek word is thaliosMaturity, perfection,
(22:54):
completeness, wholeness, like wetalked about last week, being
righteous, actually living holy.
Okay, I have two verses.
I want to read them.
I'm going to prove it to youNow.
Listen, I know this is a topic,this specific topic, christians
have been arguing about for 2000years.
I get it.
Do we have a sin nature, do wenot?
(23:15):
I get it.
I'm just letting you know whereI stand on the issue and I'm
going to give you a couple ofverses.
We don't have to agree oneverything.
I'm cool with that.
I hope you are.
I feel strong about this.
I'm going to.
Yeah, here we go.
2 Peter 1, 3-4.
His divine power has granted tous everything pertaining to life
(23:39):
and godliness.
That's not even the point thatI'm making.
What a statement.
His divine power has granted tous everything pertaining to
life and godliness.
So I'll pause for a second.
You kids are doing awesome.
I know we've been in here for awhile now and I've just been
(24:02):
talking and talking using bigwords that you probably don't
understand, but you guys areawesome.
Thank you for being so awesome.
His divine power has granted useverything pertaining to life
and godliness through the trueknowledge of him, who called us
by his own glory and excellence.
This is the money verse here.
Through these things he hasgranted to us his precious and
(24:27):
magnificent promises so that bythem you would be become.
You would become partakers ofthe divine nature.
We talked about this at Biblestudy on Friday morning.
If this verse wasn't in theBible it would be heresy.
We have become partakers of thedivine nature.
(24:54):
I don't claim to understand allthe implications of that.
Where I land on this verse is Idon't want to dumb it down to
where something I can understand.
I come across a verse like thisand I ask God, call me up into
that identity Like call me upinto the mystery of what it
means to partake of the divinenature.
(25:15):
The word partake is actuallykoinonia.
Koinonia is what we do hereevery week.
It's communion, it's fellowship, it's receiving, it's partaking
in.
We've become koinonia of thedivine nature.
(25:35):
Nature means species or kindAgain, born again, language,
brand new, regened, recoded nolonger in Adam, in Christ.
Old has passed away, the new hascome.
We've received a new nature.
(25:59):
Ephesians 4, 22-24.
Rid yourselves of the old self,the old man which is being
corrupted in accordance with thelusts of deceit, and that you
are to be renewed in the spiritof your minds, it's repentance.
(26:19):
Be renewed in the spirit ofyour minds Verse 24, and put on
the new self which has beencreated in the likeness of God,
in true righteousness andholiness.
You've been recreated in thelikeness of God, in true
(26:41):
righteousness and holiness.
This is Bible.
Man, it's Bible.
What does it mean to berecreated in the image of God?
I go back to Genesis 1, 26.
Hey, I've got an idea.
Let's make man in our image andour likeness.
That's what being rebornrestores us back to that Genesis
(27:09):
1.26 design.
This is righteousness.
Oh, almost tripped over it.
Yeah right, this isrighteousness.
Oh, almost tripped over it.
Put on the new self, which hasbeen created in the likeness of
god and true righteousness andholiness.
I think I'm going to stop here.
I just want to point out onething paul put on the new self
(27:36):
meaning there is aresponsibility that we have in
this equation.
Like this isn't just go to thealtar, cry some tears, say a
prayer and bam, you're the imageof God.
He says no, it's available toyou now.
Like the clothes are in thecloset but you got to put them
(27:57):
on.
Like you've got to walk worthyof this call.
And this is where I think someof the teaching of what I'm
saying, the love of God, thisrighteousness and holiness.
It can get lazy Like so.
I just sit around and donothing.
No, read your Bible.
I just sit around and donothing.
(28:20):
No, read your Bible.
There is now a responsibilitythat we have to walk worthy of
his sacrifice.
Put on the new man, put todeath the deeds of the flesh,
the way that we talked about iton Friday morning.
It was so good man, I reallyenjoyed our time Friday.
That was sweet.
The old man is constantlyscreaming at us.
I know who you really are, Iknow what you did.
(28:45):
We've got our experiences thatare screaming at us.
We've got our childhood andtrauma that is screaming at us.
You're not righteous, you'renot holy.
We've got the world trying tore-identify us and then we have
the still small voice of theSpirit of God saying you're holy
(29:08):
, you're righteous, walk worthy,walk worthy, walk worthy.
So it doesn't come cheap.
This is what it means to becomemature, to grow in who we
actually are.
Remember we said last week I'mgoing to close with this that
(29:30):
always gave me a fresh wind tofinish line when I was a kid,
when the preacher would say I'malmost finished.
Who we are, if you're in Christ, if you're born again, is a son
of God, a daughter of God,righteous, holy, forgiven,
(29:57):
filled with the spirit of God,reborn, receiving his likeness
and his divine nature.
And the same way, when I wasborn I was a son.
The moment I was born to myparents, I was their son.
I don't grow in sonship, I growin maturity.
I grow in understanding of whatit means to be my father's son.
When I got saved, I didn'treceive a little bit of
(30:18):
salvation.
I received a lot of salvation,an eternity's worth of salvation
.
And now I have the privilege tospend the rest of my days
discovering what it means toactually be a son of God.
That's what it means to grow inmaturity.
That's what Paul is constantlyexhorting the churches to do
(30:40):
Grow You're on milk, you shouldbe on meat.
Grow Mature.
Become who you actually are.
That's good language there.
Become who you actually are.
So I'd encourage you readthrough 2 Corinthians, 5, 14
through 21,.
Slowly, prayerfully, in thespirit, and ask God to lead you
(31:07):
into some of the deep mysteriesthat Paul is unloading there, if
you want these verses I knowyou asked for verses last week.
I know I throw out a lot ofverses.
I put them all up on thewebsite under sermon notes.
They're all on there, all of mynotes, all the script
references, they're all on there.
Study these things on your own,don't take.
(31:28):
I'm going to close with thisJude says in Jude 20 and 21, and
then 24 and 25, he says thisnow to you, passionately loved
by God build yourself up on yourmost holy faith.
(31:52):
So there's that exhortationgrow mature, move forward, build
yourself up on your most holyfaith.
You're standing on a foundationthat says I know who I am
because I know who he tells me Iam.
Build yourself up in your mostholy faith.
Pray in the Holy Spirit, keepyourself in the love of God.
(32:15):
Man, what an encouragement andexhortation.
Don't leave that place of firstlove.
Keep yourself in the love ofGod, eagerly expecting the mercy
of our Lord Jesus Christ untoeternal life.
And then in verse 24, and thenin verse 24, now to him who is
(32:39):
able to keep you from stumbling.
How do I remain sinless, white,knuckling my way through this
life?
Nope, he's able to keep me fromstumbling.
Now to him who is able to keepme from stumbling, and to him
who is able to cause me to standblameless in the presence of
his glory with exceedingly greatjoy.
(33:02):
My goodness man, he's able tocause you to stand blameless in
the presence of his glory withexceedingly great joy.
To the only God, our Savior.
Through Jesus Christ, our Lord,be glory and majesty and power
(33:24):
and dominion, both now andforever.
Amen.
So good, so good, so good, sogood.
Are there any?
We got a couple minutes forquestions.
Any questions or comments?
We'll keep it brief.
(33:44):
Any questions or comments orcontributions?
Yes, ma'am, all my life.
I thought let's close in prayer, then we can eat.
Amen.
Thank you, jesus, lord, thankyou for this great gospel that
we have.
Lord, man could never conceiveof a gospel like this.
(34:05):
Thank you that your ways are sofar above our ways.
Thank you for your love, thankyou for your sacrifice, thank
you for the victory that we nowhave over the flesh and over our
old nature.
God, we love you.
Holy Spirit, give us the graceto walk worthy of these things.
(34:26):
Lord, take us to the deepplaces of truth.
Holy Spirit, guide us into alltruth.
Thank you, jesus and Lord.
Like we prayed during worship,give us the grace to surrender,
a complete abandonment to you, acomplete surrender, lord, if
(34:49):
there's anything in our heartsthat's still holding on to the
old man, the old ways.
God, I ask for a completesurrender.
Baptize us in surrender, speakover us again who we are.
Call us up higher.
Thank you, living God.
Lord, now, as we move to thetable, thank you for this
opportunity to break breadtogether as a family.
(35:10):
Lord, we ask that you would berevealed to us in the breaking
of bread.
It's who you are.
Thank you, jesus.
Thank you for everyone whocontributed to this meal.
We're so grateful for them.
We bless them, lord.
Thank you for this timetogether in Jesus name, amen.
All right, darling, we miss you already.
We're going to be looking at 2Corinthians 5.
We're going to be in a fewdifferent places, but 2
Corinthians 5 is a good startingpoint.
It's good to see you, brother.
2 Corinthians, chapter 5.
I'm not going to be long todaybecause it feels a little chilly
(00:21):
and all God's people said Amen,so I'll probably only be about
an hour and a half an hour andmaybe 40.
That's beautiful.
He's got jokes.
Last week we talked whoremembers what we talked about
last week?
Righteousness and wholeness andsomething else, wow.
(00:45):
Hope, very good.
Righteousness, holiness andwhole Very good, very good, wow,
okay.
Yeah, we talked aboutrighteousness, thank you, titus.
We talked about holiness, okayNow.
And being whole, that's right.
I don't want to give too longof a pop quiz, but I'll just
(01:13):
make the statements instead ofdoing a pop quiz for the sake of
time.
The kind of the thesis for lastweek was if you believe that
Jesus is who he says he is, ifyou're born again again, then
you are as righteous as Jesus,you are as holy as Jesus.
And remember, we, we, we tookinventory.
(01:36):
Okay, how does that make youfeel when I make such a bold
statement like that to make youuncomfortable.
We talk through what does itmean to be righteous?
It doesn't mean to be in rightstanding with God.
It means to be restored back toyour original design.
We said, okay, what does itmean to be holy?
Holy does not mean to bewithout sin, as most of us have
(02:00):
been taught.
Holy means to be completelyunique, unlike anything else.
For example, if we worship Godin song, we say you are so holy,
we're not saying you are sosinless, we're saying there's
none like you.
You are absolutely distinct inevery way.
(02:21):
And then God turns around andlooks at us and says you are so
holy, remain that way, choose tobe distinct.
So then step two would be don'tdo anything sin that causes you
(02:47):
to dilute your uniqueness.
That contaminates your otherthan-ness.
We had lots of differentscriptures that we looked at.
One of the main ones is we'regoing to look at it again today
2 Corinthians 5, 21.
I would encourage you to goback and listen to that message
If you haven't yet.
It is a foundational message tothe culture of this church
family, knowing who we are inChrist.
(03:09):
All right, I just want to readthrough 2 Corinthians 5,.
I'll begin in verse 14, andthen today's going to be a
little bit more of a discussionformat as opposed to more of a
preaching format.
(03:30):
2 Corinthians 5,.
I'll begin in verse 14 andwe'll read through the end of
the chapter.
The love of Christ compels us,controls, consumes, dominates,
seizes, rules over, pressesagainst us.
(03:50):
The love of Christ compels usbecause we judge thus If one
died for all, then all died, andhe died for all, so that those
who live should live no longerfor themselves, but for him who
died for them and rose again.
There's that surrender thingthat we touched on during
(04:11):
worship he died for all, sothose who live should no longer
live for themselves, but for himwho died and rose again.
Therefore, from now on, weregard no one according to the
flesh, even though we have knownChrist according to the flesh.
If you want to dig deep downinto that verse, pastor Jad
(04:34):
Bohai, he can explain to youwhat verse 16 means Verse 17.
Praise Jesus forever.
If anyone is in Christ, he is anew creation.
Old things have passed away.
(04:54):
Behold, all things have becomenew.
How many things Come on, man.
All things, little Greek lesson, the Greek word that we
translate all.
It means all.
All things have become new.
(05:15):
Now all things are of God, whohas reconciled we're going to
talk about that word as well.
He is who has reconciled us tohimself through Jesus Christ and
has given us the ministry ofreconciliation.
That is that God was in Christ,reconciling the world to
(05:36):
himself.
Where was the father when Jesuswas on the cross In Christ,
reconciling the world to himself?
You can't tell me that thefather turned his back on the
son.
That's not what this message isabout, but I can't read through
this and not point that out.
(05:56):
God was in Christ, reconcilingthe world to himself.
He never left the son, not fora moment, which means he will
never leave you, not for amoment.
I know that's a hot buttonissue.
We can talk about the detailsof that later if you want to,
(06:16):
but I feel pretty passionateabout this.
God was in Christ.
Where was the father when Jesuswas talking to the woman caught
in adultery In Christ,reconciling that woman to
himself?
Where was the father when Jesuswas putting his hands on the
(06:37):
leper in Christ, reconcilingthat man to himself.
Not imputing, not countingtheir wrongdoings against them,
is committed to us the word ofreconciliation.
Now, then, we are ambassadorsfor Christ, as though God were
(07:01):
now pleading through us.
We implore you on Christ'sbehalf, be reconciled to God.
Here's the payoff verse For hemade him, who knew no sin, to be
sin for us.
This is scandalous, man.
You can't tell me that thisgospel is something that man
(07:23):
came up with.
Man would not write somethinglike this.
The God that we worship becamesin Scandalous.
He made him, who knew no sin,to be sin for us.
Jesus didn't sin that's heresybut he became sin.
(07:44):
He took on sin.
He bore in himself and in hissacrifice the weight of all of
our sin.
He made him, who knew no sin,to be sin for us, so that we
would become the righteousnessof God in Christ.
That's why it's illegal for youto think something about
(08:07):
yourself that Jesus doesn'tthink about you.
You are now righteous,anne-marie.
See how many times I can tripover that today.
I'm going to do that so I don'tfall.
It's illegal for you to thinksomething about yourself that
(08:29):
Jesus doesn't think about you.
All right, so let's look atsome of these verses here,
beginning in verse 14 and 15,.
The love of Christ controls us.
Having concluded this, that onedied for all.
Thank you for pointing that out, john.
All, therefore all, died, andhe died for all.
Thank you for pointing that out, john.
All, therefore, all died and hedied for all so that those who
(08:49):
live should no longer live forthemselves, but for him, who
died and rose on their behalf.
This is born again language.
You are now dead.
The walking dead.
How's that definition of achurch?
The community of the walkingdead?
(09:10):
This is born again language.
If you believe that Jesus is whohe says he is and that he died
for all, then, friend, you havedied.
You have died.
You died to everything thatonce controlled you.
(09:36):
So paul says now the love ofchrist controls me.
Before religion controlled me,being right controlled me,
chasing, but now the love ofChrist controls me.
The word for control is sinece.
Say sinece, sinece.
Sinece means to control, tocompel, to seize, to rule over,
(10:00):
to dominate, to surround over,to dominate, to surround, to
press against.
It's a violent word, it's anaggressive word.
Paul's not saying yeah, I justsit back and I soak in the
presence of Jesus.
He is consumed by the love ofJesus.
(10:20):
Verse 15 doesn't say that Jesuslet me read verse 15 again real
quick he died for all so thatthose who live would no longer
live for themselves.
Verse 15 doesn't say that Jesusdied for all so that, when we
die, we can go to heaven someday.
Jesus didn't die so that wecould just go to heaven someday.
(10:42):
Jesus died so that we can live.
So he says he died for all sothat those who live would no
longer live for themselves.
He died so that you would livefor him.
Remember the things that usedto control you no longer do, the
things that you used to livefor you.
(11:03):
No longer do.
You live for Him, amen.
And to live for Him means thatyou are now controlled by the
very thing that brought Jesus tothe cross.
Okay, I'm getting ready to makea bold statement.
You don't have to answer outloud, but just to yourself.
(11:24):
Answer this question why didJesus die on the cross?
Just think about it for aminute.
Why did Jesus die?
Jesus didn't die for sin.
Jesus died for love.
Jesus died for love.
(11:47):
Jesus wasn't compelled to thecross by sin.
Jesus was compelled by love.
The eradication of sin didn'tpress against Jesus and propel
him to the cross.
Love did.
Welcome, brother.
(12:09):
John 3, 16 doesn't say for Godso despised sin that he gave his
only son.
It says for God so loved theworld that he gave his only son,
jesus, didn't die for sin.
He didn't die for theeradication of sin, he died for
love.
Now, was the forgiveness of sinaccomplished?
(12:34):
Yes, was there something thatneeded to be done that only he
could do?
Yes, absolutely.
But that's not what compelledhim.
That's not what motivated him.
Love did.
There are massive implicationsto this.
I'm going to give an analogy.
When I asked Lindsay to marryme, she was single.
(13:00):
That was her identity a singlewoman.
I didn't ask her to marry mebecause she was single.
I asked her to marry me becauseI loved her.
Now, did that engagementaccomplish her moving from being
a single person to now beingmarried?
(13:21):
Yes, that was what wasaccomplished by the engagement,
but that wasn't the motivation.
The motivation was love.
I have to be with her.
When Jesus died on the cross,the annihilation of sin was
accomplished, but the motivatorwas accomplished, but the
(13:50):
motivator, the foundation thathe stood on.
What compelled him was love.
I'm going to read some scriptureverses to you, because some of
you look like you're a littleskeptical, a little hesitant to
buy into the Kumbaya Jesus diedfor love slogan.
Dominic's like man.
I just got here, it's my firsttime.
I don't even know a man that'spreaching.
I'm going to prove it.
I've got seven verses.
Okay, romans 5, 8.
(14:14):
God demonstrates his own lovetoward us and that, while we
were still sinners, christ diedfor us.
What's he demonstrating?
His hatred of sin, his love forus, by doing what?
Dying for the sinners who arestill enemies.
But he's demonstrating his love.
(14:35):
First, john 3, 16,.
By this we know love.
He laid down his life for us.
Why did he lay down his lifefor us?
In so doing, forgiveness,salvation was accomplished.
But why did he lay down hislife?
(14:57):
Because of love for us.
1 John 4.10.
This is love, not that we loveGod, but that he loved us and
sent his son to be the exchangefor our sins.
What was accomplished?
There was an exchange that tookplace my sin for your life.
(15:17):
Why?
Because of love.
This is love.
Anne-marie's getting it.
If nothing else, anne-marie isgetting it.
Galatians 2.20.
Galatians 2.20.
The life that I now live in theflesh.
I live by faith in the Son ofGod, who hated my sins so much
(15:41):
he had to do something about it.
No, I live by faith in the Sonof God, who loved me.
And because of that love, whatdid he do?
He gave himself for meEphesians 5, 2.
Walk in love, just as Christalso loved you and gave himself
(16:04):
up for us, an offering and asacrifice to God.
Two more Ephesians 5, 25.
Husbands, love your wives justas Christ also loved the church
and gave himself for her.
One more Ephesians 2, 4 through7.
(16:25):
But God, who is rich in mercybecause of his great love, with
which he loved us even when wewere dead in our trespasses, he
made us alive together withChrist, and he raised us up
together and caused us to sittogether in heavenly places in
(16:47):
Christ, so that in the ages tocome, he might show the
exceeding riches of his graceand kindness towards us, aimed
at whatever hinders love.
That is not my own statement,it's someone else's, but it's a
(17:12):
good one.
Jesus didn't die for sin, hedied for love.
One more example in case any ofyou are skeptical If, when we
(17:35):
were living in the Middle East,if ISIS ever came and took
Lindsay, I would punch them.
I would punch them right in thenose.
If they ever came and tookLindsay, I would move heaven and
earth to get her back.
Nothing would stand in my way.
Why?
Because she's lost, because Ilove her.
(17:57):
Now, is she lost?
Is she kidnapped?
Her current identity would bethat of a lost person, a
kidnapped individual.
But I'm not going to go moveheaven and earth and find her
because, oh, she's lost, sheneeds to be found.
Oh, it's love that is moving meto put myself in harm's way.
(18:18):
For the sake of the one that Ilove, nothing is going to stand
in the way of a man or a womanor a God in love.
Have I made my point?
I hope so, man.
I hope so.
What's that?
(18:42):
The banner over us is love,amen, amen.
He died because he loved us.
Back to 2 Corinthians 5.
Verse 17 says therefore, what'sthe?
Therefore?
Therefore, because he loves us,he gave himself for us and
(19:07):
we're now born again.
Therefore, if anyone is inChrist, he is a new creation.
The old things have passed away.
Behold, the new things havecome.
That's born again, languageagain.
Lindsay and I have been talkinga lot about how important it is
(19:29):
to be born again.
That sounds simple, but I thinkwe take for granted the fact
that we could brush up againstsomething like the gospel over
and over and over.
We can be raised in a Christianhome.
We could go to church everySunday, we could read our Bibles
, but not actually be born again.
Are you born again?
(19:54):
Have you given your life?
Have you surrendered?
Have you said no to the old manand yes to Jesus?
Have you been born again?
I would encourage you to askyourself that question.
Take it to Jesus in prayer andsay God, I must know that I am
(20:16):
born again, that I'm brand new,that I'm a new creation.
I don't want to just have theright language, I don't want to
just hang out with the peoplewho don't cuss anymore.
I have to be brand new and Ihave to know it.
If you walked out on that roadright now and you got smacked by
a truck, you would know it.
There'd be a change that tookplace.
In the same way, if you have anencounter with the living,
(20:38):
all-consuming fire of God,there's going to be a change
that takes place.
There's going to be someevidence that there was a death,
that it's a crime scene.
Verse 17 is born-again language.
Verse 17 is born again language.
(21:00):
We have been in the language ofI believe damon thompson said
this we gened.
We have new genes.
We have new dna.
Now we've received a bloodtransfusion from the lamb.
I no longer have adam's bloodflowing in my veins.
I've got the lamb of god'sblood flowing in my veins.
I've got the name of God'sblood flowing in my veins.
I've been recoded.
It's a new DNA structure that'sinside of me.
I no longer have agravitational pull toward the
(21:25):
things that I used to.
That's a downward spiral.
It's the gravity of this worldthat pulls sinners down.
We have an upward draft thatcalls us up into heavenly places
.
We've been regened.
What we were has passed awayand we are now reborn into a new
(21:48):
image, the image and likenessof God.
I have two verses I want to readto you, because I haven't read
enough scripture 2 Peter 1, 3-4.
The point I want to make withthese two verses is we no longer
(22:09):
have Adam's sin nature nowcontrolling us.
Jesus and his spirit and thenew birth now defines us and
controls us.
Does that make us perfect?
Do I mind repeating it?
We no longer have Adam's sinnature inside of us, meaning
(22:32):
that my gravitational pull ishow I picture it is towards sin.
Now, because we've been rebornin the image of God, our
propensity, our gravitationalpull is towards I'm getting
ready to say a strong wordperfection, but it's in the
Bible.
The Greek word is thaliosMaturity, perfection,
(22:54):
completeness, wholeness, like wetalked about last week, being
righteous, actually living holy.
Okay, I have two verses.
I want to read them.
I'm going to prove it to youNow.
Listen, I know this is a topic,this specific topic, christians
have been arguing about for 2000years.
I get it.
Do we have a sin nature, do wenot?
(23:15):
I get it.
I'm just letting you know whereI stand on the issue and I'm
going to give you a couple ofverses.
We don't have to agree oneverything.
I'm cool with that.
I hope you are.
I feel strong about this.
I'm going to.
Yeah, here we go.
2 Peter 1, 3-4.
His divine power has granted tous everything pertaining to life
(23:39):
and godliness.
That's not even the point thatI'm making.
What a statement.
His divine power has granted tous everything pertaining to
life and godliness.
So I'll pause for a second.
You kids are doing awesome.
I know we've been in here for awhile now and I've just been
(24:02):
talking and talking using bigwords that you probably don't
understand, but you guys areawesome.
Thank you for being so awesome.
His divine power has granted useverything pertaining to life
and godliness through the trueknowledge of him, who called us
by his own glory and excellence.
This is the money verse here.
Through these things he hasgranted to us his precious and
(24:27):
magnificent promises so that bythem you would be become.
You would become partakers ofthe divine nature.
We talked about this at Biblestudy on Friday morning.
If this verse wasn't in theBible it would be heresy.
We have become partakers of thedivine nature.
(24:54):
I don't claim to understand allthe implications of that.
Where I land on this verse is Idon't want to dumb it down to
where something I can understand.
I come across a verse like thisand I ask God, call me up into
that identity Like call me upinto the mystery of what it
means to partake of the divinenature.
(25:15):
The word partake is actuallykoinonia.
Koinonia is what we do hereevery week.
It's communion, it's fellowship, it's receiving, it's partaking
in.
We've become koinonia of thedivine nature.
(25:35):
Nature means species or kindAgain, born again, language,
brand new, regened, recoded nolonger in Adam, in Christ.
Old has passed away, the new hascome.
We've received a new nature.
(25:59):
Ephesians 4, 22-24.
Rid yourselves of the old self,the old man which is being
corrupted in accordance with thelusts of deceit, and that you
are to be renewed in the spiritof your minds, it's repentance.
(26:19):
Be renewed in the spirit ofyour minds Verse 24, and put on
the new self which has beencreated in the likeness of God,
in true righteousness andholiness.
You've been recreated in thelikeness of God, in true
(26:41):
righteousness and holiness.
This is Bible.
Man, it's Bible.
What does it mean to berecreated in the image of God?
I go back to Genesis 1, 26.
Hey, I've got an idea.
Let's make man in our image andour likeness.
That's what being rebornrestores us back to that Genesis
(27:09):
1.26 design.
This is righteousness.
Oh, almost tripped over it.
Yeah right, this isrighteousness.
Oh, almost tripped over it.
Put on the new self, which hasbeen created in the likeness of
god and true righteousness andholiness.
I think I'm going to stop here.
I just want to point out onething paul put on the new self
(27:36):
meaning there is aresponsibility that we have in
this equation.
Like this isn't just go to thealtar, cry some tears, say a
prayer and bam, you're the imageof God.
He says no, it's available toyou now.
Like the clothes are in thecloset but you got to put them
(27:57):
on.
Like you've got to walk worthyof this call.
And this is where I think someof the teaching of what I'm
saying, the love of God, thisrighteousness and holiness.
It can get lazy Like so.
I just sit around and donothing.
No, read your Bible.
I just sit around and donothing.
(28:20):
No, read your Bible.
There is now a responsibilitythat we have to walk worthy of
his sacrifice.
Put on the new man, put todeath the deeds of the flesh,
the way that we talked about iton Friday morning.
It was so good man, I reallyenjoyed our time Friday.
That was sweet.
The old man is constantlyscreaming at us.
I know who you really are, Iknow what you did.
(28:45):
We've got our experiences thatare screaming at us.
We've got our childhood andtrauma that is screaming at us.
You're not righteous, you'renot holy.
We've got the world trying tore-identify us and then we have
the still small voice of theSpirit of God saying you're holy
(29:08):
, you're righteous, walk worthy,walk worthy, walk worthy.
So it doesn't come cheap.
This is what it means to becomemature, to grow in who we
actually are.
Remember we said last week I'mgoing to close with this that
(29:30):
always gave me a fresh wind tofinish line when I was a kid,
when the preacher would say I'malmost finished.
Who we are, if you're in Christ, if you're born again, is a son
of God, a daughter of God,righteous, holy, forgiven,
(29:57):
filled with the spirit of God,reborn, receiving his likeness
and his divine nature.
And the same way, when I wasborn I was a son.
The moment I was born to myparents, I was their son.
I don't grow in sonship, I growin maturity.
I grow in understanding of whatit means to be my father's son.
When I got saved, I didn'treceive a little bit of
(30:18):
salvation.
I received a lot of salvation,an eternity's worth of salvation
.
And now I have the privilege tospend the rest of my days
discovering what it means toactually be a son of God.
That's what it means to grow inmaturity.
That's what Paul is constantlyexhorting the churches to do
(30:40):
Grow You're on milk, you shouldbe on meat.
Grow Mature.
Become who you actually are.
That's good language there.
Become who you actually are.
So I'd encourage you readthrough 2 Corinthians, 5, 14
through 21,.
Slowly, prayerfully, in thespirit, and ask God to lead you
(31:07):
into some of the deep mysteriesthat Paul is unloading there, if
you want these verses I knowyou asked for verses last week.
I know I throw out a lot ofverses.
I put them all up on thewebsite under sermon notes.
They're all on there, all of mynotes, all the script
references, they're all on there.
Study these things on your own,don't take.
(31:28):
I'm going to close with thisJude says in Jude 20 and 21, and
then 24 and 25, he says thisnow to you, passionately loved
by God build yourself up on yourmost holy faith.
(31:52):
So there's that exhortationgrow mature, move forward, build
yourself up on your most holyfaith.
You're standing on a foundationthat says I know who I am
because I know who he tells me Iam.
Build yourself up in your mostholy faith.
Pray in the Holy Spirit, keepyourself in the love of God.
(32:15):
Man, what an encouragement andexhortation.
Don't leave that place of firstlove.
Keep yourself in the love ofGod, eagerly expecting the mercy
of our Lord Jesus Christ untoeternal life.
And then in verse 24, and thenin verse 24, now to him who is
(32:39):
able to keep you from stumbling.
How do I remain sinless, white,knuckling my way through this
life?
Nope, he's able to keep me fromstumbling.
Now to him who is able to keepme from stumbling, and to him
who is able to cause me to standblameless in the presence of
his glory with exceedingly greatjoy.
(33:02):
My goodness man, he's able tocause you to stand blameless in
the presence of his glory withexceedingly great joy.
To the only God, our Savior.
Through Jesus Christ, our Lord,be glory and majesty and power
(33:24):
and dominion, both now andforever.
Amen.
So good, so good, so good, sogood.
Are there any?
We got a couple minutes forquestions.
Any questions or comments?
We'll keep it brief.
(33:44):
Any questions or comments orcontributions?
Yes, ma'am, all my life.
I thought let's close in prayer, then we can eat.
Amen.
Thank you, jesus, lord, thankyou for this great gospel that
we have.
Lord, man could never conceiveof a gospel like this.
(34:05):
Thank you that your ways are sofar above our ways.
Thank you for your love, thankyou for your sacrifice, thank
you for the victory that we nowhave over the flesh and over our
old nature.
God, we love you.
Holy Spirit, give us the graceto walk worthy of these things.
(34:26):
Lord, take us to the deepplaces of truth.
Holy Spirit, guide us into alltruth.
Thank you, jesus and Lord.
Like we prayed during worship,give us the grace to surrender,
a complete abandonment to you, acomplete surrender, lord, if
(34:49):
there's anything in our heartsthat's still holding on to the
old man, the old ways.
God, I ask for a completesurrender.
Baptize us in surrender, speakover us again who we are.
Call us up higher.
Thank you, living God.
Lord, now, as we move to thetable, thank you for this
opportunity to break breadtogether as a family.
(35:10):
Lord, we ask that you would berevealed to us in the breaking
of bread.
It's who you are.
Thank you, jesus.
Thank you for everyone whocontributed to this meal.
We're so grateful for them.
We bless them, lord.
Thank you for this timetogether in Jesus name, amen.
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