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February 28, 2020 1:00 am
Read the Bible correctly so you understand when you come to a text like this and then see in the whole story how it is a God of love has also be righteous relative not loving and that there's a difference therefore between living as a Christian out of fear may be God's will bit mad at me that's fear versus wisdom that instructs us as living as children of light and so that finally. Then you come to his invitation at the pastor, author and Bible teacher Helen Wright.
Welcome to shearing the a program of healing and hope shearing.
The good news of what God is done for us in Jesus Christ.
We are all set to hear Allen's message in a series called Ephesians if you're not able to stay with us throughout the entire program I want to make sure that you know how to get our special resource. Right now it can be yours for your donation this month to shearing the as you listen to today's message go deeper as we send you today special offer.
Contact us@shearingthe.org or call 877-544-4860. More on this later in the program but now let's get started. Today's teaching here is Alan Wright natural my sigh. Well, there's just a lot of evil in the world and here's what were supposed to do about it. Just know this is, God is just as well you know that is horrible. People oppressing the poor racist genocide, child abuse, hey, that's just stupid right didn't make sense because this most people either are going to form their own version of spirituality that would take away anything uncomfortable about the holiness of God. But in so doing, would sacrifice any sense of ultimate justice and righteousness in the world so they have a loving God, but not a righteous God loving God, but not a righteous, but if God is not righteous is he loving what happened so many other people, and this is the main issue with Christians who think that God is mad at them still is that the idea that God could forgive your sand so completely that you would be utterly and completely forgiven.
That seems unbelievable because we know that sin should be punished right here in comes the wonder of the gospel. The gospel is the redemptive answer to this dilemma. Years ago I was interested in watching an episode of old old Oprah Winfrey talkshow and because author that was interested in.
Scott Peck was on the show that I and I made a point to watch it.
It was many years ago and I can't find the transcript to it. I found other things that Oprah has had since then, but I couldn't find a treasure. This particular I remember seeing this and going all you know that I need. I wish I could speak to that because Oprah and and Scott Peck are talking Oprah said. She said the thing that she said is is bother me so much and and began to make her cheer really kind of move away from what we would say is an Orthodox or evangelical Christianity to some kind of broader vision spirituality.
She said it bothered me so much talk about God is a jealous God and Jesus is like my vision should God be jealous of me or of anything she said in such a petty emotion while when she said that the time thing is such a misunderstanding. There is a concept of jealousy which can be part of someone's wrath that is rooted in human insecurity right if you've ever been in a relationship with some of his insecure and one of the things they do is they tend to get jealous or even paranoid and is very painful thing and in jealousy can seem so petty right.
I mean this is where some are so insecure that they they want and don't want you to talk to somebody else or spend of five minutes with anybody else, and what is not rooted in its rooted and I'm insecure and I'm just worried that I finally have your constant attention then something is wrong and and and and so for that. That's a guess, petty jealousy, but isn't there a different kind of jealousy is altogether different than that this actually holy and right and pure and good.
And this is this a scenario where if there was a man and his wife were unfaithful to him. If that man's said well I yeah she's been cheating on me, but I don't think I should say anything because you know she might leave me for good or something. If I do them worry about that. We would say wake up man quit being so codependent.
What you talking about your valuable you are not a doormat right or if the man said well you're my wife and she know me but you know okay with that I can share her with with others and everything be fine with looking like you say you love her. Why, because isn't there a part of love, that if the cousin Annette of love is violated that you feel good enough about yourself. You say I'm not taking that and another party says I'm intensely jealous. I'm not jealous of you. I'm jealous for you I love you too much to share.
You with others. This is the nature of God's love. God is love.
The Bible doesn't say God was so angry at the world that he sent his only begotten son says God so loved the world that he sent his only begotten son, and I wouldn't say God's anger. The Bible says God is slow to anger is a Bible says that God is love. But that love if you really love and he's really righteous. He will hate all that is evil.
The bottom line is this the issue is the covenant God made a covenant with Adam and Eve and they broke it covenant with this world that he created in the world rebelled against any, made a covenant with a special people Israel, and they broke his covenant what you see a lot of the prophetic literature is the response of a God who loves deeply like the response of anybody who loves deeply is going to be twofold. I am grieved and I may have love you so much as they don't be angry. Bob says be angry but don't send Jesus came and Jesus was the fullest expression of who God is and what happened when he saw the covenant unfaithfulness and he saw how the religious aristocracy was lording it over like self righteous hypocrites.
They were like whitewashed full of dead and Jesus Jesus Saul Jerusalem, who had betrayed the prophets and stone them soon come to get the message of good news and who would audibly kill him. What tumors I grieved over this and he was mad why because you love the love the intensity of the law that there be wrath against all that is righteous.
The issue is that there was nobody they can keep the covenant whole history of the people of this world is of covenant unfaithfulness to the covenantal God love them from the beginning is what God said was I just need somebody on this earth that could keep the covenant if they could just be one person on the one human being. That would keep the covenant and be faithful to me so that I could show the fullness of my love for ever have to be grieved and never have to be jealous for him never have to be angry because there never is it if I can just do that with one representative I could pour out my real nature and that is the poor out only love and blessing, and there was no one so so world that he came himself only person that could keep the covenant would have to be a God man.
That's what Jesus did The covenant perfectly.
Never once was it any act of disobedience.
God the father said this is my son.
Mom will please. So when he went to the cross, laying down his own life by his own choice whether the experience on that cross Godhead Bible says made him who knew no sin to be our sin. What is this me. It means that God looked upon Jesus.
This was God's plan. This was God's righteousness at work he would look upon Jesus as if Jesus had committed every sin that it ever been committed in the past, present and future, and God who is so slow to anger is so long-suffering who had you could say wrath that was stored up for all the centuries of the sin of humanity wrath that rightly should caused him to destroy the world and start all over again, but instead in his divine plan. This was the plan. Even though Jesus has never send I will look upon him as if he had committed all the sin and I will let him be the recipient of all of wrath against sin. This is what the Bible means when it says that God condemned sin in the flesh of Jesus.
This is what it means he who knew no sin became our sin, but it means something even greater than this, it means that not only will I look upon it as if Jesus had committed all of the sin, but for anyone who trusts in Jesus. I will make an extraordinary gift, the righteousness would be revealed in this manner, Jesus would be sin. But anyone who accepts and would be regarded would be looked upon as if they had lived the perfectly meritorious life of Jesus that sounds like you are listening to sharing the lying will have more teaching from today's important series. Think Eli really think yourself is what you might as well do nothing worthwhile in your investor stuff to become free determines how to get to see and listen to Allen's messages with your digital Dharma journey nations drinking the gospel and discover according to God. Time to finally find out who you really are happiest and most banks from sharing the right ministries. Today is the last day. This special offer is available to you, 877-544-4860 or come to my website sharing the right you are listening to sharing the today's teaching now continues once again is Alan Wright this is all explained in Romans chapter 3, and I know it's getting late. Normally on point number two but look here in chapter 3 of Romans really quickly, because this is this is so important.
Romans chapter 3 verse 21 explains this, but now the righteousness of God has been manifested apart from the law, although the law and the prophets bear witness to it, we speaking of is the work of Jesus Christ on the cross that through this.
What is he saying the righteousness of God, not just the love of God, but the righteousness of God is on display in the cross, the righteousness verse 22 of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all who believe the no distinction for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God and are justified by his grace as a gift through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus hears verse 25. When the most important verses in the Bible, whom God put forward as a propitiation by his blood, to be received by faith and he clarifies this was to show God's righteousness, because in his divine forbearance he had passed over former sins. It was to show his righteousness at the present time so that he might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus. If there were no cross of Jesus Christ.
If there were no punishment leveled against all the sin of the world and it would be right to accuse God of be an unrighteous but through the cross. What Paul is saying is that God's love is on display and God's righteousness for what he did in the cross was at the same time, he proved, I am just I will do as I've said, the wages of sin is death and Jesus has died, the righteousness of God is revealed through the act of justice, of sin being paid for, but he also reveals him as the lover of humanity and therefore the justifier of all who believe. So he is both just and the justifier and this where propitiation which I'm very glad the ESV uses here is the correct word, because what propitiation means is not just the removal of your sin but it is literally to say the receiving of wrath so that then towards everyone who trusts in Christ God's demeanor and his is complete.
Attitude toward you in all things is one of favor. So Jesus's sacrifice was, not just covering our sin, but is the propitiation for our sins, where in all of the wrath of God against any sin that you ever committed was laid upon the upon Christ on the cross and you have therefore received from God what you did not deserve, but you most certainly have received it and that that is God has become propitious towards you is become favorable towards you. In other words, what has happened is more wonderful than most people know, and it is far exceedingly greater then any version of the gospel that wants to omit anything about the wrath of God against the sons of disobedience.
Because this is a God who lives in a God who is righteous and is established the world in righteousness and would not go back on his work, but instead by his own son by coming himself and taking our place on the cross.
He has now put himself into the position so that anyone who trusts in Christ God can do what he always wanted to do and that is to show you only his favor to show you only his love to show you only his goodness to show you the power and the mercy of of of his love toward you in your life now.
Then Paul gets a says, what does this mean therefore that we just act annual where we want to pause is of course not, because every single thing you do really does matter. Everything you do matters you once were sons of disobedience. You want to walk in the darkness, but now you're in the light is not even let it be mentioned among you that their sexual immorality. Don't let anybody have anything to do with that for life. Because if you do these things send you so when you reap if you so to the sinful nature. Paul says English and you'll read from the sinful nature but if you so into the spirit will reap from the spirit what God has done in time for you and Jesus Christ is to give you his own life, his own Holy Spirit. And he wants to pour out his Holy Spirit and you so do not grieve the Holy Spirit. Don't spend your energy on that which does not satisfy don't get drunk with life be filled with the Holy Spirit. It does matter what you do. But here's the bottom line site as plainly as I can. He says be wise instead of foolish.
That's different than saying be afraid understand this Christians. This is the mature Christian walk in the abundant life. Okay, so man he's think about committing adultery.
If you can medical adultery, do you lose your salvation you lose a lot. It is God simply matter you is is God to simply turn his back on you because you said absolutely not everything that makes the gospel good is it God loved us while we're still in our sin, he knows everything you ever committed God's perfect love. And Jesus has died for you so is a low level Christianity say with a reason to not commit adultery is because I'm afraid I'll be mad at me that's that's low-level.
What Paul says is you see what you see how he puts it is the careful look carefully verse 15 how you walk, not as unwise but as wise, is not an invitation to a fear-based life. That's not the fuel for for holy and right living the fuel for holy right living is the wisdom of God the mercies of God, is it May 5 document took two tall builders had a small wire between the two of them I wouldn't walk across it and the reason I would walk across it, honestly, I'd be too afraid walk across it, but even if I wasn't too afraid there's something that that trumps the fear and that is wisdom. Wisdom says that would be foolish for me who don't know how to walk or wire walk cross alarm between two tall buildings what God is saying is don't you operate out of wisdom is not a gospel to lead you into a fear-based life.
That's all that's a law based life that gives send Tierney still what he's saying is it Jesus has conquered over sin. I hope this this is seeing how it connects with you read the Bible correctly so you understand when you come to a text like this and then see in the whole story how it is that a God of love has to also be righteous relatives, not loving and that there's a difference therefore between living as a Christian out of fear maybe got a little bit mad at me that's fear versus wisdom that instructs us as living as children of light and so that finally. Then you come to his invitation at the end and what he says here at the end of this this text is one of the most important Bible verses in all the Bible because when it comes to his and he says what if if not all that then what and what he says is first 19 do not get drunk with wine, for that is debauchery, but be filled with the Holy Spirit and what is interesting here is that this verse this verb be filled.
It is in is a progressive is ongoing idea.
It means be continually filled with the Holy Spirit. This is everybody who's a Christian, you receive the Holy Spirit when you become a Christian.
There's no such thing as being a Christian and you don't have the spirit of Jesus. There is no such thing is that so everything Chris has always. So then why does Paul say be filled with the Holy Spirit is what he saying is that this is God's plan. He came in the person of Jesus, so that anyone who would trust in him could have absolute assurance that God is not mad at you at all because all of God's wrath against sin is already happened at the cross, and therefore, when you accept Christ. You even though you still stumble in sin even with all your past failures, even with all your current imperfections you are regarded by God as if you had lived the perfect life that Jesus left it so you you deserved.
According to God's line of thinking.
You don't deserve it. You want worthy of it, but because he looks upon you as the righteousness of Christ. What this means, therefore, is that you are in God's estimation worthy of receiving the highest gift imaginable to humanity and that is the holy creating powerful God to come and live inside of you on a continual basis to teach you to lead you to empower you to heal you to instruct you to move you to inspire you to give you joy to give you peace.
To give you lot to do every good gift inside of you, this cons by the very power and presence of the Holy Spirit. So what Paul is saying is you're not sons of disobedience.
You're not children of the darkness your children of the life you been reconciled unto God in everything that he's been saying if these are Chapter 1, two and three comes up to this point. He says therefore don't have anything to do with the works of darkness.
There's no life, and that there no fulfillment in here instead is your invitation be completely assured you can draw near to God like a father would to a daddy that loves him and be filled continually with his presence.
You can be again today and every day filled with the very presence of the most high God, that is your inheritance and then is the gospel listening to shearing the line and that's a praise God moment right there from our teaching you're a child of the light in the series of Ephesians in anchorages.
They were this Alan is here in the studio and were back in a moment with additional insight on this for your life in a final word you think Eli really think about how you see yourself.
If you see yourself as my face, then you might as well do nothing worthwhile in your investor stuff with joy to become free determines how you get to listen to Allen's messages with your digital Dharma as I may have some illusions drinking the gospel and discover who you are, according to God and to finally find out who you really are happy to send this to you as I banks from sharing the right ministries. Today is the last day. This special offer is available to you, 877-544-4860 or come to my website sharing the right leg really think it's helpful when were in the middle of something were going through a hard place in life. It is helpful for most of all, back and get the Birdseye view get the bigger picture of good and evil in their evil forces, yet were were children of the light and then we can get back down into the immediate need to be able to rest his promises and think that what we've been learning in Ephesians Daniel asking our listeners again is come to wrap up this message about being children of the light and not associating and doing the works of darkness is the we cannot overemphasize this Paul has been explaining who we are in Christ, so that we will see the demonstration of the grace of God, and know that a great exchange take place. Therefore, when he gets around this point of saying it wasn't don't don't live a simple life. Don't don't associate with them that are because that violates who you actually are.
This is why we can be exhorted to write living and yet it never become legalism because it's rooted in the grace of God that is established a new identity in us who we are. So pull back and see this from the cosmic perspective of Ephesians you are in the light you're a child of the light.
Therefore, it makes no sense for you to be involved with the.this has been sharing the life Alan listener supported production of sharing the light