Delighting in the Trinity Part 2

Welcome to Delight in Grace, the teaching ministry of Rich Powell, Pastor of Grace Bible Church in Winston-Salem. How quickly we fall into striving in our Christian walk when God has offered us something far greater. He offers us the opportunity to know Him and delight in Him. To see and delight in His beauty will keep us soaring in our walk instead of wearily striving. This message titled Delighting in the Trinity Part 2 will give us a look into Ephesians 3, 14-21. Let's listen to the second part of this message preached on September 3, 2017. What can earth do to you if you are guaranteed heaven?

To fear the worst earthly loss would be like a millionaire fearing the loss of a penny. Loved ones, do you know God that way? Do you have this confidence? The things that we sing, the things that we say of God, are they nothing more than religious rhetoric? Or do you believe what you say you believe? That's my challenge to you this morning because the Apostle Paul presents this truth to us. Chapters 1 to 3, God is saying, this is who I am, this is what I'm about, this is what I have done for you. Do you understand that and do you believe it? May God rescue us from our religious rhetoric.

These are the things that really matter. And then he says, to Him be glory in the church, in Christ Jesus, throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen.

What does amen mean? So be it. Let it be so. Let it be so. God, do this.

Does this echo in your heart and mind? How is God going to do this? Because it says now to Him who is able, to Him who is able to do beyond what you can ask or imagine. You see, God's ability is not limited by your desire or my imagination.

It's not limited at all. God wants to transform your life and He can. And that's what He's about. Milton Acosta was a Colombian. He is a Colombian. He graduated from Trinity Evangelical Divinity School with a PhD and he went back to his country to plant a church. The church, the building that he meets in is a house that used to belong to a prominent, wealthy drug dealer in Medellin. And it's now his church building. It's complete with a discotheque, which is now the auditorium for worship. A movie theater, a soccer field, a basketball court, a swimming pool, fitness room and a kitchen.

All of that. That doesn't sound like a church. The church isn't the building.

Hello? Those are tools that he can use to reach people. Isn't that wonderful? You see, that's the kind of change God brings about like a wealthy drug lord's playground, which becomes the home for the holy. That's what God's about.

Those are the kinds of things that He can do. You see, God wants to transform you and He can to the point where you are an instrument in the reconciliation and transformation of the lives of others. That's what God can do. And it says now to Him who is able to do beyond what you can ask or imagine, according to the power at work within us. Us is the church. We are the instrument of His transformation. We are instruments in the Redeemer's hands, the church. And the power, the word power here is the word dunamis. It means a dynamic force. This word, this statement is a direct reference to the Holy Spirit working in His temple.

That's you and me. The Holy Spirit working in His temple. The church is the Holy Spirit's workshop.

That's you individually and us corporately. Remember what Jesus said in Acts 1-8? You shall receive what? Power after what? The Holy Spirit comes upon you. Same word, power, dunamis. The Holy Spirit in you and me and in us corporately as a church is the power of God at work.

You see, this is God's work. We're just His instruments. You understand that? Now, if this is true, then it makes no sense that we act like alarmed victims.

Right? We're not Chicken Littles running around saying the sky is falling. Although, if you were to look at Facebook, you would think that was the case. Too many Christians are acting like Chicken Little. But that is completely contrary to Ephesians 3-20.

Completely contrary. John says that our faith overcomes the world. Do you believe that, Christians?

Do you believe that? Instead of being Chicken Littles, we are influencers who live in the outflow of our delight in God. It was Jesus who promised, he who believes out of his heart will flow rivers of living water. Again, a direct reference to the presence and the power and the resource of the Holy Spirit. So let's look once again at our equipping. This is the resource that we have in God.

Let's look at our equipping. This is what we studied last time, back in verses 16-19. And this is going to be a quick review. A quick review. But please, loved ones, I want you to know this.

You need to know these. This is Paul's prayer. I am praying that you will grasp this. That this will all be filled up and become true and real in you. And it comes through our delight in God. Through grasping the truths of Ephesians 1-3. Number one, our equipping, number one, that God empowers your spirit with his Holy Spirit. Verse 16, strengthened with power through his spirit in your inner man.

Empower your spirit with his Holy Spirit. To where number two, Christ is at home in your attitudes and ambitions. That Christ may dwell in your hearts and minds.

Dwell to settle down and be at home. Not a weekly visitor, but Christ is at home in my attitudes and ambitions. So that, number three, you will experience the immeasurable love of Christ. Have you experienced the immeasurable love of Christ?

Do you know it? To the point that you are, number four, overflowing with his goodness. That you may be filled with all the fullness of God, he says in verse 19. What an amazing thought to be filled with all the fullness of God.

It means overflowing with his goodness. The perfections of God. Every bit of it touches and anchors every aspect of my life.

God isn't a part of my life. He is my life. He's the very point of my existence and my ambition. The psalmist said in Psalm 16, 5, Lord, you are my portion and my cup of blessing.

You hold my future. And he said in Psalm 23, 5, my cup overflows. Loved ones, I desire for you to be able to say that, for all of us to be able to say that. Imagine what would become of us as influencers in our dark and dying and thirsty world if this were true of us.

It can and ought to be. There's the daily sanctification for the believer is what we find here in this passage. The daily sanctification for the believer comes two things. And this is what I want to leave with you this morning. Consume his truth.

Please listen to me. The daily sanctification of the believer does not begin with the things you're supposed to do. It doesn't start there. The daily sanctification of the believer begins with you informing your heart and mind with God's self-disclosure and letting the purity of his truth pour over your cluttered heart and mind to transform it and renew it and purify it to become like Jesus Christ.

It has to begin there. Too many Christians simply look at the Bible as a checklist of things, ways a Christian is supposed to behave. That's not grace.

Becoming like Christ and being a Christian, walking the Christian faith is not about just simply trying harder to be a better person. You loved ones, listen, you need to, you must consume his truth. Consume it with hunger and passion.

Particularly the first three chapters of Ephesians. Know this, know this. Read it and then read it again and then when you're done reading it, read it again. Meditate on it. Practice the biblical virtue of meditation.

Think through it, think on it, memorize it. Let it renew your mind because your behavior is an outflow of what's going on inside of you. And God has given you a new heart and a new mind. Therefore, feed the new heart and the new mind with the purity of God's transforming truth. Consume his truth. Because if you do not, if you do not consume Ephesians 1 to 3, then chapters 4 to 6 become a drudgery. Chapter 4 to 6 sought to be the reality of the outflow of his power and love.

It's not a checklist of morality. Consume his truth, that's where daily sanctification begins. And then secondly, delight in him. Delight in him and the riches of his glory. How do you delight in someone?

The best illustration that God has given us is in the relationship between a man and a woman. Guys, how did you delight in that young woman that became your wife? You chased her, didn't you? I always say Andrea chased me, but the truth is I chased her.

I delighted in her. What do you do with regard to that which you delight in? You pursue it. You pursue it. You've been listening to Delight in Grace, the teaching ministry of Rich Powell, pastor of Grace Bible Church in Winston-Salem. Visit our church website to see upcoming events or to listen to more messages at www.gbcwinston.com. To discover how to live by grace, tune in on weekdays at 10 a.m.