You are invited to stop measuring your worth by past failures and start seeing yourself as the new creation Christ declares you to be. Take the courageous step to confess your struggles to a trusted believer and surrender your heart to His love today.
Says, therefore, there is now, when? Now. Now. When? Now.
Okay. No condemnation for those who try really hard and read their bible a lot last night, and they did everything the pastor said the past week. And, you know what? They've been to church 3 out of the 4 Sundays in the past month, so there's now "no condemnation" for those. Is that Romans-8:1?
No. For those who are what? In Christ Jesus. For those who are in Christ Jesus. Why?
Why? The next verse says, why? When there's a because, that's the why. Right? Because through Christ Jesus, the law of the spirit who gives life has set you free from the law of sin and death.
Now, growing up, and look, I grew up in church. My dad's a pastor. I'm supposed to get all this stuff. I mean, and I, you know, I was a I wasn't the bad pastor kid that everybody laughs about. Alright?
I mean, in most ways. Simmer down. I heard that. Okay. What does it even mean?
The law of the spirit lie of who gives life has set free from the law of sin and death. How does that work out practically in our life? Like, really? You know? And, I I I got a couple analogies.
Hopefully hopefully, they'll they'll help you. Number 1, the law of gravity. See, there's there's a law of sin that affects the whole world right now. Right? It it just does.
There is a law of sin that affects the world. And, you see it throughout the world. Okay? There's a law of gravity that similarly affects the whole world right now. Would you agree?
Okay. I mean, shoot, law of gravity in this Bible. If I if I let go, what's gonna happen? That's because of the law of gravity. Would you agree?
Yes. Okay. A caterpillar. A caterpillar is born and by nature, it is it succumbs to the law of gravity. It can't overcome it because of its nature.
There's nothing in the caterpillar that will allow it, enable it to overcome the law of gravity. It will always be come under the law of gravity. As a matter of fact, it can try really hard to climb up the highest tree and it can look like it's doing better than the rest because it got a little bit higher than the other caterpillars. It can get to the tallest tree that it possibly can and it can work really hard but the fact is, it's still a caterpillar. And so, by nature, it will always be stuck down to whatever it's on because of the law of gravity.
The law of gravity is pervasive. It doesn't it doesn't allow the caterpillar to do anything else. Right? But then, the caterpillar goes through a rebirth. It becomes born again.
It actually dies to its old self in a cocoon and is remade into something new. The new thing is a Butterfly. Butterfly. Now, this butterfly has a new nature as it comes out. And, the nature of the butterfly, God put in it everything it needs to overcome the law of gravity.
But, what happens if the butterfly remembers who it used to be and just keeps thinking it's still nothing but a "filthy rotten caterpillar"? Will it fly? No. It has to realize who it is. It has to realize who God created it to be, who it is in its new nature.
And, as it does, it will do naturally what God has created it, what it's been born again to do, which is to overcome the law of gravity. And, anytime it goes back to thinking of what it used to be, maybe it gets hurt, hit, comes up against an obstacle, hits, falls down, it finds itself on the ground. What if it goes back to thinking, man, I'm just a filthy rotten caterpillar? It'll probably quit flying for a while till it's reminded of who it is. It's a butterfly created to overcome the law of gravity.
Clear? Yeah. The law of the spirit gives life has set us free from the law of sin and death. You have been have been crucified with Christ. The sin nature was crucified.
2 Corinthians-5:21, he who knew no sin who was that that knew no sin? Jesus. Became sin. He didn't just die for your sin, which he did, but he died as your sin. He didn't just die for you, he died as you on the cross.
So, he died as you, so that in him and you're in him, you might become the righteousness of God. What? He's in you. He put his nature in you. He gave you a new heart and put his spirit in you to empower you to live by the spirit instead of by that law, sin and death.
Let's do another analogy to to maybe help. This is where this was supposed to come in. But, I wasn't clear. Wow. Wow.
Where did that come from? You guys are just seeing this for the first time. Right? Awesome. Alright.
Let's let's read that verse again. Romans-8. Silly people. Alright. Therefore, is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus because through Christ Jesus Through who?
Christ Jesus. Okay. Not through our effort of climbing to the tallest tree. Right? Not through religion.
Not through reading your bible enough. Not through praying enough. Not through seeking enough. Not through having all night prayer meetings. Not through, you know, confessing your sins to the priest.
Not through whatever the religion you grew up in said. No. It's through Christ and through Christ alone. We continue that way as well, through Christ and through Christ alone. Alright.
Through Christ Jesus, the law of the spirit who gives life has set you free from the law of sin and death. Okay. What is this? It's a glove. Will this glove naturally sink or float?
It depends on what's in it. Right? Don't preach my message. It depends on what's in the glove as to whether it will sink or float. Right?
Sin nature. We're all born with it. We're born with a nature towards selfishness that will continually push us towards selfishness, towards sin. We just are. You've been around, you've heard, if you've been here before, you've heard this.
If not, I'm gonna tell it for you and for the rest of you, I'm telling it again so you can tell others. 2 year old. Do you teach a 2 year old to steal? No. Do they do it naturally?
Yes. If you're honest, yes, they do. If you're not, you're a liar. It's a sin nature. They naturally steal.
And then, you ask them if they did it, what do they do? Lying. Every 1 of them. There's thieves and liars, little 2 year olds. It's because the nature that's in them, that they were born with that was passed down from you, then from their grandparents, and then all the way back to Adam and Eve.
The nature to choose not God, to choose self, pushing them down. Now, they can try, but ultimately, the nature in is pushing them towards selfishness to say that they're their own God. I do what I feel. I am my own truth and I wanna do I don't wanna do what you say. I wanna do what I say.
Problem is, you're not created to live that way. You have to be born again. Amen. Like the caterpillar. What does it mean to be born again?
You believe Jesus died in your place. He lived the perfect life but he never sinned but yet he still died as you for your sin. You believe he died for you, you die with him. You believe he raised again from to new life, you're resurrected to new life. Confess, in order to be saved, you have to believe Jesus died and rose again, and confess him as Lord.
And, when you do that, you're born again. And John I don't have this verse up there, by the way. So, those of you that are listening online, have to go look it up. John-20:19. It says, On the evening of the first day of the week, when the disciples were together with the doors locked for fear of the Jewish leaders By the way, fear is not faith.
The disciples were together in sin. Anything that's not in faith is sin. Jesus came and stood among them and said, you filthy rotten disciples. How could you be afraid? Don't you know what I told you?
No. He stood among them and he said, "peace be with you". You know what that peace is that he's talking about? Jesus paid the price, his blood to wash us clean, to pay for all of our sins so that we could have peace between the father and ourselves, so that we could have a relationship with him. Yes.
That's the peace he was talking about, You know? In the beginning of was it Matthew or Luke? The angel said, glory to God in the highest. Peace on earth and goodwill to on those in whom his favor rests. That's what he's talking about.
Because of Jesus, we can have peace with God. Jesus was saying, you're forgiven. Jesus was saying, you're clean. You're whole. You're new.
That's what he was saying. Peace. Peace to God through Jesus. Then, after said that he said this, he showed them his hands in his side. The disciples were overjoyed when they saw the Lord.
Again, said, peace be with you. Okay. He was saying, I forgive you too. You know? Yeah.
You deserted me. But, You got peace with with the Father, you got peace with me too. Then, goes on, as the Father has sent me, I'm sending you. And, with that, he breathed on them and said, receive the Holy Spirit. Now, remember, when you believe, you're sealed with the Holy Spirit.
Ephesians-1:13, welling up to eternal life, to knowing God. Okay? You think when Jesus breathed on them, they didn't receive the Holy Spirit? And, that's what some theology says. Jesus breathed on them and said, receive the Holy Spirit.
You think when the Son of God said, receive the Holy Spirit, it's like, nah. So, what happened? They were born again. Went from the old heart, which had a sin nature, to now, he gave them a new heart in him. There was still an attitude to happen.
We'll talk about that in the fourth, fifth week. That looks funky. But, He breathed on them. Now, they had a new nature. Now, does it have the nature to sink or to float?
To float. Because of what's in it. Right? So, it's gonna float naturally. Guess what?
Power of sin and death is still around. It's still there. As a matter of fact, they're free from the power of sin and death. The power of sin and death is no longer in them. They're free from it.
But yet, freedom doesn't mean you don't have the choice not to choose it. You still have a choice. You might, like the caterpillar, not realize the full freedom that you have and still think that you're a filthy, rotten sinner. So, old temptations come back around and you choose them because you're used to it. And now, you look like a sinker.
As a matter of fact, this glove looks around in the moment and it thinks it's still nothing but a filthy rotten sinker. Right? Because man, it's circumstance said, look what it did last night. Man, it's not new. It doesn't look like a new creation.
What's the truth? What's on the inside? The Holy Spirit. It's born again. And, as soon as it realizes who it is, as soon as it takes its mind off of what it's done and it's past and puts its mind back on the Father.
Wait a second. I'm forgiven. I'm loved. Wait a second. Oh, my gosh.
This thing that I think is holding on to me, really, I'm holding on to it. I chose it. I let go because I'm free from it. Amen. And, it goes back to what it's naturally born again to do.
So, How do we live? We hear all this stuff and it's it's awesome and wonderful. Now, practically, what does this look like worked out in our life? Let's go to Ephesians-4. Ephesians-4:25.
Therefore, each of you must put off so therefore, because you're new actually, I'll start in verse 22 through 24. We'll go there. You were taught with regard to your former way of life to put off your old self, which was being corrupted by deceitful desires, and to be made new in the attitude of your mind. Why? Because, as you renew your mind, your life is transformed.
24, and to put on the new self, new creation, created to be what? In true righteousness and holiness. Right standing with him which leads to right doing. Now, it's about to tell you the right doing because you're in right standing. You don't do to be, you be to do.
We are a new creation, now we live like a new creation. Amen? I know this is a lot, but I told you it's simple and straightforward, but it's deep. It's not shallow. Alright.
Verse 25. So, this is how we live. Therefore, each of you must "put off falsehood" and speak truthfully to your neighbor, for we are all members of 1 body. In your anger, do not sin. Do not let the sun go down while you're still angry, and do not give the devil a foothold.
Anyone who has been stealing, you must steal no longer. But, you must work doing something useful with your own hands that you may have something to share with those in need. Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for the building up, or "building others up" according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen. Why do we not let unwholesome talk come out of our mouths? Well, 1, it's not who we are.
This, you know, we got Christ in us. So, why would we let something come out of us that's not in us? Yeah? But also, if we do that, those listening, it's gonna destroy their faith as well. So, we might as well live out what God's put in us and be real.
But, only what is helpful for the building others up according to their needs, that they may that it may benefit those who listen. And, do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God with whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. Get rid of all bitterness. Get rid of it. There's no reason to have bitterness in.
And, can I be strong for a second? Like, put my pastor hat on and be strong? God forgave you. Right? Of everything?
What right do you have to not forgive others? What right do you have not to forgive yourself? None. So, what you're saying when you walk in unforgiveness and bitterness is you're saying, oh, what you did for me, I don't have to show others. It doesn't really have to change my heart.
I can still do what I want despite what you did. That's dangerous. That's not the gospel. The gospel transforms you. So, stop walking in unforgiveness.
Forgiveness is not saying what the other person did is okay. It's saying, hey, that's terrible actually. But, I'm gonna let it go and give it to God. And, so, I can love you because I know what you did to me is probably because you're hurt. And, so, I can be I can hurt for you instead of be hurt by you.
Yeah? Alright. So, get rid of all bitterness. Where am I at? 1.
31. Rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice, like, in no way do I want to intentionally hurt someone. That's malice. Be kind and compassion to 1 another, forgiving each other just as in Christ God forgave you. Follow God's example, therefore, as dearly loved children and walk in the way of love.
Just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God. But among you, there must not even be a hint. Everybody say, a hint. A hint. Of sexual immorality.
I'm stepping on somebody's toes right now because of our culture. It's okay. Do what you feel. That's not kingdom culture. That's not who you are.
Stop. Yeah? If you're born again, then you have Christ in you. And, this is like, hey, you're in right you're in right standing with God. So, now, let's do right living.
Okay? Not even a hint of sexual immorality or any kind of impurity, or greed, because these are improper for God's holy people. It's just not right. It's just not who you are. Why would you live the opposite of who you are?
When you live the opposite of who you are, you feel terrible. You know, you ever been in a job that you weren't created for? It's exhausting. Well, it's like living out the opposite of what you were created to live. It's this weight that you're not created to bear.
If you just obey, man, it's so much better. Because these are improper. Nor should there be obscenity, which is like all these kind of sexual jokes and stuff that I used to make in high school and college. God had to teach me not to do that. It wasn't good.
Foolish talk, coarse joking, I used to be bad about that too, which are out of place, but rather there should be thanksgiving. For of this, you can be sure no immoral, impure, or greedy person, such people or idolaters, has any inheritance in the kingdom of God, of Christ and of God. No inheritance. None whatsoever. Right?
An idolater is saying, I care more about this way of doing things than I care about what you say, God. Right? That's idolatry. Okay. Let no 1 deceive you with empty words, for of such thing God's wrath comes on those who are disobedient.
Therefore, do not be partners with them. Now, I'm gonna encourage you, and then, I'm gonna dismiss you. If you heard all of that and you're like, oh, ouch. That's me. Like, I've been doing No.
That's not you. That's what you've been doing. If you're born again, then you're a new creation "in Christ Jesus". If you've been doing those things and you've a new creation in Christ Jesus, let me ask you this, are you forgiven? Yes.
Romans-4:8, blesses the man whose sin is never counted against him. Does you being forgiven give you the right to continue? No. So then, how do you quit? By the renewing of your mind.
Now, let me show you the best way to be transformed by the renewing of your mind. See, this is a Christian life sandwich, what I just read. Ephesians-4:25 through Ephesians-5:7. It's a "Christian life sandwich". You got how to live, like the practical of how to live on the bun on top, and the practical of how to live the bun on the bottom, and then, you got the meat of what to do in the middle.
The meat of how you work that out? It's right in the middle. You know what the middle is? Ephesians-5:1, follow God's example. So, or be imitators of God.
How? As dearly loved children. Walk in the way of love just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us. Okay. So, how do you be obedient in those different areas?
You do it as a dearly loved child. You're going to fail at obedience if you don't think you're dearly loved. You're gonna think he's mad at you. And, instead of falling into your heavenly father's arms, you're gonna run from God. And, when you run him, you're getting further from his presence.
Next thing you know, you're walking in circles and the same thing you've been struggling with over and over and over. Does that sound like anybody's life? Yes. I know that was my old life when I didn't understand grace and righteousness. Yeah?
So, what do you do as a dearly loved child? Okay. The bible says, if you love me, you will obey my commands. Jesus said that. Right?
If you love me, you'll obey my commands. Now, our old mindset of performance was, okay, I gotta obey his commands, and the more that I obey, I'm proving my love to him. There's a problem with that mindset. You know what the problem is? It's all about you proving yourself when you've already been proved in Christ.
It's self focused. It's religion. Well, then then, you know, you flip it and you say, okay, wait, wait. If I love him, obedience will flow from my life. I will obey because of my love for him and that's right.
As I love God, well then, there's a there's a that can get religious too. You know how? People then go on these like, man, I just wanna love God more. And, they try and they do whatever. I wanna love God more and their focus is still on themselves loving God more.
So, it's still on self, so it's still gonna produce self. Whatever you focus, you reproduce. Yeah? So, then, how do you love God more? How do you do this thing?
How do you you walk out the meat of the love sandwich of walking in Christianity? The Bible says, I don't know if I put this up there either, but in 1 John-4:19, before it says, God is love. And then, verse 19, this is how you do it. It says, we love because God first loved us. So, my capacity to love is the fruit, the result of my understanding his love for me.
So, if I have a love issue, it means I have a issue understanding God's love for me. So, if I have an obedience issue, then I have a love issue. And, if I have a love issue, then I have a issue understanding God's love for me because I love as he first loved me. So, if I don't understand how he first loved me, my whole life is out of whack. But, the more that I understand how much he loves me.
So, daily, I wanna grow in my understanding of his love because as I do, all of a sudden, my love is a reflection of my understanding of his love. Then, all of a sudden, those who love me obey my commands, and now, I'm walking out his goodness and everybody's it and it's awesome. And my mind's not even on me. It's on his love for me. That's the free Christian life.
That ain't religion. That's relationship, brother. That's the way we're supposed to live. Yeah. I don't think I got anything else.
Go live it, you know. In all reality, I wanna ask you to stand and we're gonna dismiss. I don't think we're gonna sing at the end today. We're just I want you to receive the fact that you're forgiven, but, in all and, you know, actuality, there's there's there's people who are struggling in an area of life that they're they're bound up in, and they're having trouble getting over that area. And, there's a lot of people in here like that because this is a group of people.
The Bible says, confess your faults 1 to another and pray for each other so that you may be healed. A lot of times, people try to overcome things on their own and don't they they have trouble receiving God's love in this area, but they wanna hide it from everybody else. And so, because they hide it from everybody else, it just gets worse because secret sin only grows more dirty. You know? So, I would encourage you, if there's an area of your life that you're having trouble being free from, that's what the body of Christ is for.
Find someone that you trust, that loves God and is walking with him as much or more than you are. And, confess well, more than you are would probably be good. And, confess your faults 1 to another and let him pray for you so that area of your life can be healed. So that you can receive God's love in that area because you're having trouble hearing it from the father, so maybe you'll hear the father from somebody else. You know?
So, let's just do this. If you'll lift in your hands is a sign of surrender. That's it. Like, when you walk into the king's presence in the Old Testament, you lift your hands, it's like, I'm surrendering to you. So, you're not to me.
You're it's to Jesus. He's here. I would encourage you to just lift your hands and just repeat this after me. Thank you, Jesus. Thank Jesus.
That you say I'm forgiven. Thank you, Jesus, that I'm forgiven. Thank you that you love me. I ask you to reveal to me any area of my life that I need to surrender to you. And, just listen.
There'll be thoughts come to your mind, some of you. Some of you are like, man, I'm free. That's good. That's great. You need to serve others and help others to get free.
Now, in your own heart, I want you to place whatever it was before him. Say, I release it to you in your own way. If it's something that's hurting someone else, then you probably need to go and ask them for forgiveness. It's relationship with God, but also relationship with others. He loves you so much, guys.
Your heavenly father loves you. Father God, I just pray freedom for everybody in Jesus' name. Thank you, Lord God, for who you are. Alright. And, just we're we're almost done.
Just look at me real quick. If there's anybody in here that doesn't know Jesus, like, maybe you've grew up saying you believe in him, but you don't you don't know what it means to really have a relationship with Him like you heard today. Gabe and Moriah, will you raise your hands? Everybody, See these hands right here? Gabe and Moriah?
If you don't know Jesus, I want you to go talk to them. They're gonna lead you into a relationship with him. Whenever I dismiss. I know that's a "step out of your comfort zone" because you've never met them before. But, guess what?
If it matters that much that your life changed to you, then you'll go do it. If it doesn't, you're invited to come back and continue coming. We love you and we care for you and we want you to be a part of what we're doing. We want you to grow with us and you're welcome. Amen?
Thank you for tuning in today to the Real Church podcast. I pray that you walk away from today encouraged with a deeper understanding of how much "God loves you". If you'd like to connect with us, we can't wait to reach out to you and pray for you. You can go to www.realchurch.us/connect. And then also, if you would like to give to what God is doing in and through our ministry, you can do so at www.realchurch.us/giving, or you can text any amount to 84321, and then just search in the link that comes up.
Search for Real Church Lord. God bless you, and the "best is yet to come".