Listen Again: In Christ Alone - Part 1

This is Stu Epperson from the truth. Talk podcast connecting current events, pop culture, and theology, and were so grateful for you that you've chosen The Truth Podcast Network it's about to start just a few seconds. Enjoy it and please share around all your friends. Thanks for listening and thanks for choosing the truth.

Podcast network. This is the Truth Network do you feel like you're on a religious treadmill to file Christianity is just a system of rules and regulations, I can do this but I can't do that.

Do you feel like your efforts to reach God. Find God, and please God. If you do you feel like your faith is dead or alone. Today Pastor Russ Sanders will walk us through Scripture to answer these questions join us on finding purpose of local tribal ministry glorifying God by helping men find their purpose for living. For more information and to connect with Russ Sanders and finding purpose could visit us online@findingpurpose.net or connect with us on Facebook. Now let's listen to Russ Andrews as he teaches us how to be a Christian without being religious lights camera action on the schedule and prayer have a father, thank you for this day Lord like you for the gift that you gave Michael English like you know that you rescued him from the dominion of darkness and brought them into the kingdom of the light into the kingdom of your son and want to thank you for the man who gathered here tonight. I thank you for all the people listening via live stream upright all that she would penetrate everyone's mind and heart and soul with your words with the truth and wisdom that come from you alone and lonely. Thank you for coming to into this world to die for us, that we might know you. You are the way the truth and the life. No one comes to the father except through you know we live in a very fallen world. We need your we need you more than ever before as upright tonight know that you will impart wisdom to each one of us according to your will, and for your purpose. In Jesus name I pray. Amen. Okay, if you will take your Bibles and open up to Colossians chapter 2 of entitled tonight's message in Christ alone.

Michael English because she did notice was born on April 12, 1962 in Kenansville, North Carolina, was raised by his parents Albany Grace English in a town called Northeast which I've never heard of in my heart Northeast north of Wallace is in the same thing as Wallace okay anyway. No, Wallace is so Michael English performed in his family singing group known as the singing Samaritans from 1972 until 19 negative for the next several years was involved in a couple of other Christian groups must to his father should grant his father never wanted to leave the family singing group in 1985, he joined the Gaither vocal band as their new lead singer where his fame just sort. Bill Gaither, who probably heard of encouraged English to pursue a solo career, which he did and he signed his first recording contract with Warner alliance in 1991 on May 6, 1994 at the age of 32 English.

His music career abruptly came to a halt just one week after the 25th.

GMA awards the gospel music Association awards where he had received for dub awards and artist of the year and mail books of the year. He was on top of the world in his world came crashing down. So what happened English learned that Maribeth Jordan, with whom he had been having an affair was pregnant with his child at the time both English and Jordan were married to other people. English was pressured by Warner alliance to make a public apology and he was eventually dropped by the label.

The sales of his records collapsed as Christian radio stations pulled his songs off the air. The officer returned his dub awards to the GMA. He and his wife Lisa, who had been married for 11 years and had a daughter divorced and his life continued a downward spiral with to the point we became addicted to pain pills. He lost everything he owned and he was homeless. The song that made Michael English famous is the one that we just listen to in Christ alone, which he first recorded in 1991 in Christ alone. I place my trust and find my glory and the power of the cross in every victory. Let it be said of me. My source of strength. My source of hope is Christ alone. So what happened to Michael English.

We honestly did not heed the message in his own song, but God had not written the last chapter in his life to stay tuned as Paul Harvey says the rest of the story that brings us to Colossians chapter 2 in this chapter may not want to share with you for blessings that believers and believers alone have in Christ.

In his the first one in Christ alone.

Believers have receive all wisdom and have all wisdom available to them. Look at verses one through five, Paul writes to give to these believers and colossi because I want you to know how much I'm struggling for you and for those at Laodicea about 10 miles west of colossi and for all who have not met me personally, my purposes, that they may be encouraged in heart, and you not in love so that they might have the full riches of complete understanding that year that complete understanding in order that they may know the mystery of God, namely Christ, in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge I tell you this so that no one may deceive you by fine sounding arguments for the one absent from your body and present with you in spirit into like to see how distant you are and have from your faith in Christ is. If only Michael and Michael English, a been a Bible study like this one could read these warnings in Colossians and in Hebrews for that matter, his walk with Christ would not have been derailed likely submit the first step towards remain firm in your faith.

You must remain firm in your faith. The first step begins with wisdom.

Wisdom is what the world needs now more than ever before, and wisdom comes only from one source God. God is the source of all wisdom and God has made his wisdom available to mankind through two primary sources.

First, one source is Jesus Christ himself who is the living word and who is the embodiment of all wisdom, and the second source is the Bible which is the written word and contains the very mind of God and why we touch on this last week but don't you take your Bibles man in turn to first Corinthians chapter 2, can you turn there first Corinthians chapter 2 is just before second Corinthians 1.

After Romans on Romans just for sure there's next year because you get gas there. Lots of the Bible is just full of God's wisdom Psalms, Proverbs, so much wisdom, but these two chapters right here really addressed in the New Testament to the most important to my first printed chapter 1 in first 20 chapter 2. They tell us all about the wisdom of God and I want to pick up in chapter 2 in verse six, where Paul writes we is told that we believers.

We do however speak a message of wisdom among the mature but not the wisdom of this age or of the rulers of this age are coming to nothing that we speak of God's secret wisdom and wisdom that is been hidden and they got destined for glory before time began. None of the rulers of this age understood it.

Guess what, none of the rules of our age seem to understand it. Both they had back then they would not have crucified the Lord of glory is the rulers of our age understood they would be putting forth the Lord Jesus Christ is this is the problem is the solution to our problems. However, as it is written know I have seen, no ear has heard no mask conceived what God has prepared for those who love him, but God is revealed in what is that yet wisdom God is revealed wisdom to us by who is spirit in verse 16 says, but who is known the mind of the Lord, that he may instruct him.

We can come in as my Lord by doing what read the Bible and leaders on site that we have the mind of Christ.

Where's the amount of Christ is contained in this book brought here from Genesis 1 all the way, but Revelation 22 we see the mind of Christ and what we learn from this verse is what you that I just read in first Corinthians 1st listen. We cannot understand spiritual matters by simply observing the things of God, like the Bible with our natural senses. Why, because wisdom is spiritual in nature. Did you hear that wisdom is spiritual in nature. The only way to understand spiritual truth is, by the Holy Spirit. Remember things in John 1613, Jesus said I'm going to send you the spirit of truth, the Holy Spirit and he will what God you into all truth.

This is what the new birth is all about the horse. We must live within you. You must be indwelt by the Holy Spirit before you can understand the mysteries of God. Thus, while the man without the spirit in verse 14 first graders to the man without the Spirit does not accept the things that come from the spirit of God for their first full shazam and guess what he cannot understand them because they are spiritually discerned. So the natural man, the nonbeliever many of your friends they can understand what you're talking about.

They don't get when you come into a Bible study was that is not and what with Holy Spirit is simply talking great to them is like trying to get a one-year-old understand that one plus one to go to that baby can't see it yet they can't see it yet. Second, when a man has been truly born again then and only then does the supernatural take place. That's when the spirit begins to take the word of God and unveil these hidden truths. These hidden treasures in the Bible is like an Easter egg hunt every time he opened the Bible behind every verse is another truth third. The more time a man spends in the word of God, the more he begins to take on the mind of God, then and only then can he make judgments about a few things.

All things he makes judgments about all things by the way, this is another sermon but this thing that there were not supposed to judge is totally false. When I spoke to Judge hypocritically, the wish to make judgments about everything we have to discern truth from error. We have to be able to discern and good fruit from bad fruit. You got me to sit and listen to me and know if what I'm saying is the truth and what I want you to I want to say anything this faults anything. This not done lot of the Scripture.

As I've said many times in the last 18 years. If you hear anything man that didn't sound right to you, don't interrupt me become a penis is really bad come up here. Afterwards, there was understandably destroyed got shimmered in Scripture. If I can back it up in Scripture, what am I going to do next Tuesday night. I will correct it.

I will say Jeff came up into mouse so I was wrong. He's probably right, listen to Jeff. The more we read the Bible, the more we take on the mind of God and then we can begin to judge all things while because of her worldview is changed when you read the Bible, it changes your worldview. Now we begin to see culture through the lens of Scripture, we begin to see the prevailing social issues from God's perspective, we begin to make choices that have eternal consequences would begin to make wise choices. Look over some chapter 1 to the mill about some chapter 1. The psalmist writes in the first three verses blessed jealous of this blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked who you spend time with or stand in the way of sinners Don't have much of sinners up there because you did what they want to believe is what I say you were not standing in the counsel of the wicked. You will stand in the capsule of godly, but his delight, a man who's following Christ. His delight is the law of the Lord and on his law of the largest space in the Bible, it was law he meditates day and night. He is like a tree planted by streams of water which yields its fruit in season, whatever he does prospers the nasty do you want to be a blessed man. Do you want your life to prosper you not, the prosperity gospel should only think about that time I prosper in your soul if you prospers you financially with health vessel for God and he can't do that.

Obviously, if you want to prosper in life.

Men in everything that you do. It did mean that you will have difficulties. It does mean that you won't get sick. We we live in a fallen world were going to express pain and suffering. But if you want your life to prosper by God's deft definition of prosperity unit begins by making wise decisions right choices making right decisions come from a lifetime spent meditating on the word of God and walking with Jesus. In talking with him in prayer and ask him, Lord, godly with this decision of document. Help me Lord to make the right decision. Lord already know how to pray when you pray for me that's what it means when electricity groans with words. We can even understand the Holy Spirit praying for us. We don't know how to pray. Sometimes about Odysseus be still and know that I'm God. If you know what to do what you do. We still true wisdom comes in knowing God, we come to know God, we come to Christ and Christ alone. Jesus is on the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the father except through me. He is he is the truth.

He is the life he's one was to show us the way he does that with his word by giving us wisdom so that we know how to we come to a fork in the road as you 3021 says you hear voice plan. You save this is the way walk unit that's just supernatural wisdom that the Holy Spirit will give you if you come to know Christ alone for his wisdom or you still living by the principles and philosophies of the world. Second, in Christ alone. We receive strength and power to stand firm in the faith we profess.

Look at verses six through eight. So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live your lives in him, rooted and built up in him, strengthened in the faith, as you were tall and overflowing with thankfulness seats within no one takes you captive through hollow and deceptive philosophy, which depends on human tradition and the basic principles of this world rather than Christ, reverse it again is so important.

This was taking place in a country run in a more aggressive very difficult issue a minute see to it that no one takes you captive through hollow and deceptive philosophy, which depends on human tradition and the basic principles of this world rather than on her Christ and Christ alone. We've already learn that the Christian life is difficult, because we have an enemy whose name is Satan is always trying to to come up to Christians to causes the stumble to trip us up to lives destroyed. That's what happened to Michael English site got hold of an and it can happen to anybody. No one is beyond Satan's influence.

Although we have someone in that is greater than Satan never lose sight of that. So how to cite work. He works through people. First John 519 says we know that we are children of God and of the whole world is under the control of the evil one is Euros of the world system is under the control of Satan and his demonic forces God is allowed Satan to have limited control the world system. This stands in opposition to everything that is holy and good and right, and Satan uses the world system which he controls to live as many people as he can down the wide road which ants in the destruction of the billions of souls that are following him down this wide path have Satan work.

He works through men and women, who often speak eloquently and often appear gentle and kind, but they are often wolves dressed up in sheep's clothing. Second, with his 11 verses 13 to 15 says for such men and women are false apostles, deceitful workmen masquerading as apostles of Christ. And no wonder, for Satan himself masquerades as an angel of light is not surprising, then it is service masquerading as servants of righteousness there in will be whether actions deserve right now Satan is infiltrating the world system. He controls with deceptive philosophy is based on human wisdom and the basic principles of this world has you doing this for the media draw politicians and even through many minister Satan is push an evil agenda into our schools into all of the social media in many churches is an old theory known as critical race theory or CRT.

What is CRT will out I got a root in this together. You can get. You can Google. In fact OF articles, but I like to get some this coming from a Christian perspective stand to reason is a Christian think tying put out.

They put in an article entitled thinking critically about critical race theory. This is some of what I'm get regicide may make you a little uncomfortable. We talk about racism.

It is uncomfortable. Don't you hear me all the way through before you make a judgment call before begin how to quote a black pastor friend named Mao Williams, Jim.

You know him patient problem is not a skin problem, but a sin problem and that's the truth.

I'll probably not you keep this in the front of your mind as I'm sharing with you what CRT is. Our problem is not a skin problem is the sin problem is what this article says critical theory divides the world into two groups, the oppressors and the oppressed. Those groups are made up of smaller cultural groups defined by race, sex, sexual preference, gender identity, and so on. When this worldview focus on the race is called critical race theory CRT. It divides people into groups by race. The white oppressors and the oppressed nonwhites according this is worth a little uncomfortable. I've got to get this aleck I said you understand this theory according to CRT the fundamental problem with America is its whiteness, its caste system based on skin color, the lighter your skin, the close you are to the top of the system since the United States was formed by white men. Racism has been woven into the tapestry of the American experiment from the beginning and it continues to corrupt every aspect of American life. Original Sin then according to CRT is whiteness. It goes on to say a culture salvation from that fall begins when the oppressors become woke when they see and read putting the what what what that's what it means and when they see and repent from their own sense is oppressors and begin to dismantle the inherently oppressive structures of the culture. Since whites can't see their own racism. According to CRT they they need to learn to see the world through the CRT lands. Only then will racial equality be possible now to say this right here in every audiology and even evil ideology is always there always elements of truth. But there but the underlining there some errors of falsehood, untruth, and what Satan does.

He covers that era with truth, so that those who are gullible, who don't really understand will buy into it in us that is that era of falsehood are used to destroy any issues and to destroy our country ultimately critical race theory is rooted in a blend of two worldviews have been around forever. Marxism, this is where the oppressor oppressed element comes from an secular humanism. The belief that humanity is capable of self-fulfillment and rescue by self effort apart from God. Marxism is secular humanism are totally opposed to God in everything the Bible stands for and listen. Once God is removed so as any objective standard defining what it means to live a fulfilled moral life. The article goes on to say there's and there's a better alternative to critical race theory. Yours called Christianity Christian. He says our fundamental problem is sin true Original Sin places all humanity on equal footing, red, yellow, black, white, rich, poor were all sinners. No one is exempt.

This is why this and this is why your worldview is so important what you believe about the world. What is your source of truth.

How do you make decisions about life. What's right what's wrong what's good was evil as follows of Jesus. The Bible provides the lands through which meant we see everything. So when you're reading the newspaper list to the news.

Listen to a minister. Listen and look through this book.

What is like a pair of glasses you just look through everything flows through Scripture you determine you reject error and you hold onto truth. So what does the Bible say about the human condition and the real problem with our world.

First of Romans 323 we are all what sinners racism and bigotry are a gracious sense. I grew up in East North Carolina. I worked with.

I work with more black man, and I did white men and we never had a racial problem. We were there working together we we love each other. I played basketball team that was primarily black, and I can remember there were some racial problems in Grable and one time I was in the locker room.

It was million, about five black players and think they got armies of Russ the first of black brother covered in touch as you we got you covered a Serrano brother racism and bigotry are evil and desk an element of truth in critical race theory. Yes oppressors are sinners, but so all the oppressed in different ways. Second, Christianity provides the best reason to believe that oppression is wrong.

Every human being is made in the image of who God black, white, red, yellow, Jew, Gentile well critic on Samish Genesis 127 says to God pretty man in his own image in the image of God he created him male and female he created them.

So third we are all equal in God's sight because each one of us is created in the very image of God is not the color of our skin, or any other physical characteristic that gives people value worth and dignity, rather been made in the image of God is the great equalizer that this is where racial unity must begin that were made in God's image.

By the way I was driving into my office one morning this week and I was listening to Fox news and they had on their William Bennett mom him the former site of the former secretary of education, the United States and imagine rolling a Fox News you know what a parent apparently critical race theory is going to be told in wake County Public schools, and I got news for you it will make the race is the race issue worse. It would drive a wedge between black students and white students elect both sides feel bad. So if CRT is not answer the racism. What is this right. The gospel of Jesus Christ. Paul tells us exactly what needs to be done in Ephesians chapter 2 verses 14 to 60 where he writes, for he, Jesus himself is our peace, whose made the 21 and is just for the barrier, the dividing wall of hostility, abolishing in his flesh the law with its commandments and regulations his purpose that is God's purpose was to create in himself one new man at the two, thus making peace, and in this one body to reconcile both of them to God, to the cross by which he put to death their hostility. So what are we to do. How would respond when to stand firm in the faith would not get sidetracked and tossed back and forth by the waves, and blown here and there by every wind of teaching and by the cunning and craftiness of men in their deceitful scheming. Instead, speaking the truth in love we share the good news of the gospel with all men, black and white, red and yellow, rich and poor and not hate the fact that I'm looking at out here with exception of one German back there all white people. This otherwise will be in heaven so you won't do for next September.

Ouch audit trying invite one black friend to come and join us.

Like I said when I look out here is close to 50-50 test which will be in heaven that we should have Mexicans in here and Italians, and I made everybody they go glyphosate which I want to tell you here. I can tell, looking about a white man anyway his order to where to keep the main thing the main thing was the main thing the gospel of Jesus Christ is only the gospel can bring down this dividing wall hostility, first between God and man between man being a Christian is not about being religious but about having the dynamic alive relationship with Jesus Christ you been listening to finding purpose with pastor Russ Sanders, a local triangle ministry glorifying God by helping men and their purpose for living. You can discover more about finding your purpose in life by checking out the resources@findingpurpose.net will connect to finding purpose on Facebook pastor Russ would also like to extend a special invitation for you to join him in over 300 other local tribal men to study God's word together every Tuesday night at 7 PM in downtown Raleigh. Find out more finding purpose.net. This is the Truth Network