Where God Lives (Part 1 of 2)

Possible any lost shirt that were actually following Jesus. Does your faith in him distinguish you from the surrounding culture today on Truth for Life.

Alastair Bragg takes a look at the real and observable differences that separate true Christians and unbelievers that I like you to take your Bible and turn with me to Ephesians chapter 2 from verse 19 to the end of the chapter. She turned there. Let me read them for us. So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but your fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God, built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus himself being the cornerstone in whom the whole structure being joined together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord.

In him you also are being built together into a dwelling place for God by the spirit father we pray that with our Bibles open that the spirit of God will be at work in our thinking so that as we understand the truth of the Bible that we might then be embraced by it that we might live in the light of it, that we might increasingly become all that you intend for us to be for we ask it in Jesus name Amen what we said before that the flow of the second half of this chapter, the section that begins in verse 11 can be seen by noting three straightforward phrases. The first of these in verse 11.

At one time. Therefore, remember that at one time. That's the first phrase and then in verse 13, but now in Christ Jesus. And then in verse 19 so then you are no longer I just remind myself of what we have recorded for us here it by means of an acronym and that is art that we were alienated. We have been reconciled and we are transformed.

Let me just tease that out for us for a moment. First of all, at one time the reference there is of course to the pre-Christian days, particularly of these Gentile believers and when we study that we noted that it is actually a description of humanity without God. And while all of us lived in that realm with her.

We understood it, whether we were graphically aware of it or not, the fact is that what it says there concerning us is true that we did not believe in fight by nature. We are unbelievers that we did not belong to the community of God and our behavior, testified to the reality of that back in the beginning of chapter 2 we were those who lived in the passions of our flesh carried out the desires of the body and the mind and we were by nature children of Roth that is all covered by at one time and what Paul says there is the beginning of chapter 2, by way of summary is that we were absolutely helpless.

If you think about it.

What can a dead person do to make themselves alive. Absolutely nothing and so he says we were spiritually dead and unable to quicken ourselves. We were helpless and in the chapter. In the second half of the chapter essentially goes on to say, and we were hopeless.

In fact, in verse 12 he uses that very phraseology having no hope and without God in the world.

Now it's very important that we understand that that is a description of a special group of people that happen to be living in Ephesus at the time of this letter, but that it is descriptive of men and women by nature without God. Second, phrases in verse 13, but now but now we were previously at one time alienated not only from God, but also from those who loved and followed God and now. But now we are reconciled to God through the cross and that reconciliation that we now enjoy with God, who once was predisposed to us in his Roth has been dealt with in that Jesus has borne God's Roth has settled out account and we have been put in a living relationship with God who made us for himself and with one another and so he saying there that all the kind of barriers that are inevitably erected, whether it is the barrier between the Jew and the Gentile, or whether there whether they are barriers of race of classical culture. These things have now been dealt with in Jesus. At one time alienated, but now reconciled. So then you are no longer strangers and aliens in other words, the result of the work of Jesus is that for those who believe there is been a change in our nature and there is been a change in our status as a result of Christ's achievement as a result of the announcement of that achievement to these people in Ephesus. They have come to believe and having come to believe they now belong so to the extent that it is helpful to you if you just think are then you can remember one time alienated, but now reconciled. So then transformed.

Let me pause here for just a moment and acknowledge something with you.

You will notice what he then goes on to do is to speak first of all, in negative terms. So then you are no longer strangers and aliens in other words, you are no longer what you once where Paul is not describing here some kind of marginal shift in thinking assertive rearrangement of philosophical underpinnings or a gradual slide from one religious persuasion to another religious persuasion know what he's describing here is a decisive and a dramatic change in what is pointing out is simply this, that there is a real and observable difference between the Christian and the non-Christian. If, however, by Christian. We simply mean somebody was remotely interested or tangentially interested in the things of Christianity than we use a description that is not the way in which Paul is addressing it here and we belabored that and we are couple of Sundays ago in Christ Jesus to be Christian is to be placed in Christ Jesus. As a result of God's grace and disfavor as revealed in Jesus as accomplished by the work of the Holy Spirit.

All of a sudden the person says I am a new creation no more in condemnation and here in the grace of God I stand and that means that I am now markedly different from what I was before I went to see you again that it is important we recognize this now in Paul's case is conversant with dramatic wasn't you read of it in acts chapter 9 a voice from heaven and a light that shone brighter than the noon day sun and him being struck with blindness and so on.

All of that was unique to Paul I be surprised if anybody here professing their testimony as a Christian would be prepared to say that a similar thing. It happened, but it may be that you have had a very dramatic conversion. You may have found yourself completely up against life. Perhaps you work at at life's extremity and when you turned in childlike trust and believe in fate your life was turned upside down so amazingly and instantaneously that the people in your office in your school in your home new, something dramatic has happened to this girl has happened to this care there again.

I may not be that for you over a period of time as you listen as you read as you thought you suddenly realize that your heart was being changed your mind was being open to the truth that your eyes were being made clear, and you suddenly realize that the way you're begun to sing the songs and listen to the Bible and appreciate the fellowship is an indication of the fact that God had actually changed you. You see, when a person is truly converted truly converted they will have an awareness of these things. A truly converted person has an awareness of the at one time at one time I will I once was lost in darkest night and thought I knew the way the person is sort of remote just marginally interested in in religious things doesn't use terminology like that. That's the terminology of a Christian. I once was lost in darkest night. I know that because that's what the Bible says actually was going to church is a small boy and so on, and I didn't realize what a rascal.

I really was. I knew enough to know that I needed a Savior but I didn't know I was lost in darkest night and thought I knew the way, but not but now I know that and I know that if I continued in that position. I would've been there is no seeing what I might've ended up so they have an awareness of what he once where they have an awareness of the love and mercy of God. Verse four but God, being rich in mercy, because of his great love with which he loved so the person is saying.

You see, I was overwhelmed by the love of God I when it suddenly dawned me this good news story that it was while we were enemies, that God reconciled us to himself the love of God for me, overwhelmed me. I was caught up like the prodigal son in the father's embrace and that is my testimony usually I have something to say about what I used to be. I have something to say about the love of God, unconvinced about the saving work of Jesus and I am also aware of the fact that although I have come to this position as an individual that God has brought me into an entire company of others who love Jesus and it is this which has actually in this community given me this structured the framework, the teaching, the accountability and the opportunity to discover my giftedness and so on, and I'm convicted using the converted individual doesn't ask do I have to go to church a converted individual does not actually ask why do I have to go to church a converted individual is not sick.

Why is the church so important. I have an iPad.

I have a phone I can do this here. I can listen on my own. If you are truly converted. You may think that from time to time because you want to do something other than attend church because it puts a demand on you, but in your heart of hearts, you know that's not what you're saying.

If you're converted easy. The converted person is saying. Where can I find God's people.

They go out of town on a business trip and did they they they say I need to find some people to love Jesus there. The converted individual is saying where can I enjoy Christian Fellowship. The converted individual is saying where can I hear the word of God talk to me.

Where can I hear the Bible expound you seek the non-Christian doesn't say that an unconverted person doesn't say that if every precursor to the I guarantee you can walk up the suddenly the screen and said when's the last time you were walking down the street and you said yourself, where can I find the word of God talk to and if the answer yesterday then you know the Spirit of God is at work within the heart. So you get the four spiritual laws out and take care of the problem right there. Okay the fact is, it is a radical and it is a dramatic change.

Faith makes the greatest of distinctions faith in Jesus makes the greatest of distinctions. He came unto his own and his own received him not. There is one group but to those who received 10 who believed on his name. There's another group you can be into groups it wants. By nature, no thank you by grace amazed you see this is what Paul is making absolutely clear and that's why making it clear to you because of the hundreds and thousands of people that come in this building week by week. It is incumbent upon me as a shepherd of the flock as a teacher of the Bible to labor as I'm enabled to say to your loved ones do you believe in your heart that God has raised Jesus from the dead. Do you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord is in, then you are unconverted.

Do you Matson who was born in Hackney West tightly in London in 1833 went to St. John's College, Cambridge Road, a number of hymns. Probably the best known is his most autobiographical and this is how his him begins. Lord I was blind I could not see in your margin visage any grace as his testimony.

Lord I was blind I couldn't see. I went to the Easter services. I read the Bible, I heard people talk about things never got it all to the was 20 years older. Cambridge University and the lights went off his him continues. Lord I was blind.

Lord I was deaf. Lord I was dumb.

Lord I was dead. And here's the triumph of the close.

For thou hast made the blind to see the deaf to hear the dumb to speak the dead to live this to see his converse and when a man is converted when a woman is converted, then they are no longer what they once were at one time but now, so that now is come to this.

So then so then what so then what is the implication. What is the result of this is not the complete result, but it is the result of Paul by the Holy Spirit wants us to focus on just now.

We are now.

He says fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God. I remember when we were studying this earlier we said that by nature. We were both stateless and friendless. We were outsiders. We did not belong.

Verse 12. At that time separated from Christ, alienated from the commonwealth of Israel.

We were far away, but now in Christ he's going on to say, we have been given a new identity.

And we have been made part of a whole new community where if you like kids of the kingdom. We are citizens in God's kingdom and our new identity secures us because now we belong and our new identity transforms us because now we behave easy, where surprised by the behavior as well. If you've come to faith in Christ. You know what your Sunday usually was.

Just by way of example, I used to do this I used to do that I would get up. Nobody could take me from this or from that I was sacrosanct for me and so on. And I don't know what will happen to me leading up on a Sunday morning. I said you know I want to go with the people of God you will you permit a citizen.

You see, you're not a citizen of the kingdom here before that you were stateless you do not belong your no access to the amazing thing you seek an end. As a result of that we have all the rights of being members of the kingdom. I live for a long time to feel like it became a citizen of United States of America. But on that day when I did when I went down there to E. 9th St. and did what they said I should do, then everything that was my wife by birthright, having been born in the sphere shores became mine immediately all of the rights, all of the responsibilities. All of the privileges because now I was included and you see when a person is made a citizen of the kingdom of God, then all other citizenships fall into line.

People want to know all the time. What is that pin in your lapel. It simply says Scotland okay. I happen to like it, but I also where one that has a Scottish flag and an American flag. Often when I travel. I like that to but it's very subservient because the real citizenship into which we been brought is that women are citizens of the kingdom is what Paul is saying in Philippians 2 and they were separated from Rome by distance in Philippi needs reminding them actually are separated from the from the kingdom to which you really belong. By virtue of your engagement. Here in Philippi and the great concern of being a member of the kingdom of God, of being a citizen is that we will long to see his kingdom extended.

That's why we sang this morning, Jesus shall reign where the sun I know you fed up with me mentioning it, but I never stopped me before and won't stop me now, but remember when Eric Lytle left Edinboro to go to China and eventually he was to Diane China Eric Lytle was 1924 Olympics. One gold broke made a new world record played rugby for Scotland was highly intelligent, well respected, and yet he gets on a boat and buries his life in China to teach Boys and Girls Club not only mathematics but about Jesus. What world are you doing little you crazy. And when his train pulled out of Waverley station. The last thing that he did before he left was roll the window down and leave the vast crowd gathered in Waverley station underneath the castle.

Many of you have been there and he led them in the singing of Jesus shall reign where the sun.the successive journeys run and in his kingdom stretch from shore to shore to moon show wax and wane no more. Why did he do that because he's a citizen of the kingdom you have been made a citizen of the kingdom. That's what he said and the mystery of a go back all the way to chapter 1 before the dawn of time. He loved you.

He drew you to himself, he made you what, you've never been not in order that we might just enjoy ourselves and sit down and please ourselves, but in order that we might understand what I mystery it is that I become a citizen of this great kingdom and let that also help us in our citizenship in this kingdom. And that's what policy at one time but now, so that citizens secularly and quickly members can included with the saints, all of God's people made members of God's household. God is a house is it where the metaphor here is a picture of the same word in Greek for family and for householders is virtually synonymous. So members of the household of God are members of the family of God. The churches he is not just an aggregate of diverse people.

The churches individual people united to each other on account of their union with Christ.

That's the church that's the membership you know attachment to a local church by means of profession of faith and whatever else is involved is simply to give an outward understandable dime mentioned to an internal decisive reality that you belong to me and I belong to you. In Christ, whether you like it or not, you can choose your friends.

You can choose your family and you can choose your church family. You you love your sister, don't you mean she's a pain in the neck sometimes on talk about your siblings. Now, sometimes your brothers will opportunity flag. A lot of times it may be that, and maybe many more things. But the Bible is realistic about this. That's why the picture of family so helpful at one time all of us were alienated from God, but now in Christ were brought here were reconciled so we are to no longer walk as we once were. Our lives should reflect that transformation. Your listing to Truth for Life.

That's Alistair Begg with part one of a message titled where God lives here.

The rest tomorrow.

The October is pastor appreciation month and to think pastors and offer encouragement. We have put together an assortment of books and studies and articles recommended for pastors that help address how to be successful. Leading your congregation how to enhance personal time with God. How to handle the challenges that come with pastoral ministry. You can visit Truth for Life.org/pastor and browse through the recommended books.

The audio studies in the articles that we have carefully curated to help serve you in ministry and we have something special for your wife as well. The role of a pastor's wife can differ notably from church to church. Some pastors wives play the piano. Others hopefully children's ministry. Others served behind the scenes, regardless of where a wife serves there is no doubt that her role is vital to the local church and to her husband's work as a pastor. We want to recommend to you today a book called partners in the gospel. This is a collection of devotion sprig wives of pastors and elders. It reflects on both the joys and the challenges that come with being married to a pastor or elder should request the book partners in the gospel when you give a donation to Truth for Life Truth for Life.org/donate Bob Lapine thanks for listing truly join us tomorrow to find out how to become what you are Bible teaching of Alistair Begg is furnished by Truth for Life where the Learning is for Living