Who You Are In Christ, Within the Much More Care of God
Bob Eckel · Jun 29, 2008
Who You Are in Christ, No. 26
Holly Hills Bible Church
https://www.hollyhillsbiblechurch.org/teaching/messages/492615226308

Transcribed from the recording by SermonAudio, so expect the occasional misheard word.

Okay, you got the handout, so we'll work from there right now. So the title of today's class is Within the Much More Care of God. This again is tucked in within the 33 riches of divine grace that Schaefer has outlined in his systematic theology. And the first question I got for you here today is what's an object? Because that's going to be the focus of our lesson today, being the objects of God's much more care.

Well, if you simply turned a dictionary, and I happen to have Merriam-Webster's most recent version, there are multiple definitions. There must be six or seven in there. But the first definition is broken down into two parts. The first is something material that may be perceived by the senses. That's pretty much straightforward explanation for what an object is. This chair is an object. We look at it and we consider it kind of like you have a toothache and you go to the dentist. I'm not popular anymore, but it's good to have the toothache when you go to the dentist. That way the dentist is involved. Okay, the second part, which I really think is very appropriate here, is we consider the objects of of the Lord and ultimately how he reaches each one of us in terms of demonstrating much more care.

Is there something that when viewed stirs a particular emotion? I don't think of God as emotional, do you? Except there's his love and his wrath. Is that an emotion? I thought we're told to not walk by our emotions, but walk by truth and faith, right? I think they're emotions. Are you led by your emotions? Is it a good thing to be led by our emotions? No. We can have emotions, right? Yeah, but God would be discombobulated. Wouldn't he? If he was going by emotions, he could cuckoo with everything that's going on. No. He has so many other qualities that I think that would overrule it.

Thank you, Gloria. Okay, the toothache is gone. Not overruling everything else. Well, let's not dwell on that because we got a lot to cover today, but I think, you know, I think in a sense this definition is applied to this earthly existence which we have is something I think we can all relate to. You see something, you not only perceive its reality by your senses, but you respond to that. I mean, I'm not responding to that chair in any particular way. I'm not either thrilled about the chair or sad about the chair. I mean, the chair is a chair.

But when I look at Doug, I think of Francis, you know, and that kind of stirs up some feelings about all that Doug's been through with his wife and that kind of aspect of her current health that he's been dealing with for years and that's kind of emotional, isn't it?

I mean, so in a sense we can give God room in the earthly definition to think that he looks at us maybe his emotions really are what God's all about. I mean, I don't think we need to put it in human terms which are the circumstances don't in fact influence God's who he is or how he acts, do they? He acts through the circumstances by the word of truth. And ultimately the focus today then is us. Again, us, meaning the body of Christ collectively, the body, and then us, each one of us individually, in terms of being within the much more care of God. and we therefore are God's objects, each and every one of us. So if we want to use the earthly definition, God sees us each and he perceives us. God senses? Give me a break. I mean, God's above. He's created our senses.

So, I mean, and secondly, something that when he views us, he has a particular emotion. Yeah, I mean, the emotion is, if you will, if you want to give God emotion, it's wrapped up in all of these objects that each one of us are in terms of this great mercy and love. So the topic before us is much more care, and I think the foundational verse today is the verse in Romans. Let's look at this together.

Romans 5, 8 through 10 says, But God commended his love toward us, and that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. much more than, okay, not that his death wasn't enough. I mean, while we were sinners, you know, he died for us, but much more than being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him. For if when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his son, much more being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life. What's that mean? about being saved by his life. Is that in reference to his resurrection, overcoming our sin? I think that fits. Anything else? The singing of the Holy Spirit? Well, that kind of ties into that. Same concept, I think.

Saved by his life. I mean, the resurrection is everything. I mean, if he died, our sins wouldn't have been forgiven, would they? I mean, if he just died and said he was dying for our sins and there was no resurrection, ultimately, wouldn't it be meaningless, really? I mean, the resurrection is everything. The resurrection proves that it worked. Alright, so it proves two things. It proves that his life ultimately was created again out of death.

And as we relate to that, our life can be transformed by the working of His power in us, and that's Holy Spirit-driven. The second thing is, what happens to us after we die physically? No, we still live. Yeah, okay. So I think that much more being reconciled shall be saved by His life. I mean, our eternal security reflects the resurrection, doesn't it? So much more. I mean, first of all, he died for our sins, but much more. We're saved from wrath and his life after death, his resurrection allows us to be saved as walking beings here and now and ultimately eternally.

So now let's kind of use the shape or outline and go to these various objects of God's nature as it's applied to his much more care. Keep in mind that's the topic today. The much more care of God for each and every one of us and for the body. We start with the objects of his love for God so loved the world.

Anybody want to finish that one? that he gave, his only begotten son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. One of the great verses. King James. So commonly used and quoted, but it's a great verse. Thank you, Carol. Very good. The rest of the class fails, but you go to the heaven.

Romans 5.8, we just looked at this, but God commended his love towards us that while we were yet sinners, right? His love, but God who is rich in mercy for his great love wherein he loved us, I mean on and on, we could spend the rest of the time just looking at God's love directed towards the believer, actually directed to the entire world, it's just the whole world is a recipient of his love. What's the basis of God's love?

What do you think? It's an executive decision. Is it emotionally based? I'm just teasing you. I don't think so. I think they decided on this. Who decided? God did. What do you think? Father, Son, and Spirit. Certainly not by anything I did. It responded, but it responded quite slowly. Is it because of our intrinsic value? Come on, this is Christianity 101, right? What do we bring to the table here? Yeah. Bob's answered that correctly. Nothing. It's a one-word answer. You know, what's the world, how does the world operate? You're not just shuffling through nothing.

All right, there's this kind of sense of entitlement based to some extent on our performance, right? I mean, you know, and that brings in the second kind of rhetorical question. Is it because we've tried hard and God, he therefore was willing to be merciful? I mean, that's kind of the world's view in a sense, isn't it? You know, we do some good, man's basically good, but he has some flaw. And because he's basically good, this is God's mercy about that other aspect, right? I mean, that's the world view. That's my brother's view. He's now dead. And unless something went on between he and God, I never found out about. You know, I don't like thinking about what's going on with my brother these days.

I mean, the world view is that man performs up to a certain point and then God kind of helps them. And by the way, this kind of God helps them is not unlike a Christian view at times, right? We do what we can and God comes on with a crutch and helps us down the path to finish it off.

Right? Good theology? Well, what about when you pray? If you ask for something, it shall be given. Well, how do you interpret that? Do you want a Rolls Royce this afternoon? No. Okay. Oh, okay. Ralph clarified that. We need to ask for the right thing, right?

What is this, you know, if we pray God will, you know, answer meet our needs. We are earnestly seeking God's heart which is what prayer should be but He will meet our needs. What's the will of God for the believer? It will be conformed to the image of His Son. So good, the will of God.

That does not mean that our opinion is necessarily going to match with His. That's right. You know, God's not in the business of... He's not creating circumstances to make things good or bad. He's not answering our prayers by modifying circumstances.

He's there living in us and through us that we might be conformed to the image of the Son. And that's the answer to prayer. the confirmation of each and every one of us to the image of the sun. Sometimes we view through earthly glasses a blessing from God's answer to prayer, but sometimes answers to prayer have been delayed. I mean, sometimes it seems like prayer is not answered. You pray for a loved one, for them to be saved. I mean, for Lisa, for instance, if she can work with her and pray with her and she doesn't come to be saved, is that God not answering prayer? I mean, I don't understand that particularly, but it's obviously our will is not always consistent with His, but in that prayer life, you're being conformed to the image of His Son, right? I mean, you know, I'll never forget that. I don't want to mess up what you're talking about. No, you're not messing anything up. Go back to that intrinsic love. Value. Intrinsic value. Answer was nothing, but I don't agree with that. Why?

The reason I'm saying that is because right now you have value as far as a teacher explaining God's will and the word of God. As we represent the Lord here on earth, we do have value. And that's not what caused him to love us. The basis of God's love is not our intrinsic value. He loves the entire world. God's love in all would be saved. But my intrinsic value is not the basis of God's love for me. I have no intrinsic value or righteousness that God would declare his love for me.

Oh, I see what you're saying. In the body of Christ, God brings, you know, these are thumbs and toes and arms and legs and eyes and ears. We all carry out functions that are differentially used by our Heavenly Father to meet the needs of the body, for the uplifting of the body and the fellowship we share with one another. We're not all deacons, we're not all deaconesses, we're not all teachers, we're not all pastors. I mean, we all have different roles to play and that's really to his glory.

But we have no intrinsic value. It's a hard concept because the world system, again, thinks they have intrinsic value, but they sometimes fall short. A good place to have a nice discussion about our faith is if you, in fact, are in a conversation with somebody and you raise the question, is man basically good or basically bad? And it's amazing how that question will either close a door or ultimately lead to a wonderful conversation. And I would suggest to you that even among believers, some believers, man's basically good, just falls a little bit short. But God's love is in fact not based on our value and not based on our falling a little bit short. And isn't this a concept that makes it even much more? Much more. Much more goes beyond our simple understanding. Sam? I kind of agree with Doug in the fact that Christ died for the whole world.

And it says, which we'll get to, while we were yet enemies. So the enemy indicates our action and our attitude and our fallenness. He did it because there's something of value, of intrinsic value within mankind, because God created it. And if you go back to the book of Genesis, it also talks about that man's blood being shed. There's a value to that as well. So I'm sure this is just semantics, but you know, there is some kind of value here to the human race. You know what I'm saying?

Well, you're saying we have intrinsic value that demands... Not attitude of works or accomplishments or anything like that because we're in a fallen state. But there's something there that is of enough value that Christ died for the whole world that we can be reconciled to him. That we can change our fallen state and through him become of value, more value.

But there's something there. I mean, God made us. I would say that it's not something in us, but it's something in God. Exactly. You know, God loves his creation, so it's something of value in God that wants us to be reconciled to him. So it's his, like Genesis, it's his breath or his life within us that is of value then, right? Well, God values his creations, yeah.

He wasn't enough to reconcile it back to himself. You know, the righteousness of each one of us is like filthy rags before God, right? I mean, that declares to me we have no intrinsic value, and I think hurts at the nail on the head. We're his creation.

We've fallen short because of Adam's original sin, and because ultimately we, in fact, choose sin, naturally. And when we are righteous, it's filthy rags before God when it's in the power of the old man. So Randy, our topic here is we're viewing kind of much more care in God's hands, each one of us, and we as a body, and the first object of his much more care is his love for us. And the question is, what's the basis of God's love?

Number one, is it our intrinsic value? And that's what our discussion is. Doug made the point, he thinks we do have intrinsic value, and Stan kind of has echoed that, and that's the nature of the discussion. Not within ourselves, no. Okay, and I really think Kurt's comment really helps clarify this. We have value because we're God's creation, but that's intrinsically from God, not from us. Yes? Pat just mentioned to me that God also created the animals, and we are of more value than the animals because we're a higher creator. For sure. Animals don't have a sin nature and don't go to hell when they die, right? I mean, it's just a totally... Depends on what movies you're watching. So again, I think it's...

We need to talk afterwards. So the definition of the word intrinsic, that's the problem here. Well, maybe it's a poor choice of words. I think the point, are we all on the same page here? Because it's important if we're not, if we think we bring something to God to deserve his great love. I don't think that's biblical. You know, I could go tangential here a second, but that would really get us distracted for about 10 minutes. I may come back to that if time permits.

Okay, the second object that Schaeffer mentions of God's much more care for us as believers is His great grace. And he breaks that down into four sections. The first, salvation. And remember the three tenses of being saved. was saved, I'm being saved, and will be saved. That's important, I think. Salvation takes on three tenses.

We all can remember a time, at least most of us, although I think some people have trouble with a specific date. But I can tell you on July 14, 1978, I got saved. And I remember it distinctly, and there's no question about before and after. I didn't have all the truths wrapped up at that point, not that I have today for sure. But I can identify a date. Margaret can't. I mean, so we're different there. My first wife, Sharon, remembers a date. Believe me, as her husband, I saw a woman change dramatically in a matter of nine to 12 months.

That's why I got saved, because I saw what God could do in her life. So anyway, I was saved. At some point in time, you were saved. Whether, again, you have a day of being saved, that means on a day-to-day basis, we're continually receiving God's grace for salvation. That's the walk. That's the life. and thirdly, will be saved. After death, where are we going to be? So the salvation concept really importantly needs to recognize this.

So let's look at just a couple of verses here, and there are many for God's grace here, and I just picked out a few of these. The first is, by grace are you saved through faith, and that not of ourselves, it is a gift of God. A question that often comes up, on what basis are you saved? How often do you hear somebody say, I'm saved by faith?

Is that what this verse says? No, you're saved by the gift of God. What's the verse say? By grace. The car is faith. The grace is the principle. The engine is grace. we drive it by faith. So yes, we're saved by faith, but the heart and soul of salvation is God's great grace. The second concept of being objects of His grace is security, and as the Down-Unders would say, no worries.

In fact, I think that's catching on in this country these days, is it? No worries. I mean, that's Australian language. I've had a couple of post-docs in my lab from Australia, and it's always no worries all the time. So anyway, I've incorporated that into my language here.

All right, Romans, a couple of examples. Romans 5, 2, By whom also we have access by faith unto this grace wherein we stand and rejoice in the hope of the glory of God. Security, grace wherein we stand. I mean, we're positioned in grace. Period. We're secure. There's no question.

Romans 5.17, fourth, by one man's offense, death reign through the one.

Much more. Remember, much more care, right? Much more those who receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness will reign in life through one, Jesus Christ. And there's that much more principle applied to life. Remember, we were When we were enemies we were saved and then much more it's through his life being resurrected we have much more that comes in our direction.

What's the definition of service? This is the third principle under being objects of God's grace. Service. What do you think of when you're called servants? Nobody has any ideas here, huh? Well, I think this has to do with being ambassadors and being agents of God and he uses us for his will and his tasks and he has his Ephesians 2.10 says he's predestined us or predestined for us to be able to do.

Okay, Stan. Good works. Okay, good works. two somewhat different definitions. They may be crossing paths here. Other thoughts about service? So ambassadors, good works. Are those one and the same? Are they somewhat different? If you are service oriented, you fulfill the needs of someone else. All right. Servants reflect the one we're serving, right? Right. Okay.

And I think it's important to recognize when we think of service, the question is, who's the servant? And, you know, I think you can go crazy kind of trying to figure out, was that an act of God's grace in my life? Was that the new man? No, we have a life to live. Live your life. Don't sit there and double guess all the time where that source came from. As Christ becomes your life, you're not going to be noticing your service. because it's really going to be an extension of who you are in Him. This isn't a works list for Adam. Service is a demonstration of a life that's been transformed.

So let's look at a couple of verses. John 17, 18. Love it. The Lord's Prayer. As thou hast sent me into the world, even so have I also sent them into the world. That's all of us. Christ in his priestly prayer to God, in fact, had us labeled as being sent into the world. Remember, citizenship for us is not here. We're servants to the heavenly throne by our presence here on earth.

And another verse, Ephesians 4.7, which ultimately leads to 4.10, but unto every one of us is given the grace according to the measure of the gift of God. So why have these verses been chosen to be placed under service?

I kind of commented on this a couple of minutes ago. Christian service is a life, it's not a list. Everybody okay with that statement? I don't know, when I first got saved, my list got longer and longer, and as I continued to try to work that list out, I got more frustrated. And that started turning me, who am I, what am I here for, what's going on here? And that doesn't mean you let go like God, just kind of, I mean, that's not it. It's an act of faith. It's working out in our lives to make a service, to be ambassadors unto a fallen world. But get rid of your lists. Lists are created by Adam. Live the life by faith.

And that's why these verses were chosen here. Instructions, the fourth principle under grace that Schaeffer lists, and this is listed under us as objects of his grace, keep that in mind. Titus, again, just a couple of verses, Titus 2, 12, and 13, teaching us that denying ungodliness and worldly lusts we would live soberly, righteously, and godly in this present world, looking for that blessed hope and glorious appearing of the great God and our Savior Jesus Christ. 1 Corinthians 6, 3, do you not know that we shall judge angels? How much more things that pertain to this life? So these verses, I mean, this concept of as we live the life we're being instructed by His grace ultimately of what's ungodly, what's in fact worldly, what's not sober, what's unrighteous. That's the instruction we get as believers.

And, you know, I've mentioned this before when I've taught the class, but as you grow in grace and truth, The light that's part of your understanding reveals darkness even more, you know, fantastically than it did before. The darkness of who we are in the old man becomes increasingly clearer as that light of the Lord Jesus Christ shines in your life. So, this, in fact, is the instruction that we receive living in a real world, surrounded by sin, surrounded by the world system and its values, and surrounded by that atom nature that increasingly gets revealed.

Now don't dwell there. I'm not saying, gee, because we're learning more about an old man as we grow in grace, gee, we can try to focus more on the old man. No, but because ultimately as we're lifted up by God's light, the brighter the light, the greater the darkness is revealed.

True. So this is growth. So we're instructed in our earthly shoes as we walk the paths of this earth. by God's grace in terms of dividing righteous from unrighteous and living in the light rather than in the darkness. Any thoughts? Alright, moving on then. The third principle is for objects of His power.

A couple of verses again, Ephesians 1.19, and what is the exceeding greatness of his power to us who believe according to the working of his mighty power? We're going to come to the next verse in a few minutes to show what the power is based on.

Philippians 2.13, for it is God which works in you both the will and the doers of his good pleasure.

Isn't that a great verse? You know, it says it's not, you know, get studying, make your list, and when you've done that, I'm going to be here to help you on. Right? No. Because as we live the Christian life in the power of the Spirit, in the Christ nature, it's God who works in you of the will. And it deals with this good question. Let me just make this comment I was going to make a few minutes ago. I'm going to make this statement and we're going to go on because if I dwell here we won't finish our lesson for today.

I was reading the newspaper one night this week and there were a series of letters to the editor in the Denver Post about Dobson's comment about Obama's biblical faith. I don't know if you kind of followed that story a little bit. Dobson was openly critical about Barack Obama's Christianity and interpretation of the word. And all of these letters to the Denver Post were very critical of Dobson.

I mean, they just tore him down. Anyway, I told you this could go on forever. I don't want this to be a political class, but I mean, one of the letters was, you know, what, you know, they listed the credibility of Obama in terms of his education and his classroom, you know, opportunities and teaching and then who are critical adults and with no kind of formal training or anything. Anyway, so it went on and on.

But the issue is this, is that I think Ultimately, the ability to discern the Word of God is, in fact, understanding the basis by which God's Word is interpreted, and that's Holy Spirit-driven. It's on no other basis by which we interpret the Word of God. So the criticism of Dobson is not having the perfect view on Scripture. I think we can all accept none of us have the perfect view on Scripture. But someone who, in fact, spends a lot of time in Scripture which I think Jim does, ultimately we start getting a view that's a little bit different than people who in fact go there periodically to pick and choose verses that they like to use for their own agenda.

So I'll just mention that in consideration of the basis of power. And again, as we think about the basis, well, back here, forgotten, is working in you both the will and to do of his own good pleasure. The basis of that power is in fact Ephesians 1.20 and let's turn to that now.

We're going to look at Ephesians 1.19 and 20. Let me just go to what you said earlier.

When, you know, I read that article and Charles Bruce that, and it seems like the people that wrote those three individuals, they really didn't have much of an understanding about what the Bible was all about. And I'm thinking, why are they critical? They have no clue what they're talking about. That's true. That was my same interpretation. As long as it's been gone, she gets back the day I tore it out and left it. But we're not here to carry out a political argument.

The issue is you've got to be the recipient of the letter to be able to read it correctly and the question comes up for all of us. We've all been given the opportunity to read God's Word with understanding because we're all saved. And I can't speak to Obama one way or the other, but as a voter, I always start with a candidate. What's their position on abortion? And I'm not a one issue candidate voter, but I'm close to it. Because that's where it starts. And I think ultimately as we consider ourselves as part of the enterprise of the republic in which we live, we have to be intelligent voters. But all that aside, it's the Word of God ultimately as understood by the power of the Spirit that gives us a position to say to some degree of confidence what the truth of the Word is.

So, in Ephesians 1.19, it says, And what is the exceeding greatness of his power towards us who believe according to the working of his mighty power, which he wrought in Christ when he raised him from the dead, and set him in his own right hand in heavenly places? So the point is, the basis of his power is the same basis by which our Christian life is lived. It's a resurrection. Meaning the power of the resurrection is what translates into God's power being ingrained and then dwelt in each one of us as believers. So, do you sense the power, and if so, how? We're not talking about power of moving mountains here. We're not talking about power of casting out demons. We're talking about God's power in our day-to-day life.

What's that look like? How do you experience that? by faith and resting in the truth that God has given you power through the resurrection of Christ. Kind of quiet power, right Kirk? Other thoughts? Yes, sir. The ability to brought change in an individual and just to somehow affect that person, like you said about your first life, to affect that person to a different life, to a different way, a different attitude, a different transformation. I like that, particularly when applied to the life, yes. I bet the power to ultimately take a position and rest in comfort and truth that that's really what God has to say. I mean that's power over the uncertainties of the world system we live in.

You know the thing about faith it's experiential and it's individualistic. So I guess Dobson, like anybody else, could be, so that's just him. That's his own faith trip. Like, might be, you know, ultimately the position someone would take with Bob or with Doug or with Brett. I mean, ultimately, you defend your own faith without proof.

But intrinsically, the power God gives us is an understanding of that truth to be really what it is. Yeah. I think there's sometimes to help define what it is in the life of a Christian you look at what it is or where your source of power comes before Christ and it ends up being before Christ the power to do evil things all the time. You read Romans chapter 1 and it's very clear that your motive, your whole system of operation is leading to self-pleasure in some manner or another. and selfishness. So self is the source of earthly power, right? And even if people would try to extend that to the public or the population as a whole, ultimately it's still self-serving.

Alright, let's move on. Objectivist faithfulness then. Hebrews, a couple examples here. Hebrews 13.5, new international version for this one.

Keep your lives free from the love of money. be content with what you have because God had said, never will I leave you, never will I forsake you. Kind of very specific activist faithfulness, right? Relates to our riches or lack thereof. You know, in the Greek, if you look at this, this never will I forsake you or never will I leave you, it's kind of a double emphatic. It means not in the slightest chance. or not even remotely possible. So I mean this is really a truth that God offers us in terms of his faithfulness to us as believers, never to be doubted.

Philippians 1.6, being content of this very thing that he which hath begun a good work and you will perform it unto the day of Christ.

And what's that work? God's purpose and will for us is to conform us into the image of his son. When people get kind of hung up on what God's will is for them, do they buy a white Ford or a black one? Or should they live on this side of the street or that? I mean, yeah, God's involved in everything we do. I'm not sure changing his ways of working our life, but ultimately his will is simply boiled down to being conformed to the image of his son. But it's the one that precedes, you know, when God comes into a person and becomes part of that person.

His example was like yeast in cookies. Before you bake a cookie, you can divide all these different ingredients out and you have separate and individual ingredients. But once you bake that and you have the cookie, you can't break the cookie apart and find the yeast or the flour becomes an intricate part of that item. And so, when you think of, you know, God indwelling a person, a lot of times I think of it like water in a vase, and you just pour water out. But when you look at these verses, not the slightest chance, not even remotely possible, once he becomes part of the human process, it's inseparable. It's just not remotely possible that you can divide the cookie up again. It's really true. I think it's a great, great analogy. It's really looks at us as whole, wrapped up entirely in his son.

I mean, doesn't make any difference what our past was. It doesn't really make any difference what our present or future is. Ultimately, we're secure. And I'm really asking the question, how's your resting going lately in this church? That God's faithfulness to each one of us as believers. And that's a rest. We're secure. We've been told that under the concept of being objects of his grace. But now objects of his faithfulness allows us to really perfectly rest. Objects of his peace. Philippians, we're quoting a lot here today, be careful for nothing but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be known unto God and the peace of God which passes all understanding shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.

Colossians 3.15, and let the peace of God rule in your hearts which also you are called to one body and be ye thankful. And peace is not anxiety.

These are contrary terms. And a reasonable question here is, how are you doing here? I'm not doing very well at times here. The anxiety of the world system ultimately takes my mind and soul too often. But that's not an act of faith. Yeah, but you know that's very difficult because I'm a real news freak and I can't sleep sometimes and I sometimes get tears in my eyes, what in the hell is happening here?

Back to you has probably got the best answers. Yeah, but it is difficult. I mean, I know I need to turn it off and think of other things, but then I go out in the garden and my brain thinks. That is really true. If we're heavenly citizens, why are we following the world's news for anybody, right? That's why I don't watch it. Because every time you turn it on, they're not telling you good things ever. Okay, but then who are you going to vote for?

I think fundamentally a lot of this comes down to to understanding that God has put us well first Thessalonians 3.3 this is the trials and suffering thing there he's put us in this situation in this political environment.

We live in First World America where our concerns are often so superficial compared to do I have food, clothing, and shelter where other people have those issues. Bangladesh. Burma. Which isn't to say that we don't have real issues. They're probably not aware of nuclear weapons on the same level that we are.

But the Lord has predestined us for these trials for our growth. So instead of seeing, oh, no, I'm in this trial, and I don't know if we're going to make it, I say, wow, God picked me to be here now. And that's turning it on its head, because the world says, you're here, and it's not in your control. Whereas in God, his control was to put you here, so that you could go through this and be a light in the 18 I was the whole world was going to hell in a handbasket I had no control over anything and I was young and I didn't know if I was gonna be able to marry Jessica because I was gonna die because of some war or any other thing I was just full of all kinds of panic and worry and the Lord said I picked you to be here right now do you trust me mm-hmm it was just like oh and I didn't even understand the rest It was just like, oh, I guess I better just trust that God has a plan.

Rest and freedom from anxiety isn't something you work at. You say, gee, today I'm going to work harder at this. You know, that's old man stuff. Just leave that where it belongs. Bury it. Crucify it. And this freedom from anxiety and peace and rest comes from God's grace as we increasingly become hanging out with his son, 2 Corinthians 3.18 reflecting his image in us as we look in the mirror. Yes?

If it was an easy thing it would be a suggestion in scripture but generally when it's listed in scripture it's an imperative which is a command and God knows and Jesus knows that it's not easy for us to not be anxious because it's part of the way he designed us.

So it's a struggle for us. Keep in mind the topic today is much more care of God for within. the sphere of much more care, and all these principles reflect that. We've got to move out here to finish up. The object of this comfort comes from the Greek parakletos, which means alongside and to be called, and the Holy Spirit, in fact, is a paraklete. If we think about that forward, 2 Thessalonians 2, 16 and 17, now our Lord Jesus Christ himself and God, even our Father, has loved us and has given us everlasting comfort. everlasting comfort and good hope through grace. So therefore comfort your hearts and he'll establish you in every good word and work." So there's the service. A lot of these principles are kind of wrapped up all in some verses. This covers, I think, faithfulness, comfort, peace, grace, a lot of these principles.

2 Corinthians 1, 3, and 4, the great chapter of comfort and consolation, is, Blessed be God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies, and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort them which are in any trouble by the comfort wherewith we ourselves are comfort of God. How many times has Herakles used there And I think many of us, I know I can, relate to trials I've had in my life where in fact that has been used of God to bring comfort to somebody else. And I give him the praise for that.

It's not something I work at. I mean, just briefly, I mean, I buried a woman I loved dearly at age 45 with five kids still in my home. And I saw her die gradually over a number of years. And I can't tell you how many times the Lord has put me in that circumstance where somebody's losing their spouse who's young. Or in fact, just bonding.

It doesn't mean that their situation's worse, better, different. Everything's different. There's no circumstances absolutely perfect, one for the other, but having been through that is just an opportunity where a trial is brought, I think, about comfort to somebody else.

That begins with God's comfort to each and every one of us as we walk into life by faith. And the last one is objects of his intercession. I love these verses because to some extent this is God's faithfulness also played out under being within the much more care of God. Wherefore he is able also to save them that the other message come unto God by him seeing he ever lives, talking about us, to make intercession for them. Romans 834, who is he that condemns? It's Christ that died, yea, rather that is risen again, who is even the right hand of God, who also makes intercession for us. And another Hebrews verse, which is such a great one, let us therefore come boldly to the front of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need. So let me end by posing this, what I think is a very interesting and challenging question.

If we're in Christ, which we all are, why do we need intercession? God sees us perfectly well in his Son, right? We're blessed with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places. We're secure, we have the confidence that his life is in us now, that when we die we'll be with him eternally. We've got all these various attributes of God's making us objects of his great love, that much more care concept that he has for his believers. Why do we need intercession?

Is it because of our condition? Okay, Kurt says it's because of our condition. I'm asking, is it because of our condition? Kurt is asking. Who wants to respond to Kurt? I think what he's saying is that in ourself we're not perfect. We're not perfect. Here we are. I think perfect is being complete. We are in Christ. No, in ourselves. In ourselves. But does God see us in ourselves? Does God ever look at Kurt's sin? Not anymore. No, you're good.

You're clean. I love that. We were listening to Randy Travis, if I remember, and he talked about the clean train. Not this train is going to glory, this train. This train is a clean train. This train. That's his song. This train is bound for glory. This train. He said, this train is a clean train. Are you on it? And that doesn't talk about our future. And you're on a clean train. So is Becky, so am I. Isn't that great? We're on a clean train. Yes, Ben?

I would say, from the example of Paul, he asked for boldness. So maybe the intercession is to help us with our weaknesses. Okay, still relates to the old man, right? Well, in a sense. Is it because who he is and not, you know, not who he is because he's so great, you know? I'm not sure I understand your point. I was just thinking, just because, I mean, who he is, you know, all these riches that we have in him, he doesn't see our sin, so Okay, so that still reflects in some way God kind of petitioning on our behalf, right? I mean, these are intercessors, so therefore our old man then becomes trumped or staled?

I think maybe it's part of being Savior. It's an enduring station he has. An enduring station. As our savior. It's a position that is intercessory. Alright. Steve? I think it's a continuation of just our reliance on grace. Alright. the fact that Christ is interceding on behalf, does that mean that if he, well, I don't want to put a conditional because that's always unfair to make conditions. So this ongoing intercession is a necessary aspect of who Christ is, that in fact continues to sustain what God has already said is true. I mean, in other words, we're complete in him, we're positioned above, we're kind of, what that in Christ, and that's all done and gone.

I mean, it's active, but it's historic. So he's interceding to make sure that stays on board. Is that your thought on that? I kind of think it falls, earlier we were looking at objects of his creation. It kind of falls into that continuous sequence of was, am, will, and saved.

It says that the spirit intercedes for us in groanings because we know not what to pray. So again, that goes back to the fact that we just are not I like that, you know, the Romans 8 stuff about, you know, sometimes it's, haven't you at times felt that, you know, there's something going on that you can't hear? The neat thing I think is that we don't have to be so conscious all the time of how the Spirit's groaning on our behalf, you know? It's kind of that bond, that relationship. And I think, you know, we can't deny that He's interceding on our behalf. We've got, I've shown you three verses where in fact it's going on here.

So I think you've all raised good points and I have no answer for you. I have no answer. I'm not wise enough to give you any better answer than what you've all said. I think the fact that our condition is what it is, I don't think Christ is pleading our condition.

I think the intercession really reflects on who we are in Christ and that ongoing activity maintains that circuit as alive and well. It doesn't say what happens if he doesn't intercede, does it? It just says he's in the business of interceding on our behalf. And I think only God's wisdom knows exactly what the necessity is of that intercession.

Everybody okay with that? Randy, final comment? I was going to say, it reflects relationship more than it reflects purely by need. It's his character. One of the things I love about this list that we've gone over is that we're objects of Attributes of God. Much more care. If you remember one thing about this today, all these things are wrapped up under this. Much more care for us.

Love is defined in God. The source of love in the universe is God. He's where love gets its definition. The source of peace is. Each one of these things is a characteristic of God. And we're the object of that. That's phenomenal. It's pretty amazing.

Let's close in prayer. Father, we've been just privileged by your word today. And I think we can all really look at the way you've revealed yourself so consistently throughout the pages of scripture that ultimately we cannot deny that you are truth and you've declared it and make us capable of understanding it by the power of the Spirit. As we think about the way you look at us, we feel humbled, we feel privileged, we feel like we've been made very, very special because your much more care for us really is manifested in so many in almost infinite ways. We're thankful for that. Whatever this intercession is about, we trust you've declared it to be, and we are privileged to be part of your great plan for not only today, but for the rest of our lives and eternity. We're thankful for the class, the sharing that's gone on. May you be glorified by each and every moment. In Jesus' name we pray. Amen.