If you wish to follow along Galatians
chapter 1 My same text as the past few Sundays Galatians chapter
1 I want to read the verses again verses 13 through 16 Galatians
1 verse 13 for you've heard of my conversation in time past
of the Jews religion How that beyond measure I persecuted the
Church of God and wasted it and profited in the Jews' religion
above many my equals in my own nation, being more exceedingly
zealous of the traditions of my fathers. But when it pleased
God, who separated me from my mother's womb and called me by
His grace to reveal His Son in me, that I might preach Him among
the heathen, immediately I conferred not with flesh and blood. What
I want to concentrate on or at least try to concentrate on this
morning Is this phrase the Apostle Paul gives when he says? to reveal
his son in me My title is Christ revealed in us I Say that I give
it that title because I'm not here to simply talk about what
it was for Paul to have Christ revealed in him A mere historical
lesson will be of no value to any of us here this morning.
We need this to be put in shoe leather, as Don Fortner used
to say. Now, while the religious world, and when I say religious
world, I mean everybody except for us, and those who are like
us. That's what I mean by that. Everybody
but us, and those like us. Somebody says that's awful proud.
It is, because I'm proud of the Lord Jesus Christ. He's the one that made the difference.
While the religious world clamors about what they give to God,
and that's in many different facets. They talk about how much
they give monetarily, how much time they give toward God, how
much of their action they give toward God, while the religious
world clamors about what they give to God. What they think
about God. Ever had somebody say, well,
I know what I think. It doesn't matter what we think. But while
this religious world clamors about what they give to God,
what they think about God, and what they do for God, born again
believers long to hear of what God has given and gives to them. They long to hear who God says
he is. not who they think he is. My
thinking about who God is has been changed over and over and
over and over. We rejoice to hear who God says
he is. We rejoice in what God has done
and is doing for his elect. There is one mind and heart,
peace establishing, Warming act of God in mercy and grace that
Paul mentions in this Christ revealed in us In us What I want
to try to do this morning is glean in God's words a few of
these peace establishing heartwarming comforts number one Christ revealed
in us is an act of God Now it seems as though as I stand here,
Joe stands here, Paul and other men have stood here behind this
podium, but we have constantly, constantly harp on this fact. If everybody believed it, we
wouldn't have to harp on it so much, but most people do not. Most people believe that if Christ
is revealed in them, that they did something to cause God to
act toward them. I am saying that Christ revealed
in us is an act of God. Look at our text itself. I'm
not going to even go back and read it. We've read it over and
over and over. It is an act of God's pleasure. It is an act of God's gracious
call in spite of our efforts and demerits. Look at where Paul
was, and then look at where God brought him to. And Paul makes
it clear, when it pleased God. So when God's pleased to do something,
what's that let me know and you know? He's going to do it. when it pleased God, who called
me by His grace, in spite of the fact that this man Saul of
Tarsus was diametrically opposed to the name, the person of Jesus
of Nazareth. Turn to Colossians chapter one.
Just over just a few pages, Colossians chapter one. Remember this is
Christ in us. This is not us in Christ, though
these things are related, but this is Christ in us. A second
thought about this, Christ is revealed in us, it is an act
of God. It is the riches of God's glory
in true hope. Most people's hope is in what
they've done for God. It is not in what God has done
for them, because they believe God does that, or at least tries
to do that for everyone. It's like the old saying, and
I don't remember who said it exactly, but if you believe that
Jesus Christ died for the sins of everyone, then you do not
believe that Jesus Christ is the one who saves. If one person goes to hell for
whom Jesus Christ died, then Christ is not the one that made
the difference. Colossians chapter one, verse
27. And there's so much here. I don't have time to cover this
truth of Christ in us. Christ revealed in us. But look
at verse 27. Paul is continuing here, of course,
and he says, to whom God would make known what is the riches
of the glory. Do you see it? He's gonna make
known this. There are a lot of things that
we'll never know until we awaken his likeness. But God's been
pleased to make known this. To whom God would make known
what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles,
which is Christ in you. Do you see that? It's not just
us in Christ. And we'll see, God willing, here
in a moment, the difference. When we think of being in Christ,
it kind of lets us breathe a little. We're in Him. As Joe rightly
and adequately pointed out, when God looks at us being in Christ,
when God looks at us, He sees the Son. He sees Jesus Christ. But Paul said that Christ was
revealed in me And I am saying that Christ is revealed in us
the hope the hope of glory Somebody says explain that I can't I Can't
do it Here's another thought a third thing turn to first Corinthians
chapter 6. I Here's one of the reasons we're
gonna find that speaking, remember these things are related. To
be in Christ, but Christ is in us. To be in Christ means, dare
I say this, I will dare. To be in Christ means that I
have no responsibility. He stood for and stands for me
and will always stand for me in spite of myself. But Christ
in me, Christ in you, this being a work of God, an act of God,
it is bought by Christ's blood and brings about great responsibility. We're not just in Him. He is
in us. This is not just a phrase, some
technicality. It's a spiritual reality. He
has come and dwells within the bodies of every believer. Look at what Paul wrote to our
brothers and sisters at Corinth. First Corinthians chapter six,
as I said. And just look at the last couple
verses of that chapter. What? What? Know you not that
your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost? And somebody said,
well that says Holy Ghost, not Christ. The Holy Ghost is Christ
in us. These three are how many? One. Somebody says, explain it. No. It's no. It's just true. What? Know you not that your
body is the temple of the Holy Ghost, which is in you, which
ye have of God, and ye are not your own? How often do I forget
that? In Christ, I pleasantly think
of that, Joe. But him in me. brings great responsibility. You're not your own, for you're
bought with a price. Therefore, glorify God in your
body and in your spirit, which are God's. Which are God's. Now turn to Romans chapter eight.
Romans chapter eight. Now this still, my brothers and
sisters, ought to be pleasant to us. Let me just read it. For ye have heard of my conversation
in times past, but when it pleased God. So don't let your conversation
be that your way of life, even today, be that which causes you
great pain and sorrow, but never forget the responsibility that's
laid upon us. Romans chapter eight, I'll make
the statement and read the verses. This thing of Christ in us, it
is the guarantee of our final glorification. Romans chapter
eight, verse nine. Let me make sure I'm right here.
Yes, Romans chapter eight, verse nine. But ye are not in the flesh,
but in the spirit. If so be that the spirit of God
dwell in you, Now if any man have not the spirit of, what's
that say right there? Christ. You see there, one and
the same. Remember Christ said he's seen
me, seen the Father. Well Jack, I can say he's seen
Christ, he's seen the spirit of God. And we here have, none
of us have ever physically seen him as he meant in those verses. But if we believe him, we believe
the spirit of God himself. Now if any man have not the spirit
of Christ, he is none of his. And if Christ be in you, the
body, now remember, don't ever forget this. Don't think you
can rise above this. Don't think you'll ever reach
a spiritual plane where this won't still be the reality in
you. And if Christ be in you, the
body is dead because of sin. Sin. and we must continually mortify
our members which are upon the earth. That's not a one time
thing we can do and be rid of it. It's constant, over and over
and over and over. The body is dead because of sin,
but the spirit is life because of righteousness. And it's not
our righteousness, it's his. But if the spirit of him that
raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, he that raised
up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies
by the spirit that dwelleth in you. Therefore, brethren, here's
our responsibility again. Therefore, brethren, we are debtors. We are debtors, I'm sorry. We
are debtors, not to the flesh, to live after the flesh. For
if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die. But if ye through
the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live. How
can I do that? You can only do that by being
led. For as many as are led by the
Spirit of God, they are the sons of God. Someone says, preacher,
it sounds like to me that we must trust God even in this.
You hit it right on the head. You hit it right on the head.
But here's the second thought. Christ revealed in us. Christ
revealed in us is true union with Christ. It's true union
with Christ. Turn to John chapter 17. John chapter 17. Now the amazing
thing of John 17, was this was not some prayer
of Christ. How do I? This was not some prayer
of Christ. This is not Christ praying, trying
to teach by example the disciples or anyone else how to pray. This
was Christ alone by himself praying to his father, right? Praying to his father. Astounding
thing is, is God Almighty seen fit to have the Spirit of God
move John to record the actual words that our Lord Jesus Christ
cried unto the Father when he prayed this prayer. Think of
it. the master himself, this union. He willed it, he willed it in
his prayer. John 17, and for the sake of
time, let's just look at a few verses, verses 20. Look at it. Neither pray I for
these alone, but for them also which shall believe on me through
their word. I want you to think about this
for a moment. We know this is true. Far as I ever want to hear
probably heard it's over and over heard messages meant being
pretty from this over and over again You ever pray for a group
of people and there are times you can't even remember what
their name is You understand what I'm saying
and we approach this we Read this Joe. I know this is true
of me and I feel it's probably true of some of you when you
pray that you relate to Christ praying this based upon your
own experience. Christ said, I know my sheep. I call them by name. Therefore,
when he made this statement, Joe, I don't know. I just want to state it from
my own point of view. I see in his heart and mind the
name of every one of his children from all ages. Right there in
his eternal being. I pray not for these alone. And that was only 11. He did
not even pray for that 12th one, remember? I pray not for these
alone, but for them also which shall believe on me through their
word. And I can see him, and this may
not be the best way to say it, I understand it, but I see him
seeing into time, into the future, and seeing this small group of
people sitting right here this morning. He's praising God for
us. Huh? Neither pray I for these
alone but for them also which shall believe on me through their
word that they all may be one As thou father now look art See
that in me Do you see that? Again, I'm not going to be able
to explain it I'm just saying this is the cry of the Son of
God to the Father and he says I will He goes up. He goes on
to say I will that those you've given me be with me where I am
That they all may be one as thou father art in me and I indeed
do you see this? combobulation You're in me and
I'm in you. Do you see it? I can't explain
that. Here's one on the earth, praying
to one in glory. And he's saying, I'm in you and
you're in me. But look, he's not talking simply
about himself and the Father, but us. But us. that they all may be one as thou,
Father, art in me and I in thee, that they also may be one in
us, that the world may believe that thou hast sent me, and I'll
go no further in saying other than this, one day the world
will know God the Father sent Jesus of Nazareth. One day they
will. And the glory which thou gavest
me, I have given them. He gave it to us before we ever
even existed. That they may be one even as
we are one. So him being revealed in us means
what? We're one with him. He's one
with us. We're one with God the Son, God
the Father, and God the Holy Spirit. The glory which thou
gavest me I've given them that they may be one even as we are
one. I in them, do you see it? Right there he says it. I in
them and thou in me that they may be, look at it, that they
may be made perfect, how? Not in themselves. But, and I'm
gonna paraphrase, in that oneness. In the fact that he's gonna be
in us, and we're gonna be in him. You see it? That's why I
said they're related. They're related. I in them, and
thou in me, that they may be made perfect in one, that the
world may know that thou sent me, and hast loved them as thou
hast loved me. Every person that hates election
and dies hating election will one day acknowledge the election
of God. They'll acknowledge it for what
it is. They'll say, wow, those nuts were right after all. Right after all. Father, I will. Do you see that? You see that,
he didn't say wish. Father, I will that they also,
whom thou hast given me, be with me where I am, that they may
behold my glory. One day we will. Now we see it now, but we only
see it here in this book. And we see it through a glass
darkly. So don't be upset with yourself
because you know you don't see it like you should. But one day
we will. One day we'll see him face to
face. You remember, was it David in
the Psalms? You can correct it later. I don't remember right
off now. I will be satisfied when I awake
in his lightness. That's an Old Testament saying.
How much more do we know about the resurrection than they did? So therefore, death ought not
cause us any fear at all. You know, I said it all taught
cause us any fear at all But remember the body is what because
of sin is dead And what does dead deadness comprehends nothing? nothing That flesh is still saying
that's just a pipe dream Mm-hmm. That's like whistling in the
dark No Christ willed it You see it. He willed it And as Father,
I will that they also have thou given me, be with me where I
am, that they may behold my glory which thou hast given me, for
thou lovest me before the foundation of the world. So what's that
mean then? If the Father loved us as he
loved the Son, that means he loved us before the foundation.
the foundation of the world. Oh, righteous Father, the world
hath not known thee, but I have known thee, and these have known
that thou hast sent me, and I have declared unto them thy name,
and will declare it, that the love wherewith thou hast loved
me may be, what? In them. Look, and this is the
way he ends his prayer. And I end mine. So that lets
me know this Jack Metis my love for you all My love for others
in Christ Your love for me and your love for one another your
love for others in Christ means nothing apart from him in us
It is a pipe dream Unless he is in me. Do you see what I'm
saying? I That's how important it is. I say that for barely this reason. When I was in the Association
of Regular Baptists and brought up in it from just, well, probably
a lap, maybe, just brought up in it. This Christ in us was
some kind of ethereal, but no, this is the reality of where
God's people live day after day after day. And the reason you're
still here today attending this assembly, and not off in some
God-awful religious institution, is because Christ in you, the
hope of glory. And that's not talking about
some kind of hope we get. That's God placing his hope in
the person of his very Son, himself, in the person of the Spirit,
right up inside of us. The reason I can't get away from
Christ is because he's right in here. Do you understand that
you see most people think getting away from Christ? Backsliding
whatever whatever phrase whatever thing you want is like here's
Christ and I'd run away from him if his union wherever you
go He's there Huh Now Joe that's a little bit of responsibility
there watch out and I know could probably be said a better what
better way Watch out where you take him Watch out where you
take him. Don't grieve the Holy Spirit.
See I'm saying that this thing of Christ in you bears great
responsibility upon our souls. The master himself willed it
in prayer. But here's another thought of this. Christ revealed
in us, it is true union with Christ, turn to Ephesians 5. And I will preface what I'm about
to read from the Apostle Paul by this. In Ephesians chapter
five, the Apostle Paul is talking about marriage. And he's talking
about husbands and wives. But he lets us know my chief
aim here is not husbands and wives, it's Christ and the church. That's his main, now he said
I'm not abandoning this, the truth that goes with being a
husband and a wife. There's great responsibility
there. But listen to what Paul wrote.
Think about it. They say if Christ revealed in
us his true union with Christ, he willed it in prayer, but the
master initiated and holds most dear this union himself. The great glory is we don't always
hold this union dear. Sometimes we kind of forget about
it. Not that it totally leaves us,
but we're so busy with me or whatever, the world, we kind
of forget that he's right down in here. Now don't we? Or Ellen,
a lot of things we wouldn't have done if we remembered that, wouldn't
we? But look at what Paul says about
this matter. Ephesians five, just a few verses,
verse 29. For no man ever yet hated his
own flesh. but nourisheth and cherisheth
it. Now look at it. Even as the Lord
the church. It doesn't say even as the church
the Lord. Now we ought to nourish and cherish
him. And by his grace we do. By his
grace we do. But look, even as the Lord the
church. For we are members of his body. of his flesh and of his bones. Let me stop for a moment. I'll
try to illustrate this, and I do not mean this in a bragging way,
but a few times my wife has had to go to the hospital, and a
few times it's looked quite serious. You don't know what's going on. And you all can relate that you
have your spouse, you go to the hospital, or you see him sick
at home. and there's nothing you can do
about it. At best, you could take him to the hospital. You
can't fix it, Jack, and it's like there's this big hole in
your stomach. There's this knot, because there's
one flesh with you. You care for him, and you care
for him in a way that you don't care about everybody else. You
know this is happening to thousands of other people in the world,
but at that moment, your concern's not with them, it's about that
one that's your flesh. And your bone. And there's this
hole inside of you. Think of how much stronger and
greater that is with Christ than it is with us. Look at it. Look. For we are
members of his body, of his flesh, of his bones. For this cause
shall man leave his father and mother. What did the son do?
He left the father. Didn't he? And became like us. Joined himself to us in human
flesh. Knew what it was to be in pain,
and sweat, and blood, and toll, and need. For this cause shall a man leave
his father and his mother, and shall be, now notice he's talking
now about the husband toward the wife. But the particular
thing is Christ toward the church, not the husband toward the wife.
Though us husbands better take this responsibility very seriously. But he's talking about Christ,
for this cause shall a man leave his father and his mother, and
shall be joined to his wife, and they too shall be one flesh. And Christ did that for us. This is a great mystery. But I speak concerning Christ
and the church. Nevertheless, let every one of
you in particular so love his wife, even as himself, and the
wife see that she reverts her husband. Now, I'm not gonna turn
to this one. I want you to think about this,
before the world ever was. You'll find this in Proverbs
chapter eight, and specifically verses 22 through 31, but specifically
what I'm going to say will be found in verses 30 and 31. But
in Proverbs chapter eight, our Lord Jesus Christ is given the
title of wisdom. Wisdom. And wisdom, there is
clearly a person. And this wisdom was with the
Father before anything ever was. even before the angels were,
because remember, they are created beings as well. There was a,
and this is even a misnomer, there was a time, because I don't
know that you can call it time, but I say it only for our feeble
mind, there was a time when nothing but the triune God existed. And wisdom, that is our Lord
Jesus Christ said, and I was daily his delight. that God the Father, see he even
used the language, so I used the, he said daily, his delight. The Father was rejoicing over
the Son even before any of this was ever spoken into existence. But then in verse 30 and 31,
we will read this word, these words from wisdom himself. And
my delights were with the sons of men. He was thinking about us even
then. I wish, Jack, I could get a hold
of that like it ought to be got a hold of. That would change
my life forever. But remember, the body is what? Dead because of sin. We see through a glass howl. Darkly and it will not change
until we want awake in his likeness That's why it's called hope God left us like we are now so
that we might have what? strong consolation and good hope
through grace 2nd Thessalonians chapter 2 turned of Galatians
chapter 2 Our letter that we've been, we're kinda studying, Galatians
chapter two. Remember, Christ revealed in
us his true union with Christ. The master willed it in prayer.
He initiated and holds it most dear, that is this union. But
this third thought, union with Christ spans Christ's substitution
at Calvary and his being in us after gospel conversion. It's
not merely ethereal for him. Look at the way Paul put it,
and it's not ethereal for us either. Look at Galatians 2,
and just one verse, verse 20. I am crucified with Christ. What's that mean? I reckon that
to be so. When he died for me, that means
I died with him. Though I know nothing about that
experience. You understand what I'm saying? I know nothing about
what it means to be forsaken of the Father. Nothing. Even when I had my conversation
in time past, Joe, he did not forsake me then. Look at it. For I am crucified
with Christ, nevertheless I live, yet not I. Do you see it? Yet not I. But Christ liveth,
notice it don't say for, though I have no doubt that's true.
But he liveth where? In me. And the life which I now
live in the flesh. Now here's a way you could cope
with that. The body is dead because of sin. Here's a way to cope with it.
And the life which I now live in the flesh, I live by the faith
of the Son of God who loved me and gave himself for me. My encouragement
is him and his faith, not me and my faith. Because sometimes it just seems
my faith is so poor and weak. When it's really not. But it's
the flesh that gets in the way. I've said this before, I say
it over and over, our problem's not with our faith, our problem's
not with our believing. We want to say I got weak faith
or my believing's imperfect. No, these are gifts of God. He does not give imperfect gifts. Our problem, let's call it what
it is, it's called unbelief. It's not the lack of faith, it's
not a weak belief, it's unbelief. It's flesh, not spirit. But that's
why we fall into so much trouble and so much despair, spiritually
speaking, is because somehow we really think we can take this
flesh and do a little something with it. So mortified that it'll
never raise up again. And every time you hit it, it's
like a rubber snake, it just wiggles. Every time you try to
kill it it just moves around that much more There it is. I am crucified with Christ. There's
his Substitutionary satisfaction he went through that Jack all
alone Yet I went through it with him That's substitution. He did it all without my help
And yet I was right there in the middle of it. Why because
God put me there in him I am crucified with Christ, nevertheless
I live, yet not I, but Christ liveth in me. And the life which
I now live in the flesh, I live by the faith of the Son of God,
who loved me and gave himself for me. And if you get a translation
that says, I live by faith in the Lord, you go ahead and take
that translation and quit reading it, because that's not what Paul
said. We don't live by faith in him,
we live by his faith. The one who loved us gave himself
for us. Here's a fourth thought on this
thing of this being Christ revealed in us is true union with Christ. And I'm not even gonna give a
scripture for this. Think about this. This union
is typified. It is typified now. Don't get
this wrong. This union is typified in our
partaking of the Lord's table. We consume and ingest, take into
ourselves, the bread and the wine, right? Now, Jack, we literally
do that. We eat that bread and we drink
that wine. It's to typify Christ in us. Do you see it? And why are we
to do this? In so doing, we do show the Lord's
death till he come. Did not our Lord say and I don't
have time to go into that I know it's been twisted by Rome and
it's misunderstood by a lot of folks But our Lord said except
you eat the flesh of the Son of man and drink his blood you
got no life in you Life may be all around you, but you got none
where where it really counts in you What I'm saying is this
concerning this point I Being a believer in the Lord Jesus
Christ is more than just making a decision for him. Deciding,
and there's nothing, I mean, there's really nothing. I did
make some decisions. And I'm still making some decisions.
But the decisions are not what matters. Is he really in me or
not? Here's a third thought. Christ
revealed in us. Union with Christ is not grievous
to Christ. Now did you think I was gonna
say to us? It's not grievous for us either,
but I want you, it's not grievous for Christ. That's the marvelous
thing. Remember, I already give you
this first point on number three. From of old, Christ delighted
in us. He knew what we would be. Yet
his delights were with the sons of men. He knew of my rebellion
and my, metaphorically speaking at least, shaking my fists in
his face and the Father's face. Making every attempt within me
of the woo of the Spirit of God through the preacher of the word.
I do not believe that. I will not have that man reign
over me. And he still delighted in me. from of old, but here's, we give
you the second and third point of this. Turn to Ephesians chapter
one. I want you to think about this.
I wish I could preach a message that just said this like I know
it, don't even, like I figure it probably ought to be said,
Joe. Ephesians chapter one, are you there? Okay, let me give
you the statement. God's decree. Remember I said Christ revealed
in us this union with Christ is not grievous to Christ. Before I read it, somebody says,
but look at what I did. Yeah, look at what you did. Aren't
you glad he took care of what you did at Calvary? Aren't you
glad he suffered for that at Calvary? The payment's already
been paid. Think of it. God's decree is
that Christ's fullness, remember now, as deity, as God the Son,
he has all fullness, has always been full, never had any emptiness
whatsoever. But as a man, he obtained fullness. Mm-hmm. Remember it says he grew
in what? Yeah stature and wisdom before
God and man that was in his humanity God's decree is that Christ his
fullness would include us Look at it Ephesians chapter 1 the
last part of that chapter verse 22 and hath put all things under
his feet. That's the point. All things
have always been under his feet as the son of God. But they're
put under his feet even as the son of man. That's what that
preacher was preaching about. Remember the message? And it
put all things under his feet and given him to be head, not
just over the church, but over all things to the church. That's
a glory to know our Lord rules over it all, brothers and sisters.
No matter what trouble we have around us, from your closest
relative to the highest power sitting over this country, they
can do nothing to you other than what God's ordained for your
good, no matter how much it may hurt. That's what that's saying. I've kind of tried to sum that
up, but look, and gave him to be head over all things to the
church, which is his body, that's the church, right? Which is his
body, the fullness of him that filleth all in all. I don't think
I should say it this way, but I will say it this way. As a man, his fullness is not
complete without us. Without us. God purposed he save
us. What if he did not? Would he
have that fullness? This is what this religious world
does not understand. They blame Christ for not doing
enough at Calvary. Now don't they? God's done all
he can do, now it's up to you. That's blaming God. But God the Father said, look,
look, which is his body, the fullness of him that filleth
all in all. When God winds it all up, what
would it look like if all of a sudden Christ is missing an
arm? Are we not his body? What if
he's missing an arm? He would not be what? Full. But even more in that final day
Here's Christ presenting himself and his body to the father and
he's missing just a finger He's not full Now listen to me That could ever happen Because
according to Hebrews, Christ, Hebrews 2, verses 10 through
13, I'm not gonna read it, Christ still finds great joy in us. He who sanctifies and they who
are sanctified are all of one. And it says, I can't quote it,
I gotta turn back to it. I don't wanna misquote this one. This is Christ now. Verse 11
of Hebrews 2. For both he that sanctifies and
they who are sanctified are all of one. For which cause he is
not ashamed to call them brethren. I don't care what you look like
to you. What matters is how you look like to him. He loves his
bride. And he cherishes it, and nourishes
it. And he set us apart for himself,
saying, I will declare thy name unto my brethren. I can kinda
see that in him, declaring thy name unto my brethren. But look,
in the midst of the church, will I sing praise unto thee, or God. Christ is now singing praises
unto God the Father for us. Right now, not one day he will,
Jack. Right now. And again, I will
put my trust in him. And again, look at it, this is
Christ. Behold, who's he beholding to? Not us, to the Father. Behold, I and the children which
God has given me. Again, I say Christ revealed
in us, this union with Christ is not grievous to Christ. Kind of puts a little new light
on the subject, don't it? That's an old light, it's been
in here for years. But we don't often think of that,
do we? Come on now, especially some
of us that brought up in religion, I think of Christ in me, that's
that scary part. He's everywhere I go, right?
No, that's a joyous thing. That's a joyous thing. Although
we are never happy with ourselves. And when you start getting happy
with yourself, that's when you're really in trouble. Brothers and sisters, it's okay
to be ashamed when you're screwed up. It's okay. That's a good thing. It's when we're not ashamed when
we sin against God that there's a problem. But the shame feels
bad nonetheless, don't it? But he's not ashamed. He knows our frame. He remembers
that we're what? Dust. But he hath not dealt with
us according to our iniquities. Where was I? Okay, although we
are never happy with ourselves, we can always rejoice that Christ
delights in us. No matter how far down you go,
he delights in us. Although we groan under sorrow,
although we groan under being ashamed, While we groan, I said,
while we groan under this sorrow, we can be happy that he has joy
before his father and sings praise to him. Even in us. Even in us. The next time you're flat on
your face, just remember, he's there with you. That's great
responsibility. But he's in there in you, too.
And that's why you get back up. All them times you've fallen,
why'd you get back up? Because he's not gonna stay there.
He's not gonna stay there. He's not gonna stay there. Heavenly
Father, many of these things seem so far beyond us, and I
realize that in a true manner of speaking, they are, Lord.
If we could truly If we could grasp these things, we could
deal with the flesh better. But Lord, by your grace, you
still enable us to keep on mortifying that flesh, mortifying that flesh.
But Lord, let us always be mindful of the fact that the life that
we live is not us, but it's Christ in us. That hope of glory in
Christ's name, amen.