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September 17, 2021 8:00 am
Today on Fellowship in the Word pastor Bill Gebhardt challenges you to become a fully functioning follower of Jesus Christ as believers in Jesus Christ. I think ask the question we keep asking ourselves is this one when the world's glowing eye what's going on in the truth of the matter is, as a believer in Jesus Christ what's going on is going on but that should change us. There are two questions we should. The first one is this how can I deliver with competence in a chaotic world. And secondly how can I impact this call disintegrating culture had wide impact of the highlights of the Lord joining us today on this additional fellowship of the word pastor Bill Gebhardt Fellowship in the Words the radio ministry of Fellowship Bible church located in Metairie, Louisiana Pastor Bill Gebhardt now again he shows us how God's word meets our work and what we were expressing was just how confused we are about what we think about almost everything.
I think the last year and 1/2 in our country is being about as made many confusing thoughts as you could put together from the disputed election to the critical race theory the funding the police covered 19 Dell restrain gender identification. All this is kind of happen and you know it's really hard to sort of focus on how you think through this and I all of a sudden she just hit it right on the head and she said you know what I feel like one of those up spaghetti maps that they used to forecast her accounts and you know what I thought that was perfect that you know what they're like you see them they got like 20 squiggly lines on you and what's funny is if it's early on, they'll let you know on the local weather that the hurricane could hit anywhere between the East Coast of Florida and Brownsville, Texas. You know, and then you gotta figure out which line you want to know out of all these lines, but they're all over the map and show you how that even works on Thursday.
I was watching the national weather Channel and up Henri who is just now approaching New England right now. They show the nurse spaghetti maps that there's a 300 mile variance on Thursday as to where this could possibly go, which simply means at that stage when they use those they don't know what they're talking about, but they really don't know these are just projections that people make and I thought wow, that is the reality of living today in America. That's the way we think we just think like spaghetti maps. We have just think of all the different things you've heard people say just just take one subject covert and vaccines. Just think of all the things you've ever heard it, just like the spaghetti maps there everywhere from that perspective we end up getting really caught up in it and so the first thing I want to tell you this morning is this this just my opinion, it's probably going to get worse.
That's what I think it's going to get worse. I want you to open your Bibles to first Thessalonians chapter 5 in the first three verses first Thessalonians chapter 5 in the first three verses the apostle Paul writing to the church of Thessalonica. In chapter 5 he says this now as to the times and the E box brethren, you have no need of anything to be written.
You, for you yourselves know full well that the day of the Lord will come just like a thief in the night and while they are saying peace and safety, then destruction will come upon them suddenly like labor pains upon a woman with child, they will not escape. Know what I find interesting about that, as Paul was talking to the church. He uses the exact same expression that Jesus uses in the all of the discourse. When is talking to his disciples about the future of the nation Israel, but he uses the idea of labor pains is that since the beginning of labor pains and if you're leaving your children, you know exactly what that is, labor pains and you know how it works starts are not a lot of pain and then a lot of time and then another pain but it's a little more and then a little less time a little more pain. The littlest time goes on and on and he said that's the way it's going to be in the end. So the question would be is is that's starting to happen now and the answer is I have no idea but as possible. And the reason I would say that is when you reap prophecy in the Bible, you end up coming to this conclusion. Whatever happens to the world that sets up the stage for the antichrist to come is worldwide.
Something is happening worldwide.
If you look at the history of the world, almost nothing had ever happened was worldwide almost nothing. I mean even world war one and world war two worked really world wars.
There were European wars, the Americans got involved in a Japanese got involved with the whole world. You see, they were closer but think of just three things that have happened in that the last 25 years. Think of terrorism while where does terrorism occur anywhere who has to deal with it. Everyone you have acts of terrorism in Africa and Asia, and Europe United States Army nurse terrorism about this up. What about global warming effect and everybody the whole world can be affected by the way to go to ghost beginning map thinking you get really upset by this, I was reading about 10 days ago in the USA Today and up. Apparently a meteorologist somewhere where it's from, but he said that as they've done research. They believe that were very very close to up permanently eliminating ocean currents and he said, and if we do eliminate those like the Gulfstream. He said if we eliminate the Gulfstream all of Europe and half of the United States will go into a colder period than it ever has in its history. There's a good thought, you know, I mean more worried about global warming and then were worried about how many people that are pouring to the South's so-called North so global warming is an issue, then think of covert is a local issue no. Is it everywhere yes everybody in the world is facing it together. So at the end times. The setting for the antichrist as the whole world is in crisis and he's a guy that's able to solve so is it possible this is the beginning of labor pains short, do I know no idea. You know, I have no idea at all, but it certainly is possible so when you think of those men you think of our country.
How different it is now that it was not long ago I read an expression that really describes our culture from sociologist to cultivate because our country the disintegrating culture and he makes a case that America's disintegrating is a culture faster than almost any culture of brass. It's just right in front of us. You see it happening in every possible way that you can imagine, and what ends up happening to us is this. We asked the wrong question. As believers in Jesus Christ. I think we ask the wrong question. The question we keep asking ourselves is this one when the world's going on. I what's going on out there in the truth of the matter is, as a believer in Jesus Christ. It really that matter. It wouldn't matter what's going on what's going on is going on. You know, but that should change us very much at all. There are two questions we should ask. You see, I think there's two questions that we should be able to ask the first one is this how can I live with confidence in a chaotic world. How do I live with confidence in a chaotic world, and secondly how can I impact this is what I call disintegrating culture. How do I impact the router. I serve the Lord knows the questions I want to answer this morning so Megan now to turn the Colossians chapter 3 just a book to your left. Colossians chapter 3 and will start with the first question how can I live with confidence in a chaotic world. The apostle Paul has just finished the first two chapters. So the first word of chapter 3 is a favorite word of Paul's therefore and when he's done is typical Paul in the first two chapters, he tells you who you are in Jesus Christ. He tells you what Jesus Christ is done for you.
He tells you what it means to be a believer therefore nobody going to do about that's the way Paul writes virtually every epistle, so we starts at nieces. Therefore, if you have been raised up with Christ. That word if, as typical Americans when we see the word if we always say if means maybe yes, maybe no. But that's not Greek. Greg never does that. This is a first class condition of the word. If should be translated since it means if and it's true second class condition in Greek. If it is not true third class condition. The way we might be true might not be true. This is if and it's true. So he says since you have been raised up with Christ: Paul constantly remind you when I the relationship that you have and I have with Christ constantly talks about this.
He said the identification is so strong and we don't think about very often at all how strongly am I identified with Christ in the book of Romans, Paul go so far as to say this when Christ when Christ was crucified. You were crucified. Then he said, when Christ was buried, you were buried when Christ raised the dead, you raise the dead. In fact, to get the Ephesians and he set out to get even further. Christ now is seated in the heavenly's and your seated in heavenly's and your seated here in church and he seated here.
The identification is so strong that you have with Christ. That's his point. If you have been raised up with Christ. He said okay I'm going to give you now, to commandments the imperative mood of midgets at the commandment. Keep seeking the things above. That's what he says you need to keep seeking the things above the present tense.
What that mean you have to continually keep seeking.
That means you have to seek it today. Tomorrow, next week, next month, next year, and until you go to be with the Lord. You have to keep seeking.
You have to think about this every day of your life that I am seeking the things above. Notice he said the things above were Christ is seated at the right hand while were Christ is seated at the right hand is that's what you have to be doing. You have to keep on seeking the things above, but we live in a spaghetti map world.
That's how we think we don't do this. That's not the focus that we have effect when you're in a crisis like we are.
What's the world safe while psychology says if you're of you have a problem. What you do, you look within. That's where the answer is within okay and opportunist would say no, no, you look a run to take advantage of whatever situation you're in an optimist would simply say you look ahead you'll get better pessimist with this a lookout going to get worse. What's got say look up should look up that's what you say, keep seeking the things above, you should look up and I'm not sure at all. That's what were doing Christians in this culture, it seems were looking for answers in all the wrong places and not necessarily where the Lord is put in notice he says were Christ is seated at the right hand of God.
Now if you read the Bible a lot, you know this whenever that phrase right hand of God means it always means this 40 if you sit at the right hand of the king of authority.
You said the right hand of God, you have authority Jesus has absolute complete authority them illustrated hold your place right here and go with me to Ephesians chapter 1 Ephesians chapter 1 and verse 18. Again, Paul already tells you in the verses 1 to 17. When the longer sentences in the Greek text. All the great things God is giving you receive is giving you every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places are all yours everything everything every spiritual blessing there is God's. I give now, he says, though, there's something I wish would happen. He said, I pray that's interesting. I pray that the eyes of your heart might be enlightened what you mean. He said I want you to know how incredibly special you are to God what is giving you, but I'm not sure you know it at all summer. Pray for you. I would pray he said that the eyes of your heart are enlightened, so that you will know what is the hope of his calling, and what are the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints.
I wish you would know who you are. I just wish you know that I'll pray for and I think Paul would tell us the reason I'm praying for to so many Christians have no idea. They just think I'm a person who believes in Jesus and I got a ticket to heaven one day. He said that's not even close. There's so much more to it than that. He said also and what is the surpassing greatness of his power toward us who believe.
I wish you understood the surpassing greatness of the power of God that he's made available to you is that's what I pray for, I would wish you would know the power that you have again why would he prefer that because so many of us don't know. You see so many of us don't know what all. In fact, most of us in our thought life spend our entire lives. Thinking spaghetti maps.
I just find out what are they saying on the news what they say at work today when my sister-in-law tell me I'm putting it together what doesn't work too well that way. He said these are in accordance with the working of the strength of his might.
The only limits of the power of God has for you is the strength of his might. What kind of strength is that I'm limited the watch which he brought about in Christ when he raised from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly places and empowers us resurrection power God's I want you to know you have resurrection. That's what God says if you felt that thought that you know I give you that this is one of the blessings I'm going to give you a good understanding stands behind you see this is the way this works and he goes on and says far above all rule and authority and power and dominion. He said the power you and I possess is more than the power of the United Nations, the president United States.
There's more power than that, that they can compare this, he said, and every name that is named, not only in this age but in the age of the one to come. He said it's it's the power of God in your life, and he says they put all things in subjection under his feet and gave him his head over all things to the church. Jesus has absolute total power and he has absolute total of 40 that mean Christ is in control of everything the Bible say this, everything that is in heaven is under his authority everything that happens on earth is under his authority.
He is sovereign. Everything the demise of the culture is sovereign covert. He sovereign terrorist he stop global warming. He sovereign. There is nothing in the world happening now or ever happen in the future that he's not had this not have authority over using such a phenomenal flock, but be honest.
How often do you ever even think ever we don't think about him having that kind of authority, but if we keep seeking the things above and we keep setting our mind on the things above, it should become a reality to us. That's why Paul wrote, let's go back to Colossians again. Chapter 3. This time verse two he says I want to give you the second command right now, Paul says, then set your mind when the things above, not on the things of the earth, so there's the second commandment yet to set your mind set your thinking on the things above, not on the things of the earth. Doctors think about your thinking in the last year and 1/2 is your thoughts, but all heavenly or you think about what's going on earth.
To be honest or and by the way, are there a lot of us getting map different opinions of what's going on earth there everywhere. I mean there everywhere. And sadly, there in the church.
There's just not everyone has thoughts about everything and it's confusing and it's anxiety producing from many folks and he saying in in this sense, you and I my thought life in your should be this just like a compass.
What's a compass always do points north.
No matter where you take points north.
No matter where you take me or you should point north our thought should always be from the look to the Lord always. He has all the authority he has all the power of everything that's going on. So my thought should be about him, not about what's going on. I can look at what's going on and I could pray to the Lord. How would you want me to react in this is how do you want me to react in this Lord because that's the only thing that matters because I'm really anxious how many times we commend in Scripture not to worry or be anxious for nothing, over and over again.
That's the Lord telling you that and here's your reaction a mind to know what's going on. He does know what's going on fact even tells us something about what he'll do with what's going on, all things will work together for your good.
I don't feel that I don't think that mean what if it hit me, what I hit us. I got send this works it to covers everything. What if I got the worst prognosis possible because people do, but what if he told me I have six weeks to live with when I got this to be gaps in the body be present with me in my father's house are many dwelling places.
I going to prepare a place for you where I am, you will be also receive you to myself to the last Israelites could be the best day of your life are you so would you think I need a second opinion. I need to find another doctor. You see, we end up thinking this way because the worst thing that could happen you can happen to you.
That's the point. She that's our faith.
And if it's not.
This is, I can tell you something. It's going to be that. And if it's not now. It's going to be then so please be at peace with this, that and then is going to happen to you at happens that everybody you know. And God says I got I got this. Just think about me just well on me not know what's going on. Remember, the apostle Paul in Philippians, he was asked a hypothetical question, but he was asked the question.
Paul, if you were given the choice to die today or to live on. What would you choose Paul said, I choose the guy what it why be best in my to be with the Lord.
But notice what he said that but for your sake, I'll stay. He said God wants me to stay for your sake, I'll be happy to serve him, but he wants me home and happy to go and the funny part is nothing can change member.
This Psalm 139. The idea were fearfully and wonderfully made. Remember, he said, while I was in the womb, God new every day of my life before I was born so he knew how long I live when I go meet with them. He knew all this know what's going to change my can we ever change regard new no, but I should be a piece of God, this isn't that I'm not afraid.
You see, I'm not afraid and I'm not to live my life foolishly I don't mean that weight if that's what you're saying. I think what I do is just kind of is to be River bridge and jump off because of is not my day right limits status, it would be your day to day and you would've been officially died of stupid but I don't mean it that fatalistic way. I mean I trust God in this and that takes away the anxiety and fears that I feel comfortable give her the radio ministry of fellowship Lord, if you ever missed one of our broadcast or maybe you just like the smooth message one more time.
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You can listen online or if you prefer, you can download the sermon and listen your engineering and remember you can do all this absolutely free of charge. Once again our website is FVC Nola.org for pastor Bill Gebhardt and Jason Gebhardt. Thank you for listening to fellowship in order