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foreign good morning everyone welcome to morning worship at free Grace Baptist Church welcome to any visitors that are with us this morning just you know we have a Pulpit Swap this morning so Mike Kirkpatrick pastor of the story reform Baptist Church is with us welcome Mike and Pastor Butler is preaching in Surrey this morning another announcement Jonathan papp's baptism is next Sunday in the morning and then oh the newsletter is also available at the back the printed copy the emailed newsletters letters came out about a week ago but if you prefer a hard copy there are some at the back and there is that little crossword puzzle in there if you're diligent and want to get a free book uh and the other thing is make sure you say goodbye to John Leah Curry today as our last Sunday with us uh they're flying for Honduras tomorrow and John tells me they only have a one-way ticket so they don't know when they're coming back so make sure you say goodbye and pray that they'll be back soon so we see them soon so for our call to worship this morning turn in your scriptures to Psalm 24 with me psalm 24. Psalm 24 a Psalm of David the Earth is the Lord's and all its fullness the world and those who dwell therein for he has founded it upon the Seas and established it upon the waters who may Ascend into the hill of the Lord or who may stand in his holy place he who has Clean Hands and a pure heart who has not lifted up his soul to an idol nor sworn deceitfully he shall receive blessing from the Lord and righteousness from the god of his salvation this is Jacob the generation of those who seek Him who seek your face Salah lift up your heads oh you Gates and be lifted up your Everlasting doors and the king of glory shall come in who is this king of glory the lord strong and mighty the Lord Mighty in battle lift up your heads o you Gates lift up your Everlasting doors and the king of glory shall come in who is this king of glory the lord of hosts he is the king of glory Selah amen for our first hymn this morning turn in your Hymnal to 5 24 5 24 Guide Me O thou great Jehovah and please stand with me as we sing [Music] foreign foreign inside songs [Music] maybe seated let us turn to our great God In Prayer gracious Father in Heaven I do thank you for the blessings that you pour out upon us each and every day of Our Lives thank you for the blessing we have this morning of gathering together as your people to worship you in this place I pray Lord that your blessing would rest upon us and that you would be pleased with our worship Lord we know that it is not because of any good in us that you would be pleased with our worship but because of the righteousness of Christ imputed to us you have drawn us to yourself and we give you thanks and praise and honor for that thank you for what you are doing all over the world this very day as the gospel is going forth and we pray that the preaching of the Gospel would be effective that the Holy Spirit would be in attendance where the gospel is preached accurately and we pray that even this day you would draw many Sinners to yourself Lord we thank you for the hidden things of God that uh are behind the scenes that are amazing to us that we do not understand or know but you know everything you know exactly how many Souls will be added to the church this day and we thank you for that we thank you that there are souls added to the church each and every day we trust that that your church will be Victorious and that there will be a great multitude standing Before the Throne on that final day to worship the lamb we know even now you are calling redeemed Sinners home to yourself and we have no idea how many will pass into Glory this day but we thank You O Lord that our destination is also sure those of us who have believed on Christ we can look forward to that day when all the all the difficulties and Sorrows of this life are past and the joy that is before us is untarnished by sin and untarnished by difficulty thank you Lord for what you are doing in our own congregation I pray that you would continue to uphold your people those who are struggling the the sick the elderly those who are are having difficulties spiritually or in relationships Lord be merciful to your people I pray God that your blessing would rest upon us this day as we hear the word preached I pray your anointing would rest upon Pastor Mike as he comes to the pulpit give him unction to preach the whole counsel of God to us without holding anything back and I pray it would find its Target in our hearts bless the the children and the youth in our midst I pray God that they would learn to the fear of the Lord Young And Believe on you and never depart from the the way of the Gospel Lord I pray for the the babies even in utero right now I pray that your hand would be upon mother and child and that you would bless them with with good health and bring these little ones forth to uh to the light of day healthy and strong and eventually to the light of the glory of the Gospel I thank you for the good that you are doing in our midst and I pray that you would do that in the churches that we have close fellowship with I pray in particular for the church down in the Honduras blessed Pastor pastors Carlos Pastor Louise there encourage that congregation I pray that you would continue to add to their number and Lord as the curries head that direction tomorrow I pray your blessing would rest upon them I pray that they would be a blessing in that Nation as long as you keep them there and I pray Lord that that you would also bring them back to us at least to visit in the future with a good report of what you are doing in that country I pray for the other Brethren from our church that will be heading down to the Honduras in a few days time a week's time pray Lord that your blessing would rest upon them and though their stay there is temporary I pray that they would be able to have a good impact and encouragement to the Brethren there and vice versa Lord we pray for the the Church of Jesus Christ all over the face of the earth that is suffering persecution for the cause of Christ especially those who are in Chains as we are commanded in the scriptures to remember them as if we were in Chains with them Lord I pray that you would be merciful to your Saints and sustain them and I pray God that the hope of glory would would stay with them to the very end Lord for those who are persecuting your people I pray that you would stay their hand either by by convicting power of the Holy Spirit and bringing them to the knowledge of the truth or by removing them from their their seat of office those political powers that are opposed to the Church of Jesus Christ Lord be merciful to your Saints all over the face of the Earth this day I pray Lord I pray that you would bless the church in uh in Ontario Dryden the fellowship that is meeting there as well encourage them encourage the brethren in Armstrong bless Pastor Melgar says he preaches and as he labors from week to week in that congregation encourage him and Lord we pray as well for the the church in Surrey bless Pastor Butler as he preaches this morning encourage that congregation congregation cause them to grow in maturity continue to bless Pastor Kirkpatrick as he returns to that field and thank you for his opportunity to be with us this morning may your blessing rest upon him and upon us as we continue in worship I pray in Jesus name amen now if you'll take your Trinity psalter Hymnal we're going to sing Psalm 23 The Lord's my shepherd Psalm 23 selection B [Music] foreign seriously God blessings foreign never enough forever foreign may be seated for our scripture reading this morning in the New Testament we're approaching the end of the New Testament in the Book of Revelation Chapter 2 this morning we will read the entire chapter Revelation chapter 2. to the angel of the Church of Ephesus right these things says he who holds the Seven Stars in his right hand who walks in the midst of the seven golden lampstands I know your Works your labor your patience and that you cannot bear those who are evil and you have tested those who say they are Apostles and are not and have found them liars and you have persevered and have patience and have labored for my name's sake and have not become weary nevertheless I have this against you that you have left your first love remember therefore from where you have fallen repent and do the first works or else I will come to you quickly and remove your lampstand from its place unless you repent but this you have that you hate the Deeds of the Nicolaitans which I also hate he who has an ear let him hear what the spirit says to the churches to him who overcomes I will give to eat from the Tree of Life which is in the midst of the paradise of God and to the angel of the church was in Smyrna right these things says the first and the last who was dead and came to life I know your Works tribulation and poverty but you are rich and I know the blasphemy of those who say they are Jews and are not but are at a synagogue of Satan do not fear any of those things which you are about to suffer indeed the devil is about to throw some of you into prison that you may be tested and you will have tribulation ten days be faithful until death and I will give you the Crown of Life he who has an ear let him hear what the spirit says to the churches he who overcomes shall not be hurt by the second death and to the angel of the church in pergamos right these things says he who has the sharp two-edged sword I know your works and where you dwell where Satan's Throne is and you hold fast to my name and did not deny my faith even in the days in which Antipas was my faithful martyr who was killed among you where Satan dwells but I have a few things against you because you have there those who hold the doctrine of Balaam who taught balak to put a stumbling block before the children of Israel to eat things sacrificed to idols and to commit sexual immorality thus you also have those who hold the doctrine of the Nicolaitans which I hate excuse me repent or else I will come to you quickly and will fight against them with the sword of my mouth he who has an ear let him hear what the spirit says to the churches to him who overcomes I will give some of the Hidden Manna to eat and I will give him a white stone and on the stone a new name written which no one knows except him who receives it and to the angel of the church in thyatira right these things says the Son of God who has eyes like a flame of fire and his feet like fine brass I know your Works love service and faith and your patience and as for your works the last are more than the first nevertheless I have a few things against you because you allow that woman Jezebel who calls herself a prophetess to teach and seduce my servants to commit sexual immorality and eat things sacrificed to idols and I gave her time to repent of her sexual immorality and she did not repent indeed I will cast her into a sick bed and Those who commit adultery with her into Great Tribulation unless they repent of their deeds I will kill her children with death and all the churches shall know that I am he who searches the minds and hearts and I will give to each one of you according to your works now to you I say and to the rest in thyatira as many as do not have this Doctrine who have not known the depths of Satan as they say I will put on you no other burden but hold fast what you have till I come and he who overcomes and keeps my works until the end to him I will give the power give power over the Nations he shall rule them with a rod of iron they shall be dashed to pieces like The Potter's vessels as I also have received from my father and I will give him the Morning Star he who has an ear let him hear what the spirit says to the churches amen let us pray gracious Father in Heaven I thank you for these words of the Apostle John inspired by the Holy Spirit I pray o God that you would help us to take to heart those things that apply to us as a church and to us as individuals and to hold fast and to overcome and as he sings in Jesus name amen for our last hymn we'll stand and sing 364. 364. [Music] oh my God thank you [Music] foreign [Music] eyes for us Jesus Christ songs foreign [Music] good morning everyone it's good to be with you all this morning you can turn with me in your Bibles to the book of Colossians chapter 2. foreign we're going to look at the spiritual circumcision from Colossians chapter 2 verses 11 through 15. but I will read verse 6 to verse 19 to set the context Colossians chapter 2 we'll begin reading at verse 6. as you therefore have received Christ Jesus the Lord so walk in him rooted and built up in him and established in the faith as you've been taught abounding in it with Thanksgiving beware lest anyone cheat you through philosophy and empty deceit according to the tradition of men according to the basic principles of the world and not according to Christ for in him dwells all the fullness of the godhead bodily and you are complete in him who is the head of all principality and Power in him you were also circumcised but the circumcision made without hands by putting off the body of the sins of the flesh by the circumcision of Christ buried with him in baptism in which you were also raised with him through faith in the working of God who raised him from the dead and you being dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh he is Made Alive together with him having forgiven you all trespasses having wiped out the handwriting of requirements that was against us which was contrary to us and he has taken it out of the way having nailed it to the Cross having disarmed principalities and Powers he made a public spectacle of them triumphing over them in it so let no one judge you in food or in drink or regarding a festival or a new moon or sabbaths which are a shadow of things to come but the substances of Christ that no one cheats you of your reward taking Delight in false humility and worship of angels intruding into those things which he has not seen they only puffed up by his fleshly mind and not holding fast to the Head from whom all the body nourished and knit together by joints and ligaments grows with the increase that is from God Amen well let us pray our great God we are thankful we can come before you this day to set our eyes upon you we're thankful for who we are in Christ Our Lord thank you for our Union with him that we have died with him we've buried with him and we've been raised with him and help us to know this our great God as we are pilgrims in a Barren land thank you that you walk with us and guide us as we make our way to that Celestial City and help us to know who we are help us to know what we are because of Christ and what he has done thank you that we have received Christ by faith the gift that you've given and so we ask that you'd help us to walk by faith as well may we be rooted and established and firm in him may we know what we are in him may we know the Forgiveness that we have in him and may this help us as we seek to honor and glorify you in this life so we pray that today would be a day of salvation for those that do not know you we pray that today would be a day of nourishment and comfort for those who do know you we pray that you would work amongst your saints that you give us what we need and we ask that you give us illumination from on high to better understand what your word says these are blessed doctrines and difficult doctrines we are tired and weary and are thinking of other things but help us to focus our attention upon you this morning and may we be encouraged and uplifted by who we are in Christ Jesus so be with us now by your spirit we pray in the Name of Christ amen well that word identity comes up a lot in our modern world people are asking themselves who am I what am I and they're seeking to find their identity and all sorts of things rather than Christ Alone in every other identity does not fulfill because it is not in Christ alone and the false teachers at colisee who Paul is writing to deal with they are finding their identity in keeping the law their identity in Greek philosophy rather than in the things of God and the sad reality is that their identity is actually very unforgiving they're trying to keep the law for salvation they think they've have communion with God by that law but in reality only leads to an identity of Despair and thankfully Paul writes and tells us that there is a more excellent identity that is having our identity in he who identified with us this is why he is writing to deal with the problems that are occurring at callists say not so much that the fact that it's not so much that the people were affected by it or being duped by it but he was writing to deal with the heresy that was making its way in and around that church he wants to remind them here is who you are here's what Christ has done for you here is where your identity lies he tells them that Christ is the one who is Lord of creation he tells them that Christ is the Lord of new creation and we see the heart of the letter in verse to chapter 2 verse 6. as you therefore have received Christ so walk in a walk in him it's not as though you enter in by Christ and remain in by yourselves but the Christian walk the Christian life is always in the Lord Jesus Christ it's not Faith plus but faith in him faith in Christ and we have all we need in him all our benefits come from him all that we need for Life Everlasting and for life and faith and practice in this world comes from him so he unpacks what that is in verses 6 through 10 driving to the point where he says based on the Incarnation in verse 10 and you are complete in him any other religion one is incomplete the way we find completeness is in and through the Lord Jesus Christ and so then he continues this in verses 11 through 15 where he unpacks the benefits that are found in Christ and then in verse 16 he deals with the problems of the false teachers but verses 11 through 15 Builds on what he says in verse 10 you are complete in him that's what he wants us to see that's what Paul is trying to explain in these verses you if you are in Christ are complete in him he's emphasizing our Union he's emphasizing our identity with the Lord Jesus Christ we don't need to find our identity in anything else and so we'll look at this completeness in him under two headings this morning first of all we'll see circumcised in him verses 11 and 12 and secondly alive in him in verses 13 through 15. so circumcised in him verses 11 and 12 and secondly alive in him in verses 13 through 15. so let's first look at circumcised in him in verses 11 and 12. and notice we see specifically our circumcision in him in verse 11. and we have this circumcision made without hands verse 11 in him now that that these words come up a lot in God's word and it tells us about our Union with Christ if we've been saved we are saved in him if we've been redeemed we are redeemed in him if we walk in this world we walk in him it tells us about that real yet mysterious communion we have with God our Union with Christ even now Brethren sometimes I don't always feel like I have that Union with Christ but the Bible tells us if We Believe upon him if we are children of God we are in him and that's again what Paul wants us to see we don't need the law for salvation we don't need some special secret knowledge for salvation we are complete in him so even two words are full of Rich theology in him he goes on to unpack what that means in him you were also circumcised with the circumcision made without hands now we really don't know fully what that colossian heresy is but we start to see glimpses of it by how he deals with various things in the letter and notice he emphasizes circumcision and it perhaps was the case that the colossian Heretics there was a mixture of Greek philosophy and Jewish understanding and so we see that here perhaps these ones thought that they could have communion with God they could enter into the end time Tabernacle with God by way of circumcision by way of the circumcision of the flesh now we see this in the book of Galatians as well there's a faith plus aspect there it's not Faith believe on Christ and be saved but it's believe on Christ and be circumcised as the way of Salvation well it's a similar sort of thing here but perhaps some more Greek philosophy uh mixed in so Paul's writing to say you have a circumcision that differs from theirs you have a far greater circumcision than the one that was found even in the Old Testament and so he says you have this circumcision that was made without hands now obviously this contrast with the circumcision made with hands referring all the way back to Genesis 17 where we see that abrahamic sign a covenant sign for the old Covenant people we're not against circumcision uh when it in its proper place the circumcision of the flesh it really was a sign of their setting apart wasn't it God had set Abraham apart though the males were supposed to be circumcised to be set apart but it was a fleshly circumcision it wasn't outward circumcision and there were limitations to that circumcision namely one only males could be circumcised and so we have a greater one in the new we have a circumcision made without hands and what he's talking about here is the spiritual work God does in our hearts it's not a circumcision outwardly that we have but a circumcision inwardly it is a setting apart by God inwardly God is the one who brings this circumcision notice it's passive it says you were also circumcised you don't need to go back to the law you don't need the old Covenant circumcision you have been changed here by the work of God most high and thankfully it includes not just males but includes females it includes not just Jews but includes Gentiles and in fact Paul unpacks this in his application section in chapter three when he talks about how in Christ there is neither Greek nor Jew circumcised nor uncircumcised Barbarian scythian slave nor free but Christ is all in all one does not have to be an ethnic Jew to be part of the people of God that is to have a spiritual circumcision so he's writing to highlight this this is the blessing and benefit of the New Covenant era it is a circumcision of the heart and in fact in the Old Testament God prophesies that this would happen in Deuteronomy 30 he prophesies that only God can bring about the circumcision of the heart which will be a new covenant benefit it was some of the old covenant could not do it it's something that only Christ could bring so you don't need the old Covenant circumcision you have a new one in him in him you are complete in him you've been changed in him you have been set apart now GK Beale makes a big deal about the connection with the temple concerning circumcision there's a lot of Temple language in Colossians and the reason for that probably is the fact that these Heretics thought that by their ways that they've ascended into the Mount of God they've ascended uh into the temple of God but what Paul is trying to say throughout the letter is that the end time Temple has come down how often does he say in chapter in the book twice leading up to chapter two he says verse 19 of chapter one it pleased the father that in him all the fullness should dwell he's talking about Christ and his Incarnation he's talking about Christ who is the temple and then in chapter 2 verse 9 leading which leads into our discussion for in him dwells all the fullness of the god bodily not traditions of men not the basic principles of the world but in Christ in him dwells all the fullness of the godhead bodily and one could not enter into the temple unless they've been set apart by God I think Bill is right there is that important Temple connection certainly with the flow of the the letter but also the other places the word made without hands is used it's only found in two other places in Mark 1458 which is the key to Mark's Olivet discourse I know I sound like a dispensary when I say that but there is a key to Marx Olivet discourse in fact when Jesus isn't on trial what do they say what do they bring what charge do they bring against him this man said that he would destroy this Temple and raise it up in three days made without hands he's referring to his body he's referring to his dying and Rising again he's referring to what he would do so there's Temple aspect in 1458 and as well we see in second Corinthians 5 talking about our bodies Our resurrected bodies our bodies made without hands so we have Christ who is our Temple we have Christ who is the one who builds the temple and Christ does that by giving us new hearts and we have the promise of a new body that awaits us so all three passages kind of bring together what Christ does with the circumcision made without hand it's a Heavenly quality it is a spiritual quality that only he comes from him then he goes on to say how it is we are circumcised two things he mentions in verse 11. by putting off the body of the sins of the Flesh and by the circumcision of Christ and so he says by putting off the body of the sins of the flesh there is clothing metaphor here what it means is the old man has been Stripped Away and there's a lot of connection here about how he talks about the old Adam and the new Adam The Old Man and the new man and what we are in that new man and so what he's saying here is that old man has been Stripped Away the body of the sins of the flesh are no longer they have been taken away and stripped off and removed we no longer wear them any more the emphasis is that our sinful nature is put off through Christ who became man that old man flesh has been stripped off so he puts that away and in fact that's important when it comes to our Christian walk in verse 9 of chapter 3 do not lie to one another since you have put off the old man with his deeds it's not a command to put off the old man he's telling you what you are he's telling you that in Jesus you have put off the old man in Christ you're redeemed in Christ you are saved here is who you are now live as you are in Christ Jesus the old man has died and the new man lives in him you have put that off the body of the sins of the Flesh and notice it's done by the circumcision of Christ now that could refer to Christ actual circumcision in Luke 2 certainly Christ when he we see there he's born under the law as he is circumcised but perhaps here refers to Christ's death Christ himself was cut off for us that he might remove our sins might remove our wickedness might remove our vileness and in fact in chapter 1 verse 20 and verse 22 of Colossians how is it that we are reconciled to him especially verse 22. in the body of his flesh through death you who once were alienated and enemies in your mind by Wicked Works he has now reconciled by the body of his flesh he was cut off he was the one who died in our stead that we might have life in him and that we might have our old man Stripped Away so Christ is the one who brings that all of what we see in verse 11 is emphasizing his death we have died with him we've been circumcised in him and then notice in verse 12 he highlights how we've been buried and raised with him again our full identity in verses 11 and 12 is how we've died been buried and raised with the Lord Jesus Christ and notice he says verse 12 buried with him in baptism he's highlighting a connection between the ordinance of baptism and spiritual circumcision and spiritual regeneration and in fact in Romans 6 4 that it's a parallel text with what we see in Colossians the emphasis there why should we not keep on sinning because we've died with Christ we've been buried with Christ and we've been raised with Christ and what signifies that Brethren baptism there are some places in God's word where it seems very Roman Catholic sometimes doesn't when we read baptism it buried with him in baptism it kind of kind of sounds squeamish to our hearts and Minds sometimes when we read that right we ought not to freak out we ought to recognize the importance and significance of what baptism signifies it really it God does stoop to our nature in baptism it really is a means of Grace not for the one being baptized but for us God has given us pictures of his gospel in the ordinances baptism in the Lord's Supper we see dying buried being raised we see cleansed and washed that's what baptism signifies it highlights who we are in him how now if you are in Christ you all these things have happened to you baptism is a sign of our regeneration it's a sign of our washing it's a sign of our dying it does not not say but it signifies the Christ who does now just for fun because I know there's a lot of ex-infant Baptists here what's interesting is in the Bible there's only one place where baptism and circumcision are together can you guess which passage that is this one and if I were to ask you what is the Old Testament backdrop to baptism you would all say ritual Washings not circumcision right isn't it funny when John the Baptist comes on the scene and nobody asks what's he doing he's just dunking people and everyone's well they never asked because they've seen it before there are ritual Washings in the Old Testament that's the Old Testament backdrop to baptism and then we have to talk about circumcision what's the New Testament fulfillment of circumcision circumcision of the heart isn't it circumcision of the flesh circumcision of the heart those are the ones that go hand in hand people just assume because they think circumcision was the initiatory right and baptism is the initiatory right then they go hand in hand there's only one place in the Bible where circumcision and baptism are used and it's here and he's talking about circumcision made without hands isn't he there is an asymmetrical connection isn't there how circumcision made without hands is signified by baptism it's asymmetrical it's not one for one there certainly is a connection but it perhaps is not the way our dear Pato Baptist brothers and sisters would like to see but this is that only place and we see time out the spiritual work of God inwardly so buried with him in baptism died with him buried with him and then raised with him verse 12. in which you also were raised with him through faith in the working of God who raised him from the dead again death burial Resurrection what Christ accomplished as the representative of his people in his actual dying becomes a reality that is wrought by the spirit of Christ in our life that as we weren't there when Christ died Christ saved us in our time and space Christ dies as a representative and then by the spirit he brings that work about in our lives and notice how we receive it through faith in God who raised him from the dead you see the instrument of uh with the the instrument is that is used to receive these benefits is not works but it's faith in Christ it's faith in him as you received Christ so then walk in him our entire life dear Brethren is a life of Faith it's not we get in by faith and remain in by works but it is always by faith and it's always by faith in the working of God who raised him from the dead we see the power of God in the Resurrection the power of God in giving faith it is not the power of man but it is the work and might of God now there is an important implication with what he's saying here you were raised with him through faith in the working of God who raised him from the dead what he's saying here is that the resurrection power that is seen in Christ's Resurrection is what the believer has now we have the promise of our bodies being raised but we have end time Resurrection benefits now do we not I don't always feel like it dear Brethren but that's what Paul is saying to us here John David says he not only expiated our sins by his blood but he hath renewed our lie our hearts and washes away the body of sins which Cleaves to our soul by his Spirit what he is saying here is that the new man lives in us and that is the application our identity is with the last Adam not the old Adam our identity is with the end time Latter-Day Tabernacle our identity is with the outpouring of the spirit who is the agent of New Creation highlighting what we are and then he's going to go on in Colossians 3 uh this is all the basis for Colossians 3 for our Christian Life here is who you are here is how you ought to live now the whole point of this is that eschatology matters doesn't it now when I say eschatology don't freak out I know it just means the last days but we distinguish between Cosmic eschatology and personal eschatology I know some people say eschatology I'm saying it a lot but when some people say eschatology they're referring to who's the Antichrist and freaking out over that or they're concerned about the millennial Kingdom which is not wrong to consider your Millennial view that's perfectly fine but maybe we should think about personal eschatology and what that means and I certainly have my view and I think it does you know inform my view of personal eschatology and throughout the Bible throughout the New Testament throughout the New Covenant it really is eschatological what I mean by that is when has the last days gone dear brethren in the coming of Christ and his dying and Rising again what I mean by that is the age to come has already in broken in Christ in his finished work and the spirit is the agent of New Creation who was poured out at Pentecost and so when the gospel advances it's eschatological isn't it and when Sinners are saved it's eschatological and when God's people grow in Grace and knowledge it is s get a logical that is who you are in him you have been raised you've been redeemed you are of the age to come in him and every time we gather at church we're gathering with the age to come are we not I used to joke with one of the brothers at our church before the service starts that we're about to launch into Worlds unseen it's not a joke is it it's true when we come to worship we are actually launching into Worlds unseen because we are gathering as the Saints the church militant on Earth with the church triumphant in heaven and church really is that Glimpse and foretaste of what heaven will be like as we are come sing praises to God reminded of our Christ and reminded of who we are in him we don't need anything else we are redeemed and saved in him davinet says therefore the death burial the resurrection of Christ is the cause of our sanctification our mortification dying to sin and our spiritual vivification that is growing unto Christ another important question to ask ourselves in a Christian walk is do you believe who you are in Jesus do you believe that you've been saved do you believe that you've been redeemed do you believe that you are the new man in him I think that would help a lot of us sometimes in our Christian walk to be reminded of who we are in Christ especially as we deal with struggles and trials and problems of this world we are the new man in him he is the firstborn of the dead and we are in him that's the circumcision or the spiritual circumcision the circumcision in him let's then look secondly at alive in him in verses 13 through 15. it tells us what we once were our former plight and you verse 13. being dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh we were once spiritually Dead We Were Once in spiritual Darkness we are Once Dead in Adam again the atoms aspect is important for eschatology Covenant is important for our understanding Paul speaks of this age and the age to come we were once dead in him you being dead in your trespasses our stumblings our walkings we only walked in darkness and wickedness we were dead in them and notice the uncircumcision of your flesh we're once alienated from God we were once set apart away from God in a not so good Way We Were Once uncircumcised but what has he now done he has circumcised us and he has given us the benefits that are found in him you were once these things but notice he has now Made Alive together we are once dead and now he is Made Alive together with him and emphasizing again our Union with him our regeneration our changed heart that God rots and brings and notice the basis for that the reasons for that he's forgiven you all trespasses We Were Once Dead in our trespasses but he's forgiven you all trespasses all trespasses all trespasses the trespasses that we committed yesterday the trespasses that we're committing right now and the trespasses that we will commit all our trespasses he has forgiven us not some of them not just a few of them all of our trespasses are forgiven in him and now then all then these colossian Heretics are saying nah not Christ here's what you got to do Paul God has taken away them in Christ Jesus forgiven us carried them away according to his goodness and according to excuse me to his Mercy he goes on to unpack what that means in verse 14 having wiped out the handwriting of requirements that was against us which was contrary to us the requirements were a record of debt that's kind of scary isn't it an IOU is probably the way we could think of it we have Scott is a perfect righteous holy God and God knows all things and because that perfect righteous holy God must punish sin perfectly he knows all the sins the requirement the handwriting of the requirements that we owed to God our wickedness and sinfulness for violating God's law meant we owed God we owed him we should have owed him uh whether he offered life or offered Eternal offered life to Adam we should have just honored him but he's still in with Adam honors and offers a reward of Life Adam fails brings sin into this world and the last Adam comes and brings life Everlasting but we don't deserve anything because we had this record of requirements that were owed to God but what does he do takes him away they were contrary to us they were against us they were hostile to us and it's important to see that Christ does not die to make the requirements easier that's the faith plus group right you're in by faith you stay in by works but God just made it a little bit easier rather than the old Covenant that's typically I'm just I'm over generalizing that's typically what it is Christ in his dying removes all the requirements he takes away what we owed and he takes away our sins he takes away our trespasses this is what he does here having wiped out the handwrite writing of requirements that was against us which was contrary to us he has taken it out of the way and noticed how he does it having nailed it to the cross I really wanted to sing 580 or I don't know what 580 is in your Hymnal It Is Well with My Soul but Jim said you say or you say it last week but my sin know the Bliss of this glorious thought my sin not in part but the whole is nailed to the cross and I bear it no more what do you think that comes from dear brethren you see we have here a penal substitutionary atonement mentioned in these verses all trespasses are forgiven why because God has taken away the requirements that were due unto him and how does he do that he does it with the cross his dying takes away our sins and the power of His Rising it was What Makes Us Alive with him we had a penalty that need to be paid Christ paid it Christ died in our stead in the stead of his people his our sins are no more and thankfully he doesn't just act as our substitute he conquers verse 15. we are triumphant in him having disarmed principalities and Powers he made a public spectacle of them triumphing over them in it what does this mean for the so-called Powers the Heretics taught at colisee let's pray to Angels let's play and intrude in the worship of them let's see what's going on with them Paul is saying why in the world would you do that a the son is Lord over them B he's the head of them and see he triumphed them triumphed over them in his cross work he has made them a public spectacle we don't need anything else he has crushed the head of the serpent He reigns Supreme why would you worship Angels when you have the high King who rules over all and the language they're public spectacle trial and their language of triumphing over them carries the idea of marching in a Battle Victory marching in a parade Christ has won Christ has engaged in Conquest Christ has crushed the head of the serpent Edie says Redemption is a work at once of price and Power of expiation and Conquest on the cross was the purchase made on the cross was the victory gained the blood that wipes out the sentence was their shed and the death which was the death blow of Satan's kingdom was there endured those Nails which killed Christ Pierce descendants of Doom gave egress to the blood which canceled it and inflicted at the same time a mortal wound on the host of Darkness that power which Satan had exercised was so prostrated that everyone Believing on Christ is freed from his vassalage he has disarmed them he has destroyed them he is stripped off our old flesh he is stripped away and exposed the disgrace of those principalities and he marches triumphantly and he marches triumphantly even now is he not King who Reigns overall is he not making his enemies his footstool we must remember that brother when we see the world around us who really Reigns who really is King and who really is our God it is Christ we are in him alive in him but thankfully I know I've said this already but this is kind of the concluding application the old man has died in him old man has died the new man lives and I know I said eschatology matters and it's true it does but there is also eschatological tension we live in What's called the overlapping of the ages we're still part of this age but we're also part of the age to come right we're part of the already but we're there's also the not yet aspect and it's unfortunate because we have remaining sins right right we still have remaining struggles I'm not the only one we all still struggle with sin and Beale says their circumcision by Christ has an already dimension by which their spiritual identification with the old world has been stripped off as we March in the old world that the old world has been stripped off yet the full stripping off of their physically corrupt body must await the final Resurrection at the end of the age when also their inaugurated spiritual Resurrection existence will be perfected already not yet or more precise inaugurated consummated it's been inaugurated there is a realized eschatology we are the new man in him we are the New Creation in him but we're still waiting for that fullness to come in because we still struggle with remaining sins but the important thing to remember is that remaining sin doesn't change the fact that your guilt is removed and the Dominion of sin is no more that ought to be a comfort in our battles with sin right I know sometimes it feels like it has Dominion but that's not what God's word says we have break in the power of reigning sin in Christ Christ has broken that in us we're going to still struggle with sin but remember you've died to sin in him David says he therefore who despairs of being able to overcome the devil and all his satellites seems to deny the victory of Christ who through his triumphing causes us to Triumph we are Reign we are saved in him we have triumphed in him we have made alive in him we have been raised with him we have been buried with him we have died with him that ought to give us comfort and encouragement and strength as we walk this world as we await the fullness and the consummation when Christ comes again the old man has died the new man lives you've been spiritually circumcised you've been made alive in his death burial and his resurrection Christian this is what you are in him now live as one redeemed in him now if you're not in Christ your identity is with the old man the identity is with the punishment found because of the violations of the old man unless you believe on Christ that identity is only going to lead to despair you will die in your trespasses and sins but if you believe on Christ you shall have life Everlasting if you believe on him who died was buried and rose again you shall have your identity in he who took on human nature to save wretched Sinners Like Us that we might have life Everlasting in him in him there is a more excellent identity believe upon him you shall be saved let us pray the Lord Our God we are thankful for who we are in Christ we so often forget these realities these Heavenly realities these eschatological realities these Kingdom realities please help us to be reminded often of who we are in him think that the old man is gone and the new man Reigns thank you that we reign with Christ even now that we've been raised with Christ even now buried and died with him thank you that we've been set apart because of Christ think that we have communion with you because of Christ thank you that we are complete in him please help us as we walk this world to be reminded of that of who we are of what we are and may we always cling to him may we not be cheated by vain philosophy may we not be deceived by persuasive words but help us as we have received Christ so to walk in him give us all the strength to do that by your spirit who is the agent of New Creation who works in us now please strengthen us with might in the Inner Man as we deal with all sorts of troubles and trials and even our remaining sins in this world are great God so be with us now keep us and protect us guide us o great Jehovah please strengthen your Saints this day be pleased to save Sinners to we pray if they're in here today do not know you please work in them by your Mighty work for you are a God who is mighty to bring about this salvation so we pray in all things you would be glorified when we pray these things in the Name of Christ amen well we'll close the brief time of meditation the piano's finished you are dismissed foreign