good morning. It is great to be home, and it is always a joy to be back with you. Sometimes you write sermons and then you go back to them some time later, sometimes years later, and you look at what you wrote. You know, everybody that’s true. But I missed the point. Probably the first year that I was preaching. I wrote a sermon on Psalms 1 39 If only we believe everything I wrote in that sermon was true. Entitled it the Our Missions of God in Psalms 1 39 verses one through six,

The Psalmist writer describes what God knows. He describes God’s knowledge in the best terms that human humanity can can conjure and truly got his arm nish it that is all knowing God knows beyond what we know. He sees beyond what we see, and he knows this from beginning to end. Jesus described his existence when he spoke to those Jews in relationship to Abraham and said before Abraham Rose, I am not I waas not I will be. I am. He has existed and has always existed and will always exist.

There is no point in time where you look it God. And you go well before that? No, there is nothing before that. Well after there was nothing after that. And God, not bound by time, understands us in our being bound by time in ways that we simply cannot comprehend. He knows are sitting down and are rising up. He knows what we will do, how we will live. He knows the powers that we can take the paths that we will take. He knows our thoughts before we think them.

The Psalmist writer says he knows our words before we speak them. And so as I rode that sermon, I was thinking about what God knows and the on missions of God and truly there is a point to be made from someone 39 concerning the ah missions of God, and certainly God is Amish int. But in writing a sermon about the ah missions of God, I missed the point of someone 39 and it’s not because it’s not clear. It’s because I was looking for something else. And we do that sometimes with Scripture,

we come to a passage looking for something in the passage. Instead of looking for what’s in the passage we bring to our interpretation what we want the passage to stay to say, instead of allowing the passage to speak for itself. Sometimes we do so when we don’t do damage to the scripture and we learn things and let we don’t fully grasp what’s there. Someone 39 Verse one. Oh Lord, you have searched me and known me. This sewn declares the on the presence of God. God is everywhere. It declares the our missions of God.

God knows everything. It declares the power in the mind of God. Daughter is all powerful. It declares all of those things. The Psalmist writer isn’t writing an academic description of God. Somis writer is declaring God, you know me and the Psalmist writer is declaring his relationship to the God who is. We don’t have a relationship to a God who is not. We do not have a relationship to a God who might be. We have a relationship to a God who is and who is there in every aspect of our lives,

who knows are sitting down and are rising up. We don’t go through a day except we know that he knows us. As we discussed in the Bible class this morning as we discussed this passage. That’s a fearful thing for a wicked person. For an individual bent on doing iniquity. Bent are living his own way, bent on serving himself instead of God. It’s not a wonderful being. A bit of news to say God knows you, he knows you From the end of your day to the beginning He knows what you will do And he knows what you will think And he knows what you will say.

And that is not a calming fought for wicked individual before righteous one for a person of God For one who loves the Lord with always hard with all his mind, with all his strength. Such an idea has great strength and great hope. Lord Jehovah. Yeah, way the self existing What the I am that I am. You have searched me and known me. You know, my sitting down in my rising up You understand? My thoughts are far off And that’s where I want to spend our time this morning in a series of westerns were going to consider the idea.

God knows me and we’re gonna begin with our thoughts The soonest writer says. You understand my thoughts, you discern my thoughts. The S V says You comprehend my thoughts of fall. You know what I’m thinking before I think it. You know what I’m wanting before I want it. Jesus will describe to his disciples as he tells them concerning prayer as he speaks to them concerning their relationship with the father. He says, Ask and it shall be given to you. Seek and ye shall find knock and the door shall be opened unto you.

And he describes a child relationship with the father. He says, What child asks of his father a slice of bread and receives a stone? What child asks for a fish and receives a soap in’t? If you being are three, I know how to do good things to your Children. How much more does the father know what you need before you even ask it? But Jesus Point is God still wants you to ask. He knows you. He knows you more than you know you, but he still wants a relationship with you.

God! Oh Lord, you searched me out. God, Ron’s a relationship with you. He wants a relationship with your thoughts for Samuel, Chapter 16 In first, same attractor 16 God send Samuel his profit to go anoint a new king. He wants a king who will serve him, who will obey him because in first aid, which after 15 so said, I’ve done everything that God commanded me to do everything he told me to do. I’ve obeyed. And Samuel said, What’s the bloom of the sheep that I hear?

Why’s kilo bag standing here? You were told to go and to annihilate that people and to destroy everything that I have. You were told to bring about the judgment on them that God had pronounced all the way back in the Book of Exodus and you didn’t do it. And yet you claim to. So in Chapter 16 God send Samuel, you go and find and anoint a new king and saying they will go to the house of Jesse and he will see their David’s older brothers. You go to the house of Jesse,

Jesse will bring your sons before Samuel and the very 1st 1 looks like a king. That’s what a king looks like.

Remember, that was the description of Soul. He was hand and shoulders about all the people. He looked like a king,

but his heart wasn’t. Sam Will believes. He’s found the right one in Jessie’s older son. And God tells Samuel no and the next one?

No. Then the next one. No, wait a minute. Jesse, Do you have any more sons?

Well, yes, the youngest one. He’s out tending the flock Send for him. But in first stable Chapter 16 we find this statement made by God to Samuel as he is helping Samuel to understand why he’s not choosing the way Samuel is in first.

Same a chapter 16 and in verse seven, we read. But the Lord said the Samuel do not look at his appearance or his physical stature because I have refused him.

That says, I’m a who I want. I know neither one is that I’ve chosen, and he’s not it.

He might look like a king, but he’s not lying, for the Lord does not see as man sees for.

Man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart. We’re related to read of David’s brothers who were soldiers,

and they will be with you or me of God. They will be standing across the valley from the Philistine Sze and one philistine would come out.

His name was Goliath and he would stand before the armies of the Lord and he would blast team their guard and he would declare to them You send out a man and we will do battle.

And if we win, you serve us. But if you win, will serve you. But Goliath was a giant.

When you look at the outward man, when you look at the statue of Goliath he’s an intimidating man,

David Young man that he waas sent by his father to go check on his brothers to bring supplies to them.

And he hears the words of the philistine and he can’t understand why the army of God isn’t doing anything about it.

He can’t understand why. So the king, the leader of the army of God, isn’t going out to meet this uncircumcised philistine because in David’s mind,

he knows God is the run who will defeat Goliath and not the soldier. And so, David, a man who thinks the world God does goes out to meet him,

not with armor, not with m battlements, not with great swords. and protection, but with five stones.

God knows me, David writes. You searched me out. You know, my Stanley happen by sitting down.

You know what I think before I think it acts. Chapter one as Jesus has ascended back in the heaven and the apostles are preparing to preach the gospel.

They’ve been told by Jesus. You remain in Jerusalem until power comes from on high. And while they’re there and they’re gathered together,

they appoint one to take the place of Judas. They appoint Warren to serve in the place as an apostle who will take the place of the one who betrayed Christ.

And as they’re seeking to appoint this individual, they do not take it upon themselves to determine who it is they do set forth of criteria.

Peter speaks up and says it has to be one who’s been with us from the beginning. It has to be one who walked with Jesus.

It has to be. One who saw him while he was here has to be well, in whom is the spirit of God.

But it comes down to two individuals in acts. Chapter one, we raid around Verse 21 therefore of these men who have accompanying accompanying us all the time that the Lord Jesus went in and out of oneness,

beginning from the baptism of John to that day when he was taken up from us. Rum of these must become a witnessed rumors of his resurrection.

And they proposed to Joseph called bar service, whose surname who was surname, Justice, and Mathias. And they prayed and said you were a Lord who knows the hearts overall show which of these you to you.

Which of these two you have chosen? Isn’t it interesting? They examined their deeds, examine their life.

They examine their faithful Mr Christ, they saw on their actions. And they said we can’t choose between the two based on actions.

But God, you love the heart. When you can’t determine the life based upon the actions, God still knows the heart.

And it was the heart that qualified Mathias over Barsa bus. I don’t know anything about bar service. I don’t know that he had a problem in his heart.

But the apostles knew God could choose the right one, and he knew that it was in their hearts in their thoughts in their mind that the difference would be made.

When the apostles went out, it will make taut. And when they were persecuted and when they were imprisoned in just a few chapters,

they would come away rejoicing that they were counted wrongly to suffer with Christ. How is it that people who are enduring pain and affliction and anguish and persecution can say,

what a joy to have gone through, that it’s not because they think like most of us, it’s because they think differently than most of us.

Most of us go through life and will be struggling where we have difficulties when people do harmful to us.

Hopeful things to us were made mistreated, as we think we need to get them back. For that,

I need to treat them the way they treated me. The apostles prayed to God and thanked him. What is that?

But an expression of the thoughts and heart that was in them. God knows me, he knows my thoughts.

He knows my heart, and he knows yours, too. As we consider that idea, we would understand that.

Jesus says the thoughts determined the person, not the other way around. Is that right? I mean,

no I I controlled my fault. That’s true. But your thoughts determine who you are. Totally Matthew,

Chapter 15 Jesus will be confronted by the Ferris ease from Jerusalem. They will come and they will question him.

Why don’t your disciples wash their hands hands according to the traditions of the elders? Why no, they cleanse themselves before they eat.

Jesus will confront then concerning their traditions and how their traditions opposed the very word of God and transgress the word of God.

They will call them hypocrites. And then Jesus will separate himself from them, having record of them. It’s not what goes into the body that the files a man.

But what comes out? That the files A man we read in verse 10 of Matthew, Chapter 15.

We’ll make hope. When he called the multitude to himself. He said to them here and understand, not well goes into the mouth of files.

A man. But what comes out of the mouth that the files a man, then his disciples came and said to him,

Do you know that the fair seas were offended when they heard this saying, Jesus, do you not understand that when you called them hypocrites when you called them those who were guilty of the same thing.

That the people as a cz day. We’re guilty of that. They were offended by that. Jesus replied.

Every plant which my heavenly father is not planning, will be uprooted. Let them alone. They’re blind leaders of the blind.

And if the blind leads the blind, both will fall into the ditch. Then Peter answered and said to him,

Explain this parable to us. So Jesus said, Are you still also without understanding? Do you not yet understand that whatever enters the mouth goes into the stomach and has eliminated the bottling process of eating food?

But those things which proceed out of the mouth come from the heart. And these are they defile a man for out of the heart proceed.

Evil thoughts, murders, adulterous fornication steps, false witnesses, blasphemies. These are the things which are rich.

The file a man, but to eat with unwashed hands does not. The file A man Jesus says your heart produces who you are and what you do.

You look a individual. He’s committed murder. You reveal individual who’s blushing. You look at an individual is doing evil to his fellow man.

And you know it’s not just his actions, it is his heart. That is the problem. It is in his mind where that evil resides that causes those actions to come to pass.

Jesus says it is the heart that determines the man, not the other way around. Seven. God knows me,

God knows what I think Before I ever think it God knows who I am in my heart whether anyone sees it or not,

that might be a scary thing for us. But for the sole miss writer, it was a very interesting thing because if we turn back to someone 19 he introduces this psalm about God knowing him Where have you searched me?

And I have known me You know, my sitting down in my rising love You understand my thoughts of far off You come for him My half to my lying down You’re a corner with all my ways For there is not a word on my tongue But behold the Lord you knew it all together But he closes the psalm with search me Wait a minute.

I thought I thought you already said he did. I thought you said he searched for you in the past.

Search me Oh God, and know my heart Well, we come to a relationship with God. We’re all right with God.

When we love God love one another When we serve him with our whole heart it is non a fearful thing to say.

God examined me, Test me, try me and know me he says. Search me Oh God and know my heart trying move And no,

my anxieties. This all these writers not saying I never struggle. He’s not saying I have nothing to fear.

He’s not saying I don’t have difficulties. He’s saying, God, when you know me, you can help.

May overcome May and see if there’s any wicked way in me and lead me in the war of everlasting total of problems.

Chapter three. They did, son. Well, right to David’s grandson. Verse five. Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean Not on your own understanding in all your ways.

Acknowledge him and he will direct your pass. Do not be wise in your own eyes. Fear the Lord and depart from evil.

Salomon learned from his father. That is your thoughts. The direct your path unless you turn your thoughts over the God and let him direct your path.

Let’s examine that idea in three passages as we close second Corinthians Chapter 10 Paul writes to the church in Corinth,

and, as he is writing to them, this deeply emotional book, This is probably one of the most emotional letters that exists in all the New Testament as a personal relationship that Paul had with this church.

It Corrine, he says. Chapter 10 in Verse one. Now I, Paul myself, I’m pleading with you by the meekness and gentleness of Christ who in presence and lonely among you but being absent and burned toward you.

What’s he saying? He’s saying, I’m writing to you with boldness so that when I can come to you in person,

I can come to you in humility in meekness because we have unification and unity and oneness and fellowship in Christ.

So I write to you and boldness to correct the problems before I get there. He says first, too.

But I beg you that when I am president, I may not be bold with that confidence by which I intend to be bold against some who think of us as if we walked according to the flash.

For though we walk in the flash, we do not war according to the flash, Paul says. Weird.

In this life we walk in this life. We deal with the anguish and the difficulty and the pain and the temptation in the soil of this life.

But we don’t walk according to flesh. Those four for the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds,

Paul says. We don’t walk after the flesh because our weapons in this world fair aren’t material. They’re not fleshly.

They’re not carnal Christians don’t own themselves with swords and staves and guns and bombs because they’re warfare isn’t in the flesh,

he says. Verse tanto verse five, casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God,

bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ, he says. Our weapons aren’t call all raw fairs and choral warfare is fighting.

Excuse me. A battle of nudge or warfare is fighting a battle of the one who doesn’t know God bringing his thoughts captive to Christ Asians.

Chapter six describes the word of God as the sword of the spirit. Hebrews speaks concerning the word of God being that which that can cut away the sin from our lives.

Paul says our warfare, our battle is against spirituals, things with a spiritual sword, which is the word of God.

So if we’re going to bring our thoughts captive to Christ, if we’re going to allow God to be able to search our hearts,

it is because we have a heart. That fire is God. Turn the Philippians Chapter four Philippians chapter forward.

We often read Verse eight about the things that we can can and should think on. But we just read Verse eight.

We missed the force of verse eight. Go back to verse five. Let your gentleness be known to all men.

The Lord is at hand. The words the Lord is at hand is to say God is very near and everything that follows that phrase is because God is very near.

And what is it that the service in someone 39 was trying to convey? Wherever I go God, you are there.

Whatever. I think you know me. Whatever I say, you know it already. The Lord is at hand.

Be anxious for nothing but in everything by prayer and supplication with Thanksgiving that you request be made known to God,

he says, Because God is there. Be gentle because God is their prey. Ask for what you need and the peace of God.

Verse seven, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus when your gentleness is known and when you understand the God is there and when you pray instead of worrying,

then God’s peace can be with you and can guard your heart. Then he says, Verse eight. Finally,

brother and whatever things are true. Whatever things are noble, whatever things are just whatever things are pure,

whatever things are lovely. Whatever things were, good report. If there’s any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy,

meditate on these things. Think about these things, make your heart your thoughts, your mind about these things.

But he doesn’t stop there. The things which you have learned and received and heard and saw in me when he tells them thing on things that are lovely,

think of things that are praiseworthy thing on things that are true. Think on things that are of good report,

think on these things that are our virtue Then, he says, and you saw be doing its things that you have seen in me.

These do and the god of peace will be with you. So if we put second really, is she?

After 10 verses ones we find together with Philippians, Chapter four versus 5 to 9, we find that God has a weapon that is in our hands to control our thoughts.

And it’s his word. And we think on his word and his deeds and his actions and the things that he has done through even the examples of those who are righteous before us.

And then we do those things and his peace protects us, but then turned the first John Chapter two,

first John, Chapter two, beginning in verse 12 John writes as the elder, the elder in the church,

the old man, Maybe at this time the only apostle still alive. We don’t know, and he says,

I write to you verse 12 of Chapter two little Children, because your sins are forgiven you for his namesake.

I write to you little Children because your sins are forgiven. He’s not writing the little toddlers spiritually. Children.

I write to you because your sins are forgiven for his name’s sake. I like to your father’s because you have known him.

Who is from the beginning. I write to you young men because you have overcome Rick. It one I write to you little Children because you have known the father I have written to your father’s because you have known him who is from the beginning.

I have written to you, Young Lynn, because you are strong in the world of God abides in you and you have overcome the wicked one.

He reassures them over and over and over again. I’m writing to you because you know God because of your relationship with him.

And then he says, Do not love the world because you’re forgiven because you’ve overcome because the word of God abides in you because you are who you are.

Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world of love, of the father is not in him,

for all of it is in the world. The rest of the flesh, the lust of the eyes and the pride of life is not of the father but is off the world and the world is passing away and the lust of it.

But hey, who does the will of God abides forever. Jesus said, not everyone that says to me,

Lord Lord, she’ll enter the kingdom of Heaven. But he who does the will of my father, who is in heaven.

But it begins with the thoughts we have the ability to overcome. We have the ability to control our thoughts.

We have the ability to set our minds on right things and from those things produce a right life where we can say to God,

search me and try me. But we can also know this, that if we are faithful to him and obedient to him and abide in his word and do what he says and think on what he says to think on,

that we can know him because here it is. Full circle Psalms 1 39 says God, you searched for me and you know me God search me and know me.

And in First John, Chapter two and in verse three, John writes Now by this we know that we know him.

John How is it that we know that we know him? Is it because we have a feeling in our heart note?

Is it because we have an emotional attachment? Oh God, no. Is it because we just got this assurance and clarity of mind that we’ve done everything that he said?

No, John, how do we know that we never heal now by verse? We know that we know him if we keep Hiss Commandments.

He who says I know him and does not keep his commandments is a liar. And the truth is not in him but whoever keeps his word true.

The love of God is perfected in him by this. We know that we are in him. So as we examine our thoughts and our relationship with God,

do we remember that God knows us whether we’re righteous or not? God knows us here knows our thoughts.

He knows our ways. He knows our speech. He knows our deeds. The question is, do we know him?

Have we kept his commandments? But it begins in the heart. It begins with turning our life over to him and obeying him,

getting rid of self and serving God. But to do that, you have to die. You can’t live anymore.

If God’s going to live in you, you have to die. You have to die with Christ Galatians,

Chapter three You have to be crucified with Christ. Roman’s Chapter six. You have to die with him and you have to be buried with him.

Romans, Chapter six. But if you’ve done that, you can be raised with him in newness of life.

And that happens in baptism. Roman’s chapter six verses three and four. When were baptized with him we rise again to walk in newness of life.

And not before then and hereby do we know that we know him. If we keep hiss Commandments. If you’re here this morning,

you’re outside the body of Christ. Don’t delay come to a relationship with God. Know him as he knows you make your life right with him.

If you have a need, any need, why not come forward now is we stay in and as we sing yeah,

good morning. It is great to be home, and it is always a joy to be back with you. Sometimes you write sermons and then you go back to them some time later, sometimes years later, and you look at what you wrote. You know, everybody that’s true. But I missed the point, probably about first year that I was preaching. I wrote a sermon on Psalms 1 39 If only we believe everything I wrote in that sermon was true. Entitled it the Our Missions of God and sometimes 1 39 verses one through six,

The Psalmist writer describes what God knows. He describes God’s knowledge in the best terms that human humanity can can conjure. And truly, God is our mission that is all knowing God knows beyond what we know. He sees beyond what we see, and he knows this from beginning to end. Jesus described his existence when he spoke to those Jews in relationship to Abraham and said before Abraham Rose, I am not I waas not I will be. I am. He has existed and has always existed and will always exist.

There’s no point in time where you look it. God and you go well before that? No, there is nothing before that. Well after there was nothing after that. And God, not bound by time, understands us in our being bound by time in ways that we simply cannot comprehend. He knows are sitting down and are rising up. He knows what we will do, how we will live. He knows the paths that we can take, the paths that we will take. He knows our thoughts before we think them.

The Psalmist writer says. He knows our words before we speak them. And so as I rode that sermon, I was thinking about what God knows and the on missions of God and truly there is a point to be made from someone 39 concerning the ah missions of God, and certainly God is Amish int. But in writing a sermon about the ah missions of God, I missed the point of someone 39 and it’s not because it’s not clear. It’s because I was looking for something else. And we do that sometimes with Scripture,

we come to a passage looking for something in the passage. Instead of looking for what’s in the passage, we bring to our interpretation What we want the passage to stay to say, instead of allowing the passage to speak for itself. Sometimes we do so when we don’t do damage to the scripture and we learn things. And yet we don’t fully grasp what’s there. Someone 39 Verse one. Oh Lord, you have searched me and known me. This sewn declares the on the presence of God. God is everywhere.

It declares the our missions of God. God knows everything. It declares the power in the mind of God. Daughter is all powerful. It declares all of those things. The Psalmist writer isn’t writing an academic description of God. Psalmist writer is declaring God, you know me and the Psalmist writer is declaring his relationship to the God who is. We don’t have a relationship to a God who is not. We do not have a relationship to a God who might be. We have a relationship to a God who is and who is there in every aspect of our lives,

who knows are sitting down and are rising up. We don’t go through a day except we know that he knows us. As we discussed in the Bible class this morning as we discussed this passage. That’s a fearful thing for a wicked person. For an individual bent on doing iniquity. Bent are living his own way, bent on serving himself instead of God. It’s not a wonderful being. A bit of news to say God knows you, he knows you From the end of your day to the beginning he knows what you will do and he knows what you will think And he knows what you will say.

And that is not a calming fought for wicked individual before righteous one for a person of God For one who loves the Lord with always hard with all his mind, with all his strength Such an idea has great strength and great hope Lord Jehovah Yeah, way the self existing What the I am that I am. You have searched me and known me. You know, my sitting down in my rising up You understand? My thoughts are far off and that’s where I want to spend our time this morning in a series of westerns were going to consider the idea.

God knows me and we’re gonna begin with our thoughts. The soonest writer says you understand my thoughts, you discern my thoughts. The S V says you compra him my thoughts of fall. You know what I’m thinking before I think it. You know what I’m wanting. Before I want it. Jesus will describe to his disciples as he tells them concerning prayer. As he speaks to them concerning their relationship with the father. He says, Ask and it should be given to you. Seek and ye shall find knock and the door shall be opened unto you.

And he describes a child relationship with the father. He says What child asks of his father a slice of bread and receives a stone? What child asks for a fish and receives a soap in’t? If you being our theory, I know how to do good things to your Children. How much more does the father know What you need before you even ask it? But Jesus Point is God still wants you to ask. He knows you. He knows you more than you know you. But he still runs a relationship with you.

God, A Lord. You searched me out. God runs a relationship with you. He wants a relationship with your thoughts, Samuel Chapter 16. In first same attractor 16 God send Samuel his profit to go anoint a new king. He wants a king who will serve him, who will obey him because in first aid, which after 15 so said, I’ve done everything that God commanded me to do everything he told me to do. I’ve obeyed. And Samuel said, What’s the bloom of the sheep that I hear wise kilo bag standing here You were told to go and to annihilate that people and to destroy everything that I have.

You were told to bring about the judgment on them that God had pronounced all the way back in the Book of Exodus and you didn’t do it. And yet you claim to. So in Chapter 16 God send Samuel, you go and find and anoint a new king and saying they will go to the house of Jesse and he will see their David’s older brothers go to the house of Jesse. Jesse will bring your sons before Samuel, and the very first one looks like a king. That’s what a king looks like.

Remember, that was the description of Soul. He was hand and shoulders about all the people. He looked like a king,

but his heart wasn’t. Sam Will believes he’s found the right one in Jessie’s older son, and God tells Samuel no and the next one?

No. Then the next one. No, wait a minute. Jesse, Do you have any more sons?

Well, yes, the youngest one. He’s out tending the flock Send for him. But in First Sailor,

Chapter 16 we find this statement made by God to Samuel as he is helping Samuel to understand why he’s not choosing the way Samuel is in first.

Same a chapter 16 and in verse seven, we read. But the Lord said the Samuel do not look at his appearance or his physical stature because I have refused him.

That says, I’m a who I want. I know neither one is that I’ve chosen, and he’s not it.

He might look like a king, but he’s not lying for the Lord does not see as man sees for.

Man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart. We’re related to read of David’s brothers,

who soldiers and they will be with you or me of God. They will be standing across the valley from the Philistine Sze and one philistine would come out.

His name was Goliath and he would stand before the armies of the Lord and he would blast team their guard and he would declare to them You send out in man and we will do battle.

And if we win, you serve us. But if you win, will serve you. But Goliath was a giant.

When you look at the outward man, when you look at the statue of Goliath he’s an intimidating man,

David Young man that he waas sent by his father to go check on his brothers to bring supplies to them.

And he hears the words of the philistine and he can’t understand why the army of God isn’t doing anything about it.

He can’t understand why. So the king, the leader of the only of God, isn’t going out to meet this uncircumcised philistine because in David’s mind,

he knows God is the run who will defeat Goliath and not the soldier. And so, David, a man who thinks the world God does,

goes out to meet him, not with armor, not with m battlements, not with great swords and protection,

but was five stones. God knows me, David writes. You searched me out. You know my Stanley wrapping my sitting down.

You know what I think before I think it action after one, as Jesus has ascended back in the heaven and the apostles are preparing to preach the gospel they’ve been told by Jesus.

You remain in Jerusalem until power comes from on high. And while they are there and they’re gathered together,

they appoint Warren to take the place of Judas. They appoint warm to serve in the place as an apostle who will take the place of the one who betrayed Christ.

And as they’re seeking to appoint this individual, they do not take it upon themselves to determine who it is they do set forth of criteria.

Peter speaks up and says it has to be one who’s been with us from the beginning. It has to be one who walked with Jesus.

It has to be one who saw him while he was here has to be well, in whom is the spirit of God.

But it comes down to two individuals in acts. Chapter one, we raid around verse 21. Therefore of these men who have accompanying accompanying us all the time that the Lord Jesus went in and out of oneness,

beginning from the baptism of John to that day when he was taken up from us. Warm of these must become a witness.

Rumors of his resurrection. And they proposed to Joseph called bar service, whose surname who was surname, Justice and Mathias.

And they prayed and said you were a Lord who knows the hearts overall show which of these you to you.

Which of these two you have chosen? Isn’t it interesting? They examined their deeds, examine their life.

They examine their faithful Mr Christ, they saw on their actions. And they said we can’t choose between the two based on actions.

But God, you love the heart. When you can’t determine the life based upon the actions, God still knows the heart.

And it was the heart that qualified Mathias over Barsa bus. I don’t know anything about bar service. I don’t know that he had a problem in his heart.

But the apostles knew God could choose the right one, and he knew that it was in their hearts in their thoughts in their mind that the difference would be made When the apostles went out,

it will make taut. And when they were persecuted and when they were imprisoned in just a few chapters,

they would come away rejoicing that they were counted wrong. Me to suffer with Christ. How is it that people who are enduring pain and affliction and anguish and persecution can say,

what a joy to have gone through, that it’s not because they think like most of us, it’s because they think differently than most of us.

Most of us go through life and will be struggling where we have difficulties when people do harmful to us.

Hopeful things to us were made mistreated, as we think we need to get them back. For that,

I need to treat them the way they treated me. The apostles prayed to God and thanked him. What is that?

But an expression of the thoughts and heart that was in them. God knows me, he knows my thoughts.

He knows my heart, and he knows yours, too. As we consider that idea, we would understand that.

Jesus says the thoughts determined the person, not the other way around. So, you know, I I controlled my fault That’s true,

but your thoughts determine who you are. Totally. Matthew. Chapter 15 Jesus will be confronted by the Ferris ease from Jerusalem.

They will come and they will question him. Rhino, your disciples wash their hands hands according to the traditions of the elders.

Why no, they cleanse themselves before they eat. Jesus will confront them concerning their traditions and how their traditions opposed the very word of God and transgress the word of God.

They will call them hypocrites. And then Jesus will separate himself from them having the court of them. It’s not what goes into the body that the files a man.

But what comes out that the files a man we read in verse 10 of Matthew Chapter 15 will make hope.

When he called the multitude to himself. He said to them here and understand, not well goes into the mouth of files,

man. But what comes out of the mouth that the files a man, then his disciples came and said to him,

Do you know that the fair seas were offended when they heard this saying, Jesus, do you not understand that when you called them hypocrites when you call them those who were guilty of the same thing.

That the people as they used a word guilty of that they were offended by that. Jesus replied. Every plant which my heavenly father is not planning,

will be uprooted. Let them alone. They’re blind leaders of the blind. And if the blind leads the blind,

both will fall into the ditch. Then Peter answered and said to him, Explain this parable to us.

So Jesus said, Are you still also without understanding? Do you not yet understand that whatever enters the mouth goes into the stomach and has eliminated the bottle in process of eating food?

But those things which proceed out of the mouth come from the heart, and these are they defile a man for out of the heart proceed.

Evil thoughts, murders, adulterous fornication steps, false witnesses, blasphemies. These are the things which are rich to file a man,

but to eat with unwashed hands does not. The file A man Jesus says your heart produces who you are and what you do.

You reckon individual who’s committed murder, you reveal individual who’s blushing. You look at an individual is doing evil to his fellow man.

And you know It’s not just his actions, it is his heart. That is the problem. It is in his mind where that evil resides that causes those actions to come to pass.

Jesus says it is the heart that determines the man, not the other way around. Seven. God knows me,

God knows what I think Before I ever think it God knows who I am in my heart whether anyone sees it or not,

That might be a scary thing for us. But for the sole Miss writer, it was a very interesting thing because if we turn back to someone 19 he introduces this psalm about God knowing him Where have you searched me?

And I have known me You know, my sitting down in my rising love You understand my thoughts of far off You come for him My half to my lying down You’re a corner with all my ways For there is not a word on my tongue But behold the Lord you knew it all together But he closes the psalm with search me Wait a minute.

I thought I thought you already said he did. I thought you said he searched for you in the past.

Search me Oh God and know my heart Well, we come to a relationship with God. We’re all right with God.

When we love God love one another when we serve him with our whole heart it is non a fearful thing to say.

God examined me, Test me, try me and know me, he says. Search me Oh God and know my heart trying move and no,

my anxieties. This all these writers not saying I never struggle. He’s not saying I have nothing to fear.

He’s not saying I don’t have difficulties. He’s saying, God, when you know me, you can help.

May overcome May and see if there’s any wicked way in me and lead me in the War of Everlasting Turn The problems.

Chapter three They did, son. Well, right to David’s grandson. Verse five. Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean.

Not on your own understanding in all your ways. Acknowledge him and he will direct your pass. Do not be wise in your own eyes.

Fear the Lord and depart from evil. Salomon learned from his father. That is your thoughts. The direct your path unless you turn your thoughts over the God and let him direct your path.

Let’s examine that idea in three passages as we close second Corinthians Chapter 10 Paul writes to the church in Corinth,

and, as he is writing to them, this deeply emotional book. This is probably one of the most emotional letters that exists in all the New Testament as a personal relationship that Paul had with this church.

It Corrine, he says. Chapter 10 in Verse one. Now I, Paul myself, I’m pleading with you by the meekness and gentleness of Christ who in presence and lonely among you but being absent and burned toward you.

What’s he saying? He’s saying, I’m writing to you with boldness so that when I can come to you in person,

I can come to you and humility in meekness because we have unification and unity and oneness and fellowship in Christ.

So I write to you and boldness to correct the problems before I get there. He says first, too.

But I beg you that when I am president, I may not be bold with that confidence by which I intend to be bold against some who think of us as if we walked according to the flash.

For though we walk in the flash, we do not war according to the flash, Paul says. Weird.

In this life we walk in this life. We deal with the anguish and the difficulty and the pain and the temptation in the soil of this life.

But we don’t walk according to flesh. Those four for the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds,

Paul says. We don’t walk after the flesh because our weapons in this world fair aren’t material. They’re not fleshly.

They’re not carnal Christians don’t own themselves with swords and staves and guns and bombs because they’re warfare isn’t in the flesh,

he says. Verse tanto verse five, casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God,

bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ, he says. Our weapons aren’t call all raw fairs and coral warfare is fighting.

Excuse me. A battle of nudge or warfare is fighting a battle of the one who doesn’t know God,

bringing his thoughts captive to Christ Asians. Chapter six describes the word of God as the sword of the spirit.

Hebrews speaks concerning the word of God being that which that can cut away the sin from our lives. Paul says our warfare,

our battle is against spirituals, things with a spiritual sword, which is the word of God. So if we’re going to bring our thoughts captive to Christ,

if we’re going to allow God to be able to search our hearts, it is because we have a heart.

That fire is God. Turn the Philippians Chapter four Philippians chapter forward. We often read Verse eight about the things that we can can and should think on.

But we just read verse eight. We miss the force of verse eight. Go back to verse five.

Let your gentleness be known to all men. The Lord is at hand. Rewards the Lord is at hand is to say God is very near and everything that follows that phrase is because God is very near.

And what is it that the soulless in someone 39 was trying to convey? Wherever I go God, you are there.

Whatever. I think you know me. Whatever I say. You know it already. The Lord is at hand.

Be anxious for nothing. but in everything by prayer and supplication with Thanksgiving that you request be made known to God,

he says, Because God is there. Be gentle because God is their prey. Ask for what you need and the peace of God.

Verse seven, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus when your gentleness is known,

and when you understand that God is there and when you pray instead of worrying, then God’s peace can be with you and can guard your heart.

Then he says, Verse eight. Finally, brother and whatever things are true. Whatever things are noble,

whatever things are just whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely. Whatever things were. Good report.

If there’s any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy, meditate on these things. Think about these things.

Make your heart your thoughts, your mind about these things. But he doesn’t stop there. The things which you have learned and received and heard and saw in me when he tells them think on things that are lovely.

Think on things that are praiseworthy thing on things that are true. Think on things that are of good report.

Think on these things that are our virtue. Then, he says, and you saw be dim. It’s things that you have seen in me.

These do and the god of peace will be with you. So we put second. Really, is she?

After 10 verses, ones were fined together with Philippians, Chapter four versus 5 to 9. We find that God has a weapon that is in our hands to control our thoughts.

And it’s his word. And we think on his word and his deeds and his actions and the things that he has done through even the examples of those who are righteous before us.

And then we do those things and his peace protects us, but then turned the first John Chapter two.

First John, Chapter two beginning and those 12 John writes as the elder, the elder in the church,

the old man. Maybe at this time the only apostle still alive. We don’t know. And he says,

I write to you Verse 12 of Chapter two Little Children, because your sins are forgiven you for his namesake.

I write to you little Children because your sins are forgiven. He’s not writing the little toddlers, spiritual Children.

I write to you because your sins are forgiven for his name’s sake. I like to your father’s because you have known him who is from the beginning.

I write to you young men because you have overcome wicked one. I write to you little Children because you have known the father I have written to your father’s because you have known him who is from the beginning.

I have written to you, Young Lynn, because you are strong in the word of God abides in you and you have overcome the wicked one.

He reassures them over and over and over again. I’m writing to you because you know God because of your relationship with him.

And then he says, Do not love the world because you’re forgiven because you’ve overcome because the word of God abides in you because you are who you are.

Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world of love, of the father is not in him,

for all of it is in the world. The rest of the flesh, the lust of the eyes and the pride of life is not of the father,

but is off the world and the world is passing away and the lust of it. But hey, who does the will of God abides forever.

Jesus said, not everyone that says to me, Lord Lord, she’ll enter the kingdom of Heaven. But he who does the will of my father,

who is in heaven. But it begins with the thoughts we have the ability to overcome. We have the ability to control our thoughts.

We have the ability to set our minds on right things and from those things produce a right life where we can say to God,

search me and try me. But we can also know this, that if we are faithful to him and obedient to him and abide in his word and do what he says and think on what he says to think on,

that we can know him because here it is. Full circle solves 1 39 says God, you searched for me and you know me,

God search me and know me. And in First John, Chapter two and in verse three, John writes Now by this we know that we know him.

John. How is it that we know that we know him. Is it because we have a feeling in our heart note?

Is it because we have an emotional attachment? Oh God, no. Is it because we just got this assurance and clarity of mind that we’ve done everything that he said?

No, John, how do we know that we never heal now by verse? We know that we know him if we keep Hiss Commandments.

He who says I know him and does not keep his commandments is a liar. And the truth is not in him but whoever keeps his word true.

The love of God is perfected in him by this. We know that we are in him. So as we examine our thoughts and our relationship with God,

do we remember that God knows us whether we’re righteous or not? God knows us. Who knows our thoughts.

He knows our ways. He knows our speech. He knows our deeds. The question is, do we know him?

Have we kept his commandments? But it begins in the heart. It begins with turning our life over to him and obeying Kim,

getting rid of self and serving God. But to do that, you have to die. You can’t live anymore.

If God’s going to live in you, you have to die. You have to die with Christ Galatians,

Chapter three You have to be crucified with Christ. Roman’s Chapter six. You have to die with him and you have to be buried with him.

Romans, Chapter six. But if you’ve done that, you can be raised with him in newness of life.

And that happens in baptism. Roman’s chapter six verses three and four. When were baptized with him we rise again to walk in newness of life.

And not before then and hereby do we know that we know him. If we keep hiss Commandments. If you’re here this morning,

you’re outside the body of Christ. Don’t delay come to a relationship with God Know him as he knows you make your life right with him.

If you have a need, any need, why not come forward now is we stay in and as we sing Yeah,

good morning. It is great to be home, and it is always a joy to be back with you. Sometimes you write sermons and then you go back to them some time later, sometimes years later. And you look at what you wrote. You know, everybody that’s true. But I missed the point. Probably the first year that I was preaching. I wrote a sermon on Psalms 1 39 If only we believe everything I wrote in that sermon was true. Entitled it the Our Missions of God in Psalms 1 39 verses one through six,

The Psalmist writer describes what God knows. He describes God’s knowledge in the best terms that human humanity can can conjure. And truly, God is our mission that is all knowing God knows beyond what we know. He sees beyond what we see, and he knows this from beginning to end. Jesus described his existence when he spoke to those Jews in relationship to Abraham and said before Abraham Rose, I am not I waas not I will be. I am. He has existed and has always existed and will always exist.

There is no point in time where you look it God and you go well before that? No, there is nothing before that. Well after there was nothing after that. And God, not bound by time, understands us in our being bound by time in ways that we simply cannot comprehend. He knows are sitting down and are rising up. He knows what we will do, how we will live. He knows the paths that we can take, the paths that we will take. He knows our thoughts before we think them.

The Psalmist writer says he knows our words before we speak them. And so as I rode that sermon I was thinking about what God knows and the on missions of God and truly there is a point to be made from someone 39 concerning the ah missions of God, and certainly God is Amish int. But in writing a sermon about the ah missions of God, I missed the point of someone 39 and it’s not because it’s not clear. It’s because I was looking for something else. And we do that sometimes with Scripture,

we come to a passage looking for something in the passage. Instead of looking for what’s in the passage, we bring to our interpretation what we want the passage to stay to say, instead of allowing the passage to speak for itself. Sometimes we do so when we don’t do damage to the scripture and we learn things. And yet we don’t fully grasp what’s there. Someone 39 Verse one. Oh Lord, you have searched me and known me. This sewn declares the on the presence of God. God is everywhere.

It declares the our missions of God. God knows everything. It declares the power in the mind of God. Daughter is all powerful. It declares all of those things. The Psalmist writer isn’t writing an academic description of God. Psalmist writer is declaring God, you know me and the Psalmist writer is declaring his relationship to the God who is. We don’t have a relationship to a God who is not. We do not have a relationship to a God who might be. We have a relationship to a God who is and who is there in every aspect of our lives,

who knows are sitting down and are rising up. We don’t go through a day. It suddenly know that he knows us. As we discussed in the Bible class this morning as we discussed this passage. That’s a fearful thing for a wicked person. For an individual bent on doing iniquity. Bent are living his own way, bent on serving himself instead of God. It’s not a wonderful being. A bit of news to say God knows you, he knows you From the end of your day to the beginning He knows what you will do And he knows what you will think And he knows what you will say.

And that is not a calming fought for wicked individual before righteous one for a person of God For one who loves the Lord with always hard with all his mind, with all his strength. Such an idea has great strength and great hope. Lord Jehovah Yeah, way the self existing What the I am that I am. You have searched me and known me. You know, my sitting down in my rising up You understand? My thoughts are far off And that’s where I want to spend our time this morning in a series of westerns were going to consider the idea.

God knows me and we’re gonna begin with our thoughts. The soonest writer says you understand my thoughts. You discern my thoughts. The S V says you come for a him my thoughts of fall. You know what I’m thinking before I think it. You know what I’m wanting Before I want it. Jesus will describe to his disciples as he tells them concerning prayer. As he speaks to them concerning their relationship with the father. He says, Ask and it should be given to you. Seek and ye shall find knock and the door shall be opened unto you.

And he describes a child relationship with the father. He says, What child asks of his father a slice of bread and receives a stone? What child asks for a fish and receives a soap in’t? If you being 03 I know how to do good things to your Children. How much more does the father know what you need before you even ask it? But Jesus Point is God still wants you to ask. He knows you. He knows you more than you know you. But he still wants a relationship with you.

God! Oh, Lord, you searched me out. God runs a relationship with you. He wants a relationship with your thoughts. Samuel. Chapter 16 In first Same attractor 16 God send Samuel his profit to go anoint a new king. He wants a king who will serve him, who will obey him because in first aid, which after 15 so said, I’ve done everything that God commanded me to do everything he told me to do. I’ve obeyed. And Samuel said, What’s the bloom of the sheep that I hear Wise King?

Oh, gag. Standing here you were told to go and to annihilate that people and to destroy everything that I have. You were told to bring about the judgment on them that God had pronounced all the way back in the Book of Exodus and you didn’t do it. And yet you claim to. So in Chapter 16 God send Samuel, you go and find and anoint a new king and saying they will go to the house of Jesse and he will see their David’s older brothers. You will go to the house of Jesse.

Jesse will bring your sons before Samuel and the very 1st 1 looks like a king. That’s what a king looks like. Remember, that was the description of soul. He was hand and shoulders about all the people.

He looked like a king, but his heart wasn’t. Sam Will believes. He’s found the right one in Jessie’s older son,

and God tells Samuel no and the next one? No. Then the next one. No, wait a minute.

Jesse, Do you have any more sons? Well, yes, the youngest one. He’s out tending the flock Send for him.

But in First Sailor, Chapter 16 we find this statement made by God to Samuel as he is helping Samuel to understand why he’s not choosing the way Samuel is in first.

Same a chapter 16 and in verse seven, we read. But the Lord said the Samuel do not look at his appearance or his physical stature because I have refused him.

God says, I’m a who I want. I know neither one is that I’ve chosen, and he’s Ni It He might look like a king,

but he’s not lying for the Lord does not see as man sees for. Man looks at the outward appearance,

but the Lord looks at the heart. We’re related to read of David’s brothers who soldiers and they will be with you or me of God they will be standing across the valley from the Philistine Sze and one philistine would come out.

His name was Goliath and he would stand before the armies of the Lord and he would blast team their guard and he would declare to them You send out a man and we will do battle.

And if we win, you serve us. But if you win, will serve you. But Goliath was a giant.

When you look at the outward man, when you look at the statue of Goliath he’s an intimidating man,

David Young man that he waas sent by his father to go check on his brothers to bring supplies to them.

And he hears the words of the philistine and he can’t understand why the army of God isn’t doing anything about it.

He can’t understand why. So the king, the leader of the glory of God, isn’t going out to meet this uncircumcised philistine because in David’s mind,

he knows God is the run who will defeat Goliath and not the soldier. And so, David, a man who thinks the world God does,

goes out to meet him, not with armor, not with m battlements, not with great swords and protection,

but was five stones. God knows me, David writes. You searched me out. You know my Stanley lap in my sitting down.

You know what I think before I think it action after one, as Jesus has ascended back in the heaven and the apostles are preparing to preach the gospel they’ve been told by Jesus.

You remain in Jerusalem until power comes from on high. And while they’re there and they’re gathered together, they appoint one to take the place of Judas.

They appoint warm to serve in the place as an apostle who will take the place of the one who betrayed Christ.

And as they’re seeking to appoint this individual, they do not take it upon themselves to determine who it is they do set forth of criteria.

Peter speaks up and says it has to be one who’s been with us from the beginning. It has to be one who walked with Jesus.

It has to be. One who saw him while he was here has to be well, in whom is a spirit of God.

But it comes down to two individuals in acts. Chapter one, we raid around verse 21 therefore, of these men who have accompanying accompanying us all the time that the Lord Jesus went in and out of oneness,

beginning from the baptism of John to that day when he was taken up from us. Warm of these must become a rudeness.

Rumors of his resurrection. And they proposed to Joseph called bar service, whose surname who was surname, Justice,

and Mathias. And they prayed and said you were a Lord who knows the hearts overall show which of these you to you.

Which of these two you have chosen? Isn’t it interesting? They examined their deeds, examine their life.

They examine their faithful Mr Christ, they saw on their actions. And they said we can’t choose between the two based on actions.

But God, you love the heart. When you can’t determine the life based upon the actions, God still knows the heart.

And it was the hard they qualified Mathias over Barsa bus. I don’t know anything about bar service. I don’t know that he had a problem in his heart.

But the apostles knew God could choose the right one. And he knew that it was in their hearts in their thoughts in their mind that the difference would be made when the apostles went out.

It will make taut, and when they were persecuted and when they were imprisoned in just a few chapters,

they would come away rejoicing that they were counted wrong. Me to suffer with Christ. How is it that people who are enduring pain and affliction and anguish and persecution can say,

what a joy to have gone through, that it’s not because they think like most of us, it’s because they think differently than most of us.

Most of us go through life and will be struggling where we have difficulties when people do harmful to us.

Hopeful things to us were made mistreated, as we think we need to get them back. For that,

I need to treat them the way they treated me. The apostles prayed to God and thanked him. What is that?

But an expression of the thoughts and heart that was in them. God knows me, he knows my thoughts.

He knows my heart, and he knows yours, too. As we consider that idea, we would understand that.

Jesus says the thoughts determined the person, not the other way around, is that right? I mean,

no, I I controlled my fault. That’s true. But your thoughts determine who you are. Totally.

Matthew, Chapter 15 Jesus will be confronted by the Ferris ease from Jerusalem. They will come and they will question him.

Why don’t your disciples wash their hands hands according to the traditions of the elders? Why no, they cleanse themselves before they eat.

Jesus will confront then concerning their traditions and how their traditions opposed the very word of God and transgress the word of God.

They will call them hypocrites. And then Jesus will separate himself from them having the cord of them. It’s not what goes into the body that the files a man.

But what comes out that the files a man we read in verse 10 of Matthew Chapter 15 will make hope When he called the multitude to himself.

He said to them here and understand, not well goes into the mouth of files, man. But what comes out of the mouth that the files a man,

then his disciples came and said to him, Do you know that the fair seas were offended when they heard this saying Jesus,

do you not understand that when you called them hypocrites when you call them those who were guilty of the same thing,

that the people as they used a word guilty up, that they were offended by that, Jesus replied.

Every plant which my heavenly father is not planning, will be uprooted. Let them alone. They’re blind leaders of the blind.

And if the blind leads the blind, both will fall into the ditch. Then Peter answered and said to him,

Explain this parable to us. So Jesus said, Are you still also without understanding? Do you not yet understand that whatever enters the mouth goes into the stomach and has eliminated the bottling process of eating food?

But those things which proceed out of the mouth come from the heart and these are they defile a man for out of the heart proceed.

Evil thoughts, murders, adulterous fornication steps, false witnesses, blasphemies. These are the things which are rich.

The file a man but to eat with unwashed hands does not. The file A man Jesus says your heart produces who you are and what you do.

You reckon individual who’s committed murder? You wriggle individual. Who’s blushing? You look at an individual is doing evil to his fellow man.

And you know, it’s not just his actions, it is his heart. That is the problem. It is in his mind where that evil resides that causes those actions to come to pass.

Jesus says it is the heart that determines the man, not the other way around. Seven. God knows me,

God knows what I think Before I ever think it, God knows who I am in my heart whether anyone sees it or not,

That might be a scary thing for us. But for the sole Miss writer, it was a very interesting thing because if we turn back to someone 19 he introduces this psalm about God knowing him Where have you searched me?

And I have known me You know, my sitting down in my rising love You understand my thoughts of far off You come for him My half to my lying down You’re acquainted with all my ways for there is not a word on my tongue But behold the Lord You knew it all together But he closes the psalm with search me.

Wait a minute. I thought I thought you already said he did. I thought you said he searched for you in the past.

Search me Oh God, and know my heart Well, we come to a relationship with God. We’re all right with God.

When we love God love one another When we serve him with our whole heart it is non a fearful thing to say.

God examined me. Test me, try me and know me he says. Search me Oh God and know my heart trying move.

And no, my anxieties. This all these writers not saying I never struggle. He’s not saying I have nothing to fear.

He’s not saying I don’t have difficulties. He’s saying, God, when you know me, you can help.

May overcome May and see if there’s any wicked way in me and lead me in the well of everlasting turn The problems.

Chapter three. They did, son. Well, right to David’s grandson. Verse five. Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean.

Not on your own understanding in all your ways. Acknowledge him and he will direct your pass. Do not be wise in your own eyes.

Fear the Lord and depart from evil. Salomon learned from his father. That is your thoughts. The direct your path unless you turn your thoughts over the God and let him direct your path.

Let’s examine that idea in three passages as we close second Corinthians Chapter 10 Paul writes to the church in Corinth,

and, as he is writing to them, this deeply emotional book, This is probably one of the most emotional letters that exists in all the New Testament as a personal relationship that Paul had with this church.

It Corrine, he says. Chapter 10 in Verse one. Now I, Paul myself, I’m pleading with you by the meekness and gentleness of Christ who in presence and lonely among you but being absent and burned toward you.

What’s he saying? He’s saying, I’m writing to you with boldness so that when I can come to you in person,

I can come to you in humility in meekness because we have unification and unity and oneness and fellowship in Christ.

So I write to you and boldness to correct the problems before I get there. He says first, too.

But I beg you that when I am president, I may not be bold with that confidence by which I intend to be bold against some who think of us as if we walked according to the flash.

For though we walk in the flash, we do not war according to the flash, Paul says. Weird.

In this life we walk in this life. We deal with the anguish and the difficulty and the pain and the temptation in the soil of this life.

But we don’t walk according to flesh. Those four for the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds,

Paul says. We don’t walk after the flesh because our weapons in this world fair aren’t material. They’re not fleshly.

They’re not carnal Christians don’t own themselves with swords and staves and guns and bombs because they’re warfare isn’t in the flesh,

he says, verse tanto verse five, casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God,

bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ, he says. Our weapons aren’t call all raw fairs and Cole warfare is fighting.

Excuse me, A battle of nudge or warfare is fighting a battle of the one who doesn’t know God,

bringing his thoughts captive to Christ lesions. Chapter six describes the word of God as the sword of the spirit.

Hebrews speaks concerning the word of God being that which that can cut away the sin from our lives. Paul says our warfare,

our battle is against spirituals, things with a spiritual sword, which is the word of God. So if we’re going to bring our thoughts captive to Christ,

if we’re going to allow God to be able to search our hearts, it is because we have a heart.

That fire is God. Turn the Philippians Chapter four Philippians chapter forward. We often read Verse eight about the things that we can can and should think on.

But we just read Verse eight. We missed the force of verse eight. Go back to verse five.

Let your gentleness be known to all men. The Lord is at hand. The words the Lord is at hand is to say God is very near and everything that follows that phrase is because God is very near.

And what is it that the soulless in someone 39 was trying to convey? Wherever I go God, you are there.

Whatever. I think you know me. Whatever I say, you know it already. the Lord is at hand.

Be anxious for nothing but in everything by prayer and supplication with Thanksgiving that you request be made known to God,

he says, Because God is there. Be gentle because God is their prey. Ask for what you need and the peace of God.

Verse seven, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus when your gentleness is known,

and when you understand that God is there and when you pray instead of worrying, then God’s peace can be with you and can guard your heart.

Then he says, Verse eight. Finally, brother and whatever things are true. Whatever things are noble,

whatever things are just whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely. Whatever things were, good report.

If there’s any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy, meditate on these things. Think about these things,

make your heart your thoughts, your mind about these things. But he doesn’t stop there. The things which you have learned and received and heard and saw in me when he tells them thing on things that are lovely,

think of things that are praiseworthy thing on things that are true. Think on things that are of good report,

think on these things that are our virtue. Then, he says, and you saw be dim. It’s things that you have seen in me.

These do and the god of peace will be with you. So we put second. Really, is she?

After 10 verses, ones refined together with Philippians, Chapter four versus 5 to 9, we find that God has a weapon that is in our hands to control our thoughts.

And it’s his word. And we think on his word and his deeds and his actions and the things that he has done through even the examples of those who are righteous before us.

And then we do those things and his peace protects us, but then turned the first John Chapter two,

first John, Chapter two. Beginning in those 12 John writes as the elder, the elder in the church,

the old man, Maybe at this time the only apostle still alive. We don’t know. And he says,

I write to you verse 12 of Chapter two little Children, because your sins are forgiven you for his namesake.

I write to you little Children because your sins are forgiven. He’s not writing the little toddlers, spiritual Children.

I write to you because your sins are forgiven for his name’s sake. I like to your father’s because you have known him who is from the beginning.

I write to you young men because you have overcome wicked one. I write to you little Children because you have known the father I have written to your father’s because you have known him who is from the beginning.

I have written to you, Young Lynn, because you are strong in the world of God abides in you and you have overcome the wicked one.

He reassures them over and over and over again. I’m writing to you because you know God because of your relationship with him.

And then he says, Do not love the world because you’re forgiven because you’ve overcome because the word of God abides in you because you are who you are.

Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world of love, of the father is not in him,

for all of it is in the world. The rest of the flesh, the lust of the eyes and the pride of life is not of the father but is off the world and the world is passing away and the lust of it.

But hey, who does the will of God abides forever. Jesus said, not everyone that says to me,

Lord Lord, she’ll enter the kingdom of Heaven. But he who does the will of my father, who is in heaven.

But it begins with the thoughts we have the ability to overcome. We have the ability to control our thoughts.

We have the ability to set our minds on right things and from those things produce a right life where we can say to God,

search me and try me. But we can also know this, that if we are faithful to him and obedient to him and abide in his word and do what he says and think on what he says to think on,

that we can know him because here it is. Full circle Psalms 1 39 says God, you searched for me and you know me God search me and know me.

And in First John, Chapter two and in verse three. John writes Now by this we know that we know him.

John, How is it that we know that we know him? Is it because we have a feeling in our heart note?

Is it because we have an emotional attachment? Oh, God, no. Is it because we just got this assurance and clarity of mind that we’ve done everything that he said?

No, John, how do we know that we never heal now by verse? We know that we know him if we keep Hiss Commandments.

He who says I know him and does not keep his commandments is a liar. And the truth is not in him but whoever keeps his word true.

The love of God is perfected in him by this. We know that we are in him. So as we examine our thoughts and our relationship with God,

do we remember that God knows us whether we’re righteous or not? God knows us here knows our thoughts.

He knows our ways. He knows our speech. He knows our deeds. The question is, do we know him?

Have we kept his commandments? But it begins in the heart. It begins with turning our life over to him and obeying Kim,

getting rid of self and serving God, but to do that. You have to die. You can’t live anymore.

If God’s going to live in you, you have to die. You have to die with Christ. Galatians,

Chapter three You have to be crucified with Christ. Roman’s Chapter six. You have to die with him and you have to be buried with him.

Romans, Chapter six. But if you’ve done that, you can be raised with him in newness of life.

And that happens in baptism. Roman’s chapter six verses three and four. When were baptized with him we rise again to walk in newness of life.

And not before then and hereby do we know that we know him. If we keep hiss Commandments. If you’re here this morning,

you’re outside the body of Christ. Don’t delay come to a relationship with God. Know him as he knows you make your life right with him.

If you have a need, any need, why not come forward now is we stay in and as we sing yeah,

First Timothy chapter one verse 17 in spite of the technical difficulty we may be having at the moment, Paul writes to Timothy and as he is writing to Timothy, he says this beginning in verse 12 and I think Christ Jesus, our Lord who has enabled me because he counted me faithful, putting me into the ministry. Let’s, let’s begin by noticing that Paul’s discussion is writing to this young preacher,

writing to this young man to tell him of the blessing that he’s received and the ministry that he’s received and that they, he’s received that by the grace of God because God allowed him to be there. He didn’t merit it. He didn’t earn it. It wasn’t by birth and it wasn’t by lineage. It wasn’t by tribe and it wasn’t by the the majesty or the glory or the the education that he had.

It was because God chose him and because God permitted him to be placed in this position to have this ministry. He says, although verse 13 I was formally a blasphemer, a persecutor and insolent man, but I obtained mercy because I did it ignorantly in unbelief. Paul says, there was a time when I was persecuting the church. There was a time when I was opposing God,

but I was ignorant about what I was doing. I did it in unbelief. Now, there’s an interesting point there. There. Here is an example of an individual who’s opposing God and is ignorant concerning God. Now, it’s an interesting point because Paul will later state and we’ll discuss even throughout this lesson that the reality was he was without excuse in his ignorance,

and yet he was ignorant and Paul will often tell individuals because of what God has revealed, that they will be held accountable and that they are without excuse. And yet he obtained this grace. The grace of our Lord was exceedingly abundant with faith and love, which are in Christ Jesus. This is a faithful saying and worthy of all acceptance that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners of whom I am.

Chief Paul is an individual that we often look to as a great preacher, as a great apostle. It’s a great writer of the new Testament, and yet he says of himself, I am the chief of sinners. I am the lowest of the low because of his past. However, for this reason, I obtained mercy that in me first, Jesus Christ,

Mike shell, all long suffering as a pattern to those who are going to believe on him for everlasting life. Paul says, if you want to find an example of God’s long suffering, if you want to show someone an example of God’s long suffering and giving mercy and grace to someone who didn’t deserve it, who he could have just as easily have killed instead of granting him grace and mercy,

use me. That’s why God did what he did. He granted he showed his long suffering that through his actions toward me, that I might be a pattern for those who were seeking after everlasting life. If anyone comes to God and says, you know what, I’ve just done too many wrong things. I’ve just been to insulin. I’ve just been too abusive.

I’ve just been too much of a persecutor. I’ve done too much. God says, look at Paul. I forgave him, but look at his faithfulness. Look at what he suffered. Look at what he endured for my sake. Yeah, And remember that was the cost. He says then verse 17 now too King. We discussed that this morning, our lesson this morning was on Christ the King and this context,

this passage is speaking of Christ now to the King, eternal immortal, invisible. Three words here used to describe Christ, three words backed up by other places in scripture that define and describe Christ as King. Now in the context of eternal, there are going to be far more passages than we have time to go through, and even the number of ones that I put up on the screen,

we won’t get to all of them and notice all of them. Otherwise we won’t have time for the final two words. But hopefully if you have a pen and a piece of paper, you can jot down a few of these as we go through them, especially those that we don’t get to and spend some time in your own study noticing all of the ladies that God describes the E turn ality of Christ in his being and in his kingship.

But as we get into this, the first thing we want to do is notice what this word eternal is. The word for eternal is the word from which we get our word eon. It is the word that means age. It is sometimes translated to mean world. It sometimes translated to mean age and yet it also carries with it this idea of forever and ever or forever more.

So the context is always going to to wrap this words idea and give it its definition. That’s why it’s important. Whenever you’re reading through scripture and you know a little bit about a word in the original language, it’s always important to interpret it by the context it’s in. Let’s begin in Luke chapter one as we notice this idea of eternal in relationship to Christ and Christ as King.

Let’s begin in Luke chapter one in verse 30 then the angel said to her, to Mary, do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God and behold you will conceive in your room and bring forth a son and shall call his name Jesus. He will be great and will be called the son of the highest and the Lord God will give him the throne of his father David,

and he will reign over the house of Jacob. And here’s that word Ian. For forever and of his kingdom there will be no, and the angel tells Mary the one who you are going to give birth to, the one who you will give birth to through the Holy spirit. The one who will be conceived in you by the Holy spirit is Jesus.

That will be his name, but he is the one who will be given the throne of David. He will be a King and he will be any Turnell King. But then notice another passage, Matthew chapter six verse 13 as this passage is referencing Christ in prayer to the father, yet it gives an interesting statement here Jesus is teaching his disciples to pray and he says in verse nine in this manner,

therefore pray our father in heaven, hallowed be your name. Your kingdom come, your will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day, our daily bread and forgive us our debts as we forgive our debtors and do not lead us into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one for yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever and they’re,

the reason why that passage is so significant is yes, this is the son speaking to the father. Yes, this is Christ speaking of God the father, and yet it is the glory of the father that will be bestowed upon the son. So there’s a connection here, but then notice his presence. Jesus will tell his in Matthew chapter 28 and in verse 20 as he is preparing to leave this earth,

as he is preparing to ascend back to the father, that he has received all authority. He commands them to go out into teach all nations, to teach them, to baptize them, to teach them, But then he says this, and lo, I am with you always. Even to the end of the eon is the Greek word there. Age Christ is saying,

my presence isn’t going to depart from you. My presence isn’t going away because I am eternal. Then consider also that his blessings, his rewards are eternal. Peter real question. Christ concerning the rewards that will come to those who have given up things in this life who’ve given up homes and wives and families and, and, and, and possessions. And Christ says that they will receive more In this life and in the life to come.

Then they have given up here and now Christ speaks concerning the blessings and the rewards that he has to offer those who are faithful to him not being just in this life but being eternal. What is a King who offers a real Lord that he can’t give? Certainly not the kind of King you want to serve. And yet Christ offers a row ward that is eternal.

Why? Because he is eternal. But then consider as well you have the prophesied nature of Christ. If you turn over to John chapter one John chapter one beginning in verse 67, we have an interesting um, prophecy here. Not from necessarily someone you would expect if, unless you’re familiar with the passage, John chapter one, I’ve got the wrong versus hole.

That’s because it’s supposed to be. Luke chapter one I believe. I think I wrote the wrong book. Yes. Luke chapter one. Sorry for the typo. Luke chapter one beginning in verse 67 you have Zechariah and Zechariah is here speaking. He’s filled with the Holy spirit, verse 67 and he is speaking concerning the things that are to come because John,

his son, who we know is John the Baptist has just been born and he has just been named and Zechariah has just received the ability to speak again, but notice this prophecy now. His father’s Zacharias was filled with the Holy spirit and prophesied saying bless it as the Lord of Israel for he has visited and redeemed his people and has raised up a horn of salvation for us in the house of his servant David.

Okay, there’s a Sal. There is salvation coming? There’s a prophesied salvation coming. There’s a redemption coming and it’s coming from the house of David, just as the old Testament said it would as he spoke by the mouth of his Holy prophets who have been since the world began. Yeah. From the beginning of time, since the beginning of the age.

Since the beginning of the world here, Zechariah says, this has been spoken. This isn’t something that happened the way people do with modern day prophecies and three days before it happens. All this is going to happen in three days or a year before this happens. This is no from the foundation of the world. This has been told. You can go to Genesis chapter three and you can read God’s judgment against the serpent and you can see Christ,

the seed of woman as part of that judgment from the foundation of the world. This has been declared, but verse 71 that we should be saved from our enemies and from the hand of all who hate us to perform the Mercy’s promise to our fathers and to remember his Holy covenant, the oath which he swore to our father Abraham, to grant us, that we being delivered from the hand of our enemies might serve him without fear in holiness and righteousness before him.

All the days of our lives. And you child will be called the prophet of the highest and you would go before the face of the Lord to prepare his ways to give knowledge of salvation to his people and by the remission or by the remission of their sins, through the tender mercy of our God, with which the Dayspring from on high has visited us to give light to those who sit in darkness and the shadow of death to guide our feet into the way of peace.

Zechariah says of John, who has just been born, who has just been named you will be the prophet of the Lord. You will be the profit of the highest, the one who prepares the way of the Lord, who gives knowledge of salvation to his people. The eternal nature of the kingship of Christ is prophesied here. No, this is Zechariah says,

we will serve him our whole life, Right? If we are going to serve the King our whole life, it must be the case that the King’s reign going to extend beyond our life. We see the eternal nature of the King. Well then consider also this kingdom reaches to the Gentiles and the eternal nature also reaches to the Gentiles. Ephesians chapter three beginning in verse four we read this by which when you read,

you may understand my knowledge in the mystery of Christ, which in other ages was not made known to the sons of men as it has now been revealed by the spirit to his Holy apostles and prophets, that the Gentiles should be fellow layers and of the same body and partakers of his promise in Christ through the gospel. So notice the context. Notice what Paul says.

The Gentiles are fellow heirs. They are per takers in the rewards and in the promise of the gospel of which I became a minister according to the gift of the grace of God, given to me by the effective working of his power to me who am less than the least of all the saints. This grace was given that I should preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ and the make all see which is the fellowship of the mystery,

which from the beginning of the ages has been hidden in God who created all things through Jesus Christ. Notice there was a mystery that was hidden unrevealed. It was yet to be declared. It was yet to be revealed and yet it was spoken of. It was told that the Gentiles would have a part in it, and yet there wasn’t a full revelation of what it was that would come to pass according to the eternal purpose which he purposed in Christ Jesus,

our Lord in whom we have boldness and access with confidence through faith in him. What is it that is part of the eternal nature of the kingship of Christ? What is it that is part of the eternal nature of Christ? Bringing his promises about in this life that will promise from the world, from the time of world began? It is the presence and boldness of the Gentiles to approach God.

And I suggest to you this afternoon that that’s very good news for all of us sitting here because I don’t think there are any Jews present. Okay? This is good news for all of us. It means we have part in the promises of God and Christ as King, but then you also see Christ in the old Testament. The eternal nature of Christ is that you don’t just see Christ in the new Testament.

You don’t just see Christ after he’s born, but you see Christ in the old Testament, first King, or excuse me, first Chronicles, chapter 10 Paul throughout this chapter will bring forward Christ in the old Testament, but notice a few of the examples. Yeah. Verses one Through four we read more over brethren. I do not want you to be unaware that all our fathers were under the cloud,

all passed through the sea, all were baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea. All ate the same spiritual food and all drink the same spiritual drink for they drank of that spiritual rock that followed them. And that rock was Christ. Here he references the giving of water from the rock. He references the manna from heaven. He references the salvation coming through the red sea and he says this Was Christ.

Then verses five through verse nine we read, but with most of them, God was not well pleased for their bodies were scattered in the wilderness. Now these things became our examples to the intent that we should not lust after evil things as they also lusted and do not become idolaters as they, as some of them were. As it is written, the people sat down to eat and drink and Rose up to play,

nor let us commit sexual immorality as some of them did, and in one day, 23,000 fell and notice this next phrase, no, or let us tell Crying As some of them also Tempted. Wait a minute. You’re telling me that in the old Testament when those Israelites went out and went forth and went into idolatry, that first-generation that proceeded out of the land of Egypt and into the land of Canaan,

but didn’t enter in and turned back and departed from the way have gone and followed after idols and followed after sexual morality and followed after their loss. You’re telling me they tempted Christ. That’s exactly what that passage just said.<inaudible> And were destroyed by serpents. Oh, you remember the time and book of numbers where the serpents were sent among them and it wasn’t until they came out and looked upon the brazen serpent that they would be healed And that one that was lifted up.

Yeah, In the midst of the camp that they had to look upon. That one that was lifted up, looked toward Christ. That’s exactly what Paul says, But then consider as well, you have Christ reign, Christ reign as King being without end. Ephesians chapter one. Yeah, Fijian chapter one beginning in verse 21 Paul as he is speaking here concerning the church and concerning Christ,

verse 20 which he worked in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at the right hand in the heavenly places, far above all principality and power and might and dominion and every name that is named not only in this age but also in that which is to come and he’s put all things under his feet and gave him to be head over all things to the church,

which is his body, the fullness of him that fill us all in all here, Christ is described as one ruling, not only in this age, but in the age to come. His reign is eternal. Chapter two verses six through seven has raised us up together and made us to sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus, that in the ages to come,

he might show the exceeding riches of his grace and in his kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. Not only is his reign eternal, the benefits of his citizenship are eternal. But then consider revelation chapter 11 revelation chapter 11 and in verse 15 we have this statement, verse 15, Dean of revelation chapter 11. Then the 77 angel sounded, and there were loud voices in heaven saying the kingdom of this world have become the kingdoms of our Lord and of his Christ and he shall reign.

Oh, it doesn’t just say he shall reign, does it? It says, and he shall reign for forever and never Christ the King. Eternal. Chapter 22 and in verse one, as the picture of the new heaven and the new earth are presenting chapter 22 in verse one and he showed me a river of uh, excuse me, a pure river of water of life,

clear as crystal, proceeding from where? From the throne of God and of the lamb. Verse five there shall be no night. There may need no lamp nor light of the sun for the Lord. God gives them light and they shall reign or ever and ever. Paul says to the King eternal. It is because he understands the nature of not only the King but of his reign.

You might also consider as well that he is the one who brings forth the Gentiles into this kingdom. We might also notice that he’s the one who made the worlds. He is the creator from the very beginning. John chapter one verses one and two all things were made through him and without him was not anything made that was made. Yeah, Hebrews chapter one makes it clear that the one through whom God now speaks is the one through whom he made the worlds in.

All things are upheld by the word of his power. All of these passages make it clear that Christ is not only eternal in his reign but has been here from me. Turnitin. Okay. Jesus said it this way before Abraham was, I am Well then consider as well that his throne is eternal. Over and Hebrews chapter one Hebrews chapter one and in verse eight you have a prophecy from the old Testament,

from the book of Psalms and Psalms chapter 45 here applied to Christ correctly applied to Christ in the new Testament with clarity concerning what it is that the Psalmus writer meant. In Hebrews chapter one in verse eight we read, but to the son, he says, your throne, O God is forever and ever a Sceptre of righteousness is the Sceptre of your kingdom.

There’s an interesting statement there because the ones speaking is the Lord. The Lord is speaking and saying to the Lord, your throne, Oh God is forever. Jehovah is speaking to someone else. He’s speaking To the second person in the Godhead and he’s describing his throne as eternal, but then consider as well and Hebrews chapter five that his priesthood is eternal. I understand we’re focusing on his kingship,

but in interesting value proposition here. His priesthood is eternal and his kingship is eternal and he is a King and a priest after the order of is a deck. Hebrews chapter five and in verse six we read and he says, he also says in another place, you are a priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek. That comes from Psalms 110 again,

he reiterated that and Hebrews chapter seven verse 17 we read this, he testifies you are a priest forever according to the<inaudible>, as if we hadn’t quite gotten the point yet. Verse 21 for they have become priests without an old, but he is with an old by him who said to him, the Lord is warning will not relent. You are a priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek.

Why in the world is the Hebrew writer hammering this so many times Because there was never a priest in Israel Who was the King Because there was never a King in Israel who was a priest and every priest in Israel died And yet the King, the priest, Christ would be King forever. Not like the lineage of Aaron, but very much different from that,

but consider also the runner. He is our four runner into eternity. Hebrews chapter six beginning in verse 19 we read this hope we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and steadfast, which enters the presence behind the veil. A few things that are important as we get to the next verse, the veil is death. There’s a hope that we have that enters beyond death that has gone ahead of us,

that anchor that we can cast through this life into eternity and have assurance of what is to come. And verse 20 we read where the four runner has entered for us. Even Jesus having become high priest forever according to the order of milk as a Dak Hebrew writer says, Christ is our anchor. He’s gone before us, and that hope that we have in Christ is a hope that is assured that enters beyond death and gives us confidence of what is to come.

But then consider also that Hebrew writer says that the, that Christ is the same. Christ is the same yesterday, today and forever. He’s unchanging. He’s not going to depart. He’s not going to leave us behind. He’s not going to neglect us. He is not going to forsake us. He is the lamb, the lamb that was slain and is alive again.

Revelation chapter five verse 13 he is the lamb that was slain and yet revelation chapter one verses 13 through 18 says this, revelation chapter one verse 13 says, and in the midst of the seven lampstands one like the son of man clothed with a garment down to the feet and girded about the chest with a golden band, his head and his hair were white like wool,

as white as snow. And his eyes like the flame of fire. His feet were like fine. Brass is refined by a furnace and his voice as the sound of many waters. And he had in his right hand, seven stars out of his mouth when a sharp twoedged sword and his countenance was like the sun shining in its strength. And when I saw him,

I fell at his feet as dead, but he laid his right hand on me saying to me, do not be afraid. I am the first and the last I am he who lives and was dead and behold, I am alive forever more. Amen. And I have the keys of Haiti’s and death. Write the things which you have seen in the things which are and the things which will take place after this.

Yeah. Christ appears to John and John sees his appearance and John falls down as dead and Christ lifts him up and says, do not be afraid on the first and the last. I’m the one who lives and who died and who is alive forevermore. Christ the King. Is he turtle? Well, then we come to this word immortal. You might think if you were looking at this from an English perspective,

that he terminal in immortal. That’s kind of the same thing. That’s not now when you go back to the original meaning of this word, because the original meaning of this world word doesn’t mean never dies. The original meaning of this word in the in the Greek language was incorruptible without quite literally not corrupted. The idea of this word is not only is God not going to die,

not only is Christ not going to die, not only is his, he is King not going to die, he is without corruption in his life. First Kings chapter, excuse me, I do that again. First Corinthians, first Corinthians chapter three and in verse 17 if anyone defiles the temple of God, God will destroy him. For the temple of God is Holy,

which temple you are, the word defiled. There is the positive form of the word not corrupted. In first Timothy chapter one so first it’d be chapter one verse 17 you have in the Greek language, if you put an a in front of something, an alpha in front of something, it turns it into a negative. It means not this. So in this passage,

the word defiled is the word for corruption. First Timothy, chapter one verse 17 is not corrupted, not corruptible. Chapter 15 verse 33 of Corinthians. Paul uses this phrase inside this context of the resurrection and he, it’s very interesting that it’s here. We’re going to see some of the interesting aspects of this in just a moment, but inside a discussion of the resurrection,

he says this to these church, these brethren at Corinth, he says, verse 33 do not be conceived. Evil companions, corrupt good habits. Paul’s says that your way of life can be corrupted and it’s interesting. He uses this word that he’s going to use the negative form of and just a few verses. He says, your life can be corrupted by evil influences,

and by the way, the context is evil influences in the church. He’s talking about brethren teaching false doctrines. He’s talking about those brethren that are denying the resurrection. He’s not talking about evil influences in the world. He’s not talking about don’t spend your time with those who are committing fornication and adultery and unseemly things. He’s telling these brethren, you stay away from Christians who are teaching what is faults because they’re evil communication way of life will corrupt yours,

but then notice as well going to the use of the word incorruption. This same word that we have translated in first Timothy chapter one verse 17 as immortal. Romans chapter one verse 23 says, professing to be wise, verse 22 they became fools and changed the glory of the incorruptible God into an image made like corruptible men and birds and four footed animals and creeping things.

He’s talking about the idolatry of the Gentiles. He’s talking about the history of these pagan people who have taken the image of God. They’ve taken the idea of God, the glory of God, the declaration of God, and they’ve made him like a corruptible creature. They fashioned it with corruptible things. They fashioned images as corruptible individuals or creatures or animals and such like to represent God.

Paul says, you can’t take the image of God who is incorruptible and create an image that looks like him made out of that which is corruptible, but then notice also the crown of the King is referenced as that which is incorruptible. In first Corinthians chapter nine verse 25 we read this. You do not run, excuse me. You did not know. Verse 24 those who run in a race all run,

but one receives the prize run in such a way that you may obtain it. And everyone who competes for the prize is temperate in all things. Now they do it to obtain a perishable crown. Quite often during the days of the races that Paul is referencing, the crown would be made of of limbs and and, and uh, and leaves and that type of thing.

It was a full crown. It would die in just a matter of days. And yet he says, but we, for an imperishable crown, Again, we’re reminded that the reward of Christ, much like the existence of Christ is eternal. It is in corruptible, but then consider also Peter says, using this same imagery, this same word, he uses it to reference our inheritance.

In first Peter chapter one and in verse four he says to an inheritance, he’s speaking about the resurrection, Christ from the dead to an inheritance, incorruptible and undefiled. And that does not fade away, reserved in heaven for you. We place our whole bar trust, our expectation of our inheritance in a Christ who is eternal. And his reward will not disappear,

Right? It will not be moth eaten, it will not be stolen. It is in corruptible. But then again, we are also reminded that the seed with which we are born into eternal life is also incorruptible first. First Peter chapter one verse 22 sends you a purified your souls in obeying the truth through the spirit in sincere love of the brethren love one another fervently with a pure heart,

having been born again, not of corruptible seed but of incorruptible through the word of God which lives and abides forever. Now I mentioned this morning as we read row revelation chapter 19 and we read concerning the one who had a name that no one knew and we read concerning the one who was on the white horse and we read his name is The word Of God And then we’re reminded of John chapter one where we read that in the beginning was the word and the word was with God and the word was God.

And we come here to first Peter chapter one verses 22 and 23 and we read that we have been born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible through the word of God which lives and by AIDS forever. God says, my word will never pass away. My word will never be corrupted, and it is that seed which gives life, but then go back with me if you will,

to that context. In first Corinthians chapter 15 first Corinthians chapter 15 We find the remainder of this discussion. I mentioned verse 33 he’s talking about a corrupting influence. He’s talking about a corruption that will change their way of life from those who are within the body of Christ teaching that which is false. He says, verse 42 so also is the resurrection of the dead.

The body is sown in corruption, but it is raised in incorruption. He says, now as he’s talking about the resurrection, not only theirs is there going to be one, but the body that is resurrected is immortal. It is without corruption. Then notice verse 50 now I say now this, I say, brethren, that the flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God.

Nor does corruption inherit incorruption. The reason the body is changed, the reason why any eternity we won’t be as we are now is because this body is corruptible. This body can be defiled, this body can perish, can decay, but that body will not, and corruption cannot inherit incorruption versus 53 and 54 for this corruptible must put on incorruption and this mortal must put on immortality.

So when this corruptible is put on incorruption and this mortal has put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass. The saying that is written, death is swallowed up in victory. So we have the King whose eternal, we have the King who will change us from being corruptible, decaying, departing, dying to incorruptible. But then we also have invisible.

This is simply a word that means not visible, not seen, not observable. And yet it’s interesting that Paul uses the word invisible to reference Christ Price was the one who said to his disciples in John chapter 14 if you’ve seen me, you’ve seen the father and yet it is through the manifestation of Christ that we see the father, that we understand the father,

and yet at the present time when Paul is writing this, Christ can’t be seen. Christ has ascended into heaven and is no longer visible. That is with the natural eyes, but turn to Romans chapter one Romans chapter one verses 18 through 20 we have in this context about paganism, about those who departed from the truth and their of God. This these words for the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men who suppress the truth in unrighteousness because what may be known of God is manifest in them for God has shown it to them.

Notice there’s something that can be known. There’s something that even in the old Testament could be known about God and was manifest was made known to them. Verse 20 for since the creation of the world, his invisible attributes are clearly seen. Now, wait a minute. How can his invisible attributes be clearly seen? How is it that God who cannot be seen has the ability to clearly be seen?

Paul, what do you mean? Notice what he says. For since the creation of the world, his invisible attributes are clearly seen being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead so that they are without, Excuse me. Paul says, you can know that God exists. You can see he who is invisible by the deeds that he’s done by the works that he has manifested by the creation that he has given us,

but then consider as well that Christ revealed the father turned to collage in chapter one we already mentioned John chapter 14 verse nine but Colossians chapter one We read beginning in verse 12 giving thanks to the father who has qualified us to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in the light. He has delivered us from the power of darkness and conveyed us into the kingdom of the son of his love.

Notice, here’s the King. Here’s the kingdom in whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins. He is the image of the invisible God, the first born over all creation. For by him all things were created that are in heaven and that are on earth, visible and invisible, whether Thrones or dominions or principalities or powers. All things were created through him and for him.

And he is before all things and in him all things consist. We see Christ And yet we don’t. He is visible by his deeds. He is visible by his power. He is visible by his nature. He is visible by his salvation. He is visible by his redemption. He is visible by our forgiveness, Okay. And yet he is invisible.

Peter writes to those in the first century and speaks to Them about the one who though they’ve never seen him yet, they love him. Jesus Christ, the King, eternal, immortal, invisible. And yet Moses were told, and Hebrews chapter 11 and verse 27 for suc, the house of Pharaoh for suck the sin that was around him to be numbered among the people of God As seeing him who was invisible.

Moses was one who saw God. He saw God as a choice to serve God or to serve the flesh, to serve God or to serve sin, to be obedient to God and suffer or to live in pleasure and yet not know God. The King eternal, immortal, invisible is the one to whom we owe honor, glory, praise, worship, salvation,

redemption. And who has promised us and inheritance that is incorruptible, undefiled, and that fades not away. So the question for us is, what will we do with the King? What will we do with his eternal nature? We can’t run away from him. We can outlive him. We can’t die and hope that we’ll just go out of existence. We have a judgment to face and he is King and he is judge,

and yet he has promised us a home. Do you have the assurance of that home today? Do you have the assurance of hope? The assurance steadfast then enters within the veil that when this life is over, that home awaits. There’s a King reigning and he’s waiting for you to come home. If you have need of the invitation, the invitation is open.

Why not come now as we stand and as we sing.