076: Tim Badger - A Letter For Us

Automatically transcribed. Accuracy is good but not perfect, and words are sometimes wrong. Trust the audio over the text.

1. 0:00

   Welcome to the Good Christadelphian Talks podcast. I'm Levi. And I'm Chris. Thank you so much for joining us this week. On this podcast, we select one talk a week to help each one of us get the Bible in our daily news feed. And we post at the start of each week for you to listen with a short intro beforehand to kind of set the stage for the talk you're about to hear.

2. 0:33

   And now let's hear more about this week's talk. This week's talk is by our brother, Tim Badger, and it's called A Letter for Us. I actually was able to download this talk off of YouTube. It's actually posted on YouTube by the Adelaide CYC where he presented this talk back in November. of 2019.

3. 0:58

   I very much enjoyed this class. Listened to it a few weeks ago, kind of before the pandemic, the coronavirus pandemic broke out. Found it very encouraging. It is seems to be the last in a series that that CYC was listening to on the letters to the Ecclesias. And Tim does a presentation on what his letter would be to young people today.

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   So even though you might not be a young person if you're listening to this, I still felt it applicable for all of us and very encouraging and easy to listen to. Tim does a bit of a kind of a setup. He has a setup on YouTube where he is at a desk made out to be his own desk where he is writing this letter to the group.

5. 1:38

   So I have edited some of that out because it doesn't translate to a podcast. He will, making like he's writing on his computer. So he uses just a little bit of context that there's a, there's kind of a, um, a setting that he's, that he builds on the stage that he'll then refer to.

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   Uh, we obviously are still very concerned about the, uh, coronavirus and has, uh, how it has affected all of our lives. Now we are thankful for the services and meetings we're able to have, uh, digitally through technology. Um, and we appreciate you using your time in your social distancing to listen to this podcast.

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   Um, I did kind of want to post something different. Uh, we have had some suggestions about, um, further coronavirus related classes. Um, but I felt it's nice sometimes to think about something else to, uh, to kind of hear a different study, um, be encouraged in a different way. Um, but our prayers are with everyone and please keep suggestions coming.

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   And, um, with that, here is Tim Badger, a letter for us. Dear young person living in 2019, Much love to you in the hope of Christ and his coming kingdom.

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   I know this doesn't seem like a letter addressed personally to you as an individual person. And in some ways it's not. As there's a real sense in which I'm writing this to all of you, the young people as a group together. However, even though your name is not at the top of this letter, I sincerely want you to feel and know that I'm writing to you personally.

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    The reason is that I have a deep care for you as a young person. I've always loved our young people. Lots of other people do too. And I love being with you and I love being around you. And doing what I can to help you in your faith. It's actually the only reason why I came to Australia.

11. 3:37

    Yeah, that's right. I mean, that's not the only reason why I'm here, I suppose. Now. There's lots of other good reasons to be here. But that is why I came to Australia in the first place. I remember I got this email from, yeah, Andrew Johns. He said, ah, I heard that you're done your science degree.

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    There's an opening at Heritage College. Come on over. A little spine tingle moment. Went down my spine way over in Canada. I've been looking for ages for a job. I don't know if they just thought I was a rubbish teacher. Potentially out of, and some of you might think that too, but anyway.

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    I couldn't get a job. My best hope of getting a job was going to my local high school where I'd volunteered. The teachers and the staff knew me. My grandpa had been a science teacher there before me. His name was still in one of the filing cabinets. So I thought I had a shoe in.

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    Anyway. I applied. Didn't get the job because someone internally got it. And I went home that day from school, from the interview. And my principal, the principal called me and he said, hey, Tim, like, we really wanted to give you the job, but someone internally got it. Okay. So I went downstairs to my room, pretty kind of cheesed off.

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    Thought it would be a great opportunity. And then I checked, literally checked my email right after that phone call, after I got over being cheesed off for a little bit. And that was when in my Gmail account, I'll glad you sent me an email and said, do you want to come to Australia?

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    And it was like, what? What just happened? And I said, yes. Let me think about it. So I thought about it. And prayed about it. And I said, I'll give it a go for a year. I've been here for 14 years. But I'm so glad I came. And for the sole reason back then that it was this great opportunity to just be around more young people.

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    And it doesn't matter if you go to Heritage College or not. I know that not everyone does. And that's fine. But it was one of those things for me where I'm like, yes, I get to be with young people around the truth in some way.

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    I moved here because I was totally stoked at the opportunity to teach and be with young people like you in the context of the hope that we have. And whether or not you are a past student of mine, I care about you the same. Kate and I both do. I have a message for you.

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    And I thought I would write it down as a letter. After all, I was asked to do it. But I really want to. I'm sitting at my desk with my open Bible, a piece of paper with all sorts of scribbles on it, with a couple of random minifigures lying around, and with my Mac and a cup of coffee.

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    It's a far cry from what was likely in the hand of the Apostle Paul when he wrote a letter to the young man Timothy and the inspired knowledge that he had when he wrote passionately to him. But I do feel that there's something in common between the two letters, Paul's letter to Timothy and this letter right here, that were separated and are separated by such a long time.

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    And that is a love for you as a young person. I want to encourage you, based on your theme of studies this year, to be an overcomer. This theme is embedded in the letters of the seven Ecclesias in the book of Revelation, as you know from this year's studies. These are extraordinary letters from Jesus Christ himself to some of our Ecclesiastes around 2,000 years ago.

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    They're powerful letters. They make us dig deep in examining ourselves and comparing ourselves to Jesus Christ and who is called to discipleship. They're also extremely encouraging to us as they keep pointing us to the promise and the future hope and assuring us of the different aspects of the kingdom. You may not feel like an overcomer, but that's the theme of suburban young people for 2019.

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    I wonder how many people here tonight feel like they're an overcomer after all those studies. I haven't heard them all. Maybe you do. Either way, most people, and older folks too, go through periods of zeal, but also through periods of blah and meh when it comes to spiritual thinking and living. I know that feeling for myself, especially when I was in the upper years of high school and into my time at university.

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    It was tricky. It was hard to know at times if I was actually following Christ or if I was just going through the basic motions and not really deeply convicted about him and his kingdom. And when I stuffed up in some areas and made mistakes, it was sometimes hard to reorient my life, my spiritual thinking, and feel that I could go on and follow Christ still.

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    I think this was especially true when I had bad habits, things that I was struggling with. This might have been ungodly sexualized thoughts or seeing things that encouraged this in my mind. Or it might have just been an extended period of time just letting God get crowded out of my life. That's what uni felt like sometimes.

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    It was good, but it felt like there was really busy times in my life. I didn't even have a phone back then. I had a Walkman and some CDs.

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    Pretty dated. Crazy though, because it was just the same feeling that I think I've had some young people talk to me about. But yeah. Anyway.

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    The things that I was listening to and all that kind of stuff wasn't necessarily bad. It was just blah and meh from a pure spiritual point of view. Over time, and you may know what I'm talking about, it just sucks the spiritual lifeblood out of you. And then you realize that you're in a place where your conviction is cooled off.

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    And you're really lacking motivation for anything spiritual. The Bible became sometimes a bit of a chore, and I'd find myself talking the talk when at CYC, but not really having a depth of heart. I don't know. Maybe you guys feel this too sometimes. I reckon you probably have some similar experiences. Perhaps for you it's your Netflix or Stan subscription on your phone that's just slowly sucking your time, casually cooling off your conviction and love for Christ.

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    Maybe you do have some habits, even addictions, that are tightening their grip on you. That's how you feel. I know that feeling. Maybe you've had some bad choices with your girlfriend or boyfriend. Maybe you've pushed them too far from what you know God has said is going to be best for you guys both.

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    Maybe you've had a relationship with your parents and adults in your life that is not so great. Maybe it's a bit negative and wearing on you. Perhaps you're even actually struggling to care in the first place. You're not alone in these feelings. I want to encourage you in this. At times, if you feel this way, even if you are in a good place here tonight, I want you just to read on and think about your life and your faith.

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    Do you know, I guess you do know, that one of the final visions of the book in Revelation, if you've got your Bibles, just have a look at it. We just read it tonight. It's a beaut. In one of the final visions of the book, come to Revelation 21. Have a look at what it says.

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    He hears this voice from heaven. This is amazing. Verse 3 of Revelation 21. And I heard a loud voice from heaven saying, behold, the tabernacle of God is with men and he will dwell with them and they shall be his people. God himself will be with them and be their God. Look what he says in verse 20, in verse 7.

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    So John hears this loud voice ringing from heaven. And the loud voice in verse 7 says, he who overcomes shall inherit all things. Young people, I want you to hear this loud voice too. Versions of this promise of overcoming are in every one of the seven letters at the start of the book.

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    So in a sense, this loud voice has been saying it over and over again throughout this final book of the Bible. And this concept is actually something that John, under inspiration, loves. He's got it in the Gospel of John. He's got it in the letters of John. And he's got it in the book of Revelation.

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    This idea of overcoming is a John sort of concept. And God is speaking that message through the Apostle John to you and I right now. He who overcomes, says this glorious loud voice, he who overcomes will inherit all things. It is possible that the wrong idea about what this means, he who overcomes, can cause us to not actually hear what that voice is saying.

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    It's possible that the challenges we mentioned before are preventing you from hearing this beautiful, repeated, loud message of hope. And I encourage you to listen to it again. Hear it clearly. He who overcomes shall inherit all things. The question is, what does that mean? I mean, you guys have studied your Bible for the last year, looking to the letters to the seven Ecclesias.

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    You should know them well, I'm assuming, if you were here for the studies. What does it mean? He who will overcome young people. What does that mean to you right now in 2018, 2019? It could mean to you, and I'm pretty sure I felt this way at times, something too hard. He who overcomes, I'm not going to make it.

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    The image that could be conjured up in your mind, and at times has been in my head, of this idea of he who overcomes, is like this, like if you can imagine a mountaineer. He's got all his kit, all his gear. I love rock climbing, so I sort of know a little bit about it, definitely never climbed Everest.

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    But think of a mountaineer. This is what some people's concept might be of overcoming. To overcome, you're like this mountaineer, and God is saying, or Christ is saying through John, you've got to climb Everest out of sheer brute willpower and force. You might make it. But you might die and freeze to death on the way.

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    You might fall off. You might join all those other people in the last few years who have actually died at base camp or other places. But if you grit your teeth and serve God and show up at everything and say all the right stuff and hope that you can do it alone, you might make it.

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    He who overcomes. But young people, that on a scriptural ground is totally wrong. And I do not want you to go home tonight or go home from the whole series on Revelation, all those seven letters to the Ecclesia, with the idea of overcoming that you're a mountaineer trying to power up Everest by sheer brute force.

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    That is not the message of overcoming. What does it mean to overcome? I'm going to let John answer that question. Come to 1 John chapter 5. I want you to read this carefully with me.

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    Just been mulling this over. 1 John 5, same word in the Greek. Verse 3. For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments.

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    I know I don't keep the commandments. So here's this mountaineer feeling coming in, that I feel like I need to be a mountaineer climbing Everest and I'm never going to make it. And his commandments, John says, are not burdensome. Really? I don't know about you, but when I was at uni, I felt like some of the commandments of Christ were pretty burdensome.

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    I don't know about you, but when he says in Matthew chapter 5, if you even look at a woman to lust after her, you've committed adultery in your heart already. That's really burdensome. For any guy in this audience, you felt the sheer weight of that commandment of Christ. It's just a natural thing that everyone deals with.

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    True? So how can Jesus Christ, who said in Matthew 11, and the Apostle John, how can he tell us in 2019 that following the commandments of Christ is not burdensome? Keep reading. For whatever is born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world. Now think about this, young people.

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    You've been looking at being an overcomer all year in your studies in Suburban. And John hears this loud voice in Revelation 21, brings that whole thing back, and he says, He who overcomes will inherit all things. And John says, this is the victory that overcomes the world. Our faith. He who overcomes the world.

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    Who is he that overcomes the world, says John? But he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God. That's an incredible statement, young people. For you to over... You tell me. You guys probably know this from Sunday school. Maybe he's from lectures. Other things. What is the definition of the world that John's saying that we can overcome through faith?

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    What is the definition of the world in the terms of 1 John? You tell me. What is it? The lust of the flesh. This is chapter 2, verse 16. Excellent. The lust of the world and everything that's in the world summed up by three things. The lust of the flesh. The lust of the eyes.

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    And the pride of life. There's not a single young person in this room who doesn't feel the weight of those things each day. Some more so. Different periods of your life, you might feel it a bit more acutely. But John says, young people, that how do you overcome the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life?

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    How do you do it? By sheer force? Nope. It ain't gonna happen. It's by your raw faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. That is what is gonna overcome the world. And the reason for that is because Jesus himself is an overcomer. He overcame. He destroyed sin. He destroyed the power of death. And we are told in Scripture, in no uncertain terms, if you can believe it, that he has overcome sin and death.

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    In fact, the entire Revelation opens up with this picture of Jesus making really clear to us that he is the one who was dead, but now he's alive from the grave. He went to hell, and he's back. The grave. Okay? But that's the opening of Revelation. This is the one who has conquered sin and death.

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    And he's back. He's alive. And he, if you believe in him, will conquer that for you. You join with him. You become an overcomer. That is it, young people. Your faith in Christ is the crucial element that we end Suburban classes on in 2019. You will never be an overcomer. You will never be an overcomer.

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    In the terms of Revelation, the Gospel of John, and the letters of John, if you feel like it's all up to you. You won't do it. You won't do it. You can't do it. And if you ever, and you will, and you probably know what I'm talking about, if you ever get to those positions where you feel like you are completely smothered by your inability to follow Christ, that's no reason to feel like you're not an overcomer.

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    Because John says you need to believe in the Lord Jesus Christ, in his victory over sin and death. That is absolutely crucial, young people. I don't want you to see yourself as some mountaineer trying to climb Everest. And if you're a young person who's sitting here, and you've felt that, and that's why you doubt Christ, and you doubt the brotherhood, and you're disenchanted or disillusioned, I want you to start rethinking.

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    Jesus Christ is not putting on you a burden that you have to carry alone. You will feel that burden, and it's heavy at times. But Jesus says, no, it's actually not heavy. Because I forgive you. And with me, there's long-suffering, and mercy, and compassion. And that compassion, and long-suffering, and mercy is directed to you and me.

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    That's the only way we can overcome young people. We will never do it by fitting the part, by ticking the boxes, by feeling like we've got to do this on our own. Christ says, no, you need to understand that my burden is light, and my yoke is easy. You come to me, and I help you.

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    That's why when he says his commandments are not burdensome, part of that, young people, no doubt, is because when we really have faith in Christ, we'll love to do the commandments of Christ. Now, I do have faith in Christ. I'm going to tell you right now, I absolutely have 100% conviction. I'm an overcomer.

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    But that does not mean that I don't feel the fight of sin in my daily life. That's true. That's not something that just goes away, right? So when you think of the Apostle Paul, you probably know this. We're not going to look it up because we're just having a little chat for the Bible.

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    I'm writing you a letter. And you'll get it at the end. But the Apostle Paul said, and you need to think about this as a young person and use it as a motivational force in your life. The Apostle Paul said he struggles greatly with the power of sin in his life. The Apostle Paul.

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    Now, if we did a little survey, right, a little survey, and I asked you, yes or no, is Paul the Apostle in or out? What would you say? Of the kingdom? Hands up if you think Paul's in.

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    A few adults don't think so. I get it. You're letting the young people answer. But yes. Okay. If you didn't have your hand up, you can read Scripture and find out the Apostle Paul was totally confident that he was an overcomer. Totally. Totally. But you also find that the Apostle Paul did not think that because he was now riding on top of sin, not feeling its effects.

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    Somehow there was a little bit of magic that went on for him when he was converted on the road to Damascus and it was no longer an issue. No. Romans 7 says, think about this. Romans 7 says, I want to do good, but I keep doing the wrong thing. When I want to do the right thing, I find that there's evil present with me.

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    The Apostle Paul said that, young people. Now, if the Apostle Paul can feel that when he's trying to do the will of God, he's trying to do the commandments of Christ, but when he does, there's this evil present with him that he's battling with, then we can take comfort from that. Because I feel that.

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    You feel that. Just because you're doing battle and you fall down on your face as a young person at uni with your phone, with your device, with your friends, with your girlfriend or boyfriend, whatever that is, does not mean it's over and does not mean you are not an overcomer. You get back up and you realize that Christ is there to help you.

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    He has defeated that power of sin. And we have to believe when Paul says, who knew that struggle, that it has no more dominion over you, you've got to believe that. And that's why his commandments are not burdensome, because it's not going to be this like 51%, 49%. You're not living your life on the edge of a knife thinking one day I messed up, I'm out.

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    One day I've done a few good things and I went to Suburban, I'm in. I'm back on track. Went to that conference and I feel spiritually renewed and I'm on a high, so I feel like I'm in. And then you stuff up after a couple weeks of conference and you use your phone in a way that you shouldn't and you feel like you're out.

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    Stop thinking like that. And stop limiting the power of Christ in your life. Revelation says, and so does John, and so does the Gospel of John, and so does the Apostle Paul in no uncertain terms. He says, you need to develop a profound conviction in the Lord Jesus Christ. And that is what an overcomer is.

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    If the Apostle Paul can be an overcomer and still fall and fail with sin, then that's encouragement for you and I. I believe that's exactly why Romans 7 is there. And if you're going through a little patch of that in your life right now, don't let that make you give up. Because the Apostle Paul didn't.

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    You have every reason to believe in the Lord Jesus Christ. That's what you need to work on. Your faith in him. Now, young people, it's true that real faith in Christ will not be this kind of thing. Lord Jesus, come into my heart. And you're saved and that's done and dusted. No, no, no.

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    The Gospel is far more profound than that. So when you read Scripture, you realize that when you do have real faith, the type of young person that you are is someone who really does hate sin. If you really do have faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, this is something that's going to well up in you, a feeling for rejecting sin in your life.

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    Not all at once. You're going to have to work at that. Right? And that faith will motivate you on to actually leave and forsake those sins. You can't claim to believe and have faith in Jesus Christ. And love watching those shows on Netflix where people are having sex and where people are killing each other in violence.

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    If you love that stuff and you're cool with it and your friends are, then I believe there's one thing that's wrong. And that is your understanding of the Gospel. I don't feel that you've got a real conviction about what the Gospel is. Because to believe in Christ means that inside, although you're weak and although you will struggle and although you will still fail, there will be a passion arising in you that says, I hate this stuff.

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    Because Christ desperately hated it. And in fact, that's exactly why he came. To give his life. To conquer that. In your life. And young people, I just want to encourage you tonight. If you want to be an overcomer, I want you to believe in the Gospel of the Son of God. Believe, young people, that you are a desperate sinner.

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    I am and you are. The Apostle John and so was the Apostle Paul. When you realize the power of sin in your life and how ugly that is, you are then in a position to realize this amazing concept in Scripture called grace. The more you realize that you are a desperate need, the more you can trust that Christ is the one who will give you that need.

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    That's so important. And to overcome is exactly that, young people. It's your faith in Christ. And though you'll fail and then you'll falter, you need to rise again and find the strength to go on and find your friends to help you.

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    Overcoming is having faith in Jesus that when you do stuff up, when you do sin, when you do make a poor choice, there is still certain hope. Overcoming is believing that Christ can help you with sin through forgiveness and mercy. He calls for your faith to show a forsaking of sin in your life.

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    But he also makes it abundantly clear that when you do sin, there is forgiveness and mercy. This is partially what is meant by the fact that the commandments are not burdensome. Through faith, we're baptized into this gospel truth. When you commit to Christ in this profound way, you are an overcomer. Now make no mistake, if you flick back to Revelation, make no mistake, in Revelation 21, and you probably remember it from the reading because it's so harsh, in Revelation 21, verse 7, sorry, Revelation 21, verse 8, let me fix that.

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    Revelation 21, verse 8, and chapter 22, verse 15, describe groups of people that are not going to inherit the kingdom of God. Here's the description. But the cowardly, unbelieving, abominable, murderers, sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars shall have their part in the lake that burns with fire and brimstone, which is the second death.

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    Now let's be clear, young people, on what these verses are talking about. These are not believers who have made mistakes and who struggle with sin each day. When they try and do good, they find that evil is present with them. These, in chapter 21, verse 8, are those who never responded to the gospel.

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    Or if they have, they've turned and rejected Christ and given themselves back over to embracing sin as a choice. In faithless, in a faithless move towards disobedience, overcomers are those who have faith and strive to do the will of God, although they fail along the way. Now you might, you might struggle with sexual immorality on your social media and in your relationships.

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    That's not what Revelation 21, verse 8 is talking about. Paul struggled with it too. I have no doubt about that. But he was not someone who gave his life to it. He's not someone who embraced it. He hated it with all of his mind, even though he probably still struggled with it. That's the difference, young people.

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    When you embrace those things, you forfeit overcoming. When you embrace Christ through faith, you become an overcomer. And those things will not hold you out of the kingdom of God. And you will inherit all things. I feel this is so important for you to think about deeply. God has offered something that is beyond compare He wants you to know deeply that you are held captive to sin and that you will die.

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    He wants you to see the seriousness of sin in your life. He wants you to, in faith, see what He's done to destroy the power of sin and death through giving His Son. He wants you to believe in His Son and that He's overcome the world and He's called you to a more excellent way.

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    He wants you to believe that Jesus Christ is Lord and Savior and that it is through genuine faith in Him only that you can be free from the power of sin and death in your life. He's calling us to walk in faith, to forsake sin, to believe and trust in the grace and forgiveness He brings.

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    This is a message of total joy. And although you feel weighed down with sin, you can leave that aside and go on and feel the burden-removing ability of the Lord Jesus Christ.

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    This is the good news. It's not blah or ma. It's good. And when you can take hold of it in faith, I believe, young people, it can change you from the inside out. Do you know, the final message that we are left with in the Bible, the very last phrase, is Revelation 22 verse 21.

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    This is what it says. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen. This message is so important for you as a young person. It is this grace of Jesus Christ that is essential to keep us going. The Lord Jesus Christ knew this when He wrote to the Apostle John and left this message in Revelation.

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    Through all the judgments, all the promises, all the visions of the kingdom in Revelation, the whole book ends on this message that you need the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ to be with you so you can be an overcomer and endure and hold fast. As soon as you lose sight of the much-needed grace of God in your life, as soon as you begin to think it's all up to you, it's not, then you will begin to feel this burden of trying to live the truth on your own lift from off you.

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    However, when you start to appreciate how profoundly crucial the grace of God is and how gracious the Lord Jesus Christ is in dealing with you as a young person, you will also feel a great desire to follow Him. I honestly feel this, and I feel sometimes our young people don't always get this message clearly.

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    To understand your great need for the grace of God is life-changing. It will actually, as you grow in faith, begin to motivate you more closely to follow Christ.

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    Yeah, you're going to fail along the way, but it's going to change your attitude and outlook. No longer will you be trying to do good works in order to feel that you are right with Christ and to feel that you can be in the kingdom.

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    You will start to find the motivation to do good things because of what God has given you already through His Son, something you don't deserve. This is explained beautifully in Ephesians 2, verses 1-10. Have a quiet read of those verses to yourself, and you can capture the faith and the passion of the Apostle Paul.

95. 35:58

    You know, young people, you might be a young person who knows of others who are struggling spiritually right now. Maybe they're here in the hall with you. You know them. You know what they're going through because they've downloaded on you. Maybe they don't feel anything like an overcomer. You, too, might not quite feel the relief and joy of what the gospel is in your life because you doubt.

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    But I want to assure you from my own reading of the Bible and my own personal convictions that I believe that God is with you and that He is with those you're trying to help.

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    It might not seem like it. I know young people that have gone through periods where it totally doesn't feel like God's with them. I know young people have gone through periods and maybe you're one of these people that feels like the truth is just all a little bit too much and the reality of God is a distant thing from them.

98. 36:56

    You may not feel you can see His hand at work in your life, but I want to tell you young people on behalf of every older person here, every older brother and sister in your ecclesia and in the brotherhood worldwide. I want to tell you that He assures us in His Word that He loves us and that He is at work.

99. 37:17

    It is His good pleasure to give us the kingdom. And if that's true and it totally is, then don't give up. Don't let your friends give up on following Christ and believing in Him. Don't let them give up on being an overcomer just because they have the wrong definition of what an overcomer is.

100. 37:40

     Pray for them and pray to God to help you with your doubts and fears and struggles. I know things can be tough. Your own circumstances can challenge you and make you doubt and feel like God's not real. He is. Hold on. Jesus is almost here. One thing that's possible for us to lose sight of in 2019 is the words of the prophets who spoke for God so long ago.

101. 38:09

     I feel like we can sometimes doubt and lose sight of the gospel when we get overrun by this life and forget the big picture. I was just chatting to a young person tonight and he sent me this message.

102. 38:23

     Maybe I'll share this. I've asked if I could and I want you to think about this. This isn't coming from me. It's not coming from your grandpa. It's not coming from any adult. This is what he said. And this young guy is doing a lot of thinking lately. He's thinking about God, thinking about the Bible, thinking about the Lord Jesus Christ.

103. 38:52

     On the subject of my gen, I would say the main struggles this was a text. It's kind of a long text. Thanks for sending it.

104. 39:03

     I would say the main struggles are distraction and being bored. I just don't feel like I get bored too much. But this is what he's saying is going on with his gen. My generation is so, so quick and me too. Ha ha. We are so quick to want to rush or something entertaining.

105. 39:26

     We want perfect perfection instantly because we're fed it that way through advertising. I think there's something in slowing down this process and really sitting with how your phone, social media, things we do on a day-to-day actually make us feel because a quick rush all the time is just what we all live for these days.

106. 39:46

     Example, we buy something, we check out a vid, we look at things that give us a rush or we do things that we do. I think the biggest thing around this subject would be patience. There is beauty in patience and I'm at the moment forcing myself out of what I've been brought up in which is if you want it, you can have it.

107. 40:06

     It means everyone is just riding waves of short-term happiness and jumping ship each time the level of interest goes. Happiness is also a big thing with our generation. It takes a lot of work to be happy, especially these days. I think people apply the same quick fix format to happiness but it's so not how it works.

108. 40:27

     I wonder if that resonates with you. I wonder if that's something that you're challenged by. You see, I think there's two things going on when it becomes this message of overcoming young people. There's two things that motivate me in my life. that give me confidence as an overcomer in Christ. That is my vision of the kingdom and my absolute one billion percent confidence that Christ is coming.

109. 40:59

     The word of God is totally true. Daniel's image happened, its history, and its proven fact. So when Daniel says to Nebuchadnezzar, this Gentile guy, who might be kind of like, okay, nice interpretation, Daniel, but this is kind of weird. Daniel just says this, and it's a phrase that just constantly rings in my head and I love it.

110. 41:23

     Daniel says, the dream, Nebuchadnezzar, the dream is certain and the interpretation is sure. That's awesome. And that's Bible prophecy, young people. And the amazing thing is, we know that's true. Daniel's image came to pass. That was prophesied years before. So one of the things that keeps me going is this appreciation of the vision of the kingdom and that it's coming.

111. 41:49

     That's the whole book of Revelation. And do you know what? It's no coincidence, young people, that the book that has the most references and encouragement to you to be an overcomer in 2019 is also the book in the Bible that has the most detailed, jam-packed content full of prophecy that has come to pass over the last 2,000 years in exquisite detail.

112. 42:17

     It's staggering stuff. And there's a reason for that. Revelation has all this prophetic stuff not just to be clever and say, wow, that's really cool. but because constantly through the book he's saying, I want you to overcome. He who overcomes will inherit all things. And alongside that, packing it out is evidence after evidence for the people in the last 2,000 years that God is real, that he's working, and he's squeezing history into the mold of prophecy.

113. 42:49

     And just what he said has come to pass 1,500 years ago, 1,000 years ago, 500 years ago, it's all in Revelation. And that message of the vision that God is real, he's working now with Donald Trump, he's working now with Putin, and he's using all of those puppets on the world stage to do what he wants to prepare the earth for the last days in which we live.

114. 43:16

     that is exciting stuff. And that is motivation and encouragement to keep going and don't give up. Don't pack it in. Don't let your sins push you away from Christ.

115. 43:33

     Develop your faith in Christ. Believe that he overcame those sins. Young people, that is a powerful part of your discipleship and God knows it. That's why he gave so much prophecy and it's come to pass so exquisitely over the last 2,000 years. You know, think about this. Okay? And look, we see Trump, we see Brexit, we see a few of these things come to pass and we get excited about Bible prophecy.

116. 44:02

     In reality, in reality, I believe that we have every reason as young people to be right on the edge of our seats tonight. It's interesting.

117. 44:19

     One story that sticks in my head really powerfully about prophecy was, his name's Uncle Dave Wilson. He lives in Canada. I remember him telling me one time, he said, he was a kid in 1967. I don't know how old he was. But he was upstairs and his mom was listening to the radio down in the kitchen and she was listening to the news of the Six Day War and Israel was totally obliterating the Arab nations.

118. 44:52

     It defied every single logical military odd. It didn't make any sense to anybody. But every single reader of the Bible who knew the truth and the prophecies concerning Israel were like, sweet, bring it on. They knew exactly what was going on on the radio. In fact, so much so that his mom, he remembers his mom, like he could hear some commotion down in the kitchen, goes down the stairs, peeks around the corner and his mom's dancing in circles in the kitchen, listening to the Six Day War news and he says he'll never forget it.

119. 45:32

     That's awesome. Now, none of us saw that. I don't even think any of the hosts saw it. Not really sure. But let's just pretend they didn't. Okay? They were not alive in 1967. But think about that. The Christophian community, we have evidence, some guy in America, brother, sorry, some brother in America did statistics and he got all the baptismal records from around North America and he put it on a graph about like when years when people were baptized with whatever and it's like normal.

120. 46:05

     1967, like spiked through the roof. All these people were just getting baptized. Maybe not quite. That kind of minimizes what was going on. But you know what I'm saying. What's going on is suddenly the Christophian community that's distracted and like all of us can be at times, suddenly God slams us onto the edge of our seat and saying, hold on, I'm doing exactly what you've always thought I would be doing and it's happening right now on world news, on your radio, in your kitchen and you can dance about it.

121. 46:36

     And all these people were baptized because they were like, this is amazing. The word of God is true. Like it's actually happening. And after 1967 things are kind of like, and people just kind of, you know, like I can do this too. You just kind of get back in the seat again. You were on the edge of the seat, 1967.

122. 46:54

     Yeah! Okay. And I feel like that could happen with Brexit. Let's say Brexit doesn't happen for another, how long? And the Christy Elvin community just kind of goes back. Okay. And that's what's going on. And I think young people that we need to grab hold of those times when God has come right in our face and said, my word is true, it's come to pass, and use that as motivation in our life.

123. 47:19

     Struggling with sin, just remember God's at work, he's with you, he's bringing about his purpose, and he wants you to be an overcomer. How does he encourage you? He keeps telling you things he's done, and he's going to do. We have every reason to believe we are right on the brink of Christ's return.

124. 47:37

     That's awesome. It's possible for us to lose sight of that. I think it's when we forget that God and his son are actually still at work today, in the world bringing together plans for the last days, that we can feel it's hard to be an overcomer. Maybe you have friends in this place right now.

125. 47:57

     I just want to remind you so you don't give up, that we have a gazillion percent proof, and you have full confidence that God is real, and that Christ is coming back. The Bible's so full of prophecies that have come true, and they're not just general prophecies, young people, but they're complex and detailed ones about nations and political events over thousands of years.

126. 48:17

     The Old Testament is full of them, and Revelation is absolutely jam-packed with them. It's chock full. It's amazing. So young people, I want to leave you with this message, and that is to be an overcomer. And there's two things that can power you forward. Your vision and confidence that what God has said in his word is happening, and it's going to come to pass.

127. 48:47

     The visions of Revelation chapter 21 and 22, you need to see yourself there as an overcomer, inheriting all of those things. In every one of the Ecclesia's young people, God made a promise to him who overcomes. And do you know what? He made that promise to Thyatira as well and the Laodiceans. Some of those Ecclesias that we read it and we're like, whoa, man, what was actually going on in that Ecclesia?

128. 49:15

     But God says, look, yep, you need to repent and change those things if you really believe in Christ because he's called you to follow him. But he says, if you can through faith be an overcomer, then even those at Thyatira had hope of inheriting all things. That's stunning young people. So the first thing is that vision, that motivation to get you there.

129. 49:39

     I want you to pull out that handout that I gave you. Do you have that? Just have a look at this. I don't know if you looked at this, but just stick this in your Bible or maybe better yet, pull it out and keep it on your desk handy.

130. 49:55

     We're not going to go through this in detail, but I want you to take out a really powerful message from that little table. All it is is Scripture. And what I've done is I've pulled out every phrase at the end of each of the seven letters to the Ecclesias when Jesus says, to him who overcomes.

131. 50:12

     And each one has a different aspect of that truth. The first one in Ephesus, he says, to him who overcomes, I will give to Eden the tree of life, which is in the midst of the paradise of God. And every one of those seven Ecclesias has a promise to him who overcomes. But what I want you to notice, and it's worth really soaking this in, is that every single one of those promises at the end of the seven letters to the seven Ecclesias is picked up again deliberately and referred to in chapters 21 and 22.

132. 50:44

     And I've just listed them all. Every single one of those come right back to us in Revelation 22, or 21 and 22. And when I think, well, that's really cool. Some Bible echoes happening in the book of Revelation, you know, bookends. But what's really amazing, young people, is what that's telling us. And what God's saying is, here's the initial promise to him who overcomes.

133. 51:06

     But he didn't just leave that promise in chapters 2 and 3 of Revelation in the letters to the Ecclesia. He comes all the way back in the final chapters of the entire Bible and he says, all of those things I promised are coming to pass and hear what they look like. That's what they look like.

134. 51:23

     The tree of life. Not being touched by the second death. Having God's name stuck on your forehead. Being given the bright in the morning star. being written in the Lamb's book of life. And rest assured, your name's in there. There's a temple and we can be part of it. There's a new city and it's coming down from heaven from God.

135. 51:54

     And there's the throne of God and of the Lamb. And he who overcomes gets all of that, young people. All of it. It doesn't matter if you were from Philadelphia, Thyatira, Smyrna, Pergamos, whatever. All of those Ecclesias have those promises collectively together. Now that is stunning to think about. And that's the vision of the future.

136. 52:17

     And I want that to motivate you. The second one for me that motivates me to be an overcomer through faith is understanding and coming to grips with the grace of God. That's what we've been talking about this night. Those two things need to motivate you. And if you remember anything from tonight, take those two things.

137. 52:37

     Be motivated by the vision God's given you. It will absolutely come to pass. He will make it a reality very soon. And the second thing is to realize deeply as a young person what Christ came to do in offering the grace of God to you. That is what you need. That is the only thing you need.

138. 53:00

     And that can motivate you to have more faith and to go on in your convictions. You know, just a little thing too that I want you to think about tonight. If you're a young person and this might not be you but it might be. If you're a young person that has gone through at times disillusionment with Christadelphia, you might see ecclesias that are splitting apart.

139. 53:30

     You might see adults that aren't acting Christ-like. You might see groups of other young people that are saying one thing but you know they're doing something else. You might see a brother or sister on an individual basis in your ecclesia that you just know is not acting in the spirit of Christ. You might feel hurt as a young person going through youth group that you've been left out.

140. 54:02

     You've been hurt by things that people have said. Maybe it's a fellow young person who's cut you out. Maybe it's an adult that said something kind of harsh to you. What I want to encourage you on tonight is this. Don't ever be disillusioned when you see people your elders fellow young people making poor choices in your ecclesias.

141. 54:32

     Don't do it. You just think for a second. Right? Think of all those seven ecclesias that you looked at this year. How many ecclesias out of those seven were doing real good?

142. 54:49

     Maybe one? And even then there was still encouragement for them. Don't ever expect and don't ever think young people that we're going to be in a brotherhood that does everything right. Sometimes you'll see ecclesial divisions and maybe it's not for good reason. Maybe there's things that need to be nutted out that are really hard to do and people don't always make the right decisions but don't ever give up on the brotherhood or the body of Christ or your faith because of what you see other people doing around you.

143. 55:20

     If you take that line and you were living in the first century you'd be long gone. Man, you'd hear news and gossip of the Corinth ecclesia and you'd be like what is going on over there? These are people that have the truth. If that's the truth I'm out of here. And that would be the wrong response because the Apostle Paul was in there working with Corinth and Jesus was working with these seven ecclesias walking amongst them trying to help them steering them back not cutting them off but encouraging them write doctrine write practice grow your faith be strong.

144. 55:55

     All those things are real and true messages but all of those things are what the ecclesias for a long time have struggled with. Don't ever give up on that. Don't ever let that disillusion you. Take those seven letters and the encouragement that Christ gives to each one of those ecclesias however good they were and let that be a motivating force in your life.

145. 56:17

     Don't give up whatever that might be that's causing you to think that way. Hold fast. He's coming young people and his reward is with him. Let the good news of Christ and his kingdom stir you up my dear young person. Do you want to surrender to the world or by faith do you want to be with those who are called by Jesus Christ overcomers?

146. 56:45

     May God be with you. If we of older ones in your ecclesia can help you with anything please come and talk to us. We love you and we love talking to you. We want to encourage you and we greatly value the encouragement we get from your youthful energy and your enthusiasm. We love what's going on here at Suburban.

147. 57:07

     We love the energy you bring back to our ecclesias and we pray it will continue. We've been through the years of youth too and know some of the challenges that you might be going through. We didn't always get it right either. We're here to help you to be an overcomer by faith. with love and the hope.

148. 57:29

     Uncle Tim and Annie Kate overcomers by the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ. Amen. Thank you for listening to the Good Christ Adelphine Talks podcast. Please subscribe for new episodes and leave a review on Apple Podcasts or whichever service you are listening from to help people find the show when they search for it.

149. 58:04

     If you enjoyed this talk share it on social media so other people can find it too. For show notes and links to the talk that you just listened to visit our show page at anchor.fm slash gct. We want to encourage everyone to share their thoughts from the talk this week on Facebook or Instagram where we are at Good Christ Adelphine Talks or on Twitter where we are at gct underscore podcast.

150. 58:27

     If you know of a great talk we want to know about it too. Send a suggestion to goodchristadelphine talks at gmail.com or message us on any of our social media platforms. Thank you for listening. God bless and talk to you next week.