372: Andrew Johns – Exhortation: God is Able

1
00:00:03,960 –> 00:00:05,440
Welcome to Good Christophian
Talks.

2
00:00:05,920 –> 00:00:08,600
Thank you for joining us this
week on this podcast.

3
00:00:08,600 –> 00:00:11,920
We select one talk a week to
help us get the Bible in our

4
00:00:11,920 –> 00:00:16,000
Daily News feed.
Each week we post a talk that we

5
00:00:16,000 –> 00:00:19,000
previewed from suggestions sent
in by listeners from around the

6
00:00:19,000 –> 00:00:21,560
world.
Then we record a short intro

7
00:00:21,560 –> 00:00:25,040
beforehand as a personalized
recommendation to you on why we

8
00:00:25,040 –> 00:00:28,000
are sharing the talk.
And now let’s talk more about

9
00:00:28,000 –> 00:00:35,320
this week’s talk.
Hello all, and welcome back.

10
00:00:36,080 –> 00:00:42,120
This is Brother Benji.
This week’s talk will be an

11
00:00:42,120 –> 00:00:48,120
exhortation given by Brother
Andrew Johns to the theme God is

12
00:00:48,120 –> 00:00:53,240
able.
Brother Andrew describes for us

13
00:00:53,240 –> 00:00:57,640
the method of God’s salvation.
Although this is not your

14
00:00:57,640 –> 00:01:03,200
typical atonement talk, he
focuses on the stress the

15
00:01:03,200 –> 00:01:06,800
Scripture places on God’s
ability to save.

16
00:01:10,000 –> 00:01:13,800
I loved Brother Andrew’s
passion, which comes through

17
00:01:13,800 –> 00:01:19,800
really strongly in this talk.
The approach our brother takes

18
00:01:19,800 –> 00:01:24,080
here is very understandable and
clear in breaking small the word

19
00:01:24,080 –> 00:01:30,600
of God for us.
I’ve found this talk exciting,

20
00:01:30,800 –> 00:01:35,240
relieving, and uplifting, and
I’m sure you will too.

21
00:01:37,680 –> 00:01:42,320
So with that, I’ll give you over
to our brother Andrew for his

22
00:01:42,320 –> 00:01:46,320
exhortation.
God is able.

23
00:01:48,040 –> 00:01:52,520
Good morning, my dearly loved
brother and sisters in our Lord

24
00:01:52,520 –> 00:01:58,040
Jesus Christ.
There’s great causes and not for

25
00:01:58,720 –> 00:02:02,360
joy and Thanksgiving as we made
around this table this morning,

26
00:02:02,360 –> 00:02:08,600
brothers and sisters, because he
has symbolized before us in a

27
00:02:08,600 –> 00:02:15,320
very simple way are the greatest
truths that any individual could

28
00:02:15,320 –> 00:02:19,160
ever know.
And we’re privileged to know

29
00:02:19,160 –> 00:02:24,200
them.
And we’ve come to to strengthen

30
00:02:24,200 –> 00:02:27,960
our connection with the greatest
man that ever lived.

31
00:02:31,400 –> 00:02:36,720
Yet it’s true, is it not,
brothers and sisters, that we

32
00:02:36,720 –> 00:02:44,960
don’t always arrive feeling that
sense of joy and Thanksgiving as

33
00:02:44,960 –> 00:02:49,880
we come here?
Because there are times when we

34
00:02:49,880 –> 00:02:56,200
feel weighed down and times when
we we are distracted and perhaps

35
00:02:56,200 –> 00:03:01,600
even crushed by life’s
experiences where pressures and

36
00:03:02,000 –> 00:03:07,800
family issues and all manner of
things that happen in our lives

37
00:03:07,800 –> 00:03:11,320
take take their toll and rob us
of our vision.

38
00:03:11,320 –> 00:03:17,200
And perhaps even at times,
brothers and sisters, sin

39
00:03:17,200 –> 00:03:20,880
repeated in our lives and
forgiven and repeated and

40
00:03:20,880 –> 00:03:26,720
forgiven, leaves us feeling
worthless and despondent, even

41
00:03:26,720 –> 00:03:33,240
depressed.
However, brothers and sisters,

42
00:03:33,320 –> 00:03:39,640
in whatever state we come, we
ought to leave this place

43
00:03:40,440 –> 00:03:46,400
whenever we have this
opportunity, enlivened and

44
00:03:46,400 –> 00:03:52,840
thankful and hopeful.
And the apostles constantly

45
00:03:52,840 –> 00:03:55,280
through the New Testament, give
us the key.

46
00:03:55,440 –> 00:03:59,920
In fact, they pick up Paul
particularly, and Jude this

47
00:03:59,920 –> 00:04:05,160
morning, and John and Peter all
pick up a theme from the Old

48
00:04:05,160 –> 00:04:08,720
Testament and drive it into
their teaching.

49
00:04:11,560 –> 00:04:17,440
Now I was reminded of this the
other day as I was began reading

50
00:04:17,440 –> 00:04:22,240
first of John.
I don’t know whether you’re like

51
00:04:22,240 –> 00:04:28,120
me, but sometimes just starting
a reading, I just keep on

52
00:04:28,120 –> 00:04:30,880
reading.
I suppose we’ve all had that

53
00:04:30,880 –> 00:04:35,280
experience in Esther and other
books, but I was just reading on

54
00:04:35,280 –> 00:04:39,840
through John, the whole of John
and 2nd of John and 3rd of John

55
00:04:39,840 –> 00:04:47,200
and I kept on going into Jude
and and I was reminded of this

56
00:04:47,440 –> 00:04:52,200
antidotes that pulls us to the
things that pull us down.

57
00:04:52,200 –> 00:05:00,200
Brothers and sisters, let’s let
Paul first tell us what this is.

58
00:05:00,200 –> 00:05:05,160
Just come, will you please for a
moment to Hebrews Chapter 7,

59
00:05:08,440 –> 00:05:14,160
because here the apostle
encapsulates this in just three

60
00:05:14,160 –> 00:05:24,760
simple words in verse 25 where
he says verse 24.

61
00:05:25,000 –> 00:05:31,000
But this man Christ, because he
continueth ever has an

62
00:05:31,080 –> 00:05:37,920
unchangeable priesthood,
wherefore he is able also to

63
00:05:37,920 –> 00:05:42,800
save them to the uttermost that
come unto God by him saying he

64
00:05:42,800 –> 00:05:45,000
ever liveth to make intercession
for them.

65
00:05:45,800 –> 00:05:52,880
He is able to save brothers and
sisters completely.

66
00:05:52,880 –> 00:05:57,880
That word uttermost means he is
able to save completely those

67
00:05:57,880 –> 00:06:01,600
who come to God by him.
It doesn’t say brothers and

68
00:06:01,600 –> 00:06:06,400
sisters that he might be
possible under certain

69
00:06:06,400 –> 00:06:09,200
circumstances.
That’s not what Paul said.

70
00:06:10,440 –> 00:06:15,960
He doesn’t say that he’s able to
save those who are righteous.

71
00:06:16,360 –> 00:06:21,400
He doesn’t say that it’s not for
some brothers and sisters.

72
00:06:21,720 –> 00:06:25,320
It’s for all of those who come
to God by him.

73
00:06:25,600 –> 00:06:28,200
And all of us brothers and
sisters this morning have done

74
00:06:28,200 –> 00:06:32,320
just that.
We’ve come to God by him because

75
00:06:32,320 –> 00:06:37,120
we know that this is the only
place where there is hope.

76
00:06:37,520 –> 00:06:41,040
This is the only inspiration for
us.

77
00:06:42,160 –> 00:06:46,840
And the apostle tells us he is
Abel.

78
00:06:49,440 –> 00:06:53,920
Do we believe it?
Brothers and sisters, when we

79
00:06:53,920 –> 00:07:01,040
probe our own hearts, we doubt.
But we’ve got to ask ourselves,

80
00:07:01,040 –> 00:07:07,320
brothers and sisters, do we
actually believe that God is

81
00:07:07,560 –> 00:07:14,760
able to save not just those who
come to God, but us as we come

82
00:07:14,760 –> 00:07:19,600
to him in Christ?
Do we believe that he’s actually

83
00:07:19,600 –> 00:07:21,400
working in our lives, brothers
and sisters?

84
00:07:21,400 –> 00:07:25,520
And I think that question has to
come personally to all of us

85
00:07:25,520 –> 00:07:28,160
individually.
None of us can answer that for

86
00:07:28,160 –> 00:07:30,680
each other.
And it’s no good keeping it as a

87
00:07:30,680 –> 00:07:35,520
general principle, just sitting
as black print on white page.

88
00:07:37,880 –> 00:07:43,320
Do you believe, brother or
sister, that God is actually

89
00:07:43,400 –> 00:07:48,600
right now working in your life?
Because verse 25 is not just a

90
00:07:48,600 –> 00:07:52,040
statement of fact that happened
in the past or is yet something

91
00:07:52,040 –> 00:07:53,560
that’s gonna happen in the
future.

92
00:07:53,760 –> 00:07:58,680
It’s telling about a process
that God is actively involved in

93
00:07:58,680 –> 00:08:06,080
right this moment.
He is able to save completely

94
00:08:06,080 –> 00:08:10,720
those who come to Him because he
is ever living to make

95
00:08:10,720 –> 00:08:14,200
intercession.
This is a process that hasn’t

96
00:08:14,200 –> 00:08:19,040
stopped yet.
He is in the process and He has

97
00:08:19,040 –> 00:08:21,520
the power.
You know, in the Greek, that

98
00:08:21,520 –> 00:08:27,440
little phrase he is able comes
from the the word dunamis, a

99
00:08:27,440 –> 00:08:31,000
word which we understand.
And it’s the basis of many

100
00:08:31,000 –> 00:08:33,919
English words, Dynamo and
dynamic.

101
00:08:34,039 –> 00:08:39,039
It’s it’s talks about power and
it’s often translated power in

102
00:08:39,039 –> 00:08:42,440
the New Testament.
But it’s a little phrase that

103
00:08:42,440 –> 00:08:49,280
tells us that God has the power.
He is able.

104
00:08:50,440 –> 00:08:54,320
We are not brothers and sisters.
We understand that and it’s why

105
00:08:54,320 –> 00:08:58,720
we’re here.
But he is, you know, it’s

106
00:08:58,720 –> 00:09:02,640
fundamental, brothers, is as we
come to the table this morning

107
00:09:03,480 –> 00:09:09,080
to get our perspective right.
And one of the great values of

108
00:09:09,080 –> 00:09:14,280
us meeting here with a focus on
our Lord Jesus Christ in these

109
00:09:14,280 –> 00:09:18,720
symbols here before us is to
help us get that perspective

110
00:09:18,720 –> 00:09:21,600
right.
And when we get that perspective

111
00:09:21,600 –> 00:09:25,320
right, brothers and sisters,
that it’s God that’s working.

112
00:09:25,560 –> 00:09:30,320
It’s we who are not able to get
ourselves to the Kingdom.

113
00:09:32,160 –> 00:09:36,440
When we get that perspective
right, then we are able to lift

114
00:09:36,440 –> 00:09:40,520
our heads and our hearts will
fill with wonder and with

115
00:09:40,520 –> 00:09:43,480
thankfulness.
You know, it’s the central

116
00:09:43,480 –> 00:09:45,640
reason for us being here, is it
not?

117
00:09:45,640 –> 00:09:51,360
Brothers and sisters, being here
before this table to focus and

118
00:09:51,360 –> 00:09:59,520
we citing word to focus on what
God has done and what Christ has

119
00:09:59,520 –> 00:10:06,640
achieved.
And that’s something we can

120
00:10:06,640 –> 00:10:11,800
never do.
You know, we all sent to that,

121
00:10:11,800 –> 00:10:14,400
brethren and sisters, there’s
not one of us here that would

122
00:10:14,640 –> 00:10:18,480
would disagree with that in
principle principle.

123
00:10:18,480 –> 00:10:31,320
But do we actually really
believe that God can lift us to

124
00:10:31,320 –> 00:10:34,600
be part of his family into
eternity?

125
00:10:35,640 –> 00:10:39,320
Do you believe that He is able
to save you?

126
00:10:39,880 –> 00:10:42,760
Do I believe that He is able to
save me?

127
00:10:43,360 –> 00:10:48,600
You know, if we doubt, brothers
and sisters, it’s because we’re

128
00:10:48,600 –> 00:10:52,560
focusing too much on self and
not on Christ.

129
00:10:54,560 –> 00:10:57,120
And it’s not our purpose this
morning, brothers and sisters,

130
00:10:57,120 –> 00:11:01,840
though certainly it’s true that
we should examine ourselves and

131
00:11:01,840 –> 00:11:06,200
see our own hearts, It’s not our
purpose as we come to this

132
00:11:06,200 –> 00:11:09,440
table, brothers and sisters, to
just dwell there.

133
00:11:11,120 –> 00:11:15,280
It’s got to go beyond.
The reason our Lord instituted

134
00:11:15,280 –> 00:11:21,760
this feast is so that we would
lift our eyes to Him despite our

135
00:11:21,760 –> 00:11:27,440
own weakness.
Just remember that if we doubt

136
00:11:27,720 –> 00:11:34,000
that He is able, not doubt that
He is able to get some other

137
00:11:34,000 –> 00:11:39,120
brother or sister into the
Kingdom, but doubt that we could

138
00:11:39,120 –> 00:11:43,040
be there.
We not only doubt our ability,

139
00:11:44,480 –> 00:11:48,880
but we limit the grace and the
power of God.

140
00:11:51,520 –> 00:11:58,440
Paul here says God is able to
say completely those who come to

141
00:11:58,800 –> 00:12:03,440
God by him.
It’s not a matter of our

142
00:12:03,520 –> 00:12:07,680
feelings of unworthiness.
All of us are unworthy, brothers

143
00:12:07,680 –> 00:12:11,440
and sisters.
The focus is on God, you know,

144
00:12:11,440 –> 00:12:16,080
and this is not an isolated
passage, not an isolated

145
00:12:16,080 –> 00:12:18,560
statement by the apostle Paul by
any means.

146
00:12:18,560 –> 00:12:22,840
It’s a frequent theme of his
that he’s picked up from the Old

147
00:12:22,840 –> 00:12:24,440
Testament.
We haven’t got time to do to

148
00:12:24,440 –> 00:12:28,240
deal with that this morning to,
to examine the Old Testament

149
00:12:28,240 –> 00:12:32,360
origins of this.
But this great truth must affect

150
00:12:32,360 –> 00:12:36,280
the way we think and the way we
view God.

151
00:12:37,600 –> 00:12:41,200
And when it does, brothers and
sisters, it will transform us.

152
00:12:41,560 –> 00:12:45,120
And I want to just consider
briefly this morning just two

153
00:12:45,120 –> 00:12:54,800
prayers, one of the apostle Paul
and one of Jude, because there’s

154
00:12:54,800 –> 00:12:57,360
just an amazing thing.
I don’t know whether you’ve ever

155
00:12:57,360 –> 00:12:59,600
really noticed it.
Let’s have a look at the first

156
00:12:59,600 –> 00:13:04,800
of those in Ephesians 3.
I want you to notice how both

157
00:13:04,800 –> 00:13:18,120
Paul and Jude viewed God.
Ephesians 3 contains one of the

158
00:13:18,120 –> 00:13:21,920
most amazing prayers that Paul
wrote and there’s many in his

159
00:13:21,920 –> 00:13:27,560
epistles.
And it starts back in verse 14

160
00:13:29,160 –> 00:13:32,800
and goes through to the end of
the chapter with the final Amen

161
00:13:32,800 –> 00:13:40,080
in verse 21.
But come to verse 20, to the

162
00:13:40,080 –> 00:13:49,920
very end of this prayer, where
the apostle says now unto him,

163
00:13:50,960 –> 00:14:00,880
that is Abel, He doesn’t say now
unto our loving Father or the

164
00:14:00,880 –> 00:14:08,440
God Almighty.
He says now unto him that is

165
00:14:08,840 –> 00:14:16,240
able to do exceeding abundantly
above all that we ask or think,

166
00:14:16,600 –> 00:14:18,880
according to the power that
worketh in US.

167
00:14:19,280 –> 00:14:23,440
Unto him be glory in the
ecclesia by Christ Jesus

168
00:14:24,000 –> 00:14:26,720
throughout all ages, world
without end.

169
00:14:28,080 –> 00:14:33,120
Amen.
Pope Paul’s description of God

170
00:14:33,520 –> 00:14:37,160
note his conception of God.
This is the God that he

171
00:14:37,160 –> 00:14:43,000
worshipped him that is able to
do exceedingly above all that we

172
00:14:43,000 –> 00:14:48,720
ask or think.
God is powerfully at work in the

173
00:14:48,720 –> 00:14:52,600
mind of Paul.
God was powerfully at work in

174
00:14:52,600 –> 00:14:59,600
the lives of individuals, and He
is able, according to the

175
00:14:59,600 –> 00:15:05,480
apostle Paul, to do not only
more than we ask, but more than

176
00:15:05,480 –> 00:15:11,920
we can even possibly imagine.
That plays with my mind.

177
00:15:11,920 –> 00:15:15,680
Brothers and sisters, that is
just an amazing thing.

178
00:15:17,400 –> 00:15:22,120
God did not send Christ into the
world because we were able.

179
00:15:22,120 –> 00:15:25,240
He sent him into the world
because we were not able, and

180
00:15:25,240 –> 00:15:30,440
because he was, as Paul on
another place in Romans says,

181
00:15:31,000 –> 00:15:34,360
while we were.
Yet since Christ died for us,

182
00:15:34,440 –> 00:15:41,000
it’s got nothing to do with us.
He is able to do abundantly.

183
00:15:41,000 –> 00:15:47,080
Above all, we ask or think.
We might feel unworthy and and

184
00:15:47,080 –> 00:15:53,800
rightly so, but God says He can
transform any who come to Him

185
00:15:55,560 –> 00:15:59,240
for the Kingdom.
Do we believe it?

186
00:16:01,520 –> 00:16:07,960
But he goes on according to the
power, and there’s a repeat of

187
00:16:07,960 –> 00:16:14,040
that same Greek word, dunamis.
He is able is the same Greek

188
00:16:14,040 –> 00:16:21,520
word as this word power,
according to the power that

189
00:16:21,520 –> 00:16:24,480
works in US.
Do you feel that power, brothers

190
00:16:24,480 –> 00:16:31,040
and sisters, is God working with
a power that is uniquely His in

191
00:16:31,040 –> 00:16:33,720
our lives?
What is this power that’s

192
00:16:33,720 –> 00:16:36,560
working?
What He tells us in verse 16

193
00:16:37,280 –> 00:16:42,240
earlier in this prayer, where He
says that He would grant you

194
00:16:42,240 –> 00:16:48,000
according to the riches of His
glory, to be strengthened with

195
00:16:48,000 –> 00:16:52,040
might.
Same word, power, dunamis to be

196
00:16:52,040 –> 00:16:57,440
strengthened with might by His
Spirit in the inner man, that

197
00:16:57,440 –> 00:17:03,080
Christ may dwell in your hearts
by faith that ye being rooted

198
00:17:03,080 –> 00:17:07,359
and grounded in love may be able
to comprehend with all the

199
00:17:07,359 –> 00:17:10,680
Saints the breadth and depth,
length and depth and height.

200
00:17:11,839 –> 00:17:17,000
You see, brothers and sisters,
it’s a power that’s a process

201
00:17:17,319 –> 00:17:20,760
being used by God in our lives
right now.

202
00:17:21,480 –> 00:17:25,319
Jesus said the words that I
speak unto you, they are Spirit

203
00:17:26,079 –> 00:17:29,680
and they are life.
And here we are strengthened by

204
00:17:29,680 –> 00:17:37,000
might, with might, by His Spirit
in the inner man, the word in

205
00:17:37,000 –> 00:17:41,840
US, brothers and sisters, if
only we will let it can

206
00:17:41,840 –> 00:17:45,000
transform us.
As we know, we’ve all had some

207
00:17:45,000 –> 00:17:48,840
experience of that, brothers and
sisters, But perhaps at times

208
00:17:48,840 –> 00:17:52,440
we’re not as free in letting God
work.

209
00:17:53,120 –> 00:17:59,720
We’re not free enough to let God
penetrate our pride, to

210
00:17:59,760 –> 00:18:08,840
penetrate our stubbornness, to
penetrate our laziness and work

211
00:18:09,880 –> 00:18:15,760
in our hearts.
Christ dwelling in our hearts by

212
00:18:15,760 –> 00:18:19,400
faith.
That is the power initiated by

213
00:18:19,400 –> 00:18:23,920
God, and it requires little of
us, brothers and sisters, except

214
00:18:23,920 –> 00:18:30,440
to come to God by him and to be
receptive to His work in our

215
00:18:30,440 –> 00:18:34,640
lives.
You know, it’s a very easy thing

216
00:18:34,640 –> 00:18:39,640
to say that we should allow God
to work in our lives.

217
00:18:39,800 –> 00:18:43,080
But here is one of the greatest
struggles that every one of us

218
00:18:43,080 –> 00:18:46,800
face, brothers and sisters.
And I believe it’s heightened by

219
00:18:46,800 –> 00:18:50,280
the by the environment and the
age in which we live.

220
00:18:50,720 –> 00:18:53,800
We are living brothers and
sisters, in a time of human

221
00:18:53,800 –> 00:18:58,280
history where we have probably
more than most common people

222
00:18:58,280 –> 00:19:01,400
have ever had.
We have more education, we have

223
00:19:01,400 –> 00:19:04,520
more opportunity, we have more
time, we have more money.

224
00:19:04,800 –> 00:19:08,240
We have the ability to do
anything we want in reality.

225
00:19:08,520 –> 00:19:13,720
And we’re encouraged by our age
to be independent and to make

226
00:19:13,720 –> 00:19:18,440
our plans and to seek our dreams
and to do everything ourselves

227
00:19:18,640 –> 00:19:21,600
and not have to be dependent on
anyone else.

228
00:19:21,880 –> 00:19:28,040
And God says no, that’s not how
I want you.

229
00:19:30,960 –> 00:19:37,560
Because sometimes we are just
too independent and too proud.

230
00:19:38,880 –> 00:19:43,200
We’re too used to fighting our
battles and organising ourselves

231
00:19:43,400 –> 00:19:47,120
and planning everything down to
the last detail so that nothing

232
00:19:47,120 –> 00:19:51,920
can can go wrong, insuring
ourselves to the hilt and making

233
00:19:51,920 –> 00:19:55,120
all sorts of plans for the
future, brothers and sisters.

234
00:19:55,120 –> 00:19:58,600
And God can bring that all to
nothing in just a moment.

235
00:20:02,360 –> 00:20:08,080
We tend by our nature to just
want to do things our own way,

236
00:20:08,600 –> 00:20:12,240
to be in control, to sort things
out.

237
00:20:15,440 –> 00:20:20,800
But the exercise of faith,
brothers and sisters, what Paul

238
00:20:20,800 –> 00:20:28,000
is talking about here, letting
God work, requires us to trust

239
00:20:28,440 –> 00:20:32,720
that God knows better than us,
that he has a plan.

240
00:20:33,320 –> 00:20:36,480
We don’t know all the details,
we know the broad outline.

241
00:20:38,040 –> 00:20:44,240
But we have to learn to trust
brothers and sisters.

242
00:20:45,160 –> 00:20:49,400
It’s not something that is
innating us or easy for any of

243
00:20:49,400 –> 00:20:51,520
us now.
It was no different for the

244
00:20:51,520 –> 00:20:55,800
faithful of old.
You know, take Abraham just as

245
00:20:55,800 –> 00:20:59,600
an example.
He had to learn that in his

246
00:20:59,600 –> 00:21:03,520
life, Though he responded to God
in faith, he had to had to learn

247
00:21:03,520 –> 00:21:08,640
what that actually really meant.
And year after year after year

248
00:21:08,640 –> 00:21:13,280
of his life went on and on with
nothing happening about what God

249
00:21:13,280 –> 00:21:18,120
had promised him.
He was faced with disillusion

250
00:21:18,400 –> 00:21:22,600
and all manner of things that
happened in his life that that

251
00:21:22,600 –> 00:21:27,400
could have crushed him.
But in the end, Paul says in

252
00:21:27,400 –> 00:21:33,880
Romans, he staggered not after
he’d learned he staggered, not

253
00:21:33,880 –> 00:21:39,680
at the promise of God through
unbelief, but was fully

254
00:21:39,920 –> 00:21:51,760
persuaded that what he had
promised he was able to perform.

255
00:21:54,600 –> 00:21:58,760
There’s the start of that Old
Testament theme brothers and

256
00:21:58,760 –> 00:22:07,400
sisters because Abraham after
many, many years of experience

257
00:22:07,400 –> 00:22:15,040
of ups and downs of failures of
restarting his life, he learned

258
00:22:16,000 –> 00:22:23,520
and was fully persuaded that
what God had promised he was

259
00:22:23,920 –> 00:22:27,280
able to perform.
He didn’t understand how,

260
00:22:27,280 –> 00:22:34,240
brothers and sisters, but he got
to that point of believing, you

261
00:22:34,240 –> 00:22:42,120
know what the very next verse
says in Romans there for it was

262
00:22:42,120 –> 00:22:48,120
imputed to him for righteousness
because through all of the ups

263
00:22:48,120 –> 00:22:51,800
and downs of his life, he’d
understood that faith is not

264
00:22:51,800 –> 00:22:56,160
just something that is just an
idea.

265
00:22:59,120 –> 00:23:06,800
He became fully persuaded that
God is able.

266
00:23:09,400 –> 00:23:11,600
It’s something we all know, Bun
sisters.

267
00:23:12,320 –> 00:23:17,080
It’s so commonly spoken about
amongst us.

268
00:23:19,600 –> 00:23:26,920
But submitting ourselves and
being persuaded, as Abraham was,

269
00:23:27,120 –> 00:23:33,600
that God is able is a very
challenging experience for us.

270
00:23:35,720 –> 00:23:44,680
Come to Jude for a moment and
just at the end, as we know,

271
00:23:46,920 –> 00:23:51,320
Jude concludes his little letter
with prayer.

272
00:23:53,080 –> 00:23:56,000
He’s talked about the
difficulties the ecclesia will

273
00:23:56,000 –> 00:24:00,000
face.
Verse 17 for example, beloved,

274
00:24:00,000 –> 00:24:03,120
remember the words which were
spoken before the apostles of

275
00:24:03,120 –> 00:24:05,640
our Lord Jesus Christ, how they
told you there should be mockers

276
00:24:05,640 –> 00:24:08,640
in the last time they should
walk after their own godly,

277
00:24:08,920 –> 00:24:11,080
ungodly lusts.
There’s going to be

278
00:24:11,080 –> 00:24:13,200
difficulties.
You’re going to find it not only

279
00:24:13,200 –> 00:24:15,320
out in the world, you’re going
to find it in the Ecclesiastes,

280
00:24:15,320 –> 00:24:18,720
Jude and he gives them an
exhortation.

281
00:24:18,720 –> 00:24:22,800
But beloved, verse 20, building
yourselves up on your most holy

282
00:24:22,800 –> 00:24:25,840
faith and praying Holy Spirit,
keep yourselves in the love of

283
00:24:25,840 –> 00:24:37,560
God.
The ends with a prayer now under

284
00:24:37,560 –> 00:24:44,600
him that is Abel, Him that is
Abel.

285
00:24:45,840 –> 00:24:52,320
You know, brothers and sisters,
this is a view of God that in

286
00:24:52,320 –> 00:24:56,120
challenging times we need to
hang on to.

287
00:24:57,040 –> 00:25:03,480
We need to grasp and make it our
own, like Jude had and the

288
00:25:03,480 –> 00:25:12,000
Apostle Paul had under him that
is able to keep you from

289
00:25:12,000 –> 00:25:17,360
falling, and it presents you
faultless before the presence of

290
00:25:17,360 –> 00:25:22,440
his glory, with exceeding joy.
To the only wise God our

291
00:25:22,440 –> 00:25:28,440
Saviour, be glory and majesty,
dominion and power, now and

292
00:25:28,440 –> 00:25:33,040
forever.
I find that, brothers and

293
00:25:33,040 –> 00:25:43,320
sisters, utterly astounding.
Do you see God like that as the

294
00:25:43,320 –> 00:25:51,200
one who is able to keep you from
stumbling and to present you

295
00:25:51,200 –> 00:25:56,200
faultless before the presence of
His glory with exceeding joy?

296
00:26:00,440 –> 00:26:06,880
It’s not something that God is
doing because He has to, or that

297
00:26:07,680 –> 00:26:12,960
while He sees that we’re weak
and failing and well, I suppose

298
00:26:12,960 –> 00:26:15,040
I should help these poor
creatures.

299
00:26:18,480 –> 00:26:24,880
He’s able to do this, brothers
and sisters, with exceeding joy.

300
00:26:26,640 –> 00:26:31,360
It is the desire of the Father
to give his children the Kingdom

301
00:26:32,120 –> 00:26:37,280
and to be able to help them to
to from falling and to present

302
00:26:37,280 –> 00:26:43,200
them faultless.
God won’t force us, brothers and

303
00:26:43,200 –> 00:26:52,520
sisters, but if only we can see
Him as the amazing God that has

304
00:26:52,520 –> 00:27:00,840
the power that provides for us,
the power to keep us from

305
00:27:00,840 –> 00:27:05,240
falling and to present us
faultless.

306
00:27:06,680 –> 00:27:10,440
It doesn’t mean to say, brothers
and sisters, that we won’t fail

307
00:27:10,440 –> 00:27:19,240
at times, but that power will
strengthen by might in the inner

308
00:27:19,240 –> 00:27:21,760
man, as Paul said in Ephesians
3.

309
00:27:24,880 –> 00:27:27,960
Do we believe strongly enough,
brothers and sisters, to grasp

310
00:27:27,960 –> 00:27:32,600
that power and to let that power
actually be seen in our lives?

311
00:27:33,000 –> 00:27:38,280
If we call upon Him that He’s
able, we must believe that He is

312
00:27:38,280 –> 00:27:44,560
able, that He is able to present
us faultless before the presence

313
00:27:44,560 –> 00:27:48,320
of His glory with exceeding joy.
Have you ever thought about

314
00:27:48,320 –> 00:27:52,000
that, brothers and sisters?
How can we ever be faultless?

315
00:27:52,000 –> 00:27:54,000
Are you in fault?
Are you faultless?

316
00:27:54,960 –> 00:27:58,560
Well, I’m far from faultless and
I know it, and you do too.

317
00:27:58,840 –> 00:28:01,400
It’s impossible for us to be
faultless.

318
00:28:01,640 –> 00:28:06,600
But notice that Jude does not
say we are faultless.

319
00:28:07,800 –> 00:28:12,920
It says God is able to present
us faultless.

320
00:28:14,000 –> 00:28:17,680
This is something we are utterly
powerless to do.

321
00:28:20,000 –> 00:28:24,760
We can never ever possibly stand
before the presence of God

322
00:28:25,040 –> 00:28:32,200
unless we are faultless.
And yet God is able to present

323
00:28:32,200 –> 00:28:37,360
us faultless if only we can come
to God by Him.

324
00:28:38,800 –> 00:28:42,080
You know, it’s the Scripture
testimony over and over again,

325
00:28:42,080 –> 00:28:45,440
brothers and sisters.
It’s not just an isolated little

326
00:28:45,440 –> 00:28:49,560
phrase here by by Judah in this
prayer at the end of his little

327
00:28:49,560 –> 00:28:55,200
epistle when when the the Saints
are described in Revelation 14,

328
00:28:55,600 –> 00:28:59,960
it says and in their mouth was
found no guile.

329
00:29:03,040 –> 00:29:05,360
Does that mean brothers and
sisters, that by the time

330
00:29:05,360 –> 00:29:08,880
they’ve been made immortal, that
at that point they have no God?

331
00:29:08,880 –> 00:29:14,000
I don’t think so.
There is no guile for they are

332
00:29:14,000 –> 00:29:18,000
without fault before the throne
of God.

333
00:29:21,120 –> 00:29:24,120
That’s how God sees the Saints,
brothers and sisters.

334
00:29:24,120 –> 00:29:26,800
It’s utterly amazing.
Just come back to Colossians for

335
00:29:26,800 –> 00:29:29,200
a moment.
Colossians 1.

336
00:29:31,680 –> 00:29:44,560
Do we believe this?
Verse 21 And you, he says, that

337
00:29:44,560 –> 00:29:49,560
was sometime alienated and
enemies in your mind by wicked

338
00:29:49,560 –> 00:29:54,560
works, Yet now hath He
reconciled in the body of his

339
00:29:54,560 –> 00:30:01,480
flesh through death, to present
you holy and unblameable and

340
00:30:01,480 –> 00:30:09,200
unreprovable in his sight.
It’s just an amazing verse.

341
00:30:09,200 –> 00:30:14,520
Isn’t that, brothers and
sisters, holy without blame,

342
00:30:15,120 –> 00:30:23,240
irreproachable in God’s sight.
But notice verse 23.

343
00:30:24,440 –> 00:30:30,920
If you continue in the faith
grounded and settled, and be not

344
00:30:30,920 –> 00:30:34,360
moved away from the hope of the
gospel which you have heard, and

345
00:30:34,360 –> 00:30:37,560
which is preached to every
creature under heaven.

346
00:30:38,160 –> 00:30:44,160
Notice, brothers and sisters,
the apostle did not say that God

347
00:30:44,160 –> 00:30:48,080
will present you wholly
unblownable, unreprovable, if

348
00:30:48,080 –> 00:30:55,800
you remain sinless.
He said God can present us.

349
00:30:55,800 –> 00:31:01,280
He is able to present US holy
and unblameable and unreprovable

350
00:31:01,280 –> 00:31:12,680
in his sight, if we continue in
the faith and I’m not moved away

351
00:31:14,080 –> 00:31:16,600
in the sacrifice of Christ that
we’ve come to remember this

352
00:31:16,600 –> 00:31:18,040
morning.
Brother and sisters, there is

353
00:31:18,040 –> 00:31:22,040
assurance of forgiveness.
It leads us not to license, but

354
00:31:22,040 –> 00:31:27,800
to holiness and to stand before
God, blameless for an amazing

355
00:31:27,800 –> 00:31:30,160
cause, for wonder and
thankfulness.

356
00:31:32,560 –> 00:31:38,720
Because here Paul highlights
what our role is in this.

357
00:31:39,600 –> 00:31:48,280
God is at work and we need to
continue in faith and move not

358
00:31:48,280 –> 00:31:56,000
away from what we have been
called to continue because those

359
00:31:56,000 –> 00:32:01,560
that come to God must believe
that He is a rewarder of those

360
00:32:01,560 –> 00:32:04,680
who diligently seek Him.
We don’t believe, brothers and

361
00:32:04,680 –> 00:32:08,200
sisters, that God is a rewarder
of those who are the righteous.

362
00:32:10,080 –> 00:32:15,160
We believe as Paul said, that he
is a rewarder of those who

363
00:32:15,160 –> 00:32:20,080
diligently seek and they will
fail and we all do, but God

364
00:32:20,080 –> 00:32:26,240
guarantees that he will work in
the lives of Saints that seek

365
00:32:26,240 –> 00:32:30,400
him, that trust him, that rely
on Him.

366
00:32:30,560 –> 00:32:35,560
You know Jesus all through his
ministry highlighted that he

367
00:32:35,560 –> 00:32:42,240
said, for example, if thou canst
believe all things are possible.

368
00:32:42,240 –> 00:32:44,640
Do you know what, brethren,
sisters, that word possible is

369
00:32:44,640 –> 00:32:49,680
the same Greek word dynamis.
He is able to achieve.

370
00:32:49,680 –> 00:32:56,120
In other words, all things are
possible to the leper in in

371
00:32:56,120 –> 00:32:58,600
Matthew 8.
Well, the leper came to him and

372
00:32:58,600 –> 00:33:02,080
said, Lord, if thou wilt, you
canst make me clean.

373
00:33:02,080 –> 00:33:04,680
You know what that how that that
can be translated.

374
00:33:05,240 –> 00:33:10,080
Lord, if thou wilt, you are able
to make me clean.

375
00:33:10,280 –> 00:33:16,200
Here’s that leper coming with a
confession that Paul and Jude

376
00:33:16,200 –> 00:33:20,960
make later.
I know that you are able and I’m

377
00:33:20,960 –> 00:33:24,080
not.
That’s what he said and Jesus

378
00:33:24,080 –> 00:33:28,360
response I will.
And he made him clean.

379
00:33:28,360 –> 00:33:35,160
And when he was confronted by
two blind men in Matthew 9, he

380
00:33:35,160 –> 00:33:41,960
says to them, Believe ye that I
am able to do this.

381
00:33:45,720 –> 00:33:51,440
And they said, yes, he said, be
it according to your faith,

382
00:33:53,120 –> 00:33:58,760
receive your sight.
You know, brothers and sisters,

383
00:33:58,760 –> 00:34:03,920
too often we’re we’re focused on
on all the things we need to do.

384
00:34:03,920 –> 00:34:08,760
And I don’t mean by that that
works of faith should not be

385
00:34:08,760 –> 00:34:13,639
part of our life and that we
should not be outward looking.

386
00:34:13,639 –> 00:34:18,800
We certainly and unquestionably
should be, but sometimes our

387
00:34:18,800 –> 00:34:24,400
focus shifts.
You know, when, when the, the

388
00:34:24,400 –> 00:34:28,639
people after Jesus had fed the
5000, they came around the lake

389
00:34:28,639 –> 00:34:32,280
to Capernaum and they, he met
them again at that point and

390
00:34:32,280 –> 00:34:40,159
they said to him, what should we
do, Lord, what should we do that

391
00:34:40,159 –> 00:34:48,440
we might work the works of God?
And it’s something that we

392
00:34:48,440 –> 00:34:56,400
sometimes think about.
And Jesus said this is the work

393
00:34:56,400 –> 00:35:02,880
of God that you believe on him
who he had sent.

394
00:35:05,160 –> 00:35:09,000
And from that brethren, sisters
will follow everything else.

395
00:35:09,520 –> 00:35:11,920
You know, believing is the work
of God.

396
00:35:12,440 –> 00:35:16,080
It’s more difficult than we
sometimes realise because it

397
00:35:16,080 –> 00:35:21,480
involves us coming to Him and
letting go of self.

398
00:35:22,880 –> 00:35:28,440
It means humility.
It means letting go of our

399
00:35:28,440 –> 00:35:35,200
stubbornness, our self will and
giving them to Him.

400
00:35:37,240 –> 00:35:39,640
You know, it’s different
brothers and sisters, to just

401
00:35:39,640 –> 00:35:44,640
assenting to the truth or
understanding words.

402
00:35:44,640 –> 00:35:50,560
Merely.
If we are to believe on Him whom

403
00:35:50,560 –> 00:35:59,440
God has sent and we’ve come to
remember him now, then we’ve got

404
00:35:59,440 –> 00:36:06,320
to work at that.
It’s the work of God because our

405
00:36:06,320 –> 00:36:09,800
natures are hard wired against
it.

406
00:36:10,640 –> 00:36:16,280
Belief goes beyond words, beyond
assent to principles.

407
00:36:16,280 –> 00:36:19,120
Brothers and sisters, though,
it’s important to have those,

408
00:36:19,320 –> 00:36:21,840
and it’s important to assent to
principles.

409
00:36:23,520 –> 00:36:30,240
But it must and can change the
way we think and our attitudes.

410
00:36:30,800 –> 00:36:37,360
That leads to a deep and abiding
trust that God is able to do

411
00:36:37,360 –> 00:36:42,400
what we cannot.
And God will take us, brothers

412
00:36:42,400 –> 00:36:45,840
and sisters, the long way home
at times in our lives.

413
00:36:45,960 –> 00:36:49,440
He will take us through
circumstances so that we don’t

414
00:36:49,440 –> 00:37:00,960
have answers in order that we
might learn that He is able and

415
00:37:00,960 –> 00:37:06,960
we are not.
It’s the point of the cross,

416
00:37:07,000 –> 00:37:11,680
brothers and sisters, and it’s
the end of the story of Job.

417
00:37:11,840 –> 00:37:17,240
You remember Job starts we we
first read about Job as a

418
00:37:17,240 –> 00:37:20,880
faithful and godly man, the
greatest man in the truth.

419
00:37:21,400 –> 00:37:28,360
In those days, God has got
nothing but praise for him, and

420
00:37:28,360 –> 00:37:33,840
God takes him through a whole
series of tragic circumstances.

421
00:37:35,440 –> 00:37:39,400
In the end, what Job said in Job
42.

422
00:37:40,440 –> 00:37:46,720
Now I know that you are able to
do everything.

423
00:37:47,480 –> 00:37:50,720
That’s what Job said.
Brothers, sisters, through all

424
00:37:50,720 –> 00:37:55,320
of the experiences of his life,
he learned that there was

425
00:37:55,560 –> 00:37:58,280
nothing that can be hindered
from God.

426
00:37:59,400 –> 00:38:09,520
He is able to do more than we
can even imagine.

427
00:38:13,200 –> 00:38:16,640
God has made astounding
promises, brothers and sisters.

428
00:38:18,160 –> 00:38:23,680
He is able to save us
completely, to do more than we

429
00:38:23,680 –> 00:38:27,600
ask or imagine.
He’s able to keep us from

430
00:38:27,600 –> 00:38:31,680
stumbling and present us
faultless and unthinkable thing,

431
00:38:34,600 –> 00:38:44,440
and our part is simply to come
to Him in Christ, to diligently

432
00:38:44,440 –> 00:38:50,920
seek and to allow that power to
work in us.

433
00:38:53,080 –> 00:38:58,400
So now as we remember our Lord,
brothers and sisters, this is

434
00:38:58,400 –> 00:39:06,560
not just a mere casual 2 minutes
remembering the life of Jesus.

435
00:39:08,360 –> 00:39:17,280
Here is a reaffirmation of our
faith that He is able to do what

436
00:39:17,280 –> 00:39:23,360
we are not, that by the grace of
God we stand related to

437
00:39:23,360 –> 00:39:25,480
eternity.
Though we don’t deserve it.

438
00:39:26,840 –> 00:39:31,040
It’s a reinvigoration of our
confidence that God, as the

439
00:39:31,040 –> 00:39:37,440
great mastermind, has the power
to bring all his children,

440
00:39:37,760 –> 00:39:43,360
everyone of us, to glory.
It’s an appreciation, brothers

441
00:39:43,360 –> 00:39:47,080
and sisters, of the love of the
Father that is fuelled all of

442
00:39:47,080 –> 00:39:50,840
that.
It’s our opportunity, brothers

443
00:39:50,840 –> 00:39:55,720
and sisters, to reassess the
great and eternal truths that we

444
00:39:55,720 –> 00:40:05,800
know that can drive our lives.
And for us now, an opportunity

445
00:40:07,800 –> 00:40:15,160
to redetermine in our lives, to
let God work as we seek His

446
00:40:15,160 –> 00:40:21,880
face, as we trust and wait and
respond to His love.

447
00:40:23,320 –> 00:40:27,520
We now have an opportunity to
honour.

448
00:40:29,080 –> 00:40:34,200
And thank the all wise God and
our Lord Jesus Christ, and

449
00:40:35,880 –> 00:40:43,360
ascribe to them glory and
majesty, dominion and power.

450
00:40:45,280 –> 00:40:52,560
For God, working through His Son
alone, is able to present us

451
00:40:52,560 –> 00:41:09,590
faultless in His presence.
Thank you for listening to the

452
00:41:09,590 –> 00:41:11,190
Good Christadelphian Talks
podcast.

453
00:41:12,030 –> 00:41:14,470
We hope this talk helped you in
your walk and brightened your

454
00:41:14,470 –> 00:41:16,830
day.
If you would like to hear more,

455
00:41:16,830 –> 00:41:18,590
please subscribe for new
episodes.

456
00:41:18,990 –> 00:41:22,230
We are on all major podcast
platforms and also on YouTube.

457
00:41:23,350 –> 00:41:25,830
If you enjoyed this particular
talk, please share it with

458
00:41:25,830 –> 00:41:27,750
someone else who you think might
enjoy it too.

459
00:41:28,630 –> 00:41:31,360
For show notes on the talk you
just listened to, visit

460
00:41:31,360 –> 00:41:35,240
[email protected]
or check out the Show Notes

461
00:41:35,240 –> 00:41:38,960
section of your podcast player.
Please share your thoughts on

462
00:41:38,960 –> 00:41:42,000
the talk from this week on our
Facebook or Instagram pages

463
00:41:42,000 –> 00:41:44,920
where we are at Good
Christadelphian talks, or leave

464
00:41:44,920 –> 00:41:47,720
a comment on our YouTube channel
where these talks are posted as

465
00:41:47,720 –> 00:41:49,440
well.
If you enjoy listening to the

466
00:41:49,440 –> 00:41:52,080
talks that we post and hear one
that you think we should share,

467
00:41:52,320 –> 00:41:55,560
please tell us about it.
You can send a suggestion using

468
00:41:55,560 –> 00:41:58,680
the Contact Us tab on our
website or message us on any of

469
00:41:58,680 –> 00:42:01,400
our social media accounts.
Thank you for listening.

470
00:42:01,640 –> 00:42:03,600
God bless and talk to you next
week.