Keep sharing good news without ads.
No description available
And I hope you guys had a wonderful Christmas with your loved ones and friends, family and stuff. My name is Reverend Todd Addison, aka Pastor Happy, that's just my nickname. And Braden Patterson is one of my best friends, him and another man named Jeffrey Rice, and we all have a show together called Open Air Theology.
And so, yes, I am from Communist California, and it is communist, let me tell you. But I have been blessed by the Lord to have this ministry where we get the homeless off the streets, those that are mentally ill, those that are dying of cancer, and they all live with my wife and I, and we all attend my brother, who's in the back row right there, my brother Seth's church, Faith Community.
And I'm so glad that we could be here with you today, and thank you for allowing me to serve you guys. It took us two hours to get here in the fog, so it was an awesome drive. But I really, I wanna springboard off of Ezekiel 36, 25, before we really get there, I really think as we approach this new year, as we're coming into this new year, that I think we need to start remembering who God is and who we are.
And I think that it's the doctrine that we are gonna be discussing today. We're gonna be going into the doctrine of the Trinity and much more, but we're gonna be springing off of Ezekiel 36, 25, but the text we're gonna be reading is in Ephesians one and two.
So Ezekiel 36, 25, let me get to it. Ezekiel 36, 25, where are we?
All right.
I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you shall be clean from all your uncleanliness and from all your idols, I will cleanse you. And I will give you a new heart and a new spirit I will put within you.
And I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. And I will put my spirit within you and cause you to walk in my statutes and be careful to obey my rules. And that's a promise from God right there.
And this is really pointing to the new covenant is to where we're gonna have a new heart and God's gonna write his commandments on our heart. And he's gonna place his Holy Spirit inside of us and cause us to walk in his ways.
And observe his statutes. A lot of people forget that part right there. You know, whenever they go to read the scripture. And I think that when we really break this down, and that's what exactly Ephesians one and two is, it's really gonna unpack this scripture right here.
And so let's turn to Ephesians chapter one. And I tell you, I was studying for this conference. You know, we were supposed to be speaking in Ephesians. So I was studying it for like two or three months and I found out they just changed everything.
So this was gonna be at the conference and whatnot. But as we go into these scriptures, let's go into these scriptures with humility and thankfulness. As we come into these scriptures that are just so God honoring.
And as the Holy Spirit communicates through Paul to the Ephesians right here, and to us, I think this is really gonna help us remind us who God is. And so here now is the true and the living word of God.
Give ear to the reading of God's holy word. We're in Ephesians chapter one, verse three. Blessed be the God and father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places.
Even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him. In love, he predestined us for adoption to himself as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will, to the praise of his glorious grace with which he has blessed us in the beloved.
Now this section right here,.
This is called the active, the active work,.
The active elective work of the father right here. All right, and this is the core of the Trinity right here. These next few sections we're gonna be reading, this is the God in whom we serve. So this is the elective, the active elective work of the father.
Now let's continue, seven, in him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace, which he lavished upon us. I want you, I want to stop right there for a second.
The, this section right here is just so awesome. This great, the riches of his grace that he lavished upon us. I heard this pastor once say, and it just really stuck out to me. He goes, imagine you had a really big bowl of ice cream, all right, and you lavished chocolate syrup all over it.
And this is the riches of his grace, you know, the riches of his grace that he lavishes upon us, the grace upon grace. So that just always stands out to me right there. But he says, according to the riches of his grace, which he lavished upon us in all wisdom and insight, making known to us the mystery of his will, according to his purpose, which he set forth in Christ as a plan for the fullness of time, to unite all things in him, things in heaven and things on earth.
In him, we have obtained an inheritance having been predestined according to the purpose of him who works all things according to the counsel of his will, so that we who were the first to hope in Christ might be to the praise of his glory.
Now, this section right here is called the active redemptive work of the son. And so we're breaking this down systematically right here, and this is really expounding on Ezekiel 36, 25 that we springboarded from.
And I just want you guys to really write this, not only on your hearts, but in your minds, that as we go through this systematically, this is the God that we remember, this is the God that we serve. And as we go through tough times, and we go through seasons of growth, or maybe the Lord stretching us, remember that he is God, and we're in the father's hands and the son's hands, and there's nothing that can pluck us from his hands, nothing, no way, no how.
So let's continue. 13, in him you also, when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and believed in him, were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit, who is the guarantee of our inheritance until we acquire possession of it, to the praise of his glory.
And see, right here, this is called the active, protective, sanctifying, sealing work of the Holy Spirit. Now, when it comes to the doctrine of the Trinity, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, one in essence, three in persons, they are active, God is active in your life from glory to glory, from start to finish.
You know, another thing I do back home, just pausing for a second, is I teach on world religions, cults and apologetics, and most cults, they really attack this doctrine, a lot of different denominations attack this doctrine.
Now, let me just tell you, whenever the Holy Spirit spoke through the prophets or the apostles or whatnot, he was never ambiguous. He communicated with us quite clearly, and this is the written word of God, and the Holy Spirit was speaking through the apostle to the Ephesians and also to us, and it's really, really simple.
It's really easy to read and believe, but you know that at the center of all this is, when it comes to the gospel of Jesus Christ, remember what he says right here, in him also, 13, when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and believed in him were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit.
There's no works needed for us now at all. It's the very works of God that is in our lives. We bring nothing to the table, nothing at all. The Scripture never says that, and where do we fit in on all this?
You know, I think that's where a lot of people really, it's hard to believe. You know, you have like Roman Catholicism that says that you have to keep these seven sacraments in order to maintain your salvation.
Instead of us pursuing piety, we are pursuing holiness and sanctification. A lot of us have fallen into pietism, and that's where, what do I gotta keep doing in order to maintain my salvation? How do I gotta help God out, you know?
No, God doesn't need our help, all right? But the simple fact that us hearing the gospel of Jesus Christ, which by the way, I will give you all a gospel presentation at the end of this, because it's the gospel, it's the power of God into salvation.
The gospel, God doesn't need our help in anything. We are commanded to go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey all that Christ has commanded.
And lo, he is with us until the end of the age, and I believe him. You know, I believe the gospel of Jesus Christ saves. I see that at my home all the time when people come in with a different gospel, and a different Jesus, or they don't believe in the triune God, the Father, Son, and the Holy Spirit.
If you don't believe in this teaching right here, if you don't believe that God is active in your life, you're just gonna go in circles, because he's the same forever, and ever, and ever. God never changes.
So, again, what does this look like to us? I mean, where do we fit in right here, all this? You know, what do we bring to the table? Well, let's go to chapter two.
Chapter two, Ephesians.
And you were dead in the trespasses, and sin, and sins in which you once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience, among whom, I was going around giving my testimony, you know, I'm thinking that was the gospel, and then the gospel is his testimony.
This is his testimony, you know? And we should never let our testimony rise above his testimony, and his testimony in our lives and through our lives. You know, it's quite evident by our fruit when we start to mature and grow in the knowledge of the Lord, but here, we are by nature children of wrath like the rest of mankind.
That's it, we're the walking dead. You know, the story of Lazarus really is so amazing, just getting off the subject for a second, the story of Lazarus, where you have Lazarus died, he's in the tomb for four days, and here Christ comes to the tomb, and was it Mary, Mary comes up to him and says,.
He's been dead for four days,.
And he told his disciples to move the stone. That's us bringing the gospel to somebody. Then Christ called Lazarus out of the grave by name. You know, one of the first responses was, he's been in the grave for four days, he stinks, he smells, but no, he called his name and he came forth because he was dead.
I don't think Lazarus was in the grave wondering if,.
You know, I don't know, I choose not to come out of the grave.
No, no, he was commanded to come out of the grave by name. Christ called him out, and as he came out, Christ commanded his disciples to take off the burial cloths, and welcome to discipleship. It's a very messy thing, but here we are the walking dead.
Now, number, I mean, four, verse four, these two words, when they come together, are so powerful right here. But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead in our own, in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ.
By grace, you have been saved, and raised us up with him, and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus. So that in the coming ages, he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace and kindness towards us in Christ Jesus.
Wow, boy, that's worth repeating backwards. Wow, that's awesome right there. You know, when you just read this, I know that sometimes, you know, as a pastor and stuff, I go through seasons of depression and dealing with the mentally ill and stuff like that.
And I, you know what I do?
I know it's kind of crazy and stuff, but I'll go and I'll read chapter one and chapter two in the mirror to myself. I mean, it sounds crazy and stuff, but I do.
I do.
I mean, just stop and think about it, that we were chosen before the foundation of the world, before time, space, and matter. God has had a redemptive plan for mankind, and that includes us who believe that when the gospel came forth to us, the gospel was given to us, the elect.
That's who you and I are if you believe. The gospel came to us and we were regenerated. We were given the gift of faith so that we can start faithing in a holy God. We're given the gift of repentance.
By the way, that's Philippians 1, 29 and 2 Timothy, the gift of faith, the gift of repentance right there. These are all gifts of God, and that's when we come into these seasons of Thanksgiving like Thanksgiving or Christmas, we should remember who God is and who we are.
That at one time we were dead in our trespasses and sin, but the riches of His grace upon grace that was given to us, these gifts, these free gifts.
Not like I celebrate Christmas every day, but eight.
For by grace you have been saved through faith, and this is not your own doing, it is a gift of God. Pause for a second. What is a gift of God?
Well, it's faith and grace.
Those were gifts from God.
It's awesome.
Nine, not a result of works so that no one may boast. We don't bring nothing to the table. A dead man doesn't bring nothing, nothing. It's God active in our lives from start to finish. There's no works needed.
There's so many, guys, all the cults, all the world religions, need I say not one, believes in this. They all believe in works. Every single one of them. It's Jesus plus. Not saved by grace through faith alone in Christ alone.
It's always Jesus plus your works. Like what do I get? Works is a result of our faith. Let me tell you, when it comes to being obedient, all right, obedience is the fruit of our salvation, not the root of our salvation.
So let's continue. Four, I mean 10, for we are His workmanship created in Christ Jesus for good works which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them. We're His workmanship. I mean He's the one that took the dust and blew life into us.
He's the one that shapes and mold us. He's the one that refines us. It's all the working of God, not Todd, all right? And this is why we remember Him, and we remember that when it's good times, or it's bad times, or it's flat times, or stale times, God is still God, and He is gonna drag you across the finish line, that we can put our trust, and faith, and hope in Him because He is our faith, and trust, and hope.
It's in Him. He predestined us before time. He gave us life, this new birth. You remember, we must be born from above. We must be born of water, and spirit, and that's what Ezekiel 36, 25 is all about.
This is in the packing of Ezekiel 36, 25 right here, and this is where, this is the act of work of God in our lives, and this is how we fit into it. We fit into it because He's merciful, and loving, and kind, and why He chose me, I have no idea, but I wanted to just encourage you guys with these words, and really just remember that all scripture is God-breathed, and when we come to church, there's a lot of healing here, a lot of growth here, and sometimes when we're growing, especially as we're infants in Christ and stuff, we go through growing pains, and times of doubt come in, and as we go through these growth spurts, it's gonna hurt, just like any child that's going through growth pains, so I wanna just to encourage you all to trust in this God right here, not the one the world, or the cults, or other religions try to force-feed you, all right, but the God of this Bible, our Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, that this was God's redemptive plan from before time.
So I want to give you all the gospel.
Before I hand this back over to my brother Braden right here. The gospel is the good news, and why is it good news? Well, because there's bad news, and the bad news is that you're dead in your sins and trespasses.
There's none righteous, no, not one. There's no righteous deed that you have done that is going to appease or please God in any way, shape, or form. You're a child of wrath like the rest of mankind, hostile in mind towards God, rebellious, and the good news is this, it's simply this, it's Jesus Christ, and why is it good news?
Because it's God's good news to a fallen world. It's God's good news that the infinite took on finite. The Word became flesh. God became flesh, and He lived a life that you and I can never live. He lived a sinless life that you and I can never live.
He came, and He came to fulfill the law, something that we just could never do. There's no way. He suffered under Pontius Pilate. The very crown that was placed upon His head of the thorns and thistles goes back to the curse of the ground that Adam had to work.
By the sweat of His brow, brow amongst the thorns and thistles were placed on His very head. The very wrath of God fell upon Christ, that He that knew no sin became sin so that we might have the righteousness of God.
The very death that you and I deserve because the righteous requirements of sin is death, He took upon Himself, and the very wrath that we deserve for being children of wrath, He took upon Himself, and He died a violent death.
He died upon the cross for the forgiveness of our sins.
So that we'd be in right standings with the Holy God. He died. Three days later, He rose with a resurrection so powerful that others rose with Him, and now He's ascended and is seated at the right hand of the Father, and He's interceding for all of us who believe night and day, and the call is this, to repent and believe this gospel.
Heavenly Father, we come before You right now, Lord, and I just ask, Lord, that You keep refining our lives, Lord, so that one day we can define Your life in ours. Lord, I ask that You always bring these scriptures to mind when we're in doubt or in seasons of heartache, Lord, that we can put our trust solely in Your hands because we know that nothing can pluck us from Your hands.
So now, Lord, I just ask that You be with my brothers, give us safe passages to our homes as we're on the road, and I thank You for hearing our prayers as You always do, for the name of and the sake of Your precious Son, Jesus the Christ, amen.
Right.
Brothers, there's nothing more that could be added to that kind of a message, nor should there be with the gospel. When we consider that elective work of the eternal Father, the redemptive work of the eternal Son, and the sealing and regenerate work of the Holy Spirit, the text that is coming to my mind immediately is from the text that we've been reading from in the book of Haggai.
If you kept on reading in Ephesians chapter two, when we consider the work of our eternal triune God that we have and that we worship and that we honor and that we serve, it says, having been built upon the foundation of the apostles and the prophets, Christ Jesus Himself being the cornerstone, in whom the whole building being joined together is growing into a holy sanctuary in the Lord.
This is speaking about the temple that stood in that day, that we are actually being built upon as living stones upon that foundation of Jesus Christ, that the whole house is being fitted together, in whom you're also are being built together into a dwelling place of the Holy Spirit.
Consider Haggai chapter two, verse nine, the text that we've been preaching from every single week here. The latter glory of this house will be greater than the former, says Yahweh of Hosts. And in this place, I will give peace, declares Yahweh of Hosts.
The glory it is to know God and to be a part of His house is through what He has done for us. Notice in there, it was the eternal work of the Father, the eternal work of the Son, and the eternal work of the Spirit.
You are His craftsmanship, His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus. It's all about who God is and what He has done. And so let us sing this last song with mighty praise, being built upon that gospel message that we just heard from Brother Happ.
So let us stand and let us pray and let us sing this last song. Lord God, I do just thank you again for today and the privilege it is to worship you, to know you, to love you, to glorify you, Lord. And God, let us consider today the ways that we can do good things, good service unto your holy name, not as a means of salvation, but as a means of sanctification and a means of glorifying you.
And we just say this in your name, Jesus Christ, amen.