Holiness

Hey everyone, this is Charlie from Encounter

Church Henley and thanks so much for tuning into

our podcast. Our prayer is that through this

podcast, you can have an encounter with Jesus

that will change your life. And now get ready

for an inspiring message from our preaching team.

Uniting Church. I've only been with the Uniting

Church for the last five years. So I've been

in ministry well over 35 years. Been fortunate

enough to work in quite significant churches

in Melbourne and Sydney and across the eastern

board. We moved to Kangaroo Island. We moved

to Kangaroo Island where I grew up about 12 years

ago now. But I really felt a God to move there

and while we're on the island I was... Working

as a pastoral care worker during the fires that

we had on Kangaroo Island, that you might have

realised, and just seeing God significantly putting

me there in that place to be able to help, well,

we as a family, to help so many other families.

That went through devastation. Over three quarters

of the island was burnt and... hundreds of thousands

of livestock gone and over 500 ,000 wildlife.

And it was quite devastating. So being there

and working through the school gave more credibility

and allowed me to really reach many families

that needed the help. And so that was God's way

of just moving us. And so I'm married to my wife,

Gina, who's here tonight, and I have four kids.

She has five because I'm a big kid. All right,

you've got a sense of humour. That's awesome.

congratulations on getting married you know I

remember when I got married it was terrifying

it was scary you you look at the stats and and

you go wow 50 % of these marriages last forever

you know good I'm glad you got that JT awesome

wasn't sure if that was gonna go flat or for

that to work but and yes we're still married

coming up to 20 years so For me, it was on Kangroland

that I met Jesus through the, back then, Assembly

of God, which is ACC and the Uniting Church.

We had a combined youth group ministry. And so

God started me off there. And I was a ratbag

at school, really not just functional. I was

a bit odd. Parents had split up. I was the only

kid in my grade that had divorced parents. Excuse

me. So... It's not like my journey started from

a great heritage, but a different heritage. But

when I met Jesus, there was transformation when

my classmates thought I had a nervous breakdown.

Because I went from being nasty to kind. And

everyone got a bit weird and held off for about

three months. This is my final year of school.

And then, excuse me, they came up to me and they

said, this is real, isn't it? I said, yeah, it

is real. Many of my classmates ended up finding

Jesus. And we saw a real revival in the youth

ministry. And God moving just quite powerfully

because I embraced who God wanted me to be. And

so through that I went to Bible College in Melbourne

and I've had an amazing journey. You know, I've

travelled overseas, I've seen God heal in many

ways, prayed for somebody in a wheelchair, they

got up and walked. I've lived outrageously where

back in the day when you would go to a counter

to get your airline tickets and you could book,

I remember going on a mission ship and I felt

God saying, no, I've got your ticket, I've got

your ticket. So I rock up to the airport with

my bag and everything else and the team that

I'm going with, they go, have you got your ticket?

And I said, yes, I've got my ticket. And they

go, where is it? And I said, somewhere at the

airport. And they're looking at me like I'm crazy

and I walk up to the desk and I go, my name is

Conor Tickner and I believe there's a ticket

for me here to go to South Africa. And they go,

here you go, sir. And the whole team were just

like, what? But God does stuff. And this is really,

hopefully that, you know, in your Christian life

you can start thinking bigger that God is not

limited to the imaginations of the world that

we currently live in. God's imagination is higher

and greater than anything we could believe. That

when we read His Word, when we come around His

Word, this is reality, this is what actually

happened. Jesus prayed, spat in the dirt, blind

man see. The disciples walk and their shadows

just hit people and they were instantly healed.

This is the God we serve. The God that spoke

and the world was formed. This is what it is

that we are called to be light and to be witness

and to do that that if I can encourage you this

morning that just through the message but even

going forward and I'm getting off track, but

I'm gonna encourage you that Just dream what

this place could be like First thing I did walking

into this place. I looked and I thought you're

gonna outgrow this Because that's where my faith

goes, you know, and I'm thinking can you move

into the building next door? What what are you

gonna do when this gets too small? But that's

a reality. This is what prayer does. This is

what visioning does This is what calling on the

name of God does and then living who you are

as Christians in the workplace you were at So

most of my Christian life I've had to work dual

jobs ministry and then something to feed myself

with if you get what I'm saying. It's just that's

the way it's been because I've just felt called

and when you're called you just commit. If you

want to wait till everything lines up and you've

got the right salary then that's not a call,

that's a job. When you're called you follow and

you go and everyone in the Bible when they were

called it wasn't lined up. Everything else, provision,

all that came after the following of the call.

Have a look at everything that happened. God

followed, but it needs faith, it needs obedience,

it needs us to be courageous, to step out and

go, God, if this is you, I'm doing it. Yep, the

ticket's gonna be at the airport. Yes, God, you're

saying this person's gonna get up and walk on

their walk. That when this happens, it's believing

God for who God is and what He can do. It's not

my power, it's His power. And so I wanna encourage

you, think about who you are, how you are, the

people you are engaging with. Do they really

know and understand who you are? When I was in

Kangaroo Island and working as part -time in

tour guides. So I was on Seal Bay. So my job

was to take tourists down to look at the sea

lions and pretty cool job. Except when you get

50 overseas people that don't know English want

to touch an animal that's aggressively wanting

to bite them. That's a bit tough as well. But

one of the... …you know, one of the staff came

back in and she had tripped and twisted her ankle.

And she was hobbling in and I said, what happened?

Oh, I've twisted my ankle. I can't do any more

work. She said, look, I believe God heals. Shared

a few stories and said, can I pray for you? And

she goes, okay. So I got down in the lunch room.

People are all around. I just got down and said,

can I touch your foot? Yep. Prayed. How's it

feel now out of one to ten she goes well, it

was like a nine, but now it's about a seven I

said, well, let's pray again So I prayed a bit

more down to five and so we got down to one a

sitter, right? How's that? She goes you can stop

now. That's good enough Said you don't want complete

healing. No, no, that's right. It can hurt a

little bit, you know But but I'm doing that people

are walking in and in and out having lunch doing

whatever no one batted an eyelid Because I was

who I was I am who I am. I'm I believe God does

something I wasn't weird and religious, but I

do know that God does stuff And so it says pray

for one another. It says reach out that we are

lights in the world. You know, we don't have

to conform to this world, but we are in it and

we need to show that there's a different way

of living. And we need to let our faith be evident

where people can go, why are you doing that?

Well, that's because I believe God can do this.

And we step out in it. So if I can put a pause

in it, can we pray for your pastor and his family

at the moment? Is that all right? Tim was out

on the war field from what I understand. He was

battling it out For the the the ball of magic,

you know basketball and the ball of basket the

ball of basket and and And he's hurt his ankle.

You know, I understand the war Can we pray for

him pray for healing? So if you want to stretch

your hands out and we'll pray for his family

as well Father God, I thank you. You're a God

of healing, a God of restoration. And right now,

Holy Spirit, by your power, we pray for healing.

Pray for this twisted ankle, this sprain, to

be miraculously healed over the next two days.

For flexibility for every sinew, for every muscle,

every ligament that's been stretched or torn

to be healed in Jesus' name. We pray for healing

upon the whole family in every need that is there.

We pray for every provision to be there. We pray

that everyone in the family will find healing

and restoration and wholeness in the Name of

Jesus. And God, as they're on the front line,

we pray for protection around them, that they

will not be attacked by the enemy and they will

not have those fiery darts shot at them to wear

them down or to wear them out as a family. But

we pray that this time they'll find a cohesion

and a unity and a peace amongst them all. In

all that they do, I pray the kids will sleep

well tonight and the next couple of nights. I

pray something in the home will just shift and

they'll find your presence, moving powerfully,

preparing them for the next part of the journey

that is before them. that you'll prepare them

for what they need to share, with where they

need to lead, with what they've got in the direction

that's before that can be caught and it can be

run with. I pray like Moses when he prayed when

the battle was on and his arms were up and he

grew tired that there'll be those that come around

and hold the arms up to pray along because the

battle belongs to the Lord. And so I pray for

Tim that Tim there is a battle going but it's

God's battle not yours. and so you just intercede

like Moses often did interceded for the people

you intercede and as you do you'll have those

great people come around you to hold your hands

to keep the battle going on because the battle

belongs to the Lord and he will overcome and

every enemy will scatter we pray this in the

name of Jesus amen all right now maybe I should

preach hey because you know We've only got three

more hours and then we'll finish. Years ago I

used to travel by train into work into the city

of Melbourne and also Sydney. There was this

day I was travelling home and an older lady got

onto this packed train. Maybe you've been on

a bus, been on a train and you've seen something

like this. No one moved. They all just stayed

there on their phones or looking at their books,

staring out the windows. But no one made eye

contact, no one recognised her, no one even give

her the time of day. They just didn't make any...

And as she was getting closer and closer and

closer to me, I stood up and said, here, why

don't you take my seat? She'd walked three quarters

of the train before this happened. It was the

right thing to do. It was what I was taught.

by my family of what should be done in this situation.

She smiled and said thank you and commented that

not many people are thoughtful nowadays and that

courtesy and kindness was a dying idea in our

community. And we talked about it and she shared

that she was younger, it was just what would

be done. No second thoughts about it. You did

it because that's what you were taught was the

right thing to do. You get what I'm saying? It's

the right thing to do. It was like an unofficial

rule or law in the community. It wasn't necessarily

taught at school or written on the wall or it

was enforced by police, but it was just what

we did as a community. You did it because you

were taught that. And if you were the person

that gave your seat away to an early person and

your family were there, it would be such a moment

where your parents, your family members would

feel proud and go, yeah, I'm with them. and they

did the right thing. There's something that it

wouldn't just affect you, but others. And it

was like we acted on our own accord to show kindness

and thoughtfulness to others. It was like a code,

but the back thought was we knew our actions

would please our parents. We did it to represent

our family and we knew those sort would go. I'm

proud to be associated with that person. It's

living a good life. And a righteous life is a

good quality, especially if we are Christians.

Matthew 6 .33 says this, but seek first his kingdom

and his righteousness. And his righteousness.

And all these things will be given to you. John

14, 15, Jesus says, if you love me, you will

keep my commandments. Hebrews 5 .13 says this,

anyone who lives on milk still being an infant

is not acquainted with the teaching about righteousness.

And see, I wanted to talk about righteousness

this afternoon. We are made righteous with God,

but righteousness can reign in many different

areas. It can be quite deceptive if righteousness

is not in line or in accordance with the Word

of God. Matthew 6 .1 he says, be careful not

to practice your righteousness in front of others

to be seen by them. If you do, you will have

no reward from your Father in heaven. See, Jesus

is giving teaching and teaching about those who

have the Father's heart, that what we do, we

go and do in private, but then those are doing

things in order to gain the opinion and the public

view of everyone else around them. And they're

not really trying to promote God's kingdom. They're

there to promote their own well -being in their

own kingdom. And so we're warned about this.

When you look at Luke 18, 19 with the parable

of the Pharisee and the tax collector, and the

Pharisee goes out and says, look at me, I'm praying,

and he does it all. And the tax collector goes,

I'm not worthy, and hides, and puts himself in,

realises where he stands with God and takes a

lowly position. That in the midst of that it

says to some who were confident of their own

righteousness and look down on everyone else

Jesus then told this parable So there is something

about the word righteousness and the true meaning

or the simplest Version that I can put in as

a Christian when we come to righteousness. It

says righteousness is doing what is right in

the sight of God Righteousness, what we are doing

is right in the sight of God. It's a simple definition

that is far more complex under the surface. But

to be righteous is to do everything that God

calls us to do. Matthew 5, 6, blessed are those

who hunger and thirst for righteousness. There's

a desire, a thirsting, a wanting for it. It's

not just something that comes upon us and we

go, oh, I do everything right. As I shared briefly

on my testimony, I wasn't the perfect Christian

on day two of knowing Jesus. I had some bad habits

and formations that kept popping out. Maybe there

was some language or some sign language I showed

when I was aggravated when I was driving with

one or two digits helping them show which way

was heaven. I wasn't perfect because my righteousness

was still in the formation of my environment...

...and my family of origin that I grew up in.

Do you understand that? That it was different.

But coming to know Jesus I am now a new creation.

and becoming a new creation meant I had to do

away with my old nature and start embracing and

putting on a new nature like the armour of God,

like transformation of my mind. It was me having

to now live in a different realm and knowing

that what held me in the past with my old formation,

with my old environments, no more could chain

me down. could hold me back, could shame me or

guilt me anymore because of the work of Jesus

Christ and the work of the cross, that I was

now free from that. But if I'm free from that,

I'm now free to then run into and enter into

and pursue what God has called me to do, what

God has called you to do, what God has called

the church to be. And in doing that, it's us

now becoming and walking in His righteousness.

and not my own righteousness. Matthew 21, 23,

John came to show you the way of righteousness

and you did not believe him, but the tax collectors

and prostitutes did. And even after you saw this,

you did not repent and believe in him. The religious

people were still full to believe their way of

life was right when they were missing the very

righteousness and it wasn't just Jesus but John

the Baptist and many others showing the way of

Christ. The way we are to pursue, the way we

are to go. All through Romans, all through Hebrews,

1 John, again, righteousness, following righteousness

and the faith it takes for us to follow righteousness.

So righteousness works in two parts. And the

first part, we are made righteous by God and

this is the work of the cross. We come from a

different formation and the power of God comes

that we come to know salvation and hope, freedom

and restoration through Jesus Christ. We are

transformed, we are made new. Second Corinthians

521, God made him who had no sin to be sin for

us so that in him we might become the righteousness

of God. Philippians 3 .9, and found in him not

having a righteousness of my own that comes from

law or from good works that I can do, like giving

up my seat on a train. It's not my good works

that's gonna get me to heaven, but that which

is through Jesus Christ, and it's the righteousness

that comes from God on the basis of faith. 2

Corinthians 5, 20 and 21, we are therefore Christ's

ambassadors as though God were making his appeal

through us. And I implore, I encourage you, I

beg of you on Christ's behalf, be kind and reconciled

to God and make him who had no sin for us so

that in him we might become the righteousness

of God. Credit to him, righteousness means God

formally declares a person righteous, treating

them as sin free and right in him. ...not based

on their works but solely because of their faith.

It's actually this word in the Hebrew is a banking

metaphor. Imputation. It means where God credits

Jesus' righteousness... ...to accounts believer

as a free gift. We didn't earn it. We can't buy

it. You can't buy your stay away to heaven. You

can't earn it but it's given to us. In our culture

we don't... Settle well with free things. Except

if it's a birthday, I hope. Or Christmas. But

could you imagine... What's your name? Isaac.

Isaac. Ah! My son's an Isaac, too. Imagine I

come to Isaac and go, Happy birthday, Isaac.

And I give him a present. He goes, No, sorry,

I can't accept that. But how much is it? I'll

pay you money and I'll take my birthday present.

Could you imagine I go, Isaac, here's your present,

but it's going to cost you $200. So before I

give it to you, I need you to cough up. Is that

really a gift? It's not. It's a transaction,

isn't it? It's like, what's the difference of

me doing that with his birthday present to go

into the store? It would seem ironic. That is

not how gifts work. When I give it to him and

say, happy birthday, he takes it. He takes it.

And then what does he do? Does he take it and

he shove it under his bed and never ever open

it? Does he put it in the cupboard and forget

about it? Does he do that? Does he rip it open?

I'm hoping he rips it open. Who rips their presents

open? Okay, who opens the paper very gently to

keep the paper? All right, we're finished. Simple

analogy, but you get what I'm saying? It's a

gift. And Christ has given this gift to us. We

don't earn it, but we do need to accept it and

accept it and live in it and embrace it. …and

put it and make it a part of our life. Let's

say it was a jumper. A gaudy Christmas jumper

with reindeers and big noses on it. He'll put

it on! Even though it's his birthday, not Christmas,

so I've missed my analogies almost up there.

But do you get what I'm saying? It doesn't matter,

it just works. But do you get what I'm saying?

You take it and you put it on! I'm not sure you

do that when you get undies for your birthday

with you. Put them on the outside like Batman,

but… But you take it, you use it. I know when

I give it to my kids, they can't wait to rip

open their presents. And they're playing with

it straight away. They're engaged. Because it's

a gift. It is a gift. So why do we do it like

that? But when God gives us a gift, we feel we

have to then earn it. We sit there and go, I

am not worthy. Because that's not what the scripture

says. We go, I don't deserve this. That's certainly

not what Jesus or God has said. These are the

narratives of our old life, our old formation,

our old environments, or even the environment

you're in, which is not godly. And we need to

stop that and come back to the Word of God and

realise I am a child of God. I am a son and daughter

of God. I'm called to be an ambassador. I am

called to be chosen. I'm the light of the world,

I'm the soul of the world. I am something special

because of the work of Jesus Christ on the cross.

What He's done and is now credited to you that

you are now right in the eyes of God, allowing

me to come and talk to Him, to pray to Him, to

ask the Father things. So Father, I wanna see

somebody healed who goes, yeah, amen, let's do

it. God, I pray to see my family saved. I pray

for my neighborhood to come to know the power

of the Holy Spirit and to come to know the freedom

that they can in Jesus Christ. And God goes,

amen, let's do it. I can have those conversations

because of what Jesus has done. I've been made

right now. I need to accept that gift and walk

in that gift. That is why, and it's another topic,

but the renewing of the mind. We've got to come

back to the Word of God and allow the truth of

who God's called us so we don't have the self

works of righteousness Because Jesus warned that

with those that are before him See when we look

in putrid righteousness, it means in credited

to means placing something from one source into

another, even though they do not possess it themselves.

It's what Christ has done and given to us. It

is finished on the cross. You are now made righteous

and it's been given to us. It's faith is a key

biblical teaching that justification is by faith

alone, not by works, love or personal merit.

And when you go through the book of Genesis,

When you go through Hebrews 11, you can see Abraham's

example in Genesis 15 that when Abraham believed

God's promise, it said God considered him righteous.

Put righteousness because of his faith. And that's

where it comes into faith as a substance of things

hopeful. Have you been made righteous? The word

of God says it. The work of the cross and Jesus

given his life is the truth of it. And so by

faith I now need to go, that was done for me,

which it was. The power of the cross, there is

nothing greater than that. He conquered death.

He demonstrated everything, that there is nothing

greater than our God. The scripture says nothing

can separate us from the love of God. Neither

height nor depth, principalities or powers, things

present, all in things to come, like anxiety,

what about, what about, doesn't matter. God is

greater than all this. He spoke on the world

as four. Blind eyes see, lame people walk. The

dead rose up and walked again. This is the God

we live and serve. He lives in us and with us

and encourages and empowers us. So why not get

a free ride on a ticket to South Africa on a

missions trip? Because God can do this. Why not

pray for your family to be saved? Make something

for your neighbours and drop it off saying, just

been praying for you, here's a meal. I don't

know what it is, but God's called us all to do

something in the world we live in. Invite some

friends over, have dinner and start a spiritual

conversation. Doesn't have to be, do you go to

church or anything like that, but ask simple

questions. What do you think God thinks about

war? Just hear their opinion. Do you think God

is real at all? Listen to their opinions. Start

a conversation that gets them thinking about

what God is. Well, and allow them to then ask

you, well, why do you think God is so real? Have

your testimony in 30 seconds. Punch it out. Tell

them something you've done. I prayed for this

and God did this. I feel it in my heart. Whatever

you know, you don't need to be a Bible scholar.

I left Kangaroo Island, sewed up everything,

had rocked up to the Bible College I was going

to that I enrolled in. Rocked up, said, here

I am, and they said, great, where are you staying?

And I said, that's right, where am I staying?

And they looked at me like I was an idiot. And

I said, oh, I just, God called me and I'm here.

And they're like, oh, oh, all right, we'll make

some phone calls. And they found somebody for

me to stay with for a week, and then I got a

place. And next minute, a couple of other students

lived with me and we batched it. for three years

and coming from the country let me tell you the

idea of you know pizza being delivered was great

you know it's like they order it they bring it

and they come and and within a week we had stacks

of boxes filling the kitchen table and then I

realized I was going very broke but it's by living

in faith and realizing if God has done this,

why do we not live in the gift that is given?

And that may sting, but it's a reality that I

want to bring across. Why are you not living

in the gift God has given you? Because if we

live in it, we can lead other people in that

area. It's a legal declaration that we are justified,

a legal verdict, where God declares a sinner

righteous based on the trust in Him. And see,

we're called to live righteous lives, righteous

in the eyes of God, not self -righteous. See,

when you walk into a room, are you so focused

...on what everyone thinks about who you are?

Or are you walking into a room saying how can

I please you God... ...in this environment I've

stepped into? Because that defines the two realms

of righteousness right there. You go in, what

will people think of me? Have I dressed? Have

I done this? You're so influenced about your

self -righteousness, your works, what you need

to do to impress, what you need to do to win

people over, to have acceptance, to have them

like you and validate you and to do all of this.

That's our self -righteousness. It works. When

I walk into a room going, God, what can I do

to please you? I'm secure in who I am because

He loves me. I don't need validation because

He's validated me and I'm living in that validation.

I don't need to be justified because He's made

me justified. I'm righteous in what I do. That

I can walk in confident in who I am in Christ.

Because it's a gift given and I need to live

in it and transform my mind in it. So when these

negative narratives start coming back into your

mind of the words spoken over me when I was at

school, the bullying, all the stuff that would

come. I combat it with the Word of God that not

just disarms it and frees me from it, but I come

back to the work of the cross and go, but I'm

righteous, I'm called to live it righteously.

What would it be like to live righteous like

that to go, God, what can I do to please you

when I walk into a room? Before we moved to Canter

Island, I was with a significant church in Melbourne

called Stairway. There was about 1 ,400 people

in the church and I was on staff there. We really

embraced this thing called God -spacing or God

-refocusing. And God -spacing is taking it to

a point where every day of our life, much like

the Old Testament and the early churches, our

connection with God was 24 -7. It wasn't Sunday's

finish, I go to work, switch on work mode, and

I'm working, but God's locked in a closet. Do

you know what I'm referring to? And we said,

what would it be like that if everything we did,

we were aware of God and we talk with God in

everything we did? And so there's this couple

that this woman said, all right, I'm going to

try it. She goes shopping with her husband. And

as she's gone out, she's gone, all right, I'm

in the supermarket. God, what can I do today

to show somebody your love in the supermarket

today? So they're shopping. Me shopping, I want

to... In and out as soon as I can. Shortest line.

Hit the list. I want to be in and out. When you're

in a country town like Kangaroo Island, you go

to get a loaf of bread, three hours later, after

meeting so many different people, you finally

have... But I'm in and out. But this couple...

So she's in there. She looks down the aisle,

sees this woman, grab a block of cheese, shove

it down her top, and then... And she sits there.

What do I do with that? Am I...should I call

security? Should I confront the woman and saying

I saw you steal that cheese like she's Thinking

God I've asked what am I going to do to help

somebody and I've just seen that what do I do?

How does that line up? So she spent some time

praying God. What do I do? What do I do with

that? They get their items husband goes here.

This is the shortest line pushes in so she follows

Looks in front and the person in front of them

is the lady that was stealing the cheese And

she's like, oh, what do I do now? So she prayed

about it. Then she leant over feeling what she

felt God was saying. She said, excuse me, I saw

what you did with that block of cheese. And if

you're willing to pull it out and put on the

counter, I'll pay for your groceries. And this

lady opens up, she pulls out a block of cheese

and a few other items. Cashier, she's like, what

is going on? And they pay for it. And the lady,

instead of just grabbing her stuff and taking

off... ...she sits at the end and waits while

they're all scanning. And the lady at the register

is going, what was that? And so she goes, I don't

know. I just came here and I prayed, God... ...what

could I do to help somebody today? To show them

your love. And you know when it's really noisy

in the whole... ...it was noisy, noisy. And as

soon as the lady asked that question... ...this

lady goes, it was like the whole place stopped.

And not a person was, and when I said, I believe

Jesus and told the story she said, it was like

everyone stopped in the whole supermarket and

just listened to me. She goes, we had the longest

line and they're all listening to what I'm telling

this lady about what God had done. And so she

shares, tells that lady goes and then the lady

at the end is in tears and they talk to her,

they pray with her and they do something for

her. Because it's easy to go into a workspace

environment. to go to do what you need to do

in my own strength. But it's different to walk

in his righteousness and to go, God, what is

it you're asking me to do? It's where we get

our eyes off ourself and back onto the perfecter

of faith. This is where we die to self. It's

where we decrease so he can increase. This is

not to think little of yourself. When people

think, die to yourself, we don't sit there and

curse ourselves and speak bad of myself and go,

I'm a bad person and it's horrible. Do you get

what I'm trying to say? We can get that negative

attitude and oh, why do I do that? How stupid,

how dumb, I'm just a horrible person. And we

speak things that are not biblical upon our lives.

That's not what it says to die to self. What

it means is stop chasing what you think is great

and start chasing what God wants you to do. That

very thing of, no, I'm just in for a job, I just

want to shop, I don't want to talk to anyone,

I want to get out, to dying to that mentality

and going, hey, God, while I'm here, I do need

to get some groceries, but can I help somebody

along the way? Can I show joy? Can I show compassion?

Could I show love? That is what it's talking

about when it says die to self. When you go,

I don't earn this, I'll go to church twice this

week and read my Bible five times just so God

loves me more, that's works. You come to church

because you love God. Do you get what I'm saying?

You love me, you do my commandments. We do, I'm

here because I love you and that's why I'm here.

I read my word because I love you. And I know

if I miss a day, your grace is sufficient, but

not two days. No, I'm kidding. Do you get what

I'm saying? We take religion out of it and it's

relational. And when we're living in that relational

way, we then live in His righteousness going,

how can I show the love of God and show the kingdom

of God in the world I live in, because it's Your

righteousness. When we're driving, when the guy

catch you off, instead of getting frustrated,

like my family tend to remind me, hey, living

God's righteousness, Dad. Instead of me trying

to give direction and all signs with fingers.

I stop and I go, hey, God, for whatever reason

he needed to cut me up because no one's behind

me, but I pray, God, that you just help them.

If they're on an emergency trip to the hospital,

keep them safe. If they're having torment, God,

I pray you'll help them. All of a sudden I'm

not so worked up because I'm not in my own righteousness

and feeling my validation is being crossed off.

Feeling my world is being ignored or my goals

are being ignored because all of a sudden I've

just put that down I've taken on a righteousness

pray for those who persecute you because that's

what the word of God says pray for your enemies

So all of a sudden I take that on and it changes

the atmosphere in the car I'm not so stressed.

I'm not so worried. I'm not so worked up because

I'm living in his righteousness Whatever the

reason why he had to cut me off God. I just pray

that you'll keep them safe get them home Well,

whatever is tormenting them Set them free in

the Name of Jesus. Do you get the picture of

living in His righteousness? What? Dying to self

is a denial of considering you as the most important

thought that consumes you. And the most important

conversation you have in your head and your heart

is, how can I serve and or how can I love on

these people? When I think about my own ideas,

my laws, my human beliefs, even when they have

good intentions like giving up a seat, I'm doing

it for self -righteousness. I gave the seat up

so mum and dad be proud. I gave my seat up so

everyone here, can you see? I gave the seat up

for this woman, you knew you didn't. But I won't

say anything, I'll just, ahem, you can have my

seat. Did you hear me up the back there? I gave

my seat. Do you get the self -righteousness?

It's still good. But to humbly go, hey, Jesus

loves you. Why don't you take my seat? Why would

you do this? Well, you're needing a seat. I have

consideration for the elderly. But I live to

a higher standard. And I believe God wants you

to be safe and well. So why don't you take my

seat? There's the gospel. Yes, it might sound

a bit Christian... ...but even my actions if

I didn't say a word... ...would speak so much

more than everyone else. I do it for not the

place of everyone else to notice me. I do it

that he might go, hey, well done. Couldn't face

a servant. I do it to have him pleased. And I

do it that he would be happy with what I do.

So in every conversation is what I'm saying destructive

and pulling down... someone with a Christian

faith and making them look bad in the light of

somebody? Because I need to do that to make myself

feel better? Or do I change my conversation and

talk and then when other people are having a

conversation they're going, I don't feel this

is very encouraging. Do I stay in that or do

I walk away? Because even just walking away sends

a message I'm not going to enter in into self

-righteousness. Sounds harsh, I'm not trying

to be legalistic. I'm trying to encourage you

church, if we live to please God, truly please

God, I think we'll find a lot more peace in our

world. And we would find every day a lot easier

in what is before us. It's His righteousness.

Ephesians 4, 23 and 24. We to be made new in

attitude of your minds and put on the new self

Created to be like God in true righteousness

and holiness Therefore each of you must put off

falsehood and speak truthfully to neighbor to

your neighbor for your members of one body in

Ephesians 5 8 to 10 you were once in darkness

But you are now light in the Lord live as children

of light for the fruit of the light consists

in all goodness and righteousness and truth and

find out what pleases the Lord. Can I ask a question?

Are you living being concerned about how others

view you or are you living out a conviction to

Christ and his kingdom? Are you concerned about

others on how they view you or are you living

out a conviction of what? pleases God on what

you need to do. Because if I can encourage you,

let's live out a conviction, not worried about

what the Joneses say. Let us please the Father.

So the question is, how can I walk today that

is pleasing to God? Now here's some homework.

The book of Romans, three, four, and six. What

books were they? Three, four, and six. Hebrews

11 and the whole book of James. Oh, that's a

lot of reading. Spend the next couple of months

reading them. But there's some points that what

I've talked about today has got some good biblical

teaching to revolve around this to allow you

to think, to shoe, to change, to transform your

mind, to try something new. Romans 3, 4 and chapter

6, Hebrews 11 and the Book of James. There is

more too. But if you can start there and start

adapting new ideals and new ideologies and new

methods of how to engage in the world we live

in. To change how you view yourself and view

yourself in the way that God wants to see you.

If you can start living in that, adapting it,

breathing it. Then our righteousness is not my

works. It's what God's given to me and life is

a lot easier. You have less stress. There's frustration

But all of a sudden when you're walking with

him you'll find Blessing upon blessing and doors

upon doors will just open in ways you can never

imagine You'll feel the God calling and leading

you It might mean getting more involved in church.

It might mean committing. It might mean engaging

with people in the world you're living with.

But you're doing it not to please people. You're

doing it to please God. And the wait is so much

easier. Because it's Him that you're yoked together

with. And you're doing it because God's asked

you to do it. And you're going, this is easy.

Because I'm not stressed about what people think.

Because I'm loved. I can walk in a room and I'm

fine not to talk to people because He loves me

and it doesn't matter what they think because

He loves me. But when the presence of God goes

before you it's amazing how people will be drawn

to you and open up and talk and you just be you

and who you are in Jesus and that's what people

want to see is the real thing in this world.

They're tired of lies. Tired of the falsehood,

tired of the play agents. They want to know what's

real. And like my mates, it took a couple of

months when I first met Jesus to go, this is

real. I said, it is real. They too, in the world

we live in, the harvest is ripe but the workers

are few. The hostility towards the church is

not as it was in the 80s, 90s and early 2000s.

There are young people and a generation of people

that are hungry they've grown up in secularism

and and consumerism and They're realizing things

don't cut it. They've seen their parents chase

chase chase and they're realizing the dollars

Objects just isn't making it work They're wanting

something real and it's our time as church to

rise up and to let people know about the truth

of Jesus Christ And they'll do it when we're

showing his righteousness They don't then go,

oh, you're a hypocrite. They'll go, I've seen

you're different. And you go, that's because

I know Jesus. Can we close our eyes for a moment?

I think the band or somebody on keys is coming

up at the end maybe. Is that what you do to finish?

Yep. So they can come up while I've got everyone

with their eyes closed. And I want to ask this

question. Because commitment means committing

or engaging with something. And with your eyes

closed, I'm going to pray for us. But if you're

sitting there and going, hey, I know I've been

a bit self -righteous because, yes, I've been

like that as a person. And you're going, but

I don't want to live in my own righteousness.

I really want to change. Why every eyes closed

and no one's looking if you want me to pray with

you in your seat right where you are I Just want

you to look up make eye contact with me when

you do that then look back down and I'll pray

with you right where you are You're saying I

want to change. I don't want to leave myself

righteousness. I'm gonna live in the righteousness

of God Just make eye contact with me. Thank you.

Thank you Make eye contact with me when I say

it and thank you Look back down. No one's gonna

know this between you and God But if you're committed

to this I need you to start something again God

I'm gonna physically do something to commit to

this Okay Four or five people anymore anyone

else How many father we come here and we just

say sorry. I want to say sorry for living in

my own self -righteousness. I want to say sorry

for what I've tried to do in my own strength.

As good as the intention was, it was for me and

not for you. And God, for all of us, when we've

done good things but to look at it, it's in our

strength and not yours. We repent and we say

sorry. Lord Jesus, we repent, we're sorry. But

God, we thank you for the cross. We thank you

for your word. We thank you for the gift of grace

upon our lives. That is your word says as we

confess our sins you are right and just to forgive

us all That as we've said sorry for what we've

done as we do and every day we tend to fall back

into that old nature When we say we're sorry

Holy Spirit help lead and empower us and renew

us daily to live in the righteousness of God

Because it was given as a gift and we need to

receive and live in the righteousness of God

I pray help us have the strength by your Holy

Spirit to do what is pleasing in your sight,

God. I pray, Holy Spirit, move in each one of

us, help us abandon over these weeks and months

the old things, the old narratives, to renew

ourselves, to renew our mind, to renew what we

need to do that when we walk into a room, our

first thought is, how can I please you, God?

That in our conversations, that in our actions

are pleasing in your sight that I bring honor

to your name that I bring glory to your name

by showing kindness by showing love by showing

patience and tolerance and all the fruits of

the spirit that before I've even said a word

your presence go before me that as I come to

bring Glory to your name to be pleasing in your

sight. I pray our actions will just show the

goodness of God and the glory of God. So I pray

Holy Spirit, work with us, empower us, lead us

and let us live in the righteousness and show

the greatness of God in the world we live in.

I pray in Jesus name. Amen. Church, let's stand

up for a moment. Let's open our hearts and hands

and let us worship and just give it all to God.

And while this worship song is on, if you're

distracted and you need to talk to God a bit

more, close your eyes and have that conversation.

Do you know what I'm saying? If you need to work

a little bit more with him, do it. Hand it over

and let every word that we sing now be a declaration.

of what God is going to continue to do in our

life and where He lives in our world and our

train of thought. Amen? Amen. Let's worship.

Thanks so much for tuning into this week's message.

If you felt challenged or need prayer, we'd love

to hear from you on Instagram at EncounterHendley.

Or if you're interested in how you can support

this ministry, please go to our website, EncounterAdelaide

.com .au. Thanks again for listening. God bless

you.