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[0:00] We're taking a break from our series on hope. And I'd ask you to turn to John chapter 17.! And in verse 13 of John 17, Jesus says, Even as I am not of it, sanctify them by the truth.

[1:04] Your word is truth. I have sent them into the world. Or as you have sent me into the world, I have sent them into the world.

[1:15] For them I sanctify myself, that they too may be truly sanctified. My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message.

[1:27] That's us. That all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us, so that the world may believe that you have sent me.

[1:39] I have given them the glory that you gave me, that they may be one as we are one. I in them, and you in me. May they be brought to complete unity, to let the world know that you sent me, and have loved them even as you have loved me.

[1:55] Father, I want those you have given me to be with me where I am and to see my glory, the glory you have given me because you loved me before the creation of the world.

[2:07] Righteous Father, though the world does not know you, I know you, and they know that you have sent me. I have made you known to them and will continue to make you known in order that the love you have for me may be in them, and that I myself may be in them.

[2:27] We turn from these words of Christ to the book of Galatians, if you would turn to chapter 4. Women have a privileged position with which to understand some of the scriptures better than we men.

[2:51] But I'm not complaining. I'm thinking of the many times the Bible speaks of a woman going through labor pains. It's something I understand to a degree, having stood beside a woman going through that four times.

[3:07] But I would not even pretend to know or even want to know what the actual experience is like. Yet that's the figure of speech that the man Paul uses here in verse 19, our text for this evening.

[3:21] It's a strong figure of speech. It shows the anguish, the pain, the inner turmoil that he felt as he heard that his spiritual children there in Galatia were wandering off the path as to critical beliefs and behaviors.

[3:41] And so here in chapter 4, verse 19, Paul opens his heart to them. He says, My dear children, for whom I am again in the pains of childbirth until Christ is formed in you.

[4:00] Any of you ladies gone through the pains of childbirth twice for the same child? Not just false labor. It was called Braxton Hicks in our day.

[4:12] But real labor. Twice. The real thing twice. That's what Paul's claiming that he's going through with his dear spiritual children. There was the initial pain, the initial struggle in seeing them brought to birth spiritually.

[4:29] And any of you with unconverted children know exactly what he's talking about. You labor in painful prayers and efforts for their salvation. It's spiritual birth pangs.

[4:44] And one commentator says, Next to the experience of the wrath of God itself, there is no sore pain under heaven than when parents come to have such heart sorrow in their children as to doubt of their soul's salvation.

[5:00] But then at last they were born again. And in your joy that was so great, you forgot all about the labor pains. But here's Paul.

[5:13] He's back in the maternity ward. And he's got these spiritual birth pangs over the same spiritual children. No small anguish that he was going through for a second time.

[5:25] And what was it that he was yearning so much for that he says it's like a woman's labor pains? Well, it was that Christ might be formed in them.

[5:40] That Christ might be formed in you. I'm again in the pains of childbirth until Christ is formed in you. That's what your pastors are laboring at.

[5:52] That's what we're aiming at in all of our preaching and praying and pastoring. That Christ will be formed in you. It's what the Father, God the Father, predestined for every one of his children.

[6:08] Romans chapter 8, verse 29. For those God foreknew, he also predestined to be conformed to the likeness of his Son. This is our destination, children.

[6:19] This is where we're going. Nothing less than total moral conformity to the Son of God. It's what the Son of God himself has purchased through his incarnation and his work of redemption.

[6:31] He became like us that we might become like him. He took my form, the form of man, that I might take his form.

[6:43] Have Christ himself formed in me. And then this is exactly what the Holy Spirit is every day working in my life.

[6:54] 2 Corinthians 3.18. We who with unveiled faces all contemplate the Lord's glory are being transformed into his likeness. With ever increasing glory, which comes from the Lord who is the Spirit.

[7:09] What is the Spirit doing? He's cutting out all that doesn't look like Jesus. And he's putting in all that does look like Jesus. So that Christ might be formed in us.

[7:20] So all the three persons of the one God united in this purpose of forming Christ in us. That we might be so like him that he is seen in us.

[7:32] We want to think like Jesus. We want to act like Jesus. And we want to even emote like Jesus. To have the very emotions of the Lord Jesus.

[7:46] Our recent studies in John chapter 13 through 17 brought this home to me. And that's what I'd like to share with you this evening. How is it that...

[7:59] What would it look like? To have Christ formed in us. What is that actually? The Lord Jesus here on the night of his betrayal. Talks about his own love.

[8:13] Being in his disciples. His joy being in them. His peace being in them. His unity. His glory being in them.

[8:25] So let's look at each one of these ways that Christ is being formed in us. The disciples of the Lord Jesus. First he says, My love in you. That's what it looks like to have Christ formed in us.

[8:38] To have his own love in us. And we see that in verses 25 and 26. As he's praying to his heavenly father. I've made you known to them. And will continue to make you known.

[8:49] Why? To what end? In order that the love you have for me. Father. May be in them. And that I myself may be in them.

[9:00] So the very love that flows between the members of the Trinity. Between the father and the son. And the son and the father and the spirit. That same love might be in us.

[9:12] His command is love each other as I have loved you. And that's only possible as it is his own love. In us. And that's what he does in us by his spirit.

[9:25] He produces his love in us. If we love one another. God lives in us. And his love is made complete. In us. His love. In us.

[9:36] And so we saw in our recent study of love. That that's what God is doing. He's putting his own love inside of our hearts.

[9:47] Not a natural love. That rises no higher than what most men do. But. That we might love with a supernatural love. Indeed with Christ's own love. Within us.

[9:58] So what does that look like? Well it looks like 1 Corinthians 13. Doesn't it? What's said of love? Love there can be said of Jesus. Because God is love.

[10:12] And Jesus is love. And Jesus is God. So Jesus is love. So we can put his name in 1 Corinthians 13. Jesus is patient. Jesus is kind.

[10:24] He does not envy. He does not boast. He is not proud. He is not rude. He is not self-seeking. He is not easily angered.

[10:34] He keeps no record of wrongs. Jesus does not delight in evil. But rejoices with the truth. He always protects. Always trusts. Always hopes.

[10:46] Always perseveres. Jesus never fails. And that's what his love in us looks like. As Christ is being formed. In us.

[10:57] Then he goes on to say. Speak about my joy in them. My joy in them. This too is Christ being formed in us.

[11:09] Look at verse 13 of Jesus' prayer. We're back in John 13 through 17 here. In chapter 17 and verse 13.

[11:21] Jesus says to his father. I'm coming to you now. But I say these things while I'm still in the world. So that they may have the full measure of my joy within them.

[11:32] And then again. Just minutes earlier. In chapter 15 and verse 10 and 11. He says if you obey my commands.

[11:42] You will remain in my love. Just as I have obeyed my father's commands. And remain in his love. I have told you this. Why? So that my joy.

[11:55] May be in you. And your joy may be complete. In both of these texts. It's Jesus' own joy in us.

[12:05] That makes our joy complete. That fills it up to the full. Now Jesus' joy was no small thing. It was a burning coal in his heart.

[12:15] That sweetened every trial that he went through. What were some of the causes of this joy? And here we must be selective and brief. But I think it's important for us.

[12:25] Because if his joy is to be formed in us. It will be formed in us in the same way. Using the same means that Jesus used. And the first thing we want to say is that.

[12:38] Jesus rejoiced in his father's love for him. And that's what he just says here in John 15 10. That it says he remains and abides in his love. Then he speaks of his great joy.

[12:50] He constantly was abiding in the awareness of his father's love for him. And that was joy food for the son of God. My father loves me.

[13:02] And the more he was misunderstood and hated by the world. The greater his joy in his father's love. He rejoiced secondly in doing his father's will. Remember at the well with the woman.

[13:14] Disciples went into town to find food. And they came back. And they find him talking with the woman. And they wonder did someone bring him something to eat. And he says I have food to eat that you know not of.

[13:27] And then he said my food. Is to do the will of him who sent me. And to finish his work. Food is something we find joy in isn't it. Joy and strength.

[13:37] And Jesus is saying my joy and strength. Is right here. In finishing the work that the father gave me to do. And calling sinners to the forgiveness that I have come to give.

[13:50] It was for the joy set before him that he endured the cross. At least part of that joy was the joy of returning to his father. And saying mission accomplished father.

[14:02] I completed everything that you gave me to do. We know the joy of a task completed. Jesus for the joy that was set before him. Of being able to return to his father.

[14:14] And say mission complete. That was no small part of the source of his joy. But we really need to go no further in searching for the reasons of his joy.

[14:26] Than what we find as a byproduct of his love. His joy flowed from a life of love. Remember we saw that. Love takes pleasure.

[14:39] In the pleasure of the loved one. Love delights to see others delighted. Love takes joy in seeing others joyful.

[14:50] And that's why. Love gives. Loves the great giver. That's what love does. And Jesus whole life was a life of love. A life of love that found joy.

[15:03] In serving others. In giving of himself to others. That's why you could say. It's more happy. More blessed. To give. Than it is to receive.

[15:15] I don't think that I've really understood. Just how much joy Jesus got. In giving. In loving people. And ministering to them.

[15:25] And I hope I can read through the gospels. With a different light now. As I've come to see this more clearly this week. He had more joy in giving.

[15:37] Than the people had in receiving. And oh how he gave. Constantly giving of himself. Teaching. Preaching. Healing. Feeding. Giving. Giving truth.

[15:50] That set men free. Giving the gospel. That saved their souls. Giving forgiveness. Giving soul rest. Not just giving mercy. But delighting in mercy.

[16:00] We're told. He didn't give grudgingly. He didn't give sparingly. He was the most cheerful giver. Why? Because it's. It's more happy.

[16:11] To give. Than to receive. And Jesus joy. Was. A byproduct. Of his loving on people. The more he gave. The more joy he had. We can only imagine.

[16:24] Some of the joy. Of those lame boys and girls. Men and women. Blame all their lives. And then Jesus healed them. And they went walking.

[16:35] And leaping. For joy. But none of them. Were so happy as Jesus. To see them. Happy. And rejoicing.

[16:46] In new legs. And so it was. With. The blind. The deaf. The lepers. The demon possessed. That he healed. And set free. But in each of them.

[16:57] None more happy. Than the Lord Jesus himself. To see them happy. As he saw their joy. He joyed. In their joy. And when they repented.

[17:08] Like Zacchaeus did. He rejoiced. Even more than Zacchaeus. That's the whole lesson. Of Luke chapter 15. In those three parables. In each parable.

[17:19] Of the lost. Sheep. The lost coin. And the lost son. What happens. When one sinner repents. Jesus rejoices.

[17:31] Heaven rejoices. That's the picture. So. So Jesus. In giving salvation. Giving the gift of repentance. Was just. Full of joy. In his.

[17:43] Life of love. Now it's counterintuitive. Because in seeking joy. We need. We think that we need. To seek something. For ourselves. Don't we? What do I like to do?

[17:54] What do I like to do? With me? And it gets us in the box. And that's not where joy. Is to be found. It's. It's quite the opposite. He who refreshes. Others. Will himself. Be refreshed. And in bringing joy.

[18:06] To others. I find. The joy. In giving. And that's what he prays for. His own joy. The very joy. That he has. To be in us.

[18:17] That's Christ. Formed in us. And Nehemiah says. It's the joy of the Lord. That is our strength. The very joy. That is his. In us.

[18:30] Gives us strength. Strength to work. Strength to. Do his will. Strength to suffer. His will. Strength to wait on him. Strength to be contented.

[18:43] Strength to live. To die. For him. So this joy. Is as supernatural. As Jesus love. For it's his joy. In us. Just as it is. His love in us.

[18:56] Thirdly. Jesus speaks of. My peace. In them. My peace. In them. You beginning to see. A pattern here.

[19:08] My love. In them. My joy. In them. My peace. In them. It kind of sounds like. The what? The fruit of the spirit. Doesn't it? And that's exactly.

[19:21] What it is. The spirit's work. To conform us. To the likeness. Of Christ. Producing in us. The very life. Of Christ. So. Look at chapter 14.

[19:32] In verse 27. Jesus says. Peace. I leave you. My peace. I give you. I do not give you. As the world.

[19:43] Gives. Do not let your hearts. Be troubled. And do not be afraid. So. Jesus has just. Told them. That he's leaving them. And they're troubled. And they're sad. But he goes on.

[19:53] To say. Though I'm leaving you. I'm leaving something. For you. And with you. Namely. Peace. And not just any peace.

[20:05] My peace. My peace. I give you. Notice. It's in contrast. With the world's peace. The world's peace. Is marked. Fragile. Handle. With care.

[20:16] It all depends upon. Peaceful circumstances. To hold together. But the world's peace. Shatters. And evaporates. When. Storms. And troubles. Of life. Come.

[20:26] And since. Circumstances. Are ever changing. And most circumstances. Are out of our control. This peace. Of the world. Is really. Worthless. Isn't it? No.

[20:38] I need peace. In the storm. And that's the peace. Jesus gives. His own peace. And then look at chapter 16. In verse 33.

[20:51] Where Jesus says. I have told you. These things. So that in me. You may have peace. In this world. You will have trouble. But take heart.

[21:01] I have overcome. The world. If we could have the drawing. Please. I want you to notice. The two spheres. In which the believer. Lives the entirety. Of his Christian life.

[21:14] You. Believer. Are living. In two spheres. Simultaneously. At one. In the same time. You are living. In me. Or in Christ. As he's referring to.

[21:25] In me. And then. You're also living. In this world. In this world. You will have trouble. I don't think.

[21:36] I've. Ever. Not. Been in trouble. Not as long. As I've been. In this world. Stay out of trouble. We're told. Good luck. With that. Not as long. As we're in this world.

[21:47] Because in this world. You will have. Trouble. We're living. In trouble. But the key is. Don't let this trouble. Get into your heart.

[21:57] You're in a world. Of trouble. Like a boat. Is in. The water. But don't let the water. Get into the boat. Don't let the world's.

[22:09] Trouble. Get into your heart. And that's what Jesus says. In the first verse. Of John 14. And the last verse. Of John 14. Or in verse 27. Do not let your hearts.

[22:20] Be troubled. So you're living. In trouble. But don't let trouble. Get into your heart. Because I have peace. To give you. My peace.

[22:30] In the midst. Of trouble. Notice the second sphere. You live in. Not only in a world. Of trouble. But you believer. Live in Christ. In union with Christ.

[22:42] One with Jesus. And he says. In me. You may have. Peace. My peace. So.

[22:54] You're in trouble. But you have peace. You know what that picture looks like. Kind of. Not exactly. You think it looks like a donut.

[23:05] I think it looks like a hurricane. The outer bands of the hurricane. The eye is way too big.

[23:15] I complained to Ben about that. But I was too late. He was already done. That's the picture I sent him. He did well. The outer bands of the hurricane. Can have winds and rain.

[23:27] Swirling up to 190 miles per hour. But what's it like on the inside. Of a hurricane. In the eye. Of the hurricane. It's calm.

[23:39] The sun is shining. And there's just a gentle breeze. Such as. When you've been outside in the summer day. And you're sweating up a good storm. A good bed in the garden.

[23:51] And just a gentle breeze. Just enough to feel the coolness. Across your skin. That's the peace. Inside. The eye. Of the storm.

[24:02] And it seems like a strange place. To find such perfect peace. Right in the midst of a fierce. Destructive storm.

[24:13] But that's the peace that Jesus had. As he walked through this. World of trouble. And all the trouble they gave him. Their interruptions.

[24:26] Constant interruptions. Pressures. People wanting to see him. Touch him. Hear him. Be healed by him. Making demands of him.

[24:38] His enemies. Complaining. And attacking him. And trying to catch him. And something he would say. The foolish things. That his own disciples said and did. Trouble. It followed him.

[24:49] And dogged his heels. As he went through this life. He lived in this world of trouble. And yet. He had this inner tranquility. This inner peace.

[25:01] He suffered far more than enough. Things that rob our peace. But he wasn't bent out of shape by it.

[25:14] And that's amazing. It's supernatural. Actually. Isn't it? That's what we're learning about. These. These graces. They aren't natural. They're supernatural. To have peace in the midst of trouble.

[25:26] But there's something even more amazing. And it's that he is saying that in him. We can have his peace. Not just Jesus having peace in the storm.

[25:36] But that you who are in him. You too can have peace. His peace. In you. Right here. Right now. In this world of trouble.

[25:50] Now I'm not sure how you get into the middle of an eye of a hurricane. I don't think I want to try it. It's not on my bucket list. But here's how Jesus pressed into the eye of peace in the midst of a world of trouble.

[26:03] Number one. By humble trustful submission. Of his will. To his father's will. Clashing wills. Destroys peace.

[26:17] Clashing wills. Cause peace to be broken. And never more so than it's. When it's my will clashing with God's will. There's no peace there.

[26:30] Is there? You know that. When I'm fighting to hold on to my way. And what I want. When God's will of providence. Or God's will of commandment. Is showing me something else.

[26:43] Fighting because I didn't get my will. These are great disturbers of the peace. But peace comes when we submit by faith. To the fact that father knows best.

[26:54] That's what David says in Psalm 131. To I have stilled and quieted my soul. Like a weaned child with its mother. Like a weaned child with its mother.

[27:06] Is my soul within me. So there's the young child. Being nursed. By his mother. Until one day mom says that's it. That's all.

[27:17] No more. Breast. For you. It's done. Nursing. Nursing. Is over. Well Junior had other plans. Other ideas.

[27:28] And it leads to this royal clash. Of two wills. And it's not pretty. A pretty thing at all. He demands to be nursed. And he gets a bottle instead. And he's not interested.

[27:41] One bit. So he cries. And when he senses. That mom's not changing. Her mind to match his. He cries louder. And madder.

[27:52] And you mothers know. A mad cry. Don't you? He's disturbed. And he's perturbed. There's no peace and tranquility. In Junior's heart. And he tries his best.

[28:03] To see that mother will enjoy none either. But you come back a week later. And he's weaned. The process is over. And he's just sitting there quietly.

[28:16] Contentedly. On his mother's lap. With his bottle. He's finally resigned his will. To his mother's will. Sweet peace. Is the result.

[28:28] And David said. David knew both of those conditions. He knew the loss of peace. Due to his fighting with God's will. But then he also knew what it was.

[28:41] To humbly submit. And to resign to God's will. And then peace came rushing in. Calm contentment. I've stilled and quieted my soul. Like a weaned child with its mother.

[28:55] Paul too had to learn this secret of contentment. Didn't he? Resigning. Oneself. To God's will. Content with him.

[29:06] The Lord Jesus lived this way perfectly. His motto. It wasn't just something he did in Gethsemane. It was the motto by which he lived. Was not my will. But your will be done. I've not come from heaven to do my own will.

[29:18] But to do the will of him who sent me. And that's why he enjoyed great peace. Great peace. When. Our will. Is resigned. To him.

[29:31] Content. That his father was at the helm of all things in his life. Was ruling as an all wise. And all loving. And almighty. Father in heaven.

[29:42] For his good. And so he just trusts. That his father. Cares for him. And he casts all of his cares. And concerns about. He had a lot of cares.

[29:54] Jesus did. A lot of concerns. But he also knew what it was. To cast them. On. His father. And so he enjoyed perfect peace. It was believing prayer.

[30:05] That's how you cast. Your cares. Upon the Lord. Be anxious for nothing. But in everything. By prayer and supplication. With thanksgiving. Let your requests. Be made known to God. And the peace of God.

[30:16] Which passes all understanding. Will guard your heart. And mind. In Christ Jesus. Jesus enjoyed peace. The same way.

[30:27] The same way we do. By prayer. Trusting prayer. Believing prayer. Leaning on the father. Casting our cares on him. That's why it was his habit.

[30:38] To be up. Before anybody else was up. While it was still dark. When nobody would bother him. When he could be alone. With his father. And cast his cares. Upon him.

[30:51] Pouring out his heart. To his father. In believing prayer. And knowing the promise. Fulfilled. You will keep in perfect peace. Him whose. Mind is steadfast.

[31:03] Because he trusts in you. We sing that song. Oh what peace. We often forfeit. Oh what needless pain. We bear. All because we do not carry. Everything to God in prayer.

[31:14] We forfeit the peace. Jesus never forfeited the peace. He always pressed in. To his father. There. Cast his cares. And left them there. So there was submission.

[31:28] To his will. There was believing prayer. There was. Finding rest. In his father's presence. How did Jesus. Know peace. In the midst of trouble.

[31:39] Well. He. He found rest. In his father's presence. Chapter 16. Verse 32. He says. A time is coming. And has come.

[31:49] When. When you. Will be scattered. Each to his own home. You will leave me all alone. Yet. I'm not alone. For my father. Is with me. There it is.

[32:00] There's his. There's his peace. You guys. You guys are going to leave me. But I'm not. I'm not alone. Because. Father's with me. An ever present. Help.

[32:10] In trouble. He's with me. And so I've set the Lord. Always at my. Right hand. The Lord Jesus. Would say. In Psalm 16. In verse 8. He's there. I see him there.

[32:21] And because he is there. At my right hand. I'll not be shaken. I'll know that peace. He found rest. In his father's presence. And then he found peace. Just by being humble.

[32:32] I think it's the only time. That our Lord. Ever. Explained his own emotion. In Matthew. Or his own.

[32:44] State of his heart. Matthew 11. 29. I am humble. And lowly. In heart. It's the one thing. That he tells us. About his heart.

[32:54] That it is. Humble. And lowly. You know. It's proud people. That get easily offended. And lose the peace. But the humble. Don't expect others. To bow to their self-importance.

[33:06] So their peace. Is not robbed. And. No one was treated. More offensively. Than Jesus. But no one was offended. Less. Than Jesus. He's humble. And lowly.

[33:18] In heart. And that. In itself. Was no small. Part of his. His perfect peace. Not. Not offended. Peter's foolish. Comments.

[33:29] Oh. He rebukes him. He. He corrects him. But. Doesn't lose his peace. And then. Lastly. Jesus. Knew peace. By the comforting.

[33:40] Word of God. The promises. Of his father. Were constantly. Whispering. Peace. In his ears. Great peace. Have they. That love your law.

[33:52] Psalm 119. 165. Nothing. Can make them stumble. No. Jesus. Loved. His father's word. Had it dwelling. Richly. In his heart.

[34:03] He's the blessed man. Of Psalm 1. Who meditates. On his law. Day and night. And that was the rock. In which he stood. And found. Solid.

[34:14] Sweet peace. In the storm. So that too. Is how we enjoy. His peace. How does he leave it. It's not just that. Somehow it happens. Magically. Magically. Apart from any means.

[34:24] No. No. Jesus didn't get it. Magically. Apart from means. He was a real man. Like us. He had real cares. He had to learn. To trust his father. He had to learn. To cast his cares. He had to learn.

[34:35] To. To apply. The means of grace. Just like we do. If we would enjoy. His peace. He says. In verse 33.

[34:45] I have told you. These things. So that in me. You may have peace. What things? Well he told him. A lot of things. That night. Didn't he? But he also.

[34:57] Told them. How they would. All forsake him. And leave him. All alone. That's verse 32. And right away. Then he says. And I told you. These things. So that in me. You might have peace.

[35:09] You mean. Jesus. Knew ahead of time. That I was going. To forsake him. And run. And leave him. Yes. That's why he told them.

[35:21] So that. So that. When it happened. They look back. They could. They could have peace. To know that Jesus. Loved them. Even in their weakness. And even in their fallenness. And in their. Stumbling. And they're sinning.

[35:31] And they're leaving him alone. Jesus says. I've told you. These things. So that in me. You might have peace. It's the word of Christ. Spoken to our hearts. That. Brings us peace.

[35:42] Peace. And that's how Christ. Enjoyed this peace. In less than peaceful. Circumstances. And all that. Was available to him.

[35:53] In the way of peace. It's now available to all. Who are in Christ. It's your birthright. Child of God. It's yours. In Christ. A supernatural.

[36:05] Peace. As supernatural. As his love. And as supernatural. As his joy. This is Christ. Being formed in us. And then he speaks. Of my unity. In you.

[36:17] Chapter 17. Verse 11. Holy father. Protect them. By the power. Of your name. The name you gave me. So that they may be one. As we are one. Father. We're one. And I want them.

[36:28] To know the very unity. That I have with you. Among themselves. And so the Holy Spirit. Makes the believers one. As he is the spirit of the father.

[36:41] And the spirit of the son. And mediates the presence of. God the father. And God the son. In us. And in you. And therefore we are one. In Christ. He's the spirit of love.

[36:55] He's the spirit of joy. He's the spirit of peace. He's the spirit of unity. And lastly. He's the spirit of glory. Jesus speaks of my glory. In them. In them.

[37:06] Verse 22. Of chapter 17. 17. 22. I have given them. The glory. That you gave me. Have you thought about that lately?

[37:18] Jesus says father. I have given them. The glory. That you gave. Me. I in them. And you father.

[37:29] In me. So the father's glory. Was revealed. In his son. The father. In the son. Revealing his glory. And the son's glory.

[37:39] Is being revealed. In you. The glory. Of having this glorious. Christ. In us. To manifest himself. In us.

[37:51] So we not only share. Jesus love. Jesus joy. Jesus peace. Jesus unity. But we're also privileged. To share. In his glory.

[38:02] His glory. His moral. Perfections. That shine. Like the sun. We have it in part now. As we behold.

[38:13] The Lord's glory. We are being transformed. Into his likeness. From one stage. Of what? Of glory. To another. From glory.

[38:24] Unto glory. We are. We are. We are. Starting here. And now. To bear. The glory. That was in Christ. As he is being formed. In us. As we are becoming.

[38:35] Like him. His glory. Is being seen. Shining out. In us. In part now. But in fullness. Later. Romans 8. 17. Now. If we are children.

[38:46] Then we're heirs. Heirs of God. Co-heirs with Christ. If indeed. We share in his sufferings. In order that we may. Also share. In his. Glory. His glory.

[38:58] And it's. In us. As he says. In the next verse. Romans 8. 7. 18. I consider. That our present. Sufferings. Are not worth. Comparing. With the glory. That shall.

[39:09] Be revealed. Not to us. But in us. That glory. That will be revealed. In us. The glory. That when we see him.

[39:20] Will be made like him. And then we'll shine. Will shine. Like the stars. Daniel. Chapter 12. Says. Shine. With the glory.

[39:30] Of Christ. His glory. Shining in us. Our sanctification. Is complete. You know what. Paul calls that. Glorification. Doesn't he? Romans 8. 30.

[39:42] All he. Predestined. Those he also called. And those he called. He also justified. And those he justified. He also. Glorified. Glorified.

[39:52] That's when. We share his glory fully. And we shine. With the glory. Of Christ. All his redeemed people.

[40:03] Shining with his own. Unquenchable love. His own. Inexpressible joy. His own. Uninterrupted peace. His glory. Will be seen.

[40:13] In us. And not just in our spirits. But even in our bodies. We're told. I don't know. What else to do with this. Other than believe it. Philippians 3. 21. That the Lord Jesus. Who by the power.

[40:24] That enables him. To bring everything. Under his control. Will transform. Our lowly bodies. So that they will be like his. What? His glorious body. So.

[40:36] His glory. Seen in us. That will be glory. For me. Well. These are the things. Then. That Christ. Prayed. For his disciples. And for all who would believe in him.

[40:49] You and me. Through their testimony. So surely. We should be praying. For these things. For Jesus. I want to know more of your love.

[41:01] In me. Your joy. In me. Your peace. In me. Your unity. In me. Your glory. In me. Your likeness.

[41:12] In me. And then to seek. And enjoy. That which we pray for. This is what we were created for. To bear the image.

[41:24] Of our God. And we. We had that image marred. Didn't we? In our fall. And now in. Redemption. That image is being restored. More and more.

[41:35] The glory of God. Reflected in us. Wonderful privilege. It's what the father has predestined. The son has purchased. Just in what the spirit is working on.

[41:46] And what Christ will finish at his coming. Let it be the primary business of our lives then. That's what Paul was going through. A second labor pains.

[41:57] To see. In his dear brethren at Galatia. Christ. Being formed. Being formed. In them. So that you could see the love of Jesus. There.

[42:08] In that. People. You could see the joy of Jesus in them. Not a natural joy. A supernatural joy. The peace of Jesus. The unity of Jesus. The glory.

[42:20] Of Jesus. Jesus. So Peter and John were. Jailed by the. Jewish religious leaders.

[42:30] Threatened. Not to speak at all. In Jesus name. And they. Bore witness to Christ. To their judges.

[42:42] And. Acts 4. 13 says. When they saw. The courage of Peter and John. And they realized that they were. Just unschooled fishermen. Ordinary men.

[42:53] They were astonished. And they took note. Of them. That they had been. With Jesus. There's something. In them.

[43:03] That we. Saw in him. It was that courage. Was that. That fearlessness. That. That assurance.

[43:14] Of which they spoke. And. And. That was. Jesus courage. In them. It's. The same way. With all of these virtues. That the world.

[43:25] Should be able. To say. Well that's. That's what's. In Jesus. What I see in you. And indeed. That is. No small part. Of the glory. The beauty. Of the Christian. So that's how it works.

[43:37] Being with Jesus. We're made like him. It's in the yoke. With Jesus. That. We learn from him. Who is gentle. And lowly. In heart. And we become more. And more like him.

[43:49] And so I am. Crucified. With Christ. Nevertheless. I live. Not I. But Christ. Lives in me. Christ is. Is being formed.

[44:00] In me. And nothing less. Will do. What a privilege. What a high calling. To bear. His. Image. It's our glory.

[44:11] And honor. To be like him. We're going to. Sing. May the mind. Of Christ. My savior. Live in me. From day to day. May. May Christ. Be formed. In me.

[44:21] And. Let's make this. Our prayers. We conclude. Our response. To this. Text. Of Jesus. Being formed. In us. Stand and sing. With me. May the mind. Of Christ.

[44:32] My savior. We thank you.

[44:43] Father. For your word. For the record. Of this prayer. Of our savior. On the night. He was betrayed. For the words. He spoke. To his disciples. And we find.

[44:54] Great encouragement. Here. Our love. Doesn't cut it. Our joy. Doesn't make it. Our peace. Doesn't survive.

[45:04] Our unity. Our glory. It withers. And it dies. Like a flower. In the sun. So we need. Something more. Than what we have.

[45:15] By nature. We need. Your joy. Your peace. Your love. Your attributes. Your. Goodness. Gentleness. Kindness.

[45:26] Self-control. Faithfulness. We need yours. Lord Jesus. And so we pray. That nothing. Short of that. Would be. Made manifest. In us.

[45:37] We. We are living. In a world. That. Is lacking. In these very. Critical. Character. Traits. And.

[45:48] We have. This great. Privilege. Of. Of being. To your glory. Of living. Shoulder to shoulder. With them. And showing them. Something.

[45:58] Beyond. Ourselves. So. May it be. That the all. Surpassing. Glory. Might be seen. To be from you. And not from us. We see. Paul.

[46:09] Going through. Labor pains. To see. Christ. Formed. In the Galatian. Believers. We thank you. Lord Jesus. That you went through. More than labor pains.

[46:19] To see these graces. Formed in us. That you. You went through the pains. Of the cross. And of your father's. Hidden face. And of the hell.

[46:30] That we deserved. That we might be saved. From ourself. And know this abundant life. In Christ. Thank you. For your rich grace. Thank you. That you knew.

[46:40] What you were getting. When you bought us. Thank you. For your. Predestined plan. Father. To not leave us. Where we are. But to. Destine us. For this glory. That.

[46:51] Is in Christ. That we. Will find. In each other. And glorify him. Forever. So bless us. On our way. Make us a light. To this dark world.

[47:02]  We pray. And receive glory. As we do so. In Jesus name. Amen.