Good evening to you all, not to friends but to family. It's really overwhelming to be back with you all. I'm used to being shouted at and mocked and hated and threatened and to be amongst the people that not only are willing to listen to a message about the Lord Jesus Christ, but have embraced him the way I have. It's really overwhelming to be with you all. Friends, please will you open your Bibles with me to 2 Corinthians chapter five. And I'm going to ask if we can stand for the reading of God's word. Those who are able to, if we can stand up while we read God's word and then we will spend a few moments on it. 2 Corinthians 5. For we know that if the tent, that is our earthly home is destroyed, we have a building from God a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens. For in this tent we groan, longing to put on our heavenly dwelling. If indeed by putting it on we may not be found naked, for if while we're still in this tent we groan, being burdened, not that we would be unclothed, but that we would be further clothed so that what is mortal may be swallowed up by life. He who has prepared us for this very thing is God, who has given us the Spirit as a guarantee. So we are always of good courage. We know that while we are at home in the body, we are away from the Lord. For we walk by faith and not by sight. Yes, we are of good courage, and we would rather be away from the body and at home with the Lord. So whether we are at home or away, we make it our aim to please him. For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ so that everyone may receive what is due for what he has done in the body, whether good or evil. Therefore, knowing the fear of the Lord, we persuade others. But what we are is known to God, and I hope it's also known to your conscience. We are not commending ourselves to you again, but giving you a cause to boast about us, so that you also may be able to answer those who boast about the outward appearance and not about what is in the heart. For if we are beside ourselves, it is for God. If we are in our right mind, it is for you. For the love of Christ controls us because we have concluded this, that one has died for all, and he died for all, that those who live might no longer live for themselves, but for him who for their sake died and was raised. Now, therefore, we regard no one according to the flesh. Even though we once regarded Christ according to the flesh, we regard him thus no longer. If anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away, and behold, the new has come. All this is from God, who through Christ reconciled us to himself and gave us the ministry of reconciliation. That is, in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation. Therefore we are ambassadors of Christ, God making his appeal through us. We implore you on behalf of Christ to be reconciled to God. For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God. This is God's word, friends. You may be seated. Lord Jesus, you know my weakness, and I pray now that you would come down, that we may be able to see you better and to close in a most holy faith and union with you. Amen. Friends, I want to speak to you for a few moments this evening and draw on this chapter about the experiential Christian life. I learned recently about a heresy that had started in the country of Scotland. It came from the reformed Calvinist tradition in the Presbyterian church. And this heresy was called Sandemanianism. And the Sandominium teaching went something along the lines of this. If you agree with the historic facts about the Lord Jesus, that he died, that he was buried, and that he rose on the third day, if you agree with the historic facts, then that is counted to you as salvation. It is also known as bare faith. It was an intellectual ascent to the truth. In other words, you do the work of history, you do the research, and you put A and B and C together, and you see that the historicity is accurate, and you agreeing with history is your salvation. It was an intellectual faith and it stopped at that. You know, friends, while our faith is a historic faith, it is much more than that. Because we go through the history, to get to the person. And that person is a living person. And that person is the God-man, the Lord Jesus Christ. And it's a living faith. It's not an intellectual faith. And so I want to spend a few moments talking to you today from this passage about the experiential Christian life. To be a Christian is to be one that's united to Jesus Christ. The language used in the New Testament is so intimate. It's the one of husband and wife. It's a deep, personal, living, intimate relationship. It's portrayed as a marriage relationship. And this relationship touches the desires, the will, the emotions, the affections. It is not bare faith. It is not merely an intellectual faith. It is an all-encompassing faith. It is a faith that touches everything. And I wanna speak to you a few moments this evening about this living faith. The key verse will be the love of Christ controls us or constrains us or holds us together. It is deeply experiential, the Christian life, friends. The first verse is verse one to five. You will see is a picture of a man that's living in a rented house. He's living in a house that's not his own. He has a permanent home and he's waiting to move. If you look at the text, you can see it there in verses one to five. It uses language of groaning and being burdened, longing to be in my permanent home. You know, my son, Titus, that's with me, I love to go on walks with him sometimes. And he runs around all over the place, tiring himself out. And when he gets absolutely exhausted, you know what he says to me? He turns around and he runs back and wants me to hold him. And he says to me, mommy, daddy, dummy. And what he means is, I wanna go home, dad. I'm tired. And this is the experience of a Christian. I wanna go home. This body that I'm living in is a temporary body. I wanna go home. I don't wanna be here much more longer than I have to. The second image we get here, seen in verse three and four, is one of being naked and clothed. If you look there, you will see that word naked and clothed appear a few times. Doesn't this call our minds back to Genesis three? Remember what happened in Genesis? In the early chapters of the opening of the Bible, there was Adam and Eve and they were naked before one another and naked before God and there was no shame. There was no shame in their nakedness. And then what happened? They fell into sin and suddenly they were naked and exposed and shamed, full of shame. And what needed to happen, they needed a clothing that God would provide. You remember it, where God took an animal and clothed them with an animal skin. They needed a clothing that came from God that would hide their nakedness, that they would not have shame anymore before God and before each other. longing to be clothed, to be well-dressed, to meet our bridegroom when he appears. Friends, those garments of the righteousness of Jesus, only those who have put them on know how precious they really are, those free garments. As though the Lord Jesus comes to us in the gospel and says, dear one, I know you've failed. Here's my clothes, put them on. And you'll be well dressed for the party. You'll be well dressed for the Father. Now look with me at verse five for a second. That he who has prepared us for this is God. He who prepared us for this very thing is God. What has God prepared for us? God has prepared an eternal home for us. And He has prepared the right clothes for us to live in that city and in that kingdom and in that home. We have been given the right clothes, the right outfit. It means that we are welcomed there. We are accepted there. There's no shame now. He's prepared us for these very things. And how do we know that He's prepared us? Look what the apostle says here. He has prepared us, he has prepared us for this very thing as God. He has given us the spirit as a guarantee. Friends, the Bible talks about sure things. He doesn't say he has, he would like to give you the spirit. The Bible speaks with certainty on these matters. It is a deposit, a guarantee. When you receive the deposit, you know the balance is coming. And the Spirit has deposited the truthfulness, the reality of these truths into our heart. So how does this work? The Spirit works in the inner man of me and of you. And he comes to apply Jesus Christ to us. All that Jesus is and all that Jesus did, he comes to apply him to us. This is why the scriptures say, Put on the Lord Jesus Christ. You say, how do you put him on? Will you put him on? And the spirit teaches us what it is to do these things. He comes to convince us that there is another home that awaits us. There is another reality. And that these clothes of Jesus, these righteous clothes of Jesus that are fully sufficient for us to be welcomed into this home have already been provided. Friends, this is beautiful. This is beautiful. Oh, praise the Holy Spirit. He comes to convince me, weak and sinful man that I am. And he brings the healing balm of gospel medicine to my wounded soul. Friends, this is why the apostle, and this is why I can say, always of good courage. Look what the apostle says, verse six. We are always of good courage. Again, verse seven. We are of good courage. Are you serious, Ryan? My husband's just left me. We are always of good courage. Are you serious, Ryan? I'm near to death. I'm very sick. We are always of good courage. Are you serious, Ryan? I have no money. I have no job and I'm bankrupt. We are always of good courage. Why? Because I'm in the departure lounge. I'm leaving. The plane is taking off. I need not think about this country and whether I have a home built in this country or not. I'm leaving. I'm going there, so why think about here when I'm leaving? That's what's going on here. If this earthly body, this earthly tent is destroyed, I have a heavenly home made by God, prepared for me, and he's given me the right clothes to be welcomed into that home. Friends, you need to settle this reality in your heart. I don't know where you're at at the moment. I don't know what's dear to you, but you need to settle this reality in your heart. If ever you are to live a fulfilled Christian life in this world, you need to settle that you are here temporarily. You are not here in this world for long. So don't make it permanent. Don't get comfortable. You're leaving. Don't set your heart here. You need to know there is another home, a far better one who is builder and architect and founder is God. And he has provided the clothes for you. Yes, even you, my friend. And said, you're welcome. And you're welcome. And you're welcome. Look what the apostle goes on to say with me. We walk by faith and not by sight. Friends, you need to set your heart on these things. Otherwise, your departure from this world will be very, very painful. As everything that is dear to you is ripped away from you and you leave your dear beloved country to go to another one. but you've prepared so well to remain in this one, and suddenly you find yourself leaving. But friends, if you can set your heart on these realities, your departure will not be painful. It will be sweet. It will be from one degree of glory to the next. Look what the apostle says here. We walk by faith and not by sight. We can't see these things, but we know these things. How do we know these things? the spirit as a guarantee. He's come to put the deposit down. And he says, I'm coming back with the rest. And that's exactly what's going on here. Look what it says in verse eight, we would rather be away from the body and at home with the Lord. I would rather be away from my body and at home with the Lord. But I just got married. I would rather be away from the body and at home with the Lord, but I just bought a new home. I would rather be away from the body and at home with the Lord, but I just got a new job. I would rather be away from the body and at home with the Lord, but I just made a lot of money. I would rather be away from the body and at home with the Lord. Friends, if you cannot say this, then go home this evening and weep and say sorry to the Holy Spirit. for putting something in front of our beloved Lord Jesus and treasuring something more than Him. And ask Him to help you value your Savior and to love Him better. Do you know what this verse is, verse eight? Look at it again with me. We would rather be away from the body and at home with the Lord. You know what this verse is? This verse is a thermometer to see if you have a spiritual temperature. You put it under your arm, you put it under your mouth, and you take this test. And this test will tell you whether you have a spiritual fever, whether you have soul decay or not. It'll expose who your true God is and where your true values lie. Now we will touch very briefly on the second half of this chapter. So the first half, the apostle tells us what has happened. Here was a man living for himself. Here was a man living for his desires. Here was a man living for his stomach. Living to only please himself. And suddenly, the will is changed. The whole trajectory of his life is put on a new course. His emotions, his desires. His longings are completely shattered and new ones are planted into his heart. He has told us what has happened. But in verse 11 to 21, he's going to tell us how it happened. He's going to tell us how it happened. It's like the doctor with the patient. He gave you the medicine and you got better. Now you come back to the doctor and you say, doctor, How did it work? How did that medicine that you gave me work inside my body so to make me well? What are the ingredients of this medicine? And this is what he's gonna tell us in verse 11 to 21. How did it happen? How is it that I can say with such confidence, I am always of good courage come death? Come sickness, come loss, I am always of good courage. Why? Because I have been clothed by my savior, my husband, and I have a real home in heaven, as real as this one, whose builder and founder is God. What is the engine that powers the wheels for me to turn in a new direction? and live with these realities in the front and center of my mind? How is it that our wills and affections and emotions and desires have all been changed? How is it possible? So the apostle is going to tell us in these 10 verses. The reason we have been given an eternal home, friends, listen to me carefully. The reason you have been given an eternal home, the reason you have been clothed by the master to live in that home, to be welcomed into that home without shame is because there has been an exchange that's taken place. And there has been reconciliation that has taken place. There has been a real reconciliation. There has been a real exchanged. And because that great thing has happened, you're no longer controlled by your own desires, your own longings, your own wills, but new desires, affections, and longings have been planted into your house, into your heart. So what is this exchange that I'm talking about? What is this reconciliation, this strange language that I'm speaking about? Well, friends, let's go back to the Garden of Eden for a second. You remember the wonderful story and the tragic story. What happened? There was a failure to obey. God gave a command to our head man, Adam. There was a failure to obey him. Number two, there was a price. for his disobedience. And number three, there was a substitute that paid for his price, a failure to obey. God said, you shall not eat of the tree of the fruit, for you shall surely die. That was the price, death. And this wonderful God, you know what he did? In the place of Adam, He puts a substitute. What about the nation of Israel? A failure to obey, a price for disobedience, a payment for disobedience, a cost for disobedience, and lo and behold, a substitute that pays for that price. Friends, ever since the beginning, Reconciliation with God. You know what reconciliation is? When two parties, there's an offense caused, and there is a rift that has been created by two parties, and you have the offender and the offendee. And in order for reconciliation to take place, there needs to be a price, there needs to be a payment before that reconciliation can take place. And reconciliation has always happened as a result of the exchange, an exchange that took place, that God initiated to bring a wicked, sinful people back to himself by means of an exchange. The price of the offender was transferred onto a substitute, and the substitute made the payment for the offender. How can it be? What is the price of sin, friends? It's death. The price of sin is death. Now look at verse 14 with me. Look what the apostle says here. For the love of Christ controls us because we have concluded this, that one has died for all. That one has died for himself? No, that one has died for all. There it is, in the place of, substituted for, not for himself. In my place, Jesus died. The spotless lamb laid down his life. The wrath of God was satisfied. In my place, Jesus died. And when I think that God is son not sparing sent him to die I scarce can take it in that on the cross my burden gladly bearing he bled and died to take away my sin. The love of Christ controls us. Oh blessed gospel. Blessed gospel this is. Friends, this is the reality that has opened up another world to you. If this is true of you, a whole another world has been opened up to you. And what are the effects of it? That we should no longer live for ourselves, but for Him. who for our sake died and was raised again. What is the essence of sin essentially? It's to live for myself and not for God. And what caused my dear Savior to go to the cross? It was me living for myself and not for God. And so the Lord Jesus comes and says, bring in all the bills. I will pay for them, Ryan. I'll pay for them, Gideon. Pay for them, Joe. And we turn around and we say, Lord, if this is what you've done, I don't want to live for myself anymore. If I sent you to that cursed tree, I don't wanna live for myself anymore. I wanna live for you now. The will, the emotions, the affections, desires. What brings this reconciliation that the apostle speaks about in verse 11 and 21? And I don't have time to unpack it now. What brings this reconciliation? It's the payment. Jesus makes a payment. He puts in the price. The crime is imputed to Christ. It's placed on him. and the righteous garments of the Lord Jesus Christ, He who knew no sin are placed onto me." Friends, this is a world of meditation. You could spend your lifetime on this one thing and not exhaust it. And may I never preach about anything else, but about this one thing that in exchange has happened, that my Savior has given me clean garments. clean clothes, and he has taken my stinking, dirty garments onto himself." A glorious transaction, a glorious exchange. That's why the apostle says here, from now on therefore, we regard no one according to the flesh. We regard no one according to the flesh. The man on the street begging for food, we regard no one according to the flesh. Our Muslim friends who stand across the road from us, we regard no one according to the flesh. I spent time with my family this last couple of days as I flew in and I went to Chingola, because my family's in Chingola. And one of my family members said to me, He said, you know, Ryan, you're really wasting your life. The Somalis of all people, to go to a people like that, that just wanna kill you, it's such a waste of gifts and skill and talent. And I thought to myself, from now on, we regard no one according to the flesh. Because I see souls, I see souls that stand on the boundaries of eternity and must soon plunge into destruction or be raised with the Lord Jesus into eternal glory. Friends, family I say, if this is true of you, Listen to me carefully, if this is true of you, you cannot, say it again, you cannot, you cannot go on living for yourself anymore because something has happened and you are now compelled to live for another and not for yourself. If that's not the case, there is a great contradiction. Positive plus positive cannot go together. The wheels cannot turn without the engine. You cannot live for Christ. You cannot set your hope on an eternal home with such confidence. And you cannot enjoy the garments of Jesus' clothing. If this is not the reality, try it, you can't. Because the Christian life is experiential. It touches the emotions, the affections, the will. The medicine cannot heal you unless you take it. Friends, it does not help to look at the medicine on the table and say, I have malaria, I need to take the stuff. The only way it heals you is when you take it. And the same way you take Christ, you drink Christ, you put on the Lord Jesus Christ, you take His garments, you take His exchange, you come to Him and make the transaction with Him, and you know what you will find? You will find experientially your heart strangely warmed. Strangely warmed. to set your hope on an eternal home, to enjoy these garments that have been freely given to whosoever wish. And you will find yourself living for Him and not for yourself anymore. And you really will have a heavenly life on earth. New desires, new affections, and new longings. The last thing I want to mention, which the text speaks about and I can't go into detail now, is if the love of Christ controls you, if the love of Christ hems you in and holds you together and pushes you forward, that love must go abroad. It cannot remain silent. Silent love is no love at all. If I never spoke of my wife and told you all how wonderful I thought she was, tell you how grateful I am to God for her, if I never spoke of her, you would all doubt whether I loved her or not. And the same way with the Lord Jesus. You do not speak of him. You do not love him. Love cannot remain silent. It must go abroad. So I'll ask you friends, I know your doctrine, that it's sound. I know you believe in the history of what has taken place. But have you gone through the doctrine? Have you gone through the history to embrace the God man, the Lord Jesus Christ? And can you say with the rest of his people, He's my husband. He's my husband, and I know him. Can you just recite the history and the doctrine? A living faith. You know, a dead man can learn music, a deaf man, sorry, can learn music, but he cannot enjoy the sound of the art. A blind man can know his wife, but he cannot see her beauty. The same way, my friends, a Christian life that is not experiential is no life at all, really. You that have Jesus Christ, that call upon him from the inner man and that love him, friends, labor to have him better. You that know him, long to know him better. Long for fresh waves of his love for you to beat upon the shores of your heart. And our husband, our chief, among 10,000, our beloved, even the Lord Jesus Christ shall appear. And though he tarry, friends, he's coming, and he's coming. Amen.