It's In The Account // Identity Theft Part. 3 // The Blueprint with Dr. Dharius Daniels What's up everybody? Welcome to the blueprint. Dr. Darius here and I got the co-pilot, the Reverend >> Yes, sir. Dr. Marcus Durell Dudley. Y'all put some fire in the chat for the Reverend. >> Yes, sir. >> Hey, is that is that what they called you in the um First of all, how y'all doing? >> [laughter] >> Welcome to the blueprint of Third Way Bible Study. We believe there are three ways you can live your life, culture's way, church's way, and the king's way. That's the third way. Culture's way, the way of the world. Church's way, the way of religion. The king's way, that's the way of the rabbi. Jesus is our redeemer who gets us to heaven, but he's more than that. He's our rabbi who teaches us how to live on earth. He invites us to come to him and take his yoke, his set of teachings. A yoke was an apparatus that um farmers put on animals to guide them. >> Mhm. And Jesus says just like that yoke guides an animal, I want you to come to me and I want to give you a set of teachings. And my set of teachings should guide the way that you live your life. We believe here that Jesus came to do more than teach you how to die. He came to teach you how to live. Come on here. And so in this Third Way Bible Study, we explore what the king has to say, not just about how to die. But how to live. But how to live. Come on. It's it's a way. As a matter of fact, Christianity was actually called the way. The way. >> The way. >> It was understood not just as a not just as a set of beliefs. Mhm. Not just as a moral code of conduct >> Mhm. but as a way of life. And so that's what we teach here at the Third Way Bible Study. And uh there are a number of different delivery systems. Sometimes I do this direct to camera myself. Sometimes I do it with a small crowd. And sometimes me and Dr. Dudley tag team. We like multiple delivery systems for this ministry. But but Dr. Dudley grew up African Methodist Episcopal Zion. >> Zion. Yes. >> Any AMEs in the chat? Come on. Any AMEs? >> know. Let me know. Let me know if you out >> he out here Wait a minute. It's got to be Zion though. >> It's got to be Zion. Not AME, not CME. >> Now let me ask you something, doc. Do you know what Zion means? Yes. >> Cuz I don't. I think it was Zion was to distinguish from the other Methodist churches. Right. So So you got AME. >> You got AME, African Methodist Episcopal, yeah. CME. Then you got >> of mine is actually [clears throat] the bishop of CME. >> CME church. >> Charlie Haynes. >> Okay, yeah. Yeah, he was um what's the name of the church up in um Is it BB Memorial out in the Bay? The uh the Oakland area? Very Anyway. Mhm. But why why they call it Zion? >> Zionites to distinguish from the other uh Methodist denomination. >> Was it Mount Zion, doc? You saying y'all y'all saying y'all were higher? I THINK SO. >> [laughter] >> WE HIGHER. ZION. We go up to Zion. Zionites. Y'all hear me out. And we not just Baptist, we missionary Baptist. >> We Zion. African Methodist [laughter] Episcopal Zion. Well, we got the Reverend Dr. Marcus Durell Dudley. Amen. Uh from the African Metho- Methodist Episcopal >> Zion. Zion church. That's what I love about our our our And I know everybody here at Blueprint is not a part of Change Church, but I love about our church, we are we are literally an interdenominational church. People say like non-denominational and I get it, which means they don't have a denominational affiliation. >> Mhm. It's really everything in our church. It is like it is And I think it's so amazing because the Bible says the kingdom of God >> Yes. >> is like a fisherman >> That's right. >> out a net >> and caught a variety of all kinds of fish. >> All kinds of fish, y'all. Yes. >> So you come to Change Church You see it. You might be Presbyterian growing up sitting next to a Pentecostal >> Yes. sitting next to an African Methodist uh Episcopal Zion >> Zion. uh sitting next to somebody who's never gone to church smelling like plant medicine. Yeah, [laughter] what did you say? Plant medicine. They missed it. They missed it. Y'all missed it. Plant medicine. Okay, I love it. Plant medicine, doc. >> [laughter] >> Come in here smelling like plant medicine. And we not talking about eucalyptus. We talking about something else. Not eucalyptus. >> All in the same church, y'all. >> [laughter] >> Somebody who has literally been in church their whole life >> And they You know what I mean? And they're they're like they're like really deep in the spiritual formation. And then you got somebody who literally is like, "Yo, this is the first church I've ever been to in my entire life." And we like, "Hey, don't do plant medicine in the car before you walk in the church." >> [laughter] >> And pastor will cuss while you preaching. In a good way. I don't know if good but you'll be preaching and like >> Oh, yeah. Oh, yeah. >> Then he preaching with an [laughter] explicit. That's real. THIS REAL. >> I SAW THAT. I saw that during COVID >> Uh-huh. when we used to Guys, we need to teach this. Hey, in COVID cuz like we you know, we had to pre-record. So we like we would go in and pre-record our services or whatever and then air them on Sunday. >> Uh-huh. And um so I would be watching the service on Sunday. And during that time, God was just really breathing on the online ministry. So it was just growing exponentially. So it would be we would be getting in front of random people's feeds. And one day I was laying in the bed watching service, doc. And I was preaching and somebody put, "D, he preaching." >> Yeah, I'm mad. >> [laughter] >> I'm mad. I said, "What?" They typed that in the chat. I said, "I don't I don't know if that got We need to teach them the word. Amen." >> Yeah, that's what [laughter] I said. "D, he preaching." I'm mad. I'm telling you. One walked them up in the church and said like, [laughter] "Man, I'm sorry. I'm sorry." Like we glad you here, doc. Just keep coming. We'll work on that. We'll work on that. Just keep coming. But man, we're excited about our time together tonight. We're in a series called Identity Theft. >> Yes, sir. And it's really an exegetical. It's like an exegetical teaching on the book of Ephesians. >> Mhm. And um we started last week. Um I think I covered verses 1 through 2. And we're going to be exploring chapter 1 when chapter 1 verses 3 through 14 today. And we're talking from this subject, it's in the account. >> It's in the account. It's in there. It's in the account. I want to start this teaching, doc, with this statement. There are some changes we will never be able to make by simply trying to change our activity. There are some changes that are only accessible to those who embrace their God-given identity. >> Yes. One of the one of the one of the signature promises >> Mhm. that is that has been bequeathed to us by Christ is the promise of change. >> Mhm. Oh my God. Thank God for for change. >> Somebody put in the chat, "Thank God for change." >> Thank God for change. Yes, sir. >> No, that is that is a signature promise given to us by our sovereign savior. It's the promise of change. >> Yes, sir. Paul captures it this way. If any man be in Christ >> be in Christ >> a new creature. >> a new creature. >> Yeah. Yes, sir. Oh, man. Behold. >> Uh-huh. Behold. He said, "Behold." >> Behold. Observe. >> Uh-huh. All things are passed away. And all things have become new. >> That's right. Change. It's change. >> It's change. >> He promises. >> [laughter] >> He promises. The sovereign savior promises the saints change. >> That's right. Glory to God. And Lord knows I got some areas in my life where I want that. >> That just need to change. Change. >> even that what you just quoted then is in Christ. That's right. >> And it's and in Ephesians particularly Paul uses this phrase over 30 times. >> Come on. Come on. >> is in Christ. >> Yes. How some of the stuff we are looking for >> Yes. we're trying to find it everywhere except in Christ. >> Oh my. >> And there are certain things that you can only get in Christ. >> That's right. >> Even when it comes to identity, I think when it comes to identity, we are trying to find us Mhm. in all the wrong people and places. >> That's right. But we got to find us >> Paul And then Paul Paul Paul says, "Hey, he's here. He's in Christ." >> in him. You looking for you in the job >> in the job >> in the relationship >> in in in in the amount of resources in our bank account. >> That's right. >> Yep. In in our social standing and status. >> Yes. Correct. Come on. Yeah. And that gives us a temporary sense of self. >> Uh-huh. Come on. >> Yes. But not but not a stable sense of self because you only feel better about being in something when you when you new to the thing you're in. So it only Does that make sense? >> Mhm. So so it's like um in a job opportunity >> Mhm. and we get a sense of self from the newness of the opportunity. >> Yes. But then what was once new becomes normal. >> So what happened when the newness wear off? >> That's it. That's it. Now we're searching for something else to get identity in. Cuz even when you get there, whatever our there is, there never feel like there. Graduation graduation Watch this. Graduation from one level Watch this. This is important. Graduation from one level gives you an a revelation that there other levels. Does that So that So watch this. So graduation then graduation doesn't always land you at the top of one level. Like graduation lands you at the bottom of another level. That's right. So I'm a senior in high school, I'm at the top of one level. >> But then you go to college. Then you graduate, you're at the bottom of another level. >> build back up. And then you get to the senior year in college. Then we went to uh seminary. I go from a senior to what do they call us? A middler? Not a middler. Junior? J- To many now divinity school. Divinity school. The first year. First year. Junior. Yeah. So, but anyway, you go from the top to the bottom again. And so, if your identity is in where you are, there's going to be inconsistency, insecurity, and instability in your identity. >> Mhm. Does that make sense? >> Yes, sir. But if and if I had time, We got time. If I had time, oh my god, >> I would show how how uh what we get our identity in shows up in some of the choices we make in our life. Mhm. This is why some of our choices are confusing cuz you're choosing based off of who you thought you were in that season. Uh >> And who you thought you were was tied to what you were putting your what you were putting yourself in. Fire. >> And yeah, so so Christ Christ offers to us change. Uh-huh. Change. Come on. What a gift. Change. But there are some changes that Christ offers we can't access just by trying to change our activity. We have to embrace change and reclaim our identity. Get an identity in his way. And the enemy has always understood this reality. Here's what's interesting. Here's one of the reasons like the enemy Here's one of the reasons why I think there needs to be more conversation in Christian circles about We don't need to glorify the devil and we don't need to exalt Satan. But Paul says to be ignorant of him gives an advantage. So, we don't need to We don't need to talk about Satan more than the savior, but the savior did talk about Satan. I saw Satan fall like light. Is that what he said? He said the thief comes but to steal, kill, and destroy, but I've come that you might have He said, "You are of your father the devil." He told the Pharisees. "You are of your father the devil." Mhm. And he was tempted by Satan Mhm. in the wilderness. >> Mhm. Get Come on. Uh uh uh When Peter lovingly told him, "Lord, for we we just forbid for you to go to the cross." He said, "Get thee behind me." So, he recognized even Satan's activity and influence. That's why Satan didn't get an advantage over him. >> Mhm. And so, >> [clears throat] >> I think here's what happens, pastor. Sometimes the enemy understands things about us and our spiritual life we don't. So, he weaponizes our ignorance. That's right. That's right. And and and and this is why I think one of his primary strate- He he understands as a man thinks in his heart, so is he. Mhm. Satan knows that. Mhm. So, he knows that. He knows we will always behave in a way that or regularly behave in a way that's consistent with how we perceive ourself. So, one of his primary strategies is and has always been to influence um us into a state of confusion >> regarding who we are. >> That's right. Like this series is called identity theft and we're looking at the book of Ephesians. But you can go back to the book of beginnings, law first mention. >> Beginnings. Genesis 3, we'll see the first act of identity theft. Genesis 3:5. >> What did he tell Adam? And he "For God knows when you eat from it, your eyes will be open and you will be like God knowing good and evil. You will be >> like [clears throat] God. You will be like God. >> Come on. Yeah. >> All right. That's Genesis 3. >> That's Genesis 3. Yes. Genesis 1:26, however though, says this. Now, would we agree that Genesis 1 is before >> Genesis 3? We'll agree, pastor. >> Okay, we'll agree. Cuz you you it's hard to get Christians to to agree about anything. That's right. >> [laughter] >> One comes before three. Let's agree on that. Can we agree on that? >> Yes. Somebody put in the chat, "I agree." Okay, can we agree on that? >> Yes, sir. All right. Then God said, "Let us make mankind in our image in our likeness so that they may rule over the fish uh in the sea and the birds uh in the sky, over livestock, all the wild animals, over all creatures." I'm not going to bother this. But let me just let me just throw this out. This says "Let us make them in our image so that" We're We're not talking about this, I don't want to get distracted. "So that they may rule." Mhm. They need to be like me in order in order to rule. They can't be trusted to rule if they're not if they're not like me. Mhm. So, this is why when people say personal character doesn't matter in power positions, that statement is not in line with scripture because your character determines who you are. Yes, sir. Who you are. So, this applies spiritually, socially, Yes, sir. politically, right? Because there are people that will say certain things politically that say, "No, it's it's it's it's about the platform, it's not about" No, no, no. Who they are as a person is going to show up in how they steward power. >> Mhm. And if you don't see that connection in scripture, my prayer is for you is that God would just simply open your eyes cuz you've been blinded by some partisan allegiance or something along those lines because he says, "They need to be made like me so they can rule." "So they can They can rule. That's good. Yeah. Uh so, ooh, without this See, even biblical concepts of like submission and all that stuff, ha- Everything's got to come back to the law of first mention. It's got to come back to the book of Genesis because if our sister Ephesians 5 now, some people don't like it, but it talks about Paul talks about in Ephesians 5 he talks about a lot of submission there. Yeah, he does. >> Like uh employee That's right. Um so cuz that's what the the the the bond servant masters thing is about. It's not about shadow chattel slavery there. That's That's not and um yeah, anyway, that's a whole 'nother conversation. But anyway, he talks about submission there. Children. >> Mhm. They might be five and six like fathers don't provoke your children to wrath. That's six. Mhm. Okay. So, he's talking about like these structures. It talks about husbands, wives. Uh here's the point. A person I a per- I don't mind being led by a person that's like God. >> What's being led and like God? >> [laughter] >> So, sometimes the issue isn't with being led. It's with >> us? Yes. Who's leading us. The issue isn't with authority. The issue is does the person have the kind of character to not abuse it? But here's the point. That's That's a different lesson. >> Yes. >> The point is he says, "Let us make mankind in our image and in our likeness." So, in Genesis 3, Satan says, "God knows when you eat from it, your eyes will be open and you will be like God." But in Genesis 1:26, it says, "Let us make mankind in our image and in our likeness." So, Satan was trying to tempt them to engage in activity to become >> [clears throat] >> what they already were. Satan never said you would be God. He said you would be like God. But they were already made in their image and likeness. So, they were confused about what they actually had. So, now they're trying to get something that's already in their account. >> That's what they already have. That they already have. >> [laughter] >> And pastor, what you saying And what you're saying is that's one of the That's how um the enemy weaponizes our identity to keep us operating in identity ignorance. That's right. To try to keep us or separate knowledge of self from the knowledge of God. >> That's right. >> Because when we have an accurate knowledge of who God is, whose we are, and who we are, then we come out of this identity ignorance and he can't keep us searching for something that we already are. And that's what he's doing with them. He's trying to keep them and try to make them search for what they already have. Did you hear what he just said? >> If you heard what he just said, put heard you in the chat. Yes, sir. And that is a And the enemy wants us in a lifelong pursuit That's right. of searching >> for for what we already have and who we already are. It's in the book You're in the book, you're in the book. So, the first time we see This is This is literally identity theft. That's [clears throat] right. Like they they have no i- They have no idea It's like, "Wait a minute, God's already made you in his image and in his likeness." And Satan's now trying to tempt you >> Mhm. into engaging activity that's actually going to be destructive for you in an attempt for you [clears throat] to try to become something that you already are. And And here's what the law of first mention teaches us. It is that like the first place that we see something showing up in scripture very often reveals to us the way in which that thing is going to show up in scripture, not in practice, but in principle, all throughout the holy writ. And [clears throat] what Satan did to Adam and Eve then, he is doing to us now. Got us attempting to search for what we already are. He wants to steal when we talk about um identity theft. This is important cuz he's employing the same schemes and strategies to engage in identity theft on Adam and Eve that on us that he did with Adam and Eve, but here's what he's doing. >> [clears throat] >> Identity theft for Satan is robbing you of the revelation of who you are. That's right. Mhm. Mhm. >> It's robbing you Adam and Eve didn't have the revelation of who they were. And so, when we talk about identity theft, that's what he's doing. He's robbing us of the revelation of who we are in Christ so that we're trying to find that in eating fruit. And pastor, and what and what what's showing up is one of the most dangerous thing that the enemy can do is make us question ourself. And that's what he does. He make us question ourself. I I I was reading this book this guy uh he wrote a book called Alter Ego and he used uh Superman to teach us the You read it? I read some of it. >> he's saying is we all know that uh Clark Kent and Superman is the same person, but [clears throat] we don't often we're not often able to distinguish who's the real one and who's the counterfeit. >> [laughter] >> Because when we ask people who's the real person and who's the counterfeit, we would say Clark Kent. >> We would say Clark Kent. But in actuality, Superman is the real person. Clark Kent is the counterfeit, but Clark Kent [clears throat] keeps on getting in the way of Superman being Superman. >> [laughter] >> And in to operate as Superman, Clark Kent Kent literally had to go in the phone booth and take some stuff off. Yes, sir. Yes, sir. >> So, what do we have to take off in order for us to walk in the fullness of who God created us to be? But But what we're saying is This is powerful. Mhm. That's a whole lesson, too, doc. >> Yes, sir. Cuz we can do a lesson on the flesh and the spirit. >> That's That's right. >> And where Paul says, "Put off the old man." >> Yes, sir. And put on the new man. Yes, sir. Yes, sir. That's a lesson right there, doc. That's a lesson right there. Paul says, Oh, sit. "Go in the phone booth." Go in the phone booth. You have to You Clark Kent has to take it off. Yes, take it off. >> So that Superman can show up. And he had to Superman suit up under that. >> Yes, it That's it. >> So That's it. >> Clark Kent was literally covering up Superman. >> Yes. Yes. Yes. Yes. That's a lesson right there. >> [laughter] >> But the enemy, identity theft. Here's what's scary, is that you can be Superman and not know it. Mhm. And I think that's what That's what we're getting at here. He wants to rob you of the revelation >> of life that's available to you in the spirit, the supernatural life, the Superman life. Yes. >> Life that is the way in which you could actually live life. Clark Kent could only walk. Superman could fly. Yes. >> For Clark For Clark Kent to get somewhere, he had to walk or had to take a taxi. Superman could fly there. He could get there faster. Cuz when you walk in the flesh, Mhm. you get there slower. >> Slower. We are not there at all. When you walk in the spirit, you can get there faster. >> Yes. >> Like you can fly over some stuff. Like Clark Kent will get stuck in traffic if he's in a taxi. Uh-huh. Right? Superman don't get stuck in traffic. So, there's some stuff that can hold you up when you're walking in the flesh That's good. that can hold you up when you're walking in the spirit. You can fly over. So, Superman can be a metaphor for the supernatural life, but the enemy wants to rob us of the revelation Mhm. that we have Superman capabilities so that we live like Clark Kent cuz you're always behaving in a way that is consistent with how you see yourself. >> As a man thinketh in his heart, so is he. So, even if you're Superman and you only think you're Clark Kent, you're going to live a Clark Kent life when Superman's in your account. >> That's right. It's in the account. >> Wow. Wow. And he wants to >> Wow. The enemy wants to Theft is he wants to steal that revelation. >> Mhm. Now, it's one thing for us to know that he wants to steal this revelation. It's another thing to know how he steals this revelation. And there are four weapons that I see here uh that I see that I've seen him use and I and I've seen these in various places in scripture uh that the enemy uses to kind of rob us of this revelation of who we are. The first of which is trauma. That's good. He wants to weaponize our pain in the past in a way that distorts our identity in the present. Mhm. He'll rob us of our Superman capability by trauma. That's right. Here's another one, doc. Mhm. Drama. He wants to weaponize my patterns, my poor decisions, and people. So that he rewrites my narrative and changes the story I'm telling myself about myself. Mhm. Drama. Some drama I caused by my patterns and my poor decisions. Then some drama is inserted into my life by people. Mhm. And he wants to use the drama Yes. >> to rob me of the revelation Mhm. of who I am. >> Who I am. Watch this. It's It's about to get quiet on this one, doc. Not just the trauma, not just the drama, but mama. Mama. >> [laughter] >> I don't mean mama literally. Calm down. Relax. Relax. Somebody put relax in the chat. Relax. Relax, saints. When I say mama, I'm talking about relation re- familial family relational dysfunction. >> Mhm. Mhm. And I promise you I can go throughout scripture. >> All throughout. Abraham >> That we just went through. Isaac Jacob >> Jacob. I can We can go throughout scripture uh and show how the enemy will weaponize Joseph relational disfunction to rob us of a revelation of who we actually are. And Pastor when I thought about this, there's a There's a There's a phrase we often say that some things are taught, but other things are caught. >> That's right. >> And so, some of us grew in household where the where it wasn't necessarily taught, but we lived in conditions and under circumstances where certain things were caught. That's right. That we got from >> [snorts] >> relational and family dysfunction. So, >> That's right. That's right. So, he uses trauma, Mhm. uses drama, uses mama, and uses dogma. This is he wants to weaponize bad religion to create a wrong revelation of God and God's people. Now, all All All dogma isn't bad dogma, but when I say dogma here, I mean bad dogma. I mean stuff that we were taught. I did a series a while ago called Detox and I talked about how um uh Jesus talks about be beware of the yeast >> of the of the Pharisees. of the Pharisees. Yep. And um how people like, "I never had yeast." But in those days, yeast would be in the bread. So, sometimes the thing that you don't want was given to you in the thing that you do want. And so, sometimes there's some some Some yeast. So, he talks about the the yeast of Herod and the Pharisees, right? So, Herod would represent syncretism or the world. The Pharisees would represent legalism or religion. So, it's like some yeast, some stuff that was not holy, healthy, and helpful for us, we got. It was delivered to us through the bread of religion, church services, and things of that nature. And so, um I got a lot to say about this. I'm not going to bother cuz we got to get to the text. Um but I I I I got I got a lot to say about this because I think sometimes the language that we use in church to describe ourselves needs to be biblically balanced and it needs to reflect the whole of scripture. So, don't just call yourself part of what God calls you. Call yourself all of what God calls you. So, when somebody is only saying, "I'm a sinner. I'm just a sinner. I'm a sinner saved by grace. I'm a sinner saved by grace." That's not incorrect. If that's all you're saying, it's incomplete because what did we look at last week? Paul says you're also a saint. That's right. Mhm. Holy. Mhm. And he's saying this to a very and I'm going to put this lightly. He's saying this to a people that are in a very ratchet environment. >> Mhm. Just Google Ephesus. Mhm. >> [laughter] >> And some of the wildness that was happening there. But he calls them saints and and holy. And we talked about in our last lesson the difference between being that positionally and that showing up practically. >> Practically. But I think some of some of the identity theft that we've experienced has happened in church. Yes. Yes. You're nothing. You're You're a sinner. You this. You that. You did And it's like that's not incorrect. But it's incomplete. It's incomplete. And what Paul models in Ephesians specifically is he's not necessarily calling them out. He's calling them up. Yes. Yes, sir. Did Did y'all catch it? He's calling them up. Did he catch it? Cuz I got some thoughts about callout culture. Same. Me, too. That's why I said Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. I got some thoughts about callout culture. And I'm okay if people people get hostile if like we disagree. We can disagree. It's okay. You shouldn't live your life with my brain. I'm not going to live my life with your brain. You know, we got to be [laughter] like So, but I got some thoughts about that. I think there are places in scripture where I say, "Okay, callout culture's appropriate." Right? I I can see like I see there's stuff Paul's saying publicly like, "Hey, beware of Alexander the coppersmith." Yeah, that's right. Yeah. Right? Be [laughter] Be aware of him. And so, yeah. So, I think when people are like dangerous and and predatory and and and and people need to be aware of this so that they could be protected, I think there's something to that. I think there's something to calling out in the context of a church community that a person is doing life with. When you bring up issue to the person, then the Bible says you bring it to two or three, which we would say like those that are in spiritual authority. Then if not, like you would you would bring it to the church. So, I think there's a there's a there's a space there. Here's where Here's where it gets problematic for me. It's the internet gangster callouts. >> [laughter] >> And it is when people are calling out people that they never tried to talk to. You're not courageous if you say something about somebody. You're courageous if you say it to them. That's not bold to me. It's bold Say it to them. That That's bold. And I And that says to me like, "Man, um do you actually have love in your heart to see that person corrected? And have you given the Holy Spirit an opportunity to use you to actually bring correction to the person or do you just want to you know, anyway. We got some But here's [clears throat] what's important cuz all of that kind of stuff the enemy can use for identity theft. But what Paul does to believers in Ephesus is he tries to rewrite the narrative. He should Yes. He tries to rewrite the narrative. >> Yes. And so, we see no matter what no matter what trauma, drama, mama, or dogma the Ephesians experienced, Paul rewrites the narrative and we see like in verse number three, we see what he calls them. He says in verse three, "Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ." So, the first thing he calls us is blessed. I'm a sinner saved by grace. That's right. I'm a wretch undone. That's right. I'm a mess. That's right. Oh, richer man that I am. That's right. But you're also blessed. That's right. That's in the account. >> That's in the account. Watch what he says. The word blessed here means to speak well of or bestow favor on. So Paul is saying God has bestowed favor on us by what? Blessing us where? In the heavenly realms with what? Every spiritual blessing in Christ. So he is he's talking about the full range of salvific benefits that have been given to us through Christ. So when people say we're saved, I don't know if people under if if we clarify enough as teachers. Salvation is a benefit package. You know how somebody gets hired at a place of employment? They get the benefit package. Come on here. They get the salary But then they then they get some benefits. >> They get benefits. And what many people do is they reduce salvation to the salary. Mhm. I'm going to heaven. Mhm. What are the benefits that's going to come? >> Benefits. There's justification, there's regeneration, there's redemption, there's sanctification, there's there's there's >> [laughter] >> adoption into the family of God. So there's this range of benefits. Mhm. And if a person doesn't know who they are, they don't know what they have access to, but a believer who understands their position in Christ walks through life not like a beggar asking God to bless them, but as an heir of God drawing from a heavenly account that was opened in their name and has been signed in the blood of Jesus. And for those who are wondering what some more of those blessings are, Paul gives commentary on what some of these things are. And pastor Paul does a wonderful job of before and this is what Paul is basically saying, before we did anything Mhm. God decided who we would be in Christ. Mhm. So in other words, identity is received, not achieved. >> That's right. That's right. So there's nothing Nothing I can do. That's right. >> Before God declared us blessed. Before Paul describes the list of things that we get in the benefit package. We hadn't did anything. Yes, sir. Yes, sir. So it's not about what we achieve, it's about our ability to receive who we are in God. Cuz you if blessing means to one word means to to speak well of and the other is to bestow favor. That's right. You can't achieve favor. Right. >> If I earned it, it's not favor. Come on, pastor. You got me? Yeah, if I earned it, it's not favor. And how much different would life be if we woke up and laid claim to who Paul says we are here. And if I went throughout my day with a spiritual godly confidence in the reliability of scripture that caused me to look at everything that came at me and say I'm blessed. Glory, that thing when I tell you I felt the witness of the Holy Spirit on that thing right there? >> blessed. I'm blessed. >> Wow. IN SPITE OF I'M BLESSED. >> YEAH, bad news, I'm blessed. I'm blessed. >> My God. >> Did you understand what I'm saying? Betrayal, somebody walk out of your life I'm blessed. >> I'm blessed. I'm I feel betrayed, but I'm >> blessed. I feel misused, but I'm I feel confused but I'm I'm blessed. >> Blessed. He's rewriting the narrative. Yes, sir. I know you've had some trauma. I know you had some drama. I know you dealt with your mama. I know you dealt with some dogma. But You blessed. You blessed. My God. But then in verse four, watch what he says, for he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. We talked about holy last week, let's look at this first word here, for he chose us. So not only does he tell them they blessed, then he tells them tells them doc, you're chosen. Now look at the Greek word here cuz I wanted to know like what what it was. Like what word did Paul use? What is Paul conveying here? And the word he uses doc means to select out of a larger group with deliberate intention. It's so it's not like a random he rolled the dice. You know what I mean? My God. And and I feel like and I we're going to talk about predestination in a second. I feel like Calvin's like double decree sometimes feels that way. It's like God just kind of rolled the dice and it's like no, no, no, no. He selected out of a larger group with deliberate intention. He scanned all of creation and specifically selected you before creation existed. So we didn't earn our way into being chosen. Watch this. Watch this. We didn't earn our way into being chosen because we were chosen before we could do something to earn it. Why? What does the text say? He chose us in him when? >> Before the creation of the world. To be holy and blameless. That's right. Before. Before. Bef How can I earn what you gave me before? My God. Come on, doc. >> Anybody ever had a baby and you had the baby the baby stroller ready and the baby crib ready and the baby room ready before the baby got there? Yes. You you didn't the baby didn't earn that. It was prepared for them before they got here. I chose this stroller for you. I chose this crib for you. And God says through Paul, I chose you. Now watch this. To be holy [clears throat] and blameless. So watch this. This is important. So the choosing isn't just about your contribution, it's about your transformation. It's not just about our contribution. Cuz sometimes people say I'm chosen. We we we reduce that and relegate that to I'm chosen to do something. >> That's right. But God's like no, no, no, no, no. That's not incorrect, it's incomplete though. You've also been chosen to become someone. To become what? Holy and blameless. So so so we're not just selected from something. We're selected for for something. for something. It is pointing to the importance of us embracing part of our assignment is to be an example. >> [laughter] >> He said I want I chosen I've chosen you to be changed because your change is going to be a picture of possibility for other people. Your change is going to be a living epistle seen and read of all men. Your change is going to be evidence in my ability to orchestrate an evolution in people's life where they go from Saul who's persecuting Christians to Paul who is preaching the gospel of Jesus Christ. He he says cuz some of us we don't take our transformation as serious as we do our contribution. That's right. And this is why I think in spiritual leadership there's such gaps between what people do and who they are. And that's confusing the saints. Cuz you're practicing Well, I was getting ready to say something. I was getting ready to I'm with you now, pastor. No, don't do that. No, no, no. >> [laughter] >> I got you. I got you. I was getting ready to say something. No, sir. Go ahead. >> Come on. This is why you This is how somebody can be prophetic and then be predatory at the same time. Come on. Praying for people p r a y and then praying on people p r e y because there is so much conversation about contribution. [clears throat] But not the inner transformation. And the transformation is part of the assignment. I carry the weight. I'm not Jesus. I'm not perfect, but I carry the weight. I feel the burden of the assignment of example. My God. My calling to men. I feel the burden of being disciplined not just for the sake of my own life, but walking out on a platform and looking like discipline. You understand what I'm saying? I love it. I love it. >> 100%. >> it. >> You cannot be a disciple without discipline. >> I love it. Being a disciple makes you more disciplined and being more disciplined helps you become a better disciple. So it's not just what I what I say to men. It's discipline. >> It's what you do. >> saying? 100%. >> even boy, if I I could have a whole lot of conversation there. Like cuz very often I get I get questions like, you know, but man, what you doing [clears throat] with the men? What you doing with the men? What you doing with the men? And part of it is like God's grace and his favor, but then there's also something I just feel like when it comes to like me even as a man who is a man, you know, and and wants to wants to practice the version of the faith that has not been co-opted by culture. It's like Okay. Jesus was a man. And why is it that out of all three of the major religions Judaism and Islam, statistically Yeah. Christianity has the least amount of male participants in a faith started by a man and built on the back of 12. Of 12 men. You got me? >> [laughter] >> And so when you think about prayer Jesus was a praying man. And like he even rebuked the dis a challenged the disciples like you can't pray with me for one hour. That's right. You know? And so anyway, the point is it's like, yo building and attracting men is not about your information. You got to be believable. You got to be believable. >> Yeah, like if I'm Yeah, if I'm attending the church I'm bringing my family there. I I to believe you. I got to got I have to have the sense The Yeah. that you credible. Yeah. That's what makes you safe. Mhm. Mhm. And men like kind of we sift through that like we No, we sit back and me and sit back and watch. Yeah, I know we talk people often talk about the discernment of women and I think there a lot of women who have a great discernment. But I feel like sometimes we minimize the discernment of men. the discernment of men, too. >> Yeah. The discernment of men, too. You know, like a man can be like Oh, no, no, no, no, no. Like you wouldn't and I wouldn't sit under a leader that you couldn't walk out of the room and your wife stayed in the room and you couldn't trust if he's going to try to say something We don't want people We don't want We don't want to talk about that. >> [laughter] >> Yeah, yeah, like no, bro. It's like it's the example. And I think what Paul is saying I think is so important is like, man, you're in a you're in Ephesus and these people need to see examples. And Pastor, I man, I think this is so powerful to me like the goal is not contribution, but it's transformation. >> That's right. And at some point we need to understand >> That's right. >> that our lack of trans- transformation can no longer compensate or or or feed our contribution. Come on. At some point >> Come on. Your lack of transformation Listen to me, Doc. You on You go ahead. You on it. Your lack of transformation will affect your ability to contribute Listen. effectively. Let's take it a step further. For some, it will sabotage. Mhm. Yes. Not just affect. Sabotage. >> It will sabotage. Wow. Yes. It will sabotage. The credibility. Mhm. The lack of credibility at some point can sabotage to the point where not that you won't be heard, it is you just won't be credible in that area anymore. You know what I mean? It's like some some people you can listen to it's like Yeah, yeah. You just can't talk to me about that. >> [laughter] >> Yeah, you just Yeah, 100%. Now, for some that are wondering about the biblical underpinning for what we're arguing, everything we're arguing Mhm. is what we believe Paul makes very clear And this Yeah. Not just in in this letter, >> Mhm. but like in in letters like the letter he wrote to believers in Corinth. Mhm. He says, "I discipline Is that what he says? Yes. my own body >> my own body so that when I preach to others, Mhm. I myself will not be disqualified. >> Disqualified. Yikes. Is that what he says, Doc? Mhm. That's what he That's what he says. And I think it's important you know, I was I think it's important for us to start this conversation in the pulpit. >> Mhm. We only going to be able to get to one more point. We'll do the other four next week. No, no, Doc. Let me say this. I think it's important for us to start this conversation in the pulpit. But Paul's not talk This applies to leaders first. But Paul's not talking to preachers here. This holy and blameless. This is written to believers in Ephesus. It's a letter, so it's circulated. >> Mhm. So, this is your common believer that's been called out. Not been called out, but been called up by Paul saying, "I need you even as a common believer to understand your assignment to be an example." Mhm. That's good, Pastor. I think >> You understand what I'm saying? >> Yeah, yes, yes. Christians have to take this seriously. We're supposed to be salt of the earth, light of the world. And we don't. And I'm not saying we I'm When I say we, I'm not I'm not saying everybody. I'm saying there's not a lot of conversation. There's a lot of conversation about what needs to happen in the pulpit and I think that's true. We We do need to have some some great integrity conversations, right? >> I I Yes. Thank you. But But we also got to have it in in the pew because the expec- the Christian ethical expectations Mhm. that start in the pulpit should also be lived in the pew. Those who are in the pulpit shall be judged stricter. Mhm. But those of us in the pew need to realize that we also contribute to other people's I'm I'm trying to think of the um Yeah, I think it's in Acts. Uh No, no, no. It's in Matthew where Jesus talks talks about he who offends one of these little ones it'll be better than That was Jesus. Yeah. Had a millstone around the neck. It's like we kind of have to take that seriously cuz I think one of the things that social media has done is it has exposed the absence of Christians' revelation of our responsibility to be an example. Mhm. Because if we carried this revelation, I'm out here now. Yeah, yeah, we Yeah. We wouldn't Some of Some of the stuff we post we would We just wouldn't post. Mhm. Like it's You understand what I'm saying? Even if it's not like blatantly It's like, okay. No. Now, why do we post drunk on Saturday and church on Sunday like And we're not even judging the drinking in moderation. >> That's right. Yeah. But it's You understand what I'm saying? It's like some of the things It says to us we aren't thinking about the impact that our behavior has on other people. We just think contribution. >> Yeah. And we don't think the impact like We don't think impact, the confusion. How does this look? Yeah, and one And And the excuse we we use a lot is or that I hear people use is like God know who I am. God know who I am. And And this is what I This is what you know I know about the grace of God, the love of God, the compassion of God, the word of God. Mhm. It finds you where you are. Mhm. It meets us where we are. Mhm. But it doesn't leave us where we are. Mhm. Mhm. Yeah, yeah, the grace of God like yeah, the grace meet you where you are. I'm I'm getting ready to say something and I would I would normally never say this on a in Uh-oh. a a here like this. >> I got you. I would normally never say this about here. Here's what I think, though. I feel like even I believe in progressive sanctification. I do believe in that. That God by his spirit over time makes us more like Christ. >> Mhm. Yes. So, that means that there we will all be dealing with stubborn issues that take a bit longer to be massaged out of our life than others. >> Yes, sir. I'm very much aware of that. But there's some things that might be dealt with expeditiously. You put them away quickly. And then other things, the growth out of them is not linear. It's freedom and then step back and freedom and step back. Not because God can't do it quickly, but we're humans and as a result of that we don't always comply with God's sanctifying work. There are seasons where we're more compliant than others, right? Yeah. It's almost like the spirit can be trying to fix that and we like, "I don't want you to fix that yet, Jesus." You know what I mean? And And so So, I'm very much aware of that. I do think, though, two things can be true at the same time. That we can be progressively sanctified Mhm. And there may be areas where of areas where God is still forming and freeing us. Then at the same time you can carry even your sanctification process, you can walk through it with wisdom. Just that Yes. >> Even in the midst of your struggle, Yes. you can use wisdom or what the Bible would call discretion. >> Discretion. Yeah. >> Yeah, that's not deception. It's discretion. It's like, okay, the Lord is walking you through that. You don't have to show every- like testify about it maybe when he set you free. That's right. That's [laughter] right. But But You got to be respectful. You don't have to broadcast You don't have to broadcast Yes, sir. Yes. That's not That's not being deceptive. That's not being a hypocrite. It's even in your sanctification journey carrying your weaknesses with wisdom. Wow. Yes, that's so good. Come on. >> Carrying your weaknesses >> Carrying your weaknesses with wisdom. Mhm. Why? Because I've been chosen to be holy and blameless. Mhm. So, I'm blessed. Mhm. Yeah, he's given me favor, but then I've been chosen. Which we should feel the weight of responsibility. You got me? He's saying, "Hey, part of your identity is you've been chosen." >> You've been chosen. You've been deliberately and intentionally selected from a larger group. You can't do that. You can't do what they do. You can't say what they say. You can't go where they go. You can't crash out the way they crash out. Why? I've been chosen. You've been chosen. Hiya, yeah. I'm not better than. I'm different from. Woo. So, you're human. Mhm. And there going to be stumbles. But even in the weaknesses, carry the weaknesses Hiya, with wisdom. Yes, sir. Mhm. All right, we're going to stop at three here. Blessed, chosen. Look at verse Look at verse four again. He says, "For he chose us um in him before the foundation of the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight in love." And look at verse five. He predestined us for adoption to sonship through Jesus Christ. Now, this word So, so number three, I've been predestined. Now, this word literally means to determine beforehand or to mark out a boundary in advance. In the Greco-Roman world, it would refer to establishing limits or parameters within which something would unfold. So, so in this context, it doesn't predestination doesn't just refer to the moment of salvation, but to God's prior determination of the believers redemptive destiny. So, not just my salvation has been been been predetermined. My destiny has been predetermined. He's drawn out a circle for me. Now, here's Now, watch this. Here's what's important. Now, I don't determine the circle. I determine how much of the circle I reach, though. Shayaya. Glory to God. >> Yes, sir. >> Did you hear what I just said? >> Yes, sir. God draws out Hey, this is destiny for Darius. So, I can't create my own circle. But, I determine whether or not I end up here, or here, or here, or the fullness of my circle. >> Yes, sir. Predestination determines the circle. My participation determines how much of destiny I actually reach. >> My God. Come on here. Yes, Lord. >> Come on here. Mhm. >> And sometimes we use our own stagnation. Sometimes, excuse me, we sanctify our stagnation. And God has drawn out a circle for us that we don't fully reach. And then we call our stagnate our stagnations God's will. I'm closing I'm closing the book. My God, sanctify stagnation. >> language to sanctify our stagnation. This is not No, that's not all God had. >> predestined. He drew out the boundary. We stopped. We didn't grow. We didn't develop. We didn't obey. We didn't take faith steps. We didn't change. We, metaphorically, [clears throat] could have been to Canaan. But, we let fear and imposter syndrome keep us in the wilderness. Yeah. I've been I've been blessed. I'm blessed. I'm That's my identity. I'm blessed. I'm chosen. I feel the weight of that responsibility. And I'm I'm predestined. Before I was born, he chose he drew a circle for me. He drew a circle. And Darius, my obedience, and my growth, and my development, and my submission will determine how much of that circle I reach. And I don't know about you, I want it all. Why? Cuz he's deposited these things into my spiritual account. It's already in the account. It's in the account. Man, I wish I kind of wish we had waited a little later to talk about that predestination thing, cuz there's so much I want to talk about there. >> it's a lot to talk about, yeah. Cuz part of part of getting to the next chapter in God's circle for you requires you letting go of the old If you hadn't have let go of the AME assignment, I wouldn't I couldn't get in the circle. There's a part of your circle you would have never reached. And we're not saying you got to leave your denomination. That's But, but that was That was God's circle for him. He was saying, "I'm calling you out of that." So, there was like spiritual sensitivity that was required, cuz you had to hear God. Then there was emotional intelligence, cuz you had to sever an emotional attachment with an old spiritual assignment. Then there was relational intelligence that required you These are all of the things in Daniel's stand. >> [laughter] >> But, then there's there's relational intelligence that required you to have to navigate all the relational dynamics with people who love you, who still Watch this. Some of whom to this day And this is something We just need to have like some conversations. >> Yeah, yes, sir. >> Like we just need to have more conversations, not just like like the Cuz cuz here's a here's a reality now. With people who accepted your assignment. Let me just use me. Yeah, you can use me. >> There are people who accept my assignment, who still don't understand it. They love me, and they accept it. But, they still still don't quite understand. It requires relational intelligence to navigate those relationships. >> That's right. And say, "Okay, you accept it. You supported me, and you with it, but you you still didn't quite understand." >> don't quite understand it. You understand? And um there's a lot of conversation about purpose and destiny, but not a lot about what it requires. What does it require to get all of the circle? It requires It requires a lot. Yeah. Yeah. But, I've been I've been I've been predestined, and I want I want all my circle. And it's in the account. All right, so we've got I think we're going all the way to like verse 14 with this. So, we got like four more that are in there, and I can't wait to talk about these things. But, Paul is rewriting the narrative for believers in Ephesus. And even though this letter wasn't written to us, it was written for us. God knew when Paul was writing to them, there was rich richness in his revelation that we would need. He knew that the truth he was sharing with the believers in Ephesus was a timeless truth that would transcend his time frame and his context. And then I'm so grateful uh that God did. And and and we're grateful that you've had the opportunity to be with us tonight, man. I hope you find this enriching and um and enlightening [clears throat] and transformative. And uh we just believe that God's word does not return to him void. [clears throat] As always, I like to conclude our time together in a time of prayer. I want to pray for you. Um before we do that, I'm going to have our team put the lower thirds uh in terms of ways to give on the screen to those who understand the importance of um man, sowing and reaping, and sowing back into the field you're harvesting from, and and um partnering with what God is doing in a teaching ministry. And um you shouldn't carry a ministry in your heart that you don't believe in. >> [laughter] >> You know what I mean? >> Yes, sir. Yeah, yeah. It it it and I I believe in this. I believe in our approach. Um so, even in you know, we talked about predestination, like your circle, there's also inside the circle God's drawn for you another circle called a metron that Paul talks about in 1 Corinthians, right? Which is a sphere of influence. And these are the people I've been assigned to impact. I will not impact people outside my metron. There are people who can There are two people who can listen to me teach, and some people like, "This is very helpful." And other people are like, "This isn't for me." You know, um I've literally heard in the same week somebody say, "Oh my God, you make it so digestible and understandable." to somebody complaining in the in the same week saying, "I got to do intellectual gymnastics to follow this guy." Uh so So, two people in the same And one is just like, "Bro, I'm just not your your metron. Like you're not in my metron. God didn't create me for you." >> [laughter] >> So, yeah, it's it's just There's somebody else that lands with you different, and that's that's fine. Your life's not That person's life's not going to be any worse with me not in it. And mine is not going to be any worse with them not in it, either. But, there's like there's there's a metron, and there's a sphere of influence. So, there's a group of people that need biblically based, yet highly practical teaching. Orthodoxy that actually leads to orthopraxis. And um man, sowing into this, and partnering with this. Like So, when people give, like when you give to this, and I I just want people People give every week, and I don't have to do a long spiel like cuz And the spiels don't work. I used to go to like a lot of church conferences and stuff where they would like do like offerings long offerings. If you've ever been to a change church, it's like one of the shortest offerings. Like it's it's a low-pressure note. Not because we don't believe in the tithe and the offering. We just don't believe that you can manipulate like Doc, if I got a dollar, I got a dollar. After you get through After you get through getting ME EMOTIONAL, >> [laughter] >> I got my eye Man, I remember I remember one time I was sitting in the service. I was so hungry. Ooh, I was so hungry. And they had a guy get up to do the offering. And and that that environment, they would almost like it was like almost like sermon moments to do the offering. And I'm not judging. I'm just saying it's not for me. All right. And man, it was like 20 minutes in this person is going. And I was so hungry. I was just ready to go. So, I it was this lady Lena She was sitting next to me. And I love her. Like I'm not going to say her name. Her name come to mind. That's my I met her at the conference. Like she just She was so real. I was like, "Oh, I love real people." She was a homie. And uh we was talking, and uh I leaned over. I looked at her. I said, "He just need to tell [laughter] us how much he want." Yeah, let's go. Listen, man, what you want? >> "I want What you want? Just tell me what you want. I got it or I don't. I'm going to do it or I'm not." So, I'm not talking about this for this reason, but those of you that regularly give, I want you to see this as partnering. It is It's for those of you who say, "I have a revelation of what God of of what God is doing through this teaching ministry. And I want to partner with Dr. Darius to make sure that this teaching ministry continues to reach more people in his metron that hadn't heard of him yet." That's right. There are people in Georgia and New Jersey that still hadn't heard of heard of it yet. And and [clears throat] New York and New Hampshire and Dubai and Ethiopia and Ken that hadn't heard of it yet. And when you give regularly you're partnering with the expansion positioning us to expand the teaching ministry because there are people that need this teaching ministry that don't need change church. Got me? >> Yeah. There are people that watching this now, they don't need change church. They have a pastor. They just need what you They got a local church that God has called them to that they're assigned to. But this teaching ministry is a supplemental spiritual is providing supplemental spiritual nourishment to them. That is necessary for them. Even though I'm not assigned pastorally to them. So that's what the teaching ministry is about. And so when people see like Darius Daniels ministry, like that's that's what that is about. And it is some people like myself God has given a teaching ministry to that extends beyond the local church that they actually pastor. And it's all is is borderline arrogant to assume that everybody that benefits from your teaching is assigned to your church. Not the case. Some people have a great pastors. And God I run into people all the time. It's like, I'll be watching online. I got a church. I'm like, ma'am, it's okay. Praise God. Like I yeah, I'm I'm really a kingdom guy. It's like, YO, THAT'S GREAT. I'm You're in a great church. Yeah. So um man, I just want to encourage those of you who maybe you you've not seen it that way uh to see it that way and like, yeah, this is the way we partner. Back in the day you see have TV ministry and they would have like partner programs and stuff like that. We don't do that. This is just like, hey, free will giving. But there are so many people we can reach. There's so much stuff that we're working on that requires an investment. We got this amazing app situation that we're developing. I think that's going to be a game changer. It's it's going to be such a game changer. So there's so many things in the pipeline man that we're excited about. So anyway, we love you. Thank you for in advance for your generosity. Let's pray. Father, Thank you, Father. may you use the truth of your scripture to rewrite the narratives that we have in our heart and mind about us. May we reclaim and get revelation of our identity in you. And even this week may your Holy Spirit which brings all things back to our remembrance regularly remind us that we are blessed that we're chosen and that we're predestined in Jesus' name. Amen. See you next week.