Christ In Us -

Worship opens an access point into heaven where the presence of Jesus reshapes hearts and minds. In that throne-room atmosphere believers are invited to exchange loves for earthly things — money, approval, desire — for a deeper affection for the Father. Misunderstandings about God as a harsh judge or a distant taskmaster are corrected by looking to Jesus, who consistently revealed the Father's character through grace, healing, and truth. The text frames spiritual identity as a theological reality more decisive than biological inheritance: family patterns, temperament, and past failures do not have the final say when the new birth reorients nature.

Drawing on the prodigal son, the argument insists that trying to escape the “pit” through self-effort only perpetuates the cycle; true freedom requires returning to the Father and receiving the legal reality of Christ’s life. Jesus modeled persistent self-remembrance — declaring who he was and why he came — and this pattern becomes the template for mind renewal. Confession anchored in Scripture, not mere positive thinking, is presented as a spiritual discipline that aligns inner reality with legal standing in Christ. The new birth gives a new nature: birth names one’s origin, but new birth confers a transformed nature and destiny. Finally, practical steps are offered: believers are encouraged to confess the promises of Scripture (2 Corinthians 5:17, among others) so that truth, not feeling, defines identity and motion toward holiness becomes rooted in the Word and the Person of Jesus.

Key Takeaways

• 1. Worship opens heaven’s access Worship is not just emotion but a means by which the heart is reoriented toward God’s presence; when believers enter a throne-room posture, the atmosphere begins to displace competing loves. This shift makes repentance relational rather than merely behavioral, inviting the Father’s filling to replace old affections. Cultivating that atmosphere becomes a daily discipline that reorders desire toward God. [46:07]
• 2. Grace corrects guilt-based theology If God is imagined primarily as judge or taskmaster, repentance becomes a performance rather than a restoration; the Father revealed in Jesus receives the repentant with grace. Recognizing divine gentleness reframes approachability and enables honest confession without the attempt to earn favor. Theology shapes practice: knowing the Father’s heart changes how one returns from failure. [49:09]
• 3. Identity transcends biology and history Family patterns, inherited temperaments, and ancestral narratives can feel determinative, but Scripture locates identity in the new birth rather than genealogy. Ignoring theological identity allows past scripts to become destiny; embracing new-creation language breaks that ceiling. This is a call to resist deterministic thinking and to adopt theological realities as the operating grammar of life. [57:16]
• 4. Confess the new-creation reality Verbal confession rooted in Scripture is more than motivational technique; it is a way of binding memory and will to the legal reality of Christ’s death and resurrection. Saying “I am a new creation in Christ” is a spiritual habit that trains perception and aligns behavior with divine status, even when feelings lag. Discipline in confession grounds identity in truth rather than fluctuation. [63:09]

Youtube Chapters

• [00:00] - Welcome
• [45:39] - Atmosphere of Worship
• [46:07] - Throne Room Song
• [46:31] - Filling the Heart
• [48:40] - Knowing God, Not Fear
• [49:31] - Jesus Reveals the Father
• [52:01] - Who Are We?
• [53:30] - Prodigal Son Reflection
• [56:04] - Growing Beyond Origins
• [58:09] - From Biology to Theology
• [59:11] - Jesus' "I Am" Model
• [62:03] - Legal Reality Explained
• [62:50] - Confession Practice (2 Cor 5:17)
• [63:45] - Faith Is Not Feeling

1. The sermon describes worship as opening an "access point into heaven" and a "throne-room atmosphere." What imagery from the sermon or the Bible helps you picture this heavenly atmosphere? [46:07]
2. The sermon contrasts the idea of God as a "harsh judge or a distant taskmaster" with Jesus revealing the Father's character through "grace, healing, and truth." What specific actions or words of Jesus in the Gospels illustrate this grace and truth?
3. The parable of the prodigal son is used to illustrate the struggle of trying to escape a difficult situation through self-effort. What was the prodigal son's initial attempt to "work his way out" of his predicament? [53:30]
4. The sermon emphasizes that "Jesus constantly confessed three things: who he was, what he was, and what his mission was." Can you recall any specific "I am" statements Jesus made in the Gospels that reflect this? [59:11]

1. The sermon suggests that "misunderstandings about God as a harsh judge or a distant taskmaster" can hinder our approach to Him. How might a wrong understanding of God's character lead to a performance-based faith rather than a relational one? [49:09]
2. The sermon states that "trying to escape the 'pit' through self-effort only perpetuates the cycle." Why do you think the prodigal son's attempt to simply get out of the pigsty by himself didn't lead to lasting freedom? [53:30]
3. The sermon argues that "spiritual identity is a theological reality more decisive than biological inheritance." How does the concept of the "new birth" challenge the idea that family patterns, temperament, or past failures have the final say in who we are? [55:28]
4. The sermon presents confession rooted in Scripture as a way to "align inner reality with legal standing in Christ." How does confessing biblical promises, like 2 Corinthians 5:17, differ from simply trying to think positively? [01:02:50]

1. Worship is described as a way to "exchange loves for earthly things — money, approval, desire — for a deeper affection for the Father." What are some earthly things that currently compete for your deepest affection, and how can you intentionally cultivate a greater love for the Father through worship this week? [46:31]
2. When you've experienced failure or felt like you were in a "pit," what has been your natural tendency: to try and fix it yourself, or to turn to the Father? How can you practice returning to the Father more readily when you find yourself in difficult circumstances? [53:30]
3. The sermon highlights that "family patterns, inherited temperaments, and ancestral narratives can feel determinative." In what areas of your life do you feel most influenced by your biological or historical background? How can you begin to embrace your new-creation identity in Christ as more decisive? [55:28]
4. Jesus modeled persistent self-remembrance by declaring who He was and why He came. How can you practice this pattern of "mind renewal" this week by confessing biblical truths about your identity in Christ, even when your feelings don't align? [59:11]
5. The sermon encourages confessing the promises of Scripture, like 2 Corinthians 5:17, so that "truth, not feeling, defines identity." What is one specific promise from Scripture that you can confess daily this week to anchor your identity in truth? [01:02:50]
6. The sermon states that "your birth gave you a name, but your new birth gives you a nature." What does it mean to you to have a "new nature" in Christ, and how can you live out that new nature in a practical way this week? [01:00:27]