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[0:00] In 1 Thessalonians, we find that when somebody turns to Christ from your sin and your! former life that things are different. You know, we see that, you know, if you remember in the Bible, you can see many examples of this. You know, you think in Jesus, when he talked to a man named Zacchaeus, you know, Zacchaeus was transformed when he came to a saving knowledge of Christ. He was a different man than he was before. We find this happened also to the woman at the well. She was a different woman after she had an interaction of salvation with Jesus, recognizing him as the Savior. You know, you think about the maniac of Gadara. He was a totally different individual when it came to after salvation. It's seen, the change there is seen, just as it was for those in Thessalonica. You know, we looked back in Acts chapter 17 and talked about Jason, the one whose house the church had been established in, and the others understood the very fact that Jesus is the Messiah, the Christ, and believed. They trusted in the word of truth, having the promise of the Holy Spirit seal them with the promise of God. And we're going to see here this morning, we're going to read about how Paul declares how he could know that this was real and what took place. Because if you found 1 Thessalonians this morning, let's stand together in chapter 1. We'll pick up here in verse 5 as we read the word of God here this morning.

[1:33] Notice this, it says, For our gospel came not unto you in word only, but also in power, and in the Holy Ghost, and in much assurance. As ye know what manner of men we were among you for your sake. And ye became followers of us and of the Lord, having received the word in much affliction, with joy in the Holy Ghost, so that ye were a sample to all that believe in Macedonia and Achaia. For from you sounded out the word of the Lord not only in Macedonia and Achaia, but also in every place. Your faith, the God word, is spread abroad so that we need not speak anything. For they themselves show us what manner of entering in we had unto you, and how ye turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God, and to wait for his Son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead, even Jesus, which delivered us from the wrath to come.

[2:29] Let's pray. Heavenly Fathers, we take a few moments here this morning to look into your word, Lord, to look into the reality of salvation, the reality that takes place, the change that takes place.

[2:43] What leads to that change, Lord, what things you have set in place. But Lord, help us to understand the reality of it, Lord. We can talk around it, and we can talk about it, but Lord, it's only effectual if we apply it to our lives. And Lord, we pray we just would grab a hold of the truth today and the necessity not only for ourselves, but for others also. And Lord, we just ask it all in your precious name.

[3:08] Amen. May be seated. You know, today I want you to see that your salvation is not determined by your ability or how good you are. You know, we find that oftentimes people get that mindset. They say, well, I want to trust Christ, but then I want to trust what I can do. I want to trust Christ, but, you know, maybe I still need to do this in order to be saved. You know, people love to have Jesus plus.

[3:37] You know, they want Jesus and they want to do, I want my part in it. You know, I want to be able to do what I can do in my abilities and my goodness. But I want you to understand the truth is very simple that Jesus Christ provided the only way and the only means of redemption. Our salvation is built solely in him. There's nothing else. There's not any action you can take. There's not some good deeds you can do. There's not some class you can take. You can't become good enough to get to heaven. You know, you can't perform enough rituals to get to heaven. I want you to understand it's only the way and the means to heaven is through Jesus Christ. There is no other way. And we're going to see here this morning as Paul talks about those and what happened there at Thessalonica. Because remember, this was only a few weeks past the time he had been there. He was now down in Athens and he was writing back to them.

[4:37] And he's really, this is a letter complimenting them. The words already reached me that there's something different that took place in Thessalonica. It impacted not only them, but others.

[4:48] It impacted those around about them. And we understand this dynamic that Jesus was the one that changed him. He is the one that's everything that we need. You know, if you've been listening a little bit in the news this week, there's been some discussion about the comments that our president made regarding one's confidence in going to heaven. You know, he made some comments about, well, I'm not sure I'm going to heaven. And people were on both sides. I mean, they're playing all sorts of things. You know what? When you start talking about how you get to heaven, it quickly separates people. People with misunderstandings and half-truths. People who outright lie. But there's truth. And the question is, where do we get our solid foundation of how one gets to heaven?

[5:41] what opens that door? What's the truth about it? Because that's important to understand. He was not sure, didn't know. Yet we see time and time again that what is offered through the blood of Jesus Christ is something we can know. Paul says, look back up in verse four in our text. Notice that first word of that verse, it says what? What's the word? Knowing. Knowing. It's something you can know.

[6:13] If you know something, you have what? You have assurance about it. It's something you can know. You know, the Bible tells us in 1 John chapter 5, John the apostle here, he tells us this. He says, these things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God that ye might what?

[6:32] Know that ye have eternal life and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God. I want you to see here. He says, I want you to know that if you're saved, you're secure. And if you're not saved, I want you to understand there's a way you can know that you are. If you're here today, I hope that you have a know-so salvation, not a hope-so salvation. There's a lot of people today walk around hope they get to heaven. They'll talk and say, well, I did this and I did that and I did this over here. And, and, uh, you know, I went to church and, you know, grandma took me as a kid, so I must be okay. Or they did a confirmation class of some kind and somebody said, okay, you know, you're okay. You know, you got your, got your graduation certificate that says you get to get to heaven. You know what? I want you to understand the certificate of getting to heaven is the Holy Spirit dwelling within you. It's not on a piece of paper. It's not what the preacher can declare.

[7:29] It's not what somebody else can declare. It's only what you, between you and God can declare. Because when you trust God, God says, I declare you righteous before me. And he says, I give you my spirit as a seal and an earnest of what's to come and that you can know what's going to happen.

[7:49] But I want you to understand in order for somebody to know, there's some things that need to take place because Paul lines out some things about the process that took place here at Thessalonica, because in order for somebody to get saved, there is a process. There's some things that need to take place. It's not just some mystical thing that happens. Or it's not some amazing thing that you can just, uh, a one, two, three, repeat after me. Now you're okay. You know, that's one of the problems we have today is people are looking for the quick, easy fix. Just say this and you'll be fine. You know what? You better understand what you're saying. If you don't understand it, because the Bible says you can say words, but if they're not from your heart before God with an honest, open heart before God, you know what? They're just words. We've all learned very quickly. People can say the right thing, but their heart is not in it. When it comes to salvation, when you confess before God that he's your, you need him as a savior, that you're a sinner. It's a heart change that takes place. It's from the heart. It's not because somebody said, repeat these words. Salvation is not a magical incantation.

[8:59] It's not some mystical thing that happens. It's something that transforms a life in a moment when they call upon him and God says there's something that takes place there. And we'll look at that here in just a moment. But I want you to see here, the process of salvation is important because it involves a course or operation that opens the door for one to call upon the Lord.

[9:24] You know, the first step in this process involves the word of God. Notice what it tells us in our text here, for our gospel came not unto you in word only, but also in power.

[9:37] Now I want you to see here, the word, the spoken word is important. You know, the context here is very clear. Turn back to Acts chapter 17 for a moment. Acts chapter 17, what is Paul talking about here? Well, let's go back and look and see what the book of Acts tells us about Paul's time here.

[9:54] Because what word is he talking about? What's he talking about here? Because in Acts chapter 17 and verse 2, we find from the word of God, look what it says, and Paul, as his manner was, went in unto them and three Sabbath days reasoned with them from what? The scripture. Paul didn't come in and said, hey guys, I want you to listen to me. I have a divine revelation from God. You know, there's a lot of people get caught up when somebody says, I have a revelation. I want you to understand that Paul started in the right foundation. That's the word of God. He said he reasoned with them from what? The scripture. Because our foundation of our faith is not built on what the preacher says. It's not built on what anybody else says. It's built upon the word of God. Because we know what God has said.

[10:46] But notice what it says. He didn't just say that he reasoned with them. Notice this verse 3, opening and alleging. In other words, I want you to see here, he opened the Bible and he began to show them that Jesus is the one they were looking for. Now you've got to understand the audience. Remember where Paul was? He was in the synagogue. You know, some people wonder why did Paul preach different things, different places? Paul understood where his audience was beginning.

[11:13] It's important, especially when you're witnessing, to try to get a grasp. Where's the person you're talking to at? You know, that's one of the things because it's hard for somebody to understand.

[11:26] They don't know they're a sinner. It's hard to understand the need of a savior. Well, I'm a good person. I don't need that. You've got to understand where they're at. We live in a nation today where people are righteous in their own eyes. I can believe what I want to be, what I want to believe because of how I feel about it. You know, we get in a lot of trouble because of how we feel. Because I want you to understand, sometimes your feelings line up with reality. But I'll give you a little clue. You'll find the older you get, the more mature you get.

[11:59] Oftentimes your feelings might have contained a little reality, but don't line up with reality. Because they're your perception of what's going on, not the reality. And we get caught up and we start leading by not reality, but by how we feel.

[12:16] And people begin to think, well, I can get to heaven however I feel I can get there. I don't feel God's going to judge me. Well, you know, that doesn't matter how you feel about it. You know? That'd be like saying I can go down here and rob a place, listen, I don't feel the police should arrest me. And the majority of people in reality would go, doesn't matter how you feel about that. Truth is the only thing that matters.

[12:43] But notice what he preached. He preached a very specific message that Christ must have suffered and risen again from the dead and that this Jesus whom I preach unto you is Christ.

[12:56] You know what he's saying? Hey guys, the one that you see pictured throughout the whole Old Testament, I believe Paul, when it says he opened in a ledge, he went back to the Old Testament and began walking through the sacrifices that they did.

[13:09] He began showing them of what each of the sacrifices meant, what it did, and how it pointed to the Savior. And he said, the guy, he said, men and women, what you've been practicing your whole life has been pointing you to this.

[13:26] Jesus Christ is the fulfillment of all these things. His sacrifice didn't just roll sin forward.

[13:38] His sacrifice covered it. His sacrifice took care of it. It was sufficient for all.

[13:49] It was a containment of everything. Just as he said in Romans chapter 10, verse 15, you know, the reality is when Paul was there, he said this, he says, as it is written, how beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace and bring glad tidings of good things.

[14:09] You know, I want you to understand that the word of God needs to be presented for somebody to be saved. Now, the means of presentation can be spoken, it can be written, it can be on a video.

[14:21] I mean, we have so many different means of communication today, but I want you to understand the word of God has to be communicated in some form for an individual to understand their need of salvation.

[14:32] It's important. It was the scripture that we could know who Jesus is and what he had accomplished. Look back to John chapter 6 for a moment. Here's Jesus, and he makes this statement.

[14:44] He says, it is written in the prophets. Now, what's Jesus referring to? He's referring to the Old Testament. And they shall be all taught of God. Where are they taught from? The word of God.

[14:57] Every man, therefore, that hath heard and hath learned of the Father cometh unto me. You know what Jesus said? You come unto me because you understand what the scripture says about me. You understand the truth that declares who I am, the truth that declares what I've done.

[15:14] The truth that declares what's been accomplished. You know, it's a means through which we learn that we have come short. You know what? If it wasn't for the Bible, we'd all be self-righteous.

[15:26] You know, by nature, we're self-righteous. I mean, you've talked about this before. You think about it. Everybody's like, I'm not as badass. You know what that is? That's self-righteousness. I'm a little bit better.

[15:37] You know, Romans 3.10, though, makes it very clear. As it is written, there is none righteous, no, not one. I want you to understand that when that was written, it's saying it's already been written.

[15:48] I'm just telling you what's already there. I'm not giving you a new concept. I'm giving you an old concept that stands true. There's not a one of us that are born righteous. The Word of God being preached is important.

[16:01] Look over to Hebrews chapter 4. Hebrews chapter 4 and verse 2 says, For unto us was the gospel preached as well as it was unto them. But I want you to notice here, the gospel can be preached, but something has to take place.

[16:19] Notice what it says, But the word preached did not profit them, not being mixed with faith in them that heard it. Now, this is very important to understand because you can listen your whole life to the gospel, but until you make it effectual for yourself, it's irrelevant.

[16:38] You can know what you ought to do, but the only problem is, it's only good if you do what you ought to do. To take action upon it. Mix it with faith.

[16:49] Now, faith is something that's not just, Well, I hope so. I'm going to put all my money over here. It's not a gamble. Biblical faith is not like going down here and saying, I hope my team wins, so I'm going to put $100 on them.

[17:06] You know, there's people today that treat Jesus like I'm placing my bet with Jesus. I want you to understand it's not placing a bet with Jesus. Faith is saying, I know, he's all I got.

[17:19] There's no other means. There's nothing else I can have but him. To understand, Romans chapter 10, verse 17 says this, So then faith cometh by what?

[17:30] Hearing and hearing by what? The word of God. When Paul says, he says, How do I know? Because the gospel was preached unto you.

[17:41] The good news is just that. It is a notification of the way and the means to come to God has been accomplished.

[17:51] How do we know the word is going to be effectual? Because Paul says that the word of God is powerful. He said the word didn't just come in speech, but it came in power.

[18:04] That's the reason he knew it was going to do some work in lives of individuals. But I want you to understand, people can hear the gospel and ignore it. Because if it's not mixed with faith, it becomes just words.

[18:21] It just rolls through their mind. But the word of God is a tool that we're going to see here in just a moment because he also talks about the Holy Spirit. And the Holy Spirit takes the word of God and does something with it when people hear it.

[18:36] Because it affects something, it affects the heart of an individual. It impacts what we call the conscience. And no matter what people try to say, everybody has a conscience. Some might be seared, some might be hardened, but they still function.

[18:51] But notice in power, that which is spoken is important, but it must have something behind it. The power is God himself. You know, look a little later in 1 Thessalonians chapter 2.

[19:03] Look over there in verse 13. And we'll talk about this a little more when we get over there here in a few weeks. But look here in verse 13. It says, For this cause also we thank God without ceasing, because you received the word of God, which you heard of us, and you received it not as the word of what?

[19:21] Men, but as in truth, the word of God, which effectually worketh also in you that believe. The gospel is the power of God operating, working, and stirring the human heart.

[19:37] You know, Paul says in Romans chapter 1 in verse 16, he says, For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God unto salvation to everyone that what?

[19:49] Believeth to the Jew first and also to the Greek. Look up in the gospel of John. Look in John chapter 1 in verse 12. It says, But many as received him, to them gave he what? Power to become the sons of God, even to them that what?

[20:02] Believe on his name. The word is the tool that is present with the power of God behind it, but it's the tool the Holy Spirit uses to convict and convince the sinner of their condition and the solution to the problem.

[20:18] You know, today, I want you to understand the great thing about the gospel and the great thing about what God did, God doesn't just condemn and say, Hey, here's your problem. You know, we have a lot of that today amongst people. You know, I can identify the problem, but you know what?

[20:30] God understood we needed something more important than identifying the problem. We needed the solution. The scripture tells us our problem is sin, separates us from God, and he says, I've made the means and the way I've provided the solution.

[20:49] That's the good news, you know? The problem is never the good news, but you know what? You can never solve a problem if you don't know what it is. But once you know what the problem is, what people are looking for, they say, What do I do with it?

[21:02] What do I do with it? What do you do with your sin that separates you from God? You place it on the cross with Jesus Christ who took it upon himself. The Holy Spirit, though, is present.

[21:14] The word is presented, but the task of the Holy Spirit is to use the truth in the heart of a person. Notice here, back in our text in verse 5, it says, In the Holy Ghost.

[21:25] You know, in not in word only, but in power and in the Holy Ghost. You know, Jesus told his disciples that the Holy Spirit would come and do a work in the lives of people.

[21:39] Now, I want you to understand that when you're witnessing to somebody, you're not witnessing in your power. You're not witnessing in what you can do.

[21:50] A witness is one that just tells what's happened or what they understand, what's transpired. God is the one who works on the heart of an individual.

[22:04] Look at John chapter 16. John chapter 16 here in verse 8, it says, And when he has come, who's he talking about? He's talking about the Holy Ghost, the Holy Spirit. He will reprove the world of sin and of righteousness, of judgment, of sin because they believe not on me, of righteousness because I go to my Father and you see me no more, of judgment because the prince and the power or the prince of this world is judged.

[22:32] You know, I want you to understand that the Holy Spirit's task takes what's been planted with the word of God and begins impacting the heart of an individual. They're the one that convicts and convinces somebody of the truth of God's word because you know what?

[22:47] It's written upon our heart. You know, read Romans chapter 1 and 2. People understand they're going to stand accountable, but people don't like it. One day we're going to stand before God. But you know, the good part is, as we're going to look here in just a little bit, that if you're saved, you don't look at God's return in fear.

[23:05] You look at God's return with joy because it's like a going home to family. You're not standing in judgment. You're standing in acceptance. If you're saved, you're accepted in the beloved.

[23:21] It's a different perspective of God when he comes. If you're not saved, you ought to be scared. It's a fearful thing to stand in the presence of God.

[23:33] The Bible makes it clear that God is just. He's going to hold to account. But notice this next, in much assurance. Despite the circumstances of life that surrounded these things, I want you to see here, Paul was very clear here.

[23:50] This assurance here, yeah, I don't believe is tied to the Holy Spirit directly, even though the Holy Spirit gives us assurance. I think what he's writing here is a little different because Paul says, why did I go ahead and preach the gospel?

[24:04] Now, you need a little context, remember. Paul came to Thessalonica from where? From Philippi. What had happened at Philippi? Well, him and Silas had been beaten and put in prison.

[24:19] I imagine when they got to Thessalonica, they probably still weren't looking too good. They may have looked a little rough yet.

[24:30] Because I don't know about you, but if you study and understand what happens when they beat people in ancient times, it wasn't a slap on the wrist. Paul said, we're not the best presentation. But he said, my presentation doesn't matter because I have assurance because we have the power of God and the Holy Spirit working and mixing with His Word.

[24:49] That's going to be effectual. It will do its job. Paul, you know what? If you read through the Apostle Paul's writings, the one thing you'll find that I think is clear, it totally debunks this wealth and prosperity gospel.

[25:05] He preached it in times when it wasn't too good for the prosperity gospel. You imagine Paul standing up in the synagogue, still getting up a little slow because he's still sore and beaten, and say, hey guys, I got something for you that got me beat at the last place.

[25:23] That's not good advertising. But you know what? Paul said, it doesn't matter who I am or what's happened to me. It matters who God is and what God can do. He said, God makes the difference. In much assurance.

[25:37] You know, we see here the power of the gospel worked in their lives and they became followers. They became disciples. Notice in verse 6, and you became followers of us and of the Lord having received the Word in much affliction and with joy of the Holy Ghost.

[25:53] You know, what does this mean, followers? You know? Well, in this context, it tells us this, that when you're saved, the Scripture tells us that you're born again. Let's look at this practically.

[26:04] You're born again. You became a child of God. And like any child, you need training and an example to follow. Now, if anybody has any questions, you know, kids, little ones, will follow the example that they're around.

[26:21] How a young child acts is a direct reflection of the adults in their life. Why? Because they're following the example. As a young child of God also needs an example to follow.

[26:36] We have a fancy name for it today. It's called discipleship. What's discipleship about? Having somebody to encourage and to follow and to direct into maturity. Paul's telling them very clearly that they became followers.

[26:50] They became, they wanted to do what Paul had done. And so we see here that even in much affliction, you know, you need to remember, if you go back to Acts 17, we're not going to read there, but I just want to remind you, remember what happened after Paul left?

[27:04] They had a stir and they left because they came to the house of Jason and they drew him out of the house, him and others, and brought him before the city and they paid a fine because of a complaint against them.

[27:18] You know, sometimes following God costs you physically, sometimes it costs you financially. But it's an affliction. There's a price to pay to follow God.

[27:30] It doesn't get you saved, but the reality is is you're going to have, it doesn't exempt you from problems. It doesn't mean everything's going to go hunky-dory and everything's going to fall into place. It just means that you have somebody walking with you who has a plan and already knows what's ahead.

[27:48] He knows what you're going to need, when you're going to need it, how you're going to need it. You know, when we see this, this assurance, there of them, they became followers. He says, I know because of what I've seen and how you wanted to imitate the things of us as we were imitating the Lord.

[28:04] Now that's important because if you're going to follow after somebody, you need to follow, say, how are they following the Lord? Let me make a statement here. I think that if you're mature, you don't need to be following anybody but the Lord, but you ought, if you're following the Lord, you'll be in church.

[28:20] You'll be following the things in the order of God because you're mature enough to recognize this is what God has said. But when you're young in the Lord, you need other people to come alongside and say, hey, this is what you need to do.

[28:31] Let me share a little experience with you. Let me show you what God's word says about that. Let me keep you out of some trouble that I got into because we need to follow the word of God.

[28:42] People need to be brought up into the word of God. You know, we ought to encourage one another. What ought to, when people are mature, it's a process of encouraging and keeping each other focused on the truth of God's word.

[28:55] We see here that this is important because the process is the gospel is that when we hear the truth and believe and acknowledge and accept that truth, which causes us to trust the Lord, to rescue, and to secure the sinner.

[29:10] Now, I want you to see here when Paul's talking here about this, it's very clear because we find the process laid out that the word and then the Holy Spirit and then they became, they called upon the Lord and they changed and they did a different direction.

[29:26] Now, turn over to Ephesians chapter 1 for a moment. Notice this process. It says, in whom ye also trusted, verse 13, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and also, whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that Holy Spirit of promise.

[29:43] You see the process there? The same process took place in Thessalonica. They heard the word of God stirred within them by the power of the Holy Spirit. They made a decision to say, yes, I know who I am before God.

[29:57] I know my accountability before God and I understand my need to put all my faith and trust in what He says He's accomplished for me, that He would apply it to my account.

[30:09] And He says, when that happens, when you believe, truly believe, that's to trust, to rest assured upon, to say my only hope is in not what I can do, it's not what a church can do, but it's only what Christ can do.

[30:23] Then He says, you were sealed with that Holy Spirit of promise. What a wonderful reality. But look at verse 7, because I want you to see next the product of salvation.

[30:34] Yeah, product, salvation produces some. It produces a life that's different. Notice it, He says, so you were a sample to all that believe in Macedonia and Akedah. From you sounded out the word of the Lord, not only in Macedonia and Akedah, but also in every place your faith to God were to spread abroad so that you need not to, we need not to speak anything.

[30:58] Now, in context here, this is really, I found a very interesting dynamic, because you know what Paul's saying? Remember, this has been a few weeks after he left, and he says, we're already getting reports from all over about what took place and the lives that were changed at Thessalonica.

[31:16] Now, to understand that a little bit, I want you to understand Thessalonica was a hub in the area. When the Romans conquered Greece, they divided Greece into a northern and southern area.

[31:32] Those areas we find mentioned here Macedonia and Achaia. In other words, what Paul's saying, he says, within a few weeks, these people that came in to conduct business and going in and out and all these things, he says, there's reports all over about what took place at Thessalonica.

[31:54] He said, there's reports about, man, there's some change happening there. There's something that took place there. It was sounded out. They were as samples. They were, somebody said, they were to be imitated to say, hey, this is a result of our salvation.

[32:10] Things change. This hub city, a place of commerce and government within the region would now impact everything. Notice what it says here in verse 8.

[32:20] For from you sounded out the word of the Lord, not only in Macedonia, but also in every place your faith to God word is spread abroad so that we need not to speak anything.

[32:33] You know, that's quite a product. People saw something different. Think about 2 Corinthians 5, 17, what the Bible tells us. It says, if any man be in Christ, he is what a new creature.

[32:44] Old things are passed away. Behold, all things are become new. You know what? When you get saved, you become a different product. Something new has been produced. There's a change in your life.

[32:55] Paul and the others had heard the report about what had happened. This is great to hear and to see the change in people's lives after they've received the word by faith. Because this change will be a new direction with a new priority.

[33:12] You know, look at verse 9. It says, for they themselves show of us what manner of entering in we had unto you. Notice this. Paul says that there's something seen and notice what this, how you turn to God from idols to serve the living and true God.

[33:35] They turned to God from idols to serve him. I want you to understand the gospel, when you get saved, ought to change your priorities.

[33:47] It ought to change your worship. and it ought to change who you serve. Those things are important. Look at verse 10.

[33:59] And to wait for his son from heaven whom he raised from the dead, even Jesus, which delivered us up, delivered us from the wrath to come.

[34:10] Verse 10 is clear that your focus is going to change because your focus changes from what can I get out of this life now to about the one that's going to come. The one we're looking for and to wait for his son from heaven whom he raised from the dead.

[34:28] You know, the rest of the book of Thessalonians you're going to find throughout talks about Jesus coming and talks about eternity. You know what the reality is? We ought to be walking in the light of eternity.

[34:41] Walking in the fact that our motivations have changed. We have a newness in our life and a different motivation. Your focus ought to change.

[34:53] You ought to have a new life with a new eternity, a confidence beyond this life knowing that those that believe will not face the wrath that is to come. The wrath that is to come is judgment upon all those who refuse the gospel because God says sin has to be accounted for.

[35:10] There's only two ways for sin to be accounted for. You either take the penalty that's due you or Jesus what he did for you in taking your sin puts it on your account because what Christ has done was sufficient to make a paid and full on the penalty of your sin.

[35:28] No longer a problem. The penalty has been removed. You know, today has the gospel worked in your life? What have you done with the truth about Jesus Christ?

[35:42] The fact that he came and took upon himself the sin of the whole world. The fact that he came and took upon himself my sin and your sin.

[35:54] So I want you to understand sin's not generic sin is personal. And when we understand it's not it's nice to think Jesus died for sin that becomes a kind of abstract. We need to understand that blocked and grouped into that is my sin and your sin.

[36:09] That he took it and nailed it to the cross and taking its penalty upon himself. Taking God's wrath in our place. You know, John 3.36 says this, He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life but the wrath of God abideth on him.

[36:34] You know, this morning I want you to understand salvation is really boils down to this. Does God's wrath still abide upon you or has Jesus Christ taken it? What about you today?

[36:47] What have you done with the gospel? Is it just information or is it effectual to say that he took my sin upon him? I need to call upon him.

[37:01] His heads are bowed and eyes are closed this morning. We just take a few moments. Maybe you're not sure today about where you stand with the Lord. Maybe you've heard the gospel many times.

[37:11] You know the information but have you taken that information personally? Is the Holy Spirit speaking to you today? Has there been that moment in time when you recognized you were a sinner and said, Lord, I'm not placing my trust in anything else but your promise of what you've done for me?

[37:35] If there's never been a moment like that, I encourage you today that today would be the day you'd call upon him. There's no greater day than the day that you know that God's wrath has been removed.

[37:46]  It's no longer upon you. What about you today?