WEBVTT 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:11.480 Okay, my name is Seth and I'm going to preach on grace through Jesus Christ. 00:00:11.480 --> 00:00:12.480 ! 00:00:30.000 --> 00:00:36.880 Pray exactly how you say it in your word with the same power and weight and authority 00:00:36.880 --> 00:00:39.079 that it has. 00:00:39.079 --> 00:00:46.799 Help us not to try to make your word fit something that is more tangible, that fits with our 00:00:46.799 --> 00:00:51.500 experience, if that's not what you mean. 00:00:51.500 --> 00:00:56.840 If you mean something different, we just pray for grace to receive it like that. 00:00:56.840 --> 00:00:59.840 In Jesus' name, amen. 00:01:00.000 --> 00:01:03.679 Okay, grace through Jesus Christ. 00:01:03.679 --> 00:01:11.400 One of my texts, I consider this kind of the guiding text for my topic, is John chapter 00:01:11.400 --> 00:01:15.680 1, verse 16 through 17. 00:01:15.680 --> 00:01:17.960 John chapter 1, verse 16 through 17. 00:01:17.960 --> 00:01:23.400 This is speaking of Christ. 00:01:23.400 --> 00:01:30.080 For from his fullness we have all received grace upon grace. 00:01:30.080 --> 00:01:33.360 For the law was given through Moses. 00:01:33.360 --> 00:01:36.800 Grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. 00:01:36.799 --> 00:01:39.480 Grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. 00:01:39.480 --> 00:01:40.480 Okay, so this is not going to be a law sermon. 00:01:40.480 --> 00:01:45.620 This is not going to be a sermon where I'm talking about a lot of particular sins or challenging 00:01:45.620 --> 00:01:46.759 people on sin. 00:01:46.760 --> 00:01:49.440 I mean, there's some, there's a little bit of that. 00:01:49.440 --> 00:01:53.439 But this is a gift sermon. 00:01:53.439 --> 00:01:54.439 Grace is a gift. 00:01:54.439 --> 00:01:55.439 Jesus comes bearing gifts. 00:01:55.439 --> 00:01:57.120 Jesus comes bearing gifts. 00:01:57.120 --> 00:02:01.120 The law demands, says you ought to. 00:02:01.120 --> 00:02:02.120 Grace gives. 00:02:02.120 --> 00:02:05.840 It says here, there's a free gift. 00:02:05.840 --> 00:02:10.439 The law came through Moses. 00:02:10.439 --> 00:02:15.439 Grace and truth uniquely came through Jesus Christ. 00:02:15.439 --> 00:02:17.780 He comes bearing gifts. 00:02:17.780 --> 00:02:20.879 Jesus is the gift giver. 00:02:20.879 --> 00:02:24.020 And the gift he most prominently gives is grace. 00:02:24.020 --> 00:02:25.020 Okay. 00:02:25.020 --> 00:02:32.939 I want to read in Galatians 2, Galatians chapter 2, starting in verse 16. 00:02:32.939 --> 00:02:34.319 I will ask you to turn to this one. 00:02:34.319 --> 00:02:36.319 I'm going to read a bunch of different verses. 00:02:36.319 --> 00:02:40.639 I probably won't ask you to turn to most of them, but I do think it's helpful to turn to 00:02:40.639 --> 00:02:45.379 this because this is kind of, it might be a little bit of a confusing passage, but I think 00:02:45.379 --> 00:02:52.199 if we slow down a little bit, I think we'll be able to relate to this experience. 00:02:52.199 --> 00:02:59.199 Galatians chapter 2, starting in verse 16. 00:02:59.199 --> 00:03:05.479 We know that a man is not justified by observing the law, but by faith in Jesus Christ. 00:03:05.479 --> 00:03:11.119 So we too have put our faith in Christ Jesus, that we may be justified by faith in Christ, 00:03:11.119 --> 00:03:13.239 and not by observing the law. 00:03:13.239 --> 00:03:16.199 Because by observing the law, no one will be justified. 00:03:16.199 --> 00:03:18.099 I'm going to pause there. 00:03:18.099 --> 00:03:20.819 I hope we all believe that. 00:03:20.819 --> 00:03:24.859 We are justified, not by works of the law. 00:03:24.859 --> 00:03:28.539 We are justified by faith in Jesus and what he did for us on the cross. 00:03:28.539 --> 00:03:29.939 It's a free gift. 00:03:29.939 --> 00:03:36.900 There are zero things that we could do to work off the debt of sin that we owe God. 00:03:36.900 --> 00:03:38.699 We couldn't do it. 00:03:38.699 --> 00:03:44.800 God had to come as a man and pay our debt on the cross. 00:03:44.800 --> 00:03:47.879 And we receive that by faith, not by works. 00:03:47.879 --> 00:03:51.139 And that is how we are justified before God. 00:03:51.139 --> 00:03:53.599 Just as if we had never sinned. 00:03:53.599 --> 00:03:59.719 God looks at Jesus, or he looks at us and he sees Jesus. 00:03:59.719 --> 00:04:05.799 He takes our sin, put it onto Christ on the cross, and he took his righteousness. 00:04:05.799 --> 00:04:09.680 And when we trust Jesus, he puts it onto us. 00:04:09.680 --> 00:04:10.680 That's amazing. 00:04:10.680 --> 00:04:11.680 Justification. 00:04:11.680 --> 00:04:13.819 So we believe that, right? 00:04:13.819 --> 00:04:17.420 You're justified by faith in Jesus. 00:04:17.420 --> 00:04:20.360 So Paul continues. 00:04:20.360 --> 00:04:21.360 Verse 17. 00:04:21.360 --> 00:04:28.360 However, if, while we seek to be justified in Christ, it becomes evident that we ourselves 00:04:28.360 --> 00:04:33.600 are sinners, does that mean that Christ promotes sin? 00:04:33.600 --> 00:04:35.220 Okay. 00:04:35.220 --> 00:04:38.340 So I am justified by faith in Jesus. 00:04:38.340 --> 00:04:39.340 This is amazing. 00:04:39.340 --> 00:04:42.759 My whole debt that I owed God is taken away. 00:04:42.759 --> 00:04:44.600 But I still sin. 00:04:44.600 --> 00:04:46.340 Like, whoa. 00:04:46.340 --> 00:04:48.300 I wasn't expecting that. 00:04:48.300 --> 00:04:52.379 He's narrating the experience of a Christian after they get born again, come to faith in 00:04:52.379 --> 00:04:53.379 Jesus. 00:04:53.379 --> 00:04:55.439 It's like, I still have sin. 00:04:55.439 --> 00:04:58.519 Does that mean that Jesus is now promoting sin? 00:04:58.519 --> 00:05:00.519 Is that what God's saying? 00:05:00.519 --> 00:05:01.519 Is that, no, no, don't worry about it. 00:05:01.519 --> 00:05:02.439 I took care of it on the cross. 00:05:02.439 --> 00:05:04.439 And you can just live however you want. 00:05:04.439 --> 00:05:05.439 No. 00:05:05.439 --> 00:05:10.680 Absolutely not, he says. 00:05:10.680 --> 00:05:17.680 But if I rebuild what I destroy, I prove that I am a lawbreaker. 00:05:17.680 --> 00:05:19.680 What do you mean rebuild what he destroyed? 00:05:19.680 --> 00:05:21.180 What does that mean? 00:05:21.180 --> 00:05:22.759 He continues and explains it. 00:05:22.759 --> 00:05:28.639 For through the law I died to the law, so that I might live for God. 00:05:28.639 --> 00:05:33.980 I have been crucified with Christ, and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. 00:05:33.980 --> 00:05:38.339 And the life I live in the body I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave 00:05:38.339 --> 00:05:40.920 himself for me. 00:05:40.920 --> 00:05:44.099 I do not set aside the grace of God. 00:05:44.100 --> 00:05:49.000 For if righteousness could be gained through the law, Christ died for nothing. 00:05:49.000 --> 00:05:57.780 What he's saying here is, my first instinct, his first instinct, is, well, maybe I'm not 00:05:57.780 --> 00:05:59.780 justified by works. 00:05:59.780 --> 00:06:01.720 Okay, I believe that. 00:06:01.720 --> 00:06:03.220 Jesus had to die for my sins. 00:06:03.220 --> 00:06:06.000 Okay, I'm not justified by my works. 00:06:06.000 --> 00:06:07.780 Justified by faith. 00:06:07.780 --> 00:06:11.960 But maybe I'm sanctified by my works. 00:06:11.959 --> 00:06:19.979 Maybe the law is what I need to overcome the present power of sin in my life that the Lord 00:06:19.979 --> 00:06:20.979 has been showing me. 00:06:20.979 --> 00:06:23.239 Maybe that's what it is. 00:06:23.239 --> 00:06:26.539 And he says, no, it's not. 00:06:26.539 --> 00:06:34.539 If I rebuild that way of relating with God and sin, I make myself a transgressor. 00:06:34.539 --> 00:06:38.599 Some translations say, I prove myself to be a transgressor. 00:06:38.600 --> 00:06:45.980 I'm operating under that covenant of wrath that God says no one can possibly be made righteous 00:06:45.980 --> 00:06:47.620 under this covenant. 00:06:47.620 --> 00:06:48.620 Okay? 00:06:48.620 --> 00:06:54.660 So Paul says, I don't set aside the grace of God for this new problem that I've discovered 00:06:54.660 --> 00:07:01.879 in my life that God has shown me, which is the presence of indwelling sin. 00:07:01.879 --> 00:07:06.659 Sin that I know is there, sin that the Spirit has convicted me about, sin that I'm ashamed 00:07:06.659 --> 00:07:12.560 of and I don't want to be there in my life anymore, but I don't know what to do with it. 00:07:12.560 --> 00:07:18.379 Paul says, well, first thing is, I do not set aside the grace of God and I don't go back 00:07:18.379 --> 00:07:22.259 to that old way of trying to deal with it. 00:07:22.259 --> 00:07:24.259 Okay? 00:07:24.259 --> 00:07:27.039 So, what is the solution he offers here? 00:07:27.039 --> 00:07:28.539 Well, it's nested in here. 00:07:28.539 --> 00:07:33.819 He says, I don't set aside the grace of God and I no longer live. 00:07:33.819 --> 00:07:35.039 I was crucified with Christ. 00:07:35.039 --> 00:07:37.639 I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. 00:07:37.639 --> 00:07:44.439 And the life I live in the body, I live by faith in a person, Jesus, who is my access 00:07:44.439 --> 00:07:46.539 to the grace of God. 00:07:46.540 --> 00:07:51.540 He's saying, the same way I started my Christian life, by simply looking to Jesus and what he 00:07:51.540 --> 00:07:58.160 did for me on the cross, is the same way I live my Christian life in the flesh. 00:07:58.160 --> 00:08:05.259 The implication being, there's sin in me still, and I still live a life trusting Jesus to do 00:08:05.259 --> 00:08:07.460 what I can't do for myself. 00:08:07.460 --> 00:08:14.980 This is essentially, this is the point of this whole topic here is, the grace of God is through 00:08:14.980 --> 00:08:21.200 Jesus Christ, for the Christian in an ongoing way. 00:08:21.200 --> 00:08:26.300 And this is the only way God has made for us to be delivered from the present power of 00:08:26.300 --> 00:08:28.220 sin in our life and to be sanctified. 00:08:28.220 --> 00:08:29.220 Okay? 00:08:29.220 --> 00:08:31.540 Well, anyway, just want to set that up. 00:08:31.540 --> 00:08:36.639 I think that passage does a really good job of stating the problem and then giving us the 00:08:36.639 --> 00:08:37.639 solution ahead of time. 00:08:37.639 --> 00:08:42.139 So, that's the whole point here is, the solution is, the grace of God is through Jesus Christ, 00:08:42.139 --> 00:08:45.360 and that's how we are made conformed into the image of Jesus. 00:08:45.360 --> 00:08:50.360 That's how we overcome sin in our life, is through trust in Jesus. 00:08:50.360 --> 00:08:51.360 God. 00:08:51.360 --> 00:08:52.360 Okay. 00:08:52.360 --> 00:08:59.800 My daughter, Sophia, she's repeatedly asked me to preach in a way that's simple enough for 00:08:59.800 --> 00:09:00.800 her to understand. 00:09:00.800 --> 00:09:03.580 Oh, man. 00:09:03.580 --> 00:09:06.580 So, I'm going to try to do it today. 00:09:06.580 --> 00:09:09.580 She and the kids are... 00:09:09.580 --> 00:09:10.580 Okay. 00:09:10.580 --> 00:09:12.580 She'll listen to it. 00:09:12.580 --> 00:09:13.580 Okay. 00:09:13.580 --> 00:09:14.580 I'll listen to it. 00:09:14.580 --> 00:09:15.580 Whatever. 00:09:15.580 --> 00:09:18.200 I'll say it anyway, because I think this topic is so simple. 00:09:18.200 --> 00:09:20.520 It's so simple, but we're so complicated. 00:09:20.520 --> 00:09:21.879 We do need God's grace. 00:09:21.879 --> 00:09:22.879 It's by revelation. 00:09:22.879 --> 00:09:26.340 The simplest truths in the Bible, they're there. 00:09:26.340 --> 00:09:27.920 A child can understand it. 00:09:27.920 --> 00:09:33.420 The problem is the darkening of our mind, the blindness of our heart. 00:09:33.420 --> 00:09:37.580 We need God to open our eyes to help us understand it. 00:09:37.580 --> 00:09:39.920 So, that's my prayer today is that we can do that. 00:09:39.919 --> 00:09:42.799 Okay, real quick, I just want to talk about what grace is. 00:09:43.360 --> 00:09:46.039 And just to be clear, I mean, grace is a huge topic. 00:09:46.479 --> 00:09:48.559 There's a lot more to grace than what I'm going to talk about today. 00:09:48.979 --> 00:09:56.459 I'm speaking of grace in the sense as how it applies to getting free from ongoing sin. 00:09:57.539 --> 00:09:57.939 Sanctification. 00:09:58.159 --> 00:10:00.519 Grace as pertains to sanctification. 00:10:00.819 --> 00:10:04.019 That's really what I'm speaking of when I'm talking about grace through Jesus, but there's 00:10:04.019 --> 00:10:05.079 a lot more to grace than that. 00:10:05.080 --> 00:10:11.680 So, just, if I say something that sounds overly simplistic, it's because I'm talking about 00:10:11.680 --> 00:10:12.620 that kind of grace. 00:10:13.400 --> 00:10:15.620 So, what is that kind of grace? 00:10:16.360 --> 00:10:21.820 First of all, grace of God, the grace of God is doing the grace, okay. 00:10:23.840 --> 00:10:30.240 Grace is God doing something for us that we cannot do for ourselves. 00:10:30.240 --> 00:10:31.240 Okay? 00:10:31.240 --> 00:10:37.879 Grace is God doing something for us that we can't do for ourselves. 00:10:38.840 --> 00:10:45.519 2 Corinthians 12, verse 9, Paul says of something Jesus told him. 00:10:46.519 --> 00:10:46.899 He says, 00:10:46.899 --> 00:11:00.860 This is descriptive. 00:11:01.139 --> 00:11:03.980 This is a description of an experience of what grace is like. 00:11:04.840 --> 00:11:06.840 I can't do anything about this problem. 00:11:08.439 --> 00:11:09.120 I can't. 00:11:09.439 --> 00:11:10.840 I prayed that it would go away. 00:11:10.899 --> 00:11:11.399 That was context. 00:11:11.539 --> 00:11:15.319 He's praying that God would take away this thorn in his flesh, this messenger of Satan. 00:11:15.320 --> 00:11:18.100 And God says, Jesus says, 00:11:18.980 --> 00:11:25.820 My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in your weakness. 00:11:26.560 --> 00:11:30.680 It's good that you can't do anything about it, because you couldn't in the first place. 00:11:30.780 --> 00:11:31.879 You just maybe thought you could. 00:11:33.660 --> 00:11:34.680 But you can't. 00:11:35.860 --> 00:11:36.020 Okay? 00:11:36.420 --> 00:11:39.440 God doing something for us that we can't do for ourselves. 00:11:39.440 --> 00:11:42.500 So, I thought of this analogy. 00:11:44.780 --> 00:11:46.540 Can anyone lift up a mountain? 00:11:47.720 --> 00:11:48.600 Maybe Brady can. 00:11:49.000 --> 00:11:50.080 Brady, can you lift up a mountain? 00:11:51.440 --> 00:11:53.360 He can deadlift a lot, by the way. 00:11:55.600 --> 00:11:56.820 Can anybody lift a mountain, though? 00:11:56.940 --> 00:12:01.320 Like, the strongest person in the room, can anyone actually physically take a mountain and lift it up? 00:12:02.600 --> 00:12:02.940 No. 00:12:02.940 --> 00:12:03.300 No. 00:12:05.160 --> 00:12:06.820 Can anyone lift 200 pounds? 00:12:09.200 --> 00:12:11.140 Maybe there's some people in this room who can lift 200 pounds. 00:12:11.960 --> 00:12:13.080 Anybody lift 50 pounds? 00:12:14.060 --> 00:12:14.340 Okay. 00:12:15.240 --> 00:12:15.580 All right. 00:12:17.100 --> 00:12:19.360 So, what if your sin's 50 pounds? 00:12:20.660 --> 00:12:21.660 Essentially, you don't like that. 00:12:21.660 --> 00:12:27.220 Your slave to sin means the weight's on the floor, and then you're victorious over sin when you can lift it up. 00:12:27.880 --> 00:12:31.480 If your sin's 50 pounds, maybe we'll try to do it ourselves. 00:12:31.480 --> 00:12:34.460 Your sin's 200 pounds. 00:12:35.600 --> 00:12:37.779 Maybe some of us will be like, I don't know. 00:12:38.480 --> 00:12:39.960 That seems really hard. 00:12:40.920 --> 00:12:42.560 But you wouldn't say it's impossible. 00:12:42.860 --> 00:12:43.600 You'd say it's hard. 00:12:44.920 --> 00:12:47.580 But what if your sin is a mountain? 00:12:48.779 --> 00:12:53.300 And the law says, if you don't lift that up, you're going to hell. 00:12:55.519 --> 00:12:57.460 And it's your responsibility to do it. 00:12:59.019 --> 00:13:00.440 You put the mountain there. 00:13:01.440 --> 00:13:02.280 You take care. 00:13:04.420 --> 00:13:06.240 Well, I think we would all despair. 00:13:07.540 --> 00:13:08.620 Well, that's what it is. 00:13:09.780 --> 00:13:10.000 Okay? 00:13:10.900 --> 00:13:16.600 The weight, the debt I owed God, the sins I've committed in my past, that was a mountain I couldn't remove it. 00:13:16.600 --> 00:13:19.320 It took Jesus coming and dying on the cross for my sins to remove that mountain. 00:13:19.320 --> 00:13:29.800 The presence of sin in my life today, whether I acknowledge it or I've come to terms with it or not, is a mountain. 00:13:30.920 --> 00:13:33.160 And I can do this much to take it out. 00:13:33.879 --> 00:13:35.180 Paul came to a revelation of this. 00:13:35.179 --> 00:13:40.579 I think Romans 7 is one of those passages that I think have been, it's confused a lot of people. 00:13:40.580 --> 00:13:45.120 There's a lot to be said about that, that whole passage. 00:13:45.120 --> 00:13:47.840 But Paul says something in that passage that's very profound. 00:13:47.840 --> 00:13:57.560 He says, I know that in me, that is, in my flesh, dwells no good thing. 00:13:57.559 --> 00:14:03.839 For I know what I ought to do, but I have no power to do it. 00:14:04.339 --> 00:14:04.779 None. 00:14:05.379 --> 00:14:06.199 I have no power. 00:14:07.219 --> 00:14:08.719 As a Christian, he said this. 00:14:08.720 --> 00:14:20.360 What Paul had was a revelation of the total depravity of his flesh, the indwelling sin, the power of indwelling sin as a born-again believer. 00:14:20.920 --> 00:14:26.680 And he came to terms with it, and he looked at it and said, wow, I have no power to remove this from my life. 00:14:27.960 --> 00:14:33.820 And that's after knowing what God says about it and knowing what I ought to do and actually being excited about what I ought to do. 00:14:34.379 --> 00:14:36.980 He says, I rejoice in the law of God in the afternoon most people. 00:14:37.500 --> 00:14:38.519 I have no power to do it, though. 00:14:39.440 --> 00:14:39.920 No power. 00:14:42.060 --> 00:14:44.360 But grace does. 00:14:45.320 --> 00:14:46.600 Grace is the game changer. 00:14:47.220 --> 00:14:48.800 I'm jumping ahead a little bit here. 00:14:49.800 --> 00:14:56.019 But I think that is a good segue into my next point, is when we think about what is grace, grace is miraculous. 00:14:57.180 --> 00:14:58.860 Grace is not self-help. 00:14:58.980 --> 00:15:00.139 It's not incremental improvements. 00:15:00.139 --> 00:15:08.279 It's not a slow evolution of, you know, understanding the root cause of your sin and fixing your mom and your parents. 00:15:08.519 --> 00:15:10.539 You know, your, I don't know, your issues with your dad. 00:15:10.899 --> 00:15:12.720 You know, my dad's here. 00:15:12.720 --> 00:15:18.580 I mean, if we had to do all that, we'd never get free of sin. 00:15:18.580 --> 00:15:31.060 If all of my present bondage to sin is just because, you know, I had daddy issues, then, I mean, like, that sounds really, like, tantalizing. 00:15:31.059 --> 00:15:39.859 You know, yeah, if I figure out all my issues with my dad and all the things, you know, that he didn't do right and stuff, then maybe I'll figure out, you know, why I'm motivated the way I'm motivated. 00:15:39.860 --> 00:15:43.259 And I'll finally discover why it is I keep doing bad things. 00:15:44.820 --> 00:15:47.220 Because way down deep, I really think it's somebody else's fault. 00:15:47.360 --> 00:15:49.580 That's all you're saying is I think that's someone else's fault. 00:15:49.879 --> 00:15:51.100 I don't really think this is my fault. 00:15:51.240 --> 00:15:52.460 I'm not that bad of a person. 00:15:53.919 --> 00:15:59.320 Someone had to do something messed up to me for me to be behaving as evil as I am right now. 00:16:01.000 --> 00:16:03.360 Because I think I'm basically kind of a good person. 00:16:03.360 --> 00:16:09.840 What that indicates is we don't really believe that we're as bad as the Bible says it would. 00:16:10.820 --> 00:16:14.580 And therefore, the solutions we jump to are not grace. 00:16:14.960 --> 00:16:16.120 I'm not looking for a miracle. 00:16:17.060 --> 00:16:18.980 Grace is a miracle. 00:16:20.480 --> 00:16:22.539 So Ephesians 2, verse 4 through 5 says, 00:16:22.539 --> 00:16:36.360 This applies to full salvation. 00:16:36.519 --> 00:16:37.459 Past, present, future. 00:16:37.639 --> 00:16:37.759 Okay. 00:16:38.659 --> 00:16:39.579 So it applies to this. 00:16:41.319 --> 00:16:42.079 If you're in sin, 00:16:43.659 --> 00:16:45.519 ongoing, habitual, unrepentant sin, 00:16:46.279 --> 00:16:47.879 you know, the kind of stuff you're embarrassed to talk about. 00:16:48.099 --> 00:16:48.240 Okay. 00:16:48.339 --> 00:16:48.939 That kind of stuff. 00:16:48.940 --> 00:16:52.320 You're dead in your trespasses. 00:16:52.460 --> 00:16:53.140 You're ensnared. 00:16:54.400 --> 00:16:55.440 But what did God do? 00:16:56.300 --> 00:16:57.100 Made you alive. 00:16:57.920 --> 00:16:58.640 That's a miracle. 00:16:59.260 --> 00:17:01.940 Taking a dead person and turning them into a live person. 00:17:02.380 --> 00:17:03.580 Only God can do that. 00:17:04.580 --> 00:17:07.779 Like no amount of counseling is going to get you, 00:17:07.920 --> 00:17:09.759 get a dead person to become a live person. 00:17:10.759 --> 00:17:11.160 Okay. 00:17:11.519 --> 00:17:12.140 What happened? 00:17:12.759 --> 00:17:13.400 Is counseling good? 00:17:13.559 --> 00:17:14.380 Yes, of course it's good. 00:17:15.600 --> 00:17:17.320 But it has its limits. 00:17:17.319 --> 00:17:22.299 You can't counsel a dead person into a place of salvific victory. 00:17:22.939 --> 00:17:23.539 You can't do it. 00:17:23.980 --> 00:17:24.679 It's miraculous. 00:17:25.720 --> 00:17:26.859 And this is the narrative. 00:17:27.059 --> 00:17:28.579 Like think about Jesus and his ministry. 00:17:29.179 --> 00:17:31.480 Like what's the most prominent thing you think about 00:17:31.480 --> 00:17:34.099 when you think of Jesus on earth as a man? 00:17:35.460 --> 00:17:35.859 Miracles. 00:17:36.859 --> 00:17:38.639 That's the most prominent thing I think about. 00:17:39.379 --> 00:17:42.599 He went around doing miracles all over the place. 00:17:42.939 --> 00:17:44.480 People bring in an impossible problem. 00:17:44.799 --> 00:17:45.220 What's he do? 00:17:46.099 --> 00:17:46.379 Boom. 00:17:46.380 --> 00:17:46.820 Miracle. 00:17:47.740 --> 00:17:48.580 Blind people. 00:17:49.240 --> 00:17:50.020 I can't see. 00:17:51.960 --> 00:17:52.600 All right. 00:17:52.760 --> 00:17:53.800 You can see now. 00:17:54.860 --> 00:17:57.340 A woman who's been bleeding her whole life or whatever. 00:17:58.400 --> 00:18:00.300 Spending her whole life savings on doctors. 00:18:00.560 --> 00:18:01.540 None of them can do anything. 00:18:02.520 --> 00:18:03.720 Touches Jesus' cloak. 00:18:04.560 --> 00:18:04.820 Healed. 00:18:05.880 --> 00:18:07.960 Jesus was in the business of doing miracles. 00:18:08.480 --> 00:18:11.620 Well, there's a spiritual principle being communicated here. 00:18:11.619 --> 00:18:16.259 Jesus has authority to change reality. 00:18:16.259 --> 00:18:20.979 To change what you've experienced till now into something different. 00:18:21.699 --> 00:18:22.559 It's grace. 00:18:23.079 --> 00:18:23.899 That's grace. 00:18:24.579 --> 00:18:27.759 Grace is God doing something for me that I can't do myself. 00:18:27.759 --> 00:18:35.059 And he said, be it unto you according to your faith. 00:18:35.140 --> 00:18:35.900 Over and over again. 00:18:36.259 --> 00:18:37.000 He says this. 00:18:38.619 --> 00:18:39.059 Okay. 00:18:39.400 --> 00:18:40.460 Your faith has healed you. 00:18:40.460 --> 00:18:42.279 What do you mean your faith healed me? 00:18:42.279 --> 00:18:43.720 Jesus, you healed me. 00:18:44.960 --> 00:18:46.220 Well, they had to believe, though. 00:18:46.620 --> 00:18:47.140 That he would. 00:18:47.600 --> 00:18:48.380 That he wanted to. 00:18:49.539 --> 00:18:50.340 And then he wouldn't. 00:18:51.380 --> 00:18:52.460 Some people doubted. 00:18:52.640 --> 00:18:53.240 They wouldn't believe. 00:18:53.819 --> 00:18:55.059 And they would go on their way. 00:18:55.140 --> 00:18:56.079 They wouldn't experience that. 00:18:56.079 --> 00:19:00.639 This is what Paul's talking about earlier in Galatians here. 00:19:00.699 --> 00:19:02.539 He's talking about the life I live in the flesh. 00:19:02.619 --> 00:19:04.699 I live by faith in the Son of God. 00:19:05.139 --> 00:19:09.299 He trusts Jesus to do something for him that he can't do himself. 00:19:10.220 --> 00:19:12.539 So when the Spirit convicts him of sin, when he discovers, 00:19:13.279 --> 00:19:16.679 after seeking to be justified by faith, 00:19:17.480 --> 00:19:18.720 that he's still a sinner. 00:19:19.099 --> 00:19:19.699 You know what he does? 00:19:21.059 --> 00:19:21.980 I need you, Jesus. 00:19:22.980 --> 00:19:24.099 I have no hope. 00:19:24.099 --> 00:19:27.879 There's no other doctor in this world who can deal with a problem. 00:19:28.039 --> 00:19:28.659 It's a mountain. 00:19:29.359 --> 00:19:30.740 Your law says move the mountain. 00:19:31.839 --> 00:19:33.240 But I know I can't do it. 00:19:33.719 --> 00:19:34.879 I need you to do a miracle. 00:19:35.099 --> 00:19:35.619 That's grace. 00:19:36.399 --> 00:19:37.299 Grace is miraculous. 00:19:40.179 --> 00:19:41.419 Third point on grace. 00:19:41.579 --> 00:19:43.159 Grace comes through Jesus Christ. 00:19:43.759 --> 00:19:44.539 I read this verse. 00:19:44.619 --> 00:19:45.199 I'm going to read it again. 00:19:45.299 --> 00:19:47.219 John 1, verse 16 through 17. 00:19:47.859 --> 00:19:50.819 From his fullness we have all received grace upon grace. 00:19:51.199 --> 00:19:52.659 For the law was given through Moses. 00:19:52.660 --> 00:19:57.080 Grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. 00:19:57.300 --> 00:20:01.860 Jesus Christ is the means of receiving God's grace. 00:20:02.500 --> 00:20:04.300 You know, we talk about the means of grace. 00:20:04.440 --> 00:20:07.220 You know, studying your Bible, praying, going to church, and all these things. 00:20:07.340 --> 00:20:07.540 Okay. 00:20:07.539 --> 00:20:12.960 There's a way of thinking, I'm going to get grace if I just do enough of those things. 00:20:14.279 --> 00:20:23.519 Well, like those are secondary to this one preeminent means, which is through Jesus Christ. 00:20:23.519 --> 00:20:35.299 If I'm not coming to Jesus Christ as the means of grace, God's capital M means of grace, all that other stuff, it's wood, hay, and straw. 00:20:36.039 --> 00:20:37.019 It's not going to matter. 00:20:37.700 --> 00:20:37.879 Okay. 00:20:38.400 --> 00:20:39.359 I have to come through Jesus. 00:20:39.359 --> 00:20:42.859 Romans 5, verse 1 through 2. 00:20:43.159 --> 00:20:46.879 Josh shared this verse last time when he was teaching on the gospel. 00:20:46.880 --> 00:20:52.740 Therefore, since we've been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. 00:20:53.140 --> 00:21:00.500 And through him we have also obtained access by faith into this grace in which we stand and we rejoice in the hope of the glory of God. 00:21:00.860 --> 00:21:02.200 So, we were justified by faith. 00:21:02.840 --> 00:21:04.080 And then there's something else. 00:21:05.020 --> 00:21:05.480 Also. 00:21:06.220 --> 00:21:11.840 We've also, through him, obtained access by faith into grace. 00:21:11.839 --> 00:21:12.319 Grace. 00:21:12.480 --> 00:21:13.619 How do we stand? 00:21:14.059 --> 00:21:14.519 Grace. 00:21:15.139 --> 00:21:17.779 How do these mountains get pulled out of our life? 00:21:18.480 --> 00:21:19.539 Miraculous grace. 00:21:19.859 --> 00:21:21.179 How do I get this grace? 00:21:21.839 --> 00:21:24.220 Through a person. 00:21:24.439 --> 00:21:25.179 One man. 00:21:25.500 --> 00:21:26.220 Jesus Christ. 00:21:26.740 --> 00:21:33.480 The same way I'm justified, through Jesus Christ, is also how I'm sanctified. 00:21:33.839 --> 00:21:34.699 Through Jesus Christ. 00:21:35.639 --> 00:21:37.559 So, grace comes through Jesus Christ. 00:21:38.559 --> 00:21:40.079 Alright, so what's grace do? 00:21:40.079 --> 00:21:42.539 Grace sets us free from the power of sin. 00:21:43.299 --> 00:21:44.899 Get this from a lot of verses. 00:21:45.639 --> 00:21:47.859 You can think of grace being God's unmerited favor. 00:21:48.419 --> 00:21:49.720 But it's also God's help. 00:21:50.319 --> 00:21:53.899 It's God's power to overcome sin. 00:21:54.460 --> 00:21:55.720 Romans 6.14 says, 00:21:55.720 --> 00:22:02.399 For sin will not have dominion over you, since you are not under law, but under grace. 00:22:02.879 --> 00:22:04.079 Notice that's not a commandment. 00:22:04.699 --> 00:22:05.779 That's a statement. 00:22:05.899 --> 00:22:06.819 That's just a promise. 00:22:06.819 --> 00:22:10.799 Sin won't be your master. 00:22:12.379 --> 00:22:15.659 For you are not under the law, but under grace. 00:22:15.660 --> 00:22:20.500 Titus 2, verses 11-12 says, 00:22:20.500 --> 00:22:30.819 For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation to all men, instructing us to deny ungodliness and worldly desires, and to live sensibly, righteously, ungodly, in the present age. 00:22:30.859 --> 00:22:32.519 Another version says self-controlled. 00:22:32.960 --> 00:22:33.119 Okay? 00:22:33.359 --> 00:22:34.160 So what's grace do? 00:22:34.460 --> 00:22:36.740 It teaches us to say no to sin. 00:22:36.839 --> 00:22:38.579 It teaches us to deny ungodliness. 00:22:38.579 --> 00:22:39.579 Grace. 00:22:39.579 --> 00:22:42.259 And it's grace that's doing it. 00:22:43.099 --> 00:22:47.220 Grace gives us power where we had none before. 00:22:48.099 --> 00:22:50.339 Grace is enlivening. 00:22:50.419 --> 00:22:58.339 It gives life to our mortal bodies so that we can say, man, that mountain that ruled me my whole life. 00:22:58.339 --> 00:23:04.240 Through God's grace, I have a miraculous change. 00:23:04.379 --> 00:23:10.299 There's something that happened that I'm now able to say no to something that I was never able to say no to before. 00:23:11.619 --> 00:23:13.879 And I don't need an accountability partner to do it. 00:23:14.699 --> 00:23:16.099 It's something different. 00:23:16.599 --> 00:23:17.279 It's a miracle. 00:23:18.339 --> 00:23:18.959 It's a miracle. 00:23:19.799 --> 00:23:20.659 Who did this? 00:23:21.459 --> 00:23:21.939 Jesus. 00:23:21.939 --> 00:23:22.099 Jesus. 00:23:22.099 --> 00:23:28.480 And this is what Jesus came to do. 00:23:29.179 --> 00:23:29.259 Okay? 00:23:30.099 --> 00:23:33.339 Matthew 121 says, this is about Mary. 00:23:35.059 --> 00:23:43.759 She will bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins. 00:23:45.279 --> 00:23:46.399 This is in his name. 00:23:47.359 --> 00:23:48.259 This is why he came. 00:23:48.259 --> 00:23:53.660 He, personally, will save his people from their sins. 00:23:55.599 --> 00:23:56.539 Jesus will do it. 00:23:58.339 --> 00:24:00.099 Grace through faith. 00:24:01.420 --> 00:24:02.640 But it's Jesus. 00:24:03.859 --> 00:24:04.019 Okay? 00:24:06.200 --> 00:24:07.259 He's the man for the job. 00:24:07.539 --> 00:24:07.740 Okay? 00:24:07.900 --> 00:24:09.400 We are not the man for the job. 00:24:09.799 --> 00:24:11.000 Jesus is the man for the job. 00:24:11.359 --> 00:24:12.579 The question is, do you believe it? 00:24:13.440 --> 00:24:14.379 And will you come to him? 00:24:14.380 --> 00:24:14.820 Okay. 00:24:16.200 --> 00:24:18.480 John 8, 34 through 36. 00:24:19.260 --> 00:24:20.420 Jesus answered the Jews. 00:24:20.500 --> 00:24:22.700 And by the way, it says these are Jews who believed in him. 00:24:22.920 --> 00:24:23.140 Okay? 00:24:24.100 --> 00:24:25.920 So I think we can all relate with that in this room. 00:24:26.000 --> 00:24:28.000 We all profess faith in Jesus Christ. 00:24:29.420 --> 00:24:33.820 He says, truly, truly, I say to you, everyone who practices sin is a slave to sin. 00:24:34.740 --> 00:24:35.720 Is that true in your life? 00:24:37.540 --> 00:24:37.860 Okay? 00:24:37.860 --> 00:24:37.920 Okay. 00:24:38.920 --> 00:24:40.180 Do you practice sin? 00:24:41.220 --> 00:24:42.960 Well, then you just need to admit the truth. 00:24:43.040 --> 00:24:43.420 You're a slave. 00:24:43.420 --> 00:24:46.960 And the slave does not remain in the house forever. 00:24:47.740 --> 00:24:49.220 But the son remains forever. 00:24:49.980 --> 00:24:53.779 So, if the son sets you free, you will be free indeed. 00:24:55.360 --> 00:24:55.759 See? 00:24:55.860 --> 00:24:57.160 That's the only escape for a slave. 00:24:58.000 --> 00:25:02.300 Is if someone who will never, ever, ever leave the house because he's a son, 00:25:03.560 --> 00:25:05.580 has mercy on you and sets you free. 00:25:06.640 --> 00:25:07.539 Then you'll be free. 00:25:07.920 --> 00:25:11.000 He says, whom the son sets free will be free indeed. 00:25:11.000 --> 00:25:12.500 It's not a fake kind of free. 00:25:12.700 --> 00:25:14.880 It's the kind of free that is transformative. 00:25:15.039 --> 00:25:16.460 It's like, wow, what happened to that guy? 00:25:18.019 --> 00:25:19.279 He was always like that. 00:25:19.339 --> 00:25:20.299 He's constantly looking at porn. 00:25:20.440 --> 00:25:21.380 You know, everyone talked to him. 00:25:21.859 --> 00:25:22.059 You know? 00:25:23.680 --> 00:25:24.079 Counseling. 00:25:24.319 --> 00:25:24.920 Church discipline. 00:25:25.059 --> 00:25:25.519 Blah, blah, blah, blah. 00:25:25.519 --> 00:25:28.420 And he just changed. 00:25:31.319 --> 00:25:33.480 The other woman, she's just wrapped with anxiety. 00:25:33.619 --> 00:25:42.059 Her whole life is just one constant goo of therapy and just emotional spiraling. 00:25:42.059 --> 00:25:47.960 Everybody talked to her and she'd get encouraged for a little bit and then it just goes down 00:25:47.960 --> 00:25:48.639 the tubes again. 00:25:49.679 --> 00:25:50.879 But she changed. 00:25:52.480 --> 00:25:53.119 God's grace. 00:25:53.279 --> 00:25:55.240 Whom the son sets free will be free indeed. 00:25:56.119 --> 00:25:56.799 Be free indeed. 00:25:57.899 --> 00:25:58.960 So, grace is a miracle. 00:25:59.619 --> 00:26:00.960 Grace sets us free from sin. 00:26:02.119 --> 00:26:04.899 And it's what Jesus, and Jesus is the means of grace. 00:26:05.000 --> 00:26:05.779 It's what he came to do. 00:26:05.839 --> 00:26:08.179 He says he came to set his people free from sin. 00:26:08.180 --> 00:26:11.279 To save them from sin, and whom the son sets free is free indeed. 00:26:11.880 --> 00:26:12.640 Do we believe it? 00:26:13.220 --> 00:26:17.140 Do we believe that the sin in our life, first of all, you can't do anything about it. 00:26:19.060 --> 00:26:20.400 But there's a man who is. 00:26:21.240 --> 00:26:22.840 Who's the man for the job. 00:26:24.039 --> 00:26:29.580 And that just like when he was on earth, and people would bring him impossible problems, 00:26:29.759 --> 00:26:32.360 and he never, ever, ever didn't have a solution. 00:26:33.120 --> 00:26:33.940 He's the same today. 00:26:34.080 --> 00:26:35.820 The Bible says Jesus Christ is the same. 00:26:36.120 --> 00:26:37.259 Yesterday and today and forever. 00:26:37.259 --> 00:26:38.480 He hasn't changed. 00:26:39.379 --> 00:26:40.599 He can do anything. 00:26:41.680 --> 00:26:44.140 Jesus says all things are possible for those who believe. 00:26:45.299 --> 00:26:49.059 So, do you have the same Jesus that is Jesus? 00:26:49.619 --> 00:26:49.819 Okay. 00:26:49.940 --> 00:26:51.740 Is your Jesus the Jesus of the Bible? 00:26:52.759 --> 00:27:02.420 Or is it some distant therapist in the sky who put his, you know, sin resolution mystery code in the Bible? 00:27:02.519 --> 00:27:05.559 And if you have the smarts to figure it out, maybe you'll figure out how to get free. 00:27:06.200 --> 00:27:06.420 No. 00:27:06.420 --> 00:27:06.539 No. 00:27:07.539 --> 00:27:07.820 No. 00:27:09.220 --> 00:27:10.400 Just, are you coming to Jesus? 00:27:11.380 --> 00:27:11.560 Okay. 00:27:12.600 --> 00:27:15.800 So, what are obstacles to an experience of this grace? 00:27:17.100 --> 00:27:19.480 Number one is human effort and self-righteousness. 00:27:19.640 --> 00:27:20.700 This is the number one obstacle. 00:27:20.700 --> 00:27:24.779 Galatians 5, verse 4 says, you are severed from Christ. 00:27:25.279 --> 00:27:28.700 You who would be justified by the law, you have fallen away from grace. 00:27:29.200 --> 00:27:30.259 That's very sobering. 00:27:30.620 --> 00:27:30.819 Okay. 00:27:30.920 --> 00:27:32.120 This is a very sobering warning. 00:27:32.119 --> 00:27:36.179 Jesus didn't come for people who aren't sinners. 00:27:36.180 --> 00:27:39.299 There's only one category of people that Jesus came for, sinners. 00:27:40.799 --> 00:27:41.980 Are you one? 00:27:41.980 --> 00:27:45.000 Or are you okay? 00:27:45.000 --> 00:27:45.099 Okay. 00:27:45.099 --> 00:27:50.179 If you're okay, none of this that I'm talking about applies to you. 00:27:50.180 --> 00:27:51.940 You know what applies to you? 00:27:51.940 --> 00:27:54.660 The full weight of the wrath of God. 00:27:55.059 --> 00:27:56.360 That's what applies to you. 00:27:56.720 --> 00:27:58.000 You're under the law. 00:27:58.500 --> 00:27:59.920 You're not under grace. 00:28:00.220 --> 00:28:02.580 There's no mercy under that system. 00:28:02.579 --> 00:28:11.240 And if you don't feel that you are needy, you're in need of someone to save you from the power of sin, 00:28:12.359 --> 00:28:17.859 then you're relying on your own effort, your own self-righteousness. 00:28:18.059 --> 00:28:22.279 And even after coming to a head knowledge of these truths, like I acknowledge that I'm a sinner. 00:28:23.139 --> 00:28:24.500 And I see sin in my life. 00:28:26.460 --> 00:28:32.119 There's a way of aborting the grace of God by just being active in ministry. 00:28:32.980 --> 00:28:38.139 Reading your Bible, going to church, sharing the gospel, giving, counseling, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah. 00:28:39.220 --> 00:28:44.279 When back here, in the back of your mind, in the secret places of your life, 00:28:44.899 --> 00:28:47.240 the Holy Spirit's knocking on the door and saying, something ain't right. 00:28:48.619 --> 00:28:49.539 Something ain't right. 00:28:50.919 --> 00:28:51.619 Knocking on the door. 00:28:51.720 --> 00:28:52.619 Are you going to let me in? 00:28:53.559 --> 00:28:54.439 You're a hypocrite. 00:28:55.659 --> 00:28:58.599 You're running away from the Holy Spirit. 00:28:58.599 --> 00:29:03.019 And you're protecting yourself, self-righteousness. 00:29:03.759 --> 00:29:05.919 When you feel bad about your sin, you know what you do? 00:29:05.980 --> 00:29:10.839 You don't come to Jesus and say, Lord, I need salvation from this. 00:29:11.879 --> 00:29:14.019 You say, well, you know, I'm doing all this stuff. 00:29:15.459 --> 00:29:16.119 And you feel good. 00:29:16.119 --> 00:29:18.979 And then moment passes and you move on. 00:29:20.500 --> 00:29:21.379 It's an obstacle. 00:29:22.099 --> 00:29:29.099 You don't make, you haven't put it maybe in these theological terms, but that is the experience of being justified by the law. 00:29:30.099 --> 00:29:30.359 Okay. 00:29:32.279 --> 00:29:35.539 And it says, there's no grace for that. 00:29:36.480 --> 00:29:38.579 Number two, obstacle to grace, pride. 00:29:38.719 --> 00:29:41.839 James 4, verses 6 through 7 says, but he gives more grace. 00:29:42.399 --> 00:29:46.139 Therefore, it says, God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble. 00:29:47.319 --> 00:29:48.879 Submit yourselves, therefore, to God. 00:29:49.599 --> 00:29:51.859 Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. 00:29:52.939 --> 00:29:54.959 Again, this message, this is for humble people. 00:29:55.699 --> 00:29:57.039 If you're proud, this is not for you. 00:29:57.039 --> 00:29:58.639 God's opposing you, and there's no grace for you. 00:29:59.299 --> 00:30:00.599 The law is for the proud. 00:30:01.059 --> 00:30:02.079 Grace is for the humble. 00:30:03.019 --> 00:30:07.619 Our pride puts us in a situation where God is actively opposing us. 00:30:08.519 --> 00:30:09.740 Have mercy on me, God. 00:30:10.480 --> 00:30:11.099 Bless me. 00:30:12.460 --> 00:30:12.779 No. 00:30:13.519 --> 00:30:14.480 I'm not going to bless you. 00:30:15.480 --> 00:30:16.659 I'm not going to bless you. 00:30:17.720 --> 00:30:18.460 You're proud. 00:30:18.539 --> 00:30:19.399 I'm going to oppose you. 00:30:20.200 --> 00:30:22.079 I'm going to let your life get worse. 00:30:23.500 --> 00:30:27.019 Because you haven't humbled yourself under the mighty hand of God. 00:30:28.000 --> 00:30:28.399 Okay? 00:30:30.159 --> 00:30:32.839 All of these promises, all of these gifts, they're for humble people. 00:30:33.159 --> 00:30:34.119 They're for people who are broken. 00:30:34.599 --> 00:30:39.240 For people who aren't worried about everyone else's sin, but they're like, I, I have a problem. 00:30:39.700 --> 00:30:40.740 And I need Jesus. 00:30:40.859 --> 00:30:42.920 I need someone to do a miracle in my life. 00:30:43.619 --> 00:30:45.259 And I don't care about anybody else. 00:30:45.579 --> 00:30:46.680 I have a problem. 00:30:47.599 --> 00:30:48.680 And I need Jesus. 00:30:48.839 --> 00:30:50.859 And if he doesn't save me, I don't know what I'm going to do. 00:30:51.420 --> 00:30:52.299 That's a humble person. 00:30:53.299 --> 00:30:55.119 A proud person is, yeah, of course I have a problem. 00:30:55.119 --> 00:30:56.639 I mean, objectively, the Bible says they're sinners. 00:30:58.639 --> 00:30:59.379 But I'm pretty good. 00:30:59.799 --> 00:31:00.019 You know? 00:31:00.079 --> 00:31:00.679 I'm doing okay. 00:31:01.279 --> 00:31:03.619 You know, my quiet time, I got regular quiet time to confess my sins. 00:31:03.679 --> 00:31:04.379 Yeah, I confess it all. 00:31:04.459 --> 00:31:04.659 I'm good. 00:31:04.759 --> 00:31:04.939 You know? 00:31:05.299 --> 00:31:06.659 Yeah, I'm working on it. 00:31:07.299 --> 00:31:09.479 But that person, oh my goodness. 00:31:09.480 --> 00:31:10.900 You know? 00:31:13.259 --> 00:31:13.819 You're proud. 00:31:13.900 --> 00:31:14.680 You're a proud person. 00:31:15.039 --> 00:31:16.339 You are this kind of person. 00:31:16.420 --> 00:31:17.319 This is what's happening to you. 00:31:17.339 --> 00:31:21.599 You might not know it, but this is your, this is what your actual position is with God right now. 00:31:21.660 --> 00:31:22.319 He's opposing you. 00:31:23.759 --> 00:31:29.599 Because you're not agreeing with what God's perspective of you is. 00:31:29.599 --> 00:31:32.879 Anyway, number three. 00:31:33.279 --> 00:31:37.059 Obstacles to grace is trust in human wisdom, philosophy, and self-help. 00:31:37.519 --> 00:31:40.459 Colossians 2, verses 8 through 23. 00:31:40.639 --> 00:31:43.719 I'm just going to catch a few of the high points in this passage. 00:31:43.839 --> 00:31:44.759 It's kind of a longer passage. 00:31:44.859 --> 00:31:45.619 I won't read the whole thing. 00:31:45.619 --> 00:32:15.599 But he says, 00:32:15.619 --> 00:32:18.039 10-step self-improvement plans. 00:32:19.159 --> 00:32:21.599 I was in a Christian version of Alcoholics Anonymous. 00:32:22.219 --> 00:32:24.339 My dad made me go to it in order to live in his house. 00:32:24.559 --> 00:32:25.159 He's very good. 00:32:27.239 --> 00:32:28.339 But it's like this. 00:32:29.319 --> 00:32:30.139 Basically like this. 00:32:31.539 --> 00:32:38.079 12 basic principles for how to overcome the power of addiction. 00:32:39.439 --> 00:32:42.899 But you know what it says at the end of those two 12-step programs? 00:32:42.900 --> 00:32:45.720 This is who you are. 00:32:45.900 --> 00:32:46.600 This is your identity. 00:32:47.740 --> 00:32:49.100 This addiction is your identity. 00:32:49.100 --> 00:32:50.180 And you're never going to change. 00:32:50.600 --> 00:32:50.759 Ever. 00:32:50.960 --> 00:32:53.160 The only thing you can do is avoid the temptation. 00:32:53.620 --> 00:32:55.180 And build up good virtuous habits. 00:32:55.519 --> 00:32:56.280 And have good accountability. 00:32:56.620 --> 00:32:57.660 So you don't fall back into it. 00:32:58.100 --> 00:32:58.820 But it's your identity. 00:32:58.819 --> 00:33:02.639 That is not the way the Bible speaks about sin. 00:33:04.139 --> 00:33:04.980 If any man is in Christ. 00:33:05.079 --> 00:33:06.839 He's a new creation. 00:33:07.619 --> 00:33:08.819 Old things have passed away. 00:33:08.899 --> 00:33:10.200 Behold all things have become new. 00:33:10.539 --> 00:33:12.819 Well there's hundreds of different systems like this. 00:33:12.980 --> 00:33:15.259 Offering counterfeit solutions. 00:33:15.259 --> 00:33:19.059 To overcoming the power of sin in our life. 00:33:20.059 --> 00:33:21.299 And there are all some versions of. 00:33:21.359 --> 00:33:22.240 Well it's not quite a mountain. 00:33:22.460 --> 00:33:22.819 It's you know. 00:33:23.400 --> 00:33:24.039 It's a heavy weight. 00:33:24.099 --> 00:33:24.980 You're going to have to work really hard. 00:33:25.200 --> 00:33:26.259 You're going to have to get a lot of therapy. 00:33:26.400 --> 00:33:27.299 You're going to have to follow these steps. 00:33:27.480 --> 00:33:29.099 And blah blah blah blah blah blah. 00:33:29.440 --> 00:33:32.619 But it's all based on one basic presupposition. 00:33:32.759 --> 00:33:34.259 Which is you can lift the weight. 00:33:36.299 --> 00:33:37.119 You can't. 00:33:37.480 --> 00:33:38.220 That's a lie. 00:33:38.220 --> 00:33:41.779 If it were by works. 00:33:41.880 --> 00:33:42.960 Grace would no longer be grace. 00:33:43.539 --> 00:33:44.360 It has to be a gift. 00:33:45.120 --> 00:33:45.319 Okay. 00:33:45.600 --> 00:33:45.900 But. 00:33:46.500 --> 00:33:47.900 These things are deceptive. 00:33:48.120 --> 00:33:49.360 Because there's something in us. 00:33:49.440 --> 00:33:50.500 That wants to avoid. 00:33:50.640 --> 00:33:51.839 Coming to terms of the truth. 00:33:52.539 --> 00:33:53.660 That I'm real bad. 00:33:54.279 --> 00:33:55.079 And this sin. 00:33:55.900 --> 00:33:56.660 Is proof. 00:33:57.759 --> 00:33:58.920 And I need a miracle. 00:33:59.380 --> 00:34:01.420 There's something in the pride and hardness of our heart. 00:34:01.460 --> 00:34:02.360 That wants to avoid all that. 00:34:02.900 --> 00:34:04.440 So we want to call it different things. 00:34:04.539 --> 00:34:04.980 We want to. 00:34:05.440 --> 00:34:05.640 You know. 00:34:05.680 --> 00:34:06.759 Just have whole categories. 00:34:06.920 --> 00:34:08.159 For different problems in our life. 00:34:08.659 --> 00:34:09.500 That aren't sin. 00:34:09.559 --> 00:34:09.879 When really. 00:34:09.959 --> 00:34:10.679 If we just read the Bible. 00:34:10.779 --> 00:34:11.219 It's just sin. 00:34:12.559 --> 00:34:14.199 And there's a really simple solution. 00:34:14.579 --> 00:34:15.819 Repentance and faith in Jesus. 00:34:16.359 --> 00:34:17.579 You receive the grace of God. 00:34:17.699 --> 00:34:18.359 And it's miraculous. 00:34:19.480 --> 00:34:21.219 But our pride doesn't like that. 00:34:21.919 --> 00:34:24.119 Our human reasoning thinks that's a little too simple. 00:34:24.259 --> 00:34:25.199 It's a little too simplistic. 00:34:25.759 --> 00:34:27.480 Don't you know how long I've struggled with this thing? 00:34:28.000 --> 00:34:29.079 Don't you know about all my like. 00:34:29.179 --> 00:34:29.359 You know. 00:34:29.419 --> 00:34:30.239 My daddy issues. 00:34:30.399 --> 00:34:30.899 And blah blah blah. 00:34:31.059 --> 00:34:32.359 That let into this. 00:34:32.599 --> 00:34:33.599 I keep bringing up daddy issues. 00:34:33.679 --> 00:34:34.859 It's just because I've heard it so much. 00:34:35.419 --> 00:34:35.919 And I've actually. 00:34:36.299 --> 00:34:36.559 You know. 00:34:36.559 --> 00:34:38.860 I've been tempted to blame my dad. 00:34:39.440 --> 00:34:40.539 For how I act. 00:34:42.079 --> 00:34:42.900 It's not true. 00:34:45.199 --> 00:34:45.920 It's not true. 00:34:47.179 --> 00:34:48.539 It's because I love sinning. 00:34:49.299 --> 00:34:50.159 You know what I'm going to boil down. 00:34:50.279 --> 00:34:50.860 Why do you sin? 00:34:51.119 --> 00:34:51.920 Because you love it. 00:34:53.299 --> 00:34:54.759 Because God said not to do it. 00:34:56.079 --> 00:34:57.579 You probably wouldn't even want to do it. 00:34:57.619 --> 00:34:58.460 God said not to do it. 00:34:58.940 --> 00:35:00.179 Didn't say not to do it. 00:35:00.179 --> 00:35:01.779 But you like it. 00:35:02.539 --> 00:35:03.219 First of all. 00:35:03.399 --> 00:35:04.460 Because you love wicked things. 00:35:04.559 --> 00:35:05.039 And second of all. 00:35:05.079 --> 00:35:06.239 Because God said not to do it. 00:35:06.319 --> 00:35:07.659 Which makes you want to do it even more. 00:35:09.239 --> 00:35:10.440 That's what the Bible says. 00:35:10.659 --> 00:35:11.819 Is your basic motivation. 00:35:14.239 --> 00:35:14.799 We need. 00:35:14.879 --> 00:35:15.739 We need something more. 00:35:15.819 --> 00:35:16.460 We need grace. 00:35:17.319 --> 00:35:18.159 We need grace. 00:35:19.779 --> 00:35:20.480 Number four. 00:35:20.480 --> 00:35:24.719 Number four. 00:35:25.039 --> 00:35:26.400 Obstacle to grace. 00:35:26.820 --> 00:35:28.320 You just don't believe Jesus can do it. 00:35:29.460 --> 00:35:29.940 Okay. 00:35:30.599 --> 00:35:31.940 You don't really believe he can do it. 00:35:34.579 --> 00:35:35.780 Mark 9.23. 00:35:35.780 --> 00:35:41.260 There's a story of a dad who brought his demon possessed son to Jesus. 00:35:41.260 --> 00:35:44.400 And he basically says. 00:35:44.700 --> 00:35:45.880 If you can help. 00:35:46.400 --> 00:35:46.580 You know. 00:35:48.400 --> 00:35:49.260 Will you help? 00:35:50.180 --> 00:35:51.040 And Jesus says. 00:35:51.340 --> 00:35:52.360 If you can. 00:35:53.240 --> 00:35:54.720 All things are possible. 00:35:55.140 --> 00:35:56.040 For one who believes. 00:35:56.960 --> 00:35:58.120 Remember the father's response. 00:35:58.580 --> 00:35:59.200 Lord I believe. 00:35:59.320 --> 00:36:00.260 Please help my unbelief. 00:36:00.860 --> 00:36:02.160 And he delivered that boy. 00:36:03.360 --> 00:36:06.340 I would never rebuke a guy coming up to me. 00:36:06.460 --> 00:36:07.760 With a demon possessed child. 00:36:07.760 --> 00:36:12.520 In the throes of the turmoil that's going on in a father's heart. 00:36:13.660 --> 00:36:14.340 Who says. 00:36:14.540 --> 00:36:15.120 If you can help. 00:36:15.220 --> 00:36:15.720 Will you do something. 00:36:15.880 --> 00:36:16.820 I would never rebuke him. 00:36:17.240 --> 00:36:17.640 Jesus. 00:36:18.000 --> 00:36:18.980 Harshly rebukes him. 00:36:19.820 --> 00:36:20.760 If you can. 00:36:21.800 --> 00:36:22.600 You know why? 00:36:24.780 --> 00:36:26.140 He had to believe Jesus. 00:36:28.120 --> 00:36:28.860 According to you. 00:36:29.480 --> 00:36:30.020 Be it unto you. 00:36:30.080 --> 00:36:30.740 According to your faith. 00:36:31.460 --> 00:36:31.860 So. 00:36:32.100 --> 00:36:33.920 This miracle grace. 00:36:34.100 --> 00:36:35.460 Is for people who believe. 00:36:36.100 --> 00:36:37.360 That Jesus can do it. 00:36:37.360 --> 00:36:38.039 And he wants to do it. 00:36:39.120 --> 00:36:39.400 Okay. 00:36:40.000 --> 00:36:40.559 That's who it's for. 00:36:42.960 --> 00:36:43.780 And for those. 00:36:44.360 --> 00:36:45.980 All of the people who came to Jesus. 00:36:46.599 --> 00:36:47.300 And believed. 00:36:47.920 --> 00:36:48.559 What happened. 00:36:49.559 --> 00:36:50.280 He did it for them. 00:36:51.340 --> 00:36:51.980 It's just amazing. 00:36:52.220 --> 00:36:52.840 He did it for them. 00:36:55.200 --> 00:36:56.039 Crazy problems. 00:36:56.480 --> 00:36:59.260 Problems that there is not a human solution for. 00:36:59.760 --> 00:37:01.420 That's why all the miracles are so crazy. 00:37:02.120 --> 00:37:03.820 There's no human solution for it. 00:37:04.680 --> 00:37:05.519 Even like this thing. 00:37:05.580 --> 00:37:06.160 Almost like. 00:37:07.840 --> 00:37:09.000 Seems like meaningless ones. 00:37:09.080 --> 00:37:10.260 Like Peter walking on the water. 00:37:10.840 --> 00:37:11.120 You know. 00:37:11.600 --> 00:37:13.039 Like you can't make that happen. 00:37:14.180 --> 00:37:16.000 There's no amount of therapy time. 00:37:16.000 --> 00:37:17.080 That's going to get you to a point. 00:37:17.200 --> 00:37:17.600 Where you can. 00:37:18.140 --> 00:37:19.019 Not sink. 00:37:19.019 --> 00:37:21.079 It takes. 00:37:21.599 --> 00:37:22.519 It's miraculous. 00:37:24.119 --> 00:37:25.280 There's a meaning in these. 00:37:25.480 --> 00:37:26.099 These miracles. 00:37:27.639 --> 00:37:28.039 It's. 00:37:28.420 --> 00:37:29.380 It's a type. 00:37:29.699 --> 00:37:30.460 It's pointing to. 00:37:30.539 --> 00:37:31.059 What's our act. 00:37:31.259 --> 00:37:31.440 Like. 00:37:31.559 --> 00:37:32.579 Is our basic problem. 00:37:32.579 --> 00:37:33.460 That we're all sick. 00:37:34.559 --> 00:37:34.920 No. 00:37:35.840 --> 00:37:36.239 No. 00:37:36.559 --> 00:37:37.179 It is a problem. 00:37:37.259 --> 00:37:38.199 It's a problem for our bodies. 00:37:39.199 --> 00:37:41.079 But there's a spiritual version of that. 00:37:41.880 --> 00:37:42.820 We're sin sick. 00:37:43.940 --> 00:37:44.360 Okay. 00:37:44.559 --> 00:37:45.440 We're sin sick. 00:37:45.440 --> 00:37:46.920 That's our major problem. 00:37:50.639 --> 00:37:51.700 Same thing applies. 00:37:52.340 --> 00:37:53.500 Same miraculous grace. 00:37:53.820 --> 00:37:55.200 When you come to Jesus. 00:37:55.579 --> 00:37:56.860 Jesus is the game changer. 00:38:01.079 --> 00:38:02.360 But if we don't believe in him. 00:38:04.960 --> 00:38:06.440 We won't experience that grace. 00:38:06.500 --> 00:38:06.840 And frankly. 00:38:06.940 --> 00:38:08.320 To start looking for other solutions. 00:38:08.679 --> 00:38:08.800 Okay. 00:38:09.720 --> 00:38:10.679 Number five. 00:38:11.340 --> 00:38:12.340 Obstacles to grace. 00:38:12.820 --> 00:38:14.059 You love your sin. 00:38:14.059 --> 00:38:15.199 And you don't want to be free. 00:38:16.480 --> 00:38:16.860 Okay. 00:38:17.579 --> 00:38:18.960 You love your sin. 00:38:19.420 --> 00:38:21.059 And you don't want to be free. 00:38:22.960 --> 00:38:24.059 There's a funny story. 00:38:24.179 --> 00:38:24.940 John five. 00:38:25.179 --> 00:38:26.159 Start in verse three. 00:38:28.219 --> 00:38:29.099 An area. 00:38:29.460 --> 00:38:29.880 Where. 00:38:30.320 --> 00:38:30.559 It says. 00:38:30.719 --> 00:38:30.920 It lay. 00:38:31.079 --> 00:38:32.980 There lay a multitude of invalids. 00:38:33.360 --> 00:38:33.759 Blind. 00:38:34.039 --> 00:38:34.279 Lame. 00:38:34.340 --> 00:38:34.840 And paralyzed. 00:38:35.840 --> 00:38:36.719 One man was there. 00:38:36.799 --> 00:38:37.460 Who had been an invalid. 00:38:37.579 --> 00:38:38.619 For 38 years. 00:38:39.039 --> 00:38:39.259 30. 00:38:39.480 --> 00:38:40.179 Invalid means. 00:38:40.299 --> 00:38:41.960 Someone who is crippled. 00:38:42.019 --> 00:38:42.779 They can't move around. 00:38:42.780 --> 00:38:43.220 Okay. 00:38:43.260 --> 00:38:43.940 Maybe paralyzed. 00:38:44.260 --> 00:38:44.880 Or something. 00:38:46.000 --> 00:38:46.720 But he'd been laying there. 00:38:46.800 --> 00:38:47.700 For 38 years. 00:38:48.260 --> 00:38:49.880 When Jesus saw him lying there. 00:38:49.960 --> 00:38:51.320 And knew he had already been there. 00:38:51.340 --> 00:38:52.140 A long time. 00:38:52.680 --> 00:38:53.500 He said to him. 00:38:54.019 --> 00:38:55.420 Do you want to be healed? 00:38:57.040 --> 00:38:57.620 I think. 00:38:57.740 --> 00:38:58.340 I've always thought. 00:38:58.380 --> 00:38:59.720 That's such a crazy thing to ask. 00:39:00.980 --> 00:39:01.360 Duh. 00:39:02.200 --> 00:39:02.780 38 years. 00:39:03.460 --> 00:39:04.260 Of being paralyzed. 00:39:05.840 --> 00:39:06.240 Surely. 00:39:06.240 --> 00:39:07.240 He'd want to be healed. 00:39:08.080 --> 00:39:08.519 Maybe. 00:39:08.519 --> 00:39:10.780 That's all he'd ever known. 00:39:11.940 --> 00:39:12.199 Alright. 00:39:13.460 --> 00:39:15.579 Got pretty used to other people doing stuff for him. 00:39:16.159 --> 00:39:16.840 You continue on. 00:39:16.900 --> 00:39:18.059 You can see a little bit of this. 00:39:18.199 --> 00:39:19.280 In what his response is. 00:39:19.340 --> 00:39:19.619 He says. 00:39:19.679 --> 00:39:20.480 The sick man answered. 00:39:20.599 --> 00:39:20.780 Sir. 00:39:20.840 --> 00:39:22.360 I had no one to put me into the pool. 00:39:22.719 --> 00:39:23.880 When the water stirred up. 00:39:23.940 --> 00:39:24.519 And while I'm going. 00:39:24.619 --> 00:39:25.860 Another steps down before me. 00:39:27.559 --> 00:39:27.920 I. 00:39:27.920 --> 00:39:27.980 I. 00:39:27.980 --> 00:39:28.159 I. 00:39:28.159 --> 00:39:28.259 I. 00:39:28.259 --> 00:39:28.519 I. 00:39:28.519 --> 00:39:28.559 I. 00:39:28.559 --> 00:39:28.559 00:39:28.559 --> 00:39:28.659 I. 00:39:29.599 --> 00:39:29.679 I. 00:39:29.679 --> 00:39:29.719 I. 00:39:29.719 --> 00:39:29.719 00:39:29.719 --> 00:39:29.719 00:39:29.719 --> 00:39:29.719 00:39:29.719 --> 00:39:29.719 00:39:29.719 --> 00:39:29.719 00:39:29.719 --> 00:39:29.840 I. 00:39:29.840 --> 00:39:29.840 00:39:29.840 --> 00:39:29.840 00:39:29.840 --> 00:39:29.840 00:39:29.840 --> 00:39:29.840 00:39:29.840 --> 00:39:29.840 00:39:29.840 --> 00:39:29.840 00:39:29.840 --> 00:39:29.840 00:39:29.840 --> 00:39:29.840 00:39:29.840 --> 00:39:29.840 00:39:29.840 --> 00:39:29.840 00:39:29.840 --> 00:39:29.840 00:39:29.840 --> 00:39:29.840 00:39:29.840 --> 00:39:29.840 00:39:29.840 --> 00:39:36.059 I. 00:39:36.059 --> 00:39:36.059 00:39:36.059 --> 00:39:36.059 00:39:36.059 --> 00:39:36.059 00:39:36.059 --> 00:39:36.059 00:39:36.059 --> 00:39:36.059 00:39:36.059 --> 00:39:36.059 00:39:36.059 --> 00:39:36.059 00:39:36.059 --> 00:39:36.059 00:39:36.059 --> 00:39:36.059 00:39:36.059 --> 00:39:36.059 00:39:36.059 --> 00:39:36.059 00:39:36.059 --> 00:39:36.059 00:39:36.059 --> 00:39:36.059 00:39:36.059 --> 00:39:36.059 00:39:36.059 --> 00:39:36.059 00:39:36.059 --> 00:39:36.059 00:39:36.059 --> 00:39:36.059 00:39:36.059 --> 00:39:36.059 00:39:36.059 --> 00:39:36.059 00:39:36.059 --> 00:39:36.059 00:39:36.059 --> 00:39:36.059 00:39:36.059 --> 00:39:36.059 00:39:36.059 --> 00:39:36.059 00:39:36.059 --> 00:39:36.059 00:39:36.059 --> 00:39:36.059 00:39:36.059 --> 00:39:36.059 00:39:36.059 --> 00:39:36.059 00:39:36.059 --> 00:39:36.059 00:39:36.059 --> 00:39:36.059 00:39:36.059 --> 00:39:44.480 you've ever known, maybe you don't. He lived on handouts his whole life. How does he make money? 00:39:45.199 --> 00:39:51.239 If I get healed, maybe I won't be able to make money. So there's a benefit to being an invalid. 00:39:52.340 --> 00:39:55.920 Now we would look at that and be like, well, that's crazy, man. You can move around and get 00:39:55.920 --> 00:40:00.739 a job and make way more money, and then you don't have to be laying there. But that's what sin does 00:40:00.739 --> 00:40:08.319 to us. We've depended on the fleeting pleasure of sin for so long that you don't want to be healed. 00:40:08.939 --> 00:40:15.019 Thankfully, this guy did, though. Jesus said to him, get up, take up your bed, and walk. And once 00:40:15.019 --> 00:40:20.819 the man was healed, he took up his bed and he walked. Now that day was the Sabbath. Just awesome. 00:40:21.359 --> 00:40:26.979 But he did ask the question, do you want it? Well, Jesus asked that question to us, too. Do you really 00:40:26.980 --> 00:40:33.820 want it? Do you want to be healed? Or do you just want to fix your circumstances? You just 00:40:33.820 --> 00:40:38.079 want to stop being tempted? Do you want people to stop provoking you? If they just stopped 00:40:38.079 --> 00:40:46.840 provoking me, then I wouldn't lose it. If a woman wore more clothes, I'd be able to walk in purity. 00:40:48.400 --> 00:40:54.659 If my work wasn't so stressful, I wouldn't be drunk. You know, whatever. On and on and on. 00:40:54.659 --> 00:41:02.539 Am I asking God for a change in my circumstances? Or do I really want to be free? 00:41:04.039 --> 00:41:08.940 Jesus says nothing from the outside defiles a man, but that which comes out of the heart, 00:41:09.099 --> 00:41:15.819 that defiles a man. It's an inside-out problem. And sometimes we just don't want to actually change. 00:41:16.199 --> 00:41:20.199 We don't want to be free. And you always know this because someone justifies themselves. 00:41:20.199 --> 00:41:26.239 They'll confess their sin, but they immediately got all the reasons why. You don't want to be free. 00:41:26.239 --> 00:41:31.399 And you should just be honest about that. Tell God, Lord, actually, I've been praying about this for 00:41:31.399 --> 00:41:36.239 years. I've been confessing and telling people maybe, I actually don't really want to be free. 00:41:37.619 --> 00:41:42.199 I'm going to confess that sin to you. I'm just going to be honest. I don't want to change. 00:41:42.199 --> 00:41:47.319 And that actually kind of terrifies me. Will you please have mercy on me? Forgive me for that. 00:41:48.359 --> 00:41:50.219 Help me want to be free. Okay? 00:41:52.419 --> 00:41:53.099 Last one. 00:41:56.819 --> 00:42:00.279 This is the biggest obstacle to grace is just not coming to Jesus. Okay? 00:42:01.559 --> 00:42:05.339 Jesus said in John chapter 5, later on in that same chapter, he healed this guy. 00:42:06.000 --> 00:42:11.079 He's speaking to the Pharisees. These are people who are the conservative Christians of the day. 00:42:11.079 --> 00:42:13.659 Okay? They're holding up the truth. 00:42:15.500 --> 00:42:16.059 He says, 00:42:16.139 --> 00:42:19.360 You search the scriptures because you think that in them you have eternal life. 00:42:20.299 --> 00:42:26.519 And as they that bear witness about me, yet you refuse to come to me that you might have life. 00:42:28.179 --> 00:42:33.460 You can live your whole life searching the scriptures thinking that in them you don't find life. 00:42:34.059 --> 00:42:36.480 And miss, miss the forest for the trees. 00:42:36.659 --> 00:42:39.920 You miss who the Bible's talking about, who's pointing you to. 00:42:39.920 --> 00:42:42.820 And you're refusing to come to Jesus that you might have life. 00:42:43.500 --> 00:42:44.039 You know? 00:42:45.260 --> 00:42:48.079 It's crazy, but like you can just live your Christian life like that. 00:42:48.119 --> 00:42:49.200 You can be in ministry like that. 00:42:50.480 --> 00:42:55.400 You can be someone who people think, man, they are actually killing it on ministry. 00:42:55.500 --> 00:42:56.420 Their counsel is so good. 00:42:56.420 --> 00:42:59.619 They're so on it with sharing the gospel. 00:43:00.360 --> 00:43:01.320 Their sermons are great. 00:43:01.380 --> 00:43:02.480 Their Bible studies are awesome. 00:43:04.340 --> 00:43:06.920 But they refuse to come to Jesus that they might have life. 00:43:07.000 --> 00:43:07.480 You know what? 00:43:07.940 --> 00:43:08.659 It'll come out. 00:43:09.119 --> 00:43:10.039 It always does. 00:43:10.780 --> 00:43:11.380 It comes out. 00:43:11.380 --> 00:43:14.820 For the Pharisees, Jesus says they're like whitewashed tombs. 00:43:14.920 --> 00:43:16.300 They're full of dead men's bones. 00:43:18.039 --> 00:43:18.740 It comes out. 00:43:18.739 --> 00:43:26.079 But if we come to Jesus, if we let the Bible do what it's intended to do, points us to Jesus, 00:43:26.259 --> 00:43:26.859 we come to him. 00:43:27.559 --> 00:43:28.899 He came to set the captives free. 00:43:29.419 --> 00:43:30.519 Nothing's too difficult for him. 00:43:30.579 --> 00:43:31.279 You don't have to be smart. 00:43:31.859 --> 00:43:33.479 You don't have to know any, really, theology. 00:43:33.879 --> 00:43:35.039 My dad, I'm going to just give you a test. 00:43:35.039 --> 00:43:37.400 My dad's here, so I'm going to give you a little testimony here. 00:43:37.860 --> 00:43:42.679 My dad came from a totally godless home. 00:43:45.719 --> 00:43:47.360 I was actually, I forgot to tell you this. 00:43:47.420 --> 00:43:48.960 I was thinking about this driving over to the other day. 00:43:49.579 --> 00:43:53.800 What a miracle it is that God took my dad out of that home and saved him. 00:43:54.480 --> 00:43:56.980 He's got 10 kids. 00:43:58.500 --> 00:44:02.579 Totally changed the course of thousands of people's lives, depending on how many generations go on. 00:44:02.579 --> 00:44:05.199 And he didn't know anything. 00:44:05.920 --> 00:44:08.980 And, you know, for those of you growing up in a Christian home, 00:44:09.739 --> 00:44:12.880 you don't really realize the amount of blessing you have, the amount of sin that you're protected from. 00:44:13.000 --> 00:44:18.199 But if you've grown up in a home that's not, you may have an experience like this. 00:44:18.440 --> 00:44:23.299 And he was exposed to pornography and a lot of very vile stuff at a very end of age, very formative age. 00:44:24.059 --> 00:44:25.579 The age where it gets baked into the hard code. 00:44:26.179 --> 00:44:26.440 Okay. 00:44:27.960 --> 00:44:31.019 And he didn't really know anything about. 00:44:31.019 --> 00:44:33.280 These truths. 00:44:33.639 --> 00:44:34.099 That much. 00:44:36.759 --> 00:44:40.759 But after he got saved, God convicted him about sexual immorality. 00:44:42.880 --> 00:44:44.500 And he didn't know any different. 00:44:48.079 --> 00:44:51.599 But he had, he was gifted the fear of God by the Holy Spirit. 00:44:51.719 --> 00:44:53.960 And he repented and he cried out to God and God saved him like that. 00:44:53.960 --> 00:45:01.519 And later on, when he got more plugged into churches and started having more of a healthy church life and stuff, 00:45:01.559 --> 00:45:07.400 he ran into all these guys who were professing believers and are still defeated by it. 00:45:08.260 --> 00:45:10.380 And it's like all these therapy programs and stuff. 00:45:10.460 --> 00:45:14.240 It's just like, oh, this takes a long, this takes a lot of work to get free from. 00:45:14.239 --> 00:45:19.559 And I remember him telling me, he's like, I'm so glad I didn't know anything because all I knew is what the Bible said. 00:45:20.099 --> 00:45:23.500 And I came to Jesus and his grace just set me free. 00:45:23.899 --> 00:45:27.239 He's got piles of other problems, you know, like those work out in life and we all do. 00:45:27.799 --> 00:45:32.079 But this is, God gives us grace according to our need. 00:45:32.079 --> 00:45:34.860 And he doesn't throw the whole book at us all at once. 00:45:34.920 --> 00:45:35.380 You know what he does? 00:45:35.420 --> 00:45:36.759 He comes in and says, this is my son. 00:45:37.460 --> 00:45:38.239 This is my daughter. 00:45:38.860 --> 00:45:42.159 It's the only thing that I care about right now. 00:45:42.699 --> 00:45:45.239 And that's the one thing you're not willing to know with your son God. 00:45:46.239 --> 00:45:49.440 And if we did, we came to Jesus, you know what we experienced? 00:45:50.360 --> 00:45:51.219 Miraculous grace. 00:45:52.880 --> 00:45:58.380 And it seems like kind of a cop-out, you know, like you can just come to God. 00:45:58.460 --> 00:46:01.159 He can just set you free from bondage to pornography. 00:46:01.159 --> 00:46:03.779 Yeah, he can. 00:46:05.719 --> 00:46:06.539 Any other sin? 00:46:06.619 --> 00:46:07.019 Put it in there. 00:46:09.000 --> 00:46:09.399 Homosexuality. 00:46:11.099 --> 00:46:11.500 Reviling. 00:46:12.159 --> 00:46:12.719 Gossiping. 00:46:16.239 --> 00:46:17.619 I mean, is he God? 00:46:19.819 --> 00:46:23.639 Who spoke the universe into being with a word? 00:46:23.779 --> 00:46:24.440 Who is that word? 00:46:24.579 --> 00:46:24.899 Christ. 00:46:26.619 --> 00:46:30.299 All authority on heaven and earth has been given to me, Jesus said. 00:46:31.159 --> 00:46:34.859 That's who we're coming to when we bring him our sin. 00:46:36.359 --> 00:46:39.179 And we should have expectations accordingly for deliverance. 00:46:40.059 --> 00:46:42.159 And it's not sinless perfection, you know. 00:46:42.659 --> 00:46:44.279 Remember, he deals with it one at a time. 00:46:46.279 --> 00:46:47.299 Bring that sin. 00:46:47.779 --> 00:46:48.699 Experience grace. 00:46:48.699 --> 00:46:50.439 You know what? 00:46:50.480 --> 00:46:51.579 He'll bring up some other stuff, too. 00:46:52.299 --> 00:46:54.399 And he'll keep bringing stuff up until the day we die. 00:46:55.139 --> 00:46:58.059 Because it's his glory to conform us to the image of his son, Jesus. 00:46:58.539 --> 00:47:02.399 But he gets no glory when we have all the reasons why. 00:47:03.319 --> 00:47:06.000 Other than Christ had mercy on me. 00:47:06.719 --> 00:47:06.980 Okay. 00:47:07.219 --> 00:47:07.879 He did a miracle. 00:47:08.839 --> 00:47:09.919 He did a bunch of them, actually. 00:47:09.920 --> 00:47:11.840 And he keeps doing them. 00:47:13.280 --> 00:47:15.240 And anyway, that's my prayer. 00:47:16.360 --> 00:47:18.480 Is that we would come to Jesus today, okay? 00:47:18.940 --> 00:47:19.800 I do trust. 00:47:20.039 --> 00:47:22.579 I haven't spoken a lot about specific sins and stuff. 00:47:22.740 --> 00:47:29.139 But if the Lord's at work in your heart, I trust that he's highlighting that stuff right now. 00:47:29.139 --> 00:47:39.099 And I just want to encourage you, put yourself in the shoes of people back when Jesus was walking on earth that had a problem that no one else could help them with. 00:47:40.960 --> 00:47:45.900 And when they came to Jesus, he'd do his thing. 00:47:46.679 --> 00:47:49.500 So I want to encourage you to do the same thing with that sin this morning. 00:47:50.559 --> 00:47:52.799 Take that thing that's been eating your lunch your whole life. 00:47:54.299 --> 00:47:55.920 And come to Jesus. 00:47:55.920 --> 00:47:59.539 Believe what the Bible says about this stuff. 00:47:59.700 --> 00:48:02.139 From the Son is set free, he will be free indeed. 00:48:03.000 --> 00:48:04.240 And you'll experience it. 00:48:04.659 --> 00:48:04.840 Okay? 00:48:06.099 --> 00:48:06.940 So, I'm going to pray.