WEBVTT 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:07.320 church for longer. And at that particular point in my life, I wasn't as humble and godly as I have 00:00:07.320 --> 00:00:14.759 become and becoming. And so, you know, I quickly rebuked him and corrected him and explained that 00:00:14.759 --> 00:00:18.980 I was at the front, basically, and I had the Bible and, you know, so he needed to listen to me. But 00:00:18.980 --> 00:00:23.019 as I've grown and gotten a little bit wiser and a little bit more self-aware, 00:00:23.240 --> 00:00:28.480 I recognised that actually it's a really valid question. Why should he listen to me? 00:00:29.460 --> 00:00:34.759 What basis was there that the things I was saying was something that he should actually 00:00:34.759 --> 00:00:40.840 submit his life to and take as, you know, stuff that's going to shape who he is and how he lives? 00:00:41.120 --> 00:00:46.420 You actually need to work out on what basis are you going to listen, not just to me, but to anyone 00:00:46.420 --> 00:00:53.140 who's going to speak into you. And that's the situation for Paul with his church in churches 00:00:53.140 --> 00:00:59.620 in Galatia. He is the one who planted them. He's the one who spoke the gospel to them. He's the one 00:00:59.620 --> 00:01:05.159 who introduced them to Jesus. But what's happened is there's a group of people that have turned up at 00:01:05.159 --> 00:01:11.099 these churches in Paul's absence and have basically started questioning his authority, 00:01:11.939 --> 00:01:17.840 questioning why the Galatian churches would listen to him and his message. And, you know, 00:01:17.840 --> 00:01:22.520 obviously on the side, they had their own message that they wanted to replace it with. But the rhetoric 00:01:22.520 --> 00:01:28.859 went something like, why believe Paul? He's not even from Jerusalem, which is where, you know, 00:01:28.900 --> 00:01:36.820 the church started. And plus, his gospel sounds too good to be true. He's not even a good Jew anymore. 00:01:36.819 --> 00:01:43.699 He's not making you do Jewish things. So you can't trust him. And I guess the question that 00:01:43.699 --> 00:01:49.719 we rightfully ask is, how do we know that Paul's gospel is the one true gospel? 00:01:50.939 --> 00:01:55.739 I mean, why should the Galatians, as they hear these competing messages, decide to listen to Paul? 00:01:55.919 --> 00:02:01.500 Why should we, opening the Bible thousands of years later, with lots of other voices speaking to us, 00:02:01.579 --> 00:02:05.379 telling us that this is what your life is about, this is what you should do, why should we listen to 00:02:05.379 --> 00:02:11.280 this message from Paul in the Bible and say, this is the one that I'm going to trust? This is the one 00:02:11.280 --> 00:02:15.799 I'm going to submit to. I mean, Paul covered pretty clearly last week, if you missed it, there is only 00:02:15.799 --> 00:02:23.879 going to be one gospel. There's not multiple ones. So how do we know that this one is the one? 00:02:25.439 --> 00:02:35.359 Well, Paul wants to give us two reasons. First one, his gospel is not his. His gospel is 00:02:35.379 --> 00:02:38.919 not his. Have a look at verse 11 from what Deborah did out in Galatians 1. 00:02:40.000 --> 00:02:45.319 I want you to know, brothers and sisters, that the gospel I preached is not of human origin. 00:02:46.139 --> 00:02:51.599 I did not receive it from any man, nor was I taught it. Rather, I received it by revelation 00:02:51.599 --> 00:02:57.759 from Jesus Christ. Now, this matters. This is what this section is really driving at. Paul wants 00:02:57.759 --> 00:03:03.879 the Galatians to know that this message that he's bringing, this message of grace and peace through 00:03:03.879 --> 00:03:09.819 Jesus is not something that he just made up. In fact, he wants to go a step further and say, 00:03:10.060 --> 00:03:15.719 it's not something that any human made up. Paul didn't receive it from some people who taught it 00:03:15.719 --> 00:03:21.819 to him and he's passing it on. He didn't hear it from a preacher. It was actually revealed to him. 00:03:23.019 --> 00:03:29.120 He got direct revelation from the risen Jesus Christ. You can read about it. If you're in a community 00:03:29.120 --> 00:03:35.080 group this week, spend some time in Acts chapter 9 and Paul is travelling along the road to Damascus 00:03:35.080 --> 00:03:42.759 and all of a sudden he is physically confronted by the risen Jesus. This is after the crucifixion. 00:03:42.900 --> 00:03:49.400 Risen Jesus presents himself physically, challenges Paul about what he's been doing and literally turns 00:03:49.400 --> 00:03:56.460 Paul's whole life around. It's a dramatic episode. And so these people who have turned up and are trying 00:03:56.460 --> 00:04:03.200 to undermine Paul's gospel, trying to undermine the trust in Paul, they thought it would serve 00:04:03.200 --> 00:04:08.740 their purpose to point out that Paul doesn't come with the authority of the other apostles. 00:04:09.640 --> 00:04:14.439 He didn't come from Jerusalem. He's not from Peter and James and John, you know, the disciples that 00:04:14.439 --> 00:04:19.379 hung out with Jesus. He's not from there. And so you shouldn't listen to him. That was their logic. 00:04:19.379 --> 00:04:28.519 But Paul flips it. He's like, you're right. I don't come from them. But it's because my gospel isn't from 00:04:28.519 --> 00:04:34.939 human sources. I received it directly from Jesus, the one who the gospel is about. 00:04:36.159 --> 00:04:42.060 In fact, Paul's going to go on and go out of his way to give us random details about what he did and 00:04:42.060 --> 00:04:48.439 didn't do around the time he became a Christian, just to make it really clear that his gospel, 00:04:49.420 --> 00:04:53.139 which actually lines up with the one that Peter, James and John are preaching in Jerusalem, 00:04:54.040 --> 00:05:00.620 he's going to make it clear that his gospel did not and could not have been taught to him by some 00:05:00.620 --> 00:05:07.899 human teacher. It's a divine thing that was revealed to him. Have a look at verse 16. 00:05:07.899 --> 00:05:12.539 So this is when he's been called by, he's telling his story, he's been called by grace, 00:05:12.659 --> 00:05:16.219 God's revealed the son in him. And verse 16, 00:05:16.319 --> 00:05:22.799 my immediate response was not to consult any human being. I did not go up to Jerusalem to see those 00:05:22.799 --> 00:05:29.099 who were apostles before I was, but I went to Arabia. Later, I returned to Damascus. Then after 00:05:29.099 --> 00:05:35.359 three years, I went up to Jerusalem to get acquainted with Cephas and stayed with him 15 days. Cephas is 00:05:35.360 --> 00:05:40.240 Peter, if you're not sure. I saw none of the other apostles, only James, the Lord's brother. 00:05:40.759 --> 00:05:48.280 I assure you before God, what I'm writing you is no lie. Then I went to Syria and Cilicia. I was 00:05:48.280 --> 00:05:54.259 personally unknown to the churches of Judea that are in Christ. They only heard the report. The man who 00:05:54.259 --> 00:06:02.540 formerly persecuted us is now preaching the faith he once tried to destroy. It was three years after he 00:06:02.540 --> 00:06:08.740 received the gospel, three years after he met Jesus, that Paul first made the trip up to meet 00:06:08.740 --> 00:06:14.480 some of the apostles. And when he got there, he only met two of them. And he was only with them for 00:06:14.480 --> 00:06:19.840 about two weeks. And we know that while he was there, because it says it in Acts, that he spent most of 00:06:19.840 --> 00:06:25.700 the time preaching. So he didn't actually go there for gospel classes. He didn't go there to, you know, 00:06:25.699 --> 00:06:32.039 learn some stuff and be clear on what the gospel actually was. He already had received that. That's 00:06:32.039 --> 00:06:38.819 what he got when he met Jesus on that road on the way to Damascus. Now, it's worth us just slowing down 00:06:38.819 --> 00:06:46.279 for a second here and flagging that what happened for Paul is unique. It's a unique experience for Paul 00:06:46.279 --> 00:06:54.240 because Paul was a chosen apostle. Apostle just means sent one. And so when we talk about the 00:06:54.240 --> 00:07:03.420 apostles in the Bible, we talk about the men that God chose, that God sent as direct eyewitnesses of the 00:07:03.420 --> 00:07:11.840 physically resurrected Jesus. So every one of them got to encounter Jesus physically alive after his 00:07:11.840 --> 00:07:18.100 death and resurrection. They were chosen so that they would be the baseline by which we measure the 00:07:18.100 --> 00:07:24.160 gospel. So they got to meet him in person. They got to encounter him and they delivered a message 00:07:24.160 --> 00:07:29.720 that was authoritative, that we don't get to argue with because they have that special position. Now, 00:07:29.780 --> 00:07:36.520 for us today, we encounter that message in the Bible. That's why when we read the scripture, 00:07:36.660 --> 00:07:41.400 when we come to church, when we do it in our community groups, we approach this as more than 00:07:41.400 --> 00:07:48.820 just human words and human stories. This is God speaking to us through those humans because it is 00:07:48.819 --> 00:07:57.680 that divine truth that he revealed to them. And so what Paul is doing here is he's not defending 00:07:57.680 --> 00:08:04.040 himself. He's saying that this battle is not between the credibility of these new people and me. 00:08:05.060 --> 00:08:10.019 This battle is between the credibility of these new people and the God who gave me this message that 00:08:10.019 --> 00:08:15.519 I'm giving to you. That's who you've got to decide who you're going to trust. These people have turned up 00:08:15.519 --> 00:08:20.579 and saying, look how impressive we are. We're from Jerusalem and the God who's delivering the good 00:08:20.579 --> 00:08:28.899 news about how people like us can be forgiven and adopted into his family. The reason you can trust 00:08:28.899 --> 00:08:34.319 this gospel, the reason you can know this gospel from Paul is the genuine article is because it comes 00:08:34.319 --> 00:08:44.199 from God himself. And the proof of that, the reason you can believe what is a pretty massive claim 00:08:44.200 --> 00:08:52.540 is because of the power of this gospel. See, what Paul's doing in this little chunk of Galatians 00:08:52.540 --> 00:08:57.560 is essentially giving a mini testimony. And I'm pretty sure I've talked with you guys before about 00:08:57.560 --> 00:09:02.820 the testimony insecurity that I have. You know, when Christians talk about testimonies, they're 00:09:02.820 --> 00:09:08.020 essentially talking about their story of how they met Jesus, how their life was before and then how 00:09:08.020 --> 00:09:13.280 they became a Christian and what changed. And a lot of the famous stories or testimonies involve 00:09:13.279 --> 00:09:19.659 dramatic things like drug addictions or prison time or those sorts of things. And they are amazing 00:09:19.659 --> 00:09:27.459 stories of God's power to transform the obviously bad people into obviously apparently better people. 00:09:28.419 --> 00:09:35.000 And that is amazing. But when I hear those stories, I can't help but feel like I need to spend some 00:09:35.000 --> 00:09:40.759 time working on my before I met Jesus story so that my testimony will be more exciting. Go on like, 00:09:40.759 --> 00:09:46.700 you know, a year bender as a Christian just to build up some, you know, some serious sin in the 00:09:46.700 --> 00:09:50.120 background. Now, you know, I've got serious sin. But you know, like the dramatic ones that you can 00:09:50.120 --> 00:09:55.439 include in a story and sound exciting. Anyway, that's a bit of a sidetrack. But you know, when you hear 00:09:55.439 --> 00:10:00.799 testimonies, that's sometimes the place we go. We compare their story to our story. But I love this 00:10:00.799 --> 00:10:07.879 story that Paul gives because this is a story that everyone can connect with. Like literally, 00:10:07.879 --> 00:10:13.639 whether or not you're the recovering drug addict or, you know, this is your first day release from 00:10:13.639 --> 00:10:20.240 prison, in this story, you can see that the gospel has power for even you. Or if you're at the other 00:10:20.240 --> 00:10:25.919 end of the spectrum and you are nice, you're even-tempered, you're middle class, you're Sunday 00:10:25.919 --> 00:10:32.039 school educated, even there you will see in this story that you need the gospel just as much. And not 00:10:32.039 --> 00:10:37.980 just that you need it, but the gospel has power to do something with your life here. This is a story 00:10:37.980 --> 00:10:48.539 about the gospel power to reach and transform anyone. Paul gives us two halves to his life before he met 00:10:48.539 --> 00:10:53.759 Jesus. And they couldn't be more different. Have a look at the first half, the serious bad side from 00:10:53.759 --> 00:11:11.019 verse 13. Now, I'm going to read that verse again in just a second. We sometimes go into autopilot when 00:11:11.019 --> 00:11:15.419 we read the Bible and we just skip through, we've read that verse, what's the next verse? And we miss 00:11:15.419 --> 00:11:23.639 the gravity and the weight of what just got described. So listen carefully and try and visualize 00:11:23.639 --> 00:11:35.099 what Paul is saying he did here. You have heard of my previous way of life in Judaism, how intensely 00:11:35.099 --> 00:11:45.399 I persecuted the church of God and tried to destroy it. Those are blood-stained words. 00:11:45.419 --> 00:11:51.439 words. Paul's not being dramatic here saying, you know what, I really didn't like church and I've 00:11:51.439 --> 00:11:58.000 been just ragging on church on Facebook statuses for the whole time I've been on Facebook. He means 00:11:58.000 --> 00:12:07.000 persecute when he says it. He was pouring his life out to destroy the church of God through whatever 00:12:07.000 --> 00:12:13.539 means possible. He was literally traveling from town to town to try and find secret churches and get 00:12:13.539 --> 00:12:21.339 Christians arrested and even killed. He was the kind of person who would have delighted in the suffering 00:12:21.339 --> 00:12:28.500 happening to Christians around the world that we see today. In fact, in Acts chapter 8, which is just 00:12:28.500 --> 00:12:35.579 before we see him meet Jesus, there's this episode where we see Paul standing, looking on approvingly 00:12:35.580 --> 00:12:47.800 as Stephen is stoned to death for following Jesus. This is a guy who had a deep hatred for God, a deep 00:12:47.800 --> 00:12:56.780 hatred for Jesus especially and followers of Jesus and yet the gospel of grace somehow grabbed hold of him. 00:12:56.779 --> 00:13:10.539 I can understand why some people sometimes feel unworthy of Jesus. I can understand why, you know, people use 00:13:10.539 --> 00:13:15.899 words like God couldn't love me. You don't know what I've done. I get the sentiment. It makes sense and on 00:13:15.899 --> 00:13:22.740 one level it's correct. You don't deserve to have God love you. But that's the power of the gospel. 00:13:24.819 --> 00:13:31.379 That's the power of God's grace that even those who seem the most unlikely, who seem impossible, 00:13:31.759 --> 00:13:34.639 who you would think they could never follow Jesus, 00:13:38.059 --> 00:13:40.860 even they can be reached by grace. 00:13:40.860 --> 00:13:45.800 Paul wasn't looking for Jesus when he became a Christian. 00:13:47.940 --> 00:13:52.019 He was literally traveling to a new town so that he could arrest and kill more Christians. 00:13:52.379 --> 00:13:57.600 That was his agenda for that week. He was actively trying to destroy the church and that's not an 00:13:57.600 --> 00:14:02.820 exaggeration. He wanted the church done and finished and removed from existence so that he could be part 00:14:02.820 --> 00:14:09.240 of the Jewish synagogue system, so that he could have more power there. He had nothing but hatred for 00:14:09.240 --> 00:14:18.159 Jesus and anyone who followed him and yet the gospel grabbed him. The message of Jesus still managed 00:14:18.159 --> 00:14:25.799 to grab him while he was running in the opposite direction. Jesus grabbed him and completely transformed 00:14:25.799 --> 00:14:33.519 him. If you're somebody who feels beyond God's love, if there are things in your life that you think 00:14:33.519 --> 00:14:39.179 there's no way God could love that about me and no one else knows it, you need to listen to this. 00:14:40.579 --> 00:14:48.860 The gospel, God's grace is powerful enough for you and for anything that you've done. 00:14:50.139 --> 00:14:54.480 But the crazy thing is that's not even Paul's whole story. That's one half of his before life. 00:14:54.919 --> 00:14:58.819 Let's look at the other half. He was also one of those really religious people who didn't think 00:14:58.820 --> 00:15:07.500 they needed a gospel. Have a look at verse 14. I was advancing in Judaism beyond many of my own age 00:15:07.500 --> 00:15:13.360 among my people and was extremely zealous for the traditions of my fathers. See, Paul was an 00:15:13.360 --> 00:15:19.700 impressive Jew. He was in the Jewish synagogue. He was getting promotions. He was been giving 00:15:19.700 --> 00:15:26.000 opportunities to lead and to teach. He had Bible knowledge. He would have memorized huge chunks of the 00:15:26.000 --> 00:15:32.659 Old Testament and not just the catchy bits that fit well to a rap. Like he spent time memorizing, 00:15:32.860 --> 00:15:36.740 you know, the books that you skip over in your quiet time, you know, you get to Numbers and 00:15:36.740 --> 00:15:41.259 Leviticus and Deuteronomy and it's just like law after law and you, you know, survive chapter one, 00:15:41.320 --> 00:15:46.179 chapter two, and then you go back to like Matthew or, you know, one Thessalonians somewhere, you know, 00:15:46.200 --> 00:15:52.000 it's a little bit easier, easier going. He's memorized these whole books. He's invested time. I mean, 00:15:52.000 --> 00:16:00.379 he is seriously zealous about being a Jew. He's putting hard work in and even his life, he's trying 00:16:00.379 --> 00:16:05.559 hard to obey the laws of the synagogue. Now, obviously, something's got twisted in there because he was 00:16:05.559 --> 00:16:12.659 killing Christians, but he's trying very hard and to the point where he's excelling above the people 00:16:12.659 --> 00:16:18.419 around him. And so when Paul looks at himself and even when the people around him look at him, 00:16:18.419 --> 00:16:26.679 they don't think he needs a gospel. He's going, I'm good. I'm better than most people. I'm putting 00:16:26.679 --> 00:16:33.959 effort in and gospels, good news is for people who need help, people who need rescuing. And according 00:16:33.959 --> 00:16:43.819 to Paul, that's not him. See, simultaneously, Paul was too bad and thought he was too good. 00:16:43.820 --> 00:16:51.360 He's put up a double wall against the gospel. And yet when he finally encounters Jesus, the gospel 00:16:51.360 --> 00:16:57.520 is powerful enough to show him the depth of his sin and his need for Jesus and to show him the 00:16:57.520 --> 00:17:06.840 sufficiency of God's grace to love even somebody as evil as him. The gospel is powerful. 00:17:06.839 --> 00:17:13.819 I mean, ironically, this second bit of being really zealous for religion, trying really hard to be 00:17:13.819 --> 00:17:19.299 holy, is what these new people who turned up in front of the Galatians were saying they should be 00:17:19.299 --> 00:17:25.459 doing. They're going, Jesus is great, but put effort in. And Paul's like, I've done it. It doesn't work. 00:17:26.259 --> 00:17:30.839 What you need, the only thing that can make a difference is the only true gospel. And that is 00:17:30.839 --> 00:17:40.819 the fact that Jesus has died for you and is risen. The power of the gospel means no one is beyond grace. 00:17:41.659 --> 00:17:46.339 No one is too far gone, too bad that they can't be reached and loved and forgiven. And the power of 00:17:46.339 --> 00:17:52.359 the gospel means that no one is above grace. Whether people know they need Jesus or not, whether they're 00:17:52.359 --> 00:17:57.319 looking for him or not, the gospel is powerful enough to reach them, to confront them, to get their 00:17:57.319 --> 00:18:03.839 attention. And here's why it's powerful. Because when it grabs them wherever they are, it shows them 00:18:03.839 --> 00:18:06.339 Jesus. Have a look at verse 15. 00:18:06.339 --> 00:18:16.799 When God, who set me apart from my mother's womb and called me by his grace, was pleased to reveal 00:18:16.799 --> 00:18:25.240 his son in me so that I might preach him among the Gentiles. But when? This is the God intervention 00:18:25.240 --> 00:18:30.379 moment in Paul's life. He wasn't just sitting around waiting, looking for something to do. God 00:18:30.379 --> 00:18:36.319 intervened dramatically for him. And look at the power of God's grace at work in his life as he 00:18:36.319 --> 00:18:43.200 kind of stepped through these couple of things. First thing, he set me apart from my mother's womb. 00:18:45.639 --> 00:18:53.740 God chose Paul before he was born. Before he'd even had a breath, God had already decided Paul would 00:18:53.740 --> 00:18:59.700 belong to him. Paul would be used to take the gospel out to the Gentiles. In spite of everything 00:18:59.700 --> 00:19:06.179 that Paul was going to do and be in his life, God had already decided, I'm going to use him. 00:19:06.319 --> 00:19:14.159 God had already chosen him. God even uses the fierceness and the evil that is there in his life 00:19:14.159 --> 00:19:20.539 before to become the backdrop so that we can see how dramatically powerful the gospel is to change 00:19:20.539 --> 00:19:28.299 somebody. It doesn't make it less evil, but God is powerful enough. His grace is powerful enough to 00:19:28.299 --> 00:19:37.019 take that evil and turn it and use it for good. What that means for you and me is that the stuff in 00:19:37.019 --> 00:19:41.980 your life right now that might make you question whether or not the gospel offer of forgiveness is 00:19:41.980 --> 00:19:50.359 an offer for you is actually the kind of stuff that God loves to take and use. So it shows just how 00:19:50.359 --> 00:20:00.439 powerful he is, just how gracious he can be. It could be something that causes you shame, something you 00:20:00.439 --> 00:20:08.719 try and hide, something you try and pretend never happened. That stuff can be used by God to display 00:20:08.720 --> 00:20:16.420 Jesus. That's what he did for Paul. Having set Paul apart and having patiently waited as Paul spent his 00:20:16.420 --> 00:20:24.160 life and his days trying to destroy the church, then God called him, called him by grace. 00:20:25.480 --> 00:20:30.100 Now just sit in that for a second. Again, this is one of those moments where we can go into autopilot 00:20:30.100 --> 00:20:34.740 when we're reading the Bible and not understand how drastic this is. Remember who we're talking about. 00:20:34.740 --> 00:20:43.019 Remember who this is that God just called by grace. Remember his former way of life, bent on destroying 00:20:43.019 --> 00:20:56.519 God's church, overflowing with hatred towards God, killing God's people. And yet God calls him by grace 00:20:56.519 --> 00:21:07.059 to be forgiven, to be loved, to be brought into the family, to become a messenger of that same hope that 00:21:07.059 --> 00:21:13.900 he's just discovered. The gospel is powerful enough to dramatically punch through that wall of hatred that 00:21:13.900 --> 00:21:24.960 Paul is putting up. He's not looking for Jesus at this point. Paul's not a seeker. He's not visiting 00:21:24.960 --> 00:21:36.140 church because he's not in church because he's not in church because his wife or his girlfriend or his 00:21:36.140 --> 00:21:45.420 housemate or his parents dragged him along. If Paul's in church, he's there looking for people to kill, 00:21:45.420 --> 00:21:52.500 people to arrest. And yet God calls him. 00:21:55.880 --> 00:22:04.000 So powerfully that all of that hatred and anger and rejection of God subsides and is overwhelmed in an instant. 00:22:05.620 --> 00:22:08.800 But there's not even a progressive journey that's talked about here. 00:22:08.799 --> 00:22:14.240 See, there is no human argument that is that powerful. 00:22:16.399 --> 00:22:23.619 There is no story that a human could make up, no human gospel powerful enough to change someone like that. 00:22:24.500 --> 00:22:28.899 There wasn't even time for Paul to take little progressive steps, you know, to go from, 00:22:29.079 --> 00:22:34.079 I hate God to maybe he's okay. I guess I could check stuff out. 00:22:34.079 --> 00:22:38.899 I'll just dip my toe in and try and trust him a little bit. And you know what? He's really good. 00:22:38.939 --> 00:22:42.659 I'm going to follow him. And in fact, I'm going to be a missionary and I'm going to tell other people about him. 00:22:42.879 --> 00:22:50.319 There's no timeline like that. He is traveling to kill Christians and he meets Jesus and it all changes in an instant. 00:22:51.379 --> 00:22:53.279 That is the power of the gospel. 00:22:54.299 --> 00:22:59.039 That is the power of encountering Jesus as a risen Savior. 00:22:59.039 --> 00:23:04.259 If you're in this room right now and you're here under coercion, 00:23:04.759 --> 00:23:10.779 you've been dragged along by that special someone in your life or mom or dad or brother or sister or whoever it is, 00:23:11.139 --> 00:23:14.859 I want to say that's okay. I get it. I've been there. 00:23:17.119 --> 00:23:21.159 But what you need to understand is that if God has chosen you, 00:23:22.039 --> 00:23:24.259 and he does that before you're born, 00:23:24.480 --> 00:23:28.379 if God has chosen you, there's no point running. 00:23:29.039 --> 00:23:37.920 His grace and his gospel is so powerful that when he calls, you're going to answer. 00:23:38.659 --> 00:23:41.220 You might not even know that he's getting ready to call you, 00:23:41.279 --> 00:23:45.579 but when he does, when he shows you just how good he is, 00:23:45.899 --> 00:23:49.139 when he gives you a chance to see how incredible he is, 00:23:50.059 --> 00:23:50.579 you're in. 00:23:51.859 --> 00:23:53.659 Paul wasn't looking for Jesus, 00:23:53.660 --> 00:23:58.240 but the gospel call was irresistible. 00:24:00.680 --> 00:24:02.880 You might be thinking, well, maybe he didn't choose me, 00:24:03.220 --> 00:24:06.340 and so maybe I can just mind my own business and keep doing my own thing, 00:24:06.480 --> 00:24:07.720 and look, you could be right. 00:24:07.720 --> 00:24:18.319 But you're here today on a day when we're preaching the gospel. 00:24:20.740 --> 00:24:24.779 So maybe today is your day. 00:24:26.180 --> 00:24:29.059 Maybe today is the moment when God is getting ready to call you, 00:24:29.600 --> 00:24:32.920 getting ready to invite you in to be part of his family. 00:24:32.920 --> 00:24:36.200 Finally, the gospel call is irresistible. 00:24:37.019 --> 00:24:38.960 It was irresistible for Paul. 00:24:40.580 --> 00:24:46.200 And the reason it's irresistible is because what the gospel does is show you Jesus. 00:24:47.460 --> 00:24:49.600 What it does is just like it did for Paul, 00:24:49.660 --> 00:24:52.120 where he was confronted physically with Jesus, 00:24:52.300 --> 00:24:54.240 when we look at the gospel message, 00:24:54.360 --> 00:24:57.000 when we look at what God has done in Jesus, 00:24:57.000 --> 00:25:04.640 we are confronted with a God who is loving and gracious and forgiving and patient and holy and just 00:25:04.640 --> 00:25:09.799 and majestic and yet chooses to invite people like us into his family. 00:25:12.279 --> 00:25:15.839 So having set Paul apart in his mother's womb, 00:25:16.859 --> 00:25:18.240 having called him by grace, 00:25:18.359 --> 00:25:20.500 he reveals his son in him. 00:25:22.220 --> 00:25:24.099 Paul meets Jesus on the road. 00:25:25.039 --> 00:25:26.359 Paul knows about Jesus. 00:25:27.400 --> 00:25:28.660 He's heard the stories. 00:25:28.819 --> 00:25:31.799 I mean, he's traveling around killing the people who follow Jesus. 00:25:32.279 --> 00:25:34.920 He knows for a fact that Jesus was crucified. 00:25:36.119 --> 00:25:38.279 I mean, you know, that was common knowledge at this point. 00:25:39.180 --> 00:25:43.099 And then when he sees him alive on the road in front of him, 00:25:43.420 --> 00:25:46.039 suddenly all these things that he's heard, 00:25:46.140 --> 00:25:48.440 all these bits and pieces fall into place. 00:25:49.640 --> 00:25:54.000 I mean, if Jesus is alive and he was killed, 00:25:54.000 --> 00:25:58.160 then his claim to be the Son of God is genuine. 00:25:59.980 --> 00:26:02.400 If Jesus is alive and he's still here, 00:26:02.700 --> 00:26:05.299 then him saying that he was going to die for sins 00:26:05.299 --> 00:26:08.000 and his offer of forgiveness is genuine. 00:26:08.000 --> 00:26:12.380 Because Jesus is alive, 00:26:12.380 --> 00:26:15.819 his claim to be the rightful king over all creation 00:26:15.819 --> 00:26:18.380 and over every human life is legitimate. 00:26:18.380 --> 00:26:23.600 Paul's life is redefined at this moment. 00:26:24.140 --> 00:26:27.060 He becomes a completely different person 00:26:27.060 --> 00:26:29.880 because he is transformed by the truth 00:26:29.880 --> 00:26:31.800 that he can no longer unsee. 00:26:32.760 --> 00:26:34.160 Jesus is alive. 00:26:35.300 --> 00:26:37.300 That is the gospel message. 00:26:37.780 --> 00:26:39.680 The one who died to offer us forgiveness 00:26:39.680 --> 00:26:42.100 is now alive and sits on the throne. 00:26:42.099 --> 00:26:46.839 The truth of the gospel transformed Paul. 00:26:48.179 --> 00:26:51.039 The truth that by grace, 00:26:51.899 --> 00:26:53.619 God sent his son to die 00:26:53.619 --> 00:26:57.980 so that sinful people could be rescued. 00:26:59.500 --> 00:27:03.799 The truth that Jesus offers hope beyond death 00:27:03.799 --> 00:27:06.099 transformed Paul 00:27:06.099 --> 00:27:09.079 from being one of the church's fiercest opponents 00:27:09.079 --> 00:27:12.039 to one of the greatest evangelists 00:27:12.039 --> 00:27:13.220 that the world has ever seen. 00:27:16.220 --> 00:27:18.599 He went from being a persecutor 00:27:18.599 --> 00:27:21.639 to the one being persecuted 00:27:21.639 --> 00:27:24.179 all because he met Jesus. 00:27:26.779 --> 00:27:29.119 The gospel is powerful enough 00:27:29.119 --> 00:27:31.919 to reach and transform anyone. 00:27:34.480 --> 00:27:37.539 The measure of the genuine gospel 00:27:37.539 --> 00:27:39.500 is its power to transform. 00:27:41.339 --> 00:27:42.240 And so you've got to ask the question, 00:27:42.379 --> 00:27:44.639 what is it that's being transformed here? 00:27:45.180 --> 00:27:46.579 Because there's a risk for us 00:27:46.579 --> 00:27:48.180 when we hear a dramatic story 00:27:48.180 --> 00:27:49.319 like we did for Paul 00:27:49.319 --> 00:27:51.659 that we focus on the details. 00:27:51.920 --> 00:27:52.899 So what's changed is 00:27:52.899 --> 00:27:55.799 before he was doing persecuting people 00:27:55.799 --> 00:27:58.680 and afterwards he's doing preaching. 00:27:59.379 --> 00:28:00.299 And that's real. 00:28:00.399 --> 00:28:01.700 That's a genuine shift. 00:28:01.879 --> 00:28:03.420 But we've got to look deeper than that. 00:28:03.460 --> 00:28:04.240 We've got to ask the question, 00:28:04.359 --> 00:28:05.680 what shifted to make him 00:28:05.680 --> 00:28:07.440 want to stop this 00:28:07.440 --> 00:28:09.259 and start this? 00:28:10.279 --> 00:28:11.600 What made him willing to go 00:28:11.600 --> 00:28:14.160 from somebody who's exerting force on people 00:28:14.160 --> 00:28:16.740 to somebody who would choose to suffer? 00:28:18.500 --> 00:28:19.480 It's not just a, 00:28:19.640 --> 00:28:20.600 I'm going to do something else. 00:28:20.720 --> 00:28:23.000 Something deeper has changed for him. 00:28:23.340 --> 00:28:24.220 And the clue 00:28:24.220 --> 00:28:26.860 is there for us in the passage. 00:28:27.299 --> 00:28:28.759 It's at the beginning and the end. 00:28:28.860 --> 00:28:29.920 Have a look at verse 10. 00:28:29.920 --> 00:28:37.920 Am I now trying to win the approval 00:28:37.920 --> 00:28:40.019 of human beings or of God? 00:28:41.620 --> 00:28:43.580 Or am I trying to please people? 00:28:44.060 --> 00:28:45.940 If I was still trying to please people, 00:28:46.019 --> 00:28:47.880 I would not be a servant of Christ. 00:28:48.800 --> 00:28:50.960 See, before Paul met Jesus, 00:28:51.640 --> 00:28:53.820 his life was driven by a desire 00:28:53.820 --> 00:28:55.360 to please people. 00:28:56.000 --> 00:28:57.940 I mean, he says it explicitly just there. 00:28:57.940 --> 00:29:00.559 He says if he was still trying to please people, 00:29:00.660 --> 00:29:02.220 meaning that's what he was doing before. 00:29:03.539 --> 00:29:05.039 So his religious zeal, 00:29:05.160 --> 00:29:06.980 his effort to be a great Jew, 00:29:07.259 --> 00:29:09.140 even his persecution of the church 00:29:09.140 --> 00:29:11.759 was driven by a self-serving desire 00:29:11.759 --> 00:29:12.779 to please people. 00:29:14.320 --> 00:29:15.600 He wanted to please people 00:29:15.600 --> 00:29:16.480 not because, you know, 00:29:16.539 --> 00:29:18.039 he loved them and he wanted to serve them. 00:29:18.100 --> 00:29:19.019 He wanted to please them 00:29:19.019 --> 00:29:20.380 so that in pleasing them, 00:29:20.460 --> 00:29:21.500 he would get back 00:29:21.500 --> 00:29:23.600 the significance that he craved. 00:29:23.599 --> 00:29:26.240 Because the reality is, 00:29:26.500 --> 00:29:27.259 without Jesus, 00:29:27.439 --> 00:29:28.919 who makes it possible for us 00:29:28.919 --> 00:29:30.959 to bring praise to God 00:29:30.959 --> 00:29:32.559 and find the significance 00:29:32.559 --> 00:29:33.719 of being in his family, 00:29:33.959 --> 00:29:35.659 the only option we have 00:29:35.659 --> 00:29:37.419 when searching for significance 00:29:37.419 --> 00:29:38.219 and identity 00:29:38.219 --> 00:29:40.259 is the accolade that we can get 00:29:40.259 --> 00:29:41.539 from the people around us, 00:29:41.980 --> 00:29:43.740 from the achievements that we do, 00:29:43.859 --> 00:29:46.899 from the presence that we are in their life, 00:29:46.980 --> 00:29:48.480 from the way people talk about us 00:29:48.480 --> 00:29:49.099 and need us. 00:29:49.159 --> 00:29:50.559 That's where we will go searching 00:29:50.559 --> 00:29:53.240 for our significance in life. 00:29:56.259 --> 00:29:58.839 But Paul's heart shifts from that place. 00:29:59.859 --> 00:30:01.099 It shifts in response 00:30:01.099 --> 00:30:03.319 to being loved by grace, 00:30:03.359 --> 00:30:05.339 to the grace that God shows him in Jesus. 00:30:05.339 --> 00:30:07.000 And it shifts so far 00:30:07.000 --> 00:30:10.000 that his deepest desire is now 00:30:10.000 --> 00:30:11.200 there in verse 24. 00:30:13.240 --> 00:30:15.099 The end of his big story 00:30:15.099 --> 00:30:16.279 about his transformation 00:30:16.279 --> 00:30:17.339 is, 00:30:17.700 --> 00:30:19.740 and they praised God because of me. 00:30:20.559 --> 00:30:24.480 It's all about God now. 00:30:26.519 --> 00:30:27.980 Paul will now be somebody 00:30:27.980 --> 00:30:29.319 who will choose to bear 00:30:29.319 --> 00:30:30.980 a huge cost to himself 00:30:30.980 --> 00:30:34.339 and he'll do it 00:30:34.339 --> 00:30:36.119 because his heart's deepest desire 00:30:36.119 --> 00:30:38.359 is now that God be pleased with him, 00:30:39.000 --> 00:30:40.919 that God get praise. 00:30:41.740 --> 00:30:42.879 Instead of being someone 00:30:42.879 --> 00:30:44.839 who is seeking his own identity, 00:30:45.740 --> 00:30:47.000 looking after number one, 00:30:47.099 --> 00:30:48.899 he'll be somebody who denies himself. 00:30:48.900 --> 00:30:50.540 He'll end up in prison. 00:30:50.680 --> 00:30:52.300 There's this whole catalogue of stuff 00:30:52.300 --> 00:30:53.940 that Paul ends up going through 00:30:53.940 --> 00:30:55.000 as a follower of Jesus. 00:30:55.280 --> 00:30:57.160 And the only reason he can do that 00:30:57.160 --> 00:30:58.900 is because his heart is motivated 00:30:59.660 --> 00:31:02.200 by a desire for God to get credit, 00:31:02.280 --> 00:31:02.740 not him. 00:31:04.240 --> 00:31:06.259 His life agenda has shifted. 00:31:07.720 --> 00:31:09.460 His first question now 00:31:09.460 --> 00:31:12.060 as he negotiates life 00:31:12.060 --> 00:31:12.519 is, 00:31:12.680 --> 00:31:13.740 how do I please God 00:31:13.740 --> 00:31:14.680 with this decision? 00:31:14.680 --> 00:31:17.519 How do I put God first? 00:31:20.779 --> 00:31:22.360 He finally recognises 00:31:22.360 --> 00:31:23.480 where he fits 00:31:23.480 --> 00:31:26.400 that his God-given 00:31:26.400 --> 00:31:27.779 created purpose 00:31:27.779 --> 00:31:29.440 was to point 00:31:29.440 --> 00:31:30.420 to the one 00:31:30.420 --> 00:31:31.240 who called him 00:31:31.240 --> 00:31:32.259 to live in grace, 00:31:33.100 --> 00:31:34.019 was to point 00:31:34.019 --> 00:31:34.759 to the one 00:31:34.759 --> 00:31:35.720 who forgave him, 00:31:36.180 --> 00:31:37.400 to point to the one 00:31:37.400 --> 00:31:38.600 who satisfies him 00:31:38.600 --> 00:31:39.840 more than all the other things 00:31:39.840 --> 00:31:41.299 that he had in his life before, 00:31:41.960 --> 00:31:43.060 to point to the one 00:31:43.059 --> 00:31:43.700 who loves him 00:31:43.700 --> 00:31:45.019 in spite of all that he is 00:31:45.019 --> 00:31:46.159 and all that he's done. 00:31:48.599 --> 00:31:50.740 And so the last question 00:31:50.740 --> 00:31:51.960 we've got to ask is, 00:31:52.679 --> 00:31:54.819 if you're following Jesus 00:31:54.819 --> 00:31:56.019 or if you're trying to decide 00:31:56.019 --> 00:31:56.839 whether or not you want 00:31:56.839 --> 00:31:57.579 to follow Jesus, 00:31:57.700 --> 00:31:58.279 the question is, 00:31:58.399 --> 00:32:00.139 how can you be sure 00:32:00.139 --> 00:32:02.419 or how can I be sure 00:32:02.419 --> 00:32:04.599 that we are trusting 00:32:04.599 --> 00:32:07.859 the only actual gospel, 00:32:07.859 --> 00:32:10.119 the one that comes 00:32:10.119 --> 00:32:10.819 from God, 00:32:10.959 --> 00:32:12.819 the one that has power, 00:32:14.899 --> 00:32:16.139 the way you'll know 00:32:16.139 --> 00:32:18.639 is to ask yourself 00:32:18.639 --> 00:32:19.240 the question, 00:32:19.819 --> 00:32:20.839 is my heart 00:32:20.839 --> 00:32:22.500 being transformed by it? 00:32:27.219 --> 00:32:28.379 Is my heart 00:32:28.379 --> 00:32:29.859 shifting from being 00:32:29.859 --> 00:32:31.359 that people-pleasing, 00:32:31.819 --> 00:32:34.119 self-serving person 00:32:34.119 --> 00:32:37.019 to being the self-denying, 00:32:37.159 --> 00:32:38.339 God-pleasing person? 00:32:43.959 --> 00:32:45.299 If the answer is no, 00:32:46.759 --> 00:32:49.079 it's possible 00:32:49.079 --> 00:32:49.819 that you've fallen 00:32:49.819 --> 00:32:50.679 for a perversion 00:32:50.679 --> 00:32:51.319 of the gospel. 00:32:54.500 --> 00:32:55.319 It's possible 00:32:55.319 --> 00:32:56.059 that whatever it is 00:32:56.059 --> 00:32:56.819 that you're trusting 00:32:56.819 --> 00:32:57.459 or following 00:32:57.459 --> 00:32:58.839 is enough to make you 00:32:58.839 --> 00:32:59.979 do religious things. 00:33:00.079 --> 00:33:00.239 I mean, 00:33:00.259 --> 00:33:00.859 you're in the room, 00:33:01.459 --> 00:33:02.299 you're at church, 00:33:02.659 --> 00:33:03.699 you may be even serving 00:33:03.700 --> 00:33:04.660 and doing other things, 00:33:04.940 --> 00:33:05.920 but maybe it's not 00:33:05.920 --> 00:33:06.720 powerful enough 00:33:06.720 --> 00:33:07.600 to actually change 00:33:07.600 --> 00:33:08.019 your heart. 00:33:10.539 --> 00:33:11.700 And if that's the case, 00:33:11.759 --> 00:33:12.420 you need to hear 00:33:12.420 --> 00:33:13.400 the gospel tonight. 00:33:14.660 --> 00:33:15.519 You need to hear 00:33:15.519 --> 00:33:16.019 the message 00:33:16.019 --> 00:33:18.039 that God invites you 00:33:18.039 --> 00:33:19.740 to receive grace 00:33:19.740 --> 00:33:20.220 from Him, 00:33:21.380 --> 00:33:22.019 to be loved 00:33:22.019 --> 00:33:22.740 even though you 00:33:22.740 --> 00:33:23.519 don't deserve it, 00:33:23.559 --> 00:33:24.100 even though your 00:33:24.100 --> 00:33:24.980 heart's inclination 00:33:24.980 --> 00:33:25.860 is to love yourself 00:33:25.860 --> 00:33:26.559 first. 00:33:27.019 --> 00:33:27.620 You need to hear 00:33:27.620 --> 00:33:28.259 the invitation 00:33:28.259 --> 00:33:29.200 that because Jesus 00:33:29.200 --> 00:33:30.460 died and rose again, 00:33:30.799 --> 00:33:31.720 God offers to love 00:33:31.720 --> 00:33:32.360 you anyway 00:33:32.359 --> 00:33:33.279 and to begin 00:33:33.279 --> 00:33:33.799 the work 00:33:33.799 --> 00:33:34.599 of transforming 00:33:34.599 --> 00:33:35.519 you to be 00:33:35.519 --> 00:33:35.979 who you were 00:33:35.979 --> 00:33:36.599 made to be. 00:33:42.619 --> 00:33:43.419 As I was writing 00:33:43.419 --> 00:33:44.119 this message, 00:33:44.439 --> 00:33:44.979 I was chatting 00:33:44.979 --> 00:33:45.740 with Sal about it 00:33:45.740 --> 00:33:46.299 last night 00:33:46.299 --> 00:33:46.799 and saying 00:33:46.799 --> 00:33:48.079 that feels like 00:33:48.079 --> 00:33:48.779 a really sharp 00:33:48.779 --> 00:33:49.699 place to stop. 00:33:51.139 --> 00:33:51.959 It feels almost 00:33:51.959 --> 00:33:52.759 a little bit offensive. 00:33:53.399 --> 00:33:53.839 And so I was trying 00:33:53.839 --> 00:33:54.639 to think of a second 00:33:54.639 --> 00:33:55.259 option. 00:33:56.259 --> 00:33:56.479 You know, 00:33:56.539 --> 00:33:57.079 if you're not being 00:33:57.079 --> 00:33:57.939 transformed to say 00:33:57.939 --> 00:33:58.359 maybe you don't 00:33:58.359 --> 00:33:58.919 have the gospel, 00:33:59.099 --> 00:33:59.399 maybe there's 00:33:59.399 --> 00:34:00.579 another softer version. 00:34:00.579 --> 00:34:03.980 And as I was 00:34:03.980 --> 00:34:04.679 thinking that 00:34:04.679 --> 00:34:05.099 through and 00:34:05.099 --> 00:34:05.799 processing that, 00:34:05.839 --> 00:34:06.399 I realised two 00:34:06.399 --> 00:34:06.839 things. 00:34:09.440 --> 00:34:10.420 The first thing 00:34:10.420 --> 00:34:12.000 was that there 00:34:12.000 --> 00:34:12.519 is no other 00:34:12.519 --> 00:34:12.860 option. 00:34:17.299 --> 00:34:18.079 The gospel 00:34:18.079 --> 00:34:19.460 transforms hearts. 00:34:20.019 --> 00:34:20.679 It's what it 00:34:20.679 --> 00:34:21.059 does. 00:34:22.079 --> 00:34:22.599 And so if our 00:34:22.599 --> 00:34:23.279 hearts are not 00:34:23.279 --> 00:34:24.199 being transformed 00:34:24.199 --> 00:34:25.799 so that we care 00:34:25.799 --> 00:34:26.360 more about 00:34:26.360 --> 00:34:27.000 pleasing God 00:34:27.000 --> 00:34:27.380 than we do 00:34:27.380 --> 00:34:28.000 about pleasing 00:34:28.000 --> 00:34:28.340 people, 00:34:28.420 --> 00:34:29.099 we have to 00:34:29.099 --> 00:34:29.920 seriously ask 00:34:29.920 --> 00:34:30.460 the question, 00:34:30.619 --> 00:34:31.260 do we know 00:34:31.260 --> 00:34:31.639 Jesus? 00:34:32.780 --> 00:34:33.460 Have we met 00:34:33.460 --> 00:34:33.680 him? 00:34:35.059 --> 00:34:35.860 Do we know 00:34:35.860 --> 00:34:36.800 his majesty 00:34:36.800 --> 00:34:38.139 and his love 00:34:38.139 --> 00:34:39.880 and his 00:34:39.880 --> 00:34:40.579 worthiness? 00:34:44.700 --> 00:34:45.320 But the 00:34:45.320 --> 00:34:45.800 second thing 00:34:45.800 --> 00:34:46.400 I realised 00:34:46.400 --> 00:34:47.019 was that 00:34:47.019 --> 00:34:48.639 my desire 00:34:48.639 --> 00:34:49.240 to soften 00:34:49.240 --> 00:34:49.940 this point 00:34:49.940 --> 00:34:51.260 was ultimately 00:34:51.260 --> 00:34:51.820 a people 00:34:51.820 --> 00:34:52.599 pleasing desire. 00:34:55.260 --> 00:34:55.920 I want to 00:34:55.920 --> 00:34:56.119 be, 00:34:56.599 --> 00:34:56.860 you know, 00:34:56.900 --> 00:34:57.159 I want you 00:34:57.159 --> 00:34:57.519 to come and 00:34:57.519 --> 00:34:57.860 let me know 00:34:57.860 --> 00:34:58.320 afterwards how 00:34:58.320 --> 00:34:59.039 encouraging the 00:34:59.039 --> 00:34:59.679 sermon was. 00:35:01.099 --> 00:35:01.679 I want to 00:35:01.679 --> 00:35:02.000 be known 00:35:02.000 --> 00:35:02.259 as the 00:35:02.259 --> 00:35:02.460 good 00:35:02.460 --> 00:35:02.920 preacher. 00:35:07.659 --> 00:35:08.219 But that 00:35:08.219 --> 00:35:08.840 doesn't change 00:35:08.840 --> 00:35:09.400 anything about 00:35:09.400 --> 00:35:10.380 that first 00:35:10.380 --> 00:35:10.860 reflection. 00:35:11.599 --> 00:35:12.259 It doesn't 00:35:12.259 --> 00:35:12.719 change the 00:35:12.719 --> 00:35:13.199 fact that the 00:35:13.199 --> 00:35:13.820 gospel changes 00:35:13.820 --> 00:35:14.380 hearts. 00:35:16.759 --> 00:35:17.460 But what it 00:35:17.460 --> 00:35:17.920 did do is 00:35:17.920 --> 00:35:18.619 remind me 00:35:18.619 --> 00:35:21.000 that maybe I 00:35:21.000 --> 00:35:21.559 need to keep 00:35:21.559 --> 00:35:22.199 hearing the 00:35:22.199 --> 00:35:22.579 gospel. 00:35:25.340 --> 00:35:25.900 Reminded me 00:35:25.900 --> 00:35:26.739 that maybe I'm 00:35:26.739 --> 00:35:27.279 not a finished 00:35:27.280 --> 00:35:28.120 product yet 00:35:28.120 --> 00:35:29.260 in that 00:35:29.260 --> 00:35:30.000 journey from 00:35:30.000 --> 00:35:31.040 people pleasing 00:35:31.040 --> 00:35:31.500 to God 00:35:31.500 --> 00:35:31.860 pleasing. 00:35:34.360 --> 00:35:35.040 I'm sure 00:35:35.040 --> 00:35:35.600 that many of 00:35:35.600 --> 00:35:36.060 you guys are 00:35:36.060 --> 00:35:36.840 aware that I'm 00:35:36.840 --> 00:35:37.440 in the process 00:35:37.440 --> 00:35:38.100 of training for 00:35:38.100 --> 00:35:38.840 a half marathon. 00:35:39.640 --> 00:35:40.180 You're probably 00:35:40.180 --> 00:35:40.860 aware because I'm 00:35:40.860 --> 00:35:41.440 always telling you 00:35:41.440 --> 00:35:42.140 how fast or 00:35:42.140 --> 00:35:42.820 slow I'm running 00:35:42.820 --> 00:35:43.560 or I'm limping 00:35:43.560 --> 00:35:44.160 as I try and get 00:35:44.160 --> 00:35:44.460 up on the 00:35:44.460 --> 00:35:45.060 platform on a 00:35:45.060 --> 00:35:45.340 Sunday. 00:35:46.160 --> 00:35:47.500 It was a whim, 00:35:47.620 --> 00:35:48.120 it was a silly 00:35:48.120 --> 00:35:48.540 decision. 00:35:48.760 --> 00:35:49.100 I was on 00:35:49.100 --> 00:35:50.100 holidays a little 00:35:50.100 --> 00:35:50.740 over ten weeks 00:35:50.740 --> 00:35:52.040 ago and my 00:35:52.040 --> 00:35:52.940 brother-in-law, 00:35:53.120 --> 00:35:53.600 he's an 00:35:53.600 --> 00:35:54.500 indigenous marathon 00:35:54.500 --> 00:35:54.840 runner. 00:35:54.840 --> 00:35:56.120 He has a 00:35:56.120 --> 00:35:56.700 slightly different 00:35:56.700 --> 00:35:57.360 body type to 00:35:57.360 --> 00:35:58.320 me and he's 00:35:58.320 --> 00:35:58.720 been doing 00:35:58.720 --> 00:35:59.400 marathon running 00:35:59.400 --> 00:36:01.260 for a while and 00:36:01.260 --> 00:36:01.800 he managed to 00:36:01.800 --> 00:36:02.300 talk me into 00:36:02.300 --> 00:36:02.820 why don't you 00:36:02.820 --> 00:36:03.380 just have a go, 00:36:03.500 --> 00:36:03.920 just run a 00:36:03.920 --> 00:36:04.320 half marathon. 00:36:04.539 --> 00:36:05.260 Why don't I? 00:36:05.600 --> 00:36:06.000 Because I'm 00:36:06.000 --> 00:36:06.720 nearly 35 and 00:36:06.720 --> 00:36:07.059 I've never done 00:36:07.059 --> 00:36:07.740 it before is why. 00:36:08.500 --> 00:36:09.900 But I wasn't 00:36:09.900 --> 00:36:10.600 thinking logically 00:36:10.600 --> 00:36:11.559 on holidays so I 00:36:11.559 --> 00:36:12.059 committed and 00:36:12.059 --> 00:36:12.660 said yep let's 00:36:12.660 --> 00:36:13.420 do it, have a go. 00:36:13.579 --> 00:36:14.320 I signed up, I 00:36:14.320 --> 00:36:15.360 registered for the 00:36:15.360 --> 00:36:16.840 half marathon and 00:36:16.840 --> 00:36:17.680 I started training 00:36:17.680 --> 00:36:19.700 and it was fun for 00:36:19.700 --> 00:36:20.500 about a week and 00:36:20.500 --> 00:36:21.440 then now I'm about 00:36:21.440 --> 00:36:22.260 ten weeks in. 00:36:23.260 --> 00:36:24.160 And it's 00:36:24.160 --> 00:36:24.700 interesting to 00:36:24.700 --> 00:36:25.280 watch how it 00:36:25.280 --> 00:36:25.500 goes. 00:36:25.660 --> 00:36:26.840 I have, I'm 00:36:26.840 --> 00:36:27.160 trying to think 00:36:27.160 --> 00:36:27.440 how you're 00:36:27.440 --> 00:36:27.860 reading left to 00:36:27.860 --> 00:36:28.060 right, yeah. 00:36:28.120 --> 00:36:29.540 So if this is my 00:36:29.540 --> 00:36:30.460 journey of training, 00:36:30.540 --> 00:36:31.420 I have some weeks 00:36:31.420 --> 00:36:32.420 where I'm running 00:36:32.420 --> 00:36:33.160 really fast and 00:36:33.160 --> 00:36:33.760 stuff's good and 00:36:33.760 --> 00:36:34.400 other weeks where 00:36:34.400 --> 00:36:34.980 it's slow. 00:36:35.560 --> 00:36:36.780 But my slow 00:36:36.780 --> 00:36:37.880 weeks ten weeks 00:36:37.880 --> 00:36:38.640 into the journey 00:36:38.640 --> 00:36:39.980 are much quicker 00:36:39.980 --> 00:36:40.560 than my slow 00:36:40.560 --> 00:36:41.300 weeks week one. 00:36:42.420 --> 00:36:43.480 The level of pain 00:36:43.480 --> 00:36:44.380 I'm experiencing 00:36:44.380 --> 00:36:45.660 in week ten, 00:36:45.780 --> 00:36:46.340 even on the 00:36:46.340 --> 00:36:47.120 painful days, 00:36:47.160 --> 00:36:47.900 is much lower 00:36:47.900 --> 00:36:48.560 than the pain I 00:36:48.560 --> 00:36:49.240 was experiencing 00:36:49.240 --> 00:36:50.480 in week one. 00:36:50.480 --> 00:36:53.159 I'm moving 00:36:53.159 --> 00:36:53.940 in a direction. 00:36:54.119 --> 00:36:54.900 It's not a clean 00:36:54.900 --> 00:36:55.740 line of progress 00:36:55.740 --> 00:36:56.519 when it comes to 00:36:56.519 --> 00:36:57.460 my fitness and 00:36:57.460 --> 00:36:58.559 my strength and 00:36:58.559 --> 00:36:59.380 how fast I am. 00:36:59.440 --> 00:37:00.360 It's like this, 00:37:00.579 --> 00:37:01.260 but it's all 00:37:01.260 --> 00:37:02.440 moving up in the 00:37:02.440 --> 00:37:03.099 right direction. 00:37:03.940 --> 00:37:04.740 It's the same 00:37:04.740 --> 00:37:05.460 when it comes to 00:37:05.460 --> 00:37:06.119 the transformation 00:37:06.119 --> 00:37:06.960 that God is 00:37:06.960 --> 00:37:07.880 working in us. 00:37:08.639 --> 00:37:09.440 There are weeks 00:37:09.440 --> 00:37:10.219 where we will be 00:37:10.219 --> 00:37:11.519 way more selfish 00:37:11.519 --> 00:37:12.420 than we wish we 00:37:12.420 --> 00:37:12.619 were. 00:37:13.320 --> 00:37:14.059 There will be weeks 00:37:14.059 --> 00:37:14.900 where God in His 00:37:14.900 --> 00:37:16.019 grace empowers us 00:37:16.019 --> 00:37:16.880 to lovingly put 00:37:16.880 --> 00:37:17.619 Him first and 00:37:17.619 --> 00:37:18.760 serve people and 00:37:18.760 --> 00:37:19.599 seek His glory 00:37:19.599 --> 00:37:20.259 way more than 00:37:20.259 --> 00:37:20.799 we do at other 00:37:20.799 --> 00:37:21.239 times. 00:37:21.679 --> 00:37:22.699 The issue is not 00:37:22.699 --> 00:37:23.759 are you seeking 00:37:23.759 --> 00:37:24.460 to please God 00:37:24.460 --> 00:37:25.339 more today than 00:37:25.339 --> 00:37:26.079 you did yesterday? 00:37:27.039 --> 00:37:27.940 Because we do 00:37:27.940 --> 00:37:28.319 this. 00:37:29.139 --> 00:37:29.900 We've got to 00:37:29.900 --> 00:37:30.639 step back and 00:37:30.639 --> 00:37:31.119 have a bigger 00:37:31.119 --> 00:37:31.440 look. 00:37:33.019 --> 00:37:33.659 We've got to 00:37:33.659 --> 00:37:34.279 ask ourselves 00:37:34.279 --> 00:37:34.900 the question, 00:37:35.279 --> 00:37:35.819 am I seeking 00:37:35.819 --> 00:37:36.739 to please God 00:37:36.739 --> 00:37:38.119 more now than 00:37:38.119 --> 00:37:38.719 I was a year 00:37:38.719 --> 00:37:39.000 ago? 00:37:41.380 --> 00:37:42.380 Am I thinking 00:37:42.380 --> 00:37:43.559 of God first 00:37:43.559 --> 00:37:45.079 in my big life 00:37:45.079 --> 00:37:45.980 decisions more 00:37:45.980 --> 00:37:46.779 now than I 00:37:46.779 --> 00:37:47.219 would have when 00:37:47.219 --> 00:37:47.719 I started 00:37:47.719 --> 00:37:48.380 following Him? 00:37:49.599 --> 00:37:50.860 As I think 00:37:50.860 --> 00:37:51.299 about what 00:37:51.299 --> 00:37:52.159 job I might 00:37:52.159 --> 00:37:52.819 take or 00:37:52.819 --> 00:37:53.579 offers that 00:37:53.579 --> 00:37:53.900 are on the 00:37:53.900 --> 00:37:54.119 table, 00:37:54.219 --> 00:37:54.900 decisions I've 00:37:54.900 --> 00:37:55.299 got to make, 00:37:55.599 --> 00:37:56.539 is my first 00:37:56.539 --> 00:37:57.199 inclination, 00:37:57.639 --> 00:37:58.339 what does God 00:37:58.339 --> 00:37:59.179 want me to do 00:37:59.179 --> 00:37:59.579 here? 00:38:00.579 --> 00:38:01.460 More so than 00:38:01.460 --> 00:38:01.779 it would have 00:38:01.779 --> 00:38:02.299 been before. 00:38:03.440 --> 00:38:04.199 As I think 00:38:04.199 --> 00:38:04.739 about being 00:38:04.739 --> 00:38:05.400 generous, 00:38:05.819 --> 00:38:06.759 is my first 00:38:06.759 --> 00:38:07.279 inclination, 00:38:07.440 --> 00:38:08.019 what does God 00:38:08.019 --> 00:38:08.819 want from me 00:38:08.819 --> 00:38:09.059 here? 00:38:10.500 --> 00:38:12.460 A year or 00:38:12.460 --> 00:38:13.599 four years ago 00:38:13.599 --> 00:38:14.079 it might have 00:38:14.079 --> 00:38:15.000 been, does God 00:38:15.000 --> 00:38:15.519 want me to be 00:38:15.519 --> 00:38:15.900 generous? 00:38:16.779 --> 00:38:17.259 The answer is 00:38:17.259 --> 00:38:17.799 yes, just to 00:38:17.799 --> 00:38:18.179 clarify. 00:38:18.179 --> 00:38:18.639 But as 00:38:18.639 --> 00:38:19.159 you've grown 00:38:19.159 --> 00:38:20.460 slowly, as 00:38:20.460 --> 00:38:20.940 God's done 00:38:20.940 --> 00:38:21.500 work in you, 00:38:21.559 --> 00:38:22.000 now it might 00:38:22.000 --> 00:38:23.379 be, how 00:38:23.379 --> 00:38:23.980 much more 00:38:23.980 --> 00:38:24.339 does God 00:38:24.339 --> 00:38:24.759 want me to 00:38:24.759 --> 00:38:25.399 push in my 00:38:25.399 --> 00:38:25.879 generosity? 00:38:26.799 --> 00:38:27.399 See, it's a 00:38:27.399 --> 00:38:28.279 progressive thing, 00:38:28.359 --> 00:38:28.980 but we've got to 00:38:28.980 --> 00:38:29.619 be willing to 00:38:29.619 --> 00:38:30.460 still ask the 00:38:30.460 --> 00:38:30.899 question. 00:38:31.980 --> 00:38:32.779 We can't just 00:38:32.779 --> 00:38:33.619 hide from the 00:38:33.619 --> 00:38:34.519 reality because 00:38:34.519 --> 00:38:35.039 our lives 00:38:35.039 --> 00:38:35.739 sometimes do 00:38:35.739 --> 00:38:36.299 this, because 00:38:36.299 --> 00:38:37.119 the message 00:38:37.119 --> 00:38:37.719 here is that 00:38:37.719 --> 00:38:38.359 the gospel 00:38:38.359 --> 00:38:39.739 transforms us. 00:38:41.460 --> 00:38:41.859 And so if 00:38:41.859 --> 00:38:42.339 there's no 00:38:42.339 --> 00:38:43.379 transformation, and 00:38:43.379 --> 00:38:43.940 Deb was sharing 00:38:43.940 --> 00:38:44.519 this morning, and 00:38:44.519 --> 00:38:45.059 I was outside 00:38:45.059 --> 00:38:45.719 putting Huddy in, 00:38:45.759 --> 00:38:46.179 I don't know if 00:38:46.179 --> 00:38:46.599 you shared it 00:38:46.599 --> 00:38:47.119 tonight, but 00:38:47.119 --> 00:38:47.899 Deb met 00:38:47.899 --> 00:38:48.739 Jesus after 00:38:48.739 --> 00:38:50.059 serving on a 00:38:50.059 --> 00:38:50.559 Sunday school 00:38:50.559 --> 00:38:51.139 team for 00:38:51.139 --> 00:38:51.599 years. 00:38:52.619 --> 00:38:53.119 And so it 00:38:53.119 --> 00:38:53.639 could be that 00:38:53.639 --> 00:38:54.019 you've been 00:38:54.019 --> 00:38:55.000 sitting in 00:38:55.000 --> 00:38:56.359 church, maybe 00:38:56.359 --> 00:38:56.779 even your 00:38:56.779 --> 00:38:59.779 whole life, but 00:38:59.779 --> 00:39:00.359 you've never 00:39:00.359 --> 00:39:01.159 met Jesus. 00:39:02.559 --> 00:39:03.199 And maybe 00:39:03.199 --> 00:39:04.139 tonight God 00:39:04.139 --> 00:39:04.839 is holding up 00:39:04.839 --> 00:39:05.619 this mirror to 00:39:05.619 --> 00:39:06.119 say, here's 00:39:06.119 --> 00:39:06.500 how you'll 00:39:06.500 --> 00:39:06.759 know. 00:39:07.919 --> 00:39:08.719 If there's 00:39:08.719 --> 00:39:09.539 been no shift 00:39:09.539 --> 00:39:10.319 in your heart 00:39:10.319 --> 00:39:11.119 in that journey, 00:39:11.319 --> 00:39:12.119 then you need 00:39:12.119 --> 00:39:12.739 to meet him. 00:39:12.739 --> 00:39:14.759 But the 00:39:14.759 --> 00:39:15.259 good news 00:39:15.259 --> 00:39:16.239 is that the 00:39:16.239 --> 00:39:17.139 gospel invitation 00:39:17.139 --> 00:39:17.839 is still open 00:39:17.839 --> 00:39:18.299 to you. 00:39:19.579 --> 00:39:20.379 That if you're 00:39:20.379 --> 00:39:20.859 sitting here 00:39:20.859 --> 00:39:21.819 feeling uncomfortable, 00:39:22.259 --> 00:39:23.059 feeling convicted 00:39:23.059 --> 00:39:24.219 that there isn't 00:39:24.219 --> 00:39:25.099 any shift in 00:39:25.099 --> 00:39:25.679 your life, 00:39:26.699 --> 00:39:28.939 that God is 00:39:28.939 --> 00:39:30.179 inviting you to 00:39:30.179 --> 00:39:30.819 meet Jesus 00:39:30.819 --> 00:39:31.539 right now. 00:39:32.839 --> 00:39:33.539 That the 00:39:33.539 --> 00:39:34.099 gospel is 00:39:34.099 --> 00:39:34.719 powerful enough 00:39:34.719 --> 00:39:35.299 to grab you, 00:39:35.339 --> 00:39:35.819 even if you 00:39:35.819 --> 00:39:36.519 came here to 00:39:36.519 --> 00:39:37.419 make someone 00:39:37.419 --> 00:39:38.059 else happy. 00:39:38.559 --> 00:39:39.439 The gospel is 00:39:39.439 --> 00:39:40.059 powerful enough 00:39:40.059 --> 00:39:40.759 to right now, 00:39:40.839 --> 00:39:41.699 in this moment, 00:39:41.699 --> 00:39:42.679 introduce you 00:39:42.679 --> 00:39:43.699 to Jesus and 00:39:43.699 --> 00:39:44.500 start you on 00:39:44.500 --> 00:39:45.099 the journey of 00:39:45.099 --> 00:39:45.599 getting to 00:39:45.599 --> 00:39:46.379 know the 00:39:46.379 --> 00:39:47.299 greatest love 00:39:47.299 --> 00:39:48.059 that has ever 00:39:48.059 --> 00:39:49.000 been expressed. 00:39:50.500 --> 00:39:51.239 Getting to 00:39:51.239 --> 00:39:51.799 know the God 00:39:51.799 --> 00:39:52.639 who made you. 00:39:55.859 --> 00:39:56.879 It's an open 00:39:56.879 --> 00:39:57.519 invitation. 00:40:00.319 --> 00:40:01.139 Tonight could 00:40:01.139 --> 00:40:01.679 be the night 00:40:01.679 --> 00:40:02.500 that God wants 00:40:02.500 --> 00:40:03.339 to show you 00:40:03.339 --> 00:40:07.279 Jesus and 00:40:07.279 --> 00:40:08.000 begin the work 00:40:08.000 --> 00:40:08.699 of transforming 00:40:08.699 --> 00:40:09.839 you for his 00:40:09.839 --> 00:40:10.239 glory. 00:40:11.699 --> 00:40:12.559 God, if 00:40:12.559 --> 00:40:12.919 you've never 00:40:12.919 --> 00:40:13.379 done that 00:40:13.379 --> 00:40:15.219 before, if 00:40:15.219 --> 00:40:15.579 you're sitting 00:40:15.579 --> 00:40:16.159 there going, 00:40:17.159 --> 00:40:18.059 I need to 00:40:18.059 --> 00:40:19.119 do that, I 00:40:19.119 --> 00:40:19.819 need to take 00:40:19.819 --> 00:40:21.159 the step, then 00:40:21.159 --> 00:40:21.619 just now I'm 00:40:21.619 --> 00:40:22.059 going to pray. 00:40:26.299 --> 00:40:26.939 And if you 00:40:26.939 --> 00:40:27.399 need to, I 00:40:27.399 --> 00:40:27.739 want you to 00:40:27.739 --> 00:40:28.199 make this 00:40:28.199 --> 00:40:28.679 prayer your 00:40:28.679 --> 00:40:29.000 prayer. 00:40:29.799 --> 00:40:30.559 Just in your 00:40:30.559 --> 00:40:31.199 own head, just 00:40:31.199 --> 00:40:31.739 you can repeat 00:40:31.739 --> 00:40:32.439 the words as I 00:40:32.439 --> 00:40:32.659 go. 00:40:34.119 --> 00:40:34.960 Say amen in 00:40:34.960 --> 00:40:35.319 your head at 00:40:35.319 --> 00:40:35.799 the end, whatever 00:40:35.799 --> 00:40:36.419 you need to do 00:40:36.419 --> 00:40:36.960 to say, God, 00:40:37.019 --> 00:40:37.519 this is my 00:40:37.519 --> 00:40:37.799 prayer. 00:40:37.800 --> 00:40:40.140 And in 00:40:40.140 --> 00:40:40.720 the Bible, God 00:40:40.720 --> 00:40:41.440 makes it clear. 00:40:42.060 --> 00:40:42.660 When we come 00:40:42.660 --> 00:40:43.200 to him and we 00:40:43.200 --> 00:40:43.920 ask for forgiveness, 00:40:44.920 --> 00:40:46.060 when we come 00:40:46.060 --> 00:40:47.260 to him and ask 00:40:47.260 --> 00:40:48.360 him to help us 00:40:48.360 --> 00:40:49.760 make Jesus the 00:40:49.760 --> 00:40:50.420 king that he's 00:40:50.420 --> 00:40:51.200 supposed to be, 00:40:51.800 --> 00:40:52.840 the answer will 00:40:52.840 --> 00:40:53.340 be yes. 00:40:55.940 --> 00:40:56.920 So let's pray 00:40:56.920 --> 00:40:58.260 right now and 00:40:58.260 --> 00:40:58.940 maybe tonight is 00:40:58.940 --> 00:40:59.440 your night to 00:40:59.440 --> 00:40:59.940 begin this 00:40:59.940 --> 00:41:00.260 journey. 00:41:02.080 --> 00:41:02.880 Father God, 00:41:02.880 --> 00:41:06.000 we're sorry 00:41:06.000 --> 00:41:07.200 for caring more 00:41:07.200 --> 00:41:08.119 about ourselves 00:41:08.119 --> 00:41:08.960 and for seeking 00:41:08.960 --> 00:41:10.019 to please people 00:41:10.019 --> 00:41:11.140 rather than 00:41:11.140 --> 00:41:11.800 living for you. 00:41:15.320 --> 00:41:16.220 We're sorry 00:41:16.220 --> 00:41:16.980 for going 00:41:16.980 --> 00:41:17.380 through the 00:41:17.380 --> 00:41:18.579 motions sometimes 00:41:18.579 --> 00:41:19.619 of church and 00:41:19.619 --> 00:41:20.820 religion without 00:41:20.820 --> 00:41:21.700 having hearts 00:41:21.700 --> 00:41:22.440 that love you. 00:41:26.640 --> 00:41:27.500 We're sorry 00:41:27.500 --> 00:41:28.300 for replacing 00:41:28.300 --> 00:41:29.559 your gospel 00:41:29.559 --> 00:41:30.880 of free grace 00:41:30.880 --> 00:41:32.539 with effort 00:41:32.539 --> 00:41:34.000 that can 00:41:34.000 --> 00:41:34.400 never do 00:41:34.400 --> 00:41:34.779 the job. 00:41:37.880 --> 00:41:38.360 Please 00:41:38.360 --> 00:41:39.119 forgive us 00:41:39.119 --> 00:41:41.199 and by your 00:41:41.199 --> 00:41:41.619 grace, 00:41:41.820 --> 00:41:42.739 transform us 00:41:42.739 --> 00:41:43.300 to be the 00:41:43.300 --> 00:41:43.920 kind of people 00:41:43.920 --> 00:41:44.940 who live every 00:41:44.940 --> 00:41:45.739 minute of every 00:41:45.739 --> 00:41:46.420 day for you. 00:41:49.480 --> 00:41:50.079 Thank you 00:41:50.079 --> 00:41:50.519 for sending 00:41:50.519 --> 00:41:51.599 Jesus to die 00:41:51.599 --> 00:41:52.320 in our place. 00:41:54.739 --> 00:41:55.380 Thank you 00:41:55.380 --> 00:41:55.779 for being 00:41:55.779 --> 00:41:56.599 patient with 00:41:56.599 --> 00:41:57.159 us as we 00:41:57.159 --> 00:41:57.980 fail and we 00:41:57.980 --> 00:41:58.619 struggle on 00:41:58.619 --> 00:41:59.159 this journey. 00:41:59.159 --> 00:42:02.719 please reveal 00:42:02.719 --> 00:42:03.619 your son 00:42:03.619 --> 00:42:04.299 in us 00:42:04.299 --> 00:42:05.399 so that 00:42:05.399 --> 00:42:05.980 others might 00:42:05.980 --> 00:42:06.440 come to 00:42:06.440 --> 00:42:06.899 know this 00:42:06.899 --> 00:42:07.679 powerful, 00:42:08.359 --> 00:42:09.039 grace-filled 00:42:09.039 --> 00:42:09.559 gospel. 00:42:10.500 --> 00:42:11.239 For your 00:42:11.239 --> 00:42:11.539 sake. 00:42:11.539 --> 00:42:12.799 Amen.