WEBVTT

00:00:00.480 --> 00:00:04.400
 Father, your word today says some hard words to us.

00:00:05.040 --> 00:00:09.580
 And we know, Father, that we know because of Jesus and his death upon the cross

00:00:09.580 --> 00:00:15.400
 that even when you say hard words to us, it is because you love us.

00:00:15.759 --> 00:00:18.640
 And so, Father, we ask that you would help us.

00:00:18.719 --> 00:00:22.699
 We ask that you would gently but very powerfully pour out your Holy Spirit upon us.

00:00:22.839 --> 00:00:28.719
 Pour out your Holy Spirit upon our minds, upon our hearts, upon our wills, upon our souls, upon our bodies.

00:00:28.719 --> 00:00:35.179
 Father, pour out your Holy Spirit upon us so that as we hear your word and think about your word,

00:00:35.280 --> 00:00:41.719
 that your word might enter deep within our lives and then produce much fruit for your glory

00:00:41.719 --> 00:00:44.299
 in Ottawa and to the ends of the earth.

00:00:44.739 --> 00:00:48.960
 And this we ask in Jesus' name, your Son and our Savior. Amen.

00:00:49.460 --> 00:00:50.259
 Please be seated.

00:00:50.259 --> 00:01:02.460
 So, just to get right to the elephant in the room, is the Bible hate literature?

00:01:03.280 --> 00:01:10.079
 Does God hate lesbians, gays, and all other non-heterosexuals?

00:01:10.959 --> 00:01:14.759
 Does God hate people like that?

00:01:14.760 --> 00:01:17.120
 And I'll say no.

00:01:17.960 --> 00:01:19.719
 And that's the end of the sermon.

00:01:19.840 --> 00:01:21.140
 We can all go to the next part.

00:01:22.439 --> 00:01:26.880
 And people say, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, George.

00:01:26.960 --> 00:01:27.840
 You can't just say no.

00:01:28.219 --> 00:01:28.980
 You can't just say no.

00:01:31.060 --> 00:01:36.160
 I mean, we just, if you can just imagine if you read that at your work or at the coffee shop out loud

00:01:36.159 --> 00:01:41.619
 and then you said, does God hate gays and said no, nobody would be satisfied with that answer.

00:01:42.819 --> 00:01:45.000
 So, what does the Bible say?

00:01:45.939 --> 00:01:48.420
 Well, here's what we're going to do.

00:01:49.579 --> 00:01:52.019
 This week, something happened in my family.

00:01:53.099 --> 00:01:58.759
 I had been telling them about my, I'd been watching on Netflix a television series on Netflix.

00:01:58.760 --> 00:02:05.180
 And after I'd watched, you know, five or six or seven episodes, I mentioned to my wife and kids that they should watch it,

00:02:05.219 --> 00:02:06.540
 that they'd probably really enjoy it.

00:02:07.240 --> 00:02:13.840
 And one day, just sort of, it happened to be in the room when it was on for just a couple of minutes.

00:02:14.219 --> 00:02:22.819
 And I said, it was an image of a really, you know, attractive young woman, sweet, innocent-looking young woman,

00:02:23.020 --> 00:02:24.060
 talking to a guy.

00:02:24.180 --> 00:02:26.219
 And I blurted out, she's an assassin.

00:02:26.219 --> 00:02:30.960
 And my kids said, oh, Dad, you know, spoiler alert.

00:02:32.180 --> 00:02:35.479
 Like, why on earth did you go ahead and tell us that she's an assassin, right?

00:02:35.560 --> 00:02:37.180
 They, you know, pushed back, and they should.

00:02:37.259 --> 00:02:38.740
 It was a dumb thing for me to do.

00:02:39.340 --> 00:02:40.419
 But here's the thing.

00:02:40.740 --> 00:02:43.740
 They actually believed me when I said that.

00:02:44.539 --> 00:02:45.960
 They didn't say, no, no, no, no, Dad.

00:02:46.039 --> 00:02:47.460
 Just look at that image for a moment.

00:02:47.599 --> 00:02:49.000
 That woman's not an assassin.

00:02:49.159 --> 00:02:55.199
 She's a sweet, you know, attractive, kind, caring young woman who's showing kindness to the young man,

00:02:55.199 --> 00:02:58.419
 not actually thinking about whether she should murder him and when.

00:02:59.079 --> 00:03:05.759
 And in other words, they believed me when I said, I know how the earlier episodes go and how the story's turning out.

00:03:05.759 --> 00:03:08.919
 And they were mad at me because they believed me.

00:03:09.519 --> 00:03:16.639
 And so the first thing, before we're going to look at this text, which on the surface, as you said, as I said, I'm not exaggerating, right?

00:03:16.659 --> 00:03:22.319
 If we were to say this, if we were to go to Starbucks afterwards and we got everybody's attention, read a passage of the Bible,

00:03:22.379 --> 00:03:28.060
 and read that passage of the Bible, we would feel uncomfortable because that's how people would hear the text.

00:03:28.060 --> 00:03:35.219
 So let's just see a little bit of the context to see if the context starts to make this text sound a bit different.

00:03:35.819 --> 00:03:40.020
 So Andrew, could you put Romans 1, 16 and 17 up on the screen?

00:03:40.400 --> 00:03:41.259
 That would be great.

00:03:41.460 --> 00:03:46.699
 And those of you who were here other weeks, one of the things last week, this is the second week we're doing Romans,

00:03:46.699 --> 00:03:54.659
 one of the things I said was that this verse, the way the book of Romans is written as a book is that Romans 1, 16 and 17,

00:03:55.199 --> 00:04:00.879
 Paul, after his introduction and after some welcomes, he basically gives the abstract of the entire book.

00:04:00.979 --> 00:04:04.299
 He gives the theme, the basic message of the entire book in two verses.

00:04:04.859 --> 00:04:12.439
 And all of the rest of Romans are going to basically show how this verse, what it means in its depth and its riches.

00:04:12.439 --> 00:04:18.420
 And so let's, could you read this verse out loud with me at this time?

00:04:18.899 --> 00:04:26.259
 For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes,

00:04:26.540 --> 00:04:29.300
 to the Jew first and also to the Greek.

00:04:29.860 --> 00:04:35.000
 For in the gospel, the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith.

00:04:35.500 --> 00:04:38.860
 As it is written, the righteous shall live by faith.

00:04:40.279 --> 00:04:41.540
 Here's the context.

00:04:41.540 --> 00:04:45.540
 The whole book of Romans is all about this text where it says,

00:04:45.680 --> 00:04:49.480
 for I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes,

00:04:49.560 --> 00:04:51.100
 to the Jew first and also to the Greek.

00:04:51.439 --> 00:04:54.240
 So here's the problem for us when we hear this.

00:04:55.720 --> 00:05:02.400
 If I was to go out with a couple of you and we were to go to that corner to King Edward and Rito,

00:05:02.860 --> 00:05:05.820
 and I was to take this table, take off the communion stuff,

00:05:05.819 --> 00:05:10.639
 bring it out there with some of our cardboard takeout coffee things,

00:05:10.759 --> 00:05:13.420
 and I was to go there and I was to stack the cups along the table,

00:05:13.759 --> 00:05:16.959
 and we were to put a big sign on the table that says,

00:05:17.139 --> 00:05:20.480
 great deal, cups of air for a dime.

00:05:20.480 --> 00:05:26.660
 Now, I mean, we would probably get people stopping to look at the table, right?

00:05:27.480 --> 00:05:30.900
 They'd say, I mean, this is pretty ridiculous, like cup of air for a dime?

00:05:31.540 --> 00:05:34.379
 And then they'd say, like, is this one of those things that you see on airplanes

00:05:34.379 --> 00:05:38.280
 where they take videos of people doing funny things and see how they react?

00:05:38.620 --> 00:05:40.280
 And then if I said, no, no, no, I'm serious.

00:05:40.500 --> 00:05:41.679
 I'm selling this for a dime.

00:05:41.739 --> 00:05:42.879
 It's a spectacular deal.

00:05:42.919 --> 00:05:43.919
 It's only 10 cents.

00:05:44.199 --> 00:05:45.099
 It's really cheap.

00:05:45.359 --> 00:05:46.099
 You should have some.

00:05:46.539 --> 00:05:48.859
 And then, you know, eventually if they realize that you're serious,

00:05:48.939 --> 00:05:50.559
 I mean, they'd wonder if you were mentally ill, right?

00:05:50.579 --> 00:05:51.419
 That's what people would think.

00:05:51.459 --> 00:05:52.559
 They'd wonder if you were mentally ill.

00:05:52.819 --> 00:05:55.559
 They'd say, George, I'm breathing for free.

00:05:55.559 --> 00:05:58.899
 Even the government hasn't figured out how to tax breathing yet

00:05:58.899 --> 00:06:01.879
 or make us pay for every breath.

00:06:01.959 --> 00:06:03.479
 It's completely and utterly free.

00:06:03.899 --> 00:06:07.139
 I don't need to pay 10 cents for a cup of air.

00:06:07.979 --> 00:06:09.239
 Now, here's the issue.

00:06:10.279 --> 00:06:14.339
 For just about everybody who walks by that corner in King Edward and Rideau

00:06:14.339 --> 00:06:18.819
 in Ottawa today, they would say that their relationship with God

00:06:18.819 --> 00:06:22.379
 is exactly the same as their relationship with air.

00:06:24.519 --> 00:06:25.779
 They're fine with God.

00:06:27.659 --> 00:06:31.779
 And so, George, if you're going to say something about needing righteousness from God

00:06:31.779 --> 00:06:34.479
 or to be made right with God by Jesus, they'd say,

00:06:34.539 --> 00:06:38.299
 George, just like they'd say about the air, I can breathe fine, George.

00:06:38.300 --> 00:06:40.800
 I don't need to buy the air for a dime.

00:06:40.860 --> 00:06:42.819
 They'd say, listen, my relationship with God is fine.

00:06:42.879 --> 00:06:44.680
 I don't need religion.

00:06:44.879 --> 00:06:45.900
 I don't need spirituality.

00:06:46.720 --> 00:06:48.460
 I don't need you to tell me what to do.

00:06:48.540 --> 00:06:51.420
 I don't need you to sell anything like that because I'm fine.

00:06:52.199 --> 00:06:52.900
 I'm fine.

00:06:55.199 --> 00:06:56.160
 That's how it is in Ottawa.

00:06:56.519 --> 00:06:57.580
 That's how it is in Canada.

00:06:57.579 --> 00:07:02.899
 And so, what that means is that when people look at Romans 1, 16, and 17,

00:07:03.279 --> 00:07:06.839
 which we're going to read again in a moment, they'd say, I don't need anything like that.

00:07:07.139 --> 00:07:09.639
 I don't need anything in that text, George.

00:07:09.839 --> 00:07:15.120
 Nothing in that text do I need because I'm fine with God.

00:07:16.240 --> 00:07:18.519
 So, can you put it up again, Andrew?

00:07:18.519 --> 00:07:23.919
 There is even the version that we're all going to read together and memorize.

00:07:24.240 --> 00:07:26.419
 Could you say this with me again, folks?

00:07:26.519 --> 00:07:27.359
 That would be very helpful.

00:07:28.079 --> 00:07:35.560
 For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes,

00:07:36.039 --> 00:07:38.500
 to the Jew first and also to the Greek.

00:07:39.039 --> 00:07:44.159
 For in the gospel, the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith.

00:07:44.160 --> 00:07:48.160
 As it is written, the righteous shall live by faith.

00:07:48.480 --> 00:07:50.340
 So, that's the text.

00:07:50.540 --> 00:07:54.100
 And now, Paul is going to start with verse 18.

00:07:54.939 --> 00:08:00.260
 And what you have to understand is from 118, and this is going to be over the next two sermons after this,

00:08:00.600 --> 00:08:08.140
 from 118 to 320, Paul is trying to tell you that the relationship with God is not like your relationship with air.

00:08:08.700 --> 00:08:13.460
 He's going to try to build a case that you need to pay attention to this verse.

00:08:14.160 --> 00:08:20.780
 And he begins, and now you listen, he goes right from that to verse 18 in your Bibles, Romans 118, for.

00:08:22.080 --> 00:08:23.939
 In other words, because, okay?

00:08:24.760 --> 00:08:25.680
 Listen to that, for.

00:08:26.440 --> 00:08:33.639
 The wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men,

00:08:34.300 --> 00:08:37.340
 who by their unrighteousness suppress the truth.

00:08:37.980 --> 00:08:43.120
 For what can be known about God is plain to them, because God has shown it to them.

00:08:43.120 --> 00:08:45.659
 For his invisible attributes.

00:08:46.039 --> 00:08:47.879
 Is my mic going in and out, by the way?

00:08:49.220 --> 00:08:49.539
 It's fine?

00:08:49.679 --> 00:08:49.860
 Okay.

00:08:50.379 --> 00:08:54.779
 For his invisible attributes, namely his eternal power and divine nature,

00:08:55.159 --> 00:09:00.460
 have been clearly perceived ever since the creation of the world in the things that have been made.

00:09:01.159 --> 00:09:02.940
 So they are without excuse.

00:09:02.940 --> 00:09:08.340
 For although they knew God, they did not honor him as God or give thanks to him.

00:09:08.960 --> 00:09:14.020
 But they became futile in their thinking, and their foolish hearts were darkened.

00:09:14.780 --> 00:09:20.400
 Claiming to be wise, they became fools and exchanged the glory of the immortal God

00:09:20.400 --> 00:09:26.000
 for images resembling mortal man and birds and animals and creeping things.

00:09:26.000 --> 00:09:33.399
 So Paul is going to begin in this chapter with just talking about the basic human condition.

00:09:34.179 --> 00:09:38.659
 In the next two parts, which we'll talk in other weeks,

00:09:38.700 --> 00:09:43.539
 he's going to talk about how religion and spirituality and moralism and institutions

00:09:43.539 --> 00:09:48.480
 deals with this whole thing and just how it deals with it.

00:09:48.519 --> 00:09:52.860
 But right now he's talking about sort of the basic level human condition.

00:09:52.860 --> 00:09:55.519
 And he's in verse 18 when it says,

00:09:55.680 --> 00:10:00.580
 For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness

00:10:00.580 --> 00:10:05.700
 of human beings, of men and women, who by their unrighteousness suppress the truth.

00:10:06.379 --> 00:10:13.019
 What he's talking about there, if we could think of it as vertical sins and horizontal sins.

00:10:13.519 --> 00:10:18.720
 In other words, ungodliness means that all of the different ways that we turn our back on God,

00:10:18.720 --> 00:10:23.080
 that we try to belittle God, that we demean God, that we try to tame God,

00:10:23.180 --> 00:10:27.639
 that we try to put God in his place, that we try to just ignore him, live our life without him,

00:10:27.740 --> 00:10:29.139
 tell him, did you really say this?

00:10:29.440 --> 00:10:31.220
 And it's all the vertical.

00:10:32.440 --> 00:10:38.779
 And unrighteousness refers to the horizontal sins.

00:10:38.779 --> 00:10:46.620
 And in fact, actually, it's a fine word, but it actually says that all the things that we do

00:10:46.620 --> 00:10:49.240
 that violate or transgress God's created order.

00:10:49.379 --> 00:10:56.699
 So it actually would involve things like cruelty to animals, pollution, like other types of things.

00:10:56.919 --> 00:11:01.519
 But it's referring to how we relate to the created order, in particular human beings.

00:11:01.519 --> 00:11:10.379
 And he's saying that God's wrath is revealed because we have both broken this vertical relationship

00:11:10.379 --> 00:11:14.899
 and broken these horizontal relationships and God's wrath is revealed.

00:11:15.519 --> 00:11:20.120
 And some of you might say, George, I don't, like, what does that mean, George?

00:11:20.199 --> 00:11:27.919
 Are you saying that, I don't know, I tell a lie and God zaps me with a thunder, you know, a lightning bolt?

00:11:28.000 --> 00:11:29.139
 Like, that doesn't happen, George.

00:11:29.139 --> 00:11:32.980
 Like, are you talking about sometimes, are you saying that if, you know, one of those other places,

00:11:33.139 --> 00:11:37.799
 there's a flood or something like that, and that's all God's judgment and all the bad people there?

00:11:37.860 --> 00:11:39.299
 Is that what that text is saying, George?

00:11:39.340 --> 00:11:42.580
 Because that's like a pretty weird way of understanding and viewing the world.

00:11:42.699 --> 00:11:45.340
 Like, that's pretty weird, George.

00:11:45.439 --> 00:11:46.659
 Is that what that text is saying?

00:11:47.539 --> 00:11:48.759
 It's not saying that at all.

00:11:50.240 --> 00:11:56.399
 Well, it's saying something that might touch on that, but it's actually trying to get at a far more different point.

00:11:56.399 --> 00:11:59.360
 And I'm going to use another two movie analogies.

00:11:59.459 --> 00:12:00.139
 Sorry, folks.

00:12:01.000 --> 00:12:05.579
 I don't know how many of you have watched the movie I Am Legend or World War Zed or those zombie films.

00:12:05.759 --> 00:12:10.299
 But, you know, for those of you who aren't familiar with it, there's often these films where something,

00:12:10.299 --> 00:12:18.679
 some virus or some illness or some contagion gets unleashed on human beings, gets released to human beings,

00:12:18.740 --> 00:12:21.139
 and human beings get infected by this contagion.

00:12:21.559 --> 00:12:26.500
 And then eventually it turns everybody into, like, vampires or zombies or, you know,

00:12:27.319 --> 00:12:32.839
 like, people with, like, hyper rabies who like to eat each other, like something really, really bad.

00:12:32.840 --> 00:12:40.360
 And what usually happens in those types of movies is the movies begin with just the few little hearty survivors,

00:12:40.860 --> 00:12:45.379
 you know, trying to hide or fight the vampire zombies or whatever it is that the contagion is.

00:12:45.720 --> 00:12:53.879
 But often as the movie progresses, there's flashbacks to either what the world was like before the contagion

00:12:53.879 --> 00:13:03.439
 or usually to the early days of the contagion when different weird things were happening,

00:13:03.899 --> 00:13:07.860
 but nobody realized that they had the contagion.

00:13:08.200 --> 00:13:11.200
 All of these movies are based on the same type of idea.

00:13:12.259 --> 00:13:15.519
 You know, in the Will Smith movie I Am Legend, you know, they go back,

00:13:15.700 --> 00:13:19.279
 and in fact, it's originally something that I think was going to cure cancer.

00:13:19.899 --> 00:13:22.240
 And then there starts to be these odd little symptoms,

00:13:22.240 --> 00:13:27.120
 and people didn't realize that these odd little symptoms were, in fact, an early warning sign,

00:13:27.700 --> 00:13:33.060
 a symptom of a contagion that was going to consume the individual and consume society.

00:13:34.220 --> 00:13:39.120
 And so what Paul is going to do in Romans 1.18 at the end of the chapter

00:13:39.120 --> 00:13:45.639
 is he's telling us four different signs that human beings have a contagion.

00:13:47.360 --> 00:13:51.180
 And right in those movies, in a sense, the contagion is the beginning,

00:13:51.179 --> 00:13:54.039
 like the early symptoms mean you have it.

00:13:54.120 --> 00:13:56.039
 You just see an early symptom of it,

00:13:56.599 --> 00:13:58.139
 and by the time you're watching the rest of the movie,

00:13:58.199 --> 00:14:00.479
 you see what happens when it completely takes over the person

00:14:00.479 --> 00:14:02.500
 and completely obliterates society.

00:14:02.899 --> 00:14:06.959
 So what Paul is doing here is he's going to give you four examples

00:14:06.959 --> 00:14:11.239
 of the fact that human beings have a contagion,

00:14:11.639 --> 00:14:15.919
 that our relationship with God is not like our relationship with air.

00:14:15.919 --> 00:14:19.339
 And the first contagion was in this section,

00:14:19.459 --> 00:14:23.079
 and it had to do with human beings knowing that God exists,

00:14:23.519 --> 00:14:28.899
 but suppressing that and acting as if that's not the case.

00:14:29.979 --> 00:14:31.120
 And people here might say,

00:14:31.179 --> 00:14:34.199
 George, I could never convince people in our society that that's true.

00:14:34.939 --> 00:14:36.319
 But here, I'm going to give you another movie.

00:14:36.439 --> 00:14:37.860
 I think it's my final movie analogy.

00:14:38.059 --> 00:14:38.939
 It's not from any movie.

00:14:39.099 --> 00:14:40.980
 It's a movie that I would love to make someday.

00:14:41.980 --> 00:14:42.960
 I'll never make it.

00:14:42.960 --> 00:14:45.960
 But here, imagine, this is a science fiction movie.

00:14:46.120 --> 00:14:52.379
 Imagine that, you know, we figured out wormholes or hyperdrive or time,

00:14:52.580 --> 00:14:53.019
 you know, whatever.

00:14:53.420 --> 00:14:56.240
 And so we have some spaceship, the good spaceship,

00:14:56.580 --> 00:14:58.620
 and the shuttle from the good ship Enterprise,

00:14:59.159 --> 00:15:01.500
 and we're in some far corner of the universe,

00:15:02.080 --> 00:15:03.700
 and there's a small crew.

00:15:03.800 --> 00:15:05.980
 There's like 12 of us or 10 of us,

00:15:06.080 --> 00:15:08.960
 and we come across a ship, a spaceship,

00:15:08.960 --> 00:15:12.259
 a spectacular spaceship drifting in space.

00:15:13.080 --> 00:15:15.700
 And as we come across this spaceship drifting in space,

00:15:15.740 --> 00:15:18.100
 we look at it, and we realize there's no life forms on it,

00:15:18.580 --> 00:15:20.940
 and it just seems to be just floating along.

00:15:21.580 --> 00:15:26.180
 And so I'm the captain, and I stay in the ship,

00:15:26.259 --> 00:15:28.400
 and the nine of you, the rest of you from the shuttle,

00:15:28.720 --> 00:15:31.519
 you all go over to the other ship to try to figure out what's going on.

00:15:32.240 --> 00:15:36.320
 And one of you goes in, and you press a button and turn a lever,

00:15:36.320 --> 00:15:38.300
 and all of a sudden, woo, the lights come on.

00:15:38.520 --> 00:15:40.760
 All of a sudden, woo, the oxygen comes on.

00:15:40.960 --> 00:15:43.220
 All of a sudden, woo, the gravity's working.

00:15:43.840 --> 00:15:46.740
 Okay, and I'm here on the ship, and I'm talking to you guys,

00:15:46.940 --> 00:15:49.400
 and you're walking around the ship saying,

00:15:49.480 --> 00:15:52.760
 oh, wow, the powers come on, the oxygens come on, all these things.

00:15:53.000 --> 00:15:56.100
 And then all of a sudden, one of the people talking to me says,

00:15:56.460 --> 00:15:59.680
 you know, I think this ship is a result of an explosion

00:15:59.679 --> 00:16:03.779
 on that planet that's just dust and rock,

00:16:04.279 --> 00:16:07.019
 and I think this ship is a result of an explosion there,

00:16:07.159 --> 00:16:09.199
 and it's as when the particles came into space,

00:16:09.239 --> 00:16:11.000
 they all banged together, and they made this ship.

00:16:11.739 --> 00:16:13.219
 And then the next, I'm thinking, what?

00:16:13.659 --> 00:16:14.759
 That doesn't make any sense.

00:16:15.419 --> 00:16:18.039
 And then the next thing you know, a second person, third person,

00:16:18.120 --> 00:16:19.459
 all of a sudden, they're all saying this.

00:16:19.739 --> 00:16:21.739
 And I start saying to you folks, one moment,

00:16:21.740 --> 00:16:26.440
 how could particles banging together make oxygen and gravity

00:16:26.440 --> 00:16:31.100
 and complicated machines, and how could it paint

00:16:31.100 --> 00:16:33.039
 and put letters and symbols on it?

00:16:33.680 --> 00:16:34.620
 That's not right.

00:16:35.180 --> 00:16:36.500
 And they keep saying, no, no, no, no, no,

00:16:36.519 --> 00:16:39.620
 we're completely convinced this is a result of an explosion.

00:16:39.919 --> 00:16:42.000
 By chance, it's completely remarkable.

00:16:42.960 --> 00:16:47.779
 And I would go, Captain's log, date, star date,

00:16:48.200 --> 00:16:50.399
 1, 5, 3, whatever, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah.

00:16:50.399 --> 00:16:51.080
 I should have looked that up.

00:16:51.740 --> 00:16:54.919
 There is some contagion on this ship,

00:16:55.000 --> 00:16:58.180
 and I am not sure whether I should let the crew back on the ship

00:16:58.180 --> 00:16:59.379
 lest I get it as well.

00:17:00.019 --> 00:17:02.379
 They are under a profound delusion

00:17:02.379 --> 00:17:04.599
 that that ship has been caused by an accident.

00:17:09.819 --> 00:17:10.299
 Right?

00:17:10.859 --> 00:17:11.880
 Let me tell you.

00:17:13.299 --> 00:17:17.900
 Human DNA is vastly more complicated than a spaceship.

00:17:17.900 --> 00:17:26.519
 Your eyeball, your brain, vastly more complicated than a spaceship.

00:17:26.519 --> 00:17:32.519
 And not just that, you know, if you think about,

00:17:32.660 --> 00:17:34.940
 even whatever you think about the theory of evolution,

00:17:35.079 --> 00:17:36.579
 whatever that's going to mean, you know,

00:17:36.879 --> 00:17:41.700
 before there was any life at the level of just straight matter,

00:17:41.900 --> 00:17:47.000
 the idea that matter could come together as a result of just the fact that, you know,

00:17:47.000 --> 00:17:48.839
 matter has an attraction to each other,

00:17:49.000 --> 00:17:51.940
 that the different chemicals could come into existence,

00:17:51.940 --> 00:17:53.820
 that it could all just come from nothing,

00:17:54.200 --> 00:17:56.480
 and that it could create something as complicated

00:17:56.480 --> 00:18:01.860
 at the molecular and the chemical level of an eyeball or of your DNA.

00:18:02.039 --> 00:18:06.480
 It's vastly more complicated than a spaceship.

00:18:06.480 --> 00:18:11.680
 And we think that God doesn't exist.

00:18:13.819 --> 00:18:17.259
 And so Paul's going to say the very, very first sign

00:18:17.259 --> 00:18:20.539
 that there's a contagion in human beings

00:18:20.539 --> 00:18:26.480
 is the fact that they suppress this idea of the existence of God

00:18:26.480 --> 00:18:28.680
 that has created them and designed them.

00:18:29.180 --> 00:18:32.360
 And that, in fact, the fundamental problem for human beings

00:18:32.360 --> 00:18:34.960
 is they don't think of themselves as being made.

00:18:34.960 --> 00:18:39.000
 They think of themselves as being gods with a small g.

00:18:40.620 --> 00:18:43.340
 And it's a commonplace amongst human beings

00:18:43.340 --> 00:18:46.200
 that we think that we're like gods with small g,

00:18:46.480 --> 00:18:48.440
 rather than every day waking up and saying,

00:18:48.600 --> 00:18:52.079
 isn't it remarkable that there is a creator that created me?

00:18:54.180 --> 00:18:56.440
 And Paul's going to say this is the first sign

00:18:56.440 --> 00:19:00.819
 that there is a contagion in human beings.

00:19:02.340 --> 00:19:03.740
 I mean, you know, you just think about it for a second

00:19:03.740 --> 00:19:05.200
 before we get to the next couple.

00:19:06.700 --> 00:19:14.559
 Ottawa is one of the safest, richest, freest countries, cities, places

00:19:14.559 --> 00:19:17.740
 in the history of the planet.

00:19:19.339 --> 00:19:20.079
 We are.

00:19:20.819 --> 00:19:23.500
 We are one of the richest, most prosperous,

00:19:24.500 --> 00:19:29.539
 safest places that human beings have ever congregated.

00:19:29.539 --> 00:19:34.119
 Could anybody with a straight face look at Ottawa and say,

00:19:34.299 --> 00:19:39.480
 it's obvious from Ottawa that every person in Ottawa is completely right with God?

00:19:41.759 --> 00:19:43.980
 I mean, just this week in the Ottawa Valley,

00:19:44.119 --> 00:19:47.299
 this man who's released from jail with a long history of violence against women

00:19:47.299 --> 00:19:48.799
 murdered three women.

00:19:49.859 --> 00:19:52.319
 Can anyone actually, with a straight face,

00:19:52.460 --> 00:19:54.599
 actually believe that Ottawa is a sign?

00:19:54.599 --> 00:19:59.719
 If you look at Ottawa, you see evidence that human beings are completely and utterly right with God.

00:20:02.139 --> 00:20:04.619
 And in fact, just before we go to the next thing,

00:20:04.699 --> 00:20:06.539
 isn't it the case that every time we watch a movie

00:20:06.539 --> 00:20:08.480
 where there seems to be utopia presented,

00:20:09.019 --> 00:20:12.879
 instantly we know that that means that there's a great evil behind the utopia,

00:20:13.559 --> 00:20:14.819
 that the utopia is not real.

00:20:14.859 --> 00:20:17.500
 But why is it that we think that we're fundamentally good

00:20:17.500 --> 00:20:21.359
 or that our relationship with God is fundamentally right all by itself?

00:20:21.359 --> 00:20:22.279
 Like, why is that?

00:20:23.259 --> 00:20:26.779
 Is it possible that human beings have a contagion

00:20:26.779 --> 00:20:30.379
 that will lead to them being consumed and destroy them

00:20:30.379 --> 00:20:33.619
 and that we need something from outside of ourselves

00:20:33.619 --> 00:20:35.139
 to make ourselves right with God?

00:20:35.240 --> 00:20:39.639
 Is it possible that human beings are not relating to God like we relate to air,

00:20:40.139 --> 00:20:43.659
 but that it is something like I am legend or World War Zed

00:20:43.659 --> 00:20:47.899
 and we have a contagion that will consume us unless God does something?

00:20:47.900 --> 00:20:54.380
 So all of a sudden you think, okay, so, oh, that's a very different way of,

00:20:54.580 --> 00:20:58.320
 okay, George, that sort of caught me by surprise.

00:21:01.060 --> 00:21:03.360
 It sort of caught me by surprise a little bit.

00:21:04.420 --> 00:21:12.040
 But, well, let's see how Paul, he, this is in fact exactly what Paul's trying to get at.

00:21:12.540 --> 00:21:14.980
 So I'm going to skip the two parts about sexuality.

00:21:14.980 --> 00:21:15.839
 I am going to get it.

00:21:15.860 --> 00:21:19.720
 I'm not going to avoid the question of does God hate gays and lesbians.

00:21:20.299 --> 00:21:23.319
 But let's slip to the end of the passage to see how Paul continues.

00:21:23.460 --> 00:21:27.460
 So, in fact, I'm going to suggest that in Romans 1, 18 to 32,

00:21:28.000 --> 00:21:30.900
 Paul gives four examples to try to get us to realize

00:21:30.900 --> 00:21:36.240
 that there's a contagion present in human beings that means that they need God.

00:21:36.400 --> 00:21:39.220
 Let's look at the end one, verses 28 to 32.

00:21:39.220 --> 00:21:43.579
 And since they did not see fit to acknowledge God,

00:21:44.480 --> 00:21:49.259
 God gave them over to a debased mind to do what ought not to be done.

00:21:49.319 --> 00:21:52.819
 Just sort of an aside, there's a bit of a, there's a word play in Greek.

00:21:53.759 --> 00:21:57.079
 Like if you were to translate it quite literally, what it says is,

00:21:57.160 --> 00:22:02.900
 and since they did not consider it worthwhile to know God,

00:22:03.539 --> 00:22:06.440
 God gave them up to a not worthwhile mind.

00:22:06.440 --> 00:22:11.759
 It's actually like a bit of a pun in Greek that our minds are not worthwhile.

00:22:12.920 --> 00:22:17.740
 Verse 28, they were filled with all manner of unrighteousness.

00:22:19.340 --> 00:22:21.440
 They were filled with all manner of unrighteousness,

00:22:22.100 --> 00:22:29.080
 with all manner of evil, of greed or covetousness, and of malice.

00:22:29.079 --> 00:22:38.319
 We are full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, and maliciousness.

00:22:39.159 --> 00:22:52.359
 We are filled with gossips, slanderers, god-haters, insolent, arrogant or haughty.

00:22:52.879 --> 00:22:58.359
 We are boastful, and human beings invent ways of doing evil.

00:22:58.359 --> 00:23:00.759
 That's another way of saying inventors of evil.

00:23:01.859 --> 00:23:04.559
 And we are disobedient to parents.

00:23:05.579 --> 00:23:09.919
 And then the last four, where it says foolish, faithless, heartless, and ruthless,

00:23:10.259 --> 00:23:14.519
 and actually in the original language, it says that we have no understanding.

00:23:15.240 --> 00:23:16.679
 We have no fidelity.

00:23:16.859 --> 00:23:20.279
 In other words, we don't keep faith and covenant and promises with others.

00:23:20.639 --> 00:23:23.179
 We have no love, and we have no mercy.

00:23:23.180 --> 00:23:27.980
 Though they know God's decree that those who practice such things deserve to die,

00:23:28.100 --> 00:23:32.220
 they not only do them, but give approval to those who practice them.

00:23:33.759 --> 00:23:36.860
 So, here's the thing.

00:23:36.960 --> 00:23:38.580
 Actually, I missed putting up my...

00:23:39.200 --> 00:23:42.519
 Here's the thing.

00:23:42.519 --> 00:23:50.740
 We all know people who give themselves up to these things.

00:23:51.000 --> 00:23:53.639
 And when it talks about the wrath of God is revealed,

00:23:54.879 --> 00:23:59.519
 in the original language, what it's saying is it's not saying that God has...

00:24:00.079 --> 00:24:04.639
 that God is short-tempered, cranky, or anger-driven.

00:24:04.640 --> 00:24:10.320
 In fact, being short-tempered, cranky, and anger-driven describes idols and demons.

00:24:11.259 --> 00:24:15.759
 And the Bible's not saying that God's anger is like human anger,

00:24:16.360 --> 00:24:24.700
 that usually human anger is rooted in pride, greed, hatred, insecurity.

00:24:25.740 --> 00:24:28.840
 And when the Bible says that God's wrath is being revealed,

00:24:28.980 --> 00:24:32.340
 it's not saying that God's anger comes from any of those things.

00:24:32.340 --> 00:24:34.460
 Once again, that actually describes idols and demons.

00:24:35.500 --> 00:24:42.420
 God's wrath ultimately develops out of his love, his goodness, and his beauty.

00:24:43.759 --> 00:24:49.420
 It describes God's calm opposition to evil,

00:24:49.820 --> 00:24:53.280
 that he will always be opposed to sin and evil,

00:24:53.840 --> 00:24:57.400
 and that he's completely and utterly, calmly opposed to it.

00:24:58.280 --> 00:25:01.620
 And his opposition to evil flows out of the fact,

00:25:01.620 --> 00:25:03.560
 not that he's insecure, anger-driven,

00:25:03.559 --> 00:25:05.919
 but it flows out of the fact that he is love.

00:25:06.500 --> 00:25:07.700
 He is goodness itself.

00:25:07.819 --> 00:25:08.879
 He is beauty itself.

00:25:10.779 --> 00:25:14.799
 And so things that mar the beauty of the created order,

00:25:14.919 --> 00:25:16.019
 the beauty of other people,

00:25:16.740 --> 00:25:19.539
 things that hurt other people or the creation,

00:25:19.819 --> 00:25:23.019
 or that out of his love and goodness and beauty,

00:25:23.240 --> 00:25:24.940
 he cannot stop being himself,

00:25:24.940 --> 00:25:29.440
 and he is just calmly, always, resolutely opposed to it.

00:25:30.960 --> 00:25:35.100
 And the beginning of God's wrath, in a sense, is the sin itself.

00:25:36.299 --> 00:25:38.980
 But it's possible that that sin itself can grow.

00:25:40.220 --> 00:25:42.200
 Every single one here in the room tells lies.

00:25:42.200 --> 00:25:46.880
 If you tell me that you've never told a lie in your life,

00:25:46.940 --> 00:25:47.940
 I would believe you're lying.

00:25:49.220 --> 00:25:50.319
 You would too, right?

00:25:51.460 --> 00:25:53.299
 Anybody who tells you they've never told a lie,

00:25:53.680 --> 00:25:54.640
 you'd say that you just lied.

00:25:55.360 --> 00:25:55.759
 Right?

00:25:56.480 --> 00:25:58.480
 Wouldn't believe anybody who said they've never told a lie.

00:25:59.220 --> 00:26:00.600
 But not only have we met,

00:26:01.100 --> 00:26:01.980
 do we all tell lies,

00:26:01.980 --> 00:26:04.819
 but you and I have probably met people

00:26:04.819 --> 00:26:09.259
 who their lying has become something like a habit.

00:26:10.920 --> 00:26:12.960
 And in fact, you might have met people

00:26:12.960 --> 00:26:15.079
 that their lying is so much like a habit

00:26:15.079 --> 00:26:17.579
 that you, anytime they talk to you,

00:26:17.599 --> 00:26:18.839
 you don't really trust them.

00:26:19.759 --> 00:26:22.339
 And in fact, probably all of us have met people

00:26:22.339 --> 00:26:24.660
 who not only do they lie all the time,

00:26:25.200 --> 00:26:26.559
 but you start to wonder,

00:26:26.880 --> 00:26:29.900
 do they actually now even know the difference

00:26:29.900 --> 00:26:31.299
 between the truth and the lie?

00:26:32.640 --> 00:26:35.180
 Has their entering into lying

00:26:35.180 --> 00:26:39.420
 robbed them of their ability to even know the truth?

00:26:40.599 --> 00:26:43.059
 And when you meet a person like that,

00:26:43.160 --> 00:26:44.299
 don't you pity them?

00:26:48.559 --> 00:26:51.980
 Like, many of us, every one of us boasts.

00:26:52.620 --> 00:26:54.460
 If you told me you'd never boast,

00:26:54.620 --> 00:26:55.599
 I'd think you're boasting.

00:26:56.740 --> 00:26:58.240
 You'd think the same thing.

00:26:58.240 --> 00:27:01.980
 We would take it as a boast that we never boast.

00:27:03.740 --> 00:27:05.720
 But haven't we met people

00:27:05.720 --> 00:27:08.980
 who seem to boast all the time

00:27:08.980 --> 00:27:11.440
 and who seem to believe they're boasting?

00:27:12.180 --> 00:27:13.319
 Haven't we met people

00:27:13.319 --> 00:27:15.819
 who they can't even talk to you apart from boasting?

00:27:16.539 --> 00:27:19.940
 And they're so completely and utterly consumed with boasting

00:27:19.940 --> 00:27:22.839
 that you don't even like being with them

00:27:22.839 --> 00:27:24.380
 because they never ask you how you're doing,

00:27:24.460 --> 00:27:25.480
 they never want to talk to you,

00:27:25.480 --> 00:27:27.460
 all they want to do is just tell you how great they are.

00:27:28.240 --> 00:27:30.240
 And not only do they only want to tell you

00:27:30.240 --> 00:27:31.220
 how great they are,

00:27:31.640 --> 00:27:32.960
 but don't you start to wonder

00:27:32.960 --> 00:27:34.839
 that they actually believe that stuff?

00:27:36.240 --> 00:27:37.640
 And don't you pity them?

00:27:38.779 --> 00:27:41.180
 Don't you hope that you would never be like them?

00:27:42.519 --> 00:27:44.140
 Don't you hope that if your wife

00:27:44.140 --> 00:27:47.059
 or your boyfriend or your kids

00:27:47.059 --> 00:27:48.000
 start to be like that,

00:27:48.079 --> 00:27:49.819
 wouldn't that be something you would pray against?

00:27:49.819 --> 00:27:52.879
 And you see, this is the idea here

00:27:52.879 --> 00:27:54.339
 that Paul is trying to get at,

00:27:54.399 --> 00:27:55.500
 the Bible is trying to get at,

00:27:55.539 --> 00:27:56.480
 he's trying to get at

00:27:56.480 --> 00:27:58.019
 that our relationship with God

00:27:58.019 --> 00:27:59.500
 is not like our relationship with air,

00:27:59.579 --> 00:28:01.720
 that human beings have a contagion within them,

00:28:02.119 --> 00:28:02.960
 and that God,

00:28:03.319 --> 00:28:05.700
 not that he's petty or, you know,

00:28:05.799 --> 00:28:08.099
 spoiled or needs to get his own way

00:28:08.099 --> 00:28:09.539
 or stamps his little feet

00:28:09.539 --> 00:28:11.559
 and bangs his hand and screams and yells

00:28:11.559 --> 00:28:12.539
 if he doesn't get his own way,

00:28:13.179 --> 00:28:15.299
 that God, who is the good,

00:28:15.379 --> 00:28:16.000
 who is the true,

00:28:16.079 --> 00:28:16.939
 who is the beautiful,

00:28:17.079 --> 00:28:18.179
 who is always himself,

00:28:18.180 --> 00:28:19.360
 who has no needs,

00:28:19.799 --> 00:28:22.799
 who's always self-contained and self-controlled,

00:28:23.140 --> 00:28:26.019
 he is just calmly, unalterably opposed

00:28:26.019 --> 00:28:27.900
 to anything which is not good,

00:28:27.980 --> 00:28:29.259
 not of love and not of beauty,

00:28:29.500 --> 00:28:31.560
 and that's just who he is and what he is,

00:28:31.820 --> 00:28:33.460
 and that when human beings

00:28:33.460 --> 00:28:36.019
 suppress the truth that God exists

00:28:36.019 --> 00:28:37.759
 and believe that they are gods themselves,

00:28:38.180 --> 00:28:39.720
 and when they give themselves

00:28:39.720 --> 00:28:41.900
 to the different things that they,

00:28:42.000 --> 00:28:43.700
 now that they've turned their back on God,

00:28:43.799 --> 00:28:45.060
 and they give themselves

00:28:45.059 --> 00:28:47.700
 to their dreams of always being able

00:28:47.700 --> 00:28:48.980
 to be over other people

00:28:48.980 --> 00:28:50.559
 or being able to have this

00:28:50.559 --> 00:28:52.240
 or have that or not have that,

00:28:52.240 --> 00:28:54.819
 and when they start to tell lies

00:28:54.819 --> 00:28:56.200
 and then get addicted to lies,

00:28:56.339 --> 00:28:58.159
 and you have a sense that every lie

00:28:58.159 --> 00:28:58.960
 or every boast,

00:28:59.039 --> 00:29:01.000
 in some ways it's its own punishment,

00:29:02.259 --> 00:29:03.700
 even if sometimes that lie

00:29:03.700 --> 00:29:04.879
 or that boasting is successful

00:29:04.879 --> 00:29:06.179
 or makes you feel good at the time,

00:29:06.460 --> 00:29:07.279
 that in some ways,

00:29:07.359 --> 00:29:08.419
 when we look at what happens,

00:29:08.500 --> 00:29:09.819
 if lies become a habit,

00:29:10.099 --> 00:29:11.139
 we start to understand

00:29:11.140 --> 00:29:12.840
 that the lie itself

00:29:12.840 --> 00:29:14.700
 is its own punishment

00:29:14.700 --> 00:29:16.460
 and a sign

00:29:16.460 --> 00:29:20.460
 that human beings have a problem,

00:29:20.900 --> 00:29:22.220
 that I have a contagion.

00:29:25.320 --> 00:29:26.660
 So, actually, Andrew,

00:29:26.720 --> 00:29:27.680
 if you could put up the first point.

00:29:27.780 --> 00:29:29.280
 I got mixed up in my points.

00:29:29.480 --> 00:29:30.740
 Here's the first point.

00:29:32.060 --> 00:29:33.840
 Every person has an idol problem.

00:29:34.020 --> 00:29:35.940
 I sort of said that a few minutes ago.

00:29:36.780 --> 00:29:37.320
 In other words,

00:29:37.360 --> 00:29:38.340
 what the Bible is saying

00:29:38.340 --> 00:29:39.560
 is that when you stop believing

00:29:39.559 --> 00:29:41.440
 and you suppress the idea

00:29:41.440 --> 00:29:42.879
 that there is a God that does exist,

00:29:42.940 --> 00:29:44.319
 it doesn't mean that you become an atheist.

00:29:44.500 --> 00:29:46.399
 It means that you worship an idol,

00:29:47.359 --> 00:29:48.940
 that you trust in something,

00:29:49.179 --> 00:29:50.299
 believe in something,

00:29:50.419 --> 00:29:52.659
 your imagination is formed by something,

00:29:53.059 --> 00:29:54.399
 that you serve something,

00:29:54.539 --> 00:29:56.480
 that you get value in something,

00:29:56.559 --> 00:29:57.980
 you understand your self-worth

00:29:57.980 --> 00:29:59.419
 in relationship to something

00:29:59.419 --> 00:30:00.919
 that's not God,

00:30:00.980 --> 00:30:01.559
 that's an idol,

00:30:01.619 --> 00:30:02.419
 and every human being

00:30:02.419 --> 00:30:03.460
 has an idol problem.

00:30:04.099 --> 00:30:04.819
 And the second thing,

00:30:04.899 --> 00:30:05.859
 if you could put it up, Andrew,

00:30:06.639 --> 00:30:08.059
 that sin and evil

00:30:08.059 --> 00:30:09.819
 show that every person

00:30:09.819 --> 00:30:12.740
 is fallen in rebellion against God

00:30:12.740 --> 00:30:15.319
 and cannot make themselves right with God.

00:30:15.940 --> 00:30:18.559
 That's what Paul's doing here in this.

00:30:18.960 --> 00:30:20.419
 Rather than relating to God

00:30:20.419 --> 00:30:21.440
 like we relate to air,

00:30:21.599 --> 00:30:24.099
 Paul, the Bible's trying to show us

00:30:24.099 --> 00:30:26.000
 that sin and evil exist in us,

00:30:26.059 --> 00:30:27.440
 in every single person,

00:30:27.919 --> 00:30:28.960
 in religious people,

00:30:29.099 --> 00:30:30.200
 in irreligious people,

00:30:30.399 --> 00:30:31.480
 in secular people,

00:30:31.879 --> 00:30:33.460
 in very, very devout people,

00:30:33.579 --> 00:30:34.740
 in people inside the church

00:30:34.740 --> 00:30:35.660
 and outside the church,

00:30:35.720 --> 00:30:36.380
 in mosques,

00:30:36.880 --> 00:30:37.799
 and in temples,

00:30:38.240 --> 00:30:40.000
 and in parliament,

00:30:40.519 --> 00:30:42.099
 and in capitalist centers,

00:30:42.380 --> 00:30:43.480
 and in Bridgehead,

00:30:43.599 --> 00:30:44.599
 and in Starbucks,

00:30:45.099 --> 00:30:46.319
 and amongst street people,

00:30:46.460 --> 00:30:47.539
 and amongst billionaires,

00:30:47.859 --> 00:30:49.339
 that every single human being,

00:30:49.420 --> 00:30:51.079
 that there is sin and evil in them,

00:30:51.380 --> 00:30:52.259
 and that it shows

00:30:52.259 --> 00:30:53.640
 that human beings are fallen.

00:30:53.759 --> 00:30:54.500
 It means that we have,

00:30:54.620 --> 00:30:55.720
 in a sense,

00:30:55.799 --> 00:30:57.480
 made ourselves bent and twisted.

00:30:58.480 --> 00:30:59.920
 And the image of God,

00:31:00.059 --> 00:31:00.819
 that we were made,

00:31:00.900 --> 00:31:02.859
 so that we were made in the image of God,

00:31:02.859 --> 00:31:03.979
 to reflect God,

00:31:04.059 --> 00:31:05.159
 and to be connected to God,

00:31:05.199 --> 00:31:06.299
 and be connected to the God,

00:31:06.359 --> 00:31:07.319
 and who we were made in image,

00:31:07.399 --> 00:31:08.779
 that's now become bent,

00:31:08.879 --> 00:31:09.819
 and it's become twisted.

00:31:10.559 --> 00:31:12.500
 And that's what it means to be fallen.

00:31:13.299 --> 00:31:15.039
 And that every single human being

00:31:15.039 --> 00:31:16.559
 is in rebellion against God.

00:31:16.879 --> 00:31:19.099
 That every single person has a time,

00:31:19.359 --> 00:31:20.619
 even the most humble of us,

00:31:20.679 --> 00:31:21.979
 even those who are most willing

00:31:21.979 --> 00:31:23.959
 to accept correction or reproof,

00:31:24.219 --> 00:31:25.759
 that there's every single one of us,

00:31:25.799 --> 00:31:26.659
 if a time comes,

00:31:26.699 --> 00:31:27.919
 and we get called on the lie,

00:31:27.979 --> 00:31:29.219
 we get called on the boasting,

00:31:29.479 --> 00:31:31.279
 we get called on something we do,

00:31:31.279 --> 00:31:33.220
 that we do not like it.

00:31:33.759 --> 00:31:34.859
 Do not like it.

00:31:36.079 --> 00:31:37.519
 Even if we have good manners

00:31:37.519 --> 00:31:38.220
 to cover it up,

00:31:38.279 --> 00:31:39.079
 we don't like it.

00:31:39.819 --> 00:31:41.139
 We're rebellion against God.

00:31:42.940 --> 00:31:46.359
 And that we cannot make ourselves

00:31:46.359 --> 00:31:47.119
 right with God.

00:31:48.480 --> 00:31:49.279
 In light of that,

00:31:49.940 --> 00:31:51.039
 let's look at sex.

00:31:52.680 --> 00:31:53.779
 Let's look at sex.

00:31:54.399 --> 00:31:56.420
 Let's look at verses 24 to 25.

00:31:57.759 --> 00:31:58.680
 Once again, remember I said

00:31:58.680 --> 00:31:59.740
 this section's talking about

00:31:59.740 --> 00:32:00.859
 the human condition.

00:32:02.039 --> 00:32:03.440
 And so the first thing,

00:32:03.500 --> 00:32:04.440
 because I've sort of got it out of order,

00:32:04.500 --> 00:32:05.660
 the first thing is our suppression

00:32:05.660 --> 00:32:07.140
 of the truth about the existence of God.

00:32:07.460 --> 00:32:09.319
 The fourth thing was just the reality

00:32:09.319 --> 00:32:10.240
 of all these other things,

00:32:10.319 --> 00:32:12.120
 of deceit, of covetous, of greed,

00:32:12.279 --> 00:32:14.140
 of slander, of gossip,

00:32:14.460 --> 00:32:15.759
 and all of those types of things.

00:32:16.000 --> 00:32:17.420
 Let's go back up to the second one,

00:32:17.599 --> 00:32:18.319
 verse 24.

00:32:19.099 --> 00:32:20.620
 Therefore God gave them up

00:32:20.620 --> 00:32:22.559
 in the lusts of their hearts

00:32:22.559 --> 00:32:24.400
 to sexual impurity.

00:32:24.539 --> 00:32:25.440
 That's what the word means.

00:32:25.500 --> 00:32:26.680
 It's translated as impurity,

00:32:26.680 --> 00:32:28.240
 and you have to add the word sexual

00:32:28.240 --> 00:32:29.240
 so that we understand

00:32:29.240 --> 00:32:30.180
 that that's what it's meant.

00:32:30.980 --> 00:32:32.440
 To the dishonoring of their bodies

00:32:32.440 --> 00:32:33.259
 among themselves,

00:32:33.440 --> 00:32:35.240
 because they exchanged the truth

00:32:35.240 --> 00:32:36.400
 about God for a lie

00:32:36.400 --> 00:32:38.060
 and worshipped and served

00:32:38.060 --> 00:32:39.560
 the creature rather than the creator

00:32:39.560 --> 00:32:40.900
 who is blessed forever.

00:32:41.360 --> 00:32:41.700
 Amen.

00:32:43.060 --> 00:32:44.299
 That's the second sign.

00:32:45.019 --> 00:32:46.580
 What the Bible here is telling us

00:32:46.580 --> 00:32:48.840
 is that every single one of us

00:32:48.840 --> 00:32:49.500
 in this room

00:32:49.500 --> 00:32:51.900
 are sexually bent and twisted.

00:32:51.900 --> 00:32:56.600
 I stand before you

00:32:56.600 --> 00:32:57.519
 as a fallen man.

00:32:58.600 --> 00:33:00.100
 I stand before you

00:33:00.100 --> 00:33:00.580
 as a man

00:33:00.580 --> 00:33:02.180
 who is not sexually whole.

00:33:03.620 --> 00:33:04.620
 And I'm addressing

00:33:04.620 --> 00:33:05.400
 a room of people

00:33:05.400 --> 00:33:06.400
 who are not sexually

00:33:06.400 --> 00:33:07.180
 whole and perfect.

00:33:09.380 --> 00:33:10.340
 This text

00:33:10.340 --> 00:33:11.420
 is not a text

00:33:11.420 --> 00:33:11.920
 that says,

00:33:12.420 --> 00:33:13.380
 in here

00:33:13.380 --> 00:33:14.560
 we're pure,

00:33:15.180 --> 00:33:16.120
 out there

00:33:16.120 --> 00:33:17.440
 they're bad.

00:33:18.960 --> 00:33:19.920
 And times

00:33:19.920 --> 00:33:20.900
 when that creeps

00:33:20.900 --> 00:33:21.980
 into the church's thinking

00:33:21.980 --> 00:33:24.519
 it is profoundly unbiblical.

00:33:26.240 --> 00:33:27.720
 Profoundly against the gospel.

00:33:31.060 --> 00:33:31.640
 In fact,

00:33:31.880 --> 00:33:32.340
 the book of,

00:33:32.420 --> 00:33:33.040
 the book of,

00:33:33.100 --> 00:33:34.220
 the Bible begins

00:33:34.220 --> 00:33:35.320
 in Genesis 1 and 2

00:33:35.320 --> 00:33:36.040
 with the creation

00:33:36.040 --> 00:33:37.180
 and then Genesis 3

00:33:37.180 --> 00:33:37.880
 is the fall.

00:33:38.320 --> 00:33:38.980
 And immediately

00:33:38.980 --> 00:33:40.100
 as soon as human beings

00:33:40.100 --> 00:33:40.660
 are falled

00:33:40.660 --> 00:33:41.380
 we see that there's

00:33:41.380 --> 00:33:41.860
 a breakdown

00:33:41.860 --> 00:33:42.700
 of the relationship

00:33:42.700 --> 00:33:43.800
 between the sexes.

00:33:44.259 --> 00:33:45.540
 We immediately see

00:33:45.540 --> 00:33:47.040
 that Adam and Eve

00:33:47.040 --> 00:33:47.560
 are conscious

00:33:47.560 --> 00:33:48.440
 of their nakedness.

00:33:48.540 --> 00:33:49.759
 We immediately see

00:33:49.759 --> 00:33:51.059
 that Adam and Eve

00:33:51.059 --> 00:33:52.000
 passing the blame.

00:33:52.119 --> 00:33:53.119
 We immediately see

00:33:53.119 --> 00:33:54.480
 disharmony in the relationship.

00:33:55.000 --> 00:33:56.059
 We immediately see

00:33:56.059 --> 00:33:56.640
 the entering

00:33:56.640 --> 00:33:58.200
 into the world

00:33:58.200 --> 00:33:59.700
 after they deal

00:33:59.700 --> 00:34:00.200
 with murder

00:34:00.200 --> 00:34:01.160
 of polygamy,

00:34:01.379 --> 00:34:02.839
 of violating

00:34:02.839 --> 00:34:03.480
 this idea

00:34:03.480 --> 00:34:05.180
 of that God's

00:34:05.180 --> 00:34:06.440
 intention in creation

00:34:06.440 --> 00:34:08.559
 is faithfulness

00:34:08.559 --> 00:34:10.840
 in heterosexual marriage

00:34:10.840 --> 00:34:12.199
 or sexual absence.

00:34:12.199 --> 00:34:12.439
 abstinence.

00:34:13.639 --> 00:34:14.859
 That's the consistent

00:34:14.859 --> 00:34:15.819
 teaching of the Bible.

00:34:16.899 --> 00:34:17.599
 To be faithful

00:34:17.599 --> 00:34:18.759
 in one man

00:34:18.759 --> 00:34:20.219
 with one woman

00:34:20.219 --> 00:34:22.500
 and if that is,

00:34:22.639 --> 00:34:23.259
 if you're a man

00:34:23.259 --> 00:34:24.279
 and you're not married

00:34:24.279 --> 00:34:24.759
 to a woman

00:34:24.759 --> 00:34:25.919
 then God calls you

00:34:25.919 --> 00:34:27.139
 to sexual abstinence.

00:34:27.279 --> 00:34:28.019
 If you're a woman

00:34:28.019 --> 00:34:29.139
 and you're not married

00:34:29.139 --> 00:34:29.519
 to a man

00:34:29.519 --> 00:34:30.239
 God calls you

00:34:30.239 --> 00:34:31.259
 to sexual abstinence.

00:34:32.259 --> 00:34:33.339
 Another way to put it

00:34:33.339 --> 00:34:34.539
 is that there is

00:34:34.539 --> 00:34:36.419
 to be no sexual knowledge

00:34:36.419 --> 00:34:38.059
 or sexual stimulation

00:34:38.059 --> 00:34:40.119
 outside of the relationship

00:34:40.119 --> 00:34:41.339
 of one man

00:34:41.339 --> 00:34:42.559
 to one woman.

00:34:45.259 --> 00:34:45.440
 And,

00:34:45.539 --> 00:34:47.480
 you know,

00:34:47.719 --> 00:34:48.759
 the fact of the matter is

00:34:48.759 --> 00:34:49.380
 it doesn't matter

00:34:49.380 --> 00:34:50.400
 if you're a soccer mom

00:34:50.400 --> 00:34:50.980
 in Canada,

00:34:51.719 --> 00:34:52.299
 it doesn't matter

00:34:52.299 --> 00:34:53.859
 if you're a stay-at-home dad

00:34:53.859 --> 00:34:54.799
 living in one of the

00:34:54.799 --> 00:34:55.920
 expensive condos

00:34:55.920 --> 00:34:56.500
 in Ottawa,

00:34:57.319 --> 00:34:58.559
 that we have problems.

00:34:58.739 --> 00:34:59.940
 We idolize our kids.

00:35:00.059 --> 00:35:00.659
 We idolize

00:35:00.659 --> 00:35:02.400
 childlessness.

00:35:02.639 --> 00:35:03.940
 We idolize our body.

00:35:04.079 --> 00:35:04.940
 We idolize

00:35:04.940 --> 00:35:06.539
 maybe our marriage.

00:35:06.619 --> 00:35:07.359
 We make an idol

00:35:07.359 --> 00:35:08.239
 of the other person.

00:35:08.239 --> 00:35:09.139
 We make an idol

00:35:09.139 --> 00:35:10.679
 of ourselves

00:35:10.679 --> 00:35:11.659
 and we demand

00:35:11.659 --> 00:35:12.460
 that the other person

00:35:12.460 --> 00:35:13.039
 think of us

00:35:13.039 --> 00:35:14.039
 in a particular way.

00:35:14.639 --> 00:35:16.460
 And if actually God

00:35:16.460 --> 00:35:17.500
 could just for one

00:35:17.500 --> 00:35:18.639
 week's period

00:35:18.639 --> 00:35:19.980
 put all of the thoughts

00:35:19.980 --> 00:35:21.099
 and all of the impressions

00:35:21.099 --> 00:35:22.379
 and all of the ideas

00:35:22.379 --> 00:35:23.420
 and all of the imagination

00:35:23.420 --> 00:35:24.940
 and all of the fantasies

00:35:24.940 --> 00:35:25.539
 that go on

00:35:25.539 --> 00:35:27.480
 in our head

00:35:27.480 --> 00:35:28.779
 just in the relationship,

00:35:29.059 --> 00:35:29.839
 just in terms

00:35:29.839 --> 00:35:31.079
 of sexual relations,

00:35:31.679 --> 00:35:32.400
 no single,

00:35:32.440 --> 00:35:33.339
 and if that could be put up

00:35:33.339 --> 00:35:34.400
 on that screen today,

00:35:34.739 --> 00:35:36.379
 even the best one of you

00:35:36.379 --> 00:35:37.500
 would be horrified

00:35:37.500 --> 00:35:38.639
 at what the rest of us

00:35:38.639 --> 00:35:39.420
 would see went on

00:35:39.420 --> 00:35:40.039
 in your mind.

00:35:44.039 --> 00:35:45.440
 And the Bible is saying

00:35:45.440 --> 00:35:50.079
 that this is the second sign

00:35:50.079 --> 00:35:51.719
 that we have a contagion.

00:35:53.019 --> 00:35:54.440
 And then the third sign

00:35:54.440 --> 00:35:55.960
 that we have a contagion

00:35:55.960 --> 00:35:58.920
 is a subset

00:35:58.920 --> 00:36:00.619
 of sexual brokenness.

00:36:00.619 --> 00:36:03.679
 and it's the relationship

00:36:03.679 --> 00:36:04.900
 that some people have

00:36:04.900 --> 00:36:05.239
 that they,

00:36:05.460 --> 00:36:05.699
 a man,

00:36:05.900 --> 00:36:07.119
 men desire men,

00:36:07.619 --> 00:36:08.559
 women desire women,

00:36:09.039 --> 00:36:09.839
 or other things

00:36:09.839 --> 00:36:10.480
 that depart

00:36:10.480 --> 00:36:12.799
 from a man

00:36:12.799 --> 00:36:14.179
 sexually designing a woman

00:36:14.179 --> 00:36:14.559
 or a woman

00:36:14.559 --> 00:36:15.699
 sexually designing a man.

00:36:17.139 --> 00:36:19.460
 It's in verses 26 and 27.

00:36:20.019 --> 00:36:21.279
 For this reason,

00:36:21.980 --> 00:36:23.179
 God gave them up

00:36:23.179 --> 00:36:24.639
 to dishonorable passions.

00:36:25.519 --> 00:36:26.199
 For their women

00:36:26.199 --> 00:36:27.859
 exchanged natural relations

00:36:27.860 --> 00:36:28.559
 for those that are

00:36:28.559 --> 00:36:29.740
 contrary to nature.

00:36:30.579 --> 00:36:31.539
 And the men likewise

00:36:31.539 --> 00:36:32.960
 gave up natural relations

00:36:32.960 --> 00:36:33.519
 with women

00:36:33.519 --> 00:36:34.460
 and were consumed

00:36:34.460 --> 00:36:35.059
 with passion

00:36:35.059 --> 00:36:35.720
 for one another.

00:36:36.480 --> 00:36:37.820
 Men committing shameless

00:36:37.820 --> 00:36:38.780
 acts with men

00:36:38.780 --> 00:36:40.079
 and receiving in themselves

00:36:40.079 --> 00:36:40.980
 the due penalty

00:36:40.980 --> 00:36:42.260
 for their error.

00:36:44.140 --> 00:36:45.460
 Remember what Paul is doing?

00:36:45.960 --> 00:36:48.099
 He's giving four signs

00:36:48.099 --> 00:36:49.180
 of contagion.

00:36:50.039 --> 00:36:51.920
 The first is in terms

00:36:51.920 --> 00:36:52.860
 of our knowledge of God.

00:36:52.960 --> 00:36:54.280
 The second is in sexual sin.

00:36:54.360 --> 00:36:54.640
 Generally,

00:36:54.639 --> 00:36:55.679
 this is the third one

00:36:55.679 --> 00:36:56.500
 and then the fourth one

00:36:56.500 --> 00:36:57.639
 was the long list of vices

00:36:57.639 --> 00:36:59.099
 which come immediately

00:36:59.099 --> 00:36:59.859
 after that.

00:37:01.359 --> 00:37:07.219
 you know,

00:37:07.319 --> 00:37:08.000
 over the last

00:37:08.000 --> 00:37:10.960
 35 years,

00:37:12.039 --> 00:37:13.059
 40 years,

00:37:13.319 --> 00:37:15.039
 there's been a profound attack

00:37:15.039 --> 00:37:16.339
 on reading this

00:37:16.339 --> 00:37:17.539
 in this particular way.

00:37:17.599 --> 00:37:19.119
 There's the normal way

00:37:19.119 --> 00:37:20.299
 that it should be understood

00:37:20.299 --> 00:37:20.799
 in the Greek

00:37:20.799 --> 00:37:21.819
 and it's been always understood

00:37:21.819 --> 00:37:22.420
 by the church.

00:37:22.559 --> 00:37:23.599
 There's been attempts

00:37:23.599 --> 00:37:24.400
 to say that it's not

00:37:24.400 --> 00:37:25.039
 talking about that.

00:37:25.139 --> 00:37:25.599
 It's talking about

00:37:25.599 --> 00:37:27.159
 men and boys

00:37:27.159 --> 00:37:27.920
 or it's talking about

00:37:27.920 --> 00:37:28.940
 abusive relationships

00:37:28.940 --> 00:37:29.960
 between two men

00:37:29.960 --> 00:37:31.139
 or abusive relationships

00:37:31.139 --> 00:37:32.099
 between two women

00:37:32.099 --> 00:37:33.699
 or that it's men

00:37:33.699 --> 00:37:34.819
 who are heterosexual

00:37:34.819 --> 00:37:36.360
 engaging in gay sex

00:37:36.360 --> 00:37:37.819
 or other types of things

00:37:37.819 --> 00:37:39.000
 but all of those

00:37:39.000 --> 00:37:39.900
 revisionist attempts,

00:37:40.039 --> 00:37:40.739
 they're all completely

00:37:40.739 --> 00:37:41.519
 and utterly wrong.

00:37:42.719 --> 00:37:42.920
 Like,

00:37:42.940 --> 00:37:43.519
 they're all wrong.

00:37:44.599 --> 00:37:45.960
 There's word games

00:37:45.960 --> 00:37:46.500
 that are not,

00:37:46.559 --> 00:37:47.199
 they're not right.

00:37:47.199 --> 00:37:50.279
 And just as a bit

00:37:50.279 --> 00:37:50.939
 of an aside

00:37:50.939 --> 00:37:53.039
 for those of us

00:37:53.039 --> 00:37:53.639
 who are Christians,

00:37:55.399 --> 00:37:55.739
 you know,

00:37:55.960 --> 00:37:57.939
 given that this verse here

00:37:57.939 --> 00:37:58.779
 is saying that

00:37:58.779 --> 00:38:00.559
 not that men

00:38:00.559 --> 00:38:01.460
 who desire

00:38:01.460 --> 00:38:02.179
 to sexually know

00:38:02.179 --> 00:38:02.639
 another man

00:38:02.639 --> 00:38:02.980
 or a woman

00:38:02.980 --> 00:38:03.839
 who desires to sexually

00:38:03.839 --> 00:38:04.379
 know another woman

00:38:04.379 --> 00:38:05.039
 is the worst sinner.

00:38:05.099 --> 00:38:05.939
 It's not saying that.

00:38:06.179 --> 00:38:07.159
 Not saying that at all.

00:38:09.000 --> 00:38:09.519
 In fact,

00:38:09.619 --> 00:38:10.000
 actually,

00:38:10.219 --> 00:38:10.899
 we Christians

00:38:10.899 --> 00:38:12.639
 have a lot to repent of

00:38:12.639 --> 00:38:13.759
 in terms of dealing,

00:38:13.760 --> 00:38:14.760
 those of us

00:38:14.760 --> 00:38:15.940
 who do not find

00:38:15.940 --> 00:38:16.660
 that,

00:38:16.900 --> 00:38:17.180
 you know,

00:38:17.220 --> 00:38:17.460
 like,

00:38:17.900 --> 00:38:18.780
 that we desire

00:38:18.780 --> 00:38:21.120
 people of the same sex

00:38:21.120 --> 00:38:22.180
 or that we desire

00:38:22.180 --> 00:38:23.340
 to be a different sex.

00:38:23.500 --> 00:38:23.640
 Like,

00:38:24.100 --> 00:38:25.020
 we have a lot

00:38:25.020 --> 00:38:26.200
 to repent of

00:38:26.200 --> 00:38:26.820
 in terms of

00:38:26.820 --> 00:38:27.420
 our relationship

00:38:27.420 --> 00:38:27.920
 with people

00:38:27.920 --> 00:38:28.580
 who do struggle

00:38:28.580 --> 00:38:29.360
 with those things.

00:38:30.600 --> 00:38:31.180
 You know,

00:38:31.200 --> 00:38:31.920
 because often

00:38:31.920 --> 00:38:32.700
 people who struggle

00:38:32.700 --> 00:38:33.420
 with those things,

00:38:33.520 --> 00:38:34.540
 they sense

00:38:34.540 --> 00:38:35.740
 how we

00:38:35.740 --> 00:38:36.660
 who don't struggle

00:38:36.660 --> 00:38:37.440
 with those things

00:38:37.440 --> 00:38:38.060
 pull away

00:38:38.060 --> 00:38:38.760
 as if somehow

00:38:38.760 --> 00:38:39.320
 we're better.

00:38:40.240 --> 00:38:40.840
 And somehow

00:38:40.840 --> 00:38:41.620
 we can easily

00:38:41.620 --> 00:38:42.420
 fall into talking

00:38:42.420 --> 00:38:43.180
 about them being,

00:38:43.400 --> 00:38:43.620
 like,

00:38:43.619 --> 00:38:44.759
 perverted or something.

00:38:44.960 --> 00:38:45.199
 And yet,

00:38:45.239 --> 00:38:45.759
 we don't say

00:38:45.759 --> 00:38:46.739
 that somebody

00:38:46.739 --> 00:38:47.900
 who is a Mercedes

00:38:47.900 --> 00:38:48.619
 driving,

00:38:48.859 --> 00:38:49.500
 fully devoted

00:38:49.500 --> 00:38:50.719
 servant of mammon

00:38:50.719 --> 00:38:52.579
 has a debased mind.

00:38:54.059 --> 00:38:54.659
 I'm not insulting.

00:38:54.739 --> 00:38:55.179
 If you drove here

00:38:55.179 --> 00:38:55.639
 in a Mercedes,

00:38:55.799 --> 00:38:56.279
 I didn't mean

00:38:56.279 --> 00:38:56.940
 to insult you.

00:38:58.619 --> 00:38:59.059
 Like,

00:38:59.119 --> 00:38:59.819
 why is it

00:38:59.819 --> 00:39:00.420
 that we could,

00:39:00.599 --> 00:39:01.639
 we might pray

00:39:01.639 --> 00:39:02.299
 that we would get

00:39:02.299 --> 00:39:03.119
 close to this

00:39:03.119 --> 00:39:04.599
 Mercedes driving,

00:39:04.839 --> 00:39:05.559
 fully devoted

00:39:05.559 --> 00:39:06.859
 servant of greed

00:39:06.859 --> 00:39:09.639
 and be terrified

00:39:09.639 --> 00:39:11.039
 about actually

00:39:11.039 --> 00:39:11.819
 drawing close

00:39:11.819 --> 00:39:12.359
 to a member

00:39:12.359 --> 00:39:13.119
 in our congregation

00:39:13.119 --> 00:39:13.880
 who struggles

00:39:13.880 --> 00:39:15.559
 with attraction

00:39:15.559 --> 00:39:16.819
 to the same sex?

00:39:17.500 --> 00:39:17.739
 Like,

00:39:17.819 --> 00:39:18.719
 where do we get

00:39:18.719 --> 00:39:19.559
 that from the Bible?

00:39:19.880 --> 00:39:20.099
 Like,

00:39:20.139 --> 00:39:20.599
 where does that

00:39:20.599 --> 00:39:21.079
 fit here?

00:39:22.219 --> 00:39:22.519
 Folks,

00:39:22.579 --> 00:39:23.219
 it should break

00:39:23.219 --> 00:39:23.839
 our hearts

00:39:23.839 --> 00:39:24.659
 if we do that.

00:39:25.880 --> 00:39:26.880
 It should bring us

00:39:26.880 --> 00:39:27.480
 on our knees

00:39:27.480 --> 00:39:28.179
 in repentance

00:39:28.179 --> 00:39:29.400
 if we find

00:39:29.400 --> 00:39:30.279
 that we have

00:39:30.279 --> 00:39:30.980
 no problem

00:39:30.980 --> 00:39:31.559
 associating

00:39:31.559 --> 00:39:32.239
 with a Mercedes

00:39:32.239 --> 00:39:32.739
 driving,

00:39:32.900 --> 00:39:33.460
 fully devoted

00:39:33.460 --> 00:39:34.359
 servant to greed,

00:39:35.079 --> 00:39:36.099
 but feel

00:39:36.099 --> 00:39:36.619
 uncomfortable

00:39:36.619 --> 00:39:37.559
 talking to ones

00:39:37.559 --> 00:39:38.059
 who struggle

00:39:38.059 --> 00:39:38.599
 with a different

00:39:38.599 --> 00:39:39.279
 type of sin.

00:39:39.280 --> 00:39:41.280
 it should break

00:39:41.280 --> 00:39:42.000
 your heart

00:39:42.000 --> 00:39:42.440
 and mine.

00:39:43.640 --> 00:39:44.220
 We should pray

00:39:44.220 --> 00:39:44.760
 that that not

00:39:44.760 --> 00:39:45.960
 characterize our church.

00:39:48.100 --> 00:39:49.160
 The same token,

00:39:49.340 --> 00:39:50.540
 churches that say

00:39:50.540 --> 00:39:52.040
 that being attracted

00:39:52.040 --> 00:39:52.519
 to a member

00:39:52.519 --> 00:39:53.380
 of the same sex

00:39:53.380 --> 00:39:54.140
 is a sign

00:39:54.140 --> 00:39:55.380
 of God's blessing

00:39:55.380 --> 00:39:58.980
 and it should be

00:39:58.980 --> 00:40:00.060
 honored and celebrated,

00:40:00.059 --> 00:40:01.960
 that becomes

00:40:01.960 --> 00:40:03.139
 a gospel issue.

00:40:04.159 --> 00:40:05.139
 All of this

00:40:05.139 --> 00:40:05.860
 is written

00:40:05.860 --> 00:40:06.799
 so that we realize

00:40:06.799 --> 00:40:07.599
 we need a Savior,

00:40:07.980 --> 00:40:09.239
 not that we believe

00:40:09.239 --> 00:40:10.199
 that we don't need

00:40:10.199 --> 00:40:10.659
 a Savior

00:40:10.659 --> 00:40:12.139
 and that Jesus

00:40:12.139 --> 00:40:12.799
 should pat us

00:40:12.799 --> 00:40:13.400
 on the back.

00:40:14.179 --> 00:40:15.019
 And for a church

00:40:15.019 --> 00:40:15.900
 to say that it means

00:40:15.900 --> 00:40:16.639
 that Jesus should

00:40:16.639 --> 00:40:17.579
 pat us on the back,

00:40:17.719 --> 00:40:18.900
 it is a profound

00:40:18.900 --> 00:40:19.599
 rejection

00:40:19.599 --> 00:40:20.599
 of the gospel.

00:40:22.539 --> 00:40:23.619
 A profound

00:40:23.619 --> 00:40:24.539
 rejection

00:40:24.539 --> 00:40:25.699
 of the gospel.

00:40:30.059 --> 00:40:32.279
 See,

00:40:32.340 --> 00:40:32.940
 here's what God

00:40:32.940 --> 00:40:33.840
 wants us to understand.

00:40:33.940 --> 00:40:34.420
 If you could put up

00:40:34.420 --> 00:40:35.119
 the final point,

00:40:35.259 --> 00:40:35.440
 Andrew.

00:40:36.599 --> 00:40:37.139
 I'm sorry,

00:40:37.259 --> 00:40:37.960
 it's 41 minutes.

00:40:38.099 --> 00:40:38.940
 I'll wrap this up

00:40:38.940 --> 00:40:39.539
 quickly now.

00:40:39.679 --> 00:40:40.420
 Only God

00:40:40.420 --> 00:40:41.519
 can act rightly

00:40:41.519 --> 00:40:42.860
 to make ordinary

00:40:42.860 --> 00:40:43.440
 people

00:40:43.440 --> 00:40:44.860
 right with himself.

00:40:47.079 --> 00:40:47.900
 The Bible

00:40:47.900 --> 00:40:48.460
 wants us

00:40:48.460 --> 00:40:49.440
 to come to realize

00:40:49.440 --> 00:40:49.880
 that there's

00:40:49.880 --> 00:40:50.440
 something like

00:40:50.440 --> 00:40:51.320
 a contagion

00:40:51.320 --> 00:40:51.980
 in my life

00:40:51.980 --> 00:40:52.539
 and yours

00:40:52.539 --> 00:40:54.079
 and that

00:40:54.079 --> 00:40:55.159
 only God,

00:40:55.360 --> 00:40:56.380
 only God,

00:40:56.579 --> 00:40:57.599
 only the creator,

00:40:57.920 --> 00:40:58.940
 only the sustainer,

00:40:59.079 --> 00:40:59.900
 only he

00:40:59.900 --> 00:41:00.940
 can act

00:41:00.940 --> 00:41:02.420
 in the right way,

00:41:03.360 --> 00:41:03.940
 which we'll get

00:41:03.940 --> 00:41:04.539
 to see clear

00:41:04.539 --> 00:41:05.539
 as the weeks go on,

00:41:05.599 --> 00:41:06.340
 to make ordinary

00:41:06.340 --> 00:41:07.039
 people right

00:41:07.039 --> 00:41:07.639
 with himself.

00:41:09.579 --> 00:41:09.900
 Andrew,

00:41:10.039 --> 00:41:10.579
 can you put up

00:41:10.579 --> 00:41:11.059
 Romans 1,

00:41:11.119 --> 00:41:12.280
 16 to 17 again,

00:41:12.380 --> 00:41:12.639
 please?

00:41:12.880 --> 00:41:13.599
 Want to read this

00:41:13.599 --> 00:41:13.920
 with me?

00:41:14.039 --> 00:41:14.539
 Remember,

00:41:14.660 --> 00:41:15.220
 this is all

00:41:15.220 --> 00:41:16.360
 in service of this.

00:41:16.840 --> 00:41:17.440
 Read it with me,

00:41:17.519 --> 00:41:17.800
 please.

00:41:18.500 --> 00:41:19.200
 For I am not

00:41:19.200 --> 00:41:20.579
 ashamed of the gospel,

00:41:21.059 --> 00:41:22.180
 for it is the power

00:41:22.180 --> 00:41:22.760
 of God

00:41:22.760 --> 00:41:23.660
 for salvation

00:41:23.660 --> 00:41:24.599
 to everyone

00:41:24.599 --> 00:41:25.500
 who believes,

00:41:25.920 --> 00:41:27.039
 to the Jew first

00:41:27.039 --> 00:41:28.460
 and also to the Greek.

00:41:28.460 --> 00:41:30.179
 For in the gospel,

00:41:30.400 --> 00:41:31.039
 the righteousness

00:41:31.039 --> 00:41:31.840
 of God

00:41:31.840 --> 00:41:32.579
 is revealed

00:41:32.579 --> 00:41:33.380
 from faith

00:41:33.380 --> 00:41:33.960
 to faith.

00:41:34.420 --> 00:41:35.360
 As it is written,

00:41:35.760 --> 00:41:36.320
 the righteous

00:41:36.320 --> 00:41:37.159
 shall live

00:41:37.159 --> 00:41:37.840
 by faith.

00:41:38.679 --> 00:41:39.539
 There are several

00:41:39.539 --> 00:41:40.460
 responses we will

00:41:40.460 --> 00:41:41.220
 have to this sermon.

00:41:41.500 --> 00:41:41.900
 I know,

00:41:41.960 --> 00:41:42.199
 I'm sorry,

00:41:42.260 --> 00:41:42.639
 I'm just going to

00:41:42.639 --> 00:41:43.320
 go a few minutes

00:41:43.320 --> 00:41:44.099
 over my time,

00:41:44.519 --> 00:41:45.099
 but listen,

00:41:45.400 --> 00:41:46.039
 here's one of our

00:41:46.039 --> 00:41:46.539
 responses.

00:41:46.740 --> 00:41:47.220
 Some of you might

00:41:47.220 --> 00:41:47.940
 hear this and say,

00:41:48.500 --> 00:41:49.179
 God should just

00:41:49.179 --> 00:41:50.119
 get out of my face.

00:41:50.699 --> 00:41:51.300
 He should just

00:41:51.300 --> 00:41:52.039
 leave me alone.

00:41:52.599 --> 00:41:52.860
 George,

00:41:52.920 --> 00:41:53.639
 how dare that

00:41:53.639 --> 00:41:54.460
 say that in the Bible?

00:41:54.559 --> 00:41:54.699
 You know,

00:41:54.760 --> 00:41:55.440
 that's why people

00:41:55.440 --> 00:41:56.260
 don't go to church

00:41:56.260 --> 00:41:56.619
 anymore.

00:41:56.960 --> 00:41:57.139
 Like,

00:41:57.200 --> 00:41:57.880
 either God

00:41:57.880 --> 00:41:58.519
 should get with

00:41:58.519 --> 00:41:59.099
 the project

00:41:59.099 --> 00:41:59.940
 of my life

00:41:59.940 --> 00:42:00.740
 and should be

00:42:00.740 --> 00:42:01.460
 supportive of

00:42:01.460 --> 00:42:02.079
 what I'm going

00:42:02.079 --> 00:42:02.720
 through and

00:42:02.720 --> 00:42:03.639
 what I desire,

00:42:03.880 --> 00:42:04.820
 and if he doesn't

00:42:04.820 --> 00:42:05.519
 get supportive

00:42:05.519 --> 00:42:06.059
 with me,

00:42:06.099 --> 00:42:06.519
 I don't want

00:42:06.519 --> 00:42:07.099
 anything to do

00:42:07.099 --> 00:42:07.360
 with him.

00:42:07.519 --> 00:42:08.740
 He has no right

00:42:08.740 --> 00:42:10.159
 getting involved

00:42:10.159 --> 00:42:11.639
 with this in my life.

00:42:14.159 --> 00:42:14.800
 Some of you

00:42:14.800 --> 00:42:15.360
 might have noticed

00:42:15.360 --> 00:42:16.099
 that all the way

00:42:16.099 --> 00:42:16.920
 through this text,

00:42:17.099 --> 00:42:17.380
 it says,

00:42:17.639 --> 00:42:18.360
 God gave them up.

00:42:18.760 --> 00:42:19.659
 God gave them up.

00:42:20.059 --> 00:42:20.920
 God gave them up.

00:42:21.760 --> 00:42:23.200
 And if we react

00:42:23.199 --> 00:42:24.739
 by saying that

00:42:24.739 --> 00:42:25.279
 to God,

00:42:26.799 --> 00:42:27.559
 then we've just,

00:42:30.099 --> 00:42:30.939
 I'm not saying

00:42:30.939 --> 00:42:31.919
 this to insult you.

00:42:35.559 --> 00:42:36.659
 It's a description

00:42:36.659 --> 00:42:37.199
 of hell.

00:42:41.039 --> 00:42:41.759
 You're just,

00:42:42.279 --> 00:42:43.179
 you're asking

00:42:43.179 --> 00:42:44.779
 that that lie

00:42:44.779 --> 00:42:45.899
 that you give yourself

00:42:45.899 --> 00:42:46.879
 for those who are liars,

00:42:47.059 --> 00:42:48.179
 that that lie

00:42:48.179 --> 00:42:48.899
 just becomes

00:42:48.899 --> 00:42:49.559
 your identity

00:42:49.559 --> 00:42:51.019
 and takes over you.

00:42:51.259 --> 00:42:52.079
 The whole image

00:42:52.079 --> 00:42:52.980
 of God gave them up,

00:42:52.980 --> 00:42:53.480
 it's an image

00:42:53.480 --> 00:42:54.199
 of captivity.

00:42:54.420 --> 00:42:54.840
 It's an image

00:42:54.840 --> 00:42:55.659
 of common grace.

00:42:55.780 --> 00:42:56.380
 It's an image

00:42:56.380 --> 00:42:57.880
 as if there's a river

00:42:57.880 --> 00:42:58.780
 and there's a boat

00:42:58.780 --> 00:43:00.639
 tied up to a dock

00:43:00.639 --> 00:43:01.639
 on the river

00:43:01.639 --> 00:43:03.380
 and the river,

00:43:03.539 --> 00:43:04.340
 the current of the river

00:43:04.340 --> 00:43:04.820
 keeps wanting

00:43:04.820 --> 00:43:05.659
 to pull the boat away,

00:43:05.760 --> 00:43:06.300
 pull the boat away,

00:43:06.380 --> 00:43:06.880
 pull the boat away,

00:43:06.940 --> 00:43:07.320
 but God,

00:43:07.400 --> 00:43:08.300
 by his common grace,

00:43:08.440 --> 00:43:09.039
 stops the boat

00:43:09.039 --> 00:43:09.559
 from going

00:43:09.559 --> 00:43:12.199
 and then you say,

00:43:12.360 --> 00:43:13.139
 I don't want God

00:43:13.139 --> 00:43:14.019
 to get involved

00:43:14.019 --> 00:43:14.460
 in my life.

00:43:14.539 --> 00:43:15.119
 I want God

00:43:15.119 --> 00:43:15.760
 to leave me alone.

00:43:15.840 --> 00:43:16.340
 I want to be able

00:43:16.340 --> 00:43:16.900
 to do the things

00:43:16.900 --> 00:43:17.400
 I want to do.

00:43:17.460 --> 00:43:18.079
 I want to pursue

00:43:18.079 --> 00:43:18.800
 my projects

00:43:18.800 --> 00:43:19.579
 and if God can't

00:43:19.579 --> 00:43:20.139
 affirm me,

00:43:20.380 --> 00:43:20.920
 I want him

00:43:20.920 --> 00:43:21.599
 to just let me go.

00:43:21.679 --> 00:43:21.920
 I want him

00:43:21.920 --> 00:43:22.740
 to get out of my way,

00:43:22.980 --> 00:43:23.960
 out of my life,

00:43:24.000 --> 00:43:24.480
 I'm completely

00:43:24.480 --> 00:43:25.079
 and utterly fine

00:43:25.079 --> 00:43:25.659
 by myself

00:43:25.659 --> 00:43:27.480
 and God unties

00:43:27.480 --> 00:43:28.539
 the moored boat

00:43:28.539 --> 00:43:29.099
 from the river

00:43:29.099 --> 00:43:29.960
 and lets the boat

00:43:29.960 --> 00:43:30.960
 be carried away

00:43:30.960 --> 00:43:31.539
 by the river

00:43:31.539 --> 00:43:34.500
 and God gave them up

00:43:34.500 --> 00:43:35.840
 as a sign of his wrath.

00:43:36.559 --> 00:43:36.900
 It's a sign

00:43:36.900 --> 00:43:37.820
 of contagion.

00:43:38.300 --> 00:43:39.420
 I implore you

00:43:39.420 --> 00:43:41.039
 in response to this

00:43:41.039 --> 00:43:42.320
 not to react that way

00:43:42.320 --> 00:43:45.440
 and some of you

00:43:45.440 --> 00:43:45.900
 might say,

00:43:46.000 --> 00:43:46.260
 George,

00:43:46.539 --> 00:43:46.940
 okay,

00:43:47.179 --> 00:43:48.059
 especially those of you

00:43:48.059 --> 00:43:48.500
 who struggle

00:43:48.500 --> 00:43:49.860
 with same-sex attraction,

00:43:51.760 --> 00:43:52.219
 George,

00:43:52.219 --> 00:43:53.980
 you know,

00:43:54.019 --> 00:43:54.799
 if you just knew,

00:43:55.379 --> 00:43:56.139
 if you just knew

00:43:56.139 --> 00:43:56.819
 how strong

00:43:56.819 --> 00:43:57.959
 that drive was in me

00:43:57.959 --> 00:43:58.799
 and George,

00:43:58.899 --> 00:44:00.239
 if you just understood

00:44:00.239 --> 00:44:02.899
 and know

00:44:02.899 --> 00:44:06.059
 how many times

00:44:06.059 --> 00:44:07.399
 people condemn me,

00:44:07.959 --> 00:44:08.659
 they don't know

00:44:08.659 --> 00:44:09.119
 that I have

00:44:09.119 --> 00:44:09.819
 these attractions

00:44:09.819 --> 00:44:10.679
 or maybe they do

00:44:10.679 --> 00:44:12.319
 and they say snide things

00:44:12.319 --> 00:44:13.199
 and they make jokes

00:44:13.199 --> 00:44:13.799
 about people

00:44:13.799 --> 00:44:14.519
 like myself

00:44:14.519 --> 00:44:15.319
 and George,

00:44:15.399 --> 00:44:16.119
 if you just knew

00:44:16.119 --> 00:44:17.000
 how my dad

00:44:17.000 --> 00:44:17.739
 used to treat me,

00:44:17.779 --> 00:44:18.639
 if you just knew

00:44:18.639 --> 00:44:19.659
 how my dad

00:44:19.659 --> 00:44:20.319
 would look at me

00:44:20.320 --> 00:44:21.140
 and how my coach

00:44:21.140 --> 00:44:21.840
 would look at me

00:44:21.840 --> 00:44:22.740
 and how my pastor

00:44:22.740 --> 00:44:23.519
 would look at me

00:44:23.519 --> 00:44:24.860
 and how godly people

00:44:24.860 --> 00:44:25.460
 would look at me

00:44:25.460 --> 00:44:26.440
 and how people on TV

00:44:26.440 --> 00:44:27.200
 would look at me

00:44:27.200 --> 00:44:28.480
 and if you just knew

00:44:28.480 --> 00:44:29.620
 all those things,

00:44:29.740 --> 00:44:30.580
 all the wrath,

00:44:30.820 --> 00:44:31.600
 all the anger,

00:44:31.740 --> 00:44:32.840
 all the put-downs

00:44:32.840 --> 00:44:34.660
 that I have to endure,

00:44:35.039 --> 00:44:35.720
 then George,

00:44:35.880 --> 00:44:37.280
 you would not say that

00:44:37.280 --> 00:44:38.240
 because George,

00:44:38.340 --> 00:44:39.700
 sometimes in the face

00:44:39.700 --> 00:44:40.660
 of all the wrath

00:44:40.660 --> 00:44:41.460
 and all the anger

00:44:41.460 --> 00:44:42.800
 that seems to befall me

00:44:42.800 --> 00:44:43.960
 and I seem to sometimes

00:44:43.960 --> 00:44:44.580
 feel myself

00:44:44.580 --> 00:44:46.400
 and it's only when I embrace

00:44:46.400 --> 00:44:47.640
 my same-sex attraction

00:44:47.639 --> 00:44:48.519
 or my same-sex,

00:44:48.940 --> 00:44:50.099
 that it's only then

00:44:50.099 --> 00:44:50.839
 that I seem to get

00:44:50.839 --> 00:44:51.839
 some type of release

00:44:51.839 --> 00:44:52.460
 because George,

00:44:52.500 --> 00:44:53.659
 if you just knew

00:44:53.659 --> 00:44:55.319
 the anger and the wrath

00:44:55.319 --> 00:44:58.019
 and the setting aside

00:44:58.019 --> 00:44:59.199
 and turning the back on

00:44:59.199 --> 00:45:00.940
 that just characterized my life,

00:45:01.079 --> 00:45:01.519
 you not,

00:45:01.759 --> 00:45:03.940
 God wouldn't say that,

00:45:04.000 --> 00:45:04.779
 you wouldn't say that.

00:45:08.460 --> 00:45:10.239
 When we read about

00:45:10.239 --> 00:45:10.900
 the wrath of God

00:45:10.900 --> 00:45:11.420
 at the beginning,

00:45:12.539 --> 00:45:13.639
 Paul is setting up

00:45:13.639 --> 00:45:14.319
 one of the most

00:45:14.319 --> 00:45:15.639
 spectacular promises

00:45:15.639 --> 00:45:17.179
 promises in the whole

00:45:17.179 --> 00:45:17.859
 book of Romans.

00:45:18.839 --> 00:45:19.739
 If you just turn

00:45:19.739 --> 00:45:20.259
 in your Bibles,

00:45:20.339 --> 00:45:21.059
 those of you have Bibles,

00:45:21.139 --> 00:45:21.379
 if you don't,

00:45:21.440 --> 00:45:22.000
 you can just listen.

00:45:22.159 --> 00:45:23.400
 Turn to Romans 3,

00:45:23.500 --> 00:45:25.599
 verse 21 and 26.

00:45:25.960 --> 00:45:26.699
 Remember I said

00:45:26.699 --> 00:45:27.519
 that from 118

00:45:27.519 --> 00:45:28.519
 to chapter 3,

00:45:28.579 --> 00:45:29.000
 verse 20,

00:45:29.039 --> 00:45:29.920
 you might not remember this,

00:45:30.019 --> 00:45:31.400
 that Paul is painting

00:45:31.400 --> 00:45:31.900
 the picture

00:45:31.900 --> 00:45:33.099
 that there's a contagion

00:45:33.099 --> 00:45:34.099
 amongst human beings

00:45:34.099 --> 00:45:36.000
 that means that

00:45:36.000 --> 00:45:36.699
 we need a Savior

00:45:36.699 --> 00:45:38.400
 and when he comes

00:45:38.400 --> 00:45:39.019
 to an end,

00:45:39.239 --> 00:45:40.739
 this is how he triumphantly

00:45:40.739 --> 00:45:41.659
 brings it to an end

00:45:41.659 --> 00:45:42.299
 in verse 21.

00:45:42.400 --> 00:45:42.480
 I mean,

00:45:42.500 --> 00:45:43.139
 he's going to explain it

00:45:43.139 --> 00:45:43.460
 more throughout

00:45:43.460 --> 00:45:44.059
 the rest of the book.

00:45:44.139 --> 00:45:44.599
 We're going to look at

00:45:44.599 --> 00:45:45.079
 in a couple of weeks,

00:45:45.079 --> 00:45:45.739
 but here's what he says.

00:45:46.099 --> 00:45:47.159
 But now the righteousness

00:45:47.159 --> 00:45:48.579
 of God has been manifested

00:45:48.579 --> 00:45:49.860
 apart from the law,

00:45:49.940 --> 00:45:50.440
 although the law

00:45:50.440 --> 00:45:50.960
 and prophets

00:45:50.960 --> 00:45:51.819
 bear witness to it.

00:45:52.119 --> 00:45:53.340
 The righteousness of God

00:45:53.340 --> 00:45:54.980
 through faith in Jesus Christ

00:45:54.980 --> 00:45:55.980
 for all who believe,

00:45:56.340 --> 00:45:57.460
 for there is no distinction,

00:45:57.619 --> 00:45:58.719
 for all have sinned

00:45:58.719 --> 00:45:59.279
 and fall short

00:45:59.279 --> 00:46:00.179
 of the glory of God

00:46:00.179 --> 00:46:01.360
 and are justified

00:46:01.360 --> 00:46:02.299
 by his grace

00:46:02.299 --> 00:46:02.860
 as a gift

00:46:02.860 --> 00:46:03.860
 through the redemption

00:46:03.860 --> 00:46:05.559
 that is in Christ Jesus,

00:46:05.860 --> 00:46:07.599
 whom God put forward

00:46:07.599 --> 00:46:09.059
 as a propitiation

00:46:09.059 --> 00:46:10.059
 by his blood

00:46:10.059 --> 00:46:11.619
 to be received by faith.

00:46:12.199 --> 00:46:13.099
 This was to show

00:46:13.099 --> 00:46:14.159
 God's righteousness

00:46:14.159 --> 00:46:15.519
 because in his divine

00:46:15.519 --> 00:46:16.199
 forbearance

00:46:16.199 --> 00:46:17.440
 he had passed over

00:46:17.440 --> 00:46:18.219
 former sins.

00:46:18.440 --> 00:46:19.159
 It was to show

00:46:19.159 --> 00:46:19.960
 his righteousness

00:46:19.960 --> 00:46:21.059
 at the present time

00:46:21.059 --> 00:46:22.920
 so that he might be just

00:46:22.920 --> 00:46:24.179
 and the justifier

00:46:24.179 --> 00:46:24.719
 of the one

00:46:24.719 --> 00:46:25.739
 who has faith in Jesus.

00:46:26.239 --> 00:46:26.940
 Look back up

00:46:26.940 --> 00:46:28.259
 to verse 25,

00:46:28.500 --> 00:46:29.699
 whom God put forward

00:46:29.699 --> 00:46:30.739
 as a propitiation

00:46:30.739 --> 00:46:31.460
 by his blood.

00:46:31.519 --> 00:46:32.159
 What does that mean?

00:46:32.399 --> 00:46:33.659
 What does propitiation mean?

00:46:33.659 --> 00:46:38.940
 the wrath

00:46:38.940 --> 00:46:41.440
 that I deserve,

00:46:43.199 --> 00:46:44.679
 Jesus comes

00:46:44.679 --> 00:46:46.139
 and says,

00:46:46.519 --> 00:46:47.019
 George,

00:46:48.079 --> 00:46:49.399
 if the wrath

00:46:49.399 --> 00:46:51.679
 that is coming upon you,

00:46:51.719 --> 00:46:52.899
 if it comes upon you,

00:46:52.940 --> 00:46:54.539
 it will completely unmake you.

00:46:55.239 --> 00:46:56.719
 Let me take your place

00:46:56.719 --> 00:46:58.039
 and let the wrath

00:46:58.039 --> 00:47:00.000
 that is falling on you

00:47:00.000 --> 00:47:01.379
 fall on me

00:47:01.380 --> 00:47:03.579
 and I will take

00:47:03.579 --> 00:47:05.360
 every drag

00:47:05.360 --> 00:47:06.280
 of wrath,

00:47:06.940 --> 00:47:08.180
 every drag

00:47:08.180 --> 00:47:09.099
 of hostility,

00:47:09.840 --> 00:47:11.200
 every drag

00:47:11.200 --> 00:47:12.640
 of putting aside

00:47:12.640 --> 00:47:13.500
 and belittling

00:47:13.500 --> 00:47:14.460
 and diminishing

00:47:14.460 --> 00:47:15.240
 and demeaning

00:47:15.240 --> 00:47:17.000
 and I will take

00:47:17.000 --> 00:47:18.099
 every drag

00:47:18.099 --> 00:47:18.900
 with nothing

00:47:18.900 --> 00:47:19.860
 left over

00:47:19.860 --> 00:47:21.660
 and I will take

00:47:21.660 --> 00:47:22.660
 that upon

00:47:22.660 --> 00:47:23.700
 myself

00:47:23.700 --> 00:47:24.880
 for you.

00:47:24.880 --> 00:47:28.260
 that is what

00:47:28.260 --> 00:47:29.300
 I have done

00:47:29.300 --> 00:47:29.820
 for you

00:47:29.820 --> 00:47:30.760
 on the cross,

00:47:31.039 --> 00:47:31.519
 George.

00:47:33.800 --> 00:47:35.180
 Don't embrace

00:47:35.180 --> 00:47:35.780
 sin,

00:47:36.400 --> 00:47:37.360
 embrace me.

00:47:38.960 --> 00:47:39.880
 Embracing sin

00:47:39.880 --> 00:47:41.180
 does not take away

00:47:41.180 --> 00:47:42.360
 the wrath

00:47:42.360 --> 00:47:43.559
 or the anger

00:47:43.559 --> 00:47:44.360
 or the diminishment.

00:47:45.840 --> 00:47:46.619
 Embrace me

00:47:46.619 --> 00:47:48.360
 and let that

00:47:48.360 --> 00:47:49.519
 fall on me.

00:47:50.579 --> 00:47:51.640
 I will do it

00:47:51.640 --> 00:47:52.099
 for you

00:47:52.099 --> 00:47:53.180
 out of love

00:47:53.179 --> 00:47:53.659
 for you

00:47:53.659 --> 00:47:54.859
 to make

00:47:54.859 --> 00:47:55.799
 you right

00:47:55.799 --> 00:47:56.559
 with God.

00:47:57.079 --> 00:47:58.259
 My death

00:47:58.259 --> 00:47:58.960
 for you

00:47:58.960 --> 00:48:00.000
 upon the cross

00:48:00.000 --> 00:48:01.059
 is a power

00:48:01.059 --> 00:48:01.779
 that comes

00:48:01.779 --> 00:48:02.519
 from God

00:48:02.519 --> 00:48:03.819
 that swallows

00:48:03.819 --> 00:48:04.279
 wrath

00:48:04.279 --> 00:48:05.599
 so you

00:48:05.599 --> 00:48:06.460
 can be right

00:48:06.460 --> 00:48:07.039
 with God

00:48:07.039 --> 00:48:07.819
 and be free.

00:48:08.539 --> 00:48:09.179
 Do not

00:48:09.179 --> 00:48:09.839
 embrace

00:48:09.839 --> 00:48:10.659
 your sin.

00:48:11.460 --> 00:48:11.960
 Embrace

00:48:11.960 --> 00:48:12.339
 me.

00:48:15.359 --> 00:48:16.000
 Andrew,

00:48:16.079 --> 00:48:16.460
 could you put it

00:48:16.460 --> 00:48:16.960
 Romans 1,

00:48:17.039 --> 00:48:17.819
 16 to 17

00:48:17.819 --> 00:48:18.759
 one final time?

00:48:19.539 --> 00:48:19.879
 Can we all

00:48:19.879 --> 00:48:20.559
 stand please?

00:48:20.559 --> 00:48:24.360
 That's what

00:48:24.360 --> 00:48:25.000
 Paul's talking

00:48:25.000 --> 00:48:25.519
 about here.

00:48:25.900 --> 00:48:26.500
 Can you say it

00:48:26.500 --> 00:48:26.960
 with me one

00:48:26.960 --> 00:48:27.460
 more time

00:48:27.460 --> 00:48:27.840
 please?

00:48:28.779 --> 00:48:29.820
 For I am not

00:48:29.820 --> 00:48:30.719
 ashamed of the

00:48:30.719 --> 00:48:31.179
 gospel

00:48:31.179 --> 00:48:32.460
 for it is the

00:48:32.460 --> 00:48:33.460
 power of God

00:48:33.460 --> 00:48:34.380
 for salvation

00:48:34.380 --> 00:48:35.400
 to everyone

00:48:35.400 --> 00:48:36.380
 who believes

00:48:36.380 --> 00:48:37.460
 to the Jew

00:48:37.460 --> 00:48:38.619
 first and also

00:48:38.619 --> 00:48:39.400
 to the Greek

00:48:39.400 --> 00:48:40.699
 for in the

00:48:40.699 --> 00:48:41.559
 gospel the

00:48:41.559 --> 00:48:42.440
 righteousness of

00:48:42.440 --> 00:48:43.639
 God is revealed

00:48:43.639 --> 00:48:44.500
 from faith

00:48:44.500 --> 00:48:45.139
 to faith

00:48:45.139 --> 00:48:46.259
 as it is

00:48:46.259 --> 00:48:46.539
 written

00:48:46.539 --> 00:48:47.579
 the righteous

00:48:47.579 --> 00:48:48.579
 shall live

00:48:48.579 --> 00:48:49.380
 by faith.

00:48:49.380 --> 00:48:50.700
 Faith means

00:48:50.700 --> 00:48:51.119
 you come

00:48:51.119 --> 00:48:51.599
 with empty

00:48:51.599 --> 00:48:51.960
 hands

00:48:51.960 --> 00:48:52.340
 you don't

00:48:52.340 --> 00:48:52.760
 surrender

00:48:52.760 --> 00:48:53.160
 you don't

00:48:53.160 --> 00:48:53.660
 tell God

00:48:53.660 --> 00:48:54.240
 to go away

00:48:54.240 --> 00:48:54.619
 you come

00:48:54.619 --> 00:48:54.940
 to that

00:48:54.940 --> 00:48:55.260
 point

00:48:55.260 --> 00:48:55.579
 where you

00:48:55.579 --> 00:48:56.059
 say only

00:48:56.059 --> 00:48:56.380
 God

00:48:56.380 --> 00:48:56.960
 only you

00:48:56.960 --> 00:48:57.599
 can act

00:48:57.599 --> 00:48:57.960
 in a way

00:48:57.960 --> 00:48:58.500
 that's right

00:48:58.500 --> 00:48:58.820
 that will

00:48:58.820 --> 00:48:59.160
 make me

00:48:59.160 --> 00:48:59.579
 right with

00:48:59.579 --> 00:48:59.920
 yourself

00:48:59.920 --> 00:49:00.440
 only you

00:49:00.440 --> 00:49:00.760
 will do

00:49:00.760 --> 00:49:00.920
 it

00:49:00.920 --> 00:49:01.680
 and you

00:49:01.680 --> 00:49:01.940
 will do

00:49:01.940 --> 00:49:02.180
 it for

00:49:02.180 --> 00:49:02.660
 the religious

00:49:02.660 --> 00:49:03.039
 and the

00:49:03.039 --> 00:49:03.500
 irreligious

00:49:03.500 --> 00:49:04.260
 the spiritual

00:49:04.260 --> 00:49:04.700
 and not

00:49:04.700 --> 00:49:05.160
 spiritual

00:49:05.160 --> 00:49:05.740
 the greedy

00:49:05.740 --> 00:49:06.400
 and the

00:49:06.400 --> 00:49:06.800
 people who

00:49:06.800 --> 00:49:07.340
 give things

00:49:07.340 --> 00:49:07.640
 away

00:49:07.640 --> 00:49:08.420
 the people

00:49:08.420 --> 00:49:08.640
 who are

00:49:08.640 --> 00:49:09.019
 sexually

00:49:09.019 --> 00:49:09.420
 broken

00:49:09.420 --> 00:49:10.079
 terribly

00:49:10.079 --> 00:49:10.559
 and those

00:49:10.559 --> 00:49:10.780
 who are

00:49:10.780 --> 00:49:11.039
 hardly

00:49:11.039 --> 00:49:11.480
 sexually

00:49:11.480 --> 00:49:11.840
 broken

00:49:11.840 --> 00:49:12.160
 at all

00:49:12.160 --> 00:49:12.460
 that you

00:49:12.460 --> 00:49:12.780
 will give

00:49:12.780 --> 00:49:13.019
 it for

00:49:13.019 --> 00:49:13.420
 ordinary

00:49:13.420 --> 00:49:13.920
 people

00:49:13.920 --> 00:49:14.960
 that it's

00:49:14.960 --> 00:49:15.659
 a gift

00:49:15.659 --> 00:49:16.300
 that God

00:49:16.300 --> 00:49:16.720
 gives

00:49:16.720 --> 00:49:17.300
 and offers

00:49:17.300 --> 00:49:17.679
 to you

00:49:17.679 --> 00:49:18.079
 and there's

00:49:18.079 --> 00:49:18.800
 no better

00:49:18.800 --> 00:49:19.639
 time than

00:49:19.639 --> 00:49:20.000
 today

00:49:20.000 --> 00:49:20.940
 to once

00:49:20.940 --> 00:49:21.619
 again say

00:49:21.619 --> 00:49:22.519
 Jesus

00:49:22.519 --> 00:49:23.039
 I don't

00:49:23.039 --> 00:49:23.539
 understand

00:49:23.539 --> 00:49:24.059
 all there

00:49:24.059 --> 00:49:24.500
 is about

00:49:24.500 --> 00:49:25.059
 this text

00:49:25.059 --> 00:49:25.639
 but whatever

00:49:25.639 --> 00:49:26.119
 this is

00:49:26.119 --> 00:49:26.760
 talking about

00:49:26.760 --> 00:49:27.340
 I want to

00:49:27.340 --> 00:49:27.820
 have that

00:49:27.820 --> 00:49:28.220
 I want to

00:49:28.220 --> 00:49:29.079
 embrace that

00:49:29.079 --> 00:49:29.500
 I want to

00:49:29.500 --> 00:49:29.860
 have that

00:49:29.860 --> 00:49:30.199
 as my

00:49:30.199 --> 00:49:30.599
 identity

00:49:30.599 --> 00:49:31.179
 I want to

00:49:31.179 --> 00:49:31.559
 have that

00:49:31.559 --> 00:49:31.840
 as the

00:49:31.840 --> 00:49:32.099
 ground

00:49:32.099 --> 00:49:32.440
 of my

00:49:32.440 --> 00:49:32.720
 life

00:49:32.720 --> 00:49:33.300
 I want

00:49:33.300 --> 00:49:33.539
 to have

00:49:33.539 --> 00:49:33.780
 that

00:49:33.780 --> 00:49:34.079
 enter

00:49:34.079 --> 00:49:34.280
 into

00:49:34.280 --> 00:49:34.460
 my

00:49:34.460 --> 00:49:34.760
 life

00:49:34.760 --> 00:49:36.059
 Jesus

00:49:36.059 --> 00:49:37.619
 that

00:49:37.619 --> 00:49:38.460
 for me

00:49:38.460 --> 00:49:39.699
 and me

00:49:39.699 --> 00:49:40.220
 for that

00:49:40.220 --> 00:49:41.199
 may that

00:49:41.199 --> 00:49:41.760
 be the story

00:49:41.760 --> 00:49:42.300
 of my life

00:49:42.300 --> 00:49:42.800
 that begins

00:49:42.800 --> 00:49:43.559
 today or is

00:49:43.559 --> 00:49:43.880
 deep in

00:49:43.880 --> 00:49:45.300
 let's bow

00:49:45.300 --> 00:49:45.579
 our heads

00:49:45.579 --> 00:49:46.039
 in prayer

00:49:46.039 --> 00:49:52.340
 Jesus

00:49:52.340 --> 00:49:52.920
 we thank

00:49:52.920 --> 00:49:53.220
 you for

00:49:53.220 --> 00:49:53.559
 dying on

00:49:53.559 --> 00:49:53.980
 the cross

00:49:53.980 --> 00:49:54.500
 for us

00:49:54.500 --> 00:49:56.079
 we thank

00:49:56.079 --> 00:49:56.579
 you Jesus

00:49:56.579 --> 00:49:57.160
 that on

00:49:57.160 --> 00:49:57.599
 the cross

00:49:57.599 --> 00:49:58.039
 you took

00:49:58.039 --> 00:49:58.660
 my place

00:49:58.660 --> 00:49:59.019
 you took

00:49:59.019 --> 00:49:59.460
 the place

00:49:59.460 --> 00:49:59.900
 of people

00:49:59.900 --> 00:50:00.220
 who are

00:50:00.220 --> 00:50:00.500
 here

00:50:00.500 --> 00:50:01.660
 we thank

00:50:01.660 --> 00:50:02.200
 you Jesus

00:50:02.200 --> 00:50:02.720
 that on

00:50:02.720 --> 00:50:03.300
 the cross

00:50:03.300 --> 00:50:03.800
 that you

00:50:03.800 --> 00:50:04.640
 not only

00:50:04.640 --> 00:50:05.099
 took the

00:50:05.099 --> 00:50:05.680
 wrong things

00:50:05.680 --> 00:50:05.980
 that we've

00:50:05.980 --> 00:50:06.400
 done upon

00:50:06.400 --> 00:50:06.860
 yourself

00:50:06.860 --> 00:50:07.640
 but the

00:50:07.640 --> 00:50:08.640
 proper

00:50:08.640 --> 00:50:09.260
 anger

00:50:09.260 --> 00:50:09.960
 that God

00:50:09.960 --> 00:50:10.900
 and others

00:50:10.900 --> 00:50:11.220
 and the

00:50:11.220 --> 00:50:11.740
 whole created

00:50:11.740 --> 00:50:12.140
 order

00:50:12.140 --> 00:50:12.660
 have at

00:50:12.660 --> 00:50:13.119
 the things

00:50:13.119 --> 00:50:13.440
 that we've

00:50:13.440 --> 00:50:13.660
 done

00:50:13.659 --> 00:50:14.159
 to mar

00:50:14.159 --> 00:50:14.659
 goodness

00:50:14.659 --> 00:50:15.239
 and love

00:50:15.239 --> 00:50:15.739
 and beauty

00:50:15.739 --> 00:50:16.619
 that you

00:50:16.619 --> 00:50:17.219
 took that

00:50:17.219 --> 00:50:17.659
 proper

00:50:17.659 --> 00:50:18.019
 anger

00:50:18.019 --> 00:50:18.440
 upon

00:50:18.440 --> 00:50:19.000
 yourself

00:50:19.000 --> 00:50:19.839
 for us

00:50:19.839 --> 00:50:20.960
 that you

00:50:20.960 --> 00:50:21.299
 took it

00:50:21.299 --> 00:50:21.839
 all right

00:50:21.839 --> 00:50:22.159
 to the

00:50:22.159 --> 00:50:22.579
 dregs

00:50:22.579 --> 00:50:23.099
 with nothing

00:50:23.099 --> 00:50:23.759
 left over

00:50:23.759 --> 00:50:24.179
 Jesus

00:50:24.179 --> 00:50:24.899
 we thank

00:50:24.899 --> 00:50:25.239
 you for

00:50:25.239 --> 00:50:25.619
 what you

00:50:25.619 --> 00:50:26.000
 have done

00:50:26.000 --> 00:50:26.339
 for us

00:50:26.339 --> 00:50:26.599
 on the

00:50:26.599 --> 00:50:26.879
 cross

00:50:26.879 --> 00:50:27.480
 please

00:50:27.480 --> 00:50:27.960
 Jesus

00:50:27.960 --> 00:50:28.539
 pour out

00:50:28.539 --> 00:50:28.699
 your

00:50:28.699 --> 00:50:29.279
 Holy Spirit

00:50:29.279 --> 00:50:29.920
 upon me

00:50:29.920 --> 00:50:31.119
 help me

00:50:31.119 --> 00:50:31.500
 Jesus

00:50:31.500 --> 00:50:32.019
 to be

00:50:32.019 --> 00:50:32.659
 grounded

00:50:32.659 --> 00:50:33.659
 to receive

00:50:33.659 --> 00:50:34.079
 this

00:50:34.079 --> 00:50:34.420
 to be

00:50:34.420 --> 00:50:34.980
 grounded

00:50:34.980 --> 00:50:35.440
 in this

00:50:35.440 --> 00:50:35.779
 to be

00:50:35.779 --> 00:50:36.219
 shaped

00:50:36.219 --> 00:50:36.920
 by this

00:50:36.920 --> 00:50:38.440
 to have

00:50:38.440 --> 00:50:38.699
 this

00:50:38.699 --> 00:50:39.399
 grip me

00:50:39.399 --> 00:50:40.119
 so that

00:50:40.119 --> 00:50:40.399
 it

00:50:40.399 --> 00:50:41.420
 so that

00:50:41.420 --> 00:50:41.539
 I

00:50:41.539 --> 00:50:42.359
 Jesus

00:50:42.359 --> 00:50:43.179
 help me

00:50:43.179 --> 00:50:43.599
 not to

00:50:43.599 --> 00:50:43.919
 turn

00:50:43.919 --> 00:50:44.599
 and embrace

00:50:44.599 --> 00:50:45.119
 my sin

00:50:45.119 --> 00:50:45.779
 but embrace

00:50:45.779 --> 00:50:46.599
 what you

00:50:46.599 --> 00:50:46.879
 have done

00:50:46.879 --> 00:50:47.179
 for me

00:50:47.179 --> 00:50:47.440
 on the

00:50:47.440 --> 00:50:47.839
 cross

00:50:47.839 --> 00:50:48.779
 and

00:50:48.779 --> 00:50:50.000
 that you

00:50:50.000 --> 00:50:50.399
 have made

00:50:50.399 --> 00:50:50.759
 me right

00:50:50.759 --> 00:50:51.319
 with God

00:50:51.319 --> 00:50:51.859
 and that

00:50:51.859 --> 00:50:52.399
 nothing can

00:50:52.399 --> 00:50:52.899
 take that

00:50:52.899 --> 00:50:53.179
 away

00:50:53.179 --> 00:50:53.960
 because you

00:50:53.960 --> 00:50:54.299
 have done

00:50:54.299 --> 00:50:54.759
 it for me

00:50:54.759 --> 00:50:55.099
 it's your

00:50:55.099 --> 00:50:55.759
 power not

00:50:55.759 --> 00:50:56.139
 mine

00:50:56.139 --> 00:50:57.539
 Jesus

00:50:57.539 --> 00:50:58.139
 make me

00:50:58.139 --> 00:50:58.779
 a disciple

00:50:58.779 --> 00:50:59.299
 of yours

00:50:59.299 --> 00:50:59.839
 gripped by

00:50:59.839 --> 00:51:00.579
 this gospel

00:51:00.579 --> 00:51:01.359
 who now

00:51:01.359 --> 00:51:01.799
 lives for

00:51:01.799 --> 00:51:02.299
 your glory

00:51:02.299 --> 00:51:03.099
 and this

00:51:03.099 --> 00:51:03.539
 I ask

00:51:03.539 --> 00:51:03.919
 in the name

00:51:03.919 --> 00:51:04.379
 of Jesus

00:51:04.379 --> 00:51:05.059
 your son

00:51:05.059 --> 00:51:05.419
 and our

00:51:05.419 --> 00:51:05.719
 savior

00:51:05.719 --> 00:51:06.339
 amen

00:51:06.340 --> 00:51:08.880
 to

00:51:08.880 --> 00:51:12.720
 him

00:51:12.720 --> 00:51:13.640
 to

00:51:13.640 --> 00:51:13.720
 him

00:51:13.720 --> 00:51:15.559
 he

00:51:15.559 --> 00:51:16.100
 can

00:51:16.100 --> 00:51:16.220
 you

00:51:16.220 --> 00:51:16.860
 he

00:51:16.980 --> 00:51:17.100
 can

00:51:17.100 --> 00:51:17.320
 go

00:51:17.320 --> 00:51:19.519
 him

00:51:19.519 --> 00:51:31.760
 in

00:51:31.760 --> 00:51:32.380
 bye