WEBVTT 00:00:00.960 --> 00:00:07.719 Over the last decade, are we here? Are we working? Can you hear me? Oh, great. 00:00:08.419 --> 00:00:15.759 Over the last decade, there have been increasing articles and statistics about what is being referred to as the rise of the nuns. 00:00:16.339 --> 00:00:21.120 This story of many people, vast numbers of people leaving organized religion. 00:00:21.519 --> 00:00:26.240 The nuns refers to people who are not affiliated with any official organized religion. 00:00:26.239 --> 00:00:34.700 And along with these statistics, I think a lot of people sort of develop this way of imagining our society as being divided into two kinds of people. 00:00:35.159 --> 00:00:44.159 There are the religious people, and then there are the irreligious people, and that the religious people, that number is going down, and that the number of irreligious people is going up. 00:00:44.920 --> 00:00:47.659 That's not actually entirely accurate. 00:00:48.359 --> 00:00:51.280 And what we're going to see this morning is a couple of things. 00:00:51.280 --> 00:00:58.700 First of all, that religious people and irreligious people have a lot more in common than we may think. 00:00:59.780 --> 00:01:09.879 And the second thing we'll see is that being a religious person doesn't necessarily mean you are any closer to God than an irreligious person. 00:01:10.740 --> 00:01:12.980 And in fact, it could mean entirely the opposite. 00:01:12.980 --> 00:01:17.200 So we're going to look at Romans chapter 10 and verse 4. 00:01:17.659 --> 00:01:22.340 Paul gives us this amazing life-shaping truth. 00:01:22.500 --> 00:01:25.400 It's the kind of truth that once you hear it, it begins to change everything. 00:01:25.960 --> 00:01:29.120 And then the rest of the passage gives us two implications of that truth. 00:01:29.219 --> 00:01:32.719 So we're going to look at the truth and then the two implications that flow out of it. 00:01:33.140 --> 00:01:33.640 Let's pray. 00:01:33.640 --> 00:01:41.299 Our Lord and Heavenly Father, we thank you for this gathering this morning, the freedom to gather and to worship you. 00:01:41.379 --> 00:01:45.079 And we thank you for the beginning of this season, this Lenten journey. 00:01:45.519 --> 00:01:51.299 And Lord, we pray that wherever we are coming from this morning, whatever distractions may be tugging at the edges of our mind, 00:01:51.819 --> 00:01:54.579 that you would give us the grace to attend to your word. 00:01:54.579 --> 00:02:00.920 That you would bless us with a focus and an openness and a receptiveness to what you have to say. 00:02:00.959 --> 00:02:03.659 Because we know that you have the ability to speak to each one of us. 00:02:04.400 --> 00:02:08.379 And that whatever we think we most need right now, the thing that we most need is you. 00:02:09.120 --> 00:02:16.000 And we pray that you would respond in power through your word. 00:02:16.520 --> 00:02:17.879 We ask this in Jesus' name. 00:02:18.099 --> 00:02:18.319 Amen. 00:02:19.639 --> 00:02:23.780 So first of all, let's open up this truth that Paul gives us. 00:02:24.640 --> 00:02:30.060 It's worth admitting that at first, when you look at a passage like this, it doesn't seem very relevant to most of us. 00:02:30.240 --> 00:02:35.979 Because the Apostle Paul is talking about concepts such as sin and righteousness. 00:02:36.219 --> 00:02:39.939 Things that most people don't talk about these days in casual conversation. 00:02:40.259 --> 00:02:43.240 And he's aiming this at a bunch of first century Jews. 00:02:43.900 --> 00:02:46.879 Feels pretty far removed from most of us. 00:02:47.599 --> 00:02:51.599 And yet as we begin to dive into this, we begin to see that this is in fact very profound. 00:02:51.599 --> 00:02:59.280 And it actually does speak to all of us here in a place like D.C. in 2025, even though it might not seem like it at first. 00:02:59.379 --> 00:03:05.019 And it speaks to all of us regardless of whether we consider ourselves to be religious or irreligious. 00:03:05.020 --> 00:03:09.000 The Jews thought of themselves as God's chosen people. 00:03:09.760 --> 00:03:13.780 They believed that they were the good guys in the story. 00:03:14.379 --> 00:03:19.800 And that the rest of the world is essentially made up of the bad guys or the not as good guys. 00:03:19.879 --> 00:03:20.680 The Gentiles. 00:03:20.820 --> 00:03:21.520 The pagans. 00:03:21.520 --> 00:03:24.820 Those outside of God's covenant. 00:03:25.439 --> 00:03:29.780 The debauched people who live contrary to God's will. 00:03:30.660 --> 00:03:35.280 And in the chapters leading up to this, remind, you know, just remember we're dropping into chapter 10. 00:03:35.820 --> 00:03:37.380 So there's been a lot that has come before this. 00:03:37.439 --> 00:03:42.240 In the chapters leading up to this, Paul essentially demolishes that binary way of thinking. 00:03:42.879 --> 00:03:45.300 Of we're the good guys and everybody else is the bad guys. 00:03:45.300 --> 00:03:56.560 And he's been building this case that these highly religious, highly moralistic people are actually more enslaved to sin than the pagan Gentiles. 00:03:57.880 --> 00:03:59.180 And I just want to be clear. 00:03:59.280 --> 00:04:05.260 If you met some of these first century Jews, you would probably immediately be struck by the fact that they are far better than you are. 00:04:05.500 --> 00:04:09.500 These are probably some of the best people you will ever meet in terms of the way they live. 00:04:10.340 --> 00:04:12.120 Their morality is very high. 00:04:12.200 --> 00:04:14.100 Their conscientiousness is very high. 00:04:14.099 --> 00:04:14.579 Right? 00:04:14.939 --> 00:04:18.800 They're very worried about and stress a lot about living well. 00:04:19.519 --> 00:04:26.180 And so you would meet these people and you would say, man, this is the kind of person I want teaching my kids and coaching, you know, sports and teaching Sunday school. 00:04:26.300 --> 00:04:27.040 They're amazing. 00:04:27.399 --> 00:04:31.100 And Paul's saying they're actually more enslaved to sin than the pagan Gentiles. 00:04:31.819 --> 00:04:35.899 And the reason goes all the way back to something that Paul says in the very first chapter of Romans. 00:04:37.480 --> 00:04:38.719 He makes this point. 00:04:39.899 --> 00:04:43.579 The fundamental problem for human beings is not sin. 00:04:44.100 --> 00:04:46.840 Sin is a symptom. 00:04:47.620 --> 00:04:49.080 It's downstream of something. 00:04:49.079 --> 00:04:54.419 The core problem with humanity is not sin. 00:04:54.500 --> 00:04:55.219 It's idolatry. 00:04:56.599 --> 00:05:05.120 He says human beings have essentially exchanged the worship of God for the worship of ourselves and the things that God has made. 00:05:05.120 --> 00:05:08.759 We've inverted the order that we were intended to have. 00:05:08.800 --> 00:05:14.319 Instead of putting God first, we put ourselves and other things that God has made before God. 00:05:15.280 --> 00:05:18.759 And he says, so instead of living for God, we begin to live for ourselves. 00:05:18.860 --> 00:05:20.879 And we live for our work and our career. 00:05:21.040 --> 00:05:24.360 And we live for our romantic relationships and for material goods. 00:05:24.360 --> 00:05:27.660 We've reversed the original intended order. 00:05:27.980 --> 00:05:30.500 And so idolatry is the reason we sin. 00:05:30.500 --> 00:05:34.000 So, you know, it's tax filing season. 00:05:34.920 --> 00:05:39.600 Imagine somebody, I know nobody here would do this, but imagine somebody cheats on their income tax form. 00:05:40.680 --> 00:05:41.779 Why did they do that? 00:05:42.259 --> 00:05:47.240 I guarantee you it's not because they woke up that morning and thought, you know, I want to find a creative way to sin today. 00:05:47.240 --> 00:05:51.040 I'm going to lie on my income tax income form. 00:05:51.280 --> 00:06:04.840 No, they did that because in that moment, or maybe as a pattern in their life, things like money, material possessions, and the safety and security and status those things bring, 00:06:05.220 --> 00:06:09.639 those are actually more important than God's desire that they be truthful. 00:06:09.900 --> 00:06:13.280 They're putting those things first, and that's why they do it. 00:06:13.279 --> 00:06:22.119 Sin is essentially building your life and meaning on anything other than God, and it could be a very good thing. 00:06:23.699 --> 00:06:24.939 It's just not God. 00:06:26.299 --> 00:06:32.639 And this is why this passage is actually relevant for all of us because I don't care where you're coming from. 00:06:32.699 --> 00:06:35.919 If you just wandered in here off the street, this is the first time you've ever thought about this. 00:06:36.219 --> 00:06:38.059 You don't consider yourself to be religious at all. 00:06:38.060 --> 00:06:47.319 I guarantee you if you plumb the depths of your heart and look at the patterns in your life, you will discover that you have indeed built your life and meaning on something. 00:06:49.199 --> 00:06:59.939 Even if you've never thought about it before, go deep enough into your heart, spend some time introspecting, journaling, reflecting, looking at the patterns, the way you spend your time and money, where you invest, what you prioritize. 00:06:59.939 --> 00:07:04.259 You have built your life and meaning on something. 00:07:05.819 --> 00:07:09.199 And this is the real difference, I would suggest, between people. 00:07:09.459 --> 00:07:13.240 It's not about whether you consider yourself to be religious or irreligious. 00:07:13.899 --> 00:07:21.939 The real question is, do you build your life and meaning on God, or do you build your life and meaning on something else? 00:07:22.939 --> 00:07:26.439 It's either God or it's something that God has made. 00:07:26.439 --> 00:07:30.379 Some people have overtly rejected God. 00:07:30.519 --> 00:07:32.000 And they say, I'm going to live how I want. 00:07:32.040 --> 00:07:32.920 I'm going to do as I please. 00:07:33.019 --> 00:07:34.219 Nobody can tell me what to do. 00:07:34.759 --> 00:07:37.240 You know, the pagans, the atheists, the irreligious people. 00:07:38.360 --> 00:07:40.600 But here is Paul's point to the Jews. 00:07:41.319 --> 00:07:45.899 He's saying to them, you are doing the exact same thing. 00:07:47.220 --> 00:07:51.759 You're doing the exact same thing that the pagan Gentiles have been doing. 00:07:51.759 --> 00:07:57.500 And in fact, arguably, you're worse because you know better. 00:07:59.420 --> 00:08:03.199 Verses 2 and 3, he says, you know, I commend you. 00:08:03.279 --> 00:08:04.879 You're so zealous for God. 00:08:05.620 --> 00:08:10.139 And yet in all of your zeal and passion, you've completely misunderstood the heart of God. 00:08:10.139 --> 00:08:14.800 You've missed what was right there all along in the Scriptures. 00:08:15.899 --> 00:08:23.539 You think that by keeping all of God's laws, you can somehow climb up this ladder into heaven. 00:08:23.639 --> 00:08:25.699 You can climb your way up to God. 00:08:27.300 --> 00:08:30.180 And he says, you're trying to be your own Savior. 00:08:30.500 --> 00:08:35.019 You're ultimately trusting in yourself more than you trust in God. 00:08:35.019 --> 00:08:36.960 And friends, that's idolatry. 00:08:38.039 --> 00:08:42.759 He says, you're building your life and your meaning on yourself and on your morality. 00:08:44.220 --> 00:08:51.799 And this is what leads to the life-shaping truth that Paul shares in verse 4. 00:08:52.799 --> 00:08:54.179 He says, don't you understand? 00:08:55.759 --> 00:09:01.179 Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone who believes. 00:09:01.559 --> 00:09:03.019 Christos telos nomos. 00:09:03.019 --> 00:09:06.159 It actually doesn't even say Christ is the end of the law. 00:09:06.439 --> 00:09:08.620 It says, Christ is the end of law. 00:09:10.379 --> 00:09:15.019 And that word telos doesn't mean just something coming to completion. 00:09:15.199 --> 00:09:16.059 It means a purpose. 00:09:16.860 --> 00:09:19.539 Christ is the purpose of the law. 00:09:19.819 --> 00:09:22.500 Christ is that to which the law points. 00:09:23.699 --> 00:09:26.419 In other words, Paul is saying, here's the whole point of the law. 00:09:29.100 --> 00:09:32.299 You're not supposed to be able to keep it on your own. 00:09:33.740 --> 00:09:35.299 That's why God gave it to you. 00:09:36.340 --> 00:09:38.860 This is the point that Jesus makes in the Sermon on the Mount. 00:09:38.980 --> 00:09:40.740 You've heard it said, do not commit adultery. 00:09:40.980 --> 00:09:45.840 But I say to you, anyone who looks at someone lustfully has already committed adultery. 00:09:46.939 --> 00:09:48.319 You've heard it said, do not murder. 00:09:48.320 --> 00:09:54.520 But I say to you, everyone who is angry with his brother or insults his brother is guilty of murder. 00:09:54.620 --> 00:09:55.160 What's he saying? 00:09:55.460 --> 00:09:59.420 God doesn't just care about the external appearance of righteousness. 00:09:59.419 --> 00:10:04.839 God's definition of righteousness is a heart level definition. 00:10:05.379 --> 00:10:06.639 God cares about your heart. 00:10:07.379 --> 00:10:10.539 It's not just about conforming to an external standard. 00:10:11.399 --> 00:10:13.459 God wants your heart to be transformed. 00:10:13.460 --> 00:10:15.180 God wants your heart to be transformed. 00:10:15.180 --> 00:10:16.180 God wants your heart to be transformed. 00:10:16.180 --> 00:10:16.780 God wants your heart to be transformed. 00:10:16.780 --> 00:10:24.480 So the law is there, this is Paul's argument, to convince us beyond the shadow of a doubt that we need a Savior. 00:10:24.480 --> 00:10:31.399 And he says, if you think the law is a means through which you can save yourself, you've completely missed the point. 00:10:31.820 --> 00:10:33.800 It's meant to point you to a Savior. 00:10:34.500 --> 00:10:36.420 Christ is the telos of the law. 00:10:38.840 --> 00:10:42.039 The law is meant to drive us into the arms of Christ. 00:10:44.539 --> 00:10:46.779 You know, John Newton wrote this famous hymn. 00:10:46.940 --> 00:10:48.840 We sing it from time to time in our church. 00:10:50.139 --> 00:10:54.399 I ask the Lord that I might grow in faith and love and every grace. 00:10:55.220 --> 00:11:00.080 Might more of his salvation know and seek more earnestly his face. 00:11:00.120 --> 00:11:01.800 I'm sure some of us have prayed that. 00:11:01.879 --> 00:11:02.920 God, I want to know you more. 00:11:03.019 --> 00:11:04.000 I want to believe in you more. 00:11:04.039 --> 00:11:05.399 I want my faith to be strengthened. 00:11:05.700 --> 00:11:06.820 I want to be more like Jesus. 00:11:09.080 --> 00:11:13.300 He says, I hoped that in some favored hour at once he'd answer my request. 00:11:14.220 --> 00:11:18.720 And by his love's constraining power, subdue my sins and give me rest. 00:11:18.779 --> 00:11:20.159 God, do it, do it now. 00:11:21.039 --> 00:11:22.320 Make me more like Jesus. 00:11:22.860 --> 00:11:25.820 Stop me from sinning and do it all right now. 00:11:25.900 --> 00:11:28.640 You know, hoping for kind of like an immediate answer, you know. 00:11:30.720 --> 00:11:31.800 But look what happens. 00:11:33.740 --> 00:11:39.060 Instead of this, he made me feel the hidden evils of my heart 00:11:39.059 --> 00:11:48.019 and let the angry powers of hell assault my soul in every part. 00:11:49.019 --> 00:11:51.759 He let the angry powers of hell assault my soul. 00:11:51.759 --> 00:11:55.279 So he says, Lord, why is this? 00:11:55.360 --> 00:11:56.439 I trembling cried. 00:11:57.379 --> 00:11:59.519 Wilt thou pursue thy worm to death? 00:12:01.200 --> 00:12:05.659 Tis in this way, the Lord replied, I answer prayer for grace and faith. 00:12:05.659 --> 00:12:08.439 God says, I'm answering your prayer. 00:12:11.120 --> 00:12:17.240 These inward trials I employ from self and pride to set thee free. 00:12:17.240 --> 00:12:24.019 Break the schemes of earthly joy that thou mayst find thy all in me. 00:12:25.379 --> 00:12:29.560 I'm going to allow you to experience this misery and affliction 00:12:29.560 --> 00:12:35.279 until it drives you to such a point of desperation that you have no option left 00:12:35.279 --> 00:12:36.379 but to cry out to me. 00:12:37.100 --> 00:12:39.580 Because that is the only way I can set you free. 00:12:39.580 --> 00:12:42.540 God allows us to face temptation. 00:12:42.920 --> 00:12:46.740 He allows us to experience affliction in order to set us free 00:12:46.740 --> 00:12:51.020 so that we will come to the point where we see clearly why we need His grace, 00:12:51.580 --> 00:12:53.180 why we can't do it on our own, 00:12:53.480 --> 00:12:56.040 why we can only cry out for mercy. 00:12:58.100 --> 00:13:01.600 See, this is extremely important when you're in a room with all due respect 00:13:01.600 --> 00:13:05.180 speaking to a bunch of incredibly good and competent people. 00:13:05.179 --> 00:13:10.439 We are all such good people. 00:13:11.959 --> 00:13:13.919 And that is very spiritually dangerous. 00:13:15.279 --> 00:13:17.139 See, many people are under the illusion, 00:13:18.419 --> 00:13:19.779 when they look at their lives, 00:13:19.819 --> 00:13:22.500 they think they're pretty good, decent people on balance. 00:13:23.219 --> 00:13:26.679 And many people live under the illusion that we are free to do as we please. 00:13:27.439 --> 00:13:30.279 And they say, you know, my life's good, I'm a pretty good person, 00:13:30.379 --> 00:13:32.879 and right now I'm free to do as I please, and I hear this all the time. 00:13:33.159 --> 00:13:34.939 Why would I ever want to become a Christian? 00:13:35.179 --> 00:13:37.639 There are so many rules I'm going to have to follow. 00:13:40.019 --> 00:13:42.279 There are so many things I'm then going to have to worry about, 00:13:42.339 --> 00:13:43.939 things I can do and things I can't do. 00:13:44.219 --> 00:13:45.759 Why would I ever want to do that? 00:13:47.459 --> 00:13:52.739 With all due respect, you are not nearly as free as you think you are. 00:13:55.339 --> 00:13:56.199 C.S. Lewis writes, 00:13:56.379 --> 00:14:02.439 no man knows how bad he is until he has tried very hard to be good. 00:14:02.440 --> 00:14:08.760 Only those who try to resist temptation know how strong it is. 00:14:09.700 --> 00:14:14.720 We never find the strength of the evil impulse inside us until we try to fight it. 00:14:14.720 --> 00:14:21.500 If you jump into a river and you let that river carry you downstream, you feel free. 00:14:21.500 --> 00:14:27.840 And if the river is wide enough and you can't see the banks on either side, 00:14:28.759 --> 00:14:30.919 it doesn't even seem like the water is moving. 00:14:32.159 --> 00:14:35.860 If you have no point of reference, it seems like the water is standing still. 00:14:37.019 --> 00:14:40.419 And you feel free to swim in whatever direction you want. 00:14:40.419 --> 00:14:43.120 It's the same no matter what direction you swim in. 00:14:43.779 --> 00:14:44.899 Same level of resistance. 00:14:45.179 --> 00:14:46.519 So you feel very free. 00:14:47.699 --> 00:14:49.319 It feels like there's no current. 00:14:49.759 --> 00:14:51.240 It feels like you can do what you want. 00:14:53.500 --> 00:14:57.099 God gives us the law as a map. 00:14:57.839 --> 00:15:00.539 And the map shows us where the banks of the river are. 00:15:00.539 --> 00:15:05.339 And the map shows us where we are relative to where God is. 00:15:05.819 --> 00:15:08.019 And all at once, our perspective shifts. 00:15:09.039 --> 00:15:17.299 And you begin to realize that the current of sin is drawing you rapidly away from the presence of God. 00:15:18.419 --> 00:15:20.480 You are rushing downstream. 00:15:21.459 --> 00:15:22.759 And God is over here. 00:15:22.759 --> 00:15:26.779 And sin is driving you further and further away. 00:15:28.360 --> 00:15:31.919 And you might think you know how strong that current is. 00:15:32.139 --> 00:15:37.319 But the only way to truly know how strong that current is, is to try to swim upstream. 00:15:38.319 --> 00:15:42.220 And see how far you get and see how long you last. 00:15:44.740 --> 00:15:47.319 Just to apply this before we move on. 00:15:49.220 --> 00:15:51.159 This is the first Sunday of Lent. 00:15:51.159 --> 00:15:58.379 And if you are fasting or in some way observing Lent through a discipline of fasting, 00:15:58.919 --> 00:16:03.259 I would encourage you, whatever you have decided to fast from, 00:16:03.379 --> 00:16:06.139 or if you're still kind of trying to figure that out, 00:16:07.360 --> 00:16:11.000 fast from something that will require you to swim upstream. 00:16:13.000 --> 00:16:18.419 Find something that will require you to swim upstream against that river of temptation. 00:16:18.419 --> 00:16:25.860 To take a stand and a posture in your life against something that up to this point, 00:16:25.939 --> 00:16:27.939 you have allowed to carry you along. 00:16:29.979 --> 00:16:33.240 Maybe something that is carrying you away from the presence of God. 00:16:33.959 --> 00:16:38.559 So maybe you have no idea how strong of a hold alcohol has on you 00:16:38.559 --> 00:16:40.339 until you try to give it up for 40 days. 00:16:40.340 --> 00:16:44.320 Maybe you don't think of yourself as a complainer. 00:16:46.660 --> 00:16:48.000 Try giving up complaining. 00:16:50.120 --> 00:16:51.120 How's that going to go? 00:16:52.240 --> 00:16:55.240 Maybe you don't think of yourself as someone who gossips. 00:16:57.120 --> 00:16:58.220 But try giving that up. 00:17:00.440 --> 00:17:02.100 Figuring out how to make conversation 00:17:02.100 --> 00:17:06.860 when you can't talk about the latest drama in the community. 00:17:08.319 --> 00:17:11.279 Maybe you're holding on to resentment and anger, 00:17:11.660 --> 00:17:14.079 and you've just allowed that to carry you. 00:17:15.420 --> 00:17:16.559 Try giving that up. 00:17:16.680 --> 00:17:17.779 Maybe it's envy. 00:17:19.220 --> 00:17:20.339 Maybe it's defensiveness. 00:17:21.640 --> 00:17:23.079 Here's an exercise you can do. 00:17:23.140 --> 00:17:24.700 The next time somebody comes at you 00:17:24.700 --> 00:17:27.680 with a criticism or a complaint or an accusation, 00:17:28.480 --> 00:17:29.880 it doesn't matter if it's true or untrue. 00:17:29.880 --> 00:17:32.720 And in fact, I think this works better if it's not true, 00:17:33.320 --> 00:17:34.680 if it's a false accusation. 00:17:36.320 --> 00:17:37.300 Don't say anything. 00:17:40.080 --> 00:17:42.100 Just sit and listen. 00:17:43.600 --> 00:17:45.860 And then pay attention to what happens inside you. 00:17:46.980 --> 00:17:50.360 That kind of like righteous anger that rises up in you 00:17:50.360 --> 00:17:55.140 and the lawyers, your little inner law team 00:17:55.140 --> 00:17:59.020 that goes to work formulating a defensive strategy. 00:17:59.880 --> 00:18:01.660 And all the things that you want to say 00:18:01.660 --> 00:18:04.220 to prove them wrong, say nothing. 00:18:06.300 --> 00:18:08.340 See how strong that temptation is 00:18:08.340 --> 00:18:09.900 to defend and justify yourself. 00:18:11.220 --> 00:18:13.080 What's that doing to your spiritual life? 00:18:13.140 --> 00:18:13.800 Because here's the thing. 00:18:14.260 --> 00:18:16.500 Even if they're wrong about that particular sin, 00:18:17.320 --> 00:18:19.220 there's a whole lot of other things 00:18:19.220 --> 00:18:20.360 they might not even know about. 00:18:20.359 --> 00:18:25.740 And if we can't quiet that inner voice, 00:18:25.879 --> 00:18:27.619 that inner law team enough 00:18:27.619 --> 00:18:31.639 to hear somebody when they come to us 00:18:31.639 --> 00:18:34.159 with sin that they want us to pay attention to 00:18:34.159 --> 00:18:34.879 in our lives, 00:18:35.539 --> 00:18:38.000 how are we ever going to hear 00:18:38.000 --> 00:18:40.599 when people come to us and speak truth? 00:18:41.899 --> 00:18:44.399 If we're so busy formulating our defense, 00:18:44.500 --> 00:18:45.479 we can't even listen. 00:18:46.539 --> 00:18:48.799 How are we ever going to be open to receiving truth? 00:18:48.799 --> 00:18:49.399 And here's the thing. 00:18:49.619 --> 00:18:51.099 If we can't hear truth from other people, 00:18:51.159 --> 00:18:52.659 what makes us think we can hear it from God? 00:18:55.099 --> 00:18:58.559 Try giving up something that calls you to swim upstream. 00:18:59.559 --> 00:19:02.139 So this is the profound truth that Paul gives us. 00:19:02.220 --> 00:19:05.059 Christ is the end or the purpose of the law in our lives. 00:19:05.119 --> 00:19:06.399 It's meant to drive us into his arms. 00:19:06.779 --> 00:19:09.139 This flows out into two implications. 00:19:10.279 --> 00:19:13.859 Number one, because Christ is the end of the law, 00:19:13.859 --> 00:19:17.839 Paul says salvation is simple to attain. 00:19:19.339 --> 00:19:23.199 It is easy and simple and readily available. 00:19:23.619 --> 00:19:26.099 In verses six and seven, he uses a figure of speech, 00:19:26.359 --> 00:19:27.479 and he's quoting, by the way, 00:19:27.579 --> 00:19:29.599 from Deuteronomy chapter nine 00:19:29.599 --> 00:19:31.059 and then Deuteronomy chapter 30, 00:19:31.159 --> 00:19:33.240 and this is an incredibly artful, 00:19:33.379 --> 00:19:35.899 subversive rhetorical move that he does 00:19:35.899 --> 00:19:38.579 where he's essentially showing 00:19:38.579 --> 00:19:41.859 how Deuteronomy is pointing us to this. 00:19:43.179 --> 00:19:45.279 And the general point he wants to make is this. 00:19:46.419 --> 00:19:49.319 Through Christ's being brought down to earth, 00:19:50.319 --> 00:19:53.500 his incarnation, his life, 00:19:53.980 --> 00:19:56.119 his death on the cross to atone for sin, 00:19:56.679 --> 00:19:58.539 through Christ being brought down to earth 00:19:58.539 --> 00:20:02.039 and his being brought up from the dead, 00:20:02.980 --> 00:20:03.559 verse seven, 00:20:03.559 --> 00:20:06.839 God has made righteousness readily available. 00:20:08.139 --> 00:20:09.679 And he's like, it was there all along. 00:20:10.480 --> 00:20:12.339 The whole Old Testament was pointing to the fact 00:20:12.339 --> 00:20:13.659 that one day God was gonna do this. 00:20:13.940 --> 00:20:15.539 Through Christ being brought down to earth, 00:20:16.000 --> 00:20:17.559 his incarnation, his life, his death, 00:20:18.139 --> 00:20:20.379 and through him being raised from death, 00:20:21.200 --> 00:20:23.480 salvation and righteousness are available to everyone. 00:20:23.960 --> 00:20:26.299 So we have this image that we just used 00:20:26.299 --> 00:20:28.359 of humanity sort of being swept away 00:20:28.359 --> 00:20:29.559 from the presence of God 00:20:29.559 --> 00:20:31.679 by this river of temptation and sin. 00:20:31.680 --> 00:20:33.640 And then Paul is saying, 00:20:33.720 --> 00:20:35.620 the good news is you can't swim upstream. 00:20:36.500 --> 00:20:37.960 But when you cry out to Jesus 00:20:37.960 --> 00:20:39.660 because of what he has done, 00:20:39.900 --> 00:20:43.580 he's willing to plunge into that water 00:20:43.580 --> 00:20:45.000 and imagine that water, 00:20:45.100 --> 00:20:46.720 it's speeding toward this waterfall 00:20:46.720 --> 00:20:49.680 that leads to judgment and condemnation. 00:20:49.920 --> 00:20:51.680 And he pulls you out of the water, 00:20:51.779 --> 00:20:53.100 he sets you on solid ground, 00:20:53.240 --> 00:20:54.680 and he takes your place in the water. 00:20:54.920 --> 00:20:56.360 He goes over that waterfall. 00:20:57.920 --> 00:20:59.360 He says, this is your only hope 00:20:59.360 --> 00:21:00.259 to get out of that river. 00:21:00.259 --> 00:21:03.059 And he says, all you have to do, 00:21:04.480 --> 00:21:05.379 all you have to do, 00:21:05.440 --> 00:21:08.779 you don't have to climb up to heaven to find this, 00:21:08.859 --> 00:21:11.160 you don't have to plumb the depths of the earth 00:21:11.160 --> 00:21:12.019 to find this. 00:21:12.579 --> 00:21:15.480 All you have to do is respond in faith 00:21:15.480 --> 00:21:17.099 to the gospel as it is preached. 00:21:17.960 --> 00:21:19.700 Verse nine, if you confess with your mouth 00:21:19.700 --> 00:21:21.740 that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart 00:21:21.740 --> 00:21:23.240 that God raised him from the dead, 00:21:23.559 --> 00:21:25.000 you will be saved. 00:21:25.099 --> 00:21:27.299 Not you will likely be saved, 00:21:27.299 --> 00:21:28.799 you will be saved. 00:21:30.859 --> 00:21:33.359 I do want you to notice that he's calling for something 00:21:33.359 --> 00:21:35.460 a little more than intellectual assent. 00:21:36.940 --> 00:21:38.079 I was at a conference, 00:21:38.519 --> 00:21:40.419 the pastoral team was at a conference 00:21:40.419 --> 00:21:42.619 a couple of weeks ago in Kansas City, 00:21:42.720 --> 00:21:45.639 and I heard a guy sharing his life story, 00:21:46.099 --> 00:21:50.079 and he shared about the moment when his life changed. 00:21:50.079 --> 00:21:53.139 And he used this language. 00:21:53.299 --> 00:21:53.879 He said, you know, 00:21:54.220 --> 00:21:55.359 that was the moment, 00:21:55.539 --> 00:21:57.379 and this guy's done a lot of good in the world, 00:21:57.460 --> 00:21:58.019 and he's done, 00:21:58.779 --> 00:22:00.579 you know, he's an amazing guy with an amazing story. 00:22:01.939 --> 00:22:02.779 But he said, you know, 00:22:02.779 --> 00:22:04.139 the moment my entire life changed 00:22:04.139 --> 00:22:06.299 is the moment when I went from being a believer 00:22:06.299 --> 00:22:07.599 in Jesus 00:22:07.599 --> 00:22:09.559 to being a follower 00:22:09.559 --> 00:22:11.039 of Jesus. 00:22:11.039 --> 00:22:14.920 So it wasn't the story of his conversion 00:22:14.920 --> 00:22:16.379 to belief in Jesus. 00:22:17.259 --> 00:22:18.599 It was the story of the moment 00:22:18.599 --> 00:22:20.059 when after he had been going into church 00:22:20.059 --> 00:22:21.039 for a very long time, 00:22:21.579 --> 00:22:23.779 he went from being just a believer 00:22:23.779 --> 00:22:25.079 to actually being a follower. 00:22:25.779 --> 00:22:27.759 And that was a vector point in his life. 00:22:29.500 --> 00:22:31.700 See, Satan is a believer in Jesus. 00:22:33.299 --> 00:22:33.720 Right? 00:22:33.759 --> 00:22:36.339 We're not called to believe only. 00:22:36.740 --> 00:22:37.819 We're called to follow. 00:22:37.819 --> 00:22:41.480 And that's why it's important that Paul says 00:22:41.480 --> 00:22:44.379 that we confess with our mouth 00:22:44.379 --> 00:22:45.399 that Jesus is Lord. 00:22:46.179 --> 00:22:48.240 We don't confess that Jesus is real, 00:22:49.559 --> 00:22:52.779 that Jesus is most likely existed 00:22:52.779 --> 00:22:54.159 because of the historical evidence, 00:22:54.419 --> 00:22:55.119 although that's true. 00:22:55.740 --> 00:22:59.039 It's about confessing that Jesus is Lord. 00:22:59.159 --> 00:23:00.379 We give our lives to him, 00:23:00.419 --> 00:23:01.539 our allegiance to him. 00:23:03.179 --> 00:23:04.139 Now, does that mean 00:23:04.139 --> 00:23:05.519 that you have to get your whole life together 00:23:05.519 --> 00:23:06.700 before you become a Christian? 00:23:07.819 --> 00:23:10.079 And the answer is an emphatic no. 00:23:10.159 --> 00:23:10.919 That's kind of like saying 00:23:10.919 --> 00:23:12.480 you need to clean yourself off 00:23:12.480 --> 00:23:13.759 so that you can go take a shower 00:23:13.759 --> 00:23:16.220 or get healthy 00:23:16.220 --> 00:23:17.579 so that you can go to the hospital. 00:23:18.339 --> 00:23:19.559 That's not the way it works. 00:23:20.759 --> 00:23:22.639 This beautiful place, Jesus says, 00:23:23.000 --> 00:23:25.039 come to me, all who are weary and heavy laden, 00:23:25.059 --> 00:23:26.079 and I will give you rest. 00:23:26.960 --> 00:23:28.559 You know, he's saying, come as you are. 00:23:28.980 --> 00:23:30.799 You're weary, heavy laden, longing. 00:23:32.079 --> 00:23:33.539 Come, I'll give you rest. 00:23:34.500 --> 00:23:35.119 And then he says, 00:23:35.119 --> 00:23:37.679 for my yoke is easy and my burden is light. 00:23:37.819 --> 00:23:43.299 He says, come to me, I'll give you rest. 00:23:43.679 --> 00:23:45.299 And then out of that place of rest 00:23:45.299 --> 00:23:46.919 and acceptance and love, 00:23:47.179 --> 00:23:50.259 I'm gonna invite you into a new way of living. 00:23:50.399 --> 00:23:52.139 But it's gonna be a life lived with me. 00:23:52.339 --> 00:23:53.539 It's gonna be a life lived 00:23:53.539 --> 00:23:57.779 in participation with the life of God. 00:23:58.759 --> 00:24:00.299 And then, and you, 00:24:00.559 --> 00:24:02.859 once that relationship is established in your life, 00:24:02.859 --> 00:24:04.639 then the two of you are gonna work out 00:24:04.639 --> 00:24:06.619 all of the details of your life. 00:24:07.279 --> 00:24:08.500 Then in that relationship, 00:24:08.500 --> 00:24:10.439 you're gonna ask Jesus about your relationships. 00:24:10.899 --> 00:24:13.259 And you're gonna ask him about the conflict in your life. 00:24:13.279 --> 00:24:14.799 And you're gonna ask him about your struggles. 00:24:15.039 --> 00:24:17.179 And you're gonna ask him about the areas of temptation. 00:24:17.179 --> 00:24:19.259 And you're gonna ask him about your material possessions. 00:24:19.500 --> 00:24:21.859 And you're gonna ask him to help you sort it all out. 00:24:21.859 --> 00:24:24.419 And you're gonna do that together with him. 00:24:24.519 --> 00:24:26.039 And understand that all of that's gonna take 00:24:26.039 --> 00:24:27.599 the rest of your life to sort out. 00:24:29.179 --> 00:24:31.199 But his yoke is easy and his burden is light. 00:24:31.919 --> 00:24:33.179 Because he's there with you. 00:24:33.740 --> 00:24:35.579 He's bearing the yoke alongside you. 00:24:37.599 --> 00:24:40.199 So salvation, because of this great truth 00:24:40.199 --> 00:24:43.399 that Paul lays out, salvation is simple to attain. 00:24:43.899 --> 00:24:45.779 It's right here, all we have to do is ask. 00:24:46.179 --> 00:24:47.719 The second implication is this. 00:24:47.720 --> 00:24:50.039 Because Christ is the end of the law, 00:24:50.400 --> 00:24:52.440 salvation is open to everyone. 00:24:54.240 --> 00:24:56.259 Everyone, Paul says, who calls on the name 00:24:56.259 --> 00:24:57.140 of the Lord will be saved. 00:24:57.160 --> 00:24:58.620 He's quoting the Old Testament prophets. 00:24:59.700 --> 00:25:00.620 He's quoting Isaiah. 00:25:00.759 --> 00:25:01.500 He's quoting Joel. 00:25:01.600 --> 00:25:02.880 He's saying it was always there. 00:25:02.980 --> 00:25:04.240 It wasn't just about the Jews. 00:25:04.860 --> 00:25:08.180 It was always God's plan to open salvation up to everyone. 00:25:08.360 --> 00:25:09.600 That was his plan from the beginning. 00:25:10.839 --> 00:25:12.700 So it doesn't matter, friends, 00:25:12.700 --> 00:25:15.140 if you think of yourself as a religious person 00:25:15.140 --> 00:25:17.579 or an irreligious person. 00:25:17.720 --> 00:25:22.100 Everybody builds their life on something. 00:25:22.839 --> 00:25:24.440 And it's either going to be God 00:25:24.440 --> 00:25:26.079 or it's going to be something else. 00:25:27.440 --> 00:25:30.779 You may be irreligious and you never thought about God 00:25:30.779 --> 00:25:32.640 or what it means to have a relationship with God. 00:25:34.120 --> 00:25:35.559 Or you may be religious, 00:25:35.940 --> 00:25:38.259 but you've built your life on your own morality 00:25:38.259 --> 00:25:40.400 or your devotion or your commitment 00:25:40.400 --> 00:25:43.420 or the degree to which you're willing to sacrifice for God 00:25:43.420 --> 00:25:45.980 rather than on God's grace. 00:25:45.980 --> 00:25:49.620 No matter what your story may be, 00:25:49.759 --> 00:25:52.440 God is saying he will save you 00:25:52.440 --> 00:25:54.819 and all you need to do is ask. 00:25:57.620 --> 00:26:00.680 So to come back to this image of a river one last time, 00:26:00.740 --> 00:26:02.180 on our own, the truth is, friends, 00:26:02.360 --> 00:26:05.039 we are all caught in the current 00:26:05.039 --> 00:26:09.400 of this river of sin and temptation. 00:26:09.400 --> 00:26:11.680 And if we do nothing, right? 00:26:12.080 --> 00:26:13.460 If we do nothing, 00:26:13.920 --> 00:26:17.400 that does not mean we are in a neutral place. 00:26:18.480 --> 00:26:21.340 That river is pulling us rapidly 00:26:21.340 --> 00:26:23.300 away from the presence of God, 00:26:23.440 --> 00:26:24.500 further and further away. 00:26:26.120 --> 00:26:29.860 Other religions offer swimming lessons. 00:26:29.859 --> 00:26:33.019 They teach you how to swim harder, 00:26:33.639 --> 00:26:35.959 faster, for longer. 00:26:37.079 --> 00:26:38.779 I want to be very clear on this. 00:26:38.859 --> 00:26:40.500 The Christian life is lived 00:26:40.500 --> 00:26:42.159 in an entirely different place. 00:26:43.959 --> 00:26:45.719 The Christian life is lived 00:26:45.719 --> 00:26:47.099 not in the river of sin, 00:26:47.639 --> 00:26:49.699 but in the waters of baptism. 00:26:49.700 --> 00:26:53.140 And while the river of sin 00:26:53.140 --> 00:26:54.640 carries us further away 00:26:54.640 --> 00:26:55.840 from the presence of God, 00:26:56.720 --> 00:26:59.720 the waters of baptism flow uphill. 00:27:01.059 --> 00:27:04.120 They flow always in one direction, 00:27:05.180 --> 00:27:07.880 further up and further in 00:27:07.880 --> 00:27:09.700 to the presence of God. 00:27:09.700 --> 00:27:12.920 So even though we continue 00:27:12.920 --> 00:27:16.059 to struggle with sin in those waters, 00:27:16.299 --> 00:27:18.559 that struggle becomes a place 00:27:18.559 --> 00:27:20.080 of intimacy with God, 00:27:20.539 --> 00:27:22.400 where we experience His grace 00:27:22.400 --> 00:27:23.400 more and more. 00:27:23.559 --> 00:27:25.960 This is Paul writing in 2 Corinthians, 00:27:26.059 --> 00:27:27.600 the places where I have most failed, 00:27:27.920 --> 00:27:29.120 where I feel most weak, 00:27:29.220 --> 00:27:30.400 where I most struggle, 00:27:30.700 --> 00:27:31.580 those are the places 00:27:31.580 --> 00:27:32.660 where the power of Christ 00:27:32.660 --> 00:27:34.580 is made perfect in my life. 00:27:35.279 --> 00:27:36.080 Those are the places 00:27:36.080 --> 00:27:38.360 where I experience my fellowship with Him. 00:27:39.700 --> 00:27:40.480 the most. 00:27:42.120 --> 00:27:44.240 Our baptism gives us assurance 00:27:44.240 --> 00:27:46.360 that no matter how much we struggle, 00:27:47.000 --> 00:27:48.380 we belong to God, 00:27:48.660 --> 00:27:50.480 not because of any righteousness 00:27:50.480 --> 00:27:51.720 we have earned, 00:27:52.059 --> 00:27:54.539 but through the gift of His grace 00:27:54.539 --> 00:27:56.279 in Jesus Christ. 00:27:58.039 --> 00:27:58.860 Let's pray. 00:28:01.500 --> 00:28:04.160 Lord, we all need this gift. 00:28:05.460 --> 00:28:06.620 The ground is level 00:28:06.620 --> 00:28:07.660 at the foot of the cross. 00:28:07.660 --> 00:28:10.880 No one here has a right 00:28:10.880 --> 00:28:12.460 to anything that you have promised. 00:28:14.220 --> 00:28:15.380 Give us the grace, 00:28:15.580 --> 00:28:16.480 give us the humility, 00:28:16.779 --> 00:28:17.840 give us the courage, Lord, 00:28:17.960 --> 00:28:20.060 to hold out our hands 00:28:20.060 --> 00:28:21.420 and ask for that 00:28:21.420 --> 00:28:22.580 which we do not deserve, 00:28:23.660 --> 00:28:24.920 which we have not earned, 00:28:25.860 --> 00:28:27.140 which we can never repay, 00:28:27.720 --> 00:28:29.080 but nevertheless, 00:28:29.560 --> 00:28:30.860 that which is ours, 00:28:31.620 --> 00:28:33.519 not because of what we've done, 00:28:33.660 --> 00:28:35.240 but because what you have done for us. 00:28:35.240 --> 00:28:36.839 Give us the grace 00:28:36.839 --> 00:28:38.140 to open our hands 00:28:38.140 --> 00:28:38.720 and our hearts 00:28:38.720 --> 00:28:40.039 to receive this gift, 00:28:41.039 --> 00:28:42.000 and Lord, 00:28:42.099 --> 00:28:42.779 use that gift 00:28:42.779 --> 00:28:43.720 to transform us 00:28:43.720 --> 00:28:44.620 from the inside out 00:28:44.620 --> 00:28:46.680 for our good 00:28:46.680 --> 00:28:48.240 and chiefly for your glory. 00:28:48.519 --> 00:28:49.259 In Jesus' name, 00:28:49.519 --> 00:28:49.720 amen.