WEBVTT 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:04.600 This morning we're going to continue in our study of Hebrews. 00:00:05.379 --> 00:00:08.720 And, you know, as this study has gone on, 00:00:08.800 --> 00:00:12.040 one of the things that I've noticed is many people have come to me and said, 00:00:12.120 --> 00:00:14.419 you know, Hebrews is one of my favorite books of the Bible. 00:00:14.980 --> 00:00:16.740 Hebrews is one of my favorite books of the Bible. 00:00:16.899 --> 00:00:21.440 I've said this a time or two saying that I love the book of Hebrews. 00:00:21.980 --> 00:00:26.280 But most of the time when people say that Hebrews is their favorite book of the Bible, 00:00:26.280 --> 00:00:30.780 many times what they're referring to is the last few chapters of Hebrews. 00:00:31.200 --> 00:00:36.020 Many times what they're referring to is the second part of chapter 10 00:00:36.020 --> 00:00:38.820 all the way through the end of the book. 00:00:39.100 --> 00:00:42.620 I've not had many people who've come to me and said, 00:00:42.700 --> 00:00:48.900 you know, my favorite verse in all of the Bible is found in Hebrews chapter 7 00:00:48.900 --> 00:00:51.840 where it talks about the priestly order of Melchizedek. 00:00:51.840 --> 00:00:56.260 I've yet to have that person come to me and share that. 00:00:56.700 --> 00:01:01.120 But there's a reason that the author spends so much time 00:01:01.120 --> 00:01:03.939 talking about these deep theological truths. 00:01:04.760 --> 00:01:10.560 In fact, he follows a pattern that many other authors of books in the New Testament follow. 00:01:10.719 --> 00:01:16.879 They share the theology in that they jump to show how that theology changes your life. 00:01:17.579 --> 00:01:20.700 Oftentimes we like to jump to application. 00:01:20.700 --> 00:01:26.480 We like to have things that are easy to understand that we can just package up nicely, 00:01:26.480 --> 00:01:29.260 put a bow on and say, all right, this is what you need to do now. 00:01:29.439 --> 00:01:31.079 We enjoy those things. 00:01:31.180 --> 00:01:35.420 We want just that one nugget that we can hold on to of an application 00:01:35.420 --> 00:01:38.480 that we can begin to apply to our lives. 00:01:38.719 --> 00:01:42.980 We like to read passages of Scripture that are easy to understand. 00:01:42.980 --> 00:01:48.140 Where it says, you know what, I know exactly what God is calling me to do with this. 00:01:48.820 --> 00:01:51.240 But, and again, there's nothing wrong with those things. 00:01:51.280 --> 00:01:52.159 Those are good things. 00:01:52.320 --> 00:01:55.140 I like passages that are easy to apply. 00:01:55.140 --> 00:02:04.159 The problem is that action and application that is not built on truth is not lasting. 00:02:05.439 --> 00:02:10.780 Application that's not built on deep theological truth isn't lasting. 00:02:11.199 --> 00:02:15.240 It may change for a short time, but it isn't something that will last. 00:02:15.780 --> 00:02:21.719 You know, I think my parents, like probably every parent that has ever lived growing up, 00:02:21.719 --> 00:02:26.520 told me, don't stick anything that's not supposed to go into an outlet into an outlet. 00:02:26.979 --> 00:02:27.620 Don't do it. 00:02:27.819 --> 00:02:30.199 I'm sure that we've all told our kids that before. 00:02:30.360 --> 00:02:33.560 We put little plugs in those to make sure that they don't do those things. 00:02:33.900 --> 00:02:38.099 We're told that don't stick something into an outlet that's not supposed to go into it. 00:02:38.419 --> 00:02:40.319 Well, that works great for a little while. 00:02:40.439 --> 00:02:42.900 And then curiosity sometimes gets the best of us. 00:02:43.340 --> 00:02:47.360 One time on a teacher work day, I was going with my mom to go elementary. 00:02:47.360 --> 00:02:52.580 And I decided to take two keys and put into the outlet right there. 00:02:52.680 --> 00:02:56.200 And all of a sudden, I had a truth to go along with the application. 00:02:56.500 --> 00:03:00.200 Thankfully, the breaker tripped and it just scared me to death. 00:03:00.320 --> 00:03:04.000 But all of a sudden, I had a truth to go along with that application. 00:03:04.340 --> 00:03:05.820 It wasn't just don't do this. 00:03:05.880 --> 00:03:08.100 It was here's the reason why. 00:03:08.540 --> 00:03:11.980 Here's the why behind it, the truth behind it. 00:03:12.140 --> 00:03:14.860 And so many times, that's what we need to see. 00:03:14.860 --> 00:03:20.840 You see, before I had the application, but now I had a truth to go along with the application. 00:03:21.740 --> 00:03:27.080 Since then, I have not placed anything into an outlet that's not supposed to go into an outlet. 00:03:27.520 --> 00:03:29.640 We have that truth to go along with it. 00:03:29.660 --> 00:03:34.500 The author of Hebrews has spent a lot of time talking about truth. 00:03:34.860 --> 00:03:38.400 And next week, we're going to begin to get into some of that application. 00:03:38.400 --> 00:03:45.640 But for one more week, we have some truths that are incredibly important for us to wrap our minds around. 00:03:45.740 --> 00:03:51.860 And in many ways, this section that we're about to read and study, Hebrews 10, 1 through 18, 00:03:52.240 --> 00:03:58.420 in many ways, it serves as a summary of everything that has come up to this point. 00:03:59.159 --> 00:04:03.900 And so if you have a copy of God's Word, I want to encourage you to open to Hebrews chapter 10. 00:04:03.900 --> 00:04:06.599 And we're going to read the first 18 verses. 00:04:06.760 --> 00:04:08.099 This is what the Word of the Lord says. 00:04:08.879 --> 00:04:09.360 It says, 00:04:09.360 --> 00:04:35.300 Otherwise, there would not have ceased to be offered, since the worshipers, having once been cleansed, 00:04:35.300 --> 00:04:38.080 would no longer have any consciousness of sins. 00:04:38.079 --> 00:04:44.079 But in these sacrifices, there is a reminder of sins every year. 00:04:44.560 --> 00:04:48.300 For it is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins. 00:04:49.039 --> 00:04:52.839 Consequently, when Christ came into the world, He said, 00:04:52.939 --> 00:04:59.699 Sacrifices and offerings you have not desired, but a body have you prepared for me. 00:05:00.099 --> 00:05:03.779 In burnt offerings and sin offerings you have taken no pleasure. 00:05:03.779 --> 00:05:04.919 Then I said, 00:05:04.919 --> 00:05:11.159 Behold, I have come to do your will, O God, as it is written of me in the scroll of the book. 00:05:11.739 --> 00:05:12.579 When He said, 00:05:13.059 --> 00:05:19.819 Above, you have neither desired nor taken pleasure in sacrifices and offerings and burnt offerings and sin offerings. 00:05:20.319 --> 00:05:22.259 These are offered according to the law. 00:05:22.799 --> 00:05:23.939 Then He added, 00:05:24.500 --> 00:05:27.359 Behold, I have come to do your will. 00:05:27.360 --> 00:05:31.520 He does away with the first in order to establish the second. 00:05:31.520 --> 00:05:39.580 And by that will, we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all. 00:05:39.939 --> 00:05:49.319 And every priest stands daily at his service, offering repeatedly the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins. 00:05:49.319 --> 00:06:04.839 But when Christ had offered for all time a single sacrifice for sins, He sat down at the right hand of God, waiting from that time until His enemies would be made a footstool for His feet. 00:06:05.300 --> 00:06:12.699 For by a single offering, He has perfected for all time those who are being sanctified. 00:06:12.699 --> 00:06:17.740 And the Holy Spirit also bears witness to us for after saying, 00:06:18.699 --> 00:06:20.759 This is the covenant that I will make with them. 00:06:21.139 --> 00:06:26.860 After those days, declares the Lord, I will put my laws on their hearts and write them on their minds. 00:06:27.159 --> 00:06:28.439 And then He adds, 00:06:29.000 --> 00:06:33.819 I will remember their sins and their lawless deeds no more. 00:06:34.519 --> 00:06:41.300 Where there is forgiveness of these, there is no longer any offering for sin. 00:06:41.300 --> 00:06:46.160 And so from this passage, there's two statements that I want us to understand today. 00:06:46.220 --> 00:06:49.220 I want to make sure that we're clear on as we move forward. 00:06:49.319 --> 00:06:53.400 These two statements summarize much of the book of Hebrews to this point. 00:06:53.520 --> 00:06:58.639 And these two statements are foundational for us to build our lives on. 00:06:59.100 --> 00:07:02.319 The first statement that I want us to see clearly is this. 00:07:02.699 --> 00:07:05.680 And it is that we are insufficient to save ourselves. 00:07:06.259 --> 00:07:10.100 We are completely insufficient to save ourselves. 00:07:10.100 --> 00:07:20.760 Much of this passage in the previous chapters leading up to this deals with the insufficiency of the sacrifices made by the high priest. 00:07:21.260 --> 00:07:25.820 Verses 11 and 12 right here highlight both of these realities very clearly. 00:07:26.360 --> 00:07:27.340 Listen, it says this. 00:07:27.420 --> 00:07:27.700 And it says, 00:07:27.699 --> 00:07:57.419 Many of the distinctions between the high priest of the Old Testament and Jesus as our new and better high priest could be made by saying, 00:07:57.420 --> 00:08:01.319 The priest who stands versus the priest who sits. 00:08:01.800 --> 00:08:10.660 The many priests who stand offering sacrifices over and over again versus the priest who sits down at the right hand of God. 00:08:10.960 --> 00:08:13.780 Now we've already made this distinction in other places. 00:08:14.259 --> 00:08:17.420 But this is perhaps the clearest comparison. 00:08:18.080 --> 00:08:24.420 Under the Old Covenant, priests stood daily at God's service offering the same sacrifices repeatedly. 00:08:24.420 --> 00:08:28.420 They stood every day because their work was never completed. 00:08:29.500 --> 00:08:32.960 They had to be done over and over and over again. 00:08:33.320 --> 00:08:37.420 Generation after generation because it was never enough. 00:08:38.759 --> 00:08:42.320 But verse 12 shows us how Christ is different. 00:08:43.420 --> 00:08:49.560 Once Christ offered a single sacrifice for sins, that was sufficient for all time. 00:08:49.559 --> 00:08:52.639 He sat down at the right hand of God. 00:08:53.099 --> 00:08:59.659 Jesus seated in authority and power at the right hand of the Father making intercession for us. 00:09:00.239 --> 00:09:05.039 The priest who stand makes sacrifices repeatedly because it is never enough. 00:09:05.759 --> 00:09:11.259 Oftentimes we try to be good enough or do enough good to outweigh our bad. 00:09:11.359 --> 00:09:14.379 But those good deeds are insufficient. 00:09:14.939 --> 00:09:17.279 Everything that we could do is insufficient. 00:09:17.279 --> 00:09:28.259 And while we are insufficient to save ourselves, what this passage shows is that clearly Jesus is more than sufficient to save our sins. 00:09:28.659 --> 00:09:35.659 So the next statement I want us to see is Jesus is more than sufficient to save us from our sins. 00:09:36.120 --> 00:09:39.079 And I want us to see this by looking at verse 14. 00:09:39.319 --> 00:09:43.620 Verse 14 in many ways summarizes this section. 00:09:43.620 --> 00:09:48.700 Verses 1 through 18 summarize much of Hebrews up to this point. 00:09:49.060 --> 00:09:51.980 Well, verse 14 summarizes much of this passage. 00:09:52.100 --> 00:09:52.940 It says this. 00:09:53.480 --> 00:10:00.460 For by a single offering, he has perfected for all time those who are being sanctified. 00:10:01.060 --> 00:10:02.539 Let's look at that just a little closer. 00:10:03.019 --> 00:10:10.940 For by a single offering, this lets us clearly know that Jesus is enough. 00:10:10.940 --> 00:10:13.860 By this single offering, he is enough. 00:10:14.160 --> 00:10:18.680 A single offering would have been a foreign concept for these early Jewish readers. 00:10:18.920 --> 00:10:23.360 Because they were used to offerings being made over and over and over again. 00:10:23.620 --> 00:10:27.820 So when he says for a single offering, this would be a foreign concept. 00:10:27.900 --> 00:10:30.180 They didn't have an understanding for this. 00:10:30.540 --> 00:10:36.220 But what the author is trying to communicate for us is the sufficiency of Christ's offering. 00:10:36.220 --> 00:10:43.160 He says for a single offering, he has perfected for all time. 00:10:43.820 --> 00:10:46.379 Jesus is enough to perfect you. 00:10:46.560 --> 00:10:49.600 When Jesus saves you, he saves you completely. 00:10:49.820 --> 00:10:51.080 He makes you perfect. 00:10:51.340 --> 00:10:52.980 He declares you righteous. 00:10:53.540 --> 00:10:56.399 Now right now you may be thinking, well, Brett, I'm not perfect. 00:10:56.440 --> 00:10:57.460 I don't know what you're talking about. 00:10:57.620 --> 00:10:58.500 I'm not perfect. 00:10:58.600 --> 00:10:59.580 I'm not righteous. 00:11:00.180 --> 00:11:03.259 Well, if you are a follower of Christ, you are. 00:11:03.259 --> 00:11:07.139 Well, Brett, I know me and I know that I'm not perfect. 00:11:07.340 --> 00:11:08.939 I know that I'm not righteous. 00:11:09.200 --> 00:11:14.100 If you are a follower of Christ, he's declared you to be perfect and righteous. 00:11:14.720 --> 00:11:16.639 Brett, you don't know what I've done. 00:11:16.679 --> 00:11:19.259 Even this morning on my way in, I've been frustrated. 00:11:20.100 --> 00:11:21.879 You don't know what I did last night. 00:11:22.200 --> 00:11:25.500 If you are in Christ, he's declared you to be perfect. 00:11:26.220 --> 00:11:28.200 Well, okay, well, I understand that for me. 00:11:28.720 --> 00:11:31.140 But I don't believe this because look at my spouse. 00:11:32.240 --> 00:11:34.500 Now some of you, they're smiling. 00:11:34.800 --> 00:11:37.900 But you're saying, look at all these people around me. 00:11:37.980 --> 00:11:38.960 They're not perfect. 00:11:40.300 --> 00:11:44.900 If you are a follower of Christ, he's declared you to be perfect. 00:11:45.320 --> 00:11:46.580 And so this is what we see. 00:11:46.800 --> 00:11:47.960 He is enough. 00:11:48.920 --> 00:11:51.680 When I say this, I don't mean that all of your actions are perfect. 00:11:51.680 --> 00:11:54.140 I mean that you are declared perfect and righteous. 00:11:54.139 --> 00:12:00.779 And sanctification, which we're about to talk about, is the process of becoming what God has declared you to be. 00:12:01.139 --> 00:12:03.759 This is a glorious truth for us. 00:12:04.019 --> 00:12:08.720 Because of this truth that we are declared righteous, that we are made perfect. 00:12:09.059 --> 00:12:13.500 Hebrews 8, if you remember, it tells us that he remembers our sins no more. 00:12:13.799 --> 00:12:19.899 And then it's repeated here in Hebrews 10, where he tells us that our sins are remembered no more. 00:12:19.899 --> 00:12:25.819 Romans 8 tells us that there's now no condemnation for those who are in Christ. 00:12:26.360 --> 00:12:31.679 Those sins have been thrown into the sea of his forgetfulness to be remembered no more. 00:12:32.039 --> 00:12:38.679 And maybe what you need today is to stop remembering what God has already forgotten. 00:12:39.459 --> 00:12:43.960 Maybe what we need to be reminded of today is that Christ is enough. 00:12:44.259 --> 00:12:46.500 He is sufficient for all of our needs. 00:12:46.500 --> 00:12:50.740 And what we need to do is we need to stop remembering what God has already forgotten. 00:12:50.840 --> 00:12:54.659 We need to stop beating ourselves up for what God has already forgotten. 00:12:54.940 --> 00:12:59.080 You see, as a follower of Christ, sin does not define you. 00:12:59.500 --> 00:13:02.100 It doesn't have the final say in your life. 00:13:02.340 --> 00:13:05.200 Now, I'm not saying to not take sin seriously. 00:13:05.379 --> 00:13:06.720 We absolutely should. 00:13:07.019 --> 00:13:11.940 I'm simply saying that we need to take God's grace seriously as well. 00:13:11.940 --> 00:13:20.000 For by a single offering, he has perfected for all time those who are being sanctified. 00:13:20.640 --> 00:13:24.740 As I mentioned a second ago, when you are saved, you are declared perfect. 00:13:24.860 --> 00:13:26.160 You are declared righteous. 00:13:26.860 --> 00:13:32.840 And then sanctification is the process of becoming what God has already declared you to be. 00:13:33.340 --> 00:13:37.980 You see, when you place your faith and your trust in Christ, you are declared perfect. 00:13:38.200 --> 00:13:39.620 You are declared righteous. 00:13:39.620 --> 00:13:46.940 And then this sanctification is the process of becoming what God has already declared you to be. 00:13:47.200 --> 00:13:49.240 What he's already declared you to be is becoming. 00:13:49.399 --> 00:13:54.200 You spend the rest of your lives becoming what he has declared you to be. 00:13:55.060 --> 00:14:02.679 Last night, I was right outside of Raleigh officiating a wedding for a beautiful young couple. 00:14:03.340 --> 00:14:05.680 And weddings are beautiful and exciting. 00:14:05.679 --> 00:14:11.439 And weddings, in a sense, are a picture of this change that happens when we are saved. 00:14:11.939 --> 00:14:17.879 If you are married, then I want you to think with me for just a moment about your life before you got married. 00:14:18.339 --> 00:14:23.359 If you're married, just think with me for just a moment about your life before you got married. 00:14:23.439 --> 00:14:24.919 For some of you, it may have been a long time ago. 00:14:24.979 --> 00:14:26.419 For some of you, it may have been a year ago. 00:14:26.739 --> 00:14:31.819 And some of you need to wipe the smile off your face right now as you think about that time before you got married. 00:14:31.820 --> 00:14:37.100 But we think about those times and there's a change that happens. 00:14:37.240 --> 00:14:39.560 There's a change that happens when we are married. 00:14:39.700 --> 00:14:43.960 Before you got married, you didn't ask anyone before you made a decision about something. 00:14:44.140 --> 00:14:46.980 You just did it because you didn't have anyone to ask. 00:14:47.400 --> 00:14:51.680 If you're a guy, you may or may not wash your clothes before wearing them again. 00:14:52.300 --> 00:14:57.280 You may or may not leave the pizza box beside the chair where you were sitting when you ate it. 00:14:57.279 --> 00:15:04.120 But once you get married, there is a moment where you go from being single to being married. 00:15:04.539 --> 00:15:08.120 There's a moment where your life changes. 00:15:08.679 --> 00:15:15.639 But you will spend the rest of your life becoming what that officiant declared you to be that day. 00:15:16.079 --> 00:15:19.639 There will be days when it is difficult to live as a married person. 00:15:20.000 --> 00:15:21.799 But that doesn't mean that you're not married. 00:15:21.799 --> 00:15:27.120 It just means that you have some work to do to being what you are declared to be. 00:15:27.740 --> 00:15:34.039 But if you are truly married, then you will spend your life going from being single to being married. 00:15:34.899 --> 00:15:41.979 In a moment, you are married, but it takes a lifetime to learn how to be married. 00:15:42.399 --> 00:15:44.699 For some of us, we're slower learners than others. 00:15:45.099 --> 00:15:49.139 But we all continue to grow in this for the rest of our lives. 00:15:49.139 --> 00:15:51.779 In a moment, you are married. 00:15:52.080 --> 00:16:00.759 But then you spend the rest of your lives growing in that relationship, growing and becoming who God has called you to be in that relationship. 00:16:01.000 --> 00:16:09.419 When you come to faith in Christ, there is an unbreakable covenant made in heaven where you go from death to life. 00:16:10.059 --> 00:16:13.100 Where you go from an enemy of God to his child. 00:16:13.360 --> 00:16:16.340 Where you go from a sinner to a saint. 00:16:16.340 --> 00:16:18.379 And it has happened. 00:16:19.220 --> 00:16:25.540 And if this has happened, then you will spend the rest of your life becoming what God has declared you to be. 00:16:26.060 --> 00:16:30.200 You'll spend the rest of your life growing in this relationship. 00:16:30.759 --> 00:16:36.259 What this passage is doing is it's explaining what theologians refer to as the great exchange. 00:16:36.940 --> 00:16:41.920 When you exchange something, that means you give somebody something and they give you something. 00:16:41.919 --> 00:16:48.399 In this great exchange, we give Christ our sin, our shame, our regret. 00:16:48.599 --> 00:16:51.699 And he gives us his righteousness in return. 00:16:52.159 --> 00:16:54.759 He gives us his righteousness in return. 00:16:55.099 --> 00:16:59.139 He is that high priest who makes it possible. 00:16:59.959 --> 00:17:03.099 You see, Christ is the only one that can do this. 00:17:03.759 --> 00:17:08.079 And we've talked so much about a high priest here lately. 00:17:08.779 --> 00:17:11.259 Sometimes I wonder and worry about this. 00:17:11.259 --> 00:17:16.099 Are people getting tired of all this high priest talk? 00:17:16.319 --> 00:17:18.259 Are people connecting with the Melchizedek? 00:17:18.420 --> 00:17:20.599 Should we skip over some of this? 00:17:20.940 --> 00:17:25.640 People are coming in today, myself included, with all kinds of worries and fears. 00:17:25.859 --> 00:17:29.200 Wanting a nugget that they can apply to their lives. 00:17:29.640 --> 00:17:32.559 Something they can easily digest and hold on to. 00:17:32.559 --> 00:17:38.680 Do we really need to focus this much time on Jesus as a high priest? 00:17:38.680 --> 00:17:41.200 And I would argue yes. 00:17:41.960 --> 00:17:50.640 You see, every single thing you need in every single situation of your life is found in God. 00:17:51.000 --> 00:17:56.360 There is nothing that you need that God doesn't have. 00:17:57.460 --> 00:17:58.920 But here's the problem. 00:17:58.920 --> 00:18:02.460 Because of sin, you can't get it. 00:18:03.380 --> 00:18:07.920 Because of sin, there's a separation between you and God. 00:18:08.019 --> 00:18:10.000 Our sins have separated us from God. 00:18:10.320 --> 00:18:13.580 And that is why you need a high priest. 00:18:14.140 --> 00:18:18.500 That is why you need one that is better than all the others. 00:18:18.500 --> 00:18:24.779 This is why there's this much emphasis on Christ being our perfect high priest. 00:18:25.480 --> 00:18:30.740 This is why we need a mediator to go before us to take the wrath that we deserve. 00:18:31.420 --> 00:18:35.319 This truth is foundational to everything else. 00:18:35.720 --> 00:18:38.200 This truth is what we build our lives on. 00:18:38.559 --> 00:18:42.680 This truth is what we need for lasting application. 00:18:42.680 --> 00:18:49.080 This truth is what we need to not just have something to apply, but to apply it and it stay with us. 00:18:50.380 --> 00:18:52.920 And so are you ready to give your life to this truth? 00:18:54.160 --> 00:18:59.140 If you've not placed your faith and your trust in Jesus, are you ready to go from death to life? 00:18:59.799 --> 00:19:02.920 Are you ready to go from a sinner to a saint? 00:19:03.140 --> 00:19:08.860 That change in position can happen today if you want to place your faith and your trust in Him. 00:19:08.859 --> 00:19:14.339 But if you have done this, then I want you to ask yourself a question. 00:19:15.319 --> 00:19:19.719 Is your life given to becoming what God has declared you to be? 00:19:20.299 --> 00:19:26.479 Is your life being lived out becoming what God has declared you to be? 00:19:26.719 --> 00:19:33.059 And if not, then I want you to seriously ask the question, what needs to change to make that happen? 00:19:33.919 --> 00:19:38.059 Heavenly Father, I thank you so very much for your word. 00:19:38.059 --> 00:19:40.119 Lord, I thank you for what it teaches us about you. 00:19:40.679 --> 00:19:44.259 Lord, I thank you for these truths that we find in your word. 00:19:44.819 --> 00:19:51.740 Truths that are deep and theological and rich that we can apply to our lives that change everything about us. 00:19:52.200 --> 00:20:00.700 And so, Lord, I pray that as we think about these truths, as we prepare for these things to be applied to our life in the weeks to come, 00:20:00.839 --> 00:20:03.879 Lord, I pray that these truths would sink in. 00:20:03.880 --> 00:20:13.800 They would be something that resonates with us, that we can look to you and understand the gift that we have been given because you are our high priest, 00:20:14.300 --> 00:20:21.120 because you are our priestly king, because you are our mediator who takes away your wrath. 00:20:21.720 --> 00:20:23.400 And so, Lord, thank you for that. 00:20:24.100 --> 00:20:29.980 And, Lord, I pray that there's someone here today that has never placed their faith and their trust in you. 00:20:29.980 --> 00:20:39.259 Lord, they would have that change of position, where they would go from death to life, where they would be declared righteous, where they would be declared perfect. 00:20:39.880 --> 00:20:50.819 But, Lord, for the rest of us, I pray that we live in that, that we'll spend our lives becoming what you have already declared us to be. 00:20:50.819 --> 00:20:56.759 And so, Lord, give us the boldness and courage and strength to do what you've called us to do. 00:20:57.019 --> 00:20:59.419 And we ask all these things in Jesus' name. 00:20:59.839 --> 00:21:00.200 Amen. 00:21:00.899 --> 00:21:02.059 I'm going to invite you to stand. 00:21:02.139 --> 00:21:03.819 We're going to sing a song of invitation. 00:21:04.359 --> 00:21:05.579 The Lord is speaking to you this morning. 00:21:05.639 --> 00:21:07.980 I want you to respond as we stand together and sing.