WEBVTT 00:00:00.740 --> 00:00:02.300 Well, I'm excited to be back. 00:00:02.780 --> 00:00:09.040 We had a wonderful retreat last weekend and excited to be here tonight because we're starting 00:00:09.040 --> 00:00:12.359 a new series that's going to take us through the fall. 00:00:12.939 --> 00:00:17.440 And the series is going to be in a book that I actually can't believe we have not done 00:00:17.440 --> 00:00:18.480 in depth up until now. 00:00:18.559 --> 00:00:20.300 It's Paul's Letter to the Galatians. 00:00:20.780 --> 00:00:25.620 It's a wonderful book in the New Testament, very rich, a lot going on there. 00:00:25.620 --> 00:00:29.719 And I want to just take a minute and explain why we would do this book right now. 00:00:30.239 --> 00:00:34.619 One of the things that we talk about at Church of the Advent, if you're newer to our community, 00:00:35.039 --> 00:00:41.380 really the core of our DNA is we talk about being a church that builds gospel-centered 00:00:41.380 --> 00:00:44.960 communities, that we want to build communities centered on the gospel. 00:00:45.079 --> 00:00:48.340 So we want to build families up so that they are centered on the gospel. 00:00:48.480 --> 00:00:53.859 We want to build up intentional communities that are centered on the gospel, small groups 00:00:53.859 --> 00:00:55.299 that are centered on the gospel. 00:00:55.299 --> 00:00:59.820 We want to build up other churches that are centered on the gospel and plant churches 00:00:59.820 --> 00:01:01.640 elsewhere that do the same. 00:01:02.000 --> 00:01:05.239 So this is the core of our identity, the core of our mission. 00:01:06.200 --> 00:01:11.280 And yet I realize that when we talk about things being gospel-centered, you know, that 00:01:11.280 --> 00:01:13.159 has kind of a buzzword feel to it. 00:01:13.180 --> 00:01:17.539 It's easy to hear that and to go right by it and not really know what we mean by the 00:01:17.539 --> 00:01:17.960 term. 00:01:18.439 --> 00:01:23.560 And so I thought we would take some time to look at Galatians because this is the clearest 00:01:23.560 --> 00:01:30.659 place I know to give us a vision for what it means to be a gospel-centered community. 00:01:30.960 --> 00:01:32.299 Paul's letter to the Galatians. 00:01:32.740 --> 00:01:38.579 He's writing this letter to people in southern Turkey, mostly Gentiles. 00:01:39.040 --> 00:01:43.780 And he's writing it sometime between the late 40s and the early 50s A.D. 00:01:43.780 --> 00:01:47.000 There's a little debate over exactly what year it was written. 00:01:47.000 --> 00:01:57.359 But his goal in writing this letter is to clarify what is the true gospel as opposed 00:01:57.359 --> 00:02:01.400 to false gospels, distortions of the gospel. 00:02:01.760 --> 00:02:04.400 What is the true gospel and how do you recognize it? 00:02:04.420 --> 00:02:05.500 That's really the point of the letter. 00:02:06.299 --> 00:02:11.699 Now someone may say, well, you know, we live in a pluralistic society and who is he to say 00:02:11.699 --> 00:02:15.639 what the true gospel is and why does there need to be one true gospel? 00:02:15.639 --> 00:02:19.919 Can't we have different versions of the gospel depending on people's preferences? 00:02:21.659 --> 00:02:25.479 And Paul would say, and I think that we will see this over the course of our time together 00:02:25.479 --> 00:02:33.599 this fall, that the way we define the gospel, the way we understand the gospel determines 00:02:33.599 --> 00:02:41.139 and shapes not only the course of our lives, how we think and feel and act, but the course 00:02:41.139 --> 00:02:42.519 of our community life. 00:02:42.520 --> 00:02:52.879 It drastically shapes the shape that our relationships take, how we handle conflict, how we handle 00:02:52.879 --> 00:02:57.020 failure, how we face fear, the things that we prioritize. 00:02:57.340 --> 00:03:00.340 All of that is shaped by how we define the gospel. 00:03:00.680 --> 00:03:01.620 It all begins there. 00:03:02.160 --> 00:03:03.719 So it's worth spending time on. 00:03:04.200 --> 00:03:10.080 And so today we're going to be looking just at chapter 1 verses 1 through 9, a kind of introduction 00:03:10.080 --> 00:03:12.180 to what Paul is trying to say. 00:03:12.440 --> 00:03:15.400 And this passage raises three questions for us to consider. 00:03:15.780 --> 00:03:16.980 What is the gospel? 00:03:18.439 --> 00:03:20.520 Why does the gospel get distorted? 00:03:21.380 --> 00:03:22.480 And then what's the big deal? 00:03:23.800 --> 00:03:24.620 What's the gospel? 00:03:24.780 --> 00:03:25.700 Why does it get distorted? 00:03:25.840 --> 00:03:26.780 And what's the big deal? 00:03:26.860 --> 00:03:27.480 Let's pray together. 00:03:29.420 --> 00:03:33.860 Our Father, we thank you and we pray to you now because we know we're dealing with something 00:03:33.860 --> 00:03:37.080 that is not a product of human wisdom. 00:03:38.000 --> 00:03:43.220 This is not simply the sage advice from wise women and men. 00:03:43.340 --> 00:03:51.500 This is something that has been delivered from you through your apostles across generations 00:03:51.500 --> 00:03:53.260 into our hands. 00:03:53.920 --> 00:03:58.960 And we know that because you reveal that only you can unveil it and enable us to fully understand it. 00:03:58.960 --> 00:04:02.659 So we pray that your spirit would enable us to do that very thing. 00:04:03.140 --> 00:04:04.659 In your son's name, amen. 00:04:06.080 --> 00:04:07.439 So what is the gospel? 00:04:08.719 --> 00:04:09.560 What is the gospel? 00:04:10.420 --> 00:04:17.439 I'm going to paraphrase N.T. Wright, who's a New Testament scholar, in his commentary on Galatians 00:04:17.439 --> 00:04:22.600 to begin to paint a picture to help us understand Paul's message to the Galatians. 00:04:23.400 --> 00:04:27.400 Imagine that you are in South Africa in the 1970s. 00:04:27.400 --> 00:04:28.420 What's going on? 00:04:29.959 --> 00:04:30.919 Not rhetorical. 00:04:31.039 --> 00:04:31.719 Not rhetorical. 00:04:31.819 --> 00:04:31.979 Yes. 00:04:32.359 --> 00:04:32.879 Apartheid. 00:04:33.279 --> 00:04:34.359 It's the height of apartheid. 00:04:35.219 --> 00:04:37.000 And the society is very divided. 00:04:37.939 --> 00:04:42.240 And imagine that you come into that society at that point in time, the height of division 00:04:42.240 --> 00:04:43.439 and strife and tension. 00:04:44.319 --> 00:04:46.000 And imagine you come in and you have a vision. 00:04:46.139 --> 00:04:49.519 You want to build a community center in the middle of town. 00:04:49.859 --> 00:04:54.699 And you have a vision that this community center will be a place where all people can come 00:04:54.699 --> 00:05:00.439 and gather, regardless of race, ethnicity, background, socioeconomic class, level of education, 00:05:00.439 --> 00:05:01.779 does not matter. 00:05:01.779 --> 00:05:05.079 This is a place, this one building where everybody can come. 00:05:05.079 --> 00:05:08.159 And you say your vision is that there's just going to be one door. 00:05:09.199 --> 00:05:11.399 And that there's just going to be one meeting space. 00:05:11.519 --> 00:05:13.899 And everybody will come and have a place at the table. 00:05:14.599 --> 00:05:19.500 And so you come into this community and you clear the land and you begin to lay the foundation 00:05:19.500 --> 00:05:20.240 for this building. 00:05:20.360 --> 00:05:22.259 And you lay the foundation for the one room. 00:05:22.319 --> 00:05:24.339 And you lay the foundation for the one door. 00:05:24.339 --> 00:05:29.179 And just as you're finishing up laying the foundation, you're called away on urgent business. 00:05:30.500 --> 00:05:35.819 And so other people, while you're away, they come in to continue building where you left 00:05:35.819 --> 00:05:36.139 off. 00:05:37.299 --> 00:05:41.179 Now imagine a little time passes and you get a letter in the mail and you open the letter 00:05:41.179 --> 00:05:44.079 and you read it and it's from some people who are concerned. 00:05:44.500 --> 00:05:50.699 And they say, these other builders that have come in, they're changing the design of the 00:05:50.699 --> 00:05:51.059 building. 00:05:51.060 --> 00:05:54.720 These builders are making some revisions to the blueprint. 00:05:54.920 --> 00:05:58.180 They've decided that no, in fact, we need two meeting rooms. 00:05:58.660 --> 00:06:01.280 No, in fact, we need two doors. 00:06:02.439 --> 00:06:06.840 And so you investigate it and you wonder, what's the reaction in the community? 00:06:06.939 --> 00:06:11.560 And you realize that while some people are concerned and objecting, there are a lot of 00:06:11.560 --> 00:06:18.920 people who are relieved because it might have upheaval on our hands, might destabilize society 00:06:18.920 --> 00:06:20.480 if we do something like this, right? 00:06:21.060 --> 00:06:25.540 And there are some people who ask these builders, why was the original design flawed? 00:06:25.660 --> 00:06:27.360 Why couldn't we just stick with the original plan? 00:06:27.720 --> 00:06:32.720 And these new builders would say, well, you know, you know, that guy, he has some really 00:06:32.720 --> 00:06:35.699 nice ideas and he means well. 00:06:35.800 --> 00:06:36.879 He's very idealistic. 00:06:37.000 --> 00:06:38.920 But he's not even licensed. 00:06:39.860 --> 00:06:41.100 He's not even an architect. 00:06:41.680 --> 00:06:43.079 He's never built anything before. 00:06:43.220 --> 00:06:44.540 He doesn't really know what he's doing. 00:06:45.180 --> 00:06:45.879 Trust us. 00:06:46.160 --> 00:06:47.579 We're the authorities on the matter. 00:06:47.579 --> 00:06:49.279 We know what's going to be best for this community. 00:06:49.719 --> 00:06:53.579 We think we should have two doors, one for black people, one for white people, two rooms. 00:06:53.919 --> 00:06:55.560 That's going to be better for everybody, right? 00:06:56.300 --> 00:07:02.979 Now, this situation is very similar to what Paul found himself dealing with in south-central 00:07:02.979 --> 00:07:03.419 Turkey. 00:07:04.259 --> 00:07:10.120 Paul is entering into a community that is majorly divided. 00:07:10.120 --> 00:07:15.560 You have people there who are worshiping all different manner of local gods and goddesses. 00:07:15.639 --> 00:07:18.920 And by the way, a lot of those deities were racially specific. 00:07:19.480 --> 00:07:21.699 So you would worship a deity based on your race. 00:07:21.780 --> 00:07:25.459 That was the god that you would go to, but this other person might go to a different god 00:07:25.459 --> 00:07:26.160 or goddess, right? 00:07:26.360 --> 00:07:31.180 And then you had this whole interesting group, this cult of worship that had risen up around 00:07:31.180 --> 00:07:31.840 the Roman emperor. 00:07:32.800 --> 00:07:36.780 You know, people who literally worshiped and deified politics, right? 00:07:36.819 --> 00:07:37.939 Doesn't sound familiar at all. 00:07:37.939 --> 00:07:43.839 And then you had this subgroup of Jews who had their own synagogue in the area. 00:07:43.939 --> 00:07:48.000 And so you had all of these disparate groups who were very divided religiously. 00:07:48.100 --> 00:07:49.860 They were divided racially. 00:07:50.000 --> 00:07:52.259 They were divided socioeconomically. 00:07:52.379 --> 00:07:56.879 There are free citizens, but there are also foreigners who do not have citizenship in Rome, 00:07:56.920 --> 00:07:57.920 and there are slaves. 00:07:59.120 --> 00:08:00.459 All different kinds of people. 00:08:01.459 --> 00:08:07.779 And so when Paul first enters this area, he begins to lay a foundation through his teaching. 00:08:07.939 --> 00:08:15.500 He begins to lay a foundation for this divided society by telling them the good news of the gospel. 00:08:16.500 --> 00:08:20.639 And here's the radical message that he begins to lay out to this disparate community. 00:08:21.139 --> 00:08:24.399 He says, first of all, there's only one god. 00:08:25.439 --> 00:08:29.639 There's not many gods and goddesses, depending on who you are and where you're from. 00:08:30.339 --> 00:08:31.540 There's only one god. 00:08:31.600 --> 00:08:32.000 He's not landlocked. 00:08:32.559 --> 00:08:33.919 He's not locked into a certain race. 00:08:34.000 --> 00:08:35.519 He's not locked into a certain people group. 00:08:35.519 --> 00:08:37.480 One god who made all of this. 00:08:37.659 --> 00:08:38.819 One god who made all of you. 00:08:39.939 --> 00:08:48.720 And then he goes on to say, and this god has revealed himself ultimately in a Jew named Jesus. 00:08:49.679 --> 00:08:54.720 And through him, God has made his plan that he's had for all time. 00:08:54.720 --> 00:09:00.860 He's finally revealed that plan and allowed us to see what he has been planning for so long. 00:09:02.399 --> 00:09:05.660 Because this Jesus is the Messiah. 00:09:06.420 --> 00:09:10.200 Now by Messiah, he means a king to end all kings. 00:09:10.800 --> 00:09:10.940 Right? 00:09:11.040 --> 00:09:12.720 A king above all kings. 00:09:13.040 --> 00:09:15.300 This Jesus is the Lord. 00:09:15.860 --> 00:09:17.060 The Lord of everything. 00:09:17.059 --> 00:09:23.279 Which obviously means that Caesar is not Lord of everything. 00:09:23.539 --> 00:09:27.059 And the Romans did not miss the implications of this. 00:09:27.239 --> 00:09:27.359 Right? 00:09:27.699 --> 00:09:29.139 A rival king. 00:09:29.239 --> 00:09:30.179 A rival lord. 00:09:30.519 --> 00:09:36.839 And so the Romans did to Jesus what they did to anyone who postured as a king. 00:09:37.139 --> 00:09:38.599 As a rival authority. 00:09:38.959 --> 00:09:39.899 They executed him. 00:09:39.899 --> 00:09:42.419 And Paul would say, aha. 00:09:43.500 --> 00:09:45.480 But that's where the good news starts. 00:09:46.340 --> 00:09:50.299 Because then God saw fit to raise this Jesus from the grave. 00:09:50.459 --> 00:09:54.559 And through that resurrection, God's true plan was revealed. 00:09:54.740 --> 00:10:01.439 Through that resurrection, God began to call into existence one great family. 00:10:01.899 --> 00:10:04.039 From all the nations of the earth. 00:10:04.039 --> 00:10:13.360 And it became clear that God's desire all along had been to not just be the God of Israel. 00:10:14.059 --> 00:10:19.360 But his plan all along had been to be the father of the whole world. 00:10:20.659 --> 00:10:26.699 That all people, regardless of their background, would have one father and be part of one family. 00:10:26.700 --> 00:10:33.840 And as Paul begins to lay this out, it becomes clear that this is not just a new belief system. 00:10:34.040 --> 00:10:36.280 Or a new life philosophy to live by. 00:10:36.580 --> 00:10:38.300 Or a new way to get saved. 00:10:38.840 --> 00:10:45.640 The gospel is the announcement that Jesus, who is the crucified and risen Messiah, is Lord of the whole world. 00:10:46.180 --> 00:10:51.940 And because he's Lord of the whole world, he's calling into existence one single worldwide family. 00:10:53.120 --> 00:10:54.820 So you understand, this is massive. 00:10:55.379 --> 00:10:55.540 Right? 00:10:55.539 --> 00:10:58.599 This hits like a bomb in the middle of the society. 00:10:58.899 --> 00:11:02.740 This is society overturning stuff. 00:11:03.579 --> 00:11:03.679 Right? 00:11:03.719 --> 00:11:05.240 This causes major upheaval. 00:11:06.199 --> 00:11:09.059 Because people begin to suss out the implications for themselves. 00:11:09.360 --> 00:11:13.159 Well, if this is true, it means that we no longer have to seek God. 00:11:13.259 --> 00:11:14.679 Or make sacrifices to God. 00:11:14.799 --> 00:11:16.719 Or constantly wonder, is God there? 00:11:16.799 --> 00:11:17.439 Does he hear me? 00:11:17.579 --> 00:11:18.399 Does he love me? 00:11:18.579 --> 00:11:19.679 Will he answer my prayer? 00:11:20.639 --> 00:11:22.759 Because God has in fact come to us. 00:11:23.519 --> 00:11:25.319 We no longer have to seek him out. 00:11:26.519 --> 00:11:27.679 They begin to realize. 00:11:27.799 --> 00:11:29.299 And they begin to look at Caesar. 00:11:29.399 --> 00:11:30.740 And they begin to look at the authorities. 00:11:30.839 --> 00:11:38.419 And they begin to say, if this is true, it means that no longer should we ever worship human authority. 00:11:38.539 --> 00:11:43.179 No longer should a human ruler ever be given absolute allegiance. 00:11:43.179 --> 00:11:44.739 Right? 00:11:44.739 --> 00:11:52.479 This begins to say, everybody back in these days, everybody assumed that your emperor or your ruler or your king, that they had divine blessing. 00:11:52.599 --> 00:11:55.199 And more than that, they were divine. 00:11:55.859 --> 00:11:56.799 They were divine. 00:11:57.239 --> 00:11:59.099 And so you had to give them absolute obedience. 00:11:59.100 --> 00:12:02.060 This is saying, no, they are not divine. 00:12:02.560 --> 00:12:03.639 They're just human. 00:12:04.100 --> 00:12:05.740 And they have an authority in heaven. 00:12:06.620 --> 00:12:10.840 This lays the groundwork for what Martin Luther King terms civil disobedience. 00:12:11.080 --> 00:12:11.240 Right? 00:12:11.240 --> 00:12:17.740 The prerogative, because we submit to a higher authority, to disobey. 00:12:19.100 --> 00:12:22.980 To disobey when necessary in order to be faithful to our true king. 00:12:23.659 --> 00:12:25.159 So this is world-changing stuff. 00:12:25.379 --> 00:12:25.460 Right? 00:12:25.460 --> 00:12:32.879 No longer will there be any reason to devalue people because of their race or their ethnicity or their gender or their socioeconomic class. 00:12:32.960 --> 00:12:38.220 Because all are imbued with equal worth and dignity through the gospel. 00:12:39.220 --> 00:12:39.320 Right? 00:12:39.460 --> 00:12:42.080 No long will there be an us and them. 00:12:42.420 --> 00:12:53.040 Because this tells us that every human being, even my most hated enemy, even the most hated enemy of my family and my tribe, is actually my brother. 00:12:53.320 --> 00:12:54.680 It's actually my sister. 00:12:54.679 --> 00:12:56.739 We have the same father. 00:12:57.679 --> 00:12:57.759 Right? 00:12:57.819 --> 00:13:00.519 So you begin to see how this would radically alter everything. 00:13:00.819 --> 00:13:02.839 The gospel changes everything. 00:13:04.139 --> 00:13:06.879 But most people don't like change. 00:13:07.939 --> 00:13:09.659 Most people don't like change. 00:13:10.359 --> 00:13:11.299 It's human nature. 00:13:12.259 --> 00:13:13.459 You know, change is terrifying. 00:13:13.639 --> 00:13:14.620 It's destabilizing. 00:13:15.439 --> 00:13:19.679 So after Paul laid this foundation and then he was called away, 00:13:19.679 --> 00:13:27.719 other builders came in and they began to alter what Paul had started to build in his preaching of the gospel. 00:13:27.899 --> 00:13:30.799 They began to say very similar things as the example earlier. 00:13:30.899 --> 00:13:33.479 Well, you know, this Paul guy, he's a nice guy. 00:13:33.620 --> 00:13:34.579 He means well. 00:13:34.739 --> 00:13:36.120 He uses big words. 00:13:36.120 --> 00:13:42.399 You know, he's kind of a short and he's not really very attractive and he's kind of a mediocre preacher. 00:13:42.620 --> 00:13:44.299 But he has some nice things to say. 00:13:44.500 --> 00:13:47.940 But then they would kind of pull you aside and say, but he's not even really an apostle. 00:13:49.100 --> 00:13:52.539 He's never really been taught by Jesus. 00:13:52.779 --> 00:13:55.200 You know, these other apostles, they followed Jesus. 00:13:55.340 --> 00:13:56.179 They were the disciples. 00:13:56.740 --> 00:13:58.679 Paul's not really an apostle. 00:13:58.679 --> 00:14:03.319 I know he kind of sounds convincing and smart and these are nice ideas, but let's be realistic. 00:14:04.359 --> 00:14:09.079 And they would say, you know, everybody knows that Jews and Gentiles are just different. 00:14:09.899 --> 00:14:11.379 They're just fundamentally different. 00:14:12.259 --> 00:14:13.679 You know, separate but equal. 00:14:14.679 --> 00:14:20.399 Everybody knows that we can't just have chaos, everybody coming in the same door, meeting in the same room. 00:14:20.759 --> 00:14:24.099 It's going to be better for everybody if we have two separate doors. 00:14:24.100 --> 00:14:32.779 You know, and if the Gentiles really want the kind of insider relationship that the Jews have had for centuries with God, 00:14:33.360 --> 00:14:35.899 doesn't it make sense that they should get circumcised as well? 00:14:35.980 --> 00:14:38.159 That they should come under the law of Moses as well? 00:14:38.600 --> 00:14:40.040 See, that's just going to be better for everybody. 00:14:40.300 --> 00:14:42.700 And this is what was happening and Paul gets wind of this. 00:14:44.019 --> 00:14:46.519 And so the gospel is starting to be distorted. 00:14:47.040 --> 00:14:48.940 And so this brings us to the second question. 00:14:49.279 --> 00:14:50.820 Why does the gospel get distorted? 00:14:50.960 --> 00:14:52.000 What's behind this? 00:14:52.000 --> 00:14:54.519 It's more than just a fear of change. 00:14:55.299 --> 00:14:56.580 Why does the gospel get distorted? 00:14:56.919 --> 00:15:02.639 If the gospel is this, Jesus is Lord and through his death and resurrection he is calling into existence 00:15:02.639 --> 00:15:09.559 one great worldwide family, completely reconciled to God through the sacrifice of the cross 00:15:09.559 --> 00:15:13.720 and being reconciled to one another through the ministry of the Holy Spirit. 00:15:13.820 --> 00:15:14.600 That's the gospel. 00:15:16.139 --> 00:15:17.220 Why does it get distorted? 00:15:17.659 --> 00:15:18.879 That's an amazing message. 00:15:20.340 --> 00:15:21.799 Galatians 1.6 says, 00:15:22.000 --> 00:15:22.899 I'm astonished. 00:15:22.960 --> 00:15:23.519 This is Paul. 00:15:23.519 --> 00:15:28.279 I'm astonished that you are so quickly deserting him who called you in the grace of Christ 00:15:28.279 --> 00:15:29.740 and are turning to a different gospel. 00:15:30.059 --> 00:15:35.860 Not that there is another one, but there are some who trouble you and want to distort the gospel of Christ. 00:15:36.200 --> 00:15:38.779 Why would anyone want to distort such a great message? 00:15:40.399 --> 00:15:42.440 You've got to understand something about Jewish history. 00:15:43.500 --> 00:15:43.659 Right? 00:15:43.840 --> 00:15:47.340 Way back long ago, the Jews had been chosen by God. 00:15:47.700 --> 00:15:49.500 God had said, I'm going to set you apart. 00:15:49.500 --> 00:15:52.299 I'm going to make you my people. 00:15:52.299 --> 00:15:58.399 You know, God had made a promise to their forefather Abraham that they were going to be special in his economy. 00:15:59.039 --> 00:16:00.419 That he was going to bless them. 00:16:00.719 --> 00:16:02.000 That he was going to provide for them. 00:16:02.059 --> 00:16:05.500 That he was going to give them land and descendants as numerous as the stars. 00:16:05.500 --> 00:16:13.480 And then God had said, through you, I'm going to bless all the nations of the earth. 00:16:14.980 --> 00:16:15.460 Right? 00:16:15.519 --> 00:16:16.919 But over time, what had happened? 00:16:17.059 --> 00:16:22.879 Well, the Jews had started out realizing that they had been chosen by God and therefore they were special. 00:16:23.879 --> 00:16:25.600 But it started to get reversed. 00:16:25.600 --> 00:16:31.560 First, if God chose us, we must be inherently special. 00:16:32.340 --> 00:16:34.300 There must be something inherently superior. 00:16:37.019 --> 00:16:39.000 That's the only way we could explain it. 00:16:40.159 --> 00:16:45.920 So you begin to forget that God choosing them, God bestowing that blessing on them was purely an act of grace. 00:16:47.060 --> 00:16:48.139 They didn't deserve it. 00:16:48.159 --> 00:16:48.720 They didn't earn it. 00:16:48.879 --> 00:16:49.720 They weren't influential. 00:16:50.139 --> 00:16:52.779 They weren't movers and shakers in the ancient Near Eastern world. 00:16:52.779 --> 00:16:54.120 They were really nobodies. 00:16:55.279 --> 00:16:56.860 In some ways, that's why God chose them. 00:16:56.899 --> 00:16:58.759 If there's a reason that we could ever discern. 00:17:00.139 --> 00:17:00.919 They didn't earn it. 00:17:00.980 --> 00:17:01.620 It was an act of grace. 00:17:01.699 --> 00:17:03.959 And they had been given this symbol of that grace. 00:17:04.359 --> 00:17:04.720 Circumcision. 00:17:05.379 --> 00:17:09.539 Let this symbol remind you that I intervened in your life and I chose you. 00:17:09.700 --> 00:17:13.279 And I bestowed my grace upon you when you didn't deserve it, didn't earn it, could never repay it. 00:17:13.599 --> 00:17:15.059 I've done this because I'm the Lord. 00:17:15.480 --> 00:17:15.639 Right? 00:17:15.879 --> 00:17:17.740 That's what circumcision was meant to mean. 00:17:18.319 --> 00:17:19.899 You're set apart because of my grace. 00:17:20.399 --> 00:17:22.379 But that symbol began to change. 00:17:23.079 --> 00:17:24.579 That symbol began to morph. 00:17:24.700 --> 00:17:26.759 It began to get distorted in their minds. 00:17:28.240 --> 00:17:34.299 And all of a sudden, they began to think, I'm not special because God chose me. 00:17:34.599 --> 00:17:36.700 God chose me because I'm special. 00:17:37.059 --> 00:17:42.099 And they began to take this symbol of grace, circumcision, and they began to turn it into a symbol of merit. 00:17:43.759 --> 00:17:44.160 Right? 00:17:44.160 --> 00:17:46.720 This is a symbol of my inherent superiority. 00:17:48.339 --> 00:17:49.339 Not grace. 00:17:50.160 --> 00:17:50.539 Merit. 00:17:50.539 --> 00:18:00.019 And what we need to understand is that every distortion of the gospel, every distortion of the gospel involves twisting grace into merit. 00:18:00.019 --> 00:18:12.579 It involves us refusing to purely accept a gift and instead somehow redefining the terms so that they're based on our own performance and our own excellence. 00:18:12.839 --> 00:18:14.039 It's human nature. 00:18:14.220 --> 00:18:15.879 And we say, well, how could the Jews do this? 00:18:15.960 --> 00:18:17.139 And don't they know better? 00:18:17.220 --> 00:18:18.059 And blah, blah, blah, blah, blah. 00:18:18.059 --> 00:18:21.019 Well, you have to understand from their perspective what was going on. 00:18:21.159 --> 00:18:24.740 If you were a Jew at this point in time, what was your biggest political concern? 00:18:25.859 --> 00:18:27.159 That was the Roman occupation. 00:18:28.539 --> 00:18:28.740 Right? 00:18:28.819 --> 00:18:29.919 The Roman occupiers. 00:18:30.019 --> 00:18:31.359 And when is God going to liberate us? 00:18:31.359 --> 00:18:41.979 And can you imagine growing up in this society and your grandmother and grandfather and your mom and your dad and your aunts and your uncles, you would sit around the fire at night and what would you do? 00:18:42.179 --> 00:18:45.279 They would recount all the old great stories. 00:18:46.099 --> 00:18:46.299 Right? 00:18:47.359 --> 00:18:49.619 All the times that God delivered His people. 00:18:49.779 --> 00:18:53.079 God, we were slaves in Egypt and God delivered us. 00:18:53.599 --> 00:18:56.500 We were exiles in Babylon and God delivered us. 00:18:56.500 --> 00:18:58.279 And where would that eventually lead? 00:18:58.519 --> 00:19:00.960 One day God is going to deliver us again. 00:19:01.339 --> 00:19:01.539 Right? 00:19:02.380 --> 00:19:06.140 But at that time, even though you had that hope, you were powerless in society. 00:19:06.220 --> 00:19:07.200 You had no influence. 00:19:07.319 --> 00:19:08.480 The Romans oppressed you. 00:19:08.799 --> 00:19:09.880 They owned you. 00:19:09.960 --> 00:19:10.940 They called all the shots. 00:19:11.019 --> 00:19:11.640 You had no hope. 00:19:11.900 --> 00:19:14.019 There had been attempted rebellions and uprisings. 00:19:14.119 --> 00:19:16.960 They had always been shut down, sometimes with a lot of bloodshed. 00:19:17.220 --> 00:19:18.500 So what are you supposed to do? 00:19:18.720 --> 00:19:21.819 Well, the only thing you could console yourself with is this. 00:19:22.380 --> 00:19:25.079 At the end of the day, I know that God is on my side. 00:19:25.079 --> 00:19:28.619 One day, God's going to show all those Romans. 00:19:28.819 --> 00:19:29.720 He's going to show all those people. 00:19:29.799 --> 00:19:30.980 He's going to vindicate us. 00:19:31.259 --> 00:19:32.779 That would be your greatest comfort. 00:19:34.779 --> 00:19:35.839 And how do I know? 00:19:36.119 --> 00:19:37.419 Because of my circumcision. 00:19:38.039 --> 00:19:39.279 Because of this symbol. 00:19:40.079 --> 00:19:40.939 God's on my side. 00:19:41.859 --> 00:19:41.980 Right? 00:19:42.000 --> 00:19:44.980 So you can imagine these Jews start to become Christians. 00:19:45.240 --> 00:19:46.720 The Messiah has come. 00:19:46.819 --> 00:19:47.639 They're excited. 00:19:47.799 --> 00:19:51.899 Maybe this is the time that the uprising and the freedom will begin for our people. 00:19:52.000 --> 00:19:53.199 God's going to throw off the oppressors. 00:19:53.200 --> 00:19:56.860 And you start going to church and you start learning about Jesus and learning about the 00:19:56.860 --> 00:19:57.120 gospel. 00:19:57.460 --> 00:19:58.140 And you're baptized. 00:19:58.400 --> 00:19:59.580 And your whole family is baptized. 00:19:59.900 --> 00:20:04.279 And you begin to worship together at this little house church down the road from where 00:20:04.279 --> 00:20:04.700 you live. 00:20:04.920 --> 00:20:09.940 And one day, you're gathering for church and you're chasing your kids down as they run up 00:20:09.940 --> 00:20:10.620 and down the aisles. 00:20:10.680 --> 00:20:12.900 Then all of a sudden, the door is darkened. 00:20:12.940 --> 00:20:16.180 And you look up and you see a face that has never entered that church before. 00:20:16.180 --> 00:20:18.299 But you know darn well who it is. 00:20:19.240 --> 00:20:20.240 He's not a Jew. 00:20:21.900 --> 00:20:27.060 You know even without the uniform on, this is a Roman centurion and his family. 00:20:27.340 --> 00:20:29.120 The very embodiment of Roman authority. 00:20:29.779 --> 00:20:31.019 The very embodiment of oppression. 00:20:31.580 --> 00:20:32.779 The very embodiment of privilege. 00:20:32.779 --> 00:20:37.379 And he comes in the door with his family and he sits down right next to you. 00:20:39.039 --> 00:20:44.000 And then this crazy, short, ugly, mediocre preacher named Paul gets up. 00:20:45.000 --> 00:20:49.639 And he has the audacity to tell you that because of Jesus, there is no longer any difference 00:20:49.639 --> 00:20:51.299 between this man and you. 00:20:51.299 --> 00:20:51.359 How dare you? 00:20:52.980 --> 00:20:55.759 That you are all equal in God's eyes. 00:20:56.200 --> 00:21:00.619 That you're brothers and sisters and you share in the inheritance of Jesus Christ. 00:21:01.000 --> 00:21:01.839 Your inheritance. 00:21:02.180 --> 00:21:04.839 The inheritance that had been promised to the Jews for centuries. 00:21:05.200 --> 00:21:06.460 How dare he say that? 00:21:06.700 --> 00:21:09.359 Can you understand what that must have been like? 00:21:10.180 --> 00:21:11.899 But I'm the one with the circumcision. 00:21:12.139 --> 00:21:13.700 You haven't even been under the law of Moses. 00:21:13.799 --> 00:21:15.500 You haven't even gone through what I've gone through. 00:21:15.559 --> 00:21:18.659 You have no idea what it's like to be me to go through all of those years of oppression. 00:21:18.720 --> 00:21:19.519 You have no idea. 00:21:19.519 --> 00:21:24.480 How dare you just waltz in here and assume that you could sit down next to me and share 00:21:24.480 --> 00:21:25.240 the same meal. 00:21:25.539 --> 00:21:26.700 I won't have it. 00:21:28.019 --> 00:21:29.200 This is what's happening. 00:21:30.160 --> 00:21:36.700 And in a very understandable way that we can empathize, a symbol of grace has become 00:21:36.700 --> 00:21:37.559 a symbol of merit. 00:21:39.079 --> 00:21:39.579 Right? 00:21:40.359 --> 00:21:42.000 And they say, no, we won't have it. 00:21:44.440 --> 00:21:48.920 Every distortion of the gospel involves twisting grace into merit. 00:21:48.920 --> 00:21:53.759 Forgetting that our relationship with God is based on a gift and beginning to think that 00:21:53.759 --> 00:21:55.120 we have somehow earned it. 00:21:55.620 --> 00:21:56.900 We've suffered enough for it. 00:21:56.960 --> 00:21:58.180 We've obeyed enough for it. 00:21:59.440 --> 00:22:04.320 And what we began to see as we peel back the onion of the human heart is that human beings 00:22:04.320 --> 00:22:06.460 are irrepressibly self-righteous. 00:22:06.700 --> 00:22:11.820 In other words, we have this irrepressible desire to prove our own worth and excellence. 00:22:11.819 --> 00:22:19.579 And the better you are, the more good you do in the world, the harder it is to repress 00:22:19.579 --> 00:22:19.919 that. 00:22:21.119 --> 00:22:21.480 Right? 00:22:21.539 --> 00:22:22.779 We need to prove ourselves. 00:22:22.980 --> 00:22:24.359 And the best way to do that is what? 00:22:24.960 --> 00:22:26.599 Well, to compare yourselves to other people. 00:22:27.039 --> 00:22:27.399 Right? 00:22:27.899 --> 00:22:30.899 Well, how do I know I'm good and worthy and valuable in God's kingdom? 00:22:31.000 --> 00:22:32.059 Well, I know I'm better than you. 00:22:33.019 --> 00:22:34.899 Now, we would never say that, but we think it. 00:22:34.900 --> 00:22:40.259 You know, I mean, surely in the grand scheme of things, when all of this is totaled up and, 00:22:40.460 --> 00:22:41.820 you know, I'm going to be one of the good guys. 00:22:42.700 --> 00:22:47.580 I have yet to meet anybody who's lucid, who doesn't think they're a good guy. 00:22:48.600 --> 00:22:50.220 Everybody thinks they're the good guy. 00:22:50.340 --> 00:22:51.700 Everybody thinks they're the protagonist. 00:22:52.860 --> 00:22:53.220 Right? 00:22:53.900 --> 00:22:59.080 But if we begin to look at our society, we begin to realize that we see this self-righteousness 00:22:59.080 --> 00:23:01.840 sort of percolating to the surface. 00:23:01.839 --> 00:23:04.779 Let me just give you one example. 00:23:06.159 --> 00:23:11.159 Over the last couple of hundred years, everybody will agree that there's been a decline of 00:23:11.159 --> 00:23:12.139 Christianity in the West. 00:23:12.759 --> 00:23:12.839 Right? 00:23:13.500 --> 00:23:14.959 Christianity has retreated. 00:23:15.619 --> 00:23:19.399 And we have numbers coming out over the last couple of decades of people leaving the church 00:23:19.399 --> 00:23:19.919 in droves. 00:23:20.019 --> 00:23:22.240 Churches are sinking and some denominations are dying. 00:23:23.259 --> 00:23:28.759 So, you know, the society has become more and more and more secular, less and less and 00:23:28.759 --> 00:23:30.899 less defined by a Christian worldview. 00:23:30.900 --> 00:23:33.660 And this is, you know, measurable phenomenon. 00:23:33.840 --> 00:23:34.940 We can see this very clearly. 00:23:35.860 --> 00:23:39.740 What I'm interested in is the impact that that is having on our society because most 00:23:39.740 --> 00:23:43.920 people, when they think about legalism, when they think about moralism, when they think 00:23:43.920 --> 00:23:47.860 about sort of people being judgmental toward one another, they immediately think of Christians. 00:23:47.980 --> 00:23:52.980 I hate those Christians who are so judgmental and legalistic and have all their rules and 00:23:52.980 --> 00:23:54.100 they're always condemning people. 00:23:54.220 --> 00:23:55.360 I hate those Christians. 00:23:55.359 --> 00:24:00.619 And so you would think that as Christianity retreats in the West and as we are sort of 00:24:00.619 --> 00:24:05.939 no longer burdened by a Judeo-Christian moral framework that we would become more gracious, 00:24:07.119 --> 00:24:16.639 more open-minded, more sort of laissez-faire, that there would be a removal of the legalism 00:24:16.640 --> 00:24:20.920 and it would just sort of be, you know, everybody kind of, you know, do whatever you want. 00:24:20.920 --> 00:24:26.640 And, you know, for a while we talked about our society being very relativistic and that 00:24:26.640 --> 00:24:31.480 was sort of in the early, you know, early days when the retreat had just begun. 00:24:32.520 --> 00:24:33.620 Things have changed. 00:24:33.619 --> 00:24:36.779 It's not like that anymore. 00:24:37.299 --> 00:24:41.459 In fact, I would say I think that you can make a very convincing argument that we have 00:24:41.459 --> 00:24:47.799 become more legalistic and more moralistic and more judgmental than ever in any time 00:24:47.799 --> 00:24:48.359 I remember. 00:24:48.639 --> 00:24:53.159 I'm 41 and I've just seen this progression over the course of my adult life of our society 00:24:53.159 --> 00:24:57.019 becoming more and more and more rigidly moralistic and legalistic. 00:24:57.419 --> 00:24:58.679 It's been amazing to watch. 00:24:59.279 --> 00:25:03.379 You know, it's interesting if you begin to compare the church and life in the church with 00:25:03.380 --> 00:25:04.840 what we see in secular society. 00:25:04.960 --> 00:25:07.880 Again, just to give you one example, take the idea of excommunication. 00:25:09.460 --> 00:25:12.220 All right, so most people, the idea of excommunication is a horrible thing. 00:25:12.300 --> 00:25:17.280 You know, the Bible tells us that in a church community, if somebody continues in sin and they 00:25:17.280 --> 00:25:21.960 continually refuse to repent and we've done everything we can to pursue that brother or 00:25:21.960 --> 00:25:25.160 sister and they just refuse, that at some point we are called to cast them out. 00:25:25.500 --> 00:25:27.220 Paul talks about this in 1 Corinthians 5. 00:25:27.300 --> 00:25:28.500 We are to cast them out. 00:25:28.740 --> 00:25:30.160 And people say, well, that's horrible. 00:25:30.380 --> 00:25:31.820 How could you do that? 00:25:31.840 --> 00:25:33.000 And that's so mean and judgmental. 00:25:33.380 --> 00:25:39.400 But what's interesting is, is the entire purpose of excommunication in the church is restoration 00:25:39.400 --> 00:25:42.860 and unity in the body, right? 00:25:42.900 --> 00:25:46.920 Because in 2 Corinthians, Paul revisits the same situation and he says, now that you've 00:25:46.920 --> 00:25:52.800 cast this brother out, I'm concerned that he might be overwhelmed with excessive sorrow. 00:25:53.500 --> 00:25:56.960 And so now I want you to go and I want you to reaffirm your love for him. 00:25:56.960 --> 00:25:58.519 Why? 00:25:58.600 --> 00:26:02.980 Because ultimately the goal is that that brother would be folded back into the arms of the community 00:26:02.980 --> 00:26:08.480 and they would, as one, continue in their progression toward the eschaton, towards God's ultimate 00:26:08.480 --> 00:26:12.240 purpose, establishing them as a family to glorify his name, right? 00:26:12.340 --> 00:26:14.420 That's the reason that they do it. 00:26:15.039 --> 00:26:19.440 It's a way of saying to everybody, we take sin seriously because we take holiness seriously. 00:26:19.440 --> 00:26:25.880 Now contrast that with the excommunications that we see play out every single day, the 00:26:25.880 --> 00:26:28.259 public excommunications that occur. 00:26:28.620 --> 00:26:33.920 Almost every single day, somebody says something in the wrong way, they send out a stupid tweet 00:26:33.920 --> 00:26:37.840 that they didn't think about, they do something that it didn't mean to do, and they're found 00:26:37.840 --> 00:26:38.120 out. 00:26:38.180 --> 00:26:38.920 And what happens? 00:26:38.920 --> 00:26:46.039 Many, many, many times, the judgment is swift and brutal, right? 00:26:46.160 --> 00:26:48.259 The public shaming begins. 00:26:48.660 --> 00:26:50.539 The public outrage begins. 00:26:51.800 --> 00:26:56.560 And once that happens, there is no eye toward restoration. 00:26:56.920 --> 00:26:58.800 There is no eye toward future unity. 00:26:58.920 --> 00:27:02.820 There is no concern about anyone being overwhelmed with excessive sorrow. 00:27:03.539 --> 00:27:08.180 People are brutally shamed and cast aside, and then we move on to the next target. 00:27:08.920 --> 00:27:12.960 And this is damaging to people. 00:27:13.240 --> 00:27:14.140 It ruins families. 00:27:14.259 --> 00:27:14.900 It ruins lives. 00:27:15.360 --> 00:27:19.580 And so as we see this happen, and as we see it happen again and again and again, we realize 00:27:19.580 --> 00:27:27.100 legalism isn't something that comes out of Christianity, or really any religion. 00:27:27.519 --> 00:27:29.400 Legalism comes out of the human heart. 00:27:31.300 --> 00:27:35.720 Legalism is a product, is a fruit of the natural human heart. 00:27:35.720 --> 00:27:39.620 The retreat of Christianity has not created a more gracious and tolerant society. 00:27:40.039 --> 00:27:43.339 It's resulted in a more shame-based, moralistic society. 00:27:44.380 --> 00:27:48.039 And the point we need to see is this, that legalism is not the result of Christianity. 00:27:48.319 --> 00:27:51.759 It's the result of the absence of Christianity, right? 00:27:51.799 --> 00:27:53.059 Because this is human nature. 00:27:54.339 --> 00:27:57.660 Christianity, therefore, is not the cause of legalism. 00:27:58.559 --> 00:28:02.900 Christianity, and the radical message of Paul is this, Christianity is the cure for legalism. 00:28:02.900 --> 00:28:04.680 This is the cure. 00:28:04.820 --> 00:28:06.019 It's the only way out. 00:28:06.759 --> 00:28:11.040 Every other religious system, philosophy, every secular society, they default. 00:28:11.180 --> 00:28:12.680 We default into legalism. 00:28:13.700 --> 00:28:16.000 Us, them, insider, outsider. 00:28:16.120 --> 00:28:17.560 We're desperate to be on the inside. 00:28:17.840 --> 00:28:19.820 We are desperate not to be the target of shame. 00:28:22.200 --> 00:28:24.160 So, what's the big deal? 00:28:25.540 --> 00:28:26.360 What's the big deal? 00:28:26.420 --> 00:28:27.000 Why does it matter? 00:28:27.580 --> 00:28:29.540 Paul spells out the gospel in verse 3. 00:28:29.539 --> 00:28:36.759 He says this, grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ, who gave himself for our sins. 00:28:38.079 --> 00:28:40.159 Who gave himself for our sins. 00:28:41.420 --> 00:28:47.539 All right, so the gospel begins with us owning and confessing our own personal sin. 00:28:48.200 --> 00:28:50.659 Our stake in the breakdown of the world. 00:28:50.660 --> 00:28:58.759 And that's where things get so hard, because I'm happy to talk about social sin. 00:28:58.880 --> 00:29:00.960 I'm happy to talk about institutional sin. 00:29:01.140 --> 00:29:03.420 I'm happy to talk about other people's sin. 00:29:04.120 --> 00:29:06.300 But I do not like talking about my own sin. 00:29:07.740 --> 00:29:13.320 But only then, Paul would say, only then can we accept the grace of Jesus Christ. 00:29:13.319 --> 00:29:20.559 Only then does it become grace when we realize that we didn't do anything to earn this blessing and favor of God. 00:29:20.659 --> 00:29:23.439 That he has chosen to bestow it because of his grace. 00:29:24.039 --> 00:29:27.659 But what that does is it fundamentally reorients your sense of self. 00:29:28.679 --> 00:29:31.339 Instead of being concerned about, am I inside or am I outside? 00:29:31.439 --> 00:29:32.819 Am I one of the good guys or one of the bad guys? 00:29:32.859 --> 00:29:36.500 And how do I stack up and rank up compared to this, that, or the other person around me? 00:29:36.500 --> 00:29:40.700 When our self-conception begins to be reoriented around the grace of God. 00:29:40.740 --> 00:29:45.039 And we began to see ourselves primarily as recipients of grace. 00:29:46.099 --> 00:29:48.319 Something we didn't earn and could never repay. 00:29:48.779 --> 00:29:50.339 That begins to change everything. 00:29:50.980 --> 00:29:56.039 Because what the gospel tells us is that no one, no matter how morally or religiously devoted, 00:29:56.579 --> 00:30:01.500 no matter how well educated, can assume that they are entitled to God's blessing. 00:30:01.500 --> 00:30:03.980 Because the gospel levels the playing field. 00:30:03.980 --> 00:30:09.460 How do you create one worldwide family from all the peoples of the earth when everybody is so different? 00:30:10.099 --> 00:30:11.579 First, you have to level the playing field. 00:30:12.779 --> 00:30:15.579 All have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God. 00:30:16.099 --> 00:30:18.940 But to all is the invitation of grace. 00:30:20.099 --> 00:30:21.259 So why does this matter? 00:30:22.700 --> 00:30:25.599 Just to get very practical for a minute here at the end. 00:30:26.299 --> 00:30:28.039 Because our society is being ripped apart. 00:30:30.180 --> 00:30:32.960 Because we're so deeply divided, we don't know what to do with ourselves. 00:30:33.980 --> 00:30:35.839 We're divided along religious lines. 00:30:35.960 --> 00:30:37.240 We're divided along racial lines. 00:30:37.339 --> 00:30:38.779 We're divided along political lines. 00:30:38.900 --> 00:30:41.720 We're divided along socioeconomic lines, educational lines. 00:30:42.019 --> 00:30:43.839 In every way you can imagine, we're being ripped apart. 00:30:44.180 --> 00:30:47.799 And as I said a little while ago, I feel like it's getting worse, not better. 00:30:49.980 --> 00:30:53.420 You know, I just have to confess, you know, I've been rocked this week. 00:30:53.440 --> 00:30:55.700 As I'm sure most of you have as well. 00:30:55.700 --> 00:31:01.799 Between Cavanaugh and Ford and watching this whole thing unfold. 00:31:02.019 --> 00:31:03.600 And some of you are a lot closer than I am. 00:31:04.160 --> 00:31:05.840 You know, I know people who have been… 00:31:05.840 --> 00:31:08.940 Somebody talked to me this morning and said, you know, I've been there for every minute of it. 00:31:09.299 --> 00:31:11.259 I've had to be in the room every minute of it. 00:31:12.400 --> 00:31:13.799 And it's brutal. 00:31:14.519 --> 00:31:18.180 And I have to confess, I have no idea what to say about it. 00:31:18.180 --> 00:31:24.980 You know, my great fear is that if I say anything, that will be in some way interpreted as bias, right? 00:31:25.640 --> 00:31:26.860 For, against, right? 00:31:26.860 --> 00:31:28.720 Because that's the lens that we're looking at it through. 00:31:29.600 --> 00:31:34.799 And so I've reached out and all my friends, pastor friends, men and women, I've said, what are you doing about this? 00:31:34.799 --> 00:31:37.320 And everybody's kind of ringing their, you know, I have no idea what to do. 00:31:37.340 --> 00:31:38.060 I have no idea what to say. 00:31:38.100 --> 00:31:38.980 It's awful, right? 00:31:38.980 --> 00:31:43.640 And so I thought, what's the only thing that I can say with any degree of confidence here? 00:31:43.720 --> 00:31:48.920 Recognizing the pain and the suffering that this has created for so many people. 00:31:49.519 --> 00:31:53.099 You know, the hurt and past trauma that this has awakened for so many people. 00:31:54.579 --> 00:31:57.019 The only thing I can say with confidence is this. 00:31:57.920 --> 00:32:05.220 That Jesus Christ is the only one who can heal the spiritual and social fabric of our society. 00:32:05.900 --> 00:32:07.240 He is the only one. 00:32:07.240 --> 00:32:15.220 The only way to have a real relationship with God is through the gospel. 00:32:15.420 --> 00:32:23.359 The only way to have any hope of having real relationships with one another is the gospel of Jesus Christ. 00:32:23.460 --> 00:32:25.660 It's the only hope we have. 00:32:27.160 --> 00:32:31.359 But in order to become a part of that hope and to, God willing, become a part of the answer, 00:32:31.359 --> 00:32:37.019 it begins with our willingness to accept grace, which means admitting our own sin. 00:32:37.559 --> 00:32:42.380 Which means recognizing that we don't deserve and yet we've been given this miraculous gift. 00:32:42.920 --> 00:32:46.319 And that we've been promised by God that as a result of that gift, 00:32:47.019 --> 00:32:52.240 we can look forward to the day when all injustice and division and strife will be no more. 00:32:52.599 --> 00:32:54.900 And that we will be there together to celebrate it. 00:32:55.319 --> 00:32:56.579 To the praise of his holy name. 00:32:58.059 --> 00:32:58.680 Let's pray. 00:32:58.680 --> 00:33:20.740 by the fruit of our eyes.