WEBVTT 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:06.179 The scripture reading comes from Romans 3, starting at verse 21. 00:00:30.000 --> 00:00:35.060 Whom God put forward as a propitiation by his blood to be received by faith. 00:00:35.820 --> 00:00:41.820 This was to show God's righteousness, because in his divine forbearance he had passed over former sins. 00:00:42.420 --> 00:00:49.719 It was to show his righteousness at the present time, so that he might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus. 00:00:50.719 --> 00:00:53.820 Then what becomes of our boasting? It is excluded. 00:00:54.460 --> 00:00:59.179 By what kind of law? By law of works? No, but by the law of faith. 00:01:00.000 --> 00:01:04.219 For we hold that one is justified by faith apart from the works of the law. 00:01:04.780 --> 00:01:09.340 Or is God the God of Jews only? Is he not the God of Gentiles also? 00:01:10.000 --> 00:01:11.680 Yes, of Gentiles also. 00:01:12.260 --> 00:01:17.760 Since God is one, who will justify the circumcised by faith and the uncircumcised through faith. 00:01:18.500 --> 00:01:20.840 Do we then overthrow the law by this faith? 00:01:21.019 --> 00:01:24.299 By no means. On the contrary, we uphold the law. 00:01:25.200 --> 00:01:25.480 Amen. 00:01:29.180 --> 00:01:31.460 Great. Thank you so much, Irene. 00:01:32.280 --> 00:01:34.320 Happy New Year, everyone. 00:01:34.700 --> 00:01:40.060 Just really exciting to come into this new year where we have no idea what lies ahead. 00:01:40.360 --> 00:01:47.520 But we do know that we have a solid rock in Jesus as we move on into all that God has for us. 00:01:47.519 --> 00:01:52.019 Let me just pray for us as we start and we look into the passage this morning. 00:01:56.019 --> 00:02:09.180 Father, we don't stand before you as if we are those who have any claim on you because we've been good enough for you. 00:02:09.180 --> 00:02:19.439 We don't stand this year moving into the year expecting us to deserve something because we are entitled to it. 00:02:20.020 --> 00:02:22.460 Because we stand with no entitlements. 00:02:23.060 --> 00:02:31.340 But Lord, I pray this morning that your incredible grace, that your incredible righteousness, that the amazingness of the gospel would capture our hearts. 00:02:31.340 --> 00:02:37.580 I pray that you'd help me to speak in a way which you will take and you will just bury it into our hearts. 00:02:37.680 --> 00:02:39.680 Lord, move it out of our heads and into our hearts. 00:02:39.920 --> 00:02:41.620 The word that you want to speak. 00:02:42.039 --> 00:02:44.879 And Lord, we just pray that you would be exalted in Jesus name. 00:02:45.659 --> 00:02:45.939 Amen. 00:02:47.759 --> 00:02:48.159 Great. 00:02:48.439 --> 00:02:50.740 So welcome, everyone. 00:02:51.219 --> 00:02:55.640 Again, it's great to start 2021 together with you. 00:02:55.639 --> 00:02:58.319 We're going to be looking at a new series. 00:02:59.199 --> 00:03:03.339 And I want to talk to you about orthopedics. 00:03:03.919 --> 00:03:13.879 You see, orthopedics is a branch of medicine that, according to the Oxford Dictionary, deals with the correction of deformities in the bones or muscles. 00:03:15.119 --> 00:03:17.199 And ortho means straight. 00:03:17.199 --> 00:03:23.599 It's about putting things which are deformed into right alignment. 00:03:23.719 --> 00:03:25.799 Things which are crooked, straightening them. 00:03:26.179 --> 00:03:33.000 You know, if you go to the gym or if you train or lift heavy weights, you know, it's possible to just get into bad habits of lifting. 00:03:33.000 --> 00:03:41.759 So that eventually what happens, your back or your skeletal structure just begins to feel that over time. 00:03:42.060 --> 00:03:48.259 And you begin to develop these habits which actually really affect your entire health for the rest of your body. 00:03:48.979 --> 00:03:53.400 Now, the thing with your bone structure and your muscles is they're not all your body. 00:03:53.520 --> 00:03:57.300 You've got plenty of other bits of your arteries and nervous system and all those different things. 00:03:57.300 --> 00:04:08.360 But if you don't get the skeleton right, if you don't get the bones and muscles right, if you get into poor habits or posture or lifting, then everything is affected. 00:04:08.860 --> 00:04:15.420 But if you get into healthy habits, then that sets you up for health in all kinds of other areas. 00:04:16.319 --> 00:04:18.600 Well, today we're actually not going to talk about orthopedics. 00:04:18.759 --> 00:04:20.879 We're going to talk about orthodoxy. 00:04:21.300 --> 00:04:25.939 And that's what we're going to be looking at over the next four weeks of gospel orthodoxy. 00:04:25.939 --> 00:04:29.000 Because orthodoxy is not about straight bones. 00:04:29.360 --> 00:04:31.360 It's about straight doctrine. 00:04:32.000 --> 00:04:43.439 And just as the right bone structure and the right is crucial for health, so the right doctrine is crucial for all the other stuff of the Christian life. 00:04:43.899 --> 00:04:50.439 And this year, if we don't get the gospel doctrine right, as we talk about mission, as we talk about community, 00:04:50.439 --> 00:04:54.980 as we talk about all kinds of other things in the Christian life that we will this year, 00:04:54.980 --> 00:05:02.460 if our bones are out of line, we'll be hobbling spiritually in all the other areas God calls us to. 00:05:03.500 --> 00:05:13.140 And so we're going to look at just a few backbones of the gospel message over these next few weeks of what Jesus has done for us on the cross. 00:05:13.620 --> 00:05:17.259 And today we're going to start with looking at justification. 00:05:17.259 --> 00:05:17.539 Justification. 00:05:18.599 --> 00:05:27.579 Now, I think justification by grace through faith is one of the most important doctrines for Christians, 00:05:27.779 --> 00:05:32.219 not just in the world globally, but in Hong Kong and in our time in history. 00:05:33.360 --> 00:05:38.620 You see, it's one of the most countercultural doctrines here in Hong Kong. 00:05:38.620 --> 00:05:44.480 Rapper Shai Lin once said justification by faith is the key to eliminating racism. 00:05:45.579 --> 00:05:46.660 I think he's right. 00:05:47.079 --> 00:05:48.459 And it's not just racism. 00:05:48.819 --> 00:05:50.560 It's all kinds of isms. 00:05:51.019 --> 00:05:56.079 Because we live in a world that is filled with judgment, don't we? 00:05:56.579 --> 00:06:03.480 And if you don't feel judged when you go outside into the world, then you will be judging other people. 00:06:03.480 --> 00:06:11.319 We're always comparing ourselves with others, putting people into boxes of what we think conforms to our standards. 00:06:12.340 --> 00:06:17.980 And, you know, the basis for our judgment, whether it's from childhood all the way to death, is your performance. 00:06:18.600 --> 00:06:20.580 It's how well you have performance. 00:06:20.860 --> 00:06:24.700 I spoke to someone who works with the elderly in poverty here in Hong Kong. 00:06:24.700 --> 00:06:31.879 And he said to me, many of the elderly, they love kids, but they don't want some of the kids to visit them. 00:06:31.879 --> 00:06:40.300 Because kids are so used to hearing critical comments from their parents that when they go around to the poor homes of these elderly people, 00:06:40.480 --> 00:06:43.759 they have no filter and they just blunt out all these critical comments. 00:06:44.060 --> 00:06:46.339 And they make the elderly just feel judged. 00:06:46.879 --> 00:06:49.740 And they already feel bad enough about themselves already. 00:06:50.180 --> 00:06:53.339 They don't just want to be put again in that box again. 00:06:53.620 --> 00:06:57.259 So they prefer to be alone, even though they're desperate for community. 00:06:57.259 --> 00:07:01.659 You know, that's sometimes not just with the elderly. 00:07:02.219 --> 00:07:05.459 That's sometimes even in church we can feel like that. 00:07:06.500 --> 00:07:11.399 Martin Luther, the reformer, was once paraphrased saying this. 00:07:11.519 --> 00:07:19.980 He said, every week I preach justification by faith to my people because every week they forget it. 00:07:20.920 --> 00:07:22.500 I think that is so true. 00:07:22.500 --> 00:07:24.680 You see, one author says it like this. 00:07:24.740 --> 00:07:34.779 He says, for most Christians, we intellectually know that God's acceptance of us is because of what Jesus did on the cross. 00:07:35.360 --> 00:07:44.439 But in our actual day-to-day existence, most of us still rely on our performance to assure us of God's love and acceptance. 00:07:44.439 --> 00:07:52.879 Either our spiritual sincerity, all the stuff that we've done for Jesus, our past experience of conversion, or our recent religious performance. 00:07:52.980 --> 00:07:54.740 I read my Bible today, I prayed. 00:07:55.100 --> 00:07:59.540 Or the relative infrequency of conscious, willful disobedience. 00:07:59.620 --> 00:08:00.439 I held my tongue. 00:08:00.720 --> 00:08:01.720 I didn't watch porn. 00:08:01.920 --> 00:08:02.839 All those things. 00:08:03.060 --> 00:08:04.879 That's what we often rely on. 00:08:04.879 --> 00:08:22.540 But he says, and he carries on, Christians who are not sure that God loves them and accepts them in Jesus, apart from some spiritual performance or achievement, are subconsciously radically insecure people. 00:08:23.279 --> 00:08:24.079 Do you see what he's saying? 00:08:24.079 --> 00:08:30.680 He's saying, you can know the gospel in your head, but still be deeply insecure in your life. 00:08:30.879 --> 00:08:35.039 Always confessing sin, but never feeling like there's any joy out of it. 00:08:35.100 --> 00:08:36.179 Always feeling defeated. 00:08:36.500 --> 00:08:43.879 Always feeling like we're never quite meeting up to other people's expectations, our own expectations, or God's expectations of us. 00:08:44.139 --> 00:08:46.960 And that doesn't fill your heart with joy. 00:08:47.899 --> 00:08:49.539 Brothers and sisters, is that you? 00:08:49.539 --> 00:08:56.959 Is that you who say, yeah, I've heard this idea of justification before, but do we live in it? 00:08:58.019 --> 00:08:58.579 Do we? 00:08:58.939 --> 00:09:01.059 Does it thrill our hearts? 00:09:02.279 --> 00:09:10.719 Well, today we're going to talk about this glorious doctrine of the justification through grace, by grace, through faith. 00:09:10.959 --> 00:09:15.419 And we're going to look at the bad news, the good news, and so what. 00:09:15.419 --> 00:09:24.099 So, follow along, we're going to look at, I'm going to base out of the Romans passage and use a couple of others as we go along. 00:09:24.719 --> 00:09:31.299 You know, I was talking to a couple about their home country, and they said what an incredible culture theirs was. 00:09:31.519 --> 00:09:36.360 It was vibrant, it was just people had a great attitude in so many different ways. 00:09:36.839 --> 00:09:38.259 But they said there's a dark side. 00:09:38.259 --> 00:09:45.960 For generation after generation, people have been ingrained with the mentality that they think it's okay to steal stuff. 00:09:46.939 --> 00:09:51.419 You know, you're smart if you trick people out of other people's things. 00:09:51.899 --> 00:10:00.460 And so even if the police catch you, well, what you do, you go to court, and you can just pay a bribe to the judge. 00:10:00.460 --> 00:10:03.000 Go, remember that money I gave you last week? 00:10:03.200 --> 00:10:04.540 You know, let me off. 00:10:04.820 --> 00:10:08.780 Or, what they do is they point the finger at someone else and blame someone else. 00:10:08.820 --> 00:10:11.460 So, they get acquitted, somebody else gets condemned. 00:10:12.160 --> 00:10:14.680 And so they have this right standing before the law. 00:10:15.080 --> 00:10:19.820 They have right standing before the community because everyone thinks they're smart that they got out of it. 00:10:19.820 --> 00:10:23.920 And that's how justification works for them. 00:10:24.600 --> 00:10:32.440 Because justification is the declaration of being acquitted, of being proved to be in the right. 00:10:32.680 --> 00:10:37.440 It's the status of being righteous, acceptable. 00:10:38.580 --> 00:10:46.320 But Proverbs says this, when the wicked are justified and the righteous are condemned, this is an abomination to God. 00:10:46.320 --> 00:10:50.640 It says that's a place where injustice reigns. 00:10:50.840 --> 00:10:53.800 The powerful get away with murder and the weaker crushed. 00:10:54.260 --> 00:11:00.500 And that is the picture that as we come and look in Romans, that Paul paints of the human race. 00:11:00.920 --> 00:11:03.840 He says we're part of the Adams family. 00:11:04.700 --> 00:11:06.420 Where Adam is the head of our family. 00:11:06.740 --> 00:11:14.180 And it's a family that from generation after generation on generation we've been characterized by sin and unjust judgment. 00:11:14.179 --> 00:11:19.439 And it's embedded into the culture of every one of us. 00:11:19.799 --> 00:11:22.159 And we feel that, don't we, in our judging culture. 00:11:22.620 --> 00:11:27.699 And Paul says earlier on, before the passage we read, he says no one is righteous, not even one. 00:11:27.700 --> 00:11:36.000 And he says what we try and do is, because we do know that and we feel that, but we try and cover our insecurity. 00:11:36.500 --> 00:11:39.259 We try and find ways to acquit ourselves. 00:11:39.940 --> 00:11:41.820 Ways to prove that we're a good person. 00:11:41.920 --> 00:11:43.180 To prove that we're acceptable. 00:11:43.740 --> 00:11:45.640 To justify ourselves. 00:11:46.080 --> 00:11:50.580 And in order to justify ourselves, we blame and condemn someone else. 00:11:51.440 --> 00:11:54.560 Do you remember the parable of the tax collector and the Pharisee? 00:11:54.559 --> 00:12:02.839 It says that Jesus told this parable to some people who trusted in themselves that they were righteous. 00:12:03.419 --> 00:12:06.299 And then treated other people with contempt. 00:12:07.059 --> 00:12:12.979 See, the Pharisee comes into the temple and he parades before God all the good things that he's done. 00:12:13.059 --> 00:12:16.219 He says, I thank you God that I'm not like other men. 00:12:16.639 --> 00:12:18.459 You know, those people down there. 00:12:18.959 --> 00:12:23.899 I've fasted, I've tithed, I've served chasiofan to homeless people, even if they didn't want it. 00:12:23.899 --> 00:12:29.919 He produces all the evidence for why he should be justified before God. 00:12:30.779 --> 00:12:33.419 He should be declared righteous before God. 00:12:33.539 --> 00:12:34.659 Look at all this stuff. 00:12:34.919 --> 00:12:36.959 All these things that I've done for you. 00:12:37.860 --> 00:12:38.500 What's he doing? 00:12:39.220 --> 00:12:41.179 He's actually trying to bribe the judge. 00:12:41.879 --> 00:12:46.039 He's saying, like, overlook other stuff because look at this stuff that I did here. 00:12:46.039 --> 00:12:49.799 And what is he doing? 00:12:50.099 --> 00:12:54.159 He's created his own standards of what he thinks can justify himself. 00:12:54.559 --> 00:12:57.839 And by those same standards, then he ends up condemning other people. 00:12:59.019 --> 00:13:04.120 It's like the yellow supporter goes, I thank you God that I'm not like those blue ribbon supporters. 00:13:04.539 --> 00:13:05.759 I fight for justice. 00:13:05.759 --> 00:13:10.259 And the blue supporter goes, I thank you God that I'm not like those yellow guys. 00:13:10.500 --> 00:13:12.059 I honor the government and stability. 00:13:12.480 --> 00:13:16.919 And we go, God, I thank you God that I'm not like those other water markers. 00:13:17.159 --> 00:13:18.100 I come on time. 00:13:18.220 --> 00:13:18.759 I serve. 00:13:19.019 --> 00:13:21.620 I read the Bible and pray semi-regularly. 00:13:22.059 --> 00:13:25.539 And even if I don't, at least I'm responsible and respectful. 00:13:25.679 --> 00:13:28.980 Unlike that person over there who lets their kids run wild. 00:13:28.980 --> 00:13:40.800 And in Romans, it was the Jewish Christians who were going, I thank God I'm not like those Gentiles who eat pork and don't keep the Jewish law like we do. 00:13:40.960 --> 00:13:47.240 And the Gentiles were going, Gentile Christians were going, I thank God that I'm not like those legalistic Jewish rule-based Christians. 00:13:47.340 --> 00:13:49.800 I've got freedom in Christ so I can eat what I like. 00:13:49.800 --> 00:13:58.399 And that own standards of judgment was the source of every ism that we have in our world. 00:13:58.399 --> 00:13:59.980 It's the source of most conflict. 00:14:00.139 --> 00:14:01.740 It's the source of the conflict in Romans. 00:14:02.519 --> 00:14:08.759 One group was bringing in bacon sandwiches to eat to church because they thought they were free. 00:14:08.980 --> 00:14:13.799 The other was sitting on a separate table from the Gentiles because they didn't want to be polluted by them. 00:14:14.079 --> 00:14:17.579 All of them thought they were righteous and justified by their own standard. 00:14:18.519 --> 00:14:21.419 Isn't it amazing when you're in conflict with someone, you always think you're right. 00:14:21.539 --> 00:14:22.519 You never think you're wrong. 00:14:22.519 --> 00:14:27.740 At least you're 95% right and they're 5%, maybe 5% wrong. 00:14:28.399 --> 00:14:31.639 And Paul cuts through all of that. 00:14:32.340 --> 00:14:34.539 He rips up all the defenses. 00:14:34.919 --> 00:14:41.840 He tears down the list of things that you thought you could stand on to make yourself feel good about yourself. 00:14:42.620 --> 00:14:46.079 And he says there is an ultimate courtroom. 00:14:46.799 --> 00:14:48.579 He says none of you are righteous. 00:14:49.059 --> 00:14:50.220 Not even one. 00:14:50.220 --> 00:14:52.379 Not even one. 00:14:52.740 --> 00:14:57.540 Because he says there is an ultimate courtroom where only God is righteous one. 00:14:57.940 --> 00:14:59.100 He's the righteous judge. 00:14:59.160 --> 00:15:07.779 And his righteousness is his way of acting to always bring saving, restoring, order, and flourishing to the world. 00:15:07.779 --> 00:15:12.480 And God says as the righteous judge, I'm not going to equip the wicked. 00:15:12.919 --> 00:15:14.120 I'm not going to justify them. 00:15:14.299 --> 00:15:15.279 You can't bribe me. 00:15:15.459 --> 00:15:16.379 You can't flatter me. 00:15:16.600 --> 00:15:18.659 You can't pull the wool over my eyes. 00:15:19.159 --> 00:15:22.819 I will be just and my saving justice will come. 00:15:24.100 --> 00:15:28.539 And my standards are perfect holiness and love. 00:15:28.539 --> 00:15:33.579 Now some people may say, well God's standards, they're way too high. 00:15:34.099 --> 00:15:37.199 We can't expect to live up to perfect love, can we? 00:15:38.699 --> 00:15:43.879 An apologist, Francis Schaeffer, used to say, yeah, they are high. 00:15:44.559 --> 00:15:48.939 So how about we just judge you by your own standards? 00:15:48.940 --> 00:15:49.920 Okay, right? 00:15:49.980 --> 00:15:58.040 So what he says, he says, let God just record every time that you judge somebody else according to your standards. 00:15:58.260 --> 00:15:59.740 So, oh, they're such a gossip. 00:16:00.020 --> 00:16:01.960 Or how dare they lie like that? 00:16:02.540 --> 00:16:07.400 And then at the end of your life, he'll play back that recording and judge you by your own words. 00:16:09.940 --> 00:16:16.360 Who of us would not be condemned by even our own words, let alone God's? 00:16:16.360 --> 00:16:21.259 Which is why Paul says this. 00:16:22.159 --> 00:16:36.840 For by works of the law, by your own performance, even serving with an NGO or in kids' ministry, whatever you do, no human being will be justified in God's sight. 00:16:37.419 --> 00:16:43.639 Because since through the law, through God's standards, comes the knowledge of sin. 00:16:43.639 --> 00:16:49.379 All our righteousness is filthy rags before him. 00:16:49.960 --> 00:16:51.299 And that's the bad news. 00:16:51.720 --> 00:16:55.659 You ain't get nothing that God will accept by yourself. 00:16:56.639 --> 00:16:58.100 But then there's good news. 00:16:59.379 --> 00:17:03.460 The passage that we read today says this. 00:17:03.460 --> 00:17:06.019 But now. 00:17:07.220 --> 00:17:09.700 That is a big but. 00:17:10.340 --> 00:17:11.380 It's bigger than my but. 00:17:11.740 --> 00:17:14.440 It's the biggest but in the entire Bible. 00:17:14.840 --> 00:17:19.600 It's a but which says the righteousness of God is revealed. 00:17:19.599 --> 00:17:25.079 When Martin Luther, the reformer, he thought about the righteousness of God. 00:17:25.419 --> 00:17:27.240 It filled him with fear. 00:17:27.240 --> 00:17:34.639 It filled him with fear because he thought God was there with like a sword over his head, ready to strike with his justice on him. 00:17:34.640 --> 00:17:42.880 And some of us have that sneaking suspicion at the back of our minds that maybe some of the hard circumstances you've been going through. 00:17:43.360 --> 00:17:46.080 Maybe some of the things that have been going wrong in your life. 00:17:46.160 --> 00:17:51.259 Maybe it's God punishing you because of something that you have done before in your life. 00:17:51.500 --> 00:17:53.560 And we might go, yeah, I know God loves me. 00:17:53.759 --> 00:17:55.680 But I'm not sure whether he really likes me. 00:17:55.700 --> 00:17:58.060 Because look at all the mess I've made in my life. 00:17:58.059 --> 00:18:00.919 And it says Martin Luther was reading Romans. 00:18:01.299 --> 00:18:02.399 Suddenly the penny dropped. 00:18:02.519 --> 00:18:04.759 God's righteousness is not his condemning justice. 00:18:04.960 --> 00:18:06.259 It's his saving justice. 00:18:07.339 --> 00:18:08.559 And he says this. 00:18:09.359 --> 00:18:10.519 There's no distinction. 00:18:11.359 --> 00:18:15.059 For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. 00:18:15.279 --> 00:18:20.559 All of us are way short of God's glorious, loving standards and his character. 00:18:21.220 --> 00:18:23.619 But then he says, but all of us. 00:18:24.519 --> 00:18:25.559 Not just good people. 00:18:25.559 --> 00:18:27.899 Not just people who seem very religious. 00:18:28.339 --> 00:18:30.000 Not just those who've got nice families. 00:18:30.359 --> 00:18:32.179 Not just those who do charity work. 00:18:32.659 --> 00:18:38.259 All of us are justified, declared righteous with right standing before God. 00:18:38.960 --> 00:18:40.519 By his grace. 00:18:40.980 --> 00:18:42.099 As a gift. 00:18:42.980 --> 00:18:45.980 Through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus. 00:18:46.460 --> 00:18:52.419 Whom God put forward as a propitiation by his blood to be received by faith. 00:18:53.099 --> 00:18:54.299 You see what he's saying is? 00:18:54.299 --> 00:18:58.079 He's saying the child from a wealthy family and the beggar on the street. 00:18:58.079 --> 00:19:01.019 That manipulative boss who you despise. 00:19:01.139 --> 00:19:03.139 To the colleague that you really like. 00:19:03.299 --> 00:19:05.079 To the corrupt government official. 00:19:05.259 --> 00:19:06.879 To the social rights activist. 00:19:07.079 --> 00:19:08.079 To the NGO worker. 00:19:08.919 --> 00:19:10.079 To the Boko Haram terrorist. 00:19:10.819 --> 00:19:15.720 All justified, declared righteous in the righteous family of God. 00:19:16.319 --> 00:19:18.359 By a free gift of grace. 00:19:18.539 --> 00:19:20.279 Through Jesus' work on the cross. 00:19:20.539 --> 00:19:21.940 Not by their performance. 00:19:21.940 --> 00:19:28.779 This is just totally, totally counter-cultural. 00:19:28.779 --> 00:19:30.339 I remember talking to one guy about this. 00:19:30.559 --> 00:19:32.119 And he became really mad. 00:19:32.500 --> 00:19:37.859 He said, how dare you suggest that you put me in the same category as those wicked people? 00:19:37.859 --> 00:19:41.959 How dare you put me in that same box? 00:19:42.179 --> 00:19:44.899 What he's really saying is, I'm more righteous than them. 00:19:46.099 --> 00:19:47.740 I should be in a different box. 00:19:47.859 --> 00:19:49.019 Sure, I've done some things wrong. 00:19:49.079 --> 00:19:49.639 Not perfect. 00:19:49.640 --> 00:19:52.660 But actually, I'm kind of 80% good. 00:19:53.840 --> 00:20:03.360 And God says, if you want to self-justify you by your performance, that's the road to condemnation before God. 00:20:03.700 --> 00:20:08.200 Because God's got enough evidence to put every single one of us behind bars before eternity. 00:20:08.200 --> 00:20:14.019 And we actually need to repent of our self-righteous, justifying good works. 00:20:14.759 --> 00:20:16.640 If we put our trust in them. 00:20:17.500 --> 00:20:22.340 You know, some of us, God is going to allow to fail spectacularly this year. 00:20:23.120 --> 00:20:30.180 Because he wants to scorch the ground of your own righteousness beneath your feet. 00:20:30.180 --> 00:20:35.380 So you realize there is only one solid ground of righteousness on which you can stand. 00:20:35.640 --> 00:20:36.799 And it's not yours. 00:20:36.960 --> 00:20:37.700 It's Jesus. 00:20:38.920 --> 00:20:40.759 It's not from how successful you've been. 00:20:40.940 --> 00:20:42.220 Not from how nice you are. 00:20:42.440 --> 00:20:44.279 Not from how many likes you've got on Instagram. 00:20:44.700 --> 00:20:48.820 Not from anything other than a pure, undeserved gift of grace. 00:20:49.200 --> 00:20:52.140 Paid entirely out of the bank of Jesus' blood. 00:20:52.580 --> 00:20:53.880 Shed on the cross for you. 00:20:54.779 --> 00:20:58.220 Jesus is the propitiation, it says, for our sin. 00:20:58.220 --> 00:21:03.759 He's the one who took God's anger, took God's verdict of judgment and condemnation onto him. 00:21:04.000 --> 00:21:04.900 And we go free. 00:21:06.559 --> 00:21:12.299 Now some people say things like, being justified is just as if I'd never sinned. 00:21:12.460 --> 00:21:13.720 And that's partly true. 00:21:14.579 --> 00:21:16.160 But it's actually more than that. 00:21:16.720 --> 00:21:20.400 It's not just you get kind of the slate wiped clean. 00:21:21.120 --> 00:21:24.160 You know, it's like, you know, you're in kind of minus 50 before God. 00:21:24.160 --> 00:21:27.040 And then he kind of brings you back up to zero. 00:21:27.500 --> 00:21:28.279 Wipes you clean. 00:21:28.540 --> 00:21:30.480 And then now you've got to be kind of good Christians. 00:21:30.600 --> 00:21:31.360 You've got to read your Bible. 00:21:31.460 --> 00:21:31.980 You've got to pray. 00:21:32.080 --> 00:21:32.640 You've got to serve. 00:21:32.720 --> 00:21:34.340 You've got to help old grannies across the road. 00:21:34.540 --> 00:21:35.440 All those kind of things. 00:21:35.480 --> 00:21:38.940 Just to stay out of God's bad books by being good. 00:21:39.080 --> 00:21:43.080 That's actually justification by grace plus works. 00:21:43.220 --> 00:21:44.860 That's not what Paul's talking about. 00:21:44.859 --> 00:21:50.819 Nor is it that you become made righteous in the sense of now we're all perfect. 00:21:51.219 --> 00:21:55.619 Because quite frankly, if you spend any time with any of us, you can see that that's not true. 00:21:56.399 --> 00:21:56.639 Okay. 00:21:57.679 --> 00:22:01.219 But a new creation will come and that will be true. 00:22:01.839 --> 00:22:08.599 But instead what he's saying is in justifying us, God, Christ totally changes our status. 00:22:09.639 --> 00:22:11.599 He does a great exchange. 00:22:11.599 --> 00:22:15.719 You know, 2 Corinthians 5, 21 says this. 00:22:16.379 --> 00:22:18.079 And he uses this language of in him. 00:22:18.559 --> 00:22:28.419 He says, God has made him, Jesus, to be sin who knew no sin so that in him we might become the righteousness of God. 00:22:29.039 --> 00:22:35.159 This language of kind of in Christ, this is a family language that he's using. 00:22:35.639 --> 00:22:41.119 And he's telling an incredible truth because sin, the Bible keeps telling, is like a debt that you owe to God. 00:22:41.119 --> 00:22:42.319 You owe him. 00:22:42.739 --> 00:22:44.239 And you can't pay it off. 00:22:45.079 --> 00:23:03.699 It's like we're part of this grubby Adams family, continually gambling away all our money, owing millions of dollars in debt, constantly trying to keep the loan sharks and banks away from us off our backs, occasionally offering the odd $20 note of good works to kind of try and keep us out of trouble for a little while. 00:23:03.700 --> 00:23:05.700 And it's tiring. 00:23:05.700 --> 00:23:06.299 And it's tiring. 00:23:06.299 --> 00:23:10.379 But then a wealthy judge comes along. 00:23:11.000 --> 00:23:16.500 In fact, the judge that you owe the most to in the world. 00:23:16.500 --> 00:23:21.299 And he comes along to you and you're in fear and trepidation. 00:23:21.400 --> 00:23:25.980 But he comes along and he says, for the sake of my name, I need to do justice. 00:23:27.200 --> 00:23:28.700 And you're wondering, what does this look like? 00:23:29.420 --> 00:23:30.579 He's come to get me now. 00:23:32.019 --> 00:23:33.559 He says, this debt's got to be paid. 00:23:33.559 --> 00:23:39.559 And then he says, but I want to give you a gift. 00:23:40.940 --> 00:23:42.379 Because I love you. 00:23:43.519 --> 00:23:45.359 I'll do an exchange. 00:23:45.359 --> 00:23:49.799 I'll exchange myself for yourself. 00:23:50.799 --> 00:23:57.899 I'll take your name, your sin debt, your unrighteousness, everything that you stand for. 00:23:58.519 --> 00:24:02.459 And I'll stand in your place in the dock as if I was taking your name. 00:24:02.779 --> 00:24:04.919 Your sin was placed upon me. 00:24:05.939 --> 00:24:07.839 And I'll take the condemnation. 00:24:08.059 --> 00:24:10.279 I'll take the punishment that was due you. 00:24:10.279 --> 00:24:15.579 I'll take it for all your past, all your present, and all your future sins. 00:24:16.440 --> 00:24:18.019 Completely wiped out forever. 00:24:19.599 --> 00:24:19.920 Cancelled. 00:24:21.599 --> 00:24:26.379 And if you don't want to accept the gift, if you want to go into court under your own name, 00:24:27.000 --> 00:24:28.379 man, you're already condemned. 00:24:28.539 --> 00:24:30.519 Everyone knows what the Adams family are like. 00:24:31.599 --> 00:24:37.579 There's enough paperwork and evidence around you that could just lead you guilty for the rest of history. 00:24:37.579 --> 00:24:43.139 And he says, I don't just want to leave it there so you just walk out of prison free and go ahead to do your own thing. 00:24:43.199 --> 00:24:47.899 What I'm going to do is, this part of the gift, the exchanges I bring you into my family. 00:24:48.879 --> 00:24:51.500 And I'm going to give you my righteousness. 00:24:52.199 --> 00:24:53.699 My righteous name. 00:24:54.899 --> 00:24:57.899 And my name is spotless in the courtroom of heaven. 00:24:57.900 --> 00:25:03.920 You see, I have the highest honor in heaven itself. 00:25:05.220 --> 00:25:07.920 Because life, my life is perfect. 00:25:09.060 --> 00:25:14.960 I'm utterly loving, utterly gracious, utterly blameless, utterly kind, utterly obedient. 00:25:16.380 --> 00:25:17.060 Spotless. 00:25:17.600 --> 00:25:20.759 And you could go through every file under my name. 00:25:20.759 --> 00:25:26.539 And all that you would find was pure, unadulterated, beautiful loveliness. 00:25:30.420 --> 00:25:32.319 That's when people hear my name. 00:25:32.539 --> 00:25:33.640 That's what they get. 00:25:33.799 --> 00:25:34.579 That's what they see. 00:25:34.720 --> 00:25:35.640 My righteousness. 00:25:36.500 --> 00:25:38.460 And now I want to give you my name. 00:25:39.180 --> 00:25:40.940 I want to give you my righteousness. 00:25:41.140 --> 00:25:42.339 Because you're with me. 00:25:42.599 --> 00:25:43.759 Because you're in me. 00:25:43.920 --> 00:25:45.039 In my family. 00:25:45.200 --> 00:25:46.339 Connected with me. 00:25:46.700 --> 00:25:48.940 You'll be counted as righteousness. 00:25:48.940 --> 00:25:51.539 All that I have is yours. 00:25:51.740 --> 00:25:54.180 Your bank account doesn't just go back to zero. 00:25:54.440 --> 00:25:56.620 Now you get my bank account at all. 00:25:56.820 --> 00:25:58.160 And that is limitless. 00:25:59.980 --> 00:26:01.420 You get credited. 00:26:02.059 --> 00:26:02.920 You're not just zero. 00:26:03.120 --> 00:26:06.380 You now have so much from me. 00:26:06.799 --> 00:26:08.039 My perfect righteousness. 00:26:08.900 --> 00:26:11.740 And so when you go into God's family courtroom. 00:26:12.120 --> 00:26:14.080 He looks at you and what does he see? 00:26:14.360 --> 00:26:15.680 He sees Jesus Christ. 00:26:15.880 --> 00:26:17.000 Clothed with him. 00:26:17.000 --> 00:26:20.039 And how does God view Jesus? 00:26:22.200 --> 00:26:23.660 He delights in him. 00:26:24.599 --> 00:26:26.240 He's pleased with him. 00:26:26.680 --> 00:26:28.500 He rejoices over him. 00:26:28.819 --> 00:26:32.279 He says you're my dearly beloved son with whom I'm well pleased. 00:26:32.599 --> 00:26:35.859 He's filled with joy at seeing him. 00:26:35.859 --> 00:26:38.599 And so when God looks at you. 00:26:38.699 --> 00:26:41.379 If you're a believer in Jesus and have trusted him. 00:26:43.139 --> 00:26:44.779 What does his face look like? 00:26:46.559 --> 00:26:47.319 It's delight. 00:26:48.019 --> 00:26:48.919 It's pleasure. 00:26:49.419 --> 00:26:50.479 It's joy. 00:26:50.879 --> 00:26:53.159 That you belong to him. 00:26:54.459 --> 00:26:55.459 That you're his. 00:26:56.519 --> 00:26:57.379 Isn't that amazing? 00:26:58.579 --> 00:26:59.159 Isn't that amazing? 00:26:59.199 --> 00:27:02.479 Isn't that just kind of sometimes hard to believe, right? 00:27:02.480 --> 00:27:05.759 Because you go, but you don't know all the stuff that I've done. 00:27:06.420 --> 00:27:08.259 And he goes, yeah, I know. 00:27:09.099 --> 00:27:11.240 And he said, but there's some really bad stuff. 00:27:11.319 --> 00:27:13.140 Like I haven't even told anyone about this. 00:27:13.160 --> 00:27:14.299 Not even my spouse. 00:27:15.380 --> 00:27:17.180 He says, yeah, I know it all. 00:27:18.120 --> 00:27:19.740 I felt it all. 00:27:19.940 --> 00:27:23.160 With every nail that was hammered into my hands. 00:27:23.220 --> 00:27:25.279 Don't you know how much I know what you've done? 00:27:25.279 --> 00:27:30.259 But I did it for you. 00:27:30.500 --> 00:27:32.759 That you could come into my family. 00:27:33.299 --> 00:27:34.480 And be mine. 00:27:36.200 --> 00:27:40.379 And know the delight of the King of Kings and the Lord of Lords. 00:27:43.180 --> 00:27:44.740 And there's only one condition. 00:27:45.960 --> 00:27:48.819 It's the most democratic condition that has ever existed. 00:27:49.960 --> 00:27:51.519 The condition is this. 00:27:51.519 --> 00:27:54.200 It's not according to your family background. 00:27:54.359 --> 00:27:55.420 Not according to your ethnicity. 00:27:55.720 --> 00:27:57.220 Not according to your past history. 00:27:57.539 --> 00:27:58.059 Your gender. 00:27:58.279 --> 00:27:58.839 Anything else. 00:27:59.099 --> 00:28:00.779 It's only by faith. 00:28:02.099 --> 00:28:03.139 And what does that mean? 00:28:03.200 --> 00:28:07.200 It's only by refusing to trust in your own performance. 00:28:07.720 --> 00:28:11.940 Your own righteousness to ever get acquitted and justified before God. 00:28:12.759 --> 00:28:14.460 It's opening your hands to say, 00:28:14.680 --> 00:28:18.920 It's not I need to do, do, do to get there with God. 00:28:18.920 --> 00:28:21.779 But it's how he has done, done, done for me. 00:28:21.980 --> 00:28:24.080 And I trust your work for me. 00:28:24.279 --> 00:28:25.940 I cannot justify myself. 00:28:26.060 --> 00:28:26.920 I'm a great sinner. 00:28:27.160 --> 00:28:29.279 But I have a great saviour in Christ. 00:28:30.800 --> 00:28:31.860 And it's gift. 00:28:32.820 --> 00:28:33.700 It's gift. 00:28:34.500 --> 00:28:35.380 And if you go, 00:28:36.160 --> 00:28:37.600 Yeah, well, give me a gift. 00:28:37.800 --> 00:28:41.880 And okay, let me just kind of give you like ten cents for that. 00:28:43.580 --> 00:28:45.539 That's actually offensive to the giver. 00:28:46.320 --> 00:28:48.680 He says, no, I want you to receive it by faith. 00:28:48.920 --> 00:28:54.420 This is the incredible good news of God's justification of us. 00:28:56.140 --> 00:28:58.519 But so what? 00:28:59.220 --> 00:29:04.080 Some of us, you know, we're, it sounds too good to be true, doesn't it? 00:29:04.560 --> 00:29:09.240 And we're all a little bit cynical in a lot of the things that we do because that's part of our culture. 00:29:09.240 --> 00:29:22.940 And we go and we say things like, if Jesus justified us, if we're completely righteous in God's eyes, if when he looks at us, he sees Jesus, he says he's utterly satisfied, utterly delighted, utterly pleased, then what's the point in obeying him? 00:29:23.799 --> 00:29:24.079 Right? 00:29:24.079 --> 00:29:26.980 Because I've got nothing left to prove, right? 00:29:27.579 --> 00:29:36.980 You know, Tobin Miller, who was the previous pastor here, he said, used to say, whenever I preach on justification by faith, the next week, everyone will quit serving kids ministry. 00:29:36.980 --> 00:29:39.740 Because it's like they have nothing left to prove. 00:29:41.240 --> 00:29:46.120 And Paul knows this objection in Romans 3. 00:29:46.319 --> 00:29:48.980 He says this in verse 31. 00:29:48.980 --> 00:29:56.700 Okay, if we've been justified, the Jews, the Gentiles, then do we then overthrow the law by this faith? 00:29:57.319 --> 00:30:00.240 Okay, in other words, do we kind of not really have to obey any longer? 00:30:00.319 --> 00:30:02.339 He says, no, we uphold the law. 00:30:02.839 --> 00:30:09.900 In other words, and Romans 6, he then says, listen, how can we who have died to sin still live in it? 00:30:09.900 --> 00:30:18.259 What he's saying is, if you've been brought into the righteous family of God, belonging to him, you died to the Adams family. 00:30:19.019 --> 00:30:24.019 He says, righteous, you know, losers, if you think you're a loser, you act like a loser, right? 00:30:25.900 --> 00:30:28.780 But righteous people act righteously. 00:30:29.280 --> 00:30:32.400 Righteous family has a righteous culture within them. 00:30:32.680 --> 00:30:34.820 And it's a culture where we're learning. 00:30:34.819 --> 00:30:44.019 And so why go back to the old sinful, broken habits of the old previous life in the Adams family, 00:30:44.419 --> 00:30:47.679 where he was just messing everything up in guilt and shame and condemnation. 00:30:47.779 --> 00:30:49.000 Why do you want to go back there? 00:30:52.139 --> 00:30:56.960 You know, it's a bit like if your dad comes in to his kids and says, 00:30:57.079 --> 00:31:00.460 hey, hey guys, I just saw this toy that was broken. 00:31:00.919 --> 00:31:02.839 And immediately you go, it wasn't me. 00:31:02.839 --> 00:31:03.879 It was my sister. 00:31:03.880 --> 00:31:04.780 It was her. She did it. 00:31:05.080 --> 00:31:05.460 It's her. 00:31:06.900 --> 00:31:12.320 And you become all kind of Adams family behavior, all defensive, all blaming. 00:31:12.700 --> 00:31:15.600 And your dad goes, hey, hey, you know, I love you. 00:31:16.440 --> 00:31:17.320 You're secure. 00:31:18.060 --> 00:31:19.880 You don't need to justify yourself. 00:31:21.060 --> 00:31:22.500 We're in a different family now. 00:31:22.760 --> 00:31:25.320 We've got different rules of the way we engage here now. 00:31:25.319 --> 00:31:31.460 But I am asking you this because I want to work at how we can learn how to play better together, 00:31:31.599 --> 00:31:36.039 how we can love each other better, how we can be righteous together without breaking stuff. 00:31:36.039 --> 00:31:45.059 You see, the good works that we are called to do in scripture are not the basis of your justification. 00:31:45.420 --> 00:31:47.700 They are the fruit that comes out of it. 00:31:47.700 --> 00:31:58.380 And as you learn the security of being in the family of God, what it does, it makes you more honest, more free to accept criticism. 00:31:58.380 --> 00:32:03.500 It's not that you stop looking to obey Christ or improve. 00:32:03.680 --> 00:32:05.140 It's hard work being a Christian. 00:32:05.240 --> 00:32:06.860 God does want us to change. 00:32:06.859 --> 00:32:10.899 But it's now we're not obeying for approval. 00:32:11.279 --> 00:32:13.219 We're obeying out of approval. 00:32:13.719 --> 00:32:15.500 We're not at stake any longer. 00:32:16.059 --> 00:32:17.359 And that's freeing. 00:32:18.719 --> 00:32:20.899 And that's a place of rest. 00:32:22.079 --> 00:32:25.319 You know, isn't it tiring always comparing yourself to other people? 00:32:26.579 --> 00:32:34.959 Isn't it tiring always having to prove yourself to your friends, to your boss, to your family, to church, to God? 00:32:36.859 --> 00:32:44.559 And so, one of the things God wants to do is he wants to bring us a rest as his people. 00:32:46.000 --> 00:32:51.379 You know, as righteous people, we still have some of the old sinful Adam's family habits, don't we? 00:32:52.639 --> 00:32:54.779 Any of us been defensive this week? 00:32:56.319 --> 00:33:00.719 Any of you been judgmental towards other people, critical, harsh? 00:33:01.399 --> 00:33:02.479 Any of you been impatient? 00:33:02.480 --> 00:33:07.079 Any of you found it difficult to actually say no to other people? 00:33:07.940 --> 00:33:13.180 Any of you feel like a failure when you start looking at other people who seem to be more successful than yourself? 00:33:13.460 --> 00:33:15.980 Or just doing stuff that's better than you? 00:33:17.380 --> 00:33:22.059 Any of you feel like you're always just behind and you've just kind of got to catch up and you're just restless? 00:33:23.059 --> 00:33:27.120 Desperate to prove that you can be in the world's righteous category? 00:33:27.119 --> 00:33:30.639 Desperate to prove that you're self-justifying. 00:33:32.799 --> 00:33:35.739 And God comes to us and says, I want to give you rest. 00:33:37.579 --> 00:33:45.539 And you know one of the things that keeps us driving on, keeps us pushing to prove ourselves, to justify ourselves, 00:33:46.079 --> 00:33:53.319 is frequently behind all of that there's this condemning bailiff who comes knocking on the door of your heart and your mind 00:33:53.319 --> 00:33:56.099 and demands payment for your sins. 00:33:56.720 --> 00:33:58.299 How could you be so stupid? 00:33:59.119 --> 00:34:00.419 Why are you such a failure? 00:34:00.960 --> 00:34:03.079 How can you keep repeating that sin? 00:34:04.059 --> 00:34:05.399 Answer my accusations. 00:34:06.079 --> 00:34:07.819 Prove that you're not in that category. 00:34:09.039 --> 00:34:13.039 And instead of looping that around and around and around in our minds, 00:34:13.119 --> 00:34:20.119 instead of allowing ourselves to be placed in that box of condemnation that so many other people try and place us in, 00:34:20.119 --> 00:34:29.480 if we as a community begin to get the gospel of justification by grace through faith, 00:34:30.159 --> 00:34:31.519 then we'll be able to go, 00:34:32.519 --> 00:34:33.940 sorry, what debt? 00:34:35.059 --> 00:34:38.719 Yeah, I had a great debt, but it's been paid in full by Jesus. 00:34:39.599 --> 00:34:41.239 I think you got the wrong address. 00:34:41.460 --> 00:34:41.719 Goodbye. 00:34:43.659 --> 00:34:45.619 Because I need people. 00:34:46.339 --> 00:34:47.440 You need people. 00:34:47.440 --> 00:34:52.460 We all need people to remind of this because we forget justification every single day. 00:34:53.920 --> 00:34:59.159 And when Satan tempts me to despair and tells me of the guilt within, 00:34:59.500 --> 00:35:02.980 would I look and see him there who made an end of all my sin? 00:35:04.059 --> 00:35:06.500 Because the sinless Savior died, 00:35:07.280 --> 00:35:09.860 my sinful soul is counted free 00:35:09.860 --> 00:35:15.460 because God the just is satisfied to look on him and to pardon me. 00:35:15.460 --> 00:35:20.679 This is the song that we need to sing in 2021. 00:35:22.340 --> 00:35:24.800 And some of us will even go, 00:35:25.760 --> 00:35:28.019 well, I've lived with those voices for so long. 00:35:28.139 --> 00:35:30.860 How do I know that that's not conviction of sin, 00:35:31.179 --> 00:35:32.559 that that's condemnation? 00:35:34.119 --> 00:35:39.159 You know, the difference between conviction and condemnation of sin is this. 00:35:39.159 --> 00:35:44.559 Conviction of sin leads you to confess sin before God 00:35:44.559 --> 00:35:48.539 and leads you to focus on Jesus relying on his grace 00:35:48.539 --> 00:35:51.039 and on his work to change you. 00:35:52.719 --> 00:35:55.599 Condemnation may bring you to confess your sin 00:35:55.599 --> 00:35:58.599 and probably again and again and again the same thing, 00:35:58.599 --> 00:36:01.599 but it leads you to focus on yourself 00:36:01.599 --> 00:36:04.659 and rely on yourself to change yourself. 00:36:05.539 --> 00:36:07.299 You go, I've screwed up so many times. 00:36:07.519 --> 00:36:08.420 There's no hope. 00:36:08.639 --> 00:36:10.000 I can't fix myself. 00:36:10.400 --> 00:36:13.639 And so many of us spend so much of our lives 00:36:13.639 --> 00:36:16.480 confessing sin and so little time rejoicing 00:36:16.480 --> 00:36:21.239 in Jesus' forgiveness and grace and justification of us. 00:36:21.239 --> 00:36:25.439 So I want to call us in 2021 to be a people 00:36:25.439 --> 00:36:27.899 who learn how to confess sin, 00:36:28.079 --> 00:36:31.419 but who never leave confessing the sin 00:36:31.419 --> 00:36:32.759 and the brokenness of our lives 00:36:32.759 --> 00:36:35.639 without rejoicing and thanking God 00:36:35.639 --> 00:36:38.459 that we are now no longer at stake, 00:36:38.619 --> 00:36:41.639 that we are righteous before the holy God of Israel, 00:36:41.839 --> 00:36:43.279 the holy God of the world, 00:36:43.539 --> 00:36:46.919 the holy God who loves us and gave his life for us. 00:36:48.159 --> 00:36:51.000 And as we go out this week into our world, 00:36:51.000 --> 00:36:52.800 into a sea of performance 00:36:52.800 --> 00:36:55.219 where everyone's going to judge you 00:36:55.219 --> 00:36:57.019 on how well you've done or not, 00:36:58.139 --> 00:36:59.559 we're going to be tempted 00:36:59.559 --> 00:37:01.260 to put our confidence in ourselves. 00:37:02.119 --> 00:37:04.179 We're going to be tempted to judge other people 00:37:04.179 --> 00:37:05.440 and put other people down. 00:37:06.519 --> 00:37:08.500 We're going to be tempted to think 00:37:08.500 --> 00:37:09.840 if we did something well, 00:37:09.980 --> 00:37:11.260 that was because we're great. 00:37:12.199 --> 00:37:14.599 But if we continually bring 00:37:14.599 --> 00:37:16.880 the gospel of justification to each other, 00:37:17.360 --> 00:37:18.780 it will humble us. 00:37:18.780 --> 00:37:22.300 It will enable us to sit down with people 00:37:22.300 --> 00:37:23.720 that we don't naturally like. 00:37:24.200 --> 00:37:25.980 It will enable us to be, 00:37:26.320 --> 00:37:28.040 when we start hearing ourselves 00:37:28.040 --> 00:37:29.920 judging those people over there, 00:37:29.980 --> 00:37:31.120 it will check us and go, 00:37:31.300 --> 00:37:33.740 oh, but for the grace of God, 00:37:33.860 --> 00:37:34.500 there go I. 00:37:35.000 --> 00:37:38.320 It will give us a confidence 00:37:38.320 --> 00:37:40.040 to walk into our week 00:37:40.040 --> 00:37:43.480 with a joy that it doesn't matter 00:37:43.480 --> 00:37:45.880 what anybody else's judgment is over us, 00:37:45.880 --> 00:37:47.800 because our final judgment is secure, 00:37:48.320 --> 00:37:49.460 because the only one, 00:37:49.619 --> 00:37:51.180 the only court that really matters 00:37:51.180 --> 00:37:53.960 has already ruled in favor of us. 00:37:54.400 --> 00:37:55.720 And it's not because of us, 00:37:56.059 --> 00:37:57.200 it's because of the beauty 00:37:57.200 --> 00:37:58.380 and the glory of Jesus.