WEBVTT

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 along with the troubles our computer has been having we don't have our usual video so we're

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! we're going to hope the the sermon slides that i prepared to assist in preaching today will show up

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! but y'all just bear with us all right computer troubles are not the end of it they just make

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 everything a little more challenging but we'll get past it um take your bibles if you would turn

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 to romans chapter 1. as you do i hope you are edified by the picture on the screen

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 has anybody ever felt like that

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 just had a face palm kind of moment face palm kind of day what in the world

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 i'm gonna move this out of the way this is for when people come up here

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 and speak or pray or something they can grab this mic but i don't need it because i have mine so

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 y'all just forgive me i'm gonna move that out of the way um romans chapter 1

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 paul's talking about those kind of people the people that just make you go

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 every community has those people

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 the ones who drive slowly in the fast lane

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 can i get an amen the people who don't return their shopping carts

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 leave them in the parking spot

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 and then on a windy day it blows it into your car the people who let their dog do its business and

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 just keep on walking come on now look we walk our dog every day and i gotta carry two i gotta carry two bags now

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 because he's a big dog

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 we all know who these people are look a lot of these are sometimes you know some more humorous things

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 but a lot of times those people can get into some pretty rough stuff that makes you go more than

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 oh my word sometimes those people just they need jesus they need to get right with god

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 that's exactly where paul starts us where we're picking it up in romans chapter 1 verse 18 he's talking

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 about those people and that's what we're going to talk about today is those people so whoever that is

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 for you get their face in your mind and just think about all the things you can't stand about them

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 that'll be the perfect spirit for you to be in as you receive the word this morning romans chapter 1

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 but listen y'all there's a bait and switch coming so just work with me romans chapter 1 verse 18.

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 we're going to read a long passage of scripture i'm not going to have you stand you've stood a lot

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 today uh but let's pick it up in verse 18. for the wrath of god the wrath of god is revealed

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 from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of people who suppress the truth

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 in unrighteousness you see what kind of people these are because that which is known about god

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 is evident within them god made it evident to them since creation of the world his invisible

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 attributes both his eternal power his divine nature have been clearly seen if you're paying attention

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 being understood through what has been made so that they are without excuse and you can see evidence

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 of god all around the world through creation all around us for even though they knew god they did not

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 honor him as god watch that or give thanks to him but they became futile in their reasoning

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 and their senseless hearts were darkened you ever looked at those people and just said man they just

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 don't have sense but paul's saying the same thing their senseless hearts were darkened professing to be

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 wise they became fools exchanged the glory of incorruptible god you can't corrupt god but they exchanged his glory

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 for an image of god in the likeness of corruptible man of birds four-footed animals crawling creatures

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 and you go to some dark parts of the world and you'll find people worshiping idols made out of

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 stone or wood and oftentimes they'll look like creatures i used to go on these trips to india

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 anybody ever been to india before it's an interesting place yeah yeah i know you have

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 bentz has been everywhere all the places that you don't think about going bentz has been there okay

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 it's amazing talk to him um india is fascinating land of a billion people and over 300 million

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 different things they worship as a god over there it's crazy the hindu culture kind of contributes

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 to that and in the part of the the region we were mostly visiting uh they worshiped the monkey god

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 so they had this this god that looked like a monkey all decked out in gold and jewels so it's kind of a

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 picture of what paul's talking about here they make it they made these things that god created as part

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 of nature and they've lifted them up as god birds four-footed animals crawling creatures therefore

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 how did god respond to this he gave them over in the lusts of their hearts to impurity

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 so that their bodies would be dishonored among them so they exchanged for they exchanged the truth of god

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 for a lie you ever know somebody who exchanged the truth of god for a lie have you ever been somebody

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 who knew the truth of god but exchanged it for a lie instead that's what he's talking about

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 and they worshiped and served the creature rather than the creator who is blessed to all eternity amen

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 for this reason god gave them over to degrading passions for their women exchanged the natural

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 function for that which is unnatural in the same way also the men abandoned the natural function of the

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 woman and burned in their desire toward one another men with men committing indecent acts and receiving in

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 their own persons the due penalty of their error and y'all know what it's talking about there here you know

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 he there's a direct reference to mix uh same gender relationships and sin so god's calling that out as

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 unnatural paul is calling that out as unnatural as he's inspired by god to write this they say and it was

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 against god's design and they're pursuing this as an act of rebellion against god and his created design

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 just as they did not see fit to acknowledge god god gave them over to a depraved mind

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 to do those things which are not proper being filled with all unrighteousness wickedness greed evil

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 full of evil full of envy murder strife deceit malice there are gossips slanderers haters of god

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 insolent arrogant boastful inventors of evil disobedient to parents y'all see that list of really bad stuff

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 and then he throws in disobedient to parents kids i hope you're paying attention paul's listing that along

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 with a list of really bad sins don't disobey your parents all right kids

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 without understanding untrustworthy unloving unmerciful and although they know the ordinance of god

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 that those who practice such things are worthy of death they not they know this but they not only

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 do those things they also give hearty approval to those who practice them

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 that's paul's those people that's the people that makes him go what are they doing what in the world

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 pretty bad right now let's not stop there let's go to chapter 2 and verse 1

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 you may think you can condemn such people let me put it this way you may think you can condemn

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 those people paul says but he continues but you are just as bad

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 can we just pause there for a minute before we continue on

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 and then he says just in case you think you're better than those people you're just as bad

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 as bad as you're going to do that and then he's writing this to jesus followers in rome

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 both historic jewish believers in the messiah and those who recognize that jesus was their promised

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 messiah and then those gentiles who were brought into the faith of christ and now they're all trying

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 to coexist and follow jesus together and they're struggling to do it they're having a hard time

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 reconciling some issues with each other and he says you guys are just as bad

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 and you have no excuse when you say they are wicked those people and they should be punished

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 you're condemning yourself since you who judge do these very same things you know what our minds do our

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 minds say no i don't what are you talking about i don't get into that lifestyle because you know what

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 we just did we forgot about all the other things on that list and we went straight to the worst of it

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 or what we perceive to be the worst of it we go straight to the well he was talking about those

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 people who change their their natural created desires and they they go after same gender and all this

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 i'm not that what's he talking about and you missed the entire rest of the list

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 greed envy strife deceit gossip slander arrogant boastful disobedient to parents without understanding

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 untrustworthy unloving unmerciful all these things paul is saying you do them too

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 this is a hard passage for us to read but if we're gonna preach through romans we've got to park it here

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 for a little bit and we've got to figure out what was paul writing about it's an important message so

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 we're into chapter two and he says you're condemning yourself if you're pointing the finger at these

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 people and saying man they deserve harsh judgment they should be punished for all this because you

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 who are doing the judging do the very same things we started many weeks ago i think this is week 14 of

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 this series well there's 16 chapters in paul's letter to the churches in rome that we have preserved in

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 the scriptures to this day and it's helpful for us and we started at the very end we're working our way

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 from the back to the front we don't normally do it that way but this this time it's been kind of a

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 different perspective on this letter which many of you have already read before so we've been in this

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 series for a while and now we're covering not the entire chapters of romans 1 and romans 2 we might be

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 able to finish romans 1 next sunday and kind of put a bow on this series through romans but we're

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 going to get from romans 18 down through verse 32 where he gives this whole list of really bad those

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 people you know who i'm talking about and you probably have a picture in your mind of who those

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 people in henrietta or clay county or your life or your circles who those people are that kind of fit

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 some of that list that paul was giving us maybe it's you maybe it was you maybe god's rescued

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 you from some of that but paul's telling us he's doesn't about face here and he's telling us in

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 chapter 2 and verse 1 you're just as bad why because some of those things on that list apply to you too

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 so this leads us to truth number one god does not judge by comparison this is something that makes

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 us different from god this is something that makes our natural instinct different because what do we

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 want to do we want to compare ourselves to each other and we want to always come out on the better

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 end of that if we can help it we want to think well yeah i'm not perfect i know that but i'm not as bad as

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 so and so right in a marriage relationship oftentimes the temptation is to come out on top that i'm the

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 one with the upper hand i'm the one who maybe i'm some at fault but she's more at fault he's more at

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 fault he's the real problem here so we compare ourselves and paul warns about that many times in his

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 writings to the early church of jesus followers he says don't fall into the trap of comparison

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 that's not how god judges us he doesn't look at us as mankind and say well some of you are really

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 bad sinners i'm going to send y'all to hell and the rest of you you're only kind of bad sinners so i'll

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 offer you forgiveness that's not how it works god doesn't have a grading system of how bad you think

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 you've done or how bad you think you are or how bad your sins are that you've committed he said if you

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 unless you have faith in me you're all guilty and your number one sin is unbelief it's not believing in

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 me john chapter 16 shows this to us jesus kind of explains what sin actually is and all these other

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 things that we call sins a lot of them are listed here at the end of romans 1. these are actually

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 symptoms of the one true sin which is unbelief it's not recognizing god as god and when you don't believe

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 you produce a different kind of fruit not the fruit that comes from the holy spirit of god

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 and all these fruits are what we commonly refer to as sins disobeying god disobeying his commands

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 going against his natural created order so god doesn't compare us according to how much of that list

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 we've committed well i might be deceitful sometimes i might be prideful sometimes but i'm not going out

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 and getting plastered on friday night i'm not addicted to whatever substance i'm not sneaking around and

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 looking at pornography or i'm not cheating on my wife or whatever you think i'm not doing these things so

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 i'm not as bad as somebody else that's human thinking that's not how god sees us what that's actually doing

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 is minimizing your lack of belief and faith in the son of god and in god's eyes that is the number one

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 way that you sin against god the other things are a result of that they're the fruit of that unbelief

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 so god does not judge us by comparison now pick it up in verse 2 of romans 2. we know that god in his

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 justice he's going to remind us what we already know about god he will punish those who do who do such

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 things this whole list that he just went through god there's going to be natural punishment that

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 comes from the naturally created order and system that god built this world around you're going to

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 be punished by doing these things since you judge others for doing these things why do you think that

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 you can avoid god's judgment that naturally comes from these things why do you think you can avoid it

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 it when you do them too don't you see how wonderful kind and patient god is really that's what we're

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 talking about right now after we're just talking about how god punishes evil and all this wrongdoing

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 now we're going to talk about how wonderful kind and patient god is well he goes on to explain can't you

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 see that his kindness is intended to turn you from your sin it's not to let you live there and stay

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 there and be continue in these things because you convince yourself that you're not as bad as so and

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 so and so and so the things that you do struggle with just aren't that big a deal god says no no paul

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 says no no god's kindness shows you that that's not a healthy way of thinking that's not reality that's not

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 truth that's a lie but because you're stubborn and you refuse to do what god's kindness is supposed to

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 lead you toward which is turning from sin you refuse to turn from your sin you are storing up terrible

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 punishment for yourself punishment that god never intended for you to have to endure but when we go

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 against his path the path that jesus is leading us on and we go off into all these other directions

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 we encounter all these other things that god never intended for us and then we're so arrogant as to

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 turn around when we have to endure the punishment of our sin the judgment that we naturally have to

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 encounter and we shake our fist at god and say why did you let me go through this he says man you're so

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 far from the path that you're supposed to that i wanted you on i didn't do that to you that's the

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 natural judgment that occurs from that choice that you made that path that you're on now get back to

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 where i have you you won't have to encounter any of that and ultimately that other path any other path

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 leads to permanent eternal destruction and judgment but we get a little taste of it here on this earth

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 just like when you walk with jesus you can get little tastes and experiences of heaven on this earth

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 by the same token when you don't walk with jesus you get little tastes and experiences of the eternal

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 judgment and punishment that waits for those without god so

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 so

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 he talks about that day of judgment paul says the day of judgment is coming

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 romans 2 when god who's right judgment is often now hidden it's hard to often see god's judgment

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 happen sometimes we experience it and we recognize it sometimes it's like man they're getting away with

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 everything the wicked people are winning they never have to suffer for their wrongdoing well they do

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 it's just always not public he says sometimes it's hidden but someday that day of judgment is coming

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 when it will shine for all to see and he will judge everyone according to what they have done

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 he will give eternal life to those who keep on doing good do you see that he will give eternal life

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 romans chapter 2 verse 7 to those who keep on doing good put a little finger there we're going to come

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 back to that in a minute because if you know the path of salvation to jesus christ you might be looking

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 at that like wait a minute what did he just say that doesn't track seeking after the glory and honor and

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 immortality that god offers that's an elaboration on what it means to keep on doing good but he will

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 pour out his anger and his wrath on those who live for themselves who refuse to obey the truth and instead

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 live lives of wickedness that's not always outward wickedness sometimes it is usually it'll come out at some

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 point but he could also there be talking about inward wickedness that on the out like on the outside you look all

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 clean you're all buttoned up you're good you're fine but on the inside he told the pharisees are full of

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 dead men's bones he says you're you're wicked on the inside you put on this show of following after god

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 but you're actually leading a life of wickedness there will be trouble and there will be calamity for

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 everyone who keeps on doing what is evil for the jew first and also for the gentile but there will be glory

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 honor and peace from god who for all who do good for the jew first and also for the gentile notice

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 there just a little side thought god doesn't discriminate he's not prioritizing well for the jews

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 i'll i'll give them they're my special people from the old testament and i'll give them special

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 privileges and they won't have to suffer as much as these gentiles who weren't part of my original crowd

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 that's not what he says he says it's for everyone same level ground level playing field across the board

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 jew gentile it's the same fruit of the same life depending on which direction you're going it's

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 true for both for god does not show favoritism that's how he ends it now let's go back to verse 7. what did it say

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 i underlined it here he will give eternal life to those who keep on doing good

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 now this is a talk back moment i know we don't do a whole lot of that and you go to some cultures you

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 go to um some black churches man they're talking back with the with the preacher the whole time

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 anybody ever been in a black church service where you saw how they do it that's their culture man

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 sometimes it's very entertaining it's i can really get into it um but i'm glad we don't do that all the

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 time because they their sermons you know can last about two hours i don't know if i could go that long

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 y'all for sure could not listen to me that long uh but this is a talk back moment right now okay so

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 when we read in romans 2 7 he will give eternal life to those who keep on doing good

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 let's not dive into the theology that you may already know about the truth

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 what is that telling you seemingly what is salt paul seemed to be saying here he'll give eternal life

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 to those who keep on doing good somebody tell me who gets eternal life then

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 works doing good right

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 is that consistent with what the scriptures teach us what jesus said and what even paul teaches

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 about the path to eternal life with god no so what do we do oh no we've got a contradiction in the bible

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 the bible must not be true right of course not only someone with an agenda of trying to disprove the

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 scriptures and too lazy to do the research would settle there and stay there but if it's making you

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 scratch your head then let's look around and see what is he actually trying to say here because that's

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 so inconsistent with what we know about god well let's look two chapters over so flip your bible over or

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 pull up your bible app and pull down the chapter list and go to romans 4 romans 4 and verse 5

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 while you're turning i'm going to read it to people who do not work

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 to people who do not work

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 but trust god who forgives sinners their faith is counted as righteousness this is not talking about

00:24:29.839 --> 00:24:35.439
 people who don't have a job that's not what he's saying when he's saying people who don't work he's

00:24:35.439 --> 00:24:41.599
 talking about in the context of romans 4 he's talking about work salvation people depending on

00:24:41.599 --> 00:24:48.399
 the works they do the good works they do man i gave money to charity i went out and served i helped my

00:24:48.399 --> 00:24:55.759
 neighbor i went to church i read my bible i tried to pray i did all these good things tried to tell the truth

00:24:55.759 --> 00:25:03.200
 try to be an honest man or woman he's saying to people who do this

00:25:05.359 --> 00:25:12.799
 they're depending on that for salvation and it's going to fail them but the people who are not

00:25:12.799 --> 00:25:21.519
 depending on their works romans 4 and verse 5 but instead they trust god who forgives sinners

00:25:21.519 --> 00:25:27.920
 it's not their works that are counted as righteousness because what do we learn from

00:25:27.920 --> 00:25:37.039
 the scriptures all our righteousness is as filthy rags in god's eyes you think your resume of righteous

00:25:37.039 --> 00:25:44.319
 deeds is is is impressive and god says man i'm not impressed at all it just looks like unrighteousness

00:25:44.319 --> 00:25:51.119
 to me because the only thing that makes you righteous is right here at the end of romans 4 5.

00:25:51.119 --> 00:26:01.599
 their faith is counted as righteousness you want to be righteous in god's eyes don't commit the sin of

00:26:01.599 --> 00:26:02.240
 unbelief

00:26:02.240 --> 00:26:16.000
 unbelief have faith have faith and if your faith is shaken go back and work through that with god wrestle

00:26:16.000 --> 00:26:22.960
 through that with god until you can say yes i do believe i have faith sometimes doubt tries to creep

00:26:22.960 --> 00:26:30.079
 in sometimes it'll be shaken but i have faith in god this is what paul is saying

00:26:30.079 --> 00:26:36.879
 john 14 and verse 10. he's going to give jesus is going to give the ultimate clarity

00:26:37.839 --> 00:26:43.759
 to what paul is writing about in romans chapter 2 and verse 7. what did paul say god will give eternal

00:26:43.759 --> 00:26:50.639
 life to those who keep on doing good john 14 verse 10. man whenever you read the bible you got to read

00:26:50.639 --> 00:26:56.240
 it through the lens of jesus the bible the whole purpose of the bible was to point us to jesus the new

00:26:56.240 --> 00:27:01.839
 testament points back to jesus the old testament pointed forward to jesus but it was all about the

00:27:01.839 --> 00:27:10.640
 coming of christ that's what it was there for so let's see what jesus has to say about this john 14

00:27:10.640 --> 00:27:18.079
 and verse 10. don't you believe that i am in the father and the father is in me how many of you believe

00:27:18.079 --> 00:27:22.640
 that god and the father uh that god the son and god the father are one how many of you would raise your

00:27:22.640 --> 00:27:28.800
 hand and testify good good we got just about everybody in the room the words i speak jesus says

00:27:28.800 --> 00:27:37.600
 are not my own but my father who lives in me does his work through me do you see where the works come

00:27:37.600 --> 00:27:45.520
 from god the father does the work through the son well by that same token god the father can accomplish

00:27:45.519 --> 00:27:53.519
 his work through us so it's not your works of righteousness it's by faith you get access to god

00:27:53.519 --> 00:28:00.480
 and then god works through you so if you are continuing on in good works it's because god is

00:28:00.480 --> 00:28:09.359
 present with you by faith he's offered this out of his grace to us and by faith we have this relationship

00:28:09.359 --> 00:28:14.960
 with god so when paul writes god's going to give eternal life to those who keep on doing good yes because

00:28:14.960 --> 00:28:19.360
 those who keep on doing good doesn't mean they're doing good perfectly doesn't mean sometimes they

00:28:19.360 --> 00:28:25.920
 don't do bad because they listen to the other side the flesh not the spirit but because you keep doing

00:28:25.920 --> 00:28:32.640
 good that is evidence that you have faith in god because god is going to do good through you it's not

00:28:32.640 --> 00:28:39.759
 you it's not your works of righteousness that produce this relationship with god it's god working

00:28:39.759 --> 00:28:46.559
 through you because of your faith so this is not a contradiction but you got to read it in the

00:28:46.559 --> 00:28:51.200
 context of all of scripture and not just pull one verse out and say well i don't know about that

00:28:51.839 --> 00:28:59.200
 sounds to me like we're saved by our works nope that's not it so the truth is what we do reveals

00:28:59.839 --> 00:29:05.359
 who we're surrendered to i'm surrendered to god he's going to do his good works through me

00:29:05.359 --> 00:29:15.439
 i'm surrendering to something else my flesh my desires my pride sin it's going to be different

00:29:15.439 --> 00:29:22.159
 kind of works that leads us to number two and we'll be finished god doesn't judge by what we know

00:29:24.399 --> 00:29:32.159
 he doesn't judge by comparison he also doesn't judge by how much we know look back at romans 2

00:29:32.160 --> 00:29:39.920
 down in verse 12 when the gentiles sin they will be destroyed even though they never had god's written

00:29:39.920 --> 00:29:45.759
 law well that's not fair right they never had god's written law that was given to the israelites

00:29:46.800 --> 00:29:52.800
 why were they going to be destroyed and the jews who do have god's written law they will be judged by

00:29:52.800 --> 00:29:59.519
 that law when they sin watch this for it's not merely hearing the law that makes us right with god

00:29:59.519 --> 00:30:06.160
 it's obeying the law so what did paul say makes us right with god

00:30:09.920 --> 00:30:16.319
 i'll read it again it's not merely hearing the law that makes us right with god it is obeying the law

00:30:16.319 --> 00:30:23.680
 so what did paul say makes us right with god obeying the law okay so we can walk out of here and tell

00:30:23.680 --> 00:30:32.880
 everybody obeying the law makes you right with god is that true yes and no don't you love yes and no

00:30:32.880 --> 00:30:38.480
 answers so clear it's great we got to go back to the scriptures and we got to search it out we got to

00:30:38.480 --> 00:30:43.120
 figure out what's he saying even gentiles who do not have god's written law we've established that

00:30:43.120 --> 00:30:51.920
 right god gave it to the israelites they show that they know his law in their hearts see god just didn't

00:30:51.920 --> 00:31:00.320
 just give us his law written down on ten commandments or scrolls he gave us his law on our hearts there's

00:31:00.320 --> 00:31:09.680
 a conscience there's a mind there's nature that testifies to god and his laws because they obey the

00:31:09.680 --> 00:31:13.200
 gentiles obey his law even when they don't have it

00:31:13.200 --> 00:31:22.720
 their own conscience their thoughts either accuse them or they'll tell them they're doing right

00:31:23.759 --> 00:31:30.080
 it's not perfect it's not the holy spirit of god but it's something that god gave you to help point

00:31:30.080 --> 00:31:36.720
 you back to him so this is the message paul says i proclaim that the day is coming when god through

00:31:36.720 --> 00:31:43.839
 jesus christ will judge everyone's secret life just as my message says so this is what paul is

00:31:43.839 --> 00:31:52.400
 communicating to them here in verses 12 down through 16. see we want to say look at the other people

00:31:52.400 --> 00:31:57.039
 look at them look at those bad people that whole list in romans 1 look at them look at all the people

00:31:57.039 --> 00:32:03.600
 that drive you nuts in henrietta or wherever you live look at those people paul says look at yourself

00:32:03.599 --> 00:32:12.879
 quit looking at them look at you we say me i know the law or we could say i know the bible what are you

00:32:12.879 --> 00:32:23.039
 talking about i'm a christian paul says are you living it are you obeying it say man i'm religious

00:32:23.039 --> 00:32:29.759
 what do you mean i'm a good person paul says god doesn't show favoritism it's not about that

00:32:29.759 --> 00:32:38.240
 are you obeying him and finally he ends with this little zinger jesus will judge what is hidden

00:32:40.240 --> 00:32:45.279
 might be getting away with it on this earth you're not going to get away with it in god's eyes

00:32:46.879 --> 00:32:48.319
 he reveals the secret things

00:32:50.799 --> 00:32:56.720
 it's a hard passage so look back at verse 13. i underlined this one too because what did he say

00:32:56.720 --> 00:33:02.400
 it's not merely hearing the law that makes us right with god well that's true hearing it only

00:33:02.400 --> 00:33:09.039
 doesn't do you any good you got to obey it he says obeying the law makes us right with god man that

00:33:09.039 --> 00:33:14.000
 doesn't seem to be right talking about it's not obeying the law that makes us right with god

00:33:14.000 --> 00:33:21.039
 let's go over one more chapter one chapter to romans 3 and verse 20. no one romans 3 and verse 20 should be

00:33:21.039 --> 00:33:27.519
 one page over for you no one can ever be made right with god by doing what the law commands

00:33:29.039 --> 00:33:35.759
 what he just said obeying the law makes us right with god now one chapter later he says no one can

00:33:35.759 --> 00:33:41.920
 be made right with god by doing what the law commands the law simply shows us how sinful we are

00:33:43.039 --> 00:33:50.399
 well this is a different angle why is he contradicting himself let's go to what jesus said and we'll understand it

00:33:51.599 --> 00:33:57.599
 jesus told them john 6 29 you can turn there or you can mark it down for later but i'm going to go

00:33:57.599 --> 00:34:05.039
 ahead and read for sake of time jesus said in john 6 29 this is the only work god wants from you

00:34:05.839 --> 00:34:17.279
 believe in the one he has sent all the law abiding all the obeying that's not what god was ultimately

00:34:17.280 --> 00:34:26.960
 interested in those things would come from god giving you a new heart god has to replace your

00:34:26.960 --> 00:34:36.480
 sinful heart with what he calls a new heart that means your desires the why behind what you do the who

00:34:37.280 --> 00:34:43.840
 behind who you are god's going to give you a new identity he's going to give you a new set of

00:34:43.840 --> 00:34:47.920
 desires and they're going to conflict with the old desires that are still hanging around

00:34:49.200 --> 00:34:54.160
 but he says this jesus tells these people he said man jesus you do all these great works how can we do

00:34:54.160 --> 00:34:58.240
 that kind of stuff too and jesus tells the crowd the only work god wants from you

00:34:58.239 --> 00:35:08.799
 is believe in the one he has sent the only work or law keeping that god is interested from you and for me

00:35:08.800 --> 00:35:12.720
 that's what we believe is belief in his son because if we believe

00:35:14.640 --> 00:35:22.880
 he will change us he will work through us really the same answer to the contradiction we found earlier

00:35:22.880 --> 00:35:27.200
 is the same answer to the contradiction we find here which isn't really a contradiction

00:35:28.720 --> 00:35:34.000
 and we see that when we compare all of paul's writings together and not just cherry pick one thing

00:35:34.000 --> 00:35:38.400
 and we tie in what jesus taught because that's who we're all following that's who this is all about

00:35:38.400 --> 00:35:45.280
 anyway and we see that the only work that god wants from us is belief in the son so you know how

00:35:45.280 --> 00:35:54.239
 god judges us how much do you believe how great is your faith in me guys the standard's not high

00:35:55.039 --> 00:36:01.199
 he said if you just got a tiny little bit of faith you can move mountains you just got to have faith

00:36:01.199 --> 00:36:06.960
 faith so i'm not impressed but who cares if i'm impressed or not god's not impressed

00:36:08.319 --> 00:36:14.239
 by your list of qualifications for how good of a person you are how religious you are how great of

00:36:14.239 --> 00:36:17.919
 a church member you are how great of a member of the community you are those are all good things we

00:36:17.919 --> 00:36:21.599
 need good members of the community we need people to get involved and help each other and be good as

00:36:21.599 --> 00:36:29.039
 citizens but you know what impresses god your faith in him your belief in him so how strong is that

00:36:29.039 --> 00:36:33.759
 how strong is it in your family what are you communicating to those around you is it that

00:36:33.759 --> 00:36:38.960
 faith and belief in god is the number one most important thing i'm going to finish with first

00:36:38.960 --> 00:36:46.239
 first corinthians 6 and verse 11. here we go man i was supposed to have that on the screen when i read

00:36:46.239 --> 00:36:50.000
 it just a moment ago but that's all right there it is okay sometimes i get a little behind in this

00:36:50.000 --> 00:36:56.559
 first corinthians chapter 6 and verse 11. such were some of you what's it talking about it's talking about

00:36:56.559 --> 00:37:02.559
 those people remember those people paul gave his list you've got your list in your mind if whoever

00:37:02.559 --> 00:37:07.119
 those people are whatever they do that just drives you nuts and you're like who in their right mind

00:37:07.119 --> 00:37:14.159
 would do such a thing paul tells this church in corinth he says such were some of you you were like

00:37:14.159 --> 00:37:21.039
 those people and sometimes you still act like them but the only difference is you were washed you were

00:37:21.039 --> 00:37:27.599
 washed in the blood of jesus christ set free from the bondage to those things that make those people

00:37:27.599 --> 00:37:33.679
 behave the way they do you were sanctified you were set apart to be god's people and no longer the people

00:37:33.679 --> 00:37:40.480
 of darkness you were justified made right with god in the name of our lord jesus christ and by the spirit

00:37:40.480 --> 00:37:46.719
 of our god so church let me just say this to you and we'll be done instead of worrying so much about

00:37:46.719 --> 00:37:54.719
 those people ask yourself god speak to me don't ask yourself ask god god what do you want to show me

00:37:54.719 --> 00:38:01.439
 about me what do you want to show me about me i'm gonna quit worrying so much about those people

00:38:02.079 --> 00:38:12.159
 god you change me breathe this prayer today lord i believe help my unbelief breathe this prayer today lord

00:38:12.159 --> 00:38:20.159
 increase my faith god show me the reality about me show me the truth about me would you bow your heads

00:38:20.159 --> 00:38:25.359
 with me in prayer let's all pray that together you don't have to say it out loud but can we join together

00:38:25.359 --> 00:38:35.119
 as many of you say god show me the truth about me ask him today right now in your hearts and in your

00:38:35.119 --> 00:38:43.359
 minds god what do you want to show me about me it's easy to point the finger at those people

00:38:45.039 --> 00:38:53.279
 it's way harder to accept the truth that you revealed to me about myself god loves us so much

00:38:53.279 --> 00:39:01.359
 he accepts us as we are but he loves us too much to leave us as we are he's gonna change you he wants to

00:39:01.360 --> 00:39:09.200
 change you maybe he's already changed you a lot maybe somewhere along the way you notice he hasn't been

00:39:09.200 --> 00:39:16.480
 changing you as much that's going to go back to a faith issue it's going to go back to a surrender

00:39:16.480 --> 00:39:22.320
 willingness to him issue the organ's going to play and just before we dismiss

00:39:22.320 --> 00:39:30.640
 this would you have a moment of silent prayer with god if you feel moved to get up from your

00:39:30.640 --> 00:39:34.080
 seat and come down here to these steps and kneel if you'd like to pray with somebody

00:39:35.440 --> 00:39:38.640
 can help you with that if you want to just remain in your seat

00:39:40.559 --> 00:39:45.440
 let this be a moment in the busyness of our week let this be a moment on a sunday a day of rest

00:39:45.440 --> 00:39:52.880
 we just let god speak to us god what do you want to show me about me

00:39:56.880 --> 00:40:02.159
 maybe he's going to show you that you need him you don't need to trust yourself you don't need to

00:40:02.159 --> 00:40:08.400
 trust a priest or a preacher or a church your parents you don't need to trust anything else

00:40:08.400 --> 00:40:16.000
 to have a right relationship with god you need to trust jesus his sacrifice for your sins

00:40:17.039 --> 00:40:22.720
 and his willingness to accept you into his family by your faith in him

00:40:24.400 --> 00:40:30.240
 so if that's what god wants you to do today you say today is the day i want to place my faith in jesus

00:40:31.599 --> 00:40:36.639
 once and for all then would you slip your hand up right now and i'd love to pray with you about that

00:40:36.639 --> 00:40:42.159
 encourage you in that you got a room full of people who have made that decision

00:40:43.119 --> 00:40:46.639
 they'd love to welcome you into that faith family

00:40:52.960 --> 00:40:57.199
 maybe something god wants to show you about you is you need this community of believers

00:40:58.879 --> 00:41:02.719
 maybe it's your first time in a long time maybe you just started recently coming or maybe you've been

00:41:02.719 --> 00:41:08.399
 here for a while but you haven't really dived in you haven't really engaged in this community and

00:41:08.399 --> 00:41:17.759
 this this life with jesus was not meant to be lived solo we need each other so maybe god wants to show you

00:41:19.839 --> 00:41:25.279
 quit trying to maverick this thing jump in with this family of believers and you want to place your

00:41:25.280 --> 00:41:28.800
 membership in this church let's do this jesus life together

00:41:31.840 --> 00:41:36.160
 whatever it is you say yes to jesus today you'll never regret that decision

00:41:36.159 --> 00:41:42.719
 just as

00:41:42.719 --> 00:41:48.159
 just as i am without

00:41:48.159 --> 00:41:50.719
 one plea

00:41:50.719 --> 00:41:53.199
 but that

00:41:53.199 --> 00:41:56.159
 thy blood

00:41:57.119 --> 00:41:58.639
 was shed

00:41:58.639 --> 00:42:00.879
 for me

00:42:00.880 --> 00:42:03.039
 and that

00:42:03.039 --> 00:42:04.880
 that

00:42:04.880 --> 00:42:05.760
 thou

00:42:05.760 --> 00:42:07.760
 bidst me

00:42:07.760 --> 00:42:08.880
 come

00:42:08.880 --> 00:42:10.320
 to

00:42:10.320 --> 00:42:11.280
 the

00:42:11.280 --> 00:42:13.280
 oh

00:42:13.280 --> 00:42:14.400
 lamb

00:42:14.400 --> 00:42:17.840
 of god

00:42:17.840 --> 00:42:19.519
 i come

00:42:19.519 --> 00:42:20.640
 come to jesus

00:42:21.360 --> 00:42:21.760
 i

00:42:21.760 --> 00:42:24.160
 come

00:42:25.840 --> 00:42:28.320
 god we come to you today with open hearts

00:42:28.320 --> 00:42:29.920
 flawed hearts

00:42:29.920 --> 00:42:33.120
 flawed hearts sometimes we listen to the wrong voices but god

00:42:35.519 --> 00:42:38.240
 you never expected perfection from us you just

00:42:39.120 --> 00:42:40.240
 require our faith

00:42:43.280 --> 00:42:46.080
 let no one in this room fall into the trap of comparison

00:42:47.760 --> 00:42:49.760
 judging ourselves against each other

00:42:51.680 --> 00:42:56.080
 let us see and be reminded that we are as god says we are

00:42:56.079 --> 00:42:59.360
 sinners saved by god's grace

00:43:00.159 --> 00:43:01.199
 through our faith in him

00:43:01.199 --> 00:43:01.279
 in him

00:43:03.039 --> 00:43:04.159
 ignite that faith

00:43:05.279 --> 00:43:07.679
 maximize that faith grow that faith in us

00:43:08.559 --> 00:43:09.840
 so we can see the fruit

00:43:10.880 --> 00:43:11.679
 of that faith

00:43:12.319 --> 00:43:14.880
 in our lives that you want to show us so much

00:43:14.880 --> 00:43:19.680
 it's in jesus name we pray

00:43:19.680 --> 00:43:19.680