WEBVTT

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 The scripture reading comes from Romans 1 and 1 Corinthians 15.

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 Please follow along in your bulletin or on the screen.

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 In Romans 1, we read,

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 For I long to see you, that I may impart to you some spiritual gift to strengthen you,

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 that is, that we may be mutually encouraged by each other's faith,

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 both yours and mine.

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 I do not want you to be unaware, brothers and sisters,

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 that I may have often intended to come to you, but thus far have been prevented.

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 In order that I may reap some harvest among you, as well as among the rest of the Gentiles,

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 I am under obligation, both to Greeks and to the barbarians,

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 both to the wise and to the foolish.

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 I am eager to preach the gospel to you, also who are in Rome.

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 For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for the salvation to everyone who believes,

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 to the Jews first and also to the Greek.

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 For in it, the righteousness of God is revealed from faith for faith.

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 As it is written, the righteous shall live by faith.

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 And in 1 Corinthians 15, we read,

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 Now, I would remind you, brothers, of the gospel I preached to you,

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 which you received, in which you stand, and by which you are being saved,

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 if you hold fast to the word I preached to you, unless you believe in vain.

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 For I delivered to you, as of first importance, what I also received,

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 that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the scriptures,

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 that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the scriptures,

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 and that he appeared to Cephas, then to the twelve.

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 Then he appeared to more than 500 brothers at one time,

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 most of whom are still alive, though some have fallen asleep.

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 This is the word of God.

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 Great. Thank you so much.

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 Will you join me as we pray together?

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 Heavenly Father, loving Savior, gracious Lord,

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 we do come before you this morning because we want to encounter you, the living God.

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 We've come, God, not just to fill our minds with information,

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 not just to be taught some knowledge,

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 but to really meet with you and to encounter you,

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 to have our hearts aligned to you and softened by you,

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 and to find our hope in you once again.

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 God, thank you as we've sung these songs of the gospel,

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 and watched the reenactment or the dramatization of the gospel and communion before us.

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 As we've listened to your word, how Paul says,

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 I long to remind you of the gospel.

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 God, thank you that we this morning have been reminded of the gospel.

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 And we do pray, God, that as we look at your word, you will speak to us.

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 God, we so long for you to speak to us this morning.

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 We don't need to hear the opinions of man or some cute ideas.

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 We want the living God to speak to our hearts and our souls,

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 to arrest our fears and the lies that we believe,

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 to give us hope, to speak to our insecurities.

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 God, come and speak to us this morning, we pray, Lord.

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 Come and have your way, God.

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 Father, this morning we also think of our city,

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 this wonderful city in which we live and which we've come to love.

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 And, Father, as we start out the new year,

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 we bring our city before you.

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 And, God, we ask that somehow the stalemate and the tensions in our cities will reside this year, God.

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 We ask that somehow, God, those that are on both sides,

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 or all sides that are so angry,

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 that, God, somehow our hearts will find rest and peace,

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 that somehow, God, we will be willing to admit where we've been wrong and to say sorry, God.

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 God, I really do pray that this year, God,

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 that Hong Kong will be different to what so many of us are expecting it to be like, God.

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 Let peace reign in our city.

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 We pray for politicians and police and protesters, God,

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 and everyone in between.

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 Oh, God, let peace rest in our hearts, Lord.

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 God, we also just think of the teachers and the scholars and the students

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 that are going to go back to school either this week or maybe have gone back already.

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 Think of people like Iris and Dave and other teachers in our midst, Justin, God,

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 and the other teachers that are back at work and teaching.

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 We pray, God, once your spirit rests upon them.

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 We pray, God, as our students go back to school,

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 that you will lead them and be with them.

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 We pray for teachers and students and scholars alike

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 to be a salt and light unto our city, God.

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 And so we really do pray for those that are working in the education sector.

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 Christians in our city, God, as they go back this week,

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 won't you go with them, Lord, we pray.

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 And finally, Lord, we want to pray for the churches of Hong Kong.

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 We pray for ourselves and we pray for our brothers and sisters,

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 the English churches, the Chinese churches,

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 all the churches across Hong Kong,

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 Filipino and Indonesian and Japanese and everything else.

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 Oh, God, won't you send your spirit and rest in our midst, God,

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 and draw us closer to yourself and make us more like you, God, we pray.

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 We pray that as followers of Jesus,

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 we will love you and trust you and obey you more, God.

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 God, just as Paul says in Romans,

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 I long to impart the gospel to you.

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 We pray that the gospel will get deeper in our hearts.

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 The church in Hong Kong will be formed and centered

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 on the gospel of Jesus Christ.

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 And so we pray for our great city, Lord.

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 May it be in Hong Kong as it is in heaven, God.

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 And so we pray, start with us.

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 We pray these wonderful things in your amazing name.

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 Amen.

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 Amen.

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 Amen.

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 Okay, well, if you are new to Watermark,

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 one of the things that you'll quickly realize

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 is we've got a bunch of values that we talk about all the time.

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 There they are.

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 Gospel, community and mission.

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 They are on our website.

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 They are on the bulletin.

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 They are on the banners.

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 We are constantly talking about these three things.

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 And today we're going to start a series for a couple of weeks

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 looking at these values.

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 Gospel, community and mission.

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 And we're going to dive down a little bit deeper

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 and explore them.

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 Now, if you've been coming to Watermark for any length of time,

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 one of the things that you hear us talking about

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 again and again and again is the gospel.

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 Always talking about the gospel.

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 And what exactly is the gospel?

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 What does it mean to be a church that is centered on the gospel?

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 What does it mean to be a believer that is centered on the gospel?

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 And what are the gospels anyway?

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 Sometimes we think the gospels are just the first four books

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 in the New Testament.

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 Matthew, Mark, Luke and John.

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 That's certainly true.

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 But another question is if you are a follower of Jesus,

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 let's say you really do believe what the scriptures say

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 about who Jesus is and what he came to do,

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 is the gospel relevant to your life?

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 Maybe the gospel is just something that you believed once upon a time,

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 but now you've got to just try and be a good Christian.

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 How does the gospel have any relevance to our lives as followers of Jesus?

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 Well, that's what we're going to try and answer in the coming weeks.

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 And my hope is that as we do this,

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 rather than maybe having a wide but a shallow understanding of the gospel,

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 my hope and prayer is that the gospel and its implications for our lives,

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 both if you are a spiritual seeker this morning

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 and as well as if you're a Christian,

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 we'll get deeper into our hearts and we'll understand the richness

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 and the depth of it and the complexity of it

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 and why it matters for us individually and as a church.

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 Okay?

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 So that's where we're going for the next couple of weeks.

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 And I've got to just tell you,

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 I've just got to warn you,

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 I might get a little bit excited today.

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 I am like frothing with excitement to share this with you today.

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 Okay?

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 So if I'm a little excited, I do apologize.

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 It's just the way it is.

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 So let's dive in.

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 Okay?

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 Firstly, what is the gospel?

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 What is the gospel?

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 Part of what makes this question so confusing

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 is that the Bible doesn't actually give a simple or simplistic one-sentence answer.

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 Now, I know Tim Keller's given us a one-sentence answer,

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 but the Bible actually has a very complex answer.

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 The Bible talks about the gospel in a myriad of different ways.

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 It's kind of like a diamond, right?

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 A diamond is multifaceted,

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 and every time you look at a diamond from a different angle,

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 a different facet,

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 you see a different color or different clarity.

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 Some aspect of the diamond is revealed to you,

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 depending from what angle you look at it.

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 The gospel is similar in that

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 there are a thousand different ways to look at it,

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 to understand it,

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 a thousand different aspects from which to appreciate it,

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 and every time it reveals something different about who God is

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 and about who we are.

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 That being said,

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 I'm going to try and give us a simple answer.

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 The word gospel actually means the good news,

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 and many of us might have known that.

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 In the ancient world,

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 a king bears a son.

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 Good news!

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 There is an heir on the throne,

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 or an heir waiting.

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 And so some government announcement will come into the town square,

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 blow his trumpet,

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 I bring you good news!

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 Announcement!

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 The king has had an heir!

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 And everybody cheers and celebrates.

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 A herald will bring a gospel announcement,

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 announcement of good news,

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 the king has had a son.

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 Or maybe another example is your little town,

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 or city is at war,

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 and there's the enemy,

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 and this day there's a big battle going on just over the hills,

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 and your town or city,

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 your army wins the battle.

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 And so a messenger rides back on his horse,

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 comes into town,

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 I bring you good news!

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 A gospel announcement!

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 Our men in arms have won the battle!

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 We have been victorious!

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 The gospel means good news!

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 It is an announcement of some good news!

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 In the same way,

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 God has an announcement,

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 some good news of great joy.

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 And what is this good news?

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 It is the good news that God,

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 the creator of the world,

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 has made a way for humanity,

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 you and I,

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 to be saved from the consequences of our sin,

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 through the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus.

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 This is exactly what Jonas read to us.

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 Look at how 1 Corinthians says this.

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 He says,

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 I delivered to you of first importance

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 what I also received,

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 the gospel.

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 I want to remind you of the gospel.

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 That Jesus died for our sins,

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 in accordance with the scriptures.

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 That he was buried,

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 but he was raised on the third day,

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 also in accordance with the scriptures,

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 and he made himself known to us.

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 Or said another way,

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 the gospel is the good news,

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 that God is not leaving the world as it is.

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 He is rescuing the world,

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 from the consequences of the brokenness of sin.

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 And that he has done this by sending himself,

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 in the person of Jesus,

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 to die on the cross,

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 to rise again,

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 and God is now at work putting the world right again.

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 Okay?

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 So the gospel is this announcement of good news,

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 and the way the Bible,

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 but the way the Bible tells it,

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 is not just a government official with a white paper.

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 I don't know if we do that in Hong Kong,

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 when the government wants to announce something,

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 they put out a white paper.

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 God didn't just put out a white paper,

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 in the government gazette,

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 saying I bring you good news of great joy.

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 The way the Bible tells this good news announcement,

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 is actually in the form of a story.

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 And that's what the whole Bible is about.

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 The Bible is this good news announcement,

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 in story,

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 in narrative form.

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 And this narrative of the Bible,

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 has five chapters,

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 or five divisions to it.

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 And actually,

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 as you read every little story in the Bible,

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 David and Goliath,

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 Jonah and the whale,

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 Daniel and the lion's den,

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 Jesus healing the blind man,

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 all these little stories,

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 are all not just good advice,

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 how to live your life.

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 These are stories that are all telling us,

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 they are microcosms,

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 of the big story of the Bible.

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 Okay?

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 And so what is the big story of the Bible?

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 Well, let's go through those five chapters.

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 So it starts off like this.

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 The first part tells us,

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 where we came from.

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 God has created us.

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 I think we've got,

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 there we go,

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 creation,

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 number one.

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 The world came into being,

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 because God created the heavens and the earth.

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 Not by mere accident,

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 or chance,

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 it is the willful design,

00:13:03.300 --> 00:13:04.019
 of God.

00:13:04.280 --> 00:13:05.300
 He is uncreated,

00:13:05.660 --> 00:13:06.480
 and He has created,

00:13:06.660 --> 00:13:08.900
 everything that does exist.

00:13:09.560 --> 00:13:10.060
 Part one,

00:13:10.259 --> 00:13:10.680
 creation.

00:13:11.460 --> 00:13:11.980
 But,

00:13:12.540 --> 00:13:14.400
 pretty soon after God made mankind,

00:13:15.340 --> 00:13:16.700
 things go horribly wrong.

00:13:17.340 --> 00:13:18.639
 We rebel against God,

00:13:18.800 --> 00:13:20.160
 and sin enters the world.

00:13:20.159 --> 00:13:23.079
 And this has disastrous consequences,

00:13:23.079 --> 00:13:24.939
 for everything that is created.

00:13:24.939 --> 00:13:25.759
 Not just us,

00:13:25.860 --> 00:13:27.480
 but all of creation.

00:13:28.079 --> 00:13:29.600
 Everything now is fallen,

00:13:30.079 --> 00:13:31.000
 or flawed,

00:13:31.500 --> 00:13:33.159
 or a broken version,

00:13:33.379 --> 00:13:35.240
 of the intended version,

00:13:35.360 --> 00:13:36.519
 that God had planned for us.

00:13:36.719 --> 00:13:38.339
 It's a blemished version of itself.

00:13:38.759 --> 00:13:41.240
 And we see this most clearly,

00:13:41.240 --> 00:13:42.299
 in our relationships.

00:13:42.299 --> 00:13:43.479
 So now,

00:13:43.579 --> 00:13:44.120
 as human beings,

00:13:44.240 --> 00:13:45.079
 we have a flawed,

00:13:45.199 --> 00:13:46.240
 or broken relationship,

00:13:46.240 --> 00:13:46.979
 with creation.

00:13:47.519 --> 00:13:48.419
 Rather than,

00:13:48.579 --> 00:13:49.599
 serving creation,

00:13:49.759 --> 00:13:50.539
 and shooting it,

00:13:50.599 --> 00:13:51.359
 for our well-being,

00:13:51.679 --> 00:13:52.479
 we now use,

00:13:52.539 --> 00:13:53.439
 and abuse creation,

00:13:53.699 --> 00:13:54.559
 for our own benefit.

00:13:55.019 --> 00:13:56.199
 We use it for ourselves,

00:13:56.279 --> 00:13:57.799
 and creation itself is broken.

00:13:58.539 --> 00:13:59.740
 Particularly those in Australia,

00:13:59.859 --> 00:14:00.179
 at the moment,

00:14:00.240 --> 00:14:01.740
 are feeling the consequences of this.

00:14:01.799 --> 00:14:01.919
 Right?

00:14:01.919 --> 00:14:03.519
 So we have a flawed relationship,

00:14:03.519 --> 00:14:04.079
 with creation.

00:14:04.539 --> 00:14:05.719
 We have a flawed relationship,

00:14:05.719 --> 00:14:06.620
 with one another.

00:14:07.079 --> 00:14:07.799
 Rather than,

00:14:08.099 --> 00:14:08.439
 serving,

00:14:08.579 --> 00:14:09.559
 and loving one another,

00:14:09.679 --> 00:14:10.219
 and looking out,

00:14:10.279 --> 00:14:11.139
 for each other's interests.

00:14:11.459 --> 00:14:12.000
 What do we do?

00:14:12.079 --> 00:14:12.860
 We now use,

00:14:12.919 --> 00:14:13.839
 and abuse each other.

00:14:14.159 --> 00:14:14.819
 We look at how,

00:14:14.939 --> 00:14:15.740
 I can use you,

00:14:15.819 --> 00:14:16.639
 for my benefit.

00:14:17.079 --> 00:14:18.059
 And the result of this,

00:14:18.479 --> 00:14:19.039
 sexism,

00:14:19.799 --> 00:14:20.240
 racism,

00:14:21.159 --> 00:14:21.539
 anger,

00:14:22.240 --> 00:14:22.779
 animosity,

00:14:23.799 --> 00:14:25.120
 wars,

00:14:25.299 --> 00:14:26.719
 and disagreements.

00:14:27.099 --> 00:14:28.599
 We have a flawed relationship,

00:14:28.799 --> 00:14:29.719
 with ourselves.

00:14:30.360 --> 00:14:31.559
 Rather than living at peace,

00:14:31.559 --> 00:14:32.039
 with ourselves,

00:14:32.139 --> 00:14:32.679
 we now battle,

00:14:32.779 --> 00:14:33.399
 insecurity,

00:14:33.679 --> 00:14:34.379
 and anxiety,

00:14:34.599 --> 00:14:35.219
 and depression,

00:14:35.959 --> 00:14:36.599
 self-doubt,

00:14:37.219 --> 00:14:38.059
 self-loathing,

00:14:38.299 --> 00:14:38.819
 or maybe,

00:14:38.959 --> 00:14:39.939
 self-exaltation,

00:14:40.139 --> 00:14:40.799
 self-worship.

00:14:41.139 --> 00:14:41.719
 Our relationship,

00:14:41.719 --> 00:14:42.939
 with ourself is broken,

00:14:43.319 --> 00:14:44.199
 as a result of sin.

00:14:44.759 --> 00:14:45.799
 But most significantly,

00:14:46.000 --> 00:14:46.619
 our relationship,

00:14:46.619 --> 00:14:47.519
 with God,

00:14:47.619 --> 00:14:48.719
 the Holy God,

00:14:48.919 --> 00:14:49.679
 is broken.

00:14:50.119 --> 00:14:51.099
 So once we are designed,

00:14:51.339 --> 00:14:52.399
 to live in relationship,

00:14:52.399 --> 00:14:52.719
 with Him,

00:14:52.799 --> 00:14:53.859
 by enjoying Him,

00:14:53.979 --> 00:14:55.059
 and worshipping Him,

00:14:55.479 --> 00:14:56.399
 now we are under,

00:14:56.399 --> 00:14:57.439
 His just judgment,

00:14:57.639 --> 00:14:59.099
 and His holy wrath.

00:14:59.979 --> 00:15:00.299
 Now,

00:15:00.759 --> 00:15:01.639
 as any one of us,

00:15:01.699 --> 00:15:02.459
 can attest,

00:15:03.179 --> 00:15:04.740
 the world is out of joint,

00:15:04.819 --> 00:15:06.279
 and we desperately need,

00:15:06.439 --> 00:15:07.339
 to be rescued.

00:15:08.079 --> 00:15:09.299
 But where the Bible differs,

00:15:09.419 --> 00:15:10.359
 from every other,

00:15:10.359 --> 00:15:11.419
 moral philosophy,

00:15:11.799 --> 00:15:13.079
 is that God tells us,

00:15:13.139 --> 00:15:14.319
 the problem with the world,

00:15:14.379 --> 00:15:16.179
 is not primarily horizontal,

00:15:16.779 --> 00:15:17.519
 me and you.

00:15:18.199 --> 00:15:19.419
 The main problem,

00:15:19.459 --> 00:15:19.799
 with the world,

00:15:19.859 --> 00:15:20.479
 is vertical,

00:15:20.899 --> 00:15:21.699
 me and God.

00:15:22.259 --> 00:15:23.019
 And every,

00:15:23.159 --> 00:15:24.399
 that has consequences,

00:15:24.399 --> 00:15:25.359
 that overflow,

00:15:25.519 --> 00:15:26.339
 into our relationships,

00:15:26.519 --> 00:15:27.019
 horizontally.

00:15:27.740 --> 00:15:28.799
 And so we look around us,

00:15:28.840 --> 00:15:30.000
 the problem with the world,

00:15:30.120 --> 00:15:30.819
 is racism,

00:15:31.059 --> 00:15:31.799
 and sexism,

00:15:31.919 --> 00:15:32.519
 and wars,

00:15:32.779 --> 00:15:34.419
 and creation has fallen,

00:15:34.659 --> 00:15:36.019
 and global warming.

00:15:36.340 --> 00:15:37.639
 These are all symptoms,

00:15:37.639 --> 00:15:38.980
 of a deeper problem,

00:15:39.240 --> 00:15:39.639
 which is that,

00:15:39.720 --> 00:15:40.519
 we are out of sync,

00:15:40.559 --> 00:15:41.600
 in our relationship with God.

00:15:42.279 --> 00:15:43.000
 And the problem,

00:15:43.059 --> 00:15:44.360
 it's a disastrous thing,

00:15:44.419 --> 00:15:45.399
 to deal with the symptoms,

00:15:45.579 --> 00:15:46.659
 not with the real problem.

00:15:47.120 --> 00:15:48.259
 Imagine you go to your doctor,

00:15:48.799 --> 00:15:49.419
 and you say,

00:15:49.819 --> 00:15:50.960
 I've got this fever,

00:15:51.620 --> 00:15:52.519
 and I was walking,

00:15:52.799 --> 00:15:52.980
 you know,

00:15:53.060 --> 00:15:54.060
 I was hiking on the peak,

00:15:54.139 --> 00:15:55.240
 and I cut myself,

00:15:55.860 --> 00:15:57.139
 and I've got this cut,

00:15:57.180 --> 00:15:57.659
 on my leg,

00:15:57.740 --> 00:15:58.960
 and it's all swollen,

00:15:59.100 --> 00:15:59.820
 and it looks red,

00:15:59.920 --> 00:16:00.820
 and there's some stuff,

00:16:01.120 --> 00:16:01.659
 coming out of it,

00:16:01.980 --> 00:16:02.980
 and I've got this fever,

00:16:03.600 --> 00:16:04.740
 and your doctor says,

00:16:04.860 --> 00:16:05.120
 okay,

00:16:05.240 --> 00:16:06.159
 well here's Panadol,

00:16:06.220 --> 00:16:06.759
 for the fever,

00:16:06.899 --> 00:16:07.899
 and here's a plaster,

00:16:08.060 --> 00:16:09.080
 for the cut on your leg.

00:16:10.100 --> 00:16:11.019
 That's not a good thing,

00:16:11.060 --> 00:16:11.300
 right?

00:16:11.860 --> 00:16:12.740
 Now there's an infection,

00:16:12.920 --> 00:16:13.100
 inside,

00:16:13.159 --> 00:16:14.379
 you need to deal with the cause,

00:16:14.720 --> 00:16:15.840
 don't just put a band-aid,

00:16:15.840 --> 00:16:16.420
 over it,

00:16:16.940 --> 00:16:17.580
 and we need to deal,

00:16:17.659 --> 00:16:18.139
 with the cause.

00:16:18.519 --> 00:16:19.480
 The Bible tells us,

00:16:19.620 --> 00:16:20.779
 that all the problems,

00:16:20.779 --> 00:16:21.659
 we see around us,

00:16:21.720 --> 00:16:22.379
 are symptoms,

00:16:22.699 --> 00:16:23.740
 of a deeper cause.

00:16:24.240 --> 00:16:24.879
 We've got to deal,

00:16:25.139 --> 00:16:25.799
 with the cause.

00:16:26.559 --> 00:16:27.179
 Chapter two.

00:16:27.519 --> 00:16:28.319
 Chapter three,

00:16:28.959 --> 00:16:30.419
 God in his great mercy,

00:16:30.519 --> 00:16:31.019
 and his grace,

00:16:31.100 --> 00:16:32.279
 he doesn't leave the world,

00:16:32.339 --> 00:16:33.079
 in that state.

00:16:33.579 --> 00:16:34.899
 He does something about it.

00:16:35.259 --> 00:16:35.839
 And this is what,

00:16:36.059 --> 00:16:37.100
 most of the Bible is about,

00:16:37.139 --> 00:16:38.179
 or most of the Old Testament.

00:16:38.419 --> 00:16:39.759
 God is showing his people,

00:16:40.279 --> 00:16:41.939
 the significant consequences,

00:16:41.939 --> 00:16:42.480
 for sin,

00:16:42.539 --> 00:16:43.079
 and rebellion.

00:16:43.399 --> 00:16:44.500
 And he's promising,

00:16:45.059 --> 00:16:45.720
 to rescue,

00:16:45.959 --> 00:16:46.480
 and redeem,

00:16:46.639 --> 00:16:47.339
 our fallen world.

00:16:47.459 --> 00:16:48.459
 And so that's the third chapter.

00:16:48.879 --> 00:16:49.839
 God's redemption,

00:16:49.840 --> 00:16:51.060
 his rescue plan.

00:16:51.620 --> 00:16:53.120
 And God rescues the world,

00:16:53.420 --> 00:16:54.820
 by reversing,

00:16:55.200 --> 00:16:56.100
 the effects,

00:16:56.240 --> 00:16:57.080
 of sin,

00:16:57.200 --> 00:16:57.720
 and the fall,

00:16:57.860 --> 00:16:58.639
 and brokenness.

00:16:59.200 --> 00:17:00.920
 But the way that God does this,

00:17:00.980 --> 00:17:01.800
 is not just by,

00:17:01.920 --> 00:17:03.200
 pulling out a magic wand,

00:17:03.780 --> 00:17:04.779
 waving it over the world,

00:17:04.819 --> 00:17:05.100
 and saying,

00:17:05.240 --> 00:17:06.240
 abracadabra,

00:17:06.360 --> 00:17:07.160
 be right again.

00:17:07.880 --> 00:17:09.360
 The way that God does this,

00:17:09.360 --> 00:17:10.779
 is he sends himself,

00:17:11.460 --> 00:17:12.559
 in the person of Jesus,

00:17:13.180 --> 00:17:14.240
 to come and take,

00:17:14.519 --> 00:17:15.140
 the curse,

00:17:15.240 --> 00:17:16.340
 or the effects of sin,

00:17:16.400 --> 00:17:17.120
 upon himself,

00:17:17.519 --> 00:17:19.180
 by dying on the cross.

00:17:19.180 --> 00:17:21.000
 And rising again,

00:17:21.420 --> 00:17:22.340
 for our sin.

00:17:22.759 --> 00:17:23.920
 Jesus did for us,

00:17:23.960 --> 00:17:25.220
 what we could not do,

00:17:25.220 --> 00:17:25.880
 for ourselves.

00:17:26.400 --> 00:17:27.299
 Jesus dies,

00:17:27.380 --> 00:17:28.039
 in our place.

00:17:28.519 --> 00:17:29.539
 Jesus was born,

00:17:29.720 --> 00:17:30.920
 in order to die.

00:17:31.480 --> 00:17:32.320
 Jesus is born,

00:17:32.400 --> 00:17:33.200
 in a wooden manger,

00:17:33.460 --> 00:17:34.420
 in order to die,

00:17:34.519 --> 00:17:35.519
 on a wooden cross.

00:17:36.299 --> 00:17:37.019
 Jesus dies,

00:17:37.180 --> 00:17:38.140
 as our substitute,

00:17:38.420 --> 00:17:39.460
 not just as our example,

00:17:39.740 --> 00:17:40.779
 but he doesn't just,

00:17:40.779 --> 00:17:41.660
 die as our substitute.

00:17:42.160 --> 00:17:43.160
 He actually comes,

00:17:43.259 --> 00:17:44.580
 to reverse the curse,

00:17:44.880 --> 00:17:45.840
 to undo,

00:17:45.839 --> 00:17:47.159
 the effects of sin,

00:17:47.519 --> 00:17:49.319
 by rising from the grave.

00:17:49.779 --> 00:17:50.619
 And that leads us,

00:17:50.679 --> 00:17:51.599
 to the fourth part,

00:17:51.639 --> 00:17:52.119
 of the gospel,

00:17:52.579 --> 00:17:53.240
 which is that,

00:17:53.279 --> 00:17:54.539
 God is restoring,

00:17:55.079 --> 00:17:55.959
 or healing,

00:17:56.619 --> 00:17:57.139
 the world.

00:17:57.659 --> 00:17:58.740
 Those who trust in him,

00:17:58.919 --> 00:17:59.779
 by putting the world,

00:17:59.859 --> 00:18:00.319
 right again.

00:18:01.059 --> 00:18:02.359
 But how does God do this?

00:18:02.799 --> 00:18:03.279
 Well again,

00:18:03.339 --> 00:18:03.980
 he doesn't pull out,

00:18:03.980 --> 00:18:04.720
 his magic wand,

00:18:04.939 --> 00:18:05.819
 abracadabra.

00:18:06.299 --> 00:18:07.459
 He actually does that,

00:18:07.459 --> 00:18:08.639
 by getting the gospel,

00:18:08.799 --> 00:18:09.799
 into our hearts,

00:18:10.139 --> 00:18:11.319
 and through the church,

00:18:11.399 --> 00:18:12.059
 getting the gospel,

00:18:12.220 --> 00:18:12.879
 into the world.

00:18:12.880 --> 00:18:14.520
 And so God sends us out,

00:18:14.580 --> 00:18:15.560
 with his gospel message,

00:18:15.720 --> 00:18:16.700
 and by that,

00:18:16.920 --> 00:18:18.380
 he is healing the world.

00:18:18.500 --> 00:18:19.960
 The gospel changes lives,

00:18:20.060 --> 00:18:20.960
 it heals division,

00:18:21.400 --> 00:18:22.700
 it soothes anxiety,

00:18:22.940 --> 00:18:24.180
 it humbles the proud,

00:18:24.460 --> 00:18:25.720
 it brings our hearts,

00:18:26.140 --> 00:18:26.580
 shalom,

00:18:26.680 --> 00:18:27.480
 and peace again.

00:18:28.020 --> 00:18:28.820
 God is at work,

00:18:29.140 --> 00:18:29.480
 healing,

00:18:29.800 --> 00:18:30.280
 and fixing,

00:18:30.560 --> 00:18:31.420
 our broken world.

00:18:32.200 --> 00:18:33.040
 But God doesn't end,

00:18:33.100 --> 00:18:34.060
 the story doesn't end there.

00:18:34.600 --> 00:18:35.040
 Fifthly,

00:18:35.100 --> 00:18:35.680
 and finally,

00:18:36.260 --> 00:18:37.180
 Jesus returns,

00:18:37.860 --> 00:18:38.980
 and he wipes away,

00:18:39.160 --> 00:18:39.980
 all wickedness,

00:18:40.020 --> 00:18:40.660
 and all evil,

00:18:41.080 --> 00:18:42.380
 and he consummates,

00:18:42.380 --> 00:18:43.660
 his redemption plan.

00:18:43.760 --> 00:18:45.160
 He brings it to completion,

00:18:45.560 --> 00:18:47.440
 when he comes again,

00:18:47.800 --> 00:18:48.380
 in glory.

00:18:49.080 --> 00:18:49.240
 Okay,

00:18:49.300 --> 00:18:50.940
 there's the five chapters,

00:18:51.060 --> 00:18:52.480
 divisions of the gospel story.

00:18:52.640 --> 00:18:53.680
 Now I'm sure many of us,

00:18:53.680 --> 00:18:55.000
 have heard that before.

00:18:55.600 --> 00:18:57.320
 But the climax of the story,

00:18:57.680 --> 00:18:58.740
 the focal point,

00:18:59.140 --> 00:19:01.180
 the high point of the story,

00:19:01.520 --> 00:19:03.320
 is Jesus dying on the cross.

00:19:03.480 --> 00:19:05.400
 Jesus' redemption work on the cross.

00:19:05.720 --> 00:19:07.460
 That's what the Bible is about,

00:19:07.620 --> 00:19:08.180
 again,

00:19:08.320 --> 00:19:08.900
 and again,

00:19:09.040 --> 00:19:09.600
 and again,

00:19:09.980 --> 00:19:10.440
 is that,

00:19:10.860 --> 00:19:12.220
 this is where hope lies.

00:19:12.220 --> 00:19:13.779
 This is where salvation lies.

00:19:13.880 --> 00:19:15.319
 This is where redemption lies.

00:19:15.440 --> 00:19:17.160
 This is where it all comes back to.

00:19:17.400 --> 00:19:20.400
 This is not only a part of the gospel story,

00:19:20.600 --> 00:19:22.200
 this is the focal point,

00:19:22.279 --> 00:19:23.900
 that Jesus hung on the cross,

00:19:24.019 --> 00:19:24.920
 in our place,

00:19:25.259 --> 00:19:26.880
 atoning for the sins of the world.

00:19:27.180 --> 00:19:28.339
 As Paul writes in Corinthians,

00:19:28.339 --> 00:19:29.659
 in Christ,

00:19:30.019 --> 00:19:32.559
 God was reconciling the world to each other.

00:19:32.679 --> 00:19:34.639
 Once he was divorced between us and God,

00:19:34.980 --> 00:19:36.199
 he is reconciling,

00:19:36.319 --> 00:19:36.919
 redeeming,

00:19:37.079 --> 00:19:37.379
 healing,

00:19:37.519 --> 00:19:38.459
 and restoring us,

00:19:38.899 --> 00:19:42.379
 not counting humanity's trespasses against themselves.

00:19:43.679 --> 00:19:44.179
 Friends,

00:19:44.279 --> 00:19:45.419
 that one aspect,

00:19:45.859 --> 00:19:48.299
 the climax of Jesus' death on the cross,

00:19:48.720 --> 00:19:50.299
 that aspect of the gospel,

00:19:50.480 --> 00:19:51.759
 is so broad,

00:19:51.759 --> 00:19:53.059
 and wide,

00:19:53.220 --> 00:19:54.099
 and deep,

00:19:54.160 --> 00:19:54.799
 and profound,

00:19:55.099 --> 00:19:56.879
 that a lifetime of sermons,

00:19:57.519 --> 00:19:58.839
 could not even cover,

00:19:59.259 --> 00:20:00.079
 the depth of it,

00:20:00.200 --> 00:20:01.759
 or the richness of it.

00:20:02.319 --> 00:20:03.160
 And that's why,

00:20:03.319 --> 00:20:04.879
 every page of the Bible,

00:20:05.319 --> 00:20:06.460
 from Genesis 1,

00:20:06.519 --> 00:20:07.359
 right to the end,

00:20:07.460 --> 00:20:08.240
 every page,

00:20:08.319 --> 00:20:09.039
 is dripping,

00:20:09.759 --> 00:20:11.039
 with the proclamation,

00:20:11.039 --> 00:20:12.200
 of God's good news,

00:20:12.259 --> 00:20:12.700
 of the gospel.

00:20:12.900 --> 00:20:14.400
 It all points back to Jesus.

00:20:14.980 --> 00:20:15.960
 And so you read the stories,

00:20:16.039 --> 00:20:16.680
 in the Old Testament,

00:20:16.859 --> 00:20:18.279
 they are all telling the story,

00:20:18.279 --> 00:20:19.119
 of how one day,

00:20:19.220 --> 00:20:20.059
 Jesus will come,

00:20:20.379 --> 00:20:21.279
 to rescue the world.

00:20:21.779 --> 00:20:23.000
 So just think of Daniel,

00:20:23.119 --> 00:20:23.920
 in the lion's den,

00:20:24.039 --> 00:20:24.259
 right?

00:20:24.660 --> 00:20:26.160
 Daniel is hopeless.

00:20:26.680 --> 00:20:28.200
 He is facing death in the face.

00:20:28.480 --> 00:20:29.519
 He's got no hope,

00:20:29.559 --> 00:20:30.399
 of rescuing himself.

00:20:31.139 --> 00:20:31.799
 There he is,

00:20:31.940 --> 00:20:32.839
 death is staring at him,

00:20:32.920 --> 00:20:34.079
 how is he going to save himself?

00:20:34.960 --> 00:20:35.399
 Oh well,

00:20:35.539 --> 00:20:36.319
 God saves him,

00:20:36.399 --> 00:20:37.079
 God does for him,

00:20:37.079 --> 00:20:38.379
 what he could not do for himself.

00:20:38.839 --> 00:20:39.920
 That's a picture of Jesus.

00:20:40.519 --> 00:20:41.160
 There we were,

00:20:41.279 --> 00:20:42.899
 facing death in the face,

00:20:43.039 --> 00:20:43.779
 God's judgment,

00:20:44.299 --> 00:20:45.039
 God did for us,

00:20:45.079 --> 00:20:46.039
 what we could not do,

00:20:46.379 --> 00:20:47.099
 for ourselves.

00:20:47.099 --> 00:20:48.939
 This is the gospel message.

00:20:50.019 --> 00:20:50.299
 Aha!

00:20:50.839 --> 00:20:51.599
 But now,

00:20:52.459 --> 00:20:54.319
 many of us,

00:20:54.619 --> 00:20:55.240
 might know that.

00:20:56.299 --> 00:20:57.319
 But one of the dangers,

00:20:57.619 --> 00:20:57.959
 is,

00:20:58.319 --> 00:20:59.500
 especially if you've been a Christian,

00:20:59.659 --> 00:21:00.859
 for any number of years,

00:21:01.439 --> 00:21:02.159
 subtly,

00:21:02.659 --> 00:21:03.579
 very subtly,

00:21:04.139 --> 00:21:05.039
 all sorts of,

00:21:05.039 --> 00:21:06.559
 counterfeit gospels,

00:21:06.939 --> 00:21:08.679
 or false gospels,

00:21:08.799 --> 00:21:10.199
 or anti-gospels,

00:21:10.699 --> 00:21:11.740
 very easily,

00:21:11.959 --> 00:21:13.279
 creep into our understanding.

00:21:14.139 --> 00:21:14.599
 Let me,

00:21:14.659 --> 00:21:16.099
 highlight a couple,

00:21:16.099 --> 00:21:17.539
 of anti-gospels for us.

00:21:17.579 --> 00:21:18.179
 A couple of ways,

00:21:18.199 --> 00:21:18.579
 in which we,

00:21:18.879 --> 00:21:20.459
 miss the clarity,

00:21:20.759 --> 00:21:21.179
 or the,

00:21:21.179 --> 00:21:22.859
 the sharpness,

00:21:22.899 --> 00:21:23.379
 of the gospel.

00:21:23.819 --> 00:21:24.779
 The first way is this,

00:21:25.199 --> 00:21:26.299
 sometimes we think,

00:21:26.579 --> 00:21:27.259
 the gospel,

00:21:27.500 --> 00:21:27.980
 is good,

00:21:28.159 --> 00:21:29.379
 good advice,

00:21:29.879 --> 00:21:30.579
 rather than,

00:21:30.759 --> 00:21:31.299
 good news.

00:21:32.159 --> 00:21:33.019
 Think about that,

00:21:33.099 --> 00:21:34.000
 what's the difference,

00:21:34.059 --> 00:21:35.319
 between good news,

00:21:35.559 --> 00:21:36.759
 and good advice?

00:21:39.319 --> 00:21:39.859
 Let's say,

00:21:39.899 --> 00:21:40.779
 somebody comes to you,

00:21:41.059 --> 00:21:41.379
 and says,

00:21:41.380 --> 00:21:42.680
 I've got good advice for you.

00:21:43.300 --> 00:21:44.300
 I have found,

00:21:44.700 --> 00:21:45.100
 there's a,

00:21:45.100 --> 00:21:46.500
 a tax free,

00:21:46.600 --> 00:21:47.540
 saving investment.

00:21:48.200 --> 00:21:49.760
 And you should put all your money in there,

00:21:49.900 --> 00:21:51.420
 and you don't need to pay taxes.

00:21:51.860 --> 00:21:53.040
 My advice to you,

00:21:53.260 --> 00:21:54.620
 is invest in this vehicle,

00:21:54.780 --> 00:21:55.960
 and you will make a lot of money.

00:21:56.200 --> 00:21:56.440
 Okay?

00:21:57.580 --> 00:21:58.360
 Good advice,

00:21:58.420 --> 00:21:58.800
 is saying,

00:21:58.920 --> 00:22:00.800
 here is some theoretical information,

00:22:01.420 --> 00:22:02.580
 but the agency,

00:22:02.580 --> 00:22:03.600
 is upon you,

00:22:03.720 --> 00:22:04.580
 to act upon it.

00:22:04.920 --> 00:22:06.800
 You've got to do something about it,

00:22:06.799 --> 00:22:07.879
 in order to,

00:22:08.259 --> 00:22:08.680
 actually,

00:22:09.099 --> 00:22:09.720
 act upon it,

00:22:09.759 --> 00:22:10.879
 or make it a reality.

00:22:11.180 --> 00:22:11.379
 Right?

00:22:12.159 --> 00:22:13.000
 Good advice,

00:22:13.059 --> 00:22:13.279
 says,

00:22:13.500 --> 00:22:14.639
 here is some information,

00:22:15.259 --> 00:22:15.919
 but actually,

00:22:16.059 --> 00:22:17.019
 whether anything is going to happen,

00:22:17.059 --> 00:22:17.680
 is up to you.

00:22:18.480 --> 00:22:19.579
 Good news,

00:22:20.139 --> 00:22:20.919
 somebody comes to you,

00:22:20.940 --> 00:22:21.119
 and says,

00:22:21.180 --> 00:22:21.940
 I've got good news.

00:22:22.720 --> 00:22:23.940
 I've just got off the phone,

00:22:24.039 --> 00:22:25.399
 you've got some long lost relative,

00:22:25.500 --> 00:22:26.339
 that you didn't know about.

00:22:26.680 --> 00:22:27.259
 They've died,

00:22:27.359 --> 00:22:28.480
 and they've left you $10 million,

00:22:28.980 --> 00:22:30.700
 and it's already in your bank account.

00:22:31.419 --> 00:22:32.480
 Have a happy day.

00:22:32.659 --> 00:22:32.859
 Right?

00:22:33.259 --> 00:22:34.159
 That's good news,

00:22:34.240 --> 00:22:35.200
 not just good advice.

00:22:35.980 --> 00:22:36.779
 Good news,

00:22:36.799 --> 00:22:37.019
 says,

00:22:37.099 --> 00:22:38.019
 something has happened.

00:22:38.259 --> 00:22:39.180
 It's already been done.

00:22:39.720 --> 00:22:40.720
 All you need to do,

00:22:40.799 --> 00:22:41.819
 is receive it.

00:22:41.940 --> 00:22:43.220
 You might need to go to the ATM,

00:22:43.379 --> 00:22:44.000
 and draw the money,

00:22:44.359 --> 00:22:45.440
 but it's already happened.

00:22:46.200 --> 00:22:46.460
 Friends,

00:22:46.500 --> 00:22:46.980
 the gospel,

00:22:46.980 --> 00:22:48.539
 is not good advice,

00:22:48.940 --> 00:22:50.180
 how to clean up your life,

00:22:50.619 --> 00:22:51.419
 how to make yourself,

00:22:51.419 --> 00:22:52.220
 a better person,

00:22:52.559 --> 00:22:54.159
 how to make the best,

00:22:54.240 --> 00:22:54.960
 out of 2020.

00:22:55.539 --> 00:22:56.319
 The gospel,

00:22:56.500 --> 00:22:57.180
 is good news.

00:22:57.559 --> 00:22:58.559
 Something has happened.

00:22:59.139 --> 00:23:00.079
 Jesus has died,

00:23:00.139 --> 00:23:00.619
 on the cross,

00:23:00.700 --> 00:23:01.460
 to save you,

00:23:01.519 --> 00:23:02.299
 to rescue you,

00:23:02.519 --> 00:23:04.139
 to cover your sins.

00:23:04.140 --> 00:23:06.759
 The gospel,

00:23:06.759 --> 00:23:07.340
 is not just,

00:23:07.420 --> 00:23:08.060
 good advice,

00:23:08.120 --> 00:23:08.620
 about how to,

00:23:08.759 --> 00:23:10.160
 make ourselves a better person,

00:23:10.320 --> 00:23:11.080
 meditate on this,

00:23:11.180 --> 00:23:12.240
 develop right thinking.

00:23:12.660 --> 00:23:13.540
 It is an announcement,

00:23:13.540 --> 00:23:14.259
 of good news.

00:23:14.480 --> 00:23:15.259
 Though you and I,

00:23:15.320 --> 00:23:16.480
 were dead in our sins,

00:23:16.560 --> 00:23:17.580
 under God's curse,

00:23:18.020 --> 00:23:19.040
 facing his judgment,

00:23:19.520 --> 00:23:20.680
 Jesus died on the cross,

00:23:20.820 --> 00:23:21.740
 taking our punishment,

00:23:21.880 --> 00:23:22.580
 upon himself,

00:23:23.060 --> 00:23:24.040
 so that we can be declared,

00:23:24.240 --> 00:23:24.540
 free,

00:23:24.880 --> 00:23:26.000
 from the punishment of sin.

00:23:26.500 --> 00:23:26.700
 Okay,

00:23:26.700 --> 00:23:27.460
 does that make sense?

00:23:28.460 --> 00:23:28.900
 Okay.

00:23:30.299 --> 00:23:30.740
 Sorry,

00:23:30.960 --> 00:23:32.000
 you are not as excited,

00:23:32.000 --> 00:23:33.059
 about this as I am.

00:23:33.779 --> 00:23:35.259
 I'm just going to keep on going,

00:23:35.340 --> 00:23:35.600
 okay,

00:23:35.680 --> 00:23:36.819
 and hope that the excitement,

00:23:36.980 --> 00:23:37.539
 wears off.

00:23:38.019 --> 00:23:38.180
 Okay,

00:23:38.279 --> 00:23:38.440
 so,

00:23:38.860 --> 00:23:39.779
 one anti-gospel,

00:23:40.299 --> 00:23:41.740
 is we confuse good news,

00:23:41.799 --> 00:23:42.460
 for good advice.

00:23:42.600 --> 00:23:43.579
 Second anti-gospel,

00:23:43.720 --> 00:23:44.079
 is this.

00:23:45.100 --> 00:23:46.340
 We confuse the gospel,

00:23:46.480 --> 00:23:47.600
 when we think that it means,

00:23:48.460 --> 00:23:49.059
 grace,

00:23:49.579 --> 00:23:50.259
 means we don't need,

00:23:50.259 --> 00:23:51.180
 to talk about sin.

00:23:52.079 --> 00:23:52.220
 Okay.

00:23:53.240 --> 00:23:53.900
 Joel Spurgeon,

00:23:53.980 --> 00:23:54.660
 once said this,

00:23:55.200 --> 00:23:56.180
 the nearer,

00:23:56.440 --> 00:23:57.440
 a man or woman,

00:23:57.740 --> 00:23:58.680
 gets to God,

00:23:59.079 --> 00:24:00.559
 the more intensely,

00:24:00.940 --> 00:24:02.319
 he or she will mourn,

00:24:02.579 --> 00:24:04.460
 over their own sinful heart.

00:24:05.140 --> 00:24:05.960
 Oh my goodness,

00:24:06.059 --> 00:24:06.900
 that is so true.

00:24:07.620 --> 00:24:08.799
 That is true of my life.

00:24:09.160 --> 00:24:10.620
 The more I see of God,

00:24:10.680 --> 00:24:11.799
 and understand of him,

00:24:12.200 --> 00:24:13.220
 the more I see,

00:24:13.460 --> 00:24:14.480
 my own depravity,

00:24:14.559 --> 00:24:15.180
 in my own heart,

00:24:15.240 --> 00:24:16.140
 and the more I mourn,

00:24:16.360 --> 00:24:17.620
 over just how wicked,

00:24:17.620 --> 00:24:18.500
 and rotten I am.

00:24:19.140 --> 00:24:19.380
 Friends,

00:24:19.440 --> 00:24:21.120
 the gospel doesn't deny,

00:24:21.259 --> 00:24:22.759
 or cover over sin,

00:24:23.240 --> 00:24:24.259
 like it's not there.

00:24:24.340 --> 00:24:25.200
 It doesn't pretend,

00:24:25.299 --> 00:24:26.019
 that it's not there.

00:24:26.559 --> 00:24:27.359
 Grace doesn't throw,

00:24:27.480 --> 00:24:28.619
 a blanket over sin,

00:24:28.700 --> 00:24:29.680
 and pretend it's not there.

00:24:30.180 --> 00:24:31.299
 Grace exposes sin,

00:24:31.379 --> 00:24:32.099
 but then it helps us,

00:24:32.139 --> 00:24:32.759
 deal with it.

00:24:33.180 --> 00:24:34.019
 So picture this.

00:24:34.180 --> 00:24:34.339
 Okay.

00:24:34.700 --> 00:24:35.000
 Men,

00:24:35.839 --> 00:24:37.039
 you have got some people,

00:24:37.039 --> 00:24:38.000
 coming over for dinner,

00:24:38.099 --> 00:24:38.839
 for a dinner party,

00:24:38.980 --> 00:24:40.119
 and your wife asks you,

00:24:40.240 --> 00:24:41.000
 to set the table.

00:24:41.460 --> 00:24:41.960
 No problem.

00:24:42.160 --> 00:24:42.839
 Or maybe your wife,

00:24:42.920 --> 00:24:43.759
 does set the table.

00:24:44.440 --> 00:24:44.839
 Beautiful.

00:24:45.039 --> 00:24:45.720
 There's candles,

00:24:45.900 --> 00:24:46.859
 and it's all looking lovely.

00:24:47.039 --> 00:24:47.259
 Okay.

00:24:47.259 --> 00:24:49.480
 And you reach over,

00:24:49.619 --> 00:24:50.519
 and you knock over,

00:24:50.619 --> 00:24:51.559
 a glass of red wine,

00:24:52.059 --> 00:24:52.779
 and it spills,

00:24:52.900 --> 00:24:54.059
 on the beautiful tablecloth,

00:24:54.119 --> 00:24:54.579
 that your wife,

00:24:54.660 --> 00:24:55.500
 just got for Christmas.

00:24:56.279 --> 00:24:56.599
 Okay.

00:24:56.980 --> 00:24:57.940
 So what do we do?

00:24:58.879 --> 00:24:59.259
 Well,

00:24:59.420 --> 00:25:00.599
 we get a placemat,

00:25:00.720 --> 00:25:02.000
 and we quickly put it over,

00:25:02.119 --> 00:25:02.579
 the stain.

00:25:02.819 --> 00:25:03.079
 Right.

00:25:03.119 --> 00:25:04.200
 We cover over it,

00:25:04.519 --> 00:25:05.859
 so that our wife doesn't see it.

00:25:06.119 --> 00:25:06.359
 Right.

00:25:06.400 --> 00:25:07.299
 Anyone else done that?

00:25:08.779 --> 00:25:09.019
 There.

00:25:09.180 --> 00:25:09.579
 Okay.

00:25:09.720 --> 00:25:10.079
 Thank you.

00:25:10.140 --> 00:25:10.579
 Honest man.

00:25:11.099 --> 00:25:12.619
 That's not what the gospel does.

00:25:13.019 --> 00:25:13.960
 The gospel doesn't say,

00:25:14.099 --> 00:25:14.220
 okay,

00:25:14.220 --> 00:25:15.439
 let's just cover your sin,

00:25:15.899 --> 00:25:16.879
 pretend it's not there,

00:25:16.919 --> 00:25:17.839
 so that you can feel better,

00:25:17.839 --> 00:25:18.539
 about yourself.

00:25:19.099 --> 00:25:19.359
 Friends,

00:25:19.379 --> 00:25:20.559
 that's what religion does.

00:25:21.000 --> 00:25:21.619
 Or maybe,

00:25:21.740 --> 00:25:22.619
 religion that says,

00:25:22.740 --> 00:25:24.319
 religion uncovers it,

00:25:24.619 --> 00:25:24.819
 says,

00:25:24.899 --> 00:25:25.099
 ah,

00:25:25.179 --> 00:25:26.519
 I see we've got a problem here.

00:25:27.139 --> 00:25:27.819
 You're a sinner.

00:25:28.299 --> 00:25:29.740
 What are you going to do about it?

00:25:30.240 --> 00:25:31.559
 That's not what the gospel does.

00:25:32.039 --> 00:25:33.439
 The gospel uncovers it,

00:25:33.500 --> 00:25:33.699
 and says,

00:25:34.039 --> 00:25:34.980
 my dear friend,

00:25:35.559 --> 00:25:36.619
 we've got a problem here.

00:25:37.279 --> 00:25:38.599
 There's this problem with our hearts.

00:25:39.359 --> 00:25:40.559
 But Jesus has come,

00:25:40.579 --> 00:25:41.299
 to help you.

00:25:41.899 --> 00:25:42.679
 Jesus has come,

00:25:42.779 --> 00:25:43.519
 to rescue you.

00:25:43.879 --> 00:25:44.359
 Jesus has come,

00:25:44.419 --> 00:25:45.980
 to deal with the sin of our lives,

00:25:46.039 --> 00:25:47.179
 to wash us clean.

00:25:47.740 --> 00:25:48.000
 You see,

00:25:48.480 --> 00:25:49.980
 the temptation is just to cover over,

00:25:50.059 --> 00:25:50.179
 and say,

00:25:50.240 --> 00:25:51.259
 let's not talk about sin.

00:25:51.559 --> 00:25:52.879
 Let's just pretend it's not there,

00:25:52.919 --> 00:25:54.079
 and just talk about the happy things.

00:25:54.500 --> 00:25:55.199
 Religion says,

00:25:55.299 --> 00:25:55.399
 oh,

00:25:55.439 --> 00:25:56.159
 you've got a problem.

00:25:56.439 --> 00:25:57.519
 Now sort yourself out.

00:25:57.879 --> 00:25:58.439
 Fix yourself.

00:25:58.579 --> 00:25:59.619
 Clean up your act.

00:25:59.899 --> 00:26:01.259
 And when you've cleaned up your act,

00:26:01.419 --> 00:26:02.579
 then you can come to church,

00:26:02.639 --> 00:26:03.279
 and be with us,

00:26:03.319 --> 00:26:03.480
 right?

00:26:03.740 --> 00:26:04.059
 Us,

00:26:04.240 --> 00:26:05.139
 righteous people.

00:26:05.439 --> 00:26:06.480
 That's what religion says.

00:26:07.059 --> 00:26:07.679
 Jesus says,

00:26:07.799 --> 00:26:08.159
 welcome,

00:26:08.740 --> 00:26:09.079
 sinners.

00:26:09.559 --> 00:26:10.439
 I've come to help.

00:26:10.440 --> 00:26:11.779
 I've come to accept you,

00:26:11.920 --> 00:26:12.740
 to love you.

00:26:13.080 --> 00:26:14.480
 Let's deal with what's going on,

00:26:14.480 --> 00:26:15.740
 under the surface.

00:26:17.019 --> 00:26:17.120
 Okay,

00:26:17.240 --> 00:26:18.160
 so the second way,

00:26:18.460 --> 00:26:19.799
 is we think that grace,

00:26:19.900 --> 00:26:20.960
 means we don't need to talk about sin.

00:26:21.340 --> 00:26:22.059
 The third way,

00:26:22.120 --> 00:26:23.600
 in which we confuse the gospel,

00:26:24.240 --> 00:26:25.360
 for a false gospel,

00:26:25.600 --> 00:26:26.960
 a counterfeit version of the gospel,

00:26:27.460 --> 00:26:28.720
 is we think that salvation,

00:26:28.720 --> 00:26:30.160
 is some kind of JV,

00:26:30.360 --> 00:26:30.980
 joint venture,

00:26:31.080 --> 00:26:32.140
 between us and God.

00:26:32.519 --> 00:26:32.740
 Like,

00:26:32.799 --> 00:26:34.440
 we're partners in this joint venture.

00:26:34.440 --> 00:26:34.740
 Okay?

00:26:35.140 --> 00:26:35.320
 Okay,

00:26:35.320 --> 00:26:35.519
 God,

00:26:35.600 --> 00:26:36.559
 you can be 60%,

00:26:36.559 --> 00:26:37.700
 I'll be 40%.

00:26:37.700 --> 00:26:39.500
 You can be 80%,

00:26:39.500 --> 00:26:40.860
 I'll take a 20% share,

00:26:41.019 --> 00:26:41.820
 in this venture.

00:26:42.460 --> 00:26:42.740
 Friends,

00:26:42.860 --> 00:26:43.840
 the gospel tells us,

00:26:43.920 --> 00:26:45.420
 it is all of God,

00:26:45.500 --> 00:26:47.320
 and none of us.

00:26:47.600 --> 00:26:48.640
 The gospel is not,

00:26:48.840 --> 00:26:49.620
 God's grace,

00:26:49.740 --> 00:26:50.779
 plus my goodness.

00:26:51.299 --> 00:26:52.000
 God's grace,

00:26:52.320 --> 00:26:53.320
 plus my morality.

00:26:53.820 --> 00:26:54.420
 God's grace,

00:26:54.700 --> 00:26:55.740
 plus my effort.

00:26:56.100 --> 00:26:56.799
 The gospel,

00:26:56.960 --> 00:26:58.360
 is all of God.

00:26:58.359 --> 00:27:00.179
 There is nothing I can do,

00:27:00.379 --> 00:27:01.479
 to earn or deserve,

00:27:01.619 --> 00:27:02.240
 God's grace,

00:27:02.399 --> 00:27:03.059
 or his love,

00:27:03.459 --> 00:27:04.059
 or merit,

00:27:04.319 --> 00:27:05.159
 or warrant,

00:27:05.399 --> 00:27:06.019
 his forgiveness.

00:27:06.699 --> 00:27:06.939
 Friends,

00:27:06.979 --> 00:27:07.659
 if you and I,

00:27:07.919 --> 00:27:09.500
 rely on anything other,

00:27:09.599 --> 00:27:11.240
 than his undeserving grace,

00:27:11.579 --> 00:27:12.539
 for his acceptance,

00:27:12.740 --> 00:27:13.159
 and love,

00:27:13.519 --> 00:27:14.959
 it is like building our lives,

00:27:15.000 --> 00:27:15.979
 on a house of cards,

00:27:16.379 --> 00:27:18.019
 or on a sand foundation.

00:27:18.319 --> 00:27:19.479
 It's just a matter of time,

00:27:19.519 --> 00:27:21.119
 before it's going to be washed away.

00:27:21.879 --> 00:27:23.219
 The one sure foundation,

00:27:23.500 --> 00:27:24.740
 is God saves us,

00:27:24.779 --> 00:27:25.839
 because he is gracious.

00:27:26.359 --> 00:27:26.819
 Because of,

00:27:27.019 --> 00:27:27.759
 for some reason,

00:27:27.759 --> 00:27:28.920
 he's chosen,

00:27:29.319 --> 00:27:30.339
 to love us,

00:27:30.359 --> 00:27:31.119
 and forgive us,

00:27:31.299 --> 00:27:32.359
 all of God,

00:27:32.460 --> 00:27:33.220
 not of us.

00:27:33.960 --> 00:27:34.759
 Jonathan Lehman,

00:27:34.859 --> 00:27:36.000
 who's a pastor in the US,

00:27:36.359 --> 00:27:37.539
 he tells the story of,

00:27:37.920 --> 00:27:38.980
 when he was in his 20s,

00:27:39.000 --> 00:27:40.119
 he was grappling with this.

00:27:40.200 --> 00:27:41.359
 And so he goes to his pastor,

00:27:41.879 --> 00:27:42.279
 and he says,

00:27:42.379 --> 00:27:42.660
 Pastor,

00:27:43.079 --> 00:27:44.799
 I get that it's mainly God,

00:27:44.879 --> 00:27:45.119
 right?

00:27:45.559 --> 00:27:47.099
 But surely I did some of it.

00:27:47.160 --> 00:27:47.379
 Like,

00:27:47.779 --> 00:27:49.640
 let's say I'm drowning in my sins.

00:27:50.259 --> 00:27:51.160
 And there I am,

00:27:51.200 --> 00:27:52.319
 I'm drowning in my sins,

00:27:52.420 --> 00:27:53.740
 and Jesus comes along,

00:27:53.779 --> 00:27:54.519
 in his speed boat,

00:27:54.720 --> 00:27:56.400
 and he reaches down,

00:27:56.480 --> 00:27:56.640
 and says,

00:27:56.720 --> 00:27:57.460
 here I am,

00:27:57.460 --> 00:27:58.779
 I'm offering you salvation.

00:27:59.420 --> 00:28:00.740
 He puts his hand down,

00:28:01.200 --> 00:28:03.500
 surely I needed to grab hold of his hand,

00:28:03.579 --> 00:28:04.980
 I needed to do something,

00:28:05.480 --> 00:28:06.700
 to be saved,

00:28:06.759 --> 00:28:07.079
 right?

00:28:08.259 --> 00:28:09.920
 And Jonathan Lehman's pastor,

00:28:10.140 --> 00:28:10.700
 Mark Dever,

00:28:10.940 --> 00:28:12.640
 takes him to Ephesians chapter 2,

00:28:13.400 --> 00:28:14.059
 and he says,

00:28:14.600 --> 00:28:15.920
 let's just read this together.

00:28:16.440 --> 00:28:17.380
 As for you,

00:28:17.539 --> 00:28:18.259
 you were dead,

00:28:18.360 --> 00:28:19.200
 and you're trespassing,

00:28:19.200 --> 00:28:19.819
 and sins,

00:28:20.299 --> 00:28:21.640
 in which you previously lived.

00:28:21.640 --> 00:28:22.880
 But God,

00:28:22.960 --> 00:28:24.060
 who is rich in mercy,

00:28:24.180 --> 00:28:26.020
 because of his great love for us,

00:28:26.400 --> 00:28:27.880
 made us alive with Christ,

00:28:27.960 --> 00:28:29.380
 even when we were dead in our sins,

00:28:29.560 --> 00:28:30.600
 you are saved by grace.

00:28:31.160 --> 00:28:32.120
 And then he turns to Jonathan,

00:28:32.200 --> 00:28:32.400
 and says,

00:28:32.460 --> 00:28:33.080
 my dear brother,

00:28:33.540 --> 00:28:34.500
 you weren't just drowning,

00:28:35.000 --> 00:28:35.920
 you were drowned.

00:28:36.380 --> 00:28:38.420
 You were dead at the bottom of the sea,

00:28:38.480 --> 00:28:39.520
 with no life in you.

00:28:39.800 --> 00:28:41.400
 And Jesus dived down,

00:28:41.460 --> 00:28:42.240
 and brought you up,

00:28:42.280 --> 00:28:43.900
 and breathed life into you.

00:28:44.259 --> 00:28:45.420
 You didn't save yourself,

00:28:45.680 --> 00:28:46.820
 Jesus saved you.

00:28:47.680 --> 00:28:47.940
 You see,

00:28:47.980 --> 00:28:49.259
 sometimes we can think salvation,

00:28:49.400 --> 00:28:50.080
 the gospel is,

00:28:50.220 --> 00:28:51.259
 me plus Jesus.

00:28:51.400 --> 00:28:52.519
 Jesus does most of it,

00:28:52.820 --> 00:28:54.000
 but I bring my good works,

00:28:54.080 --> 00:28:54.940
 I bring my effort,

00:28:55.039 --> 00:28:56.200
 I hold on to him.

00:28:56.800 --> 00:28:57.380
 No friends,

00:28:57.779 --> 00:28:58.279
 Jesus,

00:28:58.580 --> 00:28:59.580
 when we had nothing,

00:28:59.740 --> 00:29:01.300
 Jesus breathed life into us,

00:29:01.340 --> 00:29:02.160
 and saved us,

00:29:02.420 --> 00:29:03.720
 completely of his own accord.

00:29:04.140 --> 00:29:05.320
 And that's what Paul says here,

00:29:05.360 --> 00:29:05.940
 in Romans 1.

00:29:06.560 --> 00:29:07.060
 He says,

00:29:07.060 --> 00:29:08.580
 I'm not ashamed of the gospel,

00:29:09.100 --> 00:29:11.640
 for it is the power of God.

00:29:12.259 --> 00:29:14.680
 There's a power that breathes life,

00:29:14.680 --> 00:29:15.620
 into our dead souls.

00:29:15.960 --> 00:29:18.279
 And it's a power that comes from outside of us,

00:29:18.340 --> 00:29:19.420
 not from inside of us.

00:29:20.120 --> 00:29:20.340
 You see,

00:29:20.400 --> 00:29:22.480
 most religions or moral philosophy will say,

00:29:22.560 --> 00:29:23.580
 you want to be a good person?

00:29:24.039 --> 00:29:24.180
 Well,

00:29:24.220 --> 00:29:25.259
 look inside of you,

00:29:26.000 --> 00:29:27.519
 well up the effort,

00:29:27.960 --> 00:29:28.980
 be a better person,

00:29:29.420 --> 00:29:30.900
 think of your dreams and your goal,

00:29:31.259 --> 00:29:33.420
 envision a better version of yourself.

00:29:34.299 --> 00:29:36.779
 Muscle up the resources to try and be a kind,

00:29:36.880 --> 00:29:38.000
 and nicer person this year.

00:29:38.640 --> 00:29:39.940
 One of my goals for this year,

00:29:40.019 --> 00:29:40.799
 that I'm praying for,

00:29:40.920 --> 00:29:42.060
 is to be a better husband,

00:29:42.180 --> 00:29:42.960
 and a better dad.

00:29:42.960 --> 00:29:43.400
 Man,

00:29:44.120 --> 00:29:46.019
 I've got to be a better dad this year.

00:29:46.980 --> 00:29:48.240
 But religion will say,

00:29:48.400 --> 00:29:48.600
 Kevin,

00:29:48.680 --> 00:29:49.920
 look inside of yourself,

00:29:49.980 --> 00:29:51.500
 how you can be a better dad.

00:29:52.200 --> 00:29:52.819
 Jesus says,

00:29:52.920 --> 00:29:53.160
 Kevin,

00:29:53.240 --> 00:29:54.840
 I've come to change your heart.

00:29:55.539 --> 00:29:56.799
 I've come to rescue you.

00:29:56.840 --> 00:29:58.640
 There's a power in the gospel,

00:29:58.640 --> 00:29:59.860
 that changes us,

00:30:00.100 --> 00:30:01.299
 from the outside inside.

00:30:01.660 --> 00:30:03.140
 The gospel cuts right across,

00:30:03.240 --> 00:30:03.500
 and says,

00:30:03.600 --> 00:30:04.400
 as for me,

00:30:04.480 --> 00:30:05.819
 I was dead in my sins.

00:30:06.319 --> 00:30:07.279
 But Jesus came,

00:30:07.340 --> 00:30:08.799
 when I had no hope to myself.

00:30:09.279 --> 00:30:10.240
 Jesus came to me,

00:30:10.299 --> 00:30:11.079
 who was guilty,

00:30:11.539 --> 00:30:11.919
 helpless,

00:30:12.480 --> 00:30:13.319
 powerless state,

00:30:13.379 --> 00:30:14.119
 and he did for me,

00:30:14.180 --> 00:30:15.099
 what I could not do,

00:30:15.399 --> 00:30:16.059
 for myself.

00:30:16.500 --> 00:30:17.379
 He died the death,

00:30:17.419 --> 00:30:18.279
 I deserve to die,

00:30:18.339 --> 00:30:20.299
 and now he breathes his spirit into me,

00:30:20.659 --> 00:30:21.960
 changing me from the inside,

00:30:22.059 --> 00:30:23.159
 to make me the person,

00:30:23.539 --> 00:30:24.619
 that he's called me to be.

00:30:25.079 --> 00:30:25.879
 That's the gospel.

00:30:27.220 --> 00:30:27.579
 Okay,

00:30:27.759 --> 00:30:28.680
 so all of that,

00:30:28.740 --> 00:30:29.879
 what does that mean for us,

00:30:29.919 --> 00:30:30.899
 at Watermark Church?

00:30:32.200 --> 00:30:33.079
 Who cares?

00:30:33.419 --> 00:30:33.619
 Right?

00:30:34.000 --> 00:30:36.000
 How should that actually impact 2020?

00:30:36.419 --> 00:30:36.619
 Well,

00:30:36.719 --> 00:30:37.039
 again,

00:30:37.759 --> 00:30:38.579
 you know what I'm going to say,

00:30:38.639 --> 00:30:38.819
 right?

00:30:39.459 --> 00:30:41.079
 I'm so glad you asked that question.

00:30:41.659 --> 00:30:41.799
 Okay,

00:30:41.859 --> 00:30:43.059
 that joke's getting a little old,

00:30:43.099 --> 00:30:43.439
 I know,

00:30:43.579 --> 00:30:43.779
 but,

00:30:44.259 --> 00:30:45.359
 as long as Ed laughs at it,

00:30:45.379 --> 00:30:46.439
 I'm going to keep on using it.

00:30:46.619 --> 00:30:46.759
 Okay?

00:30:48.359 --> 00:30:49.899
 What does that actually mean for us?

00:30:51.119 --> 00:30:52.419
 One of the things you'll notice,

00:30:52.939 --> 00:30:53.839
 as we said earlier,

00:30:54.439 --> 00:30:55.539
 that at Watermark,

00:30:55.539 --> 00:30:57.399
 we are constantly going on,

00:30:57.459 --> 00:30:58.539
 and on about the gospel.

00:30:59.279 --> 00:31:00.079
 Every Sunday,

00:31:00.239 --> 00:31:00.819
 our hope,

00:31:01.059 --> 00:31:01.479
 is to be,

00:31:01.480 --> 00:31:03.759
 that we flood each other,

00:31:03.799 --> 00:31:04.420
 with the gospel.

00:31:04.980 --> 00:31:05.880
 In everything we do,

00:31:05.940 --> 00:31:06.880
 from the call to worship,

00:31:06.960 --> 00:31:07.460
 up front,

00:31:08.120 --> 00:31:10.059
 Iris did an awesome job this morning.

00:31:10.339 --> 00:31:10.700
 Where are you,

00:31:10.779 --> 00:31:10.980
 Iris?

00:31:11.259 --> 00:31:12.120
 Awesome job.

00:31:12.460 --> 00:31:13.460
 Isaiah 53,

00:31:14.279 --> 00:31:15.240
 just flooding us,

00:31:15.259 --> 00:31:16.339
 with the good news of the gospel.

00:31:16.740 --> 00:31:17.819
 The songs we sang,

00:31:18.400 --> 00:31:19.380
 Man of Sorrows,

00:31:20.039 --> 00:31:20.700
 what a,

00:31:20.960 --> 00:31:21.960
 every song is,

00:31:22.200 --> 00:31:23.099
 is just full,

00:31:23.240 --> 00:31:24.539
 flooded with the message of Jesus,

00:31:24.839 --> 00:31:25.559
 and the gospel.

00:31:25.799 --> 00:31:26.900
 And then we take communion,

00:31:27.079 --> 00:31:28.019
 almost every week,

00:31:28.400 --> 00:31:29.160
 to reenact,

00:31:29.240 --> 00:31:30.799
 to dramatize in front of us,

00:31:30.799 --> 00:31:31.659
 in picture format,

00:31:31.839 --> 00:31:32.200
 the gospel.

00:31:32.359 --> 00:31:33.839
 This is Christ's body,

00:31:33.960 --> 00:31:34.599
 broken for us.

00:31:34.639 --> 00:31:35.319
 This is his blood,

00:31:35.419 --> 00:31:35.919
 shed for us.

00:31:36.359 --> 00:31:36.700
 Hopefully,

00:31:36.859 --> 00:31:38.019
 every sermon is full,

00:31:38.099 --> 00:31:39.019
 of the message of the gospel.

00:31:39.460 --> 00:31:40.139
 And if you do,

00:31:40.359 --> 00:31:41.279
 the members class,

00:31:41.419 --> 00:31:42.180
 in a month's time,

00:31:42.519 --> 00:31:43.299
 the first week,

00:31:43.359 --> 00:31:44.579
 is just all about the gospel.

00:31:45.079 --> 00:31:45.639
 And then you do,

00:31:45.700 --> 00:31:46.559
 the baptism class,

00:31:46.740 --> 00:31:47.460
 the first week,

00:31:47.539 --> 00:31:48.599
 is all about the gospel.

00:31:48.819 --> 00:31:49.919
 Everything we're on about,

00:31:50.039 --> 00:31:50.619
 is the gospel.

00:31:51.519 --> 00:31:51.919
 Why?

00:31:52.539 --> 00:31:53.980
 Why is it such a big deal for us?

00:31:54.879 --> 00:31:55.279
 Well,

00:31:55.680 --> 00:31:56.799
 let's look at our passages,

00:31:56.980 --> 00:31:58.359
 that we read to us earlier.

00:31:58.359 --> 00:31:59.740
 Look at what Paul says,

00:31:59.919 --> 00:32:01.559
 in Romans chapter 1.

00:32:02.359 --> 00:32:03.500
 Paul writes this letter,

00:32:03.879 --> 00:32:04.759
 to a church,

00:32:05.019 --> 00:32:05.539
 in Rome.

00:32:06.119 --> 00:32:07.339
 So here's a bunch of believers.

00:32:07.519 --> 00:32:08.519
 They're really believers.

00:32:09.199 --> 00:32:10.279
 They're not spiritual seekers,

00:32:10.399 --> 00:32:11.359
 that are trying to make sense,

00:32:11.399 --> 00:32:12.179
 of the claims of Christ.

00:32:12.279 --> 00:32:13.299
 They are followers of Jesus.

00:32:13.839 --> 00:32:14.599
 And he says this,

00:32:14.759 --> 00:32:16.099
 I very much want to come,

00:32:16.139 --> 00:32:16.639
 and see you,

00:32:16.679 --> 00:32:17.639
 my brothers and sisters,

00:32:18.099 --> 00:32:19.279
 that I may impart you,

00:32:19.339 --> 00:32:20.259
 some spiritual gift.

00:32:20.639 --> 00:32:20.979
 That is,

00:32:21.019 --> 00:32:22.459
 that we can be mutually encouraged,

00:32:22.459 --> 00:32:23.639
 by one another's faith.

00:32:24.079 --> 00:32:24.779
 I don't want you,

00:32:24.819 --> 00:32:25.379
 to be unaware.

00:32:25.380 --> 00:32:27.700
 I've often planned to come to you,

00:32:27.820 --> 00:32:28.640
 but have been prevented,

00:32:28.740 --> 00:32:29.260
 until now.

00:32:29.840 --> 00:32:30.480
 I am eager,

00:32:30.800 --> 00:32:32.360
 to preach the gospel to you,

00:32:32.780 --> 00:32:33.440
 who are in Rome.

00:32:33.820 --> 00:32:35.180
 For I'm not ashamed of the gospel,

00:32:35.360 --> 00:32:36.700
 for it is the power of God,

00:32:36.760 --> 00:32:37.340
 for salvation,

00:32:37.520 --> 00:32:38.600
 for everyone who believes,

00:32:38.940 --> 00:32:39.660
 Jews and Greeks,

00:32:40.240 --> 00:32:40.560
 etc.

00:32:41.200 --> 00:32:41.960
 Now why does Paul,

00:32:42.000 --> 00:32:43.040
 want to go to the Rome,

00:32:43.300 --> 00:32:44.580
 to the Christian church,

00:32:44.640 --> 00:32:45.760
 and preach the gospel to them?

00:32:45.820 --> 00:32:47.340
 Surely they know the gospel already?

00:32:48.020 --> 00:32:48.840
 Well look at what happens,

00:32:48.880 --> 00:32:49.360
 in Corinthians.

00:32:49.940 --> 00:32:50.660
 Paul says again,

00:32:51.100 --> 00:32:52.420
 he writes this amazing letter,

00:32:52.420 --> 00:32:52.940
 and he says,

00:32:52.940 --> 00:32:53.720
 now brothers,

00:32:54.140 --> 00:32:55.580
 let me just remind you,

00:32:55.740 --> 00:32:56.519
 of the gospel,

00:32:57.059 --> 00:32:58.539
 that Jesus died for our sins,

00:32:58.799 --> 00:33:00.160
 that he was raised on the third day,

00:33:00.220 --> 00:33:01.640
 and made himself known to us.

00:33:03.559 --> 00:33:04.700
 That's what we're trying to do.

00:33:05.320 --> 00:33:05.880
 As a church,

00:33:05.920 --> 00:33:07.200
 we're trying to remind one another,

00:33:07.440 --> 00:33:08.539
 week in and week out,

00:33:08.600 --> 00:33:09.180
 of the gospel.

00:33:10.140 --> 00:33:10.500
 Why?

00:33:11.759 --> 00:33:12.120
 Well,

00:33:12.299 --> 00:33:13.539
 let me give us a couple of reasons.

00:33:13.980 --> 00:33:15.180
 There's a myriad of reasons,

00:33:15.299 --> 00:33:16.740
 but let me just focus on three of them,

00:33:16.779 --> 00:33:17.680
 and then we're going to land.

00:33:18.120 --> 00:33:19.120
 The first one is this,

00:33:19.380 --> 00:33:21.880
 because we forget the gospel so easily.

00:33:22.480 --> 00:33:23.460
 Now when I say forget,

00:33:23.880 --> 00:33:25.740
 I don't mean we forget the data points,

00:33:25.800 --> 00:33:26.000
 right?

00:33:26.100 --> 00:33:26.420
 Like,

00:33:26.600 --> 00:33:27.480
 it's Thursday afternoon,

00:33:28.000 --> 00:33:28.720
 and you're trying to think,

00:33:28.800 --> 00:33:30.640
 who is the guy that died on the cross again?

00:33:32.200 --> 00:33:34.720
 We don't forget the data points.

00:33:35.280 --> 00:33:36.200
 We know that,

00:33:36.740 --> 00:33:37.440
 but the gospel,

00:33:37.900 --> 00:33:39.640
 we forget the potency of it.

00:33:39.720 --> 00:33:41.040
 It's no longer vivid,

00:33:41.220 --> 00:33:41.860
 and real,

00:33:42.040 --> 00:33:43.060
 and powerful,

00:33:43.240 --> 00:33:43.920
 and beautiful,

00:33:44.360 --> 00:33:45.120
 in our minds.

00:33:45.540 --> 00:33:46.900
 And part of the reason for that,

00:33:47.200 --> 00:33:47.560
 is,

00:33:48.000 --> 00:33:49.080
 60 hours a week,

00:33:49.079 --> 00:33:50.279
 you're at the office,

00:33:50.359 --> 00:33:51.159
 in the marketplace,

00:33:51.419 --> 00:33:52.500
 and you're being hammered,

00:33:52.539 --> 00:33:53.599
 hour after hour,

00:33:53.939 --> 00:33:55.019
 by a false gospel.

00:33:55.359 --> 00:33:56.639
 That your hope is in money.

00:33:57.019 --> 00:33:58.740
 That your hope is in your children's education.

00:33:59.139 --> 00:34:00.460
 That your hope is in that promotion,

00:34:00.579 --> 00:34:01.240
 or that career,

00:34:01.480 --> 00:34:03.699
 or that idyllic house,

00:34:03.939 --> 00:34:05.019
 in the Maldives,

00:34:05.059 --> 00:34:05.439
 or something.

00:34:06.079 --> 00:34:07.159
 Every hour,

00:34:07.299 --> 00:34:08.019
 you're being hammered,

00:34:08.059 --> 00:34:08.980
 by a false gospel.

00:34:09.179 --> 00:34:10.380
 And one hour a week,

00:34:10.779 --> 00:34:11.519
 we come here,

00:34:11.759 --> 00:34:13.059
 and are being reminded of it.

00:34:13.500 --> 00:34:13.819
 And so,

00:34:14.639 --> 00:34:15.380
 most often,

00:34:15.380 --> 00:34:16.360
 when we live our lives,

00:34:16.400 --> 00:34:17.440
 and the potency,

00:34:17.579 --> 00:34:18.240
 and the power,

00:34:18.340 --> 00:34:19.400
 and the vividness,

00:34:19.720 --> 00:34:21.420
 of what Jesus did for us,

00:34:21.980 --> 00:34:22.400
 kind of,

00:34:22.480 --> 00:34:23.500
 that fades away.

00:34:24.500 --> 00:34:26.059
 And as a result of that,

00:34:26.680 --> 00:34:27.320
 false gods,

00:34:27.420 --> 00:34:28.059
 and false idols,

00:34:28.160 --> 00:34:29.720
 become increasingly more vivid,

00:34:29.820 --> 00:34:30.559
 and real to us.

00:34:31.019 --> 00:34:31.240
 Friends,

00:34:31.300 --> 00:34:32.260
 I see this in my life,

00:34:32.300 --> 00:34:32.940
 all the time.

00:34:33.500 --> 00:34:35.059
 When the potency of the gospel,

00:34:35.240 --> 00:34:36.380
 is no longer vivid,

00:34:36.480 --> 00:34:37.500
 and real to me,

00:34:37.980 --> 00:34:39.400
 when it's leaking from my heart,

00:34:39.400 --> 00:34:40.720
 I start to operate,

00:34:40.840 --> 00:34:42.400
 out of all sorts of insecurities,

00:34:42.539 --> 00:34:42.940
 and fears.

00:34:43.420 --> 00:34:45.200
 I feel like I need to prove myself.

00:34:45.619 --> 00:34:47.059
 I need to put my best foot forward.

00:34:47.500 --> 00:34:48.980
 I need to put an image,

00:34:49.079 --> 00:34:49.900
 project an image.

00:34:50.400 --> 00:34:51.180
 I feel like,

00:34:51.500 --> 00:34:52.360
 I get defensive.

00:34:53.039 --> 00:34:53.680
 In my mind,

00:34:53.740 --> 00:34:54.800
 I start to magnify,

00:34:54.920 --> 00:34:55.820
 the faults of others,

00:34:55.940 --> 00:34:57.340
 make them bigger than they really are,

00:34:57.400 --> 00:34:59.240
 and I minimize my own faults,

00:34:59.660 --> 00:35:00.539
 and make other people,

00:35:00.640 --> 00:35:02.380
 to make myself feel better about myself.

00:35:03.140 --> 00:35:03.579
 Friends,

00:35:03.660 --> 00:35:04.380
 you've got to know,

00:35:04.960 --> 00:35:06.079
 this might be shocking to you,

00:35:06.420 --> 00:35:07.340
 most Sundays,

00:35:07.619 --> 00:35:08.720
 I come to church,

00:35:09.380 --> 00:35:10.579
 full of weakness,

00:35:10.860 --> 00:35:11.539
 and insecurities.

00:35:12.260 --> 00:35:12.940
 Most Sundays,

00:35:13.059 --> 00:35:13.760
 I come to church,

00:35:13.840 --> 00:35:14.380
 feeling like,

00:35:14.380 --> 00:35:17.240
 I'm not good enough,

00:35:17.640 --> 00:35:18.900
 is anyone going to like my sermon?

00:35:19.400 --> 00:35:20.660
 I've got a brief confession.

00:35:21.180 --> 00:35:22.099
 In the first year,

00:35:22.160 --> 00:35:22.880
 that I came to,

00:35:23.000 --> 00:35:24.079
 that I was here in Hong Kong,

00:35:24.740 --> 00:35:25.480
 every Sunday,

00:35:25.559 --> 00:35:26.220
 I'd come to church,

00:35:26.260 --> 00:35:26.619
 and think,

00:35:27.019 --> 00:35:28.140
 this is the Sunday,

00:35:28.660 --> 00:35:30.200
 when they're all going to see,

00:35:30.280 --> 00:35:30.900
 who I really am.

00:35:31.260 --> 00:35:32.700
 This is the week,

00:35:32.740 --> 00:35:33.000
 right?

00:35:33.280 --> 00:35:34.140
 And every Sunday,

00:35:34.220 --> 00:35:34.920
 I'd come to church,

00:35:34.980 --> 00:35:35.320
 thinking,

00:35:36.039 --> 00:35:36.740
 this week,

00:35:36.940 --> 00:35:37.480
 I'm sure,

00:35:38.000 --> 00:35:38.500
 is the week.

00:35:38.500 --> 00:35:39.300
 They've all decided,

00:35:39.300 --> 00:35:40.340
 to go to another church,

00:35:40.380 --> 00:35:40.619
 okay?

00:35:40.840 --> 00:35:41.679
 This is the end.

00:35:42.599 --> 00:35:43.199
 Every week,

00:35:43.260 --> 00:35:44.900
 I came full of insecurities.

00:35:45.460 --> 00:35:46.659
 This thing's going to fall apart.

00:35:47.360 --> 00:35:47.679
 Now,

00:35:47.820 --> 00:35:49.059
 I've worked through some of that,

00:35:49.340 --> 00:35:50.199
 and I'm a little bit better,

00:35:50.420 --> 00:35:51.380
 but honestly,

00:35:51.500 --> 00:35:51.920
 most weeks,

00:35:51.980 --> 00:35:52.519
 I come to church,

00:35:52.559 --> 00:35:53.420
 full of weakness,

00:35:54.079 --> 00:35:55.599
 aware of what a lousy husband,

00:35:55.679 --> 00:35:56.340
 and father I am,

00:35:56.420 --> 00:35:57.260
 aware of my sin,

00:35:57.300 --> 00:35:58.119
 and my brokenness.

00:35:58.659 --> 00:35:59.539
 I just come feeling like,

00:35:59.639 --> 00:36:00.280
 oh my goodness,

00:36:00.380 --> 00:36:00.579
 God,

00:36:00.780 --> 00:36:02.039
 how can you ever love me,

00:36:02.099 --> 00:36:02.599
 accept me,

00:36:02.659 --> 00:36:03.019
 never mind,

00:36:03.320 --> 00:36:04.440
 allow me to stand up,

00:36:04.500 --> 00:36:06.019
 and speak on behalf of you,

00:36:06.079 --> 00:36:06.440
 never mind,

00:36:06.599 --> 00:36:07.900
 pastor this amazing church.

00:36:08.900 --> 00:36:09.159
 Friends,

00:36:09.199 --> 00:36:09.900
 what I need,

00:36:09.940 --> 00:36:10.739
 every Sunday,

00:36:11.119 --> 00:36:12.320
 is not to come to church,

00:36:12.360 --> 00:36:12.840
 and being told,

00:36:13.000 --> 00:36:14.079
 you can be a better version,

00:36:14.679 --> 00:36:15.579
 pluck yourself up.

00:36:16.179 --> 00:36:17.079
 I need to come,

00:36:17.139 --> 00:36:17.559
 and being told,

00:36:17.719 --> 00:36:18.239
 yes Kevin,

00:36:18.300 --> 00:36:18.639
 it's true,

00:36:18.699 --> 00:36:19.280
 you are a sinner,

00:36:19.400 --> 00:36:19.920
 that's true.

00:36:20.360 --> 00:36:21.340
 But God loves you,

00:36:21.380 --> 00:36:22.659
 not because of your performance,

00:36:23.000 --> 00:36:24.239
 not because of how good you are,

00:36:24.280 --> 00:36:24.900
 how bad you are,

00:36:25.199 --> 00:36:25.820
 he loves you,

00:36:25.820 --> 00:36:27.079
 because he's chosen to love you,

00:36:27.139 --> 00:36:28.320
 because he died on the cross for you.

00:36:28.619 --> 00:36:28.900
 Kevin,

00:36:29.000 --> 00:36:29.619
 your identity,

00:36:29.619 --> 00:36:30.420
 is in Jesus,

00:36:30.539 --> 00:36:31.420
 and his death on the cross,

00:36:31.500 --> 00:36:32.559
 not in your performance.

00:36:33.420 --> 00:36:33.659
 Friends,

00:36:33.719 --> 00:36:34.300
 every week,

00:36:34.360 --> 00:36:34.739
 I come,

00:36:34.800 --> 00:36:35.780
 and I need to be reminded,

00:36:35.960 --> 00:36:36.940
 of the extravagant,

00:36:37.000 --> 00:36:38.039
 good news of the gospel.

00:36:38.039 --> 00:36:39.719
 It needs to flood my heart,

00:36:39.820 --> 00:36:40.800
 week in and week out.

00:36:41.559 --> 00:36:41.679
 Now,

00:36:41.739 --> 00:36:42.340
 just by the way,

00:36:43.179 --> 00:36:44.300
 this is one of the reasons,

00:36:44.480 --> 00:36:46.279
 why I really don't like being called,

00:36:46.440 --> 00:36:47.019
 Pastor Kevin.

00:36:47.320 --> 00:36:48.300
 If you want to call me,

00:36:48.360 --> 00:36:48.779
 Pastor Kevin,

00:36:48.880 --> 00:36:49.279
 that's okay,

00:36:49.320 --> 00:36:50.139
 I won't fight with you.

00:36:50.480 --> 00:36:51.739
 But secretly inside,

00:36:51.840 --> 00:36:52.219
 I die.

00:36:52.300 --> 00:36:53.300
 And the reason is this,

00:36:53.820 --> 00:36:54.179
 because,

00:36:54.179 --> 00:36:55.460
 I feel like,

00:36:55.500 --> 00:36:56.899
 when people call me Pastor Kevin,

00:36:57.000 --> 00:36:58.259
 it puts me on a pedestal,

00:36:58.339 --> 00:36:58.559
 like,

00:36:58.699 --> 00:36:59.579
 there's normal Christians,

00:36:59.719 --> 00:37:00.659
 and then there's the pastor,

00:37:00.759 --> 00:37:00.980
 right?

00:37:01.199 --> 00:37:01.599
 He's like,

00:37:01.639 --> 00:37:03.119
 somehow better than the rest of us.

00:37:03.480 --> 00:37:04.460
 And that's just not true.

00:37:05.319 --> 00:37:05.639
 Friends,

00:37:05.739 --> 00:37:06.279
 this church,

00:37:06.419 --> 00:37:07.559
 100%,

00:37:07.559 --> 00:37:09.079
 from the preacher in the front,

00:37:09.859 --> 00:37:11.719
 to those of us that are somewhere else,

00:37:11.859 --> 00:37:13.519
 maybe you've come and hung over this morning,

00:37:13.799 --> 00:37:15.019
 and you're not feeling your best,

00:37:15.460 --> 00:37:16.599
 100% of us,

00:37:16.659 --> 00:37:17.259
 are sinners,

00:37:17.460 --> 00:37:18.579
 in need of Christ's grace.

00:37:19.099 --> 00:37:19.900
 And Jesus says,

00:37:20.000 --> 00:37:20.679
 I love you,

00:37:20.739 --> 00:37:21.900
 not because of your performance,

00:37:22.039 --> 00:37:23.259
 not because of what you've done for me,

00:37:23.480 --> 00:37:25.179
 but simply because I've chosen to love you,

00:37:25.199 --> 00:37:26.299
 and I died on the cross for you.

00:37:26.759 --> 00:37:27.059
 And so,

00:37:27.159 --> 00:37:28.199
 the reason we come,

00:37:28.460 --> 00:37:30.179
 and the reason we make a big deal of the gospel,

00:37:30.340 --> 00:37:31.719
 is because we forget it,

00:37:32.159 --> 00:37:33.519
 and we need to be reminded of it.

00:37:34.039 --> 00:37:35.079
 Second reason is this,

00:37:35.719 --> 00:37:37.179
 because when we forget the gospel,

00:37:37.360 --> 00:37:39.519
 we are robbed of its spiritual power.

00:37:39.860 --> 00:37:40.019
 Now,

00:37:40.019 --> 00:37:41.880
 we're going to look at this more next week.

00:37:42.719 --> 00:37:42.840
 But,

00:37:43.119 --> 00:37:44.860
 when the gospel sinks into our hearts,

00:37:44.960 --> 00:37:46.539
 there really is a power to it.

00:37:46.860 --> 00:37:48.039
 It transforms us,

00:37:48.039 --> 00:37:49.000
 and it changes us.

00:37:49.440 --> 00:37:50.320
 And the way it does that,

00:37:50.380 --> 00:37:52.460
 is it changes the driving motivations,

00:37:52.719 --> 00:37:54.219
 and ambitions of our hearts.

00:37:54.300 --> 00:37:55.739
 It changes our desires.

00:37:56.340 --> 00:37:57.719
 When we forget the gospel,

00:37:57.880 --> 00:37:59.360
 when it's not vivid to our hearts,

00:37:59.420 --> 00:38:01.779
 we are robbed of that spiritual power,

00:38:01.920 --> 00:38:02.800
 that potency,

00:38:03.340 --> 00:38:04.759
 that changes the motivations,

00:38:04.940 --> 00:38:07.079
 and the driving force of our lives.

00:38:07.699 --> 00:38:09.219
 God really does want us,

00:38:09.219 --> 00:38:10.400
 to live lives of holiness.

00:38:10.980 --> 00:38:12.000
 But we can do so,

00:38:12.000 --> 00:38:13.019
 from the wrong motivation,

00:38:13.539 --> 00:38:15.119
 from wicked motivation.

00:38:15.659 --> 00:38:17.139
 The gospel gives us a power,

00:38:17.139 --> 00:38:18.019
 to live the lives,

00:38:18.099 --> 00:38:18.839
 that he's called us to.

00:38:19.500 --> 00:38:19.920
 And so friends,

00:38:20.019 --> 00:38:21.299
 how are we going to become the people,

00:38:21.400 --> 00:38:22.119
 that God's called us to?

00:38:22.199 --> 00:38:23.099
 How are we going to overcome,

00:38:23.259 --> 00:38:24.279
 the idols in our hearts?

00:38:24.599 --> 00:38:25.960
 The idols of people pleasing.

00:38:26.500 --> 00:38:27.920
 How many of us have struggled with that?

00:38:28.739 --> 00:38:29.239
 I do.

00:38:29.859 --> 00:38:30.739
 How are we going to overcome,

00:38:30.859 --> 00:38:32.460
 the idol of sexual sin and addiction?

00:38:33.059 --> 00:38:33.960
 How are we going to overcome,

00:38:33.960 --> 00:38:34.799
 the things like,

00:38:35.139 --> 00:38:36.039
 gossip and slander,

00:38:36.179 --> 00:38:37.500
 or anger and unforgiveness,

00:38:37.619 --> 00:38:38.179
 in our hearts?

00:38:38.819 --> 00:38:39.519
 Scripture says,

00:38:39.599 --> 00:38:40.619
 you don't beat those things,

00:38:40.679 --> 00:38:41.679
 just by telling yourself,

00:38:41.819 --> 00:38:42.719
 be a better person,

00:38:43.119 --> 00:38:43.879
 try harder.

00:38:43.880 --> 00:38:45.300
 We beat those things,

00:38:45.360 --> 00:38:46.920
 as the gospel gets into our hearts,

00:38:46.960 --> 00:38:47.900
 and melts our hearts,

00:38:47.980 --> 00:38:48.800
 there's a power,

00:38:48.800 --> 00:38:49.660
 that changes,

00:38:49.920 --> 00:38:51.619
 the control center of our lives,

00:38:51.740 --> 00:38:52.800
 and makes us the people,

00:38:52.880 --> 00:38:53.640
 God's called us to.

00:38:54.880 --> 00:38:56.200
 Here's a third and final reason,

00:38:56.340 --> 00:38:57.059
 and then we're almost done.

00:38:58.019 --> 00:38:59.260
 Why we go on,

00:38:59.320 --> 00:38:59.700
 and on,

00:38:59.760 --> 00:39:00.099
 and on,

00:39:00.140 --> 00:39:00.800
 and on about it,

00:39:00.820 --> 00:39:01.260
 is this.

00:39:01.820 --> 00:39:03.140
 Because the consequences,

00:39:03.340 --> 00:39:04.680
 of neglecting the gospel,

00:39:04.860 --> 00:39:05.840
 are disastrous.

00:39:07.460 --> 00:39:08.099
 D.A. Carson,

00:39:08.240 --> 00:39:09.140
 said this amazing,

00:39:09.240 --> 00:39:09.740
 amazing thing.

00:39:09.780 --> 00:39:10.720
 I want you to think about this.

00:39:11.379 --> 00:39:12.239
 One generation,

00:39:12.379 --> 00:39:13.119
 believes the gospel,

00:39:13.719 --> 00:39:15.039
 the second generation,

00:39:15.219 --> 00:39:16.399
 assumes the gospel,

00:39:16.939 --> 00:39:18.079
 the third generation,

00:39:18.619 --> 00:39:19.599
 denies the gospel.

00:39:20.759 --> 00:39:21.659
 Just think about that,

00:39:21.699 --> 00:39:22.099
 for a second.

00:39:22.279 --> 00:39:22.980
 So let's think about,

00:39:23.079 --> 00:39:23.859
 us as a church,

00:39:24.239 --> 00:39:24.959
 Watermark Church,

00:39:25.539 --> 00:39:26.099
 let's just say,

00:39:26.179 --> 00:39:26.519
 hey guys,

00:39:26.579 --> 00:39:27.500
 we know the gospel,

00:39:28.019 --> 00:39:28.199
 okay,

00:39:28.259 --> 00:39:28.899
 we believed it,

00:39:28.919 --> 00:39:29.319
 that's good,

00:39:29.500 --> 00:39:30.939
 now we've got to be good people.

00:39:31.019 --> 00:39:32.299
 Let's just focus on,

00:39:32.419 --> 00:39:33.659
 growing our Christian knowledge,

00:39:33.799 --> 00:39:34.559
 and our understanding,

00:39:34.699 --> 00:39:35.739
 and being righteous people.

00:39:36.099 --> 00:39:36.199
 Okay,

00:39:36.419 --> 00:39:37.419
 we believe it,

00:39:37.759 --> 00:39:38.779
 let's just be good people.

00:39:39.379 --> 00:39:39.939
 In five,

00:39:40.099 --> 00:39:40.399
 six,

00:39:40.719 --> 00:39:41.579
 ten years time,

00:39:41.719 --> 00:39:42.299
 what happens?

00:39:42.919 --> 00:39:44.579
 We kind of just start to assume it.

00:39:45.119 --> 00:39:45.399
 So yeah,

00:39:45.419 --> 00:39:46.279
 we know it's there,

00:39:46.319 --> 00:39:47.519
 it's on our website somewhere,

00:39:47.639 --> 00:39:47.959
 I'm sure,

00:39:48.619 --> 00:39:49.879
 somewhere in some document,

00:39:50.059 --> 00:39:51.059
 we believe the gospel,

00:39:51.919 --> 00:39:53.239
 but it's no longer vivid,

00:39:53.339 --> 00:39:53.799
 and potent,

00:39:53.919 --> 00:39:55.199
 it's no longer beautiful to us,

00:39:55.219 --> 00:39:56.559
 we're no longer humbled by it,

00:39:56.599 --> 00:39:58.639
 it's no longer challenging our lives,

00:39:58.799 --> 00:39:59.939
 it doesn't melt our hearts,

00:40:00.000 --> 00:40:00.899
 and our insecurities.

00:40:01.739 --> 00:40:03.179
 And then a couple of years goes by,

00:40:03.179 --> 00:40:04.179
 and maybe somebody,

00:40:05.039 --> 00:40:06.079
 maybe one of the leaders say,

00:40:06.559 --> 00:40:06.759
 you know,

00:40:06.799 --> 00:40:07.799
 all this talk of sin,

00:40:07.939 --> 00:40:08.779
 it's a bit negative,

00:40:08.959 --> 00:40:10.179
 the world is negative as it is,

00:40:10.179 --> 00:40:10.659
 let's not,

00:40:10.739 --> 00:40:12.019
 let's just focus on the positives,

00:40:12.299 --> 00:40:13.639
 let's not talk about sin so much,

00:40:14.299 --> 00:40:14.919
 let's talk about how,

00:40:15.219 --> 00:40:17.739
 Jesus came to die as a good example for us,

00:40:18.039 --> 00:40:19.619
 to show us how to forgive our enemies,

00:40:20.659 --> 00:40:22.179
 and just assume the gospel,

00:40:22.299 --> 00:40:23.719
 and then a couple of years goes by,

00:40:23.839 --> 00:40:24.119
 five,

00:40:24.239 --> 00:40:24.779
 ten years,

00:40:25.599 --> 00:40:26.460
 and maybe someone says,

00:40:27.119 --> 00:40:27.399
 you know,

00:40:27.539 --> 00:40:29.259
 if Jesus died as our example,

00:40:30.079 --> 00:40:31.359
 maybe he wasn't divine,

00:40:31.460 --> 00:40:33.379
 he didn't need to take on the judgment of God,

00:40:33.440 --> 00:40:34.960
 maybe it's just a good moral man,

00:40:34.960 --> 00:40:36.860
 that showed us how to be good moral men,

00:40:37.800 --> 00:40:37.980
 you see,

00:40:38.059 --> 00:40:39.360
 one generation believes it,

00:40:39.400 --> 00:40:39.900
 and it's vivid,

00:40:40.280 --> 00:40:41.599
 but when you assume it,

00:40:42.179 --> 00:40:43.240
 a generation goes by,

00:40:43.300 --> 00:40:43.880
 and we just kind of,

00:40:44.119 --> 00:40:45.039
 it's in the background,

00:40:45.940 --> 00:40:47.119
 but before we know it,

00:40:47.139 --> 00:40:48.260
 another generation goes by,

00:40:48.300 --> 00:40:49.519
 and we start to deny it,

00:40:49.579 --> 00:40:50.860
 and Jesus wasn't really divine,

00:40:50.940 --> 00:40:51.840
 he was just a good man,

00:40:52.380 --> 00:40:53.619
 helping us to be good men,

00:40:54.279 --> 00:40:55.980
 one generation believes the gospel,

00:40:56.480 --> 00:40:57.739
 the next then assumes it,

00:40:57.859 --> 00:40:59.179
 the third denies it,

00:40:59.940 --> 00:41:00.219
 friends,

00:41:00.279 --> 00:41:01.319
 this is why at Watermark,

00:41:01.460 --> 00:41:02.539
 we love the gospel,

00:41:02.739 --> 00:41:04.099
 but it's also why we never,

00:41:04.299 --> 00:41:06.859
 ever want to become a second generation gospel church,

00:41:07.500 --> 00:41:08.239
 we as elders,

00:41:08.500 --> 00:41:08.859
 pastors,

00:41:09.119 --> 00:41:09.420
 members,

00:41:09.579 --> 00:41:10.799
 those of us that are visiting us,

00:41:11.099 --> 00:41:12.219
 we must be a church,

00:41:12.259 --> 00:41:13.339
 which is founded upon,

00:41:13.599 --> 00:41:14.339
 centered upon,

00:41:14.559 --> 00:41:15.719
 constantly rejoicing,

00:41:15.880 --> 00:41:16.179
 hoping,

00:41:16.359 --> 00:41:16.920
 delighting,

00:41:17.059 --> 00:41:17.339
 singing,

00:41:17.619 --> 00:41:17.960
 praying,

00:41:18.739 --> 00:41:20.259
 telling people about the wonder,

00:41:20.380 --> 00:41:21.159
 of the good news,

00:41:21.579 --> 00:41:22.339
 of great joy,

00:41:22.340 --> 00:41:23.680
 that Jesus died for us,

00:41:24.460 --> 00:41:25.980
 John Piper put it like this,

00:41:26.680 --> 00:41:27.900
 this is my prayer for us,

00:41:27.920 --> 00:41:28.579
 as a church family,

00:41:28.780 --> 00:41:29.860
 for my personal family,

00:41:30.300 --> 00:41:31.740
 and for my own heart this year,

00:41:32.059 --> 00:41:33.000
 John Piper says this,

00:41:33.500 --> 00:41:34.860
 seek to see,

00:41:35.360 --> 00:41:36.980
 and to feel the gospel,

00:41:37.160 --> 00:41:38.140
 as getting bigger,

00:41:38.260 --> 00:41:39.200
 as the years go by,

00:41:39.260 --> 00:41:40.180
 rather than smaller,

00:41:40.680 --> 00:41:42.039
 our temptation is to think,

00:41:42.039 --> 00:41:43.340
 that the gospel is for beginners,

00:41:43.600 --> 00:41:45.400
 and then we go on to greater things,

00:41:45.539 --> 00:41:46.760
 but the real challenge,

00:41:46.920 --> 00:41:47.059
 friends,

00:41:47.120 --> 00:41:47.980
 is to see the gospel,

00:41:48.140 --> 00:41:49.100
 as the greatest thing,

00:41:49.280 --> 00:41:50.120
 and getting greater,

00:41:50.280 --> 00:41:50.860
 in our lives,

00:41:50.940 --> 00:41:51.620
 all the time,

00:41:51.619 --> 00:41:53.500
 the gospel gets bigger,

00:41:53.859 --> 00:41:54.819
 when in our heart,

00:41:55.079 --> 00:41:55.960
 grace gets bigger,

00:41:56.339 --> 00:41:57.440
 Christ gets greater,

00:41:57.880 --> 00:42:00.259
 his death gets more wonderful,

00:42:00.639 --> 00:42:01.299
 his resurrection,

00:42:01.460 --> 00:42:02.079
 more astonishing,

00:42:02.539 --> 00:42:03.440
 the work of the spirit,

00:42:03.659 --> 00:42:04.259
 gets mightier,

00:42:04.420 --> 00:42:05.779
 its power is more pervasive,

00:42:06.219 --> 00:42:07.279
 its global extent,

00:42:07.420 --> 00:42:07.779
 wider,

00:42:08.259 --> 00:42:09.679
 your own sin gets uglier,

00:42:09.940 --> 00:42:11.239
 the devil gets more evil,

00:42:11.659 --> 00:42:12.599
 the gospel's roots,

00:42:12.639 --> 00:42:13.400
 into eternity,

00:42:13.539 --> 00:42:14.159
 go deeper,

00:42:14.400 --> 00:42:15.199
 and its connections,

00:42:15.299 --> 00:42:16.519
 with everything in the bible,

00:42:16.659 --> 00:42:17.440
 and in the world,

00:42:17.699 --> 00:42:18.279
 get stronger,

00:42:18.880 --> 00:42:19.880
 so keep this in mind,

00:42:19.880 --> 00:42:20.980
 never,

00:42:21.340 --> 00:42:22.039
 let the gospel,

00:42:22.340 --> 00:42:22.860
 get smaller,

00:42:22.920 --> 00:42:23.440
 in your heart,

00:42:24.019 --> 00:42:24.940
 pray that it won't,

00:42:25.160 --> 00:42:26.059
 read books about it,

00:42:26.160 --> 00:42:26.800
 sing about it,

00:42:27.059 --> 00:42:27.660
 tell someone,

00:42:27.660 --> 00:42:28.200
 who's ignorant,

00:42:28.380 --> 00:42:29.440
 unsure about it,

00:42:29.539 --> 00:42:30.660
 but whatever you do,

00:42:31.160 --> 00:42:32.440
 never let the gospel,

00:42:32.660 --> 00:42:33.220
 get smaller,

00:42:33.860 --> 00:42:34.579
 in your hearts,

00:42:35.220 --> 00:42:35.599
 friends,

00:42:35.660 --> 00:42:36.420
 as we start this year,

00:42:36.500 --> 00:42:37.280
 it may be a good time,

00:42:37.340 --> 00:42:38.099
 for us to evaluate,

00:42:38.780 --> 00:42:40.019
 where are our hearts at,

00:42:41.019 --> 00:42:42.400
 have we assumed the gospel,

00:42:43.119 --> 00:42:44.300
 have we forgotten,

00:42:44.420 --> 00:42:45.019
 the seriousness,

00:42:45.220 --> 00:42:46.119
 and the importance of it,

00:42:46.119 --> 00:42:47.739
 but also the great wonder,

00:42:47.880 --> 00:42:48.559
 and the good news,

00:42:49.019 --> 00:42:49.819
 of great joy,

00:42:50.819 --> 00:42:51.039
 friends,

00:42:51.099 --> 00:42:51.940
 is Jesus and his death,

00:42:52.000 --> 00:42:52.359
 on the cross,

00:42:52.440 --> 00:42:53.059
 still vivid,

00:42:53.239 --> 00:42:53.759
 and real,

00:42:53.859 --> 00:42:54.420
 and potent,

00:42:54.659 --> 00:42:55.420
 to our hearts,

00:42:55.900 --> 00:42:56.940
 is the kindness,

00:42:57.139 --> 00:42:57.759
 and the patience,

00:42:57.900 --> 00:42:59.059
 and the gentleness of God,

00:42:59.159 --> 00:43:00.000
 still calling us,

00:43:00.059 --> 00:43:00.679
 to confession,

00:43:00.839 --> 00:43:01.359
 and repentance,

00:43:02.159 --> 00:43:03.579
 is the cross of Jesus,

00:43:03.719 --> 00:43:04.480
 convicting us,

00:43:04.519 --> 00:43:05.259
 of the seriousness,

00:43:05.460 --> 00:43:05.940
 of our sin,

00:43:06.739 --> 00:43:07.539
 and calling us,

00:43:07.539 --> 00:43:08.139
 back to him,

00:43:09.119 --> 00:43:10.759
 is the excruciating cross,

00:43:10.839 --> 00:43:11.239
 of Jesus,

00:43:11.380 --> 00:43:11.940
 still announcing,

00:43:12.199 --> 00:43:12.639
 good news,

00:43:12.719 --> 00:43:13.500
 that because of God's,

00:43:13.579 --> 00:43:14.059
 profound,

00:43:14.179 --> 00:43:15.420
 and inexhaustible love,

00:43:15.420 --> 00:43:15.860
 for us,

00:43:16.519 --> 00:43:17.340
 Jesus willingly,

00:43:17.519 --> 00:43:18.079
 and gladly,

00:43:18.159 --> 00:43:18.840
 went to the cross,

00:43:18.920 --> 00:43:19.500
 for you and I,

00:43:20.300 --> 00:43:20.980
 friends,

00:43:21.019 --> 00:43:22.159
 is God's redemption story,

00:43:22.280 --> 00:43:23.220
 melting our hearts,

00:43:23.639 --> 00:43:24.500
 so that we are humble,

00:43:24.659 --> 00:43:25.599
 and not judgmental,

00:43:26.300 --> 00:43:26.680
 gracious,

00:43:26.880 --> 00:43:27.320
 and forgiving,

00:43:28.119 --> 00:43:29.019
 extending to others,

00:43:29.079 --> 00:43:29.760
 the same grace,

00:43:29.840 --> 00:43:31.019
 that we've received ourselves,

00:43:31.920 --> 00:43:32.360
 friends,

00:43:32.400 --> 00:43:33.720
 is God's great redeeming,

00:43:33.780 --> 00:43:34.740
 and rescuing story,

00:43:34.900 --> 00:43:36.099
 melting the insecurities,

00:43:36.099 --> 00:43:36.880
 and our fears,

00:43:37.500 --> 00:43:38.200
 are quietening,

00:43:38.280 --> 00:43:38.900
 the accusations,

00:43:39.119 --> 00:43:39.659
 and the lies,

00:43:40.260 --> 00:43:40.820
 and drawing us,

00:43:40.860 --> 00:43:41.599
 to greater levels,

00:43:41.680 --> 00:43:42.180
 of loving,

00:43:42.940 --> 00:43:43.280
 trusting,

00:43:43.880 --> 00:43:44.900
 and obeying Jesus,

00:43:45.420 --> 00:43:46.079
 for instance,

00:43:46.139 --> 00:43:47.119
 is the cross of Christ,

00:43:47.200 --> 00:43:47.740
 still glorious,

00:43:47.840 --> 00:43:48.300
 and wonderful,

00:43:48.880 --> 00:43:49.760
 is God's mercy,

00:43:49.880 --> 00:43:50.559
 still good news,

00:43:50.619 --> 00:43:51.119
 to us,

00:43:51.519 --> 00:43:53.599
 I want us to close,

00:43:53.639 --> 00:43:54.500
 in a time of prayer,

00:43:54.820 --> 00:43:55.260
 and the way,

00:43:55.340 --> 00:43:56.139
 we're going to do this,

00:43:56.180 --> 00:43:56.980
 is a little different,

00:43:57.039 --> 00:43:57.760
 I've written a prayer,

00:43:57.860 --> 00:43:58.619
 for us on the screen,

00:43:58.720 --> 00:43:59.320
 and I'd love us,

00:43:59.360 --> 00:44:00.159
 to pray this together,

00:44:00.280 --> 00:44:00.940
 maybe the musicians,

00:44:00.940 --> 00:44:01.519
 can come,

00:44:02.159 --> 00:44:02.860
 up to the band,

00:44:03.039 --> 00:44:03.200
 and,

00:44:04.260 --> 00:44:05.619
 it's up on the screen,

00:44:05.700 --> 00:44:06.440
 there's two slides,

00:44:06.519 --> 00:44:07.220
 but let's just take,

00:44:07.280 --> 00:44:08.000
 a minute or two,

00:44:08.760 --> 00:44:09.420
 and then I'd love,

00:44:09.519 --> 00:44:10.200
 to ask us,

00:44:10.280 --> 00:44:11.340
 to read this out loud,

00:44:11.440 --> 00:44:11.780
 together,

00:44:11.780 --> 00:44:13.080
 and,

00:44:13.160 --> 00:44:14.580
 we'll pray it,

00:44:14.880 --> 00:44:15.440
 together,

00:44:20.320 --> 00:44:23.200
 so,

00:44:29.380 --> 00:44:29.820
 maybe we can just,

00:44:29.840 --> 00:44:30.980
 put the second slide on,

00:44:31.200 --> 00:44:32.320
 for a few seconds,

00:44:32.320 --> 00:44:53.640
 Let's go back to the first one.

00:44:53.720 --> 00:44:55.440
 Let's pray this together.

00:44:57.380 --> 00:44:58.300
 Heavenly Father,

00:44:58.960 --> 00:45:01.700
 thank you for the incredibly good news

00:45:01.699 --> 00:45:02.359
 of the gospel.

00:45:03.219 --> 00:45:05.460
 That though I was dead in my sin

00:45:05.460 --> 00:45:07.859
 without any way of rescuing

00:45:07.859 --> 00:45:09.219
 or saving myself,

00:45:10.000 --> 00:45:11.460
 you, God, did for me

00:45:11.460 --> 00:45:13.419
 what I could not do for myself.

00:45:14.399 --> 00:45:15.719
 Father, I confess

00:45:15.719 --> 00:45:17.539
 that so often I forget

00:45:17.539 --> 00:45:18.279
 this good news.

00:45:18.919 --> 00:45:20.139
 I take it for granted,

00:45:20.819 --> 00:45:22.939
 looking to myself rather than you

00:45:22.939 --> 00:45:25.539
 for my hope, my justification,

00:45:25.539 --> 00:45:26.719
 and my life.

00:45:27.319 --> 00:45:28.819
 Father, forgive me, you pray.

00:45:30.219 --> 00:45:31.319
 Father, help me never

00:45:31.320 --> 00:45:32.680
 to forget the gospel,

00:45:33.240 --> 00:45:35.400
 drive it deeper into our hearts.

00:45:36.080 --> 00:45:37.620
 May your life and death

00:45:37.620 --> 00:45:39.320
 speak to our insecurities

00:45:39.320 --> 00:45:40.420
 and our fears,

00:45:41.019 --> 00:45:42.580
 our hopes and our dreams,

00:45:42.960 --> 00:45:44.880
 our disappointments and setbacks.

00:45:45.780 --> 00:45:47.300
 God, may your great love

00:45:47.300 --> 00:45:49.019
 and your unceasing kindness

00:45:49.019 --> 00:45:50.840
 melt our hard hearts,

00:45:51.559 --> 00:45:52.780
 call us to repentance,

00:45:53.740 --> 00:45:55.000
 soften our attitudes,

00:45:55.480 --> 00:45:56.780
 and humble our pride.

00:45:56.780 --> 00:45:59.720
 God, may we build our life on you,

00:46:00.300 --> 00:46:01.000
 your love,

00:46:01.540 --> 00:46:03.180
 your astoundingly good news,

00:46:03.320 --> 00:46:03.860
 we pray.

00:46:04.740 --> 00:46:05.120
 Amen.