WEBVTT 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:06.940 Good morning. The scripture reading comes from Paul's letter to the Romans, chapter 3. 00:00:07.440 --> 00:00:09.359 Please follow along in your bulletins. 00:00:15.780 --> 00:00:23.859 Then what advantage has the Jew, or what is the benefit of circumcision, great in every respect? 00:00:24.580 --> 00:00:27.920 First of all, that they were entrusted with the oracles of God. 00:00:27.920 --> 00:00:36.679 But what then? If some did not believe, their unbelief will not nullify the faithfulness of God, will it? 00:00:37.560 --> 00:00:44.820 May it never be. Rather, let God be found true, though every man be found a liar. 00:00:45.500 --> 00:00:51.620 As it is written, that you may be justified in your words, and prevail when you are judged. 00:00:51.619 --> 00:00:59.099 But if our unrighteousness demonstrates the righteousness of God, what shall we say? 00:00:59.899 --> 00:01:03.599 The God who inflicts wrath is not unrighteous, is he? 00:01:04.120 --> 00:01:08.479 I am speaking in human terms. May it never be. 00:01:09.259 --> 00:01:12.000 For otherwise, how will God judge the world? 00:01:12.000 --> 00:01:20.400 But if through my lie, the truth of God abounded to his glory, why am I also still being judged as a sinner? 00:01:21.200 --> 00:01:26.900 And why not say, as we are slanderously reported, and some claim that we say, 00:01:27.359 --> 00:01:29.659 let us do evil, so that good may come. 00:01:30.519 --> 00:01:32.260 Their condemnation is just. 00:01:33.219 --> 00:01:36.019 What then? Are we better than they? 00:01:36.019 --> 00:01:37.859 Not at all. 00:01:38.500 --> 00:01:43.560 For we have already charged that both Jews and Greeks are all under sin. 00:01:44.439 --> 00:01:49.119 As it is written, there is none righteous, not even one. 00:01:49.979 --> 00:01:52.060 There is none who understands. 00:01:53.079 --> 00:01:55.539 There is none who seeks for God. 00:01:56.420 --> 00:01:57.920 All have turned aside. 00:01:58.399 --> 00:02:00.000 Together they have become useless. 00:02:01.079 --> 00:02:02.819 There is none who does good. 00:02:03.439 --> 00:02:04.879 There is not even one. 00:02:04.879 --> 00:02:07.899 Their throat is an open grave. 00:02:08.419 --> 00:02:10.560 With their tongues they keep deceiving. 00:02:11.400 --> 00:02:14.139 The poison of asps is under their lips, 00:02:14.639 --> 00:02:17.460 whose mouth is full of cursing and bitterness. 00:02:18.240 --> 00:02:20.639 Their feet are swift to shed blood. 00:02:21.620 --> 00:02:24.379 Destruction and misery are in their paths. 00:02:25.199 --> 00:02:27.800 And the path of peace they have not known. 00:02:28.879 --> 00:02:31.639 There is no fear of God before their eyes. 00:02:31.639 --> 00:02:37.619 Now we know that whatever the law says, it speaks to those who are under the law. 00:02:38.159 --> 00:02:43.500 So that every mouth may be closed, and all the world may become accountable to God. 00:02:44.039 --> 00:02:49.699 Because by the works of the law, no flesh will be justified in his sight. 00:02:49.699 --> 00:02:54.079 For through the law comes the knowledge of sin. 00:02:54.459 --> 00:02:56.280 This is God's word to us. 00:02:58.759 --> 00:03:01.699 Through the law comes the knowledge of sin. 00:03:01.699 --> 00:03:08.060 If you're joining us for the first time, we're going through the book of Romans. 00:03:08.339 --> 00:03:11.280 And you've come at a very, very interesting passage today. 00:03:11.819 --> 00:03:15.719 As I'm sure you could already guess, as you've heard read out, 00:03:15.979 --> 00:03:19.500 and going, what the heck have I gotten myself into today? 00:03:20.500 --> 00:03:22.960 We wanted to, as a family, when we started the church, 00:03:23.020 --> 00:03:25.120 we wanted the church to be a place where we could ask questions. 00:03:26.080 --> 00:03:28.620 And sometimes I just say, hey, what's the question on the passage? 00:03:28.780 --> 00:03:29.580 And people ask. 00:03:29.680 --> 00:03:31.259 And we haven't done that for a while. 00:03:31.419 --> 00:03:36.400 We've gotten a blank or a new SMS card. 00:03:36.479 --> 00:03:39.020 So I don't know what the heck, who's writing in the questions. 00:03:39.219 --> 00:03:41.039 And so they're coming in slowly. 00:03:41.860 --> 00:03:44.740 My one hope is that as you write them, 00:03:45.159 --> 00:03:47.560 please try to be as uncomplicated as possible. 00:03:48.240 --> 00:03:53.159 Some people have really done a masterful job of weaving ideas and thoughts. 00:03:54.740 --> 00:03:58.259 And it's taken me a long time trying to figure out what is the question they're asking. 00:03:58.780 --> 00:04:02.699 So if you just say, this is my question, that would be, I'm getting old. 00:04:02.819 --> 00:04:04.580 That would be very, very helpful for me, please. 00:04:05.219 --> 00:04:09.080 And so we wanted to take one today, and hopefully we'll continue. 00:04:09.659 --> 00:04:11.640 And so one of the questions that came in, 00:04:11.960 --> 00:04:13.599 it was actually part of a couple other questions, 00:04:13.599 --> 00:04:17.399 is just the idea of what about those who've never heard of Christ? 00:04:18.180 --> 00:04:20.540 I think that that is a huge question often. 00:04:21.720 --> 00:04:23.500 Usually behind it, there's a lot of motives. 00:04:23.620 --> 00:04:26.959 I think we don't ever know what exactly the person's heart motive is. 00:04:28.040 --> 00:04:31.980 For me, it was as I thought about my grandparents and my great-grandparents. 00:04:32.840 --> 00:04:38.160 As far as I know, my grandmother was the first one to come into the family of Christ or God. 00:04:38.319 --> 00:04:40.019 And so I always wonder about them. 00:04:40.759 --> 00:04:44.500 And so there's a couple thoughts you want to think about as we deal with these issues. 00:04:45.180 --> 00:04:49.419 If it's a personal question, then people often are really wondering, and they're struggling, and they're hurting. 00:04:49.979 --> 00:04:51.639 And we want to be sensitive to that. 00:04:51.859 --> 00:04:53.459 And you don't want to be unsensitive. 00:04:53.459 --> 00:04:57.539 And you want to speak truth and grace into their life. 00:04:58.079 --> 00:04:59.139 We know this. 00:04:59.319 --> 00:05:02.899 We know that every person we're going to see today has a debt of sin. 00:05:04.079 --> 00:05:05.479 Everybody has a debt of sin. 00:05:05.899 --> 00:05:09.139 So maybe one of the questions you want to ask the people, or you want to ask yourself, 00:05:09.219 --> 00:05:11.279 is how is that sin debt being paid? 00:05:12.000 --> 00:05:14.639 Who's going to pay for that sin debt in their life? 00:05:14.699 --> 00:05:17.059 How is that going to be taken care of? 00:05:17.699 --> 00:05:24.219 Romans, as we looked at last week, Romans 1, 18 through 25, basically says that 00:05:24.219 --> 00:05:29.479 the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men 00:05:29.479 --> 00:05:33.599 who suppress the truth, because that which is known about God is evident within them, 00:05:33.859 --> 00:05:35.839 for God made it evident to them. 00:05:35.839 --> 00:05:45.060 And so as we read in the passage, what we see in God's word is that all people have a revelation 00:05:45.060 --> 00:05:46.099 that there is a God. 00:05:46.439 --> 00:05:48.060 We call that natural revelation. 00:05:48.979 --> 00:05:51.739 And so there's no one who can say, I've never, didn't know that. 00:05:51.879 --> 00:05:53.239 I didn't, that's impossible. 00:05:53.739 --> 00:05:55.039 I mean, that's what God's word says, right? 00:05:55.059 --> 00:05:57.419 So we're going to be teaching what God's word says. 00:05:58.519 --> 00:06:04.120 One caveat to that is, is don't go into your work tomorrow and say, God's word says this. 00:06:04.159 --> 00:06:05.039 You need to be doing that. 00:06:05.040 --> 00:06:08.520 Because if they're not believers, this is God's word. 00:06:08.620 --> 00:06:09.800 It's written to the family of God. 00:06:09.900 --> 00:06:12.280 It's a covenant contract to us. 00:06:12.760 --> 00:06:14.439 It's not going to mean anything to them. 00:06:14.860 --> 00:06:19.840 The best thing you can do for the people in your work or in your family is to live a life 00:06:19.840 --> 00:06:21.980 that is consistent to what God's word says. 00:06:22.060 --> 00:06:28.000 Don't be saying God's word says this if you're not living the way that God wants us to live. 00:06:28.060 --> 00:06:31.100 Because they're going to listen to your words and they're going to look at your life 00:06:31.100 --> 00:06:35.760 and they're going to go, wow, that doesn't make any sense to me whatsoever. 00:06:37.160 --> 00:06:38.780 Francis Schaeffer said it another way. 00:06:38.840 --> 00:06:40.240 And I really appreciate Francis Schaeffer. 00:06:40.420 --> 00:06:46.480 If you don't, if you know anything about theology, in the 60s and 70s, Christianity was getting toasted, destroyed, beat up. 00:06:46.480 --> 00:06:56.160 And there was one man who stood up and spoke theologically, philosophically, and well to the issues of the day in the 60s 00:06:56.160 --> 00:06:57.759 where there was massive turmoil. 00:06:58.900 --> 00:07:04.160 And he had this young man come into him one time and the man was incredibly, incredibly angry. 00:07:04.160 --> 00:07:12.400 And he felt like how presumptuous is it for God to judge him, a person who's never heard the gospel before? 00:07:12.780 --> 00:07:16.480 How can God, when he gets to heaven, if there is a God, how can God judge him? 00:07:16.540 --> 00:07:18.280 Now, there's a lot of assumptions here, right? 00:07:18.340 --> 00:07:24.020 Because I would say everybody in this church sanctuary has heard the gospel. 00:07:24.160 --> 00:07:25.100 So we're all accountable. 00:07:25.280 --> 00:07:26.680 So none of us can say, well, I didn't know. 00:07:26.780 --> 00:07:28.820 We're not going to be able to get to heaven and say, I never heard that. 00:07:28.819 --> 00:07:34.920 But this guy was saying, hey, how can God be just and good and then condemn me of that? 00:07:35.339 --> 00:07:37.360 And what Schaeffer did, it was really interesting. 00:07:37.939 --> 00:07:42.259 He broke out Romans 2, 1 through 3, and he said this to the young man. 00:07:42.899 --> 00:07:46.740 He said, therefore, you are without excuse, every man of you who passes judgment. 00:07:47.399 --> 00:07:49.899 For then that you judge another, you condemn yourself. 00:07:50.620 --> 00:07:54.180 For you who judge practice the same thing. 00:07:54.560 --> 00:07:58.319 And we know that the judgment of God rightly falls upon those who practice such things. 00:07:58.819 --> 00:08:00.899 And Schaeffer said to the young man, you know, you're right. 00:08:01.839 --> 00:08:05.219 Maybe it is unjust for God to judge you on the gospel. 00:08:05.899 --> 00:08:12.040 And then he went over to the guy, and he imagined that he unhooked a microphone from around his neck. 00:08:12.480 --> 00:08:13.540 And the guy was looking at him. 00:08:13.579 --> 00:08:14.259 He goes, what are you doing? 00:08:14.540 --> 00:08:16.439 And he goes, this is a tape recorder. 00:08:17.779 --> 00:08:21.740 And God put this tape recorder around your neck the moment you were born. 00:08:22.539 --> 00:08:25.699 And it only records things that you judge other people by. 00:08:26.479 --> 00:08:30.639 Whenever you say they should never have done that, I would never have done that, I wouldn't do that, 00:08:30.879 --> 00:08:35.019 that's the stupidest thing I ever heard, how can they do that and not be true, that's inconsistent. 00:08:35.379 --> 00:08:36.860 It only judges those things. 00:08:37.600 --> 00:08:41.039 And he said to the young man, on the final day when you meet God, 00:08:41.120 --> 00:08:44.500 God's going to take that tape recorder, as it says here in Romans 2, 00:08:45.000 --> 00:08:46.019 and he's going to turn it on. 00:08:46.019 --> 00:08:50.079 And you're going to be judged by how you judge everybody else. 00:08:51.500 --> 00:08:53.919 And he said the man got really quiet. 00:08:55.079 --> 00:09:01.740 Because he knew that if he was held to the same standard that he held everybody else to, that he was guilty. 00:09:02.779 --> 00:09:05.720 And so we're going to say that God makes himself known to all people. 00:09:05.720 --> 00:09:12.840 And that as we respond to the truth, he continues to bring more truth into our life. 00:09:13.160 --> 00:09:15.360 That all men are accountable before God. 00:09:15.460 --> 00:09:16.300 We see it in creation. 00:09:16.420 --> 00:09:17.139 We see it in the world. 00:09:17.580 --> 00:09:21.440 And that none of us, when we get before God, we're not going to be able to say, you know, I didn't know. 00:09:22.700 --> 00:09:23.620 I've never heard. 00:09:24.440 --> 00:09:25.160 Does that make sense? 00:09:26.000 --> 00:09:28.480 So that's what God's word says. 00:09:28.840 --> 00:09:31.399 So keep bringing in your questions. 00:09:31.399 --> 00:09:34.480 You're free to ask any question. 00:09:34.720 --> 00:09:36.480 We're kind of compiling them as people come in. 00:09:36.899 --> 00:09:38.459 I don't know, again, who wrote them. 00:09:38.819 --> 00:09:42.840 But we want to see, as a family, what are some of the things we're talking about. 00:09:45.459 --> 00:09:47.079 We're in Romans 3. 00:09:47.779 --> 00:09:53.759 So far, I don't know if you feel the same way I feel, but I have just felt like, I feel like I've been beat up. 00:09:54.159 --> 00:09:59.600 I've had people come to me this week and go, wow, I just feel like I'm getting the crap kicked out of me. 00:09:59.659 --> 00:10:00.679 Can we say crap in church? 00:10:00.679 --> 00:10:04.539 I feel like I'm getting the crap kicked out of me as I hear God's word spoken. 00:10:04.679 --> 00:10:08.519 And I realize I'm just being convicted over and over of my sinfulness. 00:10:08.819 --> 00:10:11.979 And I'm convicted of my hypocrisy. 00:10:12.120 --> 00:10:15.219 I've been convicted of my lack of grace in other people's lives. 00:10:15.259 --> 00:10:19.000 I've been convicted of that I forgot what it was like before I was not a Christian. 00:10:19.179 --> 00:10:21.519 And I just assume everybody thinks the same way. 00:10:21.959 --> 00:10:24.839 And God's word is continually being convicted of me. 00:10:24.899 --> 00:10:26.779 And I just feel like I'm going down into this pit. 00:10:26.779 --> 00:10:32.500 I looked at him and said, well, just hang in there because today we hit the bottom of the pit. 00:10:33.279 --> 00:10:35.919 So today we're in the bottom of the pit. 00:10:36.019 --> 00:10:41.259 We're in the hardest passage, I think, for a pastor to preach. 00:10:41.259 --> 00:10:50.639 I mean, I've been told that if you want your church to grow, if you want to be popular, if you want to be sexy, you don't teach this passage in your congregation. 00:10:50.639 --> 00:10:54.659 Because this is not a popular or sexy verse. 00:10:54.840 --> 00:10:56.679 But it is God's word. 00:10:56.819 --> 00:10:59.439 And so we're going to continue on in looking through this. 00:11:00.200 --> 00:11:05.880 In chapter 1, what Paul is doing is he's basically, the only way I can think of this is Paul's like a doctor. 00:11:06.580 --> 00:11:10.140 And he's basically looking at us and he's triaging us. 00:11:10.200 --> 00:11:12.740 And he's trying to figure out, because I love medicine, I study medicine. 00:11:13.260 --> 00:11:17.620 He's trying to triage us and trying to figure out what is actually the problem with us. 00:11:18.280 --> 00:11:22.000 You know, in an accident, sometimes people who come out and they look really bad. 00:11:22.040 --> 00:11:23.080 A part of them looks really bad. 00:11:23.120 --> 00:11:25.460 But as a doctor, you realize that that's not the thing that's going to kill them. 00:11:26.040 --> 00:11:29.940 Something that's going to kill them is probably something internally that you don't see that initially. 00:11:30.420 --> 00:11:32.680 And so you have to triage and figure out what's going on. 00:11:33.000 --> 00:11:37.080 And so all these passages, Paul is, he's a doctor and he's triaging the human race. 00:11:37.620 --> 00:11:38.500 Or he's a lawyer. 00:11:39.900 --> 00:11:41.980 He's building up this lawsuit. 00:11:42.320 --> 00:11:44.480 And he's basically, he uses a lot of legal terms. 00:11:44.580 --> 00:11:47.500 He's trying to figure out where we are and what's going on. 00:11:47.940 --> 00:11:53.980 In chapter 1, verse 3, Paul, he's been talking to those people, or chapter 1, verse 18, 00:11:53.980 --> 00:11:57.879 he's talking to those people who say, I don't really care. 00:11:59.120 --> 00:12:00.700 I don't really care if there's a God. 00:12:00.879 --> 00:12:02.580 I do my thing, you do your thing. 00:12:02.940 --> 00:12:05.960 And if we just do our things, then everything is okay. 00:12:06.379 --> 00:12:10.960 And Paul's examined their life and he's showed them the problem in their lives. 00:12:11.740 --> 00:12:13.399 The things that they're going to be inconsistent to. 00:12:14.620 --> 00:12:18.960 In chapter 2, verses 1, Paul starts to talk to the moral person. 00:12:18.960 --> 00:12:24.980 He talks about how good they are and how their morals are great and they're righteous and they're in their own righteousness. 00:12:25.120 --> 00:12:25.820 And he warns them. 00:12:25.879 --> 00:12:34.340 He says, if you live by your righteousness, if you live by your goodness, if you live by your morals, you're going to fail. 00:12:35.660 --> 00:12:36.800 You're going to fall apart. 00:12:36.900 --> 00:12:37.879 You're not going to be able to do that. 00:12:37.920 --> 00:12:38.800 You're going to have this standard. 00:12:38.940 --> 00:12:41.540 And yet, you're going to look at everybody else and you're going to say, they didn't do it. 00:12:42.019 --> 00:12:42.900 Shame on them. 00:12:42.899 --> 00:12:45.579 And the tape recorder is recording everything that you say. 00:12:46.120 --> 00:12:50.639 And one day, God's going to turn that tape recorder on and you're going to be judged by your words. 00:12:52.159 --> 00:12:53.799 And how you judge everybody else. 00:12:53.919 --> 00:12:56.079 And Paul warns the moral person. 00:12:56.179 --> 00:12:57.019 He warns us. 00:12:58.480 --> 00:13:02.699 And last week, we looked at the religious person and we talked about people who are religious. 00:13:02.899 --> 00:13:06.299 And we said that religious people rely on stuff that is inward, right? 00:13:06.799 --> 00:13:08.539 There are things that they have known about them. 00:13:08.699 --> 00:13:10.179 They're, well, I can study the Bible. 00:13:10.299 --> 00:13:11.539 I'm really good at quiet times. 00:13:11.539 --> 00:13:12.439 I have these gifts. 00:13:13.539 --> 00:13:16.079 These things are true of me, my heritage, my family. 00:13:16.500 --> 00:13:19.199 And he says, be careful of relying on inward things. 00:13:19.959 --> 00:13:24.259 Because almost always, as we rely on them, what happens is it turns to hypocrisy. 00:13:25.059 --> 00:13:28.459 And we become prideful and become selfish and we become self-centered. 00:13:28.899 --> 00:13:30.360 And don't do that. 00:13:31.159 --> 00:13:34.240 And then he said that sometimes religious people rely on outward things. 00:13:35.159 --> 00:13:36.199 Ceremonies and rituals. 00:13:36.480 --> 00:13:38.360 And he talked about circumcision. 00:13:38.360 --> 00:13:41.860 And I realized there was a lot of confusion about circumcision. 00:13:41.980 --> 00:13:42.879 People ask questions. 00:13:43.200 --> 00:13:44.399 And so we put a slide up for you today. 00:13:44.460 --> 00:13:45.259 Do we have that slide up here? 00:13:45.720 --> 00:13:45.940 Okay. 00:13:46.039 --> 00:13:46.820 So this is it right here. 00:13:47.399 --> 00:13:49.580 So this is David's Michelangelo. 00:13:50.320 --> 00:13:50.680 Okay. 00:13:50.840 --> 00:13:53.940 So the question is circumcised or uncircumcised. 00:13:54.039 --> 00:13:54.379 Okay. 00:13:54.720 --> 00:13:56.360 So you can Google that later on. 00:13:56.440 --> 00:13:58.340 We're not going to, we're not going to unlift the boxes. 00:13:58.980 --> 00:14:01.080 But there was a lot of confusion in that. 00:14:01.440 --> 00:14:03.120 And so, okay, you can take that down now. 00:14:03.500 --> 00:14:05.340 It makes me kind of envious or jealous. 00:14:05.420 --> 00:14:05.860 I don't know. 00:14:07.160 --> 00:14:07.560 Okay. 00:14:07.700 --> 00:14:10.720 So that was, there was some confusion on circumcision. 00:14:10.960 --> 00:14:16.700 And what we said is all these rituals, all these things on the outside, if they don't represent our heart, they're worthless. 00:14:16.700 --> 00:14:21.900 And so we become baptized because we've had an interchange of our heart. 00:14:23.240 --> 00:14:25.980 We take communion because we've had an interchange of our heart. 00:14:27.560 --> 00:14:33.360 Maybe we wear a red ribbon to celebrate the sermon we did on what Christ has done for us. 00:14:33.400 --> 00:14:34.759 But sometimes we forget this. 00:14:34.920 --> 00:14:35.660 We forget what this means. 00:14:35.700 --> 00:14:36.259 And we just wear it. 00:14:36.280 --> 00:14:37.300 It becomes the issue of pride. 00:14:38.480 --> 00:14:41.240 And it no longer reflects an inward reality. 00:14:41.240 --> 00:14:46.519 And he says, be careful because in this covenant, God has had strict rules. 00:14:46.879 --> 00:14:49.000 And if we break the covenant, we get separated. 00:14:49.980 --> 00:14:51.220 We get torn away. 00:14:51.460 --> 00:14:52.680 And we talked about circumcision. 00:14:52.799 --> 00:14:54.100 And we basically said it's a ripping. 00:14:54.320 --> 00:14:54.740 It's a tearing. 00:14:54.879 --> 00:14:55.340 It's a blood. 00:14:55.720 --> 00:14:58.759 It's a reminder of God's relationship with us. 00:14:59.659 --> 00:15:04.279 And Colossians 2 says that basically on the cross, Christ was torn away. 00:15:05.080 --> 00:15:07.100 He was ripped apart from God. 00:15:07.159 --> 00:15:07.980 He was circumcised. 00:15:08.039 --> 00:15:08.480 It was bloody. 00:15:08.560 --> 00:15:09.060 It was terrible. 00:15:09.560 --> 00:15:10.320 For who? 00:15:11.240 --> 00:15:12.360 For you and I. 00:15:13.240 --> 00:15:16.480 And so we come to God now because of what Christ has done. 00:15:16.820 --> 00:15:23.259 And all along, we see these words of patience, grace, patience, grace. 00:15:23.539 --> 00:15:28.360 And God is continually just talking to us about how much he loves us and how much he wants us to be in the family. 00:15:28.620 --> 00:15:30.000 And then we get to the part today. 00:15:31.080 --> 00:15:35.440 And today is just one of these incredibly hard, I think, it's, man. 00:15:35.440 --> 00:15:38.120 And he's, so he's at the bottom in chapter three. 00:15:38.120 --> 00:15:42.360 And he's been gathering all this diagnosis and all these people. 00:15:42.680 --> 00:15:47.860 He's been gathering all these law facts and CISing and bringing all the facts together. 00:15:48.240 --> 00:15:49.960 And he's brought all these things together. 00:15:49.960 --> 00:15:52.560 And now he's finalizing his case. 00:15:53.700 --> 00:15:58.820 He's making his diagnosis for you and for me. 00:15:59.259 --> 00:16:01.500 And it's really important to know what the problem is, right? 00:16:02.120 --> 00:16:05.960 Because if you don't know what the right problem is, then you're not going to have the right treatment. 00:16:05.960 --> 00:16:12.960 If you don't know what the real issue is, you're not going to treat what's going to hurt the person, what's going to kill the person. 00:16:13.720 --> 00:16:20.040 And so in the passage today, I just want to really briefly look at three things that Paul talks about in this process of looking at our hearts. 00:16:21.460 --> 00:16:23.320 Of looking at the cases put before us. 00:16:23.379 --> 00:16:25.519 We want to look at the idea of what our problem is. 00:16:26.360 --> 00:16:28.320 And he's going to talk about that right up front in verse 9. 00:16:28.720 --> 00:16:31.320 We're going to look at the idea of what are the symptoms of our problem. 00:16:31.320 --> 00:16:35.560 What are some of the things that come about as we go into this issue of this problem? 00:16:35.559 --> 00:16:37.019 And then we want to look at the cure. 00:16:38.039 --> 00:16:38.839 What is the cure? 00:16:38.979 --> 00:16:39.779 So you got that in your mind? 00:16:40.099 --> 00:16:40.759 What's the problem? 00:16:40.979 --> 00:16:41.839 What are some symptoms? 00:16:42.279 --> 00:16:43.179 And what's the cure? 00:16:43.219 --> 00:16:44.019 And hang in there. 00:16:44.739 --> 00:16:50.539 I think that this probably could be one of the most significant passages for most of the people in our church. 00:16:50.919 --> 00:16:56.039 Because if we don't get this passage down, if we don't start to change with this passage in our heart, 00:16:56.039 --> 00:17:03.639 if we don't start to chew on this passage, we're not going to understand the gospel. 00:17:03.639 --> 00:17:06.480 We're not going to understand grace. 00:17:07.420 --> 00:17:09.519 And so look at verse 9 and see what he says there. 00:17:10.819 --> 00:17:11.180 What then? 00:17:11.240 --> 00:17:12.059 Are we better than they? 00:17:12.139 --> 00:17:12.559 Not at all. 00:17:12.639 --> 00:17:17.400 We have already charged that both Jews and Greeks are all under sin. 00:17:18.059 --> 00:17:26.400 So he's taken all of mankind, the moral person, the heathen, the religious person, Tobin. 00:17:26.940 --> 00:17:28.619 He's put us all in this one little package. 00:17:28.619 --> 00:17:31.599 And he says, our problem is sin. 00:17:32.239 --> 00:17:33.519 And you see what he says there? 00:17:33.739 --> 00:17:38.219 He doesn't say something like, the problem is that Tobin sins. 00:17:40.199 --> 00:17:42.679 He doesn't say the problem is that we are sinners. 00:17:43.359 --> 00:17:45.119 I mean, I think most people can handle that, right? 00:17:45.159 --> 00:17:49.459 You talk to people at work or even in my life on this journey when people are talking to me about God. 00:17:49.460 --> 00:17:51.019 And when they said, do you sin? 00:17:51.100 --> 00:17:53.500 I was like, yeah, I'll admit that. 00:17:54.640 --> 00:17:55.740 I'm a sinner. 00:17:55.880 --> 00:17:56.440 I sin. 00:17:56.500 --> 00:17:59.460 I'm not as bad as everybody else, but I do sin. 00:18:00.059 --> 00:18:05.200 But here what Paul says is our problem is that we're under sin. 00:18:07.559 --> 00:18:12.140 The word is a very unusual and powerful word. 00:18:12.380 --> 00:18:14.779 It's the first time he's ever used it in Romans. 00:18:14.779 --> 00:18:19.099 But he's going to use it 50 times between now and chapter 8. 00:18:19.819 --> 00:18:20.420 It's this idea. 00:18:20.579 --> 00:18:21.759 It's this military term. 00:18:21.879 --> 00:18:25.619 It means that sin has us under authority. 00:18:26.519 --> 00:18:30.279 That sin is controlling all of us completely. 00:18:30.899 --> 00:18:37.799 But there's not a part of us, before we know God, there's not a part of us that isn't controlled by sin. 00:18:37.799 --> 00:18:41.419 Now try telling that to your boss tomorrow. 00:18:41.980 --> 00:18:44.579 When he gets angry and he yells and he gets frustrated. 00:18:45.500 --> 00:18:49.579 You know, you say, well, you know, your problem is, dude, your sin just has this stranglehold on you. 00:18:49.619 --> 00:18:51.720 And you're just controlled and everything you do is sinful. 00:18:52.899 --> 00:18:55.440 I mean, you probably shouldn't do that. 00:18:56.200 --> 00:18:57.579 But Paul says that to us. 00:18:57.839 --> 00:19:00.119 So what he's saying here is he's saying, now listen to me. 00:19:01.259 --> 00:19:02.200 He's saying good people. 00:19:03.659 --> 00:19:04.720 He's saying bad people. 00:19:05.619 --> 00:19:06.720 He's saying religious people. 00:19:07.360 --> 00:19:08.559 He's saying non-religious people. 00:19:09.140 --> 00:19:09.940 He's saying Republicans. 00:19:10.559 --> 00:19:15.640 He's saying your saintly gray-haired grandmother who makes these amazing, incredible cookies. 00:19:16.480 --> 00:19:19.000 And yes, he's even saying kiwis. 00:19:19.519 --> 00:19:23.180 Everybody is under sin's complete control. 00:19:23.940 --> 00:19:24.420 Everybody. 00:19:25.120 --> 00:19:27.559 I didn't say Australians because I give Australians a hard time. 00:19:27.660 --> 00:19:28.759 I'll say kiwis this time. 00:19:28.799 --> 00:19:30.220 And there's two of them, and I know they're going to cry. 00:19:30.660 --> 00:19:32.839 But I love them, and so we'll talk about it later. 00:19:32.839 --> 00:19:40.899 But he's saying that all of us are under sin's complete control. 00:19:41.720 --> 00:19:45.939 I mean, it says that we are actually captives to sin. 00:19:45.940 --> 00:19:49.140 It says that we live in the domain of sin. 00:19:49.220 --> 00:19:51.660 It says that we're enslaved to sin. 00:19:52.539 --> 00:19:56.240 And remember, we said that sin is not conforming to the law of God. 00:19:57.360 --> 00:19:59.779 Sin is disobedience to God's law. 00:19:59.920 --> 00:20:01.900 Sin is the standard that God has put forward. 00:20:02.360 --> 00:20:03.880 Sin is self-centeredness. 00:20:04.980 --> 00:20:06.360 Sin is self-righteousness. 00:20:06.359 --> 00:20:07.919 Sin is self-righteousness. 00:20:07.919 --> 00:20:08.439 Sin is self-righteousness. 00:20:08.439 --> 00:20:10.579 It says that it's our heart, what's in our heart. 00:20:11.000 --> 00:20:17.559 And Paul says here in verse 9, the problem is, Tobin, is that your life is completely in control. 00:20:18.539 --> 00:20:25.679 Your whole world, your words, your thoughts, your actions, everything you do is dominated, is controlled, is in the domain of sin. 00:20:27.039 --> 00:20:29.139 And you're in trouble. 00:20:30.659 --> 00:20:34.079 I mean, to be under sin means to be guilty before God. 00:20:34.079 --> 00:20:39.319 There's a great, I know I'm going to get in trouble with this, there's a great scene in The Godfather. 00:20:40.119 --> 00:20:43.279 You ever see the scene with Al Pacino and he's there and he's christening his son? 00:20:44.039 --> 00:20:47.279 And he's in this Catholic church and it's beautiful and his son's getting christened. 00:20:47.559 --> 00:20:50.939 And the priest is looking at him and said, do you so-and-so, do you confess your sins? 00:20:51.019 --> 00:20:51.519 Yes, I do. 00:20:51.759 --> 00:20:56.039 But in the other scenes, he's having all his people who are in competition getting killed. 00:20:56.539 --> 00:20:59.299 They're getting shot and they're getting strangled and they're getting stabbed. 00:20:59.500 --> 00:21:00.839 Do you renounce Satan? 00:21:00.939 --> 00:21:01.379 Yes, I do. 00:21:01.380 --> 00:21:04.220 Do you give up all your sins? 00:21:04.300 --> 00:21:04.740 Yes, I do. 00:21:05.000 --> 00:21:06.960 And he's wiping out everybody. 00:21:07.600 --> 00:21:09.240 I mean, it's an incredibly powerful scene. 00:21:09.480 --> 00:21:11.260 And you look at this guy and he has no guilt. 00:21:12.660 --> 00:21:13.960 He has no shame. 00:21:14.800 --> 00:21:16.960 He has no doubt about what he's doing. 00:21:17.260 --> 00:21:19.280 And in the same way, he's saying he's renouncing these things. 00:21:19.560 --> 00:21:20.880 And what Paul says, it doesn't matter. 00:21:22.300 --> 00:21:23.680 It doesn't matter if you feel shameful. 00:21:24.680 --> 00:21:26.400 It doesn't matter if you feel guilt. 00:21:26.400 --> 00:21:30.019 What Paul says is that you have guilt. 00:21:31.860 --> 00:21:37.040 And the passage says that we are far, far away from God. 00:21:38.680 --> 00:21:44.019 Now, I know I'm going to repeat things over and over and over because that's the only way I understand. 00:21:44.460 --> 00:21:45.900 And that's the way I think we need to understand. 00:21:45.900 --> 00:21:50.500 But what Paul is saying is this is a massive, massive problem in our life. 00:21:50.500 --> 00:21:56.059 And the question is, how do we see people? 00:21:59.720 --> 00:22:01.920 When you walk down the street, what does your worldview say? 00:22:04.119 --> 00:22:07.259 Do you look at people and say, well, man is basically good? 00:22:07.259 --> 00:22:09.960 I mean, there's a little tweaking we can do there. 00:22:10.039 --> 00:22:11.359 I mean, a little more re-education. 00:22:12.039 --> 00:22:13.119 A little more classes. 00:22:14.000 --> 00:22:15.960 Maybe not as selfish with his resources. 00:22:16.740 --> 00:22:17.920 But man is basically good. 00:22:19.019 --> 00:22:22.379 Or do we say, you know, man is so, so good. 00:22:22.420 --> 00:22:23.519 He's like 51% good. 00:22:24.440 --> 00:22:25.519 It's like my student told me about Mao. 00:22:25.599 --> 00:22:27.700 Mao, he's 51% good, so 51% is good. 00:22:27.940 --> 00:22:28.579 He's pretty good. 00:22:29.339 --> 00:22:32.299 Or do we say, you know, man is not too good. 00:22:33.619 --> 00:22:34.819 There's some problems there. 00:22:35.480 --> 00:22:39.059 You know, before World War I, everybody thought that mankind was going to get better and better. 00:22:39.119 --> 00:22:40.480 And the world was going to get better and better. 00:22:40.700 --> 00:22:42.179 And technology was going to get better and better. 00:22:42.439 --> 00:22:44.019 And everybody had this worldview. 00:22:44.200 --> 00:22:47.059 Oxford, Cambridge, U.S., every university had this view. 00:22:47.279 --> 00:22:48.480 And all of a sudden, World War I hit. 00:22:48.720 --> 00:22:49.700 And it was terrible. 00:22:50.599 --> 00:22:54.460 And the theologians and the writers, and they all just, they just gave up that view. 00:22:55.079 --> 00:23:00.259 Because they saw the carnage and the death and the fighting and the trenches and the gas and the machine guns and the bombs. 00:23:00.259 --> 00:23:01.480 And cities being bombed. 00:23:01.799 --> 00:23:04.319 And they go, man, man is not getting better and better. 00:23:04.819 --> 00:23:06.579 We're getting worse. 00:23:07.779 --> 00:23:09.439 Our theology said it's getting better and better. 00:23:09.519 --> 00:23:12.379 But man is not. 00:23:14.579 --> 00:23:16.579 We're just learning how to kill more people quicker. 00:23:17.740 --> 00:23:19.519 But we're not being kinder. 00:23:20.179 --> 00:23:21.859 We're not being gentler. 00:23:21.859 --> 00:23:34.359 God looks at us. 00:23:34.359 --> 00:23:34.379 God looks at us. 00:23:35.699 --> 00:23:38.439 And he sees that we are dead. 00:23:38.440 --> 00:23:42.279 That we're spiritually unable. 00:23:42.480 --> 00:23:44.120 That we are unrighteous. 00:23:44.220 --> 00:23:45.080 That we are unrighteous. 00:23:45.140 --> 00:23:47.880 And we talked about that means legally and relationally before God. 00:23:48.019 --> 00:23:48.779 We're dead. 00:23:51.019 --> 00:23:52.039 It's heavy stuff. 00:23:52.039 --> 00:23:57.119 Verses 10 through 17 talks about these symptoms of being dead. 00:23:57.180 --> 00:23:58.720 It talks about what it means to be dead. 00:24:00.019 --> 00:24:02.240 Paul's going to use incredibly strong words. 00:24:03.259 --> 00:24:04.359 He's going to say all. 00:24:05.960 --> 00:24:06.399 None. 00:24:07.399 --> 00:24:10.659 And all means Tobin and everybody and you. 00:24:11.339 --> 00:24:11.759 None. 00:24:11.859 --> 00:24:13.579 It means none of us do these things. 00:24:13.839 --> 00:24:15.439 He uses incredibly powerful words. 00:24:15.779 --> 00:24:18.299 In theology we call this terminology. 00:24:19.220 --> 00:24:20.199 I mean when we look at it. 00:24:20.220 --> 00:24:23.019 We call this terminology total depravity. 00:24:24.139 --> 00:24:25.799 And I know maybe you've never heard that. 00:24:25.859 --> 00:24:27.759 Maybe you've heard it and you said that's terrible sounding. 00:24:27.799 --> 00:24:28.460 I'm not going to think about it. 00:24:28.639 --> 00:24:31.139 But he's basically saying that we are totally depraved. 00:24:32.500 --> 00:24:34.819 That mankind is totally depraved. 00:24:34.819 --> 00:24:37.500 That the world is not full of good people. 00:24:38.859 --> 00:24:40.639 And the world is not full of bad people. 00:24:41.759 --> 00:24:43.599 But the world is full of dead people. 00:24:44.740 --> 00:24:45.819 And lost people. 00:24:46.700 --> 00:24:48.859 And we're all under sin's bondage. 00:24:49.919 --> 00:24:52.399 And total depravity doesn't mean that you're as bad as you can be. 00:24:53.639 --> 00:24:55.779 Total depravity doesn't mean you're as wicked as you can be. 00:24:55.839 --> 00:24:57.419 That you're doing all the things that you should be doing. 00:24:57.679 --> 00:24:59.220 It doesn't mean that you're as bad as that. 00:25:00.019 --> 00:25:02.439 But what it means is that there's not a part of us. 00:25:04.819 --> 00:25:06.359 There's not a part of us. 00:25:07.960 --> 00:25:09.019 That's not tainted. 00:25:10.359 --> 00:25:11.139 By sin. 00:25:12.659 --> 00:25:13.599 Our emotions. 00:25:14.779 --> 00:25:15.700 Our minds. 00:25:16.740 --> 00:25:17.759 Our wills. 00:25:18.519 --> 00:25:20.079 There's nothing before us. 00:25:20.139 --> 00:25:23.039 Total depravity says that is righteous before God. 00:25:24.379 --> 00:25:26.960 Before I got up here I asked Rachel what her favorite color was. 00:25:27.899 --> 00:25:28.639 Rachel said purple. 00:25:29.819 --> 00:25:30.619 So it's like this. 00:25:31.759 --> 00:25:32.799 If sin was a color. 00:25:32.799 --> 00:25:35.059 Sin was purple. 00:25:36.259 --> 00:25:37.819 And wherever there was sin there was purple. 00:25:38.779 --> 00:25:40.379 Now we're not all Barney purple. 00:25:40.559 --> 00:25:43.639 Barney's the dinosaur that walks around and freaks the parents out. 00:25:43.659 --> 00:25:44.619 But the kids love it right. 00:25:45.019 --> 00:25:46.559 But we're not all Barney purple. 00:25:47.720 --> 00:25:50.440 But what the passage says is that every part of us. 00:25:52.139 --> 00:25:53.159 Every part of mankind. 00:25:54.159 --> 00:25:55.000 Our thoughts. 00:25:55.139 --> 00:25:55.659 Our minds. 00:25:55.759 --> 00:25:56.159 Our actions. 00:25:56.480 --> 00:25:57.539 Everything that we do. 00:25:57.659 --> 00:25:58.579 All of our goodness. 00:25:58.759 --> 00:25:59.579 All of our righteousness. 00:25:59.579 --> 00:26:00.879 Apart from Christ. 00:26:01.539 --> 00:26:01.980 Everything. 00:26:03.960 --> 00:26:05.019 Has a shade of purple. 00:26:06.919 --> 00:26:08.779 There's no one who's going to say I'm not that purple. 00:26:09.439 --> 00:26:11.119 Or I'm not as purple as other people. 00:26:11.939 --> 00:26:13.939 But on the outside no matter how good you look. 00:26:14.339 --> 00:26:15.460 You are purple. 00:26:17.799 --> 00:26:18.980 You're tinted by purple. 00:26:18.980 --> 00:26:21.620 Maybe it's a light purple. 00:26:21.759 --> 00:26:22.220 See look at that. 00:26:22.360 --> 00:26:23.559 I'm just a little light purple there. 00:26:23.920 --> 00:26:25.920 That person's really really dark purple right there. 00:26:26.779 --> 00:26:27.339 Or look at my heart. 00:26:27.420 --> 00:26:29.759 My heart is really not that purplish. 00:26:30.319 --> 00:26:31.720 I've slipped, slapped, and slopped. 00:26:31.759 --> 00:26:32.480 I put my hat on. 00:26:32.559 --> 00:26:34.079 I put my suntan lotion on. 00:26:34.140 --> 00:26:35.460 I'm protecting myself from sin. 00:26:35.720 --> 00:26:37.360 I'm not going around sinful things. 00:26:37.680 --> 00:26:40.019 I'm trying to keep a white beautiful complexion. 00:26:40.099 --> 00:26:40.839 I don't want to be purple. 00:26:40.839 --> 00:26:44.740 But Paul says. 00:26:45.759 --> 00:26:46.899 The Bible says. 00:26:47.079 --> 00:26:48.699 No matter how much you slip, slap, and slop. 00:26:48.779 --> 00:26:49.939 I know I'm saying that wrong. 00:26:50.619 --> 00:26:52.359 But you Aussies know what I'm talking about. 00:26:53.819 --> 00:26:55.179 I'm not talking about drinking a beer. 00:26:56.419 --> 00:26:57.899 Putting the suntan lotion on. 00:26:58.039 --> 00:26:59.399 No matter how we do that. 00:27:00.039 --> 00:27:01.019 We're going to be purple. 00:27:02.619 --> 00:27:03.679 And the problem is. 00:27:03.720 --> 00:27:04.759 I think is this. 00:27:04.759 --> 00:27:08.839 I think our problem is. 00:27:08.900 --> 00:27:10.460 Is that our standard of goodness. 00:27:11.839 --> 00:27:13.400 And our standard of righteousness. 00:27:15.640 --> 00:27:17.039 Is different than God's. 00:27:19.400 --> 00:27:20.379 That our standard of goodness. 00:27:20.519 --> 00:27:21.660 And our standard of righteousness. 00:27:22.099 --> 00:27:23.319 Is different from God's. 00:27:23.339 --> 00:27:24.119 And what Paul is saying. 00:27:24.220 --> 00:27:26.119 Is that even our greatest moments. 00:27:26.940 --> 00:27:29.259 Even the most unselfish thing you do. 00:27:29.680 --> 00:27:30.779 Even the most. 00:27:31.000 --> 00:27:31.839 Your greatest achievement. 00:27:32.000 --> 00:27:33.240 Graduating from whatever university. 00:27:33.480 --> 00:27:34.000 Doing this. 00:27:34.000 --> 00:27:34.680 Your first patient. 00:27:35.099 --> 00:27:35.359 Whatever. 00:27:35.960 --> 00:27:37.900 Even the greatest thing that you do. 00:27:39.279 --> 00:27:40.039 Is purple. 00:27:42.460 --> 00:27:43.500 Or a shade of purple. 00:27:45.420 --> 00:27:46.879 And none of it brings us closer. 00:27:47.640 --> 00:27:48.379 To God. 00:27:49.940 --> 00:27:50.920 And I think the problem is. 00:27:51.019 --> 00:27:51.559 That we think. 00:27:51.680 --> 00:27:52.740 That we can accumulate. 00:27:53.539 --> 00:27:54.460 These good deeds. 00:27:54.559 --> 00:27:55.220 We think that if we. 00:27:55.339 --> 00:27:56.640 Build up these good deeds. 00:27:57.019 --> 00:27:58.500 That if we get enough of the good deeds. 00:27:58.619 --> 00:28:00.160 Then it takes away our purpleness. 00:28:01.259 --> 00:28:01.759 Come on guys. 00:28:01.799 --> 00:28:02.619 You know what I'm talking about. 00:28:02.660 --> 00:28:02.900 Don't you? 00:28:02.900 --> 00:28:05.400 I used to date Christina. 00:28:05.620 --> 00:28:06.160 And we were dating. 00:28:06.560 --> 00:28:07.800 And every Friday. 00:28:08.240 --> 00:28:09.140 I go down to Austin. 00:28:09.140 --> 00:28:10.140 To see her from Dallas. 00:28:10.519 --> 00:28:10.600 And. 00:28:10.599 --> 00:28:13.079 And I stopped by the rose shop. 00:28:14.740 --> 00:28:16.219 And I started thinking to myself. 00:28:16.219 --> 00:28:18.159 Well how bad were we this week? 00:28:18.219 --> 00:28:19.419 Did we communicate well? 00:28:19.779 --> 00:28:20.859 Was it a good thing? 00:28:21.339 --> 00:28:22.099 Was it not a good thing? 00:28:22.119 --> 00:28:23.159 Well maybe I should get a dozen roses. 00:28:24.639 --> 00:28:25.099 Well today. 00:28:25.219 --> 00:28:25.519 This week. 00:28:25.519 --> 00:28:26.759 We did a really good job. 00:28:26.879 --> 00:28:28.059 And we communicated well. 00:28:28.139 --> 00:28:28.980 There was no conflict. 00:28:29.079 --> 00:28:29.500 No fighting. 00:28:29.639 --> 00:28:30.440 I called her every time. 00:28:30.480 --> 00:28:31.420 She wanted me to talk to her. 00:28:31.940 --> 00:28:32.819 Which was a lot. 00:28:32.920 --> 00:28:33.700 But that's okay. 00:28:34.660 --> 00:28:35.879 Because we were starving students. 00:28:35.940 --> 00:28:36.700 And we had no money. 00:28:38.079 --> 00:28:39.079 But I only need one. 00:28:39.160 --> 00:28:40.079 I only need a lot of roses. 00:28:40.079 --> 00:28:40.619 After today. 00:28:40.700 --> 00:28:40.920 I know. 00:28:41.119 --> 00:28:42.160 But I only need one rose. 00:28:43.440 --> 00:28:43.720 Okay. 00:28:46.559 --> 00:28:47.519 I stole the roses. 00:28:47.519 --> 00:28:51.359 There was this garden. 00:28:52.059 --> 00:28:52.859 At the seminary. 00:28:57.779 --> 00:28:58.980 And it had a sign on it. 00:28:59.000 --> 00:29:00.259 It said don't take the roses. 00:29:02.940 --> 00:29:04.359 But my last class. 00:29:04.599 --> 00:29:05.619 Was Friday at five. 00:29:07.000 --> 00:29:08.180 And I'd go out. 00:29:08.240 --> 00:29:09.660 And I'd look at the rose garden. 00:29:09.960 --> 00:29:11.440 And I'd see these roses blooming. 00:29:12.339 --> 00:29:14.220 And I realized that by Sunday or Monday. 00:29:14.299 --> 00:29:14.879 They're going to be dead. 00:29:14.920 --> 00:29:16.279 And no one's going to enjoy them. 00:29:17.519 --> 00:29:18.660 So I figured. 00:29:18.759 --> 00:29:20.799 Why don't I let my future wife. 00:29:21.779 --> 00:29:22.539 Enjoy them. 00:29:24.019 --> 00:29:25.220 I feel so much better now. 00:29:27.579 --> 00:29:28.680 But I took the roses. 00:29:30.200 --> 00:29:31.400 I took as many roses. 00:29:31.400 --> 00:29:32.200 As I thought I needed. 00:29:32.359 --> 00:29:33.299 To build up my goodness. 00:29:35.379 --> 00:29:36.619 Do you understand what I'm saying? 00:29:37.839 --> 00:29:38.359 And Paul says. 00:29:38.500 --> 00:29:39.400 That's how we act. 00:29:40.559 --> 00:29:42.180 This is how we live. 00:29:42.480 --> 00:29:43.879 We try to build up our good works. 00:29:43.960 --> 00:29:44.559 Or our righteousness. 00:29:44.700 --> 00:29:45.400 Or we do good things. 00:29:45.539 --> 00:29:46.619 Because we want to erase. 00:29:46.619 --> 00:29:47.739 Our purpleness. 00:29:47.899 --> 00:29:49.379 But God says. 00:29:49.459 --> 00:29:51.079 He looks at those things differently. 00:29:54.039 --> 00:29:54.399 Okay. 00:29:56.379 --> 00:29:57.159 My kids. 00:29:57.259 --> 00:29:57.959 When they were younger. 00:29:59.000 --> 00:30:00.019 Had a problem with money. 00:30:02.019 --> 00:30:03.419 And we would go home. 00:30:03.539 --> 00:30:04.239 To the states. 00:30:05.459 --> 00:30:06.799 And I would give them allowance. 00:30:07.479 --> 00:30:08.299 I'd give them like $20. 00:30:08.299 --> 00:30:13.139 And the first question they would ask me is. 00:30:13.220 --> 00:30:13.419 Wow. 00:30:14.500 --> 00:30:16.460 Is this Texas money good in the rest of America? 00:30:18.139 --> 00:30:18.619 And I would go. 00:30:18.680 --> 00:30:18.919 Yes. 00:30:19.079 --> 00:30:20.519 Texas money is good everywhere. 00:30:21.319 --> 00:30:22.859 You can use Texas money anywhere. 00:30:23.579 --> 00:30:24.859 Because it works everywhere. 00:30:24.859 --> 00:30:26.519 My kids. 00:30:26.519 --> 00:30:26.539 My kids. 00:30:26.779 --> 00:30:28.879 Could not comprehend the idea. 00:30:29.099 --> 00:30:30.279 That there was one currency. 00:30:30.519 --> 00:30:31.339 That fit all. 00:30:31.419 --> 00:30:32.059 They thought that. 00:30:32.319 --> 00:30:32.500 Well. 00:30:32.919 --> 00:30:33.939 Maybe it works here. 00:30:33.979 --> 00:30:34.519 But it doesn't work here. 00:30:34.579 --> 00:30:35.599 It's part of living internationally. 00:30:35.839 --> 00:30:36.740 And so they wondered. 00:30:37.539 --> 00:30:38.459 Does this work? 00:30:39.259 --> 00:30:40.039 Is it different? 00:30:44.819 --> 00:30:46.519 Let's suppose I have a kid. 00:30:46.599 --> 00:30:47.779 Who will remain unnamed. 00:30:47.779 --> 00:30:50.000 And one day. 00:30:50.359 --> 00:30:51.500 They come to me. 00:30:55.940 --> 00:30:56.700 And they say. 00:30:56.740 --> 00:30:57.000 Dad. 00:30:57.039 --> 00:30:58.259 I have a million dollars. 00:30:59.720 --> 00:31:00.980 I have a million dollars. 00:31:01.039 --> 00:31:02.160 And I want to open a bank account. 00:31:03.460 --> 00:31:04.279 And I'm like. 00:31:04.299 --> 00:31:05.420 I start getting really nervous. 00:31:05.519 --> 00:31:05.740 I'm like. 00:31:06.399 --> 00:31:06.759 What? 00:31:07.399 --> 00:31:08.639 How did you get a million dollars? 00:31:08.700 --> 00:31:09.279 I earned it. 00:31:10.500 --> 00:31:10.859 Really? 00:31:11.079 --> 00:31:12.279 You earned a million dollars. 00:31:12.359 --> 00:31:12.519 Yes. 00:31:12.579 --> 00:31:13.579 I earned a million dollars. 00:31:13.660 --> 00:31:15.599 And I'd like to open a bank account. 00:31:16.000 --> 00:31:16.399 And I said. 00:31:16.420 --> 00:31:16.599 Okay. 00:31:16.599 --> 00:31:17.440 Can I see. 00:31:17.779 --> 00:31:18.759 The million dollars. 00:31:20.259 --> 00:31:21.119 And this person. 00:31:21.299 --> 00:31:21.779 Pulled out. 00:31:21.879 --> 00:31:22.299 This money. 00:31:27.259 --> 00:31:27.899 And they said. 00:31:27.980 --> 00:31:28.779 I think this is like. 00:31:28.859 --> 00:31:29.759 Two million dollars. 00:31:30.740 --> 00:31:31.579 Can I use this. 00:31:31.619 --> 00:31:32.599 To open a bank account. 00:31:34.660 --> 00:31:35.139 And I. 00:31:35.259 --> 00:31:35.940 First thing I did. 00:31:36.000 --> 00:31:36.720 Is I kind of laughed. 00:31:36.799 --> 00:31:37.000 Right. 00:31:38.180 --> 00:31:38.920 But then I. 00:31:38.920 --> 00:31:40.279 I spent the next couple minutes. 00:31:40.720 --> 00:31:41.079 Hypothetically. 00:31:42.559 --> 00:31:43.680 Trying to explain. 00:31:43.899 --> 00:31:44.819 To my kids. 00:31:45.940 --> 00:31:47.139 That this money. 00:31:47.140 --> 00:31:47.720 Only works. 00:31:48.200 --> 00:31:48.940 In games. 00:31:51.340 --> 00:31:52.040 But it doesn't work. 00:31:52.080 --> 00:31:52.620 In real life. 00:31:54.720 --> 00:31:55.960 Now what I should have done. 00:31:56.060 --> 00:31:56.940 What I wanted to do. 00:31:56.980 --> 00:31:57.400 As I think about. 00:31:57.480 --> 00:31:57.560 Now. 00:31:57.700 --> 00:31:58.500 I should have took him down. 00:31:58.560 --> 00:31:58.980 To the bank. 00:32:00.360 --> 00:32:01.020 And I should have. 00:32:01.100 --> 00:32:01.920 Had him walk in. 00:32:01.980 --> 00:32:02.200 And I said. 00:32:02.259 --> 00:32:02.300 Hey. 00:32:02.380 --> 00:32:02.520 My. 00:32:02.620 --> 00:32:03.280 My kid. 00:32:04.420 --> 00:32:04.940 Wants to. 00:32:04.940 --> 00:32:08.480 My kid. 00:32:08.559 --> 00:32:09.519 Wants to open a bank account. 00:32:09.600 --> 00:32:10.720 They have two million dollars. 00:32:12.799 --> 00:32:14.240 You can see what the people's face. 00:32:14.340 --> 00:32:14.700 Would be like. 00:32:14.779 --> 00:32:14.960 Right. 00:32:15.100 --> 00:32:16.000 Two million dollars. 00:32:16.100 --> 00:32:16.259 Okay. 00:32:16.460 --> 00:32:17.140 Sit down here. 00:32:17.940 --> 00:32:18.480 And then. 00:32:18.820 --> 00:32:20.259 They pull out this money. 00:32:21.420 --> 00:32:21.980 And they go. 00:32:22.039 --> 00:32:22.620 Here it is. 00:32:23.920 --> 00:32:24.279 Now. 00:32:24.299 --> 00:32:25.059 What do you think the bank teller. 00:32:25.059 --> 00:32:25.519 Is going to say. 00:32:26.580 --> 00:32:27.080 I mean. 00:32:27.420 --> 00:32:28.259 At HSBC. 00:32:28.400 --> 00:32:29.100 They might take it. 00:32:29.779 --> 00:32:30.839 Because they need money. 00:32:32.039 --> 00:32:33.480 But every other bank. 00:32:33.579 --> 00:32:34.159 Is going to go. 00:32:34.579 --> 00:32:35.659 I'm sorry Elaine. 00:32:35.740 --> 00:32:36.379 Wherever you are. 00:32:37.679 --> 00:32:38.699 But every other bank. 00:32:38.740 --> 00:32:38.939 Is going to go. 00:32:39.000 --> 00:32:40.000 This isn't real money. 00:32:41.119 --> 00:32:42.500 This isn't work in life. 00:32:44.699 --> 00:32:45.480 But you know. 00:32:47.379 --> 00:32:48.659 The Bible says. 00:32:50.419 --> 00:32:51.339 That that's true. 00:32:51.339 --> 00:32:52.359 For our good works. 00:32:54.879 --> 00:32:55.899 In our righteousness. 00:32:55.900 --> 00:32:59.800 That we take these good works. 00:33:00.820 --> 00:33:02.060 And we take our righteousness. 00:33:02.320 --> 00:33:02.620 And they're. 00:33:02.640 --> 00:33:03.019 They're. 00:33:03.100 --> 00:33:03.380 Coupled. 00:33:03.980 --> 00:33:04.759 In purple. 00:33:06.280 --> 00:33:07.560 And we bring them to God. 00:33:07.600 --> 00:33:08.340 And we try to. 00:33:08.980 --> 00:33:09.640 Cash them in. 00:33:09.680 --> 00:33:10.220 To God. 00:33:12.640 --> 00:33:13.420 And Romans says. 00:33:13.440 --> 00:33:14.160 It doesn't work. 00:33:14.460 --> 00:33:15.280 No matter how much. 00:33:15.360 --> 00:33:15.960 We accumulate. 00:33:15.960 --> 00:33:16.960 Of purple goods. 00:33:17.700 --> 00:33:18.540 Good works. 00:33:19.660 --> 00:33:21.200 That we can't use it on God. 00:33:21.240 --> 00:33:22.340 Because God's kingdom. 00:33:23.780 --> 00:33:24.420 God's kingdom. 00:33:24.420 --> 00:33:24.779 Needs. 00:33:25.900 --> 00:33:26.320 Salvation. 00:33:26.480 --> 00:33:26.960 Good works. 00:33:30.259 --> 00:33:31.360 And God's kingdom. 00:33:31.519 --> 00:33:31.800 Needs. 00:33:32.480 --> 00:33:32.880 Salvation. 00:33:33.019 --> 00:33:33.620 Righteousness. 00:33:35.779 --> 00:33:36.720 And Paul says. 00:33:36.779 --> 00:33:37.600 No matter how much. 00:33:37.680 --> 00:33:38.220 We try to. 00:33:38.759 --> 00:33:39.380 Cash in. 00:33:40.140 --> 00:33:41.160 Everything we do. 00:33:42.920 --> 00:33:43.680 It's purple. 00:33:45.900 --> 00:33:46.820 Do you understand. 00:33:47.240 --> 00:33:48.039 What Paul is saying. 00:33:48.180 --> 00:33:48.539 To us. 00:33:49.500 --> 00:33:50.060 Does that. 00:33:50.160 --> 00:33:51.039 Does that make any sense. 00:33:51.120 --> 00:33:51.380 To you. 00:33:52.440 --> 00:33:52.759 Look at. 00:33:52.800 --> 00:33:53.460 Look at verse 11. 00:33:53.460 --> 00:33:54.140 He talks about. 00:33:54.140 --> 00:33:55.079 Our minds. 00:33:55.220 --> 00:33:55.680 And our understanding. 00:33:55.759 --> 00:33:56.299 What does he say. 00:33:56.600 --> 00:33:57.799 There's none who understand. 00:33:57.920 --> 00:33:58.079 There's. 00:33:58.180 --> 00:33:58.920 There's no one. 00:33:59.640 --> 00:34:00.960 There's no one who understands. 00:34:01.059 --> 00:34:01.420 Verse 11. 00:34:01.779 --> 00:34:02.120 None. 00:34:02.400 --> 00:34:03.240 None understand. 00:34:04.360 --> 00:34:05.440 The Greek actually says. 00:34:05.519 --> 00:34:06.240 That our minds. 00:34:06.460 --> 00:34:07.600 Have the inability. 00:34:08.019 --> 00:34:08.780 To understand. 00:34:09.039 --> 00:34:09.460 God. 00:34:09.539 --> 00:34:10.699 That we can't understand God. 00:34:10.760 --> 00:34:11.920 We compare our understanding. 00:34:12.000 --> 00:34:12.519 With other people. 00:34:12.619 --> 00:34:13.460 We compare our IQs. 00:34:13.480 --> 00:34:13.940 With other people. 00:34:14.440 --> 00:34:15.699 But the passage says. 00:34:15.800 --> 00:34:15.860 That. 00:34:16.860 --> 00:34:17.260 Sin. 00:34:17.260 --> 00:34:19.940 Our purpleness. 00:34:20.600 --> 00:34:21.480 It blinds us. 00:34:21.520 --> 00:34:22.140 And we can't. 00:34:22.360 --> 00:34:22.720 Even. 00:34:23.220 --> 00:34:24.100 Seek God. 00:34:26.980 --> 00:34:28.120 Our self-centeredness. 00:34:28.480 --> 00:34:29.060 Pushes us. 00:34:29.140 --> 00:34:30.100 Away from God. 00:34:30.200 --> 00:34:30.720 The Greek says. 00:34:30.820 --> 00:34:31.340 You can't even. 00:34:31.480 --> 00:34:32.020 Do that. 00:34:32.120 --> 00:34:33.200 You don't even have the power. 00:34:33.280 --> 00:34:33.780 To do that. 00:34:33.780 --> 00:34:34.020 You know. 00:34:38.700 --> 00:34:39.820 That happens. 00:34:41.820 --> 00:34:42.240 I mean. 00:34:42.280 --> 00:34:42.880 In my life. 00:34:42.940 --> 00:34:43.560 And in our lives. 00:34:43.600 --> 00:34:44.020 Or sometimes. 00:34:44.100 --> 00:34:44.740 We come to church. 00:34:44.799 --> 00:34:45.099 You don't know. 00:34:45.159 --> 00:34:46.219 Why people come to church. 00:34:47.179 --> 00:34:48.199 Sometimes people come to church. 00:34:48.259 --> 00:34:48.779 Because they want to figure out. 00:34:48.839 --> 00:34:49.679 What church is all about. 00:34:51.299 --> 00:34:52.539 Sometimes people want to come to church. 00:34:52.579 --> 00:34:53.039 Because they're. 00:34:53.039 --> 00:34:53.739 They're wanting to see. 00:34:53.819 --> 00:34:54.299 What's going on. 00:34:54.319 --> 00:34:55.039 And they learn what to do. 00:34:55.099 --> 00:34:55.779 And what not to do. 00:34:56.599 --> 00:34:57.079 But they. 00:34:57.079 --> 00:34:57.719 They want to. 00:34:58.139 --> 00:34:58.759 They want to. 00:34:59.019 --> 00:34:59.939 Get things. 00:35:00.819 --> 00:35:01.500 From God. 00:35:04.019 --> 00:35:05.039 But there comes a point. 00:35:05.119 --> 00:35:06.119 When people are on that journey. 00:35:06.219 --> 00:35:06.919 That they realize. 00:35:07.019 --> 00:35:07.879 At the end of that journey. 00:35:08.779 --> 00:35:09.459 There's God. 00:35:11.459 --> 00:35:12.279 And they're going to have to do. 00:35:12.279 --> 00:35:13.159 Something with him. 00:35:14.739 --> 00:35:16.199 And that's about the time. 00:35:16.279 --> 00:35:17.199 People leave church. 00:35:19.399 --> 00:35:20.399 Because they realize. 00:35:20.579 --> 00:35:21.239 Church isn't about. 00:35:21.359 --> 00:35:22.279 Just getting stuff. 00:35:24.500 --> 00:35:25.659 But church is about. 00:35:26.679 --> 00:35:27.159 Worshiping. 00:35:28.319 --> 00:35:28.759 God. 00:35:31.879 --> 00:35:32.639 But Paul says. 00:35:32.719 --> 00:35:33.519 We can't see that. 00:35:33.599 --> 00:35:34.539 Because our purpleness. 00:35:35.219 --> 00:35:35.779 Blinds us. 00:35:35.879 --> 00:35:36.379 Verse 11. 00:35:36.519 --> 00:35:36.979 Paul again. 00:35:37.059 --> 00:35:37.539 He says. 00:35:37.799 --> 00:35:38.839 There's no one who seeks. 00:35:38.939 --> 00:35:40.059 There's no one who understands. 00:35:40.379 --> 00:35:41.979 No one who seeks God. 00:35:41.980 --> 00:35:42.099 God. 00:35:43.360 --> 00:35:43.659 I mean. 00:35:43.659 --> 00:35:44.639 I know there's somebody in here. 00:35:44.679 --> 00:35:45.240 And they're yelling out. 00:35:45.280 --> 00:35:45.980 That's not true. 00:35:47.079 --> 00:35:47.320 I mean. 00:35:47.340 --> 00:35:48.500 I just read a book last week. 00:35:48.559 --> 00:35:49.139 That talked about. 00:35:49.300 --> 00:35:50.179 The search for God. 00:35:50.240 --> 00:35:50.880 Throughout the ages. 00:35:51.900 --> 00:35:52.980 I know in our heart. 00:35:53.059 --> 00:35:53.659 We're going to say. 00:35:53.740 --> 00:35:54.659 And I'm going to say. 00:35:54.800 --> 00:35:55.619 That's not true. 00:35:55.679 --> 00:35:55.820 I. 00:35:55.900 --> 00:35:56.940 I seek God. 00:35:56.980 --> 00:35:57.780 I'm searching for God. 00:35:57.820 --> 00:35:58.619 I want God. 00:35:59.559 --> 00:36:00.619 But Paul says. 00:36:01.780 --> 00:36:02.559 We don't. 00:36:04.920 --> 00:36:05.880 Not on our own. 00:36:05.880 --> 00:36:08.599 The passage in Romans. 00:36:08.720 --> 00:36:09.260 Is going to go on. 00:36:09.320 --> 00:36:09.539 And say. 00:36:09.960 --> 00:36:10.440 You know. 00:36:10.700 --> 00:36:11.960 We're seeking answers. 00:36:13.599 --> 00:36:14.640 We're seeking meaning. 00:36:15.500 --> 00:36:16.440 We're seeking health. 00:36:16.519 --> 00:36:17.280 We're seeking a job. 00:36:17.360 --> 00:36:18.019 We're seeking stuff. 00:36:18.099 --> 00:36:19.400 We're seeking a spouse. 00:36:20.800 --> 00:36:22.079 That's why we're looking for God. 00:36:23.360 --> 00:36:24.340 But the passage says. 00:36:24.420 --> 00:36:25.059 To seek God. 00:36:25.059 --> 00:36:26.140 God means to find him. 00:36:26.820 --> 00:36:27.260 Truthfully. 00:36:28.420 --> 00:36:29.880 To worship him in spirit. 00:36:29.980 --> 00:36:30.460 In truth. 00:36:30.760 --> 00:36:31.619 To desire him. 00:36:31.720 --> 00:36:32.680 To enjoy him. 00:36:33.340 --> 00:36:34.960 Not for what he's going to give us. 00:36:34.960 --> 00:36:37.740 But for who he is. 00:36:40.940 --> 00:36:41.780 If you're a parent. 00:36:41.920 --> 00:36:42.780 You feel that every day. 00:36:42.820 --> 00:36:43.220 Don't you? 00:36:44.760 --> 00:36:46.420 I'm going to walk outside of here. 00:36:47.300 --> 00:36:49.400 And I'm going to be walking to lunch with my wife. 00:36:50.139 --> 00:36:51.360 And one of my kids is going to go up. 00:36:51.400 --> 00:36:51.519 And say. 00:36:51.599 --> 00:36:52.039 Dad. 00:36:52.679 --> 00:36:54.000 I'm so glad I found you. 00:36:56.220 --> 00:36:56.960 In my heart. 00:36:57.039 --> 00:36:57.920 What I want to hear them say is. 00:36:58.019 --> 00:36:58.960 I just want to be with you. 00:37:00.599 --> 00:37:02.159 I just want to spend time with you. 00:37:03.240 --> 00:37:04.320 I just want to talk. 00:37:04.320 --> 00:37:05.539 Because we don't spend time together. 00:37:07.559 --> 00:37:08.360 But at the end of. 00:37:08.660 --> 00:37:09.019 Dad. 00:37:09.080 --> 00:37:10.220 I'm so glad I found you. 00:37:11.539 --> 00:37:12.519 What's the next sentence? 00:37:16.740 --> 00:37:17.780 Come on. 00:37:19.880 --> 00:37:20.980 I need some money. 00:37:23.640 --> 00:37:24.600 And Paul says. 00:37:24.600 --> 00:37:27.019 That's how most of us seek God. 00:37:27.019 --> 00:37:27.519 God. 00:37:30.519 --> 00:37:31.860 We come to church. 00:37:32.739 --> 00:37:34.000 Or we come to community group. 00:37:34.880 --> 00:37:35.679 Because we need. 00:37:35.759 --> 00:37:36.320 And we want. 00:37:37.559 --> 00:37:38.639 And I think if we're honest. 00:37:38.639 --> 00:37:39.519 In our blueness. 00:37:39.699 --> 00:37:40.840 What we really want is religion. 00:37:40.960 --> 00:37:41.280 Don't we? 00:37:42.340 --> 00:37:43.639 We want a list of do's or don'ts. 00:37:43.699 --> 00:37:43.960 We want. 00:37:44.480 --> 00:37:45.759 We don't really want to seek God. 00:37:45.820 --> 00:37:46.320 For who he is. 00:37:46.340 --> 00:37:47.159 But we want to seek God. 00:37:47.239 --> 00:37:48.679 For what he can give us. 00:37:50.119 --> 00:37:51.219 We want to seek a God. 00:37:51.259 --> 00:37:51.960 That we can turn in. 00:37:52.079 --> 00:37:53.519 Our purple good deeds. 00:37:53.559 --> 00:37:54.039 And he's going to go. 00:37:54.099 --> 00:37:54.239 Wow. 00:37:54.280 --> 00:37:54.659 That's great. 00:37:54.719 --> 00:37:55.320 You're really good. 00:37:55.320 --> 00:37:56.039 Come on in. 00:37:56.080 --> 00:37:56.860 Because everything is good. 00:37:58.039 --> 00:37:58.780 And Paul says. 00:37:58.860 --> 00:38:00.180 Sometimes if we're really honest. 00:38:01.120 --> 00:38:02.840 Even after we come to Christ. 00:38:04.019 --> 00:38:04.200 I mean. 00:38:04.200 --> 00:38:05.360 Sometimes if we're really honest. 00:38:05.400 --> 00:38:06.400 Even after we come to Christ. 00:38:06.440 --> 00:38:07.500 We're going to read this later in Romans. 00:38:07.880 --> 00:38:09.300 That still our selfishness. 00:38:09.340 --> 00:38:10.120 And our self-centeredness. 00:38:10.120 --> 00:38:10.559 Come in. 00:38:10.740 --> 00:38:11.940 And we search for things. 00:38:11.980 --> 00:38:12.860 We search for stuff. 00:38:13.360 --> 00:38:14.240 And our motives. 00:38:15.380 --> 00:38:16.080 Are purple. 00:38:20.760 --> 00:38:21.600 Verse 12. 00:38:22.559 --> 00:38:23.880 All have turned aside. 00:38:24.019 --> 00:38:25.000 Together they have become. 00:38:25.000 --> 00:38:25.739 Useless. 00:38:26.300 --> 00:38:27.559 The word there actually means. 00:38:27.659 --> 00:38:28.980 They become spoiled milk. 00:38:30.719 --> 00:38:32.199 That they're useless for nothing. 00:38:32.300 --> 00:38:33.139 There's nothing they can do. 00:38:33.219 --> 00:38:34.119 There's nothing good in them. 00:38:34.159 --> 00:38:35.599 There's nothing good about them. 00:38:36.599 --> 00:38:37.820 Verse 13 and 14. 00:38:37.940 --> 00:38:38.940 Their throat is an open grave. 00:38:39.000 --> 00:38:40.039 Their tongues keep deceiving. 00:38:40.139 --> 00:38:41.420 The poison of asses under their lips. 00:38:41.760 --> 00:38:43.239 Their mouth is full of cursing and bitterness. 00:38:43.420 --> 00:38:44.820 Their feet are swift to shed blood. 00:38:45.360 --> 00:38:46.860 Destruction and misery are in their path. 00:38:47.260 --> 00:38:48.699 In the path of peace. 00:38:49.400 --> 00:38:50.880 They have not known. 00:38:50.880 --> 00:38:54.240 Paul is saying that everything about us. 00:38:56.039 --> 00:38:56.920 Our words. 00:38:57.960 --> 00:38:59.420 I mean it's a really powerful passage here. 00:38:59.480 --> 00:39:01.380 He says that when a person who doesn't know God. 00:39:01.480 --> 00:39:02.119 When they speak. 00:39:02.460 --> 00:39:03.099 Their words. 00:39:03.220 --> 00:39:03.700 Their breath. 00:39:04.119 --> 00:39:05.320 Sounds like a grave. 00:39:06.700 --> 00:39:07.980 Smells like a grave. 00:39:07.980 --> 00:39:08.480 Why? 00:39:08.480 --> 00:39:08.519 Why? 00:39:12.119 --> 00:39:13.059 Because we're purple. 00:39:14.440 --> 00:39:16.960 He says we use our words to hurt other people. 00:39:17.500 --> 00:39:19.159 We use our words to elevate ourselves. 00:39:19.240 --> 00:39:20.679 And not to lift other people up. 00:39:20.679 --> 00:39:24.679 And finally in verses 15 and 17. 00:39:25.379 --> 00:39:27.000 Paul talks about our relationships. 00:39:28.000 --> 00:39:29.460 Their feet are swift to shed blood. 00:39:30.199 --> 00:39:32.299 Destruction and journey and misery are on their paths. 00:39:32.819 --> 00:39:34.500 The path of peace they have not known. 00:39:34.960 --> 00:39:36.419 And whenever you see that word their feet. 00:39:36.659 --> 00:39:38.899 What it's talking about is a person's lifestyle. 00:39:39.940 --> 00:39:41.599 It's talking about where their life is heading. 00:39:42.039 --> 00:39:43.619 The destination of their life. 00:39:43.619 --> 00:39:45.639 What they want their life to do. 00:39:46.039 --> 00:39:48.839 And Paul says that a person whose life is purple. 00:39:48.840 --> 00:39:51.820 Controlled by sin. 00:39:52.860 --> 00:39:53.780 He says their passage. 00:39:54.140 --> 00:39:55.620 Their life is always going to be destructive. 00:39:58.120 --> 00:39:59.500 They're always going to hurt people. 00:40:02.039 --> 00:40:03.460 They're never going to lift up people. 00:40:04.539 --> 00:40:06.700 They're always going to rush towards violence. 00:40:08.940 --> 00:40:09.860 Their lives. 00:40:11.940 --> 00:40:12.720 Are purple. 00:40:14.840 --> 00:40:16.240 I mean it's intense isn't it? 00:40:17.440 --> 00:40:18.480 I mean just studying this. 00:40:18.480 --> 00:40:19.059 I was like oh. 00:40:20.639 --> 00:40:23.440 But Paul wants us to see what our lives are like without God. 00:40:24.820 --> 00:40:26.559 He wants to see the purpleness in us. 00:40:26.820 --> 00:40:27.980 He wants to show us. 00:40:28.699 --> 00:40:32.320 He wants to take us on this incredibly intense journey. 00:40:34.559 --> 00:40:38.039 Paul wants us to see what we look like to God. 00:40:40.400 --> 00:40:41.179 Did you know that? 00:40:41.179 --> 00:40:46.199 Paul wants us to see that we're coming to God and saying here's some money. 00:40:46.759 --> 00:40:47.699 Let me cash this in. 00:40:47.759 --> 00:40:48.500 I need some help. 00:40:49.539 --> 00:40:50.899 Here are the good deeds I've done. 00:40:53.079 --> 00:40:55.859 And Paul says that before we knew Christ. 00:40:57.099 --> 00:40:59.559 All of those things are purple. 00:40:59.559 --> 00:41:08.860 There's no righteousness in them that our life is controlled by sin and we have no hope on our journey. 00:41:08.860 --> 00:41:13.039 We're getting down into the depth. 00:41:13.039 --> 00:41:20.239 I mean finally in 18 and 20 what Paul has done is he's taken us on this journey for three chapters. 00:41:21.119 --> 00:41:22.980 He's taken us into the operating room. 00:41:24.019 --> 00:41:26.400 He's taken us into the courtroom. 00:41:26.400 --> 00:41:28.960 And we're standing in the courtroom. 00:41:30.280 --> 00:41:34.680 And chapter 1, chapter 2, chapter 3 have been read off. 00:41:35.400 --> 00:41:41.380 And we're sitting there and we're listening to a holy, just, and righteous God. 00:41:42.680 --> 00:41:44.519 And all of us are sitting there. 00:41:45.480 --> 00:41:49.500 And every word that we hear, we know that there's punishment. 00:41:50.440 --> 00:41:52.059 We know that we have a liability. 00:41:52.059 --> 00:41:58.519 Everything that's being said to us, we just know that yes, and we're in trouble. 00:42:00.199 --> 00:42:05.679 And Paul says that when we're in this position, if we understand our purpleness, 00:42:06.340 --> 00:42:10.099 the only thing we can do is keep our mouth shut. 00:42:14.779 --> 00:42:19.920 Because we know that we can't say anything to a holy God. 00:42:19.920 --> 00:42:24.500 There's nothing that we can show God of our good works. 00:42:25.200 --> 00:42:29.360 There's nothing that we can do so that God goes, wow, you're so awesome. 00:42:30.619 --> 00:42:36.220 These chapters over and over, Paul has brought the law. 00:42:37.519 --> 00:42:39.360 He's put it up against our life. 00:42:40.340 --> 00:42:42.720 And no matter how well we've tried to get out of it, 00:42:42.780 --> 00:42:44.960 no matter how well we've tried to step over it, 00:42:45.159 --> 00:42:49.500 no matter how well we've tried to not ignore it and not look at it, 00:42:49.500 --> 00:42:54.300 what he said when we come to this point is that we're purple. 00:43:01.480 --> 00:43:02.480 Do you see our problem? 00:43:08.599 --> 00:43:09.320 Do you see it? 00:43:11.900 --> 00:43:14.320 I mean, if you're like me, for a long time I heard messages like this. 00:43:14.400 --> 00:43:17.699 I go, yeah, yeah, but you know, but I'm not really that purple. 00:43:17.699 --> 00:43:21.179 I'm whatever you call it, lavender or violet. 00:43:21.299 --> 00:43:22.980 I'm not really purple purple. 00:43:24.579 --> 00:43:27.599 And Paul says, yeah, if you say that, 00:43:28.299 --> 00:43:30.199 then you're not ready for the rest of Romans. 00:43:31.679 --> 00:43:34.279 If you say, yeah, but I'm not really that bad, 00:43:35.019 --> 00:43:36.839 then God has work to do on you. 00:43:38.899 --> 00:43:40.480 You need to look at your own heart. 00:43:41.859 --> 00:43:43.179 You need to look at your own life. 00:43:43.279 --> 00:43:44.439 You need to look at your own awesomeness. 00:43:44.440 --> 00:43:45.940 You need to look at how incredible you are. 00:43:47.240 --> 00:43:49.400 And the Bible says that God will deal with those things. 00:43:51.240 --> 00:43:55.019 But if we come to the passage and we see our purpleness, 00:43:55.920 --> 00:43:59.800 and we see point after point after point laid out, 00:44:00.599 --> 00:44:03.260 and our response is, I can't say anything. 00:44:05.820 --> 00:44:08.659 I mean, if we get there at the end of the message, 00:44:08.659 --> 00:44:13.199 what we realize is what our real problem is. 00:44:16.399 --> 00:44:17.440 We have a heart problem. 00:44:19.500 --> 00:44:20.699 We have a sin problem. 00:44:22.339 --> 00:44:24.379 And if we understand our problem, 00:44:24.899 --> 00:44:27.259 then we can get the right type of help. 00:44:28.940 --> 00:44:30.000 You're sitting in here today, 00:44:30.059 --> 00:44:31.480 and you're trying to figure out what your problem is. 00:44:31.480 --> 00:44:34.659 How you define that and how you determine that 00:44:34.659 --> 00:44:36.179 will determine what kind of God 00:44:36.179 --> 00:44:38.240 and what kind of Savior you want. 00:44:40.780 --> 00:44:41.920 If your problem is just a little, 00:44:42.019 --> 00:44:42.860 you're going to get a little God. 00:44:44.699 --> 00:44:45.820 If your problem is 50%, 00:44:45.820 --> 00:44:48.159 then you're going to get a 50% God and 50% Savior. 00:44:49.840 --> 00:44:51.159 But what Paul is trying to say to us 00:44:51.159 --> 00:44:52.019 through the whole book of Romans 00:44:52.019 --> 00:44:54.920 is that our problem is we're at the bottom. 00:44:57.099 --> 00:44:58.079 We need God. 00:44:58.079 --> 00:44:59.799 We need a Savior who can come in here. 00:45:03.159 --> 00:45:03.799 Two minutes. 00:45:05.079 --> 00:45:05.719 Listen to me. 00:45:06.619 --> 00:45:06.960 Please. 00:45:14.500 --> 00:45:16.519 If we don't see ourselves like this passage says, 00:45:18.059 --> 00:45:20.219 if we don't see ourselves like what Paul says, 00:45:20.799 --> 00:45:25.360 if we don't understand how sin has surrounded us 00:45:25.360 --> 00:45:27.159 and engulfed us and we're in its dominion 00:45:27.159 --> 00:45:29.559 and we're in lockage bondage to it, 00:45:29.579 --> 00:45:33.819 if we don't see our slavery, 00:45:35.319 --> 00:45:37.259 if we don't see our selfishness, 00:45:37.299 --> 00:45:38.299 if we don't see our sinfulness, 00:45:38.420 --> 00:45:40.719 if we don't see our blueness, 00:45:45.839 --> 00:45:48.179 Romans says we're never going to see God. 00:45:48.179 --> 00:45:53.219 We're never going to understand grace. 00:45:55.679 --> 00:45:57.239 We're never going to understand mercy. 00:45:59.079 --> 00:46:00.779 We're never going to understand love. 00:46:02.480 --> 00:46:04.379 If we don't see how purple we are, 00:46:05.179 --> 00:46:06.960 we're going to walk out those doors 00:46:06.960 --> 00:46:08.319 and we're not going to look at other people 00:46:08.319 --> 00:46:10.219 as if they're purple and they're dead and they're dying 00:46:10.219 --> 00:46:11.139 and we're going to talk to them 00:46:11.139 --> 00:46:12.699 about the most amazing thing in our life. 00:46:12.699 --> 00:46:16.139 We're just going to say, oh, they're okay. 00:46:18.099 --> 00:46:19.059 Maybe someday they'll hear. 00:46:21.779 --> 00:46:23.119 What Paul wants us to see 00:46:23.119 --> 00:46:24.639 at the very end of these three chapters, 00:46:24.839 --> 00:46:25.960 before we move on next week, 00:46:25.980 --> 00:46:27.419 because next week we're crawling out of the pit. 00:46:28.559 --> 00:46:29.719 Next week Jesus comes on. 00:46:29.759 --> 00:46:30.699 Well, Jesus is always in. 00:46:31.419 --> 00:46:32.319 He's always here. 00:46:33.639 --> 00:46:35.559 But next week it's not so intense. 00:46:36.799 --> 00:46:37.699 But what Paul is saying is 00:46:37.699 --> 00:46:39.519 if we don't see that at the end of this chapter, 00:46:39.519 --> 00:46:40.759 we're not ready for grace 00:46:40.759 --> 00:46:41.820 and we're not ready for God 00:46:41.820 --> 00:46:42.940 and we're not ready for the gospel. 00:46:44.179 --> 00:46:45.500 And we're never going to appreciate 00:46:45.500 --> 00:46:47.759 what God has done for our lives 00:46:47.759 --> 00:46:50.719 because you know what's going to happen in this? 00:46:52.820 --> 00:46:55.239 In the middle of this courtroom, 00:46:56.280 --> 00:46:57.679 there's this huge scene 00:46:57.679 --> 00:46:59.579 or there's this operating room. 00:47:00.320 --> 00:47:01.460 In the middle of the courtroom, 00:47:02.039 --> 00:47:03.059 in the middle of the operating room, 00:47:03.940 --> 00:47:05.179 God's going to do something amazing. 00:47:06.500 --> 00:47:07.480 He's going to send his son. 00:47:09.519 --> 00:47:10.619 The son's going to step in. 00:47:12.539 --> 00:47:13.960 He's going to take away our purpleness. 00:47:16.159 --> 00:47:17.440 He's going to bring us back to the Father. 00:47:19.300 --> 00:47:21.400 But until we understand how purple we are, 00:47:23.280 --> 00:47:25.300 until we see that everybody is in the same boat, 00:47:25.380 --> 00:47:26.679 we all have the same needs, 00:47:28.119 --> 00:47:31.759 until we understand the depth of Romans 1, 2, and 3, 00:47:32.320 --> 00:47:36.519 we're never going to see God as he really is. 00:47:36.519 --> 00:47:42.800 And we're going to never have our purpleness taken away. 00:47:45.860 --> 00:47:47.079 Do you understand what I'm trying to say? 00:47:50.380 --> 00:47:52.559 Go into 1, 2, and 3, look for a while, 00:47:52.659 --> 00:47:53.900 realize what God has done. 00:47:55.480 --> 00:47:57.179 Don't walk away and go, yeah, yeah, yeah. 00:47:58.860 --> 00:47:59.759 Because that should be something 00:47:59.759 --> 00:48:00.940 that we're reminded of every day. 00:48:00.940 --> 00:48:04.059 That's the gospel. 00:48:05.800 --> 00:48:07.039 Father, thank you for this day. 00:48:07.260 --> 00:48:08.740 Thank you for your goodness in our life. 00:48:10.019 --> 00:48:11.099 Thank you for your mercy. 00:48:11.539 --> 00:48:15.599 Thank you for incredibly hard passages like Romans 3. 00:48:16.599 --> 00:48:18.159 We see the story of Paul. 00:48:18.860 --> 00:48:19.940 We see our purpleness. 00:48:19.940 --> 00:48:20.460 Purpleness. 00:48:21.780 --> 00:48:25.280 And we realize that for a long, long time, 00:48:25.360 --> 00:48:26.380 we have been coming to you. 00:48:30.139 --> 00:48:32.019 For a long, long, long time, 00:48:32.099 --> 00:48:32.860 we've been coming to you, 00:48:32.900 --> 00:48:34.340 and we've been trying to pay you 00:48:34.340 --> 00:48:38.119 with money and currency 00:48:38.119 --> 00:48:40.119 and good deeds 00:48:40.119 --> 00:48:41.679 and righteousness 00:48:41.679 --> 00:48:44.200 that you don't take. 00:48:44.199 --> 00:48:47.899 Because the only good deeds you take 00:48:47.899 --> 00:48:48.739 are from your son. 00:48:50.579 --> 00:48:51.500 Because he's the only one 00:48:51.500 --> 00:48:52.339 that lived perfectly. 00:48:53.739 --> 00:48:55.159 He has no purple on him. 00:48:57.039 --> 00:48:58.519 And the only righteousness you accept 00:48:58.519 --> 00:48:59.299 is from your son. 00:49:01.099 --> 00:49:03.239 Because he's the only truly righteous one. 00:49:05.119 --> 00:49:06.500 So, Lord, we come before you, 00:49:06.559 --> 00:49:07.359 and we just thank you 00:49:07.359 --> 00:49:08.599 that we realize that Paul 00:49:08.599 --> 00:49:10.159 is talking to every one of us. 00:49:11.679 --> 00:49:12.659 And that we need to deal 00:49:12.659 --> 00:49:13.739 with these things in our life, 00:49:13.739 --> 00:49:15.199 even as we've come to you, 00:49:15.259 --> 00:49:16.379 we tend to forget, 00:49:16.579 --> 00:49:17.759 and we tend to slip back, 00:49:18.139 --> 00:49:20.379 and we tend to become purple 00:49:20.379 --> 00:49:22.279 in our actions 00:49:22.279 --> 00:49:23.000 and our words 00:49:23.000 --> 00:49:23.839 and our thoughts. 00:49:25.959 --> 00:49:26.919 Father, we need you. 00:49:28.779 --> 00:49:29.699 We need your mercy. 00:49:30.919 --> 00:49:32.000 We need your grace. 00:49:33.539 --> 00:49:35.099 I pray that every one of us in here 00:49:35.099 --> 00:49:36.239 would not walk away from here 00:49:36.239 --> 00:49:36.859 and just go, 00:49:36.939 --> 00:49:37.459 yeah, whatever. 00:49:39.299 --> 00:49:40.719 But you would open their eyes 00:49:40.719 --> 00:49:42.639 to how lost we are. 00:49:44.399 --> 00:49:45.939 And as we see that diagnosis, 00:49:46.119 --> 00:49:46.779 we would realize 00:49:46.779 --> 00:49:49.279 that we don't need someone 00:49:49.279 --> 00:49:50.559 to redistribute wealth. 00:49:52.199 --> 00:49:53.179 We don't need someone 00:49:53.179 --> 00:49:54.259 who can feed the poor. 00:49:54.419 --> 00:49:55.479 We don't need someone 00:49:55.479 --> 00:49:57.779 who can educate and literate 00:49:57.779 --> 00:49:59.759 and make people smarter 00:49:59.759 --> 00:50:01.259 so they treat each other nicely. 00:50:03.019 --> 00:50:04.179 Romans 1, 2, and 3 00:50:04.179 --> 00:50:06.839 says that we need God. 00:50:06.840 --> 00:50:09.920 And we need a Savior 00:50:09.920 --> 00:50:10.720 who can come in 00:50:10.720 --> 00:50:11.800 and change us 00:50:11.800 --> 00:50:14.720 and to cover the purpleness 00:50:14.720 --> 00:50:16.980 with His life. 00:50:18.920 --> 00:50:20.280 Help us never to forget that. 00:50:21.900 --> 00:50:22.980 Help us to be a church 00:50:22.980 --> 00:50:24.200 that sees people as purple 00:50:24.200 --> 00:50:26.700 and we speak truth and life 00:50:26.700 --> 00:50:27.440 wherever we go. 00:50:28.500 --> 00:50:29.240 Father, we love you. 00:50:29.300 --> 00:50:29.780 We pray these things 00:50:29.780 --> 00:50:30.700 in your Son, Jesus' name. 00:50:31.059 --> 00:50:31.300 Amen. 00:50:31.300 --> 00:50:31.440 Amen. 00:50:31.440 --> 00:50:31.480 Amen. 00:50:31.480 --> 00:50:31.500 Amen. 00:50:31.500 --> 00:50:31.519 Amen. 00:50:31.519 --> 00:50:31.559 Amen. 00:50:31.559 --> 00:50:31.579 Amen. 00:50:31.579 --> 00:50:33.500 Amen. 00:50:33.500 --> 00:50:33.519 Amen. 00:50:33.519 --> 00:50:33.539 Amen.