WEBVTT

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 Father, you know how easily we forget what you teach.

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 And you know, Father, how easily it is for us to depend upon our own self-righteousness and our own self-justification.

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 And Father, you know how much our self-righteousness and our self-justification causes us trouble and beats us up.

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 We ask, Father, that in your mercy you would pour out your Holy Spirit upon us, that you would expose to our hearts our addiction to our self-righteousness and self-justification.

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 And that you would, Father, hollow us out and humble us so that we would hunger for the justification that only you give, that only you bring.

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 And this we ask in the name of Jesus, your Son, and our Savior. Amen.

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 Amen. Please be seated.

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 There used to be a fellow that I'd see at least several times a week on Rideau Street.

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 And he had, he was quite muscular, a bit shorter than me, quite muscular.

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 He liked wearing in the warmer weather, even in quite cold weather, quite, you know, short T-shirts, tight T-shirts that showed off his arms and his chest and everything.

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 And he had lots of tattoos.

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 And he had two other things which, you know, I'll be honest with me, creeped me out a little bit.

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 One of them was some odd tattoos on his face, which I always find a bit odd.

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 And the other thing is he'd obviously had some bone, or some type of implants right up here in his head.

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 He had a shaved head, so he had two horns sewn on his head.

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 And so the combination of a shaved head with horns and tattoos on your face, it's a bit of an odd, it's, I never felt very, you know, comfortable with him.

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 On one hand, I'd pray for him, and, you know, maybe I could share the gospel with him one day.

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 But on the other hand, I was never disappointed that I didn't talk to him, if you know what I mean.

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 That's, you know, these are all things I say, and then I confess them in the part of the service later on.

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 But I don't, you know, I have no idea why he did those types of things.

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 And I have no idea whether he was involved in devilish worship or demons or anything like that.

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 But here's the thing, I, the longer I've been a Christian, the more I believe that every single one of us has some experience of the devil and some experience of demons.

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 And by that, I don't mean that, I mean, maybe it might very well be one of the people that we had as a ministry intern quite a few years ago now.

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 Before she had become a Christian, she was a witch.

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 And then she came to faith, and she was a ministry intern here at the church.

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 She'd been involved in Wicca.

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 And I don't know, maybe some of you have at one point in time been involved.

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 Maybe even today you're still involved with Wicca and spells.

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 And if that's the case, we're glad you're here.

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 But I think every single one of us, even if we don't have that type of experience of the devil, have an experience of the devil and the demons.

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 And we do in the sense that every single one of us struggles with despair at different times.

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 And every single one of us struggles with accusatory thoughts at different times.

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 And every single one of us struggles at some time or another with thoughts or experiences or feelings that are deeply shameful.

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 And we feel ashamed.

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 And we feel despair.

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 And we feel a real sense of accusation.

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 And if you say that you've never experienced those things, I don't believe you.

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 In fact, I don't think anybody here would believe you.

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 And every single one of us has those experiences.

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 In fact, many of you, maybe some of you this morning, as you're sitting here, in fact, have really been not even struggling with them.

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 Because you're not struggling with them.

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 But you can hardly even sit or stand.

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 Because there's so many accusatory thoughts or despairing thoughts that are flooding into your mind and your heart and your will.

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 And I think that if we have an experience of that, we have an experience of the devil.

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 Because that's what the devil does to us.

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 Whether we recognize him behind it or not.

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 And the scripture text that we're going to look at today is a very, very powerful text to those of us who struggle with shame,

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 who struggle with despair, and who struggle with accusatory thoughts.

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 So it would be a great help to me.

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 And it would be a great help to yourself if you have a Bible, if you open your Bible to Romans chapter 5.

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 We're preaching through the book of Romans.

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 And today we're looking at Romans 5, verses 1 to 11.

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 And it's a very, very powerful text that speaks to those of us who struggle.

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 And we all struggle at some time or another with despair, with accusatory thoughts,

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 and just feelings of profound feelings of guilt and unworthiness.

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 It's a powerful, powerful text that speaks directly to those experiences.

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 And it begins like this.

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 Romans chapter 5.

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 I'm reading from the English Standard Version.

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 Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.

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 Through him, we have also obtained access by faith into this grace in which we stand.

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 And we rejoice in hope of the glory of God.

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 Actually, before we go any further, you know what we're going to do?

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 Andrew, could you put that up on the screen?

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 And we're going to read it all together.

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 Romans 5.

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 We're going to read it in a moment.

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 And in fact, just if you're wondering,

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 remember last week I asked you just to pray for me

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 because I'm having more problems preaching on the book of Romans

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 than any other book that I've ever preached on.

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 And it's such a deep book.

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 And every week, the more I study it, the more I just realize how deep and profound it is.

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 And I just feel so unworthy every Sunday

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 to try to even remotely unpack the depths and the riches of this book.

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 So please pray for me.

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 And I was going to come up with four points.

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 You know, some preachers preach three-point sermons.

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 John Stott knew a lot about preaching.

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 His sermons always had four points.

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 And I was going to do four points.

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 And then I realized that these, there's four.

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 Why on earth would I want you to remember my words

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 when you could remember the Bible?

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 And so we're just going to read this text.

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 We're going to read it several times today

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 because my four points are just the four basic phrases in these two verses.

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 And so could you all read this with me?

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 Therefore, since we have been justified by faith,

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 we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.

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 Through him we have also obtained access by faith

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 into this grace in which we stand.

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 And we rejoice in hope of the glory of God.

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 It's a really, really funny verse because it has two beginnings.

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 Notice that, therefore and since.

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 You know, usually you'll just have therefore or since,

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 but it actually has two.

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 It's actually one of the simple ways that the text wants us to understand

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 that the very next thing that it says is very, very, very, very important.

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 Therefore, since.

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 And that the first thing that goes directly to our experience of accusation,

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 despair, profound feelings of guilt, and profound feelings of shame,

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 even if you've been a Christian for many, many years

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 and you still struggle with these things,

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 is that very first phrase.

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 Did you notice what it says?

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 It says, therefore, since we have been justified by faith.

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 That's the first thing.

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 In fact, in many ways, all I want to try to do this morning

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 is try to help you to understand that phrase

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 and the three consequences that the Bible tells us follow

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 as we're gripped with this understanding that,

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 therefore, since, we have been justified.

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 We have been justified by faith.

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 What justified means is that, you know,

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 if I told, I think I shared with you last week,

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 if I told you, you know, after the service,

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 everybody who came has a PhD,

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 that would just be completely and utterly absurd for me

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 to tell you that you all have PhDs

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 just because you came to a church service.

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 I could say that,

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 but I don't have the power or authority

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 to make that type of declaration for you.

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 It would be sort of like, you know,

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 some people, you know, say,

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 we just need a couple million dollars to buy a building,

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 and I say, you know, maybe you'll give us that money,

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 and some people will say,

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 well, I could give you a check,

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 I could write you a check,

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 but it's going to bounce.

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 Anybody can write a check,

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 but not everybody can write checks

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 that are going to bounce.

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 And what this simple phrase is telling us,

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 therefore, since we have been justified by faith,

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 it wants us,

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 it's just following what Paul has just said beforehand,

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 and it's trying to help us to understand

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 what Jesus accomplishes for us on the cross.

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 And it's trying to help us to understand

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 that because of what Jesus accomplishes for us

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 when he dies upon the cross,

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 that if we receive that with open hands,

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 then God himself makes an authoritative,

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 powerful declaration

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 that you are now right with him.

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 That what Paul has been trying to explain

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 in the parts of the Bible up until now

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 is that Jesus dying upon the cross

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 is God's provision for human beings

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 so that human beings can be right with him.

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 And when we put our faith in Jesus,

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 God speaks over even the worst person

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 that he says to you and me,

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 you are justified.

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 And what that means is that

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 I am declaring,

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 I have the authority,

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 and I have the power,

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 and I have the right

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 to make these declarations.

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 And because you have received

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 what Jesus did for you on the cross,

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 I declare that you are now right with me.

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 And that's what Paul wants to remind us

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 by saying,

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 therefore,

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 since we have been justified by faith.

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 But some of you might be saying,

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 George,

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 okay, that just sounds really, really, really nice.

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 But gosh, George,

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 if you could just,

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 you know,

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 if I could actually just have the courage

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 to talk to you really honestly,

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 if you just knew

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 how many times

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 I either don't come to church

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 or I can barely come to church

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 because I'm so filled

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 with accusatory thoughts,

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 if you just realized,

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 George,

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 if God realized

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 how hard it is for me

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 to sit in a church

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 when I'm just filled with shame,

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 if you realize, George,

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 how hard it was for me,

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 I'm not sure that sounds

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 all very nice, George,

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 but it doesn't really deal

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 anything at all

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 with these very,

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 very powerful experiences

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 of accusation and guilt

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 that I struggle with.

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 Like,

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 how,

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 that sounds really good,

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 but I don't know

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 if that can actually be true for me.

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 It's true when I'm feeling good,

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 but it's not true

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 a lot of the time.

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 Well,

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 you know,

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 it's really interesting

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 because what Paul does here,

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 the therefore sins,

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 he sort of is looking at the back,

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 but he anticipates

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 our objection like that

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 in the part that comes

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 just a little bit after this.

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 I don't know if you noticed it

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 or remembered it

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 when Andrea was reading.

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 If you look in your Bibles,

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 look what Paul says

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 in verses 6 and following.

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 He says,

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 for while we were still weak,

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 at the right time,

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 Christ died

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 for the ungodly.

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 For one will scarcely die

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 for a righteous person,

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 though perhaps

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 for a good person

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 one would dare

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 even to die.

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 But God

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 shows his love

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 for us

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 in that while

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 we were still

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 sinners,

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 Christ

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 died

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 for us.

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 What is this text saying?

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 This text,

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 you see,

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 the problem I have

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 when I'm getting

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 overwhelmed

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 with guilt

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 and when I'm getting

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 overwhelmed

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 with shame

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 and when I'm getting

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 overwhelmed

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 with accusatory thoughts

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 is I start to actually,

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 it's as if,

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 you know,

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 I said a couple of weeks ago

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 that the last idol

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 that dies

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 in a Christian's life

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 is the idol

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 of self-righteousness

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 and the idol

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 of self-justification.

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 And it's as if

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 I somehow believe

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 that God

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 looked at me

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 and when he looked

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 at me,

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 he said,

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 woe is George ever good.

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 Look at all the good

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 things George does.

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 You know,

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 look at those times

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 he's faithful to his wife.

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 Look at those times

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 he's good with his kids.

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 Look at those times.

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 Whoa,

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 he visited somebody.

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 Whoa.

00:13:35.500 --> 00:13:35.960
 And so,

00:13:36.120 --> 00:13:37.500
 I'm just going to do something

00:13:37.500 --> 00:13:38.780
 that's going to top up

00:13:38.780 --> 00:13:40.120
 George's goodness

00:13:40.120 --> 00:13:41.720
 because George's goodness

00:13:41.720 --> 00:13:42.640
 is this high

00:13:42.640 --> 00:13:43.540
 and I don't know,

00:13:43.620 --> 00:13:44.660
 I need him to be this high

00:13:44.660 --> 00:13:45.840
 to get to heaven

00:13:45.840 --> 00:13:46.840
 and so I'm just going to

00:13:46.840 --> 00:13:48.460
 top up George's goodness.

00:13:49.020 --> 00:13:49.720
 And that's sort of

00:13:49.720 --> 00:13:50.660
 what goes on

00:13:50.660 --> 00:13:51.620
 in our souls

00:13:51.620 --> 00:13:52.700
 and in our thoughts

00:13:52.700 --> 00:13:54.060
 when it,

00:13:54.560 --> 00:13:56.140
 but what this text

00:13:56.140 --> 00:13:57.060
 is saying

00:13:57.060 --> 00:13:58.640
 is that God

00:13:58.640 --> 00:13:59.820
 didn't look around

00:13:59.820 --> 00:14:01.760
 at the good church people.

00:14:01.940 --> 00:14:03.360
 and he didn't look around

00:14:03.360 --> 00:14:05.720
 and see all the successful people

00:14:05.720 --> 00:14:07.360
 and he didn't look around

00:14:07.360 --> 00:14:08.480
 and see all the people

00:14:08.480 --> 00:14:09.560
 who are really smart

00:14:09.560 --> 00:14:10.580
 and could remember

00:14:10.580 --> 00:14:12.980
 complicated theological systems

00:14:12.980 --> 00:14:14.820
 and remember Bible verses.

00:14:14.820 --> 00:14:16.300
 He looked down

00:14:16.300 --> 00:14:17.640
 and what did he see?

00:14:17.840 --> 00:14:19.440
 He saw weak people

00:14:19.440 --> 00:14:22.180
 and he saw ungodly people

00:14:22.180 --> 00:14:24.400
 and he saw sinful people

00:14:24.400 --> 00:14:26.740
 and he saw unrighteous people

00:14:26.740 --> 00:14:28.440
 and he didn't die

00:14:28.440 --> 00:14:29.500
 for the good people

00:14:29.500 --> 00:14:30.680
 who just needed something

00:14:30.680 --> 00:14:32.120
 to top up their goodness.

00:14:32.540 --> 00:14:34.540
 He died for weak people

00:14:34.540 --> 00:14:35.500
 like you and me,

00:14:35.500 --> 00:14:37.280
 for ungodly people

00:14:37.280 --> 00:14:38.160
 like you and me,

00:14:38.460 --> 00:14:39.640
 for sinful people

00:14:39.640 --> 00:14:40.580
 like you and me,

00:14:40.720 --> 00:14:42.200
 for unrighteous people

00:14:42.200 --> 00:14:42.960
 like you and me.

00:14:42.960 --> 00:14:44.620
 That's who he died for.

00:14:45.759 --> 00:14:48.620
 That's who he declares

00:14:48.620 --> 00:14:50.420
 right with himself

00:14:50.420 --> 00:14:51.500
 when we put our faith

00:14:51.500 --> 00:14:52.519
 and trust in Jesus.

00:14:52.900 --> 00:14:53.920
 Those people.

00:14:55.780 --> 00:14:57.680
 That's who he's referring to.

00:14:58.280 --> 00:15:00.180
 Not the success.

00:15:01.100 --> 00:15:02.680
 As I've been studying Romans,

00:15:02.879 --> 00:15:05.139
 I now increasingly understand

00:15:05.139 --> 00:15:06.960
 all that old hymnody

00:15:06.960 --> 00:15:08.160
 that talks about

00:15:08.160 --> 00:15:09.620
 how our righteous acts

00:15:09.620 --> 00:15:11.340
 are like filthy rags.

00:15:12.440 --> 00:15:13.320
 And until I started

00:15:13.320 --> 00:15:14.139
 to study Romans,

00:15:14.279 --> 00:15:14.919
 I didn't really,

00:15:14.980 --> 00:15:16.340
 it didn't really grip me

00:15:16.340 --> 00:15:18.720
 how deeply

00:15:18.720 --> 00:15:21.100
 my idolatry

00:15:21.100 --> 00:15:22.980
 and our idolatry

00:15:22.980 --> 00:15:24.200
 to self-righteousness

00:15:24.200 --> 00:15:25.759
 and self-justification

00:15:25.759 --> 00:15:27.779
 robs us from thinking

00:15:27.779 --> 00:15:28.919
 about who it was

00:15:28.919 --> 00:15:30.580
 that Christ died for.

00:15:31.220 --> 00:15:32.399
 And the wonderful thing

00:15:32.399 --> 00:15:33.299
 as I've shared before

00:15:33.299 --> 00:15:34.659
 about this word justified

00:15:34.659 --> 00:15:35.059
 justified

00:15:35.059 --> 00:15:36.799
 is that this word justified

00:15:36.799 --> 00:15:38.439
 means that right now

00:15:38.439 --> 00:15:39.579
 I know

00:15:39.579 --> 00:15:40.899
 when I put my faith

00:15:40.899 --> 00:15:41.839
 and trust in Jesus

00:15:41.839 --> 00:15:43.559
 what God's final word

00:15:43.559 --> 00:15:44.459
 is about me.

00:15:45.659 --> 00:15:46.839
 I don't know if Jesus

00:15:46.839 --> 00:15:47.799
 is going to come back

00:15:47.799 --> 00:15:48.600
 in five minutes.

00:15:48.939 --> 00:15:50.199
 I don't know if I'm going to die

00:15:50.199 --> 00:15:51.159
 in my drive home.

00:15:51.500 --> 00:15:52.980
 I don't know if I'm going to live

00:15:52.980 --> 00:15:54.600
 another 50 years.

00:15:55.319 --> 00:15:56.779
 Because I don't know the future.

00:15:57.899 --> 00:15:59.519
 But I don't know the future,

00:15:59.639 --> 00:16:01.179
 but I can know one thing

00:16:01.179 --> 00:16:02.159
 about the future.

00:16:02.159 --> 00:16:04.439
 that when I put my faith

00:16:04.439 --> 00:16:05.779
 and trust in Jesus,

00:16:06.699 --> 00:16:08.379
 God declares me.

00:16:08.740 --> 00:16:09.860
 He has the authority.

00:16:10.259 --> 00:16:11.379
 He has the power.

00:16:11.799 --> 00:16:13.259
 And He declares me

00:16:13.259 --> 00:16:14.399
 right with Himself

00:16:14.399 --> 00:16:16.719
 because I have put my faith

00:16:16.719 --> 00:16:17.860
 and trust in Him.

00:16:18.579 --> 00:16:21.199
 And so I can now, today,

00:16:21.600 --> 00:16:25.600
 know God's final word about me

00:16:25.600 --> 00:16:27.360
 that will be spoken

00:16:27.360 --> 00:16:29.179
 in the last day

00:16:29.179 --> 00:16:30.399
 at the final judgment.

00:16:30.399 --> 00:16:32.639
 And you can know

00:16:32.639 --> 00:16:33.500
 that word too.

00:16:36.279 --> 00:16:37.860
 And God's word

00:16:37.860 --> 00:16:39.459
 and His final judgment

00:16:39.459 --> 00:16:41.539
 trumps the judgment

00:16:41.539 --> 00:16:42.639
 made by teachers,

00:16:43.079 --> 00:16:44.259
 the judgment made

00:16:44.259 --> 00:16:45.480
 by governments,

00:16:45.779 --> 00:16:47.019
 the judgments made

00:16:47.019 --> 00:16:48.720
 about your social class

00:16:48.720 --> 00:16:50.000
 or your education

00:16:50.000 --> 00:16:51.559
 or your accomplishments.

00:16:51.740 --> 00:16:52.939
 It trumps the judgment

00:16:52.939 --> 00:16:54.179
 made by wives

00:16:54.179 --> 00:16:54.879
 and husbands

00:16:54.879 --> 00:16:55.639
 and fathers

00:16:55.639 --> 00:16:56.460
 and children

00:16:56.460 --> 00:16:57.399
 and relatives

00:16:57.919 --> 00:16:59.079
 and sports coaches.

00:16:59.080 --> 00:17:00.500
 God's judgment

00:17:00.500 --> 00:17:01.100
 trumps

00:17:01.100 --> 00:17:02.500
 every judgment

00:17:02.500 --> 00:17:03.400
 like that.

00:17:05.539 --> 00:17:06.700
 And that's what

00:17:06.700 --> 00:17:08.160
 God wants us to.

00:17:08.220 --> 00:17:09.140
 That's why it says,

00:17:09.480 --> 00:17:09.759
 therefore,

00:17:10.220 --> 00:17:10.700
 since

00:17:10.700 --> 00:17:12.819
 we have been justified

00:17:12.819 --> 00:17:14.140
 by faith.

00:17:16.500 --> 00:17:16.900
 In fact,

00:17:17.039 --> 00:17:18.700
 it even goes beyond this

00:17:18.700 --> 00:17:20.420
 and it even actually tries to,

00:17:20.539 --> 00:17:21.240
 Paul tries to,

00:17:21.240 --> 00:17:22.420
 to make us to understand

00:17:22.420 --> 00:17:23.940
 because he knows

00:17:23.940 --> 00:17:25.259
 how the devil can say,

00:17:25.319 --> 00:17:25.680
 yeah, yeah, yeah,

00:17:25.680 --> 00:17:26.480
 that's all right.

00:17:26.480 --> 00:17:27.700
 But what about those times

00:17:27.700 --> 00:17:28.579
 when you just said,

00:17:29.099 --> 00:17:30.319
 I know God told me to do this,

00:17:30.400 --> 00:17:31.380
 but I don't want to do this.

00:17:31.660 --> 00:17:33.120
 And you might even resent

00:17:33.120 --> 00:17:34.539
 that God has told you

00:17:34.539 --> 00:17:35.360
 certain things to do.

00:17:35.620 --> 00:17:37.440
 It might just make you

00:17:37.440 --> 00:17:38.539
 angry at God

00:17:38.539 --> 00:17:40.860
 and as soon as you say,

00:17:40.960 --> 00:17:41.059
 well,

00:17:41.120 --> 00:17:42.380
 what about justified by faith

00:17:42.380 --> 00:17:42.900
 and all that,

00:17:43.279 --> 00:17:43.599
 and then,

00:17:43.960 --> 00:17:44.660
 excuse me,

00:17:44.720 --> 00:17:45.360
 the devil brings

00:17:45.360 --> 00:17:46.500
 all these times

00:17:46.500 --> 00:17:47.559
 where we've actually

00:17:47.559 --> 00:17:49.019
 been an enmity to God

00:17:49.019 --> 00:17:50.319
 into our minds

00:17:50.319 --> 00:17:53.039
 and God anticipates that

00:17:53.039 --> 00:17:54.160
 in giving us an image

00:17:54.160 --> 00:17:55.560
 of what his son did

00:17:55.560 --> 00:17:56.519
 for us on the cross.

00:17:58.580 --> 00:17:59.640
 I like reading,

00:17:59.779 --> 00:18:00.259
 you know,

00:18:00.340 --> 00:18:01.560
 thriller types books

00:18:01.560 --> 00:18:03.000
 and some of the books

00:18:03.000 --> 00:18:03.980
 will talk about,

00:18:04.180 --> 00:18:04.440
 you know,

00:18:04.460 --> 00:18:05.640
 war and stuff like that

00:18:05.640 --> 00:18:06.800
 and I like reading novels

00:18:06.800 --> 00:18:07.440
 like that

00:18:07.440 --> 00:18:08.500
 and there's a very,

00:18:08.620 --> 00:18:09.720
 very common phrase

00:18:09.720 --> 00:18:10.800
 in a lot of those books.

00:18:11.360 --> 00:18:12.460
 Maybe somebody's coming

00:18:12.460 --> 00:18:13.200
 to go a very,

00:18:13.320 --> 00:18:14.220
 very difficult mission

00:18:14.220 --> 00:18:15.140
 or they have to protect

00:18:15.140 --> 00:18:15.460
 a very,

00:18:15.580 --> 00:18:16.080
 very different,

00:18:16.519 --> 00:18:16.840
 a very,

00:18:16.940 --> 00:18:18.279
 very difficult place

00:18:18.279 --> 00:18:20.540
 and one of the other soldiers,

00:18:20.720 --> 00:18:21.420
 one of the soldiers

00:18:21.420 --> 00:18:22.360
 asks another soldier,

00:18:22.460 --> 00:18:23.620
 are you willing to die

00:18:23.619 --> 00:18:24.519
 for this?

00:18:25.159 --> 00:18:26.559
 And the soldier will say,

00:18:26.759 --> 00:18:27.799
 I'm not going to do this

00:18:27.799 --> 00:18:29.199
 so I'll die for my country.

00:18:29.779 --> 00:18:30.619
 I'm doing this

00:18:30.619 --> 00:18:31.839
 so that the other guys

00:18:31.839 --> 00:18:33.000
 will die for their country.

00:18:34.839 --> 00:18:36.019
 That's why I'm trained.

00:18:36.679 --> 00:18:37.519
 I'm not trained

00:18:37.519 --> 00:18:38.579
 to die for my country.

00:18:38.739 --> 00:18:39.259
 I'm trained

00:18:39.259 --> 00:18:40.739
 to be so effective

00:18:40.739 --> 00:18:41.379
 at killing

00:18:41.379 --> 00:18:43.179
 that the enemy

00:18:43.179 --> 00:18:44.519
 will die

00:18:44.519 --> 00:18:46.119
 for their cause.

00:18:48.079 --> 00:18:48.839
 And that's just

00:18:48.839 --> 00:18:49.899
 how we understand

00:18:49.899 --> 00:18:52.039
 how it is in war.

00:18:52.039 --> 00:18:54.200
 But did you notice

00:18:54.200 --> 00:18:55.720
 not only in verses 6 to 8

00:18:55.720 --> 00:18:56.819
 that reminds us

00:18:56.819 --> 00:18:58.359
 that when God says,

00:18:58.779 --> 00:18:58.799
 therefore,

00:18:59.079 --> 00:18:59.920
 since we have been

00:18:59.920 --> 00:19:01.200
 justified by faith

00:19:01.200 --> 00:19:02.420
 and justified means

00:19:02.420 --> 00:19:03.960
 that we put our faith

00:19:03.960 --> 00:19:05.099
 and trust in Jesus

00:19:05.099 --> 00:19:06.299
 and what he's accomplished

00:19:06.299 --> 00:19:07.500
 for us on the cross

00:19:07.500 --> 00:19:08.659
 and then God

00:19:08.659 --> 00:19:09.940
 who has the authority

00:19:09.940 --> 00:19:11.259
 and the power

00:19:11.259 --> 00:19:13.139
 to make a declaration

00:19:13.139 --> 00:19:14.379
 declares us

00:19:14.379 --> 00:19:15.759
 to be right with himself,

00:19:16.180 --> 00:19:17.460
 he does it not only

00:19:17.460 --> 00:19:18.099
 for weak,

00:19:18.240 --> 00:19:18.819
 ungodly,

00:19:19.099 --> 00:19:19.899
 sinful people,

00:19:19.900 --> 00:19:21.240
 he does it for people

00:19:21.240 --> 00:19:22.920
 who were his enemies.

00:19:23.640 --> 00:19:24.720
 He does it for you and me.

00:19:24.780 --> 00:19:25.480
 Did you notice that?

00:19:25.940 --> 00:19:26.759
 Look at what it says

00:19:26.759 --> 00:19:28.259
 in verses 9 and 10.

00:19:29.960 --> 00:19:30.259
 Actually,

00:19:30.320 --> 00:19:31.220
 we'll go up to verse 8.

00:19:31.740 --> 00:19:32.500
 But God shows

00:19:32.500 --> 00:19:33.759
 his love for us

00:19:33.759 --> 00:19:34.519
 in that while

00:19:34.519 --> 00:19:35.940
 we were still sinners,

00:19:36.480 --> 00:19:37.820
 Christ died for us.

00:19:38.280 --> 00:19:39.100
 And then notice again,

00:19:39.180 --> 00:19:40.180
 it's just so reverses it,

00:19:40.240 --> 00:19:40.960
 but the double thing

00:19:40.960 --> 00:19:41.980
 to make sure we notice,

00:19:42.220 --> 00:19:43.060
 since therefore

00:19:43.060 --> 00:19:44.840
 we have blood,

00:19:45.080 --> 00:19:46.759
 justified by the fact

00:19:46.759 --> 00:19:47.460
 that he died,

00:19:47.560 --> 00:19:48.800
 he shed his blood for us.

00:19:48.799 --> 00:19:50.519
 It's a concrete image

00:19:50.519 --> 00:19:51.539
 to make us see that

00:19:51.539 --> 00:19:52.680
 we're not just talking

00:19:52.680 --> 00:19:53.480
 about some type

00:19:53.480 --> 00:19:54.899
 of imaginary story,

00:19:54.899 --> 00:19:55.740
 we're talking about

00:19:55.740 --> 00:19:56.299
 the fact that

00:19:56.299 --> 00:19:56.899
 if you went back

00:19:56.899 --> 00:19:57.799
 in a time machine,

00:19:58.240 --> 00:19:59.319
 you would see Jesus,

00:19:59.919 --> 00:20:00.680
 the blood coming

00:20:00.680 --> 00:20:01.639
 from his wounds

00:20:01.639 --> 00:20:02.480
 in his head,

00:20:02.720 --> 00:20:03.440
 from the thorns

00:20:03.440 --> 00:20:04.339
 that were on his brow,

00:20:04.740 --> 00:20:05.460
 and you would see

00:20:05.460 --> 00:20:06.379
 the blood dripping

00:20:06.379 --> 00:20:07.419
 from his hands

00:20:07.419 --> 00:20:08.159
 and his feet,

00:20:08.500 --> 00:20:09.059
 and you would see

00:20:09.059 --> 00:20:10.279
 the blood dripping

00:20:10.279 --> 00:20:11.480
 and pooling on the ground

00:20:11.480 --> 00:20:12.359
 from the whips

00:20:12.359 --> 00:20:13.319
 that he had on the back,

00:20:13.579 --> 00:20:14.319
 and you would see

00:20:14.319 --> 00:20:15.299
 that blood dripping,

00:20:15.559 --> 00:20:16.339
 and then you would see

00:20:16.339 --> 00:20:16.859
 that the blood

00:20:16.859 --> 00:20:17.960
 no longer drips

00:20:17.960 --> 00:20:19.259
 because he's dead.

00:20:20.600 --> 00:20:21.380
 There's that final

00:20:21.380 --> 00:20:22.000
 few moments,

00:20:22.140 --> 00:20:22.860
 but then the blood,

00:20:23.240 --> 00:20:24.360
 heart starts pumping,

00:20:24.480 --> 00:20:25.019
 he's died,

00:20:25.980 --> 00:20:27.720
 and it's a powerful,

00:20:27.720 --> 00:20:30.059
 a powerful,

00:20:30.059 --> 00:20:32.079
 grounded image

00:20:32.079 --> 00:20:32.900
 of death.

00:20:32.900 --> 00:20:37.220
 for those of you

00:20:37.220 --> 00:20:39.120
 who think in pictures,

00:20:40.700 --> 00:20:42.840
 and images are really important,

00:20:43.180 --> 00:20:44.519
 it's a text speaking

00:20:44.519 --> 00:20:45.759
 directly to you

00:20:45.759 --> 00:20:47.960
 to think of the blood,

00:20:49.100 --> 00:20:50.280
 and so in verse 9,

00:20:50.380 --> 00:20:50.800
 it says,

00:20:50.920 --> 00:20:51.580
 since therefore

00:20:51.580 --> 00:20:53.420
 we have now been justified

00:20:53.420 --> 00:20:54.480
 by his blood,

00:20:54.560 --> 00:20:55.200
 by his death,

00:20:55.640 --> 00:20:58.280
 much more shall we be saved

00:20:58.280 --> 00:21:00.880
 by him from the wrath of God,

00:21:00.880 --> 00:21:03.080
 for if while we were enemies,

00:21:03.620 --> 00:21:05.220
 we were reconciled to God

00:21:05.220 --> 00:21:06.540
 by the death of his son,

00:21:07.100 --> 00:21:07.880
 much more,

00:21:08.340 --> 00:21:10.380
 now that we are reconciled,

00:21:10.640 --> 00:21:11.800
 shall we be saved

00:21:11.800 --> 00:21:12.680
 by his life.

00:21:13.180 --> 00:21:13.980
 More than that,

00:21:14.060 --> 00:21:15.780
 we also rejoice in God

00:21:15.780 --> 00:21:17.380
 through our Lord Jesus Christ,

00:21:17.720 --> 00:21:19.480
 through whom we have now

00:21:19.480 --> 00:21:21.220
 received reconciliation.

00:21:21.960 --> 00:21:22.880
 And here the Bible

00:21:22.880 --> 00:21:24.620
 is giving us this other image

00:21:24.620 --> 00:21:26.160
 of what it is that Jesus,

00:21:26.560 --> 00:21:28.120
 as he dies upon the cross,

00:21:28.119 --> 00:21:29.179
 and that what it is

00:21:29.179 --> 00:21:30.439
 that he accomplishes

00:21:30.439 --> 00:21:31.500
 for us on the cross.

00:21:31.899 --> 00:21:33.119
 And we've already seen

00:21:33.119 --> 00:21:33.939
 different images

00:21:33.939 --> 00:21:35.959
 that all of the anger

00:21:35.959 --> 00:21:36.919
 and the wrath

00:21:36.919 --> 00:21:39.619
 that we maybe would labor under,

00:21:39.979 --> 00:21:41.399
 an image to understand

00:21:41.399 --> 00:21:42.799
 what Jesus accomplishes

00:21:42.799 --> 00:21:43.879
 for us on the cross,

00:21:44.199 --> 00:21:45.379
 is that in the cross,

00:21:45.679 --> 00:21:47.319
 as Jesus dies for us,

00:21:47.539 --> 00:21:49.959
 he swallows all the wrath

00:21:49.959 --> 00:21:51.419
 and all the anger

00:21:51.419 --> 00:21:53.119
 that we could possibly fear

00:21:53.659 --> 00:21:55.419
 or think or imagine

00:21:55.419 --> 00:21:57.419
 or that could be claimed against us,

00:21:57.420 --> 00:21:58.960
 that he in his death

00:21:58.960 --> 00:22:01.940
 swallows that wrath against us.

00:22:02.160 --> 00:22:03.259
 And we've already seen

00:22:03.259 --> 00:22:03.880
 in the Bible

00:22:03.880 --> 00:22:05.440
 that on the cross,

00:22:05.880 --> 00:22:06.980
 that all of the things

00:22:06.980 --> 00:22:08.400
 that make us enslaved,

00:22:08.980 --> 00:22:09.720
 that the things

00:22:09.720 --> 00:22:10.779
 that we are slaved to

00:22:10.779 --> 00:22:12.180
 in terms of how other people

00:22:12.180 --> 00:22:13.000
 think about us,

00:22:13.259 --> 00:22:14.460
 our slavery to trying

00:22:14.460 --> 00:22:16.080
 to make ourselves righteous,

00:22:16.480 --> 00:22:18.180
 our slavery to making ourselves

00:22:18.180 --> 00:22:19.900
 think that we can justify ourselves,

00:22:20.060 --> 00:22:21.380
 our slavery to things

00:22:21.380 --> 00:22:23.000
 like debt or money

00:22:23.000 --> 00:22:24.120
 or sex

00:22:24.119 --> 00:22:27.539
 or having things be perfect

00:22:27.539 --> 00:22:28.799
 and all of the things

00:22:28.799 --> 00:22:30.679
 that we are slaved to,

00:22:30.959 --> 00:22:32.539
 that Jesus on his death

00:22:32.539 --> 00:22:33.419
 is the one

00:22:33.419 --> 00:22:35.419
 who swallows those things

00:22:35.419 --> 00:22:37.979
 and he is our great redeemer.

00:22:38.759 --> 00:22:39.819
 And we've seen the image

00:22:39.819 --> 00:22:40.579
 for those of us

00:22:40.579 --> 00:22:41.959
 who struggle with money

00:22:41.959 --> 00:22:43.419
 and we worry about

00:22:43.419 --> 00:22:45.019
 how we're going to pay those bills.

00:22:45.159 --> 00:22:46.639
 And the Bible has given us

00:22:46.639 --> 00:22:47.299
 this image

00:22:47.299 --> 00:22:49.559
 that imagine every single debt

00:22:49.559 --> 00:22:51.939
 that is ever possibly owed by you

00:22:51.940 --> 00:22:53.100
 that you could never pay,

00:22:53.200 --> 00:22:53.940
 that would completely

00:22:53.940 --> 00:22:55.019
 and utterly crush you,

00:22:55.259 --> 00:22:56.500
 that on the cross,

00:22:56.900 --> 00:22:58.080
 Jesus deals with

00:22:58.080 --> 00:23:00.279
 all of those debts for you.

00:23:00.840 --> 00:23:01.740
 And now we see

00:23:01.740 --> 00:23:02.420
 in this language

00:23:02.420 --> 00:23:03.380
 of reconciliation

00:23:03.380 --> 00:23:05.000
 the language of friendship.

00:23:06.279 --> 00:23:07.940
 We see the image

00:23:07.940 --> 00:23:10.039
 of two really, really good friends

00:23:10.039 --> 00:23:11.340
 sitting in Tim Hortons

00:23:11.340 --> 00:23:12.500
 or sitting in Starbucks

00:23:12.500 --> 00:23:14.600
 or sitting on somebody's porch,

00:23:14.700 --> 00:23:16.620
 maybe in the spring or the fall

00:23:16.620 --> 00:23:17.620
 and you're on the swing

00:23:17.620 --> 00:23:19.039
 and you're just talking

00:23:19.039 --> 00:23:21.240
 and you're just really, really close

00:23:21.240 --> 00:23:22.819
 and you're pouring your hearts out

00:23:22.819 --> 00:23:24.740
 and it's a beautiful day

00:23:24.740 --> 00:23:26.420
 and you're completely and utterly

00:23:26.420 --> 00:23:28.019
 just at one with this person

00:23:28.019 --> 00:23:29.480
 and you're both sharing your heart

00:23:29.480 --> 00:23:31.400
 and that's the image here.

00:23:33.240 --> 00:23:35.279
 That it's the image of,

00:23:35.559 --> 00:23:38.240
 it's the image of those of us

00:23:38.240 --> 00:23:39.099
 who worry about,

00:23:40.400 --> 00:23:42.279
 it's telling us that

00:23:42.279 --> 00:23:43.720
 there's been many times

00:23:43.720 --> 00:23:44.380
 in our lives

00:23:44.380 --> 00:23:45.539
 that we have to understand

00:23:45.539 --> 00:23:46.420
 that we have made,

00:23:46.859 --> 00:23:49.059
 that we are at enmity with God.

00:23:49.059 --> 00:23:52.179
 But God has never been

00:23:52.179 --> 00:23:54.240
 at enmity with you and me.

00:23:55.599 --> 00:23:58.659
 He sees our rage against Him

00:23:58.659 --> 00:24:02.240
 when He impinges upon our life

00:24:02.240 --> 00:24:05.019
 and His response was just,

00:24:05.339 --> 00:24:07.740
 I know you find me your enemy.

00:24:08.559 --> 00:24:10.980
 I know that in your heart of hearts

00:24:10.980 --> 00:24:12.099
 there are times

00:24:12.099 --> 00:24:13.179
 that you would like to speak

00:24:13.179 --> 00:24:14.799
 just like those soldiers do

00:24:14.799 --> 00:24:15.940
 in the movies and books

00:24:15.940 --> 00:24:17.539
 that are popular in your culture,

00:24:17.539 --> 00:24:19.440
 that you go into battle

00:24:19.440 --> 00:24:20.619
 not so that you will die

00:24:20.619 --> 00:24:21.359
 for your country

00:24:21.359 --> 00:24:23.339
 but so that God will die.

00:24:24.779 --> 00:24:26.279
 Somebody else will die.

00:24:26.980 --> 00:24:28.200
 And I know that's what

00:24:28.200 --> 00:24:29.740
 in your heart of hearts

00:24:29.740 --> 00:24:31.759
 you sometimes think and experience

00:24:31.759 --> 00:24:34.859
 and it was while you were thinking this

00:24:34.859 --> 00:24:38.460
 that I died upon the cross for you.

00:24:39.519 --> 00:24:42.279
 You might view me as your enemy,

00:24:42.720 --> 00:24:43.920
 He says to you and me,

00:24:43.920 --> 00:24:47.140
 but I do not view you as my enemy.

00:24:49.400 --> 00:24:51.820
 And I will die upon the cross

00:24:51.820 --> 00:24:54.019
 so that on the cross

00:24:54.019 --> 00:24:57.560
 we see God dealing with all

00:24:57.560 --> 00:25:00.700
 that has kept us at enmity from God.

00:25:00.940 --> 00:25:03.259
 It's all dealt with by Jesus

00:25:03.259 --> 00:25:05.400
 when He dies upon the cross.

00:25:05.400 --> 00:25:09.340
 And Paul is saying,

00:25:09.940 --> 00:25:11.480
 just think for a second,

00:25:12.660 --> 00:25:14.540
 if God knew

00:25:14.540 --> 00:25:17.160
 that we were at enmity with Him

00:25:17.160 --> 00:25:20.720
 and still Jesus died upon the cross for us

00:25:20.720 --> 00:25:22.140
 while we were enemies,

00:25:23.480 --> 00:25:25.660
 imagine how He'll treat us

00:25:25.660 --> 00:25:28.940
 now that Jesus has risen from the dead

00:25:28.940 --> 00:25:31.400
 and dealt with all of our enmity

00:25:31.400 --> 00:25:32.340
 against God.

00:25:32.339 --> 00:25:39.439
 Therefore, since we have been justified by faith.

00:25:42.240 --> 00:25:45.220
 Could we all just say this whole Scripture text together?

00:25:46.099 --> 00:25:49.779
 Therefore, since we have been justified by faith,

00:25:50.079 --> 00:25:51.819
 we have peace with God

00:25:51.819 --> 00:25:53.539
 through our Lord Jesus Christ.

00:25:54.139 --> 00:25:57.659
 Through Him, we have also obtained access by faith

00:25:57.659 --> 00:26:00.279
 into this grace in which we stand.

00:26:00.279 --> 00:26:03.960
 And we rejoice in hope of the glory of God.

00:26:06.220 --> 00:26:07.500
 Some of you might say,

00:26:07.720 --> 00:26:09.599
 okay, George, that's...

00:26:09.599 --> 00:26:10.480
 I don't know if it's...

00:26:10.480 --> 00:26:11.379
 I don't know if I...

00:26:11.379 --> 00:26:15.160
 I don't know if I've really grasped that before.

00:26:15.859 --> 00:26:19.279
 That I don't have to worry about...

00:26:19.879 --> 00:26:22.279
 I don't have to worry about...

00:26:22.279 --> 00:26:25.579
 about the accusatory thoughts.

00:26:25.579 --> 00:26:28.359
 that those aren't coming from God

00:26:28.359 --> 00:26:30.980
 because all of the accusations

00:26:30.980 --> 00:26:32.699
 were dealt with by Jesus.

00:26:33.679 --> 00:26:36.899
 All of my sense of indebtedness and obligation

00:26:36.899 --> 00:26:38.619
 and being crushed by obligation

00:26:38.619 --> 00:26:40.139
 has been dealt with by Jesus.

00:26:41.099 --> 00:26:43.019
 All of the enmity and rage

00:26:43.019 --> 00:26:44.859
 I sometimes have felt that God

00:26:44.859 --> 00:26:46.659
 or other people, part of His creation,

00:26:46.799 --> 00:26:48.299
 has been dealt with by Jesus.

00:26:48.299 --> 00:26:51.919
 All of the anger has been dealt with.

00:26:52.779 --> 00:26:55.099
 All of the things that enslave me

00:26:55.099 --> 00:26:56.619
 and so make me feel with guilt

00:26:56.619 --> 00:26:58.919
 have been dealt with by Jesus and the cross.

00:26:59.980 --> 00:27:00.720
 And that God,

00:27:01.379 --> 00:27:02.740
 seeing all of that

00:27:02.740 --> 00:27:03.759
 and knowing all of that,

00:27:03.839 --> 00:27:05.519
 He sent Jesus to die for me

00:27:05.519 --> 00:27:07.119
 when I was weak and ungodly

00:27:07.119 --> 00:27:07.960
 and a sinner.

00:27:09.059 --> 00:27:10.559
 But I don't feel it.

00:27:12.399 --> 00:27:13.639
 I don't feel it.

00:27:13.640 --> 00:27:17.080
 That's a really powerful

00:27:17.080 --> 00:27:20.380
 and that's a very, very common thing.

00:27:21.580 --> 00:27:22.020
 And in fact,

00:27:22.360 --> 00:27:23.860
 if you look at that second thing,

00:27:24.240 --> 00:27:25.560
 the second point up there,

00:27:27.020 --> 00:27:28.160
 it wants to say that

00:27:28.160 --> 00:27:29.140
 because we have,

00:27:29.420 --> 00:27:31.280
 we've been justified by faith,

00:27:32.320 --> 00:27:34.060
 one of the three consequences

00:27:34.060 --> 00:27:36.820
 is that we have peace with God

00:27:36.820 --> 00:27:38.240
 through our Lord Jesus Christ,

00:27:38.340 --> 00:27:39.320
 but we don't feel it.

00:27:40.759 --> 00:27:41.240
 In fact,

00:27:41.240 --> 00:27:43.839
 here are some of our religious traditions.

00:27:44.759 --> 00:27:47.400
 The devil uses them to fool us.

00:27:48.579 --> 00:27:50.279
 Those of you who've been growing up

00:27:50.279 --> 00:27:52.339
 in reformed traditions,

00:27:53.240 --> 00:27:55.980
 the devil has used the doctrine of election

00:27:55.980 --> 00:27:57.920
 to cause great mischief

00:27:57.920 --> 00:27:59.420
 for those of you who've grown up

00:27:59.420 --> 00:28:00.500
 in reformed traditions.

00:28:03.160 --> 00:28:06.319
 Because you have this sense

00:28:06.319 --> 00:28:08.039
 that God will only,

00:28:08.039 --> 00:28:11.960
 you don't think you're part of the elect

00:28:11.960 --> 00:28:13.879
 because the fact of the matter is

00:28:13.879 --> 00:28:15.279
 is you find church boring.

00:28:16.039 --> 00:28:17.480
 Or on Sunday afternoons,

00:28:17.559 --> 00:28:18.799
 you'd rather not go off

00:28:18.799 --> 00:28:19.980
 and witness to the poor

00:28:19.980 --> 00:28:22.119
 or pack things for the poor.

00:28:22.460 --> 00:28:23.559
 What you'd really like to do

00:28:23.559 --> 00:28:24.440
 on Sunday morning

00:28:24.440 --> 00:28:26.079
 is sit down with a couple of beers

00:28:26.079 --> 00:28:27.079
 and a big bag of chips

00:28:27.079 --> 00:28:28.680
 and watch football all afternoon.

00:28:28.819 --> 00:28:29.480
 You don't feel like

00:28:29.480 --> 00:28:30.319
 you're part of the elect.

00:28:31.480 --> 00:28:33.659
 And a choice of going to a prayer meeting

00:28:33.659 --> 00:28:34.539
 on a Thursday night

00:28:34.539 --> 00:28:35.819
 or going out to have a beer

00:28:35.819 --> 00:28:36.579
 with your buddies.

00:28:36.859 --> 00:28:37.519
 In the bar,

00:28:37.619 --> 00:28:38.599
 you'd always choose beer

00:28:38.599 --> 00:28:39.259
 with your buddies.

00:28:40.139 --> 00:28:40.740
 And so therefore,

00:28:40.879 --> 00:28:41.720
 you're not part of the elect

00:28:41.720 --> 00:28:42.559
 because you don't feel like

00:28:42.559 --> 00:28:43.079
 you're part of the elect.

00:28:43.200 --> 00:28:45.039
 The devil has used that doctrine

00:28:45.039 --> 00:28:46.200
 in reformed churches

00:28:46.200 --> 00:28:52.779
 to cause great lack of confidence

00:28:52.779 --> 00:28:55.919
 and get you to focus

00:28:55.919 --> 00:28:57.679
 on all the wrong things.

00:28:59.639 --> 00:29:00.579
 I'm going to tell you

00:29:00.579 --> 00:29:01.779
 to forget about election.

00:29:01.779 --> 00:29:05.779
 Like, it's almost as if

00:29:05.779 --> 00:29:06.559
 it's one of those things

00:29:06.559 --> 00:29:07.279
 that you have to just

00:29:07.279 --> 00:29:08.660
 completely and utterly ignore.

00:29:08.960 --> 00:29:09.279
 Why?

00:29:10.240 --> 00:29:12.180
 Because the Bible doesn't say,

00:29:12.299 --> 00:29:13.139
 for those of you,

00:29:13.619 --> 00:29:15.099
 Jesus died upon the cross

00:29:15.099 --> 00:29:16.539
 for those who like to go to church

00:29:16.539 --> 00:29:18.119
 on Sunday mornings naturally

00:29:18.119 --> 00:29:19.440
 and those who naturally

00:29:19.440 --> 00:29:21.000
 like to pack shoeboxes

00:29:21.000 --> 00:29:23.019
 for the poor on the afternoons

00:29:23.019 --> 00:29:24.180
 and those who naturally

00:29:24.180 --> 00:29:25.379
 would much rather listen

00:29:25.379 --> 00:29:28.099
 to a Matt Chandler pod talk

00:29:28.099 --> 00:29:30.099
 than watch an NFL football game.

00:29:30.099 --> 00:29:31.339
 And I've only died.

00:29:31.439 --> 00:29:33.059
 No, he dies for the weak,

00:29:33.219 --> 00:29:35.439
 ungodly, unrighteous,

00:29:35.679 --> 00:29:36.459
 sinful people.

00:29:36.559 --> 00:29:37.980
 That's who he died for.

00:29:38.619 --> 00:29:39.559
 And it's not a matter

00:29:39.559 --> 00:29:40.539
 of trying to work up

00:29:40.539 --> 00:29:42.279
 some type of feeling of election

00:29:42.279 --> 00:29:44.679
 or some type of accomplishment

00:29:44.679 --> 00:29:46.139
 in your moral accomplishment

00:29:46.139 --> 00:29:46.699
 in your life

00:29:46.699 --> 00:29:48.119
 so you can think you're elect

00:29:48.119 --> 00:29:49.579
 that now he accepts you.

00:29:49.859 --> 00:29:50.980
 Forget about all of that.

00:29:51.039 --> 00:29:52.119
 It's all wrong.

00:29:52.119 --> 00:29:52.239
 wrong.

00:29:56.579 --> 00:29:57.699
 You put your faith

00:29:57.699 --> 00:29:58.719
 and trust in Jesus

00:29:58.719 --> 00:30:00.219
 as a weak, ungodly,

00:30:00.359 --> 00:30:01.299
 sinful person.

00:30:02.979 --> 00:30:04.000
 Maybe as a person

00:30:04.000 --> 00:30:05.459
 with next to no interest

00:30:05.459 --> 00:30:06.500
 in spiritual things,

00:30:06.599 --> 00:30:07.559
 but you put your faith

00:30:07.559 --> 00:30:08.699
 and trust in Jesus

00:30:08.699 --> 00:30:11.659
 and he deals

00:30:11.659 --> 00:30:13.619
 with everything on the cross.

00:30:16.500 --> 00:30:17.939
 He declares you right

00:30:17.939 --> 00:30:18.539
 with himself.

00:30:20.079 --> 00:30:20.659
 And some of us,

00:30:20.739 --> 00:30:21.719
 we're not from that doctrine.

00:30:21.720 --> 00:30:22.480
 And some of us are saying,

00:30:22.579 --> 00:30:22.980
 gosh, George,

00:30:23.019 --> 00:30:23.500
 I don't even know

00:30:23.500 --> 00:30:24.819
 what this doctrine of election is.

00:30:24.880 --> 00:30:25.880
 We're actually going to talk about it

00:30:25.880 --> 00:30:27.160
 in a couple of weeks in Romans.

00:30:27.660 --> 00:30:28.860
 But for many of us

00:30:28.860 --> 00:30:31.079
 who are from more Wesleyan

00:30:31.079 --> 00:30:32.620
 or Pentecostal churches,

00:30:32.620 --> 00:30:33.900
 we have a different problem.

00:30:35.900 --> 00:30:37.519
 And the devil has used

00:30:37.519 --> 00:30:39.259
 an emphasis upon emotion

00:30:39.259 --> 00:30:40.860
 or certain experiences

00:30:40.860 --> 00:30:42.519
 to make us think

00:30:42.519 --> 00:30:44.720
 that we aren't loved by him.

00:30:47.900 --> 00:30:49.200
 That, you know,

00:30:49.200 --> 00:30:52.019
 we just don't feel our salvation

00:30:52.019 --> 00:30:53.059
 or, you know,

00:30:53.100 --> 00:30:54.059
 we just don't feel

00:30:54.059 --> 00:30:55.180
 the joy of the Lord

00:30:55.180 --> 00:30:56.480
 and we just don't have

00:30:56.480 --> 00:30:57.400
 these experiences

00:30:57.400 --> 00:30:58.480
 like we used to.

00:30:59.420 --> 00:31:02.220
 And the devil uses this

00:31:02.220 --> 00:31:02.980
 to make us think,

00:31:03.059 --> 00:31:04.940
 oh, if you're really a Christian,

00:31:06.220 --> 00:31:07.600
 you'll have these regular,

00:31:07.799 --> 00:31:09.279
 profound experiences

00:31:09.279 --> 00:31:10.940
 of being convicted by sin

00:31:10.940 --> 00:31:12.920
 or you'll have these regular experiences

00:31:12.920 --> 00:31:14.860
 of being profoundly close to God

00:31:14.859 --> 00:31:17.839
 or you'll have this final triumph

00:31:17.839 --> 00:31:19.819
 over temptation and sin

00:31:19.819 --> 00:31:21.339
 because if you're a real Christian,

00:31:21.339 --> 00:31:22.379
 you will no longer

00:31:22.379 --> 00:31:24.659
 have a problem with pornography.

00:31:24.959 --> 00:31:26.079
 If you're a real Christian,

00:31:26.240 --> 00:31:27.199
 you will no longer

00:31:27.199 --> 00:31:28.679
 have these problems with debt.

00:31:28.740 --> 00:31:29.819
 If you're a real Christian,

00:31:29.919 --> 00:31:30.619
 you will no longer

00:31:30.619 --> 00:31:31.539
 have these problems

00:31:31.539 --> 00:31:32.559
 of lack of forgiveness

00:31:32.559 --> 00:31:33.479
 or of anger.

00:31:33.719 --> 00:31:34.939
 If you're a real Christian,

00:31:35.059 --> 00:31:36.500
 you have some type of breakthrough

00:31:36.500 --> 00:31:37.500
 on these types of things

00:31:37.500 --> 00:31:38.639
 connected with an emotion.

00:31:39.099 --> 00:31:40.019
 And I'm going to tell you

00:31:40.019 --> 00:31:41.500
 that the Bible is saying

00:31:41.500 --> 00:31:43.079
 to forget all of that.

00:31:43.079 --> 00:31:45.419
 Forget all of that.

00:31:48.359 --> 00:31:50.079
 It's a lie from the devil.

00:31:52.279 --> 00:31:54.980
 Therefore, we have been justified by faith.

00:31:56.359 --> 00:31:59.059
 Therefore, since we have been justified by faith,

00:31:59.139 --> 00:32:00.480
 we have peace with God

00:32:00.480 --> 00:32:01.939
 through our Lord Jesus Christ.

00:32:02.419 --> 00:32:04.439
 And the Bible's description of peace

00:32:04.439 --> 00:32:06.639
 is something objective,

00:32:07.079 --> 00:32:08.720
 not something subjective.

00:32:09.579 --> 00:32:10.919
 I'll give you an example.

00:32:10.920 --> 00:32:14.380
 I have no fear of flying.

00:32:15.740 --> 00:32:17.519
 I know this is going to sound a bit crazy,

00:32:17.740 --> 00:32:18.860
 but I actually think,

00:32:19.660 --> 00:32:21.340
 you know when they're going through

00:32:21.340 --> 00:32:22.800
 all that thing up at the front

00:32:22.800 --> 00:32:24.019
 at the plane or the little thing

00:32:24.019 --> 00:32:24.880
 if you've flown lately

00:32:24.880 --> 00:32:25.860
 about what happens

00:32:25.860 --> 00:32:27.039
 in the event of an emergency?

00:32:27.620 --> 00:32:28.240
 Well, first of all,

00:32:28.279 --> 00:32:28.840
 if it was me,

00:32:28.880 --> 00:32:29.560
 I would just say

00:32:29.560 --> 00:32:31.000
 if there's going to be an emergency,

00:32:31.240 --> 00:32:32.820
 that's when you should actually pray.

00:32:33.620 --> 00:32:34.840
 Because, you know what,

00:32:34.880 --> 00:32:36.160
 you're about to meet your maker.

00:32:36.160 --> 00:32:38.700
 And I actually think

00:32:38.700 --> 00:32:39.940
 that dying in a plane crash

00:32:39.940 --> 00:32:41.500
 is actually a pretty good way to go.

00:32:43.380 --> 00:32:45.660
 That it would be pretty quick.

00:32:47.480 --> 00:32:48.680
 I know I'm weird,

00:32:49.200 --> 00:32:51.380
 but I think that if I'm going to die,

00:32:51.460 --> 00:32:52.840
 a plane crash is pretty good.

00:32:53.420 --> 00:32:54.460
 Or a plane accident,

00:32:54.640 --> 00:32:55.320
 you know, all of a sudden,

00:32:55.420 --> 00:32:55.700
 I don't know,

00:32:55.759 --> 00:32:56.480
 a bomb goes off,

00:32:56.519 --> 00:32:57.140
 you just die.

00:32:57.279 --> 00:32:57.680
 Like, you know,

00:32:57.740 --> 00:32:58.380
 one minute you're,

00:32:58.420 --> 00:32:58.779
 I don't know,

00:32:58.860 --> 00:33:00.180
 watching Ant-Man

00:33:00.180 --> 00:33:02.660
 on the screen,

00:33:02.740 --> 00:33:03.440
 and the next minute,

00:33:03.440 --> 00:33:06.059
 you're in the throne room of God.

00:33:06.240 --> 00:33:06.700
 I don't know.

00:33:07.100 --> 00:33:08.620
 I mean, it would be really hard

00:33:08.620 --> 00:33:09.600
 for my wife and kids,

00:33:09.720 --> 00:33:10.160
 but, you know,

00:33:10.580 --> 00:33:11.880
 it wouldn't be that bad for me.

00:33:11.940 --> 00:33:12.740
 But I know that some people

00:33:12.740 --> 00:33:13.799
 have a terrible, terrible,

00:33:13.920 --> 00:33:15.420
 terrible, terrible fear of flying.

00:33:16.100 --> 00:33:18.259
 And I've sometimes sat beside people

00:33:18.259 --> 00:33:20.340
 that you didn't realize

00:33:20.340 --> 00:33:21.340
 how long somebody

00:33:21.340 --> 00:33:22.320
 could have white knuckles

00:33:22.320 --> 00:33:24.860
 until you've sat beside some people.

00:33:25.259 --> 00:33:26.279
 But here's the thing.

00:33:27.519 --> 00:33:30.720
 My confidence in the plane

00:33:30.720 --> 00:33:32.640
 or another person's nervousness

00:33:32.640 --> 00:33:33.220
 of the plane

00:33:33.220 --> 00:33:34.600
 my peace

00:33:34.600 --> 00:33:36.299
 or the other person's peace

00:33:36.299 --> 00:33:38.039
 is actually completely

00:33:38.039 --> 00:33:39.200
 and utterly irrelevant

00:33:39.200 --> 00:33:39.900
 to whether or not

00:33:39.900 --> 00:33:40.779
 the plane crashes.

00:33:42.700 --> 00:33:43.299
 Isn't it?

00:33:45.380 --> 00:33:47.079
 Completely and utterly irrelevant.

00:33:49.279 --> 00:33:50.160
 What matters

00:33:50.160 --> 00:33:51.339
 is the competency

00:33:51.339 --> 00:33:52.539
 of the plane and the pilot.

00:33:53.920 --> 00:33:55.039
 And what is here

00:33:55.039 --> 00:33:56.700
 Paul has been talking about

00:33:56.700 --> 00:33:57.680
 is that you want to have

00:33:57.680 --> 00:33:58.380
 peace with God.

00:33:58.500 --> 00:33:59.880
 That's an objective thing.

00:34:00.220 --> 00:34:01.339
 Because of what Jesus

00:34:01.339 --> 00:34:02.880
 has done for you on the cross,

00:34:02.880 --> 00:34:04.340
 when you accept that in faith,

00:34:04.420 --> 00:34:05.540
 you realize that you have

00:34:05.540 --> 00:34:06.520
 to trust in Jesus

00:34:06.520 --> 00:34:08.320
 to make you right with himself.

00:34:09.140 --> 00:34:11.700
 God objectively accomplishes

00:34:11.700 --> 00:34:12.780
 something for you.

00:34:14.059 --> 00:34:15.320
 And he sure wishes

00:34:15.320 --> 00:34:16.900
 you had more times of peace

00:34:16.900 --> 00:34:17.720
 where you had trust

00:34:17.720 --> 00:34:18.820
 and confidence in it.

00:34:18.880 --> 00:34:19.700
 But whether you have

00:34:19.700 --> 00:34:20.680
 feelings of peace

00:34:20.680 --> 00:34:22.059
 or whether you don't

00:34:22.059 --> 00:34:23.119
 are irrelevant

00:34:23.119 --> 00:34:25.460
 to the reality of the situation.

00:34:25.460 --> 00:34:27.320
 In fact,

00:34:27.519 --> 00:34:29.639
 that's one of the interesting things

00:34:29.639 --> 00:34:30.360
 if you just sort of

00:34:30.360 --> 00:34:31.360
 jump down a little bit

00:34:31.360 --> 00:34:33.440
 to verses 3 and 4 and 5,

00:34:33.760 --> 00:34:35.000
 it helps you to understand

00:34:35.000 --> 00:34:36.579
 something about what he says there.

00:34:37.380 --> 00:34:38.179
 If you know down there,

00:34:38.559 --> 00:34:39.480
 because Paul in a moment

00:34:39.480 --> 00:34:40.420
 is going to talk about,

00:34:40.679 --> 00:34:41.340
 look, verse 3,

00:34:41.440 --> 00:34:42.059
 do you suppose,

00:34:42.199 --> 00:34:42.400
 oh man,

00:34:42.480 --> 00:34:43.679
 sorry, I should read

00:34:43.679 --> 00:34:44.340
 the right chapter,

00:34:44.460 --> 00:34:45.079
 that helps, yes.

00:34:45.440 --> 00:34:46.500
 Verse 3 over here,

00:34:46.679 --> 00:34:47.800
 and not only that,

00:34:47.880 --> 00:34:48.500
 but we rejoice

00:34:48.500 --> 00:34:49.400
 in our sufferings,

00:34:49.460 --> 00:34:50.619
 knowing that suffering

00:34:50.619 --> 00:34:51.679
 produces endurance,

00:34:51.679 --> 00:34:51.879
 endurance,

00:34:52.659 --> 00:34:53.699
 and endurance produces

00:34:53.699 --> 00:34:54.299
 character,

00:34:54.419 --> 00:34:55.839
 and character produces hope,

00:34:56.099 --> 00:34:57.019
 and hope does not

00:34:57.019 --> 00:34:57.980
 put us to shame

00:34:57.980 --> 00:34:59.059
 because God's love

00:34:59.059 --> 00:34:59.639
 has been poured

00:34:59.639 --> 00:35:00.739
 into our hearts

00:35:00.739 --> 00:35:02.099
 through the Holy Spirit

00:35:02.099 --> 00:35:03.659
 who has been given to us.

00:35:04.719 --> 00:35:05.659
 And I'm not going to really

00:35:05.659 --> 00:35:06.719
 talk very much today

00:35:06.719 --> 00:35:07.639
 about how it is

00:35:07.639 --> 00:35:08.579
 that the peace in all

00:35:08.579 --> 00:35:09.399
 deals with suffering.

00:35:09.500 --> 00:35:10.399
 We're going to talk about that

00:35:10.399 --> 00:35:11.559
 again in a couple of weeks

00:35:11.559 --> 00:35:13.219
 when we get into Romans 8,

00:35:13.779 --> 00:35:16.539
 a far more profound reflection

00:35:16.539 --> 00:35:18.279
 upon suffering in the gospel.

00:35:18.899 --> 00:35:20.419
 But you'll notice here

00:35:20.420 --> 00:35:21.900
 that what the Bible

00:35:21.900 --> 00:35:22.619
 is saying is that

00:35:22.619 --> 00:35:23.900
 there's two witnesses

00:35:23.900 --> 00:35:26.139
 that we can call out to

00:35:26.139 --> 00:35:28.700
 in terms of our feelings

00:35:28.700 --> 00:35:30.720
 that bear witness

00:35:30.720 --> 00:35:31.659
 to the fact that

00:35:31.659 --> 00:35:32.659
 we have been justified

00:35:32.659 --> 00:35:34.019
 by what Jesus has done

00:35:34.019 --> 00:35:34.960
 for us on the cross.

00:35:36.139 --> 00:35:38.099
 The first witness

00:35:38.099 --> 00:35:38.760
 is in a sense

00:35:38.760 --> 00:35:39.900
 an objective witness.

00:35:41.280 --> 00:35:42.440
 We should just look

00:35:42.440 --> 00:35:43.039
 at the cross

00:35:43.039 --> 00:35:43.880
 and think about it.

00:35:45.019 --> 00:35:46.480
 Jesus died in history.

00:35:47.680 --> 00:35:48.940
 He lived in history.

00:35:49.119 --> 00:35:50.360
 He died in history.

00:35:51.119 --> 00:35:52.460
 The tomb in history

00:35:52.460 --> 00:35:54.200
 was empty

00:35:54.200 --> 00:35:55.539
 and is empty.

00:35:56.240 --> 00:35:57.280
 And he rose again

00:35:57.280 --> 00:35:57.980
 from the dead.

00:35:58.800 --> 00:36:00.200
 And we can just think

00:36:00.200 --> 00:36:00.980
 about the fact

00:36:00.980 --> 00:36:02.119
 that on the cross

00:36:02.119 --> 00:36:03.240
 Jesus died

00:36:03.240 --> 00:36:04.800
 and paid for all

00:36:04.800 --> 00:36:06.559
 that keeps us from God

00:36:06.559 --> 00:36:07.300
 and he did it

00:36:07.300 --> 00:36:08.220
 while I was weak.

00:36:08.599 --> 00:36:10.220
 He did it while I was ungodly.

00:36:10.519 --> 00:36:11.920
 He did it while I was a sinner.

00:36:12.320 --> 00:36:13.820
 He did it while I was his enemy.

00:36:14.280 --> 00:36:15.740
 He did it while I was in debt.

00:36:16.900 --> 00:36:18.139
 And he did it for me.

00:36:18.139 --> 00:36:19.719
 And I can think about it.

00:36:20.219 --> 00:36:21.619
 And I can remember it.

00:36:22.699 --> 00:36:23.779
 That's one of the reasons

00:36:23.779 --> 00:36:24.759
 why it's so important

00:36:24.759 --> 00:36:25.460
 for Christians

00:36:25.460 --> 00:36:26.379
 to hear the gospel

00:36:26.379 --> 00:36:28.019
 time and time and time again.

00:36:28.799 --> 00:36:29.739
 But the other witness

00:36:29.739 --> 00:36:30.339
 is Jesus,

00:36:30.639 --> 00:36:31.739
 God doesn't just give us

00:36:31.739 --> 00:36:32.619
 an external,

00:36:33.039 --> 00:36:33.859
 objective witness,

00:36:34.000 --> 00:36:34.460
 but he does

00:36:34.460 --> 00:36:35.500
 and it's very precious.

00:36:36.500 --> 00:36:37.480
 He also pours out

00:36:37.480 --> 00:36:38.219
 the Holy Spirit

00:36:38.219 --> 00:36:39.159
 upon his children.

00:36:39.159 --> 00:36:44.159
 There's an inner witness

00:36:44.159 --> 00:36:45.619
 of the Holy Spirit

00:36:45.619 --> 00:36:46.799
 that we maybe

00:36:46.799 --> 00:36:47.679
 do not feel

00:36:47.679 --> 00:36:48.599
 all of the time.

00:36:48.719 --> 00:36:49.759
 Maybe we only feel

00:36:49.759 --> 00:36:50.539
 at some time.

00:36:50.980 --> 00:36:51.879
 But I'm going to tell you

00:36:51.879 --> 00:36:52.859
 brothers and sisters,

00:36:52.859 --> 00:36:54.019
 if you've given your life

00:36:54.019 --> 00:36:54.539
 to Jesus,

00:36:54.719 --> 00:36:55.920
 it is a good thing

00:36:55.920 --> 00:36:56.980
 to ask the Father

00:36:56.980 --> 00:36:57.599
 to pour out

00:36:57.599 --> 00:36:58.299
 his Holy Spirit

00:36:58.299 --> 00:36:58.899
 upon you.

00:36:59.599 --> 00:37:01.099
 It is a good thing

00:37:01.099 --> 00:37:01.819
 to ask him

00:37:01.819 --> 00:37:02.399
 to pour out

00:37:02.399 --> 00:37:03.199
 his Holy Spirit

00:37:03.199 --> 00:37:03.739
 upon you

00:37:03.739 --> 00:37:04.639
 that you might know

00:37:04.639 --> 00:37:05.719
 his love for you.

00:37:06.219 --> 00:37:07.279
 That you might dwell

00:37:07.279 --> 00:37:07.839
 and rest

00:37:07.839 --> 00:37:08.779
 in his love for you.

00:37:08.780 --> 00:37:11.720
 And so when it says here,

00:37:12.160 --> 00:37:12.420
 therefore,

00:37:12.660 --> 00:37:13.240
 since we have been

00:37:13.240 --> 00:37:14.320
 justified by faith,

00:37:14.400 --> 00:37:15.460
 we have peace with God

00:37:15.460 --> 00:37:16.900
 through our Lord Jesus Christ,

00:37:17.160 --> 00:37:18.060
 he's talking about

00:37:18.060 --> 00:37:19.220
 something objective.

00:37:20.980 --> 00:37:21.680
 The second thing,

00:37:21.760 --> 00:37:22.960
 I know my time

00:37:22.960 --> 00:37:23.640
 is starting to come

00:37:23.640 --> 00:37:24.180
 to an end,

00:37:24.580 --> 00:37:25.780
 but it's the next thing

00:37:25.780 --> 00:37:27.280
 that for me personally

00:37:27.280 --> 00:37:28.180
 has meant the most

00:37:28.180 --> 00:37:29.040
 to me this week.

00:37:30.180 --> 00:37:31.600
 Just for me personally

00:37:31.600 --> 00:37:33.180
 as I've reflected upon it.

00:37:33.460 --> 00:37:33.960
 It sounds,

00:37:34.100 --> 00:37:34.460
 it's a really,

00:37:34.620 --> 00:37:35.800
 it's the hardest part

00:37:35.800 --> 00:37:36.760
 to say,

00:37:37.660 --> 00:37:38.000
 but actually,

00:37:38.080 --> 00:37:38.500
 let's put it out,

00:37:38.500 --> 00:37:39.039
 can we all say

00:37:39.039 --> 00:37:40.039
 this whole verse together

00:37:40.039 --> 00:37:40.780
 and then I'll point out

00:37:40.780 --> 00:37:41.519
 to you which is the part

00:37:41.519 --> 00:37:42.260
 that's meant the most

00:37:42.260 --> 00:37:42.860
 to me this week.

00:37:42.920 --> 00:37:43.559
 Can we say it again?

00:37:44.260 --> 00:37:44.599
 Therefore,

00:37:44.940 --> 00:37:45.980
 since we have been

00:37:45.980 --> 00:37:47.480
 justified by faith,

00:37:47.719 --> 00:37:49.400
 we have peace with God

00:37:49.400 --> 00:37:51.119
 through our Lord Jesus Christ.

00:37:51.780 --> 00:37:52.440
 Through him,

00:37:52.500 --> 00:37:53.880
 we have also obtained

00:37:53.880 --> 00:37:55.300
 access by faith

00:37:55.300 --> 00:37:56.639
 into this grace

00:37:56.639 --> 00:37:57.940
 in which we stand

00:37:57.940 --> 00:37:59.340
 and we rejoice

00:37:59.340 --> 00:38:00.179
 in hope

00:38:00.179 --> 00:38:01.500
 of the glory of God.

00:38:02.440 --> 00:38:02.880
 Personally,

00:38:03.039 --> 00:38:04.280
 what's really struck me

00:38:04.280 --> 00:38:04.760
 this week

00:38:04.760 --> 00:38:06.460
 is the third part.

00:38:06.460 --> 00:38:08.920
 we have also

00:38:08.920 --> 00:38:09.880
 obtained access

00:38:09.880 --> 00:38:10.679
 by faith

00:38:10.679 --> 00:38:11.720
 into this grace

00:38:11.720 --> 00:38:13.260
 in which we stand.

00:38:14.380 --> 00:38:14.659
 And it,

00:38:15.000 --> 00:38:15.860
 I have to confess

00:38:15.860 --> 00:38:16.780
 when I first saw it,

00:38:16.880 --> 00:38:18.420
 it didn't jump out at me.

00:38:19.500 --> 00:38:20.000
 But it's,

00:38:21.000 --> 00:38:21.019
 remember,

00:38:21.099 --> 00:38:22.220
 Paul is here telling us

00:38:22.220 --> 00:38:23.000
 three different consequences,

00:38:23.940 --> 00:38:24.780
 three things for us

00:38:24.780 --> 00:38:25.440
 to understand

00:38:25.440 --> 00:38:26.420
 about the benefits

00:38:26.420 --> 00:38:27.579
 of the fact

00:38:27.579 --> 00:38:28.539
 that we've been justified

00:38:28.539 --> 00:38:29.340
 by what God

00:38:29.340 --> 00:38:30.000
 has done for us

00:38:30.000 --> 00:38:30.579
 on the cross

00:38:30.579 --> 00:38:31.639
 in the person of Jesus.

00:38:31.639 --> 00:38:33.179
 and one of these

00:38:33.179 --> 00:38:33.960
 consequences

00:38:33.960 --> 00:38:35.159
 is that

00:38:35.159 --> 00:38:36.980
 as I stand here

00:38:36.980 --> 00:38:37.920
 before you now,

00:38:37.980 --> 00:38:39.000
 on one hand,

00:38:39.679 --> 00:38:40.900
 I stand before you

00:38:40.900 --> 00:38:42.059
 in the Ottawa Little Theatre,

00:38:42.859 --> 00:38:44.179
 but on the other hand,

00:38:44.299 --> 00:38:44.920
 objectively,

00:38:45.639 --> 00:38:47.219
 I stand in the throne room

00:38:47.219 --> 00:38:47.799
 of God

00:38:47.799 --> 00:38:49.359
 in his gracious presence.

00:38:52.379 --> 00:38:54.219
 And so does

00:38:54.219 --> 00:38:55.339
 the weakest Christian.

00:38:57.299 --> 00:38:58.759
 So does

00:38:58.759 --> 00:39:00.980
 the most guilt-ridden Christian.

00:39:01.639 --> 00:39:03.219
 The most ignorant Christian.

00:39:03.920 --> 00:39:04.840
 So does

00:39:04.840 --> 00:39:05.539
 the Christian

00:39:05.539 --> 00:39:06.260
 who has been

00:39:06.260 --> 00:39:07.559
 most beat up.

00:39:08.539 --> 00:39:09.760
 That when you put

00:39:09.760 --> 00:39:10.440
 your faith

00:39:10.440 --> 00:39:11.179
 and trust

00:39:11.179 --> 00:39:12.480
 in Jesus,

00:39:13.219 --> 00:39:14.179
 the image here

00:39:14.179 --> 00:39:14.780
 is,

00:39:15.039 --> 00:39:15.519
 and it's a very,

00:39:15.659 --> 00:39:17.000
 very powerful image,

00:39:17.059 --> 00:39:17.559
 because if you think

00:39:17.559 --> 00:39:18.159
 about it for a second,

00:39:18.300 --> 00:39:19.240
 how could I dwell

00:39:19.240 --> 00:39:20.219
 with the Queen?

00:39:20.780 --> 00:39:20.920
 I mean,

00:39:20.940 --> 00:39:21.820
 that would be impossible.

00:39:22.679 --> 00:39:23.719
 That could only happen

00:39:23.719 --> 00:39:24.199
 if somebody

00:39:24.199 --> 00:39:25.039
 who knew the Queen

00:39:25.039 --> 00:39:26.159
 and the Queen loved

00:39:26.159 --> 00:39:27.260
 was to say,

00:39:27.340 --> 00:39:27.860
 George,

00:39:28.199 --> 00:39:29.260
 come and meet the Queen.

00:39:29.260 --> 00:39:31.640
 And in fact,

00:39:32.200 --> 00:39:32.480
 say,

00:39:32.780 --> 00:39:34.160
 not only Queen Elizabeth,

00:39:34.660 --> 00:39:35.600
 George needs a place

00:39:35.600 --> 00:39:36.220
 to stay.

00:39:37.820 --> 00:39:39.480
 And he's my buddy.

00:39:39.860 --> 00:39:40.860
 He's my friend.

00:39:41.040 --> 00:39:41.700
 I like him.

00:39:41.780 --> 00:39:42.760
 You're going to like him too,

00:39:42.900 --> 00:39:43.420
 Queen Elizabeth.

00:39:44.420 --> 00:39:45.440
 Can he stay with you?

00:39:45.480 --> 00:39:46.220
 He's going to stay with me.

00:39:46.240 --> 00:39:47.200
 We're going to bunk together

00:39:47.200 --> 00:39:48.780
 in your house.

00:39:49.180 --> 00:39:50.000
 Eat at your table.

00:39:51.500 --> 00:39:52.320
 And we wouldn't expect

00:39:52.320 --> 00:39:53.040
 that we could do that

00:39:53.040 --> 00:39:53.580
 to the Queen

00:39:53.580 --> 00:39:54.340
 by ourselves,

00:39:54.420 --> 00:39:55.360
 but that's in a sense

00:39:55.360 --> 00:39:56.620
 what the Bible is saying

00:39:56.620 --> 00:39:58.099
 that Jesus does for us.

00:39:59.539 --> 00:40:00.680
 When we put our faith

00:40:00.680 --> 00:40:01.380
 and trust in him,

00:40:01.440 --> 00:40:02.920
 it's as if Jesus takes us

00:40:02.920 --> 00:40:04.000
 and puts his arm

00:40:04.000 --> 00:40:05.160
 around your shoulders

00:40:05.160 --> 00:40:06.880
 and ushers you

00:40:06.880 --> 00:40:08.140
 into the very presence

00:40:08.140 --> 00:40:08.820
 of God.

00:40:09.820 --> 00:40:11.400
 And until you see God

00:40:11.400 --> 00:40:12.360
 face to face,

00:40:12.360 --> 00:40:13.539
 you are always

00:40:13.539 --> 00:40:14.680
 in the throne room

00:40:14.680 --> 00:40:15.660
 of God.

00:40:18.599 --> 00:40:19.220
 I mean,

00:40:19.260 --> 00:40:19.720
 part of the thing

00:40:19.720 --> 00:40:20.660
 that really struck me

00:40:20.660 --> 00:40:21.220
 this week

00:40:21.220 --> 00:40:22.260
 is that really,

00:40:22.460 --> 00:40:22.940
 right now,

00:40:22.940 --> 00:40:25.840
 God is basically

00:40:25.840 --> 00:40:26.880
 only seen

00:40:26.880 --> 00:40:28.019
 through his created order.

00:40:29.220 --> 00:40:30.059
 Maybe at times

00:40:30.059 --> 00:40:31.000
 we have glimpses

00:40:31.000 --> 00:40:31.559
 of glory

00:40:31.559 --> 00:40:32.760
 and have glimpses

00:40:32.760 --> 00:40:33.599
 of his presence.

00:40:34.820 --> 00:40:35.700
 And 2 Corinthians

00:40:35.700 --> 00:40:36.539
 reminds us

00:40:36.539 --> 00:40:38.099
 that these are all

00:40:38.099 --> 00:40:39.139
 just the smallest,

00:40:39.559 --> 00:40:40.559
 slightest tastes

00:40:40.559 --> 00:40:42.000
 of an eventual glory

00:40:42.000 --> 00:40:43.019
 that will fill us,

00:40:43.740 --> 00:40:44.320
 that if we were

00:40:44.320 --> 00:40:45.599
 to experience it now

00:40:45.599 --> 00:40:46.720
 in our fallen bodies

00:40:46.720 --> 00:40:47.700
 would unmake us.

00:40:48.740 --> 00:40:49.820
 But this is

00:40:49.820 --> 00:40:50.980
 our Father's world.

00:40:51.740 --> 00:40:52.659
 The planet Earth

00:40:52.659 --> 00:40:53.500
 is always

00:40:53.500 --> 00:40:54.399
 in the throne room

00:40:54.399 --> 00:40:55.099
 of God.

00:40:55.899 --> 00:40:57.119
 I don't go anywhere

00:40:57.119 --> 00:40:57.980
 on this planet

00:40:57.980 --> 00:40:59.059
 without being

00:40:59.059 --> 00:40:59.859
 in the throne room

00:40:59.859 --> 00:41:00.339
 of God.

00:41:01.819 --> 00:41:02.659
 And that's how

00:41:02.659 --> 00:41:03.799
 I am to understand

00:41:03.799 --> 00:41:05.339
 how I live

00:41:05.339 --> 00:41:05.940
 in the world.

00:41:06.879 --> 00:41:07.219
 How,

00:41:07.359 --> 00:41:08.359
 if you're a civil servant,

00:41:08.500 --> 00:41:09.259
 how you serve

00:41:09.259 --> 00:41:10.199
 as a civil servant.

00:41:11.219 --> 00:41:11.599
 Sure,

00:41:11.659 --> 00:41:12.299
 on one hand,

00:41:12.399 --> 00:41:13.559
 you're in cubicle land,

00:41:14.059 --> 00:41:15.279
 but really,

00:41:15.719 --> 00:41:16.719
 you are in the throne

00:41:16.719 --> 00:41:18.199
 room of God

00:41:18.199 --> 00:41:18.940
 in his presence.

00:41:18.940 --> 00:41:21.780
 Can you just say

00:41:21.780 --> 00:41:22.619
 this verse with me

00:41:22.619 --> 00:41:23.800
 one final time?

00:41:24.800 --> 00:41:25.059
 Therefore,

00:41:25.260 --> 00:41:26.159
 since we have been

00:41:26.159 --> 00:41:27.619
 justified by faith,

00:41:27.920 --> 00:41:28.920
 we have peace

00:41:28.920 --> 00:41:29.579
 with God

00:41:29.579 --> 00:41:30.300
 through our Lord

00:41:30.300 --> 00:41:31.220
 Jesus Christ.

00:41:31.820 --> 00:41:32.539
 Through him,

00:41:32.599 --> 00:41:33.360
 we have also

00:41:33.360 --> 00:41:34.340
 obtained access

00:41:34.340 --> 00:41:35.119
 by faith

00:41:35.119 --> 00:41:36.159
 into this grace

00:41:36.159 --> 00:41:37.340
 in which we stand.

00:41:37.860 --> 00:41:38.820
 And we rejoice

00:41:38.820 --> 00:41:39.519
 in hope

00:41:39.519 --> 00:41:40.720
 of the glory of God.

00:41:41.159 --> 00:41:41.579
 By the way,

00:41:41.639 --> 00:41:42.460
 I forgot to mention

00:41:42.460 --> 00:41:43.519
 that in the original language,

00:41:43.679 --> 00:41:44.820
 this idea of standing

00:41:44.820 --> 00:41:46.139
 is permanent residence,

00:41:46.139 --> 00:41:46.839
 permanent,

00:41:47.119 --> 00:41:47.819
 proper place.

00:41:48.259 --> 00:41:49.559
 Just this final benefit.

00:41:49.699 --> 00:41:50.099
 Do you know this?

00:41:50.139 --> 00:41:50.900
 That we rejoice

00:41:50.900 --> 00:41:51.839
 in hope

00:41:51.839 --> 00:41:53.420
 of the glory of God.

00:41:54.339 --> 00:41:55.259
 One of the things

00:41:55.259 --> 00:41:55.779
 that the Bible

00:41:55.779 --> 00:41:56.839
 wants us to have

00:41:56.839 --> 00:41:58.139
 is a certain hope.

00:41:59.000 --> 00:42:00.219
 A certain hope

00:42:00.219 --> 00:42:02.179
 that God's final word

00:42:02.179 --> 00:42:03.159
 has been spoken

00:42:03.159 --> 00:42:03.739
 about you.

00:42:04.619 --> 00:42:05.519
 A hope

00:42:05.519 --> 00:42:07.480
 that that final word

00:42:07.480 --> 00:42:08.259
 has been spoken

00:42:08.259 --> 00:42:08.920
 about you

00:42:08.920 --> 00:42:10.480
 and that even though

00:42:10.480 --> 00:42:11.400
 on one hand,

00:42:11.659 --> 00:42:12.920
 if you live long enough,

00:42:13.019 --> 00:42:13.799
 your body's just

00:42:13.799 --> 00:42:14.699
 going to get weak,

00:42:15.039 --> 00:42:15.799
 it will no longer

00:42:15.800 --> 00:42:16.720
 be strong.

00:42:17.320 --> 00:42:17.840
 We always,

00:42:18.019 --> 00:42:18.940
 as the Bible says,

00:42:19.060 --> 00:42:20.060
 hold this treasure

00:42:20.060 --> 00:42:21.360
 in jars of clay.

00:42:23.360 --> 00:42:25.200
 But the final word

00:42:25.200 --> 00:42:25.880
 about us

00:42:25.880 --> 00:42:26.700
 will be to enter

00:42:26.700 --> 00:42:27.760
 into God's glory.

00:42:27.920 --> 00:42:28.900
 And the final word

00:42:28.900 --> 00:42:29.560
 about us

00:42:29.560 --> 00:42:31.140
 that we can know today

00:42:31.140 --> 00:42:32.360
 is that God

00:42:32.360 --> 00:42:33.400
 is making us,

00:42:33.700 --> 00:42:34.519
 remaking us

00:42:34.519 --> 00:42:35.620
 in his image

00:42:35.620 --> 00:42:37.060
 so that ordinary

00:42:37.060 --> 00:42:37.880
 human beings

00:42:37.880 --> 00:42:38.580
 like us

00:42:38.580 --> 00:42:39.440
 can dwell

00:42:39.440 --> 00:42:40.160
 in his glory

00:42:40.160 --> 00:42:41.700
 and reflect his glory

00:42:41.700 --> 00:42:42.940
 throughout the entire

00:42:42.940 --> 00:42:43.740
 created order.

00:42:43.739 --> 00:42:46.019
 and the witness

00:42:46.019 --> 00:42:47.000
 of the Holy Spirit

00:42:47.000 --> 00:42:47.779
 in our lives

00:42:47.779 --> 00:42:48.879
 is to grant us

00:42:48.879 --> 00:42:49.519
 that type of

00:42:49.519 --> 00:42:50.839
 not presumptuous hope

00:42:50.839 --> 00:42:51.939
 but confident hope.

00:42:52.679 --> 00:42:53.619
 The reason that we

00:42:53.619 --> 00:42:54.639
 can take risks

00:42:54.639 --> 00:42:55.339
 of looking at

00:42:55.339 --> 00:42:56.319
 what's going on

00:42:56.319 --> 00:42:57.119
 in our lives,

00:42:57.219 --> 00:42:57.879
 the reason that we

00:42:57.879 --> 00:42:58.759
 can take risks

00:42:58.759 --> 00:43:00.539
 to go to faraway places

00:43:00.539 --> 00:43:01.159
 to share

00:43:01.159 --> 00:43:02.479
 the gospel,

00:43:02.619 --> 00:43:03.219
 the reason that we

00:43:03.219 --> 00:43:04.159
 can take risks

00:43:04.159 --> 00:43:05.679
 in our places of work

00:43:05.679 --> 00:43:06.359
 that we stand

00:43:06.359 --> 00:43:07.039
 for those things

00:43:07.039 --> 00:43:07.699
 that are right

00:43:07.699 --> 00:43:08.539
 and that are true

00:43:08.539 --> 00:43:09.539
 and that we bear witness

00:43:09.539 --> 00:43:10.119
 to Jesus,

00:43:10.119 --> 00:43:11.519
 the reason that we

00:43:11.519 --> 00:43:12.460
 can have all of

00:43:12.460 --> 00:43:14.039
 these types of stands

00:43:14.039 --> 00:43:14.920
 is that the more

00:43:14.920 --> 00:43:16.199
 that we have this sense

00:43:16.199 --> 00:43:17.599
 that God's final word

00:43:17.599 --> 00:43:18.339
 has already been

00:43:18.339 --> 00:43:19.359
 spoken about us,

00:43:19.639 --> 00:43:20.239
 that he's not

00:43:20.239 --> 00:43:21.219
 weighing our merits

00:43:21.219 --> 00:43:22.099
 but he's pardoned

00:43:22.099 --> 00:43:22.559
 our offenses

00:43:22.559 --> 00:43:24.460
 as the gospel grips us

00:43:24.460 --> 00:43:25.539
 more and more

00:43:25.539 --> 00:43:26.059
 and more.

00:43:27.519 --> 00:43:28.539
 It allows us

00:43:28.539 --> 00:43:29.440
 to take risks.

00:43:30.599 --> 00:43:31.599
 It allows us

00:43:31.599 --> 00:43:32.579
 to look at ourselves.

00:43:33.659 --> 00:43:34.380
 It allows us

00:43:34.380 --> 00:43:35.799
 to confront our shame

00:43:35.799 --> 00:43:36.599
 and confront

00:43:36.599 --> 00:43:37.799
 our guilt

00:43:37.799 --> 00:43:38.699
 and confront

00:43:38.699 --> 00:43:39.480
 our wrongdoing.

00:43:40.119 --> 00:43:43.119
 I'll just ask you

00:43:43.119 --> 00:43:43.980
 to stand for a moment.

00:43:44.179 --> 00:43:44.440
 Andrew,

00:43:44.519 --> 00:43:44.940
 could you put

00:43:44.940 --> 00:43:46.500
 the Romans 1 text

00:43:46.500 --> 00:43:47.039
 up please?

00:43:50.259 --> 00:43:50.920
 Every week,

00:43:51.000 --> 00:43:51.579
 if you're a guest,

00:43:51.659 --> 00:43:52.239
 you don't know this,

00:43:52.339 --> 00:43:52.960
 but every week

00:43:52.960 --> 00:43:53.779
 we've been saying

00:43:53.779 --> 00:43:54.579
 Romans 1,

00:43:54.659 --> 00:43:55.699
 16 to 17.

00:43:56.000 --> 00:43:57.139
 It's the text

00:43:57.139 --> 00:43:57.619
 at the beginning

00:43:57.619 --> 00:43:58.539
 of the book of Romans

00:43:58.539 --> 00:43:59.239
 that basically

00:43:59.239 --> 00:44:00.440
 summarizes the whole

00:44:00.440 --> 00:44:01.319
 message of the book

00:44:01.319 --> 00:44:01.799
 of Romans.

00:44:03.380 --> 00:44:03.799
 And actually,

00:44:03.839 --> 00:44:04.239
 why don't we just

00:44:04.239 --> 00:44:04.819
 say it together

00:44:04.819 --> 00:44:05.400
 and then I'll say

00:44:05.400 --> 00:44:06.000
 a final thing

00:44:06.000 --> 00:44:06.779
 before we pray.

00:44:07.719 --> 00:44:09.279
 For I am not ashamed

00:44:09.280 --> 00:44:10.160
 of the gospel,

00:44:10.640 --> 00:44:11.780
 for it is the power

00:44:11.780 --> 00:44:13.260
 of God for salvation

00:44:13.260 --> 00:44:14.620
 to all who believe.

00:44:15.700 --> 00:44:19.780
 For in the gospel,

00:44:19.980 --> 00:44:20.580
 the righteousness

00:44:20.580 --> 00:44:22.040
 of God is revealed

00:44:22.040 --> 00:44:23.340
 from faith to faith.

00:44:23.880 --> 00:44:24.820
 As it is written,

00:44:25.240 --> 00:44:25.800
 the righteous

00:44:25.800 --> 00:44:27.280
 shall live by faith.

00:44:28.200 --> 00:44:28.560
 See,

00:44:28.720 --> 00:44:30.440
 the text is telling us

00:44:30.440 --> 00:44:32.160
 that God acts

00:44:32.160 --> 00:44:32.880
 with power

00:44:32.880 --> 00:44:33.720
 to make us right

00:44:33.720 --> 00:44:34.380
 with himself.

00:44:34.380 --> 00:44:35.960
 and we enter

00:44:35.960 --> 00:44:37.460
 into this power

00:44:37.460 --> 00:44:38.300
 by faith.

00:44:38.940 --> 00:44:39.940
 And the Christian life

00:44:39.940 --> 00:44:40.880
 goes from faith

00:44:40.880 --> 00:44:41.340
 to faith,

00:44:41.460 --> 00:44:42.099
 from strength

00:44:42.099 --> 00:44:42.720
 to strength.

00:44:43.099 --> 00:44:43.920
 It's shared

00:44:43.920 --> 00:44:45.119
 from my faith

00:44:45.119 --> 00:44:45.960
 to you

00:44:45.960 --> 00:44:46.840
 so that you might

00:44:46.840 --> 00:44:47.460
 have faith.

00:44:47.599 --> 00:44:48.840
 That's how it's shared

00:44:48.840 --> 00:44:49.860
 and that's how

00:44:49.860 --> 00:44:50.440
 it's grown.

00:44:51.360 --> 00:44:51.720
 And so,

00:44:51.820 --> 00:44:53.039
 if you this morning

00:44:53.039 --> 00:44:54.180
 have never put

00:44:54.180 --> 00:44:55.220
 your faith and trust

00:44:55.220 --> 00:44:55.740
 in Jesus,

00:44:55.880 --> 00:44:56.599
 there is no better

00:44:56.599 --> 00:44:57.440
 time than today

00:44:57.440 --> 00:44:58.360
 to call out to him.

00:44:59.740 --> 00:45:00.599
 He died

00:45:00.599 --> 00:45:01.519
 for people

00:45:01.519 --> 00:45:03.079
 who don't like church.

00:45:03.079 --> 00:45:04.960
 He died

00:45:04.960 --> 00:45:05.619
 for people

00:45:05.619 --> 00:45:06.460
 who'd rather

00:45:06.460 --> 00:45:07.539
 make lots of money

00:45:07.539 --> 00:45:08.420
 than read the Bible.

00:45:09.179 --> 00:45:09.920
 He died

00:45:09.920 --> 00:45:10.739
 for people

00:45:10.739 --> 00:45:11.719
 who'd rather

00:45:11.719 --> 00:45:12.579
 spend time

00:45:12.579 --> 00:45:13.159
 in a bar

00:45:13.159 --> 00:45:14.219
 than in a church.

00:45:14.539 --> 00:45:15.139
 He died

00:45:15.139 --> 00:45:16.440
 for ordinary people

00:45:16.440 --> 00:45:17.559
 like you and me.

00:45:18.239 --> 00:45:19.199
 And for those of you

00:45:19.199 --> 00:45:19.840
 who've grown up

00:45:19.840 --> 00:45:20.699
 in church homes,

00:45:21.239 --> 00:45:22.279
 I just want to tell you

00:45:22.279 --> 00:45:23.259
 the final idol

00:45:23.259 --> 00:45:23.699
 to die

00:45:23.699 --> 00:45:24.779
 is self-righteousness

00:45:24.779 --> 00:45:27.219
 and self-justification.

00:45:27.960 --> 00:45:29.019
 And you've got to realize

00:45:29.019 --> 00:45:30.279
 that he didn't die

00:45:30.279 --> 00:45:31.239
 because you're good.

00:45:32.099 --> 00:45:32.659
 He died

00:45:32.659 --> 00:45:34.079
 knowing who you are

00:45:34.079 --> 00:45:34.639
 to the depths

00:45:34.639 --> 00:45:36.179
 of your spirit

00:45:36.179 --> 00:45:37.679
 and still he died

00:45:37.679 --> 00:45:38.299
 for you to make

00:45:38.299 --> 00:45:39.559
 you right with him

00:45:39.559 --> 00:45:40.699
 when you put your faith

00:45:40.699 --> 00:45:41.420
 and trust in him

00:45:41.420 --> 00:45:42.619
 and there's no better time

00:45:42.619 --> 00:45:43.779
 than today to do that.

00:45:44.159 --> 00:45:45.219
 Call out to him

00:45:45.219 --> 00:45:46.699
 and ask that that

00:45:46.699 --> 00:45:47.940
 text of scripture

00:45:47.940 --> 00:45:49.039
 be the story

00:45:49.039 --> 00:45:49.639
 of your life.

00:45:50.420 --> 00:45:51.460
 And for the rest of us,

00:45:52.039 --> 00:45:52.879
 we're going to just pray

00:45:52.879 --> 00:45:54.299
 that God would make us,

00:45:54.579 --> 00:45:55.920
 that he would grip us

00:45:55.920 --> 00:45:57.719
 with this teaching

00:45:57.719 --> 00:45:59.500
 of what Jesus accomplishes

00:45:59.500 --> 00:46:00.420
 for us on the cross.

00:46:00.500 --> 00:46:00.940
 Let's pray.

00:46:00.940 --> 00:46:07.099
 Father,

00:46:07.200 --> 00:46:07.700
 I ask that you would

00:46:07.700 --> 00:46:08.840
 pour out your Holy Spirit

00:46:08.840 --> 00:46:09.539
 upon those

00:46:09.539 --> 00:46:10.599
 who have not yet come

00:46:10.599 --> 00:46:11.619
 to a faith in Jesus.

00:46:11.860 --> 00:46:12.900
 Pour out your Holy Spirit

00:46:12.900 --> 00:46:13.500
 upon them.

00:46:15.039 --> 00:46:15.480
 Father,

00:46:15.920 --> 00:46:17.019
 silence the devil

00:46:17.019 --> 00:46:18.639
 and whatever he's saying

00:46:18.639 --> 00:46:19.579
 about how it's going

00:46:19.579 --> 00:46:20.840
 to wreck their lives

00:46:20.840 --> 00:46:22.079
 or screw up their lives.

00:46:22.260 --> 00:46:22.480
 Father,

00:46:23.059 --> 00:46:24.240
 pour out your Holy Spirit

00:46:24.240 --> 00:46:24.860
 upon them

00:46:24.860 --> 00:46:25.519
 to bring them

00:46:25.519 --> 00:46:26.860
 to a point of release

00:46:26.860 --> 00:46:28.480
 that they lay down

00:46:28.480 --> 00:46:29.179
 their weapons

00:46:29.179 --> 00:46:30.579
 and they lay down,

00:46:31.059 --> 00:46:32.599
 they just open their arms

00:46:32.599 --> 00:46:34.119
 and that they call out to you

00:46:34.119 --> 00:46:35.079
 that Jesus would be

00:46:35.079 --> 00:46:35.719
 their Savior.

00:46:37.079 --> 00:46:37.440
 Father,

00:46:37.519 --> 00:46:38.559
 I ask that your Holy Spirit

00:46:38.559 --> 00:46:39.719
 would fall upon those

00:46:39.719 --> 00:46:41.139
 in that struggle

00:46:41.139 --> 00:46:42.379
 and that wrestle right now.

00:46:43.919 --> 00:46:44.299
 Father,

00:46:44.419 --> 00:46:45.199
 for those of us

00:46:45.199 --> 00:46:46.519
 who have been kept far from you

00:46:46.519 --> 00:46:47.219
 because we think

00:46:47.219 --> 00:46:48.219
 we need an experience

00:46:48.219 --> 00:46:49.379
 or we think that we need

00:46:49.379 --> 00:46:50.419
 to prove that we're really

00:46:50.419 --> 00:46:50.940
 spiritual

00:46:50.940 --> 00:46:51.799
 and that we're elect,

00:46:51.800 --> 00:46:52.600
 Father,

00:46:52.660 --> 00:46:53.300
 we ask that you would

00:46:53.300 --> 00:46:54.640
 silence the evil one

00:46:54.640 --> 00:46:55.440
 in those things

00:46:55.440 --> 00:46:56.440
 and that you would help

00:46:56.440 --> 00:46:57.680
 people like that

00:46:57.680 --> 00:46:59.600
 turn their hearts

00:46:59.600 --> 00:47:00.140
 to Jesus

00:47:00.140 --> 00:47:01.700
 and put their arms out

00:47:01.700 --> 00:47:03.019
 and trust that you do

00:47:03.019 --> 00:47:03.880
 all that's needed

00:47:03.880 --> 00:47:05.060
 to make them right

00:47:05.060 --> 00:47:05.700
 with you.

00:47:06.460 --> 00:47:06.840
 And Father,

00:47:06.960 --> 00:47:07.760
 for all of us

00:47:07.760 --> 00:47:08.260
 who are here,

00:47:08.840 --> 00:47:10.380
 help us to be gripped

00:47:10.380 --> 00:47:11.140
 with the gospel.

00:47:11.539 --> 00:47:12.740
 Pour out your Holy Spirit

00:47:12.740 --> 00:47:13.220
 upon us

00:47:13.220 --> 00:47:14.340
 and make us disciples

00:47:14.340 --> 00:47:14.980
 of Jesus

00:47:14.980 --> 00:47:16.320
 gripped by the gospel

00:47:16.320 --> 00:47:17.380
 who are living

00:47:17.380 --> 00:47:18.120
 for your glory.

00:47:18.660 --> 00:47:19.380
 And this we ask

00:47:19.380 --> 00:47:20.420
 in Jesus' name.

00:47:20.960 --> 00:47:21.280
 Amen.

00:47:21.800 --> 00:47:22.800
 Amen.