WEBVTT 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:06.320 Good morning, everybody. Welcome. Let's grab our seats if we haven't yet done that already. 00:00:07.080 --> 00:00:19.660 ! Good morning. If you are new to Watermark, my name is Kevin, and great to have you with us. A warm welcome. Please do make yourself right at home. It's great to have you with us this morning. 00:00:19.660 --> 00:00:28.899 I'm going to call Lonnie up, who's going to come and read the scripture to us. So if you've got a Bible, open up to Romans chapter 3. We're going to be reading there together. 00:00:29.960 --> 00:00:39.659 But as Lonnie comes on up, let me pray for us. Father, as we come to your word, as we say each week, we're not particularly interested in the opinions of man, what I have to say. 00:00:39.659 --> 00:00:54.099 But God, we want to know what your word has to say. And so I want you to speak to our hearts, let your word take root in our hearts. By your spirit, write these truths on our hearts, we pray, so that we can love you and know you more. 00:00:54.399 --> 00:00:59.619 In your great name we pray. Amen. Lonnie, will you come and read God's word to us this morning? 00:01:09.659 --> 00:01:19.099 Today's scripture reading is taken from Romans chapter 3, verse 21 to chapter 4, verse 8. 00:01:19.719 --> 00:01:29.120 Please follow along with your Bible. If you do not have a Bible with you, please grab a church Bible from the front of the stage at the back or near the door. 00:01:29.900 --> 00:01:37.379 Our passage today is on page 885 of the church Bible. Page 885. 00:01:37.379 --> 00:01:40.859 Hear then God's word to us today. 00:02:07.379 --> 00:02:14.519 Through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, whom God put forward as a propitiation by his blood. 00:02:15.159 --> 00:02:16.680 To be received by faith. 00:02:17.799 --> 00:02:24.099 This was to show God's righteousness because in his divine forbearance, he had passed over former sins. 00:02:24.780 --> 00:02:33.359 It was to show his righteousness at the present time so that he might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus. 00:02:33.360 --> 00:02:36.540 Then what becomes of our boasting? 00:02:37.280 --> 00:02:38.420 It is excluded. 00:02:39.300 --> 00:02:40.480 By what kind of law? 00:02:41.080 --> 00:02:42.220 By a law of works? 00:02:42.940 --> 00:02:45.680 No, but by the law of faith. 00:02:46.460 --> 00:02:51.300 For we hold that one is justified by faith apart from works of the law. 00:02:52.100 --> 00:02:54.540 Or is God the God of Jews only? 00:02:55.360 --> 00:02:57.540 Is he not the God of Gentiles also? 00:02:58.500 --> 00:03:00.500 Yes, of Gentiles also. 00:03:00.500 --> 00:03:09.680 Since God is one who will justify the circumcised by faith and the uncircumcised through faith. 00:03:10.580 --> 00:03:13.139 Do we then overthrow the law by this faith? 00:03:13.699 --> 00:03:14.740 By no means. 00:03:15.280 --> 00:03:17.659 On the contrary, we uphold the law. 00:03:18.780 --> 00:03:24.120 What then shall we say was gained by Abraham, our forefather according to the flesh? 00:03:24.740 --> 00:03:29.560 For if Abraham was justified by works, he has something to boast about. 00:03:29.560 --> 00:03:32.159 But not before God. 00:03:32.740 --> 00:03:34.340 For what does the scripture say? 00:03:35.199 --> 00:03:39.060 Abraham believed God and it was counted to him as righteousness. 00:03:39.920 --> 00:03:45.759 Now to the one who works, his wages are not counted as a gift, but as his due. 00:03:46.580 --> 00:03:54.319 And to the one who does not work, but believe in him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is counted as righteousness. 00:03:54.319 --> 00:04:01.159 Just as David also speaks of the blessing of the one to whom God counts righteousness apart from works. 00:04:02.060 --> 00:04:07.519 Blessed are those whose lawless deeds are forgiven and whose sins are covered. 00:04:08.500 --> 00:04:12.439 Blessed is the man against whom the Lord will not count his sin. 00:04:13.199 --> 00:04:16.500 Let us believe and respond to God's true and living word. 00:04:16.500 --> 00:04:46.480 Blessed is the man against whom the Lord will not count his sin. 00:04:46.480 --> 00:04:50.100 As a church, we are going through this preaching series called the five solas. 00:04:50.500 --> 00:04:51.340 The five solas. 00:04:51.520 --> 00:04:55.720 And the word sola comes from the Latin word to mean alone or only. 00:04:56.480 --> 00:05:05.819 And it comes from a time in church history, 500 years ago, when the church, certain men and women, were fighting for truth of the gospel. 00:05:05.819 --> 00:05:13.339 They felt like the church had become very political, had become more interested in power than Jesus and the gospel. 00:05:13.800 --> 00:05:20.199 And we're kind of going back to the very core essence of the Christian faith and the gospel and what it was all about. 00:05:20.319 --> 00:05:23.399 And they came up with these five things, five only's. 00:05:23.459 --> 00:05:30.060 They said scripture alone and faith alone and grace alone and Christ alone to the glory of God alone. 00:05:30.060 --> 00:05:35.480 These five alones or five solas were kind of things that marked the Reformation. 00:05:35.720 --> 00:05:41.019 They said if we're going to come back to what the Bible is all about, we need to know these five things. 00:05:41.139 --> 00:05:43.920 And so there's five Sundays in the month of November. 00:05:44.280 --> 00:05:46.860 November is often the time associated with the Reformation. 00:05:47.579 --> 00:05:50.959 And so we're going to look at these five solas during the month of November. 00:05:51.220 --> 00:05:53.240 And last week we looked at scripture alone. 00:05:53.779 --> 00:05:55.720 And today we're going to look at faith alone. 00:05:56.340 --> 00:05:58.519 But why should we pay attention to this? 00:05:58.519 --> 00:06:03.560 You know, maybe if you're like a theology nerd or a church history person, that may interest you. 00:06:03.919 --> 00:06:10.759 But for most of us, what does something that happened 500 years ago in Europe have to do with our lives here and now today? 00:06:11.219 --> 00:06:13.699 You've got 10,000 things on your mind at the moment. 00:06:14.180 --> 00:06:16.759 You're juggling children or elderly parents. 00:06:16.899 --> 00:06:18.279 You've got projects on at work. 00:06:18.539 --> 00:06:19.599 It's the end of the year. 00:06:19.899 --> 00:06:24.319 What does something that happened 500 years ago have to do with you today? 00:06:24.319 --> 00:06:30.420 And the answer is these five things really get to the heart of Christianity. 00:06:30.839 --> 00:06:42.180 This is the most core essence of what the entire Bible, everything about Jesus and Christianity really can be summarized in some ways in these five things. 00:06:42.779 --> 00:06:45.060 If you get this, you get Christianity. 00:06:45.639 --> 00:06:48.079 If you miss this, you can get a lot of other things. 00:06:48.219 --> 00:06:51.279 But you can miss the gospel, miss Christianity in its entirety. 00:06:51.279 --> 00:06:57.639 And so if you're here this morning and you're not a Christian, we are so thrilled that you're here. 00:06:58.299 --> 00:07:01.159 I've been praying for you and looking forward to having you here. 00:07:01.679 --> 00:07:11.019 It's my hope that if you're here today and you come over the next few weeks, my hope is that you will get one of the clearest, most succinct presentations of the gospel. 00:07:11.239 --> 00:07:12.639 What is the Bible about? 00:07:12.739 --> 00:07:13.839 What do Christians believe? 00:07:14.479 --> 00:07:17.219 And I hope that you come away with clarity on that. 00:07:17.220 --> 00:07:20.640 If you're here this morning, you are a Christian, which is most of us. 00:07:21.180 --> 00:07:25.060 My hope is that as a result of this series, our hearts will sing again. 00:07:25.160 --> 00:07:34.480 That we will leave church with a bounce in our step, with a song in our heart, with fresh conviction and joy as we come to know what the gospel is all about once again. 00:07:35.020 --> 00:07:37.560 Okay, so that's where we're going and that's what's up. 00:07:37.940 --> 00:07:42.100 Now, life is full of lots of questions, isn't it? 00:07:42.100 --> 00:07:44.560 Many of them unimportant questions. 00:07:45.060 --> 00:07:46.340 What clothes are you going to wear? 00:07:46.820 --> 00:07:47.939 Should you buy a car? 00:07:48.660 --> 00:07:51.400 Are you going to go on holiday this Christmas, this December? 00:07:52.100 --> 00:07:54.260 But also some important questions. 00:07:54.660 --> 00:07:56.020 Should I marry that person? 00:07:56.620 --> 00:07:58.500 What kind of person am I becoming? 00:07:59.400 --> 00:08:03.340 And the Bible is not particularly interested in the unimportant questions. 00:08:03.600 --> 00:08:05.260 If you want to buy a car, don't buy a car. 00:08:05.439 --> 00:08:05.920 It's okay. 00:08:06.439 --> 00:08:08.200 Jesus isn't overly concerned about that. 00:08:08.200 --> 00:08:11.580 There may be some wisdom in, you know, don't go to death, those kinds of things. 00:08:12.360 --> 00:08:14.780 Where you go on holiday isn't massively important. 00:08:15.000 --> 00:08:17.820 The Bible is not overly concerned with the unimportant questions. 00:08:18.340 --> 00:08:20.860 The Bible is concerned with the important questions. 00:08:21.260 --> 00:08:22.580 What kind of person are you becoming? 00:08:23.100 --> 00:08:23.800 Who you marry? 00:08:23.939 --> 00:08:24.820 What you do with your money? 00:08:24.960 --> 00:08:26.300 Your sexuality, etc. 00:08:26.720 --> 00:08:35.620 But the question that the Bible is most interested in, most concerned about, and wants us to think most carefully about, very thoroughly about, 00:08:35.620 --> 00:08:44.220 is indeed, a question that the Bible is at pains to help us know and answer, is how do I have relationship with God? 00:08:44.840 --> 00:08:47.620 How can I know God? 00:08:48.060 --> 00:08:58.860 And in particular, how can an imperfect person like me get back into relationship with a perfect and holy and righteous God like God? 00:08:59.539 --> 00:09:05.899 You may know, right at the beginning of the Bible, the first few chapters, the people are in the Garden of Eden. 00:09:06.080 --> 00:09:07.779 They're in beautiful relationship with God. 00:09:07.860 --> 00:09:08.480 They know Him. 00:09:08.539 --> 00:09:09.360 They walk with Him. 00:09:09.840 --> 00:09:13.220 And very quickly, only in the third chapter, everything falls apart. 00:09:13.220 --> 00:09:20.000 And the rest of the Bible, from the third chapter, all the way at the end, is trying to answer this question, how do we get back to Eden? 00:09:20.060 --> 00:09:23.340 How do we get back to the place where we can have relationship with God? 00:09:23.680 --> 00:09:31.320 How can an imperfect person like me know and love and come before a perfect holy God like God? 00:09:32.019 --> 00:09:37.139 How can human beings who have spurned His love, rejected His lordship, be reconciled in relationship with Him? 00:09:37.139 --> 00:09:39.819 And that's the trillion dollar question. 00:09:40.340 --> 00:09:45.519 Because it affects not just our lives here and now on earth, but our lives for all eternity. 00:09:46.159 --> 00:09:50.939 But it also affects not just all eternity, it affects our lives here and now, the way we live. 00:09:51.679 --> 00:09:53.259 And so that's the most important question. 00:09:53.840 --> 00:09:56.919 Why should God be for me, not against me? 00:09:57.319 --> 00:10:02.399 With all my self-centeredness, all my arrogance, all my spurning of His lordship and His glory, 00:10:02.399 --> 00:10:06.779 rabbishing His glory, why should God be for me and not reject me forever? 00:10:07.720 --> 00:10:13.819 And this is a question, the problem of sin is a question that humans have wrestled with for thousands of years. 00:10:14.659 --> 00:10:19.120 Listen to how the psalmist in Psalm 130 wrestles with this. 00:10:19.600 --> 00:10:23.439 Out of the depths I cry to you, O Lord, O Lord, hear my voice. 00:10:23.840 --> 00:10:28.299 If you, O Lord, should mark with iniquities, who, O God, could stand? 00:10:28.460 --> 00:10:29.639 That's the problem, isn't it? 00:10:29.639 --> 00:10:35.519 If you, O God, holy and righteous though you are, if you should mark our iniquities and hold that against us, 00:10:35.679 --> 00:10:36.840 who of us could stand? 00:10:37.199 --> 00:10:38.539 We are in deep trouble. 00:10:38.860 --> 00:10:39.899 What hope do we have? 00:10:40.699 --> 00:10:43.259 And it's a problem that the New Testament wrestles with a lot. 00:10:43.759 --> 00:10:46.860 But it's also a problem that the Reformers wrestled with a lot. 00:10:46.939 --> 00:10:49.179 And in particular, there's a guy called Martin Luther. 00:10:49.299 --> 00:10:52.159 And he wrestled with this question a lot. 00:10:53.179 --> 00:10:54.639 You heard about Martin Luther. 00:10:54.840 --> 00:10:56.200 Neil spoke about him last week. 00:10:56.200 --> 00:11:03.400 Martin Luther was a Catholic monk in the town of Wittenberg in Germany around the early 16th century. 00:11:04.200 --> 00:11:06.320 And he had a very acute conscience. 00:11:06.860 --> 00:11:10.220 He was very troubled by his sin. 00:11:10.560 --> 00:11:15.180 And historians tell us that, you know, as a Catholic, he would go to the confession booth 00:11:15.180 --> 00:11:19.340 and confess his sin to his priest or his mentor. 00:11:19.340 --> 00:11:26.600 And he would often be in there for five or six hours as he thought about every possible sin 00:11:26.600 --> 00:11:29.460 that he had ever accomplished in the last week. 00:11:29.800 --> 00:11:31.000 Every bad thought. 00:11:31.440 --> 00:11:33.180 Every unwholesome idea. 00:11:33.620 --> 00:11:34.820 Every attitude of his heart. 00:11:35.080 --> 00:11:37.620 Every funny look he gave someone else in the monastery. 00:11:37.860 --> 00:11:41.040 Anything that crossed his mind, he'd be in there for hours. 00:11:41.200 --> 00:11:42.920 And he'd be confessing his sin. 00:11:43.360 --> 00:11:45.300 He'd be asking the priest for pardon. 00:11:45.700 --> 00:11:48.900 He'd be saying, what must I do to deal with my sin? 00:11:48.899 --> 00:11:49.959 How can I get over it? 00:11:49.980 --> 00:11:52.340 He was tormented by his sin. 00:11:53.019 --> 00:11:56.019 In fact, there's stories where he would be in the confession booth for hours. 00:11:57.019 --> 00:11:58.539 And he had done everything. 00:11:59.500 --> 00:12:01.100 And then he leaves the booth. 00:12:01.740 --> 00:12:03.459 And as he leaves, he has a thought. 00:12:03.579 --> 00:12:04.500 And he thinks, oh, no, no. 00:12:04.539 --> 00:12:05.199 And he goes back. 00:12:05.299 --> 00:12:08.299 And you can just imagine the priest being, here we go again. 00:12:08.299 --> 00:12:13.840 A couple more hours as he remembers something else that he hadn't yet confessed. 00:12:13.840 --> 00:12:20.000 But the reason was because he did this in order to be pardoned by the priest, 00:12:20.220 --> 00:12:27.080 to then go and do penance, then meant doing some action, maybe fasting or some self-denial, 00:12:27.379 --> 00:12:31.840 some deed in order to be pardoned, to get free from the penalty of his sin. 00:12:33.000 --> 00:12:34.660 And the question on his heart was this. 00:12:34.740 --> 00:12:36.460 How do I get right with God? 00:12:36.560 --> 00:12:37.840 How do I get right with God? 00:12:37.840 --> 00:12:38.399 God. 00:12:38.920 --> 00:12:40.120 Here's something he wrote. 00:12:40.280 --> 00:12:41.800 Oh, my sin, my sin. 00:12:42.220 --> 00:12:43.879 What shall I do with my sin? 00:12:44.340 --> 00:12:47.139 What can I do to win a gracious God? 00:12:49.420 --> 00:12:51.379 Psalm 130 goes on. 00:12:51.480 --> 00:12:52.379 And this is what it says. 00:12:52.800 --> 00:12:56.700 If you, O Lord, should mark our iniquities, who, O Lord, could stand? 00:12:57.399 --> 00:13:01.700 But with you there is forgiveness that you may be feared. 00:13:02.300 --> 00:13:03.660 With you there is forgiveness. 00:13:03.840 --> 00:13:05.000 That's the great hope. 00:13:05.000 --> 00:13:06.799 But the question is how? 00:13:07.299 --> 00:13:11.419 On what basis is God just saying, oh, you seem like a nice person. 00:13:11.519 --> 00:13:12.360 I'll forgive your sin. 00:13:12.840 --> 00:13:15.320 Or, you know, you're a good Jewish person. 00:13:15.399 --> 00:13:16.159 Why don't I forgive you? 00:13:16.299 --> 00:13:18.799 Or, you know, you're a good Chinese person. 00:13:19.019 --> 00:13:21.220 I'm sure Asians are God's favorites, right? 00:13:21.379 --> 00:13:22.120 I'll forgive you. 00:13:22.159 --> 00:13:23.879 On what basis does God forgive us? 00:13:24.299 --> 00:13:24.720 Why? 00:13:24.879 --> 00:13:25.120 Why? 00:13:25.240 --> 00:13:25.460 Why? 00:13:25.600 --> 00:13:26.879 How can we be forgiven? 00:13:28.000 --> 00:13:30.139 How can an unrighteous man like me, 00:13:30.139 --> 00:13:36.399 how can an unrighteous person like you stand before an eternally holy and righteous God? 00:13:36.919 --> 00:13:43.159 And for Martin Luther, the righteousness of God was the thing that he hated about God. 00:13:43.740 --> 00:13:46.659 It was the thing that bothered him the most about God. 00:13:46.659 --> 00:13:52.860 And the thing about Christianity, because he understood that not only was God holy and righteous, 00:13:53.279 --> 00:13:57.159 but that Jesus had come to reveal the righteousness of God, 00:13:57.500 --> 00:14:00.240 which we must live up to if we are to be acceptable. 00:14:00.419 --> 00:14:03.379 So here's Martin Luther and here's me way down here. 00:14:03.860 --> 00:14:06.519 Jesus come and has revealed how perfect God is. 00:14:06.839 --> 00:14:10.679 And now I've got to spend my whole life trying to attain to that measure. 00:14:11.139 --> 00:14:12.980 And he looked at them and said, who can ever do that? 00:14:13.120 --> 00:14:14.500 Who can ever live up to Jesus? 00:14:14.500 --> 00:14:19.399 For him, the righteousness of God was the standard by which God judges, 00:14:19.620 --> 00:14:21.639 condemns, and punishes sinful people. 00:14:21.840 --> 00:14:22.799 Listen to what he writes. 00:14:23.419 --> 00:14:23.679 He says, 00:14:23.740 --> 00:14:27.759 Though I lived as a monk without reproach, that means blamelessly, 00:14:28.139 --> 00:14:32.500 I felt as if I was a sinner before God with an extremely disturbed conscience. 00:14:32.980 --> 00:14:36.379 I could not believe that he was placated, that means satisfied, 00:14:37.220 --> 00:14:39.419 by my good works or religious duties. 00:14:39.940 --> 00:14:43.919 I did not love, yes, I hated the righteous God 00:14:43.919 --> 00:14:45.299 who punishes sinners. 00:14:45.839 --> 00:14:48.039 And secretly, if not blasphemously, 00:14:48.399 --> 00:14:50.079 I was angry with God. 00:14:51.279 --> 00:14:54.419 Probably not a very good priest to be angry and to hate God, 00:14:54.419 --> 00:14:58.459 but the righteous standard by which he could never attain 00:14:58.459 --> 00:15:01.159 and never felt good enough and never felt worthy, 00:15:02.039 --> 00:15:03.079 only condemned him. 00:15:03.719 --> 00:15:05.479 And Martin Luther's worst passage, 00:15:05.559 --> 00:15:07.959 one of the worst passages for him was the book of Romans. 00:15:08.179 --> 00:15:10.679 And he reads this in Romans chapter 1 verse 17, 00:15:10.679 --> 00:15:12.699 says this, the apostle Paul writes, 00:15:12.699 --> 00:15:18.779 For in the gospel, the righteousness of God is revealed or made known 00:15:18.779 --> 00:15:22.439 from faith for faith, as it is written in Habakkuk 2, 00:15:22.519 --> 00:15:24.179 the righteous shall live by faith. 00:15:24.759 --> 00:15:26.439 Now Martin Luther read that and thought, 00:15:26.639 --> 00:15:27.659 that's the problem. 00:15:28.219 --> 00:15:31.579 God has revealed this righteousness that I've got to live up to, 00:15:31.639 --> 00:15:33.539 and I can't, I can't. 00:15:33.639 --> 00:15:34.459 So I'm condemned. 00:15:34.659 --> 00:15:35.459 Everyone's condemned. 00:15:35.460 --> 00:15:40.300 And he felt utterly hopeless about it. 00:15:40.940 --> 00:15:43.440 As we said, he thought the gospel revealed the standard 00:15:43.440 --> 00:15:44.540 that he had to obtain. 00:15:45.400 --> 00:15:48.240 But then one day, he is studying the book of Romans 00:15:48.240 --> 00:15:50.080 because he's got to teach his students, 00:15:50.600 --> 00:15:52.280 and he discovers something. 00:15:53.019 --> 00:15:55.560 He discovers, he had been reading the Latin translation, 00:15:55.700 --> 00:15:57.019 he goes back to the Greek translation, 00:15:57.220 --> 00:16:00.540 and he realizes that what Paul is saying in the book of Romans, 00:16:00.539 --> 00:16:05.219 In the gospel, the righteousness of God is not the standard 00:16:05.219 --> 00:16:07.039 that he demands from sinners, 00:16:07.259 --> 00:16:11.919 but a gift that he gives to anyone who will come to him 00:16:11.919 --> 00:16:13.579 and trust in him. 00:16:14.019 --> 00:16:17.099 The righteousness of God is not a standard he demands, 00:16:17.620 --> 00:16:20.959 something we obtain through good deeds and religious devotion. 00:16:21.480 --> 00:16:24.659 Instead, in the gospel, God gives the righteousness 00:16:24.659 --> 00:16:28.019 to unmerited people, those who haven't earned it, 00:16:28.019 --> 00:16:35.059 as a gift of grace simply on the basis of trusting in Christ. 00:16:35.720 --> 00:16:37.199 Luther came to see that in the gospel, 00:16:37.360 --> 00:16:40.819 God gives us his gift, his own moral perfection, 00:16:41.419 --> 00:16:45.120 to anyone, anyone who will simply trust in Jesus. 00:16:45.279 --> 00:16:47.379 Not on the basis of confession booths, 00:16:47.500 --> 00:16:49.019 not on the basis of indulgences, 00:16:49.980 --> 00:16:52.799 not by going and asking the priest to be pardoned, 00:16:52.939 --> 00:16:55.819 not by doing good deeds or serving the poor, 00:16:56.139 --> 00:16:57.919 simply coming to Jesus and say, 00:16:58.539 --> 00:17:00.299 Jesus, I need you. 00:17:00.759 --> 00:17:04.160 And on that basis, God gives his gift of righteousness. 00:17:05.099 --> 00:17:07.900 And the Bible word for this is justified. 00:17:08.539 --> 00:17:13.039 To be declared righteous based on God's gift of righteousness 00:17:13.039 --> 00:17:14.619 and then treated as if we are. 00:17:15.059 --> 00:17:16.480 Now, that's all very theological. 00:17:16.680 --> 00:17:19.359 So let me see if I can share this with an analogy. 00:17:19.900 --> 00:17:22.420 Many people here are university students 00:17:22.420 --> 00:17:23.900 or you're thinking about university 00:17:23.900 --> 00:17:25.960 or maybe you've got kids that are thinking about university. 00:17:25.960 --> 00:17:29.539 Imagine you're finishing your undergrad, 00:17:29.680 --> 00:17:32.100 you want to do a post-grad course. 00:17:32.799 --> 00:17:36.059 And there's a particular program that you want to get into 00:17:36.059 --> 00:17:39.420 with the very top professor in the whole world 00:17:39.420 --> 00:17:42.940 in a very particular field of study that you're interested in. 00:17:43.440 --> 00:17:44.779 And so you have set your sights. 00:17:44.880 --> 00:17:46.539 I want to study with this professor 00:17:46.539 --> 00:17:48.779 and this field at this university. 00:17:48.779 --> 00:17:50.680 And so you've set your sights on that. 00:17:51.039 --> 00:17:52.440 And it's very hard to get in there. 00:17:52.759 --> 00:17:54.500 And then you read the requirements. 00:17:54.819 --> 00:18:00.660 And the requirements are that you need to have 100% academic record 00:18:00.660 --> 00:18:03.160 for every test, every exam, 00:18:03.599 --> 00:18:06.599 every course you've ever done in your entire life. 00:18:06.759 --> 00:18:07.039 Okay? 00:18:07.399 --> 00:18:08.200 And you think, 00:18:08.599 --> 00:18:11.259 well, I'm in trouble. 00:18:11.420 --> 00:18:12.259 That's not me. 00:18:12.519 --> 00:18:12.819 Okay? 00:18:12.819 --> 00:18:15.399 You can't get in. 00:18:15.759 --> 00:18:16.659 You're in deep trouble. 00:18:17.619 --> 00:18:19.379 But then somebody tells you, 00:18:19.659 --> 00:18:22.299 there is a way to get in. 00:18:22.799 --> 00:18:25.119 And what you have to do is you have to go to the professor 00:18:25.119 --> 00:18:26.460 and you have to knock on his door. 00:18:27.200 --> 00:18:28.599 And you have to say to him, 00:18:29.220 --> 00:18:31.259 Professor, I want to study with you. 00:18:31.720 --> 00:18:33.099 Will you please let me in? 00:18:33.779 --> 00:18:34.960 And if you do that, 00:18:35.099 --> 00:18:39.319 he will gift his academic record to you 00:18:39.319 --> 00:18:41.879 and treat you as if it's your own. 00:18:42.379 --> 00:18:46.000 And so he takes his absolutely perfect academic record 00:18:46.000 --> 00:18:46.859 and he says, 00:18:47.179 --> 00:18:48.159 here you go, Kevin. 00:18:48.639 --> 00:18:50.559 You are now qualified. 00:18:50.700 --> 00:18:52.139 You are welcomed into my program. 00:18:53.200 --> 00:18:55.359 Martin Luther thought that he had to come to God 00:18:55.359 --> 00:18:57.159 with this whole stack of CVs. 00:18:57.220 --> 00:18:58.460 This is everything I've done. 00:18:58.619 --> 00:18:59.599 Please can I get in? 00:18:59.659 --> 00:19:00.299 And God would say, 00:19:00.379 --> 00:19:01.379 no, you're not good enough. 00:19:01.939 --> 00:19:03.000 But then he realized, 00:19:03.119 --> 00:19:05.700 if I come to him simply on the basis of faith, 00:19:06.700 --> 00:19:07.419 please, Jesus, 00:19:07.420 --> 00:19:09.900 I'm trusting in you and you alone. 00:19:10.660 --> 00:19:12.980 God will take his own righteousness, 00:19:13.220 --> 00:19:15.039 his perfect track record, 00:19:15.200 --> 00:19:16.900 and credit it to us 00:19:16.900 --> 00:19:20.720 and then treat us on the basis of as if it's our own. 00:19:21.220 --> 00:19:22.940 We will be justified. 00:19:23.600 --> 00:19:25.480 Listen to how Martin Luther wrote about this. 00:19:25.560 --> 00:19:25.940 He said, 00:19:26.759 --> 00:19:27.700 understanding this, 00:19:27.800 --> 00:19:30.340 that justification is by faith alone. 00:19:30.440 --> 00:19:30.720 He said, 00:19:31.100 --> 00:19:32.759 there I began to understand 00:19:32.759 --> 00:19:34.740 that the righteousness of God 00:19:34.740 --> 00:19:36.759 is through grace and sheer mercy 00:19:36.759 --> 00:19:38.779 a gift of God, 00:19:39.220 --> 00:19:40.319 namely by faith. 00:19:41.000 --> 00:19:41.379 Thereupon, 00:19:41.440 --> 00:19:43.480 I felt myself to be born again 00:19:43.480 --> 00:19:45.420 and to have gone through open doors 00:19:45.420 --> 00:19:46.420 into paradise. 00:19:47.160 --> 00:19:48.519 It changed his life 00:19:48.519 --> 00:19:49.660 and as we know, 00:19:49.759 --> 00:19:50.900 it changed the world. 00:19:51.700 --> 00:19:51.920 Now, 00:19:52.779 --> 00:19:54.460 thanks Martin Luther for your story, 00:19:54.599 --> 00:19:55.920 but as we heard last week, 00:19:57.039 --> 00:19:58.660 Martin Luther is not our authority. 00:19:59.700 --> 00:20:01.660 No saints or church history is our authority. 00:20:01.879 --> 00:20:02.700 So the question is, 00:20:02.779 --> 00:20:04.240 is this what the Bible says? 00:20:04.240 --> 00:20:05.180 Because actually, 00:20:05.319 --> 00:20:05.880 we want to know, 00:20:05.960 --> 00:20:07.279 what does the Bible have to say? 00:20:08.200 --> 00:20:10.460 And so let's look at Romans chapter 3 00:20:10.460 --> 00:20:11.480 that Lonnie read to us. 00:20:11.500 --> 00:20:13.519 And we're going to focus mainly on just chapter 3. 00:20:14.339 --> 00:20:16.579 So open your Bible to Romans chapter 3 00:20:16.579 --> 00:20:18.620 and let's look at it here together. 00:20:19.039 --> 00:20:19.279 Now, 00:20:19.339 --> 00:20:20.720 up until this point in the Bible, 00:20:21.359 --> 00:20:21.759 Paul, 00:20:21.859 --> 00:20:22.700 who's been writing this, 00:20:22.759 --> 00:20:23.579 has been arguing 00:20:23.579 --> 00:20:26.259 that none of us have a perfect track record. 00:20:26.440 --> 00:20:27.019 All of us, 00:20:27.059 --> 00:20:28.579 whether you're a Jew or a Gentile, 00:20:28.680 --> 00:20:29.420 whether you're religious 00:20:29.420 --> 00:20:30.500 or you're not religious, 00:20:30.500 --> 00:20:32.220 all of us are sinners 00:20:32.220 --> 00:20:33.119 and are in deep trouble. 00:20:33.960 --> 00:20:35.660 Look what he says in verse 21 then. 00:20:36.660 --> 00:20:37.700 But now, 00:20:38.500 --> 00:20:40.180 the righteousness of God 00:20:40.180 --> 00:20:41.519 has been manifested 00:20:41.519 --> 00:20:42.359 or revealed 00:20:42.359 --> 00:20:43.160 or made known 00:20:43.160 --> 00:20:44.900 apart from the law, 00:20:45.019 --> 00:20:46.680 that means apart from good works, 00:20:47.140 --> 00:20:48.319 although the law and the prophets, 00:20:48.440 --> 00:20:49.079 that's the Old Testament, 00:20:49.259 --> 00:20:50.339 bear witness to it, 00:20:50.779 --> 00:20:52.720 the righteousness of God 00:20:52.720 --> 00:20:54.000 that comes 00:20:54.000 --> 00:20:55.359 through faith 00:20:55.359 --> 00:20:56.720 in Jesus Christ 00:20:56.720 --> 00:20:58.039 for all 00:20:58.039 --> 00:20:59.119 who believe. 00:20:59.119 --> 00:20:59.819 Okay, 00:20:59.859 --> 00:21:01.199 that's what we've just been talking about. 00:21:01.619 --> 00:21:02.939 That's what Martin Luther discovered 00:21:02.939 --> 00:21:03.639 and Jan Hus 00:21:03.639 --> 00:21:04.459 and John Wycliffe 00:21:04.459 --> 00:21:05.539 and all the other reformers 00:21:05.539 --> 00:21:06.679 in the 15th 00:21:06.679 --> 00:21:07.639 and the 16th century. 00:21:08.439 --> 00:21:09.139 They saw 00:21:09.139 --> 00:21:10.739 being righteous before God 00:21:10.739 --> 00:21:12.099 does not come from the Pope. 00:21:12.479 --> 00:21:14.219 It doesn't come from doing good works. 00:21:14.479 --> 00:21:15.339 It doesn't come from 00:21:15.339 --> 00:21:16.619 being a member of the church. 00:21:16.919 --> 00:21:17.959 It doesn't come from anything 00:21:17.959 --> 00:21:19.179 that's found inside of us. 00:21:19.519 --> 00:21:21.479 Simply the righteousness of God 00:21:21.479 --> 00:21:22.099 that comes 00:21:22.099 --> 00:21:23.719 through simple faith 00:21:23.719 --> 00:21:25.199 in Jesus Christ. 00:21:25.659 --> 00:21:26.219 He goes on, 00:21:26.579 --> 00:21:27.839 for there is no distinction 00:21:27.839 --> 00:21:30.179 for all have sinned 00:21:30.179 --> 00:21:31.339 and fallen short 00:21:31.339 --> 00:21:32.399 of the glory of God 00:21:32.399 --> 00:21:33.879 and are justified 00:21:33.879 --> 00:21:35.279 or declared righteous 00:21:35.279 --> 00:21:36.980 by His grace 00:21:36.980 --> 00:21:38.139 as a gift 00:21:38.139 --> 00:21:39.639 through redemption. 00:21:39.639 --> 00:21:41.059 That is in Jesus Christ 00:21:41.059 --> 00:21:42.399 whom God put forward 00:21:42.399 --> 00:21:43.319 as a propitiation. 00:21:43.439 --> 00:21:44.639 That means an offering for sin. 00:21:45.000 --> 00:21:45.879 And how is this gift 00:21:45.879 --> 00:21:46.639 to be received? 00:21:46.959 --> 00:21:48.559 To be received 00:21:48.559 --> 00:21:50.579 by faith. 00:21:51.459 --> 00:21:51.799 Friends, 00:21:51.859 --> 00:21:52.339 you see it? 00:21:52.839 --> 00:21:54.339 As clear as day 00:21:54.339 --> 00:21:55.359 in black and white. 00:21:55.359 --> 00:21:57.019 There is no distinction. 00:21:57.279 --> 00:21:57.919 All of us 00:21:57.919 --> 00:21:58.719 are in deep trouble. 00:21:59.019 --> 00:21:59.899 All of us have sinned. 00:22:00.119 --> 00:22:01.500 From the richest CEO 00:22:01.500 --> 00:22:02.099 in the world 00:22:02.099 --> 00:22:03.000 to the person 00:22:03.000 --> 00:22:03.719 living on the street. 00:22:04.119 --> 00:22:05.319 From the smartest 00:22:05.319 --> 00:22:06.500 Ivy League professor 00:22:06.500 --> 00:22:08.359 to the most uneducated 00:22:08.359 --> 00:22:08.879 simpleton. 00:22:09.379 --> 00:22:11.059 From the most powerful person 00:22:11.059 --> 00:22:12.119 in the corridors of power 00:22:12.119 --> 00:22:13.979 to the unknown person 00:22:13.979 --> 00:22:15.339 that nobody cares about. 00:22:15.859 --> 00:22:16.079 Friends, 00:22:16.119 --> 00:22:16.979 from the most pious 00:22:16.979 --> 00:22:18.599 religious person 00:22:18.599 --> 00:22:19.139 in the world 00:22:19.139 --> 00:22:20.079 to the world's 00:22:20.079 --> 00:22:20.740 worst criminal. 00:22:21.339 --> 00:22:22.179 All of us, 00:22:22.419 --> 00:22:23.740 the heroes we look up to, 00:22:23.740 --> 00:22:24.519 our parents, 00:22:24.839 --> 00:22:25.680 the people we think 00:22:25.680 --> 00:22:26.160 are great, 00:22:26.440 --> 00:22:27.620 all of us are sinners 00:22:27.620 --> 00:22:28.799 before a righteous God. 00:22:29.599 --> 00:22:31.079 And yet God has found a way 00:22:31.079 --> 00:22:32.700 for sinners like me 00:22:32.700 --> 00:22:33.940 and you 00:22:33.940 --> 00:22:35.859 to be declared righteous, 00:22:36.000 --> 00:22:36.799 to be justified, 00:22:37.299 --> 00:22:38.599 to be spotless 00:22:38.599 --> 00:22:39.279 and blameless 00:22:39.279 --> 00:22:40.180 before our God. 00:22:40.660 --> 00:22:41.140 How? 00:22:41.779 --> 00:22:42.299 Simply 00:22:42.299 --> 00:22:44.259 by trusting in Jesus 00:22:44.259 --> 00:22:45.519 on the basis of faith. 00:22:46.140 --> 00:22:46.839 Trusting in Him, 00:22:46.920 --> 00:22:47.859 believing upon Him, 00:22:47.980 --> 00:22:48.680 putting our hope 00:22:48.680 --> 00:22:49.680 and confidence in Him. 00:22:50.079 --> 00:22:51.220 That Jesus died 00:22:51.220 --> 00:22:51.759 on the cross 00:22:51.759 --> 00:22:52.799 in my place. 00:22:52.920 --> 00:22:54.700 He took my unrighteousness 00:22:54.700 --> 00:22:55.359 upon Himself 00:22:55.359 --> 00:22:56.599 and He gave me 00:22:56.599 --> 00:22:58.019 His righteousness instead. 00:22:58.379 --> 00:22:59.539 This exchange took place 00:22:59.539 --> 00:23:01.259 and now I stand before Him 00:23:01.259 --> 00:23:03.180 completely justified. 00:23:03.420 --> 00:23:04.599 Not because I'm a nice person, 00:23:04.680 --> 00:23:05.279 because I'm not, 00:23:05.799 --> 00:23:07.420 but because Christ has given me 00:23:07.420 --> 00:23:08.879 His righteous standing. 00:23:09.039 --> 00:23:10.079 Look at verse 28. 00:23:10.660 --> 00:23:11.079 Paul says, 00:23:11.480 --> 00:23:12.200 For we hold 00:23:12.200 --> 00:23:13.599 that one is justified, 00:23:13.879 --> 00:23:14.559 declared righteous, 00:23:15.000 --> 00:23:15.960 by faith, 00:23:16.359 --> 00:23:18.519 apart from works of the law. 00:23:18.720 --> 00:23:19.400 There it is, 00:23:19.460 --> 00:23:20.140 in black and white, 00:23:20.140 --> 00:23:21.080 in 15 words, 00:23:21.160 --> 00:23:21.920 the entire message 00:23:21.920 --> 00:23:22.540 of the gospel. 00:23:23.080 --> 00:23:24.240 We declare that someone 00:23:24.240 --> 00:23:25.380 is justified, 00:23:25.580 --> 00:23:26.860 apart from good works, 00:23:27.280 --> 00:23:27.900 apart from being 00:23:27.900 --> 00:23:28.940 a religious person, 00:23:29.480 --> 00:23:30.400 simply on the basis 00:23:30.400 --> 00:23:30.880 of what? 00:23:31.480 --> 00:23:32.820 Faith alone. 00:23:33.400 --> 00:23:33.720 Friends, 00:23:33.800 --> 00:23:34.600 that's Christianity. 00:23:35.220 --> 00:23:36.140 That's the gospel. 00:23:36.980 --> 00:23:38.259 Trusting that Jesus 00:23:38.259 --> 00:23:39.520 died for you, 00:23:39.700 --> 00:23:40.420 for me, 00:23:40.780 --> 00:23:41.700 putting our confidence 00:23:41.700 --> 00:23:42.160 in Him, 00:23:42.500 --> 00:23:43.160 we are declared 00:23:43.160 --> 00:23:44.360 righteous and justified 00:23:44.360 --> 00:23:45.100 before God. 00:23:45.420 --> 00:23:45.960 Listen to how 00:23:45.960 --> 00:23:47.320 the Heidelberg Catechism 00:23:47.320 --> 00:23:48.420 asks and answers 00:23:48.420 --> 00:23:49.000 this question. 00:23:49.000 --> 00:23:51.460 This is Heidelberg Catechism 00:23:51.460 --> 00:23:52.319 question 60. 00:23:53.480 --> 00:23:54.319 How are you righteous 00:23:54.319 --> 00:23:55.079 before God? 00:23:55.640 --> 00:23:56.559 I think the next slide 00:23:56.559 --> 00:23:56.960 will have it. 00:23:57.400 --> 00:23:58.799 Only by true faith 00:23:58.799 --> 00:23:59.839 in Jesus Christ. 00:24:00.420 --> 00:24:01.640 Although my conscience 00:24:01.640 --> 00:24:02.920 accuses me 00:24:02.920 --> 00:24:04.200 that I have sinned 00:24:04.200 --> 00:24:04.880 grievously, 00:24:05.099 --> 00:24:05.380 sorry, 00:24:05.480 --> 00:24:06.000 it's a bit small, 00:24:06.940 --> 00:24:08.400 against God's commandments, 00:24:08.880 --> 00:24:09.680 have never kept 00:24:09.680 --> 00:24:10.220 any of them, 00:24:10.480 --> 00:24:11.359 and am still 00:24:11.359 --> 00:24:12.519 inclined to all evil, 00:24:13.119 --> 00:24:13.940 yet God, 00:24:14.039 --> 00:24:15.059 without any merit 00:24:15.059 --> 00:24:15.680 on my own, 00:24:15.940 --> 00:24:17.059 out of mere grace, 00:24:17.059 --> 00:24:18.099 imputes, 00:24:18.179 --> 00:24:19.099 that means credits, 00:24:19.099 --> 00:24:19.759 to me, 00:24:20.039 --> 00:24:21.559 the perfect satisfaction, 00:24:21.899 --> 00:24:22.379 righteousness, 00:24:22.599 --> 00:24:23.940 and holiness of Christ, 00:24:24.279 --> 00:24:25.940 He grants these to me 00:24:25.940 --> 00:24:27.460 as if I had never, 00:24:27.460 --> 00:24:30.339 as if I had never had 00:24:30.339 --> 00:24:31.720 nor committed any sin, 00:24:32.139 --> 00:24:33.700 and as if I myself 00:24:33.700 --> 00:24:34.379 had accomplished 00:24:34.379 --> 00:24:35.619 all the obedience 00:24:35.619 --> 00:24:36.519 which Christ 00:24:36.519 --> 00:24:37.519 had rendered for me, 00:24:38.019 --> 00:24:39.319 if only I accept 00:24:39.319 --> 00:24:40.039 this gift 00:24:40.039 --> 00:24:41.700 with a believing heart. 00:24:42.519 --> 00:24:43.019 Friends, 00:24:43.079 --> 00:24:43.460 do you see it? 00:24:43.460 --> 00:24:45.100 How can you be righteous 00:24:45.100 --> 00:24:46.319 before a holy God? 00:24:47.160 --> 00:24:48.220 How can you ever stand 00:24:48.220 --> 00:24:49.000 before the holy 00:24:49.000 --> 00:24:49.900 and righteous creator 00:24:49.900 --> 00:24:51.279 of the whole universe? 00:24:52.680 --> 00:24:53.819 In simple faith, 00:24:54.600 --> 00:24:55.480 you trust in Jesus, 00:24:56.240 --> 00:24:58.120 and He will give to you 00:24:58.120 --> 00:24:59.600 what is true of Him, 00:25:00.460 --> 00:25:01.579 His perfect righteousness. 00:25:02.700 --> 00:25:04.160 And the rest of Romans 00:25:04.160 --> 00:25:04.779 chapter 4, 00:25:04.840 --> 00:25:05.759 we're not going to look at it, 00:25:06.400 --> 00:25:07.180 Paul is going to give 00:25:07.180 --> 00:25:07.860 three examples 00:25:07.860 --> 00:25:08.799 of the kinds of things 00:25:08.799 --> 00:25:09.759 that people in his day 00:25:09.759 --> 00:25:10.420 trusted in. 00:25:10.920 --> 00:25:11.840 And each time he says, 00:25:11.839 --> 00:25:12.679 no, it's not that, 00:25:12.740 --> 00:25:13.399 it's faith alone. 00:25:13.699 --> 00:25:14.919 It's not circumcision, 00:25:15.279 --> 00:25:16.079 it's faith alone. 00:25:16.519 --> 00:25:17.779 It's not good works, 00:25:18.059 --> 00:25:18.859 it's faith alone. 00:25:19.159 --> 00:25:20.259 It's not obedience 00:25:20.259 --> 00:25:21.240 to the Old Testament law, 00:25:21.559 --> 00:25:22.579 it's faith alone. 00:25:22.799 --> 00:25:24.139 Look at 4 verse 3, 00:25:24.220 --> 00:25:24.919 what he says here. 00:25:25.699 --> 00:25:26.779 What does the scripture say? 00:25:27.439 --> 00:25:29.679 Abraham simply believed God, 00:25:29.740 --> 00:25:30.799 he put his faith in God, 00:25:31.079 --> 00:25:32.539 and it was counted to him 00:25:32.539 --> 00:25:33.480 as righteousness. 00:25:34.079 --> 00:25:34.679 Verse 5, 00:25:34.859 --> 00:25:36.939 to the one who does not work, 00:25:36.939 --> 00:25:38.899 but believes in Him 00:25:38.899 --> 00:25:40.339 who justifies the ungodly, 00:25:40.339 --> 00:25:42.079 His faith is counted 00:25:42.079 --> 00:25:43.799 as righteousness. 00:25:45.240 --> 00:25:45.659 See friends, 00:25:45.699 --> 00:25:46.799 at the time of the Reformation, 00:25:47.519 --> 00:25:48.559 Martin Luther and all his friends 00:25:48.559 --> 00:25:49.659 were trying to put their hope 00:25:49.659 --> 00:25:51.159 in 10,000 other things. 00:25:51.980 --> 00:25:53.699 Confessing every possible sin, 00:25:54.199 --> 00:25:55.720 getting pardon from the priest, 00:25:56.139 --> 00:25:57.459 going and doing penance, 00:25:57.939 --> 00:25:58.359 fasting, 00:25:59.099 --> 00:26:00.279 self-beating up, 00:26:00.339 --> 00:26:01.000 self-denial, 00:26:01.399 --> 00:26:02.699 doing all these good things, 00:26:02.799 --> 00:26:03.740 buying indulgences, 00:26:03.980 --> 00:26:06.279 all of it was utterly meaningless. 00:26:07.220 --> 00:26:08.559 Faith and faith alone. 00:26:09.099 --> 00:26:09.919 Do you trust Jesus? 00:26:10.339 --> 00:26:11.299 That's all it takes. 00:26:11.899 --> 00:26:12.740 Well, that's what Paul says. 00:26:12.819 --> 00:26:15.559 What about the rest of the New Testament? 00:26:15.679 --> 00:26:16.899 Look at Galatians chapter 2. 00:26:17.019 --> 00:26:17.939 Paul says the same thing. 00:26:18.619 --> 00:26:20.319 We know that a person is not justified 00:26:20.319 --> 00:26:22.099 before God by works of the law, 00:26:22.299 --> 00:26:24.539 but through faith in Jesus Christ. 00:26:24.980 --> 00:26:25.659 By works of the law, 00:26:25.720 --> 00:26:26.759 no one will be justified. 00:26:27.359 --> 00:26:28.399 Well, look at Ephesians 2. 00:26:28.779 --> 00:26:29.019 It says, 00:26:29.379 --> 00:26:31.319 For by grace you have been saved, 00:26:31.399 --> 00:26:32.279 through faith. 00:26:32.639 --> 00:26:34.079 And this is not your own doing, 00:26:34.079 --> 00:26:35.339 it's the gift of God, 00:26:35.619 --> 00:26:37.179 not a result of works, 00:26:37.240 --> 00:26:38.539 so that no one may boast. 00:26:38.539 --> 00:26:40.420 For we are his workmanship, 00:26:40.579 --> 00:26:42.879 created in Christ Jesus to do good works, 00:26:43.220 --> 00:26:44.599 which God prepared beforehand 00:26:44.599 --> 00:26:45.839 that we should walk in them. 00:26:46.099 --> 00:26:47.399 Now, this verse is very important 00:26:47.399 --> 00:26:48.639 because look at what Paul says here. 00:26:49.099 --> 00:26:49.399 He says, 00:26:49.700 --> 00:26:51.480 You are not justified on the basis 00:26:51.480 --> 00:26:52.500 of doing good works, 00:26:52.579 --> 00:26:53.500 being a good person, 00:26:53.819 --> 00:26:56.920 but you are saved in order to do good works. 00:26:57.139 --> 00:26:57.720 Do you see that? 00:26:58.460 --> 00:26:58.799 You don't, 00:26:59.000 --> 00:27:00.019 God doesn't look at you and say, 00:27:00.319 --> 00:27:01.559 You are such a good person. 00:27:01.639 --> 00:27:03.079 I think I'll welcome you into my kingdom. 00:27:03.079 --> 00:27:04.539 But, he says, 00:27:04.639 --> 00:27:05.619 You trust in Jesus. 00:27:05.939 --> 00:27:08.199 Okay, now that you are a Christian, 00:27:08.579 --> 00:27:10.460 I have got things that I want you to do. 00:27:10.539 --> 00:27:12.159 I want you to demonstrate your faith. 00:27:12.240 --> 00:27:14.000 I want your faith to show itself. 00:27:15.000 --> 00:27:15.699 That's what Paul says. 00:27:15.720 --> 00:27:16.399 What about Jesus? 00:27:16.960 --> 00:27:18.039 Does Jesus say this, 00:27:18.059 --> 00:27:19.359 or is this just the Apostle Paul? 00:27:20.119 --> 00:27:22.299 Well, look at what Jesus says in John chapter 6. 00:27:22.399 --> 00:27:23.599 Some people come to him and say, 00:27:24.019 --> 00:27:25.619 Jesus, what must we do 00:27:25.619 --> 00:27:27.439 to be doing the works of God? 00:27:27.819 --> 00:27:29.740 Jesus, we want to get eternal life. 00:27:29.859 --> 00:27:30.799 We want to go to heaven. 00:27:31.319 --> 00:27:32.359 What must we do? 00:27:32.359 --> 00:27:33.240 Must we fast? 00:27:33.479 --> 00:27:34.599 Must we go on pilgrimage? 00:27:35.119 --> 00:27:36.579 Must we sell all our possessions? 00:27:36.779 --> 00:27:38.359 What must we do to get into heaven? 00:27:39.099 --> 00:27:40.079 And Jesus answered, 00:27:40.859 --> 00:27:42.019 This is the work of God, 00:27:42.419 --> 00:27:45.539 that you believe in Him whom God has sent. 00:27:46.199 --> 00:27:47.240 Simply believe. 00:27:48.099 --> 00:27:49.019 Simply believe. 00:27:49.819 --> 00:27:51.219 Friends, what about John chapter 3? 00:27:51.979 --> 00:27:53.719 Jesus is talking to a man called Nicodemus, 00:27:53.939 --> 00:27:54.659 and He tells him, 00:27:54.740 --> 00:27:55.699 You must be born again. 00:27:56.279 --> 00:27:57.559 And then at the end, He says, 00:27:57.719 --> 00:28:00.839 Just as Moses lifted up the serpents in the wilderness, 00:28:00.839 --> 00:28:03.259 so must the Son of Man be lifted up, 00:28:03.319 --> 00:28:05.399 that whoever believes in Him will have eternal life. 00:28:05.459 --> 00:28:06.279 Do you remember that story? 00:28:06.399 --> 00:28:07.500 We looked at it early in the year. 00:28:08.159 --> 00:28:09.319 The people of God in the wilderness, 00:28:10.059 --> 00:28:11.459 they're all rebelling against God, 00:28:11.519 --> 00:28:12.279 and they're under His judgment. 00:28:12.519 --> 00:28:13.240 And because of their sin, 00:28:13.299 --> 00:28:14.039 they are dying. 00:28:14.679 --> 00:28:15.720 And God says to Moses, 00:28:15.839 --> 00:28:17.000 Moses, get a wooden pole, 00:28:17.099 --> 00:28:17.759 a big wooden pole, 00:28:17.819 --> 00:28:19.379 and put a bronze snake about it, 00:28:19.379 --> 00:28:20.799 and stick it up high in the camp. 00:28:20.839 --> 00:28:22.919 And if anybody is under my judgment, 00:28:23.059 --> 00:28:23.740 and they're dying, 00:28:23.839 --> 00:28:25.559 and they're under judgment, 00:28:25.559 --> 00:28:27.440 if they just simply look at the pole, 00:28:27.539 --> 00:28:28.740 if they just look at it, 00:28:28.779 --> 00:28:29.819 they don't need to do anything, 00:28:30.200 --> 00:28:32.619 if they just look at the snake on the pole, 00:28:32.919 --> 00:28:33.759 in faith, 00:28:33.960 --> 00:28:35.740 trusting that I will forgive them, 00:28:36.139 --> 00:28:37.440 they will be healed. 00:28:38.519 --> 00:28:39.179 Well, Jesus says, 00:28:39.240 --> 00:28:39.740 Don't you see, 00:28:39.879 --> 00:28:41.839 I am going to be lifted up on a wooden pole. 00:28:42.539 --> 00:28:43.599 In just a few years' time, 00:28:43.659 --> 00:28:44.819 I'm going to be lifted up, 00:28:44.839 --> 00:28:45.879 and I'm going to be crucified. 00:28:46.099 --> 00:28:48.619 And anyone who will simply look to me, 00:28:49.079 --> 00:28:50.159 don't need to do anything, 00:28:50.599 --> 00:28:51.799 simply look to me, 00:28:51.839 --> 00:28:52.839 simply believe in me, 00:28:53.240 --> 00:28:54.419 you will be saved. 00:28:54.420 --> 00:28:55.640 Well, friends, 00:28:55.720 --> 00:28:57.580 think about Jesus in Luke 24. 00:28:58.000 --> 00:28:59.240 He's on the cross. 00:28:59.759 --> 00:29:01.340 He's paying for my sin and your sin. 00:29:01.380 --> 00:29:02.100 He's on the cross, 00:29:02.200 --> 00:29:03.440 and next to him is a man, 00:29:03.500 --> 00:29:03.980 a thief, 00:29:04.259 --> 00:29:04.880 a criminal, 00:29:05.160 --> 00:29:07.019 who's been crucified for his sin. 00:29:07.620 --> 00:29:08.320 And what happens? 00:29:08.740 --> 00:29:10.300 The thief looks to Jesus, 00:29:10.360 --> 00:29:11.519 with faith in his heart, 00:29:11.860 --> 00:29:12.580 and he says, 00:29:12.740 --> 00:29:13.039 Jesus, 00:29:13.220 --> 00:29:14.240 I believe, 00:29:14.380 --> 00:29:15.039 in effect. 00:29:15.340 --> 00:29:16.420 And what does Jesus say? 00:29:17.039 --> 00:29:17.700 Well, you know, 00:29:17.820 --> 00:29:18.140 sorry, 00:29:18.220 --> 00:29:18.700 it's too late, 00:29:18.759 --> 00:29:19.480 you haven't been baptized. 00:29:20.039 --> 00:29:20.200 You know, 00:29:20.240 --> 00:29:20.920 best of luck. 00:29:21.360 --> 00:29:21.580 Or, 00:29:21.800 --> 00:29:21.960 hey, 00:29:22.019 --> 00:29:22.279 sorry, 00:29:22.279 --> 00:29:23.039 I wish you, 00:29:23.120 --> 00:29:23.880 you should have gone, 00:29:23.880 --> 00:29:25.160 done confession with the priest, 00:29:25.220 --> 00:29:25.920 and got penance. 00:29:26.460 --> 00:29:26.780 He says, 00:29:26.860 --> 00:29:27.300 today, 00:29:27.500 --> 00:29:29.620 you will be with me in paradise. 00:29:30.460 --> 00:29:30.780 Friends, 00:29:30.840 --> 00:29:32.340 the thief didn't do a single thing, 00:29:32.460 --> 00:29:34.460 not a single thing, 00:29:34.820 --> 00:29:36.140 to earn God's grace. 00:29:36.700 --> 00:29:37.600 But what did he do? 00:29:38.100 --> 00:29:39.840 He simply believed. 00:29:40.740 --> 00:29:41.040 Friends, 00:29:41.100 --> 00:29:42.540 the New Testament couldn't be any clearer. 00:29:43.220 --> 00:29:45.620 The righteousness of God has been made known. 00:29:46.020 --> 00:29:49.780 The righteousness of God that comes through faith in Jesus Christ, 00:29:49.779 --> 00:29:51.440 for all who believe. 00:29:52.359 --> 00:29:52.639 Now, 00:29:52.839 --> 00:29:54.139 there is one problem. 00:29:54.859 --> 00:29:57.819 And the problem is that there is a book in the Bible called James. 00:29:58.339 --> 00:29:58.619 Okay? 00:29:59.220 --> 00:30:02.299 And James seems to say the exact opposite. 00:30:02.940 --> 00:30:04.960 James is actually Jesus' half-brother. 00:30:05.359 --> 00:30:07.019 Look at James chapter 2 with me. 00:30:07.539 --> 00:30:08.240 James writes this, 00:30:08.240 --> 00:30:31.400 Now, 00:30:31.400 --> 00:30:32.059 that's a problem, 00:30:32.160 --> 00:30:33.880 because we don't want dead faith. 00:30:34.099 --> 00:30:35.240 We want living faith. 00:30:35.440 --> 00:30:35.559 Okay? 00:30:35.559 --> 00:30:37.799 Verse 24, 00:30:38.399 --> 00:30:40.419 You see that if a person is just, 00:30:40.639 --> 00:30:43.319 so you see a person is justified by works, 00:30:43.359 --> 00:30:44.859 and not by faith alone. 00:30:45.480 --> 00:30:47.500 For as the body apart from the Spirit is dead, 00:30:47.639 --> 00:30:50.039 so also faith apart from works is dead. 00:30:50.339 --> 00:30:50.599 Now, 00:30:50.659 --> 00:30:51.259 here's a problem, 00:30:51.599 --> 00:30:55.759 because the whole Bible seems to say you are justified by faith, 00:30:55.799 --> 00:30:56.659 not works. 00:30:57.379 --> 00:30:57.619 Okay? 00:30:57.619 --> 00:30:58.399 That's what Paul said. 00:30:59.000 --> 00:31:00.019 And now here comes James. 00:31:00.019 --> 00:31:00.319 He says, 00:31:00.639 --> 00:31:01.720 you're justified by works, 00:31:01.779 --> 00:31:02.319 not faith. 00:31:02.700 --> 00:31:04.039 So what's going on here? 00:31:04.039 --> 00:31:04.599 Actually, 00:31:05.879 --> 00:31:09.059 what James is saying is exactly what Paul said back in Ephesians 2. 00:31:10.019 --> 00:31:11.019 James is saying, 00:31:11.579 --> 00:31:12.740 you say you have faith, 00:31:12.940 --> 00:31:14.639 but where's the evidence? 00:31:14.879 --> 00:31:15.940 How do we know? 00:31:16.460 --> 00:31:19.220 How do you know that your faith is not just meaningless words? 00:31:19.379 --> 00:31:20.500 Kind of like when someone says, 00:31:20.899 --> 00:31:22.899 I'm so sorry that you don't have any food, 00:31:23.000 --> 00:31:23.839 but best of luck, 00:31:24.079 --> 00:31:25.659 I really feel for you. 00:31:25.879 --> 00:31:26.180 Actually, 00:31:26.240 --> 00:31:27.240 they don't feel for them at all. 00:31:27.339 --> 00:31:28.279 If you really felt for them, 00:31:28.279 --> 00:31:29.680 you'd go and do something about it. 00:31:29.680 --> 00:31:32.039 That kind of faith is fake faith. 00:31:32.140 --> 00:31:33.200 It's not authentic faith. 00:31:33.320 --> 00:31:34.560 It's just empty words. 00:31:35.259 --> 00:31:35.940 And Paul is saying, 00:31:36.340 --> 00:31:37.240 in the same way, 00:31:37.539 --> 00:31:38.180 if you say, 00:31:38.259 --> 00:31:38.840 I love Jesus, 00:31:38.880 --> 00:31:39.299 I love Jesus, 00:31:39.360 --> 00:31:40.620 but actually you live in for yourself, 00:31:40.720 --> 00:31:41.620 you're self-righteous, 00:31:41.680 --> 00:31:42.820 you don't care about anyone else, 00:31:43.240 --> 00:31:44.980 maybe God hasn't changed your heart. 00:31:45.680 --> 00:31:48.220 No one is justified by works, 00:31:48.660 --> 00:31:49.960 but when you're saved, 00:31:50.140 --> 00:31:51.779 when you put your faith in God, 00:31:51.840 --> 00:31:52.640 and you declare righteous, 00:31:52.820 --> 00:31:53.980 He so changes you, 00:31:54.019 --> 00:31:56.160 that you become a different kind of person, 00:31:56.360 --> 00:31:57.860 that will result in works. 00:31:57.859 --> 00:31:59.359 And James is saying, 00:31:59.679 --> 00:32:00.299 that if your life, 00:32:00.379 --> 00:32:01.359 if there's no proof, 00:32:01.439 --> 00:32:03.119 there's no evidence whatsoever, 00:32:03.439 --> 00:32:04.299 you've got a question, 00:32:04.399 --> 00:32:05.240 is your faith genuine? 00:32:05.379 --> 00:32:06.000 So look what he says, 00:32:06.079 --> 00:32:06.699 verse 18. 00:32:07.399 --> 00:32:09.299 Show me your faith apart from works, 00:32:09.699 --> 00:32:12.339 but I will show you my faith by my works. 00:32:12.959 --> 00:32:14.240 You're not saved by works, 00:32:14.659 --> 00:32:15.719 saved by faith, 00:32:16.259 --> 00:32:17.939 but faith that results in good works. 00:32:18.019 --> 00:32:19.899 Remember Ephesians chapter 2, 00:32:20.019 --> 00:32:20.719 what did Paul say? 00:32:21.099 --> 00:32:23.279 You've been saved by grace through faith. 00:32:23.359 --> 00:32:24.539 This is not your own doing. 00:32:24.619 --> 00:32:25.619 It's a gift of God, 00:32:25.679 --> 00:32:26.959 not because of works, 00:32:26.960 --> 00:32:28.500 so that no one will boast, 00:32:28.920 --> 00:32:31.840 but God has prepared works for us to do. 00:32:32.920 --> 00:32:33.519 So friends, 00:32:33.539 --> 00:32:34.680 as we come to a close, 00:32:35.220 --> 00:32:36.860 how should we think about this? 00:32:36.920 --> 00:32:37.059 Well, 00:32:37.120 --> 00:32:39.759 let me close with three thoughts. 00:32:40.039 --> 00:32:40.420 The good, 00:32:40.579 --> 00:32:40.980 the bad, 00:32:41.019 --> 00:32:41.640 and the indifferent. 00:32:42.120 --> 00:32:42.299 Okay? 00:32:42.620 --> 00:32:43.000 The good, 00:32:43.120 --> 00:32:43.440 the bad, 00:32:43.460 --> 00:32:43.799 and the indifferent. 00:32:43.900 --> 00:32:45.340 Let's start in reverse order. 00:32:45.940 --> 00:32:46.480 The indifferent. 00:32:47.319 --> 00:32:47.519 Friends, 00:32:47.559 --> 00:32:49.220 some of us may be here this morning and say, 00:32:49.700 --> 00:32:49.940 yes, 00:32:50.000 --> 00:32:50.180 yes, 00:32:50.200 --> 00:32:50.840 I know the stuff. 00:32:50.920 --> 00:32:51.779 I believe in Jesus. 00:32:51.779 --> 00:32:53.759 I believe He died on the cross for my sins. 00:32:53.880 --> 00:32:54.440 I get it. 00:32:54.519 --> 00:32:54.660 Yeah, 00:32:54.740 --> 00:32:54.940 yeah, 00:32:54.940 --> 00:32:55.259 yeah. 00:32:55.259 --> 00:32:55.740 Okay? 00:32:56.500 --> 00:32:57.420 But let me ask you, 00:32:57.539 --> 00:32:58.879 do you really know it? 00:32:59.960 --> 00:33:00.240 Do you, 00:33:00.680 --> 00:33:01.420 is your hope, 00:33:01.480 --> 00:33:02.099 is your confidence, 00:33:02.220 --> 00:33:02.960 is your rest, 00:33:03.079 --> 00:33:05.700 your trust in Christ alone, 00:33:05.700 --> 00:33:08.519 or do you still look to yourself and your righteousness, 00:33:08.759 --> 00:33:09.299 your goodness, 00:33:09.740 --> 00:33:12.279 to justify yourself, 00:33:12.379 --> 00:33:13.559 to feel good about yourself? 00:33:14.299 --> 00:33:15.900 And here's one of the ways you can know, 00:33:15.980 --> 00:33:18.740 is are you someone who is given to defensiveness? 00:33:19.799 --> 00:33:22.759 Are you someone who's often needing to justify yourself? 00:33:22.759 --> 00:33:28.700 You're in the office and someone says something maybe about your performance or you did something or that meeting didn't go so well, 00:33:28.779 --> 00:33:30.440 and you always feel like you need to justify yourself. 00:33:30.519 --> 00:33:31.599 You always need to defend yourself. 00:33:31.839 --> 00:33:33.440 Or maybe you always need to blame someone else. 00:33:33.519 --> 00:33:34.539 It's always someone else's fault. 00:33:35.519 --> 00:33:35.660 Friends, 00:33:35.680 --> 00:33:36.319 are you someone that, 00:33:36.759 --> 00:33:43.160 that you're always needing to defend or justify yourself because you don't know how to rest in the justification of Jesus? 00:33:44.059 --> 00:33:45.879 That Christ is enough for you. 00:33:46.579 --> 00:33:46.879 Friends, 00:33:46.940 --> 00:33:47.920 would your family members, 00:33:48.000 --> 00:33:50.839 your colleagues describe you as a prickly person? 00:33:50.839 --> 00:33:54.019 Someone who needs to look good in other people's eyes. 00:33:56.179 --> 00:33:57.019 Why is that? 00:33:57.279 --> 00:33:59.079 It's because we try to build our own righteousness, 00:33:59.459 --> 00:34:00.319 our own justification. 00:34:01.199 --> 00:34:03.980 Because Jesus' righteousness may be intellectual, 00:34:04.159 --> 00:34:04.899 I understand it, 00:34:05.000 --> 00:34:06.659 but it hasn't penetrated our hearts. 00:34:07.439 --> 00:34:08.679 It doesn't change us deeply. 00:34:09.639 --> 00:34:12.599 A Christian is not just someone who understands the doctrine, 00:34:13.279 --> 00:34:16.619 someone who's come to rest in Christ alone. 00:34:17.380 --> 00:34:18.980 Jesus is my only justification. 00:34:18.980 --> 00:34:21.699 Nothing in my hands I bring, 00:34:21.820 --> 00:34:24.320 simply to his cross I cling. 00:34:25.059 --> 00:34:26.340 It's the anthem of the Christian. 00:34:27.400 --> 00:34:28.159 The indifferent. 00:34:28.519 --> 00:34:28.860 Secondly, 00:34:29.139 --> 00:34:29.579 the bad. 00:34:29.780 --> 00:34:30.119 Friends, 00:34:30.199 --> 00:34:31.119 consider the bad news. 00:34:31.199 --> 00:34:34.920 The bad news is that for those of us who seem to have it all together, 00:34:35.719 --> 00:34:41.260 who may think that our goodness or our morality or our religious devotion gets us a good standing with God, 00:34:41.260 --> 00:34:43.060 the Bible says that he, 00:34:43.380 --> 00:34:44.920 God will take that confidence, 00:34:45.080 --> 00:34:46.900 that thing that we trust in and hope in, 00:34:47.240 --> 00:34:49.100 and he will utterly crush it. 00:34:49.620 --> 00:34:51.580 And it will leave us devastated. 00:34:52.260 --> 00:34:55.460 It will be a terrifying thing that the thing that I hold so precious, 00:34:55.600 --> 00:34:56.440 my justification, 00:34:56.820 --> 00:34:57.460 my righteousness, 00:34:57.620 --> 00:35:00.020 the thing that tells me I am a good person, 00:35:00.500 --> 00:35:03.120 God will take that thing and utterly crush it. 00:35:04.039 --> 00:35:06.039 Jesus tells a story in Luke chapter 18. 00:35:06.259 --> 00:35:08.679 He says there's two people that go into a temple to pray. 00:35:09.299 --> 00:35:11.400 There's a Pharisee and there's a sinner. 00:35:11.559 --> 00:35:13.980 And the Pharisee goes in and he says, 00:35:14.039 --> 00:35:14.759 he's very pious, 00:35:14.880 --> 00:35:16.279 he's very devout, 00:35:16.359 --> 00:35:16.839 very religious, 00:35:16.960 --> 00:35:17.259 and he says, 00:35:17.339 --> 00:35:17.500 God, 00:35:17.559 --> 00:35:19.299 I thank you that I'm not like other people. 00:35:19.579 --> 00:35:20.739 I pray twice a day. 00:35:20.839 --> 00:35:22.359 I give tithes of everything I have. 00:35:22.719 --> 00:35:23.099 Thank you, 00:35:23.139 --> 00:35:23.299 God, 00:35:23.319 --> 00:35:24.779 that I'm not like that sinner over there. 00:35:24.960 --> 00:35:25.739 I'm a good man. 00:35:25.779 --> 00:35:26.339 I'm in your kingdom. 00:35:26.500 --> 00:35:27.759 Thank you for your kindness to me. 00:35:27.760 --> 00:35:30.160 And what does Jesus say about this man? 00:35:30.800 --> 00:35:32.240 He says he is lost. 00:35:33.300 --> 00:35:33.700 Lost. 00:35:34.620 --> 00:35:35.580 Utterly lost. 00:35:36.360 --> 00:35:38.480 Jesus says he will not go home justified. 00:35:38.880 --> 00:35:43.100 He will die in his sins and never be reconciled to God. 00:35:43.840 --> 00:35:44.960 Here's a religious man. 00:35:45.460 --> 00:35:46.280 He's very devout. 00:35:46.780 --> 00:35:47.520 He's very devoted. 00:35:48.200 --> 00:35:51.820 His life looks like the perfect example of what a religious man should look like. 00:35:52.380 --> 00:35:53.960 And Jesus says he's lost. 00:35:54.700 --> 00:35:55.020 Friends, 00:35:55.100 --> 00:35:55.960 that's the bad news. 00:35:55.960 --> 00:36:00.000 One day that man is going to come face to face with the living God, 00:36:00.159 --> 00:36:03.880 and he's going to hear the bad news that I never knew you, 00:36:04.220 --> 00:36:05.840 because you trusted in yourself. 00:36:06.800 --> 00:36:07.079 Friends, 00:36:07.139 --> 00:36:08.639 you see why this is such bad news? 00:36:09.400 --> 00:36:15.639 Because it says that the thing that we bring to Jesus that's so precious is utterly meaningless to save you. 00:36:16.340 --> 00:36:19.119 And that's incredibly difficult in a city like Hong Kong, 00:36:19.300 --> 00:36:21.679 because Hong Kong is full of people that have got it together. 00:36:22.320 --> 00:36:25.119 We are a city of self-made men and women. 00:36:25.119 --> 00:36:27.519 And Jesus says that that can't save us. 00:36:28.199 --> 00:36:30.819 And then Jesus says there's another man that goes into the temple. 00:36:31.159 --> 00:36:32.839 And here's a man that has got nothing. 00:36:33.159 --> 00:36:34.019 He is a sinner. 00:36:34.440 --> 00:36:35.039 He is downcast. 00:36:35.799 --> 00:36:38.420 He is the kind of person that everybody else looks down upon. 00:36:38.839 --> 00:36:39.659 He has got nothing. 00:36:39.759 --> 00:36:41.359 And he falls on his knees and he says, 00:36:41.480 --> 00:36:41.719 God, 00:36:41.799 --> 00:36:42.859 have mercy on me, 00:36:42.920 --> 00:36:43.179 a sinner. 00:36:43.839 --> 00:36:44.659 And Jesus says, 00:36:44.659 --> 00:36:47.099 that man goes home justified, 00:36:47.259 --> 00:36:47.819 righteous, 00:36:48.079 --> 00:36:49.799 accepted in my kingdom, 00:36:50.119 --> 00:36:51.159 one of my own. 00:36:52.199 --> 00:36:52.619 Friends, 00:36:52.779 --> 00:36:54.139 that's the good news. 00:36:54.699 --> 00:36:55.579 That anyone, 00:36:56.219 --> 00:36:56.759 anyone, 00:36:57.519 --> 00:37:00.339 anyone who knows themselves to be an imperfect human being, 00:37:00.940 --> 00:37:03.639 anyone who knows themselves to be in need of mercy and grace, 00:37:04.319 --> 00:37:06.019 anyone who can look at themselves and say, 00:37:06.159 --> 00:37:07.779 I am not a perfect human being. 00:37:07.780 --> 00:37:10.060 If you will simply trust in Jesus, 00:37:10.180 --> 00:37:15.380 that Jesus went to the cross for you and died for you to give you his perfect righteousness, 00:37:15.840 --> 00:37:18.240 you can be declared righteous in the sight. 00:37:18.340 --> 00:37:20.940 And all of this is by faith alone. 00:37:21.519 --> 00:37:21.840 So friends, 00:37:21.880 --> 00:37:22.460 what about you? 00:37:23.420 --> 00:37:24.560 Where are you putting your hope, 00:37:24.660 --> 00:37:25.180 your confidence? 00:37:26.080 --> 00:37:27.980 Are you still trying to establish your own righteousness? 00:37:28.720 --> 00:37:30.480 You still trying to justify yourself? 00:37:31.240 --> 00:37:33.320 You still trying to earn God's favor through your goodness? 00:37:33.320 --> 00:37:35.500 Listen to what Paul says. 00:37:35.640 --> 00:37:39.500 We have a righteousness of God that is made known apart from good works, 00:37:40.500 --> 00:37:45.360 the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all who believe. 00:37:46.080 --> 00:37:47.059 For there is no distinction, 00:37:47.700 --> 00:37:50.920 for all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God, 00:37:51.380 --> 00:37:58.720 and are justified by his grace as a gift through Jesus Christ to be received by faith. 00:37:59.059 --> 00:37:59.840 Let's pray together. 00:37:59.840 --> 00:38:03.300 Lord Jesus, 00:38:03.760 --> 00:38:07.079 today we've tried to look at the very essence of the gospel, 00:38:07.720 --> 00:38:09.820 that you Christ died for sinners like us. 00:38:09.940 --> 00:38:11.019 None of us have it all together, 00:38:11.480 --> 00:38:12.120 but God, 00:38:12.220 --> 00:38:13.220 you do have it all together, 00:38:13.360 --> 00:38:16.280 and you promise that if we will simply believe in you, 00:38:16.340 --> 00:38:17.160 simply trust in you, 00:38:17.200 --> 00:38:19.120 you will give us your gift of grace. 00:38:19.240 --> 00:38:19.600 Thank you, 00:38:19.700 --> 00:38:19.880 God, 00:38:19.960 --> 00:38:21.260 for the good news of the gospel. 00:38:21.920 --> 00:38:22.160 Lord, 00:38:22.200 --> 00:38:22.940 when we think about it, 00:38:22.940 --> 00:38:25.700 the good news is infinitely better than we expected. 00:38:26.440 --> 00:38:26.960 Thank you, 00:38:27.019 --> 00:38:27.280 Jesus, 00:38:27.380 --> 00:38:29.059 that you can welcome people like us, 00:38:29.059 --> 00:38:30.420 to be part of your kingdom. 00:38:30.519 --> 00:38:31.699 We can go back to Eden, 00:38:32.360 --> 00:38:33.299 to know you, 00:38:33.380 --> 00:38:34.340 to be reconciled, 00:38:34.380 --> 00:38:35.480 and even better than that, 00:38:35.539 --> 00:38:37.139 to spend all eternity with you. 00:38:37.480 --> 00:38:38.199 We love you. 00:38:38.500 --> 00:38:39.239 We need you. 00:38:39.599 --> 00:38:40.559 In your name we pray. 00:38:41.219 --> 00:38:41.579 Amen. 00:38:41.579 --> 00:38:41.759 Amen. 00:38:41.759 --> 00:38:41.759 00:38:41.759 --> 00:38:41.759 00:38:41.759 --> 00:38:41.759 00:38:41.759 --> 00:38:41.759 00:38:41.759 --> 00:38:41.759 00:38:41.759 --> 00:38:41.759 00:38:41.759 --> 00:38:41.759 00:38:41.759 --> 00:38:41.759 00:38:41.759 --> 00:38:41.759 00:38:41.759 --> 00:38:41.759 00:38:41.759 --> 00:38:41.759