WEBVTT

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 Well, we are continuing this morning in our series through 1 Timothy.

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 And we are listening to Christ's instructions through the Apostle Paul about how we are to live in the household of God, in the church.

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 So if you have your Bible with you, you can open it up to 1 Timothy.

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 For the past two Sundays, we've been in chapter 2.

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 And this morning, we're actually going to go back and look at the section that we skipped over from chapter 1.

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 So we are going to be in 1 Timothy chapter 1, verse 9.

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 And look at the rest of chapter 1 this morning.

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 Now let's remember how Paul started this letter to Timothy.

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 Right after the introduction, Paul jumped right into giving instruction.

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 And these were his instructions.

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 In verse 3, he said,

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 As I urged you when I went into Macedonia,

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 stay there in Ephesus,

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 so that you may command certain people not to teach false doctrines any longer.

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 So as we heard several weeks ago,

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 there were people in the church teaching false doctrines.

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 Down in verse 7, we heard a little bit more about these false doctrines.

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 Paul said,

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 They want to be teachers of the law,

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 but they do not know what they're talking about or what they so confidently affirm.

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 We know that the law is good if one uses it properly,

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 said Paul.

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 So we noted a couple weeks ago that these people teaching false doctrines

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 were pointing people back to the Old Testament.

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 But the problem, according to Paul,

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 is that they didn't really understand the Old Testament.

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 They didn't understand the law.

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 And they were misapplying it to the people.

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 So now Paul is going to tell Timothy about the purpose of the law in verses 9 to 11.

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 Then he's going to share a little bit of his own personal testimony in verses 12 to 17.

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 And then verses 18 to 20,

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 he's going to give Timothy some more encouragement and warning,

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 especially in the backdrop of this instruction about false teachers.

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 Let's look at that first one.

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 The purpose of the law.

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 I'm going to read again, starting in verse 8.

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 Paul says,

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 We know that the law is good if one uses it properly.

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 We also know that the law is made not for the righteous,

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 but for lawbreakers and rebels,

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 the ungodly and sinful,

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 the unholy and irreligious,

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 for those who kill their fathers or mothers,

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 for murderers,

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 for the sexually immoral,

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 for those practicing homosexuality,

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 for slave traders and liars and perjurers,

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 and for whatever else is contrary to the sound doctrine

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 that conforms to the gospel concerning the glory of the blessed God,

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 which he entrusted to me.

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 So Paul makes it clear right out of the gate here

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 that the law God gave long ago to the Israelites

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 had a very specific purpose,

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 or rather a specific group of people that it was given for.

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 He said,

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 The law is made not for the righteous,

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 but for lawbreakers and rebels,

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 the ungodly and sinful,

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 the unholy and irreligious,

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 and he goes on.

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 So the purpose of the law

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 is to convict us of our sins.

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 It's to show us what's wrong,

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 what's evil,

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 what's impure,

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 what's sinful.

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 And if we think back to those Old Testament days,

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 the law was not just an ethical code to live up to

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 or to aspire to,

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 but it was actually in force.

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 It was the governing law of the nation,

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 or at least it was supposed to be.

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 Israel departed from it at various moments.

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 So the law didn't just convict,

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 but it also condemned the guilty.

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 For example,

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 Exodus chapter 21 verse 12,

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 Anyone who strikes a person with a fatal blow

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 is to be put to death.

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 However,

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 if it's not done intentionally,

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 but God lets it happen,

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 they are to flee to a place

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 I will designate.

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 So the law was made,

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 in part,

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 so that murderers,

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 people who intentionally killed other people,

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 might receive the punishment

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 that they deserve.

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 It was given by God

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 so that there would be justice

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 among his people.

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 And we might also argue

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 that it was given to restrain

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 or deter people

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 from doing these kinds of things

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 because it made the consequences

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 of doing wrong

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 costly.

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 There was a penalty

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 or punishment.

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 So Paul goes on

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 and he gives this big list

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 of people

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 that the law was made for.

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 And he uses all these different words

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 to describe

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 these people,

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 various attitudes

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 as well as behaviors.

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 And we're just going to quickly

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 go through this list.

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 It's quite the list.

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 He starts by saying

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 that it's for

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 lawbreakers

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 and rebels.

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 Quite literally,

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 for the lawless.

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 People who are generally

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 insubordinate.

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 Don't want to submit

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 to authority

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 of any kind.

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 People who have the attitude

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 of

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 I'm going to do

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 whatever I want to do

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 and ain't nobody

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 going to tell me

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 what to do.

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 Rebels kind of captures

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 that same sort of idea.

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 People who generally

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 are

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 just going to break

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 the law.

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 They're going to go off.

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 They're going to do

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 whatever they want.

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 It's for the ungodly,

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 says Paul.

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 The opposite of that

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 would be a godly person

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 and a godly person

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 is a person

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 who is devoted

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 to God.

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 A person who obeys God,

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 who worships God.

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 And so an ungodly person

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 is the opposite.

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 It's a person

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 who has no fear of God.

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 Who disobeys God.

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 Who disregards God.

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 It's for the sinful,

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 says Paul.

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 A person who does

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 things that are wrong.

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 Things that fall short

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 of what God has revealed

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 is good and right.

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 He says it's for the unholy.

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 Which refers to

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 a person who is profane.

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 Somebody who treats

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 holy things

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 or sacred things

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 as if they were

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 just common.

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 A person who's irreverent.

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 It's for the irreligious.

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 A person who cares

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 more about this world

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 than about God.

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 Somebody who minimizes

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 or marginalizes God.

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 Cares more about

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 the stuff around,

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 the stuff of earth.

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 It's for murderers,

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 says Paul.

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 We talked about

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 that one already.

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 It's for the sexually

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 immoral,

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 says Paul.

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 The Greek word

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 used there

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 is pornois,

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 from which we get

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 our English word

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 pornography.

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 This word

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 refers to people

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 who engage in

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 any kind of

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 sexually immoral

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 behavior,

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 fornication,

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 adultery,

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 basically any kind

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 of sexual relations

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 or interactions

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 with someone

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 who you're not

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 married to

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 would be considered

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 sexually immoral.

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 Paul then gives

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 another specific

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 kind of sexually

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 immoral behavior.

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 Those who practice

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 homosexuality.

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 And at this point,

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 I want to hit the

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 pause button

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 and talk about

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 some of this stuff

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 as it relates today

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 because,

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 I mean,

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 the way that they

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 would have heard this

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 back in Ephesus

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 in those days

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 is probably a little

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 different than how

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 we would hear it

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 today in our culture.

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 We live in a culture

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 and time where

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 there are countless

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 voices saying that

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 when it comes to

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 sexuality,

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 anything is okay.

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 If it feels good,

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 do it.

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 Don't let anyone

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 tell you that your

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 sexual choices are wrong.

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 And this attitude,

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 this view of human

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 sexuality is promoted

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 everywhere.

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 Probably many of you

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 have heard this.

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 It's on the TV shows

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 and in the movies.

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 It's promoted by

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 journalists and

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 news writers.

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 It's promoted by

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 those who identify

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 as LGBTQ.

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 It's promoted by

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 governments and

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 workplaces now.

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 It's promoted by

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 teachers and in

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 schools.

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 It's promoted by

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 vocal organizations

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 like Planned Parenthood

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 and the Abortion Rights

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 Coalition of Canada.

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 It's promoted by

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 international organizations

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 like the World Health

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 Organization and the

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 United Nations.

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 And I could go on

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 but I think you know

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 what I'm talking about.

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 This message is coming

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 on all channels,

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 all around us.

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 When it comes to

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 sex, almost anything

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 is okay.

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 If it feels good,

00:09:24.240 --> 00:09:24.759
 do it.

00:09:25.039 --> 00:09:25.879
 Don't let anybody

00:09:25.879 --> 00:09:27.519
 tell you that your

00:09:27.519 --> 00:09:28.740
 sexual choices are

00:09:28.740 --> 00:09:29.059
 wrong.

00:09:30.699 --> 00:09:31.960
 But Paul says right

00:09:31.960 --> 00:09:32.919
 here that long ago

00:09:32.919 --> 00:09:34.019
 when God gave his

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 law to the Israelites,

00:09:35.759 --> 00:09:37.039
 one of its purposes

00:09:37.039 --> 00:09:38.179
 was to show us that

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 there is a sexual

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 right and a sexual

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 wrong.

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 There is a good

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 design and plan

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 of God for human

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 sexuality and the

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 Old Testament law

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 lays out the ways

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 that we corrupt

00:09:51.959 --> 00:09:53.539
 that, the ways that

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 we deviate from

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 that.

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 Sex outside of

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 marriage, adultery,

00:10:00.579 --> 00:10:02.740
 cheating, sex with

00:10:02.740 --> 00:10:04.000
 relatives, and Paul

00:10:04.000 --> 00:10:05.740
 explicitly in this list

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 mentions homosexuality.

00:10:09.539 --> 00:10:10.500
 Sex with people of

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 the same sex.

00:10:13.620 --> 00:10:14.879
 Quite literally, for

00:10:14.879 --> 00:10:16.060
 men who go to bed

00:10:16.060 --> 00:10:16.580
 with men.

00:10:18.940 --> 00:10:20.060
 Now I know that even

00:10:20.060 --> 00:10:21.080
 saying that in public

00:10:21.080 --> 00:10:22.519
 is considered hateful

00:10:22.519 --> 00:10:24.399
 today, bigoted,

00:10:25.060 --> 00:10:26.899
 intolerant, but let's

00:10:26.899 --> 00:10:27.899
 remember these are the

00:10:27.899 --> 00:10:29.220
 words of God himself.

00:10:30.379 --> 00:10:31.620
 These are the words of

00:10:31.620 --> 00:10:33.039
 Jesus Christ himself

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 speaking through his

00:10:34.379 --> 00:10:34.779
 apostle.

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 He's saying, just like

00:10:38.019 --> 00:10:39.059
 the Old Testament law

00:10:39.059 --> 00:10:40.080
 revealed all those

00:10:40.080 --> 00:10:41.539
 years ago, there is a

00:10:41.539 --> 00:10:43.519
 sexual right and a

00:10:43.519 --> 00:10:44.299
 sexual wrong.

00:10:46.679 --> 00:10:47.879
 God's law laid it out

00:10:47.879 --> 00:10:48.899
 long ago so that we

00:10:48.899 --> 00:10:51.379
 could know it, so that

00:10:51.379 --> 00:10:52.179
 we could be convicted

00:10:52.179 --> 00:10:54.320
 of it, so that we

00:10:54.320 --> 00:10:56.179
 could turn to God and

00:10:56.179 --> 00:10:58.120
 be washed and cleansed

00:10:58.120 --> 00:10:59.019
 of it and be called

00:10:59.019 --> 00:11:01.379
 back to that way that

00:11:01.379 --> 00:11:03.659
 he designed us to be,

00:11:03.659 --> 00:11:05.039
 to the goodness of

00:11:05.039 --> 00:11:06.179
 human sexuality that

00:11:06.179 --> 00:11:07.339
 he made us to enjoy,

00:11:08.100 --> 00:11:10.360
 to what is right, to

00:11:10.360 --> 00:11:13.559
 real intimacy, real

00:11:13.559 --> 00:11:14.959
 intimacy between a

00:11:14.959 --> 00:11:16.959
 married man and a

00:11:16.959 --> 00:11:18.199
 married woman who

00:11:18.199 --> 00:11:19.919
 give themselves only to

00:11:19.919 --> 00:11:20.659
 each other.

00:11:22.259 --> 00:11:23.519
 Sadly, many people in

00:11:23.519 --> 00:11:25.299
 our world today simply

00:11:25.299 --> 00:11:26.439
 reject the creator and

00:11:26.439 --> 00:11:27.399
 what he has to say.

00:11:27.399 --> 00:11:30.279
 They want to go their

00:11:30.279 --> 00:11:30.819
 own way.

00:11:31.139 --> 00:11:31.620
 They want to do

00:11:31.620 --> 00:11:32.600
 whatever they please

00:11:32.600 --> 00:11:34.039
 when it comes to

00:11:34.039 --> 00:11:34.740
 sexuality.

00:11:36.539 --> 00:11:38.620
 And so, for many, it

00:11:38.620 --> 00:11:40.500
 has brought nothing but

00:11:40.500 --> 00:11:45.039
 grief, heartache, broken

00:11:45.039 --> 00:11:47.879
 relationships, broken

00:11:47.879 --> 00:11:48.419
 trust.

00:11:49.419 --> 00:11:50.579
 It's led to women

00:11:50.579 --> 00:11:51.539
 feeling used.

00:11:51.539 --> 00:11:53.419
 It's led to children

00:11:53.419 --> 00:11:54.779
 being conceived with no

00:11:54.779 --> 00:11:56.620
 committed mother to

00:11:56.620 --> 00:11:57.799
 carry the child, no

00:11:57.799 --> 00:11:58.959
 committed father to

00:11:58.959 --> 00:12:00.099
 help raise the child.

00:12:01.159 --> 00:12:02.279
 It's led to cover-ups,

00:12:02.779 --> 00:12:04.959
 scandals, secrets, and

00:12:04.959 --> 00:12:05.360
 lies.

00:12:07.519 --> 00:12:08.639
 Ignoring what God has to

00:12:08.639 --> 00:12:10.559
 say about our sexuality

00:12:10.559 --> 00:12:12.240
 has led to one of the

00:12:12.240 --> 00:12:13.059
 deepest kinds of

00:12:13.059 --> 00:12:14.839
 confusion that we can

00:12:14.839 --> 00:12:15.539
 experience.

00:12:16.579 --> 00:12:17.579
 And rightly so, because

00:12:17.579 --> 00:12:20.120
 sex, it's a thing that

00:12:20.120 --> 00:12:21.600
 affects our bodies

00:12:21.600 --> 00:12:22.080
 deeply.

00:12:22.519 --> 00:12:23.179
 There's hormones,

00:12:23.360 --> 00:12:24.220
 there's chemicals, I'm

00:12:24.220 --> 00:12:24.840
 not going to go into

00:12:24.840 --> 00:12:25.639
 all the details.

00:12:25.899 --> 00:12:27.440
 There's synopses being

00:12:27.440 --> 00:12:28.700
 formed in our brains,

00:12:30.200 --> 00:12:31.639
 pathways strengthened when

00:12:31.639 --> 00:12:35.080
 we do God's design.

00:12:35.340 --> 00:12:36.460
 But when we take what he

00:12:36.460 --> 00:12:37.159
 has designed and

00:12:37.159 --> 00:12:38.379
 deviated from it, we're

00:12:38.379 --> 00:12:39.820
 affected in all those

00:12:39.820 --> 00:12:41.580
 areas of our body as

00:12:41.580 --> 00:12:41.820
 well.

00:12:41.940 --> 00:12:42.679
 Our feelings and

00:12:42.679 --> 00:12:43.820
 emotions are affected

00:12:43.820 --> 00:12:47.100
 so deeply that it's no

00:12:47.100 --> 00:12:47.919
 wonder that we see the

00:12:47.919 --> 00:12:48.759
 kind of chaotic

00:12:48.759 --> 00:12:50.039
 confusion that we see

00:12:50.039 --> 00:12:51.099
 today around this

00:12:51.099 --> 00:12:51.339
 issue.

00:12:51.439 --> 00:12:53.099
 We've got men who

00:12:53.099 --> 00:12:54.299
 think that they can

00:12:54.299 --> 00:12:54.740
 be women.

00:12:55.980 --> 00:12:57.360
 We've got women who

00:12:57.360 --> 00:12:58.159
 think that they can be

00:12:58.159 --> 00:12:58.419
 men.

00:12:58.519 --> 00:12:59.399
 We've got people out

00:12:59.399 --> 00:13:00.339
 there today saying

00:13:00.339 --> 00:13:03.099
 absolutely, men can

00:13:03.099 --> 00:13:04.059
 become pregnant.

00:13:07.980 --> 00:13:09.179
 And if you disagree,

00:13:10.039 --> 00:13:11.019
 they say you're

00:13:11.019 --> 00:13:11.779
 transphobic.

00:13:13.959 --> 00:13:15.240
 The truth is that we

00:13:15.240 --> 00:13:16.439
 live in a time of

00:13:16.439 --> 00:13:17.740
 widespread sexual

00:13:17.740 --> 00:13:18.379
 confusion.

00:13:18.379 --> 00:13:18.480
 confusion.

00:13:20.019 --> 00:13:21.139
 Some are somewhat

00:13:21.139 --> 00:13:22.080
 innocent in that

00:13:22.080 --> 00:13:22.559
 confusion.

00:13:23.120 --> 00:13:23.860
 Maybe they've been the

00:13:23.860 --> 00:13:27.179
 victim of abuse or

00:13:27.179 --> 00:13:27.600
 bullying.

00:13:28.379 --> 00:13:29.659
 Or maybe they've simply

00:13:29.659 --> 00:13:30.779
 just accepted what

00:13:30.779 --> 00:13:32.360
 they've been taught from

00:13:32.360 --> 00:13:33.139
 the time they were

00:13:33.139 --> 00:13:33.639
 young.

00:13:34.320 --> 00:13:35.860
 While others are more

00:13:35.860 --> 00:13:36.639
 militant.

00:13:37.480 --> 00:13:39.460
 They know full well what

00:13:39.460 --> 00:13:40.840
 they are doing, what

00:13:40.840 --> 00:13:42.700
 they are advocating, and

00:13:42.700 --> 00:13:43.019
 why.

00:13:43.019 --> 00:13:46.600
 nevertheless, what God

00:13:46.600 --> 00:13:47.340
 has said has been

00:13:47.340 --> 00:13:47.879
 consistent.

00:13:49.079 --> 00:13:50.079
 From what he has said

00:13:50.079 --> 00:13:51.159
 in Genesis about how

00:13:51.159 --> 00:13:52.799
 he created man and

00:13:52.799 --> 00:13:55.340
 woman and what

00:13:55.340 --> 00:13:57.360
 marriage is to be, to

00:13:57.360 --> 00:13:58.100
 what he said at Mount

00:13:58.100 --> 00:13:59.720
 Sinai when he gave the

00:13:59.720 --> 00:14:01.899
 law, what is sexually

00:14:01.899 --> 00:14:03.340
 right and what is

00:14:03.340 --> 00:14:04.159
 sexually wrong.

00:14:05.079 --> 00:14:06.419
 Up until this time when

00:14:06.419 --> 00:14:08.500
 he speaks again through

00:14:08.500 --> 00:14:10.519
 Paul to Timothy, there

00:14:10.519 --> 00:14:11.779
 is a sexual right and

00:14:11.779 --> 00:14:12.980
 there is a sexual wrong

00:14:12.980 --> 00:14:14.019
 and it hasn't changed

00:14:14.019 --> 00:14:15.559
 over all that time.

00:14:17.419 --> 00:14:18.720
 The law was given by

00:14:18.720 --> 00:14:20.139
 God in the first place

00:14:20.139 --> 00:14:22.679
 to reveal that and to

00:14:22.679 --> 00:14:24.240
 expose the wrongness of

00:14:24.240 --> 00:14:26.600
 deviating from it and

00:14:26.600 --> 00:14:27.159
 it does.

00:14:27.819 --> 00:14:30.419
 Sexual sin does leave us

00:14:30.419 --> 00:14:32.360
 guilty before God.

00:14:33.139 --> 00:14:34.539
 Just as the other things

00:14:34.539 --> 00:14:35.919
 in this list leave us

00:14:35.919 --> 00:14:37.299
 guilty before God.

00:14:37.299 --> 00:14:37.339
 God.

00:14:38.159 --> 00:14:39.439
 But there is good news

00:14:39.439 --> 00:14:40.779
 which we are getting

00:14:40.779 --> 00:14:41.079
 to.

00:14:42.539 --> 00:14:43.799
 But before we do, let's

00:14:43.799 --> 00:14:44.719
 just look at these last

00:14:44.719 --> 00:14:45.740
 few things in the list.

00:14:46.319 --> 00:14:47.259
 Paul says the law was

00:14:47.259 --> 00:14:48.419
 made for slave traders.

00:14:50.379 --> 00:14:51.659
 In the original language

00:14:51.659 --> 00:14:52.679
 it is literally man

00:14:52.679 --> 00:14:53.359
 stealers.

00:14:54.519 --> 00:14:55.339
 And it could be

00:14:55.339 --> 00:14:56.459
 translated kidnappers.

00:14:57.259 --> 00:14:58.399
 In Bible times, slavery

00:14:58.399 --> 00:15:00.519
 was an established social

00:15:00.519 --> 00:15:01.659
 construct and you could

00:15:01.659 --> 00:15:03.359
 sell yourself into slavery

00:15:03.359 --> 00:15:05.120
 to pay off a large debt

00:15:05.120 --> 00:15:06.139
 in the time of financial

00:15:06.139 --> 00:15:06.500
 ruin.

00:15:07.360 --> 00:15:08.480
 But this seems more

00:15:08.480 --> 00:15:09.340
 aimed at those who

00:15:09.340 --> 00:15:10.279
 would actually like go

00:15:10.279 --> 00:15:12.519
 and kidnap somebody who

00:15:12.519 --> 00:15:14.340
 was a free man and then

00:15:14.340 --> 00:15:15.379
 sell them into slavery.

00:15:16.179 --> 00:15:17.139
 And this is something

00:15:17.139 --> 00:15:18.340
 that still happens today.

00:15:18.960 --> 00:15:20.179
 Human trafficking of any

00:15:20.179 --> 00:15:21.259
 sort would kind of be

00:15:21.259 --> 00:15:22.259
 covered by this

00:15:22.259 --> 00:15:23.120
 description.

00:15:25.679 --> 00:15:26.759
 Paul says the law was

00:15:26.759 --> 00:15:27.560
 made for liars.

00:15:29.539 --> 00:15:30.539
 I have to be honest,

00:15:30.620 --> 00:15:31.620
 when we get to that word,

00:15:31.820 --> 00:15:32.840
 I'm kind of surprised.

00:15:32.840 --> 00:15:34.040
 You know, the other

00:15:34.040 --> 00:15:35.100
 things mentioned, they

00:15:35.100 --> 00:15:37.040
 seem really, some of them

00:15:37.040 --> 00:15:38.080
 really bad or really

00:15:38.080 --> 00:15:38.700
 obvious.

00:15:39.620 --> 00:15:41.200
 Murder, sexual immorality,

00:15:41.420 --> 00:15:41.800
 kidnapping.

00:15:43.100 --> 00:15:44.019
 But then liars.

00:15:46.040 --> 00:15:47.160
 Lying is something that

00:15:47.160 --> 00:15:48.740
 deviates from God's good

00:15:48.740 --> 00:15:50.620
 design as well.

00:15:51.360 --> 00:15:52.180
 It's evil.

00:15:53.139 --> 00:15:54.379
 It's much worse than we

00:15:54.379 --> 00:15:54.680
 think.

00:15:55.899 --> 00:15:57.060
 And it puts us in the

00:15:57.060 --> 00:15:57.879
 same boat as all the

00:15:57.879 --> 00:15:58.980
 other sins listed here.

00:15:58.980 --> 00:16:02.500
 guilty before God and

00:16:02.500 --> 00:16:03.200
 his good law.

00:16:05.259 --> 00:16:06.700
 Finally, the law was

00:16:06.700 --> 00:16:07.639
 made for perjurers.

00:16:08.379 --> 00:16:09.340
 Perjury is a specific

00:16:09.340 --> 00:16:10.120
 type of lying.

00:16:10.259 --> 00:16:11.659
 It means to lie in a

00:16:11.659 --> 00:16:12.960
 courtroom while under

00:16:12.960 --> 00:16:14.659
 oath, giving a false

00:16:14.659 --> 00:16:15.180
 testimony.

00:16:17.519 --> 00:16:19.039
 Paul then sums up this

00:16:19.039 --> 00:16:21.060
 list by adding a

00:16:21.060 --> 00:16:22.159
 catch-all phrase at the

00:16:22.159 --> 00:16:22.460
 end.

00:16:23.759 --> 00:16:25.800
 He says the law is made

00:16:25.799 --> 00:16:27.599
 for people characterized

00:16:27.599 --> 00:16:29.039
 by all these attitudes

00:16:29.039 --> 00:16:30.519
 and behaviors and also

00:16:30.519 --> 00:16:31.839
 for any others that I

00:16:31.839 --> 00:16:33.599
 didn't list that are

00:16:33.599 --> 00:16:34.939
 contrary to the sound

00:16:34.939 --> 00:16:36.620
 doctrine that conforms to

00:16:36.620 --> 00:16:37.199
 the gospel.

00:16:38.539 --> 00:16:39.859
 It's a little bit of a

00:16:39.859 --> 00:16:41.059
 tangled up sentence, a

00:16:41.059 --> 00:16:41.519
 long one.

00:16:42.319 --> 00:16:43.639
 Let's just unpack it

00:16:43.639 --> 00:16:44.799
 here little by little.

00:16:45.000 --> 00:16:45.899
 We'll start at the end.

00:16:47.240 --> 00:16:48.519
 Which he entrusted to me.

00:16:49.519 --> 00:16:50.240
 So Paul has been

00:16:50.240 --> 00:16:51.479
 entrusted with something by

00:16:51.479 --> 00:16:53.979
 God and that something is

00:16:53.980 --> 00:16:55.659
 the gospel, the good

00:16:55.659 --> 00:16:56.080
 news.

00:16:56.940 --> 00:16:58.180
 Here Paul describes the

00:16:58.180 --> 00:16:59.220
 good news as the good

00:16:59.220 --> 00:17:01.340
 news about the glory of

00:17:01.340 --> 00:17:01.740
 God.

00:17:03.159 --> 00:17:04.720
 That's one way of

00:17:04.720 --> 00:17:06.200
 describing what God has

00:17:06.200 --> 00:17:07.839
 done in sending Jesus to

00:17:07.839 --> 00:17:08.420
 save us.

00:17:08.940 --> 00:17:10.339
 It's a revealing of his

00:17:10.339 --> 00:17:11.299
 glorious nature.

00:17:12.579 --> 00:17:15.339
 And closer to his main

00:17:15.339 --> 00:17:16.960
 point, there is a sound

00:17:16.960 --> 00:17:17.500
 doctrine.

00:17:17.640 --> 00:17:18.720
 There is a true teaching

00:17:18.720 --> 00:17:20.860
 that conforms to the

00:17:20.860 --> 00:17:21.279
 gospel.

00:17:22.220 --> 00:17:23.880
 Or we might say goes with

00:17:23.880 --> 00:17:24.720
 the good news.

00:17:25.160 --> 00:17:26.100
 Accompanies the good

00:17:26.100 --> 00:17:26.460
 news.

00:17:27.900 --> 00:17:29.440
 Jesus died to save us,

00:17:29.780 --> 00:17:30.080
 yes.

00:17:30.640 --> 00:17:32.220
 But he also came teaching

00:17:32.220 --> 00:17:34.280
 about kingdom

00:17:34.280 --> 00:17:34.860
 righteousness.

00:17:36.600 --> 00:17:37.860
 For example, he taught

00:17:37.860 --> 00:17:39.480
 about money and greed.

00:17:40.680 --> 00:17:41.600
 Paul didn't say anything

00:17:41.600 --> 00:17:42.820
 in this list about that.

00:17:44.780 --> 00:17:45.780
 But that would be an

00:17:45.780 --> 00:17:47.040
 example of something else

00:17:47.040 --> 00:17:48.360
 that is contrary to the

00:17:48.360 --> 00:17:50.020
 sound teaching that

00:17:50.020 --> 00:17:51.380
 conforms to the gospel.

00:17:51.380 --> 00:17:53.460
 And the main point he's

00:17:53.460 --> 00:17:54.480
 making, the law is

00:17:54.480 --> 00:17:55.780
 helpful in convicting us

00:17:55.780 --> 00:17:57.040
 about all these things,

00:17:57.340 --> 00:17:58.300
 even the things I didn't

00:17:58.300 --> 00:18:00.140
 mention in this list.

00:18:03.960 --> 00:18:05.860
 And so let's apply this

00:18:05.860 --> 00:18:08.260
 list today.

00:18:09.540 --> 00:18:11.180
 As you look down this list,

00:18:11.180 --> 00:18:14.759
 are you anywhere in this

00:18:14.759 --> 00:18:15.160
 list?

00:18:19.340 --> 00:18:20.600
 Do any of these sinful

00:18:20.600 --> 00:18:22.640
 attitudes or behaviors

00:18:22.640 --> 00:18:25.140
 describe how you have

00:18:25.140 --> 00:18:29.160
 been at one time or

00:18:29.160 --> 00:18:30.080
 another in your life?

00:18:34.279 --> 00:18:35.299
 Most of us can look

00:18:35.299 --> 00:18:36.039
 through this and say,

00:18:36.140 --> 00:18:37.400
 well, I haven't murdered

00:18:37.400 --> 00:18:40.320
 anyone or kidnapped

00:18:40.320 --> 00:18:43.500
 anyone or lied under

00:18:43.500 --> 00:18:44.400
 oath in court.

00:18:46.580 --> 00:18:47.820
 But all of us have told

00:18:47.820 --> 00:18:50.340
 a lie, if not many.

00:18:52.019 --> 00:18:53.140
 Likely, some of us have

00:18:53.140 --> 00:18:54.220
 engaged in some kind of

00:18:54.220 --> 00:18:55.519
 sexually immoral behavior.

00:18:57.660 --> 00:18:58.800
 Probably all of us have

00:18:58.800 --> 00:19:00.019
 shown disregard for the

00:19:00.019 --> 00:19:01.120
 law of our land at one

00:19:01.120 --> 00:19:02.140
 time or another.

00:19:04.100 --> 00:19:05.200
 Probably all of us have

00:19:05.200 --> 00:19:06.160
 acted in a way that's

00:19:06.160 --> 00:19:07.500
 sacrilegious or profane,

00:19:08.180 --> 00:19:09.940
 even if it's just with a

00:19:09.940 --> 00:19:11.640
 comment or words that we

00:19:11.640 --> 00:19:12.000
 said.

00:19:14.640 --> 00:19:16.019
 The law was made for the

00:19:16.019 --> 00:19:16.380
 sinful.

00:19:17.220 --> 00:19:18.420
 In Paul's letter to the

00:19:18.420 --> 00:19:20.300
 Roman church, he says,

00:19:20.460 --> 00:19:22.300
 all have sinned and fall

00:19:22.300 --> 00:19:23.900
 short of the glory of God.

00:19:25.220 --> 00:19:26.580
 In case we get to the

00:19:26.580 --> 00:19:27.920
 very bottom of this list

00:19:27.920 --> 00:19:28.860
 and somehow feel like,

00:19:28.940 --> 00:19:29.680
 well, it's not talking

00:19:29.680 --> 00:19:30.160
 about me.

00:19:30.259 --> 00:19:31.460
 I haven't been anything

00:19:31.460 --> 00:19:32.800
 like any of this.

00:19:34.360 --> 00:19:35.300
 There's that catch-all

00:19:35.299 --> 00:19:36.220
 phrase at the end.

00:19:37.720 --> 00:19:39.079
 Have you done anything

00:19:39.079 --> 00:19:41.720
 that is contrary to the

00:19:41.720 --> 00:19:43.980
 true teaching that fits

00:19:43.980 --> 00:19:44.960
 with the good news of

00:19:44.960 --> 00:19:45.279
 Jesus?

00:19:49.159 --> 00:19:50.619
 Where does Paul see

00:19:50.619 --> 00:19:52.379
 himself in relation to

00:19:52.379 --> 00:19:52.919
 this list?

00:19:54.200 --> 00:19:55.740
 Does he see himself as

00:19:55.740 --> 00:19:56.440
 the righteous?

00:19:57.359 --> 00:19:59.500
 A man for whom the law

00:19:59.500 --> 00:20:00.399
 wasn't made?

00:20:00.400 --> 00:20:03.880
 Or does he see himself as

00:20:03.880 --> 00:20:04.960
 being among the guilty?

00:20:06.780 --> 00:20:08.100
 One for whom this law

00:20:08.100 --> 00:20:08.940
 was made.

00:20:09.820 --> 00:20:10.900
 It's at this point that

00:20:10.900 --> 00:20:13.019
 Paul now begins to share

00:20:13.019 --> 00:20:15.380
 honestly his own story

00:20:15.380 --> 00:20:16.180
 about himself.

00:20:17.820 --> 00:20:19.740
 He says, I thank Christ

00:20:19.740 --> 00:20:23.000
 Jesus, our Lord, who has

00:20:23.000 --> 00:20:24.900
 given me strength, that he

00:20:24.900 --> 00:20:25.900
 considered me trustworthy,

00:20:26.180 --> 00:20:28.060
 appointing me to his

00:20:28.059 --> 00:20:28.519
 service.

00:20:30.980 --> 00:20:32.879
 Even though I was once

00:20:32.879 --> 00:20:35.639
 a blasphemer and a

00:20:35.639 --> 00:20:38.059
 persecutor and a violent

00:20:38.059 --> 00:20:41.099
 man, I was shown mercy

00:20:41.099 --> 00:20:42.740
 because I acted in

00:20:42.740 --> 00:20:45.319
 ignorance and unbelief.

00:20:48.839 --> 00:20:50.659
 So as Paul brings this

00:20:50.659 --> 00:20:51.679
 big list of sinful

00:20:51.679 --> 00:20:52.879
 attitudes and behaviors,

00:20:53.200 --> 00:20:54.059
 what does it do?

00:20:54.559 --> 00:20:56.139
 Does it bolster Paul's

00:20:56.140 --> 00:20:57.140
 self-righteousness?

00:20:59.240 --> 00:20:59.720
 No.

00:21:00.300 --> 00:21:01.400
 It's as if as he's giving

00:21:01.400 --> 00:21:03.080
 this list, he's reminded

00:21:03.080 --> 00:21:04.580
 of his own sinfulness,

00:21:05.240 --> 00:21:07.600
 his own unworthiness,

00:21:08.000 --> 00:21:10.300
 to be an apostle entrusted

00:21:10.300 --> 00:21:11.560
 with this good news of

00:21:11.560 --> 00:21:11.880
 Jesus.

00:21:12.880 --> 00:21:14.300
 He starts by thanking

00:21:14.300 --> 00:21:16.140
 Christ Jesus that he was

00:21:16.140 --> 00:21:17.460
 even selected in the first

00:21:17.460 --> 00:21:18.680
 place to serve as an

00:21:18.680 --> 00:21:19.020
 apostle.

00:21:20.300 --> 00:21:21.680
 And he acknowledges that

00:21:21.680 --> 00:21:22.700
 it has been Christ Jesus

00:21:22.700 --> 00:21:24.500
 who has given him strength

00:21:24.500 --> 00:21:25.759
 to do the job.

00:21:31.099 --> 00:21:32.259
 And then he goes on to

00:21:32.259 --> 00:21:34.339
 confess his own sins here

00:21:34.339 --> 00:21:35.220
 in verse 13.

00:21:36.720 --> 00:21:38.640
 Even though I was once a

00:21:38.640 --> 00:21:41.740
 blasphemer and a

00:21:41.740 --> 00:21:43.660
 persecutor and a violent

00:21:43.660 --> 00:21:47.920
 man, the word blaspheme

00:21:47.920 --> 00:21:50.599
 as it applied to Jesus,

00:21:50.759 --> 00:21:52.119
 as he was accused, it kind

00:21:52.119 --> 00:21:53.339
 of meant claiming to be

00:21:53.339 --> 00:21:54.279
 God, but it had a more

00:21:54.279 --> 00:21:55.519
 general meaning, just of

00:21:55.519 --> 00:21:56.219
 slander.

00:21:57.819 --> 00:21:59.119
 Paul's confessing here,

00:21:59.599 --> 00:22:00.719
 I was once a

00:22:00.719 --> 00:22:01.299
 blasphemer.

00:22:01.419 --> 00:22:03.179
 I was once a person who

00:22:03.179 --> 00:22:05.779
 slandered the people of

00:22:05.779 --> 00:22:06.619
 Jesus Christ.

00:22:08.779 --> 00:22:10.119
 I was a person who

00:22:10.119 --> 00:22:11.879
 demeaned the name of

00:22:11.879 --> 00:22:12.419
 Christ.

00:22:15.479 --> 00:22:16.799
 Paul says, I was a

00:22:16.799 --> 00:22:17.619
 persecutor.

00:22:17.619 --> 00:22:22.199
 I was a man who went

00:22:22.199 --> 00:22:23.579
 after the followers of

00:22:23.579 --> 00:22:25.079
 Jesus to round them up

00:22:25.079 --> 00:22:27.959
 and bring harm to them,

00:22:28.679 --> 00:22:31.619
 even to see them killed.

00:22:32.679 --> 00:22:34.439
 I was a violent man.

00:22:35.659 --> 00:22:37.419
 I saw to it that people

00:22:37.419 --> 00:22:39.539
 were beaten, that they

00:22:39.539 --> 00:22:40.679
 were killed for following

00:22:40.679 --> 00:22:41.119
 Jesus.

00:22:41.119 --> 00:22:45.359
 And yet, I was shown

00:22:45.359 --> 00:22:48.279
 mercy, says Paul.

00:22:50.439 --> 00:22:51.759
 Christ Jesus was

00:22:51.759 --> 00:22:53.519
 compassionate towards me.

00:22:54.219 --> 00:22:55.399
 He took pity on me.

00:22:55.500 --> 00:22:57.459
 He didn't treat me the

00:22:57.459 --> 00:22:58.159
 way I deserve.

00:23:02.679 --> 00:23:03.939
 Now, Paul brings in one

00:23:03.939 --> 00:23:04.599
 factor here.

00:23:04.699 --> 00:23:05.479
 He says he was shown

00:23:05.479 --> 00:23:07.059
 mercy because he acted in

00:23:07.059 --> 00:23:08.339
 ignorance and in

00:23:08.339 --> 00:23:08.979
 unbelief.

00:23:09.339 --> 00:23:10.500
 And I think we need to be

00:23:10.500 --> 00:23:11.779
 careful how we read that

00:23:11.779 --> 00:23:12.140
 statement.

00:23:12.819 --> 00:23:13.759
 I don't think Paul's

00:23:13.759 --> 00:23:14.920
 making an excuse here.

00:23:15.660 --> 00:23:16.559
 He's not saying, because

00:23:16.559 --> 00:23:17.819
 I was ignorant, I wasn't

00:23:17.819 --> 00:23:18.180
 guilty.

00:23:18.740 --> 00:23:20.559
 No, he's saying, I was

00:23:20.559 --> 00:23:21.180
 shown mercy.

00:23:21.319 --> 00:23:22.279
 In other words, I know

00:23:22.279 --> 00:23:24.099
 that I deserved punishment

00:23:24.099 --> 00:23:25.619
 for my sins, the things I

00:23:25.619 --> 00:23:26.619
 did against Christ.

00:23:27.359 --> 00:23:28.660
 So he's not using it as

00:23:28.660 --> 00:23:29.200
 an excuse.

00:23:30.779 --> 00:23:31.920
 Second, I don't think he's

00:23:31.920 --> 00:23:32.880
 saying that Jesus was

00:23:32.880 --> 00:23:33.920
 obligated to show me

00:23:33.920 --> 00:23:35.000
 mercy because I was

00:23:35.000 --> 00:23:38.839
 ignorant or because I had

00:23:38.839 --> 00:23:41.019
 done belief as if somehow

00:23:41.019 --> 00:23:42.459
 Paul earned the mercy of

00:23:42.459 --> 00:23:44.799
 Christ by being ignorant.

00:23:45.579 --> 00:23:46.519
 I think what he's getting

00:23:46.519 --> 00:23:48.399
 at here is there was a

00:23:48.399 --> 00:23:49.859
 difference between Paul, it

00:23:49.859 --> 00:23:50.859
 seems, and many of the

00:23:50.859 --> 00:23:52.579
 other religious leaders, the

00:23:52.579 --> 00:23:53.159
 Pharisees.

00:23:53.539 --> 00:23:55.720
 For them, they weren't

00:23:55.720 --> 00:23:56.699
 acting in ignorance.

00:23:57.679 --> 00:23:59.419
 They saw with their own

00:23:59.419 --> 00:24:01.019
 eyes the signs that Jesus

00:24:01.019 --> 00:24:02.079
 did, the miracles.

00:24:02.079 --> 00:24:05.740
 And they knew, deep down

00:24:05.740 --> 00:24:06.699
 inside, they knew what

00:24:06.699 --> 00:24:08.679
 those miracles pointed to.

00:24:09.460 --> 00:24:10.639
 And yet they knowingly and

00:24:10.639 --> 00:24:11.960
 willfully rejected him,

00:24:12.720 --> 00:24:13.819
 persecuted him, and put

00:24:13.819 --> 00:24:14.679
 Jesus to death.

00:24:15.539 --> 00:24:16.679
 Paul seems to be a step

00:24:16.679 --> 00:24:17.599
 removed from that.

00:24:18.779 --> 00:24:20.839
 Still spiritually blind and

00:24:20.839 --> 00:24:22.539
 unbelieving, yet also

00:24:22.539 --> 00:24:23.699
 somewhat ignorant to the

00:24:23.699 --> 00:24:25.119
 truth of who Jesus really

00:24:25.119 --> 00:24:27.799
 is until that moment came

00:24:27.799 --> 00:24:29.619
 on the road to Damascus.

00:24:29.619 --> 00:24:32.119
 But listen to this.

00:24:34.139 --> 00:24:36.939
 Paul says, even though I

00:24:36.939 --> 00:24:38.179
 was once a blasphemer, a

00:24:38.179 --> 00:24:39.419
 persecutor, a violent man,

00:24:39.459 --> 00:24:41.039
 I was shown mercy.

00:24:42.099 --> 00:24:43.979
 The grace of our Lord was

00:24:43.979 --> 00:24:45.179
 poured out on me

00:24:45.179 --> 00:24:47.739
 abundantly along with the

00:24:47.739 --> 00:24:49.919
 faith and love that are in

00:24:49.919 --> 00:24:50.759
 Christ Jesus.

00:24:53.399 --> 00:24:54.799
 I love that metaphor.

00:24:55.079 --> 00:24:56.879
 Poured out abundantly.

00:24:56.880 --> 00:24:59.420
 All the scholars will tell

00:24:59.420 --> 00:25:00.620
 you there's one word here.

00:25:00.760 --> 00:25:02.560
 It's like super abound or

00:25:02.560 --> 00:25:03.320
 something like that.

00:25:03.340 --> 00:25:04.760
 A word Paul made up because

00:25:04.760 --> 00:25:06.060
 they can't find it anywhere

00:25:06.060 --> 00:25:06.440
 else.

00:25:06.560 --> 00:25:08.260
 But the picture is clear.

00:25:09.100 --> 00:25:10.560
 The Lord didn't just give me

00:25:10.560 --> 00:25:11.820
 a second chance.

00:25:12.660 --> 00:25:13.620
 He didn't just wipe the

00:25:13.620 --> 00:25:14.800
 slate clean and then leave

00:25:14.800 --> 00:25:16.500
 me to myself to figure this

00:25:16.500 --> 00:25:16.800
 out.

00:25:17.580 --> 00:25:19.520
 He poured his grace out on

00:25:19.520 --> 00:25:20.980
 me abundantly.

00:25:21.460 --> 00:25:23.660
 His favor, his blessing, his

00:25:23.660 --> 00:25:25.860
 kindness came at me.

00:25:25.859 --> 00:25:27.799
 Into my life like a

00:25:27.799 --> 00:25:30.399
 waterfall flowing all over

00:25:30.399 --> 00:25:32.139
 me, all over my life.

00:25:34.679 --> 00:25:36.159
 And not just his grace,

00:25:36.319 --> 00:25:37.479
 says Paul, but along with

00:25:37.479 --> 00:25:40.299
 his grace came faith and

00:25:40.299 --> 00:25:40.799
 love.

00:25:42.159 --> 00:25:43.379
 He poured these out on me

00:25:43.379 --> 00:25:44.359
 abundantly as well.

00:25:44.479 --> 00:25:46.619
 Yes, even our faith is a

00:25:46.619 --> 00:25:47.479
 gift from God.

00:25:49.899 --> 00:25:51.359
 If we look just back to the

00:25:51.359 --> 00:25:55.979
 previous verse, Paul was in a

00:25:55.979 --> 00:25:57.039
 state of unbelief.

00:25:58.799 --> 00:26:00.139
 Now he's in a state of

00:26:00.139 --> 00:26:02.139
 belief and came the same way

00:26:02.139 --> 00:26:03.240
 that the grace came.

00:26:03.659 --> 00:26:05.740
 It was poured out on him.

00:26:06.799 --> 00:26:08.959
 Paul was a violent man in the

00:26:08.959 --> 00:26:09.740
 previous verse.

00:26:09.859 --> 00:26:13.199
 He says, now a man of love.

00:26:13.200 --> 00:26:15.420
 It was poured out on him.

00:26:18.980 --> 00:26:20.299
 He was transformed.

00:26:21.940 --> 00:26:23.519
 Paul goes on in verse 15.

00:26:23.640 --> 00:26:24.400
 He says, here is a

00:26:24.400 --> 00:26:25.440
 trustworthy saying that

00:26:25.440 --> 00:26:26.740
 deserves full acceptance.

00:26:27.460 --> 00:26:29.500
 Christ Jesus came into the

00:26:29.500 --> 00:26:31.580
 world to save sinners.

00:26:31.579 --> 00:26:31.740
 sinners.

00:26:33.740 --> 00:26:34.859
 This is the gospel.

00:26:35.960 --> 00:26:37.259
 This is the good news of

00:26:37.259 --> 00:26:38.559
 Jesus in a nutshell.

00:26:39.199 --> 00:26:40.879
 Look back up at that list in

00:26:40.879 --> 00:26:41.839
 verses 9 and 10.

00:26:44.279 --> 00:26:45.500
 Look at all these sinful

00:26:45.500 --> 00:26:47.539
 attitudes and behaviors that

00:26:47.539 --> 00:26:48.819
 we might be guilty of.

00:26:51.539 --> 00:26:53.000
 And remember that catch-all

00:26:53.000 --> 00:26:53.960
 phrase at the end which

00:26:53.960 --> 00:26:55.519
 reminds us that if our sin is

00:26:55.519 --> 00:26:58.159
 not listed here, we're not off

00:26:58.159 --> 00:26:59.799
 the hook because this list is

00:26:59.799 --> 00:27:04.220
 an exhaustive and yet Christ

00:27:04.220 --> 00:27:06.720
 Jesus came into the world to

00:27:06.720 --> 00:27:07.879
 save sinners.

00:27:09.159 --> 00:27:11.000
 He came into the world to save

00:27:11.000 --> 00:27:12.259
 people on the list.

00:27:14.200 --> 00:27:15.619
 Paul was on the list.

00:27:17.079 --> 00:27:19.259
 The law's purpose was to expose

00:27:19.259 --> 00:27:21.619
 the truth about each one of us

00:27:21.619 --> 00:27:23.879
 that yes, we are sinners.

00:27:24.539 --> 00:27:25.759
 We are guilty.

00:27:26.159 --> 00:27:27.159
 We are rebels.

00:27:27.319 --> 00:27:28.879
 We're not holy as we ought to

00:27:28.880 --> 00:27:29.080
 be.

00:27:29.080 --> 00:27:31.100
 We have acted wrongly before

00:27:31.100 --> 00:27:33.360
 God in one way or another.

00:27:34.180 --> 00:27:35.660
 But there is good news.

00:27:36.540 --> 00:27:39.200
 God is a blessed and glorious

00:27:39.200 --> 00:27:39.700
 God.

00:27:40.540 --> 00:27:42.900
 He has mercy towards us.

00:27:44.420 --> 00:27:47.360
 He pours out his grace and love

00:27:47.360 --> 00:27:48.700
 abundantly on us.

00:27:50.080 --> 00:27:53.420
 And that's why he came to save

00:27:53.420 --> 00:27:54.460
 sinners like us.

00:27:54.460 --> 00:27:57.680
 This is a trustworthy saying, says

00:27:57.680 --> 00:27:57.980
 Paul.

00:27:58.220 --> 00:27:59.980
 You can bet your life on this.

00:28:00.860 --> 00:28:02.160
 Christ came into the world to

00:28:02.160 --> 00:28:03.279
 save sinners.

00:28:03.680 --> 00:28:04.360
 That's you.

00:28:04.579 --> 00:28:05.220
 That's me.

00:28:06.460 --> 00:28:07.779
 And then Paul confesses.

00:28:08.200 --> 00:28:09.740
 He shares based on these things

00:28:09.740 --> 00:28:10.720
 that he's already said.

00:28:11.440 --> 00:28:12.980
 His own view of himself.

00:28:14.400 --> 00:28:17.180
 He says, sinners of whom I am

00:28:17.180 --> 00:28:17.880
 the worst.

00:28:17.880 --> 00:28:23.760
 So we look at that list.

00:28:23.900 --> 00:28:25.260
 Paul says, I'm among the worst.

00:28:26.580 --> 00:28:27.920
 And we don't need to worry about

00:28:27.920 --> 00:28:29.260
 whether Paul thought he was the

00:28:29.260 --> 00:28:31.460
 worst possible sinner or just

00:28:31.460 --> 00:28:32.240
 among the worst.

00:28:32.360 --> 00:28:34.260
 I mean, case in point, most of us

00:28:34.260 --> 00:28:36.440
 can't say that we hunted down

00:28:36.440 --> 00:28:40.140
 Christians and are responsible for

00:28:40.140 --> 00:28:43.020
 their bodily harm, suffering, and

00:28:43.020 --> 00:28:43.340
 death.

00:28:43.339 --> 00:28:45.439
 Now, all sin is evil.

00:28:45.599 --> 00:28:46.839
 All of it makes us guilty.

00:28:47.459 --> 00:28:49.000
 And yet some sins are especially

00:28:49.000 --> 00:28:49.599
 grievous.

00:28:50.039 --> 00:28:52.379
 Paul says, I did those things that

00:28:52.379 --> 00:28:53.579
 are especially grievous.

00:28:55.839 --> 00:28:57.899
 But for that very reason, he says,

00:28:58.000 --> 00:29:00.939
 I was shown mercy so that in me,

00:29:01.059 --> 00:29:03.240
 the worst of sinners, Christ Jesus

00:29:03.240 --> 00:29:05.799
 might display his immense patience

00:29:05.799 --> 00:29:08.539
 as an example for those who would

00:29:08.539 --> 00:29:10.939
 believe in him and receive eternal

00:29:10.939 --> 00:29:11.359
 life.

00:29:11.359 --> 00:29:17.799
 Paul's saying, God showed me mercy.

00:29:17.959 --> 00:29:20.539
 He was patient with me because he

00:29:20.539 --> 00:29:21.299
 wanted to show.

00:29:21.519 --> 00:29:22.819
 He wanted to give an example.

00:29:24.959 --> 00:29:27.579
 He wanted everyone to know that,

00:29:27.719 --> 00:29:30.419
 yes, even those worst of sins on the

00:29:30.419 --> 00:29:32.599
 list can be forgiven.

00:29:33.439 --> 00:29:35.779
 It doesn't matter how badly you have

00:29:35.779 --> 00:29:36.299
 sinned.

00:29:37.419 --> 00:29:40.299
 Murder, the worst forms of sexual

00:29:40.299 --> 00:29:41.019
 immorality.

00:29:42.220 --> 00:29:44.159
 Jesus wants you to know through Paul

00:29:44.159 --> 00:29:48.019
 that, yes, you can be forgiven.

00:29:49.559 --> 00:29:51.299
 My grace is enough.

00:29:51.399 --> 00:29:53.960
 My mercy is enough to cleanse you and

00:29:53.960 --> 00:29:57.839
 forgive you and save you from what

00:29:57.839 --> 00:29:58.399
 you deserve.

00:29:58.400 --> 00:30:02.880
 And for our part, what do we need to do?

00:30:03.040 --> 00:30:04.620
 Paul kind of throws it in at the end.

00:30:04.680 --> 00:30:07.259
 He says, for those who would believe in

00:30:07.259 --> 00:30:07.640
 him.

00:30:10.220 --> 00:30:10.660
 Believe.

00:30:12.600 --> 00:30:15.740
 Put our trust, put our faith in Jesus

00:30:15.740 --> 00:30:19.740
 and we will receive eternal life.

00:30:19.740 --> 00:30:24.920
 So I want to ask you, do you believe in

00:30:24.920 --> 00:30:25.259
 Jesus?

00:30:29.259 --> 00:30:31.440
 Have you surrendered your heart to Jesus?

00:30:31.440 --> 00:30:31.580
 Jesus.

00:30:39.160 --> 00:30:42.660
 This news is so good that we could be

00:30:42.660 --> 00:30:44.440
 forgiven, that we could be saved despite

00:30:45.019 --> 00:30:47.380
 what we have done, that Paul burst into

00:30:47.380 --> 00:30:47.820
 praise.

00:30:48.039 --> 00:30:50.160
 Now to the king, eternal, immortal,

00:30:50.400 --> 00:30:53.720
 invisible, the only God be honor and

00:30:53.720 --> 00:30:55.120
 glory forever and ever.

00:30:55.820 --> 00:30:56.180
 Amen.

00:30:56.180 --> 00:31:00.240
 I love this.

00:31:00.580 --> 00:31:03.000
 He is so touched deeply by the mercy of

00:31:03.000 --> 00:31:05.759
 God in his own life, by the grace of

00:31:05.759 --> 00:31:08.920
 God, that he says, King Jesus, you are

00:31:08.920 --> 00:31:11.900
 worthy of all glory and honor for the

00:31:11.900 --> 00:31:13.920
 rest of eternity because you're the only

00:31:13.920 --> 00:31:14.400
 God.

00:31:15.080 --> 00:31:17.120
 You're the true king who lives forever

00:31:17.120 --> 00:31:18.460
 and will never die.

00:31:20.460 --> 00:31:22.279
 And though we cannot see you now, you are

00:31:22.279 --> 00:31:24.920
 worthy of that praise for unending days,

00:31:24.920 --> 00:31:26.740
 forever and forever.

00:31:31.380 --> 00:31:33.259
 Let's just quickly look at the last

00:31:33.259 --> 00:31:34.120
 paragraph here.

00:31:37.120 --> 00:31:38.360
 Verse 18 to 20.

00:31:39.039 --> 00:31:41.440
 Timothy, my son, I'm giving you this

00:31:41.440 --> 00:31:43.200
 command in keeping with the prophecies

00:31:43.200 --> 00:31:45.580
 once made about you so that by

00:31:45.580 --> 00:31:47.460
 recalling them, you may fight the battle

00:31:47.460 --> 00:31:50.640
 well, holding on to faith and a good

00:31:50.640 --> 00:31:53.259
 conscience, which some have rejected and

00:31:53.259 --> 00:31:55.740
 so have suffered shipwreck with regard

00:31:55.740 --> 00:31:56.420
 to the faith.

00:31:57.140 --> 00:31:58.980
 Among them are Hymenaeus and Alexander,

00:31:59.140 --> 00:32:01.440
 whom I have handed over to Satan to be

00:32:01.440 --> 00:32:03.400
 taught not to blaspheme.

00:32:04.220 --> 00:32:06.059
 Now there's lots here we could discuss,

00:32:06.299 --> 00:32:08.460
 but the gist of it is that Paul is

00:32:08.460 --> 00:32:09.539
 encouraging Timothy.

00:32:10.200 --> 00:32:11.660
 There were prophecies made about

00:32:11.660 --> 00:32:14.059
 Timothy and Paul says that this command

00:32:14.059 --> 00:32:15.700
 that he's now giving Timothy about

00:32:15.700 --> 00:32:17.559
 silencing the false teachers will in

00:32:17.559 --> 00:32:20.079
 some sense fulfill those prophecies.

00:32:20.079 --> 00:32:22.819
 as Timothy fights the battle in this

00:32:22.819 --> 00:32:24.859
 difficult situation here in Ephesus.

00:32:26.240 --> 00:32:27.779
 Remembering those prophecies is going

00:32:27.779 --> 00:32:29.199
 to help him to fight well.

00:32:30.539 --> 00:32:32.480
 Paul's talking about the spiritual battle

00:32:32.480 --> 00:32:36.259
 here and he's urging Timothy to hold

00:32:36.259 --> 00:32:40.139
 on to his faith, to hold on to his good

00:32:40.139 --> 00:32:40.699
 conscience.

00:32:41.859 --> 00:32:44.319
 This harkens back to what we read in

00:32:44.319 --> 00:32:45.240
 verse 5 and 6.

00:32:45.339 --> 00:32:47.159
 The false teachers, the problem with them

00:32:47.160 --> 00:32:49.300
 was that they were departing from a pure

00:32:49.300 --> 00:32:52.380
 heart and a sincere faith and a good

00:32:52.380 --> 00:32:52.940
 conscience.

00:32:54.080 --> 00:32:56.620
 And so Paul is now coming full circle

00:32:56.620 --> 00:32:58.160
 and he's saying, Timothy, don't you do

00:32:58.160 --> 00:32:58.480
 that.

00:32:59.380 --> 00:33:00.779
 Hold on to your faith.

00:33:02.259 --> 00:33:03.160
 Don't let go.

00:33:03.360 --> 00:33:04.640
 Keep your good conscience.

00:33:09.120 --> 00:33:11.880
 And then he goes on to name some of

00:33:11.880 --> 00:33:14.160
 these false teachers who have departed

00:33:14.160 --> 00:33:16.140
 from the faith.

00:33:17.660 --> 00:33:19.680
 Hymenaeus and Alexander, these two men

00:33:19.680 --> 00:33:23.360
 and others let go of their sincere faith.

00:33:23.440 --> 00:33:24.759
 They let go of their good conscience

00:33:24.759 --> 00:33:27.220
 and it proved utterly disastrous for them.

00:33:27.660 --> 00:33:29.120
 I'm not going to speculate on what their

00:33:29.120 --> 00:33:30.240
 final outcome was.

00:33:30.300 --> 00:33:31.140
 We don't really know.

00:33:31.420 --> 00:33:32.620
 But it doesn't sound good.

00:33:33.180 --> 00:33:34.519
 Whatever Paul means by

00:33:34.519 --> 00:33:37.540
 whom I have handed over to Satan

00:33:37.540 --> 00:33:39.820
 to be taught not to blaspheme.

00:33:39.819 --> 00:33:42.859
 And Paul's going to have more encouragement

00:33:42.859 --> 00:33:45.200
 and more warnings like this

00:33:45.200 --> 00:33:46.779
 later on in the letter.

00:33:48.819 --> 00:33:50.299
 We're going to now turn our attention

00:33:50.299 --> 00:33:52.519
 to a little bit of a different focus.

00:33:52.899 --> 00:33:55.079
 I want to come back to this testimony of

00:33:55.079 --> 00:33:56.159
 Paul, to the gospel.

00:33:56.899 --> 00:33:58.819
 And as we do, we want to

00:33:58.819 --> 00:34:02.119
 be reminded of what the Lord has done

00:34:02.119 --> 00:34:03.179
 for each one of us.

00:34:03.639 --> 00:34:05.319
 We're going to celebrate the Lord's table

00:34:05.319 --> 00:34:07.720
 again this morning.

00:34:07.720 --> 00:34:09.539
 And for those who are new or visiting,

00:34:09.659 --> 00:34:10.980
 I just want to take a few moments

00:34:10.980 --> 00:34:12.579
 to explain what it's all about.

00:34:12.840 --> 00:34:13.599
 Why we do it.

00:34:14.179 --> 00:34:15.420
 We do it once a month

00:34:15.420 --> 00:34:17.960
 on the first Sunday of each month.

00:34:18.820 --> 00:34:20.940
 And it is a sacred thing that we do.

00:34:21.039 --> 00:34:22.679
 It's kind of a reenactment

00:34:22.679 --> 00:34:25.500
 of the last supper that Jesus had

00:34:25.500 --> 00:34:26.800
 with his disciples before

00:34:26.800 --> 00:34:29.019
 his crucifixion.

00:34:30.159 --> 00:34:32.059
 That evening, before he was arrested

00:34:32.059 --> 00:34:33.300
 in the Garden of Gethsemane,

00:34:33.420 --> 00:34:35.039
 Jesus sat down with his disciples

00:34:35.039 --> 00:34:37.159
 and had the Passover meal.

00:34:37.159 --> 00:34:39.039
 And while he was around the table,

00:34:39.639 --> 00:34:42.960
 he took bread and he broke it

00:34:42.960 --> 00:34:44.460
 and he gave thanks.

00:34:45.420 --> 00:34:46.739
 He also took a cup

00:34:46.739 --> 00:34:50.659
 and he passed it around to each of them

00:34:50.659 --> 00:34:52.719
 and he urged them to eat of the bread

00:34:52.719 --> 00:34:54.460
 and drink of the cup.

00:34:54.839 --> 00:34:56.719
 The cup contained, in Jesus' words,

00:34:56.819 --> 00:34:57.719
 the fruit of the vine,

00:34:58.920 --> 00:35:00.319
 either wine or grape juice.

00:35:01.239 --> 00:35:02.679
 And Jesus encouraged them

00:35:02.679 --> 00:35:03.699
 to drink from the cup.

00:35:03.699 --> 00:35:07.139
 And there was a special significance to this.

00:35:08.019 --> 00:35:10.359
 Jesus told them in metaphorical language

00:35:10.359 --> 00:35:12.619
 that the bread represented his body

00:35:12.619 --> 00:35:15.980
 and that the contents of the cup

00:35:15.980 --> 00:35:17.299
 represented his blood.

00:35:19.179 --> 00:35:21.199
 Jesus knew that he was about to die

00:35:21.199 --> 00:35:23.799
 and he wanted his disciples to know why.

00:35:24.859 --> 00:35:26.219
 And so he explained something

00:35:26.219 --> 00:35:27.319
 of the metaphor that night.

00:35:27.320 --> 00:35:27.660
 He said,

00:35:28.039 --> 00:35:31.300
 this is my blood of the covenant

00:35:31.300 --> 00:35:33.860
 which is poured out for many

00:35:33.860 --> 00:35:36.780
 for the forgiveness of sins.

00:35:38.340 --> 00:35:40.580
 So Jesus knew exactly why he had come

00:35:40.580 --> 00:35:41.880
 and why he was about to die.

00:35:43.039 --> 00:35:44.780
 It wasn't just because the religious leaders

00:35:44.780 --> 00:35:46.720
 didn't like him or were angry with him.

00:35:47.180 --> 00:35:48.840
 God was doing something far greater

00:35:48.840 --> 00:35:50.200
 than anyone realized.

00:35:50.300 --> 00:35:51.640
 There was going to be a new covenant.

00:35:51.800 --> 00:35:53.200
 There was going to be a new arrangement

00:35:53.199 --> 00:35:55.719
 between God and man.

00:35:56.139 --> 00:35:57.819
 Not like the Old Testament law

00:35:57.819 --> 00:35:59.859
 which was also a covenant

00:35:59.859 --> 00:36:00.919
 but a better covenant.

00:36:01.739 --> 00:36:03.539
 A covenant that would not require

00:36:03.539 --> 00:36:05.179
 animal sacrifices anymore

00:36:05.179 --> 00:36:07.279
 but a covenant that would secure

00:36:07.279 --> 00:36:09.319
 permanent, once for all,

00:36:09.679 --> 00:36:11.779
 forgiveness of sins

00:36:11.779 --> 00:36:13.259
 for God's people.

00:36:14.480 --> 00:36:16.159
 And Jesus would be the sacrifice

00:36:16.159 --> 00:36:19.319
 offered to bring this about.

00:36:19.320 --> 00:36:22.820
 His blood, his death

00:36:22.820 --> 00:36:24.940
 rather than the blood of a lamb

00:36:24.940 --> 00:36:26.019
 or a goat or a bull.

00:36:26.460 --> 00:36:28.160
 His blood would atone

00:36:28.160 --> 00:36:30.860
 for the sins of his people

00:36:30.860 --> 00:36:32.800
 of all who would believe in him

00:36:32.800 --> 00:36:34.700
 thus securing forgiveness

00:36:34.700 --> 00:36:36.480
 from God

00:36:36.480 --> 00:36:37.960
 and removing permanently

00:36:37.960 --> 00:36:40.940
 the guilt of sinners forever.

00:36:42.519 --> 00:36:43.900
 So Jesus is the one

00:36:43.900 --> 00:36:45.120
 that told us to do this.

00:36:45.300 --> 00:36:46.600
 To do this regularly

00:36:46.600 --> 00:36:47.580
 or customarily

00:36:47.579 --> 00:36:48.840
 when we're gathered

00:36:48.840 --> 00:36:49.539
 as his people.

00:36:49.659 --> 00:36:50.900
 To eat and to drink

00:36:50.900 --> 00:36:52.480
 of the bread and the cup

00:36:52.480 --> 00:36:54.380
 in remembrance of him.

00:36:55.360 --> 00:36:56.319
 And so that's what we're

00:36:56.319 --> 00:36:56.940
 going to do

00:36:56.940 --> 00:36:57.920
 in just a moment here.

00:36:58.779 --> 00:36:59.440
 The Bible says

00:36:59.440 --> 00:37:00.860
 that we ought to examine ourselves

00:37:00.860 --> 00:37:02.019
 before we partake.

00:37:05.259 --> 00:37:07.000
 We says that we shouldn't partake

00:37:07.000 --> 00:37:08.299
 in an unworthy manner

00:37:08.299 --> 00:37:09.460
 meaning irreverently

00:37:09.460 --> 00:37:09.440
!

00:37:10.039 --> 00:37:11.519
 Or insincerely!

00:37:12.559 --> 00:37:13.019
 And so

00:37:13.019 --> 00:37:14.799
 if you don't believe in Jesus

00:37:14.799 --> 00:37:16.239
 then I would encourage you

00:37:16.239 --> 00:37:18.000
 just to refrain or abstain

00:37:18.000 --> 00:37:20.259
 when these are passed around

00:37:20.259 --> 00:37:20.939
 you can just signal

00:37:20.939 --> 00:37:21.579
 with your hand.

00:37:22.879 --> 00:37:24.079
 But for the rest of us

00:37:24.079 --> 00:37:25.239
 this table is precious.

00:37:26.699 --> 00:37:28.219
 It's here that we remember

00:37:28.219 --> 00:37:28.899
 how we

00:37:28.899 --> 00:37:29.959
 just like Paul

00:37:29.959 --> 00:37:31.879
 were all sinners

00:37:31.879 --> 00:37:34.179
 guilty

00:37:34.179 --> 00:37:36.699
 and how Christ Jesus

00:37:36.699 --> 00:37:38.179
 came into the world

00:37:38.179 --> 00:37:39.279
 to save us.

00:37:39.280 --> 00:37:42.740
 we remember

00:37:42.740 --> 00:37:43.720
 how his mercy

00:37:43.720 --> 00:37:44.660
 was shown us

00:37:44.660 --> 00:37:45.380
 his grace

00:37:45.380 --> 00:37:46.220
 was poured out

00:37:46.220 --> 00:37:47.400
 abundantly on us

00:37:47.400 --> 00:37:51.180
 and so if you believe

00:37:51.180 --> 00:37:52.080
 that Jesus

00:37:52.080 --> 00:37:53.040
 died to save you

00:37:53.040 --> 00:37:53.820
 that he is

00:37:53.820 --> 00:37:54.500
 your savior

00:37:54.500 --> 00:37:55.360
 your messiah

00:37:55.360 --> 00:37:56.040
 your lord

00:37:56.040 --> 00:37:57.740
 please

00:37:57.740 --> 00:37:58.740
 join with us

00:37:58.740 --> 00:38:00.160
 remember with us

00:38:00.160 --> 00:38:02.980
 in the next minutes here

00:38:02.980 --> 00:38:03.920
 we'll just have a moment

00:38:03.920 --> 00:38:04.940
 few moments of quiet

00:38:04.940 --> 00:38:05.700
 and I encourage you

00:38:05.700 --> 00:38:06.380
 to pray

00:38:06.380 --> 00:38:07.300
 in these moments

00:38:07.300 --> 00:38:08.580
 to confess to God

00:38:08.580 --> 00:38:09.920
 to talk to God

00:38:09.920 --> 00:38:10.920
 to pour out your heart

00:38:10.920 --> 00:38:11.320
 to him

00:38:11.320 --> 00:38:13.539
 and then after a few minutes

00:38:13.539 --> 00:38:13.980
 of that

00:38:13.980 --> 00:38:14.560
 we'll have

00:38:14.560 --> 00:38:15.580
 Dave and Rod

00:38:15.580 --> 00:38:16.060
 come up

00:38:16.060 --> 00:38:17.500
 and pass out the elements

00:38:17.500 --> 00:38:19.820
 we'll wait until

00:38:19.820 --> 00:38:21.039
 everybody has been served

00:38:21.039 --> 00:38:23.000
 and then I'll pray

00:38:23.000 --> 00:38:23.720
 and we'll eat

00:38:23.720 --> 00:38:24.440
 and drink

00:38:24.440 --> 00:38:25.240
 all together.

00:38:25.919 --> 00:38:28.479
 voy voy

00:38:28.479 --> 00:38:28.479


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