WEBVTT 00:00:00.360 --> 00:00:05.020 Father, we confess before you that often we aren't honest with you in our prayers. 00:00:05.940 --> 00:00:10.859 And Father, we confess that for many of us, when John was reading Romans 11, we were bored. 00:00:11.660 --> 00:00:13.700 And we didn't think it was very interesting. 00:00:14.660 --> 00:00:16.219 And Father, we confess that to you. 00:00:16.320 --> 00:00:20.140 We confess that sometimes that's how your word strikes us. 00:00:21.059 --> 00:00:25.800 Father, we ask that your Holy Spirit would gently but deeply and powerfully move in our lives. 00:00:25.920 --> 00:00:27.679 Father, help us to get over ourselves. 00:00:28.600 --> 00:00:33.119 Help us, Father, to have hearts and minds and wills that are hungry for your word, 00:00:33.979 --> 00:00:38.820 that are willing to pursue and just sit and think about your word. 00:00:38.820 --> 00:00:39.659 Father, help us. 00:00:40.259 --> 00:00:44.200 May your Holy Spirit so move and work within us that we might understand that you are wise, 00:00:45.200 --> 00:00:46.659 that you speak what we need to know, 00:00:47.399 --> 00:00:51.859 and that most of all, not only most of all, Father, but not only are you wise, but you are good. 00:00:52.100 --> 00:00:53.980 And you sent your Son to be our Savior. 00:00:54.659 --> 00:00:56.019 Father, draw us to yourself. 00:00:56.020 --> 00:01:00.220 And this we ask in Jesus' name, your Son and our Savior. Amen. 00:01:00.859 --> 00:01:01.780 Please be seated. 00:01:07.560 --> 00:01:13.000 So, here's the problem with the Romans 11 text. 00:01:13.180 --> 00:01:14.260 There's several problems. 00:01:14.260 --> 00:01:21.520 The first problem is that probably a lot of us, maybe, you know, maybe I'm just far more wicked than everybody here, 00:01:22.180 --> 00:01:26.900 but, you know, for a lot of us that text seemed to go on and on and on. 00:01:27.340 --> 00:01:32.800 Talked about olive trees and shoots and Israel, and you're thinking to yourself, when you think about it at all, 00:01:32.960 --> 00:01:35.240 what on earth is going on with this text? 00:01:35.239 --> 00:01:43.419 Before I became a Christian, my problem in becoming a Christian wasn't tempted towards atheism or something like that. 00:01:43.899 --> 00:01:45.539 Nicky Gumbel expressed it very well. 00:01:45.619 --> 00:01:48.619 I found Christianity boring and irrelevant. 00:01:48.620 --> 00:01:57.700 And if you're a non-Christian here this morning, you might think Romans 11 is a test case in a text which is boring and irrelevant. 00:01:58.500 --> 00:02:00.960 But it actually, it's very, very interesting. 00:02:01.200 --> 00:02:02.719 It's a difficult text. 00:02:02.820 --> 00:02:03.900 It's a funny text. 00:02:04.040 --> 00:02:06.960 And it's a text which doesn't sort of immediately scream out, 00:02:07.460 --> 00:02:11.900 immediately scream out to us postmodern Canadians in Ottawa in 2016. 00:02:11.900 --> 00:02:20.500 But actually, if you caught two of the big, bolder, elephant-in-the-room questions in the text, 00:02:20.560 --> 00:02:24.360 you'd realize that it's actually touching upon something that is very deeply relevant. 00:02:25.060 --> 00:02:25.920 I don't know if you heard it. 00:02:26.000 --> 00:02:28.020 It was in verse 1 and verse 11. 00:02:28.120 --> 00:02:34.360 There's these two big, bolder questions, like a big rock, big elephant-in-the-room question. 00:02:34.360 --> 00:02:35.939 The first question is verse 1. 00:02:36.140 --> 00:02:38.719 I ask then, has God rejected his people? 00:02:39.599 --> 00:02:40.980 Does God reject people? 00:02:41.900 --> 00:02:44.039 And then the second one is in verse 11. 00:02:44.879 --> 00:02:47.539 So I ask, did they stumble in order that they might fall? 00:02:48.099 --> 00:02:51.439 And this is this idea that somehow people stumble. 00:02:51.599 --> 00:02:53.840 And the idea of fall is a very, very good word. 00:02:54.759 --> 00:03:01.340 In the original language, the idea is that you fall and you keep falling and you keep falling and you keep falling and you keep falling and there's no turnaround. 00:03:01.340 --> 00:03:05.240 Like it's a falling that leaves you completely crushed. 00:03:06.680 --> 00:03:09.340 Those are actually very profound spiritual questions. 00:03:09.340 --> 00:03:12.240 And whether we think about it very much. 00:03:12.819 --> 00:03:16.860 You know, I know several people. 00:03:17.560 --> 00:03:19.460 In fact, there's probably people here in this congregation. 00:03:19.719 --> 00:03:22.140 It might be too painful for you to share it over coffee. 00:03:22.139 --> 00:03:27.439 But I know that there are people in this church who haven't spoken to their parents in years. 00:03:28.679 --> 00:03:29.759 Parents are still alive. 00:03:29.859 --> 00:03:31.819 They have phones, internet, all that. 00:03:31.879 --> 00:03:33.679 But they haven't spoken to their parents in years. 00:03:34.359 --> 00:03:38.819 I know of several people who've lived in the home with their parents. 00:03:38.819 --> 00:03:43.000 And in both the two cases that immediately come to my mind, they were both young women. 00:03:43.459 --> 00:03:47.120 And in each case, they would live in the house with their father for years. 00:03:47.340 --> 00:03:52.299 And for at least two or three years, not say a single word to their father while living in the same house with them. 00:03:53.639 --> 00:03:59.560 And just to make it a little bit even more personal, you might notice that I don't refer to my parents very often. 00:03:59.560 --> 00:04:03.979 I, in fact, have only talked to my parents, I think, twice in seven years. 00:04:06.599 --> 00:04:11.539 Now, you know, in all of these cases, if you got into it, there's, you know, there's different things. 00:04:11.659 --> 00:04:17.720 And maybe in some cases, it's because parents have done profound things of abuse and have been unrepentant. 00:04:18.439 --> 00:04:24.759 And it's hard to talk to people who've abused you and been unrepentant. 00:04:24.759 --> 00:04:29.420 And for others, maybe it's a type of a hardness and an arrogance in heart. 00:04:29.980 --> 00:04:34.000 The parents might not or the other person might not or it's a friend that you've cut off. 00:04:34.039 --> 00:04:36.980 And it might be that there's a bit of an arrogance and a hardness in you. 00:04:37.539 --> 00:04:40.399 But in fact, it's a very common human experience. 00:04:40.399 --> 00:04:47.439 And so the question, whether we're consciously aware of this or not, is, is God like this? 00:04:49.120 --> 00:04:50.879 Is God like this? 00:04:50.879 --> 00:04:58.920 Does God come to a point with human beings, or not just human beings in general, but maybe human beings in general, 00:04:59.019 --> 00:05:07.180 but particular people where that's it, sick and tired of this, not talking, not having anything to do with them ever again, ever, ever, ever again? 00:05:07.980 --> 00:05:09.040 Happens to human beings? 00:05:09.120 --> 00:05:09.899 Is God like that? 00:05:09.899 --> 00:05:17.959 Now, when you realize that that's actually the question that the text is addressing, you realize that, whoa, one moment, okay, 00:05:18.039 --> 00:05:25.459 they might seem to answer it in an odd way that doesn't just sort of jump out at me with, like, you know, flashing lights. 00:05:25.459 --> 00:05:28.439 But it's actually a pretty good question. 00:05:28.439 --> 00:05:32.579 So it's really helpful if you have Bibles, if you open them to Romans 11. 00:05:33.459 --> 00:05:38.740 And we're going to begin, in fact, we're going to, Andrew, if you could put up the first, the Romans 11 text. 00:05:39.279 --> 00:05:41.000 You can find your Romans 11 in your Bible. 00:05:41.079 --> 00:05:43.839 But there's going to be a couple of times, I'm going to sort of cheat. 00:05:43.860 --> 00:05:45.860 I'm not saying this to stop us from talking. 00:05:45.959 --> 00:05:47.920 I'm not saying, okay, now you see 33 or 36. 00:05:48.100 --> 00:05:49.459 There's nothing else we have to talk about. 00:05:49.920 --> 00:05:53.220 You know, get, you know, repent and just, you know, shut up and, you know, get on with God. 00:05:53.220 --> 00:05:58.380 But this is how everything is going to come to an end. 00:05:58.600 --> 00:06:05.260 And if, in fact, part of the fundamental question before us, an existential question, is, is God like this? 00:06:05.840 --> 00:06:10.940 It's just really important to see where the whole argument of Romans 1 to 11 is going to come to rest. 00:06:11.900 --> 00:06:16.780 And if you get nothing else out of this service, we're going to read this verse together about four or five or six times. 00:06:16.860 --> 00:06:21.300 If you get nothing else out of the service but getting this a little tiny bit in your head, then this is really good. 00:06:21.300 --> 00:06:24.879 So let's, let's, could you say this with me out loud? 00:06:24.879 --> 00:06:30.280 Oh, the depths of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God. 00:06:30.860 --> 00:06:35.759 How unsearchable are his judgments and how inscrutable his ways. 00:06:36.420 --> 00:06:38.879 For who has known the mind of the Lord? 00:06:39.259 --> 00:06:41.420 Or who has been his counselor? 00:06:41.939 --> 00:06:45.879 Or who has given a gift to him that he might be repaid? 00:06:45.879 --> 00:06:51.740 For from him and through him and to him are all things. 00:06:52.180 --> 00:06:53.959 To him be glory forever. 00:06:54.540 --> 00:06:54.939 Amen. 00:06:56.480 --> 00:07:00.560 So I'm not saying that just so we can say, okay, George, that's the end of the question. 00:07:00.620 --> 00:07:01.379 We don't have to discuss it. 00:07:01.439 --> 00:07:02.019 No, no, no, no, no. 00:07:02.860 --> 00:07:04.500 You know, the details are important. 00:07:04.500 --> 00:07:10.639 But it's, it's, it's a good bit of a pause here just to take a minute to think about how different God is. 00:07:11.459 --> 00:07:18.180 And we're going to see that we haven't even begun to really understand how different God is until we look into this text. 00:07:18.660 --> 00:07:24.500 How counterintuitive God often acts towards us because he's wiser than us. 00:07:24.500 --> 00:07:28.620 So, so let's look at the beginning of chapter 11, verse 1. 00:07:29.339 --> 00:07:30.279 And it goes like this. 00:07:30.459 --> 00:07:33.120 I ask then, has God rejected his people? 00:07:33.920 --> 00:07:35.100 By no means. 00:07:35.500 --> 00:07:39.439 For I myself am an Israelite, a descendant of Abraham, a member of the tribe of Benjamin. 00:07:39.540 --> 00:07:40.839 Now just pause here for a second. 00:07:41.459 --> 00:07:47.779 And if you're guests here this morning, you'll notice, actually all of you, even if you come here pretty well, you know, it's Romans chapter 11. 00:07:48.519 --> 00:07:52.000 And, and the way the book, you know, Paul didn't just sit down and write a whole pile of quotes. 00:07:52.000 --> 00:08:01.959 If you, you know, I'm turning my Bible here, like he began writing over here and then he wrote and then he wrote and then he wrote and then he wrote and then he wrote and then he wrote and then he wrote and then he comes to chapter 11. 00:08:02.259 --> 00:08:04.240 So it's obviously sort of a bit of a flow. 00:08:04.959 --> 00:08:21.779 And, and part of the flow of it is that he's been really trying to talk about how God does everything, that, that God works so that we come to the point where we recognize that unless God does something for us, we're really stuck. 00:08:22.000 --> 00:08:29.500 Occasionally I let bad words slip just by accident because it's how I talk when I'm not up in the, in church. 00:08:30.160 --> 00:08:32.480 And then Andrew will say something. 00:08:32.559 --> 00:08:35.460 And I think the last time I let something slip, he deleted it. 00:08:35.559 --> 00:08:37.360 So there's no internet record. 00:08:37.519 --> 00:08:41.220 But I almost said something there, which maybe wouldn't be completely polite. 00:08:41.220 --> 00:08:51.899 But, you know, so anyway, so he goes through the fact that, you know, Paul is trying to argue that unless we come to this point where we realize unless God does something, we're really stuck because we're helpless. 00:08:51.899 --> 00:08:55.559 And then he talks about how Jesus and what Jesus does on the cross. 00:08:56.340 --> 00:09:03.679 And he gives the first few things in chapter four and five primarily about the things that Jesus takes away from us so we can be made right with God. 00:09:03.840 --> 00:09:07.799 And then chapter six, the things that Jesus gives us so that we're made right with God. 00:09:07.860 --> 00:09:16.740 And then in chapter seven, he, he, he acknowledges the fact that human beings are divided and have contradictory selves and that we're sort of all messed up and confused. 00:09:16.740 --> 00:09:24.060 And then in Romans eight, he's sort of coming to a bit of a crescendo and, and he says, there's no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. 00:09:24.259 --> 00:09:26.759 And then he, he goes on and he has this ringing thing. 00:09:26.860 --> 00:09:28.320 In fact, I'll just read it to you right now. 00:09:28.399 --> 00:09:31.799 It says ringing, ringing thing at the end of Romans chapter eight. 00:09:31.879 --> 00:09:35.019 He says, um, uh, where does it start here? 00:09:35.419 --> 00:09:36.279 What shall we say? 00:09:36.360 --> 00:09:36.840 Verse 31. 00:09:37.000 --> 00:09:39.220 What shall we say then to those, to these things? 00:09:39.279 --> 00:09:41.940 If God is for us, who can be against us? 00:09:41.940 --> 00:09:45.580 He who did not spare his own son, but gave him up for us all. 00:09:45.580 --> 00:09:49.120 How will he not also with him graciously give us all things? 00:09:49.500 --> 00:09:54.759 Who shall bring any charge against God select those whom God has called and made right with himself? 00:09:55.120 --> 00:09:58.420 It is God who justifies who is to condemn. 00:09:58.800 --> 00:09:59.700 Who's going to condemn us? 00:09:59.780 --> 00:10:00.400 Christ Jesus. 00:10:01.040 --> 00:10:03.259 No, he is the one who died more than that. 00:10:03.340 --> 00:10:04.160 Who was raised? 00:10:04.259 --> 00:10:05.460 Who is at the right hand of God? 00:10:05.500 --> 00:10:07.280 Who is indeed interceding for us? 00:10:07.840 --> 00:10:10.200 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? 00:10:10.640 --> 00:10:15.440 Shall tribulation or distress or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? 00:10:16.120 --> 00:10:16.800 As it is written. 00:10:17.200 --> 00:10:21.240 Then he quotes from the Bible to show that God knows that even after we have become his children, 00:10:21.560 --> 00:10:23.200 bad things will still happen to us. 00:10:23.700 --> 00:10:25.960 For your sake, we are being killed all the day long. 00:10:26.040 --> 00:10:28.180 We are regarded as sheep to be slaughtered. 00:10:28.879 --> 00:10:29.280 No. 00:10:30.600 --> 00:10:33.259 And in Greek, it would be like bolded, emphatic. 00:10:33.259 --> 00:10:36.700 In all these things, we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. 00:10:36.759 --> 00:10:42.319 For I am sure that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor rulers, nor things present, nor things to come, 00:10:42.779 --> 00:10:46.100 nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, 00:10:46.220 --> 00:10:50.080 will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord. 00:10:51.240 --> 00:10:51.639 Amen. 00:10:51.860 --> 00:10:53.279 And God's God people say amen. 00:10:53.419 --> 00:10:54.279 Exactly right. 00:10:54.279 --> 00:11:02.259 But in the way that the Romans is written, Paul knows that there's going to be some skeptic in the congregation. 00:11:02.919 --> 00:11:03.720 There always is. 00:11:04.639 --> 00:11:07.079 Actually, often it's me, but that's a separate story. 00:11:07.080 --> 00:11:10.980 Who puts up their little hand and says, 00:11:11.500 --> 00:11:14.480 that all sounds really nice, but what about the Jews? 00:11:15.500 --> 00:11:18.379 Like, what about all that Old Testament stuff we've been reading every week? 00:11:18.420 --> 00:11:21.000 And that doesn't seem to have worked out very well for them, does it? 00:11:21.960 --> 00:11:27.080 And so in chapter 9 and 10, he's really dealing with this question. 00:11:27.759 --> 00:11:30.700 Like, before Jesus, does God, in fact, keep his word? 00:11:31.320 --> 00:11:33.120 And in chapter 9 and 10, 00:11:33.120 --> 00:11:35.879 and so it comes now, here we are in verse 11, 00:11:36.000 --> 00:11:38.399 as part of Paul's long answering of this question, 00:11:38.519 --> 00:11:40.159 is Romans 8 actually true? 00:11:40.840 --> 00:11:43.940 And so now he comes to this point, this existential point, 00:11:44.379 --> 00:11:47.679 where we have to wonder, because it's just part of our very, very nature. 00:11:49.139 --> 00:11:51.120 Even when we deny God, 00:11:51.220 --> 00:11:55.240 often what we're doing is we're denying God who is a version of ourselves. 00:11:56.440 --> 00:11:58.120 And even when we believe in God, 00:11:58.220 --> 00:12:00.360 often we're not really believing in the God who is there, 00:12:00.360 --> 00:12:02.820 we're believing in a God who is a version of ourselves. 00:12:04.039 --> 00:12:06.899 I mean, it's a deeply seated human problem. 00:12:07.659 --> 00:12:09.799 It's a human problem for Christians as well. 00:12:10.480 --> 00:12:12.620 And so in chapter 11, verse 1, he asks, 00:12:13.039 --> 00:12:14.460 has God rejected his people? 00:12:16.360 --> 00:12:18.580 Is God like the young woman 00:12:18.580 --> 00:12:22.200 who lives in a house with her father for three years, 00:12:22.840 --> 00:12:25.320 and even though the father will attempt conversation, 00:12:26.240 --> 00:12:29.840 she will act like he is the table or the chair, 00:12:29.840 --> 00:12:31.740 and who talks to tables and chairs, 00:12:32.100 --> 00:12:32.980 or listens to them? 00:12:34.420 --> 00:12:36.899 As a side, if you think your table's talking to you, 00:12:36.960 --> 00:12:37.639 and you're listening, 00:12:38.100 --> 00:12:39.000 you need help. 00:12:41.399 --> 00:12:42.300 You need help. 00:12:42.960 --> 00:12:44.899 We don't talk to tables or listen to them. 00:12:45.100 --> 00:12:45.879 So is God like that? 00:12:46.060 --> 00:12:47.460 Has he rejected us so totally? 00:12:47.460 --> 00:12:47.540 Absolutely. 00:12:48.879 --> 00:12:50.720 And, you know, some of us might say, 00:12:50.780 --> 00:12:51.860 oh yeah, you know, we've been over that. 00:12:51.960 --> 00:12:52.360 But, you know, 00:12:52.500 --> 00:12:55.780 the Baptist church I grew up in, 00:12:55.820 --> 00:12:57.379 and I'm not picking on Baptist churches, 00:12:57.780 --> 00:12:59.139 you know, it would often happen 00:12:59.139 --> 00:13:00.060 that a couple, 00:13:00.480 --> 00:13:02.720 their marriage would quietly come to an end. 00:13:03.820 --> 00:13:06.360 And even though it was a church that preached grace, 00:13:07.220 --> 00:13:08.280 the fact of the matter is, 00:13:08.300 --> 00:13:09.580 is that for many Christians, 00:13:09.820 --> 00:13:12.740 it's their spiritual and emotional performance 00:13:12.740 --> 00:13:15.580 that makes them think they're right with God. 00:13:16.500 --> 00:13:18.200 And so their marriage would come to an end, 00:13:18.620 --> 00:13:20.360 and both the husband and the wife 00:13:20.360 --> 00:13:21.820 would stop attending the church. 00:13:25.399 --> 00:13:27.019 Because their performance 00:13:27.019 --> 00:13:30.720 hasn't matched the standards of the church, 00:13:31.120 --> 00:13:33.820 and there's a feeling that God has rejected them. 00:13:35.620 --> 00:13:37.340 And therefore, they don't belong with other, 00:13:37.740 --> 00:13:38.419 those Christians. 00:13:38.919 --> 00:13:39.740 It's a deep question. 00:13:40.659 --> 00:13:41.820 So see how he answers it. 00:13:43.720 --> 00:13:45.680 It's going to be a little bit in odd language, 00:13:45.680 --> 00:13:46.440 because you see, 00:13:46.539 --> 00:13:48.000 the way we work in our culture, 00:13:48.100 --> 00:13:48.700 we'd want to try to, 00:13:48.740 --> 00:13:49.480 I'd maybe want to say, 00:13:49.539 --> 00:13:50.580 well, let's look at Bob. 00:13:51.139 --> 00:13:52.180 Here's Bob's life. 00:13:52.259 --> 00:13:53.259 Or let's look at Sally, 00:13:53.360 --> 00:13:54.139 and this is their life. 00:13:54.200 --> 00:13:54.600 But no, no. 00:13:55.080 --> 00:13:56.940 He actually, he goes back to the Bible, 00:13:57.659 --> 00:13:59.419 because he realizes that, you know, 00:13:59.480 --> 00:14:00.259 human experiences, 00:14:00.399 --> 00:14:02.159 it can be hard to know what goes on in human lives. 00:14:02.560 --> 00:14:04.659 So let's see God's actual written record 00:14:04.659 --> 00:14:06.019 of how he deals with Israel. 00:14:07.279 --> 00:14:08.259 And so here it is. 00:14:08.259 --> 00:14:10.379 I ask then, has God rejected his people? 00:14:10.759 --> 00:14:11.820 By no means. 00:14:11.820 --> 00:14:12.660 No. 00:14:12.660 --> 00:14:12.820 No. 00:14:13.700 --> 00:14:14.720 Absolutely not. 00:14:15.680 --> 00:14:17.840 So he's going to basically give two reasons 00:14:17.840 --> 00:14:20.080 why God hasn't rejected his people. 00:14:20.400 --> 00:14:21.240 First, he's going to say, 00:14:21.379 --> 00:14:22.500 I'm exhibit A, 00:14:22.860 --> 00:14:24.360 in terms of evidence. 00:14:25.100 --> 00:14:25.580 Verse 2. 00:14:26.700 --> 00:14:28.340 No, just the end of verse 1. 00:14:28.480 --> 00:14:30.200 For I myself am an Israelite, 00:14:30.660 --> 00:14:31.720 a descendant of Abraham, 00:14:32.280 --> 00:14:33.800 a member of the tribe of Benjamin. 00:14:34.500 --> 00:14:36.240 God has not rejected his people, 00:14:36.380 --> 00:14:37.260 whom he foreknew. 00:14:37.259 --> 00:14:39.139 Then he gives exhibit B. 00:14:39.220 --> 00:14:40.460 He goes back to the story 00:14:40.460 --> 00:14:42.740 in the Old Testament about Elijah, 00:14:43.740 --> 00:14:45.519 when it looked as if 00:14:45.519 --> 00:14:47.340 every single person in Israel 00:14:47.340 --> 00:14:50.019 had fallen into idolatry and paganism, 00:14:50.139 --> 00:14:51.840 and completely rejected the Lord. 00:14:52.360 --> 00:14:54.139 I think it's Numbers 14. 00:14:54.879 --> 00:14:56.919 Do you not know what the scripture says of Elijah, 00:14:57.039 --> 00:14:58.799 how he appeals to God against Israel? 00:14:59.159 --> 00:15:00.840 Lord, they have killed your prophets. 00:15:00.840 --> 00:15:02.960 They have demolished your altars, 00:15:03.100 --> 00:15:04.220 and I alone am left, 00:15:04.340 --> 00:15:05.420 and they seek my life. 00:15:06.540 --> 00:15:09.139 But what is God's reply to Elijah? 00:15:09.700 --> 00:15:12.139 I have kept for myself 7,000 men 00:15:12.139 --> 00:15:13.860 who have not bowed the knee to Baal. 00:15:14.820 --> 00:15:16.399 So too, at the present time, 00:15:16.600 --> 00:15:19.180 there is a remnant chosen by grace. 00:15:19.740 --> 00:15:21.120 Now just pause here for a second. 00:15:21.220 --> 00:15:22.540 I'm going to put a point up in a moment, 00:15:22.720 --> 00:15:25.800 but this is going to be really important. 00:15:26.340 --> 00:15:28.100 What's going to be constantly emphasized 00:15:28.100 --> 00:15:29.580 in this entire text 00:15:29.580 --> 00:15:31.279 is the reality of God's grace. 00:15:31.980 --> 00:15:34.340 The surprising nature of God's grace. 00:15:35.060 --> 00:15:37.980 The unstoppable nature of God's grace. 00:15:38.379 --> 00:15:41.600 The irrevocable character of God's grace. 00:15:42.360 --> 00:15:44.840 What's constantly going to be emphasized in this 00:15:44.840 --> 00:15:46.540 is that grace is a mystery 00:15:46.540 --> 00:15:49.759 because we don't actually really understand 00:15:49.759 --> 00:15:50.600 who God is, 00:15:50.659 --> 00:15:52.759 and we keep wanting to try to make God 00:15:52.759 --> 00:15:53.779 look like ourselves, 00:15:53.940 --> 00:15:56.300 and we know that we lack grace, 00:15:56.299 --> 00:15:58.740 that we have hard hearts against certain people. 00:15:58.839 --> 00:16:00.519 We have grace towards those we love, 00:16:00.740 --> 00:16:03.099 but not very much grace towards certain people. 00:16:03.199 --> 00:16:05.559 I'll try to show that to you later on in the sermon. 00:16:06.120 --> 00:16:07.240 And he's going to try to show you 00:16:07.240 --> 00:16:08.599 that all grace is a miracle, 00:16:09.139 --> 00:16:11.639 and that every human being who receives God's grace, 00:16:11.719 --> 00:16:13.099 there's a miracle in their lives. 00:16:13.779 --> 00:16:15.159 And so right here when he says 00:16:15.159 --> 00:16:18.120 there's a remnant chosen by grace, 00:16:18.179 --> 00:16:19.179 this is going to be really important. 00:16:19.259 --> 00:16:20.639 It's going to get deep in. 00:16:20.639 --> 00:16:23.240 And the rest of the imagery in the book of Romans 11 00:16:23.240 --> 00:16:27.439 is trying to emphasize this aspect of grace. 00:16:29.100 --> 00:16:30.460 Grace to become a Christian, 00:16:30.639 --> 00:16:31.679 grace to stay a Christian, 00:16:31.879 --> 00:16:33.600 grace to be glorified with the Father, 00:16:34.000 --> 00:16:35.100 the Son, and the Holy Spirit, 00:16:35.179 --> 00:16:36.299 and the new heaven and the new earth, 00:16:36.600 --> 00:16:38.279 to live in all eternity with him. 00:16:39.559 --> 00:16:40.279 In verse 6, 00:16:40.500 --> 00:16:41.679 but if it is by grace, 00:16:41.699 --> 00:16:43.740 it is no longer on the basis of works. 00:16:44.860 --> 00:16:47.460 Otherwise, grace would no longer be grace. 00:16:47.460 --> 00:16:49.940 Just to pause, 00:16:50.040 --> 00:16:50.340 you see, 00:16:50.560 --> 00:16:52.420 those people in the Baptist churches 00:16:52.420 --> 00:16:53.420 that I grew up in, 00:16:53.840 --> 00:16:55.220 they sort of believed, 00:16:55.900 --> 00:16:56.639 like us, 00:16:57.500 --> 00:16:59.820 that grace makes you a Christian, 00:17:00.340 --> 00:17:02.220 but after that it's your performance. 00:17:04.100 --> 00:17:05.539 And Paul is going to say 00:17:05.539 --> 00:17:07.319 that we need to be gripped 00:17:07.319 --> 00:17:09.059 by the gospel of grace 00:17:09.059 --> 00:17:12.640 to understand that it's always grace, 00:17:12.640 --> 00:17:13.779 all the time, 00:17:14.059 --> 00:17:16.100 that we become a Christian by grace, 00:17:16.099 --> 00:17:17.779 we stay a Christian by grace, 00:17:17.839 --> 00:17:19.679 we die a Christian by grace, 00:17:19.899 --> 00:17:21.819 and grace means grace, 00:17:22.240 --> 00:17:25.259 that it's not my performance. 00:17:26.319 --> 00:17:28.000 It never is my performance. 00:17:28.539 --> 00:17:29.699 Absolutely never. 00:17:31.559 --> 00:17:32.359 In verse 7, 00:17:32.779 --> 00:17:33.339 what then? 00:17:34.439 --> 00:17:35.740 Israel failed to obtain 00:17:35.740 --> 00:17:36.679 what it was seeking. 00:17:38.000 --> 00:17:38.859 In other words, 00:17:38.980 --> 00:17:40.879 it was seeking to be right with God, 00:17:40.879 --> 00:17:42.659 but it was seeking it not by grace, 00:17:42.779 --> 00:17:44.079 but by its accomplishments. 00:17:44.079 --> 00:17:46.919 It fell into all sorts of errors. 00:17:47.919 --> 00:17:49.159 The elect obtained it, 00:17:49.240 --> 00:17:49.559 that is, 00:17:49.619 --> 00:17:50.740 those whom God has called, 00:17:51.139 --> 00:17:52.359 but the rest were hardened. 00:17:53.099 --> 00:17:53.819 As it is written, 00:17:53.939 --> 00:17:56.240 God gave them a spirit of stupor, 00:17:56.319 --> 00:17:57.339 eyes that would not see 00:17:57.339 --> 00:17:58.559 and ears that would not hear, 00:17:58.859 --> 00:18:00.000 down to this very day. 00:18:00.079 --> 00:18:00.839 And David says, 00:18:00.939 --> 00:18:02.319 let their table become a snare 00:18:02.319 --> 00:18:02.799 and a trap, 00:18:02.859 --> 00:18:03.659 a stumbling block 00:18:03.659 --> 00:18:05.359 and a retribution for them. 00:18:05.419 --> 00:18:06.619 Let their eyes be darkened 00:18:06.619 --> 00:18:07.619 so that they cannot see 00:18:07.619 --> 00:18:08.819 and bend their backs forever. 00:18:09.960 --> 00:18:10.139 Now, 00:18:10.179 --> 00:18:11.259 just before we go on, 00:18:11.259 --> 00:18:12.319 we're going to keep sort of 00:18:12.319 --> 00:18:14.039 trying to get this part of it 00:18:14.039 --> 00:18:15.059 sort of in our minds. 00:18:15.220 --> 00:18:15.420 Andrew, 00:18:15.460 --> 00:18:16.839 if you could put the first point up, 00:18:16.900 --> 00:18:17.160 please. 00:18:19.140 --> 00:18:21.039 God hardens those, 00:18:21.039 --> 00:18:22.779 God hardens those 00:18:22.779 --> 00:18:23.980 who harden themselves, 00:18:24.500 --> 00:18:25.640 but even then, 00:18:26.299 --> 00:18:28.400 God's grace through Jesus Messiah 00:18:28.400 --> 00:18:30.920 can always be the final word about me. 00:18:30.920 --> 00:18:34.080 I don't always remember to do it, 00:18:34.080 --> 00:18:35.700 but I always try to put my points as me 00:18:35.700 --> 00:18:36.880 so that if you're writing them down, 00:18:36.960 --> 00:18:38.660 if there's something you want to think about later on, 00:18:38.720 --> 00:18:39.340 it's saying me. 00:18:40.400 --> 00:18:40.920 You know, 00:18:41.039 --> 00:18:42.400 you're saying it about yourself. 00:18:43.340 --> 00:18:45.000 That God hardens those 00:18:45.000 --> 00:18:46.100 who harden themselves, 00:18:46.279 --> 00:18:46.960 but even then, 00:18:47.220 --> 00:18:49.060 God's grace through Jesus Messiah 00:18:49.060 --> 00:18:51.240 can always be the final word about me. 00:18:51.560 --> 00:18:53.120 I don't say it will always be 00:18:53.120 --> 00:18:54.120 the final word about me 00:18:54.120 --> 00:18:56.080 because some people persist in unbelief 00:18:56.700 --> 00:18:58.000 right to the grave. 00:18:58.000 --> 00:19:01.039 But what this text is going to say 00:19:01.039 --> 00:19:02.980 is that for no human being 00:19:02.980 --> 00:19:05.440 does being closed to God 00:19:05.440 --> 00:19:06.940 and rejecting God 00:19:06.940 --> 00:19:09.079 have to be the final word about you. 00:19:09.119 --> 00:19:10.200 That it does not matter 00:19:10.200 --> 00:19:12.759 if you're sitting here this morning 00:19:12.759 --> 00:19:13.700 and you've been divorced 00:19:13.700 --> 00:19:15.700 and married and divorced seven times. 00:19:15.759 --> 00:19:16.539 It doesn't matter 00:19:16.539 --> 00:19:19.319 if you've done unbelievably horrible things. 00:19:19.359 --> 00:19:20.579 It doesn't matter at all 00:19:20.579 --> 00:19:22.380 what your sexual orientation is. 00:19:22.420 --> 00:19:23.180 It doesn't matter anything 00:19:23.180 --> 00:19:24.579 about your heritage or your background. 00:19:24.579 --> 00:19:25.579 It doesn't matter how successful 00:19:26.119 --> 00:19:27.880 or how much of a failure you've been. 00:19:28.000 --> 00:19:31.380 that there is always the chance 00:19:31.380 --> 00:19:32.880 to receive God's grace 00:19:32.880 --> 00:19:35.140 and that from that time 00:19:35.140 --> 00:19:36.420 of receiving God's grace, 00:19:36.599 --> 00:19:38.140 God's grace will be 00:19:38.140 --> 00:19:40.180 that final word about you 00:19:40.180 --> 00:19:42.240 until you appear to God face to face. 00:19:44.200 --> 00:19:45.000 And that's what Paul 00:19:45.000 --> 00:19:46.279 is going to try to emphasize here, 00:19:46.339 --> 00:19:48.559 that even when God judges, 00:19:49.279 --> 00:19:50.180 grace is present. 00:19:50.940 --> 00:19:53.200 You see, hardness doesn't necessarily mean 00:19:53.200 --> 00:19:54.759 that we have lots of anxiety. 00:19:55.339 --> 00:19:57.920 It just means closeness in a sense. 00:19:58.859 --> 00:19:59.759 I don't know how many of you 00:19:59.759 --> 00:20:01.500 have ever had this misfortune 00:20:01.500 --> 00:20:03.440 of when you go to a wedding 00:20:03.440 --> 00:20:04.640 or something like that 00:20:04.640 --> 00:20:05.900 or you go to a funeral reception, 00:20:06.039 --> 00:20:07.119 you end up having to sit down 00:20:07.119 --> 00:20:09.140 and you sit down beside people around you 00:20:09.140 --> 00:20:10.140 and you know, 00:20:10.259 --> 00:20:11.920 you're feeling a little bit of chatty mood 00:20:11.920 --> 00:20:12.379 and you're, you know, 00:20:12.420 --> 00:20:12.960 we're Canadians, 00:20:13.099 --> 00:20:14.180 we should chat at things. 00:20:14.299 --> 00:20:16.019 So you ask the person beside you a question 00:20:16.019 --> 00:20:18.700 and they give you a grunt for an answer. 00:20:19.680 --> 00:20:21.119 Try another question, grunt. 00:20:21.460 --> 00:20:22.859 Another question, grunt. 00:20:23.480 --> 00:20:24.599 Another question, grunt. 00:20:24.700 --> 00:20:25.279 You're thinking, gosh, 00:20:25.440 --> 00:20:27.680 normally four questions are like enough 00:20:27.680 --> 00:20:28.480 to get at least some type 00:20:28.480 --> 00:20:29.639 of a conversation going 00:20:29.639 --> 00:20:31.720 and every question there's a grunt. 00:20:32.700 --> 00:20:34.619 They're just completely closed. 00:20:35.960 --> 00:20:38.440 That's fundamentally what hardness means. 00:20:39.160 --> 00:20:40.039 And you'll see here 00:20:40.039 --> 00:20:40.900 that in these texts 00:20:40.900 --> 00:20:42.079 it looked very daunting 00:20:42.079 --> 00:20:44.139 that actually what God does 00:20:44.139 --> 00:20:47.179 is he allows people 00:20:47.179 --> 00:20:48.960 to have what they want. 00:20:49.779 --> 00:20:50.299 Look at, 00:20:50.359 --> 00:20:51.960 he gave them a spirit of stupor. 00:20:52.119 --> 00:20:52.659 In other words, 00:20:52.720 --> 00:20:54.220 that they're not interested. 00:20:55.339 --> 00:20:56.599 That they're sort of closed. 00:20:57.679 --> 00:20:58.500 Eyes that would not see, 00:20:58.539 --> 00:20:59.199 they don't want to see. 00:21:00.659 --> 00:21:01.259 Ears that do not, 00:21:01.460 --> 00:21:02.740 ears that would not hear, 00:21:02.799 --> 00:21:03.379 they don't want to hear. 00:21:06.679 --> 00:21:07.319 You know, 00:21:07.980 --> 00:21:08.980 but then even when it says 00:21:08.980 --> 00:21:09.759 a snare and a trap, 00:21:09.879 --> 00:21:10.759 a stumbling back and a red, 00:21:10.879 --> 00:21:11.059 you know, 00:21:11.059 --> 00:21:12.179 eyes darken and all that. 00:21:12.799 --> 00:21:13.279 And, you know, 00:21:13.960 --> 00:21:15.720 and then it asks in verse 11, 00:21:16.019 --> 00:21:16.740 so I ask, 00:21:16.839 --> 00:21:17.740 did they stumble in order 00:21:17.740 --> 00:21:19.379 that they might fall by no means? 00:21:20.359 --> 00:21:21.359 And just before we get 00:21:21.359 --> 00:21:23.099 in terms of the surprising way 00:21:23.099 --> 00:21:24.220 that God, you know, 00:21:24.279 --> 00:21:24.859 puts it, 00:21:25.319 --> 00:21:25.919 is that 00:21:25.919 --> 00:21:29.679 stumbling is sometimes 00:21:29.679 --> 00:21:30.960 a way to find things. 00:21:33.759 --> 00:21:34.619 I mean, you know, 00:21:34.659 --> 00:21:36.460 just after the winter solstice, 00:21:36.619 --> 00:21:38.039 I have to wake up 00:21:38.039 --> 00:21:39.179 at six o'clock in the morning. 00:21:39.279 --> 00:21:40.179 I don't always manage it 00:21:40.179 --> 00:21:40.819 quite that early, 00:21:40.819 --> 00:21:41.579 but six o'clock, 00:21:41.659 --> 00:21:42.339 it's still dark. 00:21:42.759 --> 00:21:44.259 I don't want to wake up my wife 00:21:44.259 --> 00:21:45.559 who's sleeping beside me. 00:21:45.679 --> 00:21:46.519 And sometimes the way 00:21:46.519 --> 00:21:47.659 I find something in my room 00:21:47.659 --> 00:21:49.099 is by stumbling over it. 00:21:50.899 --> 00:21:51.460 I mean, 00:21:51.519 --> 00:21:53.379 some of us have PhDs 00:21:53.379 --> 00:21:54.399 in what we've learned 00:21:54.399 --> 00:21:55.819 by falling over it. 00:21:56.379 --> 00:21:56.720 You know? 00:21:57.220 --> 00:21:57.919 In other words, 00:21:58.119 --> 00:21:58.740 some of us, 00:21:59.000 --> 00:21:59.539 doesn't matter where 00:21:59.539 --> 00:22:01.000 we formerly went to university, 00:22:01.159 --> 00:22:02.059 our real university 00:22:02.059 --> 00:22:04.200 is the School of Hard Knocks. 00:22:04.200 --> 00:22:05.779 And we have PhDs 00:22:05.779 --> 00:22:07.819 from the School of Hard Knocks. 00:22:08.160 --> 00:22:09.200 And sometimes, 00:22:09.299 --> 00:22:10.220 Hard Knocks 00:22:10.220 --> 00:22:10.960 is the only way 00:22:10.960 --> 00:22:12.200 we find anything or learn. 00:22:13.360 --> 00:22:13.620 You see, 00:22:13.720 --> 00:22:14.900 so even in this, 00:22:16.160 --> 00:22:17.180 and then when it says here, 00:22:17.220 --> 00:22:17.559 verse 11, 00:22:17.640 --> 00:22:18.000 so I asked, 00:22:18.000 --> 00:22:18.839 did they stumble 00:22:18.839 --> 00:22:20.240 in order that they might fall? 00:22:20.319 --> 00:22:21.079 And as I said earlier, 00:22:21.220 --> 00:22:21.940 in the Greek, 00:22:22.099 --> 00:22:24.259 it's that they fall irrevocably, 00:22:24.359 --> 00:22:24.880 that they fall 00:22:24.880 --> 00:22:26.059 and never return up. 00:22:26.460 --> 00:22:27.380 And this is really 00:22:27.380 --> 00:22:28.380 an important question 00:22:28.380 --> 00:22:28.700 because, 00:22:28.779 --> 00:22:28.980 you see, 00:22:29.059 --> 00:22:29.200 this, 00:22:29.200 --> 00:22:32.019 if we're honest with ourselves, 00:22:32.279 --> 00:22:33.940 many of us wish this 00:22:33.940 --> 00:22:34.920 for certain people. 00:22:35.160 --> 00:22:35.460 And so, 00:22:35.600 --> 00:22:35.880 therefore, 00:22:36.059 --> 00:22:37.080 at the back of our minds, 00:22:37.160 --> 00:22:37.940 whether we consciously 00:22:37.940 --> 00:22:38.819 express it or not, 00:22:39.059 --> 00:22:40.500 we worry that God's like this. 00:22:41.340 --> 00:22:42.559 How many people 00:22:42.559 --> 00:22:43.640 were hoping 00:22:43.640 --> 00:22:45.039 that Harper would lose, 00:22:45.480 --> 00:22:46.539 that he would fall, 00:22:47.140 --> 00:22:48.220 and that he would fall 00:22:48.220 --> 00:22:48.980 in such a way 00:22:48.980 --> 00:22:50.340 that he would never rise? 00:22:50.420 --> 00:22:51.240 How many people 00:22:51.240 --> 00:22:51.720 are hoping 00:22:51.720 --> 00:22:52.920 that Trump will fall? 00:22:53.620 --> 00:22:54.819 And that when he falls, 00:22:54.819 --> 00:22:56.000 he will fall 00:22:56.000 --> 00:22:57.220 and be revealed 00:22:57.220 --> 00:22:58.019 as a complete 00:22:58.019 --> 00:22:59.140 and utter buffoon 00:22:59.140 --> 00:23:00.280 and he'll be mocked 00:23:00.280 --> 00:23:01.340 and he will never rise again. 00:23:01.580 --> 00:23:02.400 How many people 00:23:02.400 --> 00:23:03.300 hope that Trudeau 00:23:03.300 --> 00:23:04.460 will have that happen to him? 00:23:04.480 --> 00:23:05.340 Or Hillary Clinton? 00:23:05.700 --> 00:23:07.120 How many people hope that? 00:23:08.820 --> 00:23:10.000 And if I haven't picked 00:23:10.000 --> 00:23:10.759 one of your four things, 00:23:10.840 --> 00:23:11.259 because really, 00:23:11.660 --> 00:23:12.140 you think, 00:23:12.340 --> 00:23:13.620 you don't follow politics at all, 00:23:13.660 --> 00:23:14.240 you have no idea 00:23:14.240 --> 00:23:15.259 who I even talked about, 00:23:16.120 --> 00:23:16.900 there's something else 00:23:16.900 --> 00:23:18.060 in your sphere of influence. 00:23:19.780 --> 00:23:20.860 Maybe you're a foodie 00:23:20.860 --> 00:23:22.140 who doesn't follow politics. 00:23:22.400 --> 00:23:22.920 And for you, 00:23:22.960 --> 00:23:24.400 it's people who eat at McDonald's. 00:23:24.400 --> 00:23:24.940 I don't know. 00:23:25.840 --> 00:23:26.040 You know, 00:23:26.100 --> 00:23:27.440 you hope that they get sick 00:23:27.440 --> 00:23:28.220 and they fall 00:23:28.220 --> 00:23:29.240 and they just keep 00:23:29.240 --> 00:23:30.380 going down, down. 00:23:30.500 --> 00:23:30.640 You know, 00:23:30.700 --> 00:23:32.279 it's a human thing, folks. 00:23:34.160 --> 00:23:35.339 And if we're honest, 00:23:35.460 --> 00:23:36.420 there are people 00:23:36.420 --> 00:23:38.160 that we think that of. 00:23:38.279 --> 00:23:39.400 I've told this before, 00:23:39.500 --> 00:23:39.759 but you know, 00:23:39.779 --> 00:23:41.039 I came out of the counterculture. 00:23:41.220 --> 00:23:42.799 I was like a neo-Marxist, 00:23:42.860 --> 00:23:44.400 I was very left-wing. 00:23:44.559 --> 00:23:45.299 And I remember, 00:23:45.500 --> 00:23:45.839 I really, 00:23:45.980 --> 00:23:46.539 and I was really 00:23:46.539 --> 00:23:47.600 into protest music. 00:23:47.779 --> 00:23:48.640 And when I heard 00:23:48.640 --> 00:23:50.200 that Bob Dylan 00:23:50.200 --> 00:23:51.180 became a Christian, 00:23:51.259 --> 00:23:51.600 I thought, 00:23:51.799 --> 00:23:52.279 yes, 00:23:52.900 --> 00:23:53.339 Bob Dylan 00:23:53.339 --> 00:23:54.059 became a Christian. 00:23:54.059 --> 00:23:54.519 When I heard 00:23:54.519 --> 00:23:55.519 that Charles Colson, 00:23:55.620 --> 00:23:56.600 who was the right-hand man 00:23:56.599 --> 00:23:57.599 for Richard Nixon, 00:23:57.740 --> 00:23:59.019 that right-wing president, 00:23:59.439 --> 00:23:59.959 I said, 00:24:00.039 --> 00:24:00.919 that dirty rat, 00:24:01.559 --> 00:24:03.379 he didn't become 00:24:03.379 --> 00:24:04.000 a Christian. 00:24:05.119 --> 00:24:06.039 He's just trying 00:24:06.039 --> 00:24:06.419 to get out 00:24:06.419 --> 00:24:07.240 of being punished. 00:24:08.759 --> 00:24:09.779 And I would have just said 00:24:09.779 --> 00:24:10.579 I was being prophetic, 00:24:10.859 --> 00:24:11.379 not revealing 00:24:11.379 --> 00:24:12.399 my hard, 00:24:13.119 --> 00:24:14.619 unfeeling heart. 00:24:16.299 --> 00:24:17.240 Colson obviously 00:24:17.240 --> 00:24:18.139 became a Christian, 00:24:18.259 --> 00:24:18.659 by the way. 00:24:18.660 --> 00:24:21.560 So Paul's asking 00:24:21.560 --> 00:24:22.080 this really, 00:24:22.220 --> 00:24:23.279 really tough question. 00:24:24.080 --> 00:24:24.720 And once again, 00:24:24.759 --> 00:24:25.440 it all goes to 00:24:25.440 --> 00:24:26.440 how we view God. 00:24:26.519 --> 00:24:27.320 Do we believe this 00:24:27.320 --> 00:24:27.920 about God? 00:24:28.600 --> 00:24:28.779 Like, 00:24:28.840 --> 00:24:29.779 let's just sort of, 00:24:29.779 --> 00:24:30.000 you know, 00:24:30.060 --> 00:24:30.580 keep going. 00:24:30.920 --> 00:24:31.920 Because part of the problem 00:24:31.920 --> 00:24:32.040 is, 00:24:32.080 --> 00:24:33.120 remember a few weeks ago 00:24:33.120 --> 00:24:33.920 we looked at how 00:24:33.920 --> 00:24:35.540 God reveals himself 00:24:35.540 --> 00:24:36.400 that he's the potter 00:24:36.400 --> 00:24:37.140 and we are the clay, 00:24:37.220 --> 00:24:38.000 and the fact of the matter 00:24:38.000 --> 00:24:39.120 is that human beings 00:24:39.120 --> 00:24:40.480 believe that we're the potter 00:24:40.480 --> 00:24:41.519 and God is the clay. 00:24:42.900 --> 00:24:44.240 And we both love that 00:24:44.240 --> 00:24:45.720 and we're terrified by it. 00:24:46.340 --> 00:24:47.580 If we're honest with ourselves, 00:24:47.579 --> 00:24:48.500 if we think about it. 00:24:49.079 --> 00:24:49.639 We love it 00:24:49.639 --> 00:24:50.559 because we can form God 00:24:50.559 --> 00:24:51.119 the way we want. 00:24:51.199 --> 00:24:51.759 We're terrified 00:24:51.759 --> 00:24:52.799 because God ends up 00:24:52.799 --> 00:24:54.119 being exactly like us. 00:24:57.059 --> 00:24:57.779 Verse 11. 00:24:57.899 --> 00:24:58.279 So I asked, 00:24:58.379 --> 00:24:58.539 did they, 00:24:58.679 --> 00:24:59.019 so remember, 00:24:59.179 --> 00:25:00.220 so the point here 00:25:00.220 --> 00:25:01.240 in all of this stuff 00:25:01.240 --> 00:25:02.460 is that what Paul 00:25:02.460 --> 00:25:03.079 is trying to say 00:25:03.079 --> 00:25:04.539 is the reality of grace, 00:25:04.639 --> 00:25:05.899 the constancy of grace, 00:25:06.000 --> 00:25:06.639 the fact that 00:25:06.639 --> 00:25:08.099 it's never the case. 00:25:08.740 --> 00:25:10.359 God is not like you and me. 00:25:10.599 --> 00:25:11.899 Thanks be to God. 00:25:12.759 --> 00:25:14.460 He does not look at St. Clair. 00:25:14.539 --> 00:25:15.279 He does not look 00:25:15.279 --> 00:25:16.220 at any single person 00:25:16.220 --> 00:25:16.599 in this room. 00:25:16.599 --> 00:25:17.699 He doesn't look at Trump, 00:25:18.059 --> 00:25:18.500 Harper, 00:25:19.459 --> 00:25:20.119 Trudeau, 00:25:20.219 --> 00:25:21.099 or Clinton 00:25:21.099 --> 00:25:22.439 and say, 00:25:22.539 --> 00:25:23.459 I hope these guys 00:25:23.459 --> 00:25:24.559 fall in such a way 00:25:24.559 --> 00:25:25.480 that they just fall 00:25:25.480 --> 00:25:26.619 and fall and fall 00:25:26.619 --> 00:25:29.159 and there is no bottom 00:25:29.159 --> 00:25:30.139 to that hole. 00:25:30.299 --> 00:25:32.079 God is never like that. 00:25:33.679 --> 00:25:35.339 Up until our final breath, 00:25:35.419 --> 00:25:36.059 his hope is 00:25:36.059 --> 00:25:37.079 that we will turn to him 00:25:37.079 --> 00:25:38.259 and receive his grace 00:25:38.259 --> 00:25:40.059 and be made right with God. 00:25:42.899 --> 00:25:43.859 Verse 11 again. 00:25:43.859 --> 00:25:44.359 So I asked, 00:25:44.419 --> 00:25:44.919 did they stumble 00:25:44.919 --> 00:25:45.759 in order that they might 00:25:45.759 --> 00:25:47.059 fall and fall and fall 00:25:47.059 --> 00:25:47.479 and fall? 00:25:47.539 --> 00:25:48.439 By no means. 00:25:49.399 --> 00:25:50.019 And this is now 00:25:50.019 --> 00:25:51.019 the surprising thing. 00:25:51.139 --> 00:25:51.339 Rather, 00:25:51.479 --> 00:25:52.500 through their trespass, 00:25:52.619 --> 00:25:53.539 salvation has come 00:25:53.539 --> 00:25:54.579 to the pagans 00:25:54.579 --> 00:25:57.639 so as to make Israel jealous. 00:25:58.719 --> 00:25:59.299 I'm going to explain 00:25:59.299 --> 00:25:59.919 this in a moment. 00:26:00.659 --> 00:26:00.819 Now, 00:26:00.859 --> 00:26:02.139 if their trespass 00:26:02.139 --> 00:26:03.099 means riches 00:26:03.099 --> 00:26:03.939 for the world, 00:26:04.379 --> 00:26:04.899 that means, 00:26:05.139 --> 00:26:05.759 and here the world 00:26:05.759 --> 00:26:06.679 means all the people 00:26:06.679 --> 00:26:07.619 groups on the planet. 00:26:07.619 --> 00:26:10.739 And if their failure 00:26:10.739 --> 00:26:11.439 means riches 00:26:11.439 --> 00:26:12.319 for the pagans, 00:26:12.459 --> 00:26:12.979 he's basically 00:26:12.979 --> 00:26:14.019 just reiterating it 00:26:14.019 --> 00:26:14.939 to bring in the emphasis, 00:26:15.639 --> 00:26:16.399 how much more 00:26:16.399 --> 00:26:17.739 will their full inclusion mean? 00:26:18.399 --> 00:26:19.339 Now I am speaking 00:26:19.339 --> 00:26:20.299 to you pagans 00:26:20.299 --> 00:26:21.699 inasmuch then 00:26:21.699 --> 00:26:22.699 as I am an apostle 00:26:22.699 --> 00:26:24.079 to the pagans. 00:26:24.399 --> 00:26:26.179 I magnify my ministry 00:26:26.179 --> 00:26:27.339 in order that somehow 00:26:27.339 --> 00:26:29.439 to make my fellow Jews 00:26:29.439 --> 00:26:29.839 jealous 00:26:29.839 --> 00:26:31.219 and thus save some of them. 00:26:31.899 --> 00:26:32.159 Remember, 00:26:32.239 --> 00:26:33.000 the opening question 00:26:33.000 --> 00:26:34.039 is has God rejected 00:26:34.039 --> 00:26:36.099 his Jewish people? 00:26:36.099 --> 00:26:39.379 For if their rejection, 00:26:39.819 --> 00:26:41.259 that's not that 00:26:41.259 --> 00:26:42.199 they've been rejected 00:26:42.199 --> 00:26:42.740 by God, 00:26:42.799 --> 00:26:43.519 but their rejection 00:26:43.519 --> 00:26:44.119 of God, 00:26:44.480 --> 00:26:44.740 okay? 00:26:44.919 --> 00:26:46.119 They've rejected God. 00:26:46.619 --> 00:26:47.719 If their rejection 00:26:47.719 --> 00:26:49.399 means the reconciliation 00:26:49.399 --> 00:26:50.379 of the world, 00:26:50.959 --> 00:26:52.299 what will their acceptance 00:26:52.299 --> 00:26:53.240 mean but life 00:26:53.240 --> 00:26:53.759 from the dead? 00:26:53.839 --> 00:26:54.839 If the dough offered 00:26:54.839 --> 00:26:55.659 as first fruits 00:26:55.659 --> 00:26:56.240 is holy, 00:26:56.819 --> 00:26:57.899 so is the whole lump. 00:26:58.079 --> 00:26:59.119 And if the root is holy, 00:26:59.259 --> 00:27:00.000 so are the branches. 00:27:00.779 --> 00:27:01.319 Now we just sort of 00:27:01.319 --> 00:27:02.399 want to pause here 00:27:02.399 --> 00:27:04.419 for a tiny, 00:27:04.619 --> 00:27:05.199 tiny, 00:27:05.199 --> 00:27:06.079 tiny bit of a 00:27:06.079 --> 00:27:06.460 second 00:27:06.460 --> 00:27:11.259 because there's going 00:27:11.259 --> 00:27:11.559 to be a bit 00:27:11.559 --> 00:27:12.879 of a transition here. 00:27:13.779 --> 00:27:14.859 Just as part 00:27:14.859 --> 00:27:15.619 of this transition, 00:27:16.059 --> 00:27:17.039 many of you know 00:27:17.039 --> 00:27:18.179 that one of the problems 00:27:18.179 --> 00:27:18.679 that's going on 00:27:18.679 --> 00:27:19.199 in Canada 00:27:19.199 --> 00:27:19.799 and throughout 00:27:19.799 --> 00:27:20.539 the Western world 00:27:20.539 --> 00:27:20.960 right now 00:27:20.960 --> 00:27:22.519 is rising antisemitism. 00:27:24.419 --> 00:27:25.399 And those of you 00:27:25.399 --> 00:27:25.819 who are still 00:27:25.819 --> 00:27:26.720 university students, 00:27:26.839 --> 00:27:27.259 you know that one 00:27:27.259 --> 00:27:27.839 of the centers 00:27:27.839 --> 00:27:29.019 of rising antisemitism 00:27:29.019 --> 00:27:30.379 is university campuses. 00:27:31.819 --> 00:27:32.240 In fact, 00:27:32.279 --> 00:27:33.480 it's the intelligentsia 00:27:33.480 --> 00:27:34.420 which is part 00:27:34.420 --> 00:27:35.140 of the source 00:27:35.140 --> 00:27:36.700 of growing antisemitism 00:27:36.700 --> 00:27:37.740 in our country 00:27:37.740 --> 00:27:38.819 and in Europe. 00:27:39.960 --> 00:27:41.240 And as well as that, 00:27:41.319 --> 00:27:42.339 we have to realize 00:27:42.339 --> 00:27:43.900 that Christians 00:27:43.900 --> 00:27:45.940 have a terrible past 00:27:45.940 --> 00:27:46.480 and history 00:27:46.480 --> 00:27:47.420 of antisemitism. 00:27:48.460 --> 00:27:48.900 Hopefully, 00:27:49.039 --> 00:27:49.839 this text 00:27:49.839 --> 00:27:50.920 will help us 00:27:50.920 --> 00:27:51.440 to realize 00:27:51.440 --> 00:27:52.120 that not just 00:27:52.120 --> 00:27:52.900 antisemitism 00:27:52.900 --> 00:27:54.360 but all prejudice, 00:27:55.940 --> 00:27:56.740 all hatred 00:27:56.740 --> 00:27:58.019 of people groups 00:27:58.019 --> 00:27:59.740 just because 00:27:59.740 --> 00:28:00.460 of who they are 00:28:00.460 --> 00:28:02.120 is deeply unbiblical 00:28:02.120 --> 00:28:03.460 and deeply unchristian. 00:28:03.799 --> 00:28:04.400 All of it. 00:28:05.819 --> 00:28:06.100 I mean, 00:28:06.220 --> 00:28:07.440 it's very interesting 00:28:07.440 --> 00:28:08.460 how the text was put 00:28:08.460 --> 00:28:09.660 because it says 00:28:09.660 --> 00:28:10.900 that the Jewish 00:28:10.900 --> 00:28:11.519 rejection 00:28:11.519 --> 00:28:13.440 of the gospel 00:28:13.440 --> 00:28:14.059 has led 00:28:14.059 --> 00:28:15.819 that Christians, 00:28:16.220 --> 00:28:16.920 that pagans 00:28:16.920 --> 00:28:17.819 become Christians 00:28:17.819 --> 00:28:19.500 and that every people group 00:28:19.500 --> 00:28:20.460 is to hear about Jesus. 00:28:20.600 --> 00:28:21.380 Every people group. 00:28:21.500 --> 00:28:22.600 There's to be no prejudice. 00:28:23.819 --> 00:28:24.039 Like, 00:28:24.680 --> 00:28:25.920 just because we're prejudiced 00:28:25.920 --> 00:28:26.299 doesn't mean 00:28:26.299 --> 00:28:27.120 we're not a Christian, 00:28:27.319 --> 00:28:27.480 okay? 00:28:27.519 --> 00:28:28.700 But every one of us 00:28:28.700 --> 00:28:29.640 who has some prejudice 00:28:29.640 --> 00:28:31.200 against another people group, 00:28:31.420 --> 00:28:33.560 that is deeply offensive 00:28:33.560 --> 00:28:34.360 to the Bible. 00:28:35.180 --> 00:28:36.140 And the Bible 00:28:36.140 --> 00:28:36.960 is going to now 00:28:36.960 --> 00:28:38.200 move the image 00:28:38.200 --> 00:28:39.860 to root this, 00:28:40.100 --> 00:28:42.240 this complete rejection 00:28:42.240 --> 00:28:43.420 of antisemitism 00:28:43.420 --> 00:28:45.120 and complete rejection 00:28:45.120 --> 00:28:47.120 of all prejudice 00:28:47.120 --> 00:28:48.840 in yet more 00:28:48.840 --> 00:28:49.740 of the miracle 00:28:49.740 --> 00:28:50.920 of God's grace. 00:28:52.240 --> 00:28:53.380 But before we do that, 00:28:53.460 --> 00:28:53.940 could you put up 00:28:53.940 --> 00:28:54.820 Romans 11 again? 00:28:55.660 --> 00:28:56.160 Because I want us 00:28:56.160 --> 00:28:57.140 to keep remembering 00:28:57.140 --> 00:28:58.259 that we're all talking 00:28:58.259 --> 00:28:58.820 about God 00:28:58.819 --> 00:28:59.720 and how he's not like us. 00:28:59.779 --> 00:29:00.559 Could you read this text 00:29:00.559 --> 00:29:01.500 with me again, please? 00:29:02.359 --> 00:29:03.179 Oh, the depths 00:29:03.179 --> 00:29:03.980 of the riches 00:29:03.980 --> 00:29:04.919 and wisdom 00:29:04.919 --> 00:29:05.839 and knowledge 00:29:05.839 --> 00:29:06.419 of God. 00:29:06.939 --> 00:29:08.159 How unsearchable 00:29:08.159 --> 00:29:09.240 are his judgments 00:29:09.240 --> 00:29:10.919 and how inscrutable 00:29:10.919 --> 00:29:11.839 his ways. 00:29:12.419 --> 00:29:13.579 For who has known 00:29:13.579 --> 00:29:14.799 the mind of the Lord 00:29:14.799 --> 00:29:16.399 or who has been 00:29:16.399 --> 00:29:17.240 his counselor 00:29:17.240 --> 00:29:18.980 or who has given 00:29:18.980 --> 00:29:20.059 a gift to him 00:29:20.059 --> 00:29:20.919 that he might 00:29:20.919 --> 00:29:21.879 be repaid? 00:29:22.460 --> 00:29:23.539 For from him 00:29:23.539 --> 00:29:24.639 and through him 00:29:24.639 --> 00:29:25.720 and to him 00:29:25.720 --> 00:29:26.839 are all things. 00:29:26.839 --> 00:29:28.459 To him be glory 00:29:28.459 --> 00:29:29.039 forever. 00:29:29.539 --> 00:29:29.980 Amen. 00:29:30.659 --> 00:29:31.459 So let's keep reading 00:29:31.459 --> 00:29:32.779 from verse 17 00:29:32.779 --> 00:29:34.839 and we'll see here 00:29:34.839 --> 00:29:35.500 how the Bible 00:29:35.500 --> 00:29:36.179 is going to give 00:29:36.179 --> 00:29:37.659 this profound image 00:29:37.659 --> 00:29:38.899 that even deeply, 00:29:39.000 --> 00:29:40.480 more deeply rejects 00:29:40.480 --> 00:29:41.699 all antisemitism 00:29:41.699 --> 00:29:43.539 and indirectly then 00:29:43.539 --> 00:29:44.379 all prejudice. 00:29:44.959 --> 00:29:45.759 Verse 17. 00:29:47.059 --> 00:29:48.220 But if some of the branches 00:29:48.220 --> 00:29:49.220 were broken off, 00:29:49.259 --> 00:29:49.819 he's talking about 00:29:49.819 --> 00:29:50.899 the olive tree, right? 00:29:51.240 --> 00:29:51.819 We'll see in a moment 00:29:51.819 --> 00:29:52.459 it's an olive tree. 00:29:52.799 --> 00:29:53.740 But if some of the branches 00:29:53.740 --> 00:29:54.599 were broken off 00:29:54.599 --> 00:29:55.160 and you, 00:29:55.640 --> 00:29:57.120 although a wild olive shoot, 00:29:57.559 --> 00:29:58.599 were grafted in 00:29:58.599 --> 00:29:59.599 among the others 00:29:59.599 --> 00:30:00.839 and now share 00:30:00.839 --> 00:30:02.019 in the nourishing root 00:30:02.019 --> 00:30:02.960 of the olive tree, 00:30:03.579 --> 00:30:04.680 do not be arrogant 00:30:04.680 --> 00:30:05.839 toward the branches. 00:30:06.339 --> 00:30:07.079 If you are, 00:30:07.759 --> 00:30:09.200 remember it is not you 00:30:09.200 --> 00:30:10.480 who support the root, 00:30:11.000 --> 00:30:11.740 but the root 00:30:11.740 --> 00:30:13.019 that supports you. 00:30:13.900 --> 00:30:14.859 Then you will say, 00:30:15.160 --> 00:30:16.420 branches were broken off 00:30:16.420 --> 00:30:18.120 so that I may be grafted in. 00:30:18.720 --> 00:30:19.720 That is true. 00:30:20.240 --> 00:30:21.240 They were broken off 00:30:21.240 --> 00:30:22.460 because of their unbelief, 00:30:22.460 --> 00:30:23.539 but you stand fast 00:30:23.539 --> 00:30:24.200 through faith. 00:30:24.819 --> 00:30:26.299 So do not become proud, 00:30:26.799 --> 00:30:27.460 but fear. 00:30:28.180 --> 00:30:29.680 For if God did not spare 00:30:29.680 --> 00:30:30.840 the natural branches, 00:30:31.000 --> 00:30:32.319 neither will he spare you. 00:30:33.140 --> 00:30:34.400 Note then the kindness 00:30:34.400 --> 00:30:36.220 and the severity of God, 00:30:36.819 --> 00:30:38.039 severity towards those 00:30:38.039 --> 00:30:38.700 who have fallen, 00:30:39.319 --> 00:30:40.860 but God's kindness to you, 00:30:41.360 --> 00:30:42.539 provided you continue 00:30:42.539 --> 00:30:43.259 in his kindness. 00:30:44.059 --> 00:30:44.380 Otherwise, 00:30:44.620 --> 00:30:45.779 you too will be cut off. 00:30:46.480 --> 00:30:47.740 And even they, 00:30:48.100 --> 00:30:49.240 if they do not continue 00:30:49.240 --> 00:30:50.039 in their unbelief, 00:30:50.100 --> 00:30:51.059 will be grafted in. 00:30:51.059 --> 00:30:52.779 For God has the power 00:30:52.779 --> 00:30:53.819 to graft them in a game. 00:30:54.619 --> 00:30:55.700 For if you were cut 00:30:55.700 --> 00:30:56.839 from what is by nature 00:30:56.839 --> 00:30:58.000 a wild olive tree 00:30:58.000 --> 00:30:59.779 and grafted contrary to nature 00:30:59.779 --> 00:31:01.500 into a cultivated olive tree, 00:31:01.980 --> 00:31:03.500 how much more will these, 00:31:03.679 --> 00:31:04.700 the natural branches, 00:31:04.839 --> 00:31:05.659 be grafted back 00:31:05.659 --> 00:31:07.059 into their own olive tree? 00:31:07.919 --> 00:31:09.259 That's a lot of different things 00:31:09.259 --> 00:31:09.460 in there. 00:31:09.500 --> 00:31:10.339 It was a long reading, 00:31:11.159 --> 00:31:12.960 but here's the, 00:31:13.599 --> 00:31:14.419 could you put up the point, 00:31:14.519 --> 00:31:14.720 Andrew, 00:31:14.779 --> 00:31:15.500 the second point? 00:31:15.500 --> 00:31:19.500 God has only one olive tree 00:31:19.500 --> 00:31:22.619 and we can only be grafted 00:31:22.619 --> 00:31:23.940 into that by a miracle 00:31:23.940 --> 00:31:25.299 of his powerful grace. 00:31:26.220 --> 00:31:27.180 That's what he's trying 00:31:27.180 --> 00:31:28.220 to communicate here. 00:31:30.319 --> 00:31:31.019 One of the, 00:31:31.339 --> 00:31:31.559 you know, 00:31:31.599 --> 00:31:31.900 one of the, 00:31:32.000 --> 00:31:32.700 when I said that 00:31:32.700 --> 00:31:33.480 beginning of the service 00:31:33.480 --> 00:31:34.400 that some people get, 00:31:34.519 --> 00:31:35.319 hear Romans 11, 00:31:35.420 --> 00:31:35.920 get bored, 00:31:36.319 --> 00:31:37.059 others in the room, 00:31:37.119 --> 00:31:37.660 a minority, 00:31:37.819 --> 00:31:38.799 they get all excited 00:31:38.799 --> 00:31:39.740 about Romans 11. 00:31:39.940 --> 00:31:40.279 Why? 00:31:41.079 --> 00:31:42.960 Because they can fight over it. 00:31:44.099 --> 00:31:44.279 In fact, 00:31:44.299 --> 00:31:44.859 that's one of the things 00:31:44.859 --> 00:31:45.680 that non-Christians 00:31:45.680 --> 00:31:46.759 don't like about Christians. 00:31:46.920 --> 00:31:47.839 It seems it either goes 00:31:47.839 --> 00:31:48.200 from being, 00:31:48.519 --> 00:31:49.599 they either go from talking 00:31:49.599 --> 00:31:51.500 about unbelievably boring things 00:31:51.500 --> 00:31:52.299 to wanting to fight 00:31:52.299 --> 00:31:53.359 about boring things. 00:31:54.299 --> 00:31:56.720 And so for some Christians, 00:31:57.099 --> 00:31:58.539 they love going to Romans 11 00:31:58.539 --> 00:31:59.200 because it gets them 00:31:59.200 --> 00:32:00.539 to talk about different things 00:32:00.539 --> 00:32:02.339 about Jewish and Israel 00:32:02.339 --> 00:32:03.480 and the place of Israel. 00:32:04.019 --> 00:32:04.819 And what we're going to see 00:32:04.819 --> 00:32:05.460 in this text 00:32:05.460 --> 00:32:06.279 is that the Bible, 00:32:06.460 --> 00:32:07.019 on one hand, 00:32:07.139 --> 00:32:09.099 condemns fully anti-Semitism, 00:32:09.099 --> 00:32:11.319 but it also completely 00:32:11.319 --> 00:32:13.039 and utterly rejects 00:32:13.039 --> 00:32:13.879 any attempt 00:32:13.879 --> 00:32:14.779 to make Israel 00:32:14.779 --> 00:32:15.759 or Jewish people 00:32:15.759 --> 00:32:16.619 into an idol. 00:32:17.899 --> 00:32:19.599 This Bible completely 00:32:19.599 --> 00:32:21.199 and utterly rejects 00:32:21.199 --> 00:32:22.079 the idea 00:32:22.079 --> 00:32:23.959 that Jewish people 00:32:23.959 --> 00:32:25.099 don't have to come 00:32:25.099 --> 00:32:26.039 to faith in Jesus, 00:32:26.779 --> 00:32:28.059 that just by being Jewish, 00:32:28.480 --> 00:32:29.699 they will be reconciled to God. 00:32:29.779 --> 00:32:31.179 This Bible text rejects it. 00:32:32.039 --> 00:32:34.359 Olive tree is an original image 00:32:34.359 --> 00:32:35.019 of Israel 00:32:35.019 --> 00:32:37.279 and it's extended by Paul 00:32:37.279 --> 00:32:38.699 to mean all who come 00:32:38.700 --> 00:32:40.860 to be part of God's people. 00:32:42.299 --> 00:32:43.160 And God doesn't have 00:32:43.160 --> 00:32:43.980 two olive trees, 00:32:44.080 --> 00:32:44.819 one for pagans 00:32:44.819 --> 00:32:45.539 and one for Jews. 00:32:45.640 --> 00:32:46.640 There's only one olive tree. 00:32:47.559 --> 00:32:48.580 Only one olive tree. 00:32:49.380 --> 00:32:50.039 And the other thing 00:32:50.039 --> 00:32:51.039 that this text does 00:32:51.039 --> 00:32:52.340 is it tells us 00:32:52.340 --> 00:32:53.420 that Christians, 00:32:53.700 --> 00:32:55.279 not only evangelicals 00:32:55.279 --> 00:32:55.980 and charismatics, 00:32:56.120 --> 00:32:56.519 some of them 00:32:56.519 --> 00:32:57.680 who believe that Jewish people 00:32:57.680 --> 00:32:58.940 don't have to come 00:32:58.940 --> 00:32:59.740 to faith in Jewish 00:32:59.740 --> 00:33:01.340 because they have their own way 00:33:01.340 --> 00:33:02.420 of being made right with God, 00:33:02.940 --> 00:33:03.940 it also says 00:33:03.940 --> 00:33:05.059 that the Anglican Church 00:33:05.059 --> 00:33:05.759 of Canada, 00:33:06.160 --> 00:33:06.880 when they say 00:33:06.880 --> 00:33:08.040 that we should not pray 00:33:08.040 --> 00:33:08.780 for the salvation 00:33:08.780 --> 00:33:09.800 of Jewish people, 00:33:10.200 --> 00:33:10.960 is an error. 00:33:12.500 --> 00:33:13.280 And it says 00:33:13.280 --> 00:33:14.680 that when the Roman Catholic Church 00:33:14.680 --> 00:33:15.560 has just recently 00:33:15.560 --> 00:33:16.260 made a statement 00:33:16.260 --> 00:33:17.240 that we aren't to pray 00:33:17.240 --> 00:33:18.340 and work for the conversion 00:33:18.340 --> 00:33:19.260 of Jewish people, 00:33:19.940 --> 00:33:21.080 the Roman Catholic Church 00:33:21.080 --> 00:33:21.720 is an error. 00:33:23.920 --> 00:33:25.800 There is one olive tree. 00:33:26.560 --> 00:33:27.120 Could you put up 00:33:27.120 --> 00:33:28.060 the second point here? 00:33:28.120 --> 00:33:28.300 Oh yeah, 00:33:28.340 --> 00:33:28.840 it's up already. 00:33:29.080 --> 00:33:30.000 So here it is. 00:33:30.060 --> 00:33:31.380 God has only one olive tree 00:33:31.380 --> 00:33:32.580 and we can only be grafted 00:33:32.580 --> 00:33:32.980 into that 00:33:32.980 --> 00:33:33.700 by a miracle 00:33:33.700 --> 00:33:35.720 of his powerful grace. 00:33:40.960 --> 00:33:42.420 I'm terrible with gardening. 00:33:43.539 --> 00:33:44.559 There's been a couple of times 00:33:44.559 --> 00:33:45.620 my wife has been gone 00:33:45.620 --> 00:33:46.660 for a couple of weeks 00:33:46.660 --> 00:33:48.360 and I forget 00:33:48.360 --> 00:33:49.599 to water the plants. 00:33:51.019 --> 00:33:52.120 Like I completely forget 00:33:52.120 --> 00:33:52.860 to water the plants. 00:33:53.000 --> 00:33:53.900 When I was single, 00:33:54.700 --> 00:33:55.920 my plants suffered 00:33:55.920 --> 00:33:56.880 one of two fates. 00:33:57.380 --> 00:33:58.339 They would either die 00:33:58.339 --> 00:33:59.319 of dehydration 00:33:59.319 --> 00:34:00.939 or they would die 00:34:00.939 --> 00:34:02.039 of root rot 00:34:02.039 --> 00:34:03.759 because I would water them 00:34:03.759 --> 00:34:04.579 so constantly. 00:34:05.559 --> 00:34:06.639 And very early on 00:34:06.639 --> 00:34:07.259 in our marriage, 00:34:07.359 --> 00:34:08.079 my wife learned 00:34:08.079 --> 00:34:09.340 that you never send George 00:34:09.340 --> 00:34:10.619 out to weed the garden 00:34:10.619 --> 00:34:11.920 because George 00:34:11.920 --> 00:34:13.360 hasn't the vaguest idea 00:34:13.360 --> 00:34:14.299 between the difference 00:34:14.299 --> 00:34:16.719 between a carrot growing 00:34:16.719 --> 00:34:18.259 and a weed growing 00:34:18.259 --> 00:34:19.619 or anything else. 00:34:19.679 --> 00:34:20.639 I'm completely hopeless. 00:34:21.119 --> 00:34:21.900 So for those of us, 00:34:21.920 --> 00:34:22.599 I didn't know this 00:34:22.599 --> 00:34:23.099 until I read 00:34:23.099 --> 00:34:24.239 the commentaries on it. 00:34:24.599 --> 00:34:26.440 If you take Paul's example 00:34:26.440 --> 00:34:27.340 and you take 00:34:27.340 --> 00:34:28.860 a good healthy olive tree 00:34:28.860 --> 00:34:30.200 and you graft 00:34:30.200 --> 00:34:32.140 a wild olive branch 00:34:32.140 --> 00:34:33.019 into it, 00:34:33.640 --> 00:34:35.140 if you try to follow that 00:34:35.140 --> 00:34:36.760 to have lots of olives, 00:34:36.920 --> 00:34:37.519 you'll fail 00:34:37.519 --> 00:34:38.860 because grafting 00:34:39.380 --> 00:34:40.860 wild olive branches 00:34:41.460 --> 00:34:43.660 into a healthy olive tree 00:34:43.660 --> 00:34:45.599 creates less fruitfulness. 00:34:48.420 --> 00:34:50.539 So what's Paul saying here? 00:34:51.900 --> 00:34:53.120 Paul is saying 00:34:53.120 --> 00:34:54.980 that he's not, 00:34:55.340 --> 00:34:55.480 Paul, 00:34:55.599 --> 00:34:55.860 this is, 00:34:56.000 --> 00:34:56.220 you see, 00:34:56.280 --> 00:34:57.860 it's not about natural processes. 00:34:57.860 --> 00:34:59.740 It's never about natural processes. 00:35:00.380 --> 00:35:01.300 Grace on one level 00:35:01.300 --> 00:35:02.539 is never natural. 00:35:04.120 --> 00:35:05.500 It isn't that somehow 00:35:05.500 --> 00:35:06.099 or another 00:35:06.099 --> 00:35:07.460 that these natural, 00:35:07.760 --> 00:35:08.860 these pagan branches 00:35:08.860 --> 00:35:09.480 are coming in 00:35:09.480 --> 00:35:10.099 and that's going to just 00:35:10.099 --> 00:35:10.800 sort of naturally 00:35:10.800 --> 00:35:12.000 make the whole tree 00:35:12.000 --> 00:35:12.980 of all the people 00:35:12.980 --> 00:35:13.880 who are God's better. 00:35:14.340 --> 00:35:15.360 It's grace. 00:35:16.360 --> 00:35:17.360 It's a miracle. 00:35:18.140 --> 00:35:19.539 It's not natural. 00:35:21.640 --> 00:35:23.500 It's not some natural process. 00:35:23.640 --> 00:35:25.140 Nothing's a natural process. 00:35:25.139 --> 00:35:26.400 We keep thinking 00:35:26.400 --> 00:35:27.639 there's natural processes. 00:35:28.079 --> 00:35:28.960 We look at the world 00:35:28.960 --> 00:35:29.379 and we say 00:35:29.379 --> 00:35:30.839 that person could very naturally 00:35:30.839 --> 00:35:32.239 and easily become a Christian 00:35:32.239 --> 00:35:34.000 and that person could naturally 00:35:34.000 --> 00:35:35.940 and not become a Christian 00:35:35.940 --> 00:35:37.059 and not go God's grace. 00:35:37.139 --> 00:35:37.440 You know, 00:35:37.460 --> 00:35:37.779 look at them. 00:35:37.839 --> 00:35:38.539 Look at those earrings 00:35:38.539 --> 00:35:39.559 or look at those tattoos 00:35:39.559 --> 00:35:40.839 or look at the way they, 00:35:40.920 --> 00:35:41.059 you know, 00:35:41.079 --> 00:35:41.420 look at that. 00:35:41.500 --> 00:35:42.900 They drive gas guzzlers 00:35:42.900 --> 00:35:43.460 or look at that. 00:35:43.519 --> 00:35:44.400 They eat at McDonald's 00:35:44.400 --> 00:35:44.879 or look at that. 00:35:44.940 --> 00:35:45.739 They vote for Trump 00:35:45.739 --> 00:35:46.299 or look at that. 00:35:46.379 --> 00:35:47.279 They vote for Sanders 00:35:47.279 --> 00:35:48.039 or, you know, 00:35:48.059 --> 00:35:48.619 whatever it is. 00:35:48.619 --> 00:35:50.239 We all have our different prejudices 00:35:50.239 --> 00:35:51.279 about what is natural 00:35:51.279 --> 00:35:53.420 and the Bible wants to keep reminding us 00:35:53.420 --> 00:35:54.820 that it's never natural. 00:35:56.019 --> 00:35:56.380 Never. 00:35:57.440 --> 00:35:59.340 It's always a miracle of grace. 00:36:00.960 --> 00:36:02.180 And if we go around 00:36:02.180 --> 00:36:02.539 thinking, 00:36:02.700 --> 00:36:02.720 you know, 00:36:02.800 --> 00:36:03.840 the Jewish people, 00:36:03.920 --> 00:36:04.880 they'll never come to a faith. 00:36:04.980 --> 00:36:05.099 You know, 00:36:05.300 --> 00:36:07.099 that my Jewish dentist 00:36:07.099 --> 00:36:08.180 or my Jewish doctor, 00:36:08.340 --> 00:36:09.400 I actually happen to have 00:36:09.400 --> 00:36:10.480 a dentist who's Jewish 00:36:10.480 --> 00:36:11.340 and the doctor who's Jewish 00:36:11.340 --> 00:36:11.720 just by, 00:36:12.420 --> 00:36:12.579 well, 00:36:12.639 --> 00:36:13.280 maybe not coincidence, 00:36:13.400 --> 00:36:14.000 by providence. 00:36:14.519 --> 00:36:14.820 But I, 00:36:15.500 --> 00:36:15.740 you know, 00:36:15.860 --> 00:36:16.460 you maybe think, 00:36:16.460 --> 00:36:16.559 oh, 00:36:16.579 --> 00:36:17.800 you can't share the gospel with them. 00:36:17.920 --> 00:36:18.420 You know what I mean? 00:36:18.460 --> 00:36:18.720 It's just, 00:36:18.800 --> 00:36:19.599 it's very natural. 00:36:20.119 --> 00:36:21.019 This whole image 00:36:21.019 --> 00:36:22.519 is that God's church 00:36:22.519 --> 00:36:23.719 is never natural. 00:36:24.360 --> 00:36:25.619 It's always supernatural 00:36:25.619 --> 00:36:27.360 and it's always by grace. 00:36:28.019 --> 00:36:28.820 It's always by grace. 00:36:28.860 --> 00:36:29.619 It's always a miracle. 00:36:30.699 --> 00:36:31.559 Only a miracle. 00:36:33.960 --> 00:36:35.079 That's how he works. 00:36:36.420 --> 00:36:37.480 That's how he works. 00:36:38.280 --> 00:36:38.920 If you could put up 00:36:38.920 --> 00:36:40.159 Romans 1 for us, 00:36:41.019 --> 00:36:41.340 Andrew. 00:36:42.119 --> 00:36:42.800 You have to be careful 00:36:42.800 --> 00:36:43.400 here at the time. 00:36:45.980 --> 00:36:47.019 This is the verse 00:36:47.019 --> 00:36:47.679 for all of Romans. 00:36:47.780 --> 00:36:48.320 Can you guys read it 00:36:48.320 --> 00:36:48.940 with me, please? 00:36:48.940 --> 00:36:50.880 For I am not ashamed 00:36:50.880 --> 00:36:51.639 of the gospel. 00:36:52.240 --> 00:36:53.880 For it is the power of God 00:36:53.880 --> 00:36:54.760 for salvation 00:36:54.760 --> 00:36:56.480 to everyone who believes, 00:36:56.820 --> 00:36:57.980 to the Jew first 00:36:57.980 --> 00:36:59.420 and also to the Greek. 00:36:59.880 --> 00:37:01.039 For in the gospel, 00:37:01.220 --> 00:37:02.579 the righteousness of God 00:37:02.579 --> 00:37:03.300 is revealed 00:37:03.300 --> 00:37:04.599 from faith to faith. 00:37:05.119 --> 00:37:06.079 As it is written, 00:37:06.480 --> 00:37:07.059 the righteous 00:37:07.059 --> 00:37:08.380 shall live by faith. 00:37:08.679 --> 00:37:09.980 And I've explained before 00:37:09.980 --> 00:37:10.519 how everything 00:37:10.519 --> 00:37:11.460 in the book of Romans 00:37:11.460 --> 00:37:12.480 is sort of just trying 00:37:12.480 --> 00:37:14.079 to fill that in 00:37:14.079 --> 00:37:14.579 and help us 00:37:14.579 --> 00:37:15.480 to understand it. 00:37:15.519 --> 00:37:16.539 And the heart of this text 00:37:16.539 --> 00:37:19.039 is that the heart 00:37:19.039 --> 00:37:19.840 of this text 00:37:19.840 --> 00:37:22.000 is that the gospel 00:37:22.000 --> 00:37:22.860 telling you about 00:37:22.860 --> 00:37:23.779 what Jesus did 00:37:23.779 --> 00:37:24.619 for us on the cross, 00:37:24.759 --> 00:37:26.019 that that is a power 00:37:26.019 --> 00:37:27.199 that comes from God. 00:37:27.519 --> 00:37:28.860 It's God's power 00:37:28.860 --> 00:37:29.699 that makes us right 00:37:29.699 --> 00:37:30.000 with him 00:37:30.000 --> 00:37:30.860 and we receive it 00:37:30.860 --> 00:37:31.440 by believing, 00:37:31.559 --> 00:37:32.300 by putting our faith 00:37:32.300 --> 00:37:33.119 and trust in him. 00:37:34.159 --> 00:37:35.239 And that God works 00:37:35.239 --> 00:37:36.279 in a way that is right 00:37:36.279 --> 00:37:36.960 to make us right 00:37:36.960 --> 00:37:37.300 with him 00:37:37.300 --> 00:37:38.320 and it's all God. 00:37:38.539 --> 00:37:39.219 All God. 00:37:39.360 --> 00:37:40.279 Completely God. 00:37:40.679 --> 00:37:41.519 Nothing of us. 00:37:42.480 --> 00:37:43.139 All we do 00:37:43.139 --> 00:37:43.880 is receive it. 00:37:44.039 --> 00:37:44.920 We are beggars. 00:37:44.920 --> 00:37:47.800 We are a chosen people 00:37:47.800 --> 00:37:50.079 not choice people. 00:37:51.680 --> 00:37:52.519 Chosen people 00:37:52.519 --> 00:37:53.559 not choice people. 00:37:54.860 --> 00:37:55.340 Andrew, 00:37:55.420 --> 00:37:55.900 could you put up 00:37:55.900 --> 00:37:58.659 the Romans 11 text 00:37:58.659 --> 00:37:59.680 for me right now, 00:37:59.720 --> 00:37:59.880 please? 00:37:59.920 --> 00:38:00.180 I don't know 00:38:00.180 --> 00:38:01.220 if that's in the right order. 00:38:01.800 --> 00:38:02.559 Let's just read this 00:38:02.559 --> 00:38:03.579 together again as well. 00:38:04.300 --> 00:38:05.039 Oh, the depth 00:38:05.039 --> 00:38:05.820 of the riches 00:38:05.820 --> 00:38:06.740 and wisdom 00:38:06.740 --> 00:38:08.119 and knowledge of God. 00:38:08.619 --> 00:38:09.800 How unsearchable 00:38:09.800 --> 00:38:10.820 are his judgments 00:38:10.820 --> 00:38:12.280 and how inscrutable 00:38:12.280 --> 00:38:13.139 his ways. 00:38:13.139 --> 00:38:14.759 For who has known 00:38:14.759 --> 00:38:16.000 the mind of the Lord 00:38:16.000 --> 00:38:17.359 or who has been 00:38:17.359 --> 00:38:18.179 his counselor 00:38:18.179 --> 00:38:19.819 or who has given 00:38:19.819 --> 00:38:20.779 a gift to him 00:38:20.779 --> 00:38:22.639 that he might be repaid? 00:38:23.019 --> 00:38:24.099 For from him 00:38:24.099 --> 00:38:25.139 and through him 00:38:25.139 --> 00:38:26.119 and to him 00:38:26.119 --> 00:38:27.179 are all things. 00:38:27.599 --> 00:38:29.239 To him be glory forever. 00:38:29.819 --> 00:38:30.199 Amen. 00:38:31.259 --> 00:38:31.659 So, 00:38:32.480 --> 00:38:37.219 God is just really, 00:38:37.379 --> 00:38:38.339 really different than us 00:38:38.339 --> 00:38:39.059 and that's really, 00:38:39.179 --> 00:38:39.900 really, really good. 00:38:39.900 --> 00:38:42.099 and nothing can stop him 00:38:42.099 --> 00:38:43.920 from showing grace. 00:38:44.680 --> 00:38:46.820 He never regrets 00:38:46.820 --> 00:38:48.960 or wants to change 00:38:48.960 --> 00:38:49.700 his mind 00:38:49.700 --> 00:38:51.220 about calling 00:38:51.220 --> 00:38:52.320 any one of you 00:38:52.320 --> 00:38:53.360 to be his child. 00:38:54.579 --> 00:38:55.700 I don't have any authority 00:38:55.700 --> 00:38:56.400 to say that myself 00:38:56.400 --> 00:38:57.500 but it's what the Bible says. 00:38:57.579 --> 00:38:58.119 Just if you look 00:38:58.119 --> 00:38:59.320 at verse 25, 00:39:00.400 --> 00:39:01.260 lest you be wise 00:39:01.260 --> 00:39:01.980 in your own sight, 00:39:02.039 --> 00:39:02.820 I do not want you 00:39:02.820 --> 00:39:03.320 to be unaware 00:39:03.320 --> 00:39:04.220 of this mystery, 00:39:04.380 --> 00:39:05.800 brothers and sisters. 00:39:05.920 --> 00:39:07.000 A partial hardening 00:39:07.000 --> 00:39:08.079 has come upon Israel 00:39:08.079 --> 00:39:08.920 until the fullness 00:39:08.920 --> 00:39:09.819 of the Gentiles 00:39:09.819 --> 00:39:10.420 has come in 00:39:10.420 --> 00:39:11.539 and in this way 00:39:11.539 --> 00:39:13.000 all Israel will be saved 00:39:13.000 --> 00:39:13.860 and all Israel, 00:39:13.980 --> 00:39:14.199 by the way, 00:39:14.239 --> 00:39:15.000 doesn't mean every 00:39:15.000 --> 00:39:15.960 Jewish person, 00:39:16.400 --> 00:39:17.219 like when we think 00:39:17.219 --> 00:39:17.880 of the last time 00:39:17.880 --> 00:39:18.699 Canada was in the 00:39:18.699 --> 00:39:20.500 World Cup of Hockey 00:39:20.500 --> 00:39:21.840 or the Olympics 00:39:21.840 --> 00:39:22.719 for the gold medal, 00:39:23.719 --> 00:39:24.179 you could say 00:39:24.179 --> 00:39:24.840 all of Canada 00:39:24.840 --> 00:39:25.539 watched the game. 00:39:25.639 --> 00:39:25.980 We don't mean 00:39:25.980 --> 00:39:26.599 every Canadian 00:39:26.599 --> 00:39:27.279 watched the game, 00:39:27.319 --> 00:39:27.480 right? 00:39:28.559 --> 00:39:29.139 But you know 00:39:29.139 --> 00:39:30.079 what you mean by that 00:39:30.079 --> 00:39:30.659 and that's what 00:39:30.659 --> 00:39:31.099 you're saying 00:39:31.099 --> 00:39:32.059 that there's 00:39:32.059 --> 00:39:33.500 potentially a time 00:39:33.500 --> 00:39:34.840 when many Jewish people 00:39:34.840 --> 00:39:35.679 will come to a faith 00:39:35.679 --> 00:39:36.460 in Jesus. 00:39:37.339 --> 00:39:38.299 Verse 26 again, 00:39:38.359 --> 00:39:38.739 in this way 00:39:38.739 --> 00:39:39.699 all Israel will be saved 00:39:39.699 --> 00:39:40.659 as it is written, 00:39:40.759 --> 00:39:41.219 the deliverer 00:39:41.219 --> 00:39:42.079 will come from Zion 00:39:42.079 --> 00:39:42.940 and he will banish 00:39:42.940 --> 00:39:44.059 ungodliness from Jacob 00:39:44.059 --> 00:39:45.139 and this will be 00:39:45.139 --> 00:39:46.219 my covenant with them 00:39:46.219 --> 00:39:47.179 when I take away 00:39:47.179 --> 00:39:47.759 their sins. 00:39:48.079 --> 00:39:49.339 As regards the gospel 00:39:49.339 --> 00:39:49.960 they are enemies 00:39:49.960 --> 00:39:50.719 for your sake, 00:39:50.799 --> 00:39:51.559 that's temporarily, 00:39:51.759 --> 00:39:52.940 but as regards election 00:39:52.940 --> 00:39:53.659 they are beloved 00:39:53.659 --> 00:39:54.219 for the sake 00:39:54.219 --> 00:39:55.039 of their forefathers 00:39:55.039 --> 00:39:56.139 for the gifts 00:39:56.139 --> 00:39:57.399 and calling of God 00:39:57.399 --> 00:39:59.199 are irrevocable. 00:40:00.159 --> 00:40:00.759 Could you put up 00:40:00.759 --> 00:40:01.339 the next point, 00:40:01.480 --> 00:40:02.079 Andrew, please? 00:40:02.079 --> 00:40:05.000 God's call 00:40:05.000 --> 00:40:09.920 God's call 00:40:09.920 --> 00:40:11.119 is irrevocable 00:40:11.119 --> 00:40:12.259 but it is not 00:40:12.259 --> 00:40:12.819 unconditional. 00:40:14.440 --> 00:40:15.199 God's call 00:40:15.199 --> 00:40:16.239 is irrevocable 00:40:16.239 --> 00:40:17.199 but it is not 00:40:17.199 --> 00:40:17.719 unconditional. 00:40:18.420 --> 00:40:19.960 What Paul is saying 00:40:19.960 --> 00:40:20.699 here is this 00:40:20.699 --> 00:40:21.840 and this word 00:40:21.840 --> 00:40:22.400 irrevocable 00:40:22.400 --> 00:40:23.059 is a very, very, 00:40:23.139 --> 00:40:23.840 very good word 00:40:23.840 --> 00:40:24.779 but underneath it 00:40:24.779 --> 00:40:25.420 there's a deeper 00:40:25.420 --> 00:40:26.420 type of image 00:40:26.420 --> 00:40:27.279 that makes it 00:40:27.279 --> 00:40:28.179 even more wonderful 00:40:28.179 --> 00:40:29.440 because one of the things 00:40:29.440 --> 00:40:30.179 that we regularly 00:40:30.179 --> 00:40:31.079 have as people 00:40:31.079 --> 00:40:32.119 is maybe we offer 00:40:32.119 --> 00:40:32.679 to, I don't know, 00:40:32.739 --> 00:40:33.159 maybe we offer 00:40:33.159 --> 00:40:34.179 to lend somebody money 00:40:34.179 --> 00:40:36.199 or we lend somebody 00:40:36.199 --> 00:40:36.819 clothes 00:40:36.819 --> 00:40:38.259 and then afterwards 00:40:38.259 --> 00:40:39.480 we regret it 00:40:39.480 --> 00:40:42.119 and then we want 00:40:42.119 --> 00:40:43.199 to renege on our deal 00:40:43.199 --> 00:40:44.039 we want it back 00:40:44.039 --> 00:40:47.159 and what Paul 00:40:47.159 --> 00:40:48.179 is saying here 00:40:48.179 --> 00:40:49.340 is that God 00:40:49.340 --> 00:40:51.059 never regrets 00:40:51.059 --> 00:40:52.719 calling a person 00:40:52.719 --> 00:40:53.519 to be his own 00:40:53.519 --> 00:40:55.219 and he never 00:40:55.219 --> 00:40:56.159 takes it back. 00:40:56.420 --> 00:40:57.259 It's irrevocable. 00:40:58.239 --> 00:40:59.059 It's irrevocable. 00:40:59.059 --> 00:41:02.820 Some of you 00:41:02.820 --> 00:41:03.199 might say 00:41:03.199 --> 00:41:03.679 George 00:41:03.679 --> 00:41:05.460 that all sounds 00:41:05.460 --> 00:41:05.880 very good 00:41:05.880 --> 00:41:06.500 but wasn't there 00:41:06.500 --> 00:41:07.420 earlier this part 00:41:07.420 --> 00:41:08.179 about if you don't 00:41:08.179 --> 00:41:09.019 stay and you don't 00:41:09.019 --> 00:41:09.699 stay in faith 00:41:09.699 --> 00:41:10.299 you're going to 00:41:10.299 --> 00:41:11.920 lose your faith. 00:41:12.019 --> 00:41:12.599 Wasn't that somewhere 00:41:12.599 --> 00:41:12.980 earlier 00:41:12.980 --> 00:41:13.860 and I just noticed 00:41:13.860 --> 00:41:14.320 that you kept 00:41:14.320 --> 00:41:15.000 reading and reading 00:41:15.000 --> 00:41:15.380 and reading 00:41:15.380 --> 00:41:16.400 but that jumped 00:41:16.400 --> 00:41:17.019 out at me 00:41:17.019 --> 00:41:17.480 George. 00:41:17.900 --> 00:41:18.599 That jumped out 00:41:18.599 --> 00:41:18.860 at me 00:41:18.860 --> 00:41:19.400 at this idea 00:41:19.400 --> 00:41:20.980 that isn't that 00:41:20.980 --> 00:41:21.440 really more 00:41:21.440 --> 00:41:22.199 the experience 00:41:22.199 --> 00:41:22.579 that you can 00:41:22.579 --> 00:41:23.099 have a faith 00:41:23.099 --> 00:41:23.559 in Jesus 00:41:23.559 --> 00:41:24.139 and all that 00:41:24.139 --> 00:41:24.699 but then later 00:41:24.699 --> 00:41:25.199 on you just 00:41:25.199 --> 00:41:25.900 get over it 00:41:25.900 --> 00:41:27.199 and then it's 00:41:27.199 --> 00:41:27.659 all over 00:41:27.659 --> 00:41:28.559 and it doesn't 00:41:28.559 --> 00:41:29.059 seem as if 00:41:29.059 --> 00:41:29.759 it's irrevocable. 00:41:29.940 --> 00:41:30.179 Isn't that what 00:41:30.179 --> 00:41:31.659 the Bible 00:41:31.659 --> 00:41:32.059 just said 00:41:32.059 --> 00:41:32.500 a few minutes 00:41:32.500 --> 00:41:32.739 ago? 00:41:33.440 --> 00:41:34.059 Let's look at 00:41:34.059 --> 00:41:34.679 it in closing. 00:41:35.739 --> 00:41:36.699 It was earlier 00:41:36.699 --> 00:41:37.899 on in verses 00:41:37.899 --> 00:41:39.159 19 to 23. 00:41:40.079 --> 00:41:40.980 It goes like this 00:41:40.980 --> 00:41:41.779 then you will say 00:41:41.779 --> 00:41:42.679 branches were broken 00:41:42.679 --> 00:41:43.359 off so that I 00:41:43.359 --> 00:41:44.079 might be grafted 00:41:44.079 --> 00:41:44.199 in. 00:41:44.279 --> 00:41:44.779 That is true 00:41:44.779 --> 00:41:45.399 they were broken 00:41:45.399 --> 00:41:46.039 off because of 00:41:46.039 --> 00:41:46.619 their unbelief 00:41:46.619 --> 00:41:47.219 but you stand 00:41:47.219 --> 00:41:47.719 fast through 00:41:47.719 --> 00:41:48.099 faith. 00:41:48.899 --> 00:41:49.319 So do not 00:41:49.319 --> 00:41:50.139 become proud 00:41:50.139 --> 00:41:50.779 but fear 00:41:50.779 --> 00:41:52.039 for if God 00:41:52.039 --> 00:41:52.739 did not spare 00:41:52.739 --> 00:41:53.339 the natural 00:41:53.339 --> 00:41:53.920 branches 00:41:53.920 --> 00:41:54.739 neither will he 00:41:54.739 --> 00:41:55.339 spare you. 00:41:56.379 --> 00:41:56.779 Note then 00:41:56.780 --> 00:41:57.320 the kindness 00:41:57.320 --> 00:41:58.060 and the severity 00:41:58.060 --> 00:41:58.560 of God 00:41:58.560 --> 00:41:59.460 severity towards 00:41:59.460 --> 00:42:00.000 those who have 00:42:00.000 --> 00:42:00.300 fallen 00:42:00.300 --> 00:42:01.460 but God's 00:42:01.460 --> 00:42:02.240 kindness to you 00:42:02.240 --> 00:42:02.920 provided you 00:42:02.920 --> 00:42:03.680 continue in his 00:42:03.680 --> 00:42:04.080 kindness 00:42:04.080 --> 00:42:05.600 otherwise you too 00:42:05.600 --> 00:42:06.400 will be cut off 00:42:06.400 --> 00:42:08.280 and even if they 00:42:08.280 --> 00:42:09.500 even if 00:42:09.500 --> 00:42:10.320 and even they 00:42:10.320 --> 00:42:10.980 if they do not 00:42:10.980 --> 00:42:11.720 continue in their 00:42:11.720 --> 00:42:12.300 unbelief 00:42:12.300 --> 00:42:13.360 will be grafted in 00:42:13.360 --> 00:42:14.000 for God has the 00:42:14.000 --> 00:42:14.600 power to graft 00:42:14.600 --> 00:42:15.120 them in a game. 00:42:15.720 --> 00:42:16.320 Here's the thing 00:42:16.320 --> 00:42:17.019 this text 00:42:17.019 --> 00:42:18.620 is not talking 00:42:18.620 --> 00:42:20.300 about people 00:42:20.300 --> 00:42:21.160 being 00:42:21.160 --> 00:42:21.880 who come to 00:42:21.880 --> 00:42:22.660 faith in Jesus 00:42:22.660 --> 00:42:24.100 being cut off 00:42:24.100 --> 00:42:24.700 by God. 00:42:24.699 --> 00:42:27.259 Andrew if you 00:42:27.259 --> 00:42:27.739 could put up 00:42:27.739 --> 00:42:28.500 the next point 00:42:28.500 --> 00:42:31.139 true faith in 00:42:31.139 --> 00:42:31.839 Jesus has 00:42:31.839 --> 00:42:33.219 several counterfeits 00:42:33.219 --> 00:42:34.139 one of which 00:42:34.139 --> 00:42:35.460 is presumption. 00:42:36.299 --> 00:42:37.379 This text 00:42:37.379 --> 00:42:38.119 isn't talking 00:42:38.119 --> 00:42:40.980 about how God 00:42:40.980 --> 00:42:41.460 is going to 00:42:41.460 --> 00:42:42.239 cut people off 00:42:42.239 --> 00:42:42.559 who don't 00:42:42.559 --> 00:42:43.379 perform well 00:42:43.379 --> 00:42:45.339 this text 00:42:45.339 --> 00:42:45.939 is talking 00:42:45.939 --> 00:42:46.419 about how 00:42:46.419 --> 00:42:47.579 God eventually 00:42:47.579 --> 00:42:48.239 reveals 00:42:48.239 --> 00:42:49.059 counterfeit 00:42:49.059 --> 00:42:49.480 faith. 00:42:52.239 --> 00:42:52.819 Counterfeit 00:42:52.819 --> 00:42:53.219 faith. 00:42:53.219 --> 00:42:55.699 And there's 00:42:55.699 --> 00:42:56.739 different types 00:42:56.739 --> 00:42:57.359 of counterfeit 00:42:57.359 --> 00:42:58.299 faith but the 00:42:58.299 --> 00:42:59.299 one which Paul 00:42:59.299 --> 00:43:00.219 is talking 00:43:00.219 --> 00:43:00.719 about here 00:43:00.719 --> 00:43:01.599 is presumption. 00:43:02.199 --> 00:43:02.539 Andrew if you 00:43:02.539 --> 00:43:02.839 could put up 00:43:02.839 --> 00:43:03.500 the next point 00:43:03.500 --> 00:43:03.980 please. 00:43:05.719 --> 00:43:06.719 God wants me 00:43:06.719 --> 00:43:07.459 to die to 00:43:07.459 --> 00:43:08.079 presumption 00:43:08.079 --> 00:43:09.079 and deepen 00:43:09.079 --> 00:43:09.839 in gospel 00:43:09.839 --> 00:43:10.299 faith. 00:43:10.959 --> 00:43:11.639 He wants me 00:43:11.639 --> 00:43:12.399 to die to 00:43:12.399 --> 00:43:12.839 arrogance 00:43:12.839 --> 00:43:14.059 and deepen 00:43:14.059 --> 00:43:14.799 in gospel 00:43:14.799 --> 00:43:15.459 assurance. 00:43:16.179 --> 00:43:17.199 God wants me 00:43:17.199 --> 00:43:17.959 to die to 00:43:17.959 --> 00:43:18.559 presumption 00:43:18.559 --> 00:43:19.339 and deepen 00:43:19.339 --> 00:43:19.919 in gospel 00:43:19.919 --> 00:43:20.319 faith. 00:43:20.839 --> 00:43:21.459 He wants me 00:43:21.460 --> 00:43:22.179 to die to 00:43:22.179 --> 00:43:22.619 arrogance 00:43:22.619 --> 00:43:23.800 and deepen 00:43:23.800 --> 00:43:24.619 in gospel 00:43:24.619 --> 00:43:25.280 assurance. 00:43:26.480 --> 00:43:27.079 See the 00:43:27.079 --> 00:43:27.860 fundamental human 00:43:27.860 --> 00:43:28.460 problem is that 00:43:28.460 --> 00:43:28.840 we want to be 00:43:28.840 --> 00:43:29.380 like God. 00:43:30.500 --> 00:43:31.000 And so for 00:43:31.000 --> 00:43:31.500 some of us 00:43:31.500 --> 00:43:31.940 when we hear 00:43:31.940 --> 00:43:32.559 this offer 00:43:32.559 --> 00:43:33.380 of the gospel 00:43:33.380 --> 00:43:35.000 that God 00:43:35.000 --> 00:43:35.639 will make us 00:43:35.639 --> 00:43:36.159 right with 00:43:36.159 --> 00:43:36.940 himself and 00:43:36.940 --> 00:43:37.380 that nothing 00:43:37.380 --> 00:43:37.820 can then 00:43:37.820 --> 00:43:38.400 separate us 00:43:38.400 --> 00:43:38.840 from the love 00:43:38.840 --> 00:43:39.280 of God 00:43:39.280 --> 00:43:39.820 that we are 00:43:39.820 --> 00:43:40.460 guaranteed 00:43:40.460 --> 00:43:41.300 that we will 00:43:41.300 --> 00:43:42.059 be with God 00:43:42.059 --> 00:43:42.500 forever. 00:43:43.340 --> 00:43:43.880 For some 00:43:43.880 --> 00:43:45.139 people all 00:43:45.139 --> 00:43:45.740 they do is 00:43:45.740 --> 00:43:46.420 just take that 00:43:46.420 --> 00:43:46.760 that they've 00:43:46.760 --> 00:43:46.980 got. 00:43:47.159 --> 00:43:47.800 It's not a 00:43:47.800 --> 00:43:48.500 conscious thing 00:43:48.500 --> 00:43:49.000 but that they've 00:43:49.000 --> 00:43:49.599 got God 00:43:49.599 --> 00:43:50.199 by the 00:43:50.199 --> 00:43:50.460 shortened 00:43:50.460 --> 00:43:51.139 Harry's 00:43:51.139 --> 00:43:52.119 that they 00:43:52.119 --> 00:43:52.779 figured out 00:43:52.779 --> 00:43:53.960 a way 00:43:53.960 --> 00:43:54.920 around God 00:43:54.920 --> 00:43:55.860 and they 00:43:55.860 --> 00:43:56.420 hear that 00:43:56.420 --> 00:43:56.639 and they 00:43:56.639 --> 00:43:57.139 say wow 00:43:57.139 --> 00:43:57.440 that's 00:43:57.440 --> 00:43:58.039 fantastic 00:43:58.039 --> 00:43:58.360 I don't 00:43:58.360 --> 00:43:58.559 have 00:43:58.559 --> 00:43:59.420 God's 00:43:59.420 --> 00:43:59.599 going to 00:43:59.599 --> 00:43:59.880 make me 00:43:59.880 --> 00:44:00.159 go to 00:44:00.159 --> 00:44:00.319 heaven 00:44:00.319 --> 00:44:00.619 no matter 00:44:00.619 --> 00:44:00.900 what I 00:44:00.900 --> 00:44:01.839 do. 00:44:03.360 --> 00:44:03.799 I've got 00:44:03.799 --> 00:44:04.059 to get 00:44:04.059 --> 00:44:04.519 out of jail 00:44:04.519 --> 00:44:05.139 free card 00:44:05.139 --> 00:44:06.880 and it 00:44:06.880 --> 00:44:07.420 just leads 00:44:07.420 --> 00:44:07.960 to a type 00:44:07.960 --> 00:44:08.759 of laziness 00:44:08.759 --> 00:44:09.460 and complete 00:44:09.460 --> 00:44:09.719 and utter 00:44:09.719 --> 00:44:10.360 indifference 00:44:10.360 --> 00:44:10.779 and it 00:44:10.779 --> 00:44:11.239 leads to a 00:44:11.239 --> 00:44:11.599 type of 00:44:11.599 --> 00:44:12.000 pride 00:44:12.000 --> 00:44:12.500 and arrogance 00:44:12.500 --> 00:44:12.839 and at 00:44:12.839 --> 00:44:13.079 the very 00:44:13.079 --> 00:44:13.699 very center 00:44:13.699 --> 00:44:13.940 of it 00:44:13.940 --> 00:44:14.279 we start 00:44:14.279 --> 00:44:14.659 to think 00:44:14.659 --> 00:44:15.000 that we're 00:44:15.000 --> 00:44:15.279 not 00:44:15.279 --> 00:44:15.799 it's not 00:44:15.799 --> 00:44:16.179 that God 00:44:16.179 --> 00:44:16.759 chose 00:44:16.759 --> 00:44:16.980 us 00:44:16.980 --> 00:44:17.299 but that 00:44:17.299 --> 00:44:17.460 there's 00:44:17.460 --> 00:44:17.739 something 00:44:17.739 --> 00:44:18.819 choice 00:44:18.820 --> 00:44:19.180 about 00:44:19.180 --> 00:44:19.519 us 00:44:19.519 --> 00:44:21.120 but 00:44:21.120 --> 00:44:22.960 true 00:44:22.960 --> 00:44:23.740 faith 00:44:23.740 --> 00:44:24.780 has 00:44:24.780 --> 00:44:25.100 come 00:44:25.100 --> 00:44:25.360 to the 00:44:25.360 --> 00:44:25.580 point 00:44:25.580 --> 00:44:25.920 in time 00:44:25.920 --> 00:44:26.220 when they 00:44:26.220 --> 00:44:26.740 recognize 00:44:26.740 --> 00:44:27.120 that 00:44:27.120 --> 00:44:28.680 all of 00:44:28.680 --> 00:44:29.180 my life 00:44:29.180 --> 00:44:29.539 maybe 00:44:29.539 --> 00:44:29.940 those of 00:44:29.940 --> 00:44:30.220 you who've 00:44:30.220 --> 00:44:30.380 been 00:44:30.380 --> 00:44:30.920 growing up 00:44:30.920 --> 00:44:31.039 in 00:44:31.039 --> 00:44:31.760 Muslim 00:44:31.760 --> 00:44:32.380 backgrounds 00:44:32.380 --> 00:44:32.940 or Orthodox 00:44:32.940 --> 00:44:33.480 Jewish 00:44:33.480 --> 00:44:34.180 backgrounds 00:44:34.180 --> 00:44:35.059 or just 00:44:35.059 --> 00:44:36.820 households 00:44:36.820 --> 00:44:37.580 where there's 00:44:37.580 --> 00:44:37.980 lots of 00:44:37.980 --> 00:44:38.780 a type 00:44:38.780 --> 00:44:39.620 of moralism 00:44:39.620 --> 00:44:40.720 and lots 00:44:40.720 --> 00:44:41.320 of rules 00:44:41.320 --> 00:44:41.860 and where 00:44:41.860 --> 00:44:42.360 the parents 00:44:42.360 --> 00:44:42.680 love 00:44:42.680 --> 00:44:43.080 seems to 00:44:43.080 --> 00:44:43.220 be 00:44:43.220 --> 00:44:43.660 conditional 00:44:43.660 --> 00:44:44.120 upon 00:44:44.120 --> 00:44:44.820 performance 00:44:44.820 --> 00:44:45.880 and it 00:44:45.880 --> 00:44:46.480 just seems 00:44:46.480 --> 00:44:46.820 as if 00:44:46.820 --> 00:44:47.320 our whole 00:44:47.320 --> 00:44:47.780 life is 00:44:47.780 --> 00:44:48.080 trying to 00:44:48.079 --> 00:44:48.400 be about 00:44:48.400 --> 00:44:48.940 performance 00:44:48.940 --> 00:44:49.279 and about 00:44:49.279 --> 00:44:49.759 performance 00:44:49.759 --> 00:44:50.139 and about 00:44:50.139 --> 00:44:50.659 performance 00:44:50.659 --> 00:44:51.659 and God 00:44:51.659 --> 00:44:52.119 wants us 00:44:52.119 --> 00:44:52.420 to come 00:44:52.420 --> 00:44:52.659 to the 00:44:52.659 --> 00:44:52.840 point 00:44:52.840 --> 00:44:53.159 in time 00:44:53.159 --> 00:44:53.460 where we 00:44:53.460 --> 00:44:53.799 realize 00:44:53.799 --> 00:44:54.119 that it's 00:44:54.119 --> 00:44:54.659 not about 00:44:54.659 --> 00:44:54.840 our 00:44:54.840 --> 00:44:55.299 performance 00:44:55.299 --> 00:44:55.900 it's never 00:44:55.900 --> 00:44:56.319 about our 00:44:56.319 --> 00:44:56.759 performance 00:44:56.759 --> 00:44:57.179 we can 00:44:57.179 --> 00:44:57.440 never 00:44:57.440 --> 00:44:57.900 perform 00:44:57.900 --> 00:44:58.219 enough 00:44:58.219 --> 00:44:58.880 that's 00:44:58.880 --> 00:44:59.420 the bad 00:44:59.420 --> 00:44:59.699 news 00:44:59.699 --> 00:45:00.059 but the 00:45:00.059 --> 00:45:00.340 good 00:45:00.340 --> 00:45:00.639 news 00:45:00.639 --> 00:45:00.980 is that 00:45:00.980 --> 00:45:01.420 God 00:45:01.420 --> 00:45:02.039 because 00:45:02.039 --> 00:45:02.639 he loves 00:45:02.639 --> 00:45:02.799 you 00:45:02.799 --> 00:45:03.259 he sent 00:45:03.259 --> 00:45:03.639 his son 00:45:03.639 --> 00:45:03.960 to die 00:45:03.960 --> 00:45:04.400 upon the 00:45:04.400 --> 00:45:04.699 cross 00:45:04.699 --> 00:45:05.360 and he 00:45:05.360 --> 00:45:05.819 will do 00:45:05.819 --> 00:45:06.319 everything 00:45:06.319 --> 00:45:06.940 to make 00:45:06.940 --> 00:45:07.440 you right 00:45:07.440 --> 00:45:08.179 and that 00:45:08.179 --> 00:45:08.759 when God 00:45:08.759 --> 00:45:09.420 takes you 00:45:09.420 --> 00:45:10.179 when he 00:45:10.179 --> 00:45:10.819 takes your 00:45:10.819 --> 00:45:11.380 hand in 00:45:11.380 --> 00:45:11.639 his 00:45:11.639 --> 00:45:12.059 when he 00:45:12.059 --> 00:45:12.659 takes you 00:45:12.659 --> 00:45:13.299 into his 00:45:13.299 --> 00:45:13.579 life 00:45:13.579 --> 00:45:13.920 when he 00:45:13.920 --> 00:45:14.559 enters into 00:45:14.559 --> 00:45:15.159 your life 00:45:15.159 --> 00:45:16.579 your hand 00:45:16.579 --> 00:45:17.259 is weak 00:45:17.259 --> 00:45:18.139 your performance 00:45:18.139 --> 00:45:18.920 will falter 00:45:18.920 --> 00:45:19.239 there will 00:45:19.239 --> 00:45:19.899 come times 00:45:19.899 --> 00:45:20.440 you can't 00:45:20.440 --> 00:45:20.960 perform at 00:45:20.960 --> 00:45:21.159 all 00:45:21.159 --> 00:45:21.440 you will 00:45:21.440 --> 00:45:21.719 do the 00:45:21.719 --> 00:45:22.179 opposite 00:45:22.179 --> 00:45:22.779 of performance 00:45:22.779 --> 00:45:23.039 you will 00:45:23.039 --> 00:45:23.599 do terrible 00:45:23.599 --> 00:45:24.000 things 00:45:24.000 --> 00:45:24.899 but God 00:45:24.899 --> 00:45:25.440 will never 00:45:25.440 --> 00:45:25.980 let you 00:45:25.980 --> 00:45:26.420 go 00:45:26.420 --> 00:45:28.960 and he 00:45:28.960 --> 00:45:30.000 wants us 00:45:30.000 --> 00:45:30.399 to have 00:45:30.399 --> 00:45:30.940 an assurance 00:45:30.940 --> 00:45:32.079 that he 00:45:32.079 --> 00:45:32.920 will never 00:45:32.920 --> 00:45:34.099 let you 00:45:34.099 --> 00:45:34.619 go 00:45:34.619 --> 00:45:37.239 if I do 00:45:37.239 --> 00:45:37.759 a terrible 00:45:37.759 --> 00:45:38.259 job in 00:45:38.259 --> 00:45:38.719 this church 00:45:38.719 --> 00:45:39.000 and in 00:45:39.000 --> 00:45:39.420 two years 00:45:39.420 --> 00:45:39.779 there's only 00:45:39.779 --> 00:45:40.379 three people 00:45:40.379 --> 00:45:40.779 left in the 00:45:40.779 --> 00:45:41.159 congregation 00:45:41.159 --> 00:45:41.480 he will 00:45:41.480 --> 00:45:41.879 never let 00:45:41.879 --> 00:45:42.219 me go 00:45:42.219 --> 00:45:43.619 if all 00:45:43.619 --> 00:45:43.980 of a sudden 00:45:43.980 --> 00:45:44.299 something 00:45:44.299 --> 00:45:44.719 happens 00:45:44.719 --> 00:45:45.000 and we're 00:45:45.000 --> 00:45:45.539 doing five 00:45:45.539 --> 00:45:46.239 services a 00:45:46.239 --> 00:45:46.539 day and the 00:45:46.539 --> 00:45:47.179 place is packed 00:45:47.179 --> 00:45:47.579 out and there's 00:45:47.579 --> 00:45:48.079 two thousand 00:45:48.079 --> 00:45:48.559 on a Sunday 00:45:48.559 --> 00:45:49.019 it doesn't make 00:45:49.019 --> 00:45:49.679 any difference 00:45:49.679 --> 00:45:50.299 to whether God 00:45:50.299 --> 00:45:51.059 loves me or not 00:45:51.059 --> 00:45:51.919 not about my 00:45:51.919 --> 00:45:52.459 performance 00:45:52.459 --> 00:45:54.139 God will never 00:45:54.139 --> 00:45:54.739 let me go 00:45:54.739 --> 00:45:56.519 and when we've 00:45:56.519 --> 00:45:57.039 been gripped 00:45:57.039 --> 00:45:57.559 when we've been 00:45:57.559 --> 00:45:57.819 broken 00:45:57.819 --> 00:45:58.359 if you notice 00:45:58.359 --> 00:45:58.919 in all of those 00:45:58.919 --> 00:45:59.480 images of the 00:45:59.480 --> 00:45:59.859 olive tree 00:45:59.859 --> 00:46:00.639 the only way 00:46:00.639 --> 00:46:01.099 you get on 00:46:01.099 --> 00:46:01.719 the olive tree 00:46:01.719 --> 00:46:02.219 is if you're 00:46:02.219 --> 00:46:02.579 broken 00:46:02.579 --> 00:46:05.779 and grafted in 00:46:05.779 --> 00:46:07.879 and for some 00:46:07.879 --> 00:46:08.139 of us 00:46:08.139 --> 00:46:09.099 when we realize 00:46:09.099 --> 00:46:10.719 that it's all 00:46:10.719 --> 00:46:11.500 about what God 00:46:11.500 --> 00:46:12.260 does for us 00:46:12.260 --> 00:46:13.559 it frees us 00:46:13.559 --> 00:46:15.719 up to no 00:46:15.719 --> 00:46:16.579 longer have to 00:46:16.579 --> 00:46:17.039 be all about 00:46:17.039 --> 00:46:17.699 our performance 00:46:17.699 --> 00:46:19.099 it frees us up 00:46:19.099 --> 00:46:19.739 to look at why 00:46:19.739 --> 00:46:20.440 we aren't talking 00:46:20.440 --> 00:46:21.159 to our parents 00:46:21.159 --> 00:46:21.800 or what there is 00:46:21.800 --> 00:46:22.400 in our past 00:46:22.400 --> 00:46:23.059 or our hardness 00:46:23.059 --> 00:46:23.579 of heart 00:46:23.579 --> 00:46:24.019 or how we 00:46:24.019 --> 00:46:25.079 project on God 00:46:25.079 --> 00:46:26.380 it frees us up 00:46:26.380 --> 00:46:26.780 to say 00:46:26.780 --> 00:46:27.739 you know what 00:46:27.739 --> 00:46:29.639 maybe I'm going 00:46:29.639 --> 00:46:30.139 to share the 00:46:30.139 --> 00:46:30.960 gospel with my 00:46:30.960 --> 00:46:31.679 Jewish friend 00:46:31.679 --> 00:46:32.340 because you know 00:46:32.340 --> 00:46:33.019 what God says 00:46:33.019 --> 00:46:33.699 Jewish people are 00:46:33.699 --> 00:46:34.099 going to keep 00:46:34.099 --> 00:46:35.079 becoming Christians 00:46:35.079 --> 00:46:36.219 or you know what 00:46:36.219 --> 00:46:37.460 maybe that person 00:46:37.460 --> 00:46:38.059 that's really 00:46:38.059 --> 00:46:38.579 really really 00:46:38.579 --> 00:46:39.360 different from me 00:46:39.360 --> 00:46:39.699 I don't know 00:46:39.699 --> 00:46:40.099 they go to 00:46:40.099 --> 00:46:40.699 McDonald's 00:46:40.699 --> 00:46:41.199 or they have 00:46:41.199 --> 00:46:41.519 you know 00:46:41.519 --> 00:46:42.579 things that look 00:46:42.579 --> 00:46:43.179 like they're about 00:46:43.179 --> 00:46:43.519 you know 00:46:43.519 --> 00:46:44.059 this big 00:46:44.059 --> 00:46:44.659 in their ears 00:46:44.659 --> 00:46:45.099 or they have 00:46:45.099 --> 00:46:45.799 lots of tattoos 00:46:45.799 --> 00:46:46.219 or they have 00:46:46.219 --> 00:46:46.799 no tattoos 00:46:46.799 --> 00:46:47.379 whatever it is 00:46:47.379 --> 00:46:47.859 your culture 00:46:47.859 --> 00:46:48.719 crossing your 00:46:48.719 --> 00:46:48.939 culture 00:46:48.939 --> 00:46:49.519 maybe I'll share 00:46:49.519 --> 00:46:49.960 the gospel 00:46:49.960 --> 00:46:50.319 with them 00:46:50.319 --> 00:46:50.460 why 00:46:50.460 --> 00:46:51.359 because I don't 00:46:51.359 --> 00:46:51.960 know who God 00:46:51.960 --> 00:46:53.399 I can try it 00:46:53.399 --> 00:46:55.460 that grace 00:46:55.460 --> 00:46:56.419 frees us up 00:46:56.419 --> 00:46:57.759 that our lives 00:46:57.759 --> 00:46:58.319 start to be 00:46:58.319 --> 00:46:59.239 changed out of 00:46:59.239 --> 00:46:59.799 gratitude 00:46:59.799 --> 00:47:01.500 not out of 00:47:01.500 --> 00:47:02.239 any sense of 00:47:02.239 --> 00:47:02.859 accomplishment 00:47:02.859 --> 00:47:03.439 and that our 00:47:03.439 --> 00:47:04.239 gratitude we can 00:47:04.239 --> 00:47:04.879 look within 00:47:04.879 --> 00:47:05.899 we can give up 00:47:05.899 --> 00:47:06.919 self-defensiveness 00:47:06.919 --> 00:47:07.859 we can give up 00:47:07.859 --> 00:47:08.679 trying to justify 00:47:08.679 --> 00:47:09.059 ourselves 00:47:09.059 --> 00:47:09.980 we can give up 00:47:09.980 --> 00:47:10.559 trying to make 00:47:10.559 --> 00:47:11.340 ourselves righteous 00:47:11.340 --> 00:47:12.679 we can live 00:47:12.679 --> 00:47:13.840 in gratitude 00:47:13.840 --> 00:47:14.860 and be 00:47:14.860 --> 00:47:16.059 live and ground 00:47:16.059 --> 00:47:16.739 in gratitude 00:47:16.739 --> 00:47:17.860 and live out of 00:47:17.860 --> 00:47:18.299 promise 00:47:18.299 --> 00:47:19.259 and we can try 00:47:19.259 --> 00:47:20.079 and we can fail 00:47:20.079 --> 00:47:20.679 and we can know 00:47:20.679 --> 00:47:21.840 that nothing 00:47:21.840 --> 00:47:23.659 will take us out 00:47:23.659 --> 00:47:24.500 of God's hands 00:47:24.500 --> 00:47:26.219 God wants us to 00:47:26.219 --> 00:47:27.139 have assurance 00:47:27.139 --> 00:47:29.940 not arrogance 00:47:29.940 --> 00:47:32.019 he wants us to 00:47:32.019 --> 00:47:33.820 have faith 00:47:33.820 --> 00:47:35.279 not presumption 00:47:35.280 --> 00:47:38.820 and God 00:47:38.820 --> 00:47:39.560 even when he 00:47:39.560 --> 00:47:40.519 starts to reveal 00:47:40.519 --> 00:47:41.440 the depth 00:47:41.440 --> 00:47:42.380 of our 00:47:42.380 --> 00:47:42.960 presumption 00:47:42.960 --> 00:47:43.519 and arrogance 00:47:43.519 --> 00:47:45.500 it's only 00:47:45.500 --> 00:47:46.100 so we can 00:47:46.100 --> 00:47:46.840 call out to him 00:47:46.840 --> 00:47:47.480 and receive his 00:47:47.480 --> 00:47:47.800 grace 00:47:47.800 --> 00:47:50.820 even if we 00:47:50.820 --> 00:47:51.180 have lived 00:47:51.180 --> 00:47:51.680 a life 00:47:51.680 --> 00:47:52.660 of profound 00:47:52.660 --> 00:47:53.420 presumption 00:47:53.420 --> 00:47:54.540 religious 00:47:54.540 --> 00:47:55.720 arrogant 00:47:55.720 --> 00:47:57.519 presumption 00:47:57.519 --> 00:47:59.840 he wants you 00:47:59.840 --> 00:48:00.240 to stumble 00:48:00.240 --> 00:48:00.760 over it 00:48:00.760 --> 00:48:01.580 so you know 00:48:01.580 --> 00:48:01.960 grace 00:48:01.960 --> 00:48:03.199 please stand 00:48:03.199 --> 00:48:12.940 you know 00:48:12.940 --> 00:48:13.900 our big text 00:48:13.900 --> 00:48:14.099 is 00:48:14.099 --> 00:48:14.699 oh the depth 00:48:14.699 --> 00:48:15.260 of the riches 00:48:15.260 --> 00:48:15.860 and wisdom 00:48:15.860 --> 00:48:16.400 and knowledge 00:48:16.400 --> 00:48:16.980 of God 00:48:16.980 --> 00:48:18.440 how unsearchable 00:48:18.440 --> 00:48:19.199 are his judgment 00:48:19.199 --> 00:48:20.199 and how inscrutable 00:48:20.199 --> 00:48:20.920 his ways 00:48:20.920 --> 00:48:21.960 for who has 00:48:21.960 --> 00:48:22.679 known the mind 00:48:22.679 --> 00:48:23.099 of the Lord 00:48:23.099 --> 00:48:23.619 or who has 00:48:23.619 --> 00:48:24.480 been his counselor 00:48:24.480 --> 00:48:25.480 or who has 00:48:25.480 --> 00:48:26.099 given a gift 00:48:26.099 --> 00:48:26.440 to him 00:48:26.440 --> 00:48:27.019 that he might 00:48:27.019 --> 00:48:27.740 be repaid 00:48:27.740 --> 00:48:28.980 for from him 00:48:28.980 --> 00:48:29.780 and through him 00:48:29.780 --> 00:48:30.480 and to him 00:48:30.480 --> 00:48:31.380 are all things 00:48:31.380 --> 00:48:32.580 to him be glory 00:48:32.580 --> 00:48:33.080 forever 00:48:33.080 --> 00:48:33.840 amen 00:48:33.840 --> 00:48:34.920 I mean do you know 00:48:34.920 --> 00:48:36.200 the God who is there 00:48:36.200 --> 00:48:38.140 because the God 00:48:38.140 --> 00:48:38.660 who is there 00:48:38.660 --> 00:48:39.760 has revealed himself 00:48:39.760 --> 00:48:41.180 that he sent his son 00:48:41.180 --> 00:48:42.400 to die upon the cross 00:48:42.400 --> 00:48:43.620 he who is rich 00:48:43.620 --> 00:48:44.540 became poor 00:48:44.540 --> 00:48:46.720 so you could become rich 00:48:46.720 --> 00:48:48.120 and the God 00:48:48.120 --> 00:48:48.860 who is there 00:48:48.860 --> 00:48:50.320 he has said 00:48:50.320 --> 00:48:51.620 that he will act 00:48:51.620 --> 00:48:51.940 in a way 00:48:51.940 --> 00:48:52.660 that is wise 00:48:52.660 --> 00:48:54.019 it's not our human wisdom 00:48:54.019 --> 00:48:55.300 it's his human wisdom 00:48:55.300 --> 00:48:57.019 it's his God wisdom 00:48:57.019 --> 00:48:57.740 that means that 00:48:57.740 --> 00:48:58.940 Jesus is the means 00:48:58.940 --> 00:49:00.019 by which we are 00:49:00.019 --> 00:49:01.019 reconciled to God 00:49:01.019 --> 00:49:02.179 and God knew 00:49:02.179 --> 00:49:03.159 every single thing 00:49:03.159 --> 00:49:03.760 there is to know 00:49:03.760 --> 00:49:04.220 about you 00:49:04.220 --> 00:49:04.920 and he's revealed 00:49:04.920 --> 00:49:05.360 that he knows 00:49:05.360 --> 00:49:06.200 everything about you 00:49:06.200 --> 00:49:06.720 but he doesn't 00:49:06.720 --> 00:49:07.639 turn back on you 00:49:07.639 --> 00:49:08.519 and doesn't reject you 00:49:08.519 --> 00:49:09.480 he died 00:49:09.480 --> 00:49:10.440 he sent his son 00:49:10.440 --> 00:49:11.139 to die on the cross 00:49:11.139 --> 00:49:11.880 knowing everything 00:49:11.880 --> 00:49:12.460 there is to know 00:49:12.460 --> 00:49:12.800 about you 00:49:12.800 --> 00:49:13.780 and still he loved you 00:49:13.780 --> 00:49:14.599 and still he died 00:49:14.599 --> 00:49:15.099 on the cross 00:49:15.099 --> 00:49:16.619 so you could be his 00:49:16.619 --> 00:49:18.079 and when Jesus 00:49:18.079 --> 00:49:19.000 dies on the cross 00:49:19.000 --> 00:49:19.860 he dies on the cross 00:49:19.860 --> 00:49:20.960 it's an unbelievable 00:49:20.960 --> 00:49:21.880 gift of riches 00:49:21.880 --> 00:49:23.260 we can never repay him 00:49:23.260 --> 00:49:24.320 we can never put him 00:49:24.320 --> 00:49:24.780 in our debt 00:49:24.780 --> 00:49:25.840 and this is just 00:49:25.840 --> 00:49:26.780 how God is 00:49:26.780 --> 00:49:27.900 we can never 00:49:27.900 --> 00:49:28.820 put him in our debt 00:49:28.820 --> 00:49:30.460 absolutely never 00:49:30.460 --> 00:49:31.300 no amount of 00:49:31.300 --> 00:49:32.380 religious accomplishment 00:49:32.380 --> 00:49:33.640 spiritual accomplishment 00:49:33.640 --> 00:49:35.300 victimhood 00:49:35.300 --> 00:49:36.539 ever puts him 00:49:36.539 --> 00:49:37.100 in our debt 00:49:37.100 --> 00:49:37.820 ever 00:49:37.820 --> 00:49:39.380 all he does 00:49:39.380 --> 00:49:40.039 is give 00:49:40.039 --> 00:49:41.180 this is the God 00:49:41.180 --> 00:49:42.120 who does exist 00:49:42.120 --> 00:49:43.100 do you know him 00:49:43.100 --> 00:49:45.160 do you know him 00:49:45.160 --> 00:49:46.559 are you willing 00:49:46.559 --> 00:49:47.559 to have your minds 00:49:47.559 --> 00:49:48.820 purged by scripture 00:49:48.820 --> 00:49:49.900 as you reflect upon 00:49:49.900 --> 00:49:51.000 Jesus on the cross 00:49:51.000 --> 00:49:53.140 there is no better time 00:49:53.140 --> 00:49:53.440 than this 00:49:53.440 --> 00:49:54.400 to call out to God 00:49:54.400 --> 00:49:54.980 that you would be 00:49:54.980 --> 00:49:56.120 a disciple of Jesus 00:49:56.120 --> 00:49:57.500 gripped by the gospel 00:49:57.500 --> 00:49:58.099 of grace 00:49:58.099 --> 00:49:59.099 learning to live 00:49:59.099 --> 00:49:59.780 for his glory 00:49:59.780 --> 00:50:01.380 let's pray 00:50:01.380 --> 00:50:04.960 father we thank you 00:50:04.960 --> 00:50:06.099 just to hear the sound 00:50:06.099 --> 00:50:07.099 of children laughing 00:50:07.099 --> 00:50:07.860 in the background 00:50:07.860 --> 00:50:10.760 and father we give you 00:50:10.760 --> 00:50:11.679 thanks and praise 00:50:11.679 --> 00:50:12.380 that you laugh 00:50:12.380 --> 00:50:13.900 and have joy over us 00:50:13.900 --> 00:50:14.559 you don't laugh 00:50:14.559 --> 00:50:15.280 at us stumbling 00:50:15.280 --> 00:50:15.820 or falling 00:50:15.820 --> 00:50:16.400 you don't want us 00:50:16.400 --> 00:50:17.639 to fall irrevocably 00:50:17.639 --> 00:50:18.460 and never get up 00:50:18.460 --> 00:50:20.679 that you just 00:50:20.679 --> 00:50:22.119 always offer grace 00:50:22.119 --> 00:50:23.579 always offer grace 00:50:23.579 --> 00:50:25.960 so father we thank you 00:50:25.960 --> 00:50:27.420 that we do not have 00:50:27.420 --> 00:50:27.980 to have a really 00:50:27.980 --> 00:50:28.840 strong hand 00:50:28.840 --> 00:50:30.000 in a life of profound 00:50:30.000 --> 00:50:31.099 religious performance 00:50:31.099 --> 00:50:33.920 but that when we put 00:50:33.920 --> 00:50:35.360 our hands in your hands 00:50:35.360 --> 00:50:36.980 that you never let us go 00:50:36.980 --> 00:50:38.159 you never let us go 00:50:38.159 --> 00:50:39.799 it's all about your power 00:50:39.799 --> 00:50:40.519 not about ours 00:50:40.519 --> 00:50:41.420 father we thank you 00:50:41.420 --> 00:50:41.900 for this 00:50:41.900 --> 00:50:43.279 father we ask that 00:50:43.279 --> 00:50:44.199 your holy spirit 00:50:44.199 --> 00:50:45.079 would move in our lives 00:50:45.079 --> 00:50:46.019 to make us disciples 00:50:46.019 --> 00:50:46.799 of Jesus 00:50:46.799 --> 00:50:48.739 gripped by this gospel 00:50:48.739 --> 00:50:49.340 of grace 00:50:49.340 --> 00:50:50.739 learning to live 00:50:50.739 --> 00:50:51.460 for your glory 00:50:51.460 --> 00:50:52.920 that you would help us 00:50:52.920 --> 00:50:53.800 father to die 00:50:53.800 --> 00:50:54.720 to presumption 00:50:54.720 --> 00:50:56.500 and die to arrogance 00:50:56.500 --> 00:50:58.079 but to rest 00:50:58.079 --> 00:50:58.940 in assurance 00:50:58.940 --> 00:51:00.220 of grace 00:51:00.220 --> 00:51:02.240 and your unfailing 00:51:02.240 --> 00:51:03.039 character 00:51:03.039 --> 00:51:03.679 goodness 00:51:03.679 --> 00:51:04.539 and mercy 00:51:04.539 --> 00:51:05.740 and this we ask 00:51:05.740 --> 00:51:06.740 in Jesus' name 00:51:06.740 --> 00:51:07.539 Amen