WEBVTT

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 Or a bulletin, turn with me to Romans chapter 5.

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! If we haven't had the pleasure of meeting, my name is Andy, and I am one of the pastors here.

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! And I'm excited to share with you from God's word.

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 Romans 5, verses 6 through 11.

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 For while we were still weak, at the right time, Christ died for the ungodly.

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 For one will scarcely die for a righteous person, though perhaps for a good person one would dare even to die.

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 But God shows his love for us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

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 Since, therefore, we now have been justified by his blood, much more shall we be saved by him from the wrath of God.

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 For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son,

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 much more now we are reconciled, shall we be saved by his life?

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 More than that, we also rejoice in God, through our Lord Jesus Christ,

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 through whom we have now received reconciliation.

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 Let's pray.

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 Lord, we thank you for your word to us.

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 May it be sweet.

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 May we see Christ and the beauties of your love demonstrated through the cross through it.

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 And we ask this in Christ's name.

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 Amen.

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 I'm not sure how many of you are dependent upon electronics or technology in general.

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 This is not a show of hands, because I know that we'll have some people that love technology,

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 and some people that just wish it would all go away, right?

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 Whether you have a phone that you use to keep track of your daily life,

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 whether you use a tablet for school, you use a computer at work,

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 everybody uses some kind of electronic.

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 Even if you have one of those really fancy screens in your car that makes you feel like you're driving a fighter jet,

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 but you're just driving a minivan.

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 Any of you out there?

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 That's just me.

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 Okay.

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 So whether you hate it or love it, chances are you've had this issue.

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 Because it doesn't matter if you like it or love it, you've all had this problem.

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 You've gone to plug something in and hoping or expecting it's going to charge,

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 and you might realize it at first, but more often you realize it after a series of hours

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 when you go to pick up that thing that you need.

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 It's not charged.

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 It's still dead.

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 Or maybe you've depended upon your phone for an alarm clock,

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 and you've not slept through your alarm at all.

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 In fact, it didn't even go off because it was dead.

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 Your devices, your home electronics, your yard equipment, your alarm clocks,

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 they all need power.

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 And when the light doesn't turn on when you expect it to,

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 or the phone doesn't recharge, or the car battery won't start,

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 and you're stranded on the side of the road,

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 or the plug's been pulled out of the wall by a toddler,

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 no matter if you're well-meaning, no matter if you're smart,

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 no matter if you're hopeful, no matter if you're even skilled,

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 there's no power.

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 It's not going to work.

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 It's not going to work at all.

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 You have to be connected to the source of power.

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 Our lives that we live, even our spiritual lives,

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 work on the same principle,

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 that we have to be connected to the source of power.

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 We can bebop along through life and think these great ideas,

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 or think that we are really smart,

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 or that we're just getting by,

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 or we're tough enough to gut it out.

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 But the reality is that if we're unplugged to the source of power,

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 it's not going to work.

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 No matter how hard we try,

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 and that's even most true,

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 not in our lives generally,

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 but specifically in our spiritual lives.

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 We like to think that we work really hard to make good grades in school.

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 So working really hard works in this category, right?

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 Or we like to think ourselves really smart,

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 or wise, or clever.

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 I can work less time and still get everything I want.

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 That's going to work here, right?

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 But when we apply those same principles,

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 it's like when we take that plug,

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 and not plugged it into the wall,

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 we plugged it into a block of cheese.

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 Or we put it into a cup.

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 Don't try this at home.

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 You might get electrocuted, right?

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 I don't know how electricity works.

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 But when I plug it into a block of cheese,

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 or I put my phone plug into a cup of water,

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 why would it work?

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 It's not going to.

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 So why do we expect in our spiritual lives anything different?

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 We think that we can have salvation some other way,

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 but I've just plugged it to a block of cheese.

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 I try to work really hard,

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 and I plug it into a cup of water.

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 Or I don't think I need it at all,

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 and I leave it sitting on the table.

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 There's no power.

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 It's not going to work.

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 See, when we're unplugged or untethered from all of that,

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 we're not drawing on the source of power,

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 and we have nothing.

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 This morning, this text that Paul shows us,

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 shows us this,

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 that salvation comes through the death of Christ.

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 And that salvation is also realized,

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 in some sense, through the resurrection.

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 Salvation is secured by Christ's death,

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 and then realized through his resurrection.

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 If you were with us last week,

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 Matthew showed us that the Christian life

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 is marked by suffering.

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 And if you've lived more than a day,

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 and been awake more than an hour,

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 you know that.

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 And in the midst of that,

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 our Christian life,

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 we have endurance and hope,

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 and we have all those blessings

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 in the midst of difficulty.

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 But only if we're connected to that source of power.

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 And this text this morning

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 shows us that source of power.

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 It's Christ,

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 and his death and resurrection.

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 Now, you might be thinking this morning,

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 I know, I've heard that all before.

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 And quite frankly,

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 it seems really silly

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 if I try to go anywhere else.

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 And you're right.

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 Salvation only comes through the cross.

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 And quite frankly,

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 if we think it's anything different,

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 we deceive ourselves.

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 And we think,

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 oh,

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 I can go to something else.

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 It can be Jesus plus this thing.

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 It can be another source of life,

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 of energy.

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 But the reality is,

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 it's not.

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 And we know that.

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 Just like when we try to plug it

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 into a block of cheese,

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 or a cup of water.

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 But we do that over and over and over again.

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 And even if we call upon Christ

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 in our greatest hour of need,

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 then we turn about

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 and we forget it all.

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 And often,

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 we take the message of the gospel,

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 the message of Christianity,

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 and we divorce it

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 from that source of power.

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 Why do we do that?

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 It's not just silly,

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 that's stupid.

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 If we think that that

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 is a question

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 that's not true in our day,

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 or in a day past,

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 let me remind you

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 from some famous words.

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 There's no power in Christianity

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 if there's a God without wrath

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 that brings men without sin

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 into a kingdom without judgment

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 through a ministry of Christ

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 without a cross.

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 Now, I don't agree

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 with Mr. Reinhold Niebuhr

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 who wrote that quote.

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 But he's right.

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 And Paul wouldn't agree

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 with everything that he wrote either.

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 But he would agree with that.

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 That there is a kingdom

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 without judgment

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 and a ministry of Christ

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 without a cross.

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 There's no power in that gospel.

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 There's no power in that Christianity.

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 In fact,

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 it's not Christianity at all.

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 But we do that.

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 We think that way

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 even if we call upon

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 the name of Christ.

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 Sometimes we unintentionally do it.

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 We go to the newspaper

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 and we start clipping.

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 Not clipping out coupons,

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 but clipping out important lines

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 of the story.

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 Clipping out pictures

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 until the story

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 becomes unrecognizable.

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 We kind of neuter God

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 if we're honest.

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 We think

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 we're transforming lives,

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 but the reality is

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 we have no power to do so

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 because we've cut it out

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 of the story.

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 We think

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 that we're growing in holiness,

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 but we're not

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 because we're not

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 depending upon his spirit.

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 We're not depending

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 upon the cross of Christ

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 as Paul reminds us.

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 We've clipped out God.

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 With that,

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 let's turn our attention

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 to God's word.

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 Salvation is secured

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 by Christ's death.

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 And that's most often

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 what we try to cut out

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 of the story.

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 We see that

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 and we think,

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 oh, that's a really

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 unpalatable part of scripture.

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 I don't really like blood.

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 I don't really like

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 all that stuff.

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 Or maybe I'm just

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 really smart

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 and I've moved beyond it.

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 I distinctly remember

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 being told once

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 by a very old

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 southern Presbyterian pastor

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 that you never talk

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 about blood

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 because there's enough

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 of it in the cross.

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 And we don't want

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 to neuter our minds

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 from thinking

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 that blood is everywhere.

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 and lose sight

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 of the fact

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 that the blood

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 of the cross

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 is the thing

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 that it achieves

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 our spiritual life.

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 And if we talk

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 about it too much,

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 we lose sight

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 of that fact.

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 It becomes commonplace

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 to us.

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 We can't move beyond it

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 because that is

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 the source of power.

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 It is common,

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 yes,

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 but it's common,

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 it's central

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 in our Christian lives.

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 look with me

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 at verse 6.

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 For while we were

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 still weak,

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 at the right time,

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 Christ died

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 for the ungodly.

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 In Christ's death,

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 we see a couple

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 of attributes.

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 Yes,

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 there is the actual

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 sacrifice of Christ himself.

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 We also see

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 that it's purposeful.

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 And we see

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 that he died

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 for the ungodly.

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 That's really unpalatable.

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 It's not as if

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 we've stumbled

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 into the atonement.

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 We've tripped

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 and fallen into it.

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 In fact,

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 we see this

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 in all of scripture.

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 It's marching

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 towards this event.

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 Think about Leviticus.

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 If you want to read

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 gnarly stuff,

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 Leviticus is where

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 it's at.

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 It speaks about

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 sacrifice of God's people,

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 how they were made right

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 in some sense

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 because of the blood.

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 The blood was on

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 the mercy seat

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 and it was for sin.

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 The death of animal

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 sacrifices in the Old Testament

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 were all pointing

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 towards this event,

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 towards this purpose.

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 And yet,

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 it doesn't stop there.

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 We read the Old Testament

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 earlier.

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 We saw how God's people

00:11:19.120 --> 00:11:19.960
 were saved

00:11:19.960 --> 00:11:20.639
 in the Exodus.

00:11:21.559 --> 00:11:22.700
 They were redeemed

00:11:22.700 --> 00:11:23.620
 out of Egypt.

00:11:23.860 --> 00:11:25.120
 All of it was pointing

00:11:25.120 --> 00:11:27.399
 to Christ's death.

00:11:27.940 --> 00:11:29.100
 Christ saving

00:11:29.100 --> 00:11:29.919
 his people.

00:11:31.179 --> 00:11:31.919
 And it doesn't stop

00:11:31.919 --> 00:11:32.199
 there.

00:11:32.199 --> 00:11:33.120
 Even when he was

00:11:33.120 --> 00:11:34.719
 walking on this earth,

00:11:35.219 --> 00:11:36.079
 those that walked

00:11:36.079 --> 00:11:37.539
 closest with Jesus

00:11:37.539 --> 00:11:38.379
 didn't,

00:11:38.799 --> 00:11:39.279
 they struggled

00:11:39.279 --> 00:11:39.959
 with this idea.

00:11:40.399 --> 00:11:41.500
 They didn't see it.

00:11:41.699 --> 00:11:43.379
 And he reminded them

00:11:43.379 --> 00:11:45.059
 of this fact.

00:11:45.159 --> 00:11:46.120
 He reminded them

00:11:46.120 --> 00:11:46.979
 that Christ

00:11:46.979 --> 00:11:49.279
 came not to do

00:11:49.279 --> 00:11:50.279
 signs and wonders,

00:11:51.159 --> 00:11:52.159
 but he came

00:11:52.159 --> 00:11:53.039
 to die.

00:11:53.599 --> 00:11:54.719
 That was his purpose.

00:11:55.379 --> 00:11:56.339
 And as the disciples

00:11:56.339 --> 00:11:57.399
 struggled with

00:11:57.399 --> 00:11:58.339
 the idea that

00:11:58.339 --> 00:11:58.919
 his hour

00:11:58.919 --> 00:12:00.159
 had not yet come,

00:12:01.159 --> 00:12:02.319
 it's because

00:12:02.319 --> 00:12:03.079
 his hour

00:12:03.079 --> 00:12:03.919
 wasn't to do

00:12:03.919 --> 00:12:04.879
 signs and wonders,

00:12:05.079 --> 00:12:06.120
 but his hour

00:12:06.120 --> 00:12:07.219
 was to die

00:12:07.219 --> 00:12:08.120
 for the ungodly.

00:12:08.259 --> 00:12:09.439
 He came for sinners.

00:12:10.699 --> 00:12:11.419
 The beginning

00:12:11.419 --> 00:12:12.539
 of verse 6

00:12:12.539 --> 00:12:13.120
 says that

00:12:13.120 --> 00:12:14.299
 while they were

00:12:14.299 --> 00:12:14.679
 weak,

00:12:14.719 --> 00:12:15.459
 or while we

00:12:15.459 --> 00:12:16.059
 were weak,

00:12:16.899 --> 00:12:20.599
 that's really

00:12:20.599 --> 00:12:21.899
 uncomfortable for us

00:12:21.899 --> 00:12:22.419
 because we like

00:12:22.419 --> 00:12:23.120
 to think ourselves

00:12:23.120 --> 00:12:23.699
 smart,

00:12:23.700 --> 00:12:25.340
 wise,

00:12:25.960 --> 00:12:26.379
 tough,

00:12:26.720 --> 00:12:27.940
 but the parallel

00:12:27.940 --> 00:12:28.640
 to weak

00:12:28.640 --> 00:12:29.759
 is later in that

00:12:29.759 --> 00:12:30.160
 verse.

00:12:30.940 --> 00:12:31.980
 They're ungodly.

00:12:32.740 --> 00:12:33.240
 They're not

00:12:33.240 --> 00:12:34.320
 physically weak,

00:12:34.440 --> 00:12:35.440
 but they lack

00:12:35.440 --> 00:12:36.160
 the strength.

00:12:36.280 --> 00:12:36.900
 They're morally

00:12:36.900 --> 00:12:37.259
 weak.

00:12:37.360 --> 00:12:37.900
 They're sinners.

00:12:38.840 --> 00:12:39.700
 That's not something

00:12:39.700 --> 00:12:40.840
 that's new to us

00:12:40.840 --> 00:12:42.280
 in the Christian life.

00:12:42.360 --> 00:12:42.800
 It's not even

00:12:42.800 --> 00:12:43.520
 something that's new

00:12:43.520 --> 00:12:44.220
 to us in the book

00:12:44.220 --> 00:12:44.720
 of Romans.

00:12:44.860 --> 00:12:45.640
 If we think about

00:12:45.640 --> 00:12:46.440
 Romans 4,

00:12:46.680 --> 00:12:47.259
 as we've been

00:12:47.259 --> 00:12:48.440
 marching through this,

00:12:48.759 --> 00:12:49.700
 we have that idea

00:12:49.700 --> 00:12:50.280
 in Abraham

00:12:50.280 --> 00:12:51.660
 that God

00:12:51.660 --> 00:12:52.620
 justifies the

00:12:52.620 --> 00:12:53.259
 ungodly,

00:12:53.480 --> 00:12:54.720
 and his faith

00:12:54.720 --> 00:12:55.600
 is counted to him

00:12:55.600 --> 00:12:56.700
 as righteousness.

00:12:58.539 --> 00:12:59.060
 It's not that

00:12:59.060 --> 00:12:59.500
 they cleaned

00:12:59.500 --> 00:13:00.259
 themselves up

00:13:00.259 --> 00:13:00.940
 and got ready

00:13:00.940 --> 00:13:01.539
 for God.

00:13:02.159 --> 00:13:03.100
 And the timing

00:13:03.100 --> 00:13:03.860
 of this event

00:13:03.860 --> 00:13:04.679
 that Paul says

00:13:04.679 --> 00:13:06.060
 is just at the

00:13:06.060 --> 00:13:06.740
 right time,

00:13:06.820 --> 00:13:08.200
 that all of history

00:13:08.200 --> 00:13:09.220
 is pointing to

00:13:09.220 --> 00:13:10.139
 this event.

00:13:11.139 --> 00:13:11.980
 The conditions

00:13:11.980 --> 00:13:13.580
 are now set

00:13:13.580 --> 00:13:15.080
 for his sacrifice.

00:13:17.279 --> 00:13:18.240
 That picture

00:13:18.240 --> 00:13:18.940
 that we have

00:13:18.940 --> 00:13:19.860
 earlier in the

00:13:19.860 --> 00:13:20.500
 life of Moses

00:13:20.500 --> 00:13:22.200
 talking about

00:13:22.200 --> 00:13:23.120
 God delivering

00:13:23.120 --> 00:13:23.800
 his people.

00:13:24.300 --> 00:13:25.360
 Israel wandering

00:13:25.360 --> 00:13:26.259
 around.

00:13:27.160 --> 00:13:27.720
 Israel being

00:13:27.720 --> 00:13:28.680
 delivered from

00:13:28.680 --> 00:13:29.200
 Egypt.

00:13:30.840 --> 00:13:32.160
 The prophets

00:13:32.160 --> 00:13:33.120
 even calling

00:13:33.120 --> 00:13:33.960
 Israel back

00:13:33.960 --> 00:13:34.879
 to true worship

00:13:34.879 --> 00:13:36.080
 for their hearts

00:13:36.080 --> 00:13:37.120
 to be turned.

00:13:38.800 --> 00:13:40.100
 For the disciples

00:13:40.100 --> 00:13:40.920
 to see

00:13:40.920 --> 00:13:42.180
 that his hour

00:13:42.180 --> 00:13:43.940
 had now come.

00:13:44.420 --> 00:13:45.180
 The point

00:13:45.180 --> 00:13:46.000
 of the gospels,

00:13:46.120 --> 00:13:46.560
 the point

00:13:46.560 --> 00:13:47.220
 the disciples

00:13:47.220 --> 00:13:47.820
 missed,

00:13:48.220 --> 00:13:49.000
 was that Jesus

00:13:49.000 --> 00:13:49.660
 died,

00:13:49.860 --> 00:13:50.520
 and he died

00:13:50.519 --> 00:13:51.139
 for sinners.

00:13:52.699 --> 00:13:53.519
 All those

00:13:53.519 --> 00:13:54.139
 shadows,

00:13:54.419 --> 00:13:55.360
 all of Leviticus,

00:13:55.620 --> 00:13:56.240
 all of the

00:13:56.240 --> 00:13:56.939
 example of

00:13:56.939 --> 00:13:57.279
 Moses,

00:13:57.539 --> 00:13:58.120
 all of those

00:13:58.120 --> 00:13:59.019
 prophets calling

00:13:59.019 --> 00:13:59.819
 Israel back,

00:14:00.059 --> 00:14:00.759
 it was all

00:14:00.759 --> 00:14:01.319
 pointing to

00:14:01.319 --> 00:14:02.000
 this event.

00:14:03.039 --> 00:14:03.539
 And Paul

00:14:03.539 --> 00:14:04.100
 will remind

00:14:04.100 --> 00:14:04.720
 the Galatians

00:14:04.720 --> 00:14:05.100
 of this

00:14:05.100 --> 00:14:05.679
 when he says,

00:14:06.019 --> 00:14:06.799
 when the fullness

00:14:06.799 --> 00:14:07.679
 of time

00:14:07.679 --> 00:14:08.259
 had come,

00:14:08.720 --> 00:14:09.399
 not the end

00:14:09.399 --> 00:14:09.860
 of time,

00:14:09.939 --> 00:14:10.519
 but the fullness

00:14:10.519 --> 00:14:11.179
 of time,

00:14:11.480 --> 00:14:12.259
 and that time

00:14:12.259 --> 00:14:13.159
 is Christ

00:14:13.159 --> 00:14:14.439
 coming and

00:14:14.439 --> 00:14:14.779
 dying.

00:14:15.899 --> 00:14:16.259
 Now what

00:14:16.259 --> 00:14:16.939
 follows verse

00:14:16.939 --> 00:14:17.639
 six is an

00:14:17.639 --> 00:14:18.199
 interesting,

00:14:18.819 --> 00:14:19.480
 it's an

00:14:19.480 --> 00:14:19.879
 interesting

00:14:19.879 --> 00:14:20.740
 comparison,

00:14:21.159 --> 00:14:22.199
 because the

00:14:22.199 --> 00:14:22.740
 argument goes

00:14:22.740 --> 00:14:23.259
 something like

00:14:23.259 --> 00:14:23.539
 this,

00:14:23.620 --> 00:14:24.080
 if we can

00:14:24.080 --> 00:14:24.840
 trust God

00:14:24.840 --> 00:14:25.659
 to take

00:14:25.659 --> 00:14:26.039
 care of

00:14:26.039 --> 00:14:26.379
 this,

00:14:26.439 --> 00:14:26.779
 we should

00:14:26.779 --> 00:14:27.419
 trust him

00:14:27.419 --> 00:14:27.899
 to take

00:14:27.899 --> 00:14:28.240
 care of

00:14:28.240 --> 00:14:28.600
 that.

00:14:29.220 --> 00:14:29.639
 So look

00:14:29.639 --> 00:14:30.100
 with me

00:14:30.100 --> 00:14:30.559
 at verse

00:14:30.559 --> 00:14:30.860
 seven,

00:14:31.259 --> 00:14:31.639
 for one

00:14:31.639 --> 00:14:32.220
 will scarcely

00:14:32.220 --> 00:14:32.860
 die for a

00:14:32.860 --> 00:14:33.679
 righteous person,

00:14:33.960 --> 00:14:34.740
 though perhaps

00:14:34.740 --> 00:14:35.240
 for a good

00:14:35.240 --> 00:14:35.720
 person,

00:14:36.019 --> 00:14:36.620
 one would

00:14:36.620 --> 00:14:37.220
 even dare

00:14:37.220 --> 00:14:37.779
 to die.

00:14:38.179 --> 00:14:38.679
 If we

00:14:38.679 --> 00:14:39.600
 think that

00:14:39.600 --> 00:14:40.179
 Christ

00:14:40.179 --> 00:14:41.199
 will die

00:14:41.199 --> 00:14:41.519
 for the

00:14:41.519 --> 00:14:42.279
 ungodly,

00:14:43.419 --> 00:14:44.000
 wait a second,

00:14:44.240 --> 00:14:44.600
 that's not

00:14:44.600 --> 00:14:44.939
 how this

00:14:44.939 --> 00:14:45.279
 goes,

00:14:45.580 --> 00:14:46.080
 he's making

00:14:46.080 --> 00:14:46.720
 this argument

00:14:46.720 --> 00:14:47.560
 that if

00:14:47.560 --> 00:14:48.160
 one will

00:14:48.160 --> 00:14:48.620
 die for

00:14:48.620 --> 00:14:49.080
 a righteous

00:14:49.080 --> 00:14:49.700
 person,

00:14:50.840 --> 00:14:51.759
 not that,

00:14:51.899 --> 00:14:52.180
 no,

00:14:52.279 --> 00:14:52.600
 he doesn't

00:14:52.600 --> 00:14:52.960
 make that

00:14:52.960 --> 00:14:53.340
 argument,

00:14:53.639 --> 00:14:54.060
 he says

00:14:54.060 --> 00:14:54.820
 no one

00:14:54.820 --> 00:14:55.480
 even really

00:14:55.480 --> 00:14:55.899
 wants to

00:14:55.899 --> 00:14:56.240
 die for

00:14:56.240 --> 00:14:56.759
 a righteous

00:14:56.759 --> 00:14:57.399
 person,

00:14:58.680 --> 00:14:59.300
 though maybe

00:14:59.300 --> 00:14:59.960
 even for

00:14:59.960 --> 00:15:00.480
 a good

00:15:00.480 --> 00:15:01.139
 person you

00:15:01.139 --> 00:15:01.660
 might die.

00:15:01.920 --> 00:15:02.259
 So what

00:15:02.259 --> 00:15:02.820
 he's saying

00:15:02.820 --> 00:15:03.440
 here is

00:15:03.440 --> 00:15:03.700
 that,

00:15:04.180 --> 00:15:04.460
 hey,

00:15:04.600 --> 00:15:05.040
 you don't

00:15:05.040 --> 00:15:05.680
 really want

00:15:05.680 --> 00:15:06.100
 to die

00:15:06.100 --> 00:15:06.460
 for a

00:15:06.460 --> 00:15:06.700
 righteous

00:15:06.700 --> 00:15:07.180
 person,

00:15:07.279 --> 00:15:07.879
 but maybe

00:15:07.879 --> 00:15:08.420
 even for

00:15:08.420 --> 00:15:08.779
 a good

00:15:08.779 --> 00:15:09.240
 person,

00:15:09.600 --> 00:15:10.060
 but how

00:15:10.060 --> 00:15:10.440
 does that

00:15:10.440 --> 00:15:10.980
 relate to

00:15:10.980 --> 00:15:11.240
 us?

00:15:11.279 --> 00:15:11.580
 How does

00:15:11.580 --> 00:15:12.000
 that relate

00:15:12.000 --> 00:15:12.300
 to what

00:15:12.300 --> 00:15:12.720
 Paul has

00:15:12.720 --> 00:15:13.279
 said earlier?

00:15:13.759 --> 00:15:14.540
 He's saying

00:15:14.540 --> 00:15:14.920
 for an

00:15:14.920 --> 00:15:15.519
 ungodly

00:15:15.519 --> 00:15:15.879
 person,

00:15:16.180 --> 00:15:16.700
 you really

00:15:16.700 --> 00:15:17.320
 don't want

00:15:17.320 --> 00:15:17.740
 to die.

00:15:18.540 --> 00:15:18.940
 Now the

00:15:18.940 --> 00:15:19.780
 fuller context

00:15:19.780 --> 00:15:21.060
 of this is

00:15:21.060 --> 00:15:21.700
 something like

00:15:21.700 --> 00:15:22.100
 this,

00:15:22.400 --> 00:15:22.960
 those that

00:15:22.960 --> 00:15:23.740
 were enslaved

00:15:23.740 --> 00:15:24.560
 might have

00:15:24.560 --> 00:15:25.600
 warm feelings

00:15:25.600 --> 00:15:26.080
 towards a

00:15:26.080 --> 00:15:26.460
 master,

00:15:26.860 --> 00:15:27.540
 a benefactor

00:15:27.540 --> 00:15:28.300
 that's rescued

00:15:28.300 --> 00:15:29.180
 them out of

00:15:29.180 --> 00:15:30.259
 debt or the

00:15:30.259 --> 00:15:30.960
 depths of

00:15:30.960 --> 00:15:32.080
 society,

00:15:32.600 --> 00:15:34.000
 for that I

00:15:34.000 --> 00:15:34.740
 will sacrifice,

00:15:35.000 --> 00:15:35.740
 for that I

00:15:35.740 --> 00:15:36.180
 might even

00:15:36.180 --> 00:15:36.500
 die.

00:15:37.180 --> 00:15:37.920
 But that's

00:15:37.920 --> 00:15:38.280
 not what

00:15:38.280 --> 00:15:38.780
 Paul is

00:15:38.780 --> 00:15:39.480
 saying about

00:15:39.480 --> 00:15:40.060
 us,

00:15:40.480 --> 00:15:41.020
 is it?

00:15:41.360 --> 00:15:42.000
 He's saying

00:15:42.000 --> 00:15:42.660
 we stand in

00:15:42.660 --> 00:15:44.100
 opposition to

00:15:44.100 --> 00:15:44.519
 the Lord,

00:15:44.659 --> 00:15:45.019
 to the

00:15:45.019 --> 00:15:45.620
 ones that

00:15:45.620 --> 00:15:46.480
 say to

00:15:46.480 --> 00:15:46.779
 him,

00:15:46.960 --> 00:15:47.259
 no I

00:15:47.259 --> 00:15:47.759
 don't need

00:15:47.759 --> 00:15:48.060
 you,

00:15:48.259 --> 00:15:48.800
 to the

00:15:48.800 --> 00:15:49.379
 ones that

00:15:49.379 --> 00:15:49.840
 look to

00:15:49.840 --> 00:15:50.100
 him,

00:15:50.259 --> 00:15:50.800
 not with

00:15:50.800 --> 00:15:51.700
 warm feelings

00:15:51.700 --> 00:15:52.320
 of kindness,

00:15:52.960 --> 00:15:54.200
 but enmity,

00:15:55.240 --> 00:15:56.060
 for that

00:15:56.060 --> 00:15:56.840
 Christ has

00:15:56.840 --> 00:15:57.200
 died.

00:15:58.600 --> 00:15:58.960
 Now the

00:15:58.960 --> 00:15:59.360
 cross,

00:15:59.519 --> 00:16:01.300
 the cross of

00:16:01.300 --> 00:16:01.860
 Christ is not

00:16:01.860 --> 00:16:02.519
 difficult for

00:16:02.519 --> 00:16:03.360
 us on its

00:16:03.360 --> 00:16:03.759
 face,

00:16:04.519 --> 00:16:06.480
 but it's

00:16:06.480 --> 00:16:07.259
 often difficult

00:16:07.259 --> 00:16:07.940
 for us to

00:16:07.940 --> 00:16:08.920
 comprehend in

00:16:08.920 --> 00:16:09.740
 our hearts and

00:16:09.740 --> 00:16:10.600
 how we live

00:16:10.600 --> 00:16:11.540
 and how we

00:16:11.540 --> 00:16:11.980
 think.

00:16:13.600 --> 00:16:14.399
 Because of

00:16:14.399 --> 00:16:14.779
 this.

00:16:15.320 --> 00:16:15.920
 There's a

00:16:15.920 --> 00:16:16.519
 great theologian

00:16:16.519 --> 00:16:17.320
 named J.

00:16:17.399 --> 00:16:17.680
 Gresham

00:16:17.680 --> 00:16:18.180
 Macon that

00:16:18.180 --> 00:16:18.680
 said this,

00:16:19.139 --> 00:16:19.560
 it's not the

00:16:19.560 --> 00:16:20.420
 Bible doctrine

00:16:20.420 --> 00:16:20.740
 of the

00:16:20.740 --> 00:16:21.159
 atonement,

00:16:21.279 --> 00:16:21.580
 which is

00:16:21.580 --> 00:16:22.180
 difficult for

00:16:22.180 --> 00:16:22.440
 us to

00:16:22.440 --> 00:16:22.820
 understand,

00:16:23.019 --> 00:16:23.500
 that a

00:16:23.500 --> 00:16:23.820
 man,

00:16:24.300 --> 00:16:24.820
 that God

00:16:24.820 --> 00:16:25.340
 dies for

00:16:25.340 --> 00:16:25.700
 us,

00:16:26.100 --> 00:16:26.680
 that Jesus

00:16:26.680 --> 00:16:27.399
 dies for

00:16:27.399 --> 00:16:27.700
 sinners.

00:16:27.980 --> 00:16:28.620
 What really

00:16:28.620 --> 00:16:29.620
 is incomprehensible

00:16:29.620 --> 00:16:30.399
 are the

00:16:30.399 --> 00:16:31.620
 elaborate modern

00:16:31.620 --> 00:16:32.460
 efforts to

00:16:32.460 --> 00:16:33.139
 get rid of

00:16:33.139 --> 00:16:33.659
 the Bible

00:16:33.659 --> 00:16:34.540
 doctrine in

00:16:34.540 --> 00:16:35.040
 the interest

00:16:35.040 --> 00:16:35.519
 of human

00:16:35.519 --> 00:16:35.940
 pride.

00:16:36.379 --> 00:16:36.960
 What he's

00:16:36.960 --> 00:16:37.820
 saying is,

00:16:37.960 --> 00:16:38.540
 is that in

00:16:38.540 --> 00:16:39.560
 our own flesh

00:16:39.560 --> 00:16:40.300
 we try to

00:16:40.299 --> 00:16:40.799
 do this.

00:16:41.059 --> 00:16:41.859
 We try to

00:16:41.859 --> 00:16:42.539
 remove the

00:16:42.539 --> 00:16:43.139
 cross and

00:16:43.139 --> 00:16:43.500
 think we're

00:16:43.500 --> 00:16:43.839
 going to be

00:16:43.839 --> 00:16:44.219
 okay.

00:16:45.699 --> 00:16:46.339
 And we

00:16:46.339 --> 00:16:47.120
 miss all of

00:16:47.120 --> 00:16:47.639
 the beauty

00:16:47.639 --> 00:16:48.039
 that we

00:16:48.039 --> 00:16:48.639
 just talked

00:16:48.639 --> 00:16:49.019
 about.

00:16:49.500 --> 00:16:50.419
 Our pride

00:16:50.419 --> 00:16:50.979
 gets in the

00:16:50.979 --> 00:16:52.339
 way because

00:16:52.339 --> 00:16:53.059
 we try to

00:16:53.059 --> 00:16:53.639
 reconcile

00:16:53.639 --> 00:16:55.199
 scripture,

00:16:55.740 --> 00:16:56.299
 we try to

00:16:56.299 --> 00:16:57.079
 reconcile the

00:16:57.079 --> 00:16:57.620
 fact that we

00:16:57.620 --> 00:16:58.059
 want to do

00:16:58.059 --> 00:16:58.819
 it ourselves

00:16:58.819 --> 00:16:59.679
 and we

00:16:59.679 --> 00:17:00.419
 trick ourselves

00:17:00.419 --> 00:17:01.039
 into thinking

00:17:01.039 --> 00:17:01.439
 that we

00:17:01.439 --> 00:17:01.799
 can.

00:17:03.679 --> 00:17:04.399
 And Paul

00:17:04.399 --> 00:17:05.419
 reminds us

00:17:05.419 --> 00:17:06.259
 that if we

00:17:06.259 --> 00:17:06.899
 do that,

00:17:07.259 --> 00:17:07.819
 there is no

00:17:07.819 --> 00:17:08.579
 salvation at

00:17:08.579 --> 00:17:08.799
 all.

00:17:10.299 --> 00:17:11.299
 Maybe that's

00:17:11.299 --> 00:17:11.639
 you this

00:17:11.639 --> 00:17:11.859
 morning.

00:17:11.960 --> 00:17:12.299
 Maybe you've

00:17:12.299 --> 00:17:12.659
 come into

00:17:12.659 --> 00:17:13.159
 this place

00:17:13.159 --> 00:17:13.599
 and saying,

00:17:14.099 --> 00:17:14.539
 I'm good.

00:17:14.639 --> 00:17:14.980
 I don't

00:17:14.980 --> 00:17:15.599
 need this.

00:17:16.480 --> 00:17:17.019
 In fact,

00:17:17.220 --> 00:17:17.859
 this seems

00:17:17.859 --> 00:17:18.559
 really bloody

00:17:18.559 --> 00:17:19.139
 and I don't

00:17:19.139 --> 00:17:19.659
 really like

00:17:19.659 --> 00:17:20.139
 that.

00:17:21.440 --> 00:17:22.079
 Maybe I'm

00:17:22.079 --> 00:17:22.639
 too smart

00:17:22.639 --> 00:17:23.259
 for this.

00:17:24.460 --> 00:17:25.259
 But each

00:17:25.259 --> 00:17:25.740
 and every

00:17:25.740 --> 00:17:26.359
 one of us

00:17:26.359 --> 00:17:27.059
 need the

00:17:27.059 --> 00:17:27.980
 reconciling

00:17:27.980 --> 00:17:29.139
 power of

00:17:29.139 --> 00:17:29.700
 the cross.

00:17:30.460 --> 00:17:31.240
 And if we

00:17:31.240 --> 00:17:31.859
 try to pull

00:17:31.859 --> 00:17:32.599
 that out of

00:17:32.599 --> 00:17:33.079
 the gospel,

00:17:33.359 --> 00:17:33.839
 we try to

00:17:33.839 --> 00:17:34.379
 pull that out

00:17:34.379 --> 00:17:35.059
 of Christianity,

00:17:35.379 --> 00:17:35.879
 we're left

00:17:35.879 --> 00:17:36.480
 with nothing.

00:17:36.480 --> 00:17:38.360
 we have

00:17:38.360 --> 00:17:39.039
 no power,

00:17:39.539 --> 00:17:39.920
 we have

00:17:39.920 --> 00:17:40.680
 no Christian

00:17:40.680 --> 00:17:42.000
 message.

00:17:43.160 --> 00:17:43.980
 Or maybe

00:17:43.980 --> 00:17:44.480
 we try to

00:17:44.480 --> 00:17:45.559
 add something

00:17:45.559 --> 00:17:45.960
 in.

00:17:46.039 --> 00:17:46.380
 It's the

00:17:46.380 --> 00:17:47.039
 cross plus

00:17:47.039 --> 00:17:47.620
 something else.

00:17:47.720 --> 00:17:48.140
 The cross

00:17:48.140 --> 00:17:49.000
 plus education.

00:17:49.240 --> 00:17:49.880
 Education is a

00:17:49.880 --> 00:17:50.279
 good thing.

00:17:51.019 --> 00:17:51.779
 But it's not

00:17:51.779 --> 00:17:52.279
 an ultimate

00:17:52.279 --> 00:17:52.680
 thing.

00:17:52.819 --> 00:17:53.240
 It doesn't

00:17:53.240 --> 00:17:54.079
 do anything

00:17:54.079 --> 00:17:54.779
 from moving

00:17:54.779 --> 00:17:55.299
 you from

00:17:55.299 --> 00:17:56.480
 ungodly and

00:17:56.480 --> 00:17:57.140
 standing at

00:17:57.140 --> 00:17:57.860
 odds to the

00:17:57.860 --> 00:17:59.240
 Lord to

00:17:59.240 --> 00:18:00.180
 being reconciled

00:18:00.180 --> 00:18:00.640
 to him.

00:18:00.640 --> 00:18:02.560
 And you

00:18:02.560 --> 00:18:03.020
 might think,

00:18:03.200 --> 00:18:03.900
 well of course

00:18:03.900 --> 00:18:04.480
 we all know

00:18:04.480 --> 00:18:05.480
 this, but we

00:18:05.480 --> 00:18:06.380
 all do this

00:18:06.380 --> 00:18:07.080
 each day.

00:18:07.660 --> 00:18:08.259
 Maybe it's not

00:18:08.259 --> 00:18:09.440
 education, but

00:18:09.440 --> 00:18:10.100
 we think of

00:18:10.100 --> 00:18:10.960
 safety and

00:18:10.960 --> 00:18:12.120
 security of

00:18:12.120 --> 00:18:12.500
 our bank

00:18:12.500 --> 00:18:13.000
 accounts.

00:18:13.780 --> 00:18:14.420
 We think about

00:18:14.420 --> 00:18:15.440
 the value that

00:18:15.440 --> 00:18:16.220
 God provides

00:18:16.220 --> 00:18:16.940
 in work and

00:18:16.940 --> 00:18:17.720
 think I want

00:18:17.720 --> 00:18:18.140
 to be a

00:18:18.140 --> 00:18:19.040
 Christian, but

00:18:19.040 --> 00:18:19.880
 I also want

00:18:19.880 --> 00:18:20.640
 to be seen

00:18:20.640 --> 00:18:21.780
 as healthy,

00:18:22.280 --> 00:18:23.420
 as wise,

00:18:23.860 --> 00:18:24.780
 as successful.

00:18:26.520 --> 00:18:27.540
 When we do

00:18:27.540 --> 00:18:28.620
 that, we

00:18:28.620 --> 00:18:29.960
 remove the

00:18:29.960 --> 00:18:30.460
 cross,

00:18:30.640 --> 00:18:31.200
 as the

00:18:31.200 --> 00:18:31.960
 source of

00:18:31.960 --> 00:18:32.580
 power in

00:18:32.580 --> 00:18:33.180
 our Christian

00:18:33.180 --> 00:18:33.820
 lives.

00:18:36.880 --> 00:18:37.860
 We're reminded

00:18:37.860 --> 00:18:38.460
 that the

00:18:38.460 --> 00:18:39.140
 cross is the

00:18:39.140 --> 00:18:39.560
 source of

00:18:39.560 --> 00:18:40.080
 power, but

00:18:40.080 --> 00:18:40.500
 we're not

00:18:40.500 --> 00:18:41.040
 really told

00:18:41.040 --> 00:18:42.220
 why God

00:18:42.220 --> 00:18:43.480
 uses the

00:18:43.480 --> 00:18:44.820
 cross until

00:18:44.820 --> 00:18:45.900
 we read

00:18:45.900 --> 00:18:46.440
 verse 8.

00:18:47.820 --> 00:18:48.500
 But God

00:18:48.500 --> 00:18:49.400
 shows his

00:18:49.400 --> 00:18:50.080
 love for us

00:18:50.080 --> 00:18:50.680
 in that while

00:18:50.680 --> 00:18:51.280
 we were still

00:18:51.280 --> 00:18:52.540
 sinners, Christ

00:18:52.540 --> 00:18:53.560
 died for us.

00:18:53.580 --> 00:18:53.980
 That's a

00:18:53.980 --> 00:18:55.000
 familiar verse

00:18:55.000 --> 00:18:55.600
 to many of

00:18:55.600 --> 00:18:55.900
 us.

00:18:56.860 --> 00:18:57.500
 But we

00:18:57.500 --> 00:18:58.080
 really just

00:18:58.080 --> 00:18:58.980
 skip on by

00:18:58.980 --> 00:18:59.560
 something that's

00:18:59.560 --> 00:19:00.360
 really important

00:19:00.359 --> 00:19:00.719
 in this

00:19:00.719 --> 00:19:01.079
 verse.

00:19:01.579 --> 00:19:02.419
 We see that

00:19:02.419 --> 00:19:03.240
 love is a

00:19:03.240 --> 00:19:04.359
 motivating factor.

00:19:04.979 --> 00:19:05.500
 It's not a

00:19:05.500 --> 00:19:06.299
 potential he

00:19:06.299 --> 00:19:07.119
 sees in them.

00:19:07.759 --> 00:19:08.240
 It's not

00:19:08.240 --> 00:19:09.119
 really anything

00:19:09.119 --> 00:19:09.839
 in them at

00:19:09.839 --> 00:19:10.119
 all.

00:19:10.219 --> 00:19:10.839
 Their wealth,

00:19:11.019 --> 00:19:11.599
 their wisdom,

00:19:12.039 --> 00:19:12.759
 their talents.

00:19:13.500 --> 00:19:14.439
 It's all about

00:19:14.439 --> 00:19:15.399
 who he is.

00:19:15.559 --> 00:19:16.519
 God comes to

00:19:16.519 --> 00:19:17.519
 them in love

00:19:17.519 --> 00:19:18.899
 and he

00:19:18.899 --> 00:19:19.899
 describes himself

00:19:19.899 --> 00:19:20.819
 in these terms

00:19:20.819 --> 00:19:21.519
 against the

00:19:21.519 --> 00:19:22.279
 backdrop of

00:19:22.279 --> 00:19:23.179
 disobedience.

00:19:23.180 --> 00:19:23.299
 forgiveness.

00:19:24.860 --> 00:19:25.940
 He reminds

00:19:25.940 --> 00:19:26.600
 them that he

00:19:26.600 --> 00:19:27.180
 is the same

00:19:27.180 --> 00:19:28.060
 God here

00:19:28.060 --> 00:19:29.100
 as he

00:19:29.100 --> 00:19:30.120
 reminded them

00:19:30.120 --> 00:19:30.920
 in the Old

00:19:30.920 --> 00:19:31.340
 Testament

00:19:31.340 --> 00:19:33.000
 where he

00:19:33.000 --> 00:19:33.759
 proclaims,

00:19:34.120 --> 00:19:34.600
 I am the

00:19:34.600 --> 00:19:35.000
 Lord,

00:19:35.120 --> 00:19:35.700
 the Lord,

00:19:36.380 --> 00:19:36.740
 a God

00:19:36.740 --> 00:19:37.799
 merciful and

00:19:37.799 --> 00:19:38.240
 gracious,

00:19:38.519 --> 00:19:39.039
 slow to

00:19:39.039 --> 00:19:39.420
 anger,

00:19:39.960 --> 00:19:40.640
 abounding in

00:19:40.640 --> 00:19:41.640
 steadfast love

00:19:41.640 --> 00:19:42.640
 and faithfulness,

00:19:43.060 --> 00:19:44.560
 keeping steadfast love

00:19:44.560 --> 00:19:45.440
 for thousands,

00:19:46.060 --> 00:19:47.160
 forgiving iniquity

00:19:47.160 --> 00:19:48.140
 and transgression

00:19:48.140 --> 00:19:48.720
 of sin.

00:19:49.519 --> 00:19:50.160
 And in the

00:19:50.160 --> 00:19:50.940
 same breath

00:19:50.940 --> 00:19:52.100
 he says this,

00:19:53.180 --> 00:19:54.059
 he upholds

00:19:54.059 --> 00:19:54.579
 his own

00:19:54.579 --> 00:19:56.220
 justice but

00:19:56.220 --> 00:19:56.819
 who will by

00:19:56.819 --> 00:19:57.480
 no means

00:19:57.480 --> 00:19:58.019
 clear the

00:19:58.019 --> 00:19:58.339
 guilty,

00:19:58.559 --> 00:19:59.160
 visiting the

00:19:59.160 --> 00:20:00.220
 iniquity of

00:20:00.220 --> 00:20:01.000
 the fathers

00:20:01.000 --> 00:20:02.279
 on the

00:20:02.279 --> 00:20:02.960
 children and

00:20:02.960 --> 00:20:03.600
 the children's

00:20:03.600 --> 00:20:04.100
 children to

00:20:04.100 --> 00:20:04.700
 the third and

00:20:04.700 --> 00:20:05.600
 fourth generations.

00:20:06.579 --> 00:20:07.240
 Paul shows

00:20:07.240 --> 00:20:08.079
 us the burning

00:20:08.079 --> 00:20:08.960
 clarity of the

00:20:08.960 --> 00:20:09.680
 cross that it's

00:20:09.680 --> 00:20:10.500
 because he

00:20:10.500 --> 00:20:11.420
 comes in love

00:20:11.420 --> 00:20:12.000
 and that he

00:20:12.000 --> 00:20:12.480
 sends his

00:20:12.480 --> 00:20:13.240
 son but

00:20:13.240 --> 00:20:14.059
 then in doing

00:20:14.059 --> 00:20:16.339
 so it's a

00:20:16.339 --> 00:20:17.160
 definite plan.

00:20:17.579 --> 00:20:17.940
 He hasn't

00:20:17.940 --> 00:20:18.420
 tripped and

00:20:18.420 --> 00:20:19.100
 fallen into

00:20:19.100 --> 00:20:19.759
 the atonement.

00:20:21.019 --> 00:20:21.620
 He's

00:20:21.620 --> 00:20:22.560
 motivated by

00:20:22.560 --> 00:20:24.519
 love but

00:20:24.519 --> 00:20:25.240
 it's held in

00:20:25.240 --> 00:20:25.840
 tension with

00:20:25.840 --> 00:20:26.680
 his holiness

00:20:26.680 --> 00:20:28.539
 and his

00:20:28.539 --> 00:20:29.320
 desire for

00:20:29.320 --> 00:20:29.960
 justice.

00:20:33.140 --> 00:20:34.180
 Love and

00:20:34.180 --> 00:20:35.080
 loss of

00:20:35.080 --> 00:20:35.980
 justice is

00:20:35.980 --> 00:20:36.460
 often where

00:20:36.460 --> 00:20:36.759
 we find

00:20:36.759 --> 00:20:37.240
 ourselves.

00:20:38.120 --> 00:20:38.680
 We get

00:20:38.680 --> 00:20:39.500
 confused and

00:20:39.500 --> 00:20:40.400
 we think it

00:20:40.400 --> 00:20:41.120
 can't stand

00:20:41.120 --> 00:20:42.019
 out from the

00:20:42.019 --> 00:20:42.340
 crowd.

00:20:42.519 --> 00:20:43.019
 If you watch

00:20:43.019 --> 00:20:43.300
 the World

00:20:43.300 --> 00:20:43.840
 Series this

00:20:43.840 --> 00:20:44.800
 year, there

00:20:44.800 --> 00:20:45.320
 was a guy

00:20:45.320 --> 00:20:46.660
 almost every

00:20:46.660 --> 00:20:47.880
 game he was

00:20:47.880 --> 00:20:48.120
 in the

00:20:48.120 --> 00:20:48.740
 background of

00:20:48.740 --> 00:20:49.280
 home plate

00:20:49.280 --> 00:20:50.940
 and he was

00:20:50.940 --> 00:20:51.420
 wearing an

00:20:51.420 --> 00:20:52.340
 orange jersey

00:20:52.340 --> 00:20:52.940
 and orange

00:20:52.940 --> 00:20:53.560
 hat upside

00:20:53.560 --> 00:20:54.300
 down sometimes

00:20:54.300 --> 00:20:55.580
 and that man

00:20:55.580 --> 00:20:56.080
 is known as

00:20:56.080 --> 00:20:56.660
 the Marlins

00:20:56.660 --> 00:20:57.460
 man and the

00:20:57.460 --> 00:20:58.080
 Marlins man

00:20:58.080 --> 00:20:58.720
 goes and

00:20:58.720 --> 00:20:59.580
 travels all

00:20:59.580 --> 00:21:00.940
 over the

00:21:00.940 --> 00:21:01.460
 country and

00:21:01.460 --> 00:21:01.920
 sometimes the

00:21:01.920 --> 00:21:02.740
 world to go

00:21:02.740 --> 00:21:03.300
 to these big

00:21:03.300 --> 00:21:04.020
 sporting events.

00:21:04.020 --> 00:21:04.480
 I think he's

00:21:04.480 --> 00:21:04.740
 been to

00:21:04.740 --> 00:21:05.220
 something like

00:21:05.220 --> 00:21:07.420
 200 World

00:21:07.420 --> 00:21:08.240
 Series games,

00:21:08.440 --> 00:21:09.320
 NBA finals,

00:21:09.980 --> 00:21:10.540
 he's been to

00:21:10.540 --> 00:21:11.380
 horse races,

00:21:11.700 --> 00:21:12.000
 I don't know

00:21:12.000 --> 00:21:12.400
 what the horse

00:21:12.400 --> 00:21:13.060
 races are called

00:21:13.060 --> 00:21:14.180
 but he's been

00:21:14.180 --> 00:21:15.100
 to those too and

00:21:15.099 --> 00:21:16.019
 he always shows

00:21:16.019 --> 00:21:16.480
 up in that

00:21:16.480 --> 00:21:17.259
 orange jersey.

00:21:19.259 --> 00:21:20.419
 He stands out

00:21:20.419 --> 00:21:20.879
 among the

00:21:20.879 --> 00:21:22.039
 crowd especially

00:21:22.039 --> 00:21:23.539
 when the teams

00:21:23.539 --> 00:21:24.159
 aren't even the

00:21:24.159 --> 00:21:24.959
 Marlins, they're

00:21:24.959 --> 00:21:25.859
 very often not

00:21:25.859 --> 00:21:26.579
 the Marlins if

00:21:26.579 --> 00:21:26.959
 you know anything

00:21:26.959 --> 00:21:27.559
 about baseball

00:21:27.559 --> 00:21:27.959
 because they're

00:21:27.959 --> 00:21:28.699
 not very good

00:21:28.699 --> 00:21:29.980
 but he shows up

00:21:29.980 --> 00:21:30.480
 in his orange

00:21:30.480 --> 00:21:31.679
 jersey instead

00:21:31.679 --> 00:21:32.339
 of the blue

00:21:32.339 --> 00:21:32.859
 of the Blue

00:21:32.859 --> 00:21:33.480
 Jays or the

00:21:33.480 --> 00:21:34.519
 white or blue

00:21:34.519 --> 00:21:35.659
 of the Dodgers

00:21:35.659 --> 00:21:36.459
 and he sits in

00:21:36.459 --> 00:21:37.019
 the background

00:21:37.019 --> 00:21:39.019
 and he sits

00:21:39.019 --> 00:21:39.819
 right behind

00:21:39.819 --> 00:21:40.500
 home plate and

00:21:40.500 --> 00:21:41.339
 you can't miss

00:21:41.339 --> 00:21:41.559
 it.

00:21:41.559 --> 00:21:44.019
 He stands

00:21:44.019 --> 00:21:44.480
 out.

00:21:45.279 --> 00:21:46.099
 Now he spends

00:21:46.099 --> 00:21:47.319
 300 days on

00:21:47.319 --> 00:21:48.440
 the road going

00:21:48.440 --> 00:21:48.879
 to sporting

00:21:48.879 --> 00:21:50.079
 events, he spends

00:21:50.079 --> 00:21:51.319
 countless dollars.

00:21:53.220 --> 00:21:54.079
 Now when we

00:21:54.079 --> 00:21:55.000
 think of him, we

00:21:55.000 --> 00:21:56.119
 think of him being

00:21:56.119 --> 00:21:57.079
 out of place, he's

00:21:57.079 --> 00:21:57.639
 not for either

00:21:57.639 --> 00:21:58.059
 team.

00:21:59.919 --> 00:22:01.200
 He stands out

00:22:01.200 --> 00:22:02.019
 among the crowd

00:22:02.019 --> 00:22:03.679
 but it's almost a

00:22:03.679 --> 00:22:04.220
 distraction.

00:22:04.960 --> 00:22:06.319
 The love that we

00:22:06.319 --> 00:22:07.220
 see in this passage

00:22:07.220 --> 00:22:07.839
 is not a

00:22:07.839 --> 00:22:09.019
 distraction, it's

00:22:09.019 --> 00:22:10.259
 not out of place

00:22:10.259 --> 00:22:10.899
 like Marlins

00:22:10.900 --> 00:22:11.220
 man.

00:22:11.700 --> 00:22:12.560
 In fact, it's

00:22:12.560 --> 00:22:13.480
 the motivator

00:22:13.480 --> 00:22:14.480
 by which we

00:22:14.480 --> 00:22:15.040
 get to the

00:22:15.040 --> 00:22:15.880
 cross that God

00:22:15.880 --> 00:22:16.960
 sends his son

00:22:16.960 --> 00:22:17.860
 to die.

00:22:19.320 --> 00:22:20.320
 It's not out of

00:22:20.320 --> 00:22:21.360
 place at all, it's

00:22:21.360 --> 00:22:22.640
 not ill-fitting, it's

00:22:22.640 --> 00:22:24.080
 not even crazy, it's

00:22:24.080 --> 00:22:25.259
 the very reason that

00:22:25.259 --> 00:22:27.040
 Christ died for us.

00:22:27.640 --> 00:22:28.500
 The love of God

00:22:28.500 --> 00:22:29.040
 for sinners.

00:22:31.060 --> 00:22:31.780
 Have you ever

00:22:31.780 --> 00:22:32.460
 thought about why

00:22:32.460 --> 00:22:33.540
 that's difficult for

00:22:33.540 --> 00:22:33.840
 us?

00:22:34.340 --> 00:22:35.460
 Yes, we have some

00:22:35.460 --> 00:22:36.180
 voices in the

00:22:36.180 --> 00:22:37.080
 modern day that say

00:22:37.080 --> 00:22:38.200
 love looks like

00:22:38.200 --> 00:22:39.420
 this and then we

00:22:39.420 --> 00:22:40.320
 redefine it in any

00:22:40.319 --> 00:22:41.059
 way that we want.

00:22:41.960 --> 00:22:42.859
 But in doing so,

00:22:42.960 --> 00:22:44.179
 we kind of, in

00:22:44.179 --> 00:22:45.579
 responding to that,

00:22:45.659 --> 00:22:46.759
 we nuance our way

00:22:46.759 --> 00:22:48.240
 and think, hey, I

00:22:48.240 --> 00:22:49.639
 can't even talk about

00:22:49.639 --> 00:22:50.599
 love because there's

00:22:50.599 --> 00:22:51.500
 not a good definition

00:22:51.500 --> 00:22:52.079
 for it.

00:22:52.419 --> 00:22:53.519
 And when we do that,

00:22:53.599 --> 00:22:54.619
 we try to, we

00:22:54.619 --> 00:22:55.779
 almost minimize the

00:22:55.779 --> 00:22:57.339
 fact that God loves

00:22:57.339 --> 00:22:57.839
 sinners.

00:22:58.220 --> 00:22:59.299
 Or we try to move

00:22:59.299 --> 00:23:00.399
 beyond that simple

00:23:00.399 --> 00:23:01.779
 fact and we think

00:23:01.779 --> 00:23:04.019
 that God is pleased

00:23:04.019 --> 00:23:04.899
 with me because of

00:23:04.899 --> 00:23:05.500
 what I've done.

00:23:06.460 --> 00:23:07.539
 That's not a problem

00:23:07.539 --> 00:23:08.439
 in the modern day,

00:23:08.440 --> 00:23:09.259
 that's a problem

00:23:09.259 --> 00:23:10.640
 with every heart.

00:23:11.000 --> 00:23:11.840
 That's a problem

00:23:11.840 --> 00:23:12.700
 with your heart

00:23:12.700 --> 00:23:13.980
 and that's a problem

00:23:13.980 --> 00:23:15.360
 with my heart.

00:23:17.720 --> 00:23:18.740
 Sometimes love is

00:23:18.740 --> 00:23:19.519
 difficult for us

00:23:19.519 --> 00:23:20.160
 because we don't

00:23:20.160 --> 00:23:21.039
 have a good earthly

00:23:21.039 --> 00:23:21.860
 picture of it.

00:23:22.420 --> 00:23:23.460
 And we struggle

00:23:23.460 --> 00:23:25.039
 and think, God

00:23:25.039 --> 00:23:26.180
 can't love me as a

00:23:26.180 --> 00:23:27.180
 father because my

00:23:27.180 --> 00:23:29.180
 father was a jerk

00:23:29.180 --> 00:23:30.320
 or worse.

00:23:31.900 --> 00:23:33.019
 That's not true.

00:23:33.019 --> 00:23:35.960
 Sometimes we struggle

00:23:35.960 --> 00:23:37.039
 with love because we

00:23:37.039 --> 00:23:38.400
 reduced it to the

00:23:38.400 --> 00:23:39.339
 romance that we see

00:23:39.339 --> 00:23:40.440
 on TV and think

00:23:40.440 --> 00:23:43.059
 it's like what we

00:23:43.059 --> 00:23:44.400
 see in these fantasies

00:23:44.400 --> 00:23:45.619
 or what we think

00:23:45.619 --> 00:23:46.639
 about in wedded

00:23:46.639 --> 00:23:47.119
 bliss.

00:23:48.579 --> 00:23:49.639
 And then we struggle

00:23:49.639 --> 00:23:50.379
 because we don't

00:23:50.379 --> 00:23:51.279
 have a good picture

00:23:51.279 --> 00:23:51.940
 of love.

00:23:52.039 --> 00:23:52.940
 Or maybe we even

00:23:52.940 --> 00:23:53.859
 think love is a

00:23:53.859 --> 00:23:54.799
 thing for sissies.

00:23:55.119 --> 00:23:55.759
 That we don't talk

00:23:55.759 --> 00:23:56.599
 about love if we're

00:23:56.599 --> 00:23:57.539
 big, strong, burly

00:23:57.539 --> 00:23:57.819
 men.

00:23:57.819 --> 00:24:00.419
 I'll tell you

00:24:00.419 --> 00:24:01.259
 that I have seen

00:24:01.259 --> 00:24:02.639
 the pictures of

00:24:02.639 --> 00:24:04.740
 love of the

00:24:04.740 --> 00:24:05.439
 strongest and

00:24:05.439 --> 00:24:06.439
 toughest people I

00:24:06.439 --> 00:24:07.679
 know in a moment

00:24:07.679 --> 00:24:08.939
 displaying love

00:24:08.939 --> 00:24:09.919
 and tenderness.

00:24:10.439 --> 00:24:11.539
 It's not a thing

00:24:11.539 --> 00:24:12.579
 for sissies.

00:24:13.279 --> 00:24:14.279
 Or maybe love

00:24:14.279 --> 00:24:15.099
 hurt us and we

00:24:15.099 --> 00:24:15.759
 think love will

00:24:15.759 --> 00:24:16.759
 never happen again.

00:24:16.859 --> 00:24:17.579
 Or we think we

00:24:17.579 --> 00:24:18.519
 don't deserve it.

00:24:18.759 --> 00:24:19.539
 Or we've had a

00:24:19.539 --> 00:24:20.500
 child who walked

00:24:20.500 --> 00:24:21.220
 away from our

00:24:21.220 --> 00:24:22.139
 love and has

00:24:22.139 --> 00:24:22.759
 thrown it in our

00:24:22.759 --> 00:24:23.159
 face.

00:24:24.019 --> 00:24:24.980
 Or a wife.

00:24:25.299 --> 00:24:25.819
 Or a husband.

00:24:26.519 --> 00:24:27.079
 And we think

00:24:27.079 --> 00:24:27.799
 that's the picture

00:24:27.799 --> 00:24:28.440
 of love.

00:24:28.759 --> 00:24:29.639
 The picture of

00:24:29.639 --> 00:24:30.200
 love that we

00:24:30.200 --> 00:24:31.399
 have is this

00:24:31.399 --> 00:24:32.299
 picture here of

00:24:32.299 --> 00:24:33.220
 God sending his

00:24:33.220 --> 00:24:34.639
 son for people

00:24:34.639 --> 00:24:36.019
 that were still

00:24:36.019 --> 00:24:36.799
 enemies.

00:24:38.019 --> 00:24:39.200
 Sending that which

00:24:39.200 --> 00:24:40.119
 was most precious

00:24:40.119 --> 00:24:42.500
 for us while we

00:24:42.500 --> 00:24:43.319
 were yet sinners.

00:24:45.740 --> 00:24:46.779
 Oftentimes we

00:24:46.779 --> 00:24:47.500
 think we can make

00:24:47.500 --> 00:24:48.500
 ourselves lovely

00:24:48.500 --> 00:24:49.599
 to the Lord.

00:24:50.619 --> 00:24:51.919
 But in spite of

00:24:51.919 --> 00:24:52.859
 our sin, God

00:24:52.859 --> 00:24:53.359
 loves you.

00:24:55.359 --> 00:24:56.559
 In spite of who

00:24:56.559 --> 00:24:57.419
 we are, God

00:24:57.420 --> 00:24:58.960
 still is gracious

00:24:58.960 --> 00:24:59.519
 to you.

00:25:00.220 --> 00:25:01.220
 And that picture

00:25:01.220 --> 00:25:02.019
 of love, not

00:25:02.019 --> 00:25:02.900
 those others,

00:25:03.200 --> 00:25:04.080
 should transform

00:25:04.080 --> 00:25:04.480
 us.

00:25:04.700 --> 00:25:05.640
 It should transform

00:25:05.640 --> 00:25:06.420
 how we think of

00:25:06.420 --> 00:25:07.000
 ourselves.

00:25:07.519 --> 00:25:08.440
 That we are loved

00:25:08.440 --> 00:25:09.320
 because of God

00:25:09.320 --> 00:25:11.460
 loving us.

00:25:12.560 --> 00:25:13.560
 Our interactions

00:25:13.560 --> 00:25:14.200
 with others

00:25:14.200 --> 00:25:14.759
 shouldn't be

00:25:14.759 --> 00:25:15.880
 transactional anymore.

00:25:16.100 --> 00:25:17.039
 If you do this,

00:25:17.100 --> 00:25:17.720
 then I will love

00:25:17.720 --> 00:25:17.940
 you.

00:25:18.340 --> 00:25:18.740
 No.

00:25:18.980 --> 00:25:19.400
 For those

00:25:19.400 --> 00:25:20.480
 difficult people,

00:25:20.880 --> 00:25:21.580
 those people that

00:25:21.580 --> 00:25:22.580
 are nasty, or

00:25:22.580 --> 00:25:23.600
 hey, I don't even

00:25:23.600 --> 00:25:24.740
 like their personality.

00:25:24.740 --> 00:25:26.339
 I love them

00:25:26.339 --> 00:25:27.420
 because God has

00:25:27.420 --> 00:25:28.140
 loved me.

00:25:28.740 --> 00:25:29.299
 That should

00:25:29.299 --> 00:25:30.160
 transform how we

00:25:30.160 --> 00:25:30.960
 interact in this

00:25:30.960 --> 00:25:32.500
 room and outside

00:25:32.500 --> 00:25:33.400
 the walls of this

00:25:33.400 --> 00:25:33.779
 building.

00:25:34.019 --> 00:25:35.279
 It transforms our

00:25:35.279 --> 00:25:37.120
 lives because then

00:25:37.120 --> 00:25:38.019
 we go to our

00:25:38.019 --> 00:25:38.680
 neighbors with the

00:25:38.680 --> 00:25:39.819
 gospel, then we

00:25:39.819 --> 00:25:40.640
 send our money

00:25:40.640 --> 00:25:44.200
 forth because God

00:25:44.200 --> 00:25:45.220
 has loved me.

00:25:45.480 --> 00:25:46.299
 I have known

00:25:46.299 --> 00:25:47.920
 love and I want

00:25:47.920 --> 00:25:48.799
 others to know

00:25:48.799 --> 00:25:49.799
 that same love.

00:25:49.799 --> 00:25:53.579
 Christian love

00:25:53.579 --> 00:25:54.700
 should compel us

00:25:54.700 --> 00:25:56.240
 to fulfill the

00:25:56.240 --> 00:25:56.879
 Great Commission.

00:25:57.720 --> 00:25:58.419
 It should compel

00:25:58.419 --> 00:25:59.539
 us to love God

00:25:59.539 --> 00:26:00.419
 and love our

00:26:00.419 --> 00:26:00.799
 neighbor.

00:26:02.500 --> 00:26:04.460
 Salvation is

00:26:04.460 --> 00:26:05.200
 secured by

00:26:05.200 --> 00:26:05.980
 Christ's death.

00:26:06.379 --> 00:26:06.879
 All those

00:26:06.879 --> 00:26:07.579
 benefits, it's

00:26:07.579 --> 00:26:08.559
 motivated by love,

00:26:08.659 --> 00:26:10.819
 yes, but salvation

00:26:10.819 --> 00:26:12.139
 is also realized in

00:26:12.139 --> 00:26:12.720
 his resurrection.

00:26:13.000 --> 00:26:13.819
 That part is a

00:26:13.819 --> 00:26:14.819
 really tough for us.

00:26:14.940 --> 00:26:15.319
 Let's turn our

00:26:15.319 --> 00:26:16.119
 attention there now.

00:26:16.460 --> 00:26:16.919
 Look at verse

00:26:16.919 --> 00:26:17.259
 nine.

00:26:18.319 --> 00:26:19.240
 Since therefore we

00:26:19.240 --> 00:26:19.960
 have now been

00:26:19.960 --> 00:26:20.980
 justified by his

00:26:20.980 --> 00:26:22.359
 blood, much more

00:26:22.359 --> 00:26:23.180
 shall we be saved

00:26:23.180 --> 00:26:25.440
 by faith, shall be

00:26:25.440 --> 00:26:26.400
 saved by him from

00:26:26.400 --> 00:26:27.180
 the wrath of God.

00:26:29.920 --> 00:26:31.039
 It's really easy to

00:26:31.039 --> 00:26:31.720
 see the cross of

00:26:31.720 --> 00:26:32.440
 Christ in this.

00:26:32.740 --> 00:26:33.480
 It's much more

00:26:33.480 --> 00:26:34.599
 difficult to see the

00:26:34.599 --> 00:26:35.019
 resurrection.

00:26:35.480 --> 00:26:36.519
 We see that Paul is

00:26:36.519 --> 00:26:37.099
 pivoting from

00:26:37.099 --> 00:26:37.839
 something because he

00:26:37.839 --> 00:26:38.720
 uses since therefore,

00:26:39.240 --> 00:26:40.099
 but we don't know

00:26:40.099 --> 00:26:40.920
 what has happened in

00:26:40.920 --> 00:26:41.599
 the past and what

00:26:41.599 --> 00:26:42.299
 he's looking towards

00:26:42.299 --> 00:26:42.920
 in the future.

00:26:43.539 --> 00:26:45.160
 In a contrast, he's

00:26:45.160 --> 00:26:45.779
 saying you've been

00:26:45.779 --> 00:26:47.220
 justified by Christ's

00:26:47.220 --> 00:26:47.599
 death.

00:26:49.240 --> 00:26:50.079
 And then he's kind

00:26:50.079 --> 00:26:51.019
 of looking towards a

00:26:51.019 --> 00:26:52.259
 somewhat future event.

00:26:53.460 --> 00:26:53.819
 You might be

00:26:53.819 --> 00:26:54.380
 thinking, wait a

00:26:54.380 --> 00:26:55.059
 second, I thought I

00:26:55.059 --> 00:26:55.779
 put my faith in

00:26:55.779 --> 00:26:56.819
 Jesus and I'm good.

00:26:57.059 --> 00:26:58.240
 Yes, you are if you

00:26:58.240 --> 00:26:59.059
 put your faith in

00:26:59.059 --> 00:26:59.380
 Jesus.

00:26:59.900 --> 00:27:00.740
 But there's a coming

00:27:00.740 --> 00:27:01.620
 day of judgment.

00:27:02.259 --> 00:27:03.339
 And then by doing so,

00:27:03.420 --> 00:27:04.620
 you're also saved from

00:27:04.620 --> 00:27:06.279
 that, that day of

00:27:06.279 --> 00:27:06.720
 wrath.

00:27:08.380 --> 00:27:09.099
 Throughout this

00:27:09.099 --> 00:27:10.440
 passage, the mechanism

00:27:10.440 --> 00:27:12.160
 by which salvation is

00:27:12.160 --> 00:27:13.160
 accomplished is through

00:27:13.160 --> 00:27:14.559
 Jesus, both through his

00:27:14.559 --> 00:27:16.140
 death and resurrection.

00:27:16.140 --> 00:27:16.259
 resurrection.

00:27:17.800 --> 00:27:19.060
 Look at verse 9.

00:27:21.600 --> 00:27:22.620
 We have now been

00:27:22.620 --> 00:27:23.820
 justified by his

00:27:23.820 --> 00:27:24.140
 blood.

00:27:24.360 --> 00:27:25.860
 Much more shall we be

00:27:25.860 --> 00:27:27.320
 saved by him from the

00:27:27.320 --> 00:27:28.040
 wrath of God.

00:27:28.259 --> 00:27:29.280
 He's making this

00:27:29.280 --> 00:27:30.480
 argument by way of

00:27:30.480 --> 00:27:31.020
 comparison.

00:27:31.200 --> 00:27:32.400
 He's saying, if this

00:27:32.400 --> 00:27:33.980
 happened, then surely

00:27:33.980 --> 00:27:35.000
 that will happen.

00:27:36.220 --> 00:27:37.460
 And he continues it in

00:27:37.460 --> 00:27:37.920
 verse 10.

00:27:38.020 --> 00:27:38.820
 For while we were

00:27:38.820 --> 00:27:39.840
 enemies, we were

00:27:39.840 --> 00:27:41.140
 reconciled to God by the

00:27:41.140 --> 00:27:41.700
 death of his son.

00:27:42.060 --> 00:27:44.440
 Much more now that we

00:27:44.440 --> 00:27:45.520
 are reconciled shall we

00:27:45.519 --> 00:27:47.119
 be saved by his life.

00:27:48.220 --> 00:27:49.480
 Life, when he's

00:27:49.480 --> 00:27:50.480
 referencing life there,

00:27:50.559 --> 00:27:51.639
 it's not the actions of

00:27:51.639 --> 00:27:52.799
 Jesus while he was alive

00:27:52.799 --> 00:27:53.420
 on this earth.

00:27:54.960 --> 00:27:56.319
 That's shorthand for the

00:27:56.319 --> 00:27:56.799
 resurrection.

00:27:58.799 --> 00:27:59.740
 There's no longer

00:27:59.740 --> 00:28:02.139
 alienation from sinners

00:28:02.139 --> 00:28:03.980
 against a God because

00:28:03.980 --> 00:28:04.759
 of their offense.

00:28:05.019 --> 00:28:06.220
 The dividing wall of

00:28:06.220 --> 00:28:07.119
 separation has been

00:28:07.119 --> 00:28:10.700
 torn down and now they

00:28:10.700 --> 00:28:11.779
 shall be saved by his

00:28:11.779 --> 00:28:12.319
 life.

00:28:12.319 --> 00:28:12.379
 life.

00:28:13.379 --> 00:28:15.759
 The resurrection secures

00:28:15.759 --> 00:28:17.039
 all of this.

00:28:20.339 --> 00:28:22.899
 And that life that Christ

00:28:22.899 --> 00:28:25.139
 was raised to is a

00:28:25.139 --> 00:28:26.399
 guarantee that that will

00:28:26.399 --> 00:28:27.720
 happen to us.

00:28:27.960 --> 00:28:29.779
 Because so often our

00:28:29.779 --> 00:28:31.480
 focus is on, yes, the

00:28:31.480 --> 00:28:32.559
 death of Christ, which we

00:28:32.559 --> 00:28:34.000
 said we try to skip past

00:28:34.000 --> 00:28:36.220
 what happened on Friday.

00:28:36.720 --> 00:28:38.619
 But we forget what

00:28:38.619 --> 00:28:40.139
 happens on Easter Sunday.

00:28:40.140 --> 00:28:42.960
 It accomplishes all these

00:28:42.960 --> 00:28:43.360
 things.

00:28:43.520 --> 00:28:44.580
 And those are held in

00:28:44.580 --> 00:28:45.820
 balance in the life of

00:28:45.820 --> 00:28:46.200
 Christ.

00:28:46.400 --> 00:28:47.740
 We can't have one without

00:28:47.740 --> 00:28:48.240
 the other.

00:28:49.259 --> 00:28:50.980
 The beauty of this is it's

00:28:50.980 --> 00:28:52.740
 confirmation that Christ's

00:28:53.540 --> 00:28:54.740
 death really accomplished

00:28:55.220 --> 00:28:56.400
 forgiveness of sin.

00:28:56.600 --> 00:28:58.640
 And for us, it really

00:28:58.640 --> 00:28:59.740
 accomplishes

00:28:59.740 --> 00:29:02.040
 everlasting life.

00:29:02.259 --> 00:29:03.040
 It secured

00:29:03.040 --> 00:29:05.420
 our salvation.

00:29:05.420 --> 00:29:05.519
 resurrection.

00:29:06.100 --> 00:29:07.440
 It reconciles us.

00:29:08.900 --> 00:29:10.080
 It justifies us.

00:29:12.920 --> 00:29:14.580
 And the resurrection is a

00:29:14.580 --> 00:29:16.039
 demonstration that it

00:29:16.039 --> 00:29:17.320
 will happen, that we'll be

00:29:17.320 --> 00:29:18.440
 saved from the wrath of

00:29:18.440 --> 00:29:18.779
 God.

00:29:21.039 --> 00:29:22.039
 On the heels of the

00:29:22.039 --> 00:29:23.860
 Reformation, or Reformation

00:29:23.860 --> 00:29:26.340
 Day, we think a lot about

00:29:26.340 --> 00:29:28.120
 what Martin Luther did, of

00:29:28.120 --> 00:29:29.259
 standing on the shoulders of

00:29:29.259 --> 00:29:30.740
 what people have said before

00:29:30.740 --> 00:29:31.440
 in the past.

00:29:31.440 --> 00:29:31.480
 Christ.

00:29:32.600 --> 00:29:34.519
 And this idea that we are

00:29:34.519 --> 00:29:36.160
 saved by his resurrection is

00:29:36.160 --> 00:29:37.960
 essential to the gospel.

00:29:38.759 --> 00:29:40.220
 That we're saved by his

00:29:40.220 --> 00:29:40.920
 life.

00:29:42.100 --> 00:29:43.259
 Let me remind you, not with

00:29:43.259 --> 00:29:44.220
 the words of Martin Luther,

00:29:44.539 --> 00:29:45.900
 but something much, much

00:29:45.900 --> 00:29:46.340
 older.

00:29:46.580 --> 00:29:47.580
 Because we might trick

00:29:47.580 --> 00:29:48.580
 ourselves into thinking,

00:29:48.700 --> 00:29:49.740
 Martin Luther just came up

00:29:49.740 --> 00:29:50.500
 with this all, right?

00:29:50.920 --> 00:29:51.860
 What about the Nicene

00:29:51.860 --> 00:29:52.240
 Creed?

00:29:52.740 --> 00:29:53.720
 Nicene Creed's

00:29:53.720 --> 00:29:56.360
 1700th anniversary this year

00:29:56.360 --> 00:29:57.259
 in 2025.

00:29:57.259 --> 00:29:59.279
 And it says this about

00:29:59.279 --> 00:30:00.960
 Jesus and his death and

00:30:00.960 --> 00:30:01.480
 resurrection.

00:30:02.140 --> 00:30:03.660
 It answers all those pesky

00:30:03.660 --> 00:30:04.619
 questions that kind of

00:30:04.619 --> 00:30:06.059
 linger in our minds when we

00:30:06.059 --> 00:30:06.940
 think, what did Jesus

00:30:06.940 --> 00:30:07.660
 actually do?

00:30:07.879 --> 00:30:10.539
 Well, the Nicene Creed, the

00:30:10.539 --> 00:30:11.500
 Apostles' Creed, they

00:30:11.500 --> 00:30:12.599
 answer them for us.

00:30:14.220 --> 00:30:15.720
 He was crucified for us

00:30:15.720 --> 00:30:16.859
 under Pontius Pilate.

00:30:17.000 --> 00:30:18.400
 He suffered and was buried.

00:30:18.680 --> 00:30:20.259
 The third day he rose again

00:30:20.259 --> 00:30:20.859
 according to the

00:30:20.859 --> 00:30:21.160
 scriptures.

00:30:21.759 --> 00:30:24.119
 Jesus both died and was

00:30:24.119 --> 00:30:24.700
 resurrected.

00:30:24.700 --> 00:30:27.740
 the Nicene Creed confesses

00:30:27.740 --> 00:30:29.080
 what we read in Romans 5,

00:30:29.180 --> 00:30:31.319
 that Christ died and was

00:30:31.319 --> 00:30:31.819
 resurrected.

00:30:33.140 --> 00:30:34.559
 And Paul reminds us that's

00:30:34.559 --> 00:30:35.720
 applied to us.

00:30:36.420 --> 00:30:37.759
 So where does that leave us?

00:30:38.120 --> 00:30:38.980
 Where does that leave us this

00:30:38.980 --> 00:30:39.259
 morning?

00:30:39.420 --> 00:30:40.900
 Where does that leave us in

00:30:40.900 --> 00:30:42.360
 this story in Romans 5?

00:30:42.640 --> 00:30:44.180
 It leaves us with this.

00:30:44.580 --> 00:30:45.480
 Look at verse 11.

00:30:45.779 --> 00:30:47.819
 More than that, we also

00:30:47.819 --> 00:30:49.120
 rejoice in God through our

00:30:49.120 --> 00:30:51.039
 Lord Jesus Christ, through whom

00:30:51.039 --> 00:30:52.299
 we have now received

00:30:52.299 --> 00:30:52.960
 reconciliation.

00:30:53.660 --> 00:30:54.420
 He kind of flips it.

00:30:54.700 --> 00:30:56.340
 We've received reconciliation,

00:30:56.860 --> 00:30:58.480
 but more than that, we

00:30:58.480 --> 00:30:59.220
 rejoice.

00:31:00.019 --> 00:31:02.259
 Our response at knowing this

00:31:02.259 --> 00:31:03.860
 should be rejoicing.

00:31:04.880 --> 00:31:06.440
 We should be so moved by

00:31:06.440 --> 00:31:07.519
 Christ's death and

00:31:07.519 --> 00:31:09.160
 resurrection, we rejoice

00:31:09.160 --> 00:31:10.319
 because it means our

00:31:10.319 --> 00:31:12.700
 salvation is secure and that

00:31:12.700 --> 00:31:14.080
 we will escape coming

00:31:14.080 --> 00:31:15.759
 judgment from the wrath of

00:31:15.759 --> 00:31:16.059
 God.

00:31:16.340 --> 00:31:17.779
 It's really going to happen

00:31:17.779 --> 00:31:19.440
 because he sent his own

00:31:19.440 --> 00:31:21.400
 son and his own son just

00:31:21.400 --> 00:31:22.779
 didn't die but was

00:31:22.779 --> 00:31:23.279
 resurrected.

00:31:23.279 --> 00:31:29.039
 And we're not so good as we

00:31:29.039 --> 00:31:30.019
 often assume.

00:31:30.160 --> 00:31:32.119
 We're left lacking, coming up

00:31:32.119 --> 00:31:33.519
 short in the measuring stick,

00:31:33.660 --> 00:31:36.440
 but that's okay because Christ

00:31:36.440 --> 00:31:38.119
 has paid the penalty for our

00:31:38.119 --> 00:31:38.339
 sin.

00:31:39.660 --> 00:31:41.539
 And we're led there by the

00:31:41.539 --> 00:31:42.379
 Father's love.

00:31:43.059 --> 00:31:45.700
 And for all that, we should

00:31:45.700 --> 00:31:47.019
 rejoice because we've been

00:31:47.019 --> 00:31:48.539
 reconciled with the Father.

00:31:48.539 --> 00:31:50.799
 rejoice at his great love.

00:31:51.920 --> 00:31:54.059
 Rejoice for him sending his

00:31:54.059 --> 00:31:54.379
 son.

00:31:54.579 --> 00:31:56.099
 Rejoice that Christ's death

00:31:56.099 --> 00:31:57.159
 paid for our sin.

00:31:57.599 --> 00:32:00.119
 And rejoice that has been

00:32:00.119 --> 00:32:02.159
 secured and claimed and

00:32:02.159 --> 00:32:05.159
 really happening because of the

00:32:05.159 --> 00:32:05.599
 resurrection.

00:32:06.539 --> 00:32:08.000
 Rejoice because it wasn't just

00:32:08.000 --> 00:32:08.879
 for them.

00:32:08.880 --> 00:32:10.400
 It wasn't just for me.

00:32:10.520 --> 00:32:11.560
 It was for us.

00:32:13.020 --> 00:32:13.860
 For you.

00:32:14.060 --> 00:32:14.540
 For me.

00:32:15.540 --> 00:32:18.400
 Will you rejoice with that good

00:32:18.400 --> 00:32:19.140
 news this morning?

00:32:19.360 --> 00:32:19.760
 Let's pray.

00:32:22.720 --> 00:32:26.720
 Lord, we're reminded in Romans 5

00:32:26.720 --> 00:32:28.880
 that we are to rejoice at Christ's

00:32:28.880 --> 00:32:30.760
 death, which seems like a weird

00:32:30.760 --> 00:32:31.200
 thing.

00:32:31.760 --> 00:32:32.920
 We're to rejoice in his

00:32:32.920 --> 00:32:35.240
 resurrection because those things

00:32:35.240 --> 00:32:36.759
 secure our salvation.

00:32:37.620 --> 00:32:41.200
 And Father, they testify to what

00:32:41.200 --> 00:32:42.480
 will happen in the future.

00:32:43.859 --> 00:32:45.299
 May we not lose sight of that

00:32:45.299 --> 00:32:46.059
 fact, Father.

00:32:46.380 --> 00:32:48.880
 May we rejoice because of it.

00:32:49.779 --> 00:32:51.460
 This we pray in Christ's name.

00:32:51.839 --> 00:32:52.160
 Amen.