WEBVTT 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:02.899 Well, good evening to everybody. 00:00:03.280 --> 00:00:06.799 As I said at the beginning of the service, so glad that we can be here. 00:00:06.860 --> 00:00:08.060 Every week is wonderful. 00:00:08.800 --> 00:00:13.859 As we have been reminded recently, it's a miracle, and it's a provision of the Lord 00:00:13.859 --> 00:00:15.820 to be able to gather in safety like this. 00:00:15.960 --> 00:00:16.760 Praise God for that. 00:00:16.859 --> 00:00:17.839 Praise God for this space. 00:00:18.600 --> 00:00:19.760 Praise God for this church family. 00:00:21.000 --> 00:00:27.400 We are especially excited tonight to be celebrating a baptism, which is one of the distinct markers 00:00:27.400 --> 00:00:28.539 of Christian identity. 00:00:28.539 --> 00:00:34.219 And so in preparation for that, we're going to be talking a little bit about identity 00:00:34.219 --> 00:00:36.820 this evening as we look at God's Word together. 00:00:37.320 --> 00:00:39.119 You may be familiar with the name Ralph Ellison. 00:00:39.439 --> 00:00:45.620 He's the author who wrote the book The Invisible Man, a pretty well-known work of American literature. 00:00:46.299 --> 00:00:47.840 And Ralph Ellison says this. 00:00:47.899 --> 00:00:53.200 He says, the search for identity is not just one American theme. 00:00:53.519 --> 00:00:55.719 It is the American theme. 00:00:55.719 --> 00:01:00.159 The search for identity, he says, defines American culture. 00:01:00.839 --> 00:01:05.379 And if you just take a moment and you think about your favorite and most beloved movies, 00:01:05.900 --> 00:01:12.980 you're probably going to realize that those movies contain some kind of identity quest. 00:01:12.980 --> 00:01:18.980 You have a person who's either trying to find their true identity or they're trying to slough 00:01:18.980 --> 00:01:24.820 off a false identity that's been imposed on them, or they're going through a radical transformation 00:01:24.820 --> 00:01:26.260 of identity. 00:01:26.359 --> 00:01:31.100 But identity plays a part in many of our most beloved stories as a culture. 00:01:31.099 --> 00:01:38.719 Why do you think that personality inventories like the Enneagram or the Myers-Briggs are so wildly popular? 00:01:39.640 --> 00:01:45.159 If not, that they help us learn a little more about who we truly are. 00:01:46.119 --> 00:01:53.840 I think we have a deep and ongoing drive to get to the heart of our own identity. 00:01:53.979 --> 00:01:55.500 Who am I really? 00:01:55.619 --> 00:01:57.259 What is my true self? 00:01:57.260 --> 00:02:05.040 And so it's partly for that reason that we're going to look together at Galatians 2 verses 15 to 21 together. 00:02:05.680 --> 00:02:09.259 Now, on the surface, this does not look like it has anything to do with identity. 00:02:09.400 --> 00:02:14.259 On the surface, Galatians, the ongoing debate that we've been tracing over the last few weeks, 00:02:14.840 --> 00:02:16.680 is a debate over table fellowship. 00:02:17.520 --> 00:02:20.020 If you have Jewish Christians and you have Gentile Christians, 00:02:20.020 --> 00:02:25.340 can they, should they, eat at the same table in their homes and at the Lord's table? 00:02:25.439 --> 00:02:27.719 Can they share that meal or not? 00:02:27.780 --> 00:02:29.379 That's the surface-level debate. 00:02:30.379 --> 00:02:31.820 But my contention is this, 00:02:32.400 --> 00:02:33.560 that underneath this, 00:02:34.520 --> 00:02:36.260 the book is all about identity. 00:02:37.080 --> 00:02:40.040 The central issue is a question of identity. 00:02:40.260 --> 00:02:42.600 Because when we talk about things like circumcision 00:02:42.600 --> 00:02:44.920 or keeping the ceremonial law, 00:02:45.240 --> 00:02:47.840 these are fundamental to Jewish identity. 00:02:47.840 --> 00:02:49.879 So that's what the book is really about. 00:02:50.379 --> 00:02:54.080 So we're going to ask two questions of this particular passage about identity. 00:02:54.259 --> 00:02:54.780 Number one, 00:02:56.000 --> 00:02:58.939 how does the gospel impact our identity? 00:02:59.060 --> 00:03:01.099 When you come to faith in Jesus Christ, 00:03:01.180 --> 00:03:02.300 what happens to your identity? 00:03:03.420 --> 00:03:04.620 And then number two, 00:03:05.759 --> 00:03:08.780 how do we then live as a result of that impact? 00:03:09.719 --> 00:03:10.819 So first question, 00:03:10.920 --> 00:03:12.740 how does the gospel impact our identity? 00:03:12.960 --> 00:03:13.640 Second question, 00:03:13.939 --> 00:03:16.620 how do we then live as a result of that impact? 00:03:16.620 --> 00:03:18.620 Let's pray and then we'll open God's word together. 00:03:20.360 --> 00:03:22.259 Lord, we thank you for your word. 00:03:23.480 --> 00:03:25.180 We thank you for your written word. 00:03:26.099 --> 00:03:29.319 We thank you that it ultimately is able to reveal to us 00:03:29.319 --> 00:03:31.360 your living word, Jesus Christ. 00:03:32.240 --> 00:03:37.080 And Lord, we know that he is the one in whom we find our true selves. 00:03:37.599 --> 00:03:40.240 And so we pray that as we ask more about our own identities, 00:03:40.360 --> 00:03:42.939 that we would actually come face to face with his identity. 00:03:42.939 --> 00:03:46.300 Lord, and we pray this in his holy name. 00:03:46.759 --> 00:03:47.120 Amen. 00:03:48.219 --> 00:03:50.840 So how does the gospel impact our identity? 00:03:50.979 --> 00:03:54.400 Let me just give you a little context of what's going on here in Galatians. 00:03:54.919 --> 00:03:58.520 At the heart of the Galatian debate is this question. 00:03:59.000 --> 00:04:00.159 As I said a moment ago, 00:04:00.460 --> 00:04:02.560 when someone becomes a Christian, 00:04:02.680 --> 00:04:04.379 when they believe and accept the gospel, 00:04:04.819 --> 00:04:07.840 what happens to that person's identity? 00:04:07.840 --> 00:04:11.520 There were false teachers who had come into Galatia 00:04:11.520 --> 00:04:14.360 who were contradicting Paul's teaching. 00:04:15.319 --> 00:04:17.680 And they taught that the gospel, 00:04:18.259 --> 00:04:21.939 that Jesus was something that you added on to your existing identity. 00:04:22.480 --> 00:04:24.980 So you're you and you believe Jesus 00:04:24.980 --> 00:04:27.959 and that becomes something that you add on. 00:04:28.840 --> 00:04:31.480 So they would say even if you believe in Jesus, 00:04:32.639 --> 00:04:33.980 Jews are still Jews. 00:04:34.560 --> 00:04:36.180 And Gentiles are still Gentiles. 00:04:36.180 --> 00:04:37.540 They've just added Jesus. 00:04:38.639 --> 00:04:40.980 But because you're still a Jew or still a Gentile, 00:04:41.100 --> 00:04:42.920 they would say even if you're a Christian, 00:04:43.400 --> 00:04:45.280 Jews and Gentiles should not intermingle. 00:04:45.379 --> 00:04:47.420 They should not eat or share food 00:04:47.420 --> 00:04:49.939 or even associate with one another very much 00:04:49.939 --> 00:04:52.040 because that would make the Jews unclean. 00:04:53.420 --> 00:04:58.240 Also, if the gospel is something that you simply add on to your identity, 00:04:58.319 --> 00:04:59.780 as these teachers taught, 00:04:59.779 --> 00:05:02.119 even if you believe in Jesus, 00:05:03.119 --> 00:05:06.919 the relationship that you have with God 00:05:06.919 --> 00:05:09.739 is still primarily based on your Jewishness, 00:05:10.179 --> 00:05:13.519 not your faith in Jesus Christ. 00:05:14.019 --> 00:05:15.579 If you believe in Jesus, that's great. 00:05:16.159 --> 00:05:18.459 But God accepts you because of your Jewishness. 00:05:19.019 --> 00:05:20.839 As a result, they taught that Gentiles, 00:05:20.959 --> 00:05:22.839 if they wanted to have the kind of insider, 00:05:23.239 --> 00:05:26.359 inner circle relationship with God that the Jews had, 00:05:26.360 --> 00:05:28.840 they also had to become Jewish. 00:05:29.000 --> 00:05:30.860 They had to take on the Jewish identity, 00:05:31.000 --> 00:05:33.460 get circumcised, keep the ceremonial law, 00:05:33.520 --> 00:05:34.400 all of those things. 00:05:34.660 --> 00:05:37.560 So this is what the false teachers were saying. 00:05:37.759 --> 00:05:40.639 But listen to what Paul says in response to this. 00:05:41.080 --> 00:05:41.740 Verse 15. 00:05:42.740 --> 00:05:45.040 We ourselves are Jews by birth 00:05:45.040 --> 00:05:46.720 and not Gentile sinners. 00:05:46.800 --> 00:05:49.199 So he's saying we also were born Jews. 00:05:49.900 --> 00:05:52.620 And yet we know that a person is not justified 00:05:52.620 --> 00:05:53.759 by works of the law, 00:05:53.899 --> 00:05:56.139 but through faith in Jesus Christ. 00:05:56.620 --> 00:05:59.160 So we also have believed in Christ Jesus 00:05:59.160 --> 00:06:02.459 in order to be justified by faith in Christ 00:06:02.459 --> 00:06:04.060 and not by works of the law. 00:06:04.220 --> 00:06:05.600 Because by works of the law, 00:06:05.840 --> 00:06:08.579 no one will be justified. 00:06:08.959 --> 00:06:10.000 You notice a certain word 00:06:10.000 --> 00:06:11.399 that shows up again and again and again 00:06:11.399 --> 00:06:13.180 in this little passage, 00:06:13.660 --> 00:06:15.100 the word justified. 00:06:15.819 --> 00:06:17.560 That's a very important word 00:06:17.560 --> 00:06:18.920 in the Christian faith. 00:06:19.199 --> 00:06:20.500 There's been an enormous amount of debate 00:06:20.500 --> 00:06:23.639 over the precise meaning of the word justification. 00:06:24.079 --> 00:06:26.519 It's very central to our understanding of the gospel. 00:06:27.779 --> 00:06:29.860 In part, to be justified 00:06:29.860 --> 00:06:33.540 means that if you're someone 00:06:33.540 --> 00:06:34.899 who is in a court of law 00:06:34.899 --> 00:06:35.959 and you've been accused, 00:06:36.680 --> 00:06:39.399 if the judge justifies you, 00:06:40.079 --> 00:06:42.399 then that means the judge is pronouncing you righteous. 00:06:43.079 --> 00:06:44.120 You are in the right. 00:06:44.319 --> 00:06:45.160 You're not guilty. 00:06:45.319 --> 00:06:47.240 You have been pronounced justified. 00:06:47.459 --> 00:06:48.519 That's justification. 00:06:48.879 --> 00:06:50.120 You're righteous, right? 00:06:50.500 --> 00:06:53.800 So it means in part for God to declare 00:06:53.800 --> 00:06:55.199 that the vertical relationship 00:06:55.199 --> 00:06:58.600 between us and God is okay. 00:06:59.120 --> 00:07:00.399 The barrier has been removed. 00:07:00.500 --> 00:07:01.360 You have been justified. 00:07:01.600 --> 00:07:03.139 The sin has been dealt with. 00:07:03.459 --> 00:07:05.240 But that's not all it means. 00:07:05.860 --> 00:07:08.600 It not only has a vertical dimension, 00:07:08.740 --> 00:07:10.720 it has a horizontal dimension. 00:07:10.860 --> 00:07:12.139 It has to do with our relationships 00:07:12.139 --> 00:07:13.540 with other people. 00:07:14.199 --> 00:07:17.319 Because the broader context of this passage 00:07:17.319 --> 00:07:19.339 tells us that when Paul talks about 00:07:19.339 --> 00:07:20.239 being justified, 00:07:21.039 --> 00:07:23.500 he's saying that we are being declared 00:07:23.500 --> 00:07:25.560 as members of God's family. 00:07:26.859 --> 00:07:29.339 So not only are you justified before God, 00:07:29.439 --> 00:07:30.959 but you're justified in the sense 00:07:30.959 --> 00:07:31.979 that you are declared 00:07:31.979 --> 00:07:34.359 as being a member of God's family. 00:07:35.319 --> 00:07:36.739 So that is a statement 00:07:36.739 --> 00:07:39.719 that directly impacts our identity. 00:07:40.419 --> 00:07:41.599 You're in the family. 00:07:41.600 --> 00:07:44.340 God is your father. 00:07:44.900 --> 00:07:46.100 All of these other people 00:07:46.100 --> 00:07:47.460 are your brothers and sisters. 00:07:47.620 --> 00:07:48.840 It's a statement about identity. 00:07:49.900 --> 00:07:51.320 So in verses 15 and 16, 00:07:51.439 --> 00:07:52.980 just to sort of put it in our own words, 00:07:53.240 --> 00:07:54.400 here's what Paul is arguing. 00:07:55.020 --> 00:07:55.780 He says, you know, 00:07:56.020 --> 00:07:58.500 we used to think that God accepted us 00:07:58.500 --> 00:08:00.520 because of our Jewishness. 00:08:01.240 --> 00:08:02.760 Because we were born Jewish, 00:08:03.020 --> 00:08:04.260 because we were circumcised, 00:08:04.500 --> 00:08:06.300 because we kept the ceremonial law. 00:08:06.580 --> 00:08:07.700 But now, Paul says, 00:08:07.699 --> 00:08:09.500 we've realized that holding on 00:08:09.500 --> 00:08:11.519 to our Jewishness wasn't helping us. 00:08:11.699 --> 00:08:13.199 It was actually a roadblock. 00:08:14.719 --> 00:08:16.079 Holding on to our Jewishness 00:08:16.079 --> 00:08:18.079 was actually preventing us 00:08:18.079 --> 00:08:20.519 from entering into God's family. 00:08:20.899 --> 00:08:22.120 And Paul goes on to say, 00:08:22.339 --> 00:08:23.719 you know, we've realized this. 00:08:24.899 --> 00:08:26.539 We've realized that you can't be born 00:08:26.539 --> 00:08:27.579 into God's family. 00:08:28.659 --> 00:08:30.379 And you can't earn your way 00:08:30.379 --> 00:08:31.300 into God's family. 00:08:32.700 --> 00:08:34.159 And now that we've met 00:08:34.159 --> 00:08:35.679 and seen Jesus face to face, 00:08:35.679 --> 00:08:38.079 we've come to a life-altering realization 00:08:38.079 --> 00:08:40.759 that there's only one being 00:08:40.759 --> 00:08:42.419 in existence 00:08:42.419 --> 00:08:44.559 who is worthy enough 00:08:44.559 --> 00:08:46.339 to be called a member 00:08:46.339 --> 00:08:47.599 of the family of God. 00:08:48.059 --> 00:08:49.599 And that's Jesus Christ. 00:08:50.500 --> 00:08:51.019 And so Paul says, 00:08:51.120 --> 00:08:52.039 we've realized that 00:08:52.039 --> 00:08:54.059 the only way to enter 00:08:54.059 --> 00:08:55.059 into God's family 00:08:55.059 --> 00:08:57.979 is through faith in Him, 00:08:58.079 --> 00:09:00.120 which means fully identifying 00:09:00.120 --> 00:09:02.179 yourself with Him, 00:09:02.319 --> 00:09:04.179 saying, I'm here because of Him, 00:09:04.179 --> 00:09:05.259 not because of me. 00:09:05.259 --> 00:09:06.700 I'm here on His merit, 00:09:06.980 --> 00:09:07.759 not my own. 00:09:08.639 --> 00:09:09.639 Paul says this has changed 00:09:09.639 --> 00:09:10.980 everything for us. 00:09:11.620 --> 00:09:12.500 So another way we might 00:09:12.500 --> 00:09:13.240 summarize this 00:09:13.240 --> 00:09:14.919 is by saying it this way. 00:09:16.259 --> 00:09:18.139 God does not accept us 00:09:18.139 --> 00:09:19.360 into His family 00:09:19.360 --> 00:09:21.240 on the basis of our identity. 00:09:22.139 --> 00:09:23.539 He accepts us 00:09:23.539 --> 00:09:24.179 on the basis 00:09:24.179 --> 00:09:25.580 of Christ's identity. 00:09:27.120 --> 00:09:28.799 That's how we enter in 00:09:28.799 --> 00:09:30.179 to the family of God. 00:09:31.039 --> 00:09:32.299 So this is something 00:09:32.299 --> 00:09:33.859 that enables us 00:09:33.859 --> 00:09:34.740 to return back 00:09:34.740 --> 00:09:36.099 to our original question 00:09:36.099 --> 00:09:36.699 and understand 00:09:36.699 --> 00:09:38.419 what the answer actually is. 00:09:39.240 --> 00:09:40.359 What is the impact 00:09:40.359 --> 00:09:40.899 of the gospel 00:09:40.899 --> 00:09:41.859 on my identity? 00:09:42.740 --> 00:09:43.559 Is it something 00:09:43.559 --> 00:09:44.679 that I simply add on 00:09:44.679 --> 00:09:45.699 to my existing identity? 00:09:45.819 --> 00:09:46.519 And Paul would say, 00:09:46.639 --> 00:09:47.339 certainly not. 00:09:47.859 --> 00:09:48.779 Absolutely not. 00:09:49.740 --> 00:09:50.959 The gospel isn't something 00:09:50.959 --> 00:09:51.459 we add on 00:09:51.459 --> 00:09:52.399 to our existing identity. 00:09:52.659 --> 00:09:53.879 The gospel is actually 00:09:53.879 --> 00:09:54.759 something that 00:09:54.759 --> 00:09:56.079 redeems 00:09:56.080 --> 00:09:58.240 and then begins 00:09:58.240 --> 00:09:59.139 to rebuild 00:09:59.139 --> 00:10:01.160 an entirely new identity 00:10:01.160 --> 00:10:01.759 in us 00:10:01.759 --> 00:10:03.120 from the ground up. 00:10:03.300 --> 00:10:04.520 He jackhammers up 00:10:04.520 --> 00:10:05.639 even the foundation 00:10:05.639 --> 00:10:06.820 and begins to build 00:10:06.820 --> 00:10:07.820 something new 00:10:07.820 --> 00:10:09.600 from the inside out. 00:10:09.680 --> 00:10:10.940 It's a total transformation. 00:10:11.680 --> 00:10:12.639 And I think this is something 00:10:12.639 --> 00:10:13.480 that we need to hear 00:10:13.480 --> 00:10:15.060 again and again and again. 00:10:15.580 --> 00:10:17.000 If you'll bear with me 00:10:17.000 --> 00:10:17.320 a moment, 00:10:17.440 --> 00:10:18.139 let me offer you 00:10:18.139 --> 00:10:18.600 a metaphor 00:10:18.600 --> 00:10:19.879 to try to understand this. 00:10:21.320 --> 00:10:22.180 Imagine that you 00:10:22.180 --> 00:10:23.040 are a smartphone. 00:10:23.039 --> 00:10:25.740 Imagine that you're 00:10:25.740 --> 00:10:26.419 the smartphone 00:10:26.419 --> 00:10:27.159 in your pocket. 00:10:28.299 --> 00:10:29.279 And that smartphone 00:10:29.279 --> 00:10:30.879 has an operating system 00:10:30.879 --> 00:10:31.539 on it. 00:10:32.459 --> 00:10:33.159 That's like 00:10:33.159 --> 00:10:33.939 your identity. 00:10:35.079 --> 00:10:35.480 Right? 00:10:35.539 --> 00:10:36.120 You're a smartphone 00:10:36.120 --> 00:10:37.519 and you have an operating system 00:10:37.519 --> 00:10:38.659 which is your identity. 00:10:39.240 --> 00:10:40.000 And then you have 00:10:40.000 --> 00:10:40.980 all of these things 00:10:40.980 --> 00:10:41.419 that if somebody 00:10:41.419 --> 00:10:42.199 were to ask you, 00:10:42.319 --> 00:10:42.839 who are you? 00:10:42.879 --> 00:10:43.480 What's your identity? 00:10:43.719 --> 00:10:44.620 You would tell them, 00:10:44.699 --> 00:10:45.459 well, you know, 00:10:45.539 --> 00:10:46.799 I'm from the South 00:10:46.799 --> 00:10:47.639 and I'm white 00:10:47.639 --> 00:10:48.919 and I went to this school 00:10:48.919 --> 00:10:50.219 and I care about these issues 00:10:50.219 --> 00:10:50.959 and I'm, you know, 00:10:51.019 --> 00:10:52.019 you would begin to describe 00:10:52.019 --> 00:10:53.279 all of the aspects 00:10:53.279 --> 00:10:54.500 that make you, you. 00:10:54.659 --> 00:10:55.299 And those are like 00:10:55.299 --> 00:10:56.039 the apps 00:10:56.039 --> 00:10:58.019 on that operating system. 00:10:58.559 --> 00:10:58.759 Right? 00:10:58.799 --> 00:10:59.740 And all of those apps 00:10:59.740 --> 00:11:01.620 kind of constitute you. 00:11:03.460 --> 00:11:06.019 And the problem is 00:11:06.019 --> 00:11:07.519 most people 00:11:07.519 --> 00:11:08.819 when they hear the gospel, 00:11:08.939 --> 00:11:09.740 when they hear about Jesus 00:11:09.740 --> 00:11:10.500 and even when they put 00:11:10.500 --> 00:11:11.340 their faith in Jesus, 00:11:11.960 --> 00:11:13.179 they assume that the gospel 00:11:13.179 --> 00:11:14.500 is like another app 00:11:14.500 --> 00:11:15.220 that you add 00:11:15.220 --> 00:11:15.960 to your smartphone. 00:11:16.759 --> 00:11:17.399 Now you have 00:11:17.399 --> 00:11:18.539 the Christianity app. 00:11:18.659 --> 00:11:19.679 You have the gospel app. 00:11:20.340 --> 00:11:20.539 You know? 00:11:20.539 --> 00:11:22.740 And so you can use 00:11:22.740 --> 00:11:23.360 different apps 00:11:23.360 --> 00:11:24.159 in different situations. 00:11:24.279 --> 00:11:25.439 So when you're at church, 00:11:25.539 --> 00:11:26.980 you use the Christian app. 00:11:27.559 --> 00:11:27.699 You know, 00:11:27.719 --> 00:11:28.699 that's the one that's open 00:11:28.699 --> 00:11:29.219 and running 00:11:29.219 --> 00:11:30.399 on your operating system. 00:11:30.839 --> 00:11:31.679 But then maybe 00:11:31.679 --> 00:11:32.899 when you're at work tomorrow, 00:11:33.179 --> 00:11:34.439 you close down that app 00:11:34.439 --> 00:11:34.939 and you open 00:11:34.939 --> 00:11:36.480 the work person app. 00:11:36.839 --> 00:11:37.899 And that's the app 00:11:37.899 --> 00:11:38.559 that's running. 00:11:39.019 --> 00:11:39.139 Right? 00:11:39.179 --> 00:11:39.599 And then maybe 00:11:39.599 --> 00:11:40.139 when you're with 00:11:40.139 --> 00:11:40.959 your college friends, 00:11:41.039 --> 00:11:42.860 you open the college app. 00:11:43.059 --> 00:11:43.919 And that's kind of 00:11:43.919 --> 00:11:44.559 who you are there. 00:11:44.579 --> 00:11:45.059 And then when you're 00:11:45.059 --> 00:11:45.719 with your family 00:11:45.719 --> 00:11:46.459 over the holidays, 00:11:46.459 --> 00:11:47.500 you open the 00:11:47.500 --> 00:11:49.179 me when I was a kid app. 00:11:49.179 --> 00:11:49.819 You know? 00:11:49.899 --> 00:11:51.139 And in all of these contexts, 00:11:51.279 --> 00:11:52.279 we have the right app 00:11:52.279 --> 00:11:53.159 for the situation, 00:11:53.279 --> 00:11:53.919 but it's all me 00:11:53.919 --> 00:11:54.759 because it's all running 00:11:54.759 --> 00:11:56.279 on the same operating system. 00:11:56.359 --> 00:11:57.199 And our Christian faith 00:11:57.199 --> 00:11:57.739 for many of us 00:11:57.739 --> 00:11:59.459 becomes one of those apps 00:11:59.459 --> 00:12:00.679 that we put into use 00:12:00.679 --> 00:12:02.179 when we feel like we need to. 00:12:02.620 --> 00:12:03.839 But then we can swipe it 00:12:03.839 --> 00:12:04.559 and close it 00:12:04.559 --> 00:12:05.559 when we don't need to. 00:12:07.939 --> 00:12:09.219 But here's the problem 00:12:09.219 --> 00:12:10.319 with that way of thinking. 00:12:11.139 --> 00:12:12.479 What Paul is saying 00:12:12.479 --> 00:12:14.159 is that if you hold on 00:12:14.159 --> 00:12:16.120 to your old identity, 00:12:16.120 --> 00:12:17.320 if you try to hold on 00:12:17.320 --> 00:12:19.240 to that old operating system, 00:12:19.440 --> 00:12:20.340 it is actually going 00:12:20.340 --> 00:12:21.679 to begin to distort 00:12:21.679 --> 00:12:23.879 your entire understanding 00:12:23.879 --> 00:12:26.200 of Jesus and the gospel. 00:12:26.340 --> 00:12:26.860 You're going to begin 00:12:26.860 --> 00:12:29.120 to see Jesus 00:12:29.120 --> 00:12:30.320 through the lens 00:12:30.320 --> 00:12:31.419 of that old identity. 00:12:32.080 --> 00:12:32.179 Right? 00:12:32.240 --> 00:12:33.179 So this is what was happening 00:12:33.179 --> 00:12:33.639 with the Jews. 00:12:33.759 --> 00:12:34.779 They were holding on 00:12:34.779 --> 00:12:35.840 to their Jewishness, 00:12:35.960 --> 00:12:36.820 and so they were trying 00:12:36.820 --> 00:12:38.240 to distort Jesus 00:12:38.240 --> 00:12:40.080 to fit into their Jewishness. 00:12:41.240 --> 00:12:42.519 Yes, you have to be circumcised. 00:12:42.659 --> 00:12:43.259 Yes, you have to keep 00:12:43.259 --> 00:12:43.860 the ceremonial law. 00:12:43.899 --> 00:12:44.500 These things are 00:12:44.500 --> 00:12:45.679 of ultimate importance 00:12:45.679 --> 00:12:46.360 because for them, 00:12:46.639 --> 00:12:47.720 being Jewish was ultimate. 00:12:47.879 --> 00:12:48.899 That was the ultimate thing, 00:12:49.379 --> 00:12:50.580 and Jesus was added on. 00:12:51.399 --> 00:12:51.740 But right, 00:12:51.820 --> 00:12:52.500 we can do this 00:12:52.500 --> 00:12:53.460 in a number of ways. 00:12:54.159 --> 00:12:55.960 Any aspect we can talk about. 00:12:56.740 --> 00:12:58.039 If you hold on 00:12:58.039 --> 00:12:59.419 to your racial identity, 00:12:59.940 --> 00:13:02.179 then you will distort 00:13:02.179 --> 00:13:02.860 the gospel, 00:13:03.360 --> 00:13:04.679 and you will distort Jesus 00:13:04.679 --> 00:13:05.779 through the lens 00:13:05.779 --> 00:13:06.860 of that racial identity 00:13:06.860 --> 00:13:07.740 because that is 00:13:07.740 --> 00:13:08.659 what is ultimate for you. 00:13:09.600 --> 00:13:09.799 Right? 00:13:09.860 --> 00:13:11.159 So we could pick any race, 00:13:11.340 --> 00:13:12.259 but since we're, I think, 00:13:12.279 --> 00:13:13.220 a majority white church, 00:13:13.220 --> 00:13:15.000 let's just pick being white. 00:13:15.680 --> 00:13:17.080 If you hold on 00:13:17.080 --> 00:13:17.899 to your whiteness, 00:13:18.259 --> 00:13:18.840 and the gospel 00:13:18.840 --> 00:13:20.300 is something that is added on, 00:13:20.940 --> 00:13:21.779 it will begin to distort 00:13:21.779 --> 00:13:22.379 your understanding 00:13:22.379 --> 00:13:22.940 of the gospel. 00:13:23.420 --> 00:13:23.960 Why do you think 00:13:23.960 --> 00:13:24.840 all of those portraits 00:13:24.840 --> 00:13:25.980 from the mid-20th century 00:13:25.980 --> 00:13:27.100 of Jesus portray him 00:13:27.100 --> 00:13:27.840 as a white man 00:13:27.840 --> 00:13:28.540 with blonde hair? 00:13:29.840 --> 00:13:30.680 Isn't that weird? 00:13:32.259 --> 00:13:33.080 Nobody would argue 00:13:33.080 --> 00:13:33.779 that he's a white man 00:13:33.779 --> 00:13:34.360 with blonde hair. 00:13:34.440 --> 00:13:35.340 We know he's Middle Eastern. 00:13:36.000 --> 00:13:37.240 But why paint a picture 00:13:37.240 --> 00:13:38.440 of Jesus as a white man 00:13:38.440 --> 00:13:39.100 with blonde hair? 00:13:39.899 --> 00:13:41.159 It's because our sense 00:13:41.159 --> 00:13:41.659 of Jesus 00:13:41.659 --> 00:13:43.159 is being distorted 00:13:43.159 --> 00:13:44.279 through that lens, right? 00:13:44.639 --> 00:13:46.220 Why did so many churches 00:13:46.220 --> 00:13:48.000 not only fail 00:13:48.000 --> 00:13:48.800 to speak up against, 00:13:48.879 --> 00:13:49.740 but actually support 00:13:49.740 --> 00:13:50.340 and uphold 00:13:50.340 --> 00:13:51.659 racist practices? 00:13:52.659 --> 00:13:53.560 It's because it was 00:13:53.560 --> 00:13:54.720 a massive blind spot 00:13:54.720 --> 00:13:55.180 for them. 00:13:55.659 --> 00:13:56.540 Because the gospel 00:13:56.540 --> 00:13:57.420 had been added on 00:13:57.420 --> 00:13:58.340 to a racial identity 00:13:58.340 --> 00:13:59.000 that they had never 00:13:59.000 --> 00:13:59.620 even considered. 00:14:01.440 --> 00:14:01.519 Right? 00:14:01.600 --> 00:14:03.120 Why were there weird, 00:14:03.320 --> 00:14:03.500 you know, 00:14:03.540 --> 00:14:04.580 churches arguing 00:14:04.580 --> 00:14:05.440 for slavery 00:14:05.440 --> 00:14:06.360 based on the Bible, 00:14:06.480 --> 00:14:07.100 churches arguing 00:14:07.100 --> 00:14:08.700 against interracial marriage, 00:14:08.700 --> 00:14:10.240 based on a very shallow 00:14:10.240 --> 00:14:11.280 reading of the scriptures? 00:14:12.440 --> 00:14:13.920 It's because the whiteness 00:14:13.920 --> 00:14:14.800 was never questioned. 00:14:14.940 --> 00:14:16.480 And all of the blind spots 00:14:16.480 --> 00:14:17.420 and all of the privileges 00:14:17.420 --> 00:14:18.800 and all of the biases 00:14:18.800 --> 00:14:19.740 that came along with that, 00:14:19.780 --> 00:14:20.440 it was never questioned 00:14:20.440 --> 00:14:21.379 because that was central. 00:14:21.680 --> 00:14:22.620 The gospel was an add-on. 00:14:23.600 --> 00:14:23.940 But see, 00:14:24.040 --> 00:14:24.860 this can happen 00:14:24.860 --> 00:14:25.840 in any sphere 00:14:25.840 --> 00:14:26.900 of our identity. 00:14:27.040 --> 00:14:27.940 If you hold on 00:14:27.940 --> 00:14:29.160 to your sexual identity 00:14:29.160 --> 00:14:30.180 and you say, 00:14:30.259 --> 00:14:30.860 this is ultimate, 00:14:31.000 --> 00:14:32.240 this is the untouchable 00:14:32.240 --> 00:14:32.780 part of me, 00:14:32.780 --> 00:14:34.020 then you're going to 00:14:34.020 --> 00:14:35.600 distort and twist 00:14:35.600 --> 00:14:36.759 the faith in ways 00:14:36.759 --> 00:14:37.379 that uphold 00:14:37.379 --> 00:14:38.620 and justify your lifestyle. 00:14:39.660 --> 00:14:40.100 You know, 00:14:40.120 --> 00:14:40.840 if you hold on 00:14:40.840 --> 00:14:42.180 to your political identity, 00:14:42.320 --> 00:14:43.640 these are my politics 00:14:43.640 --> 00:14:45.220 and these are not changing, 00:14:45.360 --> 00:14:46.480 this is who makes me me, 00:14:46.879 --> 00:14:47.620 then you're going to 00:14:47.620 --> 00:14:48.600 begin to approach 00:14:48.600 --> 00:14:49.100 your faith 00:14:49.100 --> 00:14:50.440 in ways that support 00:14:50.440 --> 00:14:51.259 all of your 00:14:51.259 --> 00:14:52.220 pre-existing opinions. 00:14:52.940 --> 00:14:53.620 You're going to find 00:14:53.620 --> 00:14:54.580 a church that already 00:14:54.580 --> 00:14:55.500 lines up with all 00:14:55.500 --> 00:14:56.100 of your opinions. 00:14:56.220 --> 00:14:57.300 It doesn't challenge you. 00:14:58.259 --> 00:14:58.560 Right? 00:14:58.580 --> 00:14:59.220 If you hold on 00:14:59.220 --> 00:15:00.580 to your national identity, 00:15:01.020 --> 00:15:01.780 then you're going 00:15:01.780 --> 00:15:02.700 to distort the faith 00:15:02.700 --> 00:15:03.800 in ways that support 00:15:03.800 --> 00:15:04.240 and uphold 00:15:04.240 --> 00:15:05.340 your nationalism. 00:15:06.640 --> 00:15:06.960 Right? 00:15:06.960 --> 00:15:07.780 This is how this 00:15:07.780 --> 00:15:08.519 plays out. 00:15:09.139 --> 00:15:10.160 So here's the point, 00:15:10.200 --> 00:15:10.700 the first point 00:15:10.700 --> 00:15:11.340 we need to see. 00:15:11.660 --> 00:15:12.660 The gospel is not 00:15:12.660 --> 00:15:13.519 just an app 00:15:13.519 --> 00:15:15.120 that you add on 00:15:15.120 --> 00:15:16.300 to that operating system. 00:15:17.660 --> 00:15:18.920 The gospel is an 00:15:18.920 --> 00:15:20.780 entirely new 00:15:20.780 --> 00:15:22.080 operating system. 00:15:22.840 --> 00:15:24.480 It's a system reboot. 00:15:25.180 --> 00:15:26.540 From the ground up, 00:15:26.620 --> 00:15:28.259 it rebuilds something 00:15:28.259 --> 00:15:29.420 entirely new 00:15:29.420 --> 00:15:30.019 in you. 00:15:30.980 --> 00:15:31.500 And just, 00:15:31.740 --> 00:15:32.000 you know, 00:15:32.060 --> 00:15:32.920 if you'll permit me, 00:15:32.980 --> 00:15:33.500 I want to push 00:15:33.500 --> 00:15:33.940 the metaphor 00:15:33.940 --> 00:15:34.759 a little further 00:15:34.759 --> 00:15:36.139 and then we'll 00:15:36.139 --> 00:15:36.759 leave it there. 00:15:37.559 --> 00:15:38.600 But what happens 00:15:38.600 --> 00:15:39.320 when you have to 00:15:39.320 --> 00:15:40.480 update that operating 00:15:40.480 --> 00:15:41.399 system on your 00:15:41.399 --> 00:15:41.840 smartphone? 00:15:42.139 --> 00:15:42.940 What happens to 00:15:42.940 --> 00:15:43.799 all of those apps? 00:15:46.240 --> 00:15:46.600 Well, 00:15:46.759 --> 00:15:47.500 they have to be 00:15:47.500 --> 00:15:48.279 updated too. 00:15:49.200 --> 00:15:49.960 Because unless 00:15:49.960 --> 00:15:50.460 they're updated, 00:15:50.559 --> 00:15:50.899 they're not going 00:15:50.899 --> 00:15:51.500 to run on the 00:15:51.500 --> 00:15:52.559 old operating system. 00:15:53.440 --> 00:15:54.259 And so for a lot 00:15:54.259 --> 00:15:54.799 of your apps, 00:15:54.879 --> 00:15:55.539 the developer has 00:15:55.539 --> 00:15:56.139 to go back and 00:15:56.139 --> 00:15:56.879 they have to update 00:15:56.879 --> 00:15:57.840 the app so it'll run 00:15:57.840 --> 00:15:58.440 and you then have 00:15:58.440 --> 00:15:59.320 to update that app 00:15:59.320 --> 00:15:59.860 so it'll run 00:15:59.860 --> 00:16:00.519 on the new 00:16:00.519 --> 00:16:01.320 operating system. 00:16:01.320 --> 00:16:03.140 And in the same 00:16:03.140 --> 00:16:03.540 way, 00:16:03.840 --> 00:16:04.800 when Christ 00:16:04.800 --> 00:16:05.600 enters in 00:16:05.600 --> 00:16:06.660 and when Christ 00:16:06.660 --> 00:16:07.600 begins to rebuild 00:16:07.600 --> 00:16:08.320 a new identity 00:16:08.320 --> 00:16:08.960 in us from the 00:16:08.960 --> 00:16:09.580 ground up, 00:16:09.980 --> 00:16:10.780 all of those 00:16:10.780 --> 00:16:11.900 aspects of your 00:16:11.900 --> 00:16:12.960 identity need 00:16:12.960 --> 00:16:14.220 to be re-examined 00:16:14.220 --> 00:16:14.680 and they need 00:16:14.680 --> 00:16:15.440 to be updated 00:16:15.440 --> 00:16:16.480 in light of the 00:16:16.480 --> 00:16:16.820 gospel. 00:16:17.960 --> 00:16:18.820 So then you have 00:16:18.820 --> 00:16:19.280 to go back and 00:16:19.280 --> 00:16:20.300 you have to re-examine 00:16:20.300 --> 00:16:20.920 your race. 00:16:21.220 --> 00:16:22.180 You have to re-examine 00:16:22.180 --> 00:16:22.879 your politics. 00:16:23.080 --> 00:16:24.000 You have to re-examine 00:16:24.000 --> 00:16:24.700 your sexuality. 00:16:25.020 --> 00:16:26.060 You have to re-examine 00:16:26.060 --> 00:16:26.840 your ethics and 00:16:26.840 --> 00:16:27.880 your values and 00:16:27.880 --> 00:16:28.760 your priorities and 00:16:28.760 --> 00:16:29.820 your relationships and 00:16:29.820 --> 00:16:31.040 the way you think 00:16:31.039 --> 00:16:31.899 about your enemies and 00:16:31.899 --> 00:16:32.639 the way you engage 00:16:32.639 --> 00:16:33.240 various issues. 00:16:33.579 --> 00:16:34.439 All of that needs to 00:16:34.439 --> 00:16:36.719 be updated so that 00:16:36.719 --> 00:16:37.659 it will be compatible 00:16:37.659 --> 00:16:38.480 with the gospel 00:16:38.480 --> 00:16:39.339 operating system. 00:16:40.980 --> 00:16:42.079 And every now and 00:16:42.079 --> 00:16:42.740 then you know there's 00:16:42.740 --> 00:16:43.799 an app that doesn't 00:16:43.799 --> 00:16:45.879 get updated because 00:16:45.879 --> 00:16:46.779 the operating system 00:16:46.779 --> 00:16:47.659 is so fundamentally 00:16:47.659 --> 00:16:48.579 different from what 00:16:48.579 --> 00:16:49.659 it was that that 00:16:49.659 --> 00:16:50.439 app is just simply 00:16:50.439 --> 00:16:51.559 no longer compatible 00:16:51.559 --> 00:16:52.319 and you just have to 00:16:52.319 --> 00:16:53.599 delete it because 00:16:53.599 --> 00:16:54.279 it's completely 00:16:54.279 --> 00:16:55.240 incompatible with the 00:16:55.240 --> 00:16:55.699 new system. 00:16:56.679 --> 00:16:57.199 And this has to 00:16:57.199 --> 00:16:57.879 happen in our lives 00:16:57.879 --> 00:16:58.099 as well. 00:16:58.179 --> 00:16:58.959 There are things that 00:16:58.959 --> 00:16:59.679 maybe were a part of 00:16:59.679 --> 00:17:00.360 your old life, 00:17:00.459 --> 00:17:00.980 things that were a part 00:17:00.980 --> 00:17:01.659 of your old identity 00:17:01.659 --> 00:17:02.600 that you say this is 00:17:02.600 --> 00:17:03.379 not compatible with 00:17:03.379 --> 00:17:03.759 the gospel. 00:17:03.899 --> 00:17:04.440 This has to be 00:17:04.440 --> 00:17:04.839 deleted. 00:17:05.880 --> 00:17:06.880 It doesn't fit anymore. 00:17:07.559 --> 00:17:08.980 And if I try to run 00:17:08.980 --> 00:17:09.960 this app, 00:17:10.039 --> 00:17:10.620 old app, 00:17:10.660 --> 00:17:11.279 on the new operating 00:17:11.279 --> 00:17:11.599 system, 00:17:11.680 --> 00:17:12.259 it's just going to 00:17:12.259 --> 00:17:12.680 crash. 00:17:13.700 --> 00:17:14.440 It's not going to 00:17:14.440 --> 00:17:15.920 work, you know. 00:17:16.680 --> 00:17:17.599 So this is how the 00:17:17.599 --> 00:17:18.620 gospel impacts our 00:17:18.620 --> 00:17:18.960 identity. 00:17:19.120 --> 00:17:20.140 It's not just an add-on. 00:17:20.620 --> 00:17:21.940 It completely redeems 00:17:21.940 --> 00:17:22.940 and transforms it. 00:17:23.940 --> 00:17:24.720 So then we need to 00:17:24.720 --> 00:17:25.599 ask our second question. 00:17:25.700 --> 00:17:26.779 Okay, well that gives 00:17:26.779 --> 00:17:27.880 us a preview of where 00:17:27.880 --> 00:17:28.380 we're going to go, 00:17:28.380 --> 00:17:29.780 but how does this 00:17:29.780 --> 00:17:31.020 then impact the way 00:17:31.020 --> 00:17:31.580 we live? 00:17:32.600 --> 00:17:33.740 How does it change 00:17:33.740 --> 00:17:35.560 what we do in our 00:17:35.560 --> 00:17:36.360 day-to-day lives? 00:17:37.020 --> 00:17:37.680 This is a very 00:17:37.680 --> 00:17:38.720 important question for 00:17:38.720 --> 00:17:39.500 many reasons. 00:17:39.620 --> 00:17:40.780 Here's one that's 00:17:40.780 --> 00:17:42.500 personal to me 00:17:42.500 --> 00:17:44.160 because I think 00:17:44.160 --> 00:17:45.060 everybody in this room, 00:17:45.140 --> 00:17:45.900 if you're here and 00:17:45.900 --> 00:17:46.420 you're a Christian, 00:17:47.100 --> 00:17:47.900 and maybe if you're here 00:17:47.900 --> 00:17:48.320 and you're not a 00:17:48.320 --> 00:17:49.200 Christian, maybe you 00:17:49.200 --> 00:17:50.300 can connect with this 00:17:50.300 --> 00:17:50.540 too. 00:17:51.280 --> 00:17:52.160 You experience a 00:17:52.160 --> 00:17:52.900 profound disconnect 00:17:52.900 --> 00:17:53.900 between the person that 00:17:53.900 --> 00:17:55.360 you want to be and the 00:17:55.360 --> 00:17:56.060 person that you are. 00:17:56.059 --> 00:17:57.940 And it can be deeply 00:17:57.940 --> 00:17:58.539 discouraging. 00:17:59.359 --> 00:18:00.159 Deeply discouraging. 00:18:01.039 --> 00:18:01.440 You know, I was 00:18:01.440 --> 00:18:02.000 thinking about this 00:18:02.000 --> 00:18:02.440 this week. 00:18:02.519 --> 00:18:03.319 I can wake up in the 00:18:03.319 --> 00:18:04.200 morning and I can 00:18:04.200 --> 00:18:05.059 spend the first 20 or 00:18:05.059 --> 00:18:06.039 30 minutes sometimes 00:18:06.039 --> 00:18:07.039 in prayer. 00:18:07.879 --> 00:18:08.879 And I'll pray and I'll 00:18:08.879 --> 00:18:10.139 do morning prayer and 00:18:10.139 --> 00:18:10.700 the Book of Common 00:18:10.700 --> 00:18:10.980 Prayer. 00:18:11.139 --> 00:18:11.839 I'll simply sometimes 00:18:11.839 --> 00:18:12.679 just spend time 00:18:12.679 --> 00:18:13.059 praying. 00:18:13.960 --> 00:18:16.159 And I'll pray and as 00:18:16.159 --> 00:18:17.339 I'm praying I feel this 00:18:17.339 --> 00:18:18.740 deep sense of connection 00:18:18.740 --> 00:18:19.899 with God growing in my 00:18:19.899 --> 00:18:20.179 heart. 00:18:20.220 --> 00:18:21.599 And I'll feel this sense 00:18:21.599 --> 00:18:22.539 of love kind of 00:18:22.539 --> 00:18:23.419 flooding in, you know, 00:18:23.460 --> 00:18:24.799 where I'll feel close 00:18:24.799 --> 00:18:25.119 to God. 00:18:25.119 --> 00:18:26.000 And I feel love for 00:18:26.000 --> 00:18:26.159 God. 00:18:26.179 --> 00:18:27.259 And then I began to 00:18:27.259 --> 00:18:28.199 feel a sense of deep 00:18:28.199 --> 00:18:29.179 love and affection for 00:18:29.179 --> 00:18:29.739 my family. 00:18:30.039 --> 00:18:31.319 And I'll sit there and 00:18:31.319 --> 00:18:32.779 I'll be upstairs and I'll 00:18:32.779 --> 00:18:33.719 be hearing little 00:18:33.719 --> 00:18:34.979 murmurings of my kids 00:18:34.979 --> 00:18:36.179 waking up and I'll 00:18:36.179 --> 00:18:37.559 think, oh, I love my 00:18:37.559 --> 00:18:38.019 boys. 00:18:38.839 --> 00:18:39.539 You know, they're so, 00:18:39.939 --> 00:18:40.799 I haven't, you know, 00:18:40.839 --> 00:18:41.659 I feel it's been all 00:18:41.659 --> 00:18:43.339 night and I can't wait 00:18:43.339 --> 00:18:43.919 to see them. 00:18:44.099 --> 00:18:44.619 And I start thinking 00:18:44.619 --> 00:18:45.539 about how sweet they 00:18:45.539 --> 00:18:46.739 are and how funny they 00:18:46.739 --> 00:18:47.839 are and how awesome they 00:18:47.839 --> 00:18:48.079 are. 00:18:48.339 --> 00:18:49.179 And I just, I want to go 00:18:49.179 --> 00:18:50.159 downstairs and my heart 00:18:50.159 --> 00:18:51.139 is like overflowing by 00:18:51.139 --> 00:18:52.199 this point in my prayer 00:18:52.199 --> 00:18:53.119 with love and I can't 00:18:53.119 --> 00:18:53.679 wait to get downstairs 00:18:53.679 --> 00:18:54.559 and just embrace them. 00:18:54.559 --> 00:18:55.019 And I think we're 00:18:55.019 --> 00:18:55.480 going to have such a 00:18:55.480 --> 00:18:56.000 great morning. 00:18:56.220 --> 00:18:56.940 I'm going to kiss them. 00:18:57.019 --> 00:18:57.559 I'm going to hug them. 00:18:57.599 --> 00:18:58.359 I'm going to make sure 00:18:58.359 --> 00:18:59.099 they know I love them. 00:18:59.240 --> 00:18:59.659 And then I'm going to 00:18:59.659 --> 00:19:00.539 send them off to school. 00:19:00.599 --> 00:19:01.059 It's going to be an 00:19:01.059 --> 00:19:01.619 awesome morning. 00:19:01.799 --> 00:19:02.859 And then I go downstairs 00:19:02.859 --> 00:19:05.700 and I go into their 00:19:05.700 --> 00:19:06.119 room. 00:19:06.440 --> 00:19:07.500 And what happens? 00:19:08.339 --> 00:19:09.799 Total chaos breaks out, 00:19:09.879 --> 00:19:10.099 right? 00:19:10.099 --> 00:19:10.980 It's insane. 00:19:10.980 --> 00:19:12.219 And I literally go in about 00:19:12.219 --> 00:19:13.459 10 seconds from heart 00:19:13.459 --> 00:19:14.980 overflowing with love to 00:19:14.980 --> 00:19:16.179 screaming at my children. 00:19:16.399 --> 00:19:17.219 And I go, and I, you 00:19:17.219 --> 00:19:17.879 know, I'm like, you know, 00:19:17.879 --> 00:19:18.819 put your shoes on. 00:19:18.859 --> 00:19:19.619 What's wrong with you? 00:19:19.819 --> 00:19:20.579 Stop doing it. 00:19:20.759 --> 00:19:22.179 You stop eating that. 00:19:22.299 --> 00:19:23.240 You need to eat that. 00:19:23.299 --> 00:19:23.939 That's your breakfast. 00:19:24.099 --> 00:19:24.719 Don't eat that. 00:19:24.799 --> 00:19:25.519 That's not breakfast. 00:19:25.639 --> 00:19:26.619 You know, don't hit him. 00:19:26.679 --> 00:19:27.279 Don't touch him. 00:19:27.359 --> 00:19:27.879 Don't do that. 00:19:28.079 --> 00:19:29.000 And I'm screaming and I'm 00:19:29.000 --> 00:19:29.699 like, guys, we're going to 00:19:29.699 --> 00:19:30.099 be late. 00:19:30.139 --> 00:19:31.500 And I'm like, go, go, go. 00:19:31.539 --> 00:19:32.299 And it's like some kind of 00:19:32.299 --> 00:19:33.799 horrible boot camp, you 00:19:33.799 --> 00:19:33.939 know? 00:19:33.959 --> 00:19:35.019 And I'm like, get in the car, 00:19:35.099 --> 00:19:35.599 get in the car. 00:19:35.599 --> 00:19:36.659 And then I like drive to 00:19:36.659 --> 00:19:37.759 school and I'm in horrible 00:19:37.759 --> 00:19:38.659 traffic and I'm like, 00:19:38.859 --> 00:19:40.240 and then I get in this 00:19:40.240 --> 00:19:42.139 massive unending line to 00:19:42.139 --> 00:19:43.039 drop them off at school. 00:19:43.119 --> 00:19:44.199 And everybody's screaming 00:19:44.199 --> 00:19:44.980 at each other and people 00:19:44.980 --> 00:19:45.899 are cutting in traffic. 00:19:46.079 --> 00:19:46.799 And then I, you know, I 00:19:46.799 --> 00:19:47.359 drop them off and I'm 00:19:47.359 --> 00:19:48.259 like, go, the teachers are 00:19:48.259 --> 00:19:48.519 leaving. 00:19:48.699 --> 00:19:49.500 You're going to be late. 00:19:49.599 --> 00:19:50.319 And I get them out of the 00:19:50.319 --> 00:19:50.459 car. 00:19:50.500 --> 00:19:51.859 I'm like, go, go and be 00:19:51.859 --> 00:19:52.259 good. 00:19:52.299 --> 00:19:53.379 And don't, don't get in 00:19:53.379 --> 00:19:54.259 trouble and do what your 00:19:54.259 --> 00:19:55.719 teachers say, you know? 00:19:56.039 --> 00:19:56.819 And I, and they get in 00:19:56.819 --> 00:19:58.299 and then I just sit there 00:19:58.299 --> 00:20:00.079 and I'm like sweating, you 00:20:00.079 --> 00:20:00.159 know? 00:20:00.179 --> 00:20:01.599 And I'm like, oh, and I'm 00:20:01.599 --> 00:20:02.899 thinking maybe they should do 00:20:02.899 --> 00:20:03.740 aftercare today. 00:20:03.839 --> 00:20:04.079 Maybe. 00:20:04.079 --> 00:20:05.319 I don't think I want to see 00:20:05.319 --> 00:20:06.399 them until dinner, you know? 00:20:06.859 --> 00:20:08.639 And, and then I think what 00:20:08.639 --> 00:20:10.299 happened to the love? 00:20:10.879 --> 00:20:11.859 What happened to the 00:20:11.859 --> 00:20:13.119 affection that, what happened 00:20:13.119 --> 00:20:14.339 to them being cute? 00:20:14.720 --> 00:20:15.960 Like that wasn't cute. 00:20:16.059 --> 00:20:18.559 They're monsters, you know? 00:20:18.619 --> 00:20:19.480 And it can happen that 00:20:19.480 --> 00:20:21.199 quickly, that quickly. 00:20:22.000 --> 00:20:24.939 And, and then it sets in, oh, 00:20:25.859 --> 00:20:27.259 maybe I'll do better tomorrow. 00:20:29.139 --> 00:20:31.039 Maybe I'll try again, you 00:20:31.039 --> 00:20:31.919 know, but after a while that 00:20:31.919 --> 00:20:32.720 just crushes you. 00:20:32.720 --> 00:20:34.240 Maybe I'm not that person. 00:20:34.380 --> 00:20:35.140 Maybe I'll never be that 00:20:35.140 --> 00:20:35.440 person. 00:20:36.019 --> 00:20:36.799 You know, or the person 00:20:36.799 --> 00:20:37.900 struggling with addiction. 00:20:38.740 --> 00:20:39.500 You know, somebody says, I'll 00:20:39.500 --> 00:20:40.319 never use again. 00:20:40.940 --> 00:20:42.059 You know, I'll never drink 00:20:42.059 --> 00:20:42.380 again. 00:20:42.579 --> 00:20:43.860 I'll, I'll never, I'll never, 00:20:44.000 --> 00:20:45.200 I'll never look at porn again. 00:20:45.259 --> 00:20:46.100 I know that that's horrible. 00:20:46.160 --> 00:20:47.160 It's destroying my soul. 00:20:47.980 --> 00:20:48.799 You know, they say that in the 00:20:48.799 --> 00:20:50.220 morning and then that night 00:20:50.220 --> 00:20:51.120 they stay up half their night 00:20:51.120 --> 00:20:51.700 on their computer. 00:20:52.500 --> 00:20:53.279 You know, and that 00:20:53.279 --> 00:20:54.440 extraordinarily 00:20:54.440 --> 00:20:57.259 discouraging, crushing 00:20:57.259 --> 00:20:59.460 sense of repeated failure. 00:20:59.460 --> 00:20:59.519 fear. 00:21:00.740 --> 00:21:02.460 That disconnect that I think we 00:21:02.460 --> 00:21:03.519 all experience in different 00:21:03.519 --> 00:21:04.000 ways. 00:21:04.680 --> 00:21:05.819 What do you do with that? 00:21:06.840 --> 00:21:07.100 Right? 00:21:07.180 --> 00:21:08.740 This is why verse 20 is so 00:21:08.740 --> 00:21:10.019 important and profound. 00:21:10.180 --> 00:21:11.400 It's one of my favorite places 00:21:11.400 --> 00:21:12.160 in all the Bible. 00:21:12.600 --> 00:21:14.079 Verse 20, Paul says this, 00:21:14.460 --> 00:21:16.299 I have been crucified with 00:21:16.299 --> 00:21:16.700 Christ. 00:21:17.700 --> 00:21:19.600 It's no longer I who live, 00:21:20.120 --> 00:21:22.120 but Christ who lives in me. 00:21:22.799 --> 00:21:24.840 In the life I now live in the 00:21:24.840 --> 00:21:26.620 flesh, I live by faith in the 00:21:26.619 --> 00:21:29.159 Son of God who loved me and 00:21:29.159 --> 00:21:31.139 gave himself for me. 00:21:31.219 --> 00:21:32.659 See, this is what it means to 00:21:32.659 --> 00:21:33.279 be a Christian. 00:21:33.579 --> 00:21:34.899 Not that when I was 12 at 00:21:34.899 --> 00:21:36.099 summer camp I intellectually 00:21:36.099 --> 00:21:37.579 assented to the gospel, 00:21:37.659 --> 00:21:38.599 although that's important. 00:21:38.839 --> 00:21:40.559 What it means is that you have 00:21:40.559 --> 00:21:42.899 union with Jesus Christ. 00:21:43.839 --> 00:21:45.859 It is no longer I who live. 00:21:45.939 --> 00:21:47.059 I've been crucified. 00:21:47.339 --> 00:21:48.059 I died. 00:21:48.339 --> 00:21:49.679 The old operating system has 00:21:49.679 --> 00:21:50.699 been obliterated. 00:21:51.119 --> 00:21:52.799 And now I've been raised with 00:21:52.799 --> 00:21:53.579 him and in him. 00:21:53.579 --> 00:21:55.039 And we're one in the same. 00:21:55.039 --> 00:21:58.119 So his life is your life. 00:21:58.259 --> 00:22:00.720 His identity is your identity. 00:22:00.940 --> 00:22:02.519 They're inextricably linked. 00:22:03.759 --> 00:22:04.680 And you know, sometimes 00:22:04.680 --> 00:22:06.399 scripture talks about Christ 00:22:06.399 --> 00:22:07.819 dwelling in us. 00:22:09.319 --> 00:22:10.720 And sometimes scripture talks 00:22:10.720 --> 00:22:12.480 about us dwelling in Christ. 00:22:13.960 --> 00:22:15.339 And you say, well, is that a 00:22:15.339 --> 00:22:15.819 contradiction? 00:22:16.139 --> 00:22:16.440 No. 00:22:17.519 --> 00:22:19.279 These are both ways of talking 00:22:19.279 --> 00:22:20.879 about union with Christ. 00:22:22.200 --> 00:22:24.480 And as Rankin-Wilbourne, who 00:22:24.480 --> 00:22:25.500 wrote a book called Union 00:22:25.500 --> 00:22:27.220 with Christ, as he says, 00:22:27.259 --> 00:22:29.120 it's a great book, he says 00:22:29.120 --> 00:22:31.559 that both of those are vital 00:22:31.559 --> 00:22:33.660 for understanding what it means 00:22:33.660 --> 00:22:34.599 to the Christian life. 00:22:34.920 --> 00:22:37.579 Christ in us and us in Christ. 00:22:38.099 --> 00:22:38.940 And here's why. 00:22:40.400 --> 00:22:43.019 If Jesus Christ is in us, 00:22:43.519 --> 00:22:44.880 that gives us power. 00:22:45.880 --> 00:22:48.259 That gives us spiritual power. 00:22:48.259 --> 00:22:51.759 And if we are in Christ, 00:22:51.980 --> 00:22:53.680 that gives us assurance. 00:22:55.319 --> 00:22:56.960 Power and assurance. 00:22:58.119 --> 00:22:58.240 Right? 00:22:58.339 --> 00:23:01.059 So Christ in us gives us power. 00:23:02.779 --> 00:23:04.359 Power to live holy lives. 00:23:04.779 --> 00:23:06.039 Power to actually expect 00:23:06.039 --> 00:23:07.039 that we can change. 00:23:08.000 --> 00:23:09.539 One of the criticisms that Paul 00:23:09.539 --> 00:23:12.279 faced from the false teachers 00:23:12.279 --> 00:23:13.720 in Galatia went like this. 00:23:13.920 --> 00:23:15.420 They said, okay, and maybe you've 00:23:15.420 --> 00:23:16.359 heard something like this 00:23:16.359 --> 00:23:18.119 in your own life. 00:23:18.579 --> 00:23:19.339 Okay, Paul. 00:23:20.699 --> 00:23:23.559 So if we're really saved by grace, 00:23:24.279 --> 00:23:25.579 by having faith in Jesus, 00:23:26.019 --> 00:23:27.279 if that's all that we need 00:23:27.279 --> 00:23:28.319 to enter into God's family, 00:23:28.859 --> 00:23:30.019 to be justified, 00:23:31.119 --> 00:23:33.559 then why do we need 00:23:33.559 --> 00:23:34.319 to worry about sin? 00:23:35.519 --> 00:23:36.679 Why should anybody try 00:23:36.679 --> 00:23:37.479 to live a holy life? 00:23:38.519 --> 00:23:39.339 Does that mean that we can 00:23:39.339 --> 00:23:40.159 just do what we want, 00:23:40.359 --> 00:23:41.339 sin rampantly? 00:23:41.979 --> 00:23:42.979 God doesn't care because 00:23:42.979 --> 00:23:44.299 it all comes through Jesus anyway? 00:23:44.299 --> 00:23:44.379 Okay? 00:23:44.779 --> 00:23:45.379 Who cares? 00:23:45.839 --> 00:23:46.940 And so they accused Paul 00:23:46.940 --> 00:23:48.639 of encouraging and promoting sin. 00:23:49.059 --> 00:23:50.440 They said that you're not only 00:23:50.440 --> 00:23:50.980 doing this, Paul, 00:23:51.059 --> 00:23:52.759 but you're making Jesus complicit 00:23:52.759 --> 00:23:53.940 in encouraging people 00:23:53.940 --> 00:23:54.799 to live sinful lives. 00:23:54.859 --> 00:23:55.720 You're justifying that. 00:23:55.940 --> 00:23:57.299 How dare you, Paul? 00:23:57.480 --> 00:23:58.659 You're blaspheming here. 00:23:59.579 --> 00:24:00.519 And here's Paul's response 00:24:01.079 --> 00:24:02.539 in verse 17. 00:24:02.740 --> 00:24:03.039 He says, 00:24:03.419 --> 00:24:05.279 but if in our endeavor 00:24:05.279 --> 00:24:07.119 to be justified in Christ, 00:24:07.399 --> 00:24:08.480 we too were found 00:24:08.480 --> 00:24:09.139 to be sinners, 00:24:09.440 --> 00:24:10.899 is Christ then a servant 00:24:10.899 --> 00:24:11.500 of sin? 00:24:11.559 --> 00:24:12.000 Because that's what 00:24:12.000 --> 00:24:12.519 they were saying. 00:24:12.519 --> 00:24:13.359 You're making Christ 00:24:13.359 --> 00:24:14.299 a servant of sin. 00:24:15.359 --> 00:24:15.680 And he says, 00:24:15.779 --> 00:24:16.420 certainly not. 00:24:16.879 --> 00:24:17.420 And I don't think 00:24:17.420 --> 00:24:18.299 that's quite strong enough 00:24:18.299 --> 00:24:19.639 to capture what he really says. 00:24:21.180 --> 00:24:22.200 For if I rebuild 00:24:22.200 --> 00:24:23.059 what I tore down, 00:24:23.160 --> 00:24:24.059 I prove myself 00:24:24.059 --> 00:24:25.180 to be a transgressor. 00:24:25.619 --> 00:24:26.660 But through the law, 00:24:26.759 --> 00:24:27.900 I died to the law 00:24:27.900 --> 00:24:29.099 so that I might live 00:24:29.099 --> 00:24:29.859 to God. 00:24:29.920 --> 00:24:30.579 What's he saying? 00:24:30.660 --> 00:24:31.000 He's saying, 00:24:31.460 --> 00:24:32.940 even thinking that, 00:24:33.019 --> 00:24:34.319 even suggesting that 00:24:34.319 --> 00:24:35.720 means you're still operating 00:24:35.720 --> 00:24:36.460 out of the old 00:24:36.460 --> 00:24:37.539 operating system. 00:24:37.539 --> 00:24:41.079 You need to understand 00:24:41.079 --> 00:24:42.339 that I have a new 00:24:42.339 --> 00:24:44.359 operating system in me. 00:24:44.420 --> 00:24:45.440 There's an entirely new 00:24:45.440 --> 00:24:46.859 system at work, 00:24:47.019 --> 00:24:48.899 which means I'm not living 00:24:48.899 --> 00:24:49.799 for myself anymore. 00:24:49.920 --> 00:24:51.339 I'm living to God 00:24:51.339 --> 00:24:52.279 and Jesus Christ 00:24:52.279 --> 00:24:53.579 is in me right now. 00:24:53.639 --> 00:24:54.700 The spiritual power 00:24:54.700 --> 00:24:56.079 of Jesus is in me. 00:24:56.680 --> 00:24:57.779 If you have genuinely 00:24:57.779 --> 00:24:58.700 come to faith, 00:24:59.799 --> 00:25:00.519 if you have genuinely 00:25:00.519 --> 00:25:01.359 believed the gospel, 00:25:01.680 --> 00:25:02.700 I dare you 00:25:02.700 --> 00:25:03.680 to go off 00:25:03.680 --> 00:25:04.539 and to try to do 00:25:04.539 --> 00:25:05.099 whatever you want. 00:25:05.099 --> 00:25:07.319 I dare you 00:25:07.319 --> 00:25:07.879 to try it. 00:25:09.279 --> 00:25:10.139 You may do it 00:25:10.139 --> 00:25:10.879 for a little while, 00:25:11.579 --> 00:25:13.699 but the Holy Spirit 00:25:13.699 --> 00:25:14.139 will begin 00:25:14.139 --> 00:25:15.000 to convict you. 00:25:16.480 --> 00:25:17.299 The Holy Spirit 00:25:17.299 --> 00:25:18.199 will convict you. 00:25:18.759 --> 00:25:19.459 And you can try 00:25:19.459 --> 00:25:20.019 to deny 00:25:20.019 --> 00:25:21.399 and minimize that voice. 00:25:21.719 --> 00:25:22.719 You can try to drink 00:25:22.719 --> 00:25:23.639 or numb yourself out 00:25:23.639 --> 00:25:24.259 from that voice, 00:25:24.339 --> 00:25:25.919 but it will convict you 00:25:25.919 --> 00:25:26.779 and it will not 00:25:26.779 --> 00:25:27.459 leave you alone. 00:25:28.039 --> 00:25:29.259 You will not escape it 00:25:29.259 --> 00:25:30.599 because the presence 00:25:30.599 --> 00:25:31.199 and the power 00:25:31.199 --> 00:25:31.839 of God himself 00:25:31.839 --> 00:25:32.919 is in you. 00:25:33.039 --> 00:25:33.480 You have a new 00:25:33.480 --> 00:25:34.219 operating system. 00:25:34.220 --> 00:25:35.460 That thing 00:25:35.460 --> 00:25:36.180 that you're doing, 00:25:36.360 --> 00:25:37.380 those choices 00:25:37.380 --> 00:25:37.940 that you're making, 00:25:38.039 --> 00:25:38.980 they're incompatible 00:25:38.980 --> 00:25:39.880 with that operating system 00:25:39.880 --> 00:25:40.779 and you're going 00:25:40.779 --> 00:25:41.880 to feel that tension. 00:25:42.000 --> 00:25:42.380 You're not going 00:25:42.380 --> 00:25:43.380 to feel okay about it. 00:25:43.839 --> 00:25:45.059 It's going to haunt you. 00:25:45.680 --> 00:25:46.019 Paul says, 00:25:46.120 --> 00:25:46.680 I'm not living 00:25:46.680 --> 00:25:47.279 for me anymore, 00:25:47.339 --> 00:25:48.559 I'm living for God. 00:25:49.319 --> 00:25:50.259 And Jesus Christ 00:25:50.259 --> 00:25:51.960 makes all of this possible. 00:25:52.120 --> 00:25:53.059 Jesus fills us 00:25:53.059 --> 00:25:53.620 with power. 00:25:54.000 --> 00:25:54.120 You know, 00:25:54.160 --> 00:25:55.600 this is the eternal word 00:25:55.600 --> 00:25:57.299 that in Genesis 1 00:25:57.299 --> 00:25:58.980 brought order 00:25:58.980 --> 00:25:59.799 out of chaos 00:25:59.799 --> 00:26:01.059 and made a world 00:26:01.059 --> 00:26:02.180 where there can be life 00:26:02.180 --> 00:26:03.220 and flourishing 00:26:03.220 --> 00:26:04.240 and beauty 00:26:04.240 --> 00:26:05.299 and goodness. 00:26:05.779 --> 00:26:07.000 And that same eternal word 00:26:07.000 --> 00:26:07.779 is now at work 00:26:07.779 --> 00:26:08.240 in you 00:26:08.240 --> 00:26:08.860 if you're a Christian. 00:26:10.920 --> 00:26:12.340 So Christ in us 00:26:12.340 --> 00:26:13.480 means we have power. 00:26:14.880 --> 00:26:15.480 You can strive 00:26:15.480 --> 00:26:16.420 to live a holy life. 00:26:16.880 --> 00:26:17.539 You can practice 00:26:17.539 --> 00:26:18.480 spiritual disciplines. 00:26:18.900 --> 00:26:19.380 You can seek 00:26:19.380 --> 00:26:20.820 to cultivate self-control 00:26:20.820 --> 00:26:21.940 and all of the various 00:26:21.940 --> 00:26:23.060 virtues of character. 00:26:23.860 --> 00:26:24.680 You can seek 00:26:24.680 --> 00:26:25.259 to cultivate 00:26:25.259 --> 00:26:26.420 a deeper love for God 00:26:26.420 --> 00:26:27.100 and a deeper love 00:26:27.100 --> 00:26:27.500 for neighbor. 00:26:27.740 --> 00:26:28.279 You can seek 00:26:28.279 --> 00:26:29.440 to become a better wife 00:26:29.440 --> 00:26:30.140 or husband. 00:26:30.140 --> 00:26:30.660 You can seek 00:26:30.660 --> 00:26:31.740 to love your kids better. 00:26:32.240 --> 00:26:32.640 You can seek 00:26:32.640 --> 00:26:33.880 to be less attached to 00:26:33.880 --> 00:26:34.380 and enslaved 00:26:34.380 --> 00:26:34.900 to the idols 00:26:34.900 --> 00:26:35.400 in your life. 00:26:35.680 --> 00:26:36.540 You can put effort 00:26:36.540 --> 00:26:37.259 into that. 00:26:39.340 --> 00:26:39.540 You know, 00:26:39.580 --> 00:26:40.140 Dallas Willard 00:26:40.140 --> 00:26:40.880 famously said, 00:26:41.320 --> 00:26:42.280 grace is not opposed 00:26:42.280 --> 00:26:43.120 to effort. 00:26:43.660 --> 00:26:44.400 Grace is opposed 00:26:44.400 --> 00:26:45.020 to earning. 00:26:45.960 --> 00:26:46.740 Thinking you can 00:26:46.740 --> 00:26:47.860 earn favor with God. 00:26:48.680 --> 00:26:49.500 But the Holy Spirit 00:26:49.500 --> 00:26:50.740 is there to enable us 00:26:50.740 --> 00:26:51.540 to put effort 00:26:51.540 --> 00:26:52.380 into living 00:26:52.380 --> 00:26:53.380 laws of holiness 00:26:53.380 --> 00:26:54.340 that actually 00:26:54.340 --> 00:26:55.520 changes us. 00:26:57.000 --> 00:26:57.840 That's what it means 00:26:57.840 --> 00:26:58.880 to have Christ in you. 00:26:58.880 --> 00:27:00.440 But here's the other 00:27:00.440 --> 00:27:01.020 side of it. 00:27:01.340 --> 00:27:02.340 Every bit is important. 00:27:03.500 --> 00:27:04.060 We not only have 00:27:04.060 --> 00:27:04.780 Christ in us, 00:27:04.800 --> 00:27:05.680 but we are also 00:27:05.680 --> 00:27:06.560 in Christ. 00:27:07.400 --> 00:27:08.300 Meaning we not only 00:27:08.300 --> 00:27:08.780 have power, 00:27:08.880 --> 00:27:09.880 we have assurance. 00:27:11.700 --> 00:27:13.000 Meaning you can fail 00:27:13.000 --> 00:27:15.380 again and again 00:27:15.380 --> 00:27:16.280 and again. 00:27:16.520 --> 00:27:17.240 You can blow up 00:27:17.240 --> 00:27:17.860 at your kids. 00:27:20.260 --> 00:27:20.600 You can, 00:27:20.720 --> 00:27:21.220 you can, 00:27:22.360 --> 00:27:22.920 you know, 00:27:23.000 --> 00:27:23.440 parents, 00:27:23.560 --> 00:27:23.980 it's just this 00:27:23.980 --> 00:27:24.660 constant sense 00:27:24.660 --> 00:27:25.160 of disconnect. 00:27:25.840 --> 00:27:26.440 Here's the parent 00:27:26.440 --> 00:27:26.980 I thought I was 00:27:26.980 --> 00:27:27.420 going to be. 00:27:28.220 --> 00:27:28.440 You know, 00:27:28.460 --> 00:27:28.920 here's the parent 00:27:28.920 --> 00:27:29.519 I kind of hope 00:27:29.519 --> 00:27:30.200 I am now. 00:27:30.519 --> 00:27:31.460 And here's the parent 00:27:31.460 --> 00:27:32.200 I was today. 00:27:32.360 --> 00:27:32.620 You know, 00:27:32.660 --> 00:27:33.300 that's kind of how 00:27:33.300 --> 00:27:34.440 it feels all the time. 00:27:35.000 --> 00:27:35.800 You always feel 00:27:35.800 --> 00:27:36.380 like you're failing. 00:27:37.519 --> 00:27:38.279 You can fail 00:27:38.279 --> 00:27:38.800 again and again. 00:27:38.880 --> 00:27:39.640 You can go back 00:27:39.640 --> 00:27:40.320 to that addiction. 00:27:40.480 --> 00:27:41.320 You can go back 00:27:41.320 --> 00:27:41.840 to porn. 00:27:42.140 --> 00:27:42.820 You can go back, 00:27:42.820 --> 00:27:43.759 you can fall back 00:27:43.759 --> 00:27:44.539 into your patterns, 00:27:45.300 --> 00:27:46.200 whatever they are. 00:27:46.480 --> 00:27:47.360 And you can do that 00:27:47.360 --> 00:27:48.620 over and over and over. 00:27:48.740 --> 00:27:49.320 And guess what? 00:27:49.560 --> 00:27:50.660 You are in Christ, 00:27:51.380 --> 00:27:52.300 which means 00:27:52.300 --> 00:27:53.960 that that will not 00:27:53.960 --> 00:27:55.400 diminish God's love 00:27:55.400 --> 00:27:56.519 and delight in you, 00:27:56.620 --> 00:27:58.620 even one tiny fraction. 00:27:59.860 --> 00:28:01.700 That God will only 00:28:01.700 --> 00:28:04.060 ever always look at you 00:28:04.060 --> 00:28:05.180 with sheer love 00:28:05.180 --> 00:28:05.640 and delight. 00:28:06.540 --> 00:28:07.820 That God will only 00:28:07.820 --> 00:28:08.900 ever say to you, 00:28:08.920 --> 00:28:09.100 you know, 00:28:09.200 --> 00:28:10.259 we think that God, 00:28:10.380 --> 00:28:10.519 you know, 00:28:10.560 --> 00:28:11.160 we talk about this 00:28:11.160 --> 00:28:11.440 from the time, 00:28:11.660 --> 00:28:12.519 that God carries around 00:28:12.519 --> 00:28:13.519 the sense of disappointment 00:28:13.519 --> 00:28:14.220 with us. 00:28:14.840 --> 00:28:15.180 You know, 00:28:15.240 --> 00:28:15.800 that, you know, 00:28:16.200 --> 00:28:17.500 I've given so much 00:28:17.500 --> 00:28:18.300 to this person, 00:28:18.420 --> 00:28:18.660 you know, 00:28:18.860 --> 00:28:20.320 I've poured out, 00:28:20.380 --> 00:28:21.340 I've died for you, 00:28:21.420 --> 00:28:22.420 I've loved you, 00:28:22.420 --> 00:28:22.779 and I just, 00:28:22.880 --> 00:28:23.840 I keep putting up 00:28:23.840 --> 00:28:24.640 with your crap 00:28:24.640 --> 00:28:26.360 and you just keep failing, 00:28:26.759 --> 00:28:27.100 you know? 00:28:27.400 --> 00:28:27.940 Like, you know, 00:28:28.120 --> 00:28:29.360 I imagine, you know, 00:28:29.400 --> 00:28:30.259 God is like this, 00:28:30.560 --> 00:28:30.840 you know, 00:28:31.039 --> 00:28:32.120 look at all I've done 00:28:32.120 --> 00:28:32.920 for you and you can't 00:28:32.920 --> 00:28:33.660 even call me, 00:28:34.500 --> 00:28:34.880 you know? 00:28:35.640 --> 00:28:36.140 You know, 00:28:36.140 --> 00:28:36.920 like your mom, 00:28:37.240 --> 00:28:37.600 you know? 00:28:38.800 --> 00:28:39.200 And, 00:28:39.320 --> 00:28:41.860 and yet this tells us 00:28:41.860 --> 00:28:42.980 that that's actually heresy. 00:28:43.460 --> 00:28:43.960 The saying, 00:28:44.340 --> 00:28:45.700 God is disappointed in me 00:28:45.700 --> 00:28:46.440 is heresy. 00:28:47.380 --> 00:28:48.300 That if we believe 00:28:48.300 --> 00:28:48.840 the gospel, 00:28:49.279 --> 00:28:50.240 that we are in Christ, 00:28:50.320 --> 00:28:50.960 it means that God 00:28:50.960 --> 00:28:52.000 will only ever look at you 00:28:52.000 --> 00:28:52.240 and say, 00:28:52.420 --> 00:28:53.759 this is my beloved daughter 00:28:53.759 --> 00:28:54.720 in whom I'm well pleased, 00:28:54.800 --> 00:28:55.519 in whom I delight. 00:28:55.779 --> 00:28:56.920 You just failed as a parent. 00:28:57.000 --> 00:28:57.480 You just feel like 00:28:57.480 --> 00:28:58.440 an abject failure. 00:28:58.740 --> 00:28:59.320 You just failed 00:28:59.320 --> 00:28:59.800 in your addiction. 00:28:59.940 --> 00:29:00.300 You just failed 00:29:00.300 --> 00:29:00.880 in your friendship. 00:29:01.060 --> 00:29:01.480 You just failed 00:29:01.480 --> 00:29:02.200 in your dating life. 00:29:02.420 --> 00:29:02.900 You just failed 00:29:02.900 --> 00:29:03.380 in your job. 00:29:03.440 --> 00:29:04.340 You just did something horrible 00:29:04.340 --> 00:29:04.640 and you say, 00:29:04.779 --> 00:29:05.759 I can't believe I did that. 00:29:05.800 --> 00:29:06.460 And God looks at you 00:29:06.460 --> 00:29:06.800 and says, 00:29:07.100 --> 00:29:08.120 this is my child 00:29:08.120 --> 00:29:09.380 in whom I'm well pleased. 00:29:09.539 --> 00:29:10.620 I delight in you. 00:29:12.840 --> 00:29:13.580 That's the assurance 00:29:13.580 --> 00:29:14.100 that we have 00:29:14.100 --> 00:29:15.300 of being in Christ. 00:29:16.500 --> 00:29:17.920 He continually looks on 00:29:17.920 --> 00:29:18.220 at us 00:29:18.220 --> 00:29:19.600 with delight and affection. 00:29:21.019 --> 00:29:21.940 So through the power 00:29:21.940 --> 00:29:22.480 of Christ 00:29:22.480 --> 00:29:23.779 and the assurance 00:29:23.779 --> 00:29:24.360 of Christ, 00:29:24.779 --> 00:29:25.820 God renews 00:29:25.820 --> 00:29:27.019 who we are 00:29:27.019 --> 00:29:28.200 and how we live 00:29:28.200 --> 00:29:29.039 so that we come 00:29:29.039 --> 00:29:29.680 more and more 00:29:29.680 --> 00:29:31.180 to reflect the glory 00:29:31.180 --> 00:29:32.500 of His Son. 00:29:34.220 --> 00:29:34.700 So, 00:29:34.920 --> 00:29:35.880 just to come back 00:29:35.880 --> 00:29:36.420 to the question 00:29:36.420 --> 00:29:37.320 we asked at the beginning, 00:29:37.440 --> 00:29:38.380 this question of identity, 00:29:39.320 --> 00:29:40.400 this is how the gospel 00:29:40.400 --> 00:29:41.440 helps us discover 00:29:41.440 --> 00:29:42.400 who we really are. 00:29:43.259 --> 00:29:44.700 It completely redeems 00:29:44.700 --> 00:29:45.400 and transforms 00:29:45.400 --> 00:29:46.779 our old identity. 00:29:46.779 --> 00:29:46.819 identity. 00:29:47.740 --> 00:29:48.859 And then it gives us 00:29:48.859 --> 00:29:49.920 a way to live out 00:29:49.920 --> 00:29:50.859 of that new identity 00:29:50.859 --> 00:29:52.339 in Jesus Christ. 00:29:53.359 --> 00:29:54.639 I'll end with a little example 00:29:54.639 --> 00:29:55.599 that I love, 00:29:55.639 --> 00:29:56.619 a story that I love, 00:29:56.859 --> 00:29:57.559 and that's the story 00:29:57.559 --> 00:29:58.240 of John Newton, 00:29:58.440 --> 00:29:59.379 who, you know, 00:29:59.440 --> 00:30:00.119 many of you know, 00:30:00.240 --> 00:30:01.319 is the pastor 00:30:01.319 --> 00:30:01.960 who wrote 00:30:01.960 --> 00:30:03.539 Amazing Grace. 00:30:04.200 --> 00:30:05.180 And John Newton, 00:30:05.299 --> 00:30:05.639 actually, 00:30:05.759 --> 00:30:06.379 in his life, 00:30:06.480 --> 00:30:08.019 experienced a profound 00:30:08.019 --> 00:30:09.039 transformation 00:30:09.039 --> 00:30:10.559 of his identity 00:30:10.559 --> 00:30:10.920 because, 00:30:11.299 --> 00:30:12.139 as some of you know, 00:30:12.200 --> 00:30:13.200 in his young life, 00:30:13.319 --> 00:30:14.700 he was a slave trader. 00:30:14.700 --> 00:30:16.539 And he made his money 00:30:16.539 --> 00:30:17.640 off the slave trade. 00:30:18.200 --> 00:30:19.080 And then he encountered 00:30:19.080 --> 00:30:19.740 the gospel, 00:30:20.279 --> 00:30:21.880 and Jesus came into his life, 00:30:21.960 --> 00:30:23.519 and that old operating system 00:30:23.519 --> 00:30:24.539 was thrown out, 00:30:24.640 --> 00:30:25.860 and Jesus began to build 00:30:25.860 --> 00:30:27.480 a new identity in him 00:30:27.480 --> 00:30:28.500 from the ground up, 00:30:28.620 --> 00:30:30.400 and everything began to change. 00:30:30.660 --> 00:30:31.340 And so this man, 00:30:31.420 --> 00:30:32.779 who used to be a slave trader, 00:30:33.100 --> 00:30:34.059 later in his life, 00:30:34.100 --> 00:30:35.180 not only became a pastor, 00:30:35.500 --> 00:30:36.160 but he became 00:30:36.160 --> 00:30:37.340 one of the leading, 00:30:37.500 --> 00:30:39.180 most prominent abolitionists. 00:30:39.799 --> 00:30:40.819 And in his day, 00:30:40.900 --> 00:30:42.920 he saw the end 00:30:42.920 --> 00:30:44.180 of the slave trade 00:30:44.180 --> 00:30:44.740 in Britain. 00:30:46.000 --> 00:30:46.820 And here's what 00:30:46.820 --> 00:30:47.799 John Newton says 00:30:47.799 --> 00:30:49.960 about his Christian identity. 00:30:51.019 --> 00:30:52.799 I am not what I ought to be. 00:30:53.440 --> 00:30:54.980 I am not what I want to be. 00:30:55.400 --> 00:30:57.080 I am not what I hope to be 00:30:57.080 --> 00:30:58.019 in another world. 00:30:58.360 --> 00:30:59.019 But still, 00:30:59.140 --> 00:31:00.660 I am not what I used to be. 00:31:02.080 --> 00:31:03.400 And by the grace of God, 00:31:03.460 --> 00:31:04.360 I am who I am. 00:31:05.880 --> 00:31:06.500 Let's pray. 00:31:06.500 --> 00:31:06.539 Let's pray.