WEBVTT

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 So we are continuing and going to finish now chapter 9 this morning, Lord willing, that I don't fall over on the stage.

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! And so let's begin this morning by reading together, beginning in verse 25, and we'll go through the end of the chapter.

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 As indeed he says in Hosea, those who were not my people, I will call my people.

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 And who was not beloved, I will call beloved. And in the very place where it was said to them, you are not my people, there they will be called sons of the living God.

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 And Isaiah cries out concerning Israel, though the number of the sons of Israel be as the sand of the sea, only a remnant of them will be saved.

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 For the Lord will carry out his sentence upon the earth fully and without delay.

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 And as Isaiah predicted, if the Lord of hosts had not left us offspring, we would have become like Sodom and become like Gomorrah.

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 What shall we say then? That Gentiles who did not pursue righteousness have attained it, that is a righteousness that is by faith.

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 But that Israel who pursued a law that would lead to righteousness did not succeed in reaching that law.

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 Why? Because they did not pursue it by faith, but as if it were based on works.

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 They have stumbled over the stumbling stone, as it is written, Behold, I am laying in Zion a stone of stumbling and a rock of offense.

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 And whoever believes in him will not be put to shame.

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 Join me in prayer.

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 Father God, we thank you for the precious gift of your word.

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 We thank you that you inspired Paul to write these words to the believers in Rome.

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 And that they were recorded and preserved throughout bloody, bloody years of history.

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 And many attempts to eradicate Christianity from this world.

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 That these words have survived and have been brought to us for our good this day.

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 We pray, Father, that you will be generous to us by your Spirit.

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 That we might hear and understand the value found in these verses this morning.

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 And we pray this in the precious name of Christ.

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 Amen.

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 So, Paul has been building a case from the beginning, just to remind you again where we've been.

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 It's difficult often to fit our text into the proper context if we don't talk about it.

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 So, he's built this case from the beginning of Romans that our justification before God, our right standing, is by faith alone.

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 That it cannot be attained by works.

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 Whether a Jew who has the law and works at it that way, no matter how zealous they were to attain justification by the works of the law, they were not able to.

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 Or a Gentile who doesn't have the law, but yet we have the law of God on our hearts.

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 And therefore, we are just as guilty before him for transgressing that law.

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 So, all of us have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, chapter 3.

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 Right?

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 And therefore, all of us need a Savior.

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 All of us need a way back to God.

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 The only way that could be accomplished was through the blood, the sacrifice of Jesus Christ.

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 There must have been a payment for sin.

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 For God to be fully just, all sin must be punished.

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 And for the sins of the church, they were punished in Christ.

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 He took the wrath of God on our behalf.

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 And we turn to the more practical part of these doctrines.

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 And he gets us into chapter 8.

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 He begins to talk about the internal struggle that happens as we still carry on the baggage of our flesh.

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 It's still difficult to live in this life.

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 We have the Spirit of God abiding within us.

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 And yet, it still is so hard.

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 But once we're regenerate believers, we don't just snap our fingers and things start working for us, do they?

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 We still have to battle and struggle with our flesh.

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 And beyond that, there are exterior issues happening to us.

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 Because we're Christians, the world hates us.

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 And we're going to suffer.

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 If you live a godly life, you will suffer for your faith.

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 And more, we'll suffer just in this world because it's fallen.

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 It's not the way God intended it to be.

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 There's sickness and pain.

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 We're going to suffer.

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 And then Paul encourages us.

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 Verse 28.

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 I hope you're familiar with this.

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 And we know that for those who love God, all things work for good.

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 All things.

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 The momentary trouble of this world is not to be compared with the future glory.

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 And he drives in a more pointed way the doctrine of election.

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 See, verse 29 of chapter 8.

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 For those whom he foreknew, he also predestined to be conformed to the image of a son,

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 in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers.

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 And a question then arises, both in his mind, and I'm sure in the minds of many people he has talked to,

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 well then what about the Jews?

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 What about the Jews?

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 We understood them to be God's people.

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 We thought they were God's chosen people.

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 But look at the scores of them that are rejecting the gospel.

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 Look at how many of them have totally turned their backs on the coming of the Messiah.

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 The one that they are eagerly waiting for.

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 And yet, they've rejected him.

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 And he laments that in the beginning of chapter 9.

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 He says that he himself wished that he could be accursed, cut off from Christ,

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 for the sake of his brothers, for the Israelites.

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 They're the ones that have received all these privileges, verse 4 and 5.

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 All these blessings of God.

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 All these things that were meant to show them the Christ.

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 That they might receive him when he came.

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 Why haven't they?

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 Verse 10 and 11 gets into that.

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 So, it seems so random at this point that he unpacks the doctrine of election for us in chapter 9.

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 He deals with some of the objections to it.

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 But it's not at all.

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 Because the question for these early Christians was,

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 weren't the Jews God's people?

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 Weren't they his chosen?

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 Weren't they the elect?

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 And look what's happened.

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 So, it would seem that their disbelief discredits the gospel.

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 If they were God's special people and they're not receiving it,

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 then hasn't that somehow discredited the gospel?

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 The gospel that's been carried now to the Gentiles as well?

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 So, we've looked at the chapter in that light.

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 Beginning in verse 6.

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 That the large rejection of the gospel by Israel does not discredit the gospel.

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 In fact, it's consistent in verses 6-13 with God's promises.

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 And we saw together how the promises he made contained within them his sovereign grace.

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 So, we look at Jacob and Esau.

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 Before they had done anything good or bad,

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 God said, Jacob I have loved, Esau I have hated.

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 Second half of verse 11.

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 In order that God's purpose of election might continue.

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 Not because of works, but because of him who calls.

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 And the following week, it was last week,

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 we looked at how their rejection is consistent with God's person.

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 Verse 14-24, Paul uses three first-person direct quotes from God

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 as he asks these questions.

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 What shall we say then?

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 Is there injustice on God's part?

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 And he answers emphatically, by no means.

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 No, no, no.

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 But then God's response to that.

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 We want to fully understand how the justice of God works.

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 We want to totally unwrap that and understand it in entirety.

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 But God's simple response to that is,

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 I will have mercy on whom I have mercy,

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 and I will have compassion on whom I have compassion.

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 And we talk about how God is God,

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 and you are not.

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 You are a created thing, a pot later on.

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 And how is it that you as a pot would ever question the potter,

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 the creator?

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 We know that there is a tension in the scriptures

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 between God's sovereign election and man's responsibility.

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 I will never deny that we must believe.

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 Repent.

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 Turn from our sin and believe.

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 Know that there's nothing good within ourselves.

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 There's no possible way that we can ever have

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 a right relationship with God apart from Christ.

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 We must believe that.

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 The Bible teaches it to us very clearly.

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 And so it seems to be a paradox.

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 It seems to be inconsistent.

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 You'll hear me call it an apparent paradox,

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 because it's not.

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 I don't understand why it's not.

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 But God said it, and therefore I believe it.

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 I hope that over the past couple of weeks

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 you've positioned yourself humbly under the word of God.

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 Let it come down to you as his words,

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 the creator God, to a created thing,

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 and begun to try to see how this doctrine will work

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 into your life and then spill out of it.

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 So, we're going to deal with the last two ways

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 that Israel's large rejection of the gospel is consistent.

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 It's consistent with God's prophecies,

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 and it's consistent with God's provision.

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 So first, let's look at how the unbelief of Israel

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 is consistent with God's prophecies.

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 And we find this in verses 25 through 29 of chapter 9,

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 where Paul quotes from my favorite prophet, Hosea.

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 You see there in verse 25 and verse 26.

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 So let's turn to the book of Hosea together.

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 We're going to take a little jump away from Romans for a bit.

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 Spend a little time in Hosea to understand this passage,

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 this incredible commentary on this Old Testament prophet.

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 Hosea's ministry was in the latter half of the 8th century.

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 There's some debate about how long exactly it was.

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 The book itself is a little bit ambiguous

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 as to the starting and stopping point.

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 Somewhere between 35 and 66 years

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 are the guesstimates of how long Hosea ministered.

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 It's important to know, though,

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 that it was during the most turbulent time in Israel's history,

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 just prior to Assyrian exile.

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 And it's also important to know,

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 in a moment, you'll understand why,

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 but it's important to know that he was a contemporary of Isaiah.

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 His ministry started a bit before,

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 I think 15 to 20 years before Isaiah came onto the scene.

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 But they were both together ministering to Israel

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 at the same time in the latter half of the 8th century.

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 And Hosea had a very unique calling.

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 Many of the prophets were asked to do interesting things

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 to display God's gracious call to his people.

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 Hosea's, I think, most of all.

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 He was called to live a real-life pageant

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 out in front of Israel

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 as God told him to go take a wife of Hordom,

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 a harlot.

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 One who either was that before he married her

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 or who, in marrying her,

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 he knew she would be unfaithful to him.

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 And it was meant to be a picture

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 of how Israel is with God the Father,

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 with their holy husband.

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 So let's look together at verse 2 of chapter 1 in Hosea.

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 When the Lord first spoke through Hosea,

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 the Lord said to Hosea,

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 Go take to yourself a wife of Hordom

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 and have children of Hordom,

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 for the land commits great Hordom

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 by forsaking the Lord.

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 So he went and took Gomer,

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 the daughter of Deblame,

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 and she conceived and bore him a son.

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 Now this is probably the only child

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 that he had biologically.

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 We know that because of the language

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 that she conceived and bore him a son.

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 The others were not.

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 She conceived again, verse 6,

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 and bore a daughter.

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 It doesn't say bore him a daughter,

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 it just says bore a daughter.

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 So more than likely,

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 these were children of unfaithfulness.

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 And he has three.

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 He has a son,

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 and then a daughter,

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 and then a son.

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 And God gives them prophetic names

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 that meant something significant.

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 The first was Jezreel,

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 which means to scatter.

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 The second was Lo-Ruhamah,

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 or no mercy.

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 And the third was Lo-Ami,

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 meaning not my people.

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 It seemed like such a miserable home.

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 This must have been...

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 People must have looked at this situation

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 and just shook their heads at it.

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 But they should have, right?

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 They should have looked at this situation

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 and recognized that this was a picture

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 of who they were.

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 That they had been betrothed to God,

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 and yet they betrayed Him.

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 They went out and sowed their oats

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 and had children,

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 spawned sin.

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 It was meant to be disgraceful

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 and look despicable.

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 So he has these three children.

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 And then verse 10 says,

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 Yet the number of the children of Israel

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 shall be like the sand of the sea,

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 which cannot be measured or numbered.

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 And in the place where it was said to them,

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 You are not my people,

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 it shall be said to them,

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 Children of the living God.

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 That's verse 26 in chapter 9, right?

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 That's what he's quoting.

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 You are not my people,

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 it shall be said to them,

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 Children of the living God.

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 So it continues to play out.

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 There's some action on Hosea's part.

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 His wife actually leaves him,

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 and he does some things

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 that God orders him to do,

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 some ways in which he protects her.

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 And the whole thing is meant to be a picture

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 of the way that even when

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 we're unfaithful to God,

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 he continues to be faithful to us.

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 Hosea finally goes on God's command

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 in chapter 3.

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 We won't be reading this today,

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 but he finally goes,

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 as God commands him,

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 and he buys her out of the slave market.

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 She has gotten herself into a situation

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 where she now owes so much money

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 that she's being sold as a slave.

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 And he goes and he buys her

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 for a great price.

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 A huge price.

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 When you read this,

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 it just lifts off some things.

00:15:05.720 --> 00:15:07.080
 We don't really know how much that was.

00:15:07.460 --> 00:15:09.559
 But the people in Israel understood

00:15:09.559 --> 00:15:10.819
 the price he paid for her

00:15:10.819 --> 00:15:11.799
 was immeasurable.

00:15:12.980 --> 00:15:14.519
 And it's a picture of God

00:15:14.519 --> 00:15:17.679
 buying us out of the slavery market of sin

00:15:17.679 --> 00:15:21.620
 with the immeasurable price of Christ.

00:15:22.480 --> 00:15:24.340
 It's such a cool, such a cool story.

00:15:24.340 --> 00:15:25.879
 So I want you to go back and read it

00:15:25.879 --> 00:15:27.740
 at some point later on.

00:15:28.060 --> 00:15:29.420
 But look with me in chapter 2,

00:15:29.820 --> 00:15:30.700
 at verse 14.

00:15:31.740 --> 00:15:32.080
 God says,

00:15:32.280 --> 00:15:32.920
 Therefore, behold,

00:15:33.379 --> 00:15:34.600
 I will allure her

00:15:34.600 --> 00:15:36.340
 and bring her into the wilderness

00:15:36.340 --> 00:15:38.399
 and speak tenderly to her.

00:15:38.700 --> 00:15:39.920
 And there I will give her vineyards

00:15:39.920 --> 00:15:41.200
 and make the valley of Accor

00:15:41.200 --> 00:15:42.399
 a door of hope.

00:15:42.660 --> 00:15:43.680
 And there she shall answer

00:15:43.680 --> 00:15:44.560
 as in the days of her youth,

00:15:44.639 --> 00:15:45.399
 as at the time

00:15:45.399 --> 00:15:46.500
 when she came out

00:15:46.500 --> 00:15:47.980
 of the land of Egypt.

00:15:48.220 --> 00:15:49.580
 And then skip down to verse 21.

00:15:50.000 --> 00:15:51.060
 And in that day,

00:15:51.259 --> 00:15:52.740
 I will answer,

00:15:52.840 --> 00:15:53.460
 declares the Lord,

00:15:53.460 --> 00:15:54.560
 I will answer the heavens

00:15:54.560 --> 00:15:55.780
 and they shall answer the earth.

00:15:56.040 --> 00:15:56.940
 And the earth shall answer

00:15:56.940 --> 00:15:57.440
 the grain,

00:15:57.600 --> 00:15:58.080
 the wine,

00:15:58.139 --> 00:15:58.639
 and the soil.

00:15:58.920 --> 00:16:00.180
 And they shall answer

00:16:00.180 --> 00:16:01.519
 Jezreel.

00:16:02.879 --> 00:16:04.720
 The same name of the first son,

00:16:04.920 --> 00:16:05.139
 right?

00:16:05.240 --> 00:16:06.259
 Which means to scatter,

00:16:06.379 --> 00:16:07.379
 but it also means,

00:16:07.580 --> 00:16:08.019
 in Hebrew,

00:16:08.660 --> 00:16:09.400
 to plant.

00:16:10.100 --> 00:16:10.960
 To sow.

00:16:11.180 --> 00:16:12.379
 So he flips the meaning

00:16:12.379 --> 00:16:13.300
 of the word.

00:16:13.400 --> 00:16:13.879
 Jezreel.

00:16:14.080 --> 00:16:14.800
 In verse 23,

00:16:14.940 --> 00:16:16.000
 And I will sow her

00:16:16.000 --> 00:16:16.700
 for myself

00:16:16.700 --> 00:16:17.720
 in the land.

00:16:17.900 --> 00:16:19.480
 And I will have mercy

00:16:19.480 --> 00:16:20.740
 on no mercy.

00:16:20.740 --> 00:16:21.659
 And I will say

00:16:21.659 --> 00:16:22.779
 to not my people,

00:16:23.120 --> 00:16:24.240
 you are my people.

00:16:24.399 --> 00:16:25.680
 And he shall say,

00:16:26.060 --> 00:16:27.940
 you are my God.

00:16:28.840 --> 00:16:30.560
 And there's the paraphrase

00:16:30.560 --> 00:16:32.100
 in verse 25

00:16:32.100 --> 00:16:33.560
 of chapter 9

00:16:33.560 --> 00:16:34.200
 in Romans.

00:16:34.259 --> 00:16:34.779
 And you are welcome

00:16:34.779 --> 00:16:35.519
 to flip there again

00:16:35.519 --> 00:16:36.060
 if you'd like.

00:16:37.100 --> 00:16:37.960
 But verse 25,

00:16:38.460 --> 00:16:39.220
 Paul quotes,

00:16:39.320 --> 00:16:40.139
 As indeed he says

00:16:40.139 --> 00:16:40.620
 in Hosea,

00:16:40.759 --> 00:16:41.460
 Those who were not

00:16:41.460 --> 00:16:41.980
 my people,

00:16:42.080 --> 00:16:43.080
 I will call my people.

00:16:43.879 --> 00:16:44.879
 And her who was not

00:16:44.879 --> 00:16:45.299
 beloved,

00:16:45.519 --> 00:16:46.980
 I will call beloved.

00:16:47.379 --> 00:16:47.980
 Remember our

00:16:47.980 --> 00:16:49.519
 no mercy,

00:16:49.759 --> 00:16:50.279
 our character,

00:16:51.300 --> 00:16:51.980
 his daughter,

00:16:52.440 --> 00:16:53.240
 Lo-Ruhamah.

00:16:54.240 --> 00:16:55.420
 This can also be

00:16:55.420 --> 00:16:56.460
 translated as

00:16:56.460 --> 00:16:57.240
 beloved.

00:16:58.340 --> 00:16:59.560
 So Paul is

00:16:59.560 --> 00:17:00.159
 quoting

00:17:00.159 --> 00:17:01.320
 the same,

00:17:01.639 --> 00:17:02.659
 but using a different

00:17:02.659 --> 00:17:04.420
 meaning of the Hebrew word,

00:17:04.539 --> 00:17:04.660
 a different,

00:17:04.720 --> 00:17:05.319
 a synonym,

00:17:05.700 --> 00:17:06.279
 so to speak,

00:17:06.360 --> 00:17:07.259
 of the Hebrew word.

00:17:08.140 --> 00:17:09.440
 And Paul gives us

00:17:09.440 --> 00:17:10.380
 incredible

00:17:10.380 --> 00:17:11.259
 commentary

00:17:11.259 --> 00:17:12.019
 on this.

00:17:12.019 --> 00:17:13.360
 So when we're reading this,

00:17:13.480 --> 00:17:14.279
 the Israelites are

00:17:14.279 --> 00:17:15.339
 being prophesied to

00:17:15.339 --> 00:17:15.980
 by Hosea,

00:17:16.160 --> 00:17:17.180
 and we're thinking,

00:17:17.180 --> 00:17:18.060
 okay, so God

00:17:18.060 --> 00:17:19.000
 is speaking to

00:17:19.000 --> 00:17:20.060
 the Israelites.

00:17:20.360 --> 00:17:20.900
 They have been,

00:17:21.200 --> 00:17:22.380
 they've betrayed him,

00:17:22.460 --> 00:17:23.539
 but yet he is God,

00:17:23.600 --> 00:17:24.279
 so he's calling them

00:17:24.279 --> 00:17:25.000
 back to himself.

00:17:25.240 --> 00:17:26.140
 He's going to

00:17:26.140 --> 00:17:27.620
 love them just the same.

00:17:27.720 --> 00:17:28.799
 He's a faithful God,

00:17:28.900 --> 00:17:29.860
 gracious and merciful.

00:17:30.820 --> 00:17:31.640
 His loving kindness

00:17:31.640 --> 00:17:32.299
 never ends.

00:17:32.500 --> 00:17:33.019
 This is what they're

00:17:33.019 --> 00:17:33.460
 reading here,

00:17:33.519 --> 00:17:35.340
 but Paul expands it

00:17:35.340 --> 00:17:35.860
 for us,

00:17:35.880 --> 00:17:36.240
 doesn't he?

00:17:36.420 --> 00:17:37.340
 Because what did it say

00:17:37.340 --> 00:17:39.820
 in Romans chapter 9,

00:17:39.920 --> 00:17:41.360
 verse 24?

00:17:42.400 --> 00:17:43.240
 After he has

00:17:43.240 --> 00:17:44.759
 gone on to talk about

00:17:44.759 --> 00:17:46.060
 how some vessels

00:17:46.059 --> 00:17:47.200
 are prepared for destruction

00:17:47.200 --> 00:17:48.039
 and some are prepared

00:17:48.039 --> 00:17:49.500
 for mercy,

00:17:49.639 --> 00:17:51.019
 to be this display

00:17:51.019 --> 00:17:52.559
 of God's glorious grace

00:17:52.559 --> 00:17:53.879
 to the vessels of mercy,

00:17:54.319 --> 00:17:54.519
 it says,

00:17:54.940 --> 00:17:56.059
 even us,

00:17:56.819 --> 00:17:57.579
 Paul says,

00:17:57.720 --> 00:17:59.079
 even us,

00:17:59.659 --> 00:18:00.099
 wretched,

00:18:00.359 --> 00:18:01.139
 wretched sinners,

00:18:01.559 --> 00:18:02.419
 whom he has called,

00:18:02.740 --> 00:18:03.779
 not from the Jews only,

00:18:04.279 --> 00:18:06.440
 but also from the Gentiles.

00:18:06.839 --> 00:18:07.639
 And so here we see

00:18:07.639 --> 00:18:08.559
 Paul's commentary

00:18:08.559 --> 00:18:09.319
 on Hosea

00:18:09.319 --> 00:18:10.899
 is that when God says,

00:18:10.940 --> 00:18:11.919
 those who are not

00:18:11.919 --> 00:18:12.460
 my people,

00:18:12.659 --> 00:18:13.299
 I will call

00:18:13.299 --> 00:18:14.099
 my people,

00:18:14.099 --> 00:18:15.539
 it's this great

00:18:15.539 --> 00:18:17.279
 expansion of the gospel

00:18:17.279 --> 00:18:19.159
 beyond just

00:18:19.159 --> 00:18:20.559
 the original

00:18:20.559 --> 00:18:22.299
 people of faith,

00:18:22.699 --> 00:18:23.500
 the Jews,

00:18:24.240 --> 00:18:25.279
 to the Gentiles.

00:18:26.619 --> 00:18:28.319
 The one full of the Spirit

00:18:28.319 --> 00:18:29.459
 reading Hosea

00:18:29.459 --> 00:18:30.139
 would have said,

00:18:30.319 --> 00:18:31.359
 that's awesome.

00:18:31.699 --> 00:18:32.659
 He's not just talking

00:18:32.659 --> 00:18:33.319
 about Jews.

00:18:33.439 --> 00:18:34.480
 He's talking about

00:18:34.480 --> 00:18:35.500
 the world.

00:18:36.199 --> 00:18:37.019
 The gospel now

00:18:37.019 --> 00:18:38.179
 is going to go forth

00:18:38.179 --> 00:18:39.519
 from just a people

00:18:39.519 --> 00:18:40.539
 to the people,

00:18:41.059 --> 00:18:41.759
 to peoples.

00:18:41.759 --> 00:18:42.039
 peoples.

00:18:43.779 --> 00:18:44.960
 This should cause us

00:18:44.960 --> 00:18:46.420
 to rejoice

00:18:46.420 --> 00:18:48.480
 the doctrine of election.

00:18:50.039 --> 00:18:51.200
 Seeing that the Jews

00:18:51.200 --> 00:18:52.160
 have rejected the gospel

00:18:52.160 --> 00:18:53.259
 doesn't discredit it

00:18:53.259 --> 00:18:54.579
 at all.

00:18:55.319 --> 00:18:56.079
 Because God is

00:18:56.079 --> 00:18:57.420
 sovereignly working

00:18:57.420 --> 00:18:58.400
 and calling

00:18:58.400 --> 00:19:00.559
 His people.

00:19:01.140 --> 00:19:01.259
 Right?

00:19:01.900 --> 00:19:03.240
 Verse 6 of chapter 9,

00:19:03.240 --> 00:19:04.539
 But it is not as though

00:19:04.539 --> 00:19:05.180
 the word of God

00:19:05.180 --> 00:19:05.720
 has failed,

00:19:05.839 --> 00:19:06.559
 for not all

00:19:06.559 --> 00:19:07.299
 who are descended

00:19:07.299 --> 00:19:08.059
 from Israel

00:19:08.059 --> 00:19:09.599
 belong to Israel,

00:19:09.680 --> 00:19:10.160
 and not all

00:19:10.160 --> 00:19:10.559
 who are children

00:19:10.559 --> 00:19:11.019
 of Abraham

00:19:11.019 --> 00:19:12.519
 are because they

00:19:12.519 --> 00:19:13.460
 are His offspring.

00:19:13.680 --> 00:19:14.400
 But through Isaac

00:19:14.400 --> 00:19:15.120
 shall your offspring

00:19:15.120 --> 00:19:15.920
 be named.

00:19:17.000 --> 00:19:17.799
 So we

00:19:17.799 --> 00:19:19.220
 are Israel.

00:19:20.120 --> 00:19:20.960
 We are the

00:19:20.960 --> 00:19:21.359
 descendants

00:19:21.359 --> 00:19:22.900
 of Abraham

00:19:22.900 --> 00:19:24.200
 by the Spirit.

00:19:26.079 --> 00:19:26.500
 That is

00:19:26.500 --> 00:19:27.359
 awesome,

00:19:27.599 --> 00:19:28.019
 awesome

00:19:28.019 --> 00:19:28.900
 truth.

00:19:30.380 --> 00:19:31.059
 And it goes on

00:19:31.059 --> 00:19:32.160
 in verse 29.

00:19:32.160 --> 00:19:35.460
 And as Isaiah

00:19:35.460 --> 00:19:35.900
 predicted,

00:19:36.960 --> 00:19:37.519
 concerning

00:19:37.519 --> 00:19:38.980
 the people of Israel.

00:19:39.380 --> 00:19:39.560
 Right?

00:19:39.720 --> 00:19:40.560
 I just lost my place

00:19:40.560 --> 00:19:41.060
 in my notes.

00:19:42.900 --> 00:19:43.680
 And Isaiah cries out

00:19:43.680 --> 00:19:44.180
 concerning Israel.

00:19:44.240 --> 00:19:44.560
 Excuse me,

00:19:44.600 --> 00:19:45.279
 in verse 27.

00:19:46.580 --> 00:19:48.120
 And as Isaiah cries out

00:19:48.120 --> 00:19:49.400
 concerning Israel.

00:19:49.779 --> 00:19:50.440
 So he has now

00:19:50.440 --> 00:19:51.540
 talked about the gospel

00:19:51.540 --> 00:19:53.080
 expanding to the nations.

00:19:53.600 --> 00:19:54.220
 And now he's saying,

00:19:54.440 --> 00:19:56.200
 but as Isaiah cried out

00:19:56.200 --> 00:19:57.960
 concerning Israel,

00:19:58.580 --> 00:19:59.180
 though the number

00:19:59.180 --> 00:19:59.740
 of the sons of Israel

00:19:59.740 --> 00:20:00.640
 be as the sand of the sea,

00:20:00.720 --> 00:20:01.540
 only a remnant of them

00:20:01.539 --> 00:20:02.079
 will be saved.

00:20:02.159 --> 00:20:03.180
 Where is that language

00:20:03.180 --> 00:20:03.619
 familiar?

00:20:04.480 --> 00:20:05.259
 We were just there

00:20:05.259 --> 00:20:05.700
 in Hosea,

00:20:05.759 --> 00:20:06.099
 weren't we?

00:20:06.839 --> 00:20:07.359
 Do you recall

00:20:07.359 --> 00:20:08.240
 Hosea said that the

00:20:08.240 --> 00:20:08.839
 people of Israel

00:20:08.839 --> 00:20:09.379
 should be numbered

00:20:09.379 --> 00:20:10.119
 as the sands of the sea?

00:20:11.279 --> 00:20:12.119
 Do you recall

00:20:12.119 --> 00:20:12.940
 that Hosea

00:20:12.940 --> 00:20:14.740
 was ministering

00:20:14.740 --> 00:20:16.139
 to the people

00:20:16.139 --> 00:20:16.559
 of Israel

00:20:16.559 --> 00:20:18.480
 a bit prior to

00:20:18.480 --> 00:20:19.839
 Isaiah

00:20:19.839 --> 00:20:20.599
 coming on the scene?

00:20:21.279 --> 00:20:22.079
 So Isaiah

00:20:22.079 --> 00:20:23.339
 takes this language

00:20:23.339 --> 00:20:25.119
 and clarifies

00:20:25.119 --> 00:20:25.720
 for us.

00:20:25.960 --> 00:20:26.460
 Gives us

00:20:26.460 --> 00:20:27.519
 some greater

00:20:27.519 --> 00:20:28.079
 understanding

00:20:28.079 --> 00:20:29.079
 in Isaiah chapter 10

00:20:29.079 --> 00:20:30.180
 verse 22 and 23.

00:20:30.180 --> 00:20:31.420
 For though your people

00:20:31.420 --> 00:20:31.759
 of Israel

00:20:31.759 --> 00:20:32.779
 be as the sand of the sea,

00:20:33.340 --> 00:20:34.500
 only a remnant

00:20:34.500 --> 00:20:35.120
 of them

00:20:35.120 --> 00:20:35.860
 will return.

00:20:35.960 --> 00:20:36.720
 And he's talking about

00:20:36.720 --> 00:20:37.400
 return

00:20:37.400 --> 00:20:39.180
 from Assyrian

00:20:39.180 --> 00:20:39.900
 exile.

00:20:40.380 --> 00:20:41.560
 Destruction is decreed

00:20:41.560 --> 00:20:42.340
 overflowing

00:20:42.340 --> 00:20:43.140
 with righteousness.

00:20:43.680 --> 00:20:44.299
 For the Lord

00:20:44.299 --> 00:20:44.900
 God of hosts

00:20:44.900 --> 00:20:46.259
 will make a full end

00:20:46.259 --> 00:20:47.259
 as decreed

00:20:47.259 --> 00:20:48.120
 in the midst

00:20:48.120 --> 00:20:48.680
 of all

00:20:48.680 --> 00:20:49.480
 the earth.

00:20:51.180 --> 00:20:52.039
 And as Isaiah

00:20:52.039 --> 00:20:52.519
 predicted,

00:20:53.660 --> 00:20:54.259
 verse 29,

00:20:54.400 --> 00:20:55.000
 If the Lord of hosts

00:20:55.000 --> 00:20:55.820
 had not left his offspring,

00:20:55.940 --> 00:20:56.340
 he would have been

00:20:56.340 --> 00:20:56.900
 like Sodom

00:20:56.900 --> 00:20:57.420
 and become

00:20:57.420 --> 00:20:59.920
 like Gomorrah.

00:21:00.120 --> 00:21:00.759
 Also could be

00:21:00.759 --> 00:21:01.220
 translated

00:21:01.220 --> 00:21:02.259
 survivors.

00:21:04.340 --> 00:21:05.440
 So we see

00:21:05.440 --> 00:21:06.000
 that the gospel

00:21:06.000 --> 00:21:06.780
 has expanded,

00:21:06.940 --> 00:21:07.560
 it's gone out,

00:21:07.660 --> 00:21:08.560
 gone to all the world,

00:21:08.720 --> 00:21:09.400
 and yet

00:21:09.400 --> 00:21:11.540
 has not rejected

00:21:11.540 --> 00:21:12.940
 the Israelites.

00:21:13.940 --> 00:21:15.240
 Has not rejected

00:21:15.240 --> 00:21:15.980
 the Israelites.

00:21:16.160 --> 00:21:16.900
 Paul himself,

00:21:17.380 --> 00:21:17.980
 an Israelite,

00:21:18.040 --> 00:21:18.540
 had received

00:21:18.540 --> 00:21:19.640
 the gospel of grace.

00:21:19.640 --> 00:21:23.460
 God has not

00:21:23.460 --> 00:21:24.540
 turned his back

00:21:24.540 --> 00:21:26.360
 on his original

00:21:26.360 --> 00:21:27.500
 special people.

00:21:28.520 --> 00:21:29.720
 Just that the promises

00:21:29.720 --> 00:21:30.740
 were not what they

00:21:30.740 --> 00:21:31.360
 thought

00:21:31.360 --> 00:21:32.560
 at first.

00:21:34.100 --> 00:21:35.280
 People have always

00:21:35.280 --> 00:21:36.600
 come to God

00:21:36.600 --> 00:21:38.200
 by grace alone,

00:21:38.720 --> 00:21:39.580
 through faith alone.

00:21:40.000 --> 00:21:40.420
 Always.

00:21:41.280 --> 00:21:41.840
 And now,

00:21:41.960 --> 00:21:42.780
 in Christ alone.

00:21:44.200 --> 00:21:45.180
 The people of old

00:21:45.180 --> 00:21:45.759
 were justified

00:21:45.759 --> 00:21:46.460
 before God

00:21:46.460 --> 00:21:47.280
 because of their faith.

00:21:47.380 --> 00:21:48.120
 They didn't even

00:21:48.119 --> 00:21:50.259
 understand how it was

00:21:50.259 --> 00:21:50.799
 that God would

00:21:50.799 --> 00:21:52.339
 fulfill his promises,

00:21:52.739 --> 00:21:53.859
 but they believed

00:21:53.859 --> 00:21:54.819
 that he would.

00:21:55.979 --> 00:21:56.759
 Now we know

00:21:56.759 --> 00:21:57.879
 exactly how he

00:21:57.879 --> 00:21:58.659
 fulfills his promises

00:21:58.659 --> 00:22:00.379
 in Christ.

00:22:00.559 --> 00:22:01.099
 All the promises

00:22:01.099 --> 00:22:01.939
 of God are

00:22:01.939 --> 00:22:04.000
 yes and amen.

00:22:07.339 --> 00:22:08.500
 So he hasn't

00:22:08.500 --> 00:22:10.739
 rejected Israel.

00:22:11.439 --> 00:22:11.839
 Chapter 9,

00:22:11.859 --> 00:22:12.279
 verse 6.

00:22:12.359 --> 00:22:12.599
 Again,

00:22:12.679 --> 00:22:13.199
 it's not as though

00:22:13.199 --> 00:22:13.879
 the word of God

00:22:13.879 --> 00:22:15.319
 has failed.

00:22:15.319 --> 00:22:19.220
 Shepherds

00:22:19.220 --> 00:22:21.059
 in these days

00:22:21.059 --> 00:22:22.899
 were hired hands.

00:22:24.480 --> 00:22:24.879
 A shepherd

00:22:24.879 --> 00:22:26.099
 never owned

00:22:26.099 --> 00:22:26.759
 his own sheep.

00:22:26.859 --> 00:22:27.659
 If you owned sheep,

00:22:27.720 --> 00:22:28.200
 if you had that

00:22:28.200 --> 00:22:28.740
 kind of wealth,

00:22:29.019 --> 00:22:30.299
 you hired somebody

00:22:30.299 --> 00:22:30.939
 to come along

00:22:30.939 --> 00:22:32.039
 and tend your sheep

00:22:32.039 --> 00:22:32.659
 for you.

00:22:34.159 --> 00:22:35.240
 And if a shepherd

00:22:35.240 --> 00:22:36.059
 was washing the sheep

00:22:36.059 --> 00:22:37.379
 and didn't do his job

00:22:37.379 --> 00:22:38.139
 as he should,

00:22:38.480 --> 00:22:39.399
 and one of those sheep

00:22:39.399 --> 00:22:40.439
 was carried away

00:22:40.439 --> 00:22:42.099
 by a lion,

00:22:42.559 --> 00:22:43.619
 some other threat,

00:22:43.700 --> 00:22:44.159
 a bear,

00:22:44.160 --> 00:22:45.259
 remember David

00:22:45.259 --> 00:22:46.180
 slaying both

00:22:46.180 --> 00:22:46.960
 a lion and a bear,

00:22:47.759 --> 00:22:48.640
 one of the sheep

00:22:48.640 --> 00:22:49.440
 was carried away,

00:22:50.660 --> 00:22:51.940
 they would actually

00:22:51.940 --> 00:22:53.580
 go after the remnant

00:22:53.580 --> 00:22:55.100
 of that animal.

00:22:55.519 --> 00:22:56.160
 They would try

00:22:56.160 --> 00:22:56.960
 to bring back

00:22:56.960 --> 00:22:57.720
 some piece

00:22:57.720 --> 00:22:58.259
 of the animal

00:22:58.259 --> 00:22:59.400
 to prove

00:22:59.400 --> 00:23:00.600
 to the one

00:23:00.600 --> 00:23:01.380
 who had hired them

00:23:01.380 --> 00:23:02.920
 that something

00:23:02.920 --> 00:23:03.500
 had eaten

00:23:03.500 --> 00:23:04.160
 the animal.

00:23:05.120 --> 00:23:05.680
 Not that they were

00:23:05.680 --> 00:23:06.279
 stowing away

00:23:06.279 --> 00:23:07.060
 a special flock

00:23:07.060 --> 00:23:07.779
 for themselves,

00:23:08.120 --> 00:23:09.019
 cutting out a little

00:23:09.019 --> 00:23:10.800
 of the flock

00:23:10.800 --> 00:23:11.300
 and putting it

00:23:11.300 --> 00:23:12.120
 over someplace

00:23:12.120 --> 00:23:13.279
 for their own good,

00:23:13.279 --> 00:23:13.779
 or not that they

00:23:13.779 --> 00:23:14.899
 had slaughtered

00:23:14.899 --> 00:23:15.440
 and eaten it

00:23:15.440 --> 00:23:15.920
 themselves,

00:23:16.319 --> 00:23:17.240
 but that something

00:23:17.240 --> 00:23:17.940
 had happened

00:23:17.940 --> 00:23:19.819
 and had carried

00:23:19.819 --> 00:23:21.039
 that animal

00:23:21.039 --> 00:23:21.819
 away.

00:23:22.599 --> 00:23:23.379
 Amos 3,

00:23:23.759 --> 00:23:24.639
 11 and 12.

00:23:25.440 --> 00:23:26.079
 Amos wrote,

00:23:26.079 --> 00:23:26.359
 Therefore,

00:23:26.359 --> 00:23:27.179
 thus says the Lord

00:23:27.179 --> 00:23:27.519
 God,

00:23:27.619 --> 00:23:28.379
 an adversary

00:23:28.379 --> 00:23:29.399
 shall surround

00:23:29.399 --> 00:23:29.859
 the land

00:23:29.859 --> 00:23:30.659
 and bring down

00:23:30.659 --> 00:23:31.139
 your defenses

00:23:31.139 --> 00:23:31.679
 from you,

00:23:31.939 --> 00:23:33.179
 and your strongholds

00:23:33.179 --> 00:23:34.039
 shall be plundered,

00:23:34.240 --> 00:23:34.960
 thus says the Lord.

00:23:35.319 --> 00:23:36.059
 As the shepherd

00:23:36.059 --> 00:23:37.119
 rescues from the mouth

00:23:37.119 --> 00:23:37.639
 of the lion

00:23:37.639 --> 00:23:38.480
 two legs

00:23:38.480 --> 00:23:39.319
 or a piece

00:23:39.319 --> 00:23:39.819
 of an ear,

00:23:40.240 --> 00:23:41.179
 so shall the people

00:23:41.179 --> 00:23:41.559
 of Israel

00:23:41.559 --> 00:23:42.599
 who dwell in Samaria

00:23:42.599 --> 00:23:43.279
 be rescued

00:23:43.279 --> 00:23:44.319
 with the corner

00:23:44.319 --> 00:23:45.000
 of a couch

00:23:45.000 --> 00:23:45.480
 and part

00:23:45.480 --> 00:23:46.399
 of a bed.

00:23:48.779 --> 00:23:49.259
 So,

00:23:49.439 --> 00:23:50.319
 God will,

00:23:50.480 --> 00:23:51.019
 in fact,

00:23:51.500 --> 00:23:52.419
 Jesus Christ

00:23:52.419 --> 00:23:52.819
 will,

00:23:52.939 --> 00:23:53.299
 in fact,

00:23:53.299 --> 00:23:54.680
 rescue a remnant

00:23:54.680 --> 00:23:55.480
 of Israel

00:23:55.480 --> 00:23:57.279
 to prove

00:23:57.279 --> 00:23:59.980
 that they're his

00:23:59.980 --> 00:24:00.419
 and that he did

00:24:00.419 --> 00:24:01.819
 his job well.

00:24:03.940 --> 00:24:04.419
 Now,

00:24:04.480 --> 00:24:05.119
 at this point,

00:24:06.299 --> 00:24:07.460
 so many of us,

00:24:08.059 --> 00:24:09.220
 so many of us

00:24:09.220 --> 00:24:10.960
 want to say,

00:24:11.079 --> 00:24:12.259
 but how is it fair?

00:24:12.799 --> 00:24:13.720
 How is it fair?

00:24:14.639 --> 00:24:15.599
 How is it possible

00:24:15.599 --> 00:24:16.639
 that this is the God

00:24:16.639 --> 00:24:17.519
 that we serve?

00:24:19.099 --> 00:24:19.919
 Isn't that the question

00:24:19.919 --> 00:24:20.460
 that was asked

00:24:20.460 --> 00:24:21.039
 in chapter 9,

00:24:21.079 --> 00:24:21.599
 verse 19?

00:24:21.599 --> 00:24:23.919
 You will say to me then,

00:24:24.000 --> 00:24:24.519
 why does he still

00:24:24.519 --> 00:24:24.899
 find fault?

00:24:24.980 --> 00:24:26.259
 For who can resist

00:24:26.259 --> 00:24:27.179
 his will?

00:24:28.299 --> 00:24:29.399
 Your perspective

00:24:29.399 --> 00:24:30.359
 of you

00:24:30.359 --> 00:24:31.379
 is so,

00:24:31.980 --> 00:24:33.399
 so wrong.

00:24:34.199 --> 00:24:35.699
 You have not yet

00:24:35.699 --> 00:24:37.119
 come to grips

00:24:37.119 --> 00:24:38.779
 with how holy

00:24:38.779 --> 00:24:39.579
 God is

00:24:39.579 --> 00:24:40.519
 and how very

00:24:40.519 --> 00:24:41.939
 not you are.

00:24:43.259 --> 00:24:43.839
 Mankind

00:24:43.839 --> 00:24:45.579
 is utterly

00:24:45.579 --> 00:24:46.579
 spoiled

00:24:46.579 --> 00:24:47.500
 by sin.

00:24:48.019 --> 00:24:49.159
 We inherited it

00:24:49.159 --> 00:24:49.879
 from Adam,

00:24:50.219 --> 00:24:51.480
 that original sinner,

00:24:51.599 --> 00:24:53.199
 we are the same.

00:24:53.859 --> 00:24:54.559
 We are

00:24:54.559 --> 00:24:55.519
 wretched

00:24:55.519 --> 00:24:56.740
 before God

00:24:56.740 --> 00:24:57.919
 apart from Christ.

00:24:58.759 --> 00:24:59.659
 We are as

00:24:59.659 --> 00:25:00.599
 filthy

00:25:00.599 --> 00:25:01.899
 rags.

00:25:03.219 --> 00:25:03.859
 Ask me later,

00:25:03.899 --> 00:25:04.619
 I'll explain to you

00:25:04.619 --> 00:25:05.919
 what that symbol,

00:25:06.179 --> 00:25:06.759
 that picture

00:25:06.759 --> 00:25:08.299
 is of.

00:25:09.000 --> 00:25:09.980
 Recognize that we were

00:25:09.980 --> 00:25:10.980
 created in the image

00:25:10.980 --> 00:25:11.439
 of God,

00:25:11.759 --> 00:25:12.139
 yes,

00:25:12.599 --> 00:25:13.399
 but that was

00:25:13.399 --> 00:25:14.319
 spoiled.

00:25:14.319 --> 00:25:14.460
 world.

00:25:16.259 --> 00:25:17.179
 A mirror

00:25:17.179 --> 00:25:18.519
 meant to look

00:25:18.519 --> 00:25:18.839
 at

00:25:18.839 --> 00:25:20.480
 perfect,

00:25:20.740 --> 00:25:21.359
 you've got all

00:25:21.359 --> 00:25:21.720
 these mirrors

00:25:21.720 --> 00:25:22.179
 in your house,

00:25:22.259 --> 00:25:23.000
 they're perfect,

00:25:23.339 --> 00:25:23.819
 glass,

00:25:24.079 --> 00:25:24.720
 coated with silver

00:25:24.720 --> 00:25:25.379
 on the back,

00:25:25.700 --> 00:25:26.619
 no flaw in them

00:25:26.619 --> 00:25:27.099
 whatsoever,

00:25:27.439 --> 00:25:28.299
 but sin

00:25:28.299 --> 00:25:29.599
 smashed that

00:25:29.599 --> 00:25:30.220
 mirror to pieces.

00:25:31.579 --> 00:25:32.519
 We can only see

00:25:32.519 --> 00:25:33.480
 a bit of the

00:25:33.480 --> 00:25:34.359
 reflection of God

00:25:34.359 --> 00:25:35.299
 and who we are

00:25:35.299 --> 00:25:36.279
 apart from Christ.

00:25:36.279 --> 00:25:36.399
 Christ,

00:25:36.960 --> 00:25:39.379
 you have a high

00:25:39.379 --> 00:25:40.599
 view of man

00:25:40.599 --> 00:25:41.940
 if you question

00:25:41.940 --> 00:25:43.599
 God's election.

00:25:45.500 --> 00:25:46.579
 The question you

00:25:46.579 --> 00:25:47.440
 should be asking

00:25:47.440 --> 00:25:49.319
 is why would God

00:25:49.319 --> 00:25:51.019
 save any of us?

00:25:52.059 --> 00:25:53.139
 We have all

00:25:53.139 --> 00:25:54.139
 rejected Him.

00:25:54.299 --> 00:25:55.059
 We have all stood

00:25:55.059 --> 00:25:55.920
 as His enemies.

00:25:56.139 --> 00:25:57.299
 He has set before us

00:25:57.299 --> 00:25:58.019
 a path

00:25:58.019 --> 00:25:58.819
 and we have said,

00:25:59.160 --> 00:25:59.339
 no,

00:25:59.440 --> 00:25:59.879
 I'm good.

00:26:00.820 --> 00:26:01.740
 We have said

00:26:01.740 --> 00:26:03.120
 as all sin

00:26:03.120 --> 00:26:04.060
 begins with

00:26:04.060 --> 00:26:04.980
 Satan,

00:26:05.640 --> 00:26:06.300
 Adam and Eve,

00:26:06.620 --> 00:26:07.780
 I want to be

00:26:07.780 --> 00:26:08.520
 God.

00:26:08.980 --> 00:26:09.820
 I want to be

00:26:09.820 --> 00:26:10.440
 like Him.

00:26:10.500 --> 00:26:11.020
 I want to be

00:26:11.020 --> 00:26:11.860
 the master of my

00:26:11.860 --> 00:26:12.540
 own life

00:26:12.540 --> 00:26:13.120
 and I will do

00:26:13.120 --> 00:26:14.260
 things my way.

00:26:16.240 --> 00:26:17.020
 We have tried

00:26:17.020 --> 00:26:17.600
 to set up

00:26:17.600 --> 00:26:18.860
 our own kingdoms

00:26:18.860 --> 00:26:19.800
 within the

00:26:19.800 --> 00:26:20.660
 kingdom of God.

00:26:21.100 --> 00:26:22.140
 Build armaments

00:26:22.140 --> 00:26:23.460
 up and battle

00:26:23.460 --> 00:26:24.120
 against Him.

00:26:24.620 --> 00:26:25.460
 Why would He

00:26:25.460 --> 00:26:26.060
 have mercy

00:26:26.060 --> 00:26:27.500
 on any of us?

00:26:29.880 --> 00:26:31.020
 Because He's God

00:26:31.020 --> 00:26:31.700
 is the answer.

00:26:32.440 --> 00:26:33.460
 Because He's God

00:26:33.460 --> 00:26:35.400
 and He loves us.

00:26:37.420 --> 00:26:38.240
 That's what your

00:26:38.240 --> 00:26:38.940
 mind should do.

00:26:40.120 --> 00:26:41.060
 Your mind should

00:26:41.060 --> 00:26:42.140
 be blown open

00:26:42.140 --> 00:26:42.860
 by the doctrine

00:26:42.860 --> 00:26:43.260
 of election

00:26:43.260 --> 00:26:43.980
 to the goodness

00:26:43.980 --> 00:26:44.420
 of God

00:26:44.420 --> 00:26:44.980
 towards you.

00:26:46.240 --> 00:26:46.540
 Right?

00:26:46.920 --> 00:26:48.500
 Not His unfairness

00:26:48.500 --> 00:26:49.180
 to others.

00:26:49.940 --> 00:26:50.380
 If God were

00:26:50.380 --> 00:26:51.620
 fully fair,

00:26:52.240 --> 00:26:53.100
 none of us

00:26:53.100 --> 00:26:54.220
 would be redeemed.

00:26:54.900 --> 00:26:55.640
 All of us

00:26:55.640 --> 00:26:56.460
 would be destroyed.

00:26:57.160 --> 00:26:57.760
 You hear that?

00:26:57.820 --> 00:26:58.240
 Have you ever

00:26:58.240 --> 00:26:59.520
 felt the weight

00:26:59.519 --> 00:27:01.059
 of your sin?

00:27:02.660 --> 00:27:03.079
 Read through

00:27:03.079 --> 00:27:03.480
 the scriptures

00:27:03.480 --> 00:27:04.279
 that men

00:27:04.279 --> 00:27:05.299
 who have beheld

00:27:05.299 --> 00:27:06.339
 God,

00:27:06.920 --> 00:27:07.819
 who have looked

00:27:07.819 --> 00:27:08.740
 at His holiness,

00:27:09.839 --> 00:27:10.859
 what do they say?

00:27:11.119 --> 00:27:11.680
 Whoa,

00:27:11.859 --> 00:27:12.599
 to me,

00:27:13.519 --> 00:27:13.960
 Isaiah,

00:27:14.099 --> 00:27:14.839
 I am a man

00:27:14.839 --> 00:27:16.240
 of unclean lips.

00:27:17.279 --> 00:27:18.039
 They fell

00:27:18.039 --> 00:27:19.299
 on their faces

00:27:19.299 --> 00:27:20.480
 recognizing

00:27:20.480 --> 00:27:21.420
 how insignificant

00:27:21.420 --> 00:27:22.440
 they were

00:27:22.440 --> 00:27:23.279
 in comparison.

00:27:23.279 --> 00:27:23.399
 person.

00:27:25.539 --> 00:27:26.859
 So do you have

00:27:26.859 --> 00:27:28.160
 a higher view

00:27:28.160 --> 00:27:29.019
 of yourself

00:27:29.019 --> 00:27:30.139
 and of mankind

00:27:30.139 --> 00:27:31.480
 than you should?

00:27:34.599 --> 00:27:35.579
 Now in turn,

00:27:35.879 --> 00:27:37.119
 we are humans.

00:27:37.819 --> 00:27:37.980
 Right?

00:27:38.339 --> 00:27:39.019
 We should

00:27:39.019 --> 00:27:39.819
 sympathize

00:27:39.819 --> 00:27:40.539
 with those

00:27:40.539 --> 00:27:42.220
 who are lost.

00:27:42.799 --> 00:27:43.700
 We were once

00:27:43.700 --> 00:27:44.759
 lost ourselves.

00:27:45.440 --> 00:27:45.899
 And there's

00:27:45.899 --> 00:27:47.139
 the great compulsion

00:27:47.139 --> 00:27:48.980
 for gospel spread.

00:27:49.579 --> 00:27:50.619
 There's the reason

00:27:50.619 --> 00:27:51.359
 that we get out

00:27:51.359 --> 00:27:52.479
 and we love people

00:27:52.479 --> 00:27:53.099
 and we share

00:27:53.099 --> 00:27:54.019
 the gospel with them

00:27:54.019 --> 00:27:54.599
 and we serve

00:27:54.599 --> 00:27:55.219
 their needs

00:27:55.219 --> 00:27:56.939
 because we too

00:27:56.939 --> 00:27:58.719
 were once sinners.

00:27:59.299 --> 00:27:59.939
 Because we've

00:27:59.939 --> 00:28:00.519
 experienced the

00:28:00.519 --> 00:28:01.579
 great gospel of grace

00:28:01.579 --> 00:28:02.719
 and we want others

00:28:02.719 --> 00:28:04.019
 to experience it as well.

00:28:04.419 --> 00:28:05.079
 That becomes

00:28:05.079 --> 00:28:05.639
 the compulsion.

00:28:05.799 --> 00:28:06.879
 Election drives us

00:28:06.879 --> 00:28:07.240
 to that.

00:28:07.419 --> 00:28:08.659
 It doesn't make us proud.

00:28:08.899 --> 00:28:09.619
 Rightly understood,

00:28:09.979 --> 00:28:11.219
 election never

00:28:11.219 --> 00:28:12.719
 makes you proud.

00:28:12.879 --> 00:28:13.899
 Never causes you

00:28:13.899 --> 00:28:15.000
 to sit on your hands

00:28:15.000 --> 00:28:15.979
 thinking in some way

00:28:15.979 --> 00:28:16.899
 you're God's special

00:28:16.899 --> 00:28:17.639
 chosen one.

00:28:17.919 --> 00:28:18.219
 In fact,

00:28:18.279 --> 00:28:19.459
 it should humble you.

00:28:19.559 --> 00:28:20.459
 It should put you

00:28:20.460 --> 00:28:21.160
 on your face.

00:28:21.420 --> 00:28:22.039
 It should make you

00:28:22.039 --> 00:28:22.799
 so appreciative

00:28:22.799 --> 00:28:24.240
 that all you

00:28:24.240 --> 00:28:25.039
 care about

00:28:25.039 --> 00:28:25.740
 are the things

00:28:25.740 --> 00:28:26.680
 that God cares about.

00:28:27.039 --> 00:28:27.660
 Because he has

00:28:27.660 --> 00:28:28.079
 loved you

00:28:28.079 --> 00:28:29.059
 in spite of you,

00:28:29.319 --> 00:28:30.160
 not because of you.

00:28:32.380 --> 00:28:34.220
 That is a proper view.

00:28:35.559 --> 00:28:36.620
 If you walk out

00:28:36.620 --> 00:28:37.840
 of here on any Sunday

00:28:37.840 --> 00:28:39.720
 and you are not

00:28:39.720 --> 00:28:41.539
 both abased

00:28:41.539 --> 00:28:42.440
 and gladdened,

00:28:42.480 --> 00:28:43.039
 we have failed

00:28:43.039 --> 00:28:43.799
 to preach the gospel.

00:28:45.039 --> 00:28:45.900
 Let me explain.

00:28:46.799 --> 00:28:47.759
 If you walk out

00:28:47.759 --> 00:28:48.319
 of here proud

00:28:48.319 --> 00:28:49.279
 of who you are,

00:28:50.240 --> 00:28:52.079
 we failed

00:28:52.079 --> 00:28:52.839
 to show you

00:28:52.839 --> 00:28:54.059
 who you would be

00:28:54.059 --> 00:28:55.159
 apart from Christ.

00:28:56.299 --> 00:28:57.019
 But if you don't

00:28:57.019 --> 00:28:57.480
 walk out of here

00:28:57.480 --> 00:28:58.139
 gladdened

00:28:58.139 --> 00:28:58.740
 in the good news

00:28:58.740 --> 00:28:59.460
 of Jesus Christ,

00:28:59.559 --> 00:29:00.220
 then we failed

00:29:00.220 --> 00:29:00.980
 to show you

00:29:00.980 --> 00:29:02.659
 how glorious

00:29:02.659 --> 00:29:03.799
 you now are

00:29:03.799 --> 00:29:04.460
 in Him.

00:29:06.039 --> 00:29:07.179
 What you were

00:29:07.179 --> 00:29:08.439
 was vile

00:29:08.439 --> 00:29:09.200
 and spoiled.

00:29:09.379 --> 00:29:10.139
 What you now

00:29:10.139 --> 00:29:11.319
 are in Christ

00:29:11.319 --> 00:29:12.659
 is beautiful

00:29:12.659 --> 00:29:14.179
 and perfect.

00:29:15.279 --> 00:29:16.379
 It should abase

00:29:16.380 --> 00:29:18.040
 and gladden

00:29:18.040 --> 00:29:19.440
 every Sunday.

00:29:20.120 --> 00:29:20.700
 And that's what

00:29:20.700 --> 00:29:21.500
 gives us

00:29:21.500 --> 00:29:22.700
 the motivation

00:29:22.700 --> 00:29:23.920
 and the drive

00:29:23.920 --> 00:29:25.080
 to keep going

00:29:25.080 --> 00:29:26.000
 and loving

00:29:26.000 --> 00:29:27.080
 and keep pushing

00:29:27.080 --> 00:29:28.440
 and driving

00:29:28.440 --> 00:29:29.200
 through this world

00:29:29.200 --> 00:29:30.220
 where we will suffer

00:29:30.220 --> 00:29:31.160
 if we live godly

00:29:31.160 --> 00:29:32.380
 because we remember

00:29:32.380 --> 00:29:33.620
 who we were

00:29:33.620 --> 00:29:34.640
 and now who we are

00:29:34.640 --> 00:29:35.300
 because of the great

00:29:35.300 --> 00:29:35.980
 love of God

00:29:35.980 --> 00:29:36.760
 to us.

00:29:39.260 --> 00:29:40.160
 That's what

00:29:40.160 --> 00:29:40.960
 election should do.

00:29:42.080 --> 00:29:42.340
 You know,

00:29:42.400 --> 00:29:42.900
 many people

00:29:42.900 --> 00:29:43.940
 who don't care

00:29:43.940 --> 00:29:44.519
 for the doctrine

00:29:44.519 --> 00:29:45.019
 of election

00:29:45.019 --> 00:29:46.039
 who stand

00:29:46.039 --> 00:29:46.500
 in direct

00:29:46.500 --> 00:29:47.480
 opposition to it

00:29:47.480 --> 00:29:48.539
 are those

00:29:48.539 --> 00:29:49.759
 who have experienced

00:29:49.759 --> 00:29:50.840
 Christians who do

00:29:50.840 --> 00:29:51.900
 believe in the doctrine

00:29:51.900 --> 00:29:52.380
 of election

00:29:52.380 --> 00:29:53.180
 and live

00:29:53.180 --> 00:29:54.180
 totally contrary

00:29:54.180 --> 00:29:55.279
 to it.

00:29:56.940 --> 00:29:57.840
 Please don't be

00:29:57.840 --> 00:29:58.620
 one of those people.

00:30:00.220 --> 00:30:01.460
 People need to hear

00:30:01.460 --> 00:30:02.440
 this truth

00:30:02.440 --> 00:30:04.600
 for their good

00:30:04.600 --> 00:30:06.380
 and for the great glory

00:30:06.380 --> 00:30:07.480
 of Jesus Christ.

00:30:08.900 --> 00:30:09.759
 Romans 11,

00:30:10.380 --> 00:30:11.700
 1 through 6.

00:30:11.700 --> 00:30:12.279
 I want to drive

00:30:12.279 --> 00:30:13.000
 this point again

00:30:13.000 --> 00:30:14.160
 that the Israelites

00:30:14.160 --> 00:30:15.460
 have not been

00:30:15.460 --> 00:30:16.019
 rejected.

00:30:17.340 --> 00:30:18.240
 I ask then,

00:30:18.259 --> 00:30:18.759
 and we'll talk about

00:30:18.759 --> 00:30:19.620
 this in coming weeks,

00:30:19.720 --> 00:30:20.440
 I ask then,

00:30:20.759 --> 00:30:21.600
 has God rejected

00:30:21.600 --> 00:30:22.120
 his people?

00:30:22.259 --> 00:30:23.120
 By no means.

00:30:23.180 --> 00:30:23.440
 Again,

00:30:23.519 --> 00:30:24.200
 that emphatic,

00:30:24.400 --> 00:30:24.799
 strong,

00:30:24.900 --> 00:30:25.960
 strongest Greek language,

00:30:26.160 --> 00:30:26.500
 no,

00:30:26.700 --> 00:30:26.920
 no,

00:30:26.980 --> 00:30:27.120
 no,

00:30:27.200 --> 00:30:27.440
 no,

00:30:27.519 --> 00:30:27.740
 no,

00:30:27.799 --> 00:30:28.279
 he's not.

00:30:28.539 --> 00:30:29.360
 For I myself

00:30:29.360 --> 00:30:30.200
 am an Israelite,

00:30:30.299 --> 00:30:30.980
 a descendant of Abraham,

00:30:31.100 --> 00:30:31.840
 a member of the tribe

00:30:31.840 --> 00:30:32.279
 of Benjamin.

00:30:32.819 --> 00:30:33.519
 God has not rejected

00:30:33.519 --> 00:30:34.120
 his people whom

00:30:34.120 --> 00:30:34.700
 he foreknew.

00:30:35.039 --> 00:30:35.660
 Do you not know

00:30:35.660 --> 00:30:36.200
 what the scripture

00:30:36.200 --> 00:30:37.000
 says of Elijah,

00:30:37.120 --> 00:30:37.920
 how he appeals

00:30:37.920 --> 00:30:38.920
 to God against Israel?

00:30:39.340 --> 00:30:39.640
 Lord,

00:30:39.720 --> 00:30:40.039
 they have killed

00:30:40.039 --> 00:30:40.500
 your prophets,

00:30:40.700 --> 00:30:41.240
 they have demolished

00:30:41.240 --> 00:30:41.759
 your altars,

00:30:41.839 --> 00:30:43.019
 and I alone am left,

00:30:43.200 --> 00:30:44.359
 and they seek my life.

00:30:44.620 --> 00:30:45.319
 But what is God's

00:30:45.319 --> 00:30:45.980
 reply to him?

00:30:46.079 --> 00:30:46.519
 I have kept

00:30:46.519 --> 00:30:47.299
 for myself

00:30:47.299 --> 00:30:48.500
 7,000 men

00:30:48.500 --> 00:30:49.420
 who have not

00:30:49.420 --> 00:30:50.000
 bowed the knee

00:30:50.000 --> 00:30:50.440
 to Baal.

00:30:50.759 --> 00:30:51.440
 So too at this

00:30:51.440 --> 00:30:52.079
 present time

00:30:52.079 --> 00:30:52.920
 there is a remnant

00:30:52.920 --> 00:30:53.940
 chosen by grace.

00:30:54.220 --> 00:30:55.400
 But if it is by grace,

00:30:55.460 --> 00:30:56.220
 it is no longer

00:30:56.220 --> 00:30:57.160
 on the base of works,

00:30:57.259 --> 00:30:58.059
 otherwise grace

00:30:58.059 --> 00:30:59.400
 would no longer

00:30:59.400 --> 00:31:00.319
 be grace.

00:31:00.700 --> 00:31:01.400
 So you see here,

00:31:01.660 --> 00:31:02.299
 you have Elijah

00:31:02.299 --> 00:31:03.599
 that cries out to God,

00:31:03.880 --> 00:31:04.779
 destroy Israel.

00:31:05.299 --> 00:31:06.319
 I'm the only one left

00:31:06.319 --> 00:31:06.819
 that hasn't bowed

00:31:06.819 --> 00:31:07.240
 the knee to Baal.

00:31:07.319 --> 00:31:08.200
 You destroy them

00:31:08.200 --> 00:31:09.380
 because they deserve it.

00:31:09.380 --> 00:31:10.520
 And God says,

00:31:11.020 --> 00:31:11.640
 wait a second,

00:31:11.760 --> 00:31:11.980
 Elijah,

00:31:12.100 --> 00:31:13.000
 I've actually preserved

00:31:13.000 --> 00:31:14.180
 for myself a remnant.

00:31:14.620 --> 00:31:16.000
 I'm still working

00:31:16.000 --> 00:31:17.340
 with my people.

00:31:18.280 --> 00:31:19.040
 So recognize

00:31:19.040 --> 00:31:19.700
 that that's the truth.

00:31:19.940 --> 00:31:20.360
 What does he say

00:31:20.360 --> 00:31:20.820
 there at the end?

00:31:21.160 --> 00:31:22.340
 If it's by grace,

00:31:22.700 --> 00:31:23.620
 it is no longer

00:31:23.620 --> 00:31:25.140
 on the basis of works.

00:31:25.600 --> 00:31:26.260
 And so secondly,

00:31:26.560 --> 00:31:27.820
 and finally today,

00:31:28.200 --> 00:31:29.300
 the unbelief of Israel,

00:31:30.560 --> 00:31:31.500
 their large rejection,

00:31:32.380 --> 00:31:33.220
 is consistent

00:31:33.220 --> 00:31:34.520
 with God's provision,

00:31:34.660 --> 00:31:36.160
 his way of salvation.

00:31:36.400 --> 00:31:37.320
 That's what I mean by that.

00:31:37.319 --> 00:31:39.059
 I had to get the P

00:31:39.059 --> 00:31:40.359
 to fit in there.

00:31:40.859 --> 00:31:42.339
 But with his way

00:31:42.339 --> 00:31:43.079
 of salvation.

00:31:43.639 --> 00:31:44.259
 And we see that

00:31:44.259 --> 00:31:46.419
 in verse 30 through 33.

00:31:46.759 --> 00:31:47.919
 That's been a little while

00:31:47.919 --> 00:31:48.399
 since we read it,

00:31:48.419 --> 00:31:49.659
 so let's read it together again.

00:31:50.839 --> 00:31:51.639
 What shall we say then

00:31:51.639 --> 00:31:52.359
 that Gentiles

00:31:52.359 --> 00:31:53.399
 who did not pursue righteousness

00:31:53.399 --> 00:31:54.159
 have attained it?

00:31:54.799 --> 00:31:55.599
 That is a righteousness

00:31:55.599 --> 00:31:56.379
 that is by faith.

00:31:56.879 --> 00:31:57.460
 But that Israel

00:31:57.460 --> 00:31:58.339
 who pursued a law

00:31:58.339 --> 00:31:59.299
 that would lead to righteousness

00:31:59.299 --> 00:32:00.240
 did not succeed

00:32:00.240 --> 00:32:01.119
 in reaching the law?

00:32:01.679 --> 00:32:02.079
 Why?

00:32:02.659 --> 00:32:03.399
 Because they did not

00:32:03.399 --> 00:32:04.460
 pursue it by faith.

00:32:04.720 --> 00:32:05.399
 But as if it were

00:32:05.399 --> 00:32:06.179
 based on works,

00:32:06.180 --> 00:32:06.840
 they have stumbled

00:32:06.840 --> 00:32:07.880
 over the stumbling stone

00:32:07.880 --> 00:32:08.580
 as it is written,

00:32:08.700 --> 00:32:09.120
 Behold,

00:32:09.519 --> 00:32:10.380
 I am laying in Zion

00:32:10.380 --> 00:32:11.580
 a stone of stumbling

00:32:11.580 --> 00:32:12.920
 and a rock of offense.

00:32:12.980 --> 00:32:13.960
 And whoever believes in him

00:32:13.960 --> 00:32:16.840
 will not be put to shame.

00:32:17.180 --> 00:32:18.940
 There's a continuing drive

00:32:18.940 --> 00:32:20.259
 throughout the book

00:32:20.259 --> 00:32:21.060
 of Romans.

00:32:22.019 --> 00:32:23.539
 Justification by faith,

00:32:23.680 --> 00:32:24.440
 not by works.

00:32:24.560 --> 00:32:25.799
 Justification by faith,

00:32:26.060 --> 00:32:26.820
 not by works.

00:32:27.100 --> 00:32:27.799
 The law

00:32:27.799 --> 00:32:30.160
 is a righteous picture.

00:32:30.360 --> 00:32:31.440
 It's meant to be

00:32:31.440 --> 00:32:32.160
 the way

00:32:32.160 --> 00:32:34.340
 those of faith live.

00:32:34.339 --> 00:32:36.480
 We can't do it

00:32:36.480 --> 00:32:37.619
 apart from the grace of God.

00:32:38.619 --> 00:32:39.859
 It was fulfilled

00:32:39.859 --> 00:32:41.139
 in Christ.

00:32:41.919 --> 00:32:42.819
 Jesus starts the Sermon

00:32:42.819 --> 00:32:43.179
 on the Mount

00:32:43.179 --> 00:32:43.939
 out that way.

00:32:44.339 --> 00:32:44.519
 Right?

00:32:44.919 --> 00:32:45.939
 He didn't come to abolish

00:32:45.939 --> 00:32:46.220
 the law,

00:32:46.299 --> 00:32:47.099
 but to fulfill

00:32:47.099 --> 00:32:47.939
 the law.

00:32:48.759 --> 00:32:50.000
 It's in him

00:32:50.000 --> 00:32:51.019
 is the yes

00:32:51.019 --> 00:32:51.559
 and the amen.

00:32:52.659 --> 00:32:52.879
 Right?

00:32:53.099 --> 00:32:54.259
 And the Jews

00:32:54.259 --> 00:32:55.059
 were zealous

00:32:55.059 --> 00:32:56.500
 in their pursuit of God,

00:32:56.759 --> 00:32:57.500
 but they missed

00:32:57.500 --> 00:32:58.199
 the point.

00:32:58.899 --> 00:32:59.339
 Right?

00:32:59.500 --> 00:33:00.459
 They missed the point.

00:33:00.559 --> 00:33:00.980
 The law

00:33:00.980 --> 00:33:01.679
 was meant

00:33:01.679 --> 00:33:03.000
 to point them

00:33:03.000 --> 00:33:03.619
 to Christ.

00:33:03.900 --> 00:33:05.180
 The sacrificial system,

00:33:05.319 --> 00:33:06.480
 when they betrayed the law,

00:33:06.519 --> 00:33:07.460
 was meant to show them

00:33:07.460 --> 00:33:07.900
 the need

00:33:07.900 --> 00:33:08.940
 of a final

00:33:08.940 --> 00:33:10.500
 and ultimate sacrifice,

00:33:10.779 --> 00:33:12.019
 but they missed it.

00:33:12.500 --> 00:33:12.720
 Right?

00:33:12.839 --> 00:33:13.740
 Their hearts

00:33:13.740 --> 00:33:14.420
 were darkened

00:33:14.420 --> 00:33:15.079
 and they thought

00:33:15.079 --> 00:33:16.500
 somehow that they had

00:33:16.500 --> 00:33:18.359
 the patent on God,

00:33:18.500 --> 00:33:19.400
 that they owned him.

00:33:19.559 --> 00:33:20.279
 They thought

00:33:20.279 --> 00:33:21.400
 they were God's manager.

00:33:23.400 --> 00:33:24.880
 They missed the point.

00:33:25.259 --> 00:33:25.420
 So,

00:33:26.200 --> 00:33:27.240
 it's by faith,

00:33:28.180 --> 00:33:28.859
 grace alone,

00:33:29.000 --> 00:33:29.660
 through faith alone,

00:33:29.839 --> 00:33:30.819
 and Christ alone,

00:33:31.640 --> 00:33:32.079
 forever,

00:33:32.079 --> 00:33:32.599
 right?

00:33:32.720 --> 00:33:34.000
 As our song says.

00:33:34.939 --> 00:33:35.220
 And so,

00:33:35.319 --> 00:33:36.319
 they stumble

00:33:36.319 --> 00:33:38.519
 over the stumbling stone.

00:33:38.639 --> 00:33:39.240
 Isaiah 8,

00:33:39.319 --> 00:33:40.279
 14 and 15.

00:33:41.799 --> 00:33:42.359
 And he will become

00:33:42.359 --> 00:33:42.939
 a sanctuary

00:33:42.939 --> 00:33:44.419
 and a stone of offense

00:33:44.419 --> 00:33:45.439
 and a rock of stumbling

00:33:45.439 --> 00:33:46.879
 to both houses of Israel,

00:33:47.240 --> 00:33:48.480
 a trap and a snare

00:33:48.480 --> 00:33:49.099
 to the inhabitants

00:33:49.099 --> 00:33:49.639
 of Jerusalem,

00:33:50.139 --> 00:33:51.579
 and many shall stumble on it.

00:33:51.799 --> 00:33:52.559
 They shall fall

00:33:52.559 --> 00:33:53.099
 and be broken.

00:33:53.319 --> 00:33:54.619
 They shall be snared

00:33:54.619 --> 00:33:55.500
 and taken.

00:33:56.480 --> 00:33:56.960
 Also,

00:33:57.419 --> 00:33:58.659
 Isaiah 28, 16.

00:33:58.799 --> 00:33:59.039
 Therefore,

00:33:59.179 --> 00:33:59.879
 thus says the Lord God,

00:33:59.939 --> 00:34:00.339
 Behold,

00:34:00.339 --> 00:34:01.099
 I am the one

00:34:01.099 --> 00:34:02.000
 who's laid a foundation

00:34:02.000 --> 00:34:02.919
 in Zion,

00:34:03.019 --> 00:34:03.639
 a stone,

00:34:04.019 --> 00:34:05.039
 a tested stone,

00:34:05.439 --> 00:34:06.899
 a precious cornerstone

00:34:06.899 --> 00:34:08.440
 of a sure foundation.

00:34:08.819 --> 00:34:09.819
 Whoever believes

00:34:09.819 --> 00:34:11.559
 will not be in haste

00:34:11.559 --> 00:34:13.559
 or will not be disappointed

00:34:13.559 --> 00:34:16.599
 or will not be put to shame.

00:34:17.199 --> 00:34:18.420
 In all ways,

00:34:18.519 --> 00:34:20.880
 that word can be translated

00:34:20.880 --> 00:34:22.299
 from the Hebrew.

00:34:22.300 --> 00:34:24.320
 So,

00:34:24.320 --> 00:34:26.080
 Christ himself

00:34:26.080 --> 00:34:27.680
 is the cornerstone,

00:34:28.120 --> 00:34:30.220
 the necessary element,

00:34:30.740 --> 00:34:33.280
 the way that was laid out

00:34:33.280 --> 00:34:34.660
 that all things be built

00:34:34.660 --> 00:34:35.580
 around him.

00:34:35.640 --> 00:34:36.300
 That's the purpose

00:34:36.300 --> 00:34:37.100
 that the cornerstone

00:34:37.100 --> 00:34:37.780
 served

00:34:37.780 --> 00:34:39.220
 in building

00:34:39.220 --> 00:34:40.140
 in this time.

00:34:41.100 --> 00:34:42.120
 Extremely valuable.

00:34:42.240 --> 00:34:42.760
 Without it,

00:34:42.800 --> 00:34:43.840
 the whole building

00:34:43.840 --> 00:34:44.480
 would fall.

00:34:44.580 --> 00:34:45.840
 And Christ is that cornerstone.

00:34:46.060 --> 00:34:46.260
 Yet,

00:34:46.320 --> 00:34:46.760
 for those

00:34:46.760 --> 00:34:47.440
 who think

00:34:47.440 --> 00:34:48.200
 they can reach

00:34:48.200 --> 00:34:48.820
 God

00:34:48.820 --> 00:34:50.059
 by works,

00:34:51.180 --> 00:34:52.059
 as they're pursuing

00:34:52.059 --> 00:34:52.920
 God in works,

00:34:53.260 --> 00:34:53.920
 Christ is laid

00:34:53.920 --> 00:34:54.539
 in front of them

00:34:54.539 --> 00:34:56.220
 and they fall over him

00:34:56.220 --> 00:34:57.600
 and they're crushed.

00:34:57.800 --> 00:34:58.640
 They're destroyed

00:34:58.640 --> 00:34:59.860
 because they're works.

00:34:59.960 --> 00:35:00.620
 That's ultimately

00:35:00.620 --> 00:35:02.160
 what all of our works

00:35:02.160 --> 00:35:04.080
 are going to buy us.

00:35:05.080 --> 00:35:06.160
 But our faith

00:35:06.160 --> 00:35:06.920
 in Christ

00:35:06.920 --> 00:35:09.080
 buys us eternity

00:35:09.080 --> 00:35:10.120
 with him.

00:35:11.180 --> 00:35:12.059
 Romans chapter 4.

00:35:12.140 --> 00:35:12.780
 We're going to go back

00:35:12.780 --> 00:35:13.700
 and I want to re-read

00:35:13.699 --> 00:35:14.539
 to you

00:35:14.539 --> 00:35:17.000
 the argument

00:35:17.000 --> 00:35:17.539
 he makes

00:35:17.539 --> 00:35:18.379
 concerning Abraham.

00:35:18.779 --> 00:35:19.019
 So,

00:35:19.779 --> 00:35:21.539
 so Abraham

00:35:21.539 --> 00:35:22.899
 was given a command

00:35:22.899 --> 00:35:25.859
 to get up and go,

00:35:25.939 --> 00:35:26.480
 leave his people,

00:35:26.559 --> 00:35:27.500
 to go to a promised land.

00:35:27.579 --> 00:35:28.519
 He was given a promise

00:35:28.519 --> 00:35:29.239
 that God would bless

00:35:29.239 --> 00:35:30.099
 the nations in him.

00:35:31.099 --> 00:35:32.059
 It would seem

00:35:32.059 --> 00:35:33.939
 in reading the narrative

00:35:33.939 --> 00:35:34.759
 without any commentary

00:35:34.759 --> 00:35:35.239
 whatsoever

00:35:35.239 --> 00:35:36.899
 that it was Abraham's

00:35:36.899 --> 00:35:37.460
 obedience,

00:35:37.879 --> 00:35:38.779
 his working

00:35:38.779 --> 00:35:41.119
 that was the value.

00:35:41.539 --> 00:35:41.619
 Right?

00:35:41.619 --> 00:35:43.719
 But it was his faith

00:35:43.719 --> 00:35:44.960
 that justified him.

00:35:45.119 --> 00:35:45.719
 It was his faith

00:35:45.719 --> 00:35:46.259
 in believing

00:35:46.259 --> 00:35:47.400
 in the promises of God.

00:35:48.359 --> 00:35:49.059
 The working,

00:35:49.199 --> 00:35:49.659
 the getting up

00:35:49.659 --> 00:35:50.239
 and the going

00:35:50.239 --> 00:35:52.699
 was the result.

00:35:52.799 --> 00:35:53.519
 It was the action.

00:35:53.639 --> 00:35:54.839
 It was the evidence

00:35:54.839 --> 00:35:56.059
 of his faith.

00:35:56.859 --> 00:35:57.380
 His willingness

00:35:57.380 --> 00:35:58.619
 to sacrifice

00:35:58.619 --> 00:35:59.359
 his own son

00:35:59.359 --> 00:36:00.239
 was the evidence

00:36:00.239 --> 00:36:00.960
 of the fact

00:36:00.960 --> 00:36:01.920
 that he believed God.

00:36:02.279 --> 00:36:02.920
 He believed

00:36:02.920 --> 00:36:03.839
 that God was going

00:36:03.839 --> 00:36:04.659
 to bless the nations

00:36:04.659 --> 00:36:05.099
 in him,

00:36:05.539 --> 00:36:06.400
 that his offspring

00:36:06.400 --> 00:36:06.859
 were going to be

00:36:06.859 --> 00:36:07.619
 as the stars,

00:36:09.019 --> 00:36:09.559
 but yet God

00:36:09.559 --> 00:36:10.079
 was calling him

00:36:10.079 --> 00:36:11.480
 to kill his only

00:36:11.480 --> 00:36:12.579
 son.

00:36:14.139 --> 00:36:15.039
 He believed

00:36:15.039 --> 00:36:15.619
 that God was going

00:36:15.619 --> 00:36:16.199
 to do the thing

00:36:16.199 --> 00:36:16.719
 he said he was going

00:36:16.719 --> 00:36:16.980
 to do,

00:36:17.039 --> 00:36:17.360
 and therefore

00:36:17.360 --> 00:36:18.840
 the taking of Isaac

00:36:18.840 --> 00:36:19.900
 and his apparent

00:36:19.900 --> 00:36:20.960
 willingness to kill

00:36:20.960 --> 00:36:21.599
 his son at God's

00:36:21.599 --> 00:36:22.619
 command was the

00:36:22.619 --> 00:36:24.019
 evidence of the faith,

00:36:24.099 --> 00:36:24.820
 but it was the faith

00:36:24.820 --> 00:36:26.420
 that justified him.

00:36:26.619 --> 00:36:27.719
 So, look with me

00:36:27.719 --> 00:36:28.639
 at chapter 4.

00:36:29.820 --> 00:36:30.820
 What then shall we say

00:36:30.820 --> 00:36:32.079
 was gained by Abraham,

00:36:32.159 --> 00:36:32.820
 our forefather

00:36:32.820 --> 00:36:33.880
 according to the flesh?

00:36:34.659 --> 00:36:35.420
 For if Abraham

00:36:35.420 --> 00:36:36.820
 was justified by works,

00:36:37.240 --> 00:36:38.059
 he has something

00:36:38.059 --> 00:36:38.920
 to boast about,

00:36:39.300 --> 00:36:40.539
 but not before God.

00:36:40.539 --> 00:36:41.340
 For what does

00:36:41.340 --> 00:36:42.420
 the scripture say?

00:36:43.059 --> 00:36:44.360
 Abraham believed God,

00:36:44.599 --> 00:36:45.219
 and it was counted

00:36:45.219 --> 00:36:46.800
 to him as righteousness.

00:36:47.619 --> 00:36:48.360
 Now to the one

00:36:48.360 --> 00:36:48.920
 who works,

00:36:49.000 --> 00:36:49.779
 his wages are not

00:36:49.779 --> 00:36:50.759
 counted as a gift,

00:36:50.840 --> 00:36:51.699
 but as his due.

00:36:52.119 --> 00:36:52.599
 And to the one

00:36:52.599 --> 00:36:53.579
 who does not work,

00:36:53.639 --> 00:36:54.739
 but believes in him

00:36:54.739 --> 00:36:56.320
 who justifies the ungodly,

00:36:56.699 --> 00:36:57.779
 his faith is counted

00:36:57.779 --> 00:36:58.619
 as righteousness.

00:36:59.199 --> 00:36:59.759
 Just as David

00:36:59.759 --> 00:37:00.380
 also speaks

00:37:00.380 --> 00:37:00.840
 of the blessing

00:37:00.840 --> 00:37:01.239
 of the one

00:37:01.239 --> 00:37:01.659
 to whom God

00:37:01.659 --> 00:37:02.320
 counts righteousness

00:37:02.320 --> 00:37:03.219
 apart from works.

00:37:03.800 --> 00:37:04.599
 Blessed are those

00:37:04.599 --> 00:37:05.340
 whose lawless deeds

00:37:05.340 --> 00:37:05.840
 are forgiven,

00:37:06.000 --> 00:37:06.699
 and whose sins

00:37:06.699 --> 00:37:07.219
 are covered.

00:37:07.219 --> 00:37:08.619
 Blessed is the man

00:37:08.619 --> 00:37:09.579
 against whom the Lord

00:37:09.579 --> 00:37:11.379
 will not count his sin.

00:37:12.519 --> 00:37:13.519
 Is this blessing

00:37:13.519 --> 00:37:15.099
 then only for the circumcised

00:37:15.099 --> 00:37:17.239
 or also for the uncircumcised?

00:37:17.719 --> 00:37:18.779
 We say that faith

00:37:18.779 --> 00:37:19.619
 was counted to Abraham

00:37:19.619 --> 00:37:20.480
 as righteousness.

00:37:21.279 --> 00:37:22.299
 How then was it counted

00:37:22.299 --> 00:37:22.699
 to him?

00:37:22.959 --> 00:37:23.819
 Was it before

00:37:23.819 --> 00:37:25.139
 or after he had been

00:37:25.139 --> 00:37:25.819
 circumcised?

00:37:25.959 --> 00:37:26.439
 Which is a work.

00:37:26.599 --> 00:37:27.139
 You get that, right?

00:37:27.239 --> 00:37:28.239
 Circumcision would be a work.

00:37:29.199 --> 00:37:30.719
 It was not after,

00:37:31.019 --> 00:37:31.919
 but before

00:37:31.919 --> 00:37:33.239
 he was circumcised.

00:37:33.619 --> 00:37:34.579
 He received the sign

00:37:34.579 --> 00:37:35.119
 of circumcision

00:37:35.119 --> 00:37:35.739
 as a seal

00:37:35.739 --> 00:37:36.279
 of the righteousness

00:37:36.279 --> 00:37:37.319
 that he had by faith

00:37:37.319 --> 00:37:38.139
 while he was still

00:37:38.139 --> 00:37:39.079
 uncircumcised.

00:37:39.400 --> 00:37:40.019
 The purpose was

00:37:40.019 --> 00:37:40.539
 to make him

00:37:40.539 --> 00:37:41.440
 the father of all

00:37:41.440 --> 00:37:41.920
 who believe

00:37:41.920 --> 00:37:43.139
 without being circumcised

00:37:43.139 --> 00:37:44.179
 so that righteousness

00:37:44.179 --> 00:37:44.960
 would be counted

00:37:44.960 --> 00:37:46.079
 to them as well.

00:37:46.480 --> 00:37:47.039
 And to make him

00:37:47.039 --> 00:37:48.359
 the father of the circumcised

00:37:48.359 --> 00:37:49.059
 who were not merely

00:37:49.059 --> 00:37:49.779
 circumcised,

00:37:49.859 --> 00:37:51.139
 but who also walked

00:37:51.139 --> 00:37:51.779
 in the footsteps

00:37:51.779 --> 00:37:52.500
 of the faith

00:37:52.500 --> 00:37:53.759
 that our father Abraham

00:37:53.759 --> 00:37:55.239
 had before

00:37:55.239 --> 00:37:56.679
 he was circumcised.

00:37:57.039 --> 00:37:58.359
 So you're catching that?

00:37:59.440 --> 00:38:00.299
 Interject in there

00:38:00.299 --> 00:38:02.059
 anything he did

00:38:02.059 --> 00:38:03.719
 as a result of his faith.

00:38:03.719 --> 00:38:06.799
 It wasn't his works

00:38:06.799 --> 00:38:07.839
 that justified him

00:38:07.839 --> 00:38:08.459
 before God.

00:38:08.919 --> 00:38:11.439
 It was his faith.

00:38:13.000 --> 00:38:15.579
 Ephesians 2, 18-21

00:38:15.579 --> 00:38:18.679
 Through him being Jesus,

00:38:18.839 --> 00:38:20.319
 we both have access

00:38:20.319 --> 00:38:21.480
 in one spirit

00:38:21.480 --> 00:38:22.759
 to the Father.

00:38:23.259 --> 00:38:24.199
 So then you are no longer

00:38:24.199 --> 00:38:25.039
 strangers and aliens,

00:38:25.119 --> 00:38:26.099
 but you are fellow citizens

00:38:26.099 --> 00:38:26.719
 with the saints

00:38:26.719 --> 00:38:27.359
 and members

00:38:27.359 --> 00:38:28.459
 of the household of God

00:38:28.459 --> 00:38:29.859
 built on the foundation

00:38:29.859 --> 00:38:30.659
 of the apostles

00:38:30.659 --> 00:38:31.579
 and prophets.

00:38:32.179 --> 00:38:33.259
 Christ Jesus himself

00:38:33.260 --> 00:38:34.400
 being the cornerstone

00:38:34.400 --> 00:38:35.720
 in whom the whole structure

00:38:35.720 --> 00:38:37.120
 being joined together

00:38:37.120 --> 00:38:39.280
 grows into a holy temple

00:38:39.280 --> 00:38:40.380
 in the Lord.

00:38:43.160 --> 00:38:44.620
 I want to answer

00:38:44.620 --> 00:38:46.640
 all of your questions.

00:38:47.280 --> 00:38:48.660
 I have some answers

00:38:48.660 --> 00:38:49.440
 to some questions,

00:38:49.580 --> 00:38:50.480
 but there are so many

00:38:50.480 --> 00:38:51.620
 that I cannot answer.

00:38:52.580 --> 00:38:53.580
 How it is

00:38:53.580 --> 00:38:54.720
 that this tension exists

00:38:54.720 --> 00:38:56.100
 between God's sovereignty

00:38:56.100 --> 00:38:57.260
 and man's responsibility

00:38:57.780 --> 00:38:58.880
 is beyond me.

00:39:00.040 --> 00:39:00.760
 And let me tell you,

00:39:00.760 --> 00:39:02.300
 it's beyond anybody

00:39:02.300 --> 00:39:04.300
 who claims they understand it.

00:39:05.220 --> 00:39:06.920
 No one understands it.

00:39:06.940 --> 00:39:08.400
 The scripture doesn't speak to it

00:39:08.400 --> 00:39:09.540
 in its completion.

00:39:10.580 --> 00:39:11.360
 For us,

00:39:11.420 --> 00:39:12.500
 it's to accept

00:39:12.500 --> 00:39:14.660
 both of those truths.

00:39:15.720 --> 00:39:17.000
 God sovereignly elects his people.

00:39:17.580 --> 00:39:18.340
 He calls them.

00:39:19.000 --> 00:39:20.160
 He regenerates them.

00:39:20.660 --> 00:39:21.940
 He causes them

00:39:21.940 --> 00:39:23.400
 to believe in him.

00:39:24.220 --> 00:39:26.000
 Yet we are held accountable

00:39:26.000 --> 00:39:27.880
 for our faith.

00:39:27.880 --> 00:39:29.519
 If we do not place

00:39:29.519 --> 00:39:30.700
 our faith in Jesus Christ,

00:39:30.980 --> 00:39:32.940
 we are condemned.

00:39:33.700 --> 00:39:34.500
 But if we do,

00:39:35.579 --> 00:39:37.400
 we are glorified.

00:39:39.240 --> 00:39:41.260
 We hold the responsibility.

00:39:41.860 --> 00:39:43.119
 This doctrine is not meant

00:39:43.119 --> 00:39:44.539
 to discourage your faith.

00:39:44.619 --> 00:39:45.880
 It's meant to encourage it.

00:39:46.980 --> 00:39:48.280
 If you have affections

00:39:48.280 --> 00:39:49.420
 that are moving towards God,

00:39:49.539 --> 00:39:50.820
 that's not natural.

00:39:51.940 --> 00:39:54.900
 Your flesh does not desire God.

00:39:54.900 --> 00:39:57.360
 But if you're being moved

00:39:57.360 --> 00:39:58.079
 towards him,

00:39:58.380 --> 00:39:59.539
 you can rest

00:39:59.539 --> 00:40:00.579
 that he is at work

00:40:00.579 --> 00:40:01.400
 in your life.

00:40:02.740 --> 00:40:03.180
 Repent.

00:40:03.860 --> 00:40:04.300
 Believe.

00:40:05.320 --> 00:40:07.220
 Do that for the first time today

00:40:07.220 --> 00:40:08.099
 if you never have.

00:40:08.599 --> 00:40:09.480
 Do it again

00:40:09.480 --> 00:40:10.539
 and again

00:40:10.539 --> 00:40:11.500
 and again

00:40:11.500 --> 00:40:12.680
 if you ever have.

00:40:14.139 --> 00:40:15.760
 The answer to everybody,

00:40:16.099 --> 00:40:17.619
 to all of our problems,

00:40:18.160 --> 00:40:18.840
 is repent.

00:40:19.340 --> 00:40:19.880
 Believe.

00:40:20.240 --> 00:40:21.000
 Turn from your sin.

00:40:21.340 --> 00:40:22.039
 Turn to God.

00:40:22.039 --> 00:40:24.599
 He's the only one

00:40:24.599 --> 00:40:26.079
 that can put us back

00:40:26.079 --> 00:40:27.360
 in right relationship

00:40:27.360 --> 00:40:28.559
 with him.

00:40:30.059 --> 00:40:31.320
 We remind you

00:40:31.320 --> 00:40:33.579
 that this doctrine

00:40:33.579 --> 00:40:35.699
 does some very specific

00:40:35.699 --> 00:40:37.320
 practical things for us.

00:40:38.880 --> 00:40:39.400
 Specifically,

00:40:40.179 --> 00:40:41.259
 it serves as a comfort

00:40:41.259 --> 00:40:41.940
 to our souls.

00:40:42.480 --> 00:40:43.659
 I was just talking about this.

00:40:43.719 --> 00:40:45.119
 Romans 8, 31.

00:40:45.500 --> 00:40:46.519
 What then shall we say

00:40:46.519 --> 00:40:47.039
 to these things?

00:40:47.039 --> 00:40:48.199
 If God is for us,

00:40:48.300 --> 00:40:49.779
 who can be against us?

00:40:51.039 --> 00:40:52.259
 If we are gods,

00:40:52.659 --> 00:40:54.679
 who can stand against God?

00:40:55.440 --> 00:40:56.539
 It should comfort your soul

00:40:56.539 --> 00:40:57.320
 in any trouble

00:40:57.320 --> 00:40:58.480
 you may experience.

00:40:59.119 --> 00:40:59.259
 Right?

00:40:59.599 --> 00:41:00.900
 It could be the very words

00:41:00.900 --> 00:41:01.579
 you need to speak

00:41:01.579 --> 00:41:02.719
 to somebody around you

00:41:02.719 --> 00:41:03.579
 that may be experiencing

00:41:03.579 --> 00:41:04.380
 something difficult.

00:41:04.920 --> 00:41:05.840
 If God is for you,

00:41:06.039 --> 00:41:07.300
 who can be against you?

00:41:07.360 --> 00:41:08.360
 You are His.

00:41:10.559 --> 00:41:11.619
 It should cause us

00:41:11.619 --> 00:41:13.099
 to praise God.

00:41:13.099 --> 00:41:15.900
 If we are humbled,

00:41:16.799 --> 00:41:17.839
 properly humbled,

00:41:18.440 --> 00:41:20.539
 because of who God is,

00:41:21.719 --> 00:41:22.339
 we will be moved

00:41:22.339 --> 00:41:22.960
 to praise Him.

00:41:23.500 --> 00:41:24.179
 If we understand

00:41:24.179 --> 00:41:24.880
 who we are

00:41:24.880 --> 00:41:25.699
 apart from Him,

00:41:26.059 --> 00:41:28.860
 we will praise His name.

00:41:29.639 --> 00:41:30.559
 Remember that Paul

00:41:30.559 --> 00:41:32.159
 is moving this entire argument

00:41:32.159 --> 00:41:33.440
 to the end of chapter 11

00:41:33.440 --> 00:41:35.799
 to this beautiful doxology.

00:41:36.480 --> 00:41:38.139
 It's a glorious doxology.

00:41:38.139 --> 00:41:38.859
 Oh,

00:41:38.980 --> 00:41:40.420
 the depths of the riches

00:41:40.420 --> 00:41:41.039
 and wisdom

00:41:41.039 --> 00:41:42.099
 and knowledge of God!

00:41:42.539 --> 00:41:43.480
 How unsearchable

00:41:43.480 --> 00:41:44.079
 are His judgments

00:41:44.079 --> 00:41:45.079
 and how inscrutable

00:41:45.079 --> 00:41:45.819
 His ways!

00:41:46.199 --> 00:41:46.859
 For who has known

00:41:46.859 --> 00:41:47.460
 the mind of the Lord

00:41:47.460 --> 00:41:48.059
 or who has been

00:41:48.059 --> 00:41:48.699
 His counselor

00:41:48.699 --> 00:41:49.679
 or who has given

00:41:49.679 --> 00:41:50.599
 a gift to Him

00:41:50.599 --> 00:41:51.900
 that He might be repaid?

00:41:52.299 --> 00:41:53.219
 For from Him

00:41:53.219 --> 00:41:54.239
 and to Him

00:41:54.239 --> 00:41:55.319
 and through Him

00:41:55.319 --> 00:41:56.400
 are all things.

00:41:56.500 --> 00:41:57.900
 To Him be glory forever.

00:41:58.480 --> 00:41:58.859
 Amen.

00:41:59.719 --> 00:42:00.759
 That's where your heart

00:42:00.759 --> 00:42:01.379
 should be

00:42:01.379 --> 00:42:02.460
 as you consider

00:42:02.460 --> 00:42:03.099
 these things.

00:42:03.099 --> 00:42:07.380
 It should also

00:42:07.380 --> 00:42:09.039
 encourage us

00:42:09.039 --> 00:42:11.019
 to evangelism.

00:42:12.860 --> 00:42:14.039
 I told you the story

00:42:14.039 --> 00:42:15.639
 of how I'm

00:42:15.639 --> 00:42:17.219
 trying to be a hunter

00:42:17.219 --> 00:42:20.139
 a couple of weeks ago

00:42:20.139 --> 00:42:21.259
 and I don't really

00:42:21.259 --> 00:42:22.759
 I've not killed anything yet

00:42:22.759 --> 00:42:23.339
 so I think I'm going to

00:42:23.339 --> 00:42:23.679
 kill someone

00:42:23.679 --> 00:42:24.500
 before I call myself

00:42:24.500 --> 00:42:24.839
 a hunter.

00:42:25.319 --> 00:42:25.819
 But I've been trying

00:42:25.819 --> 00:42:26.400
 and I've actually been

00:42:26.400 --> 00:42:27.659
 hunting here on this property.

00:42:28.119 --> 00:42:28.559
 There's some deer

00:42:28.559 --> 00:42:29.199
 that move on it

00:42:29.199 --> 00:42:31.279
 and I told you

00:42:31.279 --> 00:42:32.440
 that if God

00:42:32.440 --> 00:42:33.400
 guaranteed

00:42:33.400 --> 00:42:34.679
 how something

00:42:34.679 --> 00:42:35.099
 would happen

00:42:35.099 --> 00:42:35.659
 like He said

00:42:35.659 --> 00:42:35.960
 listen

00:42:35.960 --> 00:42:37.220
 you go in those woods

00:42:37.220 --> 00:42:37.980
 you're coming out

00:42:37.980 --> 00:42:38.300
 with a deer

00:42:38.300 --> 00:42:38.940
 I promise you

00:42:38.940 --> 00:42:39.380
 this morning

00:42:39.380 --> 00:42:39.720
 you're going to

00:42:39.720 --> 00:42:40.200
 drag it out.

00:42:40.300 --> 00:42:40.800
 I would be so

00:42:40.800 --> 00:42:41.539
 encouraged to go.

00:42:42.980 --> 00:42:43.880
 But when I wake up

00:42:43.880 --> 00:42:44.559
 at 5 o'clock

00:42:44.559 --> 00:42:45.079
 in the morning

00:42:45.079 --> 00:42:45.900
 wondering

00:42:45.900 --> 00:42:47.440
 if I should get up

00:42:47.440 --> 00:42:47.780
 and go

00:42:47.780 --> 00:42:48.800
 I'm kind of

00:42:48.800 --> 00:42:49.619
 trying to hack

00:42:49.619 --> 00:42:50.519
 the stuff out

00:42:50.519 --> 00:42:51.000
 of my lungs

00:42:51.000 --> 00:42:51.519
 and trying to get

00:42:51.519 --> 00:42:52.320
 ready for the day

00:42:52.320 --> 00:42:53.360
 and get going

00:42:53.360 --> 00:42:54.139
 and it's kind of like

00:42:54.139 --> 00:42:55.320
 I really want to

00:42:55.320 --> 00:42:56.019
 go sit in the woods

00:42:56.019 --> 00:42:56.619
 for an hour

00:42:56.619 --> 00:42:58.039
 before dark.

00:42:58.800 --> 00:42:59.440
 I really want

00:42:59.440 --> 00:43:00.139
 to go do that.

00:43:00.860 --> 00:43:01.780
 If there was a guarantee

00:43:01.780 --> 00:43:02.620
 that I'd get the deer

00:43:02.620 --> 00:43:02.980
 that morning

00:43:02.980 --> 00:43:04.140
 I would definitely go.

00:43:05.780 --> 00:43:06.740
 This last Friday

00:43:06.740 --> 00:43:07.320
 I was sitting

00:43:07.320 --> 00:43:08.120
 in the woods

00:43:08.120 --> 00:43:08.940
 and hadn't been sitting

00:43:08.940 --> 00:43:09.820
 for more than

00:43:09.820 --> 00:43:10.460
 5 minutes.

00:43:11.000 --> 00:43:11.560
 I was sitting

00:43:11.560 --> 00:43:12.260
 in a blind

00:43:12.260 --> 00:43:12.840
 on the ground

00:43:12.840 --> 00:43:14.660
 and I wasn't there

00:43:14.660 --> 00:43:15.540
 more than 5 minutes

00:43:15.540 --> 00:43:16.360
 and a buck

00:43:16.360 --> 00:43:16.980
 walked out

00:43:16.980 --> 00:43:17.860
 right next to me

00:43:17.860 --> 00:43:19.220
 and I didn't hear it

00:43:19.220 --> 00:43:19.500
 until it was

00:43:19.500 --> 00:43:20.000
 right next to me

00:43:20.000 --> 00:43:20.820
 so all I can figure

00:43:20.820 --> 00:43:21.260
 is that it was

00:43:21.260 --> 00:43:21.900
 bedded down

00:43:21.900 --> 00:43:22.980
 in the ditch

00:43:22.980 --> 00:43:23.600
 behind the tree

00:43:23.600 --> 00:43:24.640
 I was sitting against.

00:43:24.900 --> 00:43:25.840
 I heard 3 steps

00:43:25.840 --> 00:43:26.280
 and it was standing

00:43:26.280 --> 00:43:26.820
 right here

00:43:26.820 --> 00:43:28.720
 and it walked around

00:43:28.720 --> 00:43:29.400
 in front of me

00:43:29.400 --> 00:43:30.240
 I mean my feet

00:43:30.240 --> 00:43:30.560
 were out

00:43:30.559 --> 00:43:31.299
 straight in front

00:43:31.299 --> 00:43:31.500
 of me

00:43:31.500 --> 00:43:32.320
 and I probably

00:43:32.320 --> 00:43:33.019
 could have scooted

00:43:33.019 --> 00:43:33.599
 and kicked it.

00:43:34.559 --> 00:43:35.400
 It was that close

00:43:35.400 --> 00:43:36.159
 it was right there

00:43:36.159 --> 00:43:37.400
 and I won't tell you

00:43:37.400 --> 00:43:38.119
 the rest of the story

00:43:38.119 --> 00:43:39.059
 for the sake of time

00:43:39.059 --> 00:43:40.059
 I didn't kill the deer

00:43:40.059 --> 00:43:40.880
 it was really dark

00:43:40.880 --> 00:43:41.880
 and it got scared

00:43:41.880 --> 00:43:42.299
 by a truck

00:43:42.299 --> 00:43:42.820
 and ran away

00:43:42.820 --> 00:43:45.940
 but if I could

00:43:45.940 --> 00:43:46.920
 guarantee that again

00:43:46.920 --> 00:43:49.199
 like if I knew

00:43:49.199 --> 00:43:50.599
 that tomorrow morning

00:43:50.599 --> 00:43:51.119
 when I'm planning

00:43:51.119 --> 00:43:51.900
 on getting back out there

00:43:51.900 --> 00:43:52.820
 that that was definitely

00:43:52.820 --> 00:43:53.639
 going to happen again

00:43:53.639 --> 00:43:55.659
 I would go right?

00:43:56.119 --> 00:43:56.940
 I'm motivated

00:43:56.940 --> 00:43:58.039
 to see this happen

00:43:58.039 --> 00:43:59.519
 I would sit down

00:43:59.519 --> 00:44:00.239
 at the base of the tree

00:44:00.239 --> 00:44:01.400
 with my bow drawn

00:44:01.400 --> 00:44:02.440
 because that would have

00:44:02.440 --> 00:44:03.279
 been an easy shot

00:44:03.279 --> 00:44:04.320
 right?

00:44:04.679 --> 00:44:05.960
 So knowing that God

00:44:05.960 --> 00:44:06.460
 has people

00:44:06.460 --> 00:44:07.139
 and God intends

00:44:07.139 --> 00:44:07.619
 to call them

00:44:07.619 --> 00:44:08.019
 and he's going

00:44:08.019 --> 00:44:08.559
 to do it

00:44:08.559 --> 00:44:09.320
 should motivate us

00:44:09.320 --> 00:44:09.759
 to go

00:44:09.759 --> 00:44:11.119
 experience him

00:44:11.119 --> 00:44:11.840
 by seeing him

00:44:11.840 --> 00:44:13.420
 fulfill his plan

00:44:13.420 --> 00:44:14.800
 be part of

00:44:14.800 --> 00:44:17.099
 his redemptive purposes

00:44:17.099 --> 00:44:18.139
 chapter 10

00:44:18.139 --> 00:44:20.079
 verse 14 and 15

00:44:20.079 --> 00:44:20.519
 here's

00:44:20.519 --> 00:44:21.420
 recall

00:44:21.420 --> 00:44:22.500
 this isn't random

00:44:22.500 --> 00:44:23.239
 this isn't like

00:44:23.239 --> 00:44:25.019
 10, 14 and 15

00:44:25.019 --> 00:44:25.619
 let's pull it out

00:44:25.619 --> 00:44:26.179
 of its context

00:44:26.179 --> 00:44:26.719
 what has Paul

00:44:26.719 --> 00:44:27.340
 been talking about?

00:44:27.340 --> 00:44:28.140
 he's been talking about

00:44:28.140 --> 00:44:28.980
 the sovereign election

00:44:28.980 --> 00:44:29.500
 of God

00:44:29.500 --> 00:44:30.300
 right?

00:44:30.420 --> 00:44:30.780
 that's

00:44:30.780 --> 00:44:31.680
 it's consistent

00:44:31.680 --> 00:44:33.400
 that some of Israel

00:44:33.400 --> 00:44:34.420
 was meant to reject him

00:44:34.420 --> 00:44:35.380
 so that the Gentiles

00:44:35.380 --> 00:44:36.059
 can be brought in

00:44:36.059 --> 00:44:36.640
 he says

00:44:36.640 --> 00:44:37.380
 how will they call on him

00:44:37.380 --> 00:44:38.400
 in whom they have not believed

00:44:38.400 --> 00:44:39.460
 and how are they to believe

00:44:39.460 --> 00:44:40.559
 in him of whom they have

00:44:40.559 --> 00:44:41.280
 never heard

00:44:41.280 --> 00:44:42.519
 and how are they to hear

00:44:42.519 --> 00:44:44.019
 without someone preaching

00:44:44.019 --> 00:44:45.260
 and how are they to preach

00:44:45.260 --> 00:44:47.000
 unless they are sent

00:44:47.000 --> 00:44:48.140
 as it is written

00:44:48.140 --> 00:44:49.600
 how beautiful are the feet

00:44:49.600 --> 00:44:50.440
 of those who preach

00:44:50.440 --> 00:44:51.260
 the good news

00:44:51.260 --> 00:44:53.720
 Paul himself recognizes

00:44:53.720 --> 00:44:55.200
 that God uses means

00:44:55.200 --> 00:44:56.079
 for his end

00:44:56.079 --> 00:44:57.279
 and guess what church

00:44:57.279 --> 00:44:57.980
 we're the means

00:44:57.980 --> 00:45:00.259
 God loves us enough

00:45:00.259 --> 00:45:01.299
 to include us

00:45:01.299 --> 00:45:02.940
 in his master plan

00:45:02.940 --> 00:45:04.460
 it's glorious

00:45:04.460 --> 00:45:06.659
 and all of these things

00:45:06.659 --> 00:45:08.039
 are a result

00:45:08.039 --> 00:45:08.960
 of our affections

00:45:08.960 --> 00:45:09.579
 being moved

00:45:09.579 --> 00:45:10.259
 towards God

00:45:10.259 --> 00:45:11.739
 this great joy

00:45:11.739 --> 00:45:12.739
 that we have

00:45:12.739 --> 00:45:13.319
 as a result

00:45:13.319 --> 00:45:14.079
 of God's

00:45:15.079 --> 00:45:16.819
 unfounded love

00:45:16.819 --> 00:45:18.159
 in our own being

00:45:18.159 --> 00:45:20.159
 poured out upon us

00:45:20.159 --> 00:45:21.019
 immeasurably

00:45:21.019 --> 00:45:22.039
 for us

00:45:22.039 --> 00:45:23.380
 that will motivate

00:45:23.380 --> 00:45:24.860
 the proper living

00:45:24.860 --> 00:45:26.440
 that we need

00:45:26.440 --> 00:45:27.800
 to glorify him

00:45:27.800 --> 00:45:28.980
 let's pray together

00:45:28.980 --> 00:45:30.480
 God bless you

00:45:30.480 --> 00:45:31.099
 God bless you

00:45:31.099 --> 00:45:32.219
 God bless you

00:45:32.219 --> 00:45:33.900
 God bless you

00:45:33.900 --> 00:45:33.900


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