WEBVTT

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 Let me pray for us.

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 Our Father and our Lord, we thank you that we can come and open your word.

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 And we ask, Lord, that by your spirit you will speak to each and every one of us.

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 Father, might you show us things that we might already know,

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 but might you illumine it and make it new and fresh for each of us.

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 We ask in Jesus' name. Amen.

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 Okay, well, Elsa Piper is an Australian writer.

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 And she was intrigued by the concept of individuals being made right with God

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 by walking the Pilgrim's Walk in Spain.

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 Walking 1,200 kilometres is all it takes.

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 Every time you pass through a village, you get a stamp to say that you've walked through.

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 And when you get to the end, voila, your sins are forgiven.

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 And you are classed as righteous before God.

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 Now, this story intrigued me.

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 It's a book that I heard about and read with great enthusiasm.

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 Here is a woman who didn't know if there was a God.

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 Well, she wasn't certain what constitutes a sin, if in fact there were such things as sins.

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 And if there were such things as sins, she wasn't absolutely sure that there was a God

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 who was going to do something about removing those sins.

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 But nonetheless, Elsa blogged and she said on her blog that she was happy to carry the sins of other people

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 and she would do the walk for them.

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 She'd walk the 1,200 kilometres.

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 And in that, they would have their sins removed from them.

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 Now, many people contacted her.

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 They confessed their sins to her.

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 Some of them confessed.

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 It was the very first time that they'd ever confessed their secret sins to another person.

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 And so she promised that she would walk the pilgrim's walk.

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 But interestingly enough, in the book, she never felt the need to confess her own sins.

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 It was actually carrying other people's, which I found quite fascinating.

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 And so she decided to do that.

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 But to do justice to the fact that she was carrying the sins of other people,

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 she decided that what she would do is read the page of sins or pages of sins every day.

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 Just in case there was a God, and if there was a God, that he would, in fact, deal with those sins

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 and see that she was dealing with them in an appropriate way, and hence God would then forgive the people.

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 Now, the intended result would be owners would be released of the sins.

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 And let me say, it's an exercise that is not new.

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 It has happened for many, many years with the Catholic Church, and it's called Buying Indulgences.

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 Now, it's nothing new that people believe that they have to do something for God to see them as righteous,

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 without sin, and therefore just as if they had never committed any sins at all.

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 Am I knocking all the time?

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 What is it exactly?

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 My earring, maybe?

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 So sorry, folks.

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 Just remind me I only have one earring on later.

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 Now, as many of you know, you know, sort of over the years, I've loved talking to people about Jesus.

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 And it's easy sometimes to understand where a person is at in their relationship to Jesus by asking a couple of questions.

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 Now, I'm not being judgmental of the people when I say this,

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 but if I asked a hypothetical question of why would God let you into his heaven,

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 then often the answer will be, I haven't murdered anybody.

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 I have kept the Ten Commandments.

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 I'm a nice guy and I do good deeds.

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 That would be the very, very common answer that people would give me.

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 And so then they would think that they could actually enter into heaven.

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 But like the author walking the pilgrim's trail in Spain,

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 and many others walking the trail, I might add,

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 there was even, Vanda reminded me today, we've seen a movie of this same thing,

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 walking the trail called The Way.

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 A very fascinating movie for anybody who wants to see it.

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 But there are many, many people who feel that doing good things,

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 being a good person, a nice person, will earn their way to God.

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 That is nothing new.

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 Now, when we look at Romans up to this point,

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 Paul's focus has been on the power of the gospel for all people who are locked in their sin,

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 and they are under sentence of God's wrath.

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 Sam preached about that a couple of weeks ago.

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 And we learned that through the preaching of the gospel,

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 God invites all people, Jew and Gentile alike,

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 to believe in Christ and enter into this new relationship with him.

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 And chapters 5 and 8, where we get to 5 now,

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 chapters 5 and 8 is where we see Paul tie it all together,

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 righteousness by faith with a future hope.

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 That's sort of the umbrella between 5 to 8 in Romans.

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 Now, in these 11 verses of chapter 5,

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 our attention is turning not to only the blessings that come from those who are in Christ,

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 but also these verses give us a picture of what it looks like to be one of Christ's people.

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 Verse 1 tells us we have been justified through faith.

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 The word here is a legal word,

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 and it's meaning that our debt has been cleared.

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 So that when we respond to the gospel in faith,

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 God declares us innocent,

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 and our relationship with him begins straight away.

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 It's as if we had not sinned.

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 Now, in Jewish theology, justification and its opposite, condemnation,

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 they were verdicts that would be delivered, they believed,

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 only on the day of judgment,

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 not something that one could experience now.

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 Don't get me wrong, though.

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 The day of judgment will actually occur.

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 Romans tells us that very clearly.

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 But being justified, Paul is saying,

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 is both now and it's in the future.

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 And now but not yet, as we say.

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 And Paul is asserting that God is justifying us.

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 He has already pronounced his verdict over us in doing so.

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 It neither can be rescinded, and it cannot be changed.

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 True, we still need to face God

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 and have our case disposed of on judgment day.

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 But we can face that day with utter confidence.

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 Since God in Christ has already decided our case in our favor,

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 justification releases us from any uncertainty or fear about that judgment.

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 We're justified through faith.

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 That is a radical thought.

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 Contemporary Judaism believed that a man was right with God

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 based on the works of the law.

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 Just like the pilgrim walking in Spain,

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 the thought was and continues to be

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 that people instinctively think that salvation

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 depends on human goodness and self-effort.

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 Look with me at Romans 3.20.

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 Therefore, no one will be declared righteous in his sight

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 by observing the law.

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 Rather, through the law, we become conscious of sin.

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 Verses 23.24.

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 For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God

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 and are justified by his grace

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 through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus.

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 28 says,

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 For we maintain that a man is justified by faith

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 apart from observing the law.

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 And of course, Ephesians 2.8.

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 For it is by grace alone you have been saved through faith.

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 And this is not by works so that no one can boast.

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 Now, don't you find scripture absolutely amazing?

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 Because just in case you think that being saved

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 has anything to do with about how faithful you are,

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 how many people you might financially support,

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 how kind you might be to everyone around you,

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 how many ministries you might get involved in,

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 be they here at church or elsewhere,

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 being saved has nothing to do with anything

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 that you have done or will do

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 so that you can't boast.

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 How God understands us so clearly

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 that we innately would want to take some credit.

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 But clearly we're told that it's not about us

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 and that we can't boast.

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 I find scripture quite fascinating

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 with things so clear as that,

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 to know what we are like as people,

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 that we would want to actually take that credit.

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 But righteousness comes from God,

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 depends on his grace.

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 Arising from faith, not works,

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 is a great surprise.

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 And because God has declared those who have faith in him

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 to be right with him,

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 we therefore have peace.

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 Now, we all want peace.

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 People want to be at peace with themselves

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 and they want to rest in peace.

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 World peace is called for,

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 mainly in pageants, I feel,

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 and in Miss Congeniality.

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 Poems are written, songs are sung,

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 and, you know, sort of,

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 we know that that's what people call for.

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 We pray for peace.

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 Yet no ultimate peace is possible

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 for those who are searching for it

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 without coming to terms with God first.

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 Peace here has two aspects.

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 First is the peace of God.

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 And in a sense of security and serenity

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 that wells up in our hearts

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 when we appreciate the blessings that we enjoy in Christ.

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 We read in the verse in Philippians 4-7,

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 and we often say it in church here

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 at the end of our services,

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 and the peace of God,

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 which transcends all understanding,

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 will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

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 But it's the second aspect

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 that Paul is referring to in verse 1,

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 which is peace with God.

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 The position we find ourselves in

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 because God has ceased to be hostile toward us

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 and has reconciled us to himself.

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 Verse 10 says,

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 For if, when we were God's enemies,

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 we were reconciled to him

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 through the death of his son,

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 how much more, having been reconciled,

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 shall we be saved through his life?

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 There existed a state of war

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 between God and ourselves

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 before any of us were made right before him.

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 That is, we were enemies of God.

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 We distrusted God and we resented God.

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 But now, for those who believe,

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 there is a peace,

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 but not a passive peace,

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 a mere absence of conflict,

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 but positive, harmonious,

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 and loving relationships with God

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 that he himself has initiated

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 through Jesus Christ our Lord.

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 Ephesians 2.14 tells us that Christ himself

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 is our peace.

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 And because we can have peace with God,

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 we can then enjoy the peace of God

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 that passes all understanding.

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 But the blessings of being justified with God

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 continue beyond peace.

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 We also have access to God

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 through faith into his grace.

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 This grace reminds us

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 that God intervenes on our behalf

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 of his rebellious creation

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 out of his own free will

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 and without obligation.

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 We not only get into relationship

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 with God by grace,

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 but we live out that relationship

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 day by day by day by God's grace.

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 The daily provision that we enjoy

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 comes not from our hard work,

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 but from God,

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 who has chosen in his grace to bless us.

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 So whatever good that we might accomplish

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 each day

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 comes because God has graciously worked through us.

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 We stand in grace,

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 as our verse tells us.

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 And we rejoice in the hope

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 of the glory of God.

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 We read that this hope

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 will not disappoint us,

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 meaning that we will not be disappointed

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 or ashamed on the day of judgment.

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 Our claim that God will rescue us

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 from God's wrath

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 will someday be vindicated.

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 God will do what he has promised to do.

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 How can we be sure?

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 Well, Paul gives us two basic reasons.

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 One is that God's love for us in Christ

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 and the second one is God's work for us in Christ.

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 God does not hold back his love to us

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 in any way whatsoever.

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 He pours out his love

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 into our hearts by his spirit

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 and the Holy Spirit

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 communicates God's love to us.

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 Verse 8 says,

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 but God demonstrates his own love for us

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 in that while we were still sinners,

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 Christ died for us.

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 The emphasis in this verse

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 is on the fact that we were still sinners

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 when Christ died for us.

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 You see, the wonder isn't that Christ should die for us,

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 but that he should do so

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 while we were powerless,

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 while we were ungodly,

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 while we were rebellious sinners,

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 while we were enemies of God.

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 He didn't die for his friends.

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 He died for his enemies.

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 He died for those who crucified him

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 and he died for you and for me.

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 So we have a hope

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 because of God's love for us,

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 but also because of God's work for us in Christ.

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 Since we have now been justified by his blood,

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 how much more shall we be saved

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 from God's wrath through him?

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 For if when we were God's enemies,

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 we were reconciled to him

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 through the death of his son,

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 how much more, having been reconciled,

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 shall we be saved through his life?

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 Not only is this so,

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 but we also rejoice in God

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 through our Lord Jesus Christ,

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 through whom we have received reconciliation.

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 We are to rejoice in the hope of Jesus,

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 but we're also to rejoice in our suffering.

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 In verse 3, it says,

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 not only so,

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 but we also rejoice in our sufferings

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 because we know that suffering produces perseverance,

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 perseverance produces character,

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 character produces hope.

00:18:04.279 --> 00:18:06.399
 And hope does not disappoint us

00:18:06.399 --> 00:18:09.460
 because God has poured out his love

00:18:09.460 --> 00:18:12.339
 into our hearts by the Holy Spirit

00:18:12.339 --> 00:18:14.299
 whom he has given us.

00:18:14.299 --> 00:18:15.940
 Boy, oh boy,

00:18:16.099 --> 00:18:18.539
 how many times have I wished

00:18:18.539 --> 00:18:22.419
 that verses talking about suffering

00:18:22.419 --> 00:18:24.779
 did not exist in the Bible.

00:18:26.220 --> 00:18:27.799
 At first glance,

00:18:28.519 --> 00:18:30.099
 there seems to be a contradiction.

00:18:30.940 --> 00:18:33.980
 We've seen that peace is given in Christ Jesus

00:18:33.980 --> 00:18:36.919
 and now we see that suffering is expected

00:18:36.919 --> 00:18:38.319
 and what's more,

00:18:38.659 --> 00:18:40.000
 we're to rejoice in it.

00:18:40.000 --> 00:18:43.299
 Let me say straight up,

00:18:44.099 --> 00:18:47.619
 these verses and the others in the Bible

00:18:47.619 --> 00:18:49.059
 that talk about suffering

00:18:49.059 --> 00:18:52.720
 are not saying that we must be happy

00:18:52.720 --> 00:18:53.940
 with our suffering.

00:18:55.119 --> 00:18:58.859
 No, it's about a joy and a confidence

00:18:58.859 --> 00:19:00.759
 in Jesus Christ

00:19:00.759 --> 00:19:04.019
 and a knowing that God is sovereign

00:19:04.019 --> 00:19:05.480
 in all things

00:19:05.480 --> 00:19:08.640
 and is working out his purposes.

00:19:10.640 --> 00:19:12.620
 Now, I have experienced

00:19:12.620 --> 00:19:15.099
 a great deal of personal suffering,

00:19:15.779 --> 00:19:18.940
 which I can't go into at this moment in time,

00:19:19.000 --> 00:19:22.960
 but one day I will share my testimony,

00:19:23.259 --> 00:19:26.500
 which is really our whole family's testimony.

00:19:26.500 --> 00:19:29.779
 And really,

00:19:30.119 --> 00:19:32.940
 suffering still continues day by day

00:19:32.940 --> 00:19:35.779
 in various ways.

00:19:38.220 --> 00:19:41.839
 But I knew this week

00:19:41.839 --> 00:19:43.299
 when I was preparing this

00:19:43.299 --> 00:19:46.420
 that I needed

00:19:46.420 --> 00:19:49.500
 to preach these words to myself

00:19:49.500 --> 00:19:52.380
 over and over and over again

00:19:52.380 --> 00:19:55.000
 before I had the right

00:19:55.000 --> 00:19:57.220
 to stand up in front of you

00:19:57.220 --> 00:19:59.180
 and to encourage you

00:19:59.180 --> 00:20:01.560
 to persevere in any suffering

00:20:01.560 --> 00:20:02.860
 that you might be going through.

00:20:03.020 --> 00:20:05.060
 I actually had to own these words

00:20:05.060 --> 00:20:06.520
 and believe the truths

00:20:06.520 --> 00:20:07.840
 of these words myself.

00:20:09.400 --> 00:20:11.460
 Sufferings are not an end

00:20:11.460 --> 00:20:12.700
 in themselves,

00:20:13.100 --> 00:20:14.220
 for they nurture

00:20:14.220 --> 00:20:16.560
 something inside of us.

00:20:16.560 --> 00:20:18.320
 They nurture a peace

00:20:18.320 --> 00:20:19.720
 and a patience.

00:20:19.720 --> 00:20:22.480
 As active people,

00:20:22.960 --> 00:20:24.519
 we want to change things.

00:20:25.079 --> 00:20:25.740
 And especially,

00:20:25.980 --> 00:20:27.120
 we'd like to change

00:20:27.120 --> 00:20:28.940
 the unpleasant circumstances.

00:20:29.799 --> 00:20:31.640
 So this patience and endurance

00:20:31.640 --> 00:20:33.240
 does not come easy

00:20:33.240 --> 00:20:34.400
 for any person.

00:20:35.319 --> 00:20:37.180
 The word that Paul uses here

00:20:37.180 --> 00:20:38.720
 comes from the world

00:20:38.720 --> 00:20:39.740
 of the blacksmith,

00:20:40.420 --> 00:20:41.740
 where it was used

00:20:41.740 --> 00:20:43.079
 for hammering

00:20:43.079 --> 00:20:47.000
 of the red-hot horseshoe

00:20:47.000 --> 00:20:48.100
 or plough

00:20:48.099 --> 00:20:49.859
 where they are shaping it

00:20:49.859 --> 00:20:50.759
 and testing it

00:20:50.759 --> 00:20:51.619
 on the anvil.

00:20:52.419 --> 00:20:53.240
 This shaping

00:20:53.240 --> 00:20:54.559
 and testing

00:20:54.559 --> 00:20:56.319
 engenders hope

00:20:56.319 --> 00:20:57.899
 that is the hope

00:20:57.899 --> 00:20:59.659
 of the glory of God.

00:21:00.480 --> 00:21:01.819
 Where do I go

00:21:01.819 --> 00:21:02.899
 when I suffer?

00:21:03.419 --> 00:21:05.240
 I go to the cross of Jesus

00:21:05.240 --> 00:21:06.319
 and hope

00:21:06.319 --> 00:21:06.939
 that,

00:21:07.419 --> 00:21:08.419
 and the hope

00:21:08.419 --> 00:21:09.679
 that comes in knowing

00:21:09.679 --> 00:21:11.419
 that I have a saviour

00:21:11.419 --> 00:21:13.259
 who in verse 6

00:21:13.259 --> 00:21:14.059
 tells me

00:21:14.059 --> 00:21:15.279
 he died

00:21:15.279 --> 00:21:16.619
 for the ungodly.

00:21:16.619 --> 00:21:18.500
 That is you and me.

00:21:18.939 --> 00:21:20.079
 It is God's

00:21:20.079 --> 00:21:21.359
 unconditional love

00:21:21.359 --> 00:21:22.959
 and his solution

00:21:22.959 --> 00:21:23.939
 that I cling to.

00:21:24.939 --> 00:21:25.759
 And when I go

00:21:25.759 --> 00:21:26.399
 to the cross,

00:21:26.519 --> 00:21:27.219
 it is God

00:21:27.219 --> 00:21:28.399
 who is glorified

00:21:28.399 --> 00:21:29.659
 because of Jesus.

00:21:30.439 --> 00:21:32.099
 To turn to Jesus

00:21:32.099 --> 00:21:33.659
 and the cross

00:21:33.659 --> 00:21:34.979
 is a choice

00:21:34.979 --> 00:21:36.759
 of each and every one of us

00:21:36.759 --> 00:21:38.679
 when we have suffering

00:21:38.679 --> 00:21:39.899
 in our lives

00:21:39.899 --> 00:21:40.859
 and also

00:21:40.859 --> 00:21:42.119
 just in the everyday,

00:21:42.879 --> 00:21:43.899
 day-to-day living.

00:21:43.900 --> 00:21:45.960
 But we're not alone.

00:21:47.180 --> 00:21:48.340
 That verse tells us

00:21:48.340 --> 00:21:48.860
 that we have

00:21:48.860 --> 00:21:49.820
 the Holy Spirit

00:21:49.820 --> 00:21:51.440
 who will guide us

00:21:51.440 --> 00:21:52.759
 and direct us.

00:21:53.420 --> 00:21:53.720
 Now,

00:21:53.800 --> 00:21:54.640
 I don't know

00:21:54.640 --> 00:21:56.180
 if you fully appreciate

00:21:56.180 --> 00:21:57.400
 the work

00:21:57.400 --> 00:21:58.460
 of the Holy Spirit,

00:21:59.220 --> 00:22:00.900
 but let me assure you

00:22:00.900 --> 00:22:02.640
 without the Holy Spirit

00:22:02.640 --> 00:22:03.700
 in our lives,

00:22:04.360 --> 00:22:05.900
 we would be

00:22:05.900 --> 00:22:07.800
 totally on our own

00:22:07.800 --> 00:22:08.700
 and unable

00:22:08.700 --> 00:22:09.880
 to do any of this.

00:22:09.880 --> 00:22:12.040
 And any time

00:22:12.040 --> 00:22:13.080
 that we're in a place

00:22:13.080 --> 00:22:13.840
 of suffering,

00:22:14.460 --> 00:22:15.560
 we need to turn

00:22:15.560 --> 00:22:16.540
 to the hope

00:22:16.540 --> 00:22:18.240
 that is Jesus Christ,

00:22:19.020 --> 00:22:20.320
 knowing that we are

00:22:20.320 --> 00:22:21.440
 being moulded

00:22:21.440 --> 00:22:22.320
 and shaped

00:22:22.320 --> 00:22:23.180
 into the person

00:22:23.180 --> 00:22:23.720
 that God

00:22:23.720 --> 00:22:25.100
 intended us to be.

00:22:25.960 --> 00:22:27.200
 After one endures

00:22:27.200 --> 00:22:28.220
 many difficulties,

00:22:28.900 --> 00:22:29.700
 there's a strength

00:22:29.700 --> 00:22:30.300
 of character

00:22:30.300 --> 00:22:31.160
 that develops

00:22:31.160 --> 00:22:32.820
 that was not present

00:22:32.820 --> 00:22:33.600
 previously.

00:22:34.820 --> 00:22:36.020
 Such testing,

00:22:36.560 --> 00:22:38.200
 such tested character,

00:22:38.200 --> 00:22:39.480
 in turn,

00:22:39.880 --> 00:22:40.960
 generates hope.

00:22:41.559 --> 00:22:42.460
 And why does it

00:22:42.460 --> 00:22:43.340
 produce hope?

00:22:43.720 --> 00:22:45.840
 Because moral transformation

00:22:45.840 --> 00:22:47.900
 is evidence.

00:22:48.080 --> 00:22:49.539
 That change in us

00:22:49.539 --> 00:22:50.279
 as people,

00:22:50.600 --> 00:22:51.400
 it's evidence

00:22:51.400 --> 00:22:52.840
 that one is really

00:22:52.840 --> 00:22:53.640
 being changed

00:22:53.640 --> 00:22:54.539
 by God.

00:22:54.940 --> 00:22:55.279
 And so,

00:22:55.420 --> 00:22:55.720
 therefore,

00:22:55.840 --> 00:22:56.720
 assures us

00:22:56.720 --> 00:22:57.920
 that there is

00:22:57.920 --> 00:22:58.759
 the hope

00:22:58.759 --> 00:23:00.039
 of a future glory,

00:23:00.460 --> 00:23:01.200
 that it's not

00:23:01.200 --> 00:23:01.980
 an illusion,

00:23:02.559 --> 00:23:03.299
 that we haven't

00:23:03.299 --> 00:23:04.100
 made it up.

00:23:04.860 --> 00:23:06.059
 Because we know

00:23:06.059 --> 00:23:06.779
 that we cannot

00:23:06.779 --> 00:23:07.700
 change ourselves

00:23:07.700 --> 00:23:08.640
 by ourselves.

00:23:10.840 --> 00:23:11.400
 Friends,

00:23:11.539 --> 00:23:12.360
 any time we're

00:23:12.360 --> 00:23:13.259
 tempted to doubt

00:23:13.259 --> 00:23:14.480
 God's love for us,

00:23:14.860 --> 00:23:16.259
 we need to go back

00:23:16.259 --> 00:23:17.220
 to the cross

00:23:17.220 --> 00:23:18.559
 as we constantly

00:23:18.559 --> 00:23:20.420
 say here at St. Paul's.

00:23:20.819 --> 00:23:21.980
 If you struggle

00:23:21.980 --> 00:23:22.640
 to believe

00:23:22.640 --> 00:23:23.840
 that God loves you,

00:23:24.539 --> 00:23:25.539
 think about this.

00:23:26.500 --> 00:23:28.299
 If God loved you

00:23:28.299 --> 00:23:30.440
 enough to give you

00:23:30.440 --> 00:23:31.319
 his son

00:23:31.319 --> 00:23:33.380
 to die for you

00:23:33.380 --> 00:23:34.799
 when you were

00:23:34.799 --> 00:23:35.839
 his enemy,

00:23:37.399 --> 00:23:38.139
 surely

00:23:38.139 --> 00:23:39.720
 he loves you

00:23:39.720 --> 00:23:40.480
 enough

00:23:40.480 --> 00:23:42.319
 to care for you

00:23:42.319 --> 00:23:43.839
 now that you

00:23:43.839 --> 00:23:45.019
 are his child.

00:23:46.299 --> 00:23:47.639
 Having given

00:23:47.639 --> 00:23:49.200
 such a priceless

00:23:49.200 --> 00:23:50.680
 gift as his son,

00:23:51.180 --> 00:23:52.220
 he will most

00:23:52.220 --> 00:23:53.000
 definitely

00:23:53.000 --> 00:23:54.899
 give everything

00:23:54.899 --> 00:23:55.740
 else

00:23:55.740 --> 00:23:57.440
 that is consistent

00:23:57.440 --> 00:23:59.259
 with his glory

00:23:59.259 --> 00:24:00.919
 and what is good

00:24:00.919 --> 00:24:01.839
 for you.

00:24:01.839 --> 00:24:04.019
 we've been

00:24:04.019 --> 00:24:04.339
 given

00:24:04.339 --> 00:24:05.179
 everything

00:24:05.179 --> 00:24:05.879
 in Jesus.

00:24:06.659 --> 00:24:07.319
 We are

00:24:07.319 --> 00:24:07.980
 justified

00:24:07.980 --> 00:24:09.419
 and the blessings

00:24:09.419 --> 00:24:10.199
 come

00:24:10.199 --> 00:24:11.839
 with being

00:24:11.839 --> 00:24:12.659
 made righteous.

00:24:13.519 --> 00:24:13.859
 We have

00:24:13.859 --> 00:24:14.919
 peace with God.

00:24:15.559 --> 00:24:15.919
 We have

00:24:15.919 --> 00:24:17.319
 access by faith

00:24:17.319 --> 00:24:18.159
 to the very

00:24:18.159 --> 00:24:18.899
 presence

00:24:18.899 --> 00:24:20.039
 of God

00:24:20.039 --> 00:24:20.439
 himself.

00:24:21.619 --> 00:24:22.199
 We have

00:24:22.199 --> 00:24:23.740
 a grace

00:24:23.740 --> 00:24:25.000
 and a hope

00:24:25.000 --> 00:24:26.099
 in a glorious

00:24:26.099 --> 00:24:26.779
 future

00:24:26.779 --> 00:24:27.639
 with the

00:24:27.639 --> 00:24:28.000
 King

00:24:28.000 --> 00:24:28.980
 of Kings.

00:24:28.980 --> 00:24:30.860
 friends,

00:24:30.960 --> 00:24:31.599
 we can walk

00:24:31.599 --> 00:24:32.200
 away from

00:24:32.200 --> 00:24:32.579
 here

00:24:32.579 --> 00:24:33.819
 tonight

00:24:33.819 --> 00:24:34.460
 from this

00:24:34.460 --> 00:24:34.980
 message

00:24:34.980 --> 00:24:35.880
 with head

00:24:35.880 --> 00:24:36.440
 knowledge

00:24:36.440 --> 00:24:37.519
 of all

00:24:37.519 --> 00:24:38.120
 that these

00:24:38.120 --> 00:24:38.680
 verses

00:24:38.680 --> 00:24:39.740
 have given

00:24:39.740 --> 00:24:40.220
 us

00:24:40.220 --> 00:24:41.559
 and still

00:24:41.559 --> 00:24:41.940
 not

00:24:41.940 --> 00:24:42.559
 appropriate

00:24:42.559 --> 00:24:43.140
 it

00:24:43.140 --> 00:24:44.339
 to our

00:24:44.339 --> 00:24:44.920
 lives.

00:24:45.400 --> 00:24:46.319
 Not apply

00:24:46.319 --> 00:24:47.339
 what this

00:24:47.339 --> 00:24:48.180
 actually means

00:24:48.180 --> 00:24:48.900
 and not live

00:24:48.900 --> 00:24:49.279
 it out.

00:24:50.120 --> 00:24:50.920
 Do not be

00:24:50.920 --> 00:24:51.660
 fooled into

00:24:51.660 --> 00:24:52.360
 thinking

00:24:52.360 --> 00:24:53.420
 that knowing

00:24:53.420 --> 00:24:53.980
 with your

00:24:53.980 --> 00:24:54.440
 head what

00:24:54.440 --> 00:24:55.039
 the gospel

00:24:55.039 --> 00:24:55.500
 is,

00:24:55.559 --> 00:24:56.099
 is going

00:24:56.099 --> 00:24:56.720
 to save

00:24:56.720 --> 00:24:56.940
 you.

00:24:56.940 --> 00:24:59.279
 but engage

00:24:59.279 --> 00:25:00.160
 your heart

00:25:00.160 --> 00:25:01.140
 and with

00:25:01.140 --> 00:25:01.660
 great

00:25:01.660 --> 00:25:02.480
 thankfulness

00:25:02.480 --> 00:25:03.440
 that brings

00:25:03.440 --> 00:25:04.779
 you to

00:25:04.779 --> 00:25:05.720
 your knees

00:25:05.720 --> 00:25:06.660
 in humility

00:25:06.660 --> 00:25:07.960
 knowing that

00:25:07.960 --> 00:25:09.320
 all that

00:25:09.320 --> 00:25:10.080
 the gospel

00:25:10.080 --> 00:25:10.660
 gives,

00:25:11.220 --> 00:25:11.820
 you do not

00:25:11.820 --> 00:25:12.759
 deserve one

00:25:12.759 --> 00:25:14.039
 iota of it

00:25:14.039 --> 00:25:14.860
 and yet

00:25:14.860 --> 00:25:15.960
 it is there

00:25:15.960 --> 00:25:16.480
 for the

00:25:16.480 --> 00:25:16.840
 taking.

00:25:18.220 --> 00:25:19.140
 Our passage

00:25:19.140 --> 00:25:20.380
 today is a

00:25:20.380 --> 00:25:21.059
 renewed

00:25:21.059 --> 00:25:22.400
 invitation

00:25:22.400 --> 00:25:23.559
 to take

00:25:23.559 --> 00:25:24.240
 advantage

00:25:24.240 --> 00:25:25.799
 of all

00:25:25.799 --> 00:25:26.620
 the blessings

00:25:26.620 --> 00:25:28.019
 all the

00:25:28.019 --> 00:25:28.519
 privileges

00:25:28.519 --> 00:25:29.500
 of being

00:25:29.500 --> 00:25:30.500
 a child

00:25:30.500 --> 00:25:31.460
 of the

00:25:31.460 --> 00:25:31.759
 king.

00:25:33.240 --> 00:25:33.599
 Cling

00:25:33.599 --> 00:25:34.259
 to Jesus

00:25:34.259 --> 00:25:35.420
 as i will

00:25:35.420 --> 00:25:36.579
 rejoice

00:25:36.579 --> 00:25:37.099
 in the

00:25:37.099 --> 00:25:37.440
 hope

00:25:37.440 --> 00:25:38.180
 that is

00:25:38.180 --> 00:25:39.000
 for all

00:25:39.000 --> 00:25:39.700
 those who

00:25:39.700 --> 00:25:40.240
 believe

00:25:40.240 --> 00:25:41.220
 and you

00:25:41.220 --> 00:25:41.640
 will know

00:25:41.640 --> 00:25:42.359
 the joy

00:25:42.359 --> 00:25:43.480
 and the

00:25:43.480 --> 00:25:43.920
 peace

00:25:43.920 --> 00:25:45.019
 that comes

00:25:45.019 --> 00:25:45.420
 from

00:25:45.420 --> 00:25:46.579
 only

00:25:46.579 --> 00:25:47.299
 from the

00:25:47.299 --> 00:25:47.900
 one who

00:25:47.900 --> 00:25:48.480
 saves

00:25:48.480 --> 00:25:49.420
 the one

00:25:49.420 --> 00:25:50.180
 who counts

00:25:50.180 --> 00:25:50.740
 you

00:25:50.740 --> 00:25:51.660
 as

00:25:51.660 --> 00:25:52.740
 righteous

00:25:52.740 --> 00:25:53.880
 before a

00:25:53.880 --> 00:25:54.180
 holy

00:25:54.180 --> 00:25:54.579
 God.

00:25:55.140 --> 00:25:55.740
 Amen.