WEBVTT 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:17.000 I want to remind everybody tonight, Carson Murphy will be leading a report from time and kind of a little instruction time on some of the things he learned and wants to share with the church on his time in Mexico. 00:00:17.000 --> 00:00:25.440 So we gathered around him a few weeks back and prayed for him sending him out and he has come back from that trip. Had a wonderful time down there and he's going to share tonight. 00:00:25.440 --> 00:00:33.840 I believe that's going to be in the fellowship hall. Is that right? Fellowship hall. All right. Six o'clock fellowship hall. Carson will be there. He may have some slides to share and all that. 00:00:33.939 --> 00:00:43.079 So don't miss hearing about what God did in Mexico. Turn in your Bibles, if you would, to Romans chapter two. Romans chapter two. 00:00:43.079 --> 00:00:53.159 As we as you turn, let me ask you this question. How many people do you know? How many people know you? 00:00:53.159 --> 00:01:11.539 A hundred more? Supposedly, according to the Wall Street Journal, and I think it was somebody from the University of Washington or something who did this study, but supposedly the average person knows between 250 and 600 people. 00:01:11.540 --> 00:01:19.600 And I think usually on the high side, I think the number that I read was 611. How many of you know more than 611 people? 00:01:20.440 --> 00:01:28.300 There you go. Since the, how many of you have more than 600 friends on Facebook and you're not sure who they all are? 00:01:28.940 --> 00:01:33.219 That's true, right? You get friends in common. Somebody sends you a friend request. 00:01:33.219 --> 00:01:37.140 I'm like, I've never met this person before, but apparently we're friends. 00:01:37.560 --> 00:01:46.340 All right. Is it possible for people to know you, but not really know you? 00:01:47.060 --> 00:01:55.560 Yes. How many of those 600 people or more or less that you know, really know you? 00:01:55.560 --> 00:02:00.359 Not a lot. It's a much smaller number, isn't it? 00:02:01.700 --> 00:02:08.520 Is it possible to know a lot about God, but not truly know him? 00:02:10.420 --> 00:02:16.280 Paul's going to talk about this in Romans chapter 2 and Romans chapter 3. 00:02:16.420 --> 00:02:22.520 We're going to pick it up in Romans 2 and go all the way up to where we left off in Romans chapter 3. 00:02:22.520 --> 00:02:27.780 Let's look at verse 17 of Romans chapter 2. 00:02:28.060 --> 00:02:30.020 Would you join me in standing if you're able to? 00:02:31.020 --> 00:02:32.879 If you need to remain seated, that's fine. 00:02:33.460 --> 00:02:40.900 But let's honor the scriptures by standing together and let's read Romans chapter 2, verse 17. 00:02:41.080 --> 00:02:46.180 You who are Jews, you rely on the law and boast about your relationship with God. 00:02:47.180 --> 00:02:48.439 You know his will. 00:02:48.439 --> 00:02:53.479 You approve of what is superior because you're instructed by the law. 00:02:54.199 --> 00:03:00.620 You're convinced that you're a guide for the blind, a light for those who are in the dark, an instructor of the foolish, a teacher of little children. 00:03:01.659 --> 00:03:10.139 You're convinced of all this because you have in the law the embodiment of knowledge and truth. 00:03:10.699 --> 00:03:12.159 Bo, would you run my water up to me, buddy? 00:03:12.199 --> 00:03:12.800 It's right there. 00:03:13.280 --> 00:03:13.680 Thank you. 00:03:13.680 --> 00:03:15.520 I've got a little tickle in my throat. 00:03:16.800 --> 00:03:17.819 Thank you, sir. 00:03:19.939 --> 00:03:20.580 Okay. 00:03:22.080 --> 00:03:26.640 You who preach against stealing, do you steal? 00:03:28.040 --> 00:03:33.240 You who say that people should not commit adultery, do you commit adultery? 00:03:33.920 --> 00:03:37.319 You who abhor idols, do you rob temples? 00:03:38.040 --> 00:03:42.840 You who boast in the law, do you dishonor God by breaking the law as it is written? 00:03:43.680 --> 00:03:48.840 God's name is blasphemed among the Gentiles because of you. 00:03:50.580 --> 00:03:56.620 Stern words from the father of the early church, the apostle Paul himself. 00:03:57.259 --> 00:04:00.340 Let's bow our heads together and ask God to show us his truth this morning. 00:04:01.020 --> 00:04:02.620 God, speak to us from the scriptures. 00:04:02.620 --> 00:04:08.520 You've used this letter throughout the generations among your people all around the world. 00:04:09.580 --> 00:04:15.039 Use it again today to convict us, to show us how we need to come back to you and you alone. 00:04:15.120 --> 00:04:16.199 It's in Jesus' name we pray. 00:04:16.459 --> 00:04:16.680 Amen. 00:04:16.879 --> 00:04:17.420 You may be seated. 00:04:17.540 --> 00:04:18.220 Thank you for standing. 00:04:19.500 --> 00:04:21.759 Point number one this morning is this. 00:04:21.759 --> 00:04:25.639 As we continue in our series of When in Romans, this is week 13. 00:04:26.459 --> 00:04:33.060 So if you missed the first 12 weeks, you can go on YouTube at FBC Henrietta and you can catch up if you have all that time. 00:04:33.219 --> 00:04:34.879 If not, that's okay. 00:04:34.879 --> 00:04:45.339 Wade, can we put like AI-generated summaries of each sermon or something and trust that it's giving accurate information? 00:04:45.620 --> 00:04:46.339 Good luck with that. 00:04:46.719 --> 00:04:52.819 We're going to talk about this theme that Paul's kind of talking about in Romans 2 and 3, which is no excuses. 00:04:53.699 --> 00:04:54.560 No excuses. 00:04:54.560 --> 00:05:08.019 This is our theme today and point number one from Romans 2 into Romans 3, but we read these first seven verses here, is knowing the scriptures isn't the same as knowing God. 00:05:09.240 --> 00:05:13.980 Knowing the scriptures is not the same as knowing God. 00:05:14.660 --> 00:05:20.660 And that's why we open with the idea that you can know someone without truly knowing them. 00:05:20.660 --> 00:05:30.160 Most of us in this room, not all of us, but most of us in this room, know most of the people in this room. 00:05:31.080 --> 00:05:36.720 But we probably haven't gone too deep with most of the people in this room. 00:05:37.620 --> 00:05:44.680 Now, little rabbit trail here, and I know I'm going on a rabbit trail, so y'all remind me to help me find my way back from this rabbit trail, okay? 00:05:44.680 --> 00:05:53.519 But another little rabbit trail is we do the Christian life of following Jesus the best when we do it in community with one another. 00:05:55.079 --> 00:06:00.439 It is to our shame that we don't know one another as well as we could. 00:06:00.439 --> 00:06:16.060 We've got to, we're called to, and we must break out of our circle of familiarity and reach across the aisle, so to speak, in this room and get to know people outside of Sunday morning. 00:06:16.060 --> 00:06:32.720 If your primary and main and sometimes only experience with the church is on Sunday mornings, you're missing out on so much of what God has for you in the community of Christian life and Christ followers. 00:06:33.319 --> 00:06:34.500 So that's a little rabbit trail. 00:06:34.620 --> 00:06:36.720 We're going to find our way back to the main point now. 00:06:36.879 --> 00:06:42.120 But we need each other, and we need to know each other beyond just the surface level. 00:06:42.120 --> 00:06:47.240 When you start to get to know someone, they start to change you. 00:06:48.000 --> 00:06:50.000 You start to become more like them. 00:06:50.340 --> 00:06:59.319 How many of you have been married for a while, and you find yourself rubbing off on your spouse, and your spouse is rubbing off on you, and you start acting more and more like each other? 00:06:59.540 --> 00:07:00.660 Has anybody else noticed that? 00:07:02.399 --> 00:07:03.259 Trick question. 00:07:03.519 --> 00:07:04.620 Why is that a trick question? 00:07:06.160 --> 00:07:07.319 I found that. 00:07:08.019 --> 00:07:10.360 Sometimes there's little things I picked up from Holly. 00:07:10.360 --> 00:07:15.180 Holly, sometimes I've finally fixed something about her and made her more like me. 00:07:16.379 --> 00:07:17.180 I'm teasing. 00:07:17.819 --> 00:07:19.280 I won't be in trouble when we get home. 00:07:20.480 --> 00:07:26.100 But look, the religious crowd in Paul's day, they thought they knew God. 00:07:27.120 --> 00:07:29.420 But they hadn't gone deeply enough with him. 00:07:29.759 --> 00:07:32.639 They hadn't spent time with him and truly knowing him. 00:07:32.759 --> 00:07:34.300 So they had the right labels. 00:07:34.439 --> 00:07:35.879 They knew the rules that he had given. 00:07:36.180 --> 00:07:37.020 They had the heritage. 00:07:37.019 --> 00:07:38.819 They had taught others about God. 00:07:38.939 --> 00:07:43.359 And they felt secure just because they possessed the right information. 00:07:44.000 --> 00:07:46.620 But that only did so much for them. 00:07:47.680 --> 00:07:49.819 Look, it's like if you own the playbook. 00:07:50.680 --> 00:07:53.819 Let's just say the Henrietta Bearcats, because, you know, we're Henrietta. 00:07:53.819 --> 00:07:59.279 So if you know the playbook to the Henrietta Bearcats, then you think you're on the football team. 00:07:59.759 --> 00:08:00.699 Well, that's not true. 00:08:01.579 --> 00:08:05.639 Robbie Clark can tell you you're not on the football team just because you happen to get your hands on a playbook. 00:08:05.699 --> 00:08:08.899 And he wants to know why you have the playbook and what you plan to do with it. 00:08:09.800 --> 00:08:16.740 The reality is just because you have the instruction manual for something doesn't mean you know how to put it together. 00:08:16.740 --> 00:08:24.600 You can be a fan of something, but not be a part of it. 00:08:25.460 --> 00:08:26.720 John chapter 5. 00:08:27.480 --> 00:08:29.579 Jesus echoes this. 00:08:30.560 --> 00:08:32.200 He's talking to the Pharisees. 00:08:32.899 --> 00:08:36.960 Kind of the ultimate picture of this attitude that I'm talking about. 00:08:36.960 --> 00:08:45.500 And he challenges them and says, you search the scriptures because you think the scriptures can give you eternal life. 00:08:48.080 --> 00:08:49.600 Is that blowing your mind right now? 00:08:50.320 --> 00:08:51.440 Let's look at that again. 00:08:52.120 --> 00:08:57.280 You search the scriptures because you think they can give you eternal life. 00:08:58.500 --> 00:09:03.160 Y'all, I'm here to tell you the Bible does not give you eternal life. 00:09:04.500 --> 00:09:06.160 Jesus gives you eternal life. 00:09:06.960 --> 00:09:08.519 Then what's the Bible good for? 00:09:08.720 --> 00:09:09.639 Well, Jesus goes on. 00:09:10.160 --> 00:09:15.620 He says, the scriptures point to me, the giver of eternal life. 00:09:16.240 --> 00:09:20.040 Yet you refuse to come to me to receive this life. 00:09:20.759 --> 00:09:22.740 Now, look, this was a whole thing about the Messiah. 00:09:23.639 --> 00:09:30.100 The traditional Jewish religion and those who followed it would refuse to acknowledge that Jesus was the Messiah. 00:09:30.440 --> 00:09:34.220 They were looking and looking and looking for a Messiah for centuries and generations. 00:09:34.660 --> 00:09:36.879 And then he shows up and he's here. 00:09:36.960 --> 00:09:39.259 But he didn't come how they thought they would. 00:09:39.360 --> 00:09:43.240 Well, if they had searched the scriptures enough, they would have seen the ties to Bethlehem. 00:09:43.259 --> 00:09:47.000 And they would have seen the markers that pointed to, yes, this is the Messiah. 00:09:47.000 --> 00:09:56.500 But they were blinded by their own interpretation of what they thought the scriptures were teaching. 00:09:56.500 --> 00:09:58.639 So the eternal life was missing. 00:09:58.639 --> 00:10:00.419 So the eternal life was missing. 00:10:00.899 --> 00:10:03.519 Because the giver of eternal life was missing. 00:10:03.899 --> 00:10:07.539 All their knowledge of the scriptures was not pointing them to Jesus. 00:10:07.679 --> 00:10:09.840 And that's what the scriptures are there to do. 00:10:10.299 --> 00:10:11.620 The Bible is not God. 00:10:11.820 --> 00:10:14.159 There are three members of the Trinity that we believe in. 00:10:14.220 --> 00:10:16.159 God the Father, God the Son, and God the Spirit. 00:10:16.620 --> 00:10:17.860 There's not a fourth member. 00:10:18.019 --> 00:10:18.600 God the Bible. 00:10:18.600 --> 00:10:18.659 God the Bible. 00:10:20.940 --> 00:10:23.580 The Bible points us to Jesus. 00:10:24.440 --> 00:10:27.300 It points us to the triune God. 00:10:28.080 --> 00:10:30.159 So that's what Jesus is teaching. 00:10:30.899 --> 00:10:33.279 He says the scriptures point to me. 00:10:33.279 --> 00:10:36.639 So you can know a lot about the Bible. 00:10:37.899 --> 00:10:46.699 You know, some of the people that I've met in this world that know more about the Bible than most of you in this room are atheists. 00:10:48.259 --> 00:10:49.360 Anybody ever notice that? 00:10:49.839 --> 00:10:55.159 People who say, I don't believe in God, but they can quote more of scripture than most of us in this room could. 00:10:57.459 --> 00:11:01.860 Knowing about God does not mean you know God. 00:11:01.860 --> 00:11:06.539 Knowing the scriptures does not mean that you know God. 00:11:07.060 --> 00:11:08.700 So Jesus is teaching us this. 00:11:09.039 --> 00:11:10.759 And then Paul is writing about it. 00:11:11.000 --> 00:11:12.879 And he's saying, look, you can. 00:11:13.200 --> 00:11:14.960 How do we apply this as a church then? 00:11:15.620 --> 00:11:15.899 We're not. 00:11:16.320 --> 00:11:18.440 Most of us in this room wouldn't say we're atheists. 00:11:21.000 --> 00:11:25.580 But do we get to the place that Jesus is calling out these Pharisees at where it says, 00:11:25.580 --> 00:11:30.340 You refuse to come to me to receive this life. 00:11:30.340 --> 00:11:35.180 We will turn to all kinds of other places. 00:11:35.580 --> 00:11:43.139 We will run and seek all kinds of other solutions except coming back to Jesus himself. 00:11:44.740 --> 00:11:50.139 We'll find ourselves pursuing everything else and not pursuing him. 00:11:50.139 --> 00:11:55.399 So in reality, we're doing exactly what he's called them out on doing. 00:11:56.139 --> 00:11:57.819 We're not coming to him. 00:11:57.980 --> 00:12:01.860 We're refusing to come to him to receive this life. 00:12:02.819 --> 00:12:04.019 Time and time again. 00:12:04.879 --> 00:12:07.639 Man, salvation is not a one-time thing, folks. 00:12:08.199 --> 00:12:11.779 You don't choose to give your life to Jesus and say, I believe in faith. 00:12:11.860 --> 00:12:12.699 I come to Jesus. 00:12:12.980 --> 00:12:14.100 I choose Jesus. 00:12:14.100 --> 00:12:17.540 You don't do that and then stop coming to him. 00:12:18.200 --> 00:12:20.379 You keep coming back to the well. 00:12:21.139 --> 00:12:26.560 Eternal life is not a one-time gift and then you have it and you never go back to it again. 00:12:27.100 --> 00:12:29.180 I've got my eternal life sitting on the shelf. 00:12:29.300 --> 00:12:29.720 I'm okay. 00:12:30.659 --> 00:12:34.519 You keep drinking from that well every day. 00:12:34.519 --> 00:12:37.919 You keep going back to it time and time again. 00:12:38.419 --> 00:12:41.480 And it's a sign of a lack of faith. 00:12:41.720 --> 00:12:43.840 It's a sign of a lack of belief. 00:12:44.759 --> 00:12:50.439 And it's a sign of not really knowing God when we refuse to come to him to receive this life. 00:12:50.480 --> 00:12:51.299 What does that look like? 00:12:51.639 --> 00:12:53.340 It means searching the scriptures. 00:12:53.539 --> 00:12:54.279 I knew I was going to do that. 00:12:54.500 --> 00:12:57.799 It means searching the scriptures that point to Jesus. 00:12:57.799 --> 00:13:03.359 It means going into them and finding, you say the scriptures point to you, Jesus? 00:13:03.620 --> 00:13:04.000 How? 00:13:04.299 --> 00:13:05.099 Show me where. 00:13:06.279 --> 00:13:14.399 If somebody comes to a pastor or a youth pastor, teenagers, or a Sunday school teacher, or children's director, young people, 00:13:14.539 --> 00:13:19.279 and you go to them and say, I want to know how the scriptures point to Jesus. 00:13:19.699 --> 00:13:21.279 You know what our favorite thing to do is? 00:13:21.459 --> 00:13:23.279 Show how the scriptures point to Jesus. 00:13:23.759 --> 00:13:24.639 We love that. 00:13:25.259 --> 00:13:26.199 We'll sit down with you. 00:13:26.680 --> 00:13:28.400 We'll print off lesson plans. 00:13:28.520 --> 00:13:29.680 We'll print off devotionals. 00:13:29.759 --> 00:13:34.660 We'll equip you with resources that show you how the scriptures point to Jesus. 00:13:34.660 --> 00:13:38.660 So then you're not just reading the Bible just to read it or check it off a box. 00:13:38.740 --> 00:13:42.280 I read the Bible today, so I rubbed my magic lamp. 00:13:42.440 --> 00:13:44.580 You know, now God's going to give me whatever I want, right? 00:13:44.920 --> 00:13:46.000 That's not how that works. 00:13:46.300 --> 00:13:52.960 We search the scriptures to find how they point to Jesus, and then we live like he does. 00:13:53.580 --> 00:13:54.680 We live like him. 00:13:54.679 --> 00:13:57.959 So that's how we begin to know God. 00:13:58.959 --> 00:14:02.079 And we don't live like those who don't believe. 00:14:02.080 --> 00:14:11.379 So Jesus looked at the same kind of religious experts that Paul's dealing with here in the church in Rome. 00:14:13.180 --> 00:14:17.879 And he said, you study the Bible to death, but you've completely missed me. 00:14:19.160 --> 00:14:24.800 Knowing right from wrong doesn't mean you automatically do right instead of wrong. 00:14:24.799 --> 00:14:29.979 Having the map doesn't mean you're walking the path toward the Savior. 00:14:30.299 --> 00:14:31.879 Let's go back to Romans now. 00:14:33.439 --> 00:14:35.099 Skip ahead to Romans chapter 3. 00:14:35.279 --> 00:14:37.079 The next part is talking about circumcision. 00:14:37.219 --> 00:14:39.979 The rest of Romans 2, we touched on that last week. 00:14:40.079 --> 00:14:41.879 We're not going to touch on it again, okay? 00:14:41.939 --> 00:14:42.859 We're going to leave it alone. 00:14:42.860 --> 00:14:45.639 There's a couple of you laughing, and you know what I'm talking about. 00:14:46.720 --> 00:14:53.480 It's a difficult concept to dive into, but this was a major religious custom back then, and it came from a command of God. 00:14:53.879 --> 00:14:55.379 Circumcision was not a normal thing, right? 00:14:55.379 --> 00:15:10.559 So since it was a Jewish command and custom, they were requiring then the new Christians or followers of Jesus to abide by this old Jewish custom and command from God and say, this is what you all need to do. 00:15:10.840 --> 00:15:15.360 So even if you weren't circumcised as babies, you now need to be circumcised before you can join the church. 00:15:15.480 --> 00:15:18.820 We don't have that kind of requirement if you want to join First Baptist Henrietta, okay? 00:15:18.840 --> 00:15:19.720 Just throwing that out there. 00:15:20.019 --> 00:15:22.200 Now let's jump ahead to Romans chapter 3 and verse 1. 00:15:22.200 --> 00:15:25.500 So Paul is teaching this concept. 00:15:26.320 --> 00:15:35.800 The old religious customs that the Jews have had to follow from the very beginning are not transferable to the new way of following Jesus. 00:15:37.020 --> 00:15:41.340 You don't have to require those things to have somebody choose to follow Christ. 00:15:42.560 --> 00:15:46.400 So then he says the natural question that results from understanding that. 00:15:46.480 --> 00:15:48.620 He says, so what's the advantage of being a Jew? 00:15:48.940 --> 00:15:49.600 Romans 3.1. 00:15:49.600 --> 00:15:54.379 Is there any value in the ceremony of circumcision or should we just throw the whole thing out? 00:15:55.100 --> 00:15:55.560 Verse 2. 00:15:55.680 --> 00:15:57.740 Yes, there are great benefits. 00:15:58.720 --> 00:16:01.820 First of all, the Jews were entrusted with the whole revelation of God. 00:16:02.600 --> 00:16:04.600 True, some of them were unfaithful. 00:16:05.500 --> 00:16:09.100 But just because they were unfaithful, does that mean God will be unfaithful? 00:16:09.340 --> 00:16:10.100 Of course not. 00:16:10.899 --> 00:16:13.019 Even if everyone else is a liar. 00:16:13.180 --> 00:16:16.320 It's one of the best verses in the whole New Testament right here, folks. 00:16:16.320 --> 00:16:21.220 Even if everyone else is a liar, God is true. 00:16:23.580 --> 00:16:25.160 God is true. 00:16:27.740 --> 00:16:29.379 Can we say those together? 00:16:29.520 --> 00:16:33.360 Even if everyone else is a liar, God is true. 00:16:33.520 --> 00:16:34.340 Do you believe that? 00:16:34.340 --> 00:16:38.800 Do you believe Jesus is the way, the truth, and the life? 00:16:39.660 --> 00:16:41.100 God is true. 00:16:42.000 --> 00:16:46.460 As the scriptures say about him, remember the scriptures point us to Jesus. 00:16:47.080 --> 00:16:51.759 You will be proved right in what you say, and you will win your case in court. 00:16:52.040 --> 00:16:54.420 Yes, God will always win the case in court. 00:16:54.419 --> 00:16:55.979 Verse 5. 00:16:56.099 --> 00:17:00.179 But some might say, our sinfulness serves a good purpose. 00:17:01.079 --> 00:17:02.899 Here comes the manipulation. 00:17:03.860 --> 00:17:05.559 Here comes the distorted thinking. 00:17:07.460 --> 00:17:10.200 That naturally follows all of us. 00:17:10.399 --> 00:17:12.099 And it's a trap for all of us. 00:17:12.879 --> 00:17:15.839 Some might still argue, or I'm sorry, in verse 5. 00:17:15.940 --> 00:17:18.980 Some might say, our sinfulness serves a good purpose. 00:17:18.980 --> 00:17:22.839 For it helps people see how righteous God is. 00:17:23.539 --> 00:17:29.019 So see, it's okay that I go out and live for myself and live like the devil and I don't have to be nice. 00:17:29.480 --> 00:17:34.460 It's okay because it just shows everybody else how bad I am and thereby how great God is. 00:17:35.799 --> 00:17:37.200 Paul says, not quite. 00:17:38.279 --> 00:17:40.799 Isn't it unfair then for God to punish us? 00:17:41.099 --> 00:17:42.940 This is merely a human point of view. 00:17:43.140 --> 00:17:43.700 Verse 6. 00:17:43.819 --> 00:17:44.599 Paul calls it out. 00:17:45.160 --> 00:17:45.779 Of course not. 00:17:45.779 --> 00:17:52.579 If God were entirely fair, or not entirely fair, how would he be qualified to judge the world? 00:17:53.099 --> 00:17:53.639 Verse 7. 00:17:54.099 --> 00:18:00.920 Some might still argue, how can God condemn me as a sinner if my dishonesty highlights his truthfulness and brings him more glory? 00:18:01.200 --> 00:18:02.579 Or continuing with this argument. 00:18:03.399 --> 00:18:06.599 Yeah, I'm dishonest, but then that just shows how truthful God is. 00:18:07.720 --> 00:18:14.319 Some people might even slander us by claiming that we say, the more we sin, the better it is. 00:18:14.319 --> 00:18:18.019 Those who say such things deserve to be condemned. 00:18:18.720 --> 00:18:20.919 So Paul's really calling out this point of view. 00:18:21.299 --> 00:18:25.279 And that leads us, we're down into verse 8 of Romans 3, and that leads us to number 2. 00:18:25.779 --> 00:18:28.419 Grace begins where excuses end. 00:18:29.139 --> 00:18:30.679 This is what he's about to teach them. 00:18:31.700 --> 00:18:34.659 Grace begins where excuses end. 00:18:36.000 --> 00:18:37.000 Look at verse 9. 00:18:37.000 --> 00:18:40.079 Well then, are we Jews any better? 00:18:41.099 --> 00:18:41.400 No. 00:18:42.019 --> 00:18:42.680 Not at all. 00:18:43.460 --> 00:18:49.359 For we've already shown that all people, whether Jews or Gentiles, are under the power of sin. 00:18:50.019 --> 00:18:52.579 As the scriptures say, no one's righteous, not even one. 00:18:52.680 --> 00:18:53.359 No one's wise. 00:18:53.519 --> 00:18:54.420 No one seeks God. 00:18:55.099 --> 00:18:56.119 All have turned away. 00:18:56.259 --> 00:18:57.299 All have become useless. 00:18:57.579 --> 00:18:58.539 No one does good. 00:18:58.759 --> 00:19:00.180 Not a single one. 00:19:00.180 --> 00:19:02.560 By the way, another little rabbit trail here. 00:19:02.720 --> 00:19:04.360 In case you thought that you were awesome. 00:19:05.180 --> 00:19:06.840 In case you thought that you were good. 00:19:07.799 --> 00:19:09.840 Read these two verses right here. 00:19:10.940 --> 00:19:12.200 Paul's teaching you, you're not. 00:19:12.920 --> 00:19:14.400 You're just like the rest of us. 00:19:14.480 --> 00:19:15.000 You're a mess. 00:19:15.759 --> 00:19:16.600 And you need Jesus. 00:19:17.380 --> 00:19:18.160 Everybody does. 00:19:18.380 --> 00:19:19.440 Every single one of us does. 00:19:19.940 --> 00:19:21.759 So, no one does good. 00:19:21.860 --> 00:19:22.940 Not a single one. 00:19:23.320 --> 00:19:24.259 Their talk is foul. 00:19:24.759 --> 00:19:26.600 Like the stench from an open grave. 00:19:26.840 --> 00:19:28.600 Man, he's not putting it lightly here, is he? 00:19:28.599 --> 00:19:30.939 Their tongues are filled with lies. 00:19:31.799 --> 00:19:33.879 Snake venom drips from their lips. 00:19:35.559 --> 00:19:38.599 I'm thinking of the words to a, you're a mean one, Mr. Drench, right now. 00:19:39.419 --> 00:19:41.259 Sort of Paul's version of this, right? 00:19:41.439 --> 00:19:42.679 It's really bad stuff. 00:19:42.779 --> 00:19:44.859 Their mouths are full of cursing and bitterness. 00:19:45.199 --> 00:19:48.199 They rush to commit murder, destruction, and misery. 00:19:48.379 --> 00:19:49.419 Always follow them. 00:19:49.639 --> 00:19:51.039 They don't know where to find peace. 00:19:51.419 --> 00:19:53.719 They have no fear of God at all. 00:19:54.000 --> 00:19:54.199 Why? 00:19:54.419 --> 00:19:57.219 Because they know a lot about him, but they don't know him. 00:19:58.599 --> 00:20:02.679 If you don't know him, he can't change you. 00:20:03.719 --> 00:20:05.299 This is what you're left with. 00:20:06.799 --> 00:20:11.899 You might be able to answer some Bible trivia, but you don't know Jesus. 00:20:11.900 --> 00:20:17.980 Now, whatever the law says, it says to those who are under the law, 00:20:18.880 --> 00:20:26.420 so that every mouth may be silenced, and the whole world held accountable to God. 00:20:28.019 --> 00:20:30.240 Every mouth may be silenced. 00:20:30.240 --> 00:20:34.799 And all our excuses are stopped. 00:20:35.440 --> 00:20:38.480 And the whole world is held accountable to God. 00:20:40.160 --> 00:20:49.140 For no one can ever be made right with God by doing what the law commands. 00:20:49.140 --> 00:20:54.380 Everyone who thought, everyone in this room right now, 00:20:54.920 --> 00:21:00.920 who thought that you could become right with God by doing what his law commands. 00:21:01.820 --> 00:21:02.940 Look at these words. 00:21:04.320 --> 00:21:08.480 No one can ever be made right with God by doing what the law commands. 00:21:08.940 --> 00:21:12.380 The law simply shows us how sinful we are. 00:21:12.380 --> 00:21:15.780 You are all those things. 00:21:17.080 --> 00:21:19.140 You are a bad one, Mr. Sinner. 00:21:20.160 --> 00:21:20.760 Miss Sinner. 00:21:21.280 --> 00:21:22.000 And so am I. 00:21:22.600 --> 00:21:24.220 We are all bad. 00:21:24.580 --> 00:21:25.680 We all need Jesus. 00:21:27.560 --> 00:21:31.320 The bad can't be fixed by doing good. 00:21:32.600 --> 00:21:35.180 Everybody envision a white piece of paper. 00:21:36.240 --> 00:21:38.920 Now put a hundred black marks on it in your mind. 00:21:38.920 --> 00:21:43.500 Is that paper dirty? 00:21:45.880 --> 00:21:47.259 Y'all, that wasn't a hard question. 00:21:47.320 --> 00:21:48.019 Is that paper dirty? 00:21:48.420 --> 00:21:49.140 There we go. 00:21:49.200 --> 00:21:49.400 All right. 00:21:49.460 --> 00:21:49.900 Good, good, good. 00:21:49.940 --> 00:21:50.320 You're with me. 00:21:51.380 --> 00:21:52.779 Now take another piece of paper. 00:21:53.380 --> 00:21:54.600 Put one black mark on it. 00:21:54.960 --> 00:21:55.759 Is that paper dirty? 00:21:56.980 --> 00:21:57.380 Yes. 00:21:57.920 --> 00:21:59.480 It's not as dirty, right? 00:21:59.900 --> 00:22:00.779 But it's dirty. 00:22:01.440 --> 00:22:03.019 Now a third piece of paper. 00:22:03.380 --> 00:22:04.220 No marks at all. 00:22:04.340 --> 00:22:05.100 Is that paper dirty? 00:22:05.779 --> 00:22:06.180 No. 00:22:06.360 --> 00:22:06.920 It's clean. 00:22:06.920 --> 00:22:14.580 God can take the life with one black mark, and he can take the life with a hundred black marks and make them both clean. 00:22:14.920 --> 00:22:15.400 Guess what? 00:22:15.560 --> 00:22:17.240 They both need to be clean. 00:22:18.880 --> 00:22:21.300 Now you can go on either one of those pieces of paper. 00:22:22.340 --> 00:22:24.820 Let's do the one with the hundred black marks. 00:22:25.100 --> 00:22:30.740 And you can try to fill in a hundred little hearts because those represent good things. 00:22:30.740 --> 00:22:34.039 Did the hearts take the black marks away? 00:22:35.220 --> 00:22:37.440 Now it's just a really jumbled up piece of paper. 00:22:37.440 --> 00:22:43.420 You could take the paper with one black mark and you can put in a hundred hearts there. 00:22:44.580 --> 00:22:46.380 Can you still see the black mark? 00:22:46.920 --> 00:22:51.580 Be a little hard to find, but you can probably find it in there in the middle of your hundred hearts, right? 00:22:52.480 --> 00:22:56.640 So you can be a really good person who's done all kinds of good things, but guess what? 00:22:56.740 --> 00:22:57.880 You're not a good person. 00:22:57.880 --> 00:23:02.280 You're a bad person who has done some good things or things that seem to be good. 00:23:02.760 --> 00:23:10.020 Truth is, they may have been done for selfish purposes, even if God allowed them to be used to accomplish good things for others along the way. 00:23:10.019 --> 00:23:16.379 But the good things you've done don't erase the bad that you did. 00:23:16.639 --> 00:23:18.019 Well, it all balances out. 00:23:18.099 --> 00:23:19.019 It all evens out. 00:23:19.119 --> 00:23:20.379 Yeah, that's wishful thinking, y'all. 00:23:21.619 --> 00:23:26.180 You can go speeding a hundred miles an hour down Omega Street and tell the cop, 00:23:26.519 --> 00:23:30.000 but I just donated at the food bank, so it all evens out, right? 00:23:30.519 --> 00:23:32.059 I don't think he's going to agree with you. 00:23:33.599 --> 00:23:34.700 And God doesn't either. 00:23:35.480 --> 00:23:38.759 Grace begins when excuses end. 00:23:40.019 --> 00:23:42.059 It's not about the good you've done. 00:23:42.460 --> 00:23:44.740 It's not about how well you knew the rules. 00:23:45.319 --> 00:23:48.839 It's about if you knew Jesus or not. 00:23:49.079 --> 00:23:54.579 When you stand before God someday, that's the only litmus test. 00:23:55.160 --> 00:23:57.440 That's the only pass or fail. 00:23:58.519 --> 00:23:59.740 Did you know Jesus? 00:24:00.900 --> 00:24:02.160 Not where was your membership? 00:24:02.960 --> 00:24:04.299 Not how long had it been there? 00:24:05.440 --> 00:24:07.200 Not what kind of job did you do? 00:24:07.279 --> 00:24:08.779 Not how successful were you? 00:24:08.779 --> 00:24:12.559 Not how many good deeds you did through your life. 00:24:13.180 --> 00:24:16.859 Grace can only begin when the excuses stop. 00:24:16.859 --> 00:24:21.839 So, Paul rounds up every single good person. 00:24:22.639 --> 00:24:29.759 The goody two-shoes rule, the follower, the I did it all right, I followed the rules, I'm a good person. 00:24:29.899 --> 00:24:31.659 And then he rounds up all the rebels too. 00:24:32.619 --> 00:24:35.899 All the ones who resist, all the ones who say, you're not going to tell me what to do. 00:24:36.299 --> 00:24:38.639 And he puts them in the exact same courtroom. 00:24:38.640 --> 00:24:41.300 And their mouths are shut. 00:24:41.420 --> 00:24:43.000 The judge says, silence. 00:24:45.420 --> 00:24:48.160 You've got nothing to say in your defense. 00:24:50.720 --> 00:24:52.000 There's no special treatment. 00:24:52.000 --> 00:24:55.460 Now we've got to go to Luke 15 and we're done. 00:24:56.700 --> 00:24:59.160 Luke chapter 15, if you would go with me. 00:25:03.359 --> 00:25:05.420 This is the story of the prodigal son. 00:25:05.420 --> 00:25:15.560 Prodigal son, the man had two sons, an older brother and a younger brother. 00:25:16.759 --> 00:25:20.100 Younger brother decided he'd had enough of the rules, he'd had enough of living at home, 00:25:20.100 --> 00:25:23.400 and he went off and decided he was going to go have fun. 00:25:23.400 --> 00:25:26.759 Anybody identify with that a little bit? 00:25:26.820 --> 00:25:28.040 Maybe there was a time in your life. 00:25:28.280 --> 00:25:29.240 Yeah, we've got a few. 00:25:29.320 --> 00:25:29.800 Yeah, there you go. 00:25:29.960 --> 00:25:30.300 Me too. 00:25:30.519 --> 00:25:31.360 I put my hand up too. 00:25:32.700 --> 00:25:33.400 So you know what? 00:25:33.440 --> 00:25:33.840 I've had it. 00:25:33.880 --> 00:25:36.940 I'm going to go out and I'm going to taste this life on my own for a little while. 00:25:37.900 --> 00:25:41.060 Well, it went for him about like it went probably for most of you. 00:25:41.400 --> 00:25:42.360 Didn't go all that well. 00:25:43.080 --> 00:25:45.220 By the way, young people, it doesn't go all that well. 00:25:45.480 --> 00:25:45.620 Okay. 00:25:47.100 --> 00:25:48.019 Trust us on this one. 00:25:49.519 --> 00:25:51.160 So he decided I'm going to come home. 00:25:51.160 --> 00:25:52.700 So look at verse 18. 00:25:53.660 --> 00:25:54.540 He's struggling. 00:25:54.800 --> 00:25:55.900 He's at the end of his rope. 00:25:55.940 --> 00:25:56.759 He's probably out of money. 00:25:57.060 --> 00:25:59.259 He's probably out of friends. 00:25:59.780 --> 00:26:01.620 He's probably out of good times. 00:26:02.060 --> 00:26:03.380 It's all run dry. 00:26:03.540 --> 00:26:05.640 He's got nowhere to go now. 00:26:06.080 --> 00:26:06.900 So what does he say? 00:26:07.220 --> 00:26:09.080 Verse 18, Luke 15. 00:26:09.600 --> 00:26:10.920 I will go home. 00:26:11.660 --> 00:26:12.860 I'll go to my father. 00:26:13.640 --> 00:26:15.360 And he starts devising a plan. 00:26:16.080 --> 00:26:17.500 Starts putting a plan together. 00:26:17.820 --> 00:26:19.720 You can see the wheels of his mind turning. 00:26:20.220 --> 00:26:21.780 Man, my dad's not going to want to see me. 00:26:22.620 --> 00:26:23.280 I left him. 00:26:23.960 --> 00:26:26.259 I went out and blew through the money he gave me. 00:26:26.460 --> 00:26:27.259 I've wasted it. 00:26:27.620 --> 00:26:30.140 He always taught me to spend my money wisely. 00:26:30.360 --> 00:26:31.259 And I didn't do that. 00:26:32.019 --> 00:26:34.740 It's going to be one big, I told you so as soon as I get home. 00:26:34.920 --> 00:26:36.019 I got to convince him. 00:26:36.220 --> 00:26:37.740 He might not even let me come home. 00:26:37.980 --> 00:26:39.860 He might say, boy, no, you left. 00:26:40.040 --> 00:26:40.940 You're on your own now. 00:26:41.120 --> 00:26:41.600 Figure it out. 00:26:42.340 --> 00:26:43.400 I got to figure this out. 00:26:43.700 --> 00:26:45.300 You can see him thinking like this. 00:26:45.740 --> 00:26:49.320 He says, I'm going to go home and I'm going to tell my dad, father, I've sinned. 00:26:49.659 --> 00:26:51.439 I've sinned against both heaven and you. 00:26:51.559 --> 00:26:52.619 He's pulling God into it. 00:26:52.679 --> 00:26:55.480 You know, I recognize I've sinned. 00:26:55.480 --> 00:26:56.359 I've sinned against God. 00:26:56.439 --> 00:26:57.319 I've sinned against you. 00:26:57.500 --> 00:27:00.259 And I'm no longer worthy of being called your son. 00:27:00.299 --> 00:27:01.639 He's trying to get ahead of it a little bit. 00:27:01.639 --> 00:27:01.879 Right. 00:27:02.580 --> 00:27:06.540 Like, trust me, I'm not expecting you to come back in and just treat me like a son. 00:27:06.800 --> 00:27:08.700 He says, I'm no longer worthy of that. 00:27:08.780 --> 00:27:11.320 So please instead take me on as a hired servant. 00:27:11.620 --> 00:27:12.800 He's negotiating now. 00:27:13.620 --> 00:27:15.180 He's got this, this idea. 00:27:15.520 --> 00:27:19.080 Maybe if he'll just let me come on, he'll just hire me as a servant. 00:27:19.420 --> 00:27:21.080 I'll still be better than where I am now. 00:27:21.220 --> 00:27:23.180 At least I'll have a roof over my head. 00:27:23.220 --> 00:27:23.980 I'll have food to eat. 00:27:23.980 --> 00:27:28.339 So he returns home to his father. 00:27:29.519 --> 00:27:32.620 And while he was still a long distance away, his father saw him coming. 00:27:33.980 --> 00:27:38.299 Filled with love and compassion, he ran to his father. 00:27:39.339 --> 00:27:40.200 Embraced him. 00:27:41.220 --> 00:27:41.799 Kissed him. 00:27:42.920 --> 00:27:45.279 And his son started in on his speech. 00:27:45.860 --> 00:27:48.440 He said, father, I've sinned against both heaven and you. 00:27:48.440 --> 00:27:51.600 I'm no longer worthy of being called your son. 00:27:51.880 --> 00:27:56.620 And before he can get to the part about the servant, his father interrupts and says, quick, 00:27:56.860 --> 00:27:59.640 bring the finest robe in the house and put it on him. 00:27:59.820 --> 00:28:00.759 Let's throw a feast. 00:28:00.840 --> 00:28:01.799 We're going to have a party. 00:28:02.100 --> 00:28:04.200 My son was dead and he's alive again. 00:28:04.420 --> 00:28:05.059 He's home. 00:28:05.559 --> 00:28:07.320 Not my servant, my son. 00:28:08.440 --> 00:28:10.880 Now, y'all, that is the best feel good story. 00:28:11.559 --> 00:28:13.420 One of the best in the whole New Testament. 00:28:13.840 --> 00:28:15.019 One of the best you'll ever hear. 00:28:18.440 --> 00:28:20.360 But you ever think about this? 00:28:21.799 --> 00:28:23.700 The son didn't know his father too well. 00:28:25.480 --> 00:28:26.620 He knew about him. 00:28:27.039 --> 00:28:28.059 He'd grown up with him. 00:28:30.299 --> 00:28:33.740 But he didn't know him well enough to stick around, first of all. 00:28:35.160 --> 00:28:38.120 And it shows you he didn't really know his father's heart 00:28:38.120 --> 00:28:42.799 when he had to come up with this whole speech to get his father to take him back. 00:28:45.460 --> 00:28:47.660 But he learned his father's heart that day. 00:28:48.440 --> 00:28:53.059 He found out what his father was really about. 00:28:53.920 --> 00:28:57.360 And that's the point that Jesus is making when he told that story. 00:28:58.059 --> 00:29:05.500 Is to say, you're going to learn the father's heart when you come to him at the end of your rope and say, 00:29:05.660 --> 00:29:06.820 I need you. 00:29:06.960 --> 00:29:09.019 I'm throwing myself on your mercy. 00:29:09.420 --> 00:29:11.880 I'm throwing myself with no expectations. 00:29:11.880 --> 00:29:14.740 I'm throwing myself at your hands. 00:29:15.920 --> 00:29:17.260 Then you'll learn the father's heart. 00:29:18.260 --> 00:29:19.800 And if you've never done that, 00:29:20.500 --> 00:29:25.100 then there's a good chance you don't know your heavenly father's heart all that well. 00:29:26.340 --> 00:29:28.180 But I pray that God shows it to you. 00:29:28.180 --> 00:29:37.279 The law of God backs all of us into the same corner. 00:29:38.880 --> 00:29:39.799 No excuses. 00:29:40.460 --> 00:29:41.299 Nothing to offer. 00:29:41.299 --> 00:29:45.399 But the moment we stop trying to make excuses, 00:29:45.980 --> 00:29:48.659 the moment we stop trying to justify it, 00:29:48.980 --> 00:29:55.720 the moment we stop trying to soothe our own conscience and convince ourselves that we're okay, 00:29:56.579 --> 00:30:00.279 that's when grace runs out and meets us. 00:30:00.839 --> 00:30:03.240 And says, welcome back. 00:30:03.240 --> 00:30:08.620 I have no problem with you. 00:30:09.819 --> 00:30:11.859 I never had any expectation. 00:30:12.660 --> 00:30:15.599 I just want you and I want you to know me. 00:30:18.559 --> 00:30:23.559 God wants to treat you not as servants, not as slaves, but as sons and daughters. 00:30:24.620 --> 00:30:25.660 Here's our finish. 00:30:26.859 --> 00:30:33.019 It is better to be honest, an honest mess before God than a dishonest saint. 00:30:33.960 --> 00:30:36.220 John Ortberg, a great Christian writer, wrote that. 00:30:37.440 --> 00:30:42.960 It's better to be an honest mess before God rather than a dishonest saint. 00:30:47.960 --> 00:30:48.980 Come honestly. 00:30:49.880 --> 00:30:51.099 Come cleanly. 00:30:51.980 --> 00:30:55.019 Come clean to Jesus so he can make you clean. 00:30:56.599 --> 00:31:01.079 Whether it's one check mark or a hundred, he can make you clean. 00:31:01.079 --> 00:31:05.740 And it doesn't take all the hearts added in to convince him. 00:31:06.899 --> 00:31:09.720 He just accepts you out of love. 00:31:10.539 --> 00:31:12.059 So what are you going to bring to Jesus? 00:31:12.500 --> 00:31:14.299 What are you going to lay down at his feet today? 00:31:14.500 --> 00:31:19.099 And that's our challenge today, is come honestly before Jesus today. 00:31:19.179 --> 00:31:20.279 Would you do that with me today? 00:31:20.480 --> 00:31:22.919 Would you come honestly before Jesus today? 00:31:23.220 --> 00:31:25.279 What are you going to lay down at the feet of Jesus? 00:31:25.279 --> 00:31:32.559 Would you bow your heads and close your eyes and let's let God minister to us by his spirit in just the next moment or two before we dismiss? 00:31:33.539 --> 00:31:36.339 Come honestly before Jesus today. 00:31:37.299 --> 00:31:39.259 What do you need to lay down at the feet of Jesus? 00:31:39.259 --> 00:31:42.579 Do you need to lay down your fear? 00:31:42.759 --> 00:31:43.900 Do you need to lay down your worry? 00:31:44.319 --> 00:31:45.740 Do you need to lay down your pride? 00:31:47.640 --> 00:31:56.460 Exalting yourself, your lack of faith, your anger, your bitterness, your self-righteousness, your lust. 00:31:56.879 --> 00:32:02.160 What is it you need to lay down before Jesus today and say, this is what I have to bring you. 00:32:02.160 --> 00:32:06.140 I didn't go out and earn a great inheritance. 00:32:06.360 --> 00:32:09.000 I didn't spend your money wisely. 00:32:09.960 --> 00:32:12.779 But God, I'm coming back to you. 00:32:13.779 --> 00:32:15.600 You don't have to negotiate with him. 00:32:16.100 --> 00:32:23.980 He accepts you fully, warmly, with loving welcome as a father does to a son. 00:32:25.640 --> 00:32:27.779 Come honestly before Jesus today. 00:32:29.340 --> 00:32:31.540 Music's going to play as it does. 00:32:31.539 --> 00:32:34.099 Would you do business with God in your seat right here? 00:32:38.359 --> 00:32:41.700 Somebody needs to come and take a step toward Jesus today. 00:32:41.779 --> 00:32:46.960 You need to get involved in a community of Jesus followers and you want to put your membership in this church today. 00:32:47.079 --> 00:32:47.759 Don't delay that. 00:32:47.839 --> 00:32:48.500 Don't wait any longer. 00:32:49.240 --> 00:32:51.639 If God's leading you, say yes to him. 00:32:54.000 --> 00:32:58.899 Somebody needs to take the next step and stand before the church and be baptized and say, 00:32:58.900 --> 00:33:03.680 I want to follow Jesus and obey his command and be baptized as a follower of Jesus. 00:33:03.920 --> 00:33:05.620 Don't put that off any longer. 00:33:05.960 --> 00:33:07.480 Say yes to Jesus today. 00:33:08.680 --> 00:33:13.620 There's something God wants you to bring to him and lay it at his feet and say, this is a problem. 00:33:13.619 --> 00:33:15.459 I've been acting this way. 00:33:15.459 --> 00:33:17.079 I've been engaged in this behavior. 00:33:17.500 --> 00:33:21.619 Whatever it is, I'm bringing it to you and say, I'm coming in my mess. 00:33:22.099 --> 00:33:22.979 Please help me. 00:33:22.980 --> 00:33:25.299 Please help me, Father. 00:33:26.319 --> 00:33:29.579 Then come honestly before Jesus and lay that down at his feet. 00:33:29.579 --> 00:33:37.740 In the next moment or two as the piano plays, if you'd like to come down and kneel at the altar here, 00:33:37.799 --> 00:33:43.480 if you'd like to kneel at your pew, if you'd like to remain seated, whatever you'd like to do. 00:33:43.779 --> 00:33:46.419 If you need somebody to talk to, we'll grab somebody to talk with you. 00:33:48.119 --> 00:33:50.019 Do you listen to God and his spirit today? 00:33:50.019 --> 00:33:50.099 Amen. 00:33:50.099 --> 00:33:50.099 00:33:50.099 --> 00:33:50.159 Amen. 00:33:50.159 --> 00:33:50.159 00:33:50.159 --> 00:33:50.159 00:33:50.159 --> 00:33:50.159 00:33:50.159 --> 00:33:50.159 00:33:50.159 --> 00:33:50.159 00:33:50.159 --> 00:33:50.159 00:33:50.159 --> 00:33:50.159 00:33:50.159 --> 00:33:50.159 00:33:50.159 --> 00:33:50.159 00:33:50.159 --> 00:33:50.159 00:33:50.159 --> 00:33:50.159 00:33:50.159 --> 00:33:50.159 00:33:50.159 --> 00:33:50.159 00:33:59.579 --> 00:34:00.579 Amen. 00:34:29.579 --> 00:34:42.239 Turn your eyes upon Jesus. 00:34:42.360 --> 00:34:45.219 Let's sing to that chorus one time together and we'll pray and be dismissed. 00:34:45.219 --> 00:34:51.219 Turn your eyes upon Jesus. 00:34:52.559 --> 00:34:54.519 Look full in his wonderful face. 00:34:54.519 --> 00:35:00.039 Look full in his wonderful face. 00:35:00.039 --> 00:35:02.800 And the things of earth will grow strangely dim. 00:35:03.559 --> 00:35:10.300 And the things of earth will grow strange. 00:35:10.960 --> 00:35:12.739 In the light of his glory and grace. 00:35:13.559 --> 00:35:20.860 In the light of his glory and grace. 00:35:21.000 --> 00:35:22.739 God, thank you for meeting with us today. 00:35:22.739 --> 00:35:27.259 Thank you for teaching us from your word and reminding you, reminding us who you are. 00:35:27.759 --> 00:35:28.559 What you're about. 00:35:29.179 --> 00:35:30.359 Let us get to know you more. 00:35:31.219 --> 00:35:32.959 So we always run to you at any moment. 00:35:33.279 --> 00:35:34.299 It's in Jesus' name we pray. 00:35:34.759 --> 00:35:34.979 Amen.