WEBVTT

00:00:00.400 --> 00:00:05.440
 Well, if you're new to Watermark Church, my name is Kevin and one of the leaders here.

00:00:06.000 --> 00:00:10.359
 And we're going to spend some time praying now. This is called a pastoral prayer.

00:00:10.880 --> 00:00:14.980
 And this is a time when we as a church pray. I'm going to be doing the one speaking.

00:00:15.439 --> 00:00:19.420
 But this isn't just me praying. This is us as a church family praying.

00:00:19.539 --> 00:00:24.000
 And so I want to invite you to join me by listening in and agreeing with me.

00:00:24.120 --> 00:00:27.940
 We're going to be praying for a church called Emmanuel English Church here in Hong Kong.

00:00:27.940 --> 00:00:30.760
 As we pray for them, you be praying for them as well.

00:00:31.179 --> 00:00:34.439
 But let's come before our Heavenly Father in prayer this morning.

00:00:36.539 --> 00:00:45.579
 Heavenly Father, great and glorious God, gracious God, we come to you this morning because you are where we find true rest.

00:00:46.380 --> 00:00:52.540
 You, God, are where we find genuine encouragement, life-changing hope, and enduring freedom.

00:00:53.340 --> 00:00:55.620
 Jesus Christ, you are our true rest.

00:00:55.619 --> 00:01:05.039
 And, Lord, we admit that we are tired, we are weary, we are burdened, we are exhausted, and so we come to you because we have great need of you, Lord.

00:01:06.359 --> 00:01:14.739
 Father, we confess that much of our exhaustion is because in our heart of hearts we've been running from you or we've been fighting for control in our lives.

00:01:15.799 --> 00:01:23.500
 Father, if we're honest, many even of our religious efforts have been efforts to control our own lives rather than worshipful devotion to you.

00:01:23.500 --> 00:01:26.260
 And so we do pray, won't you forgive us?

00:01:27.120 --> 00:01:28.879
 Help us to love you supremely.

00:01:30.000 --> 00:01:33.060
 You are, O God, the living water that our souls were made to drink from.

00:01:33.400 --> 00:01:37.040
 You, O God, are the true bread of life that our souls were meant to feast on.

00:01:37.739 --> 00:01:44.200
 Father, so often we look everywhere except coming to you to satisfy the longings of our hearts, and we know that that won't work.

00:01:44.859 --> 00:01:48.340
 And so this morning we come, we quieten ourselves, and we wait for you.

00:01:49.680 --> 00:01:51.460
 Father, come and have your way in our lives.

00:01:51.459 --> 00:01:53.000
 Come and be first, we pray.

00:01:55.079 --> 00:01:58.139
 We want to drink of that living water that you spoke about, Jesus.

00:01:59.519 --> 00:02:00.939
 Come and have your way in our hearts.

00:02:05.039 --> 00:02:11.120
 Father, this morning we do want to lift up our friends at Emmanuel English Church, Evangel, and the other leaders there.

00:02:11.639 --> 00:02:16.939
 We thank you, Lord, for the rich history that church has in preaching your word and being a faithful light in this city.

00:02:16.939 --> 00:02:20.840
 For the leaders who have remained faithful to you despite many challenges.

00:02:21.500 --> 00:02:25.800
 Lord, we ask for your profound blessing and goodness to rest upon that church.

00:02:26.560 --> 00:02:35.240
 Father, as we read in the book of Acts, we see how absolutely vital your presence and your power and your Holy Spirit is to all ministry.

00:02:35.240 --> 00:02:40.960
 And so we pray for Emmanuel Church that you, Holy Spirit, will be powerfully present in their work.

00:02:41.240 --> 00:02:43.020
 We pray for their Sunday gatherings.

00:02:43.240 --> 00:02:44.680
 We pray for their small group meetings.

00:02:44.879 --> 00:02:49.420
 We pray for their members as they go into Hong Kong throughout the week.

00:02:49.560 --> 00:02:50.700
 God, will you go with them?

00:02:51.360 --> 00:02:56.860
 We pray, Lord, that where your word is preached and your gospel is sung, that you'll be present ministering to them.

00:02:57.439 --> 00:03:02.379
 God, as they go and salt and light this city, may they be ambassadors speaking on your behalf.

00:03:02.379 --> 00:03:05.039
 And, Lord, we pray for many conversions, God.

00:03:05.079 --> 00:03:08.060
 We pray for men and women to be genuinely saved and born again.

00:03:08.519 --> 00:03:10.299
 God, bless that church, we pray.

00:03:10.460 --> 00:03:13.719
 We ask for your anointing to rest upon them today, God.

00:03:14.659 --> 00:03:17.659
 And, Lord, this morning we pray also for the people of New Zealand.

00:03:18.079 --> 00:03:22.840
 We pray for those particularly in Christchurch who are reeling from the attacks this week.

00:03:23.539 --> 00:03:26.680
 We pray for those, Lord, that have lost family members and loved ones.

00:03:27.639 --> 00:03:29.079
 God, many of them will be Muslim.

00:03:29.939 --> 00:03:31.340
 Many of them would not know you.

00:03:31.340 --> 00:03:33.620
 We pray, God, that you'll be a comfort to them.

00:03:34.300 --> 00:03:39.219
 We pray, Lord, that your church will stand and be a light and love those, even those that don't believe in you.

00:03:39.759 --> 00:03:43.400
 And pray, God, that many will find the hope that is in you, Lord Jesus.

00:03:44.340 --> 00:03:50.099
 God, we pray that events such as this, which are born out of evil and hatred, will not fuel more hatred and evil.

00:03:50.860 --> 00:03:53.420
 Father, may the plans of the evil one come to nothing.

00:03:54.379 --> 00:03:56.259
 We pray, God, that peace will prevail.

00:03:56.259 --> 00:04:02.539
 We pray, God, for your wisdom for New Zealand leaders and world leaders around the world that are dealing with terrorism.

00:04:03.340 --> 00:04:07.620
 Lord, we know that the hope for humanity is not found in more laws or police officers.

00:04:07.819 --> 00:04:09.939
 It's found in Jesus Christ's changing hearts.

00:04:09.939 --> 00:04:18.180
 And so we pray, God, that our hearts in Hong Kong and across the world and New Zealand this morning will be melted by the wonder of the gospel of Jesus.

00:04:19.660 --> 00:04:32.279
 God, we pray that in New Zealand, as we do in Hong Kong, for more gospel proclaiming, salt and light living, mission driven, gospel hearted Christians and churches to bring true comfort and hope in the midst of life's tragedies.

00:04:32.360 --> 00:04:32.740
 We pray.

00:04:33.319 --> 00:04:34.699
 We pray these things in your name.

00:04:35.439 --> 00:04:35.759
 Amen.

00:04:35.759 --> 00:04:35.939
 Amen.

00:04:35.939 --> 00:04:38.779
 Let's listen to the reading of God's word this morning.

00:04:45.779 --> 00:04:48.980
 The scripture reading comes from Matthew chapter 5.

00:04:49.660 --> 00:04:52.480
 Please follow along in your bulletins or on the screen.

00:04:55.100 --> 00:04:59.220
 Do not think that I have come to abolish the law or the prophets.

00:05:00.079 --> 00:05:03.480
 I have not come to abolish them, but to fulfill them.

00:05:03.480 --> 00:05:14.939
 For truly I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away, not an iota, not a dot will pass from the law until all is accomplished.

00:05:16.319 --> 00:05:25.460
 Therefore, whoever relaxes one of the least of these commandments and teaches others to do the same will be least in the kingdom of heaven.

00:05:25.459 --> 00:05:31.620
 But whoever does them and teaches them will be called great in the kingdom of heaven.

00:05:32.579 --> 00:05:41.379
 For I tell you, unless your righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.

00:05:41.379 --> 00:05:51.379
 Again, you have heard that it was said to those of old, you shall not swear falsely, but shall perform to the Lord what you have sworn.

00:05:52.659 --> 00:06:06.959
 But I say to you, do not take an oath at all, either by heaven, for it is the throne of God, or by the earth, for it is his footstool, or by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the great king.

00:06:06.959 --> 00:06:14.139
 And do not take an oath by your head, for you cannot make one hair white or black.

00:06:15.279 --> 00:06:19.919
 Let what you say be simply yes or no.

00:06:21.079 --> 00:06:23.599
 Anything more than this comes from evil.

00:06:23.600 --> 00:06:30.300
 You have heard that it was said, an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.

00:06:30.900 --> 00:06:34.360
 But I say to you, do not resist the one who is evil.

00:06:35.080 --> 00:06:39.760
 But if anyone slaps you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also.

00:06:40.680 --> 00:06:45.680
 And if anyone would sue you and take your tunic, let him have your cloak as well.

00:06:46.620 --> 00:06:50.800
 And if anyone forces you to go one mile, go with him two miles.

00:06:50.800 --> 00:06:56.520
 Give to the one who begs from you, and do not refuse the one who would borrow from you.

00:06:57.540 --> 00:07:01.840
 You have heard that it was said, you shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.

00:07:02.439 --> 00:07:07.240
 But I say to you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you,

00:07:07.560 --> 00:07:10.800
 so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven.

00:07:11.500 --> 00:07:15.040
 For he makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good,

00:07:15.580 --> 00:07:19.519
 and sends rain on the just and on the unjust.

00:07:19.519 --> 00:07:24.259
 For if you love those who love you, what reward do you have?

00:07:25.180 --> 00:07:27.539
 Do not even the tax collectors do the same?

00:07:28.159 --> 00:07:32.740
 And if you greet only your brothers, what more are you doing than others?

00:07:33.279 --> 00:07:35.539
 Do not even the Gentiles do the same?

00:07:36.399 --> 00:07:40.519
 You therefore must be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect.

00:07:41.060 --> 00:07:42.459
 This is the Word of God.

00:07:42.459 --> 00:07:46.359
 Great. Thank you, Justin and Chris.

00:07:47.560 --> 00:07:47.879
 Okay.

00:07:48.219 --> 00:07:52.939
 So, this morning, we are looking at this passage in Matthew chapter 5.

00:07:53.279 --> 00:07:57.959
 And in many ways, this is part B to the sermon last week.

00:07:58.199 --> 00:08:01.399
 The sermon that Justin preached for us last week.

00:08:01.399 --> 00:08:06.919
 And I must just tell you that this passage, especially the first kind of paragraph,

00:08:07.120 --> 00:08:09.479
 is a very complex and technical passage.

00:08:09.919 --> 00:08:14.500
 And I didn't realize just how complex it was when I gave it to Justin in January.

00:08:14.919 --> 00:08:18.500
 And then as we worked through it together the last few weeks, I realized, oh my goodness,

00:08:18.579 --> 00:08:22.959
 I've given him a passage which many experienced preachers have stumbled at.

00:08:23.060 --> 00:08:25.299
 And yet, Justin did such a good job last week.

00:08:25.300 --> 00:08:26.720
 And for that, we are very grateful.

00:08:27.460 --> 00:08:32.320
 But what's happening in this passage is that Jesus is explaining a principle.

00:08:32.799 --> 00:08:33.960
 And we're going to get to that in a bit.

00:08:34.000 --> 00:08:34.960
 We're going to revisit it.

00:08:35.360 --> 00:08:40.100
 And then he spends almost the rest of the Sermon on the Mount unpacking that principle

00:08:40.100 --> 00:08:43.820
 and showing how it plays out in the life of his followers.

00:08:44.680 --> 00:08:47.680
 And so, Jesus, again, gives this principle.

00:08:47.860 --> 00:08:54.720
 And then he gives five or six applications of how this works its way out in our lives.

00:08:54.720 --> 00:09:02.759
 And Justin last week explained the first one, which is how this principle plays out in the area of anger and retaliation.

00:09:03.379 --> 00:09:06.160
 And this morning, we're going to look at a couple of other examples.

00:09:06.800 --> 00:09:09.800
 But this is the principle or the question that Jesus tackles.

00:09:10.420 --> 00:09:12.860
 He asks and then answers the question,

00:09:13.519 --> 00:09:19.879
 what bearing do the moral and ethical teachings of the Bible, especially the Old Testament,

00:09:20.440 --> 00:09:22.740
 have on the Christian, the Christ follower today?

00:09:22.740 --> 00:09:29.080
 What bearing do the moral and the ethical teachings of the Bible, especially the Old Testament,

00:09:29.539 --> 00:09:32.259
 what bearing do those have on our lives today?

00:09:32.659 --> 00:09:38.120
 In other words, is Christianity all about grace and mercy alone, not by works?

00:09:38.620 --> 00:09:43.740
 And therefore, all the moral and ethical teachings of the Old Testament have no say in our lives.

00:09:43.799 --> 00:09:47.120
 We should just forget about that and just focus on the New Testament.

00:09:47.120 --> 00:09:52.779
 Are they just there to show us that we actually can't live by them anyway,

00:09:52.879 --> 00:09:55.539
 and so we might as well not even bother and just trust in Jesus?

00:09:56.460 --> 00:10:01.879
 Or should we still approach them saying, this is God's word, we need to obey them,

00:10:02.019 --> 00:10:08.299
 but then aren't we in danger of legalism and trying to earn our salvation by good works and by moral efforts?

00:10:08.299 --> 00:10:13.639
 What bearing do the moral and ethical teachings of the Bible, particularly the Old Testament,

00:10:13.839 --> 00:10:16.339
 have on the life of a follower of Jesus today?

00:10:16.859 --> 00:10:20.719
 So for instance, how should we think about honoring the Sabbath?

00:10:21.620 --> 00:10:23.359
 Or taking God's name in vain?

00:10:24.179 --> 00:10:25.299
 Or what about tithing?

00:10:25.559 --> 00:10:26.719
 Should we still do that?

00:10:27.379 --> 00:10:28.719
 What about drinking alcohol?

00:10:29.379 --> 00:10:33.779
 Are Christians expected to honor the technicalities of the Old Testament law,

00:10:33.779 --> 00:10:36.220
 or are we free from such instructions?

00:10:36.519 --> 00:10:38.559
 And so that's where we're going to look today.

00:10:39.159 --> 00:10:41.179
 And so I've got three points today, very simple.

00:10:41.679 --> 00:10:43.839
 How Christ fulfills the Old Testament law,

00:10:44.339 --> 00:10:45.819
 what is the essence of the law,

00:10:46.139 --> 00:10:48.919
 and what that looks like in all of life.

00:10:49.159 --> 00:10:50.339
 Okay, so let's dive in.

00:10:50.799 --> 00:10:52.259
 So let's look at verse 17.

00:10:52.399 --> 00:10:55.659
 We're going to revisit the principle that Justin laid out for us last week,

00:10:56.240 --> 00:10:57.720
 and then we're going to apply it to our lives.

00:10:57.959 --> 00:10:59.919
 So Jesus says this in verse 17.

00:11:00.120 --> 00:11:00.539
 He says,

00:11:00.539 --> 00:11:04.219
 Do not think that I've come to abolish the law or the prophets.

00:11:04.360 --> 00:11:06.719
 I have not come to abolish them, but to fulfill them.

00:11:07.240 --> 00:11:09.480
 In fact, until heaven and earth pass away,

00:11:09.879 --> 00:11:14.959
 not an iota, not a dot will pass from the law until it is all accomplished.

00:11:15.399 --> 00:11:16.759
 So what's Jesus saying here?

00:11:17.259 --> 00:11:20.360
 He's saying all the Old Testament, the law, the prophets,

00:11:20.519 --> 00:11:22.759
 all of the Old Testament is God's word.

00:11:23.059 --> 00:11:23.799
 It's good.

00:11:23.980 --> 00:11:24.860
 It's righteous.

00:11:25.019 --> 00:11:25.819
 It's from God.

00:11:25.919 --> 00:11:27.919
 And we shouldn't abandon it.

00:11:27.919 --> 00:11:30.679
 Just throw it out the windows if it doesn't apply anymore.

00:11:30.959 --> 00:11:31.439
 He says,

00:11:31.679 --> 00:11:33.000
 Don't think I've come to abolish it.

00:11:33.059 --> 00:11:34.419
 No, I've come to fulfill it.

00:11:34.759 --> 00:11:36.779
 I've come to accomplish it.

00:11:37.360 --> 00:11:39.459
 Now, if you're new to church this morning,

00:11:40.159 --> 00:11:42.559
 the Bible talks about this word, the law.

00:11:42.759 --> 00:11:46.819
 And it's not talking about Hong Kong law or our national laws.

00:11:47.439 --> 00:11:51.939
 The law is the body of teaching that God gave to Moses

00:11:51.939 --> 00:11:55.839
 for the people of God about 2,000 years before Jesus came.

00:11:55.840 --> 00:11:59.620
 And it's generally found in the first five books of the Old Testament.

00:11:59.940 --> 00:12:04.980
 And it involves over 600 different laws and commands and rules and regulations

00:12:04.980 --> 00:12:09.399
 for the people of Israel, how they are to behave, etc., etc.

00:12:09.700 --> 00:12:13.639
 And I've got to be honest with you, it's sometimes difficult reading, right?

00:12:13.680 --> 00:12:16.960
 Reading all these lists of these ancient laws to an ancient people.

00:12:17.480 --> 00:12:20.480
 But this body of teaching generally, not perfectly,

00:12:20.660 --> 00:12:22.540
 but generally falls into three categories.

00:12:22.539 --> 00:12:26.459
 There's the ceremonial law, which has everything to do with the priests

00:12:26.459 --> 00:12:30.039
 and the temple and sacrifices and what they can wear and can't wear

00:12:30.039 --> 00:12:31.579
 and how they are to go about their things.

00:12:32.039 --> 00:12:35.159
 Then there's the national law, which governed how the nation of Israel

00:12:35.159 --> 00:12:37.039
 was to be governed as a nation.

00:12:37.579 --> 00:12:39.360
 But then thirdly, there's the moral law.

00:12:39.480 --> 00:12:43.259
 And in fact, most of these commands fall in that category.

00:12:43.659 --> 00:12:44.399
 The moral law.

00:12:44.459 --> 00:12:46.679
 And the moral law instructed the people of God

00:12:46.679 --> 00:12:50.599
 how they were to live out their lives as a community before God.

00:12:50.600 --> 00:12:53.940
 And so sometimes as Christians, we can think,

00:12:54.340 --> 00:12:57.740
 oh, the law, this heavy weight.

00:12:58.279 --> 00:13:01.820
 And we can think, now Jesus has come, let's tear out our Old Testament

00:13:01.820 --> 00:13:06.060
 and just read the New Testament because that's all gone and dead and buried.

00:13:06.180 --> 00:13:07.620
 And Jesus says, not at all.

00:13:08.180 --> 00:13:10.879
 Until heaven and earth pass away, not an iota.

00:13:11.000 --> 00:13:13.399
 That's the smallest letter in the Hebrew alphabet.

00:13:13.960 --> 00:13:17.639
 Not the smallest stroke of the pen will be done away with

00:13:17.639 --> 00:13:19.300
 until it is all accomplished.

00:13:19.299 --> 00:13:21.339
 I haven't come to abolish it.

00:13:21.399 --> 00:13:23.139
 I've come to fulfill it.

00:13:23.719 --> 00:13:25.620
 Now, what does Jesus mean when he says,

00:13:25.719 --> 00:13:27.059
 I've come to fulfill the law?

00:13:27.279 --> 00:13:28.639
 What does it actually mean?

00:13:28.939 --> 00:13:30.459
 Well, again, it means many things.

00:13:30.519 --> 00:13:32.120
 But let's look at three things it means.

00:13:32.439 --> 00:13:34.259
 The first way Jesus fulfills the law

00:13:34.259 --> 00:13:39.179
 is he fulfills all the pictures that the ceremonial law pointed to.

00:13:39.719 --> 00:13:43.559
 So the Old Testament law, when you read Exodus and Leviticus and Deuteronomy,

00:13:43.679 --> 00:13:46.099
 it's full of all these analogies and these pictures.

00:13:46.100 --> 00:13:48.340
 And all of them tell the story.

00:13:48.480 --> 00:13:50.279
 And the story is that God is holy.

00:13:50.560 --> 00:13:51.420
 God is righteous.

00:13:51.779 --> 00:13:52.700
 God is just.

00:13:53.139 --> 00:13:55.779
 And that humanity, we are sinful and we are broken.

00:13:56.420 --> 00:13:57.980
 And we need forgiveness of our sins.

00:13:58.360 --> 00:14:00.480
 And the way that we are forgiven of our sins

00:14:00.480 --> 00:14:03.000
 is not just that God turns a blind eye to it

00:14:03.000 --> 00:14:04.220
 and pretends it's not there.

00:14:04.860 --> 00:14:06.980
 Somebody atones for our sins.

00:14:07.159 --> 00:14:10.279
 Somebody else pays the guilt on our behalf.

00:14:10.279 --> 00:14:13.199
 Friends, can you see how Jesus fulfills the law?

00:14:13.860 --> 00:14:15.799
 Jesus is the true high priest.

00:14:16.059 --> 00:14:17.360
 Jesus is the true temple.

00:14:17.860 --> 00:14:19.600
 Jesus is the true Lamb of God

00:14:19.600 --> 00:14:22.100
 that was sacrificed for the sins of the world.

00:14:22.519 --> 00:14:25.220
 As one famous preacher, Justin Marr, once said,

00:14:25.659 --> 00:14:29.419
 every religion has a set of laws which you must obey.

00:14:29.919 --> 00:14:33.199
 Only Christianity has a law which points to a person,

00:14:33.799 --> 00:14:34.819
 to Jesus Christ.

00:14:35.439 --> 00:14:38.139
 Christ fulfills every picture to which the law points.

00:14:38.139 --> 00:14:40.639
 But there's another way Jesus fulfills the law.

00:14:40.840 --> 00:14:45.199
 And this is that he fulfills the righteous requirements

00:14:45.199 --> 00:14:46.439
 of God's moral law.

00:14:47.019 --> 00:14:53.580
 So, remember, God's holy law condemns all that's sin.

00:14:53.740 --> 00:14:56.679
 And the sentence that he pronounces is death.

00:14:57.399 --> 00:15:00.139
 Death must pass upon all that have sinned against God

00:15:00.139 --> 00:15:02.700
 and broken his righteous and holy law.

00:15:03.480 --> 00:15:04.700
 And Jesus comes and says,

00:15:04.799 --> 00:15:06.279
 I haven't come to abolish that.

00:15:06.279 --> 00:15:07.919
 I've come to fulfill it.

00:15:08.559 --> 00:15:09.819
 Well, how does he fulfill it?

00:15:10.340 --> 00:15:14.879
 He makes sure that the sentence which must be passed is passed.

00:15:15.159 --> 00:15:17.679
 He makes sure that the sentence for sin is carried out.

00:15:17.759 --> 00:15:18.819
 It must be fulfilled.

00:15:19.480 --> 00:15:21.259
 God cannot put it to one side.

00:15:21.699 --> 00:15:23.980
 God doesn't do away with his own moral code

00:15:23.980 --> 00:15:26.159
 by simply sweeping it under the carpet

00:15:26.159 --> 00:15:27.199
 or brushing it aside.

00:15:27.740 --> 00:15:30.720
 The righteousness of God and his law demands

00:15:30.720 --> 00:15:32.500
 that the punishment for sin is paid.

00:15:32.960 --> 00:15:34.399
 It must be fulfilled.

00:15:34.399 --> 00:15:40.939
 Friends, don't you see how Jesus came to completely fulfill the law on our behalf?

00:15:40.939 --> 00:15:45.439
 He upholds the requirements of the law by becoming the atoning sacrifice for us,

00:15:45.519 --> 00:15:48.500
 by taking the punishment that God's law demands

00:15:48.500 --> 00:15:51.159
 and that you and I deserve on himself

00:15:51.159 --> 00:15:53.600
 so that we can be absolved of our guilt,

00:15:53.980 --> 00:15:56.819
 so that we can stand before God guiltless and free,

00:15:56.820 --> 00:15:58.440
 as we sang about this morning.

00:15:59.100 --> 00:16:00.600
 But additionally, Jesus says,

00:16:00.980 --> 00:16:03.320
 in addition to just atoning for our guilt,

00:16:03.780 --> 00:16:06.320
 his righteousness, in other words, his perfection,

00:16:06.620 --> 00:16:08.040
 his life of obedience,

00:16:08.160 --> 00:16:11.260
 he now credits to the account of those who trust him.

00:16:11.259 --> 00:16:16.200
 Jesus is our righteousness and fulfills the law in that way.

00:16:16.980 --> 00:16:19.799
 But then there's a third way that Jesus fulfills the law.

00:16:20.220 --> 00:16:24.379
 And this is actually what almost the rest of the Sermon on the Mount is all about.

00:16:25.819 --> 00:16:28.340
 Jesus fulfills the law on our behalf

00:16:28.340 --> 00:16:30.639
 by becoming an atoning sacrifice for us.

00:16:31.100 --> 00:16:32.299
 But in addition to that,

00:16:32.379 --> 00:16:34.379
 he fulfills the law in us

00:16:34.379 --> 00:16:36.480
 by giving us the Holy Spirit,

00:16:36.600 --> 00:16:37.939
 by changing our hearts

00:16:37.940 --> 00:16:40.340
 and then writing his law in our hearts

00:16:40.340 --> 00:16:42.000
 and then giving us the Holy Spirit,

00:16:42.260 --> 00:16:45.260
 empowering us to live out the demands of the law.

00:16:45.740 --> 00:16:46.260
 In other words,

00:16:46.760 --> 00:16:48.260
 Jesus, when we become a Christian,

00:16:48.360 --> 00:16:49.700
 if you are a Christian this morning,

00:16:50.240 --> 00:16:51.800
 Jesus gives you this Holy Spirit,

00:16:51.940 --> 00:16:53.600
 which is sometimes called the Spirit of Jesus.

00:16:54.020 --> 00:16:56.520
 He then rewires your heart,

00:16:56.620 --> 00:16:58.340
 which is the control center of your life,

00:16:58.480 --> 00:17:01.460
 and empowers you to become the kind of person

00:17:01.460 --> 00:17:04.640
 that starts to do the things that the law required.

00:17:05.180 --> 00:17:06.200
 Okay, does that make sense?

00:17:06.200 --> 00:17:09.120
 Let's see if we can work through it, okay?

00:17:09.840 --> 00:17:12.200
 So Paul writes this in Romans chapter 8.

00:17:12.940 --> 00:17:13.400
 He says,

00:17:14.080 --> 00:17:15.680
 If you're a Christ follower this morning,

00:17:16.100 --> 00:17:19.620
 there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ.

00:17:19.980 --> 00:17:20.299
 Why?

00:17:20.600 --> 00:17:22.620
 Because Jesus fulfilled the law for you.

00:17:23.059 --> 00:17:24.640
 Jesus died in your place.

00:17:24.980 --> 00:17:26.519
 The punishment of God was put on him.

00:17:26.900 --> 00:17:28.500
 He took the wrath of God.

00:17:28.840 --> 00:17:30.039
 You now stand before God,

00:17:30.160 --> 00:17:31.620
 holy and righteous and clean.

00:17:31.880 --> 00:17:33.620
 There is no condemnation for you.

00:17:33.960 --> 00:17:35.400
 Remember the song we sometimes sing?

00:17:35.400 --> 00:17:37.780
 Before the throne of God above,

00:17:37.980 --> 00:17:39.960
 I have a strong and perfect plea.

00:17:41.860 --> 00:17:42.980
 I've forgotten the rest of the lines.

00:17:43.160 --> 00:17:44.060
 Ellen, help me out here.

00:17:44.860 --> 00:17:46.360
 The great high priest,

00:17:47.360 --> 00:17:48.519
 whose name is love,

00:17:48.780 --> 00:17:50.320
 whoever pleads for me.

00:17:51.360 --> 00:17:54.060
 That sounded better when I rehearsed it this morning.

00:17:55.180 --> 00:17:57.200
 There's this great song with some great lines, okay?

00:17:57.200 --> 00:18:01.220
 The lines I was actually thinking of was this.

00:18:01.620 --> 00:18:03.380
 When I'm tempted to despair,

00:18:03.580 --> 00:18:06.819
 and when Satan tells me of the guilt within,

00:18:07.740 --> 00:18:09.620
 upward I look and see him there,

00:18:09.960 --> 00:18:11.920
 who made an end to all my sin.

00:18:12.759 --> 00:18:13.559
 And so God,

00:18:13.920 --> 00:18:16.440
 there's no condemnation for those who are in Christ.

00:18:16.660 --> 00:18:17.100
 Then it says,

00:18:17.500 --> 00:18:19.740
 For God has done what the law could not do.

00:18:19.740 --> 00:18:21.279
 Well, what could the law not do?

00:18:21.400 --> 00:18:22.839
 The law couldn't change our hearts.

00:18:23.480 --> 00:18:24.720
 Couldn't make us love God.

00:18:24.779 --> 00:18:26.259
 It could tell us what we needed to do,

00:18:26.339 --> 00:18:28.160
 but it couldn't actually help us to do that.

00:18:29.079 --> 00:18:29.759
 But God,

00:18:29.920 --> 00:18:31.460
 by sending his own son,

00:18:31.920 --> 00:18:33.759
 to take the punishment of sin for us,

00:18:34.299 --> 00:18:35.579
 condemned sin in the flesh,

00:18:35.680 --> 00:18:36.640
 this is the important part,

00:18:37.019 --> 00:18:40.160
 in order that the righteous requirements of the law

00:18:40.160 --> 00:18:42.240
 might be fulfilled in us,

00:18:42.599 --> 00:18:44.220
 who walk not according to the flesh,

00:18:44.319 --> 00:18:45.420
 but according to the spirit.

00:18:45.839 --> 00:18:46.940
 So this is what Paul's saying.

00:18:47.440 --> 00:18:48.960
 When Jesus died on the cross,

00:18:48.960 --> 00:18:50.480
 and you become a follower of Jesus,

00:18:50.559 --> 00:18:51.440
 you put your trust in him,

00:18:51.559 --> 00:18:52.279
 two things happen.

00:18:52.400 --> 00:18:53.440
 Actually, many things happen,

00:18:53.539 --> 00:18:54.600
 but two in this case.

00:18:55.080 --> 00:18:55.440
 One,

00:18:55.960 --> 00:18:57.960
 Jesus fulfills the law for you.

00:18:58.460 --> 00:18:59.680
 And so you stand before God,

00:18:59.700 --> 00:19:00.120
 and God says,

00:19:00.240 --> 00:19:01.920
 Why can you stand righteous before me?

00:19:01.980 --> 00:19:03.620
 Because Jesus did it for me.

00:19:03.980 --> 00:19:04.900
 But secondly,

00:19:05.480 --> 00:19:07.680
 Jesus fulfills the law in you,

00:19:07.940 --> 00:19:09.279
 by giving you the Holy Spirit,

00:19:09.279 --> 00:19:10.420
 and changing your heart,

00:19:10.559 --> 00:19:11.940
 and making you the kind of person

00:19:11.940 --> 00:19:13.519
 that then walks according

00:19:13.519 --> 00:19:15.920
 to what God's holy requirements are.

00:19:16.940 --> 00:19:19.080
 So let me see if I can give you an example,

00:19:19.220 --> 00:19:19.620
 analogy.

00:19:19.759 --> 00:19:20.740
 It's not a perfect analogy,

00:19:20.860 --> 00:19:21.900
 but let's see if it'll make sense.

00:19:22.240 --> 00:19:23.620
 We've got a bunch of people here

00:19:23.620 --> 00:19:25.539
 that are writing big medical exams.

00:19:25.700 --> 00:19:27.940
 See, Grace, and Carlo, and Joyce,

00:19:28.039 --> 00:19:29.480
 and I think Graham's somewhere around.

00:19:29.759 --> 00:19:31.080
 All these med students, right,

00:19:31.120 --> 00:19:32.259
 that are writing big exams.

00:19:32.799 --> 00:19:34.640
 Now, I'm sure they're all amazing students,

00:19:34.759 --> 00:19:37.059
 but just imagine you are a med student,

00:19:37.720 --> 00:19:39.700
 and you've got this big exam,

00:19:40.120 --> 00:19:41.680
 and your name is not Grace,

00:19:41.759 --> 00:19:43.640
 or Carlo, or Joyce, or Graham, or anyone.

00:19:43.640 --> 00:19:45.740
 Your name is James.

00:19:45.980 --> 00:19:46.759
 No, not James,

00:19:46.860 --> 00:19:48.320
 because there actually is a med student, James.

00:19:48.400 --> 00:19:50.240
 Let's pick Peter.

00:19:50.380 --> 00:19:51.660
 Your name is Peter, okay?

00:19:52.740 --> 00:19:54.000
 And you, Peter,

00:19:54.640 --> 00:19:56.140
 you've done pretty well,

00:19:56.259 --> 00:19:58.000
 but you've got your final exam,

00:19:58.500 --> 00:20:00.780
 and the requirements of your final exam

00:20:00.780 --> 00:20:02.040
 are to get 100%.

00:20:02.040 --> 00:20:04.780
 90% won't do, 80% won't do.

00:20:04.860 --> 00:20:07.820
 You have to get 100% to pass this final exam.

00:20:08.619 --> 00:20:10.679
 But you just can't pass it.

00:20:10.899 --> 00:20:13.119
 You've taken this exam so many times,

00:20:13.159 --> 00:20:14.659
 and every time you fall short,

00:20:14.700 --> 00:20:16.720
 and you just cannot pass it.

00:20:17.359 --> 00:20:19.220
 Well, it's no point going to the medical board

00:20:19.220 --> 00:20:21.439
 and saying, listen, I've passed most of my exams.

00:20:21.500 --> 00:20:22.399
 That doesn't help.

00:20:22.980 --> 00:20:24.839
 The requirements of the medical school

00:20:24.839 --> 00:20:27.159
 is that you have to pass all your exams,

00:20:27.220 --> 00:20:29.279
 and you have to pass this final exam.

00:20:29.980 --> 00:20:31.139
 So in order to become a doctor,

00:20:31.220 --> 00:20:32.599
 you need to fulfill the requirements

00:20:32.599 --> 00:20:33.399
 of the medical school.

00:20:33.400 --> 00:20:37.080
 But now just imagine that by luck,

00:20:37.600 --> 00:20:40.140
 there happens to be a professor of the medical school

00:20:40.140 --> 00:20:42.420
 who has the same name as you.

00:20:42.640 --> 00:20:45.500
 His name is also Peter Lee, just by chance.

00:20:46.140 --> 00:20:47.600
 And through some technicality,

00:20:47.720 --> 00:20:49.160
 the requirements of the medical school

00:20:49.160 --> 00:20:51.019
 is that Peter Lee sits the exam.

00:20:51.860 --> 00:20:55.019
 And so this professor, through some technical detail,

00:20:55.300 --> 00:20:56.860
 is allowed to sit the exam

00:20:56.860 --> 00:20:58.360
 and write the exam on your behalf.

00:20:58.480 --> 00:20:59.380
 And because he's a professor,

00:20:59.519 --> 00:21:00.600
 he helps sit the exam.

00:21:00.599 --> 00:21:03.359
 And so he writes the exam for Peter Lee,

00:21:03.699 --> 00:21:06.019
 and he passes the exam with flying colors

00:21:06.019 --> 00:21:07.719
 to the most minute detail,

00:21:07.980 --> 00:21:10.459
 and his pass is now credited to you.

00:21:10.919 --> 00:21:12.099
 And so you get the letter saying,

00:21:12.319 --> 00:21:14.599
 well done, Peter Lee, you have passed your exam,

00:21:14.679 --> 00:21:16.740
 and you're now qualified as a doctor.

00:21:17.439 --> 00:21:19.879
 He has fulfilled the requirements of the law for you.

00:21:20.339 --> 00:21:22.639
 Now, in some ways, that's what the gospel is like.

00:21:23.139 --> 00:21:26.000
 Jesus fulfills the requirements of the law on our behalf.

00:21:26.519 --> 00:21:28.139
 Christianity isn't about self-help.

00:21:28.140 --> 00:21:30.120
 It isn't about improving yourself

00:21:30.120 --> 00:21:31.800
 or trying to get yourself a bit better.

00:21:32.020 --> 00:21:33.680
 It's about coming to the end of yourself

00:21:33.680 --> 00:21:35.259
 and realizing, I can't do it.

00:21:35.340 --> 00:21:37.000
 Somebody else needs to do it for me.

00:21:37.240 --> 00:21:39.980
 Jesus fulfilled the requirements of the law on your behalf.

00:21:40.280 --> 00:21:41.460
 But here's the problem.

00:21:42.040 --> 00:21:45.820
 As a doctor, it doesn't help having the certificate on the wall

00:21:45.820 --> 00:21:47.980
 if you didn't actually pass the exam, right?

00:21:48.040 --> 00:21:49.860
 Which patient wants to come to the doctor

00:21:49.860 --> 00:21:53.400
 that passed the exam technically, but not in reality?

00:21:54.540 --> 00:21:56.240
 And so this professor comes to you and says,

00:21:56.240 --> 00:21:57.180
 there's one requirement.

00:21:57.460 --> 00:21:58.880
 I'll write the exam for you,

00:21:59.299 --> 00:22:02.079
 but then for the next 20 years, I'm going to mentor you.

00:22:02.660 --> 00:22:05.019
 You've got to come work with me,

00:22:05.519 --> 00:22:06.700
 and I'm going to train you,

00:22:07.140 --> 00:22:08.740
 and I'm going to impart my brilliance to you,

00:22:08.779 --> 00:22:10.039
 and I'm going to impart my knowledge to you,

00:22:10.079 --> 00:22:11.519
 and I'm going to impart my wisdom to you.

00:22:11.799 --> 00:22:13.779
 And everything that makes me a professor,

00:22:13.940 --> 00:22:16.779
 I'm going to impart to you until you become like me,

00:22:16.839 --> 00:22:18.740
 until my brilliance becomes your brilliance,

00:22:18.859 --> 00:22:20.099
 my wisdom, your wisdom,

00:22:20.420 --> 00:22:21.799
 my insight, your insight,

00:22:21.799 --> 00:22:24.720
 until you are a doctor just like me.

00:22:25.019 --> 00:22:27.519
 It's one thing for him to fulfill the requirements of the law,

00:22:27.659 --> 00:22:29.379
 but if you're actually going to be a doctor,

00:22:29.599 --> 00:22:31.940
 that which the test is trying to examine,

00:22:32.059 --> 00:22:33.379
 you need to get that inside of you

00:22:33.379 --> 00:22:35.200
 so that you can become that in reality.

00:22:35.919 --> 00:22:37.379
 Now, it's not a perfect analogy,

00:22:38.019 --> 00:22:39.519
 but this is what Jesus is saying.

00:22:39.919 --> 00:22:42.379
 He's fulfilled the law for us on our behalf,

00:22:42.720 --> 00:22:44.500
 but now he gives us the Holy Spirit

00:22:44.500 --> 00:22:46.059
 to fulfill the law in us

00:22:46.059 --> 00:22:47.740
 that we become the kind of people

00:22:47.740 --> 00:22:50.159
 that actually do what the law requires.

00:22:50.160 --> 00:22:51.960
 And this is what God promised

00:22:51.960 --> 00:22:53.240
 throughout the whole Old Testament.

00:22:53.779 --> 00:22:55.840
 Remember, God comes to Jeremiah,

00:22:56.080 --> 00:22:56.460
 and he says,

00:22:56.840 --> 00:22:58.779
 I'm going to give my people a new covenant,

00:22:58.980 --> 00:23:00.160
 a new way of relating to them.

00:23:00.380 --> 00:23:02.180
 But the difference between the old way

00:23:02.180 --> 00:23:03.140
 and the new way is this.

00:23:03.519 --> 00:23:06.140
 I will now write my law on their hearts.

00:23:07.060 --> 00:23:08.720
 I will take out their heart of stone.

00:23:09.480 --> 00:23:12.060
 I won't just give them a plate that says,

00:23:12.259 --> 00:23:13.060
 this is what you should do.

00:23:13.140 --> 00:23:14.540
 I'll now put it inside of them,

00:23:14.560 --> 00:23:16.180
 and I'll give them my Holy Spirit

00:23:16.180 --> 00:23:17.840
 so that they can live it out.

00:23:18.540 --> 00:23:19.600
 See, sometimes as Christians,

00:23:19.599 --> 00:23:21.659
 we read God's moral law,

00:23:21.719 --> 00:23:23.019
 and we think that's such legalism,

00:23:23.079 --> 00:23:24.139
 not interested in that,

00:23:24.199 --> 00:23:25.819
 and obeying those rules and regulations.

00:23:26.019 --> 00:23:27.219
 And Jesus is not at all.

00:23:27.699 --> 00:23:28.799
 He says, that's my law.

00:23:29.039 --> 00:23:30.099
 That's my heart.

00:23:30.500 --> 00:23:32.579
 But now, I don't think I've come to abolish it.

00:23:32.599 --> 00:23:33.559
 I've come to fulfill it.

00:23:33.980 --> 00:23:35.799
 And in my grace, I'll fulfill it for you,

00:23:35.859 --> 00:23:37.799
 but in my grace, I'll help you to do it.

00:23:38.359 --> 00:23:40.379
 Now, what does that actually look like?

00:23:40.439 --> 00:23:42.259
 What does that mean in modern life?

00:23:42.879 --> 00:23:44.599
 What does that mean when we date someone

00:23:44.599 --> 00:23:46.659
 that maybe doesn't share, isn't a Christian?

00:23:47.120 --> 00:23:48.540
 What does it mean about your clothing,

00:23:48.640 --> 00:23:49.880
 what you can and can't wear?

00:23:50.019 --> 00:23:51.279
 How revealing is revealing?

00:23:51.500 --> 00:23:53.880
 What does it mean about watching Netflix series

00:23:53.880 --> 00:23:55.500
 that aren't super helpful?

00:23:56.700 --> 00:23:57.620
 Should we do it?

00:23:57.660 --> 00:23:58.360
 Shouldn't we do it?

00:23:58.380 --> 00:23:59.779
 What does the law actually say?

00:24:00.640 --> 00:24:02.040
 Remember, one day,

00:24:02.560 --> 00:24:03.920
 someone comes to Jesus and says,

00:24:04.040 --> 00:24:06.600
 Jesus, what must I do to inherit eternal life?

00:24:07.140 --> 00:24:08.340
 And what does Jesus answer?

00:24:09.440 --> 00:24:12.040
 Jesus says, what does your law require?

00:24:12.779 --> 00:24:13.720
 See, Jesus doesn't say,

00:24:14.159 --> 00:24:15.859
 well, let's just forget about the Old Testament

00:24:15.859 --> 00:24:18.019
 because now I'm here and that doesn't matter anymore.

00:24:18.579 --> 00:24:20.440
 No, Jesus says, what does the law require?

00:24:21.319 --> 00:24:22.740
 And the man thinks about it

00:24:22.740 --> 00:24:25.500
 and the man summarized the entire 600 laws

00:24:25.500 --> 00:24:27.279
 of the Old Testament in two sentences.

00:24:28.159 --> 00:24:30.079
 He says, love the Lord your God

00:24:30.079 --> 00:24:34.399
 with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength.

00:24:34.899 --> 00:24:37.399
 And love your neighbor as yourself.

00:24:38.259 --> 00:24:40.680
 And Jesus says, you're dead on.

00:24:41.480 --> 00:24:43.460
 For these two sentences summarize

00:24:43.460 --> 00:24:45.480
 the entire law and the prophets.

00:24:45.700 --> 00:24:48.420
 Do this and you'll live.

00:24:49.019 --> 00:24:52.140
 And friends, this is the essence of the entire law.

00:24:52.720 --> 00:24:54.080
 This is the essence of everything

00:24:54.080 --> 00:24:55.660
 that the Old Testament is about.

00:24:55.780 --> 00:24:57.160
 And that brings us to our second point,

00:24:57.220 --> 00:24:58.380
 which is the essence of the law.

00:24:59.019 --> 00:25:01.019
 You see, what does it mean when Jeremiah says,

00:25:01.120 --> 00:25:02.600
 I will write God's law in your heart?

00:25:02.940 --> 00:25:04.940
 What does it mean to have God's law written in your heart?

00:25:04.940 --> 00:25:06.960
 What does it look like when God empowers us

00:25:06.960 --> 00:25:08.820
 to live out his holy law?

00:25:09.200 --> 00:25:10.440
 What does it look like to obey

00:25:10.440 --> 00:25:12.000
 and walk according to God's ways?

00:25:12.519 --> 00:25:14.460
 It means loving God supremely

00:25:14.460 --> 00:25:16.140
 with every facet of our heart,

00:25:16.620 --> 00:25:18.100
 every part of our lives.

00:25:18.340 --> 00:25:21.180
 It means for Christ to be our highest treasure,

00:25:21.340 --> 00:25:22.320
 our deepest delight,

00:25:22.799 --> 00:25:24.799
 for him to be supreme in our hearts.

00:25:24.840 --> 00:25:27.000
 And it means to love one another more than ourselves.

00:25:27.640 --> 00:25:28.660
 Love the Lord your God

00:25:28.660 --> 00:25:30.259
 with all your heart, your soul,

00:25:30.420 --> 00:25:31.940
 your mind, your strength.

00:25:32.420 --> 00:25:33.400
 That word strength, by the way,

00:25:33.400 --> 00:25:34.460
 is actually resources.

00:25:34.620 --> 00:25:35.700
 It's your financial strength.

00:25:36.120 --> 00:25:38.220
 And love one another more than yourself.

00:25:39.080 --> 00:25:40.180
 And that's why Jesus says

00:25:40.180 --> 00:25:41.620
 the strangest thing in verse 20.

00:25:42.019 --> 00:25:44.540
 He says here what seems to be a shocking thing.

00:25:44.620 --> 00:25:46.060
 He says, I tell you the truth,

00:25:46.400 --> 00:25:48.140
 your righteousness must exceed

00:25:48.140 --> 00:25:49.740
 that of the scribes and the Pharisees.

00:25:49.820 --> 00:25:52.000
 Otherwise, you'll never enter the kingdom of heaven.

00:25:52.620 --> 00:25:54.440
 Well, Justin explained it to us last week.

00:25:54.740 --> 00:25:56.120
 The scribes and the Pharisees

00:25:56.120 --> 00:25:57.320
 were the most religious,

00:25:57.500 --> 00:25:58.540
 the most fastidious,

00:25:58.700 --> 00:26:00.920
 the most law-abiding people in the planet.

00:26:00.920 --> 00:26:03.800
 They came up with thousands of other laws

00:26:03.800 --> 00:26:05.860
 just to make sure to protect themselves,

00:26:06.039 --> 00:26:08.240
 to make sure that they never broke God's law.

00:26:08.759 --> 00:26:10.259
 So for instance, the fourth commandment,

00:26:10.340 --> 00:26:11.460
 you know, you should honor the Sabbath.

00:26:11.900 --> 00:26:14.620
 They came up with about 35 other laws

00:26:14.620 --> 00:26:16.660
 just to make sure what they could and couldn't do

00:26:16.660 --> 00:26:18.700
 to make sure that they never broke

00:26:18.700 --> 00:26:20.120
 the fourth commandment in any way.

00:26:20.539 --> 00:26:22.200
 They were extremely law-abiding.

00:26:22.779 --> 00:26:24.400
 So how come Jesus now says,

00:26:24.759 --> 00:26:26.580
 you must exceed their righteousness?

00:26:26.579 --> 00:26:31.819
 Well, what's Jesus saying?

00:26:32.699 --> 00:26:34.679
 He says, because this is what the law is about.

00:26:35.720 --> 00:26:36.939
 Love God supremely.

00:26:37.839 --> 00:26:39.439
 Love God more than anyone else.

00:26:40.379 --> 00:26:41.759
 Love Him first in your heart.

00:26:42.659 --> 00:26:43.159
 You see, friends,

00:26:43.319 --> 00:26:45.000
 the Pharisees and the religious leaders

00:26:45.000 --> 00:26:46.720
 were very concerned about obeying

00:26:46.720 --> 00:26:48.339
 the technicalities of the law,

00:26:49.059 --> 00:26:49.779
 the rule book,

00:26:50.039 --> 00:26:52.159
 but they'd completely divorced that

00:26:52.159 --> 00:26:54.439
 from any sense of relationship from God.

00:26:54.440 --> 00:26:57.140
 They weren't loving Christ supreme.

00:26:57.380 --> 00:26:59.420
 They weren't loving God above all other things.

00:26:59.519 --> 00:27:00.940
 They weren't loving their neighbor.

00:27:02.200 --> 00:27:03.700
 In fact, they were using their religion

00:27:03.700 --> 00:27:05.240
 as a way of keeping themselves

00:27:05.240 --> 00:27:06.660
 in control of their own lives.

00:27:07.460 --> 00:27:09.380
 Who did the Pharisees love supremely?

00:27:11.019 --> 00:27:11.460
 Themselves.

00:27:11.900 --> 00:27:12.440
 That's right.

00:27:12.980 --> 00:27:13.920
 They loved themselves.

00:27:14.759 --> 00:27:16.100
 Even their religious observance

00:27:16.100 --> 00:27:17.440
 and rule-keeping was just a way

00:27:17.440 --> 00:27:19.059
 of making them feel good about themselves,

00:27:19.200 --> 00:27:20.480
 making them feel justified,

00:27:21.140 --> 00:27:22.200
 a way that they could feel like

00:27:22.200 --> 00:27:24.160
 they were front and central in their lives

00:27:24.160 --> 00:27:25.019
 and Jesus says,

00:27:25.140 --> 00:27:25.800
 if you do that,

00:27:25.860 --> 00:27:27.060
 you have no part in me.

00:27:27.620 --> 00:27:28.740
 You do not know me.

00:27:29.560 --> 00:27:30.920
 Remember at the end of the Sermon on the Mount,

00:27:31.060 --> 00:27:31.440
 Jesus says,

00:27:31.480 --> 00:27:32.240
 there are a bunch of people

00:27:32.240 --> 00:27:32.860
 that come to Him.

00:27:32.920 --> 00:27:33.340
 They're going to say,

00:27:33.420 --> 00:27:35.640
 Lord, didn't we prophesy on your name?

00:27:35.720 --> 00:27:36.800
 Didn't we cast out demons?

00:27:36.980 --> 00:27:38.360
 Didn't we lead a wonderful church

00:27:38.360 --> 00:27:40.279
 and preach and run CG?

00:27:40.580 --> 00:27:41.380
 And Jesus says,

00:27:41.440 --> 00:27:42.660
 I never knew you.

00:27:42.860 --> 00:27:43.560
 Depart from me.

00:27:43.640 --> 00:27:43.960
 Why?

00:27:45.040 --> 00:27:46.580
 Because we weren't loving the Lord our God

00:27:46.580 --> 00:27:48.500
 with all our hearts, souls, mind, and strength.

00:27:49.200 --> 00:27:50.940
 And so the rest of the Sermon,

00:27:51.039 --> 00:27:52.420
 Jesus is going to contrast

00:27:52.420 --> 00:27:54.180
 obeying the rules

00:27:54.180 --> 00:27:56.400
 versus loving God supremely.

00:27:57.059 --> 00:27:57.819
 What does it look like

00:27:57.819 --> 00:27:58.880
 in every area of our life

00:27:58.880 --> 00:28:00.380
 to obey the rules,

00:28:00.660 --> 00:28:02.319
 divorce from relationship with God

00:28:02.319 --> 00:28:03.980
 versus loving God supremely?

00:28:04.539 --> 00:28:06.160
 Let me give you an example from my life

00:28:06.160 --> 00:28:08.079
 of how I do this so easily.

00:28:08.519 --> 00:28:10.519
 I remember when I was a little boy,

00:28:10.960 --> 00:28:12.000
 10 or 11 years old,

00:28:12.000 --> 00:28:12.960
 I remember playing cricket

00:28:12.960 --> 00:28:14.339
 with my brother in the garden.

00:28:15.019 --> 00:28:15.899
 Now, if you don't know cricket,

00:28:16.639 --> 00:28:17.679
 it's a wonderful game

00:28:17.679 --> 00:28:20.419
 and it's similar to baseball-ish.

00:28:21.220 --> 00:28:22.919
 All the cricket fanatics, I'm sorry.

00:28:23.139 --> 00:28:24.179
 But essentially,

00:28:24.459 --> 00:28:25.679
 in the most basic terms,

00:28:25.740 --> 00:28:26.119
 you've got this.

00:28:26.179 --> 00:28:27.019
 You've got a batter,

00:28:27.480 --> 00:28:28.419
 he's got to hit the ball,

00:28:28.659 --> 00:28:29.559
 and you've got a bowler,

00:28:29.659 --> 00:28:30.819
 someone who pitches the ball.

00:28:31.559 --> 00:28:33.079
 And you've got all these fielders

00:28:33.079 --> 00:28:34.720
 and the batter hits the ball

00:28:34.720 --> 00:28:35.459
 somewhere in the field

00:28:35.459 --> 00:28:36.639
 and then he's got to run.

00:28:37.039 --> 00:28:37.759
 Kind of like in baseball,

00:28:37.859 --> 00:28:38.500
 you've got a diamond.

00:28:38.799 --> 00:28:39.359
 In cricket,

00:28:39.439 --> 00:28:40.299
 you've got these two points.

00:28:40.339 --> 00:28:41.299
 You've got to run between them.

00:28:41.319 --> 00:28:42.639
 And every time you run between them,

00:28:42.720 --> 00:28:44.139
 you get what's called a run

00:28:44.140 --> 00:28:44.780
 or a point.

00:28:45.820 --> 00:28:46.360
 And so,

00:28:46.980 --> 00:28:47.840
 what happens is

00:28:47.840 --> 00:28:49.180
 you kind of run between these points,

00:28:49.300 --> 00:28:50.660
 you accumulate some points,

00:28:50.759 --> 00:28:51.220
 some runs,

00:28:51.720 --> 00:28:53.180
 and then at the end of that,

00:28:53.340 --> 00:28:55.280
 when the field has got the ball,

00:28:55.440 --> 00:28:56.320
 instead of him getting you,

00:28:56.400 --> 00:28:57.340
 if you don't stop running,

00:28:57.420 --> 00:28:58.280
 he's going to get you out.

00:28:58.380 --> 00:28:59.200
 He's going to throw it back

00:28:59.200 --> 00:29:00.240
 to kind of like the home base

00:29:00.240 --> 00:29:00.900
 and you're going to be out.

00:29:01.340 --> 00:29:02.640
 So in order to stop doing that,

00:29:02.700 --> 00:29:03.340
 you call out,

00:29:03.420 --> 00:29:03.720
 over.

00:29:04.759 --> 00:29:06.340
 And then that kind of kills the play.

00:29:06.460 --> 00:29:08.000
 Everybody knows it's the end of play

00:29:08.000 --> 00:29:09.120
 and you go back to the beginning

00:29:09.120 --> 00:29:09.820
 and you restart

00:29:09.820 --> 00:29:10.780
 and have another play.

00:29:10.779 --> 00:29:11.220
 Okay?

00:29:11.740 --> 00:29:13.379
 So I remember playing with my brother

00:29:13.379 --> 00:29:14.879
 and I was the batter

00:29:14.879 --> 00:29:16.399
 and I hit the ball into the garden

00:29:16.399 --> 00:29:18.579
 and my brother goes and fetches it

00:29:18.579 --> 00:29:20.000
 and I run three runs.

00:29:20.119 --> 00:29:20.339
 One,

00:29:20.579 --> 00:29:20.740
 two,

00:29:20.980 --> 00:29:21.220
 three.

00:29:21.720 --> 00:29:23.720
 Now I'm far away from my home base,

00:29:23.819 --> 00:29:24.779
 but he's got the ball.

00:29:24.920 --> 00:29:26.220
 And so in order to not be out,

00:29:26.319 --> 00:29:26.660
 I call,

00:29:27.160 --> 00:29:27.359
 over.

00:29:27.740 --> 00:29:29.740
 And then I can walk back to my home base.

00:29:29.799 --> 00:29:30.559
 Except this day,

00:29:30.619 --> 00:29:31.980
 I didn't quite say over.

00:29:32.740 --> 00:29:34.399
 I said something that sounded like it.

00:29:35.000 --> 00:29:35.379
 I remember saying,

00:29:35.579 --> 00:29:35.759
 over.

00:29:35.759 --> 00:29:38.980
 So my brother thought,

00:29:39.079 --> 00:29:39.200
 okay,

00:29:39.220 --> 00:29:39.980
 it's the end of play.

00:29:40.480 --> 00:29:41.319
 And so he walks back

00:29:41.319 --> 00:29:41.640
 and he says,

00:29:41.680 --> 00:29:42.500
 how many runs are you on?

00:29:42.519 --> 00:29:42.759
 I said,

00:29:42.859 --> 00:29:43.119
 four.

00:29:44.400 --> 00:29:44.680
 He says,

00:29:44.740 --> 00:29:44.879
 four,

00:29:44.940 --> 00:29:46.359
 but I thought you only ran three times.

00:29:46.420 --> 00:29:46.640
 I said,

00:29:46.680 --> 00:29:46.779
 no,

00:29:46.819 --> 00:29:47.559
 I didn't say over.

00:29:47.660 --> 00:29:47.960
 I said,

00:29:48.019 --> 00:29:48.299
 Oliver.

00:29:51.579 --> 00:29:52.640
 You see what I did there?

00:29:53.819 --> 00:29:54.099
 Now,

00:29:54.759 --> 00:29:55.240
 technically,

00:29:55.379 --> 00:29:56.059
 was I right?

00:29:56.839 --> 00:29:57.099
 Yeah,

00:29:57.319 --> 00:29:57.740
 technically,

00:29:57.740 --> 00:29:58.619
 I didn't say over.

00:29:59.500 --> 00:29:59.859
 Technically,

00:29:59.980 --> 00:30:00.879
 did I lie to him?

00:30:01.099 --> 00:30:01.379
 No,

00:30:01.579 --> 00:30:01.980
 technically,

00:30:02.099 --> 00:30:02.640
 I didn't.

00:30:02.740 --> 00:30:03.579
 I didn't say over.

00:30:04.439 --> 00:30:05.839
 But I cheated him

00:30:05.839 --> 00:30:06.779
 and

00:30:06.779 --> 00:30:08.480
 technically

00:30:08.480 --> 00:30:10.379
 constructed a system

00:30:10.379 --> 00:30:11.399
 to obey the rules

00:30:11.399 --> 00:30:12.500
 that I didn't feel bad

00:30:12.500 --> 00:30:13.519
 like I lied to him

00:30:13.519 --> 00:30:15.819
 and said I could accumulate more runs

00:30:15.819 --> 00:30:16.759
 and win the game,

00:30:16.819 --> 00:30:17.099
 right?

00:30:17.699 --> 00:30:18.519
 Or maybe here's a,

00:30:18.579 --> 00:30:19.460
 that's a technical example.

00:30:19.559 --> 00:30:20.559
 Maybe here's a more simple one.

00:30:20.659 --> 00:30:22.199
 Chris gave me this analogy this week.

00:30:22.259 --> 00:30:23.339
 If you're a parent here

00:30:23.339 --> 00:30:24.799
 and you've got young kids,

00:30:24.819 --> 00:30:25.500
 you'll know this.

00:30:25.720 --> 00:30:27.519
 I say to my kids sometimes,

00:30:27.740 --> 00:30:28.899
 please come to the dinner table.

00:30:29.000 --> 00:30:29.939
 We're going to have dinner now

00:30:29.939 --> 00:30:31.480
 and nothing happens.

00:30:31.859 --> 00:30:33.379
 Please come to the dinner table.

00:30:33.380 --> 00:30:34.020
 We're eating.

00:30:34.920 --> 00:30:35.500
 Nothing happens.

00:30:35.560 --> 00:30:36.480
 You speak a couple of times.

00:30:36.580 --> 00:30:36.800
 Eventually,

00:30:36.880 --> 00:30:37.940
 I go pick up my daughter

00:30:37.940 --> 00:30:39.800
 and I put her on the chair

00:30:39.800 --> 00:30:40.780
 and I say,

00:30:41.300 --> 00:30:42.200
 now sit there

00:30:42.200 --> 00:30:43.040
 until you've eaten.

00:30:43.040 --> 00:30:44.220
 Don't get off the chair

00:30:44.220 --> 00:30:45.440
 until you've eaten all your dinner.

00:30:45.560 --> 00:30:46.440
 Do you understand me?

00:30:47.960 --> 00:30:49.300
 And she might say something like,

00:30:50.000 --> 00:30:50.740
 on the outside,

00:30:50.920 --> 00:30:51.380
 I'm sitting,

00:30:51.580 --> 00:30:52.280
 but on the inside,

00:30:52.420 --> 00:30:53.320
 I'm standing up.

00:30:55.000 --> 00:30:55.220
 Okay?

00:30:56.100 --> 00:30:57.040
 Do you see what's happening there?

00:30:57.400 --> 00:30:57.840
 Technically,

00:30:58.040 --> 00:30:59.140
 they're obeying the rules,

00:30:59.220 --> 00:30:59.500
 right?

00:30:59.880 --> 00:31:00.940
 But their hearts

00:31:00.940 --> 00:31:02.700
 are as divorced from obedience

00:31:02.700 --> 00:31:04.779
 as night is from day.

00:31:05.240 --> 00:31:05.700
 Now friends,

00:31:05.779 --> 00:31:06.539
 that's exactly

00:31:06.539 --> 00:31:07.740
 what the religious people

00:31:07.740 --> 00:31:08.920
 in Jesus' day were doing.

00:31:09.359 --> 00:31:10.579
 They were going through the motions.

00:31:10.720 --> 00:31:12.059
 They were obeying the rules technically.

00:31:12.220 --> 00:31:13.019
 They were doing this,

00:31:13.119 --> 00:31:13.640
 doing that,

00:31:13.720 --> 00:31:15.539
 nothing so that somebody

00:31:15.539 --> 00:31:16.559
 couldn't accuse them

00:31:16.559 --> 00:31:17.680
 of breaking God's law.

00:31:18.039 --> 00:31:19.180
 But where were their hearts?

00:31:19.759 --> 00:31:21.359
 Were they loving Christ supremely?

00:31:21.740 --> 00:31:23.079
 Was God first in their hearts?

00:31:23.140 --> 00:31:24.420
 Were they loving one another

00:31:24.420 --> 00:31:25.180
 more than themselves?

00:31:25.180 --> 00:31:25.620
 No,

00:31:25.700 --> 00:31:26.779
 they were loving themselves.

00:31:27.640 --> 00:31:29.600
 I think the craziest example of this

00:31:29.600 --> 00:31:32.440
 is the Pharisees try and arrest,

00:31:32.620 --> 00:31:33.820
 or they get Jesus arrested.

00:31:34.180 --> 00:31:35.980
 They take him to Pontius Pilate's house

00:31:35.980 --> 00:31:36.920
 in the middle of the night.

00:31:37.539 --> 00:31:38.320
 They go to Pilate,

00:31:38.380 --> 00:31:38.740
 and they say,

00:31:38.860 --> 00:31:39.940
 he's broken all the laws.

00:31:40.019 --> 00:31:41.200
 He needs to be put to death.

00:31:41.600 --> 00:31:42.240
 But it says,

00:31:42.380 --> 00:31:44.600
 they would not go inside Pilate's house

00:31:44.600 --> 00:31:46.200
 lest they became unclean

00:31:46.200 --> 00:31:47.140
 before the Passover.

00:31:48.259 --> 00:31:49.279
 So here they are busy

00:31:49.279 --> 00:31:50.460
 constructing a system

00:31:50.460 --> 00:31:51.620
 to kill the Christ

00:31:51.620 --> 00:31:52.759
 and to have him crucified,

00:31:52.759 --> 00:31:55.619
 and yet they will not step into a wall

00:31:55.619 --> 00:31:58.220
 unless they become technically unclean

00:31:58.220 --> 00:31:59.140
 according to the law.

00:31:59.879 --> 00:32:00.660
 Now friends,

00:32:01.379 --> 00:32:02.779
 you and I do the same thing.

00:32:03.559 --> 00:32:05.879
 Every one of us daily face the temptation

00:32:05.879 --> 00:32:07.920
 to resort to some kind of religion,

00:32:08.079 --> 00:32:09.220
 some kind of legalism,

00:32:09.339 --> 00:32:11.500
 to do what the laws require.

00:32:12.059 --> 00:32:13.099
 We read our Bible

00:32:13.099 --> 00:32:14.379
 for three minutes in the morning.

00:32:14.579 --> 00:32:15.599
 We pay our tithes.

00:32:15.660 --> 00:32:16.440
 We attend CG.

00:32:16.619 --> 00:32:17.480
 We come to church.

00:32:17.819 --> 00:32:19.019
 We go through the motions

00:32:19.019 --> 00:32:20.299
 so that God won't look at us

00:32:20.299 --> 00:32:20.559
 and say,

00:32:20.700 --> 00:32:21.960
 you haven't done what I've asked,

00:32:21.960 --> 00:32:24.140
 and yet the temptation is

00:32:24.140 --> 00:32:26.039
 for our hearts to be divorced from him

00:32:26.039 --> 00:32:27.940
 because actually we're loving ourselves.

00:32:29.000 --> 00:32:30.920
 And so the question Jesus asks us is this.

00:32:31.480 --> 00:32:33.420
 In each and every circumstance in life,

00:32:33.700 --> 00:32:35.180
 when your colleague lets you down

00:32:35.180 --> 00:32:36.420
 and you want to climb into them,

00:32:36.779 --> 00:32:38.460
 when your spouse disappoints them

00:32:38.460 --> 00:32:39.259
 and you want to show them

00:32:39.259 --> 00:32:40.400
 just how often this happens,

00:32:40.920 --> 00:32:42.140
 in your approach to money,

00:32:42.279 --> 00:32:43.460
 in your approach to the poor,

00:32:43.600 --> 00:32:45.620
 in your approach to sexuality and pleasure,

00:32:45.740 --> 00:32:47.200
 the question Jesus asks

00:32:47.200 --> 00:32:49.200
 is not what does God require,

00:32:49.860 --> 00:32:51.480
 but who are you loving supremely?

00:32:52.380 --> 00:32:53.340
 Are you loving me

00:32:53.340 --> 00:32:54.519
 or are you loving yourself?

00:32:55.380 --> 00:32:56.079
 And so that brings us

00:32:56.079 --> 00:32:57.140
 to the third and final point,

00:32:57.220 --> 00:32:58.819
 which is what does this actually look like?

00:32:59.059 --> 00:33:01.620
 And Jesus now gives us six examples

00:33:01.620 --> 00:33:03.840
 of how this plays itself out.

00:33:04.420 --> 00:33:06.200
 Justin gave us the first one last week

00:33:06.200 --> 00:33:07.180
 of how does this play out

00:33:07.180 --> 00:33:08.860
 when somebody riles you

00:33:08.860 --> 00:33:10.200
 or when someone has offended you

00:33:10.200 --> 00:33:11.640
 or you've offended somebody else.

00:33:12.039 --> 00:33:13.360
 I want to look at just two of them.

00:33:13.420 --> 00:33:14.079
 And the first one,

00:33:14.120 --> 00:33:14.900
 I must apologize,

00:33:15.120 --> 00:33:16.140
 it isn't in your bulletin

00:33:16.140 --> 00:33:18.160
 because I changed my mind late in the week.

00:33:18.660 --> 00:33:20.100
 And so it's on the screen,

00:33:20.240 --> 00:33:21.180
 but if you've got your Bible,

00:33:21.360 --> 00:33:22.680
 look at verse 27 with me.

00:33:23.360 --> 00:33:24.600
 Jesus gives us an example

00:33:24.600 --> 00:33:26.740
 of what this looks like with our sexuality.

00:33:27.620 --> 00:33:28.060
 He says,

00:33:28.460 --> 00:33:29.680
 you've heard that it was said.

00:33:29.820 --> 00:33:31.360
 Now, where did they hear this?

00:33:32.019 --> 00:33:33.860
 They didn't have their own personal Bibles.

00:33:34.000 --> 00:33:35.620
 They hadn't read it in the Old Testament.

00:33:36.120 --> 00:33:37.960
 They heard it from the religious leaders

00:33:37.960 --> 00:33:38.620
 and the teachers.

00:33:39.100 --> 00:33:40.060
 They had been teaching,

00:33:40.060 --> 00:33:41.620
 this is what God's word said.

00:33:41.759 --> 00:33:42.619
 And so Jesus says,

00:33:42.759 --> 00:33:44.819
 you've heard that it was said

00:33:44.819 --> 00:33:45.939
 from the religious leaders

00:33:45.939 --> 00:33:47.579
 that you shouldn't commit adultery.

00:33:48.000 --> 00:33:48.799
 Now, that's a good thing.

00:33:48.859 --> 00:33:49.919
 That's what God also said.

00:33:50.039 --> 00:33:51.199
 You shouldn't commit adultery.

00:33:51.559 --> 00:33:52.959
 But what does it mean

00:33:52.959 --> 00:33:54.239
 for our sexuality

00:33:54.239 --> 00:33:56.500
 when Christ is first in our heart?

00:33:56.579 --> 00:33:57.859
 What does it mean for our sexuality

00:33:57.859 --> 00:33:59.939
 when God's law is written on our hearts,

00:33:59.959 --> 00:34:01.079
 not just in a rule book?

00:34:01.459 --> 00:34:02.139
 What does it mean

00:34:02.139 --> 00:34:03.139
 when we're loving God

00:34:03.139 --> 00:34:05.199
 with all our heart, soul, mind, and strength

00:34:05.199 --> 00:34:07.059
 and loving others more than ourselves

00:34:07.059 --> 00:34:08.400
 and our sexuality?

00:34:09.099 --> 00:34:10.339
 Well, look at what Jesus says.

00:34:10.980 --> 00:34:11.559
 Verse 28.

00:34:11.759 --> 00:34:12.719
 I say to you,

00:34:13.359 --> 00:34:14.339
 this is what the law of God

00:34:14.339 --> 00:34:15.659
 written on your heart looks like.

00:34:15.719 --> 00:34:16.539
 This is what the kingdom,

00:34:16.759 --> 00:34:18.579
 the upside-down kingdom ethic looks like.

00:34:19.119 --> 00:34:20.739
 Do not even look at someone

00:34:20.739 --> 00:34:21.940
 with lustful intent.

00:34:23.239 --> 00:34:25.259
 For to do so is the same

00:34:25.259 --> 00:34:26.460
 as committing adultery with them

00:34:26.460 --> 00:34:27.139
 in your heart.

00:34:27.659 --> 00:34:29.119
 You see, those that are religious

00:34:29.119 --> 00:34:30.039
 can go and say,

00:34:30.119 --> 00:34:31.519
 oh, well, I actually haven't slept

00:34:31.519 --> 00:34:32.900
 with someone that's not my spouse.

00:34:33.799 --> 00:34:36.359
 Remember one famous president saying that?

00:34:36.539 --> 00:34:38.839
 We didn't technically have intercourse.

00:34:39.799 --> 00:34:40.900
 But you might as well have

00:34:40.900 --> 00:34:42.760
 because every time you look at that person,

00:34:42.840 --> 00:34:44.119
 you're undressing them in your mind

00:34:44.119 --> 00:34:44.700
 and you're thinking

00:34:44.700 --> 00:34:46.119
 what they look like undressed.

00:34:46.660 --> 00:34:47.260
 Jesus says,

00:34:47.340 --> 00:34:48.160
 you might as well have

00:34:48.160 --> 00:34:49.539
 because in that moment,

00:34:49.619 --> 00:34:50.800
 who are you loving supremely?

00:34:51.639 --> 00:34:53.099
 Not Christ and not your neighbor,

00:34:53.260 --> 00:34:53.900
 but yourself.

00:34:54.119 --> 00:34:54.519
 Jesus says,

00:34:54.579 --> 00:34:56.079
 I didn't come to abolish the law.

00:34:56.480 --> 00:34:57.500
 I came to fulfill it

00:34:57.500 --> 00:34:59.639
 and I came to help you fulfill it.

00:34:59.760 --> 00:35:00.920
 Let's look at one other example.

00:35:01.039 --> 00:35:03.059
 Look at verse 43 here.

00:35:03.059 --> 00:35:04.880
 Jesus says,

00:35:04.940 --> 00:35:05.980
 you've heard that it was said,

00:35:06.179 --> 00:35:07.259
 you shall love your neighbor,

00:35:07.699 --> 00:35:08.960
 but don't worry about your enemy,

00:35:09.099 --> 00:35:09.900
 him you can hate.

00:35:10.599 --> 00:35:12.420
 Well, that's what the religious leaders

00:35:12.420 --> 00:35:12.940
 were saying.

00:35:13.659 --> 00:35:15.860
 If you're a Jewish man or woman,

00:35:16.000 --> 00:35:17.940
 you encounter another Jewish person,

00:35:18.019 --> 00:35:18.579
 they're your brother,

00:35:18.679 --> 00:35:19.279
 they're your sister.

00:35:19.920 --> 00:35:20.579
 Lend them money,

00:35:20.679 --> 00:35:21.619
 don't charge them interest,

00:35:21.719 --> 00:35:22.340
 they're your brother.

00:35:22.840 --> 00:35:23.559
 Look after them,

00:35:23.619 --> 00:35:24.360
 look after them.

00:35:24.900 --> 00:35:26.159
 If they're in trouble,

00:35:26.279 --> 00:35:27.299
 you go over to their house

00:35:27.299 --> 00:35:28.000
 and you help them.

00:35:28.579 --> 00:35:30.079
 But if a Gentile comes,

00:35:30.260 --> 00:35:30.619
 hey, well,

00:35:30.719 --> 00:35:32.059
 that's another story, right?

00:35:32.219 --> 00:35:33.559
 And if a Roman comes,

00:35:33.760 --> 00:35:35.300
 well, that's a whole nother story.

00:35:36.059 --> 00:35:37.139
 You can't murder them.

00:35:37.280 --> 00:35:38.699
 Okay, that's crossing the boundary.

00:35:39.420 --> 00:35:40.960
 But who says you can't despise them?

00:35:41.559 --> 00:35:43.000
 Who says you can't hate them?

00:35:43.940 --> 00:35:46.119
 Who says you can't have animosity

00:35:46.119 --> 00:35:46.739
 in your heart?

00:35:47.559 --> 00:35:47.980
 But friends,

00:35:48.039 --> 00:35:48.739
 what would it look like

00:35:48.739 --> 00:35:49.460
 to treat an enemy,

00:35:49.599 --> 00:35:50.960
 someone who makes your life difficult,

00:35:50.960 --> 00:35:52.460
 a colleague or a neighbor?

00:35:53.139 --> 00:35:53.880
 What would it look like

00:35:53.880 --> 00:35:54.519
 to treat them

00:35:54.519 --> 00:35:55.940
 when Christ is first in your heart?

00:35:56.019 --> 00:35:56.719
 What would it look like

00:35:56.719 --> 00:35:57.900
 to live out the law of God

00:35:57.900 --> 00:35:58.579
 in our hearts?

00:35:59.559 --> 00:36:00.639
 Well, Jesus tells us.

00:36:00.680 --> 00:36:01.920
 He tells us in verse 48,

00:36:02.180 --> 00:36:02.900
 verse 44,

00:36:03.000 --> 00:36:03.360
 he says,

00:36:03.860 --> 00:36:04.559
 it would mean praying

00:36:04.559 --> 00:36:05.320
 for your enemies.

00:36:05.660 --> 00:36:06.500
 Not praying that God

00:36:06.500 --> 00:36:07.260
 would destroy them.

00:36:07.960 --> 00:36:09.079
 That's not the kind of prayer

00:36:09.079 --> 00:36:09.680
 he has in mind.

00:36:10.440 --> 00:36:10.960
 Praying that God

00:36:10.960 --> 00:36:11.660
 would bless them.

00:36:12.720 --> 00:36:13.940
 The very best prayer

00:36:13.940 --> 00:36:14.619
 that you could pray

00:36:14.619 --> 00:36:15.220
 for yourself,

00:36:15.320 --> 00:36:16.240
 you pray for your enemy.

00:36:17.119 --> 00:36:18.000
 Pray for their job.

00:36:18.380 --> 00:36:19.440
 Pray for their marriage.

00:36:20.019 --> 00:36:20.940
 Pray for their finances.

00:36:20.940 --> 00:36:22.099
 Pray for their children.

00:36:22.860 --> 00:36:23.460
 Pray that God

00:36:23.460 --> 00:36:24.680
 would come and encounter them.

00:36:25.180 --> 00:36:26.180
 It means you'd look out

00:36:26.180 --> 00:36:27.119
 for their well-being

00:36:27.119 --> 00:36:28.359
 and warning them of danger.

00:36:28.699 --> 00:36:29.739
 Imagine you've got a colleague

00:36:29.739 --> 00:36:30.679
 that just makes your life

00:36:30.679 --> 00:36:31.239
 a nightmare

00:36:31.239 --> 00:36:33.139
 and they're doing something wrong

00:36:33.139 --> 00:36:33.880
 and you think,

00:36:34.199 --> 00:36:34.920
 serves them right,

00:36:34.980 --> 00:36:35.659
 they're going to get in trouble.

00:36:36.219 --> 00:36:37.039
 It means going to them

00:36:37.039 --> 00:36:37.239
 and saying,

00:36:37.339 --> 00:36:38.420
 hey, can I just point out

00:36:38.420 --> 00:36:39.980
 I think this formula isn't right

00:36:39.980 --> 00:36:41.259
 and I think we should

00:36:41.259 --> 00:36:42.219
 re-look at it, right?

00:36:42.799 --> 00:36:45.500
 It means refusing to speak badly

00:36:45.500 --> 00:36:46.559
 of them behind their backs

00:36:46.559 --> 00:36:48.539
 and even defending their reputation

00:36:48.539 --> 00:36:50.059
 when somebody is slandering them.

00:36:51.440 --> 00:36:52.699
 Someone making your life difficult

00:36:52.699 --> 00:36:53.199
 in the office,

00:36:53.279 --> 00:36:54.440
 they're talking about that person

00:36:54.440 --> 00:36:55.599
 and you know that what they're saying

00:36:55.599 --> 00:36:56.079
 isn't true

00:36:56.079 --> 00:36:56.440
 and you say,

00:36:56.519 --> 00:36:56.900
 actually guys,

00:36:56.940 --> 00:36:58.039
 I don't think that's quite true.

00:36:58.800 --> 00:37:01.400
 I don't think they were quite that bad.

00:37:01.920 --> 00:37:02.220
 Now friends,

00:37:02.260 --> 00:37:02.940
 here's the question.

00:37:03.639 --> 00:37:04.940
 Why would you do such a thing?

00:37:05.539 --> 00:37:07.480
 Why would we love our enemies like this?

00:37:08.019 --> 00:37:09.000
 Well, look at what Jesus says

00:37:09.000 --> 00:37:10.099
 in verse 45.

00:37:10.240 --> 00:37:10.559
 He says,

00:37:10.639 --> 00:37:12.559
 so that you may be sons and daughters

00:37:12.559 --> 00:37:14.280
 of your Father who is in heaven.

00:37:15.300 --> 00:37:15.579
 See friends,

00:37:15.639 --> 00:37:17.300
 if you're a follower of Jesus this morning,

00:37:17.860 --> 00:37:19.579
 how did your Father treat you?

00:37:20.099 --> 00:37:21.500
 How did your Father treat me?

00:37:21.500 --> 00:37:23.300
 How did God treat us

00:37:23.300 --> 00:37:24.820
 when we were his enemies?

00:37:25.920 --> 00:37:27.280
 How did Jesus treat us

00:37:27.280 --> 00:37:29.719
 when we threw our fisted rage at him,

00:37:30.099 --> 00:37:31.579
 when we rebelled against him,

00:37:31.619 --> 00:37:32.880
 when we declared our independence

00:37:32.880 --> 00:37:33.300
 and said,

00:37:33.420 --> 00:37:34.559
 God, I'm going my own way.

00:37:34.639 --> 00:37:35.460
 I don't want to serve you.

00:37:36.179 --> 00:37:37.340
 How did God treat us?

00:37:38.360 --> 00:37:39.639
 Well, Claire read it to us this morning.

00:37:39.820 --> 00:37:41.380
 For God so loved the world

00:37:41.380 --> 00:37:42.579
 that he sent his son

00:37:42.579 --> 00:37:44.300
 to die for us.

00:37:45.019 --> 00:37:45.699
 And what is the prayer

00:37:45.699 --> 00:37:46.599
 that Jesus prayed

00:37:46.599 --> 00:37:48.840
 as he's being nailed to the cross

00:37:48.840 --> 00:37:51.559
 about us suffer for the sins of the world?

00:37:51.660 --> 00:37:52.140
 He prays,

00:37:52.320 --> 00:37:52.680
 Father,

00:37:53.460 --> 00:37:54.200
 forgive them.

00:37:55.440 --> 00:37:56.200
 Forgive them.

00:37:57.880 --> 00:37:58.920
 You've heard that it was said

00:37:58.920 --> 00:38:00.220
 you shall love your neighbor

00:38:00.220 --> 00:38:01.100
 but hate your enemy.

00:38:01.800 --> 00:38:02.260
 I say,

00:38:02.360 --> 00:38:03.019
 love your enemies

00:38:03.019 --> 00:38:04.660
 and pray for those who persecute you

00:38:04.660 --> 00:38:06.420
 that you may be like your Father in heaven.

00:38:07.260 --> 00:38:07.500
 Friends,

00:38:07.559 --> 00:38:08.059
 the question is,

00:38:08.100 --> 00:38:09.579
 who will do such a thing?

00:38:10.300 --> 00:38:11.960
 How can we become such people?

00:38:12.039 --> 00:38:12.760
 I'll tell you how.

00:38:13.500 --> 00:38:14.740
 Because we've had our hearts

00:38:14.740 --> 00:38:15.539
 and our resolve

00:38:15.539 --> 00:38:17.099
 and our self-justification

00:38:17.099 --> 00:38:19.960
 melted by the indescribable love

00:38:19.960 --> 00:38:21.239
 and the mercy of God

00:38:21.239 --> 00:38:22.980
 seen in Christ on the cross.

00:38:23.420 --> 00:38:24.800
 We'll become the kind of people

00:38:24.800 --> 00:38:26.340
 who have come to the end of ourselves

00:38:26.340 --> 00:38:27.259
 because our honor

00:38:27.259 --> 00:38:28.599
 and our reputation

00:38:28.599 --> 00:38:30.279
 and our self-justification

00:38:30.279 --> 00:38:31.380
 and our own glory

00:38:31.380 --> 00:38:33.940
 isn't the defining feature of our lives.

00:38:34.279 --> 00:38:35.579
 But we've come to the end of ourselves

00:38:35.579 --> 00:38:36.279
 and we've found that

00:38:36.279 --> 00:38:36.539
 there,

00:38:36.639 --> 00:38:38.099
 Christ is ready to receive us

00:38:38.099 --> 00:38:38.699
 and love us

00:38:38.699 --> 00:38:39.400
 and accept us

00:38:39.400 --> 00:38:41.199
 even though we are broken and messed up.

00:38:41.860 --> 00:38:42.099
 Friends,

00:38:42.199 --> 00:38:42.820
 such a person

00:38:42.820 --> 00:38:44.159
 is someone who has seen

00:38:44.159 --> 00:38:46.199
 how Christ has loved them unceasingly

00:38:46.199 --> 00:38:48.219
 despite all the stuff in our hearts

00:38:48.219 --> 00:38:48.980
 and all our sin

00:38:48.980 --> 00:38:50.099
 and someone for whom

00:38:50.099 --> 00:38:51.839
 Christ has become more important

00:38:51.839 --> 00:38:53.079
 than their own reputation,

00:38:53.679 --> 00:38:54.420
 their own glory,

00:38:54.539 --> 00:38:55.179
 their own rights,

00:38:55.279 --> 00:38:55.920
 their own kingdom.

00:38:57.199 --> 00:38:57.480
 Friends,

00:38:57.559 --> 00:38:58.559
 does this describe you?

00:38:59.699 --> 00:39:00.839
 Have you met this Christ?

00:39:01.699 --> 00:39:03.279
 Have you encountered Him like this?

00:39:04.079 --> 00:39:04.379
 Friends,

00:39:04.440 --> 00:39:05.980
 has your self-righteousness

00:39:05.980 --> 00:39:06.859
 and self-sufficiency

00:39:06.859 --> 00:39:07.719
 been melted

00:39:07.719 --> 00:39:08.980
 by the glory

00:39:08.980 --> 00:39:09.619
 and the wonder

00:39:09.619 --> 00:39:10.759
 of Jesus and His grace?

00:39:11.559 --> 00:39:12.339
 Or is your religion

00:39:12.339 --> 00:39:13.519
 like the religious leaders

00:39:13.519 --> 00:39:14.400
 ticking a box

00:39:14.400 --> 00:39:15.360
 and going through the motions

00:39:15.360 --> 00:39:16.539
 that you can stand and say,

00:39:16.619 --> 00:39:18.380
 I've done what is required

00:39:18.380 --> 00:39:20.360
 and yet your heart is still

00:39:20.360 --> 00:39:21.759
 trying to control your life?

00:39:22.920 --> 00:39:23.259
 Friends,

00:39:23.400 --> 00:39:24.940
 Jesus' invitation this morning

00:39:24.940 --> 00:39:26.159
 is come and lose yourself.

00:39:26.840 --> 00:39:27.860
 Come and lose yourself.

00:39:28.440 --> 00:39:29.900
 Let go of your self-justification.

00:39:30.079 --> 00:39:31.059
 Let go of your religion.

00:39:31.219 --> 00:39:32.179
 Let go of your rights.

00:39:32.300 --> 00:39:33.900
 Let go of your kingdom

00:39:33.900 --> 00:39:35.519
 and come and find Him.

00:39:36.059 --> 00:39:37.119
 And in that place,

00:39:37.280 --> 00:39:37.940
 you'll find

00:39:37.940 --> 00:39:38.820
 what your heart

00:39:38.820 --> 00:39:39.519
 has been looking for.

00:39:39.619 --> 00:39:39.820
 Friends,

00:39:39.860 --> 00:39:40.860
 the good news of the gospel

00:39:40.860 --> 00:39:42.039
 is that Jesus Christ

00:39:42.039 --> 00:39:42.759
 so loves you

00:39:42.759 --> 00:39:43.739
 that He came for you.

00:39:44.820 --> 00:39:45.860
 He came and He died.

00:39:45.940 --> 00:39:46.639
 He came and He lived

00:39:46.639 --> 00:39:47.840
 the life that you should have lived

00:39:47.840 --> 00:39:48.699
 and He died the death

00:39:48.699 --> 00:39:49.579
 that you should have died.

00:39:50.079 --> 00:39:50.940
 And now He promises

00:39:50.940 --> 00:39:52.019
 to write His ways

00:39:52.019 --> 00:39:52.639
 on our hearts.

00:39:53.079 --> 00:39:54.099
 He promises to fill

00:39:54.099 --> 00:39:55.380
 our hearts with His ways.

00:39:55.759 --> 00:39:57.159
 Not because we deserve it,

00:39:57.199 --> 00:39:58.480
 but because He loves to.

00:39:59.659 --> 00:40:00.000
 Friends,

00:40:00.099 --> 00:40:00.699
 come to Him.

00:40:01.219 --> 00:40:01.820
 Come to Him

00:40:01.820 --> 00:40:02.960
 who loves you more deeply

00:40:02.960 --> 00:40:03.800
 and more profoundly

00:40:03.800 --> 00:40:04.480
 than anything

00:40:04.480 --> 00:40:05.480
 in this world can offer.

00:40:06.300 --> 00:40:06.579
 Friends,

00:40:06.619 --> 00:40:07.279
 when you do that,

00:40:07.320 --> 00:40:07.880
 you'll be free

00:40:07.880 --> 00:40:08.599
 from a wondering

00:40:08.599 --> 00:40:09.639
 and an anxious heart.

00:40:10.199 --> 00:40:11.000
 You'll be free

00:40:11.000 --> 00:40:11.880
 from having to

00:40:11.880 --> 00:40:13.360
 justify yourself.

00:40:13.960 --> 00:40:14.539
 You'll be free

00:40:14.539 --> 00:40:15.480
 from comparisons.

00:40:16.179 --> 00:40:16.679
 You'll be free

00:40:16.679 --> 00:40:17.860
 from the self-accusing

00:40:17.860 --> 00:40:19.380
 and self-justifying arguments

00:40:19.380 --> 00:40:20.119
 in your own head.

00:40:20.400 --> 00:40:21.139
 You'll be free

00:40:21.139 --> 00:40:22.279
 from the dead works

00:40:22.279 --> 00:40:22.779
 of religion.

00:40:23.299 --> 00:40:23.880
 You'll be free

00:40:23.880 --> 00:40:25.099
 from running from Him

00:40:25.099 --> 00:40:26.440
 and you'll find

00:40:26.440 --> 00:40:27.559
 the one that you were made

00:40:27.559 --> 00:40:28.619
 to worship.

00:40:29.480 --> 00:40:29.779
 Friends,

00:40:29.860 --> 00:40:30.579
 come to Him now.

00:40:31.519 --> 00:40:32.059
 Come to Him

00:40:32.059 --> 00:40:32.920
 and let Him be your Lord.

00:40:33.679 --> 00:40:34.279
 Come to Him

00:40:34.279 --> 00:40:35.339
 and love Him supremely.

00:40:36.219 --> 00:40:36.739
 Come to Him

00:40:36.739 --> 00:40:37.480
 and let Him define

00:40:37.480 --> 00:40:38.000
 your life.

00:40:38.780 --> 00:40:39.159
 Let Him be

00:40:39.159 --> 00:40:39.820
 your righteousness,

00:40:40.059 --> 00:40:40.400
 your hope.

00:40:40.519 --> 00:40:41.139
 Come and confess

00:40:41.139 --> 00:40:41.679
 your sins

00:40:41.679 --> 00:40:42.440
 and your need for Him.

00:40:43.099 --> 00:40:44.219
 Ask Him to forgive you.

00:40:45.199 --> 00:40:45.579
 Tell Him

00:40:45.579 --> 00:40:46.260
 that you love Him

00:40:46.260 --> 00:40:47.219
 and you want to live for Him.

00:40:48.000 --> 00:40:49.159
 Come and do that now.

00:40:49.980 --> 00:40:51.139
 Let's pray together.

00:40:57.679 --> 00:40:58.460
 Heavenly Father,

00:40:58.460 --> 00:41:01.039
 we come to You, God,

00:41:01.240 --> 00:41:02.119
 because we,

00:41:03.139 --> 00:41:04.039
 as we said earlier,

00:41:04.159 --> 00:41:04.400
 God,

00:41:04.480 --> 00:41:05.639
 You are the one

00:41:05.639 --> 00:41:07.240
 that holds true life, God.

00:41:07.480 --> 00:41:09.119
 Lord,

00:41:09.199 --> 00:41:10.039
 Your Word is full

00:41:10.039 --> 00:41:11.719
 of all these rules

00:41:11.719 --> 00:41:12.519
 and commands,

00:41:12.699 --> 00:41:13.099
 Lord God,

00:41:13.159 --> 00:41:14.400
 that we are honest.

00:41:14.539 --> 00:41:15.179
 We don't obey

00:41:15.179 --> 00:41:15.980
 even the first one.

00:41:16.039 --> 00:41:17.119
 We don't even love You,

00:41:17.219 --> 00:41:17.960
 God, supremely.

00:41:18.980 --> 00:41:19.159
 God,

00:41:19.280 --> 00:41:20.840
 the natural disposition

00:41:20.840 --> 00:41:21.679
 of our hearts,

00:41:21.840 --> 00:41:21.980
 Lord,

00:41:22.019 --> 00:41:24.179
 is to serve our own kingdoms,

00:41:24.500 --> 00:41:25.619
 to be our own gods.

00:41:26.480 --> 00:41:26.980
 And yet, God,

00:41:27.019 --> 00:41:28.079
 that hasn't worked out well

00:41:28.079 --> 00:41:29.019
 for any one of us.

00:41:30.280 --> 00:41:30.780
 And so, God,

00:41:30.820 --> 00:41:31.500
 we come to You

00:41:31.500 --> 00:41:32.639
 because we need You.

00:41:32.639 --> 00:41:34.559
 God,

00:41:34.639 --> 00:41:36.659
 we are so grateful

00:41:36.659 --> 00:41:37.579
 for the cross, Jesus.

00:41:37.659 --> 00:41:38.819
 We're so grateful, Jesus,

00:41:38.900 --> 00:41:41.099
 that You died on our behalf

00:41:41.099 --> 00:41:42.379
 to fulfill the requirements

00:41:42.379 --> 00:41:43.599
 of the law for us.

00:41:44.659 --> 00:41:45.739
 Thank You, Lord Jesus,

00:41:45.819 --> 00:41:46.900
 that now we stand

00:41:46.900 --> 00:41:47.940
 before our Father

00:41:47.940 --> 00:41:49.819
 completely spotless

00:41:49.819 --> 00:41:50.759
 because of Your death

00:41:50.759 --> 00:41:51.239
 on the cross.

00:41:51.359 --> 00:41:51.879
 Oh, God,

00:41:51.940 --> 00:41:53.279
 how we love Your mercy.

00:41:54.420 --> 00:41:55.460
 Thank You, Lord Jesus.

00:41:57.659 --> 00:41:58.219
 But, God,

00:41:58.279 --> 00:41:58.960
 more than that, Lord,

00:41:59.019 --> 00:41:59.659
 thank You, God,

00:41:59.659 --> 00:42:00.500
 that You've promised

00:42:00.500 --> 00:42:01.559
 to write Your law

00:42:01.559 --> 00:42:02.299
 in our hearts.

00:42:03.359 --> 00:42:04.039
 You've promised, God,

00:42:04.099 --> 00:42:05.119
 to make us

00:42:05.119 --> 00:42:06.139
 the kind of people

00:42:06.139 --> 00:42:08.639
 that do love You supremely

00:42:08.639 --> 00:42:10.659
 and that love one another

00:42:10.659 --> 00:42:11.579
 more than ourselves.

00:42:12.779 --> 00:42:13.119
 God,

00:42:13.159 --> 00:42:13.960
 we ask for us

00:42:13.960 --> 00:42:14.500
 as a church

00:42:14.500 --> 00:42:15.420
 and as a church family.

00:42:15.579 --> 00:42:15.799
 God,

00:42:15.859 --> 00:42:16.920
 make that true of us.

00:42:17.679 --> 00:42:18.119
 Oh, Lord,

00:42:18.159 --> 00:42:19.159
 we don't want to be religious.

00:42:19.339 --> 00:42:20.359
 We don't just want to obey

00:42:20.359 --> 00:42:21.960
 the rules for the rules sake.

00:42:22.059 --> 00:42:22.279
 God,

00:42:22.319 --> 00:42:23.159
 we want to honor You.

00:42:23.159 --> 00:42:24.659
 We want to love You supremely.

00:42:25.119 --> 00:42:25.960
 We want, God,

00:42:26.000 --> 00:42:27.219
 in every area of our life

00:42:27.219 --> 00:42:28.000
 for You, Christ,

00:42:28.059 --> 00:42:29.239
 to be first and foremost.

00:42:29.659 --> 00:42:35.779
 Oh, Holy Spirit,

00:42:35.879 --> 00:42:36.819
 come and have Your way

00:42:36.819 --> 00:42:37.480
 in our hearts.

00:42:39.679 --> 00:42:41.000
 Take out our heart of stone

00:42:41.000 --> 00:42:42.159
 and give us our heart of flesh.

00:42:45.019 --> 00:42:45.379
 Jesus,

00:42:45.519 --> 00:42:46.739
 make us more like You, God.

00:42:47.960 --> 00:42:48.159
 Lord,

00:42:48.179 --> 00:42:49.239
 we pray that when people

00:42:49.239 --> 00:42:50.139
 encounter us

00:42:50.139 --> 00:42:51.399
 that they'll see something

00:42:51.399 --> 00:42:52.440
 of the wonder of Jesus

00:42:52.440 --> 00:42:54.960
 because You've changed us, God.

00:42:57.460 --> 00:42:57.819
 God,

00:42:57.859 --> 00:42:58.920
 though we are great sinners,

00:42:58.920 --> 00:42:59.519
 You, Christ,

00:42:59.579 --> 00:43:00.519
 are a greater Savior.

00:43:02.599 --> 00:43:04.280
 And we delight in that, God.

00:43:06.180 --> 00:43:07.300
 We delight in that.

00:43:07.300 --> 00:43:08.220
 Got it.