WEBVTT

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 We give thanks to God always for all of you, constantly mentioning you in our prayers,

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 remembering before our God and Father your work of faith and labor of love

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 and steadfastness of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ. Amen.

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 There's a lot of ways to learn about a person, isn't there?

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 But perhaps the best way to really get a sense of who a person is

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 is if you can ever get a hold of some kind of personal correspondence that they have sent or received,

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 maybe in the form of a letter or a journal.

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 That's the reason that those of you who are ladies who had a journal as a middle school

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 or as a teenage girl hid them in private places so that your brothers couldn't get to them

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 and see what's really in your mind about them or about someone or about things that are going on in your life.

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 You get a sense of who a person is that way, don't you?

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 I mentioned to you last week by way of introduction to 1 Thessalonians

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 how that when Julie and I were in college,

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 there was a letter exchange program on campus for the student body

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 that they called the Pony Express and it was a way for you to send lots of things

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 but primarily you'd send your love letters to the people that you were interested in.

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 And Julie and I took advantage of that and the girls discovered that during the sermon last Sunday.

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 And then Ashlyn and Harper discovered that Julie actually keeps a box full of those letters

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 from college in our closet.

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 And from what I understand from Julie, the girls have been eager to get their eyes on those letters.

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 And I sat and I thought as I was preparing for this sermon this week,

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 I thought, why do they want to read these letters?

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 These things would probably be so cheesy.

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 Like it's just going to make them laugh probably more than anything else.

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 And maybe that's why they want to read them.

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 I think there might be a little bit more to it.

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 But they know Julie and me better than anybody else in the world.

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 Nobody knows mine and Julie's heart and our behavior and who we are

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 better than the three girls that live in our house with us every single day.

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 Why would they care to read these letters?

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 Because despite that fact, they know that reading those letters will give them

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 an even fuller sense and understanding of their parents.

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 And of our love and of our lives together.

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 They want to read them because they want to get inside our hearts, so to speak,

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 so that they might get a better sense of who we are.

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 That's why we do that.

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 When we come to the first three chapters of 1 Thessalonians,

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 what we have here is it consists primarily of personal correspondence.

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 And it's through this personal portion of the letter that we get the best sense of the people involved.

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 We often think of the Apostle Paul as a brilliant theologian,

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 as an impactful and useful preacher of the gospel.

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 We think of him as an accomplished missionary in the early church and establishing churches,

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 really as far as he was concerned, all over the world and the known world in his mind.

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 And yet when we come to 1 Thessalonians in particular, we see it in other places,

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 but in 1 Thessalonians in particular, in these first three chapters,

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 we start to get a different sense, a fuller sense for Paul.

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 We see him here as a pastor.

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 We see him as a friend.

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 And it gives us a fuller sense of who he was as we read what he wrote to these individuals.

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 But it doesn't just give us that.

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 It also gives us a better sense of the people in Thessalonica,

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 particularly a better sense of their radical conversion.

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 We just get a little piece of that in Luke's narrative in Acts chapter 17.

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 But when we come to the letters that Paul,

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 in the personal correspondence that they add with one another,

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 we get a better sense of their radical conversion to Christ.

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 And primarily we get really a wonderful sense of their perseverance of faith

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 in the face of really quite extreme persecution.

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 As we'll see in the coming weeks, even in the remainder of this paragraph in chapter 1,

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 their perseverance was the thing that stuck out the most about them.

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 It was their perseverance of faith that was so commendable that unbeknownst to them,

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 they actually became an example of faithfulness to all the other churches in their region.

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 It was really quite amazing.

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 Well, this morning we turn our attention here to the opening statements of this correspondence.

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 And as was Paul was wont to do in the letters that he wrote to the churches,

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 he opens this one with a statement of thanksgiving for the church.

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 And that's what's recorded in these two verses.

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 It's primarily just a prayer of thanksgiving on behalf of the Thessalonian Christians.

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 It's a prayer of thanksgiving that is shaped entirely by the gospel message

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 that we know this church was rooted in from our study last week.

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 Now what I want to do is I want to draw out this morning more than just Paul's thankful heart.

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 We're going to address that.

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 That's important.

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 There's things we can learn from that to be sure.

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 But that's not what I want us to focus most of our attention on.

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 I don't think it's the main emphasis of what he's saying.

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 The focus of his thanks is what we really want to draw our minds focus to.

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 The focus of his thanks is the fruit of genuine Christianity that marked the Thessalonian church.

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 What is the essence of a true Christian?

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 How might we define that from a biblical sense?

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 That is what this text helps us to understand.

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 And that's what I want the focus of our study together to be.

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 I want to show you from this text the fundamental marks of a true Christian.

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 Not a professing Christian.

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 A true Christian.

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 The first thing I want you to see, we'll skip verse 2, we'll come back to it.

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 And I want to go directly to verse 3.

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 That's where the emphasis is.

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 And this is where we find three essential virtues of genuine Christianity.

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 Just read the verse with me again.

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 Remembering before our God and Father your work of faith,

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 your labor of love,

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 and your steadfastness of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ.

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 You notice the common triad here.

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 Faith, love, and hope are a triad of Christian virtues that are repeated regularly throughout the New Testament

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 in reference to what is the essence of a true Christian.

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 What marks them.

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 And very often we see these three things put together in that description.

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 Let me give you just three examples to show you how this is repeated in the New Testament.

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 Galatians chapter 5 verses 5 and 6.

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 Paul again writes to this church and he says that it is through the Holy Spirit,

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 by faith,

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 that we ourselves eagerly wait for the hope of righteousness.

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 For in Christ Jesus,

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 neither circumcision nor uncircumcision counts for anything,

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 but only faith working through love.

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 Here's the triad again,

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 intentionally brought together by the apostle

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 in connection with the person and the work of Jesus Christ

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 in order to say,

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 as he does in verse 6,

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 that who you are is irrelevant

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 to whether or not you're a Christian.

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 Your context is irrelevant

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 to whether or not you're a Christian,

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 but it is faith working through love

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 that shows up in the hope of righteousness

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 and the hope of Jesus Christ.

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 What is the essence of a true Christian?

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 Faith, hope, and love.

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 1 Peter chapter 1 verses 21 through 23.

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 Peter writes,

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 You through Christ are believers in God

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 who raised Christ from the dead

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 and gave him glory

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 so that your faith and hope are in God.

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 Having purified your souls

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 by your obedience to the truth

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 for a sincere brotherly love,

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 love one another earnestly from a pure heart

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 since you have been born again,

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 not of perishable seed,

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 but of imperishable.

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 How does this faith, love, and hope come about?

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 Last phrase of the verse.

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 Through the living and abiding word of God.

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 What is the essence of a true Christian?

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 Peter says,

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 Well, it has elements of faith and hope and love

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 all tied to the gospel of Jesus,

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 and it comes about as a work of grace

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 through the scriptures,

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 through the word of God.

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 Hebrews chapter 6 is the third one I'd like to show you.

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 There are many more that you could look at,

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 most notably would be 1 Corinthians 13, 13.

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 You probably, maybe you had this displayed at your wedding.

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 Then there is faith and hope and love,

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 but the greatest of these is love.

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 Why would Paul even say that?

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 It's not that love is more significant

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 than hope and faith

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 when it comes to these virtues.

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 It's that there will come a time

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 when faith and hope will no longer be necessary.

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 They will be fulfilled.

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 But even at that time,

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 the love will continue.

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 But it's Hebrews chapter 6

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 that I want to draw your attention to now.

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 Verse 10.

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 God is not unjust

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 so as to overlook your work

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 and the love that you have shown for his name

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 in serving the saints.

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 Now what is the nature of this virtuous love?

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 It is love towards others

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 in the name of God and his son Jesus.

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 And we desire each one of you

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 to show the same earnestness,

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 to have the full assurance of hope

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 until the end

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 so that you may not be sluggish,

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 but imitators of those

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 who through faith and patience

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 inherit the promises.

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 Again, faith, hope, and love,

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 this triad of Christian virtue.

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 What is the essence of a true Christian?

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 We continually come back in different ways

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 to this triad in the New Testament.

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 Every true Christian possesses them

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 and they will continually grow

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 and flourish

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 as believers mature in Christ.

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 These three virtues

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 will only get bigger

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 and broader

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 and wider

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 and more evident.

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 But what is the relationship

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 of the three of them together?

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 Back to 1 Thessalonians 1 and verse 3.

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 What is the relationship

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 of them together?

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 Is there a relationship

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 of these three virtues together?

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 And I would suggest that there is.

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 The faith that Paul mentions

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 in this verse

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 is not unloving

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 or without hope.

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 The love that he mentions here

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 is not unbelieving

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 or hopeless.

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 The hope that he mentions here

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 is not unloving

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 or unbelieving.

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 Else it wouldn't be what it is.

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 There is an interconnectedness here.

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 Though each virtue is distinct,

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 they are not independent

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 of one another.

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 They are interconnected

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 and they are interconnected

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 by the final statement

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 of verse 3.

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 That all of these things

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 are functioning,

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 that they are grounded

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 and that they are rooted

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 in what?

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 That they are rooted

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 in our Lord Jesus Christ.

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 faith in the person

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 and work of Jesus Christ

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 produces true works

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 of righteousness.

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 Love for Jesus

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 motivates the Christian's love

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 for others.

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 Hope in Jesus

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 brings about the steadfastness

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 of faith

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 in the face

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 of suffering.

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 The three virtues

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 are unique perspectives

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 of one event

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 in a person's life.

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 That is their conversion

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 to Jesus Christ.

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 Meaning

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 that all three

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 are essential to

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 and will be present

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 in anyone

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 who is a true,

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 genuine,

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 biblical,

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 Christian.

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 Faith,

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 not in faith itself,

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 but faith

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 in Jesus

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 in particular.

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 Love,

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 not in a generic sense,

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 but love

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 for Jesus

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 in particular.

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 Hope,

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 not in wishful thinking,

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 but hope

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 that is rooted

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 in Jesus

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 in particular.

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 To say it another way,

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 without these three virtues

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 being present

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 and rooted in Jesus,

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 you cannot possibly be

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 a true Christian.

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 They are the essence

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 of genuine conversion

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 and they have everything

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 to do with Christ.

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 They are the fruit.

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 Jesus

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 is the root.

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 Now,

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 Paul's thanksgiving

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 for the Thessalonian Christians

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 is focused

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 on their display

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 of these fundamental

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 virtues.

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 But the way

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 that he speaks

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 about them

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 is actually quite unique.

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 Every statement

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 includes a spiritual action

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 that is motivated

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 by a specific virtue.

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 Just set your eyes

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 on it again.

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 He says

00:14:22.439 --> 00:14:24.059
 of their work

00:14:24.059 --> 00:14:25.159
 of faith.

00:14:25.539 --> 00:14:26.059
 That is,

00:14:26.399 --> 00:14:27.399
 this faith

00:14:27.399 --> 00:14:28.379
 motivates

00:14:28.379 --> 00:14:29.759
 and produces

00:14:29.759 --> 00:14:31.980
 certain works.

00:14:32.860 --> 00:14:33.480
 Then he talks

00:14:33.480 --> 00:14:34.139
 about their labor

00:14:34.139 --> 00:14:34.580
 of love.

00:14:34.899 --> 00:14:35.519
 That is,

00:14:35.879 --> 00:14:36.840
 their love

00:14:36.840 --> 00:14:37.679
 for Christ

00:14:37.679 --> 00:14:38.480
 produces

00:14:38.480 --> 00:14:40.199
 a kind of loving

00:14:40.199 --> 00:14:41.259
 labor

00:14:41.259 --> 00:14:42.639
 for Christ

00:14:42.639 --> 00:14:43.379
 and for others.

00:14:44.139 --> 00:14:44.840
 Then he talks

00:14:44.840 --> 00:14:46.000
 about their steadfastness

00:14:46.000 --> 00:14:46.360
 of hope.

00:14:46.580 --> 00:14:47.139
 That is,

00:14:47.259 --> 00:14:48.080
 their hope

00:14:48.080 --> 00:14:49.500
 in Jesus

00:14:49.500 --> 00:14:50.900
 produces then

00:14:50.900 --> 00:14:52.139
 a steadfastness.

00:14:52.200 --> 00:14:52.800
 That is the only way

00:14:52.800 --> 00:14:53.160
 it works.

00:14:53.480 --> 00:14:54.060
 The works

00:14:54.060 --> 00:14:55.100
 cannot possibly

00:14:55.100 --> 00:14:55.680
 produce

00:14:55.680 --> 00:14:56.740
 the things

00:14:56.740 --> 00:14:57.360
 themselves.

00:14:58.300 --> 00:14:58.900
 Works

00:14:58.900 --> 00:14:59.680
 does not produce

00:14:59.680 --> 00:15:00.259
 faith.

00:15:01.000 --> 00:15:01.560
 It is the other way

00:15:01.560 --> 00:15:01.820
 around,

00:15:01.860 --> 00:15:02.120
 isn't it?

00:15:02.280 --> 00:15:03.560
 Faith produces works.

00:15:04.800 --> 00:15:05.200
 Labor

00:15:05.200 --> 00:15:06.220
 does not lead

00:15:06.220 --> 00:15:06.820
 to love.

00:15:07.139 --> 00:15:07.879
 Labor may actually

00:15:07.879 --> 00:15:08.780
 lead to hate.

00:15:09.740 --> 00:15:10.780
 It is the love

00:15:10.780 --> 00:15:11.360
 that leads

00:15:11.360 --> 00:15:12.860
 to joyful labor.

00:15:15.020 --> 00:15:15.540
 Steadfastness

00:15:15.540 --> 00:15:16.300
 or just pulling

00:15:16.300 --> 00:15:16.860
 yourself up

00:15:16.860 --> 00:15:17.620
 by your bootstrap

00:15:17.620 --> 00:15:18.180
 is not what

00:15:18.180 --> 00:15:18.659
 is going to get

00:15:18.659 --> 00:15:19.100
 you through

00:15:19.100 --> 00:15:19.940
 and produce hope.

00:15:20.180 --> 00:15:20.360
 No,

00:15:20.480 --> 00:15:21.220
 it is not how it works.

00:15:21.399 --> 00:15:22.159
 We know it works

00:15:22.159 --> 00:15:22.700
 the other way around,

00:15:22.720 --> 00:15:22.980
 doesn't it?

00:15:23.000 --> 00:15:23.879
 That is Paul's point.

00:15:24.180 --> 00:15:24.779
 It is unique.

00:15:25.060 --> 00:15:26.220
 He mentions the triad

00:15:26.220 --> 00:15:26.899
 but he mentions

00:15:26.899 --> 00:15:28.180
 these spiritual actions

00:15:28.180 --> 00:15:29.240
 that are revealed,

00:15:29.620 --> 00:15:30.320
 that reveal

00:15:30.320 --> 00:15:31.240
 this triad

00:15:31.240 --> 00:15:32.460
 of Christian virtue.

00:15:32.759 --> 00:15:33.320
 What I want to do

00:15:33.320 --> 00:15:34.120
 here for just a moment

00:15:34.120 --> 00:15:35.259
 is take each of them

00:15:35.259 --> 00:15:35.860
 in turn.

00:15:36.300 --> 00:15:37.120
 Let's look first

00:15:37.120 --> 00:15:38.419
 at the work

00:15:38.419 --> 00:15:39.620
 of faith.

00:15:40.080 --> 00:15:41.039
 The work of faith.

00:15:41.759 --> 00:15:42.019
 Paul,

00:15:42.139 --> 00:15:42.379
 of course,

00:15:42.440 --> 00:15:43.139
 he does not mean

00:15:43.139 --> 00:15:43.820
 to imply

00:15:43.820 --> 00:15:44.980
 a connection

00:15:44.980 --> 00:15:46.519
 between human merit

00:15:46.519 --> 00:15:47.659
 and eternal salvation.

00:15:48.159 --> 00:15:49.039
 We know that

00:15:49.039 --> 00:15:50.460
 because he has settled

00:15:50.460 --> 00:15:52.319
 that anti-gospel heresy

00:15:52.319 --> 00:15:53.100
 sufficiently

00:15:53.100 --> 00:15:54.539
 in other places.

00:15:55.079 --> 00:15:55.620
 Let me give you

00:15:55.620 --> 00:15:56.379
 two examples.

00:15:57.240 --> 00:15:58.399
 Romans chapter 3

00:15:58.399 --> 00:16:00.220
 verses 19 to 30.

00:16:00.799 --> 00:16:01.220
 Paul,

00:16:01.539 --> 00:16:02.659
 writing to the church

00:16:02.659 --> 00:16:03.039
 in Rome,

00:16:03.139 --> 00:16:03.319
 says,

00:16:03.460 --> 00:16:04.220
 Now we know

00:16:04.220 --> 00:16:06.639
 that whatever the law says,

00:16:06.720 --> 00:16:07.939
 it speaks to those

00:16:07.939 --> 00:16:08.899
 who are under the law

00:16:08.899 --> 00:16:10.899
 so that every mouth

00:16:10.899 --> 00:16:11.799
 may be stopped.

00:16:11.799 --> 00:16:12.240
 That is,

00:16:12.439 --> 00:16:13.079
 in judgment,

00:16:13.600 --> 00:16:14.620
 no one will be able

00:16:14.620 --> 00:16:14.980
 to say,

00:16:15.080 --> 00:16:15.159
 well,

00:16:15.220 --> 00:16:16.039
 look what I've done

00:16:16.039 --> 00:16:16.960
 because everyone

00:16:16.960 --> 00:16:18.060
 will have to say,

00:16:18.259 --> 00:16:19.519
 I have not done

00:16:19.519 --> 00:16:20.580
 what I ought to have done.

00:16:20.639 --> 00:16:21.480
 I have failed.

00:16:21.740 --> 00:16:22.919
 I have sinned.

00:16:22.960 --> 00:16:23.440
 That's the point

00:16:23.440 --> 00:16:23.919
 of that statement.

00:16:24.299 --> 00:16:25.200
 And the whole world

00:16:25.200 --> 00:16:26.220
 may be held accountable

00:16:26.220 --> 00:16:26.799
 to God.

00:16:27.220 --> 00:16:28.200
 For by works

00:16:28.200 --> 00:16:29.060
 of the law,

00:16:29.220 --> 00:16:30.000
 Paul says,

00:16:30.500 --> 00:16:32.779
 no human being

00:16:32.779 --> 00:16:34.360
 will be justified

00:16:34.360 --> 00:16:35.419
 in God's sight,

00:16:35.600 --> 00:16:36.620
 will be declared

00:16:36.620 --> 00:16:37.519
 righteous.

00:16:38.639 --> 00:16:39.019
 Another way

00:16:39.019 --> 00:16:39.740
 we might say that

00:16:39.740 --> 00:16:40.279
 is that it will be

00:16:40.279 --> 00:16:41.639
 declared as saved

00:16:41.639 --> 00:16:43.659
 in God's sight

00:16:43.659 --> 00:16:44.939
 since through the law

00:16:44.939 --> 00:16:46.319
 does not come

00:16:46.319 --> 00:16:47.139
 forgiveness of sin.

00:16:47.259 --> 00:16:47.699
 Through the law

00:16:47.699 --> 00:16:48.639
 just comes the knowledge

00:16:48.639 --> 00:16:49.019
 of sin.

00:16:49.299 --> 00:16:51.259
 The law exposes our sin.

00:16:51.580 --> 00:16:53.179
 It cannot redeem us

00:16:53.179 --> 00:16:54.419
 from our sin.

00:16:54.799 --> 00:16:55.000
 No,

00:16:55.080 --> 00:16:55.879
 it takes something else

00:16:55.879 --> 00:16:56.360
 for that.

00:16:57.360 --> 00:16:58.639
 Galatians chapter 3,

00:16:59.480 --> 00:17:00.799
 Paul says it again,

00:17:01.419 --> 00:17:03.000
 even more elaborately perhaps.

00:17:03.559 --> 00:17:04.539
 He says in verse 10,

00:17:04.539 --> 00:17:06.440
 for all who rely

00:17:06.440 --> 00:17:07.920
 on works of the law

00:17:07.920 --> 00:17:09.400
 are under a curse.

00:17:09.400 --> 00:17:11.380
 For it's written,

00:17:12.420 --> 00:17:13.460
 cursed be everyone

00:17:13.460 --> 00:17:15.060
 who does not abide

00:17:15.060 --> 00:17:16.040
 by all things written

00:17:16.040 --> 00:17:16.840
 in the book of the law

00:17:16.840 --> 00:17:17.340
 and do them.

00:17:18.200 --> 00:17:18.960
 Verse 13,

00:17:20.060 --> 00:17:21.600
 Christ redeemed us

00:17:21.600 --> 00:17:22.740
 from the curse

00:17:22.740 --> 00:17:23.560
 of the law.

00:17:24.120 --> 00:17:24.560
 How?

00:17:25.700 --> 00:17:27.420
 By becoming a curse

00:17:27.420 --> 00:17:29.240
 for us.

00:17:30.280 --> 00:17:31.500
 For it's written,

00:17:32.340 --> 00:17:33.820
 cursed is everyone

00:17:33.820 --> 00:17:35.700
 who is hanged on a tree

00:17:35.700 --> 00:17:37.900
 so that in Christ Jesus

00:17:37.900 --> 00:17:40.240
 the blessing of Abraham

00:17:40.240 --> 00:17:41.120
 might come even

00:17:41.120 --> 00:17:42.100
 to the Gentiles

00:17:42.100 --> 00:17:44.160
 so that we might receive

00:17:44.160 --> 00:17:45.519
 the promised spirit.

00:17:46.200 --> 00:17:46.580
 How?

00:17:47.300 --> 00:17:49.440
 Through faith.

00:17:50.700 --> 00:17:51.940
 So we don't need to mistake

00:17:51.940 --> 00:17:53.120
 what Paul's saying here.

00:17:53.220 --> 00:17:53.840
 We need to look

00:17:53.840 --> 00:17:55.240
 at the entire corpus

00:17:55.240 --> 00:17:56.200
 of Pauline literature

00:17:56.200 --> 00:17:56.820
 and understand

00:17:56.820 --> 00:17:58.440
 Paul was not insinuating

00:17:58.440 --> 00:17:59.940
 or implying in any way here

00:17:59.940 --> 00:18:01.440
 that it is works

00:18:01.440 --> 00:18:02.900
 that is connected

00:18:02.900 --> 00:18:04.000
 in some way

00:18:04.000 --> 00:18:05.100
 to salvation.

00:18:05.100 --> 00:18:06.200
 That's not what he means.

00:18:06.200 --> 00:18:07.480
 And if you're relying

00:18:07.480 --> 00:18:08.559
 on your morality

00:18:08.559 --> 00:18:09.779
 to earn some kind

00:18:09.779 --> 00:18:10.740
 of saving favor

00:18:10.740 --> 00:18:11.299
 with God,

00:18:11.559 --> 00:18:12.519
 the scripture makes it clear

00:18:12.519 --> 00:18:14.180
 particularly in Galatians 3

00:18:14.180 --> 00:18:16.120
 that you are under a curse.

00:18:17.059 --> 00:18:18.240
 And what is this curse?

00:18:18.860 --> 00:18:19.779
 The curse is

00:18:19.779 --> 00:18:21.220
 that you have not

00:18:21.220 --> 00:18:22.420
 and will never

00:18:22.420 --> 00:18:23.680
 fulfill all that

00:18:23.680 --> 00:18:24.600
 God's moral law

00:18:24.600 --> 00:18:25.640
 requires of you.

00:18:26.039 --> 00:18:26.740
 There you are,

00:18:26.900 --> 00:18:28.460
 thereby you are cursed

00:18:28.460 --> 00:18:30.580
 to face God's judgment

00:18:30.580 --> 00:18:32.660
 because you'll never live up

00:18:32.660 --> 00:18:33.819
 to God's standard.

00:18:33.819 --> 00:18:36.919
 No human ever will.

00:18:37.700 --> 00:18:38.159
 We cannot.

00:18:39.919 --> 00:18:41.019
 So salvation then

00:18:41.019 --> 00:18:41.899
 is not earned

00:18:41.899 --> 00:18:43.379
 by what you do.

00:18:44.679 --> 00:18:46.079
 It is received

00:18:46.079 --> 00:18:47.559
 by faith

00:18:47.559 --> 00:18:49.519
 in what Jesus Christ

00:18:49.519 --> 00:18:50.279
 has done

00:18:50.279 --> 00:18:52.259
 on your behalf.

00:18:53.859 --> 00:18:55.259
 You are cursed

00:18:55.259 --> 00:18:56.000
 under the law.

00:18:57.159 --> 00:18:58.119
 He never offended

00:18:58.119 --> 00:18:58.519
 the law

00:18:58.519 --> 00:18:59.599
 even in one way.

00:19:00.480 --> 00:19:01.399
 He fulfilled it

00:19:01.399 --> 00:19:02.000
 on your behalf.

00:19:02.000 --> 00:19:03.779
 He lived the life

00:19:03.779 --> 00:19:04.839
 that we were meant

00:19:04.839 --> 00:19:05.460
 to live

00:19:05.460 --> 00:19:06.539
 as I often say.

00:19:07.700 --> 00:19:08.640
 And then he died

00:19:08.640 --> 00:19:09.359
 the death

00:19:09.359 --> 00:19:10.960
 that we deserve

00:19:10.960 --> 00:19:12.319
 to die.

00:19:13.359 --> 00:19:14.779
 And in doing so,

00:19:15.359 --> 00:19:16.640
 he made it possible

00:19:16.640 --> 00:19:18.579
 for God the Father

00:19:18.579 --> 00:19:20.160
 to declare us

00:19:20.160 --> 00:19:20.720
 righteous

00:19:20.720 --> 00:19:22.019
 even though

00:19:22.019 --> 00:19:23.599
 we are not so.

00:19:25.259 --> 00:19:26.519
 Our righteousness

00:19:26.519 --> 00:19:27.460
 before God

00:19:27.460 --> 00:19:29.160
 is not an actual

00:19:29.160 --> 00:19:29.700
 righteousness.

00:19:29.700 --> 00:19:29.759
 righteousness.

00:19:30.480 --> 00:19:31.580
 It is what we call

00:19:31.580 --> 00:19:32.980
 an imputed righteousness.

00:19:33.539 --> 00:19:34.640
 It is credited

00:19:34.640 --> 00:19:35.860
 to us

00:19:35.860 --> 00:19:38.460
 by the work

00:19:38.460 --> 00:19:39.180
 of Christ

00:19:39.180 --> 00:19:40.160
 in his death

00:19:40.160 --> 00:19:41.680
 and in his resurrection.

00:19:42.680 --> 00:19:43.819
 And it is credited

00:19:43.819 --> 00:19:44.640
 to us

00:19:44.640 --> 00:19:46.000
 not through

00:19:46.000 --> 00:19:46.779
 human merit.

00:19:47.480 --> 00:19:48.500
 It is credited

00:19:48.500 --> 00:19:49.100
 to us

00:19:49.100 --> 00:19:50.000
 through faith

00:19:50.000 --> 00:19:51.400
 alone.

00:19:52.779 --> 00:19:54.240
 That being said,

00:19:55.039 --> 00:19:56.100
 the New Testament

00:19:56.099 --> 00:19:57.039
 clarifies

00:19:57.039 --> 00:19:58.000
 that genuine

00:19:58.000 --> 00:19:59.799
 saving faith

00:19:59.799 --> 00:20:00.959
 is not

00:20:00.959 --> 00:20:01.740
 alone.

00:20:02.699 --> 00:20:03.919
 But it produces,

00:20:04.159 --> 00:20:05.179
 it is followed

00:20:05.179 --> 00:20:07.000
 by human

00:20:07.000 --> 00:20:07.759
 works.

00:20:08.079 --> 00:20:08.799
 Thus Paul,

00:20:08.899 --> 00:20:09.579
 when he's referring

00:20:09.579 --> 00:20:11.359
 to the Thessalonians

00:20:11.359 --> 00:20:12.219
 here in verse 3,

00:20:12.439 --> 00:20:13.359
 he recognizes

00:20:13.359 --> 00:20:14.039
 their faith

00:20:14.039 --> 00:20:15.139
 and he recognizes

00:20:15.139 --> 00:20:15.740
 that faith

00:20:15.740 --> 00:20:16.619
 because it has

00:20:16.619 --> 00:20:17.679
 produced something

00:20:17.679 --> 00:20:18.319
 in them.

00:20:18.500 --> 00:20:19.339
 It has produced

00:20:19.339 --> 00:20:20.079
 an action

00:20:20.079 --> 00:20:21.079
 in them.

00:20:21.240 --> 00:20:21.859
 As the scriptures

00:20:21.859 --> 00:20:22.480
 make clear,

00:20:23.099 --> 00:20:23.699
 it does.

00:20:23.700 --> 00:20:26.480
 James makes

00:20:26.480 --> 00:20:27.160
 this abundantly

00:20:27.160 --> 00:20:27.460
 clear.

00:20:27.559 --> 00:20:28.600
 In James chapter 2

00:20:28.600 --> 00:20:29.400
 and verse 18,

00:20:29.779 --> 00:20:30.660
 someone will say,

00:20:31.080 --> 00:20:31.759
 you have faith

00:20:31.759 --> 00:20:32.600
 and I have works.

00:20:33.559 --> 00:20:34.180
 James says,

00:20:34.279 --> 00:20:34.680
 in response

00:20:34.680 --> 00:20:35.420
 to that person,

00:20:35.920 --> 00:20:37.100
 show me your faith

00:20:37.100 --> 00:20:38.420
 apart from your works

00:20:38.420 --> 00:20:40.420
 and I will show you

00:20:40.420 --> 00:20:41.059
 my faith

00:20:41.059 --> 00:20:42.880
 by my works.

00:20:43.940 --> 00:20:44.860
 You believe

00:20:44.860 --> 00:20:45.920
 that God is one,

00:20:46.460 --> 00:20:47.160
 you do well.

00:20:47.700 --> 00:20:48.720
 But even the demons

00:20:48.720 --> 00:20:49.420
 believe

00:20:49.420 --> 00:20:50.259
 and shudder.

00:20:50.319 --> 00:20:50.720
 What's James'

00:20:50.819 --> 00:20:51.340
 point there?

00:20:51.660 --> 00:20:52.319
 He's saying that

00:20:52.319 --> 00:20:53.299
 intellectual,

00:20:53.700 --> 00:20:54.640
 assent or belief

00:20:54.640 --> 00:20:56.000
 is not the thing

00:20:56.000 --> 00:20:56.559
 that we're aiming

00:20:56.559 --> 00:20:56.960
 at here.

00:20:57.039 --> 00:20:58.220
 That's not saving

00:20:58.220 --> 00:20:58.980
 regenerate faith.

00:20:59.360 --> 00:21:00.240
 Even the devil

00:21:00.240 --> 00:21:01.120
 is orthodox

00:21:01.120 --> 00:21:01.840
 in what he knows

00:21:01.840 --> 00:21:02.440
 to be true.

00:21:04.420 --> 00:21:05.480
 And yet he is

00:21:05.480 --> 00:21:06.279
 not redeemed.

00:21:07.220 --> 00:21:08.120
 So what does

00:21:08.120 --> 00:21:09.019
 James mean?

00:21:10.019 --> 00:21:10.580
 Do you want

00:21:10.580 --> 00:21:11.360
 to be shown

00:21:11.360 --> 00:21:13.380
 you foolish person?

00:21:13.480 --> 00:21:14.019
 He says

00:21:14.019 --> 00:21:15.779
 that faith

00:21:15.779 --> 00:21:16.980
 apart from works

00:21:16.980 --> 00:21:18.000
 is useless

00:21:18.000 --> 00:21:20.819
 because a faith

00:21:20.819 --> 00:21:22.380
 that does not work

00:21:22.380 --> 00:21:24.440
 is not a genuine

00:21:24.440 --> 00:21:25.540
 saving faith.

00:21:25.720 --> 00:21:26.500
 That's Paul's

00:21:26.500 --> 00:21:27.000
 point here.

00:21:27.320 --> 00:21:27.660
 He says

00:21:27.660 --> 00:21:28.480
 when I look at you

00:21:28.480 --> 00:21:29.160
 I'm thankful

00:21:29.160 --> 00:21:29.740
 for you

00:21:29.740 --> 00:21:30.780
 because your faith

00:21:30.780 --> 00:21:31.500
 has produced

00:21:31.500 --> 00:21:34.000
 certain works.

00:21:34.380 --> 00:21:35.220
 But what are

00:21:35.220 --> 00:21:36.080
 those works

00:21:36.080 --> 00:21:36.680
 that Paul is

00:21:36.680 --> 00:21:37.400
 referring to?

00:21:39.280 --> 00:21:40.460
 They are not here

00:21:40.460 --> 00:21:41.480
 merely what we

00:21:41.480 --> 00:21:42.800
 would call good deeds.

00:21:43.680 --> 00:21:44.740
 That's a part of it

00:21:44.740 --> 00:21:45.180
 to be sure.

00:21:45.380 --> 00:21:45.780
 But that's not

00:21:45.780 --> 00:21:46.720
 what he's primarily

00:21:46.720 --> 00:21:47.400
 referring to

00:21:47.400 --> 00:21:48.100
 I don't believe.

00:21:48.099 --> 00:21:50.339
 they are true

00:21:50.339 --> 00:21:51.939
 works of righteousness

00:21:51.939 --> 00:21:54.699
 that are motivated

00:21:54.699 --> 00:21:55.980
 by genuine faith

00:21:55.980 --> 00:21:56.699
 in Christ.

00:21:57.539 --> 00:21:58.599
 They include

00:21:58.599 --> 00:22:00.679
 repentance of sin

00:22:00.679 --> 00:22:02.599
 not in one moment

00:22:02.599 --> 00:22:04.299
 but ongoing

00:22:04.299 --> 00:22:05.919
 continually

00:22:05.919 --> 00:22:07.980
 in every moment.

00:22:09.259 --> 00:22:10.679
 A humble heart

00:22:10.679 --> 00:22:11.599
 of turning away

00:22:11.599 --> 00:22:12.379
 from sin.

00:22:12.879 --> 00:22:14.059
 Those are the works

00:22:14.059 --> 00:22:14.539
 of faith.

00:22:14.539 --> 00:22:16.519
 they include

00:22:16.519 --> 00:22:17.480
 trust

00:22:17.480 --> 00:22:19.019
 in God's word.

00:22:20.259 --> 00:22:20.480
 You say

00:22:20.480 --> 00:22:21.259
 how can I trust

00:22:21.259 --> 00:22:21.779
 something that I

00:22:21.779 --> 00:22:22.700
 don't fully understand?

00:22:22.839 --> 00:22:23.220
 Well that's

00:22:23.220 --> 00:22:23.740
 the nature

00:22:23.740 --> 00:22:24.339
 of faith.

00:22:26.700 --> 00:22:27.659
 The works

00:22:27.659 --> 00:22:28.359
 of faith

00:22:28.359 --> 00:22:29.259
 include

00:22:29.259 --> 00:22:29.960
 trusting

00:22:29.960 --> 00:22:31.079
 what God

00:22:31.079 --> 00:22:32.220
 has said.

00:22:33.819 --> 00:22:34.839
 They include

00:22:34.839 --> 00:22:35.359
 the fruit

00:22:35.359 --> 00:22:36.079
 of the spirit.

00:22:37.180 --> 00:22:38.159
 A supernatural

00:22:38.159 --> 00:22:39.200
 transformation

00:22:39.200 --> 00:22:39.779
 whereby

00:22:39.779 --> 00:22:41.619
 as a result

00:22:41.619 --> 00:22:42.259
 of our faith

00:22:42.259 --> 00:22:42.799
 and redemption

00:22:42.799 --> 00:22:43.579
 the Holy Spirit

00:22:43.579 --> 00:22:44.240
 begins this

00:22:44.240 --> 00:22:45.619
 progressive transformation

00:22:45.619 --> 00:22:46.399
 and where

00:22:46.399 --> 00:22:46.919
 was once

00:22:46.919 --> 00:22:47.379
 the works

00:22:47.379 --> 00:22:47.940
 of the flesh

00:22:47.940 --> 00:22:48.379
 he now

00:22:48.379 --> 00:22:48.879
 begins to

00:22:48.879 --> 00:22:49.519
 replace them

00:22:49.519 --> 00:22:49.879
 with things

00:22:49.879 --> 00:22:50.559
 like love

00:22:50.559 --> 00:22:51.440
 and joy

00:22:51.440 --> 00:22:52.220
 and peace

00:22:52.220 --> 00:22:52.619
 and long

00:22:52.619 --> 00:22:53.180
 suffering

00:22:53.180 --> 00:22:53.899
 and gentleness

00:22:53.899 --> 00:22:54.759
 and goodness

00:22:54.759 --> 00:22:56.220
 and faithfulness

00:22:56.220 --> 00:22:57.279
 and meekness

00:22:57.279 --> 00:22:58.099
 and temperance

00:22:58.099 --> 00:22:58.779
 and so on

00:22:58.779 --> 00:22:59.960
 and so forth

00:22:59.960 --> 00:23:01.139
 the passage goes.

00:23:01.980 --> 00:23:02.419
 What are the

00:23:02.419 --> 00:23:03.139
 works of faith?

00:23:03.259 --> 00:23:03.779
 Well it is the

00:23:03.779 --> 00:23:04.419
 evidence of the

00:23:04.419 --> 00:23:05.159
 fruit of the spirit

00:23:05.159 --> 00:23:05.859
 in someone's life

00:23:05.859 --> 00:23:06.779
 and then

00:23:06.779 --> 00:23:08.039
 yes there's also

00:23:08.039 --> 00:23:09.500
 good deeds

00:23:09.500 --> 00:23:11.359
 but we must

00:23:11.359 --> 00:23:12.259
 not narrow down

00:23:12.259 --> 00:23:12.619
 the works

00:23:12.619 --> 00:23:13.119
 of faith

00:23:13.119 --> 00:23:14.379
 to volunteering

00:23:14.379 --> 00:23:15.099
 at the homeless

00:23:15.099 --> 00:23:15.559
 shelter

00:23:15.559 --> 00:23:16.700
 or providing

00:23:16.700 --> 00:23:17.420
 some formula

00:23:17.420 --> 00:23:18.099
 for the people

00:23:18.099 --> 00:23:18.779
 in the mountains

00:23:18.779 --> 00:23:19.319
 when they were

00:23:19.319 --> 00:23:19.900
 really struggling

00:23:19.900 --> 00:23:20.539
 as many of you

00:23:20.539 --> 00:23:21.980
 did just last week.

00:23:22.079 --> 00:23:22.599
 It's not that

00:23:22.599 --> 00:23:23.400
 that doesn't matter

00:23:23.400 --> 00:23:24.220
 or that it's irrelevant

00:23:24.220 --> 00:23:25.160
 it's just it's not

00:23:25.160 --> 00:23:25.619
 the fullness

00:23:25.619 --> 00:23:26.099
 of what he's

00:23:26.099 --> 00:23:26.879
 talking about here.

00:23:27.180 --> 00:23:27.700
 The fullness

00:23:27.700 --> 00:23:28.619
 of the faith

00:23:28.619 --> 00:23:29.420
 that works

00:23:29.420 --> 00:23:30.099
 is repentance

00:23:30.099 --> 00:23:31.220
 it's fruitfulness

00:23:31.220 --> 00:23:32.099
 in the faith

00:23:32.099 --> 00:23:32.700
 it's trust

00:23:32.700 --> 00:23:33.279
 in God's word

00:23:33.279 --> 00:23:33.700
 and yes

00:23:33.700 --> 00:23:34.559
 it's also

00:23:34.559 --> 00:23:35.379
 goodness

00:23:35.379 --> 00:23:36.440
 and love

00:23:36.440 --> 00:23:37.039
 for others.

00:23:38.539 --> 00:23:39.500
 Thus Jesus said

00:23:39.500 --> 00:23:41.319
 just as you can

00:23:41.319 --> 00:23:42.019
 know a tree

00:23:42.019 --> 00:23:42.759
 by its fruit

00:23:42.759 --> 00:23:43.839
 you can identify

00:23:43.839 --> 00:23:44.599
 an apple tree

00:23:44.599 --> 00:23:45.119
 by the fact

00:23:45.119 --> 00:23:45.619
 that it grows

00:23:45.619 --> 00:23:46.079
 apples

00:23:46.079 --> 00:23:47.579
 is Jesus'

00:23:47.819 --> 00:23:48.099
 point.

00:23:48.779 --> 00:23:49.599
 So you can

00:23:49.599 --> 00:23:50.700
 identify a true

00:23:50.700 --> 00:23:51.180
 Christian

00:23:51.180 --> 00:23:53.460
 by the works

00:23:53.460 --> 00:23:54.359
 of righteousness

00:23:54.359 --> 00:23:55.319
 that flow

00:23:55.319 --> 00:23:56.140
 out of

00:23:56.140 --> 00:23:56.900
 in particular

00:23:56.900 --> 00:23:58.640
 their personal

00:23:58.640 --> 00:23:59.380
 faith in Jesus

00:23:59.380 --> 00:23:59.859
 Christ.

00:24:00.539 --> 00:24:01.480
 Not works

00:24:01.480 --> 00:24:02.180
 of righteousness

00:24:02.180 --> 00:24:03.279
 that are alone

00:24:03.279 --> 00:24:04.779
 but works

00:24:04.779 --> 00:24:05.400
 of righteousness

00:24:05.400 --> 00:24:06.359
 that specifically

00:24:06.359 --> 00:24:07.460
 are the overflow

00:24:07.460 --> 00:24:09.259
 of their faith

00:24:09.259 --> 00:24:10.340
 in Christ.

00:24:11.360 --> 00:24:12.100
 That's the works

00:24:12.100 --> 00:24:12.539
 of faith.

00:24:13.140 --> 00:24:13.460
 Second

00:24:13.460 --> 00:24:14.920
 we have the labor

00:24:14.920 --> 00:24:15.600
 of love.

00:24:16.539 --> 00:24:17.160
 The labor

00:24:17.160 --> 00:24:17.680
 of love.

00:24:18.299 --> 00:24:18.840
 Surely you've

00:24:18.840 --> 00:24:19.380
 heard this statement

00:24:19.380 --> 00:24:19.940
 before perhaps

00:24:19.940 --> 00:24:21.100
 you've used it

00:24:21.100 --> 00:24:21.460
 before.

00:24:21.640 --> 00:24:22.340
 We've long used

00:24:22.340 --> 00:24:23.460
 the phrase

00:24:23.460 --> 00:24:23.940
 in English

00:24:23.940 --> 00:24:25.100
 to refer to

00:24:25.100 --> 00:24:26.220
 voluntarily

00:24:26.220 --> 00:24:27.440
 taking on

00:24:27.440 --> 00:24:28.340
 a task

00:24:28.340 --> 00:24:30.100
 for pleasure

00:24:30.100 --> 00:24:31.860
 rather than

00:24:31.860 --> 00:24:32.380
 reward

00:24:32.380 --> 00:24:32.960
 or payment.

00:24:33.319 --> 00:24:34.200
 That's a labor

00:24:34.200 --> 00:24:34.600
 of love

00:24:34.600 --> 00:24:34.980
 isn't it?

00:24:35.819 --> 00:24:36.680
 It is out

00:24:36.680 --> 00:24:37.240
 of love

00:24:37.240 --> 00:24:37.819
 for the thing

00:24:37.819 --> 00:24:38.460
 itself

00:24:38.460 --> 00:24:40.200
 or love

00:24:40.200 --> 00:24:40.900
 for those

00:24:40.900 --> 00:24:41.220
 that will

00:24:41.220 --> 00:24:41.740
 benefit

00:24:41.740 --> 00:24:42.480
 that one

00:24:42.480 --> 00:24:43.359
 enters in

00:24:43.359 --> 00:24:44.140
 to toil

00:24:44.140 --> 00:24:46.000
 and hardship

00:24:46.000 --> 00:24:48.420
 and labor.

00:24:50.079 --> 00:24:50.799
 Many of you

00:24:50.799 --> 00:24:51.559
 know my dad.

00:24:51.660 --> 00:24:52.220
 Dad has been

00:24:52.220 --> 00:24:52.819
 here even

00:24:52.819 --> 00:24:53.259
 recently.

00:24:53.440 --> 00:24:53.759
 He was here

00:24:53.759 --> 00:24:55.120
 just a month

00:24:55.120 --> 00:24:56.000
 ago to preach.

00:24:56.500 --> 00:24:57.099
 If you spent

00:24:57.099 --> 00:24:57.759
 more than 20

00:24:57.759 --> 00:24:58.519
 seconds with my

00:24:58.519 --> 00:24:59.099
 dad on that

00:24:59.099 --> 00:24:59.660
 Sunday when he

00:24:59.660 --> 00:25:00.019
 was here

00:25:00.019 --> 00:25:00.859
 then you probably

00:25:00.859 --> 00:25:02.079
 know that my

00:25:02.079 --> 00:25:02.839
 dad's current

00:25:02.839 --> 00:25:03.759
 labor of love

00:25:03.759 --> 00:25:05.319
 is restoring

00:25:05.319 --> 00:25:06.019
 cast iron

00:25:06.019 --> 00:25:06.559
 skillets.

00:25:07.799 --> 00:25:08.480
 The reason

00:25:08.480 --> 00:25:08.900
 you know that

00:25:08.900 --> 00:25:09.220
 is because he

00:25:09.220 --> 00:25:09.879
 tells everybody

00:25:09.879 --> 00:25:10.579
 about it.

00:25:10.879 --> 00:25:11.980
 He is as much

00:25:11.980 --> 00:25:12.619
 an evangelist

00:25:12.619 --> 00:25:13.220
 for his cast

00:25:13.220 --> 00:25:13.799
 iron restoration

00:25:13.799 --> 00:25:14.500
 as he is

00:25:14.500 --> 00:25:14.920
 for the Lord

00:25:14.920 --> 00:25:15.539
 Jesus Christ

00:25:15.539 --> 00:25:16.119
 at this point

00:25:16.119 --> 00:25:16.660
 in his life.

00:25:17.660 --> 00:25:18.400
 If you were

00:25:18.400 --> 00:25:18.920
 to walk

00:25:18.920 --> 00:25:19.599
 into my

00:25:19.599 --> 00:25:20.019
 parents'

00:25:20.240 --> 00:25:20.940
 kitchen today

00:25:20.940 --> 00:25:22.480
 there are

00:25:22.480 --> 00:25:23.240
 dozens

00:25:23.240 --> 00:25:24.819
 that is not

00:25:24.819 --> 00:25:25.619
 an exaggeration

00:25:25.619 --> 00:25:26.000
 is it Julie?

00:25:26.400 --> 00:25:26.940
 There are

00:25:26.940 --> 00:25:27.660
 dozens

00:25:27.660 --> 00:25:27.860
 dozens

00:25:27.860 --> 00:25:29.540
 of

00:25:29.540 --> 00:25:30.900
 remarkably

00:25:30.900 --> 00:25:33.060
 restored

00:25:33.060 --> 00:25:34.160
 cast iron

00:25:34.160 --> 00:25:34.800
 skillets

00:25:34.800 --> 00:25:35.900
 and they are

00:25:35.900 --> 00:25:36.340
 on display

00:25:36.340 --> 00:25:36.720
 they are just

00:25:36.720 --> 00:25:36.900
 there.

00:25:36.980 --> 00:25:37.160
 He has got

00:25:37.160 --> 00:25:37.660
 these racks

00:25:37.660 --> 00:25:38.040
 of them

00:25:38.040 --> 00:25:38.480
 and they are

00:25:38.480 --> 00:25:38.940
 on the walls

00:25:38.940 --> 00:25:39.779
 and he cooks

00:25:39.779 --> 00:25:40.180
 with some of

00:25:40.180 --> 00:25:40.259
 them.

00:25:40.300 --> 00:25:40.580
 Most of them

00:25:40.580 --> 00:25:41.000
 they just sit

00:25:41.000 --> 00:25:41.200
 there.

00:25:42.759 --> 00:25:43.300
 He loves to

00:25:43.300 --> 00:25:43.740
 go to yard

00:25:43.740 --> 00:25:44.380
 sales and he

00:25:44.380 --> 00:25:44.660
 gets on

00:25:44.660 --> 00:25:45.019
 Facebook

00:25:45.019 --> 00:25:45.519
 marketplace.

00:25:45.759 --> 00:25:46.120
 He has a

00:25:46.120 --> 00:25:46.600
 spot at the

00:25:46.600 --> 00:25:47.200
 police station

00:25:47.200 --> 00:25:47.759
 in Gastonia

00:25:47.759 --> 00:25:48.220
 where he goes

00:25:48.220 --> 00:25:48.580
 and he meets

00:25:48.580 --> 00:25:49.100
 people on

00:25:49.100 --> 00:25:50.320
 Facebook and

00:25:50.320 --> 00:25:50.900
 they exchange

00:25:50.900 --> 00:25:51.480
 their cast

00:25:51.480 --> 00:25:52.240
 iron skillets

00:25:52.240 --> 00:25:53.620
 and he takes

00:25:53.620 --> 00:25:54.000
 them home and

00:25:54.000 --> 00:25:54.660
 he spends days.

00:25:54.759 --> 00:25:55.019
 He has got

00:25:55.019 --> 00:25:55.940
 this makeshift

00:25:55.940 --> 00:25:56.600
 machine that

00:25:56.600 --> 00:25:57.040
 he has built

00:25:57.039 --> 00:25:57.379
 that he has

00:25:57.379 --> 00:25:57.759
 put in his

00:25:57.759 --> 00:25:58.480
 garage and

00:25:58.480 --> 00:25:59.319
 he doesn't

00:25:59.319 --> 00:25:59.799
 sell them.

00:26:00.799 --> 00:26:01.359
 It is not a

00:26:01.359 --> 00:26:01.940
 side hustle.

00:26:02.200 --> 00:26:02.579
 He does not

00:26:02.579 --> 00:26:03.119
 have his own

00:26:03.119 --> 00:26:04.000
 Facebook

00:26:04.000 --> 00:26:04.980
 marketplace page

00:26:04.980 --> 00:26:05.399
 where he puts

00:26:05.399 --> 00:26:05.799
 them back on

00:26:05.799 --> 00:26:06.180
 there and tries

00:26:06.180 --> 00:26:06.619
 to make money.

00:26:06.700 --> 00:26:07.139
 They just sit

00:26:07.139 --> 00:26:07.859
 there and he

00:26:07.859 --> 00:26:08.139
 gives them

00:26:08.139 --> 00:26:08.420
 away.

00:26:08.519 --> 00:26:08.879
 The girls

00:26:08.879 --> 00:26:10.019
 each have

00:26:10.019 --> 00:26:10.740
 like two and

00:26:10.740 --> 00:26:11.319
 he gives

00:26:11.319 --> 00:26:11.839
 them away to

00:26:11.839 --> 00:26:12.139
 people.

00:26:12.519 --> 00:26:13.500
 What is that?

00:26:13.740 --> 00:26:14.200
 It is a

00:26:14.200 --> 00:26:15.159
 labor of love.

00:26:15.539 --> 00:26:16.180
 It is work

00:26:16.180 --> 00:26:16.779
 to do it.

00:26:17.220 --> 00:26:17.759
 It is work

00:26:17.759 --> 00:26:18.539
 to find them.

00:26:18.839 --> 00:26:19.359
 It is work

00:26:19.359 --> 00:26:19.980
 to restore

00:26:19.980 --> 00:26:20.359
 them.

00:26:20.599 --> 00:26:21.220
 It is work

00:26:21.220 --> 00:26:21.779
 to make it

00:26:21.779 --> 00:26:22.720
 all and he

00:26:22.720 --> 00:26:24.259
 gets joy

00:26:24.259 --> 00:26:25.680
 out of the

00:26:25.680 --> 00:26:26.379
 labor because

00:26:26.380 --> 00:26:27.220
 he loves the

00:26:27.220 --> 00:26:27.820
 thing itself

00:26:27.820 --> 00:26:28.300
 and he loves

00:26:28.300 --> 00:26:28.720
 the people

00:26:28.720 --> 00:26:29.220
 that he gets

00:26:29.220 --> 00:26:29.640
 to give the

00:26:29.640 --> 00:26:30.440
 things to.

00:26:30.960 --> 00:26:31.300
 But there is

00:26:31.300 --> 00:26:32.000
 no reward for

00:26:32.000 --> 00:26:32.100
 him.

00:26:32.100 --> 00:26:33.000
 It is a labor

00:26:33.000 --> 00:26:33.440
 of love

00:26:33.440 --> 00:26:33.820
 isn't it?

00:26:35.180 --> 00:26:36.080
 In the case

00:26:36.080 --> 00:26:36.900
 of this text

00:26:36.900 --> 00:26:38.680
 it is unmitigated

00:26:38.680 --> 00:26:40.080
 love for Christ

00:26:40.080 --> 00:26:41.660
 and Christ's

00:26:41.660 --> 00:26:43.100
 people that

00:26:43.100 --> 00:26:44.120
 motivates the

00:26:44.120 --> 00:26:45.740
 toilsome task

00:26:45.740 --> 00:26:47.580
 of Christian

00:26:47.580 --> 00:26:48.940
 service and

00:26:48.940 --> 00:26:49.760
 discipleship.

00:26:49.759 --> 00:26:53.000
 we just

00:26:53.000 --> 00:26:53.539
 covenanted

00:26:53.539 --> 00:26:54.279
 with three

00:26:54.279 --> 00:26:55.500
 Christians

00:26:55.500 --> 00:26:56.720
 in membership

00:26:56.720 --> 00:26:57.119
 in our

00:26:57.119 --> 00:26:57.519
 church.

00:26:58.700 --> 00:26:59.279
 A labor

00:26:59.279 --> 00:27:00.160
 of love

00:27:00.160 --> 00:27:00.559
 would be

00:27:00.559 --> 00:27:01.240
 to actually

00:27:01.240 --> 00:27:01.879
 take the

00:27:01.879 --> 00:27:02.579
 responsibility

00:27:02.579 --> 00:27:03.559
 in a practical

00:27:03.559 --> 00:27:04.559
 way for their

00:27:04.559 --> 00:27:05.400
 discipleship the

00:27:05.400 --> 00:27:05.799
 way that we

00:27:05.799 --> 00:27:06.379
 have just

00:27:06.379 --> 00:27:06.980
 said and

00:27:06.980 --> 00:27:07.539
 promised that

00:27:07.539 --> 00:27:07.980
 we would.

00:27:10.200 --> 00:27:10.759
 Meaningful

00:27:10.759 --> 00:27:11.500
 membership and

00:27:11.500 --> 00:27:12.559
 discipleship and

00:27:12.559 --> 00:27:13.700
 service to one

00:27:13.700 --> 00:27:14.339
 another through the

00:27:14.339 --> 00:27:15.000
 church is a

00:27:15.000 --> 00:27:15.500
 labor.

00:27:16.099 --> 00:27:16.759
 It is a

00:27:16.759 --> 00:27:17.220
 toil.

00:27:17.220 --> 00:27:18.440
 it is a

00:27:18.440 --> 00:27:18.960
 hardship.

00:27:19.559 --> 00:27:20.360
 It is not

00:27:20.360 --> 00:27:20.759
 easy.

00:27:21.140 --> 00:27:21.920
 It leaves you

00:27:21.920 --> 00:27:22.559
 vulnerable.

00:27:24.339 --> 00:27:24.799
 And yet

00:27:24.799 --> 00:27:26.180
 out of love

00:27:26.180 --> 00:27:26.839
 for Christ

00:27:26.839 --> 00:27:28.259
 and out of

00:27:28.259 --> 00:27:28.920
 love for his

00:27:28.920 --> 00:27:30.940
 people we

00:27:30.940 --> 00:27:31.839
 are to eagerly

00:27:31.839 --> 00:27:32.480
 and joyfully

00:27:32.480 --> 00:27:33.839
 enter into

00:27:33.839 --> 00:27:34.360
 that labor.

00:27:36.860 --> 00:27:37.660
 I heard

00:27:37.660 --> 00:27:38.140
 someone say

00:27:38.140 --> 00:27:38.680
 this week

00:27:38.680 --> 00:27:40.720
 the church

00:27:40.720 --> 00:27:41.400
 is where

00:27:41.400 --> 00:27:43.059
 it's none

00:27:43.059 --> 00:27:43.299
 of your

00:27:43.299 --> 00:27:43.779
 business

00:27:43.779 --> 00:27:44.680
 goes to

00:27:44.680 --> 00:27:45.000
 die.

00:27:46.319 --> 00:27:46.960
 Why?

00:27:47.220 --> 00:27:48.960
 Because it

00:27:48.960 --> 00:27:49.259
 is our

00:27:49.259 --> 00:27:49.819
 love for

00:27:49.819 --> 00:27:50.339
 one another

00:27:50.339 --> 00:27:51.539
 that drives

00:27:51.539 --> 00:27:52.200
 our service

00:27:52.200 --> 00:27:52.539
 to one

00:27:52.539 --> 00:27:53.640
 another and

00:27:53.640 --> 00:27:54.299
 essential to

00:27:54.299 --> 00:27:54.880
 our service

00:27:54.880 --> 00:27:55.220
 to one

00:27:55.220 --> 00:27:56.360
 another is

00:27:56.360 --> 00:27:57.140
 the continual

00:27:57.140 --> 00:27:58.039
 discipleship

00:27:58.039 --> 00:27:59.039
 correction

00:27:59.039 --> 00:28:00.660
 maybe and

00:28:00.660 --> 00:28:01.299
 teaching of

00:28:01.299 --> 00:28:02.839
 the gospel and

00:28:02.839 --> 00:28:03.299
 of what God

00:28:03.299 --> 00:28:03.839
 has asked of

00:28:03.839 --> 00:28:04.319
 us to be.

00:28:04.680 --> 00:28:05.380
 That is our

00:28:05.380 --> 00:28:06.000
 purpose with

00:28:06.000 --> 00:28:06.460
 one another.

00:28:07.180 --> 00:28:07.660
 We don't just

00:28:07.660 --> 00:28:08.420
 meet together on

00:28:08.420 --> 00:28:09.079
 Sundays to have

00:28:09.079 --> 00:28:09.440
 a worship

00:28:09.440 --> 00:28:09.839
 service.

00:28:09.980 --> 00:28:10.420
 You ought to

00:28:10.420 --> 00:28:11.440
 be with one

00:28:11.440 --> 00:28:12.440
 another throughout

00:28:12.440 --> 00:28:13.559
 the week for

00:28:13.559 --> 00:28:15.960
 the purpose of

00:28:15.960 --> 00:28:16.700
 Christian love

00:28:16.700 --> 00:28:17.640
 and discipleship.

00:28:18.799 --> 00:28:19.700
 Jesus himself

00:28:19.700 --> 00:28:20.980
 said that it

00:28:20.980 --> 00:28:21.519
 is our love

00:28:21.519 --> 00:28:22.180
 for one another

00:28:22.180 --> 00:28:22.960
 that will testify

00:28:22.960 --> 00:28:23.700
 to the world

00:28:23.700 --> 00:28:24.500
 that we belong

00:28:24.500 --> 00:28:25.579
 to him.

00:28:26.220 --> 00:28:26.900
 He said it in

00:28:26.900 --> 00:28:27.720
 John 13

00:28:27.720 --> 00:28:28.480
 verse 34

00:28:28.480 --> 00:28:29.559
 a new commandment

00:28:29.559 --> 00:28:30.259
 I give to you

00:28:30.259 --> 00:28:31.160
 that you love

00:28:31.160 --> 00:28:31.680
 one another

00:28:31.680 --> 00:28:33.120
 just as I have

00:28:33.120 --> 00:28:33.779
 loved you

00:28:33.779 --> 00:28:34.380
 that's the

00:28:34.380 --> 00:28:35.120
 qualifier.

00:28:35.579 --> 00:28:36.259
 He says in

00:28:36.259 --> 00:28:37.019
 the way that I

00:28:37.019 --> 00:28:37.860
 have loved you

00:28:37.860 --> 00:28:38.819
 that is the

00:28:38.819 --> 00:28:39.759
 way that

00:28:39.759 --> 00:28:40.420
 Christians are

00:28:40.420 --> 00:28:41.120
 to love

00:28:41.120 --> 00:28:42.140
 one another.

00:28:42.140 --> 00:28:45.940
 by this all

00:28:45.940 --> 00:28:46.600
 people will

00:28:46.600 --> 00:28:47.280
 know that you

00:28:47.280 --> 00:28:47.680
 are my

00:28:47.680 --> 00:28:49.140
 disciples if you

00:28:49.140 --> 00:28:49.720
 have love for

00:28:49.720 --> 00:28:50.240
 one another.

00:28:50.360 --> 00:28:51.540
 There we get it

00:28:51.540 --> 00:28:52.240
 again from the

00:28:52.240 --> 00:28:53.259
 very mouth of

00:28:53.259 --> 00:28:53.540
 Jesus.

00:28:53.900 --> 00:28:54.620
 He says what is

00:28:54.620 --> 00:28:55.880
 the essence of

00:28:55.880 --> 00:28:56.640
 a true Christian?

00:28:56.920 --> 00:28:57.500
 Well it is someone

00:28:57.500 --> 00:28:58.759
 who bears the

00:28:58.759 --> 00:28:59.620
 love of Christ

00:28:59.620 --> 00:29:00.700
 for others

00:29:00.700 --> 00:29:02.320
 especially other

00:29:02.320 --> 00:29:03.880
 Christians and

00:29:03.880 --> 00:29:04.480
 that's how the

00:29:04.480 --> 00:29:05.200
 world will know.

00:29:05.560 --> 00:29:05.940
 It is an

00:29:05.940 --> 00:29:07.720
 essential virtue

00:29:07.720 --> 00:29:09.740
 that belongs to

00:29:09.740 --> 00:29:10.340
 those who are

00:29:10.340 --> 00:29:11.240
 truly in Christ.

00:29:12.140 --> 00:29:14.580
 nothing is more

00:29:14.580 --> 00:29:16.360
 laborsome than

00:29:16.360 --> 00:29:16.780
 love.

00:29:17.759 --> 00:29:18.380
 Nothing is.

00:29:20.180 --> 00:29:21.060
 Love is not

00:29:21.060 --> 00:29:21.980
 merely a feeling.

00:29:26.920 --> 00:29:27.820
 I'm tempted to

00:29:27.820 --> 00:29:28.240
 sing a song

00:29:28.240 --> 00:29:28.680
 and I won't do

00:29:28.680 --> 00:29:28.820
 it.

00:29:30.700 --> 00:29:31.600
 Hooked on a

00:29:31.600 --> 00:29:32.180
 feeling.

00:29:33.580 --> 00:29:34.320
 That's not what

00:29:34.320 --> 00:29:34.740
 we're talking

00:29:34.740 --> 00:29:35.240
 about here.

00:29:38.080 --> 00:29:38.840
 Don't tell my

00:29:38.840 --> 00:29:39.240
 mom I did

00:29:39.240 --> 00:29:39.460
 that.

00:29:39.460 --> 00:29:42.759
 love isn't

00:29:42.759 --> 00:29:43.400
 something you

00:29:43.400 --> 00:29:44.500
 can fall into

00:29:44.500 --> 00:29:45.579
 or fall out

00:29:45.579 --> 00:29:45.840
 of.

00:29:46.079 --> 00:29:46.539
 It doesn't

00:29:46.539 --> 00:29:47.100
 actually work

00:29:47.100 --> 00:29:47.559
 that way.

00:29:49.360 --> 00:29:50.180
 Love is a

00:29:50.180 --> 00:29:50.680
 relational

00:29:50.680 --> 00:29:52.620
 commitment at

00:29:52.620 --> 00:29:53.000
 its heart.

00:29:54.519 --> 00:29:55.840
 Love calls us

00:29:55.840 --> 00:29:56.640
 to sacrifice

00:29:56.640 --> 00:29:59.740
 self for the

00:29:59.740 --> 00:30:00.539
 good of someone

00:30:00.539 --> 00:30:01.039
 else.

00:30:01.759 --> 00:30:02.220
 Isn't that what

00:30:02.220 --> 00:30:03.039
 Jesus means when

00:30:03.039 --> 00:30:03.600
 he tells his

00:30:03.600 --> 00:30:04.220
 disciples in

00:30:04.220 --> 00:30:05.420
 John 13 in

00:30:05.420 --> 00:30:05.980
 the way that I

00:30:05.980 --> 00:30:06.640
 have loved you

00:30:06.640 --> 00:30:07.280
 and by the

00:30:07.280 --> 00:30:07.660
 way I'm

00:30:07.660 --> 00:30:08.080
 about to go

00:30:08.080 --> 00:30:08.360
 to the

00:30:08.360 --> 00:30:08.780
 cross for

00:30:08.780 --> 00:30:09.560
 you in the

00:30:09.560 --> 00:30:09.980
 way that I

00:30:09.980 --> 00:30:10.320
 have loved

00:30:10.320 --> 00:30:10.540
 you.

00:30:12.140 --> 00:30:12.820
 That's how you

00:30:12.820 --> 00:30:13.259
 are to love

00:30:13.259 --> 00:30:13.620
 one another.

00:30:13.800 --> 00:30:14.220
 Isn't that what

00:30:14.220 --> 00:30:14.820
 he says to

00:30:14.820 --> 00:30:15.759
 husbands in

00:30:15.759 --> 00:30:16.460
 Ephesians chapter

00:30:16.460 --> 00:30:16.880
 five?

00:30:17.160 --> 00:30:17.860
 Husbands love

00:30:17.860 --> 00:30:19.120
 your wives as

00:30:19.120 --> 00:30:20.220
 Christ loved the

00:30:20.220 --> 00:30:21.320
 church and gave

00:30:21.320 --> 00:30:23.520
 himself for it.

00:30:23.519 --> 00:30:23.639
 love.

00:30:26.019 --> 00:30:27.400
 The only way to

00:30:27.400 --> 00:30:28.299
 know that kind

00:30:28.299 --> 00:30:29.319
 of love to

00:30:29.319 --> 00:30:29.819
 the fullest

00:30:29.819 --> 00:30:30.799
 extent in

00:30:30.799 --> 00:30:31.480
 God's common

00:30:31.480 --> 00:30:32.339
 grace we get to

00:30:32.339 --> 00:30:33.379
 experience a touch

00:30:33.379 --> 00:30:34.200
 of this but the

00:30:34.200 --> 00:30:34.639
 only way to

00:30:34.639 --> 00:30:35.720
 really know it in

00:30:35.720 --> 00:30:36.619
 its fullest extent

00:30:36.619 --> 00:30:37.819
 is to set your

00:30:37.819 --> 00:30:39.039
 gaze on the

00:30:39.039 --> 00:30:40.400
 person and work

00:30:40.400 --> 00:30:41.339
 of Jesus Christ.

00:30:43.720 --> 00:30:44.539
 Romans chapter

00:30:44.539 --> 00:30:45.599
 five verses six

00:30:45.599 --> 00:30:46.139
 through eight tell

00:30:46.139 --> 00:30:47.000
 us that plainly.

00:30:48.240 --> 00:30:49.139
 While we were

00:30:49.139 --> 00:30:51.059
 still weak at the

00:30:51.059 --> 00:30:52.740
 right time Christ

00:30:52.740 --> 00:30:53.480
 died for the

00:30:53.480 --> 00:30:54.059
 ungodly.

00:30:55.279 --> 00:30:55.680
 And then Paul

00:30:55.680 --> 00:30:56.799
 says for one will

00:30:56.799 --> 00:30:58.500
 scarcely die for a

00:30:58.500 --> 00:30:59.160
 righteous person.

00:30:59.220 --> 00:30:59.640
 If you think

00:30:59.640 --> 00:31:00.099
 somebody's a pretty

00:31:00.099 --> 00:31:01.480
 good guy yeah you

00:31:01.480 --> 00:31:02.059
 might offer your

00:31:02.059 --> 00:31:02.720
 life for them.

00:31:03.539 --> 00:31:04.360
 Perhaps for a good

00:31:04.360 --> 00:31:05.140
 person one would

00:31:05.140 --> 00:31:05.860
 even dare to die.

00:31:06.240 --> 00:31:08.200
 But God shows his

00:31:08.200 --> 00:31:09.640
 love for us in

00:31:09.640 --> 00:31:10.579
 that while we were

00:31:10.579 --> 00:31:12.380
 still sinners Christ

00:31:12.380 --> 00:31:13.019
 died for us.

00:31:13.279 --> 00:31:13.980
 While we were still

00:31:13.980 --> 00:31:14.640
 sinners that's not

00:31:14.640 --> 00:31:15.559
 speaking of a past

00:31:15.559 --> 00:31:16.140
 thing that's thinking

00:31:16.140 --> 00:31:17.220
 of a present thing.

00:31:17.620 --> 00:31:19.720
 In that moment we

00:31:19.720 --> 00:31:21.660
 are his enemy and we

00:31:21.660 --> 00:31:22.860
 are acting as his

00:31:22.859 --> 00:31:23.799
 enemy and yet he

00:31:23.799 --> 00:31:25.159
 gives himself to us

00:31:25.159 --> 00:31:26.019
 anyways.

00:31:28.659 --> 00:31:29.899
 That is the nature

00:31:29.899 --> 00:31:30.799
 of God's love.

00:31:33.659 --> 00:31:34.919
 It is the supreme

00:31:34.919 --> 00:31:36.240
 love of Christ for

00:31:36.240 --> 00:31:37.419
 sinners that then

00:31:37.419 --> 00:31:38.879
 motivates Christians'

00:31:39.059 --> 00:31:40.279
 love for one

00:31:40.279 --> 00:31:40.639
 another.

00:31:42.199 --> 00:31:43.179
 That's what Paul

00:31:43.179 --> 00:31:43.819
 means here.

00:31:44.639 --> 00:31:45.599
 There is love for

00:31:45.599 --> 00:31:46.479
 Christ that then

00:31:46.479 --> 00:31:47.539
 shows itself in a

00:31:47.539 --> 00:31:48.319
 kind of labor.

00:31:48.659 --> 00:31:49.819
 A labor in Christian

00:31:49.819 --> 00:31:50.919
 ministry for Christ

00:31:50.919 --> 00:31:51.980
 but particularly a

00:31:51.980 --> 00:31:53.460
 labor for other

00:31:53.460 --> 00:31:54.279
 Christians and

00:31:54.279 --> 00:31:55.039
 discipleship.

00:31:55.299 --> 00:31:55.960
 For even people

00:31:55.960 --> 00:31:57.259
 outside of the church

00:31:57.259 --> 00:31:59.439
 in just kindness and

00:31:59.439 --> 00:32:01.779
 love showing the love

00:32:01.779 --> 00:32:02.799
 of Christ to others

00:32:02.799 --> 00:32:04.460
 in a very real sense

00:32:04.460 --> 00:32:05.179
 of that word.

00:32:05.639 --> 00:32:06.619
 Self-sacrifice.

00:32:09.279 --> 00:32:10.859
 Thirdly we see

00:32:10.859 --> 00:32:12.179
 steadfastness of hope.

00:32:13.279 --> 00:32:14.460
 Steadfastness of hope.

00:32:15.519 --> 00:32:16.799
 When the apostles wrote

00:32:16.799 --> 00:32:17.720
 hope in the New

00:32:17.720 --> 00:32:18.419
 Testament it's

00:32:18.419 --> 00:32:19.079
 important to

00:32:19.079 --> 00:32:20.659
 understand that they

00:32:20.659 --> 00:32:21.700
 intended to communicate

00:32:21.700 --> 00:32:23.059
 something different than

00:32:23.059 --> 00:32:25.859
 we typically do when we

00:32:25.859 --> 00:32:26.919
 use that word today.

00:32:28.519 --> 00:32:30.599
 For the apostles in the

00:32:30.599 --> 00:32:32.879
 biblical sense hope is

00:32:32.879 --> 00:32:34.440
 meant as an absolute

00:32:34.440 --> 00:32:35.779
 certainty of heart

00:32:35.779 --> 00:32:38.740
 not a wishfulness about an

00:32:38.740 --> 00:32:39.599
 uncertain future.

00:32:40.399 --> 00:32:41.639
 We need to understand that

00:32:41.639 --> 00:32:42.519
 appropriately here.

00:32:42.740 --> 00:32:43.659
 Otherwise steadfastness

00:32:43.660 --> 00:32:44.460
 really doesn't make

00:32:44.460 --> 00:32:45.040
 sense.

00:32:45.480 --> 00:32:46.840
 It only makes sense in

00:32:46.840 --> 00:32:47.740
 the context of an

00:32:47.740 --> 00:32:49.519
 absolute certainty not

00:32:49.519 --> 00:32:52.240
 in a potential wishfulness

00:32:52.240 --> 00:32:53.180
 of something that you're

00:32:53.180 --> 00:32:53.759
 uncertain about.

00:32:53.860 --> 00:32:55.160
 That will not cause you to

00:32:55.160 --> 00:32:55.840
 endure anything.

00:32:56.279 --> 00:32:57.279
 But what will cause you to

00:32:57.279 --> 00:32:58.759
 endure is a certainty

00:32:58.759 --> 00:33:00.320
 about what it is that you

00:33:00.320 --> 00:33:01.500
 have placed your faith in.

00:33:02.120 --> 00:33:03.019
 And incidentally that's

00:33:03.019 --> 00:33:04.640
 what John Piper actually

00:33:04.640 --> 00:33:05.759
 describes hope as.

00:33:06.060 --> 00:33:06.880
 He describes it as

00:33:06.880 --> 00:33:08.420
 biblical hope being

00:33:08.420 --> 00:33:11.360
 saving faith with an

00:33:11.360 --> 00:33:13.640
 emphasis on future

00:33:13.640 --> 00:33:14.259
 fulfillment.

00:33:15.700 --> 00:33:17.600
 So it is the faith of

00:33:17.600 --> 00:33:18.660
 Christ and the works of

00:33:18.660 --> 00:33:21.560
 faith looking forward to

00:33:21.560 --> 00:33:22.820
 the fulfillment of all of

00:33:22.820 --> 00:33:23.560
 Christ's promises.

00:33:23.880 --> 00:33:25.300
 That is what the meaning of

00:33:25.300 --> 00:33:26.759
 hope here is.

00:33:27.180 --> 00:33:27.840
 Let me just give you a

00:33:27.840 --> 00:33:28.720
 couple of examples of

00:33:28.720 --> 00:33:29.940
 this that show you that

00:33:29.940 --> 00:33:31.480
 I'm not just making this

00:33:31.480 --> 00:33:31.720
 up.

00:33:32.100 --> 00:33:33.880
 Look at Philippians chapter

00:33:33.880 --> 00:33:34.700
 one in verse 20.

00:33:34.860 --> 00:33:35.560
 This might be on the

00:33:35.560 --> 00:33:36.140
 screen for you.

00:33:36.780 --> 00:33:37.520
 Paul says to the

00:33:37.520 --> 00:33:38.820
 Philippians, it is my

00:33:38.820 --> 00:33:41.120
 eager expectation and hope

00:33:41.119 --> 00:33:43.239
 hope that I will not be

00:33:43.239 --> 00:33:44.979
 ashamed but that with

00:33:44.979 --> 00:33:46.659
 full courage now as

00:33:46.659 --> 00:33:48.459
 always Christ will be

00:33:48.459 --> 00:33:49.359
 honored in my body

00:33:49.359 --> 00:33:50.679
 whether by life or by

00:33:50.679 --> 00:33:50.919
 death.

00:33:51.000 --> 00:33:51.599
 Now what's happening

00:33:51.599 --> 00:33:51.879
 there?

00:33:52.599 --> 00:33:53.839
 Paul was facing his

00:33:53.839 --> 00:33:55.059
 potential martyrdom in

00:33:55.059 --> 00:33:55.359
 Rome.

00:33:55.500 --> 00:33:56.819
 He was under house arrest

00:33:56.819 --> 00:33:58.479
 at the moment and he

00:33:58.479 --> 00:33:59.319
 was uncertain about

00:33:59.319 --> 00:33:59.959
 whether or not he was

00:33:59.959 --> 00:34:01.139
 about to be beheaded or

00:34:01.139 --> 00:34:03.139
 turns out that he wasn't

00:34:03.139 --> 00:34:03.899
 martyred at that

00:34:03.899 --> 00:34:04.559
 particular moment.

00:34:04.659 --> 00:34:05.519
 That would come later in

00:34:05.519 --> 00:34:05.959
 his life.

00:34:06.099 --> 00:34:07.299
 But he didn't know that

00:34:07.299 --> 00:34:07.839
 at this point.

00:34:07.839 --> 00:34:08.960
 So he's writing to the

00:34:08.960 --> 00:34:09.659
 Philippians and he's

00:34:09.659 --> 00:34:10.779
 talking about what is on

00:34:10.779 --> 00:34:11.539
 his heart and what's in

00:34:11.539 --> 00:34:12.860
 his mind in relation to

00:34:12.860 --> 00:34:14.279
 this potential death.

00:34:14.319 --> 00:34:15.539
 And what is it that he

00:34:15.539 --> 00:34:17.659
 says that he would

00:34:17.659 --> 00:34:20.259
 indeed remain faithful to

00:34:20.259 --> 00:34:20.860
 the end.

00:34:21.420 --> 00:34:21.779
 Why?

00:34:22.099 --> 00:34:23.360
 Because he was absolutely

00:34:23.360 --> 00:34:24.619
 certain of the gospel

00:34:24.619 --> 00:34:25.480
 message he had been

00:34:25.480 --> 00:34:26.719
 proclaiming which had

00:34:26.719 --> 00:34:27.860
 landed him in such a

00:34:27.860 --> 00:34:29.299
 situation.

00:34:30.400 --> 00:34:32.179
 It wasn't his wish.

00:34:33.000 --> 00:34:34.719
 He spoke of it as his

00:34:34.719 --> 00:34:36.619
 eager expectation.

00:34:36.619 --> 00:34:36.699
 expectation.

00:34:37.219 --> 00:34:37.920
 That's the sense of

00:34:37.920 --> 00:34:38.139
 hope.

00:34:38.699 --> 00:34:39.420
 Let me give you just one

00:34:39.420 --> 00:34:40.259
 more and this is all over

00:34:40.259 --> 00:34:41.059
 the New Testament but let

00:34:41.059 --> 00:34:41.940
 me just give you one more.

00:34:42.319 --> 00:34:43.739
 In Acts chapter 26 and

00:34:43.739 --> 00:34:46.839
 verse 6 we see of Paul

00:34:46.839 --> 00:34:48.119
 and now I stand here.

00:34:48.199 --> 00:34:49.119
 This is he saying as he's

00:34:49.119 --> 00:34:49.519
 on trial.

00:34:49.880 --> 00:34:51.679
 Now I stand here on trial

00:34:51.679 --> 00:34:55.559
 because of my hope in the

00:34:55.559 --> 00:34:57.039
 promise made by God to

00:34:57.039 --> 00:34:57.579
 our fathers.

00:34:57.839 --> 00:34:58.679
 So he's referencing the

00:34:58.679 --> 00:35:00.359
 gospel here and he's

00:35:00.359 --> 00:35:02.319
 standing there on trial he

00:35:02.319 --> 00:35:04.699
 says because of his hope in

00:35:04.699 --> 00:35:05.719
 that gospel message.

00:35:05.719 --> 00:35:08.980
 Paul wasn't on trial because

00:35:08.980 --> 00:35:11.059
 he wished for the gospel to

00:35:11.059 --> 00:35:11.500
 be true.

00:35:13.119 --> 00:35:14.759
 Nobody in Rome was

00:35:14.759 --> 00:35:16.659
 threatened by Paul's

00:35:16.659 --> 00:35:17.319
 wishfulness.

00:35:18.939 --> 00:35:20.459
 What they were threatened

00:35:20.459 --> 00:35:22.639
 by was Paul's certainty

00:35:22.639 --> 00:35:24.539
 which was revealed in his

00:35:24.539 --> 00:35:25.299
 gospel preaching.

00:35:26.299 --> 00:35:28.299
 And that's what led him to

00:35:28.299 --> 00:35:29.359
 faithfully proclaim the

00:35:29.359 --> 00:35:30.759
 gospel at the risk of his

00:35:30.759 --> 00:35:31.279
 own life.

00:35:31.679 --> 00:35:33.019
 That's the kind of hope that

00:35:33.019 --> 00:35:33.879
 we're talking about here.

00:35:33.880 --> 00:35:35.000
 So when we get back to

00:35:35.000 --> 00:35:37.539
 1 Thessalonians 1 3 we see

00:35:37.539 --> 00:35:39.119
 that the hope here is not a

00:35:39.119 --> 00:35:39.579
 wishfulness.

00:35:40.079 --> 00:35:42.619
 It is a certainty that exists

00:35:42.619 --> 00:35:44.300
 in the Thessalonian believers.

00:35:44.780 --> 00:35:46.360
 So when Paul and Silas and

00:35:46.360 --> 00:35:47.880
 Timothy write to the Christians

00:35:48.460 --> 00:35:49.880
 there and of their hope they're

00:35:50.559 --> 00:35:52.119
 referring to their absolute

00:35:52.119 --> 00:35:54.300
 certainty of heart regarding the

00:35:54.300 --> 00:35:56.140
 truth of Jesus Christ, his

00:35:56.140 --> 00:35:58.180
 resurrection, and his return.

00:35:58.179 --> 00:36:01.219
 Now why would Paul do that?

00:36:02.519 --> 00:36:04.379
 Why would he find it necessary to

00:36:04.379 --> 00:36:06.000
 write of their steadfastness of

00:36:06.000 --> 00:36:06.419
 hope?

00:36:07.299 --> 00:36:08.500
 Well as we learned last week

00:36:08.500 --> 00:36:10.239
 this church was under severe

00:36:10.239 --> 00:36:12.019
 persecution from its very

00:36:12.019 --> 00:36:12.519
 inception.

00:36:13.819 --> 00:36:15.759
 The reality of this persecution

00:36:15.759 --> 00:36:17.239
 that looms large over this

00:36:17.239 --> 00:36:18.139
 entire letter.

00:36:18.139 --> 00:36:22.619
 So severe was it that Paul was

00:36:22.619 --> 00:36:24.799
 concerned in chapter 3 that we'll

00:36:24.799 --> 00:36:26.379
 eventually get to, Paul was

00:36:26.379 --> 00:36:28.159
 concerned whether they would

00:36:28.159 --> 00:36:29.559
 continue in the faith at all or if

00:36:29.559 --> 00:36:30.679
 they would just abandon it all

00:36:30.679 --> 00:36:32.179
 together because of the pressure of

00:36:32.179 --> 00:36:32.359
 it.

00:36:34.579 --> 00:36:36.559
 Yet despite their circumstances,

00:36:37.639 --> 00:36:39.559
 the church of the Thessalonians

00:36:39.559 --> 00:36:41.139
 remained steadfast.

00:36:42.980 --> 00:36:43.980
 They endured.

00:36:43.980 --> 00:36:45.740
 Why?

00:36:47.800 --> 00:36:49.760
 Because their hope in Christ

00:36:49.760 --> 00:36:52.079
 produced such steadfastness.

00:36:52.920 --> 00:36:54.420
 Their certainty of the gospel

00:36:54.420 --> 00:36:56.480
 caused them to persevere.

00:36:57.880 --> 00:36:59.800
 They patiently endure the

00:36:59.800 --> 00:37:02.260
 suffering with firm expectation

00:37:02.260 --> 00:37:04.579
 that what Christ began at his

00:37:04.579 --> 00:37:07.780
 resurrection he will complete at

00:37:07.780 --> 00:37:08.420
 his return.

00:37:09.860 --> 00:37:12.780
 All Christian hope thus rests in

00:37:12.780 --> 00:37:16.060
 the historic bodily resurrection

00:37:16.060 --> 00:37:18.140
 of the Lord Jesus Christ.

00:37:19.560 --> 00:37:21.380
 And it is as a result of their

00:37:21.380 --> 00:37:23.880
 hope in the resurrection that they

00:37:23.880 --> 00:37:27.460
 had an eager and firm hope in

00:37:27.460 --> 00:37:28.100
 Christ's return.

00:37:29.180 --> 00:37:32.940
 Three essential virtues for

00:37:32.940 --> 00:37:33.500
 Christianity.

00:37:34.920 --> 00:37:36.880
 Now lest we think that we

00:37:36.880 --> 00:37:38.800
 accomplish all of this on our own,

00:37:39.660 --> 00:37:41.519
 it will be necessary for us to

00:37:41.519 --> 00:37:44.000
 finish by looking at verse 2.

00:37:45.199 --> 00:37:46.239
 So look at it with me.

00:37:47.840 --> 00:37:50.159
 Before focusing in on the triad,

00:37:50.980 --> 00:37:51.659
 Paul says,

00:37:52.679 --> 00:37:54.619
 we give thanks to God

00:37:54.619 --> 00:37:57.199
 always for all of you,

00:37:58.199 --> 00:37:59.579
 constantly mentioning you

00:37:59.579 --> 00:38:00.759
 in our prayers.

00:38:01.579 --> 00:38:03.099
 What do we find here in verse 2?

00:38:03.099 --> 00:38:07.940
 We find God's work of grace in our

00:38:07.940 --> 00:38:10.019
 faith, love, and hope.

00:38:11.380 --> 00:38:13.039
 What's most noteworthy about the

00:38:13.039 --> 00:38:14.480
 thanksgiving here is that it was

00:38:14.480 --> 00:38:16.239
 offered in the context of prayer.

00:38:16.739 --> 00:38:18.199
 It wasn't just occasional prayer,

00:38:19.039 --> 00:38:19.880
 continual prayer.

00:38:21.339 --> 00:38:24.099
 They were thankful for the

00:38:24.099 --> 00:38:25.539
 Thessalonians, but their

00:38:25.539 --> 00:38:27.759
 thanksgiving was not directed to

00:38:27.759 --> 00:38:29.380
 the Thessalonians.

00:38:29.440 --> 00:38:30.239
 Did you notice that?

00:38:30.239 --> 00:38:33.979
 In fact, they explicitly say,

00:38:34.659 --> 00:38:37.139
 we give thanks to God

00:38:37.139 --> 00:38:38.939
 for you.

00:38:40.899 --> 00:38:43.000
 Now, I want you to meditate on that.

00:38:44.259 --> 00:38:45.959
 Let that sink into your mind.

00:38:47.879 --> 00:38:49.799
 The subject of their thanksgiving

00:38:49.799 --> 00:38:53.639
 is the actions performed by the

00:38:53.639 --> 00:38:54.659
 Thessalonians.

00:38:55.019 --> 00:38:55.939
 That's verse 3.

00:38:55.940 --> 00:38:58.860
 But the object of their

00:38:58.860 --> 00:39:01.059
 thanksgiving is God.

00:39:02.500 --> 00:39:03.539
 Now, that's strange.

00:39:05.519 --> 00:39:07.280
 If I were to give you a gift today,

00:39:07.380 --> 00:39:10.619
 no doubt you would, in response,

00:39:10.760 --> 00:39:11.780
 turn and say thank you.

00:39:11.960 --> 00:39:13.639
 But what if instead of thanking me

00:39:13.639 --> 00:39:15.220
 for the gift that I purchased and

00:39:15.220 --> 00:39:16.659
 wrapped and handed over to you,

00:39:16.840 --> 00:39:18.880
 you turned to Josh Francis and you

00:39:18.880 --> 00:39:20.800
 said, oh my goodness, Josh,

00:39:20.920 --> 00:39:22.960
 thank you for this gift that Jared

00:39:22.960 --> 00:39:23.500
 gave me.

00:39:23.500 --> 00:39:25.559
 That's weird, right?

00:39:26.179 --> 00:39:27.219
 You wouldn't do that.

00:39:30.219 --> 00:39:31.860
 Why is it that Paul does it then?

00:39:34.260 --> 00:39:36.099
 Paul and his team were immensely

00:39:36.099 --> 00:39:38.039
 thankful for the Thessalonians'

00:39:38.179 --> 00:39:38.539
 actions.

00:39:39.579 --> 00:39:42.480
 But they understood God to be the

00:39:42.480 --> 00:39:45.460
 definitive cause of those actions.

00:39:45.460 --> 00:39:49.099
 Therefore, all of their gratitude

00:39:49.099 --> 00:39:50.480
 was directed to the Lord.

00:39:51.960 --> 00:39:53.900
 Everything happening through the

00:39:53.900 --> 00:39:55.880
 church of the Thessalonians was a

00:39:55.880 --> 00:39:57.940
 work of grace.

00:39:59.679 --> 00:40:00.659
 And whether thinking of their

00:40:00.659 --> 00:40:02.659
 radical conversion or their

00:40:02.659 --> 00:40:04.800
 exemplary perseverance of faith,

00:40:05.139 --> 00:40:06.960
 Paul understood that it was all the

00:40:06.960 --> 00:40:10.220
 result of God's gracious work in the

00:40:10.220 --> 00:40:11.820
 hearts of those young Christians.

00:40:12.320 --> 00:40:14.240
 And the same goes for you and me.

00:40:14.239 --> 00:40:16.239
 It is no different for us.

00:40:17.639 --> 00:40:20.619
 The truth is that every conversion to

00:40:20.619 --> 00:40:24.059
 Christ is a miracle of God's

00:40:24.059 --> 00:40:24.919
 sovereign grace.

00:40:25.739 --> 00:40:27.059
 It is a miracle.

00:40:28.279 --> 00:40:30.019
 You wonder if miracles still happen

00:40:30.019 --> 00:40:30.399
 today.

00:40:31.219 --> 00:40:31.879
 Look around.

00:40:33.779 --> 00:40:36.159
 Listen to the three testimonies of

00:40:36.159 --> 00:40:36.639
 conversion.

00:40:36.819 --> 00:40:38.719
 That doesn't happen because Kathy and

00:40:38.719 --> 00:40:40.419
 Sarah Lynn and Todd just decided, you

00:40:40.419 --> 00:40:40.719
 know what?

00:40:40.819 --> 00:40:42.879
 We figured it out and we're going to go

00:40:42.880 --> 00:40:43.280
 with it.

00:40:43.579 --> 00:40:45.140
 No, that's not how it works.

00:40:46.059 --> 00:40:47.320
 No, God is active in that.

00:40:48.180 --> 00:40:51.059
 We're so lost in our sins, dead in

00:40:51.059 --> 00:40:52.920
 them, according to Ephesians chapter

00:40:52.920 --> 00:40:54.880
 two and verse one, that the only

00:40:54.880 --> 00:40:57.340
 possible way for our hearts to

00:40:57.340 --> 00:40:59.760
 repent and turn to Christ is if God

00:40:59.760 --> 00:41:01.500
 himself does a miracle of

00:41:01.500 --> 00:41:03.960
 resurrection whereby he brings a

00:41:03.960 --> 00:41:07.980
 dead soul to life in Christ.

00:41:07.980 --> 00:41:10.519
 Christ, it is a work of grace.

00:41:11.380 --> 00:41:13.400
 The same goes for our spiritual

00:41:13.400 --> 00:41:16.219
 maturity, for our perseverance of

00:41:16.219 --> 00:41:16.659
 faith.

00:41:16.820 --> 00:41:20.119
 It is all a work of grace.

00:41:20.860 --> 00:41:22.880
 Consider Ephesians chapter two, verses

00:41:22.880 --> 00:41:23.659
 eight through ten.

00:41:24.079 --> 00:41:26.599
 For by grace you have been saved

00:41:26.599 --> 00:41:27.699
 through faith.

00:41:28.699 --> 00:41:30.500
 And this is not your own doing.

00:41:30.500 --> 00:41:33.699
 It's a gift of God.

00:41:34.480 --> 00:41:38.519
 It's not a result of works so that no

00:41:38.519 --> 00:41:39.380
 one may boast.

00:41:40.800 --> 00:41:42.820
 And then he continues even beyond the

00:41:42.820 --> 00:41:43.260
 conversion.

00:41:44.139 --> 00:41:46.320
 We are his workmanship.

00:41:46.860 --> 00:41:47.559
 What does that mean?

00:41:48.059 --> 00:41:49.860
 It means that even after we come to

00:41:49.860 --> 00:41:52.000
 Christ in faith, God is still doing a

00:41:52.000 --> 00:41:52.800
 building work.

00:41:53.239 --> 00:41:54.099
 We are a work.

00:41:54.500 --> 00:41:56.119
 There was a song we sang when I was a

00:41:56.119 --> 00:41:56.280
 kid.

00:41:56.519 --> 00:41:59.460
 He's still working on me to make me what

00:41:59.460 --> 00:42:00.119
 I ought to be.

00:42:01.199 --> 00:42:02.699
 It took him just a week to make the

00:42:02.699 --> 00:42:04.860
 moon and the stars, the sun and the

00:42:04.860 --> 00:42:06.500
 earth and Jupiter and Mars.

00:42:07.659 --> 00:42:09.559
 How loving and faithful he must be.

00:42:10.360 --> 00:42:12.019
 He's still working on me.

00:42:12.220 --> 00:42:12.740
 You know that song?

00:42:14.460 --> 00:42:15.840
 You know what we learn in that song

00:42:15.840 --> 00:42:16.500
 as kids?

00:42:18.199 --> 00:42:19.820
 That there is a work that God is

00:42:19.820 --> 00:42:20.119
 doing.

00:42:21.079 --> 00:42:23.019
 We are cooperating with him in that

00:42:23.019 --> 00:42:23.760
 work to be sure.

00:42:24.099 --> 00:42:25.559
 But this is his work.

00:42:27.159 --> 00:42:28.519
 We are his workmanship.

00:42:29.460 --> 00:42:30.940
 We are created.

00:42:33.639 --> 00:42:34.480
 It's important.

00:42:34.679 --> 00:42:35.619
 You can't create yourself.

00:42:36.980 --> 00:42:41.900
 Created in Christ Jesus for the purpose

00:42:41.900 --> 00:42:45.960
 of good works, which God prepared

00:42:45.960 --> 00:42:49.720
 beforehand that we should walk in them.

00:42:50.260 --> 00:42:52.619
 This is a work of grace, loved ones.

00:42:52.619 --> 00:42:59.900
 what does this mean for us in this text well why does it matter that we acknowledge that paul

00:42:59.900 --> 00:43:07.400
 sees these virtues and then he thanks god for them if nothing else it's a reminder that all

00:43:07.400 --> 00:43:17.339
 of our praise belongs to god alone that's what he says in ephesians 2 so that no man may boast

00:43:17.340 --> 00:43:24.620
 god is the definitive cause of anything good that is in us

00:43:24.620 --> 00:43:32.539
 he awakens our hearts to trust in christ he supplies us with his spirit so that we might

00:43:32.539 --> 00:43:41.019
 grow in faithfulness he will complete that work at christ's return finally delivering us from sin

00:43:41.019 --> 00:43:51.539
 and sorrow that's the hope we owe everything to the gracious work of god he alone is worthy of our

00:43:51.539 --> 00:44:00.759
 praise and it is to him that we must ultimately direct our thanksgiving let me finish with a question

00:44:00.759 --> 00:44:05.380
 i made an argument today and you may disagree with the argument

00:44:05.380 --> 00:44:11.760
 but the argument comes from the scripture itself so according to the word of god according

00:44:11.760 --> 00:44:17.500
 to what is said by god in the scriptures are you a true christian

00:44:17.500 --> 00:44:30.079
 is your faith in christ is your love for christ is your hope in christ

00:44:30.079 --> 00:44:42.519
 prove it how well that faith will produce certain works works of righteousness and that love will

00:44:42.519 --> 00:44:49.299
 produce a certain labor a labor of christian love for the lord and for others and that hope will

00:44:49.299 --> 00:44:58.440
 produce a kind of endurance that will persevere through the darkness through the temptation through

00:44:58.440 --> 00:45:06.440
 the struggle and through the hardships that we face not because we just got it all together but because god

00:45:06.440 --> 00:45:15.480
 is gracious to us well how does god do this work it sounds a lot like i can't do anything about it

00:45:15.480 --> 00:45:25.400
 as sarah lynn said in her testimony i just thought that some were in and some were out and i just happen to be in the out category and

00:45:25.400 --> 00:45:36.400
 it's a bit of a mystery isn't it until we study the scriptures and we find that god does this work of grace

00:45:36.400 --> 00:45:46.300
 through his word he does it through his word it is not for us to know the mystery of god's sovereign

00:45:46.300 --> 00:45:53.920
 purposes what we do know is that he has revealed himself and his truth in the pages of the bible

00:45:53.920 --> 00:46:02.559
 and that it is we come to the bible the sword of the spirit that god does this work of grace

00:46:02.559 --> 00:46:09.059
 that's why we preach the gospel because it is through the preaching of the gospel that god does

00:46:09.059 --> 00:46:13.280
 this work of grace it's why we observe the ordinances the way that we do and that we want

00:46:13.280 --> 00:46:18.659
 even unbelievers to look in on those ordinances because god does his work of grace through his word

00:46:18.659 --> 00:46:25.159
 that's why he can say you will be without excuse

00:46:25.159 --> 00:46:31.920
 our rejection is willful isn't it that part is all of us

00:46:31.920 --> 00:46:36.420
 but there is a work of grace that god does through the gospel

00:46:36.420 --> 00:46:41.199
 and he calls us to respond to that gospel

00:46:41.199 --> 00:46:50.000
 and if you sense that tug of heart that conviction of heart that's not you feeling bad about yourself

00:46:50.000 --> 00:46:54.239
 that's god doing a work of grace

00:46:54.239 --> 00:47:00.039
 so come to christ are you a true christian

00:47:00.039 --> 00:47:11.559
 only christ can make you so and he offers it offers it to you freely so come and receive the rest that he provides