WEBVTT

00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:03.240
 1 Peter 4, verse 1, the Bible says this,

00:00:30.000 --> 00:00:37.700
 And we're going to get into that because sometimes you're like,

00:00:37.759 --> 00:00:39.740
 Peter, what in the world are you talking about?

00:00:40.420 --> 00:00:41.299
 He says in verse 4,

00:00:41.299 --> 00:00:47.799
 Wherein they think it strange that you run not with them to the same excessive riots speaking evil of you.

00:00:48.439 --> 00:00:53.120
 Who shall give an account to him that is ready to judge the quick and the dead?

00:00:54.100 --> 00:00:59.120
 For, for this cause was the gospel preached also to them that are dead,

00:00:59.119 --> 00:01:02.059
 that they might be judged according to the men in the flesh,

00:01:02.439 --> 00:01:05.879
 but live according to God in the Spirit.

00:01:06.579 --> 00:01:09.519
 And verse 7 is not really part of our text, but it kind of ties in.

00:01:09.519 --> 00:01:10.679
 He says this in verse 7,

00:01:11.219 --> 00:01:15.879
 But the end of all things is at hand. Be there sober and watch unto prayer.

00:01:16.500 --> 00:01:20.159
 So Peter is just reminding them, hey, we're moving towards the end.

00:01:20.879 --> 00:01:22.599
 Sometimes in life, and maybe you've been there,

00:01:22.840 --> 00:01:26.700
 there's been weeks and there's been days, there's been hours where it feels like this is never going to end.

00:01:26.739 --> 00:01:27.579
 Anybody else ever been there?

00:01:28.060 --> 00:01:29.239
 It's like when you were in school.

00:01:29.340 --> 00:01:30.599
 You remember maybe you did this little trick?

00:01:30.859 --> 00:01:32.840
 I'm not going to look at the clock for the next 20 minutes.

00:01:33.420 --> 00:01:34.679
 Because you're trying to make it to the end of school,

00:01:34.799 --> 00:01:36.280
 and you feel like you're looking down for an hour,

00:01:36.340 --> 00:01:37.659
 and you look up, it's been three minutes.

00:01:38.620 --> 00:01:40.239
 Sometimes that's how life feels.

00:01:40.939 --> 00:01:42.659
 But Peter's reminding us over and over,

00:01:43.039 --> 00:01:44.579
 life's heart is difficult,

00:01:44.819 --> 00:01:48.180
 but we are moving towards a time we're going to see Jesus.

00:01:48.780 --> 00:01:50.400
 And all the things we're living for,

00:01:50.579 --> 00:01:52.140
 while we may be ridiculed for it now,

00:01:52.180 --> 00:01:52.920
 that's kind of what he's saying,

00:01:53.459 --> 00:01:55.500
 it's going to be worth it all when we see Jesus Christ.

00:01:55.500 --> 00:01:58.579
 So I want to preach a message entitled this tonight to help us.

00:01:58.959 --> 00:02:02.040
 Life without Jesus is a wasted life.

00:02:03.079 --> 00:02:04.739
 Life without Jesus is a wasted life.

00:02:04.780 --> 00:02:07.420
 So let's go to him in prayer and ask him to help us this evening.

00:02:07.519 --> 00:02:10.840
 Father, thank you so much for the wonderful time to be in your house again,

00:02:10.939 --> 00:02:14.120
 and just the absolute privilege it is to open your word.

00:02:14.680 --> 00:02:18.580
 Lord, I'm so thankful that you use men like Peter,

00:02:18.580 --> 00:02:24.240
 and we see even the transformation in his life from a fisherman to just an apostle,

00:02:24.580 --> 00:02:28.980
 and how even his writings from so long ago still speak to us today.

00:02:29.080 --> 00:02:30.640
 And we're thankful the word of God still speaks,

00:02:30.700 --> 00:02:31.420
 that it's alive.

00:02:31.540 --> 00:02:33.439
 It's not an old antique book.

00:02:33.520 --> 00:02:35.439
 No, it's a timeless book that we can apply.

00:02:35.939 --> 00:02:39.320
 Lord, I pray you would help us tonight as we look at some difficult verses again,

00:02:39.400 --> 00:02:41.380
 but some very helpful verses.

00:02:41.520 --> 00:02:45.380
 I pray you'd give me clarity and just the ability to explain,

00:02:45.379 --> 00:02:48.439
 and I pray you would allow the Holy Spirit just to speak to our hearts,

00:02:48.500 --> 00:02:51.340
 that we would respond, and we ask all these things in Christ's name.

00:02:51.819 --> 00:02:52.120
 Amen.

00:02:52.340 --> 00:02:53.079
 Thank you so much for standing.

00:02:53.159 --> 00:02:53.519
 May be seated.

00:02:57.900 --> 00:03:01.719
 Speaking of time moving fast, there's moments in life,

00:03:02.259 --> 00:03:05.300
 you know, when you're younger, you feel like it's never going to get here.

00:03:05.840 --> 00:03:07.659
 I remember praying all the time,

00:03:07.719 --> 00:03:09.400
 and we'd hear a message about the Lord coming back,

00:03:09.439 --> 00:03:11.199
 and I'm a teenager, and I'd be like,

00:03:11.240 --> 00:03:12.460
 man, I really want the Lord to come back,

00:03:12.460 --> 00:03:15.540
 and then I'd pray real quietly after I get my driver's license.

00:03:16.960 --> 00:03:19.400
 You know, there's just things you want to do when you're younger.

00:03:19.560 --> 00:03:21.840
 You're like, if I can just get a driver's license, that would be really cool,

00:03:21.900 --> 00:03:23.600
 and then the Lord can come back.

00:03:24.140 --> 00:03:26.060
 But then there's moments as you get a little bit older,

00:03:26.159 --> 00:03:28.180
 you realize, man, life is moving super fast.

00:03:28.760 --> 00:03:32.159
 That as a teenager, it may have felt like it's 10 years until I get that,

00:03:32.240 --> 00:03:33.659
 but it's going to get here.

00:03:34.260 --> 00:03:36.600
 And I'm kind of there right now as I get a little bit older,

00:03:36.659 --> 00:03:38.540
 and now I have one almost about to drive,

00:03:38.620 --> 00:03:40.500
 and all of these things coming down there,

00:03:40.500 --> 00:03:43.340
 and I kind of look back and think, how did we get here?

00:03:43.860 --> 00:03:46.020
 How did it get here so fast?

00:03:46.659 --> 00:03:51.759
 And the older you get, the more you realize that you cannot get back yesterday.

00:03:52.419 --> 00:03:53.819
 You can't relive it.

00:03:53.900 --> 00:03:55.300
 You cannot rewrite it.

00:03:55.520 --> 00:03:58.819
 And you really cannot recover the time that has already passed.

00:03:59.599 --> 00:04:04.420
 But really the idea and the thought that Peter wants to bring to the forefront of our minds this evening

00:04:04.420 --> 00:04:07.400
 is why we may not be able to get some of the past back.

00:04:07.400 --> 00:04:09.860
 And there's things in the past that we wish we would have never done,

00:04:10.319 --> 00:04:12.080
 maybe decisions we wish we would have never made,

00:04:12.319 --> 00:04:15.780
 and we'd love to go back and kind of rewrite those chapters of our life.

00:04:16.000 --> 00:04:17.620
 And he says, listen, that's gone.

00:04:18.120 --> 00:04:23.280
 But what you can do is you can decide what you're going to do with the rest of the time that you have

00:04:23.280 --> 00:04:26.220
 and how you're going to live your life from this point forward.

00:04:26.459 --> 00:04:30.500
 And that's really the question is, what am I going to do with the rest of my life?

00:04:31.019 --> 00:04:32.699
 Because maybe even this week didn't go well,

00:04:32.699 --> 00:04:36.079
 but the wonderful thing is we're here tonight and we have another day,

00:04:36.279 --> 00:04:40.199
 and Lord willing we'll have another day tomorrow to serve him.

00:04:41.180 --> 00:04:42.920
 And just to give us a little bit of recap,

00:04:43.420 --> 00:04:47.279
 Peter has just shown us from last week the victory of Jesus Christ.

00:04:47.939 --> 00:04:51.779
 Because he's writing to these believers that are struggling and life is beating them down

00:04:51.779 --> 00:04:56.539
 and persecution is a real thing and suffering is something they're facing maybe every single day.

00:04:57.319 --> 00:04:59.779
 But he says, listen, suffering doesn't have the last word.

00:04:59.779 --> 00:05:05.379
 Jesus Christ suffered, but he suffered for our sins, but he's not in the grave anymore.

00:05:05.919 --> 00:05:08.379
 But he bore those sins on the cross and they buried him there.

00:05:08.539 --> 00:05:12.299
 But the third day he rose and he didn't just stand outside of the grave.

00:05:12.419 --> 00:05:15.759
 No, he ascended and he's at the right hand of the Father to this day.

00:05:15.899 --> 00:05:17.599
 And he reigns over all.

00:05:17.959 --> 00:05:23.179
 And he's writing that truth to the believers to say, listen, just be reminded what Christ has done.

00:05:23.939 --> 00:05:28.019
 But what he wants to do and what he takes him here in chapter 4 is he's saying,

00:05:28.019 --> 00:05:30.959
 don't just focus on what Christ has done for you.

00:05:31.120 --> 00:05:35.339
 That's wonderful, but it also should change how you live your life today.

00:05:36.180 --> 00:05:40.699
 Really the big idea of our text this evening is because you belong to Jesus,

00:05:41.159 --> 00:05:47.159
 if you know him as your savior, the rest of your life should be lived for the will of God.

00:05:47.799 --> 00:05:49.579
 That's really what he's wanting us to see.

00:05:50.459 --> 00:05:52.560
 So the question is, if you're taking notes, here's what we're going to answer.

00:05:52.560 --> 00:05:57.259
 How should following Jesus change the way that I spend the rest of my life?

00:05:57.899 --> 00:06:01.860
 How should following Jesus change the way I spend the rest of my life?

00:06:02.620 --> 00:06:05.560
 And see, the first thing I think Peter wants us to see in verse number 1 is this.

00:06:05.840 --> 00:06:07.699
 He begins with our attitude towards sin.

00:06:08.699 --> 00:06:13.459
 Because we belong to Jesus, we are finished living for sin.

00:06:14.220 --> 00:06:15.980
 It is no longer our master.

00:06:15.980 --> 00:06:17.300
 Verse number 1,

00:06:17.379 --> 00:06:32.180
 I think we've seen this in Peter's little epistle here,

00:06:32.500 --> 00:06:36.840
 is he keeps coming back to one thing over and over and over again, Jesus Christ.

00:06:37.960 --> 00:06:42.020
 He's wanting us to get our eyes off of life and the world and the difficulties,

00:06:42.400 --> 00:06:44.420
 not to pretend like they're not there.

00:06:44.420 --> 00:06:47.280
 He's not saying, hey, be an ostrich and bury your head in the sand.

00:06:47.980 --> 00:06:50.000
 But he's saying, listen, these are reality.

00:06:50.580 --> 00:06:54.960
 But the way you're going to make it through is to focus on Christ and to remember what he's done.

00:06:55.040 --> 00:06:58.020
 And we looked at that last week in verse number 18 of chapter 3,

00:06:58.259 --> 00:06:58.800
 where he says,

00:06:58.939 --> 00:07:01.360
 For Christ hath also once suffered for sins,

00:07:01.800 --> 00:07:04.460
 the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God.

00:07:04.939 --> 00:07:09.800
 And so he's there and he's reminding us the same way just a few verses later.

00:07:09.800 --> 00:07:14.460
 That Jesus didn't accidentally stumble into suffering.

00:07:15.259 --> 00:07:18.680
 That the cross was not something that caught him by surprise.

00:07:18.800 --> 00:07:21.060
 That he willingly embraced it.

00:07:21.660 --> 00:07:23.759
 He did it in obedience to his Father.

00:07:24.400 --> 00:07:25.960
 He did it, the Bible tells us in Hebrews,

00:07:26.300 --> 00:07:28.280
 for the joy that was set before him.

00:07:28.780 --> 00:07:30.800
 Part of that joy is this, us.

00:07:31.560 --> 00:07:34.060
 Living with him in perfect fellowship,

00:07:34.280 --> 00:07:35.620
 the way that it was designed,

00:07:35.620 --> 00:07:39.319
 the way that it was in the garden before sin entered in the world.

00:07:40.139 --> 00:07:43.540
 And Peter is kind of bringing them to this realization once again.

00:07:43.840 --> 00:07:47.579
 I want you to arm yourself with that same mind.

00:07:48.240 --> 00:07:49.399
 With that same attitude.

00:07:50.139 --> 00:07:51.199
 When we look at suffering,

00:07:51.579 --> 00:07:55.079
 we can look at it differently because Jesus is victorious.

00:07:55.699 --> 00:08:00.780
 Because he's already conquered the greatest thing that we're going to face when it comes to death.

00:08:00.779 --> 00:08:03.979
 And that phrase, arm yourselves,

00:08:04.719 --> 00:08:06.559
 I think probably maybe when you read it as well,

00:08:06.699 --> 00:08:08.819
 it's a strong statement.

00:08:09.599 --> 00:08:12.839
 And it has the idea of preparing yourself for battle.

00:08:13.859 --> 00:08:15.919
 We're not to just kind of walk through life thinking,

00:08:16.239 --> 00:08:17.619
 well, whatever happens, happens.

00:08:18.699 --> 00:08:19.859
 Sometimes we live that way.

00:08:20.000 --> 00:08:22.259
 And I'm sure if you've lived that way and maybe decided,

00:08:22.339 --> 00:08:24.219
 you know, I'll just decide when it happens.

00:08:24.479 --> 00:08:25.659
 Generally doesn't go too well.

00:08:26.399 --> 00:08:29.799
 You know, winging it is not really what God has called us to do.

00:08:29.800 --> 00:08:34.340
 I mean, a soldier doesn't wait until the enemy prepares and says,

00:08:34.600 --> 00:08:35.159
 oh, there's the enemy.

00:08:35.379 --> 00:08:36.659
 Let me get dressed and get my gun out.

00:08:37.200 --> 00:08:38.480
 That's not how it happens.

00:08:38.879 --> 00:08:40.399
 No, when you sign up in the military,

00:08:40.519 --> 00:08:42.039
 they send you to boot camp and they do all this.

00:08:42.240 --> 00:08:45.120
 And they train you way before you ever see a battle.

00:08:45.240 --> 00:08:48.200
 So when the battle comes, you're prepared for it.

00:08:48.500 --> 00:08:50.399
 The soldier is ready to fight.

00:08:51.120 --> 00:08:54.600
 What Peter is saying here in this opening verse of chapter 4

00:08:54.600 --> 00:08:59.060
 is that Christians need to have the same type of settled determination in their life.

00:08:59.799 --> 00:09:00.939
 That we know it's coming.

00:09:01.579 --> 00:09:03.000
 We know the battle is here.

00:09:03.379 --> 00:09:04.779
 We know it's going to be difficult,

00:09:04.779 --> 00:09:07.099
 but we shouldn't be caught off guard by it.

00:09:08.139 --> 00:09:11.399
 And the thing that kind of stuck out to me

00:09:11.399 --> 00:09:12.859
 when I was looking at this verse initially

00:09:12.859 --> 00:09:15.740
 is Peter doesn't address their circumstances.

00:09:16.699 --> 00:09:18.019
 If you've kind of noticed here in this book,

00:09:18.339 --> 00:09:20.339
 he's writing it because of their circumstances,

00:09:20.339 --> 00:09:22.859
 but he's never really addressing the circumstance.

00:09:22.860 --> 00:09:24.080
 He's not saying,

00:09:24.419 --> 00:09:26.659
 hey, hone in on all the problems in your life.

00:09:26.860 --> 00:09:27.580
 No, he's saying this,

00:09:28.000 --> 00:09:29.019
 hone in on Jesus.

00:09:29.759 --> 00:09:31.240
 But one way that we do that

00:09:31.240 --> 00:09:32.800
 is instead of worrying about circumstances,

00:09:32.960 --> 00:09:34.360
 we worry about our mind.

00:09:34.919 --> 00:09:35.840
 He begins there.

00:09:36.500 --> 00:09:39.159
 See, following Jesus is going to require a mind

00:09:39.159 --> 00:09:41.779
 that's already decided before the battle comes,

00:09:42.060 --> 00:09:44.800
 I would rather suffer for obeying Christ

00:09:44.800 --> 00:09:47.440
 than return to a life where it just was easy

00:09:47.440 --> 00:09:48.639
 and maybe full of sin.

00:09:48.639 --> 00:09:51.360
 Because the reality is,

00:09:51.399 --> 00:09:53.259
 is sometimes we're going to look at our life

00:09:53.259 --> 00:09:54.399
 and we're going to try really hard

00:09:54.399 --> 00:09:56.159
 and we're going to try to do what the Bible says

00:09:56.159 --> 00:09:57.259
 and we're going to come to church

00:09:57.259 --> 00:09:58.439
 and we think to ourselves,

00:09:58.539 --> 00:10:00.600
 Lord, I'm doing all these things

00:10:00.600 --> 00:10:02.620
 and life is still really hard.

00:10:03.379 --> 00:10:04.559
 And I got that coworker

00:10:04.559 --> 00:10:05.819
 or I got that family member

00:10:05.819 --> 00:10:06.740
 and I got that friend

00:10:06.740 --> 00:10:08.340
 that cares nothing about God.

00:10:08.600 --> 00:10:09.779
 They're living like the devil

00:10:09.779 --> 00:10:11.419
 and it just seems like life's good.

00:10:12.559 --> 00:10:13.860
 And sometimes we're going to get in our mind

00:10:13.860 --> 00:10:14.700
 and in our life thinking,

00:10:14.799 --> 00:10:15.019
 you know what,

00:10:15.279 --> 00:10:16.919
 if I'm going to do all this

00:10:16.919 --> 00:10:17.659
 and nothing's going to happen,

00:10:17.659 --> 00:10:19.759
 I might as well just go do whatever I want to do.

00:10:20.419 --> 00:10:20.879
 And Peter says,

00:10:20.959 --> 00:10:23.579
 you got to prepare way before that time comes

00:10:23.579 --> 00:10:25.299
 because that's exactly how the devil works.

00:10:25.379 --> 00:10:25.659
 He said,

00:10:25.879 --> 00:10:27.279
 well, if the Lord really loved you,

00:10:27.319 --> 00:10:28.319
 why would he let that happen?

00:10:28.899 --> 00:10:29.980
 If the Lord really loved you,

00:10:30.019 --> 00:10:31.039
 why would he lay you off?

00:10:31.339 --> 00:10:32.360
 If the Lord really loved you,

00:10:32.379 --> 00:10:33.799
 then why would that health scare come up

00:10:33.799 --> 00:10:34.539
 and all these things?

00:10:34.659 --> 00:10:35.899
 You might as well just have fun

00:10:35.899 --> 00:10:37.659
 because your time's real short.

00:10:39.100 --> 00:10:39.579
 And Peter says,

00:10:39.659 --> 00:10:40.319
 no, no, no, no, no.

00:10:40.839 --> 00:10:42.139
 I want to remind you

00:10:42.139 --> 00:10:43.399
 that you're living for much more

00:10:43.399 --> 00:10:45.299
 than just today and tomorrow

00:10:45.299 --> 00:10:47.199
 and a fun time next week.

00:10:48.159 --> 00:10:48.360
 See,

00:10:48.480 --> 00:10:49.779
 long before obedience

00:10:49.779 --> 00:10:51.259
 shows up in our actions,

00:10:51.459 --> 00:10:53.379
 it has to be a settled conviction

00:10:53.379 --> 00:10:54.559
 in our heart

00:10:54.559 --> 00:10:55.480
 and in our mind.

00:10:56.199 --> 00:10:57.219
 That's why Paul tells us

00:10:57.219 --> 00:10:57.919
 in the book of Romans

00:10:57.919 --> 00:10:59.339
 that we're not to be conformed

00:10:59.339 --> 00:10:59.819
 to this world.

00:11:00.100 --> 00:11:01.679
 How do we avoid that?

00:11:01.759 --> 00:11:03.439
 By the transforming of our mind.

00:11:03.679 --> 00:11:05.059
 By the renewing of our mind.

00:11:05.179 --> 00:11:06.459
 Brother Colin preached

00:11:06.459 --> 00:11:07.539
 a really great message about that

00:11:07.539 --> 00:11:08.199
 about a month ago

00:11:08.199 --> 00:11:09.899
 and just winning the battle within.

00:11:10.000 --> 00:11:10.779
 It doesn't start with

00:11:10.779 --> 00:11:11.559
 all these other things.

00:11:11.600 --> 00:11:12.819
 It starts with settled

00:11:12.819 --> 00:11:14.740
 on the truth of the word of God.

00:11:14.740 --> 00:11:17.440
 Because there's just things in life

00:11:17.440 --> 00:11:18.460
 that you have to decide

00:11:18.460 --> 00:11:19.419
 before the pressure comes.

00:11:20.399 --> 00:11:21.360
 You can't say,

00:11:21.500 --> 00:11:22.580
 well, when the temptation comes,

00:11:22.680 --> 00:11:23.620
 I'll be ready.

00:11:24.320 --> 00:11:25.440
 Well, if you're not preparing for it,

00:11:25.440 --> 00:11:26.440
 you're not going to be ready for it.

00:11:26.759 --> 00:11:27.899
 Because it's going to look nice.

00:11:27.960 --> 00:11:28.720
 It's going to look fun.

00:11:29.180 --> 00:11:29.919
 I mean, the Bible says

00:11:29.919 --> 00:11:30.940
 that sin is pleasurable

00:11:30.940 --> 00:11:31.600
 for a season.

00:11:32.340 --> 00:11:33.480
 I mean, our flesh

00:11:33.480 --> 00:11:34.740
 is bent towards that.

00:11:34.980 --> 00:11:35.940
 And if we're not prepared

00:11:35.940 --> 00:11:36.639
 for the temptation,

00:11:36.840 --> 00:11:37.720
 we're probably going to

00:11:37.720 --> 00:11:38.500
 succumb to it.

00:11:38.980 --> 00:11:40.039
 And if we wait

00:11:40.039 --> 00:11:41.639
 until obedience becomes costly

00:11:41.639 --> 00:11:42.419
 to decide whether

00:11:42.419 --> 00:11:43.899
 following Christ is worth it,

00:11:44.059 --> 00:11:45.139
 we're not ready for that.

00:11:45.819 --> 00:11:46.799
 Because it's not going to feel

00:11:46.799 --> 00:11:47.559
 like it's worth

00:11:47.559 --> 00:11:48.899
 what we're being asked.

00:11:49.919 --> 00:11:51.039
 And so Peter tells us here

00:11:51.039 --> 00:11:52.080
 at the end of verse number one,

00:11:52.600 --> 00:11:54.019
 he gives us a little phrase

00:11:54.019 --> 00:11:54.879
 that can kind of be

00:11:54.879 --> 00:11:56.159
 weird at first,

00:11:56.240 --> 00:11:57.319
 kind of like we looked at last week

00:11:57.319 --> 00:11:57.679
 when he said,

00:11:57.759 --> 00:11:58.679
 baptism saves you,

00:11:58.819 --> 00:11:59.539
 which it doesn't.

00:11:59.600 --> 00:12:01.460
 We parse that out a little bit.

00:12:02.080 --> 00:12:03.120
 But he says this,

00:12:03.120 --> 00:12:05.440
 for he that hath suffered

00:12:05.440 --> 00:12:06.159
 in the flesh

00:12:06.159 --> 00:12:08.759
 hath ceased from sin.

00:12:10.340 --> 00:12:12.740
 I wish that when you got saved,

00:12:12.899 --> 00:12:13.820
 when you trusted Christ

00:12:13.820 --> 00:12:14.340
 as your Savior,

00:12:14.799 --> 00:12:16.600
 you didn't deal with sin anymore.

00:12:17.799 --> 00:12:18.220
 And maybe,

00:12:18.299 --> 00:12:19.259
 I don't know where you were

00:12:19.259 --> 00:12:20.259
 when you came to Christ,

00:12:20.340 --> 00:12:21.060
 but maybe you weren't

00:12:21.060 --> 00:12:22.419
 super, super knowledgeable

00:12:22.419 --> 00:12:23.019
 in the Word of God,

00:12:23.060 --> 00:12:23.720
 but you knew this,

00:12:23.759 --> 00:12:24.379
 that you were a sinner

00:12:24.379 --> 00:12:25.560
 and Jesus died for you.

00:12:25.620 --> 00:12:25.759
 You said,

00:12:25.860 --> 00:12:26.600
 I want that

00:12:26.600 --> 00:12:27.299
 and you trusted Him.

00:12:27.299 --> 00:12:28.019
 And then you went out

00:12:28.019 --> 00:12:28.440
 the next day

00:12:28.440 --> 00:12:28.919
 and you realized,

00:12:29.100 --> 00:12:30.039
 I still sin.

00:12:30.580 --> 00:12:31.740
 And it kind of shocked you.

00:12:31.919 --> 00:12:32.100
 You're like,

00:12:32.100 --> 00:12:33.440
 did I do something wrong?

00:12:33.759 --> 00:12:34.700
 Did I mess up?

00:12:36.220 --> 00:12:37.800
 He's not saying here,

00:12:38.060 --> 00:12:39.960
 he certainly does not mean

00:12:39.960 --> 00:12:41.820
 that once a Christian

00:12:41.820 --> 00:12:42.659
 can reach a place

00:12:42.659 --> 00:12:43.639
 of sinless perfection.

00:12:44.540 --> 00:12:45.120
 There are people

00:12:45.120 --> 00:12:45.800
 that believe that.

00:12:46.360 --> 00:12:47.040
 People that believe,

00:12:47.120 --> 00:12:48.040
 and I'm not really sure

00:12:48.040 --> 00:12:48.500
 where they get it

00:12:48.500 --> 00:12:49.120
 in the Word of God,

00:12:49.220 --> 00:12:50.120
 but you just start

00:12:50.120 --> 00:12:50.580
 being really good

00:12:50.580 --> 00:12:51.180
 and you just get to a place

00:12:51.180 --> 00:12:52.060
 where you don't sin anymore.

00:12:52.720 --> 00:12:54.259
 That is not what Peter is saying.

00:12:55.139 --> 00:12:56.680
 But he isn't saying

00:12:56.680 --> 00:12:59.060
 that once you suffer for Jesus,

00:12:59.259 --> 00:13:01.060
 then as long as you put in the time,

00:13:01.059 --> 00:13:02.359
 then everything's going to be good.

00:13:03.059 --> 00:13:04.319
 That's not the idea.

00:13:04.559 --> 00:13:05.419
 The rest of Scripture,

00:13:05.839 --> 00:13:06.439
 and I would imagine

00:13:06.439 --> 00:13:07.539
 your own experience,

00:13:07.959 --> 00:13:09.219
 makes that really,

00:13:09.359 --> 00:13:10.459
 really evident in your life.

00:13:11.719 --> 00:13:12.000
 But see,

00:13:12.079 --> 00:13:13.519
 here's what Peter is describing.

00:13:14.719 --> 00:13:17.339
 He's describing a divisive break

00:13:17.339 --> 00:13:19.279
 with the rule of sin in your life.

00:13:20.539 --> 00:13:21.359
 Here's the thought.

00:13:21.859 --> 00:13:23.279
 Before you knew Christ as your Savior,

00:13:23.839 --> 00:13:24.659
 you just lived life

00:13:24.659 --> 00:13:25.859
 however you wanted to live it.

00:13:26.359 --> 00:13:27.539
 If you wanted to do that,

00:13:27.979 --> 00:13:28.719
 you did that.

00:13:29.240 --> 00:13:30.220
 If it felt good,

00:13:30.320 --> 00:13:31.220
 sure, let's try that.

00:13:31.460 --> 00:13:32.399
 Everybody else doing it,

00:13:32.420 --> 00:13:33.040
 no big deal.

00:13:33.259 --> 00:13:35.960
 There was nothing kind of restraining,

00:13:36.259 --> 00:13:38.379
 but when a person comes to Christ,

00:13:38.980 --> 00:13:40.540
 when they know Him as their Savior,

00:13:40.800 --> 00:13:42.379
 and they realize those things

00:13:42.379 --> 00:13:44.660
 that didn't seem like a big deal back then

00:13:44.660 --> 00:13:46.279
 are actually the very things

00:13:46.279 --> 00:13:47.240
 that put Jesus Christ

00:13:47.240 --> 00:13:48.379
 on the cross of Calvary,

00:13:48.899 --> 00:13:49.800
 it's going to change

00:13:49.800 --> 00:13:51.139
 kind of how you live your life.

00:13:51.460 --> 00:13:52.200
 It's going to change

00:13:52.200 --> 00:13:53.840
 what you really are involved in,

00:13:53.960 --> 00:13:56.240
 and the person who is willing to suffer

00:13:56.240 --> 00:13:58.659
 rather than return to the old life

00:13:58.659 --> 00:14:00.940
 is demonstrating this,

00:14:01.159 --> 00:14:03.120
 that sin is no longer the master.

00:14:03.879 --> 00:14:05.200
 It doesn't mean we're not going to deal with it.

00:14:05.620 --> 00:14:07.460
 It doesn't mean that we're not going to have

00:14:07.460 --> 00:14:08.379
 these random things.

00:14:08.460 --> 00:14:09.120
 I'm sure you do,

00:14:09.180 --> 00:14:09.580
 and I'm thinking,

00:14:09.899 --> 00:14:10.940
 Lord, where did that come from?

00:14:11.519 --> 00:14:12.440
 You know, I'm trying to serve the Lord,

00:14:12.639 --> 00:14:13.019
 and you know,

00:14:13.080 --> 00:14:13.820
 have you ever been praying,

00:14:14.519 --> 00:14:15.419
 and maybe I'm the only one,

00:14:15.580 --> 00:14:16.200
 been praying,

00:14:16.279 --> 00:14:17.779
 and something out of left field

00:14:17.779 --> 00:14:20.200
 that has no business being in your mind,

00:14:20.560 --> 00:14:22.120
 that has no business being in your life,

00:14:22.120 --> 00:14:23.519
 in the middle of your prayer,

00:14:23.820 --> 00:14:24.320
 shows up.

00:14:24.960 --> 00:14:26.480
 Listen, we're going to deal with sin,

00:14:26.560 --> 00:14:27.200
 unfortunately,

00:14:27.679 --> 00:14:30.279
 until we see Jesus Christ face to face,

00:14:30.560 --> 00:14:31.860
 and I'm looking forward to that day.

00:14:32.139 --> 00:14:33.159
 I'm looking forward to that day

00:14:33.159 --> 00:14:34.279
 when Satan is there,

00:14:34.399 --> 00:14:35.620
 and he throws him in the lake of fire,

00:14:35.759 --> 00:14:37.580
 and sin is no longer,

00:14:37.799 --> 00:14:39.960
 but we're not there yet,

00:14:41.019 --> 00:14:42.840
 but what Peter is saying here

00:14:42.840 --> 00:14:43.820
 at the end of this verse

00:14:43.820 --> 00:14:46.500
 is because of what Christ has done,

00:14:46.980 --> 00:14:48.440
 and if he's changed your life,

00:14:48.460 --> 00:14:49.940
 and if you're trusting his finished work

00:14:49.940 --> 00:14:50.720
 on the cross of Calvary,

00:14:50.720 --> 00:14:52.840
 there should be a change of allegiance

00:14:52.840 --> 00:14:53.600
 in your life,

00:14:54.300 --> 00:14:56.399
 that sin is not the master anymore,

00:14:56.540 --> 00:14:58.080
 that Jesus is the master.

00:14:58.500 --> 00:14:59.460
 See, before Christ,

00:14:59.700 --> 00:15:00.820
 sin ruled your life.

00:15:01.000 --> 00:15:02.879
 Your desires ruled what you want to do.

00:15:03.120 --> 00:15:05.899
 We just lived according to what we wanted to do,

00:15:06.680 --> 00:15:07.840
 but Jesus changed that.

00:15:08.560 --> 00:15:09.879
 Jesus changed our desires.

00:15:10.220 --> 00:15:11.560
 Yes, we're going to still battle sin.

00:15:12.139 --> 00:15:13.920
 Yes, you're going to face temptation this week.

00:15:14.279 --> 00:15:15.580
 Yes, you're still going to stumble,

00:15:15.899 --> 00:15:17.740
 but sin no longer has the right

00:15:17.740 --> 00:15:19.060
 to rule over our life.

00:15:19.060 --> 00:15:20.480
 Praise the Lord for that.

00:15:20.920 --> 00:15:21.940
 I mean, read Romans 6.

00:15:22.019 --> 00:15:23.540
 That's exactly what Paul is saying.

00:15:25.139 --> 00:15:27.660
 And really, while Peter says it in different ways

00:15:27.660 --> 00:15:29.960
 that we may not use the same verbiage today,

00:15:30.160 --> 00:15:32.000
 he's just simply reminding us,

00:15:32.360 --> 00:15:33.639
 following Jesus doesn't mean

00:15:33.639 --> 00:15:34.860
 I never struggle with sin,

00:15:35.540 --> 00:15:37.820
 but it means that I can no longer

00:15:37.820 --> 00:15:40.220
 be at peace with sin in my life.

00:15:41.860 --> 00:15:43.660
 You shouldn't be able to get to a place

00:15:43.660 --> 00:15:44.840
 where you can just sin,

00:15:45.060 --> 00:15:46.580
 and it doesn't even bother you.

00:15:46.580 --> 00:15:48.960
 It should bother you.

00:15:49.960 --> 00:15:52.020
 Sometimes, I mean, we should be able to,

00:15:52.360 --> 00:15:53.960
 we should run to Christ

00:15:53.960 --> 00:15:55.860
 because we realize that sin

00:15:55.860 --> 00:15:57.460
 is what put him on the cross.

00:15:59.000 --> 00:15:59.879
 And see, there's a difference.

00:16:00.000 --> 00:16:01.480
 A believer can struggle with sin,

00:16:02.340 --> 00:16:04.440
 and a believer, we may have to confess

00:16:04.440 --> 00:16:07.360
 the same weakness over and over and over again.

00:16:07.360 --> 00:16:09.940
 I get frustrated in my own life.

00:16:10.680 --> 00:16:11.300
 It's almost like,

00:16:11.580 --> 00:16:12.759
 Lord, it's me again.

00:16:13.539 --> 00:16:15.000
 I'm so sorry about that.

00:16:15.300 --> 00:16:16.379
 Lord, would you forgive me?

00:16:17.919 --> 00:16:19.240
 But the idea is,

00:16:19.340 --> 00:16:21.120
 is there ought to be something inside of us

00:16:21.120 --> 00:16:22.379
 that just every time that comes,

00:16:22.460 --> 00:16:24.480
 thinking, I don't want to live there anymore.

00:16:25.500 --> 00:16:26.759
 And here's what Peter says,

00:16:26.960 --> 00:16:28.100
 you don't have to.

00:16:29.060 --> 00:16:30.800
 That's not your address anymore.

00:16:31.100 --> 00:16:31.440
 Why?

00:16:31.600 --> 00:16:33.060
 Because you belong to Christ.

00:16:33.440 --> 00:16:36.480
 See, the wasted life of being enslaved to sin,

00:16:36.600 --> 00:16:37.620
 it has been broken.

00:16:38.320 --> 00:16:40.860
 Those chains no longer have a hold on us,

00:16:40.960 --> 00:16:42.820
 and Christ died to bring us to God,

00:16:42.879 --> 00:16:44.100
 and he rose victorious,

00:16:44.300 --> 00:16:45.460
 and now we belong to him.

00:16:45.580 --> 00:16:46.840
 That's what he told us in chapter three,

00:16:46.899 --> 00:16:47.100
 and he's saying,

00:16:47.320 --> 00:16:48.379
 because of that,

00:16:48.540 --> 00:16:49.759
 hey, you're a new person.

00:16:50.460 --> 00:16:50.840
 Paul said,

00:16:50.920 --> 00:16:52.060
 all things are passed away,

00:16:52.120 --> 00:16:52.360
 and behold,

00:16:52.500 --> 00:16:54.100
 all things become new.

00:16:55.100 --> 00:16:56.519
 And so here's what Peter's saying in this verse.

00:16:56.519 --> 00:16:58.539
 First, arm yourself with that.

00:16:59.419 --> 00:17:01.379
 Make sure that's settled in your mind,

00:17:01.699 --> 00:17:02.579
 that you understand

00:17:02.579 --> 00:17:05.519
 that you don't have to live this way anymore.

00:17:07.500 --> 00:17:08.859
 It doesn't mean the battle's over,

00:17:09.579 --> 00:17:10.579
 but here's what it does mean.

00:17:10.799 --> 00:17:12.119
 You know what side you're on.

00:17:12.879 --> 00:17:14.599
 I'm thankful that I'm on the winning side.

00:17:14.859 --> 00:17:16.299
 I'm thankful for the day

00:17:16.299 --> 00:17:17.720
 that when we see Christ in the air,

00:17:17.940 --> 00:17:19.000
 we shall be like him,

00:17:19.039 --> 00:17:20.619
 and so shall we ever be with the Lord.

00:17:20.720 --> 00:17:22.279
 I know I'm on the winning side.

00:17:23.240 --> 00:17:24.240
 And here's what Peter's saying.

00:17:24.240 --> 00:17:25.200
 You don't have to wait

00:17:25.200 --> 00:17:26.039
 to be on the winning side

00:17:26.039 --> 00:17:26.579
 until heaven.

00:17:27.319 --> 00:17:28.579
 I think sometimes Christianity,

00:17:28.759 --> 00:17:28.980
 we think,

00:17:29.259 --> 00:17:30.059
 oh, well,

00:17:30.099 --> 00:17:31.039
 when we get to heaven one day,

00:17:31.059 --> 00:17:31.759
 it'll be all good.

00:17:32.220 --> 00:17:33.420
 No, it's gonna be perfect there,

00:17:33.740 --> 00:17:35.039
 but we can live like

00:17:35.039 --> 00:17:37.039
 we're citizens of heaven right now.

00:17:37.819 --> 00:17:39.339
 Read the end of Philippians chapter three.

00:17:39.619 --> 00:17:39.960
 Paul says,

00:17:40.379 --> 00:17:41.059
 our citizenship,

00:17:41.259 --> 00:17:41.859
 he's talking about

00:17:41.859 --> 00:17:44.159
 how our life is,

00:17:44.279 --> 00:17:44.980
 is in heaven.

00:17:45.759 --> 00:17:47.359
 So we're already there with Christ.

00:17:47.680 --> 00:17:49.200
 Why don't we just live like it right now?

00:17:49.619 --> 00:17:50.740
 And that's kind of the same idea

00:17:50.740 --> 00:17:51.399
 that we find here.

00:17:52.519 --> 00:17:53.940
 So here in verses two and three,

00:17:53.940 --> 00:17:54.960
 Peter's about to take it

00:17:54.960 --> 00:17:55.920
 one step further.

00:17:57.019 --> 00:17:58.160
 Because if we're finished

00:17:58.160 --> 00:17:59.180
 living for sin,

00:17:59.559 --> 00:18:01.380
 if sin no longer has control

00:18:01.380 --> 00:18:01.960
 of our life,

00:18:02.180 --> 00:18:03.519
 what am I gonna live for now?

00:18:04.299 --> 00:18:05.240
 We see this number two.

00:18:05.759 --> 00:18:07.279
 Because we belong to Jesus,

00:18:07.480 --> 00:18:09.140
 we live the rest of our time

00:18:09.140 --> 00:18:10.160
 for God.

00:18:10.940 --> 00:18:12.559
 We live the rest of our time

00:18:12.559 --> 00:18:13.480
 for God.

00:18:14.480 --> 00:18:15.140
 Verse number two,

00:18:15.320 --> 00:18:17.100
 that he no longer should live

00:18:17.100 --> 00:18:18.720
 the rest of his time

00:18:18.720 --> 00:18:19.700
 in the flesh,

00:18:19.700 --> 00:18:20.580
 to the lust of men,

00:18:20.660 --> 00:18:22.640
 but to the will of God.

00:18:23.340 --> 00:18:24.180
 I love how Peter

00:18:24.180 --> 00:18:25.140
 kind of words that

00:18:25.140 --> 00:18:26.700
 the rest of his time.

00:18:27.940 --> 00:18:28.980
 And it really stops,

00:18:29.120 --> 00:18:30.200
 it should stop us in our track

00:18:30.200 --> 00:18:31.120
 and remind us something

00:18:31.120 --> 00:18:32.180
 we're kind of prone to forget.

00:18:32.759 --> 00:18:33.900
 That our time here

00:18:33.900 --> 00:18:35.120
 is limited.

00:18:36.640 --> 00:18:37.740
 Because sometimes we do think

00:18:37.740 --> 00:18:38.559
 it's never gonna end.

00:18:39.220 --> 00:18:39.380
 I mean,

00:18:39.480 --> 00:18:40.660
 it just seems like,

00:18:40.819 --> 00:18:41.019
 I mean,

00:18:41.059 --> 00:18:41.940
 the bills keep coming

00:18:41.940 --> 00:18:42.840
 and these keep coming

00:18:42.840 --> 00:18:43.759
 and all these things coming

00:18:43.759 --> 00:18:44.440
 and it's just,

00:18:44.539 --> 00:18:44.660
 you know,

00:18:44.700 --> 00:18:45.559
 we just kind of can get,

00:18:45.740 --> 00:18:46.440
 even as Christians,

00:18:46.620 --> 00:18:47.500
 no one in heaven's our home,

00:18:47.500 --> 00:18:48.519
 but we're just kind of living

00:18:48.519 --> 00:18:49.799
 like this is always gonna be.

00:18:50.680 --> 00:18:51.380
 And Peter just says,

00:18:51.460 --> 00:18:51.599
 hey,

00:18:51.960 --> 00:18:52.960
 I just wanna remind you,

00:18:53.500 --> 00:18:54.680
 you don't have much time.

00:18:56.119 --> 00:18:57.240
 The older you get,

00:18:57.299 --> 00:18:58.019
 you realize that

00:18:58.019 --> 00:18:59.380
 it's just coming faster

00:18:59.380 --> 00:19:00.660
 and faster and faster.

00:19:01.859 --> 00:19:03.460
 And while our time is limited,

00:19:04.299 --> 00:19:04.700
 he's saying,

00:19:04.799 --> 00:19:05.700
 we need to make what time

00:19:05.700 --> 00:19:07.240
 we have left matter.

00:19:08.960 --> 00:19:10.279
 Our life now,

00:19:10.519 --> 00:19:12.039
 as opposed to living for self

00:19:12.039 --> 00:19:13.039
 and living for sin,

00:19:13.079 --> 00:19:13.859
 here's what we live for now,

00:19:14.079 --> 00:19:14.539
 eternity.

00:19:15.799 --> 00:19:16.619
 That God has placed people

00:19:16.619 --> 00:19:17.319
 in your life.

00:19:17.839 --> 00:19:18.339
 That he's given you

00:19:18.339 --> 00:19:19.240
 a sphere of influence.

00:19:19.339 --> 00:19:20.140
 He's given you that work.

00:19:20.220 --> 00:19:21.119
 He's given you that family.

00:19:21.400 --> 00:19:22.140
 He's given you people

00:19:22.140 --> 00:19:23.039
 that you love,

00:19:23.119 --> 00:19:24.279
 that you have relationships with.

00:19:24.400 --> 00:19:25.059
 And it's not just

00:19:25.059 --> 00:19:25.960
 to hang out all the time.

00:19:26.099 --> 00:19:27.059
 I'm thankful we can

00:19:27.059 --> 00:19:27.839
 just spend time together.

00:19:28.039 --> 00:19:28.640
 I'm looking forward

00:19:28.640 --> 00:19:29.519
 to happy sips and dip.

00:19:29.660 --> 00:19:30.700
 I just wanna eat ice cream

00:19:30.700 --> 00:19:31.279
 with my friends.

00:19:31.660 --> 00:19:32.180
 Come on.

00:19:33.220 --> 00:19:34.119
 But that's not all

00:19:34.119 --> 00:19:34.940
 that life's about.

00:19:35.440 --> 00:19:35.920
 I'm thankful we can

00:19:35.920 --> 00:19:36.599
 gather together

00:19:36.599 --> 00:19:37.859
 and open the word of God

00:19:37.859 --> 00:19:38.539
 and we can realize,

00:19:38.660 --> 00:19:38.720
 hey,

00:19:38.799 --> 00:19:39.660
 we're living for something

00:19:39.660 --> 00:19:40.940
 much greater than ourself.

00:19:41.380 --> 00:19:42.079
 We're living for something

00:19:42.079 --> 00:19:42.599
 much greater than

00:19:42.599 --> 00:19:43.660
 Central Baptist Church,

00:19:43.759 --> 00:19:44.279
 just this building.

00:19:44.380 --> 00:19:44.480
 No,

00:19:44.740 --> 00:19:46.579
 we're ambassadors for Christ.

00:19:46.579 --> 00:19:46.779
 Christ.

00:19:47.240 --> 00:19:48.299
 And our life should

00:19:48.299 --> 00:19:49.599
 point others to him.

00:19:50.539 --> 00:19:51.699
 And what Peter does here

00:19:51.699 --> 00:19:52.679
 in verses two and three

00:19:52.679 --> 00:19:53.879
 is he kinda draws

00:19:53.879 --> 00:19:55.079
 a very clear line

00:19:55.079 --> 00:19:56.559
 between how we used

00:19:56.559 --> 00:19:57.740
 to live before we knew

00:19:57.740 --> 00:19:58.159
 Christ

00:19:58.160 --> 00:19:59.500
 and the way we're called

00:19:59.500 --> 00:20:00.740
 to live now.

00:20:01.440 --> 00:20:02.820
 He says that we're no longer,

00:20:02.920 --> 00:20:03.340
 we don't have,

00:20:03.560 --> 00:20:04.800
 no longer do we have to live

00:20:04.800 --> 00:20:06.220
 to the lust of men

00:20:06.220 --> 00:20:08.259
 but to the will of God.

00:20:09.220 --> 00:20:09.640
 He's saying,

00:20:09.920 --> 00:20:10.740
 I just wanna remind you,

00:20:10.860 --> 00:20:12.200
 priorities have changed

00:20:12.200 --> 00:20:12.840
 in your life.

00:20:14.680 --> 00:20:15.019
 I mean,

00:20:15.320 --> 00:20:16.259
 think about before

00:20:16.259 --> 00:20:16.920
 you knew Christ.

00:20:17.820 --> 00:20:18.340
 Think about before

00:20:18.340 --> 00:20:19.380
 you knew that heaven

00:20:19.380 --> 00:20:19.940
 was your home

00:20:19.940 --> 00:20:20.360
 and it changed

00:20:20.360 --> 00:20:20.800
 the way you lived.

00:20:20.980 --> 00:20:21.740
 Here's the question

00:20:21.740 --> 00:20:22.240
 that you usually

00:20:22.240 --> 00:20:22.840
 just ask yourself,

00:20:23.000 --> 00:20:23.700
 what do I wanna do?

00:20:25.140 --> 00:20:26.200
 And we're not talking

00:20:26.200 --> 00:20:27.660
 about just awful sinful things

00:20:27.660 --> 00:20:28.400
 but that's just

00:20:28.400 --> 00:20:29.259
 the question you ask.

00:20:29.660 --> 00:20:30.480
 If you wanna do it,

00:20:30.519 --> 00:20:31.279
 that's what you're gonna do.

00:20:32.559 --> 00:20:33.340
 But the closer

00:20:33.340 --> 00:20:34.180
 we get to Christ

00:20:34.180 --> 00:20:35.940
 and the more that his word

00:20:35.940 --> 00:20:37.000
 is working in our life,

00:20:37.220 --> 00:20:38.860
 the question quickly becomes,

00:20:39.180 --> 00:20:39.299
 God,

00:20:39.380 --> 00:20:39.880
 what do you want me

00:20:39.880 --> 00:20:40.319
 to do here?

00:20:41.039 --> 00:20:41.259
 God,

00:20:41.299 --> 00:20:42.059
 how would you have me

00:20:42.059 --> 00:20:43.000
 handle this situation?

00:20:43.580 --> 00:20:43.740
 Lord,

00:20:43.819 --> 00:20:44.580
 you know this is really

00:20:44.580 --> 00:20:45.480
 bothering me

00:20:45.480 --> 00:20:46.259
 and I don't know

00:20:46.259 --> 00:20:46.900
 how to handle this.

00:20:46.980 --> 00:20:47.039
 Lord,

00:20:47.120 --> 00:20:48.120
 I need wisdom

00:20:48.119 --> 00:20:49.500
 and it begins

00:20:49.500 --> 00:20:50.179
 to push us

00:20:50.179 --> 00:20:50.919
 that direction.

00:20:52.199 --> 00:20:52.479
 And really,

00:20:52.579 --> 00:20:53.059
 that's one of the

00:20:53.059 --> 00:20:54.139
 fundamental changes

00:20:54.139 --> 00:20:54.659
 that salvation

00:20:54.659 --> 00:20:56.399
 brings to our life.

00:20:57.239 --> 00:20:58.139
 Before salvation,

00:20:58.299 --> 00:20:58.519
 it was,

00:20:58.899 --> 00:20:59.799
 I'm gonna live

00:20:59.799 --> 00:21:00.239
 for whatever

00:21:00.239 --> 00:21:01.239
 I wanna live for

00:21:01.239 --> 00:21:02.119
 and now he says,

00:21:02.239 --> 00:21:03.099
 here's what you live for,

00:21:03.399 --> 00:21:04.139
 the will of God.

00:21:04.959 --> 00:21:05.719
 That is what God

00:21:05.719 --> 00:21:06.979
 has placed in your life.

00:21:08.899 --> 00:21:09.839
 Peter doesn't say

00:21:09.839 --> 00:21:10.559
 anything about

00:21:10.559 --> 00:21:12.159
 recovering the wasted time.

00:21:12.559 --> 00:21:13.459
 We can't do that.

00:21:14.399 --> 00:21:15.559
 We wish that we could.

00:21:16.519 --> 00:21:16.799
 And listen,

00:21:16.799 --> 00:21:17.980
 there may be years

00:21:17.980 --> 00:21:18.720
 behind you

00:21:18.720 --> 00:21:19.419
 that you wish

00:21:19.419 --> 00:21:20.159
 you could have back.

00:21:21.299 --> 00:21:21.680
 You thought,

00:21:21.759 --> 00:21:21.879
 man,

00:21:21.919 --> 00:21:22.559
 if I could go back

00:21:22.559 --> 00:21:23.579
 to this moment in time

00:21:23.579 --> 00:21:25.039
 and not make that decision,

00:21:25.279 --> 00:21:26.240
 my life would be

00:21:26.240 --> 00:21:26.940
 totally different.

00:21:27.919 --> 00:21:29.539
 But I just wanna encourage you,

00:21:29.740 --> 00:21:30.599
 you're here tonight

00:21:30.599 --> 00:21:32.460
 and God is working

00:21:32.460 --> 00:21:33.039
 in your life

00:21:33.039 --> 00:21:34.000
 and there might be,

00:21:34.159 --> 00:21:35.359
 we've all made bad decisions

00:21:35.359 --> 00:21:36.559
 and sometimes we had

00:21:36.559 --> 00:21:37.379
 to pay the consequences

00:21:37.379 --> 00:21:38.440
 but I'm so thankful

00:21:38.440 --> 00:21:39.139
 that all things

00:21:39.139 --> 00:21:39.960
 work together for good

00:21:39.960 --> 00:21:40.940
 to them that love God,

00:21:41.019 --> 00:21:42.039
 to those who are called

00:21:42.039 --> 00:21:43.019
 according to your purpose

00:21:43.019 --> 00:21:44.119
 and God takes our

00:21:44.119 --> 00:21:45.480
 awful decisions

00:21:45.480 --> 00:21:46.559
 and terrible mistakes

00:21:46.559 --> 00:21:47.480
 and can use them

00:21:47.480 --> 00:21:48.299
 for the glory of God.

00:21:48.740 --> 00:21:50.000
 I'm thankful for that.

00:21:50.679 --> 00:21:50.879
 I mean,

00:21:50.919 --> 00:21:51.740
 there's gonna be decisions

00:21:51.740 --> 00:21:52.819
 no doubt that I would

00:21:52.819 --> 00:21:53.379
 make differently.

00:21:54.099 --> 00:21:54.899
 There's opportunities

00:21:54.899 --> 00:21:56.599
 that I completely missed

00:21:56.599 --> 00:21:58.019
 that I'd love to have back.

00:21:58.919 --> 00:21:59.619
 There's people that I

00:21:59.619 --> 00:22:00.639
 should've talked to

00:22:00.639 --> 00:22:01.519
 when I was in school

00:22:01.519 --> 00:22:02.579
 and shared the gospel with

00:22:02.579 --> 00:22:04.000
 that I'll never see them again.

00:22:05.399 --> 00:22:05.619
 I mean,

00:22:05.659 --> 00:22:06.359
 the time maybe

00:22:06.359 --> 00:22:08.019
 that we spent pursuing things

00:22:08.019 --> 00:22:09.500
 that now we look at our life

00:22:09.500 --> 00:22:10.960
 and they weren't bad things

00:22:10.960 --> 00:22:12.659
 but they really don't matter

00:22:12.659 --> 00:22:13.379
 in the grand scheme

00:22:13.379 --> 00:22:13.899
 of eternity.

00:22:13.900 --> 00:22:16.420
 But Peter doesn't tell us,

00:22:16.500 --> 00:22:16.600
 hey,

00:22:16.880 --> 00:22:17.360
 you know what,

00:22:17.420 --> 00:22:18.259
 you just need to kind of

00:22:18.259 --> 00:22:18.759
 look backwards

00:22:18.759 --> 00:22:19.740
 and think on those things.

00:22:19.820 --> 00:22:19.920
 No,

00:22:19.940 --> 00:22:20.200
 he says,

00:22:20.259 --> 00:22:21.440
 stop looking back

00:22:21.440 --> 00:22:22.700
 and why don't you live

00:22:22.700 --> 00:22:23.700
 for the rest of the time?

00:22:24.540 --> 00:22:25.140
 Why don't you make

00:22:25.140 --> 00:22:26.100
 a decision right now?

00:22:26.519 --> 00:22:27.800
 Here's a line in the sand,

00:22:27.920 --> 00:22:29.019
 let's live for the Lord

00:22:29.019 --> 00:22:29.840
 right now.

00:22:31.320 --> 00:22:32.360
 Look at verse number three,

00:22:32.560 --> 00:22:32.900
 he says,

00:22:33.019 --> 00:22:34.340
 for the time past

00:22:34.340 --> 00:22:34.920
 of our life

00:22:34.920 --> 00:22:35.660
 may suffice

00:22:35.660 --> 00:22:36.600
 us to rot

00:22:36.600 --> 00:22:37.220
 the will

00:22:37.220 --> 00:22:38.440
 of the Gentiles.

00:22:39.640 --> 00:22:40.220
 Here's kind of

00:22:40.220 --> 00:22:40.519
 what he's saying.

00:22:40.880 --> 00:22:41.240
 Peter,

00:22:41.360 --> 00:22:42.040
 what does that mean?

00:22:42.039 --> 00:22:42.859
 I'll tell you what it means,

00:22:43.059 --> 00:22:43.480
 enough.

00:22:44.659 --> 00:22:45.339
 That's what it means.

00:22:46.139 --> 00:22:46.519
 He said,

00:22:46.819 --> 00:22:48.539
 you lived that life before,

00:22:48.859 --> 00:22:50.059
 sin was your master,

00:22:50.299 --> 00:22:50.940
 you kind of live

00:22:50.940 --> 00:22:52.379
 for your selfish desires,

00:22:52.779 --> 00:22:53.200
 enough.

00:22:53.920 --> 00:22:54.879
 There's no reason

00:22:54.879 --> 00:22:55.859
 to live that way anymore.

00:22:56.159 --> 00:22:56.740
 That's not how

00:22:56.740 --> 00:22:58.079
 God wants you to live.

00:22:58.279 --> 00:22:59.220
 We've given sin

00:22:59.220 --> 00:23:00.460
 enough of our lives already,

00:23:00.700 --> 00:23:01.399
 we've spent enough

00:23:01.399 --> 00:23:02.059
 of our lives

00:23:02.059 --> 00:23:03.159
 living for ourselves,

00:23:03.299 --> 00:23:04.539
 we've wasted enough time

00:23:04.539 --> 00:23:05.420
 chasing things

00:23:05.420 --> 00:23:06.559
 that cannot satisfy.

00:23:07.180 --> 00:23:08.059
 The only thing

00:23:08.059 --> 00:23:08.579
 that's ever going to

00:23:08.579 --> 00:23:09.299
 satisfy your life

00:23:09.299 --> 00:23:10.059
 is Jesus Christ.

00:23:10.839 --> 00:23:11.639
 And that's what Peter's

00:23:11.639 --> 00:23:12.539
 bringing to the forefront.

00:23:13.919 --> 00:23:14.399
 And I don't think

00:23:14.399 --> 00:23:15.019
 we really need to say

00:23:15.019 --> 00:23:15.700
 much more than what

00:23:15.700 --> 00:23:16.619
 Peter is saying here,

00:23:16.879 --> 00:23:18.079
 but the idea is

00:23:18.079 --> 00:23:19.259
 he's saying

00:23:19.259 --> 00:23:20.079
 there comes a point

00:23:20.079 --> 00:23:20.879
 in our lives

00:23:20.879 --> 00:23:22.599
 where we have to look

00:23:22.599 --> 00:23:23.639
 at the old life

00:23:23.639 --> 00:23:25.179
 and when it tries

00:23:25.179 --> 00:23:25.899
 to creep back up

00:23:25.899 --> 00:23:26.200
 just say,

00:23:26.279 --> 00:23:26.639
 enough,

00:23:26.720 --> 00:23:27.480
 I'm done with that.

00:23:27.980 --> 00:23:29.279
 I don't have to live

00:23:29.279 --> 00:23:30.359
 there anymore.

00:23:31.220 --> 00:23:32.379
 Not because sin

00:23:32.379 --> 00:23:33.319
 hasn't stopped

00:23:33.319 --> 00:23:34.019
 becoming appealing,

00:23:34.579 --> 00:23:36.000
 I wish it did.

00:23:36.960 --> 00:23:38.399
 I wish it was like

00:23:38.399 --> 00:23:39.079
 vegetables

00:23:39.079 --> 00:23:39.879
 and it's just like,

00:23:40.059 --> 00:23:40.279
 ugh,

00:23:40.939 --> 00:23:42.079
 I don't want that at all.

00:23:42.839 --> 00:23:43.000
 You know,

00:23:43.000 --> 00:23:43.539
 there's certain things

00:23:43.539 --> 00:23:44.299
 you could put on a plate

00:23:44.299 --> 00:23:45.339
 and it wouldn't

00:23:45.339 --> 00:23:46.099
 entice you at all.

00:23:47.079 --> 00:23:47.659
 But that's not

00:23:47.659 --> 00:23:48.460
 how sin operates.

00:23:49.059 --> 00:23:49.619
 But the closer

00:23:49.619 --> 00:23:50.299
 we get to Christ,

00:23:50.500 --> 00:23:51.639
 it starts feeling that way.

00:23:52.419 --> 00:23:53.279
 Those things that just,

00:23:53.460 --> 00:23:53.699
 I mean,

00:23:53.740 --> 00:23:54.119
 it was just,

00:23:54.299 --> 00:23:55.000
 it was a habit,

00:23:55.059 --> 00:23:55.720
 it was second nature.

00:23:55.980 --> 00:23:56.699
 Now it comes up

00:23:56.699 --> 00:23:57.039
 and we're thinking,

00:23:57.179 --> 00:23:57.399
 ugh,

00:23:58.159 --> 00:23:59.059
 that's growth.

00:23:59.859 --> 00:24:00.639
 That's moving

00:24:00.639 --> 00:24:01.519
 towards Christ.

00:24:01.899 --> 00:24:02.399
 And it's not

00:24:02.399 --> 00:24:03.539
 that temptation disappears.

00:24:03.819 --> 00:24:04.000
 I mean,

00:24:04.039 --> 00:24:04.579
 it shows up,

00:24:04.599 --> 00:24:04.960
 it shows up

00:24:04.960 --> 00:24:05.799
 in random places

00:24:05.799 --> 00:24:06.500
 all the time.

00:24:06.500 --> 00:24:08.180
 But we're not drawn

00:24:08.180 --> 00:24:08.900
 to it anymore.

00:24:09.200 --> 00:24:09.519
 Why?

00:24:09.720 --> 00:24:11.259
 Because Jesus is worthy

00:24:11.259 --> 00:24:12.220
 of whatever time

00:24:12.220 --> 00:24:13.000
 I have left.

00:24:14.779 --> 00:24:15.660
 And the things

00:24:15.660 --> 00:24:16.380
 that he describes

00:24:16.380 --> 00:24:17.259
 here in verse number three,

00:24:17.640 --> 00:24:18.579
 he characterizes

00:24:18.579 --> 00:24:19.400
 what the old life

00:24:19.400 --> 00:24:19.900
 looks like.

00:24:20.539 --> 00:24:21.079
 We walked in

00:24:21.079 --> 00:24:22.000
 lasciviousness,

00:24:22.559 --> 00:24:23.039
 lust,

00:24:23.339 --> 00:24:24.259
 excess of wine,

00:24:24.420 --> 00:24:24.880
 revelings,

00:24:25.059 --> 00:24:25.680
 banquetings,

00:24:26.059 --> 00:24:27.740
 abominable idolatries.

00:24:28.720 --> 00:24:29.700
 We're going to take time

00:24:29.700 --> 00:24:30.319
 to go into these,

00:24:30.400 --> 00:24:31.339
 but here's basically

00:24:31.339 --> 00:24:31.900
 what he's saying.

00:24:32.700 --> 00:24:34.359
 These sins,

00:24:34.359 --> 00:24:35.579
 they describe a life

00:24:35.579 --> 00:24:36.379
 that is controlled

00:24:36.379 --> 00:24:38.039
 by just a sinful appetite.

00:24:39.559 --> 00:24:40.179
 Paul says

00:24:40.179 --> 00:24:41.579
 that the world

00:24:41.579 --> 00:24:42.359
 is given into

00:24:42.359 --> 00:24:44.559
 the lust of their belly.

00:24:45.279 --> 00:24:46.119
 They just want

00:24:46.119 --> 00:24:46.519
 and want

00:24:46.519 --> 00:24:46.919
 and want

00:24:46.919 --> 00:24:48.699
 whatever they feel like.

00:24:49.759 --> 00:24:50.539
 These things

00:24:50.539 --> 00:24:50.939
 are saying,

00:24:51.139 --> 00:24:51.240
 hey,

00:24:51.399 --> 00:24:52.679
 before you knew Christ,

00:24:52.779 --> 00:24:53.759
 your life was governed

00:24:53.759 --> 00:24:54.619
 by the flesh.

00:24:56.939 --> 00:24:57.479
 And just like

00:24:57.479 --> 00:24:58.379
 here in this room

00:24:58.379 --> 00:24:58.759
 tonight,

00:24:59.159 --> 00:24:59.799
 some of Peter's

00:24:59.799 --> 00:25:00.359
 first readers

00:25:00.359 --> 00:25:01.059
 would have said,

00:25:01.119 --> 00:25:01.419
 you know what,

00:25:01.439 --> 00:25:02.059
 that's what my life

00:25:02.059 --> 00:25:02.599
 used to be.

00:25:03.439 --> 00:25:04.240
 But praise the Lord,

00:25:04.240 --> 00:25:05.240
 he saved me from that.

00:25:05.759 --> 00:25:06.299
 Praise the Lord,

00:25:06.359 --> 00:25:07.720
 he changed my life.

00:25:08.559 --> 00:25:09.559
 And he's reminding

00:25:09.559 --> 00:25:10.599
 there's no reason

00:25:10.599 --> 00:25:11.400
 to go back.

00:25:12.019 --> 00:25:12.920
 That's what he's saying

00:25:12.920 --> 00:25:13.759
 here in verse number three.

00:25:14.200 --> 00:25:15.339
 His point is

00:25:15.339 --> 00:25:17.240
 they got to stop thinking,

00:25:17.359 --> 00:25:17.700
 you know what,

00:25:17.759 --> 00:25:18.660
 what could have been?

00:25:19.059 --> 00:25:19.180
 Well,

00:25:19.200 --> 00:25:20.279
 if I wouldn't have done that,

00:25:20.359 --> 00:25:21.180
 then maybe my life

00:25:21.180 --> 00:25:21.799
 would be better today.

00:25:21.859 --> 00:25:22.339
 And if I wouldn't have

00:25:22.339 --> 00:25:23.120
 done that back then,

00:25:23.259 --> 00:25:23.799
 then maybe I wouldn't

00:25:23.799 --> 00:25:24.500
 have this issue.

00:25:24.700 --> 00:25:25.099
 He's saying,

00:25:25.160 --> 00:25:25.359
 listen,

00:25:26.079 --> 00:25:27.420
 you can't change that,

00:25:27.480 --> 00:25:28.640
 but you can make sure

00:25:28.640 --> 00:25:29.480
 you don't go back there.

00:25:30.220 --> 00:25:30.779
 You can make sure

00:25:30.779 --> 00:25:31.620
 that when sin rears

00:25:31.620 --> 00:25:32.240
 its ugly head

00:25:32.240 --> 00:25:33.339
 that you're not

00:25:33.339 --> 00:25:34.380
 trying to run back

00:25:34.380 --> 00:25:34.880
 to it.

00:25:36.559 --> 00:25:37.400
 He's just saying

00:25:37.400 --> 00:25:38.599
 that there's nothing

00:25:38.599 --> 00:25:39.660
 back there.

00:25:40.359 --> 00:25:41.200
 There's nothing

00:25:41.200 --> 00:25:42.180
 that Jesus Christ

00:25:42.180 --> 00:25:43.319
 saved you from

00:25:43.319 --> 00:25:44.200
 that's worth

00:25:44.200 --> 00:25:45.440
 trading your life again.

00:25:46.700 --> 00:25:47.480
 It's not.

00:25:47.640 --> 00:25:48.299
 It's not.

00:25:48.400 --> 00:25:49.579
 It's a horrible deal.

00:25:50.680 --> 00:25:52.079
 And that's a great reminder

00:25:52.079 --> 00:25:52.500
 to us,

00:25:52.559 --> 00:25:52.740
 I think,

00:25:52.799 --> 00:25:53.059
 today.

00:25:53.059 --> 00:25:55.159
 because the enemy

00:25:55.159 --> 00:25:56.940
 has a great way

00:25:56.940 --> 00:25:58.240
 of making the old life

00:25:58.240 --> 00:25:59.839
 look much better

00:25:59.839 --> 00:26:00.599
 from a distance

00:26:00.599 --> 00:26:01.940
 than it ever did

00:26:01.940 --> 00:26:02.519
 when you were actually

00:26:02.519 --> 00:26:03.099
 living in it.

00:26:04.379 --> 00:26:04.559
 And we,

00:26:04.799 --> 00:26:06.039
 I'm sure you deal with it

00:26:06.039 --> 00:26:07.700
 and you see something,

00:26:07.779 --> 00:26:08.480
 you see an advertisement,

00:26:08.599 --> 00:26:09.379
 you see something

00:26:09.379 --> 00:26:09.960
 and it kind of triggers

00:26:09.960 --> 00:26:10.599
 something in your mind

00:26:10.599 --> 00:26:10.980
 and you're thinking,

00:26:11.099 --> 00:26:11.139
 man,

00:26:11.339 --> 00:26:11.559
 you know,

00:26:11.599 --> 00:26:12.679
 that wasn't that bad.

00:26:13.879 --> 00:26:14.759
 But Peter's saying,

00:26:15.220 --> 00:26:15.440
 no,

00:26:15.480 --> 00:26:15.599
 no,

00:26:15.659 --> 00:26:16.839
 it was worse

00:26:16.839 --> 00:26:17.799
 than you realize it

00:26:17.799 --> 00:26:18.659
 because you know

00:26:18.659 --> 00:26:19.039
 what it did?

00:26:19.099 --> 00:26:19.639
 It brought death

00:26:19.639 --> 00:26:20.159
 in your life.

00:26:20.480 --> 00:26:21.000
 It brought guilt.

00:26:21.119 --> 00:26:21.619
 It brought shame.

00:26:21.700 --> 00:26:22.639
 It brought all of these things

00:26:22.640 --> 00:26:24.759
 and kind of the thought,

00:26:24.840 --> 00:26:25.940
 I loved how one commentator

00:26:25.940 --> 00:26:26.240
 said it.

00:26:26.380 --> 00:26:26.700
 He says,

00:26:26.820 --> 00:26:27.980
 don't romanticize

00:26:27.980 --> 00:26:29.259
 what Jesus rescued from.

00:26:29.960 --> 00:26:30.160
 Man,

00:26:30.180 --> 00:26:30.780
 I love that.

00:26:32.240 --> 00:26:32.940
 Because the world

00:26:32.940 --> 00:26:33.900
 has a really good way

00:26:33.900 --> 00:26:34.580
 of making everything

00:26:34.580 --> 00:26:35.240
 looking appealing.

00:26:36.180 --> 00:26:36.600
 The Bible says

00:26:36.600 --> 00:26:37.780
 that the devil

00:26:37.780 --> 00:26:38.320
 can even come

00:26:38.320 --> 00:26:39.460
 as an angel of light

00:26:39.460 --> 00:26:41.420
 and everything looks great

00:26:41.420 --> 00:26:42.259
 and everything looks like,

00:26:42.440 --> 00:26:42.540
 hey,

00:26:42.680 --> 00:26:44.259
 it's all that's cracked up to be.

00:26:44.420 --> 00:26:45.140
 It's not.

00:26:45.680 --> 00:26:47.200
 Sin always promises you

00:26:47.200 --> 00:26:48.100
 more than it gives

00:26:48.100 --> 00:26:49.700
 and it takes much more

00:26:49.700 --> 00:26:51.340
 than you ever intended to lose.

00:26:52.199 --> 00:26:53.199
 And Peter's just telling us

00:26:53.199 --> 00:26:53.720
 here in verse 3,

00:26:54.099 --> 00:26:55.779
 don't go back.

00:26:56.299 --> 00:26:57.699
 It's not worth it.

00:26:57.919 --> 00:26:58.579
 And so Peter says,

00:26:59.019 --> 00:26:59.679
 leave the past

00:26:59.679 --> 00:27:00.559
 where it belongs

00:27:00.559 --> 00:27:02.240
 and give God

00:27:02.240 --> 00:27:03.000
 the time

00:27:03.000 --> 00:27:04.119
 that you have left.

00:27:04.859 --> 00:27:05.699
 It doesn't matter

00:27:05.699 --> 00:27:06.599
 if you wasted

00:27:06.599 --> 00:27:07.359
 your teen years

00:27:07.359 --> 00:27:07.899
 or your 20s

00:27:07.899 --> 00:27:08.379
 or your 30s.

00:27:08.500 --> 00:27:09.199
 You're here.

00:27:09.980 --> 00:27:11.119
 Go forward for Christ

00:27:11.119 --> 00:27:12.159
 and that's what Peter's saying.

00:27:13.519 --> 00:27:14.619
 But when you stop

00:27:14.619 --> 00:27:15.599
 living the way

00:27:15.599 --> 00:27:16.639
 that you used to live,

00:27:17.259 --> 00:27:18.299
 when you stop living

00:27:18.299 --> 00:27:19.199
 the way the world

00:27:19.199 --> 00:27:20.259
 wants you to live

00:27:20.259 --> 00:27:21.579
 and expects you to live,

00:27:22.220 --> 00:27:22.819
 Peter wants us

00:27:22.819 --> 00:27:23.559
 to understand this.

00:27:23.940 --> 00:27:24.960
 Don't expect everybody

00:27:24.960 --> 00:27:25.940
 to understand that.

00:27:26.839 --> 00:27:27.920
 And here's what he reminds us

00:27:27.920 --> 00:27:28.660
 in verse number 4,

00:27:28.980 --> 00:27:30.359
 that because we belong to Christ,

00:27:30.519 --> 00:27:31.240
 we don't need

00:27:31.240 --> 00:27:32.099
 the world's approval.

00:27:33.019 --> 00:27:34.079
 We don't need

00:27:34.079 --> 00:27:34.799
 their approval.

00:27:35.759 --> 00:27:36.339
 Look what he says

00:27:36.339 --> 00:27:36.819
 in verse 4.

00:27:37.119 --> 00:27:38.180
 Wherein they think

00:27:38.180 --> 00:27:38.900
 it's strange

00:27:38.900 --> 00:27:40.460
 that you run not with them

00:27:40.460 --> 00:27:42.319
 to the same excess of riot,

00:27:42.680 --> 00:27:44.480
 speaking evil of you.

00:27:46.279 --> 00:27:47.119
 Peter was saying,

00:27:47.220 --> 00:27:47.339
 listen,

00:27:47.460 --> 00:27:48.259
 you're probably dealing

00:27:48.259 --> 00:27:49.240
 with some of this right now.

00:27:50.220 --> 00:27:50.640
 He said,

00:27:50.700 --> 00:27:52.000
 because the way you live,

00:27:52.620 --> 00:27:53.299
 there's going to be people

00:27:53.299 --> 00:27:54.039
 that are surprised.

00:27:54.900 --> 00:27:55.480
 You know why?

00:27:56.200 --> 00:27:57.559
 Because they used to know you.

00:27:58.380 --> 00:27:59.680
 You ran in the same circles.

00:28:00.240 --> 00:28:01.460
 You went to the same places.

00:28:01.980 --> 00:28:02.620
 You were involved

00:28:02.620 --> 00:28:04.559
 in the same lifestyle.

00:28:05.059 --> 00:28:06.839
 And because you're a Christian now,

00:28:06.980 --> 00:28:07.700
 you're not running

00:28:07.700 --> 00:28:08.259
 with them anymore

00:28:08.259 --> 00:28:08.680
 and they're thinking,

00:28:08.900 --> 00:28:10.400
 hey, what happened to you, man?

00:28:11.420 --> 00:28:13.220
 Why are you so much different?

00:28:13.220 --> 00:28:15.200
 And Peter in verse number 4,

00:28:15.380 --> 00:28:16.440
 he's not describing

00:28:16.440 --> 00:28:17.740
 that every time

00:28:17.740 --> 00:28:19.039
 somebody becomes a Christian,

00:28:19.259 --> 00:28:20.500
 you just stand on a street corner

00:28:20.500 --> 00:28:21.880
 and condemn everybody else

00:28:21.880 --> 00:28:22.559
 for how you're living.

00:28:23.500 --> 00:28:24.940
 That's not the idea

00:28:24.940 --> 00:28:25.519
 that we find

00:28:25.519 --> 00:28:26.240
 in verse number 4.

00:28:27.960 --> 00:28:29.400
 Really, the idea is this.

00:28:29.720 --> 00:28:30.940
 A changed life,

00:28:31.180 --> 00:28:33.100
 it just creates

00:28:33.100 --> 00:28:33.779
 the contrast

00:28:33.779 --> 00:28:34.880
 by itself.

00:28:35.840 --> 00:28:37.660
 That when Jesus changes you

00:28:37.660 --> 00:28:38.680
 and you don't run

00:28:38.680 --> 00:28:39.460
 with the crowd,

00:28:39.820 --> 00:28:40.880
 when you don't participate,

00:28:41.799 --> 00:28:42.680
 people are going to notice.

00:28:42.680 --> 00:28:44.620
 Because they're going to realize

00:28:44.620 --> 00:28:45.120
 that every time

00:28:45.120 --> 00:28:45.740
 they call you,

00:28:45.820 --> 00:28:46.299
 you say, no,

00:28:46.340 --> 00:28:47.140
 I'm not going to do that.

00:28:47.640 --> 00:28:48.759
 I'm not going to go there.

00:28:49.320 --> 00:28:50.140
 And sometimes,

00:28:50.240 --> 00:28:50.960
 the people that knew

00:28:50.960 --> 00:28:52.500
 the old version of you

00:28:52.500 --> 00:28:53.200
 are going to have

00:28:53.200 --> 00:28:54.500
 a very hard time

00:28:54.500 --> 00:28:55.299
 understanding

00:28:55.299 --> 00:28:56.380
 the new version of you.

00:28:56.920 --> 00:28:57.920
 Because they don't understand

00:28:57.920 --> 00:28:59.080
 that you were dead,

00:28:59.180 --> 00:29:00.100
 but now you're alive.

00:29:00.560 --> 00:29:01.500
 That you were on your way

00:29:01.500 --> 00:29:02.140
 to hell

00:29:02.140 --> 00:29:02.920
 and now you're on your way

00:29:02.920 --> 00:29:03.279
 to heaven.

00:29:03.460 --> 00:29:04.840
 They're not going to understand that

00:29:04.840 --> 00:29:05.920
 and they'll say things like,

00:29:06.120 --> 00:29:07.100
 what happened to you?

00:29:08.120 --> 00:29:09.019
 Why don't you come anymore?

00:29:09.120 --> 00:29:09.480
 Why don't you come,

00:29:09.660 --> 00:29:10.220
 after work,

00:29:10.259 --> 00:29:10.720
 why don't you come

00:29:10.720 --> 00:29:11.759
 to the restaurant with us?

00:29:12.080 --> 00:29:12.360
 Why don't you come

00:29:12.359 --> 00:29:13.199
 the bar with us?

00:29:14.259 --> 00:29:15.099
 Why don't you just

00:29:15.099 --> 00:29:16.259
 loosen up a little bit, man?

00:29:18.179 --> 00:29:19.059
 You used to do

00:29:19.059 --> 00:29:20.039
 all this stuff with us.

00:29:20.099 --> 00:29:21.539
 Are you better than us now?

00:29:22.799 --> 00:29:23.379
 That's exactly

00:29:23.379 --> 00:29:24.119
 what Peter is saying.

00:29:25.479 --> 00:29:27.000
 Because not only

00:29:27.000 --> 00:29:28.199
 are they going to be surprised,

00:29:28.759 --> 00:29:29.819
 but they're surprised

00:29:29.819 --> 00:29:30.579
 once they realize

00:29:30.579 --> 00:29:31.240
 you're not going to do

00:29:31.240 --> 00:29:32.039
 those things anymore.

00:29:32.039 --> 00:29:33.679
 It turns to

00:29:33.679 --> 00:29:34.859
 something much stronger.

00:29:35.759 --> 00:29:36.919
 The Bible says this,

00:29:37.299 --> 00:29:37.939
 that they begin

00:29:37.939 --> 00:29:40.079
 speaking evil of you.

00:29:41.039 --> 00:29:41.759
 They begin to

00:29:41.759 --> 00:29:42.460
 criticize

00:29:42.460 --> 00:29:44.059
 and to slander.

00:29:45.660 --> 00:29:47.299
 Because a changed life

00:29:47.299 --> 00:29:49.200
 many times

00:29:49.200 --> 00:29:49.619
 is going to make

00:29:49.619 --> 00:29:50.400
 people uncomfortable

00:29:50.400 --> 00:29:52.799
 because it confronts them

00:29:52.799 --> 00:29:54.359
 without ever saying a word.

00:29:55.640 --> 00:29:56.379
 I read a story

00:29:56.379 --> 00:29:57.940
 from R.C. Sproul.

00:29:58.039 --> 00:29:59.619
 He's a commentator

00:29:59.619 --> 00:30:00.779
 and he was telling

00:30:00.779 --> 00:30:01.339
 a story about

00:30:01.339 --> 00:30:01.900
 Billy Graham.

00:30:02.680 --> 00:30:03.200
 And Billy Graham

00:30:03.200 --> 00:30:04.400
 got invited to play golf

00:30:04.400 --> 00:30:05.379
 with President Ford

00:30:05.379 --> 00:30:06.019
 and a couple

00:30:06.019 --> 00:30:07.119
 professional golfers.

00:30:07.779 --> 00:30:08.819
 And so he goes out there

00:30:08.819 --> 00:30:09.619
 and they play

00:30:09.619 --> 00:30:10.639
 this round of golf

00:30:10.639 --> 00:30:11.919
 and after the round

00:30:11.919 --> 00:30:13.139
 one of the professional

00:30:13.139 --> 00:30:14.439
 golfers stormed away.

00:30:15.460 --> 00:30:16.159
 And he went into

00:30:16.159 --> 00:30:16.700
 the locker room

00:30:16.700 --> 00:30:17.439
 and he was complaining

00:30:17.439 --> 00:30:18.720
 that Billy Graham,

00:30:18.819 --> 00:30:19.740
 he doesn't need him

00:30:19.740 --> 00:30:20.460
 and he's just

00:30:20.460 --> 00:30:21.419
 stuffing religion

00:30:21.419 --> 00:30:22.079
 down his throat

00:30:22.079 --> 00:30:22.779
 the whole time.

00:30:23.460 --> 00:30:24.259
 And another golfer

00:30:24.259 --> 00:30:24.759
 that was there

00:30:24.759 --> 00:30:25.319
 on the property

00:30:25.319 --> 00:30:26.240
 walked in and said,

00:30:26.519 --> 00:30:27.579
 hey, what did

00:30:27.579 --> 00:30:28.639
 Pastor Graham say?

00:30:29.339 --> 00:30:30.659
 Was he preaching

00:30:30.659 --> 00:30:31.579
 to you the whole time?

00:30:32.279 --> 00:30:33.059
 And the embarrassed

00:30:33.059 --> 00:30:34.059
 golfer kind of said,

00:30:34.119 --> 00:30:34.559
 you know what,

00:30:34.859 --> 00:30:35.500
 he didn't talk

00:30:35.500 --> 00:30:36.619
 one thing about religion.

00:30:37.640 --> 00:30:38.880
 He was just there.

00:30:39.339 --> 00:30:40.339
 He didn't preach to him,

00:30:40.380 --> 00:30:41.279
 he didn't confront him.

00:30:42.160 --> 00:30:43.200
 But the idea was this,

00:30:43.240 --> 00:30:43.660
 and this is what

00:30:43.660 --> 00:30:44.359
 R.C. Sproul said,

00:30:44.640 --> 00:30:45.680
 that his presence

00:30:45.680 --> 00:30:46.299
 was enough

00:30:46.299 --> 00:30:46.940
 to make the man

00:30:46.940 --> 00:30:47.420
 uncomfortable.

00:30:48.279 --> 00:30:48.940
 That Billy Graham

00:30:48.940 --> 00:30:50.299
 was so associated

00:30:50.299 --> 00:30:51.759
 with the Bible

00:30:51.759 --> 00:30:52.539
 and with God

00:30:52.539 --> 00:30:53.099
 and the gospel,

00:30:53.440 --> 00:30:54.900
 just him being there

00:30:54.900 --> 00:30:55.779
 on the tee box

00:30:55.779 --> 00:30:56.119
 with him

00:30:56.119 --> 00:30:57.119
 made this man

00:30:57.119 --> 00:30:57.720
 feel uncomfortable.

00:30:58.539 --> 00:30:59.059
 And that's kind of

00:30:59.059 --> 00:30:59.480
 what the thought

00:30:59.480 --> 00:31:00.299
 that Peter is saying

00:31:00.299 --> 00:31:00.740
 right here.

00:31:01.160 --> 00:31:01.339
 He said,

00:31:01.400 --> 00:31:01.759
 you don't have to

00:31:01.759 --> 00:31:02.440
 preach to him.

00:31:02.759 --> 00:31:03.119
 You don't have to,

00:31:03.200 --> 00:31:03.880
 every time you see him,

00:31:03.980 --> 00:31:04.180
 like, hey,

00:31:04.299 --> 00:31:05.299
 let me read a Bible verse

00:31:05.299 --> 00:31:05.599
 to you.

00:31:05.759 --> 00:31:06.819
 No, you just live

00:31:06.819 --> 00:31:07.619
 faithfully for Christ.

00:31:07.799 --> 00:31:08.539
 People are going to notice.

00:31:09.299 --> 00:31:10.659
 And they may not like it.

00:31:11.700 --> 00:31:12.799
 But we're not living

00:31:12.799 --> 00:31:13.700
 for their approval,

00:31:13.899 --> 00:31:14.720
 and that's what happens

00:31:14.720 --> 00:31:15.559
 even still today.

00:31:16.419 --> 00:31:16.940
 We talked about it

00:31:16.940 --> 00:31:17.259
 this morning.

00:31:17.599 --> 00:31:18.259
 God doesn't call us

00:31:18.259 --> 00:31:19.359
 to be self-righteous.

00:31:19.940 --> 00:31:20.480
 We're not trying

00:31:20.480 --> 00:31:21.500
 to be some holy roller

00:31:21.500 --> 00:31:22.759
 that's holier-than-thou

00:31:22.759 --> 00:31:23.279
 kind of person.

00:31:23.519 --> 00:31:24.980
 No, we just need

00:31:24.980 --> 00:31:25.659
 to be consistently

00:31:25.659 --> 00:31:26.639
 living for Christ.

00:31:27.279 --> 00:31:27.940
 And when we live

00:31:27.940 --> 00:31:28.799
 faithfully for him,

00:31:29.000 --> 00:31:29.680
 the contrast

00:31:29.680 --> 00:31:30.539
 is going to speak

00:31:30.539 --> 00:31:31.039
 for itself.

00:31:31.819 --> 00:31:32.680
 That's what Peter says.

00:31:33.599 --> 00:31:34.539
 And when it does,

00:31:34.539 --> 00:31:35.839
 they're going to speak

00:31:35.839 --> 00:31:36.460
 evil of you.

00:31:37.720 --> 00:31:38.539
 And that hurts.

00:31:39.559 --> 00:31:40.399
 That hurts a lot.

00:31:41.059 --> 00:31:41.879
 I'm sure you've dealt

00:31:41.879 --> 00:31:42.240
 with it.

00:31:42.859 --> 00:31:43.819
 I remember when the Lord

00:31:43.819 --> 00:31:44.339
 really got a hold

00:31:44.339 --> 00:31:44.940
 of my life

00:31:44.940 --> 00:31:46.079
 and youth camp

00:31:46.079 --> 00:31:48.019
 between my junior

00:31:48.019 --> 00:31:48.619
 and senior year

00:31:48.619 --> 00:31:49.599
 and I made some decisions.

00:31:50.259 --> 00:31:50.639
 You know what?

00:31:50.700 --> 00:31:51.480
 Some guys that I used

00:31:51.480 --> 00:31:51.940
 to run with

00:31:51.940 --> 00:31:52.799
 and play basketball with,

00:31:52.940 --> 00:31:53.099
 I mean,

00:31:53.099 --> 00:31:53.599
 it was so much,

00:31:53.639 --> 00:31:54.059
 the Lord got a hold

00:31:54.059 --> 00:31:54.379
 of my life

00:31:54.379 --> 00:31:55.220
 and I just quit basketball.

00:31:55.879 --> 00:31:56.700
 And I love basketball.

00:31:56.700 --> 00:31:58.220
 But I just knew

00:31:58.220 --> 00:31:59.240
 that it was not

00:31:59.240 --> 00:32:00.299
 where God wanted me to be.

00:32:01.279 --> 00:32:02.140
 And you know what?

00:32:02.220 --> 00:32:03.140
 They weren't real happy

00:32:03.140 --> 00:32:03.580
 about it.

00:32:04.259 --> 00:32:05.200
 And every time they saw me,

00:32:05.240 --> 00:32:06.019
 they'd make fun of me.

00:32:06.440 --> 00:32:07.080
 And they'd do that

00:32:07.080 --> 00:32:07.600
 and they'd call me

00:32:07.600 --> 00:32:07.980
 the preacher.

00:32:08.259 --> 00:32:09.059
 And I used to think

00:32:09.059 --> 00:32:10.860
 that was like an insult.

00:32:10.960 --> 00:32:11.340
 Now I'm like,

00:32:11.640 --> 00:32:12.340
 I like that.

00:32:12.600 --> 00:32:13.100
 I like when people

00:32:13.100 --> 00:32:13.700
 call me the preacher

00:32:13.700 --> 00:32:15.000
 because that's what I am.

00:32:15.720 --> 00:32:16.240
 But it was one

00:32:16.240 --> 00:32:16.620
 of those things.

00:32:16.680 --> 00:32:17.440
 They meant it

00:32:17.440 --> 00:32:19.180
 to be mean

00:32:19.180 --> 00:32:20.259
 and it was people

00:32:20.259 --> 00:32:21.019
 that I was very,

00:32:21.140 --> 00:32:21.900
 very close with.

00:32:22.519 --> 00:32:23.240
 And it hurt.

00:32:24.019 --> 00:32:24.180
 I mean,

00:32:24.180 --> 00:32:24.940
 even thinking of it today,

00:32:24.940 --> 00:32:25.759
 it still kind of hurts.

00:32:26.799 --> 00:32:28.620
 I wish they would have understood

00:32:28.620 --> 00:32:29.980
 and I tried to explain to them.

00:32:30.000 --> 00:32:30.740
 I tried to invite them

00:32:30.740 --> 00:32:31.960
 to our Wednesday night programs

00:32:31.960 --> 00:32:33.519
 that we had at our church

00:32:33.519 --> 00:32:34.240
 and our youth group

00:32:34.240 --> 00:32:35.380
 and different things like that.

00:32:35.440 --> 00:32:36.680
 But the thing is,

00:32:36.799 --> 00:32:38.660
 is we have to understand

00:32:38.660 --> 00:32:39.840
 that their approval

00:32:39.840 --> 00:32:40.580
 cannot determine

00:32:40.580 --> 00:32:41.519
 how we live our life.

00:32:42.220 --> 00:32:43.019
 Because I made a decision

00:32:43.019 --> 00:32:43.660
 at camp that year,

00:32:43.820 --> 00:32:44.940
 I'm going to obey God

00:32:44.940 --> 00:32:45.480
 and here's what God

00:32:45.480 --> 00:32:46.100
 wants me to do.

00:32:46.519 --> 00:32:47.860
 He wants me to live for Him

00:32:47.860 --> 00:32:48.980
 and it might cost me

00:32:48.980 --> 00:32:49.460
 some friendships.

00:32:51.080 --> 00:32:52.100
 But if we need

00:32:52.100 --> 00:32:53.039
 the world's applause,

00:32:54.140 --> 00:32:54.920
 eventually we're

00:32:54.920 --> 00:32:55.600
 going to have to compromise

00:32:55.600 --> 00:32:56.140
 to get it.

00:32:57.060 --> 00:32:57.620
 And Peter is saying,

00:32:57.720 --> 00:32:58.800
 you don't need that anymore.

00:32:59.380 --> 00:33:00.000
 That's not the life

00:33:00.000 --> 00:33:01.400
 that God has called you to live.

00:33:01.900 --> 00:33:02.660
 Following Jesus

00:33:02.660 --> 00:33:03.560
 means that you would rather

00:33:03.560 --> 00:33:04.560
 have God's approval

00:33:04.560 --> 00:33:05.720
 than the world's acceptance.

00:33:06.300 --> 00:33:07.279
 You can't have both.

00:33:08.080 --> 00:33:08.519
 Peter is saying,

00:33:08.580 --> 00:33:09.400
 which one do you want?

00:33:10.120 --> 00:33:11.180
 Which one really makes

00:33:11.180 --> 00:33:12.440
 a difference in your life?

00:33:12.500 --> 00:33:13.360
 Because sometimes

00:33:13.360 --> 00:33:14.380
 the people that applaud you

00:33:14.380 --> 00:33:14.980
 the very next day,

00:33:15.039 --> 00:33:15.460
 they're going to say,

00:33:15.539 --> 00:33:16.279
 crucify Him.

00:33:17.120 --> 00:33:17.820
 We already saw that.

00:33:17.960 --> 00:33:18.980
 Jesus is our example.

00:33:20.660 --> 00:33:22.080
 As we come to verse 5 and 6,

00:33:22.180 --> 00:33:23.640
 our closing verses here,

00:33:23.640 --> 00:33:25.440
 Peter tells us why

00:33:25.440 --> 00:33:28.140
 we can and should live

00:33:28.140 --> 00:33:29.840
 the way that he calls us to,

00:33:29.900 --> 00:33:30.880
 that we should live for Christ.

00:33:31.460 --> 00:33:32.759
 See, the people that speak

00:33:32.759 --> 00:33:33.620
 evil of you,

00:33:33.840 --> 00:33:35.120
 the people that ridicule you

00:33:35.120 --> 00:33:36.020
 and criticize you

00:33:36.020 --> 00:33:36.960
 for following Christ,

00:33:37.420 --> 00:33:38.600
 here's what they don't get,

00:33:38.780 --> 00:33:39.500
 the last word.

00:33:40.380 --> 00:33:40.800
 You know who gets

00:33:40.800 --> 00:33:41.360
 the last word?

00:33:41.960 --> 00:33:42.280
 God.

00:33:43.860 --> 00:33:44.640
 Everybody's going to stand

00:33:44.640 --> 00:33:45.120
 before Him.

00:33:45.759 --> 00:33:46.500
 They're not going to be able

00:33:46.500 --> 00:33:47.240
 to plead their case.

00:33:47.320 --> 00:33:49.060
 No, He has the last word.

00:33:49.059 --> 00:33:49.099
 God.

00:33:50.039 --> 00:33:51.700
 And He's the final judge

00:33:51.700 --> 00:33:53.039
 and that changes everything.

00:33:53.779 --> 00:33:55.679
 And because we belong to Christ,

00:33:56.119 --> 00:33:56.879
 lastly,

00:33:57.139 --> 00:33:58.539
 we live in the light

00:33:58.539 --> 00:33:59.480
 of the final judgment.

00:34:00.859 --> 00:34:01.759
 Peter's brought this up

00:34:01.759 --> 00:34:02.460
 over and over again,

00:34:02.480 --> 00:34:03.179
 but look at verse 5.

00:34:03.240 --> 00:34:04.339
 We'll read verse 5 and 6 again.

00:34:05.059 --> 00:34:06.700
 Who shall give an account

00:34:06.700 --> 00:34:07.779
 to him that is ready

00:34:07.779 --> 00:34:09.039
 to judge the quick and the dead?

00:34:10.199 --> 00:34:11.500
 For, for this cause

00:34:11.500 --> 00:34:12.440
 was the gospel preached

00:34:12.440 --> 00:34:13.559
 also to them that are dead,

00:34:13.659 --> 00:34:14.840
 that they might be judged

00:34:14.840 --> 00:34:17.420
 according to men in the flesh,

00:34:17.420 --> 00:34:18.920
 but live according to God

00:34:18.920 --> 00:34:20.019
 in the Spirit.

00:34:21.280 --> 00:34:22.139
 So really, Peter's kind of

00:34:22.139 --> 00:34:22.960
 shifting our attention

00:34:22.960 --> 00:34:24.180
 from what people are saying

00:34:24.180 --> 00:34:24.800
 about us

00:34:24.800 --> 00:34:26.440
 to what ultimately

00:34:26.440 --> 00:34:27.639
 God will say about everyone.

00:34:28.900 --> 00:34:30.820
 That the world may look at us

00:34:30.820 --> 00:34:31.500
 as Christians

00:34:31.500 --> 00:34:33.519
 and those that follow Christ

00:34:33.519 --> 00:34:35.019
 and those that refuse

00:34:35.019 --> 00:34:36.220
 to run with the world anymore

00:34:36.220 --> 00:34:37.220
 and they'll think this,

00:34:37.420 --> 00:34:38.460
 man, what a waste.

00:34:39.579 --> 00:34:41.420
 They are wasting their life.

00:34:42.099 --> 00:34:42.980
 I mean, they bought into

00:34:42.980 --> 00:34:43.860
 this fairy tale.

00:34:44.119 --> 00:34:45.019
 I mean, this is a crutch

00:34:45.019 --> 00:34:45.599
 for the weak-minded.

00:34:45.800 --> 00:34:46.680
 I mean, we used to have

00:34:46.680 --> 00:34:47.180
 so much fun

00:34:47.179 --> 00:34:47.919
 and now look at them.

00:34:48.379 --> 00:34:49.139
 I mean, they're going to church

00:34:49.139 --> 00:34:50.000
 on a Sunday night.

00:34:50.079 --> 00:34:50.799
 What a weirdo.

00:34:51.659 --> 00:34:52.759
 You may have heard that.

00:34:54.919 --> 00:34:56.179
 But Peter reminds us,

00:34:56.859 --> 00:34:59.139
 not only they will,

00:34:59.239 --> 00:34:59.739
 but you will.

00:34:59.799 --> 00:35:00.500
 We're all going to stand

00:35:00.500 --> 00:35:01.019
 before God

00:35:01.019 --> 00:35:02.739
 and that everybody's

00:35:02.739 --> 00:35:03.339
 going to have an account.

00:35:04.099 --> 00:35:04.759
 And God's ready.

00:35:05.639 --> 00:35:06.579
 He's not going to throw God off.

00:35:06.639 --> 00:35:07.899
 No, everything in this world

00:35:07.899 --> 00:35:09.099
 is working on his timetable.

00:35:09.659 --> 00:35:10.259
 And the Bible says

00:35:10.259 --> 00:35:12.059
 he is ready to judge

00:35:12.059 --> 00:35:13.419
 the quick and the dead.

00:35:14.399 --> 00:35:15.980
 I mean, the idea is this.

00:35:15.980 --> 00:35:17.400
 Nobody escapes it.

00:35:18.199 --> 00:35:19.719
 It's all-encompassing.

00:35:20.039 --> 00:35:21.539
 The living will give an account.

00:35:22.000 --> 00:35:23.440
 The dead will give an account.

00:35:23.699 --> 00:35:24.820
 Those who follow Christ

00:35:24.820 --> 00:35:25.619
 will stand before him.

00:35:25.880 --> 00:35:27.400
 Those who reject Christ,

00:35:27.599 --> 00:35:28.599
 at some point,

00:35:28.719 --> 00:35:29.900
 we are all going to stand

00:35:29.900 --> 00:35:30.400
 before the Lord.

00:35:31.139 --> 00:35:31.960
 In the book of Revelation,

00:35:32.039 --> 00:35:32.900
 there's different judgments.

00:35:33.079 --> 00:35:34.199
 There's one where Christians stand

00:35:34.199 --> 00:35:34.920
 and give an account

00:35:34.920 --> 00:35:35.840
 for how we lived.

00:35:36.179 --> 00:35:36.659
 But there's also

00:35:36.659 --> 00:35:37.780
 the great white throne judgment

00:35:37.780 --> 00:35:38.820
 where everybody's going to stand

00:35:38.820 --> 00:35:39.340
 before the Lord

00:35:39.340 --> 00:35:40.400
 and give an account

00:35:40.400 --> 00:35:41.900
 and realize it.

00:35:42.300 --> 00:35:42.640
 And really,

00:35:42.780 --> 00:35:43.720
 the idea in verse number five

00:35:43.720 --> 00:35:44.860
 is this life

00:35:44.860 --> 00:35:46.500
 is not all there is.

00:35:47.300 --> 00:35:47.960
 We're not living

00:35:47.960 --> 00:35:48.640
 for the here and now.

00:35:49.600 --> 00:35:51.120
 Because the ones that run

00:35:51.120 --> 00:35:51.920
 and do all these things

00:35:51.920 --> 00:35:52.500
 and maybe the things

00:35:52.500 --> 00:35:53.100
 we used to do,

00:35:53.320 --> 00:35:54.000
 here's the mindset.

00:35:54.380 --> 00:35:55.420
 Eat, drink, and be merry

00:35:55.420 --> 00:35:56.539
 for tomorrow we die.

00:35:57.400 --> 00:35:58.360
 We've already seen that

00:35:58.360 --> 00:35:59.519
 in Luke's gospel.

00:35:59.860 --> 00:36:00.620
 And here's what God says,

00:36:00.680 --> 00:36:01.180
 thou fool.

00:36:02.320 --> 00:36:03.920
 There's much more to life

00:36:03.920 --> 00:36:06.700
 than just the 75, 80, 90 years

00:36:06.700 --> 00:36:07.740
 that we might have.

00:36:07.739 --> 00:36:10.259
 See, the world can look at us

00:36:10.259 --> 00:36:10.679
 and think,

00:36:10.779 --> 00:36:12.279
 I can't believe

00:36:12.279 --> 00:36:13.079
 they would do that.

00:36:14.419 --> 00:36:15.059
 But Peter says,

00:36:15.159 --> 00:36:16.000
 why don't we just wait

00:36:16.000 --> 00:36:16.639
 until eternity

00:36:16.639 --> 00:36:17.619
 before you decide

00:36:17.619 --> 00:36:18.959
 whose life was wasted?

00:36:20.259 --> 00:36:21.019
 Because at times,

00:36:21.079 --> 00:36:21.579
 it does.

00:36:22.219 --> 00:36:23.079
 Even as Christians,

00:36:23.239 --> 00:36:23.959
 even knowing it,

00:36:24.119 --> 00:36:24.699
 we look around

00:36:24.699 --> 00:36:25.179
 and we think,

00:36:25.659 --> 00:36:26.699
 am I doing the right thing?

00:36:27.539 --> 00:36:27.759
 I mean,

00:36:27.779 --> 00:36:28.519
 read the book of Psalms.

00:36:28.639 --> 00:36:28.779
 I mean,

00:36:28.799 --> 00:36:29.599
 if you've had those thoughts,

00:36:29.659 --> 00:36:30.099
 it's okay.

00:36:30.679 --> 00:36:31.419
 Because the psalmist says,

00:36:31.459 --> 00:36:31.959
 I look around

00:36:31.959 --> 00:36:32.739
 and how long

00:36:32.739 --> 00:36:33.699
 is the heathen going to rage?

00:36:34.139 --> 00:36:34.939
 How long are they going

00:36:34.939 --> 00:36:35.879
 to have everything they want?

00:36:36.059 --> 00:36:36.559
 I'm over here

00:36:36.559 --> 00:36:37.299
 trying to serve the Lord

00:36:37.300 --> 00:36:38.460
 and David's living in a cave.

00:36:39.019 --> 00:36:39.660
 He's supposed to be

00:36:39.660 --> 00:36:40.440
 the king of Israel

00:36:40.440 --> 00:36:41.539
 and he's on the run

00:36:41.539 --> 00:36:42.320
 for his life.

00:36:42.760 --> 00:36:44.160
 How long are the wicked

00:36:44.160 --> 00:36:45.400
 going to prosper, Lord?

00:36:45.760 --> 00:36:46.680
 And we begin to look

00:36:46.680 --> 00:36:47.320
 at the same thing.

00:36:47.420 --> 00:36:47.780
 Peter's saying,

00:36:47.940 --> 00:36:49.640
 I know it feels like that sometimes,

00:36:49.820 --> 00:36:51.400
 but just settle in your mind.

00:36:51.720 --> 00:36:52.320
 Arm yourselves

00:36:52.320 --> 00:36:52.840
 with the truth

00:36:52.840 --> 00:36:54.200
 that God is coming again

00:36:54.200 --> 00:36:55.340
 and that we are going

00:36:55.340 --> 00:36:56.260
 to stand before him.

00:36:56.760 --> 00:36:57.680
 And because a life

00:36:57.680 --> 00:36:58.740
 lived for pleasure

00:36:58.740 --> 00:36:59.640
 and acceptance

00:36:59.640 --> 00:37:00.640
 and possessions

00:37:00.640 --> 00:37:01.660
 and self,

00:37:01.820 --> 00:37:02.700
 it might look

00:37:02.700 --> 00:37:04.260
 super successful right now.

00:37:04.260 --> 00:37:05.500
 It might look like

00:37:05.500 --> 00:37:06.540
 they got the whole world

00:37:06.540 --> 00:37:07.560
 at their hands,

00:37:07.720 --> 00:37:08.560
 but if it's lived

00:37:08.560 --> 00:37:09.280
 without Christ,

00:37:09.500 --> 00:37:10.300
 what happens

00:37:10.300 --> 00:37:10.980
 to that person

00:37:10.980 --> 00:37:11.680
 when he stands

00:37:11.680 --> 00:37:12.200
 before God?

00:37:13.820 --> 00:37:15.060
 Jesus said it like this,

00:37:15.980 --> 00:37:16.860
 what shall it profit

00:37:16.860 --> 00:37:17.280
 a man

00:37:17.280 --> 00:37:18.560
 if he gains

00:37:18.560 --> 00:37:19.740
 the whole world

00:37:19.740 --> 00:37:20.800
 and loses

00:37:20.800 --> 00:37:21.540
 his own soul?

00:37:22.640 --> 00:37:22.900
 I mean,

00:37:22.940 --> 00:37:23.440
 it's not he

00:37:23.440 --> 00:37:24.340
 with the most toys

00:37:24.340 --> 00:37:25.800
 wins when they die.

00:37:26.000 --> 00:37:26.780
 No, it's who knows

00:37:26.780 --> 00:37:27.580
 Jesus Christ.

00:37:28.640 --> 00:37:29.060
 And then we come

00:37:29.060 --> 00:37:29.820
 to verse number six

00:37:29.820 --> 00:37:30.940
 and Peter just,

00:37:31.160 --> 00:37:32.080
 I guess he just likes,

00:37:32.200 --> 00:37:32.740
 he's going to throw

00:37:32.739 --> 00:37:33.459
 these verses in

00:37:33.459 --> 00:37:34.379
 for the rest of this book.

00:37:34.979 --> 00:37:35.439
 We look at it

00:37:35.439 --> 00:37:35.639
 and we're like,

00:37:35.719 --> 00:37:36.979
 what is he talking about?

00:37:38.000 --> 00:37:38.739
 For this cause

00:37:38.739 --> 00:37:39.319
 was the gospel

00:37:39.319 --> 00:37:40.059
 also preached

00:37:40.059 --> 00:37:40.799
 to them that are dead

00:37:40.799 --> 00:37:41.819
 that they might be judged

00:37:41.819 --> 00:37:42.879
 according to men

00:37:42.879 --> 00:37:43.359
 in the flesh

00:37:43.359 --> 00:37:44.039
 but live according

00:37:44.039 --> 00:37:44.979
 to God in the spirit.

00:37:46.219 --> 00:37:47.079
 We kind of mentioned

00:37:47.079 --> 00:37:47.679
 a little bit of this,

00:37:47.719 --> 00:37:48.439
 he dealt with a little bit

00:37:48.439 --> 00:37:48.819
 last week.

00:37:49.159 --> 00:37:50.339
 Peter is not teaching

00:37:50.339 --> 00:37:51.839
 that people receive

00:37:51.839 --> 00:37:52.659
 another opportunity

00:37:52.659 --> 00:37:53.779
 to hear the gospel

00:37:53.779 --> 00:37:55.159
 and to repent

00:37:55.159 --> 00:37:55.899
 after they die.

00:37:56.539 --> 00:37:57.599
 We already saw that

00:37:57.599 --> 00:37:58.500
 with the rich man

00:37:58.500 --> 00:37:59.199
 and Lazarus.

00:37:59.879 --> 00:38:00.899
 That Jesus was there

00:38:00.899 --> 00:38:01.779
 but there was

00:38:01.779 --> 00:38:02.559
 a great goal fixed.

00:38:02.559 --> 00:38:04.299
 The time has passed.

00:38:05.739 --> 00:38:06.779
 But what he is saying

00:38:06.779 --> 00:38:07.559
 is the gospel,

00:38:07.799 --> 00:38:08.880
 it was preached.

00:38:09.480 --> 00:38:10.159
 It was preached

00:38:10.159 --> 00:38:10.799
 to these people

00:38:10.799 --> 00:38:11.820
 while they were alive

00:38:11.820 --> 00:38:13.299
 and they heard the gospel

00:38:13.299 --> 00:38:15.079
 and particularly

00:38:15.079 --> 00:38:15.579
 in this one,

00:38:15.799 --> 00:38:16.840
 they believed the gospel

00:38:16.840 --> 00:38:17.940
 and since then

00:38:17.940 --> 00:38:18.559
 they've died.

00:38:19.539 --> 00:38:20.039
 And that raised

00:38:20.039 --> 00:38:21.099
 a very real question

00:38:21.099 --> 00:38:22.460
 for these suffering believers.

00:38:23.139 --> 00:38:23.840
 You have to remember

00:38:23.840 --> 00:38:24.860
 the New Testament,

00:38:24.980 --> 00:38:25.659
 the Bible has not

00:38:25.659 --> 00:38:26.299
 been completed

00:38:26.299 --> 00:38:26.900
 at this point.

00:38:27.440 --> 00:38:27.900
 They don't have

00:38:27.900 --> 00:38:28.559
 all these books

00:38:29.279 --> 00:38:29.840
 in the New Testament

00:38:29.840 --> 00:38:30.619
 to cross reference

00:38:30.619 --> 00:38:32.339
 and they're hearing

00:38:32.339 --> 00:38:33.239
 all of these things.

00:38:33.359 --> 00:38:34.119
 Well, if you die

00:38:34.119 --> 00:38:35.179
 before Jesus comes back

00:38:35.179 --> 00:38:35.539
 then you're going

00:38:35.539 --> 00:38:35.980
 to miss them.

00:38:36.559 --> 00:38:37.199
 That's why Paul

00:38:37.199 --> 00:38:37.679
 had to write

00:38:37.679 --> 00:38:38.460
 in 1 Thessalonians

00:38:38.460 --> 00:38:38.960
 that he didn't want

00:38:38.960 --> 00:38:39.619
 us to be ignorant

00:38:39.619 --> 00:38:41.079
 of those that were asleep.

00:38:41.400 --> 00:38:42.279
 Those that are asleep

00:38:42.279 --> 00:38:42.960
 they're not going to miss

00:38:42.960 --> 00:38:44.019
 when Jesus comes back.

00:38:44.839 --> 00:38:45.839
 And here's what he's saying

00:38:45.839 --> 00:38:47.199
 essentially in verse number 6.

00:38:47.480 --> 00:38:48.839
 If they believed the gospel

00:38:48.839 --> 00:38:50.059
 and they still died,

00:38:50.339 --> 00:38:51.759
 the thought of the day was

00:38:51.759 --> 00:38:53.460
 what did the gospel accomplish?

00:38:53.460 --> 00:38:56.780
 If they lived their whole life

00:38:56.780 --> 00:38:58.659
 and they didn't live

00:38:58.659 --> 00:38:59.619
 in sin and wickedness

00:38:59.619 --> 00:39:00.599
 and they still died

00:39:00.599 --> 00:39:01.579
 then what's the point of it?

00:39:02.780 --> 00:39:03.840
 What's going to happen?

00:39:05.240 --> 00:39:06.420
 And Peter's just saying this

00:39:06.420 --> 00:39:07.139
 in verse number 6.

00:39:07.619 --> 00:39:08.460
 Death didn't win.

00:39:09.760 --> 00:39:10.780
 Because when we see death

00:39:10.780 --> 00:39:11.380
 even today,

00:39:11.480 --> 00:39:12.619
 even knowing it sometimes,

00:39:12.940 --> 00:39:13.699
 we look and think

00:39:13.699 --> 00:39:14.559
 death won.

00:39:15.559 --> 00:39:16.740
 Well, death thought it won

00:39:16.740 --> 00:39:18.420
 until somebody walked out

00:39:18.420 --> 00:39:19.820
 of a grave after three days.

00:39:20.440 --> 00:39:21.380
 And death lost.

00:39:22.079 --> 00:39:22.579
 That's why in the book

00:39:22.579 --> 00:39:23.319
 of Revelation he says

00:39:23.319 --> 00:39:24.299
 I have the keys to death,

00:39:24.400 --> 00:39:25.299
 hell, and the grave.

00:39:25.759 --> 00:39:26.719
 That our greatest enemy

00:39:26.719 --> 00:39:28.139
 is no longer an enemy.

00:39:28.480 --> 00:39:29.659
 It's under the subjection

00:39:29.659 --> 00:39:30.500
 of Jesus Christ.

00:39:30.639 --> 00:39:32.079
 And because of his victory,

00:39:32.279 --> 00:39:33.319
 if we know him

00:39:33.319 --> 00:39:34.340
 and we're in Christ,

00:39:34.460 --> 00:39:35.679
 we have that victory

00:39:35.679 --> 00:39:36.500
 in our life.

00:39:36.900 --> 00:39:37.539
 And he's saying,

00:39:37.599 --> 00:39:38.500
 listen, I know you have

00:39:38.500 --> 00:39:39.159
 loved ones that have

00:39:39.159 --> 00:39:39.699
 gone on before

00:39:39.699 --> 00:39:40.360
 and it seems like,

00:39:40.420 --> 00:39:40.980
 man, they just wasted

00:39:40.980 --> 00:39:41.239
 their life.

00:39:41.440 --> 00:39:42.559
 They didn't.

00:39:42.940 --> 00:39:43.519
 They're going to stand

00:39:43.519 --> 00:39:44.179
 before the Lord one day

00:39:44.179 --> 00:39:44.500
 and they're going to be

00:39:44.500 --> 00:39:45.340
 rewarded for that.

00:39:45.639 --> 00:39:46.679
 And there's a crown of life

00:39:46.679 --> 00:39:47.319
 for those that are

00:39:47.319 --> 00:39:48.219
 looking for that.

00:39:48.319 --> 00:39:49.400
 And they may have been

00:39:49.400 --> 00:39:50.299
 judged according to men

00:39:50.299 --> 00:39:50.840
 in the flesh.

00:39:51.739 --> 00:39:52.500
 But here's what they are.

00:39:52.559 --> 00:39:53.480
 They're alive to God

00:39:53.480 --> 00:39:53.960
 in the spirit.

00:39:54.679 --> 00:39:55.860
 The world looked at them

00:39:55.860 --> 00:39:57.239
 and looked at their suffering

00:39:57.239 --> 00:39:58.099
 and even in their death

00:39:58.099 --> 00:39:58.659
 and they concluded,

00:39:58.980 --> 00:39:59.619
 see, I told you,

00:39:59.860 --> 00:40:00.880
 Jesus wasn't worth it.

00:40:01.719 --> 00:40:02.539
 I mean, that poor person,

00:40:02.579 --> 00:40:03.199
 they didn't do anything.

00:40:03.280 --> 00:40:03.940
 They didn't have any fun

00:40:03.940 --> 00:40:04.840
 in life and now they're dead.

00:40:05.079 --> 00:40:06.800
 What a waste of a life.

00:40:09.280 --> 00:40:10.599
 But God says right here,

00:40:11.219 --> 00:40:12.880
 no, that's a life well lived.

00:40:14.380 --> 00:40:15.440
 God says otherwise.

00:40:16.440 --> 00:40:17.139
 And this would have been

00:40:17.139 --> 00:40:18.219
 deeply encouraging

00:40:18.219 --> 00:40:19.539
 to Peter's readers.

00:40:19.539 --> 00:40:21.980
 many of them

00:40:21.980 --> 00:40:22.699
 would have been suffering.

00:40:24.440 --> 00:40:25.539
 Probably many or more

00:40:25.539 --> 00:40:26.659
 would suffer even more.

00:40:28.079 --> 00:40:29.079
 The Roman government

00:40:29.079 --> 00:40:30.360
 is only increasing

00:40:30.360 --> 00:40:31.199
 its persecution

00:40:31.199 --> 00:40:32.179
 on the Christians

00:40:32.179 --> 00:40:32.800
 at this time.

00:40:33.099 --> 00:40:34.340
 And some that might have

00:40:34.340 --> 00:40:35.099
 read this letter

00:40:35.099 --> 00:40:37.239
 in the early church

00:40:37.239 --> 00:40:38.320
 might have died

00:40:38.320 --> 00:40:39.800
 just because they belong

00:40:39.800 --> 00:40:40.320
 to Jesus.

00:40:40.320 --> 00:40:43.559
 And he says,

00:40:43.640 --> 00:40:44.220
 listen, I just want

00:40:44.220 --> 00:40:44.600
 to remind you,

00:40:44.660 --> 00:40:45.440
 if that happens,

00:40:46.080 --> 00:40:47.039
 it's still worth it.

00:40:47.720 --> 00:40:48.900
 Your life's not wasted.

00:40:49.519 --> 00:40:50.420
 The death doesn't get

00:40:50.420 --> 00:40:51.059
 the last word.

00:40:51.260 --> 00:40:52.220
 The world doesn't get

00:40:52.220 --> 00:40:52.900
 the last word.

00:40:53.100 --> 00:40:54.039
 Your critics don't get

00:40:54.039 --> 00:40:54.640
 the last word.

00:40:55.019 --> 00:40:57.100
 God gets the last word.

00:40:58.200 --> 00:40:59.280
 That's what he's saying

00:40:59.280 --> 00:41:00.240
 here in verse number six.

00:41:01.400 --> 00:41:02.220
 And for the person

00:41:02.220 --> 00:41:03.620
 who belongs to Jesus Christ,

00:41:03.800 --> 00:41:04.720
 that means we have

00:41:04.720 --> 00:41:05.519
 nothing to fear.

00:41:06.580 --> 00:41:08.039
 We don't have to fear death.

00:41:08.519 --> 00:41:09.259
 That's why Jesus says,

00:41:09.699 --> 00:41:10.440
 don't fear them

00:41:10.440 --> 00:41:11.539
 that can kill the body.

00:41:12.380 --> 00:41:13.340
 Fear him that can

00:41:13.340 --> 00:41:14.039
 kill the soul.

00:41:14.940 --> 00:41:15.779
 Fear him that has

00:41:15.779 --> 00:41:17.219
 the last word.

00:41:17.519 --> 00:41:18.320
 That's what Jesus

00:41:18.320 --> 00:41:19.099
 is talking about.

00:41:19.400 --> 00:41:20.699
 But because Jesus suffered

00:41:20.699 --> 00:41:21.519
 and he's risen

00:41:21.519 --> 00:41:22.380
 and he's conquered

00:41:22.380 --> 00:41:23.480
 and we belong to him,

00:41:23.599 --> 00:41:24.659
 our story doesn't end

00:41:24.659 --> 00:41:25.179
 in a grave.

00:41:25.679 --> 00:41:26.219
 It doesn't end

00:41:26.219 --> 00:41:26.960
 in a casket.

00:41:27.279 --> 00:41:29.059
 No, no, we're going home

00:41:29.059 --> 00:41:30.039
 to our heavenly father.

00:41:30.320 --> 00:41:31.320
 And if he's gone

00:41:31.320 --> 00:41:32.380
 to prepare a place for us,

00:41:32.519 --> 00:41:33.539
 he will come again.

00:41:34.019 --> 00:41:35.119
 Let not your heart

00:41:35.119 --> 00:41:35.619
 be troubled.

00:41:35.800 --> 00:41:37.019
 That's what Peter is saying.

00:41:37.019 --> 00:41:38.500
 That's what he's reminding them.

00:41:38.739 --> 00:41:40.019
 And Peter began this passage

00:41:40.019 --> 00:41:40.559
 by saying, hey,

00:41:40.880 --> 00:41:41.800
 arm yourselves

00:41:41.800 --> 00:41:42.639
 with this truth.

00:41:45.099 --> 00:41:46.619
 Because following Jesus,

00:41:46.739 --> 00:41:47.320
 you know what it's going

00:41:47.320 --> 00:41:47.780
 to cost you?

00:41:47.960 --> 00:41:48.940
 It's going to cost you greatly.

00:41:50.579 --> 00:41:51.539
 Living differently

00:41:51.539 --> 00:41:53.659
 is going to cause people

00:41:53.659 --> 00:41:55.619
 to misunderstand you.

00:41:56.639 --> 00:41:57.800
 I'd imagine most of us

00:41:57.800 --> 00:41:58.639
 have had that

00:41:58.639 --> 00:41:59.599
 in some form or fashion.

00:42:00.219 --> 00:42:00.960
 They don't understand

00:42:00.960 --> 00:42:02.380
 why we take it so seriously.

00:42:03.980 --> 00:42:05.119
 Obedience to Jesus,

00:42:05.119 --> 00:42:06.299
 it might mean

00:42:06.299 --> 00:42:07.920
 leaving behind things

00:42:07.920 --> 00:42:09.299
 you once enjoyed.

00:42:10.159 --> 00:42:11.380
 It might be separating

00:42:11.380 --> 00:42:11.940
 from people

00:42:11.940 --> 00:42:13.519
 that you once ran with.

00:42:14.119 --> 00:42:15.039
 And it's going to be hard

00:42:15.039 --> 00:42:17.239
 because that was your life.

00:42:18.980 --> 00:42:20.239
 But none of that

00:42:20.239 --> 00:42:21.319
 changes the fact,

00:42:21.460 --> 00:42:22.799
 the question Peter

00:42:22.799 --> 00:42:23.420
 puts before us,

00:42:23.799 --> 00:42:24.799
 what are you doing

00:42:24.799 --> 00:42:26.119
 with the rest of your time?

00:42:27.219 --> 00:42:28.019
 Because you're not

00:42:28.019 --> 00:42:30.119
 a slave to sin anymore.

00:42:31.239 --> 00:42:31.960
 You don't have to stop

00:42:31.960 --> 00:42:32.519
 looking back

00:42:32.519 --> 00:42:33.000
 and wishing you

00:42:33.000 --> 00:42:33.760
 made better decisions.

00:42:34.260 --> 00:42:35.360
 Live for Christ today.

00:42:36.579 --> 00:42:37.420
 Decide tonight

00:42:37.420 --> 00:42:37.920
 that, hey,

00:42:37.980 --> 00:42:38.900
 tomorrow at school

00:42:38.900 --> 00:42:39.900
 I'm taking a stand

00:42:39.900 --> 00:42:40.400
 for Christ.

00:42:40.699 --> 00:42:41.380
 Tomorrow at school

00:42:41.380 --> 00:42:42.219
 when they're talking

00:42:42.219 --> 00:42:43.360
 about things in the locker room

00:42:43.360 --> 00:42:43.719
 and they're using

00:42:43.719 --> 00:42:44.199
 the language they shouldn't,

00:42:44.320 --> 00:42:44.880
 I'm going to take

00:42:44.880 --> 00:42:45.539
 a stand for Christ

00:42:45.539 --> 00:42:46.000
 instead of just

00:42:46.000 --> 00:42:47.480
 shrinking to the background.

00:42:48.500 --> 00:42:49.000
 And that's not just

00:42:49.000 --> 00:42:49.500
 in the locker room.

00:42:49.539 --> 00:42:50.000
 I imagine it's

00:42:50.000 --> 00:42:50.880
 at your workplace too.

00:42:52.019 --> 00:42:52.719
 That we're around

00:42:52.719 --> 00:42:53.219
 people all the time.

00:42:53.260 --> 00:42:53.699
 It doesn't mean

00:42:53.699 --> 00:42:54.960
 that we're just

00:42:54.960 --> 00:42:56.639
 pushing the gospel

00:42:56.639 --> 00:42:57.440
 down everybody's throat.

00:42:57.699 --> 00:42:58.280
 No, but we're living

00:42:58.280 --> 00:42:59.139
 a life that shows,

00:42:59.300 --> 00:43:00.139
 hey, I belong to Christ.

00:43:00.139 --> 00:43:00.279
 Christ.

00:43:00.819 --> 00:43:01.839
 And it's going to

00:43:01.839 --> 00:43:03.319
 create some situations

00:43:03.319 --> 00:43:03.879
 in our life.

00:43:05.339 --> 00:43:06.359
 Because there's just

00:43:06.359 --> 00:43:07.719
 two parts of everybody's life.

00:43:08.460 --> 00:43:09.500
 The time in the past

00:43:09.500 --> 00:43:10.839
 and the time remaining.

00:43:11.679 --> 00:43:12.379
 That's really what

00:43:12.379 --> 00:43:13.119
 Peter draws out

00:43:13.119 --> 00:43:13.659
 in these verses.

00:43:15.779 --> 00:43:16.519
 Maybe there are

00:43:16.519 --> 00:43:17.739
 things that you wish

00:43:17.739 --> 00:43:18.279
 you could change

00:43:18.279 --> 00:43:18.879
 but you can't.

00:43:19.779 --> 00:43:20.759
 Times that you wish

00:43:20.759 --> 00:43:21.460
 you could have back

00:43:21.460 --> 00:43:22.239
 but you're not

00:43:22.239 --> 00:43:22.799
 going to get them back.

00:43:24.440 --> 00:43:24.759
 I mean,

00:43:24.819 --> 00:43:25.679
 maybe sin took

00:43:25.679 --> 00:43:26.579
 more of your life

00:43:26.579 --> 00:43:27.319
 than you ever

00:43:27.319 --> 00:43:28.199
 intended to give it.

00:43:28.199 --> 00:43:30.519
 But praise the Lord

00:43:30.519 --> 00:43:32.599
 as the book

00:43:32.599 --> 00:43:33.500
 of Lamentations tells us,

00:43:33.719 --> 00:43:34.659
 His mercies are new

00:43:34.659 --> 00:43:35.239
 every morning.

00:43:36.460 --> 00:43:37.480
 That you have today.

00:43:38.759 --> 00:43:39.679
 And if you wake up

00:43:39.679 --> 00:43:40.339
 tomorrow breathing,

00:43:40.879 --> 00:43:41.619
 you have tomorrow.

00:43:42.859 --> 00:43:43.639
 That we need to make

00:43:43.639 --> 00:43:45.019
 the most of the time

00:43:45.019 --> 00:43:46.879
 that we have remaining.

00:43:48.019 --> 00:43:49.039
 Leave you with this thought.

00:43:49.719 --> 00:43:51.199
 You can't change the past

00:43:51.199 --> 00:43:52.739
 but you can give God

00:43:52.739 --> 00:43:53.239
 the rest.

00:43:54.239 --> 00:43:56.059
 And a life lived

00:43:56.059 --> 00:43:56.960
 for Christ

00:43:56.960 --> 00:43:58.880
 is never wasted.

00:43:59.900 --> 00:44:00.639
 Would we get a hold

00:44:00.639 --> 00:44:01.219
 of that truth

00:44:01.219 --> 00:44:03.119
 and take it home with us,

00:44:03.480 --> 00:44:04.639
 take it to school with us,

00:44:04.940 --> 00:44:06.000
 take it to work with us

00:44:06.000 --> 00:44:06.619
 and realize,

00:44:06.880 --> 00:44:07.900
 I'm living for Christ.

00:44:08.460 --> 00:44:09.159
 I'm not living

00:44:09.159 --> 00:44:10.059
 for the world's applause

00:44:10.059 --> 00:44:10.920
 or their approval.

00:44:11.279 --> 00:44:12.179
 I'm not trying to meet

00:44:12.179 --> 00:44:12.840
 their standards.

00:44:13.139 --> 00:44:14.659
 No, I'm just pressing

00:44:14.659 --> 00:44:15.480
 towards the mark

00:44:15.480 --> 00:44:17.079
 that's Jesus Christ.

00:44:17.779 --> 00:44:18.639
 And would He help us

00:44:18.639 --> 00:44:19.279
 to live that way?

00:44:19.360 --> 00:44:19.779
 Would we stand

00:44:19.779 --> 00:44:20.599
 with our heads bowed in?

00:44:20.599 --> 00:44:50.579
 Thank you.