WEBVTT 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:04.940 We live in a time when God's people desperately need to repent of their sin and turn back to him. 00:00:05.900 --> 00:00:19.000 The spiritual climate of America is one of decay, where many people are religious, but very few are disciples of Christ, embracing the high cost of the grace that's been given to them. 00:00:19.000 --> 00:00:30.939 We live in a day when evangelical Christians question the very basic doctrines of the Bible and lead untold thousands away from the cross of Christ in so doing. 00:00:32.079 --> 00:00:34.320 America needs revival. 00:00:35.480 --> 00:00:36.400 We need revival. 00:00:37.760 --> 00:00:48.620 We need to abandon our pettiness and our comfort, the worship of stuff and ourselves in order to fix our gaze fully on Christ. 00:00:49.240 --> 00:00:52.820 And subsequently, the mission that he's given us to the world. 00:00:54.299 --> 00:01:06.920 And that's why I believe that we've been led by God to study Paul's letter to the Romans, because the good news of Jesus Christ is what we need to hear to restore our affections for him. 00:01:08.120 --> 00:01:14.799 And it is the good news of Jesus Christ that this world needs to have peace with God and the salvation of their souls. 00:01:14.799 --> 00:01:22.959 Paul gives us the theme of his letter to the Romans in chapter one, verses 16 and 17. 00:01:23.060 --> 00:01:25.319 Let me ask you to turn there if you're not already. 00:01:26.959 --> 00:01:28.539 Paul writes in verse 16. 00:01:28.540 --> 00:01:40.960 For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes to the Jew first and also to the Greek. 00:01:41.500 --> 00:01:46.320 For in it, the righteousness of God is revealed from faith for faith. 00:01:46.360 --> 00:01:50.940 As it is written, the righteous shall live by faith. 00:01:51.760 --> 00:01:54.260 So there's the theme for us of the book of Romans. 00:01:54.260 --> 00:01:56.359 It is the gospel. 00:01:57.800 --> 00:02:07.620 An anonymous poet wrote this great poem that I think reflects pretty accurately what Romans is trying to portray and get across. 00:02:07.620 --> 00:02:18.420 He wrote, oh, long and dark, the stairs I trod with trembling feet to find my God, gaining a foothold bit by bit, then slipping back and losing it. 00:02:19.180 --> 00:02:28.640 Never progressing, striving still with weakening grasp and faltering will, bleeding to climb to God while he serenely smiled, unnoting me. 00:02:28.639 --> 00:02:35.299 Then came a certain time when I loosened my hold and fell thereby down to the lowest steps. 00:02:35.399 --> 00:02:38.299 My fall is if I had not climbed at all. 00:02:38.639 --> 00:02:51.019 Now, when I lay despairing there, listen, a footfall on the stair on that same stair where I afraid faltered and fell and lay dismayed and low when hope had ceased to be. 00:02:51.239 --> 00:02:54.019 My God came down the stairs to me. 00:02:54.020 --> 00:02:58.200 So we know quite a lot about Paul's life. 00:02:58.320 --> 00:03:00.680 We're going to get into a bit of that later. 00:03:01.219 --> 00:03:04.540 And we know a lot about the occasion and the setting for the book of Romans. 00:03:05.140 --> 00:03:07.520 There's some debate over exactly when it was written. 00:03:08.040 --> 00:03:12.379 You'll either hear late A.D. 57 or early A.D. 58. 00:03:13.020 --> 00:03:14.400 I don't think it really matters. 00:03:14.400 --> 00:03:24.700 We know that he was in Corinth at the time of the writing and he was anticipating going to Rome and actually passing through it to go on to Spain. 00:03:25.560 --> 00:03:29.439 The church in Rome had not been established by any apostle. 00:03:30.240 --> 00:03:38.960 They believe that that Jews who traveled to and were at the day of Pentecost, heard the gospel, received the gospel and went back to Rome. 00:03:38.960 --> 00:03:45.040 And so Paul is coming, writing to them to say, I want to fix some things that are going on with you. 00:03:45.060 --> 00:03:47.080 I want to give to you a synopsis. 00:03:47.140 --> 00:03:55.240 I want to give you a systematic theology so that you have apostolic teaching on which to build your church. 00:03:55.960 --> 00:04:00.219 So he writes a pretty exhaustive presentation of the gospel. 00:04:00.760 --> 00:04:04.120 And I broke it down for you into four sections. 00:04:04.240 --> 00:04:06.260 Roughly, I think these are fairly accurate. 00:04:06.259 --> 00:04:14.799 Firstly, Paul presents our need, humanity's need for justification through faith because of their sin. 00:04:14.899 --> 00:04:26.120 In chapter 118 through 425, he argues that none of us are righteous, that all of us, because of original sin, have no good thing in and of ourselves. 00:04:26.439 --> 00:04:29.459 And therefore, we deserve the just condemnation of God. 00:04:30.180 --> 00:04:35.839 All of us, apart from Christ, stand before God condemned to hell. 00:04:36.259 --> 00:04:39.000 Which does exist, in case you were wondering. 00:04:41.360 --> 00:04:50.639 Secondly, Paul develops the results of justification through faith in terms of both present experience and future hope. 00:04:51.699 --> 00:04:54.939 Chapter 5 through chapter 8, the end of chapter 8. 00:04:54.939 --> 00:05:04.899 So, as we now are Christians, standing in a right place with God, seen as righteous before Him because of the redemptive work of Christ, 00:05:05.399 --> 00:05:11.540 what does that mean both in our present experience, how is it that we experience God and His joy now, 00:05:12.139 --> 00:05:15.560 and what is the hope that is to come as a result? 00:05:15.560 --> 00:05:21.839 Thirdly, Paul expresses sorrow that many Israelites have not accepted the gospel, 00:05:21.980 --> 00:05:28.220 and he wrestles with the theological implications of this fact in chapters 9 through 11. 00:05:28.560 --> 00:05:32.980 There will be some of the more difficult chapters that we'll deal with in our study. 00:05:32.980 --> 00:05:39.720 Fourthly, Paul concludes by describing how the gospel should affect our everyday lives. 00:05:40.140 --> 00:05:47.580 So, not just doctrine for doctrine's sake, but what do we do then with all these great truths that are in Romans? 00:05:48.860 --> 00:05:51.160 So, we believe that if we study this book faithfully, 00:05:51.160 --> 00:05:58.880 the Spirit of God will use our study to yield fruit in our lives and the lives of the souls we contact every day. 00:05:59.980 --> 00:06:03.580 God had used Paul's letter to the Romans in mighty ways in the past. 00:06:04.200 --> 00:06:05.920 In mighty ways in the past. 00:06:06.600 --> 00:06:11.680 In AD 386, a man took up a scroll of the book of Romans and read from it, 00:06:12.160 --> 00:06:14.260 chapter 13, verses 13 and 14. 00:06:15.260 --> 00:06:16.640 He later wrote of the occasion, 00:06:16.639 --> 00:06:32.019 That man was Aurelius Augustine. 00:06:32.360 --> 00:06:34.860 You might know him as Saint Augustine of Hippo. 00:06:35.120 --> 00:06:40.019 He was a great defender of the doctrines of the sovereignty of God and of election. 00:06:41.740 --> 00:06:45.979 A thousand years later, an Augustinian monk was teaching the book of Romans to his students. 00:06:45.980 --> 00:06:49.700 And struggled with the expression found in verse 17, 00:06:50.240 --> 00:06:52.060 The righteousness of God. 00:06:52.879 --> 00:06:55.540 When he finally came to understand it, he wrote, 00:06:56.020 --> 00:06:58.160 The whole of Scripture took on a new meaning. 00:06:58.660 --> 00:07:01.759 And whereas before the righteousness of God had filled me with hate, 00:07:02.100 --> 00:07:06.000 Now it became to me inexpressibly sweet in greater love. 00:07:06.819 --> 00:07:10.520 This passage of Paul became to me a gateway to heaven. 00:07:10.519 --> 00:07:15.240 That guy was Martin Luther, who was the father of the Protestant Reformation. 00:07:15.240 --> 00:07:21.039 Because of his understanding, the biblical doctrine of justification by faith alone. 00:07:21.359 --> 00:07:26.680 We all find our roots in Martin Luther and that movement of God through his life. 00:07:26.680 --> 00:07:33.560 Several centuries later, another man would record the account of his salvation in these words. 00:07:33.560 --> 00:07:37.399 I went very unwillingly to a society in Aldersgate Street, 00:07:37.680 --> 00:07:40.699 Where one was reading Luther's preface to the epistle to the Romans. 00:07:41.439 --> 00:07:46.199 About a quarter before nine, while he was describing the change which God works in the heart through faith in Christ, 00:07:46.560 --> 00:07:48.720 I felt my heart strangely warmed. 00:07:49.480 --> 00:07:52.879 I felt I did trust in Christ, Christ alone for my salvation. 00:07:53.600 --> 00:07:57.560 And an assurance was given to me that had taken me, that he had taken away my sins, 00:07:57.560 --> 00:08:02.220 even mine, and saved me from the law of sin and death. 00:08:03.100 --> 00:08:04.480 And that guy's name was John Wesley. 00:08:05.019 --> 00:08:12.560 And if you know much about his life, you know that thousands and thousands came to Christ as a result of his ministry. 00:08:13.600 --> 00:08:16.180 I'm not trying to say to you that Romans is somehow a magical book. 00:08:16.519 --> 00:08:19.000 That if we spend the next two years studying through it together, 00:08:19.000 --> 00:08:23.579 that God will form a movement in us like he did with his name. 00:08:23.699 --> 00:08:26.079 Because obviously God is the one who does the work. 00:08:26.079 --> 00:08:31.339 But what I do know is that the power of God dwells in his word. 00:08:32.039 --> 00:08:35.679 And if we will study it faithfully, if we will come to it honestly, 00:08:35.779 --> 00:08:37.659 if we will examine our lives by it, 00:08:38.460 --> 00:08:41.259 God will do some work amongst us. 00:08:42.419 --> 00:08:45.079 I long to join this great lineage. 00:08:45.980 --> 00:08:49.059 I would love somewhere down the road, a hundred years from now, 00:08:49.120 --> 00:08:49.819 somebody to say, 00:08:50.840 --> 00:08:53.720 and a church one day studied this book. 00:08:53.720 --> 00:08:58.399 When Christ Family Church studied Romans together, 00:08:58.980 --> 00:09:05.700 there ignited a flame amongst them that spread from their little congregation to North Georgia. 00:09:06.100 --> 00:09:08.920 And we have yet to see that flame be extinguished. 00:09:09.000 --> 00:09:13.980 That's what I want people to say of us as we study through the book of Romans. 00:09:13.980 --> 00:09:18.519 Let's talk a little bit about the man, Paul the man. 00:09:19.360 --> 00:09:22.920 Now you know, if you have read much of your Bible, 00:09:23.039 --> 00:09:25.820 that Paul used to be called Saul. 00:09:27.100 --> 00:09:29.720 And it's always an assumption that Paul's name was changed. 00:09:29.820 --> 00:09:31.779 That somewhere along the way, after his conversion, 00:09:32.000 --> 00:09:34.019 that God gave him a new name, 00:09:34.080 --> 00:09:37.139 much as he had given Abram the name Abraham. 00:09:37.759 --> 00:09:39.399 Do you know that's not actually the case? 00:09:39.399 --> 00:09:43.039 You know that Saul was Paul's Jewish name, 00:09:43.899 --> 00:09:46.799 but that he was also given the Greek name Paul. 00:09:47.500 --> 00:09:51.379 He was named Saul after the king of Israel, Saul. 00:09:51.659 --> 00:09:53.519 So he could be accepted in those circles. 00:09:53.519 --> 00:09:57.360 And he was given the name Paul to be accepted amongst the Gentiles. 00:09:57.559 --> 00:10:02.240 So we see his name transition in Scripture to Paul because of his mission to the Gentiles. 00:10:02.240 --> 00:10:06.159 He began to go by that name to be able to hang out with them. 00:10:06.480 --> 00:10:08.259 I thought that was rather fascinating. 00:10:08.259 --> 00:10:10.220 So I'm just going to use the word Paul. 00:10:10.360 --> 00:10:13.100 Now, just don't be hating me because of that. 00:10:13.700 --> 00:10:18.819 Paul was born to a Roman father and a Jewish mother in the city of Tarsus. 00:10:19.519 --> 00:10:22.519 Tarsus was located on the northeastern coast of the Mediterranean Sea 00:10:22.519 --> 00:10:24.139 in what is now modern-day Turkey 00:10:24.139 --> 00:10:26.620 and was the center of learning and culture. 00:10:27.620 --> 00:10:30.539 Tarsus contained one of the three greatest Roman universities. 00:10:30.539 --> 00:10:35.919 So it was a pretty thriving town, a place where Greek life happened. 00:10:35.919 --> 00:10:41.939 As a boy, Paul was more than likely trained in Greco-Roman literature and logic 00:10:41.939 --> 00:10:44.599 because we see evidence of that in his writing. 00:10:45.299 --> 00:10:47.679 And then probably at the age of 13, 00:10:47.939 --> 00:10:49.339 we know none of this for fact, 00:10:49.419 --> 00:10:50.839 but probably at the age of 13, 00:10:51.559 --> 00:10:52.899 because that was the custom, 00:10:53.439 --> 00:10:55.719 he was sent to Jerusalem to be educated 00:10:55.719 --> 00:10:57.740 by a man named Hillel, 00:10:57.959 --> 00:11:00.259 who was the grandson of Gamaliel. 00:11:00.559 --> 00:11:01.500 Now, this is really important 00:11:01.500 --> 00:11:03.519 because he was the most famous rabbi of the time. 00:11:04.679 --> 00:11:08.240 The Jews actually didn't really use their scripture all that often in this time, 00:11:08.240 --> 00:11:10.500 but they used the writings of the rabbis 00:11:10.500 --> 00:11:13.179 to understand what the scripture said. 00:11:13.500 --> 00:11:15.580 You'll hear Jesus say in the Sermon on the Mount, 00:11:15.580 --> 00:11:17.519 you have heard it said. 00:11:18.340 --> 00:11:21.679 And what he's referring to are the writings of the rabbis. 00:11:22.019 --> 00:11:23.039 You have heard it said, 00:11:23.799 --> 00:11:24.700 you shall love your neighbor. 00:11:25.620 --> 00:11:27.500 Then he corrects after that. 00:11:27.919 --> 00:11:28.019 Okay? 00:11:28.019 --> 00:11:29.799 So, that's what's going on. 00:11:29.919 --> 00:11:34.059 Gamaliel was actually said to embody the Mosaic Law. 00:11:34.159 --> 00:11:35.360 That's how famous he was. 00:11:35.939 --> 00:11:39.779 So, Paul was being educated by the greatest of rabbis 00:11:39.779 --> 00:11:43.519 when he went to be educated by Gamaliel's son, Hillel. 00:11:44.860 --> 00:11:48.199 It's believed that Paul, after his education, 00:11:48.460 --> 00:11:50.120 actually returned to Tarsus, 00:11:50.179 --> 00:11:51.899 where he served as a rabbi there, 00:11:52.299 --> 00:11:54.059 because he learned his father's trade. 00:11:54.620 --> 00:11:57.019 We know that he was a tent maker by trade, 00:11:57.019 --> 00:11:59.960 and he more than likely, as he served in the synagogue, 00:12:00.419 --> 00:12:03.299 was a tent maker to make his living. 00:12:04.980 --> 00:12:07.840 When Paul heard, though, what was happening in Jerusalem, 00:12:08.139 --> 00:12:10.240 heard about Jesus and what was going on there, 00:12:10.980 --> 00:12:13.039 he was enraged. 00:12:14.319 --> 00:12:17.379 Something was attacking his religious order. 00:12:18.159 --> 00:12:20.179 Very zealous, Paul was. 00:12:20.559 --> 00:12:22.439 And he returns to Jerusalem. 00:12:22.440 --> 00:12:25.420 You'll remember that he's actually the one standing there 00:12:25.420 --> 00:12:27.800 with everybody's coats at his feet 00:12:27.800 --> 00:12:29.840 as he hears the gospel presentation of Stephen, 00:12:30.060 --> 00:12:32.980 and then everyone stoned Stephen to death. 00:12:33.860 --> 00:12:36.200 Paul stood and observed that. 00:12:37.260 --> 00:12:39.380 And he was absolutely driven, 00:12:39.960 --> 00:12:41.680 so zealous that he was driven 00:12:41.680 --> 00:12:44.700 to destroy anybody who claimed Christ. 00:12:44.700 --> 00:12:48.240 In Acts chapter 9, verses 1 and 2, 00:12:49.240 --> 00:12:50.020 it's recorded, 00:12:50.020 --> 00:12:53.200 But Saul, still breathing threats and murder 00:12:53.200 --> 00:12:54.580 against the disciples of the Lord, 00:12:55.020 --> 00:12:55.900 went to the high priest 00:12:55.900 --> 00:12:58.220 and asked him for letters to the synagogues at Damascus, 00:12:58.540 --> 00:13:00.640 so that if he found any belonging to the way, 00:13:00.780 --> 00:13:01.640 men or women, 00:13:02.080 --> 00:13:04.280 he might bring them bound to Jerusalem. 00:13:04.960 --> 00:13:05.920 And the wording there, 00:13:05.960 --> 00:13:08.520 but Saul, still breathing threats and murder 00:13:08.520 --> 00:13:09.460 against the disciples, 00:13:09.520 --> 00:13:12.620 as if that was the fire that was kindling who he was. 00:13:12.620 --> 00:13:17.139 That he hated disciples of the way. 00:13:17.919 --> 00:13:19.220 He betrayed his God, 00:13:19.299 --> 00:13:21.480 and he was bent on destroying it. 00:13:21.519 --> 00:13:22.120 So much so, 00:13:22.360 --> 00:13:24.440 that he was going to take a missionary journey 00:13:24.440 --> 00:13:26.279 to another town, Damascus, 00:13:26.379 --> 00:13:27.080 a large town, 00:13:27.220 --> 00:13:29.019 and he heard things were going on there. 00:13:29.679 --> 00:13:31.399 People were following the way, 00:13:31.659 --> 00:13:32.560 as it's called here. 00:13:32.860 --> 00:13:34.100 They were following Christ. 00:13:34.600 --> 00:13:35.779 So he requested letters 00:13:35.779 --> 00:13:39.320 to go and to persecute the Christians there. 00:13:40.379 --> 00:13:41.899 And so we know the story. 00:13:41.899 --> 00:13:43.100 I hope we know the story 00:13:43.100 --> 00:13:45.579 of Paul on the Damascus road. 00:13:45.659 --> 00:13:47.319 And I would ask you to turn to Acts chapter 9 00:13:47.319 --> 00:13:49.079 as we look at this together. 00:13:50.360 --> 00:13:53.980 Acts chapter 9, verses 3 through 9. 00:14:06.980 --> 00:14:07.600 Verse 3. 00:14:07.600 --> 00:14:09.080 Now as he went on his way, 00:14:09.159 --> 00:14:10.159 he approached Damascus, 00:14:10.220 --> 00:14:11.700 and suddenly a light from heaven 00:14:11.700 --> 00:14:13.180 flashed around him. 00:14:13.860 --> 00:14:14.759 And falling to the ground, 00:14:14.820 --> 00:14:16.120 he heard a voice saying to him, 00:14:16.560 --> 00:14:17.259 Saul, Saul, 00:14:17.360 --> 00:14:19.259 why are you persecuting me? 00:14:19.920 --> 00:14:20.580 And he said, 00:14:20.620 --> 00:14:21.300 Who are you, Lord? 00:14:21.860 --> 00:14:22.500 And he said, 00:14:22.540 --> 00:14:23.300 I am Jesus, 00:14:23.500 --> 00:14:24.639 whom you are persecuting. 00:14:25.019 --> 00:14:26.240 But rise and enter the city, 00:14:26.279 --> 00:14:27.040 and you will be told 00:14:27.040 --> 00:14:28.259 what you are to do. 00:14:29.060 --> 00:14:30.379 The men who were traveling with him 00:14:30.379 --> 00:14:31.200 stood speechless, 00:14:31.360 --> 00:14:32.019 hearing the voice, 00:14:32.120 --> 00:14:32.940 but seeing no one. 00:14:33.600 --> 00:14:34.500 Saul rose from the ground, 00:14:34.500 --> 00:14:35.879 and although his eyes were opened, 00:14:35.980 --> 00:14:36.659 he saw nothing. 00:14:37.139 --> 00:14:38.120 So they led him by the hand 00:14:38.120 --> 00:14:39.419 and brought him into Damascus. 00:14:39.480 --> 00:14:40.340 And for three days 00:14:40.340 --> 00:14:41.779 he was without sight, 00:14:42.200 --> 00:14:44.360 and neither ate nor drank. 00:14:45.019 --> 00:14:45.960 Now later on, 00:14:46.659 --> 00:14:47.940 as Paul is giving his defense 00:14:47.940 --> 00:14:48.860 before King Agrippa 00:14:48.860 --> 00:14:50.240 in Acts chapter 26, 00:14:50.860 --> 00:14:52.759 he adds a little more of the dialogue. 00:14:52.960 --> 00:14:54.399 So we've got a brief version 00:14:54.399 --> 00:14:54.940 of the dialogue 00:14:54.940 --> 00:14:56.539 between him and Christ here. 00:14:56.700 --> 00:14:57.940 So he adds a little more detail 00:14:57.940 --> 00:14:58.740 to that dialogue 00:14:58.740 --> 00:15:00.779 in verse 14 of chapter 26. 00:15:00.779 --> 00:15:02.259 And he says, 00:15:02.419 --> 00:15:03.379 Jesus said to him, 00:15:03.459 --> 00:15:03.819 Saul, Saul, 00:15:03.899 --> 00:15:05.480 why are you persecuting me? 00:15:05.959 --> 00:15:07.539 It is hard for you 00:15:07.539 --> 00:15:09.139 to kick against the goads. 00:15:10.240 --> 00:15:11.579 It is hard for you 00:15:11.579 --> 00:15:13.220 to kick against the goads. 00:15:13.259 --> 00:15:15.899 That's a very foreign term to us. 00:15:17.220 --> 00:15:18.159 So to explain it, 00:15:18.220 --> 00:15:20.159 a goad was a long pointed stick, 00:15:20.259 --> 00:15:21.360 and it was used to herd 00:15:21.360 --> 00:15:22.259 stubborn livestock, 00:15:22.879 --> 00:15:23.600 such as oxen. 00:15:23.740 --> 00:15:24.819 It was just a big pointed stick, 00:15:24.899 --> 00:15:27.659 and it was used to prod oxen, 00:15:27.959 --> 00:15:28.959 big stubborn animals, 00:15:29.319 --> 00:15:30.240 as to where they should go. 00:15:30.799 --> 00:15:32.019 And in Greek culture, 00:15:32.159 --> 00:15:33.419 it had become a common term 00:15:33.419 --> 00:15:34.120 to say, 00:15:34.259 --> 00:15:35.740 hard to kick against the goads. 00:15:35.940 --> 00:15:37.340 It's hard to kick against the goads. 00:15:37.740 --> 00:15:38.740 And it was a common expression 00:15:38.740 --> 00:15:39.539 used to indicate 00:15:39.539 --> 00:15:40.779 opposition to deity. 00:15:41.899 --> 00:15:42.200 All right? 00:15:42.560 --> 00:15:44.360 So I say to John, 00:15:44.519 --> 00:15:44.799 John, 00:15:44.860 --> 00:15:46.899 my crops are just not coming in this year. 00:15:47.200 --> 00:15:47.820 The rains, 00:15:48.279 --> 00:15:49.200 there just haven't been 00:15:49.200 --> 00:15:50.500 as much water as we need. 00:15:50.740 --> 00:15:51.580 And John would say to me, 00:15:51.680 --> 00:15:53.320 it's hard to kick against the goads. 00:15:54.000 --> 00:15:56.019 What can you do against God? 00:15:56.200 --> 00:15:57.240 And this is the expression 00:15:57.240 --> 00:15:58.240 that Jesus uses 00:15:58.240 --> 00:16:01.039 to talk to Paul. 00:16:01.980 --> 00:16:02.340 Right? 00:16:03.100 --> 00:16:03.899 Opposition to deity. 00:16:04.399 --> 00:16:06.139 Saul had doubtlessly heard this term 00:16:06.139 --> 00:16:07.240 on the streets 00:16:07.240 --> 00:16:08.240 where he lived in Tarsus. 00:16:08.620 --> 00:16:10.740 He knew what it meant. 00:16:11.399 --> 00:16:12.139 Now imagine, 00:16:13.259 --> 00:16:14.480 I had always read this story before, 00:16:14.580 --> 00:16:15.060 and just like, 00:16:16.120 --> 00:16:16.519 yeah, yeah, 00:16:16.580 --> 00:16:17.139 oh, really? 00:16:17.680 --> 00:16:18.419 Jesus is the way? 00:16:18.480 --> 00:16:18.940 Okay, cool. 00:16:19.000 --> 00:16:19.759 That's kind of how I read it. 00:16:19.799 --> 00:16:20.960 Like, Paul was just doing 00:16:20.960 --> 00:16:21.659 the wrong thing, 00:16:21.659 --> 00:16:22.659 and suddenly he was doing 00:16:22.659 --> 00:16:23.639 the right thing. 00:16:24.299 --> 00:16:26.059 But he was very zealously 00:16:26.059 --> 00:16:27.279 pursuing the wrong thing. 00:16:27.679 --> 00:16:27.860 Right? 00:16:28.100 --> 00:16:29.139 Think about this man 00:16:29.139 --> 00:16:29.980 and his education. 00:16:30.480 --> 00:16:31.500 And from the age of 13, 00:16:31.579 --> 00:16:32.719 he's been trained to be a rabbi 00:16:32.719 --> 00:16:33.980 under the most famous 00:16:33.980 --> 00:16:35.039 of rabbis of the time, 00:16:35.439 --> 00:16:35.779 Hillel, 00:16:35.899 --> 00:16:36.500 who was the grandson 00:16:36.500 --> 00:16:37.179 of Gamaliel. 00:16:37.600 --> 00:16:39.579 He was a Jew among Jews. 00:16:39.679 --> 00:16:40.899 He records that later for us 00:16:40.899 --> 00:16:41.639 in Philippians. 00:16:42.000 --> 00:16:43.000 He was devoted 00:16:43.000 --> 00:16:44.659 in every way 00:16:45.439 --> 00:16:46.959 to the way he thought 00:16:46.959 --> 00:16:47.459 was right, 00:16:47.579 --> 00:16:48.500 to his religion. 00:16:48.500 --> 00:16:51.360 So zealous. 00:16:51.559 --> 00:16:52.340 So much so, 00:16:52.659 --> 00:16:53.539 not that he was just 00:16:53.539 --> 00:16:54.700 going to stand his ground 00:16:54.700 --> 00:16:55.460 in Tarsus 00:16:55.460 --> 00:16:57.679 and teach his congregants 00:16:57.679 --> 00:16:58.200 in the synagogue 00:16:58.200 --> 00:16:59.659 that this Jesus 00:16:59.659 --> 00:17:00.539 wasn't the way. 00:17:02.200 --> 00:17:03.100 So zealous 00:17:03.100 --> 00:17:03.879 that he was going to go 00:17:03.879 --> 00:17:05.440 and actually abolish 00:17:05.440 --> 00:17:06.359 that thing 00:17:06.359 --> 00:17:07.519 that was attacking 00:17:07.519 --> 00:17:08.180 his religion. 00:17:08.759 --> 00:17:09.660 He was going 00:17:09.660 --> 00:17:11.059 full force after it, 00:17:11.359 --> 00:17:12.440 running in a direction. 00:17:14.140 --> 00:17:15.019 And then he meets 00:17:15.019 --> 00:17:16.259 the Christ on the road 00:17:16.259 --> 00:17:17.400 who says to him, 00:17:17.400 --> 00:17:19.019 you are living 00:17:19.019 --> 00:17:20.060 in opposition 00:17:20.060 --> 00:17:20.960 to the God 00:17:20.960 --> 00:17:21.820 you say you serve. 00:17:25.720 --> 00:17:26.880 Blow your mind, right? 00:17:29.120 --> 00:17:30.060 I think some of us 00:17:30.060 --> 00:17:30.640 might even stand 00:17:30.640 --> 00:17:31.500 in that place today, 00:17:32.259 --> 00:17:33.060 being found righteous 00:17:33.060 --> 00:17:33.620 in Christ, 00:17:34.060 --> 00:17:34.880 but pursuing 00:17:34.880 --> 00:17:36.300 all these things, 00:17:36.780 --> 00:17:38.900 doing all this stuff, 00:17:39.040 --> 00:17:39.700 devoted 00:17:39.700 --> 00:17:41.900 to discipleship 00:17:41.900 --> 00:17:43.380 and going to Bible studies 00:17:43.380 --> 00:17:44.460 and singing songs 00:17:44.460 --> 00:17:45.180 with our eyes closed 00:17:45.180 --> 00:17:46.259 and our hands in the air. 00:17:46.259 --> 00:17:48.259 But we're going 00:17:48.259 --> 00:17:49.240 directly against 00:17:49.240 --> 00:17:49.900 our God. 00:17:50.400 --> 00:17:51.299 We don't worship him 00:17:51.299 --> 00:17:52.000 with our hearts. 00:17:52.119 --> 00:17:52.859 We worship him 00:17:52.859 --> 00:17:54.879 with petty 00:17:54.879 --> 00:17:55.920 outward expression. 00:17:58.259 --> 00:17:58.879 So Paul 00:17:58.879 --> 00:18:00.319 heads to Damascus 00:18:00.319 --> 00:18:01.299 as he was told to do 00:18:01.299 --> 00:18:02.619 and he's visited 00:18:02.619 --> 00:18:03.920 by a man named Ananias 00:18:03.920 --> 00:18:04.900 who God sent to him 00:18:04.900 --> 00:18:06.000 who restores his sight 00:18:06.000 --> 00:18:07.740 and baptizes him. 00:18:09.140 --> 00:18:09.839 And Paul gives us 00:18:09.839 --> 00:18:10.400 a little summary 00:18:10.400 --> 00:18:11.299 of this experience 00:18:11.299 --> 00:18:12.240 in 1 Timothy 00:18:12.240 --> 00:18:13.879 chapter 1. 00:18:13.880 --> 00:18:14.440 And I'm just going 00:18:14.440 --> 00:18:14.900 to read it to you. 00:18:14.960 --> 00:18:16.080 If you'll just listen to me. 00:18:16.240 --> 00:18:17.700 This is verses 12 through 15. 00:18:20.420 --> 00:18:21.080 Paul writes, 00:18:21.079 --> 00:18:46.000 Love does win, 00:18:46.139 --> 00:18:46.539 doesn't it? 00:18:46.539 --> 00:18:48.639 The saying is trustworthy 00:18:48.639 --> 00:18:49.460 and deserving 00:18:49.460 --> 00:18:50.619 of full acceptance 00:18:50.619 --> 00:18:51.720 that Christ Jesus 00:18:51.720 --> 00:18:52.440 came into the world 00:18:52.440 --> 00:18:53.180 to save sinners 00:18:53.180 --> 00:18:53.799 of whom 00:18:53.799 --> 00:18:55.519 I am the foremost. 00:18:56.779 --> 00:18:57.500 Do you see Paul's 00:18:57.500 --> 00:18:58.680 opinion of himself? 00:18:59.819 --> 00:19:01.039 Look at who I was. 00:19:01.279 --> 00:19:02.159 A blasphemer, 00:19:02.680 --> 00:19:03.639 a persecutor, 00:19:03.759 --> 00:19:04.639 an insolent 00:19:04.639 --> 00:19:05.299 opponent 00:19:05.299 --> 00:19:06.659 of God. 00:19:08.119 --> 00:19:09.299 Paul ranks himself 00:19:09.299 --> 00:19:10.099 above us 00:19:10.099 --> 00:19:12.579 but wrongly. 00:19:13.259 --> 00:19:13.379 Right? 00:19:13.740 --> 00:19:14.819 Paul was no worse 00:19:14.819 --> 00:19:16.319 than any of us. 00:19:16.319 --> 00:19:19.259 Now amazingly, 00:19:19.659 --> 00:19:21.000 this blows my mind, 00:19:21.119 --> 00:19:21.579 amazingly, 00:19:22.200 --> 00:19:23.099 Paul in this 00:19:23.099 --> 00:19:24.059 zealous character 00:19:24.059 --> 00:19:24.700 that he had 00:19:24.700 --> 00:19:25.439 to pursue 00:19:25.439 --> 00:19:27.240 at all costs, 00:19:27.399 --> 00:19:28.000 he continues 00:19:28.000 --> 00:19:28.720 to do that. 00:19:29.859 --> 00:19:30.599 He continues 00:19:30.599 --> 00:19:31.200 to do that. 00:19:31.299 --> 00:19:32.200 And that's chapter 9 00:19:32.200 --> 00:19:33.119 verse 20 00:19:33.119 --> 00:19:33.559 says, 00:19:33.679 --> 00:19:34.200 And immediately 00:19:34.200 --> 00:19:35.740 he proclaimed Jesus 00:19:35.740 --> 00:19:36.279 in the synagogue 00:19:36.279 --> 00:19:36.819 saying, 00:19:37.159 --> 00:19:38.339 He is the Son of God. 00:19:38.779 --> 00:19:39.759 And all who heard him 00:19:39.759 --> 00:19:40.339 were amazed 00:19:40.339 --> 00:19:40.779 and said, 00:19:40.879 --> 00:19:42.019 Is this not the man 00:19:42.019 --> 00:19:43.460 who made havoc 00:19:43.460 --> 00:19:43.939 in Jerusalem 00:19:43.939 --> 00:19:44.740 of those who called 00:19:44.740 --> 00:19:45.740 upon this name? 00:19:46.319 --> 00:19:47.000 And has he not 00:19:47.000 --> 00:19:47.439 come here 00:19:47.439 --> 00:19:48.079 for this purpose 00:19:48.079 --> 00:19:48.639 to bring them 00:19:48.639 --> 00:19:49.159 bound before 00:19:49.159 --> 00:19:49.960 the chief priests? 00:19:50.659 --> 00:19:51.460 But Saul increased 00:19:51.460 --> 00:19:52.259 all the more 00:19:52.259 --> 00:19:54.240 in strength 00:19:54.240 --> 00:19:55.319 and confounded 00:19:55.319 --> 00:19:55.659 the Jews 00:19:55.659 --> 00:19:56.359 who lived in Damascus 00:19:56.359 --> 00:19:56.939 by proving 00:19:56.939 --> 00:19:57.659 that Jesus 00:19:57.659 --> 00:19:58.700 was the Christ. 00:19:59.259 --> 00:20:00.139 So he continues 00:20:00.139 --> 00:20:00.859 to be intense. 00:20:00.980 --> 00:20:01.439 But he goes 00:20:01.439 --> 00:20:02.119 to those very same 00:20:02.119 --> 00:20:02.619 synagogues 00:20:02.619 --> 00:20:03.480 where he had intended 00:20:03.480 --> 00:20:04.980 to bind up 00:20:04.980 --> 00:20:05.460 these people 00:20:05.460 --> 00:20:06.119 and take them 00:20:06.119 --> 00:20:07.000 before the chief 00:20:07.000 --> 00:20:07.339 priest 00:20:07.339 --> 00:20:08.439 to be killed 00:20:08.439 --> 00:20:09.899 and begin 00:20:09.899 --> 00:20:10.779 proclaiming 00:20:10.779 --> 00:20:12.200 the name of Christ. 00:20:12.659 --> 00:20:13.200 That's awesome. 00:20:13.200 --> 00:20:14.620 What a great work 00:20:14.620 --> 00:20:15.559 God did in his life. 00:20:17.100 --> 00:20:17.799 After a couple 00:20:17.799 --> 00:20:18.519 of narrow escapes, 00:20:19.059 --> 00:20:20.319 Paul became so good 00:20:20.319 --> 00:20:21.220 at this gospel 00:20:21.220 --> 00:20:21.720 presentation 00:20:21.720 --> 00:20:22.380 that the men 00:20:22.380 --> 00:20:23.039 who were traveling 00:20:23.039 --> 00:20:23.680 with him 00:20:23.680 --> 00:20:25.259 to persecute Christians 00:20:25.259 --> 00:20:27.539 turned to kill him. 00:20:28.059 --> 00:20:28.700 And after a couple 00:20:28.700 --> 00:20:29.559 of narrow escapes, 00:20:30.080 --> 00:20:31.160 which are recorded 00:20:31.160 --> 00:20:32.460 in Galatians, 00:20:32.660 --> 00:20:33.700 he goes to Arabia 00:20:33.700 --> 00:20:34.799 for three years. 00:20:36.680 --> 00:20:37.480 He writes 00:20:37.480 --> 00:20:38.360 in verse 11 00:20:38.360 --> 00:20:39.220 and 12 of Galatians, 00:20:39.319 --> 00:20:40.039 For I would have you know, 00:20:40.160 --> 00:20:40.380 brothers, 00:20:40.380 --> 00:20:41.080 that the gospel 00:20:41.080 --> 00:20:41.740 that was preached 00:20:41.740 --> 00:20:42.260 by me 00:20:42.260 --> 00:20:43.460 is not man's gospel. 00:20:44.220 --> 00:20:45.120 For I did not receive 00:20:45.120 --> 00:20:45.840 it from any man, 00:20:45.940 --> 00:20:47.340 nor was I taught it, 00:20:47.600 --> 00:20:48.300 for I received it 00:20:48.300 --> 00:20:49.680 through a revelation 00:20:49.680 --> 00:20:51.880 of Jesus Christ. 00:20:52.960 --> 00:20:53.700 So he goes away 00:20:53.700 --> 00:20:54.380 for three years 00:20:54.380 --> 00:20:55.780 and he communes 00:20:55.780 --> 00:20:56.540 with Christ 00:20:56.540 --> 00:20:57.780 and he learns 00:20:57.780 --> 00:20:58.560 this gospel. 00:20:59.480 --> 00:21:00.380 It's one of the amazing 00:21:00.380 --> 00:21:01.380 things about our Bibles 00:21:01.380 --> 00:21:02.640 that our record 00:21:02.640 --> 00:21:03.700 of what Paul taught 00:21:03.700 --> 00:21:04.600 is the same 00:21:04.600 --> 00:21:06.500 as what Peter taught 00:21:06.500 --> 00:21:07.320 and the other apostles. 00:21:08.160 --> 00:21:08.860 It's phenomenal 00:21:08.859 --> 00:21:09.939 work of God 00:21:09.939 --> 00:21:10.619 in that. 00:21:12.759 --> 00:21:13.939 So this is the gospel 00:21:13.939 --> 00:21:15.399 that he's speaking 00:21:15.399 --> 00:21:16.000 about here 00:21:16.000 --> 00:21:17.099 in 16 chapters. 00:21:18.359 --> 00:21:19.539 That's the presentation 00:21:19.539 --> 00:21:20.859 that he's giving 00:21:20.859 --> 00:21:21.639 to us. 00:21:22.059 --> 00:21:22.759 He wrote it later 00:21:22.759 --> 00:21:23.379 in his life. 00:21:23.659 --> 00:21:24.339 Paul's a little bit 00:21:24.339 --> 00:21:25.000 older 00:21:25.000 --> 00:21:26.279 and a little bit wiser 00:21:26.279 --> 00:21:27.819 at the writing of it. 00:21:28.819 --> 00:21:30.259 But he gives to us 00:21:30.259 --> 00:21:31.159 the simplicity 00:21:31.159 --> 00:21:32.679 of the gospel message 00:21:32.679 --> 00:21:34.879 in an exhaustive form. 00:21:35.479 --> 00:21:36.539 We should value that. 00:21:36.539 --> 00:21:38.740 I'm really looking 00:21:38.740 --> 00:21:39.420 forward to this study 00:21:39.420 --> 00:21:40.339 in case you can't tell. 00:21:42.099 --> 00:21:42.799 I think though 00:21:42.799 --> 00:21:43.319 that there are 00:21:43.319 --> 00:21:43.779 three lessons 00:21:43.779 --> 00:21:44.319 we need to learn 00:21:44.319 --> 00:21:44.759 this morning. 00:21:45.440 --> 00:21:46.319 Not to just give you 00:21:46.319 --> 00:21:47.399 a boring history lesson 00:21:47.399 --> 00:21:47.859 but there's 00:21:47.859 --> 00:21:48.700 three lessons 00:21:48.700 --> 00:21:49.240 we need to learn 00:21:49.240 --> 00:21:49.639 this morning 00:21:49.639 --> 00:21:50.740 from the life of Paul 00:21:50.740 --> 00:21:53.139 as we approach 00:21:53.139 --> 00:21:54.779 this letter 00:21:54.779 --> 00:21:55.240 that he wrote 00:21:55.240 --> 00:21:55.799 to the Romans. 00:21:58.500 --> 00:21:59.079 Three lessons 00:21:59.079 --> 00:21:59.700 from the life of Paul. 00:21:59.779 --> 00:22:00.200 Number one, 00:22:01.279 --> 00:22:02.379 we should study it. 00:22:02.380 --> 00:22:05.400 Paul's life 00:22:05.400 --> 00:22:06.500 was saturated 00:22:06.500 --> 00:22:07.740 with knowledge 00:22:07.740 --> 00:22:08.260 of the scriptures. 00:22:08.720 --> 00:22:09.500 Now when I say that 00:22:09.500 --> 00:22:10.160 of course I mean 00:22:10.160 --> 00:22:11.080 the Old Testament scriptures 00:22:11.080 --> 00:22:13.000 the process 00:22:13.000 --> 00:22:14.040 of this being written 00:22:14.040 --> 00:22:14.880 the New Testament 00:22:14.880 --> 00:22:15.860 which we all value 00:22:15.860 --> 00:22:16.400 so highly 00:22:16.400 --> 00:22:18.040 is still in play 00:22:18.040 --> 00:22:20.080 but he was saturated 00:22:20.080 --> 00:22:20.960 with the knowledge 00:22:20.960 --> 00:22:21.280 of it. 00:22:21.580 --> 00:22:22.220 He quotes 00:22:22.220 --> 00:22:23.060 in the book of Romans 00:22:23.060 --> 00:22:23.760 the Old Testament 00:22:23.760 --> 00:22:25.280 57 times. 00:22:26.440 --> 00:22:27.020 Isn't that phenomenal? 00:22:27.320 --> 00:22:28.380 57 times. 00:22:29.260 --> 00:22:30.080 He knew 00:22:30.080 --> 00:22:31.280 the word of God. 00:22:31.279 --> 00:22:32.899 I can imagine 00:22:32.899 --> 00:22:33.539 that when Christ 00:22:33.539 --> 00:22:34.039 came to him 00:22:34.039 --> 00:22:34.599 and gave him 00:22:34.599 --> 00:22:35.220 this revelation 00:22:35.220 --> 00:22:35.940 of himself 00:22:35.940 --> 00:22:38.119 Paul felt like 00:22:38.119 --> 00:22:38.460 an idiot. 00:22:38.879 --> 00:22:39.839 How did I miss? 00:22:40.059 --> 00:22:40.940 How did I miss 00:22:40.940 --> 00:22:41.720 all that? 00:22:42.440 --> 00:22:43.480 I was blinded 00:22:43.480 --> 00:22:43.920 before. 00:22:47.359 --> 00:22:48.119 Number two, 00:22:49.460 --> 00:22:50.720 we should study it 00:22:50.720 --> 00:22:51.740 to know God 00:22:51.740 --> 00:22:53.440 not simply 00:22:53.440 --> 00:22:53.899 to know 00:22:53.899 --> 00:22:54.720 about him. 00:22:56.160 --> 00:22:57.240 This is a dangerous 00:22:57.240 --> 00:22:57.680 trap 00:22:57.680 --> 00:22:58.240 that I've 00:22:58.240 --> 00:22:59.039 fallen into 00:22:59.039 --> 00:23:00.279 on numerous occasions 00:23:00.279 --> 00:23:00.899 in my life. 00:23:01.279 --> 00:23:02.240 We should study it 00:23:02.240 --> 00:23:02.980 to know God 00:23:02.980 --> 00:23:03.759 not simply 00:23:03.759 --> 00:23:05.000 to know 00:23:05.000 --> 00:23:06.160 about him. 00:23:07.519 --> 00:23:08.099 Paul's treatise 00:23:08.099 --> 00:23:08.700 on the Christian faith 00:23:08.700 --> 00:23:09.480 is absolutely 00:23:09.480 --> 00:23:10.160 full 00:23:10.160 --> 00:23:11.859 of doctrine. 00:23:12.460 --> 00:23:12.599 Alright? 00:23:12.899 --> 00:23:13.379 But we should be 00:23:13.379 --> 00:23:14.000 very careful 00:23:14.000 --> 00:23:15.319 unless we just 00:23:15.319 --> 00:23:16.059 totally miss the point. 00:23:16.399 --> 00:23:17.240 Totally miss the point 00:23:17.240 --> 00:23:17.740 of what he's trying 00:23:17.740 --> 00:23:18.440 to do for us. 00:23:20.200 --> 00:23:21.259 So here's some tips. 00:23:22.720 --> 00:23:23.160 Simple 00:23:23.160 --> 00:23:24.279 tips 00:23:24.279 --> 00:23:24.539 from 00:23:24.539 --> 00:23:25.559 my own life. 00:23:26.279 --> 00:23:26.759 Number one, 00:23:28.299 --> 00:23:29.319 expect to meet 00:23:29.319 --> 00:23:29.779 with God. 00:23:31.179 --> 00:23:32.119 When you come 00:23:32.119 --> 00:23:33.299 here on Sunday 00:23:33.299 --> 00:23:33.679 morning, 00:23:34.200 --> 00:23:35.099 when you approach 00:23:35.099 --> 00:23:35.480 the scripture 00:23:35.480 --> 00:23:36.240 on your own, 00:23:36.599 --> 00:23:37.339 as we look 00:23:37.339 --> 00:23:37.839 at Romans 00:23:37.839 --> 00:23:38.339 together, 00:23:38.879 --> 00:23:40.960 expect to meet 00:23:40.960 --> 00:23:41.419 with God. 00:23:43.799 --> 00:23:45.000 I'm fairly 00:23:45.000 --> 00:23:45.740 recently out of 00:23:45.740 --> 00:23:46.099 college. 00:23:46.480 --> 00:23:47.720 I still have to 00:23:47.720 --> 00:23:48.759 attend meetings. 00:23:49.139 --> 00:23:49.859 Times that are 00:23:49.859 --> 00:23:50.559 arranged for me 00:23:50.559 --> 00:23:51.200 to get together 00:23:51.200 --> 00:23:51.759 with people 00:23:51.759 --> 00:23:53.119 to talk about 00:23:53.119 --> 00:23:53.679 things, 00:23:53.859 --> 00:23:54.639 to brainstorm 00:23:54.639 --> 00:23:55.339 stuff, 00:23:55.439 --> 00:23:56.099 to learn 00:23:56.099 --> 00:23:57.659 new things. 00:23:58.099 --> 00:23:58.919 And I typically 00:23:58.919 --> 00:23:59.359 treat those 00:23:59.359 --> 00:24:00.839 things fairly 00:24:00.839 --> 00:24:01.500 flippantly, 00:24:02.000 --> 00:24:02.639 as I should. 00:24:02.980 --> 00:24:03.779 Meetings at work, 00:24:04.339 --> 00:24:05.039 look over the 00:24:05.039 --> 00:24:05.559 document we're 00:24:05.559 --> 00:24:05.779 going to be 00:24:05.779 --> 00:24:06.339 talking about, 00:24:06.439 --> 00:24:06.779 have a little 00:24:06.779 --> 00:24:07.319 bit of working 00:24:07.319 --> 00:24:07.819 knowledge in my 00:24:07.819 --> 00:24:08.339 head about it, 00:24:08.359 --> 00:24:08.779 so I can sit 00:24:08.779 --> 00:24:09.299 down and we 00:24:09.299 --> 00:24:10.119 can talk about 00:24:10.119 --> 00:24:10.599 those things. 00:24:10.639 --> 00:24:11.240 Not a big deal. 00:24:11.539 --> 00:24:12.279 Just get together 00:24:12.279 --> 00:24:12.559 and have a 00:24:12.559 --> 00:24:12.980 business meeting 00:24:12.980 --> 00:24:14.619 and go on 00:24:14.619 --> 00:24:15.000 our way. 00:24:15.379 --> 00:24:15.779 But we tend 00:24:15.779 --> 00:24:16.139 to do the 00:24:16.139 --> 00:24:16.759 same thing 00:24:16.759 --> 00:24:17.279 with our 00:24:17.279 --> 00:24:18.119 meetings together 00:24:18.119 --> 00:24:18.599 as a 00:24:18.599 --> 00:24:18.939 congregation. 00:24:19.799 --> 00:24:20.639 We treat it 00:24:20.639 --> 00:24:21.179 like just a 00:24:21.179 --> 00:24:21.559 meeting we've 00:24:21.559 --> 00:24:22.000 got to go to. 00:24:22.399 --> 00:24:22.579 Right? 00:24:22.659 --> 00:24:23.279 So as long 00:24:23.279 --> 00:24:23.559 as you get 00:24:23.559 --> 00:24:23.819 your hair 00:24:23.819 --> 00:24:24.500 combed and 00:24:24.500 --> 00:24:24.980 get some 00:24:24.980 --> 00:24:25.639 clothes on and 00:24:25.640 --> 00:24:26.100 get here, 00:24:26.460 --> 00:24:27.200 that's your 00:24:27.200 --> 00:24:28.620 responsibility in 00:24:28.620 --> 00:24:29.200 all of that. 00:24:29.680 --> 00:24:29.880 Isn't it? 00:24:30.259 --> 00:24:30.840 But I think if 00:24:30.840 --> 00:24:31.380 you have in 00:24:31.380 --> 00:24:31.860 mind that you 00:24:31.860 --> 00:24:32.680 are expecting 00:24:32.680 --> 00:24:33.540 to meet with 00:24:33.540 --> 00:24:34.020 God, 00:24:35.080 --> 00:24:36.420 to learn from 00:24:36.420 --> 00:24:37.480 the Most High, 00:24:39.280 --> 00:24:39.700 you'll treat 00:24:39.700 --> 00:24:40.259 your morning a 00:24:40.259 --> 00:24:40.640 little bit 00:24:40.640 --> 00:24:40.980 differently. 00:24:42.000 --> 00:24:42.800 Now I am 00:24:42.800 --> 00:24:44.340 not God, 00:24:45.100 --> 00:24:45.400 in case you 00:24:45.400 --> 00:24:45.800 were wondering. 00:24:46.240 --> 00:24:46.580 I don't, 00:24:47.020 --> 00:24:47.820 my words that 00:24:47.820 --> 00:24:48.259 come out of my 00:24:48.259 --> 00:24:48.940 mouth are not 00:24:48.940 --> 00:24:50.400 the words of 00:24:50.400 --> 00:24:50.820 God. 00:24:52.360 --> 00:24:53.320 But we have 00:24:53.320 --> 00:24:53.680 the Word of 00:24:53.680 --> 00:24:54.060 God, don't 00:24:54.060 --> 00:24:54.259 we? 00:24:54.259 --> 00:24:55.559 And our 00:24:55.559 --> 00:24:56.480 job up here 00:24:56.480 --> 00:24:56.960 is to 00:24:56.960 --> 00:24:57.759 explain it 00:24:57.759 --> 00:24:58.059 to you. 00:24:58.160 --> 00:24:58.440 It's to 00:24:58.440 --> 00:24:59.259 further develop 00:24:59.259 --> 00:25:00.099 your understanding 00:25:00.099 --> 00:25:00.640 of it. 00:25:01.359 --> 00:25:01.460 Right? 00:25:01.839 --> 00:25:02.220 What a 00:25:02.220 --> 00:25:03.220 precious thing 00:25:03.220 --> 00:25:03.980 it is to 00:25:03.980 --> 00:25:04.619 have this 00:25:04.619 --> 00:25:05.220 and to have 00:25:05.220 --> 00:25:05.660 people who 00:25:05.660 --> 00:25:06.940 spend hours 00:25:06.940 --> 00:25:07.700 preparing to 00:25:07.700 --> 00:25:08.039 tell you what 00:25:08.039 --> 00:25:08.480 it means. 00:25:09.900 --> 00:25:10.259 So you 00:25:10.259 --> 00:25:10.779 should come 00:25:10.779 --> 00:25:11.879 expectant. 00:25:12.379 --> 00:25:13.180 What does 00:25:13.180 --> 00:25:14.019 that mean? 00:25:14.200 --> 00:25:14.460 What does 00:25:14.460 --> 00:25:14.839 that look 00:25:14.839 --> 00:25:15.200 like? 00:25:16.160 --> 00:25:16.480 What does 00:25:16.480 --> 00:25:17.779 that do 00:25:17.779 --> 00:25:18.220 for your 00:25:18.220 --> 00:25:18.579 morning? 00:25:19.579 --> 00:25:20.079 I think it 00:25:20.079 --> 00:25:20.539 starts a little 00:25:20.539 --> 00:25:20.960 bit earlier. 00:25:20.960 --> 00:25:21.000 prayer. 00:25:21.519 --> 00:25:22.000 I think it 00:25:22.000 --> 00:25:22.500 begins in 00:25:22.500 --> 00:25:22.860 prayer. 00:25:23.319 --> 00:25:23.640 I think it 00:25:23.640 --> 00:25:24.140 begins in 00:25:24.140 --> 00:25:24.700 confession. 00:25:26.700 --> 00:25:27.220 You're going to 00:25:27.220 --> 00:25:27.799 step into the 00:25:27.799 --> 00:25:28.220 throne room. 00:25:28.360 --> 00:25:28.860 This is not 00:25:28.860 --> 00:25:29.380 the house of 00:25:29.380 --> 00:25:29.740 God. 00:25:30.460 --> 00:25:31.240 God dwells 00:25:31.240 --> 00:25:31.819 within you. 00:25:32.519 --> 00:25:33.079 Certainly you 00:25:33.079 --> 00:25:33.600 ought to come to 00:25:33.600 --> 00:25:35.000 Him clean as we 00:25:35.000 --> 00:25:35.480 approach His 00:25:35.480 --> 00:25:35.759 Word. 00:25:37.240 --> 00:25:37.620 Number two, 00:25:39.279 --> 00:25:40.019 worship God 00:25:40.019 --> 00:25:40.420 in your 00:25:40.420 --> 00:25:40.779 listening. 00:25:42.539 --> 00:25:43.460 Worship God 00:25:43.460 --> 00:25:44.420 in your 00:25:44.420 --> 00:25:44.660 listening. 00:25:44.799 --> 00:25:45.360 Certainly if you 00:25:45.360 --> 00:25:46.079 expect to meet 00:25:46.079 --> 00:25:47.380 with God and 00:25:47.380 --> 00:25:47.799 you come 00:25:47.799 --> 00:25:49.440 appropriately to 00:25:49.440 --> 00:25:50.960 that, you'll 00:25:50.960 --> 00:25:51.539 be worshiping 00:25:51.539 --> 00:25:51.820 Him and 00:25:51.820 --> 00:25:52.299 you're listening. 00:25:53.259 --> 00:25:53.680 But I'm 00:25:53.680 --> 00:25:54.140 guilty of 00:25:54.140 --> 00:25:54.440 this. 00:25:54.980 --> 00:25:55.500 I sit 00:25:55.500 --> 00:25:56.220 sometimes and 00:25:56.220 --> 00:25:56.759 listen to the 00:25:56.759 --> 00:25:57.140 preaching of 00:25:57.140 --> 00:25:58.120 the Word and 00:25:58.120 --> 00:25:59.039 my mind is 00:25:59.039 --> 00:26:00.380 all over the 00:26:00.380 --> 00:26:00.740 place. 00:26:01.920 --> 00:26:02.880 I can't quite 00:26:02.880 --> 00:26:03.480 engage on 00:26:03.480 --> 00:26:03.900 what's going 00:26:03.900 --> 00:26:04.140 on. 00:26:04.180 --> 00:26:04.640 It might seem 00:26:04.640 --> 00:26:05.220 a little bit 00:26:05.220 --> 00:26:05.700 boring to 00:26:05.700 --> 00:26:05.860 me. 00:26:05.960 --> 00:26:06.720 And so I'm 00:26:06.720 --> 00:26:07.740 flipping my 00:26:07.740 --> 00:26:08.160 pages. 00:26:09.279 --> 00:26:09.960 I'm reading 00:26:09.960 --> 00:26:10.799 the text before 00:26:10.799 --> 00:26:11.259 I'm reading 00:26:11.259 --> 00:26:12.220 the text after. 00:26:12.799 --> 00:26:13.299 Sometimes I 00:26:13.299 --> 00:26:13.640 go to an 00:26:13.640 --> 00:26:14.200 entirely different 00:26:14.200 --> 00:26:14.960 book altogether. 00:26:16.019 --> 00:26:16.180 I'm like, 00:26:16.279 --> 00:26:16.519 ah, 00:26:16.880 --> 00:26:18.259 Colossians is 00:26:18.259 --> 00:26:18.779 so boring. 00:26:18.779 --> 00:26:19.680 I'm going to 00:26:19.680 --> 00:26:20.139 Psalms. 00:26:20.160 --> 00:26:20.359 I'm going to 00:26:20.359 --> 00:26:20.639 read a 00:26:20.639 --> 00:26:21.619 Psalm instead. 00:26:23.579 --> 00:26:24.559 As if God 00:26:24.559 --> 00:26:25.299 has nothing for 00:26:25.299 --> 00:26:25.799 me in the 00:26:25.799 --> 00:26:26.079 listening. 00:26:27.220 --> 00:26:28.019 As if God 00:26:28.019 --> 00:26:28.519 couldn't even 00:26:28.519 --> 00:26:29.740 take boring 00:26:29.740 --> 00:26:30.420 preaching and 00:26:30.420 --> 00:26:30.779 do something 00:26:30.779 --> 00:26:31.379 amazing with 00:26:31.379 --> 00:26:31.559 it. 00:26:32.319 --> 00:26:33.119 He can. 00:26:33.680 --> 00:26:34.099 Some of the 00:26:34.099 --> 00:26:34.619 sermons that I 00:26:34.619 --> 00:26:35.160 preach that I 00:26:35.160 --> 00:26:35.460 think are 00:26:35.460 --> 00:26:36.480 horrid, I just 00:26:36.480 --> 00:26:36.960 get done and I'm 00:26:36.960 --> 00:26:37.779 like, oh, man, 00:26:38.319 --> 00:26:39.019 what a waste of 00:26:39.019 --> 00:26:39.759 the resources God 00:26:39.759 --> 00:26:40.259 has given me. 00:26:40.359 --> 00:26:40.799 People come up 00:26:40.799 --> 00:26:41.180 to me and say, 00:26:41.240 --> 00:26:41.980 God really taught 00:26:41.980 --> 00:26:42.579 me something through 00:26:42.579 --> 00:26:43.139 what you said. 00:26:43.460 --> 00:26:44.099 You were kidding 00:26:44.099 --> 00:26:44.460 me. 00:26:45.579 --> 00:26:46.279 God's Word has 00:26:46.279 --> 00:26:46.819 power that we 00:26:46.819 --> 00:26:47.180 don't even 00:26:47.180 --> 00:26:47.680 understand. 00:26:48.779 --> 00:26:50.599 So worship 00:26:50.599 --> 00:26:51.240 God in your 00:26:51.240 --> 00:26:51.559 listening. 00:26:52.839 --> 00:26:53.700 Be attentive. 00:26:54.359 --> 00:26:55.220 Try to key in. 00:26:55.299 --> 00:26:55.759 Do everything you 00:26:55.759 --> 00:26:56.559 got to do to do 00:26:56.559 --> 00:26:56.819 so. 00:26:57.180 --> 00:26:57.819 It might mean that 00:26:57.819 --> 00:26:58.220 you don't need to 00:26:58.220 --> 00:26:59.039 stay up late on a 00:26:59.039 --> 00:26:59.539 Saturday night. 00:26:59.599 --> 00:27:00.039 It might mean that 00:27:00.039 --> 00:27:00.920 you're a little 00:27:00.920 --> 00:27:01.759 tired on Sunday 00:27:01.759 --> 00:27:02.359 morning and you 00:27:02.359 --> 00:27:03.279 need to wake up 00:27:03.279 --> 00:27:03.980 when you get 00:27:03.980 --> 00:27:04.180 here. 00:27:04.500 --> 00:27:05.220 We have coffee 00:27:05.220 --> 00:27:05.799 for that very 00:27:05.799 --> 00:27:06.180 reason. 00:27:07.180 --> 00:27:07.599 If you don't 00:27:07.599 --> 00:27:08.160 like coffee, 00:27:08.960 --> 00:27:09.619 buy Red Bull 00:27:09.619 --> 00:27:10.059 on the way 00:27:10.059 --> 00:27:10.279 here. 00:27:10.279 --> 00:27:10.379 All right. 00:27:10.380 --> 00:27:14.740 We have got to 00:27:14.740 --> 00:27:15.160 start to get 00:27:15.160 --> 00:27:16.200 away from this 00:27:16.200 --> 00:27:17.440 idea that worship 00:27:17.440 --> 00:27:19.200 is a time. 00:27:19.720 --> 00:27:20.140 It's just a 00:27:20.140 --> 00:27:21.160 certain segmented 00:27:21.160 --> 00:27:21.840 time where we 00:27:21.840 --> 00:27:22.460 sing songs 00:27:22.460 --> 00:27:22.880 together. 00:27:23.700 --> 00:27:23.840 All right. 00:27:24.440 --> 00:27:25.460 Wes is a 00:27:25.460 --> 00:27:26.160 worship leader, 00:27:26.440 --> 00:27:27.820 but if we call 00:27:27.820 --> 00:27:28.320 him that, 00:27:28.440 --> 00:27:29.480 that's the only 00:27:29.480 --> 00:27:30.160 time we worship, 00:27:30.280 --> 00:27:30.520 right? 00:27:31.080 --> 00:27:32.440 Wes is a music 00:27:32.440 --> 00:27:33.020 leader and he 00:27:33.020 --> 00:27:34.000 leads us to 00:27:34.000 --> 00:27:34.940 worship in music. 00:27:35.600 --> 00:27:35.840 All right. 00:27:36.560 --> 00:27:37.520 I worship God 00:27:37.520 --> 00:27:38.440 by preaching the 00:27:38.440 --> 00:27:38.640 word. 00:27:38.760 --> 00:27:39.400 You worship God 00:27:39.400 --> 00:27:40.860 by listening to 00:27:40.860 --> 00:27:41.340 the preaching of 00:27:41.340 --> 00:27:41.660 the word. 00:27:42.280 --> 00:27:43.060 We take the 00:27:43.060 --> 00:27:43.500 Lord's Supper 00:27:43.500 --> 00:27:44.240 together as an 00:27:44.240 --> 00:27:44.840 act of worship. 00:27:46.040 --> 00:27:46.800 I would argue 00:27:46.800 --> 00:27:47.280 to you that 00:27:47.280 --> 00:27:48.320 Aletheia Way is 00:27:48.320 --> 00:27:48.700 an act of 00:27:48.700 --> 00:27:48.940 worship. 00:27:49.060 --> 00:27:49.880 Us participating 00:27:49.880 --> 00:27:50.980 in teaching the 00:27:50.980 --> 00:27:51.880 kids, singing the 00:27:51.880 --> 00:27:52.519 songs with them, 00:27:52.580 --> 00:27:53.340 making them excited 00:27:53.340 --> 00:27:53.960 about what's going 00:27:53.960 --> 00:27:55.380 on up here is an 00:27:55.380 --> 00:27:56.660 act of worship. 00:27:57.480 --> 00:27:58.200 Our prayer 00:27:58.200 --> 00:27:58.880 together, our 00:27:58.880 --> 00:28:00.259 giving to the 00:28:00.259 --> 00:28:01.600 church is all 00:28:01.600 --> 00:28:01.960 worship. 00:28:03.500 --> 00:28:04.200 Number three, 00:28:05.759 --> 00:28:07.080 take pen in 00:28:07.080 --> 00:28:07.800 hand and take 00:28:07.800 --> 00:28:08.300 notes. 00:28:09.400 --> 00:28:12.280 Take pen in 00:28:12.280 --> 00:28:13.120 hand and take 00:28:13.120 --> 00:28:13.519 notes. 00:28:14.300 --> 00:28:15.140 That's why I 00:28:15.140 --> 00:28:15.800 provided this little 00:28:15.800 --> 00:28:16.500 thing for you this 00:28:16.500 --> 00:28:16.720 morning. 00:28:16.880 --> 00:28:17.380 I don't know if 00:28:17.380 --> 00:28:17.900 it's helpful to 00:28:17.900 --> 00:28:18.259 you or not. 00:28:18.340 --> 00:28:18.759 You know what? 00:28:18.880 --> 00:28:19.640 It's okay if it's 00:28:19.640 --> 00:28:19.920 not. 00:28:20.400 --> 00:28:21.300 You have paper. 00:28:22.220 --> 00:28:22.800 Take your own 00:28:22.800 --> 00:28:23.140 notes. 00:28:23.540 --> 00:28:24.080 It doesn't matter. 00:28:24.200 --> 00:28:24.940 If you find me 00:28:24.940 --> 00:28:25.580 giving you something 00:28:25.580 --> 00:28:26.420 like that insulting, 00:28:26.980 --> 00:28:27.519 just pretend I 00:28:27.519 --> 00:28:27.920 didn't give it to 00:28:27.920 --> 00:28:28.560 you and take your 00:28:28.560 --> 00:28:29.060 own notes. 00:28:29.540 --> 00:28:29.880 It's fine. 00:28:30.060 --> 00:28:30.759 If you put a pen 00:28:30.759 --> 00:28:31.400 in your hand, 00:28:31.660 --> 00:28:32.259 you're going to 00:28:32.259 --> 00:28:32.860 pay attention. 00:28:33.540 --> 00:28:33.920 You're going to 00:28:33.920 --> 00:28:34.600 want to write 00:28:34.600 --> 00:28:35.360 things down. 00:28:35.359 --> 00:28:38.539 How many of 00:28:38.539 --> 00:28:39.659 you have heard 00:28:39.659 --> 00:28:40.599 a sermon on a 00:28:40.599 --> 00:28:41.179 Sunday morning 00:28:41.179 --> 00:28:42.259 and by the time 00:28:42.259 --> 00:28:42.740 you finished 00:28:42.740 --> 00:28:43.500 eating lunch, 00:28:43.759 --> 00:28:44.159 you couldn't 00:28:44.159 --> 00:28:44.479 have repeated 00:28:44.479 --> 00:28:45.439 back any part 00:28:45.439 --> 00:28:46.119 of anything that 00:28:46.119 --> 00:28:46.379 was said? 00:28:46.619 --> 00:28:47.419 You probably 00:28:47.419 --> 00:28:47.979 couldn't even 00:28:47.979 --> 00:28:48.539 give the main 00:28:48.539 --> 00:28:49.199 text of the 00:28:49.199 --> 00:28:49.439 sermon. 00:28:50.519 --> 00:28:51.000 I've been 00:28:51.000 --> 00:28:51.240 there. 00:28:52.000 --> 00:28:52.799 It's gone. 00:28:53.519 --> 00:28:54.059 It's gone. 00:28:54.119 --> 00:28:54.740 It's proven that 00:28:54.740 --> 00:28:55.159 when we write 00:28:55.159 --> 00:28:55.639 things down, we 00:28:55.639 --> 00:28:56.139 remember them. 00:28:56.659 --> 00:28:57.179 And certainly 00:28:57.179 --> 00:28:58.059 if we don't, we 00:28:58.059 --> 00:28:58.659 can go back and 00:28:58.659 --> 00:28:59.119 look at what we 00:28:59.119 --> 00:28:59.500 wrote down. 00:29:00.500 --> 00:29:01.139 So I'm going to 00:29:01.139 --> 00:29:01.859 make an effort to 00:29:01.859 --> 00:29:02.399 give you notes. 00:29:02.500 --> 00:29:02.979 It means I have to 00:29:02.979 --> 00:29:03.599 be more prepared. 00:29:03.599 --> 00:29:04.799 I made these 00:29:04.799 --> 00:29:05.519 this morning and 00:29:05.519 --> 00:29:06.179 I apologize if 00:29:06.179 --> 00:29:06.579 they're not 00:29:06.579 --> 00:29:07.419 complete enough 00:29:07.419 --> 00:29:07.779 for you. 00:29:08.579 --> 00:29:09.259 But I'm going 00:29:09.259 --> 00:29:10.000 to work on 00:29:10.000 --> 00:29:10.559 giving you 00:29:10.559 --> 00:29:11.139 something that 00:29:11.139 --> 00:29:12.299 helps you to 00:29:12.299 --> 00:29:12.759 do this. 00:29:12.859 --> 00:29:13.319 So take pen 00:29:13.319 --> 00:29:14.599 in hand and 00:29:14.599 --> 00:29:15.119 take notes. 00:29:16.679 --> 00:29:17.319 J.I. 00:29:17.359 --> 00:29:17.799 Packer wrote 00:29:17.799 --> 00:29:18.159 in his book 00:29:18.159 --> 00:29:18.779 Knowing God, 00:29:19.139 --> 00:29:19.740 Knowing God 00:29:19.740 --> 00:29:20.719 is more than 00:29:20.719 --> 00:29:21.419 knowing about 00:29:21.419 --> 00:29:21.679 him. 00:29:22.419 --> 00:29:22.980 It is a matter 00:29:22.980 --> 00:29:23.419 of dealing 00:29:23.419 --> 00:29:24.179 with him as 00:29:24.179 --> 00:29:24.779 he opens up 00:29:24.779 --> 00:29:25.639 to you and 00:29:25.639 --> 00:29:26.240 being dealt 00:29:26.240 --> 00:29:27.299 with by him 00:29:27.299 --> 00:29:27.859 as he takes 00:29:27.859 --> 00:29:28.719 knowledge of 00:29:28.719 --> 00:29:28.939 you. 00:29:29.859 --> 00:29:30.419 Knowing about 00:29:30.419 --> 00:29:30.959 him is a 00:29:30.959 --> 00:29:31.480 necessary 00:29:31.480 --> 00:29:32.480 precondition of 00:29:32.480 --> 00:29:33.099 trusting in 00:29:33.099 --> 00:29:33.319 him. 00:29:33.599 --> 00:29:34.159 But the 00:29:34.159 --> 00:29:34.719 width of our 00:29:34.719 --> 00:29:35.299 knowledge about 00:29:35.299 --> 00:29:35.980 him is no 00:29:35.980 --> 00:29:37.339 gauge of our 00:29:37.339 --> 00:29:38.480 knowledge of 00:29:38.480 --> 00:29:38.699 him. 00:29:39.740 --> 00:29:40.279 You catch 00:29:40.279 --> 00:29:40.579 that? 00:29:41.240 --> 00:29:41.980 Knowing about 00:29:41.980 --> 00:29:42.959 God is a 00:29:42.959 --> 00:29:44.519 prerequisite for 00:29:44.519 --> 00:29:45.719 knowing him, 00:29:46.059 --> 00:29:46.740 for being able to 00:29:46.740 --> 00:29:47.459 trust in him, 00:29:47.519 --> 00:29:48.299 place our faith in 00:29:48.299 --> 00:29:48.579 him. 00:29:49.259 --> 00:29:50.039 That last 00:29:50.039 --> 00:29:50.219 sentence, 00:29:50.519 --> 00:29:50.799 But the 00:29:50.799 --> 00:29:51.399 width of our 00:29:51.399 --> 00:29:52.259 knowledge about 00:29:52.259 --> 00:29:53.000 him is no 00:29:53.000 --> 00:29:53.719 gauge of our 00:29:53.719 --> 00:29:54.699 knowledge of 00:29:54.699 --> 00:29:54.919 him. 00:29:56.399 --> 00:29:57.119 So let's 00:29:57.119 --> 00:29:58.959 not approach 00:29:58.959 --> 00:29:59.439 the study of 00:29:59.439 --> 00:30:00.299 Romans to just 00:30:00.299 --> 00:30:01.259 stack away a 00:30:01.259 --> 00:30:01.719 bunch of stuff 00:30:01.719 --> 00:30:02.339 in our files 00:30:02.339 --> 00:30:03.159 about God. 00:30:03.160 --> 00:30:03.800 Let's study 00:30:03.800 --> 00:30:04.000 it to 00:30:04.000 --> 00:30:04.580 actually know 00:30:04.580 --> 00:30:04.860 him. 00:30:06.940 --> 00:30:07.500 And then 00:30:07.500 --> 00:30:07.960 number three, 00:30:08.759 --> 00:30:11.160 we should be 00:30:11.160 --> 00:30:12.740 mobilized by 00:30:12.740 --> 00:30:12.960 it. 00:30:13.080 --> 00:30:13.460 So we 00:30:13.460 --> 00:30:14.120 should study 00:30:14.120 --> 00:30:14.660 it, we 00:30:14.660 --> 00:30:15.340 should study 00:30:15.340 --> 00:30:15.680 it to know 00:30:15.680 --> 00:30:16.060 God, not 00:30:16.060 --> 00:30:16.420 simply know 00:30:16.420 --> 00:30:16.840 about him. 00:30:16.900 --> 00:30:17.140 And number 00:30:17.140 --> 00:30:18.480 three, we 00:30:18.480 --> 00:30:18.820 should be 00:30:18.820 --> 00:30:19.640 mobilized by 00:30:19.640 --> 00:30:19.940 it. 00:30:21.080 --> 00:30:22.120 Firstly, to 00:30:22.120 --> 00:30:22.440 share the 00:30:22.440 --> 00:30:23.640 gospel with 00:30:23.640 --> 00:30:24.000 others. 00:30:24.000 --> 00:30:27.400 I am very 00:30:27.400 --> 00:30:28.259 impacted by 00:30:28.259 --> 00:30:28.579 Paul's 00:30:28.579 --> 00:30:29.500 response to 00:30:29.500 --> 00:30:29.880 the gospel. 00:30:31.480 --> 00:30:32.680 He fasts for 00:30:32.680 --> 00:30:35.000 three days and 00:30:35.000 --> 00:30:35.500 then he's back 00:30:35.500 --> 00:30:36.339 at it. 00:30:36.640 --> 00:30:37.539 A baby 00:30:37.539 --> 00:30:39.180 Christian in 00:30:39.180 --> 00:30:39.740 our minds. 00:30:40.480 --> 00:30:41.400 A guy who 00:30:41.400 --> 00:30:42.180 doesn't know all 00:30:42.180 --> 00:30:43.400 that much, but 00:30:43.400 --> 00:30:44.259 he is passionate 00:30:44.259 --> 00:30:45.019 and he is out 00:30:45.019 --> 00:30:45.680 there and he is 00:30:45.680 --> 00:30:47.259 sharing that 00:30:47.259 --> 00:30:48.119 Jesus is 00:30:48.119 --> 00:30:49.579 certainly the 00:30:49.579 --> 00:30:50.259 son of God. 00:30:50.259 --> 00:30:53.180 if we 00:30:53.180 --> 00:30:54.559 value the 00:30:54.559 --> 00:30:55.039 gospel, one 00:30:55.039 --> 00:30:55.299 of the reasons 00:30:55.299 --> 00:30:55.779 I think we 00:30:55.779 --> 00:30:57.059 need a 00:30:57.059 --> 00:30:57.759 revival is 00:30:57.759 --> 00:30:57.960 that we 00:30:57.960 --> 00:30:58.500 don't. 00:30:58.599 --> 00:30:59.019 We value 00:30:59.019 --> 00:30:59.460 too many 00:30:59.460 --> 00:31:00.119 things more 00:31:00.119 --> 00:31:00.460 than. 00:31:00.619 --> 00:31:00.980 We need 00:31:00.980 --> 00:31:01.660 that passion 00:31:01.660 --> 00:31:02.400 rekindled in 00:31:02.400 --> 00:31:03.339 us to say 00:31:03.339 --> 00:31:03.660 look at the 00:31:03.660 --> 00:31:04.140 great things 00:31:04.140 --> 00:31:04.379 that God 00:31:04.379 --> 00:31:04.640 has done 00:31:04.640 --> 00:31:04.900 for us. 00:31:05.079 --> 00:31:05.319 You will 00:31:05.319 --> 00:31:05.799 talk about 00:31:05.799 --> 00:31:06.140 the things 00:31:06.140 --> 00:31:06.559 you love. 00:31:07.519 --> 00:31:07.940 You 00:31:07.940 --> 00:31:08.420 automatically 00:31:08.420 --> 00:31:08.879 will. 00:31:10.039 --> 00:31:10.720 Think about 00:31:10.720 --> 00:31:11.299 yesterday. 00:31:11.640 --> 00:31:12.140 If you hung 00:31:12.140 --> 00:31:12.420 out with 00:31:12.420 --> 00:31:12.680 anybody 00:31:12.680 --> 00:31:13.099 yesterday, 00:31:13.220 --> 00:31:13.500 what did 00:31:13.500 --> 00:31:13.879 you talk 00:31:13.879 --> 00:31:14.099 about 00:31:14.099 --> 00:31:14.480 yesterday? 00:31:15.359 --> 00:31:15.900 What did 00:31:15.900 --> 00:31:16.279 you spend 00:31:16.279 --> 00:31:16.900 your time 00:31:16.900 --> 00:31:17.660 conversing 00:31:17.660 --> 00:31:18.039 about? 00:31:18.859 --> 00:31:19.200 It's what 00:31:19.200 --> 00:31:19.579 you love. 00:31:20.259 --> 00:31:21.039 I hope 00:31:21.039 --> 00:31:21.400 that some 00:31:21.400 --> 00:31:21.799 of us 00:31:21.799 --> 00:31:22.440 talked about 00:31:22.440 --> 00:31:22.839 the gospel 00:31:22.839 --> 00:31:23.619 yesterday. 00:31:25.359 --> 00:31:26.000 Then number 00:31:26.000 --> 00:31:26.240 two, 00:31:26.480 --> 00:31:26.779 secondly, 00:31:28.240 --> 00:31:29.180 to send 00:31:29.180 --> 00:31:29.660 others to 00:31:29.660 --> 00:31:29.940 share the 00:31:29.940 --> 00:31:30.259 gospel. 00:31:31.180 --> 00:31:31.740 So we 00:31:31.740 --> 00:31:32.299 have a 00:31:32.299 --> 00:31:33.000 ministry 00:31:33.000 --> 00:31:33.660 given to 00:31:33.660 --> 00:31:34.119 our church 00:31:34.119 --> 00:31:34.400 here. 00:31:34.539 --> 00:31:34.859 Certainly 00:31:34.859 --> 00:31:36.279 as people 00:31:36.279 --> 00:31:36.619 who live 00:31:36.619 --> 00:31:36.839 in our 00:31:36.839 --> 00:31:37.240 communities, 00:31:37.379 --> 00:31:37.640 we have 00:31:37.640 --> 00:31:38.160 neighbors and 00:31:38.160 --> 00:31:38.400 we have 00:31:38.400 --> 00:31:38.920 co-workers, 00:31:39.099 --> 00:31:39.359 we have 00:31:39.359 --> 00:31:39.879 random 00:31:39.879 --> 00:31:40.359 people we 00:31:40.359 --> 00:31:40.700 encounter 00:31:40.700 --> 00:31:41.059 on the 00:31:41.059 --> 00:31:41.420 street, 00:31:42.240 --> 00:31:43.200 classmates, 00:31:44.200 --> 00:31:44.460 and we 00:31:44.460 --> 00:31:44.660 have a 00:31:44.660 --> 00:31:45.059 responsibility 00:31:45.059 --> 00:31:45.400 to share 00:31:45.400 --> 00:31:45.720 the gospel 00:31:45.720 --> 00:31:46.119 with them. 00:31:46.819 --> 00:31:47.220 And we 00:31:47.220 --> 00:31:47.920 ought to 00:31:47.920 --> 00:31:48.299 want to. 00:31:48.559 --> 00:31:48.799 It ought 00:31:48.799 --> 00:31:49.240 to be just 00:31:49.240 --> 00:31:49.619 coming out 00:31:49.619 --> 00:31:49.839 of us 00:31:49.839 --> 00:31:50.099 all the 00:31:50.099 --> 00:31:51.139 time to 00:31:51.139 --> 00:31:51.419 share the 00:31:51.419 --> 00:31:51.720 gospel. 00:31:52.439 --> 00:31:53.240 But also, 00:31:53.500 --> 00:31:53.819 we have a 00:31:53.819 --> 00:31:54.399 responsibility to 00:31:54.399 --> 00:31:54.919 the nations, 00:31:55.559 --> 00:31:55.899 don't we, 00:31:55.939 --> 00:31:56.439 to send 00:31:56.439 --> 00:31:57.539 people out. 00:31:57.879 --> 00:31:58.079 And I 00:31:58.079 --> 00:31:58.539 hope many 00:31:58.539 --> 00:31:58.799 of those 00:31:58.799 --> 00:31:59.199 people come 00:31:59.199 --> 00:31:59.699 from us. 00:32:00.359 --> 00:32:00.859 But if 00:32:00.859 --> 00:32:01.240 not, we 00:32:01.240 --> 00:32:01.879 certainly play 00:32:01.879 --> 00:32:02.579 a part in 00:32:02.579 --> 00:32:03.639 sending those 00:32:03.639 --> 00:32:04.619 people out. 00:32:04.980 --> 00:32:05.779 Romans 15, 00:32:05.899 --> 00:32:06.459 verse 24, 00:32:06.959 --> 00:32:07.619 Paul actually 00:32:07.619 --> 00:32:08.199 writes to the 00:32:08.199 --> 00:32:08.439 Romans, 00:32:08.579 --> 00:32:08.959 I hope to 00:32:08.959 --> 00:32:09.559 see you in 00:32:09.559 --> 00:32:10.939 passing as I 00:32:10.939 --> 00:32:11.480 go to Spain 00:32:11.480 --> 00:32:11.859 and to be 00:32:11.859 --> 00:32:12.559 helped on my 00:32:12.559 --> 00:32:13.059 journey there 00:32:13.059 --> 00:32:13.639 by you, 00:32:14.240 --> 00:32:14.699 once I have 00:32:14.699 --> 00:32:15.179 enjoyed your 00:32:15.179 --> 00:32:16.279 company for 00:32:16.279 --> 00:32:16.679 a while. 00:32:16.680 --> 00:32:17.519 So as 00:32:17.519 --> 00:32:17.860 he begins 00:32:17.860 --> 00:32:18.320 to develop 00:32:18.320 --> 00:32:18.660 some of 00:32:18.660 --> 00:32:19.840 the practical 00:32:19.840 --> 00:32:20.539 implications 00:32:20.539 --> 00:32:20.940 of the 00:32:20.940 --> 00:32:21.320 gospel, 00:32:21.759 --> 00:32:22.120 he says 00:32:22.120 --> 00:32:22.400 to them, 00:32:22.460 --> 00:32:22.660 on my 00:32:22.660 --> 00:32:22.880 way 00:32:22.880 --> 00:32:23.039 through 00:32:23.039 --> 00:32:23.420 Spain, 00:32:23.600 --> 00:32:24.000 I'm 00:32:24.000 --> 00:32:24.420 hoping that 00:32:24.420 --> 00:32:24.660 you guys 00:32:24.660 --> 00:32:24.820 are going 00:32:24.820 --> 00:32:25.100 to help 00:32:25.100 --> 00:32:25.640 send me 00:32:25.640 --> 00:32:26.820 on beyond 00:32:26.820 --> 00:32:27.299 that. 00:32:27.779 --> 00:32:28.240 I take 00:32:28.240 --> 00:32:28.560 that to 00:32:28.560 --> 00:32:29.000 mean you're 00:32:29.000 --> 00:32:29.320 going to give 00:32:29.320 --> 00:32:29.660 me some 00:32:29.660 --> 00:32:30.640 provision for 00:32:30.640 --> 00:32:31.140 my journey 00:32:31.140 --> 00:32:32.360 as I go. 00:32:33.460 --> 00:32:34.039 So we should be 00:32:34.039 --> 00:32:34.680 mobilized to share 00:32:34.680 --> 00:32:35.220 the gospel with 00:32:35.220 --> 00:32:36.220 others and to 00:32:36.220 --> 00:32:37.720 send others to 00:32:37.720 --> 00:32:38.019 share the 00:32:38.019 --> 00:32:38.320 gospel. 00:32:40.460 --> 00:32:41.279 So I hope 00:32:41.279 --> 00:32:41.880 and pray that 00:32:41.880 --> 00:32:42.380 God finds us 00:32:42.380 --> 00:32:43.820 faithful as we 00:32:43.819 --> 00:32:44.679 study Romans 00:32:44.679 --> 00:32:45.179 over the 00:32:45.179 --> 00:32:45.619 coming months 00:32:45.619 --> 00:32:46.079 and years, 00:32:46.519 --> 00:32:46.839 years, 00:32:46.919 --> 00:32:47.220 I think, 00:32:47.339 --> 00:32:47.720 probably about 00:32:47.720 --> 00:32:47.939 two. 00:32:49.279 --> 00:32:50.599 I pray that 00:32:50.599 --> 00:32:51.439 we take these 00:32:51.439 --> 00:32:51.960 great gospel 00:32:51.960 --> 00:32:52.720 truths and 00:32:52.720 --> 00:32:53.639 meditate on 00:32:53.639 --> 00:32:53.859 them, 00:32:54.099 --> 00:32:54.919 that we roll 00:32:54.919 --> 00:32:55.980 them over and 00:32:55.980 --> 00:32:57.399 over in our 00:32:57.399 --> 00:32:58.139 minds so that 00:32:58.139 --> 00:32:58.859 in conjunction 00:32:58.859 --> 00:32:59.200 with the 00:32:59.200 --> 00:32:59.899 Spirit's work in 00:32:59.899 --> 00:33:00.399 our life, 00:33:01.299 --> 00:33:01.700 they'll change 00:33:01.700 --> 00:33:03.259 our hearts and 00:33:03.259 --> 00:33:03.779 then subsequently 00:33:03.779 --> 00:33:05.439 they will change 00:33:05.439 --> 00:33:06.200 our communities. 00:33:08.000 --> 00:33:08.799 Christ Family 00:33:08.799 --> 00:33:09.139 Church, 00:33:09.419 --> 00:33:10.019 God's beloved, 00:33:11.859 --> 00:33:12.339 let's permit 00:33:12.339 --> 00:33:13.079 God to begin 00:33:13.079 --> 00:33:13.799 a revival. 00:33:13.819 --> 00:33:15.059 among us. 00:33:15.740 --> 00:33:16.259 Let's pray 00:33:16.259 --> 00:33:16.539 together.