WEBVTT 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:04.839 Would you open your Bibles, please, to Galatians 2, if you're not already there. 00:00:05.759 --> 00:00:07.379 Galatians chapter 2. 00:00:07.919 --> 00:00:11.339 And we're going to be toward the end of that. 00:00:11.980 --> 00:00:15.660 And Paul, thank you for reading and getting us kind of the jump start, 00:00:16.080 --> 00:00:18.260 which is exactly what I'll be doing here in a second. 00:00:18.359 --> 00:00:19.160 So thank you for that, brother. 00:00:20.879 --> 00:00:23.140 Well, speaking of the children that are leaving, 00:00:23.140 --> 00:00:30.260 two of my kids have really reacquainted me with a love for puzzles, my older two. 00:00:31.000 --> 00:00:33.539 They've helped me see how wonderful puzzles are. 00:00:34.700 --> 00:00:40.400 And we like to do those on slow afternoons, especially rainy afternoons, 00:00:40.920 --> 00:00:43.900 and enjoy that activity together. 00:00:44.060 --> 00:00:47.679 One of their puzzle sets is a book of fairy tale puzzles, 00:00:48.620 --> 00:00:51.460 and it's a lot different from all their other ones. 00:00:51.460 --> 00:00:59.760 All the puzzles in this set are built around a large and uniquely shaped centerpiece. 00:01:00.620 --> 00:01:05.359 It might be shaped like a flower or a butterfly, but it's got a unique shape. 00:01:05.579 --> 00:01:10.960 And each centerpiece of these puzzles occupies the heart of the puzzle. 00:01:12.040 --> 00:01:17.400 And all the other pieces of the regular jigsaw puzzle fit around that main piece. 00:01:17.400 --> 00:01:23.920 And if you don't have that large, uniquely shaped centerpiece that's in the heart of the puzzle, 00:01:24.120 --> 00:01:27.780 or if you try to substitute one of the other pieces for that piece, 00:01:28.219 --> 00:01:32.020 the puzzler is puzzled because the puzzle doesn't make any sense. 00:01:32.560 --> 00:01:33.219 It falls apart. 00:01:35.200 --> 00:01:41.700 And similarly, the Christian faith has a unique and foundational heart 00:01:41.700 --> 00:01:45.859 that must be at the center of it. 00:01:47.219 --> 00:01:51.180 For every Christian and for every church that proclaims Christ, 00:01:51.320 --> 00:01:55.680 there must be a central and uniquely shaped piece. 00:01:56.140 --> 00:02:01.200 And it has to be in place, or else everything falls apart and the whole faith doesn't make sense. 00:02:02.079 --> 00:02:04.079 And that piece is the gospel. 00:02:04.079 --> 00:02:08.819 If you've been with us the past several weeks in the book of Galatians, 00:02:08.960 --> 00:02:11.000 or the letter to the Galatians that Paul wrote, 00:02:11.280 --> 00:02:14.879 we've been taking a close look at what he's trying to tell them. 00:02:14.900 --> 00:02:19.599 And I'm guessing that you've probably picked up on some of the urgency 00:02:19.599 --> 00:02:25.060 and the crisis that are in Paul's words to the Galatian churches. 00:02:25.060 --> 00:02:29.080 Because he's very concerned that they're missing, 00:02:29.939 --> 00:02:35.039 and they're abandoning that central, uniquely shaped piece. 00:02:36.039 --> 00:02:41.379 And because they're abandoning this unique centerpiece of the gospel, 00:02:42.520 --> 00:02:45.379 the apostle dispatches this letter urgently 00:02:45.379 --> 00:02:49.199 before their faith is shipwrecked and doomed. 00:02:50.219 --> 00:02:53.120 So if you've caught nothing else from the last couple of weeks, 00:02:53.120 --> 00:02:56.980 I'm guessing that you've at least figured out that the Galatians, 00:02:57.200 --> 00:03:00.020 the letter to the Galatians is about this really important thing 00:03:00.020 --> 00:03:01.780 that needs to be at the center of the Christian life, 00:03:01.879 --> 00:03:04.400 which is the gospel of Jesus Christ. 00:03:04.520 --> 00:03:08.039 And the Galatians were in serious danger of losing it. 00:03:09.219 --> 00:03:11.480 But, what is the gospel? 00:03:12.740 --> 00:03:17.240 What is this gospel that Paul's talking about? 00:03:17.360 --> 00:03:19.540 Paul has been talking up and down about the gospel. 00:03:19.640 --> 00:03:22.140 Just a quick look at chapter 1 and chapter 2, 00:03:22.139 --> 00:03:24.639 you see the word gospel pop up all over the place, 00:03:24.959 --> 00:03:27.839 but he's only hinted at what the gospel actually is, 00:03:28.319 --> 00:03:29.859 and hasn't really spelled it out yet. 00:03:30.939 --> 00:03:34.459 And like Paul, as Christians, we talk a lot about the gospel too. 00:03:35.439 --> 00:03:37.959 But it's really important that we get it right, 00:03:38.759 --> 00:03:41.000 that we understand exactly what it is, 00:03:41.500 --> 00:03:44.500 because it's the central, uniquely shaped piece 00:03:44.500 --> 00:03:46.139 that makes our faith hold together. 00:03:46.139 --> 00:03:48.059 So what is it? 00:03:49.199 --> 00:03:53.219 Well, today's passage, which is really the heart of the letter, 00:03:54.219 --> 00:03:57.019 everything that Paul's been saying up to this point 00:03:57.019 --> 00:04:01.679 has been leading to this big reveal of what the gospel is, 00:04:01.959 --> 00:04:04.799 and everything that's going to come after this passage 00:04:04.799 --> 00:04:07.759 is going to be pointing back to it. 00:04:07.759 --> 00:04:12.399 So it really is the hinge on which this letter turns. 00:04:13.219 --> 00:04:17.639 So if you're going to fall asleep, 00:04:17.939 --> 00:04:18.939 maybe choose another Sunday, 00:04:19.019 --> 00:04:20.139 because this is really important. 00:04:23.219 --> 00:04:24.959 In fact, if your neighbor's fallen asleep already, 00:04:25.039 --> 00:04:26.339 go ahead and wake them up for this part, 00:04:26.420 --> 00:04:27.339 and then they can go back to sleep. 00:04:27.420 --> 00:04:28.920 So just again, you can see this right here. 00:04:30.360 --> 00:04:33.099 So what is the very heart of the gospel, 00:04:33.240 --> 00:04:34.519 which is the heart of this letter, 00:04:34.599 --> 00:04:36.000 which is the heart of the Christian faith? 00:04:36.000 --> 00:04:36.459 What is it? 00:04:37.339 --> 00:04:37.879 It's this. 00:04:39.300 --> 00:04:43.139 The only possible way we can be made right with God 00:04:43.139 --> 00:04:46.019 is by trusting in Jesus, period. 00:04:47.259 --> 00:04:52.160 The only possible way that we can be made right with God 00:04:52.160 --> 00:04:55.220 is by trusting in Jesus, period. 00:04:57.079 --> 00:04:59.279 And this is what Paul wants us to feel, 00:05:00.519 --> 00:05:03.680 that we need to work really hard at keeping this central. 00:05:03.680 --> 00:05:09.579 We need to work really hard at keeping this truth central 00:05:09.579 --> 00:05:11.759 to our lives, to our life as a church. 00:05:12.360 --> 00:05:14.519 This has to be at the center. 00:05:15.980 --> 00:05:18.379 Now, the only possible way we can be made right with God 00:05:18.379 --> 00:05:19.600 is by trusting in Jesus, period. 00:05:19.720 --> 00:05:21.100 That sounds pretty simple, doesn't it? 00:05:21.759 --> 00:05:23.100 And it is, wonderfully so. 00:05:23.740 --> 00:05:25.220 The gospel is pretty simple. 00:05:26.319 --> 00:05:29.379 And yet, that's kind of why we have to work really hard 00:05:29.379 --> 00:05:32.600 to not let it just kind of be like the ABC song 00:05:32.600 --> 00:05:34.319 and just kind of go back to the back of our head. 00:05:35.879 --> 00:05:39.500 It's not just the door that we open into the Christian faith 00:05:39.500 --> 00:05:40.920 and we kind of move beyond it. 00:05:40.980 --> 00:05:42.379 No, we never move beyond this. 00:05:44.319 --> 00:05:46.379 So that's exactly what happened to Peter, 00:05:46.680 --> 00:05:48.279 as we're going to soon see. 00:05:48.379 --> 00:05:51.579 He moved beyond the centrality of the gospel. 00:05:51.579 --> 00:05:53.639 So here's how we're going to move into this passage 00:05:53.639 --> 00:05:57.419 and gather momentum to the heart of this gospel. 00:05:57.599 --> 00:06:00.519 There are four stops along this train ride 00:06:00.519 --> 00:06:04.099 we're going to move on through the heart of God's gospel. 00:06:04.240 --> 00:06:04.819 Four stops. 00:06:04.959 --> 00:06:07.919 And then, after I get to those four stops, 00:06:08.060 --> 00:06:11.079 we're going to have three ways to consider 00:06:11.079 --> 00:06:14.979 how to respond well to this good news. 00:06:15.299 --> 00:06:19.539 So let's look at the first stop in verses 14 to 16. 00:06:19.540 --> 00:06:25.040 And the name of this stop is A Gracious Reminder. 00:06:25.800 --> 00:06:27.740 A Gracious Reminder. 00:06:28.400 --> 00:06:32.840 Last week, we looked at how Paul publicly rebuked Peter 00:06:32.840 --> 00:06:35.740 for leaving the Gentile cafeteria table, 00:06:35.860 --> 00:06:37.660 which Mike set up so well for us, 00:06:38.000 --> 00:06:39.759 and he moved over to the Jewish table. 00:06:40.640 --> 00:06:43.120 Now, thank goodness for Paul, because he saw it. 00:06:43.340 --> 00:06:44.379 He saw it in the moment, 00:06:44.759 --> 00:06:48.200 and he called Peter out on this anti-gospel hypocrisy, 00:06:48.199 --> 00:06:51.420 and he called them out on it publicly right then and there. 00:06:52.680 --> 00:06:55.039 And verse 14 begins this rebuke, 00:06:55.259 --> 00:06:58.560 and I'm pretty sure a lot of other folks 00:06:58.560 --> 00:07:01.560 believe that this rebuke goes all the way to verse 21. 00:07:02.039 --> 00:07:05.319 So if you have quotation marks at the end of verse 14 in your Bible, 00:07:05.719 --> 00:07:07.800 I think it makes most sense for those quotation marks 00:07:07.800 --> 00:07:09.060 to be at the end of verse 21. 00:07:09.060 --> 00:07:14.620 It seems like Peter's rebuke from Paul is all of this passage. 00:07:15.220 --> 00:07:17.939 So we need to keep that in the back of our minds. 00:07:18.040 --> 00:07:20.500 This is all a rebuke from Paul to Peter. 00:07:21.079 --> 00:07:24.740 So let's look at what he says starting at verse 21. 00:07:24.920 --> 00:07:26.740 Let's see how it's a gracious reminder. 00:07:26.740 --> 00:07:26.819 Peter. 00:07:28.800 --> 00:07:31.139 But when I saw that their conduct was not in step 00:07:31.139 --> 00:07:32.280 with the truth of the gospel, 00:07:32.460 --> 00:07:35.360 I said to Cephas, or Peter, before them all, 00:07:35.960 --> 00:07:39.500 if you, though a Jew, live like a Gentile and not like a Jew, 00:07:39.980 --> 00:07:43.740 how can you force the Gentiles to live like Jews? 00:07:44.819 --> 00:07:48.639 So Peter's table switching led Gentiles to the conclusion 00:07:48.639 --> 00:07:50.379 that they needed to become Jewish 00:07:50.379 --> 00:07:54.360 in order to be really okay with God. 00:07:54.360 --> 00:07:56.139 And that was confusing. 00:07:57.280 --> 00:07:59.600 They were sort of in by trusting in Jesus, 00:07:59.800 --> 00:08:01.199 but then if they get really in, 00:08:02.199 --> 00:08:04.600 then they had to also eat the right foods, 00:08:04.699 --> 00:08:05.819 get circumcised, et cetera. 00:08:07.400 --> 00:08:09.420 And this is a very confusing message 00:08:09.420 --> 00:08:11.819 that it would have been sending to the Gentiles 00:08:11.819 --> 00:08:13.460 because they had believed that faith in Christ 00:08:13.460 --> 00:08:16.540 was the only thing necessary to be made right with God. 00:08:17.300 --> 00:08:18.740 Now look at verses 15 and 16, 00:08:18.740 --> 00:08:22.600 and let's see how Paul uses repetition. 00:08:22.600 --> 00:08:27.160 Just listen for it to drive home his point of this reminder. 00:08:28.400 --> 00:08:31.320 We ourselves, Peter, are Jews by birth 00:08:31.320 --> 00:08:33.139 and not Gentile sinners. 00:08:34.159 --> 00:08:37.960 Yet we know that a person is not justified by works of the law, 00:08:38.220 --> 00:08:39.899 but through faith in Jesus Christ. 00:08:40.420 --> 00:08:43.560 So we have also believed in Christ Jesus 00:08:43.560 --> 00:08:45.759 in order to be justified by faith in Christ 00:08:45.759 --> 00:08:46.740 and not by works of the law, 00:08:46.800 --> 00:08:48.680 because by works of the law no one will be justified. 00:08:48.679 --> 00:08:52.059 Did you hear it? 00:08:52.359 --> 00:08:54.099 It's like three times. 00:08:55.039 --> 00:08:56.379 We're not justified by works of the law. 00:08:56.459 --> 00:08:57.559 We're not justified by works of the law. 00:08:57.639 --> 00:08:59.639 No one can be made justified by works of the law, 00:08:59.859 --> 00:09:01.199 only by faith in Christ. 00:09:01.299 --> 00:09:02.899 I mean, he's just hammering this home. 00:09:05.059 --> 00:09:06.559 Paul's logic is so clear, too. 00:09:07.319 --> 00:09:10.179 If God helped law-abiding Jews like he and Peter 00:09:10.179 --> 00:09:13.399 to realize that it was an exercise in futility 00:09:13.399 --> 00:09:16.360 to try to be right with God through their law-keeping, 00:09:17.039 --> 00:09:18.740 then why would Peter turn around 00:09:18.740 --> 00:09:20.399 and tell Gentiles with his actions 00:09:20.399 --> 00:09:23.139 that they needed to keep the Mosaic law 00:09:23.139 --> 00:09:23.840 to be right with God 00:09:23.840 --> 00:09:25.539 if he himself knew that that was impossible? 00:09:26.319 --> 00:09:27.360 It doesn't make any sense. 00:09:28.600 --> 00:09:29.879 Now, just for clarity's sake, 00:09:29.939 --> 00:09:32.220 you might have noticed I used the error quotation marks 00:09:32.220 --> 00:09:33.220 in verse 15. 00:09:33.419 --> 00:09:35.679 Let's look at that word sinners in verse 15. 00:09:36.599 --> 00:09:38.319 What Paul's not saying 00:09:38.319 --> 00:09:40.539 is that the Jews aren't sinners. 00:09:41.319 --> 00:09:42.539 We ourselves are Jews by birth 00:09:42.539 --> 00:09:43.599 and not Gentile sinners. 00:09:43.779 --> 00:09:45.419 He's not saying that Gentiles are the sinners 00:09:45.419 --> 00:09:46.299 and Jews are fine. 00:09:46.899 --> 00:09:47.719 He's not saying that. 00:09:48.159 --> 00:09:49.719 Rather, he's using a term, 00:09:49.839 --> 00:09:51.319 which the quotation marks help with, 00:09:52.000 --> 00:09:54.579 that the Jews used to describe the Gentiles 00:09:54.579 --> 00:09:56.500 who were considered sinners 00:09:56.500 --> 00:09:58.719 in the eyes of the Mosaic law, 00:10:00.079 --> 00:10:01.759 including all the purity laws, 00:10:01.939 --> 00:10:04.179 offering sacrifices through a priest in the temple, 00:10:04.179 --> 00:10:05.459 getting circumcised, 00:10:05.460 --> 00:10:05.920 et cetera. 00:10:06.600 --> 00:10:08.080 So law-abiding Jews 00:10:08.080 --> 00:10:10.700 would refer to Gentiles as sinners 00:10:10.700 --> 00:10:13.240 because they didn't follow the law of Moses. 00:10:14.360 --> 00:10:15.700 So it might be helpful to kind of imagine 00:10:15.700 --> 00:10:16.700 the quotation marks there. 00:10:17.759 --> 00:10:19.920 So there's the gracious reminder. 00:10:22.000 --> 00:10:23.180 Paul gives it to Peter. 00:10:23.620 --> 00:10:24.660 He gives it to the Galatians 00:10:24.660 --> 00:10:26.160 by writing this down to the Galatians 00:10:26.160 --> 00:10:28.040 and by means of the Spirit of God 00:10:28.040 --> 00:10:29.600 preserving this over 2,000 years, 00:10:29.879 --> 00:10:30.820 he gives that to us. 00:10:30.820 --> 00:10:35.080 We don't get right with God 00:10:35.080 --> 00:10:36.580 through keeping the law. 00:10:37.980 --> 00:10:39.940 We get right with God 00:10:39.940 --> 00:10:42.379 by trusting in Jesus' law-keeping 00:10:42.379 --> 00:10:43.480 on our behalf 00:10:43.480 --> 00:10:46.440 and by trusting in his death 00:10:46.440 --> 00:10:48.600 on the cross for us lawbreakers. 00:10:49.280 --> 00:10:50.620 That's the gracious reminder. 00:10:51.700 --> 00:10:52.820 Now, before we move on, 00:10:53.440 --> 00:10:54.860 we need to be clear on one thing. 00:10:55.680 --> 00:10:57.120 What does Paul mean 00:10:57.120 --> 00:10:59.000 with this word justified? 00:11:00.519 --> 00:11:02.279 Shows up three times in this verse 00:11:02.279 --> 00:11:03.419 as well as in verse 17 00:11:03.419 --> 00:11:04.980 and in the original language, 00:11:05.279 --> 00:11:05.960 the word justified 00:11:05.960 --> 00:11:07.039 is very closely related 00:11:07.039 --> 00:11:08.139 to that word righteousness 00:11:08.139 --> 00:11:09.159 in verse 21. 00:11:09.600 --> 00:11:10.659 So obviously, 00:11:10.840 --> 00:11:11.899 it's a really important word 00:11:11.899 --> 00:11:12.500 for this passage 00:11:12.500 --> 00:11:14.360 and it's an extremely important word 00:11:14.360 --> 00:11:15.360 for the Bible. 00:11:16.320 --> 00:11:17.680 So what does Paul mean by it? 00:11:17.679 --> 00:11:20.319 When Paul uses language 00:11:20.319 --> 00:11:21.579 like justified 00:11:21.579 --> 00:11:23.000 or justification, 00:11:23.699 --> 00:11:25.179 he's talking about 00:11:25.179 --> 00:11:28.759 a gracious, legal pronouncement 00:11:28.759 --> 00:11:31.099 that God makes 00:11:31.099 --> 00:11:32.299 on an individual sinner 00:11:32.299 --> 00:11:33.719 when that person 00:11:33.719 --> 00:11:35.059 trusts in Jesus 00:11:35.059 --> 00:11:37.679 as his or her substitute. 00:11:39.919 --> 00:11:41.959 If the whole of God's law 00:11:41.959 --> 00:11:42.799 can be summarized 00:11:42.799 --> 00:11:43.699 in the two commands, 00:11:44.500 --> 00:11:45.740 love your neighbor as yourself 00:11:45.740 --> 00:11:46.940 and love the Lord your God 00:11:46.940 --> 00:11:47.460 with all your heart, 00:11:47.539 --> 00:11:48.340 soul, mind, and strength, 00:11:49.159 --> 00:11:50.299 then you and I 00:11:50.299 --> 00:11:51.700 are utterly condemned 00:11:51.700 --> 00:11:52.500 before God. 00:11:54.879 --> 00:11:56.240 Let that sink in for a minute. 00:11:57.639 --> 00:12:00.180 We blatantly ignore 00:12:00.180 --> 00:12:03.399 these whole summarizing commands 00:12:03.399 --> 00:12:04.620 daily 00:12:04.620 --> 00:12:07.180 and we choose to issue 00:12:07.180 --> 00:12:08.259 and obey 00:12:08.259 --> 00:12:10.580 our own self-made commands 00:12:10.580 --> 00:12:12.120 to love self 00:12:12.120 --> 00:12:15.180 with all heart, soul, mind, and strength. 00:12:15.740 --> 00:12:17.560 And apart from God's grace, 00:12:18.419 --> 00:12:19.980 we would be facing 00:12:19.980 --> 00:12:21.580 God's righteous wrath 00:12:21.580 --> 00:12:22.220 and punishment 00:12:22.220 --> 00:12:24.060 because of this law-breaking. 00:12:24.960 --> 00:12:26.460 But God sent his son. 00:12:28.379 --> 00:12:29.539 And God's son, 00:12:30.039 --> 00:12:30.299 Jesus, 00:12:30.560 --> 00:12:31.700 lived every moment 00:12:31.700 --> 00:12:32.840 of his earthly life 00:12:32.840 --> 00:12:34.039 in perfect, 00:12:34.720 --> 00:12:35.539 loving obedience 00:12:35.539 --> 00:12:36.580 to his heavenly father 00:12:36.580 --> 00:12:38.480 and in perfect love 00:12:38.480 --> 00:12:39.379 toward his neighbor. 00:12:39.379 --> 00:12:41.019 and then Jesus 00:12:41.019 --> 00:12:42.080 gave his life up 00:12:42.080 --> 00:12:43.439 as a willing substitute 00:12:43.439 --> 00:12:45.580 for those of us 00:12:45.580 --> 00:12:46.379 who hated God 00:12:46.379 --> 00:12:47.340 and hated each other. 00:12:48.600 --> 00:12:49.580 And when we, 00:12:49.820 --> 00:12:50.779 as these lawbreakers, 00:12:50.960 --> 00:12:52.779 see and understand 00:12:52.779 --> 00:12:53.899 what Jesus did 00:12:53.899 --> 00:12:55.600 and trust that he did that 00:12:55.600 --> 00:12:56.399 on our behalf, 00:12:56.600 --> 00:12:57.340 in the moment 00:12:57.340 --> 00:12:58.259 of that trusting, 00:12:58.600 --> 00:13:00.299 God makes a legal declaration. 00:13:01.360 --> 00:13:02.200 He says that we are 00:13:02.200 --> 00:13:03.659 no longer unrighteous 00:13:03.659 --> 00:13:04.980 lawbreakers in his sight, 00:13:05.379 --> 00:13:07.279 but he legally pronounces us 00:13:07.279 --> 00:13:08.139 righteous. 00:13:10.559 --> 00:13:11.559 Even though in reality 00:13:11.559 --> 00:13:12.100 we aren't. 00:13:13.899 --> 00:13:15.299 He chooses to view us 00:13:15.299 --> 00:13:16.059 through the lens 00:13:16.059 --> 00:13:17.519 of Christ's shed blood 00:13:17.519 --> 00:13:18.319 on our behalf 00:13:18.319 --> 00:13:20.079 and through the lens 00:13:20.079 --> 00:13:20.819 of his perfect 00:13:20.819 --> 00:13:22.259 and righteous life 00:13:22.259 --> 00:13:23.699 as if we were the ones 00:13:23.699 --> 00:13:24.259 who lived it. 00:13:25.659 --> 00:13:25.939 Now, 00:13:26.139 --> 00:13:26.679 for a moment, 00:13:26.779 --> 00:13:27.360 let's just pretend 00:13:27.360 --> 00:13:28.000 that you're a Christian 00:13:28.000 --> 00:13:28.959 and you've heard this before. 00:13:29.600 --> 00:13:30.299 You believed it. 00:13:31.059 --> 00:13:32.559 Just pretend you're hearing it 00:13:32.559 --> 00:13:33.360 for the first time. 00:13:33.360 --> 00:13:37.019 You are not right with God. 00:13:38.019 --> 00:13:38.779 There's no way 00:13:38.779 --> 00:13:39.659 you can get right with God 00:13:39.659 --> 00:13:40.180 on your own. 00:13:41.820 --> 00:13:42.320 And then God 00:13:42.320 --> 00:13:43.300 graciously shows you 00:13:43.300 --> 00:13:44.080 what he did for you 00:13:44.080 --> 00:13:44.860 through his crucified 00:13:44.860 --> 00:13:45.800 and resurrected son, 00:13:45.899 --> 00:13:46.139 Jesus. 00:13:46.539 --> 00:13:47.519 And you believe in him. 00:13:47.539 --> 00:13:48.279 And then all of a sudden, 00:13:48.440 --> 00:13:50.180 with one sweeping declaration, 00:13:50.720 --> 00:13:52.100 not only are your sins forgiven, 00:13:52.220 --> 00:13:53.639 but God declares you righteous 00:13:53.639 --> 00:13:55.200 just like his son is righteous. 00:13:56.539 --> 00:13:58.200 It should make our jaws drop 00:13:58.200 --> 00:14:00.320 in awe of his mercy. 00:14:00.960 --> 00:14:01.720 Just like the song 00:14:01.720 --> 00:14:02.680 we were singing earlier, 00:14:02.860 --> 00:14:03.860 all I owe, 00:14:04.639 --> 00:14:05.379 you paid for me. 00:14:07.180 --> 00:14:08.600 So that's the gracious reminder. 00:14:09.000 --> 00:14:09.740 From the lips 00:14:09.740 --> 00:14:10.920 and from the pen 00:14:10.920 --> 00:14:12.220 of the Apostle Paul, 00:14:12.920 --> 00:14:13.240 Peter, 00:14:13.639 --> 00:14:14.320 the Galatians, 00:14:14.680 --> 00:14:15.800 and us, 00:14:16.040 --> 00:14:16.879 we all receive 00:14:16.879 --> 00:14:17.940 this gracious reminder. 00:14:19.060 --> 00:14:21.160 It is a slap in God's face 00:14:21.160 --> 00:14:22.440 to pretend 00:14:22.440 --> 00:14:23.360 that we can be righteous 00:14:23.360 --> 00:14:23.960 before God 00:14:23.960 --> 00:14:25.279 by any other means 00:14:25.279 --> 00:14:27.160 except by the shed blood 00:14:27.160 --> 00:14:27.940 of Jesus Christ 00:14:27.940 --> 00:14:28.580 on our behalf. 00:14:28.980 --> 00:14:30.180 That's the gracious reminder. 00:14:30.179 --> 00:14:32.059 And that's our first stop. 00:14:32.839 --> 00:14:33.759 It's just a beautiful 00:14:33.759 --> 00:14:34.879 mountaintop vista 00:14:34.879 --> 00:14:35.839 of the gospel. 00:14:36.839 --> 00:14:37.419 But let's move 00:14:37.419 --> 00:14:38.299 to the second stop. 00:14:38.879 --> 00:14:40.419 Verses 17 through 19. 00:14:41.399 --> 00:14:43.339 There is some rough terrain ahead. 00:14:44.279 --> 00:14:45.439 So I need you to stick with me. 00:14:46.379 --> 00:14:47.459 But it's going to set us up 00:14:47.459 --> 00:14:48.319 really well 00:14:48.319 --> 00:14:49.620 for our third stop. 00:14:50.319 --> 00:14:51.679 The second stop is called 00:14:51.679 --> 00:14:53.279 an old relationship 00:14:53.279 --> 00:14:54.339 discarded. 00:14:55.039 --> 00:14:56.199 An old relationship 00:14:56.199 --> 00:14:57.500 discarded. 00:14:58.179 --> 00:14:58.719 Let's kind of read 00:14:58.720 --> 00:14:59.440 these verses together. 00:15:00.639 --> 00:15:01.660 But if in our endeavor 00:15:01.660 --> 00:15:03.019 to be justified in Christ 00:15:03.019 --> 00:15:04.200 we too were found 00:15:04.200 --> 00:15:04.840 to be sinners, 00:15:05.379 --> 00:15:06.180 is Christ then 00:15:06.180 --> 00:15:07.080 a servant of sin? 00:15:07.560 --> 00:15:08.720 Certainly not. 00:15:08.940 --> 00:15:09.899 For if I rebuild 00:15:09.899 --> 00:15:10.720 what I tore down, 00:15:10.960 --> 00:15:11.820 I prove myself 00:15:11.820 --> 00:15:12.920 to be a transgressor. 00:15:13.620 --> 00:15:14.560 For through the law 00:15:14.560 --> 00:15:16.000 I died to the law 00:15:16.000 --> 00:15:17.519 so that I might live 00:15:17.519 --> 00:15:18.360 to God. 00:15:19.460 --> 00:15:20.460 So what is that 00:15:20.460 --> 00:15:21.399 old relationship 00:15:21.399 --> 00:15:22.420 that Paul is 00:15:22.420 --> 00:15:23.279 talking about here? 00:15:23.940 --> 00:15:24.580 Well, it is 00:15:24.580 --> 00:15:25.360 the Christian's 00:15:25.360 --> 00:15:26.360 old relationship 00:15:26.360 --> 00:15:27.700 to the law of Moses. 00:15:27.820 --> 00:15:28.480 And in the context 00:15:28.480 --> 00:15:29.379 it's the Jewish 00:15:29.379 --> 00:15:30.220 Christian's 00:15:30.220 --> 00:15:31.460 old relationship 00:15:31.460 --> 00:15:32.759 to the law of Moses. 00:15:33.680 --> 00:15:34.759 Paul has just been saying 00:15:34.759 --> 00:15:36.180 that we're not justified 00:15:36.180 --> 00:15:37.820 by keeping the law of Moses 00:15:37.820 --> 00:15:39.320 and so now he needs 00:15:39.320 --> 00:15:39.840 to clarify 00:15:39.840 --> 00:15:41.480 what that relationship 00:15:41.480 --> 00:15:42.700 used to be 00:15:42.700 --> 00:15:43.840 and how it has 00:15:43.840 --> 00:15:44.980 got discarded. 00:15:46.200 --> 00:15:46.940 So let's skip ahead 00:15:46.940 --> 00:15:47.639 to verse 19 00:15:47.639 --> 00:15:48.639 to answer that question 00:15:48.639 --> 00:15:49.200 and then I'll take us 00:15:49.200 --> 00:15:50.560 back to verses 17 to 18. 00:15:52.700 --> 00:15:53.139 Here, 00:15:53.139 --> 00:15:53.939 in verse 19, 00:15:54.120 --> 00:15:54.899 Paul says 00:15:54.899 --> 00:15:55.799 that he died 00:15:55.799 --> 00:15:57.139 to the law. 00:15:57.379 --> 00:15:57.840 So obviously 00:15:57.840 --> 00:15:58.879 it's an old relationship 00:15:58.879 --> 00:15:59.919 it's discarded 00:15:59.919 --> 00:16:01.879 but how did he come 00:16:01.879 --> 00:16:02.699 to that conclusion? 00:16:03.860 --> 00:16:04.100 Well, 00:16:04.199 --> 00:16:04.639 Paul says 00:16:04.639 --> 00:16:05.220 that he died 00:16:05.220 --> 00:16:06.120 to the law 00:16:06.120 --> 00:16:07.699 through the law. 00:16:09.379 --> 00:16:10.019 Don't you wish 00:16:10.019 --> 00:16:10.519 that Paul would be 00:16:10.519 --> 00:16:11.139 a little more clear 00:16:11.139 --> 00:16:11.600 sometimes? 00:16:12.639 --> 00:16:13.860 What does that mean, 00:16:14.019 --> 00:16:14.179 Paul? 00:16:15.159 --> 00:16:15.319 Well, 00:16:15.340 --> 00:16:16.399 going back to verse 16 00:16:16.399 --> 00:16:17.259 helps us with this 00:16:17.259 --> 00:16:17.759 a little bit. 00:16:18.379 --> 00:16:19.019 Paul and Peter 00:16:19.019 --> 00:16:20.319 as ethnic Jews 00:16:20.319 --> 00:16:21.659 realize with God's help 00:16:21.659 --> 00:16:22.379 that their obedience 00:16:22.379 --> 00:16:23.220 to the law 00:16:23.220 --> 00:16:24.659 could not justify 00:16:24.659 --> 00:16:25.600 them before God. 00:16:26.039 --> 00:16:27.799 Only Jesus' law keeping 00:16:27.799 --> 00:16:28.620 and his death 00:16:28.620 --> 00:16:29.379 on their behalf 00:16:29.379 --> 00:16:30.600 could justify them. 00:16:30.720 --> 00:16:31.019 So, 00:16:31.740 --> 00:16:33.139 through their law keeping 00:16:33.139 --> 00:16:34.980 they realized 00:16:34.980 --> 00:16:35.580 that their law keeping 00:16:35.580 --> 00:16:36.340 was not up to par. 00:16:36.919 --> 00:16:37.919 They could not be justified 00:16:37.919 --> 00:16:38.820 through their law keeping 00:16:38.820 --> 00:16:40.379 and therefore 00:16:40.379 --> 00:16:41.559 they died to the law 00:16:41.559 --> 00:16:42.379 as a way of 00:16:42.379 --> 00:16:43.159 making themselves 00:16:43.159 --> 00:16:43.639 right 00:16:43.639 --> 00:16:45.259 with God. 00:16:46.299 --> 00:16:47.740 In another letter 00:16:47.740 --> 00:16:48.820 in Romans 7, 00:16:49.159 --> 00:16:50.159 Paul uses an illustration 00:16:50.159 --> 00:16:51.220 to help us with this 00:16:51.220 --> 00:16:51.700 and it's kind of 00:16:51.700 --> 00:16:52.440 from another angle. 00:16:53.899 --> 00:16:54.800 In Romans 7, 00:16:54.940 --> 00:16:56.300 Paul depicts the law 00:16:56.300 --> 00:16:57.379 as a husband 00:16:57.379 --> 00:16:58.960 to which we, 00:16:59.160 --> 00:16:59.940 the bride of Christ, 00:17:00.000 --> 00:17:00.759 were once married. 00:17:02.340 --> 00:17:03.259 The only problem 00:17:03.259 --> 00:17:03.680 is that it was 00:17:03.680 --> 00:17:04.799 a very dysfunctional marriage. 00:17:05.759 --> 00:17:07.500 The law made demands 00:17:07.500 --> 00:17:09.380 on us 00:17:09.380 --> 00:17:10.940 that we just could not keep 00:17:10.940 --> 00:17:11.880 in our very nature 00:17:11.880 --> 00:17:12.900 as lawbreakers. 00:17:13.700 --> 00:17:14.680 That relationship 00:17:14.680 --> 00:17:15.579 produced guilt 00:17:15.579 --> 00:17:16.299 and shame 00:17:16.299 --> 00:17:17.160 and condemnation 00:17:17.160 --> 00:17:17.680 in us 00:17:17.680 --> 00:17:19.100 not because the law 00:17:19.100 --> 00:17:19.799 is bad 00:17:19.799 --> 00:17:21.580 but because we simply 00:17:21.580 --> 00:17:22.500 could not keep it. 00:17:23.860 --> 00:17:24.340 But, 00:17:24.460 --> 00:17:25.299 we were bound 00:17:25.299 --> 00:17:25.880 to the law 00:17:25.880 --> 00:17:26.880 just like spouses 00:17:26.880 --> 00:17:27.440 were bound 00:17:27.440 --> 00:17:28.160 to each other 00:17:28.160 --> 00:17:28.880 in the covenant 00:17:28.880 --> 00:17:29.420 of marriage 00:17:29.420 --> 00:17:30.600 and only death 00:17:30.600 --> 00:17:31.220 could break 00:17:31.220 --> 00:17:32.160 that bond. 00:17:33.019 --> 00:17:33.380 And then, 00:17:33.539 --> 00:17:34.400 a death happened. 00:17:35.799 --> 00:17:37.000 Crushed by God's 00:17:37.000 --> 00:17:37.720 holy law, 00:17:38.019 --> 00:17:39.160 the law we broke, 00:17:39.700 --> 00:17:40.740 Jesus died 00:17:40.740 --> 00:17:41.860 on our behalf. 00:17:42.120 --> 00:17:42.900 And if we 00:17:42.900 --> 00:17:44.220 are bound 00:17:44.220 --> 00:17:44.860 to Jesus 00:17:44.860 --> 00:17:45.779 by faith, 00:17:46.279 --> 00:17:47.339 then we also 00:17:47.339 --> 00:17:48.240 are dead 00:17:48.240 --> 00:17:49.160 to the law, 00:17:49.539 --> 00:17:50.380 our old husband, 00:17:50.779 --> 00:17:51.319 as a way 00:17:51.319 --> 00:17:52.240 of justifying 00:17:52.240 --> 00:17:52.740 ourselves 00:17:52.740 --> 00:17:53.440 before God. 00:17:54.500 --> 00:17:55.160 And this happened 00:17:55.160 --> 00:17:56.100 so that we could live 00:17:56.100 --> 00:17:57.200 in a new relationship 00:17:57.200 --> 00:17:58.600 to God, 00:17:58.660 --> 00:17:59.559 no longer bound 00:17:59.559 --> 00:18:00.120 to the law 00:18:00.120 --> 00:18:01.059 as a means 00:18:01.059 --> 00:18:01.799 of getting right 00:18:01.799 --> 00:18:02.480 with God. 00:18:02.940 --> 00:18:03.680 So that's the old 00:18:03.680 --> 00:18:04.220 relationship 00:18:04.220 --> 00:18:05.019 to the law 00:18:05.019 --> 00:18:05.839 and how it got 00:18:05.839 --> 00:18:06.460 discarded. 00:18:07.600 --> 00:18:08.620 We used to be 00:18:08.620 --> 00:18:09.259 in a relationship 00:18:09.259 --> 00:18:10.120 with the law 00:18:10.120 --> 00:18:11.620 in which we depended 00:18:11.620 --> 00:18:12.539 on our own obedience 00:18:12.539 --> 00:18:13.200 to the law 00:18:13.200 --> 00:18:14.039 to make us right 00:18:14.039 --> 00:18:14.720 before God, 00:18:15.100 --> 00:18:15.779 but now because 00:18:15.779 --> 00:18:16.660 the death of Christ 00:18:16.660 --> 00:18:17.240 took place 00:18:17.240 --> 00:18:17.920 and we died 00:18:17.920 --> 00:18:18.480 with him, 00:18:18.940 --> 00:18:19.519 our dependence 00:18:19.519 --> 00:18:20.140 on the law 00:18:20.140 --> 00:18:21.059 as the way 00:18:21.059 --> 00:18:21.440 to get right 00:18:21.440 --> 00:18:21.940 with God 00:18:21.940 --> 00:18:22.819 is broken. 00:18:24.279 --> 00:18:24.539 Okay. 00:18:25.019 --> 00:18:25.480 So it's old 00:18:25.480 --> 00:18:25.980 relationship 00:18:25.980 --> 00:18:26.880 and it's discarded. 00:18:27.000 --> 00:18:27.319 But what about 00:18:27.319 --> 00:18:28.380 verse 17 and 18? 00:18:28.539 --> 00:18:28.840 What are we going 00:18:28.840 --> 00:18:29.340 to do with that? 00:18:30.799 --> 00:18:31.160 Well, 00:18:31.620 --> 00:18:32.500 scholars have spilled 00:18:32.500 --> 00:18:33.059 a lot of ink 00:18:33.059 --> 00:18:33.840 on these two verses 00:18:33.840 --> 00:18:34.660 and there's really 00:18:34.660 --> 00:18:35.420 kind of two main 00:18:35.420 --> 00:18:36.039 interpretations. 00:18:37.519 --> 00:18:38.100 Both of them 00:18:38.100 --> 00:18:38.779 have good ground 00:18:38.779 --> 00:18:39.400 to stand on. 00:18:40.299 --> 00:18:41.080 The one that makes 00:18:41.080 --> 00:18:41.759 most sense to me 00:18:41.759 --> 00:18:42.120 is this. 00:18:42.140 --> 00:18:42.640 If you want to talk 00:18:42.640 --> 00:18:43.259 about the other one, 00:18:43.400 --> 00:18:44.060 come find me later. 00:18:45.040 --> 00:18:45.940 It seems like 00:18:45.940 --> 00:18:46.840 the word sinners 00:18:46.840 --> 00:18:48.120 in verse 17 00:18:48.120 --> 00:18:49.860 is meant to mirror 00:18:49.860 --> 00:18:51.340 the same word sinners 00:18:51.340 --> 00:18:52.840 back up in verse 15. 00:18:53.940 --> 00:18:54.820 So in other words, 00:18:54.900 --> 00:18:55.420 it needs to have 00:18:55.420 --> 00:18:56.100 quotation marks 00:18:56.100 --> 00:18:56.580 around it 00:18:56.580 --> 00:18:57.440 as the label 00:18:57.440 --> 00:18:58.580 that Jews 00:18:58.580 --> 00:18:59.680 gave Gentiles 00:18:59.680 --> 00:19:00.660 who didn't keep 00:19:00.660 --> 00:19:01.460 the law of Moses. 00:19:02.020 --> 00:19:03.360 So follow Paul's logic 00:19:03.360 --> 00:19:04.420 with me in verses 17 00:19:04.420 --> 00:19:04.680 and 18. 00:19:04.759 --> 00:19:05.120 I'm going to give you 00:19:05.120 --> 00:19:05.840 kind of an expanded 00:19:05.840 --> 00:19:06.700 paraphrase here. 00:19:07.540 --> 00:19:08.300 It's as if Paul's 00:19:08.300 --> 00:19:08.759 saying this, 00:19:08.840 --> 00:19:09.040 Peter, 00:19:09.480 --> 00:19:10.440 you and I realized 00:19:10.440 --> 00:19:10.980 that we needed 00:19:10.980 --> 00:19:11.720 to be justified 00:19:11.720 --> 00:19:13.039 by faith in Christ, 00:19:13.200 --> 00:19:13.900 not by keeping 00:19:13.900 --> 00:19:14.559 the law of Moses. 00:19:15.700 --> 00:19:16.900 And when we realized 00:19:16.900 --> 00:19:17.160 that, 00:19:17.240 --> 00:19:18.059 we also realized 00:19:18.059 --> 00:19:19.059 that Jesus himself 00:19:19.059 --> 00:19:19.799 had made parts 00:19:19.799 --> 00:19:20.740 of the Mosaic law 00:19:20.740 --> 00:19:21.500 obsolete. 00:19:22.660 --> 00:19:23.600 He fulfilled 00:19:23.600 --> 00:19:24.600 the purity laws 00:19:24.600 --> 00:19:25.460 by making us 00:19:25.460 --> 00:19:26.360 clean in him. 00:19:27.059 --> 00:19:27.640 He fulfilled 00:19:27.640 --> 00:19:28.340 the priesthood 00:19:28.340 --> 00:19:29.539 and the sacrificial system 00:19:29.539 --> 00:19:30.720 by becoming 00:19:30.720 --> 00:19:31.660 our great high priest 00:19:31.660 --> 00:19:32.840 and our Passover lamb. 00:19:33.920 --> 00:19:34.980 So those parts 00:19:34.980 --> 00:19:35.460 of the law 00:19:35.460 --> 00:19:36.620 no longer apply 00:19:36.620 --> 00:19:37.059 to us 00:19:37.059 --> 00:19:37.720 because we're 00:19:37.720 --> 00:19:38.580 in Christ now. 00:19:38.579 --> 00:19:39.599 But Peter, 00:19:39.799 --> 00:19:40.639 that doesn't make 00:19:40.639 --> 00:19:41.919 Jesus a promoter 00:19:41.919 --> 00:19:42.359 of sin, 00:19:42.460 --> 00:19:42.859 does it? 00:19:43.579 --> 00:19:43.839 No, 00:19:43.939 --> 00:19:44.799 because Christ 00:19:44.799 --> 00:19:45.480 has fulfilled 00:19:45.480 --> 00:19:46.460 all that law 00:19:46.460 --> 00:19:47.059 for us. 00:19:47.779 --> 00:19:48.399 And he has broken 00:19:48.399 --> 00:19:48.939 down the wall 00:19:48.939 --> 00:19:49.559 of separation 00:19:49.559 --> 00:19:50.299 between Jews 00:19:50.299 --> 00:19:51.359 and Gentiles now. 00:19:52.079 --> 00:19:52.919 But sadly, 00:19:53.099 --> 00:19:53.319 Peter, 00:19:53.319 --> 00:19:54.319 you just rebuilt 00:19:54.319 --> 00:19:54.859 that wall. 00:19:55.639 --> 00:19:56.699 You had torn it 00:19:56.699 --> 00:19:57.319 down before 00:19:57.319 --> 00:19:58.419 by refusing to find 00:19:58.419 --> 00:19:59.039 your justification 00:19:59.039 --> 00:19:59.939 in the law 00:19:59.939 --> 00:20:00.980 and putting your 00:20:00.980 --> 00:20:01.579 trust in Christ. 00:20:01.679 --> 00:20:02.000 But now, 00:20:02.220 --> 00:20:02.879 when you switch 00:20:02.879 --> 00:20:03.939 tables just now, 00:20:05.099 --> 00:20:06.460 you're rebuilding 00:20:06.460 --> 00:20:07.079 the wall between 00:20:07.079 --> 00:20:07.939 Jews and Gentiles 00:20:07.939 --> 00:20:08.279 again. 00:20:08.579 --> 00:20:09.319 And that makes 00:20:09.319 --> 00:20:09.960 you a real 00:20:09.960 --> 00:20:10.740 transgressor, 00:20:10.859 --> 00:20:11.059 Peter, 00:20:11.899 --> 00:20:12.960 because you violated 00:20:12.960 --> 00:20:13.899 God's truth 00:20:13.899 --> 00:20:15.059 of our justification 00:20:15.059 --> 00:20:15.799 in Christ. 00:20:16.019 --> 00:20:17.099 You've also violated 00:20:17.099 --> 00:20:18.819 his law of love 00:20:18.819 --> 00:20:19.299 that we're supposed 00:20:19.299 --> 00:20:19.839 to keep toward 00:20:19.839 --> 00:20:20.619 our Gentile brothers 00:20:20.619 --> 00:20:21.159 and sisters. 00:20:22.619 --> 00:20:23.619 That seems to make 00:20:23.619 --> 00:20:24.179 the most sense 00:20:24.179 --> 00:20:25.019 out of verses 17 00:20:25.019 --> 00:20:25.480 and 18. 00:20:26.460 --> 00:20:27.259 Peter had died 00:20:27.259 --> 00:20:27.799 to the law 00:20:27.799 --> 00:20:28.480 through the law 00:20:28.480 --> 00:20:29.379 and yet he wanted 00:20:29.379 --> 00:20:30.199 to start rebuilding 00:20:30.199 --> 00:20:31.139 his old relationship 00:20:31.139 --> 00:20:32.000 with the law again. 00:20:32.480 --> 00:20:33.220 It was like, 00:20:33.960 --> 00:20:34.740 going back to the 00:20:34.740 --> 00:20:35.359 marriage illustration, 00:20:35.619 --> 00:20:36.759 it's like a remarried 00:20:36.759 --> 00:20:37.899 woman going on dates 00:20:37.900 --> 00:20:38.840 with her ex-husband 00:20:38.840 --> 00:20:40.040 instead of the one 00:20:40.040 --> 00:20:40.560 that she's actually 00:20:40.560 --> 00:20:41.100 married to. 00:20:41.740 --> 00:20:42.300 Bad deal. 00:20:43.500 --> 00:20:44.360 So this is the case 00:20:44.360 --> 00:20:45.220 with Paul and Peter, 00:20:45.940 --> 00:20:46.620 it's the same case 00:20:46.620 --> 00:20:47.200 with the Galatian 00:20:47.200 --> 00:20:47.580 Christians, 00:20:47.780 --> 00:20:49.000 and same with us 00:20:49.000 --> 00:20:49.400 too. 00:20:50.360 --> 00:20:51.180 Our relationship 00:20:51.180 --> 00:20:51.740 with the law 00:20:51.740 --> 00:20:53.300 is no longer binding 00:20:53.300 --> 00:20:54.660 as a way of getting 00:20:54.660 --> 00:20:55.580 us right with God. 00:20:56.120 --> 00:20:57.280 The Mosaic law 00:20:57.280 --> 00:20:58.440 is not bad, 00:20:58.900 --> 00:21:00.140 it makes a good guide 00:21:00.140 --> 00:21:00.960 to understand 00:21:00.960 --> 00:21:01.920 the holiness of God. 00:21:01.920 --> 00:21:03.380 It gives us 00:21:03.380 --> 00:21:04.019 a good guide 00:21:04.019 --> 00:21:04.800 to what it looks 00:21:04.800 --> 00:21:06.279 like to live 00:21:06.279 --> 00:21:07.000 for God, 00:21:07.240 --> 00:21:08.360 but it makes 00:21:08.360 --> 00:21:09.039 a poor Savior. 00:21:10.440 --> 00:21:11.500 The law leads us 00:21:11.500 --> 00:21:12.279 to feel our need 00:21:12.279 --> 00:21:12.860 for a Savior 00:21:12.860 --> 00:21:14.100 and also leads us 00:21:14.100 --> 00:21:15.120 along a good path 00:21:15.120 --> 00:21:15.880 of righteous living 00:21:15.880 --> 00:21:17.120 to please our Savior, 00:21:17.560 --> 00:21:18.200 but it cannot 00:21:18.200 --> 00:21:19.440 be our Savior. 00:21:20.840 --> 00:21:21.660 Ever since 00:21:21.660 --> 00:21:22.480 the Garden of Eden, 00:21:23.200 --> 00:21:24.060 human beings 00:21:24.060 --> 00:21:25.039 have known 00:21:25.039 --> 00:21:25.460 that there was 00:21:25.460 --> 00:21:26.820 something wrong 00:21:26.820 --> 00:21:27.380 with us. 00:21:28.240 --> 00:21:29.200 Ever since Adam 00:21:29.200 --> 00:21:29.779 and Eve broke 00:21:29.779 --> 00:21:30.640 God's holy law, 00:21:30.640 --> 00:21:32.040 and we don't 00:21:32.040 --> 00:21:32.860 like that 00:21:32.860 --> 00:21:33.860 brokenness 00:21:33.860 --> 00:21:34.720 on the inside. 00:21:35.320 --> 00:21:35.960 We don't like 00:21:35.960 --> 00:21:36.580 that guilt 00:21:36.580 --> 00:21:37.440 and that shame 00:21:37.440 --> 00:21:38.440 and that condemnation, 00:21:39.540 --> 00:21:40.160 and yet we can't 00:21:40.160 --> 00:21:40.840 help but try to 00:21:40.840 --> 00:21:41.860 make ourselves 00:21:41.860 --> 00:21:42.880 feel better about it 00:21:42.880 --> 00:21:43.660 by trying to 00:21:43.660 --> 00:21:44.600 make ourselves 00:21:44.600 --> 00:21:45.960 right in some way, 00:21:46.040 --> 00:21:46.560 by trying to 00:21:46.560 --> 00:21:47.580 justify ourselves 00:21:47.580 --> 00:21:48.820 in some way. 00:21:49.580 --> 00:21:50.920 So we do 00:21:50.920 --> 00:21:51.940 what Adam and Eve did. 00:21:52.180 --> 00:21:52.980 We blame others 00:21:52.980 --> 00:21:54.380 for our misdoings, 00:21:54.920 --> 00:21:56.080 and we try to 00:21:56.080 --> 00:21:56.960 justify ourselves 00:21:56.960 --> 00:21:57.420 in that way. 00:21:57.500 --> 00:21:58.300 We shift the blame. 00:21:59.300 --> 00:21:59.960 Or we compare 00:21:59.960 --> 00:22:01.000 ourselves to others 00:22:01.000 --> 00:22:01.860 in self-righteous 00:22:01.860 --> 00:22:02.220 judgment, 00:22:02.819 --> 00:22:03.360 telling ourselves 00:22:03.360 --> 00:22:04.000 we're not as bad 00:22:04.000 --> 00:22:04.680 as those people 00:22:04.680 --> 00:22:05.180 over there, 00:22:05.279 --> 00:22:05.840 because we're doing 00:22:05.840 --> 00:22:06.680 this or we're not 00:22:06.680 --> 00:22:07.279 doing this. 00:22:08.440 --> 00:22:09.600 Or we deceive 00:22:09.600 --> 00:22:10.240 ourselves into 00:22:10.240 --> 00:22:11.519 thinking that if 00:22:11.519 --> 00:22:12.660 we try hard enough 00:22:12.660 --> 00:22:13.759 to be decent people, 00:22:13.940 --> 00:22:14.759 we'll deserve 00:22:14.759 --> 00:22:15.779 God's grace somehow. 00:22:16.940 --> 00:22:18.500 Or we lower 00:22:18.500 --> 00:22:19.319 God's standard 00:22:19.319 --> 00:22:19.860 of righteousness 00:22:19.860 --> 00:22:21.519 so that it's 00:22:21.519 --> 00:22:22.140 easier for us 00:22:22.140 --> 00:22:22.519 to meet. 00:22:23.920 --> 00:22:24.680 All of these 00:22:24.680 --> 00:22:25.279 are desperate 00:22:25.279 --> 00:22:25.940 attempts of the 00:22:25.940 --> 00:22:26.380 human heart 00:22:26.380 --> 00:22:26.900 to try to 00:22:26.900 --> 00:22:28.059 justify itself 00:22:28.059 --> 00:22:29.179 through an old 00:22:29.179 --> 00:22:29.740 relationship 00:22:29.740 --> 00:22:31.179 with God's law. 00:22:31.579 --> 00:22:32.359 But these are 00:22:32.359 --> 00:22:33.700 just painkillers, 00:22:33.960 --> 00:22:35.159 not the cure. 00:22:36.899 --> 00:22:37.839 Our self-righteous 00:22:37.839 --> 00:22:38.599 blame games, 00:22:39.279 --> 00:22:40.019 our self-righteous 00:22:40.019 --> 00:22:41.119 judgmentalism on 00:22:41.119 --> 00:22:41.539 others, 00:22:42.319 --> 00:22:43.139 comparing ourselves 00:22:43.139 --> 00:22:43.720 to others, 00:22:44.200 --> 00:22:44.839 our desperate 00:22:44.839 --> 00:22:45.799 attempts to measure 00:22:45.799 --> 00:22:46.740 up to God's law, 00:22:47.240 --> 00:22:48.799 it's just a morphine 00:22:48.799 --> 00:22:49.799 drip for a cancer 00:22:49.799 --> 00:22:50.220 patient. 00:22:52.019 --> 00:22:53.179 It can dull the 00:22:53.179 --> 00:22:54.039 pain temporarily, 00:22:54.039 --> 00:22:55.359 but the disease 00:22:55.359 --> 00:22:56.139 of God's 00:22:56.139 --> 00:22:57.279 condemnation on 00:22:57.279 --> 00:22:58.420 us as guilty 00:22:58.420 --> 00:22:59.500 people continues 00:22:59.500 --> 00:23:00.539 to kill us. 00:23:02.059 --> 00:23:03.339 So our self-righteous 00:23:03.339 --> 00:23:04.259 performance just 00:23:04.259 --> 00:23:05.980 doesn't fit in that 00:23:05.980 --> 00:23:06.980 uniquely shaped 00:23:06.980 --> 00:23:08.299 center of the 00:23:08.299 --> 00:23:08.659 gospel. 00:23:08.859 --> 00:23:09.619 If we put it 00:23:09.619 --> 00:23:10.559 there, our faith 00:23:10.559 --> 00:23:11.220 falls apart. 00:23:12.259 --> 00:23:12.839 We have to 00:23:12.839 --> 00:23:14.539 discard ourselves 00:23:14.539 --> 00:23:15.799 as our own 00:23:15.799 --> 00:23:16.339 saviors, 00:23:16.879 --> 00:23:18.079 and we have to 00:23:18.079 --> 00:23:19.399 embrace another, 00:23:20.240 --> 00:23:21.000 which leads us to 00:23:21.000 --> 00:23:21.700 our third stop. 00:23:21.700 --> 00:23:24.420 a new relationship 00:23:24.420 --> 00:23:25.600 embraced. 00:23:26.580 --> 00:23:27.600 A new relationship 00:23:27.600 --> 00:23:28.940 embraced. 00:23:30.360 --> 00:23:31.279 Paul hints at 00:23:31.279 --> 00:23:32.460 this new relationship 00:23:32.460 --> 00:23:33.259 at the end of 00:23:33.259 --> 00:23:33.940 verse 19. 00:23:34.299 --> 00:23:34.680 He says, 00:23:36.299 --> 00:23:37.080 I died to the 00:23:37.080 --> 00:23:37.640 law, through the 00:23:37.640 --> 00:23:38.400 law, that I might 00:23:38.400 --> 00:23:39.660 live to God. 00:23:40.539 --> 00:23:41.140 Well, that kind of 00:23:41.140 --> 00:23:41.779 begs the question, 00:23:42.340 --> 00:23:42.860 how, Paul? 00:23:43.580 --> 00:23:44.779 How are you dead 00:23:44.779 --> 00:23:45.400 to the law and 00:23:45.400 --> 00:23:46.000 living to God? 00:23:46.799 --> 00:23:47.539 Look at verse 20. 00:23:48.279 --> 00:23:49.519 It's through a new 00:23:49.519 --> 00:23:50.559 relationship. 00:23:50.559 --> 00:23:52.200 I have been 00:23:52.200 --> 00:23:53.259 crucified with 00:23:53.259 --> 00:23:53.759 Christ. 00:23:54.200 --> 00:23:55.039 It is no longer 00:23:55.039 --> 00:23:56.500 I who live, but 00:23:56.500 --> 00:23:57.619 Christ who lives in 00:23:57.619 --> 00:23:57.859 me. 00:23:58.359 --> 00:23:59.240 In the life I live 00:23:59.240 --> 00:24:00.759 now in the body, 00:24:01.039 --> 00:24:01.579 or in the flesh, 00:24:01.679 --> 00:24:02.819 I live by faith in 00:24:02.819 --> 00:24:03.779 the Son of God who 00:24:03.779 --> 00:24:05.319 loved me and gave 00:24:05.319 --> 00:24:06.259 himself for me. 00:24:08.039 --> 00:24:09.059 This verse 00:24:09.059 --> 00:24:10.179 proclaims in a 00:24:10.179 --> 00:24:11.579 nutshell one of the 00:24:11.579 --> 00:24:12.220 most precious 00:24:12.220 --> 00:24:13.259 realities of the 00:24:13.259 --> 00:24:14.240 Christian life, and 00:24:14.240 --> 00:24:14.819 one of the most 00:24:14.819 --> 00:24:15.879 easily overlooked by 00:24:15.879 --> 00:24:16.179 us. 00:24:17.339 --> 00:24:17.859 Brother, 00:24:17.859 --> 00:24:20.219 sister, if you 00:24:20.219 --> 00:24:21.000 have trusted in 00:24:21.000 --> 00:24:22.719 Jesus, then you 00:24:22.719 --> 00:24:24.319 are united to 00:24:24.319 --> 00:24:24.599 Jesus. 00:24:25.939 --> 00:24:27.379 You are in 00:24:27.379 --> 00:24:28.240 him. 00:24:29.299 --> 00:24:30.259 Like this. 00:24:31.779 --> 00:24:32.859 Paul is saying 00:24:32.859 --> 00:24:33.419 here that when 00:24:33.419 --> 00:24:34.559 Jesus was crucified, 00:24:35.199 --> 00:24:36.219 all those who 00:24:36.219 --> 00:24:37.479 would ever bind 00:24:37.479 --> 00:24:38.779 themselves to him 00:24:38.779 --> 00:24:39.819 by faith were 00:24:39.819 --> 00:24:41.079 also crucified 00:24:41.079 --> 00:24:41.859 with him, 00:24:42.759 --> 00:24:43.759 becoming dead to 00:24:43.759 --> 00:24:45.259 self and alive to 00:24:45.259 --> 00:24:46.619 God through their 00:24:46.619 --> 00:24:47.819 union with Jesus. 00:24:48.759 --> 00:24:49.319 Now what does that 00:24:49.319 --> 00:24:49.899 actually mean? 00:24:49.979 --> 00:24:50.319 How does that 00:24:50.319 --> 00:24:50.959 flesh it out? 00:24:51.759 --> 00:24:52.379 Well it means as 00:24:52.379 --> 00:24:53.859 far as being made 00:24:53.859 --> 00:24:54.739 right with God is 00:24:54.739 --> 00:24:56.259 concerned, I might 00:24:56.259 --> 00:24:57.819 as well not be 00:24:57.819 --> 00:24:59.119 alive. 00:24:59.919 --> 00:25:00.959 I'm not even alive 00:25:00.959 --> 00:25:02.379 anymore if I'm 00:25:02.379 --> 00:25:03.119 trying to prove 00:25:03.119 --> 00:25:04.059 myself, justify 00:25:04.059 --> 00:25:05.000 myself before God. 00:25:05.199 --> 00:25:05.899 Paul says it's no 00:25:05.899 --> 00:25:06.839 longer I who live. 00:25:07.579 --> 00:25:08.479 I'm not living 00:25:08.479 --> 00:25:09.239 before God to 00:25:09.239 --> 00:25:09.899 justify myself. 00:25:10.039 --> 00:25:10.959 Now Christ does 00:25:10.959 --> 00:25:11.639 that for me. 00:25:12.819 --> 00:25:13.679 The old Billy 00:25:13.679 --> 00:25:15.099 Nye, the pre-conversion 00:25:15.099 --> 00:25:15.899 to Jesus Billy 00:25:15.900 --> 00:25:17.220 Nye, was living 00:25:17.220 --> 00:25:18.380 to justify himself 00:25:18.380 --> 00:25:19.200 before God and 00:25:19.200 --> 00:25:19.880 it was horrible. 00:25:20.980 --> 00:25:21.840 But the converted 00:25:21.840 --> 00:25:23.000 justified Billy 00:25:23.000 --> 00:25:24.540 Nye, who is united 00:25:24.540 --> 00:25:25.780 to Jesus by faith, 00:25:26.380 --> 00:25:27.720 is dead to any 00:25:27.720 --> 00:25:28.519 attempts to 00:25:28.519 --> 00:25:29.420 justify myself. 00:25:30.380 --> 00:25:31.220 In fact, my own 00:25:31.220 --> 00:25:32.240 sinful self died 00:25:32.240 --> 00:25:33.040 with Jesus on the 00:25:33.040 --> 00:25:33.320 cross. 00:25:34.380 --> 00:25:35.320 He put the death 00:25:35.320 --> 00:25:36.259 nail in my old 00:25:36.259 --> 00:25:37.660 self that was 00:25:37.660 --> 00:25:38.620 enslaved to the 00:25:38.620 --> 00:25:39.620 twin masters of 00:25:39.620 --> 00:25:40.900 sin and self- 00:25:40.900 --> 00:25:41.400 justification. 00:25:42.460 --> 00:25:43.440 So now by 00:25:43.440 --> 00:25:44.880 embracing Jesus as 00:25:44.880 --> 00:25:45.600 my justification 00:25:45.600 --> 00:25:46.700 and not myself 00:25:46.700 --> 00:25:48.220 as the only way 00:25:48.220 --> 00:25:48.760 to be right with 00:25:48.760 --> 00:25:49.920 God, Jesus put 00:25:49.920 --> 00:25:50.580 my old self to 00:25:50.580 --> 00:25:50.820 death. 00:25:51.620 --> 00:25:52.340 He gave me a new 00:25:52.340 --> 00:25:53.440 life in him that 00:25:53.440 --> 00:25:54.440 has him as the 00:25:54.440 --> 00:25:55.320 indwelling and 00:25:55.320 --> 00:25:56.160 reigning king. 00:25:56.660 --> 00:25:57.580 It's no longer I 00:25:57.580 --> 00:25:58.260 who lives but 00:25:58.260 --> 00:25:59.200 Christ who lives 00:25:59.200 --> 00:26:00.120 in me. 00:26:01.340 --> 00:26:02.480 Jesus lives for 00:26:02.480 --> 00:26:03.660 me before God 00:26:03.660 --> 00:26:04.540 now as my 00:26:04.540 --> 00:26:05.020 justification. 00:26:08.360 --> 00:26:09.240 So embracing 00:26:09.240 --> 00:26:09.740 your new 00:26:09.740 --> 00:26:10.540 relationship with 00:26:10.540 --> 00:26:11.900 Jesus as your 00:26:11.900 --> 00:26:13.580 justification means 00:26:13.579 --> 00:26:14.240 that you now have 00:26:14.240 --> 00:26:14.859 the spirit of 00:26:14.859 --> 00:26:15.759 Jesus at work in 00:26:15.759 --> 00:26:15.919 you. 00:26:17.539 --> 00:26:18.240 He's bearing 00:26:18.240 --> 00:26:19.099 spirit to your 00:26:19.099 --> 00:26:20.179 spirit in God's 00:26:20.179 --> 00:26:21.179 presence that you 00:26:21.179 --> 00:26:22.759 are in his son and 00:26:22.759 --> 00:26:23.779 therefore you are 00:26:23.779 --> 00:26:25.099 one of his sons or 00:26:25.099 --> 00:26:25.419 daughters. 00:26:27.119 --> 00:26:28.259 So because my old 00:26:28.259 --> 00:26:28.779 self is now 00:26:28.779 --> 00:26:29.839 crucified with Jesus 00:26:29.839 --> 00:26:32.039 and because Jesus 00:26:32.039 --> 00:26:33.199 lives before God as 00:26:33.199 --> 00:26:34.220 my justification and 00:26:34.220 --> 00:26:35.039 he indwells me by 00:26:35.039 --> 00:26:36.399 his spirit, the 00:26:36.399 --> 00:26:37.539 actual life I do 00:26:37.539 --> 00:26:38.819 live day to day, I 00:26:38.819 --> 00:26:39.639 live by faith in 00:26:39.639 --> 00:26:39.819 him. 00:26:41.159 --> 00:26:42.460 It's dependent faith 00:26:42.460 --> 00:26:43.079 and it's not a 00:26:43.079 --> 00:26:43.980 life of fear or 00:26:43.980 --> 00:26:45.000 shame or drudgery 00:26:45.000 --> 00:26:47.160 but it's a life of 00:26:47.160 --> 00:26:48.279 grateful adoration. 00:26:48.400 --> 00:26:48.960 Did you catch the 00:26:48.960 --> 00:26:50.059 end of verse 20? 00:26:50.640 --> 00:26:51.759 The life I live in 00:26:51.759 --> 00:26:52.799 the flesh I live by 00:26:52.799 --> 00:26:53.900 faith in the son of 00:26:53.900 --> 00:26:55.680 God who loved me and 00:26:55.680 --> 00:26:57.000 gave himself for me. 00:26:57.900 --> 00:26:58.799 You can't help but 00:26:58.799 --> 00:27:00.000 hear the gratitude and 00:27:00.000 --> 00:27:01.920 the joy spilling out 00:27:01.920 --> 00:27:02.920 of Paul as he talks 00:27:02.920 --> 00:27:04.120 about living by faith 00:27:04.120 --> 00:27:04.920 in God's son. 00:27:05.559 --> 00:27:06.620 He can't talk about 00:27:06.620 --> 00:27:07.680 the cross of Christ 00:27:07.680 --> 00:27:08.799 without his own 00:27:08.799 --> 00:27:10.019 personal delight in 00:27:10.019 --> 00:27:10.980 Jesus' love for him 00:27:10.980 --> 00:27:12.200 gushing out of him. 00:27:13.779 --> 00:27:15.860 Jesus loved Paul, 00:27:16.480 --> 00:27:17.980 the guy who violently 00:27:17.980 --> 00:27:19.079 oppressed the church 00:27:19.079 --> 00:27:20.360 and hated the very 00:27:20.360 --> 00:27:21.019 name of Jesus. 00:27:21.599 --> 00:27:22.160 So brother and 00:27:22.160 --> 00:27:22.880 sister, do you see 00:27:22.880 --> 00:27:23.819 his love for you? 00:27:25.000 --> 00:27:26.480 He gave himself for 00:27:26.480 --> 00:27:26.779 you? 00:27:28.220 --> 00:27:29.279 Embrace that. 00:27:29.960 --> 00:27:31.819 Embrace him as your 00:27:31.819 --> 00:27:32.740 justification. 00:27:33.759 --> 00:27:34.620 Discard your own 00:27:34.620 --> 00:27:35.700 attempts at justifying 00:27:35.700 --> 00:27:36.620 yourself that died 00:27:36.620 --> 00:27:38.599 with him and embrace 00:27:38.599 --> 00:27:39.480 the one who loved you 00:27:39.480 --> 00:27:40.559 by giving himself for 00:27:40.559 --> 00:27:40.779 you. 00:27:42.839 --> 00:27:43.679 Let's come to the 00:27:43.679 --> 00:27:44.579 fourth stop now, 00:27:45.119 --> 00:27:45.839 verse 21. 00:27:46.539 --> 00:27:47.799 We'll call this stop 00:27:47.799 --> 00:27:49.940 a line in the sand. 00:27:50.659 --> 00:27:52.019 A line in the sand. 00:27:54.559 --> 00:27:55.559 Look at verse 21. 00:27:56.240 --> 00:27:57.460 I do not nullify the 00:27:57.460 --> 00:27:59.220 grace of God, for if 00:27:59.220 --> 00:28:00.019 righteousness were 00:28:00.019 --> 00:28:01.460 through the law, then 00:28:01.460 --> 00:28:03.000 Christ died for no 00:28:03.000 --> 00:28:03.720 purpose. 00:28:04.919 --> 00:28:05.740 There's not a lot of 00:28:05.740 --> 00:28:06.700 new content in this 00:28:06.700 --> 00:28:06.980 verse. 00:28:07.779 --> 00:28:08.700 Paul summarizing what 00:28:08.700 --> 00:28:09.360 he had already said 00:28:09.360 --> 00:28:10.700 to Peter, which was 00:28:10.700 --> 00:28:11.380 recorded for the 00:28:11.380 --> 00:28:12.360 Galatians and also for 00:28:12.360 --> 00:28:12.620 us. 00:28:13.660 --> 00:28:14.840 If righteousness comes 00:28:14.840 --> 00:28:15.799 from our obedience, 00:28:16.019 --> 00:28:16.779 then Jesus died for 00:28:16.779 --> 00:28:17.019 nothing. 00:28:17.559 --> 00:28:18.160 It was a joke. 00:28:18.620 --> 00:28:19.980 A terribly tragic joke. 00:28:21.559 --> 00:28:22.840 But you can't miss the 00:28:22.840 --> 00:28:24.299 line that Paul draws in 00:28:24.299 --> 00:28:24.759 the sand. 00:28:25.400 --> 00:28:27.360 I do not nullify the 00:28:27.360 --> 00:28:29.480 grace of God in 00:28:29.480 --> 00:28:30.759 comparison to Peter, 00:28:30.940 --> 00:28:32.559 who had just begun to 00:28:32.559 --> 00:28:33.340 nullify the grace of 00:28:33.340 --> 00:28:33.880 God through his 00:28:33.880 --> 00:28:34.259 actions. 00:28:34.259 --> 00:28:34.379 actions. 00:28:35.420 --> 00:28:36.599 To say that we 00:28:36.599 --> 00:28:37.680 contribute anything to 00:28:37.680 --> 00:28:39.759 being justified before 00:28:39.759 --> 00:28:42.240 God is to nullify God's 00:28:42.240 --> 00:28:43.819 grace, to make it 00:28:43.819 --> 00:28:45.519 nothing for no purpose. 00:28:47.500 --> 00:28:49.700 If we do that, then God's 00:28:49.700 --> 00:28:51.079 incredibly costly grace of 00:28:51.079 --> 00:28:52.099 sending Jesus to die for 00:28:52.099 --> 00:28:52.859 us was for nothing. 00:28:53.759 --> 00:28:55.000 It didn't accomplish or do 00:28:55.000 --> 00:28:56.339 anything at all. 00:28:56.779 --> 00:28:58.420 And Peter was essentially 00:28:58.420 --> 00:28:59.480 doing that by switching 00:28:59.480 --> 00:28:59.879 tables. 00:28:59.880 --> 00:29:02.100 That's why Paul had to 00:29:02.100 --> 00:29:03.060 rebuke him in this way. 00:29:03.820 --> 00:29:04.720 And that's what the 00:29:04.720 --> 00:29:06.160 Galatians were doing, as 00:29:06.160 --> 00:29:07.020 Paul is going to make 00:29:07.020 --> 00:29:08.160 very clear in the very 00:29:08.160 --> 00:29:09.160 next verse, but I'll let 00:29:09.160 --> 00:29:10.060 Pastor Mike do that next 00:29:10.060 --> 00:29:10.260 week. 00:29:12.900 --> 00:29:14.100 And it's also what we do. 00:29:15.320 --> 00:29:16.320 Consciously or 00:29:16.320 --> 00:29:18.380 unconsciously, if we do 00:29:18.380 --> 00:29:19.520 not keep the gospel of 00:29:19.520 --> 00:29:21.960 grace in the center of our 00:29:21.960 --> 00:29:22.400 lives. 00:29:24.820 --> 00:29:26.560 It's a line in the sand 00:29:26.560 --> 00:29:28.320 and you can't straddle it. 00:29:28.319 --> 00:29:30.179 You got to be on one 00:29:30.179 --> 00:29:31.539 side or the other. 00:29:31.799 --> 00:29:33.159 And Peter shifted across 00:29:33.159 --> 00:29:34.639 this line unconsciously, 00:29:34.720 --> 00:29:35.460 and we can too. 00:29:36.019 --> 00:29:37.299 He moved from living with 00:29:37.299 --> 00:29:39.579 his life, with the unique 00:29:39.579 --> 00:29:40.619 gospel of grace at the 00:29:40.619 --> 00:29:41.980 center of his life, to 00:29:41.980 --> 00:29:43.460 removing it altogether by 00:29:43.460 --> 00:29:45.480 his actions and leading 00:29:45.480 --> 00:29:47.460 others astray by doing so. 00:29:48.720 --> 00:29:50.799 So we must consciously and 00:29:50.799 --> 00:29:52.500 diligently keep this unique 00:29:52.500 --> 00:29:55.139 gospel at the center of our 00:29:55.139 --> 00:29:56.700 faith, or else we cross the 00:29:56.700 --> 00:29:57.860 line, and we get out of 00:29:57.860 --> 00:29:59.340 step with the gospel, and 00:29:59.340 --> 00:30:00.600 we make the grace of God a 00:30:00.600 --> 00:30:00.860 joke. 00:30:02.779 --> 00:30:04.059 So we've made four stops 00:30:04.059 --> 00:30:06.500 along this train ride, all 00:30:06.500 --> 00:30:07.360 the way to the heart of the 00:30:07.360 --> 00:30:07.680 gospel. 00:30:08.759 --> 00:30:10.059 Now I'd like us to consider 00:30:10.059 --> 00:30:12.100 three ways to respond in 00:30:12.100 --> 00:30:13.420 faith and obedience, and I've 00:30:13.420 --> 00:30:14.279 hinted at a lot of this 00:30:14.279 --> 00:30:14.600 already. 00:30:15.400 --> 00:30:19.000 Number one, stop justifying 00:30:19.000 --> 00:30:19.620 yourself. 00:30:21.120 --> 00:30:22.700 Stop justifying yourself. 00:30:23.299 --> 00:30:24.340 Hear those words lovingly, 00:30:24.339 --> 00:30:26.519 but stop justifying yourself. 00:30:27.319 --> 00:30:28.639 There's a famous Bob Newhart 00:30:28.639 --> 00:30:30.679 comedy sketch in which he 00:30:30.679 --> 00:30:33.459 plays a psychiatrist seeing a 00:30:33.459 --> 00:30:35.039 patient who's suffering from 00:30:35.039 --> 00:30:36.599 extreme claustrophobia. 00:30:37.480 --> 00:30:38.579 And after listening to her 00:30:38.579 --> 00:30:40.559 problem, he says, well, now I 00:30:40.559 --> 00:30:41.759 have two little words for you 00:30:41.759 --> 00:30:42.899 that I think will help clear 00:30:42.899 --> 00:30:44.279 this problem up rather well. 00:30:44.839 --> 00:30:45.759 And of course, she's very 00:30:45.759 --> 00:30:47.159 interested, and she leans in 00:30:47.159 --> 00:30:49.179 and wants to hear what he has 00:30:49.179 --> 00:30:49.539 to say. 00:30:49.619 --> 00:30:51.000 And so after a dramatic pause, 00:30:51.000 --> 00:30:52.680 he yells, stop it! 00:30:56.380 --> 00:30:58.299 God, through Paul, is basically 00:30:58.299 --> 00:31:00.559 saying that to Peter, and he's 00:31:00.559 --> 00:31:01.539 also saying that to the 00:31:01.539 --> 00:31:02.160 Galatians. 00:31:02.799 --> 00:31:03.799 How could he not be saying that 00:31:03.799 --> 00:31:04.200 to us? 00:31:05.859 --> 00:31:07.779 Stop trying to justify 00:31:07.779 --> 00:31:08.599 yourself. 00:31:08.839 --> 00:31:10.500 Now, I'm pretty sure nobody in 00:31:10.500 --> 00:31:11.759 this room is seriously 00:31:11.759 --> 00:31:13.319 considering getting circumcised 00:31:13.319 --> 00:31:14.859 or eating kosher food as a way 00:31:14.859 --> 00:31:15.920 to justify themselves before 00:31:15.920 --> 00:31:16.180 God. 00:31:16.880 --> 00:31:17.900 If you are, let's talk 00:31:17.900 --> 00:31:18.240 afterwards. 00:31:18.240 --> 00:31:20.279 But hopefully this sermon 00:31:20.279 --> 00:31:21.680 made sense to you if you've 00:31:21.680 --> 00:31:22.339 been considering that. 00:31:22.440 --> 00:31:24.980 But that's not the way we, in 00:31:24.980 --> 00:31:26.460 our culture and in our 00:31:26.460 --> 00:31:28.339 evangelical subculture, tend 00:31:28.339 --> 00:31:30.440 to slip into self-justification. 00:31:31.120 --> 00:31:32.599 After all, we love the gospel 00:31:32.599 --> 00:31:33.039 of grace. 00:31:33.140 --> 00:31:34.220 None of us would deny it. 00:31:36.940 --> 00:31:39.539 However, Peter did, and he 00:31:39.539 --> 00:31:40.440 loved the gospel of grace 00:31:40.440 --> 00:31:40.720 too. 00:31:41.720 --> 00:31:43.559 He slipped into self-justifying 00:31:43.559 --> 00:31:44.900 ways and led a whole bunch of 00:31:44.900 --> 00:31:46.079 people along with him. 00:31:46.079 --> 00:31:48.699 So, how do we do that? 00:31:50.099 --> 00:31:51.019 Well, we do it in a thousand 00:31:51.019 --> 00:31:51.679 different ways. 00:31:53.159 --> 00:31:54.659 Self-righteousness is slippery. 00:31:55.599 --> 00:31:57.399 Self-justifying is very slippery. 00:31:59.099 --> 00:32:00.480 Here's one way in particular. 00:32:02.099 --> 00:32:04.139 We can consider ourselves to be 00:32:04.139 --> 00:32:06.079 good, legit, decent Christians 00:32:06.079 --> 00:32:08.500 in comparison with those 00:32:08.500 --> 00:32:08.919 Christians. 00:32:09.559 --> 00:32:10.779 It's a self-righteous 00:32:10.779 --> 00:32:11.639 judgmentalism. 00:32:11.640 --> 00:32:14.440 So, for example, Christians 00:32:14.440 --> 00:32:15.900 who don't drink alcohol can 00:32:15.900 --> 00:32:16.980 judge those who do drink 00:32:16.980 --> 00:32:18.160 alcohol and vice versa. 00:32:19.280 --> 00:32:20.240 Christians who support 00:32:20.240 --> 00:32:21.660 Trump judge those who 00:32:21.660 --> 00:32:23.400 hate Trump and vice versa. 00:32:24.780 --> 00:32:26.600 Reform Christians judge 00:32:26.600 --> 00:32:28.400 Arminian Christians and vice 00:32:28.400 --> 00:32:28.680 versa. 00:32:29.500 --> 00:32:30.600 Charismatics judge 00:32:30.600 --> 00:32:32.060 non-charismatics and vice 00:32:32.060 --> 00:32:32.340 versa. 00:32:33.080 --> 00:32:34.640 Social justice activist 00:32:34.640 --> 00:32:35.820 Christians judge more 00:32:35.820 --> 00:32:37.380 conservative Christians and 00:32:37.380 --> 00:32:37.920 vice versa. 00:32:38.640 --> 00:32:40.060 White Christians judge black 00:32:40.060 --> 00:32:41.520 Christians and vice versa. 00:32:41.640 --> 00:32:43.220 the list could go on. 00:32:44.840 --> 00:32:49.100 The fact is, we all have a tendency to want to justify ourselves 00:32:49.100 --> 00:32:52.960 with regard to other believers thinking that we are the legit Christians 00:32:52.960 --> 00:32:55.380 because we do certain things or don't do certain things 00:32:55.380 --> 00:32:56.580 in comparison to these Christians. 00:33:02.100 --> 00:33:05.700 We tend to develop a certain set of self-righteous merit badges 00:33:05.700 --> 00:33:07.020 that we can wear 00:33:07.020 --> 00:33:11.020 because we mistakenly think that God approves of us more 00:33:11.019 --> 00:33:12.160 than those people over there 00:33:12.160 --> 00:33:13.839 because of the things that we do or don't do. 00:33:15.220 --> 00:33:17.460 And that is a form of self-justification 00:33:17.460 --> 00:33:20.099 and the church can't do that. 00:33:21.240 --> 00:33:22.339 We must stop it. 00:33:23.460 --> 00:33:25.319 The one who loved me 00:33:25.319 --> 00:33:27.680 by giving himself for me on the cross 00:33:27.680 --> 00:33:29.539 is the same one who loved you 00:33:29.539 --> 00:33:31.200 and gave himself for you on the cross 00:33:31.200 --> 00:33:32.720 and is the same one who loved them 00:33:32.720 --> 00:33:35.039 and gave himself for them on the cross. 00:33:35.240 --> 00:33:39.819 Only the blood of Jesus makes us right and approved before God. 00:33:39.819 --> 00:33:42.119 Only the righteousness of Jesus 00:33:42.119 --> 00:33:44.639 that God has graciously clothed us with 00:33:44.639 --> 00:33:46.980 is able to make us stand before God 00:33:46.980 --> 00:33:48.700 as approved and precious in his sight. 00:33:48.839 --> 00:33:49.099 Period. 00:33:50.720 --> 00:33:54.079 There are no first and second class Christians 00:33:54.079 --> 00:33:55.539 in Christ's kingdom. 00:33:57.019 --> 00:33:59.700 We all get in like little children 00:33:59.700 --> 00:34:02.720 trusting humbly and dependently 00:34:02.720 --> 00:34:04.519 on the perfect righteousness of Jesus 00:34:04.519 --> 00:34:05.919 and his shed blood for our sin. 00:34:06.399 --> 00:34:06.779 Period. 00:34:06.779 --> 00:34:06.920 Period. 00:34:09.079 --> 00:34:11.519 So take a look just around the room for a moment. 00:34:11.980 --> 00:34:12.840 Just kind of look at each other. 00:34:13.340 --> 00:34:14.820 It's kind of fun to do that every once in a while. 00:34:16.199 --> 00:34:17.980 We are a bunch of different people. 00:34:20.079 --> 00:34:22.519 We're white collar, blue collar, no collar. 00:34:23.300 --> 00:34:25.980 We're black, white, Asian, Hispanic. 00:34:26.559 --> 00:34:28.519 We're educated or self-educated. 00:34:28.980 --> 00:34:30.239 We're socially awkward. 00:34:30.460 --> 00:34:31.340 We're socially savvy. 00:34:31.340 --> 00:34:34.200 We're biblically literate or not literate at all. 00:34:34.660 --> 00:34:36.280 We're visually well put together 00:34:36.280 --> 00:34:37.800 or just barely hanging together. 00:34:38.360 --> 00:34:39.160 We're young. 00:34:39.360 --> 00:34:39.900 We're old. 00:34:40.220 --> 00:34:42.640 But what unites us 00:34:42.640 --> 00:34:45.760 is the plain fact that none of us can do anything 00:34:45.760 --> 00:34:47.019 to get right with God on our own. 00:34:47.579 --> 00:34:49.620 We are completely dependent upon Christ 00:34:49.620 --> 00:34:50.760 and Christ alone. 00:34:50.760 --> 00:34:54.320 So what should be running through your head 00:34:54.320 --> 00:34:56.160 when you see your fellow Christians right now 00:34:56.160 --> 00:34:58.580 is the same blood that was shed to justify me 00:34:58.580 --> 00:35:00.340 was also shed to justify them. 00:35:02.440 --> 00:35:04.980 Now there are other ways we can tend to justify ourselves. 00:35:06.080 --> 00:35:08.440 We can overemphasize our spiritual disciplines, 00:35:08.840 --> 00:35:09.400 for example. 00:35:09.960 --> 00:35:11.080 We can see them as a way 00:35:11.080 --> 00:35:13.700 to maintain our righteous standing before God 00:35:13.700 --> 00:35:16.640 as if God smiles on us more 00:35:16.640 --> 00:35:18.540 when we read our Bible 00:35:18.539 --> 00:35:20.639 than on the day that we don't read our Bible. 00:35:21.579 --> 00:35:23.840 We know deep down that reading our Bible and praying 00:35:23.840 --> 00:35:25.719 won't make God love us more 00:35:25.719 --> 00:35:26.940 or consider us more righteous 00:35:26.940 --> 00:35:28.440 than we are already in Christ, 00:35:28.559 --> 00:35:30.279 and yet we can easily slip into that mindset. 00:35:31.779 --> 00:35:33.719 We can also blame others for our sin 00:35:33.719 --> 00:35:35.179 as a way to justify ourselves. 00:35:35.940 --> 00:35:38.159 We can also ignore certain parts of God's Word 00:35:38.159 --> 00:35:40.840 to lower His holy standard to justify ourselves. 00:35:41.199 --> 00:35:42.739 But no matter how we do it, 00:35:42.940 --> 00:35:43.940 we've got to stop. 00:35:45.119 --> 00:35:47.179 This passage won't let us continue to think 00:35:47.179 --> 00:35:48.399 that we contribute anything 00:35:48.399 --> 00:35:50.599 to our righteousness before God at all. 00:35:51.379 --> 00:35:53.119 It's only by trusting in Jesus, 00:35:53.559 --> 00:35:56.159 and we are no better than anyone else who does too. 00:35:58.619 --> 00:35:59.359 Number two, 00:36:01.119 --> 00:36:03.639 embrace your union with Christ. 00:36:05.139 --> 00:36:07.319 Embrace your union with Christ. 00:36:07.480 --> 00:36:09.659 This is the biggest antidote to number one. 00:36:10.940 --> 00:36:13.219 This is the antidote to self-justification. 00:36:13.219 --> 00:36:16.500 When you realize that you are no longer married to the law, 00:36:17.339 --> 00:36:18.599 but you are married to Christ, 00:36:19.399 --> 00:36:21.039 and all that was yours, 00:36:21.199 --> 00:36:22.119 all that yucky stuff, 00:36:22.379 --> 00:36:23.179 is now His, 00:36:23.679 --> 00:36:24.799 and all that is His, 00:36:24.899 --> 00:36:25.919 all that lovely stuff, 00:36:26.019 --> 00:36:26.819 is now yours, 00:36:27.339 --> 00:36:29.279 and that He has committed to you forever in love, 00:36:29.339 --> 00:36:30.699 then the need to justify yourself 00:36:30.699 --> 00:36:31.679 just kind of fades away. 00:36:33.759 --> 00:36:34.599 Imagine a woman 00:36:34.599 --> 00:36:36.279 who was not only poor, 00:36:37.279 --> 00:36:37.599 sick, 00:36:38.239 --> 00:36:39.539 and a million dollars in debt, 00:36:39.539 --> 00:36:41.960 but also a convicted felon in jail 00:36:41.960 --> 00:36:43.500 with a $10 million bail. 00:36:44.259 --> 00:36:44.460 Okay? 00:36:44.519 --> 00:36:45.480 Get that picture in your head. 00:36:46.000 --> 00:36:49.440 Now imagine a brilliant millionaire doctor slash lawyer 00:36:49.440 --> 00:36:51.019 who's healthy 00:36:51.019 --> 00:36:52.679 and an upstanding citizen. 00:36:53.679 --> 00:36:54.800 He goes to the jail, 00:36:55.559 --> 00:36:56.219 pays her bail, 00:36:56.940 --> 00:36:58.019 goes to her creditors, 00:36:58.739 --> 00:36:59.599 and pays off her debts. 00:37:00.480 --> 00:37:02.019 He proposes marriage to her 00:37:02.019 --> 00:37:04.639 after finding a miracle cure for her sickness 00:37:04.639 --> 00:37:06.019 and getting her free from all her charges. 00:37:06.019 --> 00:37:08.259 Upon their marriage, 00:37:08.360 --> 00:37:09.840 He shares with her all His wealth, 00:37:10.199 --> 00:37:11.019 all His upstanding reputation, 00:37:11.940 --> 00:37:12.639 all His wisdom, 00:37:12.780 --> 00:37:13.559 and all His affection. 00:37:15.039 --> 00:37:17.000 Now if that can start to make our mouths 00:37:17.000 --> 00:37:19.900 drop a little bit in awe, 00:37:20.739 --> 00:37:22.920 then we're just starting to begin to understand 00:37:22.920 --> 00:37:24.000 how astounding it is 00:37:24.000 --> 00:37:25.699 to be united to Jesus by faith. 00:37:26.579 --> 00:37:28.679 We offer Him nothing but our sin. 00:37:29.539 --> 00:37:30.000 That's it. 00:37:31.199 --> 00:37:32.739 He offers us everything 00:37:32.739 --> 00:37:34.239 at great cost to Himself 00:37:34.239 --> 00:37:36.979 and binds us to Him 00:37:36.979 --> 00:37:38.239 through grace. 00:37:38.379 --> 00:37:39.679 And once we are united to Him, 00:37:39.919 --> 00:37:42.259 then we're dead to trying to justify ourselves before God. 00:37:42.899 --> 00:37:44.299 Because Jesus has already done that. 00:37:45.279 --> 00:37:46.500 He's already shed His blood for it. 00:37:46.699 --> 00:37:48.219 So we're dead to our old ways 00:37:48.219 --> 00:37:49.579 of wanting to continue in sin. 00:37:50.019 --> 00:37:52.039 Because He dwells within us by His Spirit. 00:37:52.139 --> 00:37:54.759 And we yield to Him as our King and our Lord. 00:37:55.299 --> 00:37:56.419 And we're alive 00:37:56.419 --> 00:37:57.839 to wanting to please God 00:37:57.839 --> 00:37:59.219 because through our union with Jesus, 00:37:59.339 --> 00:38:00.500 we now have God as our Father. 00:38:00.500 --> 00:38:00.619 Father. 00:38:01.699 --> 00:38:03.219 So if you've trusted in Christ, 00:38:03.340 --> 00:38:05.099 then this is live for you now. 00:38:05.500 --> 00:38:07.500 This is your reality now. 00:38:08.719 --> 00:38:10.179 It's not like kind of partway 00:38:10.179 --> 00:38:12.019 and you kind of gradually edge into it. 00:38:12.059 --> 00:38:12.760 No, it's just boom. 00:38:13.260 --> 00:38:14.280 Once you're married, you're married. 00:38:15.219 --> 00:38:16.360 You're not half married. 00:38:17.739 --> 00:38:19.460 You're one with Him now. 00:38:19.559 --> 00:38:20.980 And you are as united to Him now 00:38:20.980 --> 00:38:22.500 as you will ever be for eternity. 00:38:23.519 --> 00:38:24.900 So embrace Him. 00:38:25.900 --> 00:38:27.679 Move toward Him in faith. 00:38:28.579 --> 00:38:30.579 Drop any sin that you're clinging to. 00:38:30.899 --> 00:38:32.739 Drop any self-justifying ways 00:38:32.739 --> 00:38:33.579 that you're hoping in. 00:38:33.980 --> 00:38:36.139 Revel in His love for you like Paul did. 00:38:36.419 --> 00:38:38.000 The life I now live in the flesh, 00:38:38.099 --> 00:38:39.399 I live by faith in the Son of God 00:38:39.399 --> 00:38:41.879 who loved me and gave Himself for me. 00:38:44.219 --> 00:38:46.719 And as Paul mentioned in verse 17, 00:38:47.460 --> 00:38:49.419 just because Jesus had fulfilled the law of Moses 00:38:49.419 --> 00:38:50.940 and were justified by Him in faith 00:38:50.940 --> 00:38:52.739 and not by keeping the law, 00:38:52.739 --> 00:38:54.980 then that doesn't mean that Jesus supports law-breaking. 00:38:54.980 --> 00:38:57.920 So you're not united to Him now. 00:38:58.820 --> 00:39:00.420 And Christ is not a servant of sin. 00:39:01.639 --> 00:39:02.840 So if you're one with Him, 00:39:02.880 --> 00:39:03.820 then you're dead to sin. 00:39:04.840 --> 00:39:06.340 You've been crucified with Him. 00:39:06.440 --> 00:39:08.179 So embrace Him, not sin. 00:39:09.679 --> 00:39:11.860 If you happen to be feeling the conviction of the Spirit 00:39:11.860 --> 00:39:13.539 for a particular sin, 00:39:14.219 --> 00:39:17.079 or you know that you've been running away from Him for a while, 00:39:17.900 --> 00:39:19.179 and you need to turn around, 00:39:19.260 --> 00:39:20.360 then do that now. 00:39:20.579 --> 00:39:20.980 Repent. 00:39:20.980 --> 00:39:23.360 Come back to your new husband, 00:39:23.539 --> 00:39:25.400 because He's good, He's generous, 00:39:25.659 --> 00:39:27.480 and He will never leave you dissatisfied. 00:39:28.940 --> 00:39:30.659 And if you're finding yourself as a believer 00:39:30.659 --> 00:39:33.000 who knows and even loves the Gospel, 00:39:33.179 --> 00:39:36.079 but your joy has been kind of slowly ebbing away, 00:39:36.980 --> 00:39:40.000 take some time to soak in the truth of your union with Him. 00:39:41.119 --> 00:39:42.099 Read verse 16. 00:39:42.579 --> 00:39:46.340 Read verse 20 over and over and over again 00:39:46.340 --> 00:39:49.460 until it kind of starts to get traction in your heart 00:39:49.460 --> 00:39:52.900 and remind yourself that it is your relationship with Him only 00:39:52.900 --> 00:39:54.400 that makes you right with God. 00:39:54.960 --> 00:39:57.680 So exercise that muscle of faith and trust 00:39:57.680 --> 00:39:58.920 in that new relationship, 00:39:59.960 --> 00:40:02.079 and I think that you'll begin to experience joy again. 00:40:03.559 --> 00:40:04.160 And number three, 00:40:05.900 --> 00:40:07.260 offer this Gospel. 00:40:08.420 --> 00:40:10.059 Offer this Gospel. 00:40:10.059 --> 00:40:12.539 This is the most precious truth anyone can ever hear. 00:40:13.659 --> 00:40:15.639 It requires boldness and courage and faith 00:40:15.639 --> 00:40:17.880 to offer it to someone who may not receive it, 00:40:18.719 --> 00:40:21.579 and it grates against the fear of being rejected by people, 00:40:21.699 --> 00:40:23.639 which we all face, just like Peter did. 00:40:24.279 --> 00:40:26.619 But the fact is that we, as the Church of Jesus, 00:40:26.759 --> 00:40:28.679 are the only people on the face of the planet 00:40:28.679 --> 00:40:32.559 who carry around this light in an otherwise very dark world. 00:40:33.380 --> 00:40:36.279 So act in faith, just like Paul did in confronting Peter, 00:40:36.280 --> 00:40:40.100 to offer this Gospel of getting right with God by faith in Christ. 00:40:40.200 --> 00:40:43.480 Let it flow out of you in your joy of your union with Him. 00:40:44.360 --> 00:40:45.880 Freely you receive this Gospel, 00:40:46.280 --> 00:40:47.640 so freely give it away. 00:40:49.260 --> 00:40:51.340 Perhaps this Gospel is something that you yourself 00:40:51.340 --> 00:40:53.800 are just starting to understand, perhaps for the first time. 00:40:55.080 --> 00:40:58.220 If that's you, then embrace it. 00:41:00.060 --> 00:41:01.280 It's being offered to you, 00:41:01.360 --> 00:41:03.320 so embrace it with your whole heart. 00:41:04.160 --> 00:41:05.660 Ask God to make you right with Him. 00:41:05.659 --> 00:41:07.059 Put your trust in Jesus. 00:41:08.619 --> 00:41:09.960 Talk to someone about it, too. 00:41:10.039 --> 00:41:11.039 Some of the pastors and elders 00:41:11.039 --> 00:41:14.219 would be happy to pray with you down here at the end of service. 00:41:15.519 --> 00:41:18.799 So church, let's keep this Gospel central. 00:41:19.480 --> 00:41:21.480 Let's keep it as the centerpiece of our lives, 00:41:21.519 --> 00:41:23.819 and let's work hard to keep it there. 00:41:24.599 --> 00:41:25.119 Let's pray. 00:41:25.119 --> 00:41:25.380 Let's pray. 00:41:25.380 --> 00:41:25.779 Let's pray. 00:41:32.380 --> 00:41:39.679 We thank you, Father, that your word is a shield to those who trust in you, 00:41:40.079 --> 00:41:42.199 and you never change. 00:41:42.199 --> 00:41:45.859 All that you say is true and right and good. 00:41:46.779 --> 00:41:48.960 So God, help us to receive it now by faith. 00:41:49.859 --> 00:41:52.679 Give us the strength we need to respond in obedience. 00:41:53.799 --> 00:41:58.079 And give us great joy as we rejoice in the grace you've given us in Christ. 00:41:58.079 --> 00:41:58.980 Amen. 00:41:58.980 --> 00:41:59.099 Amen. 00:41:59.099 --> 00:42:29.079 Thank you.