Class 2 from this series was used for GCT Episode 251
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It’s my problem.
And but you see, Paul takes us
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It’s my problem.
And but you see, Paul takes us
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to this point in the end of
Chapter 7 where he calls himself
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a Wretch.
And that’s a really powerful
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word.
It’s a really powerful word.
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And so I think that we have
trouble getting to that point.
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Of appreciation of gratefulness.
But Paul was at that point.
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He was at that point because he
he understood the sin.
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You understand.
He he he saw that he was a
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Sinner.
He saw that that trying not to
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sin and and following the law
just made him more of a Sinner
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because he realized that that
God’s ways were not his ways And
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he he saw that conflict inside
and so he was prepared to
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appreciate Christ.
And sometimes I think that can
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lose its.
Power for us?
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We’re we’re not prepared to
appreciate him.
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Because we’re not prepared to
really be convicted, because
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we’re not really trying.
To follow God’s ways and declare
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his righteousness.
But Paul, see, he was at that
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point and and and and that’s a
really important point to get
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to, because now we get to
appreciate how grateful he is.
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And you know, see Paul.
Paul appreciated that and Paul
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recognized that he was dying.
And I think it’s difficult for
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us, at least for those who are
young, to appreciate that you’re
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dying because every year you see
you get a little bit older.
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And when you’re young, as you
get older, it’s a kind of
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enthusiastic thing because you
get a little bit stronger, you
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get a little bit more
responsibility.
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And maybe a little bit more
coordination and ability with
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whatever activities and and
athletics you might be
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interested in.
So.
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So actually you don’t get this
sense that you’re dying because
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every year that comes on you get
a little bit stronger, but but
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those of us that have.
I don’t know.
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Turned the corner.
Every year that goes by, we’re
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not getting any stronger.
Are we?
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We’re getting a little bit
weaker and we’re not getting any
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more ability.
We’re losing some.
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And we’re losing people that are
close to us, people that we
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love.
I think that, you know, there
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could be, I’m not going to ask
for participation for this, but
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many of us probably have lost.
A parent or grandparent or
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friend, aunt or uncle this year
and as we get older, we
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appreciate the fact that that
we’re dying and and.
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Probably all of.
Us know someone who’s dealing
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with a life threatening illness
or disease.
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And I remember as an
impressionable college freshman
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and that would have been an 18
year old.
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I don’t know if college means
the same thing here as it does
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in America, but.
As 18 year old I went away to
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university, to a place.
Called San Diego and grew up in
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Los Angeles.
And in the San Diego meeting
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there was a young brother,
around 25 years old and he was
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struggling with cancer.
I’m 32 now, so he was been seven
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years younger than I am now.
And I remember he was just, he
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was courageous in the way he
fought, never complained.
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You know, in fact cancer
patients, one of the ways that
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you know the end is near is that
they they stop eating.
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And and this particular brother,
he never stopped eating to the
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very end even though he threw up
every oz.
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He would just continue to eat
and.
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He was before he got sick.
He was really athletic.
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In fact, he was a volleyball
player and a champion volleyball
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player because he could just
jump so high.
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They just smashed the ball and
he was all county and you know,
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he he just had so much ability
in athletics.
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He’s really nothing he would try
to do athletically, would he not
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be?
Successful at and but he loved
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the truth.
That was his main passion and.
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I remember do you know how you
come to CYC and I don’t know if
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in your Cy C’s you sing after
CYC but back in the San Diego
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CYC we would sing after CYC we
have the CYC Songbook and and he
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would always request the same
song every week And in in fact
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when he shot his hand up he just
knew the song he’s going to
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request and that song was Pray
for the piece of Jerusalem and
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he loved that song and.
Every week he’d.
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Request that that same song.
Well, the end.
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The end kind of snuck up on us
and went to the hospital and
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since I was just his friend and
not family member, I didn’t
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really feel comfortable I guess
requesting to go into his room
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and he was really sick anyways
and wasn’t really able to talk
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and but I was in the waiting
room and I remember he was
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refusing to take strong
medication because he really
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wanted to to be aware.
To the very end, you know, you
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take that strong medication, it
can sort of dope you out.
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And he didn’t want that.
So even though he’s in a lot of
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pain, he wanted to be right
there in his right sense.
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And I remember in the waiting
room, his uncle, brother Max,
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went to see him when Max.
Got back to the waiting.
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Room.
Someone in the waiting room
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asked Max.
What did you say?
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And Max said, I said I love you
and I’ll see you in the Kingdom
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and and the next morning Sunday
morning I was I was getting
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ready for meeting the phone rang
and it was it was Uncle Bob and
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he was telling me know that
letting me know that Alan that’s
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Alan.
Alan had fallen asleep in
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Christ.
And it’s interesting because as
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I was preparing this particular
class, I got, I got some sad
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news and you see the person on
the right there, that’s Alan on
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the left fishing.
Alan loved to fish off the coast
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of California.
So on the right there that’s my
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old boss, how white and how I
got this e-mail that how it
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passed away now how my boss here
on the right.
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He was a very accomplished
economist, now in in economic
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circles.
The way that you get famous is
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you write in peer reviewed
journals, you know and the
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Journal of Economics,
Econometrica or other types of
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journals like this and how had
150 journal publications, which
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which is a lot.
And not only this, but it’s not
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just a matter of publishing
journals, is it David?
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It’s that other people reference
your publication in their
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publications.
So you kind of know how
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important you are is how many
people cite your particular
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publication and their
publications.
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Well, that’s that’s brainy talk
for I’m important and how was
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really important?
He had the most cited paper in
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economics since 1970 and every
year how was considered for a
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Nobel Prize and he probably
deserved a Nobel Prize for the
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work he had done and and not
only was he accomplished
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economist, but he set up a
consulting.
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Company and I worked for the
consulting company.
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And we had 150 employees.
And you know, I know for how
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much they charged my time out
for hour, which I didn’t
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deserve.
He must have made a lot of money
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in the consulting company.
And so I’m sure that he was very
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successful.
And you know, and really not
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only that, but but how was a
really nice guy, really kind And
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you know, some people, when
they’re not so smart, they’re
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arrogant about their
intelligence, but when they’re.
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Really.
Really.
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Really.
Smart.
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They’re not arrogant at all.
Because I don’t have anything to
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prove to anyone.
They’re just kind.
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And how was really kind.
But you know now he’s dead.
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And you know what I mean.
The the densest person on earth
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is smarter than how?
As as smart as how it was.
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Because how doesn’t have any
more thoughts left.
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You know?
Unfortunately, how is perished.
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And I wonder, I wonder, why does
it take losing someone?
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For us to realize that we’re
mortal, that we’re dying.
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And you see we have that problem
because in the Garden of Eden a
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sentence was passed on mankind
that we’re mortal.
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And from Adam Ford we all die.
And some die after many years
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hopefully and and some of us
will die in our youth.
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But we all seem, it all seems to
us like that’s very far away.
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It’s not it’s not something I
have to think about.
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It’s not something that’s in my
immediate immediate horizon.
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And I hope that’s true, but our
death is just actually, and
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that’s one of the things I
wanted to get across in our last
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session, is that that death is
really just that we’ve sinned.
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And the sentence for sin as
pronouncing as our Father and so
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pronounced against us is death.
Now what if I had said to Alan
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in the?
Hospital just days before his
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death.
And I didn’t say this, be clear
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about that.
But what if I had?
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What if I had said?
To him, you know, take comfort,
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my friend.
I look up to you.
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And there’s no condemnation in
Christ Jesus.
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I’ll see you in the Kingdom.
You know those words have more
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meaning at that point, because
now we’re prepared to realize
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we’re mortal and we’re sitting
across the way from a 20.
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Five year old.
Good good guy who’s about to
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die.
But what makes us so different
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from Alan?
See Alan’s hidden in Christ.
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That’s I’m going to see him
again.
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I’m going to talk to him and say
that I mentioned to him in this
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talk and he’s going to hate me
for it, you know?
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What does this word?
Mean condemnation.
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Condemnation.
What does that word mean?
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You know, it’s one of those
Bible words.
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You know, we have these Bible
words and and and the thing
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about Bible words is we we use
words like condemnation and
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atonement because we don’t know
what we’re meaning and you don’t
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know what we’re meaning.
But at least as long as all of
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us are using the same word, we
all can be equally confused
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together and and and and that’s
how it.
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Because that way, if if if
you’re applying the wrong
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definition of my words, at least
you’re applying the same one
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that King James used, you know?
But that’s not.
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But that’s the problem with
condemnation, is it?
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What’s really these Bible words?
So what does it really mean?
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And I understand what it means.
I think we all need to imagine a
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courtroom.
Try to imagine a courtroom and
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try to imagine that you’re an
accused person and you’re
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walking into this courtroom and
you get to the front of the
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judge and the court reads out
the the the accusation, the
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accusation.
Is that your Sinner?
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Probably something hopefully we
all can recognize and and feel
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like it’s is applicable to us.
So the charge is that you’re a
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Sinner and and the evidence is
unfolded before the judge.
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And as the evidence is unfolded
you actually start to see your
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life from God’s perspective.
How did God see your life?
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Because what you see is all the
times God’s actually trying to
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use you to accomplish His will,
whether to bring someone into
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the truth or to encourage
someone who’s down.
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You see all the times that you
said things that really hurt
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people more than you knew and
which caused them to err a
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little bit from the way.
And I think that as we start to
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see our wife from God’s
perspective, that what happens
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is that we start to understand,
maybe for the first time, that
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sin is really, really horrible.
It’s not just an inconvenience.
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It’s not just, oh, you know,
it’s no big deal.
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It’s actually sin hurts people.
It’s it’s a horrible thing.
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And not only does it hurt
people, but it dishonors God.
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And we see all the all the ways
God was trying to help us and
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that and that we sort of
refused, maybe because of our
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pride or because we resented
someone.
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We weren’t ready to let that go
of that or because we were
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afraid of something.
And the evidence is read.
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And actually, as the evidence is
read, something becomes totally
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clear in your mind.
And thing that becomes totally
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clear in your mind is that
actually you are guilty.
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There’s like, no question when
you hear all this evidence and
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all the ways that you had done
that was not the right way, it
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becomes really clear in your
mind that you know what?
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I I am guilty.
Whatever sort of.
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Righteousness or justification,
whatever you’ve kind of felt
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00:12:59,840 –> 00:13:02,400
inside that that that sort of
feeling inside that says, well,
218
00:13:02,400 –> 00:13:06,920
maybe I am okay, it sort of
melts away and you sort of feel
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00:13:06,920 –> 00:13:13,000
exposed because you are exposed
and and you know that all the
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00:13:13,000 –> 00:13:15,440
evidence is true.
So it doesn’t.
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00:13:15,440 –> 00:13:17,200
What good does it do to defend
yourself?
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00:13:17,280 –> 00:13:19,400
You know it’s, it’s, it’s.
Very true and accurately
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00:13:19,400 –> 00:13:24,360
presented.
And what also is clean your mind
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00:13:24,360 –> 00:13:26,760
is that God is righteous, that
what he was trying to do with
225
00:13:26,760 –> 00:13:31,720
you was for your good, and what
he was trying to do through you
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00:13:31,960 –> 00:13:35,720
for others, was for their good.
And he never had anything but
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00:13:35,720 –> 00:13:45,830
good in mind.
And you come to to fully
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00:13:45,830 –> 00:13:52,670
understand what punishment you
deserve, and you almost begin to
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00:13:52,670 –> 00:13:57,150
get yourself ready for it.
Because you know, it’s
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00:13:57,150 –> 00:14:07,790
righteous.
Why don’t we understand mercy,
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00:14:08,950 –> 00:14:10,950
young people, brothers and
sisters?
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00:14:12,470 –> 00:14:16,990
Why don’t we understand mercy?
We read about it in Scripture.
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00:14:17,310 –> 00:14:19,470
The Word is all over the place.
We read about we.
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00:14:19,470 –> 00:14:20,870
Sang about it in our opening
hymn.
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00:14:20,870 –> 00:14:24,750
Did we not sing about mercy?
But do you understand it?
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00:14:24,750 –> 00:14:27,190
Do we understand mercy?
Do you know in California?
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00:14:27,510 –> 00:14:29,390
We still have the death.
Penalty You have the death
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00:14:29,390 –> 00:14:30,990
penalty in Australia?
No.
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00:14:30,990 –> 00:14:34,310
OK.
So we have the death penalty
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00:14:34,310 –> 00:14:36,870
still in California and it’s
lethal injection.
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00:14:37,510 –> 00:14:42,910
And there’s this phone on the
wall now before the injection
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00:14:42,910 –> 00:14:46,430
happens, they wait for about 5
minutes.
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00:14:46,590 –> 00:14:50,990
And that 5 minutes is the chance
for the governor to ring and to
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00:14:50,990 –> 00:14:54,150
stay the execution.
And the governor is the only one
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00:14:54,150 –> 00:14:56,270
at that point in time that has
any power to stay that
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00:14:56,270 –> 00:14:58,950
execution.
And.
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00:14:59,150 –> 00:15:04,970
They just wait.
In silence for 5 minutes and
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00:15:04,970 –> 00:15:12,090
that phone hardly ever rings.
Now if it rang, you’d understand
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00:15:12,090 –> 00:15:16,330
mercy, because you’re prepared
to understand.
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00:15:16,770 –> 00:15:20,970
What it means if that mercy is
withheld.
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00:15:21,610 –> 00:15:27,730
The implications of withholding
that mercy are really clear and
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00:15:27,730 –> 00:15:30,370
because we understand the
implications of mercy being
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00:15:30,370 –> 00:15:34,420
withheld.
We’re now at a position where
254
00:15:34,420 –> 00:15:38,780
we’re ready to understand and
appreciate what it means that
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00:15:38,780 –> 00:15:44,260
mercy is not withheld, and I
don’t know that we can
256
00:15:44,260 –> 00:15:46,020
understand it.
I don’t know that I can even
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00:15:46,020 –> 00:15:50,020
understand what it really means
to have mercy until mercy is we.
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00:15:50,100 –> 00:15:55,020
All that is left between us and
perishing, it’s all that’s left
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00:15:55,020 –> 00:15:58,300
between us and never, ever,
ever, ever, ever having another
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00:15:58,300 –> 00:16:01,020
conscious thought again.
Ever.
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00:16:02,870 –> 00:16:08,270
Until that’s all there is.
And I kind of tell you this, and
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00:16:08,270 –> 00:16:10,630
I think, you know it’s true,
that no one’s going to enter the
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00:16:10,630 –> 00:16:14,350
Kingdom of God thinking they
deserve to be there thinking,
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00:16:14,350 –> 00:16:18,590
hey, I work the system.
See, I got in all my sinning and
265
00:16:18,590 –> 00:16:22,030
still got into the Kingdom.
I got in all the things I wanted
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00:16:22,030 –> 00:16:23,470
to do.
I was actually able to live.
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00:16:23,470 –> 00:16:25,510
Really selfish.
But then, hey, confess at the
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00:16:25,510 –> 00:16:28,350
last minute, you know, and I was
able to get in like there’s
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00:16:28,350 –> 00:16:32,100
going to be no one that thinks.
I I I work the system this.
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00:16:33,980 –> 00:16:36,980
Is going to be knowing the
things I deserve to be in the
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00:16:36,980 –> 00:16:42,260
Kingdom.
They’re all going to understand
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00:16:42,260 –> 00:16:47,620
that Christ is merciful and
everyone who enters the Kingdom
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00:16:47,940 –> 00:16:50,660
will.
Without a without a shadow of
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00:16:50,700 –> 00:16:53,500
any doubt or any question in
mind, you’ll be absolutely clear
275
00:16:53,740 –> 00:16:56,340
that God is righteous and that
they’re not.
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00:16:57,040 –> 00:16:58,800
And that Christ is righteous and
that they’re not.
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00:16:58,800 –> 00:17:04,200
And everyone will be absolutely
clear on that point and that sin
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00:17:04,200 –> 00:17:07,240
is evil and sin should be
destroyed.
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00:17:07,440 –> 00:17:11,079
And God was right when he said
sin deserve death that God was.
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00:17:11,240 –> 00:17:14,319
And you’re going to praise God
that he said sin deserves death,
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00:17:14,319 –> 00:17:16,680
because that is right.
And it’s going to be very clear
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00:17:16,680 –> 00:17:22,359
in our minds.
But even if we don’t understand
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00:17:22,359 –> 00:17:24,160
mercy now, I really think Paul
did.
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00:17:25,880 –> 00:17:30,360
Because Paul says, to quote his
very words, who will save me
285
00:17:30,360 –> 00:17:33,960
from this body of death?
You see, he was ready to
286
00:17:33,960 –> 00:17:40,840
understand that his body was
just sort of, it’s like a it’s
287
00:17:40,880 –> 00:17:45,080
just like a tomb, like a
walking, living tomb, and it’s
288
00:17:45,080 –> 00:17:49,080
going to die.
And Paul understood what mercy
289
00:17:49,080 –> 00:17:50,680
was all about.
And he says, thanks me to God,
290
00:17:50,680 –> 00:17:52,640
and that thanks is a real
thanks.
291
00:17:52,960 –> 00:17:54,360
There’s some real gratitude in
that.
292
00:17:54,360 –> 00:17:57,120
Thanks.
And so, thinking back to the
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00:17:57,120 –> 00:18:00,880
courtroom again, see the
evidence is read and you know
294
00:18:00,880 –> 00:18:06,360
that you’re guilty and you await
the sentence of punishment.
295
00:18:06,360 –> 00:18:09,720
Because at least in American
courtrooms, what happens is that
296
00:18:09,760 –> 00:18:14,120
the evidence is presented and
the verdict is then read, and
297
00:18:14,120 –> 00:18:15,400
that verdict is guilty or
innocence.
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00:18:15,400 –> 00:18:17,560
And then afterwards the judge
says, well, here’s the
299
00:18:17,560 –> 00:18:20,680
punishment.
It’s a sentence of punishment if
300
00:18:20,680 –> 00:18:25,140
in fact guilty is the.
Is the verdict.
301
00:18:26,580 –> 00:18:29,980
And so it’s that idea.
It’s the idea of the sentence of
302
00:18:29,980 –> 00:18:33,260
punishment that is almost the
perfect translation for the word
303
00:18:33,260 –> 00:18:37,380
condemnation.
Condemnation is the sentence of
304
00:18:37,380 –> 00:18:41,940
punishment.
And I want you to know that that
305
00:18:42,140 –> 00:18:44,500
idea is different.
The sentence is different than
306
00:18:44,500 –> 00:18:46,660
the verdict is also different
than the evidence.
307
00:18:47,340 –> 00:18:48,660
These are all three different
things.
308
00:18:49,100 –> 00:18:53,820
Now we can call the evidence the
offense.
309
00:18:54,890 –> 00:18:57,450
What do you do?
And we can call the sentence the
310
00:18:57,450 –> 00:19:02,610
judgment, but after the
sentence, after the offense and
311
00:19:02,610 –> 00:19:04,410
the judgment, comes the
sentence.
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00:19:04,570 –> 00:19:07,930
And look at if you look at
Romans 518, he’s in the new Kim
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00:19:07,930 –> 00:19:09,330
James.
You see it kind of clearly laid
314
00:19:09,330 –> 00:19:12,370
out this way.
You see these three different
315
00:19:12,370 –> 00:19:14,490
parts laid out as three
different parts.
316
00:19:15,490 –> 00:19:19,690
I’ll read for you from the new
King James, which says therefore
317
00:19:20,930 –> 00:19:28,020
as through one man’s offense.
Judgment came to all men,
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00:19:28,340 –> 00:19:32,340
resulting in condemnation.
So it’s three different parts,
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00:19:32,540 –> 00:19:34,620
Offense, judgment and
condemnation.
320
00:19:37,660 –> 00:19:39,660
So it’s no.
Condemnation in Christ Jesus.
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00:19:40,620 –> 00:19:44,180
But it’s certainly offense, and
it’s certainly judgment.
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00:19:46,180 –> 00:19:47,940
So you’re back in the courtroom
and the sentence.
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00:19:47,940 –> 00:19:50,780
Is about to be read, and I think
at that moment you sort of feel
324
00:19:50,780 –> 00:19:55,240
the horror.
And the dread of that moment and
325
00:19:55,240 –> 00:19:59,800
you look up at the judge.
And your sentence is declared
326
00:20:02,840 –> 00:20:11,280
and your mortality is destroyed
and your sinfulness is condemned
327
00:20:13,280 –> 00:20:21,600
and you’re free.
Why?
328
00:20:25,200 –> 00:20:33,770
Because you’re in Christ Jesus.
And there’s no condemnation for
329
00:20:33,770 –> 00:20:45,450
those who are in Christ Jesus.
We appreciate it more at that
330
00:20:45,450 –> 00:20:50,650
moment and this courtroom drama
deal.
331
00:20:50,650 –> 00:20:53,450
It’s not overplayed because the
only other place we see the word
332
00:20:53,450 –> 00:20:58,530
condemn in, Romans say.
In the context of this guy ID of
333
00:20:58,530 –> 00:21:02,890
this, of this courtroom or this
judgment in Romans 8, verse 33,
334
00:21:03,610 –> 00:21:07,210
reading the RSV, who shall bring
any charge against God’s elect?
335
00:21:07,210 –> 00:21:09,410
Well, that’s like a courtroom.
Who’s going to bring a charge?
336
00:21:09,850 –> 00:21:11,170
Who’s going to charge you of
anything?
337
00:21:11,290 –> 00:21:13,210
Who’s going to accuse you of
sinning?
338
00:21:13,370 –> 00:21:15,090
Who’s going to accuse you of
being a Sinner?
339
00:21:15,490 –> 00:21:17,610
Who’s going to bring a charge
against God’s elect?
340
00:21:18,570 –> 00:21:22,090
And Paul goes on to say it’s God
who justifies, Who’s to condemn?
341
00:21:22,210 –> 00:21:23,890
Well, that’s what.
That’s what the judge does.
342
00:21:24,410 –> 00:21:26,840
He passes a sentence.
Who’s the condemn?
343
00:21:27,200 –> 00:21:30,920
It’s Christ Jesus who died.
Yes, it was raised from the
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00:21:30,920 –> 00:21:32,360
dead.
Who’s at the right hand of God
345
00:21:32,600 –> 00:21:36,920
and and who intercedes for us.
And so who’s going to lay
346
00:21:36,920 –> 00:21:38,840
charges?
God.
347
00:21:39,840 –> 00:21:44,480
Well, he’s justifies you.
Who’s going to condemn Jesus?
348
00:21:45,200 –> 00:21:47,560
He intercedes for you.
And So what you find is when you
349
00:21:47,560 –> 00:21:51,840
walk into this courtroom, you
have a defense attorney who’s
350
00:21:51,840 –> 00:21:55,160
next to you and he’s the one
who’s who’s interceding.
351
00:21:56,020 –> 00:21:58,940
With the court on your behalf,
right, this defense attorney.
352
00:21:58,940 –> 00:22:02,060
And then you look up when the
judgment is about to be read out
353
00:22:02,060 –> 00:22:04,700
and you find your defense
attorney walks around and climbs
354
00:22:04,700 –> 00:22:08,180
up the stairs and sits down in
the place of the judge.
355
00:22:10,180 –> 00:22:13,460
And you look up.
You see the one who’s
356
00:22:13,460 –> 00:22:18,180
interceding for you the whole
time is the one about to pass
357
00:22:18,180 –> 00:22:23,180
the judgment and that your
accuser.
358
00:22:25,360 –> 00:22:31,840
God in this case, has actually
created the conditions for your
359
00:22:31,840 –> 00:22:35,040
release.
It’s not a fair trial.
360
00:22:37,000 –> 00:22:39,760
It’s not meant to be a fair
trial for those who are in
361
00:22:39,760 –> 00:22:46,320
Christ Jesus, Thanks be to God
through Jesus Christ our Lord.
362
00:22:48,080 –> 00:22:54,920
And so Roman St. begins.
There is therefore now, now.
363
00:22:55,440 –> 00:23:03,920
No condemnation for those who
are in Christ Jesus and all
364
00:23:03,920 –> 00:23:06,840
recent translations drop the
next sentence, which is who walk
365
00:23:06,840 –> 00:23:08,480
not after the flesh but after
the spirit.
366
00:23:08,480 –> 00:23:11,120
What’s interesting about
dropping that is it really just
367
00:23:11,120 –> 00:23:14,320
emphasizes what does it mean to
be in Christ Jesus and and it’s
368
00:23:14,320 –> 00:23:15,720
not really adding this
condition.
369
00:23:15,720 –> 00:23:18,960
It’s as if to say if you’re in
Christ Jesus, I don’t need to
370
00:23:18,960 –> 00:23:23,600
tell you what that means, that
it’s enough to say.
371
00:23:24,330 –> 00:23:26,770
That we’re in Christ Jesus.
And one of the things we’re
372
00:23:26,770 –> 00:23:30,050
going to try establish in this
class, well, especially in the
373
00:23:30,050 –> 00:23:32,170
next class too, is what it
really wasn’t mean to be in
374
00:23:32,170 –> 00:23:33,490
Christ Jesus.
What does that mean?
375
00:23:36,690 –> 00:23:39,330
Because it’s got to be more than
simply baptism, you know.
376
00:23:39,330 –> 00:23:41,730
We all know that baptism is part
of being in Christ Jesus.
377
00:23:41,730 –> 00:23:44,170
Of course it is.
How could I be in Christ Jesus
378
00:23:44,170 –> 00:23:48,290
about declaring God to be just
and righteous the same way that
379
00:23:48,290 –> 00:23:50,800
Christ did?
He showed me how and I meant to
380
00:23:50,800 –> 00:23:52,640
do it as well.
I meant to go into that waters
381
00:23:52,640 –> 00:23:56,320
and and and to put my nature to
death in symbol the way Christ
382
00:23:56,320 –> 00:23:58,040
did.
I meant to participate in that
383
00:23:58,040 –> 00:23:59,480
death.
I meant to participate in that
384
00:23:59,480 –> 00:24:01,920
resurrection.
Of course I have to be baptized,
385
00:24:02,320 –> 00:24:04,960
but it can’t merely be baptism
because it’s merely baptism we
386
00:24:04,960 –> 00:24:07,360
find ourselves and let’s sin the
grace me abound territory.
387
00:24:08,040 –> 00:24:10,280
So there must be something about
being in Christ Jesus that’s
388
00:24:10,280 –> 00:24:12,040
more than merely just being
baptized.
389
00:24:14,380 –> 00:24:17,700
But before we go into more
detail in chapter eight, really
390
00:24:17,700 –> 00:24:20,020
what I’d like to do for you, if
you would be as patient as this,
391
00:24:20,020 –> 00:24:22,620
is to let me outline for you the
argument of chapter 8.
392
00:24:22,980 –> 00:24:26,260
Because as much as it seems
silly in three classes, I don’t
393
00:24:26,260 –> 00:24:27,980
actually have time to cover all
the material.
394
00:24:27,980 –> 00:24:32,260
In chapter 8, I don’t.
And So what I want to do now is
395
00:24:32,260 –> 00:24:35,300
just I want to outline for you
what the argument is so that
396
00:24:35,340 –> 00:24:37,940
it’s clear and as I’m saying
things, you can maybe slot some
397
00:24:37,940 –> 00:24:40,300
things into place.
Now this might be a section
398
00:24:40,300 –> 00:24:43,180
where you want to take some
notes, if that would be what you
399
00:24:43,180 –> 00:24:45,360
want to do.
And you follow the advice of our
400
00:24:45,360 –> 00:24:50,280
brother Luke, who who suggested
that you have a pencil ready.
401
00:24:50,280 –> 00:24:53,040
This might be a good time to
pull such pencil out and put
402
00:24:53,040 –> 00:24:57,440
such pencil on such paper to
make such scribbles, but I’m
403
00:24:57,440 –> 00:24:59,320
going to go fast enough where
I’m not going to think you’re
404
00:24:59,320 –> 00:25:02,400
going to be able to to catch up.
So if you’d like to see the
405
00:25:02,400 –> 00:25:05,360
notes afterwards, I’m going to
give all my slides to this
406
00:25:05,360 –> 00:25:09,880
ecclesia and they can distribute
however they like, Okay so
407
00:25:10,720 –> 00:25:15,120
versus one through 4.
What Paul is doing here is he’s
408
00:25:15,120 –> 00:25:18,800
saying that in Christ, what’s
the condition of those being in
409
00:25:18,800 –> 00:25:21,240
Christ?
What’s the what’s the what does
410
00:25:21,240 –> 00:25:22,320
it, what does it mean to be in
Christ?
411
00:25:22,320 –> 00:25:25,920
And what being Christ really
means is that in the courtroom
412
00:25:26,080 –> 00:25:31,440
the sinfulness is condemned, but
the Sinner is not.
413
00:25:32,400 –> 00:25:36,960
That that that what what God is
doing is he condemns sin, but he
414
00:25:36,960 –> 00:25:39,440
doesn’t condemn the Sinner.
But that’s really.
415
00:25:39,950 –> 00:25:42,590
He’s a really big open wide
question.
416
00:25:42,590 –> 00:25:45,310
That question paused to fill the
void in which wasn’t mean to be
417
00:25:45,310 –> 00:25:48,150
in Christ.
What does it mean to be in
418
00:25:48,150 –> 00:25:49,550
Christ?
And Paul will go on to say that
419
00:25:49,550 –> 00:25:52,830
being in Christ really means
that we’re influenced by Christ,
420
00:25:53,350 –> 00:25:55,950
that we’re actually trying to
walk after the Spirit.
421
00:25:56,150 –> 00:25:58,470
And walking after spirit means
we kind of walk like Christ does
422
00:25:58,470 –> 00:26:03,630
and we have his spirit in us and
influences us, and that and that
423
00:26:03,630 –> 00:26:06,350
not only do we are influenced by
the Spirit, but we actually
424
00:26:06,430 –> 00:26:08,110
choose.
And this is an important word,
425
00:26:08,110 –> 00:26:12,010
getting on to it tomorrow.
Monday, we choose to set our
426
00:26:12,010 –> 00:26:14,730
mind on the things of the
Spirit.
427
00:26:15,130 –> 00:26:19,010
That’s what means being Christ.
But then the question comes up,
428
00:26:19,090 –> 00:26:23,770
well, great, I I choose to set
my mind on things of Christ.
429
00:26:24,250 –> 00:26:25,890
But Paul says no, no, no, that’s
not enough.
430
00:26:25,970 –> 00:26:28,090
There’s something else of this
being on Christ.
431
00:26:28,290 –> 00:26:30,450
It’s not just about choosing and
setting your mind on him and
432
00:26:30,450 –> 00:26:32,890
being influenced by the Spirit.
There’s another big aspect to
433
00:26:32,890 –> 00:26:36,730
being in Christ, and the other
big aspect is that we suffer.
434
00:26:38,190 –> 00:26:40,870
But we don’t suffer slaves like
we suffered on the wall.
435
00:26:40,870 –> 00:26:43,270
We suffer sons.
Now Paul will explain what that
436
00:26:43,270 –> 00:26:45,750
means.
So we have these obligations.
437
00:26:46,350 –> 00:26:48,150
There’s no combination.
Great, But that means we’re in
438
00:26:48,150 –> 00:26:50,110
Christ, which means we’re
influenced by Christ.
439
00:26:50,110 –> 00:26:54,670
We choose to set our mind on
him, and we choose to suffer.
440
00:26:55,950 –> 00:26:57,310
That’s what it means to be in
Christ.
441
00:26:59,350 –> 00:27:01,910
And then, but Paul goes
suffering.
442
00:27:01,910 –> 00:27:04,390
I’m I’m sure that people weren’t
really happy about hearing that.
443
00:27:04,390 –> 00:27:08,990
They need to suffer.
But Paul says, although you
444
00:27:08,990 –> 00:27:13,790
suffer because you have hope and
because you have the spirit, you
445
00:27:13,790 –> 00:27:17,190
can persevere in that suffering.
That hope is actually the thing
446
00:27:17,190 –> 00:27:19,070
that allows you to persevere
through suffering.
447
00:27:20,830 –> 00:27:23,950
But Paul goes on to say that
hope, that hope you have is
448
00:27:23,950 –> 00:27:27,910
really, really sure.
It’s a really confident, really
449
00:27:27,910 –> 00:27:32,110
confident hope.
And so because that hope is so
450
00:27:32,110 –> 00:27:34,970
confident.
And because we know that God has
451
00:27:34,970 –> 00:27:37,930
really purposed us to be in
Christ, that we can feel very
452
00:27:37,930 –> 00:27:42,570
sure about our hope even in
suffering.
453
00:27:43,490 –> 00:27:46,650
But then he goes on to say that
there’s no suffering, no pain,
454
00:27:47,210 –> 00:27:49,730
nothing outside of us can ever
take that hope away from you.
455
00:27:52,170 –> 00:27:54,010
And that hope is expressed then
as the.
456
00:27:54,010 –> 00:27:57,610
Enduring love of Christ.
That can never be taken away
457
00:27:57,610 –> 00:28:00,370
from you, right?
So that’s Chapter 8.
458
00:28:00,800 –> 00:28:02,080
That’s the argument of Chapter
8.
459
00:28:02,080 –> 00:28:04,600
As, as Paul flows through, it’s
really beautiful argument.
460
00:28:04,720 –> 00:28:07,040
We can we can sometimes get
ourselves lost in little words
461
00:28:07,040 –> 00:28:11,240
and little phrases and and and
and sort of maybe lose the whole
462
00:28:11,240 –> 00:28:14,280
thrust of what he’s saying and
really is it really intends to
463
00:28:14,280 –> 00:28:18,480
be a very encouraging chapter.
So the rest of this class we’re
464
00:28:18,480 –> 00:28:23,160
going to focus on why there’s no
condemnation for those in Christ
465
00:28:23,160 –> 00:28:24,800
Jesus.
Pretty fair question, I think.
466
00:28:24,960 –> 00:28:26,720
Why?
Why is there no condemnation for
467
00:28:26,720 –> 00:28:30,270
those in Christ Jesus?
The next class, which will be in
468
00:28:30,270 –> 00:28:33,750
extra tation tomorrow morning,
we’re going to talk about what
469
00:28:33,750 –> 00:28:36,790
it means to be in Christ.
What does it really mean to be
470
00:28:36,790 –> 00:28:37,990
in Christ?
What does it mean to have the
471
00:28:37,990 –> 00:28:39,670
spirit?
That word spirit is kind of
472
00:28:39,670 –> 00:28:41,350
mysterious.
We’re going to demystify that
473
00:28:41,350 –> 00:28:43,470
word in our extra tation
tomorrow.
474
00:28:43,990 –> 00:28:48,270
And then on Monday morning, if
any of you are not so bored and
475
00:28:48,710 –> 00:28:52,270
frustrated that you don’t want
to attend, I understand.
476
00:28:52,670 –> 00:28:55,710
We’ll talk about our obligation
in Christ.
477
00:28:57,770 –> 00:29:01,930
We’re going to talk about our
hope in Christ, and then also
478
00:29:01,930 –> 00:29:04,650
for the young people tomorrow
after the song and praise, we’re
479
00:29:04,650 –> 00:29:07,130
going to talk about how you feel
about yourself.
480
00:29:08,090 –> 00:29:11,610
Because I’ve really sort of hit
hard, haven’t I, on this issue
481
00:29:11,610 –> 00:29:13,130
of understanding that we’re a
Wretch.
482
00:29:13,890 –> 00:29:15,530
And for the young people in
particular, I don’t want to
483
00:29:15,530 –> 00:29:18,970
leave you there and I don’t
intend to leave you there.
484
00:29:19,450 –> 00:29:21,490
So we’ll talk tomorrow about the
song and praise, about how we
485
00:29:21,490 –> 00:29:24,570
feel about ourselves and how the
Bible and God want us to feel
486
00:29:24,570 –> 00:29:26,450
about ourselves.
OK.
487
00:29:26,870 –> 00:29:29,390
So that’s for a young people
only class after the song and
488
00:29:29,390 –> 00:29:33,830
praise okay.
So then the question then for
489
00:29:33,830 –> 00:29:36,670
this class for the remaining of
our time, why is there no
490
00:29:36,670 –> 00:29:38,910
condemnation for those in Christ
Jesus?
491
00:29:40,990 –> 00:29:45,950
So to get started to answer this
question, we really have to go
492
00:29:45,950 –> 00:29:51,630
to verse 2 for the law of the
spirit of life in Christ Jesus.
493
00:29:53,360 –> 00:29:55,400
Made me free from the law of sin
and death.
494
00:29:55,520 –> 00:29:57,960
Well, that sounds confusing, but
let’s just make it not
495
00:29:57,960 –> 00:30:01,440
confusing.
How is Paul made free now?
496
00:30:01,440 –> 00:30:04,320
Clearly he’s not made free from
death because he still died,
497
00:30:05,360 –> 00:30:07,360
although you can maybe say
that’s not a real death, it’s
498
00:30:07,360 –> 00:30:09,000
asleep.
But nevertheless, he still had
499
00:30:09,000 –> 00:30:13,120
mortality, and he’s also not
free from his desire to sin.
500
00:30:13,120 –> 00:30:16,080
So the freedom is not a freedom
from mortality, at least
501
00:30:16,400 –> 00:30:18,920
currently, nor is it a freedom
from.
502
00:30:19,660 –> 00:30:21,940
A desire to sin.
Chapter 7 makes that very clear.
503
00:30:21,940 –> 00:30:23,580
So what is Paul exactly free
from?
504
00:30:26,940 –> 00:30:30,180
So if you turn into Genesis 3
and verse 19, there’s a death
505
00:30:30,180 –> 00:30:31,780
sentence there passing as
mankind.
506
00:30:31,780 –> 00:30:34,140
And this is, this is a verse you
know from the earliest of
507
00:30:34,140 –> 00:30:37,100
science school days and you know
for your baptismal studies.
508
00:30:37,100 –> 00:30:39,940
And you know, because it gets
brought up all the time on the
509
00:30:39,940 –> 00:30:42,420
podium here, and it’s a very
important verse, and it really
510
00:30:42,420 –> 00:30:45,620
talks about what our death
sentence is and we want to know
511
00:30:45,660 –> 00:30:47,940
that what we’re what we’re free
from and for free from
512
00:30:47,940 –> 00:30:50,200
condemnation.
We have to go back to the place
513
00:30:50,200 –> 00:30:54,680
that God condemned us, to find
out what freedom from this
514
00:30:54,680 –> 00:30:58,360
condemnation really means.
And God condemned us in Genesis
515
00:30:58,360 –> 00:31:02,960
chapter 3 and verse 19, where he
says then to Adam and the sweat
516
00:31:02,960 –> 00:31:06,080
of your face you should eat
bread till you return to the
517
00:31:06,080 –> 00:31:09,840
ground, for out of it you were
taken, for dust you are and to
518
00:31:09,840 –> 00:31:13,680
dust you shall return.
Now if you think about this,
519
00:31:13,680 –> 00:31:17,360
tell me exactly how following
the law was supposed to change
520
00:31:17,360 –> 00:31:19,780
that punishment.
I mean, how does doing good
521
00:31:19,780 –> 00:31:23,380
works change that punishment,
You know, that’s a kind of a big
522
00:31:23,380 –> 00:31:25,740
problem in Judaism.
You see, like Judaism, I mean,
523
00:31:25,740 –> 00:31:28,060
there’s stacks and stacks and
stacks of books in Jewish
524
00:31:28,060 –> 00:31:32,020
philosophy, not just the Torah
and the Talmud and the Mishna,
525
00:31:32,220 –> 00:31:35,540
but books about the Talmud and
about the Mishna and books about
526
00:31:35,540 –> 00:31:37,460
the books that are about the
Talmud and the Mishna.
527
00:31:37,740 –> 00:31:40,660
I spent a year in Israel, you
know, and I was just amazed by
528
00:31:40,660 –> 00:31:42,220
the libraries.
You know, I guess Christy
529
00:31:42,220 –> 00:31:43,500
elephants have quite a few books
as well.
530
00:31:43,500 –> 00:31:46,220
And there’s just why stacks of
books on Judaism.
531
00:31:47,000 –> 00:31:49,840
You know, for all their study
and all for the academic rigor
532
00:31:49,840 –> 00:31:52,000
that they applied to their
study, they really just couldn’t
533
00:31:52,000 –> 00:31:53,560
get past the third page of the
Bible.
534
00:31:56,720 –> 00:31:59,400
There’s nothing in all those
books that says anything about
535
00:31:59,400 –> 00:32:02,560
page three, right?
It’s page three.
536
00:32:02,560 –> 00:32:07,400
Yeah, Let me just see 123.
Sorry, Page four.
537
00:32:09,800 –> 00:32:12,160
And, you know, the interesting
part is, is for Christianity’s
538
00:32:12,160 –> 00:32:13,280
part, they don’t care about
this.
539
00:32:14,460 –> 00:32:17,140
They don’t care about this
punishment because their hope is
540
00:32:17,140 –> 00:32:20,340
a bodyless hope.
So what does it really matter if
541
00:32:20,340 –> 00:32:23,460
you’re if your if your body
returns the dust because the
542
00:32:23,460 –> 00:32:25,260
body could do whatever.
It’s long as the soul is free
543
00:32:25,260 –> 00:32:28,300
and happy and good.
So for Christianity this is not
544
00:32:28,300 –> 00:32:30,580
really condemnation at all,
because there is no really death
545
00:32:31,260 –> 00:32:33,620
and their salvation is bodyless
and the Jews can’t do anything
546
00:32:33,620 –> 00:32:35,660
about it because the law doesn’t
change any of this.
547
00:32:36,500 –> 00:32:40,380
But see, as much as the Jews
don’t have an answer for this as
548
00:32:40,380 –> 00:32:42,700
much as Christians don’t care
about it, to Paul this is
549
00:32:42,700 –> 00:32:45,870
totally essential.
This is, this is, this is the
550
00:32:45,870 –> 00:32:52,190
thing he couldn’t get around.
And what?
551
00:32:52,190 –> 00:32:55,710
This is what Paul wants to be
free from, from the law of sin
552
00:32:55,710 –> 00:32:59,270
and death, the finality of dust.
And it’s here that man was
553
00:32:59,270 –> 00:33:01,350
condemned for dust.
You are into dust.
554
00:33:01,350 –> 00:33:03,630
You shall return.
This is the death sentence.
555
00:33:04,350 –> 00:33:07,790
This is condemnation.
And it was forced sin, and it
556
00:33:07,790 –> 00:33:12,110
was just.
And so Paul goes in Romans 8.
557
00:33:12,490 –> 00:33:15,610
1st, 2:00 and 3:00 For the law,
For the law of the Spirit of
558
00:33:15,610 –> 00:33:18,290
life in Christ Jesus has made me
free from the law of sin and
559
00:33:18,290 –> 00:33:21,130
death.
For what the law could not do in
560
00:33:21,130 –> 00:33:26,170
that it was weak through the
flesh, God did by sending his
561
00:33:26,210 –> 00:33:28,250
own Son in the likeness of
sinful flesh.
562
00:33:28,410 –> 00:33:31,810
On the count of sin.
He condemned sin.
563
00:33:32,090 –> 00:33:35,170
He condemned sin in the flesh.
Now God condemned sin.
564
00:33:35,170 –> 00:33:38,450
I thought sin condemned us.
I mean we’re the ones with the
565
00:33:38,450 –> 00:33:40,650
death sentence.
I mean, how was sin condemned?
566
00:33:40,890 –> 00:33:43,490
How was sin condemned?
Well, the answer is really
567
00:33:43,490 –> 00:33:44,690
simple.
The sins condemned and the
568
00:33:44,690 –> 00:33:48,450
resurrection of Jesus Christ.
Now put that to a side for a
569
00:33:48,450 –> 00:33:51,650
moment.
The first thing to get here is
570
00:33:51,650 –> 00:33:53,930
that God sent his Son the
likeness of sinful flesh.
571
00:33:53,930 –> 00:33:57,050
Now, Christadelphians from age
long past have gotten all
572
00:33:57,050 –> 00:33:59,810
weirded out by this word
likeness, but we ought not to,
573
00:34:00,730 –> 00:34:03,290
because what Paul is alluding to
here is that God created Adam
574
00:34:03,290 –> 00:34:05,570
and his likeness, and you know
that, and you understand that.
575
00:34:05,770 –> 00:34:08,810
And that was not just in a moral
sense, but that was also in the
576
00:34:08,810 –> 00:34:11,639
fact that he wasn’t corrupting.
He was prone to corruption.
577
00:34:11,639 –> 00:34:13,800
Of course he was, but he wasn’t
corrupting.
578
00:34:15,679 –> 00:34:19,199
But you see, when Adam had
children, Adam passed along, Not
579
00:34:19,199 –> 00:34:21,840
God’s likeness to those kids.
He passed along his own
580
00:34:21,840 –> 00:34:24,000
likeness.
There’s something, there’s like
581
00:34:24,000 –> 00:34:26,199
one step removed here.
If you look at Genesis, chapter
582
00:34:26,199 –> 00:34:29,440
5 and verse one and verse three,
and I’ll read it out of the RSV.
583
00:34:30,120 –> 00:34:32,280
This is the book of the
generations of Adam.
584
00:34:32,960 –> 00:34:36,960
When God created man, he made
him in the likeness of God.
585
00:34:37,800 –> 00:34:40,360
Sounds good, but verse three
goes on to say.
586
00:34:41,150 –> 00:34:45,429
And when Adam had lived 130
years, he became the father of
587
00:34:45,429 –> 00:34:51,750
his son in his own likeness.
After his image, he needed him
588
00:34:51,750 –> 00:34:53,909
Seth.
So there’s a problem there.
589
00:34:53,989 –> 00:34:56,190
See, God created Adam in his own
image and his likeness.
590
00:34:56,190 –> 00:34:58,750
But Adam actually created his
sons in his own image and in
591
00:34:58,750 –> 00:35:00,390
Adam’s own likeness.
And we’re actually created in
592
00:35:00,390 –> 00:35:02,430
that same image and same
likeness as Seth.
593
00:35:03,070 –> 00:35:06,270
We actually have that image and
likeness that Adam had.
594
00:35:06,570 –> 00:35:09,050
And that image and likeness was
one that is prone to death and
595
00:35:09,050 –> 00:35:11,090
prone to sin and will die, and
is mortal.
596
00:35:13,090 –> 00:35:15,970
And from Adam forward, we’re all
born in that likeness and image.
597
00:35:17,450 –> 00:35:19,890
We’re not in God’s likeness, at
least not naturally.
598
00:35:21,170 –> 00:35:23,370
We have the ability to be
spiritually, but not naturally.
599
00:35:24,410 –> 00:35:28,170
And our flesh is kind of a
symbol of that likeness insofar
600
00:35:28,250 –> 00:35:31,410
as it desires sin.
So it’s called sinful flesh.
601
00:35:31,530 –> 00:35:34,650
And that’s not because if I look
at my arm, which is a very fine
602
00:35:34,650 –> 00:35:37,530
arm, the.
It’s not because the the the
603
00:35:37,530 –> 00:35:41,010
carbon and the hydrogen and the
oxygen and the nitrogen atoms in
604
00:35:41,010 –> 00:35:45,090
my hand or in my chest or
wherever it is.
605
00:35:45,290 –> 00:35:47,730
It’s not because they themselves
are sinful.
606
00:35:47,730 –> 00:35:51,290
Of course not.
It’s because the combination of
607
00:35:51,290 –> 00:35:54,530
them all together that make me
desires to sin.
608
00:35:57,050 –> 00:35:59,690
And naturally we want to sin.
So we call that sin.
609
00:36:01,050 –> 00:36:05,730
Sin in the flesh and for those.
In Christ, this desire to sin,
610
00:36:05,890 –> 00:36:08,290
this sinful flesh, whatever it
is, whatever you want to call
611
00:36:08,290 –> 00:36:11,890
it, it’s it’s been condemned.
How?
612
00:36:12,530 –> 00:36:15,090
Well that how part is actually
quite simple in Jesus
613
00:36:15,090 –> 00:36:20,370
resurrection.
Now son, you tell me Jesus rose
614
00:36:20,370 –> 00:36:23,050
from the dead.
Did he have sinful flesh when he
615
00:36:23,050 –> 00:36:27,530
rise rose from the dead?
Did he desire to rebel against
616
00:36:27,530 –> 00:36:28,730
his Father when he rose from the
dead?
617
00:36:28,730 –> 00:36:32,410
Did he desire to oppose his
Father’s will when he rose from
618
00:36:32,410 –> 00:36:35,380
the dead?
They struggle with his nature
619
00:36:35,380 –> 00:36:36,980
any longer.
After he rose from the dead.
620
00:36:38,260 –> 00:36:44,660
He didn’t correct.
You can go back to UK and be
621
00:36:44,660 –> 00:36:49,260
proud.
Yet at the same time he was
622
00:36:49,260 –> 00:36:51,740
alive, wasn’t he?
He’s followed that.
623
00:36:51,740 –> 00:36:55,140
He didn’t rebel against his
father’s will anymore.
624
00:36:55,780 –> 00:36:57,700
But he was alive and he was in a
body.
625
00:36:59,140 –> 00:37:06,130
Now you tell me.
You tell me, was Jesus condemned
626
00:37:07,010 –> 00:37:13,530
or was sin condemned?
Was Jesus destroyed or sin
627
00:37:13,530 –> 00:37:17,250
destroyed in Jesus resurrected
body?
628
00:37:18,730 –> 00:37:20,010
It’s very simple.
It’s not.
629
00:37:20,010 –> 00:37:21,410
It’s not hard to figure out at
all, is it?
630
00:37:21,570 –> 00:37:25,690
Sin was condemned in Jesus.
Jesus, although he’s born in the
631
00:37:25,690 –> 00:37:29,290
image and whiteness of Adam and
thus into sinful flesh, was
632
00:37:29,290 –> 00:37:32,280
resurrected into.
The image and whiteness of God
633
00:37:33,920 –> 00:37:37,520
in not only a moral sense which
he had during his his life
634
00:37:38,000 –> 00:37:40,600
before his death, but also now
in a physical sense.
635
00:37:43,320 –> 00:37:45,720
Sin died.
Now the Bible causes several
636
00:37:45,720 –> 00:37:48,760
different things in Romans 6.
For six we’re told that the body
637
00:37:48,760 –> 00:37:52,120
of sin was destroyed.
That which has the power of
638
00:37:52,120 –> 00:37:54,840
death, the devil was destroyed.
That tells us in Hebrews chapter
639
00:37:54,840 –> 00:37:57,880
2 and verse 14 the old man was
put off that the new man might
640
00:37:57,880 –> 00:37:59,520
live.
We’re told that in Co Washington
641
00:37:59,520 –> 00:38:02,240
chapter 3 and verse 910.
But all these verses, the old
642
00:38:02,240 –> 00:38:05,880
man being put off, the body of
sin being destroyed.
643
00:38:06,520 –> 00:38:08,080
That which has the power of
death, the devil being
644
00:38:08,080 –> 00:38:09,880
destroyed.
These are all really verses
645
00:38:09,880 –> 00:38:14,520
described to us the same thing.
OK, but why was Jesus
646
00:38:14,520 –> 00:38:17,320
resurrected now?
The cheese resurrected?
647
00:38:17,320 –> 00:38:23,060
For two reasons first.
It’s not there.
648
00:38:23,300 –> 00:38:26,060
First, the grave couldn’t hold
him.
649
00:38:27,100 –> 00:38:30,100
We’re told that in Acts 2 verse
24, the grave couldn’t hold him.
650
00:38:30,100 –> 00:38:33,820
It wasn’t just the grave
couldn’t hold him because he
651
00:38:33,820 –> 00:38:36,900
didn’t sin.
The other reason was that he
652
00:38:36,900 –> 00:38:41,060
declared that God alone was
righteous because he put to
653
00:38:41,060 –> 00:38:46,420
death his body that asserted its
will over.
654
00:38:46,420 –> 00:38:48,660
Gods, it’s.
Got to be a difficult point to
655
00:38:48,660 –> 00:38:51,680
get to understand.
I want you to think for a moment
656
00:38:52,480 –> 00:38:56,440
about the first temptation, the
first sin, Right.
657
00:38:57,080 –> 00:39:02,440
We read about that first sin in
Genesis chapter 3, and we read
658
00:39:02,440 –> 00:39:04,200
about this yesterday.
But we’ll go back to it again
659
00:39:04,200 –> 00:39:06,040
today.
Genesis chapter 3, verses four
660
00:39:06,040 –> 00:39:07,680
and five.
And the serpent sent to the
661
00:39:07,680 –> 00:39:11,120
woman.
You shall not, You shall not
662
00:39:11,120 –> 00:39:15,720
surely die, for God doth know
that in the day you eat thereof
663
00:39:15,720 –> 00:39:18,320
you’re in, your eyes shall be
open, and you shall be as gods,
664
00:39:18,320 –> 00:39:24,380
knowing good and evil.
You see, sin isn’t simply just
665
00:39:24,420 –> 00:39:28,900
acting against the will of God.
That’s too simple.
666
00:39:30,180 –> 00:39:36,140
Sin is also the desire to be
your own God.
667
00:39:37,740 –> 00:39:40,500
And that desire to be your own
God is really desire to know
668
00:39:40,500 –> 00:39:44,740
good and evil, and not just to
know God’s version of good and
669
00:39:44,740 –> 00:39:46,530
evil.
But actually have our own
670
00:39:46,530 –> 00:39:50,690
version of good and evil, and my
version of good and evil is
671
00:39:50,690 –> 00:39:52,210
right for me and your version
for good.
672
00:39:52,210 –> 00:39:54,570
Evil is right for you and and
suits you.
673
00:39:54,570 –> 00:39:57,130
And by the way, according to the
serpent, there’s no real
674
00:39:57,130 –> 00:39:59,290
consequence for sin because sin
doesn’t really bring death.
675
00:39:59,290 –> 00:40:01,730
So no matter what your version
of good and evil is, you’ll
676
00:40:01,730 –> 00:40:04,850
still live.
And no matter what my version of
677
00:40:04,850 –> 00:40:12,490
good and evil is, I’ll still
live and we all become our own
678
00:40:12,490 –> 00:40:17,820
God.
And the judge of our own version
679
00:40:17,820 –> 00:40:22,340
of righteousness.
And we think humanism was a new
680
00:40:22,340 –> 00:40:25,620
thing.
It’s a new thing, this idea of
681
00:40:25,620 –> 00:40:28,500
humanism.
And this goes back as long as
682
00:40:28,500 –> 00:40:31,980
there’s been humans, goes back
to the beginning.
683
00:40:32,620 –> 00:40:34,500
And So what is God supposed to
do with this exactly?
684
00:40:34,900 –> 00:40:39,620
So God says I have this
righteousness, this right versus
685
00:40:39,620 –> 00:40:42,860
wrong, according to my word and
according to my will, I
686
00:40:42,860 –> 00:40:45,670
established this righteousness.
And then we have humans.
687
00:40:45,870 –> 00:40:48,270
Who said God?
I’m actually throwing off your
688
00:40:48,270 –> 00:40:49,590
version of righteousness for my
own.
689
00:40:49,630 –> 00:40:52,110
I actually want to decide good
and evil on my own terms.
690
00:40:53,550 –> 00:40:55,390
I want to decide good and evil
for me.
691
00:40:56,110 –> 00:40:58,230
I want to decide what’s good,
and I want to decide what’s
692
00:40:58,230 –> 00:41:00,910
evil.
And I want to act according to
693
00:41:00,910 –> 00:41:03,190
what I think is good and what I
think is evil, not according to
694
00:41:03,190 –> 00:41:06,750
what you think is good and evil.
And so now we have this problem,
695
00:41:06,750 –> 00:41:08,110
the guard.
This is exactly what happened.
696
00:41:09,030 –> 00:41:11,030
So the question is, what’s
gossips to do with this?
697
00:41:16,400 –> 00:41:19,600
And and you think about this
God’s characteristics.
698
00:41:19,600 –> 00:41:24,440
You know, we’re told that God is
1 and and and this, this, this
699
00:41:24,760 –> 00:41:28,360
version of righteousness, which
is opposed to him, is actually
700
00:41:28,360 –> 00:41:30,680
an affront, an affront to his,
to his oneness.
701
00:41:31,240 –> 00:41:33,400
He can’t be one with this
anymore because actually there’s
702
00:41:33,400 –> 00:41:35,800
now these two versions of
righteousness, There’s two
703
00:41:35,800 –> 00:41:39,480
versions of right and wrong.
And God can’t coexist as one
704
00:41:39,480 –> 00:41:43,520
with this any longer.
So what’s probably God was to do
705
00:41:43,520 –> 00:41:45,970
with this, this.
Version of good and evil, Well,
706
00:41:45,970 –> 00:41:48,490
he destroys it.
He says, well, that’s that’s
707
00:41:48,490 –> 00:41:50,250
going to cause death.
That has to be destroyed.
708
00:41:52,970 –> 00:41:56,890
And you actually know that
inside of us we actually have
709
00:41:56,930 –> 00:42:00,530
our knowledge of good and evil
because we think we know right
710
00:42:00,530 –> 00:42:05,730
and wrong and we rebel against
God’s will as a result of it.
711
00:42:08,410 –> 00:42:11,330
And I want just to think about
that because it’s in that
712
00:42:11,330 –> 00:42:15,610
rebellion.
And it’s in that willfulness to
713
00:42:15,610 –> 00:42:19,250
do what we want, what we think
is right, and what’s right is
714
00:42:19,250 –> 00:42:23,010
often very selfish.
It’s in that desire to do what
715
00:42:23,010 –> 00:42:27,530
we think is right that Jesus had
to take the cross and he had to
716
00:42:27,530 –> 00:42:31,930
destroy.
That’s what he had to destroy.
717
00:42:34,090 –> 00:42:44,750
He.
Had a will, and that will was
718
00:42:44,790 –> 00:42:46,870
not to do his father’s will, but
was his own.
719
00:42:49,420 –> 00:42:50,260
And he.
Destroyed it.
720
00:42:51,980 –> 00:42:54,740
He took it to the cross and he
destroyed it.
721
00:42:56,980 –> 00:43:01,660
And by destroying that will,
that rebellion inside what he
722
00:43:01,660 –> 00:43:06,620
did is he showed that God alone
is righteous.
723
00:43:06,620 –> 00:43:09,220
Do you follow this?
This is really, really important
724
00:43:10,260 –> 00:43:14,580
by going to the cross and
destroying his body.
725
00:43:15,350 –> 00:43:21,350
A body which, like yours and
mine, no different, desired its
726
00:43:21,350 –> 00:43:25,990
own will against the will of the
Father, and had its own version
727
00:43:25,990 –> 00:43:28,350
of right and wrong, which was
not the Father’s version of
728
00:43:28,350 –> 00:43:32,990
right and wrong, which is so
plainly declared behind us, that
729
00:43:32,990 –> 00:43:36,510
he took that to the cross, and
he destroyed it, so that God
730
00:43:36,510 –> 00:43:40,430
alone would be righteous, that
God would have no rival.
731
00:43:41,750 –> 00:43:45,430
Not only did he not sin, but he
destroyed that which was in him
732
00:43:45,430 –> 00:43:51,750
that desired to sin, and he
declared the righteousness of
733
00:43:51,750 –> 00:43:56,150
God by doing this, that God
would be one, that God would
734
00:43:56,150 –> 00:44:00,870
have no rival, not in the body
or in the actions.
735
00:44:02,270 –> 00:44:06,630
Of Jesus Christ.
Now consider.
736
00:44:06,630 –> 00:44:09,010
That.
As I read from you Romans
737
00:44:09,010 –> 00:44:12,170
chapter 3 verses 25 and 26 out
of the New English translation,
738
00:44:13,810 –> 00:44:18,650
God publicly displayed Jesus at
his death as the mercy seat
739
00:44:19,850 –> 00:44:25,650
accessible through faith.
Why this was to demonstrate
740
00:44:25,810 –> 00:44:30,370
God’s righteousness.
Because God in his forbearance
741
00:44:30,370 –> 00:44:32,330
had passed over sins previously
committed.
742
00:44:33,650 –> 00:44:36,890
This was also to demonstrate his
righteousness in the present
743
00:44:36,890 –> 00:44:42,620
time.
So that God would be just and
744
00:44:42,620 –> 00:44:48,100
the justifier of the one who
lives because of Jesus.
745
00:44:48,100 –> 00:44:53,140
Faithfulness, brothers and
sisters, This is how we’re
746
00:44:53,140 –> 00:44:55,420
saved.
This is how we’re saved.
747
00:44:58,260 –> 00:44:59,620
It’s really, really quite
important.
748
00:45:01,300 –> 00:45:05,980
God is first.
Just then.
749
00:45:06,950 –> 00:45:09,550
He’s a justifier.
You get that.
750
00:45:09,590 –> 00:45:14,270
That order cannot be switched.
It cannot be as a justifier that
751
00:45:14,270 –> 00:45:16,630
he’s just.
It will not work that way.
752
00:45:17,870 –> 00:45:24,190
God is first, just then based on
his righteousness being
753
00:45:24,190 –> 00:45:28,790
declared, He’s then willing to
justify.
754
00:45:30,510 –> 00:45:33,510
But we withhold God from God,
his justice.
755
00:45:34,430 –> 00:45:41,900
How do we do that?
Well, you say, well, God, please
756
00:45:41,900 –> 00:45:44,500
forgive me, but I really think I
was right.
757
00:45:45,940 –> 00:45:48,900
Or, God, you know, I think that
you’re right about this bit over
758
00:45:48,900 –> 00:45:50,260
here.
That’s good.
759
00:45:50,900 –> 00:45:53,940
But you know what?
This bit over here, I read a
760
00:45:53,940 –> 00:45:58,420
really good book and I don’t, I
don’t think actually that bit’s
761
00:45:58,420 –> 00:46:01,060
all that bad at all.
I don’t think I need to do that
762
00:46:01,060 –> 00:46:05,540
bit.
Tell me.
763
00:46:06,670 –> 00:46:08,390
How exactly is God supposed to
forgive you?
764
00:46:11,230 –> 00:46:13,830
Can Can God forgive you based on
your righteousness?
765
00:46:15,910 –> 00:46:20,070
Can God forgive you if you’re
holding back from him the
766
00:46:20,070 –> 00:46:25,350
ability to be right?
If you’ve withheld from God the
767
00:46:25,350 –> 00:46:30,030
ability to be right, he actually
can’t forgive you for that which
768
00:46:30,030 –> 00:46:34,430
you withhold from him, and isn’t
until you declare his
769
00:46:34,430 –> 00:46:37,950
righteousness.
That he’s willing to forgive
770
00:46:37,950 –> 00:46:43,230
you, and that’s what baptism is.
Baptism is the decoration of
771
00:46:43,230 –> 00:46:45,790
God’s righteousness.
It’s a symbolic death.
772
00:46:46,390 –> 00:46:49,430
You say You know God.
What you said in Janis is 3
773
00:46:49,430 –> 00:46:53,230
verse 19 that sin was really
horrible and deserved to die.
774
00:46:53,510 –> 00:46:55,790
That God you were right, it is
horrible.
775
00:46:58,190 –> 00:47:02,390
It does deserve to die, and I’m
going to symbolically put it to
776
00:47:02,390 –> 00:47:07,480
death.
So this is how we’re saved,
777
00:47:07,880 –> 00:47:09,240
brothers and sisters, young
people.
778
00:47:09,240 –> 00:47:13,720
This is how we’re saved by
declaring the righteousness of
779
00:47:13,720 –> 00:47:14,760
God.
This is what Jesus did in the
780
00:47:14,760 –> 00:47:18,560
cross.
You see, he he’d only didn’t not
781
00:47:18,560 –> 00:47:21,480
sin.
He put to death that which
782
00:47:21,480 –> 00:47:32,040
desired sin within him, that God
alone would be righteous, so he
783
00:47:32,040 –> 00:47:34,320
was resurrected.
As a result.
784
00:47:36,210 –> 00:47:38,850
According to Paul, in Romans 8,
verse 3, Jesus fulfilled the
785
00:47:38,850 –> 00:47:40,250
righteous requirement of the
law.
786
00:47:40,730 –> 00:47:42,330
Now what’s the righteous
requirement of the law?
787
00:47:42,330 –> 00:47:46,250
Well, we get a hint from from
Roman chapter 5 and verse 19
788
00:47:46,250 –> 00:47:49,210
where it says through one man’s
obedience many will be made
789
00:47:49,210 –> 00:47:52,410
righteous.
So the righteous requirement of
790
00:47:52,410 –> 00:47:55,810
the law really was obedience.
Now I want you to think about
791
00:47:55,810 –> 00:47:58,140
this carefully.
Seeing that obedience is the
792
00:47:58,140 –> 00:48:00,380
righteous requirement of the
law, how Paul pulls all these
793
00:48:00,380 –> 00:48:03,060
things together, How he pulls
together the record of Genesis,
794
00:48:03,220 –> 00:48:04,900
He pulls together the righteous
of God.
795
00:48:05,060 –> 00:48:08,460
He pulls together what Jesus was
really doing and his obedience.
796
00:48:09,020 –> 00:48:12,340
And all in one in one really
small compact little verse.
797
00:48:12,580 –> 00:48:17,900
And that’s found in Flippians
chapter 2, verses 6 through 8 we
798
00:48:17,900 –> 00:48:22,940
read there at the RSV.
Who though he, Who’s he?
799
00:48:23,180 –> 00:48:26,280
He is Jesus.
Who, though Jesus was in the
800
00:48:26,280 –> 00:48:30,880
form of God, did not, did not
count equality with God a thing
801
00:48:30,880 –> 00:48:33,080
to be grasped.
Now I asked you a question.
802
00:48:33,760 –> 00:48:36,280
Who thought equality with God
was a thing to be grasped?
803
00:48:38,640 –> 00:48:41,600
Any ideas?
Yes.
804
00:48:43,840 –> 00:48:50,440
So the garden, the first humans
did think that equality with God
805
00:48:50,440 –> 00:48:51,960
was a thing.
You think I’ve been bringing up
806
00:48:51,960 –> 00:48:53,320
this?
We want to make ourselves God
807
00:48:53,320 –> 00:48:58,790
thing for no reason.
See the garden, they thought a
808
00:48:58,790 –> 00:49:03,390
quality with God is a thing to
be grasped was to be taken the
809
00:49:03,390 –> 00:49:09,750
fruit.
But instead Jesus emptied
810
00:49:09,750 –> 00:49:11,270
himself, taking the form of a
servant.
811
00:49:11,270 –> 00:49:15,510
Being born in the whiteness of
men, and being found in human
812
00:49:15,510 –> 00:49:19,990
form, he humbled himself.
And became obedient unto death,
813
00:49:22,150 –> 00:49:28,060
even death on a cross.
You know, Jesus summarizes what
814
00:49:28,060 –> 00:49:30,500
the righteous requirement of the
law really was because in March
815
00:49:30,500 –> 00:49:32,820
chapter 12, what he does, he
says what are the most important
816
00:49:32,820 –> 00:49:35,380
commandments of the law?
What does the law really require
817
00:49:35,380 –> 00:49:36,660
of us?
And you know, what the most
818
00:49:36,660 –> 00:49:40,140
important commandment of the law
is, I’m sure you do, is that God
819
00:49:40,140 –> 00:49:44,660
is one, that there’s no other.
And what’s so important about
820
00:49:44,660 –> 00:49:47,700
that?
What’s so important about God
821
00:49:47,700 –> 00:49:52,770
being one?
That means you do not challenge
822
00:49:52,770 –> 00:49:56,330
God’s oneness.
You don’t try to do what they
823
00:49:56,330 –> 00:49:58,850
did in the garden.
You don’t try to make yourself
824
00:49:58,850 –> 00:50:05,450
God.
That God is 1 and we want to
825
00:50:05,450 –> 00:50:07,650
manifest his name.
We want his name to be on our
826
00:50:07,650 –> 00:50:09,610
foreheads.
We want to reflect his glory.
827
00:50:09,610 –> 00:50:11,410
Well, God’s not going to be many
gods.
828
00:50:12,490 –> 00:50:16,050
And if you think equality with
God is a thing to be grasped, if
829
00:50:16,050 –> 00:50:18,050
you want to have your own
righteousness, then God actually
830
00:50:18,050 –> 00:50:20,570
cannot manifest himself in you,
because he cannot.
831
00:50:21,500 –> 00:50:27,420
Forgive that which you do not
allow him to be, Justin, because
832
00:50:27,420 –> 00:50:29,060
God is 1.
I’m not.
833
00:50:29,060 –> 00:50:32,060
That’s not the only requirement
of the law to be obedient, but
834
00:50:32,060 –> 00:50:34,540
that we love him more than
anything else, with our hearts,
835
00:50:34,540 –> 00:50:37,940
with our souls, with our minds,
with our strength more than
836
00:50:37,940 –> 00:50:42,900
anything else, and that we love
each other as ourselves and only
837
00:50:42,900 –> 00:50:45,620
Christ at all three of these in
perfect obedience.
838
00:50:46,220 –> 00:50:49,100
So Christ alone fulfilled What
is the righteous requirement?
839
00:50:49,100 –> 00:50:51,680
Of the law.
Okay and okay, you say.
840
00:50:51,680 –> 00:50:54,400
This is technical speak.
How does this affect us?
841
00:50:54,600 –> 00:50:56,600
Well, it really affects you.
If you, if you make the decision
842
00:50:56,600 –> 00:51:00,120
you want to be joined with
Christ, now it’s really your
843
00:51:00,120 –> 00:51:02,480
choice.
You can be in Christ or you
844
00:51:02,480 –> 00:51:04,160
could perish.
Because really those are our two
845
00:51:04,160 –> 00:51:05,880
options.
I don’t know of any third
846
00:51:05,880 –> 00:51:07,040
option.
Is there a third option?
847
00:51:08,200 –> 00:51:09,800
I think those are the only two
options I’m aware.
848
00:51:09,800 –> 00:51:11,240
Of.
You can be in Christ or you
849
00:51:11,240 –> 00:51:12,360
could perish.
Those are really.
850
00:51:12,400 –> 00:51:14,240
That’s it.
You got to pick one.
851
00:51:15,560 –> 00:51:17,600
And this being in Christ, while
it almost sounds easy, well,
852
00:51:17,600 –> 00:51:21,320
hey, you know, sure, given that
the opposite, the opposite
853
00:51:21,360 –> 00:51:22,760
choice is perishing.
You know, I’ll.
854
00:51:22,760 –> 00:51:23,840
I’ll choose to be in Christ.
Yeah.
855
00:51:23,840 –> 00:51:24,640
Sign me up.
Great.
856
00:51:24,640 –> 00:51:26,520
Where do I sign?
I want to be in Christ.
857
00:51:26,520 –> 00:51:27,480
Great.
Christ died for me.
858
00:51:27,480 –> 00:51:28,600
Great.
Once Once saved.
859
00:51:28,600 –> 00:51:29,240
Always saved.
Right.
860
00:51:29,240 –> 00:51:29,960
Great.
Hallelujah.
861
00:51:29,960 –> 00:51:32,160
Wonderful.
Let’s do it.
862
00:51:35,160 –> 00:51:37,240
And here’s the principle and the
principles then and the
863
00:51:37,240 –> 00:51:41,760
principles now.
You see, Christ did put us into.
864
00:51:41,760 –> 00:51:45,440
Death in his death.
But that act, as courageous as
865
00:51:45,440 –> 00:51:48,960
it was, it kind of didn’t mean
anything unless Jesus rose from
866
00:51:48,960 –> 00:51:50,320
the dead.
You get it.
867
00:51:50,800 –> 00:51:52,880
It’s really a courageous.
Thing to put sin to death, it’s.
868
00:51:53,720 –> 00:51:55,960
Really a craziest thing, to die,
to be crucified.
869
00:51:56,720 –> 00:51:59,400
But see that death had no
meaning unless he rose from the
870
00:51:59,400 –> 00:52:01,840
dead.
And I put forward to you that
871
00:52:01,840 –> 00:52:06,680
your baptism also only has
meaning insofar as you live a
872
00:52:06,680 –> 00:52:09,560
resurrected life, That you go
and you enter those waters of
873
00:52:09,560 –> 00:52:11,960
patches.
And that’s great and.
874
00:52:12,480 –> 00:52:14,600
And so far as you’re sitting
here amongst us, that means the
875
00:52:14,600 –> 00:52:17,280
baptismal brother didn’t drowned
you in the waters of baptism.
876
00:52:18,360 –> 00:52:22,880
You know, he pulled you out.
And as he pulled you out, you
877
00:52:22,880 –> 00:52:26,800
were resurrected and you’re
resurrected to this new life.
878
00:52:27,200 –> 00:52:29,160
That doesn’t mean you don’t sin.
Of course you sin.
879
00:52:29,520 –> 00:52:32,000
I mean that’s that.
It goes without saying, but
880
00:52:32,000 –> 00:52:34,920
maybe it needs to be said, of
course you sin, but that means
881
00:52:34,920 –> 00:52:38,040
that you actually now live and
embrace this new life.
882
00:52:39,680 –> 00:52:42,040
And this is exactly Paul’s point
in Roman 6.
883
00:52:42,430 –> 00:52:44,870
Is that you actually can’t go
into these waters of baptism and
884
00:52:44,870 –> 00:52:47,910
die symbolically unless you’re
prepared to now live
885
00:52:47,910 –> 00:52:53,310
symbolically and as living.
He calls wrecking ourselves,
886
00:52:53,350 –> 00:52:55,670
reckoning ourselves dead to sin
but alive to God.
887
00:52:55,670 –> 00:52:58,030
In fact, the whole reference is
in Romans 6 versus 10th and
888
00:52:58,030 –> 00:53:02,870
11/10/11 where we read for the
death that he died, he died to
889
00:53:02,870 –> 00:53:06,510
sin once for all, but the life
that he lives, he lives to God.
890
00:53:07,110 –> 00:53:10,830
You get that he died to sin once
for all.
891
00:53:11,450 –> 00:53:13,370
The life that he lives, he lives
to God.
892
00:53:15,250 –> 00:53:20,890
Likewise you also, you see, we
got to follow the same path.
893
00:53:21,770 –> 00:53:25,450
He doesn’t do it for us.
Jesus shows us how he clears the
894
00:53:25,450 –> 00:53:27,490
way, but he says we have to fall
behind him.
895
00:53:28,050 –> 00:53:32,650
And so Paul says likewise.
You also reckon yourselves to be
896
00:53:32,650 –> 00:53:38,410
dead indeed to sin, but alive to
God in Christ Jesus our Lord.
897
00:53:39,970 –> 00:53:44,250
So if we take on his death, we
also have to be prepared in
898
00:53:44,250 –> 00:53:45,850
brother sisters to take on his
life.
899
00:53:46,250 –> 00:53:48,690
Because the Old Testament is
full of examples of taking on
900
00:53:48,690 –> 00:53:51,170
death out taking on life.
I’ll give you an example.
901
00:53:51,210 –> 00:53:55,170
You simply bring sacrifices to
to to God and you have no
902
00:53:55,170 –> 00:53:58,570
meaning.
You just sacrifice and sacrifice
903
00:53:58,570 –> 00:54:01,490
and sacrifice.
But not once are you prepared to
904
00:54:01,490 –> 00:54:05,210
change who you are as a person
to reflect the glory of your
905
00:54:05,210 –> 00:54:07,610
creator.
Now what does God think about
906
00:54:07,610 –> 00:54:09,980
such sacrifices?
Do they bring him glory?
907
00:54:13,100 –> 00:54:17,380
They bring him joy?
Does it do us any good to just
908
00:54:17,380 –> 00:54:21,220
take on death if we’re not
prepared to take on life?
909
00:54:21,420 –> 00:54:24,100
Now what?
Reflect on on David’s comments
910
00:54:24,140 –> 00:54:26,180
and Psalm chapter 14, verse 6
and 8.
911
00:54:27,420 –> 00:54:29,860
Burnt offering is sin offering
you did not require.
912
00:54:30,220 –> 00:54:34,060
Then I said, behold I come and
the scroll of the book it’s
913
00:54:34,060 –> 00:54:36,340
written of me.
Well, what’s written of me?
914
00:54:38,950 –> 00:54:41,230
I’d like to do your will, Oh my
God.
915
00:54:43,230 –> 00:54:50,230
And your law is within my heart.
So death by animal sacrifice,
916
00:54:50,630 –> 00:54:54,470
even a perfect, perfect,
unblemished animal, it just
917
00:54:54,470 –> 00:54:58,350
doesn’t have meaning without the
life of delighting in God’s
918
00:54:58,350 –> 00:55:00,150
will.
And so that’s actually what I’m
919
00:55:00,150 –> 00:55:04,190
talking about here with you.
It takes 1 to get the other.
920
00:55:04,350 –> 00:55:07,230
You can’t take on the death
symbolically of Christ.
921
00:55:08,060 –> 00:55:10,580
But unless you’re also prepared
to take on the wife of Christ,
922
00:55:10,900 –> 00:55:14,820
you can’t simply destroy death
unless you embrace the life.
923
00:55:15,340 –> 00:55:19,220
Or else what’s the point of
destroying death just to stay
924
00:55:19,220 –> 00:55:23,740
dead?
If you destroy death just to
925
00:55:23,740 –> 00:55:27,780
stay dead, what’s the point?
There’s no point.
926
00:55:28,140 –> 00:55:32,940
You actually must embrace life.
But how do you embrace life?
927
00:55:32,940 –> 00:55:35,140
How do you live a I call it a
resurrected life.
928
00:55:35,140 –> 00:55:36,900
How do I live a resurrected
life?
929
00:55:38,350 –> 00:55:40,870
It’d be great to have freedom
but not responsibility, but
930
00:55:40,870 –> 00:55:42,550
that’s just not a life in
Christ.
931
00:55:43,550 –> 00:55:45,470
And see, that’s the confusion of
many that they want to see.
932
00:55:45,470 –> 00:55:49,790
The grace cures all, and grace
is a wonderful thing, and grace
933
00:55:49,790 –> 00:55:53,070
is available to each one here
who’s been baptized and
934
00:55:53,070 –> 00:55:55,070
confessed Christ.
We all we have access to this
935
00:55:55,070 –> 00:56:01,790
grace, but it’s not freedom
without responsibility, because
936
00:56:01,790 –> 00:56:04,830
God does not just want a horde
of unrepentant sinners because
937
00:56:04,830 –> 00:56:08,320
he can’t be one with them.
He can’t be one with them.
938
00:56:09,400 –> 00:56:12,680
They can’t manifest his name
because they haven’t declared
939
00:56:12,680 –> 00:56:17,680
his justice, his righteousness.
So Paul says this in Romans 8,
940
00:56:17,680 –> 00:56:19,560
verse four.
And I want Who’s got a pencil?
941
00:56:19,560 –> 00:56:21,400
Take out your pencils.
Show me your pencils.
942
00:56:21,400 –> 00:56:23,200
Raise them in the air.
Wave them.
943
00:56:23,800 –> 00:56:25,720
Yes, we all have our pencils.
Great.
944
00:56:25,920 –> 00:56:27,960
Well, I want you to underline
something again in Romans 8,
945
00:56:27,960 –> 00:56:29,800
verse 4, because it’s a really
important word.
946
00:56:31,880 –> 00:56:36,120
And it’s this.
That the righteous requirement
947
00:56:36,120 –> 00:56:40,480
of the law might be filled
fulfilled in us Who?
948
00:56:40,480 –> 00:56:44,520
I want you to underline that
word Who because it’s a big word
949
00:56:45,920 –> 00:56:49,000
that the righteous requirement
of the law might be fulfilled in
950
00:56:49,000 –> 00:56:54,720
us who do not walk according to
the flesh, but according to the
951
00:56:54,720 –> 00:56:59,920
Spirit.
So actually this is a big deal,
952
00:57:00,040 –> 00:57:04,220
because what it means is that.
You and I and my friend Alan,
953
00:57:04,300 –> 00:57:08,580
Brother Alan are saved by being
in Christ, of course.
954
00:57:10,020 –> 00:57:12,300
But there’s also an element in
which we’re saved being like
955
00:57:12,300 –> 00:57:18,300
Christ, that we walk according
to the Spirit, not according to
956
00:57:18,300 –> 00:57:20,860
the flesh.
And actually, it’s in the
957
00:57:20,860 –> 00:57:24,100
combination of these two things.
It’s in that confidence that we
958
00:57:24,100 –> 00:57:26,540
can say there’s no condemnation
for those who are in Christ
959
00:57:26,540 –> 00:57:29,380
Jesus, because now, hopefully,
we understand and believe.
960
00:57:29,930 –> 00:57:32,850
And what it means to be in
Christ Jesus and to walk
961
00:57:32,850 –> 00:57:35,010
according to the Spirit.
And we understand why it is that
962
00:57:35,010 –> 00:57:38,770
Jesus can save us, That why it
is there’s no condemnation in
963
00:57:38,770 –> 00:57:41,290
Christ Jesus.
That’s clear now, because Jesus
964
00:57:41,290 –> 00:57:43,410
has been resurrected.
And my challenge to you is
965
00:57:43,410 –> 00:57:47,330
simply this.
Live now, as if you’re
966
00:57:47,330 –> 00:57:54,090
resurrected.
Live now as if you already are
967
00:57:54,090 –> 00:57:55,010
embracing.
Life.
968
00:57:58,750 –> 00:58:02,630
And what that means is that we
crucify our flesh and our
969
00:58:02,630 –> 00:58:07,990
desires, and like Christ, we
declare the righteous of God.
970
00:58:07,990 –> 00:58:10,470
And we never try to take away
from God’s righteousness.
971
00:58:12,110 –> 00:58:14,590
We don’t.
What we do is we we take our
972
00:58:14,590 –> 00:58:17,790
pride, right?
We take the bits in us that are
973
00:58:17,790 –> 00:58:22,710
being resentful, the bits of us
that are scared, the bits in us
974
00:58:22,710 –> 00:58:24,870
that are holding back something
from God.
975
00:58:26,780 –> 00:58:28,700
And we we put it at the feet of
God.
976
00:58:29,020 –> 00:58:31,020
We say God.
I know that I’m scared and I’m
977
00:58:31,020 –> 00:58:32,780
resentful and I can’t get rid of
these things.
978
00:58:32,780 –> 00:58:36,740
These things are in me.
But God, I put them all in front
979
00:58:36,740 –> 00:58:40,100
of you.
But your will be done in me.
980
00:58:41,260 –> 00:58:42,860
That’s what it is.
That’s that prayer.
981
00:58:43,100 –> 00:58:46,980
It’s the prayer that God’s will
is done in you and not holding
982
00:58:46,980 –> 00:58:49,300
back from something, from God,
something that’s that’s
983
00:58:49,300 –> 00:58:54,620
rightfully his, so that actually
emptying then of yourself, God
984
00:58:54,620 –> 00:58:56,380
can fill you and fill all of
you.
985
00:58:56,710 –> 00:59:02,030
And he can be one with you,
because you haven’t asked him to
986
00:59:02,030 –> 00:59:04,670
be one with this other
definition of right and wrong,
987
00:59:04,670 –> 00:59:08,190
this other definition,
definition of of good and evil,
988
00:59:08,430 –> 00:59:12,830
which rivals him, which he
cannot be one with which Jesus
989
00:59:12,830 –> 00:59:21,230
destroyed on the cross.
And I know that we all have
990
00:59:21,230 –> 00:59:25,110
weaknesses and failings and
strugglings, but I’m telling you
991
00:59:25,110 –> 00:59:27,340
right now.
That if you declare that gods
992
00:59:27,340 –> 00:59:31,100
will be done in you, despite
your weaknesses and your
993
00:59:31,100 –> 00:59:33,140
failings and your struggles, and
we all have them, each one of us
994
00:59:33,140 –> 00:59:34,660
has them.
I’m a Sinner.
995
00:59:34,820 –> 00:59:38,620
I know you are too.
That it God.
996
00:59:38,740 –> 00:59:42,100
God can forgive those things and
is willing and abundantly to
997
00:59:42,100 –> 00:59:44,660
forgive those things.
He’s so willing to forgive those
998
00:59:44,660 –> 00:59:50,740
things if we declare his
righteousness, because sin has
999
00:59:50,740 –> 00:59:54,580
been destroyed in Christ’s
flesh, and it will actually be
1000
00:59:54,580 –> 00:59:57,270
destroyed in you.
And death will be no more.
1001
01:00:00,470 –> 01:00:03,550
But how do we do that?
How do we walk according to the
1002
01:00:03,550 –> 01:00:05,710
Spirit?
Well, that is.
1003
01:00:05,710 –> 01:00:08,670
Exactly the question that Paul
picks up in the next section of
1004
01:00:08,670 –> 01:00:12,990
Romans Now that I’m in Christ,
how do I live like him?
1005
01:00:13,150 –> 01:00:14,630
How do I walk according to the
Spirit?
1006
01:00:18,070 –> 01:00:18,870
Come back tomorrow?
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