WEBVTT 00:00:00.500 --> 00:00:01.470 I'm going to invite you to Romans. 00:00:02.100 --> 00:00:03.690 Chapter three is where we are today. 00:00:03.840 --> 00:00:05.050 Romans Chapter three. 00:00:05.380 --> 00:00:09.820 And we're entering into, I'll say, the more positive sections of Romans. 00:00:10.520 --> 00:00:16.040 Over the last few weeks, you guys have gone through the battlefield of what Romans is about. 00:00:16.040 --> 00:00:17.560 Now, you're about to take off, right? 00:00:17.560 --> 00:00:19.470 This plane is about to be airborne. 00:00:19.840 --> 00:00:26.880 And so today we're going to talk about really a new resume in who you are in Christ now that we have gone through 00:00:26.880 --> 00:00:30.300 the difficult passages of the book of Romans. 00:00:30.360 --> 00:00:37.380 And the reason Paul has taken us through these difficult passages, starting really in Romans 118, where it hits you with a 00:00:37.380 --> 00:00:40.280 big force, it says The wrath of God is revealed against all in godliness. 00:00:40.640 --> 00:00:44.580 Romans 118 And then it goes on to describe who the ungodly people are. 00:00:44.660 --> 00:00:49.180 And Paul comes to the conclusion for us, we see in Romans 310, there is no one righteous, right? 00:00:49.480 --> 00:00:53.100 There's nobody that is in right standing before God. 00:00:53.180 --> 00:00:56.100 So everyone is guilty before a holy God. 00:00:56.480 --> 00:00:59.420 And that is a difficult word to walk through. 00:00:59.440 --> 00:01:05.700 But Paul has methodically discussed that with us through through different ways of thinking in this world. 00:01:05.700 --> 00:01:06.910 He talked about the irreligious. 00:01:07.580 --> 00:01:11.530 He talked about the people that consider themselves moral, and he talked about the people that consider themselves religious. 00:01:12.320 --> 00:01:15.340 And he said all three groups guilty before God. 00:01:15.380 --> 00:01:20.200 There is nowhere that you can stand before a holy God you aren't guilty. 00:01:20.420 --> 00:01:22.160 And important for him to walk through that. 00:01:22.260 --> 00:01:29.520 Because what happens as people when we enter into a biblical truth and we try to discover what it means to walk with God and to know God, we tend 00:01:29.520 --> 00:01:33.480 to take our previous worldviews and we sort of just apply Jesus. 00:01:33.720 --> 00:01:38.640 On top of that, we come with our own ideas of what we think God is and who God should be. 00:01:38.720 --> 00:01:44.780 And then we kind of come into this idea of Jesus and we tell him who he should be rather than just embrace what Scripture says about him. 00:01:45.080 --> 00:01:49.900 In fact, when you read the New Testament, you'll find that the authors of the New Testament, that's pretty much why you have the New Testament. 00:01:50.440 --> 00:01:54.830 They take these false worldviews, they answer these false worldviews, and they help us understand biblical truth. 00:01:55.060 --> 00:01:57.860 And some of the books, it's easier to see and more than others. 00:01:57.980 --> 00:02:05.130 For example, a book like Galatians very much written against religious way of thinking in order to see the truth of who Christ is. 00:02:05.180 --> 00:02:05.320 Right. 00:02:05.320 --> 00:02:07.900 Galatians very personal that way. 00:02:07.900 --> 00:02:14.280 In fact, Paul, in the beginning goes after Peter because of that and the book of First John is against the idea of Gnosticism. 00:02:15.020 --> 00:02:19.810 Gnosticism had this belief that the flesh was corrupt, nothing spiritual could be corrupt by the flesh. 00:02:19.900 --> 00:02:23.500 However, you live physically is okay as long as we don't mess with the spiritual. 00:02:23.820 --> 00:02:27.540 And just some weird things came from that dose of Taoism which never taught. 00:02:27.540 --> 00:02:29.720 Jesus actually came in the in the physical flesh. 00:02:29.720 --> 00:02:33.020 They just he was a spiritual being, walking around, just weird stuff. 00:02:33.020 --> 00:02:33.180 Right? 00:02:33.400 --> 00:02:38.020 But they're addressing these worldviews and help us in order to help us walk in biblical truth. 00:02:38.440 --> 00:02:39.550 And the same thing is true. 00:02:40.060 --> 00:02:40.360 And. 00:02:40.360 --> 00:02:47.380 Romans Paul is dismantling our worldviews, stripping us down to really nothing so that we come to God empty and allowed 00:02:47.380 --> 00:02:52.340 him to build his truth in us and the identity that we can only receive in Christ. 00:02:53.420 --> 00:02:56.700 And Romans 321 starts that way. 00:02:57.720 --> 00:03:04.940 First three chapters, giving us that clean slate in the Lord in order for Him to then begin to fill us up in something new. 00:03:05.320 --> 00:03:10.760 And you guys, you went through four weeks of talking about depravity for weeks. 00:03:10.760 --> 00:03:10.960 Really? 00:03:10.980 --> 00:03:14.760 That's the that's been the theme of the last four weeks, talking about the depravity of humanity. 00:03:14.760 --> 00:03:17.520 And I thought, going into this, I'm like, this is going going to be interesting. 00:03:17.960 --> 00:03:18.320 That's okay. 00:03:18.320 --> 00:03:19.240 We need more room in church. 00:03:19.240 --> 00:03:20.020 We'll talk about depravity. 00:03:20.340 --> 00:03:22.020 We need some more seats. 00:03:22.020 --> 00:03:23.280 So start talking about this. 00:03:23.300 --> 00:03:30.300 But it's been it's been interesting because over the last four weeks, our attendance, I think, has been higher over the four week span than any other time this year. 00:03:30.320 --> 00:03:34.340 So I don't know if it's you guys are glutton for punishment and joy and joy, this kind of thing. 00:03:34.400 --> 00:03:38.900 Or maybe it's an election month, So people are like, I know we're depraved. 00:03:38.920 --> 00:03:38.980 Right. 00:03:39.520 --> 00:03:40.300 Let's get to the answer. 00:03:40.700 --> 00:03:47.220 I don't know what it is, but now we get to the place where we talk about the beauty of who we are in Christ. 00:03:48.380 --> 00:03:55.420 And, when you look at depravity, some people they really would prefer if you read the book of Romans that you just skip the first 00:03:55.420 --> 00:04:00.360 three chapters and let's just move on from beyond that and understand what we are to do in Christ. 00:04:00.420 --> 00:04:02.350 I don't want to talk about the bad stuff. 00:04:02.400 --> 00:04:05.100 We only talk about about the good stuff. 00:04:05.120 --> 00:04:12.030 And those are the kind of people that typically say things like, and this doesn't have to be all bad, by the way, I'm going to throw it under the bus a little bit. 00:04:12.410 --> 00:04:14.230 Doesn't have to throw all this under the bus. 00:04:14.440 --> 00:04:21.740 But people that don't like the first three chapters of Romans are typically the kind of people kind of personality that says things like, you're loved 00:04:22.360 --> 00:04:25.640 and God is love and all is love. 00:04:25.640 --> 00:04:28.080 And in the end, love wins, Right? 00:04:28.240 --> 00:04:33.540 That's typically the kind of the kind of attitude that they take towards God himself. 00:04:33.540 --> 00:04:36.280 And in our culture, that's a very popular thing to say. 00:04:36.300 --> 00:04:37.920 And it's not all bad. 00:04:37.920 --> 00:04:39.600 I'll talk a little bit about that in a minute. 00:04:40.380 --> 00:04:47.800 But let me just let me just push into that for just a second to just consider if that's if that's your theological framework 00:04:47.800 --> 00:04:49.160 that you just operate in. 00:04:49.180 --> 00:04:49.940 Right? 00:04:50.140 --> 00:04:50.780 You're loved. 00:04:50.780 --> 00:04:51.380 God is loved. 00:04:51.740 --> 00:04:56.760 All is loved and loved wins the World Bank. 00:04:56.760 --> 00:04:59.500 And I always hesitate when I say anything, world world something organization. 00:05:01.080 --> 00:05:08.380 But the World Bank did a study on the global needs as far as financially in the world. 00:05:08.380 --> 00:05:14.600 And they found that about half the world lives on less than $6 a day, about five $5.50 a day. 00:05:15.060 --> 00:05:21.200 About 10% of the world lives on less than $2 a day. 00:05:21.320 --> 00:05:28.720 And those that live under on less than $2 a day, the World Bank considers them people of extreme poverty. 00:05:29.500 --> 00:05:36.980 And so about 700 million people in this world, they live in extreme poverty and that makes them vulnerable. 00:05:38.360 --> 00:05:45.640 And one of the things that, just in living life that you discover about vulnerability is that darkness loves to 00:05:45.720 --> 00:05:47.300 prey on what is vulnerable. 00:05:49.040 --> 00:05:55.660 People that are vulnerable tend to be the kind of people that are taking advantage of the kind of people that are abused and attacked. 00:05:57.460 --> 00:06:00.340 And you know what kind of message doesn't work for those kind of people. 00:06:02.260 --> 00:06:02.920 You're loved. 00:06:03.820 --> 00:06:04.760 All is love. 00:06:04.760 --> 00:06:05.420 God is love. 00:06:05.420 --> 00:06:07.020 And in the end, love wins, you know? 00:06:08.300 --> 00:06:15.320 When you're going through those kind of moments where injustice is done against you because you're in a position of vulnerability, 00:06:16.000 --> 00:06:19.440 and in that vulnerability, you find yourself in darkness being taken advantage of. 00:06:20.640 --> 00:06:24.940 What you want to know is not not just that God is love. 00:06:24.940 --> 00:06:26.320 I think there is an important place for that. 00:06:27.640 --> 00:06:29.280 But also that God is just. 00:06:31.340 --> 00:06:33.340 And God's going to bring things into account. 00:06:35.360 --> 00:06:38.740 And God demonstrates that in his love, right? 00:06:38.760 --> 00:06:45.920 By caring for that moment, by saying things like in Romans chapter one, verse 18, God's wrath is a real thing. 00:06:48.080 --> 00:06:52.240 You can find comfort in the sovereignty of a God who gives a rip and will do something about it. 00:06:55.100 --> 00:07:02.340 So it's not just about examining the idea of that God is love, but to understand how these worldviews come together and the significance of 00:07:02.340 --> 00:07:03.760 who a sovereign God is. 00:07:06.560 --> 00:07:12.980 There is there is a time and a place to understand the power and authority and holiness and wrath of God. 00:07:14.800 --> 00:07:21.960 And it's certainly in the injustice of this world when you're stuck in that pain and trapped in that darkness, you need 00:07:21.960 --> 00:07:23.840 to know there is a God who cares in that way. 00:07:25.800 --> 00:07:30.740 Now, having been that serious for a minute, I know we also look at that and say, okay, that's great. 00:07:30.900 --> 00:07:32.070 I can see how that can become relevant. 00:07:32.480 --> 00:07:33.360 Right. 00:07:33.640 --> 00:07:36.970 But also also, can we still talk about the love of God? 00:07:37.880 --> 00:07:44.900 Is there is there a place for that where that can connect in my life and my heart, where I can see the goodness of God who got is because 00:07:44.900 --> 00:07:49.350 we've gone through these first three chapters of Romans and we've certainly seen the wrath of God and all people are guilty. 00:07:49.400 --> 00:07:51.640 But we've got to start talking about some hope here. 00:07:51.960 --> 00:07:54.280 And this is where Romans three, 21 steps in. 00:07:55.000 --> 00:08:00.540 And I'm going to give you just some of those powerful words where it starts that becomes important for all of us. 00:08:01.080 --> 00:08:01.680 It says. 00:08:01.680 --> 00:08:02.380 But now. 00:08:03.440 --> 00:08:10.960 But now, after all the bad stuff that we've talked about and the justice of God and the wrath of God against all sin in this world and 00:08:10.960 --> 00:08:14.820 us being in that judgment path, then he transitions here. 00:08:16.260 --> 00:08:16.800 But now. 00:08:18.200 --> 00:08:21.250 But now for us, it really becomes the best. 00:08:21.600 --> 00:08:28.600 But in all of the Bible, when you when you look at this, what the way he wants to bring this from the wrath of God into now what is what 00:08:28.600 --> 00:08:34.320 is God doing in your life to help you and your hour of need before a holy God. 00:08:36.760 --> 00:08:41.039 And we're going to look at two things in this passage of Romans as we consider this new resume. 00:08:41.039 --> 00:08:44.080 Number one is what God has done for me. 00:08:45.240 --> 00:08:48.300 And number two, how God's work now shapes me. 00:08:49.420 --> 00:08:55.080 What God's work has done for me under the point number one in your notes is this We want to get the big picture. 00:08:56.220 --> 00:09:03.200 Very simple thought, but in these first few verses, Paul is going to give to us the big picture of what God does for us now that we understand. 00:09:03.220 --> 00:09:04.990 All of us are guilty before the Lord. 00:09:05.060 --> 00:09:06.040 Where does that leave us? 00:09:06.040 --> 00:09:07.040 How can we move forward? 00:09:07.340 --> 00:09:08.550 And he says this, but now. 00:09:10.020 --> 00:09:14.770 The righteousness of God has been manifest. 00:09:16.400 --> 00:09:18.480 This is not us bringing anything to God. 00:09:18.580 --> 00:09:20.280 This is not what we have to offer him. 00:09:20.340 --> 00:09:24.340 We've seen that what's resting in our account to present before the Lord is bankrupt. 00:09:24.540 --> 00:09:29.140 In fact, Isaiah 64, verse six, tells us all our deeds are filthy rags before him. 00:09:30.640 --> 00:09:35.310 So it's not about what we're bringing to God, but rather now it's an understanding of having been stripped of everything. 00:09:35.640 --> 00:09:37.460 We're looking at what God is doing for us. 00:09:37.620 --> 00:09:40.060 The righteousness of God has been manifest. 00:09:40.380 --> 00:09:41.940 That's what we've been seeking in all of this. 00:09:42.060 --> 00:09:45.580 These first three worldviews that Paul talked about irreligious, moral and religious. 00:09:46.140 --> 00:09:49.500 It's this living of demonstrating your own righteousness and what we find. 00:09:49.500 --> 00:09:50.340 You cannot do that. 00:09:52.040 --> 00:09:52.380 But. 00:09:53.520 --> 00:09:58.340 But now the righteousness of God has been brought to you. 00:09:58.360 --> 00:10:00.120 And this then begs the question how? 00:10:02.260 --> 00:10:02.460 How? 00:10:02.500 --> 00:10:03.700 Because this is what we all need. 00:10:03.780 --> 00:10:10.920 If we're going to stand before holy God, we need to understand how in the world can my life be shaped that when God looks at me, the righteousness of God is on 00:10:10.920 --> 00:10:11.180 me? 00:10:11.220 --> 00:10:11.480 What is it? 00:10:11.660 --> 00:10:12.600 What is it that I can do? 00:10:12.660 --> 00:10:12.720 And. 00:10:12.780 --> 00:10:13.880 And he goes on and explains it. 00:10:13.880 --> 00:10:15.350 And the way he explains it here, he first. 00:10:15.480 --> 00:10:18.220 He first talks about the way it doesn't before he talks about the way it does. 00:10:18.580 --> 00:10:21.160 But he says this apart from the law. 00:10:22.600 --> 00:10:28.780 So when you start thinking about righteousness, it's easy in our human nature to get back towards what we do in order to accomplish this. 00:10:28.840 --> 00:10:30.660 But he reminds us, Look, this is not your doing. 00:10:31.860 --> 00:10:36.780 God's demonstrating his righteousness to you, but it's not according to what you do. 00:10:36.780 --> 00:10:39.020 It's according to what he has done for you. 00:10:39.980 --> 00:10:41.690 It's a part from this religious living. 00:10:41.840 --> 00:10:46.160 And he says this although the law and the prophets bear witness to it. 00:10:47.940 --> 00:10:55.020 So we're saying the way that God has brought this about for you is not this blind opportunity just presented before you, but rather it's 00:10:55.020 --> 00:10:57.580 been it's been communicated throughout all of Scripture. 00:10:57.660 --> 00:10:59.680 This is not unexpected by God. 00:10:59.680 --> 00:11:05.990 This is the theme of what the Bible has been about, that the God brought the law to us in the Old Testament. 00:11:06.580 --> 00:11:10.580 But it's not in order to earn your salvation, it's to demonstrate that you need rescue. 00:11:12.600 --> 00:11:15.480 And the law and the prophets bore witness to it. 00:11:16.940 --> 00:11:20.940 In fact, one of the one of the great privileges that you can have if you read the new test. 00:11:20.960 --> 00:11:27.960 And one of the things I've grown to enjoy in my walk with the Lord is to look at understand 00:11:27.960 --> 00:11:32.760 that the New Testament was written by Jewish people, majority of them Jewish people. 00:11:34.320 --> 00:11:41.660 And as they write the New Testament, they're constantly quoting from the Old Testament to demonstrate how this was God's 00:11:41.660 --> 00:11:42.840 plan from the beginning. 00:11:43.860 --> 00:11:50.790 And you see these Jewish followers of Christ, many of them rejected Jesus, but some of them embrace Jesus and they come to communicate in the New Testament. 00:11:51.080 --> 00:11:52.550 What led them to do so. 00:11:52.880 --> 00:11:58.280 And they attach the Old Testament teaching to what Jesus has done in the New Testament. 00:11:58.360 --> 00:12:05.360 In fact, if you ever open up, if you've got a copy of the Bible in front of you don't know if you're looking at your phone or maybe just one of these books, but if you 00:12:05.360 --> 00:12:13.040 get a full sized copy of the Bible, you'll see in the middle there are these columns of verse references, and those verse references are linked 00:12:13.040 --> 00:12:17.840 to what the writers of the New Testament are saying from the Old Testament. 00:12:17.900 --> 00:12:25.080 So you can go back to where they're quoting the Old Testament and how the Lord fulfilled the Old Testament in the New Testament and see how all of it ties together 00:12:25.080 --> 00:12:25.850 in Scripture. 00:12:26.480 --> 00:12:32.910 In fact, in the New Testament, it says by Jesus himself, He connects those dots to it for us over and over again. 00:12:32.960 --> 00:12:39.980 In Matthew chapter 26, when Jesus was crucified, the final statement that led to his crucifixion, verse 64 Jesus 00:12:39.980 --> 00:12:46.380 says, From now on, you will see the son of man seated at the right hand of power and coming on the clouds of heaven. 00:12:47.220 --> 00:12:53.100 Jesus at this moment is on trial before pilot, and this is where the high priest tears his robe and says, Crucify him. 00:12:53.100 --> 00:12:55.820 He has committed blasphemy and Jesus. 00:12:55.820 --> 00:12:58.590 And this moment in referring to himself as the son of man. 00:12:59.120 --> 00:13:05.680 It's a description from Daniel, chapter seven, where he's talking about not only his deity, but also his authority as a king. 00:13:07.260 --> 00:13:12.600 And he's saying he is that king and he'll be coming on the clouds, which only God himself is described that way in Scripture. 00:13:13.380 --> 00:13:20.560 And so when the high priest hears Jesus saying this, they know not only is he claiming to be king, but he's claiming to be the God king, and he tears his robe crying 00:13:20.560 --> 00:13:27.840 out blasphemy against against Christ, who is claiming this position when Jesus was crucified at the top of his cross. 00:13:27.920 --> 00:13:31.430 It says because of this comment, the king of the Jews. 00:13:32.840 --> 00:13:36.060 Jesus is taking the Old Testament, quoting it and applying it to his life. 00:13:36.800 --> 00:13:41.400 In the first century, Luke, Chapter 24 on the Strangers to the Road of to a Mass. 00:13:41.760 --> 00:13:47.080 After Jesus's resurrection, he appears before these strangers, and He walks beside them on the road. 00:13:47.080 --> 00:13:48.920 And He doesn't reveal who he is. 00:13:48.980 --> 00:13:54.560 But it says this about him, beginning with Moses and all the prophets Jesus interpreted to them. 00:13:54.620 --> 00:13:57.040 In all the Scriptures, the things concerning himself. 00:13:59.440 --> 00:14:00.520 What he's saying to us. 00:14:00.720 --> 00:14:03.640 When you go back and read the Old Testament, you should be looking. 00:14:05.700 --> 00:14:08.160 For the shadows of Christ being revealed to us. 00:14:10.060 --> 00:14:14.280 John five, verse 39 You search the scriptures because you think that in them you have eternal life. 00:14:14.720 --> 00:14:18.100 And Jesus says it is they that bear witness about me. 00:14:20.120 --> 00:14:23.580 Jesus saying it's not the Bible that gives life itself, but it's the truth. 00:14:23.600 --> 00:14:24.640 It claims about the Christ. 00:14:25.780 --> 00:14:28.900 That's where life is given for us. 00:14:28.900 --> 00:14:32.440 So but now the righteousness of God has been manifest apart from the law. 00:14:32.660 --> 00:14:39.700 Although, although this law points us to the one who would ultimately do this and he goes, he goes on and says, then the righteousness 00:14:39.700 --> 00:14:44.600 of God through faith in Jesus Christ. 00:14:47.120 --> 00:14:50.700 Righteousness is received not by your living. 00:14:52.320 --> 00:14:55.600 But by faith in his living for you. 00:14:57.480 --> 00:14:59.200 There's an important distinction he makes here. 00:15:01.040 --> 00:15:04.680 He tells us it's for those by faith who are in Christ. 00:15:05.840 --> 00:15:07.140 Trusting in what Jesus has done. 00:15:07.440 --> 00:15:10.720 This doesn't mean because of what Jesus has done, everyone is saved. 00:15:12.400 --> 00:15:17.820 This means that when we see what Jesus has done, then we choose to put our trust in that over any other worldview. 00:15:18.440 --> 00:15:20.580 Those people are now in Christ. 00:15:20.660 --> 00:15:22.580 That's where the righteousness is. 00:15:22.720 --> 00:15:28.440 God has found that you apply His justification, His righteousness on your life. 00:15:29.560 --> 00:15:30.450 And then he goes on and says. 00:15:31.800 --> 00:15:32.540 For all who believe. 00:15:33.960 --> 00:15:34.180 For. 00:15:34.180 --> 00:15:35.020 There is no distinction. 00:15:36.420 --> 00:15:40.320 For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. 00:15:40.460 --> 00:15:46.080 I mean, in these three verses this is he explains to us the big picture of the gospel, Right? 00:15:46.700 --> 00:15:47.620 This is what it's about. 00:15:47.660 --> 00:15:48.600 It's all of us have sinned. 00:15:48.680 --> 00:15:51.840 It's not not our righteousness, but it's Christ and righteousness on our behalf. 00:15:52.220 --> 00:15:56.040 For all who believe, for there is no distinction. 00:15:56.220 --> 00:15:58.510 So let me help us apply this for just a moment. 00:16:02.120 --> 00:16:05.400 When Jesus says to us for all who believe. 00:16:07.680 --> 00:16:08.540 Let me just ask you. 00:16:11.500 --> 00:16:12.020 Who do you think? 00:16:14.180 --> 00:16:15.320 It's too far beyond. 00:16:16.920 --> 00:16:17.860 The grace of God. 00:16:20.100 --> 00:16:21.700 That he could transfer the life, their lives. 00:16:23.660 --> 00:16:25.000 That he could rescue their soul. 00:16:26.260 --> 00:16:29.350 Who is it in your mind when you think about all the people that you would like to come see to? 00:16:29.600 --> 00:16:30.340 To know the Lord. 00:16:30.400 --> 00:16:31.480 But then you think of this one person. 00:16:31.540 --> 00:16:32.780 You're like, But not them. 00:16:32.780 --> 00:16:34.240 They're kind of too far gone. 00:16:36.080 --> 00:16:37.250 What politician can. 00:16:37.460 --> 00:16:41.820 Hoo hoo hoo hoo in your life. 00:16:44.860 --> 00:16:45.880 Do you think it's too far? 00:16:49.120 --> 00:16:51.420 This passage of Romans reminds us. 00:16:53.320 --> 00:16:53.980 Anyone who believes. 00:16:55.780 --> 00:17:02.960 In fact, Jesus said it like this in John six, verse 37, he says, The one who comes to me, I will certainly 00:17:02.960 --> 00:17:05.359 not cast out. 00:17:08.540 --> 00:17:08.880 Why? 00:17:10.440 --> 00:17:12.500 Because it's not about what we do. 00:17:14.099 --> 00:17:16.700 Rather, what he has done for us. 00:17:18.599 --> 00:17:22.180 So let me encourage you, especially if you've known Christ for years. 00:17:23.339 --> 00:17:30.620 I think sometimes as believers, if you're aware of what the gospel is, you're confident in the ideas of what's communicated in verse 21 00:17:30.620 --> 00:17:34.310 to 23 that you know what salvation is about. 00:17:35.420 --> 00:17:42.280 When you go into this world, sometimes we have we have this idea that it's our responsibility to become Superman or savior to everyone, right? 00:17:42.280 --> 00:17:49.480 We have to go around and really need to proselytize and evangelize and make sure people know what this is and that 00:17:49.480 --> 00:17:52.440 they embrace it immediately when I declare it and all. 00:17:52.500 --> 00:17:56.100 And sometimes we walk with this guilty conscience because we know God calls us in the world, we have to do it. 00:17:56.180 --> 00:18:03.420 So we just feel like we have to just get out there and say it all and just blow it on people just to make sure they understand who Jesus is and what he's done for them. 00:18:03.720 --> 00:18:07.520 I think it's great that you want people to know who Jesus is, what he's done for them. 00:18:07.540 --> 00:18:12.660 But let me just let me just step off the pedal just a little bit and encourage you and say this. 00:18:12.660 --> 00:18:12.760 Look. 00:18:14.660 --> 00:18:18.870 Jesus doesn't call you to be savior, nor does Jesus call you to be Superman. 00:18:18.940 --> 00:18:19.920 That's his job. 00:18:22.220 --> 00:18:27.810 What Jesus wants you to do in this world is to go around and have gospel conversations with people. 00:18:28.220 --> 00:18:31.870 So sometimes that doesn't mean that you have to give them the whole shot of the gospel pill. 00:18:32.900 --> 00:18:33.020 I. 00:18:33.060 --> 00:18:36.340 Sometimes I just means you just be a representative in Christ in some way. 00:18:36.360 --> 00:18:38.880 And I'm not saying be shy or hide behind that. 00:18:38.880 --> 00:18:43.220 I don't want anybody to be disobedient, to not communicating the beauty of who Christ is in this world. 00:18:44.580 --> 00:18:47.840 But I want us to understand that Jesus is the Savior, not us. 00:18:48.980 --> 00:18:49.560 And why? 00:18:49.600 --> 00:18:55.350 I think sometimes it's a little bit better to think about having gospel conversations naturally, as I go in this world, rather than just have to evangelize. 00:18:55.800 --> 00:19:00.280 Every opportunity I get is because naturally, as a person, I talk about the things I love. 00:19:02.480 --> 00:19:03.600 I talk about the things I love. 00:19:04.980 --> 00:19:06.040 Hang around me for 5 minutes. 00:19:06.040 --> 00:19:11.280 I'm going to I'm going to direct a conversation to something that's going on in my life that I'm just enjoying, or maybe something hard. 00:19:11.280 --> 00:19:11.720 Who knows? 00:19:11.720 --> 00:19:13.280 But I tend to talk about the things I love. 00:19:13.280 --> 00:19:14.460 Like tonight there's a jazz game. 00:19:15.380 --> 00:19:16.120 Go jazz. 00:19:17.200 --> 00:19:18.060 All you haters out there. 00:19:19.380 --> 00:19:21.060 Not not this church, though. 00:19:21.060 --> 00:19:22.520 You have to be a jazz fan to attend here. 00:19:23.480 --> 00:19:25.040 I'm just kidding. 00:19:25.040 --> 00:19:25.200 But. 00:19:25.740 --> 00:19:27.600 But I like to talk about the jazz. 00:19:27.900 --> 00:19:29.000 I talk about the things I love. 00:19:30.820 --> 00:19:32.100 If you spend time with Jesus. 00:19:34.560 --> 00:19:35.700 You will see the goodness of Jesus. 00:19:37.340 --> 00:19:38.680 You will enjoy the presence of Jesus. 00:19:40.140 --> 00:19:42.090 And you'll naturally want to talk about the things you love. 00:19:43.200 --> 00:19:43.460 You know what? 00:19:43.500 --> 00:19:44.350 People don't talk about Jesus. 00:19:45.580 --> 00:19:46.380 That'll spend time with Jesus. 00:19:47.480 --> 00:19:48.170 Come to church on Sunday. 00:19:48.460 --> 00:19:51.640 You hear a message like this, you feel guilty about it, and you're like, I better tell someone about Jesus. 00:19:53.680 --> 00:19:54.600 You'll talk about the things you love. 00:19:57.040 --> 00:20:04.120 Going in this world and naturally having gospel conversations feels more comfortable for everyone, for you, because you spend time with Jesus and 00:20:04.140 --> 00:20:06.420 for the people that see how Jesus is impacting your life. 00:20:07.940 --> 00:20:08.860 It's like guilt driven. 00:20:10.240 --> 00:20:10.740 It's love driven. 00:20:12.060 --> 00:20:12.520 Far more important. 00:20:14.180 --> 00:20:15.340 I'll be faithful to share the gospel. 00:20:16.440 --> 00:20:21.840 Understanding the importance of what it is in our lives is significant to how we then shared in this world. 00:20:21.980 --> 00:20:24.540 Because our lives naturally talk about the things that we love. 00:20:25.060 --> 00:20:26.030 Point number two, then your notes. 00:20:26.460 --> 00:20:27.440 And this is funny to me. 00:20:27.440 --> 00:20:34.660 I even made this a point, but big words don't talk about big words, big boy words here this morning. 00:20:34.680 --> 00:20:38.380 But what God has done for me, the big picture and we're going to talk about big words. 00:20:38.680 --> 00:20:44.980 And that's this is where now he breaks down these verses to explain a little bit more about how God has done this for us, He says. 00:20:45.100 --> 00:20:48.120 And we are justified by his grace as a gift. 00:20:49.060 --> 00:20:52.720 This is the theme thought for the next three verses for us. 00:20:53.160 --> 00:21:00.540 Verse 24 This phrase are here are justified by his grace as a gift, then becomes explained and the rest of verse 24, 00:21:00.600 --> 00:21:07.980 verse 25 and onto to verse 26, But he says this, and you are justified by his grace 00:21:07.980 --> 00:21:10.260 as a gift. 00:21:10.300 --> 00:21:12.560 Justified means declared righteous, right? 00:21:12.780 --> 00:21:13.430 It's a it's a legal term. 00:21:13.620 --> 00:21:15.850 It's you go into the courtroom guilty. 00:21:16.560 --> 00:21:19.590 But rather now you have been found innocent. 00:21:19.780 --> 00:21:26.940 And not only not only just saying that your past life has nothing wrong, but rather you take on the credit 00:21:26.940 --> 00:21:27.520 of Christ. 00:21:28.220 --> 00:21:31.080 You're the righteousness of Christ is accredited to your account. 00:21:31.340 --> 00:21:36.080 The judge brings down the gavel and he says, not guilty and you're credited with the righteousness of Christ. 00:21:36.140 --> 00:21:37.440 That's what is saying You're justified. 00:21:37.840 --> 00:21:38.750 And how did that happen? 00:21:39.500 --> 00:21:41.820 By His grace as a gift. 00:21:43.400 --> 00:21:46.580 The idea of grace is important for the life of a believer. 00:21:46.580 --> 00:21:49.080 In fact, there was this discussion. 00:21:49.260 --> 00:21:52.340 I think I've used this illustration before and during the life of C.S. 00:21:52.340 --> 00:21:52.700 Lewis. 00:21:52.700 --> 00:21:59.740 He was walking around, I think it was his university, and he walks into a room and all of these professors are sitting around debating what makes 00:21:59.740 --> 00:22:04.100 Christianity the Christian religion unique from all other religions in the world. 00:22:04.160 --> 00:22:06.290 And the story goes, they had been debating this for hours. 00:22:07.160 --> 00:22:07.600 And C.S. 00:22:07.600 --> 00:22:09.700 Lewis walks in the room is like, Hey, what are you guys talking about? 00:22:10.280 --> 00:22:11.920 And they tell him and he's like, Oh, it's easy. 00:22:12.000 --> 00:22:12.420 It's grace. 00:22:13.260 --> 00:22:14.780 And then walks back out of the room. 00:22:14.780 --> 00:22:21.820 We've been talking about this for hours, and he just comes in with one word and he demonstrates to us what makes Christianity unique from 00:22:21.820 --> 00:22:23.520 all other beliefs in this world. 00:22:23.960 --> 00:22:26.180 And it's the idea of God's grace. 00:22:27.360 --> 00:22:28.800 Grace is not something you earn. 00:22:29.800 --> 00:22:30.480 That is a wage. 00:22:32.460 --> 00:22:34.960 But grace is something given to us as a gift. 00:22:35.020 --> 00:22:37.140 In fact, Romans 11 six says that. 00:22:37.160 --> 00:22:41.200 But if it is by grace, it is no longer on the basis of works. 00:22:42.040 --> 00:22:45.980 Other wise grace would no longer be grace. 00:22:47.380 --> 00:22:50.220 And then it begins to explain to us what that grace looks like. 00:22:50.280 --> 00:22:51.360 And he uses this word. 00:22:51.360 --> 00:22:51.500 This is interesting. 00:22:52.060 --> 00:22:58.200 He says, Through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, we are justified by his grace. 00:22:58.220 --> 00:22:59.860 And specifically one more. 00:22:59.860 --> 00:23:03.260 What that looks like is through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus. 00:23:03.320 --> 00:23:08.060 Now, this word redemption in Scripture is very rich in its theological meaning. 00:23:08.080 --> 00:23:15.370 In fact, it comes from a cluster of words that you'll read in Scripture like a redeemer, redemption, ransom, they all come. 00:23:15.520 --> 00:23:18.290 Origins are from the same, same group of words. 00:23:18.460 --> 00:23:21.030 And it's a it's a word of financial transaction. 00:23:22.340 --> 00:23:28.230 In our culture today, we have words for financial transaction like loan debt receipt. 00:23:28.940 --> 00:23:36.180 In Jesus's day, they had terms for financial transactions and redemption and ransom 00:23:36.180 --> 00:23:43.280 Were those kind of words that connected to the sort of that sort of transaction and in 00:23:43.280 --> 00:23:50.600 Jesus's day that word redemption or that word ransom was commonly used 00:23:50.600 --> 00:23:57.660 in order to do one of two things to purchase someone out of prison like a P.O.W., a prisoner 00:23:57.660 --> 00:24:00.620 of war, or to buy a slave off the slave market. 00:24:02.160 --> 00:24:05.460 You would redeem them, redeem their life or ransom them. 00:24:07.800 --> 00:24:10.920 In Jesus's day in John Chapter ten Jesus or Mark? 00:24:10.960 --> 00:24:11.320 Chapter ten. 00:24:11.380 --> 00:24:11.660 Excuse me. 00:24:11.820 --> 00:24:19.060 Jesus says this verse 45 for even the Son of man came not to be served, but to serve and to give his 00:24:19.060 --> 00:24:22.170 life as a ransom for many. 00:24:23.620 --> 00:24:29.790 In order to be a ransom, which Jesus is saying he would have to offer himself as a substitute. 00:24:30.980 --> 00:24:32.180 And this is what Jesus is saying. 00:24:32.720 --> 00:24:35.300 He sees us in bondage. 00:24:36.060 --> 00:24:38.720 We are prisoners to send Satan and death. 00:24:40.900 --> 00:24:42.200 And he comes and brings his own life. 00:24:43.900 --> 00:24:44.940 In order to free us. 00:24:47.100 --> 00:24:48.780 He's he became that ransom. 00:24:51.440 --> 00:24:58.780 The idea of ransom is as old as God's calling to Moses in Exodus, Chapter six 00:24:58.780 --> 00:25:04.720 is actually the first time it's used in Scripture, and it's dealing with the idea of the Passover. 00:25:06.700 --> 00:25:13.920 And God says to Moses, looking to a group of Hebrew people that find themselves as slaves in Egypt, and 00:25:13.920 --> 00:25:21.180 he describes them how he's going to bring their freedom and their freedom from slavery in Egypt becomes a picture of 00:25:21.180 --> 00:25:27.440 how God wants to free his people for all of eternity, ultimately, in the Messiah, who would become that sacrificial lamb? 00:25:29.080 --> 00:25:36.140 In fact, in Exodus chapter six, verse six, it says, I am the Lord and I will bring you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians and I will deliver you 00:25:36.140 --> 00:25:43.220 from slavery to them, and I will redeem you with an outstretched arm and with great acts of 00:25:43.220 --> 00:25:43.920 judgment. 00:25:45.860 --> 00:25:46.780 And how does God do that? 00:25:48.240 --> 00:25:48.860 Well, we know. 00:25:49.920 --> 00:25:51.080 And Exodus Chapter 12. 00:25:52.380 --> 00:25:55.120 He does this through the Passover. 00:25:56.940 --> 00:25:58.280 He does this through the passive. 00:25:59.680 --> 00:26:04.940 What's important to know about this idea of redemption, your life being purchased by Christ. 00:26:05.240 --> 00:26:08.060 It's not just being purchased from something. 00:26:09.920 --> 00:26:12.200 It's also being purchased for something. 00:26:14.960 --> 00:26:16.320 God has a plan for your life. 00:26:17.740 --> 00:26:21.710 That's why in scripture it says, Now you belong to him. 00:26:22.180 --> 00:26:23.520 You were created for him. 00:26:24.880 --> 00:26:29.760 His purposes and to live your life in relationship to him. 00:26:30.520 --> 00:26:37.820 So when we discussed this word redemption, let me just ask then, how do I really know that in Romans this word redemption is really in reference 00:26:37.820 --> 00:26:40.320 to this idea of Passover? 00:26:40.340 --> 00:26:47.500 Well, if you read a little bit further on in Romans chapter three, verse 25, it says, whom God put forward as the perpetuation by 00:26:47.500 --> 00:26:48.200 his blood. 00:26:48.240 --> 00:26:49.160 Let me let me just stop there. 00:26:49.220 --> 00:26:55.400 This is actually in verse 25 is connecting that not just to the Passover, but also to Yom Kippur, the day of Atonement. 00:26:56.660 --> 00:27:01.540 But he says this in God put forward meaning he didn't do this privately. 00:27:01.660 --> 00:27:03.760 This thing with Jesus just didn't happen somewhere in the dark. 00:27:04.620 --> 00:27:07.940 God brought Jesus where the cradle of civilization began. 00:27:08.420 --> 00:27:12.380 And he proclaimed us from the Book of Genesis from the very beginning that he would bring the Messiah. 00:27:13.200 --> 00:27:14.280 And you look where Israel is positioned. 00:27:14.960 --> 00:27:21.100 Israel is positioned, and God brought them into a promised land that connected all the major world powers throughout history. 00:27:21.960 --> 00:27:23.770 This didn't just happen in some isolated place. 00:27:23.940 --> 00:27:25.830 God had foretold this from the beginning. 00:27:27.020 --> 00:27:30.800 This was to be this took place publicly so that everyone would know. 00:27:30.800 --> 00:27:35.200 God prophetically declared it before Jesus would come, so that when Jesus came, we wouldn't miss his arrival. 00:27:36.180 --> 00:27:37.460 God brought this forward. 00:27:37.460 --> 00:27:40.940 And I think it's important for all of us as believers to be confident in this. 00:27:40.940 --> 00:27:45.580 I was I was with a religious leader recently who gave this ignorant statement. 00:27:45.580 --> 00:27:49.080 He said, there's not even a historical basis to suggest that Jesus existed. 00:27:50.420 --> 00:27:56.860 I'm like, And this guy's got claimed he had his PhD in religious studies and I just let the statement go. 00:27:56.920 --> 00:27:59.260 But on the inside I was saying all kinds of things. 00:27:59.800 --> 00:28:00.340 Really. 00:28:00.380 --> 00:28:04.140 I just it just astounds me that people could be that ignorant to the history of Jesus. 00:28:04.540 --> 00:28:11.360 Even if you don't believe in who Jesus is, first century alone, people outside of biblical truth wrote about Jesus. 00:28:11.400 --> 00:28:19.180 You have Greek, Roman and Jewish historians, people like Thalis or Tacitus or Suetonius or Josephus. 00:28:19.180 --> 00:28:22.260 Josephus was Jewish Historian The other two or the other three. 00:28:22.260 --> 00:28:26.540 I mentioned Greek and Roman historians all talking about Jesus, and they're all writing in the first century. 00:28:28.180 --> 00:28:31.820 And to suggest he's not even a historical figure is just it's asinine. 00:28:33.480 --> 00:28:39.080 As a Christian, knowing how foundational it is that you have confidence and the truth of who Jesus is. 00:28:39.260 --> 00:28:43.480 Just to take a little bit of your life and just to study into the historical Jesus. 00:28:43.480 --> 00:28:45.920 If you're ever interested, let me just encourage you. 00:28:45.920 --> 00:28:51.070 There's a probably the world leader in that topic today is a man by the name of Gary Habermas. 00:28:52.220 --> 00:28:55.860 I even think he's got a small book about 100 pages called The Historical Jesus. 00:28:56.880 --> 00:29:03.050 It was a book written off a show he did with John ANCOR Berg that talks about the reality of who Jesus is. 00:29:03.500 --> 00:29:10.520 But he's saying to us in verse 25 that God put put him forward publicly as a perpetuation by his blood, meaning he satisfied the 00:29:10.520 --> 00:29:11.140 wrath of God. 00:29:11.160 --> 00:29:11.870 That's perpetuation. 00:29:12.600 --> 00:29:14.280 God's wrath was against us. 00:29:14.340 --> 00:29:18.040 And he satisfied that wrath and brings us in reconciliation to the Lord. 00:29:18.260 --> 00:29:19.270 That's the idea of perpetuation. 00:29:19.520 --> 00:29:24.700 They satisfy the wrath, but he reconciles that relationship by his blood, which is the day of atonement. 00:29:25.800 --> 00:29:26.900 Leviticus 17. 00:29:26.900 --> 00:29:28.000 There is life in the blood. 00:29:28.020 --> 00:29:33.580 They would make the sacrifices of animals as a reminder that when that blood would leave that animal. 00:29:33.700 --> 00:29:33.780 So. 00:29:34.360 --> 00:29:36.260 So because the wages of sin there is death. 00:29:37.400 --> 00:29:41.640 And the idea of sacrificing that animal in the Old Testament was a reminder that there would become that one. 00:29:41.720 --> 00:29:43.710 Lamb Who would be the ultimate sacrifice for everyone? 00:29:45.500 --> 00:29:46.980 And Jesus by his blood. 00:29:47.020 --> 00:29:53.080 The Day of Atonement is pictured here as that become that ultimate sacrifice for us to be received by faith. 00:29:53.380 --> 00:30:00.570 This was to show God's righteousness, because look at this in His divine forbearance, he passed over former sins. 00:30:03.600 --> 00:30:05.140 God saw your unrighteousness. 00:30:07.280 --> 00:30:09.940 And he passed over it. 00:30:11.860 --> 00:30:17.810 Now, some people, when they see this idea that's communicated, they'll say things like, but I don't feel God's love. 00:30:19.640 --> 00:30:22.160 Can I just encourage you if you don't feel God's love? 00:30:23.420 --> 00:30:26.180 To take some time to just look at his love on display. 00:30:28.060 --> 00:30:35.140 I mean, if you just study the extent of what he's done for you and historical time, God becoming flesh to give 00:30:35.140 --> 00:30:37.910 his life for you when he didn't have to. 00:30:38.880 --> 00:30:44.340 So that your guilty position before him could become free and you could have the righteousness of Christ. 00:30:45.180 --> 00:30:48.660 As you begin to see his love, you will start to feel his love. 00:30:50.440 --> 00:30:52.320 God did this for you. 00:30:52.500 --> 00:30:54.820 It says he passed over our former sins. 00:30:56.800 --> 00:30:58.920 So that we could be made free. 00:31:01.560 --> 00:31:04.300 I don't want to come before God with my resume to impress him. 00:31:06.520 --> 00:31:09.500 I want to come before the Lord with his resume on my behalf. 00:31:11.560 --> 00:31:14.470 This brings us to point number two then and then we'll go through this quickly. 00:31:14.560 --> 00:31:15.990 How does God's work shape me? 00:31:16.960 --> 00:31:18.600 How does God's work shape me in verse 27? 00:31:18.880 --> 00:31:21.120 He says this Then what becomes of our boasting? 00:31:21.940 --> 00:31:22.440 It is excluded. 00:31:23.540 --> 00:31:24.500 By what kind of law? 00:31:24.500 --> 00:31:25.660 By a law of works? 00:31:25.660 --> 00:31:27.070 No, but by a law of faith. 00:31:27.120 --> 00:31:29.490 For we hold that one is justified by faith. 00:31:30.000 --> 00:31:32.820 Apart from the works of the law. 00:31:34.480 --> 00:31:35.760 Not based on my performance. 00:31:37.180 --> 00:31:38.150 But based on his. 00:31:40.300 --> 00:31:42.320 God is asking for my worst. 00:31:43.700 --> 00:31:46.380 And in exchange, he is giving me his best. 00:31:48.280 --> 00:31:49.240 That is an incredible gift. 00:31:51.080 --> 00:31:54.460 And that reminds me in that position, I don't have a place of boasting. 00:31:56.060 --> 00:32:02.240 But it also says to me the most important decision I think I could make in my life is what I choose to do with Jesus. 00:32:03.660 --> 00:32:07.380 If God is asking me for my worse in order to give me his best. 00:32:07.560 --> 00:32:07.660 Why? 00:32:07.960 --> 00:32:09.160 Why would I not do that? 00:32:11.760 --> 00:32:17.320 Jon Stewart, one of the famous theologians, less well this into this century and last century. 00:32:17.460 --> 00:32:20.080 He died, I think, in 2011. 00:32:20.560 --> 00:32:21.950 But he said this about the Lord. 00:32:22.080 --> 00:32:29.100 He said, I could never myself be that believe in God if it were not for the cross and the real world of 00:32:29.100 --> 00:32:29.660 pain. 00:32:29.740 --> 00:32:33.380 How could one worship a God who was immune to it? 00:32:35.020 --> 00:32:37.880 And John start saying, in his book he's saying here, know one of the. 00:32:38.860 --> 00:32:40.700 One of the things that compelled me to choose this. 00:32:42.000 --> 00:32:43.160 Was to see how personal God became. 00:32:44.960 --> 00:32:47.300 To give his life for me. 00:32:48.160 --> 00:32:50.080 And to see a God that cared that much. 00:32:51.580 --> 00:32:52.820 That's what speaks to the soul. 00:32:54.240 --> 00:32:57.120 He is not indifferent to our struggle, but he entered into it. 00:32:59.600 --> 00:33:00.080 One more. 00:33:00.120 --> 00:33:02.120 There's a man by the name of A.J. 00:33:02.120 --> 00:33:02.520 Gordon. 00:33:02.620 --> 00:33:02.860 He's. 00:33:03.200 --> 00:33:03.540 He's. 00:33:03.660 --> 00:33:04.240 He started. 00:33:05.360 --> 00:33:07.420 Gordon Conwell Theological Seminary. 00:33:07.420 --> 00:33:10.700 He was a Baptist minister in Boston. 00:33:10.920 --> 00:33:13.480 He lived in the 1800s and he died in the 1800s then. 00:33:13.480 --> 00:33:15.640 He was only about 60 years old when he died. 00:33:16.480 --> 00:33:22.020 But he writes one day of a young boy who came into the church and this young boy had a cage with birds inside. 00:33:22.200 --> 00:33:24.560 And he asked the young boy said, Where'd you get these birds? 00:33:24.660 --> 00:33:26.220 And he said, Well, sir, they're just wild birds. 00:33:26.460 --> 00:33:28.890 I caught in the field behind behind my house. 00:33:29.000 --> 00:33:30.160 And he said, Well, what are you going to do with them? 00:33:30.200 --> 00:33:30.760 He said, I don't know. 00:33:31.200 --> 00:33:33.890 Play with them for a little bit when I'm done, maybe feed him to my old cat. 00:33:35.040 --> 00:33:38.640 And AJ was a little worried about how these birds are going to be treated. 00:33:38.780 --> 00:33:43.500 So he offered this young man a more than fair sum for the cage and the birds. 00:33:44.120 --> 00:33:45.100 And the young man looked at me. 00:33:45.100 --> 00:33:45.930 He said, You don't want these birds. 00:33:46.160 --> 00:33:48.840 These are wild birds, and these birds aren't worth that. 00:33:49.680 --> 00:33:52.080 And AJ Gordon said, Yeah, I insist. 00:33:52.080 --> 00:33:54.240 Let me let me purchase these birds from you. 00:33:54.480 --> 00:33:56.580 And the young man accepts and he leaves all excited. 00:33:56.700 --> 00:34:00.040 Before he leaves, he turns to them and says, Joke's on you, mister. 00:34:00.040 --> 00:34:01.500 And this birds, they're not even good songbirds. 00:34:02.020 --> 00:34:03.620 And now you own them, right? 00:34:04.180 --> 00:34:09.449 And AJ, he didn't intend to keep these birds, but he walked outside immediately behind the church. 00:34:09.980 --> 00:34:10.000 And. 00:34:10.120 --> 00:34:14.320 And he said, You know that young man, He said, these birds weren't good at singing. 00:34:15.560 --> 00:34:21.340 But I can tell you, as soon as I opened that cage, the greatest song that's ever been sung from their beaks came from their mouths. 00:34:21.600 --> 00:34:22.320 Came from their mouths. 00:34:24.580 --> 00:34:25.860 And guys, the same is true for us. 00:34:28.120 --> 00:34:32.260 When you understand the extent for which Christ has offered his life for you. 00:34:33.500 --> 00:34:34.570 It's not a place of your boasting. 00:34:36.139 --> 00:34:39.600 But a place for your soul, your soul to sing before the greatness of this God. 00:34:41.000 --> 00:34:48.320 Who pursued you and gave everything that you could find freedom and hand, in fact, point over one of your notes or under this point in 00:34:48.320 --> 00:34:51.219 your notes is this No, no boasting, but worship. 00:34:52.940 --> 00:34:54.179 How God's work shapes me. 00:34:54.179 --> 00:34:56.540 There is no boasting in me, but rather worship from me. 00:34:56.620 --> 00:34:57.820 Boasting is what I talk about. 00:34:57.860 --> 00:34:58.200 Me. 00:34:58.200 --> 00:35:00.120 Worship is when my heart is focused on him. 00:35:03.520 --> 00:35:04.960 No boasting, but worship. 00:35:04.960 --> 00:35:12.050 And then the last point is this that you are equal in Christ and this is where he ends verse 29 or his God, the God of the Jews only. 00:35:13.280 --> 00:35:14.810 Is he not the God of the Gentiles also? 00:35:15.040 --> 00:35:16.540 Yes, of the Gentiles also. 00:35:16.540 --> 00:35:21.480 Since God is one who will justify the circumcised by faith and the uncircumcised through faith. 00:35:22.360 --> 00:35:25.260 Do we then overthrow the law by this faith? 00:35:25.580 --> 00:35:26.500 By no means. 00:35:26.500 --> 00:35:28.260 On the contrary, we uphold the law. 00:35:30.360 --> 00:35:31.060 We're Poland's. 00:35:31.060 --> 00:35:32.660 This chapter is to say to us, Look. 00:35:35.660 --> 00:35:37.210 The Lord is doing this for everyone. 00:35:37.320 --> 00:35:41.140 We all are equal in Christ as we put our faith in Him. 00:35:41.140 --> 00:35:43.820 There is not a Jew above Gentile or Gentile above Jew. 00:35:44.620 --> 00:35:52.020 We all have this place to come before Christ in our brokenness and to find His righteousness on our behalf. 00:35:54.420 --> 00:35:55.640 What does this mean for us? 00:35:57.140 --> 00:36:00.760 Because when I look at these truths, I realize this morning these ten verses, the rich in theological truth. 00:36:02.920 --> 00:36:07.020 But I don't just simply want an orthodoxy or a dead orthodoxy at that. 00:36:08.500 --> 00:36:11.020 I want to see a truth that transforms our lives. 00:36:12.540 --> 00:36:15.580 That's not just something that we believe, but also something that we live. 00:36:16.700 --> 00:36:21.160 That it doesn't just stop with us, but it works through us to make a difference in this world. 00:36:21.200 --> 00:36:24.850 In fact, there's a story of Hudson Taylor, and this is the last tour before I close. 00:36:25.220 --> 00:36:32.360 Hudson Taylor was in Brighton, England, and he was sitting in church and he was so moved by the story that was being 00:36:32.360 --> 00:36:34.360 shared from Scripture about the Lord. 00:36:34.360 --> 00:36:41.560 It stirred the depth of who He was, and he immediately got up from his seat and he walked out of the church and he headed towards 00:36:41.740 --> 00:36:44.100 the beach and Brighton, England. 00:36:44.100 --> 00:36:45.750 And he writes this in his autobiography. 00:36:46.300 --> 00:36:50.900 He says this on Sunday, June 25th, 1865. 00:36:50.900 --> 00:36:58.160 Unable to bear the sight of a congregation of 1000 or more Christians, people rejoicing in their own security 00:36:58.160 --> 00:37:01.780 while millions were perishing for lack of knowledge. 00:37:02.920 --> 00:37:07.000 I wandered out on the sands alone in great spiritual agony. 00:37:08.100 --> 00:37:10.060 And there the Lord conquered my unbelief. 00:37:10.900 --> 00:37:14.140 And I surrendered myself to God for His service. 00:37:18.240 --> 00:37:20.540 You know, one of the reasons I don't think we talk about Jesus. 00:37:23.840 --> 00:37:26.130 I don't think we truly believe he is who he says he is. 00:37:27.780 --> 00:37:31.140 Or at least he's not as big as he says he is in our hearts. 00:37:33.580 --> 00:37:35.520 Two concern with what others think. 00:37:37.440 --> 00:37:40.080 And not enough of concern with the greatness of who he is. 00:37:43.700 --> 00:37:45.960 When your heart saturates the words of Romans three. 00:37:47.800 --> 00:37:53.180 And the power of this God by His grace, gives us his righteousness. 00:37:53.260 --> 00:37:57.380 If we would just come to Him our worst for His best. 00:37:58.460 --> 00:38:00.380 And not only gives a place for our soul to sing. 00:38:01.620 --> 00:38:06.870 But it gives an opportunity to share with the world the place that they can come to know him to.