Latest / Calvary Church with Ed Taylor Podcast / #14810 - God Keeps His Promises - Galatians 3:15-18

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#14810 - God Keeps His Promises - Galatians 3:15-18 · Calvary Church with Ed Taylor Podcast

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Welcome to the study of God's Word with pastor and author Ed
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Taylor, recorded live at Calvary Church in Aurora, Co.
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To learn more about the many resources available through
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Abounding Grace Media or to tune into our live stream services,
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visit us online at Calvary Co dot Church or download our free
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Calvary Church app. Now.
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Here's Pastor Ed to take us into our study.
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Amen. Open your Bibles.
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Galatians chapter 3 is where we are.
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When you get there, we're going to be in verse 15, Galatians
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chapter 3, verse 15 and I've entitled our Bible study.
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God keeps His promises. God keeps His promises.
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He's abundantly fair and abundantly righteous and
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abundantly just. The Holy Spirit is gracious and
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wonderful, leading us into the truths that God has given to us.
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And when God makes a promise, he keeps it.
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Now the churches in the region of Galatia are under attack.
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Paul the apostle had gone through the region planting
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churches, sharing the gospel, establishing the believers in
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the doctrine of grace, the finished work of the cross, the
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blood that Jesus Christ shed for the forgiveness of sins.
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He taught them rightly and correctly that there is nothing
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that you and I could ever do to earn our salvation, nothing that
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you and I and the believers in Galatia could ever do to somehow
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merit and deserve what God has given to us.
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But in His grace we can receive the gift of salvation through
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the repentance of sin. And this simple and sufficient,
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this thorough and complete life of grace through faith was under
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attack. The believers are confused.
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False teachers. We know who they are.
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They're the Judaizers. These false teachers rushed into
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the area after Paul left and brought great confusion with
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false teachings. I can.
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I can already hear some of the questions that we're being
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asked. You know, they're rolling into
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town and they're hearing and go, wait a minute, Wait a minute,
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Paul. He taught you what you can't
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trust. Paul, are you?
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Do you really believe that you can be saved by grace alone?
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And just the force of that question will make some people
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question, well, I don't know. That's what I was taught.
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And what do you mean I can't trust Paul?
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And, and before you know it, in the confusion, just like the
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cultists that come to your door or meet you at the market, they
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just want to get you off your feet a little bit.
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They want to get you a little bit uneasy because it's in that
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confusion and uneasiness that they can give you their false
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teaching. And of course it's going to be
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compelling because it speaks to the confusion that they created.
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That's how these false teachers are.
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They create confusion then to fill the blanks with their false
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teaching. And So what would they say?
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They would tell them you have to work hard in order to be saved.
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You have to keep the rules. And then of course, if you're
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confused, well, what rules? And with that question, then all
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of a sudden they can give you everything they need.
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And we know what the Judaizers did.
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They told the believers in Galatia, listen, you cannot be
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saved the way that Paul taught you must.
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And remember what he told, what they told the men for the men,
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they said you must be circumcised.
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And you're like, what? I'm already saved, my life's
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changed. No, no, you must be circumcised
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and keep the complete law. All of it.
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Not just the 10 commandments, but all 600 plus of the
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commandments. Basically what they were saying
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is that that you needed to prove you love Jesus.
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That's how you want to be saved. You need to prove it daily by
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keeping the law, all of the law completely.
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So far we have learned though that that is completely false.
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It is impossible for you to keep the law at a very young age.
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You learned that it was impossible the first time you
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were in rebellion against your parents.
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The first time you pointed the finger and said no, you failed.
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And you can't recover from that because we learned that if you
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fail in one point of the law, you have failed in all of the
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law. When you break the law, you
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become a law breaker. And what they were teaching the
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believers then was, hey, this is how you're saved.
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You need to actually become a Jew, first a Jewish proselyte,
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and then from a becoming a Jewish proselyte, you keeping
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all the law. And then maybe one day you will
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be saved. But see Paul's message in
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Galatians. Galatians is the theme is found
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in chapter 5. So notice with me in chapter 5
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in verse one. There you'll see the theme and
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this could be the banner over every chapter, Over every
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chapter is this key truth and how important it is.
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Notice what he says in verse one, how important it is to
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stand fast therefore in the liberty by which Christ has made
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us free and do not be entangled again with a yoke of bondage.
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Indeed verse 2 I Paul say to you that if you become circumcised,
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Christ will profit you nothing. And Paul saying look, you have
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to make a choice. You are either going to live in
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relationship with God by faith and have a real relationship, or
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you're going to leave that and you're going to do your own
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thing. You're not going to have a it.
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Christ doesn't profit you anything.
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There's no there is no relationship apart from him.
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And the relationship with Jesus is one of faith.
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It's his work, it's his freedom, it's his love, his joy, not our
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works. He's saying you've been set
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free. Now we don't meet Judaizers
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today, but what we do meet and who we do meet are legalists.
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Anyone that would come to you, and I'm sure you've experienced
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this, that you've had someone come to you and describe your
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Christianity is not enough. It's not enough.
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And they'll always, when you hear that there is always
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someone with some kind of system to offer you to fill the blanks
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for it's not enough. It's not you're not doing
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enough. And they pressure you and guilt
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you and tell you you're not doing enough.
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You in order to be saved, you need Jesus and and we have
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learned by now, and if you haven't, it'll be repeated over
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and over again. If you add anything to the
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gospel, it is no longer the gospel and you have to be
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careful there. We are not saved by our good
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works. However, our salvation and
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relationship to God leads to all sorts of good works because of
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relationship, because we are who we are.
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You don't need to prove yourself to God or even to yourself
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trying to prove that you're a believer.
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We, it's like our kids, right? And our grandkids, none of our
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kids need to prove that they're our kids.
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We know it. We see it in your life.
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We know your kids are your kids because they have a lot of your
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behaviors they have. They look like you, for goodness
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sake. They are your kids.
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They are your children. Nobody needs you don't require
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even those of you that brought in foster kids or adopted kids.
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They're your kids. We don't need to prove it.
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You never make them. Hey, are you my kids?
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Show me the paperwork. Nobody but Dad.
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I'm only three. You know I don't paperwork.
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What are you talking about? Like you, nobody makes that.
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Nobody has those kind of relationships.
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And how much more? God, he's not.
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He's not requiring you to prove you're his son or his daughter.
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He actually declares it over you by faith in Christ.
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He declares you are my daughter, you are my son.
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And what does he require for us to believe it?
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Believe it. God has done the work and these
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false teachers and even false teachers today, they want to
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take you away from freedom and bring you into bondage.
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What does the freedom life look like in Christ?
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Will you enjoy him? It's no longer I have to, it's I
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get to and I enjoy him. I want to be in the word.
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I want to hear my ears are open. I'm receiving it.
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I'm praying I'm enjoying life. But you meet somebody that gives
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you a list. Let's just say you meet someone.
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They say here these three things.
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These are the three things that a Christian should do.
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The rest of their these three things, you know what your
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life's going to become. You're going to be in bondage to
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three things the rest of your life.
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That's how you're going to measure your life.
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But like, right now, you might be living that way.
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And yesterday, Saturday, yesterday, you did the three
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things. You finished them.
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You you hit a Grand Slam. You you were over the top
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finished. And how do you roll into church
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today? Look at me.
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I'm such a good Christian. Why?
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I did the three things. Oh, really?
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Yeah, I did the three things. But then maybe this morning you
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did three things. Yesterday, this morning, you
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failed in all three of them. And you're not even rolling it.
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You didn't even roll out of bed. You're still in bed watching
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online because all you're paying attention to are the three
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things. That's bondage.
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Because there's a lot more to your relationship with Jesus
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than three things. Now, are those three things
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perhaps significant, like you want to improve on things, you
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want to grow, That's fine. But if it becomes the measure of
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your relationship, you are now in bondage and all you worry
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about, you're not really concerned.
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Lord, what do you have for me today?
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Because you're already convinced that the three things is what he
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has for you today. Lord, where do you want me to go
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today? How do you want me to act?
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And with the three things, that opens up the door for you to do
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all kinds of other things that you don't pay attention to
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instead of just abiding in Christ.
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And you can see what a mess the churches in Galatia, in that
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region, what a mess they're in, how confused they are even
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today. Some of you, it could be the way
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you were raised. It could be maybe a religious
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system you were raised in that just uses guilt and condemnation
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to motivate you. But God doesn't do that.
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God, he, his greatest motivator is love.
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I mean, when you love someone, you'll do anything and
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everything for them. It's not you.
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Don't even I think today on Mother's Day to think about how
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much love has led to so much sacrifice from your life.
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Nobody needed to tell you to do that you didn't need.
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These are the top 10 things a mom does.
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You know, you're like following all these mommy blogs and
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everything, but they're all confusing because this mom does
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that. That mom does that.
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Like you got all this stuff, but what does the Lord have for you?
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Well, he just has one simple just love you.
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Love those kids. It'll motivate so much sacrifice
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and care and concern in your life.
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That's true for any relationship.
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Love is the motivating factor and the believers are going
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backwards. Now today is a Bible study.
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It is a theological understanding of covenants.
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I want to let you know ahead of time, covenants, we're going to
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be looking. I believe I've grasped it and
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I've simplified it enough for you to understand what Paul is
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saying. But you will immediately at this
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point, at this point in our time in Galatians, you will
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immediately see the difference between studying a letter in the
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Bible and a narrative. And you go, what are you talking
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about, Ed? Well, we just finished as a
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church studying the book of Acts, and the book of Acts is
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the true story of God through His Holy Spirit starting the
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church and all the exploits of the church, missionary journeys,
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deliverance of demons from unbelievers, salvation, village
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people, village chiefs getting saved.
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Like all, it's just a story, a true story.
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And as we study it, we get to study along and it's kind of a
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fast pace and you can go along and you pause here and there.
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Whereas a letter Galatians is what is known in the New
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Testament as an epistle, an epistle, a letter.
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It's more theological. As a matter of fact, Paul's
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letters can usually be divided in two parts.
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The first part, like in Galatians, the first 3 chapters,
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very theological. He's making a theological
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argument. And then once you understand the
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theological truth, the second three chapters are very
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applicational. Now what do I do with it?
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So we're still in the first 3 chapters and this one we get
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into the depth of understanding covenants and the promises of
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God. And by the time we're done, I
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think you'll grasp it. So pick up with me chapter 3,
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verse 15. Brethren, I speak in the manner
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of men. So now he's going to use a human
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example of covenants. He says I speak like men, though
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it is only a man's covenant. Yet if it's confirmed, no one
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annuls it or adds to it. So again, if you'd like to write
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in your Bible circle the word covenant and right next to it
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agreement, binding agreement or today we may use the phrase
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contract. When you sign a contract, you're
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signing a covenant, you're making an agreement and the
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piece of paper defines it and you're bound by it.
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I mean, I think many of us, you either renting a house or living
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in a community and you see it right when you drive in, it says
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that this is a covenant controlled community.
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And what are they trying to tell us?
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They're letting you know that when you moved in or bought that
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house, they sign an agreement that you cannot paint your house
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pink. You're not allowed to do it.
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And you go, what do you mean I can't paint my house being well,
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you're in our neighborhood and you signed or the owner of the
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house signed and made an agreement that this is how you
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can live in this community. It's a binding agreement.
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You, you can't, you, you can't get out of it.
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The only way to get out of that binding agreement is to leave
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and go buy another house somewhere that doesn't have
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covenants. So a covenant is an agreement.
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And he uses this example of just normal.
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He starts with us. He doesn't even get to God's
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binding agreements yet. He just talks about us.
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He has he look, when you sign an agreement, that agreement
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stands. If you change your mind, can't
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change the agreement. If you want to say, oh, you
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know, I don't want it that way anymore.
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You can't. No one can add to it and no one
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can annul it. You signed on the dotted line
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and it is bound. That's why many times when you
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sign a contract and there's a dispute, what happens?
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You go to the court system and you ask for a third party, for a
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judge or an arbitrator to enforce what the covenant.
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That's what it says. They don't agree with it.
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You do, and you need someone to define it and enforce it for the
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person that doesn't want to follow it.
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See, men can break agreements, but just because a man or a
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woman breaks an agreement doesn't mean the agreement
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doesn't exist. Are you guys with me so far?
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So he just says amend, we make an agreement, agreement stand,
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and where are we headed? We're headed toward the end that
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God keeps his promises. So don't forget that.
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So even when you and I make agreements, it's expected that
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we keep our agreements. And that's what he's saying.
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Verse 16. Now he gets theological.
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Now to Abraham and his seed were the promises made.
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He does not say and to seeds as of many, but as of 1 and to your
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seed, who is Christ. Now, if you're reading from a
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new King James, you notice that the word seed is capitalized
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because seed is not referring to many descendants.
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It's referring to one person. And we we see it.
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We don't even need to guess or do any Bible study to find out.
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It says right here that the seed of the promise to Abraham and
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his seed is Christ, which brings us right into the doctrine of
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grace. The promise was to Abraham, but
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ultimately the promise to Abraham was headed toward
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finality in Christ. Paul says the promise was made
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to seed singular. If you're taking notes, you can
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jot it down in Genesis chapter 3 verse 15.
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Same principles used when the curse is happening after sin
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entered into Adam and Eve's life in the garden.
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You'll remember God spoke to the snake, the devil and he said
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this. Since Genesis 315, I will put
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enmity between you and the woman, and between your seed and
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her seed. He shall bruise your head, and
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you shall bruise his heel. You see from the context of the
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verse, seed here is referring to one person, He his.
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Again a reference to the coming of Messiah.
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This is the plan of God from the beginning.
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So the promise was made to Abraham and through Abraham to
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his promised seed Messiah. This reference is very
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important. It's very important you
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understand this because the world today isn't blessed,
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because there are many Jewish people in the world, many
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descendants of Abraham, that that's not why the world is
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blessed. The world is blessed today that
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because through the Jewish nation, the Jewish Messiah of
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the world has come. That's the blessing of God.
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The blessing of God in more relatable terms would be this
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You are a blessed people today right here in Colorado because
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Jesus Christ died on the cross to pay the price for your sins.
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He is the seed fulfilling all the promises of Abraham.
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And the first argument that Paul makes in relation to going away
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is, I know you think that Abraham is the source of
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blessing, but Abraham is not the source of blessing.
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Jesus is the source of blessing. He's basically saying this in
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Christ, you have it all. Why would you leave Christ?
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Why would you leave this simple relationship with Jesus to go
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backward when you have inherited it all?
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It's all yours in him now. A lot was given to a lot of
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promises were given to Abraham. If you want to jot them down,
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you can look them up for yourself.
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In Genesis chapter 12, he was promised a new land.
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He was promised to be a great nation.
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He was promised to have a great name and that all the families
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of the earth will be blessed through him.
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Genesis 12. He was also promised an heir and
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innumerable descendants. Genesis 15 He was also blessed
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that many nations would come from him and many kings, and
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that the covenant was an eternal covenant.
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Genesis 17 He was also promised in Genesis 22, many descendants,
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as numerous as the stars, and that all the nations would be
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blessed through Him. And the fulfillment of the many
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blessings, the fulfillment of all these promises are found in
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Christ. The promises of God did not come
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through the Jewish nation, but through a Jewish person, Jesus,
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the seed singular, the false teachers would come in and that
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many of them would claim to be rightful heirs of God's promises
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to Abraham just because they were his offspring.
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And you'll remember Jesus came against the some of the
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religious leaders in his day saying, you know, you guys think
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you're descendants of Abraham. You're not, you're of your
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father, the devil. You are not at all living
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according to the ways of God. And he came strongly against
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them. Because they believe that their
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physical relationship, their lineage is what blessed them.
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And Paul's reminding them then and us now, that the blessing in
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your life comes through the blood of Jesus Christ.
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And it's accessed how by faith, the covenant, the promise that
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God shared with Abraham had been had been reaffirmed many times,
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but only Jesus fulfilled the Abrahamic covenant as the unique
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seed. So all the promises of Abraham
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are translated and transferred to Jesus.
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They don't reside in a nation, they reside in a person.
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Jesus alone is our hope, a blessing, so that by faith in
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him, the promises to all people, all places for all centuries and
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eternal life is found in Jesus alone.
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He gets to the next argument that verse 17.
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Now he step, if you look at these arguments, you kind of
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look at them as ladders. He explains a covenant.
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He goes back to the most important promise of the Bible
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and then as you look at that promise, it ends in Jesus.
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Now he's taking the ladder. Now we're going one more rung up
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in verse 17. He says and this I say that the
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law, which was 430 years later cannot annul the covenant that
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was confirmed before by God in Christ, that it should make the
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promise of no effect. What were the false teachers
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doing calling the believers back to the law, back to the law.
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I said this is where you need to land in the leave Jesus and go
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back to the law. Now he uses this number very
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quickly here 430 years. That's a tricky number for you
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Bible students. If you were reading ahead, you
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may have noticed that the law actually came 645 years later,
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not 430. And this happens to be one of
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those texts that somebody may bring up to you and go look, the
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Bible's filled with errors, filled with inconsistencies, and
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to which you always have to say, prove it to me.
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Don't just show it to me, prove it to me, because a careful
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study will explain this number. Now it is true that the law came
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645 years approximately after the promise to Abraham, but a
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careful study of the Bible will notice.
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In Genesis chapter 26, the Lord repeated this covenant to Isaac.
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And then later in Genesis 28, in verse 15 to be exact, He
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repeated the covenant to Jacob, and it was after the repetition
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of the covenant to Jacob. That's the date, 430 years later
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exactly is when God gave Moses the law, the point that he's
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making. And you would know this too.
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You would understand this because if you're talking to
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someone and you're trying to remember something and you pull
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an exact number out and it's accurate, and somebody goes, oh,
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that's not the no, no, no, that you only have the number you
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remember. It may not be the 6:45, but you
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remember a number in your head and you're sharing it and you
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know it's exact for what you remember.
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That's all he's doing here. He could have remembered 6:45.
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He could have remembered 4:30. And I didn't do the math, but he
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could have used the number with Isaac.
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But here's what he's saying. It's really the bottom line here
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that the law came after Abraham. That's all he's wanted to say.
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The law came after Abraham. And the law does not eliminate
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the promise made Abraham. It doesn't replace it.
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But before we get into the rest of this section, I think it's
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important to pause and just consider how amazingly precise
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and exact the Holy Spirit is with little things.
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Extremely precise, just like time.
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It's it's a thought that comes to our mind when we consider
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when we're waiting on the Lord. We think of this and the way we
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think of it is when we're waiting on God for something and
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it doesn't happen according to our timing, we're a little upset
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or a little impatient, but we pay attention to time like God
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pays attention to time. But when he doesn't act on the
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exactness on our timetable, we get frustrated about it.
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But today I'm here to remind you that God's always on time in
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your life, even those of you waiting right now with great
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uncertainty or waiting for something, that or someone or
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something just wondering what the future might hold.
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Listen, God's timing is always perfect, even if it doesn't line
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up with you. And His answer to prayer is
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always perfect, even if it wasn't what you were asking for.
24:55
Time is very important to God. Preciseness is very important to
24:59
God. And I would just add this, the
25:02
most important as you read the Bible, the most important time
25:06
to God is today. That's the most important time.
25:11
It's today living out your life today.
25:15
There are many listening to me right now that are being ripped
25:18
off from today because they're living in the past.
25:21
And you're just living with regret, you're living with
25:24
unforgiveness, you're living with condemnation, and it's just
25:28
burying you and overwhelming you.
25:30
And you're unable to enjoy today because you're living in the
25:32
past. But you know as well as I do,
25:35
there is nothing we can do about our past.
25:38
We can't change it. We can't undo it.
25:41
We can only respond to it. But today is the day that you
25:45
and I, the Bible tells us, remember, the psalmist was
25:47
praying. He says, teach us to number our
25:50
days. Because not only are some
25:53
listening to me have a hard time with the past, but others
25:57
listening to me have a hard time with the future.
26:00
And you're living in the future. And you go, well, how do I do
26:02
that? I'll tell you exactly how you do
26:04
that. You live in a perpetual state of
26:06
worry, fear and anxiety about the future, especially with the
26:11
conditions of our geopolitical world today.
26:13
And what's the future going to hold?
26:15
And we're watching Bible prophecy come to life right
26:18
before our eyes. But it can be a little
26:20
concerning and a little scary. And so you're fearful and you're
26:23
worried and you're overly concerned and you're too being
26:26
ripped off because you're living in the future.
26:30
According to God, the most important time to Him is today.
26:36
Because today is where life is lived, not yesterday or
26:41
tomorrow. Now, of course, God is not
26:44
prohibiting us to look into the future.
26:46
It's not he's not prohibiting us to use our past as a testimony.
26:50
That's not that's not what he's saying.
26:52
What he's saying is today's the day.
26:55
You know why I believe today's most important?
26:57
I have a scripture for you. Second Corinthians chapter 6,
27:00
verse 2. The Bible says, for he says in
27:04
an acceptable time I have heard you, and in the day of salvation
27:09
I have helped you. Behold, now is the accepted
27:13
time. Behold, now is the day of
27:16
salvation. And you have to be willing to
27:19
come to the cross, not just look at it, talk about it, have a
27:23
necklace, walk around it, but to come to the cross and see Jesus
27:27
high and lifted up, see him taken down off the cross and
27:31
buried. Three days later Jesus rose
27:34
again from the dead. And if today you will come to
27:37
Him and repent of your sins, your life will be eternally
27:41
changed. You can have and leave here with
27:43
the assurance that when you die, you'll spend all of eternity
27:47
with God. Putting it off won't help you.
27:51
It won't support you. It's important that you take
27:55
today. In a few moments, you'll have an
27:58
opportunity to receive the Lord Jesus Christ in your life right
28:01
now, in this moment. Let's come back to the text real
28:05
quickly as we close in verse 17. The point that he's making is
28:09
that the law did come through Moses, but it doesn't eliminate
28:13
the promise made. It doesn't erase the promise to
28:16
Abraham. The promise still stands.
28:18
How? In Christ?
28:20
It's an eternal promise. The law served a purpose.
28:24
We're actually learning this in our midweek Bible study right
28:27
now as we study through the book of Exodus.
28:29
The law is being given. It's a new relationship.
28:32
The generation has the the nation of Israel has been
28:36
delivered from Egypt, from slavery into freedom.
28:39
And God is defining that freedom.
28:41
And we'll learn in our next study what the purpose of the
28:43
law is. But I'll summarize it for you
28:45
right now. You can read ahead, but I'll
28:47
tell you exactly why God used the law.
28:49
The law's purpose was to get you to Christ and you go, well, how
28:53
would that happen? The law is intended to reveal to
28:56
you you are unable to keep it all.
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Really. The law's intention is to reveal
29:03
the character and nature of God, as well as your character and
29:07
nature, and show you how separate you are.
29:10
God perfect, we're imperfect. God righteous, we're not so
29:13
righteous. God's fair.
29:15
We're not so fair in our weaknesses and in our sin.
29:19
Notice verse 18. Now the summary of his argument.
29:23
For if the inheritance is of the law, if you had to earn your
29:27
inheritance, then it's not no longer a promise, but God gave
29:32
it to Abraham by promise. Notice here law and promise and
29:37
inheritance are used. Law and promise are naturally
29:42
opposite. Like oil and water, they cannot
29:46
be combined. The law requires performance.
29:50
If you do, then I will, God says.
29:54
And the law would provide an opportunity for you to perform
29:57
and for you to do something. And even with the children of
29:59
Israel, nobody kept the law. And you were reminded of that
30:04
every year, once a year on the Day of Atonement for the
30:09
failures of the nation and the imperfections and sinfulness of
30:13
the nation. What did they do?
30:14
The high priest would take a lamb and sacrifice that lamb and
30:18
spread the blood on the mercy seat pointing where to Jesus the
30:25
lamb. Not just a lamb every year, but
30:27
Jesus is the final lamb, the Lamb of God.
30:30
That not covers sin because that's why they had to keep
30:34
bringing a lamb every year, because the blood was covering A
30:37
kafar. It was covering sin until
30:40
Messiah came. But now that Jesus has come, the
30:44
inheritance is found in him by faith.
30:46
He's the Lamb of God. That doesn't cover sin.
30:49
He takes away the sins of the world.
30:54
Why would you leave Jesus for a law?
30:57
Paul says why would you claim to have everything and not need the
31:01
grace of Jesus just because you're a descendant of Abraham?
31:04
The law requires performance, but a promise is just received,
31:10
just like an inheritance. He says.
31:13
If you and I were settling an inheritance, we were in an
31:16
attorney's office and someone named us in their will or in
31:19
their trust. As that's being read and that as
31:23
that's being covered, there we are.
31:25
We're just, we're just going to be receiving the inheritance.
31:28
There's nothing we need to do. It's just we are, we're named in
31:31
it. It's there, we are.
31:33
This is what we get. This is what was given to us.
31:35
And the only thing to do with an inheritance is receive it.
31:38
That's it. And it even the word is used
31:40
there. Notice it says in verse 18, God
31:43
gave to Abraham by promise. That that's what when something
31:47
is given to you, you don't work for it.
31:50
If something's given to you, you don't try to earn it.
31:53
If something's given to you, what do you do?
31:55
You receive it and enjoy it. It's a gift.
32:00
But there is something in US, isn't there?
32:02
There is something in us that when someone gives us a gift,
32:05
somebody wants to buy our lunch. This happens all the time.
32:07
Somebody wants to buy our lunch. What's the first thing out of
32:09
here? Well, some of you, not all of
32:11
you, but some of you. First thing out of your mouth.
32:13
I'll get next time. I didn't ask you to get next
32:16
time. I don't even know if we're going
32:17
to lunch again, but right now I'm just want to buy your lunch.
32:21
Well, I'll get it next time. Well, you know, you don't need
32:23
to get it next time. Just enjoy the food that's in
32:25
your belly right now. And we're covering it, but
32:27
that's in US immediately. We're automatically I want to,
32:31
I, I want to do for you too. You know, you have that sense of
32:34
the, it's better to give than to receive, but we have in US.
32:37
You know, if you're going to give me something, I'll give it
32:39
to you. No, I'm, I don't want anything.
32:41
I just, I just want to pick it up.
32:42
That's it. You know, the proper response
32:45
when somebody wants to pick up lunch is thank you.
32:47
Do you want to get the next one? You know, like I like to go with
32:51
you, lunch with you a lot. You know, it's just to receive.
32:53
That's how an inheritance is, and that's how it promises.
32:57
When someone promises something to you, all your expectation is,
33:01
is that they keep their promise. You're not trying to make them
33:05
keep their promise. You're not trying.
33:06
You're not for, you're not trying to set it all up.
33:09
Like if someone says I'll be there, your expectation is
33:13
they'll be here. There's nothing else to it.
33:17
And that's the point God is making.
33:18
God has promised salvation through Abraham and his seed,
33:24
singular his seed, Jesus. The believers in Galatia already
33:29
have him. And these legalists have come
33:32
through Judaizers saying, no, that's not enough, you need to
33:35
work. And the way you work is to be
33:38
circumcised and keeping the law. And Paul is making a very
33:42
important distinction. The two types of inheritances
33:46
are not compatible. God's law leads to man's works,
33:52
but God's grace leads to man's faith.
33:56
And man can never succeed in fulfilling all of the law.
33:59
But God can never fail in perfectly keeping his promise.
34:05
And the promises of God to you are yes and Amen, always in
34:10
Christ. The inheritance can't be earned.
34:13
And the promises you've received the Scriptures have been holding
34:17
onto, They are yours by faith now.
34:22
God keeps his promises and he is abundantly fair, righteous, and
34:27
just. The Holy Spirit is a gracious
34:30
spirit, always moving, always working on bringing people to
34:34
salvation, of knowing him personally and inevitably as
34:39
you're sharing and loving people.
34:40
I know people ask this question. It's a good question.
34:43
As they're resisting or maybe skeptic about Christianity,
34:46
they'll ask something like, OK, I I can accept, you know, God
34:51
and maybe he sent Jesus. But what about those who never
34:54
heard? What about those in the jungle?
34:57
What about those? I mean, here we are, we have a
34:59
Bible. We're in the western world, we
35:01
know the language. Somebody can lay out the entire
35:04
gospel and in your conversation, they're going, what about those
35:06
that have never heard or those that will never hear the gospel
35:09
like we are. What about them?
35:11
And let me just say, if that's your question, that's a good
35:13
question. You're really thinking, now you
35:17
may be a little bit resistance, but you're thinking, and it's a
35:20
valid question. What about those who have never
35:24
heard? What about all those people?
35:26
There is a good answer. And many times it's asked in the
35:29
way of like functionality, like how is God going to do that?
35:33
What's God going to do? How is he going to reach to all
35:35
the billions of people on the planet?
35:37
How's that going to happen? Now, if that's something that
35:39
interests you, I answered that question in a full Bible study
35:42
in our study in Romans. So you can go on our app or on
35:46
our website and put in there. What about those who never
35:49
heard, I think was a title, Or you can just e-mail me.
35:51
I'll find it for you and I'll send it to you.
35:53
It is a good question and the Bible has a good answer.
35:56
But I have to say the underlying premise of that question
35:59
actually isn't in the functionality.
36:02
The underlying premise of that question is that God's not fair
36:07
or that God isn't going to be fair like we.
36:11
I mean, if he was fair, then the world wouldn't be the way it is.
36:15
And it's a fairness question. And here's what I've learned
36:18
about God. God is fair.
36:22
He's actually beyond fair in his dealings with man.
36:27
Fair would be this from God, just the baseline fairness of
36:30
God. This is be fair.
36:32
You have failed. My creation has failed and
36:34
sinned against me and I will start over.
36:38
And you guys are on your own, your eternity apart from me
36:41
because you already said you don't want me.
36:43
That would be fair. We would get what we deserve.
36:46
That's fairness. But God is beyond fair.
36:50
God is not merely a God of justice, He's also a God of
36:54
grace. And So what is the beyond fair
36:57
sound like from God? Well, God would say this.
36:59
You have you guys blew it and you deserve separation, but I
37:06
love you and I love you even though you've blown it and I'm
37:09
going to send my son to die in your place and pay for your
37:12
sins. That's beyond fair.
37:15
And so how God deals with those that haven't heard like you have
37:18
heard, I believe it will be fair.
37:21
You have the great White Throne judgment and I don't know how it
37:24
all is going to go down, but we're all there and we're
37:26
watching God distribute his judgment and his grace in
37:28
heaven. I know this.
37:30
At the end of the day, as we're watching that scene, we will
37:34
declare God fair, righteous and just.
37:38
We will agree with him because he is, he's demonstrated it all
37:42
the billions of people before the throne.
37:44
God is judging the nation's. But let me give it to you real
37:46
quick summary on the functionality.
37:49
And again, I developed this in another Bible study, but it's
37:51
enough for you today because that's maybe the question.
37:53
You walked in every person. If you think of the world right
37:56
now as a dark room where you can't see, like completely dark,
38:00
you can't see. Even the smallest amount of
38:03
light will light that room up. So you're just grasping for the
38:06
smallest amount of light, and in the smallest amount of light
38:10
leading the way, you can get out of the dark room and it can
38:13
become bright again. Every human being in this Dark
38:17
World has been given a little light.
38:19
Every single human being. External light, internal light
38:22
as humans. Let me give you an example.
38:24
Every single person, man, woman and child, language, tribe,
38:28
tongue, nation, in the jungle, up the Amazon, no matter where
38:32
they are, has been given this light.
38:34
You ready? They've been given the light of
38:36
creation. They see a tree, they see an
38:40
animal, they see a mountain, and they must conclude, I see that.
38:45
And I didn't make that. I don't have anything to do with
38:48
it. And if they try to, I think I'll
38:50
try to make a tree. They can't.
38:52
They can't even develop the seed.
38:54
And I'll try to create an animal if they can't.
38:56
And it forces them to consider something is greater than them.
39:00
That's why all this false worship and all these false
39:02
deities, because there's a desire to worship in every man
39:06
and they recognize they're not the Creator, so they look to
39:08
something outside of themselves. However, if they respond to that
39:12
light externally, God has given them an inside light, and that
39:16
is the light of their conscience.
39:20
Every human being on the planet Earth knows the difference
39:23
between right and wrong. There you go.
39:25
Wait a minute, pastor, that those guys over there don't have
39:28
our laws and they don't have our morality.
39:30
No, no, no, they have a God form conscience and I'll tell you how
39:33
you know, everyone understands. Even listening to me today,
39:38
everyone understands right and wrong when they are wronged
39:44
because immediately your response is that's not right,
39:47
that's not fair. How could you do that to me?
39:50
I'm like, what do you mean? Like it's fair in my morals?
39:53
Well, it's not fair in my and just the discussion about
39:55
morality reveals, you know, right and wrong.
39:59
It may not be formed and it may not be polished, but the essence
40:03
of right and wrong exists in every single human being and it
40:07
moves them. It either moves them toward God
40:10
or away from God as they choose. And if a person responds
40:14
properly to the external light and a person responds properly
40:18
to the internal light, let me tell you what happens.
40:21
A lot of different things happen, but for one guy that I
40:23
haven't met yet, but I hope I do.
40:26
As he woke up in the morning to be a village chief and go about
40:29
his day with things on his mind and issues in his life.
40:35
Out of the blue these missionaries show up from
40:39
America in his village. Just got off a boat on this wild
40:44
ride up the Amazon River and they come out and begin to play
40:48
with the kids and begin to bless them with gifts and begin to
40:52
tell them about the love of Jesus.
40:53
And he here is along with his daughter.
40:55
No doubt she was playing soccer. And these human beings that God
40:59
had brought human beings for at the exact right moment, the
41:05
light of Christ was shown on this man and this village and 20
41:10
plus people respond to the gospel.
41:12
That's one way another way we see God responding to light and
41:16
men and women responding and seeing God act on that is
41:20
throughout the Muslim world today.
41:22
God is speaking to men and women in their dreams when with
41:26
visions revealing the fullness of the gospel and men and women
41:29
are getting saved right now and starting small home groups and
41:34
underground churches not only throughout the Muslim world, but
41:37
for years. This is how churches started in
41:39
China. Let me just tell you something,
41:41
you ready God? He is abundantly fair, righteous
41:47
and just and He's going to take care of everyone and no one will
41:54
be with an excuse standing before God.
41:59
But that's not really the question, is it?
42:01
What about those who have never heard?
42:04
The real question is this. You have heard about the love of
42:10
Jesus. What about you?
42:14
What will you do in response to the fullness of God's love for
42:20
you? God declares, I know what you've
42:22
done, I know where you've been. I know what you've thought.
42:27
But I love you. And I sent my Son Jesus Christ
42:30
to die for you. And today, if you come to faith
42:33
in Him, you will be saved. That's the good news, folks, and
42:40
it's based upon the promises of God.
42:42
And God, he always keeps His promises.
42:47
Amen. Thank you God for your word
42:49
today on this glorious Mother's Day.
42:51
We are grateful for the moms and grateful for your faithfulness,
42:55
grateful for you keeping your promises.
42:58
No man, no system, no groove can thwart the purposes of God in
43:03
our lives. And so I just pray for that
43:06
affirmation of faith and strength and growth in our lives
43:10
today. And we just claim everything
43:12
that's broken God will be repaired.
43:14
Every separation will be reconciled in Christ.
43:18
Every difficulty will be solved. And but we want to experience it
43:21
now. And I know our timing may not be
43:24
your timing, but I hope it gets closer and closer so that your
43:27
timing is our timing and we trust you.
43:32
And as the church is praying, I just want to give an invitation.
43:35
Now's the day, now is the time, today is the day of salvation.
43:39
And if you're here and you would say, pastor, I need and I want
43:42
to follow Jesus with my life as the church is praying for you.
43:46
I want you just to stand up. I want to pray with you.
43:48
I want to help you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and
43:52
believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead that
43:56
you would say you need the assurance like today.
43:58
You don't know that after you die you'll go to heaven.
44:01
God bless you. Today is that day, this is the
44:04
moment, as important it is for the people that never heard, you
44:08
have heard and God loves you. I wish I could describe in more
44:13
depth what that means, but I I get to the limit of my words and
44:16
my vocabulary. God bless you.
44:19
You'll experience it, you'll grow in it.
44:23
Your life will be changed for the work that God wants to do in
44:27
your life. And so we are just asking you to
44:30
acknowledge it publicly. It's the first step publicly
44:33
that you'll take following Christ.
44:35
Today is the day. And so pastors will come up
44:37
alongside of you. That's what's happening now
44:40
because we want you to know we're going to follow up with
44:41
you and help you and you're not alone.
44:45
And you might need to rededicate and I agree with you, but you
44:48
can just do that sitting. You just say, God, you know
44:49
where I'm at. You know what's going on in my
44:51
life. I just need to get right with
44:52
you. We'll do it.
44:54
But right now, the moment is for those that have never confessed
44:58
their sins to God, just stand to your feet before we leave.
45:02
What a tremendous day to mark. You know, on Mother's Day 2025,
45:06
my life was changed. God bless you guys.
45:09
Who else would say that's me? Every one of us.
45:13
I was saved out of darkness myself.
45:16
The Bible actually talks about us walking around all lost.
45:19
We thought we knew we were going, but we didn't.
45:21
And it was when the love of God just exploded into my life.
45:25
I responded and my pastor, he had us walk all the way up and I
45:31
thought it was a little odd, but I did it.
45:34
And I remember I have that stuck in my mind.
45:36
If I ever have a doubt, I know how I walked into that church.
45:39
I know what was happening in my life.
45:41
I know how far I was from God, and I know the turning point in
45:46
my life where God met me and my life became a life of faith, a
45:52
life of selflessness and following Him, enjoying the
45:56
forgiveness of my sins. That's for you too.
46:00
So let me help you with a prayer, because that's what
46:02
confessing to God would be. And you can use my words or you
46:05
can modify them, but you say something like this.
46:09
God, I admit that I've sinned against you, and I ask you to
46:14
forgive me of all of my sins. I received that gift and I
46:20
choose to follow you Turn my life away from my past.
46:30
I choose this life of freedom of faith and I'm asking you to come
46:38
into my heart right now and take over my life and father, I know
46:44
anyone anywhere that would ask those things of you.
46:47
You hear them and your word says you won't cast them away.
46:51
So those here, I just think of those listening in a jail cell
46:56
right now, in a hospital bed, in a kitchen, walking in the park
47:03
with their earbuds on, driving in a car, your Holy Spirit, you
47:07
go wherever they are, you lead them and guide them.
47:10
And I pray for them, especially those in this room.
47:13
What a joy, what a privilege to be a part of something entirely
47:17
new and fresh. Men and women born again of the
47:21
Spirit, bless them and encourage them in Jesus name, Amen.
47:26
We pray that you've been encouraged by this Bible study
47:29
delivered live from the sanctuary of Calvary Church for
47:32
prayer. Call us at 87730 grace that's
47:37
877-304-7223. To listen to this message in its
47:43
integrity or to join us for our live stream services, visit us
47:47
online at Calvary Co dot Church or download our free Calvary
47:52
Church app. Be blessed as you worship Jesus
47:55
this week.