Latest / Providence Baptist Church - Sermons / Romans 3:27-31
Transcript
- 0:00It's certainly a blessing to be here this morning. I was telling Chris earlier that I usually feel pretty good about my sermons until everybody starts showing up and I suddenly start to feel the inadequacy of them.
- 0:15But it's also very nice to see you guys. It also makes a little bit of joy spring up in my heart to see God's people gather together to sing praises to his name and to study his word.
- 0:27We're going to finish the third chapter of Romans. If you'll turn there with me, Romans chapter 3.
- 0:39We're going to read together verses 27 through 31.
- 0:42I started a couple of weeks preaching from this snazzy iPad, kind of out of necessity the first week, but with this light solo, I'm very thankful that I've been doing that because I can actually see what I'm reading.
- 0:55I can't quite see my Bible, so I'm glad I copied the text here. Let's read together.
- 0:59Verses 27 through 31.
- 1:03Then what becomes of our boasting? It is excluded.
- 1:07By what kind of law? By a law of works? No.
- 1:10By what kind of law?
- 1:40It's a law of works.
- 1:41A bit of a work in progress.
- 1:43You'll see there an introductory statement to what we believe as a church.
- 1:48It links you to a complete statement of faith, but that introductory statement, primarily written by Wes, speaks of the five tenets that came out of the Protestant Reformation.
- 2:01Many of us know them as the five solas, which is Latin, meaning only.
- 2:07The five solos.
- 2:08And this is the phrase.
- 2:08I want to read it to you quickly.
- 2:10We believe, Christ's family church believes,
- 2:12that the Bible alone, sola scriptura,
- 2:16tells the truth about God's plan for the redemption of his people
- 2:19and that he eternally saves us by his grace alone, sola gratia,
- 2:24through faith alone, sola fide,
- 2:26in Christ alone, solo Christo or solus Christus,
- 2:31to the glory of God alone, soli Deo gloria.
- 2:35It's a beautiful, beautiful phrase.
- 2:38I'd encourage you to memorize it, memorize those solos in that fashion.
- 2:43And so the thing I kind of want you to draw your attention to
- 2:46is that sola fide, by faith alone,
- 2:50which we discussed last week in the previous verses,
- 2:54verses 21 through 26.
- 2:56We saw Paul, who's still addressing a primarily Jewish audience,
- 3:01say that we've all sinned.
- 3:03None of us are escaping the wrath of God
- 3:06because we have all sinned, Jew, Gentile.
- 3:09And if we are Christians,
- 3:11we are in fact Christians,
- 3:12that we're justified not by works,
- 3:15but by our faith in Jesus Christ.
- 3:18And so we come to this place
- 3:20where he begins to work out some of the objections.
- 3:22He goes ahead and addresses them
- 3:24so that people can't excuse his argument,
- 3:27but so that he can move on beyond this.
- 3:29So it's kind of a works versus faith argument,
- 3:33addressing of these objections.
- 3:37So I'm going to say this morning that genuine faith is what makes us Christian.
- 3:42It's what brings salvation to our souls.
- 3:45Genuine faith placed in Christ.
- 3:47So let me give you a very probably silly and simplistic analogy for this.
- 3:53I have a favorite Saturday shirt.
- 3:55I'm sure many of you have that shirt.
- 3:58My Saturday shirt's my favorite color.
- 4:00It's navy blue.
- 4:01It's a size too big for me.
- 4:04I've had it for over a decade,
- 4:05so it's been washed a lot.
- 4:07You know, it's that nice,
- 4:08but it's getting kind of thin.
- 4:10And it kind of has a silly saying on it,
- 4:13which I just find to be fun.
- 4:15It has a really simplistic picture of a quilt on it,
- 4:17and it says,
- 4:18quilters make better comforters.
- 4:20I get a kick out of that.
- 4:22Quilters make better comforters.
- 4:24Well, yesterday,
- 4:26I was running errands,
- 4:27and I have a bit of an idea for a project
- 4:29I'd like to do here for our building,
- 4:30a bit of an art project that I've got going on in my brain,
- 4:34and I need fabrics for that.
- 4:36And so now in Gainesville,
- 4:37there's a new Joanne Fabrics.
- 4:39And so I decided to go to Joanne Fabrics
- 4:41and look at some of the things they had there
- 4:43to see if I could make this project work.
- 4:45And I walked in the store,
- 4:47and walking in,
- 4:48I saw the quilting section
- 4:49and realized what shirt I had on.
- 4:52I thought,
- 4:52wow,
- 4:53people are really going to think I'm into quilting,
- 4:55being in a store,
- 4:56looking at fabrics.
- 4:58And it made me think of this.
- 4:59If I actually were a man into quilting,
- 5:04and wanted to feel accepted in Joanne Fabrics,
- 5:07I think I was the only male there,
- 5:09I might have actually put a shirt like that on.
- 5:12I might have wanted to say,
- 5:13if I actually was a quilter,
- 5:14I might have wanted to say to that world,
- 5:17that subculture,
- 5:18I like quilting.
- 5:20Look at my shirt.
- 5:21Of course,
- 5:22it was entirely an accident.
- 5:25But we do that,
- 5:26both as non-Christians and Christians,
- 5:28in order to fit into the place,
- 5:33be known for what we want to be known for.
- 5:36We tend to put on certain airs.
- 5:39Sociologists call it front stage and back stage.
- 5:42Everybody has a front stage.
- 5:43We come out and we perform for the world,
- 5:47and in the back stage,
- 5:49we're totally different.
- 5:51So,
- 5:51genuine faith
- 5:52is who we actually are.
- 5:54What do we actually believe?
- 5:58Certainly,
- 5:59what we believe affects the front stage
- 6:00and ought to be coming out of who we actually are.
- 6:04But when I say genuine faith,
- 6:05I'm not talking about the things we put on,
- 6:07the trappings,
- 6:08the denomination we're affiliated with,
- 6:10or what labels we put on ourselves,
- 6:11or how we dress,
- 6:13or what buildings we show up to.
- 6:14Even the good works that we do in the world,
- 6:17I'm not talking about those things.
- 6:19I'm talking about a genuine belief
- 6:21that Jesus Christ is the Son of God,
- 6:24and that He is the only way
- 6:26to restore our relationship with Him,
- 6:28and avoid eternal damnation.
- 6:30That's what I mean
- 6:31when I say genuine faith.
- 6:33So,
- 6:34I can put on my
- 6:35quilter shirt,
- 6:37all right?
- 6:38I'm not a quilter.
- 6:40The genuine faith
- 6:41would be me actually being a quilter.
- 6:43Going home and
- 6:44sewing quilts
- 6:45would be my genuine faith,
- 6:47and my
- 6:48rather lacking example there.
- 6:50So,
- 6:50I've got four points for you
- 6:51out of this morning's text.
- 6:53I'll read them to you quickly,
- 6:54and we'll go back and repeat them.
- 6:56And they are,
- 6:57genuine faith
- 6:58excludes boasting.
- 7:01Number one,
- 7:01genuine faith
- 7:02excludes boasting.
- 7:04Number two,
- 7:05genuine faith
- 7:06is liberating.
- 7:10Number three,
- 7:11genuine faith
- 7:12promotes ethnic harmony
- 7:14and missions
- 7:15to the end of the earth.
- 7:18I'll repeat that,
- 7:19so don't worry about
- 7:19copying that down, though.
- 7:21And number four,
- 7:23genuine faith
- 7:23changes our hearts.
- 7:26So,
- 7:27number one,
- 7:28genuine faith
- 7:28excludes boasting.
- 7:31Verse 27
- 7:31says,
- 7:32then what becomes
- 7:33of boasting?
- 7:34If righteousness
- 7:36is by faith alone,
- 7:37which we've seen
- 7:37in the previous text,
- 7:38which is a gift from God,
- 7:40what becomes
- 7:40of our boasting?
- 7:41And Paul says,
- 7:42very emphatically,
- 7:43it is excluded.
- 7:45We have no room
- 7:46to boast
- 7:47in our salvation.
- 7:49By what kind of law?
- 7:50By a law of works?
- 7:51By the things we can do?
- 7:53No.
- 7:54But by the law
- 7:55of faith.
- 7:56By that which we cannot
- 7:57accomplish.
- 7:58So boasting is
- 8:00entirely excluded.
- 8:03Paul wrote in Ephesians 2,
- 8:048 and 9,
- 8:06for by grace
- 8:06you have been saved
- 8:07through faith.
- 8:09And this is not
- 8:10your own doing.
- 8:11This is not
- 8:12your own doing.
- 8:13It is the gift
- 8:13of God,
- 8:14not as a result of works,
- 8:16so that no one
- 8:17may boast.
- 8:19He says that very plainly
- 8:20for us,
- 8:20doesn't he?
- 8:21Your salvation
- 8:22comes as a result
- 8:23of faith.
- 8:25faith.
- 8:25But that faith
- 8:26is not your own.
- 8:27It was a gift
- 8:27given to you
- 8:28by Almighty God.
- 8:30Why?
- 8:31So that you didn't
- 8:32do it.
- 8:33So that you can't
- 8:34boast in it.
- 8:35Because God
- 8:36is jealous
- 8:36for his glory.
- 8:39God is
- 8:40God-centered.
- 8:42For us to be
- 8:43man-centered,
- 8:44for Nathan to be
- 8:45Nathan-centered,
- 8:45would be sin.
- 8:46It would be selfish
- 8:47of me.
- 8:48But God is
- 8:49God-centered.
- 8:50Because God
- 8:50is completely
- 8:51loving toward
- 8:52the world.
- 8:53If he were to do
- 8:54anything else
- 8:55but have us
- 8:57focus on him,
- 8:58he'd be unloving.
- 9:00Let me say that
- 9:01again for you
- 9:01in different words.
- 9:04God is
- 9:05the best
- 9:06thing
- 9:06that any of us
- 9:07could experience.
- 9:09Any of us
- 9:09could have
- 9:10and hold for our own.
- 9:11God is that thing.
- 9:12He is the creator.
- 9:13Therefore,
- 9:14everything
- 9:14is subservient
- 9:16to him.
- 9:17He is better
- 9:18than all things
- 9:18because all things
- 9:19emanate from him.
- 9:23So if God were to say,
- 9:24no, no,
- 9:25don't look at me.
- 9:26It's cool.
- 9:26Nathan's a good guy.
- 9:28Nathan's a good preacher.
- 9:30Nathan looks good
- 9:31in his plaid shirts
- 9:31on Sunday morning.
- 9:32If he were to say
- 9:33any of those things,
- 9:34he would be
- 9:34unloving toward you
- 9:36because you would be
- 9:37looking at me
- 9:38and not at him.
- 9:40So God is
- 9:41entirely God-centered.
- 9:43He is jealous
- 9:44for his glory.
- 9:45He wants us
- 9:46to praise him
- 9:46for all things.
- 9:49Isaiah 41,
- 9:49Isaiah 41,
- 9:50he says,
- 9:51my glory
- 9:51I will not give
- 9:53to another.
- 9:55He will not
- 9:56give his glory
- 9:56to another.
- 9:57So even in our salvation,
- 10:00it's his work,
- 10:01it's his doing,
- 10:02it's a gift
- 10:03of faith
- 10:03for us.
- 10:05So we cannot boast
- 10:07!
- 10:19I think there's far
- 10:21too much boasting.
- 10:23I get this sense
- 10:24that there's an air
- 10:25of arrogance
- 10:26amongst us
- 10:27because we've figured
- 10:29it out.
- 10:30Right?
- 10:31We've looked at the landscape
- 10:33of philosophy
- 10:34and religion
- 10:35and we've picked
- 10:37the right one.
- 10:38We must be smarter
- 10:40than everybody.
- 10:41Right?
- 10:42We've figured it out.
- 10:44We've figured it out.
- 10:44I'm brilliant.
- 10:45I picked the right one.
- 10:47No room
- 10:49for boasting
- 10:49in the gospel.
- 10:52If you have a proper
- 10:53soteriology
- 10:54to understand
- 10:55our salvation,
- 10:56you will be
- 10:57humble.
- 10:57a lot of people
- 11:00have false humility.
- 11:03A lot of people
- 11:04would say,
- 11:05somebody said to me,
- 11:06Nathan,
- 11:06you preached a great
- 11:07sermon this morning.
- 11:08I go,
- 11:09no, no.
- 11:09It really wasn't
- 11:10that great.
- 11:11That's not humility.
- 11:13But if I say,
- 11:15thank you,
- 11:15praise God,
- 11:17because I'm really
- 11:18bad at this.
- 11:19I'm so feeble.
- 11:20You have no idea
- 11:20how desperate I feel
- 11:21on a Sunday morning
- 11:23for God to use me
- 11:24to proclaim his truth.
- 11:26That's the kind
- 11:27of humility
- 11:27that's birthed
- 11:28out of a proper
- 11:29understanding
- 11:30of the gospel.
- 11:31So,
- 11:32genuine faith
- 11:32excludes boasting
- 11:33entirely.
- 11:34Completely
- 11:35excludes it.
- 11:38Number two.
- 11:41Genuine faith
- 11:41is liberating.
- 11:43The burden
- 11:44of keeping the law
- 11:45has been lifted
- 11:46from our shoulders.
- 11:49Verse 28.
- 11:51For we hold
- 11:52that one is justified
- 11:53by faith
- 11:54apart from the works
- 11:56of the law.
- 11:57This is a restatement
- 11:58of things that he's
- 11:59been saying all along
- 12:00in the book of Romans
- 12:00so far.
- 12:01And he says it again.
- 12:02We hold
- 12:02that this is
- 12:05the truth.
- 12:06That one is justified
- 12:08by faith
- 12:09apart from the works
- 12:11of the law.
- 12:13People can do
- 12:14good things.
- 12:17It's within our
- 12:18capacity
- 12:18as unbelievers
- 12:20to do
- 12:21good things.
- 12:22It's possible
- 12:23to be
- 12:24philanthropic.
- 12:25It's possible
- 12:26to help
- 12:27mend wounds.
- 12:28To dig people
- 12:29out of the mud
- 12:30in land fights.
- 12:31That is possible
- 12:32to do
- 12:32apart from
- 12:33the work
- 12:34of Christ.
- 12:35But none
- 12:35of that
- 12:36is honoring
- 12:38to him
- 12:38if we're not
- 12:39Christians.
- 12:40It's self-serving.
- 12:42You see?
- 12:43So it's faith
- 12:45that sets us
- 12:46before God
- 12:47as right.
- 12:49Justifies us.
- 12:49proclaims us
- 12:51as righteous
- 12:52before him.
- 12:52It's our faith.
- 12:53It's our belief
- 12:54in him.
- 12:57Paul writes
- 12:58in Galatians 5.1
- 12:59For freedom
- 13:00Christ has set us free.
- 13:03Stand firm
- 13:04therefore
- 13:04and do not
- 13:05submit again
- 13:06to a yoke
- 13:07of slavery.
- 13:08And what's he referring
- 13:09to?
- 13:09The great issue
- 13:11that was going on
- 13:12in the church
- 13:12of Galatia
- 13:12was the Judaizers
- 13:13those Christian Jews
- 13:15that were trying
- 13:16to press people
- 13:18to become circumcised.
- 13:19to carry this
- 13:20outward sign
- 13:21of what they must do.
- 13:23Do not
- 13:24submit again
- 13:25to a yoke of slavery.
- 13:26We have been set free
- 13:27by the grace of Christ.
- 13:30I'm going to talk
- 13:31a little bit more
- 13:31about liberty
- 13:32when we get
- 13:33to our fourth point.
- 13:34I want to give you
- 13:35an example.
- 13:36I went to a
- 13:37missions conference
- 13:38in Urbana, Illinois
- 13:40and there
- 13:41was a group
- 13:42of Indians
- 13:43Native Americans
- 13:44from Canada
- 13:47so Native Canadians
- 13:48and they talked
- 13:50about how
- 13:51when the
- 13:52white man came
- 13:54when the Christians
- 13:55came
- 13:55to convert them
- 13:57that they put them
- 13:57in schools
- 13:58and they took away
- 13:59their names
- 14:00and they wouldn't
- 14:01allow them
- 14:02to speak in their
- 14:02native tongue
- 14:03they actually would
- 14:04beat them
- 14:04if they did so
- 14:05and what they
- 14:06attempted to do
- 14:07with these
- 14:08young Indian boys
- 14:09is turn them
- 14:11into them.
- 14:11Jesus
- 14:15was not
- 14:16a white
- 14:17middle class
- 14:17Republican
- 14:18but yet
- 14:20we press
- 14:21at people
- 14:21to become
- 14:22us
- 14:23take on
- 14:24our culture
- 14:25we could set
- 14:27free
- 14:27from that
- 14:28they proceeded
- 14:30to have a
- 14:31drum circle
- 14:32which I didn't
- 14:33connect to at all
- 14:34but the point was
- 14:35we can use
- 14:36the things
- 14:36that are ours
- 14:37as a Native
- 14:38American people
- 14:39to praise
- 14:39the one true God
- 14:41we've been set
- 14:43free
- 14:43from the burden
- 14:44of the law
- 14:46in John chapter 4
- 14:49Jesus meets
- 14:50with the woman
- 14:51at the well
- 14:51the Samaritan woman
- 14:52and she
- 14:54says to him
- 14:55where is it
- 14:56that we should
- 14:56worship
- 14:57she presents
- 14:57this question
- 14:58to him
- 14:58because
- 14:59my people
- 15:00are saying
- 15:00we should
- 15:00do it
- 15:00on this
- 15:01mountain
- 15:01and your
- 15:02people say
- 15:02it should
- 15:02happen
- 15:03in Jerusalem
- 15:04in the city
- 15:05there
- 15:06where's the
- 15:07proper place
- 15:08for that to
- 15:09happen
- 15:09and Jesus
- 15:10responds to her
- 15:11the hour is
- 15:12coming
- 15:13and is now
- 15:14here
- 15:14when the true
- 15:15worshipers
- 15:16will worship
- 15:16the father
- 15:17in spirit
- 15:17and truth
- 15:19for the father
- 15:20is seeking
- 15:20such people
- 15:21to worship
- 15:21him
- 15:22God is spirit
- 15:23and those
- 15:24who worship
- 15:24him must
- 15:24worship
- 15:25in spirit
- 15:26and truth
- 15:27we've been
- 15:28liberated
- 15:29from the law
- 15:30number three
- 15:32genuine faith
- 15:35promotes
- 15:37ethnic harmony
- 15:38and missions
- 15:41to the ends
- 15:42of the earth
- 15:42verses 29
- 15:44and 30
- 15:45where is God
- 15:47the God
- 15:47of the Jews
- 15:48only
- 15:49is he not
- 15:50the God
- 15:52of the Gentiles
- 15:52also
- 15:53yes
- 15:54of Gentiles
- 15:55also
- 15:55since God
- 15:56is one
- 15:56who would
- 15:57justify
- 15:57the circumcised
- 15:58by faith
- 15:59and the
- 16:00uncircumcised
- 16:00through faith
- 16:02recall that he's
- 16:04writing to a
- 16:04primarily Jewish
- 16:05audience
- 16:06and they
- 16:08would have
- 16:08known
- 16:09who God
- 16:10was
- 16:10who is this
- 16:11God
- 16:12that Paul
- 16:13is talking
- 16:13about
- 16:13they were
- 16:14very familiar
- 16:15with Exodus
- 16:16chapter 3
- 16:17when Moses
- 16:17is being sent
- 16:18to the people
- 16:20to be setting
- 16:21them free
- 16:21from Egypt
- 16:21and he says
- 16:22who should I
- 16:23say has sent
- 16:23me
- 16:24I'm going to
- 16:24sound like a
- 16:24crazy guy
- 16:25who should I
- 16:26say has sent
- 16:27me
- 16:27and we see
- 16:28then this
- 16:29name for God
- 16:30that the Hebrew
- 16:31people held
- 16:32very sacred
- 16:33Yahweh
- 16:34I am
- 16:35who I am
- 16:36is what he
- 16:37responded
- 16:37I am
- 16:39who I am
- 16:40that means
- 16:42that God
- 16:42is the source
- 16:43of all things
- 16:44he's the source
- 16:45of all life
- 16:47everything plugs
- 16:48into him
- 16:49he plugs
- 16:50into nothing
- 16:51to get his
- 16:52power
- 16:52all emanates
- 16:53from his
- 16:54being
- 16:55so we
- 16:57were all
- 16:57then
- 16:58created by
- 16:59God
- 16:59I don't
- 17:01think any
- 17:01Jewish people
- 17:02are sitting
- 17:02in this
- 17:02room
- 17:03with us
- 17:03today
- 17:03so we're
- 17:04on the
- 17:04Gentile
- 17:05side
- 17:05of Paul's
- 17:06argument
- 17:07but all
- 17:08the different
- 17:09ethnicities
- 17:10out there
- 17:11we were
- 17:12all
- 17:12created
- 17:13by God
- 17:13and that's
- 17:14Paul's
- 17:14argument
- 17:14isn't God
- 17:15the God
- 17:16of everyone
- 17:17is he just
- 17:18the God
- 17:18of the Jews
- 17:19is there
- 17:19another God
- 17:20that created
- 17:20the other
- 17:20peoples
- 17:21of the earth
- 17:21no
- 17:22because God
- 17:23is I
- 17:23am
- 17:24who I
- 17:25am
- 17:25he is
- 17:26the source
- 17:26of all
- 17:26things
- 17:27that ought
- 17:30to change
- 17:30the way
- 17:31we feel
- 17:32about
- 17:32other
- 17:33ethnicities
- 17:34and notice
- 17:36I'm
- 17:36using my
- 17:37terms
- 17:37carefully
- 17:38I haven't
- 17:38said race
- 17:39once
- 17:40have I
- 17:40using the
- 17:42term
- 17:42ethnicity
- 17:43there's
- 17:43certainly
- 17:44differences
- 17:44amongst us
- 17:45aren't there
- 17:45there are
- 17:45people from
- 17:46different
- 17:46countries
- 17:46and cultural
- 17:47backgrounds
- 17:48race
- 17:50is
- 17:50socially
- 17:51constructed
- 17:52we invent
- 17:56race
- 17:57in order
- 17:58to draw
- 17:59lines
- 17:59create
- 18:00divisions
- 18:01the big
- 18:04genocide
- 18:04in Rwanda
- 18:05was a
- 18:06was a
- 18:07fabricated
- 18:08genocide
- 18:10Denmark
- 18:11was ruling
- 18:12correct me if I get this
- 18:14wrong
- 18:14Denmark was ruling
- 18:14and created by
- 18:16measurements of
- 18:17people's faces
- 18:18by measurements
- 18:20of their faces
- 18:20divided them into
- 18:21two groups
- 18:22the Tutsis
- 18:25and the Hujus
- 18:26divided them into
- 18:27two groups
- 18:28of people
- 18:29because they knew
- 18:30that if they could
- 18:30divide the people
- 18:31they'd be less
- 18:31likely to rise up
- 18:32against them
- 18:32they created
- 18:35they invented
- 18:36races
- 18:37of people
- 18:38and they
- 18:40fabricated
- 18:40they pushed
- 18:41warring
- 18:43between them
- 18:44once a million
- 18:46people
- 18:46were hacked
- 18:48with machetes
- 18:49because of
- 18:51the invention
- 18:52of race
- 18:53it's tragic
- 18:55the gospel
- 18:57speaks through
- 18:58that
- 18:58doesn't it
- 18:59we gotta love
- 19:00all kinds
- 19:02of people
- 19:02even the ones
- 19:03we don't understand
- 19:03there's no doubt
- 19:05that there are
- 19:05varying cultures
- 19:06I don't get
- 19:07all the peoples
- 19:08of the world
- 19:09what motivates them
- 19:10why they like
- 19:11certain foods
- 19:12it's beyond my
- 19:13understanding
- 19:14but yet
- 19:15I don't love
- 19:17them the same
- 19:17because their
- 19:18God is the same
- 19:19as my God
- 19:20and he created
- 19:21them
- 19:21just like
- 19:23he created
- 19:24me
- 19:24Matthew 28
- 19:2618
- 19:27we're commanded
- 19:28to make
- 19:28disciples of
- 19:30all nations
- 19:30not
- 19:31just our own
- 19:33or those who
- 19:34we feel
- 19:34most comfortable
- 19:35with
- 19:35but of all
- 19:36nations
- 19:37Revelation
- 19:39chapter 7
- 19:40verse 9
- 19:41and 10
- 19:41we see a
- 19:41picture
- 19:42of the throne
- 19:44room
- 19:44and if this
- 19:45doesn't motivate
- 19:46us to share
- 19:47our faith
- 19:48to the ends
- 19:48of the earth
- 19:49I don't know
- 19:49I don't know
- 19:50what to do
- 19:50for you
- 19:50if this doesn't
- 19:51get you excited
- 19:52about world
- 19:53missions
- 19:53John writes
- 19:55after this
- 19:55I looked
- 19:56and behold
- 19:56a great multitude
- 19:58that no one
- 19:59could number
- 19:59from every nation
- 20:01from all the tribes
- 20:02and peoples
- 20:02and languages
- 20:03standing before
- 20:03the throne
- 20:04and before the
- 20:05Lamb
- 20:05clothed in white
- 20:06robes
- 20:07with palm branches
- 20:08in their hands
- 20:08and crying out
- 20:09with a loud
- 20:10voice
- 20:10salvation belongs
- 20:11to our God
- 20:12who sits on
- 20:13the throne
- 20:13and to the Lamb
- 20:15genuine
- 20:17faith
- 20:19promotes
- 20:20ethnic harmony
- 20:21and missions
- 20:23to the end
- 20:23of the earth
- 20:23number four
- 20:26genuine faith
- 20:29changes our
- 20:30hearts
- 20:31verse 31
- 20:33do we then
- 20:36overthrow the law
- 20:37by this faith
- 20:39so here he has
- 20:40the people
- 20:40who have
- 20:40done their best
- 20:42to live
- 20:43by this law
- 20:44do we then
- 20:45overthrow the law
- 20:46by our faith
- 20:47by no means
- 20:50if you were here
- 20:51a couple of weeks ago
- 20:52you'll remember
- 20:52that that phrase
- 20:53in Greek
- 20:54is the strongest
- 20:55negative term
- 20:56he could have placed
- 20:57in that place
- 20:58absolutely no way
- 21:01is what he's saying
- 21:02by no means
- 21:03on the contrary
- 21:05we uphold
- 21:07the law
- 21:08the Jews thought
- 21:11that their salvation
- 21:12came to them
- 21:13because they
- 21:14did good things
- 21:15because they
- 21:16threw in the effort
- 21:18they didn't understand
- 21:20the sacrificial system
- 21:22if that's what they believed
- 21:23they didn't understand
- 21:24that there was nothing
- 21:25all their effort
- 21:26there was nothing
- 21:27they could do
- 21:27they couldn't
- 21:28uphold
- 21:29the law
- 21:29but here comes
- 21:31Christ
- 21:32he doesn't come
- 21:35to abolish the law
- 21:36but to what
- 21:37fulfill it
- 21:39what's he talking about
- 21:42when he says that
- 21:43I did not come
- 21:43to abolish the law
- 21:45but to fill it
- 21:46that's in Matthew chapter 5
- 21:47if you care
- 21:48he didn't come
- 21:50to abolish the law
- 21:50but to fulfill it
- 21:53when we place
- 21:55our faith in Christ
- 21:56we receive the spirit
- 21:58of God
- 21:59which moves in us
- 22:01which creates in us
- 22:02the ability
- 22:03to have right motivation
- 22:06and to live for him
- 22:07changes our hearts
- 22:10God says in Ezekiel
- 22:13chapter 11
- 22:14verse 19 and 20
- 22:16and I will give them
- 22:17one heart
- 22:18he's talking about
- 22:19the church
- 22:19what he'll do
- 22:20for his people
- 22:21I will give them
- 22:21one heart
- 22:22and a new spirit
- 22:24I will put within them
- 22:25I will remove
- 22:26the heart of stone
- 22:27from their flesh
- 22:27and give them
- 22:28a heart of flesh
- 22:29that they may walk
- 22:31in my statutes
- 22:31and keep my rules
- 22:32and obey them
- 22:33and they shall be
- 22:34my people
- 22:35and I will be
- 22:36their God
- 22:36and then later
- 22:38chapter 36
- 22:39verse 27
- 22:39Ezekiel
- 22:40God says
- 22:42and I will put
- 22:42my spirit
- 22:43within you
- 22:44and cause you
- 22:45to walk
- 22:45in my statutes
- 22:46and be careful
- 22:47to obey my rules
- 22:49so we're given
- 22:51then the ability
- 22:52to live
- 22:54righteously
- 22:55we're declared
- 22:56righteous
- 22:56and given
- 22:57the ability
- 22:58to live
- 22:59righteously
- 23:01that means
- 23:02something for our
- 23:03life
- 23:03doesn't it
- 23:04I mean
- 23:06in our
- 23:06in our
- 23:07liberty
- 23:07we have the ability
- 23:08now
- 23:09we don't
- 23:10have to be
- 23:11burdened
- 23:11by this law
- 23:12if I don't
- 23:12keep this law
- 23:13perfectly
- 23:13then I'm cursed
- 23:15there's no way
- 23:16around that
- 23:16and none of us
- 23:17have been able
- 23:18to do that
- 23:18and that is a burden
- 23:19on our shoulders
- 23:20that burden
- 23:21has been lifted
- 23:22because of the grace
- 23:22of Christ
- 23:23but now
- 23:25because we have
- 23:25God's spirit
- 23:26working within us
- 23:27we love God
- 23:29and the things
- 23:30of God
- 23:30we will want
- 23:32to do
- 23:33what he wants
- 23:34us to do
- 23:35that's why
- 23:37the gospel
- 23:38is so
- 23:39vital
- 23:39to our
- 23:40daily
- 23:40Christian
- 23:41living
- 23:42some people
- 23:44feel like
- 23:45we've moved
- 23:45beyond that
- 23:46I'm a Christian
- 23:46now
- 23:46I've heard
- 23:47that story
- 23:48heard it over
- 23:50and over again
- 23:51I get it
- 23:51I was sinful
- 23:52Jesus died for me
- 23:53I placed my
- 23:53faith in him
- 23:54in that
- 23:58is the motivation
- 23:58for my
- 23:59Christian living
- 23:59the spirit
- 24:00of God
- 24:00stirs in me
- 24:02when I hear
- 24:02the gospel
- 24:03presented
- 24:03when I am
- 24:04reminded of
- 24:05who I was
- 24:06and who I am
- 24:07now
- 24:07and what
- 24:08happened
- 24:08to get me
- 24:09there
- 24:09I am
- 24:11moved
- 24:12to praise
- 24:13him
- 24:13by living
- 24:14a righteous
- 24:15life
- 24:15I wish
- 24:17I could
- 24:17pay somebody
- 24:18to follow
- 24:19me around
- 24:19and just
- 24:20preach the
- 24:20gospel
- 24:20we can put
- 24:23it on the
- 24:23radio
- 24:23we can listen
- 24:24to it
- 24:24on our
- 24:25headphones
- 24:25great
- 24:26I wish
- 24:27I had
- 24:27a person
- 24:27just constantly
- 24:28reminding me
- 24:29consistently
- 24:30what God
- 24:30has done
- 24:31for me
- 24:31in Christ
- 24:32so we
- 24:35uphold
- 24:35the law
- 24:36we live
- 24:37righteous
- 24:38living
- 24:39because
- 24:39what he
- 24:40has done
- 24:41for us
- 24:42it's a struggle
- 24:44though isn't it
- 24:45Paul speaks to that
- 24:47in Romans
- 24:48chapter 7
- 24:49verse 15
- 24:49he says
- 24:50for I do not
- 24:51do what I want
- 24:52but I do the
- 24:53very thing
- 24:54I hate
- 24:55and then in
- 24:55verse 24
- 24:56he says
- 24:58wretched man
- 24:58that I am
- 24:59who will deliver
- 25:00me from this
- 25:00body of death
- 25:01thanks be to
- 25:03God
- 25:03through Jesus
- 25:04Christ
- 25:05our Lord
- 25:06and what
- 25:07he's actually
- 25:07talking about
- 25:08in this case
- 25:09was a Roman
- 25:11punishment
- 25:11when
- 25:12somebody committed
- 25:14murder
- 25:14one of the ways
- 25:15they could be
- 25:15punished
- 25:16was that the
- 25:16person they
- 25:17murdered
- 25:17would actually
- 25:17be tied
- 25:18onto them
- 25:19fastened
- 25:20onto their
- 25:21back
- 25:21this is
- 25:23fascinating
- 25:24because that
- 25:25person is going
- 25:25to begin
- 25:26to decay
- 25:26no one's going
- 25:28to want to be
- 25:29around them
- 25:29and what's going
- 25:30to begin
- 25:30happening to
- 25:31their flesh
- 25:31is going to
- 25:32rot right
- 25:33along with
- 25:33it
- 25:33that's what
- 25:35Paul's talking
- 25:36about
- 25:36here
- 25:37a little
- 25:37culture for
- 25:38you that
- 25:38helps you
- 25:39understand
- 25:39what is it
- 25:40that he's
- 25:40saying
- 25:40he looks
- 25:41at his
- 25:41own
- 25:42flesh
- 25:43the desires
- 25:43of his
- 25:44flesh
- 25:44that way
- 25:45as a
- 25:46wretched
- 25:47decaying
- 25:48thing
- 25:49rotting
- 25:49away
- 25:50on his
- 25:51back
- 25:51incredible
- 25:53who will
- 25:54deliver me
- 25:54from this
- 25:55body of
- 25:55death
- 25:56Jesus
- 25:58Christ
- 25:59our
- 26:00Lord
- 26:00so do
- 26:01you find
- 26:02in your
- 26:02life
- 26:02that you
- 26:03are advancing
- 26:05in your
- 26:06love for
- 26:07God
- 26:07and his
- 26:08statutes
- 26:09and the
- 26:09things he's
- 26:10concerned about
- 26:11or your
- 26:13love for the
- 26:13world
- 26:14the lens
- 26:16you ought to
- 26:16hold up
- 26:17constantly
- 26:17how am I
- 26:19doing today
- 26:20versus
- 26:21yesterday
- 26:22have I
- 26:23advanced in
- 26:24holiness this
- 26:25year
- 26:25versus last
- 26:27year
- 26:27which way
- 26:30am I
- 26:30waning
- 26:31do you
- 26:33love God's
- 26:34people
- 26:34do you
- 26:35love the
- 26:36lost
- 26:36do you
- 26:37love sharing
- 26:37the gospel
- 26:38or do you
- 26:39love the
- 26:39things of
- 26:39this world
- 26:40do you
- 26:40care more
- 26:40for your
- 26:41clothing
- 26:41and your
- 26:42car
- 26:42and your
- 26:43TV
- 26:43shows
- 26:45entertainment
- 26:46comfort
- 26:47do you
- 26:48care more
- 26:49about
- 26:50test your
- 26:51faith
- 26:51by that
- 26:53simple
- 26:56example
- 26:57of this
- 26:58we come
- 26:59together
- 26:59on Sunday
- 27:01mornings
- 27:01to meet
- 27:03with the
- 27:03church
- 27:04which is
- 27:05precious
- 27:05to Christ
- 27:07understand
- 27:08that this
- 27:08is his
- 27:09bride
- 27:09and all
- 27:12over the
- 27:12place this
- 27:13morning
- 27:13people are
- 27:14meeting
- 27:14together
- 27:15to learn
- 27:16about God
- 27:16to be
- 27:17motivated
- 27:17to Christian
- 27:18living
- 27:18to encourage
- 27:19one another
- 27:19support one
- 27:20another
- 27:20this is
- 27:22special
- 27:23time
- 27:24many of
- 27:27us
- 27:27don't
- 27:28prepare for
- 27:28it at
- 27:28all
- 27:29it's
- 27:30another
- 27:30thing
- 27:30we
- 27:31do
- 27:31what
- 27:34do
- 27:34you
- 27:34do
- 27:34on
- 27:35Saturday
- 27:35evening
- 27:36what
- 27:37are you
- 27:37up to
- 27:38preparing
- 27:40yourself
- 27:40for Sunday
- 27:40morning
- 27:41not many
- 27:43of us
- 27:43are about
- 27:45that
- 27:45business
- 27:45do we
- 27:46look
- 27:47forward
- 27:47to the
- 27:48things
- 27:49of God
- 27:49to what
- 27:50he's going
- 27:51to do
- 27:51with his
- 27:51people
- 27:52on Sunday
- 27:52morning
- 27:53enough
- 27:53that we
- 27:54prep
- 27:54ourselves
- 27:54for it
- 27:55young
- 27:56people
- 27:56how late
- 27:57do you
- 27:57stay up
- 27:58on Saturday
- 27:59night
- 27:59Saturday
- 28:01night
- 28:02another
- 28:02party
- 28:02night
- 28:02for you
- 28:03playing
- 28:04video
- 28:04games
- 28:05got your
- 28:05halo
- 28:06going
- 28:06until
- 28:063 o'clock
- 28:06in the
- 28:07morning
- 28:07some
- 28:09of you
- 28:09walk in
- 28:09here
- 28:10looking
- 28:10miserable
- 28:11we
- 28:13ought to
- 28:13prep
- 28:13ourselves
- 28:14for this
- 28:14we
- 28:15love
- 28:15the
- 28:15things
- 28:15of
- 28:16God
- 28:16we
- 28:16ought
- 28:16to
- 28:16be
- 28:17excited
- 28:17about
- 28:18Sunday
- 28:19morning
- 28:19we
- 28:20ought
- 28:20to
- 28:20come
- 28:20expecting
- 28:21that
- 28:22God
- 28:22is
- 28:22going
- 28:22to
- 28:23speak
- 28:23to
- 28:23us
- 28:24because
- 28:25he
- 28:26does
- 28:26that
- 28:26the
- 28:27proclamation
- 28:28of his
- 28:29word
- 28:29is the
- 28:29primary
- 28:30way
- 28:30in which
- 28:30God
- 28:31speaks
- 28:31to
- 28:32his
- 28:32people
- 28:32did
- 28:33you
- 28:33know
- 28:33that
- 28:33we
- 28:35get
- 28:35awfully
- 28:35wrapped
- 28:36up
- 28:36in this
- 28:36personal
- 28:37relationship
- 28:38with
- 28:38Jesus
- 28:38Christ
- 28:38bit
- 28:39which
- 28:40we
- 28:40all
- 28:40have
- 28:40right
- 28:41go to
- 28:43many
- 28:43churches
- 28:43this
- 28:44morning
- 28:44and
- 28:45there
- 28:45is
- 28:45no
- 28:45light
- 28:45in
- 28:45the
- 28:46room
- 28:46right
- 28:48because
- 28:48they
- 28:48want
- 28:48you
- 28:49to
- 28:49have
- 28:49your
- 28:49personal
- 28:50relationship
- 28:51with
- 28:51Jesus
- 28:51Christ
- 28:51if
- 28:52you
- 28:52can
- 28:52see
- 28:52or
- 28:53hear
- 28:53the
- 28:53person
- 28:54next
- 28:54to
- 28:54you
- 28:54you
- 28:55you're
- 28:55not
- 28:55worshiping
- 28:56God
- 29:00saved
- 29:01a
- 29:01people
- 29:02on
- 29:02the
- 29:03cross
- 29:03which
- 29:04includes
- 29:05persons
- 29:06but
- 29:07a
- 29:07people
- 29:07we
- 29:10ought
- 29:10to
- 29:10come
- 29:11prepared
- 29:11for
- 29:13this
- 29:13morning
- 29:13that's
- 29:15just
- 29:15one
- 29:15example
- 29:15one
- 29:16that's
- 29:16been
- 29:17burning
- 29:17in me
- 29:17for
- 29:17a
- 29:18while
- 29:18so
- 29:21we
- 29:21see
- 29:22then
- 29:22in
- 29:22this
- 29:22text
- 29:23some
- 29:24tests
- 29:24of
- 29:24genuine
- 29:25faith
- 29:25excludes
- 29:28boasting
- 29:28liberates
- 29:31us
- 29:31from the
- 29:32burden
- 29:32of
- 29:33the
- 29:33law
- 29:33promotes
- 29:34ethnic
- 29:34harmony
- 29:35and
- 29:35missions
- 29:36to the
- 29:36ends
- 29:36of
- 29:36the
- 29:36earth
- 29:37and
- 29:38it
- 29:38changes
- 29:39our
- 29:39hearts
- 29:39and
- 29:40I
- 29:41say
- 29:41thanks be to
- 29:42God
- 29:42through
- 29:43Christ
- 29:43Jesus
- 29:43our
- 29:43Lord
- 29:44as we
- 29:45fail in
- 29:46these
- 29:46things
- 29:46and strive
- 29:48to do
- 29:49better
- 29:49all praise
- 29:51belongs to
- 29:52him
- 29:52when we
- 29:52pull it
- 29:53off
- 29:53let's
- 29:54pray
- 29:54God