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Romans 6:19-23 · Providence Baptist Church - Sermons

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We've been studying through the book of Romans.
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We're in Romans chapter 6.
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! The last few verses of the chapter.
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Romans chapter 6.
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That's a hard song to follow.
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I'm just going to say it.
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Alright, we're equal.
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Romans chapter 6.
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I'll start reading in verse 19 through the end of the chapter.
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Paul is writing to the church in Rome.
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He writes and he says,
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I am speaking in human terms because of your natural limitations.
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For just as you once presented your members as slaves to impurity
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and to lawlessness leading to more lawlessness,
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so now present your members as slaves to righteousness
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leading to sanctification.
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For when you were slaves of sin,
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you were free in regard to righteousness.
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But what fruit were you getting at that time
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from the things of which you are now ashamed?
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For the end of these things is death.
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But now that you have been set free from sin
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and have become slaves of God,
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the fruit you get leads to sanctification
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and it's in eternal life.
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For the wages of sin is death.
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The free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus,
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our Lord.
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Let's pray together.
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Father, we thank you for Jesus.
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We thank you for the grace and the mercy
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that you've shown us through him,
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through his life, his death, and his resurrection.
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We thank you for your word that you have revealed to us,
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that you have shown us,
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so we can hold in our hands and read.
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We thank you that your word speaks of Jesus,
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shows us about Jesus,
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teaches us Jesus.
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I pray this morning that we prove with the word spoken
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and the ears of listening that we love Jesus.
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I pray, God, that we would honor him,
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lift him up,
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and he would receive all praise this morning.
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Speak to us this morning in Jesus' name.
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Amen.
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Now, I'm going to approach this text a little different.
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Usually it's verse by verse.
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This is what it's saying.
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This is what it means.
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I'm still going to be faithful to it,
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but I want to look at how does being set free,
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we've been set free in Christ
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from the power and burden and control of sin,
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how does that affect our gathering?
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How does that affect this meeting time,
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our meetings during the week,
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our meetings with families
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or one-on-one discipleship?
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How does being set free really affect our lives?
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Because theologically and doctrinally,
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we can say it all along,
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every moment of every day,
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but how does it affect our everyday life
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and in specific,
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us here together?
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In other words,
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so what?
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So we've been set free.
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So what?
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What does it mean?
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What does it lead us to?
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So we have sin in our life
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that no longer has power over us.
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What do we do with that?
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And why does the fact that we have been set free from sin
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and now have been made slave to God
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impact us and our gathering together?
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This is the question that I want to answer this morning.
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The easy answer,
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the simple answer is in every way.
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In every way it changes,
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it impacts our gathering.
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In every way,
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in how we speak,
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in how we sing,
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in how we gather,
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in how we care for one another,
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in how we look at one another,
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how we listen to one another.
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In every way is a simple answer.
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So let's get a little more specific.
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And in our text,
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I think we have a little more specific answer.
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If we've been set free,
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if our identity has changed,
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if we're no longer slave to sin,
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but slave to God,
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then our identity has changed.
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Because if our identity has changed,
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then what we do,
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how we live,
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and why we gather changes as well.
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So no matter how mature you are as a Christian,
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you know how much knowledge you have,
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or I have,
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we all need help in this endeavor
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to live out this Christian life.
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We all need help.
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None of us have figured this out.
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None of us have perfected it.
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Paul himself says,
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I am not yet perfect.
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I continue on forward.
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We need one another
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to preach the Gospel to us,
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to remind us that we are set free from sin,
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and to etch into one another's minds
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that this gathering is not about us.
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It's about Jesus.
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Joy to the world
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is about Jesus,
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not about us.
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So as I review,
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Romans 1 and 2,
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divine for us,
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clearly,
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that all human beings,
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then and now,
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have been born into a curse.
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We are dead.
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Curse that goes all the way back
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to Adam and Eve
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in the Garden of Eden.
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Adam and Eve bought into the lie
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that the devil gave them,
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bought into the lie
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that they can be important,
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that they can be special,
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that they can be like God,
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and they decided to worship themselves
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instead of worshiping God
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as they were created to do.
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As we are today,
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they were created to worship God,
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to bring glory to God.
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As our Logos question number two says,
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the adult version is,
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what is the chief end of man?
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To glorify Him
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and enjoy Him forever.
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That's what we were created to do.
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We were created to worship Him alone.
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And from this moment
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in the Garden of Eden,
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through all of eternity,
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mankind,
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and all of time,
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mankind has been cursed
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with the inability to worship God.
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We've been cursed
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with the inability to please God,
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to do God things.
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We cannot worship Him
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apart from a supernatural act of God.
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So we come to Romans 3,
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and it says,
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for all have sinned
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and fall short of the glory of God.
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All of us have sinned.
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No one is left out of that equation.
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We are unable to bring glory to God.
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We are unable
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to do good,
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God-glorifying things.
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Now of course,
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semantics,
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we can do good things.
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We can do nice things.
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We can be nice human beings
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and care for people
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and love people,
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but we cannot do God-honoring,
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God-glorifying things.
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We cannot enjoy Him
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as we were created to do.
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Even religious things
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are like filthy rags.
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We weren't created to be religious.
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We weren't created to be Baptists,
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although some people might say we were.
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We weren't created to be Methodists,
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or Presbyterians.
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We were created to be God's people,
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His children,
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and whatever name you want to put to that.
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That's what we were created to be.
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Religion was created by man
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to replace God,
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to make where we have no need for Him.
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And if there's no need for God,
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then our curse that we are born into
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no longer has powers,
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no longer as powerful as we thought.
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And then we can fix that issue
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with good deeds or religious activities.
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But that's not the case.
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Romans 1, 2, and 3,
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and then building up to chapter 4,
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all of it proves
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that even religion does not save.
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Chapter 4,
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we have Abraham,
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who's been justified,
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Paul lays out for us
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that Abraham was justified by faith,
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not by anything else,
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not by works,
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not by religious activity,
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no special bloodline,
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no being the patriarch of the Jewish people.
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That didn't save him.
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What saved him was his faith
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or faith from God.
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He was justified by faith.
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No religious activity,
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no good deed.
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Abraham did not earn
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his faith.
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He did not earn
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the salvation that he received.
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Romans 4,
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verse 20 and 21 says,
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of Abraham,
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no distrust made him waver
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concerning the promise of God.
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But he grew strong in his faith
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as he gave glory to God,
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fully convinced that God was able to do
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what he had promised.
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So this amazing faith
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that Abraham showed
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was nothing of his doing
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or his ability.
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It was all based and rooted
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on who God is
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and what God has promised.
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What God said that He would do.
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This same faith can be evident
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in your life and in mine.
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But like Abraham,
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it is God working through us.
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just earlier in Romans 4,
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faith wasn't given to Adam
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and he wasn't made righteous
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because of being circumcised.
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And I point that out
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because that is the one
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religious activity
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of the Jewish people
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that was important.
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That was it.
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It proved to the world
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that they were Jewish.
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It proved to them
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that they belonged
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to God's chosen people.
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And even Abraham,
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who was the patriarch,
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was not made righteous
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because of being circumcised.
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Made righteous because of his faith.
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So, to summarize,
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we are justified by faith
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apart from works.
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It's a good Christian saying,
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but it's very important.
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We are justified by faith
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apart from works.
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So, nothing in us
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earns, deserves
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the salvation that God gives us.
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This is the launching point.
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This truth,
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justified by faith
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apart from works,
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that's the launching point
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for all of Romans.
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As Paul writes
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to the Christian church,
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to the church in Rome,
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to the Christians there,
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he writes to them
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and he says,
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as Abraham,
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you too can be justified by faith.
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Not anything that you have done.
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You haven't earned it.
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Everything we are and do
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is out of being justified.
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Being made right before God
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because of his love,
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his grace,
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and his mercy.
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We've got to make sure
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we understand this.
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And on the cross
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is where we've been justified.
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On the cross
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is where our sins
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were taken
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by Jesus.
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And in return,
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we are given
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his righteousness.
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Martin Luther calls
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the great exchange
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and we mention it
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often.
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Jesus took our sin
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and gave us
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his righteousness.
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This
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is the launching point.
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See,
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at the cross,
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we find victory
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over sin.
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At the cross,
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we are set free
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from that same sin.
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At the cross,
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we are given peace
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with God.
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Because of the cross,
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we can approach
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the throne room
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with boldness.
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Because of the cross,
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we live victorious lives.
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Because of the cross,
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we love our neighbors.
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See,
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all of what we are
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and do as Christians
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because and through
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the cross of Jesus Christ.
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At Calvary,
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where He died for you
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and for me.
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That's where
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it all comes from.
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John Piper,
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in his book,
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The Roots of Endurance,
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is writing about
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William Wilberforce,
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John Newton,
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and Charles Stimeon.
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Three great men of,
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as we sometimes say,
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old dead guys.
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Great men of faith.
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He writes about them
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and he says,
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they were careful
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to savor the cross first
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as the basis of justification
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before they experienced
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its purchased power
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of sanctification.
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Before the power of endurance
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came the pardon of guilt.
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Before the blood-bought enabling
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of righteous living
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came the free gift
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of perfect righteousness
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credited to our account
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because of Christ alone
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through faith alone.
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These men,
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we can lift them up,
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but they're just men.
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These men knew
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that what we do
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is secondary
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to what Christ did
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on the cross.
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What Christ did
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on the cross
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determines what we do here.
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So out of what Christ did,
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we now live for Him.
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Justification is the launch point
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for Romans
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and for the Christian life.
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So we now come to chapter 6.
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On the cross,
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our sin nature died with Jesus.
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If we are Christian,
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if we are believers,
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if we are a biblical definition
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of being a Christian,
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if you know when you love Jesus,
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then you have been set free
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on the cross
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from the control
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and bondage of sin.
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And now,
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in our text,
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we have the outcome
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of being set free.
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We have the outcome
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of no longer being empowered
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or no longer being powered over
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by sin.
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And that outcome is
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sanctification and holiness.
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Or sanctification
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or holiness.
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The infinitely holy God
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through Christ
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has given us
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His holiness.
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It is a process.
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A long process.
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A slow process.
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But we are being perfected
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because of Christ.
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Because of His work
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on the cross.
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We can be holy
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as He commanded.
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Be holy
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as I am holy.
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We can be holy
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as God is holy
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because of Jesus.
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Later on in the book,
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John Piper says
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of the time
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that William Wilberforce lived,
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he said,
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nominal Christians
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were confusing
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and reversing
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sanctification
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and justification.
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They were making
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the fruits of holiness
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the cause
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and not the effects
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of being justified.
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What the whole
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beginning part of Romans
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is about up to this point
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is out of being justified
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we are becoming sanctified.
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Out of what Christ has done
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we are able to live
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a certain and specific way.
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Sounds a lot like our time,
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doesn't it?
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We know people
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who are trying to live
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good lives.
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People who are trying
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to be religious.
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We are surrounded
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by nominal Christians
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or non-Christians
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at all
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believe that they
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have to live
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a good life.
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They just have to be good
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in order to earn
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God's favor.
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But we know
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that that is not
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the case at all.
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We don't want
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this building,
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we don't want
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this gathering
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to be filled
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with people
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who are nominal
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Christians
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who think they have
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to earn God's grace.
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That wouldn't be
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grace at all.
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And there is no victory
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in that life.
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That is a life
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of slavery,
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of burden,
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trying to earn
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God's favor
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and God's grace.
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We want to lead
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people who love
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out of joy,
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who gather
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out of joy
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and who bless
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out of joy,
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not out of obligation
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or out of some
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form of payment
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to God.
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So as we look
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at our text
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this morning,
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so what?
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So what does
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this mean?
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What does
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this mean
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about how
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we gather?
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We have been
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set free,
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so what?
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Well,
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as I've kind
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of set us up,
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we can't go
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any further
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without completely
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and totally
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understanding
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verse 23
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of chapter 6.
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We have to get it,
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understand it,
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know it.
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Verse 23 says,
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for the wages
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of sin is death,
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but the free
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gift of God
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is eternal life
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in Christ Jesus
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our Lord.
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Wages of sin.
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There is a payment
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to be paid.
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Our sin
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earns a payment.
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It earns a paycheck.
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So sin is working
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against you
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and against me
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and as it works,
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it's earning its wage
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or earning a wage.
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Sin doesn't just
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deserve death.
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Sometimes we'll say,
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you know,
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sin deserves death.
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Deserve
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leaves room
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for subjectivity.
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It leaves room
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for
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a little play,
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too much play.
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According to our text,
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the wages of sin,
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sin earns,
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there's a clear
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payment exchange
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there.
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It's wage
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and the wage
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is death.
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And it's not
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talking about
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you dying
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here on earth.
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It's talking about
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eternal,
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permanent
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separation
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from God.
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Everything God
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does is good.
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Everything God
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does is right.
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Everything God
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does is holy
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and just.
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You're going to
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be separated
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from that
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eternally
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because of the
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sin in your life,
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because of your
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sin,
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if you do not
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know Christ,
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if you do not
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love Him.
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this is the
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reality of our
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curse that we're
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born into.
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We receive,
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we're born into
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this curse
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by the second
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part of verse
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23.
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But,
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the free gift
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of God
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is eternal
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life in Christ
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Jesus our
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Lord.
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We receive a
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gift,
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an undeserved
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gift from the
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Creator.
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That is eternal
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life.
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Eternal life in
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Christ.
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He's because of
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Jesus.
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In Jesus and
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for Jesus,
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our lives are
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all about
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Jesus.
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That's why our
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vision statement
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is not up there.
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Christ's Family
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Church exists to
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experience,
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proclaim,
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and display the
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supremacy of
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Jesus Christ in
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all things.
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Our lives are
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all about
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Jesus.
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Our gatherings
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are all about
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Jesus.
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Our entire
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life is about
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Him.
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So,
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we move from
19:40
verse 23.
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We got verse
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23.
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We have to
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understand verse
19:43
23.
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And then out of
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that,
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so what?
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So what do
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we do?
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Because we are
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recipients of
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this gift from
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a holy God,
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our identity
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changes.
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As I mentioned
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a few minutes
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ago, we're no
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longer slaves to
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sin if we are
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Christians, if we
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are born-again
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believers.
20:05
we are now
20:06
slaves to God.
20:08
And that is a
20:09
complete identity
20:09
change.
20:12
Ephesians chapter
20:12
2 says you
20:13
were dead.
20:15
You're now
20:16
alive.
20:17
That's a big
20:18
identity change.
20:20
See, at that
20:21
moment of being
20:22
justified, being
20:23
born again, our
20:25
identity changes.
20:26
verse 19 of
20:29
Romans chapter 6
20:30
says, for just
20:32
as you once
20:32
presented your
20:33
members as
20:34
slaves to
20:34
impurity and
20:36
to lawlessness
20:37
leading to more
20:38
lawlessness.
20:40
See, before
20:41
Jesus, our
20:41
identity was in
20:42
what we did.
20:44
Sin.
20:46
And I don't
20:47
mean, you
20:47
know, your
20:47
sports
20:48
accomplishments,
20:49
your life
20:49
accomplishments,
20:50
your struggles.
20:52
It was in how
20:52
we lived, what
20:53
we did, what
20:54
determined what
20:54
we did, and
20:55
that was sin.
20:57
That was where
20:57
our identity
20:58
was.
21:01
According to
21:02
this, impurity
21:03
and lawlessness
21:04
was your
21:05
identity, was
21:05
our identity
21:06
before Christ.
21:09
Impurity
21:09
represents the
21:11
inward sin,
21:12
the thoughts,
21:14
the lust,
21:15
the judgment,
21:15
the hatred,
21:16
the anger,
21:17
the vanity.
21:19
We have those
21:20
inward sins that
21:21
nobody might
21:21
see.
21:23
We can hide
21:24
those.
21:25
But lawlessness
21:25
represents the
21:26
outward sin,
21:28
the actions,
21:30
the murder,
21:30
the malice,
21:31
the hatred,
21:31
the homosexuality,
21:32
the fornication,
21:34
on and on and
21:34
on.
21:35
Both of those
21:36
lists.
21:36
We could go on
21:37
and on and
21:37
on.
21:40
That's who we
21:41
were.
21:43
That's what our
21:43
identity was and
21:44
what we did.
21:46
But after
21:47
Jesus, we
21:49
become slaves to
21:50
righteousness
21:50
leading to
21:53
sanctification.
21:54
holiness.
21:55
See, our
21:56
identity is not
21:58
under the power
21:58
of sin anymore.
22:00
It is now
22:00
becoming empowered
22:01
by God
22:02
leading to
22:03
holiness.
22:07
See, as the
22:08
nominal Christians
22:09
did and
22:10
thought and
22:12
will before us
22:13
time, we are
22:15
holy out of what
22:16
Jesus did, not
22:17
on what we do
22:18
or try to do.
22:23
When our
22:23
identity changes,
22:24
what we live
22:25
for changes.
22:26
What we
22:27
desire changes.
22:30
For example,
22:30
if I became a
22:31
Muslim,
22:33
if I decided I'm
22:34
going to become a
22:35
Muslim, I like
22:36
their ideas and I
22:37
like how the
22:37
Quran is spelled
22:38
a little weird
22:39
and I just like
22:40
it.
22:41
my identity,
22:44
who I was,
22:45
would change.
22:47
It would
22:48
obviously change.
22:50
I don't even
22:51
know half the
22:51
laws and stuff
22:53
they have, but I
22:53
follow them.
22:54
But
22:54
what I live for
23:00
would change.
23:01
That identity
23:02
would determine
23:02
how I lived.
23:04
as a Christian
23:07
though, my
23:07
identity is
23:08
Jesus.
23:10
It's for
23:10
Jesus, through
23:11
Jesus, and so
23:12
I live for
23:13
Jesus and His
23:14
glory.
23:16
So when we
23:17
gather together,
23:19
big group,
23:19
small group,
23:21
morning service,
23:22
community group
23:22
in midweek,
23:23
families over a
23:24
meal, a one-on-one
23:25
discipleship,
23:26
whatever it is,
23:27
when we meet
23:28
together, we
23:30
unite over our
23:31
identity.
23:32
We unite over
23:34
what binds us
23:35
together, and
23:36
that is Jesus.
23:38
That is His
23:40
righteousness, His
23:42
holiness.
23:44
We unite over
23:44
what Jesus did
23:46
for us.
23:49
2 Corinthians 5
23:51
says that His
23:52
love compels
23:53
us.
23:55
We are
23:55
compelled to
23:56
live for
23:57
Him.
23:59
And
23:59
honestly,
24:01
no matter what
24:02
that means or
24:03
looks like,
24:03
we're going to
24:04
do that.
24:05
We're going to
24:05
live for Him
24:06
and love
24:07
Jesus.
24:09
Because,
24:10
truth be
24:11
told,
24:13
He did the
24:14
extreme for
24:14
us.
24:15
He did the
24:16
radical for
24:16
us by dying
24:17
on the cross
24:18
for our sin.
24:23
See,
24:23
our new
24:24
identity based
24:25
in Scripture,
24:26
based on who
24:27
Jesus is,
24:28
has already
24:28
measured the
24:29
cost.
24:30
And Jesus
24:31
is worth it.
24:33
Already
24:34
measured it.
24:35
We are
24:35
willing or
24:36
should be
24:36
willing to
24:37
go to do
24:38
and to be
24:39
whatever He
24:40
requires,
24:41
whatever He
24:42
commands.
24:46
He hung and
24:47
died on the
24:48
cross so that
24:48
we can fight
24:49
for Him and
24:50
love the
24:50
people of the
24:51
world.
24:52
He hung on the
24:53
cross so that
24:53
we can live
24:54
victorious over
24:55
sin and not
24:56
constantly stumble
24:57
over the same
24:58
thing.
25:00
1 John 3.16
25:01
says,
25:02
By this we
25:02
know love,
25:03
that He laid
25:04
down His life
25:05
for us,
25:06
and we ought
25:07
to lay down
25:08
our lives for
25:08
the brothers.
25:10
When we
25:11
gather,
25:13
when we're
25:13
apart,
25:15
be willing to
25:16
lay down our
25:16
lives for the
25:17
brothers.
25:18
Whatever that
25:19
means,
25:20
because Jesus
25:20
is worth
25:21
more than
25:24
what measurements
25:24
we can put
25:25
on here on
25:26
earth.
25:26
When we
25:28
unite over
25:29
our identity
25:30
in Jesus,
25:31
we gain a
25:33
kingdom view.
25:34
We gain a
25:34
vision of what
25:35
God is doing
25:36
and what He
25:37
wants to do.
25:40
And that
25:40
becomes contagious.
25:43
Infectious even.
25:45
When we unite
25:46
over our
25:47
identity in
25:48
Jesus,
25:49
this kingdom
25:49
view becomes
25:51
contagious.
25:52
When the body
25:53
gathers,
25:54
the body
25:54
becomes infected
25:55
with the
25:56
commission of
25:57
the King.
26:00
Because being
26:01
set free,
26:04
because of
26:05
Jesus and
26:05
being set free
26:06
from sin,
26:08
we do radical
26:09
things then.
26:10
We make radical
26:11
decisions.
26:12
We live radical
26:13
lives for Him.
26:15
Turn to
26:15
Isaiah chapter
26:16
61.
26:16
Isaiah 61 is a
26:30
prophecy of the
26:31
coming Messiah
26:32
who we know
26:32
is Jesus.
26:39
Isaiah 61,
26:40
Isaiah writes,
26:41
the Spirit of the
26:45
Lord God is upon
26:46
me because the
26:47
Lord has anointed
26:48
me to bring good
26:49
news to the poor.
26:52
He has sent me to
26:53
bind up the
26:53
brokenhearted,
26:55
to proclaim
26:56
liberty to the
26:57
captives,
26:59
and the opening of
27:00
the prison to those
27:01
who are bound,
27:02
to proclaim the
27:03
year of the
27:04
Lord's favor,
27:05
and the day of
27:05
vengeance of our
27:06
God,
27:06
to comfort all
27:08
who mourn,
27:08
to grant to
27:10
those who
27:11
mourn in Zion,
27:11
to give them a
27:12
beautiful headdress
27:13
instead of ashes,
27:14
the oil of
27:15
gladness instead
27:16
of mourning,
27:17
the garment of
27:18
praise instead of
27:19
a faint spirit,
27:20
that they may be
27:21
called oaks of
27:22
righteousness,
27:23
the planting of
27:24
the Lord that He
27:25
may be glorified.
27:27
They shall build
27:27
up the ancient
27:28
ruins.
27:28
They shall raise
27:29
up the former
27:30
devastations.
27:31
They shall repair
27:32
the ruined cities,
27:34
the devastations of
27:35
many generations.
27:38
Look at these
27:38
actions.
27:40
Bring good news
27:41
to the poor.
27:42
Bind up the
27:42
brokenhearted.
27:43
Proclaim liberty
27:44
to the captives.
27:45
Open the prison
27:46
to those who are
27:47
bound.
27:48
Comfort all who
27:49
mourn.
27:50
Proclaim the
27:51
year of the
27:52
Lord's favor.
27:53
Grant those who
27:53
mourn in Zion.
27:54
Give beautiful
27:55
headdresses instead
27:56
of ashes.
27:57
Give the oil of
27:58
gladness instead
27:59
of a faint spirit.
28:02
If this is
28:05
Jesus, then this
28:06
is our mission
28:07
too.
28:07
If this is
28:08
Jesus, then
28:09
this is why
28:13
we gather
28:13
what we
28:14
celebrate.
28:16
We are united
28:16
with one
28:17
identity.
28:18
An identity
28:19
that changes
28:20
the world.
28:22
An identity
28:22
that crushes
28:23
the power of
28:24
sin and enables
28:25
us to live in
28:26
freedom and to
28:27
share that
28:28
freedom.
28:30
We have freedom
28:31
to love Jesus
28:32
and fight for
28:33
Him.
28:33
we unite
28:35
over identities
28:36
and we
28:38
minister out
28:38
of that
28:40
identity as
28:41
well.
28:42
We minister
28:43
together.
28:44
We minister
28:45
to one another.
28:46
We minister
28:47
apart to those
28:48
around us in our
28:49
circles out in
28:51
the world.
28:51
world.
28:54
We haven't been
28:55
called just to
28:56
meet.
28:57
We haven't been
28:58
called to gather
28:59
together on Sunday
29:00
morning at
29:00
1030.
29:01
We have been
29:05
sent into the
29:06
world to live
29:08
for Jesus, to
29:09
fight for Jesus, to
29:10
make disciples, to
29:12
live in the world
29:12
and love those
29:14
around us.
29:16
We have been
29:16
sent to be
29:18
as 2 Corinthians
29:19
5 says,
29:20
ministers of
29:21
reconciliation.
29:25
But the
29:26
question is,
29:27
how can we be
29:27
ministers of
29:29
reconciliation if
29:30
we ourselves
29:31
have never been
29:32
reconciled?
29:34
If we
29:34
ourselves have
29:35
never received
29:36
faith to
29:36
believe in
29:37
Jesus and
29:38
repented of
29:39
our sins?
29:41
Or maybe we
29:42
just don't
29:42
understand that
29:43
being set free
29:44
comes from
29:45
Jesus' work on
29:46
the cross and
29:47
not from some
29:48
good life that
29:51
I live.
29:57
Turn to
29:58
Colossians
29:59
chapter 3.
30:00
And then we'll
30:01
come back to
30:01
Romans.
30:04
Colossians
30:04
chapter 3.
30:14
The beginning
30:15
of chapter 3,
30:18
Paul,
30:18
writing to the
30:19
church at
30:19
Colossae,
30:21
says we
30:23
basically have a
30:24
new identity in
30:25
Christ.
30:26
Verses 1-4,
30:27
this is our
30:28
new identity.
30:29
Because of what
30:32
Christ has done,
30:33
this is who we
30:34
are.
30:35
So we can jump
30:36
down to verse
30:37
12.
30:40
This is how we
30:42
should live
30:43
together,
30:43
how we should
30:44
gather together,
30:45
how we should
30:45
act amongst one
30:46
another.
30:47
It says,
30:47
put on love.
30:48
Put on then,
30:48
as God's chosen
30:49
ones,
30:50
holy and beloved,
30:52
compassionate hearts,
30:54
kindness,
30:55
humility,
30:56
meekness,
30:57
and patience,
30:58
bearing with one
30:59
another.
30:59
And if one has a
31:00
complaint against
31:01
another,
31:01
forgiving each other
31:02
as the Lord has
31:03
forgiven you,
31:04
so you also must
31:05
forgive.
31:07
And above all
31:07
these,
31:08
put on love,
31:08
which binds
31:09
everything together
31:10
in perfect harmony.
31:11
And let the peace
31:13
of Christ rule
31:14
in your hearts,
31:15
to which indeed
31:16
you were called
31:17
in one body.
31:18
And be thankful.
31:20
Let the Word of
31:20
Christ dwell in you
31:21
richly,
31:22
teaching and admonishing
31:23
one another in all
31:24
wisdom,
31:25
singing psalms and hymns
31:27
and spiritual songs
31:27
with thankfulness in
31:29
your hearts to God.
31:30
And whatever you do,
31:31
in word or deed,
31:32
do everything in the
31:33
name of the Lord
31:34
Jesus,
31:35
giving thanks to
31:36
God the Father
31:37
through Him.
31:41
This is living like
31:43
this.
31:43
Put on compassionate
31:45
hearts,
31:45
kindness,
31:46
humility,
31:46
meekness,
31:47
patience.
31:47
Put on love.
31:49
Let the Word of
31:49
Christ dwell in you
31:50
richly.
31:51
All of that is out
31:52
of what Christ has
31:53
done for you and
31:54
for me.
31:55
You can't do any of
31:56
this apart from the
31:58
work of Christ on
31:58
the cross.
32:00
Apart from a new
32:01
identity.
32:05
Our new identity
32:06
identity is not
32:07
this ambiguous
32:08
idea.
32:09
It's not this
32:09
someday,
32:13
maybe,
32:14
possibly,
32:15
might happen
32:15
thing.
32:17
It's present
32:18
now.
32:19
It's a present
32:19
moment thing.
32:21
Look at verse
32:21
22 of Romans
32:22
6.
32:24
Back to Romans
32:25
chapter 6.
32:31
Language is in
32:32
present tense.
32:34
Verse 22.
32:36
But now that you
32:39
have been set free
32:40
from sin,
32:42
writing to the
32:43
church in Rome,
32:44
writing to
32:45
Christians,
32:45
to believers,
32:47
but now that you
32:48
have been set free
32:49
from sin and
32:50
have become slaves
32:51
of God, the fruit
32:53
you get leads to
32:53
sanctification and
32:54
eternal life.
32:56
It is now that we
32:58
have a new identity.
32:59
It's not when we
33:00
die and we're with
33:01
Jesus.
33:01
It is now.
33:04
We are no longer
33:04
slaves to sin.
33:05
Sin no longer
33:06
has power over us
33:07
because of Christ
33:08
and the cross we
33:09
have this new
33:09
identity.
33:13
Galatians 4,
33:14
verse 7 gives us
33:15
a clear picture of
33:15
identity change.
33:18
Verse 7 of
33:19
Galatians chapter 4.
33:20
So you are no
33:21
longer a slave,
33:23
but a son.
33:25
And if a son,
33:27
then an heir
33:28
through God.
33:29
We are no longer
33:31
a slave to sin,
33:32
but an heir to
33:33
the greatest
33:34
kingdom.
33:35
The greatest
33:36
kingdom that has
33:37
ever been.
33:39
A kingdom that is
33:40
beyond our
33:40
understanding and
33:41
comprehension.
33:42
This is who we
33:43
are.
33:44
This is our new
33:44
identity.
33:46
And this new
33:46
identity affects
33:47
every area of our
33:49
lives, including
33:50
the times we
33:51
gather together.
33:52
in verse 20,
33:55
it says in
33:56
chapter 6 of
33:57
Romans,
33:59
for when you
33:59
were slaves of
34:00
sin, you were
34:01
free in regard
34:02
to righteousness.
34:04
Which, just
34:06
reading it is a
34:07
pretty obvious
34:08
statement.
34:09
When you're
34:10
slaves of sin,
34:11
you're not
34:12
connected with,
34:12
bound with
34:13
righteousness.
34:14
There's no
34:15
connection there.
34:16
You're not
34:16
under its
34:19
master.
34:24
We were
34:25
free from
34:25
righteousness,
34:26
which means,
34:27
as I've already
34:28
said, we were
34:28
unable to do
34:29
it or be
34:31
righteous.
34:33
Unable.
34:35
We were
34:35
unable to
34:36
please God.
34:38
We had not
34:39
been forgiven.
34:41
We had not
34:42
been given a
34:42
right standing
34:43
before God.
34:46
But not only
34:47
were we unable
34:48
to do righteous
34:48
acts because of
34:49
verse 20,
34:51
really because of
34:51
our sin,
34:52
communicated in
34:53
verse 20,
34:55
there's also no
34:56
binding, no
34:57
commitment between
34:58
us and
34:58
righteousness.
35:00
There was no
35:00
relationship between
35:01
us.
35:03
It did not have
35:03
control over us.
35:05
It did not
35:05
change how we
35:07
did things.
35:08
It didn't
35:08
change our
35:10
identity at all.
35:10
We couldn't
35:12
do any of it.
35:14
We couldn't do
35:14
righteous acts.
35:16
We were broken
35:18
from doing
35:20
good.
35:21
It was not
35:21
connected because
35:24
we were not
35:24
born again.
35:29
Look at the
35:30
end of verse
35:30
22, though.
35:33
The fruit you
35:36
get leads to
35:37
sanctification and
35:39
it's in eternal
35:40
life.
35:42
The end of
35:43
verse 19.
35:44
So now,
35:45
present your
35:45
members as
35:46
slaves to
35:47
righteousness
35:47
leading to
35:49
sanctification.
35:51
Because of
35:52
Jesus,
35:53
because of
35:53
His life,
35:55
death,
35:55
and resurrection,
35:57
because of
35:57
His perfect
35:58
life,
35:59
sinless life,
36:00
He took on
36:01
our sin.
36:04
He took on
36:05
your sin so
36:06
that you can
36:06
be holy.
36:08
You can be
36:08
made holy.
36:09
holy.
36:12
Jesus died so
36:13
that you and
36:14
I can be
36:14
holy as God
36:15
is holy.
36:17
God is
36:18
working.
36:19
He's working
36:19
in your life.
36:20
He's working
36:20
in my life.
36:21
He's working
36:22
in everyone's
36:22
life in
36:23
here.
36:24
If you're a
36:25
Christian,
36:28
when we
36:29
gather,
36:30
we celebrate
36:33
what God
36:33
is doing
36:34
in us.
36:35
When we
36:36
gather,
36:36
we celebrate
36:37
what He's
36:38
done for
36:39
us.
36:41
We gather,
36:42
we see the
36:42
evidence of
36:43
what God
36:44
is doing
36:44
in each
36:45
other's
36:45
lives.
36:46
We see
36:47
the identity
36:48
change.
36:50
And that
36:50
encourages us.
36:51
That strengthens
36:52
us.
36:54
We gather
36:55
to rejoice
36:56
in Jesus,
36:57
to celebrate
36:58
Him because
36:59
of the slow
37:00
process of
37:01
making us
37:02
holy.
37:04
Perfecting
37:04
us for
37:06
His glory
37:07
and our
37:07
good.
37:09
He's
37:09
healing our
37:10
broken hearts.
37:11
He's
37:11
mending
37:12
marriages back
37:13
together.
37:14
He's
37:14
breaking
37:14
addictions.
37:15
He is
37:16
making the
37:16
dead
37:17
alive.
37:19
We come
37:20
together to
37:21
taste and
37:21
see this
37:22
stuff.
37:22
We come
37:23
together to
37:23
see that
37:24
He is
37:25
God and
37:25
He is
37:26
good.
37:27
We see
37:28
it among
37:28
His people.
37:29
We see
37:30
it in the
37:30
face of
37:31
the husband
37:31
and wife
37:31
whose marriage
37:32
has been
37:32
reconciled.
37:34
We see
37:35
it in the
37:35
college
37:35
graduate who
37:36
is more
37:37
excited about
37:38
serving Jesus
37:38
than any
37:39
potential job
37:40
pay.
37:41
We see
37:42
it in a
37:42
life that
37:43
has been
37:43
changed by
37:44
the gospel.
37:46
We come
37:47
to rejoice
37:48
that we
37:48
all in
37:49
Christ have
37:51
been set
37:51
free from
37:52
sin.
37:53
We've all
37:54
been set
37:55
free.
37:56
We live
37:57
no longer
37:57
under the
37:58
power of
37:58
sin but
37:58
in the
37:59
victory over
37:59
it.
38:00
And we
38:00
push one
38:01
another on.
38:02
We push
38:03
one another
38:03
forward.
38:03
Lord, we
38:06
come together
38:06
to celebrate
38:07
that death
38:09
for us is
38:10
a beginning
38:11
and not
38:11
an end.
38:14
And eternal
38:15
life is our
38:16
destination.
38:18
Eternity with
38:18
Jesus is
38:20
where we're
38:20
headed if we
38:21
know Jesus.
38:25
We come
38:26
together not
38:27
to celebrate
38:28
what He
38:29
has done,
38:29
what we have
38:30
done.
38:30
We don't
38:30
come to
38:31
celebrate that
38:32
or our
38:32
talents.
38:34
Although sin
38:35
will tell
38:35
us that's
38:37
why we
38:37
gather.
38:38
Sin will
38:39
tell you to
38:39
come and
38:40
celebrate what
38:40
you have
38:41
done.
38:43
We have
38:43
been given
38:44
victory over
38:45
that sin so
38:46
that we can
38:46
come and
38:47
rejoice in
38:48
what Jesus
38:48
is doing
38:49
and has
38:49
done.
38:50
We come
38:51
together to
38:51
lift up
38:52
Jesus so
38:54
that we can
38:54
go strengthened
38:55
and empowered
38:56
to fight the
38:58
good fight for
38:58
Him and
38:59
His name.
39:00
Listen to
39:02
these words
39:02
from Charles
39:03
Simeon in
39:03
a sermon.
39:04
He says,
39:05
For a
39:05
nominal
39:06
Christian is
39:06
content with
39:08
proving the
39:09
way of
39:09
salvation by
39:10
a crucified
39:11
Redeemer.
39:12
So a
39:12
nominal
39:12
Christian is
39:13
content with
39:13
just saying,
39:14
I am
39:15
saved because
39:16
of Jesus
39:16
on the
39:17
cross and
39:17
that's it.
39:19
But the
39:20
true Christian
39:21
loves it,
39:23
delights in
39:24
it,
39:25
glories in
39:26
it,
39:26
and shudders
39:27
at the
39:28
very thought
39:29
of glorying
39:30
in anything
39:31
else.
39:34
The
39:34
true Christian
39:35
loves it,
39:37
delights in
39:38
it,
39:38
glories in
39:39
it,
39:39
and shudders
39:40
at the
39:40
very thought
39:41
of glorying
39:42
in anything
39:42
else.
39:43
This is
39:44
who we
39:44
want CFC
39:45
to be,
39:46
to be
39:47
filled with.
39:47
This is
39:48
what we
39:48
want CFC
39:48
to be.
39:49
True
39:50
Christians
39:50
who love
39:51
Jesus,
39:53
who delight
39:55
in Jesus,
39:56
who glory
39:56
in Jesus,
39:57
and shudder
39:58
at glorying
39:59
in anything
40:00
or anyone
40:01
else.
40:03
We come
40:03
together to
40:04
rejoice in
40:05
Jesus,
40:06
as our
40:06
statement of
40:07
faith says,
40:08
to experience,
40:09
proclaim,
40:10
and display
40:11
the supremacy
40:11
of Jesus
40:12
in all
40:12
things.
40:15
Because we
40:15
have been set
40:16
free,
40:17
our identity
40:17
has changed,
40:18
and we
40:18
gather to
40:19
celebrate
40:20
that in
40:22
Jesus'
40:22
name.
40:26
We have
40:27
been set
40:28
free from
40:28
sin to
40:31
live lives
40:31
that are no
40:32
longer in
40:32
bondage to
40:33
sin,
40:34
but is
40:34
victorious over
40:35
it.
40:37
It is that
40:37
simple.
40:40
In verse
40:40
19, I
40:41
skipped over
40:42
this phrase
40:42
the last two
40:43
weeks because
40:44
I wasn't sure
40:44
what to do
40:45
with it.
40:45
The beginning
40:46
of verse
40:46
19, I am
40:47
speaking in
40:48
human terms
40:49
because of
40:49
your natural
40:50
limitations.
40:52
It's not an
40:53
insult.
40:54
He's not saying
40:54
you guys are
40:55
dumb.
40:55
And so I'm
40:56
speaking clearly
40:57
to you or
40:57
speaking in
41:00
simple tone or
41:01
simple words.
41:02
What he's saying
41:02
is I'm using
41:03
simple language
41:04
because you
41:05
understand and
41:06
you need to
41:06
understand.
41:07
So he uses
41:07
slave and
41:08
master because
41:09
the church in
41:10
Rome would
41:10
understand that
41:11
clearly.
41:12
He uses this
41:13
and he repeats
41:13
it over and
41:14
over and says
41:15
it in different
41:15
ways so that
41:16
they can
41:16
understand.
41:18
We have
41:19
been set free
41:19
from sin.
41:21
Sin no longer
41:22
has power over
41:23
us.
41:23
It's that
41:24
simple.
41:24
simple.
41:25
Jesus died on
41:25
the cross for
41:26
our sin.
41:27
It's that
41:27
simple.
41:28
Let us not
41:29
muck up the
41:29
water so that
41:30
no one can
41:31
understand it.
41:33
We have been
41:34
set free.
41:35
You have been
41:35
set free.
41:36
I have been
41:37
set free.
41:39
We have
41:39
received a new
41:40
identity and
41:40
that is why we
41:41
gather.
41:44
We meet
41:44
together because
41:45
Jesus died
41:46
for us.
41:48
We have been
41:49
justified by
41:50
faith.
41:50
we are being
41:55
made holy by
41:56
God.
41:58
We can
41:59
worship together.
42:00
We can
42:00
celebrate together
42:01
and we can
42:01
rejoice together
42:02
because of what
42:03
Jesus has done
42:04
giving us a new
42:05
identity.
42:08
Christians,
42:09
let us rejoice
42:10
over our new
42:12
identity.
42:13
Let us fight
42:14
for His name,
42:15
for His renown,
42:17
for His acclaim,
42:17
for He is
42:19
worthy of all
42:20
praise.