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Romans 5:6-11 · Providence Baptist Church - Sermons

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If you've been with us the last few weeks, you know we're in Romans.
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And if it's been the last few weeks and you know we're in Romans chapter 5,
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! Grab your copy of God's Word and turn to Romans chapter 5.
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When Britton and Jed were four, we took a trip out to Arizona.
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And of course, one of the places we visited out there was the Grand Canyon.
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And we had really talked it up.
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Like, you're not going to believe the Grand Canyon.
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We're going to the Grand Canyon. It's so great.
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So on our way to the Grand Canyon, we were about two hours away.
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The kids, as we passed the valley, would say, is that the Grand Canyon?
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No, that's not the Grand Canyon.
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Or as we passed a cliff, they'd say, is that the Grand Canyon?
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And we would say, no, that's not the Grand Canyon.
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If we passed a river, they would say, is that the Grand Canyon?
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And again, we would say, no, that's not the Grand Canyon.
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In fact, we got to the point where we had to say, you will know when you get there that we're at the Grand Canyon.
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It is that magnificent.
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The magnitude of the Grand Canyon is just off the charts.
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In all honesty, if we told them that a small little valley was the Grand Canyon, they wouldn't have known any better.
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They would have probably been happy.
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Because as excited as we were, as much as we talked it up, they were just happy to see something that we talked about.
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That we kind of made exciting.
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The love of God is the same way.
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We too often settle for, or just don't know any better, about the magnitude of God's love.
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When telling somebody about the Grand Canyon, words just don't explain it.
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Words can't do it.
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It just doesn't do the trick.
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It's just one of those places that you just can't explain.
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Well enough.
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Communicating the love of God is the same kind of thing.
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Words just sometimes don't do it.
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So this morning we have a great task.
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I have a great task to try to communicate to you through Romans chapter 5 the love of God.
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I feel a lot of times that I'm explaining a small valley.
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Or a ditch even.
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When the love of God is the Grand Canyon.
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So let's start reading in chapter 5 verse 6.
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Read through verse 11.
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Romans chapter 5.
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It says,
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For while we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly.
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For one will scarcely die for a righteous person, though perhaps for a good person one would dare even to die.
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But God shows his love for us.
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And that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.
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Since, therefore, we have now been justified by his blood, much more shall we be saved by him from the wrath of God.
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For if, while we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his son, much more, now that we are reconciled, shall we be saved by his life.
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More than that, we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation.
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Pray with me.
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Father, we thank you for your word.
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We thank you that there's power in your word.
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That as we read, we are hearing words from you to us this morning.
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And God, I pray that you would speak through me this morning.
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That you would use me.
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That I would decrease and you would increase here this morning.
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That your name would be proclaimed.
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Your name be exalted.
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Your plan, your desires for us would be lifted up and that be clearly seen to all of us.
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And God, can we get a glimpse, get a big picture maybe even, of the love that you have for us.
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I pray, God, that we as a group in this room, that all of us here rejoice and celebrate the love that you have for us.
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And not hide from it, not try to hide it, but we celebrate what you have done and what you have shown us.
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In Jesus' name we pray.
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Amen.
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Amen.
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Amen.
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A hymn written by Isaac Watts entitled, When I Survey the Wondrous Cross.
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Charles Wesley actually said he would trade all his hymns that he wrote if he could be the author of this one hymn.
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When I Survey the Wondrous Cross.
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All we can do is really survey the wondrous cross.
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All we can do is look at it and get a big picture, a view of it.
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And continually be surprised by it.
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Be in awe of it and rejoice in it.
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Paul in our text repeats the same thing, but in different ways.
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Because all he can do is survey that wondrous cross.
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All he can do is survey the love that God has shown mankind.
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So let us this morning survey the cross.
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Let us look at it.
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Take a survey of the love of God.
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Because the cross is the center of the love that God has.
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Last week I said that chapter 5 of Romans is about the assurance of our salvation in Christ.
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We are assured of our salvation because of the magnitude of God's love.
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Because of the weight and the substance and how big God's love is.
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It is an eternal, forever and always love.
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We are assured of our salvation in Christ Jesus because God's love is life changing.
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It saves his children from the wrath they deserve.
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It reconciles his children to himself.
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And it compels his children to be ministers of reconciliation to the world.
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God's love is life changing.
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So our first point this morning is just that.
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God's love is life changing.
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Verses 6 through 8 says,
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For while we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly.
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For one will scarcely die for a righteous person,
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though perhaps for a good person one would dare even to die.
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But God chose his love for us.
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And that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.
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Take a look at the adjectives that Paul uses to describe the us or the we in this text.
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The Christians.
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Paul uses weak in verse 6.
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Somebody who is helpless.
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King James says it's without strength.
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Someone who is unable to help themselves.
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Verse 6 also says ungodly.
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An adjective he calls them ungodly.
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The opposite of godly.
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Having nothing to do with God or his standards.
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Ephesians chapter 2 verses 1 through 3 says,
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And you were dead in your trespasses and sins in which you once walked,
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following the course of this world,
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following the prince of the power of the air,
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the spirit that is now at work,
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in the sons of disobedience,
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among whom we all once lived in the passions of our flesh,
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carrying out the desires of the body and the mind,
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and were by nature children of wrath,
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like the rest of mankind.
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Ephesians is also written by Paul.
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So in Romans 5, we're weak.
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We're ungodly.
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In Ephesians 2, we're dead.
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Sons of disobedience.
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Children of wrath.
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Colossians 2 also says that we were dead in our trespasses.
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See, what we have to do is,
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though we're going down a gloom and doom direction,
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but we have to talk about who we were,
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and in some cases even are,
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to see the magnitude of God's love for his children.
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It's almost like the before and after pictures
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of when the sumanami came through Japan.
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See, things looking great and perfect,
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and then the after pictures,
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everything's wiped out.
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We have to see who we are before
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so that we can then see who we are after.
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Verse 8 says that we're sinners.
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Of Romans chapter 5.
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The adjective calls us sinners.
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What is sin?
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Sin is any failure to conform to the mortal law of God
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in act, in attitude, or in nature.
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So, the question for you is,
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have you ever lied?
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Have you ever lied?
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Have you ever stolen anything?
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Anything.
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Have you ever taken the Lord's name in vain?
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Have you ever looked at a girl lustfully
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or a guy lustfully?
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Have you answered yes to these questions
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and you are a lying,
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blaspheming, fornicating thief?
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You are a sinner.
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You have broken four out of the ten commandments
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and it took me 30 seconds to figure that out.
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This is the reality.
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The point of asking those questions
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is to crush any thought in you
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that you are good apart from Christ.
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God's word is clear that none is good.
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None of us can do anything God-honoring on our own.
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In fact, that's a little sugar-coated.
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God's word says that no one does good.
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We are dead inside.
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Decayed, lifeless bodies
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needing a resurrection before Christ.
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Needing a resurrection or a miracle
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without Christ.
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So this is where our story begins.
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This is kind of where we launch to.
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Look at verse 8 of Romans chapter 5.
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It starts with two beautiful words.
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But God.
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Ephesians chapter 2 does the same thing
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in verse 4.
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It says,
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But God.
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Romans 5.
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It says,
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But God shows His love for us
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and that while we were still sinners,
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Christ died for us.
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Ephesians 2 verse 4 through 6 says,
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But God,
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being rich in mercy
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because of the great love
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with which He loved us,
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even when we were dead in our trespasses,
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He made us alive together with Christ.
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By grace you have been saved
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and raised us up with Him
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and seated us with Him
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in the heavenly places
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in Christ Jesus.
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God's love is life changes.
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It makes the dead alive.
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It makes the weak strong
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and it makes the sick well.
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God's love makes a new creation
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out of the old.
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2 Corinthians 5.17
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If anyone is in Christ,
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he is a new creation.
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The old has passed away.
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Today,
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behold,
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the new has come.
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The love of God
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takes the sin of sinners
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and removes them.
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Colossians chapter 2
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says,
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And you were dead
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in your trespasses
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and the uncircumcision
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in your flesh.
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Listen to this.
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God made a life
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together with Him,
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having forgiven us
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all our trespasses
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by canceling
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the record of debt
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that stood against us
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with its legal demands.
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And He's not talking about
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the courtroom down the street.
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This,
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He set aside,
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nailing it to the cross.
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The love of God
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takes the sin of sinners
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and removes them.
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Not only does God's love
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make the dead alive,
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it also removes the sin
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through the cross.
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He canceled the debt
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of our sin
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that we were condemned with.
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Turned sinners into saints.
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This is the love of God.
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Turn to Psalm 103.
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Psalm 103 is written by David,
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a man who understood
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God's love.
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A man, the Bible says,
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was a man after God's own heart.
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If you're a Christian
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and we read these words together,
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celebrate in it.
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Celebrate this love
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that God has shown us.
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If you're not a Christian,
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see what God has done
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for sinners.
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Starting in verse 1.
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Bless the Lord,
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O my soul,
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and all that is within me.
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Bless His holy name.
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Bless the Lord,
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O my soul,
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and forget not
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all His benefits,
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who forgives
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all your iniquity,
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who heals
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all your diseases,
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who redeems,
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who redeems your life
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from the pit,
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who crowns you
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with steadfast love
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and mercy,
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who satisfies you
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with good
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so that your youth
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is renewed
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like the eagles.
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The Lord works righteousness
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and justice
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for all who are oppressed.
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He made known
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His ways to Moses,
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His acts
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to the people of Israel.
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The Lord is merciful
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and gracious,
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slow to anger,
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and abounding
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in steadfast love.
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He will not always chide,
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nor will He keep
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His anger forever.
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He does not deal with us
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according to our sins,
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nor repay us
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according to our iniquities.
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For as high as the heavens
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are above the earth,
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so great is His steadfast love
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towards those
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who fear Him.
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As far as the east
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is from the west,
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so far does He remove
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our transgressions from us.
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As a father shows compassion
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to his children,
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so the Lord
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shows compassion
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to those who fear Him.
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For He knows our frame.
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He remembers
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that we are dust.
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As for man,
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his days are like grass.
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He flourishes
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like a flower of the field
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for the wind passes over it
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and it is gone.
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And its place
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knows it no more.
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But
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the steadfast love
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of the Lord
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is from everlasting
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to everlasting
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on those
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who fear Him.
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And His righteousness
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to children's children,
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to those
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who keep His covenant
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and remember
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to do His commandments.
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The Lord has established
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His throne
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in the heavens
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and His kingdom
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rules over all.
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Bless the Lord,
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O you His angels,
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you mighty ones
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who do His word,
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obeying the voice
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of His word.
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Bless the Lord,
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all His hosts,
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His ministers
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who do His will.
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Bless the Lord,
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all His works
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in places of His dominion.
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Bless the Lord,
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O my soul.
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That is the God.
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That is the God
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we worship.
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That is the God
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who has shown us love
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and it is His love
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that we celebrate
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this morning.
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It is His love
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that changes lives.
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Reading this
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and seeing God's love
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is
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His love
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is
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honestly,
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clearly
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outside of our understanding.
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See,
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what we've done
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is we've contaminated
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the word love.
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We've contaminated
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this word
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because we say,
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I love cheeseburgers
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or
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I love
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TV show
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blank
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or I love
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my mom
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or
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I love you.
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Well,
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which kind of love
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is it?
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The love that you have
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for food
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or the love that you have
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for a TV show?
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I'm uncertain.
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So,
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so when we try
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to wrap our heads
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around
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God's love,
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the two
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just don't compute
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our idea of love
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and His idea.
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So,
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verse 7
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in Romans chapter 5
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says,
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For one will scarcely
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die for a righteous person,
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though perhaps
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for a good person
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one would dare
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even die.
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In other words,
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we very rarely
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would die for any person
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righteous or good.
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We're just not
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going to do it.
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We are selfish creatures
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created and wired
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to be selfish.
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But God is not.
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Verse 8 said,
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But God showed
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His love for us
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and while we were sinners,
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Christ died for us.
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2 Corinthians 5
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21,
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we alluded to it earlier.
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For our sake
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He made Him
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to be sin
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who knew
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no sin.
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So that in Him
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we might become
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the righteousness
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of God.
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So no longer
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are we sinners.
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No longer
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are we weak.
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No longer
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are we ungodly.
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But we can now
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be the righteousness
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of God.
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And that is good news.
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God's love
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is life changing.
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He makes the dead alive,
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the sick well,
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and the old new.
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Also,
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second point,
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God's love
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saves us
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from the wrath
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we deserve.
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Since therefore
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we have now
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been justified
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by His blood
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in verse 9,
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much more
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shall we be saved
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by Him
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from the wrath
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of God.
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God's love
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is shown
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to mankind
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in two
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different ways.
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There's only two.
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In one way
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it's by giving
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sinners
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what they deserve.
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Which is the wrath
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of God
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and the end
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of that
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is hell.
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Romans 1.18
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says,
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For the wrath
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of God
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is revealed
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from heaven
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against all
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ungodliness
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and unrighteousness
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of men.
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In Luke
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chapter 13,
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Jesus is teaching
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in verse 1-5,
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He repeats Himself
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twice and says,
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Unless you repent,
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you likewise
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will perish.
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He's talking about
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in what He's talking
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about is the cities
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that have crumbled.
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But what He's talking
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about,
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what He's saying
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here is that
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if you do not repent,
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you will perish
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eternally,
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not just here
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on this earth.
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Hell is a real place
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where real emotions
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and real feelings
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exist.
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In Luke chapter 16,
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we have the story
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of Lazarus,
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a homeless man
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with swords on his body
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and a rich man.
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And the rich man
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eats rich food.
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And it says
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that Lazarus
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would just want
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to eat the crumbs
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off the rich man's table.
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And both of them die.
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And the rich man
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goes to hell.
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And it says
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that Abraham
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helps and picks up
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Lazarus
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and takes him to heaven.
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Here's some of the words
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that Lazarus says
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while he's in hell
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or Hades.
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Verse 23 says
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that he is in torment.
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Verse 24 says,
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I am in anguish.
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Verse 28 calls it
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a place of torment.
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Now, whether this story
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is a true story,
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whether it's a parable
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or a vision,
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the point is the same.
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The description
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that awaits sinners
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who do not repent
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of their sin
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is a horrible place.
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It is a real place
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with emotion
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and feeling.
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If you remember
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the story,
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the rich man says,
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Abraham,
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please let Lazarus
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dip his finger in water
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and bring it to my mouth.
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He's that thirsty,
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that tortured
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and tormented.
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God has wrath
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towards sin
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because he is righteous
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and holy.
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He must have
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wrath to be God.
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Because if I define sin
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as any failure
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to conform
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to the moral law
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of God
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in act,
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attitude,
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or nature,
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then God being God,
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he must punish
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that sin.
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I have four beautiful
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children of my own
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and a beautiful Charlotte
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who stays with us.
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Would I be loving
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if I just let them
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do whatever they wanted to?
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Would I be loving
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if I didn't teach them
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anything?
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I love my kids.
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I love them dearly.
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I love them
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by giving them
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a standard to live by,
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by giving them
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God's standard
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to live by.
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I love them
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even when I'm forced
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by obedience
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to punish them
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for their wrongdoing.
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Likewise,
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God shows sinners
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love by giving them
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what they deserve,
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by punishing them
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for the lives they live.
21:00
Some will say,
21:01
that is a cruel God,
21:02
that's a tyrant
21:04
who doesn't love,
21:05
he just rules.
21:06
I say,
21:07
and Scripture says,
21:08
that God loves
21:09
those he disciplines.
21:11
God shows his love
21:13
to humanity
21:13
by punishing the sin.
21:17
God's love
21:17
is also shown
21:18
to sinners
21:19
by giving sinners
21:21
what they do not deserve.
21:24
Verse 9
21:25
in Romans 5
21:26
says,
21:28
Since therefore
21:28
we have now
21:29
been justified
21:30
by his love,
21:32
much more
21:33
shall we be saved
21:34
by him
21:34
from the wrath
21:35
of God.
21:37
You remember earlier
21:38
I read through
21:39
Ephesians chapter 2
21:40
or a little bit of it?
21:42
Right in the middle
21:43
of that,
21:43
Paul says,
21:44
by grace
21:45
you have been saved.
21:47
So,
21:47
he says,
21:47
but God,
21:48
being rich in mercy
21:49
because of the great love
21:50
with which he loved us,
21:52
even when we were dead
21:53
in our trespasses,
21:54
made us alive
21:55
together with Christ.
21:56
By grace
21:57
you have been saved
21:58
and raised us up
22:00
with him
22:00
and seated us
22:01
with him
22:01
in heavenly places
22:02
in Christ Jesus.
22:06
By grace
22:07
we have been saved.
22:08
Unmerited favor
22:09
given to those
22:11
who don't deserve it.
22:13
It's a gift.
22:14
A new life.
22:16
Being dead
22:17
or now being made alive.
22:22
There's nothing
22:23
we've done,
22:23
nothing we have said,
22:25
nothing we can do
22:26
to change the grace
22:27
that God has shown
22:28
you or I
22:29
if you are a Christian.
22:32
God is God
22:33
and he does
22:33
as he pleases.
22:35
He does what brings
22:36
him glory
22:36
and making the dead alive
22:38
so that the new life
22:39
can live for his glory
22:40
brings him more glory.
22:43
God loves sinners.
22:45
He loves his children
22:46
and he shows it
22:47
through grace.
22:49
Our third point,
22:49
God's love
22:50
reconciles his children
22:52
to himself.
22:53
Verses 10 and 11.
22:57
It says,
22:58
For if while we were enemies
22:59
we were reconciled
23:00
to God
23:01
by the death
23:01
of his Son,
23:03
much more now
23:04
that we are reconciled
23:05
so we be saved
23:07
by his life.
23:08
More than that,
23:09
we also rejoice
23:11
in God
23:11
through our Lord
23:12
Jesus Christ
23:12
through whom
23:13
we have now received
23:14
reconciliation.
23:19
Reconciles
23:19
or reconciliation
23:20
is a relationship
23:21
that has been broken
23:22
and now has been
23:24
mended.
23:26
Put back together.
23:27
The picture for us
23:29
is coming back
23:30
to what we were created
23:31
to be originally.
23:33
We were created
23:34
in God's image.
23:37
Genesis 1,
23:38
26 and 27
23:39
tells us that
23:39
we were created
23:41
to be image bearers
23:42
of God.
23:43
We were created
23:44
to reflect
23:45
the glory
23:46
of him
23:47
to the world.
23:48
That's what we were
23:49
created to do.
23:50
And it took
23:51
one chapter,
23:53
one chapter
23:53
in this book
23:54
to ruin that.
23:55
Chapter 3
23:56
is the fall.
23:59
We became
24:00
image bearers
24:01
of ourselves
24:02
instead of of God.
24:03
Instead of reflecting
24:04
God's glory,
24:05
we've reflected
24:06
our sin
24:06
and our desire
24:07
to honor ourselves
24:09
instead of God.
24:11
That's us
24:12
in the Garden of Eden.
24:13
And until Christ
24:16
came to earth
24:17
to live
24:17
a perfect
24:18
sinless life,
24:19
to die
24:20
and take on
24:20
the sin of the world,
24:22
to bear the wrath
24:23
of God
24:23
that we deserve,
24:24
we are
24:26
image bearers
24:27
of ourselves
24:27
until Christ
24:29
came.
24:31
He came
24:32
to die
24:32
for sinners
24:33
so that sinners
24:34
who are dead
24:35
can be made
24:35
alive.
24:36
This is the love
24:37
of God.
24:40
Because of Christ,
24:41
we have been
24:42
reconciled to God.
24:43
Our relationship
24:44
has been fixed.
24:45
We're no longer
24:47
severed by sin
24:48
but made right
24:49
in Christ.
24:51
We are now
24:52
image bearers
24:53
of God.
24:55
You now bear
24:56
the image
24:57
of God
24:57
in His glory.
24:59
Or at least
25:00
you should.
25:02
It's a great,
25:03
great privilege
25:04
to be image bearers.
25:06
God has acted
25:07
on our behalf
25:07
not for our glory
25:09
but for His.
25:11
Not for
25:11
praising us
25:13
but for
25:14
praising
25:14
and pleasing
25:15
Him.
25:16
He has reconciled
25:18
us to Himself
25:18
because of the love
25:19
that God has
25:21
for us
25:22
and for His glory.
25:24
Look at the beginning
25:25
of verse 11.
25:27
A familiar
25:27
three words
25:29
that we have seen
25:29
in chapter 5.
25:31
It says,
25:31
more than that.
25:34
More than that.
25:36
In verse 3
25:37
of chapter 5
25:37
we saw more than that.
25:39
He says,
25:40
more than that
25:40
we rejoice
25:41
in our sufferings.
25:43
So we rejoice
25:44
in our sufferings
25:45
more than rejoicing
25:47
in verse 1 and 2
25:48
our future glory.
25:49
What we will be
25:50
when we are perfected.
25:52
What we have to
25:53
look forward to.
25:55
Well now,
25:56
in verse 11,
25:57
more than that
25:58
we also rejoice
25:59
in God
25:59
through our Lord
26:00
Jesus Christ.
26:03
See,
26:03
God is to be
26:04
our focus of worship.
26:06
He is to be
26:07
our center.
26:07
our one true love.
26:10
I wonder
26:11
how often
26:12
we take the focus
26:13
off of God
26:14
and put it on someone
26:15
or something else.
26:17
I wonder
26:17
how often
26:18
do we remove God
26:20
as our Lord
26:21
and put in His place
26:22
a cause.
26:23
We put in His place
26:24
a belief
26:25
or a girl
26:26
or a boy
26:27
or a pastor
26:28
or a certain type
26:29
of theology
26:30
or a certain type
26:32
of music
26:33
or a certain type
26:34
of order of service.
26:35
We have so many things
26:37
that can easily
26:38
be placed
26:39
in the crosshairs
26:40
of our worship.
26:42
We have so many options
26:44
and what Paul
26:45
reminds us here
26:46
is no matter
26:47
the circumstances,
26:48
no matter
26:49
the great things
26:50
to look forward to,
26:51
no matter
26:52
the wonderful things
26:53
He has done,
26:54
He is to be the center
26:55
of our worship.
26:57
He is the one
26:59
who loves.
26:59
He is the one
27:00
who saves
27:00
and He is the one
27:01
who reconciles.
27:03
We now have
27:03
a relationship
27:04
with Him
27:04
where we can pray
27:05
to Him.
27:06
We can call Him
27:07
Father.
27:07
We can actually
27:08
call Him Daddy
27:09
as in Abba Father.
27:13
We can approach
27:14
the throne
27:15
with boldness
27:15
all done
27:16
by His redeeming hand,
27:18
His love
27:19
for His glory.
27:21
We have been
27:21
reconciled to Him,
27:23
by Him,
27:24
and through Him.
27:26
What a great
27:27
and loving God
27:28
we serve.
27:30
What a great
27:30
and loving God.
27:32
We can be assured
27:33
of our salvation
27:34
is secured
27:36
in Christ
27:37
because of the love
27:38
that God
27:38
has shown us.
27:40
So not only
27:41
is God's love
27:42
life-changing
27:43
and not only
27:44
does it save us
27:45
from the wrath
27:46
of God
27:46
and reconcile us
27:48
to Himself,
27:49
but fourthly,
27:50
God's love
27:50
compels us
27:51
to be ministers
27:52
of reconciliation.
27:55
2 Corinthians 5.
27:56
Go ahead
27:57
and turn
27:57
to 2 Corinthians 5.
28:02
2 Corinthians 5.
28:08
Verse 14.
28:10
It says,
28:11
For the love of Christ
28:12
controls us.
28:13
ESV says controls.
28:15
Other versions say
28:17
compels us.
28:17
For the love of Christ
28:18
compels us
28:19
because we have concluded
28:21
this,
28:22
that one has died
28:22
for all,
28:23
therefore all
28:24
have died.
28:26
Verse 18 says,
28:28
All this is from God
28:29
who through Christ
28:31
reconciled us
28:32
to Himself
28:33
and gave us
28:34
the ministry
28:35
of reconciliation.
28:36
We are now
28:37
compelled,
28:38
controlled
28:39
by the love of God
28:40
and the love of Christ
28:41
to be part
28:41
of the mission
28:42
of God.
28:44
To go
28:44
and to make disciples.
28:46
To help reconcile
28:48
them to God.
28:49
We have been charged
28:50
with marching orders.
28:51
Where we will go?
28:53
What people
28:54
are you loving?
28:55
What people
28:55
are you praying for?
28:57
What barista
28:57
are you discipling?
28:59
What office mate
29:00
are you communicating
29:01
the love of God to?
29:03
What fellow student
29:04
are you sharing
29:05
with the love of God
29:06
in hopes
29:07
that the gospel
29:07
will take root?
29:10
We have been given
29:11
a mission.
29:12
Let us not fail.
29:13
Let us proclaim
29:14
with boldness
29:16
the love
29:17
that God has
29:17
for them.
29:18
In verse 20
29:19
of 2 Corinthians 5,
29:21
it says,
29:21
Therefore,
29:22
we are ambassadors
29:23
for Christ.
29:25
God making His appeal
29:27
through us.
29:28
We are His ambassadors.
29:31
We're not just
29:31
disciples.
29:32
Now we're ambassadors.
29:33
We represent Him.
29:35
To be an ambassador
29:36
for anything,
29:37
one must know
29:38
the person they represent.
29:39
Do you know
29:40
Jesus?
29:42
They must have approval
29:43
by the one represented
29:45
and they must have
29:46
a message to share.
29:50
If you're a Christian,
29:51
you have all three.
29:54
You know Jesus.
29:57
You've been approved
29:58
by Him to be an ambassador.
29:59
His Word says it.
30:00
And you have a message
30:02
to share.
30:04
God's love
30:04
is life-changing.
30:06
It does not matter
30:07
what you have done
30:07
or what they have done
30:09
or any person
30:10
has done.
30:12
God,
30:12
Jesus Christ
30:13
died bearing
30:14
the sin of the world.
30:15
Bearing the wrath
30:16
of God
30:17
so that
30:17
any and all sins
30:19
can be forgiven.
30:22
I have a
30:22
copy of
30:23
letters,
30:25
transactions
30:26
between a
30:27
serial killer
30:28
and a guy
30:29
named Roger.
30:32
Serial killer's name
30:33
is Wesley Allen Dodd.
30:35
Been described as
30:36
one of the most
30:36
evil killers
30:37
in history
30:38
because
30:39
of the
30:41
methods
30:42
and the
30:42
heinous
30:43
acts
30:44
of his
30:44
crimes.
30:47
I'm going to read you
30:49
some transactions
30:50
through here.
30:52
Roger writes
30:53
first and says,
30:54
because of the love
30:56
of Christ in me,
30:57
I care about you
30:59
and love you.
31:01
I am watching
31:02
the news
31:02
a couple of nights
31:03
ago
31:03
and immediately
31:05
began writing
31:06
this letter.
31:07
I heard your
31:08
plea for an
31:08
expedient death
31:09
so that you
31:10
wouldn't do more
31:11
of what you've
31:11
already done.
31:13
At first,
31:14
I felt
31:14
that it was
31:15
quite noble
31:16
to protect
31:16
society like that.
31:18
I hoped
31:19
that I could
31:19
have that courage
31:20
given the same
31:21
situation.
31:22
Then I realized
31:23
even more so
31:24
how sad it is
31:25
to be so
31:26
confined and
31:26
bound by sin
31:27
that death
31:28
seems the only
31:30
out.
31:31
I really feel
31:32
for you,
31:32
not in a sense
31:33
of looking down
31:34
on you,
31:35
but knowing
31:36
quite well
31:36
what it is
31:37
to be bound
31:37
by sin.
31:39
Sin is sin
31:40
no matter
31:41
how perverted
31:41
it is.
31:43
You may be
31:44
compelled to
31:44
rape and kill
31:45
children.
31:46
Another man
31:47
may steal
31:47
cars.
31:48
Someone's
31:48
mother can't
31:50
help but lie
31:51
all the time.
31:52
A 50-year-old
31:53
man is still
31:54
trying to
31:54
control the
31:55
same lust
31:55
he fought
31:56
when he
31:56
was 14.
31:57
Name one
31:58
person who
31:59
hasn't been
31:59
secretly
31:59
controlled by
32:00
sin.
32:01
They want
32:02
to get rid
32:02
of it,
32:03
but they
32:03
can't.
32:04
Many people
32:05
give up and
32:05
claim to be
32:06
comfortable in
32:06
their sin.
32:07
Many are
32:08
convincing in
32:09
their charade
32:10
of happiness.
32:12
But if they
32:13
dare to think,
32:13
they realize
32:14
that in
32:15
actuality,
32:15
they've been
32:16
defeated by
32:17
it.
32:18
That one
32:19
stupid item
32:20
of sin
32:20
has stood
32:21
taller and
32:22
more powerful
32:23
than they.
32:25
No one
32:25
enjoys being
32:26
a slave,
32:27
especially to
32:28
something like
32:29
sin.
32:29
You can't
32:30
see it or
32:30
touch it,
32:31
so how can
32:32
you fight
32:32
it?
32:33
Every single
32:34
person on the
32:35
face of this
32:35
earth, if
32:36
given a no-cost
32:38
solution to win
32:38
out over sin,
32:39
would take it.
32:41
The problem
32:41
is that there
32:42
is no solution
32:43
which costs
32:43
nothing.
32:44
The only
32:46
solution is
32:47
Jesus Christ,
32:48
but that
32:48
costs you
32:49
your pride.
32:50
On the other
32:51
hand, sin is
32:52
not without
32:52
its cost
32:53
either.
32:55
He is
32:56
God.
32:57
We are
32:57
incapable of
32:58
testing the
32:59
limits of
32:59
His grace
33:00
because grace
33:01
by definition
33:01
is undeserved
33:03
favor.
33:03
You don't
33:04
deserve it
33:05
and I
33:05
don't deserve
33:05
it.
33:07
But God
33:07
gives us
33:08
His favor
33:08
because He
33:09
loves us.
33:10
Please don't
33:11
think that
33:11
you've gone
33:12
too far.
33:13
Don't think
33:13
that you
33:14
don't deserve
33:14
God's love.
33:16
The whole
33:16
concept of
33:17
God's grace
33:18
rests on the
33:19
fact that each
33:19
one of us
33:20
deserves hell.
33:22
What a slap
33:23
of arrogance
33:23
at the love
33:24
of God
33:24
to say
33:25
that we
33:26
don't deserve
33:27
His forgiveness.
33:28
It's all
33:29
been accomplished
33:29
so that you
33:30
might have
33:31
life, an
33:32
abundant
33:32
life at that.
33:33
If you want
33:34
to know the
33:34
true love
33:35
and peace
33:35
and joy
33:35
that can
33:36
be yours,
33:37
you just
33:37
need to
33:37
surrender
33:38
to the
33:39
love of
33:39
Christ.
33:42
Wesley,
33:42
Alan Dodd,
33:44
the serial
33:45
killer,
33:45
writes back.
33:46
He said,
33:47
I said in
33:47
the courtroom
33:48
what the
33:49
papers reported
33:50
that I had
33:51
done a few
33:52
Bible studies
33:53
but didn't
33:53
consider myself
33:54
a Christian.
33:57
Later,
33:57
he says,
33:58
I've probably
33:58
put in at
33:59
least 2,000
34:00
hours of
34:00
Bible study.
34:02
There is
34:02
absolutely
34:03
no doubt
34:05
in my mind
34:05
after all
34:06
that studying
34:07
that the
34:08
Bible is
34:08
the Word
34:09
of God.
34:09
I was
34:11
baptized on
34:11
July 16,
34:12
1991.
34:14
The reason
34:15
I did not
34:15
want to say
34:16
that in
34:17
court was
34:17
because I
34:18
didn't want
34:18
people thinking
34:19
that I'm
34:19
using God
34:20
to save
34:21
my own
34:21
life.
34:22
I will
34:23
not ask
34:24
any man
34:24
to spare
34:25
my life.
34:27
On July
34:28
16,
34:29
of last,
34:30
I asked
34:30
Jesus Christ
34:32
to be my
34:32
attorney in
34:33
that court
34:34
where everyone
34:34
will face
34:35
judgment.
34:37
Man's law
34:38
says I
34:39
must die
34:39
and I
34:40
agree with
34:40
those laws.
34:42
I am also
34:43
aware that
34:43
my faith
34:44
is weak
34:44
and there
34:46
is far
34:47
too much
34:47
evil in
34:48
this prison.
34:49
I have
34:49
turned away
34:50
from the
34:50
Lord too
34:51
many times.
34:52
I come
34:52
back,
34:53
but if I
34:54
turn away
34:54
again,
34:55
I know
34:55
how easy
34:55
it would
34:56
be for
34:56
me to
34:56
kill
34:57
a guard.
34:59
I would
34:59
rather die
35:00
now than
35:01
take a
35:02
chance of
35:02
killing again
35:03
and turning
35:03
away from
35:03
God
35:04
permanently.
35:06
And Roger
35:06
responds and
35:07
says,
35:07
regardless of
35:09
whether you
35:10
still fight
35:10
the temptations,
35:11
the evidence
35:12
lies in
35:12
favor of
35:13
a changed
35:14
heart.
35:16
Even David,
35:17
a man of
35:17
lies,
35:18
adultery,
35:19
and murder
35:20
had a heart
35:21
after God.
35:23
You so
35:23
willingly lay
35:24
down your
35:24
life that
35:25
none other
35:25
should die
35:26
at your
35:26
hands.
35:27
That's the
35:28
love of
35:28
Christ working
35:29
in you.
35:31
You've
35:32
already
35:32
experienced
35:33
the victory
35:33
over Satan.
35:34
Even when
35:35
he would
35:35
try to have
35:36
his way
35:36
with you,
35:37
Jesus
35:37
reigns.
35:39
For even
35:39
though you
35:40
are in
35:40
this body
35:40
of death,
35:41
you have
35:41
been given
35:42
a peace
35:42
about having
35:43
it taken
35:43
from you.
35:45
God will
35:45
in turn
35:46
clothe you
35:46
with his
35:46
glory as
35:47
he has
35:47
already
35:48
bathed you
35:48
in his
35:48
love.
35:50
See,
35:50
every story
35:51
has a
35:51
villain and
35:52
every story
35:53
has a
35:53
hero.
35:54
We are
35:55
the villain
35:56
and Jesus
35:57
is the
35:57
hero.
35:59
Who are
35:59
we to say
35:59
that this
36:00
man cannot
36:00
receive the
36:01
grace that
36:02
God has
36:03
for him?
36:04
Who's to
36:04
say that you
36:05
cannot receive
36:06
the grace
36:06
that God
36:07
has for
36:07
you?
36:09
No man
36:10
is out of
36:11
the reach
36:12
of God's
36:12
love.
36:13
God's love
36:14
is great.
36:15
It is
36:15
life-changing.
36:17
God's love
36:17
is powerful.
36:19
The Grand
36:20
Canyon is
36:20
too small
36:21
to describe
36:22
God's love.