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Acts 15:1-21 · Providence Baptist Church - Sermons

0:00
I had a break. I think we were in Acts like three weeks ago, maybe, or something like that. I can't quite remember.
0:06
But I appreciate you being patient with me. I got pretty sick a couple weeks ago. I should say three weeks ago.
0:14
I feel like I've been sick for over a month, really, and just kind of out of the game.
0:18
So thanks for all your prayers. I really, really am grateful.
0:23
Kathleen and I had a really great week at UAB Hospital, to be honest.
0:27
It was really a good time together, even though I wasn't feeling good.
0:31
And during that time, whenever I go to the hospital, whenever I go back to Birmingham, it's a lot of memories of death,
0:41
a lot of memories of wrestling with whether or not I was going to live or die, and contemplating eternity and all of that.
0:49
So I come back definitely renewed with a hope that I will live for eternity and not just what we see right here.
0:58
Because what we see here is fleeting. It's short. It doesn't last.
1:04
And so I kind of come even with a lot of that in thinking about our text today.
1:10
So just join me in a word of prayer.
1:13
Father, this is your time to work amongst the hearts of your people who are gathered.
1:23
And I just ask that our mind's attention and our heart's affection will be placed completely on you.
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God, just protect us from the heart of your heart.
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Not what happened before this time or not what's going to happen after this time.
1:38
That you would free us of all distractions.
1:43
God, just protect this time.
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And may your word encourage, challenge, convict, and build up the body of Christ.
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In his name, amen.
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Amen.
1:57
So we're in Acts 15.
2:00
And typical good preaching rules, just to read the text first.
2:05
And then we'll dive into it.
2:07
So I'm going to just rewind a little bit though.
2:11
Just so you know what's been going on before we dive in.
2:14
But thus far, really, in Acts, if you look at chapter 14,
2:19
you see that Paul and Barnabas have kind of gone into the Gentile world.
2:23
And they're preaching the gospel to non-Jews.
2:28
Like the people in the Roman Empire, Greeks, and others.
2:32
And the gospel is taking effect in people's hearts.
2:35
People are coming to Christ.
2:36
People are surrendering all they have to the gospel.
2:41
And it hasn't really come easy.
2:43
They've suffered persecution.
2:45
Paul is even stoned, even to the point of death at one point.
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And so let's just start at verse 27 of chapter 14.
2:55
Then we'll go down to 15.
2:57
So it says,
2:58
When they arrived, they gathered the church together
3:01
and declared all that God had done with them,
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and how he opened a door of faith to the Gentiles.
3:08
And they remained no little time with the disciples.
3:14
So that's sort of the backdrop,
3:17
is the gospel is going forward to the Gentiles,
3:19
and people are coming to Christ.
3:23
So, in chapter 15, we're going to see a kind of a hiccup,
3:28
I guess you could say, to the whole mission going to the Gentiles.
3:33
All right, starting in chapter 15, verse 1.
3:36
But some men came down from Judea and were teaching the brothers,
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Unless you are circumcised according to the custom of Moses,
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you cannot be saved.
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And after Paul and Barnabas had no small dissension and debate with them,
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Paul and Barnabas and some others were appointed to go up to Jerusalem
3:59
to the apostles and the elders about this question.
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So being sent on their way by the church,
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they passed by Phoenicia and Samaria,
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describing in detail the conversion of the Gentiles
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and brought great joy to all the brothers.
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And when they came to Jerusalem,
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they were welcomed by the church and the apostles and the elders,
4:21
and they declared all that God had done with them.
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But some believers who belonged to the party of the Pharisees
4:29
rose up and said,
4:30
it is necessary to circumcise them in order to keep the laws of Moses.
4:39
The apostles and the elders were gathered together to consider this matter.
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And after there had been much debate,
4:47
Peter stood up and said to them,
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Brothers,
4:49
you know that in the early days God made a choice among you
4:54
that by the mouth of the Gentiles should hear the word of the gospel and believe.
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And God, who knows the heart,
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bore witness to them by giving them the Holy Spirit just as he did.
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And he made no distinction between us and them,
5:11
having cleansed their hearts by faith.
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Now, therefore,
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why are you putting God to the test
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by placing a yoke on the neck of the disciples
5:21
that neither our fathers nor we have been able to bear?
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But we believe that we will be saved
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through the grace of our Lord Jesus,
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just as they will.
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And the assembly fell silent.
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And they listened to Barnabas and Paul
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as they related what signs and wonders
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God had done through them among the Gentiles.
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After they finished speaking,
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James replied,
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Brothers, listen to me.
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Simeon, that's a form of Peter's name,
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has related how God first visited the Gentiles
5:58
to take from them a people for his name.
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And with this, the words of the prophet agreed,
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just as it was written,
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After this, I will return
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and I will rebuild the tent of David that has fallen.
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I will rebuild its ruins
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and I will restore it.
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And the remnant of mankind
6:15
may seek the Lord.
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And all the Gentiles who are called by my name,
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says the Lord who makes these things
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known from old.
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Therefore, my judgment
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is that we should not trouble
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those of the Gentiles who turn to God,
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but should write to them
6:35
to abstain from the things
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polluted by idols,
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from sexual immorality
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and from things that have been strangled
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and from blood.
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The ancient,
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excuse me,
6:48
for from ancient generations,
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Moses has had in every city
6:51
those who proclaim him.
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For he is,
6:56
excuse me,
6:58
for he is read every Sabbath
7:01
in the city of God.
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So,
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we're going to unpack all this slowly,
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kind of scene by scene.
7:08
But this is a
7:09
kind of known church-wide
7:11
as the Council of Jerusalem.
7:14
48 or 49 A.D.
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probably.
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And it was between
7:20
the apostles
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and some other church elders,
7:23
kind of against the backdrop
7:25
of the Pharisees
7:27
and what we would say
7:28
as the Judaizers.
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And I just kind of want to
7:31
take a moment and say,
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I challenge you to
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to read church history,
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particularly looking at
7:38
councils of the church
7:39
throughout the ages.
7:42
Some well-known ones
7:43
that particularly reform people
7:45
kind of hold very close.
7:47
Council of Nicaea
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in 325 A.D.
7:51
That was when
7:51
they condemned
7:53
the Arian heresy.
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So,
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Jesus isn't fully God.
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That was the heresy
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and they universally
8:00
condemned that.
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Jesus is fully God
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but also fully man.
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The Council of Carthage
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in 418 A.D.
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That's when
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St. Augustine
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and some other
8:12
church leaders
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condemned
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Pelagius
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for saying
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that man was born
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with a clean slate.
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Man was born sinless.
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So,
8:22
that was universally
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condemned.
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And then also
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to a lot of people
8:27
in 1618
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the Senate of Dort
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which condemned
8:30
Arminianism.
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So,
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a lot of
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big councils
8:35
out there
8:35
but
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but why,
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right?
8:37
Tell me why I should care.
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Why should I even
8:39
look at or read
8:40
these things?
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Well,
8:42
look on your
8:43
your church bulletin
8:45
if you have it
8:49
and
8:51
this is a pretty
8:52
great statement
8:53
that R.C.
8:54
Spurl made
8:55
just about
8:56
looking at our history,
8:58
looking at our
8:59
tradition,
9:00
looking at church
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councils
9:02
and so
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this is why
9:05
you should care.
9:07
This is what I said.
9:09
Although tradition
9:10
does not rule
9:11
our interpretation
9:12
of scripture,
9:13
it does guide it.
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If upon reading
9:16
a particular passage
9:18
you have come up
9:19
with an interpretation
9:20
that has escaped
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the notice
9:22
of every other
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Christian
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for 2,000 years
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or has been
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championed
9:26
by universally
9:28
recognized
9:29
heretics,
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chances are
9:32
pretty good
9:33
that you have
9:34
better abandoned
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your interpretation.
9:37
Is it really good?
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There's no new
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truth,
9:40
there's no new
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gospel,
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there's no new
9:42
things added
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to what we believe.
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It's been passed
9:45
down throughout
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the ages.
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So if you
9:48
come up with
9:48
something completely
9:49
new that has
9:50
that no one's
9:51
noticed before
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or has been
9:53
universally condemned
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by the church,
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there's reason
9:57
to fear.
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So this is
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one of the
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earliest,
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really,
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church councils
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we see
10:03
and it seems
10:05
to be by those
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who are on the
10:06
fringe of the church
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and not necessarily
10:08
mainstream.
10:11
And so
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for history people
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you could just say
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this is
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the Jerusalem
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council,
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the Magna Carta
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of the Christian
10:19
church.
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For people
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of a more
10:22
competitive nature
10:23
you could say
10:24
this is
10:24
the apostles
10:25
versus the
10:26
Judaizers.
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And then
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one of my
10:28
favorites
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for you
10:30
really,
10:31
really nerdy
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theological
10:32
Puritan
10:32
types,
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this is
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the title
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of the message,
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man's fallen
10:37
tendency
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to add
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or improve
10:40
upon the grace
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of God
10:41
in order to
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prepare himself
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there unto
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the final judgment.
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If you like
10:46
that title,
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personally I like
10:50
that one.
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To improve
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upon the grace
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of God
10:54
in order to
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prepare yourself
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unto the final
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judgment.
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so,
11:00
again,
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I'm going to
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tell you why
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you should
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care.
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Because
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if you knew
11:07
that you were
11:07
about to
11:08
go through
11:10
physical death
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and then
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spiritually
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entering
11:13
to eternity
11:14
and to
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the judgment,
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what are you
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placing your
11:18
hope in?
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It's all
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cool and
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theological
11:23
just on
11:24
paper,
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but deep
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down
11:26
you're going
11:28
to want
11:28
to hope
11:28
in something
11:29
that's true
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and secure
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that gives
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your soul
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peace and
11:34
not in the
11:35
back of your
11:35
mind is
11:36
saying,
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I hope
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I did
11:39
what I
11:39
had to
11:39
do.
11:40
I hope
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that I
11:41
did all
11:43
the good
11:43
things I
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could do
11:44
and that I
11:45
believed all
11:46
the right
11:46
things.
11:47
Where is
11:48
your hope
11:48
going to
11:48
be?
11:50
Is it
11:50
going to
11:51
be in
11:51
your own
11:51
goodness
11:52
and your
11:52
works
11:53
or is
11:53
it going
11:53
to be
11:53
in the
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finished,
11:55
completed,
11:56
work of
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Jesus
11:58
Christ?
12:00
So there's
12:01
three points
12:02
and then we'll
12:04
get into some
12:04
more application
12:05
later.
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But I'm
12:07
kind of doing
12:08
this as a
12:09
scene one,
12:10
scene two,
12:10
scene three
12:11
of all this.
12:13
But in
12:13
verses one
12:14
through five
12:14
you see the
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first point
12:15
which is
12:16
scene one,
12:18
the dissension.
12:20
So this is
12:21
the problem
12:22
that's going
12:22
on.
12:23
And as I
12:24
said before,
12:25
Paul and
12:25
Barnabas have
12:26
been out
12:26
in the
12:26
Gentile
12:27
world
12:27
preaching
12:27
the gospel.
12:28
People have
12:29
been coming
12:29
to faith.
12:31
Great
12:32
things are
12:32
happening.
12:33
They have
12:34
pressed on
12:35
regardless of
12:35
persecution or
12:36
any other
12:37
thing.
12:38
And now
12:39
all that
12:40
they've done
12:41
is being
12:41
called into
12:42
question by
12:43
those who
12:45
hold to the
12:46
law of
12:46
Moses.
12:47
So these
12:48
are Jews
12:49
who say,
12:50
yeah,
12:50
like Jesus,
12:52
he was the
12:52
Messiah,
12:53
amen,
12:54
but we
12:55
have to
12:56
keep all
12:56
the old
12:57
stuff as
12:57
well if
12:58
we're going
12:58
to continue
12:59
to do
12:59
this.
12:59
And we
12:59
have to
13:00
instruct
13:00
the Gentiles
13:01
to also
13:02
observe all
13:03
these things.
13:04
So their
13:05
mission was
13:05
being called
13:06
them to
13:06
question.
13:08
And so
13:08
I guess in
13:10
the early
13:10
days you
13:10
could say
13:11
that you
13:13
might think
13:13
that the
13:13
biggest threats
13:14
to the
13:14
church were
13:15
from the
13:15
outside,
13:16
physical
13:17
persecution,
13:19
but really
13:20
I'm fully
13:21
convinced that
13:22
the greater
13:23
threats,
13:23
the greater
13:24
dangers come
13:24
from within
13:25
the church
13:26
by way of
13:27
false teaching.
13:28
It destroys
13:29
it from the
13:29
inside out.
13:32
In 2 Peter
13:33
chapter 2,
13:35
Peter says,
13:36
just as there
13:38
will be false
13:39
teachers among
13:39
you who will
13:41
secretly bring
13:43
in destructive
13:43
heresies,
13:45
even denying
13:46
the master
13:47
who bought
13:47
them,
13:49
bringing upon
13:49
themselves
13:50
swift
13:50
destruction.
13:52
And among
13:52
these destructive
13:53
heresies,
13:54
the longest
13:56
living one,
13:58
the longest
13:58
living heresy
13:59
ever, and it
14:00
comes in so
14:00
many different
14:01
forms,
14:02
religions,
14:03
traditions,
14:05
cultural
14:06
ideals,
14:08
it's the
14:09
heresy that
14:10
you can
14:10
achieve the
14:13
right standing
14:13
and salvation
14:15
with God
14:16
by your
14:17
own merit,
14:18
by how you
14:19
work,
14:20
by how good
14:20
you are,
14:21
by the good
14:21
things that
14:22
you do,
14:23
because it
14:26
is within our
14:27
fallen nature,
14:29
it is the
14:29
hardest thing
14:30
for a fallen
14:31
man to
14:31
admit that
14:33
he needs
14:33
the grace
14:34
of God.
14:35
We are so
14:36
works-driven
14:38
in all that we
14:38
do, all of you
14:39
are, no matter
14:41
what you do.
14:42
You do it in
14:42
school, you do it
14:43
in sports, you
14:43
do it in
14:44
friendships and
14:44
relationships, you
14:46
feel like you
14:47
have to earn, you
14:49
feel like people
14:49
have to pay you
14:50
back, it's a
14:52
merited-based
14:52
thing, you feel
14:53
like you're loved
14:54
by people based
14:55
on your own
14:57
goodness a lot
14:58
of the time.
14:59
It's in us, it's
15:00
in our deepest
15:01
part to think
15:02
that we can
15:03
achieve this, and
15:05
it carries into
15:06
the spiritual realm,
15:06
like we can do
15:07
enough good in
15:09
order to be
15:09
right before God.
15:10
that's in us
15:13
very deeply, and
15:16
I love how it
15:18
kind of says
15:18
there was no
15:20
small dissension
15:22
and debate, like
15:23
they were ticked
15:24
that these guys
15:25
were saying this
15:25
stuff, and so
15:27
they kind of
15:28
went right at
15:28
them, and so
15:29
what is the
15:30
dissension, like
15:31
what is the
15:31
question?
15:32
And so you
15:33
see that in
15:33
verse 1 and
15:35
in verse 5,
15:36
these Jews
15:38
were saying,
15:39
unless you are
15:40
circumcised
15:40
according to the
15:41
custom of Moses,
15:42
you cannot be
15:44
saved.
15:46
Then in verse
15:47
5, it is
15:47
necessary to
15:49
circumcise them,
15:50
the Gentiles, and
15:52
to order them to
15:53
keep the law of
15:54
Moses.
15:55
So that was a
15:56
huge point of
15:57
contention in the
15:58
early church, and
15:59
that is simply,
16:00
how much does a
16:01
Gentile convert to
16:03
Christ, how much
16:05
of the law of
16:06
Moses did they
16:06
need to obey?
16:08
Because Gentiles
16:10
are sort of
16:10
newcomers, right?
16:12
Israel were the
16:13
people that God
16:13
had shown himself
16:14
to, and given
16:15
his law to.
16:16
So this is a
16:17
big deal.
16:18
Should Gentile
16:19
believers submit
16:20
to all the
16:21
requirements of
16:21
the law of
16:22
Moses given to
16:24
the Jewish
16:24
nation, especially
16:26
circumcision, in
16:28
order to be a
16:28
part of the
16:29
church?
16:30
You get asked
16:31
that question
16:31
today.
16:32
I can't tell
16:32
you how many
16:32
times on the
16:33
college campus
16:34
you get asked
16:34
a question by
16:35
either a, you
16:38
know, an
16:39
unbeliever who
16:39
will say, well,
16:41
what about
16:41
Leviticus?
16:42
What about all
16:42
those laws in
16:43
there?
16:43
You say you
16:44
believe the
16:44
Bible literally,
16:46
so what about,
16:46
are you supposed
16:47
to do this,
16:47
this, and this,
16:48
and this?
16:49
So it's
16:50
applicable very
16:52
much to
16:53
everyone here.
16:54
How much of
16:55
the law are we
16:56
supposed to
16:56
follow?
16:56
So the Jewish
16:59
law, I'm going
17:01
to get into that
17:01
more next week.
17:02
I'm just going
17:03
to talk about
17:04
the law, and
17:04
so give you a
17:06
one-on-one on
17:06
the law, but
17:09
very simple, you
17:11
know, glazing
17:12
over it, there
17:13
are moral laws,
17:15
that's the Ten
17:16
Commandments, that
17:18
is like, tells us
17:19
what sin is and
17:20
how to honor God.
17:23
Those are actually
17:23
still in effect for
17:24
us today as
17:25
believers, those
17:26
have not been done
17:27
away with at all.
17:29
Other ones are a
17:31
more ceremonial
17:32
nature, circumcision,
17:34
rituals, festivals,
17:36
purity and cleansing
17:37
that they had to do,
17:39
the way that they
17:40
dressed.
17:41
I love when I get
17:42
asked the question
17:43
about tattoos, like
17:43
I love that question.
17:44
So, like, so what
17:46
do you do about
17:46
that, right?
17:47
So there's these
17:48
things that God
17:48
gave the nation of
17:49
Israel to act like
17:51
and to do, to set
17:53
themselves apart from
17:54
other nations.
17:56
So circumcision,
17:57
though, seems to be
17:58
the biggest one, a
18:00
big one.
18:01
And that comes
18:02
from, really,
18:03
Genesis 17, 9-14.
18:06
And circumcision
18:07
was an outward sign
18:08
that you belong to
18:09
the people of God.
18:11
And it also was an
18:12
outward expression that
18:13
you were devoted to
18:15
keeping the law of
18:16
Moses.
18:18
But, I'll just go
18:19
ahead and throw this
18:20
out there.
18:22
Circumcision, in its
18:23
truest form, was an
18:26
outward expression of
18:27
an inward need.
18:28
it was saying, like,
18:30
I need God to
18:32
circumcise my heart.
18:34
What Daniel just
18:35
read a little while
18:36
ago is a perfect
18:37
picture of that.
18:37
We need new hearts.
18:39
God has to take out
18:40
our heart of stone
18:41
and put in a heart
18:42
of flesh so that we
18:43
can walk in a way
18:45
that pleases God.
18:46
So that's really what
18:47
circumcision was.
18:49
But these guys saw it
18:50
as, like, a cultic
18:51
right to be
18:52
circumcised, to have
18:54
male converts who are
18:56
Gentile go through
18:57
this process.
18:59
So, here's the
19:00
danger.
19:02
Here's the two
19:02
points of contention.
19:04
Okay?
19:05
Number one, it's
19:07
dangerous to the
19:08
gospel, the true
19:10
gospel, because they
19:11
were arguing that
19:13
Gentiles had to do
19:14
all this stuff in
19:15
order to be made
19:16
right with God.
19:19
So, therefore, it is
19:20
a works-based
19:21
righteousness and
19:23
salvation.
19:24
So, the true
19:25
essence of the
19:25
gospel is being
19:26
threatened.
19:27
Secondly, a big
19:28
one, the church's
19:29
unity.
19:31
The church's unity
19:32
is being threatened.
19:33
So, Gentiles have
19:34
to adhere to all
19:36
of the Mosaic
19:37
law.
19:38
That means that
19:39
they have to leave
19:40
their own communities
19:41
and leave the
19:41
Gentiles to be
19:43
separated from
19:44
them.
19:45
They wouldn't be
19:47
able to eat with
19:47
them, to have
19:49
fellowship with
19:50
them, because they
19:51
would be considered
19:53
ceremonially unclean
19:54
by Jewish law.
19:57
And even taking the
19:58
Lord's Supper, they
19:58
wouldn't have been
19:59
able to do that
20:00
with their fellow
20:01
Gentiles who
20:03
believed.
20:04
So, just for further
20:05
reading on that, look
20:06
at Romans, you don't
20:07
got to turn there, but
20:08
just write Romans 2,
20:09
25 through 29, for
20:12
just some more
20:13
reading on just the
20:14
law itself.
20:16
So, false teaching
20:18
was threatening the
20:19
gospel itself and the
20:21
church's unity.
20:22
So, this is a big
20:24
deal.
20:25
And the attitude of
20:26
the Judaizers seems
20:28
to be like self-appointed
20:30
leaders.
20:31
Seems to be haughty.
20:32
Seems to be superior.
20:35
We are holier than you
20:37
guys.
20:39
And so, we're going to
20:39
come down here and
20:40
inform you, you
20:41
ignorant Gentiles, that
20:43
that's great you have
20:44
Jesus, but you also
20:46
need this other stuff
20:48
in order to rightly
20:49
honor God.
20:50
Like, your faith is
20:52
not sufficient.
20:54
You have to have
20:55
this plus.
20:57
And in their minds,
20:58
you've got to think
20:59
about where they're
20:59
coming from.
21:00
They're like, we're
21:01
the Jews.
21:02
Like, we are the
21:02
people that God has
21:03
disclosed himself to
21:05
for thousands of
21:06
years.
21:07
Like, he's given us
21:08
his laws, given us
21:09
his statutes.
21:11
And even when Jesus
21:12
was here, he was a
21:13
Jew, and he upheld
21:14
the law of Moses.
21:16
But he did it to
21:17
fulfill it.
21:18
Insert that.
21:19
But surely, right,
21:21
they must be
21:22
thinking, it's God's
21:23
will for us to go
21:25
and educate and
21:26
teach these ignorant
21:28
Gentiles about all
21:29
the stuff that they
21:29
don't know in order
21:31
to make them more
21:32
holy, acceptable,
21:34
and devoted to God.
21:37
Yeah, Jesus is good,
21:39
but you need plus
21:40
the Mosaic law to be
21:42
right before God.
21:44
So, big deal.
21:46
So, this didn't go
21:47
without opposition,
21:49
as we see.
21:50
The apostles, I love
21:52
that, like it says,
21:52
that Paul and
21:53
Barnabas had no small
21:54
dissension and debate
21:55
with them.
21:56
So, they're like,
21:57
whoa, if you think
21:57
you're going to go and
21:58
corrupt them, think
22:00
again.
22:01
We're going to go to
22:02
Jerusalem, we're going
22:03
to sort this out.
22:04
So, that's where they
22:05
go.
22:06
They're going to go
22:07
deal with this.
22:09
It's just an issue
22:11
that's too big for
22:13
just a small local
22:14
congregation to figure
22:15
out.
22:15
So, this is a
22:17
church-wide thing.
22:19
So, that's what,
22:20
that's the problem.
22:22
That's the dissension.
22:23
That's the question
22:24
that's being asked.
22:25
I'm going to tell you
22:26
why you should care
22:26
later if you don't
22:27
already care.
22:29
But then let's just
22:30
move into scene two.
22:32
Scene two is the
22:34
discussion.
22:35
So, the dissension
22:36
and now the discussion.
22:38
And that's seen
22:39
in verses six
22:41
through eighteen.
22:43
So, just sort of
22:44
setting the scene.
22:44
It says the apostles
22:45
and the elders.
22:47
So, they're providing
22:48
like the main
22:49
opposition, the main
22:51
debate in leadership
22:53
over the council.
22:55
But I want you to
22:56
kind of see this.
22:57
Okay?
22:58
This is why we are
23:00
a elder-led, but we
23:01
are also congregational
23:03
here at Christ's
23:03
Family.
23:04
But if you look at
23:05
verse twenty-two,
23:07
it says that the
23:08
whole church was
23:10
present for this
23:11
momentous occasion,
23:12
and they also gave
23:13
consent to the
23:15
final outcome.
23:16
It wasn't like,
23:17
we're just these
23:17
humble people down
23:19
here and we have
23:19
to rely on these
23:21
apostles to be like
23:22
a direct connection
23:23
to God.
23:24
So, it was a
23:26
church-wide thing
23:28
that was consented
23:28
to.
23:30
So, whenever there
23:31
is a serious
23:33
spiritual, doctrinal
23:35
issue under
23:36
consideration,
23:37
congregation,
23:38
okay?
23:39
How should we
23:40
deal with it?
23:41
Think about it,
23:42
just here in our
23:42
own congregation.
23:44
Our example is
23:45
right here in our
23:46
text.
23:47
Look at verse
23:48
seven.
23:49
It says,
23:50
after there was
23:50
much debate.
23:53
So, important
23:54
decisions are not
23:54
decided by haunches
23:56
we have,
23:57
feelings,
23:58
our opinions.
24:00
They are decided
24:01
by prayer,
24:03
humility,
24:04
wisdom,
24:04
careful logic,
24:05
and reason from
24:06
the scriptures.
24:09
That happens
24:09
right here.
24:10
They use the
24:10
scripture to back
24:11
up what they're
24:12
trying to say.
24:14
So, the first
24:15
guy to kind of
24:16
weigh in is
24:18
Peter.
24:19
So, if I could
24:20
think I have some
24:20
guys on my team,
24:21
I would want Peter
24:21
on my team and I
24:22
would want Paul
24:22
on my team.
24:23
And I think that
24:24
would be probably
24:24
it in regard to
24:25
dealing with, in
24:27
terms of how much
24:28
of the Jewish law
24:28
do we have to
24:29
obey.
24:30
I just wish I
24:31
could have been
24:32
there, but this
24:32
is a big deal.
24:34
So, Peter kind of
24:35
weighs in.
24:37
And he says,
24:38
like in the early
24:39
days, probably
24:39
referring to when
24:41
he was used to
24:43
go to the house
24:43
of Cornelius and
24:45
to take the gospel
24:46
to the Gentiles.
24:48
But I'm going to
24:48
show you, just
24:49
with Peter, three
24:50
arguments that he
24:52
kind of uses to
24:53
say, no
24:55
circumcision for
24:55
the Gentiles, no
24:57
mosaic law for
24:58
the Gentiles.
24:59
So, you see the
25:00
first argument in
25:02
verse 8.
25:04
And he's saying
25:05
that like God
25:06
has given approval
25:07
of the faith of
25:09
the Gentiles, who
25:11
placed their faith
25:11
in Christ by
25:13
giving them the
25:14
Holy Spirit.
25:15
So, they received
25:16
the Holy Spirit
25:17
without being
25:20
circumcised and
25:21
without the
25:22
mosaic law.
25:22
So, he was
25:24
saying, they
25:26
didn't do those
25:27
things.
25:28
And God
25:28
himself, through
25:29
the power of
25:30
the gospel,
25:31
regenerated their
25:32
hearts and gave
25:32
them the Holy
25:33
Spirit.
25:34
Maybe today, you
25:37
might compare it to
25:37
people in the
25:38
church and say,
25:38
you have to be
25:39
baptized in
25:40
order to have,
25:41
in water, in
25:43
order to have
25:43
the Holy Spirit,
25:45
or at
25:45
conversion.
25:46
So, that's
25:48
his first
25:48
argument.
25:49
God gave
25:50
them the Holy
25:50
Spirit.
25:52
Argument 2
25:53
is in
25:54
verse 9.
25:56
And he's
25:57
referring to
25:58
the reality
25:59
that God
25:59
had cleansed
26:00
their hearts
26:01
by faith,
26:03
not by
26:04
works of
26:04
the law
26:05
or by
26:06
circumcision.
26:07
He might
26:08
have even
26:08
had a memory
26:09
of Cornelius
26:11
again when God
26:11
spoke to him
26:12
in that vision
26:13
and said,
26:13
hey, what
26:14
God has
26:14
called clean,
26:15
do not
26:16
call common.
26:17
God has
26:18
cleaned them,
26:19
so don't look
26:19
on them and
26:20
say that your
26:20
faith is not
26:21
good enough and
26:22
that you are
26:22
still unclean.
26:25
That Spirit-born
26:26
faith.
26:28
Okay?
26:29
God had
26:29
cleansed them.
26:31
The third
26:31
argument in
26:33
verse 10,
26:35
and I love
26:35
this because he
26:36
just kind of
26:36
poses a rhetorical
26:37
question,
26:39
kind of like
26:39
revealing that no
26:40
human being can
26:41
keep the law
26:42
of God
26:43
perfectly.
26:44
perfectly.
26:45
So, again,
26:46
the law,
26:47
we're going to
26:47
give you a quick
26:47
rundown next
26:48
week, but I
26:50
hope it was
26:50
more appropriate
26:51
for next week.
26:52
But Peter says
26:54
in regard to
26:54
the Mosaic
26:55
Law, like,
26:57
why in the
26:58
world are we
26:59
Jews trying to
27:01
place such a
27:02
heavy burden,
27:03
a heavy yoke,
27:05
on the shoulders
27:05
of the Gentiles
27:06
when none of
27:07
our forefathers,
27:08
and we,
27:09
cannot carry it?
27:10
Like, are you
27:11
crazy?
27:11
We cannot
27:12
place this
27:13
burden on
27:14
them.
27:15
And the
27:16
metaphor,
27:17
just look at
27:18
the word in
27:19
the verse
27:20
yoke,
27:22
it's like this
27:22
heavy burden,
27:23
something that
27:23
an oxen would
27:24
carry.
27:26
It refers to
27:27
the law,
27:28
not just
27:29
circumcision,
27:30
but the
27:30
entire Mosaic
27:31
Law.
27:33
Paul refers to
27:34
the law as a
27:35
yoke of
27:35
slavery.
27:36
And by
27:41
speaking of
27:42
the law as
27:43
an unbearable
27:44
yoke,
27:46
Peter is not
27:46
denying that the
27:47
law is still a
27:48
good thing.
27:48
It's a good
27:49
thing, because it
27:49
tells us what
27:50
dishonors God and
27:51
what pleases God.
27:53
It was a gift
27:53
from God, but
27:54
it was not
27:56
intended to
27:57
be the means by
27:58
which you were
27:59
made right with
27:59
God.
28:00
It's to expose
28:01
the reality that
28:02
you can't be made
28:03
right with God
28:04
according to your
28:04
own works.
28:05
you can't keep
28:06
the law
28:07
perfectly.
28:08
The law
28:09
itself never
28:11
provides people
28:12
with the spiritual
28:13
power to keep
28:14
it.
28:15
We need
28:15
something else
28:16
in order to
28:17
keep the law.
28:18
It's what Daniel
28:19
read earlier.
28:19
It's like we
28:20
need God to
28:20
change our
28:21
hearts.
28:23
We need to be
28:23
born again.
28:24
We need to be
28:24
regenerated by
28:26
the power of
28:26
the Spirit to
28:27
keep the law
28:28
perfectly.
28:30
So, that's
28:31
what he's trying
28:32
to say.
28:33
This law was
28:34
to show you
28:35
that you
28:35
can't do
28:36
it.
28:37
It was to
28:37
point you
28:38
to the
28:39
Savior who
28:40
could do
28:40
it.
28:41
You need
28:42
deliverance.
28:42
You need
28:43
the Savior.
28:44
So, then he
28:45
kind of wraps
28:45
up in verse
28:47
11 with that
28:48
closing, kind
28:49
of going back
28:50
to the thesis
28:50
here.
28:51
He kind of
28:51
closes and
28:52
he says,
28:53
but we
28:53
believe that
28:55
we will be
28:55
saved through
28:57
the grace of
28:58
the Lord
28:59
Jesus just as
29:01
they will.
29:01
the only
29:03
means of
29:04
salvation for
29:04
both Jew
29:05
and Gentile
29:06
comes only
29:07
as a gift
29:08
of God
29:08
by his
29:08
grace.
29:10
And the
29:10
connecting
29:10
point of
29:11
that is
29:11
our faith,
29:13
our complete
29:13
trust in
29:15
the Savior
29:15
to save
29:16
us.
29:17
So, that's
29:17
Peter.
29:18
Then he
29:18
does a
29:19
mic drop
29:20
and everybody's
29:21
quiet.
29:22
And then
29:23
Paul and
29:23
Barnabas
29:24
stand up
29:25
and they
29:27
speak out
29:28
in defense
29:28
of God's
29:29
work through
29:29
them and
29:30
the Gentiles.
29:32
Look at
29:32
the verses.
29:33
They related
29:34
what signs
29:35
and wonders
29:36
God had
29:36
done through
29:37
them among
29:37
the Gentiles.
29:39
So, he
29:40
had given
29:40
them great
29:41
success in
29:41
their mission
29:42
to the
29:42
Gentiles.
29:44
And I
29:44
want to be
29:46
clear here.
29:46
Paul and
29:47
Barnabas
29:47
aren't using
29:48
experience to
29:49
prove what
29:50
happened or
29:51
to prove
29:52
something true.
29:52
They're just
29:53
trying to say
29:53
like, this
29:55
happened and
29:56
we experienced
29:56
it because
29:57
God said
29:57
it would.
29:58
He promised
29:59
that this
29:59
would happen
30:00
and now
30:00
we're seeing
30:01
it.
30:01
He's not
30:02
saying, well,
30:03
these good
30:04
things happen
30:04
so it must
30:05
be true.
30:05
They're saying,
30:06
he's saying,
30:06
God promised
30:07
these things
30:08
would happen
30:08
and now we
30:09
see them
30:10
and God
30:10
is true.
30:12
Big difference.
30:13
So, that's
30:14
what they
30:15
kind of say.
30:16
We saw
30:17
God work
30:17
among us.
30:18
He did
30:18
wonders
30:19
among the
30:20
Gentiles.
30:21
And then
30:22
lastly,
30:22
James
30:23
stands up.
30:25
And this
30:26
is James,
30:26
the brother
30:27
of Jesus.
30:28
He kind
30:29
of weighs
30:29
in on the
30:30
argument.
30:31
And he
30:32
says, well,
30:32
you heard
30:33
Peter, you
30:35
heard Paul
30:35
and Barnabas,
30:36
but I want
30:37
to tell you
30:38
that what
30:39
they just
30:39
said is
30:40
supported
30:40
heavily by
30:42
Scripture.
30:43
That's kind
30:43
of what he
30:44
stands up
30:44
and says
30:45
here.
30:46
And he
30:47
refers to
30:48
the prophets
30:49
in verse
30:49
15.
30:50
And he
30:51
really could
30:52
appeal to
30:53
many,
30:53
many,
30:53
many Old
30:54
Testament
30:54
texts that
30:56
defend the
30:58
inclusion of
30:58
the Gentiles
30:59
and the
31:00
people of
31:00
God.
31:01
Isaiah
31:02
45,
31:03
21 is
31:04
one verse.
31:04
Isaiah
31:05
45,
31:05
21.
31:07
But James
31:07
refers to
31:09
Amos 9,
31:11
11 through
31:11
12,
31:12
the prophet
31:12
Amos.
31:14
And Amos
31:15
is speaking
31:15
of a time
31:16
when God
31:18
would include
31:18
the Gentiles
31:19
called by
31:20
his name.
31:22
If you
31:22
were called
31:22
by God's
31:23
name,
31:23
it implies
31:24
relationship.
31:25
It implies
31:26
salvation.
31:27
And he's
31:27
saying that
31:28
the Gentiles
31:29
will be
31:29
included
31:30
in the
31:31
people of
31:31
God.
31:32
They will
31:32
be included
31:33
in the
31:34
rebuilding
31:34
of the
31:35
house of
31:36
David.
31:37
Pretty
31:38
awesome.
31:39
So this
31:39
was foretold.
31:41
So he
31:41
kind of
31:41
is saying,
31:42
you know,
31:42
I concur
31:42
with them,
31:43
but I
31:43
just want
31:44
you to
31:44
know that
31:45
God is
31:46
always
31:46
foretold
31:47
this.
31:47
He was
31:48
going to
31:48
do it,
31:49
and now
31:49
we're
31:49
seeing it.
31:50
It's
31:51
happening
31:51
right now.
31:54
So that's
31:55
the,
31:55
you know,
31:58
the discussion,
31:59
the debate.
32:00
Brings us
32:01
to the
32:01
third thing,
32:02
scene three,
32:04
is the
32:05
decree,
32:07
the decree,
32:08
or he
32:08
could say
32:09
the decision.
32:10
So what's
32:11
the outcome
32:11
here?
32:12
That's
32:12
verse 19
32:13
through 21.
32:14
So here's
32:16
the final
32:16
decree.
32:17
How much
32:17
of the
32:17
law,
32:18
the
32:18
mosaic
32:18
law,
32:19
does a
32:19
Gentile
32:20
believer
32:20
have to
32:21
obey to
32:22
be saved?
32:24
Does he
32:25
have to be
32:25
circumcised?
32:27
And the
32:27
answer is
32:28
a resounding
32:29
no.
32:30
Keeping
32:31
the
32:31
mosaic
32:31
law,
32:32
rituals,
32:33
sacrifices,
32:34
customs,
32:35
are not
32:36
required of
32:37
a Gentile
32:38
believer to
32:38
be a part
32:39
of the
32:39
church.
32:39
the only
32:41
part of
32:42
the law
32:42
that's
32:42
really
32:42
valid,
32:43
which we'll
32:43
get into
32:43
next week,
32:44
is the
32:44
moral law.
32:45
And the
32:46
next few
32:46
verses are
32:48
evidence of
32:49
that,
32:50
to keep
32:51
the moral
32:51
law.
32:52
But God
32:53
has clearly
32:54
chosen to
32:54
include people
32:55
of all
32:55
nations in
32:56
the church.
32:57
So the
32:57
old restrictions
32:58
that set
32:59
Israel apart
33:00
don't apply
33:01
anymore.
33:03
Only by
33:03
faith and
33:05
trusting in
33:05
Christ.
33:06
So I'm
33:06
just going to
33:06
read to you
33:07
Acts 13,
33:08
28,
33:10
real fast.
33:11
It says,
33:12
Let it be
33:12
known to
33:12
you,
33:13
therefore,
33:13
brothers,
33:14
that through
33:14
this man
33:15
Jesus,
33:16
forgiveness
33:17
of sins
33:18
is proclaimed
33:18
to you,
33:19
and by
33:20
him everyone
33:21
who believes
33:22
or has
33:23
faith is
33:24
set free
33:25
from everything
33:26
from which
33:27
you could
33:28
not be
33:28
free by
33:29
the law
33:29
of Moses.
33:30
Couldn't
33:31
happen.
33:33
So,
33:34
James goes
33:36
on,
33:36
and he
33:37
proposes a
33:37
solution.
33:38
So,
33:39
we know
33:39
that Jews
33:40
and Gentiles
33:40
are going
33:41
to come
33:41
into contact
33:42
with each
33:42
other.
33:43
So what
33:43
do we
33:44
tell them?
33:44
How do we
33:44
move forward
33:45
without saying
33:46
you have to
33:47
keep the
33:47
whole Mosaic
33:48
law?
33:48
What do we
33:48
tell them?
33:50
How does
33:51
the mission
33:51
go forward?
33:53
And so,
33:54
that's what
33:54
we'll get
33:54
into a lot
33:55
more next
33:55
week.
33:56
But he
33:57
kind of has
33:57
a condition.
33:58
It's like,
33:59
this is what
33:59
we need to
34:00
do.
34:00
This is what
34:00
we need to
34:01
tell the
34:02
people out
34:03
there in
34:03
order to
34:04
interact with
34:05
one another.
34:05
other.
34:06
So he
34:06
humbly
34:07
offers a
34:08
suggestion
34:08
for the
34:09
fellowship of
34:10
Jews and
34:10
Gentiles.
34:12
And this
34:12
letter goes
34:13
out to all
34:14
the different
34:14
churches as
34:16
the gospel
34:16
goes forward.
34:19
So,
34:20
that's kind of
34:21
unpacking our
34:21
text.
34:23
So,
34:23
some application.
34:24
question.
34:27
Why should
34:28
you care?
34:30
Okay?
34:31
There's a few
34:32
things I have
34:32
for you.
34:34
But one is,
34:35
in a room
34:35
this size,
34:37
I can
34:37
guarantee
34:38
that there
34:39
are some
34:40
of you
34:40
here who
34:40
are still
34:41
convinced
34:42
that you
34:44
will be
34:44
made right
34:45
with God,
34:45
that you
34:46
will be
34:46
saved by
34:47
your own
34:48
goodness and
34:48
by your
34:49
own works.
34:50
You're
34:50
convinced,
34:51
like you're
34:51
even not
34:52
liking what
34:53
I'm saying
34:53
right now.
34:55
You really
34:56
are convinced
34:56
that as long
34:57
as your good
34:57
deeds outweigh
34:58
your bad
34:58
deeds,
34:59
or as long
35:01
as you go
35:01
to enough
35:02
religious
35:02
events,
35:05
that you
35:05
try to do
35:06
good to all
35:06
people,
35:07
that you're
35:07
moral,
35:09
that you
35:09
will be
35:10
okay before
35:11
God one
35:12
day.
35:13
If you've
35:13
been baptized,
35:14
if you take
35:15
the Lord's
35:15
Supper,
35:16
if you're
35:16
just a good
35:17
person,
35:18
then God
35:18
will accept
35:19
you.
35:20
No.
35:20
You need
35:23
to hear
35:23
this short
35:25
verse,
35:26
Romans 3,
35:27
verse 20.
35:29
Listen to
35:29
this.
35:31
For by the
35:32
works of
35:32
the law,
35:33
you can
35:33
insert good
35:34
deeds or
35:35
goodness,
35:36
for by the
35:37
works of
35:37
the law,
35:38
no human
35:39
being will
35:40
be justified
35:40
in God's
35:41
sight.
35:42
You will
35:43
not be made
35:43
right with
35:44
God at
35:45
all by how
35:46
good you
35:46
are.
35:47
Because the
35:48
Bible says
35:48
you are
35:49
rotten.
35:49
Jesus says
35:50
you are a
35:50
slave to
35:51
sin.
35:53
You may
35:54
be good
35:54
compared to
35:55
a lot of
35:55
other people
35:55
in this
35:56
world,
35:56
but you're
35:56
not compared
35:57
to God.
35:58
God is
35:59
perfect.
35:59
He is
36:00
holy.
36:00
He is
36:01
flawless.
36:01
He can't
36:02
abide
36:02
evil.
36:04
Some of
36:05
you may
36:05
be in
36:06
the group
36:07
of the
36:07
Pharisees.
36:08
What
36:08
other
36:09
churchy
36:09
laws
36:11
have you
36:12
added to
36:12
the
36:12
gospel?
36:15
He can't
36:16
be a
36:16
Christian
36:16
if he
36:17
has a
36:17
beer.
36:18
He can't
36:18
be a
36:18
Christian
36:19
if he
36:19
has a
36:19
cigar.
36:20
He can't
36:21
be a
36:21
Christian
36:21
if he
36:21
doesn't
36:22
wear a
36:22
suit and
36:22
tie.
36:24
Or you
36:25
can flip it
36:25
the other
36:25
way around
36:26
very easily.
36:28
What other
36:28
laws have
36:29
you added?
36:32
It's very
36:33
dangerous.
36:34
The gospel
36:35
of Jesus
36:35
plus this
36:36
is not
36:37
the gospel.
36:38
It's
36:38
adulterated.
36:40
It's not
36:40
pure.
36:42
Some of
36:42
you are
36:43
the older
36:43
brother who
36:44
is angry
36:44
at the
36:45
father who
36:46
gives
36:46
salvation to
36:47
unworthy
36:48
prodigals.
36:48
does that
36:50
bother you
36:51
that God
36:51
gives
36:52
salvation
36:52
to
36:52
unworthy
36:53
people?
36:54
Do you
36:55
think,
36:55
oh no,
36:55
well,
36:56
I've been
36:57
good so I
36:57
deserve it?
36:59
You don't.
37:00
For by the
37:00
works of the
37:00
law,
37:01
no human
37:01
being will
37:02
be justified
37:02
in God's
37:03
sight.
37:05
Your
37:05
righteous deeds
37:06
are filthy
37:06
rags
37:07
before God.
37:10
So abandon
37:11
it.
37:11
Give it up.
37:13
Lay it all
37:13
down and
37:14
only come
37:15
to God
37:16
on God's
37:17
terms,
37:17
which is
37:18
by faith
37:18
in Christ
37:19
alone.
37:21
Some of
37:21
you,
37:22
kind of
37:23
stepping it
37:23
down a
37:23
tiny notch
37:24
from there,
37:26
some of
37:26
you may
37:27
have a
37:27
partial trust
37:28
in your
37:29
own goodness
37:30
and behavior,
37:31
just as a
37:32
little extra
37:32
security,
37:33
just in case
37:33
you fear
37:35
that your
37:35
faith is
37:35
not going
37:36
to be
37:36
enough.
37:37
I hope
37:38
it is,
37:38
but in
37:38
case it's
37:39
not,
37:40
I'm going
37:40
to go to
37:41
church every
37:42
Sunday.
37:42
I'm going
37:43
to feed
37:43
the poor.
37:44
I'm going
37:44
to be
37:45
nice to
37:45
everyone
37:45
around
37:46
me.
37:48
You may
37:49
have a
37:49
partial trust
37:50
in your
37:50
own goodness
37:50
and you're
37:51
afraid that
37:51
your just
37:52
plain,
37:53
naked faith
37:54
in Christ
37:54
is not
37:55
enough.
37:56
Turn to,
37:58
I finally
37:59
said it,
37:59
turn to
38:00
Ephesians
38:01
chapter 2
38:01
verse 8.
38:02
I just want
38:02
to use a
38:03
very familiar
38:04
text.
38:05
Ephesians
38:05
2
38:06
verse 8.
38:08
This is
38:14
good for
38:14
everything
38:15
we've
38:16
said so
38:16
far,
38:17
but if
38:17
you're
38:18
afraid that
38:18
you're
38:19
afraid to
38:19
come before
38:19
the throne
38:20
of God
38:20
one day,
38:21
the just
38:22
faith
38:22
alone,
38:24
and you
38:24
feel like
38:25
you have
38:25
to have
38:25
some other
38:25
good stuff
38:26
piled on
38:26
it,
38:29
chapter 2
38:30
verse 8,
38:32
for by
38:32
grace you
38:34
have been
38:34
saved through
38:36
faith.
38:36
All right?
38:38
So let's
38:38
look at
38:39
this.
38:39
Grace,
38:41
why has
38:42
this happened?
38:43
Because of
38:43
the sheer
38:44
undeserved,
38:46
unmerited
38:47
favor of
38:48
God.
38:49
He decided
38:50
it out of
38:52
his own
38:52
goodness,
38:52
though you
38:53
don't deserve
38:53
it.
38:54
For by
38:55
grace you
38:57
have been
38:57
saved.
38:58
Saved from
38:59
what?
39:00
The wrath
39:01
of God,
39:01
the judgment
39:02
of God.
39:03
That's what
39:04
you've been
39:04
saved from.
39:05
And what
39:05
was that
39:06
instrument?
39:06
That connected
39:07
you to
39:07
the Savior?
39:09
Faith.
39:10
Faith.
39:12
Trust and
39:13
confidence in
39:14
the body
39:14
of Christ
39:16
that was
39:17
destroyed on
39:17
the cross.
39:18
And then
39:18
his resurrection.
39:20
For by
39:21
grace you
39:21
have been
39:21
saved through
39:22
faith.
39:22
And he
39:22
says,
39:23
and this
39:23
is not
39:23
your own
39:24
doing,
39:25
it is the
39:25
gift of
39:26
God,
39:27
not a
39:28
result of
39:28
works,
39:29
so that
39:30
no one
39:30
may boast.
39:31
So if
39:31
you think
39:32
that your
39:33
works are
39:34
what saves
39:34
you and
39:34
makes you
39:35
right before
39:35
God,
39:36
you could
39:37
boast before
39:37
God like,
39:38
look how
39:38
good I
39:39
did,
39:40
look how
39:40
terrible
39:41
this guy
39:42
did.
39:42
I have
39:43
more than
39:44
he did,
39:44
and God
39:44
says that
39:46
he will
39:46
not share
39:47
his glory
39:47
with any
39:48
of you.
39:49
He will
39:50
not.
39:50
He is the
39:50
only Savior.
39:52
He's giving
39:53
you no
39:54
grounds to
39:54
boast.
39:56
Right?
39:57
So where
39:57
does good
39:57
works come
39:58
in?
39:58
Verse 10,
39:59
for we
40:00
are his
40:01
workmanship,
40:02
created in
40:03
Christ Jesus
40:03
for good
40:05
works,
40:06
which God
40:06
prepared
40:07
beforehand
40:07
that we
40:08
should walk
40:08
in them.
40:09
So that
40:10
is a
40:10
purpose that
40:11
we do
40:11
as believers.
40:12
We do
40:13
good works
40:13
out of an
40:14
overflow of
40:15
our thankfulness
40:16
and goodness
40:17
towards God,
40:18
not because
40:19
it saves us.
40:21
He just
40:21
says it's
40:21
not a
40:22
result of
40:23
this.
40:23
true faith,
40:28
true belief,
40:30
is not
40:30
just,
40:30
oh yeah,
40:31
I know
40:31
that.
40:32
I get
40:33
it.
40:34
It's such
40:35
a deeply
40:36
hearted
40:36
conviction
40:37
that it
40:38
changes how
40:39
you live.
40:40
It's not
40:41
just,
40:41
I ascend
40:42
to this
40:42
and I
40:42
understand
40:43
it.
40:43
I believe
40:44
this so
40:45
deep in
40:45
my soul
40:46
that it's
40:47
going to
40:47
affect how
40:47
I live
40:48
out here.
40:49
That's
40:49
what real
40:50
faith is.
40:52
That's
40:52
how the
40:52
Bible uses
40:53
the term.
40:54
Some of
40:55
you are
40:55
timid and
40:56
confused.
40:57
You don't
40:57
really know
40:57
what to
40:58
kind of
40:58
think of
40:58
all this.
40:59
But if
41:00
you've been
41:00
told that
41:00
your faith
41:01
in Christ
41:01
alone isn't
41:02
enough,
41:03
that you
41:03
just feel
41:04
the weight
41:05
of your
41:05
sin,
41:05
you're like,
41:06
I can't
41:06
be made
41:06
right with
41:07
God.
41:08
I stink
41:09
at this.
41:09
I break
41:09
the rules
41:10
all the
41:10
time.
41:10
I break
41:11
my own
41:11
rules.
41:12
I can't
41:13
much less
41:13
keep God's
41:14
rules.
41:15
And you
41:15
feel that
41:16
burden,
41:17
that yoke
41:18
crushing
41:19
you down.
41:20
I can't
41:21
do it.
41:23
Well,
41:24
let it
41:25
go.
41:26
And simply
41:27
place faith
41:28
in Christ.
41:30
When Peter
41:31
calls the
41:31
law a yoke,
41:33
he probably
41:33
is referring
41:34
to what
41:34
Jesus said
41:35
about it.
41:35
Turn to
41:36
Matthew 11.
41:38
It's the
41:38
last place
41:39
you've got to
41:39
turn to
41:39
Matthew 11.
41:40
Matthew 11,
41:44
verse 28.
41:50
And this
41:50
is what
41:50
Jesus is
41:51
referring to
41:52
when he
41:52
uses this
41:53
verse.
41:53
He's referring
41:54
to the
41:54
law.
41:57
So do you
41:58
feel that?
41:58
Do you feel
41:59
like you're
41:59
not good
41:59
enough?
42:00
That you're
42:00
being crushed
42:01
by trying
42:03
to live up
42:03
to God's
42:04
standard?
42:05
And you're
42:06
afraid to
42:06
face him
42:07
on the
42:07
judgment?
42:07
Well,
42:08
listen to
42:09
what Jesus
42:09
says.
42:11
Verse 28.
42:12
He says,
42:12
Come to
42:12
me,
42:14
all who
42:15
labor and
42:17
are heavy
42:17
laden,
42:18
and I
42:19
will give
42:20
you rest.
42:21
Take my
42:22
yoke upon
42:23
you and
42:25
learn from
42:25
me, for I
42:27
am gentle
42:27
and lowly
42:28
in heart,
42:29
and you
42:30
will find
42:30
rest for
42:31
your souls.
42:32
For my
42:33
yoke is
42:34
easy and
42:35
my burden
42:35
is light.
42:36
He's
42:37
saying,
42:37
give it
42:38
to me
42:38
and you
42:39
take mine
42:39
because I'm
42:40
the only
42:41
one that
42:41
can keep
42:41
the law
42:42
and I
42:42
kept it
42:42
perfectly.
42:44
Allow me
42:44
to take
42:45
that,
42:46
you,
42:46
and I
42:47
will give
42:47
you mine.
42:49
It's an
42:49
invitation.
42:50
God always
42:51
favors the
42:52
weak and
42:53
the despairing,
42:55
the burden.
42:56
Blessed are
42:57
the poor in
42:58
spirit.
42:58
Blessed are
42:59
those who
42:59
hunger and
43:00
thirst for
43:00
righteousness.
43:02
Those of
43:02
you who are
43:03
bankrupt
43:03
spiritually,
43:05
come to
43:05
Jesus and
43:06
he will
43:06
carry your
43:06
burden.
43:08
Okay?
43:09
So two
43:10
others.
43:12
There are
43:12
some of you
43:13
here who
43:13
are relying
43:14
on your
43:14
own goodness
43:14
and I'm
43:16
guilty of
43:16
this one.
43:17
Okay?
43:18
Some of
43:18
you who
43:19
are relying
43:19
on your
43:19
own goodness
43:20
to possibly
43:21
earn a
43:23
greater favor
43:23
with God.
43:25
Like you
43:25
know God
43:25
loves you.
43:26
You know
43:26
God has
43:27
saved you
43:27
by his
43:27
grace,
43:28
but you
43:28
just think,
43:29
you know,
43:30
if I'm
43:30
just a little
43:31
better than
43:32
the average
43:33
Christian,
43:33
if I just
43:34
try hard,
43:35
God will
43:36
give me a
43:36
little extra
43:37
favor,
43:38
a little
43:38
extra love.
43:40
I'll be the
43:40
favorite and
43:41
he'll give me
43:42
something I
43:42
really desire.
43:45
So do you
43:46
seek to
43:48
earn God's
43:48
approval through
43:49
your own
43:49
efforts?
43:50
And you
43:50
kind of said
43:50
to yourself,
43:51
I know he
43:52
loves me,
43:52
but if I
43:54
work extra
43:54
hard and
43:56
don't sin as
43:56
much as some
43:57
others do,
43:57
he'll love me
43:58
even more.
43:59
Or do you
44:00
rely on a
44:01
strict list of
44:01
do's and
44:02
don'ts to,
44:02
on the
44:03
daily flow
44:04
to gain
44:04
higher approval
44:05
from God?
44:07
Listen,
44:08
like,
44:09
if that's
44:09
how you
44:10
feel,
44:12
just hear
44:14
these words
44:15
echo in
44:15
your head.
44:17
Don't look
44:17
any further
44:18
than the
44:19
cross for
44:19
any evidence
44:20
that God
44:20
loves you.
44:21
If he's
44:22
given his
44:23
own son
44:23
for you,
44:24
if he's
44:25
given you
44:25
his son,
44:26
like,
44:26
what else
44:26
could he
44:27
give to
44:27
prove that
44:28
he loves
44:29
you?
44:29
And if
44:31
he gives
44:32
you something
44:32
good,
44:32
it's because
44:33
he's good,
44:33
not because
44:33
you deserve
44:34
it.
44:36
Jesus said,
44:37
if you
44:38
who are
44:38
evil,
44:39
give good
44:40
gifts to
44:40
your children,
44:41
how much
44:41
more will
44:42
your father
44:42
give you
44:44
all good
44:44
things,
44:45
right?
44:46
Trust in
44:47
his goodness.
44:49
Don't think
44:49
it's going to
44:50
gain you a
44:50
higher favor
44:51
with God.
44:53
And then,
44:54
if your
44:55
heart's kind
44:56
of right this
44:56
morning,
44:57
if mine
44:58
really hasn't
44:59
been,
44:59
in regard
45:00
to some
45:01
of this,
45:02
it's the
45:03
people here
45:03
who are
45:04
rejoicing in
45:04
the true
45:05
gospel and
45:05
the true
45:05
Savior.
45:06
You're at
45:07
that piece.
45:07
You've
45:08
said,
45:09
I boast
45:09
of nothing
45:10
I've done
45:11
before the
45:11
throne.
45:12
I only
45:13
have the
45:14
righteousness
45:14
of Christ
45:15
to come
45:16
before the
45:16
throne of
45:17
God on
45:18
the final
45:18
judgments.
45:20
I will
45:20
plead what
45:21
Jesus has
45:22
done and
45:22
not what I
45:22
have done
45:23
before the
45:24
throne one
45:25
day.
45:26
I will
45:26
trust in
45:26
his merits.
45:28
That's
45:29
the only
45:29
place to
45:30
be.
45:30
We have
45:31
to fight
45:31
to be
45:31
there even
45:32
as believers
45:33
because you're
45:33
going to be
45:33
convinced on
45:34
a daily
45:34
basis that
45:36
God's going
45:37
to love you
45:37
by how good
45:38
you are and
45:39
how much you
45:40
read your
45:40
Bible or how
45:41
much you pray
45:41
or anything.
45:42
You're going to
45:42
think,
45:43
I've done all
45:43
these things so
45:44
God must be
45:44
really pleased
45:45
with me today.
45:46
His love
45:47
doesn't go like
45:47
this.
45:49
It's steady.
45:50
It's constant.
45:51
He's faithful
45:52
to us.
45:52
So, next
45:55
week we're
45:55
going to
45:55
unpack this
45:56
peculiar
45:57
letter that
45:59
still applies
45:59
really for
46:01
us today.
46:02
And what
46:03
should we,
46:04
as most of
46:05
us Gentile
46:05
believers,
46:06
what should
46:06
we follow?
46:07
What should
46:07
we think
46:08
about moving
46:10
forward as
46:11
a church?
46:13
So, let's
46:14
trust in the
46:15
undeserved
46:16
favor of God
46:17
and his grace
46:18
alone, only in
46:20
the true
46:20
Savior.
46:20
And when
46:22
you close
46:22
your eyes
46:22
one day
46:23
and final
46:23
death, that's
46:25
where your
46:26
hope's got to
46:26
be.
46:26
Because you're
46:27
never going to
46:27
be good enough.
46:29
You're never
46:29
going to do
46:29
enough good.
46:31
Only in
46:32
Christ.
46:33
Just pray with
46:34
me.