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Evangelism · Providence Baptist Church - Sermons

0:00
What is evangelism? You know, why don't we do it? Why do we have fears and sharing the gospel, etc. And then why should we do it?
0:08
And then last week, I think the overall framework of this series, I guess, is like knowing, living, and speaking the gospel.
0:19
And I kind of got that from one of my favorite books about evangelism.
0:24
If you want like an awesome read that's not long, but it's this really good, thorough Marks of the Messenger by Max Stiles.
0:33
He's a missionary in Dubai.
0:36
But yeah, knowing, living, and speaking the gospel.
0:38
And to where evangelism really isn't a program or a duty.
0:44
It's a lifestyle that we live with our words and with our actions and to bring people into the kingdom.
0:53
So the first part of this is knowing the gospel.
0:58
And so we're talking about the contents of the gospel message.
1:02
And that's important because you could talk about gospel just means good news or glad tithings.
1:08
We talked about that.
1:10
And there's a lot of good news in the Bible, right?
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Like everything.
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We could like start naming off all the promises of God, all the awesome things God's done, and call that gospel.
1:20
And, you know, and I guess that could be an accurate description.
1:24
But scripture is also different when it talks about the content of the gospel message.
1:30
Like things that when we go out and we actually proclaim the gospel to people in order for them to be saved and come to salvation in Christ.
1:39
And there's a few key components that need to be there or else something's going to be lost.
1:46
And most theologians have kind of broken that up into four different things.
1:52
They break it up into God, man, Christ's response.
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You know, like those are the key things.
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And so last week, Swanson talked about God and man.
2:03
And now we're going to pick up on Christ in response.
2:05
But just a brief overview of what he said last week, just really briefly, just to make sure we're connecting the dots.
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The gospel is a message about God.
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It means that it tells us about who he is, his character, what he demands of us, what he requires of us as his creatures, as those that he's made.
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And it tells us that we owe our very existence to him and that we live, move, and breathe in him.
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And that we don't have any existence outside of him.
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He holds our life breath in his hand.
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And he's totally worthy of our affections, our joy, our obedience.
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Completely worthy.
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And he's a living, eternal God.
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And he's there.
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Revelation 4.11 says,
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So one of the Old Testament words for glory, I think it means like, I think the word is kabod.
3:14
But it means like, your glory is measured back to you in your weight.
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The weight of like what you possess and who you are.
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And so, like a king would have great glory.
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He would have a huge kingdom, money, wealth, possessions, a large army, etc.
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He would have great glory.
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But a peasant would have very little glory.
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So your worth was measured back to you by your weight.
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And God is of an infinite weight.
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He owns all things.
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He's made all things.
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He possesses all things.
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And so we rightfully belong to him.
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So only when we see God as a sovereign, holy creator,
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can we see who we are and how ugly our sin is.
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Which brings us to the gospel as a message about man.
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That God originally created man in his own image to reflect who he was, his holy character.
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And to walk with him in a joyful, obedient relationship.
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But all men, all men have just utterly rebelled against God and decided to be lords of their own life.
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And have sought to find fulfillment and whatever in a thousand other things other than God.
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And so we've rebelled against God.
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And we've kind of shaken our fist at him and told him that we're going to live how we want to live.
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Our lives are going to be about this and not about you.
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We've turned away from God and turned to the things of this world.
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And so in being aware that God is not just our creator but our judge,
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that brings like a serious thing into view.
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We've cosmically wronged God.
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And all men have fallen short of the glory of God, as it says in Romans 3.23.
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We've fallen short of what he's made, created us to do, designed us to do.
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And in Romans 1, it says, Romans 1.18,
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For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men,
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who by their unrighteousness suppress the truth.
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And then later on, verse 24 in Romans 1, it says,
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God gave them up to the lusts of their hearts,
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to impurity and the dishonoring of their bodies among themselves.
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And here's that trade I'm talking about.
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Verse 25,
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Because they exchanged the truth about God for a lie,
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and worshipped and served the creature rather than the creator,
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who is blessed forever.
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Amen.
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And that's what it is.
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It's idolatry.
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It's seeking to find your existence and your being in something other than God
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and rebelling against Him in that way.
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So that's who man is.
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Man has utterly rebelled against God.
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So I'm not going to go back over that.
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Swanson covered that well last week.
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So because of that now, that will be bad.
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But it's kind of stopped right there.
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But now we get into the next part of this.
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And really there's just two main points tonight,
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and some sub-points under those.
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So this is Christ, the Savior.
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This is the next part of the gospel message.
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So the good news is that God has not left us to ourselves and left us to His wrath and judgment,
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but He's actually made provision for us to be pardoned of our sin
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and to be reconciled back to Him in relationship with Him
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so that we can once again glorify Him and know Him as we were supposed to do originally.
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And He did that in Christ.
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Lovingly, He sent Christ to die in our place as a substitute.
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And the word Christ, you know, like when I'm sharing the gospel with people,
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sometimes this is something that a friend of mine taught me,
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like particularly in the Bible Belt where a lot of you are going to claim to be Christians,
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and you want to be respectful, you can ask them something like,
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you know, so what does someone have to do to be right with God?
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You know, what does someone have to do to...
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I'm mainly leaving heaven out of things because the gospel is not about heaven.
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The gospel is about God.
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It's not about hell either.
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It's about God.
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Those are parts of the gospel, but they're not the end.
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And so I just ask them, like, what does it take to be made right with God?
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And then I sometimes start jotting down what they say.
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Like if they're like, oh, man, well, I've gone to church since I was a kid,
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and, you know, I was really active in my youth ministry in high school,
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and I start laying it on thick.
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I've been on some mission trips, et cetera.
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And then I just kind of jot some of that stuff down,
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and then I kind of come around and do well.
8:00
Well, it really is about, you know, faith and complete reliance in Christ to be saved by grace.
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And, of course, they're like, oh, yeah, well, I know that.
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I'm like, well, that's not what you said.
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You know, like I wrote down exactly what you said to that,
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and that was your response, you know.
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So can you honestly tell me that was what the deal was?
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There's always sometimes a little strange moment at that time
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when they're kind of like, wow, I just got exposed.
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But this is a good thing.
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And then you can just kind of come in and start to tell them about Christ.
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And so when they call themselves a Christian,
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they're saying they're a follower of the Messiah, the Anointed One, the Savior.
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And what did He come to save you from?
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Your sin.
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Like it all starts just connecting.
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And like so you can't claim to be a follower of Christ
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if you don't actually believe Him to be the Messiah.
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Yeah, so these are some things I try to talk about with people
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in discussing who Christ is.
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You could get into all this stuff.
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I mean, the doctrine of the person of Christ and the work of Christ and et cetera.
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But if you have to keep it down, just a few things to share with people.
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Like I'm going to give you just a phrase and I'm going to unpack it
9:19
just to kind of help.
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And you don't have to throw this phrase out to somebody you're sharing with.
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I'm telling you this because you're mostly believers here.
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But a big word, okay?
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We're going to talk about how Christ was the substitute.
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And how we're going to unpack that is the penal substitutionary atonement.
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Okay?
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That's big words, but they're important.
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Penal, P-E-N-E-L, like penalty.
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And then substitutionary atonement.
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Okay?
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So what Christ did was He was a substitute.
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And we're talking about penal substitution.
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It's the idea that we deserved something, a penalty,
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that was given to us rightfully.
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But someone else voluntarily came in and took that penalty for us.
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That's what it means.
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And so Christ voluntarily took our place and bore the penalty that we deserve,
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which is the judgment and the wrath of God.
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So that's where that first part comes in.
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Penal substitutionary.
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Another way of saying this is like Christ's atonement was vicarious.
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He was, which means like a vicar is someone who stands in the place of someone else and represents them.
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So Christ was that for us.
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He stood in our place and He represented us.
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So His death was vicarious because He stood in our place and bore that penalty.
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All right?
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And turn to Isaiah 53 real fast.
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I want you to see this.
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And this is a great text to go to people,
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go to with people, excuse me,
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to talk about how Christ was our substitute
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and His atonement was both penal and vicarious.
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You can probably kill those words.
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I'm telling you, sometimes when you use big words,
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it'll help you remember things because it's different.
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Like sometimes I'll throw like a Latin phrase or something
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and it's not to sound smart.
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It's to like, it's different.
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So you sometimes will remember.
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You're like, oh, that's that word that means,
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and it just stands out to you.
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So that's why we're doing that.
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Isaiah 53 and go to verse 4.
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And this was a prophecy about Christ written around 700 years before Christ.
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Really cool.
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So think about that.
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Now, Christ is our substitute in these verses.
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All right?
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Surely He has bore our, there's the our, our griefs,
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and carried our sorrows.
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Yet we esteemed Him stricken,
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smitten by God, afflicted.
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But He was wounded for our transgressions.
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He was crushed for our iniquities.
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Upon Him was the chastisement that brought us peace.
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And with His stripes we are healed.
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All we like sheep have gone astray.
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We have turned everyone to his own way.
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And the Lord has laid on Him the iniquity of us all.
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So, us, again,
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He was oppressed and He was afflicted.
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Yet He opened not His mouth like a lion that is led to the slaughter,
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and like a sheep that before it shears is silent,
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so He opened not His mouth.
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Remember that, how Christ just stood there and took it?
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Just didn't plead His case before Pilate or anybody.
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Then it says,
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By oppression and judgment He was taken away,
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and as for His generation who considered that He was cut off the land of living,
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stricken for the transgressions of my people.
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You know, so that's a picture of like,
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it was in our place,
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all these things He did on our behalf.
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He was, those words in that text,
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you've got the words smitten,
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you've got wounded,
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chastised, oppressed, afflicted,
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you know, and all that was on in our place.
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And so,
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and another word that we're going to kind of look at is the atonement part.
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If you just want a simple,
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a lot over-complicating it,
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a simple definition of atonement,
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it just means like the work that Christ did
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in His life and His death
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to make us right with God,
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to right the offense that we've made with God.
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And so,
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in 1 John 4, 8,
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it says,
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And this is the love of God
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was made manifest among us,
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that God sent His only Son to the world,
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that we might live through Him.
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And this is the love,
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not that we loved God,
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but that God loved us
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and sent His Son to be a propitiation
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for our sins.
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Okay?
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So when you're talking about,
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when you're sharing with somebody,
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that's a good verse to look at.
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1 John 4, 8-10.
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But that word,
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it's a Bible word,
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so here we go.
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Propitiation.
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It kind of really sums up a lot
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of what the work of Christ did,
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what He did on the cross.
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And it means like for or in front of,
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literally,
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but it means like how,
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in our case,
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Christ,
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He bore the full wrath of God
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on the cross,
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and then that changed it,
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that changed God's attitude
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towards us.
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And so,
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some of your translations,
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I don't know what translation you have,
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but some translations use the word like
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to appease or to placate
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or to,
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let's see,
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you know,
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those are not the best words to use
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for a lot of different reasons,
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but propitiation does not mean
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to appease or to placate,
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because that would kind of suggest
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that like God can be kind of bought off
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and His wrath can be kind of sued,
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like,
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hey God,
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it's okay,
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you know,
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don't be so upset,
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calm down,
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you know,
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it's like,
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it's not a really good word to use,
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and it's inadequate.
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And the NIV actually uses the word
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atoning sacrifice,
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which isn't bad,
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you know,
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but it's expressed in a way
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as someone who would turn aside
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the wrath of God,
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and that's not the best way either,
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because it means like,
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like,
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think about yourself,
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you know,
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you're standing here,
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and you're under the wrath of God,
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and God's wrath is coming
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straight towards you,
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and Christ stands in your place,
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like,
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and when that wrath comes,
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like,
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what this is kind of suggesting
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is that He like,
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deflected it,
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like,
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like in a boxing match,
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you know,
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like you,
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you kind of parry off
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the wrath of God,
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but what the word really can imply,
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and what it does mean,
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is like,
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exhausted,
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like,
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Christ exhausted
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the wrath of God,
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like He fully,
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it hit Him right on,
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and He absorbed it,
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you know,
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like He fully embraced
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the wrath of God,
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and not one ounce of wrath
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was left after He did that,
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and so,
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turn to Romans 5,
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go fast,
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Romans 5,
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and go to verse 6,
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so all of God's fury
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was unleashed on Christ,
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and He held nothing back,
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and even in the Garden of Gethsemane,
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where He prayed,
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you know,
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Father,
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if it's possible,
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let this cup pass from me,
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you know,
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and what He means by that is,
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in the Old Testament,
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God's wrath was referred to
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as like these cups of wrath
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that God would pour out
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on people,
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also in Revelation,
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so He knew that that cup
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was going to be the wrath of God,
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and so Romans 5,
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this is my,
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I probably go to this,
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like,
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at least half the time,
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when I'm like initially
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trying to share the gospel
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with somebody,
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I go to Romans 5,
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6 through 11,
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so verse 6,
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for while we were still weak,
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at the right time,
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Christ died for the ungodly,
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okay,
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and just stop there,
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that's important,
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because,
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like,
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God doesn't help those
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who help themselves,
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that's not the gospel,
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that's medieval theology,
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and like it says,
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while we were weak,
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and while we were helpless,
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you know,
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like while we couldn't do anything
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to help ourselves,
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Christ died for the ungodly,
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and then it says,
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for one will scarcely die
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for a righteous person,
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though perhaps for a good person,
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someone might dare even to die,
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okay,
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and what,
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Paul is trying to make a case there,
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like,
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I kind of,
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I kind of try to describe this
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to people,
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I say,
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I tell them,
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I have three nieces,
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Addison,
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Ansley,
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and Ava,
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the oldest one's six now,
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and like,
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I,
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without hesitation,
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would give my wife
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or any of them,
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like,
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just,
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you know,
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if it was between them or me,
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I would like,
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gladly choose me any day,
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it'd be easy for me
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to die for them,
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but,
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if you place another decision
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before me,
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and said,
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hey,
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there's a guy here who,
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he's like a serial killer,
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and a child rapist,
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and he has no regret whatsoever,
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but,
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the only way he'll go free
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is if you die for him,
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and stand in his place,
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you might be more like,
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uh,
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you know,
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maybe not,
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maybe not,
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not that guy,
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he's had his chance,
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you start rationalizing everything,
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but what Paul is saying here
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is you are that guy,
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like we are that guy,
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and,
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that we didn't deserve,
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to be saved at all,
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we didn't have some kind of innocence,
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hanging over us,
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and,
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but this is what it says,
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and there in verse 8,
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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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see that,
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so that kind of shows you the,
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the magnitude,
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of like God's love,
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okay,
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and,
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remember,
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a lot of people are thinking in their minds,
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like,
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a lot of them are either thinking,
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God is like seriously wrathful,
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in judgment,
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and that's,
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and he's holy,
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and that's all I can think about,
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when I think of God,
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and other people would just see him,
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as the big grandpa in the sky,
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the nice loving God,
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that's just not ever going to do anything,
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to,
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to harm you,
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and,
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and so we have the love of God there,
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on the table,
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you see that,
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like,
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he shows his love for us,
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he died for us,
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and then the next verse,
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since therefore,
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we have now been justified,
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by his blood,
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much more shall I be saved,
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by him from the wrath of God,
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so I like to say that,
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I like to show them,
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like you see love,
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and you see wrath,
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like right by each other,
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like the love of God,
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and the wrath of God,
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side by side,
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and,
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and I tell them,
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that justified,
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like,
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like you're not,
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you don't have a right standing with God,
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until you have Christ,
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and only when you have Christ,
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you can be justified,
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made right,
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declared righteous,
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according to his blood,
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and so,
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then it goes on,
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it says,
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verse 10,
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for if we were enemies,
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we were reconciled to God,
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by the death of his son,
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much more now,
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that we've been,
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we are reconciled,
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shall be saved by his life,
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more than that,
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we also rejoice in God,
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through our Lord Jesus Christ,
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through whom,
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we have now received reconciliation,
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reconciliation,
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so we are saved,
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by the death of Christ,
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and we've been brought back to God,
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been reconciled,
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you know,
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brought back to God,
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so,
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those are like the,
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a very simple,
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picture,
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I guess,
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if we want to put it that way,
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what Christ has done,
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if you have to come across with,
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a message,
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this is who Christ is,
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this is what he's done,
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so,
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we know what you've,
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most of us have probably seen the movie,
21:17
Passion of the Christ,
21:18
but,
21:20
Passion,
21:21
at least biblically,
21:22
in a positive way,
21:24
means,
21:25
I think in Greek,
21:28
it really just means like,
21:29
the degree of difficulty,
21:31
you're willing to go through,
21:33
to accomplish a goal,
21:35
to,
21:35
like,
21:36
it's the thing inside of you,
21:37
that says that goal,
21:39
or that,
21:40
you know,
21:41
thing,
21:42
is worth anything,
21:43
to get to,
21:44
and I'm going to do it,
21:44
that's like what Passion is,
21:47
and it's not just like a,
21:48
yeah,
21:48
I'm passionate,
21:49
you know,
21:49
like,
21:49
it's not like a,
21:50
I'm passionate,
21:51
it's like a,
21:52
I'm willing to live,
21:53
and die,
21:53
to get that,
21:54
that's what Passion is,
21:56
and so,
21:56
that's,
21:57
so what was Christ's Passion,
22:00
you know,
22:01
well,
22:01
one was,
22:02
he wanted us to be restored,
22:03
back into,
22:04
the relationship,
22:05
with the Father,
22:05
so that we could glorify,
22:07
the Father once again,
22:09
you know,
22:09
and,
22:10
and that we'd be able,
22:11
to walk in a manner,
22:12
that reflects God's glory,
22:13
once again,
22:14
all the stuff that was lost,
22:15
he was going to restore,
22:17
and,
22:18
and ultimately,
22:19
we are the bride of Christ,
22:20
so he died for us,
22:21
his bride,
22:22
to be brought back to her,
22:24
that was his passion,
22:25
so,
22:27
in Romans,
22:27
or Hebrews 12,
22:28
for the joys that before him,
22:29
he endured the cross,
22:31
you know,
22:31
that's what,
22:32
that was the joy,
22:33
that was before him,
22:34
to see that happen,
22:35
so,
22:36
so summing that up,
22:37
really fast,
22:38
that's what,
22:39
the,
22:39
the Christ part,
22:41
of the gospel message,
22:42
like,
22:43
at least needs to contain,
22:44
you can go,
22:45
and tell a lot more things,
22:46
but,
22:47
those are at least two scriptures,
22:48
I like to look at,
22:50
when I'm discussing with someone,
22:52
so,
22:54
which brings us to the next part of this,
22:56
response,
23:00
okay,
23:00
the response,
23:01
this is the other main,
23:03
point here,
23:03
response,
23:04
and,
23:05
and,
23:07
I guess,
23:07
under that,
23:08
like,
23:08
what do you mean by response,
23:10
well,
23:10
the gospel is not just a message,
23:12
that you can just say,
23:14
you know,
23:14
that's,
23:15
that's kind of cool,
23:16
you know,
23:16
like,
23:17
it's,
23:17
it's a message,
23:18
that like,
23:18
demands a response,
23:20
like,
23:20
it's,
23:21
it calls you,
23:22
to that,
23:23
and that response,
23:25
really should be,
23:26
faith and repentance,
23:26
that's what,
23:27
what the response,
23:28
kind of contains,
23:29
inside it,
23:30
is faith and repentance,
23:32
um,
23:34
people need to understand,
23:35
like,
23:37
like,
23:38
this isn't a trivial decision,
23:40
you make,
23:41
like,
23:41
a lot of churches,
23:42
like,
23:43
have reduced the gospel,
23:44
to mere decisionism,
23:45
like,
23:46
write your name down,
23:47
this card,
23:49
walk this aisle,
23:50
pray this prayer,
23:52
you know,
23:53
just decide to do it,
23:54
you'd make the right decision,
23:55
you know,
23:56
go up there and do it,
23:56
and,
23:58
no,
23:59
I mean,
24:00
that's not what it is,
24:01
I'm not saying,
24:01
if you've done that,
24:02
then it wasn't real,
24:03
I'm just saying,
24:04
that's not,
24:05
in and of itself,
24:05
what response is,
24:07
um,
24:07
we don't have altar calls,
24:08
here,
24:09
at Christ's family,
24:10
um,
24:11
for a lot of reasons,
24:12
but,
24:13
but,
24:14
we're talking about David Platt,
24:16
earlier,
24:16
I'll tell you a really funny story,
24:17
just to kind of lighten the mood,
24:18
for a second,
24:19
before we get back into serious,
24:20
but,
24:21
I was in Birmingham,
24:22
recently,
24:23
and,
24:24
for my surgery,
24:25
that was the next morning,
24:26
but I went to Brook Hills,
24:27
that Sunday night,
24:28
and,
24:29
heard the Sunday sermon,
24:31
um,
24:32
and he actually was talking about,
24:33
this kind of stuff,
24:34
that was kind of cool,
24:34
he was talking about,
24:35
it was called threads,
24:36
so it was like the main points,
24:37
of the gospel,
24:38
that,
24:39
hit the head on us,
24:39
I was like,
24:40
I asked him,
24:41
when I saw him later,
24:42
I was like,
24:42
David,
24:42
did you like,
24:43
know that we were doing that,
24:44
on Thursday night,
24:44
and that's why you're doing it here,
24:46
too,
24:46
he was like,
24:47
no,
24:48
but,
24:49
um,
24:50
but he told a funny story,
24:51
about an altar call,
24:53
that happened,
24:53
but,
24:54
he said when he was 10 years old,
24:56
he was a,
24:56
he was a believer then,
24:58
he was 10 years old,
24:59
and,
25:00
um,
25:01
he said that he went to a really old church,
25:03
and,
25:03
probably like,
25:04
9% of the congregation,
25:05
were like really old people,
25:06
he said,
25:07
mostly kind of hard of hearing,
25:08
and,
25:08
and,
25:09
and the pastor was also kind of old,
25:11
and hard of hearing,
25:12
and,
25:13
and they said,
25:13
you know,
25:13
before you leave tonight,
25:15
go up and say like,
25:16
an encouraging word to somebody,
25:19
and,
25:19
you know,
25:21
so that this music started playing,
25:22
you know,
25:23
and,
25:23
and they,
25:24
they had an altar call,
25:25
and so the pastor,
25:26
like,
25:27
you know,
25:27
did the number,
25:28
where he kind of comes down here,
25:28
and he's kind of looking for people to,
25:30
come down the aisle,
25:31
you know,
25:31
just for,
25:32
for,
25:33
for whatever,
25:34
and,
25:34
uh,
25:35
and David said,
25:36
I was sitting in the front row,
25:37
and I just thought,
25:39
you know,
25:40
like,
25:40
I really love the pastor,
25:42
the pastor really encourages me,
25:44
and I want to just go,
25:45
and just say an encouraging word to him,
25:47
I just want to encourage the pastor,
25:48
so,
25:49
he,
25:49
he walks up to the pastor,
25:51
he's like,
25:51
you know,
25:51
pastor,
25:52
I,
25:52
I'm really grateful for all you've done for this church,
25:55
and,
25:56
you know,
25:57
you've really had a big impact on my life,
25:59
and,
26:00
and he said the pastor really couldn't hear that good,
26:02
and he was like,
26:03
what did you say,
26:04
and,
26:04
uh,
26:05
he said,
26:05
I'm just,
26:06
I love you,
26:07
and,
26:07
you know,
26:07
I'm grateful for all you've done,
26:09
and how you've impacted my life,
26:11
and he said,
26:12
you want to rededicate your life,
26:15
and he said,
26:17
yes,
26:18
sir,
26:18
and,
26:19
uh,
26:19
and so he,
26:20
uh,
26:21
then after it was over,
26:22
you know,
26:22
he like called the music,
26:23
but he's like,
26:24
young David has come up here to rededicate his life to the Lord,
26:28
and he said his parents came up there with him,
26:30
and his mom was crying,
26:31
and he was just like,
26:32
oh,
26:32
you know,
26:33
it's kind of,
26:34
um,
26:35
I just didn't know what to do,
26:36
I didn't want to like let him down,
26:37
so,
26:38
um,
26:39
but,
26:39
but those kind of things encourage a lot of faults,
26:42
a lot of people have a lot of faults hoping that,
26:45
I did that,
26:45
so I'm good,
26:46
but,
26:47
but then the present day,
26:48
ten years later,
26:49
they're living like total heathens,
26:50
and they have no evidence at all that Christ has touched them,
26:53
so their salvation is based on a past experience,
26:56
and that's not what faith and repentance is at all,
27:01
and so,
27:03
um,
27:05
when you're talking to someone,
27:07
they need to know that like presently,
27:09
their soul is hanging in the balance,
27:11
you know,
27:12
like,
27:13
like,
27:14
that there's a holy living God that they have to reckon with,
27:17
like,
27:18
there's not a choice,
27:19
and,
27:20
and,
27:20
they need to know that like,
27:23
God's not waiting for them,
27:26
you know,
27:26
he doesn't consider them neutral,
27:28
like,
27:29
huh,
27:30
their answer to God is no,
27:32
until it becomes yes,
27:33
and,
27:34
that if they're not with him,
27:37
they're against him,
27:38
and,
27:38
that to remain,
27:40
we just read it in Romans,
27:41
though we were enemies of God,
27:43
right,
27:43
and we were,
27:45
so they need to understand that,
27:46
apart from Christ,
27:47
and apart from faith and repentance in Christ,
27:49
they're an enemy of God,
27:50
there's like,
27:51
hostility there,
27:53
and,
27:54
that they have to repent of their sins,
27:55
surrender to Christ,
27:57
and so,
27:58
and like telling them,
27:58
you will exist,
28:00
forever,
28:00
like me and you,
28:01
we're going to exist forever,
28:02
and we're either going to exist,
28:04
as friends of God,
28:06
on his terms,
28:07
or enemies on your terms,
28:09
you know,
28:09
like,
28:10
this is called,
28:11
you have to make a decision,
28:12
this isn't like a,
28:13
a neutral thing,
28:14
like,
28:15
guys are like,
28:15
okay,
28:16
well cool,
28:16
just get back to me,
28:17
you know,
28:18
like,
28:18
just RSVP whenever you feel like it,
28:21
no,
28:22
like,
28:22
there's,
28:22
this like demands something,
28:24
it should keep people awake at night,
28:25
until they've come to,
28:27
to grips with what's going on,
28:29
so,
28:30
um,
28:31
turn to Mark real fast,
28:32
Mark one,
28:33
Mark is that gospel,
28:43
that kind of comes right out,
28:45
and tells you who Jesus is,
28:46
and what he's about,
28:47
as were Luke,
28:48
and some other ones,
28:48
you're kind of like,
28:49
learning about who Jesus is,
28:51
you don't really know,
28:52
until like later on,
28:53
if you were just reading it,
28:54
for the first time,
28:55
but,
28:56
there's no joking around in Mark,
28:57
it comes right out,
28:58
and says it,
28:59
Mark one,
28:59
and go to verse 14,
29:00
Mark one,
29:04
and go to verse 14,
29:06
it says,
29:09
now after John was arrested,
29:11
John the Baptist,
29:12
Jesus came into Galilee,
29:15
proclaiming the gospel of God,
29:18
and saying,
29:18
the time is fulfilled,
29:20
and the kingdom of God is at hand,
29:23
repent,
29:24
and believe in the gospel,
29:27
alright,
29:27
so,
29:28
out of the mouth of Jesus there,
29:30
so,
29:31
so,
29:31
we see two things,
29:32
repent,
29:33
believe,
29:34
you know,
29:35
so,
29:35
we'll look at those two words,
29:37
for a second,
29:37
this is,
29:38
this is really key,
29:39
to the response,
29:40
you know,
29:40
in the gospel,
29:42
but,
29:43
when we talk about believing,
29:44
we're not talking about,
29:46
how children believe,
29:48
in Santa Claus,
29:49
and the Easter Bunny,
29:50
and,
29:51
you know,
29:52
mystics believe,
29:52
in the power of crystals,
29:53
and rocks,
29:54
and Christians,
29:56
they just believe in Jesus,
29:57
it's not like the same,
29:58
kind of thing at all,
29:59
like,
30:00
to believe is to have faith,
30:02
and faith isn't like,
30:03
faith is not believing,
30:06
excuse me,
30:06
it's not,
30:08
trying to prove something,
30:12
faith is like a strong reliance,
30:15
it's like rock solid,
30:17
and truth grounded,
30:19
trust in Christ,
30:21
to save us,
30:21
that's what it is,
30:22
it's like a,
30:23
it's like this unwavering trust,
30:25
full reliance upon Christ,
30:27
to save us,
30:28
it's what,
30:29
faith really is,
30:30
biblically,
30:31
and your faith doesn't save you,
30:32
Christ saves you,
30:33
but your faith is what links you,
30:35
to Christ,
30:37
so,
30:37
to throw yourself,
30:38
you know,
30:39
on him,
30:39
and say,
30:40
hey,
30:40
I need you,
30:42
and it's being fully convinced,
30:43
that Christ is able to deliver you,
30:45
from your sin,
30:47
and,
30:47
so,
30:49
a lot of people need to know that,
30:51
and,
30:52
and then the repentance part,
30:54
like,
30:54
I mean,
30:55
I know if I ask you,
30:56
what does repentance mean,
30:57
a lot of people,
30:58
I mean,
30:58
you could have a lot of different answers,
31:00
to that probably,
31:01
but at least in the context,
31:02
of the gospel message,
31:04
repentance really means,
31:05
it's like,
31:06
forsaking your sinful ways,
31:08
and thoughts,
31:09
and turning towards God,
31:10
and it's not just,
31:11
turning away from something,
31:12
it's turning to something,
31:14
and,
31:16
it's,
31:17
it's,
31:17
you come believing,
31:19
recognizing your sin,
31:21
and your rebellion towards God,
31:23
and desiring to have forgiveness from God,
31:26
and deliverance from his wrath,
31:27
and you throw yourself completely,
31:29
at his mercy,
31:30
and say,
31:30
you know,
31:31
I can't,
31:32
I can't do this,
31:33
I know I'm,
31:34
I'm under the waterfall,
31:35
of your wrath right now,
31:37
and I need help,
31:38
to turn away from my sin,
31:41
and,
31:42
and to say,
31:43
you know,
31:43
I believe that Christ,
31:44
is my substitute,
31:45
that he died,
31:46
in my place,
31:48
and,
31:48
and through him,
31:49
I can like know,
31:51
know you,
31:52
once again,
31:53
you know,
31:53
God,
31:54
and,
31:55
so,
31:56
that's kind of what repentance is,
31:58
to some degree,
31:58
they have to understand,
31:59
that it's not just,
32:00
you know,
32:01
check,
32:01
I'm a Christian now,
32:02
and then you just continue walking,
32:04
and then you just continue walking,
32:05
in that sinful way,
32:06
all the time,
32:07
with no remorse,
32:08
or,
32:09
brokenness about it at all,
32:11
but,
32:13
to repent and believe,
32:14
to turn,
32:15
from your sin,
32:16
and from self-worship,
32:18
and turn to God,
32:20
you know,
32:20
that's what it is,
32:22
and so,
32:23
also underneath response,
32:25
we're going to talk about two realities,
32:27
okay,
32:28
and,
32:28
and usually,
32:30
most people are tracking,
32:32
you know,
32:32
with me pretty well,
32:34
until I get to this time,
32:35
you know,
32:36
you know,
32:39
I don't have like a,
32:40
a technique,
32:41
or a method,
32:42
that I try to follow,
32:43
but,
32:43
I do have kind of like a,
32:44
a flow,
32:45
which I try to talk to people,
32:46
I try to talk to them,
32:47
you know,
32:49
just about the gospel,
32:50
of,
32:51
of,
32:52
of God,
32:53
and a man,
32:53
and Christ,
32:55
and then,
32:55
I let them chew on that,
32:56
for a while,
32:57
and maybe the next week,
32:58
kind of ask them where they are with that,
32:59
and if they have questions,
33:00
but then it gets to,
33:02
like eventually,
33:03
it comes to this,
33:04
and sometimes this is where,
33:06
you know,
33:07
this is like the fork in the road,
33:08
kind of thing,
33:10
but,
33:10
there's two existing realities,
33:13
in the scripture,
33:14
when it comes to response,
33:15
both are there,
33:16
and both you need to emphasize,
33:19
one is,
33:21
that Christ demands,
33:22
that you weigh the cost,
33:23
of following him,
33:25
like you must think about this,
33:27
and the other one is,
33:30
there's urgency,
33:31
that we have to respond,
33:33
right,
33:34
so,
33:35
weighing the cost,
33:36
urgency,
33:37
you know,
33:39
all right,
33:40
so,
33:41
the first one,
33:42
weighing the cost,
33:43
turn to Luke 14,
33:45
real fast,
33:46
Luke 14,
33:49
this is a,
33:49
a classic text,
33:52
that kind of contains,
33:53
these,
33:54
these truths in it,
33:55
you know,
33:58
and walk them,
33:59
walk them through this,
34:00
you know,
34:01
okay,
34:12
I'm sorry,
34:14
I should have told you,
34:14
where to turn,
34:15
in Luke 14,
34:15
but yeah,
34:16
go to verse 25,
34:16
and,
34:19
and in this place,
34:21
in Luke,
34:22
Christ is on his final journey,
34:25
toward Jerusalem,
34:26
it says that he turned his eyes,
34:28
towards Jerusalem,
34:29
and he,
34:29
he's going there,
34:31
to be,
34:32
you know,
34:32
betrayed,
34:33
arrested,
34:34
and crucified,
34:35
so,
34:37
um,
34:38
he's being followed,
34:39
by some crowds,
34:41
that are somewhat,
34:42
kind of flirting,
34:43
with Jesus,
34:44
they're kind of like,
34:45
intrigued by him,
34:47
and,
34:48
you know,
34:49
what do we do,
34:49
when we get a big crowd,
34:50
we do anything we can,
34:51
to get them to stay,
34:52
you know,
34:53
and like,
34:53
make them happy,
34:54
and tell them what they want,
34:55
to hear,
34:56
but Jesus would just,
34:58
when stuff kind of got like this,
34:59
he would kind of look at them,
35:00
and just like,
35:02
say something,
35:02
that would like,
35:03
make them leave,
35:03
or make them stay,
35:04
you know,
35:05
like it would just be,
35:06
again,
35:07
just kind of like a fork in the road,
35:08
and,
35:10
um,
35:10
so he turns around,
35:11
this is what he says,
35:12
well,
35:13
uh,
35:13
context,
35:14
verse 25,
35:15
now great crowds,
35:16
accompanied them,
35:17
and he turned,
35:18
and said to them,
35:20
if anyone comes,
35:23
to me,
35:24
and does not hate,
35:25
his own father,
35:26
and mother,
35:27
and wife,
35:28
and children,
35:29
and brothers,
35:30
and sisters,
35:31
and yes,
35:32
even his own life,
35:32
he cannot be,
35:34
my disciple,
35:36
wow,
35:37
okay,
35:39
and,
35:40
then it says,
35:41
whoever does not bear,
35:43
his own cross,
35:44
and come after me,
35:46
cannot be my disciple,
35:48
for which of you,
35:49
desiring,
35:50
to build a tower,
35:51
does not first sit down,
35:52
and count the cost,
35:54
whether he has enough,
35:55
to complete it,
35:56
otherwise,
35:57
when he has laid a foundation,
35:58
and is not able to finish,
36:00
all who see it,
36:01
will begin to mock him,
36:02
saying,
36:03
this man began to build,
36:04
and was not able to finish,
36:06
or what king,
36:07
going out to encounter,
36:08
another king in war,
36:09
will not sit down first,
36:11
and deliberate,
36:12
whether,
36:13
he is able,
36:14
with 10,000,
36:15
to meet him,
36:16
who comes against him,
36:17
with 20,000,
36:18
and if not,
36:20
while the other,
36:20
is still a great way off,
36:21
he sends a delegation,
36:22
and asks them,
36:23
for terms of peace,
36:25
all right,
36:26
so then he brings it back,
36:27
so therefore,
36:28
any one of you,
36:29
who does not renounce,
36:30
all he has,
36:31
cannot be my disciple,
36:33
man,
36:33
like,
36:35
again,
36:36
like,
36:37
most people are like,
36:38
okay,
36:38
well,
36:38
we're done with that,
36:39
and they go home,
36:40
so,
36:43
I bet,
36:44
I've had this question before,
36:45
when I read this one time,
36:46
to some guy,
36:46
he said,
36:47
well,
36:48
it sounds like,
36:48
we have to do something then,
36:50
like,
36:50
it sounds like,
36:50
we have to like,
36:52
do some kind of work,
36:53
to be saved,
36:54
and you just told me,
36:54
that salvation is free,
36:56
you know,
36:57
it's a free,
36:58
I'm like,
36:59
good question,
37:00
I have an answer,
37:03
but,
37:04
what,
37:05
what Christ understands,
37:07
okay,
37:08
why he can say this,
37:10
is like,
37:11
if these people,
37:12
really believe,
37:13
who he says he is,
37:14
and what he says,
37:15
he will do,
37:17
they will have no problem,
37:18
like,
37:19
giving up those things,
37:20
like,
37:20
they'll be like,
37:21
oh,
37:21
I don't care,
37:22
like,
37:22
whatever it takes,
37:23
I want you,
37:24
and so all it really does,
37:25
is kind of expose those people,
37:27
who don't really believe that,
37:28
because they're not willing,
37:29
to die for that,
37:30
they think it's cool,
37:30
but they're not willing,
37:32
they don't believe it enough,
37:33
to die for it,
37:34
while the other people are like,
37:36
that sounds awful,
37:38
but,
37:38
and I don't want,
37:40
to like,
37:40
lose anybody in my life,
37:42
but,
37:42
I'm willing to,
37:44
if it means I can get you,
37:45
you know,
37:46
because this life is short,
37:48
and,
37:49
eternity is a long time,
37:50
and now,
37:51
I want to be with God,
37:52
in eternity,
37:53
you know,
37:54
so whatever it takes,
37:55
I believe you're worth it,
37:56
it's like,
37:57
Jesus is like,
37:58
testing them in a way,
37:59
like,
37:59
he just knew,
38:00
that if they really did believe,
38:01
who he says he was,
38:03
then they wouldn't care,
38:04
like,
38:04
what it costs,
38:05
so,
38:07
but in this text,
38:09
you see,
38:09
kind of,
38:10
kind of two things,
38:11
or three,
38:13
but,
38:13
you see that,
38:14
Christ demands that,
38:16
you love him,
38:18
more important than your family,
38:20
you know,
38:21
this is just like the people,
38:22
you care about,
38:23
this could be any kind of relationship,
38:26
but he throws family in there,
38:28
because it's usually the closest,
38:29
relationships we have,
38:30
it can mean a boyfriend,
38:32
or a girlfriend,
38:33
whatever,
38:33
friends in general,
38:35
but it says,
38:37
he demands that we have a superior love,
38:39
to all our earthly relationships,
38:42
and,
38:42
let me clear that up,
38:43
where it says hate,
38:44
there,
38:45
it doesn't mean like,
38:46
man,
38:46
I hate my dad,
38:47
or man,
38:47
I hate my mom,
38:48
it's not what it means,
38:49
it,
38:50
it really just kind of implies,
38:52
like,
38:54
like,
38:55
to love less than,
38:57
but the way he's kind of using it,
38:59
it kind of means like,
39:00
the love that you should have for me,
39:02
compared to the love that you should have for others,
39:04
should be so great,
39:05
that your love for them looks like hate,
39:07
compared to the love you have for me,
39:09
and so,
39:11
that's kind of what he means by that,
39:14
and we know that only loving Christ first,
39:17
we can love other people too,
39:18
so,
39:19
so it's not a wrong,
39:20
a wrong thing,
39:21
so,
39:24
in Matthew 10,
39:26
there's a parallel to this text,
39:28
and he says,
39:29
I've not come to bring peace,
39:30
but the sword,
39:31
and what he means is like,
39:33
if Christ,
39:34
I tell people like,
39:34
if Christ's presence in your life,
39:37
you need to know,
39:38
that that can cause division,
39:40
like,
39:40
you can lose friends,
39:41
you can lose family,
39:43
you can,
39:44
a lot,
39:44
you can suffer a lot of loss,
39:45
because of this,
39:46
you understand,
39:47
and I kind of tell them,
39:50
like,
39:51
in this context,
39:52
and in other places in the world,
39:53
even today,
39:54
and then,
39:54
like,
39:55
this is,
39:55
this is true,
39:56
I said,
39:57
you're probably,
39:59
you know,
39:59
not going to be killed,
40:00
and in prison for the gospel,
40:02
here in the U.S. at least,
40:04
but I can,
40:04
I have friends that are scattered abroad,
40:06
that have been in prison,
40:08
for following Christ,
40:09
and in this context,
40:11
it meant losing everything,
40:14
and,
40:14
my friend,
40:15
some of you,
40:16
some of you guys met him,
40:18
up in Hiawasi,
40:19
also from Kyrgyzstan,
40:20
he,
40:20
he's been in prison,
40:22
for the gospel before,
40:24
a few times,
40:25
he never would come out,
40:26
and tell you that,
40:27
but,
40:28
but,
40:28
he tells people this,
40:30
he says,
40:31
like,
40:32
you know,
40:32
when you become a Christian,
40:33
in Asia,
40:35
like,
40:35
first of all,
40:36
like,
40:36
your family kicks you out,
40:37
of the house,
40:38
like,
40:38
they kind of,
40:39
like,
40:39
don't want anything to do,
40:40
with you anymore,
40:41
and this would have been,
40:41
the same case,
40:42
in this Jewish context,
40:45
they want,
40:46
they don't want anything,
40:46
to do with you anymore,
40:48
secondly,
40:49
you're probably ostracized,
40:50
by your community,
40:51
they're like,
40:51
we just don't,
40:53
you know,
40:53
don't come into my store,
40:54
don't like,
40:55
I don't want you to work,
40:56
anywhere here,
40:57
and then he said,
40:58
thirdly,
40:59
the government will either,
41:01
tell you,
41:01
you're not allowed to work,
41:02
and work within their nation,
41:04
while you're a Christian,
41:05
or they'll imprison you,
41:08
or they'll kill you,
41:09
and he said,
41:10
and if you do all those things,
41:13
and you're still trusting in Christ,
41:14
we know you're a true Christian,
41:15
that's like what he said,
41:17
you know,
41:18
so like,
41:19
so Christ understood,
41:20
like,
41:20
this is what it's gonna,
41:22
this could mean death,
41:23
that's why he brings out the cross in this,
41:25
you know,
41:26
he says like,
41:27
take up your cross,
41:29
and that leads us to,
41:32
so we got like relationships there,
41:35
but then he says yourself,
41:36
like you gotta love him more than yourself,
41:38
you know,
41:39
like Christ's love should be superior to ourselves,
41:42
even our own lives,
41:43
and then Luke 9,
41:44
23 says,
41:46
if anyone comes after me,
41:47
let him deny himself,
41:49
take up his cross,
41:50
and follow me,
41:51
and so,
41:53
taking up your cross,
41:54
in that context,
41:55
would have meant,
41:56
come and die,
41:57
come and die with me,
41:59
like,
41:59
that's what it would mean,
42:00
it would mean like,
42:01
as Christ is carrying his cross,
42:03
you're gonna be right behind him,
42:05
that's like,
42:05
what it kind of implies,
42:07
like,
42:08
you have to be willing to die,
42:09
for this,
42:11
and,
42:12
so,
42:13
and when he says,
42:13
deny yourself,
42:14
what that means,
42:15
is like to refuse to associate with,
42:17
simply,
42:18
it means don't,
42:18
don't associate with this,
42:21
and,
42:21
it means like,
42:23
a willingness to follow him,
42:25
to serve one another,
42:26
and to keep his commandments,
42:28
you know,
42:29
and,
42:30
I'll try to paraphrase it,
42:32
he's like saying,
42:33
if you knew,
42:34
that following me,
42:35
would cost you your life,
42:37
would you still come anyway,
42:38
are you that desperate,
42:40
do you,
42:40
do you understand your sin,
42:42
that much,
42:44
you know,
42:45
you might not die,
42:46
but,
42:46
if it costs you that,
42:47
would you still do it,
42:48
do you see your sin,
42:50
and you see my,
42:51
my grace,
42:53
that much,
42:54
you see,
42:54
you see what he's doing,
42:55
he's like,
42:56
he's calling them to,
42:57
to take up the cross,
42:59
and to die,
43:01
so,
43:03
it's a call,
43:04
to a living savior,
43:06
and then finally,
43:07
in that last part,
43:08
in,
43:08
in Luke,
43:09
that we read,
43:10
he kind of like,
43:11
sums it up there,
43:12
in verse 23,
43:12
if one of you,
43:14
that does not renounce,
43:15
all he has,
43:15
he cannot be my disciple,
43:17
so,
43:18
in case I've missed everything,
43:19
renounce all you have,
43:21
so,
43:21
you're like,
43:22
okay,
43:22
I can renounce that,
43:23
and now,
43:23
he's like,
43:23
well,
43:24
how about everything,
43:25
and he kind of like,
43:25
kind of sums it up,
43:27
with that,
43:27
you have to be willing,
43:28
to renounce everything,
43:31
so,
43:32
you know,
43:33
with the left,
43:33
no stone or in turn,
43:34
he kind of throws that in there,
43:36
and you get that picture,
43:37
of weighing the cost,
43:38
he like talks about the tower,
43:39
and he talks about,
43:40
the king going to war,
43:41
think about this,
43:43
you know,
43:44
like I,
43:44
don't be in a hurry,
43:47
I told somebody,
43:48
this one time,
43:49
they're like,
43:49
what,
43:49
that's so wrong,
43:50
and then I had to,
43:51
explain what I meant,
43:52
but I say that,
43:54
I try to talk people,
43:55
out of becoming a Christian,
43:56
after like I've told them,
43:57
what the gospel is,
43:58
and I can do that,
44:00
because God is sovereign,
44:02
and salvation,
44:02
and if God really,
44:03
is working in them,
44:05
I can't change their minds,
44:06
about it,
44:06
like I can't,
44:07
I can't say,
44:08
they're not going to be like,
44:09
well,
44:10
I don't want that anymore,
44:11
like they're like,
44:12
I don't care,
44:13
I want,
44:13
I want Christ,
44:15
so,
44:16
he kind of,
44:17
that's important,
44:18
to understand,
44:19
that they need to think about it,
44:19
you need to tell them,
44:20
don't enter to this decision hastily,
44:23
think about it,
44:24
okay,
44:25
and so this next part though,
44:27
urgency,
44:28
is the next part of that,
44:29
because they can't,
44:30
weigh the cost for 20 years,
44:33
you know,
44:35
so,
44:35
I'll give you an example,
44:38
I try to,
44:39
I give to people,
44:40
I'm sharing,
44:41
I tell them like,
44:43
five years ago,
44:44
I had a lung transplant,
44:46
okay,
44:47
and the doctors at UAB,
44:50
told me,
44:52
like,
44:53
we can do this surgery,
44:56
but you need to know,
44:56
this surgery has,
44:58
a lot of risks,
44:59
you can have a lot of side effects,
45:01
you know,
45:02
like this isn't a perfect science,
45:03
it's like a lot of things can go wrong,
45:05
and so you need to think about this,
45:07
you don't need to jump into this,
45:09
this surgery really quickly,
45:10
you need to go home,
45:11
and talk about it with,
45:13
your family,
45:13
and your friends,
45:14
and,
45:15
you know,
45:16
whatever,
45:16
you need to think about it,
45:17
it's a big deal,
45:18
you know,
45:19
it's going to take a lot of time,
45:21
and there's risks,
45:23
but then he also threw in there,
45:24
he said,
45:25
but you need to also understand,
45:26
that your lung function,
45:28
is not great,
45:29
and it's declining,
45:31
you know,
45:31
almost every other month,
45:32
it's getting worse,
45:34
so you don't have like forever,
45:35
to kind of put this off,
45:36
you need to,
45:37
come to the decision,
45:38
so you see that idea of like,
45:40
how both of those are pressing in,
45:41
and,
45:43
so,
45:44
we get into this idea of urgency,
45:47
flip this second Corinthians,
45:48
real fast,
45:50
verse six,
45:55
or chapter six,
45:57
sorry,
45:57
second Corinthians chapter six,
45:58
and,
46:00
this is Paul,
46:28
and he says,
46:29
working together with him,
46:33
then we appeal to you,
46:34
not to receive,
46:35
the grace of God in vain,
46:38
right,
46:39
so we're pleading with these people,
46:40
it says,
46:40
for he says,
46:42
in a favorable time,
46:43
I listened to you,
46:45
and in a day of salvation,
46:46
I have helped you,
46:48
and behold,
46:49
now is the favorable time,
46:50
behold,
46:51
now is the day of salvation,
46:52
and,
46:53
so,
46:54
like,
46:56
right now,
46:57
we're living in,
46:58
like a season of grace,
47:00
okay,
47:00
like God's wrath has not come yet,
47:02
fully,
47:03
if you're alive and breathing,
47:06
you're being shown mercy,
47:07
right now,
47:08
without Christ,
47:10
and,
47:11
like,
47:12
that's what God's saying here,
47:14
he quotes out of the Old Testament,
47:15
like in this favorable time,
47:16
I listened to you,
47:17
like you had,
47:19
this window of time,
47:20
to come to me,
47:21
and repent of your sin,
47:22
you know,
47:23
and,
47:24
but then he says,
47:26
now is the favorable time,
47:29
behold,
47:29
now is the day of salvation,
47:31
like,
47:31
don't put this off,
47:33
there's an allotted time,
47:34
but then when,
47:35
like the gates shut,
47:36
it shut,
47:37
there's not like another,
47:39
you know,
47:39
time when God's going to open it up,
47:41
and,
47:42
they need to come to Christ,
47:44
for forgiveness and restoration,
47:46
and,
47:46
and,
47:48
I'll read this to you real fast,
47:49
you don't,
47:50
have to turn there,
47:53
but Isaiah 55,
47:55
you can write it down,
47:55
Isaiah 55,
47:57
verse 6,
47:58
this is another text,
47:59
that I use,
48:00
it says,
48:01
seek the Lord,
48:03
while he may be found,
48:05
call upon him,
48:06
while he is near,
48:08
let the wicked forsake his way,
48:10
and the unrighteous man his thoughts,
48:12
let him return to the Lord,
48:14
that he may have compassion on him,
48:16
and to our God,
48:17
for he will abundantly pardon,
48:21
all right,
48:22
and,
48:22
that's another verse,
48:24
just saying,
48:25
come on,
48:26
like,
48:26
seek the Lord,
48:27
while he's near,
48:28
and,
48:31
I have a quote,
48:31
by Charles Spurgeon here,
48:33
I liked a lot,
48:34
he says,
48:34
if you were sick,
48:36
would you send,
48:37
for your physician tomorrow,
48:38
if your house were on fire,
48:40
would you call fire tomorrow,
48:42
no,
48:44
but a man is foolish,
48:46
in these things,
48:47
that concern his soul,
48:49
unless divine,
48:50
infinite love,
48:50
shall teach him,
48:51
to number his days,
48:53
he will still,
48:53
he will go on,
48:55
boasting of tomorrows,
48:56
until his soul,
48:58
has been destroyed by them,
48:59
remember,
49:00
that if you have missed Christ,
49:01
by just a ticking of a clock,
49:04
you have missed him forever,
49:06
you know,
49:06
like,
49:08
like,
49:08
it's urgent,
49:09
like,
49:09
take care of this,
49:10
you need to,
49:11
so,
49:12
remember,
49:12
both of those things,
49:13
weighing the cost,
49:14
and urgency,
49:15
should be stressed to them,
49:18
and if you're taking notes,
49:19
Proverbs 1,
49:22
verse 24,
49:23
through 33,
49:23
is another time,
49:25
another text to look at,
49:27
where,
49:28
it's kind of like saying,
49:29
like,
49:29
hey,
49:29
I called you,
49:30
and you didn't listen,
49:31
I did this,
49:32
and you didn't listen,
49:33
I did this,
49:34
and you didn't listen,
49:34
so,
49:36
but,
49:36
if you do turn to me,
49:37
there will be life,
49:38
you know,
49:38
kind of,
49:39
kind of idea,
49:40
so,
49:41
that's what,
49:43
the content,
49:45
of the gospel message,
49:46
should be,
49:46
God,
49:47
man,
49:47
Christ,
49:48
response,
49:48
and,
49:49
those all need to be covered,
49:51
you know,
49:51
with,
49:51
with someone,
49:53
and some,
49:55
to some degree,
49:56
they have to have some understanding,
49:58
of these things,
49:59
and,
50:01
and let's just praise God,
50:03
that most of us here,
50:04
have believed this,
50:05
if you haven't,
50:06
I hope that this has helped you,
50:08
and you'll come to,
50:10
talk to someone,
50:10
who came with you tonight,
50:11
or come and talk to me,
50:12
or Swanson,
50:13
or Alex,
50:14
Ashley,
50:15
because,
50:17
this is,
50:18
this is the only news,
50:19
that will save your soul,
50:20
there is no other,
50:22
there's no,
50:22
there's salvation,
50:23
no other name,
50:23
it says,
50:24
in Acts,
50:25
other than Christ,
50:27
and,
50:28
Christ is worth it,
50:29
anything it takes,
50:31
you know,
50:31
if you lose your life,
50:32
so be it,
50:33
if you lose,
50:34
all your possessions,
50:35
so be it,
50:36
like it's,
50:36
he's worth it,
50:37
he's that treasured,
50:39
there's a place in Mark,
50:40
where,
50:41
where the disciples told him,
50:43
like hey,
50:43
we left everything,
50:44
to follow you Jesus,
50:46
and he says,
50:47
really,
50:48
have you really left everything,
50:49
to follow me,
50:50
and he goes,
50:51
I tell you,
50:52
that if you,
50:53
are following me now,
50:55
like your reward,
50:56
will be,
50:57
he's like,
50:58
no one has left,
50:59
father,
50:59
mother,
51:00
home,
51:00
for me,
51:01
who will not receive,
51:02
you know,
51:03
a hundred times more,
51:04
in the life to come,
51:05
like saying that,
51:06
whatever you think,
51:06
you've sacrificed,
51:08
I'm going to be so great,
51:10
that in the end of the day,
51:11
you won't be able to speak,
51:12
of sacrificing anything,
51:13
to follow me,
51:14
because it'll be that awesome,
51:15
you won't,
51:16
you won't say,
51:17
it'll be like trading 10,
51:18
so you can get gold,
51:20
you know,
51:20
like it's not,
51:21
you can't really say,
51:22
that's like a sacrifice,
51:23
but,
51:24
so Christ is worth it,
51:27
and so we're going to just,
51:28
respond with some seeing,
51:29
right now,
51:30
and,
51:31
in the next week,
51:32
we're going to talk about,
51:33
like living the gospel,
51:35
like how our lifestyle,
51:36
should kind of reflect that,
51:37
and how we can bring people,
51:38
into our lives,
51:39
to show them Christ,
51:42
so,
51:43
Alex and Ashley,
51:44
you can come on up,
51:46
Father,
51:48
we just want to stop,
51:49
and,
51:50
and praise you,
51:52
because this isn't just news,
51:54
it's,
51:55
it's glorious news,
51:56
it's news that,
51:59
meets our greatest need,
52:02
brings us to the greatest treasure,
52:03
in Christ,
52:04
and so,
52:05
Father,
52:06
we love you,
52:07
and give you praise,
52:07
thank you for the gospel message,
52:10
help us,
52:11
Lord,
52:11
to,
52:11
remember the depths,
52:14
that you pulled us out of,
52:16
and,
52:17
to,
52:17
be broken enough,
52:19
to go out,
52:19
and love other people,
52:21
and,
52:21
to lay down our lives,
52:22
for other people,
52:24
to know Christ,
52:27
and,
52:28
so Lord,
52:28
we praise you,
52:29
in Christ's name,
52:31
Amen.