WEBVTT 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:03.520 We're gonna be in 2 Corinthians chapter 5 today for the message. 00:00:03.759 --> 00:00:12.240 And do you know anybody who is not afraid to share what is on their mind? 00:00:13.839 --> 00:00:17.359 How many of you are, how many of you would say, I am one of those people? 00:00:18.079 --> 00:00:18.559 Come on. 00:00:19.039 --> 00:00:20.480 Yeah, how many of y'all like two hands? 00:00:20.559 --> 00:00:21.760 Like that is me, right? 00:00:21.839 --> 00:00:22.480 I I understand. 00:00:22.559 --> 00:00:24.480 It's like, why am I gonna beat around the bush? 00:00:24.879 --> 00:00:25.199 Right? 00:00:25.440 --> 00:00:31.600 Others of you that you're not like that, you're like, can you just warn me first before you're gonna say that? 00:00:32.719 --> 00:00:33.439 We all know this. 00:00:33.600 --> 00:00:38.320 We all know there's one group of people that are not afraid to share what's on their mind. 00:00:40.000 --> 00:00:40.640 Kids. 00:00:44.240 --> 00:00:48.560 So a while ago, one of the uh, how do I say this? 00:00:48.960 --> 00:00:51.600 Sweet little angels that come to FCC. 00:00:52.320 --> 00:00:56.560 They they came up and and I was talking, I was asking them about school. 00:00:57.520 --> 00:01:00.240 And I said, You're getting so tall. 00:01:01.600 --> 00:01:06.719 And they looked at me in the most genuine, sweet, innocent way. 00:01:06.799 --> 00:01:10.239 They looked over at me and they said, Well, you're short. 00:01:14.159 --> 00:01:19.120 So I looked up at them, grabbed them by the collar. 00:01:19.280 --> 00:01:20.079 No, I'm just kidding. 00:01:21.920 --> 00:01:24.159 Your kids say like whatever's on their mind. 00:01:24.400 --> 00:01:35.920 And I wonder if God spoke his mind and told you exactly what he thinks about you, what do you think he would say? 00:01:37.920 --> 00:01:39.439 Now, now here's the thing. 00:01:39.680 --> 00:01:41.359 You'll have to guess. 00:01:42.159 --> 00:01:54.079 Because we're gonna be in a passage of scripture, 2 Corinthians 5, that will tell us exactly what God thinks about us if we have trusted Christ as our Lord and Savior. 00:01:54.159 --> 00:01:56.879 And he thinks about us in a word we're gonna unpack. 00:01:56.959 --> 00:02:00.400 And here's the word the word is righteous. 00:02:00.560 --> 00:02:02.480 Everybody say righteous, ready? 00:02:03.840 --> 00:02:07.040 Now, if I were to ask you, are you righteous? 00:02:07.519 --> 00:02:16.319 You might say, Well, if you're grading on a curve, then I'm righteous. 00:02:16.560 --> 00:02:20.479 Or you might think, it depends on who I'm standing next to. 00:02:21.840 --> 00:02:23.680 Because compared to them, I'm righteous, right? 00:02:23.919 --> 00:02:26.400 Or maybe, maybe like, actually, how's your name? 00:02:26.960 --> 00:02:36.080 I read the verse of the day multiple times this week on the Bible app, and one day I shared it on my social media, so that counts as double. 00:02:36.479 --> 00:02:36.639 Okay. 00:02:39.120 --> 00:02:40.319 I'm gonna show you something today. 00:02:40.479 --> 00:02:46.479 We're gonna discover this together in 2 Corinthians chapter 5 that really is completely paradigm shifting. 00:02:46.800 --> 00:02:49.039 And for some of us, we won't even believe. 00:02:52.400 --> 00:02:59.759 It's that in the gospel, your righteousness has nothing to do with what you do or don't do. 00:03:04.879 --> 00:03:10.560 That in the gospel, your righteousness has nothing to do with what you do or don't do. 00:03:11.199 --> 00:03:23.840 We're in week two of the series entitled Revolution, the power that changes everything, and we are talking about how when we understand and embrace the gospel and its implications, it literally changes everything about you. 00:03:24.080 --> 00:03:25.039 Now, here's the gospel. 00:03:25.199 --> 00:03:30.000 The gospel, very simply, is the death, the burial, and the resurrection of Jesus Christ. 00:03:30.240 --> 00:03:35.439 And we're gonna see that because of the gospel, we are righteous. 00:03:36.159 --> 00:03:48.000 Now, the word righteous that we're gonna see is actually used over 90 times in the New Testament, and it's the word dicaosini, which means the state of being in a right standing. 00:03:48.240 --> 00:03:51.840 And in case you're wondering, yes, I said that word exactly right. 00:03:55.439 --> 00:03:56.800 Nope, not doing it. 00:03:57.039 --> 00:04:00.080 After you say it, Sherry, then I'm gonna say it, okay? 00:04:02.719 --> 00:04:07.360 It's uh it's the state of being in a right standing. 00:04:07.759 --> 00:04:13.680 So when God sees us, he sees us as righteous. 00:04:13.919 --> 00:04:17.759 He sees us as standing as righteous because of what Christ has done. 00:04:18.000 --> 00:04:22.639 And this is why today's message is standing, not striving. 00:04:23.279 --> 00:04:30.800 The title of the message is Standing, Not Striving, because for some of us in our lives, if we're honest, we are striving to be righteous. 00:04:31.839 --> 00:04:45.920 We're like, man, if I could just like like read the Bible more often or like stop cussing or stop losing my temper or stop doing all these things, and I strive and I work hard, then I'll be righteous. 00:04:46.399 --> 00:04:54.319 But we're gonna see in the text that righteousness is something we stand in, not something we strive for. 00:04:55.600 --> 00:04:57.279 And this changes everything. 00:04:57.519 --> 00:04:59.600 You say, How is this even possible? 00:04:59.920 --> 00:05:01.839 I'm so glad that you asked. 00:05:02.079 --> 00:05:04.639 Let's look at 2 Corinthians chapter 5, verse 17. 00:05:04.720 --> 00:05:06.399 If you're ready for it, would you say amen? 00:05:07.439 --> 00:05:13.759 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. 00:05:14.480 --> 00:05:19.680 The old has passed away, and see the new has come. 00:05:21.600 --> 00:05:28.959 The reason why we can have a righteous standing with God is because we are a new creation in Christ. 00:05:29.120 --> 00:05:30.639 We have a new identity. 00:05:30.879 --> 00:05:33.519 Now, how do we have a new identity? 00:05:33.600 --> 00:05:40.560 Well, verse 18 says this it says, Everything is from God who has reconciled. 00:05:41.680 --> 00:05:42.480 Reconciled. 00:05:42.560 --> 00:05:52.480 That's not a word we use a ton, but we have reconciled, he has reconciled us to himself through Christ and has given us the ministry of reconciliation. 00:05:52.879 --> 00:05:54.319 What is reconciliation? 00:05:54.560 --> 00:05:59.199 Being reconciled, it means we were apart and we came back together. 00:05:59.600 --> 00:06:04.800 It means that enemies became family, being reconciled. 00:06:04.959 --> 00:06:19.920 In fact, in Romans chapter 5, it says, For if that while we were enemies apart, we were reconciled to God through the death of his son. 00:06:20.240 --> 00:06:23.680 It doesn't say we're reconciled to God because we come to the 10 a.m. 00:06:23.839 --> 00:06:25.839 service at first Christian church. 00:06:26.800 --> 00:06:33.920 Doesn't say we're reconciled to God because, well, we downloaded the Bible app and we read it a couple times. 00:06:34.160 --> 00:06:38.000 No, we're reconciled to God through the death of his son. 00:06:39.040 --> 00:06:40.319 Let's learn more about this. 00:06:40.480 --> 00:06:52.399 Verse 19 of the text, it says, that is in Christ, God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them. 00:06:52.639 --> 00:06:59.439 And he has committed to he has committed the message of reconciliation to us. 00:07:00.639 --> 00:07:08.000 Therefore, whenever you see the word therefore in scripture, it's always ready for it. 00:07:08.160 --> 00:07:11.199 It's always therefore a reason. 00:07:21.600 --> 00:07:28.480 So it's saying, in light of these previous verses, now it's about to tell you something in light of that. 00:07:28.639 --> 00:07:28.959 Okay. 00:07:29.120 --> 00:07:41.759 So in light of the fact that we're a new creation in Christ, in light of the fact that we have been reconciled to God through Christ, therefore now we are ambassadors for Christ. 00:07:42.560 --> 00:07:52.319 Since God is making his appeal through us, we plead on Christ's behalf, be reconciled to God. 00:07:52.720 --> 00:07:56.240 Like come back to God through Christ. 00:07:56.959 --> 00:08:16.720 Then in verse 21, it says, He, this is God, made the one who did not know sin, that's Jesus, to be sin for us, so that in him, in Christ, we might become the righteousness of God. 00:08:18.959 --> 00:08:30.399 So we are righteous because we've been reconciled, and because we've been reconciled, we are new creations in Christ. 00:08:31.759 --> 00:08:33.440 I just lost some of y'all. 00:08:34.879 --> 00:08:43.279 But it brings up a question that some of you have wrestled with, and some of you are wrestling with right now, and some of you're gonna wrestle with in the future, and it's very simple. 00:08:43.840 --> 00:08:48.559 It's this can I ever be enough for God? 00:08:52.559 --> 00:08:54.320 Can I ever be enough for God? 00:08:54.399 --> 00:09:00.720 Now some of us think, um, you know, I I can be enough for God once I kind of like get myself together. 00:09:01.120 --> 00:09:07.759 Like maybe you look at some of you like they have themselves together, they're good enough for God, but me, I'm a hot mess. 00:09:10.080 --> 00:09:15.279 And some of us are like, man, once I start doing enough stuff, then then I can like be enough for God and do enough. 00:09:15.360 --> 00:09:22.720 And it makes sense because as a human, our default is works-based righteousness. 00:09:23.279 --> 00:09:28.320 So naturally we think we're righteous because of things that we do. 00:09:28.559 --> 00:09:33.679 And if we earn and we do certain things, then we get certain things. 00:09:34.000 --> 00:09:35.360 So that's your work. 00:09:35.679 --> 00:09:42.720 If you work hard and you show up on time and you don't call in sick, you're gonna earn a promotion. 00:09:42.960 --> 00:09:46.399 You're gonna be a good employee in your family. 00:09:46.720 --> 00:09:59.360 If you do certain things for your family and you're not selfish, you're selfless, and you do all these things, you do all that, then you're a good family member, and then like things work better in your house and there's more peace. 00:09:59.919 --> 00:10:03.759 So in every area of our life, it's based on our works, like what we do. 00:10:03.919 --> 00:10:09.440 So it's natural to bring that over into a relationship with God. 00:10:10.480 --> 00:10:20.320 But here's the problem: a problem is that if we think our righteousness with God is based on what we do, then we'll never do enough. 00:10:21.440 --> 00:10:23.919 And we're always gonna be striving. 00:10:24.639 --> 00:10:29.279 And this will always lead us to one of two places: pride or despair. 00:10:29.600 --> 00:10:35.440 Pride because of what we've done, or despair because of what we didn't do. 00:10:36.000 --> 00:10:44.639 And if we think our righteousness with God is because of what we do, then we're gonna spend all of our time focused on everything that we do. 00:10:44.799 --> 00:10:46.559 And thinking, like, man, did I do that right? 00:10:46.799 --> 00:10:47.679 Did I say that right? 00:10:47.840 --> 00:10:48.960 Could I have done that different? 00:10:49.679 --> 00:10:54.000 Instead of focusing on Christ and what Christ has done for you. 00:10:55.039 --> 00:11:02.240 And really, what this is, it's like a form of pride because we think our righteousness is based on what we can do. 00:11:03.600 --> 00:11:06.240 God, look at what I did for you this week. 00:11:06.399 --> 00:11:08.559 I served on a serve team. 00:11:10.720 --> 00:11:11.360 Yeah. 00:11:13.360 --> 00:11:15.840 God, look at what I did this week, man. 00:11:16.159 --> 00:11:18.559 Uh uh, I went to the prayer next step spanners. 00:11:18.639 --> 00:11:19.840 I was honest and I prayed. 00:11:19.919 --> 00:11:21.039 I needed prayer. 00:11:21.440 --> 00:11:24.080 But God, I'm I'm growing, God. 00:11:24.159 --> 00:11:25.679 Aren't you proud of me? 00:11:26.240 --> 00:11:27.840 I'm righteous. 00:11:28.639 --> 00:11:33.360 But you know the verse that we just said in 2 Corinthians chapter 5, verse 21. 00:11:33.600 --> 00:11:39.039 It says, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God. 00:11:39.519 --> 00:11:45.120 It doesn't say that in our behavior we become righteous, we become the righteousness of God. 00:11:45.360 --> 00:11:51.840 It doesn't say in our like being a good dude or being a good mom, that's how I become righteous. 00:11:52.000 --> 00:11:53.519 No, it's it's in him. 00:11:54.159 --> 00:12:02.799 He might be like, Okay, so so Nate, so you're telling me that my standing with God is not based on anything that I do. 00:12:03.759 --> 00:12:04.399 Yes. 00:12:06.960 --> 00:12:08.080 You're like, no way. 00:12:08.639 --> 00:12:10.960 That's just like that one random verse. 00:12:11.200 --> 00:12:20.240 Like, I saw a video that there was this random cult leader, and he took this verse out of context, and he said, and then people start doing crazy stuff off of just one verse. 00:12:20.399 --> 00:12:24.000 If it's just one verse, I don't know, Pastor Nate, is that what this really means? 00:12:27.039 --> 00:12:31.840 Yes, and it's not just this one verse, it's a theme all throughout scripture. 00:12:32.000 --> 00:12:33.519 I want to show you two more places. 00:12:33.759 --> 00:12:35.519 Romans chapter number five. 00:12:35.600 --> 00:12:44.720 It says, Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, the word justified means declared righteous. 00:12:44.960 --> 00:12:49.200 That's the same word that Sherry was trying to get me to say again, but I'm not gonna do it. 00:12:49.600 --> 00:12:51.360 It's the same word. 00:12:52.559 --> 00:12:56.480 We have been justified, we've been declared righteous by faith. 00:12:57.360 --> 00:13:04.320 So we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ in Romans chapter 3, verse 26. 00:13:04.879 --> 00:13:17.919 It said God presented him to demonstrate his righteousness at the present time, so that we would be just and justify the one who has faith in Jesus. 00:13:20.080 --> 00:13:21.039 We're righteous. 00:13:21.200 --> 00:13:24.399 Now, does this mean that that God's not aware of our sin? 00:13:25.039 --> 00:13:26.720 No, he's aware of our sin. 00:13:28.159 --> 00:13:36.720 And what this means is that yes, he's aware of our sin, but Jesus already paid the penalty for that sin. 00:13:37.600 --> 00:13:40.399 Jesus paid the price for our sin. 00:13:40.559 --> 00:13:43.120 It was fully dealt with when he died on the cross. 00:13:43.360 --> 00:13:46.399 So Christ's righteousness has to be credited to your account. 00:13:46.480 --> 00:13:47.600 And it's kind of like this. 00:13:48.399 --> 00:13:51.360 Have you ever gotten pulled over before by a police officer? 00:13:51.840 --> 00:13:54.000 Any honest people in the room you got pulled over before? 00:13:54.080 --> 00:13:54.320 Okay. 00:13:54.639 --> 00:13:58.240 How many of you, how many of you would say, I've gotten pulled over more than one time? 00:13:58.879 --> 00:14:00.799 Keep your hands up if it's more than two. 00:14:00.960 --> 00:14:02.720 Keep your hands up if it's more than three. 00:14:02.960 --> 00:14:06.080 If it's more than that, you're just embarrassing yourself publicly right now. 00:14:06.320 --> 00:14:06.480 Okay. 00:14:06.639 --> 00:14:07.200 Yeah, oh man. 00:14:07.519 --> 00:14:08.879 How many got Steve? 00:14:09.440 --> 00:14:11.120 Oh, we're not, no, I'm not shitting out today. 00:14:11.519 --> 00:14:19.440 He started putting up two hands and let's say you get pulled over because um let's say you're speeding. 00:14:19.600 --> 00:14:21.919 I mean, not that any of you. 00:14:23.679 --> 00:14:24.879 Whatever speed. 00:14:24.960 --> 00:14:26.799 I mean, you know, no, you know, we don't do that, right? 00:14:27.200 --> 00:14:33.279 Let's say you're speeding and you saw the blue lights behind you, and you're like, oh my gosh, can you get come on? 00:14:33.440 --> 00:14:36.080 There's like bigger things to like do out there, Mr. 00:14:36.159 --> 00:14:37.279 Police Officer, right? 00:14:37.360 --> 00:14:38.720 Like, you gotta pull me over. 00:14:38.799 --> 00:14:47.039 I know you gotta make your monthly quota, but you get pulled over because you're speeding and he's gotta hit his quota. 00:14:47.200 --> 00:14:52.639 He's had a bad morning, he didn't get his donuts, so he uh gives you a ticket. 00:14:52.799 --> 00:14:53.600 I'm just kidding. 00:14:53.759 --> 00:14:54.960 We love police officers. 00:14:55.039 --> 00:14:55.440 I'm just kidding. 00:14:55.679 --> 00:15:02.720 You broke the law, you owe the fine, and if you don't pay it, then there's consequences. 00:15:03.360 --> 00:15:12.240 But let's say, because I'm such a nice guy, I come along and I say, you know what? 00:15:12.480 --> 00:15:16.960 Yes, I know that you were a knucklehead, but I'm gonna pay your ticket. 00:15:17.840 --> 00:15:22.320 He would say, Pastor Nate, you're my new best friend. 00:15:23.200 --> 00:15:27.919 Which I also want to remind us real quick, this is a very hypothetical story. 00:15:28.720 --> 00:15:30.320 Very hypothetical. 00:15:32.720 --> 00:15:36.799 Let's say I paid your fine, and now you don't have to pay it. 00:15:37.519 --> 00:15:49.600 Now the the penalty still had to be paid, but the difference is you didn't have to pay for it because I paid the penalty for it. 00:15:51.840 --> 00:15:57.519 There is a penalty for our sin, and Jesus paid the penalty. 00:15:58.159 --> 00:16:04.720 So all of our sins were placed on him, and all of his righteousness was placed on us. 00:16:06.159 --> 00:16:09.279 It's something called the great exchange. 00:16:09.519 --> 00:16:14.720 So here's what this means: your standing with God doesn't fluctuate week by week. 00:16:15.840 --> 00:16:18.720 Your worst day doesn't unrighteous you. 00:16:20.799 --> 00:16:29.200 Because if you've trusted Christ, your righteousness is not a goal you strive for, it's a gift you stand in. 00:16:32.320 --> 00:16:33.759 This is where you stand. 00:16:34.080 --> 00:16:37.120 Now, now, guys, here's why this matters so much. 00:16:37.440 --> 00:16:46.399 Because Satan in Revelation chapter number 12 is called the accuser of the brethren. 00:16:46.720 --> 00:16:48.720 He's called the accuser of the brethren. 00:16:48.799 --> 00:16:50.639 So here's what Satan's constantly doing. 00:16:50.799 --> 00:16:53.519 He's constantly bringing things up in your mind. 00:16:56.080 --> 00:17:02.559 When you stay awake at night, and you're like, man, I can't believe I did that again. 00:17:06.480 --> 00:17:12.400 When you're alone in your thoughts, and you're like, I'm such a failure. 00:17:15.920 --> 00:17:19.039 When you promise God, I will do this again. 00:17:20.720 --> 00:17:22.319 And you do it again. 00:17:25.759 --> 00:17:32.480 What the enemy does is he hurls accusation after accusation after accusation. 00:17:32.720 --> 00:17:34.319 Look at what you did. 00:17:35.039 --> 00:17:37.359 You are nothing but a failure. 00:17:39.119 --> 00:17:43.599 You are you did this thing again, you don't belong. 00:17:43.839 --> 00:17:45.119 What is your problem? 00:17:51.680 --> 00:18:01.519 But friend, if you've trusted Christ as your Lord and Savior, when God sees you, he doesn't see you by everything that you do or you don't do. 00:18:05.359 --> 00:18:11.440 Now, it's interesting that when Satan tempted Jesus in Luke 4, this is what he tried to do. 00:18:11.599 --> 00:18:19.599 He tried to redirect the attention of Jesus from his standing with the Father onto everything that Jesus needed to do. 00:18:20.079 --> 00:18:23.039 Satan said, Well, if you're the son of God, then do this over here. 00:18:23.440 --> 00:18:26.720 If you're the son of God, then do this, turn the stones into bread. 00:18:27.359 --> 00:18:33.279 Basing his righteousness on everything that Jesus needed to do. 00:18:33.359 --> 00:18:41.599 And here's what I believe: I believe Satan's primary strategy is to make you question what God has already declared about you. 00:18:42.240 --> 00:18:44.240 The enemy attacks your identity. 00:18:44.400 --> 00:18:47.200 He whispers, you did this, you failed. 00:18:47.440 --> 00:18:50.480 You're nothing but a, you'll always be a. 00:18:51.200 --> 00:18:56.640 And friends, for some of us, we are constantly looking at everything that we do. 00:18:56.880 --> 00:19:00.240 Can I just say at a foundational level, that's a form of pride? 00:19:00.559 --> 00:19:03.920 Because you are making yourself the focus. 00:19:04.160 --> 00:19:13.440 Some of you have a failure from your past, and it's always you're always reliving it and rehearsing it, and you think that you're being humble because you're like, Whoa is me. 00:19:13.680 --> 00:19:23.119 Can I just lovingly challenge that and say if your eyes are always on your sin and your failure and your performance, that's actually self-centered, and that's pride? 00:19:23.519 --> 00:19:28.720 Because price, pride stares at what you've done, humility looks at what Christ has done. 00:19:30.559 --> 00:19:35.680 And and some of us are on the other side where we're like, we're we look at ourselves like, I have myself together, Nate. 00:19:35.839 --> 00:19:37.680 Like all these other people here, they got issues. 00:19:37.759 --> 00:19:38.960 But me, like, bro, I'm good. 00:19:39.039 --> 00:19:42.400 I'm competent, I got a good job, I got lots of zeros on my bank account. 00:19:42.480 --> 00:19:45.119 I live in a nice place, I drive a nice car, I'm good. 00:19:45.279 --> 00:20:01.680 Can I just say that if that's where you are, maybe when you're on top, you feel secure, but when you're not on top, you struggle and you're all up in your head because your identity rises and falls on your performance and everything that you can do, and that's pride too. 00:20:02.160 --> 00:20:07.839 And self-condemnation and self-congratulation are both forms of self-obsession. 00:20:08.079 --> 00:20:09.519 Can we get that up on the screen? 00:20:11.599 --> 00:20:13.519 They're both forms of self-obsession. 00:20:13.599 --> 00:20:16.000 And when it's about you, it is pride. 00:20:16.160 --> 00:20:22.880 Here's what the gospel says your worst day doesn't make you less righteous, your best day doesn't make you more righteous. 00:20:23.200 --> 00:20:25.920 Your righteousness is a gift you stand in. 00:20:26.799 --> 00:20:29.440 It's not something that you strive for. 00:20:30.000 --> 00:20:31.680 And here's what we have to do, folks. 00:20:31.839 --> 00:20:43.920 Y'all, we have to be people that will preach the gospel to ourselves and will say, say, my righteousness doesn't come from what I do or don't do, it comes from what God has declared over me in Christ. 00:20:44.400 --> 00:20:46.640 Which brings up our second question, and we're done. 00:20:46.799 --> 00:20:51.759 Is how does someone become righteous before God? 00:20:52.880 --> 00:21:01.119 In verse 19, it says, in Christ, God was reconciling the world to himself. 00:21:02.160 --> 00:21:04.240 It says, in Christ. 00:21:06.319 --> 00:21:11.039 So the bridge that reconciles us to God is Jesus Christ. 00:21:11.680 --> 00:21:14.000 The bridge is not your church background. 00:21:14.319 --> 00:21:15.920 Say, Pastor Nate, you don't understand. 00:21:16.160 --> 00:21:18.720 I went to like four different denominations. 00:21:18.880 --> 00:21:20.240 I I gotta be in. 00:21:20.559 --> 00:21:29.119 I will I went to the Methodist church, I went to the Lutheran church, I went to the Episcopalian church, and I went to the Baptist church, Pastor Nate, because I heard you went to a Baptist church back in the day. 00:21:29.599 --> 00:21:31.920 So I got my basis covered, so I'm good. 00:21:32.160 --> 00:21:33.200 Friend, friend. 00:21:33.440 --> 00:21:38.640 Nowhere in scripture does it say that your church is the bridge that brings you back to God. 00:21:39.519 --> 00:21:41.039 First Christian church can't do that. 00:21:41.119 --> 00:21:42.640 It's only Jesus Christ. 00:21:43.200 --> 00:21:46.640 It's it's this in Christ, God was reconciling the world with himself. 00:21:46.720 --> 00:21:48.319 You're like, Pastor, now you understand. 00:21:48.480 --> 00:21:50.480 I'm like the world's greatest Catholic. 00:21:50.559 --> 00:21:51.759 I did all the different things. 00:21:51.920 --> 00:21:57.680 Like, okay, but the Catholic Church can't bring you to God, it's only Jesus Christ. 00:21:58.240 --> 00:21:59.759 There is no church that does. 00:22:00.319 --> 00:22:19.359 This and in every verse you're gonna read in scripture, we are reconciled to God by Christ, by me understanding that because of my sin there's a gap between me and God, but Jesus took the penalty and he makes up the gap. 00:22:19.599 --> 00:22:27.200 And in this text, look at what Paul says to those of us that have not yet been reconciled to God through Christ. 00:22:27.359 --> 00:22:35.200 In verse 20, it says, We're ambassadors for Christ, since God is making his appeal through us. 00:22:35.359 --> 00:22:41.920 Guys, it says, We plead on Christ's behalf, be reconciled to God. 00:22:42.559 --> 00:22:45.759 We plead on Christ's behalf, be reconciled to God. 00:22:46.079 --> 00:22:57.759 Friend, if you've never trusted Christ as your Lord and as your savior, if you're holding on to your quote unquote righteousness, if you're holding on to your church membership, if you're holding on to the fact that you do good things and you say, God, I'm righteous. 00:22:57.839 --> 00:23:00.960 I should get in the kingdom, I should get in heaven because of what I do. 00:23:01.119 --> 00:23:02.160 This is what Paul says. 00:23:02.319 --> 00:23:06.880 I plead with you, be reconciled to God through Christ. 00:23:07.519 --> 00:23:16.799 Because one day you will stand before God as either righteous because of Christ and because you've been reconciled or as condemned because you have not been. 00:23:17.039 --> 00:23:22.640 I'm talking to the person in the room that maybe you're like, okay, this whole God stuff is for other people. 00:23:22.720 --> 00:23:24.640 Like this whole, like I'm good. 00:23:24.799 --> 00:23:30.240 Friend, you might be good right now, but one day you will stand before the judgment seat of Christ and you will not be good. 00:23:32.079 --> 00:23:37.920 You may have it all this side of heaven, but one day, one day on the other side of heaven, you will remember. 00:23:38.160 --> 00:23:44.640 You will remember I had opportunity to turn to Christ by faith, but I rejected time after time after time again. 00:23:44.799 --> 00:23:47.200 My apathy said, I'm good, I don't need him. 00:23:47.440 --> 00:23:52.559 And Paul says, friend, I plead on Christ's behalf, be reconciled to God. 00:23:53.200 --> 00:23:54.400 Be reconciled. 00:23:56.000 --> 00:23:56.799 Be reconciled. 00:23:56.960 --> 00:24:03.200 Friend, if you've never trusted Christ as your savior, can I just say be reconciled? 00:24:04.079 --> 00:24:06.960 He loves you, he's for you. 00:24:07.519 --> 00:24:16.640 And for those of us that have been reconciled, this is what this verse says it says that therefore we are ambassadors for Christ. 00:24:17.200 --> 00:24:22.880 So we need to be ambassadors telling other people about Christ. 00:24:24.559 --> 00:24:34.000 And for a lot of us, when it comes to making Jesus known, we are less like ambassadors and more like undercover spies. 00:24:37.519 --> 00:24:44.240 And I just want to challenge those of you that know Christ, your faith is in Christ, you've been reconciled to God. 00:24:44.480 --> 00:24:49.359 I want to challenge you to be an ambassador and to do it in a very specific way. 00:24:50.960 --> 00:24:57.680 In six weeks from now, we have a big Sunday, and that Sunday is called Easter Sunday. 00:24:58.079 --> 00:25:03.119 If you're anything like me, I never know what Sunday Easter is because it like changes every year. 00:25:03.359 --> 00:25:08.319 And I also want to know who's the person that gets to decide what Sunday is Easter Sunday, right? 00:25:08.880 --> 00:25:10.640 Nobody asks me when I want it, right? 00:25:10.960 --> 00:25:15.839 We have Easter Sunday, and here's what I want to challenge every person to do. 00:25:16.160 --> 00:25:24.799 I want to challenge every person to grab some invite cards and invite five people to Easter Sunday over the next six weeks. 00:25:25.039 --> 00:25:28.000 That's like less than one person a week. 00:25:29.680 --> 00:25:36.000 And here's why Easter is only a big Sunday if people are reconciled to God. 00:25:36.640 --> 00:25:38.400 We're not trying to fill up a room. 00:25:38.640 --> 00:25:41.200 We want people to know the gospel of Jesus Christ. 00:25:41.279 --> 00:25:51.599 And if we'll be ambassadors for Christ, if we'll let people know, here's what we believe, God's gonna bring a great harvest of people entering a relationship with God through Christ on that day. 00:25:51.839 --> 00:25:55.440 I have two questions, and then we're done, and then we're gonna have a baptism. 00:25:55.680 --> 00:26:00.720 Here's my first question: Have you been reconciled to God through Christ? 00:26:01.039 --> 00:26:06.160 Has there been a time in your life where you put your faith and trust in Jesus Christ alone for your salvation? 00:26:06.319 --> 00:26:09.680 I know they're walking up here and it can be distracting, but if this is you, hang with me, okay? 00:26:09.759 --> 00:26:10.640 Focus in. 00:26:12.480 --> 00:26:14.240 Jesus died for your sin. 00:26:16.880 --> 00:26:17.759 He loves you. 00:26:17.920 --> 00:26:18.640 He died for you. 00:26:18.720 --> 00:26:25.440 And if your next step is put your faith and trust in Christ as your Lord and Savior, we're gonna have people at the next steps and prayer banners after the service. 00:26:25.599 --> 00:26:26.960 I'm gonna be down here at the front. 00:26:27.039 --> 00:26:28.319 We would love to talk to you. 00:26:28.559 --> 00:26:38.640 Second of all, here's my other question Is will you be an ambassador if you know Christ and invite five people to Easter services April the 5th? 00:26:38.960 --> 00:26:41.759 Will you say, hey, I've been reconciled to God. 00:26:41.839 --> 00:26:43.680 I my faith is in Christ. 00:26:44.480 --> 00:26:47.759 Pastor Nay, I've been kind of like an undercover spy. 00:26:49.759 --> 00:26:52.000 So over the next six weeks, here's what I'm gonna do. 00:26:52.160 --> 00:26:54.319 I ain't gonna be undercover anymore. 00:26:54.799 --> 00:26:57.359 I'm gonna say, who can I invite to Easter Sunday? 00:26:57.440 --> 00:27:04.799 I'm gonna I'm gonna I'ma think about my friends, my family, my neighbors, social media followers. 00:27:04.960 --> 00:27:07.039 Like, I'm I'm gonna be an ambassador. 00:27:07.279 --> 00:27:17.440 And here's the thing if you will be an ambassador, God is going to use you to help others to be reconciled to God through Christ. 00:27:18.160 --> 00:27:24.720 Today, we don't need to strive for righteousness, we need to stand in it. 00:27:25.119 --> 00:27:32.240 And when we stand in our righteousness, it's gonna cause us to be an ambassador and let other people know that they can be righteous before God too. 00:27:32.400 --> 00:27:33.039 Let's have a word of prayer. 00:27:33.119 --> 00:27:33.519 Let's bow our hands.