WEBVTT 00:00:21.120 --> 00:00:26.239 Thanks so much for the opportunity to uh preach and uh fill this pulpit. 00:00:26.320 --> 00:00:27.679 I know I don't take that lightly. 00:00:27.839 --> 00:00:32.719 Thank you so much, and thank you for your staff and everyone here. 00:00:33.039 --> 00:00:36.640 Uh, there is a long history uh with First Baptist Church. 00:00:36.719 --> 00:00:42.000 Uh my parents started going to the Baptist Church in Emerson in the 80s. 00:00:42.159 --> 00:00:57.359 I got saved at First Baptist in 1988, and then uh I was uh discipled at First Baptist and uh called into the ministry in 19 uh ninf, I believe, at First Baptist Emerson. 00:00:58.159 --> 00:01:04.640 And uh and then I was ordained in 2001, I think, at First Baptist Church here. 00:01:04.799 --> 00:01:13.280 So uh we have a long history, very thankful uh for uh this the congregation here, the love, uh the care, concern. 00:01:13.359 --> 00:01:17.439 And I know uh someone came up um before and said they're still praying. 00:01:17.519 --> 00:01:18.799 We we still take prayers. 00:01:19.120 --> 00:01:23.840 We're not on the mission field anymore, but we still need prayers uh more than ever. 00:01:24.480 --> 00:01:33.680 And so we just thank you, thank you for this time, and thank you for this opportunity, and um, I'm very thankful uh for this time that we have together. 00:01:33.920 --> 00:01:41.040 So if you have your Bibles, hopefully you do, um digital or in written form. 00:01:42.799 --> 00:01:50.799 If you don't mind, let's just stand together as we read uh God's Word in honor of the God of the Word. 00:01:53.760 --> 00:01:56.719 Romans 1, sorry you might want to have the reference, right? 00:01:56.879 --> 00:01:58.239 Romans chapter 1. 00:01:59.439 --> 00:02:00.799 It's on the screen too. 00:02:01.599 --> 00:02:08.000 Verse 14 I'm under obligation both to Greeks and to barbarians, both to the wise and to the foolish. 00:02:08.159 --> 00:02:19.120 So I'm eager to preach the gospel to you also who are in Rome, for I'm not ashamed of the gospel, for is the power of God unto salvation for everyone who believes. 00:02:19.439 --> 00:02:22.000 To the Jew first and also to the Greek. 00:02:22.319 --> 00:02:29.680 For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith, as is written, the righteous shall live by faith. 00:02:29.840 --> 00:02:45.520 Father, we thank you for your word, we thank you for your gospel, when we pray by the power of your spirit that you would work in our lives for those that know you, you would sanctify us, for those that don't, that you would bring salvation in Christ's name. 00:02:45.759 --> 00:02:46.240 Amen. 00:02:50.879 --> 00:03:10.560 Yogi Bearer, the famous catcher for the New York Yankers, the Hall of Famer, won several championships, and he was a jokester, and he was trying to distract one of the greatest hitters of all time, Hank Aaron, Henry Aaron, and he's at the bat, and Yogi Barrett looks at Hank Aaron and says, Look, you're holding the bat the wrong way. 00:03:10.719 --> 00:03:16.159 You're supposed to be able to read the writing on the bat, and you have it facing away from you. 00:03:16.479 --> 00:03:20.719 And Aaron didn't say anything, and the next pitch he hit in the bleachers. 00:03:20.879 --> 00:03:29.520 And as he's rounding third base and steps on home plate, he looks at Yogi Barrett and says, They didn't have me called up here to read. 00:03:32.400 --> 00:03:44.319 We can be easily distracted as the Church of Jesus Christ by many even good things that we lose focus on what is the main thing. 00:03:44.719 --> 00:03:53.120 And so this morning we come and gather, and I have the privilege to share about the gospel, about missions and being on mission. 00:03:53.599 --> 00:03:59.439 The mission and the message of the church is the gospel of Jesus Christ. 00:03:59.680 --> 00:04:07.520 As Brother Byron said and reiterated, that this is the reason we meet and we sang about it in Christ alone. 00:04:08.400 --> 00:04:32.560 And so you can look on the internet, you can Google and you can search, and you can see all the many distractions that the church may have, the busyness of life, or uh you could talk about social media, you could talk about uh even good things uh that uh eventually become God things because they replace what matters most. 00:04:33.040 --> 00:04:51.040 But I believe the most distracting and greatest obstacle to us as believers and as the corporate church is that we don't know treasure and herald the gospel as we ought. 00:04:51.759 --> 00:04:54.720 It's a huge problem. 00:04:55.279 --> 00:05:11.360 So this morning, as we gather together, I hope that we can clarify and refocus, reoriented, reorient our lives around this message that Paul has for us and the book of Romans. 00:05:12.160 --> 00:05:14.240 This is a missionary letter. 00:05:14.399 --> 00:05:17.920 Paul had never been to the Roman church. 00:05:18.079 --> 00:05:28.800 It was most likely started from Pentecost when the Jewish proselytes come together at Pentecost, and there's a group from Rome, and they take the gospel back to Rome and plant a church. 00:05:28.879 --> 00:05:41.600 And so Paul's excited to write to them because he wants to visit Rome and be there, and he wants to take the gospel from Rome, Romans 15, 20, to the ends of the earth. 00:05:41.839 --> 00:05:49.680 Paul's ambition is to bring the gospel to the places where Jesus has no longer has not been yet named. 00:05:50.160 --> 00:06:02.480 And so he writes to gather support, of course, financial support, but prayer support, but he is reiterating with them the gospel. 00:06:02.800 --> 00:06:11.279 And it's the most clear expression in the entire Bible outlining the gospel of Jesus Christ. 00:06:11.519 --> 00:06:26.160 And so that's why we're here this morning, so we can reorient around the message and the mission of the Church of Jesus Christ from the book of Romans. 00:06:26.240 --> 00:06:32.000 I want to clarify two things before we begin in Romans in the text, and uh that is a definition of terms. 00:06:32.160 --> 00:06:33.680 You hear these terms thrown around, right? 00:06:33.839 --> 00:06:36.240 Evangelism and missions, right? 00:06:36.399 --> 00:06:39.439 And some people would even say everyone is a missionary. 00:06:39.680 --> 00:06:40.800 I would argue with that. 00:06:40.879 --> 00:06:44.639 And so let's clarify these terms from what I'm trying to say. 00:06:44.879 --> 00:06:49.279 And that is everyone's called to be or share the gospel. 00:06:49.439 --> 00:06:52.720 Everyone's called to proclaim the gospel of Jesus Christ that are believers. 00:06:52.800 --> 00:06:53.040 Okay? 00:06:53.199 --> 00:06:56.959 Let's everyone's called to be a disciple of Jesus Christ and share the gospel. 00:06:57.120 --> 00:07:03.199 And so evangelism is the proclamation of the gospel, sharing the good news of Jesus with another person. 00:07:03.360 --> 00:07:07.360 Every single person that's a that's a follower of Jesus is called in that. 00:07:07.519 --> 00:07:09.680 Now, missions is a little bit distinct. 00:07:09.920 --> 00:07:15.759 On the International Mission Board website, they have a great article distinguishing between these two terms. 00:07:15.839 --> 00:07:29.920 And missions is where you cross a culture, learn a new language, engage in people that maybe don't have a witness for the gospel or church, and you share the gospel, you develop disciples, and you plant churches. 00:07:30.079 --> 00:07:31.600 So that's that's distinct. 00:07:31.680 --> 00:07:37.759 And so not everybody in that sense is a missionary, but we're called to be about both. 00:07:37.920 --> 00:07:53.920 And so whether or not you're a missionary called overseas, for example, we have an obligation to support, to pray, to send missionaries, whether that's us leaving personally or us being a part. 00:07:54.240 --> 00:07:59.680 So both of those encompass the mission of the church. 00:08:00.000 --> 00:08:13.680 Kevin DeYoung, uh one of the leading theologians, I believe, today in the evangelical world, says to be sure, Christian missionaries may be more active in one aspect of work on the field than others. 00:08:13.839 --> 00:08:24.000 But the main thing that we have to think about is our missionaries must be engaged in the goal, which is to win new converts. 00:08:24.160 --> 00:08:31.920 So you're preaching the gospel, establish young disciples in the faith, and incorporate them into a local church. 00:08:32.080 --> 00:08:32.960 So that's missions. 00:08:33.039 --> 00:08:33.919 You're going across culture. 00:08:34.080 --> 00:08:35.919 So that's evangelism and missions. 00:08:36.080 --> 00:08:39.279 But here Paul is going to talk, who is the missionary. 00:08:39.440 --> 00:08:41.600 He's going to talk to the church in Rome. 00:08:41.759 --> 00:08:47.840 And so I hope this morning you would receive this word and receive it from the Apostle Paul. 00:08:48.240 --> 00:08:51.440 What is the message and the mission of the church of Jesus Christ? 00:08:51.600 --> 00:08:58.480 Verse 14, Paul said, I'm under obligation, both to Greeks and barbarians, both to wise and foolish. 00:08:58.639 --> 00:09:01.200 Paul uses that word obligation. 00:09:01.759 --> 00:09:02.720 Necessity. 00:09:02.879 --> 00:09:09.440 He speaks of that in 1 Corinthians 9, 26, when he says, Necessity is laid upon me. 00:09:09.840 --> 00:09:13.279 Woe to me if I do not preach the gospel. 00:09:13.759 --> 00:09:17.919 Paul's so overwhelmed with the good news of Jesus Christ. 00:09:18.320 --> 00:09:21.840 He'd rather be accursed than not preach the gospel. 00:09:22.080 --> 00:09:26.080 He can't help but preach the gospel of Jesus. 00:09:26.240 --> 00:09:29.600 Have you ever been in the place where you had the I can't help it? 00:09:30.159 --> 00:09:39.679 We see that in Acts chapter 4, the disciples, when they tell them not to speak in the name of Jesus, and they say, but we can't help but speak in the name of Jesus. 00:09:39.840 --> 00:09:41.600 We can't help but speak the gospel. 00:09:41.759 --> 00:09:43.200 This is where Paul was. 00:09:43.360 --> 00:09:44.879 He said, I'm under obligation. 00:09:45.039 --> 00:09:56.399 I find it my my commission, my mandate, as we learn as Paul's going and to Damascus to see Christians destroyed. 00:09:56.559 --> 00:10:11.519 And God knocks them off his horse and saves them and then tells Ananias, you tell Paul that he must carry my name to the Gentiles and the kings and to the people of Israel, and I will show them how much he must suffer for my name. 00:10:11.679 --> 00:10:13.440 He must carry my name. 00:10:13.679 --> 00:10:16.879 He must declare the gospel of Jesus Christ. 00:10:17.279 --> 00:10:25.440 Paul was under obligation by a commission by the Lord Jesus Christ to share that good news with others. 00:10:25.519 --> 00:10:34.639 And so when we look at the necessity laid upon Paul, we have to look at the necessity laid upon us. 00:10:34.879 --> 00:10:39.039 Do we have an obligation to preach the gospel? 00:10:39.200 --> 00:10:40.000 I believe so. 00:10:40.159 --> 00:10:46.240 We have an obligation because Jesus said in Matthew 28, 19 and 20. 00:10:46.879 --> 00:10:55.919 If you skip back at verse 18, for all authority in heaven and earth have been given unto me, therefore go make disciples, baptizing them in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. 00:10:56.159 --> 00:11:05.200 In other words, we're to see conversion, we're to claim the gospel, and then discipleship, teaching them to observe all that I commanded you, and I'm with you always to the end of the earth. 00:11:05.360 --> 00:11:10.240 We we know that our mission or mandate here is to preach Jesus Christ the gospel. 00:11:10.320 --> 00:11:15.440 And we'll get to what the gospel is momentarily in verse 16, but that's our obligation. 00:11:15.600 --> 00:11:18.799 Paul felt and sensed that obligation. 00:11:19.200 --> 00:11:23.120 What motivates you to share the gospel? 00:11:23.440 --> 00:11:26.480 What motivates you to share the gospel? 00:11:26.960 --> 00:11:30.000 I know as parents, uh, you can relate to this. 00:11:30.399 --> 00:11:41.200 Maybe if you're a parent, you understand this, or even as a child, you can understand this when your parents tells you to do something and you ask why. 00:11:41.679 --> 00:11:42.240 Why? 00:11:42.480 --> 00:11:48.639 And then your parents' response is because I said so, right? 00:11:48.879 --> 00:11:51.440 And that's good enough, and that's good enough for me. 00:11:51.519 --> 00:12:00.960 But there's other motivations besides the fact that God said so, that's good enough, but there's other motivations that we see even in the life of the Apostle Paul. 00:12:01.200 --> 00:12:04.320 First of all, we see that the love of Christ motivates him, right? 00:12:04.399 --> 00:12:09.600 In 2 Corinthians chapter 5, verse 14, he says, the love of Christ compels me. 00:12:11.519 --> 00:12:13.120 It controls me. 00:12:14.720 --> 00:12:18.320 Are you controlled by the love of Jesus Christ? 00:12:18.559 --> 00:12:23.600 Overwhelmed of the unfathomable love that he would have for us. 00:12:23.919 --> 00:12:25.360 For God so loved the world. 00:12:25.519 --> 00:12:32.000 The word so there is an intensifier, magnifying the fact that he loves the world, not because, as D.A. 00:12:32.080 --> 00:12:41.519 Carzo says, the world is so big, but because the world is so bad, that God would love hellbound haters, rebellious sinners like us, and send his son. 00:12:41.840 --> 00:12:47.600 And the son would voluntarily come into the world so that we might believe in him and not perish. 00:12:47.840 --> 00:12:48.879 That's a love. 00:12:49.200 --> 00:12:52.399 For God demonstrated his own love toward us while we were yet sinners. 00:12:52.559 --> 00:12:54.799 What Christ died for us. 00:12:55.039 --> 00:13:10.159 One of the most beautiful examples we see in Luke chapter 7 when Jesus is at Simon's house, not the not Simon Peter, but the Sophia the Pharisee, and this woman, the sinful woman, they call her, is washing Jesus' feet. 00:13:10.320 --> 00:13:16.879 And they said, Doesn't Jesus know that this is a sinful woman? 00:13:17.360 --> 00:13:20.159 And Jesus shares with them a parable of two debtors. 00:13:20.240 --> 00:13:25.279 He says, one is forgiven a small debt, and another one is forgiven a great, enormous debt. 00:13:25.519 --> 00:13:29.360 And Jesus looks at them and says, Which one do you think loves more? 00:13:29.679 --> 00:13:31.679 And so the one who's forgiven more. 00:13:31.840 --> 00:13:33.279 And Jesus says, That's right. 00:13:33.519 --> 00:13:36.799 He who is forgiven much loves much. 00:13:37.039 --> 00:13:43.759 Now, does that mean that I have to have the people that have more sin when they come to Christ will love Jesus more? 00:13:43.919 --> 00:13:44.559 Not necessarily. 00:13:44.720 --> 00:13:56.799 What it means is the more I understand how far and alienated I was from God and came to Christ and the mercies that He showed up shed upon me, the more love I'll have for Him. 00:13:56.879 --> 00:14:06.480 And when love overwhelms us, it will enable us to go and communicate the gospel and motivate us and see we're obligated because of love. 00:14:07.039 --> 00:14:08.559 Maybe it's lostness. 00:14:09.120 --> 00:14:14.960 You look around and see people and begin to share with people, and many of them don't even know what you're talking about. 00:14:15.120 --> 00:14:19.759 They think you're speaking another language when you talk about Jesus and what he's come to do. 00:14:23.759 --> 00:14:30.960 Jesus said, I come, the Son of Man comes to seek and to save that which is lost. 00:14:31.360 --> 00:14:32.879 Is that our mission? 00:14:33.279 --> 00:14:35.039 Are we on board with that? 00:14:35.600 --> 00:14:37.360 And what about the reality of hell? 00:14:37.519 --> 00:14:39.519 We don't like to talk about that much, right? 00:14:39.759 --> 00:14:41.759 But it's a reality. 00:14:42.240 --> 00:14:44.159 Jesus talked about it, spoke about. 00:14:44.320 --> 00:15:02.240 There's a new movement, it's really not new, but it's gained some traction in recent years called Annihilationism, which basically would say that uh you those who believe in Christ go to heaven, those who don't believe in Christ reject Christ, uh they will be judged and then they will just disappear. 00:15:02.399 --> 00:15:04.240 But that's not what the Bible says. 00:15:04.559 --> 00:15:11.360 Mark's gospel, Jesus is clear that that the fire goes on forever, that torment goes on forever. 00:15:11.519 --> 00:15:16.240 We see in Revelation 20, it's a it's a lake of eternal fire, right? 00:15:17.679 --> 00:15:25.519 We see in Luke chapter 16, Jesus diminishes the thought of the gospel of second chances. 00:15:25.679 --> 00:15:27.679 That once you die, well, we'll get another chance. 00:15:27.840 --> 00:15:29.039 No, this is it. 00:15:30.159 --> 00:15:40.399 That should that should be at the forefront of our minds, the reality that that people are actually not only lost, but they're dying and going to hell, and the love of Christ should motivate us. 00:15:40.480 --> 00:15:44.399 And not only that, but we're obligated because of the glory of God. 00:15:44.639 --> 00:15:52.080 When I look at Revelation and we see chapter 5, we can be distracted by some things in Revelation or by what people say about Revelation. 00:15:52.240 --> 00:15:59.440 But here's the main thing is that Jesus will come back, and when he comes back, he will bring all his people to himself. 00:15:59.679 --> 00:16:03.440 And Revelation 5, we get a clear picture of what's going on in heaven. 00:16:03.519 --> 00:16:11.759 And there's a people from every tribe, tongue, nation, and language, whom he purchased, Jesus, with his own blood, worshiping God and the Lamb. 00:16:12.000 --> 00:16:13.440 That's what's happening. 00:16:13.679 --> 00:16:14.639 Worship. 00:16:15.039 --> 00:16:18.000 Worthy is a lamb who is slain. 00:16:18.320 --> 00:16:19.840 That is our motivation. 00:16:20.000 --> 00:16:21.600 There's a people from every tribe. 00:16:21.759 --> 00:16:23.279 How do we get them to worship? 00:16:23.440 --> 00:16:26.480 We get them to worship by go proclaiming the gospel of Jesus Christ. 00:16:26.639 --> 00:16:33.519 I'm obligated because I've tasted and seen that the Lord is good, and I want others to taste and see that the Lord is good. 00:16:33.600 --> 00:16:38.960 There's nothing more satisfying than knowing Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior. 00:16:40.320 --> 00:16:47.919 And then he says, I'm obligated both to Greeks, those who are wise, we see that in the latter half of the verse. 00:16:48.159 --> 00:16:52.320 They boasted of wisdom and barbarians, which would be foolish. 00:16:52.879 --> 00:17:01.360 He says, in 1 Corinthians chapter 1, he describes this wisdom of the world. 00:17:02.720 --> 00:17:05.680 Paul does 1 Corinthians 1 20, where's the one who is wise? 00:17:05.759 --> 00:17:06.559 Where's the scribe? 00:17:06.640 --> 00:17:08.240 Where's the debater of the sage? 00:17:08.559 --> 00:17:11.279 Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world? 00:17:11.599 --> 00:17:20.400 For since the wisdom of God, the world did not know God through wisdom, it pleased God through the folly of what we preach to save those who believe. 00:17:26.160 --> 00:17:35.599 I hope this morning you will reflect on God's saving grace for you, as Brother Byron mentioned, from the penalty of your sin. 00:17:36.799 --> 00:17:45.440 Focus on that this morning, the graciousness of God that He didn't save you because you were smarter than everybody else. 00:17:45.839 --> 00:17:50.640 He didn't save us because we're good looking or we have certain status. 00:17:51.119 --> 00:17:54.160 Paul says in 1 Corinthians, consider your calling. 00:17:54.240 --> 00:17:57.119 That is your effectual calling by which you've been saved, brothers. 00:17:57.200 --> 00:18:00.559 Not many of you were wise according to worldly standards. 00:18:00.720 --> 00:18:05.920 Not many of you are powerful, not many are of noble birth, but God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise. 00:18:06.160 --> 00:18:08.640 God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong. 00:18:08.799 --> 00:18:17.680 God chose what is low and despised in the world, even the things that are not, to bring the things, nothing, the things that are, so that no human being might boast in the presence of God. 00:18:18.000 --> 00:18:26.559 And because of him, because of God, you are in Christ Jesus, who became to us wisdom from God and righteousness and sanctification and redemption. 00:18:26.640 --> 00:18:28.640 So let him who boast boast in this. 00:18:28.960 --> 00:18:30.559 Boast in the Lord. 00:18:30.799 --> 00:18:33.200 It's God's work, God's doing. 00:18:33.519 --> 00:18:37.119 He came for the wives of the world who think they had it all together. 00:18:37.279 --> 00:18:43.680 And he came for barbarians, those who were uneducated, slaves, those who were the outcast and foreigners of society. 00:18:43.839 --> 00:18:45.279 He came for them too. 00:18:45.599 --> 00:18:50.240 In fact, to come to Christ, we see in Psalm 51 with David, right? 00:18:50.400 --> 00:18:54.319 What God will not deny is a broken heart and a contrite spirit. 00:18:54.720 --> 00:19:00.559 Jesus said in Matthew 5, 3, in order to get in the kingdom, you must be poor in spirit. 00:19:00.799 --> 00:19:05.279 Recognition of our own depravity, recognition that we don't have anything. 00:19:05.440 --> 00:19:10.720 As the great Augustus Toplates says in his great hymn, right? 00:19:10.880 --> 00:19:16.799 Nothing do I bring except for to the cross I cling, O rock of ages. 00:19:17.519 --> 00:19:18.799 We have nothing. 00:19:19.279 --> 00:19:23.440 The only thing that we bring to this salvation thing is our sin. 00:19:24.400 --> 00:19:26.559 God does the rest. 00:19:26.720 --> 00:19:30.799 And so he doesn't look at us, and the gospel come to us because we're smart. 00:19:30.880 --> 00:19:34.400 It doesn't come to us because we're the worst people in the world. 00:19:34.559 --> 00:19:38.559 It comes to us by his goodness and his graciousness, and it comes to all. 00:19:38.720 --> 00:19:44.720 And he says, I've come to call not the righteous, but sinners to repentance. 00:19:45.279 --> 00:19:48.880 And Paul says, I'm chief of sinners. 00:19:49.039 --> 00:19:50.559 And 1 Timothy. 00:19:50.960 --> 00:19:51.680 Verse 15. 00:19:51.839 --> 00:19:53.359 So I'm eager, Paul says. 00:19:53.599 --> 00:19:54.240 I like this. 00:19:54.400 --> 00:19:55.519 I like this word eager. 00:19:55.599 --> 00:19:59.359 It's the same word Jesus used in Matthew. 00:19:59.920 --> 00:20:07.680 And when he's in the Garden of Gethsemane, he says, Watch and pray that you may not fall into temptation, for the the spirit indeed is what? 00:20:07.920 --> 00:20:10.079 Willing, but the flesh is weak. 00:20:10.240 --> 00:20:12.240 That word willing is eager. 00:20:12.400 --> 00:20:17.279 He's I don't know in any other way to say it, but um, he's giving for the gospel. 00:20:17.759 --> 00:20:23.759 He's excited, and the gospel enthralls Paul, and he's so excited to come to preach the gospel. 00:20:24.000 --> 00:20:25.279 Is that your desire? 00:20:25.359 --> 00:20:33.039 Are you so excited to preach the gospel to others that you can't wait to let them know of Jesus? 00:20:33.680 --> 00:20:34.240 Eager. 00:20:35.039 --> 00:20:38.640 What describes you and preaching the gospel? 00:20:39.519 --> 00:20:46.640 He says, I'm eager to preach the gospel to you also who are in Rome. 00:20:47.680 --> 00:20:53.279 Now the the thing here is that he's eager to preach the gospel to who? 00:20:53.680 --> 00:20:54.319 To you. 00:20:55.599 --> 00:20:58.079 You Roman Christians. 00:20:58.799 --> 00:21:00.000 Whoa, wait a minute. 00:21:00.160 --> 00:21:01.359 That's mind-blowing. 00:21:01.519 --> 00:21:10.559 Yeah, if you go back up to verse 6 in Romans 1, it says, including you, that's the Roman church, who are called to belong to Jesus. 00:21:10.880 --> 00:21:15.680 And you, verse 7, who are loved by God and called to be saints. 00:21:16.000 --> 00:21:23.680 He's bringing the gospel not only to the people in Rome that are unbelievers, but he's bringing the gospel to believers. 00:21:24.400 --> 00:21:25.839 Think about that for a minute. 00:21:26.079 --> 00:21:30.640 Whether you're a believer or unbeliever, we all need the gospel. 00:21:31.680 --> 00:21:34.400 And uh, brother Brian was I'll finish it out for you. 00:21:34.640 --> 00:21:40.160 What he's saying is the penalty of sin has been done away with the cross, the power of sin has been defeated, right? 00:21:40.319 --> 00:21:41.119 He's talked about that. 00:21:41.200 --> 00:21:47.680 And what he wanted to say, and right, is the presence of sin one day will be completely be eradicated in heaven. 00:21:47.839 --> 00:21:48.160 Okay? 00:21:48.480 --> 00:21:50.720 That's the power of the gospel. 00:21:50.880 --> 00:21:54.079 And so, as believers, we need the gospel. 00:21:54.319 --> 00:21:55.519 You say, what do we mean? 00:21:55.680 --> 00:21:59.759 I need to be reminded of the gospel every single day. 00:22:00.240 --> 00:22:01.279 Of my life. 00:22:01.599 --> 00:22:03.119 I need to know the grace of God. 00:22:03.279 --> 00:22:04.559 I need to be reminded. 00:22:04.640 --> 00:22:09.200 It says in the 1 John 1 9, right, when we sin, we confess our sins. 00:22:10.160 --> 00:22:17.119 And He's faithful and righteous, just to forgive us our sins and cleanse us from what? 00:22:17.519 --> 00:22:19.519 All unrighteousness. 00:22:19.839 --> 00:22:21.759 And so to confess means to agree. 00:22:21.920 --> 00:22:25.039 I agree with God that this is sin in my life. 00:22:25.119 --> 00:22:28.400 And I want to move on from that. 00:22:28.799 --> 00:22:36.079 And here's the reality: when we confess our sins as believers, it's not as if God's re-forgiving, right? 00:22:36.240 --> 00:22:38.000 He forgave, but we're agreeing. 00:22:38.079 --> 00:22:46.400 And we're being reminded as we move on from that of what he did in the cross, that he paid for our sin and the penalty of sin. 00:22:46.480 --> 00:22:55.359 And he gave us the ability by the power of the Spirit not to be controlled by sin any longer because he's canceled the power of sin against us. 00:22:55.519 --> 00:22:59.759 And so I'm reminded of what Christ has done and is doing. 00:22:59.920 --> 00:23:01.920 I need to remind myself of the gospel. 00:23:02.000 --> 00:23:02.799 I can't stay there. 00:23:02.880 --> 00:23:15.359 In 1 uh Psalm 139, at the end of Psalm 139, David uh says, what that um teach me if there's any grievous way in me, but it doesn't stay there. 00:23:15.599 --> 00:23:17.279 We have to have self-reflection. 00:23:17.440 --> 00:23:19.759 We have to go to the Lord and say, How have I sinned? 00:23:19.839 --> 00:23:22.799 And ask the Lord, and this is what happens in the Lord's Supper often, right? 00:23:22.880 --> 00:23:25.359 We we go to the Lord and we ask the Lord, is there sin? 00:23:25.599 --> 00:23:27.359 Just forgive me of my sins, cleanse me. 00:23:27.519 --> 00:23:37.759 And what what is happening there, though, is not that we stay there and continue to focus on sin, but he says, and lead me to the way everlasting. 00:23:38.400 --> 00:23:40.240 We have to move on from there. 00:23:40.559 --> 00:23:46.319 So the gospel reminds us of Christ, and the gospel refreshes us in Christ. 00:23:46.400 --> 00:23:49.039 So we have to preach the gospel to ourselves. 00:23:49.119 --> 00:23:49.920 Let me give you an example. 00:23:50.000 --> 00:23:59.039 In Psalm 42, verses 5 and 11, in Psalm 43, verse 5, it's a refrain, and the psalmist is speaking to himself and says, to his soul, right? 00:23:59.200 --> 00:24:02.799 Oh soul, why are you in turmoil within me? 00:24:03.279 --> 00:24:04.640 We've gone through those times, right? 00:24:04.799 --> 00:24:13.359 We're we're downtrodden, we're weak, and we're struggling, or we're in, we're we have sin, and so we have to preach the gospel to ourselves. 00:24:13.680 --> 00:24:15.920 Why are you so downtrodden? 00:24:16.079 --> 00:24:17.759 Why are you eternal within me? 00:24:17.920 --> 00:24:19.039 Hope in God. 00:24:19.599 --> 00:24:21.119 He's talking to himself, right? 00:24:21.279 --> 00:24:27.039 Hope in God, for I shall again praise him my salvation and my God. 00:24:27.519 --> 00:24:30.000 Hope in God, he says three times. 00:24:30.400 --> 00:24:34.240 Hope in God, our Psalm 103, that beautiful Psalm. 00:24:34.400 --> 00:24:38.720 Bless the Lord, oh my soul, and all that is within me. 00:24:38.880 --> 00:24:41.920 Bless his holy, come on, name. 00:24:42.079 --> 00:24:48.559 And forget not all his benefits toward me, for he forgives all our sins and heals all our diseases. 00:24:48.799 --> 00:24:49.839 Who's he talking to? 00:24:50.000 --> 00:24:54.559 He's not talking to the Lord there, he's talking to himself, he's preaching the gospel to himself. 00:24:55.039 --> 00:24:58.480 Do not forget the gospel. 00:24:58.799 --> 00:25:04.000 We need the gospel as Christians because it reminds us and it refreshes us in Christ. 00:25:04.240 --> 00:25:14.720 The great preacher Robert Murray McSheen, he's well known in the Bible reading plan that maybe some of you are a part of. 00:25:14.799 --> 00:25:18.880 I don't know if you you do that, but he died really early, like 28 or 29 years old. 00:25:19.039 --> 00:25:31.279 He was pastor of Doug D, Scotland, years ago, and uh not thinking that his life mattered to much, but God is still using what he said and what he's done. 00:25:31.359 --> 00:25:40.160 And he said this: he said, for every look to ourselves, every look at our sin where we recognize our sin, it's not an excuse for sin. 00:25:40.319 --> 00:25:44.079 We recognize, we come to grips, we turn from it, we hate it, we despise it. 00:25:44.240 --> 00:25:49.920 But for every look at our sin, we need to give ten looks to Christ. 00:25:51.200 --> 00:25:56.720 For every look at our sin, we need to give ten looks to Christ. 00:25:56.880 --> 00:25:58.480 I believe Derek Thomas is right. 00:25:58.559 --> 00:26:00.640 It says not only ten, but a hundred. 00:26:01.920 --> 00:26:13.920 It's what Thomas Chalmers, the great Puritan, said the expulsive power of a new affection is this overwhelming desire that overwhelms the sin. 00:26:14.079 --> 00:26:18.799 We need something of a greater desire than the sin that's in us. 00:26:19.039 --> 00:26:22.480 In other words, the expulsive power of a new affection is Christ. 00:26:22.960 --> 00:26:24.640 That we need to look at Jesus. 00:26:24.799 --> 00:26:26.640 We need to see and exalt Christ. 00:26:26.720 --> 00:26:30.240 And when we look at him, the things of this earth what? 00:26:30.480 --> 00:26:35.200 Grow strangely dim in the light of his glory and grace. 00:26:35.920 --> 00:26:45.839 I'm excited to preach the gospel to you who are in Rome so that you can be refreshed and that you can be on mission with this message and this mission of the church. 00:26:46.079 --> 00:26:47.279 And so it goes on. 00:26:47.599 --> 00:26:49.279 Verse 16 and 17. 00:26:49.519 --> 00:26:51.119 For I'm not ashamed of the gospel. 00:26:51.359 --> 00:26:52.400 What is the gospel? 00:26:53.119 --> 00:26:54.319 What is the gospel? 00:26:54.480 --> 00:26:59.519 Go back up to Romans chapter 1, starting in verse 1. 00:27:00.480 --> 00:27:04.160 Paul says he's been set apart for the gospel of God. 00:27:04.319 --> 00:27:07.440 We see the gospel is God's gospel. 00:27:07.759 --> 00:27:08.799 It's about God. 00:27:09.039 --> 00:27:09.920 It's the good news. 00:27:10.079 --> 00:27:11.440 The gospel means good news. 00:27:11.680 --> 00:27:13.359 Good news of God. 00:27:14.720 --> 00:27:19.759 It's not good news of us, it's good news for us. 00:27:21.119 --> 00:27:21.519 Right? 00:27:21.599 --> 00:27:23.200 What do we have to bring? 00:27:23.519 --> 00:27:24.400 Nothing. 00:27:25.359 --> 00:27:26.319 We have our sin. 00:27:26.480 --> 00:27:28.079 That's not good news. 00:27:28.319 --> 00:27:31.200 We have the penalty hanging over our head of sin. 00:27:31.279 --> 00:27:32.240 That's not good news. 00:27:32.319 --> 00:27:35.039 But it's the good news of God and what God has done. 00:27:35.200 --> 00:27:39.039 What the flesh, what the sin weaken by the flesh, Romans 8 could not do. 00:27:39.279 --> 00:27:39.920 God did. 00:27:40.880 --> 00:27:43.599 Salvation, Psalm 3.8 is of the Lord. 00:27:43.759 --> 00:27:45.759 Jonah repeats this refrain. 00:27:45.920 --> 00:27:50.000 As he's swallowed by the fish, yes, he's really was swallowed by this great fish. 00:27:50.079 --> 00:27:53.920 And as he's in the bell of the well, he has a come to meeting with Jesus. 00:27:54.000 --> 00:28:03.279 And as he spewed out and he he declares this in Jonah chapter 2, verse 9, salvation belongs to the Lord. 00:28:03.599 --> 00:28:04.960 He recognized that. 00:28:05.200 --> 00:28:06.960 He recognized salvation comes. 00:28:07.039 --> 00:28:12.880 If you look at the end in Revelation 7, 9, and 10, they have white robes and those who endured to the end. 00:28:12.960 --> 00:28:16.640 And we don't have to get into all that, but know what the song was. 00:28:16.799 --> 00:28:22.160 The song was this salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne and to the Lamb. 00:28:22.559 --> 00:28:24.720 It's a gospel of God and his good news. 00:28:24.799 --> 00:28:26.559 And this was not plan B. 00:28:26.960 --> 00:28:33.200 It wasn't God created Adam and Eve, and they sinned and he thought to the Son, the Father, the Son, in the midst of the Spirit. 00:28:33.440 --> 00:28:34.799 What are we going to do? 00:28:35.359 --> 00:28:37.119 Didn't see this one coming. 00:28:37.440 --> 00:28:39.680 Noah's been repeated up here from the pulpit. 00:28:39.839 --> 00:28:40.720 God is sovereign. 00:28:40.799 --> 00:28:41.839 It's plan A. 00:28:42.079 --> 00:28:46.400 Christ was slain before the foundation of the world, Romans 13, 8. 00:28:47.039 --> 00:28:48.400 It's God's good news. 00:28:48.480 --> 00:28:49.200 Look at verse 2. 00:28:49.279 --> 00:28:52.799 We promised beforehand through the prophets, it's been handed down. 00:28:53.119 --> 00:28:56.160 We see him coming even from Genesis 3.15, right? 00:28:56.960 --> 00:29:01.680 The head of Satan will be crushed by the seed, that seed being Jesus Christ. 00:29:01.839 --> 00:29:06.160 Verse 3, concerning his son, who is descended from David according to the flesh. 00:29:06.319 --> 00:29:07.519 Why did Jesus come? 00:29:07.759 --> 00:29:08.720 Because of our sin. 00:29:08.960 --> 00:29:12.799 Romans 1.18 through 3.23, all about sin. 00:29:12.880 --> 00:29:14.319 There's none righteous, not even one. 00:29:14.400 --> 00:29:15.920 No one who does good. 00:29:16.079 --> 00:29:17.440 No one seeks for God. 00:29:17.599 --> 00:29:24.720 We all, like sheep, have been scattered, going to our own way, and all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. 00:29:24.960 --> 00:29:27.039 And so we are sinful. 00:29:27.680 --> 00:29:29.440 We're born in this world sinners. 00:29:29.599 --> 00:29:33.119 Ephesians 2 says, like the rest of mankind, we are children of wrath. 00:29:33.359 --> 00:29:35.759 We have the wrath of God hanging over us. 00:29:37.200 --> 00:29:39.039 Mentioned that new baby is coming. 00:29:39.200 --> 00:29:40.079 Congratulations. 00:29:40.240 --> 00:29:41.119 Praise the Lord. 00:29:41.200 --> 00:29:43.440 And we love children at Christ's community as well. 00:29:43.519 --> 00:29:50.240 And we we see them and seek to train them and love them in the name of Jesus Christ for the gospel. 00:29:50.559 --> 00:29:56.240 But your children, and you learn this as parents as you as you go on, they're not innocent. 00:29:56.559 --> 00:29:58.240 They have an innocence about them, right? 00:29:58.319 --> 00:30:03.200 In the sense that they're not exposed to the things of the world, etc. 00:30:03.519 --> 00:30:05.359 But we're born sinners. 00:30:05.680 --> 00:30:11.279 As one famous preacher has gone on to be the Lord and Vodibacon would say, they're vipers and diapers. 00:30:11.519 --> 00:30:17.039 You just got to wait a little bit longer and see how selfish babies really are and how disobedient they are. 00:30:17.279 --> 00:30:19.440 But know this. 00:30:20.640 --> 00:30:22.319 He didn't leave us there. 00:30:23.119 --> 00:30:24.960 He sent his son. 00:30:25.599 --> 00:30:30.960 His son to be declared the Son of God to the resurrection from the dead. 00:30:31.279 --> 00:30:32.480 Jesus Christ our Lord. 00:30:32.559 --> 00:30:38.799 Not only did Jesus die on a cross, he, as we say in Christ alone, rose from the dead. 00:30:39.039 --> 00:30:39.440 Why? 00:30:39.680 --> 00:30:44.240 To prove and vindicate that everything Jesus did and said is true. 00:30:44.559 --> 00:30:53.200 Jesus lived perfectly in our place, he died in our place as our substitute, and he rose again from the dead. 00:30:54.000 --> 00:30:59.599 And that's the essence of the gospel, but that's not it. 00:30:59.839 --> 00:31:04.079 We have God, we have man, we have Christ, and the fourth one is we have a response. 00:31:04.400 --> 00:31:05.839 A response to God. 00:31:06.079 --> 00:31:10.799 The gospel is not good news for us if there's no opportunity to respond to the gospel. 00:31:10.960 --> 00:31:13.680 The response to the gospel is that we turn from our sins and what? 00:31:13.839 --> 00:31:15.440 Trust in Jesus Christ alone. 00:31:15.599 --> 00:31:18.160 They cried out at Pentecost, what shall we do? 00:31:18.480 --> 00:31:22.559 He says, Repent for the forgiveness of your sins. 00:31:23.200 --> 00:31:28.319 The Philippian jailer cried out as he's about to kill himself, and Paul and Silas said, No, no, no, no. 00:31:28.480 --> 00:31:30.000 He said, What shall I do to be saved? 00:31:30.079 --> 00:31:33.039 He said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ. 00:31:33.839 --> 00:31:37.839 Turn from our sins and put our trust and faith in Jesus Christ. 00:31:38.960 --> 00:31:40.160 That's the gospel. 00:31:40.400 --> 00:31:41.920 God, man, Christ response. 00:31:42.079 --> 00:31:44.960 So he's not ashamed of this gospel. 00:31:45.200 --> 00:31:46.880 We could be ashamed of many things. 00:31:47.039 --> 00:31:50.240 We saw shame comes in Genesis chapter 3 with sin. 00:31:50.400 --> 00:31:59.759 Ed Welch, uh big counselor, says uh it's either things done by us or to us is the cause of shame, and both of those are sin. 00:32:00.319 --> 00:32:00.640 Sin. 00:32:00.960 --> 00:32:01.680 So there's shame. 00:32:01.759 --> 00:32:04.400 But Paul says, I don't have shame in the gospel. 00:32:04.559 --> 00:32:06.799 I'm not ashamed of the gospel. 00:32:06.960 --> 00:32:08.880 We're ashamed of many things, right? 00:32:08.960 --> 00:32:11.599 We maybe what's the reason we don't share the gospel? 00:32:11.759 --> 00:32:14.240 Maybe we're fearful of man. 00:32:14.799 --> 00:32:23.119 Maybe we're fearful of what someone's gonna say or how they're gonna respond, or maybe they reject us, or maybe they ask a question that we're we're not equipped to answer. 00:32:26.079 --> 00:32:29.039 Maybe we're fearful of receiving harm. 00:32:29.200 --> 00:32:32.160 Maybe we'll we'll be persecuted. 00:32:33.200 --> 00:32:35.680 But Paul says, I'm not a fear. 00:32:35.920 --> 00:32:37.039 You know why? 00:32:37.359 --> 00:32:41.599 Because Paul knew his life was no longer his own. 00:32:41.839 --> 00:32:46.079 In Galatians 2.20, that was quoted by Pastor John, said, What? 00:32:46.240 --> 00:32:48.720 I've been crucified with Paul of Christ. 00:32:48.880 --> 00:32:54.960 Paul said, I no longer live, but the life I live now, I live by faith in the Son of God who loved me and gave himself for me. 00:32:55.119 --> 00:32:56.480 I've been crucified. 00:32:56.720 --> 00:32:59.759 It's not for me to live as Christ and die as gained. 00:32:59.920 --> 00:33:12.160 I I I consider my life of not precious, Paul said to myself, or any value, but if I only fulfill the ministry and and and what I've been called to to testify to the gospel of the grace of God. 00:33:13.759 --> 00:33:15.279 It's not his own. 00:33:15.519 --> 00:33:19.759 And he realized he's not ashamed because Christ was with him. 00:33:20.000 --> 00:33:20.880 God is with him. 00:33:21.039 --> 00:33:23.119 He never leaves us or forsakes us. 00:33:23.359 --> 00:33:25.839 It's not just you sharing the gospel. 00:33:26.079 --> 00:33:26.960 Do you realize that? 00:33:27.119 --> 00:33:31.200 When you open your mouth, it's not you have the spirit of God inside of you. 00:33:31.359 --> 00:33:33.599 That's why he said in Acts 1.8, wait for the Spirit. 00:33:33.759 --> 00:33:35.839 Well, now as believers, we have the Spirit. 00:33:36.000 --> 00:33:37.519 You don't have to wait for the Spirit. 00:33:37.599 --> 00:33:50.000 You could go share the gospel because the power that's in you is the Spirit of God, and He will enable you, He will strengthen you, and you rely on Him, you pray to Him, you ask Him, and He will give you the strength to share the gospel, articulate it. 00:33:50.720 --> 00:33:52.400 You don't have to fear or be ashamed. 00:33:52.480 --> 00:33:53.680 God's with you, God is for you. 00:33:53.759 --> 00:33:56.160 If He's for us, who shall be against us? 00:33:56.559 --> 00:33:57.119 So what? 00:33:57.279 --> 00:33:58.799 What is someone going to say? 00:33:59.279 --> 00:34:03.039 God is with you, and God is for you, He's fighting for you. 00:34:03.440 --> 00:34:05.279 He's with you, He's for you. 00:34:05.440 --> 00:34:10.719 And you can boldly proclaim the gospel, for it is the power of God unto salvation for everyone who believes. 00:34:10.960 --> 00:34:12.480 There's power in the gospel. 00:34:12.639 --> 00:34:19.840 Paul said in 1 Corinthians 1, 18, for the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing. 00:34:20.079 --> 00:34:36.800 The world, when you think about what we're saying in the gospel, that Jesus is the Son of God, came a man, lived perfectly, never sinned, died on a cross to pay for our sin, rose from the dead bodily, and ascended to heaven. 00:34:37.360 --> 00:34:39.440 Now turn from your ways and trust Christ. 00:34:39.599 --> 00:34:42.239 To the world, that sounds like blah, blah, blah, blah, blah. 00:34:43.920 --> 00:34:44.960 Seriously. 00:34:45.599 --> 00:34:49.760 But for those of us who are being saved, it's the power of God. 00:34:50.719 --> 00:34:52.639 And you think, why would God do this? 00:34:52.800 --> 00:34:56.480 Why would God choose to save the world through this message? 00:34:57.119 --> 00:35:00.159 This what the world seems as a crazy message. 00:35:00.239 --> 00:35:06.559 Why would God choose that to show, 2 Corinthians 4, 7, this power belongs not to us but to God? 00:35:07.039 --> 00:35:13.280 So that He would receive all the glory, that He would be magnified and exalted. 00:35:13.519 --> 00:35:18.800 For the salvation, for this gospel is the power of God for salvation. 00:35:18.960 --> 00:35:26.079 In it is the power of God, not our wisdom, not our intellect, not because uh we have certain things. 00:35:26.239 --> 00:35:29.440 No, this is this is the gospel's humbling. 00:35:29.679 --> 00:35:31.599 It makes us all equal at the cross. 00:35:31.760 --> 00:35:35.360 And we come to Christ, it's not because of something we've done, but our boast is in the Lord. 00:35:35.440 --> 00:35:42.239 And so when we share the gospel, we recognize we humbly are one leper telling another leper where to be healed. 00:35:43.360 --> 00:35:45.920 Salvation for who believes. 00:35:46.000 --> 00:35:47.360 What is that word salvation? 00:35:47.519 --> 00:35:50.480 The gospel saves, it saves from and it saves for. 00:35:50.639 --> 00:35:52.000 It saves from sin, right? 00:35:52.079 --> 00:35:55.280 He came to the world, first John, to save us from our sins. 00:35:55.440 --> 00:35:59.760 He appeared to save us from the sins to verse 8, to destroy the works of the devil. 00:35:59.840 --> 00:36:02.559 He saved us from death for Romans 6 23. 00:36:02.639 --> 00:36:07.920 The ways of sin is death, but the free gift of life is free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. 00:36:08.400 --> 00:36:15.440 But ultimately, in context, Jesus came to save us from the very wrath of God. 00:36:15.760 --> 00:36:18.159 We sing it in Christ alone. 00:36:18.800 --> 00:36:23.440 His love, or excuse me, his wrath was satisfied on the cross. 00:36:24.159 --> 00:36:25.360 It was so important. 00:36:25.760 --> 00:36:29.599 It's being denied by multiple people today. 00:36:30.079 --> 00:36:33.519 That Jesus substituted his life in our place. 00:36:33.920 --> 00:36:34.400 Why? 00:36:34.639 --> 00:36:39.119 So that he would be receiving the penalty we deserve. 00:36:39.360 --> 00:36:46.000 The wrath of God, the just, righteous, holy anger of God towards sin would be put on Jesus. 00:36:46.239 --> 00:36:47.280 Remember on the cross? 00:36:47.440 --> 00:36:54.239 Matthew 26, 46 or so, he said, My God, my God, why have you forsaken me? 00:36:55.039 --> 00:36:58.960 Because he's receiving the wrath from the Father. 00:36:59.119 --> 00:37:03.760 In the garden, he says, If this cup could pass from me, if there's any other way, but yet not my will, but your will. 00:37:03.840 --> 00:37:04.400 What was the cup? 00:37:04.480 --> 00:37:11.119 The cup is the God pouring out his wrath of our sin on Jesus. 00:37:12.800 --> 00:37:17.760 This is a beautiful description of what Jesus did. 00:37:17.920 --> 00:37:22.159 He saved us from the wrath of God and he saved us for eternal life. 00:37:22.239 --> 00:37:29.920 He saved us for holiness and righteousness, but ultimately eternal life that we might know God and Jesus Christ, his son. 00:37:30.880 --> 00:37:33.679 Salvation for everyone who believes. 00:37:33.920 --> 00:37:39.360 Believes is a crucial word for us because today we use it all the time, right? 00:37:39.440 --> 00:37:45.199 I believe that, you know, might be hurricanes are going to win the College World Series. 00:37:45.280 --> 00:37:46.880 Now that's not actually true, right? 00:37:47.199 --> 00:37:48.960 That's called wishful thinking. 00:37:49.199 --> 00:37:52.480 But when the Bible talks about belief, it encompasses three things. 00:37:52.639 --> 00:37:53.519 One, knowledge. 00:37:53.679 --> 00:37:55.599 I have to know what we're talking about. 00:37:55.760 --> 00:37:56.800 The gospel is facts, right? 00:37:56.960 --> 00:37:58.400 God, man, Christ's response. 00:37:58.480 --> 00:38:06.800 There's a holy God we sinned and we needed Jesus to substitute his life for us, rise from the dead, and then we believe in him and turn from our sins. 00:38:07.119 --> 00:38:09.360 That's the God, that's the gospel of facts. 00:38:09.760 --> 00:38:13.039 But even Satan believes, right, James and Shudders. 00:38:13.280 --> 00:38:16.239 So it's not just knowledge, but it has to be conviction. 00:38:16.320 --> 00:38:18.000 I have to believe that it's actually true. 00:38:18.239 --> 00:38:23.760 It's not just another story made up, like the Mormon's book, right? 00:38:23.920 --> 00:38:25.679 The book of Mormons made up. 00:38:26.000 --> 00:38:28.079 No, we're talking about the truth. 00:38:28.159 --> 00:38:32.000 That I not only recognize what it is, but I believe it to be true. 00:38:32.159 --> 00:38:34.639 And the third element of faith is trust. 00:38:34.880 --> 00:38:45.119 I love that verse that we sang and that we talked about first of John 3.16, for God so loved the world that whoever believes in him. 00:38:45.440 --> 00:38:47.679 The word deliberately means into him, right? 00:38:47.760 --> 00:38:49.920 That I'm entrusting my life to him. 00:38:50.320 --> 00:38:58.239 That faith is not just a knowledge, I know it has to be, it has to be conviction, I believe it is true, but I'm trusting my life unto Jesus. 00:38:58.639 --> 00:39:01.599 I make Jesus the object of my faith. 00:39:01.920 --> 00:39:05.119 That I believe in him and him alone. 00:39:05.760 --> 00:39:06.800 And him alone. 00:39:08.079 --> 00:39:12.480 Everyone who believes for the Jew first and the Greek. 00:39:12.719 --> 00:39:14.880 The gospel came through the Jews. 00:39:16.000 --> 00:39:16.559 Right? 00:39:16.960 --> 00:39:20.239 The gospel came, and you see this pattern in Paul's ministry, right? 00:39:20.320 --> 00:39:22.559 He goes to the synagogue first, and then they usually kick him out. 00:39:22.719 --> 00:39:25.840 A few people get saved, and he goes out to the Gentiles. 00:39:27.519 --> 00:39:28.800 But what does this mean? 00:39:29.039 --> 00:39:34.079 This certainly means there's one gospel for all peoples. 00:39:34.719 --> 00:39:41.679 Jews don't get into heaven based on some other external standard, and neither do Gentiles. 00:39:42.000 --> 00:39:44.239 Jesus was clear in John 14, 6. 00:39:44.320 --> 00:39:49.119 He said, I am the way, the truth, and what? 00:39:49.280 --> 00:39:49.920 The life. 00:39:50.159 --> 00:39:52.880 No one comes to the Father except by me. 00:39:53.039 --> 00:39:59.519 There's salvation, and no other name given among heaven by which you must be saved, but through Jesus Christ alone. 00:39:59.840 --> 00:40:03.440 For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith. 00:40:03.519 --> 00:40:05.280 As is written, the righteous shall live by faith. 00:40:05.360 --> 00:40:07.360 This is an important aspect of the gospel. 00:40:07.599 --> 00:40:10.159 Jesus died and born by sin. 00:40:11.119 --> 00:40:16.159 So that when we come to Jesus, we turn from our sins and we trust him, and he forgives us, right, of all our sins. 00:40:16.480 --> 00:40:19.360 He cleans us up as if we'd never sinned. 00:40:19.599 --> 00:40:21.119 But that's not enough. 00:40:22.239 --> 00:40:26.320 He removes our sins as far as the east is from the west, but that's not enough. 00:40:26.800 --> 00:40:32.320 Verse 17 is crucial, is how Martin Luther, a great reformer, was saved. 00:40:32.719 --> 00:40:35.039 By reading and meditating on this verse. 00:40:35.280 --> 00:40:39.440 For in it the righteousness of God, not the righteousness of man, but the righteous of God. 00:40:39.519 --> 00:40:43.920 In Philippians chapter 3, Paul explains this even more. 00:40:44.400 --> 00:40:47.199 Philippians chapter 3, verse 8 and 9. 00:40:48.480 --> 00:40:53.039 He said, I count everything lost because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. 00:40:53.199 --> 00:41:11.840 For his sake I suffer the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which comes through faith in Christ, a righteousness or the righteousness from God that depends on faith. 00:41:12.079 --> 00:41:13.519 It's a righteousness of God. 00:41:13.679 --> 00:41:15.119 What is that righteousness? 00:41:15.360 --> 00:41:17.920 It's the righteousness of Jesus Christ. 00:41:18.239 --> 00:41:21.760 Remember when Jesus got baptized right before that, it says in Matthew 3? 00:41:22.480 --> 00:41:24.480 He's doing this, John. 00:41:25.519 --> 00:41:27.840 To fulfill all righteousness. 00:41:28.400 --> 00:41:33.280 To fulfill all righteousness, that Jesus had no deceit in his mouth. 00:41:33.599 --> 00:41:34.800 He committed no sin. 00:41:34.960 --> 00:41:37.920 He was tempted in every way we are yet without sin. 00:41:38.480 --> 00:41:44.559 He knew no sin, became or was treated as a sinner, that we might become the righteous of God. 00:41:44.719 --> 00:41:45.920 This is the great exchange. 00:41:46.079 --> 00:41:46.960 We're forgiven. 00:41:47.119 --> 00:41:49.360 He pays their sins, pays for our sins. 00:41:49.519 --> 00:41:50.880 The penalty of sins is gone. 00:41:51.039 --> 00:41:51.840 It's removed. 00:41:51.920 --> 00:41:54.880 The wrath of God is no longer hanging over our head. 00:41:54.960 --> 00:41:57.599 There's no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. 00:41:57.679 --> 00:42:04.079 And the great good news, the other side of that news, is now we receive His righteousness. 00:42:05.280 --> 00:42:08.559 Listen, it doesn't mean that He makes us righteous. 00:42:08.719 --> 00:42:11.599 It means that He declares us righteous. 00:42:11.920 --> 00:42:15.280 This is the mind-blowing thing that we're guilty sinners. 00:42:15.440 --> 00:42:22.960 How could the holy, perfect judge, God the Father, declare righteous to us who are guilty sinners? 00:42:23.119 --> 00:42:25.760 It's not because of us, brothers and sisters. 00:42:26.320 --> 00:42:29.039 It's because of Jesus Christ. 00:42:29.840 --> 00:42:32.559 We're clothed with his righteousness. 00:42:32.960 --> 00:42:36.559 We're clothed with the righteousness of Jesus. 00:42:36.719 --> 00:42:40.960 And he imputes that or he credits that to our account. 00:42:41.840 --> 00:42:46.960 So I'm going to give two examples: one for the kids and one for adults, that both apply, right? 00:42:47.039 --> 00:42:55.199 So if you're taking a test, right, kids, if you're taking a test and you fail the test and your teacher says, You failed the test, I'm sorry, you receive an F. 00:42:55.360 --> 00:42:57.039 Hopefully that never happens to you. 00:42:57.679 --> 00:42:59.280 But if it did, right? 00:42:59.440 --> 00:43:01.360 Or it probably happened to your friend, right? 00:43:01.440 --> 00:43:03.119 So they failed the test. 00:43:03.360 --> 00:43:06.559 Then a teacher comes in the next day and says, I have good news. 00:43:06.800 --> 00:43:07.599 Good news. 00:43:07.760 --> 00:43:10.400 The good news is I canceled the test. 00:43:10.719 --> 00:43:12.239 You no longer have an F. 00:43:12.320 --> 00:43:13.280 You're forgiven. 00:43:13.599 --> 00:43:15.280 That's good news, isn't it? 00:43:15.599 --> 00:43:16.559 You ever had that happen? 00:43:16.639 --> 00:43:17.920 I had that happen one time. 00:43:18.559 --> 00:43:19.039 Not that I've. 00:43:19.599 --> 00:43:20.239 Anyway. 00:43:20.480 --> 00:43:21.039 All right. 00:43:21.360 --> 00:43:22.480 We'll go there. 00:43:22.719 --> 00:43:23.519 You're forgiven. 00:43:23.599 --> 00:43:25.199 It's completely removed. 00:43:25.519 --> 00:43:26.559 That's half the gospel. 00:43:26.719 --> 00:43:27.840 What's the other half? 00:43:28.079 --> 00:43:34.800 The teacher says, and I'm gonna give you an A plus instead of the F. 00:43:35.760 --> 00:43:37.760 That's the the other half of the gospel. 00:43:37.840 --> 00:43:38.960 That's righteousness. 00:43:39.199 --> 00:43:39.519 Right? 00:43:39.679 --> 00:43:43.440 Because if you just have a blank slate, just it's forgiven. 00:43:43.599 --> 00:43:46.079 You're like Adam and Eve before the fall. 00:43:46.880 --> 00:43:50.800 What credits or what uh uh enables you to get to heaven? 00:43:51.039 --> 00:43:51.519 Nothing. 00:43:51.760 --> 00:43:53.440 You gotta you gotta earn it. 00:43:53.760 --> 00:43:58.159 But you don't, because he's canceled the grave and he's given you 100%. 00:43:58.719 --> 00:43:59.760 That's righteous, not here. 00:44:00.239 --> 00:44:00.960 For the adults. 00:44:01.119 --> 00:44:03.199 This is more geared to the adults. 00:44:03.440 --> 00:44:04.559 Talking about marriage. 00:44:04.800 --> 00:44:07.840 My buddy just shared this with me this week, this past week. 00:44:08.079 --> 00:44:16.079 If you get married and you unknowingly, the husband carries into the relationship a million-dollar debt. 00:44:16.320 --> 00:44:16.800 Whoa. 00:44:17.199 --> 00:44:18.639 Didn't see that coming, right? 00:44:18.800 --> 00:44:25.760 But once you get married, you're legally married, and they just divulge to you, by the way, I have a million-dollar debt. 00:44:26.000 --> 00:44:27.360 Whose debt is that? 00:44:28.239 --> 00:44:29.760 It's both of yours, right? 00:44:29.920 --> 00:44:32.159 You're together, you're one flesh, right? 00:44:32.800 --> 00:44:35.599 But the good news is, that's us. 00:44:35.920 --> 00:44:46.000 The good news is, the other spouse, the wife in that case, but whatever we want to do, comes into the marriage a million with a billion dollars. 00:44:46.320 --> 00:44:48.960 Billions and billions of dollars. 00:44:49.199 --> 00:44:54.079 And they get married and says, by the way, I I know you had debt actually, and I canceled it. 00:44:54.159 --> 00:44:58.559 And I just want you to know that we have billions and billions and billions of dollars. 00:44:58.880 --> 00:45:00.079 That's what happened. 00:45:00.400 --> 00:45:07.360 Not only has Christ removed the debt from us, but he's given us his perfect righteousness. 00:45:07.440 --> 00:45:12.480 And we continue to believe that day after day after day after day. 00:45:12.719 --> 00:45:13.519 So three things. 00:45:13.679 --> 00:45:14.960 One, exalt in God. 00:45:15.199 --> 00:45:16.719 E-X-U-L-T. 00:45:17.360 --> 00:45:18.719 Exalt in God. 00:45:18.960 --> 00:45:20.719 That means to rejoice, to revel. 00:45:20.880 --> 00:45:22.960 We should exalt God, E-X-A-L-T. 00:45:23.199 --> 00:45:23.920 Praise Him, right? 00:45:24.000 --> 00:45:28.159 But to exalt means to treasure God in Christ. 00:45:29.039 --> 00:45:30.559 That He's the God of the gospel. 00:45:30.719 --> 00:45:35.920 He's the good, the good treasure that we sell everything to buy that's hidden in the field. 00:45:36.000 --> 00:45:37.599 He's the pearl of great price. 00:45:37.840 --> 00:45:39.440 See, Jesus for all that he is. 00:45:39.519 --> 00:45:47.760 As John Piper has famously said, God, faith is not only that God is reliable, which he is, but that God is desirable. 00:45:48.880 --> 00:45:50.639 Do you delight in God? 00:45:51.199 --> 00:45:52.159 Number two. 00:45:54.639 --> 00:45:57.199 Number two, embrace the one gospel. 00:45:57.519 --> 00:46:00.719 There are many other distractions of gospel, right? 00:46:01.039 --> 00:46:02.880 There are many other things that we could do that are good things. 00:46:02.960 --> 00:46:05.199 We could feed the poor, which we should, right? 00:46:05.519 --> 00:46:08.239 He talked about the pregnancy center. 00:46:08.320 --> 00:46:09.760 We should be about the pregnancy center. 00:46:09.840 --> 00:46:11.519 We should support the pregnancy center. 00:46:11.679 --> 00:46:18.079 But in all these things, if we neglect the gospel, it's all meaningless. 00:46:18.480 --> 00:46:20.800 The gospel is the mission of the church. 00:46:21.039 --> 00:46:23.119 The gospel is the message we'd have to embrace. 00:46:23.280 --> 00:46:24.079 The one gospel. 00:46:24.239 --> 00:46:30.400 There's many variations, but the gospel, Paul said, 1 Corinthians chapter 15, I delivered you of first importance. 00:46:30.559 --> 00:46:38.639 This is the most important thing that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures, that he was buried and that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the scriptures. 00:46:38.880 --> 00:46:40.400 That's the good news. 00:46:41.119 --> 00:46:44.800 That's the good news in which you, he says, have believed. 00:46:45.920 --> 00:46:47.119 That's the gospel. 00:46:47.360 --> 00:46:49.039 Embrace that gospel. 00:46:49.119 --> 00:46:51.280 And number three, evangelize the world. 00:46:51.519 --> 00:46:52.880 Evangelize the world. 00:46:53.039 --> 00:46:57.039 Take that gospel to those that need to hear it. 00:46:57.840 --> 00:46:59.039 Run with it. 00:46:59.280 --> 00:47:00.159 Speak it. 00:47:00.320 --> 00:47:00.880 Preach it. 00:47:01.039 --> 00:47:06.559 Maybe you heard the phrase preach the gospel and when necessary, use words. 00:47:06.639 --> 00:47:08.159 That's it's horrific. 00:47:08.320 --> 00:47:12.159 But you should authenticate the gospel with your life. 00:47:13.199 --> 00:47:14.480 There's clarity in that, right? 00:47:14.639 --> 00:47:19.280 He says, May you be glorify God by your deeds, Matthew 5, 16, Jesus. 00:47:19.440 --> 00:47:22.079 But it's not a substitute for proclaiming the gospel. 00:47:22.159 --> 00:47:23.280 We have to speak the gospel. 00:47:23.440 --> 00:47:26.559 People come to Jesus through the proclamation of the gospel, right? 00:47:26.719 --> 00:47:28.960 Romans is very clear on this. 00:47:29.119 --> 00:47:34.480 Romans 10, faith comes through hearing and hearing through the word of Christ. 00:47:35.119 --> 00:47:36.480 So where are you? 00:47:36.880 --> 00:47:37.920 Where are you? 00:47:38.239 --> 00:47:41.119 John Stott says, nobody can claim a monopoly on the gospel. 00:47:41.280 --> 00:47:43.440 Good news is for sharing. 00:47:43.679 --> 00:47:45.440 We're obligated to share. 00:47:45.760 --> 00:47:51.679 Charles Spurgeon, the great Prince of Preachers, says, The Lord is ready to pardon. 00:47:52.159 --> 00:48:06.000 May we be ready to believe, and may we come at once to him, accept salvation through Jesus Christ, and then through the rest of our lives, say to the great captain of our salvation, what good sailors reply to their captain's call. 00:48:06.559 --> 00:48:09.119 Ready, I ready. 00:48:09.440 --> 00:48:19.840 Ready for storms, ready for calms, ready for whatever that's thou dost command, ready for whatever thou dost ordain. 00:48:20.079 --> 00:48:26.159 Are you ready and prepared and equipped to go proclaim the gospel of Jesus Christ? 00:48:26.400 --> 00:48:33.119 May we say with the prophet Isaiah in chapter six, hear am I, O Lord, send me. 00:48:34.000 --> 00:48:34.960 Lord, we love you. 00:48:35.119 --> 00:48:36.239 We thank you for this time. 00:48:36.480 --> 00:48:45.599 Pray that you would be exalted, that you would stir our hearts and affections more for Jesus, and motivate us to go and take this good news to the world. 00:48:45.840 --> 00:48:51.519 And if anybody's here doesn't know you anymore, we pray that they would turn from their sins and put their trust in you. 00:48:51.679 --> 00:48:52.639 In Christ's name. 00:48:52.960 --> 00:48:53.599 Amen. 00:49:11.360 --> 00:49:25.440 And so if you were here this morning and um what the scripture has said, the man of God has said through the word of God by the power of the Spirit of God, if you are wanting to respond to that, myself and some of the other pastors and deacons will be here at the front to receive you. 00:49:25.519 --> 00:49:30.000 But I want to give you an opportunity uh to hack have that decision, to make that decision. 00:49:30.239 --> 00:49:37.599 It may be that you're here this morning, you just need some time to talk with someone or pray with someone, or you just want to come to the altar and pray. 00:49:37.679 --> 00:49:40.800 Um, that is is something we want to give you a chance to do. 00:49:40.880 --> 00:49:43.519 I'm gonna ask if you would stand with me, please. 00:49:43.920 --> 00:49:47.280 And we're going to have a um a dismissal song. 00:49:47.519 --> 00:49:49.119 Do we got we got something? 00:49:49.519 --> 00:49:49.760 Okay. 00:49:49.920 --> 00:50:00.400 We're gonna have a dismissal song, but um before we do that, I'm gonna ask if if the Solomons, if y'all wouldn't mind, go in the back and let them let them greet you and appreciate um him sharing this morning. 00:50:00.480 --> 00:50:02.000 But I want to have a word of prayer with you. 00:50:02.159 --> 00:50:11.280 I'm gonna dismiss you, uh, but I'm gonna invite you if you're here and you want to to come, come come forward and and spend some time with us, and we'll be glad to stay here. 00:50:11.440 --> 00:50:20.480 As a matter of fact, if I can get one or two of the deacons to come on, come on down and pastors come down, and we'll be here for you um as we're as we're closing in prayer this morning. 00:50:20.719 --> 00:50:22.480 Would you pray with me, please? 00:50:23.840 --> 00:50:26.239 Lord, I thank you for the truth of your word. 00:50:26.559 --> 00:50:31.920 I thank you for the way that it was presented in a way that is clear and concise and convicting. 00:50:32.079 --> 00:50:33.840 Lord, that's that's because of you. 00:50:34.079 --> 00:50:39.360 I thank you that you give us so much, and I pray, Lord, that we would not leave here the same. 00:50:39.519 --> 00:50:44.000 But we have been with you and we would be changed by your grace and for your glory. 00:50:44.239 --> 00:50:46.000 In Christ's name we pray. 00:50:46.320 --> 00:50:46.880 Amen. 00:50:47.119 --> 00:50:47.519 Thank you. 00:50:47.599 --> 00:50:48.559 You're dismissed.