WEBVTT 00:00:02.479 --> 00:00:02.959 Amen. 00:00:03.120 --> 00:00:03.600 Amen. 00:00:04.719 --> 00:00:07.919 We are diving back into our series. 00:00:09.119 --> 00:00:10.640 Interesting the timing of it. 00:00:10.720 --> 00:00:14.720 I'll share more next weekend about some of the cool timing of it. 00:00:14.880 --> 00:00:30.079 But it's it's amazing how God has a plan when we have to cancel service because of power outage, and then you know, just the Lord leading and sharing prophetic words, and you you throw your timeline off because we kind of look at the calendar and we have a timeline. 00:00:30.160 --> 00:00:35.039 We try to know where we're going from Sunday to Sunday and where we're going to land on this weekend and that weekend. 00:00:35.119 --> 00:00:41.600 Uh, but in that in that stuff is always uh uh it's what I call a good servant but a bad master. 00:00:41.759 --> 00:00:43.439 It's a good servant but a bad master. 00:00:43.520 --> 00:00:46.960 It's good to have a plan, but the plan's not in control, amen. 00:00:47.679 --> 00:00:49.359 So we're continuing our series. 00:00:49.520 --> 00:00:52.960 Baptism in the name of the Son. 00:00:53.679 --> 00:00:56.079 Baptism in the name of the Son. 00:00:56.320 --> 00:00:57.840 Matthew 28, 18. 00:00:58.000 --> 00:01:02.479 Jesus came and told his disciples, I've been given all authority in heaven and on earth. 00:01:02.640 --> 00:01:12.159 Therefore, go and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. 00:01:12.400 --> 00:01:17.840 Teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I have given you and be sure of this. 00:01:18.000 --> 00:01:21.120 I am with you always, even to the end of an age. 00:01:21.200 --> 00:01:29.280 And what we end of the age, and what we talked about was how that wasn't language for water baptism, that was a model of discipleship. 00:01:29.359 --> 00:01:37.120 So we've been leaning into that, seeking the Lord about that, studying his word about that, and what does it mean to be baptized? 00:01:37.280 --> 00:01:38.719 We talked about that. 00:01:39.040 --> 00:01:44.079 In the name, we talked about that, and then of the Father, of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. 00:01:44.159 --> 00:01:50.719 And so today, it's the last message of in the name of the Son, and then we'll start talking about the Holy Spirit. 00:01:50.959 --> 00:01:55.359 May is going to be Holy Spirit month at River Life Church. 00:01:55.439 --> 00:02:10.719 I'll be teaching on the Holy Spirit for two weekends, and then on Pentecost Sunday, May 24th, Pastor, Apostle, Prophet John Bosman from South Africa will be here pre-teaching on preaching and teaching on the Holy Spirit. 00:02:10.879 --> 00:02:26.960 And some of my earliest memories as a Christian, Melody and I, in church services, when he would come in as the guest evangelist, the guest preacher, and we saw revival break out in our church. 00:02:27.199 --> 00:02:34.159 He operates in a spirit of revival, a mantle of revival, and so I'm super excited about that. 00:02:34.400 --> 00:02:36.159 May 24th. 00:02:36.879 --> 00:02:38.479 Make sure you're here for that. 00:02:38.719 --> 00:02:46.159 So to be baptized into the Father is focused on the person that you are. 00:02:46.479 --> 00:02:49.439 Remember, we talked about identity and all of that. 00:02:49.680 --> 00:02:54.560 Baptism into the Son is focused on the position that you occupy. 00:02:54.960 --> 00:02:56.400 Talking more about that today. 00:02:56.639 --> 00:03:00.400 Baptism in the Holy Spirit is focused on the power that you have. 00:03:00.560 --> 00:03:13.199 So to be baptized in the name for review means to be fully immersed, submerged, under, and firmly fixed into Jesus' very own character and nature. 00:03:13.360 --> 00:03:19.039 The Father's very own character and nature, the Holy Spirit's very own character and nature. 00:03:19.759 --> 00:03:27.919 And so we talked about that the baptize in the name of the Son is a baptism into relational reconciliation. 00:03:28.159 --> 00:03:32.479 That's close relationship with God and close relationship with others. 00:03:32.719 --> 00:03:36.719 It's a baptism into total acceptance. 00:03:36.960 --> 00:03:43.039 We don't have to live rejected by God, and we don't have to live with the wounds of rejection from people. 00:03:43.280 --> 00:03:43.759 Amen. 00:03:44.000 --> 00:03:53.039 Because the total acceptance of Jesus washes off all the pain and hurt of rejection. 00:03:53.360 --> 00:03:55.520 Powerful, powerful thing. 00:04:01.520 --> 00:04:03.199 The old is gone. 00:04:03.439 --> 00:04:04.560 The new has come. 00:04:04.719 --> 00:04:11.919 That is only because of what Jesus has done, and that is only for the individual who is baptized in his name. 00:04:12.560 --> 00:04:18.240 Jesus doesn't bandage up the old trauma and issues of our soul. 00:04:18.399 --> 00:04:25.040 He gives us a new spirit and a new heart that then those things begin to heal us. 00:04:25.120 --> 00:04:33.040 And the love we receive and the acceptance that we receive from him, the truth we receive from him, heals our soul. 00:04:33.519 --> 00:04:36.879 It's part of the baptism into newness of life. 00:04:36.959 --> 00:04:41.839 And then we talked about it's a baptism into Jesus' very own family. 00:04:42.399 --> 00:04:46.639 If you weren't, if you didn't hear some of those messages, you need to go back and listen to those. 00:04:46.800 --> 00:04:50.000 They are powerful, life-changing messages. 00:04:50.079 --> 00:04:55.839 And again, this is talking about a process of discipleship. 00:04:56.079 --> 00:05:02.800 And I believe it's even a clinical process that brings forth so much healing of the soul. 00:05:03.120 --> 00:05:16.639 The work of the cross grafts everyone into the family of God, supplementing every bit of lack we may have had from our family of origin with our family of faith. 00:05:16.800 --> 00:05:17.439 Amen. 00:05:17.680 --> 00:05:18.160 Amen. 00:05:18.240 --> 00:05:22.079 It's a baptism into Jesus' very own family. 00:05:23.360 --> 00:05:24.240 I love that. 00:05:24.480 --> 00:05:24.959 So good. 00:05:25.120 --> 00:05:36.240 So today we're going to talk about our last point, and that is this it is a baptism into Jesus' very own righteousness. 00:05:36.879 --> 00:05:54.240 Second Corinthians 5 21 says, For he made him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in him, in Christ. 00:05:57.920 --> 00:06:10.480 For he made him who knew no sin to be sin for us that we might become, listen, the righteousness of God in Christ. 00:06:11.759 --> 00:06:27.120 That, and we'll read many other scriptures today, but that is our springboard scripture, and it is introducing us to a truth, to a powerful concept called the imputed righteousness of Jesus. 00:06:27.279 --> 00:06:31.839 That we have as those, let me back up. 00:06:32.319 --> 00:06:36.399 If you are baptized in the name of the Son, right? 00:06:36.560 --> 00:06:51.519 If you are submerged, if you are uh in and under and firmly fixed into the very character and nature of Jesus, if you are living your life as a follower of Jesus, abiding in him, this is what you have. 00:06:51.680 --> 00:06:54.160 You have imputed righteousness. 00:06:54.240 --> 00:07:04.160 And that sounds like a uh maybe a hard term to understand, but I'm gonna explain it, and it is very, very, very important to our lives as Christians. 00:07:04.399 --> 00:07:16.240 It's literally this it's Jesus' very own righteousness imparted, ascribed, and attributed to all who are in Christ as your very own. 00:07:16.879 --> 00:07:19.199 Let that sink in for a second. 00:07:19.519 --> 00:07:34.639 We talked about during communion clean hearts, that we don't belong to a hand cleansing ceremony, we belong to a heart cleansing covenant, and there's a big difference. 00:07:35.279 --> 00:07:43.199 There's a big difference, and we're we'll talk about clean hands as well, but we're gonna start off by talking about clean hearts. 00:07:43.279 --> 00:07:48.480 There was nothing that we could do to earn that position. 00:07:48.879 --> 00:07:51.360 Remember, this is a positional conversation. 00:07:51.519 --> 00:07:53.759 There was nothing we could do to earn that position. 00:07:53.920 --> 00:08:03.040 When sin entered the human race through Adam and Eve, it ascribed unrighteousness to everyone. 00:08:03.759 --> 00:08:04.720 Everyone. 00:08:04.959 --> 00:08:10.959 And that became the default state of every man and woman born after Adam and Eve, which is a lot. 00:08:11.600 --> 00:08:13.439 And includes you and I. 00:08:14.240 --> 00:08:23.439 And because of unrighteousness, there had to then be separation and limited access into God's very own presence. 00:08:23.519 --> 00:08:29.600 And certainly we didn't have access to his very character and nature and authority. 00:08:30.079 --> 00:08:37.600 So it created unrighteousness, sin created unrighteousness, unrighteousness created separation. 00:08:38.240 --> 00:08:44.000 But those who are in Christ have this imputed righteousness. 00:08:44.240 --> 00:08:44.879 I love this. 00:08:45.039 --> 00:08:53.120 Listen, the only one who has the right and the authority to condemn you as guilty has acquitted you. 00:08:53.440 --> 00:09:13.279 He has chosen to declare as he slams the gavel down in finality that you are innocent and that you stand before God, hidden in Christ, clothed in his very righteousness, and because of that we gladly live in a manner that is well pleasing to him. 00:09:14.080 --> 00:09:34.000 We don't live in a manner that is pleasing to him to try to earn his approval, to try to earn righteousness, but rather from a place of righteousness, out of gratefulness and thankful hearts, we work to live in a manner that is well pleasing for him. 00:09:34.240 --> 00:09:46.399 Romans 5, 16 says, and the result of God's gracious gift is very different from the results of that one man's sin. 00:09:46.639 --> 00:09:49.440 So it's going to contrast Adam and Jesus here. 00:09:50.000 --> 00:10:02.240 For Adam's sin led to condemnation, but God's free gift leads to our being made right with God, even though we are guilty of many sins. 00:10:02.480 --> 00:10:08.960 For the sin of this one man, Adam, caused death to rule over many. 00:10:09.200 --> 00:10:25.840 But even greater is God's wonderful grace and his, listen, gift of righteousness, for all who receive it will live in triumph over sin and death through this one man, Jesus Christ. 00:10:26.080 --> 00:10:49.679 Yes, Adam's one sin brings condemnation for everyone, but Christ's one act of righteousness brings a right relationship with God and new life for everyone, because one person disobeyed God, many became sinners, but because one other person obeyed God, many will be made righteous. 00:10:49.919 --> 00:10:50.559 Amen. 00:10:51.360 --> 00:10:53.600 That is the gospel. 00:10:53.840 --> 00:11:08.799 And then again in Colossians 1, and so you may think, yeah, but you know, I I can understand how other people were made righteous, but I had a life of sin that I don't think God could forgive. 00:11:08.960 --> 00:11:10.240 I'm I'm different. 00:11:10.480 --> 00:11:16.080 I I came from a level of brokenness that I don't think God can restore. 00:11:16.159 --> 00:11:19.759 I came from a level of rejection that I don't think God could could restore. 00:11:20.960 --> 00:11:29.679 People begin to argue with this gift of righteousness that Jesus ascribes to us as his followers. 00:11:29.840 --> 00:11:35.840 And so then Paul writes, because he knew some would struggle with that, he writes this in Colossians 1.21. 00:11:35.919 --> 00:11:38.480 He says, This includes you. 00:11:38.799 --> 00:11:39.440 Amen. 00:11:39.759 --> 00:11:53.840 If you've ever doubted, or if you've ever had the thought that, yeah, I think it worked for him, and I think it worked for her, and I think it worked for them, but but something's wrong with me, and it's not working for me. 00:11:54.000 --> 00:11:55.360 It doesn't apply to me. 00:11:55.440 --> 00:11:58.639 I'm I'm excluded from this somehow. 00:11:58.799 --> 00:11:59.279 No, no. 00:11:59.440 --> 00:12:07.360 Paul says, this includes you who were once far away from God. 00:12:07.679 --> 00:12:17.759 You were his enemies, separated from him by your evil thoughts and actions, yet now he has reconciled you to himself through the death of Christ in his physical body. 00:12:17.919 --> 00:12:18.720 Listen to this. 00:12:19.039 --> 00:12:24.159 As a result, he has brought you into his own presence. 00:12:25.519 --> 00:12:28.159 That's what it's all about, right there. 00:12:28.320 --> 00:12:31.519 As a result, he's why why do you need to be made righteous? 00:12:31.759 --> 00:12:34.639 So that he can bring you into his own presence. 00:12:35.039 --> 00:12:40.559 It's not you figuring out how to get into his presence, he brings you into his presence. 00:12:43.120 --> 00:12:51.600 And listen, and you are holy and blameless as you stand before him without a single fault. 00:12:51.759 --> 00:12:53.440 Now let me just ask you an honest question. 00:12:53.600 --> 00:12:57.440 How many of you feel like you don't have a single fault? 00:12:59.360 --> 00:13:03.279 How many of you just go, you know, I'm pretty perfect? 00:13:04.559 --> 00:13:06.960 I know people who have faults. 00:13:07.759 --> 00:13:12.559 I know people who have faults, but I can't think of one for myself. 00:13:12.879 --> 00:13:14.000 Do you ever have those thoughts? 00:13:14.159 --> 00:13:15.840 None of you would ever have those thoughts. 00:13:16.080 --> 00:13:17.919 We don't struggle with that. 00:13:18.240 --> 00:13:20.240 We struggle on the other end. 00:13:20.879 --> 00:13:22.480 I have so many faults. 00:13:22.720 --> 00:13:24.240 I have so many failures. 00:13:24.399 --> 00:13:25.679 I can't get it right. 00:13:25.840 --> 00:13:27.039 I'm not enough. 00:13:27.279 --> 00:13:28.960 I can't be enough. 00:13:29.279 --> 00:13:30.559 I can't do enough. 00:13:30.720 --> 00:13:32.320 I can't make enough. 00:13:33.120 --> 00:13:35.840 No matter how hard I try, I mess things up. 00:13:35.919 --> 00:13:38.320 Like I have faults. 00:13:38.639 --> 00:13:39.679 I have issues. 00:13:39.840 --> 00:13:41.279 I have shortcomings. 00:13:41.519 --> 00:13:45.120 I have something in me that just I can't get there. 00:13:45.279 --> 00:13:47.039 I can't, I fall short, right? 00:13:47.200 --> 00:13:52.559 We know Romans says for all fall short of the glorious standard of God. 00:13:54.960 --> 00:14:20.080 Listen, all those thoughts, if you are in Christ, every thought you have about your imperfection and your unrighteousness and your faults and your failures are a lie, attempting to deceive you to keep you out of the loving, empowering, forgiving presence of Almighty God. 00:14:21.360 --> 00:14:23.279 Every one of them is a lie. 00:14:24.080 --> 00:14:25.679 This is the truth. 00:14:26.159 --> 00:14:27.120 This is the truth. 00:14:33.919 --> 00:14:35.600 You can hit somebody with it. 00:14:36.799 --> 00:14:42.639 Listen, this is the truth about who you are. 00:14:43.519 --> 00:14:52.240 Not what's been spoken over you, not how you've been treated, and certainly not the thoughts you think about yourself. 00:14:52.799 --> 00:14:56.799 God's word is the truth about who you are. 00:14:57.200 --> 00:15:12.639 It's the glory and the grace and the love of God that the gospel gives us the very righteousness, sinless, thoughtless life of Jesus as our very own. 00:15:13.519 --> 00:15:15.039 Let me read that again. 00:15:16.159 --> 00:15:21.519 Yet now, he has reconciled you to himself through the death of Christ in his physical body. 00:15:21.759 --> 00:15:33.440 As a result, he has brought you into his own presence, and you are holy and blameless as you stand before him without a single fault. 00:15:34.159 --> 00:15:36.639 That's the truth of who you are. 00:15:37.360 --> 00:15:38.320 In Christ. 00:15:38.639 --> 00:15:39.200 In Christ. 00:15:39.360 --> 00:15:42.080 Now, for people who are not in Christ, that is not true. 00:15:42.320 --> 00:15:46.000 They are separated from God, they can't go into his presence. 00:15:46.960 --> 00:16:05.039 The veil is still intact until you receive the crucified Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, until you follow Him, you are in Him, you are baptized into Him, then this becomes your reality. 00:16:05.360 --> 00:16:14.320 You know what's interesting is we don't have that big of a problem with our pre-Christian sin, right? 00:16:15.360 --> 00:16:18.159 The sinful life you lived before you were a Christian. 00:16:18.639 --> 00:16:24.000 But you know the one we struggle with is the sinful life we've lived since becoming a Christian. 00:16:24.480 --> 00:16:30.240 Our Christian sin seems to be in a different category than our non-Christian sin. 00:16:31.120 --> 00:16:38.480 Like there's a different way to get forgiven of that than there was to get forgiven of our like there's a different category that that fits in. 00:16:38.559 --> 00:16:42.159 That's only in our mind that there's a different category. 00:16:42.399 --> 00:16:44.159 It's just sin to God. 00:16:45.200 --> 00:16:47.679 And all of it has been dealt with. 00:16:48.799 --> 00:16:54.879 His imputed righteousness clothes you past, present, and future. 00:16:57.759 --> 00:16:58.639 Listen to this. 00:16:59.120 --> 00:17:00.000 Read it again. 00:17:00.240 --> 00:17:02.559 As a result, he has brought you. 00:17:02.799 --> 00:17:03.759 Who is you? 00:17:04.400 --> 00:17:04.720 You. 00:17:05.279 --> 00:17:06.160 It's you. 00:17:06.400 --> 00:17:09.039 When the Bible says you, it's a living book. 00:17:09.200 --> 00:17:11.759 It means right now, in this moment, you. 00:17:14.559 --> 00:17:23.599 You are holy and blameless as you stand before him without a single fault. 00:17:25.039 --> 00:17:26.319 Listen to what he says here. 00:17:26.640 --> 00:17:31.599 But you must continue to believe this truth and stand firmly in it. 00:17:31.759 --> 00:17:36.720 Don't drift away from the assurance you received when you heard the good news. 00:17:36.880 --> 00:17:41.839 There's something that causes us to forget this, to drift away from it. 00:17:41.920 --> 00:17:43.119 And here's why. 00:17:43.279 --> 00:17:45.440 Here's why the enemy wants you to forget this. 00:17:45.599 --> 00:17:56.319 Because if you live in that revelation that I am the righteousness of God in Christ Jesus, that I am clothed with his very righteousness, then we guess what we do as a result of that? 00:17:56.559 --> 00:18:00.640 Remember, what is the purpose of the imputed righteousness of Jesus? 00:18:00.799 --> 00:18:03.279 To give us access to God's presence. 00:18:03.519 --> 00:18:15.680 So if you receive the righteousness of Jesus, if you receive the sacrifice of Jesus, but then you never go into God's presence, you're missing the whole point. 00:18:16.720 --> 00:18:19.680 The whole point isn't so that we could be righteous. 00:18:19.920 --> 00:18:22.559 The whole point is so we can have relationship. 00:18:22.799 --> 00:18:27.759 So that nothing can keep us out of the presence of God, having fellowship with Him. 00:18:28.000 --> 00:18:35.519 Being able to go into His presence and receive healing, receive forgiveness, receive love, receive mercy, receive grace. 00:18:35.680 --> 00:18:41.440 That scripture says, let's come boldly into the presence, let's come boldly before the throne of our gracious God. 00:18:41.599 --> 00:18:46.960 There we will receive grace and mercy in our time of need. 00:18:47.200 --> 00:19:00.960 So the point of the cross, the point of Jesus, life, death, burial, and resurrection was so that we could now have access into the presence of God for the purpose of relationship with God. 00:19:02.720 --> 00:19:04.400 And we tend to drift from that. 00:19:04.480 --> 00:19:11.680 And the reason we tend to drift from that is there's many reasons, but one of them would be the enemy's constantly lying to us about who we are. 00:19:11.839 --> 00:19:19.839 He's constantly lying to us about how, about the kind of access that we have and what our right standing with God is and what it isn't. 00:19:20.160 --> 00:19:26.559 How other people have right standing with God, but you got a secondary version of right standing with God. 00:19:26.799 --> 00:19:31.200 Yours is different than what Belandy got and what Callie got. 00:19:32.319 --> 00:19:34.960 No, it's right standing with God. 00:19:35.039 --> 00:19:39.039 It is the very righteousness of Jesus that we are clothed in. 00:19:39.200 --> 00:19:40.079 We are wearing it. 00:19:40.160 --> 00:19:45.119 When God looks at us, he sees Jesus standing in his presence. 00:19:45.599 --> 00:19:50.079 And we get accepted just as Jesus. 00:19:51.279 --> 00:20:04.160 And the only reason the enemy would want you to drift from that, and he's warning here, don't drift from that assurance, don't drift from that confidence, is because if you do, then now you're hesitant to go into the presence of God. 00:20:06.079 --> 00:20:08.319 Acts verse 13. 00:20:08.720 --> 00:20:12.160 Book of Acts 13, verse 38. 00:20:13.119 --> 00:20:37.519 Therefore, let it be known to you, brethren, that though this man is preached to you the forgiveness of sins, and by him everyone believes, that through this man is preached to you the forgiveness of sins, and by him everyone who believes is justified from all things from which you could not be justified by the law of Moses. 00:20:39.599 --> 00:20:46.160 So that introduces a new word that we understand as justification by faith in Christ. 00:20:47.599 --> 00:20:50.079 And here's what justification means. 00:20:50.319 --> 00:20:54.480 It means, number one, you are not guilty, you are innocent. 00:20:54.720 --> 00:20:59.839 If you are justified in a court, you are declared innocent. 00:21:00.240 --> 00:21:00.960 Innocent. 00:21:01.200 --> 00:21:06.480 Even though you are guilty, because you are in Christ, you are innocent. 00:21:06.720 --> 00:21:08.319 Listen to this, justified. 00:21:08.400 --> 00:21:11.359 So if you there's a little simple thing to remember this. 00:21:11.680 --> 00:21:14.160 Justified never done it. 00:21:15.200 --> 00:21:17.119 Justified never done it. 00:21:17.279 --> 00:21:34.079 If what you what it means that you are justified, no matter what kind of sinful life you've lived, no matter how you've failed, no matter what shortcomings and faults and failures you have when you are in Christ, it is justified never done them. 00:21:35.680 --> 00:21:40.079 We literally get credit for the life and righteousness of Jesus. 00:21:40.240 --> 00:21:53.759 The sinless life and perfect life of Jesus is imputed and imparted to us as people who have been baptized in His name. 00:21:53.920 --> 00:21:59.359 This word justified means to make or render right or just, to vindicate. 00:22:00.160 --> 00:22:06.559 To hold as guiltless, to accept as righteous and acquitted. 00:22:07.519 --> 00:22:12.079 To be cleared, to be approved, to stand accepted. 00:22:12.880 --> 00:22:13.759 Justified. 00:22:14.079 --> 00:22:15.599 You are justified. 00:22:15.839 --> 00:22:17.039 You are accepted. 00:22:18.079 --> 00:22:19.119 You are accepted. 00:22:19.440 --> 00:22:38.400 So as I'm reading these scriptures and declaring this and speaking the truth of who you are in Christ, I hope that what's happening is every um every lie that you think to yourself in your head is exposed about who you are and what your position is. 00:22:40.640 --> 00:22:44.640 That there's no second class citizens in the kingdom of God. 00:22:44.880 --> 00:22:47.920 There's no caste system in the kingdom of God. 00:22:48.799 --> 00:22:52.079 You are the righteousness of God in Christ Jesus. 00:22:53.119 --> 00:22:54.960 You are justified. 00:22:55.440 --> 00:22:57.440 And here's a word I just made up. 00:22:57.839 --> 00:22:59.519 You are trustified. 00:23:00.960 --> 00:23:04.640 You are justified and you are trustified. 00:23:05.279 --> 00:23:07.359 Here's a revelation for you. 00:23:07.680 --> 00:23:15.279 Any sin that you feel shame, guilt, and condemnation over, you will always repeat. 00:23:17.680 --> 00:23:25.200 Any sin that you feel guilt, condemnation, and shame over, you will always repeat. 00:23:25.279 --> 00:23:27.759 It's how the enemy gets you in sin cycles. 00:23:28.079 --> 00:23:33.200 When there is true repentance, there is forgiveness and righteousness in Christ. 00:23:33.519 --> 00:23:34.319 Period. 00:23:35.200 --> 00:23:35.839 Period. 00:23:40.079 --> 00:23:55.279 This picture in Genesis 4 7, after unrighteousness had prevailed and sin entered into the first family of creation, you see the first murder in history, which is Cain and Abel. 00:23:55.440 --> 00:24:02.319 And after, on the heels of that, God shows up to speak some judgment because of their sin. 00:24:02.799 --> 00:24:07.920 And in Genesis 4 7, it says, You will be accepted if you do what is right. 00:24:08.240 --> 00:24:12.799 Remember, that was the old covenant, it was a covenant of doing what is right. 00:24:13.200 --> 00:24:17.119 But if you refuse to do what is right, then watch out. 00:24:17.440 --> 00:24:24.640 Sin is crouching at the door, eager to control you, but you must subdue it and be its master. 00:24:24.799 --> 00:24:26.559 Yeah, have fun with that. 00:24:26.960 --> 00:24:27.599 Right? 00:24:28.240 --> 00:24:30.480 That's what we were all born into. 00:24:30.720 --> 00:24:33.039 Sin is crouching at the door. 00:24:34.000 --> 00:24:35.279 Think about that. 00:24:36.079 --> 00:24:40.640 Crouching at the door, eager to control you, but you must subdue it and be its master. 00:24:40.799 --> 00:24:50.000 Well, I love there's another door in Scripture that I see in Revelation 3.20, and it's Jesus, and he says, Behold, I stand at the door and knock. 00:24:50.079 --> 00:24:57.440 And if you hear my voice and open the door, I will come in and we will share a meal together as friends. 00:24:57.599 --> 00:24:59.279 That's the new covenant right there. 00:24:59.519 --> 00:25:00.160 Amen. 00:25:01.920 --> 00:25:06.480 And so we have the imputed righteousness of Jesus. 00:25:06.960 --> 00:25:09.920 I want you to can just never forget this. 00:25:11.119 --> 00:25:12.640 Never forget this. 00:25:13.680 --> 00:25:18.880 Now, some people would say, uh, and Paul talks about this in Romans. 00:25:18.960 --> 00:25:22.160 I don't have this scripture here, but not that I know of, I might. 00:25:22.319 --> 00:25:25.279 But some people say, Well, is this a license to sin? 00:25:25.359 --> 00:25:28.480 You know, you can't tell people this because it just gives them a license to sin. 00:25:28.559 --> 00:25:30.880 And Paul says, Heaven forbid. 00:25:32.319 --> 00:25:45.920 That only means if there's willful, habitual, premeditated sin where there's no repentance, then probably you're dealing with someone who has never received the imputed righteousness of Jesus in the first place. 00:25:46.160 --> 00:25:48.960 Now we should feel conviction over sin. 00:25:49.119 --> 00:25:50.480 I didn't mention conviction. 00:25:50.640 --> 00:25:53.759 I said shame, guilt, and condemnation. 00:25:55.200 --> 00:26:02.720 Any sin that you feel shame, guilt, and condemnation over is a sin that is not under the blood of Jesus. 00:26:02.880 --> 00:26:07.599 That is a sin that will remain in power in your life, and you will repeat that sin. 00:26:07.680 --> 00:26:14.880 You will get in what we call sin cycles because that sin is not under the blood of Jesus. 00:26:15.039 --> 00:26:21.920 It is in anything that is, there is the imputed righteousness of Jesus. 00:26:23.599 --> 00:26:26.000 But this brings up a good conversation. 00:26:26.160 --> 00:26:28.960 I call clean hearts and clean hands. 00:26:29.119 --> 00:26:35.359 So we have imputed righteousness, and then there's this thing that I call ensuing righteousness. 00:26:35.599 --> 00:26:46.640 And it's the righteous living of a person in response to the imputed righteousness of Christ in order to live in a manner that pleases and honors our right standing with God. 00:26:46.799 --> 00:26:50.160 So it's someone who's not trying to earn right standing with God. 00:26:50.319 --> 00:26:59.680 It's someone that's so grateful and thankful for the right standing with God that they have that they treasure a life lived in righteousness. 00:26:59.839 --> 00:27:04.480 They value and highly prize and esteem righteous living. 00:27:04.640 --> 00:27:13.680 Though we may fail, we certainly do try to live a life that honors the imputed righteousness that He so graciously gives us. 00:27:14.000 --> 00:27:17.839 Clean hearts and clean hands. 00:27:19.359 --> 00:27:20.880 Ensuing righteousness. 00:27:21.039 --> 00:27:25.839 This is the responsibility of a Christian in which we cultivate clean hands. 00:27:26.079 --> 00:27:40.880 Both are important, but first things are first, and that is that we have to have the imputed righteousness of a clean heart, and where we are clothed in the very character and nature and power and authority of Jesus. 00:27:41.039 --> 00:27:42.640 We have his righteousness. 00:27:42.799 --> 00:27:52.240 Clean hearts, listen, and clean hands are the only way a godly life where we are becoming more and more like Jesus is possible. 00:27:54.000 --> 00:27:56.960 Where we are maturing in our faith. 00:28:03.839 --> 00:28:08.799 That is the goal of the Christian life is Christ-likeness. 00:28:09.039 --> 00:28:17.680 It's Christ's likeness on this earth that we are maturing in our faith to be made like Jesus in his very image. 00:28:17.839 --> 00:28:22.559 We want to image forth what it means to be a follower of Jesus. 00:28:22.720 --> 00:28:25.519 We are maturing in our faith into the image of the Son. 00:28:25.680 --> 00:28:28.960 That's why we are here as followers of the way. 00:28:29.119 --> 00:28:34.720 How many of you know Jesus is the way and we are to be reflections of him? 00:28:35.200 --> 00:28:41.839 Jesus was the first and the only person who ever lived that had a clean heart and clean hands. 00:28:42.000 --> 00:28:49.519 And to those who are genuinely, truly his, he gives you clean hearts and the power to have clean hands. 00:28:49.680 --> 00:28:58.079 Philippians 2.13 says, It is God at work within you, giving you the desire to obey him and the power to do what clean what pleases him. 00:28:58.319 --> 00:28:59.359 Philippians 2.13. 00:28:59.440 --> 00:29:01.359 I don't have that up there, but I'm telling you. 00:29:01.599 --> 00:29:04.640 It says, For God is at work. 00:29:04.880 --> 00:29:05.440 Where? 00:29:05.759 --> 00:29:10.079 Within you, in your heart, giving you what? 00:29:10.319 --> 00:29:11.920 The desire to obey him. 00:29:12.160 --> 00:29:14.880 Part of a clean heart is a desire to obey him. 00:29:15.119 --> 00:29:20.400 If you don't have a desire to obey him, you might not have had this happen. 00:29:21.759 --> 00:29:25.039 There should be a desire to obey God. 00:29:25.519 --> 00:29:29.119 But he doesn't just give you that and then leave you and go, have fun. 00:29:30.000 --> 00:29:31.440 Have fun with that. 00:29:32.480 --> 00:29:33.440 Here, mess you up. 00:29:33.519 --> 00:29:34.799 Just here's this desire. 00:29:34.960 --> 00:29:35.519 Have fun. 00:29:35.680 --> 00:29:42.799 No, he says, for God is working in you, giving you the power to the desire and the power. 00:29:43.359 --> 00:29:49.680 The desire to obey him and the power, New Living says the power to do what pleases him. 00:29:50.240 --> 00:29:54.000 So he doesn't just change your desire, he gives you power. 00:29:54.240 --> 00:29:54.799 Amen. 00:29:55.039 --> 00:30:01.119 I call it the one-two combination punch of clean heart and clean hands. 00:30:01.680 --> 00:30:02.799 It's both. 00:30:08.079 --> 00:30:28.480 Listen, it's the way that he lived, the way he treated people, the way that he talked, the way that he worked, the way that he led a ministry, the way that he developed leaders, the way that he empowered women and included children. 00:30:28.640 --> 00:30:29.200 Come on. 00:30:29.440 --> 00:30:34.559 Jesus modeled the life that we are supposed to live as his followers. 00:30:34.799 --> 00:30:52.000 That's part of our responsibility as those who have received the imputed righteousness of Jesus, that we commit to live a life that follows the way that he lived, the way that he talked, the way that he treated people, the way that he conducted his business. 00:30:53.359 --> 00:30:55.359 Come on, this is a crossover season. 00:30:55.519 --> 00:30:56.079 Amen. 00:30:56.640 --> 00:30:59.440 We're crossing over, we're done with that old stuff. 00:30:59.680 --> 00:31:05.599 We're crossing over and we're going to live with clean hearts and with clean hands before the Lord. 00:31:05.920 --> 00:31:11.519 James 4, 4 says, You adulterers, isn't that encouraging? 00:31:13.200 --> 00:31:16.880 You adulterers, now remember, he's not talking about sexual immorality. 00:31:17.039 --> 00:31:18.960 He's talking about spiritual adultery. 00:31:19.119 --> 00:31:24.559 Listen, you adulterers, don't you realize that friendship with the world makes you an enemy of God? 00:31:24.880 --> 00:31:25.839 I say it again. 00:31:26.000 --> 00:31:29.119 If you want to be a friend of the world, you make yourself an enemy of God. 00:31:29.279 --> 00:31:36.400 What do you think the scripture means when they say that the Spirit of God is placed within us filled with envy, with jealousy? 00:31:36.480 --> 00:31:37.519 It's a jealous spirit. 00:31:37.759 --> 00:31:46.079 But he gives us even more grace to stand against such evil desires, as the scriptures say, God opposes the proud but favors the humble. 00:31:46.319 --> 00:31:47.920 Resist the devil. 00:31:48.559 --> 00:31:56.079 Humble, sorry, uh, so humble yourselves before God, resist the devil, and he will flee from you. 00:31:56.319 --> 00:31:59.519 Come close to God, and God will come close to you. 00:31:59.680 --> 00:32:03.759 Listen, wash your hands, you sinners. 00:32:04.079 --> 00:32:05.440 Purify your hearts. 00:32:05.599 --> 00:32:06.319 How do you do that? 00:32:06.559 --> 00:32:07.519 Through Christ. 00:32:07.839 --> 00:32:08.640 Through Christ. 00:32:08.960 --> 00:32:13.599 For your loyalty is divided between God and the world. 00:32:13.759 --> 00:32:15.680 That's the crossover that we need. 00:32:15.839 --> 00:32:20.720 That's the crossover that we need to help other people as we're seeing them baptized in the name of Jesus. 00:32:20.880 --> 00:32:26.240 We need to help them come out of the world and come into the kingdom of God. 00:32:26.960 --> 00:32:32.240 He says this your loyalty is divided between God and the world. 00:32:32.400 --> 00:32:38.480 These are people, he's addressing people who only had clean hearts, but they didn't have clean hands. 00:32:38.799 --> 00:32:48.559 They were using the grace of God as an excuse to sin, as an excuse to live unholy, impure lives. 00:32:48.799 --> 00:32:59.279 And I believe that God is graciously calling people right now to cross over the line that separates partnership and loyalty to the world and partnership and loyalty to the kingdom of God. 00:32:59.440 --> 00:33:01.039 It's part of the crossover. 00:33:01.440 --> 00:33:03.759 We're not following the ways of the world. 00:33:03.839 --> 00:33:12.000 We're not enamored by the sparkle and the and the shine and the enticement and the enhancement of the world. 00:33:13.200 --> 00:33:17.119 It's a trap, it's garbage, it's filthy rags. 00:33:17.680 --> 00:33:20.799 We have clean hearts as we stand before God. 00:33:21.039 --> 00:33:28.799 All of the kingdom of heaven is accessible to us as we stand before Him without a single fault. 00:33:36.319 --> 00:33:42.240 Verse 3 says, Who may climb the mountain of the Lord, who may stand in his holy place? 00:33:42.559 --> 00:33:47.359 Listen, only those whose hands and hearts are pure. 00:33:47.680 --> 00:33:49.200 See the combination there? 00:33:49.839 --> 00:33:52.400 Hands and hearts are pure. 00:33:53.920 --> 00:34:01.839 Every religion in the world has one goal, and it's right standing with their God. 00:34:03.039 --> 00:34:08.000 They just have different ways of getting there and different order in which they try to get there. 00:34:08.639 --> 00:34:12.559 Ours is the only one that God gets us there. 00:34:13.760 --> 00:34:15.360 He cleanses our hearts. 00:34:15.519 --> 00:34:16.239 It's the only one. 00:34:16.400 --> 00:34:24.559 You won't find another one that the God forgives and cleanses and imputes righteousness and right standing with him. 00:34:27.280 --> 00:34:33.760 But then, as I said, from that place, it doesn't excuse and dismiss the need for clean hands. 00:34:34.480 --> 00:34:37.119 Again, Jesus didn't do away with the old covenant. 00:34:37.280 --> 00:34:38.480 He fulfilled it. 00:34:38.719 --> 00:34:39.840 He fulfilled it. 00:34:40.000 --> 00:34:43.119 And so clean hearts and clean hands. 00:34:43.440 --> 00:34:58.480 Listen, he says, only those whose hands are and hearts are pure, who do not worship idols and don't tell lies, they will receive the Lord's blessing and have a right relationship with God, their Savior. 00:34:58.639 --> 00:35:03.119 Such people may seek you and worship in your presence. 00:35:03.519 --> 00:35:11.760 O God of Jacob, he was prophesying about a covenant through Jesus Christ the Messiah. 00:35:12.000 --> 00:35:13.679 Matthew 5, 20. 00:35:27.360 --> 00:35:33.360 Now, the righteousness of the Pharisees was clean hands, and they were serious about it. 00:35:33.519 --> 00:35:35.039 They were adamant about it. 00:35:35.280 --> 00:35:42.480 Man, if you stepped on that, you transgressed their trans their trans their traditions. 00:35:42.639 --> 00:35:46.800 You transgressed their traditions and they would cause a ruckus. 00:35:47.039 --> 00:35:48.960 They did not like that at all. 00:35:49.199 --> 00:35:51.119 It was a serious thing. 00:35:52.000 --> 00:36:05.280 I'd love to see their faces when Jesus told the servants at the wedding in Cana to go grab those pots used for ceremonial cleansing, and they started, and they're like, I could see their faces turning red. 00:36:05.760 --> 00:36:07.440 What is he doing? 00:36:07.840 --> 00:36:10.079 Then he serves wine out of them. 00:36:12.639 --> 00:36:14.800 The righteousness of the Pharisees was clean hands. 00:36:14.960 --> 00:36:19.199 The righteousness of Jesus was a clean heart and clean hands. 00:36:19.519 --> 00:36:27.280 That is how he said, unless your righteousness surpasses the righteousness of the Pharisees. 00:36:27.440 --> 00:36:27.760 Okay? 00:36:28.079 --> 00:36:30.079 So their righteousness was clean hands. 00:36:30.159 --> 00:36:31.519 So what's he talking about? 00:36:31.760 --> 00:36:33.039 Clean hearts. 00:36:33.280 --> 00:36:34.800 That's the new covenant. 00:36:35.039 --> 00:36:37.039 The righteous of the Pharisees was clean hands. 00:36:37.119 --> 00:36:40.800 The righteousness of Jesus was a clean heart and clean hands. 00:36:40.880 --> 00:36:44.880 That's how you surpass the righteousness of the Pharisees. 00:36:45.119 --> 00:36:50.400 It doesn't do away with the need for clean hands and the importance of clean hands. 00:36:50.800 --> 00:36:58.559 Psalm 1820 says, The Lord has rewarded me according to my righteousness. 00:36:58.719 --> 00:37:03.599 According to the cleanness of my hands, he has repaid me. 00:37:03.679 --> 00:37:05.679