WEBVTT 00:00:00.160 --> 00:00:04.240 Well, our scripture reading this morning is John 3, verses 1 through 8. 00:00:04.559 --> 00:00:09.279 Now there was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews. 00:00:09.439 --> 00:00:18.320 This man came to Jesus by night and said to him, Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher from God, for no one can do these signs that you do unless God is with him. 00:00:18.480 --> 00:00:25.280 Jesus answered him, Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God. 00:00:25.600 --> 00:00:29.199 Nicodemus said to him, How can a man be born when he's old? 00:00:29.440 --> 00:00:32.640 He can enter a second time into his mother's womb and be born? 00:00:32.880 --> 00:00:39.280 Jesus answered him, Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of the water and the spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. 00:00:39.520 --> 00:00:43.920 That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the spirit is spirit. 00:00:44.079 --> 00:00:47.119 Do not marvel that I have said to you, you must be born again. 00:00:47.359 --> 00:00:53.039 The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear its sound, but you do not know where it comes from or where it goes. 00:00:53.119 --> 00:00:57.679 So it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit, the word of the Lord. 00:00:58.719 --> 00:01:00.960 Well, just two announcements before we head into the sermon. 00:01:01.039 --> 00:01:04.000 The first is perhaps you're new here, love to meet you and talk to you. 00:01:04.079 --> 00:01:07.680 Maybe you've been around for the last couple of months, or maybe it's your first Sunday. 00:01:07.760 --> 00:01:16.000 Either way, love to meet you just after this service in the student chapel, just for a five to ten minute chat, maybe answer any questions you have about our church. 00:01:16.159 --> 00:01:20.799 Maybe you want to learn even more about our church, maybe you just want to learn, or maybe you want to join either way. 00:01:21.040 --> 00:01:25.760 Love to invite you to our final membership class for the semester. 00:01:25.920 --> 00:01:31.439 You can use it to join the church, but as well, maybe you just want to join March 15th, 5 to 7 p.m. 00:01:31.680 --> 00:01:32.799 That's a Sunday evening. 00:01:32.959 --> 00:01:36.400 You can RSVP on the calendar page. 00:01:36.799 --> 00:01:38.000 Well, happy spring. 00:01:38.159 --> 00:01:38.719 Good morning. 00:01:38.879 --> 00:01:40.799 What beautiful last couple days. 00:01:40.879 --> 00:01:42.000 I'm amazed you're here. 00:01:42.159 --> 00:01:44.560 I was like, it's it's a good Sunday. 00:01:44.719 --> 00:01:49.599 I'm like, man, don't know what we're gonna have this morning because it's amazing out there. 00:01:50.079 --> 00:01:53.439 I mean, yesterday I worked in the yard in the morning, took a nap on the back porch. 00:01:53.519 --> 00:01:56.799 Hopefully you were outside, and happy Lent as well. 00:01:56.879 --> 00:02:00.799 And Lent in Latin actually means springtime. 00:02:00.959 --> 00:02:06.480 And so Lent is the church season that starts us in winter, moves us into the spring. 00:02:06.560 --> 00:02:10.240 It's the 40 days leading to Good Friday and to Easter. 00:02:10.400 --> 00:02:17.120 And our scripturing this morning is John 3, where Nicodemus, this religious guy, he comes to Jesus at night. 00:02:17.360 --> 00:02:19.680 He wants to know how can I be right with God? 00:02:19.919 --> 00:02:21.599 How can God accept me? 00:02:21.840 --> 00:02:23.120 How can I be loved by God? 00:02:23.280 --> 00:02:25.120 How can I know I'm loved by God? 00:02:25.840 --> 00:02:27.919 Can God delight in me? 00:02:28.319 --> 00:02:31.759 And like, what can I do to have that happen? 00:02:32.000 --> 00:02:33.280 Tell me what to do. 00:02:33.520 --> 00:02:36.879 And Jesus tells him, Well, it's not really what you do. 00:02:36.960 --> 00:02:38.479 It's not really another rule. 00:02:38.719 --> 00:02:45.039 It's about the inner spirit, your inner core being born again. 00:02:45.120 --> 00:02:48.479 So it's not a new rule, it's actually a new life. 00:02:48.800 --> 00:02:51.520 So here's how the conversation plays out John 3. 00:02:51.599 --> 00:02:56.000 Let's read again verses uh four, maybe through six, somewhere on there. 00:02:56.159 --> 00:03:00.400 Nicodemus said to him, How can a man be born when he's old? 00:03:00.639 --> 00:03:04.000 How can he enter a second time into his mother's womb and be born? 00:03:04.159 --> 00:03:05.840 So Nicodemus is a little bit slow. 00:03:06.000 --> 00:03:10.240 Jesus talking about the inside of you, and Nicodemus is like, What's going on here? 00:03:10.400 --> 00:03:16.719 Jesus answered, Truly, truly I say to you, unless one is born of water and the spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. 00:03:16.800 --> 00:03:18.560 That which is born of flesh is flesh. 00:03:18.639 --> 00:03:24.240 So you're gonna have bones, you're gonna have flesh, and that which is born of the spirit is spirit. 00:03:24.400 --> 00:03:29.840 So we're gonna have it inside, we do have it inside of us that needs to be born. 00:03:30.080 --> 00:03:37.919 Point number one is this Jesus does not just give rules for life, Jesus gives us a new inner self. 00:03:38.560 --> 00:03:45.120 Jesus does give rules for life, amazing rules for life, very helpful, but he gives new self, a new core. 00:03:45.280 --> 00:03:49.039 Verses five and six, the imagery is of a new birth. 00:03:49.199 --> 00:03:53.840 Verse five, water is a word meaning procreation and new life. 00:03:54.479 --> 00:03:58.400 Now I love that Lent always aligns with the beginning of spring, right? 00:03:58.479 --> 00:04:03.759 When Lent begins on Ash Wednesday, everything around us is wintertime. 00:04:04.080 --> 00:04:06.400 It hasn't begun blooming yet. 00:04:06.560 --> 00:04:07.360 Everything's dead. 00:04:07.439 --> 00:04:09.680 There's no leaves, there's no blooms yet. 00:04:09.759 --> 00:04:20.000 And then by Easter, think about it, by the time we get to Easter, all of our yards will be blooming, the grass is green, we're all outside, we're all happier, much happier than in January, right? 00:04:20.319 --> 00:04:23.199 So the new life is beginning all around us. 00:04:23.360 --> 00:04:40.959 Now, every morning I walk, our little puppy from our house, I walk down Church Street just over here, turn left on Church Street, and when I turn on Church Street, I've been walking this path for about 13 years now, twice a day, and this is not a fantastic picture, but up on the left, you see you see the beginning of some white blooms on a tree. 00:04:41.199 --> 00:04:47.439 This is the first tree that I see bloom every spring, just in my everyday life. 00:04:47.680 --> 00:04:48.879 Every spring I know. 00:04:48.959 --> 00:04:54.000 And this is a picture I took, I think I took this on Monday, and I was like, oh, it's starting. 00:04:54.240 --> 00:04:55.759 It's starting, right? 00:04:56.000 --> 00:04:59.360 Like, like new life is beginning around because that's the first tree. 00:04:59.439 --> 00:05:02.560 And once that one starts, everything else begins. 00:05:03.040 --> 00:05:03.360 Right? 00:05:03.439 --> 00:05:04.800 There's gonna be more blooms. 00:05:05.040 --> 00:05:07.839 New life is beginning all around us. 00:05:08.319 --> 00:05:15.199 Lent, the season headed into Good Friday and Easter, Lent is the celebration of new life. 00:05:15.439 --> 00:05:18.000 And that's why it's aligned with springtime. 00:05:18.240 --> 00:05:26.480 That it's not just rules that we live by, but Jesus actually births a new self, a new inner self. 00:05:26.639 --> 00:05:30.480 Verse 6 that which is born of spirit is spirit. 00:05:30.639 --> 00:05:37.439 And Jesus is saying, we have life in our spirit by God, granting us life by the Holy Spirit. 00:05:38.800 --> 00:05:40.879 Jesus is talking about the core of who we are. 00:05:40.959 --> 00:05:44.160 And yet this Nicodemus is just hoping for a new list. 00:05:44.399 --> 00:05:46.480 Like, just give me a new list. 00:05:46.720 --> 00:05:48.160 He's a religious guy. 00:05:48.399 --> 00:05:55.839 Because maybe then, if I have a new list and then I perform the list, I can check it off, and then I can feel loved. 00:05:56.000 --> 00:05:57.199 I can feel accomplished. 00:05:57.279 --> 00:05:58.240 I can feel like I've performed. 00:05:58.399 --> 00:05:59.680 And Jesus says, no, no, no, no, no, no. 00:05:59.920 --> 00:06:01.839 Like, it's more profound than that. 00:06:01.920 --> 00:06:03.839 And it's even better than that. 00:06:04.399 --> 00:06:06.319 But you're gonna have to receive it. 00:06:06.560 --> 00:06:08.639 You're gonna have to be rescued. 00:06:09.600 --> 00:06:12.240 It's not that you're gonna be able to do it. 00:06:13.199 --> 00:06:19.040 A couple weeks ago at the Winter Olympics, Lindsay Vaughn, she came out of retirement to go for gold again. 00:06:19.120 --> 00:06:20.160 There's Lindsay Vaughn. 00:06:20.319 --> 00:06:21.120 Amazing teeth. 00:06:21.199 --> 00:06:25.360 I was like, I looked at the picture and I was like, unbelievable teeth. 00:06:26.240 --> 00:06:27.279 She's a legend. 00:06:27.439 --> 00:06:28.319 She's 41. 00:06:28.399 --> 00:06:29.600 She was going for it again. 00:06:30.000 --> 00:06:30.800 You know what happened. 00:06:30.959 --> 00:06:35.600 13 seconds into the downhill event, her right arm clips the gate. 00:06:35.759 --> 00:06:39.279 She was going 70 miles an hour, right? 00:06:40.079 --> 00:06:41.040 Starts to tumble. 00:06:41.120 --> 00:06:42.879 Her teeth aren't gonna help at this point, right? 00:06:43.040 --> 00:06:44.399 Amazing teeth, doesn't matter. 00:06:44.639 --> 00:06:51.199 Her body twists, tumbles, head over skis, hits hard, slides, multiple breaks in her leg. 00:06:52.480 --> 00:06:54.079 And then she has to wait. 00:06:54.800 --> 00:06:56.480 She ain't gonna ski off that mountain. 00:06:56.639 --> 00:06:58.399 She ain't gonna walk off that mountain. 00:06:58.560 --> 00:07:04.000 And no amount of rules for good skiing are gonna help her at this point. 00:07:04.879 --> 00:07:06.959 She needs outside help. 00:07:07.040 --> 00:07:08.079 And that's exactly what happened. 00:07:08.160 --> 00:07:11.040 The helicopter comes, they put her, they take her off. 00:07:12.319 --> 00:07:14.959 She needed help to come to her. 00:07:16.240 --> 00:07:19.279 And some of you are really talented. 00:07:19.759 --> 00:07:21.680 Some of you can achieve a lot. 00:07:21.920 --> 00:07:24.000 Some of you can get stuff done. 00:07:24.240 --> 00:07:27.279 Like you're some of you can are quite the nicodemus. 00:07:27.600 --> 00:07:31.199 Like you can really get some rules and obey some rules. 00:07:31.519 --> 00:07:34.000 But there's an end to that. 00:07:34.720 --> 00:07:36.319 That only goes so far. 00:07:36.800 --> 00:07:41.759 Those rules and that achievement and that capability, it can't birth a new life. 00:07:42.000 --> 00:07:43.920 It doesn't have the power. 00:07:44.720 --> 00:07:47.360 There's certain parts of us that just have to be rescued. 00:07:47.680 --> 00:07:50.879 We have to live in a receiving posture before God. 00:07:51.920 --> 00:07:54.879 Do you remember the doctrine of the two atoms we talked about last week? 00:07:55.199 --> 00:07:56.560 I'll catch you up if you weren't here. 00:07:56.720 --> 00:08:00.480 The doctrine of two atoms, it begins back in Genesis with Adam as an Adam and Eve. 00:08:00.560 --> 00:08:04.160 And Adam was not only a man, he was a representative. 00:08:04.399 --> 00:08:07.040 So this is called federal headship. 00:08:07.199 --> 00:08:08.160 That's what that's called. 00:08:08.560 --> 00:08:11.519 Adam's not just a guy, but he actually represents us. 00:08:11.759 --> 00:08:15.279 It's called federal headship, that's covenantal representation. 00:08:15.439 --> 00:08:19.439 Sort of like how the federal government represents us. 00:08:19.600 --> 00:08:23.279 The federal government has a covenant to represent us. 00:08:23.759 --> 00:08:26.079 Well, Adam represents us. 00:08:26.319 --> 00:08:31.279 When he disobeyed, we disobeyed, and we would have disobeyed if we were him. 00:08:31.519 --> 00:08:37.360 So sin comes, condemnation, death, exile, separation from God. 00:08:37.679 --> 00:08:40.159 Yet there's a second Adam. 00:08:40.480 --> 00:08:42.720 God promised a serpent crushing seed. 00:08:42.799 --> 00:08:48.240 So we see Jesus even there in Genesis 3, 15, the promise of Jesus, so we have the second Adam. 00:08:48.399 --> 00:08:58.879 We have federal headship in the first Adam, but we have a second Adam, this Jesus, so we can have, we have representation in our sin, but we can have representation in righteousness. 00:08:59.440 --> 00:09:08.879 And that's in Romans 5, Paul expounds on that, that sin and death comes through one man, but also our hope is through one man, this second Adam, Jesus. 00:09:09.200 --> 00:09:12.960 So through Adam we have one trespass and we have condemnation. 00:09:13.519 --> 00:09:18.000 Yet through Jesus we have one act of righteousness and we have justification. 00:09:18.159 --> 00:09:22.399 So where death reigned through Adam, grace now reigns through Christ. 00:09:22.639 --> 00:09:31.919 Paul summarizes it in 1 Corinthians 15, 21, for as in Adam all die, so also in Christ shall all be made alive. 00:09:32.480 --> 00:09:37.919 And the key is that the old Adam in you, if you're a Christian, is dead. 00:09:38.240 --> 00:09:39.919 That old Adam is dead. 00:09:40.080 --> 00:09:41.600 There's a new birth in you. 00:09:41.759 --> 00:09:44.720 There's a new Adam in you, which is Christ in you. 00:09:44.879 --> 00:09:47.679 And that's why there's no condemnation for us. 00:09:48.000 --> 00:09:50.639 Because we have a new life in Christ. 00:09:50.879 --> 00:09:56.879 Now, the flesh, our sinful self, likes to make us think that the old Adam's still alive. 00:09:56.960 --> 00:10:02.159 And that you need to perform and you need to earn to have worth in the world or in religion. 00:10:02.320 --> 00:10:06.080 And you need to perform a set of rules today to have God really love you. 00:10:06.480 --> 00:10:08.080 That's old Adam. 00:10:08.480 --> 00:10:12.159 But the new Adam already has all this in Jesus. 00:10:12.399 --> 00:10:13.519 So what does that mean? 00:10:13.679 --> 00:10:15.519 Like, what does that mean for me on Monday? 00:10:15.679 --> 00:10:24.879 Well, it means that you rest more, it means that you root more into the new Adam, into Jesus, into Christ in you. 00:10:25.039 --> 00:10:26.559 What is true about you? 00:10:26.799 --> 00:10:30.799 Not because you perform or you achieve or you have a resume or you have great teeth, right? 00:10:30.960 --> 00:10:31.360 None of that. 00:10:31.440 --> 00:10:34.720 But what is true about you because Jesus is in you? 00:10:35.200 --> 00:10:37.279 What does Jesus say about you? 00:10:37.679 --> 00:10:39.039 See, we've been rescued. 00:10:39.200 --> 00:10:42.720 It's not just new rules, it's a new birth, it's a new life. 00:10:43.519 --> 00:10:44.639 John 3, verse 9. 00:10:44.720 --> 00:10:48.000 Nicodemus said to him, how can these things be? 00:10:48.159 --> 00:10:52.639 And Jesus answered him, Are you a teacher of Israel, and yet you do not understand these things? 00:10:52.879 --> 00:10:59.759 Truly, truly I say to you, we speak of what we know and bear witness to what we have seen, but you do not receive our testimony. 00:10:59.919 --> 00:11:05.279 If I have told you earthly things and you do not believe, how can you believe if I tell you heavenly things? 00:11:05.519 --> 00:11:10.240 No one has ascended into heaven except he who descended from heaven, the Son of Man. 00:11:10.480 --> 00:11:15.600 And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up. 00:11:15.759 --> 00:11:31.759 So Jesus is talking about himself, and he's pointed to the cross that he will be lifted up, verse 15, that whoever believes in him may have eternal life, for God so loved the world that he gave his only son, that whoever believes in him should not perish, but have eternal life. 00:11:32.000 --> 00:11:45.279 That word life is the word Zoe, which means that your state, who you are, becomes vital and whole and animated by God through the Holy Spirit because of Jesus. 00:11:45.600 --> 00:11:50.080 Point two is that we're rescued by Jesus from the sin of self-justification. 00:11:50.240 --> 00:11:52.080 That's what Nicodemus is trying to do. 00:11:52.240 --> 00:11:54.480 Hey, give me some stuff to do. 00:11:54.720 --> 00:11:57.919 I will justify myself by what I do. 00:11:59.759 --> 00:12:03.440 That's what we're all trying to do, whether we're in the world or religion. 00:12:03.919 --> 00:12:05.279 Let me perform. 00:12:05.759 --> 00:12:08.799 Give me a set, give me a set of rules. 00:12:09.200 --> 00:12:10.639 I'll justify myself. 00:12:10.799 --> 00:12:14.159 And yet Jesus said, No, no, no, no, you're not gonna be able to do that. 00:12:14.480 --> 00:12:17.279 You need my grace, you need to be justified by me. 00:12:17.440 --> 00:12:31.519 In the verse 14, Jesus tells that strange story from the book of Numbers, and the Israelites are attacked by poisonous serpents, and a bunch of people died, and then God commands Moses, hey, take a bronze serpent, set it on a pole. 00:12:32.480 --> 00:12:35.519 So foreshadowing Jesus on the cross. 00:12:35.840 --> 00:12:43.519 And back in Numbers says, anybody who looks upon the pole, anybody who's been bit, they're dying. 00:12:43.679 --> 00:12:45.360 But they look upon the pole. 00:12:46.159 --> 00:12:47.840 They'll live, they'll be rescued. 00:12:48.000 --> 00:12:49.039 It's just a picture, right? 00:12:49.120 --> 00:12:54.000 That's what Old Testament is picture after picture of Jesus. 00:12:54.559 --> 00:12:56.000 To be rescued by him. 00:12:56.399 --> 00:12:58.080 Those who look upon him. 00:12:58.879 --> 00:13:05.039 And all Nicodemus wants, this religious teacher, he lives a life by the law. 00:13:05.360 --> 00:13:12.799 Everything he eats, everything he drinks, everything he's doing is to do the right way to be right with God. 00:13:13.039 --> 00:13:17.039 And Jesus says, hey, that list of behaviors is only going to get you so far. 00:13:17.120 --> 00:13:18.639 You actually need a new life. 00:13:18.879 --> 00:13:21.039 Paul explains it in Titus 3.5. 00:13:22.080 --> 00:13:35.200 But when the goodness and the loving kindness of God, our Savior, appeared, He saved us, not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to His own mercy. 00:13:35.840 --> 00:13:40.000 By washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit. 00:13:40.159 --> 00:13:47.120 We could summarize it this way: the way of religion is obey, and then you are accepted. 00:13:48.320 --> 00:13:54.480 The way of gospel is you are already accepted in Jesus, therefore obey. 00:13:54.799 --> 00:13:59.200 The obedience is not for the acceptance, the obedience is out of the acceptance. 00:13:59.360 --> 00:14:02.639 So religion is a way of slavery and exhaustion. 00:14:03.039 --> 00:14:05.759 And gospel is a way of freedom and growth. 00:14:06.080 --> 00:14:11.279 And it is easy to be a Christian and revert back to being a Nicodemus. 00:14:11.679 --> 00:14:16.320 It's easy to say, okay, God, I received your forgiveness, I've accepted Christ. 00:14:16.480 --> 00:14:20.080 Now, really, what do I need to do to be loved by you? 00:14:20.320 --> 00:14:25.200 Okay, God, I receive your forgiveness, I walk denial, I take communion, but really it's Tuesday afternoon. 00:14:25.279 --> 00:14:29.759 I'm feeling kind of, I don't feel like you love me, I don't feel delighted in, I don't feel accepted. 00:14:29.919 --> 00:14:31.759 Really, what do I need to do? 00:14:32.080 --> 00:14:35.679 Just tell me, really, what I need to do, to really be loved by you. 00:14:39.279 --> 00:14:42.000 But we have everything we need in Jesus. 00:14:43.440 --> 00:14:51.120 Gospel living is rest in the receiving, so to be empowered for the living. 00:14:52.320 --> 00:15:02.720 Theologically, we would say our sanctification, our Christian living is not a moving on from our justification, what Jesus did for us. 00:15:03.440 --> 00:15:04.799 We're not moving on. 00:15:06.639 --> 00:15:11.279 Our sanctification is digging deeper into our justification. 00:15:11.679 --> 00:15:14.399 We never leave our justification. 00:15:14.720 --> 00:15:18.960 We don't leave Jesus behind to go and serve Jesus. 00:15:20.399 --> 00:15:30.320 So what that means is it means your Christian life and my Christian life is about waking up and reminding yourself of everything you already have in Jesus. 00:15:32.159 --> 00:15:37.840 Of rooting even deeper into the great wealth of the identity that you have as a daughter and a son. 00:15:38.879 --> 00:15:41.360 You're already fully righteous and fully loved. 00:15:42.240 --> 00:15:43.919 Period, nothing to add. 00:15:45.440 --> 00:15:51.600 So we can take a deep breath of relief, and then we can move on with our day. 00:15:52.320 --> 00:15:54.159 To honor God, to love people. 00:15:54.480 --> 00:15:54.799 Right? 00:15:55.039 --> 00:16:00.080 Gospel living is in the receiving, so to be empowered for the living. 00:16:00.240 --> 00:16:07.120 Point number three is this a performance-oriented life is condemnation, but life in Christ is relief. 00:16:07.919 --> 00:16:15.440 Paul explains this in Romans 4, 15 through 17, for the law brings wrath, but where there is no law, there is no transgression. 00:16:15.679 --> 00:16:27.840 That is why it depends on faith, in order that the promise may rest on grace and be guaranteed to all his offspring, not only to the adherent of the law, but also to the ones who share in the faith of Abraham, who is the father of us all. 00:16:28.000 --> 00:16:39.200 As it is written, I have made you the father of many nations, in the presence of the God in whom he believed, who gives life to the dead and calls into existence the things that do not exist. 00:16:39.519 --> 00:16:44.480 So the law, all the rules for righteous living, they're so good, holy, great for us. 00:16:44.720 --> 00:16:46.080 It brings wrath. 00:16:46.399 --> 00:16:48.960 Because we don't live up to them perfectly. 00:16:49.200 --> 00:16:50.480 We need another way. 00:16:50.639 --> 00:16:52.879 We need the helicopter to come to us. 00:16:52.960 --> 00:16:55.120 We're not going to get off the mountain. 00:16:56.639 --> 00:17:02.399 So verse 16, that's why it depends on faith in order that the promise may rest on grace. 00:17:02.720 --> 00:17:04.960 So that's why we get John 3.17. 00:17:05.200 --> 00:17:11.759 For God did not send his son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him. 00:17:12.400 --> 00:17:25.119 My mentor Scotty Smith says this the gospel is not merely the absence of all condemnation, it's also the fullness of God's delight lavished on us in Christ. 00:17:25.759 --> 00:17:28.480 As Christians, we get to feast. 00:17:29.680 --> 00:17:32.720 Feast on God's lavish delight of us. 00:17:33.680 --> 00:17:36.160 Okay, one more Olympic story. 00:17:36.559 --> 00:17:37.759 Two weeks ago, U.S. 00:17:37.839 --> 00:17:41.279 athlete Jesse Diggins, she won a bronze for cross-country skiing. 00:17:41.440 --> 00:17:43.200 She's won four Olympic golds. 00:17:43.359 --> 00:17:46.880 She is the most decorated cross-country skier of the United States. 00:17:47.119 --> 00:17:50.079 She skied the 10 kilometer, the 20, the 50. 00:17:50.480 --> 00:17:51.839 She's an absolute beast. 00:17:52.079 --> 00:17:53.200 Absolute beast. 00:17:53.599 --> 00:17:56.240 And she might burn, I did a little research, I was like, what is that? 00:17:56.400 --> 00:17:58.160 Like a 50-kilometer cross-country? 00:17:58.240 --> 00:17:59.440 I mean, that is an ordeal. 00:17:59.599 --> 00:18:02.480 She might burn 6,000 calories. 00:18:02.720 --> 00:18:04.559 So she has to nourish her body. 00:18:04.720 --> 00:18:05.680 She has to feast. 00:18:05.839 --> 00:18:11.039 She wakes up, she eats oatmeal, peanut butter, eggs, toast, fruit, yogurt. 00:18:11.200 --> 00:18:14.400 Her body will burn through whatever she puts in it. 00:18:14.559 --> 00:18:18.000 And then she's got to eat even more to restore itself. 00:18:18.559 --> 00:18:25.599 So after the race, she's going to eat pasta, bread, protein, pizza. 00:18:25.759 --> 00:18:27.200 Some of you are like, I do that. 00:18:27.279 --> 00:18:28.400 That's what I do. 00:18:29.440 --> 00:18:31.599 This sounds like my method. 00:18:34.559 --> 00:18:42.079 She eats with intention because she eats because weakness demands the provision. 00:18:42.799 --> 00:18:49.119 Many of us try to live the Christian life just like some jelly with a few jelly beans, a granola bar. 00:18:49.279 --> 00:18:51.039 And we need to be feasting. 00:18:51.759 --> 00:18:54.319 We need to be feasting on the gospel. 00:18:54.799 --> 00:18:56.559 I am born again. 00:18:56.880 --> 00:18:59.119 I am fully forgiven in Jesus. 00:18:59.359 --> 00:19:00.000 Period. 00:19:00.240 --> 00:19:02.240 I am righteous because of Jesus. 00:19:02.480 --> 00:19:03.119 Period. 00:19:03.440 --> 00:19:06.079 The Father is not disappointed in me. 00:19:06.400 --> 00:19:09.599 He delights in me like he delights in Jesus. 00:19:10.880 --> 00:19:12.319 I'm already accepted. 00:19:12.480 --> 00:19:13.920 I'm already welcomed. 00:19:14.160 --> 00:19:16.400 The Spirit is at work within me. 00:19:16.640 --> 00:19:20.240 And none of that is based on how I feel today. 00:19:20.880 --> 00:19:24.720 All of that is objective in the cross and it's given to me. 00:19:25.119 --> 00:19:26.480 So some days I'm going to feel it. 00:19:26.559 --> 00:19:27.519 It's going to be amazing. 00:19:27.680 --> 00:19:30.400 And some days I'm just going to say, that's what's true about me. 00:19:30.960 --> 00:19:31.839 I'm whole. 00:19:31.920 --> 00:19:32.799 I'm worthy. 00:19:32.960 --> 00:19:33.680 I'm loved. 00:19:33.759 --> 00:19:42.480 I'm welcomed, accepted, I'm important, I'm secure, I'm respected, I'm beautiful because God loves me in Jesus. 00:19:43.119 --> 00:19:44.559 That's a new life. 00:19:45.599 --> 00:19:47.839 That's a feast for our souls. 00:19:48.400 --> 00:19:52.559 On Sundays through Lent, Sundays are known as feast days. 00:19:53.119 --> 00:19:59.519 And when we count the 40 days, we say 40 days leading up to Good Friday, and Easter is Lent, it doesn't count Sundays. 00:19:59.839 --> 00:20:01.680 Because Sundays are set apart. 00:20:01.920 --> 00:20:02.799 They're feast days. 00:20:02.880 --> 00:20:09.200 And historically, people would fast from something during Lent, but not on Sundays. 00:20:09.440 --> 00:20:11.680 Because on Sundays you feast. 00:20:12.160 --> 00:20:15.920 It's a symbol of how the gospel is for us to feast on. 00:20:16.160 --> 00:20:17.759 That's why we gather. 00:20:18.160 --> 00:20:21.119 We gather to feast, to feast on the gospel. 00:20:21.440 --> 00:20:23.920 This lavish acceptance and love we have in Jesus. 00:20:24.319 --> 00:20:28.640 Let me close by reading Psalm 18, 17 through 19. 00:20:30.720 --> 00:20:37.039 He rescued me from my strong enemy and from those who hated me, for they were too mighty for me. 00:20:37.279 --> 00:20:42.319 They confronted me in the day of my calamity, but the Lord was my support. 00:20:42.640 --> 00:20:45.680 He brought me out into a broad place. 00:20:45.920 --> 00:20:49.519 He rescued me because he delighted in me. 00:20:50.079 --> 00:20:50.960 Let's pray together. 00:20:51.119 --> 00:20:57.519 Heavenly Father, thank you that you delight in me not because of my resume or my capability. 00:20:58.240 --> 00:21:02.480 You delight in me because you choose to delight in me. 00:21:03.200 --> 00:21:05.279 And I know this in Jesus. 00:21:05.599 --> 00:21:13.519 Thank you that you delight in every Christian here as we live in the receiving posture that Jesus is enough. 00:21:14.400 --> 00:21:21.519 For the full forgiveness we need, the full righteousness we need, all the worth we need and the core of who we are. 00:21:21.759 --> 00:21:27.440 Help us to live even more by the new life we have in the second Adam. 00:21:28.799 --> 00:21:30.000 Christ in us. 00:21:30.240 --> 00:21:38.079 Help us to live in the receiving posture, to root even deeper into Jesus, so to be empowered to live for you. 00:21:39.759 --> 00:21:41.599 We pray this in Jesus' name. 00:21:41.839 --> 00:21:42.400 Amen.