WEBVTT 00:00:00.080 --> 00:00:01.360 So great to be back. 00:00:02.080 --> 00:00:24.399 The church, thank you very much that I receive and my family gets to receive each year a few weeks off, and other people are willing to preach, and it's a break for me from just kind of the repetition every week of studying and preparing and preaching and then pastoring and leading and thinking constantly and just kind of all that gets to shut down and reboot. 00:00:24.480 --> 00:00:28.640 And so we spent time at the beach and time in the mountains. 00:00:28.719 --> 00:00:30.719 And I do this weird thing and I don't recommend it. 00:00:30.800 --> 00:00:34.960 It's not a recommendation of a spiritual discipline, but I do this weird thing where I don't read my Bible. 00:00:35.119 --> 00:00:36.320 So I don't recommend it. 00:00:36.399 --> 00:00:47.840 It's not like a pastoral recommendation, but it's what I do to sort of like break that pattern for me because I actually spent a lot of time in the Bible because of preparing sermons plus any personal devotion. 00:00:47.920 --> 00:00:57.280 So I sort of do this weird thing where like the first week or 10 days, like I walk a lot and I pray a lot and I read a little devotion, but I sort of don't read my Bible for a little bit of time. 00:00:57.520 --> 00:01:01.920 And it's it's so refreshing to miss the Bible. 00:01:02.159 --> 00:01:12.159 Like I just love that when I get to the point where then I miss it, and I miss studying it, and I miss preparing in that process of what it does for me. 00:01:12.319 --> 00:01:23.359 And so I'm excited to be back because I missed the Bible and I missed that study and getting to talk to you about what I learned during the week. 00:01:23.439 --> 00:01:27.840 And so I got back and Sam Rapp assigns me 1 Thessalonians 5. 00:01:28.000 --> 00:01:30.400 So welcome back, preach on judgment day. 00:01:30.480 --> 00:01:34.319 So there's a great welcome to come home to preach. 00:01:34.400 --> 00:01:36.079 Um, I might be a little rusty. 00:01:36.239 --> 00:01:39.200 I think I'm sweating more than normal, just to let you know. 00:01:39.439 --> 00:01:46.000 Um I might stutter a little bit, there might be some, but we'll we'll work our way through it. 00:01:46.319 --> 00:01:47.519 Let's can we pray? 00:01:47.680 --> 00:01:48.640 Let's pray real quick. 00:01:48.719 --> 00:01:52.560 Um, God, thank you that we get to open up this book. 00:01:52.640 --> 00:02:05.840 And uh these people have learned a lot more in the last few weeks than I know about 1 Thessalonians, and so help me as I just come into chapter 5 that your truth would speak more than some opinions I might have. 00:02:06.799 --> 00:02:28.560 So forgive me for my bias and forgive me of uh all my shortcomings and uh forgive all of us for the ways that we uh bring all of our uh imperfections of our opinions about really difficult topics like judgment and heaven and hell and eternity. 00:02:28.719 --> 00:02:39.199 Um help us to come closer to what your heart is for us and what is true about life and true about um our future. 00:02:40.639 --> 00:02:43.759 Uh Lord have mercy on us, especially the one who speaks. 00:02:43.840 --> 00:02:44.719 In Jesus' name. 00:02:44.960 --> 00:02:45.439 Amen. 00:02:45.599 --> 00:02:48.400 So, first Thessalonians 5, 1 through 3. 00:02:48.479 --> 00:02:54.479 So if you haven't been here, we do the scripture reading, and then as we teach our way through the passage, we'll read it again. 00:02:54.560 --> 00:02:55.439 It's good for us. 00:02:55.599 --> 00:03:04.240 Uh now concerning the times and the seasons, brothers, you have no need to have anything written to you, for you yourselves are fully aware that the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night. 00:03:04.400 --> 00:03:13.120 While people are saying there's peace and security, then sudden destruction will come upon them as labor pains come upon a pregnant woman, and they will not escape. 00:03:13.280 --> 00:03:17.520 So Paul is writing to the church in Thessalonica. 00:03:18.479 --> 00:03:24.080 We know the story, Jesus died, he resurrected, he ascended, and there's this promise. 00:03:24.240 --> 00:03:32.719 So there's this promise of a return, a redemptive conclusion to the world where all is made right. 00:03:32.960 --> 00:03:37.199 And these people, of course, they want to know when. 00:03:37.360 --> 00:03:39.919 And they they kind of think it's during their lifetime. 00:03:40.240 --> 00:03:49.840 So they're not just longing for that day, they want the control of knowledge, the control of certainty, which we certainly know about that. 00:03:50.159 --> 00:03:51.840 And Paul shuts them down. 00:03:52.159 --> 00:03:56.479 He just doesn't have room for that way of approaching this topic, right? 00:03:56.639 --> 00:03:57.120 Verse 1. 00:03:57.199 --> 00:03:59.759 Now, concerning the times and seasons, you have no need. 00:03:59.919 --> 00:04:01.120 You just don't have a need for that. 00:04:01.199 --> 00:04:04.560 It's not it's not of help to you, is what he's saying. 00:04:05.120 --> 00:04:08.479 Now, maybe you've been with someone who's passed away. 00:04:08.639 --> 00:04:11.199 Maybe like you were actually there. 00:04:11.680 --> 00:04:18.160 And maybe that person was older and it was a sweet moment, even though it was sad and grieving and emotional. 00:04:18.240 --> 00:04:22.000 Then maybe the person was younger and it was an incredibly traumatic moment. 00:04:22.240 --> 00:04:31.199 But if you've ever been there in that moment, what becomes extremely clear in that moment is they are no longer there. 00:04:32.319 --> 00:04:39.600 One moment they're there and their body is there, and then the next moment they exhale. 00:04:40.560 --> 00:04:43.519 The body's still there and they're not there. 00:04:44.160 --> 00:04:48.800 And maybe you've been there with that person and you've experienced that. 00:04:49.040 --> 00:04:50.160 Their soul is gone. 00:04:50.399 --> 00:04:52.319 The core of who they are is gone. 00:04:52.399 --> 00:04:57.120 And the Bible teaches about a place, heaven, that a place we can't fully understand. 00:04:57.279 --> 00:05:00.560 Okay, so let's just go ahead and embrace some mystery here with this. 00:05:00.800 --> 00:05:11.199 But it's an existence where there's no fear and there's no tears, where we come into fullness and wholeness and joy. 00:05:12.720 --> 00:05:16.079 And this is as Tim Keller he teaches about it. 00:05:16.240 --> 00:05:21.199 He he calls it a forever integration of the person. 00:05:22.560 --> 00:05:29.199 And the Bible also teaches about hell a disintegration of the person. 00:05:29.839 --> 00:05:30.319 C.S. 00:05:30.480 --> 00:05:32.959 Lewis interprets all the biblical language on hell. 00:05:33.199 --> 00:05:53.360 He says this we must picture hell as a state where everyone is perpetually concerned about his own dignity and advancement, where everyone has a grievance, and where everyone lives the deadly, serious passions of envy, self-importance, and resentment. 00:05:54.160 --> 00:06:00.000 So I think Lewis is saying hell is what we desire when we desire independence from God. 00:06:01.439 --> 00:06:06.000 So wanting distance from God is hell. 00:06:06.639 --> 00:06:15.439 It's a disintegration of the soul, and we can put the worst words and images on it, and we can still come up short. 00:06:16.160 --> 00:06:25.120 Because experiencing a disintegration of the soul, wanting and getting independence from God, that's the worst hell we can imagine. 00:06:26.160 --> 00:06:32.000 Now, point number one is this coming into thinking about this church and then wanting to know a time when the return. 00:06:33.040 --> 00:06:38.240 Our desire to know the future is a vain reach for control. 00:06:39.120 --> 00:06:45.360 So, this idea of the day of the Lord or judgment, this is something that was taught throughout the Old Testament. 00:06:45.600 --> 00:06:47.759 A judgment to be prepared for. 00:06:47.920 --> 00:06:49.279 And these people wanted the day. 00:06:49.439 --> 00:06:51.199 Give me the day, give me the time. 00:06:52.079 --> 00:06:52.399 Right? 00:06:52.560 --> 00:07:01.759 Because if we know the time in the day, then a lot of other issues don't have to become as important, like faith or mystery. 00:07:02.800 --> 00:07:06.319 We can live in certainty, and certainty can be an idol. 00:07:06.879 --> 00:07:10.560 The problem with certainty, of course, is that you're never certain enough. 00:07:12.000 --> 00:07:16.399 And certainty can become our own false God, our own idol. 00:07:16.720 --> 00:07:19.519 Fortunately, faith actually is enough. 00:07:20.079 --> 00:07:24.240 I did some research on fear of death this week. 00:07:24.560 --> 00:07:28.879 In the medical news today, uh, I learned most of us are afraid of dying. 00:07:29.040 --> 00:07:31.279 Okay, so we just go ahead and all join together on that. 00:07:31.519 --> 00:07:32.079 Some good news. 00:07:32.240 --> 00:07:33.759 Good news coming at you today. 00:07:34.079 --> 00:07:35.680 Now we don't think about that, right? 00:07:35.839 --> 00:07:42.160 Like we don't sit around thinking about our immortality or our fear of it, like we just kind of entertain ourselves out of that. 00:07:42.319 --> 00:07:46.000 I did that yesterday, started my Olympics viewing. 00:07:46.160 --> 00:07:49.199 I watched a thrilling handball match. 00:07:50.480 --> 00:07:53.120 Didn't know about that, didn't know it was a sport. 00:07:53.279 --> 00:07:54.959 Um, tried to figure it out. 00:07:55.120 --> 00:07:59.680 And then I flipped over to what my television said equestrian. 00:07:59.759 --> 00:08:01.199 So I click over to that. 00:08:01.360 --> 00:08:06.160 There's a jockey on a horse in an arena, and you know, it's a horse. 00:08:06.240 --> 00:08:08.639 I'm I'm like, man, this horse is about to bust out. 00:08:08.800 --> 00:08:14.639 He's gonna run, he's gonna jump some stuff, and and then like the horse starts dancing. 00:08:15.279 --> 00:08:16.560 Like, did you see it? 00:08:16.800 --> 00:08:18.079 It was it was embarrassed. 00:08:18.240 --> 00:08:20.720 Like I was embarrassed for the horse. 00:08:21.279 --> 00:08:24.560 Like I couldn't, just a little too much redneck in me. 00:08:24.720 --> 00:08:28.639 Like a horse shouldn't do that, like it shouldn't dance. 00:08:29.439 --> 00:08:38.559 Like, did some like little prancing footstep, like horse should run, should round a barrel, horse should like jump stuff, like cool stuff, preferably. 00:08:38.879 --> 00:08:44.879 So I flip back to the handball match, just entertain myself. 00:08:44.960 --> 00:08:48.399 Not I definitely wasn't gonna like think about my fear of dying, right? 00:08:48.480 --> 00:08:48.960 Like anything. 00:08:49.039 --> 00:08:51.600 I watched handball over doing that. 00:08:51.919 --> 00:08:56.960 Now the research also says most of us would rather die than preach a sermon. 00:08:57.279 --> 00:09:06.320 So thank you, Brian and uh Brad and uh Sam for the last few weeks uh for facing uh death. 00:09:06.559 --> 00:09:12.320 And it also means that you would rather die right now than come up here. 00:09:12.480 --> 00:09:13.679 Like that's what it means. 00:09:13.840 --> 00:09:15.440 Like right now, you would rather just die. 00:09:15.519 --> 00:09:20.240 Just it's all be over than come and do what I'm doing right now. 00:09:20.639 --> 00:09:23.759 That's what the research shows, real research. 00:09:24.000 --> 00:09:30.080 Uh young people are also uh likely to experience death anxiety as much as elderly. 00:09:30.240 --> 00:09:31.759 Didn't see that coming. 00:09:32.399 --> 00:09:45.279 But I can remember growing up and being sitting and being in some churches where uh you're kind of beaten up by death, fear of death, heaven, hell, where are you going? 00:09:45.840 --> 00:09:51.360 Um like forced to question my faith even after I had faith. 00:09:51.600 --> 00:09:57.440 Like it's good to question faith because maybe you don't have faith and you need to place faith in Jesus. 00:09:57.759 --> 00:10:11.440 But like forced to question your faith after you have faith, that doesn't even make sense because you're questioning that which you already have, which is a very odd thing to put on people to do. 00:10:11.759 --> 00:10:16.159 Um but maybe you've sat in that, like a real like kind of fear-based thing. 00:10:16.240 --> 00:10:20.240 It's like, did I really, do I really believe 100%, or is it like 97%? 00:10:20.639 --> 00:10:22.000 And can I like make up for that? 00:10:22.159 --> 00:10:24.480 Like, did I really surrender? 00:10:25.360 --> 00:10:27.840 Or do I need to like really, really surrender? 00:10:28.000 --> 00:10:29.600 Or really, really, really surrender? 00:10:30.240 --> 00:10:33.440 How many really do we need to do there? 00:10:34.639 --> 00:10:43.440 And I take such relief when Jesus says that faith, like a mustard seed, is enough because he's enough for us? 00:10:43.679 --> 00:10:48.799 I mean, that's like fresh air to like fear-motivated spirituality. 00:10:48.960 --> 00:11:00.080 And so just a little pastor talk here, because maybe you don't go to our church or you're here with somebody else, and very possible you'll end up in another church during your lifetime, and it's not probably won't end up here for the next 50 years. 00:11:00.240 --> 00:11:01.919 So just a little pastor talk. 00:11:02.080 --> 00:11:10.480 Uh, whether you remain in our church or go somewhere else, uh, if we hear fear motivation enough, we'll eventually be afraid. 00:11:12.000 --> 00:11:23.679 But if we hear security in Christ enough, we'll eventually move toward security in Christ and the peace that passes all understanding in him. 00:11:25.120 --> 00:11:26.960 I think that's where Paul takes us. 00:11:27.120 --> 00:11:31.840 Like even in a passage on judgment, watch where this passage goes. 00:11:32.320 --> 00:11:37.039 Listen where Paul takes us as we continue in it. 00:11:37.679 --> 00:11:42.480 Now, thinking about heaven, we think about judgment, we're gonna think about heaven, we think about hell, we think about these things. 00:11:42.559 --> 00:11:49.919 Uh, what I learned this week is the most common counterpart to heaven in the scriptures is not hell, it's actually earth. 00:11:50.159 --> 00:12:09.759 So the words heaven and earth appear together over 200 times in the biblical story in the same verse, because the story from the beginning to the end is one of a good earth that's been torn by the destructive power of sin, death, and hell. 00:12:09.919 --> 00:12:15.120 And sin, death, and hell are intruders into God's good world. 00:12:15.519 --> 00:12:28.080 And the redemptive story is that God is on a pursuit of his creation, displaying grace and love, and through Christ redeems us back into a new creation where there's no division between earth and heaven. 00:12:28.159 --> 00:12:42.480 This is the new creation that the Bible speaks of after our deaths, that God is not just redeeming us to himself, yes, but also redeeming the world for healed souls, healed land, and healed bodies. 00:12:42.559 --> 00:12:44.639 Listen to Revelation 21, 1 through 4. 00:12:44.799 --> 00:12:51.759 Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth for the first heaven, and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more. 00:12:52.159 --> 00:12:59.600 And I saw the holy city, New Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. 00:12:59.759 --> 00:13:04.320 And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. 00:13:04.559 --> 00:13:10.320 He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God. 00:13:11.440 --> 00:13:24.720 He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away. 00:13:25.600 --> 00:13:33.039 Pastor and author Josh Butler, he says this God is on a mission to get the hell out of earth. 00:13:33.279 --> 00:13:47.759 Not in a sense to get us the hell out of earth, he's actually on this redemptive mission in Jesus to heal and restore us from the destructive power of sin and death and hell that we've given ourselves over to. 00:13:47.919 --> 00:13:54.879 And the good news of the gospel is that Jesus is not sitting there asking, Hey, are you good enough to get into my kingdom? 00:13:55.759 --> 00:14:08.080 So Jesus is asking us, the invitation is him asking us, will you let me deliver you from your sin, from your moralism, from trying to be good enough or have enough faith? 00:14:08.399 --> 00:14:10.159 Will you just place faith in me? 00:14:10.320 --> 00:14:12.000 Have relationship with me. 00:14:13.039 --> 00:14:20.000 The gospel declares us good and righteous and beloved based on his work for us on the cross, not our word for him. 00:14:21.279 --> 00:14:26.080 Then we become places where heaven and earth are reconciled, right? 00:14:26.159 --> 00:14:32.240 We become, as the scriptures talk about, temples and ambassadors of good and holy. 00:14:32.399 --> 00:14:36.159 And that brings us back to Thessalonians 5. 00:14:36.399 --> 00:14:43.759 Because Paul responds to this question about time, and he takes it to the issue of your identity. 00:14:44.080 --> 00:14:49.200 They want to know times, and he wants to talk about whose they are. 00:14:50.480 --> 00:14:53.440 1 Thessalonians 5, 4 and 5. 00:14:54.480 --> 00:14:55.600 This is the response. 00:14:55.840 --> 00:15:01.200 But you are not in darkness, brothers, for that day to surprise you like a thief. 00:15:01.440 --> 00:15:04.159 So first he says, hey, there's no need for you to know what day. 00:15:04.399 --> 00:15:06.639 And by the way, let's talk about who you are. 00:15:06.960 --> 00:15:08.240 You're not in darkness. 00:15:08.480 --> 00:15:13.200 For that day to surprise you like a thief, for you are all children of light, children of the day. 00:15:13.360 --> 00:15:15.919 We are not of the night or of the darkness. 00:15:16.000 --> 00:15:22.159 So point number two is this living in this world and for the next world always begins with our identity in Christ. 00:15:22.399 --> 00:15:25.440 Paul is telling them who they are. 00:15:25.840 --> 00:15:28.720 He corrects them into their identity. 00:15:29.279 --> 00:15:32.879 Priest and author Robert Capin, he says this. 00:15:33.120 --> 00:15:36.720 He, Christ, is the love that will not let us go. 00:15:36.879 --> 00:15:39.679 If anybody can sort it all out, he can. 00:15:39.840 --> 00:15:42.320 Trust him, therefore, and trust him now. 00:15:42.480 --> 00:15:45.279 There's nothing more to do. 00:15:47.279 --> 00:15:57.200 Capin also says this: nobody goes to hell because he has a rotten track record in the world any more than anyone goes to heaven because he has a good one. 00:15:57.519 --> 00:16:03.519 Both heaven and hell are populated entirely and only by forgiven sinners. 00:16:03.759 --> 00:16:10.960 Hell is just a courtesy for those who insist they want no part of forgiveness. 00:16:12.559 --> 00:16:22.000 See, it's the relationship with Christ, taking part in that which God has already earned for us, placing faith in Him. 00:16:22.080 --> 00:16:26.240 That's such relieving news that heaven is not our goodness. 00:16:26.559 --> 00:16:28.480 The judgment is not our goodness. 00:16:28.559 --> 00:16:30.799 That's Christ's goodness for us. 00:16:31.039 --> 00:16:32.639 Verses 6 through 11. 00:16:32.799 --> 00:16:37.679 Because of all that, they have this question about certainty and the time of judgment, and how it's going to work out. 00:16:37.759 --> 00:16:40.159 And Paul's like, ah, let's just talk about who you are. 00:16:40.559 --> 00:16:41.360 Verse 6. 00:16:41.600 --> 00:16:46.879 So then let us not sleep as others do, but let us keep awake and be sober. 00:16:47.039 --> 00:16:50.480 For those who sleep, sleep at night, and those who get drunk are drunk at night. 00:16:50.639 --> 00:16:56.399 But since we belong to the day, let us be sober, having put on the breastplate of faith and love. 00:16:56.879 --> 00:16:59.679 And for a helmet the hope of salvation. 00:17:00.000 --> 00:17:10.960 For God has not destined us for wrath, but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ, who died for us, so that whether we are awake or asleep, we might live with Him. 00:17:11.519 --> 00:17:17.200 Therefore, encourage one another and build one another up just as you're doing. 00:17:17.359 --> 00:17:28.960 So point number three is this being in the light is to be people of secure identity in Christ and ongoing encouragement to others. 00:17:29.359 --> 00:17:31.599 Verse 6, so then, right? 00:17:31.680 --> 00:17:34.000 So it builds off of one through five. 00:17:34.960 --> 00:17:45.680 The passage is this perfect illustration of what we talk about in our church that the imperatives, what we should do as Christians, are rooted in and come out of the indicatives who we are. 00:17:45.920 --> 00:17:50.960 It's indicated to us we're the children of light because of Christ. 00:17:51.759 --> 00:17:58.079 And because of that, hey, here's what you should do: live in encouragement to others. 00:17:58.480 --> 00:18:02.319 Now, a drunk person or a sleeping person has no awareness. 00:18:02.799 --> 00:18:03.039 Right? 00:18:03.200 --> 00:18:04.400 No awareness to reality. 00:18:04.559 --> 00:18:08.000 Have you ever been around somebody who's had too much to drink? 00:18:08.400 --> 00:18:12.319 They think they're a little funnier than they are. 00:18:12.720 --> 00:18:14.160 They think they're smarter than they are. 00:18:14.319 --> 00:18:17.680 Like their opinions all of a sudden have a lot more weight and validation. 00:18:18.079 --> 00:18:20.079 They think they're better looking than they are. 00:18:20.240 --> 00:18:22.480 You can stop nudging each other at this point. 00:18:22.880 --> 00:18:29.279 That's just what happens when we have too much to drink, much less if you go all the way into drunkenness. 00:18:29.440 --> 00:18:30.640 Just not aware. 00:18:30.799 --> 00:18:31.119 Right? 00:18:31.200 --> 00:18:32.480 Just awareness is gone. 00:18:32.640 --> 00:18:38.000 Disillusioned, disillusioned to reality until the next morning. 00:18:38.319 --> 00:18:48.960 And Paul calls us, he uses that illustration, that metaphor, to say, hey, live in as much awareness as possible to what is true. 00:18:50.319 --> 00:18:53.599 About your identity as children of light. 00:18:56.160 --> 00:19:03.519 About your need of Christ, about our hope in heaven and how that is sealed in Christ and not ourselves. 00:19:04.319 --> 00:19:07.920 And then Paul takes us, because of that, verse 11. 00:19:08.079 --> 00:19:10.079 Because of all that good news. 00:19:10.400 --> 00:19:11.440 Verse 11. 00:19:11.680 --> 00:19:18.480 And I read it this week, worded as live in mutual uplifting to one another. 00:19:19.119 --> 00:19:24.640 That we would all just be trying to uplift each other in encouragement and care. 00:19:25.440 --> 00:19:30.000 Here's the incredible news for those who trust in Jesus. 00:19:30.240 --> 00:19:34.160 The news is this there's no fear in judgment. 00:19:34.400 --> 00:19:36.000 And there's no fear in death. 00:19:36.240 --> 00:19:41.440 Now you may feel fear or have some fear, but you don't have to. 00:19:41.759 --> 00:19:42.400 You don't have to. 00:19:42.880 --> 00:19:44.640 Not if you've trust in Jesus. 00:19:44.720 --> 00:19:50.640 There's only security and peace and joy and worship for you to move toward. 00:19:50.960 --> 00:20:04.880 Because any and all judgment due on you and me for sin or rebellion or recklessness or religious kind of like pride and all that, like whether you're reckless or religious, whatever you are, all of that, all that imperfection, it's already been judged. 00:20:05.119 --> 00:20:07.359 It's already been judged in Jesus. 00:20:08.559 --> 00:20:09.839 You've already been judged. 00:20:09.920 --> 00:20:12.240 So your judgment is secure. 00:20:12.799 --> 00:20:14.720 My judgment is secure. 00:20:15.039 --> 00:20:17.519 And that's the good news for this morning. 00:20:17.759 --> 00:20:22.720 That we get to joyfully worship in our judgment. 00:20:23.680 --> 00:20:25.440 Because our judgment is secure in Jesus. 00:20:25.680 --> 00:20:33.599 That we are his beloved, righteous children who he has affection and acceptance for. 00:20:33.920 --> 00:20:34.880 Let's pray together. 00:20:35.519 --> 00:20:36.799 God, thank you. 00:20:37.440 --> 00:20:43.279 That in your grace to us, we are fully enough for you. 00:20:44.480 --> 00:20:47.039 That all sins are forgiven. 00:20:48.079 --> 00:20:53.839 All imperfections forgiven, forgotten, and we are fully righteous. 00:20:54.160 --> 00:20:59.759 More righteous than we could ever imagine, as righteous as you are yourself in Christ. 00:21:00.799 --> 00:21:05.599 Thank you for the secure standing we have, that we have a secure judgment. 00:21:06.400 --> 00:21:13.200 Not one with fear, but one filled with joy and celebration and worship. 00:21:13.359 --> 00:21:25.119 That as we trust in Christ, we have a peace that passes all understanding when it comes to thinking about the mystery of the unknown after death. 00:21:26.079 --> 00:21:48.240 That is not based on our record, it's not based on our ability to overcome the recklessness we lived in or how good we are in our religious manners, but it's based in your work for us, your goodness, your righteousness, the work of the cross, where our sin is taken care of, and we are declared holy and righteous forever. 00:21:48.400 --> 00:21:50.000 In Christ's name we pray. 00:21:50.240 --> 00:21:50.880 Amen.