WEBVTT 00:00:00.959 --> 00:00:04.719 Alright, we are in Galatians chapter 4. 00:00:05.440 --> 00:00:07.280 We've been working our way through Galatians. 00:00:07.360 --> 00:00:11.119 We're now in chapter 4, verses 8 through 20. 00:00:12.080 --> 00:00:16.559 And I've used this illustration before, and I'm going to use it again because it helps me so much. 00:00:16.879 --> 00:00:24.320 But as I think about Galatians and working our way through it, and it keeps saying the same thing, Paul keeps saying the same thing over and over again. 00:00:24.559 --> 00:00:28.000 I just want us to have this in our mind. 00:00:28.239 --> 00:00:35.119 When we were in school, when I was back when I was in school, girls and guys would pass notes to each other. 00:00:35.280 --> 00:00:37.600 And it was like it was really exciting to get a note. 00:00:37.679 --> 00:00:40.799 It was like the equivalent to like a text message now. 00:00:41.119 --> 00:00:50.159 And you would you would pass these notes and you would rush to class and you would hide the note in your textbook and you would act like you were studying, well you were actually studying the note that this girl just wrote you. 00:00:50.320 --> 00:00:56.479 And this one girl in particular, um, she would, I would get really pumped when she wrote me a note. 00:00:56.880 --> 00:01:00.880 It was very exciting, and she's here today, and we have kids together, so it's all good. 00:01:00.960 --> 00:01:03.359 Uh, but I it really worked out. 00:01:03.600 --> 00:01:07.120 And uh I know I've used this before, but this really helps me. 00:01:07.280 --> 00:01:16.879 In Lene and I's letters back and forth to each other, um it always carried this, my letters to her at least, always carried this same theme. 00:01:17.040 --> 00:01:21.040 And the theme was, I like you a lot, and like we should probably go out. 00:01:21.200 --> 00:01:22.319 Like, let's do that. 00:01:22.560 --> 00:01:29.200 And this happened way before she really even liked me, but I just kept saying that, and I kept saying that, and I kept saying that. 00:01:29.359 --> 00:01:40.879 And I said some other really dumb stuff too, like, oh, I hate math class, or I really need to clean my room, or I like roller coasters, or whatever you talk about when you're in seventh and eighth grade. 00:01:41.120 --> 00:01:44.319 But I always was getting back to, hey, I really like you. 00:01:44.480 --> 00:01:49.519 We sh if you ever feel the same, let's maybe do something about that. 00:01:49.680 --> 00:01:51.760 And eventually uh we got married. 00:01:51.920 --> 00:01:53.200 So we did something about that. 00:01:53.359 --> 00:01:54.319 But this is Paul. 00:01:54.400 --> 00:01:56.640 This is what Paul was saying on repeat. 00:01:56.879 --> 00:02:01.040 Uh, faith alone is what justifies us, and it's not the law. 00:02:01.120 --> 00:02:07.840 And he he goes off on some little trails and he says some other things, but he keeps coming back to that theme. 00:02:08.080 --> 00:02:12.240 Faith is what justifies us before God, and it is not the law. 00:02:12.639 --> 00:02:32.800 So, in this letter today, in this letter that Paul has written to the Galatians that are professing Christ as Lord and Savior, he has he's got on them for abandoning the true gospel of salvation by faith alone and turning to this Jewish Mosaic law as if the law has some ability to justify us before God. 00:02:33.039 --> 00:02:42.639 And he reiterates often that we are saved and we are kept saved and we are adopted into God's family, and we now have an inheritance awaiting us. 00:02:42.960 --> 00:02:52.639 Not because of the customs that they are following, but by faith in Jesus' work on the cross as means of their justification. 00:02:52.879 --> 00:03:04.400 And now we come to verse 8 of chapter 4, and Paul's gonna go off on a little trail, and he's gonna share some of his concerns for the Galatian churches. 00:03:04.719 --> 00:03:20.400 So, um, as someone who has spent time and effort in seeing these people be discipled, he doesn't want to see the Galatians turn away from the true gospel to another gospel. 00:03:20.879 --> 00:03:22.240 So we're gonna get right into it. 00:03:22.319 --> 00:03:24.800 And verse number eight, I'm gonna read verse eight. 00:03:24.879 --> 00:03:33.120 It says, Formerly, when you did not know God, you were enslaved to those that by nature are not gods. 00:03:34.240 --> 00:03:42.240 These Galatian believers were practicing pagan religions before they heard the gospel. 00:03:42.719 --> 00:03:48.960 They were enslaved to this system that had them worshiping things that were not even God. 00:03:49.039 --> 00:03:54.479 And I love how Paul says they were worshiping things that by nature are not God's. 00:03:54.800 --> 00:04:03.759 The very makeup of every other thing outside of the true God of the Bible isn't created to be worshiped. 00:04:04.639 --> 00:04:10.400 People have been going about, like sometimes we think it's a new thing that people are worshiping things that aren't God. 00:04:10.560 --> 00:04:18.079 People have been going against the natural use of things that God has created far, far before our generation. 00:04:18.240 --> 00:04:29.360 It's no new thing for people to abandon God, the one and true God, the God that is by nature God, and to worship something that they have made up as God. 00:04:29.519 --> 00:04:30.560 That's no new thing. 00:04:30.639 --> 00:04:38.399 And Paul says, look, formerly, when you did not know God, you were enslaved to those that by nature are not gods. 00:04:38.639 --> 00:04:39.600 And then he moves on. 00:04:39.759 --> 00:04:55.360 Verse 9 through 11 says, But now that you have come to know God, or rather to be known by God, how can you turn back again to the weak and worthless elementary principles of the world, whose slaves you want to be once more? 00:04:55.600 --> 00:04:58.480 You observe days and months and seasons and years. 00:04:58.639 --> 00:05:01.600 I am afraid I have labored over you in vain. 00:05:02.879 --> 00:05:05.360 So Paul presses on these guys here. 00:05:05.600 --> 00:05:09.759 He reminds them that they know and are known by God. 00:05:10.240 --> 00:05:19.040 And after having a relationship with the true God, what sense does it make to turn back to this pagan way of living? 00:05:19.279 --> 00:05:24.800 And he actually compares following the law to their old pagan religions. 00:05:24.879 --> 00:05:39.439 He tells them that they were enslaved to these pagan religions before turning to the gospel, and if they turn back to the law, they're going to be enslaved once again under a pagan religion, even though it seems very close. 00:05:39.600 --> 00:05:44.879 And I just I noticed two things about just these first few verses that I wanted I wanted to point out. 00:05:45.439 --> 00:05:48.720 Um, look first, look at who Paul is talking to. 00:05:48.959 --> 00:06:02.160 He says in verse 8, formerly, when you did not know God, and then he goes on in verse 9 and says, But now that you have come to know God, he is talking to people that are professing Christ. 00:06:02.399 --> 00:06:08.319 That's who he is calling out for looking for another means to be justified. 00:06:08.639 --> 00:06:11.199 People that have known God. 00:06:11.439 --> 00:06:16.560 He's not writing this letter to people that aren't claiming Christ. 00:06:17.040 --> 00:06:24.000 Paul's anger that he feels, it is not directed to those that don't know God and his gospel. 00:06:24.480 --> 00:06:35.600 It's directed to people that know what it's like to enter into a relationship with the living God and have shifted their focus onto other things, other things and off of Christ. 00:06:36.319 --> 00:06:51.680 Today, I feel like we spend a lot of our times, Christians, spend a lot of their times being mad at people that are following the weak and worthless elementary principles of this world and that have never believed in the saving power of the cross. 00:06:52.000 --> 00:06:52.480 Why? 00:06:52.720 --> 00:06:56.879 Like what do you expect from someone who does not know God? 00:06:58.319 --> 00:07:02.399 We get mad at companies for their stances on certain issues. 00:07:02.639 --> 00:07:04.160 What do you expect? 00:07:04.639 --> 00:07:07.279 I mean, yes, go ahead and spend your money elsewhere. 00:07:07.360 --> 00:07:09.199 I think that's necessary sometimes. 00:07:09.439 --> 00:07:15.120 But to let it affect our joy as blood-bought believers is a separate thing. 00:07:15.279 --> 00:07:27.040 To become a complaining, complacent Christian that seems to be more skilled at griping and complaining than we are in being grateful is not Christ-like for us. 00:07:27.279 --> 00:07:29.600 The world follows a different God. 00:07:29.839 --> 00:07:32.240 They follow different principles. 00:07:32.560 --> 00:07:39.600 And if God had not removed the scales from my eyes and from your eyes, you would be following those gods too. 00:07:39.839 --> 00:07:46.879 Paul's anger is directed toward people that know, that have been into a relationship with the true God. 00:07:47.120 --> 00:07:49.680 And you might say, Well, not me. 00:07:50.319 --> 00:07:54.240 Even before I knew Jesus, I knew what was right and wrong. 00:07:54.399 --> 00:07:57.120 I'm not like these people today that just don't know anything. 00:07:57.279 --> 00:08:00.319 And that brings me to my second observation about these verses. 00:08:00.800 --> 00:08:06.079 It doesn't matter what you are believing outside of Christ. 00:08:06.319 --> 00:08:07.199 It doesn't matter. 00:08:07.360 --> 00:08:10.480 If it isn't the true gospel, it is heresy. 00:08:10.639 --> 00:08:15.199 It will lead you far from Jesus and right to hell, no matter how close it is. 00:08:15.439 --> 00:08:18.240 So the Jews are following the law. 00:08:18.800 --> 00:08:21.360 The law, it is founded in Scripture. 00:08:21.600 --> 00:08:26.319 They are upright and just outstandingly moral people. 00:08:26.720 --> 00:08:29.120 The law was based in Scriptures. 00:08:29.360 --> 00:08:32.399 The Gentiles had superstitions. 00:08:34.000 --> 00:08:35.840 They made up false gods. 00:08:36.080 --> 00:08:38.159 They had weird ceremonies. 00:08:38.480 --> 00:08:40.559 Both of those things are condemned here. 00:08:40.960 --> 00:08:43.039 There is no second place. 00:08:43.679 --> 00:08:50.000 Paul compares one of these things, the super moral, to the other thing. 00:08:50.320 --> 00:08:54.879 The pagan heresy, just ceremonial weird stuff. 00:08:55.039 --> 00:08:57.200 They're both equally wrong. 00:08:57.279 --> 00:08:59.360 They missed the true gospel. 00:08:59.600 --> 00:09:11.600 So you can claim that you're following God and you can dress it up with a white shirt and a tie and you can pass out a bunch of literature, but if it's not consistent with the gospel, it's weak and worthless. 00:09:11.679 --> 00:09:16.000 And it's equivalent to someone that's burning incense and doing chants. 00:09:16.159 --> 00:09:17.039 It's the same thing. 00:09:17.200 --> 00:09:28.159 You can observe days and times, you can have a certain Sabbath that you have set a time, but if your heart is not aligned with the true gospel, it's a worthless, weak, worldly principle. 00:09:28.240 --> 00:09:29.600 And that's what Paul is saying. 00:09:29.759 --> 00:09:31.519 You're returning to that. 00:09:31.759 --> 00:09:39.759 It doesn't matter if you go to the law or go to your old pagan religion, you're returning to weak and worthless principles of this world. 00:09:40.240 --> 00:09:49.200 And if you're here and you're thinking, man, I've been uh I've been coming to church and I've been doing this life pretty well. 00:09:49.360 --> 00:09:50.960 I've been coming to church a long time. 00:09:51.120 --> 00:09:52.480 I respect my country. 00:09:52.720 --> 00:09:55.519 I do my best to follow the Ten Commandments. 00:09:55.840 --> 00:09:57.679 I work really hard. 00:09:58.399 --> 00:10:12.480 And you think that somehow that that has made you more valuable than someone else that's not doing those things, if somehow that has bolstered your justification before God, then you are in the same boat as these Galatians. 00:10:14.960 --> 00:10:20.559 You are relying on something other than your faith to justify you before God. 00:10:20.720 --> 00:10:27.679 And Paul is pleading with these Galatians that are turning away from the gospel to anything else that is weak and worthless. 00:10:27.759 --> 00:10:35.600 He's pleading with them to get back, to get to know the God that they once claimed to know. 00:10:36.399 --> 00:10:42.159 Why be enslaved to anything when Jesus has set you free from that bondage? 00:10:42.320 --> 00:10:54.080 And he says in verse 11 that he fears that all of the teaching and all of the time spent with them may turn out to be nothing because they are so caught up in following the law. 00:10:54.240 --> 00:10:56.639 They want to pursue after the law. 00:10:57.919 --> 00:11:00.799 He goes on in verses 12 through 14. 00:11:01.840 --> 00:11:08.080 He says, Brothers, I entreat you, become as I am, for I also have become as you are. 00:11:08.399 --> 00:11:09.759 You did me no wrong. 00:11:09.919 --> 00:11:15.279 You know it was because of a bodily ailment that I preached the gospel to you at first. 00:11:15.440 --> 00:11:23.919 And though my condition was a trial to you, you did not scorn or despise me, but received me as an angel of God as Christ Jesus. 00:11:24.559 --> 00:11:30.480 So we know from Paul's other writings that he has some sort of uh physical ailment that plagues him. 00:11:30.639 --> 00:11:32.559 He has asked God to remove this from him. 00:11:32.639 --> 00:11:35.279 He he but something keeps plaguing him. 00:11:35.360 --> 00:11:45.600 And some speculate that whatever this is that has uh ailed Paul throughout his time has affected his eyesight, or it is his eyesight that is ailing him. 00:11:45.679 --> 00:12:04.559 Um and we're not exactly sure what has happened previously, but we know that Paul has been forced to stay with the Galatians at some point, and Paul took advantage of that time, and though battling through a physical ailment, he took the time to share the gospel with the Galatians. 00:12:04.720 --> 00:12:13.919 And he says that the Galatians did not mistreat him or see him as a burden because of this ailment, but in fact, they treated him as if he were Jesus himself. 00:12:14.639 --> 00:12:24.320 So the second part of verse 15 actually says, For I testify to you that, if possible, you would have gouged out your eyes and given them to me. 00:12:24.639 --> 00:12:30.960 This is why some people think that Paul's ailment is related to his eyesight or has caused damage to his eyes. 00:12:31.279 --> 00:12:42.720 But they treated him so well and were so compassionate that they that Paul was convinced that they would have plucked out their own eyeballs and given it to him. 00:12:42.879 --> 00:12:49.039 They were so eager to help that they would have ripped their eyeballs out and given them to Paul. 00:12:49.279 --> 00:12:57.279 Now, that gives me the willies, and it's kind of, you know, that gives you kind of the willies, but at the same time, there's something beautiful there. 00:12:57.600 --> 00:13:04.240 Paul is afflicted by some sort of physical ailment, and he still uses the time to share the gospel. 00:13:04.480 --> 00:13:06.399 That's that's pretty beautiful. 00:13:06.559 --> 00:13:13.360 And the people that receive the gospel, they care for Paul as as they would have cared for Jesus. 00:13:13.600 --> 00:13:16.240 That's a really good picture of the church. 00:13:16.480 --> 00:13:18.879 That should be a really good picture of the church. 00:13:19.039 --> 00:13:24.000 That's why Paul says, Become as I am, for I also have become as you are. 00:13:24.159 --> 00:13:29.759 He's encouraging them to imitate him as he is imitating the very way that they have treated him. 00:13:30.320 --> 00:13:33.200 So he's saying, get back to that. 00:13:33.679 --> 00:13:38.240 Forget these weak and worthless elementary principles of the world and get back to that. 00:13:38.720 --> 00:13:41.440 Because something has happened to the Galatians. 00:13:41.600 --> 00:13:45.840 Look what he says in verse 15 at the beginning of verse 15 there. 00:13:48.080 --> 00:13:51.840 He says, What then has become of your blessedness? 00:13:52.639 --> 00:13:53.919 What happened? 00:13:54.720 --> 00:14:01.759 Apparently, following really hard after the law has robbed them of their freedom to actually serve one another. 00:14:02.000 --> 00:14:03.360 And that's the problem. 00:14:04.000 --> 00:14:08.720 That's a huge problem with legalistic rule-following religion. 00:14:08.879 --> 00:14:18.639 You're obsessed with getting the rules right, so much so that there's nothing left to actually give an actual service for one another. 00:14:18.799 --> 00:14:20.480 There's no joy in that. 00:14:20.720 --> 00:14:33.279 They have left the joy and freedom in serving one another by faith, and now they are clinging to the law as if that is their ultimate means of justification and satisfaction. 00:14:33.440 --> 00:14:35.279 And that's concerning to Paul. 00:14:35.519 --> 00:14:38.320 That's concerning as a professing believer. 00:14:38.559 --> 00:14:43.679 They are returning to these elementary principles instead of the true gospel. 00:14:44.000 --> 00:14:48.720 And now that brings us to verses 16 through 20. 00:14:50.080 --> 00:14:54.879 Says this have I then become your enemy by telling you the truth? 00:14:55.120 --> 00:14:57.679 They make much of you, but for no good purpose. 00:14:57.840 --> 00:15:01.039 They want to shut you out, that you may make much of them. 00:15:01.279 --> 00:15:12.639 It is always good to be made much of for a good purpose, and not only when I am present with you, my little children, for whom I am again in the anguish of childbirth until Christ is formed in you. 00:15:12.879 --> 00:15:20.720 I wish I could be present with you and present with you now and change my tone, for I am perplexed about you. 00:15:22.639 --> 00:15:27.039 Paul says that I'm the one that's telling you the truth here. 00:15:27.600 --> 00:15:39.519 These guys, the Jewish Christians that are telling you that you need to abide by the law and add that on to your faith, these guys are just flattering you so that you will then flatter them. 00:15:39.840 --> 00:15:50.399 They actually, they actually want to form a little club, some sort of little uh club where uh people that believe that the law is essential are in. 00:15:50.559 --> 00:15:51.360 They're in. 00:15:51.840 --> 00:15:56.320 And the people that believe that faith alone is what is saving them, they're out. 00:15:56.399 --> 00:16:06.080 And they want to form this little club, and they want to shut everybody out that doesn't believe like them, everybody that's claiming that that faith alone is just is what justifies them. 00:16:07.120 --> 00:16:17.360 And create this little click for them to just feel really good about and flatter each other and tell each other that they're doing really well, following the law. 00:16:17.759 --> 00:16:23.120 Now, let's say you're here this morning and you haven't really settled on a church yet, and that's that's okay. 00:16:23.279 --> 00:16:27.120 Maybe, or maybe you're here visiting, or maybe you're here like, I don't really know if this is the right place. 00:16:27.279 --> 00:16:31.679 The more this guy talks, the less I'm thinking this is the place, and that's okay. 00:16:31.919 --> 00:16:36.159 Or maybe you're here and you're really settled on this church, and you're like, yep, I put up with this every week. 00:16:36.240 --> 00:16:37.279 This is just what we do. 00:16:37.440 --> 00:16:46.320 But I'm here and I'm committed, but I like to listen to other preachers that actually know what they're saying, and I like to read books, and I like to deepen my faith outside of here. 00:16:46.399 --> 00:16:47.200 That's fantastic. 00:16:47.360 --> 00:16:48.320 I would encourage that. 00:16:48.480 --> 00:16:49.600 Please do that. 00:16:50.000 --> 00:17:03.759 But I want to I want to give some super practical tips on finding a good preacher or a good church or maybe even a brother or sister, maybe you need some counsel or you need some advice and you need someone to lean into. 00:17:04.079 --> 00:17:05.599 This is the tip that I would give you. 00:17:05.759 --> 00:17:19.680 If someone makes much of themselves and their accomplishments and does not make much of what God has done, I would not trust their preaching, I would not trust their writing, I would not trust their advice, I would not trust their counsel. 00:17:20.000 --> 00:17:28.240 The Christian world is full of people that use their stage to showcase themselves. 00:17:28.480 --> 00:17:43.200 They use Christianese language because they know exactly what their audience wants to hear, and they leave enough of it in there to make it sound like they're tipping their hat to God, but it's the theme of what they're saying is man. 00:17:44.079 --> 00:17:52.400 And so their books and their writings and their talks are about mankind and how good they can be and how good they are. 00:17:52.640 --> 00:17:56.160 And it's disguised as Christian, but its theme is man. 00:17:56.319 --> 00:18:04.720 If the theme of a ministry is man, it has returned or it has never left the elementary principles of this world. 00:18:04.960 --> 00:18:07.200 Because that's the theme of this world. 00:18:07.680 --> 00:18:08.559 Me, you. 00:18:08.880 --> 00:18:10.079 We're like the big deal. 00:18:10.240 --> 00:18:11.440 We possess the power. 00:18:11.599 --> 00:18:14.799 That's what that's what the world is telling us. 00:18:15.119 --> 00:18:24.640 So if that's what a preacher or a counselor is telling you, I would not advise to go there. 00:18:24.799 --> 00:18:32.000 And Paul says, watching this, watching you return to this, is as painful as childbirth to watch. 00:18:32.079 --> 00:18:34.559 Now, I don't know if Paul's allowed to say that, but he said it. 00:18:34.640 --> 00:18:35.920 He didn't ever give birth. 00:18:36.079 --> 00:18:40.799 I know that's we're not even allowed to compare anything to childbirth, but Paul just did. 00:18:40.960 --> 00:18:42.640 He says, it's painful to watch. 00:18:42.799 --> 00:18:46.000 That is no way to form Christ in you. 00:18:46.160 --> 00:18:50.319 And in fact, he goes on and he gets real dad about this. 00:18:50.480 --> 00:18:54.240 And he says, I wish I were there because I would change my tone with you. 00:18:54.480 --> 00:18:58.240 Maybe his tone would be a little bit more elevated, he would be a little bit more angry. 00:18:58.480 --> 00:19:02.799 He's perplexed at what these guys have done. 00:19:03.039 --> 00:19:04.400 He doesn't get it. 00:19:04.720 --> 00:19:10.799 He sees these people that have been transformed by the living God of the Bible. 00:19:11.119 --> 00:19:15.440 They have sacrificially served him out of love. 00:19:15.839 --> 00:19:19.599 They have tasted the freedom that Christ has offered. 00:19:19.839 --> 00:19:29.759 And they seem to be going back to what a pagan religion has to offer, to what the law has to offer, to what this world has to offer. 00:19:29.920 --> 00:19:35.680 And that's what the world has to offer is a God that by nature is no God at all. 00:19:36.000 --> 00:19:42.799 A religion where at very best, at the very best, we're patting each other on the back and saying, good job. 00:19:43.519 --> 00:19:44.720 You really did a good job. 00:19:44.960 --> 00:19:47.200 Where is God in any of that? 00:19:47.680 --> 00:19:53.039 Where is the one that has awakened their dead souls and gave them new life? 00:19:53.359 --> 00:19:57.759 He's pleading with them not to turn back to another God. 00:19:59.440 --> 00:20:01.839 And this is short and sweet. 00:20:02.079 --> 00:20:05.440 I like to keep the sermons 20, 25 minutes, so hang with me. 00:20:05.519 --> 00:20:06.640 We don't have much more. 00:20:06.960 --> 00:20:10.960 I would plead with you the same thing this morning. 00:20:11.279 --> 00:20:14.000 Don't count on your morality. 00:20:14.480 --> 00:20:19.519 And I that's it's so thick in our culture in the U.S. 00:20:19.839 --> 00:20:27.039 that we are somehow, because we're Americans and we're KJV and we're waving the flag, that somehow we have God. 00:20:28.400 --> 00:20:31.519 You have claimed to know God, the God. 00:20:32.240 --> 00:20:37.119 We need to be captivated by that, not returning to some rule-following religion. 00:20:37.359 --> 00:20:38.160 Captivated. 00:20:38.319 --> 00:20:47.119 We want to worship ourselves so badly that sometimes we miss the true worship of the true and living God. 00:20:47.359 --> 00:20:55.039 We are so easily impressed with ourselves that we don't take time to pause and be impressed by the God that created us. 00:20:55.680 --> 00:21:02.160 And if you can get inside your own mind for a second and think about your thoughts, think about your thoughts. 00:21:02.640 --> 00:21:06.000 You would realize how easily impressed you are with yourself. 00:21:06.160 --> 00:21:08.559 It's scary and it's really dumb. 00:21:08.799 --> 00:21:15.119 The things that I have impressed myself over are embarrassing for me to say them out loud. 00:21:15.279 --> 00:21:22.640 If I back up a car really well, especially if it's a truck that has a trailer on it, I'm just like, you know what? 00:21:23.039 --> 00:21:25.599 I think God just gifts some people better than others. 00:21:25.759 --> 00:21:30.079 He gives them more gifts because I'm backing this up with some authority. 00:21:30.319 --> 00:21:39.759 If I if I grill a steak just beautifully, I don't, if I burn 24 in a row and then the 25th one, I grill it beautifully, I'm pretty impressed. 00:21:40.079 --> 00:21:42.319 Inside, I am pretty impressed with myself. 00:21:42.640 --> 00:21:47.680 One time I folded a button up shirt to perfection and I was impressed. 00:21:47.920 --> 00:21:50.720 You shouldn't even fold a button up shirt, just hang it up. 00:21:50.799 --> 00:21:52.160 You don't even need to fold it. 00:21:52.319 --> 00:21:54.559 But I was impressed with myself. 00:21:54.880 --> 00:21:58.720 I uh this is a story I've told before, and it's just really stupid. 00:21:58.799 --> 00:22:02.160 And if you knew my Friend, I'm gonna rip on him, he's not here. 00:22:02.319 --> 00:22:07.599 Um, his name's Kenny, and Kenny likes to just tell you kind of some of his accomplishments. 00:22:07.839 --> 00:22:16.480 And one time at football practice, he had an empty water, a half-empty water bottle, and he ran back to the locker room. 00:22:16.559 --> 00:22:22.000 And on the run, he threw a water bottle, trash, over a fence. 00:22:22.079 --> 00:22:26.880 And you know those trash cans that stand up, and then they have like the dome on top that have the flap in it. 00:22:27.039 --> 00:22:36.400 On the run, from like here to, I don't know, the last row back there, he throws this thing and it goes perfectly in, hits the flap, and goes into the trash. 00:22:36.880 --> 00:22:40.799 To this day, he is impressed with that throw. 00:22:41.039 --> 00:22:42.640 He tells us about it. 00:22:43.200 --> 00:22:47.440 He impressed himself by throwing away trash. 00:22:48.000 --> 00:23:01.279 That's how easily we want to impress ourselves and we want to tell everybody about the situation that we had, and and sometimes, sometimes we're impressed with things that we would do in a situation. 00:23:01.440 --> 00:23:12.880 Like I've talked to people all the time, especially men, and they hike up their pants and they're like, let me tell you what, if I was in that situation, I would have put a stop to that. 00:23:13.039 --> 00:23:15.839 I wouldn't have been, nobody would have talked to me like that. 00:23:17.200 --> 00:23:23.279 As if we're supposed to be impressed with what they would have done if hypothetically they were in a situation. 00:23:23.839 --> 00:23:27.759 We are very impressed with ourselves. 00:23:28.480 --> 00:23:34.079 We need to be captivated by the wonder of God. 00:23:34.960 --> 00:23:41.119 That's what will keep us from returning to the elementary principles of this world. 00:23:41.359 --> 00:23:44.240 We need to get our eyes off of ourselves. 00:23:44.480 --> 00:23:51.359 You are not that good, and you are not that bad to outshine the God of the Bible. 00:23:51.680 --> 00:23:53.759 Now, I'm a nostalgic kind of person. 00:23:53.920 --> 00:24:02.400 I like to think back to my childhood, and I like to look back with great wonder and all of the days that have gone by. 00:24:02.559 --> 00:24:18.319 And sometimes I'll break out those letters that I was talking about, and I'll read through them, those letters that my wife had sent me, and I had sent my wife, and I'll just kind of remember and I'll use my imagination a little bit to think back about how what must have been going on in those times. 00:24:18.720 --> 00:24:25.279 In that same way, we need to pour over these writings and these letters in this book. 00:24:25.599 --> 00:24:31.119 We need to look back at what God has done and stir up awe and wonder. 00:24:31.279 --> 00:24:39.440 We need to read and think about these stories and what kind of God we must have that can orchestrate all of this. 00:24:39.680 --> 00:24:47.200 We should be fascinated that we are going to get to meet the one that is behind all of this one day. 00:24:47.440 --> 00:24:48.559 We will meet him. 00:24:49.200 --> 00:24:59.440 And I just want to, for a second here, I would like to list off some of the impressive things that God has done. 00:24:59.759 --> 00:25:02.720 God the Father and God the Son in human flesh. 00:25:02.880 --> 00:25:04.880 This is some of the things that he has done. 00:25:05.039 --> 00:25:10.960 So the next time we do like 14 push-ups, we can kind of think of this instead. 00:25:11.440 --> 00:25:14.400 God created out of nothing. 00:25:14.640 --> 00:25:16.000 Ex Nelio. 00:25:16.559 --> 00:25:17.039 Nothing. 00:25:17.200 --> 00:25:20.000 He took absolutely nothing and he created. 00:25:20.960 --> 00:25:23.839 He rained fire from the sky. 00:25:24.240 --> 00:25:27.119 He wrestled with a human all night. 00:25:27.440 --> 00:25:35.359 That blows my mind because at any time he could have just pinned him down, but he wrestled with a human and put his hip out of joint. 00:25:36.079 --> 00:25:40.079 He has prescribed limits to where the sea will go. 00:25:40.319 --> 00:25:44.160 He tells the sea, you are not allowed to go any farther than this. 00:25:44.559 --> 00:25:49.440 He entered into the springs of the sea and walked in the deep of the sea. 00:25:49.839 --> 00:25:52.240 That means he walked on the ocean's floor. 00:25:52.480 --> 00:25:54.799 You can't hold your breath for more than 30 seconds. 00:25:55.039 --> 00:25:57.519 He walked on the ocean floor. 00:25:57.759 --> 00:26:02.000 And right now some people are like, I can hold my breath more than 30 seconds, and you're trying to hold your breath. 00:26:02.160 --> 00:26:06.160 If you're not trained for it, just pay attention up here. 00:26:07.839 --> 00:26:11.839 God waters lands that no man will ever go to. 00:26:12.079 --> 00:26:16.720 Literally spends time and care on places that no man goes. 00:26:17.039 --> 00:26:20.160 And it's no extra work, it's not anything extra for him. 00:26:20.319 --> 00:26:22.720 He tells lightning where to strike. 00:26:23.039 --> 00:26:26.160 He provides food for all the animals. 00:26:26.720 --> 00:26:27.519 This is crazy. 00:26:27.680 --> 00:26:30.559 He knows when all animals give birth. 00:26:30.720 --> 00:26:35.119 That means that he knows every living thing's birthday. 00:26:35.440 --> 00:26:41.759 I really filled out a form for my son's physical, and I struggled with my son's birthday. 00:26:42.000 --> 00:26:45.039 He knows every single living thing's birthday. 00:26:45.200 --> 00:26:47.200 A gnat, everything. 00:26:49.119 --> 00:26:50.799 He commands the morning. 00:26:51.119 --> 00:26:53.599 I'll be honest, I don't even really know what that means. 00:26:53.839 --> 00:26:55.440 But it sounds awesome. 00:26:55.680 --> 00:26:56.799 He commands the morning. 00:26:56.880 --> 00:26:58.480 And it's always morning somewhere. 00:26:58.559 --> 00:27:01.759 Like it's morning, so he's constantly commanding the morning. 00:27:01.839 --> 00:27:05.119 And I would assume he probably commands the afternoon and the evening too. 00:27:05.279 --> 00:27:06.319 That's amazing. 00:27:06.480 --> 00:27:09.839 He uh he stores up hail and snow. 00:27:10.480 --> 00:27:11.920 He stores it up, okay? 00:27:12.000 --> 00:27:13.039 I mean, come on. 00:27:13.200 --> 00:27:16.079 Have you seen what people are putting in their storage units? 00:27:16.319 --> 00:27:20.079 I run a thrift store, I know what people are putting in their storage units. 00:27:20.240 --> 00:27:21.680 It's not that impressive. 00:27:21.920 --> 00:27:25.920 It's not as impressive or as useful as snow and hail. 00:27:26.160 --> 00:27:28.400 He stacks up snow and hail. 00:27:29.920 --> 00:27:35.920 God the Son told a grown man that had never walked to get up and walk, and he did. 00:27:37.279 --> 00:27:39.519 He walked on top of water. 00:27:40.079 --> 00:27:48.880 Um a guy pulled out a sword and cut off a guy's ear, and Jesus picked his ear up off the ground and put it back on to him. 00:27:49.039 --> 00:27:55.759 If you can't get some emotional stir out of that, I mean he put a guy's ear back on. 00:27:56.319 --> 00:27:59.759 And he honestly drank the cup of God's wrath. 00:28:00.000 --> 00:28:08.880 He drank the cup of God's wrath and was beaten on a cross so that you and I would not have to drink from the cup of God's wrath. 00:28:09.200 --> 00:28:10.880 He forgives sins. 00:28:11.119 --> 00:28:14.160 As amazing as all that stuff is, he forgives sins. 00:28:14.319 --> 00:28:15.759 You know the weight of that. 00:28:16.000 --> 00:28:18.720 You know how much sin entangles us. 00:28:19.279 --> 00:28:24.480 You know what it's like to walk around with guilt and with pressure. 00:28:26.400 --> 00:28:28.240 God has forgiven that. 00:28:29.759 --> 00:28:30.720 What do you do with that stuff? 00:28:30.799 --> 00:28:31.839 What do you do with sin? 00:28:32.079 --> 00:28:33.920 Jesus literally forgives it. 00:28:34.240 --> 00:28:35.680 He paid for it. 00:28:36.319 --> 00:28:39.599 And you may be here this morning and you're feeling the slide. 00:28:40.079 --> 00:28:44.640 You're feeling the temptation to return to the elementary principles of this world. 00:28:44.799 --> 00:28:50.000 And I want to encourage you to be captivated by the wonder of God. 00:28:50.559 --> 00:28:58.480 That's what will keep us from congratulating ourselves and returning to the weak and worthless principles of this world. 00:28:58.720 --> 00:29:02.880 Brothers and sisters, you know him and have been known by him. 00:29:03.200 --> 00:29:08.319 Don't turn back to the weak and worthless offerings of this world. 00:29:08.559 --> 00:29:12.000 Remember back when you didn't know God. 00:29:12.960 --> 00:29:15.599 Think of the credit that he deserves in your life. 00:29:15.839 --> 00:29:20.880 He's the only one worthy of a lifetime and an eternity of worship. 00:29:21.119 --> 00:29:29.119 Read about him, pray about him, ask him to pull you in close and to change you, to change you more into his image. 00:29:29.440 --> 00:29:37.200 We are talking about the God, the very one that his very nature and makeup is God. 00:29:37.599 --> 00:29:38.799 Return back to him. 00:29:39.119 --> 00:29:43.599 Fix your eyes on him, and he will justify you by faith. 00:29:43.759 --> 00:29:45.680 He's the only one that has the power to do that. 00:29:45.839 --> 00:29:48.960 And I would just encourage you, stay close to him. 00:29:49.200 --> 00:29:49.759 Return to him. 00:29:50.000 --> 00:29:50.720 Come back to him. 00:29:50.960 --> 00:29:52.160 He's there waiting. 00:29:52.480 --> 00:29:55.519 He is the only true and living God. 00:29:55.920 --> 00:29:57.279 Let's pray. 00:29:59.039 --> 00:30:05.680 God, we are uh we are thankful that you do justify by faith. 00:30:06.000 --> 00:30:09.279 Because whatever else we could offer up is not enough. 00:30:10.240 --> 00:30:11.200 It's not enough. 00:30:11.519 --> 00:30:16.160 We could spend our life in service, and it's not enough. 00:30:16.640 --> 00:30:38.000 And I pray that there's someone here that's relying on morality or what they think is right, that they would come close to the God of the Bible, that you would you would supernaturally give them a new heart, new affections, and new desires, and you would save them. 00:30:38.240 --> 00:30:47.119 And I pray for the brothers and sisters that are here, that you would give us just a taste of what it'll be like to be with you. 00:30:47.359 --> 00:30:51.200 Give us wonder and imagination and awe as we read through your word. 00:30:51.519 --> 00:30:54.720 And and may we never outgrow that. 00:30:54.880 --> 00:31:00.160 Help us to be captivated by who you are, by your glory, more and more each day. 00:31:00.640 --> 00:31:08.000 I just praise you, honor you, thank you so much for being our God, the only God worthy of praise and worship. 00:31:08.160 --> 00:31:09.759 We give you the praise for it this morning. 00:31:09.920 --> 00:31:11.359 We praise things in Jesus' name. 00:31:11.519 --> 00:31:11.920 Amen.