WEBVTT 00:00:00.080 --> 00:00:02.640 This podcast is the Ministry of Grand Parkway Baptist Church. 00:00:02.799 --> 00:00:05.759 For more information on our church, please visit Grandparkway.org. 00:00:06.080 --> 00:00:09.599 If you got a Bible, I want to invite you to take it and uh open it up to Romans chapter one. 00:00:09.839 --> 00:00:14.560 And we'll continue in our series entitled Raise, where we talk about living the reality of the resurrection. 00:00:14.640 --> 00:00:19.600 And this is the second part, and we're just going to get halfway through this and we'll finish out Ray's next week. 00:00:19.760 --> 00:00:24.239 If you weren't here last week, I told you, and I mean this, the resurrection is kind of like turkey. 00:00:24.320 --> 00:00:25.600 You only have it once a year. 00:00:25.760 --> 00:00:27.039 But you should have it more than that. 00:00:27.199 --> 00:00:30.079 We should talk about the resurrection more than that in the church. 00:00:30.160 --> 00:00:34.320 And so I want to talk to you this morning about what the resurrection makes us believe. 00:00:34.560 --> 00:00:36.799 What the resurrection makes us believe. 00:00:36.960 --> 00:00:40.159 And if you got your Bible, keep it out because we're going to look at different places. 00:00:40.560 --> 00:00:45.520 But I want to begin reading in Romans chapter 1, verse 1. 00:00:46.079 --> 00:00:46.719 Early on. 00:00:46.880 --> 00:00:51.520 Except parts of the Bible that you don't really, when you first start, you're kind of just on cruise control. 00:00:51.600 --> 00:00:53.359 You're just kind of reading through there. 00:00:53.439 --> 00:00:58.719 But I want you to see the Bible makes great doctrinal statements early on in books of the Bible. 00:00:58.960 --> 00:01:00.320 Romans chapter 1, verse 1. 00:01:00.479 --> 00:01:01.840 Paul writes these words. 00:01:01.920 --> 00:01:25.920 He says, Paul, a servant of Christ Jesus, called to be an apostle, set apart for the gospel of God, which he promised beforehand through his prophets in the Holy Scriptures, concerning his son, who was a descendant from David according to the flesh, and was declared to be the Son of God in power according to the spirit of holiness by his resurrection from the dead, Jesus Christ our Lord. 00:01:26.159 --> 00:01:51.040 Now just stop and read that last part again because Paul's kind of introducing himself and his credentials, and he says, But I'm an apostle set apart for the gospel of God, which he promised beforehand through his prophets in the Holy Scriptures, think Old Testament, concerning his son, who was descended from David according to the flesh, and was declared to be the Son of God in power according to the spirit of holiness by his resurrection from the dead. 00:01:51.280 --> 00:01:58.480 See, the first thing that the resurrection really demands that we believe is a really simple thing that we so often take for granted. 00:01:58.560 --> 00:02:13.520 But in this multicultural, politically correct, pluralistic, all kinds of tolerance age, the one thing the resurrection enforces on us and says, you have to believe in the resurrection, you're believing in this, and it's simply this that Jesus is God. 00:02:14.159 --> 00:02:17.199 That Jesus is God, and you say, Well, that's no big deal. 00:02:17.439 --> 00:02:28.479 We believe that, you would be surprised because you can say, I don't know if you ever know, you can say God, the big man, the man upstairs, the heavenly father, and nobody you work with will say anything. 00:02:28.719 --> 00:02:33.680 But when you kind of sharpen the focus and say Jesus, all of a sudden those are fighting words. 00:02:33.840 --> 00:02:46.800 Because when you say Jesus, you're saying something about everybody in the world because in Jesus, it's like I referenced my prayer, in Jesus, uh like it's like the angel said, You shall call him Jesus, for he will save his people. 00:02:46.879 --> 00:02:54.240 And just the name Jesus, it implies something about humanity, but it also implies something, makes a statement about God. 00:02:54.400 --> 00:02:55.520 You say, What do you mean? 00:02:55.680 --> 00:03:00.240 More than any doctrine in the church today, the doctrine of Christology, don't get hung up with that big word. 00:03:00.400 --> 00:03:04.560 Christology basically means what do you understand the Bible to teach about Christ? 00:03:04.800 --> 00:03:14.159 More than anything in America, and especially in America, but in the world, Christology is under attack, not on a theological basis, but on a practical basis. 00:03:14.319 --> 00:03:15.599 Here's the way it sounds. 00:03:15.840 --> 00:03:20.879 If all roads lead to God, then what does it matter what you believe about Jesus? 00:03:21.280 --> 00:03:23.360 I've been asked that question so many times. 00:03:23.919 --> 00:03:28.000 I don't mean on the mission field, by some native person living in a hut. 00:03:28.159 --> 00:03:31.680 I mean by well-dressed people at Cafe Express in town center. 00:03:31.919 --> 00:03:33.039 All roads lead to God. 00:03:33.120 --> 00:03:34.800 I mean, what's the big deal about Jesus? 00:03:35.039 --> 00:03:36.879 That's a crystallological question. 00:03:36.960 --> 00:03:44.879 And here's the thing: when we assume mistakenly and we believe that people accept what we assume, we are ill-prepared for that conversation. 00:03:45.120 --> 00:03:51.199 And we were kind of like, uh, and then you text me, you have that conversation, you text me and go, hey, wish you would have been here at lunch today. 00:03:51.360 --> 00:03:53.120 My buddy said this, and I didn't know what to say. 00:03:53.199 --> 00:03:55.120 And I thought, I wish my pastor was here. 00:03:55.360 --> 00:03:58.719 Hey, the Spirit of God was there and you were there. 00:03:58.879 --> 00:04:01.759 You didn't need me, you didn't need anybody that works at this church. 00:04:01.919 --> 00:04:03.280 You had everything you needed. 00:04:03.360 --> 00:04:11.520 But see, the mistake we've made in the American church is we just assume everybody believes that, that Jesus is God, and they don't. 00:04:11.919 --> 00:04:21.199 Most people in the world believe there's a God, if they believe there's a God, but they believe that all the world religions are just different paths that you take to get to God. 00:04:21.360 --> 00:04:23.040 Now, the Bible doesn't teach that. 00:04:23.279 --> 00:04:28.560 The Bible says two things about Jesus: that he is exalted, and we'll see in just a minute, and he's exclusive. 00:04:28.800 --> 00:04:34.000 The only way to have a relationship with God is through his son, Jesus Christ. 00:04:34.160 --> 00:04:35.519 Do you believe that today? 00:04:36.639 --> 00:04:40.079 That's if you don't believe that, then there's no sense going to Romania. 00:04:40.399 --> 00:04:45.839 We're just wasting gas and airline tickets, and you're going to go confuse a lot of people that need to hear the gospel. 00:04:46.000 --> 00:04:50.240 See, the resurrection is kind of the validation, it's the stamp. 00:04:50.319 --> 00:04:57.759 It's God saying, Jesus saying, hey, here you're you're now left without excuse as to what you believe about me. 00:04:58.000 --> 00:05:00.000 I am the Son of God declared in power. 00:05:00.160 --> 00:05:03.759 See, the resurrection kind of overturns relativism. 00:05:03.920 --> 00:05:12.560 Because in the resurrection, what you see is that Jesus is not just a prophet or a teacher or a good person. 00:05:13.279 --> 00:05:15.759 All things that people have said, radical. 00:05:15.920 --> 00:05:18.639 One guy said, I think Jesus is kind of like Che Guavera. 00:05:18.879 --> 00:05:22.160 And I almost just reached across the table and choked him out right there. 00:05:22.399 --> 00:05:24.720 I was like, Well, what do you mean, Che Guevara? 00:05:24.959 --> 00:05:28.959 I mean, he's kind of like he was for the little man, he overthrew the government. 00:05:29.519 --> 00:05:30.720 Oh, wow. 00:05:31.439 --> 00:05:35.120 Man, I thought just when I thought we were out of morons, you and I had lunch. 00:05:35.360 --> 00:05:36.480 We got a deep supply. 00:05:36.560 --> 00:05:38.560 There's just an endless supply of them, keep coming. 00:05:38.720 --> 00:05:44.240 See, the resurrection kind of overturns relativism, this kind of a man be pamby. 00:05:44.319 --> 00:05:45.360 Well, it just doesn't matter. 00:05:45.519 --> 00:05:53.839 Because in it you see that he's not just prophet, teacher, he's not just radical, he's not just your best friend, he's not a friend of the oppressed, the downcast, the poor. 00:05:54.000 --> 00:05:55.519 He's not just love and in mercy. 00:05:55.600 --> 00:05:58.560 In the resurrection, you see that Jesus is God. 00:05:58.959 --> 00:06:04.240 And if you want to see how controversial that is, look no further than the three biggest religions in the world right now. 00:06:05.199 --> 00:06:09.920 Uh Jew, look at the Jews, look at the Muslims, and look at Christians. 00:06:10.079 --> 00:06:16.959 Just briefly, I just tell you, just in a really over-generalized simplification, Jews do not believe that Jesus is their Messiah. 00:06:17.040 --> 00:06:20.639 They believe he lived and he died, but he didn't rise again. 00:06:21.519 --> 00:06:22.000 He just did. 00:06:22.079 --> 00:06:25.680 As a matter of fact, you can look in the Bible, and we'll we'll get to Matthew 28 in just a minute. 00:06:25.920 --> 00:06:34.399 You can see that, hey, the chief priests and the leaders called these guys in and gave them money and said, Hey, tell everybody that his disciples came and took his body in the middle of the night. 00:06:34.560 --> 00:06:37.199 And it says to this day the Jews believe that. 00:06:37.439 --> 00:06:39.439 They don't believe in the resurrection of Jesus. 00:06:39.600 --> 00:06:46.240 Because if Jesus is really risen from the dead, then they're without excuse, and all of a sudden, something's got to happen. 00:06:46.480 --> 00:06:47.680 You look at the Muslim faith. 00:06:47.839 --> 00:06:50.879 One of the they say he was one of the great prophets, not the greatest one. 00:06:51.040 --> 00:06:55.279 He lived as an esteemed man of God, but he wasn't crucified. 00:06:55.439 --> 00:06:57.120 It just seemed like he was. 00:06:57.839 --> 00:07:00.000 I've always wondered how do you fake that? 00:07:01.279 --> 00:07:04.000 How do you pull that kind of trick off? 00:07:04.480 --> 00:07:18.720 But if you're a Christian, what you profess to believe and what the Bible teaches is that Jesus lived, that he died, and he rose from the dead, and because of this, God has highly exalted him and given him a name that is above every name. 00:07:18.800 --> 00:07:21.040 If you got your Bibles, turn to Philippians chapter 2. 00:07:21.120 --> 00:07:23.120 If you're in Romans, just turn to the right. 00:07:23.279 --> 00:07:30.160 I don't want to assume, and I want you to turn if you've got a Bible, and if you don't have a Bible, pick one up on your pew there and take it home with you. 00:07:30.240 --> 00:07:31.279 And happy birthday. 00:07:31.360 --> 00:07:32.240 That's my gift to you. 00:07:32.399 --> 00:07:33.600 Thanks for coming. 00:07:34.160 --> 00:07:37.759 Because I don't want you to just look up on the screen and kind of go, I'm kind of tired. 00:07:37.839 --> 00:07:44.639 I stayed up late last night, had a big day yesterday, and just kind of because you need to kind of train your mind to know where things in the Bible are. 00:07:44.800 --> 00:07:46.079 Philippians chapter 2. 00:07:46.160 --> 00:07:47.439 I'll start reading verse 5. 00:07:47.600 --> 00:07:54.000 One of the greatest passages in the New Testament on the Christology, on who exactly is Jesus. 00:07:54.240 --> 00:07:54.879 Paul says this. 00:07:55.040 --> 00:08:18.720 He says, Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God as a thing to be grasped, but he made himself nothing, taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men and of men, and being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on the cross. 00:08:18.959 --> 00:08:34.720 Therefore, God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confessed that Jesus Christ is Lord to the glory of God the Father. 00:08:34.960 --> 00:08:39.519 See, there's what he did in the like verses five to ten, and then there's why he did it. 00:08:39.600 --> 00:08:40.399 That last part. 00:08:40.559 --> 00:08:46.320 He says that every tongue is going to confess that Jesus is Lord to the glory of God the Father. 00:08:46.639 --> 00:08:52.240 Everything that Jesus did here on earth, he did to bring glory to his Father God. 00:08:52.399 --> 00:08:53.440 Do you realize that? 00:08:53.600 --> 00:08:54.559 Everything he did. 00:08:54.720 --> 00:09:01.440 The Bible tells us that the Son, he came to glorify the Father, and the Spirit is left here to glorify the Son. 00:09:01.600 --> 00:09:03.360 That's just that's just the way it is. 00:09:03.919 --> 00:09:08.799 In the resurrection, Jesus is without doubt proven to be the Son of God. 00:09:08.960 --> 00:09:09.519 He is God. 00:09:09.600 --> 00:09:16.960 You say, well, what do you keep your finger in Philippians 2 and turn back to the left if you would to Isaiah 45 in the Old Testament? 00:09:17.200 --> 00:09:18.320 I want to show you something. 00:09:18.399 --> 00:09:20.000 You need to make the correlation. 00:09:21.039 --> 00:09:22.480 Isaiah chapter 45. 00:09:22.559 --> 00:09:24.399 I'll start reading verse 22. 00:09:25.919 --> 00:09:27.200 Y'all have to blame Ross. 00:09:27.279 --> 00:09:30.080 He got me all excited with them songs about the name. 00:09:31.200 --> 00:09:45.679 Because when the Bible says that he's highly exalted him and given him a name that is above every name, that you can't feel about all the other so-called messiahs and gods in the world the way you feel about Jesus, because God doesn't feel that way. 00:09:45.840 --> 00:09:51.279 God doesn't look down and say, hey, you're all trying hard, you're all doing good, you seem to be sincere. 00:09:51.440 --> 00:09:54.080 I'm gonna let you in on the base of your sincerity. 00:09:54.240 --> 00:09:55.440 That's never gonna happen. 00:09:55.519 --> 00:09:56.639 Do you realize that? 00:09:56.879 --> 00:10:06.320 It's never like in the Old Testament, 1 Kings chapter 19, there was 850 false prophets of Baal, and there was one man that knew God named Elijah, and they kind of had a contest. 00:10:06.399 --> 00:10:09.600 They said, Whoever God answers with fire, that's who's really God. 00:10:09.759 --> 00:10:12.720 They did all their stuff, they couldn't get a spark going. 00:10:12.960 --> 00:10:18.159 And Elijah just prayed and said, Lord, so all these people know that you're the God in heaven who answers with fire. 00:10:18.320 --> 00:10:19.440 Just send fire. 00:10:19.600 --> 00:10:27.519 And I mean, it just came and just kind of burned up this all this altar they'd built out of wood, and he poured water on it, and it was soaked three times. 00:10:27.679 --> 00:10:30.559 And then God said, Oh, by the way, go kill all those people. 00:10:31.360 --> 00:10:34.080 It just makes you want to watch true grit, doesn't it? 00:10:34.879 --> 00:10:39.519 It's kind of like, hey, we're gonna establish once for all who it is that really knows God. 00:10:39.759 --> 00:10:41.200 Isaiah chapter 45. 00:10:41.360 --> 00:10:48.799 Now remember in Philippians 2, it was said of Jesus that he has exalted him and given him a name that is above every name. 00:10:49.039 --> 00:10:55.679 So that at the name of Jesus, every knee should bow and every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord to the glory of the Father. 00:10:55.919 --> 00:11:02.080 You will bow in this world out of relationship, or you will bow in the next out of reverence. 00:11:02.240 --> 00:11:04.240 It doesn't matter, but you're going to bow. 00:11:04.879 --> 00:11:06.480 Let's just be clear about that. 00:11:06.639 --> 00:11:06.960 Okay? 00:11:07.440 --> 00:11:11.200 Now look at Isaiah 45, verse 22. 00:11:11.840 --> 00:11:15.039 God says this: Turn to me and be saved, all the ends of the earth. 00:11:15.279 --> 00:11:16.639 See, God's not harsh. 00:11:16.960 --> 00:11:20.799 He tells everybody everywhere, turn to me and be saved. 00:11:20.960 --> 00:11:23.120 For I am God, and there is no other. 00:11:23.360 --> 00:11:29.919 By myself I have sworn, for my mouth has gone out in righteousness, a word that shall not return to me. 00:11:30.240 --> 00:11:35.759 Every knee shall bow, and every tongue shall swear allegiance. 00:11:36.159 --> 00:11:37.279 Sound familiar? 00:11:38.639 --> 00:11:39.919 What is Paul saying? 00:11:40.080 --> 00:11:48.960 What is the Bible teaching us in Philippians 2 when he kind of paraphrases or basically applies what the Bible says and what God says of himself in Isaiah 45? 00:11:49.120 --> 00:11:51.840 Paul says, This is true of Jesus. 00:11:52.000 --> 00:12:05.440 What the Bible's telling us, not what I'm telling you, not what your grandma told you, not what religious people tell you, what the Bible tells you, that you see it verified and validated in the resurrection, is first and foremost that Jesus is God. 00:12:06.159 --> 00:12:11.039 Because if Jesus is not God, then we have no gospel to take to the nations. 00:12:11.279 --> 00:12:13.519 You have no reason to get up today. 00:12:13.840 --> 00:12:15.679 You have no hope for the future. 00:12:15.840 --> 00:12:21.200 If Jesus is not God incarnate, God with skin on him, then none of this matters. 00:12:21.360 --> 00:12:26.399 If all roads lead to God, then just pick your one that makes you the most comfortable. 00:12:26.559 --> 00:12:28.240 Like people pick churches in America. 00:12:28.399 --> 00:12:30.080 Well, that's what makes me the most comfortable. 00:12:30.159 --> 00:12:31.600 I think I go to that. 00:12:32.320 --> 00:12:37.120 And then they're 10 years, 15 years, 20 years, and they realize I don't really know anything. 00:12:37.440 --> 00:12:42.320 Well, because you you made life choices on the basis of what is most comfortable. 00:12:42.559 --> 00:12:45.200 And the Bible says, hey, let's just be clear about something. 00:12:45.360 --> 00:12:50.000 In the resurrection, Jesus is declared and proven to be God. 00:12:50.240 --> 00:12:54.879 Secondly, and I want to kind of go back to something I mentioned at the end last week. 00:12:55.440 --> 00:12:59.679 Second point in the talk this morning is simply this is that judgment is purposeful. 00:12:59.919 --> 00:13:01.039 Judgment is purposeful. 00:13:01.440 --> 00:13:06.399 Don't turn in your Bibles to this, but that Acts 17 passage will come up that we referenced last week. 00:13:06.559 --> 00:13:09.440 Remember, we said last week that the resurrection starts the clock? 00:13:09.679 --> 00:13:10.480 Remember that? 00:13:10.799 --> 00:13:11.200 Hello? 00:13:12.240 --> 00:13:14.480 I'm going to keep talking to you until you answer back. 00:13:14.639 --> 00:13:19.840 Remember, I said that the resurrection, the Bible tells us, once Jesus, see the new creation's already started. 00:13:19.919 --> 00:13:22.639 We're not waiting to get to heaven for the good stuff to happen. 00:13:22.799 --> 00:13:25.440 That's why Jesus, when his disciples said, How shall we pray? 00:13:25.600 --> 00:13:26.720 He said, Pray this way. 00:13:26.879 --> 00:13:35.200 Our Father who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name, thy kingdom come, thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. 00:13:35.440 --> 00:13:42.720 Stop being neutral and lazy and doing nothing and telling everybody, well, when I get to heaven, I'm really gonna kick it in gear because I'm gonna get a new body. 00:13:42.799 --> 00:13:45.840 I'm not gonna be fat and lazy and none of that stuff. 00:13:47.360 --> 00:13:54.799 No, we're supposed to be right now bringing it to bear on us, on this earth, by our obedience. 00:13:54.960 --> 00:14:05.600 When the Bible says one day the knowledge, the glory of God is gonna cover the earth as the water covers the sea, the reason that's gonna happen is because you and I are contending for the glory of God. 00:14:05.759 --> 00:14:08.879 We're doing that and saying that, which brings God glory. 00:14:09.039 --> 00:14:13.919 So when I'm at Cafe Express and a guy says, Well, I appreciate the fact you're religious, but all roads lead to God. 00:14:14.080 --> 00:14:17.679 I'm not being radical or upstartish. 00:14:18.159 --> 00:14:20.799 When I just say, actually, that's not true. 00:14:20.879 --> 00:14:23.440 You you you you know that all roads don't lead to God. 00:14:23.519 --> 00:14:29.279 And then, by the way, everybody around, like in every table around there, all kinds of looks up like, lighten up, dude. 00:14:29.360 --> 00:14:31.039 Why are you hating on that guy? 00:14:31.519 --> 00:14:32.879 I'm not hating on that guy. 00:14:32.960 --> 00:14:45.200 And these aren't aborigines that live on the Australian Outback, these are pearly white Fort Bend County people that go to churches and they don't know anything. 00:14:45.600 --> 00:14:48.240 And I'm like, dude, do y'all teach the Bible? 00:14:48.720 --> 00:14:51.279 Well, you know, our band rocks. 00:14:51.600 --> 00:14:52.639 One guy told me that. 00:14:53.120 --> 00:14:54.720 When I said, Do y'all teach the Bible? 00:14:54.879 --> 00:14:56.480 He said, We got an awesome band. 00:14:56.559 --> 00:14:58.240 I mean, our band rocks. 00:14:58.879 --> 00:15:01.200 Come here, son, I'm gonna whip you right here. 00:15:02.720 --> 00:15:03.679 What am I saying? 00:15:03.759 --> 00:15:10.639 Look at this Acts passage from Acts 17 when I say judgment is purple, because last week we left it and it sounded kind of foreboding. 00:15:10.720 --> 00:15:17.679 I don't want you to think that God's just kind of like hacked off with the world and like a drunken stepdaddy's gonna come in and start just hitting people. 00:15:18.320 --> 00:15:19.200 Bible says this. 00:15:19.279 --> 00:15:24.720 He says the times of ignorance God overlooked, but now he commands all people everywhere to repent. 00:15:25.200 --> 00:15:26.480 Because he has fixed a day. 00:15:26.639 --> 00:15:28.480 Now, why does God tell people to repent? 00:15:28.639 --> 00:15:30.000 Because he wants to be right? 00:15:30.159 --> 00:15:31.120 No, he is right. 00:15:31.360 --> 00:15:35.919 Because he's fixed a day on which he will judge the world in righteousness by a man he's appointed. 00:15:36.000 --> 00:15:40.879 And of this he's given assurance to everybody by raising him from the dead. 00:15:41.039 --> 00:15:49.039 When Jesus was raised from the dead, God now has a perfect judge by which everybody in the world is going to be judged. 00:15:49.279 --> 00:15:49.600 Okay? 00:15:50.000 --> 00:15:54.399 So when I say that judgment is purposeful, that's what we looked at last week. 00:15:54.480 --> 00:15:55.519 That started the clock. 00:15:55.679 --> 00:16:01.759 God now, when we said that Jesus is the Bible says in 1 Corinthians 15 that he's the first fruits from among the dead. 00:16:01.840 --> 00:16:10.399 And whereas there's first fruits, that means there's going to be one more time, where there's first fruit, there's going to be more fruit. 00:16:10.559 --> 00:16:13.360 Like Monday is payday for us here at the church. 00:16:13.519 --> 00:16:21.919 And so because I tithe on first fruit before my check ever shows up in my in my bank account, I just write a check and tithe off of that. 00:16:22.080 --> 00:16:22.879 That's my first fruit. 00:16:22.960 --> 00:16:29.840 And what I'm saying to God is, God, I'm giving this because I believe, here's my first fruit, because I believe there's going to be more fruit. 00:16:30.000 --> 00:16:34.159 I don't have to live like, well, God, I'm going to get this and I'm going to get paid. 00:16:34.240 --> 00:16:34.799 I'm going to do this. 00:16:34.879 --> 00:16:38.320 And boy, God, I want one of those new tailor-made rocket balls drivers. 00:16:38.399 --> 00:16:42.399 I'm going to buy one of those, and then I'm going to take my wife out, and then my kids need shoes. 00:16:42.559 --> 00:16:45.600 And then I want to go down to Galveston to the beach for a day. 00:16:45.759 --> 00:16:48.480 And then, if I got anything left, here's the change. 00:16:48.639 --> 00:16:49.759 You can have it. 00:16:50.559 --> 00:16:52.159 That's last fruit. 00:16:52.960 --> 00:16:54.240 That's not first fruit. 00:16:54.559 --> 00:16:56.639 See, first fruit means there's more fruit. 00:16:56.799 --> 00:16:58.799 There's more people going to be raised from the dead. 00:16:59.039 --> 00:17:00.720 Matter of fact, everybody is. 00:17:01.200 --> 00:17:03.919 And see, what do you mean judgment is purposeful? 00:17:04.079 --> 00:17:08.079 He has set a day when he's going to judge the world in righteousness. 00:17:09.119 --> 00:17:12.640 If you get your Bibles, turn to the book of Psalms, Psalm 98. 00:17:15.119 --> 00:17:16.079 Psalm 98. 00:17:16.160 --> 00:17:17.200 I want you to see something. 00:17:17.599 --> 00:17:18.960 Judgment is purposeful. 00:17:19.119 --> 00:17:21.680 And everybody knows that except the people. 00:17:30.880 --> 00:17:32.480 Look at verse 1. 00:17:33.359 --> 00:17:34.480 Now get this. 00:17:34.960 --> 00:17:36.160 Listen to this. 00:17:36.400 --> 00:17:42.160 This is and I want to put a smile on judgment because we don't like judgment. 00:17:42.240 --> 00:17:43.039 Have you noticed that? 00:17:43.200 --> 00:17:44.559 People talk about Jesus or God. 00:17:45.279 --> 00:17:48.880 They say, well, I'd like to think about God as loving, not judgmental. 00:17:49.119 --> 00:17:52.000 Well, reality is not determined by what I like and what you like. 00:17:52.079 --> 00:17:53.279 Are you aware of that? 00:17:53.599 --> 00:17:57.599 Well, I I I prefer my God to be, it's kind of like you're ordering a drink. 00:17:57.759 --> 00:17:59.920 I'd like mine shaken, not stirred. 00:18:00.160 --> 00:18:02.400 What's that got to do with anything? 00:18:02.640 --> 00:18:05.839 I'd like a wife that did everything I told her to do. 00:18:07.039 --> 00:18:09.599 If you can figure out how to do that, tell me. 00:18:09.920 --> 00:18:15.599 Because my wife does a certain amount of things in the day, and then I ask for something else, and she's like, I'm done with you. 00:18:16.720 --> 00:18:17.839 I love you. 00:18:18.160 --> 00:18:19.519 You are wearing me out. 00:18:19.599 --> 00:18:21.680 You're the neediest man I know. 00:18:22.559 --> 00:18:25.279 I'm like, I got some friends that are really needy. 00:18:25.519 --> 00:18:26.240 I'm just done. 00:18:26.400 --> 00:18:26.880 I'm done. 00:18:26.960 --> 00:18:27.359 I'm done. 00:18:27.599 --> 00:18:30.640 Every time I move, you ask me for something, just get it yourself. 00:18:31.599 --> 00:18:31.839 Okay. 00:18:32.160 --> 00:18:33.680 Ain't got to yell at me. 00:18:35.519 --> 00:18:38.319 See, put put put a new face on judgment today. 00:18:38.480 --> 00:18:39.920 Psalm 98, verse 1. 00:18:40.079 --> 00:18:43.599 Oh, sing to the Lord a new song, for he has done marvelous things. 00:18:43.759 --> 00:18:47.440 His right hand and his holy arm have worked salvation for him. 00:18:47.759 --> 00:18:49.599 The Lord has made known his salvation. 00:18:49.759 --> 00:18:52.799 He has revealed his righteousness in the sight of the nations. 00:18:53.039 --> 00:18:55.599 He has remembered his steadfast love and faithfulness. 00:18:55.759 --> 00:19:01.200 To the house of Israel, all the ends of the earth have seen the salvation of our God. 00:19:01.359 --> 00:19:02.559 Now look at me just for a minute. 00:19:02.640 --> 00:19:06.799 Have you noticed already twice the Bible has talked about all the ends of the earth? 00:19:07.759 --> 00:19:08.319 Hello? 00:19:08.640 --> 00:19:09.279 Over here? 00:19:09.599 --> 00:19:14.880 Have you noticed all the so no one's going to be able to say, Well, I just never knew. 00:19:15.519 --> 00:19:17.440 I just didn't know. 00:19:17.920 --> 00:19:18.240 No. 00:19:18.480 --> 00:19:22.319 All the ends of the earth have seen the salvation of our God. 00:19:22.480 --> 00:19:25.759 Verse 4 Make a joyful noise to the Lord all the earth. 00:19:25.920 --> 00:19:28.480 Break forth in joyous song and sing praises. 00:19:28.880 --> 00:19:39.039 Sing praises to the Lord with the lyre, with the lyre and the sound of melody, with trumpets and the sound of the horn, with a joyful noise before the King of the Lord. 00:19:39.279 --> 00:19:44.400 Let the sea roar and all that fills it, and the world and those who dwell in it. 00:19:44.559 --> 00:19:49.759 Let the rivers clap their hands and let the hills sing for joy together. 00:19:50.720 --> 00:19:52.640 What are they so excited about? 00:19:52.880 --> 00:19:54.559 Look at the next sentence. 00:19:54.880 --> 00:19:56.000 Verse nine. 00:19:56.400 --> 00:20:03.680 Before the Lord, let the hills sing for joy together before the Lord, for he comes to judge the earth. 00:20:03.920 --> 00:20:08.480 He will judge the world with righteousness and the peoples with equity. 00:20:08.720 --> 00:20:13.519 Translation, nobody's gonna get a raw deal or an unfair shake. 00:20:13.680 --> 00:20:22.240 He's gonna come and judge the world with righteousness and with equity, and creation, the Bible says, is pretty jazzed about that. 00:20:23.039 --> 00:20:24.000 You say, why? 00:20:24.160 --> 00:20:31.839 Because I don't want to give you too many Bible verses, because I'm supposed to like read three sentences and give you seven things to do to jazz up your marriage. 00:20:34.480 --> 00:20:41.200 And by the way, just a little aside, people have been asking, like six years ago when I first started, I talked to the book of Song of Solomon. 00:20:41.440 --> 00:20:42.960 How many of y'all were around back then? 00:20:43.119 --> 00:20:44.319 Can I see your hand? 00:20:45.279 --> 00:20:46.960 Because people are like, would you ever do that again? 00:20:47.039 --> 00:20:49.920 And I'm like, I told you six years ago, have you forgotten? 00:20:50.799 --> 00:20:53.279 And so we're we're just asking, should we do that? 00:20:53.519 --> 00:20:54.720 And so we're just kind of wondering. 00:20:54.799 --> 00:20:56.559 By the way, we place a high priority on the value. 00:20:56.799 --> 00:21:02.799 Lance said weight, now we're off on a planning routine this past week, and we're gonna do uh we'll do uh the mission of the church next Sunday. 00:21:02.960 --> 00:21:05.119 How does the resurrection influence the mission of the church? 00:21:05.200 --> 00:21:12.160 And then I'm gonna preach through the book of Ruth, and then I'm gonna preach through the book of Galatians, and then we'll do Ecclesiastes, and then we'll do the book of Romans. 00:21:12.319 --> 00:21:14.480 That's and we'll have some topical stuff thrown in. 00:21:14.559 --> 00:21:17.920 That's about the next five years of the preaching schedule here at our church. 00:21:18.319 --> 00:21:20.960 In case you're wondering what I'll be doing, that's what I'll be doing. 00:21:21.039 --> 00:21:24.160 And we'll be in Romans for, I don't know, maybe three years. 00:21:24.400 --> 00:21:29.119 It's it's like throwing your kid in the deep end of the pool and just kind of going, kick paddle, kick paddle. 00:21:29.680 --> 00:21:32.240 But it's one of the most grace-filled books in the Bible. 00:21:32.319 --> 00:21:39.519 And if you're visiting today, realize this we don't want to beat you over the head with information, we want to marinate you in intimacy. 00:21:40.079 --> 00:21:44.799 We want your neighbors to look at you and go, man, you really love your wife. 00:21:45.519 --> 00:21:46.960 And you say, Absolutely. 00:21:47.119 --> 00:21:52.960 And ladies, we want your friends to look at you and say, Hey, since you married that cat, you seem a lot happier. 00:21:53.039 --> 00:21:56.640 And you say, Well, it's like Song of Solomon, Shulamith, this woman. 00:21:56.720 --> 00:21:59.680 She starts off by saying, Don't look at me because I'm not taking care of. 00:22:00.319 --> 00:22:00.640 Body. 00:22:00.720 --> 00:22:07.440 And by spending time with this man, just in the next chapter, it begins with her saying, I'm the rose of Sharon, I'm the lily of the valley. 00:22:07.599 --> 00:22:12.640 Translation, check me out, because I got my nails done and my hair's looking fierce. 00:22:15.440 --> 00:22:23.279 And I'm going to tell all my men when we go through that again, I'm going to tell you, hey, the way you love your wife should change the way she feels about herself. 00:22:23.440 --> 00:22:25.359 And if she doesn't, for the better. 00:22:25.599 --> 00:22:28.880 Some of you are like, yeah, it changed the way I feel about myself. 00:22:29.359 --> 00:22:32.160 Number one, I do not have the gift of discernment. 00:22:33.839 --> 00:22:35.440 No, for the better. 00:22:35.759 --> 00:22:36.559 For the better. 00:22:36.720 --> 00:22:44.960 But I don't want to, I got off on that because I don't want to overwhelm you with a bunch of Bible verses, uh, but I do want to teach you the Bible. 00:22:45.119 --> 00:22:50.640 Because I'm going to stand before God, and Lance is going to stand before God, and Wade's going to stand before God, and Jerry's going to stand before God. 00:22:50.720 --> 00:22:52.960 And we're going to give an account for what we told you. 00:22:53.119 --> 00:22:54.880 And here's what you need to know about our church. 00:22:55.039 --> 00:23:01.599 I don't speak to you on the basis of what I want you to do, I speak to you on the basis of what I want you to understand. 00:23:02.079 --> 00:23:05.440 Because once you understand it, the doing just happens. 00:23:06.559 --> 00:23:08.000 Does that make sense? 00:23:08.319 --> 00:23:11.599 Because I think the church in America, we're raising activists. 00:23:12.720 --> 00:23:16.880 We just give you four or five things to do every Sunday. 00:23:18.480 --> 00:23:23.599 And it's not about once you understand the Holy Spirit in you, it'll tell you what to do. 00:23:24.640 --> 00:23:26.079 It just happens. 00:23:26.799 --> 00:23:30.240 Anyway, I want to make four statements about judgment. 00:23:30.720 --> 00:23:34.559 And then I want to introduce the last point, which will be the whole summer for next week, and then we'll be done. 00:23:34.640 --> 00:23:35.680 Is that fair enough? 00:23:36.000 --> 00:23:38.319 This is crazy, but I but I mean this. 00:23:38.559 --> 00:23:40.880 Judgment is good, number one. 00:23:41.440 --> 00:23:42.960 Judgment is good. 00:23:43.440 --> 00:23:46.400 Y'all are like, you have lost your mind. 00:23:47.039 --> 00:23:48.160 No, it is. 00:23:48.559 --> 00:23:49.759 And here's what I mean. 00:23:50.480 --> 00:23:57.839 Judgment when it comes to God and Psalm 98 and creation and the and the rivers clapping their hands, going, Yes! Here's why. 00:23:57.920 --> 00:23:59.119 I wasn't gonna make you turn to it. 00:23:59.279 --> 00:23:59.839 Don't turn to it. 00:24:00.000 --> 00:24:01.519 But just write down Romans chapter 8. 00:24:01.680 --> 00:24:10.720 Romans chapter 8 tells us that the creation is groaning in travail as a woman in the pains of childbirth, waiting for the sons of God to be revealed. 00:24:10.960 --> 00:24:11.359 Why? 00:24:11.519 --> 00:24:17.599 So it's waiting for this judgment day so that creation can be restored to its pre-fallen state. 00:24:17.759 --> 00:24:23.039 Remember, I told you last week the most beautiful thing you've ever seen in nature, it's not as beautiful as it's gonna one day be. 00:24:23.279 --> 00:24:24.000 Remember that? 00:24:24.319 --> 00:24:26.960 Because the the creation is under the curse. 00:24:27.039 --> 00:24:31.920 That's why in Genesis we looked last week, how God said, Hey, cursed is the ground because of you, Adam. 00:24:32.000 --> 00:24:35.599 Now you gotta work it really hard to get food from it. 00:24:37.119 --> 00:24:40.240 It's beautiful, but it's not as beautiful as it's gonna one day be. 00:24:40.400 --> 00:24:41.680 See, judgment is good. 00:24:41.759 --> 00:24:42.640 You say, why? 00:24:42.799 --> 00:24:45.680 Because it shows that God cares about what he's made. 00:24:46.079 --> 00:24:47.519 It shows that God's cared. 00:24:47.599 --> 00:24:53.039 And people, you know, like I said earlier, people are like, well, I don't like to think of God as judgmental, but it's loving. 00:24:53.200 --> 00:24:54.960 Well, see, here's the problem with that. 00:24:55.279 --> 00:24:59.599 God's not determined by your preferences, he's established by his nature. 00:24:59.759 --> 00:25:05.279 And God judging what he has made is a good thing because it shows that he cares about what he made. 00:25:05.519 --> 00:25:06.880 Let me bring it down to where we live. 00:25:06.960 --> 00:25:10.400 How many of y'all went to the dessert auction a couple weeks ago or three weeks ago? 00:25:10.559 --> 00:25:11.680 Anybody here go to that? 00:25:12.400 --> 00:25:13.279 Let me ask this question. 00:25:13.440 --> 00:25:16.400 Did anybody in here submit something to the dessert auction? 00:25:16.720 --> 00:25:18.400 Did anybody hold your hand up? 00:25:18.559 --> 00:25:18.799 Yes. 00:25:18.880 --> 00:25:20.240 Now don't raise your hand to this. 00:25:20.480 --> 00:25:26.160 Most of you can remember what someone paid for your dessert because they were judging what you made. 00:25:27.119 --> 00:25:27.519 Yeah. 00:25:27.680 --> 00:25:33.119 And some of your husbands went home and I mean uh men, some of your wives came home and said, you know what? 00:25:33.200 --> 00:25:36.799 I slave in that kitchen for three hours and somebody paid 50 bucks for that. 00:25:36.960 --> 00:25:37.680 Are you kidding me? 00:25:37.839 --> 00:25:39.519 And then that goose pull over there. 00:25:39.680 --> 00:25:41.680 Somebody paid$300 for that. 00:25:42.000 --> 00:25:43.599 Hey, scoreboard. 00:25:43.759 --> 00:25:49.039 Because my friend Alton over here, he had a blueberry couple that somebody paid$500 for. 00:25:53.839 --> 00:26:03.839 And because you're following sinful people, some of you went home and you thought, hey, they didn't pay enough for what I put in the dessert auction. 00:26:04.079 --> 00:26:04.640 Why? 00:26:04.799 --> 00:26:07.119 Because you care about what you made. 00:26:07.680 --> 00:26:10.880 You were judging because you care about what you made. 00:26:11.119 --> 00:26:11.920 Guess what? 00:26:12.160 --> 00:26:14.319 God cares about what he made. 00:26:15.039 --> 00:26:16.880 Judgment is a good thing. 00:26:17.200 --> 00:26:19.519 Second thing I want to say about judgment, which we don't talk about. 00:26:19.680 --> 00:26:22.559 When's the last time you heard a full sermon about judgment? 00:26:24.160 --> 00:26:26.000 Yeah, well, this would be the first one. 00:26:27.440 --> 00:26:30.720 Secondly, indifference is impossible. 00:26:31.039 --> 00:26:33.440 Indifference is impossible. 00:26:33.680 --> 00:26:35.039 You say, What do you mean? 00:26:35.359 --> 00:26:36.960 Just here's why. 00:26:37.119 --> 00:26:44.240 The opposite of love is not hate, and it's not anger, it's indifference. 00:26:46.079 --> 00:26:49.519