WEBVTT 00:00:04.799 --> 00:00:12.480 This podcast is brought to you by Grand Parkway Baptist Church, helping people to know, enjoy, and glorify God. 00:00:12.960 --> 00:00:18.000 For more information about Grand Parkway, visit Grandparkway.org. 00:00:20.399 --> 00:00:20.640 Thanks. 00:00:20.719 --> 00:00:22.719 That's who you are, and that's how you are. 00:00:22.960 --> 00:00:26.800 But Jesus, you said, you know, if anyone thirsts, let him come to me and drink. 00:00:27.120 --> 00:00:30.000 You didn't give lectures to thirsty people about water. 00:00:30.160 --> 00:00:37.359 You said, come and get a mouthful of the juicy goodness of God, and you will never, ever, ever be the same ever again. 00:00:37.520 --> 00:00:41.600 You said, if anyone is tired, let them come to me. 00:00:41.679 --> 00:00:47.200 Uh and all you that labor and are heavy laden, uh, because you're strong and you're kind. 00:00:47.359 --> 00:00:51.520 You're not overwhelming and inappropriate, you're accessible and available. 00:00:51.679 --> 00:00:59.759 And so now, Lord, as we ponder, as we look back on this past year, uh, let it inform how we live and manifest in this new year. 00:00:59.920 --> 00:01:10.480 Uh, Holy Spirit, speak to us about something that we don't talk about enough in our culture and speak to us from your word and by your spirit in a way that glorifies you and prepares us. 00:01:10.640 --> 00:01:11.680 This is our prayer guide. 00:01:11.840 --> 00:01:14.640 We pray in Jesus' name, and everyone said, Amen. 00:01:14.719 --> 00:01:15.519 You can have a seat. 00:01:15.599 --> 00:01:16.400 You can have a seat. 00:01:16.480 --> 00:01:19.439 And uh normally at this point I say, take your Bibles and open them too. 00:01:19.519 --> 00:01:23.920 But I'm gonna be in a bunch of different passages because I'm gonna continue a sermon that we started last week. 00:01:24.000 --> 00:01:28.719 It's turned into a three-part series that we'll finish next Sunday, and then we'll be back in the book of Daniel. 00:01:28.799 --> 00:01:31.840 Uh, but but uh we're talking about remembering 2020. 00:01:31.920 --> 00:01:37.760 I know that uh 2020, it's it's the temptation is to get past that and kind of go, hey, we want to just get into 2021. 00:01:37.840 --> 00:01:39.120 Well, you're in 2021. 00:01:39.200 --> 00:01:41.120 Are you are you markedly different yet? 00:01:41.280 --> 00:01:46.079 Uh and so it's easy, and you just want to look back, like like, for example, this happened. 00:01:46.239 --> 00:01:48.239 My family and I are on vacation in Boston. 00:01:48.400 --> 00:01:54.159 Our girls were, they weren't little, they were like, I don't know, 16 and 12 or whatever. 00:01:54.400 --> 00:01:57.040 And uh we're they want to go to Harvard and see Harvard. 00:01:57.120 --> 00:01:58.799 I'm like, okay, uh, overrated. 00:01:59.040 --> 00:02:01.359 Here it is, uh, and here's the Crimson, here's the store. 00:02:01.519 --> 00:02:14.560 And we go down there, and while we're there, we're right across the street from the campus, the elite learning institute of the world, there's these three heroin addicts on the sidewalk, and they're they're all leaning with their backs against each other, all holding cups and they're panhandling for drug money. 00:02:14.639 --> 00:02:19.120 And we just we were walking down the sidewalk, and my kids were visibly like, this is uncomfortable. 00:02:19.199 --> 00:02:23.759 Uh, and so we kind of walked around them and we walked about 10 feet past, and I said, Girl, stop. 00:02:23.919 --> 00:02:25.039 I want you to look back at that. 00:02:25.199 --> 00:02:29.280 And they're like, Dad, I said, not being rude or anything, but but just look at that. 00:02:29.439 --> 00:02:30.159 Just stare at that. 00:02:30.240 --> 00:02:31.120 No, I don't want to look at that. 00:02:31.199 --> 00:02:32.400 And my youngest is very sensitive. 00:02:32.479 --> 00:02:34.479 She's like, Dad, and I said, But look at that. 00:02:34.719 --> 00:02:36.479 And here's why I'm telling you, look at that. 00:02:36.639 --> 00:02:40.400 Because when your friends say to you at some point in your life, hey, marijuana's no big thing, man. 00:02:40.479 --> 00:02:42.560 Everyone smokes, it's gonna be legalized one day. 00:02:42.719 --> 00:02:48.800 You remember this because these people did not start off with their clothes hanging off of them, shooting heroin on a public sidewalk. 00:02:48.960 --> 00:02:52.240 They started off in the seventh grade, and someone said, Hey man, you want to smoke? 00:02:52.479 --> 00:02:53.759 So stare at it. 00:02:54.000 --> 00:02:54.879 Remember it. 00:02:55.039 --> 00:02:56.879 We got to the hotel that night, okay? 00:02:57.039 --> 00:02:58.159 Our kids had separate rooms. 00:02:58.319 --> 00:03:01.919 My wife and I had our own room, and my wife was like, I thought that was a bit much. 00:03:03.120 --> 00:03:06.159 Here's the way my wife says that here's the phrase that I know I'm in trouble. 00:03:06.240 --> 00:03:10.080 My wife says, We get in bed and she says, Can I pursue you on something? 00:03:12.400 --> 00:03:15.599 I was like, whatever I'm doing, just stop doing it, just take your whooping. 00:03:15.680 --> 00:03:15.759 Okay. 00:03:15.919 --> 00:03:23.280 I said, No, I want our girls to remember to see, I'm not mocking those people, I'm not gonna give them money, but I don't want my kids to look away from that like it's no big deal. 00:03:23.360 --> 00:03:23.919 Remember that. 00:03:24.000 --> 00:03:30.719 And so some of the hardest things like this past year was crazy, and the temptation is to kind of go, oh, 2020 and get into 2021. 00:03:30.800 --> 00:03:33.120 And I just want to say, hey, there's some things we should remember. 00:03:33.199 --> 00:03:39.120 We started last week, we're just doing one a Sunday because I want to just plunge deep on these and think theologically about these. 00:03:39.199 --> 00:03:43.199 And so last Sunday we talked about the first point in the sermon that we were created for community. 00:03:43.360 --> 00:03:44.960 Okay, that's what 2020 has taught us. 00:03:45.039 --> 00:03:46.240 We're created for community. 00:03:46.319 --> 00:03:48.879 Uh, we're not created by God to be isolated. 00:03:48.960 --> 00:03:54.560 Uh, it is very vexing to the human soul and psyche to be locked up and locked down under your bed in your room. 00:03:54.719 --> 00:03:58.479 You're created to be in vibrant, life-giving relationships. 00:03:58.639 --> 00:04:05.680 That's why right now at all the classrooms upstairs, they are teeming with people that are enjoying biblical community and spiritual formation. 00:04:05.840 --> 00:04:07.360 That's what we were created for, okay? 00:04:07.520 --> 00:04:09.520 Today I want to talk about the second point in the sermon. 00:04:09.680 --> 00:04:17.519 It's the only point I want to talk about, and let me just warn you it's gonna start off sounding bad, and then it's gonna get better, and then it's gonna get personal. 00:04:18.800 --> 00:04:21.279 You're like, that sounds like a good fight at my house. 00:04:21.360 --> 00:04:23.519 Uh uh, it's gonna sound bad, but it's really good. 00:04:23.680 --> 00:04:24.480 You say, What do you mean? 00:04:24.560 --> 00:04:25.199 Here's the point. 00:04:25.519 --> 00:04:28.480 Here's the second thing you should remember about 2020. 00:04:28.639 --> 00:04:31.600 Humanity is as sinful as the Bible says. 00:04:32.639 --> 00:04:35.360 Humanity is as sinful as the Bible says. 00:04:35.519 --> 00:04:37.360 This is actually good news, so stay with me. 00:04:37.519 --> 00:04:39.199 You see, you say, Well, what do you mean? 00:04:39.360 --> 00:04:46.879 One of the biggest problems in our world today is that we seek to explain the world, why the world is like it is, without using the word sin. 00:04:47.199 --> 00:04:48.319 Let me say that again. 00:04:48.560 --> 00:04:58.959 One of the biggest problems in our world today is everyone, politicians, preachers, even, and people all seek to explain the world the way the world is without using the word sin. 00:04:59.040 --> 00:05:04.079 And I'm just gonna submit to you, I don't think you can do that because sin is pervasively present in our culture. 00:05:04.240 --> 00:05:10.639 The consequences of sin, we lie, we cheat, we betray, we shave the truth because of sin and as evidence of sin. 00:05:10.800 --> 00:05:14.800 Just this past week, you may have saw a story on the news and somebody texted me, will you see this? 00:05:14.879 --> 00:05:15.680 What did you think about it? 00:05:15.759 --> 00:05:17.279 And I wrote the same thing back. 00:05:17.439 --> 00:05:19.040 Both are evidence of sin. 00:05:19.199 --> 00:05:20.160 Here was the story. 00:05:20.319 --> 00:05:29.680 A girl, the story is that a girl just graduated high school this past year, got accepted in her dream school, University of Tennessee, as a cheerleader on their cheer squad because they won the national championship last year. 00:05:29.759 --> 00:05:30.639 She wanted to go there. 00:05:30.720 --> 00:05:39.040 And back when she was 15, she made a brief Snapchat video, students, a brief Snapchat video where she used one word that is not great. 00:05:39.120 --> 00:05:43.279 She didn't call anybody this word, but it's such a word you should never use this word. 00:05:43.439 --> 00:05:44.959 She's trying to be cool to her little friends. 00:05:45.120 --> 00:05:47.519 Look, I got my driver's permit, I can drive now. 00:05:47.920 --> 00:05:51.040 And what she said was sin, no doubt about it. 00:05:51.279 --> 00:05:55.199 A classmate got forwarded a copy of the Snapchat video. 00:05:55.360 --> 00:05:58.560 Okay, does anybody know how long a Snapchat video is? 00:06:02.319 --> 00:06:03.199 No, no, no. 00:06:03.439 --> 00:06:07.839 Yeah, the answer is forever, but they're only it can only be like a 15 seconds long. 00:06:07.920 --> 00:06:09.519 They're not long at all, but they last forever. 00:06:09.680 --> 00:06:14.160 Uh, a classmate of hers got forward this thing, she was 15, by the way, got forward this video. 00:06:14.319 --> 00:06:16.959 He said, and I quote, because the New York Times picked up on it. 00:06:17.040 --> 00:06:19.920 Oh my gosh, we got to get the girl kicked out of school, and they did. 00:06:20.079 --> 00:06:34.319 They picked up on, they ran this story, and the University of Tennessee, she had to withdraw from school because the classmate put it out there and he said, and I quote, I held on to the video for a more opportune time, and I thought, now is a good time to bring this to light. 00:06:34.800 --> 00:06:39.120 And I said to the person, I said, that's it's sinful, if not more, than what the girl said. 00:06:39.279 --> 00:06:41.040 That girl's just being a kid in the moment. 00:06:41.120 --> 00:06:42.240 That is volitional. 00:06:42.319 --> 00:06:47.040 That kid sat on that, and now in this cancel culture, he's like, Oh, I got you, I gotcha. 00:06:47.199 --> 00:06:49.839 And I just text back to the person, I said, both are evidence of sin. 00:06:50.000 --> 00:06:52.399 The guy wrote back to me, what's your fascination with sin? 00:06:52.560 --> 00:06:54.560 I said, I'm not fascinated, but I'm aware of it. 00:06:54.800 --> 00:06:56.560 Matter of fact, I talk about this Sunday. 00:06:56.800 --> 00:07:01.600 Humanity is as sinful as the Bible says, is one of the huge takeaways from 2020. 00:07:01.680 --> 00:07:04.240 Now you may be thinking, okay, what's that got to do with 2020? 00:07:04.399 --> 00:07:05.839 Let me bring it down to where you live. 00:07:06.000 --> 00:07:09.199 This virus that has some of you in this room wearing masks all the time. 00:07:09.360 --> 00:07:12.560 Has people driving down the road in their car by themselves wearing a mask? 00:07:12.639 --> 00:07:14.800 And I'm like, hello, hello, take it off. 00:07:14.959 --> 00:07:15.600 You're free. 00:07:15.759 --> 00:07:17.759 Uh but anyway, here's the thing. 00:07:17.920 --> 00:07:21.839 Here's what you got to think of, you gotta think biblically about everything that happens in your life. 00:07:21.920 --> 00:07:26.240 Otherwise, you miss these rich points and places of biblical application. 00:07:26.399 --> 00:07:29.680 Okay, this virus did not occur in nature, okay? 00:07:30.000 --> 00:07:34.079 It wasn't like a bunch of it occurred in nature and it started spreading among the bat population. 00:07:34.240 --> 00:07:36.560 These bats flew all over the world and spread this virus. 00:07:36.720 --> 00:07:40.560 No, this was created by human beings made in the image of God, by the way. 00:07:40.639 --> 00:07:41.120 Stay with me. 00:07:41.199 --> 00:07:45.439 I'm not piloting a nation or a people or the communist party or whatever. 00:07:45.680 --> 00:07:54.079 This was created by intellectual human beings made in the image of God to use as a weapon against other human beings made in the image of God. 00:07:54.319 --> 00:08:00.319 This behavior by the people responsible is an expression of the sinful fallen man. 00:08:00.560 --> 00:08:03.600 So it behooves us today to understand more about sin. 00:08:03.839 --> 00:08:12.879 So to help us understand more about sin, because our second takeaway when we remember 2020 is not pandemic, mask, lockdown, are you kidding me? 00:08:13.040 --> 00:08:14.240 Shortage of toilet paper. 00:08:14.399 --> 00:08:17.439 I stood outside Sam's for 45 minutes, waiting for them to open. 00:08:17.519 --> 00:08:20.079 Because my wife is like, hey, we got three women in this house. 00:08:20.160 --> 00:08:21.360 You need to go find toilet paper. 00:08:21.439 --> 00:08:23.439 I'm like, we're in a global pandemic. 00:08:23.680 --> 00:08:29.360 So there I am, just moving up, and I'm thinking, if they're out when I get there, I'm torching this thing to the ground. 00:08:29.839 --> 00:08:32.559 By the grace of God, there was something everybody survived. 00:08:32.720 --> 00:08:36.639 Uh but to start with a definition, I'm standing in line for toilet paper. 00:08:36.799 --> 00:08:38.159 Look at me, because of sin. 00:08:38.639 --> 00:08:42.639 Not because of a shortage, supply and demand, but because of sin. 00:08:42.879 --> 00:08:44.639 Here's the way I define sin. 00:08:44.879 --> 00:08:49.279 This right out of Wayne Gruden's book, Systematic Theology, An Introduction to Biblical Doctrine. 00:08:49.360 --> 00:08:50.240 It's a light read. 00:08:50.320 --> 00:08:52.480 It's 1,230 pages. 00:08:52.720 --> 00:08:53.840 And it's a tome. 00:08:53.919 --> 00:08:56.080 It's like it's as big as the dictionary, okay? 00:08:56.240 --> 00:08:58.000 But this is the way he does he defines sin. 00:08:58.240 --> 00:08:59.120 Great definition. 00:08:59.279 --> 00:09:04.559 Sin is any failure to conform to the moral law of God in act, attitude, or nature. 00:09:04.799 --> 00:09:05.759 Let me say it again. 00:09:06.080 --> 00:09:11.440 Sin is any failure to conform to the moral law of God in act, attitude. 00:09:11.600 --> 00:09:12.559 What do you mean, attitude? 00:09:12.720 --> 00:09:14.480 Jesus said, we start like, well, I didn't do that. 00:09:14.559 --> 00:09:21.759 Jesus always takes sin and presses it inward and it and makes it the biggest deal, as big of a deal as it is. 00:09:21.919 --> 00:09:25.919 Like Jesus would say to people, you've heard of old, you should not commit adultery. 00:09:26.080 --> 00:09:30.799 But I tell you, if you lust after a woman in your heart, you've already committed adultery. 00:09:31.039 --> 00:09:32.320 That's attitude. 00:09:33.759 --> 00:09:38.960 It's any failure to conform to the moral law of God, an act, attitude, or nature. 00:09:39.120 --> 00:09:41.840 Now, there are four things I want you to notice about this simple definition. 00:09:42.000 --> 00:09:43.840 Number one, the bar is really low. 00:09:44.240 --> 00:09:46.080 The bar is really low. 00:09:46.240 --> 00:09:46.879 What do you mean? 00:09:47.120 --> 00:09:48.000 Look at that word any. 00:09:48.320 --> 00:09:50.559 Sin is any failure to conform. 00:09:50.799 --> 00:09:51.679 Any, any. 00:09:52.000 --> 00:09:55.600 If you ever once have sinned at all, you've sinned against it all. 00:09:55.759 --> 00:10:04.159 The Bible says it like this in James chapter 2, verse 10 for whoever keeps the whole law but fails in one point has become guilty of all of it. 00:10:04.720 --> 00:10:11.679 If anyone keeps the whole law, not that you could, but you failed in one point, you become guilty of all of it. 00:10:11.759 --> 00:10:18.799 So this is what I mean when I say to qualify as a sinful person, the bar is really low, so low that everyone qualifies. 00:10:18.960 --> 00:10:20.960 Here's the second thing I want you to notice. 00:10:21.200 --> 00:10:26.399 Defining sin has nothing to do with man, man's opinion, or man's agreement. 00:10:26.720 --> 00:10:27.679 Let me say that again. 00:10:27.840 --> 00:10:33.440 Defining sin has nothing to do with man, man's opinion, or man's agreement. 00:10:33.519 --> 00:10:34.559 Here's what you'll hear a lot. 00:10:34.639 --> 00:10:39.519 Well, we're consenting adults or I'm not hurting anybody, I'm just engaging in a behavior that I enjoy. 00:10:40.240 --> 00:10:41.200 Who am I hurting? 00:10:41.279 --> 00:10:48.240 No, when anytime you engage in behavior that falls short of or violates God's moral law, you are sinning. 00:10:48.559 --> 00:10:53.600 God doesn't consult anybody outside of himself to define or determine what is sin. 00:10:54.399 --> 00:10:55.600 Does that make sense? 00:10:55.919 --> 00:10:58.960 See, that's the law coming to arrest some of you right there because of sin. 00:10:59.200 --> 00:11:01.679 No, no, no, God doesn't go outside of himself. 00:11:02.240 --> 00:11:03.519 Because, see, this is what we do. 00:11:03.679 --> 00:11:04.960 Let me unpack this a little bit. 00:11:05.200 --> 00:11:12.799 Sin has always been defined in relation to God and his moral law, never in relation to man and his thoughts, his opinions or feelings. 00:11:12.960 --> 00:11:18.399 And here's why this is important: because love to ourself, we would have no such thing as sin. 00:11:18.639 --> 00:11:21.039 There would be no sin, which is kind of where we are now. 00:11:21.120 --> 00:11:25.519 And one of the consequences that we have for that is we have no explanation for our behavior. 00:11:25.759 --> 00:11:28.320 Now, let me pause right here, pump the brakes, slow down. 00:11:28.480 --> 00:11:31.919 You're like, whoa, whoa, this is more teaching than preaching today. 00:11:32.000 --> 00:11:33.279 But I want you to understand this. 00:11:33.440 --> 00:11:37.120 Yeah, again, remember, here's the thing we're in we're kind of thinking about. 00:11:37.360 --> 00:11:41.440 Defining sin has nothing to do with man, man's opinion, or man's agreement. 00:11:41.679 --> 00:11:44.159 God doesn't say, hey, this is wrong, wouldn't you agree? 00:11:44.320 --> 00:11:46.399 God doesn't ask questions the way we ask questions. 00:11:46.960 --> 00:11:48.159 Hey, wouldn't you agree this is wrong? 00:11:48.240 --> 00:11:50.320 Or don't you think, but no, God declares. 00:11:50.480 --> 00:11:52.159 God says, this is wrong. 00:11:52.399 --> 00:11:53.200 This is why? 00:11:53.360 --> 00:11:54.559 Because of who God is. 00:11:54.799 --> 00:12:00.080 And so it doesn't matter what I think as a human being, what I feel, or what I can agree with that. 00:12:00.240 --> 00:12:02.559 That doesn't change the law of God one iota. 00:12:02.799 --> 00:12:04.320 You may be sitting here thinking, you know what? 00:12:04.480 --> 00:12:06.399 I I kind of got my own system of belief. 00:12:06.559 --> 00:12:07.360 Who cares? 00:12:07.600 --> 00:12:13.519 Because where we are is because we've defined sin in relation to ourselves, we have no sin. 00:12:14.080 --> 00:12:15.279 We have no sin. 00:12:15.600 --> 00:12:17.039 People uncouple now. 00:12:17.120 --> 00:12:18.720 They don't get divorced because of sin. 00:12:19.039 --> 00:12:27.519 Can you imagine some famous people getting divorced and somebody say, hey, he was unfaithful, he committed adultery, which is a heinous sin, and that's why I divorced him. 00:12:27.840 --> 00:12:29.360 No, they uncouple. 00:12:31.840 --> 00:12:32.720 Wouldn't you want to uncouple? 00:12:32.799 --> 00:12:33.600 That just sounds sexy. 00:12:33.679 --> 00:12:34.960 I don't know what it is. 00:12:36.000 --> 00:12:37.759 But the Bible says, no, no, no. 00:12:37.919 --> 00:12:38.879 Here's the thing. 00:12:39.919 --> 00:12:44.960 So so because we don't have sin, we don't have an explanation for our behavior. 00:12:45.279 --> 00:12:46.480 You say, I don't know what you mean. 00:12:46.559 --> 00:12:49.519 Ladies, imagine having lunch on Tuesday with a friend of yours. 00:12:49.759 --> 00:12:56.000 She's 47 years old, and she's divorced, which is not a bad thing, I mean, it's it's it's sin. 00:12:56.080 --> 00:12:58.480 It depends on your circumstances of your divorce. 00:12:58.559 --> 00:13:02.399 Jesus said, Hey, if somebody commits adultery, you you can be released if you choose to, you don't have to. 00:13:02.480 --> 00:13:07.759 But I say you have a friend who's consistently unhappy, ladies, and you have this no, she's a tennis partner of yours. 00:13:07.840 --> 00:13:12.399 You have this gnawing sense that, you know, I think my friend Janie here doesn't know Jesus. 00:13:12.480 --> 00:13:14.240 And Janie's like, you know why I went out with this guy? 00:13:14.320 --> 00:13:15.440 He's a banker, he's a great guy. 00:13:15.519 --> 00:13:17.200 We went skiing in Colorado, it was fun. 00:13:17.279 --> 00:13:19.600 But I think I'm gonna break up and I just don't seem happy. 00:13:19.679 --> 00:13:24.399 I started off with one little pour of red wine and then two, and then now I'm up to a whole bottle every night. 00:13:24.480 --> 00:13:26.559 And then I'll chase that with a sleeping pill. 00:13:26.639 --> 00:13:28.480 I've got anxiety, don't feel good about myself. 00:13:28.559 --> 00:13:30.159 I went to Pilates, I quit. 00:13:30.240 --> 00:13:32.000 I don't, I don't know what I'm just a mess. 00:13:32.159 --> 00:13:33.200 What do you think? 00:13:33.440 --> 00:13:36.320 And then you looked at her and said, something akin to this. 00:13:36.559 --> 00:13:38.799 Well, your problem is that you're a sinner. 00:13:40.000 --> 00:13:46.159 I mean, let's just start there and prepare it for her to inhale so hard, she sucks the hair off your head. 00:13:46.559 --> 00:13:48.879 You're like, ugh, the vortex. 00:13:48.960 --> 00:14:02.000 Well, and you don't say it with a finger pointed and you just kind of smile and go, Hey, I think the problem is you're a sinner and you're separated from God, and because you're separated from God, you lack the moral restraint or the moral compulsion. 00:14:02.240 --> 00:14:03.840 Two good things you need to hear today. 00:14:03.919 --> 00:14:04.720 You lack, Janie. 00:14:04.960 --> 00:14:06.480 The problem is not that you're a bad person. 00:14:06.559 --> 00:14:08.320 By the way, we're all born sinners, Janie. 00:14:08.480 --> 00:14:11.039 So I'm not condemning you and exalting me. 00:14:11.200 --> 00:14:15.279 I'm I'm the chief of sinners, and I'm telling you from experience, okay? 00:14:15.519 --> 00:14:17.039 You lack the moral restraint. 00:14:17.200 --> 00:14:19.039 Here's one of the evidences that you're a Christian. 00:14:19.200 --> 00:14:23.200 The Holy Spirit of God lives inside of you, and He restrains you. 00:14:23.279 --> 00:14:26.799 That doesn't mean you always do the right thing, especially when you first become a believer. 00:14:26.960 --> 00:14:36.080 But the longer you're a believer, you're so restrained by the Holy Spirit and you so trust the Holy Spirit that over time your desire to sin fades. 00:14:37.440 --> 00:14:42.559 And so you should ask yourself if you're a longtime Christian in the room right now, or if you're part of our online congregation. 00:14:42.720 --> 00:14:44.240 By the way, thanks for joining us today. 00:14:44.399 --> 00:14:45.200 We're glad you're here. 00:14:45.440 --> 00:14:51.039 Matter of fact, I'll be baptizing one of our little friends from our online congregation in the next in the next couple of months. 00:14:51.120 --> 00:14:53.279 So if you're tuned in today, stay with me, okay? 00:14:53.440 --> 00:14:54.720 Don't get up and go get coffee. 00:14:54.879 --> 00:14:56.639 Sit back down on the couch, Brett Daniels. 00:14:56.720 --> 00:14:57.360 Don't you move. 00:14:57.519 --> 00:15:02.320 Uh, and and so here's the thing: ask yourself, do I have the moral restraint? 00:15:02.639 --> 00:15:06.639 In other words, the longer I'm a Christian, the more the Holy Spirit restrains me. 00:15:06.720 --> 00:15:08.320 And I trust that restraint. 00:15:08.480 --> 00:15:16.159 So much so, I trust that restraint, the restraining influence of the Holy Spirit in my life so much that my desires have changed. 00:15:16.960 --> 00:15:19.519 Like my 23-year-old asked me when she was home for Christmas. 00:15:19.600 --> 00:15:21.519 She goes, Dad, what's one of the differences in you and me? 00:15:21.679 --> 00:15:25.200 I said, You still desire to sin in ways that I don't. 00:15:25.759 --> 00:15:28.080 She goes, Well, do you still desire to sin? 00:15:28.240 --> 00:15:33.759 Yeah, I desired like yesterday, uh like on uh yeah, I think it was yesterday or day before whatever it was, Friday. 00:15:33.919 --> 00:15:41.279 I desired to watch two great college football games, the two national semifinal games, and both of them were blowouts. 00:15:41.519 --> 00:15:44.559 I was just, and I said, I just wanted to escape for eight hours. 00:15:44.799 --> 00:15:47.519 And my wife wasn't sad by that news at all. 00:15:47.759 --> 00:15:50.639 She said, Do you want to go in our room for eight hours and watch TV? 00:15:50.960 --> 00:15:53.679 Okay, see you tomorrow. 00:15:54.399 --> 00:16:00.720 I said, So I'm tempted to look to things to bring me comfort that can't bring me comfort, so I'm kind of consistently let down. 00:16:00.799 --> 00:16:05.360 And my daughter's like, I don't get that, but anyway, I said, Yeah, but I don't, I'm not tempted to send the way. 00:16:05.440 --> 00:16:09.519 And it's because I I I've learned to trust the restraining influence of the Holy Spirit. 00:16:09.679 --> 00:16:15.519 So as a Christian, you have this restraining moral influence, but also you have this compulsion. 00:16:15.679 --> 00:16:17.600 You have the Holy Spirit compels you. 00:16:17.759 --> 00:16:19.759 Paul says it like this in 2 Corinthians 5. 00:16:19.840 --> 00:16:25.919 He says, We're uh he says the love of God compels us because we're convinced that Christ died for all. 00:16:26.080 --> 00:16:28.960 And he died for all that those who live should no longer live for themselves. 00:16:29.120 --> 00:16:32.480 And so can you imagine saying to your friend Janie, hey Janie, here's the problem. 00:16:32.720 --> 00:16:38.799 Not that you're a bad person, it's not you haven't met the right person, it's not that you haven't found the right exercise class or right therapist. 00:16:38.879 --> 00:16:40.960 Your problem at the core is you're a sinner. 00:16:41.120 --> 00:16:48.960 You're separated from God because you like the because of this, you like the moral restraint or the moral compulsion that only comes from having the Holy Spirit inside of you. 00:16:49.120 --> 00:16:53.440 Because you're not a Christian, you don't have these things, which is why you live like you do. 00:16:54.000 --> 00:16:57.679 Now, we live in a culture that says, oh, that is hate speech. 00:16:57.840 --> 00:17:01.200 And yet I read a Bible that says that is inviting love. 00:17:01.600 --> 00:17:07.119 That sets Janie free from digging these false wells for herself that hold no water. 00:17:07.359 --> 00:17:12.319 Because defining sin has nothing to do with man, man's opinion, or man's agreement. 00:17:13.119 --> 00:17:16.880 It's defined by God and his morality. 00:17:17.039 --> 00:17:18.160 God is a moral being. 00:17:18.319 --> 00:17:20.960 Here's the third thing I want you to know sin is pervasive. 00:17:21.440 --> 00:17:22.559 Sin is pervasive. 00:17:22.720 --> 00:17:24.480 Now remember how we're defining it, okay? 00:17:24.640 --> 00:17:30.240 Sin is any failure to conform to the moral law of God in act, attitude, or nature. 00:17:30.960 --> 00:17:33.039 That's your makeup, your constitution. 00:17:33.200 --> 00:17:38.559 When I say sin is pervasive, what I mean is pervasive means the entire person and all people. 00:17:39.200 --> 00:17:45.920 The entire person is totally, totally incapable and all people. 00:17:46.240 --> 00:17:50.240 Sin isn't just our actions and attitudes, it's our very nature, which means this. 00:17:50.400 --> 00:17:57.279 Hear this phrase that in our natural state of being, mankind is incapable of conforming to God's moral law. 00:17:57.680 --> 00:17:58.640 Let me say it again. 00:17:58.880 --> 00:18:07.920 In our natural state of being, mankind, all of humanity, anybody that's ever breathed is incapable of conforming to God's moral law. 00:18:08.079 --> 00:18:10.319 The Bible says like this in Ephesians chapter 2. 00:18:10.480 --> 00:18:17.119 It says we were we are dead in our trespasses and sins, incapable of doing anything about that. 00:18:17.279 --> 00:18:24.960 This is important because what ails us cannot be fixed by behavior modification, change this action, uh uh address this attitude. 00:18:25.119 --> 00:18:37.680 Our problem goes much deeper to the very core, to the very nature of our being, which is why the Bible refers to all of humanity as having sinned and fallen short of the glory of God, or as sinners. 00:18:37.839 --> 00:18:46.160 Pervasive meaning the whole person and not only the whole person who's totally depraved, totally incapable, but all people. 00:18:46.400 --> 00:18:47.839 What do you mean, all people? 00:18:48.079 --> 00:18:54.160 Every once in a while, someone will say to me, Well, what about you know what about those good people that die in Africa and never hear the gospel? 00:18:54.240 --> 00:18:56.960 And I say, How many good people do you think there are in Africa? 00:18:57.359 --> 00:19:00.400 Well, I don't know, I mean, there's leave Africa out of it. 00:19:00.480 --> 00:19:02.640 How many good people do you think there are in America? 00:19:03.519 --> 00:19:05.359 Matter of fact, let's shrink it even further. 00:19:05.440 --> 00:19:08.480 How many good people you think there are in this conversation right now? 00:19:08.880 --> 00:19:11.920 And finally they go, what is your point? 00:19:12.079 --> 00:19:14.400 My point is there's no such thing as a good person. 00:19:14.880 --> 00:19:15.440 Why? 00:19:15.680 --> 00:19:23.039 The Bible says like this in Romans chapter 5, verse 12, therefore, just as sin came into the world through one man, that's Adam, and death through sin. 00:19:23.119 --> 00:19:26.640 And so death spread to all men because all sin. 00:19:27.519 --> 00:19:30.160 See, sin is pervasive. 00:19:30.240 --> 00:19:45.759 And because we don't call sin sin, we now adopt laws so that there is no such thing as lawlessness, which is why right now, as we said in this room, the DA, the newly elected DA that George Soros funded with his millions and billions of dollars that he earned from manipulating currency all over the world. 00:19:46.000 --> 00:19:52.319 By the way, if you've got a lot of money, please find something better to do with it than then get people elected who will not enforce the law. 00:19:52.559 --> 00:19:56.799 Because now in Los Angeles County, the district attorney says, Oh, we're not gonna press charges for that. 00:19:56.960 --> 00:19:58.880 Being in a gang, we're not gonna press charges for that. 00:19:59.039 --> 00:20:03.440 And so, because we have no sin, there is no lawlessness, no one's breaking the law. 00:20:03.599 --> 00:20:09.200 If no one's breaking the law, it's just a matter of time before you have to ask yourself, why do we still need the law? 00:20:09.839 --> 00:20:16.799 And so it sounds like prison reform, but that's why they say, Oh, let's let's let's just let people out of prison, let's let people out of jail. 00:20:17.039 --> 00:20:19.920 And all you're doing is inviting more sinful behavior. 00:20:20.079 --> 00:20:23.680 So when you look back on 2020, you don't got to look forward to kind of go, you know what? 00:20:23.839 --> 00:20:26.319 Man is really as sinful as the Bible says. 00:20:26.640 --> 00:20:32.640 And look forward in 2021 as these progressive legislators take over, it's going to get worse. 00:20:32.960 --> 00:20:41.039 In the name of prison reform, we're gonna do away with law because we as a culture and a society have lost the doctrine of sin. 00:20:41.440 --> 00:20:45.039 Here's the fourth thing I want you to know is that sin is destructive by nature. 00:20:45.359 --> 00:20:48.000 Sin is destructive by nature. 00:20:49.440 --> 00:20:50.160 Absolutely. 00:20:50.319 --> 00:20:54.960 But here's what I mean: it changes, and this is Wayne Grudum from the from the big book. 00:20:55.039 --> 00:20:57.839 Uh Grudom says sin changes the answer to three questions. 00:20:58.000 --> 00:21:00.799 What is true, what is right, who am I? 00:21:01.519 --> 00:21:07.599 If you're a parent, you want to parent your kids around these three core questions of their being. 00:21:07.759 --> 00:21:10.480 What is true, what is right, who am I? 00:21:10.640 --> 00:21:13.200 What is true, number one, goes to the basis for knowledge. 00:21:13.359 --> 00:21:20.400 This is why when the serpent comes to Adam and Eve in the garden, he questions the truthfulness of God's warning to Adam and Eve. 00:21:20.480 --> 00:21:29.359 Remember, God said to them, Hey, you shall, hey, you're free to eat of any tree in the garden, but of this one tree don't eat, because when you eat of that tree, you will surely die. 00:21:29.519 --> 00:21:30.799 Now put a pen right there. 00:21:30.880 --> 00:21:33.119 I'm fixing to tell you something I think will be helpful. 00:21:33.279 --> 00:21:38.640 When the Bible talks about death, it's not talking about cessation of life, it's much as separation from God. 00:21:39.119 --> 00:21:40.160 Let me say that again. 00:21:40.319 --> 00:21:45.920 When the Bible talks about death, it's not like because when the Bible says, hey, if you eat this tree, eat fruit of this tree, you'll surely die. 00:21:46.079 --> 00:21:46.720 You know what people do? 00:21:46.799 --> 00:21:48.880 People eat the fruit and go, I didn't die. 00:21:49.519 --> 00:21:50.799 Must I be a God? 00:21:51.039 --> 00:21:52.480 I'm gonna keep eating the fruit. 00:21:52.720 --> 00:21:57.279 No, and what happens is that person gets further and further and further separated from God. 00:21:57.519 --> 00:21:58.640 You say, Where do you get that? 00:21:58.799 --> 00:21:59.359 From the Bible. 00:22:00.000 --> 00:22:01.759 That's why instead of killing them, what did God do? 00:22:01.839 --> 00:22:05.599 God expelled them out of the garden, He separated them from His presence. 00:22:05.839 --> 00:22:14.960 So oftentimes, not all the times, but a lot of the times when the Bible, and this is one of them talks about death, it's not talking about termination because the wages of sin is death. 00:22:15.119 --> 00:22:18.480 And everybody in this room, if you've sinned before, raise your hand. 00:22:19.680 --> 00:22:21.599 Why aren't you dead right now? 00:22:23.119 --> 00:22:26.880 But let me ask you this have you ever sinned and you felt separation? 00:22:27.119 --> 00:22:30.079 Like, I don't feel as close to God as I used to. 00:22:30.960 --> 00:22:36.319 Yeah, because death is not termination, it's worse, it's separation. 00:22:36.480 --> 00:22:40.240 And the more you sin, the more separate you feel, the farther you feel from God. 00:22:40.319 --> 00:22:46.240 That's why the Bible says in Isaiah 59, 2, he says to Israel, he says, your sins have cut you off. 00:22:46.400 --> 00:22:49.039 Your sins have separated you from God. 00:22:49.279 --> 00:22:52.160 And so when the Bible comes along and says, Hey, what is true? 00:22:52.400 --> 00:22:57.279 God says, Hey, you can eat of any tree in the garden, but of this one tree you eat of this tree, you're gonna die. 00:22:57.440 --> 00:23:00.240 The serpent comes along and he and he questions what is true. 00:23:00.400 --> 00:23:04.160 He goes, Hey, surely God said he said, Well, God said we're gonna He goes, You won't die. 00:23:04.559 --> 00:23:05.200 You won't die. 00:23:05.359 --> 00:23:07.680 Translation, there is no consequence for sin. 00:23:08.000 --> 00:23:11.200 Secondly, you should parent your children around this question: what is right? 00:23:11.519 --> 00:23:12.319 What is right? 00:23:12.480 --> 00:23:15.519 God said it was morally right for them to not eat of the tree. 00:23:15.680 --> 00:23:18.640 And sin says, You decide what's right for you. 00:23:19.119 --> 00:23:20.640 You're your own boss. 00:23:21.119 --> 00:23:22.559 Who do they tell you what to do? 00:23:22.799 --> 00:23:23.920 It's your body. 00:23:24.160 --> 00:23:25.839 You got your truth, I got my truth. 00:23:25.920 --> 00:23:27.279 Who am I to judge you? 00:23:28.000 --> 00:23:28.960 What is right? 00:23:29.279 --> 00:23:33.119 God says it's morally right for you to obey me. 00:23:33.440 --> 00:23:37.680 Sin says, it's morally right for you to decide what is right for you. 00:23:37.839 --> 00:23:39.359 The third question, who am I? 00:23:39.519 --> 00:23:41.200 He's this is who you are, okay? 00:23:41.359 --> 00:23:42.400 According to the Bible. 00:23:42.559 --> 00:23:48.160 You're created by God in the image of God, dependent on God, and subordinate to God. 00:23:48.720 --> 00:23:50.960 Sin says, you can be God. 00:23:51.279 --> 00:23:52.240 He said, What do you mean? 00:23:52.319 --> 00:23:54.240 Remember what Satan said to them in the garden? 00:23:54.400 --> 00:23:58.559 He said, Oh, God's afraid you'll be like him, knowing good and evil. 00:23:58.799 --> 00:24:01.039 There's nothing really new under the sun. 00:24:01.440 --> 00:24:05.599 And so, so, so when I say sin's destructive, I don't want to just be like, oh, sin's destructive. 00:24:05.680 --> 00:24:06.160 Write that down. 00:24:06.240 --> 00:24:07.039 You've never heard that. 00:24:07.119 --> 00:24:12.079 I want to get down in the nooks and crannies of all the ways that sin is corrosively destroying our lives. 00:24:12.240 --> 00:24:16.720 And don't just raise your children around those questions, raise yourself around those questions. 00:24:16.960 --> 00:24:20.400 Now, remember when I told you that this would sound bad, but it was really good? 00:24:20.640 --> 00:24:21.680 Here is why. 00:24:21.920 --> 00:24:30.799 To all the sinners out there watching online, to all the sinners sipping coffee on your couch out there, which is all of us, by the way. 00:24:31.440 --> 00:24:34.480