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Beyond Legalism: Finding Freedom in Christ's Grace
Legalism sneaks into our faith in subtle ways, distorting our understanding of what truly matters to God. In this powerful examination of Romans 14, we unpack why Christians so easily fall into the trap of judging others based on external behaviors while missing the heart of the gospel.
What does it mean when Paul says one person esteems certain days as special while another treats all days alike? The answer reveals a fundamental truth about Christian liberty: God cares more about our hearts than our religious rituals. When we obsess over whether someone fasts on particular days or enjoys a drink with dinner, we're missing what matters most—the intention behind these actions.
This message strikes at the core of modern Christian hypocrisy. We create arbitrary hierarchies of righteousness, looking down on those who don't follow our personal convictions while justifying our own shortcomings. But Paul reminds us that both the one who eats and the one who abstains can honor God equally when their hearts are aligned with Him. The question isn't what you're doing, but why you're doing it.
Even the apostle Paul himself struggled with sin, confessing, "I do not do what I want, but I do the very thing I hate." This transparency offers tremendous comfort to believers who feel crushed by their failures. When we stumble, we don't need to wallow in shame—Jesus has already won the war against sin. Our role isn't perfection but perseverance, getting back up and continuing to walk in His righteousness.
Want freedom from the exhausting cycle of religious performance? Stop focusing on everyone else's behavior and examine your own heart. When we stand before God, we'll each give an account of ourselves, not others. The gospel isn't about creating perfect Christians but about transforming our hearts to truly love what God loves. Are you living to impress others with your religious devotion, or are you living to honor Christ from the inside out?
All right. So Romans, chapter 14, we're going to start in verse 5. I don't have a huge intro today because I've been running out of time each week for the past like two weeks, so I want to keep it as short as possible, so I'm just going to jump right into it. Starting in verse 5, it says this one person esteems one day as better than another, while another esteems all days alike. Each one should be fully convinced in his own mind the one who observes the day observes it in honor of the Lord. The one who eats eats in honor of the Lord, since he gives thanks to God, while the one who abstains abstains in honor of the Lord and gives thanks to God For none of us. So, father, I just pray as we go through your word today that, god, it be your words. People hear. My words have no power and Father yours do. I just pray that people hear your words instead of my voice and that we are changed from the inside out. Father, we pray this in Jesus' name, amen.
Speaker 1:All right, as we kick off with this, I actually want to start with a word that you didn't hear in anything we have read, but it is the main thrust behind what Paul is driving at here, and that word is this legalism. Now, for most Christians, for most people who have spent a lot of time in church, that's a word you're pretty familiar with. But if you break this word down and I'm not an ELA teacher, so if I get this wrong whoever in here teaches ELA you have feel free to correct me. But we have ism, which means a practice or ideology, and we have legal, which means law. So this word legalism that we use so freely is this it's a deep practice or ideology built on nothing more than the law, and this is what Paul is really trying to warn us against. Right, here is this word legalism. See, paul started and he talked about this. Right, one person esteems one day as better than the other, where another person esteems all days are the same.
Speaker 1:Now, when we read through that, some of us in our minds probably went is he talking about? Like Monday, tuesday, like, like? To me, the weekends are better than the work week? Right, because the weekends I get to do what I want and the work week I have to go to my job. But that's not what he's talking about. Those aren't the days he's talking about. Actually, what he's talking about are like Jewish festivals and special days. So he's not just like talking about Monday like Jewish festivals and special days. So he's not just like talking about Monday, tuesday, wednesday, thursday, like he's talking about those days that the Jews would sit here and go hey, we have to fast.
Speaker 1:So, for those of you that are familiar with Judaism, every Sabbath, from sundown till sun up, they have to fast. They're not allowed to work, they're not allowed to make food, they're not allowed to do any of this, and this is part of their traditions of remembering the Sabbath and keeping it holy. I know people, and I've met a lot of Christians, who, like, refuse to work on Sunday because, no, the Bible tells us six days we shall work, but one day we shall rest and I go. And it's easy for us to get caught up in things like that, isn't it? Because that is what the Bible says Remember the Sabbath and keep it holy. Now for those of us in here who go yeah, I do that.
Speaker 1:How did yesterday look for you? Was it busy, like? Did you have? Like, like I know we were busy all day, just running from thing to thing to thing? Well, if your Saturday was busy, understand, you did not remember the Sabbath and you did not keep it holy, because the Sabbath would have been on Saturday, because it's the last day of the week, sunday today is actually the first day of this next week and this day that we remember and try to keep holy. Right, that didn't come around for quite a while, though. In fact, the reason we worship on Sundays opposed to Saturdays, is because this is the day that the Lord rose from the grave. So the church went hey, we want to focus on that day and moved worship from the Sabbath to Sundays. Plus, I mean, isn't it a better way to start out our work week, Like, we get to start in worship of our Lord?
Speaker 1:But what Paul is driving at here is simple. He's sitting here going hey, some of you, you do good, you fast on those days. You do what you're supposed to do on those days. Others of you, you eat on those days when you know you're not supposed to. But here's the kicker is Paul condemning either side? See, it would be really easy, if you were a highly disciplined Jew, to look at people who were supposed to fast and, as they're eating, go. Y'all are some heathens, y'all are just like hogs. Like, how dare you not even be able to fight against the temptation of your stomach that you just have to shove food into your mouth.
Speaker 1:Here's the sad thing, though. Isn't that what we, as Christians, do, like those of us that are a little further along, a little what Paul would say, stronger in our faith? We heard that last week. You're going to hear it again next week. Isn't that what we do? We look at other Christians who struggle with things, and we're like you're not even close to as holy as me.
Speaker 1:Now, we don't say it in our minds like that, because we're polite, right. We say things like bless your heart, like, oh, I know, like we want to walk with you. No, you don't. You want to sit here and you want to gossip about them. So you have to be close to them, otherwise, you won't know what's really actually happening, and what Paul is sitting here saying is he's going. Hey, why are you judging your brother or sister? Because last time I checked, none of us are perfect. There is none righteous, no, not one.
Speaker 1:Paul would go on to say this right, no one does good, no one seeks the Lord. Do you know how hard that verse is for someone like me? Like I go. I spend my life trying to study scripture, but yet Paul is sitting here saying no one seeks the Lord study scripture, but yet Paul is sitting here saying no one seeks the Lord. Oh crap, he's talking about me too.
Speaker 1:And see, and that's where we run into all these problems, right, when we try to create this hierarchy and we start judging our brothers and sisters, just like we saw last week, based off of what Our own personal convictions Next week we're going to see, don't be a stumbling block for your brother. Here's what Paul is trying to drive at here. You don't eat on a day. You're not supposed to. You fast. That is good, that is a good thing. But listen to what he said to the people who do eat, but they eat giving honor to Jesus, which is a good thing. We get so wrapped up in the minutiae and detail that we forget that it has nothing to do with that. See, we fall into this legalism trap, not understanding that the person that eats is honoring Jesus too, and we just sit here and go. But no, you ate on a day you weren't supposed to. And I want to challenge all of us in this room Try this over the next week.
Speaker 1:Worry about your own self. Stop looking at everybody else. Like anybody, you work with these kind of people, right, that are like, well, so-and-so, they went to break, you know, 32 minutes ago, and it's only a 30-minute break, and it's like, oh, you can keep track of their time. But what about your break? At your break, it was different, right? Because you had to go to the bathroom and then, you know, the microwave wasn't working right, so you know, it took you a couple extra minutes to heat up your food. Like, you have all the excuses in the world why your break went long, but heaven forbid someone else. What would your life look like if, instead of worrying about every other individual in your life, you just worried about you? How many times this week did this come up in our household? Again, I don't know why it happens this way and I can't wait till we get to some like prosperity stuff, but I mean, this was just all week in our household. How about you just worry about you? And that's what Paul is really driving at here. He's sitting here going. Stop judging your brother and sister and worry about you.
Speaker 1:See, if you were to stop and think about it, what is it in your life that keeps you fighting temptation. For some of you, you're like I don't fight temptation, like why All things are beneficial and we'll get to that next week. But what is it that keeps you from fighting temptation? For some of us, right, more it's. It's we're not like sitting here going. I fight temptation because it's the right thing to do. It's I don't want to get caught. In fact, that's probably the majority of us Right, because if you really think you're not going to get caught doing something, do you do it. For some of us in this room it might be. I don't fight temptation because all things are beneficial and therefore I can do whatever I want. But what is it that keeps you from sinning? Because that is what Paul is driving at. He's sitting here going. We should fight with everything we are to live a lifestyle worthy of the calling that we have.
Speaker 1:In other words, when other people think of Christians, you may be the only Christian they know. This is why things like you guys remember a couple of weeks ago there was this pastor, I guess in Dallas, but he has a house here in Tampa, kingdom of God, something or other. He was this apostle and his house got raided. He's been using forced labor and doing some human trafficking and has a $50 million house that got seized, and all of this Understand, there are people in your life that the only version of Christianity they know is that. So when you go, hey, I'm a Christian, they go oh, you're like that guy, or you're like this guy, or you're like that guy. And let's be honest, the picture isn't always good, especially nowadays where it just seems like every other week it's another thing. But what if you were in their life to give them a different understanding of what Christianity is, of who Jesus is?
Speaker 1:Years ago, you guys heard me say this not everyone who preaches Jesus is talking about the same Jesus, and for some of us, what we have to understand is that fight against your flesh may be what they need to see to know that Jesus is for real. Because they're sitting here going, well, like, if you're not doing this, why aren't you doing this? I've worked at places where, honestly, it seemed like everyone else had like extramarital affairs and I got in trouble because I didn't want to hang out with some of the guys I worked with and I was like, oh well, they're never going to trust you because you don't want to like, go hang out with them and I'm like, but we ain't into the same things. Like I'm not like that, like I don't get down, like that, like I don't drink, I don't do this, I don't do that. Why would I want to go hang around with that? And it's like well, you need to really think about your future.
Speaker 1:I changed careers Because, if you're sitting here telling me I have to compromise who I am, well, at the end of the day, I want to look back and go, hey, well done, good and faithful servant. I can care less if I can look back and go, hey, great career, because here's the deal. I've already in my heart decided I'm working until I die anyway. And I know some of you are like no, there's retirement plans, blah, blah, blah. You don't remember 2008? My dad lost three quarters of his retirement in one day, or 2001, I'm sorry, 9-11. Yep, and my dad lost three quarters of his retirement in that one day. My hope ain't in that. My hope is in that I have a God who will supply, will provide, and I'm just going to be faithful to that.
Speaker 1:And see some of us, yeah, we need to be fighting that temptation because that may be the only Jesus, those people in your life, see Others of us. We wind up giving into temptation and then afterwards what winds up happening? Guilt and shame. And you know what winds up happening after we do that too long. You start to believe you deserve the guilt and you deserve the shame and you sit here and go. I did this. Now listen to what I'm saying, because this is going to get a little bit confusing and it's going to sound like I'm saying two different things.
Speaker 1:Should you feel conviction over your sin 150% If you have the Holy Spirit indwelling in your life and you sin? Should you feel conviction? Yes. Should you feel guilt and shame? No, because Romans 8.1 said that there is now no condemnation for those found in Christ. That's the glorious and good news of the gospel is that when Jesus stood on that cross it is what he was talking about was the payment for everything you've ever done, thought or said, from the time before you were born to long after you will be gone. That's the good news of the gospel that there was a God that loved us enough, that stepped into his creation and went I will pay their price. 2 Corinthians 5, 21 says it very clearly he made him who knew no sin. Sin so that we may know the righteousness of God. It's the same thing like if you've ever stood in line and the person in front of you went hey, I want to pay for them. Cool, you got a free cup of coffee. That is a micro version of what the gospel is. The gospel was that God loved you so much that he went I will pay your price so you don't have to walk around with guilt. You don't have to walk around with shame. Should you walk around in conviction? Yeah, If you're, if that's the lifestyle you're living.
Speaker 1:Understand that's the spirit sitting here, going. You know better, don't do this. Why does God give us rules, though, honestly, to keep us safe. And the spirit is just saying you know better. Some of you may be able to relate to this. You may have had that mom that was like could just give you the look, right, she didn't have to say anything or anything like that. That's the spirit going. You should know better. And I'm not saying your mom is the Holy Spirit. This ain't Mother's Day. We're not propping them up like that, but that's what the spirit is doing. It's the same thing as your mom going, but that's what the Spirit is doing. It's the same thing as your mom going and see when we grieve the Spirit. That's when we wind up in all sorts of problems.
Speaker 1:Now, the last of us, and some of us, we do the things, and then we just go about our life Like, yeah, whatever, jesus paid for it. Let me ask you, though because this is why preachers don't preach on stuff like this Because and I've literally talked with pastor after pastor who has said the same thing but if I tell my people they can live whatever kind of lifestyle they want, they'll live whatever kind of lifestyle they want. Here's the thing, though if you can do the things that the Bible says Christ came and had to give his life for, and you don't feel guilty, and you don't feel or see how easy the word guilt just comes out you don't feel conviction, you don't feel like it's wrong, and you can just go about your life. Let me ask you do you really think that the Holy Spirit lives within you? See, I can preach that, and I can say that, that, because I'm sitting here going look, if that's you, let me explain something to you. Jesus is real, and if you don't believe me, all we have to do is open up the blind so you can see outside, because how else did all of creation come to exist?
Speaker 1:Why are you different than any other animal on this planet? Why do you know who you are but no other animal knows who they are? And before you're like, well, atlantic bottlenose dolphins can recognize themselves in the mirror. How do you know they recognize themselves? Like you can read that big melon of theirs? No, you know they see that there's something there. You know who? Melon of theirs? No, you know they see that there's something there. You know who else does that? Dogs Anytime. My dog walked before our fireplace and saw his reflection in there. Guess what he did? Barked, because there's another dog right there. They can recognize themselves just as well. But see, you're made different on purpose.
Speaker 1:There's a God out there who went hey, this is how life should look Now. Am I sitting here going? Hey, you got to keep every rule that's in this book. Like, am I sitting here going? You should live your life in anguish and just white knuckle, grip and bear it. No, because that's not what Paul is saying here. That's not what the Bible is telling us here, because, see, what Paul is explaining here is it's not about what you do or don't do. You know what that is. That's called legalism. What you do and don't do, how do you compare to the the law? I'm going to give us just a quick and easy answer to how we compare against the law. We have all sinned and fallen short of the glory of god. That is how we compare to the law. So if that's what you want to use like, look at your own life as a litmus and go am I doing this thing? Good, here's the thing. You already failed at it. But what Paul is saying here is is not about what you do and don't do. He's sitting here going.
Speaker 1:What is the heart behind what you were doing for my one lawyer in here or anyone who has been around law enforcement, what is the difference between manslaughter and first-degree homicide intent? That's it. It's it's the intent. Can I prove that your intent was to do this thing? Because, if I can improve that you had the intent, if I can prove that you thought about it before and that you took a step before you had to commit the murder, you go? Go from manslaughter, which is a third degree felony, to first degree homicide, which is a capital punishment by death, but it's the same thing. You've taken someone else's life and that's what Paul is driving at. You're doing doing the same thing, but what's the intent behind what you're doing?
Speaker 1:So, if you're sitting here, going, hey, I'm going to abstain from eating because that is our tradition has said, because that is how I've interpreted what the scriptures have said you're doing a good thing, but he follows it up and goes. But stop looking down on the one who sit here and goes hey, you know what? It's Christmas. I'm going to eat. Like some of us, we're like super excited because Thanksgiving's coming up, right, why, nothing special happens on Thanksgiving, except we all give ourselves that you know, cheat day, where I'm just going to eat and do however much I want. Like some of us have special pants that we wear because we want to be comfortable, right. Some of us are already like planning out how our naps gonna look and what that day is gonna look like. And some of us, if you're like like me, are praying for a cold Thanksgiving because you just know it hits better like that.
Speaker 1:And what Paul is saying is guess what? That's good too, because in 1 Corinthians 10.31, paul says this that, whether we eat or drink, do all things to the glory of God. He's sitting here going. Stop focusing on what we do and don't do, because here's Paul, you ready. In Romans 7, 15, a few chapters before this, he says for I do not understand my own actions, for I do not do what I want, but I do the very thing I hate.
Speaker 1:Do you think Paul's struggling with some sin? You think he's sitting here going? I shouldn't be doing this. Think he's fighting some things I do, because what's the very thing he hates? He hates knowing how much he is sinning against a good and holy God. In fact, if you don't believe me, he even clarifies it even more In 2 Corinthians 12,. He says this.
Speaker 1:So, to keep me from becoming conceited because of the surpassing greatness of the revelations, I'm going to stop right there. You guys, I'm sure, kept reading. Here's what he's talking about right before this. He's talking about how he went to the third level of heaven. Anyone in here know that heaven has multiple levels. Like he's, like I didn't just go to like the ground floor. Like I didn't get into general admission, I went to like VIP. Now, any of us in here, if Jesus, like, took you by the hand to the VIP area of heaven. Are you going to come back and be like psst? Let me tell you what I deserve yes, and so what Paul says is to keep him from becoming conceited, to keep him from being like that. Here's what God does.
Speaker 1:A thorn was given to me in the flesh, a messenger of Satan, to harass me. Who is this messenger from? You think it's a good thing? No, it is something that opposes Christ. That is what the word Satan means an adversary of Christ. Paul is sitting here, going. We don't know what this thorn is, and thank Jesus, we don't, because we all just say, as long as I don't do the thing, because that's the thorn, everything else is cool, and I think they wrote it that way on purpose, because otherwise that's what we would do. People have speculated since Paul wrote this. People have speculated what this thorn is. We have no idea what it is. Here's what we do. Know that Paul is definitely struggling through something.
Speaker 1:When there are things so bad in your life that the only way you can describe them is as a messenger from Satan, understand you've got some spiritual warfare happening in your heart. Understand at that point that's when we reach out to someone else. Understand at that point, that's when we're like hitting up a brother and sister and going, hey, I need you to be here with me, I need you to pray with me about this, I need you to talk with me about this. Hey, can you come and sit with me while I deal with this, like that's the point we should be at. But he says, is this messenger from Satan that is given to harass him, to keep him from being coming, conceited? And then he says three times I pleaded with the Lord about this, that it should leave me. But he, the Lord, said to me my grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness. Therefore, I will boast all the more gladly of my weakness so that the power of Christ may rest upon me.
Speaker 1:Here's what Paul's saying it doesn't depend on me, because my weakness, my strength, is only this strong. I'm no match against the power of sin and temptation. I'll tell you that right now. You know how I know that? Because throughout my life, up to and including all the way to this moment, I fall into the temptation of weakness and sin. You know why? Because I am nothing but flesh and I don't care how much knowledge I have about what the Bible says. In fact, I will argue I can make it easier for me to sin than most of you in this room. Can you know why? Because I can really twist the Bible to say some things that I want it to say and I'm really good with that and I'm really good with that and I sit here and go when we are not careful, when we don't have people in our lives and men. Here's what I want you to understand.
Speaker 1:This is how you should be. We should have people in our lives that are close enough A to know that you're and I almost cussed that jacking up that know you're doing things you shouldn't be doing and yet are still loving enough in your life to look at you and go get your crap together. You know better than that. We need that. The problem is we don't want that. Half of us are sitting here, going, going. I already got a wife for that. What do I need some other guy to tell me for? Here's why because you need someone who is who, who can speak that into your life. We need that. We needed that accountability with each other women. The same goes for you. Stop henpecking in your little women's group and actually make it like important Sitting here and going. We don't have time for all this other crap. We need to be on mission with this. We need to be focused with this, because that is what Paul is driving at, because he's sitting here, going.
Speaker 1:Most Christians all we want to focus on is what we do and don't do, like. It's super easy for me. If you were someone who sits here and I'm just going to throw this out as an example, please don't use this as what I'm saying. This is just an illustration, an example. If you were someone who sits here and like just drinks all day, every day, it would be super easy for some other Christian to look at you and go. You know that's a sin, and yes, I get it. Here's what your first inclination is going to be.
Speaker 1:I'm going to argue back with you on why I know this isn't a sin. Will Jesus turn water into wine? Nowhere in the Bible does it say not to drink. In fact, on the flip side of that, paul tells Timothy hey, you should have some wine because of the stomach issues you have going on. Yeah, I get it. You are 100% correct. It is not a sin to drink. That was the first thing I said. I agree with you 100%. But again, what is my heart's desire behind this? Because if you're sitting here going, hey, I like to have a drink every day. More power to you, go on it. But if you're sitting here going, hey, I have to mask some unresolved issues and pains that I need to deal with.
Speaker 1:Now we're looking at that word intent. You're sitting here going, hey, no, no, no, no. I like to just have a drink, watch the sunset and praise God with everything I am. Hey, guess what? There's nothing wrong with that. Have at it. I'll tell you right now. You go out to the beach and just watch the sun, just like sink into the water with a nice cold German beer. There is nothing that isn't going to like inspire your soul enough to go. Yep, god loves me.
Speaker 1:But on the flip side of that, if you're sitting here going, I need this to go to sleep because I got some stuff going on inside that I need to deal with. Deal with it, find someone that can walk with you through that and go, hey, like, let's get better, let's move past this. You guys see the difference in intent there. That's what Paul is driving at. Should we fight with our flesh? Well, colossians 3.5 says it very clearly Put to death. Therefore, what is earthly in you? Sexual immorality, impurity, passion, evil, desire and covetousness, which is what Idolatry? And that's what Paul's driving at here, just like I was just talking about. If I'm worshiping this because I need it to go to sleep that night like I just can't sleep if I don't do this, what do I have in my life? An idol. The act of what you're doing isn't the problem, it's the reason behind what you're doing, and that is what Paul is driving at. Because here's what we are really good at, and you guys have heard me say this a ton throughout the past couple of years we don't worship Jesus, we worship our sin. Jesus is just like an ends to our means. Right, he cleansed me, now it's my turn and we make and we put sin up here and Jesus just becomes his afterthought back here and I go. And that's what he's driving at here. He's sitting here, going. Stop worshiping your sin, stop looking at your sin and putting that up so high and making so little of Jesus, because in verse 8 of Romans 14, he says this if we live, we live to the Lord, and if we die, we die to the Lord. So then, whether we live or whether we die, we are the Lord's See.
Speaker 1:The main focus of any Christian's life is simple. Christian's life is simple. It's one word. Are you guys ready? Just like the entire point of the Bible is Jesus. Genesis through Malachi is God's promise of a coming Messiah. Acts to Revelation is how we should live now that this promised Messiah has came. Matthew, mark, luke and John sit right in between that and they go here is the Messiah I go. That's the whole purpose of the Bible. For me to know Jesus.
Speaker 1:It's not so that I can have a perfect marriage because you want to know a secret. You're never going to have a perfect marriage. You can get close and I'll tell you right now the more you know Jesus, the better that marriage can look, but it still ain't going to be perfect. Right, wrong answer. You should have been like no, you are killing it. That's why I don't ever set you up for questions like that. You're never going to be the perfect parent.
Speaker 1:Are there nuggets in here about how I should be as a parent? 100%, spare the rod, spoil the child. Some of y'all you have teenagers now you're dealing with the fact that you spared the rod when they were little, just throwing it out there to you. There's nuggets in there. But am I going to do this perfectly? No, and you know why? Because you're dealing with another human being. Because, as much as you may be able to whoop them, you can't change their heart and mind about anything. They have to make their own choices. Your job is to sit here and guide them and train them up so when it comes time for them to make their own choices, they do so with godly intention. Oh God, there's so much in here.
Speaker 1:So should we continue to fight our flesh? Yes, should we confront sin? Yeah, yeah. In fact, in Galatians 2.11, we get one of my favorite passages of all of the disciples, 11. But when Cephas came to Antioch, I opposed him to his face because he stood condemned. Should we confront sin? Absolutely?
Speaker 1:Here's the deal Peter was eating with all the Gentiles until the Jews came back around. Once the Jews came from Jerusalem, peter was like oh, I can't eat with you, you disgusting Gentiles, and went and ate with the Jews. So when Paul shows up, he opposes him to his face. Understand this, Christian. Should you confront sin? Yes, you know how you should do it To their face. Do it to their face, because it does you no good to talk about Becca's sin if you are not talking to Becca.
Speaker 1:So if you're just talking to each other and you're like you see what she wore, I think she's a little loose Go to her and say it. That's what Matthew 18 would say right, go to the person you have a problem with. Stop being a coward Going. I don't want to have the uncomfortable conversation. It's going to be uncomfortable. Is it really comfortable as a parent to sit down and discipline your child? No, not, unless you're like one of those weird ones that are into that and you need some other help. Go to them and go hey, here is your sin, but understand Paul's focus. There wasn't.
Speaker 1:Hey, look how I showed Peter up, because when you get down to verse 21, he says this I do not nullify the grace of God, for if righteousness were through the law, then Christ died for no purpose. Here's what Paul is saying. Peter, you know better and you should do better. However, your value, your worth, your dignity don't come from what you did. You did wrong. Make up for it and move forward from it.
Speaker 1:Too many of us live in that beat-down place right where I did it again Uh-oh, what am I going to do now? I'll never get this right. Well, here's the good news you don't have to worry about getting it right. Jesus already did. Jesus got it right for you. This would be like if I was like when you guys got comfortable right, I was like. You guys like got comfortable right, I was like, all right.
Speaker 1:Instead of doing a sermon today, here's what I'm going to do. I'm going to pass out this trigonometry test and unless you pass it, you aren't going to heaven. Maybe a couple of you one or two are going to be like cold. But let me do this. What if, when I gave you that test, I'd already went through and put all the answers in for you and that's your ticket? At that point, you guys would be like oh cool, so like to just go home now because I'm hungry. That's what Jesus did for us.
Speaker 1:Jesus went Father, I'll take the test. I'll take on flesh and I'll take that test and I'll do what Adam couldn't have done. And, father, when I get to the end, my prize will be to go to the cross. Why? Because I'm going to redeem my creation, like you told everybody back in Genesis chapter three. Like you told everyone in Genesis 12, when you were talking to Abram and you went that all nations will be blessed through you. I will be that blessing. Why? Because I love them. Because if any of you in here are a parent, you know that if your child is sitting there and they're hurting, you would do anything in the world to trade places with them, anything. And that's what Jesus did. He went. My child is hurting. And then Paul finishes this off with this in verse 9. For to this end, christ died and lived again. That's what I was just talking about, right, that he might be Lord both of the dead and of the living.
Speaker 1:Why do you pass judgment on your brother or you? Why do you despise your brother? For we will all stand before the dead and of the living. Why do you pass judgment on your brother or you? Why do you despise your brother? For we will all stand before the judgment seat of God. For, as it is written, as I live, says the Lord, every knee shall bow to me and every tongue confess to God. So then each of us will give an account of himself to God.
Speaker 1:Here's the glorious truth in everything we are talking about. You know who you're responsible for you. That's it, hence what we started with, right? Why don't you mind your business? Why don't you look at you? Because, at the end of the day, when you're standing before Jesus, you don't have to give an account for everybody else in your life, like I don't have to answer for JT or Gabby or Debbie, because they are their own people and they have to make their own choices. I do have to answer for me, though, and, at the end of the day, guess who I have to look at in the mirror me?
Speaker 1:This is why Jesus, in Matthew 7, 4, would say this or how can you say to your brother let me take the speck out of your own eye when there is a log in your own eye? Again, worry about yourself. Yeah, the person sitting next to you here's a secret. They got some imperfections, they got some things that they struggle with, they got some things that they don't do right, and the same is true for them if you're sitting next to them. They got some things that they need to get out of their own eye, right, and what Jesus and what Paul is saying is our role is not to be the Holy Spirit. You want to know what your role in their life is Preach the gospel. That's their role. Because, see, look, I do this week in and week out, and some of y'all you've been hearing me for like years. And if you take what I say and do nothing with it and there's no effect on your heart whatsoever when I stand before Jesus, is Jesus gonna go? Hey, why couldn't Kevin get it right? Nope, now Kevin is gonna have to answer that.
Speaker 1:But my job was just to sit here and preach. My job was to sit here and tell you who Jesus is and what the Bible says. My job was not to make sure that you did what you were supposed to do. Because here's the deal If you don't want to do what you're supposed to do, you have to answer to that. You want to see change in your life. Here's, it's super simple. You ready, do things differently. Because if you are going to continue to do the same thing over and over and over and expect a different result, you, by definition, are insane. It doesn't work that way. Now, if you change things in your life, guess what happens? Well, for every action there is an opposite or equal reaction. Things have to change. So, again, if you're sitting here and you're like, well, if my spouse would. Just you know, if they because I hear this all the time then I. Why don't you start with if I, then I will pray for they, because here's the deal. You ain't doing it right either, and that's where we need to focus.
Speaker 1:I can look at Debbie all day long and go. In fact, you guys want me to, you want me to give you a list of things that Debbie does that just really get under my skin, and I could look at her all day long like thinking that comment was one of them, and I could do this all day long. And you know what's never going to change Our marriage? Because everything I can give you that Debbie makes me mad about, debbie could probably give you three things that I make her mad about. You know what I can control, though Me. I can sit here all day and go. She's the problem. Or I can sit here and understand that I can change things too. Well, what if I change, though, and they don't Guess what? That's not your responsibility. You can't control that, and I'm not saying that their actions don't have reactions down the road, but at the end of the day, you've got to look at you and you've got to go. Did I do what I was supposed to do? Did I live how I was supposed to live? Did I love how I was supposed to love? Because, at the end of the day, that's all I am responsible for.
Speaker 1:And in the end Jesus says this unless your righteousness exceeds that of the Pharisees. Oh, before I can say that we do have to. Where did it go in the end? I want you to understand this. As far as those of us who are sitting in here worshiping our sin in Matthew 12, 31, jesus says this therefore, I tell you, every sin and blasphemy will be forgiven people. Therefore, I tell you, every sin and blasphemy will be forgiven people, but the blasphemy against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven, and we need to understand that verse real quick to really understand what Paul is driving at here. Here's what Jesus says will everything be forgiven except this one thing? Yeah, and I know for some of us that kills us, right, because someone hurts you bad and you don't want them to be forgiven, and I get that. That's wickedness in your own heart. Because, jesus, what he's saying is everything will be forgiven Serial killers Like.
Speaker 1:I love when people are like is Jeffrey Dahmer in heaven? Is Hitler in heaven? Well, two things. One, the Bible says it's not my job to know who ascended into heaven or who descended into hell. But two, could they be? Theoretically, yeah, they could, because, regardless of how atrocious their sin was, guess whose else's was Mine? Because we're comparing to perfection, not to each other. See, some of you in here. You would make me look like a terrible human being because you led that righteous life. You were about that. I wasn't for many years, but understand this your sin is just as black as mine and your sin compared to perfection is just as raunchy as anyone else is in here. And that's what Jesus is talking about. All things will be forgiven.
Speaker 1:I don't have to sit here and hold on to this. The only thing that will not be forgiven is this blasphemy of the Holy Spirit, and what that really is is sitting here going. I don't need Jesus. I got this. It's a rejection of the gospel and a rejection of Jesus, and it's a rejection of sitting here going. I don't need God because I myself am God and I can save myself. I don't need God because I myself am God and I can save myself. And what Paul was just talking about was it's not wrapped up in what you do, because it's wrapped up in what Jesus has already done, and blasphemy against that would be going no, I don't need what Jesus did, I got this. And if that's any of us in this room, then I encourage you as we close this morning, if you're sitting here looking at Christianity and going, hey, this is a list of do's and don'ts, because that's what we get told all the time. Right, do this, don't do that, do this, don't do that.
Speaker 1:Let me ask you, if you go back to Genesis, how many do's were there? Does anybody know? Well, here are the words of God. You, ready, you can eat from any tree in the garden. How many trees were in the garden? Who knows? A lot, more than one. We know that. And God went. You can eat from all of them. Fill the earth, subdue it, multiply each other. Those are some pretty good things, right? How many don'ts were there? One? God went. You can do all of this, just don't do this one thing.
Speaker 1:What we see in Paul and what we heard from Jesus is the same thing. You're good. Jesus already paid for you. You know all you have to do Trust that, believe that, walk in that. That's it, because if we reject that, that's that one thing that God said don't do that.
Speaker 1:So if you're sitting here today and you're going, you know what. I know I got some work to do. I've been fighting and I've been battling. Understand, if your flesh wins again, you may have lost that battle, but Jesus has already won that war, jesus has already fought that fight. Jesus has already fought that fight and Jesus has already conquered that.
Speaker 1:So if you lose the battle, I get it and it sucks, and you know what you should do Hit your knees, pray for forgiveness, pray for strength, pray for boldness, reach out to a brother or sister and go hey, can we talk about this, because I'm really hurting right now, and then stand back up and continue to walk. That's what faith is. Faith is not sitting here, going hey, I hit the wall, I did it again and now everything's over. So if you're someone in here this morning, you're sitting here, going, hey, I'm struggling with this. Then after we get done, come talk to me. We can pray together, we can talk about it, we can move forward with it, we can do whatever it is that needs to happen, because I'm here to serve you. If you're someone in here. Who's sitting here going. Hey, you know what I need to get serious about who Jesus is. That's step one, because none of the other stuff I'm talking about matters if we miss that step.
Speaker 1:But what we have to start doing is actually putting into action what we say, we believe, because this is the devil's greatest ploy. I'm telling you to stand here and accuse you and hold you down and go. You are a culmination of your sin. That's why the message of the gospel is so deafening to that. Because Jesus goes no, no, no, you're a culmination of my righteousness. I got you. So, father, I ask and I pray that, as we all sit here and hold the weight of your word on us, that, father, you allow us the opportunity, god, to walk in your righteousness, whether we eat on those days or whether, father, we abstain. I just ask that we glorify you, that we make much of you. Father, if there's anyone in here who, in any way, shape or form, is sitting here, going, I need, father, I ask that you fill that, whatever it may be. So, father, we ask and we pray that, from this moment forward, we walk in your righteousness, in your boldness, preparing to take the war to darkness. Father, we pray this in Jesus name Amen.