Participants: Pr. John Lomacang
Series Code: ASHF
Program Code: ASHF000009
|
00:18 Hello, friends, and welcome to another
00:20 Wednesday night Bible study here 00:22 in Thompsonville, Illinois. 00:23 The 3ABN Worship Center and, also welcome to 00:26 A Sharper Focus where every week we focus on what 00:29 it really means to live a victorious Christian life. 00:33 In other words, how to live a spiritual life 00:36 in a natural body which is, in fact 00:39 the only body we have until 00:40 we are remade in the image of Jesus completely 00:43 at the time of his second coming. 00:45 So thank you for tuning in, and by the way 00:47 if you want to invite your friends and family members 00:49 to join us just tell them 00:51 relax for the next hour or sit down. 00:53 You can also go to our website asf.3abn.org 00:58 and download the lesson for tonight "How to be Justified." 01:03 But listen carefully also download 004 which is, 01:09 the lesson we're hoping to get to is, 01:11 "How to be Delivered" and I can't wait for that one 01:14 because I'm so excited that 01:15 the Lord has a plan to deliver everyone of us 01:18 and give us the power that 01:19 we need to live a victorious Christian life. 01:22 You can also on that same website click on 01:24 our Facebook page and our Twitter page 01:26 and upload your questions, your comments, 01:29 as well as your prayer request. 01:30 But before we go any further, Thompsonville, 01:32 why don't we say amen to those who are tuning in. Amen. 01:35 And I should have said, say welcome 01:37 but amen is just as good 01:39 but before we do anything further 01:40 we'd like to invite the Lord to be in our presence 01:42 so bow your heads with us. 01:45 Our gracious father in heaven, thank you, 01:47 Lord, so much for the opportunity tonight 01:49 to not only open your word but open our hearts. 01:53 Indeed you desire to abide there with us. 01:56 Indeed you want to workout your perfect will through us. 02:01 But, father, we know that from today 02:02 we accepted you the battle began. 02:04 So tonight, Lord, help us to understand 02:07 the battle plan to live victoriously and righteously. 02:11 In Jesus name we pray. Amen. Amen. 02:15 Now tonight, we're going to begin with a song. 02:17 It's not a new song. It's an old song. 02:19 It's called "Victory in Jesus." 02:21 Now the words will appear for our local audience 02:23 but if you hear the music and you know 02:25 the words sing along with us 02:26 because that's what our topic is 02:28 about having victory in Jesus. Amen. 02:31 Let's sing the song together. 02:41 I heard an old, old story 02:45 How the Savior came from glory 02:48 How He gave His life on Calvary 02:52 To save a wretch like me 02:56 I heard about His groaning 03:00 Of His precious blood's atoning 03:03 Then I repented of my sins 03:07 And won the victory 03:11 O victory in Jesus, My Savior, forever 03:19 He sought me and bought me 03:22 With His redeeming blood 03:26 He loved me ere I knew Him 03:30 And all my love is due Him 03:34 He plunged me to victory 03:38 Beneath the cleansing flood 03:41 I heard about a mansion 03:45 He has built for me in glory 03:49 And I heard about the streets of gold 03:53 Beyond the crystal sea About the angels singing 04:00 And the old redemption story 04:04 And some sweet day I'll sing up there 04:08 The song of victory 04:11 O victory in Jesus My Savior, forever 04:19 He sought me and bought me 04:23 With His redeeming blood 04:26 He loved me ere I knew Him 04:30 And all my love is due Him 04:34 He plunged me to victory 04:38 Beneath the cleansing flood 04:42 He plunged me to victory 04:46 Beneath the cleansing flood 04:52 Amen. Amen. 04:54 That's what our topic is all about, "Victory in Jesus." 04:59 By the way, there is no victory any other way. 05:01 It may be a temporary win but as one person said, 05:05 you'll never win the whole match without Jesus. 05:08 It may appear as though you're winning 05:11 but there is really no real victory outside of Jesus. 05:15 Now one of the reasons why this topic, 05:17 "How to be Justified" is so vitally important to me. 05:20 As we're living in the day and age, 05:22 where the Gospel has been given a new definition. 05:26 You know all you've got to do to change 05:27 the meaning of something is add a new prefix. 05:31 In other words, instead of saying the Gospel, 05:32 which is the good news call it the social Gospel, 05:37 or the prosperity Gospel, or the regeneration Gospel, 05:43 or the cultural Gospel. 05:46 And there are so many new definitions 05:48 being given now to the Gospel that 05:51 you don't really hear much about being victorious. 05:54 Not a whole lot about how to overcome sin. 05:57 But a lot is being talked about in the sense of 05:59 how to have a strong portfolio 06:02 or as some of the books out there 06:03 the seven highly effective habits of 06:07 victorious or successful Christians. 06:09 It's more on success rather than on victory. 06:12 And when you read the Bible 06:13 you don't find the phrase social Gospel 06:16 or prosperity Gospel but you find 06:18 the word Gospel which is the good news. Right? 06:22 And when you understand what it means 06:24 to be victorious then you get to the place 06:26 where you are not ashamed, not only to talk about Gospel 06:30 but to live and exemplify the Gospel in your life. 06:33 Now a number of things we learn last week. 06:36 One of those I want to just begin with 06:38 is found in Romans Chapter 5. 06:41 I want you to open your Bibles there. 06:42 This is not on the screen. 06:44 But Romans Chapter 5 and our topic tonight is, 06:47 "How to be Justified," and we're hoping to get through 06:50 the five questions that will get us into the next topic, 06:53 "How to be Delivered." That's a powerful topic. 06:57 Mothers that have had children would appreciate 07:00 how to be delivered. 07:02 Because that's a real born again topic. 07:04 But here's what I want to point out. 07:05 You know there is something that the Lord did 07:07 long before we knew we would ever need it. 07:12 There's a phrase that's used. 07:14 A matter of fact, let me begin the phrase 07:17 and I guess you'll end it. 07:19 Where there is a will-- There is a way. 07:22 Now where there is a will there's a lot of relatives. 07:25 But truly where there is a will there is a way. 07:31 Isn't that true? 07:32 All of a sudden when you get a will 07:33 people show up that never visited you. 07:37 But where there is will there is a way. 07:39 The Lord made a way long before 07:42 we even knew what his will is. 07:45 Now what his will was because his will is still his will. 07:49 Matter of fact I never use the phrase 07:50 was when it comes to Jesus. 07:52 He is, he is, he's always present. 07:56 But more than 2,000 years ago 07:59 now that we're in 2012, the Lord made 08:02 provision for everyone of us to be victorious. 08:05 And so when you accept the Gospel 08:07 as it is in Jesus and you begin to understand it 08:11 but even more than just understanding in intellectually 08:13 you begin to put yourself in the will of God, 08:16 you will all of a sudden appropriated something 08:18 that was available for you long before you even knew it. 08:22 Let me use this illustration. 08:23 Say for example, when you read the book of Mathew, 08:26 by the way it talks about 42 generations before Christ, 08:29 Abraham 40 generations, and 40 generations and 40, 08:32 42 generations just think briefly. 08:36 If Abraham were your father that 08:39 it will take 42 generations 08:41 before Jesus would come along and say 08:43 did you know that through your father Abraham 08:46 I made provision 08:47 and the Jews as was the story in John 8, they said, 08:52 Abraham, our father, but you only, how old are you. 08:56 And he said to them before Abraham was I am present tense. 09:02 What they didn't understand, 09:03 He was trying to let them know 09:04 that long before you even came on the scene 09:06 I made something available by faith through Abraham that 09:10 if you understood really Abraham's relationship with me 09:14 you would know exactly who I am, 09:15 because everything I did for Abraham 09:17 and through Abraham as for you. 09:19 Now let's take that fast forward. 09:21 Let's start from Jesus' date and hours 09:23 and I don't know how many generations 09:24 that is but about 2,000 plus years. 09:26 And then someone comes along and says 09:28 did you know that your name is in your father's will. 09:31 And I say, well, who's my father? 09:34 Your father's name is Jesus. Well, I didn't know that. 09:37 In His will He said, 09:38 when my son or my daughter is born in 2,000 09:41 whatever or 1940s or 1950s as is the case for some of us, 09:48 there's something in my will that 09:50 I want to make available to them that 09:52 unless they understand what it is, 09:54 they can't really benefit from it. 09:56 But there are certain conditions 09:57 as every will has conditions, does it not? 10:00 You know, if you then, if then, 10:02 if then and the Lord has that 1 Chronicles 7:14, 10:06 If my people--then I will forgive their sins, 10:09 heal their land. 10:10 Well, tonight there is justification 10:14 available to everyone of us. 10:15 Everyone of us born into this mess. 10:18 I am using the word sin 10:19 but everyone was born into this difficult sinful world. 10:24 There is a plan that God put in place 10:27 long before Abraham that says to us 10:31 no matter how bad it looks 10:32 there's still a way to be saved. 10:35 Now but here's where it happens. 10:37 Here's where the transaction takes place. 10:39 You've got to first decide whose child 10:41 you are in order for the benefit to come to you. 10:46 If you're the son and daughter of the first Adam 10:48 the benefits are horrible. 10:51 I won't even tell you what they are they're that bad. 10:54 Nothing can--but if you are the son of Christ 10:58 who's the last Adam then He has a retirement plan 11:01 that is out of this world. 11:03 He's selling life insurance and fire insurance. 11:07 And He says He'll provide all your need 11:09 according to his riches and glory. 11:10 Can you say amen to that? Amen. 11:12 But what has happened today instead of that 11:14 being talked about very much 11:15 there is this Gospel of social regeneration, 11:19 cultural developments, self development, 11:21 almost like, you know, 11:23 Christian motivational speakers 11:25 nowadays have taken the stage 11:27 whereas the Gospel is saving 11:29 and it's almost like if you try hard, 11:30 if you rearrange your finances 11:34 then you'll see the blessings of God. 11:35 But here I'm here today to tell you this. 11:37 Let me slow down. 11:39 I'm here today to tell you this. I'm excited. 11:42 That God's plan is not just limited to finances. 11:49 God's plan is not limited to 11:51 transient and temporary things. 11:53 God's plan is specifically for his sons and his daughters. 11:59 And what we get from him 12:00 and what we inherit is far greater than many of us realize 12:04 because we don't understand 12:06 what provision He has made. 12:08 Now look at Romans 5. 12:09 I want you to see a passage 12:10 that will kind of catapult us into the content for tonight. 12:13 And by the way if you have question number 12, 12:16 I mean question number-- lesson number 3, 12:19 we're beginning with question number 12 tonight. 12:21 We ended with question 11 on our last study. 12:24 But notice this Romans Chapter 5:6-8. 12:31 One of my favorite verses. 12:35 I tell you, you could kind a see this 12:37 in the context of a will. 12:40 Somebody gave a testimony this week 12:42 that kind of fit into this. 12:43 It says, for when we were still without, what? Strength. 12:46 Without strength in due time 12:50 Christ died for the, who? Ungodly. 12:52 He died for the ungodly. 12:54 Now how many people died for folk that are bad? 12:57 Are you really. How many people say, 12:58 you know, there's a guy, there's a murderer 13:00 in my neighborhood I want to put him in my will? 13:03 There's a thief in my neighborhood 13:04 I want to put him in my will. 13:05 You know there's a guy that just cannot do right 13:06 I'm going to put him in my will. 13:07 That's what the Bible in essence is saying, 13:09 God saw us as bad as we could be and say, 13:12 you know, I want to for them. 13:13 I want to die for the ungodly. 13:16 But look at the next verse. Here He spoke so powerful. 13:19 "For scarcely for a righteous man will one die, 13:24 yet perhaps for a good man 13:27 some would even dare to die." 13:31 But did you like that? What's the next word? God. 13:35 God demonstrates 0his own love towards us, 13:40 in that--Lets read that together. 13:42 "While we were still sinners Christ died for us." 13:48 Amen. Amen. 13:49 So before I was born there was a plan 13:52 that was in place that when I found out about 13:59 it may be so much more excited than 14:00 I was before I found out about it. 14:03 In other words, I mean I've been through 14:04 a lot in my life and I could say 14:05 the same for many of you 14:07 but what God has in store for us is far greater. 14:09 And so tonight what we want to leading with is 14:11 question number 12 because now that 14:13 you see that this helps you understand 14:15 how God deals with sinners. 14:18 He deals with sinners in a loving way. 14:21 He makes every possible provision for us 14:24 not only to be delivered but for us to be saved. 14:29 So let's look tonight at question number 12 14:31 which catapult us into the context. 14:34 Topic, "How to be Justified." 14:35 Here is the question, number 12. 14:37 How does the Bible describe God 14:40 in dealing with the repentant? 14:43 How does the Bible describe God 14:45 in dealing with the repentant? 14:48 Go to the book of Ezekiel. What book that I say? 14:50 Ezekiel. Ezekiel. 14:53 Ezekiel, and Isaiah and Jeremiah 14:55 some of the longer books in the Old Testament. 14:58 Isaiah is up there, too. 15:00 But Ezekiel Chapter 18 and we're going to look 15:10 at verse 21 to verse 22, all right. 15:17 And by the way, the context of this text is 15:20 when a person finds out about 15:23 what's available to them 15:25 there are conditions by the way. 15:27 Everything that God does is with conditions. 15:30 Here it is. 15:33 But if a wicked man turns from all his sins 15:38 which he has committed, keeps how much? All. 15:43 All my statutes, and does what is lawful 15:48 and right, he shall, what? 15:51 Surely live, he shall not, what? Not die. 15:55 None of the transgressions which he has committed 15:58 shall be remembered against him, 16:02 because of the righteousness 16:04 which he has done he shall, what? 16:06 Live. He shall live. 16:08 Now I want to put that in a proper context 16:09 because sometimes you get the idea that, 16:11 wow, he is saved by his own righteousness. 16:14 He's done enough to be saved. 16:15 That's what that text at face value 16:17 make it appear to be. 16:19 No, that's not what its actually meaning. 16:22 The restitution that this verse talks about does 16:25 what is right and lawful keeps my statutes, 16:29 walking my plan of salvation. 16:33 That is not us gaining salvation by our own words. 16:36 That's simply saying there's a condition to the will. 16:39 When the Lord accepts us as sons and daughters. 16:41 Well, let me ask this question. 16:44 Well, let me tell you a story. This fits better. 16:47 I have seen fathers and mothers 16:49 dealing with their wayward child. 16:52 That on certain days that child 16:54 will all of a sudden do something very good. 16:57 And here's the story. 16:59 If a child is doing badly a mother would say 17:00 you better go talk to your son. 17:03 When the child is doing well 17:05 the mother's says, that's my boy. 17:08 What happens in the context? 17:09 She identifies the child when he's doing good 17:12 and does not identify when he's doing, 17:14 what, when he's not doing well. 17:17 In the context of the verse here the Lord is in essence 17:19 saying there are conditions to walk in the benefits of God. 17:25 We cannot say that we are sons and daughters of God 17:29 and live as though we're not sons and daughters of God. 17:34 We can't say we're Christians 17:35 and live as though we're not Christians. 17:38 I believe when the Lord saves us He accepts us 17:41 as we are but He doesn't leave us as He finds us. Right? 17:45 Lest there be no victory. But for the fact 17:47 that there is victory that means there's victory over sin. 17:50 There's victory over the power of sin. 17:52 There's victory over the penalty of sin. 17:54 And so how I was when the Lord found me 17:57 I praise the Lord I'm not that way. 17:59 I'm not all the way there but thank God 18:01 I'm not where I used to be. Am I right? 18:04 And how many of you could say the same thing? 18:07 We are not where we used to be. 18:08 We're not finish the journey 18:10 and God is working on chiseling in our lives. 18:13 Every single day there's more work 18:15 that the Lord has done and is continuing in our lives. 18:18 Well, look at the next question. Question number 13. 18:22 Question number 13. So if you put the answers 18:24 in there, here's the question. 18:27 How does the Bible describe God in dealing with the repentant? 18:31 How did he describe them. Here's the question. 18:35 In what manner is the character of God described? 18:39 Question 13, in what manner is the character of God described? 18:45 Now most of our text were in the New Testament. 18:48 We're going to spend a little time in the Old Testament 18:51 before we go back to the New Testament. 18:53 This is a pretty long passage but follow very carefully. 18:56 Exodus, Chapter 34 verse 6 and verse 7. 19:01 Now the reason why we're going to read this passage 19:03 is because a lot of times people say in the Old Testament 19:05 you find an angry God. 19:07 Have you heard that before? Yeah. 19:09 Well, God is not angry at anytime. 19:11 He's angry with sin but he loves the sinner. 19:16 He is jealous. He doesn't want to share 19:18 his son and his daughter. 19:20 But He's not a tyrant in the Old Testament 19:22 and a loving God in the new and vice versa. 19:25 He is the same yesterday, today and for how long? 19:28 Forever. And so Moses in describing God 19:31 he made it very, very clear to the children of Israel 19:33 because they came out of Egypt. Look at the context. 19:36 They came out of Egypt where they were in slavery. 19:38 They understood for 400 years the stern arm of a taskmaster, 19:45 the slavery that was binding them in Egypt. 19:48 So when they come out he said, the God that brought you out 19:52 is not like the God that bound you. 19:54 So he describes God in Exodus, Chapter 34 verse 46, 19:59 notice what the Bible says. 20:02 And the Lord passed before him and proclaimed. 20:05 Let's read this together, The Lord, the Lord God, how? 20:09 Merciful and gracious, longsuffering, 20:14 and abounding in goodness and truth, 20:17 keeping mercy for thousands, forgiving iniquity and, what? 20:22 Transgression and sin by no means clearing the guilty. 20:27 Visiting the iniquity of the fathers 20:30 upon the children and the children's children 20:33 to the third and the fourth generation. 20:36 Now you look at that passage and you say, 20:40 wait a minute let's leave the earlier part in there 20:42 and let's get the last part out. 20:44 Merciful, longsuffering, goodness, mercy, truth, 20:48 I like that part but man that iniquity part 20:50 is nearly not really good. 20:51 Here's what the passage is saying, 20:53 when a person admits his or her guilt 20:57 then the mercy of God can now be appropriate. 21:00 Remember we talked about that. 21:01 If a person goes to court and he stands before the judge 21:05 and the judge says, how do you plea. 21:07 And they say innocent. 21:10 Remember now, what do they deserve mercy or justice? 21:15 If they say, I'm innocent. 21:16 What do they deserve mercy or justice? 21:19 Justice. Right because the law says 21:21 I'm not--I have done nothing wrong. 21:23 The law your honor says, I'm innocent therefore 21:26 set me free and then the prosecuting attorney 21:29 and the defense attorney, do you have anything further? 21:32 No. Well, then you're dismissed. 21:37 I remember standing before a judge once for getting 21:40 a ticket for parking in a wheelchair zone, handicap 21:47 and wait, wait let me tell the story. 21:50 Cause somebody say no, nothing wrong with you, 21:52 but I'm going to give you the context. 21:53 My mother who was taking chemotherapy at the time 21:56 living in California she just got out of the hospital, 22:00 wasn't doing very well, wasn't feeling very strong 22:03 and she had to get medication before we took her home. 22:06 Well, we went to I forget Safeway in California. 22:11 Pulled up right there in the handicap zone. 22:13 I did that unashamedly because my mother can hardly walk 22:16 but you know they make you sign your own prescription. 22:18 So I took her in and I was there and when I came out 22:22 there was a police officer right behind the car. 22:25 Write me a ticket and I said, officer I know I'm not supposed 22:30 to park here but my mother just got out of a hospital 22:35 and she flashed her band from the hospital 22:39 and she had to get her prescription filled 22:41 and I had to get her there and she could hardly walk. 22:44 And you know the police officer said, 22:45 tell that to the judge. 22:50 I thought that was awful. 22:52 Anyway so the day was set you know whatever 22:56 and I went to the judge. 22:58 You know by the way whenever you go to court 23:00 please go to court dress like you are innocent. 23:06 Whenever you go to court look credible. 23:09 So I went to the court and I stood before the judge 23:12 and he said, okay, how do you plead, 23:14 guilty or not guilty? 23:16 I said, not guilty with an explanation. 23:20 He said, no guilty or not guilty no explanation. 23:23 He says if you say guilty then you can explain. 23:25 If you say not guilty then you can't explain, 23:27 then we'll go to trial. I said, your honor, 23:30 guilty with an explanation. 23:33 He said you can't say explanation. 23:34 He says, now what's your problem? 23:36 I said, okay, your honor, 23:38 my mother and I told my whole story and I said, 23:39 the police officer said, tell that to the judge. 23:42 So he said, okay, is the officer there? 23:44 And the officer was right there. 23:45 Did he say that? Yes, I did. 23:48 I did tell him to tell you to--he said, 23:50 did the officer say that? Yes, I did. 23:53 So he said, if you can prove that your mother was discharged 23:57 on that day that the ticket was written then I'll let you off. 24:02 You got till 3 o'clock. 24:04 Man, did I get out of that courtroom? 24:06 I sure did. Ran to the hospital, got verification. 24:09 Ran back to the court. 24:11 Did I go back as a person that wanted mercy or justice? 24:14 Justice. I want justice. 24:16 Your honor, no I didn't do it that way. 24:23 I want to--you know, you don't, 24:24 you don't wave anything in the judge's face 24:26 'cause he would tear it up and still make you pay the fine. 24:29 So you come before-- you come vaguel 24:31 before the throne of grace that you may obtain mercy. 24:33 So I went--I said, your honor, I have the paperwork. 24:37 He said, bailiff, pass it to me. 24:38 He said, okay, take it to the wherever, 24:40 now take it, they said dismissed and I ran out of that court. 24:44 Now let me tell you, did I go park in another handicap zone? 24:47 No way. Absolutely not. 24:49 And even if my mother were with me I say, mom, 24:51 I'll get your wheelchair and roll you in. 24:54 'Cause I was not about to go down that same path. 24:56 You see the point of the matter is the guilt of the sinner 25:02 if he admits the guilt then the Lord imparts to that person 25:07 who admits that the law is right 'cause he didn't change 25:10 the handicap law to get me out of the courtroom. 25:13 No laws change my circumstances as the judge sought in the light 25:18 of my innocence then he said, justice applied. 25:21 Now if I couldn't prove it, I would have said, your honor, 25:24 please I plea for mercy. Can you prove it? 25:28 I can't prove it, I plea for mercy. 25:29 Should I bring my mom? So the point of the matter is 25:33 justice for the innocent but mercy for the guilty. 25:40 Look at the next question, number 14. 25:44 I'm trying to move quickly so I could get to the next. 25:46 I am just so excited about the lesson on being delivered, okay? 25:50 Here we go question number 14. 25:52 What must the guilty do for God 25:54 to clear him of his transgression? 25:56 I kind of just told you the answer. 25:58 But that's, okay, we'll see what the Bible says, all right. 26:00 What must the guilty do for God 26:02 to clear him of his transgression, okay? 26:05 We're going to go now to Ezekiel 18 again. 26:10 Ezekiel 18, we're going to look now verse 30 to verse 32. 26:15 Verse 30 to verse 32. Okay. 26:22 Okay, here are you ready? Here we go. 26:26 Therefore I will judge you, the Lord says. 26:28 O house of Israel, everyone according to his, what? 26:33 Ways. To his ways, 26:34 says the Lord God, and notice what he says, 26:36 what must we do? 26:37 Together, repent, and turn from, how much? 26:40 All your transgressions so that iniquity will not be your ruin. 26:47 Look what the further says. 26:49 Cast away from you all the transgressions 26:53 which you have committed. And I like this. 26:56 And get yourself a new heart 26:57 and a new spirit, isn't that nice? 26:59 That sounds like a casual-- get yourself a new heart 27:01 and a new spirit like a father will say to his son, 27:02 get yourself a job and here it continues. 27:05 For why should you die, O house of Israel. 27:08 And I like this. For I have, how much pleasure? 27:11 No pleasure in the death of one who dies, says the Lord God. 27:15 Therefore, two words together turn and live. 27:19 The word turn means repent, turn. 27:23 You cannot accept Jesus and go on the same direction and live. 27:27 That's why this lesson is entitled, "How to be Justified." 27:30 You see when you accept the pardoning grace of Christ, 27:32 his justification, there's got to be a change 27:34 not only in your heart and in your mind but also in your life. 27:40 So he says, turn and live. 27:42 He doesn't say, go in the same direction. 27:44 And I know what it's like to go on the same direction. 27:46 Sometimes you go on the same direction 27:47 we don't know it until we're way down the road. 27:50 My wife and I were on our way to California once. 27:51 I think it was the second time. Yeah, second time driving. 27:54 It's a long drive from South Florida 27:57 to Northern California 3,016 miles. 28:01 It was beautiful. That was the second time. 28:02 The first time was very nerve-racking because 28:04 we had never done it, and I thought for sure 28:06 somewhere along the way we'd breakdown 28:08 so I bought extra fan belts, motor oil. 28:11 I was so nervous I forget my car keys 28:13 at the gas tank in Texas somewhere. 28:15 Fortunately I had a car that didn't need keys to start. 28:18 You could put anything in there and turn in and it will start. 28:21 It was an old 1976 Toyota Corona that cancer. 28:24 I told you about that car. 28:26 Both fenders were rusted from the bottom out 28:28 when you drive down the highway it look like the flying nun. 28:32 But on this particular occasion we went back to California 28:34 with a new 4Runner pulling a trailer and we stop midway. 28:38 You cannot drive through Texas in one day, 28:39 there is no way. Am I telling the truth? 28:41 Yeah. 880 miles from end to end. 28:43 When you enter that state it says 880 which says 28:46 and the next sign is 879 obviously it starts downing 28:48 I mean you have a 879 more miles before I get out of this state. 28:54 You go at 150 miles an hour still going to take you 8 hours. 28:58 Anyway so we got out midway I think it's, 29:02 I'm not sure San Antonio or whatever midway, highway 10. 29:06 Got up the next morning and decided we're going to continue 29:10 our journey on our way to freedom, ministry, everything. 29:14 Got in the car started driving 15 minutes, 29:20 20 minutes my wife says, wow, there's a sign 29:23 just like that yesterday when we're on our way. 29:28 There was a building just like that yesterday 29:30 when we're on our way. 29:31 It didn't dawn on us. Look at the mile markers. 29:35 If the mile markers started going up we were heading east. 29:39 It was going down we were heading west. 29:41 After about 20-25 minutes we realize the reason 29:43 why we were seeing the same things is because 29:47 we were going in the wrong direction. 29:50 In other words, all the things that we left behind us 29:52 started showing up again because we started going back 29:55 to where we used to be. 29:56 Here is my point, if the things in your life 29:59 that used to be behind you start showing up again 30:02 you are going in the wrong direction. 30:05 You have not repented and gone on the right direction, 30:09 you're going in the wrong direction, 30:11 that's why this text gives us grace and says do what, 30:14 turn and what, and live. That's the goodness of God. 30:17 He doesn't say that because you are in His grace 30:19 that you won't make a mistake every now and then 30:22 or even more than that He won't say that sometimes 30:24 you'll get weak and want to go back that way but He says, 30:27 when you come to yourself, when you get yourself 30:29 a new heart and new spirit turn around and go back 30:31 to the right direction, isn't that wonderful? 30:34 God is gracious. God is merciful. 30:36 He is not a stern God as this. 30:38 You know what you started going in the wrong direction, 30:40 forget it. You are on your own. 30:43 Aren't you glad He doesn't do that? 30:44 Yes. Oh, I like that, 30:46 go on, honey, if you're going on 30:48 the wrong direction God allows you turns. 30:50 You've seen that before, right? So God is merciful. 30:53 But there are two things on our part that open the door. 30:56 Question number 15, so if you want add the question 30:59 to 14 turn and live, turn and live, 31:03 that's the answer to number 14. Number 15 here it is. 31:07 What two actions on our part open the door to God's mercy? 31:13 What two actions on our part open the door to God's mercy? 31:18 Okay, we're going to start with one 31:19 that you are very familiar with. 31:23 I think you all could quote that by heart 31:24 before you even turn there. 31:25 First John 1:9, do you all know that one? 31:27 Well, let's see it on the screen. 31:28 Here it is. What's the first word? 31:31 If we confess our sins, He is, what? 31:35 Faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us 31:40 from, how much? All. 31:41 All unrighteousness. Isn't that wonderful? 31:46 I tell you I like to wash clothes when my wife is not 31:50 around. When she's around she does all he washing 31:51 but every now and then I get into this splurge. 31:54 And I have lots of socks and I went out and bought me 31:56 some more T-shirts 'cause you know, 31:58 after a while white T-shirts don't look as white as they did 32:01 when you first got them because even crox 32:04 just can't get them back to where they were. 32:09 So I went out and got some new T-shirts. 32:12 And I compared those T-shirts that were cleansed 32:17 from those that just can't get any cleaner. 32:20 And I realized as I look at that though your sins be as scarlet, 32:22 they should be as white as snow. 32:24 The Lord looks at us in our soil condition and he says, 32:28 honey, if you just confess. 32:31 I am faithful and I am just. 32:33 I want you to notice that he is faithful but he is also just. 32:36 He does not exclude his justice at all. 32:38 I'm still a just God but you confess and I'm faithful 32:42 and I'm still just but I'll forgive you of your sins 32:44 and I will cleanse you from all unrighteousness. 32:47 So the first thing we must do is confess. 32:50 We have to confess. So write that down 32:52 1 John 1, if we confess. First thing to do, okay? 32:56 Here's the next one, Ezekiel 18:21. 33:00 Ezekiel 1821, but if a wicked man turns from, what? 33:08 Sins. All his sins 33:10 which he has committed keep all my statutes, 33:14 and does what is lawful and right, he shall, what? 33:18 Surely live, he shall not, what? Die. 33:21 So you must confess and what's the next thing 33:23 that you see we must do. 33:25 Confess and turn. Confess and turn. 33:29 There's nothing worse than driving in a car 33:31 with a steering wheel that doesn't turn. 33:33 Thankfully God is not that way. He allows us to turn. 33:37 And so when you think about the life 33:39 and there are a lot of people that are may be watching 33:41 the program that wonder, that's good if you know 33:45 the Lord but if you consider the topic even more deeply 33:49 it's important even if you don't know the Lord because he say, 33:52 no matter how far you've fallen 33:55 there is deliverance and there is cleansing. 33:58 Doesn't really matter what you're situations. 33:59 Doesn't matter how bad things may appear to be 34:02 if you just simply bring yourself to the place and say, 34:04 Lord, I don't know how this all works but I'm going to confess. 34:09 Even our people pray those prayers. 34:11 If there is somebody up there, you've heard those prayers? 34:13 You know what God even accepts that kind of prayer. 34:16 I heard a guy who is doing that. 34:17 There is somebody up there, need two things. 34:20 My good friend Pastor Doug Batchelor 34:21 when he was an atheist he prayed that prayer in the camp. 34:23 There's somebody up there who had two things 34:24 that I need and those two things happened. 34:27 So God accepts the simplest prayer. 34:29 You don't have to get all flamboyant and esoteric 34:32 and theological to reach God. 34:33 Just pray a prayer like this. Lord, save me. 34:36 The one who does saving, the thing you need, 34:40 and the one who needs it. 34:41 Lord, save me. And he response. 34:43 But now the transition to our next topic on, 34:45 "How to be Delivered", lets wind up this study 34:47 with question number 16. 34:48 So the two things you wrote down was confess 34:50 and the next thing was turn, all right. 34:55 Question number 16. What is the basis 35:00 for the new life that God grants to the repentant sinner? 35:07 What is the basis for the new life that God grants 35:11 to the repentant sinner? 35:14 We're going now to the book of Romans 5. 35:18 Romans is the book, the chapter is 5, all right. 35:25 Now I may have given you a peak into that earlier. 35:29 Good I stopped just short. I stopped just short. 35:36 There is certain phrases in the Bible that really 35:37 are beyond just God doing something. 35:40 This is the one that has you know, 35:42 sometimes people do something for you but 35:44 when people really do something for you 35:46 this exemplifies that character, 35:48 that's side of God when he goes beyond just doing something. 35:51 Here is Romans 5:10. For if when we were, what? 35:56 Enemies. Enemies we were reconciled 35:59 to God through the death of his son. 36:01 The next two words. Much more. 36:04 Having been reconciled we shall be saved by his, what? 36:09 Life. Now I don't want to run away 36:11 from this too quickly because it introduces to us something 36:14 that is a, you know, we don't think about it this way 36:16 and I want to go back to the will of God. 36:18 Going back to the plan of God. 36:19 Going back to the provision that God's makes. 36:22 Notice when He did this. 36:24 We read the verse earlier in that while we were sinners, 36:26 or still sinners before we have strength 36:28 while we were still weak. 36:29 This says for if we were enemies we were reconciled 36:32 to God through the death of his son, 36:34 you know what that means? 36:36 That means when Jesus died on the cross 36:38 that's when every one of us were saved. 36:43 Think about that for a moment. Amen. 36:46 That may sound like rebel theology 36:48 but I want you to think about that I'm not done yet. 36:50 I want your head to start frying 36:51 when I see smoke I'll let you go. 36:55 When Jesus died on the cross every one of us were saved. 37:03 But we have to accept it. Right? Yes. 37:11 'Cause the will is in force when the person 37:15 who puts it together ratifies it. 37:18 It's in force. My great, great, great, grandson 37:21 $3 million when he is born and so his great, 37:25 great whomever however that works out, 37:28 the daughter that's going to bring this son forth is in, 37:31 honey, we better have a son. 37:34 The $3 million is waiting for our son if we can have a son. 37:37 We have a son, no, we had a daughter, 37:38 oh, man, let's try again the $3 million is--oh, 37:42 two girls, man, we got $3 million--honey, honey, 37:45 whatever the scientific formula just get a son this time. 37:48 So they finally get a son and the will is ours because 37:52 the conditions have been met. 37:53 Here's the point, the Lord has made salvation 37:57 available for us just as those who have been freed from 38:04 slavery were free slaves before 38:08 they heard the news of freedom. 38:14 Before I even heard about Jesus that text was in there. 38:18 While we were, yes, sinners, Christ died for-- 38:20 before my mother was born that text was in there. 38:22 Come here--you follow me here? Yeah. 38:23 Before my mother's mother was born 38:24 and her mother's, mother, mother, mother was born 38:27 that text was in there. Amen somebody. Amen. 38:29 While we were-before-- while we were enemies 38:33 so we come along and we read the will and we say, 38:36 do you mean to tell me that applies to me? 38:38 Sure it does. From generation to generation 38:41 to generation to generation. 38:42 Praise God for that what you say? 38:44 So but now let's get to the other part of it. 38:46 If that provision was made when we were enemies. 38:51 Now people feed enemies-- you know the Bible says 38:52 love your enemies, pray for those who despitefully use you. 38:55 If you feed your enemies how much more 38:57 would you feed your friends, huh? 39:00 Now I want you to get this because when the Lord spoke 39:04 to the Jews and they denied Him, 39:07 He said you are of your father the devil. 39:11 Could He do anything for them? 39:13 He couldn't because they would have refused 39:14 to accept Him as their father. 39:15 He couldn't do much but still the provision of sin was there. 39:18 That's what He said to them. 39:20 If the son therefore shall make you free you shall be free. 39:22 Indeed He is telling that to them and they're still 39:24 not accepting that freedom, 39:25 so He couldn't anything among them. 39:27 Matter of fact even when He was raised He can hardly do 39:29 much miracles in Nazareth because they keep saying 39:32 that's the carpenter son. 39:33 Could any good thing come out of this kind of a city? 39:37 He can do very much for them. 39:38 So for those who are reconciled much more those two words 39:43 are very active, if you think He did a lot 39:44 for you when you were enemies, wait to see what HE's going 39:47 to do for you when you are really family members, right? 39:50 If our enemy knocks on the door feed him. 39:56 If you feed your enemy how much more dinner 39:57 would you give to your family? How much more provision? 40:00 How much more blessing will you give? 40:02 Now heaven has been-- is being prepared 40:05 for everyone of us, even those who are 40:08 enemies of God now who will later on become reconciled. 40:12 That's true. Amen. 40:14 That's why He said earlier in the passage, 40:16 I have no pleasure in the death of anyone who dies. 40:20 He wants everyone. He is not willing that 40:22 any should perish but that all should come to repentance. 40:26 But how is always in your lap. It's always up to you. 40:30 How that works for you is always up to you. 40:32 You've got to decide on whose family list you want to appear, 40:36 on the first Adam or the last Adam. 40:39 Deliverance is available to everybody 40:41 but you've got to decide whose family 40:44 fits your lifestyle much better? 40:46 I rather the last Adam. Anybody else? 40:49 "How to be Delivered." Now let's go. 40:53 Turn that lesson, close that lesson, 40:56 we're going to dive into a lesson that I'm excited about. 40:58 004 I was preaching to my wife today 41:02 when she came home and I was excited about, 41:05 matter of fact it brought me to tears when I thought about it. 41:08 We're transitioning on to the lesson, 41:10 "How to be Delivered." How to be, what? 41:12 Delivered. Delivered. 41:13 Now we're not going to get it all today 41:15 but that's the good news about covering this topic. 41:18 We don't have to rush through it. 41:19 We can take our time because God, 41:22 God's blessing is there. "How to be delivered." 41:26 Now you cannot be delivered by being 41:33 educated into righteousness. 41:37 You cannot be delivered by any other social external mechanism 41:42 because the problem in the world is not only 41:48 what's happening outside of us but what impacts 41:52 our eternal life is what's happening on the inside. 41:56 We've got a shell. 41:57 We've got a body that we've got to deal with. 41:59 We've got to hold on to. 42:00 We've got to wrestle with this mortal flesh 42:04 until we put on immortality. 42:08 And so after you come into a relationship 42:10 with Christ then you are justified. 42:13 Wow, there is still another level 42:17 of deliverance that has to take place. 42:20 Can I package this? Okay, here we are. 42:24 Born in sin, shaped in iniquity. That's our law. 42:27 When we're born into the world 42:28 we're born into that nature of Adam. 42:29 We have that all sinful nature. We're just like our father. 42:32 Got our father's eyes, our father's heart, 42:34 our father's tongue, everything about us 42:36 says we are surely children of the first Adam. 42:40 Deceitful heart, tongue that speaks both ways, 42:42 bitter water and sweet water. 42:44 We love and we hate. We lie and we tell the truth. 42:47 All those things happening then we come into Christ 42:49 and He justifies us, now we turn 42:52 and we're going in the direction of life. 42:54 But as we turn as Paul the Apostle has so 42:57 wonderfully put together in Romans Chapter 7 42:59 and by the way you may want to jot this down. 43:02 Romans Chapter 7 is not the story of a man 43:05 who is yet to be saved. 43:08 Romans Chapter 7 is Paul's account 43:11 of him after he accepted Christ. 43:15 Came to the realization that I'm confronted with a dilemma. 43:20 Follow me carefully. The dilemma is this. 43:25 You know Mathew 4:4, we live by every word 43:27 that proceeds from God's mouth that's true, am I right? 43:32 But how do I live by every word that proceeds from God's 43:36 mouth when my mortal flesh really doesn't want me to. 43:43 How will I live a spiritual life in what kind of body? 43:45 Natural body. And we have these cravings. 43:49 Those cravings can be better described as temptations. 43:52 Temptations anybody you know what that is? 43:54 Temptation. So we're confronted 43:56 everyday with this spiritual commitment, 44:01 spiritual law, the law is holy and just and good, 44:04 God commandments and we're stuck with this mortal body. 44:09 This dilapidated thing that remembers how I used to dance. 44:14 Remember how I used to gamble. 44:16 Remember the music I used to listen to. 44:20 Remember the places I used to go. 44:23 I don't want to take any of you too far back. 44:27 But until the Lord clears our whole minds and gives us 44:29 a new heart and new mind there are things 44:31 that we did in our past we did not forget. 44:34 And every now and then they wear their ugly heads 44:35 to remind us of what we used to be. 44:38 So the first question I want to lead with is a very 44:40 vitally important question because remember again 44:43 Romans Chapter 7 is the book that is written by Paul, 44:46 the chapter written by Paul, as he compares what it means 44:54 to be dead to the law and a life to God 44:57 and by the way just so that you don't misunderstand 44:59 when Paul says, dead to the law 45:02 he doesn't mean dead to the commandments. 45:05 He'll describe that long Romans, 45:07 he calls it law of sin and death. 45:09 That's in my members, warring against the law 45:12 of mind where God put his commandments, all right. 45:17 So here's the first question. 45:19 From what question number 1, lesson number 4, 45:24 "How to be Delivered." 45:25 From what did Paul say he needs to be delivered? 45:31 From what did Paul says he needs to be delivered? 45:36 Romans 7:24. I want to read this one together. 45:41 Romans 7:24 'cause every one of us falls into this 45:45 category every once in a while. 45:49 Are we ready? Here we go. 45:50 "O wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from 45:57 this body of death." 46:00 Some translated from the body of this death, 46:01 from this body of death, same six of one 46:04 half a dozen of the other. 46:06 What Paul in essence is saying is I've got a problem. 46:08 I think the Lord, that with my mind 46:11 I serve the law of God but I have a problem 46:13 with my own flesh, I serve the law of sin. 46:15 I've got this issue and he goes through 46:18 the whole reconciliation, the fact that God's laws 46:20 is not the issue, law of spiritual, promise, 46:24 I'm carnal. I'm so old to understand. 46:26 I am a slave as long as I am in this condition 46:29 but I want to be delivered. 46:30 So if you answer that question what is 46:33 Paul asking to be delivered from. 46:35 The body of death. 46:40 The body, the body. What body? Whose body? 46:46 Say my body. Do you need 46:49 deliverance from Paul' s body or your body? 46:50 My body. We need to be delivered from our body. 46:53 And you know what brothern let me also add this. 46:55 There is some people and I want to encourage 46:57 to those of you have lived a pretty good life 46:59 what I mean by that is, there is some people 47:01 that are raised-- been raised in families 47:03 where you know the mother and father never divorced 47:05 and their grandmother and grandfather never divorced 47:07 and their great grandmother and grandfather never divorced 47:09 and they are Christians first, second, third generation, 47:11 all went through Christian school together, 47:13 all stay together you know, pretty righteous. 47:16 They are all into Bible studies. 47:17 Five pastors, they still need to be delivered. 47:22 Am I telling the truth? Yeah. 47:26 But the reason I mention this is because 47:27 there is some people that come from situations 47:29 that are so adverse that it just seems like nothing goes right 47:34 for them when it comes to wanting to do right 47:36 because everything their hereditary tendency 47:39 is against them because they start cultivating 47:41 those tendencies and become stronger and stronger 47:44 as the battle continues. 47:47 But for those who are in good families do not think 47:51 that you have to experience a terribly sinful world 47:54 to appreciate the righteousness 47:56 and the beauty of the life of Christ. 48:00 I've heard some people say, man, you know, 48:02 we had this guy that served 15 years in prison. 48:04 He killed 55 people before he went to prison. 48:05 He got converted now he is a great evangelist. 48:07 He gives his life to Christ and save people all over the world. 48:09 And some people say, wow, I wish 48:11 I had the fragrance that he did. 48:12 Well, you're the son that never left home. 48:15 You're the prodigal son that stayed home. 48:19 You don't have to go out into the world to appreciate 48:21 the righteousness of Jesus, right? 48:23 Amen. But everyone of us still 48:25 on a level that is enough, serious enough for us 48:28 to be lost we still need to be delivered. 48:31 How to be delivered? Now let's go to the next one. 48:35 Here's the question. 48:36 What body of death is Paul the Apostle referring to? 48:41 First Corinthians 15:22, some of you already know. 48:48 I kind of give you a glimpse. 48:50 I dropped those little cookie crumbs along the way. 48:53 What body of death is Paul the Apostle referring to? 48:56 First Corinthians 15:22 and here it is. 49:00 For as in Adam, how many of us? All. 49:03 All die even so in Christ, how many of us? 49:06 All shall be made alive. 49:08 So where do we get this body from? 49:11 We got it from Adam, right? 49:13 One day we're going to have a-- one day we're going to have 49:20 a body that doesn't need contact lenses. 49:23 Doesn't get pains and wonder whether 49:25 or not it's just a muscle ache or arthritis. 49:28 One day we're going to have a body that is so beautifully 49:33 crafted and functioning like a well timed expensive clock. 49:41 That we're not going to know what to do with ourselves. 49:47 But here the two contenders right here Adam and Christ. 49:50 They're not contending with each other but those 49:54 of the two choices that we make. 49:55 The body that Adam gave us and the body 50:00 that Christ is going to give us. 50:03 We don't have that body yet. We're going to get it. 50:06 If you want to find out about that take some time 50:07 and read 1 Corinthians, Chapter 15, 50:09 it talks about those two natures the celestial, 50:12 the terrestrial, the spiritual, the natural you could enjoy 50:15 that and really appreciate learning more about that 50:17 but the reason for this topic is specifically 50:20 what happens when you are baptized. 50:23 Now this topic will give hope to those who are not yet baptized. 50:26 It will show you what's available and by the way 50:28 I learned again, you're never too old to learn. 50:30 Am I telling the truth? 50:32 You can always learn learning something more. 50:33 I thought I knew a whole a lot and I do have a lot of knowledge 50:36 but you know what the thing that's so beautiful 50:37 about the Bible, you can open the Bible 50:39 and you think you got it all down pad and all of a sudden 50:40 the Lord hit you on the forehead 50:41 it was something you never understood. 50:43 And that happened today I had a epiphany. 50:45 I literally had it, got hit in the head 50:47 by a spiritual sledgehammer. 50:49 It didn't hurt but it was just like overwhelmed me 50:53 and I realized today, don't feel bad for me, 50:58 but I realized today that baptism, 51:00 that when Jesus got baptized in the Jordan 51:03 He did it not just to set an example and not just for me, 51:09 when the Bible says to fulfill all righteousness, 51:12 I understood what that meant today. 51:15 It's, oh, let me try to give you an example 51:19 that may fall far short by the way you will fall far short, 51:22 'cause there's nothing to welcome here. 51:24 Let's just say you take your child 51:27 to an amusement park lets a mega one. 51:31 I don't really sponsor all those mega 51:33 but let's say a mega amusement park. 51:37 They've never been before. 51:39 They have no idea what's behind those gates. 51:42 And they just-- I don't really want to go, 51:44 I said believe me beyond those gates 51:48 you'll be glad daddy took you here. 51:52 Kids enter the gate, buys the ticket, 51:56 goes beyond the wall and standing before this 51:59 six year old or seven year kid is noise and amusement, 52:05 and lights and camera and action every kind 52:07 and he get so overwhelmed he can't even breathe. 52:13 The reason why I said I have falls far short 52:15 is the Lord is not opening up to us unlimited amusement 52:21 but at his right hand is joy forever more. 52:24 I don't want you to leave here thinking that 52:26 we're going be bored in heaven. 52:27 You don't even know pleasure yet. 52:29 That's right. We got cheap pleasure 52:31 down here 'cause you know, we were happy with iPad 2 52:35 but the next generation came out and if I get that 52:38 I'll get a new level of pleasure, 52:40 that's what we--you know we tried to get ourselves to that. 52:43 iPhone, we're going for the iPhone 5 52:44 because all the pleasure we have 52:46 with the iPhone 4s is kind of leaked out. 52:50 When you accept the Lord and you step into 52:52 the relationship with Christ through baptism what happens 52:57 on the other side of that is so phenomenal. 53:02 It's going to boil your mind. 53:04 I'm going to unwrap before you here today. 53:05 I'm not going to rush through because I know 53:06 I have another program coming up "God Spare Our Lives." 53:08 We'll do the next program hopefully next week 53:10 if that's what God plans. 53:12 But it was necessary for Jesus to be baptized 53:16 before He entered into his ministry. 53:19 It was imperative for Him to be baptized 53:21 before He entered ministry. 53:24 Let me make a very important point until you are baptized 53:28 you cannot experience the life of one who has gone through 53:31 the gates unless you go through the gates. 53:36 You cannot-- you can hang around people 53:39 that have given their lives to Christ and you can get 53:42 some of the dust of a beautiful life but you'll never know it 53:47 until you go through the gate. 53:49 You will never know it until you go through the whole-- 53:52 you'll never know it until you're in Christ come out 53:54 in the other side and begin living 53:56 that you will never know it. 53:58 You can look at a Maserati but you'll never know 53:59 how good it feels until you get in there. 54:03 And every now and then as a car enthusiast 54:05 I want to drive a Maserati. 54:07 I guess I'll never drive one in this life. 54:10 The closest we got was down in Miami, Florida 54:13 this is not a maserati but a Ferrari beautiful, red, 54:17 beautiful Ferrari down in South Florida 54:21 outside of South Beach. 54:23 We were going on our way to the airport and we saw this rental. 54:26 Wow, Ferrari, Lamborghini all these 54:34 and there was a phone number and my wife said call 54:36 and just see how much it cost to rent it. 54:38 I did call it. Well, the two day minimum, 54:41 two day minimum rental it's not very expensive 54:46 for people that had money. 54:48 It was $1,600 a day, two day minimum. 54:54 I stayed in my Toyota and drove to the airport. 54:59 But here is my point, even that car, 55:03 even owning that car will not give you the satisfaction 55:07 and the joy that you will experience 55:10 when you enter that relationship with Christ. 55:12 Amen. Amen. 55:13 I want to go to that text right now. 55:15 Question number 3, may I get to too many 55:18 but question number 3 vitally important for tonight. 55:21 Here it is. When we accept Jesus 55:23 and are baptized what takes place? 55:28 We've read this text but I'm going to unwrap it along 55:31 with the other surrounding text. 55:33 What takes place, 2 Corinthians 5:17. 55:38 Man, our clock flies faster than I wanted to. 55:41 That's all right. Here it is. 55:46 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a, what? 55:51 New creation, old things have passed away, 55:55 behold, how many things? All things. 55:56 All things have become new. 56:01 Now I want to rush very quickly to the next question. 56:03 Try to get in before the time is done. 56:05 Because you know, we see that word, 56:07 old things had passed away, what happens 56:09 when a person dies, what do we say? 56:12 They passed away. Well, they passed away. 56:14 How we consider that in the context of this passage? 56:17 What has passed away? 56:18 Should I leave that as the cliffhanger for next week 56:20 or should I answer that question tonight? 56:22 Answer. Answer tonight, okay here we go. 56:24 Question the very next one, very quickly question number 4. 56:28 How does the Bible further explain the term passed away? 56:32 Passed away. Here is the answer, Romans 6:3. 56:39 Here it is, Romans 6:3, 56:42 I think the last may be possible question for tonight. 56:45 Or do you not know that as many of us as were, what? 56:50 Baptized. Baptized into Christ Jesus 56:53 were baptized into His, what? Death. 56:56 So when a person passes away they die, am I right? 57:00 So this is amazing. The new life in Christ 57:05 does not begin with social regeneration, 57:08 it does not begin with self development, 57:10 the victorious life does not begin with anything 57:13 that has to do with seven effective habits 57:14 of a highly effective Christian, the new life begins 57:19 when the old life is put to death. 57:22 You enter into the new life through the process of death. 57:26 For one to live the other must die. 57:29 Next week we're going to talk about 57:30 what it means to be delivered. How we get delivered. 57:34 What Christ does in our lives when we're delivered? 57:37 What the beauty of baptism really means? 57:39 And so, friends, God wants to take your life 57:41 that's foggy and out of focus 57:44 and bring it into a very, very sharp focus. 57:48 So tune in next week get your friends together, 57:51 get your families together and if you are not where 57:54 Christ wants you to be right now understand that 57:56 he is going to completely transform 58:00 your life to be like His. 58:01 God bless you till we see you again. |
Revised 2014-12-17