Hello, friends.
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Welcome to another
Wednesday night Bible study
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here in Thompsonville, Illinois
at the 3ABN Worship Center.
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Thank you for tuning
into A Sharper Focus.
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As you know,
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we have been studying
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what it means to carry my cross.
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Not Christ carrying His cross,
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but what does it
mean to carry our cross
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from day-to-day?
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And so tonight,
thank you for tuning in.
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Get your Bibles, get your pens,
quiet down your family members
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if you are at church
watching this together.
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This is going to be
a very instructive hour
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because this is something
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that each of us needs
to know very much about
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because what
Christ did on the cross
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was the beginning of
what He wants us to do
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on a day-by-day basis.
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If you like a
copy of our lesson,
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lesson number 12,
go to this website,
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ASF.3abn.org, don't put www,
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and download lesson number
12 which is, "Carry My Cross,"
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"How to Carry My Cross."
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And then for the
next hour, join us,
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I think a little
less than an hour,
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and we'll have a
wonderful time of instruction
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in the Word of God.
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But before we do anything,
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let's begin tonight
with a Word of prayer.
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Let's pray.
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Father in Heaven,
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thank You for the
opportunity to open Your Word.
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We pray that You'll open
our hearts and our minds.
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That we will hear
what the spirit has to say
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to each one of us,
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we are in a
journey, we are in a process,
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and we want to be made
in the similitude of Christ.
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We want to live with the
power of His resurrected life.
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And we want to understand
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what it means to reflect
the righteousness of Jesus
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on a day-by-day basis.
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So speak to us
tonight as we study Your Word.
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We pray in Christ's name.
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Amen.
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Now we always
sing our theme song,
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if you like to sing
along with us, you can.
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It's our theme song
which is simply what?
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What's the title of the song?
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Victory in Jesus.
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Join us as we
sing our song tonight.
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I heard an old, old story
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How the Savior came from glory
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How He gave His life on Calvary
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To save a wretch like me
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I heard about His groaning
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Of His precious blood's atoning
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Then I repented of my
sin And won the victory
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Together.
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O victory in Jesus
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My Savior, forever
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He sought me and bought me
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With His redeeming blood
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He loved me ere I knew Him
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And all my love is due Him
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He plunged me to victory
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Beneath the cleansing flood
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That's right.
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I heard about a mansion
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He has built for me in glory
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And I heard about
the streets of gold
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Beyond the crystal sea
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About the angels singing
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And the old redemption story
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And some sweet
day I'll sing up there
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The song of victory
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Key change.
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O victory in Jesus
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My Savior, forever
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He sought me and bought me
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With His redeeming blood
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He loved me ere I knew Him
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And all my love is due Him
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He plunged me to victory
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Beneath the cleansing flood
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He plunged me to victory
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Beneath the cleansing flood
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Amen, everyone? Amen. Amen.
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That is really
where our hope lies
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and we are glad
that you are tuning in.
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And few times I mentioned
that one of our members
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was at the LIFE Institute
there in Lady Lake, Florida,
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and he's back now.
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Good to have David Butler back,
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all trained in canvassing,
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and studying God's Word,
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and we are excited about it
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because we're
gonna hit the street
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and carry the gospel message
all around our community,
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and we are thankful that,
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and his wife is happy
that he is back too, right?
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And so those of you
who are joining us tonight,
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get your Bibles
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because tonight we are talking
about "How to Carry My Cross."
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How do you carry your
cross on a daily basis?
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What we're gonna begin
with tonight is a question
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that we ended with
last time we studied.
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It's question number six.
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But I want to set this up
before we go to the question.
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There was a
transition that took place
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between who
Christ was and who we are
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that happened at the cross.
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Now you'll notice I
said, "Who Christ was?"
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Never do you put
Christ in the past tense.
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Something happened at the cross
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that changed who He
was before the cross.
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And something
happened at the cross
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that changes who we
were before the cross.
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The cross was a
place of transition.
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So when we begin to
study our lesson tonight,
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or at least continue
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in the study of
how to carry my cross,
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we are gonna see the transition
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was for the benefit of Christ
as well as for our benefit.
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For whose benefit,
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the first person
I mentioned was who?
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Christ. Christ,
and second person is?
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Us. Say, "Me."
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Me.
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Oh, that was a
weak me. Say, "Me."
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Me.
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You know what, if I'd do music,
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I'd say, "Me, me, me."
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But the benefit was our benefit.
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And you'll find also,
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there's a great
blessing in it for Christ.
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But I want to begin by going
to question number six tonight.
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And we're gonna ask the question
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which will
appear on your screen.
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What does the Bible describe
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as our first place
of unity with Christ?
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Go with me to Romans 6:5,
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and there we'll find our answer.
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Romans 6:5.
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There is a particular word
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we're gonna spend a
little bit of time on tonight
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because we got to understand
what takes place there.
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The cross, you
know, lot of songs,
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"The old rugged cross,"
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lot of cross symbols
on buildings, on jackets,
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and the list goes on and on,
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but what actually
happened at the cross.
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Let's see what
Paul says in Romans 6:5.
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Let's read this
first one together.
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Are you ready? Here we go.
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"For if we have
been united together
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in the likeness of His death,
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certainly we also shall be
in the likeness of His" what?
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"Resurrection."
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So get this. His
death had a likeness.
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His resurrection has a likeness.
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When you read Isaiah
53, go there with me.
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Isaiah 53,
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Isaiah the prophet
talks about that likeness,
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the likeness that he
took on on account of us.
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Isaiah chapter 53.
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I want to spend a
little time on the word there,
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"likeness."
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Okay.
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Let's look at all the
things that Jesus went through
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that really had
nothing to do with Him.
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See tonight the
reason I'm rejoicing
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is that Jesus was willing
to go through what He did
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so that we can have the
benefit of eternal life.
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Can you say amen to that? Amen.
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I mean, when you
think about what He did,
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that He didn't have to do,
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to benefit us,
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He could have easily said,
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"Well, it's a little tiny dot
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in the course of
many other dots."
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And He could have
easily ignored earth,
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let it consume itself,
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and they would
have been so many worlds
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that were not stained by sin.
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But the text says,
"Well, for God so," what?
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"Loved the world."
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And so when we look
at Isaiah 53 tonight,
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let's look at what
Jesus went through for us
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because it talks about
the likeness of His death
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and also the
likeness of His resurrection.
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Isaiah 53, what did
He go through for us,
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and verse 3.
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"He was," Isaiah 53:3,
what's the next word after,
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"He is despised
and rejected by men.
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A Man of sorrows and" what else?
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"Acquainted with grief.
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And we hid, as it
were, our faces from Him.
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He was despised, and
we did not esteem Him."
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Let's not go past
that verse too quickly.
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In other words, what
the Bible is saying here
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is when we see what
sin had done to Christ,
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it was so,
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and I want to
try to use the word
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without swallowing my tongue,
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ignominious that
we had turn our face,
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we could not bear the sight.
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When you think of
scourging and the mocking
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and the crown of
thorns placed on His head,
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when you think of
all He went through
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in Pilate's judgment hall,
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being rejected by His own,
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people spitting on
Him and striking Him,
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and then nailing His
sinless body to the cross,
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if you think of
all He did for us.
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It says that, "When you look
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at what Christ had gone through,
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it says, "We hid, as it
were, our faces from Him."
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It says in verse 4,
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look at that together with me,
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"Surely He has borne our grieves
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and carried our sorrows.
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Yet we esteemed Him stricken,
smitten by God, and afflicted."
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You know, initially,
what was said of Christ
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and what was said of
those who accused Him,
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they said, "He's going
through what He's going through
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because of what He has done."
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Not because of
what we have done.
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And you know, they
accused Christ of blasphemy,
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they accused Him of
wrongly associated Himself
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to be one with God.
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So they said,
"What He's going through
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is because of His sin.
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What He's going through is
because of what He has done.
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He is receiving the
penalty of His transgression."
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But that's not the truth.
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He went through
what He did for who?
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For us.
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Let's look at the next verse.
00:11:06.39\00:11:08.80
Let's read verse 5 together.
00:11:08.83\00:11:10.17
"But He was wounded
for our transgressions,
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He was bruised
for our iniquities.
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The chastisement of
our peace was upon Him,"
00:11:18.44\00:11:21.84
and what?
00:11:21.88\00:11:23.21
"By His stripes we are healed."
00:11:23.24\00:11:25.61
So everything that we received
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was because of what He received.
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He went though the torment.
00:11:30.85\00:11:33.52
We've read that
text so many times.
00:11:33.56\00:11:34.89
If I said to you,
00:11:34.92\00:11:36.73
"Let's think about what
Christ had gone through."
00:11:36.76\00:11:38.99
People will say, "Yes, He
was wounded, He was beaten,
00:11:39.03\00:11:40.83
He was nailed on the
cross, He was spat upon,
00:11:40.86\00:11:43.30
they put a crown of thorns
that caused His brow to bleed."
00:11:43.33\00:11:47.34
We say those things as
though it's some kind of movie
00:11:47.37\00:11:49.54
we are watching.
00:11:49.57\00:11:51.27
But if you were to
switch the roles around,
00:11:51.31\00:11:52.87
really what He went through
is what every human being
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should have gone
through rather than Him.
00:11:56.81\00:11:59.31
So if you think about
that, if the Father said,
00:11:59.35\00:12:02.15
"Here's what you
need to do to get saved.
00:12:02.18\00:12:05.19
So start lining up
to get your scourging,
00:12:05.22\00:12:08.52
start lining up to
get your crown of thorns,
00:12:08.56\00:12:12.06
start lining up
00:12:12.09\00:12:13.43
to go through
all the persecution
00:12:13.46\00:12:14.80
that Christ went through
00:12:14.83\00:12:16.16
in order for
yourself to be redeemed."
00:12:16.20\00:12:19.47
We couldn't do that.
We could not survive that.
00:12:19.50\00:12:22.20
And you will
see in just a moment
00:12:22.24\00:12:23.57
why we couldn't survive that.
00:12:23.61\00:12:25.41
Because what had happened
here was divinity and humanity
00:12:25.44\00:12:30.65
were merged together.
00:12:30.68\00:12:33.62
He was very God but
He was also very man.
00:12:33.65\00:12:38.25
And how did He become very man?
00:12:38.29\00:12:40.66
Let's go to the
Book of Romans chapter 8.
00:12:40.69\00:12:45.39
And by the way, I want you
to answer question number six.
00:12:45.43\00:12:48.70
What does the Bible describe
00:12:48.73\00:12:50.07
as our first place
of unity with Christ?
00:12:50.10\00:12:54.54
Death.
00:12:54.57\00:12:56.77
And there's a word
that shows up twice
00:12:56.81\00:12:58.44
in Romans 6:5.
00:12:58.47\00:12:59.84
Did anybody
notice what that word is?
00:12:59.87\00:13:02.48
Did anybody
write that word down?
00:13:02.51\00:13:04.95
The word is likeness.
00:13:04.98\00:13:06.31
Likeness of His death,
likeness of His resurrection.
00:13:06.35\00:13:09.42
So here it is.
00:13:09.45\00:13:10.79
I want you to get this
before we run through it.
00:13:10.82\00:13:12.25
What did I tell you to
turn to? Romans 8, Romans 8.
00:13:12.29\00:13:17.49
What I like
about Wednesday night,
00:13:17.53\00:13:18.86
it's not like a sermon.
00:13:18.89\00:13:20.23
I don't have to end my sermon
before the clock runs out.
00:13:20.26\00:13:23.37
We could continue next week.
00:13:23.40\00:13:24.73
Amen? Amen.
00:13:24.77\00:13:26.10
But Romans,
because it's important that
00:13:26.13\00:13:28.44
like a
strainer, we get the juice
00:13:28.47\00:13:30.77
that's in these verses
00:13:30.81\00:13:32.37
and understand it
and comprehend it.
00:13:32.41\00:13:34.64
Romans 8,
00:13:34.68\00:13:36.01
and look together
with me at verse 3.
00:13:36.04\00:13:38.75
Now what the word
I want you to notice
00:13:38.78\00:13:40.48
is the word likeness
00:13:40.52\00:13:42.02
because at the
cross something happened,
00:13:42.05\00:13:46.02
something merged together.
00:13:46.05\00:13:49.22
And if we were united in
the likeness of His death,
00:13:49.26\00:13:52.13
we'll also be in the
likeness of His resurrection.
00:13:52.16\00:13:54.66
The death that He took
on Himself was our death
00:13:54.70\00:13:57.57
because He took
on Himself our sin.
00:13:57.60\00:13:59.90
So He took us to the cross.
00:13:59.93\00:14:01.70
But what came after that?
00:14:01.74\00:14:04.77
Okay, let's look at this.
00:14:04.81\00:14:06.31
Romans 8:3.
00:14:06.34\00:14:08.68
"For what the law
could not do in that it was"
00:14:08.71\00:14:12.91
what's the next word?
00:14:12.95\00:14:14.38
"Weak through the flesh,
00:14:14.42\00:14:16.89
God did by sending His own Son
00:14:16.92\00:14:21.06
in the likeness of" what?
00:14:21.09\00:14:23.99
"Sinful flesh,
on account of sin.
00:14:24.03\00:14:27.96
He condemned sin in the flesh."
00:14:28.00\00:14:30.33
So what happened at the cross?
00:14:30.37\00:14:32.13
The reason why the
death had to take place
00:14:32.17\00:14:34.17
is because Christ came
00:14:34.20\00:14:36.64
in the likeness of
what kind of flesh?
00:14:36.67\00:14:39.14
Sinful flesh. Sinful flesh.
00:14:39.17\00:14:41.68
He came and
took on sinful flesh.
00:14:41.71\00:14:43.45
So that sinful flesh had to die.
00:14:43.48\00:14:46.35
In order for there to
be a different context
00:14:46.38\00:14:48.98
after the cross,
00:14:49.02\00:14:50.35
the flesh that Christ
took on had to be crucified
00:14:50.39\00:14:54.12
and left at the cross.
00:14:54.16\00:14:56.09
Because if you read Romans 6:5,
00:14:56.12\00:14:57.96
"If we are united together
in the likeness of His death,
00:14:57.99\00:15:01.80
we will be in the
likeness of His resurrection."
00:15:01.83\00:15:04.67
So in order for the
resurrected life to show up,
00:15:04.70\00:15:08.07
one of them has to perish.
00:15:08.10\00:15:10.54
So the Father sent His
Son forth and He knew that,
00:15:10.57\00:15:13.21
"When you go to
earth," Galatians 4:4,
00:15:13.24\00:15:17.25
"When the
fullness of time had come,
00:15:17.28\00:15:18.95
God sent forth His Son,
00:15:18.98\00:15:20.32
born of a woman,
born under the law."
00:15:20.35\00:15:23.32
When He was born
through the woman,
00:15:23.35\00:15:25.99
what did He take on?
00:15:26.02\00:15:28.02
What did He take on?
00:15:28.06\00:15:29.39
Look in the verse,
tell me, what kind of flesh?
00:15:29.42\00:15:30.83
Sinful flesh. Sinful flesh.
00:15:30.86\00:15:32.19
When He came through Mary,
00:15:32.23\00:15:33.56
He took on the very
characteristics of the flesh
00:15:33.60\00:15:36.50
that she has.
00:15:36.53\00:15:37.87
Now I want to catch this.
00:15:37.90\00:15:39.23
He did not take on
the propensity's descent
00:15:39.27\00:15:42.80
but He took on the very
nature that Adam transferred
00:15:42.84\00:15:47.18
to everyone that was born
after the entrance of sin.
00:15:47.21\00:15:50.75
You get that?
00:15:50.78\00:15:52.98
I want you to make
sure because sometimes,
00:15:53.01\00:15:55.65
if you get that mixed up,
you could make Jesus a sinner.
00:15:55.68\00:15:59.59
And if that's the case,
we are in trouble, all right?
00:15:59.62\00:16:03.12
So when He took on the
likeness of sinful flesh,
00:16:03.16\00:16:07.06
being born through Mary,
00:16:07.10\00:16:10.17
He had to be tempted,
00:16:10.20\00:16:12.33
He had to walk
on the same nature
00:16:12.37\00:16:14.90
that we walk in everyday
00:16:14.94\00:16:17.24
because that
nature had a destiny,
00:16:17.27\00:16:19.57
and I want to say, "Thank God,"
00:16:19.61\00:16:21.08
the destiny of that
nature was not heaven,
00:16:21.11\00:16:23.24
the destiny of
the nature that He had
00:16:23.28\00:16:25.21
when He came into
world was the cross.
00:16:25.25\00:16:27.55
Amen.
00:16:27.58\00:16:28.92
That's as far as
Jesus was willing
00:16:28.95\00:16:31.52
to take that nature.
00:16:31.55\00:16:32.89
What do you say?
00:16:32.92\00:16:34.26
You got to get that.
00:16:34.29\00:16:35.62
He was not willing to take
that nature beyond the cross.
00:16:35.66\00:16:39.49
That sinful nature
had to die at the cross.
00:16:39.53\00:16:42.90
If it survived the cross,
00:16:42.93\00:16:45.03
the plan of salvation
could not be in effect.
00:16:45.07\00:16:48.07
Are you
following what I am saying?
00:16:48.10\00:16:49.57
So sin made it past the cross,
00:16:49.60\00:16:52.67
if the sin nature wasn't
put to death at the cross,
00:16:52.71\00:16:55.68
then Christ had
nothing to offer us.
00:16:55.71\00:16:59.15
Are you following me? Amen.
00:16:59.18\00:17:01.05
So the likeness,
00:17:01.08\00:17:02.42
He came in the
likeness of sinful flesh.
00:17:02.45\00:17:03.95
And by the way,
00:17:03.99\00:17:05.32
the likeness that is
talked about in Romans 6:5
00:17:05.35\00:17:07.42
is His likeness.
00:17:07.46\00:17:09.26
The likeness
talked about in Romans 8:3
00:17:09.29\00:17:11.19
is our likeness.
00:17:11.23\00:17:12.86
So His likeness and
our likeness merged.
00:17:12.89\00:17:19.03
But when He took our
likeness to the cross,
00:17:19.07\00:17:23.00
this is powerful,
00:17:23.04\00:17:24.84
only His likeness survived.
00:17:24.87\00:17:27.14
Amen.
00:17:27.18\00:17:29.71
I am ready to preach.
00:17:29.74\00:17:31.88
I thought about that but...
00:17:31.91\00:17:33.75
I am so glad my
likeness didn't survive
00:17:33.78\00:17:36.18
because if he had
brought any of me,
00:17:36.22\00:17:37.89
if he brought
any of me with Him,
00:17:37.92\00:17:40.76
the plan of salvation
would not be in effect.
00:17:40.79\00:17:43.69
He took my likeness and
His likeness to the cross.
00:17:43.73\00:17:48.16
Humanity and divinity merged.
00:17:48.20\00:17:50.60
But only His
likeness survived the cross.
00:17:50.63\00:17:53.54
Amen for that.
00:17:53.57\00:17:54.90
Amen.
00:17:54.94\00:17:57.51
That's why it
says in Romans 6:5,
00:17:57.54\00:17:59.27
that's the verse that
we kind of run through.
00:17:59.31\00:18:01.24
It says, "For if we
have been united together
00:18:01.28\00:18:04.31
in the likeness of His death,
00:18:04.35\00:18:06.01
certainly we also shall be
00:18:06.05\00:18:08.88
in the likeness
of His resurrection."
00:18:08.92\00:18:12.02
That's huge.
00:18:12.05\00:18:14.22
So nothing came
out of that grave.
00:18:14.26\00:18:16.59
He didn't come out of that grave
00:18:16.62\00:18:18.79
with all the traces of
the character or the nature.
00:18:18.83\00:18:23.37
He didn't have any of the nature
00:18:23.40\00:18:25.13
He had before.
00:18:25.17\00:18:26.67
But what did He
take out of that?
00:18:26.70\00:18:28.50
The only thing He maintained
00:18:28.54\00:18:31.11
was the marks of the price
00:18:31.14\00:18:35.14
of our salvation.
00:18:35.18\00:18:36.51
Look at another
one. Philippians 2:7.
00:18:36.54\00:18:39.15
Talking about the likeness.
00:18:39.18\00:18:41.15
I want you to see
because as I study this text,
00:18:41.18\00:18:45.22
it jumped out of
me and I thought,
00:18:45.25\00:18:47.26
I've read this text before
00:18:47.29\00:18:48.62
but sometimes you
read a Bible verse
00:18:48.66\00:18:50.66
and it sometimes scoots by you
00:18:50.69\00:18:53.06
but when you do,
like the theologians say,
00:18:53.09\00:18:55.63
when you take
one word out of time
00:18:55.66\00:18:57.83
and begin to look at that word
00:18:57.87\00:18:59.60
in the Greek or
Hebrew or Aramaic,
00:18:59.63\00:19:01.20
wherever you
are reading it from,
00:19:01.24\00:19:02.57
then all of a
sudden, it comes alive.
00:19:02.60\00:19:05.44
What did I say? Philippians 2:7.
00:19:05.47\00:19:08.81
Let's look at this again.
We're gonna look at our verse.
00:19:08.84\00:19:12.01
Philippians 2:7.
00:19:12.05\00:19:13.75
Romans 6:5, it
began with our likeness
00:19:13.78\00:19:16.42
but His likeness survived,
00:19:16.45\00:19:18.59
our likeness ended at the cross.
00:19:18.62\00:19:21.86
Romans, I mean, Philippians 2:7.
00:19:21.89\00:19:23.83
Notice what the Bible says.
00:19:23.86\00:19:27.83
Well, let's start with verse 5
00:19:27.86\00:19:29.26
because it's a
continuation of thought.
00:19:29.30\00:19:32.03
Philippians 2:5.
00:19:32.07\00:19:33.40
"Let this mind be in
you which was also in" who?
00:19:33.44\00:19:36.67
"Christ Jesus,
00:19:36.71\00:19:38.04
who, being in the form of God,
00:19:38.07\00:19:41.71
did not consider it
robbery to be equal with God."
00:19:41.74\00:19:45.88
Now is man equal
with God, yes or no?
00:19:45.91\00:19:48.32
No.
00:19:48.35\00:19:49.68
So Paul is
talking about this here
00:19:49.72\00:19:52.49
in the context of the very thing
00:19:52.52\00:19:54.19
the Jews accused Him of,
00:19:54.22\00:19:55.62
"How could you being
a man claim to be God?"
00:19:55.66\00:20:00.30
Paul says, "He
didn't consider it robbery.
00:20:00.33\00:20:02.80
He didn't steal anything.
That's His rightful place."
00:20:02.83\00:20:08.00
Let's look at the next one.
00:20:08.04\00:20:10.31
"But made Himself of" what?
00:20:10.34\00:20:13.44
"No reputation,
taking the form of a servant,
00:20:13.48\00:20:19.31
and coming in the" what?
00:20:19.35\00:20:21.62
"Likeness of men."
00:20:21.65\00:20:24.95
That's a big issue right there.
00:20:24.99\00:20:26.32
Lot of people
say, "Oh, no, no, no.
00:20:26.35\00:20:28.02
When Jesus came,
He came sinless."
00:20:28.06\00:20:30.66
He didn't have any
sin but He had the nature,
00:20:30.69\00:20:35.20
He had the nature that could,
00:20:35.23\00:20:38.17
if He yielded could fall to sin.
00:20:38.20\00:20:42.24
He had the nature of
Adam after the cross.
00:20:42.27\00:20:45.57
Because who did He come through?
00:20:45.61\00:20:47.18
He came through Mary
00:20:47.21\00:20:49.11
who herself had
the nature of Adam
00:20:49.14\00:20:51.71
after the cross.
00:20:51.75\00:20:53.31
So summarizing Romans 6:5 again,
00:20:53.35\00:20:56.15
the likeness of His death
00:20:56.18\00:21:00.56
was consumed by the
likeness of His resurrection.
00:21:00.59\00:21:05.96
Our nature did
not survive the cross.
00:21:05.99\00:21:11.77
So when He came
forth from the grave,
00:21:11.80\00:21:14.44
He came forth to
give us something
00:21:14.47\00:21:16.44
that we could not
have gotten any other way.
00:21:16.47\00:21:19.24
I want you to get
that because this is huge.
00:21:19.27\00:21:22.61
He had to go to the cross,
He couldn't bypass the cross.
00:21:22.64\00:21:25.28
That's why when
He was on the cross
00:21:25.31\00:21:26.65
and He said,
00:21:26.68\00:21:28.02
"Save yourself.
00:21:28.05\00:21:29.78
Bring yourself to..."
00:21:29.82\00:21:31.15
He could not save
Himself and save us
00:21:31.19\00:21:32.59
at the very same time.
00:21:32.62\00:21:35.76
But by being willing
to take our transgressions
00:21:35.79\00:21:40.53
and our nature to the cross,
00:21:40.56\00:21:44.60
it was pulverized on the cross,
00:21:44.63\00:21:47.64
and then the only
thing that survived
00:21:47.67\00:21:50.07
was the glorious
nature of His divinity.
00:21:50.11\00:21:56.01
He has the marks.
00:21:56.04\00:21:57.85
But when He came
forth from that grave,
00:21:57.88\00:21:59.81
there was no trace of sin
00:21:59.85\00:22:01.98
that was there before the cross.
00:22:02.02\00:22:05.25
And the only
trace of sin He bore
00:22:05.29\00:22:07.26
was the nature.
00:22:07.29\00:22:10.36
He didn't lie and
steal and kill and cheat.
00:22:10.39\00:22:13.60
Had any of
those things happened,
00:22:13.63\00:22:14.96
He could not
have been our savior.
00:22:15.00\00:22:16.87
Praise the Lord that
the Father who delivered Him
00:22:16.90\00:22:20.74
is the same Father who
is available to deliver us.
00:22:20.77\00:22:23.74
Amen. Now look at
number seven. Wow.
00:22:23.77\00:22:26.51
Did we spend that
much time on number six?
00:22:26.54\00:22:29.14
It's important. Okay.
00:22:29.18\00:22:30.95
Number seven and number
eight are gonna be quick.
00:22:30.98\00:22:33.98
And then we'll dive into
some other deeper thoughts
00:22:34.02\00:22:37.39
about this
particular characteristic.
00:22:37.42\00:22:39.55
Question number seven.
00:22:39.59\00:22:40.92
What does the Bible
reveal as the end result of sin?
00:22:40.96\00:22:45.13
We all know that one.
00:22:45.16\00:22:46.49
Romans 6:23.
00:22:46.53\00:22:48.63
What does the Bible
reveal as the end result of sin?
00:22:48.66\00:22:52.10
You notice Romans
6:23, the first part.
00:22:52.13\00:22:57.24
Are you ready for that?
00:22:57.27\00:23:00.01
"For the wages of
sin, together, is death..."
00:23:00.04\00:23:03.71
So the end result
of the cross was what?
00:23:03.75\00:23:06.25
Death.
00:23:06.28\00:23:07.68
What died at the cross?
00:23:11.95\00:23:13.39
The nature. Say that again.
00:23:17.13\00:23:19.79
The sin nature.
00:23:19.83\00:23:21.33
Christ said
00:23:21.36\00:23:23.06
that this sin
nature could be defeated
00:23:23.10\00:23:25.83
and I just did.
00:23:25.87\00:23:28.34
So when you go to 1
Corinthians chapter 15,
00:23:28.37\00:23:30.51
one of the most
beautiful books in the Bible,
00:23:30.54\00:23:32.14
you will see the comparison
00:23:32.17\00:23:34.48
between the
earthly and the heavenly,
00:23:34.51\00:23:38.81
the first Adam
and the last Adam,
00:23:38.85\00:23:41.48
as we are born the
image of the earthly man,
00:23:41.52\00:23:44.42
we shall also bear
the image of the heavenly
00:23:44.45\00:23:47.59
because the earthly man
did not survive the cross
00:23:47.62\00:23:50.79
but the heavenly
did. Praise God for that.
00:23:50.83\00:23:53.43
So the answer to
question number seven,
00:23:53.46\00:23:55.16
"What does the Bible reveal
as the end result of sin?"
00:23:55.20\00:23:57.40
The end result of
sin is what? Death.
00:23:57.43\00:23:59.40
And by the way,
00:23:59.43\00:24:00.80
there's nothing else
00:24:00.84\00:24:04.54
that sin could
lead you to but death.
00:24:04.57\00:24:07.81
Sin can't lead you
to a second chance.
00:24:07.84\00:24:10.31
The only way to
handle sin is it has to die.
00:24:10.35\00:24:14.05
It can't be refurbished.
00:24:14.08\00:24:16.18
It can't be...
00:24:16.22\00:24:17.72
I mean, you can't restore sin.
00:24:17.75\00:24:19.09
You can't build
the new scaffolding.
00:24:19.12\00:24:21.29
You can't give a person
that's sinful more vitamins.
00:24:21.32\00:24:25.56
The only way that
sin could be dealt with
00:24:25.59\00:24:27.30
is it has to die.
00:24:27.33\00:24:30.93
Look at the next one.
00:24:30.97\00:24:33.23
Question number eight.
00:24:33.27\00:24:37.61
What did Jesus
accomplish on the cross
00:24:37.64\00:24:39.67
that belongs to us?
00:24:39.71\00:24:42.88
What did Jesus
accomplish on the cross
00:24:42.91\00:24:46.45
that belongs to us?
00:24:46.48\00:24:48.55
Oh.
00:24:48.58\00:24:49.92
And I should put it,
that was gifted to us.
00:24:49.95\00:24:54.92
You know what? I
want to say this.
00:24:54.96\00:24:56.29
It belongs to me now.
00:24:56.32\00:24:58.96
I'm an inheritor of
what He has done for me,
00:24:58.99\00:25:01.46
what He has made
available at the cross.
00:25:01.50\00:25:02.90
Amen somebody? Amen.
00:25:02.93\00:25:04.27
We have inherited that.
00:25:04.30\00:25:06.23
Look at the part of Romans 6:23,
00:25:06.27\00:25:08.24
the last part.
00:25:08.27\00:25:09.60
I like that singular
word, and there it is.
00:25:09.64\00:25:13.11
"But the gift of
God is eternal life
00:25:13.14\00:25:18.01
in Christ Jesus our Lord."
00:25:18.05\00:25:21.68
So what we couldn't
get before the cross,
00:25:21.72\00:25:24.79
we could now
get after the cross.
00:25:24.82\00:25:27.86
This gift,
00:25:27.89\00:25:29.22
and this is huge,
00:25:29.26\00:25:31.39
the gift was a promissory note
00:25:31.43\00:25:33.63
before the cross.
00:25:33.66\00:25:35.66
Do you know what that means?
00:25:35.70\00:25:37.03
Let's think of...
00:25:37.07\00:25:38.40
This is the time of the year
where people are buying gifts.
00:25:38.43\00:25:40.54
And some people say,
00:25:40.57\00:25:41.90
"Now wait till
Christmas to open your gift."
00:25:41.94\00:25:44.07
What Jesus was
saying, "Wait till the cross.
00:25:44.11\00:25:47.81
Wait till after the
cross to open your gift."
00:25:47.84\00:25:52.35
The gift was a promissory note,
00:25:52.38\00:25:54.88
but until He
delivered it at the cross,
00:25:54.92\00:25:58.42
it was not available.
00:25:58.45\00:25:59.79
Until He was
victorious over the tomb,
00:25:59.82\00:26:02.99
it was not available.
00:26:03.02\00:26:04.59
You see that's why
the cross is so necessary,
00:26:04.63\00:26:06.73
that first, that Adam
nature had to be put to death.
00:26:06.76\00:26:10.80
Then as He survived that
and was victorious over death,
00:26:10.83\00:26:15.07
now He made available to us
00:26:15.10\00:26:16.44
something that
was not available,
00:26:16.47\00:26:18.74
except by
promise, before the cross.
00:26:18.77\00:26:21.34
That's why Satan
tried to defeat Him
00:26:21.38\00:26:23.45
before the cross.
00:26:23.48\00:26:25.81
In so much as
asking him, "Come on down."
00:26:25.85\00:26:31.05
And taunted so much as
human nature that he said,
00:26:34.86\00:26:36.83
"Father, why
have you forsaken Me?"
00:26:36.86\00:26:40.16
But I praise the Lord
00:26:43.77\00:26:45.93
that the gift
is available today.
00:26:45.97\00:26:47.60
Amen.
00:26:47.64\00:26:50.24
I can hear all
the people out there
00:26:50.27\00:26:51.61
saying amen on television.
00:26:51.64\00:26:55.38
Question number nine.
00:26:55.41\00:26:58.51
You may want to put
on question number eight,
00:26:58.55\00:27:00.18
"The gift."
00:27:00.22\00:27:01.75
Gift was made available after,
00:27:01.78\00:27:05.22
after the resurrection.
00:27:05.25\00:27:09.32
And why do I say
after the resurrection?
00:27:09.36\00:27:11.19
Because you know,
one of the reasons
00:27:11.23\00:27:12.83
why everything
about the death, burial,
00:27:12.86\00:27:14.80
and resurrection of
Christ was so important to Satan
00:27:14.83\00:27:17.60
was he said,
"Okay, I couldn't stop Him
00:27:17.63\00:27:20.50
from going to the cross.
00:27:20.54\00:27:21.87
But maybe I could
keep Him in the tomb."
00:27:21.90\00:27:25.04
Do you get this now?
00:27:25.07\00:27:26.94
He couldn't stop Him.
00:27:26.98\00:27:28.31
He tried to stop Him
from going to the cross.
00:27:28.34\00:27:31.25
He couldn't stop that process.
00:27:31.28\00:27:34.78
And so they sent a
centurion of soldiers
00:27:34.82\00:27:37.99
to guard the tomb.
00:27:38.02\00:27:39.35
They sealed the tomb,
00:27:39.39\00:27:40.72
put a stone in
front of the tomb,
00:27:40.76\00:27:43.36
and they said, "Well,"
00:27:43.39\00:27:44.73
and the devil tried
to get them to think,
00:27:44.76\00:27:46.16
"Well, maybe we could
keep Him from being resurrected
00:27:46.19\00:27:50.57
because if that news
gets out, we are done."
00:27:50.60\00:27:54.10
So even though
He was resurrected,
00:27:54.14\00:27:56.14
what did Satan still
seek to do after that?
00:27:56.17\00:27:59.04
Does anybody remember?
00:27:59.07\00:28:03.38
He said, "Tell
them," now you know why?
00:28:03.41\00:28:08.22
Because if the news got out
that the Lord was resurrected,
00:28:08.25\00:28:11.85
the whole plan
of salvation there
00:28:11.89\00:28:14.06
was ratified.
00:28:14.09\00:28:15.42
Amen? Amen.
00:28:15.46\00:28:16.79
If they knew that He rose,
00:28:16.83\00:28:19.43
if the news got out
that He really did die,
00:28:19.46\00:28:21.93
was buried and rose again.
00:28:21.96\00:28:23.83
And they even made it seem
00:28:23.87\00:28:25.20
as though He was
still alive at His death.
00:28:25.23\00:28:27.40
Remember that deceiver said that
00:28:27.44\00:28:31.21
after three days He will rise,
"Make sure the tomb is secure.
00:28:31.24\00:28:35.58
Make sure He doesn't get..."
00:28:35.61\00:28:36.95
And when you read
in Desire of Ages,
00:28:36.98\00:28:38.91
you could see the imps,
00:28:38.95\00:28:40.82
demons tried to prevent that all
00:28:40.85\00:28:42.28
but I thank the Lord that
Jesus is stronger in death
00:28:42.32\00:28:45.32
than Satan is stronger in life.
00:28:45.35\00:28:48.82
Wow.
00:28:48.86\00:28:50.19
I'm soaking this in.
00:28:50.23\00:28:51.56
So don't mind me if I
get a little excited here.
00:28:51.59\00:28:54.96
Wow.
00:28:55.00\00:28:56.33
Question number
nine. Question number nine.
00:28:56.36\00:28:59.00
What does the Bible reveal
as the purpose of the cross?
00:28:59.03\00:29:01.70
What does the Bible reveal
00:29:01.74\00:29:03.20
as the purpose of the cross?
00:29:03.24\00:29:06.14
We're gonna go to Ephesians 2:16
00:29:06.17\00:29:08.28
to find our answer here.
00:29:08.31\00:29:09.81
Ephesians 2:16.
00:29:09.84\00:29:11.41
The gospels are great.
00:29:14.78\00:29:17.72
And I praise the Lord for them
00:29:17.75\00:29:19.09
but when you
really want to understand
00:29:19.12\00:29:20.79
the theme of the cross,
00:29:20.82\00:29:22.26
the death, burial,
resurrection of Christ,
00:29:22.29\00:29:24.66
you got to spend some
time in writings of Paul.
00:29:24.69\00:29:27.50
Books like Galatians,
00:29:27.53\00:29:29.66
Ephesians,
Philippians, Colossians,
00:29:29.70\00:29:31.33
those books are huge
00:29:31.37\00:29:33.47
when it comes to
understanding the theme.
00:29:33.50\00:29:34.94
Romans is the heaviest book.
00:29:34.97\00:29:36.50
But Galatians and
Ephesians, you can't miss those
00:29:36.54\00:29:38.87
because it talks about
also the resurrected life.
00:29:38.91\00:29:41.78
Ephesians 2:16 is
where we find our answer.
00:29:41.81\00:29:44.91
Okay, let's look at that.
00:29:44.95\00:29:46.28
Answering the question,
what does the Bible reveal
00:29:46.31\00:29:47.88
about the purpose the cross?
00:29:47.92\00:29:49.25
Here's the
answer. On the screen.
00:29:49.28\00:29:51.95
"And that He might,"
00:29:51.99\00:29:53.32
say the next
word together with me,
00:29:53.36\00:29:54.69
what's the next word?
00:29:54.72\00:29:56.06
"Reconcile them both to God
00:29:56.09\00:29:58.63
in one body through the cross,
00:29:58.66\00:30:02.80
thereby putting
to death the" what?
00:30:02.83\00:30:05.73
"Enmity."
00:30:05.77\00:30:07.10
Now the word enmity there
is the Greek word, "echthra."
00:30:07.14\00:30:11.64
Say that with me, echthra.
00:30:11.67\00:30:15.38
Don't try to sound Jewish.
00:30:15.41\00:30:16.75
Just say it, echthra.
00:30:16.78\00:30:18.31
Echthra.
00:30:18.35\00:30:19.68
Now that word means,
00:30:19.71\00:30:21.62
the enmity there means
the hatred or the hostility.
00:30:21.65\00:30:26.19
The nature that was,
00:30:26.22\00:30:28.32
the nature that we have
is hostile to righteousness.
00:30:28.36\00:30:33.70
The nature that Adam had
00:30:33.73\00:30:35.63
after the fall
is a hostile nature.
00:30:35.66\00:30:39.03
It hates
anything that's righteous.
00:30:39.07\00:30:41.20
That's why it's so easy
to do something that's bad.
00:30:41.24\00:30:44.37
Because if you
let the natural man
00:30:44.41\00:30:48.01
survive day-by-day,
00:30:48.04\00:30:49.81
he's not gonna do anything good.
00:30:49.84\00:30:52.15
If you let human
nature just run its course,
00:30:52.18\00:30:54.82
if you don't ask God
to hold this natural body,
00:30:54.85\00:30:57.55
do you remember
what's our theme?
00:30:57.59\00:30:58.92
"How to live a"
what kind of life?
00:30:58.95\00:31:00.82
"Spiritual life in a" what?
00:31:00.86\00:31:02.42
"Natural body?"
00:31:02.46\00:31:03.79
That's the whole
theme of these studies.
00:31:03.83\00:31:05.29
If you let that natural body
00:31:05.33\00:31:09.46
try to live a spiritual life
00:31:09.50\00:31:11.03
without surrendering that
body day-by-day to Christ,
00:31:11.07\00:31:13.87
you're gonna find, "Oh, man,
00:31:13.90\00:31:15.64
I understand why he says enmity.
00:31:15.67\00:31:17.34
I understand
why he says hatred."
00:31:17.37\00:31:19.21
In other words,
the nature we have
00:31:19.24\00:31:20.84
is a nature that's hostile.
00:31:20.88\00:31:23.24
It's in opposition.
00:31:23.28\00:31:24.81
Now go with me
to Ephesians 2:15.
00:31:24.85\00:31:28.08
We just read verse 16.
00:31:28.12\00:31:29.45
So the answer to
the question number,
00:31:29.48\00:31:30.95
"What does the Bible reveal
as the purpose of the cross?"
00:31:30.99\00:31:33.59
Write this down.
00:31:33.62\00:31:34.96
"Reconcile."
00:31:34.99\00:31:36.32
"Reconciliation."
00:31:36.36\00:31:39.03
You know what reconcile means?
00:31:39.06\00:31:41.23
It means to balance.
00:31:41.26\00:31:43.67
If you write a check,
00:31:43.70\00:31:45.23
you don't
reconcile your check book,
00:31:45.27\00:31:46.60
you may write too many checks.
00:31:46.63\00:31:48.37
Somebody once
said, "I can't be broke.
00:31:48.40\00:31:49.74
I have more checks left."
00:31:49.77\00:31:53.11
You got to reconcile it
00:31:53.14\00:31:55.11
before you find
out how much money
00:31:55.14\00:31:56.48
you still have left in the bank.
00:31:56.51\00:31:57.98
In the very same way,
00:31:58.01\00:32:00.05
the sin nature,
00:32:00.08\00:32:03.39
the nature of Christ,
00:32:03.42\00:32:05.85
when you mesh
them both together,
00:32:05.89\00:32:08.32
you'll find that when one
is obliterated at the cross,
00:32:08.36\00:32:14.56
then the
reconciliation could happen.
00:32:14.60\00:32:17.83
Because he gets
rid of one nature
00:32:17.87\00:32:19.30
and the only one that
survives is the glorious nature
00:32:19.33\00:32:21.77
that we are now
being remade after.
00:32:21.80\00:32:24.61
And by the way, let me
just put this portion here,
00:32:24.64\00:32:27.78
it's very significant
because we're gonna look at
00:32:27.81\00:32:29.34
Ephesians 2: 15 in just a moment
00:32:29.38\00:32:31.25
to see the word
reconciliation there again.
00:32:31.28\00:32:33.92
But the thought here,
00:32:33.95\00:32:37.42
I added a footnote
that I should not have,
00:32:37.45\00:32:39.89
and my thought just
went out of my head,
00:32:39.92\00:32:41.26
it'll come back to me in about
a week or so but when it does,
00:32:41.29\00:32:43.43
I promise to share with
you about the human nature,
00:32:43.46\00:32:46.63
about the whole nature aspect.
00:32:46.66\00:32:48.26
But let's go ahead and
look at Ephesians 2:15.
00:32:48.30\00:32:51.20
All right.
00:32:51.23\00:32:52.57
Well, why am I in Philippians?
00:32:52.60\00:32:55.44
I knew it didn't look right.
00:32:55.47\00:32:56.81
Here it is.
00:32:56.84\00:32:58.37
Looking at the
word enmity again.
00:32:58.41\00:33:01.14
Ephesians 2:15.
00:33:01.18\00:33:05.21
We'll look at verse 14.
00:33:05.25\00:33:07.12
This is where the
reconciliation comes in.
00:33:07.15\00:33:09.72
Ephesians 2:14.
00:33:09.75\00:33:11.85
"For He Himself is our" what?
00:33:11.89\00:33:15.12
"Is our peace,"
and get what He did.
00:33:15.16\00:33:17.59
Remember, keep the
word reconcile together.
00:33:17.63\00:33:19.63
In order for Him to reconcile,
00:33:19.66\00:33:21.00
something that separated
the reconciliation process
00:33:21.03\00:33:23.57
had to be removed.
00:33:23.60\00:33:25.10
"For He Himself is our peace,
00:33:25.13\00:33:26.60
who has made
both" how many? "One."
00:33:26.63\00:33:29.60
if you look at Ephesians 2:16,
00:33:29.64\00:33:30.97
you'll see the
word what was the one.
00:33:31.01\00:33:32.97
It was his body.
00:33:33.01\00:33:34.51
Let's go continuing,
00:33:34.54\00:33:37.65
"And has broken
down the middle wall
00:33:37.68\00:33:41.28
of division between us."
00:33:41.32\00:33:45.32
How did he do that? Verse 15.
00:33:45.35\00:33:47.39
"Having abolished
in His flesh the" what?
00:33:47.42\00:33:51.29
"The enmity,"
00:33:51.33\00:33:52.66
that is the hatred, "that is,
00:33:52.69\00:33:54.50
the law of commandments
contained in ordinances,
00:33:54.53\00:33:58.17
so as to create in Himself
one new man from the" how many?
00:33:58.20\00:34:03.04
Two, thus making peace."
00:34:03.07\00:34:04.87
You get the whole point there,
the reconciliation process?
00:34:04.91\00:34:07.51
How many men were there?
00:34:07.54\00:34:09.78
How many men did it mention?
00:34:09.81\00:34:11.15
Say it again.
00:34:11.18\00:34:12.51
Two. Two.
00:34:12.55\00:34:13.88
And how many
did He want to make?
00:34:13.92\00:34:15.45
One. Okay.
00:34:15.48\00:34:16.82
Now let's ask
ourselves a question.
00:34:16.85\00:34:18.75
Which one did He want?
00:34:18.79\00:34:20.89
Did Christ wanted to be like us
00:34:20.92\00:34:23.49
or does He want
us to be like Him?
00:34:23.53\00:34:26.49
Okay. So you
got two, us and Him.
00:34:26.53\00:34:29.43
Right?
00:34:29.46\00:34:31.17
He took on us
00:34:31.20\00:34:34.24
so that we
could become like Him.
00:34:34.27\00:34:36.07
Amen.
00:34:36.10\00:34:37.84
We don't take on
Him to become like us.
00:34:37.87\00:34:42.98
We are already us.
00:34:43.01\00:34:44.58
He didn't want our
nature to become like us.
00:34:44.61\00:34:46.82
He took our
nature to get rid of it
00:34:46.85\00:34:48.62
so that we
could become like Him.
00:34:48.65\00:34:49.98
Did you get that? Amen.
00:34:50.02\00:34:51.35
So He said, let me put
it in common terms nowadays.
00:34:51.39\00:34:54.42
You meet a very wealthy
guy that he has got money,
00:34:54.46\00:34:57.39
money is no object.
00:34:57.43\00:34:58.76
And you are the
one that's in debt.
00:34:58.79\00:35:01.30
So he takes your debt
and pays off all your bills
00:35:01.33\00:35:03.77
and you are just
as financially free
00:35:03.80\00:35:06.00
as he is even
though you are not wealthy.
00:35:06.03\00:35:10.17
You get that?
00:35:10.21\00:35:11.54
You could have no debt
but still not be wealthy.
00:35:11.57\00:35:15.01
But a wealthy
person who has no debt
00:35:15.04\00:35:16.81
has a whole lot
more than you do.
00:35:16.85\00:35:18.41
So let's think of
Christ as the wealthy one.
00:35:18.45\00:35:20.68
He took on our
debt, paid our debt,
00:35:20.72\00:35:22.72
so we had a zero balance.
00:35:22.75\00:35:24.75
So He asked the question,
00:35:24.79\00:35:26.12
"How much do you have
to be paid to be saved?"
00:35:26.15\00:35:28.06
Christ said,
"Zero. I already paid it."
00:35:28.09\00:35:30.89
Are you catching it now?
00:35:30.93\00:35:32.39
So how much debt did we have?
00:35:32.43\00:35:35.26
We were dead in
trespasses and sin.
00:35:35.30\00:35:39.93
Matter of fact,
the story in the Bible
00:35:39.97\00:35:41.50
that illustrates this so well
00:35:41.54\00:35:43.17
was a man who owed so much money
00:35:43.20\00:35:45.14
that if he tried to pay it,
00:35:45.17\00:35:46.51
he needed to live
till he was 253 years old
00:35:46.54\00:35:49.44
based on the wages
that were made in his day.
00:35:49.48\00:35:51.41
And his debt was forgiven.
00:35:51.45\00:35:52.78
Do you remember the
story? And then he went on.
00:35:52.81\00:35:54.42
There was a guy
that owed him $20,
00:35:54.45\00:35:56.95
and he grabbed him
and threw him in prison.
00:35:56.99\00:36:00.02
Now here's the
comparison to that.
00:36:00.06\00:36:02.16
If Christ has forgiven you,
00:36:02.19\00:36:04.19
how dare we hold
something much smaller
00:36:04.23\00:36:07.76
than our transgressions
against somebody else?
00:36:07.80\00:36:10.67
That's what's being said
as the message at the cross.
00:36:10.70\00:36:12.70
So if Christ has
forgiven you, Jerry,
00:36:12.73\00:36:14.60
Christ has forgiven you, Glen,
00:36:14.64\00:36:16.00
Christ has forgiven you, Hannah,
00:36:16.04\00:36:19.17
if He has
forgiven all of our debt,
00:36:19.21\00:36:21.68
we should be open
00:36:21.71\00:36:23.41
to forgiving somebody of
their small transgression.
00:36:23.45\00:36:27.52
Amen.
00:36:27.55\00:36:28.88
Wow.
00:36:28.92\00:36:30.79
So now we think of the
reconciliation process.
00:36:30.82\00:36:34.56
Two of them went to the cross.
00:36:34.59\00:36:36.22
One of them survived.
00:36:36.26\00:36:37.93
And the one that
survived was Christ.
00:36:37.96\00:36:41.66
That hostility, Romans 8:7.
00:36:41.70\00:36:44.00
I want to milk
this now, Romans 8:7.
00:36:44.03\00:36:45.77
Go there with me again.
00:36:45.80\00:36:47.54
Romans 8:7.
00:36:47.57\00:36:48.90
Looking at the
word, enmity again.
00:36:48.94\00:36:51.24
Romans 8:7.
00:36:51.27\00:36:52.61
You'll find that the reason
why man had to die at the cross,
00:36:52.64\00:36:57.05
Paul says in Ephesians,
00:36:57.08\00:37:00.72
"He got rid of the law
contained in ordinances."
00:37:00.75\00:37:03.99
Why did He do that?
00:37:04.02\00:37:05.35
Because up until
this particular point,
00:37:05.39\00:37:07.46
the Jews thought as
long as they killed the lamb,
00:37:07.49\00:37:09.26
or bullock, or goat, or duck,
00:37:09.29\00:37:11.89
they thought they had
their sins taken care of.
00:37:11.93\00:37:15.03
So it's no big deal
for them to kill Christ
00:37:15.06\00:37:17.10
because they had a
ceremonial system in place
00:37:17.13\00:37:19.70
that they
figured is good enough.
00:37:19.73\00:37:21.80
"We've been doing this
for thousands of years.
00:37:21.84\00:37:23.61
This is the method by
which our sins are forgiven."
00:37:23.64\00:37:26.11
And Christ is saying, "Aha."
00:37:26.14\00:37:28.94
So He had to get rid of that
00:37:28.98\00:37:31.58
for the real
message of salvation
00:37:31.61\00:37:33.55
to appear before them.
00:37:33.58\00:37:35.42
He had to get rid of
that which was contrary.
00:37:35.45\00:37:37.52
And when you read
the book of Hebrews
00:37:37.55\00:37:38.89
chapter 8 up to Hebrews 10,
00:37:38.92\00:37:40.46
he says, "How
could the blood of bulls
00:37:40.49\00:37:42.52
and goats really forgive you?"
00:37:42.56\00:37:46.96
Exactly.
00:37:47.00\00:37:48.33
It's just given you a glimpse
of what Christ is gonna do.
00:37:48.36\00:37:50.97
He's gonna redeem
us with His own blood.
00:37:51.00\00:37:53.70
So look at Romans 8:7 again.
00:37:53.74\00:37:55.54
Talking about this hostility.
00:37:55.57\00:37:57.77
Why did He have
to get rid of it?
00:37:57.81\00:37:59.74
And here's the
reason why. Romans 8:7.
00:37:59.77\00:38:02.18
It says...
00:38:02.21\00:38:03.85
Well, let's look at verse 6.
00:38:03.88\00:38:05.68
"For to be
carnally minded is" what?
00:38:05.71\00:38:08.38
"Death, but to be
spiritually minded is" what?
00:38:08.42\00:38:11.39
"Life and peace."
00:38:11.42\00:38:12.75
Which one are we naturally?
00:38:12.79\00:38:15.16
Carnally minded.
00:38:15.19\00:38:16.52
Everything about us,
00:38:16.56\00:38:17.89
Jesus took to the
cross that carnal mind.
00:38:17.93\00:38:21.66
That's what when we read earlier
00:38:21.70\00:38:24.07
in Philippians 2:5,
00:38:24.10\00:38:25.43
"Let this mind be in you."
00:38:25.47\00:38:28.20
Because the mind we had
because of enmity is carnal.
00:38:28.24\00:38:32.74
We couldn't have
the mind of Christ.
00:38:32.77\00:38:34.44
So we had to take the
mind that Adam gave to us,
00:38:34.48\00:38:37.15
get rid of it at the cross,
00:38:37.18\00:38:38.81
and make
available to us His mind.
00:38:38.85\00:38:41.68
You get that?
00:38:41.72\00:38:43.05
So somebody says,
"Well, how could I do the job.
00:38:43.08\00:38:44.55
I don't have the equipment."
00:38:44.59\00:38:45.92
Christ said, "I have to
get rid of your equipment
00:38:45.95\00:38:48.86
and give you my equipment."
00:38:48.89\00:38:50.69
I remember Jose Rojas,
00:38:50.73\00:38:52.49
when he moved from
California to the North East,
00:38:52.53\00:38:56.80
and he had never seen snow
before up until that point.
00:38:56.83\00:39:00.60
And one morning he
came out with a fresh,
00:39:00.64\00:39:04.01
heavy snowfall
in the North East,
00:39:04.04\00:39:06.61
and only he had
was a plant pod shovel.
00:39:06.64\00:39:11.41
Are you getting the picture?
00:39:11.45\00:39:12.78
He just had a plant pod shovel
00:39:12.81\00:39:14.95
and his
neighbors had snow blowers,
00:39:14.98\00:39:17.75
and massive shovels,
00:39:17.79\00:39:19.89
and he said when he
took out his plant pod shovel
00:39:19.92\00:39:21.99
to clear the snow,
00:39:22.02\00:39:23.39
he said, "God said,
get que pasa, Jose."
00:39:23.43\00:39:27.76
What's up?
00:39:27.80\00:39:29.16
You don't have
the right equipment.
00:39:29.20\00:39:31.00
In the very same way,
00:39:31.03\00:39:32.37
we don't have
the right equipment
00:39:32.40\00:39:33.74
to get rid of sin.
00:39:33.77\00:39:35.10
So God had to
send the best warrior.
00:39:35.14\00:39:40.38
Oh, man, shucks.
00:39:40.41\00:39:41.74
I just messed that up.
00:39:41.78\00:39:43.11
You guys didn't
interrupt. He sent the best.
00:39:43.14\00:39:45.58
He sent heaven's best.
00:39:45.61\00:39:47.78
He said, "We're
gonna do this right.
00:39:47.82\00:39:49.75
We are not
going to send an angel
00:39:49.78\00:39:51.15
because we know
what could happen.
00:39:51.19\00:39:52.52
Look at, one-third
of them got kicked out.
00:39:52.55\00:39:54.52
So there's a chance
that they might fail."
00:39:54.56\00:39:55.89
Amen. Amen.
00:39:55.92\00:39:57.26
Even though
Gabriel took the spot,
00:39:57.29\00:39:58.63
he's still an angel. So
let's not send an angel.
00:39:58.66\00:40:01.66
Before sin entered the
world, they had a plan,
00:40:01.70\00:40:03.57
"We got to send our best.
00:40:03.60\00:40:06.47
Jesus, heaven's best,
came down for humanity's worst,
00:40:06.50\00:40:12.17
merged the worst with the best,
and only the best survive."
00:40:12.21\00:40:17.41
I'm looking at
who I am becoming.
00:40:17.45\00:40:20.58
I've got the best promise.
00:40:20.62\00:40:23.42
And one day, I'm gonna
have the best character.
00:40:23.45\00:40:26.72
Amen.
00:40:26.76\00:40:28.09
Heaven's best.
00:40:28.12\00:40:29.46
So when I read
this, and I think about,
00:40:29.49\00:40:31.29
"That's right." Look at verse 7.
00:40:31.33\00:40:32.79
This is the portion of it.
00:40:32.83\00:40:34.16
The reason why the
cross was so necessary
00:40:34.20\00:40:36.13
is because everything about us
00:40:36.16\00:40:37.93
could not live in
harmony with a righteous law.
00:40:37.97\00:40:40.40
So you have now in
the Christian world,
00:40:40.44\00:40:41.77
lot of people say, "Well,
the law of God is the problem."
00:40:41.80\00:40:44.14
No. The mind is the problem.
00:40:44.17\00:40:46.64
If you are watching this
and you haven't reconciled,
00:40:46.68\00:40:49.41
how do you keep
God's commandments?
00:40:49.44\00:40:51.45
The way is you got to
surrender that carnal mind
00:40:51.48\00:40:54.55
and that carnal
nature, put that to death,
00:40:54.58\00:40:56.89
and then there's no
problem with God's law.
00:40:56.92\00:40:58.52
Look at verse 7.
00:40:58.55\00:40:59.92
"Because the
carnal mind is" what?
00:40:59.95\00:41:02.32
"Enmity against God,
00:41:02.36\00:41:03.89
for it is not
subject to the law of God,
00:41:03.93\00:41:06.90
nor indeed can be.
00:41:06.93\00:41:09.73
So then,
00:41:09.76\00:41:11.10
those who are in
the flesh cannot" what?
00:41:11.13\00:41:13.87
"Cannot please God."
00:41:13.90\00:41:15.37
There are those who feel that,
00:41:15.40\00:41:16.91
"You know, if I
eat a vegetarian diet,
00:41:16.94\00:41:18.71
I don't have to
become a Christian."
00:41:18.74\00:41:22.11
It's not the diet that helps.
00:41:22.14\00:41:24.98
But if you are vegetarian
and you are not a Christian,
00:41:25.01\00:41:28.05
you are more combustible.
00:41:28.08\00:41:31.52
I don't know if you caught that
00:41:31.55\00:41:32.89
because greens could go
up in flames real quickly.
00:41:32.92\00:41:35.59
The point of the
matter is we need the nature
00:41:35.62\00:41:37.69
and the righteousness of Christ.
00:41:37.73\00:41:39.56
It's not the songs we sing only,
00:41:39.59\00:41:41.90
and it's not the
lifestyle we live only,
00:41:41.93\00:41:43.93
but it's first and
foremost, first and last,
00:41:43.97\00:41:46.50
we need the
righteousness of Jesus.
00:41:46.53\00:41:49.27
Amen.
00:41:49.30\00:41:50.64
Wow.
00:41:50.67\00:41:52.01
Let's go the next
question, question number 10.
00:41:52.04\00:41:54.98
So what does the Bible reveal
is the purpose of the cross?
00:41:55.01\00:41:58.55
Reconciliation. Reconciliation.
00:41:58.58\00:42:02.22
Question number 10.
00:42:02.25\00:42:03.95
Now we're gonna
move at a quicker pace.
00:42:03.99\00:42:05.35
Now would you
remember the Greek word
00:42:05.39\00:42:06.72
that I shared with
you just a moment ago?
00:42:06.76\00:42:08.12
The word echthra,
00:42:08.16\00:42:11.13
you are gonna see it
again in a different context.
00:42:11.16\00:42:13.09
But a little derivative of that.
00:42:13.13\00:42:15.33
question number 10.
00:42:15.36\00:42:16.70
At what point in
the Plan of Salvation
00:42:16.73\00:42:18.27
are we reconciled?
00:42:18.30\00:42:19.77
I had to pause and
soak this one in, David.
00:42:19.80\00:42:24.84
I don't if they
taught you this at LIVE,
00:42:24.87\00:42:27.44
but this one is huge.
00:42:27.48\00:42:29.31
At what point in the Plan
of Salvation are we reconciled?
00:42:29.34\00:42:31.85
Normally, a person would say,
00:42:31.88\00:42:33.72
"To be saved or to
be reconciled to God,
00:42:33.75\00:42:39.95
you must be born again."
00:42:39.99\00:42:41.32
Isn't that right?
00:42:44.06\00:42:45.39
To be reconciled to
God, you must be born again.
00:42:45.43\00:42:47.66
I want you to catch
how powerful this is.
00:42:47.70\00:42:50.00
At what point in the Plan
of Salvation are we reconciled?
00:42:50.03\00:42:52.80
We are going to
now, turn to Romans 5:10.
00:42:52.83\00:42:57.14
Romans 5:10.
00:42:57.17\00:42:58.64
This is huge.
00:42:58.67\00:43:00.28
You can't squeeze too
much out of this great fruit.
00:43:00.31\00:43:03.45
But there's a
whole lot in there.
00:43:03.48\00:43:05.48
There's a whole lot in there.
00:43:05.51\00:43:07.22
And I want to go ahead
and read down to verse 10
00:43:07.25\00:43:11.12
because it's such beautiful news
00:43:11.15\00:43:12.85
in Romans chapter 5.
00:43:12.89\00:43:14.26
I almost want to read
from verse 1 down to verse 10.
00:43:14.29\00:43:17.19
It's just so huge.
00:43:17.23\00:43:18.56
Since we are not
rushing, can I do it?
00:43:18.59\00:43:20.10
Can you give me
permission to do it?
00:43:20.13\00:43:21.50
'Cause if you stop
anywhere along the way,
00:43:21.53\00:43:23.30
verse 10 doesn't jump
out at you as it should.
00:43:23.33\00:43:26.07
Look at Romans 5:1.
00:43:26.10\00:43:27.44
"Therefore, having
been justified by faith,
00:43:27.47\00:43:30.71
we have" what?
00:43:30.74\00:43:32.07
"Peace with God
through our Lord Jesus Christ,
00:43:32.11\00:43:34.71
through whom we
also have access by faith
00:43:34.74\00:43:37.91
into this grace
in which we stand,"
00:43:37.95\00:43:41.05
we stand in grace,
00:43:41.08\00:43:42.78
"and rejoice in
hope of the glory of God.
00:43:42.82\00:43:46.12
And not only
that," Paul is on roll,
00:43:46.15\00:43:47.89
"And not only that,
00:43:47.92\00:43:49.26
but we also
glory in tribulation,
00:43:49.29\00:43:51.43
knowing that
tribulation produces" what?
00:43:51.46\00:43:53.56
"Perseverance, and perseverance,
00:43:53.60\00:43:55.80
character, and character," what?
00:43:55.83\00:43:57.57
"Hope." He's
working on our character.
00:43:57.60\00:43:59.30
So if tribulation comes,
He's working on your character.
00:43:59.33\00:44:01.64
Say that, "He's
working on my character."
00:44:01.67\00:44:03.71
That's what He's doing.
00:44:03.74\00:44:05.07
Look at the very
next verse, verse 5.
00:44:05.11\00:44:07.04
"Now hope does not disappoint,
00:44:07.08\00:44:09.74
because the love of
God has been poured out
00:44:09.78\00:44:12.18
in our hearts by the Holy Spirit
00:44:12.21\00:44:15.68
who was given to us."
00:44:15.72\00:44:18.55
When reconciliation came,
on the other side of the cross,
00:44:18.59\00:44:22.82
the Lord made
available to us the Holy Spirit,
00:44:22.86\00:44:25.56
that daily power,
00:44:25.59\00:44:27.23
so we are nuclear
reactor for divinity.
00:44:27.26\00:44:30.17
But let's keep going.
00:44:30.20\00:44:31.53
Now the answer to
question number 10
00:44:31.57\00:44:35.07
is gonna come up.
00:44:35.10\00:44:36.54
For, this is a transition,
00:44:36.57\00:44:38.44
"For when we were
still without strength,
00:44:38.47\00:44:41.58
in due time Christ" did what?
00:44:41.61\00:44:44.08
"Died for the ungodly."
00:44:44.11\00:44:45.81
He didn't say, "Come
on, are you that weak?"
00:44:45.85\00:44:48.88
When you get
strong, I'll die for you.
00:44:48.92\00:44:50.25
No. He says, "No."
00:44:50.29\00:44:51.62
You didn't have the strength
00:44:51.65\00:44:52.99
therefore His
strength is perfect.
00:44:53.02\00:44:56.52
"For scarcely," verse 7,
00:44:56.56\00:44:58.83
"for a righteous
man will one die,
00:44:58.86\00:45:01.76
yet perhaps for a good man
00:45:01.80\00:45:03.77
someone would even dare to die."
00:45:03.80\00:45:05.97
So somebody says,
00:45:06.00\00:45:07.34
"Why shall I
give my life for you?
00:45:07.37\00:45:08.70
What good have you done?"
00:45:08.74\00:45:10.41
And you say, "None at all."
00:45:10.44\00:45:12.61
And then somebody
says, "There's no way
00:45:12.64\00:45:13.98
I'm gonna die for you.
00:45:14.01\00:45:15.34
You are a society cast out.
00:45:15.38\00:45:16.75
You are refused to the earth.
00:45:16.78\00:45:19.01
Why should I
give my life for you?"
00:45:19.05\00:45:20.92
And Jesus said,
00:45:20.95\00:45:22.28
"That's exactly why I
should give my life for you
00:45:22.32\00:45:23.85
because you are an outcast.
00:45:23.89\00:45:25.79
That's exactly why I came to die
00:45:25.82\00:45:27.99
because you were a
sinful human being.
00:45:28.02\00:45:30.76
You are replete
of righteousness.
00:45:30.79\00:45:34.20
Or you are devoid,
00:45:34.23\00:45:35.56
I should say, of righteousness."
00:45:35.60\00:45:37.23
None at all.
00:45:37.27\00:45:38.60
And here is where it comes now.
00:45:38.63\00:45:40.14
Here is where it
gets even stronger.
00:45:40.17\00:45:42.07
"But," verse 8,
00:45:42.10\00:45:44.84
"God demonstrates
His love toward us,
00:45:44.87\00:45:50.25
in that, together,
00:45:50.28\00:45:51.81
while we were
still or yet sinners,
00:45:51.85\00:45:55.78
Christ died for us."
00:45:55.82\00:45:58.05
Now let's go down to the answer.
00:45:58.09\00:46:01.09
Verse 9 before verse 10.
00:46:01.12\00:46:03.12
"Much more then,
00:46:03.16\00:46:04.49
having now been
justified by His blood,
00:46:04.53\00:46:07.40
we shall be saved
from wrath through Him."
00:46:07.43\00:46:10.53
That is, wrath to come.
00:46:10.57\00:46:11.90
We'll be saved from that.
00:46:11.93\00:46:13.37
That's Isaiah 25:9.
00:46:13.40\00:46:14.97
And now the question was,
00:46:15.00\00:46:16.34
I'm gonna read
the question again.
00:46:16.37\00:46:17.71
At what point in
the Plan of Salvation
00:46:17.74\00:46:19.14
are we reconciled?
00:46:19.17\00:46:20.51
This is huge. I hope you get it.
00:46:20.54\00:46:22.68
At what point?
00:46:22.71\00:46:24.58
"For if when we were
enemies we were reconciled..."
00:46:24.61\00:46:28.68
Ooh, let's not run past that.
00:46:28.72\00:46:30.65
When will we reconcile?
00:46:30.69\00:46:32.05
Somebody tell me.
00:46:32.09\00:46:34.89
No, no. When will we reconcile?
00:46:34.92\00:46:38.23
Come on. Say it again, Dave.
00:46:38.26\00:46:40.00
When we were enemies,
00:46:40.03\00:46:43.43
we will reconcile.
00:46:43.47\00:46:48.14
How many people
would let an enemy
00:46:48.17\00:46:51.44
into their sphere of influence?
00:46:51.47\00:46:54.58
Now I want you to get this.
00:46:54.61\00:46:56.28
Why do you think
Jesus had no problem
00:46:56.31\00:47:00.12
fellowshipping with
publicans and harlots
00:47:00.15\00:47:03.12
and sinners and tax collectors?
00:47:03.15\00:47:05.75
People saw them as they were.
00:47:05.79\00:47:08.12
Jesus saw them as they could be.
00:47:08.16\00:47:11.29
Amen? Amen.
00:47:11.33\00:47:12.66
The good news is
He didn't see as we.
00:47:12.69\00:47:14.16
He didn't say
"Well, I came to hang out
00:47:14.20\00:47:15.53
with religious people.
00:47:15.56\00:47:16.90
I came to hang out with people
00:47:16.93\00:47:18.27
that have
overcome their smoking.
00:47:18.30\00:47:19.63
I came to hang out with people
that are really, really nice,
00:47:19.67\00:47:21.90
upstanding good
people in society."
00:47:21.94\00:47:24.07
He came, he said,
00:47:24.11\00:47:25.67
"The Son of man has come to seek
00:47:25.71\00:47:27.54
and to save that which is lost."
00:47:27.58\00:47:30.21
So it says, we were reconciled
00:47:30.25\00:47:33.55
while we were enemies.
00:47:33.58\00:47:35.58
The plan was
made available to us.
00:47:35.62\00:47:37.15
Well, here is the
plan. Here is the plan.
00:47:37.19\00:47:39.12
I don't want you
think that's the only step.
00:47:39.15\00:47:41.12
Let's finish the text.
00:47:41.16\00:47:42.92
"For if when we were enemies
00:47:42.96\00:47:44.36
we were reconciled to God
00:47:44.39\00:47:45.79
through the death of His Son,
00:47:45.83\00:47:48.30
I like this, much more,
00:47:48.33\00:47:51.27
having been
reconciled, we shall be" what?
00:47:51.30\00:47:54.90
"Saved by His life."
00:47:54.94\00:47:57.64
Now get this.
00:47:57.67\00:47:59.47
You see two things in this text.
00:47:59.51\00:48:01.14
You see death and you see life.
00:48:01.18\00:48:03.61
So even the enemies of God
00:48:03.65\00:48:05.41
were reconciled
through the death.
00:48:05.45\00:48:09.05
So that means when
Jesus died, even enemies,
00:48:09.08\00:48:12.95
the Plan of Salvation
00:48:12.99\00:48:14.32
was even made
available to them, to us.
00:48:14.36\00:48:17.63
However,
00:48:17.66\00:48:18.99
in order for the
Plan of Salvation
00:48:19.03\00:48:20.80
to be a benefit to you,
00:48:20.83\00:48:22.60
you got to keep
reading the text.
00:48:22.63\00:48:25.13
It says here,
00:48:25.17\00:48:26.84
"Much more,
having been reconciled,
00:48:26.87\00:48:30.27
we shall be saved by His life."
00:48:30.31\00:48:32.31
I said a few weeks ago,
if you only go to the cross,
00:48:32.34\00:48:36.34
then you don't have
the resurrected life yet.
00:48:36.38\00:48:38.18
You got to go beyond the cross.
00:48:38.21\00:48:40.18
If I say, "I cling to
the old rugged cross,"
00:48:40.22\00:48:41.82
then you're still dead.
00:48:41.85\00:48:44.49
Because the burial is next,
00:48:44.52\00:48:45.85
and then the newness
of life comes after that.
00:48:45.89\00:48:48.32
So if we are united in
the likeness of His death,
00:48:48.36\00:48:52.19
we will be in the
likeness of His resurrection.
00:48:52.23\00:48:54.96
And the word I
told you about there,
00:48:55.00\00:48:56.56
the word enemies
is the word echthros.
00:48:56.60\00:48:59.20
Echthra was hostility,
00:48:59.23\00:49:02.07
echthros, enemies.
00:49:02.10\00:49:06.57
Enemies are always hostile.
00:49:06.61\00:49:08.74
The reason why
Jesus came to die for us
00:49:08.78\00:49:10.75
is as enemies of the cross,
00:49:10.78\00:49:12.78
if we went to
heaven, we will be hostile.
00:49:12.81\00:49:15.22
We couldn't exist there.
00:49:15.25\00:49:16.58
And what did He do for those
00:49:16.62\00:49:17.95
that became
hostile to the cross?
00:49:17.99\00:49:19.32
What happened to
those who became hostile
00:49:19.35\00:49:21.39
to the environment of heaven?
00:49:21.42\00:49:22.76
What happened to
them? Somebody tell me.
00:49:22.79\00:49:24.59
They got kicked out.
00:49:24.63\00:49:26.06
They started a
war, they were hostile.
00:49:26.09\00:49:28.30
Here's the key.
00:49:28.33\00:49:29.66
Jesus doesn't want anybody
00:49:29.70\00:49:31.03
that's hostile to
heaven's environment
00:49:31.07\00:49:32.60
to get in there.
00:49:32.63\00:49:33.97
So brothers and
sisters, the good news tonight,
00:49:34.00\00:49:35.54
He's making sure that
everything that's hostile
00:49:35.57\00:49:37.77
to heaven's environment
00:49:37.81\00:49:39.14
is gonna be taken
care of down here.
00:49:39.17\00:49:41.04
So that when we get up there,
00:49:41.08\00:49:42.41
we won't be hostile
to heaven's environment.
00:49:42.44\00:49:44.41
Can you say amen to that?
00:49:44.45\00:49:45.78
Amen.
00:49:45.81\00:49:47.15
That hostility is going
to be, when we were enemies,
00:49:47.18\00:49:49.05
so here's the answer.
00:49:49.08\00:49:50.42
"At what point in
the Plan of Salvation
00:49:50.45\00:49:51.79
are we reconciled?"
00:49:51.82\00:49:53.15
Write it down.
00:49:53.19\00:49:54.52
When we were enemies,
00:49:54.56\00:49:57.79
that plan was
made available to us.
00:49:57.83\00:50:00.76
And the Jews had a hard
time understanding that.
00:50:00.80\00:50:02.80
"Why is He hanging
out with people like that?
00:50:02.83\00:50:05.40
Look at Him.
00:50:05.43\00:50:07.80
Look at Him."
00:50:07.84\00:50:10.64
Yeah, had a hard time with Mary
00:50:10.67\00:50:12.24
when she poured the
flask of oil on Jesus' feet.
00:50:12.27\00:50:15.21
Do you know what
kind of woman that is?
00:50:15.24\00:50:17.35
He said, "That's
exactly who I came for,"
00:50:17.38\00:50:21.72
and then he said to them,
00:50:21.75\00:50:25.82
"Since you say you
could see, your sin remains."
00:50:25.85\00:50:30.09
If you say you couldn't
see, then you have a hope.
00:50:30.13\00:50:32.19
But since you say you see...
00:50:32.23\00:50:33.56
In other words, "I
got this all figured out."
00:50:33.60\00:50:34.93
He says, "Since
you've got such good eyes,
00:50:34.96\00:50:36.73
you can't even see what
I'm trying to teach you."
00:50:36.77\00:50:38.97
And they were so righteous
00:50:39.00\00:50:40.34
that they missed the
greatest opportunity,
00:50:40.37\00:50:42.20
and that is
reconciliation with Christ,
00:50:42.24\00:50:44.47
and ended up
nailing Him to the cross.
00:50:44.51\00:50:46.94
Well, so the
answer is, at what point?
00:50:46.98\00:50:48.68
While we were enemies.
00:50:48.71\00:50:50.15
Now let's go on because
00:50:50.18\00:50:51.51
there's another
piece to this puzzle.
00:50:51.55\00:50:52.88
Question number 11.
00:50:52.91\00:50:54.52
Question number 11. Okay.
00:50:54.55\00:50:58.62
What difference
should reconciliation
00:50:58.65\00:51:01.39
make in our characters?"
00:51:01.42\00:51:02.96
This is a huge
part of the question
00:51:02.99\00:51:04.59
because lot of times people say,
00:51:04.63\00:51:05.96
"Well, you know,
I'm saved, sanctified,
00:51:05.99\00:51:08.10
filled with the Holy Ghost,
00:51:08.13\00:51:10.13
I'll eat what I
want, live like I want."
00:51:10.17\00:51:12.77
Oh, no. It all
makes a difference.
00:51:12.80\00:51:14.34
Don't you think?
00:51:14.37\00:51:15.70
If somebody is a champion,
00:51:15.74\00:51:17.07
do they walk around
like they have lost the game?
00:51:17.11\00:51:19.67
Absolutely not.
00:51:19.71\00:51:21.04
So those of us
who have been saved,
00:51:21.08\00:51:22.61
there should be a difference.
00:51:22.64\00:51:23.98
Let's go to this one
00:51:24.01\00:51:25.35
because these are few
verses we're gonna read.
00:51:25.38\00:51:26.88
As a matter of fact, you
want to make a correction
00:51:26.92\00:51:28.88
on your syllabus.
00:51:28.92\00:51:30.25
It's Colossians 1:21-22.
00:51:30.29\00:51:33.46
Okay?
00:51:33.49\00:51:34.82
But on the screen, it's correct.
00:51:34.86\00:51:36.46
Colossians
1:21-22, and the answer is,
00:51:36.49\00:51:41.10
"What difference
should reconciliation
00:51:41.13\00:51:43.00
make in our characters?"
00:51:43.03\00:51:44.43
Now let's read this together.
00:51:44.47\00:51:46.17
Or follow me as I read it.
00:51:46.20\00:51:47.90
And this is, "And you,"
00:51:47.94\00:51:49.27
I like the way Paul says,
00:51:49.30\00:51:50.64
"And you, who
once were alienated"
00:51:50.67\00:51:54.01
and what else?
00:51:54.04\00:51:55.38
"Enemies,
echthros in your mind by,"
00:51:55.41\00:51:59.51
what kind of works?
00:51:59.55\00:52:00.88
"Wicked works." He
didn't just say bad.
00:52:00.92\00:52:03.32
"Wicked works,
00:52:03.35\00:52:04.69
yet now
00:52:04.72\00:52:06.09
He has reconciled in
the body of His flesh" how?
00:52:06.12\00:52:12.09
"Through death,"
00:52:12.13\00:52:13.56
there it is, that
reconciliation process,
00:52:13.60\00:52:15.76
and what's the purpose of that?
00:52:15.80\00:52:17.53
"To present you" how?
00:52:17.57\00:52:19.03
Together, "holy, and" what else?
00:52:19.07\00:52:21.64
"Blameless, and" what else?
00:52:21.67\00:52:23.20
"Above reproach in His sight."
00:52:23.24\00:52:26.17
The people of God should be how,
00:52:26.21\00:52:28.08
should live how?
00:52:28.11\00:52:29.44
Holy. And how?
00:52:29.48\00:52:31.31
Blameless.
00:52:31.35\00:52:32.68
And how? Above reproach.
00:52:32.71\00:52:35.48
But I need to add Jude to that.
00:52:35.52\00:52:38.29
Go with me to Jude very quickly.
00:52:38.32\00:52:41.09
What difference
should reconciliation
00:52:41.12\00:52:43.19
make in our characters?
00:52:43.22\00:52:44.56
We should live
holy, and blameless,
00:52:44.59\00:52:46.53
and our lives in society
should be above reproach.
00:52:46.56\00:52:49.46
You know what that means?
00:52:49.50\00:52:50.83
It doesn't mean that you
are gonna not make a mistake.
00:52:50.87\00:52:52.63
It simply means that
00:52:52.67\00:52:54.00
when you live your
life before the world,
00:52:54.04\00:52:56.30
they shouldn't point to you
00:52:56.34\00:53:00.28
to downplay the significance
of your walk with Christ.
00:53:00.31\00:53:04.21
Unfortunately,
00:53:04.25\00:53:05.71
the saddest witnesses
of Christ is Christians.
00:53:05.75\00:53:10.12
Now why?
00:53:10.15\00:53:11.49
Because some of
them in their struggle,
00:53:11.52\00:53:13.52
the world sees us
sometimes when we falter,
00:53:13.56\00:53:15.96
and they point at us to
denounce the name of Christ.
00:53:15.99\00:53:20.43
But I want to say
00:53:20.46\00:53:23.30
that the name of
Christ is still efficacious.
00:53:23.33\00:53:26.70
His power is
still available to us.
00:53:26.74\00:53:30.24
And even those
who are living holy
00:53:30.27\00:53:32.74
and by the
strength made available,
00:53:32.77\00:53:35.24
those who are living blamelessly
00:53:35.28\00:53:37.05
by the strength made available,
00:53:37.08\00:53:38.55
those who are
living above reproach
00:53:38.58\00:53:40.18
has to be by the
strength made available.
00:53:40.22\00:53:42.75
Jude, and why did I say Jude?
00:53:42.78\00:53:45.29
Because here's
the reality of it.
00:53:45.32\00:53:47.29
Jude 24.
00:53:47.32\00:53:48.92
In order for us to have
any of these experiences,
00:53:48.96\00:53:51.43
we got to remember
where this is gonna come from.
00:53:51.46\00:53:53.16
All right?
00:53:53.19\00:53:54.53
This is not
coming from 28 doctrines.
00:53:54.56\00:53:55.96
This is coming from
somebody named Jesus.
00:53:56.00\00:53:57.67
Somebody say amen to that. Amen.
00:53:57.70\00:53:59.80
Now I like the way
that John says this.
00:53:59.83\00:54:02.57
"Now to Him who is able,"
00:54:02.60\00:54:05.77
let's read that
together, to do what?
00:54:05.81\00:54:08.24
"To keep you from
stumbling," or falling.
00:54:08.28\00:54:13.11
"And to present you" how?
00:54:13.15\00:54:15.38
"Faultless,"
00:54:15.42\00:54:16.75
that's that word
there blameless also.
00:54:16.79\00:54:19.42
"Before the
presence of His glory with"
00:54:19.45\00:54:22.79
what kind of joy?
00:54:22.82\00:54:24.16
"Exceeding joy.
00:54:24.19\00:54:25.53
To God our Savior,
00:54:25.56\00:54:27.16
Who alone is wise,
be glory and majesty,
00:54:27.20\00:54:30.57
dominion and power,
both now and forevermore."
00:54:30.60\00:54:33.84
You see, the Plan
of Salvation is huge
00:54:33.87\00:54:36.10
because the Plan of Salvation
00:54:36.14\00:54:37.47
is not just answering
the sin question down here.
00:54:37.51\00:54:39.74
But the Plan of Salvation
00:54:39.77\00:54:41.11
is answering the sin
question in the universe.
00:54:41.14\00:54:43.14
Now if you were an angel,
00:54:43.18\00:54:44.98
I'm gonna wind up by sharing you
00:54:45.01\00:54:46.35
this very
significant picture here.
00:54:46.38\00:54:48.45
And we'll begin
on question number 12
00:54:48.48\00:54:51.15
the next time around.
00:54:51.19\00:54:52.52
But if you were an angel,
00:54:52.55\00:54:53.89
looking at the great
controversy on earth,
00:54:53.92\00:54:55.62
and you see
00:54:55.66\00:54:56.99
the multiple millions
of Christians on the earth,
00:54:57.03\00:54:59.39
and you say,
00:54:59.43\00:55:03.33
"Father,
00:55:03.37\00:55:06.10
brother so and so
really messed up today."
00:55:06.13\00:55:10.84
Could I ask you a question?
00:55:10.87\00:55:12.21
Are you gonna let
him come to heaven?
00:55:12.24\00:55:15.94
Because if he comes in here,
00:55:15.98\00:55:17.85
we are in trouble.
00:55:17.88\00:55:21.78
And Jesus says, "I'm
still working on him.
00:55:21.82\00:55:25.75
Come on. I'm
still working on him."
00:55:25.79\00:55:27.82
And they're watching
us in our daily lives,
00:55:27.86\00:55:29.59
when we lose our temper,
00:55:29.62\00:55:30.99
when we blow
it, when we stumble,
00:55:31.03\00:55:32.79
when we fall in
word, act or deed,
00:55:32.83\00:55:35.26
they say, "Father,
00:55:35.30\00:55:37.67
Mike just blew it today.
00:55:37.70\00:55:40.57
I got records of it.
00:55:40.60\00:55:41.94
I know exactly,
well, here it is.
00:55:41.97\00:55:44.17
Are we gonna let him in here?"
00:55:44.21\00:55:45.74
And Jesus says, "I'm
still working on him."
00:55:45.77\00:55:49.51
Are you gonna get
this? This is huge.
00:55:49.54\00:55:52.45
And they come to Glen and
say, "Oh, Glen got upset today.
00:55:52.48\00:55:56.18
I know nobody is around
but I heard what he said.
00:55:56.22\00:55:58.32
Father, I got it
written right here.
00:55:58.35\00:55:59.69
This is exactly
what Glen said today.
00:55:59.72\00:56:01.89
You are gonna let him
in here talking like that?"
00:56:01.92\00:56:04.03
And Jesus says,
Father, come say with me,
00:56:04.06\00:56:07.20
"I'm working on him."
00:56:07.23\00:56:10.37
And he looks at our lives
00:56:10.40\00:56:11.73
mumbling and
stumbling and bumbling
00:56:11.77\00:56:13.20
coming to church
00:56:13.23\00:56:14.57
when our mind is somewhere else.
00:56:14.60\00:56:16.27
Neil and Dan are
thinking about a movie.
00:56:16.30\00:56:18.81
Thinking about
something we bought yesterday.
00:56:18.84\00:56:20.58
Studying our Bible,
00:56:20.61\00:56:21.94
we are thinking
about some objects,
00:56:21.98\00:56:23.31
some toys somewhere.
00:56:23.35\00:56:24.68
And angel is saying,
"I got another question.
00:56:24.71\00:56:28.28
We got a whole lot of
folks down in Thompsonville.
00:56:28.32\00:56:30.29
That man has a lot of
problem in that church.
00:56:30.32\00:56:32.59
Are we gonna let them in here?"
00:56:32.62\00:56:34.06
And Jesus says, come
on, "I'm working on him."
00:56:34.09\00:56:39.59
To understand the
beauty of this verse,
00:56:39.63\00:56:43.16
and Jesus says,
00:56:43.20\00:56:44.80
"Angels, you don't
understand my mission.
00:56:44.83\00:56:47.34
My mission is,
00:56:47.37\00:56:50.04
I'm the only one.
00:56:50.07\00:56:51.41
Not you guys, you
guys are keeping records.
00:56:51.44\00:56:53.31
But I'm the one
00:56:53.34\00:56:54.68
that's able to keep
them from stumbling.
00:56:54.71\00:56:56.88
I'm the one
00:56:56.91\00:56:58.25
that's working
on presenting them
00:56:58.28\00:57:00.78
before the whole
universe faultless.
00:57:00.82\00:57:04.25
And when that process is done,
00:57:04.29\00:57:05.92
I just want you to know,
00:57:05.95\00:57:07.36
I'm gonna present them
before my Father's glory
00:57:07.39\00:57:10.83
and I'm gonna be very happy.
00:57:10.86\00:57:12.23
I'm gonna be filled
with exceeding joy."
00:57:12.26\00:57:14.33
Can you say amen to that?
00:57:14.36\00:57:15.76
You know what exceeding joy?
00:57:15.80\00:57:17.13
Now we get happy
00:57:17.17\00:57:18.50
but I can't wait
till we see Jesus happy.
00:57:18.53\00:57:20.77
Because this text says,
00:57:20.80\00:57:22.94
"Before the
presence of His glory
00:57:22.97\00:57:24.77
with exceeding joy,
00:57:24.81\00:57:26.14
the one who is able
to keep us from stumbling
00:57:26.17\00:57:28.41
is gonna present
us before His Father
00:57:28.44\00:57:30.61
and He's gonna be so elated
and so excited about that."
00:57:30.65\00:57:33.72
And the angles are gonna
say, "I know you could do it.
00:57:33.75\00:57:36.48
Just didn't know
you're gonna do it."
00:57:36.52\00:57:38.85
And Jesus is gonna say,
00:57:38.89\00:57:40.36
"Father, you know, I
did it, My blood, My blood."
00:57:40.39\00:57:44.13
He's gonna show the universe
00:57:44.16\00:57:47.20
that no matter
how messed up we are,
00:57:47.23\00:57:49.30
no matter how much we struggle,
00:57:49.33\00:57:51.13
that one day
He's gonna present us
00:57:51.17\00:57:53.30
before the
presence of His Father
00:57:53.34\00:57:55.54
with exceeding joy.
00:57:55.57\00:57:57.57
And so, friends, if it
doesn't make sense now,
00:57:57.61\00:57:59.44
keep on
studying because one day,
00:57:59.47\00:58:01.48
it will come
into A Sharper Focus.
00:58:01.51\00:58:04.11
God bless you.
00:58:04.15\00:58:05.48