Hello and welcome 00:00:18.81\00:00:20.15 to Wednesday night prayer meeting 00:00:20.18\00:00:21.52 here at the Thompsonville Seventh-day Adventist Church. 00:00:21.55\00:00:23.75 We call it A Sharper Focus, 00:00:23.79\00:00:25.69 and we thank you for joining us 00:00:25.72\00:00:27.36 here at the Thompsonville Seventh-day Adventist Church, 00:00:27.39\00:00:29.46 and we want to invite you to be a part 00:00:29.49\00:00:31.99 of our local congregation here 00:00:32.03\00:00:34.10 on Wednesday night and also on Saturday mornings. 00:00:34.13\00:00:37.37 We are located on Route 149, in case you are in the area, 00:00:37.40\00:00:40.74 Route 149 in West Frankfort 00:00:40.77\00:00:42.90 just before you get to Route 34 in Thompsonville. 00:00:42.94\00:00:46.68 And right there on the left hand side, 00:00:46.71\00:00:48.51 just before you get to Thompsonville Route 34, 00:00:48.54\00:00:52.31 you will see a big building 00:00:52.35\00:00:54.02 and, the name of the church is right in front, 00:00:54.05\00:00:55.98 so you cannot miss it, as they say, 00:00:56.02\00:00:58.12 and we invite you to join us. 00:00:58.15\00:00:59.92 Wednesdays at 7:00, we are here, 00:00:59.95\00:01:02.02 and Saturday mornings, 00:01:02.06\00:01:03.39 we are also here beginning at 9:00 in the morning 00:01:03.43\00:01:05.99 and onwards. 00:01:06.03\00:01:07.36 So we invite you to be a part of our local congregation, 00:01:07.40\00:01:09.73 the Pastor Lomacang 00:01:09.76\00:01:11.30 and he will be glad to have you here 00:01:11.33\00:01:13.87 as well as our loving members 00:01:13.90\00:01:17.64 of the Thompsonville Seventh-day Adventist Church. 00:01:17.67\00:01:19.37 Would you welcome the people that have come in? 00:01:19.41\00:01:20.94 Amen. Amen. 00:01:20.98\00:01:22.31 Praise the Lord. 00:01:22.34\00:01:23.68 And so we are here today to going to study 00:01:23.71\00:01:25.51 a very important topic, 00:01:25.55\00:01:27.42 and I'm not very good at titles, 00:01:27.45\00:01:29.18 so first, it was called Be Thou Clean, 00:01:29.22\00:01:32.12 then it was Blameless Before God. 00:01:32.15\00:01:34.62 But what's important is the message in God's Word. 00:01:34.66\00:01:37.79 And so that's what we want to focus on today. 00:01:37.83\00:01:40.20 And this is going to be a Bible study, 00:01:40.23\00:01:42.40 so we invite you to open your Bibles 00:01:42.43\00:01:44.87 and get something to write with 00:01:44.90\00:01:46.30 because you may want to take notes 00:01:46.33\00:01:47.70 and continue studying this important topic. 00:01:47.74\00:01:50.84 Before we continue, of course, 00:01:50.87\00:01:52.31 we must go to the Lord in prayer 00:01:52.34\00:01:54.21 because we dare not study the Bible 00:01:54.24\00:01:56.31 without asking for God's blessing, 00:01:56.34\00:01:58.25 we don't want to come to the wrong conclusions. 00:01:58.28\00:02:00.32 And so join us in prayer. 00:02:00.35\00:02:03.95 Our loving heavenly Father, 00:02:03.99\00:02:06.25 we now approach Your throne of grace 00:02:06.29\00:02:09.62 with confidence that we will be received 00:02:09.66\00:02:11.66 because we read in the Scriptures 00:02:11.69\00:02:13.80 that he that cometh unto You, You will in no wise cast out. 00:02:13.83\00:02:18.50 And we thank You Father 00:02:18.53\00:02:20.60 for this privilege to ask of You to bless us. 00:02:20.64\00:02:23.34 You said to ask that we may receive. 00:02:23.37\00:02:25.57 And today, we ask for a blessing 00:02:25.61\00:02:27.14 upon all that are here present with us, 00:02:27.18\00:02:29.61 and those listening by radio, 00:02:29.64\00:02:31.21 watching by television or the internet, 00:02:31.25\00:02:33.42 we pray that everyone will be blessed, 00:02:33.45\00:02:35.05 we pray for Your Holy Spirit to be poured out. 00:02:35.08\00:02:38.09 I place myself in Your hands and I ask father 00:02:38.12\00:02:41.32 that every word will come from Your throne of grace. 00:02:41.36\00:02:45.06 May Your name be glorified in all the things we ask. 00:02:45.09\00:02:47.63 In Jesus' name, amen. 00:02:47.66\00:02:49.93 Amen. 00:02:49.96\00:02:51.67 Jesus was walking among the multitude. 00:02:51.70\00:02:54.27 And as He walked, there was a man 00:02:54.30\00:02:58.17 that was coming nearer and nearer to him. 00:02:58.21\00:03:01.14 You see, back in those days, 00:03:01.18\00:03:02.61 there was a disease called leprosy. 00:03:02.64\00:03:05.38 And if you got leprosy 00:03:05.41\00:03:07.22 or suspect that you have leprosy, 00:03:07.25\00:03:08.78 you have to go to a priest. 00:03:08.82\00:03:10.55 The priest would examine you, 00:03:10.59\00:03:12.52 and if the priest determined you had leprosy, 00:03:12.55\00:03:15.49 then you must be separated from your family, 00:03:15.52\00:03:19.03 separated from your friends, 00:03:19.06\00:03:21.13 and go in the outer parts of the city, 00:03:21.16\00:03:23.93 and some of these people lived in caves, 00:03:23.97\00:03:26.74 you were destined to be with those people. 00:03:26.77\00:03:29.77 And so it was that 00:03:29.80\00:03:32.21 while you were coming close to anybody, 00:03:32.24\00:03:35.94 you were supposed to yell, "Unclean, unclean." 00:03:35.98\00:03:40.32 You see, it was believed that the very air was polluted 00:03:40.35\00:03:44.22 by the person that had leprosy. 00:03:44.25\00:03:47.19 As a matter of fact, 00:03:47.22\00:03:48.56 it was considered like a symbol of sin. 00:03:48.59\00:03:51.23 So he who had leprosy 00:03:51.26\00:03:52.86 was considered to be punished by God. 00:03:52.89\00:03:56.63 And so these people that had leprosy 00:03:56.67\00:03:58.43 were separated from society 00:03:58.47\00:04:00.70 and they longed to be with their families, 00:04:00.74\00:04:02.50 but the disease made them 00:04:02.54\00:04:04.94 be separated from their families 00:04:04.97\00:04:06.31 because it was very contagious. 00:04:06.34\00:04:08.78 And it was a loving response from a person to say, 00:04:08.81\00:04:12.48 "I love you too much to give you this disease." 00:04:12.51\00:04:14.75 So they would separate themselves from the people, 00:04:14.78\00:04:17.25 and this is what was happening back in those days. 00:04:17.29\00:04:20.46 But there was a man as we find in Matthew 8:1, 00:04:20.49\00:04:24.49 and now we're going to read about a man 00:04:24.53\00:04:26.80 that dared to approach Jesus. 00:04:26.83\00:04:29.23 He ignored the warnings to stay away 00:04:29.26\00:04:32.93 and continued coming toward Jesus. 00:04:32.97\00:04:35.50 You see, it is apparent that this man had heard about Jesus, 00:04:35.54\00:04:40.24 that He was healing people, giving sight to the blind, 00:04:40.28\00:04:43.51 and people were being healed by Him 00:04:43.55\00:04:46.11 that had been sick even from birth, 00:04:46.15\00:04:48.65 and so it was that he began to get courage. 00:04:48.68\00:04:51.79 And in Matthew 8:1-4, 00:04:51.82\00:04:56.62 we have the following words. 00:04:56.66\00:04:57.99 "When He was come down from the mountain, 00:04:58.03\00:05:00.06 great multitudes followed Him. 00:05:00.10\00:05:02.86 And, behold, there came a leper and worshipped Him, 00:05:02.90\00:05:06.27 saying, Lord, if Thou wilt, Thou canst make me clean." 00:05:06.30\00:05:11.94 Now when you consider these words, 00:05:11.97\00:05:13.94 you understand that he had faith 00:05:13.98\00:05:15.48 that Jesus could do this very thing, 00:05:15.51\00:05:17.95 and so he was asking Jesus to heal him. 00:05:17.98\00:05:20.25 And Matthew 8:3, there is something interesting, 00:05:20.28\00:05:23.22 but before we continue reading, I must pause, you see, 00:05:23.25\00:05:25.85 because it was believed that anyone that touched someone 00:05:25.89\00:05:29.96 that had leprosy, that person became unclean, 00:05:29.99\00:05:33.19 that person could become full of leprosy. 00:05:33.23\00:05:35.46 And so I imagine the people were watching to see, 00:05:35.50\00:05:38.80 "Will Jesus touch him?" 00:05:38.83\00:05:40.70 because if He touches him, He too will become unclean, 00:05:40.74\00:05:45.01 He too may have leprosy. 00:05:45.04\00:05:47.44 And so I imagine that all the eyes of the people, 00:05:47.48\00:05:50.25 they first separated themselves from Jesus because... 00:05:50.28\00:05:54.38 From the guy who had leprosy 00:05:54.42\00:05:55.75 because they didn't want to get the disease, 00:05:55.78\00:05:58.52 and so now they were watching Jesus 00:05:58.55\00:06:00.09 to see what He would do, 00:06:00.12\00:06:01.46 and they heard the man's plea, and in verse 3, 00:06:01.49\00:06:03.86 we continue reading. 00:06:03.89\00:06:05.26 Matthew 8:3, 00:06:05.29\00:06:06.63 "And Jesus put forth His hand and touched him, 00:06:06.66\00:06:10.43 saying, I will, be thou clean. 00:06:10.47\00:06:15.44 And immediately his leprosy was cleansed." 00:06:15.47\00:06:19.14 Praise the Lord. 00:06:19.17\00:06:20.81 In verse 4, "And Jesus saith unto him, 00:06:20.84\00:06:22.78 See thou tell no man, 00:06:22.81\00:06:26.01 but go thy way, show thyself to the priest, 00:06:26.05\00:06:29.75 and offer the gift that Moses commanded 00:06:29.78\00:06:32.62 for a what? 00:06:32.65\00:06:34.32 Testimony unto them." 00:06:34.36\00:06:36.02 Praise the Lord. 00:06:36.06\00:06:37.39 And so it was... 00:06:37.43\00:06:38.76 There were witnesses that saw Jesus do this, 00:06:38.79\00:06:40.46 so word spread anyway. 00:06:40.50\00:06:43.37 But this man was of course to go back to the priest, 00:06:43.40\00:06:46.74 and that was supposed to be a testimony. 00:06:46.77\00:06:48.44 You see the priests, 00:06:48.47\00:06:49.80 some of them were accusing Jesus. 00:06:49.84\00:06:51.57 So this will be a testimony. 00:06:51.61\00:06:53.11 "How did you become clean?" 00:06:53.14\00:06:54.84 "A man called Jesus touched me and I became clean." 00:06:54.88\00:07:00.82 Praise the Lord. 00:07:00.85\00:07:02.28 And so you see, here we have another example 00:07:02.32\00:07:05.02 of this man full of leprosy 00:07:05.05\00:07:08.52 came to Jesus, and Jesus didn't cast him out. 00:07:08.56\00:07:11.49 Jesus didn't, "Wait, wait, wait. 00:07:11.53\00:07:12.86 You have leprosy, don't come near." 00:07:12.89\00:07:15.63 Jesus not only allowed him to approach 00:07:15.66\00:07:17.73 but Jesus went as far as to touch him. 00:07:17.77\00:07:20.94 And so whatever it is that you may have, 00:07:20.97\00:07:23.20 you can approach Jesus with confidence, 00:07:23.24\00:07:25.21 and He will receive you. 00:07:25.24\00:07:26.84 Praise the Lord for that. 00:07:26.88\00:07:28.68 And so I want to talk to you a little bit about sin. 00:07:28.71\00:07:34.42 Now for very long time, 00:07:34.45\00:07:35.78 we want to talk more about Jesus. 00:07:35.82\00:07:37.52 You see, sin has created a big problem for this earth, 00:07:37.55\00:07:41.76 and it is sin that has brought disease. 00:07:41.79\00:07:44.09 It is sin that has brought every suffering in this world. 00:07:44.13\00:07:48.06 And as a matter of fact, 00:07:48.10\00:07:49.43 sin has caused suffering beyond this world. 00:07:49.46\00:07:52.63 For even in heaven, 00:07:52.67\00:07:54.00 there is suffering because of sin. 00:07:54.04\00:07:56.50 And so this sin that is upon this earth 00:07:56.54\00:08:02.34 has been here for a while, 00:08:02.38\00:08:04.15 and we long for it to be gone 00:08:04.18\00:08:06.92 because it has caused so much suffering, 00:08:06.95\00:08:09.25 sickness, pain, and sorrow. 00:08:09.28\00:08:13.02 The people that had leprosy in those days, 00:08:13.05\00:08:16.52 little by little, it was like their flesh became putrefied, 00:08:16.56\00:08:20.53 it was like spoiling, rotting away. 00:08:20.56\00:08:23.93 And so some of them would wrap cloths 00:08:23.97\00:08:28.64 to try to keep their wounds, 00:08:28.67\00:08:31.87 and the cloth would soak the blood, 00:08:31.91\00:08:33.94 and soak the putrefying flesh, 00:08:33.98\00:08:38.28 and it stunk very badly. 00:08:38.31\00:08:41.02 You see, there was all this... 00:08:41.05\00:08:43.99 even puss and all these things were in this cloth. 00:08:44.02\00:08:47.59 And the people hoped that as they unwrapped 00:08:47.62\00:08:51.56 that all their fingers would still be there, 00:08:51.59\00:08:53.76 that their flesh would still be in good condition. 00:08:53.80\00:08:57.17 But little by little, 00:08:57.20\00:08:58.53 it was as if their flesh was rotting away. 00:08:58.57\00:09:01.37 So I would like for you to consider this cloth, 00:09:01.40\00:09:04.57 there is a passage that we're going to look at 00:09:04.61\00:09:06.81 that talks about what is the best possible thing 00:09:06.84\00:09:10.85 that we could do as far as being righteous, 00:09:10.88\00:09:14.25 and that is found in the book of Isaiah chapter 64, 00:09:14.28\00:09:17.92 as we begin to... 00:09:17.95\00:09:19.89 As you see it, you will notice that 00:09:19.92\00:09:22.02 this passage is something you have read before. 00:09:22.06\00:09:26.03 But let's look at it again. 00:09:26.06\00:09:27.70 Isaiah chapter 64, 00:09:27.73\00:09:29.33 and we're going to read verse 6, 00:09:29.36\00:09:32.13 and we find the following words. 00:09:32.17\00:09:34.60 "But we are all as an unclean thing, 00:09:34.64\00:09:38.87 and all our righteousness are as filthy rags, 00:09:38.91\00:09:42.98 and we all do fade as a leaf, and our iniquities, 00:09:43.01\00:09:47.32 like the wind, have taken us away." 00:09:47.35\00:09:51.45 And so this is the condition of how many? 00:09:51.49\00:09:55.09 All it says in the Bible, 00:09:55.12\00:09:58.03 all of us have been victims of sin. 00:09:58.06\00:10:03.16 And notice that it says that our righteousness, 00:10:03.20\00:10:05.87 that is the very best that you could do 00:10:05.90\00:10:09.47 is as filthy rags. 00:10:09.50\00:10:12.67 Now there are some that understand 00:10:12.71\00:10:15.21 these rags to mean a particular type of rag 00:10:15.24\00:10:17.48 that we're not even going mention right now, 00:10:17.51\00:10:19.35 but I would like for you to consider 00:10:19.38\00:10:20.82 that is more visible for you at this point 00:10:20.85\00:10:22.82 since we talked about the man full of leprosy, 00:10:22.85\00:10:25.32 those rags that he had 00:10:25.35\00:10:27.16 where the putrefying flesh was there, 00:10:27.19\00:10:29.82 and blood, and all these things, 00:10:29.86\00:10:31.79 and it smelled badly, 00:10:31.83\00:10:34.00 that's what our good deeds are like. 00:10:34.03\00:10:37.27 If we do it on our own, 00:10:37.30\00:10:39.07 if we depend on our good deeds for salvation 00:10:39.10\00:10:42.97 because you see, the only good deeds 00:10:43.00\00:10:45.47 that have any worth or value in our salvation 00:10:45.51\00:10:50.81 are the good deeds of Jesus Christ. 00:10:50.85\00:10:53.55 Those are the ones that count for our salvation, 00:10:53.58\00:10:56.35 the good deeds that Christ does. 00:10:56.38\00:10:59.02 And so it is the goodness of God, 00:10:59.05\00:11:03.22 it is the gift of God that gives us salvation. 00:11:03.26\00:11:07.36 Let's look at another passage in Genesis 1:31. 00:11:07.40\00:11:11.97 You see, it was not like this before. 00:11:12.00\00:11:14.64 Let's go back to even the time 00:11:14.67\00:11:18.01 before sin came into the world, 00:11:18.04\00:11:21.38 and let us see the witness of God 00:11:21.41\00:11:24.75 as He created the earth. 00:11:24.78\00:11:28.08 In Genesis chapter 1 and chapter 2, 00:11:28.12\00:11:30.29 you see the account of the creation of this world. 00:11:30.32\00:11:33.25 And as we read in verse 31, we have the following words. 00:11:33.29\00:11:36.52 "And God saw," that means He examined everything, 00:11:36.56\00:11:41.20 "God saw everything that He had made, 00:11:41.23\00:11:43.77 and, behold, it was very good. 00:11:43.80\00:11:48.77 And the evening and the morning were the sixth day." 00:11:48.80\00:11:51.41 If you continue reading, you will notice, 2:1, 00:11:51.44\00:11:55.14 "Thus the heavens and the earth were finished, 00:11:55.18\00:11:56.61 and all the host of them," etcetera, etcetera. 00:11:56.64\00:11:59.15 But God looked at His creation 00:11:59.18\00:12:00.92 after He had done everything on this earth, 00:12:00.95\00:12:03.22 and He said, "It is very good." 00:12:03.25\00:12:06.96 It wasn't just good, it was very good. 00:12:06.99\00:12:10.43 So what does that include in that very good? 00:12:10.46\00:12:15.53 Everything that He had made. 00:12:15.56\00:12:17.50 And He had also made Adam and Eve, 00:12:17.53\00:12:20.24 so they too were very good. 00:12:20.27\00:12:23.30 As a matter of fact, they were so good 00:12:23.34\00:12:28.08 that every thought, every word, 00:12:28.11\00:12:31.75 every action was very good. 00:12:31.78\00:12:35.02 There was no evidence of selfishness, no hatred, 00:12:35.05\00:12:40.02 no ill intent, no evil thoughts, no bad words. 00:12:40.06\00:12:44.49 All the words were good, all the thoughts were good, 00:12:44.53\00:12:46.70 all the actions were good. 00:12:46.73\00:12:48.06 They loved to please God, 00:12:48.10\00:12:49.43 they loved to please one another, 00:12:49.46\00:12:50.83 they loved each other. 00:12:50.87\00:12:52.20 That was the condition. 00:12:52.23\00:12:53.64 How many would love to see that happen again? 00:12:53.67\00:12:55.90 Praise the Lord. I would too. 00:12:55.94\00:12:58.11 It would be good to be able to walk down the street 00:12:58.14\00:13:00.61 and you're not afraid of anything. 00:13:00.64\00:13:02.71 There are some places I've been where they tell us, 00:13:02.74\00:13:05.08 "Don't go out in the street." 00:13:05.11\00:13:07.65 As a matter of fact, my wife told me that 00:13:07.68\00:13:09.12 when we were in a certain city once. 00:13:09.15\00:13:12.15 We were not in this city. 00:13:12.19\00:13:14.99 But we were visiting another country. 00:13:15.02\00:13:16.36 She said, "Don't go out there. 00:13:16.39\00:13:18.06 I heard this and I heard that. 00:13:18.09\00:13:19.73 People are being kidnapped." 00:13:19.76\00:13:21.43 And so this is the condition of this world. 00:13:21.46\00:13:24.27 But back then, 00:13:24.30\00:13:25.63 before sin entered into the world, 00:13:25.67\00:13:27.57 everything was very good. 00:13:27.60\00:13:29.97 Of course, you've read the story 00:13:30.01\00:13:31.97 of how Adam and Eve chose to sin. 00:13:32.01\00:13:35.84 And since they chose to sin, all that comes with sin 00:13:35.88\00:13:40.98 was now a part of them. 00:13:41.02\00:13:43.49 Their minds became corrupt. 00:13:43.52\00:13:46.25 Now the thoughts were not pure. 00:13:46.29\00:13:48.02 Now the words were not good, they were not very good. 00:13:48.06\00:13:51.23 The actions were not very good. 00:13:51.26\00:13:53.43 Why? 00:13:53.46\00:13:54.80 Because sin came in and corrupted them. 00:13:54.83\00:13:59.43 And as a matter of fact, 00:13:59.47\00:14:01.67 the more sin you do, the more corruption you have. 00:14:01.70\00:14:06.64 And so this was the condition that this earth 00:14:06.68\00:14:10.68 entered into when Adam and Eve sinned. 00:14:10.71\00:14:12.85 But praise the Lord, we have good news. 00:14:12.88\00:14:16.55 There in Genesis 3:15, we're not going to read it, 00:14:16.58\00:14:19.15 it tells us that God promised 00:14:19.19\00:14:20.86 that there was going to be a seed 00:14:20.89\00:14:23.02 that would what to the serpent's head? 00:14:23.06\00:14:26.53 Crush the serpent's head. 00:14:26.56\00:14:29.40 And we understand the serpent to be Satan in this point. 00:14:29.43\00:14:34.20 And so that was the promise to Adam and Eve. 00:14:34.24\00:14:36.54 So things got so bad, let's continue reading, 00:14:36.57\00:14:39.81 things became so bad, as we go to Genesis 6:5. 00:14:39.84\00:14:44.81 Genesis 6:5, 00:14:44.85\00:14:47.15 "And God saw that the wickedness of man 00:14:47.18\00:14:50.89 was great in the earth, 00:14:50.92\00:14:53.05 and that every imagination of the thoughts 00:14:53.09\00:14:56.06 of his heart was only evil continually." 00:14:56.09\00:15:00.03 And so as time continued, 00:15:00.06\00:15:03.77 Adam and Eve and their sons and their sons' sons, etcetera, 00:15:03.80\00:15:08.10 came to be in this condition, only evil continuity. 00:15:08.14\00:15:12.87 The thoughts were not very good, 00:15:12.91\00:15:14.24 the words were not very good, the actions were not very good, 00:15:14.28\00:15:17.81 and the Savior was still in the future. 00:15:17.85\00:15:21.55 The hope was there, 00:15:21.58\00:15:23.79 but the Savior did not come for many years later. 00:15:23.82\00:15:28.52 But you see, the time would come 00:15:28.56\00:15:31.83 when God would send His Son to rescue this world. 00:15:31.86\00:15:35.66 And this is what we're going to look at today. 00:15:35.70\00:15:38.37 So let's look at the condition. 00:15:38.40\00:15:41.17 Of course, you understand that at this point, 00:15:41.20\00:15:43.00 if you continue reading, the flood took place 00:15:43.04\00:15:46.14 and God tried to start again with the family of Noah 00:15:46.17\00:15:49.78 because Noah found grace in His sight, 00:15:49.81\00:15:52.78 and with this family, 00:15:52.81\00:15:54.88 a new start for the human race to go in the right direction. 00:15:54.92\00:15:59.85 And for a while, it was such, 00:15:59.89\00:16:01.76 they went in the right direction 00:16:01.79\00:16:03.66 but again went astray. 00:16:03.69\00:16:07.10 Eventually, we understand that the people of God, 00:16:07.13\00:16:10.80 they were in Egypt, 00:16:10.83\00:16:13.07 and God rescued them again by Moses, 00:16:13.10\00:16:16.17 using Moses, 00:16:16.20\00:16:18.34 and formed this nation, the nation of Israel 00:16:18.37\00:16:21.18 that was supposed to bring the knowledge of salvation 00:16:21.21\00:16:24.91 to the world. 00:16:24.95\00:16:26.78 Unfortunately, the Bible reveals 00:16:26.82\00:16:28.75 that even this nation that has such knowledge of God 00:16:28.78\00:16:31.59 and the presence of God there is a pillar of fire 00:16:31.62\00:16:35.59 and a pillar of cloud. 00:16:35.62\00:16:37.96 And so we invite you to join us in Isaiah chapter 1 00:16:37.99\00:16:41.56 because there was a point in time 00:16:41.60\00:16:43.26 when this nation was in desperate need of cleansing, 00:16:43.30\00:16:48.20 a desperate need of salvation, 00:16:48.24\00:16:50.24 in desperate need of repentance. 00:16:50.27\00:16:52.31 But notice the description in Isaiah chapter 1, 00:16:52.34\00:16:55.14 let's begin in reading in verse 4, 5, and 6. 00:16:55.18\00:16:58.41 Genesis... 00:16:58.45\00:16:59.78 I mean, I'm sorry, Isaiah 1:4, 5, and 6. 00:16:59.81\00:17:02.48 Here are the words. 00:17:02.52\00:17:03.85 "Ah sinful nation, a people laden with iniquity, 00:17:03.89\00:17:08.56 a seed of evildoers, children that are corrupters, 00:17:08.59\00:17:12.79 they have forsaken the Lord, 00:17:12.83\00:17:15.16 they have provoked the Holy One of Israel unto anger, 00:17:15.20\00:17:18.23 they are gone away backward." 00:17:18.27\00:17:23.27 Now verse 5, 00:17:23.30\00:17:24.64 "Why should you be stricken anymore? 00:17:24.67\00:17:26.91 You will revolt more and more, for the whole head is sick, 00:17:26.94\00:17:31.75 and the whole heart faint. 00:17:31.78\00:17:34.58 From the sole of the foot even unto the head 00:17:34.62\00:17:37.32 there is no soundness in it, but wounds, and bruises, 00:17:37.35\00:17:41.22 and putrefying sores, 00:17:41.26\00:17:45.09 they have not been closed, neither bound up, 00:17:45.13\00:17:47.23 neither mollified with ointment." 00:17:47.26\00:17:49.90 Little like the condition of the man full of leprosy, 00:17:49.93\00:17:52.73 isn't it? 00:17:52.77\00:17:54.50 So this was the condition. 00:17:54.54\00:17:55.87 From the sole of the foot to the head, 00:17:55.90\00:17:57.57 sores and wounds and putrefying sores. 00:17:57.61\00:18:01.64 Sinful nation, this was their condition. 00:18:01.68\00:18:04.31 So does God say, "I'm done with you, I give up." 00:18:04.35\00:18:08.82 Does God do that? No. 00:18:08.85\00:18:10.82 Let's continue reading as we go now to Isaiah 1:16, 00:18:10.85\00:18:15.42 17, and 18. 00:18:15.46\00:18:16.89 Notice what God does. 00:18:16.93\00:18:18.26 Even though that's the condition, God says, 00:18:18.29\00:18:20.80 "Wash you, make you clean, 00:18:20.83\00:18:23.50 put away the evil of your doings 00:18:23.53\00:18:25.83 from before mine eyes, cease to do evil." 00:18:25.87\00:18:30.57 Verse 17, "Learn to do well, seek judgment, 00:18:30.61\00:18:34.21 relieve the oppressed, judge the fatherless, 00:18:34.24\00:18:36.44 plead for the widow. 00:18:36.48\00:18:38.01 Come now, and let us reason together, 00:18:38.05\00:18:41.45 saith the Lord, though your sins be as scarlet, 00:18:41.48\00:18:44.15 they shall be as white as snow, 00:18:44.19\00:18:46.69 though they be red like crimson, 00:18:46.72\00:18:48.59 they shall be as wool." 00:18:48.62\00:18:51.66 Praise the Lord. 00:18:51.69\00:18:54.13 Isn't that marvelous? 00:18:54.16\00:18:56.16 Let's continue reading. 00:18:56.20\00:18:57.53 Verse 19, "If ye be willing," if ye be what? 00:18:57.57\00:19:01.50 Willing. 00:19:01.54\00:19:02.87 You see, there's a choice that has to be made 00:19:02.90\00:19:05.11 by those that have sinned. 00:19:05.14\00:19:06.98 "If ye be willing..." 00:19:07.01\00:19:08.84 and what? 00:19:08.88\00:19:10.21 Obedient, so there must be a decided change 00:19:10.25\00:19:13.48 in the individual to be willing and obedient. 00:19:13.52\00:19:17.25 We continue reading. 00:19:17.29\00:19:19.52 "Ye shall eat the good of the land. 00:19:19.55\00:19:22.22 But if ye refuse and rebel, 00:19:22.26\00:19:25.39 ye shall be devoured with the sword, 00:19:25.43\00:19:27.23 for the mouth of the Lord hath spoken it." 00:19:27.26\00:19:29.83 You see, there are consequences for sin. 00:19:29.86\00:19:33.94 And if we continue in sin, there will be consequences. 00:19:33.97\00:19:37.54 You may see some of those consequences in this world. 00:19:37.57\00:19:41.61 But at the end, the Bible says, "The wages of sin is death, " 00:19:41.64\00:19:45.41 in Romans 6:23. 00:19:45.45\00:19:49.35 And so this is the condition of the people. 00:19:49.38\00:19:51.55 But yet God still says, "Come let us reason together." 00:19:51.59\00:19:54.82 And you see what God wants to do is to take us, mould us, 00:19:54.86\00:19:59.56 transform us, 00:19:59.59\00:20:01.10 and to bring us back to the condition 00:20:01.13\00:20:04.93 where we were very good. 00:20:04.97\00:20:08.30 You see, there is to be a transformation. 00:20:08.34\00:20:10.61 You see, God is not just going to say, 00:20:10.64\00:20:13.04 "Would you accept salvation?" 00:20:13.07\00:20:14.41 "Yes, I accept salvation." 00:20:14.44\00:20:15.78 "Wonderful. You now have salvation." 00:20:15.81\00:20:19.05 But what happens if you take a... 00:20:19.08\00:20:22.45 I have to use this example again. 00:20:22.48\00:20:23.82 If you take a pig and you wash him really good, 00:20:23.85\00:20:26.79 you use the finest soaps, you use the best perfume, 00:20:26.82\00:20:30.89 you can even put a pig tuxedo on him 00:20:30.93\00:20:34.60 and clothe him with the best tuxedo for a pig, 00:20:34.63\00:20:39.30 and waltz him into some of the finest places. 00:20:39.33\00:20:43.44 But as soon as you let him loose, 00:20:43.47\00:20:44.97 what will happen? 00:20:45.01\00:20:46.88 He's going to go back to their mire, 00:20:46.91\00:20:49.54 and oh, that's what he likes. 00:20:49.58\00:20:52.58 You see, so God is not going to take people 00:20:52.61\00:20:55.42 that want to continue in that condition. 00:20:55.45\00:20:58.05 He wants to transform us, 00:20:58.09\00:21:00.19 so not only that we will be grateful for salvation 00:21:00.22\00:21:03.43 and being forgiven 00:21:03.46\00:21:04.99 but then we want to be willing and obedient. 00:21:05.03\00:21:09.20 And so he can transform our mind 00:21:09.23\00:21:11.10 so we can become as the condition Adam and Eve 00:21:11.13\00:21:13.97 were in when they were first created. 00:21:14.00\00:21:16.81 Amen. Praise the Lord. 00:21:16.84\00:21:18.84 So let's continue reading. 00:21:18.87\00:21:20.21 Now I invite you to join me 00:21:20.24\00:21:24.91 in Romans 3:23. 00:21:24.95\00:21:28.25 Romans 3:23, 00:21:28.28\00:21:32.09 so we ask ourselves 00:21:32.12\00:21:35.52 who is involved, who is included 00:21:35.56\00:21:38.03 in this condition. 00:21:38.06\00:21:40.03 In Romans chapter 3:23, 00:21:40.06\00:21:43.03 the Bible tells us clearly, 00:21:43.06\00:21:46.57 "For all have sinned 00:21:46.60\00:21:49.17 and come short of the glory of God." 00:21:49.20\00:21:53.74 So this includes everyone, includes me, includes you. 00:21:53.78\00:21:59.08 So if all have sinned 00:21:59.11\00:22:00.45 and come short of the glory of God 00:22:00.48\00:22:01.92 and the wages of sin is death, 00:22:01.95\00:22:03.75 do we not all then deserve death? 00:22:03.79\00:22:07.99 Yes. 00:22:08.02\00:22:09.69 But you see, God sending His Son, 00:22:09.72\00:22:13.23 as we read in John 3:16, 00:22:13.26\00:22:16.13 "For God so loved the world 00:22:16.16\00:22:18.03 that He gave His only begotten Son, 00:22:18.07\00:22:20.20 that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish 00:22:20.24\00:22:23.20 but have everlasting life." 00:22:23.24\00:22:26.04 Now some people, 00:22:26.07\00:22:27.41 they don't use the word perish much anymore. 00:22:27.44\00:22:30.78 They don't understand that. What does perish mean? 00:22:30.81\00:22:32.78 To die. To die. 00:22:32.81\00:22:36.58 One of the words you do hear nowadays is 00:22:36.62\00:22:38.85 perishable goods. 00:22:38.89\00:22:40.22 What does that mean? 00:22:40.26\00:22:41.59 Goods that are going to become spoiled. 00:22:41.62\00:22:45.33 And so all have sinned, the Bible says, 00:22:48.03\00:22:50.97 and come short of the glory of God. 00:22:51.00\00:22:53.70 So being in this condition, is there anything we can do 00:22:53.74\00:22:56.94 to change that condition? 00:22:56.97\00:22:58.77 The Bible tells us in Jeremiah chapter 13. 00:22:58.81\00:23:02.61 Jeremiah chapter 13, 00:23:02.64\00:23:05.78 we are going to see what the Bible tells us 00:23:05.81\00:23:08.48 about what we can do if we are in this condition. 00:23:08.52\00:23:12.49 Jeremiah 13:23, 00:23:12.52\00:23:16.02 "Can the Ethiopian change his skin 00:23:16.06\00:23:20.70 or the leopard his spots? 00:23:20.73\00:23:23.47 Then may ye also do good 00:23:23.50\00:23:26.10 that are accustomed to do evil." 00:23:26.13\00:23:31.11 So this is the... 00:23:31.14\00:23:32.84 The Bible tries to give us this example of nature. 00:23:32.87\00:23:35.58 Can the Ethiopian change his skin 00:23:35.61\00:23:36.95 or the leopard his spots? 00:23:36.98\00:23:38.61 The answer is no. 00:23:38.65\00:23:40.55 So if they cannot do this, neither can you change yourself 00:23:40.58\00:23:44.89 that are accustomed to do evil. 00:23:44.92\00:23:47.02 And when we say accustomed to do evil that means 00:23:47.06\00:23:49.52 that is your habit, that is the way you live. 00:23:49.56\00:23:53.73 So you cannot one day decide, 00:23:53.76\00:23:55.30 "Well, I'm going to be good from now on." 00:23:55.33\00:23:58.10 You can't do it. 00:23:58.13\00:23:59.47 Just cannot do it. 00:23:59.50\00:24:01.20 The Bible reveals to us, 00:24:01.24\00:24:02.57 we are now going to look it up in John 15:5, 00:24:02.60\00:24:05.01 at the end, it says, 00:24:05.04\00:24:06.37 "Without me," Jesus says, "You can do nothing." 00:24:06.41\00:24:09.31 So we need His help 00:24:09.34\00:24:11.68 in order to change our condition. 00:24:11.71\00:24:15.32 And Jesus is the way, the truth, and the life. 00:24:15.35\00:24:19.05 So we need Jesus Christ. 00:24:19.09\00:24:21.39 Paul understanding that he cannot change his way, 00:24:21.42\00:24:25.39 notice his words in Romans chapter 7. 00:24:25.43\00:24:28.90 I invite you to turn there, Romans chapter 7. 00:24:28.93\00:24:32.00 We're going to read a couple of verses 00:24:32.03\00:24:33.60 in Romans 7:24, 00:24:33.64\00:24:36.30 and we're going to follow that with verse 25, 00:24:36.34\00:24:38.11 but Romans 7:24 first. 00:24:38.14\00:24:41.41 Romans 7:24, you got it? 00:24:41.44\00:24:43.61 Say amen. 00:24:43.65\00:24:44.98 Amen. Amen. 00:24:45.01\00:24:46.58 We have the following words. 00:24:46.61\00:24:48.08 "O wretched man that I am! 00:24:48.12\00:24:51.75 Who shall deliver me from the body of this death?" 00:24:51.79\00:24:56.46 When Paul says that, he understands that he can't, 00:24:56.49\00:25:02.20 "Who's going to deliver me because I can't. 00:25:02.23\00:25:05.43 Who's going to deliver me from this body of death?" 00:25:05.47\00:25:09.14 Paul knows the answer, 00:25:09.17\00:25:10.51 and that's why we continue reading 00:25:10.54\00:25:12.07 in Romans 7:25. 00:25:12.11\00:25:14.78 What does it say? 00:25:14.81\00:25:16.14 "I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord. 00:25:16.18\00:25:21.58 So then with the mind, I myself serve the law of God, 00:25:21.62\00:25:25.85 but with the flesh, the law of sin." 00:25:25.89\00:25:29.12 And so there is this struggle 00:25:29.16\00:25:31.36 and Paul understands he cannot change himself. 00:25:31.39\00:25:34.40 He understands that it is through Jesus Christ alone 00:25:34.43\00:25:39.37 that we can be changed. 00:25:39.40\00:25:41.20 So our next text is very close to this one is Romans 8:1. 00:25:41.24\00:25:46.84 In Romans 8:1, 00:25:46.88\00:25:48.48 Paul continues what he is saying, and he says, 00:25:48.51\00:25:51.68 "There is therefore now no condemnation." 00:25:51.71\00:25:55.62 How much condemnation? 00:25:55.65\00:25:57.09 No condemnation, 00:25:57.12\00:25:58.45 "To them which are in Christ Jesus, 00:25:58.49\00:26:02.59 who walk not after the flesh but after the Spirit." 00:26:02.62\00:26:07.03 You see, the Holy Spirit of God 00:26:07.06\00:26:08.66 is going to lead you to do God's will. 00:26:08.70\00:26:12.47 And so this passage says there is therefore now 00:26:12.50\00:26:15.30 no condemnation to them that are where? 00:26:15.34\00:26:18.61 In Christ Jesus. 00:26:18.64\00:26:21.24 That in Christ Jesus 00:26:21.28\00:26:24.18 is continuing to be in Christ Jesus. 00:26:24.21\00:26:27.62 If you are in Christ Jesus 00:26:27.65\00:26:29.35 and continue to be in Christ Jesus, 00:26:29.38\00:26:31.89 there is no condemnation for you. 00:26:31.92\00:26:35.36 For you live your life in Christ. 00:26:35.39\00:26:38.66 So praise the Lord for that. 00:26:38.69\00:26:40.30 That's our safest place to be. 00:26:40.33\00:26:41.93 In Christ Jesus. 00:26:41.96\00:26:44.63 There is a scripture that helps us 00:26:44.67\00:26:47.54 also understand that, 00:26:47.57\00:26:48.90 that is found in Colossians chapter 1. 00:26:48.94\00:26:51.27 Colossians chapter 1, 00:26:51.31\00:26:52.64 and in Colossians chapter 1, 00:26:55.51\00:26:57.51 we are going to read verse 27. 00:26:57.55\00:27:01.65 Colossians 1:27. 00:27:01.68\00:27:05.05 All right, here we go. 00:27:05.09\00:27:08.42 "To whom God would make known 00:27:08.46\00:27:10.43 what is the riches of the glory of this mystery 00:27:10.46\00:27:14.30 among the Gentiles, 00:27:14.33\00:27:15.66 which is Christ in you, the hope of glory." 00:27:15.70\00:27:21.34 Christ in you, the hope of glory. 00:27:21.37\00:27:24.21 So continuing with this thought 00:27:24.24\00:27:25.97 of being in Christ 00:27:26.01\00:27:29.08 and Christ in you is the hope of glory. 00:27:29.11\00:27:32.75 I invite you to consider Jesus for a moment, 00:27:32.78\00:27:35.95 there in Revelation 3:20. 00:27:35.98\00:27:37.32 We're not going to read it, but it says, 00:27:37.35\00:27:38.72 Behold, I stand where? 00:27:38.75\00:27:40.56 At the door and knock. 00:27:40.59\00:27:42.02 At the door of your heart. 00:27:44.99\00:27:47.10 If any man hears my voice and opens the door, 00:27:47.13\00:27:52.73 I will come in to him and sup with him 00:27:52.77\00:27:55.14 and he with Me. 00:27:55.17\00:27:56.91 So you see, that is the place where Jesus is at daily. 00:27:56.94\00:28:01.74 "Behold, I stand at the door and knock." 00:28:01.78\00:28:05.11 And so every day, we must make a decision, 00:28:05.15\00:28:08.88 "Am I going to follow Jesus today? 00:28:08.92\00:28:11.75 I followed Him yesterday, but am I going to do it today?" 00:28:11.79\00:28:14.92 Or maybe, "I didn't follow Him yesterday, 00:28:14.96\00:28:16.59 are you going to follow Him today?" 00:28:16.62\00:28:18.16 So that's a question for those joining us. 00:28:18.19\00:28:20.90 Are you going to follow Jesus today? 00:28:20.93\00:28:22.46 Is that going to be your decision? 00:28:22.50\00:28:24.83 So every day, we must place ourselves 00:28:24.87\00:28:27.47 in the Lord Jesus Christ 00:28:27.50\00:28:28.84 and ask Him to come into our heart 00:28:28.87\00:28:30.51 because Christ in you is the hope of what? 00:28:30.54\00:28:32.81 The hope of glory. 00:28:32.84\00:28:34.48 Praise the Lord. 00:28:34.51\00:28:36.78 And so who is this Jesus? 00:28:36.81\00:28:41.02 Jesus is the answer to the sin problem. 00:28:41.05\00:28:46.29 I invite you to turn in your Bibles to John 1:29. 00:28:46.32\00:28:49.49 This is a very familiar passage to many of you. 00:28:49.52\00:28:53.03 John 1:29, we're very close to that right now. 00:28:53.06\00:28:56.53 John 1:29, the Bible tells us that John the Baptist 00:28:56.56\00:28:59.90 said the following. 00:28:59.93\00:29:01.27 "The next day John seeth Jesus coming unto him, 00:29:01.30\00:29:04.84 and saith, Behold the Lamb of God, 00:29:04.87\00:29:10.08 which taketh away the sin of the world." 00:29:10.11\00:29:15.22 Who is it that can take away our sins? 00:29:15.25\00:29:17.99 Jesus Christ. 00:29:18.02\00:29:19.85 He is the only one that can. 00:29:19.89\00:29:22.02 So the Lamb of God, Jesus Christ, 00:29:22.06\00:29:23.69 can take away our sin, 00:29:23.73\00:29:26.33 and change us, transform us 00:29:26.36\00:29:28.86 so that we can return to be in the condition 00:29:28.90\00:29:32.13 that Adam and Eve were in the beginning. 00:29:32.17\00:29:33.64 Very good. 00:29:33.67\00:29:35.44 No evil thoughts, no evil words, no evil actions. 00:29:35.47\00:29:39.17 That's the condition that God wants to bring us in. 00:29:39.21\00:29:41.31 It's not just that God wants to forgive us 00:29:41.34\00:29:44.15 and put on a robe of righteousness on us. 00:29:44.18\00:29:47.52 He wants to make us righteous 00:29:47.55\00:29:49.95 so we will love doing good things, 00:29:49.98\00:29:52.79 and be happy about it. 00:29:52.82\00:29:54.79 Praise the Lord. 00:29:54.82\00:29:56.99 Let's go to some passages in the book of Romans. 00:29:57.03\00:30:00.43 Another familiar passage, Romans chapter 5. 00:30:00.46\00:30:04.77 Romans chapter 5 is the place 00:30:04.80\00:30:07.40 we're going to go at to find this next passage. 00:30:07.44\00:30:11.91 Romans chapter 5, 00:30:11.94\00:30:13.27 we're going to read verses 8 through 10, 00:30:13.31\00:30:16.34 and thus it is written. 00:30:16.38\00:30:17.71 "But God commendeth his love toward us, 00:30:17.75\00:30:20.72 in that, while we were yet sinners, 00:30:20.75\00:30:23.59 Christ died for us." 00:30:23.62\00:30:25.92 He doesn't say we were righteous. 00:30:25.95\00:30:27.66 While we were sinners, Christ died for us. 00:30:27.69\00:30:31.13 "Much more then, 00:30:31.16\00:30:33.13 being now justified by His blood, 00:30:33.16\00:30:36.83 we shall be saved from wrath through Him, " 00:30:36.87\00:30:41.70 and only through Him. 00:30:41.74\00:30:44.54 "For if, when we were enemies, 00:30:44.57\00:30:46.57 we were reconciled to God by the death of His Son," 00:30:46.61\00:30:51.91 what happens? 00:30:51.95\00:30:53.28 "Much more, being reconciled, 00:30:53.31\00:30:56.02 we shall be saved by His life." 00:30:56.05\00:31:00.66 So the fact that Jesus Christ died on the cross for me 00:31:00.69\00:31:06.29 brings me justification. 00:31:06.33\00:31:10.37 But according to this, 00:31:10.40\00:31:11.73 it is the life of Christ that brings me what? 00:31:11.77\00:31:14.94 Salvation. 00:31:14.97\00:31:16.87 We shall be saved by His life. 00:31:16.91\00:31:19.74 So what I'm saying to you now is that it was important, 00:31:19.77\00:31:24.31 it was necessary in the plan of salvation for Jesus 00:31:24.35\00:31:27.95 to die on the cross. 00:31:27.98\00:31:30.49 But it is also important and just as important 00:31:30.52\00:31:33.29 for the ministry that Christ has 00:31:33.32\00:31:36.99 after He died on the cross, 00:31:37.03\00:31:40.40 and praise the Lord, 00:31:40.43\00:31:43.16 He didn't just die on the cross and was buried 00:31:43.20\00:31:45.50 and that was it, He resurrected 00:31:45.53\00:31:50.34 and is in heaven ministering for us. 00:31:50.37\00:31:52.51 We're going to look at some scriptures 00:31:52.54\00:31:53.91 to help us understand that today as we study. 00:31:53.94\00:31:57.38 Let's go to our next passage 00:31:57.41\00:32:00.12 in Philippians chapter 3. 00:32:00.15\00:32:03.49 Philippians chapter 3 00:32:03.52\00:32:06.52 concerning his resurrection. 00:32:06.55\00:32:10.89 Notice what Paul says in Philippians chapter 3 00:32:10.93\00:32:13.50 concerning his resurrection. 00:32:13.53\00:32:15.76 Philippians 3:10, 00:32:15.80\00:32:18.90 thus it is written, 00:32:18.93\00:32:20.34 "That I may know Him, 00:32:20.37\00:32:22.40 and the power of His resurrection, 00:32:22.44\00:32:25.14 and the fellowship of His sufferings, 00:32:25.17\00:32:27.48 being made conformable unto His death." 00:32:27.51\00:32:30.38 The power of His resurrection. 00:32:30.41\00:32:32.48 You see, there is power 00:32:32.51\00:32:33.85 in the resurrection of Jesus Christ. 00:32:33.88\00:32:35.55 The fact that He resurrected from the dead is assurance 00:32:35.58\00:32:39.52 that salvation is secured for us. 00:32:39.55\00:32:44.46 You see, I must take you back in time 00:32:44.49\00:32:47.56 to the time when they were sacrificing lambs. 00:32:47.60\00:32:52.00 Once the sinner brought the lamb to the priest 00:32:52.03\00:32:55.77 in the sanctuary. 00:32:55.80\00:32:58.11 The lamb was what? 00:32:58.14\00:33:01.34 Sacrificed. 00:33:01.38\00:33:03.65 If we go a little further in detail, 00:33:03.68\00:33:05.68 he would put his hands on the head of the animal, 00:33:05.71\00:33:09.95 confess his sins on the animal, 00:33:09.98\00:33:12.82 and the animal then died in his place 00:33:12.85\00:33:16.22 because the sin was transferred to the lamb, 00:33:16.26\00:33:19.79 the lamb then became the innocent victim 00:33:19.83\00:33:23.70 that would die in the person's place. 00:33:23.73\00:33:27.07 So there was transference, a transferring of guilt, 00:33:27.10\00:33:31.97 the guilt was transferred, 00:33:32.01\00:33:34.08 the sin was transferred to the lamb, 00:33:34.11\00:33:36.81 and the blood was then ministered. 00:33:36.85\00:33:39.48 So the same way, Christ died on the cross, 00:33:39.51\00:33:42.78 the blood of Christ 00:33:42.82\00:33:44.19 must then be used to minister for us 00:33:44.22\00:33:47.42 to cleanse us completely from sin. 00:33:47.46\00:33:51.39 Jesus Christ is the Lamb of God that takes away 00:33:51.43\00:33:53.70 the sin of the world. 00:33:53.73\00:33:55.83 And so the power of His resurrection 00:33:55.86\00:33:58.13 is that He is a high priest that is going to minister 00:33:58.17\00:34:02.74 and is ministering for us in the courts of heaven. 00:34:02.77\00:34:04.87 Let's look at some scriptures in Hebrews chapter 4. 00:34:04.91\00:34:07.41 We must move along. 00:34:07.44\00:34:08.78 Hebrews chapter 4. 00:34:08.81\00:34:10.15 Hebrews chapter 4, Jesus earned the right to be 00:34:13.38\00:34:17.32 our high priest, 00:34:17.35\00:34:18.69 He earned the right to be our high priest. 00:34:18.72\00:34:21.99 Hebrews 4:14-16. 00:34:22.02\00:34:25.63 Hebrews 4:14-16. Let us read. 00:34:25.66\00:34:29.63 "Seeing then that we have a great high priest 00:34:29.66\00:34:33.94 that is passed into the heavens, 00:34:33.97\00:34:37.24 Jesus the Son of God, 00:34:37.27\00:34:39.31 let us hold fast our profession. 00:34:39.34\00:34:41.81 For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched 00:34:41.84\00:34:44.81 with the feeling of our infirmities, " 00:34:44.85\00:34:46.48 or our weaknesses, 00:34:46.51\00:34:48.32 "but was in all points tempted like as we are, 00:34:48.35\00:34:52.12 yet without sin." 00:34:52.15\00:34:53.79 Praise the Lord. 00:34:53.82\00:34:55.16 Because of this, verse 16, 00:34:55.19\00:34:57.16 "Let us therefore come boldly, " 00:34:57.19\00:34:59.79 or with confidence, "unto the throne of grace, 00:34:59.83\00:35:04.33 that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help 00:35:04.37\00:35:08.37 in time of need." 00:35:08.40\00:35:11.97 So if you have a time of need, if you need help, 00:35:12.01\00:35:16.61 the throne of grace is open, available for you and for me. 00:35:16.64\00:35:21.78 Thanks be to God for that great privilege. 00:35:21.82\00:35:25.22 And so this is Jesus Christ, it says He was tempted 00:35:25.25\00:35:28.32 in all points like as we are. 00:35:28.36\00:35:30.99 How far did Jesus go 00:35:31.03\00:35:32.43 for us? 00:35:35.13\00:35:37.90 We read that, yes, we read that. 00:35:37.93\00:35:39.93 He was tempted in all points like as we are yet 00:35:39.97\00:35:42.50 without sin of His own. 00:35:42.54\00:35:46.41 But there was a point in time like the lamb 00:35:46.44\00:35:50.91 that He must take our sins upon Him. 00:35:50.95\00:35:53.75 We did some study about this sometime in the past. 00:35:53.78\00:35:57.15 Let's go to the next passage that helps us with that 00:35:57.19\00:36:01.32 in 2 Corinthians 5:21. 00:36:01.36\00:36:03.63 We're going to come back to Hebrews, 00:36:03.66\00:36:04.99 so you can put your hand there somewhere or something. 00:36:05.03\00:36:07.76 But 2 Corinthians 5:21, 00:36:07.80\00:36:10.40 lets us know how far Jesus went 00:36:10.43\00:36:12.73 and how far it was necessary for Him to go 00:36:12.77\00:36:15.30 so that we can be transformed into His likeness, 00:36:15.34\00:36:20.21 so that we can be recreated 00:36:20.24\00:36:23.14 to the condition of Adam and Eve, 00:36:23.18\00:36:25.65 so that we can be very good. 00:36:25.68\00:36:27.42 2 Corinthians 5:21, we have the following words. 00:36:27.45\00:36:33.02 "For He hath made Him to be sin for us, " 00:36:33.05\00:36:37.43 He made Jesus Christ to be what? 00:36:37.46\00:36:39.36 Sin for us. 00:36:39.39\00:36:41.80 "Who knew no sin, 00:36:41.83\00:36:43.90 that we might be made 00:36:43.93\00:36:45.27 the righteousness of God in Him." 00:36:45.30\00:36:49.14 Catch the impact of that and I encourage you 00:36:49.17\00:36:51.14 to take some thought and think about this verse 00:36:51.17\00:36:55.71 in the future. 00:36:55.74\00:36:57.41 "For he had made him to be sin for us 00:36:57.45\00:37:00.92 who knew no sin." 00:37:00.95\00:37:02.28 So we have someone, Jesus Christ, who knew no sin, 00:37:02.32\00:37:05.85 was tempted in all points like as we are, 00:37:05.89\00:37:07.82 yet with our sin, not a tint, no spot, no blemish, 00:37:07.86\00:37:12.09 or any minute microscopic dot of sin. 00:37:12.13\00:37:18.43 No sin, never by word, by thoughts, or by action, 00:37:18.47\00:37:22.17 knew no sin. 00:37:22.20\00:37:24.17 It says that He became sin for us. 00:37:24.21\00:37:27.28 How did He become same for us? 00:37:27.31\00:37:30.61 By accepting, consenting, for my sins and your sins 00:37:30.65\00:37:36.25 to be put upon Him. 00:37:36.28\00:37:38.29 So there was a point in time in His ministry 00:37:38.32\00:37:42.52 where Jesus said, 00:37:42.56\00:37:43.96 "I consent for the sins of Ralph, Mary, Fred, Joe, " 00:37:43.99\00:37:49.96 every one of us to be put up on Him. 00:37:50.00\00:37:53.00 He consented for this to happen. 00:37:53.03\00:37:55.30 It was a point in time of decision. 00:37:55.34\00:37:57.87 And as we read the Bible, 00:37:57.91\00:37:59.84 we understand this to begin in the place 00:37:59.87\00:38:03.61 called what? 00:38:03.65\00:38:05.61 Gethsemane. 00:38:05.65\00:38:07.58 See that's why Jesus is there praying 00:38:07.62\00:38:09.38 three times the same prayer. 00:38:09.42\00:38:11.82 "Father, if it be possible, 00:38:11.85\00:38:14.49 let this cup pass from me. 00:38:14.52\00:38:18.19 Nevertheless, not as I will, but as Thou wilt." 00:38:18.23\00:38:21.96 It was a struggle 00:38:22.00\00:38:23.90 because here is the point of decision, 00:38:23.93\00:38:26.87 here's where Christ must consent 00:38:26.90\00:38:28.70 to take our sins or not, 00:38:28.74\00:38:31.54 here's where Christ must decide, 00:38:31.57\00:38:33.38 "Am I going to die for the human race" or not, 00:38:33.41\00:38:35.94 and this is the place in Gethsemane where it begins, 00:38:38.38\00:38:41.75 and that prayer, 00:38:44.02\00:38:45.35 each time he prayed it and they waited, 00:38:45.39\00:38:47.42 "Yet nevertheless, 00:38:47.46\00:38:48.79 not as My will, but as Thou wilt." 00:38:48.82\00:38:51.63 Consenting. Consenting. 00:38:51.66\00:38:53.83 And again, he prays, and again, he decides, 00:38:53.86\00:38:56.26 "Nevertheless, not as My will, but as Thou wilt." 00:38:56.30\00:39:00.27 And three times He prayed the same prayer, 00:39:00.30\00:39:02.80 but you see, 00:39:02.84\00:39:05.21 "If there was any other way to save the human race, 00:39:05.24\00:39:08.38 let this cup pass from Me." 00:39:08.41\00:39:09.74 This cup of suffering, 00:39:09.78\00:39:11.11 this cup of taking the sins of the world upon Him, 00:39:11.15\00:39:14.02 but He was willing. 00:39:14.05\00:39:15.38 He's not praying there, 00:39:15.42\00:39:16.75 "Lord, I'm not going to do this. 00:39:16.79\00:39:19.92 I am not going to take the sins of the world upon Me." 00:39:19.95\00:39:23.76 He is there praying making a decision. 00:39:23.79\00:39:28.06 And praise the Lord He made a decision 00:39:28.10\00:39:31.43 to take your sins and my sins upon Him. 00:39:31.47\00:39:35.27 What a weight that is? 00:39:35.30\00:39:36.94 What a weight to carry 00:39:39.14\00:39:41.94 because see, now, 00:39:41.98\00:39:43.65 and I don't know if you've thought about this, 00:39:43.68\00:39:45.91 now God the Father must treat the Son 00:39:45.95\00:39:49.85 as if he were a sinner 00:39:49.88\00:39:52.69 because He became sin for us. 00:39:52.72\00:39:54.69 Identify, so much of sin, 00:39:54.72\00:39:57.03 there by taking sin upon him and the wages of sin is death. 00:39:57.06\00:40:02.36 So Jesus Christ must die the death 00:40:02.40\00:40:05.60 that sinners will die when their time comes. 00:40:05.63\00:40:10.61 We're not talking about the death that people die 00:40:10.64\00:40:13.44 because of some illness, of being killed by someone, 00:40:13.48\00:40:17.25 or eventually, for some reason, they die. 00:40:17.28\00:40:20.62 We're talking about 00:40:20.65\00:40:21.98 what the Bible calls the second death. 00:40:22.02\00:40:24.52 So there on the cross, 00:40:24.55\00:40:26.02 He died the equivalent of the second death 00:40:26.05\00:40:29.86 which we have very little understanding about 00:40:29.89\00:40:34.00 because it is a full surrender, 00:40:34.03\00:40:37.50 a full giving Himself to this, 00:40:37.53\00:40:41.44 becoming a sacrifice for us, He became sin for us. 00:40:41.47\00:40:45.71 Give that some thought. 00:40:45.74\00:40:47.98 And that verse also tells us why He did it. 00:40:48.01\00:40:52.08 Why did He do it? 00:40:52.11\00:40:54.28 Number one, He loved us. 00:40:54.32\00:40:57.25 He loved us, but He wanted to accomplish something, 00:40:57.29\00:41:00.99 not just the forgiving of sin 00:41:01.02\00:41:03.73 but to make us righteous. 00:41:03.76\00:41:08.30 Thinking right, 00:41:08.33\00:41:10.93 doing right, and speaking right. 00:41:10.97\00:41:13.74 That's why the verse says that we might be made 00:41:13.77\00:41:18.47 the righteousness of God in Him. 00:41:18.51\00:41:22.88 It's a transformation 00:41:22.91\00:41:25.65 of the way you live, 00:41:25.68\00:41:28.75 and that's what Jesus Christ wants to do in us. 00:41:28.78\00:41:31.55 Amen? Amen. 00:41:31.59\00:41:32.92 Amen. 00:41:32.95\00:41:34.29 Let's go quickly to Hebrews chapter 7. 00:41:34.32\00:41:37.16 Hebrews chapter 7, 00:41:37.19\00:41:38.89 Jesus Christ went to the heavens 00:41:38.93\00:41:41.93 to be our high priest, and there in Hebrews chapter 7, 00:41:41.96\00:41:46.43 and there are some scriptures that help us understand 00:41:46.47\00:41:50.84 about His ministry there. 00:41:50.87\00:41:52.44 In Hebrews chapter 7, 00:41:52.47\00:41:53.81 we're going to begin reading in verse 22. 00:41:53.84\00:41:56.24 Hebrews 7:22 00:41:56.28\00:41:59.05 and we have the following words. 00:41:59.08\00:42:03.08 "By so much was Jesus made a surety 00:42:03.12\00:42:05.65 of a better testament. 00:42:05.69\00:42:09.12 And they truly were many priests, " 00:42:09.16\00:42:11.16 there were many priests, 00:42:11.19\00:42:12.53 "because they were not suffered to continue 00:42:12.56\00:42:14.66 by reason of death." 00:42:14.70\00:42:16.40 There were other priests before Christ, 00:42:16.43\00:42:18.83 but they did not continue by because what, 00:42:18.87\00:42:21.00 eventually lifespan ended. 00:42:21.04\00:42:24.51 But this man, 00:42:24.54\00:42:25.87 because he continues forever, why? 00:42:25.91\00:42:29.98 Because He resurrected from the dead, 00:42:30.01\00:42:32.58 has an unchangeable priesthood. 00:42:32.61\00:42:36.08 So once He became a high priest, 00:42:36.12\00:42:38.82 no other high priest is needed. 00:42:38.85\00:42:41.56 No other priest can do the work that He is doing. 00:42:41.59\00:42:46.43 He is the only one that can do this work. 00:42:46.46\00:42:50.23 He has an unchangeable priesthood. 00:42:50.27\00:42:52.13 Verse 25, 00:42:52.17\00:42:53.50 "Wherefore He is able 00:42:53.54\00:42:56.24 also to save them to the uttermost 00:42:56.27\00:42:58.54 that come unto God by Him, 00:42:58.57\00:43:00.88 seeing He ever liveth to make intercession for them." 00:43:00.91\00:43:05.88 He has earned that right 00:43:05.91\00:43:07.62 by living a perfect righteous life, 00:43:07.65\00:43:10.75 and He became our high priest 00:43:10.79\00:43:12.85 to make us righteous, 00:43:12.89\00:43:15.56 to make us the righteousness of God in Him. 00:43:15.59\00:43:18.73 So it says there, He is able. 00:43:18.76\00:43:21.43 There's no incapacity in Jesus Christ, 00:43:21.46\00:43:24.03 there is no case where someone will come to Jesus and say, 00:43:24.07\00:43:27.30 "Lord, I have all these sins," 00:43:27.34\00:43:29.30 and that person will be examined and say, 00:43:29.34\00:43:31.27 "Well, no, you have way too much sin. 00:43:31.31\00:43:34.14 There is no way we can do anything for you." 00:43:34.18\00:43:36.48 No, the Bible says 00:43:36.51\00:43:37.91 that He is able to save to the uttermost 00:43:37.95\00:43:40.98 all that come unto Him. 00:43:41.02\00:43:43.28 So if anyone is responding to God's call, 00:43:43.32\00:43:45.69 the door knocking, and says, "Yes, I want to be forgiven, " 00:43:45.72\00:43:51.16 no one is going to be told, "You have too much sin. 00:43:51.19\00:43:55.13 We can't do anything for you," 00:43:55.16\00:43:56.67 because Jesus Christ became the Lamb of God 00:43:56.70\00:44:00.14 that can take away the sin of the world, 00:44:00.17\00:44:03.04 and He is able to save anyone that wants salvation, 00:44:03.07\00:44:07.58 accept salvation, 00:44:07.61\00:44:08.94 and moves in the direction of salvation. 00:44:08.98\00:44:12.01 Praise be to God. 00:44:12.05\00:44:15.25 I want to give your thoughts for a moment 00:44:15.28\00:44:18.35 to something that deserves more study. 00:44:18.39\00:44:21.46 You see, on the cross Jesus died for us, 00:44:21.49\00:44:24.96 and there's a passage in the Bible that says, 00:44:24.99\00:44:27.10 "Cursed be anyone that hangs on a tree." 00:44:27.13\00:44:31.90 The message in the Bible is that 00:44:31.93\00:44:33.94 if you are hung on a tree, you're cursed. 00:44:33.97\00:44:36.77 A curse from God, you cannot have salvation, 00:44:36.81\00:44:40.04 you're so wicked thereby being hung on a tree, 00:44:40.08\00:44:44.05 society is saying, 00:44:44.08\00:44:45.65 "This person cannot be saved, it's beyond salvation." 00:44:45.68\00:44:50.02 That's why they were so desperate 00:44:50.05\00:44:51.99 to have Jesus be crucified. 00:44:52.02\00:44:54.42 They wanted to communicate to the community, 00:44:54.46\00:44:57.33 "Jesus Christ is beyond salvation." 00:44:57.36\00:44:59.89 He saw you so wicked. 00:44:59.93\00:45:01.70 But you see, there were two individuals there 00:45:01.73\00:45:04.57 crucified with Christ. 00:45:04.60\00:45:05.93 You know the story. There were thieves and robbers. 00:45:05.97\00:45:10.24 One of them, 00:45:10.27\00:45:11.61 well, they both for a while were attacking Jesus. 00:45:11.64\00:45:13.74 "Hey, why don't you do something? 00:45:13.78\00:45:16.28 If you really are who they say, do something." 00:45:16.31\00:45:19.75 And they mocked Him. 00:45:19.78\00:45:22.32 But as time continued, one of the two thieves 00:45:22.35\00:45:27.49 sees that there is something different about Jesus. 00:45:27.52\00:45:31.26 Perhaps he had heard some things about Jesus. 00:45:31.29\00:45:35.36 And he makes a decision, 00:45:35.40\00:45:36.90 he decides, 00:45:39.03\00:45:41.94 "This guy is dying on the cross, 00:45:41.97\00:45:43.44 but wait a minute, 00:45:43.47\00:45:47.34 there's hope here for me." 00:45:47.38\00:45:49.58 What is it that he says? 00:45:49.61\00:45:51.48 He doesn't see Jesus as, 00:45:51.51\00:45:53.45 "The end of Jesus is on the cross. 00:45:53.48\00:45:55.42 That's it." 00:45:55.45\00:45:56.79 What is it that he says? 00:45:56.82\00:45:59.39 "Remember me when," 00:45:59.42\00:46:03.22 yes, 00:46:03.26\00:46:04.59 "When you come in your kingdom." 00:46:04.63\00:46:05.96 Remember me. 00:46:05.99\00:46:07.63 So he sees hope. 00:46:07.66\00:46:09.00 "This is not the end. 00:46:09.03\00:46:10.37 This man is my hope. 00:46:10.40\00:46:13.84 This is the Lamb of God that takes away my sin." 00:46:13.87\00:46:17.41 "Remember me," he says. 00:46:17.44\00:46:20.31 What are you saying? 00:46:20.34\00:46:21.68 Are you saying that there is hope for you 00:46:21.71\00:46:23.88 even though this man is dying on the cross? 00:46:23.91\00:46:25.71 And he saw something that many missed. 00:46:25.75\00:46:29.05 I don't know how many were there, 00:46:29.08\00:46:30.42 I would say hundreds were there. 00:46:30.45\00:46:31.99 He saw something that many missed. 00:46:32.02\00:46:34.52 "My salvation is there." 00:46:34.56\00:46:37.23 Jesus Christ dying on the cross. 00:46:37.26\00:46:40.40 And Jesus, 00:46:40.43\00:46:42.16 even though there was this thought, 00:46:42.20\00:46:44.33 this guy dying on the cross is thief, 00:46:44.37\00:46:46.17 and Jesus and the other thief. 00:46:46.20\00:46:47.64 They're cursed. They have no hope. 00:46:47.67\00:46:49.90 Jesus says, 00:46:49.94\00:46:51.27 "Verily, verily, I say unto you. 00:46:51.31\00:46:53.44 You will be with me in paradise." 00:46:53.48\00:46:57.91 Praise the Lord. 00:46:57.95\00:47:01.25 Do you think that he could die in peace? 00:47:01.28\00:47:04.79 Wow. 00:47:04.82\00:47:07.49 His whole face changed, I'm sure. 00:47:07.52\00:47:10.83 Do you think he struggled to make us smile? 00:47:10.86\00:47:12.73 Oh, His whole life, 00:47:12.76\00:47:17.93 all the wickedness that he had done, 00:47:17.97\00:47:21.54 forgiven, taken away 00:47:21.57\00:47:25.07 by the blood of the Lamb. 00:47:25.11\00:47:28.14 And he died a man full of hope, a man with a promise, 00:47:28.18\00:47:32.71 "I will be with Him in paradise." 00:47:32.75\00:47:35.88 The Bible says, "You have this blessed hope, 00:47:38.62\00:47:42.02 and you can live with assurance 00:47:42.06\00:47:43.39 that his salvation on the cross," 00:47:43.43\00:47:45.46 I mean, "His crucifixion on the cross 00:47:45.49\00:47:47.20 brings you eternal salvation 00:47:47.23\00:47:49.50 and no one can take that away from you 00:47:49.53\00:47:51.87 except your own choice." 00:47:51.90\00:47:55.20 So choose salvation. 00:47:55.24\00:47:59.34 Let's go to Hebrews chapter 7 again. 00:47:59.37\00:48:01.58 We were in verse 24, were we? 00:48:04.61\00:48:08.75 Yes, verse 25. 00:48:08.78\00:48:10.12 Hebrews 7:25. 00:48:10.15\00:48:11.49 We'll now read Hebrews 7:26. 00:48:11.52\00:48:14.59 "For such a high priest became us, 00:48:14.62\00:48:16.73 who is holy, harmless, 00:48:16.76\00:48:20.53 undefiled, separate from sinners, 00:48:20.56\00:48:23.70 and made higher than the heavens." 00:48:23.73\00:48:26.87 This is the high priest we need. 00:48:26.90\00:48:28.84 No high priest on earth, the high priest in the heavens. 00:48:28.87\00:48:32.37 Verse 27. 00:48:32.41\00:48:33.74 "Who needeth not daily, as those high priests, 00:48:33.78\00:48:36.58 to offer up sacrifice, first for His own sins, 00:48:36.61\00:48:40.15 and then for the people's, for this He did once, 00:48:40.18\00:48:43.82 when He offered up Himself." 00:48:43.85\00:48:45.62 You see, even the high priests on earth 00:48:45.65\00:48:49.62 were in the condition that we read, 00:48:49.66\00:48:52.49 "All have sinned 00:48:52.53\00:48:53.96 and come short of the glory of God." 00:48:54.00\00:48:57.20 I must pick up my glasses. 00:48:57.23\00:48:59.53 All have sinned 00:48:59.57\00:49:00.94 and come short of the glory of God. 00:49:00.97\00:49:02.64 Even those high priests had to offer sacrifices 00:49:02.67\00:49:05.47 for their own sins. 00:49:05.51\00:49:06.84 But Jesus did not have to do 00:49:06.88\00:49:08.44 that because He lived a perfect life. 00:49:08.48\00:49:11.91 Praise the Lord. 00:49:11.95\00:49:14.78 Now let us move to Hebrews chapter 8, 00:49:14.82\00:49:18.49 begin reading in verse 1. 00:49:18.52\00:49:19.89 Hebrews chapter 8, 00:49:19.92\00:49:21.26 we're going to read Hebrews 8:1, 2. 00:49:21.29\00:49:24.19 "Now of the things which we have spoken 00:49:24.23\00:49:26.26 this is the sum. 00:49:26.29\00:49:28.53 We have such a high priest, 00:49:28.56\00:49:30.87 who is set on the right hand of the throne of the Majesty 00:49:30.90\00:49:34.54 in the heavens, 00:49:34.57\00:49:35.90 a Minister of the sanctuary, and of the true tabernacle, 00:49:35.94\00:49:40.78 which the Lord pitched and not man." 00:49:40.81\00:49:45.51 Praise the Lord. 00:49:45.55\00:49:46.88 So we're talking not about a sanctuary made 00:49:46.92\00:49:49.58 by man's hands, 00:49:49.62\00:49:51.25 we're talking about a sanctuary in heaven made by God. 00:49:51.29\00:49:56.62 And so this is the high priest whom we serve. 00:49:56.66\00:50:00.60 There's so much we can read in Hebrews chapter 8 and 9, 00:50:00.63\00:50:04.60 but we must move to Hebrews chapter 10. 00:50:04.63\00:50:07.17 We don't have time to do all those verses. 00:50:07.20\00:50:09.67 It will be nice, but another time perhaps. 00:50:09.70\00:50:11.84 Hebrews chapter 10, we're going to read verses, 00:50:11.87\00:50:15.21 as many as we can, from verse 1 00:50:15.24\00:50:16.58 through 16 as time allows. 00:50:16.61\00:50:18.15 Hebrews chapter 10. 00:50:18.18\00:50:19.65 "For the law," verse one, 00:50:19.68\00:50:21.25 "having a shadow of good things to come, 00:50:21.28\00:50:24.02 and not the very image of the things, 00:50:24.05\00:50:26.49 can never with those sacrifices 00:50:26.52\00:50:28.76 which they offered year by year continually 00:50:28.79\00:50:32.46 make the comers thereunto perfect." 00:50:32.49\00:50:35.83 These sacrifices were just a shadow, 00:50:35.86\00:50:39.03 a symbol of what was to come. 00:50:39.07\00:50:41.14 "For then would they not have ceased to be offered? 00:50:41.17\00:50:44.17 Because that the worshippers 00:50:44.21\00:50:45.91 once purged should have no more conscience of sins. 00:50:45.94\00:50:51.08 But in those sacrifices, 00:50:51.11\00:50:53.18 there is a remembrance again 00:50:53.21\00:50:55.88 made of sins every year." 00:50:55.92\00:50:59.59 "For it is not," 00:50:59.62\00:51:00.96 notice I'll start again, verse 4, 00:51:00.99\00:51:02.86 "For it is not possible that the blood of bulls 00:51:02.89\00:51:06.43 and of goats should take away sins." 00:51:06.46\00:51:09.86 It was not possible. 00:51:09.90\00:51:12.13 Only Jesus Christ could take away sins. 00:51:12.17\00:51:14.70 Verse 5, 00:51:17.11\00:51:18.51 "Wherefore when He cometh into the world, 00:51:18.54\00:51:20.58 He saith, 00:51:20.61\00:51:21.94 'Sacrifice and offering thou wouldest not, 00:51:21.98\00:51:24.81 but a body hast thou prepared me. 00:51:24.85\00:51:27.98 In burnt offerings and sacrifices for sin 00:51:28.02\00:51:30.39 thou hast had no pleasure.' 00:51:30.42\00:51:33.12 Then said I, 00:51:33.15\00:51:37.59 in the volume of the book it is written of me, 00:51:37.63\00:51:41.16 to do thy will, O God. 00:51:41.20\00:51:44.63 Above when he said, Sacrifice and offering 00:51:44.67\00:51:46.43 and burnt offerings and offering for sin 00:51:46.47\00:51:49.10 thou wouldest not, neither hadst pleasure therein, 00:51:49.14\00:51:51.64 which are offered by the law. 00:51:51.67\00:51:53.44 Then said he, 'Lo, I come to do thy will, O God.' 00:51:53.48\00:51:57.58 He taketh away the first, 00:51:57.61\00:51:59.35 that he may establish the second." 00:51:59.38\00:52:01.45 You see, Jesus Christ was going to fulfill 00:52:01.48\00:52:03.92 and perfectly keep the law of God. 00:52:03.95\00:52:09.39 And by his sacrifice, 00:52:09.42\00:52:11.66 we are saved. 00:52:11.69\00:52:15.33 Verse 10, 00:52:15.36\00:52:16.70 "By the which will we are sanctified 00:52:16.73\00:52:20.54 through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ 00:52:20.57\00:52:23.07 once for all." 00:52:23.10\00:52:25.71 So the sacrifice of Christ on the cross 00:52:25.74\00:52:28.04 only needed to be done one time. 00:52:28.08\00:52:32.18 Verse 11, "And every high..." 00:52:32.21\00:52:34.18 I am Sorry. 00:52:34.22\00:52:35.55 "Every priest standeth daily ministering and offering 00:52:35.58\00:52:38.29 oftentimes the same sacrifices, 00:52:38.32\00:52:40.86 which can never take away sins." 00:52:40.89\00:52:44.03 They were a shadow of something that was coming in the future 00:52:44.06\00:52:47.83 and that is the sacrifice of Christ. 00:52:47.86\00:52:50.97 "But this man," verse 12, 00:52:51.00\00:52:52.63 "After He had offered one sacrifice for sins forever, 00:52:52.67\00:52:57.27 sat down on the right hand of God. 00:52:57.31\00:53:00.28 From henceforth expecting till his enemies 00:53:00.31\00:53:02.81 be made his footstool. 00:53:02.84\00:53:05.68 For by one offering 00:53:05.71\00:53:07.38 He hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified. 00:53:07.42\00:53:11.75 Whereof the Holy Ghost also is a witness to us, 00:53:11.79\00:53:15.29 for after that he had said before. 00:53:15.32\00:53:18.46 This is the covenant that I will make with them 00:53:18.49\00:53:22.93 after those days." 00:53:22.96\00:53:24.30 What is that covenant? 00:53:24.33\00:53:26.17 Some people talk about the new covenant. 00:53:26.20\00:53:28.10 "This is it." 00:53:28.14\00:53:30.51 "Saith the Lord, 00:53:30.54\00:53:31.87 I will put my laws into their hearts 00:53:31.91\00:53:35.61 and in their minds will I write them." 00:53:35.64\00:53:39.48 Wow. 00:53:39.51\00:53:40.85 What is the new covenant? 00:53:40.88\00:53:42.48 God is going to write His law in our hearts and in our minds. 00:53:42.52\00:53:47.49 Who is going to do that? 00:53:47.52\00:53:48.92 God is. 00:53:48.96\00:53:51.66 Who does the Bible reveal wrote the Ten Commandments? 00:53:51.69\00:53:55.23 God did with His own fingers. 00:53:55.26\00:53:57.57 And in likewise, if you be willing and obedient, 00:53:57.60\00:54:01.40 if you want to identify with God, 00:54:01.44\00:54:03.61 if you want God to make you recreate you 00:54:03.64\00:54:07.54 to the condition that Adam and Eve were 00:54:07.58\00:54:09.88 when they were freshly made from the hand of the Creator, 00:54:09.91\00:54:13.52 and they were very good... 00:54:13.55\00:54:14.88 If you want God to do that for you, 00:54:17.52\00:54:18.85 if you are willing of it, 00:54:18.89\00:54:20.22 God will write his law in your heart and in your mind. 00:54:20.26\00:54:22.92 And God is able to keep us perfect and blameless 00:54:25.39\00:54:31.13 throughout eternity. 00:54:31.17\00:54:33.20 Praise be to his name. 00:54:33.23\00:54:35.80 We have time to go to Hebrews 00:54:35.84\00:54:39.17 chapter 9... 00:54:39.21\00:54:43.51 I'm sorry, we must move. 00:54:43.55\00:54:44.88 Let's skip Hebrews chapter 9. 00:54:44.91\00:54:46.68 Let's move to our passage here 00:54:46.72\00:54:50.25 in Luke chapter 9. 00:54:50.29\00:54:52.89 Luke 9:23. 00:54:52.92\00:54:55.12 Let's move to Luke 9:23. 00:54:55.16\00:55:00.53 Luke 9:23, Jesus said, 00:55:00.56\00:55:04.53 "And He said to them all, " He says to us all, 00:55:04.57\00:55:08.84 "If any man will come after Me, 00:55:08.87\00:55:11.67 let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, 00:55:11.71\00:55:15.58 and follow me." 00:55:15.61\00:55:18.31 If any man, what, wants to, what, come after Me, 00:55:18.35\00:55:22.12 let him deny himself and take up his cross daily 00:55:22.15\00:55:24.19 and follow me. 00:55:24.22\00:55:25.55 Why is Jesus saying if any man wants to follow Me, 00:55:25.59\00:55:28.76 take up his cross daily, and deny himself? 00:55:28.79\00:55:32.36 It is because 00:55:32.39\00:55:34.56 denyingourselves must happen 00:55:34.60\00:55:39.13 if we are to follow Jesus 00:55:39.17\00:55:40.97 because unfortunately, 00:55:41.00\00:55:43.97 we inherited tendencies to evil, 00:55:44.01\00:55:48.21 and unfortunately, we have made some decisions 00:55:48.24\00:55:51.81 that have put in us habits toward evil 00:55:51.85\00:55:55.02 or cultivated tendencies toward evil. 00:55:55.05\00:55:58.79 And if we want to follow Jesus, 00:55:58.82\00:56:01.69 He says, "Take up his cross, " your own cross, 00:56:01.72\00:56:04.76 he's not telling us right here 00:56:04.79\00:56:06.13 to take of somebody's else's cross, 00:56:06.16\00:56:08.20 it is your own cross, 00:56:08.23\00:56:10.70 "and deny yourself" and follow Him. 00:56:10.73\00:56:13.57 Remember that Jesus said without Me, you can do nothing. 00:56:13.60\00:56:17.04 So what He asked us to do, 00:56:17.07\00:56:18.44 He's willing to give us all that we need to get it done. 00:56:18.47\00:56:23.45 And with God all things are possible. 00:56:23.48\00:56:26.15 Amen? 00:56:26.18\00:56:27.52 Amen. 00:56:27.55\00:56:28.98 Now I want to read this last passage 00:56:29.02\00:56:32.59 because this is what we have time for. 00:56:32.62\00:56:34.12 In Isaiah chapter 13. 00:56:34.16\00:56:36.22 Isaiah chapter 13. 00:56:36.26\00:56:38.73 In Isaiah chapter 13, we're going to read verse 14. 00:56:38.76\00:56:42.76 Isaiah... 00:56:42.80\00:56:44.87 I'm sorry, verse 12. 00:56:44.90\00:56:46.40 Isaiah 13:12. Isaiah 13:12. 00:56:46.43\00:56:51.87 Thus it is written, therefore... 00:56:51.91\00:56:53.68 I think, I'm on the wrong passage, 00:56:56.21\00:56:57.55 am I not? 00:56:57.58\00:56:59.48 Isaiah 13:12. 00:56:59.51\00:57:01.98 "I will make," yes, 00:57:02.02\00:57:04.05 "I will make a man more precious than fine gold, 00:57:04.09\00:57:08.72 even a man than the golden wedge of Ophir." 00:57:08.76\00:57:13.36 God is able to do that. 00:57:13.40\00:57:14.83 What he is saying here is the same thing 00:57:14.86\00:57:17.43 that we read in 2 Corinthians 5:21. 00:57:17.47\00:57:20.64 He's going to make you more precious than fine gold. 00:57:20.67\00:57:22.94 He's going to make you righteous. 00:57:22.97\00:57:24.94 So if you'll be willing, He will do this work in you. 00:57:24.97\00:57:28.94 If you allow Him, 00:57:28.98\00:57:30.45 He will transform you into His likeness. 00:57:30.48\00:57:33.72 We must yield to Christ for Him to work in us 00:57:33.75\00:57:39.09 and transform us into His likeness. 00:57:39.12\00:57:42.26 And He will do this precious work, 00:57:42.29\00:57:47.56 and He is willing to do it, 00:57:47.60\00:57:49.33 and if you are willing for Him to do it, 00:57:49.36\00:57:51.40 it will happen, it will happen. 00:57:51.43\00:57:54.80 I thank you for joining us in this study. 00:57:54.84\00:57:57.01 Continue studying God's Word 00:57:57.04\00:57:58.71 so that you can have A Sharper Focus 00:57:58.74\00:58:00.41 and be able to have victory through Jesus Christ. 00:58:00.44\00:58:02.81