I want to introduce you to
my friend David Asscherick.
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I actually think
many of you know him
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because you've
seen him on the network.
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He's in Table Talk.
00:00:25.82\00:00:27.62
He has an amazing
program called God, and he also
00:00:27.82\00:00:32.49
has livestreaming
sermons from his church:
00:00:32.79\00:00:36.90
Kingscliff SDA
Church from Australia.
00:00:37.10\00:00:42.17
How to describe
David in just a moment?
00:00:44.24\00:00:46.88
He's an amazing
dynamic young man
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who God put a call on his
life when he was a young man.
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He was influenced very
strongly by a vegetarian
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health ministry in
So. Dakota called Veggies.
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It was run by
Mary Burt and her team.
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And he thought the
people were a little unique
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but the food was amazing!
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They introduced him, over
a period of time and through
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friendship, to a Great
Controversy, and David's life
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has been forever
changed. Praise God!
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David has many interests.
He enjoys rock climbing.
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He's a
professional skateboarder.
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He likes to go backpacking.
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He likes fly fishing.
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He has very many interests.
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And he is going to
share from his heart today.
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But primarily
David is a communicator.
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He communicates truth.
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He communicates to youth.
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He communicates about
God... the real, loving God,
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the Creator of heaven
and earth who loves you
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as if you were the
only person in the world.
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May God anoint and
bless our brother David
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as he shares with us today.
00:02:04.95\00:02:06.76
Good morning ASi!
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Good morning. Or as my sons say
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acai... like the fruit.
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They're still looking
for the fruit bowls, I think.
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It is good to be in Louisville!
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I'm not sure I said that right
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but I'm certain that the
locals do not say LOUIEville.
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That's how the
northerners say it.
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It's good to be in
Louisville here at ASi.
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It's been a number of
years since I've been at an ASi
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Convention and it
looks like things are going
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swimmingly well. And so
thank you to the programming
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committee and the leadership
team for inviting me to be here.
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It's a real honor.
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We're going to start with a
quick prayer. We're going to dig
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deep into the text of Scripture.
Let's begin with prayer.
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Father in heaven, we
have every reason to believe
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that You are going to
meet with us here today.
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You've already
ministered to us powerfully
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in the music, the prayers,
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and the incredible testimonies
of the various projects
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that are taking
place all around the world.
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Father, we ask now
that as we meet here
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that You would come not only
into the walls of this large
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facility but that You
would come into the hearts
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of the individual
people that are here.
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Father, speak to
us by Your Spirit.
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May the Spirit
that inspired the text
00:07:01.48\00:07:04.72
now become the Spirit
that instructs in the text.
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Father, I'm praying that
You will give me both clarity
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and charity that I
might communicate in a way
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that is similar to the way
that Jesus might communicate
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were He here today in person.
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Father, we know that You
and Your Son Jesus are here
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by the Spirit, and so we're
claiming the promise that You
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will send the Spirit of Truth
to guide us into all truth.
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Be with us now.
Challenge us; inspire us;
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rebuke us; and encourage us
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is our prayer In
Jesus' name. Let everyone say
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Amen and Amen.
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All right. ASi, I
want to begin by asking you
00:07:43.86\00:07:45.89
what might sound like
a really silly question
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and it is purposely provocative.
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The question is: is it good news
00:07:50.47\00:07:52.97
that there is a God?
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I'd like you to
give me a hearty Amen
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if your answer to
that question is a yes.
00:08:00.54\00:08:02.74
I'll ask it again.
ASi, is it good news
00:08:02.94\00:08:05.61
that there is a God? AMEN!
00:08:05.81\00:08:08.52
OK. Well, like all Adventists
that I have given this
00:08:08.72\00:08:13.02
trap to around the world
you have fallen unwittingly
00:08:13.22\00:08:16.56
and headlong into a trap
that has been laid for you.
00:08:16.76\00:08:19.89
Let me ask a
question that will tease out
00:08:21.23\00:08:23.90
the trap. I think it
might make it a little apparent
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how you have fallen
into my linguistic trap.
00:08:26.53\00:08:31.07
Ladies, is it good news
that there is a husband?
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Now I hear giggles.
00:08:38.91\00:08:40.65
I hear laughs.
00:08:41.15\00:08:42.48
What is the
answer to that question?
00:08:43.92\00:08:45.42
Is it good news
that there is a husband?
00:08:45.82\00:08:48.26
Yeah, I actually
heard somebody say it
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and it is the
appropriate answer.
00:08:51.69\00:08:53.09
The answer is: "It depends. "
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What two words
did I say everyone?
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It depends. It
would depend on what?
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What word do you think
I might say right here?
00:09:01.37\00:09:02.90
It would depend on
what kind of a husband.
00:09:03.74\00:09:06.68
You will notice that I
was purposely ambiguous
00:09:07.18\00:09:09.14
when I asked you the question:
00:09:09.34\00:09:10.68
"Is it good news
that there is a God? "
00:09:10.71\00:09:13.48
You all assumed I think
reasonably but also mistakenly
00:09:13.68\00:09:15.02
that I was referring to the
same God that's in your mind.
00:09:17.89\00:09:20.72
In answer to the question
"Is it good news that there is
00:09:21.96\00:09:24.16
a husband? " would
boil down to the question
00:09:24.36\00:09:27.36
about the kind of
husband, we're describing.
00:09:27.56\00:09:29.66
The character of that husband.
00:09:29.86\00:09:31.20
The person that he was.
00:09:31.40\00:09:33.10
We could ask
similarly: "Is it good news that
00:09:33.30\00:09:35.67
there is a neighbor? " Not
all neighbors are good news
00:09:35.87\00:09:40.01
but some neighbors are
really really really good news.
00:09:40.78\00:09:43.48
But I want to tell
you this this morning:
00:09:44.21\00:09:46.01
my sermon is
titled An Unusual God.
00:09:46.68\00:09:49.72
And 99.999% of all of
the gods of human history
00:09:50.22\00:09:56.16
or of human
invention are not good news.
00:09:56.36\00:10:00.90
And so to automatically
assume when I ask the question
00:10:01.66\00:10:04.93
"Is it good news
that there is a God? "
00:10:05.33\00:10:07.17
to give me a
rousing Amen. I want to try
00:10:07.37\00:10:09.97
and go to the text of
Scripture to understand
00:10:10.17\00:10:13.81
why it is that
we are so persuaded
00:10:14.01\00:10:16.81
that the God of
Scripture is good news.
00:10:17.01\00:10:19.91
Analytic
philosopher and professor
00:10:20.72\00:10:24.39
Alvin Plantinga in an
incredible book that was
00:10:24.59\00:10:27.06
published by
Oxford University Press
00:10:27.26\00:10:28.89
titled Where The Conflict Lies
00:10:29.09\00:10:30.56
says these words:
"This display of overwhelming
00:10:30.76\00:10:35.46
love... " -
speaking of the gospel,
00:10:35.66\00:10:37.57
the gospel of Scripture -
00:10:37.77\00:10:39.60
"This display of
overwhelming love
00:10:39.80\00:10:42.04
is not only the
greatest story ever told
00:10:42.24\00:10:45.44
it's the greatest story
that ever could be told. "
00:10:45.64\00:10:49.08
I want to talk to you today
about a God who is unusual.
00:10:49.84\00:10:54.28
If you were to survey
the various and sundry gods
00:10:54.48\00:10:57.12
of human history
and of human invention
00:10:57.32\00:10:59.02
that have populated history,
you would find that all of them
00:10:59.22\00:11:02.96
except one are
universally not good news.
00:11:03.16\00:11:08.10
Enter into this thought
experiment with me if you would
00:11:09.70\00:11:12.43
momentarily. It's
a thought experiment
00:11:12.63\00:11:14.54
that I would imagine
that most of you are actually
00:11:14.74\00:11:16.81
conducting every day of your
life, and it goes like this:
00:11:17.01\00:11:19.37
can you imagine better good
news than if these two things
00:11:20.74\00:11:24.55
were true? Just
try and conceive of
00:11:24.75\00:11:27.08
better good news than
that these two things are true.
00:11:27.28\00:11:29.55
Number one: there is a God
00:11:29.95\00:11:32.12
and Number two:
He looks like Jesus.
00:11:32.52\00:11:36.32
Just allow your
imagination to run as wild as
00:11:37.56\00:11:40.60
you need it to be.
Just try and conceive
00:11:40.80\00:11:43.40
of better good news
than there is a God. Yes,
00:11:43.60\00:11:45.73
we live in a theistic
world, a theistic universe.
00:11:45.93\00:11:48.50
But not just that there is
a God in some general sense
00:11:48.90\00:11:51.71
but that that God looks
like the Jesus of the gospels.
00:11:51.91\00:11:55.74
This is what leads
Plantinga and others like him
00:11:56.85\00:11:59.95
to say: "This story -
the story of the gospel -
00:12:00.15\00:12:02.75
is not only the
greatest story ever told.
00:12:03.15\00:12:05.95
It's the greatest story
that ever could be told. "
00:12:06.35\00:12:10.16
Come with me in your Bibles -
00:12:10.86\00:12:12.29
and we will be deep in
Scripture this morning -
00:12:12.49\00:12:15.06
to the book of Romans.
00:12:15.46\00:12:16.80
We're going to start in
Romans chapter 1. Join me there
00:12:16.90\00:12:18.70
if you would. Romans chapter 1.
00:12:18.90\00:12:21.57
We're just going to make a
couple quick notes in Romans
00:12:22.40\00:12:24.61
chapter 1 on verses 16 and 17
00:12:24.81\00:12:27.41
and then we will spend
the lion's share of our time
00:12:27.61\00:12:29.94
in Romans chapter 3. So
come with me to Romans chapter 1
00:12:30.15\00:12:32.48
just by way of
setting up a context.
00:12:32.68\00:12:35.82
Most scholars agree
that Paul in Romans chapter 1
00:12:36.02\00:12:40.12
verses 16 and 17
gives us an advance summary
00:12:40.32\00:12:44.03
of everything he's going to talk
about in the next 15 chapters.
00:12:44.23\00:12:47.00
The book of Romans
is 16 chapters, but here
00:12:47.50\00:12:50.03
in chapter 1 in two verses -
00:12:50.23\00:12:52.73
two verses that are
so theologically dense
00:12:53.13\00:12:57.01
so as to contain all of the
various tentacles and narratives
00:12:57.21\00:13:00.78
that Paul will
unpack in incredible detail
00:13:00.98\00:13:04.01
in chapters 2 to 16.
00:13:04.21\00:13:05.68
Romans chapter 1. We're going
to just read verses 16 and 17.
00:13:06.08\00:13:08.78
I would hazard a guess that
this will be a familiar passage
00:13:08.98\00:13:12.05
of scripture for many of you.
00:13:12.25\00:13:13.59
Paul writes:
"For I am not ashamed
00:13:14.02\00:13:16.93
of the gospel of Christ
00:13:17.13\00:13:18.59
for it is the
power of God to salvation
00:13:18.79\00:13:21.36
for everyone who believes:
00:13:21.56\00:13:23.16
for the Jew first
and also for the Greek. "
00:13:23.37\00:13:25.33
Amen. And then verse 17:
00:13:25.53\00:13:27.24
"For in it... " in the gospel...
"the righteousness of God
00:13:27.44\00:13:31.64
is revealed. From faith
to faith as it is written
00:13:31.84\00:13:35.71
'the just shall
live by faith. ' "
00:13:35.91\00:13:38.81
Direct your
attention to verse 17 again.
00:13:39.58\00:13:42.15
Verses 16 and 17 hover
around three basic ideas.
00:13:42.35\00:13:46.12
All of them are
contained textually in verse 17.
00:13:46.32\00:13:48.86
He says first of all:
"The righteousness of God... "
00:13:49.26\00:13:52.23
then secondly
"is revealed in... "
00:13:52.43\00:13:55.80
some faith transaction.
Those are the three ideas.
00:13:56.00\00:13:58.87
The righteousness of God some-
how revealed or demonstrated
00:13:59.53\00:14:04.67
or displayed. That's the
very point that Plantinga makes.
00:14:04.87\00:14:07.61
This is not only the
greatest story ever told.
00:14:07.81\00:14:09.78
This overwhelming
display - display of love -
00:14:09.98\00:14:13.62
is the greatest story
that ever could be told.
00:14:13.82\00:14:15.82
Paul is giving us an advance
summary here of everything
00:14:16.79\00:14:19.35
he's going to talk
about. And he wants us to know
00:14:19.55\00:14:21.02
right up front that
somehow in the gospel
00:14:21.22\00:14:24.13
the righteousness, the
good- ness, the character of God
00:14:24.33\00:14:27.23
is encapsulated and revealed
00:14:27.43\00:14:30.03
somehow through a
faith transaction.
00:14:30.43\00:14:32.30
We'll talk about the nature
of that faith transaction.
00:14:32.50\00:14:34.14
Paul then goes
forward from Romans chapter 1
00:14:34.94\00:14:38.17
in his summary to describe
00:14:38.37\00:14:41.44
the unqualified and
universal brokenness
00:14:41.64\00:14:46.18
of the Gentile world.
00:14:46.38\00:14:48.02
In Romans chapter 2 Paul
describes the unqualified
00:14:48.42\00:14:51.95
and universal
brokenness of the Jewish world
00:14:52.15\00:14:54.69
so that when he arrives
finally in Romans chapter 3
00:14:55.09\00:14:57.89
where we will spend
our time this morning
00:14:58.09\00:14:59.76
he wants you to be absolutely
clear that the human plight
00:15:00.16\00:15:03.60
is universal and ubiquitous.
00:15:03.80\00:15:05.73
That all have sinned and
come short of the glory of God.
00:15:06.23\00:15:09.80
We're going to pick it
up in Romans chapter 3.
00:15:10.21\00:15:13.27
Come with me to verse 9.
00:15:13.68\00:15:16.08
As Paul is drawing the
strings of his arguments
00:15:16.58\00:15:19.81
in chapters 1 and 2 to a close
00:15:20.02\00:15:21.78
he begins by asking a
question: "What then? "
00:15:21.98\00:15:24.92
"How should we think about
these things that I have said?
00:15:25.32\00:15:28.52
The case that I
am marshalling? "
00:15:28.72\00:15:31.09
"What then? Are
we better than they?
00:15:31.76\00:15:33.70
No... not at all. For
we have previously charged
00:15:33.90\00:15:37.63
both Jews and Greeks
that they are all under sin. "
00:15:37.83\00:15:42.14
There is a universality:
00:15:42.54\00:15:44.94
the ubiquity of the human
plight and the human condition.
00:15:45.14\00:15:48.34
And he uses this phrase.
It's a particularly pregnant
00:15:48.54\00:15:51.71
and strong phrase: "under sin. "
00:15:51.91\00:15:54.92
I know of only other one
place in the writings of Paul
00:15:55.38\00:15:59.89
where this exact
construction is used.
00:16:00.09\00:16:02.36
It's in Galatians
chapter 3 verse 22
00:16:02.56\00:16:04.29
where he says that
scripture has concluded
00:16:04.49\00:16:07.16
or confounded all under sin.
00:16:07.36\00:16:10.83
Paul will then take us on sort
of a rabbinical tour de force
00:16:11.50\00:16:16.71
through many
passages of the Old Testament
00:16:16.91\00:16:18.97
mostly from Psalms but also
from Proverbs, Ecclesiastes,
00:16:19.17\00:16:22.54
and Isaiah to marshal his case.
00:16:22.74\00:16:24.91
He has made a strong
point about the universality
00:16:25.58\00:16:29.35
of the human condition, the
brokenness of that condition
00:16:29.55\00:16:32.72
and of a seemingly
hopeless helpless plight.
00:16:32.92\00:16:36.99
And so he will
here marshal his case
00:16:37.39\00:16:39.39
from the law...
from the Old Testament.
00:16:39.79\00:16:41.83
We pick it up in verse 10.
00:16:42.23\00:16:43.57
"As it is written... "
Notice before we read here
00:16:43.67\00:16:47.70
there will be two phrases
I want you to hone in on.
00:16:47.90\00:16:50.74
The first phrase is "there
is none" or "there is no. "
00:16:50.94\00:16:54.21
You will find that
construction five or six times
00:16:54.41\00:16:56.75
depending on your translation.
00:16:56.95\00:16:58.28
The second phrase is:
"No... not even one. "
00:16:58.68\00:17:01.38
Just pay attention to the
refrain here, to this chorus.
00:17:02.35\00:17:05.05
I'm in verse 10: "As it
is written, there is none
00:17:05.25\00:17:08.12
righteous, no not one.
00:17:08.32\00:17:10.23
There is none who understands;
there is none who seeks after
00:17:10.63\00:17:13.23
God... they have
all turned aside.
00:17:13.43\00:17:15.90
They have together
become unprofitable.
00:17:16.30\00:17:18.17
There is none who does
good. No... not even one.
00:17:18.37\00:17:21.90
Their throat is an open tomb.
00:17:22.30\00:17:24.24
With tongues they have practiced
deceit. The poison of asps
00:17:24.44\00:17:27.31
is under their lips
whose mouth is full of cursing
00:17:27.51\00:17:29.94
and bitterness. Their
feet are swift to shed blood.
00:17:30.15\00:17:33.38
Destruction and
misery are in their ways
00:17:33.78\00:17:36.35
and the way of
peace they have not known.
00:17:36.55\00:17:38.45
There is no fear of
God before their eyes. "
00:17:38.65\00:17:41.56
Paul paints an
undeniable and unflattering
00:17:43.12\00:17:47.23
picture of the human plight here
00:17:47.43\00:17:49.30
that he roughly divides
up into three basic ideas.
00:17:49.50\00:17:52.33
Number one is
humanity's alienation from God.
00:17:53.00\00:17:56.64
And in this
particular category of sin
00:17:56.84\00:18:00.84
he picks up those threads
that are found in Genesis
00:18:01.24\00:18:04.38
chapters 1 to 11...
the vertical alienation
00:18:04.58\00:18:08.02
that mankind fell from
God and they hid themselves
00:18:08.22\00:18:11.09
in the trees amongst the garden.
00:18:11.29\00:18:13.96
But also the
horizontal alienation
00:18:14.16\00:18:16.46
on display in
Genesis 4 and Genesis 11
00:18:16.66\00:18:18.69
where human society and
human families were fragmented.
00:18:18.89\00:18:22.60
And so Paul begins by saying
00:18:22.80\00:18:24.60
"The plight of humanity is
that they are fundamentally
00:18:25.00\00:18:28.34
alienated from God. "
He then goes to his second
00:18:28.54\00:18:31.21
sort of line of reasoning:
"The reason is that they have
00:18:31.41\00:18:34.71
believed and they have
spoken untruthful speech. "
00:18:34.91\00:18:38.01
Fascinatingly, in this passage
00:18:38.85\00:18:42.12
there are hints...
and not even particularly
00:18:42.32\00:18:44.95
subtle hints... of
Lucifer's own deception
00:18:45.15\00:18:48.16
and misrepresentation
of the character of God.
00:18:48.36\00:18:50.66
Two references to
snakes are made here.
00:18:50.86\00:18:53.80
And so humanity is
alienated from God -
00:18:54.00\00:18:56.13
picking up the great theme
of Genesis 3- not just because
00:18:56.33\00:18:59.07
of the decisions that they have
made or the actions that they
00:18:59.27\00:19:01.40
have done but because
they have misapprehended
00:19:01.60\00:19:04.11
what God is like.
00:19:04.31\00:19:06.01
And then the
third category of sin
00:19:06.98\00:19:08.98
Paul simply describes
as "rampant violence. "
00:19:09.18\00:19:12.11
So between alienation and
untruthful deceitful speech
00:19:12.98\00:19:16.69
and violence Paul
paints an unqualified picture
00:19:16.89\00:19:21.12
of the plight of
humanity and says:
00:19:21.32\00:19:23.63
"Everybody is in need. "
00:19:24.03\00:19:26.70
Nobody escapes...
"No, not even one. "
00:19:27.20\00:19:29.86
And if you're
listening carefully
00:19:30.07\00:19:31.47
you can almost hear echoes
of Revelation 4 and 5 here
00:19:32.03\00:19:35.44
where John in that
great throne room scene
00:19:35.84\00:19:38.64
as the scroll is there on the
throne of the Ancient of Days
00:19:38.84\00:19:42.91
he begins to weep because
he says in apocalyptic vision:
00:19:43.11\00:19:46.58
"There was no one
worthy to open the scroll. "
00:19:46.78\00:19:49.55
That language
is on display here.
00:19:50.39\00:19:52.29
"There is none... there
is none... there is none...
00:19:52.49\00:19:55.26
not even one" he said.
00:19:55.46\00:19:59.13
So Paul then in verses 19 and 20
00:20:00.70\00:20:03.06
comes to what he regards
00:20:03.26\00:20:06.87
in his apostolic authority
00:20:07.07\00:20:09.97
and his human observation
00:20:10.17\00:20:12.31
as necessary conclusions.
00:20:12.51\00:20:15.01
And it's right here that
we come to what you might call
00:20:15.51\00:20:17.98
a fold or a corner or a
crease in the book of Romans.
00:20:18.18\00:20:21.48
Paul has been
arguing very strongly
00:20:21.88\00:20:23.85
in a single direction: the
fallenness of the Gentile world;
00:20:24.05\00:20:26.99
the fallenness of
Israel, God's covenant people;
00:20:27.19\00:20:29.69
the fallenness and
broken- ness of all of humanity.
00:20:29.89\00:20:32.26
And we are just here
at the crease or the turn
00:20:32.46\00:20:34.83
where Paul is
about ready to transition
00:20:35.03\00:20:38.23
and to get into the passage
that we're going to be spending
00:20:38.43\00:20:40.94
our time on
largely this morning.
00:20:41.10\00:20:42.57
And so verses 19 and 20 are
that crease, that fold or turn.
00:20:42.97\00:20:48.54
"Now we know that whatever... "
Torah... "whatever the law says
00:20:48.74\00:20:52.81
it says to those
who are under the law
00:20:53.01\00:20:54.98
that every mouth may be stopped
and all the world may become? "
00:20:55.18\00:21:00.66
What does your Bible say?
00:21:00.86\00:21:02.19
"the whole world... " the
ubiquity and the universality
00:21:02.49\00:21:07.50
of the human plight here Paul
has spelled it out in Scripture.
00:21:07.66\00:21:10.77
He has spelled it
out in chapters 1 and 2
00:21:10.97\00:21:12.67
and he says: "The whole
world is guilty before God. "
00:21:12.87\00:21:16.40
And then verse 20: we're right
on the point at the end of that
00:21:17.71\00:21:19.94
crease: "Therefore... "
This is a summary statement.
00:21:20.14\00:21:25.35
Paul has made his
case in chapters 1 and 2
00:21:25.75\00:21:29.18
and half of chapter 3
and he says: "Therefore... "
00:21:29.38\00:21:32.85
This is the necessary
inescapable required conclusion
00:21:33.05\00:21:36.62
that I come to: "Therefore
by the deeds of the Torah,
00:21:36.83\00:21:40.83
the law, no flesh will be
justified in the sight of God
00:21:41.03\00:21:45.30
for by the law is
the knowledge of sin. "
00:21:45.50\00:21:48.74
And if you spend a lot of
time in the book of Romans
00:21:50.17\00:21:52.71
you get a sense that
it's right at this point
00:21:52.91\00:21:54.68
on the corner, on the crease
00:21:54.88\00:21:56.51
where Paul takes a breath.
00:21:56.71\00:21:58.31
He has made his case
and he almost invites,
00:21:58.91\00:22:02.68
he almost provokes,
he almost challenges us
00:22:02.88\00:22:05.99
to refute that case...
to try and make some case
00:22:06.19\00:22:09.59
for human goodness
or human faithfulness
00:22:09.79\00:22:11.89
or human righteousness. No!
Paul is convinced on the basis
00:22:12.09\00:22:15.40
of the text. He's convinced
on the basis of his own
00:22:15.60\00:22:17.70
observation. He's convinced
on the basis of history
00:22:17.90\00:22:20.37
that all the world
is guilty before God
00:22:20.57\00:22:22.64
and the necessary conclusion
is that none can be innocent
00:22:22.84\00:22:26.71
or justified in the sight
of God by the works of Torah.
00:22:26.91\00:22:30.55
Breathing sounds.
00:22:31.25\00:22:33.75
And then a key, crucial, pivotal
00:22:36.02\00:22:41.02
two-word phrase. Take
a look at it in the text.
00:22:41.22\00:22:43.56
The two-word
phrase is: "But now... "
00:22:43.76\00:22:46.23
Now the word but as
you are probably aware
00:22:47.60\00:22:49.90
is a conjunction in
the English language.
00:22:50.10\00:22:51.57
But it's a
conjunction unlike the word and
00:22:51.77\00:22:53.84
which just joins two ideas.
00:22:54.04\00:22:55.37
"I will have the
pizza AND the pasta. "
00:22:55.70\00:22:58.27
Right? And... there's
no change of direction,
00:22:59.01\00:23:00.94
there's no
reversal of direction.
00:23:01.14\00:23:02.48
But the word but functions not
just as a joining conjunction
00:23:02.71\00:23:06.45
but as a change or even
as a reversal of direction.
00:23:06.65\00:23:10.49
If you have applied for
a job and you went in for
00:23:11.95\00:23:15.19
the interview and you
sent in your CV and filled out
00:23:15.39\00:23:18.53
the application and a
week or two after the interview
00:23:18.73\00:23:22.10
you get a letter that
says: "Dear sir, dear madam:
00:23:22.30\00:23:24.43
thank you so much for coming in.
It was a pleasure to meet you,
00:23:24.63\00:23:26.97
to receive your resume
and to sit down with you
00:23:27.17\00:23:29.87
in the
application process, but... "
00:23:30.07\00:23:32.37
Do you need to read
the rest of the letter?
00:23:34.41\00:23:36.75
Did you get the job?
00:23:37.35\00:23:38.71
No... because that's the
way the word "but" functions.
00:23:39.11\00:23:41.22
Paul makes this incredible
case about the universal
00:23:42.45\00:23:46.19
and the ubiquitous
nature of the human plight,
00:23:46.39\00:23:48.62
human fallenness.
"There is not even one"
00:23:48.82\00:23:51.46
he says. And then these
two words: "But now... "
00:23:51.66\00:23:54.53
Ah, this is going
to get really good.
00:23:56.00\00:23:59.50
The but now indicates a
fantastic change of direction
00:24:00.54\00:24:05.07
grammatically and theologically,
and Paul here is going to
00:24:05.27\00:24:08.74
drive his point home. In
fact, you would have to be...
00:24:08.94\00:24:11.58
You'd have to be blind... you'd
have to be worse than blind.
00:24:11.78\00:24:14.22
You'd have to be dead to
not see the point that Paul is
00:24:14.42\00:24:17.82
going to drive at here. He's
going to drive this point home.
00:24:18.02\00:24:20.26
And the point is the very
one that he made back in Romans
00:24:21.76\00:24:24.99
chapter 1 verses 16 and 17.
Let me just remind you of it.
00:24:25.19\00:24:28.46
"For in the gospel
the righteousness of God
00:24:29.20\00:24:32.90
is revealed. " What
is revealed everyone?
00:24:33.10\00:24:34.80
What is revealed?
The righteousness of God!
00:24:35.00\00:24:37.71
And Paul was going to make this
point in just six short verses.
00:24:38.77\00:24:41.54
Not once, not twice,
not three times. Four times!
00:24:41.74\00:24:44.75
Let's race through it.
00:24:44.95\00:24:46.28
Verse 21: "But now... "
00:24:46.95\00:24:48.98
In response, in answer...
00:24:49.18\00:24:51.95
to the fallenness, broken-
ness, and otherwise hopelessness
00:24:53.25\00:24:56.76
of the human
plight... "But now... "
00:24:56.96\00:24:59.96
Paul has well and truly
turned the theological corner.
00:25:00.16\00:25:03.40
"But now the
righteousness of God
00:25:03.60\00:25:07.30
apart from Torah is revealed
00:25:07.50\00:25:09.84
being witnessed by the
law and the prophets. "
00:25:10.04\00:25:11.97
That's an almost
verbatim revisitation
00:25:12.17\00:25:15.14
of chapter 1 verse 17.
00:25:15.34\00:25:17.11
"The righteousness of God
revealed... " And he says:
00:25:17.31\00:25:19.11
"the law and the prophets" and
in verse 17 he quotes Habakkuk.
00:25:19.31\00:25:21.75
No wonder scholars have
told us that contained in those
00:25:23.65\00:25:26.52
two verses - Romans 1:16-17-
00:25:26.72\00:25:29.69
is an advance summary of
everything that Paul is going
00:25:29.89\00:25:33.03
to say. And Paul here -
we're in the thick of it now -
00:25:33.23\00:25:35.53
he says: "But now... "
00:25:35.73\00:25:37.33
Yes, there has been rampant
violence and untrue speech.
00:25:38.23\00:25:42.04
And yes, people have believed
the lie about who God is
00:25:42.24\00:25:44.84
and isn't, "But now
the righteousness of God
00:25:45.04\00:25:48.64
apart from Torah
has been displayed. "
00:25:48.84\00:25:52.31
He's going from strength
to strength. He's picking up
00:25:54.78\00:25:56.79
a kind of momentum here.
Verse 16, excuse me, verse 22:
00:25:56.99\00:26:01.99
"Even... " here it
is a second time...
00:26:02.19\00:26:03.89
"the righteousness of
God... " You can't miss it!
00:26:04.09\00:26:06.49
"through the faith in Jesus...
" We'll come back to that
00:26:07.30\00:26:09.80
in a moment...
00:26:10.00\00:26:11.33
"to all and on all who
believe... " That sounds just
00:26:12.20\00:26:15.14
like Romans 1:16 and 17...
"for there is no difference,
00:26:15.34\00:26:18.01
not Jew, not Gentile... "
Verse 23, a familiar verse...
00:26:18.21\00:26:20.38
"for all have sinned and fallen
short of the glory of God.
00:26:20.58\00:26:23.08
Being justified freely by
His grace through the redemption
00:26:23.75\00:26:27.22
that is in Christ Jesus. " We
will return to that momentarily.
00:26:27.42\00:26:30.39
"whom God sent forth... "
Your translation, my translation
00:26:30.59\00:26:33.12
says propitiation...
00:26:33.32\00:26:34.92
The word is "a mercy seat. "
00:26:35.12\00:26:37.36
"whom God sent forth
as the place of mercy
00:26:38.09\00:26:41.30
to demonstrate His righteous-
ness. " There it is a 3rd time.
00:26:41.50\00:26:45.13
"Because in the forbearance
of God he passed over the sins
00:26:45.93\00:26:49.04
that were
previously committed. "
00:26:49.24\00:26:50.57
Now verse 26, our
final verse in this passage:
00:26:51.01\00:26:53.44
"to demonstrate at the
present time... " A fourth time!
00:26:53.64\00:26:56.24
"His righteousness that He
might be just and the justifier
00:26:56.44\00:27:00.68
of those who
have faith in Jesus. "
00:27:00.88\00:27:03.08
When Paul turns the corner
00:27:05.35\00:27:07.32
on the universal plight
and the universal condition
00:27:08.22\00:27:10.79
he does so by making it
so clear you cannot miss it.
00:27:10.99\00:27:14.33
One, two, three, four times
he says: "But the righteousness
00:27:14.53\00:27:17.53
of God... But the
righteousness of God...
00:27:17.73\00:27:19.50
But the righteousness of God...
But the righteousness of God
00:27:19.70\00:27:22.64
has been displayed. "
00:27:22.84\00:27:25.41
Which is, of course, the very
point he makes in Romans 1:17.
00:27:27.41\00:27:30.15
"For in the gospel the right-
eousness of God is revealed. "
00:27:30.55\00:27:33.21
Choose your word:
revealed, displayed,
00:27:33.42\00:27:35.95
demonstrated. And we
could ask Paul: "Paul,
00:27:36.15\00:27:39.55
where? when? was
the righteousness of God
00:27:39.85\00:27:45.99
that so turns the human
condition and the human plight
00:27:46.19\00:27:48.80
where and when
was it demonstrated? "
00:27:49.00\00:27:51.00
And he gives us
the answer in the text.
00:27:51.20\00:27:53.23
"When God sent Jesus
forth as the place of mercy. "
00:27:53.44\00:27:57.34
This is an unambiguous
and unmistakable reference
00:27:58.11\00:28:01.31
to the incarnation
of Jesus in human flesh
00:28:01.51\00:28:04.05
and especially
to the cross event.
00:28:04.25\00:28:07.38
I want to read this same
passage in another translation
00:28:10.42\00:28:15.22
that actually gets
several nuances of the text
00:28:15.42\00:28:18.16
in a better way
in my perspective.
00:28:18.36\00:28:20.86
"But now apart from the law... "
I'm picking it up in verse 21...
00:28:22.36\00:28:25.07
Walk back through the
text with me but this time
00:28:25.27\00:28:26.97
perhaps just
listening rather than reading.
00:28:27.17\00:28:29.44
"But now apart from the law
00:28:29.64\00:28:32.17
the rightmaking of God
has been disclosed. " Ooh!
00:28:32.37\00:28:36.34
Let's just pause
right there for a moment.
00:28:36.54\00:28:37.88
The righteousness of God is be-
ing rendered by this translator
00:28:38.11\00:28:42.48
"the rightmaking of God. "
00:28:42.68\00:28:44.65
When God makes things right,
when he sets them in their
00:28:45.32\00:28:48.52
proper order and orientation.
00:28:48.72\00:28:50.43
"But now apart from the
law the rightmaking of God
00:28:50.63\00:28:54.46
has been disclosed. Witnessed
by the law and the prophets... "
00:28:54.66\00:28:57.83
the Old Testament...
00:28:58.03\00:28:59.37
"the rightmaking of God thru the
faithfulness of Jesus Christ. "
00:28:59.40\00:29:03.41
And time does not allow me
this morning to go into the
00:29:03.61\00:29:06.54
robust grammatical and theolog-
ical case that can be built
00:29:06.74\00:29:10.81
for translating this phrase
in what's called the subjective
00:29:11.01\00:29:14.48
genitive. Not my faith in Christ
00:29:14.68\00:29:17.49
but the faithfulness OF Christ.
00:29:17.69\00:29:20.06
Trust me... the
evidence is there.
00:29:20.26\00:29:21.69
"For there is no difference.
All have missed the mark
00:29:24.36\00:29:27.70
and lack the glory of God.
00:29:27.90\00:29:29.53
But they have been set
right freely by His grace
00:29:29.73\00:29:32.93
through the liberation
that is in Christ Jesus. "
00:29:33.13\00:29:35.80
Pause right there.
00:29:36.00\00:29:37.34
My translation says:
"the redemption that is in
00:29:37.54\00:29:40.08
Christ Jesus. " Beloved, I
want you to hear one thing.
00:29:40.28\00:29:42.18
If you get nothing else, I
want you to get this point.
00:29:42.38\00:29:44.78
You listen to me very carefully.
00:29:44.98\00:29:46.38
According to Paul, accord-
ing to the text of Scripture,
00:29:46.58\00:29:49.85
the location of your redemption
00:29:50.25\00:29:53.32
is in Christ Jesus.
00:29:53.52\00:29:56.22
I want you to turn to the person
right next to you and say:
00:29:56.62\00:29:58.76
"My redemption is
located in Jesus Christ. "
00:29:59.16\00:30:02.70
Do it right now.
00:30:02.90\00:30:04.23
"My redemption is
located in Jesus Christ. "
00:30:04.77\00:30:09.64
Now I want you to
say to that person:
00:30:10.37\00:30:12.17
"Your redemption is
located in Jesus Christ. "
00:30:12.37\00:30:15.68
Go ahead and say it.
00:30:15.88\00:30:17.21
There is no other place for our
redemption, for our liberation
00:30:21.48\00:30:24.59
to reside. Heaven
forbid: it cannot reside in us!
00:30:24.79\00:30:27.66
Paul has already
built his undeniable case
00:30:27.86\00:30:30.99
that there's not
even one righteous.
00:30:31.39\00:30:33.80
Not one that could stand
before God innocent on the basis
00:30:34.00\00:30:36.77
of Torah. So if we're
going to have a rescue,
00:30:36.97\00:30:39.23
if we're going to have a liber-
ation, if we're going to have
00:30:39.43\00:30:41.17
a salvation, if we're
going to have a redemption,
00:30:41.37\00:30:43.17
it must reside in
some place external to us.
00:30:43.37\00:30:46.74
And I'm happy to
tell you here today
00:30:48.08\00:30:49.64
that the place where
your redemption resides
00:30:49.84\00:30:52.88
is in the
person of Jesus Christ.
00:30:53.08\00:30:55.98
It gets better.
00:30:57.35\00:30:58.99
"God sent Him forth publicly as
a means of reconciliation... "
00:31:00.92\00:31:05.63
Here again: "through the faith-
fullness of His bloody death. "
00:31:05.83\00:31:09.63
Aah! "His bloody death. "
00:31:10.93\00:31:15.07
Again, an unambiguous
reference to the cross event.
00:31:15.47\00:31:20.04
And it is right at this point
00:31:20.68\00:31:23.18
that we just press
"pause" on Romans... to which we
00:31:23.58\00:31:26.51
will likely return in a moment.
00:31:26.72\00:31:28.65
I want you to come
with me in your mind
00:31:29.15\00:31:31.29
to a scene that you have prob-
ably familiarized yourself with
00:31:31.49\00:31:35.62
in the past.
Jesus has been scourged;
00:31:35.82\00:31:39.93
Jesus has been mocked.
00:31:40.13\00:31:41.96
Jesus has been arrested
00:31:42.36\00:31:44.33
and now He finds
Himself in John chapter 19
00:31:44.53\00:31:46.94
standing before Pilate.
00:31:47.14\00:31:48.80
No doubt, blood
dripping down His body
00:31:49.20\00:31:52.31
and He is
silent. He is reflective.
00:31:52.51\00:31:54.94
He is pensive. He is in
full possession of the situation
00:31:55.14\00:31:58.91
and He knows what is happening.
00:31:59.11\00:32:01.25
And He chooses in this
moment of great... critical...
00:32:01.45\00:32:05.45
a crucible moment
of great significance
00:32:05.65\00:32:08.19
He elects to remain silent.
00:32:08.39\00:32:10.83
Pilate is confused by His
silence, and he peppers Jesus
00:32:11.76\00:32:16.26
with a couple questions.
00:32:16.46\00:32:17.83
"Do You not know who I am? "
00:32:18.93\00:32:22.10
Try to imagine
in your mind's eye
00:32:23.10\00:32:25.37
what Pilate sees before him.
00:32:25.57\00:32:27.34
Pilate is a governor.
He is a man of significance
00:32:27.54\00:32:32.18
in the Roman system.
He has seen his fair share
00:32:32.38\00:32:37.32
of roughians and criminals
and miscreants come before him.
00:32:37.52\00:32:42.39
He knows which whom he is
dealing... or so he thinks.
00:32:42.59\00:32:44.99
And so rather than the
sort of brazen and argumentative
00:32:45.19\00:32:48.86
people that he sometimes
gets in front of him, this guy
00:32:50.07\00:32:52.67
is trying the kind
of silent treatment.
00:32:52.87\00:32:54.57
And Pilate wants to
orient Him to the dire situation
00:32:54.77\00:32:59.61
in which He finds
Himself and he says:
00:32:59.81\00:33:01.44
"Excuse me, young man.
00:33:01.84\00:33:03.38
This whole silent treatment
thing is not going to work
00:33:03.58\00:33:05.78
for me and it's not
going to work for you.
00:33:05.98\00:33:07.78
Don't You know who I am? "
00:33:07.98\00:33:10.65
And then this line:
00:33:11.05\00:33:12.62
"That I have the
power to crucify You. "
00:33:12.82\00:33:16.39
Now just at this
point I want to just say
00:33:17.53\00:33:21.26
that the ease and the
casualness with which we
00:33:21.46\00:33:26.97
in the 21st century
speak about the cross
00:33:27.17\00:33:29.37
would be completely
lost on a 1st century slave
00:33:29.77\00:33:32.87
or a 1st century Jew
or one of the "have-nots"
00:33:33.07\00:33:35.78
of the Roman Empire.
Nah, nah, nah, nah, nah.
00:33:35.98\00:33:38.01
The psychological oppression,
the psychological shadow of
00:33:38.41\00:33:42.62
the cross cannot be appreciated
00:33:42.82\00:33:45.09
here in 2019 by the ASi
audience or by any audience.
00:33:45.29\00:33:49.62
Nah... you've never
seen a person crucified.
00:33:50.69\00:33:53.80
You've never seen dozens...
You've never walked outside
00:33:54.00\00:33:56.30
of your village, your
hamlet, or the city gates
00:33:56.50\00:33:58.27
to see dozens or
perhaps hundreds of people
00:33:58.47\00:34:00.64
lined up on crosses.
00:34:00.84\00:34:02.17
You have never seen it
and I have never seen it.
00:34:02.60\00:34:04.64
And so we now glory in
something that if you could
00:34:04.84\00:34:07.14
transport back into time
would be regarded as so strange,
00:34:07.34\00:34:10.18
so incomprehensible,
no wonder Paul would say
00:34:10.58\00:34:13.98
"When we go into various cities
and villages and we preach
00:34:14.18\00:34:17.09
a crucified Messiah
people think we're nuts. "
00:34:17.29\00:34:19.95
And so earlier
this year I found my way
00:34:21.19\00:34:26.23
to an essay by a
fellow named L. L. Welborn.
00:34:26.43\00:34:29.36
The essay is titled
Extraction from the Mortal
00:34:30.93\00:34:33.57
Site. And here, perhaps
more than any other author
00:34:33.77\00:34:36.40
I've become exposed
to, he gives us a window
00:34:36.60\00:34:38.87
into the cultural significance
of the cross and the way
00:34:39.97\00:34:43.24
the cross would have
been perceived in those days.
00:34:43.45\00:34:45.75
Welborn writes: "In speaking
about the ubiquity of the cross
00:34:46.58\00:34:50.99
I do not have in mind the
occasional use of crucifixion
00:34:51.19\00:34:55.69
as the supreme penalty in
notorious cases of high treason
00:34:55.89\00:34:59.69
nor the more frequent
use of crucifixion as a means
00:34:59.89\00:35:02.56
of suppressing
rebellious subjects
00:35:02.76\00:35:04.63
in the provinces.
But rather I have in mind
00:35:05.13\00:35:08.50
the regular
employment of the cross
00:35:08.70\00:35:11.61
as a punishment for slaves
in cities throughout the Roman
00:35:11.81\00:35:14.84
Empire. Just out side
the Esquiline Gate at Rome
00:35:15.04\00:35:18.28
on the road to
Tiber was a horrific place
00:35:18.48\00:35:20.62
where crosses were routinely
set up for the punishment of
00:35:20.82\00:35:22.98
slaves. There a
torture and execution service
00:35:23.18\00:35:26.96
was operated by a
group of funeral contractors
00:35:27.16\00:35:30.53
who were open to
business from private citizens
00:35:30.73\00:35:33.36
and public authorities alike.
00:35:33.56\00:35:35.16
Indeed, the cross was not only
the ominous specter around which
00:35:36.23\00:35:39.53
the consciousness
of the slave cringed.
00:35:39.73\00:35:41.50
But because the cross was
the evil instrument by which
00:35:41.70\00:35:44.07
the legal institution
of slavery was maintained
00:35:44.27\00:35:47.21
this extracted the
surplus on which the power
00:35:47.41\00:35:50.35
upon the ruling class depended.
00:35:50.55\00:35:52.18
The cross may be regarded
as the dark, gravitational
00:35:52.68\00:35:56.95
center which whether
recognized or repressed
00:35:57.15\00:36:00.26
allotted places to
all of those who lived
00:36:00.46\00:36:03.63
within the social symbolic
edifice of the Roman Empire. "
00:36:03.83\00:36:07.66
The cross was an
instrument of cruelty.
00:36:10.03\00:36:12.47
It was designed not
for the purposes of death.
00:36:12.67\00:36:14.67
Killing a person is very easy.
00:36:14.87\00:36:16.24
You put a knife or a
spear or a sword through them.
00:36:16.44\00:36:19.01
The cross is about control;
the cross is about humiliation.
00:36:19.21\00:36:22.61
The cross is about
keeping people in line.
00:36:23.01\00:36:25.38
And if you were a slave or
one of the many "have-nots"
00:36:26.21\00:36:28.98
in the Roman Empire you
would have been familiar
00:36:29.18\00:36:31.52
experientially
with what it is to see
00:36:31.72\00:36:35.52
a person, a human, a body,
00:36:36.02\00:36:39.33
a brother, a mother, a son
00:36:39.53\00:36:41.90
nailed to a piece of wood
00:36:42.10\00:36:44.07
and it would have said to
you: "Stay in line or else. "
00:36:44.27\00:36:48.60
And so it was
right at this point
00:36:49.94\00:36:51.94
that Jesus is
standing before Pilate
00:36:52.14\00:36:54.31
and electing for a
strategy of silence.
00:36:54.51\00:36:56.91
And Pilate says: "Young man,
I don't think you understand
00:36:57.11\00:36:59.21
the gravity of the situation
in which You find yourself.
00:36:59.51\00:37:02.92
Don't You know who I am?
00:37:03.12\00:37:05.15
Don't You know I have
the power to crucify You? "
00:37:05.45\00:37:08.49
And even at the word
crucify others in the audience
00:37:08.69\00:37:11.99
chamber might
have... ooh... drawn back.
00:37:12.19\00:37:14.00
Pilate has pulled out the big
guns: the threat of crucifixion.
00:37:14.56\00:37:18.57
Jesus is not a Roman citizen.
00:37:18.77\00:37:20.14
He is eligible for
crucifixion. And it's right here
00:37:20.54\00:37:23.41
where Jesus recalibrates...
no better, reorients
00:37:24.44\00:37:27.94
Pilate to what's really happen-
ing in that audience chamber.
00:37:28.14\00:37:30.95
Pilate has said:
"Don't You know who I am? "
00:37:31.31\00:37:34.02
And it's as if Jesus says:
"Sir, it would be more important
00:37:34.22\00:37:37.55
for you to know who I am. "
00:37:37.75\00:37:39.79
"You would have no power at
all... " He says in verse 11
00:37:40.76\00:37:44.33
"if it had not been
granted to you by My Father
00:37:44.53\00:37:47.80
and I in heaven. "
A total reorientation
00:37:48.20\00:37:52.07
of the nature of
power, the nature of control.
00:37:52.27\00:37:55.00
Jesus had said
in John chapter 10:
00:37:55.40\00:37:57.31
"No one can
take My life from Me.
00:37:57.51\00:37:59.81
I lay it down Myself. "
00:38:00.58\00:38:02.48
When Peter thought that
he was coming bravely and
00:38:02.88\00:38:05.21
courageously to
the rescue of Jesus
00:38:05.41\00:38:07.35
in the garden there Jesus
said: "Put your sword away.
00:38:07.55\00:38:09.75
Don't you think I could
be delivered if I wanted?
00:38:09.95\00:38:12.95
My Father could
send legions of angels. "
00:38:13.15\00:38:15.36
"No Pilate, it's not Me
who doesn't know who you are.
00:38:15.76\00:38:19.53
It's you who
don't know who I am. "
00:38:20.03\00:38:22.70
Something about the
cross event and the horror
00:38:24.57\00:38:27.97
and the terror
of the cross event
00:38:28.17\00:38:30.31
says Paul demonstrates
that this is an unusual God.
00:38:30.51\00:38:36.44
99.999% of all
gods of human history
00:38:36.64\00:38:40.78
or human
invention are not good news.
00:38:40.98\00:38:42.52
But what is this God
doing going willingly,
00:38:43.02\00:38:46.42
voluntarily, even
almost enthusiastically
00:38:46.62\00:38:50.29
to a cross? I'll
tell you what He's doing.
00:38:50.49\00:38:52.93
He's being Himself.
00:38:55.66\00:38:58.10
He is displaying
who and what God is:
00:38:59.83\00:39:05.77
not in His nature and ontology
00:39:05.97\00:39:09.08
but in His character.
00:39:09.54\00:39:11.01
Welborn continues
on this very line.
00:39:12.11\00:39:14.75
"Christ shared the fate...
" Listen to this language.
00:39:15.55\00:39:18.42
It is purposefully provocative;
it is purposefully absurd.
00:39:18.62\00:39:21.62
"Christ shared the fate
00:39:22.32\00:39:25.03
of a piece of human garbage.
00:39:25.23\00:39:28.90
One of those whom
life had demolished
00:39:29.30\00:39:33.44
and who had
touched the very bottom.
00:39:33.84\00:39:35.90
Even now as they lived
in the shadow of the cross
00:39:36.71\00:39:39.37
and died a bit every
day upon seeing the cross,
00:39:39.57\00:39:41.84
even if the cross
should be their tomb
00:39:42.04\00:39:44.05
as it was of their
fathers and grandfathers,
00:39:44.25\00:39:46.08
its power over them
was now broken and undone
00:39:46.28\00:39:50.45
so that they could live on
with value and meaning and hope
00:39:51.25\00:39:54.76
and love because
the One who had died
00:39:54.96\00:39:57.66
in this contemptible way
was the anointed of God. "
00:39:57.86\00:40:01.66
Friends, this is an unusual God
00:40:03.73\00:40:05.80
and I've got a breaking
news piece of information
00:40:06.00\00:40:09.50
for you here today ASi: we are
not the heroes of this story.
00:40:09.70\00:40:13.68
Our churches are not
the heroes of this story.
00:40:14.88\00:40:17.21
Our institutions are
not the hero of this story.
00:40:17.41\00:40:19.81
Our longevity is not
the heroes of this story.
00:40:20.02\00:40:22.48
We are in no way, shape, or form
00:40:22.68\00:40:25.39
the heroes of the gospel story.
00:40:25.59\00:40:27.62
Jesus is the hero of
the gospel story! Amen!
00:40:27.82\00:40:33.09
And He's not just any God.
00:40:33.29\00:40:35.96
He's not just some God.
00:40:36.16\00:40:37.73
He is the one true Creator
God, the covenant-keeping God.
00:40:37.93\00:40:41.37
Yahweh, who went voluntarily,
willingly, and again
00:40:41.57\00:40:44.81
almost even enthusiastically
to a Roman instrument
00:40:45.01\00:40:48.58
of humiliation,
coercion, and control
00:40:48.78\00:40:51.61
to demonstrate not your
righteousness but to demonstrate
00:40:51.81\00:40:55.75
God's righteousness. Amen!
00:40:55.95\00:40:59.39
The law does not
exonerate the sinner.
00:40:59.79\00:41:02.62
The law exposes the sin
and exonerates the Savior.
00:41:02.82\00:41:07.36
No wonder Ellen White said...
Ahh, no wonder Ellen White said
00:41:08.36\00:41:12.93
6 Bible Commentary 1113...
00:41:13.13\00:41:15.37
This statement is my all-time
favorite statement from the
00:41:15.57\00:41:18.41
voluminous pen of Ellen White
and it has become like a piece
00:41:18.61\00:41:20.98
of furniture in the intellectual
landscape of my life.
00:41:21.14\00:41:24.58
I cannot get away from it.
00:41:24.78\00:41:26.28
"Hanging upon the cross
00:41:26.68\00:41:28.65
Christ was the gospel. "
00:41:28.85\00:41:31.55
Christ was the good news!
00:41:33.62\00:41:35.76
Then she said: "Now
we have a message! "
00:41:36.42\00:41:40.23
Oh, NOW we have a message?
00:41:40.43\00:41:41.76
Oh, yes! NOW we have a message!
00:41:41.93\00:41:43.30
What is our message?
00:41:44.07\00:41:45.60
"Hanging upon the cross
Christ was the gospel. "
00:41:46.37\00:41:50.74
The righteousness
of God is our message.
00:41:50.94\00:41:53.51
The faithfulness
of God is our message.
00:41:53.91\00:41:56.11
We sometimes kid ourselves
as Jared alluded to last night
00:41:56.85\00:41:59.88
into telling the story in such
a way that we persuade ourselves
00:42:00.08\00:42:02.82
that we are the heroes in some
way shape or form of this story.
00:42:03.02\00:42:05.42
WE ARE NOT!
00:42:05.82\00:42:07.16
Jesus is the only
hero of this story.
00:42:07.22\00:42:10.63
He alone was found
worthy to open the scroll
00:42:10.83\00:42:13.80
and to purchase permanently
humanity back from its plight
00:42:14.00\00:42:18.27
of condemnation
and sin and death.
00:42:18.80\00:42:21.30
She continues:
"Behold the Lamb of God
00:42:21.70\00:42:23.87
that takes away
the sin of the world.
00:42:24.07\00:42:25.57
Will not our church
members keep their eyes
00:42:25.97\00:42:29.21
fixed on a
crucified and risen Savior
00:42:29.41\00:42:31.81
in whom their hopes of
eternal life are centered?
00:42:32.01\00:42:34.35
This is our message;
THIS is our argument.
00:42:34.55\00:42:37.69
This is our doctrine,
our hope for every believer.
00:42:37.89\00:42:41.86
If we can awaken an interest
in men's minds that will cause
00:42:42.06\00:42:44.73
them to fix
their eyes on Christ,
00:42:44.93\00:42:46.33
we may step aside and
ask them only to continue
00:42:46.53\00:42:49.30
to fix their eyes
upon the Lamb of God. "
00:42:49.50\00:42:52.87
Friends, the God
that we have to preach
00:42:53.74\00:42:58.27
and the God that we have to
save and the God that we have to
00:42:58.47\00:43:03.65
make famous in the
world is no ordinary God.
00:43:03.85\00:43:07.22
He is an unusual God.
00:43:08.05\00:43:10.25
History is filled with
stories of men who thought
00:43:10.45\00:43:13.92
in some moment of
grandeur or absurdity
00:43:14.12\00:43:16.83
that they could become God. But
history has only a single story
00:43:17.03\00:43:20.26
of God, the one true
God, Yahweh, who became a man.
00:43:20.46\00:43:24.57
And He didn't just become
a man in any ordinary sense.
00:43:24.77\00:43:26.90
He went voluntarily,
willingly to a Roman instrument
00:43:27.10\00:43:30.91
of torture where pieces of
human garbage were thrown out
00:43:31.07\00:43:34.34
as an instrument of
control and manipulation.
00:43:34.54\00:43:37.05
And Jesus said: "You
have not put Me here, Pilate.
00:43:37.25\00:43:39.35
I am here voluntarily.
00:43:39.85\00:43:42.15
I am here displaying, promoting,
saving, even recovering
00:43:42.35\00:43:47.66
what had been lost. "
00:43:47.86\00:43:49.49
The great truth about
the righteousness of God,
00:43:49.69\00:43:53.36
the righteousness of
God, the righteousness of God,
00:43:53.56\00:43:56.60
the
righteousness of God. Friends,
00:43:56.80\00:43:58.90
the righteousness of God
00:44:00.54\00:44:02.57
is seen in the
faithfulness of Jesus.
00:44:02.77\00:44:07.38
And your response to
that faithfulness is great.
00:44:10.48\00:44:15.58
It's awesome! Your
life is going to be better.
00:44:16.42\00:44:19.92
But there is never a
point at which your response
00:44:20.12\00:44:23.79
to God's saving faithfulness
becomes the ground upon which
00:44:23.99\00:44:26.53
you stand before Him.
00:44:26.73\00:44:28.33
When you stand before
God justified as Paul says
00:44:28.53\00:44:31.43
in Romans 3, innocent...
as if you had never sinned
00:44:31.63\00:44:34.57
because Jesus has
done the unthinkable,
00:44:34.97\00:44:38.51
the uninventable.
00:44:38.71\00:44:40.94
No wonder Bruce Shelley said
in the opening sentence of his
00:44:41.14\00:44:43.71
incredible book:
"Christianity is the only major
00:44:43.91\00:44:48.02
world religion to
have as its central event
00:44:48.22\00:44:50.82
the humiliation of its God. "
00:44:51.02\00:44:54.49
I recommend to you today
and I commend to you today
00:44:56.02\00:44:59.23
Jesus. And as Jennifer sings
00:44:59.43\00:45:02.70
I want to just share with
you a line from this song:
00:45:02.90\00:45:05.60
"And I would give
my final breath... "
00:45:06.63\00:45:10.11
I am sure that
Paul would do that
00:45:11.34\00:45:14.98
and I am sure
that Jesus did that...
00:45:15.61\00:45:18.58
I want to not only sing
this and say "Amen" with this
00:45:19.88\00:45:23.59
I want to believe that I
would give my final breath
00:45:23.79\00:45:27.59
to know Him in His
death and resurrection.
00:45:28.86\00:45:33.26
Oh, I want to know Him more.
00:45:33.66\00:45:37.80
Any others out there
with the raising of the hand
00:45:38.80\00:45:41.00
say: "Lord, I want
to know You more? "
00:45:41.20\00:45:43.34
Perhaps even if
circumstances should require it
00:45:44.24\00:45:46.78
to give my final breath
to know You in Your death
00:45:46.98\00:45:52.01
and in Your resurrection.
00:45:52.78\00:45:54.58
You are not an ordinary God.
00:45:55.28\00:45:57.09
You are an unusual God.
00:45:57.89\00:45:59.85
You are an extraordinary God.
00:46:00.26\00:46:02.22
You are the one true
God who gave up everything
00:46:02.82\00:46:07.03
for us. Today
we respond to that.
00:46:07.23\00:46:11.00
We receive that; we accept that.
00:46:11.40\00:46:14.40
And we say: "Oh God,
00:46:14.80\00:46:18.81
we want to know You more
00:46:19.01\00:46:20.94
and we want others
around us to know You more. "
00:46:21.81\00:46:25.85
Just the time I feel
00:46:48.57\00:46:52.74
that I've been caught
00:46:53.71\00:46:56.54
in the mire of self,
00:46:57.48\00:47:00.68
Just the time I think
00:47:03.28\00:47:07.36
my mind's been bought
00:47:07.56\00:47:10.53
by worldly wealth,
00:47:10.73\00:47:14.36
That's when the
breeze begins to blow,
00:47:16.56\00:47:22.50
I know the Spirit's call,
00:47:22.70\00:47:28.24
and all my worldly wanderings
00:47:30.55\00:47:36.48
just melt
00:47:36.69\00:47:38.52
within His love.
00:47:38.72\00:47:44.13
Oh, I want to know You more!
00:47:44.33\00:47:49.86
Deep within my
soul I want to know You.
00:47:50.27\00:47:55.37
Lord, I want to know you!
00:47:55.57\00:47:59.44
To feel Your
heart and know your mind
00:47:59.64\00:48:04.45
Looking in Your
eyes stirs up within me
00:48:04.65\00:48:09.35
Cries that say: "I want to know
00:48:09.55\00:48:15.26
You. "
00:48:15.46\00:48:17.39
Lord, I want to know You
00:48:17.59\00:48:21.46
more!
00:48:21.66\00:48:27.67
When my daily deeds
00:48:36.14\00:48:40.52
ordinarily
00:48:40.92\00:48:44.42
lose life and song,
00:48:44.62\00:48:48.62
my heart begins to bleed,
00:48:49.86\00:48:54.13
sensitivity to Him
00:48:54.33\00:48:58.73
is gone.
00:48:59.23\00:49:01.30
I've run the race, but
00:49:02.47\00:49:06.98
I set my own pace
00:49:07.18\00:49:09.58
and face a shattered soul
00:49:09.78\00:49:15.58
Now, the gentle arms of Jesus
00:49:15.98\00:49:21.92
warms my hunger to
00:49:22.12\00:49:26.19
be whole.
00:49:26.39\00:49:29.93
Lord, I want to know You more!
00:49:30.33\00:49:35.47
Deep within my
soul I want to know You.
00:49:35.67\00:49:40.68
Lord, I want to know You!
00:49:41.08\00:49:44.48
To feel Your heart
and know Your mind,
00:49:44.68\00:49:49.52
looking in Your
eyes stirs up within me
00:49:49.72\00:49:54.62
cries that say: "I want to know
00:49:54.82\00:50:00.20
You... Lord, I
want to know you! "
00:50:00.40\00:50:05.70
When I take my final breath,
00:50:05.90\00:50:10.61
to know You in Your
death and resurrection,
00:50:10.81\00:50:15.51
Lord, I want to know You
00:50:15.91\00:50:19.45
more...
00:50:19.65\00:50:22.68
Lord, I want to know You...
00:50:22.88\00:50:26.55
know You more...
00:50:26.76\00:50:32.73
Lord,
00:50:33.96\00:50:35.96
I want to know You
00:50:36.16\00:50:40.54
more!
00:50:41.44\00:50:47.34
Amen! Let's stand to our feet.
00:50:59.45\00:51:00.79
Thank you, Jennifer.
00:51:02.99\00:51:04.63
Father in heaven,
00:51:06.86\00:51:08.93
even the glorious beautiful
00:51:11.23\00:51:14.64
incredible voice of Jennifer
00:51:15.74\00:51:18.47
and the sound of this
piano, even these that move
00:51:18.67\00:51:21.81
our souls to the depths...
00:51:22.01\00:51:24.11
Father, even these only come
00:51:25.25\00:51:29.32
within a fraction of
a fraction of a fraction
00:51:29.52\00:51:32.52
of a percentage of the fullness
of Your goodness and glory.
00:51:32.72\00:51:37.86
Father, today truly in music
00:51:38.79\00:51:43.06
and in testimony and in the text
00:51:43.26\00:51:45.70
we have basked in Your goodness.
00:51:45.90\00:51:49.00
Father, reorient us,
00:51:49.90\00:51:53.14
redirect us, and recalibrate us
00:51:53.54\00:51:56.48
not just annually
at conventions like ASi
00:51:56.68\00:51:59.75
and not just weekly at
church services around the world
00:52:00.78\00:52:04.39
and Father, not even just every
day when we have our morning
00:52:05.42\00:52:08.82
time with You, but
Father, at every moment,
00:52:09.02\00:52:13.70
at every breath may
we be oriented to You
00:52:14.40\00:52:18.90
and to Your goodness
00:52:19.10\00:52:21.54
and to just how
unbelievably good news it is
00:52:22.40\00:52:25.94
not only that there is a God
00:52:27.84\00:52:30.31
but that He looks like Jesus.
00:52:31.58\00:52:34.42
Father, today we have tried
00:52:35.85\00:52:38.25
to gain even
just a small glimpse
00:52:38.75\00:52:41.52
of the grandeur of that glory
00:52:42.59\00:52:46.70
and we want to say thank you.
00:52:47.90\00:52:50.47
We want to
respond and say: "Turn us
00:52:50.97\00:52:54.90
by Your power and by Your
grace into the best versions
00:52:55.10\00:52:58.37
of ourselves into to
those who not only know
00:52:58.57\00:53:02.58
the righteousness of
God but those who show
00:53:02.78\00:53:06.51
the righteousness of God. "
00:53:07.02\00:53:09.02
Help us to that
end and to that effect
00:53:10.52\00:53:13.02
by the infilling of Your Spirit
00:53:13.42\00:53:15.62
is our prayer in Jesus' name,
00:53:16.22\00:53:19.09
let everyone say "Amen. "
00:53:19.59\00:53:23.23
Go ahead and have a seat.
00:53:24.10\00:53:25.43
Turn to the person
next to you and say:
00:53:26.43\00:53:28.97
"There's good
news in the universe...
00:53:29.17\00:53:30.81
there's good news
in the universe. "
00:53:31.01\00:53:33.48
The offering
goal was $1,250,000.
00:53:40.32\00:53:44.32
God has been good to us!
00:53:44.72\00:53:46.89
What He has blessed us with
00:53:47.59\00:53:49.39
is $1,521,035.
00:53:49.59\00:53:55.40