Music...
00:00:01.36\00:00:04.73
Hello, I'm Jill Morikone
00:00:04.77\00:00:06.10
and I'm so glad
that you have tuned in
00:00:06.13\00:00:08.17
to the Adventist
Virtual Global Camp Meeting.
00:00:08.20\00:00:11.01
My message for this keynote
Presentation is entitled:
00:00:11.04\00:00:14.38
Grace versus Legalism.
00:00:14.41\00:00:16.58
I want to start with
three questions for you.
00:00:16.61\00:00:19.75
Are we saved by who
we are or by what we do?
00:00:19.78\00:00:23.62
Are you saved by who
you are or by what you do?
00:00:23.65\00:00:27.46
Or... maybe it's neither.
00:00:27.49\00:00:29.62
If "works" don't save us,
00:00:29.66\00:00:31.73
what role do they play
in the life of a Christian?
00:00:31.76\00:00:35.83
And how do I know if I
have become legalistic?
00:00:35.86\00:00:39.83
You see, Work says, "What I
do has bearing on who I am... "
00:00:39.87\00:00:45.24
Grace says, "Who I am
has bearing on what I do. "
00:00:45.27\00:00:49.51
Works say, "Actions are
more important than motive. "
00:00:49.54\00:00:53.78
Grace says, "Motive
informs my actions. "
00:00:53.82\00:00:57.92
Works say, "I am what other
people perceive me to be. "
00:00:57.95\00:01:03.09
Grace says, "I am
who God says I am. "
00:01:03.12\00:01:07.20
We're talking today about
the seven dangers of legalism
00:01:07.23\00:01:11.80
and then, we're going
to counter-balance that
00:01:11.83\00:01:14.60
with the seven
developments of grace.
00:01:14.64\00:01:17.71
Let's pray,
00:01:17.74\00:01:19.14
"Holy Father, we come
before You in the name of Jesus
00:01:19.17\00:01:22.14
and I thank you for Your Word
and that Your Word is anointed
00:01:22.18\00:01:25.18
and then it comes alive
00:01:25.21\00:01:26.88
and I ask right now for the
anointing of Your Holy Spirit
00:01:26.92\00:01:30.35
that You would
give us ears to hear
00:01:30.39\00:01:33.39
and a heart to receive
the message from Your Word
00:01:33.42\00:01:37.79
and we ask this in
Jesus' name, amen. "
00:01:37.83\00:01:41.20
It was a Monday night
00:01:41.23\00:01:43.16
and Monday nights for probably
five or six years of my life...
00:01:43.20\00:01:47.20
Monday nights were
spent at our local jail
00:01:47.24\00:01:50.04
giving Bible
Studies to the women there.
00:01:50.07\00:01:52.81
We always went in a
small block... cell block room
00:01:52.84\00:01:56.54
and there were no chairs there.
00:01:56.58\00:01:58.58
The girls would sit
four across on the desk...
00:01:58.61\00:02:00.78
they would line the wall...
00:02:00.82\00:02:02.58
they would sit
cross-legged on the floor
00:02:02.62\00:02:04.39
and this particular
night, I asked them a question.
00:02:04.42\00:02:06.79
I said, "What one
word would someone else use
00:02:06.82\00:02:10.09
to describe you?"
00:02:10.13\00:02:11.46
And so, the girl on my left...
she was always given to talking,
00:02:11.49\00:02:15.26
and she'd be the first
one... if you asked a question,
00:02:15.33\00:02:17.23
she'd be the first
one to speak and she said,
00:02:17.27\00:02:19.33
oh she said, "My friends
would call me 'mouthy... '"
00:02:19.37\00:02:22.00
and she definitely was mouthy.
00:02:22.07\00:02:23.61
So, they laughed and
we went around the circle.
00:02:23.64\00:02:25.67
Fun loving... loud...
quiet... pretty... boisterous...
00:02:25.71\00:02:30.65
funny... sweet... nice.
00:02:30.71\00:02:33.31
Then all of a sudden, I said,
"This is Question Number Two. "
00:02:33.38\00:02:38.39
"What one word would you
use to describe yourself?"
00:02:38.42\00:02:43.16
Instantly, the
atmosphere in the room changed.
00:02:43.19\00:02:46.43
I looked at the girl who had
been so eager to talk before...
00:02:46.46\00:02:49.60
the one who said... her friends
would describe her as "mouthy"
00:02:49.63\00:02:52.73
and she looked up at me
00:02:52.77\00:02:55.40
and I was surprised at
the pain in her eyes...
00:02:55.44\00:02:57.67
I hadn't even seen that before.
00:02:57.71\00:02:59.44
She said, "Depressed... "
00:02:59.47\00:03:01.91
and then she dropped her
eyes and looked at the floor.
00:03:01.94\00:03:04.71
We went around the circle again
00:03:04.75\00:03:07.68
but this time, the
words were vastly different.
00:03:07.72\00:03:11.12
"Confused... " "Lonely... "
00:03:11.15\00:03:13.92
"Afraid... "
00:03:13.96\00:03:15.59
"Angry... "
00:03:15.62\00:03:17.26
"Broken. "
00:03:17.33\00:03:18.86
I discovered that
night that the girls in jail
00:03:18.89\00:03:23.13
are not very
different from you and I.
00:03:23.16\00:03:26.87
You know why?
00:03:26.94\00:03:28.27
Many times as
Christians, we put on a mask.
00:03:28.30\00:03:33.71
We put on a
mask of righteousness
00:03:33.74\00:03:36.01
or a mask of self-righteousness.
00:03:36.04\00:03:38.28
We put on a mask of,
00:03:38.31\00:03:39.85
"This is the way a
Seventh-day Adventist Christian
00:03:39.88\00:03:43.08
is supposed to live
or eat or dress or act.
00:03:43.12\00:03:47.46
This is what I
am supposed to do.
00:03:47.49\00:03:50.53
This is how I am
supposed to live...
00:03:50.56\00:03:53.70
this is who I am
supposed to be... "
00:03:53.73\00:03:56.83
and we wear a mask
00:03:56.87\00:03:58.80
and other people
perceive us a certain way.
00:03:58.83\00:04:01.77
But we might not
be that way inside.
00:04:01.80\00:04:04.94
We might be broken...
00:04:04.97\00:04:06.44
we might be lonely...
00:04:06.47\00:04:07.88
we might be afraid...
00:04:07.94\00:04:09.28
we might be
feeling empty inside.
00:04:09.31\00:04:12.41
I'm so grateful that
our Father never looks at us
00:04:12.45\00:04:16.79
through the
lens of someone else.
00:04:16.82\00:04:18.29
He never looks at
us through the lens
00:04:18.32\00:04:20.59
through which we view ourselves.
00:04:20.62\00:04:22.49
After all, our
Father's opinion of us
00:04:22.52\00:04:24.66
is the only thing
that really matters.
00:04:24.69\00:04:26.76
Jeremiah 31 verse 3,
He says, "I've loved you
00:04:26.80\00:04:29.43
with an everlasting love:
00:04:29.46\00:04:31.23
therefore with lovingkindness
I have drawn you. "
00:04:31.27\00:04:35.10
God looks at us with love.
00:04:35.14\00:04:37.11
John 6:37... He
says, "Whoever comes to Me,
00:04:37.14\00:04:39.94
I will never cast out. "
00:04:39.97\00:04:42.01
God looks at
you with acceptance.
00:04:42.04\00:04:45.48
Romans 8:15...
00:04:45.51\00:04:47.15
"You have not received the
spirit of bondage again to fear;
00:04:47.18\00:04:51.39
but you received
the Spirit of adoption,
00:04:51.42\00:04:54.42
by which we cry
out, 'Abba... daddy... '
00:04:54.46\00:04:57.46
Father... "
00:04:57.49\00:04:58.83
God looks at you as
His son or His daughter.
00:04:58.86\00:05:03.37
You know,
legalism is really a trap
00:05:03.43\00:05:06.27
I think for many
different denominations
00:05:06.30\00:05:08.27
especially for the
Seventh-day Adventist Church.
00:05:08.30\00:05:11.67
Could we be thinking
that we are saved by grace
00:05:11.71\00:05:15.04
yet we still cling
to works for salvation?
00:05:15.08\00:05:17.81
You know, in
Jeremiah 17:9 says this...
00:05:17.85\00:05:20.52
tells us that the heart is
deceitful above all things,
00:05:20.55\00:05:24.35
and desperately wicked:
00:05:24.39\00:05:26.82
who can know it?
00:05:26.86\00:05:28.19
How can we even
know our own hearts?
00:05:28.22\00:05:32.49
I think of the letter...
00:05:32.53\00:05:35.16
the epistle to the
Galatian believers...
00:05:35.20\00:05:37.07
this is Paul writing
the book of Galatians
00:05:37.10\00:05:38.63
and if you read Galatians,
00:05:38.70\00:05:40.04
much of the controversy
in the Galatian church...
00:05:40.07\00:05:43.64
the early Christian church
00:05:43.67\00:05:45.01
was over whether
Gentile Christians
00:05:45.04\00:05:47.44
needed to be circumcised
in order to be saved.
00:05:47.48\00:05:51.35
Now, you and I
look at that and say,
00:05:51.38\00:05:53.01
"What does that have
anything to do with us today?"
00:05:53.05\00:05:54.98
but the
principle remains the same.
00:05:55.05\00:05:57.39
Do "works" add something to
our salvation before Christ?
00:05:57.42\00:06:03.09
Are we saved by grace...
00:06:03.12\00:06:05.13
then we have to
add "works" to it
00:06:05.16\00:06:07.40
or are we just saved by grace?
00:06:07.43\00:06:09.60
In Galatians 3
verse 1, Paul says,
00:06:09.63\00:06:12.20
"Oh, foolish Galatians... "
00:06:12.23\00:06:13.57
now... in Greek, "foolish"
is kind of a strong word
00:06:13.60\00:06:16.24
but in... in English
its kind of a strong word
00:06:16.27\00:06:18.97
but in Greek,
it's really strong.
00:06:19.01\00:06:20.34
It says: mindless or stupid.
00:06:20.38\00:06:22.68
"Oh stupid or
mindless Galatians... "
00:06:22.71\00:06:25.68
verse 3, "having
begun in the Spirit,
00:06:25.71\00:06:28.88
are you now made
perfect in the flesh?"
00:06:28.92\00:06:32.05
meaning... you understood
00:06:32.09\00:06:34.16
and you knew that you were
saved by grace through faith
00:06:34.19\00:06:37.49
and now, all of a sudden,
do you think you need works
00:06:37.53\00:06:40.80
to augment that salvation?
00:06:40.86\00:06:43.83
Galatians 5 verse
4, to me is very sad.
00:06:43.87\00:06:47.10
It says, "You have
become estranged from Christ. "
00:06:47.14\00:06:50.07
What is that word?
00:06:50.11\00:06:51.44
That word means: separated.
00:06:51.47\00:06:53.41
We have become
separated from Christ...
00:06:53.44\00:06:56.14
who? "You who attempt
to be justified by law...
00:06:56.18\00:07:00.65
you have fallen from grace. "
00:07:00.68\00:07:03.52
You know, we are all
in need of divine grace.
00:07:03.59\00:07:06.86
Isaiah 64 tells us
that all our righteousness
00:07:06.89\00:07:10.13
is as filthy rags.
00:07:10.16\00:07:12.89
My nephew, Caleb, when
he was only two years old,
00:07:12.93\00:07:16.03
I remember he threw a
full-blown temper tantrum
00:07:16.06\00:07:19.13
which was amazing.
00:07:19.17\00:07:20.50
He was on the floor
00:07:20.54\00:07:21.87
and you've seen a toddler
with a temper tantrum, I'm sure.
00:07:21.90\00:07:24.01
His little arms flailing out
00:07:24.04\00:07:28.08
and tears running
down his cheeks...
00:07:28.11\00:07:30.35
his legs kicking
00:07:30.41\00:07:32.08
and in the midst of
all of this temper tantrum,
00:07:32.11\00:07:34.12
I could hear him screaming,
"Jesus, help me be good...
00:07:34.15\00:07:38.25
Jesus... help me be good. "
00:07:38.29\00:07:41.89
You see, even a
two-year old child
00:07:41.92\00:07:44.53
recognizes that we
can't do it on our own.
00:07:44.59\00:07:48.36
We grit our teeth
and try harder to be good
00:07:48.40\00:07:52.60
but our
righteousness is as filthy rags.
00:07:52.63\00:07:56.81
Before we get to the
seven dangers of legalism,
00:07:56.84\00:07:59.67
I want to just set up
a couple of definitions
00:07:59.71\00:08:02.54
for legalism for you.
00:08:02.58\00:08:03.91
First of all,
legalism is not obedience.
00:08:03.95\00:08:06.98
I want to be very
clear at that from the outset
00:08:07.02\00:08:09.45
because you might be thinking,
"Okay, Jill's saying we throw
00:08:09.48\00:08:12.22
works out... we
throw that out...
00:08:12.25\00:08:14.89
we don't need that. " No...
00:08:14.92\00:08:16.66
Legalism is not obedience...
00:08:16.69\00:08:18.26
we will get to obedience later
00:08:18.29\00:08:19.79
but it really has
nothing to do with legalism.
00:08:19.83\00:08:21.96
Legalism is
works-based salvation.
00:08:22.00\00:08:25.73
It's being
concerned with keeping the law
00:08:25.77\00:08:28.27
as an end in itself
00:08:28.30\00:08:29.84
or as a means to salvation.
00:08:29.87\00:08:31.94
Legalism is
Christless law keeping.
00:08:31.97\00:08:35.61
It is separating the
law from the Lawgiver.
00:08:35.64\00:08:37.98
It's not concerned
with obedience to God
00:08:38.01\00:08:40.32
or honoring Christ.
00:08:40.35\00:08:41.88
It simply seeks to obey rules
devoid of any relationship.
00:08:41.92\00:08:47.89
Legalism is
externally motivated.
00:08:47.92\00:08:50.93
It is externally driven.
00:08:50.96\00:08:52.59
It's concerned with
an external obedience
00:08:52.63\00:08:55.60
instead of an inward change.
00:08:55.63\00:08:57.17
It's concerned about
the letter of the law
00:08:57.20\00:08:59.23
while it violates the
spirit of the law entirely.
00:08:59.27\00:09:03.57
Legalism is adding our
own rules to the law of God
00:09:03.61\00:09:07.84
and treating
those rules as divine.
00:09:07.88\00:09:10.28
Jesus said in Matthew
15 verse 7, 8 and 9...
00:09:10.31\00:09:14.48
Matthew 15:8 and 9,
00:09:14.52\00:09:15.88
"These people... they
draw near me with their mouth,
00:09:15.92\00:09:18.69
and honor me with their lips;
00:09:18.72\00:09:21.16
but their
heart... it's far from me.
00:09:21.19\00:09:24.19
In vain do they worship me,
00:09:24.23\00:09:26.73
teaching as doctrines
the commandments of men. "
00:09:26.76\00:09:30.70
The Legalist takes a
commandment of man...
00:09:30.73\00:09:34.17
a man-made rule
00:09:34.20\00:09:36.20
and elevates it to
the level of divine.
00:09:36.24\00:09:40.18
Legalism is an
attempt to gain favor with God
00:09:40.21\00:09:43.71
or to impress other
people by doing certain things
00:09:43.75\00:09:47.42
or avoiding other behaviors
00:09:47.45\00:09:50.19
without regard to the condition
of our own heart before God.
00:09:50.22\00:09:54.32
Legalism is rooted in pride.
00:09:54.36\00:09:57.53
So, what are the
seven dangers of legalism?
00:09:57.56\00:09:59.93
I'm going to give you the seven
00:10:00.00\00:10:01.33
and then we'll go back
and unpack each one of them.
00:10:01.36\00:10:03.70
Number 1: The Danger
of an Unconverted Heart.
00:10:03.77\00:10:06.50
Number 2: The Danger of a
False Assurance of Salvation.
00:10:06.53\00:10:10.71
Number 3: The Danger of Pride.
00:10:10.74\00:10:13.01
Number 4: The Danger of
Judging or a Judgmental Spirit.
00:10:13.04\00:10:19.21
Number 5: The
Danger of Hard-Heartedness.
00:10:19.25\00:10:23.62
Number 6: The
Danger of Hindering
00:10:23.69\00:10:27.06
Someone Else's Salvation.
00:10:27.09\00:10:29.46
Number 7: The
Danger of Inconsistency.
00:10:29.52\00:10:33.86
So, let's unpack them.
00:10:33.90\00:10:35.23
Danger Number 1... the
seven dangers of legalism,
00:10:35.26\00:10:38.33
Number 1: The Danger
of an Unconverted Heart.
00:10:38.37\00:10:41.20
Turn with me to the
book of Luke chapter 11.
00:10:41.24\00:10:43.97
When you read Luke 11,
you find a whole passage here
00:10:44.01\00:10:47.44
called: Woes to the
Scribes and Pharisees
00:10:47.48\00:10:50.28
and if you were
to look in Jesus' day
00:10:50.31\00:10:53.11
at who the legalists were,
00:10:53.15\00:10:54.58
they were most certainly
the Scribes and Pharisees.
00:10:54.62\00:10:57.52
So, we're in Luke 11...
00:10:57.59\00:10:59.05
let's pick it up in
verses 37 through 40.
00:10:59.09\00:11:02.02
"As He spoke... "
that's as Jesus spoke...
00:11:02.06\00:11:04.96
"A certain Pharisee
asked Him to dine with him.
00:11:04.99\00:11:08.23
So He went in
and sat down to eat.
00:11:08.26\00:11:10.50
When the Pharisee saw it,
00:11:10.53\00:11:12.00
he marveled that He had not
first washed before dinner. "
00:11:12.03\00:11:16.71
Now, this is not the
washing you and I would do
00:11:16.74\00:11:18.87
to make sure our
hands are clean...
00:11:18.91\00:11:20.24
this is a ceremonial washing...
00:11:20.28\00:11:22.11
it's not physical cleanliness.
00:11:22.14\00:11:24.15
"Then the Lord said to
him, 'Now you Pharisees make
00:11:24.21\00:11:26.95
the outside of the
cup and dish clean,
00:11:26.98\00:11:29.25
but the inward part is
full of greed and wickedness.
00:11:29.28\00:11:33.36
Foolish ones!
00:11:33.39\00:11:34.79
Did not He who make the
outside make the inside also?"
00:11:34.82\00:11:39.79
You see, we can look
clean but still be dirty.
00:11:39.83\00:11:43.80
We can look holy
but still be sinful.
00:11:43.83\00:11:47.50
We can look righteous
while still being unconverted.
00:11:47.54\00:11:51.77
I believe that Jesus had
conflict with the legalists
00:11:51.81\00:11:55.28
more than any other group
when He walked this earth.
00:11:55.34\00:11:58.71
You see, it wasn't the murderers
who put Him on the cross.
00:11:58.78\00:12:01.45
It wasn't the robbers
who put Him on the cross.
00:12:01.48\00:12:03.92
It wasn't the
adulterers or the thieves
00:12:03.95\00:12:06.39
who put Him on the cross.
00:12:06.45\00:12:07.79
It was the Legalists.
00:12:07.82\00:12:09.16
Now, I want to be clear here...
00:12:09.19\00:12:10.53
all our sins
brought Jesus to the cross.
00:12:10.56\00:12:14.36
So, in that sense, yes...
00:12:14.43\00:12:15.93
everyone's sin put
Jesus on the cross.
00:12:15.96\00:12:18.60
I get that...
00:12:18.63\00:12:19.97
but the ones who were
shouting "Crucify Him... "
00:12:20.00\00:12:22.47
the ones who wanted Him to
die... it was the Legalists.
00:12:22.50\00:12:29.91
Why did Jesus
deliberately do things
00:12:29.94\00:12:33.52
while He walked this earth
00:12:33.55\00:12:35.38
to expose the Legalists?
00:12:35.42\00:12:37.19
You know, when I look
at it and when I study it,
00:12:37.22\00:12:39.59
you see that He
healed on the Sabbath.
00:12:39.62\00:12:41.66
Well, He clearly could
have healed on a different day
00:12:41.69\00:12:43.86
and it wouldn't have
made the Legalists so upset.
00:12:43.89\00:12:46.03
You see that in this case,
00:12:46.06\00:12:47.63
He ignored their ceremonial
hand washing and purification
00:12:47.66\00:12:51.03
while He could have just gone
along with the crowd, but no...
00:12:51.07\00:12:54.40
He blasted them
for their hypocrisy.
00:12:54.44\00:12:57.24
I think He
deliberately did things
00:12:57.27\00:12:59.94
because He
wanted to save them too
00:12:59.97\00:13:02.61
because He came to
seek and to save the lost
00:13:02.64\00:13:06.72
and that is not
just the adulterers...
00:13:06.75\00:13:08.58
that is not just the thieves...
00:13:08.62\00:13:10.49
that is not
just the murderers...
00:13:10.55\00:13:12.39
that is the Legalists.
00:13:12.42\00:13:14.19
So, Danger Number 1 is the
danger an unconverted heart.
00:13:14.26\00:13:16.56
Danger Number 2 is the
danger of a false assurance
00:13:16.59\00:13:20.33
of salvation.
00:13:20.36\00:13:21.70
This is
believing that your works
00:13:21.73\00:13:25.00
will somehow merit or earn favor
00:13:25.03\00:13:28.37
or salvation with God.
00:13:28.40\00:13:30.34
You know, I grew up
in a Christian home.
00:13:30.41\00:13:33.07
I grew up in a
Seventh-day Adventist home.
00:13:33.11\00:13:35.74
I was born into a
Seventh-day Adventist home
00:13:35.78\00:13:38.71
and I was baptized as
a Seventh-day Adventist.
00:13:38.75\00:13:41.58
What is amazing to me...
and I have Godly parents...
00:13:41.62\00:13:45.39
the reason I'm a Christian
today is because of my parents
00:13:45.42\00:13:47.89
so, this is not a
criticism but when I was young,
00:13:47.92\00:13:51.46
my parents... my
home... was legalistic.
00:13:51.49\00:13:54.96
My parents at that time
had not fully met Jesus...
00:13:55.03\00:13:58.13
that's why my
home was legalistic.
00:13:58.17\00:13:59.93
I remember I was 19 years old
00:13:59.97\00:14:02.67
back from a
Seventh-day Adventist school...
00:14:02.70\00:14:04.91
19 years old
00:14:04.94\00:14:06.27
in church... closing hymn...
00:14:06.31\00:14:09.68
everybody is standing...
the organ is playing...
00:14:09.74\00:14:12.48
and the hymn was:
My life of scarlet...
00:14:12.51\00:14:15.32
my sin and woe...
00:14:15.35\00:14:17.15
cover with His life...
00:14:17.19\00:14:19.49
whiter than snow
00:14:19.52\00:14:21.99
and I still
remember it to this day
00:14:22.02\00:14:24.26
stopping singing...
00:14:24.29\00:14:25.69
holding the hymnal
looking up and saying,
00:14:25.73\00:14:27.76
"You mean it's not on me...
00:14:27.80\00:14:29.63
you mean that
Jesus can cover me?
00:14:29.66\00:14:33.87
That His righteousness
will cover my sin?"
00:14:33.90\00:14:38.04
I had spent 19 years of my life
00:14:38.07\00:14:41.14
believing that I
had to be better...
00:14:41.18\00:14:44.45
I had to become good...
00:14:44.48\00:14:46.51
I had to somehow
keep the commandments
00:14:46.55\00:14:49.58
and somehow earn favor with God
00:14:49.62\00:14:52.95
that He would look at me kindly
00:14:52.99\00:14:56.26
and want to save me.
00:14:56.29\00:14:58.13
Danger Number 2 is the
danger of a false assurance
00:14:58.16\00:15:01.16
of salvation.
00:15:01.20\00:15:02.73
We know...
Ephesians 2... I love this...
00:15:02.76\00:15:05.00
Paul's treaties on salvation
Ephesians 2:8 through 10.
00:15:05.03\00:15:09.20
"By grace you have
been saved through faith,
00:15:09.24\00:15:12.67
and that not of yourselves;
00:15:12.74\00:15:14.58
it is the gift of God,
00:15:14.61\00:15:15.94
not of works, lest
anyone should boast.
00:15:15.98\00:15:18.15
We are His workmanship,
00:15:18.18\00:15:20.65
created in Christ
Jesus for good works,
00:15:20.68\00:15:22.98
which God prepared beforehand
00:15:23.02\00:15:25.15
that we should walk in them. "
00:15:25.19\00:15:27.29
Did you catch that?
00:15:27.32\00:15:28.66
Grace is a gift...
00:15:28.69\00:15:30.03
faith is a gift...
00:15:30.06\00:15:31.53
salvation is a gift
00:15:31.59\00:15:33.29
and yes, even
works... good works...
00:15:33.36\00:15:36.10
they are a gift from God.
00:15:36.13\00:15:38.63
Danger Number 3...
The Danger of Pride...
00:15:38.70\00:15:40.94
we're still in Luke... we're
jumping over to Luke chapter 18.
00:15:40.97\00:15:43.41
So, turn over there to Luke 18.
00:15:43.47\00:15:45.81
This is a parable... and you
notice that most of the parables
00:15:45.84\00:15:49.11
that Jesus told
answered a question
00:15:49.14\00:15:51.21
and dealt with an attitude.
00:15:51.28\00:15:53.82
Luke 18 verse 9.
00:15:53.85\00:15:55.18
He spoke this parable to
some who trusted in themselves
00:15:55.25\00:15:58.29
that they were righteous
00:15:58.32\00:16:00.76
yet they despised others.
00:16:00.79\00:16:03.02
Jump down to verse 11,
00:16:03.06\00:16:05.26
"The Pharisee stood and
prayed thus with himself,
00:16:05.29\00:16:08.70
'God, I thank You that
I am not like other men...
00:16:08.73\00:16:12.10
extortioners,
unjust, adulterers,
00:16:12.13\00:16:14.84
or even as a tax collector. "
00:16:14.87\00:16:16.91
I fast twice a week;
00:16:16.97\00:16:18.54
I give tithes of
everything I possess. '"
00:16:18.57\00:16:21.68
It reminds me
actually... the danger of pride
00:16:21.71\00:16:24.75
of my sister and I when
we were very young in church
00:16:24.78\00:16:27.82
in those frilly dresses
and ribbons in our hair.
00:16:27.88\00:16:30.89
I remember church
members walking in
00:16:30.92\00:16:32.65
and they would
look at my sister and I
00:16:32.72\00:16:34.42
sitting in the pew so
demurely and they would say,
00:16:34.46\00:16:36.93
"And how are the
Penny angels doing today?"
00:16:36.96\00:16:40.33
You see "Penny"
was our maiden name
00:16:40.36\00:16:42.93
and we would
smile sweetly and say,
00:16:42.96\00:16:45.33
"We're doing
well... Happy Sabbath... "
00:16:45.37\00:16:48.04
and then as soon as
the person turned away,
00:16:48.07\00:16:50.74
my sister would kick
me underneath the pew
00:16:50.81\00:16:53.44
or I would elbow her in the ribs
00:16:53.48\00:16:55.01
and we would
continue our own private war
00:16:55.04\00:16:58.15
until the next person
walked up and would say,
00:16:58.18\00:17:01.22
"How are the
Penny angels today?"
00:17:01.25\00:17:02.75
And we would say, "We
are fine... Happy Sabbath"
00:17:02.78\00:17:05.75
and they would turn around
00:17:05.79\00:17:07.12
and then, my sister and I
would continue whatever argument
00:17:07.16\00:17:10.49
we had going on that morning.
00:17:10.63\00:17:12.59
The danger of pride.
00:17:12.66\00:17:14.90
Danger Number 4:
The Danger of Judging.
00:17:14.93\00:17:19.00
Remember John chapter 8,
00:17:19.03\00:17:21.14
the woman who was caught
in the very act of adultery.
00:17:21.17\00:17:25.34
She was dragged and
thrown at the feet of Jesus.
00:17:25.37\00:17:28.58
Now, the Scribes
and the Pharisees
00:17:28.61\00:17:30.68
and all of those people
00:17:30.71\00:17:32.88
who thought that
they were better than her
00:17:32.91\00:17:36.38
had thrown her at Jesus' feet
00:17:36.45\00:17:38.99
to make a public
spectacle of her.
00:17:39.02\00:17:42.46
You see, we have
little tolerance for people
00:17:42.49\00:17:45.86
who sin differently than we do.
00:17:45.89\00:17:49.06
2nd Corinthians 10:12,
00:17:49.10\00:17:50.67
Paul puts it this way,
00:17:50.70\00:17:52.23
"But they, measuring
themselves among themselves,
00:17:52.27\00:17:55.64
and comparing themselves
by themselves, are not wise. "
00:17:55.67\00:18:00.34
The danger of judging.
00:18:00.38\00:18:02.84
Danger Number 5: The
Danger of Hard-Heartedness.
00:18:02.88\00:18:06.51
We're in Luke... let's
look at Luke chapter 10.
00:18:06.55\00:18:10.12
Luke chapter 10...
00:18:10.15\00:18:11.49
this is of course the
parable of the good Samaritan
00:18:11.52\00:18:13.46
and we see the attitude...
00:18:13.49\00:18:15.79
remember
parables answer a question
00:18:15.82\00:18:17.69
and deal with an attitude.
00:18:17.73\00:18:19.09
The attitude here
is self-righteousness
00:18:19.13\00:18:21.33
and it's also hard heartedness.
00:18:21.36\00:18:24.63
Remember the lawyer said,
00:18:24.67\00:18:26.13
"What shall I do to
inherit eternal life?"
00:18:26.17\00:18:28.30
And Jesus gave this thing.
00:18:28.34\00:18:29.74
"And then the lawyer
said... " verse 29...
00:18:29.77\00:18:32.34
we're in Luke 10 verse 29...
00:18:32.37\00:18:34.08
"But he, wanting to
justify himself, said to Jesus,
00:18:34.11\00:18:38.45
'And who is my neighbor?'
00:18:38.48\00:18:40.45
And Jesus answered... "
00:18:40.52\00:18:42.42
now, in English it's very tame
but in Greek, it's not so tame,
00:18:42.45\00:18:44.79
it says, "took up"
00:18:44.82\00:18:46.35
so, Jesus took up the challenge
00:18:46.39\00:18:48.89
that the lawyer
laid down to Him.
00:18:48.92\00:18:51.13
And He said, "A certain man
00:18:51.16\00:18:53.29
went down from
Jerusalem to Jericho. "
00:18:53.33\00:18:55.36
If you've ever been
to the Middle East...
00:18:55.40\00:18:57.27
ever been to Israel,
00:18:57.30\00:18:58.63
you will know that
clearly you go down
00:18:58.67\00:19:00.77
from Jerusalem to Jericho.
00:19:00.80\00:19:03.07
It's a distance of 18
miles but it drops in elevation
00:19:03.10\00:19:07.58
3,000 feet from Jerusalem
all the way down to Jericho
00:19:07.61\00:19:12.05
and what happened?
00:19:12.08\00:19:13.42
He fell among thieves
00:19:13.45\00:19:14.78
and they stripped him of
his clothing... wounded him
00:19:14.82\00:19:16.55
and departed...
leaving him half dead.
00:19:16.58\00:19:18.75
"Now, by chance, a certain
priest came down that road.
00:19:18.79\00:19:23.32
And when he saw him,
00:19:23.36\00:19:24.69
he passed by on
the other side. "
00:19:24.73\00:19:27.53
The danger of hard-heartedness.
00:19:27.56\00:19:30.43
The priest passed
by on the other side
00:19:30.47\00:19:35.24
and did not have compassion.
00:19:35.27\00:19:36.60
"Likewise a Levite,
when he arrived at the place,
00:19:36.64\00:19:39.31
came and looked, and
passed by on the other side. "
00:19:39.37\00:19:42.78
Hard-heartedness...
00:19:42.81\00:19:44.55
let's see this man... "Okay... "
00:19:44.58\00:19:46.48
passed by on the other side.
00:19:46.51\00:19:48.58
"But a certain
Samaritan, as he journeyed,
00:19:48.62\00:19:51.99
came where he was.
00:19:52.02\00:19:53.36
And when he saw
him, he had compassion. "
00:19:53.39\00:19:55.92
Now, the Samaritans were
looked down on by the Jews.
00:19:55.96\00:19:58.89
The Priest and the Levite
would be the upper echelons
00:19:58.93\00:20:01.86
of the Jewish society.
00:20:01.90\00:20:03.43
They were the good guys.
00:20:03.47\00:20:04.93
They were the ones in power...
00:20:04.97\00:20:06.30
they were the ones
who knew the law of God.
00:20:06.33\00:20:09.40
They were the ones who were
supposed to represent Jesus...
00:20:09.47\00:20:12.41
represent the Law
and what happened?
00:20:12.44\00:20:15.31
They had hard-heartedness
because they were legalistic
00:20:15.34\00:20:20.45
and it was a Samaritan...
00:20:20.48\00:20:21.82
it was the outcast.
00:20:21.85\00:20:23.49
It was the one that they
turned their noses down at...
00:20:23.52\00:20:26.92
he was the one who
demonstrated compassion.
00:20:26.96\00:20:29.46
Danger Number 6:
00:20:29.49\00:20:31.39
This one, to me, is the
saddest of all the dangers.
00:20:31.43\00:20:33.66
Number 6:
00:20:33.70\00:20:35.03
The Danger of Hindering
Someone Else's Salvation.
00:20:35.06\00:20:39.53
Turn over one
chapter to Luke chapter 11...
00:20:39.57\00:20:42.60
we were in 10... just
turn over to Luke 11 verse 52,
00:20:42.64\00:20:45.77
"Woe to you lawyers!
00:20:45.84\00:20:48.18
For you have taken
away the key of knowledge. "
00:20:48.24\00:20:50.88
Or the key of salvation...
00:20:50.95\00:20:52.58
"You did not
enter in yourselves,
00:20:52.61\00:20:54.98
and those who were
entering in you hindered. "
00:20:55.02\00:20:59.35
You see, this concept
of Legalism will not...
00:20:59.39\00:21:02.86
if... if you hold on
to Legalism in your heart,
00:21:02.89\00:21:06.19
it will not just
cost you your salvation...
00:21:06.26\00:21:09.50
it could be the means of
causing one of your brothers
00:21:09.53\00:21:14.17
or sisters to stumble
00:21:14.20\00:21:16.44
or causing them...
or keeping them back
00:21:16.47\00:21:19.51
from entering into
the kingdom of God.
00:21:19.57\00:21:22.54
Your example... my example...
00:21:22.61\00:21:25.35
my legalistic
spirit and attitude
00:21:25.38\00:21:28.25
can be the means of costing
someone else's salvation.
00:21:28.28\00:21:33.02
The danger of hindering
someone else's salvation.
00:21:33.05\00:21:36.22
Finally, Danger number 7.
00:21:36.26\00:21:38.86
The danger of Inconsistency.
00:21:38.89\00:21:41.46
Luke 11 verse 46,
00:21:41.50\00:21:43.97
"And He said, 'Woe
to you also, lawyers!
00:21:44.00\00:21:47.17
For you load men
with burdens hard to bear,
00:21:47.20\00:21:50.34
and yet, you yourselves
do not touch those burdens
00:21:50.37\00:21:53.68
with even one of
your little finger. "
00:21:53.71\00:21:56.34
It's a double standard
saying, "Okay, do what I do...
00:21:56.38\00:21:59.28
do what I say but
don't do what I do. "
00:21:59.31\00:22:04.42
I'm so grateful that
this message doesn't end here.
00:22:04.45\00:22:08.99
I'm so grateful that
we're not shown our hearts
00:22:09.02\00:22:13.50
from the Word of God
00:22:13.53\00:22:15.20
and then God says,
"Okay, you're a Legalistic...
00:22:15.23\00:22:17.23
go walk off and do it. "
00:22:17.27\00:22:18.60
No... I'm so grateful
00:22:18.63\00:22:20.90
that Romans
5:20... turn to Romans...
00:22:20.94\00:22:23.00
we're going to spend
most of the rest of our time
00:22:23.04\00:22:25.14
in the book of
Romans... Romans 5:20...
00:22:25.17\00:22:27.61
I'm grateful that
where sin abounded...
00:22:27.64\00:22:30.05
yes, this is the
sin of the adulterer
00:22:30.08\00:22:32.35
and the sin of the murderer
00:22:32.38\00:22:33.72
and the sin of the homosexual...
00:22:33.75\00:22:35.08
yes... but this is also
the sin of the Legalist.
00:22:35.12\00:22:38.29
"Where sin abounded,
grace abounded much more,
00:22:38.32\00:22:41.72
so that as sin reigned in death,
00:22:41.76\00:22:44.26
even so grace might
reign through righteousness
00:22:44.33\00:22:48.23
to eternal life through
Christ Jesus our Lord. "
00:22:48.26\00:22:52.13
So, what does grace lead us to?
00:22:52.17\00:22:54.60
It leads us to the
seven developments of grace.
00:22:54.64\00:22:58.27
I'm going to tell you what they
are and then we'll unpack them.
00:22:58.34\00:23:00.51
Seven developments of grace.
00:23:00.54\00:23:02.51
Number 1: Repentance...
00:23:02.54\00:23:04.61
Number 2:
Forgiveness and Justification...
00:23:04.65\00:23:07.68
Number 3: Salvation...
00:23:07.72\00:23:09.95
Number 4: Growth...
00:23:09.98\00:23:12.12
Number 5:
Holiness and Obedience...
00:23:12.15\00:23:16.16
Number 6: Love and
forgiveness for Others...
00:23:16.19\00:23:19.79
Number 7:
Motivation for Service...
00:23:19.83\00:23:22.26
so let's look at that.
00:23:22.30\00:23:23.63
The freedom in grace...
00:23:23.67\00:23:25.00
Grace leads us to
Number 1: Repentance.
00:23:25.03\00:23:28.40
Romans 2... we were in Romans 5,
jump back a couple of chapters,
00:23:28.44\00:23:32.24
to Romans 2 verse 4,
00:23:32.27\00:23:34.08
"Do you despise the
riches of His goodness,
00:23:34.14\00:23:37.85
forbearance, and longsuffering,
00:23:37.88\00:23:39.25
not knowing that the goodness
of God leads you to repentance?"
00:23:39.28\00:23:44.95
You see, when you and
I were steeped in sin...
00:23:44.99\00:23:48.46
when you and I were wallowing
in our mud in filth and junk,
00:23:48.49\00:23:53.09
we had our back
turned to the Father.
00:23:53.13\00:23:56.63
What happened?
00:23:56.67\00:23:58.00
God demonstrated
His own love for us.
00:23:58.03\00:24:02.20
This is Romans 5 verse 8.
00:24:02.27\00:24:03.74
"In that while we
were still sinners... "
00:24:03.77\00:24:07.31
the Greek says: yet even now.
00:24:07.34\00:24:10.08
While we were
still walking in sin,
00:24:10.11\00:24:11.91
Christ... He died for you...
00:24:11.95\00:24:15.98
while we were still
in sin, He died for us.
00:24:16.02\00:24:20.66
You see, grace
leads us to repentance.
00:24:20.69\00:24:24.33
We can't conjure up
repentance ourselves.
00:24:24.36\00:24:28.00
We can't make that happen.
00:24:28.03\00:24:30.60
We can't create repentance.
00:24:30.63\00:24:33.13
What happens?
00:24:33.17\00:24:34.50
It is a gift of God.
00:24:34.54\00:24:36.40
It is the first gift of
grace that He extends to us
00:24:36.44\00:24:40.78
is the gift of repentance
00:24:40.81\00:24:42.41
but it doesn't stop there.
00:24:42.44\00:24:43.98
It leads to Number 2:
Grace leads to forgiveness
00:24:44.05\00:24:47.25
and justification.
00:24:47.28\00:24:49.32
1st John 1:9, If
we confess our sins,
00:24:49.35\00:24:52.49
He is faithful and
just to forgive us our sins
00:24:52.55\00:24:56.09
and to cleanse us
from all unrighteousness. "
00:24:56.12\00:25:00.23
Cleanse us from unrighteousness.
00:25:00.26\00:25:03.87
Romans 3... I love this...
00:25:03.90\00:25:06.94
Ephesians 2 is the
great treaties of salvation
00:25:06.97\00:25:09.44
but Romans 3 is...
is the next best one...
00:25:09.47\00:25:11.91
they're both
equal in my opinion.
00:25:11.97\00:25:13.31
Romans 3 verses 23 to 26,
00:25:13.34\00:25:15.78
"For all have sinned and fallen
short of the glory of God,
00:25:15.84\00:25:21.18
being justified
freely by His grace. "
00:25:21.22\00:25:25.85
How are we justified?
00:25:25.89\00:25:27.36
"Freely by His grace...
" so, let's stop a moment.
00:25:27.39\00:25:30.49
You notice that passage
started with, "All have sinned
00:25:30.53\00:25:33.60
and fallen short
of the glory of God.
00:25:33.63\00:25:35.86
Romans chapter 1 deals
with the sins of the Gentiles.
00:25:35.90\00:25:41.14
These would be the
sins of the heathen...
00:25:41.17\00:25:43.10
the sins of the pagans...
00:25:43.14\00:25:45.21
those who do not know God...
00:25:45.24\00:25:47.28
those who worship the
creature instead of the Creator.
00:25:47.31\00:25:50.31
You see, this entire
list of sins in Romans 1
00:25:50.35\00:25:53.72
and they get worse and worse.
00:25:53.75\00:25:55.08
It's like a
degenerate list and you can see
00:25:55.12\00:25:57.79
humanity really
lives in Romans chapter 1.
00:25:57.82\00:26:00.66
Now, Paul... in hoping that the
Jews would not feel left out,
00:26:00.72\00:26:06.16
in Romans chapter 2, he
brings it to the church...
00:26:06.19\00:26:08.56
in that case... the Jews
00:26:08.60\00:26:09.93
but you and I would be
brought down to the church
00:26:09.96\00:26:11.83
and say, "Wait a minute... "
00:26:11.87\00:26:13.20
you're not left out from
this and here specifically
00:26:13.23\00:26:16.27
are your sins...
00:26:16.30\00:26:17.87
by the time we get to Romans 3,
00:26:17.91\00:26:19.97
Paul is very clear
that all have sinned
00:26:20.01\00:26:22.38
and fallen short
of the glory of God.
00:26:22.41\00:26:24.75
We are all in need of a Savior.
00:26:24.78\00:26:26.28
Every single one of us
00:26:26.31\00:26:27.98
have committed sin
against the Father.
00:26:28.05\00:26:30.55
We are all in need of a Savior.
00:26:30.59\00:26:31.92
We are justified
freely by His grace.
00:26:31.95\00:26:35.86
We're in Romans 3:23...
00:26:35.89\00:26:37.43
"through the redemption
that is in Christ Jesus,
00:26:37.46\00:26:41.63
whom God set forth as a
propitiation by His blood. "
00:26:41.66\00:26:45.77
So, let's stop
just a second here,
00:26:45.80\00:26:47.74
that word "propitiation"
literally means Mercy Seat.
00:26:47.77\00:26:50.91
If you're familiar at all
with the sanctuary service,
00:26:50.94\00:26:54.04
you know in the Most
Holy Place is... what?
00:26:54.08\00:26:56.54
The Ark of the Covenant.
00:26:56.85\00:26:58.71
In the Ark is
the Ten Commandments.
00:26:58.75\00:27:01.82
This is God's Law...
00:27:01.85\00:27:03.18
His Law is holy, just and good.
00:27:03.22\00:27:04.92
His Law is righteous.
00:27:04.95\00:27:06.29
His Law is perfect.
00:27:06.32\00:27:07.66
His Law is pure.
00:27:07.69\00:27:09.02
Wow! Can I live up to that?
00:27:09.06\00:27:12.79
His Law is
perfect... it is in the Ark
00:27:12.83\00:27:15.86
and over the Ark... the
lid of that Ark of the Covenant
00:27:15.90\00:27:20.24
is what they
call the Mercy Seat.
00:27:20.27\00:27:22.14
And remember the
would come in once a year
00:27:22.17\00:27:26.34
and sprinkle the
blood over the Mercy Seat.
00:27:26.37\00:27:28.88
What does that represent?
00:27:28.91\00:27:30.88
We see the
holiness... the perfection...
00:27:30.91\00:27:33.11
the character of God in
that Ark... this is His Law
00:27:33.15\00:27:35.98
and yet the blood
of Jesus covers that
00:27:36.02\00:27:40.39
and it's like that
buffer between us and the Law.
00:27:40.42\00:27:44.46
So, when you read this
again and you understand that,
00:27:44.49\00:27:47.70
it makes such a difference
to me in this passage.
00:27:47.73\00:27:50.93
"We are justified
freely by His grace
00:27:50.97\00:27:53.44
through the redemption
that is in Christ Jesus. "
00:27:53.47\00:27:55.80
That's talking
about the blood of Jesus
00:27:55.84\00:27:57.87
"whom God set forth. "
00:27:57.91\00:27:59.44
Who did God set forth? Jesus.
00:27:59.47\00:28:01.11
So, Jesus is to be
the propitiation...
00:28:01.14\00:28:04.01
literally it means: Mercy Seat.
00:28:04.05\00:28:05.48
Jesus is the
Mercy Seat by His blood
00:28:05.51\00:28:08.62
through faith for you and I.
00:28:08.68\00:28:10.95
In other words, here
is God in His holiness...
00:28:10.99\00:28:14.16
this is the Law... or
this is that perfection
00:28:14.19\00:28:15.66
and here is you and I
as sinners on this side.
00:28:15.69\00:28:17.93
Jesus... as the Mercy Seat
00:28:17.96\00:28:20.43
comes between
the Law and you and I
00:28:20.46\00:28:23.57
and He says, "My
blood would justify...
00:28:23.60\00:28:26.63
My blood will forgive...
00:28:26.70\00:28:29.04
My blood will cleanse...
00:28:29.07\00:28:31.34
My blood will bring you back
into right relationship with me
00:28:31.37\00:28:36.44
so that you can come in
the presence of the Father
00:28:36.48\00:28:40.08
as if you have never sinned.
00:28:40.12\00:28:42.88
That is justification.
00:28:42.92\00:28:44.75
Grace leads to
Number 3: Salvation.
00:28:44.79\00:28:47.86
We already read
this, let's read it again,
00:28:47.92\00:28:50.13
Ephesians 2:8 through 10,
00:28:50.16\00:28:51.59
"For by grace you have
been saved through faith...
00:28:51.63\00:28:52.96
that not of yourselves;
it's the gift of God,
00:28:52.99\00:28:55.16
not of works, lest
anyone should boast.
00:28:55.20\00:28:59.40
For we are His workmanship,
00:28:59.43\00:29:01.34
created in Christ Jesus...
00:29:01.37\00:29:03.30
which God prepared beforehand
00:29:03.34\00:29:05.24
that we... we
should walk in them. "
00:29:05.27\00:29:07.34
So, grace leads to repentance.
00:29:07.38\00:29:09.38
Grace leads to
forgiveness and justification.
00:29:09.41\00:29:12.15
Grace leads to salvation.
00:29:12.18\00:29:13.75
Now, grace does not stop there,
00:29:13.78\00:29:15.62
you see, I think we have
two ditches in the church.
00:29:15.65\00:29:19.59
We have one ditch where people
say, "I need to work harder...
00:29:19.65\00:29:23.53
I need to be better...
00:29:23.56\00:29:25.26
I need to do
something... act some way... "
00:29:25.29\00:29:27.66
whatever... you
fill in the blank...
00:29:27.70\00:29:30.07
this is the Legalist over here
in order to earn God's favor...
00:29:30.10\00:29:35.10
in order to earn salvation.
00:29:35.14\00:29:37.21
On the other side,
we have people here
00:29:37.24\00:29:39.87
who say, "Grace...
it covers everything...
00:29:39.91\00:29:42.74
Grace will cover my
sin... " and yes it does.
00:29:42.78\00:29:45.61
Grace will save
me... and yes it does.
00:29:45.65\00:29:48.72
But they stop there
00:29:48.75\00:29:50.22
and they don't get to the
other developments of grace.
00:29:50.25\00:29:53.59
They say, "Grace
brings repentance. "
00:29:53.62\00:29:56.16
Praise the Lord,
00:29:56.19\00:29:57.53
grace brings
forgiveness and justification...
00:29:57.56\00:30:00.46
praise the Lord.
00:30:00.50\00:30:01.83
Grace... it brings salvation.
00:30:01.86\00:30:03.97
Absolutely...
00:30:04.00\00:30:05.43
but outgrowth Number 4...
00:30:05.47\00:30:07.77
Grace... it leads to growth.
00:30:07.80\00:30:10.01
If you are truly
walking in grace...
00:30:10.04\00:30:13.21
if you have experienced
Jesus for yourself...
00:30:13.24\00:30:17.01
if you are saved...
you are going to grow.
00:30:17.05\00:30:20.48
You cannot help it...
you are going to grow.
00:30:20.52\00:30:23.92
We're in 2nd Peter 3 verse 18...
00:30:23.95\00:30:26.25
"But grow in grace
00:30:26.29\00:30:27.62
and in the knowledge of our
Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
00:30:27.66\00:30:30.39
Now, did you catch that?
00:30:30.43\00:30:31.76
There are two areas
that we are to grow in.
00:30:31.79\00:30:34.56
Some Christians
only grow in knowledge.
00:30:34.60\00:30:36.56
Have you met a
Christian like that?
00:30:36.60\00:30:38.53
"Oh... they bother me. "
00:30:38.57\00:30:40.60
"Oh, well the Word
of God says this... "
00:30:40.64\00:30:42.64
"Oh, well this is
what the Greek says... "
00:30:42.70\00:30:44.47
"Oh, well... the
Hebrew says this... "
00:30:44.51\00:30:46.21
"Oh, but you'd better be
following what the Word says. "
00:30:46.27\00:30:48.94
And yes, we are
to grow in knowledge.
00:30:48.98\00:30:51.91
Absolutely.
00:30:51.98\00:30:53.55
Those people... I
call: Cerebral Infidels...
00:30:53.58\00:30:56.32
meaning... their mind works well
00:30:56.35\00:30:59.09
and they can
understand the Word of God
00:30:59.12\00:31:01.69
but they have
never experienced Jesus.
00:31:01.72\00:31:04.23
They have never met Him.
00:31:04.26\00:31:06.66
They don't know what
it's like to walk with Him
00:31:06.70\00:31:10.30
and to talk with Him
00:31:10.33\00:31:12.20
and to love Him.
00:31:12.23\00:31:14.04
We need to grow
in knowledge, yes,
00:31:14.07\00:31:16.87
but we are also
called to grow in grace.
00:31:16.91\00:31:22.54
Grace leads to growth
00:31:22.61\00:31:24.85
both in grace... in
character development
00:31:24.88\00:31:27.82
and in knowledge.
00:31:27.85\00:31:29.62
Grace also leads to holiness.
00:31:29.68\00:31:32.75
I love this... Romans 6...
00:31:32.79\00:31:35.79
let's look at
Romans 6 verses 1 and 2,
00:31:35.82\00:31:38.86
"What shall we say then?
00:31:38.89\00:31:40.23
Shall we continue in
sin that grace may abound?
00:31:40.26\00:31:43.57
Certainly not...
00:31:43.60\00:31:45.33
King James says, "God forbid. "
00:31:45.37\00:31:46.90
Now, many times, we might
not like to read that passage,
00:31:46.94\00:31:50.34
we say, "Well, Paul says
that we're all in grace. "
00:31:50.37\00:31:52.31
Absolutely... we are in grace.
00:31:52.34\00:31:54.11
But grace does not
give us a license for sin.
00:31:54.14\00:31:58.31
"Shall we continue in
sin that grace may abound?
00:31:58.35\00:32:01.55
Certainly not!
00:32:01.58\00:32:03.89
How shall we who died to
sin live any longer in it?"
00:32:03.95\00:32:09.92
So, how in the world are we
supposed to walk in holiness?
00:32:09.96\00:32:12.86
How do you walk in holiness?
00:32:12.89\00:32:14.83
This is always the
challenge in my life.
00:32:14.86\00:32:16.56
How do you walk in holiness
00:32:16.60\00:32:18.20
without it
degenerating back into legalism?
00:32:18.23\00:32:21.27
I don't want to
walk in legalism,
00:32:21.30\00:32:23.10
I don't want to go there
00:32:23.14\00:32:24.47
and yet, God calls me
to walk in holiness...
00:32:24.51\00:32:28.61
to grow in grace.
00:32:28.64\00:32:30.55
How am I supposed to do that?
00:32:30.58\00:32:33.35
I think the
difference is in the Master
00:32:33.38\00:32:37.52
that we choose to serve.
00:32:37.55\00:32:38.92
That makes all the difference.
00:32:38.95\00:32:40.62
Let's look at Romans chapter 6.
00:32:40.66\00:32:42.36
I think this is a
really powerful passage.
00:32:42.39\00:32:44.43
Romans chapter 6
00:32:44.49\00:32:46.19
verse 16...
00:32:46.23\00:32:50.33
"Do you not know that to
whom you present yourselves
00:32:50.37\00:32:52.30
slaves to obey,
00:32:52.33\00:32:53.67
you are that one's
slaves whom you obey,
00:32:53.70\00:32:56.91
whether of sin leading to death
00:32:56.97\00:32:59.34
or of obedience
leading to righteousness?"
00:32:59.37\00:33:02.94
Did you catch that?
00:33:02.98\00:33:04.45
That means, in the
morning, when you wake up,
00:33:04.48\00:33:06.15
you can say, "Yes
God, I want to follow You.
00:33:06.21\00:33:07.85
I want to give You my heart. "
00:33:07.88\00:33:09.82
Or you can say, "No,
I'm doing my own thing,
00:33:09.85\00:33:11.89
I'm going my own way...
00:33:11.92\00:33:13.25
I don't want to
walk with You just yet. "
00:33:13.29\00:33:17.43
And when we make a choice,
00:33:17.46\00:33:19.19
"Yes God, I want
You to live in Me... "
00:33:19.23\00:33:21.66
what happens?
00:33:21.70\00:33:23.03
If you flip over one chapter,
Romans chapter 7 is amazing.
00:33:23.06\00:33:25.60
This is that whole
conflict in the Christian's life
00:33:25.63\00:33:28.10
and what is that conflict?
00:33:28.14\00:33:29.47
That conflict is: Okay, I
know I'm supposed to do this,
00:33:29.50\00:33:32.11
this is righteous,
00:33:32.14\00:33:33.48
but I don't want to do it,
I want to do this over here...
00:33:33.51\00:33:35.24
and what I know I am
not supposed to do...
00:33:35.28\00:33:38.05
those are the
things that I'm doing.
00:33:38.08\00:33:39.91
This is the conflict... the
struggle in the Christian's life
00:33:39.95\00:33:43.79
between the flesh and the spirit
00:33:43.82\00:33:45.75
and Romans 7:17 says,
00:33:45.79\00:33:47.99
"It is no longer I who do
it, but sin that dwells in me. "
00:33:48.02\00:33:53.40
Did you catch that?
00:33:53.43\00:33:54.76
It's not me
doing the sinful acts,
00:33:54.80\00:33:56.36
it's because sin has
taken up residence in my heart.
00:33:56.40\00:34:00.97
By contrast, we look
at Galatians 2 verse 20.
00:34:01.00\00:34:04.77
"I have been
crucified with Christ;
00:34:04.81\00:34:07.01
and it's not I who live,
but Christ who lives in me. "
00:34:07.08\00:34:12.41
And then it goes on...
00:34:12.45\00:34:13.85
"the life I now live... I
live by faith in the Son of God,
00:34:13.88\00:34:16.22
who loved me and
gave Himself for me. "
00:34:16.28\00:34:18.65
But did you catch it?
00:34:18.69\00:34:20.02
It's not me who's
doing the good works,
00:34:20.06\00:34:22.26
it's because Christ has
taken up residence in me.
00:34:22.29\00:34:25.56
I believe that is the
difference between the legalist
00:34:25.59\00:34:28.83
and those who walk in grace.
00:34:28.86\00:34:30.40
We open up our heart and
when Christ lives in you,
00:34:30.47\00:34:33.90
you cannot help
but grow in grace.
00:34:33.94\00:34:37.47
You cannot help but
become more like Jesus.
00:34:37.51\00:34:41.38
Number 6: Grace leads to
love and forgiveness for others.
00:34:41.44\00:34:47.38
Colossians 3:12...
00:34:47.42\00:34:48.75
"as the elect of
God, holy and beloved,
00:34:48.78\00:34:50.99
put on tender mercies,
00:34:51.02\00:34:52.35
kindness, humility,
meekness, long suffering;
00:34:52.39\00:34:55.36
bearing with one another,
and forgiving one another,
00:34:55.39\00:34:58.69
if anyone has a
complaint against another;
00:34:58.73\00:35:01.06
even as Christ forgave
you, so you also must do. "
00:35:01.10\00:35:06.20
Have you met a
Seventh-day Adventist Christian
00:35:06.23\00:35:10.07
who does not live this verse?
00:35:10.11\00:35:12.41
I've been a Christian
who does not live this verse.
00:35:12.44\00:35:17.18
I want to tell you today,
00:35:17.21\00:35:18.55
if you claim the name of Jesus
00:35:18.58\00:35:21.15
and you claim to be a Christian
and you walk into church
00:35:21.18\00:35:25.39
and yet, you do
not love your brother,
00:35:25.42\00:35:27.72
you do not extend mercy
and grace and forgiveness...
00:35:27.76\00:35:31.03
if you do not... if you hold
on to bitterness and resentment,
00:35:31.06\00:35:35.36
you are not walking in grace.
00:35:35.43\00:35:38.60
You need to go
back to God and say,
00:35:38.63\00:35:41.04
"God, I want the first step
of grace and that is repentance.
00:35:41.07\00:35:44.41
would you take me
on a journey with You?"
00:35:44.44\00:35:47.28
Number 7: Grace leads
to motivation for service.
00:35:47.31\00:35:50.18
1 Corinthians 15 verse 10.
00:35:50.21\00:35:52.51
"but I labored more
abundantly than they all,
00:35:52.55\00:35:55.78
yet not I, but the grace
of God which was with me. "
00:35:55.82\00:35:58.55
Did you catch that?
00:35:58.59\00:35:59.92
It's not us saying,
"Well, we need to evangelize,
00:35:59.95\00:36:02.36
well, I guess we
need to go reach out
00:36:02.39\00:36:04.13
and help someone else. "
00:36:04.16\00:36:05.49
No, it is grace that
gives us a passion for the lost.
00:36:05.53\00:36:10.73
It is grace that leads us...
00:36:10.77\00:36:12.90
it leads us to evangelism.
00:36:12.93\00:36:14.97
Grace leads to repentance and
forgiveness and justification,
00:36:15.00\00:36:19.57
salvation, growth, holiness,
love and forgiveness for others
00:36:19.61\00:36:22.98
and motivation for service.
00:36:23.04\00:36:25.51
It was another Monday night
00:36:25.55\00:36:27.95
and I was at the
jail with my sisters
00:36:27.98\00:36:30.25
and I asked them,
00:36:30.29\00:36:31.62
"How many of you
have heard of the story
00:36:31.65\00:36:33.66
of Daniel in...
in the Lions' Den?"
00:36:33.69\00:36:35.76
And not one hand went up.
00:36:35.79\00:36:37.93
Just as I
launched into the story,
00:36:37.96\00:36:40.33
I heard a cry... there was a
woman screaming down the hall
00:36:40.36\00:36:43.16
and I didn't know what was
wrong and I asked the girls
00:36:43.20\00:36:45.93
and they said,
"Oh, that's Amber... "
00:36:45.97\00:36:48.14
that's not her
real name, by the way.
00:36:48.17\00:36:50.24
"She's crazy... she's
been in and out of jail
00:36:50.27\00:36:53.38
and she's in solitary
confinement down the hall...
00:36:53.41\00:36:56.68
and the study continued
and all I could think about
00:36:56.71\00:36:59.98
was... I want to
go pray with Amber...
00:37:00.02\00:37:03.02
why? Because
Amber... Amber needs Jesus
00:37:03.05\00:37:05.99
and we finished the Study
and I walked down the hall
00:37:06.05\00:37:11.13
and as I walked up
to Solitary Confinement,
00:37:11.16\00:37:13.83
in this jail,
there's a glass window
00:37:13.90\00:37:15.70
and then the little slot...
00:37:15.76\00:37:17.10
the tray where they put the food
00:37:17.13\00:37:18.73
and she saw me
coming and she said,
00:37:18.77\00:37:20.34
"Hey Lady, come over
here, I want to talk to you... "
00:37:20.37\00:37:23.14
and I walked right up
to the glass and I said,
00:37:23.17\00:37:25.44
"Hey Amber, my name is
Jill, I want to talk to you... "
00:37:25.47\00:37:28.54
and so we began to
talk and then I said,
00:37:28.58\00:37:32.25
"Amber, I'd really
like to pray for you.
00:37:32.28\00:37:34.38
Would you let me pray for you?"
00:37:34.42\00:37:36.82
And she began to get agitated
00:37:36.85\00:37:39.19
and she said, "I
don't need prayer...
00:37:39.22\00:37:40.82
I don't want prayer... oh Lady,
00:37:40.86\00:37:43.93
look at your teeth...
you have pretty teeth...
00:37:43.96\00:37:46.96
that's what I
want... teeth like that. "
00:37:47.00\00:37:48.96
And I said, "Amber, I'm so
sorry I can't give you my teeth
00:37:49.03\00:37:52.33
but we can talk to
the God of the universe
00:37:52.37\00:37:54.70
who can help you here
in Solitary Confinement.
00:37:54.74\00:37:57.04
He can make a
difference in your life. "
00:37:57.11\00:38:00.38
And she said, "All I
want is your teeth. "
00:38:00.41\00:38:03.65
And so, in
sorrow, I turned away.
00:38:03.71\00:38:06.15
We could have talked
to the Creator God...
00:38:06.21\00:38:08.52
the God who can do anything
00:38:08.55\00:38:10.02
and all she cared
about was my teeth
00:38:10.09\00:38:13.02
and as I drove home,
00:38:13.05\00:38:15.42
God reminded me in
the recesses of my heart
00:38:15.46\00:38:18.56
that I too have been like Amber.
00:38:18.59\00:38:21.23
I have prayed for teeth.
00:38:21.26\00:38:24.07
When have I faced a situation
where I needed to forgive...
00:38:24.10\00:38:28.67
where I needed to walk out of
my own prison house of addiction
00:38:28.70\00:38:33.24
or my own prison house of sin...
00:38:33.27\00:38:35.24
where I needed victory
over something in my life
00:38:35.31\00:38:38.08
and I thought if
I only try harder...
00:38:38.11\00:38:39.88
if I only do it
myself, I can gain the victory
00:38:39.91\00:38:44.15
not knowing that the
eternal Creator God was there
00:38:44.19\00:38:48.39
waiting with
open arms to help me.
00:38:48.42\00:38:52.19
I don't know what invisible
prison you are carrying today
00:38:52.26\00:38:56.70
that could be a
prison of doubt...
00:38:56.73\00:38:59.53
a prison of
shame... fear... guilt...
00:38:59.60\00:39:02.37
legalism...
00:39:02.40\00:39:03.81
whatever it is,
come to Him just now.
00:39:03.84\00:39:08.51
He says, "Whoever the Son
sets free... is free indeed. "
00:39:08.54\00:39:12.91
Give Him your heart.
00:39:12.95\00:39:15.58
As a sinner who
is saved by grace.
00:39:15.62\00:39:19.79
Piano...
00:39:19.82\00:39:27.43
If you could see
00:39:27.46\00:39:30.20
what I once was
00:39:30.27\00:39:32.93
If you could go with me
00:39:32.97\00:39:38.71
Back to where I started from
00:39:38.74\00:39:43.55
Then I know you would see
00:39:43.58\00:39:48.62
A miracle of love that
took me in its sweet embrace
00:39:48.65\00:39:58.39
And made me what I am today
00:39:58.43\00:40:07.60
A sinner saved
00:40:07.64\00:40:11.47
by grace.
00:40:11.51\00:40:16.81
I'm just a sinner
00:40:16.85\00:40:24.32
saved by grace
00:40:24.35\00:40:30.69
When I stood condemned to death
00:40:30.73\00:40:36.73
He took my place
00:40:36.77\00:40:43.34
Now I live and
breathe in freedom
00:40:43.37\00:40:50.35
With each breath of life I take
00:40:50.38\00:40:56.12
I'm loved and forgiven,
00:40:56.18\00:41:01.86
backed with a living
00:41:01.89\00:41:07.83
I'm just a sinner
00:41:07.86\00:41:13.57
saved by grace
00:41:13.60\00:41:21.54
Piano...
00:41:21.58\00:41:25.01
How could I boast of anything
00:41:25.05\00:41:32.29
I've ever seen or done?
00:41:32.32\00:41:39.19
How could I
dare to claim as mine
00:41:39.23\00:41:47.64
The victories God has won?
00:41:47.67\00:41:55.41
Where would I be
00:41:55.44\00:41:58.55
Had God not brought me
00:41:58.58\00:42:03.62
Gently to this place?
00:42:03.65\00:42:08.52
I'm here to say
00:42:08.56\00:42:12.43
I'm nothing but
00:42:12.46\00:42:16.10
a sinner saved
00:42:16.13\00:42:22.94
by grace
00:42:22.97\00:42:27.78
I'm just a sinner
00:42:27.81\00:42:33.98
saved by grace
00:42:34.02\00:42:40.86
When I stood condemned to death
00:42:40.89\00:42:47.00
He took my place
00:42:47.03\00:42:52.83
Now I live and
breathe in freedom
00:42:52.87\00:42:59.77
With each breath of life I take
00:42:59.81\00:43:05.21
I'm loved and forgiven
00:43:05.25\00:43:10.69
backed with a living
00:43:10.72\00:43:16.46
I'm just a sinner
00:43:16.49\00:43:21.60
saved by grace
00:43:21.63\00:43:28.17
Now I grow and
breathe in freedom
00:43:28.20\00:43:36.28
With each breath of life I take
00:43:36.31\00:43:41.82
I'm loved and forgiven
00:43:41.85\00:43:46.96
backed with a living
00:43:46.99\00:43:52.49
I'm just a sinner
00:43:52.53\00:43:57.50
saved
00:43:57.53\00:44:02.94
by grace
00:44:02.97\00:44:08.31
Saved by grace.
00:44:08.34\00:44:17.62
Jill: Amen, thank
you so much Tim and Ryan.
00:44:17.65\00:44:21.66
Are you grateful today
00:44:21.69\00:44:23.86
that you are a
sinner saved by grace?
00:44:23.89\00:44:27.40
Maybe you have
walked your whole life
00:44:27.43\00:44:30.17
not knowing if He
would accept you...
00:44:30.20\00:44:32.87
not knowing if you
could be good enough...
00:44:32.93\00:44:35.40
not knowing if you
were truly His child.
00:44:35.47\00:44:37.91
I want you to know right now
that the Lord Jesus loves you...
00:44:37.94\00:44:41.64
that He has arms open for you
00:44:41.71\00:44:44.81
and He says, "Would
you come home just now?
00:44:44.85\00:44:47.65
I will
receive... I will forgive...
00:44:47.68\00:44:50.62
I will cleanse...
00:44:50.65\00:44:51.99
I will empower
you to be my child. "
00:44:52.02\00:44:54.59