Thank you for joining us today.
00:00:29.37\00:00:31.43
We're gonna have
a good time again
00:00:31.44\00:00:33.50
looking at God's word together.
00:00:33.51\00:00:36.28
I 'm Dale Leamon, a pastor
from Battle Creek, Michigan.
00:00:36.29\00:00:41.35
And happy to be
working with 3ABN today.
00:00:41.36\00:00:45.36
But before we
start studying together,
00:00:45.37\00:00:47.34
let's have a word of prayer.
00:00:47.35\00:00:48.49
Father in heaven, we
rejoice in your word,
00:00:49.87\00:00:52.70
thank you for
giving us the truth
00:00:52.71\00:00:54.05
by which we may be set free.
00:00:54.06\00:00:56.72
We pray that as we study,
00:00:56.73\00:00:57.79
your Spirit will be
our guide, our teacher.
00:00:57.80\00:01:00.82
Father, please use me
and let me be an instrument
00:01:00.83\00:01:04.35
to lead others to know you and
love you, in Jesus name, amen.
00:01:04.36\00:01:08.65
The commandments
have been our study,
00:01:10.93\00:01:14.42
but we're looking at them
as promises not thou shalt not,
00:01:14.43\00:01:18.90
but thou shalt not any longer
because I have set you free.
00:01:18.91\00:01:24.27
What a tremendous
difference it makes?
00:01:24.28\00:01:26.54
Actually God never intended that
00:01:26.55\00:01:28.64
his commandments
would condemn people.
00:01:28.65\00:01:31.93
No, commandments condemn sin,
00:01:31.94\00:01:34.97
but it wasn't God's
intention to condemn the sinner.
00:01:34.98\00:01:38.38
Because God understands that
00:01:38.39\00:01:40.38
we didn't choose
to be born sinners.
00:01:40.39\00:01:42.80
The sinner is given the
privilege of seeing the law
00:01:44.66\00:01:48.65
as a promise of the
life that God will give him
00:01:48.66\00:01:53.89
as he has restored
to the image of God.
00:01:53.90\00:01:58.15
Of course the law
points are our shortcomings
00:01:58.16\00:02:00.72
by the very fact that
it shows us what God will
00:02:00.73\00:02:04.33
and give us and
has given us in Christ.
00:02:04.34\00:02:07.83
It also points out what
we haven't yet appropriated.
00:02:07.84\00:02:11.12
What we don't yet
have in moral perfection.
00:02:11.13\00:02:14.18
So we feel like the
law is condemning us,
00:02:14.19\00:02:17.74
although in fact that's
not God's purpose in it because
00:02:17.75\00:02:21.69
Christ himself has already born
all the condemnation of the law.
00:02:21.70\00:02:28.85
If there was any condemnation
even aimed at us at all,
00:02:28.86\00:02:33.31
it's been taken by Jesus.
00:02:33.32\00:02:36.84
He came to relieve
us of that whole burden,
00:02:36.85\00:02:39.70
a burden we could not bear.
00:02:39.71\00:02:42.82
And we have in several
scriptures to show with you,
00:02:42.83\00:02:45.64
to show how Jesus literally
received upon his innocent back
00:02:45.65\00:02:53.18
the weight of the judgment that
the law pronounced against us.
00:02:53.19\00:02:59.04
I am sharing this with
you because I want to give you
00:02:59.05\00:03:01.06
one more reason not to dread
the law, not to fear the law,
00:03:01.07\00:03:04.77
not to be driven
away from the love of God
00:03:04.78\00:03:09.49
by any negative
interpretation of God's law.
00:03:09.50\00:03:14.74
It's no longer has any
condemning power over us
00:03:14.75\00:03:19.29
because Christ has
borne all the condemnation.
00:03:19.30\00:03:23.15
Let's look at
Romans 5 and Verse 20,
00:03:23.16\00:03:28.29
"Moreover the law entered
that the offense might abound.
00:03:28.30\00:03:33.73
But where sin abounded,
grace abounded much more."
00:03:33.74\00:03:39.81
So we see that the law is given
in order to make our offense
00:03:39.82\00:03:47.27
or our disease, our sin,
affliction more apparent.
00:03:47.28\00:03:51.60
It does do that,
shows us what we lack
00:03:51.61\00:03:54.66
but where our sin abounds,
grace much more abounds.
00:03:54.67\00:03:57.70
So God's intention also to
encourage us through the law
00:03:57.71\00:04:02.20
that He had the
power even in the phase
00:04:02.21\00:04:04.57
of our tremendous failing,
He has the power of victory
00:04:04.58\00:04:10.07
through Christ and His
grace much more abounds
00:04:10.08\00:04:14.41
since His
forgiveness much more abounds.
00:04:14.42\00:04:16.81
John, Chapter 5 and Verse
24, let's read that together.
00:04:16.82\00:04:22.89
"Most assuredly, I say
to you, he who hears My word
00:04:24.19\00:04:27.41
and believes in Him who
sent Me has everlasting life,
00:04:27.42\00:04:31.85
and shall not come into,"
in the old King James it says
00:04:31.86\00:04:36.10
"condemnation, but has
passed from death into life,"
00:04:36.11\00:04:41.49
has not come into judgment.
00:04:41.50\00:04:43.48
In other words, again
the condemnation of the law
00:04:43.49\00:04:49.57
has already been
removed from those
00:04:49.58\00:04:52.11
who have faith in Jesus Christ.
00:04:52.12\00:04:53.75
What faith? Well, obviously,
00:04:53.76\00:04:55.43
that Jesus himself has
borne in the condemnation.
00:04:55.44\00:04:58.51
So all the
condemnation and judgment
00:04:58.52\00:05:00.77
of the law has
been removed from us.
00:05:00.78\00:05:04.19
If we just put
our faith in Jesus,
00:05:04.20\00:05:05.74
imagine that, what a
trade, the whole weight of guilt
00:05:05.75\00:05:09.85
has taken off of me and the law
then becomes my friend, my ally.
00:05:09.86\00:05:17.28
Romans 5:18, and all just
because I put faith in Jesus,
00:05:17.29\00:05:25.69
Jesus did all the hard work.
00:05:25.70\00:05:27.39
Let's read Verse 18,
"Therefore, as through one man's
00:05:27.40\00:05:32.35
offense
judgment came to all men,
00:05:32.36\00:05:35.31
resulting in
condemnation, even so through
00:05:35.32\00:05:38.28
one Man's righteous act
the free gift came to all men,
00:05:38.29\00:05:43.12
resulting in
justification of life."
00:05:43.13\00:05:45.80
That's another great
theological statement,
00:05:45.81\00:05:47.79
you see as through
Adam, he is the first one man
00:05:47.80\00:05:52.06
in this world, as through Adam
00:05:52.07\00:05:53.87
all of us were
brought into disobedience
00:05:53.88\00:05:56.55
and all of us were
brought into a carnal situation
00:05:56.56\00:05:59.82
where sin was, you
know, our basic nature.
00:05:59.83\00:06:03.80
So through Christ, we're
all brought into justification.
00:06:03.81\00:06:10.07
We're justified.
We're made straight.
00:06:10.08\00:06:12.24
We're straight in God. Of
course, we're forgiven first.
00:06:12.25\00:06:15.36
So condemnation came
without any choice of yours,
00:06:15.37\00:06:19.44
automatically just by
being brought into this race
00:06:19.45\00:06:21.75
through Adam,
but through Christ,
00:06:21.76\00:06:23.59
just as automatically
without any choice on your part,
00:06:23.60\00:06:26.16
just because you
are a human being,
00:06:26.17\00:06:28.85
justification has come upon you.
00:06:28.86\00:06:31.24
Ah, it sounds like everybody
should be saved and doesn't it?
00:06:31.25\00:06:34.32
I wish everybody were.
00:06:34.33\00:06:36.46
Of course, some people
refuse to believe Jesus,
00:06:36.47\00:06:38.64
refuse to believe that He
has actually come as a savior
00:06:38.65\00:06:42.12
and son of God
and borne their sins.
00:06:42.13\00:06:44.80
So for them, even though
the justification is there,
00:06:44.81\00:06:47.65
it's there for
every man it says,
00:06:47.66\00:06:50.67
it doesn't do
them any good, does it?
00:06:50.68\00:06:52.68
As they don't believe.
00:06:52.69\00:06:54.53
Oh, what a privilege
we have of believing today
00:06:54.54\00:06:56.40
and I hope you'll
just put your trust
00:06:56.41\00:06:57.78
in Jesus and say, I do believe.
00:06:57.79\00:06:59.45
I'm a sinner, I'm filthy,
00:06:59.46\00:07:01.71
I've just broken
every commandment there is,
00:07:01.72\00:07:04.34
but yet I believe that
I'm justified in Christ.
00:07:04.35\00:07:08.09
What a fantastic
privilege that is,
00:07:08.10\00:07:09.75
don't turn away from
that, that's not cheap grace,
00:07:09.76\00:07:12.01
that's the real gospel.
00:07:12.02\00:07:14.09
It's not the end of the gospel,
but it's the real gospel.
00:07:14.10\00:07:17.34
We're all justified
through Jesus Christ.
00:07:17.35\00:07:20.14
Romans 8:1, "There is
therefore now no condemnation
00:07:20.15\00:07:27.54
to those who
are in Christ Jesus,
00:07:27.55\00:07:30.02
who do not walk
according to the flesh,
00:07:30.03\00:07:31.44
but according to the Spirit."
00:07:31.45\00:07:33.31
The condemnation
that we felt before
00:07:33.32\00:07:35.88
is removed
because we are in Christ.
00:07:35.89\00:07:41.27
In other words, we've
put our faith in Christ,
00:07:41.28\00:07:43.04
we've chosen to
give our lives to Christ,
00:07:43.05\00:07:44.80
and so all the condemnation
has been taken away.
00:07:44.81\00:07:48.77
You know, Jesus has
actually borne the condemnation
00:07:48.78\00:07:50.99
for all the sins of
the past and the present
00:07:51.00\00:07:53.07
and even of the future.
00:07:53.08\00:07:55.46
So we do not fear
though we're so happy
00:07:55.47\00:07:58.46
that the Lord is
leading us into obedience.
00:07:58.47\00:08:01.35
We do not tremble
and fear about salvation
00:08:01.36\00:08:04.57
because the condemnation
has all been removed already.
00:08:04.58\00:08:07.79
We don't have to convince Jesus.
00:08:07.80\00:08:09.27
Oh, please take away my
sins, He's already done it.
00:08:09.28\00:08:11.81
We don't have to fear anymore.
00:08:13.23\00:08:16.80
No condemnation to
those who are in Christ Jesus.
00:08:16.81\00:08:19.68
Jesus took all the condemnation.
00:08:19.69\00:08:21.38
Why did he take
all the condemnation?
00:08:21.39\00:08:23.69
What a terrible price?
00:08:23.70\00:08:26.02
Jesus felt the burden of
the sins of the whole world.
00:08:26.03\00:08:31.02
We can say
those words so easily,
00:08:31.03\00:08:33.96
but how can we
possibly understand them.
00:08:33.97\00:08:37.50
There have been days
when I wasn't justified.
00:08:37.51\00:08:39.55
Oh, not because Jesus failed me,
but because my faith failed me
00:08:39.56\00:08:42.90
and I was
carrying all my own sins.
00:08:44.06\00:08:46.08
I felt the burden
of them, believe me.
00:08:46.09\00:08:48.12
So discouraging I didn't
even want to go on living,
00:08:48.13\00:08:50.70
but I was only
carrying my own sins.
00:08:50.71\00:08:54.85
And Jesus
carried the condemnation
00:08:54.86\00:08:58.45
of the whole planet.
00:08:58.46\00:09:02.03
Cannot fathom what that means,
but little wonder He dreaded
00:09:02.04\00:09:06.46
drinking that cup and said,
00:09:06.47\00:09:09.09
oh, father isn't
there some other way?
00:09:09.10\00:09:12.62
Let this cup pass from me.
00:09:12.63\00:09:14.08
Well, he took it, he
drank it and it was so bitter.
00:09:16.34\00:09:21.85
Notice Jesus condemnation,
He took the condemnation.
00:09:21.86\00:09:25.07
Matthew,
Chapter 20 and Verse 18.
00:09:25.08\00:09:28.99
Jesus predicts something will
happen in the next few days.
00:09:29.00\00:09:33.25
"Behold, we are
going up to Jerusalem,
00:09:33.26\00:09:36.09
and the Son of Man will be
betrayed to the chief priests
00:09:36.10\00:09:40.62
and to the scribes, and
they will condemn Him to death."
00:09:40.63\00:09:48.70
So Jesus felt that
condemnation coming.
00:09:48.71\00:09:52.34
Condemnation from the
scribes and the priests.
00:09:52.35\00:09:54.12
These were the
leaders of Israel.
00:09:54.13\00:09:55.27
These were the people
who transferred the sin
00:09:55.28\00:09:59.02
of the penitent over
to their innocent lamb
00:09:59.03\00:10:03.95
and the words would be prophetic
as they would condemn Jesus.
00:10:03.96\00:10:07.80
Because He is the lamb
and now the sins of all
00:10:07.81\00:10:10.89
the penitents are transferred
to Him by the very priests
00:10:10.90\00:10:16.92
who have been
ordained to do that work,
00:10:16.93\00:10:20.28
but they little
understood what they were doing,
00:10:20.29\00:10:22.21
as they laid the sins
of the world at His feet.
00:10:23.57\00:10:27.83
Mark 14, a similar passage,
now the priests are talking
00:10:27.84\00:10:35.56
to Him and they say in verse 64,
00:10:35.57\00:10:40.62
"You have heard the
blasphemy! What do you think?
00:10:40.63\00:10:44.50
And they all condemned
Him to be deserving of death."
00:10:44.51\00:10:49.49
And so Jesus words of prophecy
became fact and He experienced
00:10:49.50\00:10:56.78
the bitter
condemnation of the priests,
00:10:56.79\00:10:59.77
as they accused
Him of blasphemy.
00:10:59.78\00:11:01.95
Well, the iniquity of our
soul was to be laid on Him.
00:11:03.87\00:11:07.12
The prophet Isaiah
said, what a relief it is
00:11:07.13\00:11:11.58
just to have that
taken off our backs.
00:11:11.59\00:11:14.26
Everybody knows, John 3:16,
00:11:14.27\00:11:17.55
but many fewer
people can quote John 3:17.
00:11:17.56\00:11:22.43
However, it's equally
important. Let's read it.
00:11:22.44\00:11:27.41
"For God did not send
His Son into the world
00:11:27.44\00:11:30.19
to condemn the
world, but that the world
00:11:30.20\00:11:34.39
through Him might be saved."
00:11:34.40\00:11:37.04
It was not Jesus
mission to condemn the world.
00:11:37.05\00:11:41.34
It was Jesus
mission to save the world.
00:11:41.35\00:11:45.35
So when Jesus came, he
was a friend of sinners.
00:11:45.36\00:11:48.97
He ate dinner with publicans.
00:11:48.98\00:11:51.56
He had adulteress
persons in his retinue.
00:11:51.57\00:11:57.91
He had tax
collectors for disciples.
00:11:57.92\00:12:02.42
He did not condemn
sinners, he loved sinners.
00:12:02.43\00:12:08.26
He only condemned sin.
00:12:08.27\00:12:12.02
See Jesus attitude towards sin
00:12:12.03\00:12:15.54
was the attitude of a
doctor toward disease.
00:12:15.55\00:12:21.65
A doctor if he has
any bedside manner at all
00:12:21.66\00:12:25.24
does not criticize the
patient for being sick.
00:12:25.25\00:12:28.64
He doesn't say shame
on you for being ill,
00:12:30.51\00:12:34.15
but he does of course
hate the disease and he puts
00:12:34.16\00:12:36.94
all of his energy and
effort into healing the disease
00:12:36.95\00:12:39.40
and saving the
person, so was Jesus.
00:12:39.41\00:12:43.25
He put all of His
efforts into healing the disease
00:12:43.26\00:12:49.36
and had no condemnation
for the sinner whatever.
00:12:49.37\00:12:52.20
You know the wonderful
story, John, the 8 Chapter,
00:12:52.21\00:12:55.62
where the woman has been
brought to Him in condemnation.
00:12:57.45\00:13:01.06
They say that she was caught
in the very act of adultery.
00:13:01.07\00:13:06.39
Moses said we should
stone people who do that.
00:13:06.40\00:13:08.90
What do you say?
00:13:08.91\00:13:10.50
And Jesus begins writing
in the dust of the stones
00:13:10.51\00:13:13.39
at the temple courtyard.
00:13:13.40\00:13:16.41
Even then He doesn't
even condemn her accuses,
00:13:16.42\00:13:18.51
He could say well you hypocrites
00:13:18.52\00:13:19.97
what right you
have to bring her here.
00:13:19.98\00:13:21.42
You're worse than she
is, but He doesn't do that.
00:13:21.43\00:13:24.42
He writes
secretly on the ground,
00:13:24.43\00:13:27.87
their sins and then
erases them so that only the man
00:13:27.88\00:13:31.80
who is guilty
sees his own record
00:13:31.81\00:13:34.43
and then as he leaves
the next and the next.
00:13:34.44\00:13:36.54
Finally there's
no one left standing
00:13:36.55\00:13:38.72
there to condemn the woman.
00:13:38.73\00:13:41.78
And Jesus asked her,
is anybody condemning you
00:13:41.79\00:13:45.42
and we have her answer
in John 8 and Verse 11.
00:13:45.43\00:13:49.35
"She said, No one,
Lord.' And Jesus said to her,
00:13:49.36\00:13:57.16
'Neither do I condemn
you, go and sin no more.'"
00:13:57.17\00:14:04.55
Don't you love those words?
00:14:04.56\00:14:07.78
Caught in the very
act and yet not condemned.
00:14:07.79\00:14:13.24
The sin was condemned.
00:14:13.25\00:14:15.10
Jesus called sin by its name
and he didn't condemn the world.
00:14:15.11\00:14:18.77
In fact, he liberated
her because He has gained
00:14:20.41\00:14:24.64
the victory in the
seventh commandment
00:14:24.65\00:14:28.05
and He gave her that
promise, go and sin no more.
00:14:28.06\00:14:30.85
It was a promise, it sounds
like a command, doesn't it?
00:14:30.86\00:14:33.12
Well, it was a
command, but in the command
00:14:33.13\00:14:34.69
there is a promise because
all His biddings are enablings
00:14:34.70\00:14:37.12
and His word has
greater power in it
00:14:37.13\00:14:40.26
and she went forth
from that place victorious.
00:14:40.27\00:14:43.69
She felt his transforming
love. How fantastic.
00:14:46.28\00:14:51.10
Then to look at the
commandments as promises,
00:14:51.11\00:14:55.38
not as something that
has intended to condemn us,
00:14:55.39\00:14:58.61
but something that
has intended to help us,
00:14:58.62\00:15:02.76
to make us look
forward to all that
00:15:02.77\00:15:05.39
is available to us
by the grace of God.
00:15:05.40\00:15:08.66
Even though Jesus doesn't
condemn us for being sinners,
00:15:08.67\00:15:11.14
he does very accurately diagnose
00:15:13.50\00:15:16.97
the depth of our sin disease.
00:15:16.98\00:15:19.87
He looks right into
our hearts and he sees
00:15:19.88\00:15:22.61
every inroad that
the cancer has made.
00:15:22.62\00:15:27.89
He sees every cell
that has been deformed
00:15:27.90\00:15:32.52
and that's probably very true
folks because it seems the sin
00:15:32.53\00:15:36.14
is very much a cellular thing
within our minds and our bodies
00:15:36.15\00:15:40.67
and has corrupted the way every
organ of our body functions
00:15:40.68\00:15:44.58
and also especially our
minds so that our thoughts
00:15:44.59\00:15:48.35
are not pure and not
under control of reason
00:15:48.36\00:15:53.21
as they should be, so He
sees the evil inclinations
00:15:53.22\00:15:58.67
of our selfishness
and He sees that this has
00:15:58.68\00:16:01.33
permeated the depths of
our mind and taken control
00:16:01.34\00:16:04.18
of our thoughts
so that every thought
00:16:04.19\00:16:06.55
we have is more
or less perverted.
00:16:06.56\00:16:11.41
So that even our
righteousness is as filthy rags.
00:16:11.42\00:16:14.66
He sees that and
still doesn't condemn us,
00:16:16.05\00:16:19.56
but He sees that great
truth and He knows that
00:16:19.57\00:16:22.35
in order to be saved, we
must have a brain surgery.
00:16:22.36\00:16:30.27
We must have the
terrible perversion
00:16:30.28\00:16:34.82
of our thoughts weeded out.
00:16:34.83\00:16:38.66
By His grace He's received
our condemnation on Himself.
00:16:38.67\00:16:42.08
By His grace He's forgiven us.
00:16:42.09\00:16:43.46
By His grace He's reconciled
us to our Heavenly Father.
00:16:43.47\00:16:46.71
And by His grace
He's justified us.
00:16:46.72\00:16:51.49
And so we will all
experience those of us
00:16:51.50\00:16:54.47
who continue to hold
on to Jesus by faith.
00:16:54.48\00:16:56.72
We will all experience this
time when last the perversion
00:16:56.73\00:17:01.73
of the disease that has grasped
our minds would be relieved.
00:17:01.74\00:17:07.24
Did you know that even
the promise of brain surgery
00:17:07.25\00:17:10.12
is found in the
Ten Commandments?
00:17:10.13\00:17:11.76
That is right. All
these beautiful promises
00:17:11.77\00:17:14.59
we find in the Ten Commandments
and the one that we need
00:17:14.60\00:17:19.08
and the most elementary
need, we've seen that,
00:17:19.09\00:17:22.08
we can have victory through
Christ in all these areas
00:17:22.09\00:17:24.10
and all these commandments
are promises of victory,
00:17:24.11\00:17:26.86
but the tenth commandment
promises brain surgery
00:17:26.87\00:17:32.38
or mind
transformation. That's right.
00:17:32.39\00:17:37.82
We need to go back and
look at the tenth commandment
00:17:37.83\00:17:43.56
and see exactly
what the promise is.
00:17:43.57\00:17:49.51
Shall we read it?
Exodus 20 and verse 17,
00:17:49.52\00:17:54.07
"You shall not covet
your neighbor's house,
00:17:54.08\00:17:57.78
you shall not covet
your neighbor's wife,
00:17:57.79\00:17:59.96
nor his male servant,
nor his female servant,
00:17:59.97\00:18:02.94
nor his ox, nor his donkey,
00:18:02.95\00:18:05.76
nor anything that
is your neighbor's."
00:18:05.77\00:18:10.03
Wait a minute, you may
say I didn't hear anything
00:18:10.04\00:18:12.34
about brain
transplant there, mind overhaul,
00:18:12.35\00:18:17.06
I hear about not
coveting somebody's donkey.
00:18:17.07\00:18:20.39
Ah, but you see, when you
really look at this commandment,
00:18:20.40\00:18:24.08
this commandment
is about thoughts,
00:18:24.09\00:18:28.57
it's about sin that
takes place in the head,
00:18:28.58\00:18:30.96
is not what coveting is,
coveting isn't doing anything,
00:18:30.97\00:18:34.43
coveting is thinking something.
00:18:34.44\00:18:37.88
It's thinking the wrong thing.
00:18:37.89\00:18:38.89
It's thinking I want something
that God doesn't want for me.
00:18:38.90\00:18:45.12
I want
something that isn't mine.
00:18:45.13\00:18:47.05
I want something
that God has not given me.
00:18:47.06\00:18:50.07
Eve coveted the fruit on
the tree before she took it.
00:18:50.08\00:18:53.43
Every sin starts with coveting.
00:18:54.96\00:18:57.34
It starts in the brain,
it starts with a thought.
00:18:57.35\00:19:00.99
Yes, I know I'm married.
00:19:01.00\00:19:02.05
Yes, I know
this is a commandment
00:19:02.06\00:19:03.28
about adultery, but I want.
00:19:03.29\00:19:07.82
That's the covetous thought
that leads to the transgression,
00:19:07.83\00:19:11.65
but you see the covetous
thought is already sin, it is.
00:19:11.66\00:19:16.09
It's given in
the Ten Commandments
00:19:16.10\00:19:17.89
as the tenth
because God knew that
00:19:17.90\00:19:21.65
before we could
really be free from sin,
00:19:21.66\00:19:23.83
we would have to have our
heads changed, in other words,
00:19:23.84\00:19:25.67
we would have to have
all the wrong thoughts,
00:19:25.68\00:19:29.39
the wrong desires,
the wrong yearnings,
00:19:29.40\00:19:32.14
the wrong attitudes that have
to be taken out of our minds.
00:19:32.15\00:19:35.71
And so He included that
in His commandments too,
00:19:35.72\00:19:37.69
because He knew we
couldn't change our thoughts.
00:19:37.70\00:19:40.72
Isn't that evidence right there
00:19:40.73\00:19:41.79
that the
commandments are promises?
00:19:41.80\00:19:44.30
Can a man change the
desires of his heart?
00:19:44.31\00:19:47.15
Oh, he can stubbornly say,
00:19:47.16\00:19:49.60
well, I'm just not
gonna do it, no matter what.
00:19:49.61\00:19:52.75
He might do that if
he's got a strong will,
00:19:52.76\00:19:56.91
but actually change the thought
of itself by his own will.
00:19:56.92\00:20:02.17
No, we can't do
that, but God can do it.
00:20:02.18\00:20:07.51
You know, Christ never
even sinned by a thought.
00:20:07.52\00:20:09.53
Imagine that. Not
even by a thought,
00:20:09.54\00:20:11.17
not once from
childhood, through teenage,
00:20:11.18\00:20:13.05
through young
adulthood, through middle age,
00:20:13.06\00:20:15.20
He never sinned even by a
thought and so He is going
00:20:15.21\00:20:19.43
to give us the tenth
commandment as a promise.
00:20:19.44\00:20:22.23
Our desires will all be
changed, everything we think
00:20:23.98\00:20:27.29
and want will be brought into
harmony with the mind of God.
00:20:27.30\00:20:33.59
So that we will both will
00:20:33.60\00:20:36.55
as Paul says
and do His goodwill.
00:20:36.56\00:20:42.65
Well, there was a
time when the apostle Paul
00:20:42.68\00:20:44.57
believed himself to be perfect.
00:20:44.58\00:20:46.72
He states that in his
own testimony about his life,
00:20:46.73\00:20:50.10
he said that he was a
Pharisee of the Pharisees.
00:20:50.11\00:20:52.48
He was the most successful
Pharisee alive at that time
00:20:52.49\00:20:56.01
and he really
regarded himself as perfect.
00:20:56.02\00:20:57.67
He was keeping
all the commandments
00:20:57.68\00:21:00.16
and then he discovered
one he had overlooked.
00:21:00.17\00:21:06.29
Romans Chapter 7, Verse
7, "What shall we say then?
00:21:06.30\00:21:13.61
Is the law sin? Certainly not!
00:21:13.62\00:21:16.08
On the contrary I
would not have known
00:21:16.09\00:21:18.58
sin except through the law.
00:21:18.59\00:21:22.55
For I would not
have known covetousness
00:21:22.56\00:21:25.26
unless the law had
said, you shall not covet.'"
00:21:25.27\00:21:31.18
Oh Paul, he didn't even know
he was a sinner until he saw
00:21:31.19\00:21:36.58
the law and what
law in particular
00:21:36.59\00:21:39.11
that was that convicted him.
00:21:39.12\00:21:41.58
Oh, not the law about stealing,
he never stole anything.
00:21:41.59\00:21:43.80
Killing, he
never killed anybody.
00:21:43.81\00:21:45.12
Breaking the Sabbath, he never
broke a Sabbath in his life.
00:21:45.13\00:21:47.07
Now there was a law that said
don't covet and as he pondered
00:21:47.08\00:21:53.68
that he realized
that he did have desires.
00:21:53.69\00:22:00.24
Oh, he was strong
willed, he could say no to them,
00:22:00.25\00:22:02.36
but he did have desires
that were not in harmony
00:22:02.37\00:22:07.72
with the expressed will of
God and he suddenly discovered
00:22:07.73\00:22:12.18
to his own amazement
that he was a sinner.
00:22:12.19\00:22:16.06
Paul, the Pharisee
discovered that he was a sinner
00:22:16.07\00:22:21.83
because his mind
hadn't been transformed.
00:22:21.84\00:22:25.39
No wonder Jesus
looked at the Pharisee named
00:22:25.40\00:22:27.22
Nicodemus and said,
you've got to be born again.
00:22:27.23\00:22:30.40
You're great man,
you do everything right,
00:22:30.41\00:22:31.96
but your head
needs to be changed.
00:22:31.97\00:22:35.51
You need a new heart. You've got
to be made pure from the inside.
00:22:35.52\00:22:42.01
Well, thank God,
that's exactly what
00:22:42.02\00:22:44.54
we're promised
through the new covenant.
00:22:44.55\00:22:48.09
Let's look at
this great promise,
00:22:48.10\00:22:51.05
Hebrews 8 and Verse 10,
"For this is the covenant
00:22:51.06\00:22:58.19
that I will make
with the house of Israel
00:22:58.20\00:23:00.27
after those days, says the Lord.
00:23:00.28\00:23:04.55
I will put My laws in their mind
and write them on their hearts,
00:23:04.56\00:23:10.31
and I will be their God,
and they shall be My people."
00:23:10.32\00:23:12.51
There it is
friends, the new covenant.
00:23:14.03\00:23:16.28
You see, it's the same law,
00:23:17.82\00:23:20.75
but where it was
written on stones,
00:23:20.76\00:23:24.45
now it is written in
our mind and in our heart
00:23:24.46\00:23:30.17
and so the law is
still a good thing.
00:23:30.18\00:23:34.76
It's a promise of
the way we will live
00:23:36.81\00:23:39.68
when the Lord transforms
our mind in our heart.
00:23:39.69\00:23:44.09
He's doing it. He's
doing it piece by piece.
00:23:44.10\00:23:46.96
Sanctification is a
growth process, but oh,
00:23:46.97\00:23:49.78
how we longed for the conclusion
of the whole matter, don't we?
00:23:49.79\00:23:52.66
the time when
we're just like Jesus
00:23:52.67\00:23:55.38
and His promise is
absolute sure, He will do it.
00:23:55.39\00:23:59.37
He will have a people
who are no longer children,
00:23:59.38\00:24:02.16
tossed to and fro by
every wind of doctrine,
00:24:02.17\00:24:04.21
but who speak the truth
and love and who have grown up
00:24:04.22\00:24:08.55
into the fullness of
the stature of Christ,
00:24:08.56\00:24:11.80
His promises are
absolute. He'll do it.
00:24:11.81\00:24:14.52
It's not our
work, it's His work.
00:24:14.53\00:24:17.11
Well, how can Jesus give us
00:24:17.12\00:24:18.68
this experience of
the tenth commandment?
00:24:18.69\00:24:22.84
It's very clear
because Jesus Himself
00:24:22.85\00:24:27.39
has won the
victory, not by a thought.
00:24:27.40\00:24:32.57
Did he
contemplate moving aside from
00:24:32.58\00:24:38.38
God's Holy will for
Himself and for His future?
00:24:38.39\00:24:43.19
Jesus was tempted, believe me.
00:24:43.20\00:24:48.06
He was tempted
to wrong thoughts.
00:24:48.07\00:24:51.25
The devil attacked him with
every possible wrong thought,
00:24:51.26\00:24:53.77
thoughts of jealousy,
thoughts of vengeance,
00:24:53.78\00:24:56.04
thoughts of
anger, thoughts of lust,
00:24:56.05\00:24:59.29
thoughts of appetite,
they all assailed Him.
00:24:59.30\00:25:03.46
Jesus could have had anything
00:25:05.45\00:25:09.48
because He had the
power to take it, didn't he?
00:25:09.49\00:25:12.31
And so that made His
temptations even stronger.
00:25:12.32\00:25:16.18
But even though Satan
planted these thoughts
00:25:16.19\00:25:18.70
in his brain momentarily,
he never entertained them.
00:25:18.71\00:25:23.64
Jesus could have
made gold from rocks.
00:25:27.71\00:25:32.37
He proved that He
could make wine from water.
00:25:32.38\00:25:35.93
He could draw fish out of
the sea just by calling them.
00:25:35.94\00:25:40.52
Women flocked to him and
He could have abused them,
00:25:40.53\00:25:44.87
but He never even
considered it for a moment
00:25:46.58\00:25:51.63
because He loved them too much.
00:25:51.64\00:25:53.82
He love them with a real love
00:25:53.83\00:25:55.30
that puts other people
first and oneself last.
00:25:55.31\00:25:59.50
Oh, Jesus had
such a perfect mind,
00:25:59.51\00:26:01.60
such a perfect heart,
isn't that what we want?
00:26:01.61\00:26:04.61
The devil came to
Him and the wilderness
00:26:04.62\00:26:06.31
and said make
these stones into bread
00:26:06.32\00:26:11.98
and Jesus didn't delay a moment.
00:26:11.99\00:26:14.23
He said it's written, He
didn't have to think about it
00:26:14.24\00:26:18.56
and ponder how
good they might taste
00:26:18.57\00:26:20.27
if he would do that miracle.
00:26:20.28\00:26:23.20
When Satan came and
said jump off this pinnacle,
00:26:23.21\00:26:26.80
He didn't have to consider it.
00:26:26.81\00:26:29.47
He said it is written.
The will of God is this.
00:26:29.48\00:26:34.20
I'll covet
anything you have to offer.
00:26:34.21\00:26:37.64
When Satan said,
if you wish at me
00:26:37.65\00:26:40.05
all the nations of
the earth will be yours,
00:26:40.06\00:26:43.46
not for a moment
did Jesus falter,
00:26:43.47\00:26:46.16
there was no
pondering the pros and cons.
00:26:46.17\00:26:50.63
He knew the father's will.
00:26:50.64\00:26:52.30
He said, get
thee behind me, Satan.
00:26:52.31\00:26:56.35
Jesus did not ever
covet anything that the father
00:26:56.36\00:27:02.38
had not given him and
that's the way we want to be.
00:27:02.39\00:27:05.70
Oh, friends, we need
to have our minds changed,
00:27:05.71\00:27:08.42
unless they're changed we
are not even gonna like heaven,
00:27:08.43\00:27:10.88
we've got to be redone
from the inside out so that
00:27:10.89\00:27:14.02
we like being holy, so
that we like being pure
00:27:14.03\00:27:17.16
all the time so we won't miss
anything evils of this world,
00:27:17.17\00:27:19.96
so our hearts
will never be jealous.
00:27:19.97\00:27:21.63
We won't look at the
other saints in heaven
00:27:21.64\00:27:25.14
and wish we had as many
stars in our crown as they have.
00:27:25.15\00:27:28.85
We need that new
un-covetous heart,
00:27:28.86\00:27:32.33
the promise of
the tenth commandment
00:27:32.34\00:27:34.53
has been
fulfilled by Jesus Christ
00:27:34.54\00:27:37.12
and it's impossible
that any word should
00:27:37.13\00:27:39.04
go out of his mouth
and we turn to him void.
00:27:39.05\00:27:41.85
Jesus has completed
it. It's all done in Him.
00:27:41.86\00:27:46.05
If you feel that your
thoughts, if you sense,
00:27:46.06\00:27:50.37
if you know the truth that
your thoughts are still impure,
00:27:50.38\00:27:54.80
claim the victory that Jesus has
won in the tenth commandment.
00:27:54.81\00:27:58.98