Hello, friends, grab your Bible
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and a friend and sit back
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as we explore
God's word together
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on this edition of House Calls.
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Hello, friends,
welcome to a wonderful day
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as God has given all of us life
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to enjoy this day together.
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And we are thankful that
you have chosen to tune in
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for a very important
program on House Calls.
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We're gonna be
continuing the topic on Grace.
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And if you've tuned
in before, you know,
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my name is John
Lomacang and to my right is
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Pastor C.A. Murray,
good to have you here, C.A.
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Always good to
be with you, John.
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As you know we
switch around sometimes
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when I'm out of
town, John Stanton's here,
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and C.A is
gracious enough to fill in
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for either one of
us and we've enjoyed
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the blessing of the
knowledge and experience,
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I won't tell than how
long you've been a pastor.
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Appreciate that. But
we're not far apart in age.
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Well, you used to
be my youth pastor,
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and I'm your pastor. Yeah, yeah.
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And so God is, has a
wonderful sense of humor.
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As He taught me,
now I could get a chance
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to teach Him what
he's taught me, amen.
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But, friends, grab
your Bible today because
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we're gonna be
talking about something
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that is very important.
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The Grace of God.
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And you know, there are
a lot of people that wonder
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what that grace
is really all about.
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So, if questions
arise during this program,
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send your questions
to housecalls@3abn.org,
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that's housecalls@3abn.org.
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And you know what,
C.A, before we go into
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the topic, I'd like
you to lead our viewers
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and our listeners before
the throne of God in prayer.
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Be glad to do so.
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Father, God, we
thank you so very much
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for Your word, which
is a lamp unto our feet
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and a light that
shines on our path.
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And we ask You now
Lord, to shine that light into
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Your word and into our
hearts that we may know
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and understand what is
truth and then put that
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into practice, so that we
can be more like Christ Jesus.
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We thank you for
Your promise to answer
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the prayer of faith,
in Jesus name, amen. Amen.
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You know, I want to
thank you again for sending
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your questions because that's
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what really
makes our program roll.
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There are a lot of
questions that come up
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sometimes, in conjunction
with the topic we're covering.
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And sometimes
people just have questions,
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they want to just have
those questions answered.
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And so I'm gonna just
share with you question.
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I'm glad that I looked
up this person's name before
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we got on the air,
it's very unique name,
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it's Romilda, never
heard that name before,
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Romilda from Oregon.
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And her question was,
I was told that when you
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die you go right
on to be with Christ.
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And they use this
verse to back it up.
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First Thessalonians 4:14.
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So, if you have
your Bibles, friends,
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go with us to First
Thessalonians Chapter 4
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and verse 14, she continues,
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I really don't
believe that is true,
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but I have a
problem with this verse.
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Can you explain
this verse to me? Okay.
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First Thessalonians Chapter 4,
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we'll begin with verse 13 and
read all the way to verse 17.
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You know, one of the
things I like to do, C.A,
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is that, I'd like to
read the whole thing,
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not just the verse. Yes.
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But read the before
and after. Yeah. So...
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Because what's
interesting about this
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particular verse, it
is also one of the key
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verses that is
used to prove that you
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do not go directly to heaven.
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Okay. You die.
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So let's look and
read the context, yes.
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Read the whole thing,
get the whole picture.
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So, why don't you
begin by reading verse 13,
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maybe, down to verse 17 for us.
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All right, First
Thessalonians 4:13.
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"But I do not want you
to be ignorant, brethren,
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concerning those
who have fallen asleep,
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lest you sorrow as
others who have no hope." Okay.
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"For if we believe that
Jesus died and rose again,
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even so God will
bring with Him those
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who sleep in Jesus." Okay.
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Verse 15, "For
this we say unto you
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by the word of the
Lord, that we who are alive
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and remain until the coming
of the Lord will by no means
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precede those who
are asleep." Okay.
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"For the Lord Himself shall,
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will descend from
heaven with a shout,
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with the voice of an archangel
and with the trumpet of God.
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And the dead in
Christ will rise first.
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Then we who are alive
and remain shall be caught up
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together with them
in the clouds to meet
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the Lord in the air.
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And thus we shall
always be with the Lord.
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Therefore comfort one another
with these words." Verse 18.
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Now, friends, if
you listen to the verse,
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those passages
that we just read,
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and thank you so
much for reading that.
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When you, if you
look at only verse 14,
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then you can come up
with some very unusual views,
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but the beauty of that
is we have take verse 13
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all the way to 18,
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we call that the
context keeping it together.
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Now let's go ahead
and break that down
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and see exactly what Paul
the Apostle was talking about.
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Yes, you know, Jesus
gave him a very clear
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understanding of
the resurrection,
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matter of fact, we'll
also look at couple of
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other passages like First
Corinthians 15, Hebrews 13.
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But let's break that down
now beginning with verse 13,
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notice what the Lord says,
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"But I do not want you
to be ignorant, brethren,
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concerning those
who have fallen asleep."
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Now, C.A, when the Bible
talks about falling asleep
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in this context,
we could probably say,
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well, they're just resting,
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but the very next
verse makes it clear
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what fallen
asleep actually means.
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Verse 14 now, "For if
we believe that Jesus died
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and rose again, even
so will God bring with Him
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those who sleep in Jesus." Yes.
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"For this we say to you
by the word of the Lord,
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that we who are alive
and remain until the coming
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of the Lord will
by no means precede
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those who are asleep."
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Remember the story of
Lazarus. Lazarus, yes.
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When Lazarus was
sick, matter of fact,
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I'd like you to go
with us to John Chapter 11.
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Eleven. You know,
that passage? Oh, yes.
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There are those who
have a difficult time
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with the idea that
Jesus uses the word sleep,
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and there are some
who believe that the soul
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which is
non-usual, not supported
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by the Bible concept, that
the soul goes onto continue
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living, it survives the
body when the body dies.
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But look at the
story of Lazarus.
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Lazarus was not doing very well.
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Matter of fact,
Mary, Martha, and Lazarus
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were the very
close friends of Jesus.
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And Lazarus was ill
and Jesus made a statement
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about what He was going to
do in reference to Lazarus.
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Why don't you begin by
walking us through that?
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I think let's
start with... Verse 11.
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Okay, let's start with
verse 11, that's very good.
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"These things he
said, and after that he said
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to them, our friend
Lazarus sleeps, but I go,
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that I may awake him up.
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Then his disciples said, Lord,
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if he sleeps, he will get well."
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In other words,
they're thinking about
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recuperating yourself in
sleep that he's taking a rest.
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Good thing that he is sleeping.
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In other words, when
you are ill, friends,
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you know, that the blessing
comes when you can get rest.
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So the disciples
understood that and said,
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well, if you're
sleeping Lord, he is not fine.
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Verse 13 "However
Jesus spoke of His death,
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but they thought
He was speaking about
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taking rest in sleep." Okay.
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"Then Jesus
said to them plainly,
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Lazarus is dead." Okay.
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So now, friends,
let's follow that carefully.
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So the word sleep in
the Bible is often used
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especially in the
context that we're reading here
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in First
Thessalonians Chapter 4,
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when He talks about asleep,
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He is talking
about, those who are dead.
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Those who are
resting in the graves,
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waiting for the
coming of the Lord.
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And the rest of the
verses make it very, very clear.
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Verse 16 of First
Thessalonians Chapter 4,
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"For the Lord Himself
will descend from heaven
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with a shout, with
the voice of the archangel
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and with the trumpet
of God." And there it is.
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"And the dead in
Christ will rise first."
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So the question is,
well, who is God according to
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the verse 14, why
does it sound like God is
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bringing somebody with Jesus.
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If that's what the question is.
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If the dead in
Christ are going to rise,
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understand the concept.
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Let's go now to
Hebrews Chapter 13 to begin to
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put the picture
together, because that's
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where the challenge comes in.
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Why does it say,
well, God bring with Jesus?
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Well, God bring with Him
those who sleep in Jesus.
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When Jesus was in the grave,
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this is where the
concept really is clearly
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understood, this verse
will shed quite a bit of
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light on the bring
with the Jesus phrase.
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Hebrews 13, and let me go ahead
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and read verse 20 and 21.
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"Now may the God of peace
who brought up our Lord Jesus
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from the dead, that
great Shepherd of the
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sheep, through the
blood of the everlasting
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covenant make
you complete in every
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good work to do His will.
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Working in you what is
well pleasing in His sight,
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through Jesus Christ,
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to whom be glory
forever and ever."
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Now notice, verse
20, what does he say,
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That God... Brought him up.
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Brought up our Lord
Jesus Christ from the dead.
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So, when it talks
about that primarily,
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He is saying that in the
same way that God brought
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Jesus from the dead,
these who are coming to
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life in Christ
are being brought.
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Brought, precisely.
That's the concept there.
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He's not saying that
Jesus is bringing people
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down from heaven to
take them back up because
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if you look at verse 17,
it makes it very, very clear,
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First Thessalonians Chapter
4 verse 17, it makes it clear,
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what's happening to
those who are resurrected along
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with those who never die.
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Yes. Read that
for us. You want 17?
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Verse 17 of First
Thessalonians Chapter 4.
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Here we go.
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"Then we who are
alive and remain shall be
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caught up together
with them in the clouds
00:10:01.63\00:10:03.62
to meet the Lord
in the air." Okay.
00:10:03.63\00:10:05.41
"And thus we will
always be with the Lord."
00:10:05.42\00:10:06.82
I think that's an
important point. That's right.
00:10:06.83\00:10:08.34
He's not bringing
anybody back down from heaven.
00:10:08.35\00:10:10.14
Right. It's from down
heading up. That's right.
00:10:10.15\00:10:13.18
We're gonna join
them, that we're not gonna
00:10:13.19\00:10:14.88
proceed them, we're
gonna go up together.
00:10:14.89\00:10:16.88
So He's bringing us up,
not bringing us back down.
00:10:16.89\00:10:19.36
And notice
something else in that verse.
00:10:19.37\00:10:20.75
In verse 17, he says,
00:10:20.76\00:10:22.18
"We shall be caught
up together with them."
00:10:22.19\00:10:25.16
And if you think
about that together,
00:10:25.17\00:10:26.71
the Lord is saying those dead,
00:10:26.72\00:10:28.01
who have been brought
to life will be caught up
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together with those who
are living who never died.
00:10:30.29\00:10:33.03
And what are they going
to do? Very important point.
00:10:33.04\00:10:35.27
They're going to meet the Lord.
00:10:35.28\00:10:37.58
We often go by that and say,
00:10:37.59\00:10:38.66
meet the Lord in the air,
but they're gonna meet Him.
00:10:38.67\00:10:40.86
So that means, the
living are going to meet Him
00:10:40.87\00:10:43.10
for the first time
and those who are resting
00:10:43.11\00:10:45.07
in their graves are going
to meet Him, and the key is,
00:10:45.08\00:10:47.54
how are they going to meet Him?
00:10:47.55\00:10:48.87
They're going to be
caught up together, C.A,
00:10:48.88\00:10:52.44
they're gonna meet Him together.
00:10:52.45\00:10:53.42
Together, together. I'm
looking at verse 15. Okay.
00:10:53.43\00:10:56.38
Just that last
little part there,
00:10:56.39\00:10:58.66
"We who are
alive and remain until
00:10:58.67\00:11:00.18
the coming of the Lord shall
00:11:00.19\00:11:01.47
by no means precede
those who are asleep."
00:11:01.48\00:11:03.92
So we don't get like
first dips, you know,
00:11:03.93\00:11:07.42
those who died in
the Lord, but it's,
00:11:07.43\00:11:10.96
we're going to all go together,
00:11:10.97\00:11:12.69
they're gonna come up,
we're gonna be caught up
00:11:12.70\00:11:14.61
and meet the Lord in
the air and it's like
00:11:14.62\00:11:16.94
a grand reunion in mid
space as it were. That's right.
00:11:16.95\00:11:20.35
You know, those who died
in the faith and those of us
00:11:20.36\00:11:22.65
who are living at the
time, caught up together,
00:11:22.66\00:11:24.90
and you get to see
your, your loved ones who died
00:11:24.91\00:11:27.25
in Jesus and we'll
all get caught up together
00:11:27.26\00:11:29.17
to meet in the air,
it's a beautiful thing.
00:11:29.18\00:11:31.04
What's so
wonderful about that is,
00:11:31.05\00:11:32.92
they're not in heaven now
waiting for us to get there.
00:11:32.93\00:11:35.56
Precisely. Can you
imagine that for a moment,
00:11:35.57\00:11:37.75
friends, you know, I'm
sure that everybody watching
00:11:37.76\00:11:39.92
this program has lost someone.
00:11:39.93\00:11:42.11
Someone close
and sometimes someone
00:11:42.12\00:11:43.53
that they're
lightly acquainted with,
00:11:43.54\00:11:45.29
but let's just say,
for example, let's just,
00:11:45.30\00:11:47.51
let's entertain the
idea that they did go to
00:11:47.52\00:11:49.93
heaven and they're
waiting there for us. Yeah.
00:11:49.94\00:11:53.31
Just to say, husband
and wife are on the way
00:11:53.32\00:11:54.81
to a wonderful
movie or show or dinner
00:11:54.82\00:11:56.90
or whatever the case maybe,
00:11:56.91\00:11:58.31
and boom terrible car
accident and one dies.
00:11:58.32\00:12:01.93
And you know they were
going or let's just say
00:12:01.94\00:12:03.34
they're going to celebrate their
00:12:03.35\00:12:04.32
anniversary and one
dies and just to say,
00:12:04.33\00:12:07.53
this is the concept,
this is not Biblical,
00:12:07.54\00:12:09.80
that one goes to heaven
and the other one is not there.
00:12:09.81\00:12:13.73
Friends, that will
not be a place of joy.
00:12:13.74\00:12:16.70
Precisely, it cannot be.
00:12:16.71\00:12:18.89
There could be no
joy, you're in heaven
00:12:18.90\00:12:20.42
and your loved one is down there
00:12:20.43\00:12:21.56
or maybe in that
car accident you died,
00:12:21.57\00:12:23.11
the other one is mamed, right,
00:12:23.12\00:12:24.44
or crippled, how can
that person in heaven rejoice
00:12:24.45\00:12:27.87
in the knowledge
that their partner,
00:12:27.88\00:12:29.52
their loved one for
life is down here in that
00:12:29.53\00:12:31.78
kind of state, it's
just kind of non-sequitur.
00:12:31.79\00:12:34.38
You know, as I'm sitting here,
00:12:34.39\00:12:35.36
a thought came to me in Hebrews,
00:12:35.37\00:12:36.60
go with us to
Hebrews now because this is
00:12:36.61\00:12:38.27
a very important point.
00:12:38.28\00:12:39.84
The Lord wants to
make sure that when we get
00:12:39.85\00:12:42.07
to heaven, we get
to heaven together,
00:12:42.08\00:12:45.41
we meet Him to together.
00:12:45.42\00:12:47.34
And there is a text,
we always talk about this
00:12:47.35\00:12:49.60
in Hebrews
Chapter 11, by the way,
00:12:49.61\00:12:52.92
very important passage,
it's called the Faith Chapter.
00:12:52.93\00:13:00.14
This is a very
important text here.
00:13:00.15\00:13:04.11
Hebrews 11, I'm gonna
read verse 35, because,
00:13:04.12\00:13:07.02
you know, it talks
about all those who are,
00:13:07.03\00:13:09.04
who died in faith,
but it also points out
00:13:09.05\00:13:11.50
that they all died in faith,
00:13:11.51\00:13:13.20
but they didn't
receive the promise.
00:13:13.21\00:13:14.90
Matter of fact, let's go to
verse 13 first, remember that?
00:13:14.91\00:13:17.96
Hebrews 11 verse 13, it says,
00:13:17.97\00:13:21.19
"These all died in
faith, not having received
00:13:21.20\00:13:25.09
the promise, but
having seen them afar off,
00:13:25.10\00:13:28.78
were short of them embraced them
00:13:28.79\00:13:31.13
and confessed that
they were strangers
00:13:31.14\00:13:33.02
and pilgrims on the earth."
00:13:33.03\00:13:34.52
So, friends, notice
what the Bible says,
00:13:34.53\00:13:36.31
talking about, let's see,
what are some of the names?
00:13:36.32\00:13:38.50
They're talking
about Abel, Enoch, Noah,
00:13:38.51\00:13:41.37
Abraham, godly men, but it says,
00:13:41.38\00:13:44.07
they died in faith, but
they didn't receive the promise.
00:13:44.08\00:13:47.19
Yeah. What's the promise?
00:13:47.20\00:13:48.79
The promise is eternal
life, the promise is heaven,
00:13:48.80\00:13:50.72
the promise is a great reward.
00:13:50.73\00:13:52.15
And if you look at
that Pantheon of names,
00:13:52.16\00:13:54.67
these are
impressive guys, you know,
00:13:54.68\00:13:56.12
these are not run of
the mill guys, these are,
00:13:56.13\00:13:59.72
for want of a better
term, heavy weights, all right.
00:13:59.73\00:14:02.62
You got Jacob little
later on, Isaac, Moses,
00:14:02.63\00:14:05.10
you know, you've
got of "Men of renown"
00:14:05.11\00:14:08.08
and they didn't
get in. That's right.
00:14:08.09\00:14:10.35
So no, they're waiting
and we'll all get in together.
00:14:10.36\00:14:13.50
And what are they waiting for.
00:14:13.51\00:14:14.48
This is very
important, look at verse 10
00:14:14.49\00:14:16.38
and verse 16 in
this very same Chapter,
00:14:16.39\00:14:19.09
"For he waited
for the city which has
00:14:19.10\00:14:21.92
foundations whose builder
and maker is God." Is God.
00:14:21.93\00:14:25.03
And look at verse
16, "But now they desire
00:14:25.04\00:14:27.81
a better, that is
a heavenly country.
00:14:27.82\00:14:30.77
Therefore God is
not ashamed to be called
00:14:30.78\00:14:32.73
their God, for He has
prepared a city for them."
00:14:32.74\00:14:35.88
And it said, they died,
00:14:35.89\00:14:36.86
they have not
received this promise. Yes.
00:14:36.87\00:14:38.68
So, how are they going
to receive the promise?
00:14:38.69\00:14:41.04
Now let's go down to
the end of the passage,
00:14:41.05\00:14:43.08
verse 39 and verse 40,
matter of fact, verse 35,
00:14:43.09\00:14:47.60
39, and then 40.
00:14:47.61\00:14:49.62
Read for me verse
35, C.A. Thirty-five.
00:14:49.63\00:14:51.87
"Women received their
dead, raised to life again.
00:14:51.88\00:14:54.63
Others were tortured
not expecting deliverance
00:14:54.64\00:14:57.58
that they might obtain
a better resurrection."
00:14:57.59\00:15:00.16
No, not notice
not a better death,
00:15:00.17\00:15:02.30
but a better resurrection.
00:15:02.31\00:15:03.82
And this is gonna
lead into another question
00:15:03.83\00:15:05.28
we have in just
moment I'll share with you,
00:15:05.29\00:15:07.50
but verse 39 says, "And
all these having obtained
00:15:07.51\00:15:10.61
a good testimony through faith,
00:15:10.62\00:15:13.27
did not received
the promise." Yes.
00:15:13.28\00:15:15.81
But look at verse 40,
"For God having provided
00:15:15.82\00:15:19.33
something better for
us, that they should not be
00:15:19.34\00:15:23.00
made perfect apart from us."
00:15:23.01\00:15:24.69
Apart from us,
it's a powerful text.
00:15:24.70\00:15:26.16
That's a powerful text...
00:15:26.17\00:15:27.34
That's a powerful
text, that really is.
00:15:27.35\00:15:28.94
That's one of the
most powerful texts on the
00:15:28.95\00:15:30.84
process of the
resurrection and meeting
00:15:30.85\00:15:35.04
the Lord, they will not
be made perfect without us.
00:15:35.05\00:15:38.31
Now what on earth does
the writer of Hebrews mean?
00:15:38.32\00:15:41.90
Let's go lastly now to
First Corinthians Chapter 15
00:15:41.91\00:15:45.66
because there's something that
00:15:45.67\00:15:46.64
a lot people don't
even consider, C.A,
00:15:46.65\00:15:48.45
that has to happen before
you can make it into heaven.
00:15:48.46\00:15:50.95
You don't died to
make it into heaven,
00:15:50.96\00:15:52.32
something has to
happen before you can enter
00:15:52.33\00:15:54.58
those gates of immortality,
those gates of eternity.
00:15:54.59\00:15:58.71
Let's read it, now and
I'll have you read that.
00:15:58.72\00:16:01.28
First Corinthians
15 verse 51, verse 51,
00:16:01.29\00:16:07.29
and we'll break it
down one after the other.
00:16:07.30\00:16:09.23
First Corinthians
15 verse 51, friends,
00:16:09.24\00:16:11.87
look at that
with us in the Bible.
00:16:11.88\00:16:14.30
Verse 51, "Behold
I tell you a mystery,
00:16:14.31\00:16:17.20
We shall not all sleep,
but we shall all be changed.
00:16:17.21\00:16:21.90
Matter of fact,
read verse 52 also.
00:16:21.91\00:16:23.69
"In a moment, in
the twinkling of an eye,
00:16:23.70\00:16:26.09
at the last trumpet.
00:16:26.10\00:16:27.52
For the trumpet will sound,
00:16:27.53\00:16:29.12
and the dead will be
raised incorruptible,
00:16:29.13\00:16:32.37
and we shall be changed."
00:16:32.38\00:16:35.30
Now, friends,
listen to the change,
00:16:35.31\00:16:36.98
this is very important.
00:16:36.99\00:16:38.36
You can't go into
heaven the same way you are,
00:16:38.37\00:16:41.27
because mortality cannot exist
00:16:41.28\00:16:44.17
in the presence of immortality.
00:16:44.18\00:16:45.76
Yeah. Our God is
a consuming fire.
00:16:45.77\00:16:48.35
Look at the transition,
look at what needs to
00:16:48.36\00:16:50.39
take place before we
inherit eternal life, verse 53.
00:16:50.40\00:16:54.09
I'm doing 53, "For
this corruptible must put on
00:16:54.10\00:16:56.70
incorruption and this
mortal must put on immortality."
00:16:56.71\00:16:59.95
Notice, what it
doesn't say, it doesn't say,
00:16:59.96\00:17:01.47
Should, it says,
Must. Have to do it.
00:17:01.48\00:17:04.15
There must be a change
from mortal to immortal,
00:17:04.16\00:17:07.85
from corruptible,
this body that can decay
00:17:07.86\00:17:10.10
and die, to incorruptible.
00:17:10.11\00:17:12.39
Look at verse 54.
00:17:12.40\00:17:14.80
"So when this corruptible
has put on incorruption,
00:17:14.81\00:17:18.00
and this mortal
has put on immortality,
00:17:18.01\00:17:20.70
then shall be
brought to pass the saying
00:17:20.71\00:17:22.91
that is written, Death
is swallowed up in victory."
00:17:22.92\00:17:27.90
So, friends, the key
is, the one of the reasons,
00:17:27.91\00:17:31.13
the main reason why
the Jesus is not bringing
00:17:31.14\00:17:33.69
somebody back, is
because the change doesn't take
00:17:33.70\00:17:36.23
place until Jesus comes
back. Until Jesus comes.
00:17:36.24\00:17:38.83
See, and that's
the next question,
00:17:38.84\00:17:41.16
Marissa in Florida,
Iheard you talk about
00:17:41.17\00:17:43.97
two resurrections on
one of your programs.
00:17:43.98\00:17:47.07
What are those
resurrections and when
00:17:47.08\00:17:49.41
will those take
place, and why are there two?
00:17:49.42\00:17:52.51
Let's look at the reason,
00:17:52.52\00:17:53.49
I'm glad you
brought this question,
00:17:53.50\00:17:54.68
I think I choose to
included in this program
00:17:54.69\00:17:56.75
because it fed right
into that very passage.
00:17:56.76\00:17:59.60
John 5 verse 28 and 29 is
where I'd like you to turn,
00:17:59.61\00:18:03.03
John 5 verse 28 and verse 29.
00:18:03.04\00:18:06.41
Notice what the
Lord says about these
00:18:06.42\00:18:08.34
two
resurrections, very important.
00:18:08.35\00:18:10.97
Now we've talked
about a moment ago,
00:18:10.98\00:18:12.24
a resurrection taking place,
00:18:12.25\00:18:13.70
we talked about
Lazarus, we talked about
00:18:13.71\00:18:17.18
First Thessalonians, when
the Lord descends from heaven.
00:18:17.19\00:18:19.52
We talked about
First Corinthians 15,
00:18:19.53\00:18:21.39
corruptible being
change to incorruptible,
00:18:21.40\00:18:23.54
and mortal to immortal.
00:18:23.55\00:18:25.50
Let's see exactly
what this is about.
00:18:25.51\00:18:28.07
The two
resurrections, very important,
00:18:28.08\00:18:29.85
read that for us, C.A.
00:18:29.86\00:18:31.06
Twenty-eight? John 5 verse
28 and 29. I'm reading verse 28.
00:18:31.07\00:18:34.27
"Do not marvel at
this, for the time is coming,
00:18:34.28\00:18:37.82
future, in which all who are
00:18:37.83\00:18:40.00
in the graves
will hear His voice."
00:18:40.01\00:18:42.47
And 29, "And come forth
those who have done good
00:18:42.48\00:18:45.91
to the resurrection of life,
00:18:45.92\00:18:47.74
those who have done evil
00:18:47.75\00:18:48.90
to the
resurrection of condemnation."
00:18:48.91\00:18:51.06
Notice, two
resurrections. Oh, yes.
00:18:51.07\00:18:52.67
Resurrection of life,
resurrection of condemnation.
00:18:52.68\00:18:56.70
Now the first resurrection,
00:18:56.71\00:18:57.85
we talked about there
in First Thessalonians was
00:18:57.86\00:19:01.27
the resurrection of
life because they're meeting
00:19:01.28\00:19:03.20
the Lord in the air, right?
00:19:03.21\00:19:04.71
So we know that's not the
resurrection of condemnation,
00:19:04.72\00:19:07.26
that's the resurrection of life.
00:19:07.27\00:19:09.43
Look at Daniel 12
and verse 2 with us,
00:19:09.44\00:19:11.71
Daniel 12 and verse 2.
00:19:11.72\00:19:13.61
It's so important to let
the Bible speak for itself.
00:19:13.62\00:19:16.33
And in this very passage,
of Daniel 12 and verse 2
00:19:16.34\00:19:20.70
makes it very
clear what that is,
00:19:20.71\00:19:22.76
and why there are two.
00:19:22.77\00:19:24.68
Matter of fact, let me go here,
00:19:24.69\00:19:27.63
Daniel 12 and verse
2, I am there, here I am.
00:19:27.64\00:19:31.74
It says, well, I think
verse 1 is important to read too
00:19:31.75\00:19:36.06
because it lends itself right
to that very important time.
00:19:36.07\00:19:40.46
"At that time shall
Michael shall stand up,
00:19:40.47\00:19:42.77
the great prince
whose stands watch over
00:19:42.78\00:19:44.97
the sons of your
people, and there shall be
00:19:44.98\00:19:47.00
a time of trouble
such as never was,
00:19:47.01\00:19:49.38
since there was a
nation even to that time,
00:19:49.39\00:19:51.55
and at that time
thy people shall be
00:19:51.56\00:19:53.26
delivered, everyone who is
found written in the book."
00:19:53.27\00:19:56.87
But, friends, look at verse 2.
00:19:56.88\00:19:58.63
"And many of those
who sleep in the dust of
00:19:58.64\00:20:01.31
the earth shall awake,
some to everlasting life,
00:20:01.32\00:20:06.09
and some to what?
00:20:06.10\00:20:08.03
Shame and everlasting contempt."
00:20:08.04\00:20:11.81
That's indifference.
00:20:11.82\00:20:13.20
There are those who are
indifferent in their lives,
00:20:13.21\00:20:15.45
so they arise to indifference.
00:20:15.46\00:20:17.70
And that's the
second resurrection,
00:20:17.71\00:20:19.05
the
resurrection of condemnation.
00:20:19.06\00:20:21.19
But somebody may ask us, C.A,
00:20:21.20\00:20:22.71
how do we know that
there are two because we just
00:20:22.72\00:20:25.59
talked about two conditions,
00:20:25.60\00:20:27.01
but why is it that
these two conditions can't
00:20:27.02\00:20:29.05
happen at the same resurrection.
00:20:29.06\00:20:30.98
Let's go to
Revelation Chapter 20.
00:20:30.99\00:20:33.37
Why is that, these
two conditions cannot be
00:20:33.38\00:20:34.99
present in the first
resurrection, sort to speak?
00:20:35.00\00:20:38.45
And we're gonna share
with you Revelation 20
00:20:38.46\00:20:40.14
before we wind upon
this particular topic
00:20:40.15\00:20:43.02
and then go to
our subject, Grace.
00:20:43.03\00:20:45.78
Revelation 20, and
let's go ahead and,
00:20:45.79\00:20:50.17
matter of fact, if you
have that, read for us, verse 4.
00:20:50.18\00:20:54.36
Revelation 20,
friends, we're gonna start
00:20:54.37\00:20:56.11
from verse 4 and then we
are going to go to verse 6.
00:20:56.12\00:21:00.37
You're ready? Okay, verse...
00:21:00.38\00:21:01.45
Revelation 24,
"And I saw thrones,
00:21:01.46\00:21:03.64
and they sat on them,
and judgment was committed
00:21:03.65\00:21:08.06
to them, then I
saw the souls of those
00:21:08.10\00:21:10.89
who had been beheaded
for the witness to Jesus,
00:21:10.90\00:21:14.08
and for the word of
God, who had not worshiped
00:21:14.09\00:21:17.04
the beast or his image
and I not received his mark
00:21:17.05\00:21:20.17
in their
foreheads, or on their hands,
00:21:20.18\00:21:22.75
and they lived and
reigned with Christ
00:21:22.76\00:21:26.44
for a thousand years."
00:21:26.45\00:21:27.85
Now, verse 5. And verse 5.
00:21:27.86\00:21:29.81
"But the rest of the
dead did not live again until
00:21:29.82\00:21:32.63
the thousand
years were finished.
00:21:32.64\00:21:34.46
This is the first resurrection."
00:21:34.47\00:21:37.01
So those who are
reigning with Christ
00:21:37.02\00:21:38.87
for a thousand years
or a millennium there
00:21:38.88\00:21:43.07
are a part of the
first resurrection,
00:21:43.08\00:21:45.44
but now look at
the very next verse,
00:21:45.45\00:21:46.96
verse 6, read that for us.
00:21:46.97\00:21:49.12
"Blessed and holy is he
00:21:49.13\00:21:51.12
who has part in the
first resurrection."
00:21:51.13\00:21:53.06
Again we get
that differentiation
00:21:53.07\00:21:55.53
there first resurrection.
00:21:55.54\00:21:56.82
"Over such the
second death has no power,
00:21:56.83\00:22:00.29
but they shall be
priests of God and of Christ
00:22:00.30\00:22:03.28
and shall reign with
Him a thousand years."
00:22:03.29\00:22:05.64
There you go.
00:22:05.65\00:22:06.62
So the first resurrection
friend is the blessed
00:22:06.63\00:22:09.17
resurrection, is the
resurrection in which
00:22:09.18\00:22:11.32
there is no more death.
00:22:11.33\00:22:13.22
And so, when the
Bible talks about that
00:22:13.23\00:22:14.86
resurrection of condemnation,
00:22:14.87\00:22:16.82
that is the second resurrection.
00:22:16.83\00:22:19.13
And matter of fact to even
make that even more complete,
00:22:19.14\00:22:23.50
you'll see that
after the thousand years
00:22:23.51\00:22:25.03
are over then the
graves are open again.
00:22:25.04\00:22:28.38
And there is
deception that takes place upon
00:22:28.39\00:22:31.20
the earth and then fire comes
down from God out of heaven
00:22:31.21\00:22:34.34
and devours all of those
00:22:34.35\00:22:36.01
who are not written
in the Book of Life.
00:22:36.02\00:22:39.60
Yeah, I would
prayerfully suggest that your,
00:22:39.61\00:22:41.99
our writer read all
of Chapter 20 because
00:22:42.00\00:22:45.74
it tends to walk you
through the two deaths,
00:22:45.75\00:22:48.10
the two resurrections.
00:22:48.11\00:22:50.34
What happens eternally
as far as punishment is
00:22:50.35\00:22:51.96
concerned, and sort of
makes it clear that there
00:22:51.97\00:22:53.93
are two separate resurrections,
00:22:53.94\00:22:56.56
for the righteous and
then something totally
00:22:56.57\00:22:58.29
different is gonna
happen to the wicked.
00:22:58.30\00:23:00.58
Matter of fact,
the Bible talks about
00:23:00.59\00:23:02.25
first
resurrections, second death,
00:23:02.26\00:23:04.24
if you look at verse
14 of the Revelation 20,
00:23:04.25\00:23:06.70
"Then Death and
Hades were cast into
00:23:06.71\00:23:08.35
the Lake of fire."
00:23:08.36\00:23:09.33
This is the second
death. Second death.
00:23:09.34\00:23:11.25
Now why second death?
00:23:11.26\00:23:12.43
I have a saying C.A,
that kind of goes this way.
00:23:12.44\00:23:15.05
You're born once, you die twice.
00:23:15.06\00:23:18.71
But if you born twice,
that means, born again,
00:23:18.72\00:23:21.35
you only die once.
00:23:21.36\00:23:22.33
Only die once. See. Yeah.
00:23:22.34\00:23:23.63
Those who are not born again,
00:23:23.64\00:23:24.81
those who do not accept
Christ will die a second time,
00:23:24.82\00:23:27.63
if they have died
the first time. Yes.
00:23:27.64\00:23:29.62
They will die a second time,
00:23:29.63\00:23:31.16
but here's
something very important,
00:23:31.17\00:23:32.56
this is deep
concepts spiritually.
00:23:32.57\00:23:34.65
Even if you never
die before Jesus comes,
00:23:34.66\00:23:38.63
there will be
those who are destroyed
00:23:38.64\00:23:39.86
by the brightness
of His coming and then
00:23:39.87\00:23:41.80
they'll
experience the second death
00:23:41.81\00:23:43.78
at the end of
the thousand years.
00:23:43.79\00:23:45.73
So for the wicked,
there's a second death,
00:23:45.74\00:23:48.20
for the righteous,
you may die once before
00:23:48.21\00:23:50.32
the Lord comes, but you'll
not die a second time. Amen.
00:23:50.33\00:23:53.61
And the second death
is eternal destruction,
00:23:53.62\00:23:56.56
not in the presence of Christ,
00:23:56.57\00:23:58.52
and not burning in
hell forever and ever,
00:23:58.53\00:24:00.51
you may want to
submit that question,
00:24:00.52\00:24:01.72
you can't go
into that right now.
00:24:01.73\00:24:02.85
That's another hold, sure...
00:24:02.86\00:24:04.68
Never hold to all together.
00:24:04.69\00:24:06.82
But you know what
amazes me is that,
00:24:06.83\00:24:07.97
people sometimes think, well,
00:24:07.98\00:24:09.99
surely there's got be
something about us that
00:24:10.00\00:24:12.19
goes on burning
and burning forever
00:24:12.20\00:24:13.94
and ever and ever and ever.
00:24:13.95\00:24:15.93
And I had a chance
to address this question
00:24:15.94\00:24:17.51
with the gentleman
in the Virgin Islands,
00:24:17.52\00:24:19.03
and he was
thankful that we spent about
00:24:19.04\00:24:20.37
a half an hour, at
least on the topic.
00:24:20.38\00:24:23.01
And the simple
question was this.
00:24:23.02\00:24:25.97
The thing that sold
it for him was this.
00:24:25.98\00:24:27.89
He said, he had a daughter,
00:24:27.90\00:24:29.28
he has two daughters
and I said, your dad.
00:24:29.29\00:24:32.00
He said, yes and he told
me the ages of his daughters.
00:24:32.01\00:24:34.48
And I said, now if
any of your daughters
00:24:34.49\00:24:36.46
ever did anything wrong...
00:24:36.47\00:24:38.36
Let's just say, one
of them decided one day
00:24:38.37\00:24:39.93
they steal something in store.
00:24:39.94\00:24:41.99
And would you punish
that daughter forever
00:24:42.00\00:24:48.15
for stealing something?
00:24:48.16\00:24:49.65
And he said, absolutely not.
00:24:49.66\00:24:51.41
And I said the Bible
makes it very clear this way.
00:24:51.42\00:24:54.18
Revelation 22 verse
11, it says, "Behold,
00:24:54.19\00:24:57.86
I come quickly,
and my reward is..."
00:24:57.87\00:25:00.72
Matter of fact, verse 12.
00:25:00.73\00:25:02.34
Revelation 22 verse 12,
"Behold, I come quickly,
00:25:02.35\00:25:05.24
and my reward is
with me to give everyone
00:25:05.25\00:25:07.57
according as his work shall be."
00:25:07.58\00:25:09.61
So, if the Lord were to
burn everybody eternally,
00:25:09.62\00:25:12.43
it wouldn't
matter what you've done,
00:25:12.44\00:25:13.75
you all get the same punishment.
00:25:13.76\00:25:16.83
But in the courts of our earth,
00:25:16.84\00:25:18.70
in the courts of
our nation we find that
00:25:18.71\00:25:20.67
everybody's judgment is
based on what they have done.
00:25:20.68\00:25:25.05
And lastly and most importantly,
00:25:25.06\00:25:26.87
you cannot burn forever
if you can't live forever.
00:25:26.88\00:25:29.01
Precisely, eternal
life is only promised
00:25:29.02\00:25:30.80
to the righteous...
00:25:30.81\00:25:31.78
There it is. Not to the wicked.
00:25:31.79\00:25:33.00
And I think that's such
a blot on the reputation
00:25:33.01\00:25:34.79
of God and it's a doctrine
that is hung on for such
00:25:34.80\00:25:38.63
a long time, but
the Bible teaches
00:25:38.64\00:25:41.97
eternal punishment, not
eternal punishing. Exactly.
00:25:41.98\00:25:45.60
And we want to
sort of reverse that,
00:25:45.61\00:25:49.73
what he said, the
wicked shall be ashes under
00:25:49.74\00:25:52.06
Malachi, under the soles
of the feet of the saints.
00:25:52.07\00:25:54.49
So praise God, His
righteousness will be
00:25:54.50\00:25:57.38
vindicated, evil will
be destroyed. That's right.
00:25:57.39\00:26:00.47
The wicked will be destroyed,
00:26:00.48\00:26:01.98
and there will be a
new heaven, a new earth,
00:26:01.99\00:26:04.02
not some fire pit
burning underground
00:26:04.03\00:26:05.82
some places
through all eternity.
00:26:05.83\00:26:07.44
That's right, I
mean, devil almost
00:26:07.45\00:26:08.57
perpetuate with the devil.
00:26:08.58\00:26:09.90
The devil will
almost be immortalized.
00:26:09.91\00:26:12.23
But, you know, what?
00:26:12.24\00:26:13.25
This is something that
lot of people don't think of,
00:26:13.26\00:26:14.65
C.A is that, Satan
himself will be destroyed. Yeah.
00:26:14.66\00:26:20.33
We all know that, he
knows his time is short,
00:26:20.34\00:26:23.38
Revelation 12 says, that
he knows he has short time.
00:26:23.39\00:26:26.00
The short time, if he
knows he has short a time,
00:26:26.01\00:26:27.99
he knows he's not
gonna be around forever.
00:26:28.00\00:26:30.47
Now if Satan is not
gonna be around forever,
00:26:30.48\00:26:32.67
why would those
that he has caused
00:26:32.68\00:26:34.43
to sin be around forever.
00:26:34.44\00:26:37.30
When the Bible talks about that,
00:26:37.31\00:26:38.38
what C.A just
referred to in Malachi 4
00:26:38.39\00:26:40.81
that there will be ashes.
00:26:40.82\00:26:42.28
The Bible says,
this day that burns of,
00:26:42.29\00:26:44.38
as an oven will leave
them neither root nor branch.
00:26:44.39\00:26:48.46
Now Jesus says, He is
the vine, we are the branch.
00:26:48.47\00:26:51.87
So those who have eternal
life will be connected to
00:26:51.88\00:26:54.22
the vine, they
will be around forever,
00:26:54.23\00:26:55.96
we are the branch, the
extension of Christ. Yes.
00:26:55.97\00:26:58.88
Satan is the root of
all evil and his branch is
00:26:58.89\00:27:01.99
the extension, the
wicked will be destroyed
00:27:02.00\00:27:04.13
just like the root.
00:27:04.14\00:27:05.11
Will be destroyed, yeah.
00:27:05.12\00:27:06.57
So if you burn up a tree
and the roots are not there,
00:27:06.58\00:27:08.54
would you find any branches?
00:27:08.55\00:27:10.01
No, no, the roots are
gone, the tree is gone,
00:27:10.02\00:27:12.41
it's all gone. If
the roots are consumed,
00:27:12.42\00:27:14.78
there are no
branches and surely no leaves.
00:27:14.79\00:27:16.84
And no leaves. No
leaves, anyway. Yeah.
00:27:16.85\00:27:18.81
But keep sending
your questions into
00:27:18.82\00:27:20.02
housecalls@3abn.org, that's
00:27:20.03\00:27:22.15
housecalls@3abn.org,
that's organized,
00:27:22.16\00:27:25.31
I guess, organization.
00:27:25.32\00:27:27.05
We hope to be that and
hopefully remain that way.
00:27:27.06\00:27:29.80
We were talking in our
last program about "Grace"
00:27:29.81\00:27:33.10
and this question
has come up so often
00:27:33.11\00:27:35.71
because people want
to know one, in fact,
00:27:35.72\00:27:39.32
what is grace,
and what grace is not?
00:27:39.33\00:27:42.44
So today, we're going go
ahead as we talked about,
00:27:42.45\00:27:45.26
I think, John
Stanton or Pastor Stanton
00:27:45.27\00:27:48.32
and you laid the foundation
00:27:48.33\00:27:49.72
for this very
important topic on grace.
00:27:49.73\00:27:52.43
And I think, if
I'm not mistaken,
00:27:52.44\00:27:54.46
I'm gonna look here
at one of my question
00:27:54.47\00:27:55.96
because somebody
submitted a question.
00:27:55.97\00:27:58.14
Okay, here it is.
00:27:58.15\00:27:59.26
Jacob from Ohio,
this is a good way
00:27:59.27\00:28:01.30
to segue right into the topic.
00:28:01.31\00:28:03.79
He said, you talked about
grace on your last program,
00:28:03.80\00:28:07.63
I always wondered
why the commandments
00:28:07.64\00:28:09.81
are always talked
about when we are supposed
00:28:09.82\00:28:12.94
to be saved by grace.
00:28:12.95\00:28:15.37
Okay, Pastor C.A.
They're wondering.
00:28:15.38\00:28:18.73
Why do we always talk
about the commandments?
00:28:18.74\00:28:20.77
When we are supposed
to be saved by grace?
00:28:20.78\00:28:24.58
Now, why is it that
people separate grace
00:28:24.59\00:28:29.06
from the Commandments of God?
00:28:29.07\00:28:30.92
One of the reasons
that they are always linked
00:28:30.93\00:28:33.66
is because the
Bible links them. Okay.
00:28:33.67\00:28:36.40
Even, if we look
at Romans Chapter 6,
00:28:36.41\00:28:38.90
I just, was paging through.
00:28:38.91\00:28:40.23
That verse 14 or 15?
It's, yes, Sir. Okay...
00:28:40.24\00:28:43.90
Because it such a
solid text, you know,
00:28:43.91\00:28:45.92
and it doesn't link the two,
00:28:45.93\00:28:48.04
"For sin shall not
have dominion over you."
00:28:48.05\00:28:50.95
Now, what is sin?
00:28:50.96\00:28:52.87
James says he that
sins also transgression
00:28:52.88\00:28:55.31
the law for sin is the
transgression of the law.
00:28:55.32\00:28:58.03
So that's the definition of sin.
00:28:58.04\00:29:00.07
So once you deal
with the word sin,
00:29:00.08\00:29:02.60
you are de facto
dealing with law,
00:29:02.61\00:29:05.46
you have to be
because sin by definition
00:29:05.47\00:29:07.63
is the transgression of the law.
00:29:07.64\00:29:09.31
"So sin shall not
have dominion over you,
00:29:09.32\00:29:12.00
you are not under the
law, but under grace."
00:29:12.01\00:29:14.57
That's right.
00:29:14.58\00:29:15.55
"What then shall we
sin because we are not
00:29:15.56\00:29:18.09
under the law but under grace."
00:29:18.10\00:29:19.89
Certainly not. Certainly not.
00:29:19.90\00:29:21.28
Well, God forbid as the
King James Version says.
00:29:21.29\00:29:23.08
The King James
Version says, God forbid.
00:29:23.09\00:29:24.36
So they are linked, you cannot,
00:29:24.37\00:29:26.30
when you say grace.
00:29:26.31\00:29:28.22
The question you have
to ask is, grace for what?
00:29:28.23\00:29:32.60
Grace is not a
standalone doctrine,
00:29:32.61\00:29:34.59
it is inextricably
linked, I know it's gonna...
00:29:34.60\00:29:38.76
That's a good word.
00:29:38.77\00:29:39.74
Chew that word, but if
you can't separate them,
00:29:39.75\00:29:41.83
it is inextricably
linked to law because
00:29:41.84\00:29:44.96
grace is the second
chance, is that favors a break,
00:29:44.97\00:29:48.26
but why do you need a break?
00:29:48.27\00:29:50.12
Because the law condemns you.
00:29:50.13\00:29:52.27
So, if there is no law
then there is no need for grace.
00:29:52.28\00:29:55.98
You know, let me
illustrate it this way.
00:29:55.99\00:29:57.51
My wife and I
just recently returned
00:29:57.52\00:29:59.02
from the Virgin
Islands, St. Thomas
00:29:59.03\00:30:00.46
and we enjoyed ourselves.
00:30:00.47\00:30:02.04
If you're stressed,
that's where you need to go.
00:30:02.05\00:30:04.68
We were desired to
have some native food,
00:30:04.69\00:30:08.32
and we were
driving around looking
00:30:08.33\00:30:09.46
for a native
restaurant, that's good old
00:30:09.47\00:30:11.95
West Indian food,
you know, not pizza.
00:30:11.96\00:30:14.96
By the way, we
resorted to pizza one,
00:30:14.97\00:30:17.17
now when we
couldn't find anything else,
00:30:17.18\00:30:19.18
but we found a
parking space that looked
00:30:19.19\00:30:22.35
like a good parking space.
00:30:22.36\00:30:25.43
So we parked there and
walked about three blocks
00:30:25.44\00:30:27.13
to one of our
favorite restaurants
00:30:27.14\00:30:28.79
here in the Virgin
Islands from St. Thomas,
00:30:28.80\00:30:30.71
we'll mentioned it because
00:30:30.72\00:30:31.69
the other
restaurants would get upset.
00:30:31.70\00:30:33.11
'Cause we went to all of them.
00:30:33.12\00:30:34.56
Anyhow, we came back
about an hour later found
00:30:34.57\00:30:37.12
a ticket on our windshield,
00:30:37.13\00:30:39.58
and that was
kind of frustrating,
00:30:39.59\00:30:42.85
nothing could
give you indigestion,
00:30:42.86\00:30:45.69
after a nice meal
then finding a $25 ticket
00:30:45.70\00:30:48.52
on your
windshield, so you know what?
00:30:48.53\00:30:50.65
What we first did was
we looked around the area,
00:30:50.66\00:30:54.28
follow me carefully, and
we looked for sign saying,
00:30:54.29\00:30:56.40
do not park or no
parking and we didn't find any.
00:30:56.41\00:30:59.60
In other words, we
looked for the thing that said,
00:30:59.61\00:31:02.57
we violated the law and
we couldn't find it anywhere.
00:31:02.58\00:31:06.38
So being an
investigator as I'm sometimes,
00:31:06.39\00:31:09.97
I took my video
camera out C.A and began to
00:31:09.98\00:31:12.85
videotape for my evidence,
00:31:12.86\00:31:14.75
I was gonna present this.
00:31:14.76\00:31:16.45
And I took some
pictures from about four, five
00:31:16.46\00:31:18.21
different angles and
then we went down to the
00:31:18.22\00:31:21.08
police station
and we went to see
00:31:21.09\00:31:24.06
the captain whoever it was.
00:31:24.07\00:31:25.82
And I went and they
say, well, you know,
00:31:25.83\00:31:27.61
why are you here?
00:31:27.62\00:31:28.86
I said, you know, we
just got a ticket and we went
00:31:28.87\00:31:30.95
to speak to
somebody about this ticket.
00:31:30.96\00:31:32.22
They said, do
you want to pay it?
00:31:32.23\00:31:33.27
I said, well not
really we want to talk to
00:31:33.28\00:31:36.04
somebody about this ticket, see.
00:31:36.05\00:31:38.31
Don't want to
really pay it. Sure.
00:31:38.32\00:31:39.90
So anyway they brought out,
00:31:39.91\00:31:40.98
why is that whenever they
chose somebody to talk to you?
00:31:40.99\00:31:43.06
They bring the biggest
broodiest guy like most,
00:31:43.07\00:31:46.39
yeah, most,
intimidating fellow, yeah.
00:31:46.40\00:31:47.97
Most
intimidating to look at. Sure.
00:31:47.98\00:31:49.14
So he comes out,
captain comes out all the medals
00:31:49.15\00:31:54.49
and all the regalia
just looks the part, big gun.
00:31:54.50\00:31:58.38
And you know, by then I felt,
00:31:58.39\00:32:00.89
let me humbly approach this.
00:32:00.90\00:32:03.06
So I said, Sir, we honestly,
00:32:03.07\00:32:05.51
we didn't see a sign that
says, we shouldn't park here.
00:32:05.52\00:32:09.35
And he said, no
there was one there.
00:32:09.36\00:32:11.36
And so I said, well, my
wife, and we took video,
00:32:11.37\00:32:13.70
and we took pictures,
he said, let me see it.
00:32:13.71\00:32:15.60
So I presented my
evidence, friends.
00:32:15.61\00:32:16.99
I showed him the video,
360 view all angles pictures.
00:32:17.00\00:32:22.12
And he said, oh it's there.
00:32:22.13\00:32:24.55
I said, but I can't see
it, he said, but it is there.
00:32:24.56\00:32:27.71
Now my point is very important.
00:32:27.72\00:32:29.38
There are those who just
can't see the Law of God. Yes.
00:32:29.39\00:32:33.22
But brethren, as
the police officer said,
00:32:33.23\00:32:35.60
because he gave me a
ticket because I violated it.
00:32:35.61\00:32:38.92
He said, it's there.
00:32:38.93\00:32:40.43
Now as I was, I said okay, okay,
00:32:40.44\00:32:42.77
okay, maybe it was
there and I didn't see it.
00:32:42.78\00:32:44.37
He said, it was
there just about down the
00:32:44.38\00:32:46.52
beginning of the street,
00:32:46.53\00:32:47.51
go back and
look, you'll find it.
00:32:47.52\00:32:50.09
So I said, okay, well,
how much is the ticket?
00:32:50.10\00:32:51.56
He said $25. I
said, where do we pay it?
00:32:51.57\00:32:55.93
And so, as my wife
and I were walking out of
00:32:55.94\00:32:57.40
the police
station, this just happened,
00:32:57.41\00:32:58.73
as we're walking out
of the police station.
00:32:58.74\00:33:00.63
He said, are you
that guy that is on 3ABN?
00:33:00.64\00:33:04.21
Is that true? I'm not kidding.
00:33:04.22\00:33:06.02
Isn't that something?
00:33:06.03\00:33:07.04
He said, I see
you, I watch you often.
00:33:07.05\00:33:10.42
Now let me just tell
you that there's a couple of
00:33:10.43\00:33:12.45
lessons here, I'm
glad, I was humble about it,
00:33:12.46\00:33:14.65
not arrogant,
not boisterous, sure,
00:33:14.66\00:33:16.35
not demand that I get a break.
00:33:16.36\00:33:18.81
And you know what,
he said to a captain
00:33:18.82\00:33:20.25
standing nearby,
he said, soldier,
00:33:20.26\00:33:22.82
what shall we do? This
is the guy that's on 3ABN.
00:33:22.83\00:33:25.25
I watched his
program. What shall we do?
00:33:25.26\00:33:26.88
And brethren, he
extended grace. Amen.
00:33:26.89\00:33:31.76
Did grace, did
grace, did that act
00:33:31.77\00:33:34.67
now get rid of all
the signs in St. Thomas
00:33:34.68\00:33:36.89
saying no
parking, no it didn't. No.
00:33:36.90\00:33:39.19
All the signs were still there,
00:33:39.20\00:33:41.43
but he extended grace.
00:33:41.44\00:33:42.93
And as you
said, where is no law,
00:33:42.94\00:33:45.10
there is no need of grace.
00:33:45.11\00:33:46.49
Right, yeah, there's
no parking prohibitions,
00:33:46.50\00:33:49.61
you just park your car.
00:33:49.62\00:33:50.67
You want to go down there
00:33:50.68\00:33:51.77
and take all
those pictures and...
00:33:51.78\00:33:53.86
Go through all of those changes,
00:33:53.87\00:33:55.48
you just park
your car then leave.
00:33:55.49\00:33:56.89
And you know how you see? Sure.
00:33:56.90\00:33:57.97
We went back the
next day, I mean,
00:33:57.98\00:33:59.10
driving around town, we
didn't go back for that's
00:33:59.11\00:34:00.47
specific purpose, but
we went back the next day
00:34:00.48\00:34:02.29
and we saw a car parked
there and it didn't have
00:34:02.30\00:34:04.48
a ticket on the windshield.
00:34:04.49\00:34:06.30
And with that, well
that person got away.
00:34:06.31\00:34:08.23
Some people tend to
think they got away,
00:34:08.24\00:34:10.49
cbut friends, God's
grace and God's law are
00:34:10.50\00:34:13.41
inexplicably linked together.
00:34:13.42\00:34:16.35
Yes, and that's the
point Paul was trying to make,
00:34:16.36\00:34:18.72
because you got grace,
that's not a license to sin,
00:34:18.73\00:34:21.99
it's not to encourage you
or embolden you in your sin,
00:34:22.00\00:34:24.90
it's just God
giving a second chance
00:34:24.91\00:34:27.59
actually to humble you
and to show you how good
00:34:27.60\00:34:29.79
and gracious God is because
the wages or sin is death.
00:34:29.80\00:34:32.73
And if you've
worked for something
00:34:32.74\00:34:33.75
you ought to get
what you worked for. Oh.
00:34:33.76\00:34:35.95
But you don't, because,
Christ commands the love
00:34:35.96\00:34:39.92
to us in that
while were yet sinners,
00:34:39.93\00:34:41.34
Christ died for us,
that is an act of grace
00:34:41.35\00:34:43.74
and the outworking of
that reality is what happens
00:34:43.75\00:34:46.69
in our lives, it's a
grace that God gives us.
00:34:46.70\00:34:49.11
You know the verse you
read in Romans 6 verse 14
00:34:49.12\00:34:51.01
to 15, said, "We are not under
of the law, but under grace,"
00:34:51.02\00:34:53.34
Some people say,
that's it, that's it,
00:34:53.35\00:34:55.24
you guys keep on
talking about law and we're not
00:34:55.25\00:34:57.15
under the law,
we're under grace.
00:34:57.16\00:34:58.69
What that means,
friends, is exactly the story
00:34:58.70\00:35:01.32
I just illustrate.
00:35:01.33\00:35:02.37
That means, that the
law when you violate the law
00:35:02.38\00:35:06.12
you are under it, that means,
00:35:06.13\00:35:07.82
you are under its
condemnation. Yes.
00:35:07.83\00:35:09.89
When you stand in
front of the judge,
00:35:09.90\00:35:11.27
you don't stand there
because you're innocent.
00:35:11.28\00:35:13.92
He asks you the simple question,
00:35:13.93\00:35:15.82
how do you plea
guilty or not guilty? Yes.
00:35:15.83\00:35:20.24
Now if you say, not guilty,
00:35:20.25\00:35:21.56
you have to prove the
law doesn't apply to you
00:35:21.57\00:35:24.75
in this particular, if
you say guilty then you admit
00:35:24.76\00:35:27.68
that the law is over
you or you're under it.
00:35:27.69\00:35:32.30
That's simply means
you are not under the,
00:35:32.31\00:35:33.82
you are not under the
condemnation of the law,
00:35:33.83\00:35:37.51
but you're under God's grace.
00:35:37.52\00:35:38.66
Yeah, and I think
we touched on this,
00:35:38.67\00:35:40.15
perhaps a little last week.
00:35:40.16\00:35:41.33
Why do you need laws?
00:35:41.34\00:35:43.77
Laws are only made
when there is a problem.
00:35:43.78\00:35:46.18
In other words,
there's no law that says,
00:35:46.19\00:35:47.55
thou shalt not
walk on the ceiling,
00:35:47.56\00:35:48.89
we don't have a
problem with that,
00:35:48.90\00:35:50.09
it's walking here on earth,
00:35:50.10\00:35:51.26
we've got the problem with.
00:35:51.27\00:35:52.50
And that's why you've
got to have jaywalking laws,
00:35:52.51\00:35:54.08
and street laws,
and street signs,
00:35:54.09\00:35:55.31
you have the laws and rules.
00:35:55.32\00:35:56.97
Laws are there, so
the purpose of the law is
00:35:56.98\00:35:59.87
to show you the parameters,
to show you what is acceptable,
00:35:59.88\00:36:02.92
that's right, to show
you what is not acceptable.
00:36:02.93\00:36:05.21
And it gives you
the lane that you're
00:36:05.22\00:36:08.21
supposed to say it, stay in.
00:36:08.22\00:36:09.59
So, when you step
outside of that lane,
00:36:09.60\00:36:10.94
well then you're under the law,
00:36:10.95\00:36:11.96
you made a mistake...
00:36:11.97\00:36:12.94
That's right. And
you have to pay for that.
00:36:12.95\00:36:14.35
And the only way to get
out from paying for that
00:36:14.36\00:36:16.07
is grace, because
someone else paid for that,
00:36:16.08\00:36:19.40
that of course,
you know, it's Jesus.
00:36:19.41\00:36:20.83
So you have-to-have law
when you're talking about grace.
00:36:20.84\00:36:23.13
One can not exist
without the other,
00:36:23.14\00:36:25.18
they go hand in hand.
00:36:25.19\00:36:26.35
That's a very good illustration.
00:36:26.36\00:36:27.92
You wouldn't even
want to be let off the hook
00:36:27.93\00:36:29.89
unless something says,
you're on the hook, you see.
00:36:29.90\00:36:32.49
Precisely. You wouldn't
want to be let out of jail.
00:36:32.50\00:36:34.37
And so unless there's a
law that puts your there.
00:36:34.38\00:36:37.66
And so the
wages of sin is death,
00:36:37.67\00:36:39.97
you just made that very clear.
00:36:39.98\00:36:41.36
The Bible makes that
very clear, Romans 6 verse 23,
00:36:41.37\00:36:43.53
but the gift of
God is eternal life.
00:36:43.54\00:36:46.06
The gift of God is
not received by us outside
00:36:46.07\00:36:48.72
of His grace, it's
inside of His grace.
00:36:48.73\00:36:51.92
But, you know,
people say, well, okay,
00:36:51.93\00:36:54.57
how do you then if
we're saved by grace
00:36:54.58\00:36:57.31
then what does that
have to do with works,
00:36:57.32\00:37:00.07
because some
individual say, well,
00:37:00.08\00:37:01.31
since I'm saved by
grace through faith. Yes.
00:37:01.32\00:37:04.40
Then what does works
have to do with that.
00:37:04.41\00:37:06.41
Matter of fact, go with
us to Ephesians Chapter 2,
00:37:06.42\00:37:09.70
and we're gonna read
the verses that are often
00:37:09.71\00:37:12.73
coined or the
favorite verses, I should say.
00:37:12.74\00:37:16.85
Ephesians 2 verse 8 and 9,
00:37:16.86\00:37:19.71
we're gonna look at
those because those are the
00:37:19.72\00:37:21.33
verses that people
often lean on and say,
00:37:21.34\00:37:23.65
praise God, I'm saved by grace,
00:37:23.66\00:37:26.28
I don't have to
keep His law anymore.
00:37:26.29\00:37:28.88
But notice what it
says in verse 8 and 9,
00:37:28.89\00:37:32.92
read that for us, C.A.
00:37:32.93\00:37:34.24
I'm in verse 8 of
Ephesians Chapter 2,
00:37:34.25\00:37:36.03
"For by grace you have
been saved through faith,
00:37:36.04\00:37:39.92
and that not of yourselves,
00:37:39.93\00:37:41.62
it is the gift
of God not of works,
00:37:41.63\00:37:44.66
lest anyone should boast."
00:37:44.67\00:37:46.16
Okay, now we're
gonna read verse 10 in just
00:37:46.17\00:37:47.62
a moment, but I want to
just make this point very clear.
00:37:47.63\00:37:50.98
Not of works, lest
anyone should boast.
00:37:50.99\00:37:54.21
In other words, I
could say, well, you know,
00:37:54.22\00:37:56.51
C.A you've been preaching
for more than 25 years,
00:37:56.52\00:37:59.76
and I'm just in my 18th year,
00:37:59.77\00:38:01.41
you've got to
more saved than I am.
00:38:01.42\00:38:04.04
That's what the
Bible means, not by works.
00:38:04.05\00:38:07.05
This is something that
is as we've often said,
00:38:07.06\00:38:09.58
something we don't deserve,
00:38:09.59\00:38:11.52
but because of accepting
Christ is extended to us.
00:38:11.53\00:38:15.00
Yes, yes.
Courtesy of Jesus Christ.
00:38:15.01\00:38:17.78
Our works don't
commend us to that.
00:38:17.79\00:38:19.72
They said, you're
not, the only thing that
00:38:19.73\00:38:22.06
allows him to do
that is his grace.
00:38:22.07\00:38:24.81
Our works don't
commend us to God,
00:38:24.82\00:38:26.92
our works endear
us to him. Oh, yeah.
00:38:26.93\00:38:29.35
You see, when
somebody says, let's just say,
00:38:29.36\00:38:32.78
somebody says, I want you
to meet a very wealthy person.
00:38:32.79\00:38:37.06
Sometimes we say, well,
what I've done to deserve
00:38:37.07\00:38:39.30
meeting this person.
00:38:39.31\00:38:40.28
And I say, well there is
nothing you could have done
00:38:40.29\00:38:42.00
to deserve meeting,
let's just pick a very
00:38:42.01\00:38:44.10
famous person,
maybe, I won't call a name,
00:38:44.11\00:38:46.22
a very, very wealthy person.
00:38:46.23\00:38:48.69
My wife always wants
to go on the Oprah show.
00:38:48.70\00:38:50.29
So I'll just say, oh,
finally we meet Oprah.
00:38:50.30\00:38:52.60
What have we done to meet her?
00:38:52.61\00:38:53.64
Nothing, you just
had a chance to meet her.
00:38:53.65\00:38:56.67
But now, if I was
asked by her to do something
00:38:56.68\00:39:03.06
that would
endear us, if I did it.
00:39:03.07\00:39:05.50
She would say, you know, what?
00:39:05.51\00:39:06.48
We have a better
relationship now because
00:39:06.49\00:39:07.92
I've asked John and Angie
00:39:07.93\00:39:09.54
to do
something, and they did it.
00:39:09.55\00:39:11.19
So there is a connection now.
00:39:11.20\00:39:13.10
When the Lord extends
to us salvation, He says,
00:39:13.11\00:39:16.27
I've done that
for a specific reason.
00:39:16.28\00:39:18.44
Now, well, let's read
verse 10, Ephesians 2,
00:39:18.45\00:39:20.62
friends, and verse
10, very important text.
00:39:20.63\00:39:24.08
It endears us to Christ,
not recommends us to Him.
00:39:24.09\00:39:27.40
There it is.
00:39:27.41\00:39:28.38
It almost seems like a
contradiction, but it is not.
00:39:28.39\00:39:30.79
Right, "For we
are his workmanship,
00:39:30.80\00:39:33.17
created in Christ
Jesus for good works with God
00:39:33.18\00:39:38.16
prepared beforehand
that we should walk in them."
00:39:38.17\00:39:41.04
Okay. Yeah.
00:39:41.05\00:39:42.04
So, what is that saying?
He has something for us to do.
00:39:42.05\00:39:47.62
To do, yeah. But I'm
saved by grace through faith.
00:39:47.63\00:39:52.63
Why do I need to
walk in any works?
00:39:52.64\00:39:56.62
Salvation is a free
gift, but salvation, okay,
00:39:56.63\00:40:00.04
let's just use
this illustration,
00:40:00.05\00:40:01.32
I think illustrations
are working very well today,
00:40:01.33\00:40:03.24
let's try this one.
00:40:03.25\00:40:04.92
Let's just say, I
want to, I want a salary,
00:40:04.93\00:40:07.67
I want, I need some
money, I have a house,
00:40:07.68\00:40:09.59
I need to keep my
house going, I need the car,
00:40:09.60\00:40:11.09
need to keep that
going, I need some money,
00:40:11.10\00:40:13.25
so what I do to get to money?
00:40:13.26\00:40:14.95
I look for a job.
00:40:14.96\00:40:17.23
I get the job, and
I'm excited, I'm hired on,
00:40:17.24\00:40:20.89
I'm put on staff, the
salary levels are set,
00:40:20.90\00:40:25.53
and I can't wait
till the first payday,
00:40:25.54\00:40:29.07
and I look
forward to first payday,
00:40:29.08\00:40:31.60
and payday comes
and I get my check
00:40:31.61\00:40:34.73
and I get excited about that.
00:40:34.74\00:40:36.53
Then I start to
relax as time goes on,
00:40:36.54\00:40:39.32
I stop doing the work.
00:40:39.33\00:40:41.36
I still I'm
looking for a pay check.
00:40:41.37\00:40:44.51
The supervisor gets hit
to my laziness, and says,
00:40:44.52\00:40:48.23
you know, what,
wait till payday comes.
00:40:48.24\00:40:50.34
He is going to see
that he has another thing
00:40:50.35\00:40:53.10
coming if he thinks
he is gonna get a check.
00:40:53.11\00:40:55.43
So payday comes
and I look for work.
00:40:55.44\00:40:58.54
And the supervisor
says, how will you get pay
00:40:58.55\00:41:01.81
if there is no
work, there is no pay,
00:41:01.82\00:41:04.75
if there is no work. Yes.
00:41:04.76\00:41:06.17
Now Jesus says in
Revelation 22 verse 12,
00:41:06.70\00:41:08.80
I quoted that earlier.
00:41:08.81\00:41:10.23
He will give a
reward to everyone
00:41:10.24\00:41:12.00
according as His works shall be.
00:41:12.01\00:41:16.02
Now, if that's in fact the case,
00:41:16.03\00:41:18.75
Revelation 22 verse
12, which it is the case,
00:41:18.76\00:41:21.45
if He is going to reward
us according to our work.
00:41:21.46\00:41:24.58
Our works, yes. Then
there has to be work.
00:41:24.59\00:41:27.17
Work, yeah, yeah.
00:41:27.18\00:41:29.10
This leads us into
the text that's coming up
00:41:29.11\00:41:31.18
in Romans
Chapter 1 verse 5. Okay.
00:41:31.19\00:41:33.35
"Through him we
have received grace
00:41:33.36\00:41:36.71
and apostleship, for obedience."
00:41:36.72\00:41:39.71
Now when the word
obedience slips in there,
00:41:39.72\00:41:42.24
we're talking about
obedience to something,
00:41:42.25\00:41:44.49
we're talking about
doing something, that's rght.
00:41:44.50\00:41:46.38
As opposed to not
doing something else.
00:41:46.39\00:41:48.55
So we're talking about
that word again, works.
00:41:48.56\00:41:52.35
That's right. It's
not gonna we do not work,
00:41:52.36\00:41:55.81
it's how we work
and whom we work,
00:41:55.82\00:41:57.94
and when we work, you know.
00:41:57.95\00:41:59.89
First comes the relation, it
was like, it's like your wife.
00:41:59.90\00:42:03.16
You say, Angie, I
love you, I adore you,
00:42:03.17\00:42:05.90
I swim the deepest
ocean, cross the sea,
00:42:05.91\00:42:08.90
climb highest
mountains, so one day she says,
00:42:08.91\00:42:10.55
John, could you
give me a glass of water?
00:42:10.56\00:42:11.94
No, I'm not doing that.
00:42:11.95\00:42:15.16
By the way, I'm
not... Too much for me to do.
00:42:15.17\00:42:16.85
By the way,
that's not gonna happen.
00:42:16.86\00:42:17.97
Yeah, well, praise the Lord.
00:42:17.98\00:42:19.50
But, and that's
just, it's a little thing.
00:42:19.51\00:42:21.29
Is it a big deal
for you to get up
00:42:21.30\00:42:22.79
and get glass water? No.
00:42:22.80\00:42:24.34
Because the relationship
has been established.
00:42:24.35\00:42:26.18
That's right. There
is a loving relationship.
00:42:26.19\00:42:28.00
So it's a natural
thing to do because maybe
00:42:28.01\00:42:30.14
one day you'll say, Angie,
00:42:30.15\00:42:31.12
could you get me glass of water?
00:42:31.13\00:42:32.20
And she does that out of love.
00:42:32.21\00:42:34.25
That's not and
we have this yolk,
00:42:34.26\00:42:36.61
but Christ says, my
yolk is not grievous,
00:42:36.62\00:42:38.70
it's not tough serving Jesus.
00:42:38.71\00:42:40.01
No. Because we love
Jesus. That's right.
00:42:40.02\00:42:41.56
So the works come
as a consequence of
00:42:41.57\00:42:43.87
an abiding
relationship with Christ,
00:42:43.88\00:42:45.56
not something you think about.
00:42:45.57\00:42:47.00
He works in you to
will and to do as that,
00:42:47.01\00:42:49.54
Philippians 2 is good pleasure.
00:42:49.55\00:42:51.54
So it's just,
it's a natural thing,
00:42:51.55\00:42:54.34
it's a natural
response to our relationship
00:42:54.35\00:42:58.43
because we've yielded ourselves,
00:42:58.44\00:42:59.65
Romans 12 says, as
living sacrifices to him.
00:42:59.66\00:43:02.65
That was Roman,
that was matter of fact,
00:43:02.66\00:43:04.06
Philippians 2 verse
13, I was right there
00:43:04.07\00:43:06.54
matter of fact,
thinking about that.
00:43:06.55\00:43:07.95
And this is very
important because
00:43:07.96\00:43:09.31
a lot of times
people say, well, okay,
00:43:09.32\00:43:11.09
how good can I be?
00:43:11.10\00:43:12.77
I mean, how good do I
have to be in my works,
00:43:12.78\00:43:15.88
in order to be
accepted by Christ?
00:43:15.89\00:43:17.67
Friends, here's the
text, Philippians 2:13,
00:43:17.68\00:43:21.84
"For it is God
who works..." Yes.
00:43:21.85\00:43:25.52
"In you both to will and
to do of his good pleasure."
00:43:25.53\00:43:30.50
Amen. It is God who's
at work. God is at work.
00:43:30.51\00:43:32.47
When you become a Christian,
00:43:32.48\00:43:33.67
you invite the Lord
in, He starts to work
00:43:33.68\00:43:36.32
and Philippians 1
verse 6, it says, this way,
00:43:36.33\00:43:40.31
do you have that?
00:43:40.32\00:43:41.43
I shall go to the,
something just brought
00:43:41.44\00:43:42.97
the mind, you led
me to a text in Roman.
00:43:42.98\00:43:44.64
Listen to Philippians 1 verse 6,
00:43:44.65\00:43:46.44
"Being confident of
this very thing..." Oh, yes.
00:43:46.45\00:43:49.39
"That He who has
begun a good work in you
00:43:49.40\00:43:52.73
will complete it
until the day of Christ."
00:43:52.74\00:43:55.13
So the Lord is the
one that's working in us
00:43:55.14\00:43:57.32
as the Bible says, it
is in him we live and move
00:43:57.33\00:43:59.76
and have our being, He
is working out His plan
00:43:59.77\00:44:02.97
for our lives through our lives,
00:44:02.98\00:44:05.58
He is doing His
work for the building up
00:44:05.59\00:44:07.77
of the kingdom
through us and also in us.
00:44:07.78\00:44:09.94
Praise the
Lord, praise the Lord.
00:44:09.95\00:44:11.03
So this is work that
we involve ourselves in,
00:44:11.04\00:44:13.23
and our works endear us to Him,
00:44:13.24\00:44:15.28
not recommend us to Him.
00:44:15.29\00:44:16.52
And that's a, that's
very good beautiful poem,
00:44:16.53\00:44:17.94
you said that before, it
sort of touched my heart.
00:44:17.95\00:44:19.67
I'm in Romans 12:1 again. Okay.
00:44:19.68\00:44:21.41
"I beseech you
therefore, brethren,
00:44:21.42\00:44:22.63
by the mercies of
God, that you present your
00:44:22.64\00:44:24.38
bodies a living sacrifice, holy,
00:44:24.39\00:44:27.01
acceptable to God, which
is your reasonable service.
00:44:27.02\00:44:29.73
The secret is
surrender, as you well know,
00:44:29.74\00:44:32.16
it's allowing God to
work in you as we said to will
00:44:32.17\00:44:35.35
and to do of His good pleasure.
00:44:35.36\00:44:36.95
It's not trying to
do what's driving to do,
00:44:36.96\00:44:39.36
it's letting go and letting God,
00:44:39.37\00:44:41.46
and then God
works as well out in us
00:44:41.47\00:44:43.23
and through us and we
find ourselves making changes
00:44:43.24\00:44:45.01
and doing things that we
didn't recognize we could do.
00:44:45.02\00:44:48.72
Because a new power
is at work in our lives.
00:44:48.73\00:44:51.33
My wife is now very technical.
00:44:51.34\00:44:54.73
And when I say, technical,
00:44:54.74\00:44:56.60
I would have to
whistle dixie on one leg to get
00:44:56.61\00:45:00.05
her to look at a computer screen
00:45:00.06\00:45:01.29
about a year, two years ago.
00:45:01.30\00:45:03.28
And, you know, editing things on
00:45:03.29\00:45:04.45
computer screen,
she couldn't careless,
00:45:04.46\00:45:06.07
but now she is
involved in audio editing,
00:45:06.08\00:45:10.65
wave files, and
injecting CDs, and burning CDs,
00:45:10.66\00:45:14.56
and editing radio programs,
00:45:14.57\00:45:16.24
stuff that I
thought she would never do.
00:45:16.25\00:45:19.39
But the interest was
spot when she learn the skill.
00:45:19.40\00:45:24.65
And now she is able
to do things to advance
00:45:24.66\00:45:26.58
the cause of God that
I thought she'd never be
00:45:26.59\00:45:28.50
able to do, but
what happened is,
00:45:28.51\00:45:31.07
the work that she does,
does not make her Angie,
00:45:31.08\00:45:35.69
but the interest of hers
in the advancing of God's
00:45:35.70\00:45:39.81
cause, it's him
working in her to give her
00:45:39.82\00:45:42.39
the desire to learn the
skill, to do this skill,
00:45:42.40\00:45:45.18
and to use it to the
advancing of his cause.
00:45:45.19\00:45:47.58
So when we talk about grace,
00:45:47.59\00:45:49.31
it is simply a power
that God gives to us,
00:45:49.32\00:45:54.95
that turns on our
desire to serve Him and that
00:45:54.96\00:46:00.54
gives us the ability
and the obedience to allow
00:46:00.55\00:46:04.19
Him now to work in us
and use our hands in our
00:46:04.20\00:46:06.80
lives to advance His cause.
00:46:06.81\00:46:10.42
Second Corinthians 9 and verse 8
00:46:10.43\00:46:12.14
is another very
important passage.
00:46:12.15\00:46:14.17
Second Corinthians
9, friends, in verse 8.
00:46:14.18\00:46:16.36
And by the way,
if we have questions
00:46:16.37\00:46:17.87
or if you have any
questions, you can send those
00:46:17.88\00:46:20.47
on this topic or any
other to housecalls@3abn.org,
00:46:20.48\00:46:24.07
that's housecalls@3abn.org.
00:46:24.08\00:46:28.15
And this one I like
so of sitting in with you
00:46:28.16\00:46:32.43
'cause our
brains go in the same,
00:46:32.44\00:46:34.33
we can go back and
forth in texts because
00:46:34.34\00:46:36.07
it's an important
point. That's right.
00:46:36.08\00:46:37.56
'Cause Second
Corinthians popped in my mind
00:46:37.57\00:46:39.55
and then I also popped
in Galatians Chapter 2.
00:46:39.56\00:46:42.27
You know... Okay.
00:46:42.28\00:46:43.29
And so, we're going
back and forth in this,
00:46:43.30\00:46:44.78
but it's an
important, and I think we had
00:46:44.79\00:46:47.54
the spend a little
with because there are those
00:46:47.55\00:46:49.56
who honestly believe
the law has nothing more
00:46:49.57\00:46:53.46
to do with the Christian life,
00:46:53.47\00:46:54.98
and that doing
things, changing things,
00:46:54.99\00:46:57.11
living for Christ,
it has nothing more
00:46:57.12\00:46:59.90
to do with our salvation.
00:46:59.91\00:47:01.51
And nothing could be more
refuted by the word of God,
00:47:01.52\00:47:05.45
that once we come
into Christ there are
00:47:05.46\00:47:07.70
changes that are made,
there is a life that is lived,
00:47:07.71\00:47:11.09
but the key is,
when is that done,
00:47:11.10\00:47:13.05
is it you, we
try to do it to make
00:47:13.06\00:47:14.61
ourselves acceptable to Christ.
00:47:14.62\00:47:16.09
Not at all, but once
we come to Jesus it's like
00:47:16.10\00:47:19.11
my mother, she's coming
to my house and I always
00:47:19.12\00:47:22.36
try to clean my
house when I was single,
00:47:22.37\00:47:24.42
but no matter how
clean I thought it was
00:47:24.43\00:47:27.38
after she took of
her coat and got settled,
00:47:27.39\00:47:30.13
she would begin
cleaning and we're kind of
00:47:30.14\00:47:32.06
aggravated, because I
thought I was pretty clean,
00:47:32.07\00:47:34.00
but she clean on
top of refrigerator,
00:47:34.01\00:47:35.37
which I wouldn't think to clean.
00:47:35.38\00:47:36.55
She cleaned under
the stove and I'm like,
00:47:36.56\00:47:38.48
are you gonna spend the
whole trick with me cleaning?
00:47:38.49\00:47:40.94
And the whole
time she was there,
00:47:40.95\00:47:42.18
each day she'd
spend sometime cleaning.
00:47:42.19\00:47:44.33
So that would by the
time she left my house was
00:47:44.34\00:47:46.03
spotless,
operating room spotless,
00:47:46.04\00:47:48.34
but it kind of aggravated me.
00:47:48.35\00:47:49.46
Because, you know,
no matter how clean
00:47:49.47\00:47:50.90
I thought it was,
she always found dirt.
00:47:50.91\00:47:52.70
That's where the Holy Spirit is.
00:47:52.71\00:47:54.32
Once it comes into your life,
00:47:54.33\00:47:55.32
it begins this
cleaning process, that's right.
00:47:55.33\00:47:57.28
And you begin to make changes.
00:47:57.29\00:47:58.43
You may feel, I'm pretty good,
00:47:58.44\00:47:59.81
and the Holy Spirit shows you,
00:47:59.82\00:48:00.82
I'm not so good at all.
00:48:00.83\00:48:02.28
So there is a life
that is lived. Yeah.
00:48:02.29\00:48:04.47
Things that are done,
there are changes that
00:48:04.48\00:48:06.18
are made, but they're
made as a result of the
00:48:06.19\00:48:09.00
Holy Spirit, who is
dwelling in our hearts.
00:48:09.01\00:48:11.60
Not for, not as a
replacement of the
00:48:11.61\00:48:13.31
Holy Spirit, but as
a result. As a result.
00:48:13.32\00:48:15.88
That's the power
that's available,
00:48:15.89\00:48:17.14
and that's the thing
that a lot people have
00:48:17.15\00:48:18.76
a Christian walk with
God, but they're saying, well,
00:48:18.77\00:48:20.99
okay, I want to walk with you,
00:48:21.00\00:48:22.35
but I don't really want
to do anything while I walk.
00:48:22.36\00:48:25.37
Somebody just sit
here and sing songs,
00:48:25.38\00:48:27.37
read Bible
verses, study my Bible,
00:48:27.38\00:48:28.95
but I'm not gonna do anything.
00:48:28.96\00:48:30.76
Can you imagine being on
a football team and never
00:48:30.77\00:48:33.10
having played the
entire season and there is
00:48:33.11\00:48:35.20
nothing wrong with you? Yeah.
00:48:35.21\00:48:36.87
And you expect to
shout and yell at the end of
00:48:36.88\00:48:38.71
the season that you
won the championship.
00:48:38.72\00:48:41.03
And the coach would said,
00:48:41.04\00:48:42.06
but you have never
touched the field, yeah.
00:48:42.07\00:48:44.32
You didn't show up for practice,
00:48:44.33\00:48:45.83
you were just delinquent.
00:48:45.84\00:48:47.28
The Lord is not
calling us to be delinquent.
00:48:47.29\00:48:49.98
The Lord is calling
us to, as the Bible says,
00:48:49.99\00:48:53.02
"Let your life so shine
before men that they may
00:48:53.03\00:48:56.24
see your good works
and glorify Your Father,
00:48:56.25\00:49:01.05
which is in heaven."
00:49:01.06\00:49:02.14
When they see our good works,
00:49:02.15\00:49:04.06
the Father in
Heaven receives the glory.
00:49:04.07\00:49:06.29
Now First Corinthians 9 verse 8,
00:49:06.30\00:49:09.32
listen to what
the Bible says here.
00:49:09.33\00:49:10.94
And it says, and God
is able to make all grace
00:49:10.95\00:49:13.79
abound toward you,
that you always having all
00:49:13.80\00:49:17.70
sufficiency and all things,
00:49:17.71\00:49:20.23
may have an
abundance for every good work.
00:49:20.24\00:49:24.64
Notice that.
00:49:24.65\00:49:25.84
The grace of God
that abounds to us,
00:49:25.85\00:49:27.68
the grace of God
extended to us is what allows us
00:49:27.69\00:49:31.73
and enables us to be
able to do work for God.
00:49:31.74\00:49:34.69
That's great, that's great.
00:49:34.70\00:49:36.89
I'm in Second
Corinthians Chapter 2,
00:49:36.90\00:49:38.95
and I guess we got to
move on sooner or later.
00:49:38.96\00:49:40.49
Sure. I'm in 2 verses 8 and 9.
00:49:40.53\00:49:42.63
Second Corinthians
Chapter 2 verse 8 and 9,
00:49:42.64\00:49:45.33
turn with us, friends, okay.
00:49:45.34\00:49:47.28
"Therefore I urge you to
reaffirm your love to him."
00:49:47.29\00:49:51.34
You have to mention
your love to Christ.
00:49:51.35\00:49:53.12
"For to this end, I
also wrote that I might put
00:49:53.13\00:49:56.32
you to the test, whether
you are obedient in all things."
00:49:56.33\00:50:00.53
So we're talking about obedient,
00:50:00.54\00:50:01.80
we're talking
about things that we do,
00:50:01.81\00:50:03.78
that's how we
reaffirm our love for Him
00:50:03.79\00:50:06.86
by obeying Him.
00:50:06.87\00:50:08.41
And that means doing
those things that he's
00:50:08.42\00:50:10.91
asked us to do, not
in our own strength,
00:50:10.92\00:50:13.04
not in our own
power, but through
00:50:13.05\00:50:14.34
the indwelling
of the Holy Spirit.
00:50:14.35\00:50:15.77
Well, I like that.
00:50:15.78\00:50:17.24
I like that for this
and I didn't have that
00:50:17.25\00:50:19.43
highlighted, I
have to change that,
00:50:19.44\00:50:21.05
I've got to highlight that.
00:50:21.06\00:50:22.61
Whether you are
obedient in all things.
00:50:22.62\00:50:25.62
Now, why is that word obedient,
00:50:25.63\00:50:27.26
such a word that's
missing in our modern society?
00:50:27.27\00:50:29.82
Oh, we don't like obey.
00:50:29.83\00:50:30.80
There are some
people get married,
00:50:30.81\00:50:31.81
they out that
love and obey stuff,
00:50:31.82\00:50:33.80
'cause they just don't want,
00:50:33.81\00:50:35.14
they don't want to
talk about being obedient.
00:50:35.15\00:50:36.86
I remember, I had a bride,
00:50:36.87\00:50:38.34
marrying wife and
a husband, obviously,
00:50:38.35\00:50:41.23
those are the only
two you should marry,
00:50:41.24\00:50:42.64
a husband and a wife. Amen.
00:50:42.65\00:50:44.43
And she said, well,
if you're gonna say,
00:50:44.44\00:50:46.91
I should obey my
husband, you got to put,
00:50:46.92\00:50:48.33
that he got to obey his wife,
00:50:48.34\00:50:50.86
if you're gonna put obey
for me, put obey for Him.
00:50:50.87\00:50:53.19
And that's not a bad
idea. Not a bad idea at all.
00:50:53.20\00:50:55.33
Because we're not
to disobey our wives
00:50:55.34\00:50:57.19
and they're to obey us.
00:50:57.20\00:50:58.89
Obedience is a part
of the relationship. Yes.
00:50:58.90\00:51:01.33
And so when Lord
talks about grace.
00:51:01.34\00:51:04.89
Grace is not a license to sin,
00:51:04.90\00:51:07.44
but grace is
saying to us that because
00:51:07.45\00:51:09.86
of this you should
not sin. Yes, yes, yes.
00:51:09.87\00:51:12.97
Because I've
been so good to you,
00:51:12.98\00:51:14.04
why are you so
bad to me, you know.
00:51:14.05\00:51:17.75
That's important,
that's wonderfully, yeah.
00:51:17.76\00:51:19.32
I have been
nothing but good to you.
00:51:19.33\00:51:20.79
He is so bad to
me. He is so bad to me.
00:51:20.80\00:51:22.89
Let's go back to
Paul's original text that we
00:51:22.90\00:51:24.74
looked at in Romans Chapter 5,
00:51:24.75\00:51:27.58
Chapter 6 rather,
just because we got grace
00:51:27.59\00:51:31.30
it's not a license to
sin, just because they let you
00:51:31.31\00:51:33.93
walk out because they knew you,
00:51:33.94\00:51:35.50
you don't go back to
that same parking space again
00:51:35.51\00:51:37.70
and put your car there again.
00:51:37.71\00:51:39.35
Oh, you don't do that. You know.
00:51:39.36\00:51:40.75
Yeah. And that's,
that's true. Yeah.
00:51:40.76\00:51:42.46
There is no license that
God is trying to give you
00:51:42.47\00:51:45.05
to make you bad.
00:51:45.06\00:51:46.26
Matter of fact, Jude
1, there's only 1 Chapter
00:51:46.27\00:51:49.30
in Jude, anyway, but I
want you to see this passage
00:51:49.31\00:51:52.09
in Jude 1 verse 3 and verse 4,
00:51:52.10\00:51:55.04
very important passage because,
00:51:55.05\00:51:57.09
sometimes Christianity
is often seen as a license
00:51:57.10\00:51:59.55
to live however you want,
00:51:59.56\00:52:00.88
as long as you say
you're a Christian.
00:52:00.89\00:52:02.97
That's not so, Jude verse 1.
00:52:02.98\00:52:06.36
Matter of fact,
verse 3 and verse 4,
00:52:06.37\00:52:08.83
I pointed out a moment ago that
00:52:08.84\00:52:10.04
Jude only has one Chapter, so...
00:52:10.05\00:52:11.78
One Chapter. I can't
mess that up, here it is.
00:52:11.79\00:52:15.90
Verse 3 and verse 4,
read verse 3 for us, C.A.
00:52:15.91\00:52:20.17
In Jude 3, "Beloved,
while I was very diligent
00:52:20.18\00:52:23.91
to write you
concerning our common salvation,
00:52:23.92\00:52:27.42
I found it necessary
to write to you exhorting
00:52:27.43\00:52:29.93
you to contend
earnestly for the faith,
00:52:29.94\00:52:32.67
which was once for all
delivered to the saints."
00:52:32.68\00:52:36.41
And verse 4, "For
certain men have crept
00:52:36.42\00:52:38.70
in unnoticed, who long
ago were marked out for this
00:52:38.71\00:52:43.13
condemnation, ungodly men,
00:52:43.14\00:52:45.48
who turned the grace
of our God into lewdness
00:52:45.49\00:52:49.04
and denied the only Lord
God and our Lord Jesus Christ."
00:52:49.05\00:52:54.27
Now, you know, the
word there lewdness or life
00:52:54.28\00:52:56.05
sensuousness passage here
in the New King James Version,
00:52:56.06\00:52:59.32
actually it's translated
in the Greek license...
00:52:59.33\00:53:02.22
License. To immorality.
00:53:02.23\00:53:04.58
So there are those who
ignore the grace of God,
00:53:04.59\00:53:08.45
but then they give a
license to immorality.
00:53:08.46\00:53:11.91
So the Lord is not
calling us to be immoral
00:53:11.92\00:53:15.49
after we receive His grace,
00:53:15.50\00:53:17.47
He's calling us to
be those who desire
00:53:17.48\00:53:20.15
immortality not immorality. Yes.
00:53:20.16\00:53:23.00
You know, C.A, what's
the difference between
00:53:23.53\00:53:24.50
immorality and immortality?
00:53:24.51\00:53:27.05
What's the difference?
00:53:27.06\00:53:28.44
If you write
those two words down,
00:53:28.45\00:53:30.28
immorality and immortality,
00:53:30.29\00:53:32.33
you'll see the
difference is the cross.
00:53:32.34\00:53:35.71
Praise the Lord,
that's beautiful.
00:53:35.72\00:53:36.80
The difference is the
cross. And I like that.
00:53:36.81\00:53:38.21
You take the "T" out,
the differences is the cross.
00:53:38.22\00:53:40.39
Is the cross, yeah.
00:53:40.40\00:53:41.43
Between
immorality, taking "T" out,
00:53:41.44\00:53:42.81
there's
immorality, put the cross in,
00:53:42.82\00:53:44.87
it's immortality.
Immortality, praise God.
00:53:44.88\00:53:46.33
And so for those who
are taking the cross out
00:53:46.34\00:53:49.35
and just cheat
grace, it's immorality. Yes.
00:53:49.36\00:53:52.88
Those who are living by God's
00:53:52.89\00:53:54.36
abundant grace is immortality.
00:53:54.37\00:53:57.06
Immortality. It's
beauty in the difference.
00:53:57.07\00:53:58.54
Yeah, yeah. Full of
grace, not cheat grace.
00:53:58.55\00:54:02.07
Now praise God.
Not licensed grace.
00:54:02.08\00:54:04.11
Yeah, it's amazing
that one question could just
00:54:04.12\00:54:06.04
drive us into what do we
wanted to talk about today.
00:54:06.05\00:54:08.63
But it is an issue
that is much misunderstood
00:54:08.64\00:54:12.29
and perhaps much more
lined this idea that because
00:54:12.30\00:54:15.95
you have grace you
can live anyway you want
00:54:15.96\00:54:17.60
and you don't
have to make changes.
00:54:17.61\00:54:19.21
But even Jesus
said, if you love Me,
00:54:19.22\00:54:21.13
keep My commandments.
00:54:21.14\00:54:23.11
There are things that
you have to do that you'll
00:54:23.12\00:54:25.76
want to do that will
come as a natural consequence
00:54:25.77\00:54:28.83
of a loving
relationship with Jesus Christ.
00:54:28.84\00:54:31.18
You know, well there is
a clout, there is the text.
00:54:31.19\00:54:33.05
Now, if there's grace
in your life, friends,
00:54:33.06\00:54:35.66
it should not only
be seen in your works,
00:54:35.67\00:54:37.60
but it should be
heard in your voice.
00:54:37.61\00:54:41.07
Did you hear that? I hear that.
00:54:41.08\00:54:42.05
It should be
heard in your voice.
00:54:42.06\00:54:43.68
Go with us now as we
wind up our program here today
00:54:43.69\00:54:46.88
to Colossians 4 and verse 6,
00:54:46.89\00:54:50.19
Colossians 4 and
verse 6, this is beautiful.
00:54:50.20\00:54:55.80
The word here grace
also could be interpreted,
00:54:55.81\00:54:58.60
we should be gracious,
you know, when you talk,
00:54:58.61\00:55:01.92
when the Bible talk
about being full of goodness
00:55:01.93\00:55:05.77
and truth, we should also be,
00:55:05.78\00:55:07.76
we should also be full
of God's grace. Oh, yes.
00:55:07.77\00:55:11.09
And how can you tell
whether or not a person
00:55:11.10\00:55:13.12
is graceful, look
at Colossians Chapter 4
00:55:13.13\00:55:17.46
and verse 6, read that for us.
00:55:17.47\00:55:19.70
Let your speech
always be with, I'm sorry.
00:55:19.71\00:55:24.40
"Let your speech
always be with grace seasoned
00:55:24.41\00:55:27.57
with salt, that you may know
00:55:27.58\00:55:30.27
how you ought to
answer each one."
00:55:30.28\00:55:32.99
You know, I've got
underline and my lines
00:55:33.00\00:55:34.46
are going right
through my words here.
00:55:34.47\00:55:38.00
Friends, here is the point
as we wind up our program today.
00:55:38.01\00:55:40.40
I want to encourage
you, if you miss the program
00:55:40.41\00:55:41.92
and its entirety,
once again check your local
00:55:41.93\00:55:44.29
listing to see when it'll
be broadcast again, either,
00:55:44.30\00:55:46.98
whether you're listening
or watching the program.
00:55:46.99\00:55:49.53
But the Bible says,
in our speech we should
00:55:49.54\00:55:52.17
people that -- we
should be people that have
00:55:52.18\00:55:53.58
not only the grace
of God in our lives,
00:55:53.59\00:55:55.77
but the grace of God
should be seen in our works.
00:55:55.78\00:55:57.96
Oh, yes.
00:55:57.97\00:55:58.99
Should be seen in our living,
00:55:59.00\00:56:00.54
and should be
heard in our voice.
00:56:00.55\00:56:02.88
Because, you know,
be honest with you, C.A,
00:56:02.89\00:56:04.92
there are times when
you want to answer people
00:56:04.93\00:56:07.14
certain way, but
the grace of God should
00:56:07.15\00:56:09.98
season in your words.
00:56:09.99\00:56:13.19
Another way to say that is,
00:56:13.20\00:56:14.41
your words
should be tasteful. Yes.
00:56:14.42\00:56:16.68
You ever had
something that was bland.
00:56:16.69\00:56:18.62
And the chef thought he
did everything he could,
00:56:18.63\00:56:21.70
and what's the first
thing you'd say, pass me the...
00:56:21.71\00:56:24.37
Salt. Pass me the salt.
00:56:24.38\00:56:25.96
Brethren, if you're
not living and speaking,
00:56:25.97\00:56:28.86
honoring God by even
your words, I'm gonna say,
00:56:28.87\00:56:32.29
you ought to say
today, Lord, pass me the salt.
00:56:32.30\00:56:34.51
Pass me the salt.
00:56:34.52\00:56:35.55
Because our words
should be evidence,
00:56:35.56\00:56:37.76
isn't that
right? Praise God, yeah.
00:56:37.77\00:56:39.08
Heart way, he said,
we should smell like
00:56:39.09\00:56:40.90
Christian, the fragrance
of a Christian. Yes, yes.
00:56:40.91\00:56:43.69
What do you smell like? Yes.
00:56:43.70\00:56:45.42
Another one is,
what do you taste like?
00:56:45.43\00:56:47.71
Our words should
be seasoned with the
00:56:47.72\00:56:49.60
presence and grace of God. Amen.
00:56:49.61\00:56:51.41
Lastly, James 4:6,
as I end with this.
00:56:51.42\00:56:54.50
"He gives more grace.
00:56:54.51\00:56:56.62
Therefore he says,
God resists the proud,
00:56:56.63\00:56:59.00
but gives grace to the humble."
00:56:59.01\00:57:01.05
Friends, here at House Calls,
00:57:01.06\00:57:02.79
we pray that you will be
not proud in the presence
00:57:02.80\00:57:06.43
of God, but
you'll receive His grace,
00:57:06.44\00:57:08.91
and be humble that
when that grace is received,
00:57:08.92\00:57:12.19
it will be evidenced
in your life and also
00:57:12.20\00:57:14.56
in the way that you speak.
00:57:14.57\00:57:16.30
Until we see you
again, we pray that today will
00:57:16.31\00:57:18.26
be a day that when
the Lord makes a call
00:57:18.27\00:57:19.95
on your life, a call
on your house from C.A
00:57:19.96\00:57:22.22
and from John, and also
John Stanton, who is not here.
00:57:22.23\00:57:25.01
May the Lord find
you walking in Him,
00:57:25.02\00:57:27.48
and I pray that
today above all days
00:57:27.49\00:57:29.86
you will have a
wonderful day in Jesus Christ.
00:57:29.87\00:57:33.18