You and I know
that the Bible predicts
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that there is gonna
be a worldwide crisis
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just before the coming of Jesus
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and tonight we are
concerned about the issue of
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how can we
survive that final crisis?
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And let me say
from the very beginning
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that the Bible
makes it absolutely clear
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that there is
only one possible way
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that we are going to survive
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and that is through a personal
living relationship with Jesus.
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Amen.
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Nobody is gonna get
through on their own.
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Nobody is gonna get
through apart from Jesus.
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We are going to get through
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because of the
personal relationship
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we've established by
faith in Jesus Christ.
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Indeed unless we've
the right connections
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we will not survive.
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And so I'm gonna
focus in on the relationship
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that is so vital
to everyone of us
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and I know we've
been talking about it
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all through this series.
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But as very specifically tonight
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I'm gonna get into
some specific issues
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about that relationship
that are so important to us.
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And I want to begin
with the series of questions
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that will help us
to get really focused
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on the issue that is at hand.
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The first question I
want to share with you is,
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on what basis, on what
basis does God accept us?
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Now think about that.
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Number two, how good
does a person need to be,
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before God will
accept him or her?
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How good do you have to be
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before God will accept you?
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And number
three, can anyone become
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good enough for God to accept?
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Which is an important
question, don't you agree?
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You know, our salvation
is directly dependent up on
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how we answer those questions.
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And I'm so grateful tonight
again to know that the Bible
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gives us some very specific
answers to those questions.
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Now, our study tonight
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is broken down
into two major parts
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and the first part of what
we are gonna be studying is
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what I call the bad news.
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The bad news, which will
be followed by the good news.
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Now we will get
to the good news,
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I don't want you
to get discouraged
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as we're going
through the bad news.
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But we have to understand
and appreciate the bad news
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to be able to really,
fully appreciate the good news.
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That makes some
sense, doesn't it?
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And the bad news,
we must understand,
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we must really understand
something about the human heart.
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We must understand
something about ourselves.
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It's the ugly truth
again what sin has done to us,
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that what the knowledge
of evil has done to us.
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I begin
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where the Bible tells us
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"But we are all
like an unclean thing,
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and all our
righteousness are like" what?
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"A filthy rag."
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Now there's a word that
is a mouthful, isn't it?
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Righteousness is, its talking
about basically comes down
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to you know, how
good really are we
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and the saying our
goodness or righteousness
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is as filthy rags
and that is a truth
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that is based upon the
fact that we have been tainted,
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we have been
deeply affected by sin.
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And it goes so
deep that I don't know
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that any of us
can fully appreciate
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how this has affected us.
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This is the way
we have always been,
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you know, its down into
the roots of our thinking,
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our motivations.
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It just plays out and sometimes
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in very subtle ways in our life
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this thing of sin, doesn't it.
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It does.
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I take you to Romans 3
the New Testament page 120.
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Romans 3 and we'll
be looking at verse 10
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and then we'll
drop down to verse 20.
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And Paul speaks about this issue
very clearly here in this letter
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written to the Romans
again its Romans 3:10.
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He is quoting from the
Old Testament when he says,
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"As it is written, 'There is
none righteous, not even one.'"
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Boy, that's pretty
universal, isn't it?
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None that are righteous.
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Now I don't know about
your parents but in my--
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when I was
growing up my father was,
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again my father
wasn't a Christian,
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he was a lovely man, he
loved his kids we loved him,
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he was a very
loving affectionate.
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I never heard the words
I love you from the lips of
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my parents until I was
well into my adult years.
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That's just not
the way that generation
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express their affection
but I knew that they loved me
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because they were
very affectionate.
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My dad expected
even into my adult years
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that when I was home
when I retired for the night
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that if he was still up
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I would go over
and I would lean over
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and I will give
him a kiss on the cheek
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and I did that
right up into my 40's.
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It just was
something I had always done
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even as a child and I
still did it as an adult.
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And even though he was
not really a spiritual man
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he had that deep
affection and I would add to it
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that he was indeed the
preacher in the household.
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My dad loved to preach.
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He didn't preach un-theology
his big thing was safety.
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He just had, you know,
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he had been a
Washington State patrolman
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so he saw the worse of
what could possibly happen,
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you know, and so he
had all of these sayings,
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you know, I'm trying
to remember some of them
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because there's one,
there's several of them
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that had just stuck with me.
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He would talk
about risky behavior
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and when he would
talk about risky behavior
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he would tell me Jim, it
only has to go wrong once,
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only once.
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Another one of his sayings
that I remember his saying
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often you know Jim,
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there is always an
exception to the rule.
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And you know what I found in
light that, that is often true.
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And certainly its true
about this particular statement
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there is an
exception, but there is only one
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and who would that
exception be? Jesus.
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He is the only
exception, He is the only one
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that ever
walked upon this planet
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that was free of sin
not even by a thought
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did Jesus ever sin.
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None of us can say,
you know, that's me,
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because that is not us.
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Verse 23 where Paul says
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"For all have sinned and
fall short of the glory of God."
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All others have sinned.
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Even the Pope
has sinned by the way
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I don't know if
that startles anybody.
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We are all
sinners, we are all lost.
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And then we need to tie
into a Roman 6:23 where it says
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"For the wage of sin is death."
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My friend, God is not
being arbitrary about it
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as we've already know
that on number of occasions
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in the end there is
going to be no place for sin
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and I say Thank you, Jesus.
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The horrible mess
that we've had to live with
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and the problems of
difficulties that sin
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had brought into our lives,
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I don't know about
you, I'm fed up of it.
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And I, when it's done
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I want it to be
done, I want it to be over.
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And will preach us a sad chapter
of the history of the universe
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when it's over.
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That's why the
wages of sin is death
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in the final
analysis it will be destroyed.
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But again, we
have this you know,
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I'm talking about the bad news
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but I keep slipping into
you'll find into the good news.
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But this is a tribute
to the depths of God's love
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that He has paid
the ultimate prize
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so that we might be redeemed.
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My friend, He doesn't
want one of us here to die.
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He does not want one
individual in this community
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or the state or in
this world to perish.
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But we have a choice.
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We have a choice, right?
00:09:02.51\00:09:03.88
And choices do
carry consequences.
00:09:03.91\00:09:06.78
And so the
wages of sin is death.
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Because the
wages of sin is death
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and all of us have sinned
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therefore we are
all deserving of death
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because the Bible says
that is the outcome of sin.
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And then I take you to
Jeremiah 13:23 on the screen.
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We had asked the question
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"Can the Ethiopian change his
skin or the leopard his spots?
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Then you also can do good
who are accustomed to do evil."
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Now what is this really
talking about, do you know?
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An Ethiopian-- by
the way, lets settle it.
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What kind of skin
does an Ethiopian have?
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Light, dark,
medium what do you think?
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Have you ever met an Ethiopian?
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Very dark skin.
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I've been in Ethiopia.
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Very dark skin people
and it talks about here,
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God is talking about leopards.
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Well, you know
leopards, leopards have spots.
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So what's the point,
what's the point here?
00:10:01.61\00:10:05.03
Can an Ethiopian
change the color of his skin?
00:10:05.06\00:10:08.28
Can a leopard change its spots?
00:10:08.31\00:10:12.31
My friend, there is
a deep spiritual lesson
00:10:12.34\00:10:13.87
that is in all of this.
00:10:13.90\00:10:15.83
No, an Ethiopian cannot
change the color of his skin
00:10:15.86\00:10:19.19
or her skin because an Ethiopian
by nature has dark skin
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and so it is with the leopard.
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A leopard cannot change
his spots because by nature
00:10:27.72\00:10:30.70
a leopard has spots and
the spiritual lesson is this,
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nor can we who have been
tainted and deeply affected
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by evil change our hearts.
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We cannot change
what we are by nature
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and by nature we are fallen,
by nature we are sinners, right.
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I know, I told you this is
gonna be the bad news of it.
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Okay. And that is fundamental.
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We got to get that clearly
into out thinking we, you, me,
00:10:58.30\00:11:03.53
we cannot change
what we are by nature.
00:11:03.56\00:11:07.54
Education's not gonna do
it, culture is not gonna do it,
00:11:07.57\00:11:10.05
none of those
things are gonna do it
00:11:10.08\00:11:12.18
is what the Bible tells us.
00:11:12.21\00:11:13.37
Now return to Matthew 5,
the New Testament page 3.
00:11:13.40\00:11:16.96
Page 3, Matthew 5:20,
actually chapter's 5-7
00:11:16.99\00:11:22.09
is a record of what we
call the Sermon on the Mount
00:11:22.12\00:11:25.39
where Jesus is laying down
the principles of His kingdom
00:11:25.42\00:11:29.54
and this all took place up
there by the Sea of Galilee.
00:11:29.57\00:11:32.11
You remember the
setting by the thousands
00:11:32.14\00:11:34.65
they have come to Jesus,
00:11:34.68\00:11:36.06
they have been
spending a long day with Jesus
00:11:36.09\00:11:38.97
the time had
just really sped by.
00:11:39.00\00:11:41.17
They just love
the teachings of Jesus
00:11:41.20\00:11:43.22
but Jesus said something
that to the average person
00:11:43.25\00:11:46.54
I can well imagine on
that day that just must have,
00:11:46.57\00:11:49.31
absolutely just astounded them
00:11:49.34\00:11:52.67
because Jesus
said here Matthew 5:20,
00:11:52.70\00:11:55.49
He said "For I say to you
that unless your righteousness
00:11:55.52\00:12:00.53
surpasses that of the
Scribes and the Pharisees
00:12:00.56\00:12:04.01
you will not enter
the kingdom of heaven."
00:12:04.04\00:12:09.62
Now again, just consider,
00:12:09.65\00:12:11.69
you know, again what
the average individual
00:12:11.72\00:12:13.26
must have been thinking.
00:12:13.29\00:12:14.47
They knew something about
the Scribes and the Pharisees.
00:12:14.50\00:12:16.89
They knew lot about
Scribes and the Pharisees.
00:12:16.92\00:12:19.33
They were quiet
in the religiosity,
00:12:19.36\00:12:24.40
I mean, they were
very demonstrative
00:12:24.43\00:12:27.42
at least of the
claims that they made.
00:12:27.45\00:12:29.13
I mean, they were
rigid more or less,
00:12:29.16\00:12:31.90
they were meticulous
in the pursuit of purity
00:12:31.93\00:12:36.04
and that's what must have,
00:12:36.07\00:12:37.44
we would say in
the modern vernacular
00:12:37.47\00:12:39.58
that must have blown them away
00:12:39.61\00:12:43.17
that Jesus would say of
the Scribes in the Pharisees,
00:12:43.20\00:12:46.86
you know, your righteousness
must exceed that of these
00:12:46.89\00:12:51.99
well, self righteousness man
00:12:52.02\00:12:54.26
that's what it
really comes down to.
00:12:54.29\00:12:57.90
That must have just
absolutely astounded them
00:12:57.93\00:13:00.07
that Jesus would say it.
00:13:00.10\00:13:01.86
And my friend,
it is actually well,
00:13:01.89\00:13:04.36
it is true because
Jesus said it was true, right.
00:13:04.39\00:13:07.43
All righteousness
must exceed far exceed
00:13:07.46\00:13:10.11
that of the righteousness of
the Scribes and the Pharisees.
00:13:10.14\00:13:13.54
What God requires on
this is not 99.9% perfection
00:13:13.57\00:13:20.35
He requires of us
absolute perfection.
00:13:20.38\00:13:27.03
Anybody again
discouraged at this point?
00:13:27.06\00:13:29.04
Just hang on, just hang
on. The standard is high.
00:13:29.07\00:13:35.70
And, my friend, let me
tell you the plan of salvation
00:13:35.73\00:13:39.44
does not encompass the
lowering of the standard.
00:13:39.47\00:13:44.74
This would be against
the very character of God
00:13:44.77\00:13:47.74
and what He stands for to lower
the standard for our salvation.
00:13:47.77\00:13:52.85
I knew it would be at affect
when I and you sinned God say
00:13:52.88\00:13:56.01
its all right, I
know you didn't really--
00:13:56.04\00:13:57.91
you didn't
really mean to do this,
00:13:57.94\00:14:00.78
let's just
forget it I forgive you.
00:14:00.81\00:14:03.41
No, no sin is much
more serious than that.
00:14:03.44\00:14:06.46
It was so serious
God could not do that
00:14:06.49\00:14:08.87
and be consistent
with, with His principles
00:14:08.90\00:14:11.61
what He stood for and
who He was in all of it.
00:14:11.64\00:14:16.39
This was of such a
nature that required
00:14:16.42\00:14:18.47
the death of Jesus Christ to
deal with this matter of sin.
00:14:18.50\00:14:22.35
It is never God saying,
its all right, just forget it,
00:14:22.38\00:14:25.03
just, just you know.
00:14:25.06\00:14:27.02
God never lowers the
standard in seeking to save us.
00:14:27.05\00:14:33.52
Now just hang in there,
00:14:33.55\00:14:34.72
I know that can be
some kind of discouraging
00:14:34.75\00:14:37.53
to know that the
standard is so high the problem.
00:14:37.56\00:14:40.35
The difficulty of that
is we've already know that,
00:14:40.38\00:14:43.49
we are sinners we've
been corrupted by evil
00:14:43.52\00:14:45.76
all of us have sinned
00:14:45.84\00:14:48.44
and we cannot possibly measure
up to these requirements of God.
00:14:48.47\00:14:53.77
We've fallen short,
haven't we? We have failed.
00:14:53.80\00:14:59.78
And, my friend, salvation
does not encompass us pulling
00:14:59.81\00:15:03.69
ourselves up by the boot
straps trying just hard enough
00:15:03.72\00:15:06.99
and if we try hard enough
we will attain to the goal.
00:15:07.02\00:15:12.74
That is absolutely
goal is at actually.
00:15:12.77\00:15:15.65
It's self made religion.
00:15:15.68\00:15:19.38
It's like reminds me of and
I think I share this with you
00:15:19.41\00:15:22.18
once before in my last series
down Thousand Oak, California
00:15:22.21\00:15:25.74
had a Muslim woman,
35 years of age coming
00:15:25.77\00:15:28.32
she was trying straight
work this all out you know,
00:15:28.35\00:15:32.11
she want a meaning in her
life, she was looking for it.
00:15:32.14\00:15:35.32
And she didn't
know where to find it.
00:15:35.35\00:15:36.50
She was studying on the internet
00:15:36.53\00:15:38.21
through all of
this world religions,
00:15:38.24\00:15:40.31
you may remember I
shared this with you
00:15:40.34\00:15:42.13
and I told to Mona, I said Mona,
you will spend a whole lifetime
00:15:42.16\00:15:47.14
and you still wont be
able to study them all out.
00:15:47.17\00:15:50.33
And I said the one major
difference between Christianity
00:15:50.36\00:15:54.86
and all other
religions is that of a Savior.
00:15:54.89\00:16:01.14
And you have to decide whether
and you know she understood sin
00:16:01.17\00:16:06.25
she did understand sin
and the question I said Mona,
00:16:06.28\00:16:09.82
is do you need a Savior to
help you deal with your sins?
00:16:09.85\00:16:16.21
And, my friend,
that's the crucial issue.
00:16:16.24\00:16:19.27
All other religions
are about self improvement.
00:16:19.30\00:16:24.21
Just follow the
system, just follow the program
00:16:24.24\00:16:29.34
and you'll come
out on the other side.
00:16:29.37\00:16:32.20
Well, that is not the
way the Christianity works
00:16:32.23\00:16:35.68
but someone just
thinking does creep in
00:16:35.71\00:16:37.84
because there we often think
there just has to be something
00:16:37.87\00:16:40.83
that we do something we must do.
00:16:40.86\00:16:43.15
Look at Romans 9 the
New Testament page 125,
00:16:43.18\00:16:47.63
Romans 9:31, 32.
00:16:47.66\00:16:50.94
This was the fundamental
problem among God's people
00:16:50.97\00:16:55.07
when Jesus walked on the earth.
00:16:55.10\00:16:57.79
That is among
His people the Jews
00:16:57.82\00:17:00.33
and Paul addresses
that issue here on Romans 9
00:17:00.36\00:17:03.15
and beginning with verse 31.
00:17:03.18\00:17:06.57
Where He says
00:17:06.60\00:17:07.78
"But Israel, pursuing
a law of righteousness"
00:17:07.81\00:17:13.20
they pursued it,
they believed in it,
00:17:13.23\00:17:16.06
they taught it,
so they persuaded
00:17:16.09\00:17:19.61
but it says sadly "did
not arrive at that law."
00:17:19.64\00:17:22.88
In other words they did not,
00:17:22.91\00:17:24.40
they were not
successful in fulfilling that
00:17:24.43\00:17:27.58
which was required of them.
00:17:27.61\00:17:29.81
And then the
questions asked verse 32, "Why,"
00:17:29.84\00:17:32.47
why would that be?
00:17:32.50\00:17:34.49
They believed in the law,
00:17:34.52\00:17:35.95
as I said
already they taught it,
00:17:35.98\00:17:38.44
they had all of
these rules about
00:17:38.47\00:17:40.31
how you were to keep the law.
00:17:40.34\00:17:42.46
All the rules were multiplied.
00:17:42.49\00:17:46.64
Well, here comes the answer,
00:17:46.67\00:17:47.70
"Because they did
not pursue it by faith
00:17:47.73\00:17:50.99
but as though it were by works."
00:17:51.02\00:17:54.34
Now look at this carefully,
00:17:54.37\00:17:56.20
was Paul faulting
them for pursuing a law?
00:17:56.23\00:17:59.57
Was that the
fundamental problem?
00:17:59.60\00:18:02.52
No, that was not the problem.
00:18:02.55\00:18:04.65
The problem was in how they
were seeking fulfill the law.
00:18:04.68\00:18:08.34
And how were they
seeking to fulfill it?
00:18:08.37\00:18:11.54
Through their own works
00:18:11.57\00:18:13.04
that is through
their own efforts.
00:18:13.07\00:18:17.49
And, my friend, we can fall into
that deadly type of thinking
00:18:17.52\00:18:23.81
that somehow we must
make ourselves good enough.
00:18:23.84\00:18:28.54
If I'm just obedient
then God will smile upon me
00:18:28.57\00:18:33.24
and you know, the
doors of salvation
00:18:33.27\00:18:36.11
will be opened to me and
eternal life will be mine.
00:18:36.14\00:18:40.49
My friend, eternal life
will not be granted to one of us
00:18:40.52\00:18:44.87
who have depended
upon ourselves in anyway
00:18:44.90\00:18:48.68
when it comes to
the matter of salvation.
00:18:48.71\00:18:51.79
I tell you, you
are not the savior,
00:18:51.82\00:18:53.94
I'm not the savior He
is the Savior from sin.
00:18:53.97\00:18:59.27
Think that over, we got
to be sure we got this down.
00:18:59.30\00:19:02.93
So, how are we
to seek to fulfill
00:19:02.96\00:19:05.75
the righteous
demands of the law?
00:19:05.78\00:19:07.08
What's the answer? No word.
00:19:07.11\00:19:09.65
Would I pursue it by faith
and no more talking about faith,
00:19:09.68\00:19:12.73
we are talking
about relationship
00:19:12.76\00:19:15.02
for faith does not stand
alone faith is always connected
00:19:15.05\00:19:19.56
to our commitment in
Jesus Christ, isn't it.
00:19:19.59\00:19:24.80
It's our commitment to Jesus
00:19:24.83\00:19:27.22
and so it's out of
our faith experience
00:19:27.25\00:19:30.38
out of our relationship to
Jesus that the law is fulfilled.
00:19:30.41\00:19:34.48
I'm gonna get
more specific about it
00:19:34.51\00:19:36.33
and I'm getting, I know
I'm slipping into good news,
00:19:36.36\00:19:38.89
I guess there is no way
to talk about the bad news
00:19:38.92\00:19:41.30
without getting a
little bit of good news
00:19:41.33\00:19:42.88
in to the whole process
00:19:42.91\00:19:44.70
but the Scribe and
the Pharisees are Jesus,
00:19:44.73\00:19:47.93
you know if Jesus
had any frustration
00:19:47.96\00:19:55.00
it was with these self made,
00:19:55.03\00:19:58.21
self righteous individuals.
00:19:58.24\00:20:03.47
It was coming to
the end of this ministry
00:20:03.50\00:20:04.89
as we come to
Matthew 23:27 on the screen.
00:20:04.92\00:20:08.52
Coming to end of this ministry
00:20:08.55\00:20:09.83
after three and half
years and steadily they had been
00:20:09.86\00:20:14.54
hardening their
hearts against Jesus.
00:20:14.57\00:20:18.65
They put themselves on a course
00:20:18.68\00:20:19.87
where they were
not going to believe.
00:20:19.90\00:20:22.11
They didn't a feel a need,
00:20:22.14\00:20:23.51
now notice they did
not feel a need of Him.
00:20:23.54\00:20:26.52
They saw Him as a threat,
00:20:26.55\00:20:29.59
a threat that
needed to be eliminated.
00:20:29.62\00:20:33.54
And He knew what was going on.
00:20:33.57\00:20:36.93
He is-- Jesus loved them right?
00:20:36.96\00:20:40.01
Be clear on this Jesus does
love the Pharisee, the legalist.
00:20:40.04\00:20:46.10
But He knows that you know,
00:20:46.13\00:20:49.08
something fundamental has
to change in their thinking
00:20:49.11\00:20:52.90
and so Jesus coming to
the end of His ministry here
00:20:52.93\00:20:56.04
and He is seeking
someway to get the point across.
00:20:56.07\00:21:00.68
This may sound harsh
but Jesus was trying to,
00:21:00.71\00:21:04.00
trying to get
them to really listen.
00:21:04.03\00:21:06.52
To really see themselves
for what they really were.
00:21:06.55\00:21:09.49
They were so
pretentious about this,
00:21:09.52\00:21:11.27
they had sold
themselves a bill of goods,
00:21:11.30\00:21:13.80
they were self deceived,
00:21:13.83\00:21:16.05
they thought
they were righteous.
00:21:16.08\00:21:17.69
But Jesus said to them
in verse 27 of Matthew 23
00:21:17.72\00:21:21.01
"Woe to you, scribes
and Pharisees, hypocrites!"
00:21:21.04\00:21:24.38
Can you imagine
how they must've felt
00:21:24.41\00:21:26.30
hearing Jesus say that.
00:21:26.33\00:21:27.89
I can imagine the adrenaline
00:21:27.92\00:21:29.94
and that the anger
welling up within them.
00:21:29.97\00:21:33.92
The self righteous men
that Jesus would presume
00:21:33.95\00:21:37.95
and publicly to do so
to call them a hypocrite.
00:21:37.98\00:21:41.63
He goes on to say, "For
you are like whitewashed tombs
00:21:46.23\00:21:49.30
which on the
outside appear beautiful,
00:21:49.33\00:21:51.44
but inside they are full of dead
men's bones and all uncleanness.
00:21:51.47\00:21:55.56
Even so you too
outwardly appear,
00:21:55.59\00:21:59.89
appear righteous to men
00:21:59.92\00:22:01.24
but inwardly you
are full of hypocrisy"
00:22:01.27\00:22:05.26
and notice the
word "lawlessness."
00:22:05.29\00:22:09.71
In spite of all
their pretentiousness
00:22:09.74\00:22:14.96
Jesus was trying to get them
00:22:14.99\00:22:16.49
to really see themselves
for what they really were.
00:22:16.52\00:22:20.76
And my friend, that is essential
to our spiritual welfare,
00:22:20.79\00:22:26.67
for us to really see ourselves
for what we really are.
00:22:26.70\00:22:32.56
This is part of
what the spirit--
00:22:32.59\00:22:34.20
and this is the
painful part of it.
00:22:34.23\00:22:37.25
The Spirit of God is
working on our hearts
00:22:37.28\00:22:40.21
and God wants to get this whole
ugly thing out in the open.
00:22:40.24\00:22:44.41
We can't hide it, it's
not good for us to hide it.
00:22:44.44\00:22:49.49
We've got to get
it out in the open.
00:22:49.52\00:22:52.19
Acknowledge and to understand
00:22:52.22\00:22:54.11
something of the
nature of the problem
00:22:54.14\00:22:57.52
which reminds me and Gayle
probably will relate to this
00:22:57.55\00:23:01.55
because remember Gayle and I,
00:23:01.58\00:23:03.58
Gayle was pastoring a district
up in North Central Washington
00:23:03.61\00:23:07.75
and I took over that district,
they moved out of that house,
00:23:07.78\00:23:10.77
that parsonage and we could do
whatever was we were moving in.
00:23:10.80\00:23:15.42
We are talking
about that house up there
00:23:15.45\00:23:18.11
and after two
years of being there
00:23:18.14\00:23:21.42
I had Dick Renfrew come in to do
00:23:21.45\00:23:23.88
a series of
meetings in Tonasket.
00:23:23.91\00:23:26.65
I don't know if you know
the Okanogan country up there,
00:23:26.68\00:23:30.16
Dick and Rose we had
a great time together
00:23:30.19\00:23:32.63
and we had a number
people quiet a number of people
00:23:32.66\00:23:35.24
that were coming
00:23:35.27\00:23:36.91
and I remember that
Alvin Doyle remember Doyle's.
00:23:36.94\00:23:41.90
Alvin and his wife were coming.
00:23:41.93\00:23:44.03
Now Alvin had
been in orchid business
00:23:44.06\00:23:46.19
but now is in retirement
and they had sold off place
00:23:46.22\00:23:51.35
and so they had
this beautiful home
00:23:51.38\00:23:53.00
that they built in Auroville,
about 1500 in population.
00:23:53.03\00:24:00.38
Alvin and his
wife had been coming.
00:24:00.41\00:24:01.73
Alvin's wife was a Christian,
00:24:01.76\00:24:03.43
Alvin had never
professed to be a Christian.
00:24:03.46\00:24:05.56
He just was really
one of the nicest guys
00:24:05.59\00:24:07.45
you could ever expect to meet,
really a nice kind gentleman.
00:24:07.48\00:24:13.81
And he had been coming
as I said with his wife
00:24:13.84\00:24:15.90
and so once on the afternoon
00:24:15.93\00:24:17.23
Dick and I stopped by
to visit with the Doyle's
00:24:17.26\00:24:19.67
and they graciously
invited us into their front room
00:24:19.70\00:24:23.30
and we sat down we just had
00:24:23.33\00:24:24.59
some really pleasant
conversation together
00:24:24.62\00:24:26.95
but we were talking to--
00:24:26.98\00:24:28.08
began to talk a little
bit about spiritual things
00:24:28.11\00:24:30.06
and some of the things we had
been studying in the meetings
00:24:30.09\00:24:33.20
and I will never
forget what Alvin said is
00:24:33.23\00:24:35.71
we were talking about
our relationship to Jesus
00:24:35.74\00:24:38.22
the pine salvation
and that commitment,
00:24:38.25\00:24:41.38
you know, to
Jesus as our Savior.
00:24:41.41\00:24:44.13
Alvin said to Dick and to me,
00:24:44.16\00:24:47.09
he said that he felt that he was
00:24:47.12\00:24:48.50
as good as any
Christian he'd ever met.
00:24:48.53\00:24:52.43
Now think about
this for a minute.
00:24:52.46\00:24:54.76
You know, actually
from a human standpoint
00:24:54.79\00:24:56.72
he probably was
correct. Probably was correct.
00:24:56.75\00:25:02.53
And then he went on to
say that he was a good man
00:25:02.56\00:25:06.05
and surely God would accept him.
00:25:06.08\00:25:10.32
Now he wasn't going
through all the religiosity
00:25:10.35\00:25:13.22
of the scribes and the Pharisees
00:25:13.25\00:25:14.76
and all the pretentiousness of
the scribes and the Pharisees,
00:25:14.79\00:25:18.39
but notice really
what he was saying.
00:25:18.42\00:25:21.33
He was saying that
he really didn't need
00:25:21.36\00:25:24.33
a personal
relationship with Jesus Christ
00:25:24.36\00:25:27.40
because he felt
that he was good enough
00:25:27.43\00:25:31.59
and that is a fatal deception.
00:25:31.62\00:25:34.33
I find that, you know, it's
a temptation for many of us.
00:25:34.36\00:25:38.40
You know, I'm not a drunkard,
00:25:38.43\00:25:39.74
I've never behaved drug addict,
00:25:39.77\00:25:41.06
I haven't been
living in immoral life,
00:25:41.09\00:25:43.63
you know, I'm a
responsible person,
00:25:43.66\00:25:45.43
I provide for my family
you know, I'm a good citizen,
00:25:45.46\00:25:50.35
I haven't done
anything particularly bad.
00:25:50.38\00:25:52.81
Oh yeah, I lied
once when I was a kid
00:25:52.84\00:25:54.76
or something like that
00:25:54.79\00:25:55.83
you know, people think that way.
00:25:55.86\00:25:59.70
I'm not like
the guy in skid row,
00:25:59.73\00:26:01.99
the drunk, the
drunkard, you know the drunk.
00:26:02.02\00:26:05.63
I'm not that and
there is no sense of need.
00:26:05.66\00:26:10.93
But my friend, bless his heart
00:26:10.96\00:26:15.97
Alvin was depended
up on how good he was
00:26:16.00\00:26:21.03
and what have we read from the
Bible is that gonna cut it ever.
00:26:21.06\00:26:25.84
No, it's not gonna cut it.
00:26:25.87\00:26:28.90
It's not going to save us,
00:26:28.93\00:26:30.14
it's not going
to get us through.
00:26:30.17\00:26:32.58
And so what's the
answer to all of this?
00:26:32.61\00:26:37.30
What is the answer?
00:26:37.33\00:26:38.64
Well, I think you have some idea
00:26:38.67\00:26:40.38
where I'm going
with all of this.
00:26:40.41\00:26:42.75
But its very clear the Pharisees
00:26:42.78\00:26:44.71
as we can be we're concerned
00:26:44.74\00:26:46.56
about the
exterior things of life,
00:26:46.59\00:26:48.71
the outward things of life.
00:26:48.74\00:26:50.54
Remember, Jesus said it
00:26:50.57\00:26:51.92
of them they
appeared to be righteous.
00:26:51.95\00:26:58.80
But you see God reads the heart.
00:26:58.83\00:27:02.35
God sees us for
what we really are.
00:27:02.38\00:27:04.65
We could be self deceived
00:27:04.68\00:27:05.72
but God sees us
for what we really are.
00:27:05.75\00:27:09.71
There is no hiding from it
00:27:09.74\00:27:11.90
but I just remind you as
God the searcher of our hearts,
00:27:11.93\00:27:17.18
we must be reminded
00:27:17.21\00:27:19.04
that He is a God of love
00:27:19.07\00:27:25.84
who's not seeking to condemn us
00:27:25.87\00:27:29.86
and to destroy us.
00:27:29.89\00:27:31.63
He is seeking to
help us, to save us.
00:27:31.66\00:27:35.33
Look at Matthew 15:19
the New Testament page 13.
00:27:35.36\00:27:39.50
Jesus again spoke
of this whole matter
00:27:39.53\00:27:41.28
and He is really getting into
the heart of the whole problem.
00:27:41.31\00:27:44.66
Now we have to come to
turns with Matthew 15:19.
00:27:44.69\00:27:51.33
And he makes a
very, very vital point,
00:27:51.36\00:27:54.13
a very vital
statement right here.
00:27:54.16\00:27:56.67
He said, "For out of
the heart," out of the heart
00:27:56.70\00:27:59.13
"come evil thoughts murders,
adulteries, fornications,
00:27:59.16\00:28:02.92
thefts, false
witness, slanders,"
00:28:02.95\00:28:05.60
and the list could go on and on.
00:28:05.63\00:28:07.96
My friend, it is a heart problem
00:28:07.99\00:28:09.65
and you know we are not
talking about this organ
00:28:09.68\00:28:11.62
that beats and
provides blood for the body.
00:28:11.65\00:28:14.05
We are talking about
the core of what we are,
00:28:14.08\00:28:16.14
what we are at the
very core of our being.
00:28:16.17\00:28:20.63
Again, we have
been corrupted by evil.
00:28:20.66\00:28:23.30
And it's out of the
heart that all of this follows
00:28:23.33\00:28:26.22
and my friend, you cannot deal
with exterior things of the life
00:28:26.25\00:28:30.20
to deal with the problem
00:28:30.23\00:28:31.53
they are just
symptomatic of the problem.
00:28:31.56\00:28:35.55
They are
symptomatic of a heart problem,
00:28:35.58\00:28:37.74
we need a heart
transplant that's what we need.
00:28:37.77\00:28:43.16
And only God can do that as
in divine position by the way.
00:28:43.19\00:28:47.09
There needs to be
change of the heart
00:28:47.12\00:28:49.57
that's what it
is, it's fundamental.
00:28:49.60\00:28:51.96
Absolutely that's
why in Proverbs 23: 26
00:28:51.99\00:28:54.80
the Lord says, "Give
Me your heart, My son."
00:28:54.83\00:28:58.36
And I'm going to
tell you this is something
00:28:58.39\00:29:00.48
some of us struggle
with this to gear myself,
00:29:00.51\00:29:03.35
to yield myself fully
and completely to Jesus
00:29:03.38\00:29:06.47
unreservedly and
particularly again those of us
00:29:06.50\00:29:11.54
who are strong willed.
00:29:11.57\00:29:14.86
You know, at some point
00:29:14.89\00:29:15.92
we have to wave the white flag
00:29:15.95\00:29:17.55
and say, I
surrender. I surrender.
00:29:17.58\00:29:24.51
And we have to understand that
00:29:24.54\00:29:26.38
only He is the one
that can resolve it.
00:29:26.41\00:29:28.07
Romans 3, the New Testament
page 121, 121, Romans 3:28.
00:29:28.10\00:29:35.20
Romans 3, oh, yes we're
gonna be in and out of Romans.
00:29:35.23\00:29:37.98
We've already been in and
out of Romans for Paul deals
00:29:38.01\00:29:41.26
with these fundamental issues
00:29:41.29\00:29:42.93
and he makes this
really vital statement
00:29:42.96\00:29:44.87
when he says, "For we maintain
that a man is justified."
00:29:44.90\00:29:48.99
Justified means to be accepted,
00:29:49.02\00:29:51.14
acceptance is the
essence of salvation.
00:29:51.17\00:29:56.38
"For we maintain
that a man is justified,
00:29:56.41\00:29:58.04
he is saved, she
is saved by faith."
00:29:58.07\00:30:01.97
Getting back to the relationship
00:30:02.00\00:30:03.82
"apart from works of the law."
00:30:03.85\00:30:07.87
My friend, we are not saved,
00:30:07.90\00:30:10.06
we are not
justified we are not accepted
00:30:10.09\00:30:13.39
because we made
ourselves good enough
00:30:13.42\00:30:16.06
because guess what,
we can never ourselves
00:30:16.09\00:30:18.44
good enough to be saved, right.
00:30:18.47\00:30:25.08
We cannot make
ourselves good enough.
00:30:25.11\00:30:27.54
So we are saved by
faith apart from the words
00:30:27.57\00:30:31.15
of the law again is
what the Bible clearly says.
00:30:31.18\00:30:34.11
So its not, it's by faith
00:30:34.14\00:30:37.99
that we come, not by our works.
00:30:38.02\00:30:40.76
It is our utter helplessness,
00:30:40.79\00:30:43.94
it is in the
nakedness of our soul
00:30:43.97\00:30:46.36
that we come to Him
and yet there are those
00:30:46.39\00:30:49.50
who believe that somehow
they must change their lives
00:30:49.53\00:30:52.27
when they think
about coming to Jesus
00:30:52.30\00:30:53.81
they must change their lives,
00:30:53.84\00:30:54.88
they must stop their bad
habits and start doing good,
00:30:54.91\00:30:57.80
establishing good habits
before they can come to Jesus.
00:30:57.83\00:31:01.17
My friend, listen to
me that is a deception
00:31:01.20\00:31:03.78
it is one of Satan's lies.
00:31:03.81\00:31:08.66
We do not seek
the change ourselves
00:31:08.69\00:31:11.17
to make it somehow good enough,
00:31:11.20\00:31:12.38
at least on some minimal level
so that we can come to Jesus.
00:31:12.41\00:31:18.50
It's backwards if we could
fix the problem before we came
00:31:18.53\00:31:23.16
we wouldn't have to come
in the first place, right.
00:31:23.19\00:31:27.33
We wouldn't have to
come in the first place.
00:31:27.36\00:31:29.51
No, we come just as we are.
00:31:29.54\00:31:31.30
And my friend, that
is the beauty of the plan
00:31:31.33\00:31:33.17
of salvation that
is also absolutely free
00:31:33.20\00:31:37.06
to know that God knows me
better then I know myself,
00:31:37.09\00:31:39.64
my life is open to
Him and yet He loves me
00:31:39.67\00:31:42.69
and He longs for
me and He invites me
00:31:42.72\00:31:44.77
to come just as I am.
00:31:44.80\00:31:45.83
Yes, me with my temper,
me with all of the problems
00:31:45.86\00:31:48.66
and all of the issues
that I have with my life.
00:31:48.69\00:31:53.42
I can come us as I am
00:31:53.45\00:31:55.05
and I know that
He will receive me,
00:31:55.08\00:31:57.82
I know that because He loves me
00:31:57.85\00:32:01.49
and then it puts aside
when we really grab a whole
00:32:01.52\00:32:04.49
of this personally it
puts aside all of the game play
00:32:04.52\00:32:09.09
that we can get into
as professing Christians.
00:32:09.12\00:32:13.24
It gets us away from wearing
the mask that we could do
00:32:13.27\00:32:17.40
you know, that we are so
good at wearing in church,
00:32:17.43\00:32:21.44
going through the appearance
00:32:21.47\00:32:24.22
when at heart
there may be issues
00:32:24.25\00:32:26.11
that are just burning within us,
00:32:26.14\00:32:28.27
conflicts within,
conflicts without.
00:32:28.30\00:32:32.30
And my friend, I
tell you again its free,
00:32:32.33\00:32:35.22
I've been there
00:32:35.25\00:32:37.13
it's just freeing to
be able to come to Jesus
00:32:37.16\00:32:39.32
and to know that He loves me,
00:32:39.35\00:32:41.01
He loves me sinner than I am.
00:32:41.04\00:32:44.36
And again comes just as I am
00:32:44.39\00:32:46.35
and He will accept me
and He will forgive me
00:32:46.38\00:32:49.89
and He doesn't
say, change your life
00:32:49.92\00:32:51.66
and then you come.
00:32:51.69\00:32:52.72
He doesn't say change your
life and then I'll forgive you,
00:32:52.75\00:32:54.96
no come as you are
that was one of the songs
00:32:54.99\00:32:57.78
that was being sung at the
very beginning if you remember.
00:32:57.81\00:33:02.79
Yes, its all-- it's wonderful
00:33:02.82\00:33:04.65
to know that there is a God that
loves us so fully like that.
00:33:04.68\00:33:08.60
All right just can't get out,
keep from the good news can I?
00:33:08.63\00:33:13.65
Ephesians 2:8, 9 says,
00:33:13.68\00:33:15.81
"For by grace you have
been saved through faith
00:33:15.84\00:33:18.68
and that not of yourselves,"
00:33:18.71\00:33:20.49
it is never of us
it's always at Him.
00:33:20.52\00:33:24.25
If it was about us then you know
00:33:24.28\00:33:25.69
we are on the wrong
track you know that.
00:33:25.72\00:33:28.56
We are on the wrong track.
00:33:28.59\00:33:30.24
"It is the gift of God."
Oh, no, it can't be that simple.
00:33:30.27\00:33:35.80
It's a gift. Really
it's a gift, yes it is.
00:33:35.83\00:33:42.28
"Not as a result of works"
which means again it's not
00:33:42.31\00:33:48.93
because we have made ourselves
worthy enough, good enough.
00:33:48.96\00:33:56.63
My friend, we got to
get this out of thinking.
00:33:56.66\00:34:00.32
We are never worthy.
00:34:00.35\00:34:05.09
If you feel that
God can only accept you
00:34:05.12\00:34:09.75
when you are worthy my friend,
00:34:09.78\00:34:12.43
you'll never get
there and it remains so.
00:34:12.46\00:34:19.09
I don't care if you've
been in the way for 40 years
00:34:19.12\00:34:22.98
you are not gonna be saved
00:34:23.01\00:34:24.45
because you ever come to
the point that you are worthy.
00:34:24.48\00:34:27.99
Never, never, ever.
00:34:28.02\00:34:31.31
My friend, the
point is there is only one
00:34:31.34\00:34:33.32
that is worthy and that's Jesus.
00:34:33.35\00:34:35.90
I've got to-- you know,
00:34:35.93\00:34:38.19
get that connection
tonight very clearly.
00:34:38.22\00:34:40.33
Look at Romans 5:8 the
New Testament page 122,
00:34:40.36\00:34:44.49
122 Romans 5:8 where it says,
00:34:44.52\00:34:47.24
"But God demonstrates
His own love toward us,"
00:34:47.27\00:34:49.79
His own personal love,
His own commitment to us
00:34:49.82\00:34:52.53
"in that while we were yet
sinners, Christ died for us."
00:34:52.56\00:34:55.58
There it is clearly indicated
that God loves us as sinners.
00:34:55.61\00:35:01.01
And since it is a
sinners that Christ died for
00:35:01.04\00:35:03.59
and that God loves us
00:35:03.62\00:35:04.92
it is as sinners that
we must come to Him, right.
00:35:04.95\00:35:08.42
It is as sinner
that we come to Him.
00:35:08.45\00:35:11.51
That's how it works.
00:35:11.54\00:35:12.57
And Luke 15 the
New Testament page 60.
00:35:12.60\00:35:16.68
Luke 15 and
looking at verses 1 and 2.
00:35:16.71\00:35:19.80
Here again we see the scribes
00:35:19.83\00:35:21.13
and the Pharisees
struggling with this.
00:35:21.16\00:35:23.90
I mean again they
were self made man
00:35:23.93\00:35:26.01
they were self righteous,
00:35:26.04\00:35:28.03
you know, they
thought they had attained it.
00:35:28.06\00:35:31.54
What deception.
00:35:31.57\00:35:33.41
And my friend, that
deception must not be ours.
00:35:33.44\00:35:36.13
Here it is Luke 15
began with verse 1,
00:35:36.16\00:35:38.37
"Now all the tax collectors
00:35:38.40\00:35:39.84
and the sinners were coming
near Him to listen to Him."
00:35:39.87\00:35:42.67
That was just
something about Jesus the way
00:35:42.70\00:35:44.31
that He talked
that these sinners,
00:35:44.34\00:35:47.10
tax collectors are they
were kind of the outcast
00:35:47.13\00:35:49.73
they represent the hatred Romans
00:35:49.76\00:35:52.33
there was something about Jesus
00:35:52.36\00:35:53.82
that made them feel
comfortable coming near Him.
00:35:53.85\00:35:57.59
They were coming
right up close to Him.
00:35:57.62\00:35:59.82
They wanted to be right
there in the front seats.
00:35:59.85\00:36:02.24
They didn't
want to miss one word
00:36:02.27\00:36:04.82
that was coming
from the lips of Jesus,
00:36:04.85\00:36:06.57
they were listening intently.
00:36:06.60\00:36:08.63
There was just something
about the way that He spoke.
00:36:08.66\00:36:11.13
Then we-- here
they come verse 2,
00:36:11.16\00:36:13.27
"Both the
Pharisees and the scribes
00:36:13.30\00:36:15.03
began to grumble, saying,
00:36:15.06\00:36:16.42
'This man receives
sinners and eats with them.'"
00:36:16.45\00:36:19.91
How can He do that?
00:36:19.94\00:36:22.28
Doesn't He know
what kind of people
00:36:22.31\00:36:24.20
He is associating with?
00:36:24.23\00:36:27.39
Let me tell you this
00:36:27.42\00:36:28.45
and go on in the
church shame on us.
00:36:28.48\00:36:32.01
If it goes on in
the church and it does.
00:36:32.04\00:36:34.85
That's what in
the series of meetings
00:36:34.88\00:36:36.13
that was years ago
00:36:36.16\00:36:37.32
and I had two young
women who were coming.
00:36:37.35\00:36:39.98
They were known to the church,
00:36:40.01\00:36:41.35
they had been raised as
Christians in that church,
00:36:41.38\00:36:44.21
had departed from God
00:36:44.24\00:36:46.09
but there was
something that had drawn them
00:36:46.12\00:36:47.84
into the meetings
and they were coming
00:36:47.87\00:36:50.37
and they were coming
00:36:50.40\00:36:51.92
and two to three
weeks in the meetings
00:36:51.95\00:36:53.41
that was a board meeting.
00:36:53.44\00:36:55.45
I wasn't invited but
there was some discussions
00:36:55.48\00:36:57.60
about these two young women
that were attending the meetings
00:36:57.63\00:37:00.79
and the decision
was taken by the board
00:37:00.82\00:37:02.78
and it was communicated to
me that under no circumstances
00:37:02.81\00:37:07.33
were those two young
ladies to ever be re-baptized.
00:37:07.36\00:37:11.99
I turned on the
phone and I called up
00:37:12.02\00:37:16.03
my superior Ben Liebelt
00:37:16.06\00:37:20.46
and I said Ben, in
all my years of ministry
00:37:20.49\00:37:23.51
I never had anybody tell me
00:37:23.54\00:37:25.05
who I can lead to
Christ and who I could not.
00:37:25.08\00:37:27.81
I just could not believe it.
00:37:27.84\00:37:29.42
I thought to myself,
don't they see any potential
00:37:29.45\00:37:31.84
what God could do in their lives
00:37:31.87\00:37:34.67
that they will take
that kind of position.
00:37:34.70\00:37:38.19
And so being independent guy
that I was I just kept working,
00:37:38.22\00:37:42.11
I kept
preaching, I kept visiting,
00:37:42.14\00:37:44.57
I kept encouraging,
00:37:44.60\00:37:45.94
I guess I already
said that didn't I
00:37:45.97\00:37:47.88
and one of them made a
recommitment to Jesus Christ.
00:37:47.91\00:37:51.05
How could she be
denied, you tell me.
00:37:51.08\00:37:54.99
Now the other
didn't make that decision
00:37:55.02\00:37:58.37
but shame on the church
00:37:58.40\00:38:02.39
that would be so self righteous
00:38:02.42\00:38:05.60
that they'll take
that position of Pharisee,
00:38:05.63\00:38:08.15
how dare he associate
00:38:08.18\00:38:11.39
with this lower class of people.
00:38:11.42\00:38:14.17
May that never be said of us
00:38:14.20\00:38:16.12
who have been saved
by such marvelous grace
00:38:16.15\00:38:18.51
from our own sins.
00:38:18.54\00:38:21.55
Aren't we not to
have some compassion
00:38:21.58\00:38:24.64
because we are in
the same predicament
00:38:24.67\00:38:27.25
as every other sinner?
00:38:27.28\00:38:30.07
Should we not have compassion?
00:38:30.10\00:38:32.35
You know, I tell you sometimes
we as professing Christians
00:38:32.38\00:38:36.16
actually can have so we
can have hard, cold hearts.
00:38:36.19\00:38:42.84
I have to tell
something, something's missing.
00:38:42.87\00:38:45.09
I'll tell you what
it is in every case.
00:38:45.12\00:38:47.32
It's the love of
Jesus that's missing
00:38:47.35\00:38:49.65
because when you have the
love of Jesus in your heart
00:38:49.68\00:38:52.28
you cannot
judge people that way.
00:38:52.31\00:38:55.79
You can't treat people that way.
00:38:55.82\00:38:58.22
Can you? No, I don't believe so.
00:38:58.25\00:39:03.92
You know, it's like the
words of that all gospels song
00:39:03.95\00:39:07.35
"Just as I am, without one plea,
00:39:07.38\00:39:09.72
but that thy
blood was shed for me,
00:39:09.75\00:39:12.24
and that thou
bidd'st me come to thee,
00:39:12.27\00:39:13.67
Oh God. Lamb of God.
00:39:13.70\00:39:15.78
I come, I come."
00:39:15.81\00:39:20.65
Matthew 9, the
New Testament page 7.
00:39:20.68\00:39:23.74
Matthew 9:10- 13.
00:39:23.77\00:39:25.76
I've got to keep moving here.
00:39:25.79\00:39:27.68
I'm dwelling too much
on-- but these essential things
00:39:27.71\00:39:31.02
I just want to be sure that
00:39:31.05\00:39:32.40
they're really
clear in our thinking.
00:39:32.43\00:39:34.51
It could be make such
a tremendous difference
00:39:34.54\00:39:36.97
in our spiritual welfare
00:39:37.00\00:39:38.74
and in the joy
that is ours in Jesus
00:39:38.77\00:39:41.25
when we realize it's not
of us it is always of Him.
00:39:41.28\00:39:45.58
And here we have
them again, Matthew 9:10.
00:39:45.61\00:39:49.01
It says "Then it happened that
00:39:49.04\00:39:50.32
as Jesus was reclining
at the table in the house,
00:39:50.35\00:39:54.15
behold, many tax
collectors and sinners came
00:39:54.18\00:39:57.03
and were dining with
Jesus and His disciples."
00:39:57.06\00:39:59.24
Jesus had just called Matthew
00:39:59.27\00:40:00.69
a tax collector to be
one of his closes disciples.
00:40:00.72\00:40:03.77
Matthew had invited
00:40:03.80\00:40:05.59
all of his tax
collecting friends
00:40:05.62\00:40:08.40
and there were
sinners among them,
00:40:08.43\00:40:09.99
they were all
sinners weren't they?
00:40:10.02\00:40:12.25
And he invited
Jesus to come to meet,
00:40:12.28\00:40:15.15
you know, with them.
00:40:15.18\00:40:16.44
You know, so he was
already a missionary.
00:40:16.47\00:40:18.36
Wasn't He? Matthew was.
00:40:18.39\00:40:19.98
He's already
showing the good news.
00:40:20.01\00:40:21.73
Verse 11, "When
the Pharisee saw this,"
00:40:21.76\00:40:24.03
they were always close
on hand with Jesus somehow,
00:40:24.06\00:40:27.28
"they said to His disciples,
'Why is your teacher eating
00:40:27.31\00:40:30.10
with the tax
collectors and sinners?'"
00:40:30.13\00:40:32.58
They just couldn't get this.
00:40:32.61\00:40:34.29
"But when Jesus heard
this, He said, "It is not those
00:40:34.32\00:40:36.91
who are healthy
who need a physician,
00:40:36.94\00:40:39.12
but those who are sick.
00:40:39.15\00:40:41.17
But go and learn what this means
00:40:41.20\00:40:44.14
'I desire'" and
what is the next word
00:40:44.17\00:40:47.71
"'I desire
compassion, and not sacrifice,'
00:40:47.74\00:40:51.92
for I did not come
to call the righteous,
00:40:51.95\00:40:54.68
but sinners."
00:40:54.71\00:40:57.26
And my friend, I'm
one of those sinners
00:40:57.29\00:40:59.62
and Jesus came for me
00:40:59.65\00:41:03.06
and Jesus called me
at some point in my life
00:41:03.09\00:41:06.96
and He still calls me.
00:41:06.99\00:41:09.17
And Jesus has
come to many of you
00:41:09.20\00:41:12.36
and He has
called you, as a sinner.
00:41:12.39\00:41:15.76
Praise His holy name.
00:41:15.79\00:41:19.52
What a wonderful thing.
He took the first steps.
00:41:19.55\00:41:23.22
We are never the
ones who take first steps
00:41:23.25\00:41:25.20
God is always the
one that is reaching out
00:41:25.23\00:41:27.88
taking the first steps.
00:41:27.91\00:41:30.75
And my friend,
there is a position,
00:41:30.78\00:41:32.87
there is a Balm in Gilead
00:41:32.90\00:41:34.78
as it says in the Old Testament
00:41:34.81\00:41:35.97
for the sin sick
soul and my friend,
00:41:36.00\00:41:38.57
that balm is the love and
the grace of Jesus Christ.
00:41:38.60\00:41:42.48
It is that.
00:41:42.51\00:41:43.72
Tell you a story about Elizabeth
Barrack that illustrates this.
00:41:43.75\00:41:46.23
Elizabeth Barrack went through
00:41:46.26\00:41:47.47
some tragic
experiences as a young,
00:41:47.50\00:41:49.64
as a little girl actually.
00:41:49.67\00:41:52.07
She had lost
her mother in death,
00:41:52.10\00:41:55.34
her mother died
00:41:55.37\00:41:57.00
and as a very small girl
she'd fallen off her horse
00:41:57.03\00:42:00.18
and had been left crippled.
00:42:00.21\00:42:02.60
And she writes about how
her father had become embittered
00:42:02.63\00:42:05.16
because of the
losses in his life
00:42:05.19\00:42:07.07
and she writes how
often he would leave her
00:42:07.10\00:42:11.89
through the long
hours of the day,
00:42:11.92\00:42:13.87
alone in her
seclusion of her bedroom,
00:42:13.90\00:42:17.95
but she learned
in those lonely hours
00:42:17.98\00:42:20.83
that she could write.
00:42:20.86\00:42:23.18
She wrote poetry and
eventually through her poetry
00:42:23.21\00:42:26.10
she became acquainted
00:42:26.13\00:42:28.15
with the American
poet Robert Browning
00:42:28.18\00:42:31.46
and that
correspondence developed
00:42:31.49\00:42:33.61
all pre email of course.
00:42:33.64\00:42:35.57
Correspondence began to develop
00:42:35.60\00:42:37.03
between the two of them
00:42:37.06\00:42:38.09
and a
relationship blossomed in time.
00:42:38.12\00:42:41.89
Love, they fell in love,
00:42:41.92\00:42:45.97
but Robert had a
problem and so did Elizabeth
00:42:46.00\00:42:48.71
because her father was dead
set against the relationship.
00:42:48.74\00:42:53.47
This is another generation.
00:42:53.50\00:42:55.66
You know, remember it
used to be you go to mom
00:42:55.69\00:42:58.96
and dad to ask if you
could be married to that man.
00:42:58.99\00:43:03.99
That's the kind of
culture that was going on
00:43:04.02\00:43:06.85
then anyway, dad
was dead set against it.
00:43:06.88\00:43:09.07
They had to marry in secret.
00:43:09.10\00:43:11.75
And secretly Robert had to come
00:43:11.78\00:43:14.36
and he had to move
her out of that house.
00:43:14.39\00:43:16.85
They took a ship,
made their way to Italy.
00:43:16.88\00:43:21.44
And within a
year of being married,
00:43:21.47\00:43:23.89
Elizabeth who had been this ill
00:43:23.92\00:43:25.45
with through
most of her childhood
00:43:25.48\00:43:28.24
began to take her first steps
00:43:28.27\00:43:31.66
as Robert was
encouraging and helping.
00:43:31.69\00:43:35.94
And she came to the point,
she even climbed a mountain.
00:43:35.97\00:43:41.36
Tell me what
made the difference?
00:43:41.39\00:43:44.25
Love. Love always
makes a difference.
00:43:44.28\00:43:46.93
You see we are
crippled by nature
00:43:46.96\00:43:49.66
and its the love of God
that'll make the difference
00:43:49.69\00:43:54.08
and does make the
difference in our lives, right.
00:43:54.11\00:43:57.91
And then 2 Corinthians 5:21,
00:43:57.94\00:44:02.30
this is really the
point I'm working for.
00:44:02.33\00:44:03.72
Remember, remember Jesus said,
00:44:03.75\00:44:05.11
it all righteousness
must exceed far exceed
00:44:05.14\00:44:07.10
that of the
scribes and the Pharisees
00:44:07.13\00:44:08.83
and this is how it all works.
00:44:08.86\00:44:11.03
Second Corinthians--
are you awake out there?
00:44:11.06\00:44:13.15
Don't you fall
asleep at this point.
00:44:13.18\00:44:14.97
This is the punch line
that we've been working towards.
00:44:15.00\00:44:17.99
Here in 2
Corinthians 5:21speaking of God,
00:44:18.02\00:44:20.96
"He," god "made Him"
Jesus "who knew no sin."
00:44:20.99\00:44:26.64
The innocent one. "To
be sin on our behalf."
00:44:26.67\00:44:32.34
Now usually we think
of Jesus burying our sins
00:44:32.37\00:44:35.05
but it says here that
Jesus identity with us
00:44:35.08\00:44:39.05
as a sin bearer on
the Cross of Calvary
00:44:39.08\00:44:41.01
is so complete that
He became sin itself.
00:44:41.04\00:44:47.00
Notice it says, on
our behalf or for us,
00:44:47.03\00:44:51.88
that's the substitution
that's taking place.
00:44:51.91\00:44:55.43
And He
experiences the separation
00:44:55.46\00:44:57.59
and abandonment because of sin.
00:44:57.62\00:45:00.48
And He experience the death
00:45:00.51\00:45:02.34
that is the wages of sin
on the Cross of Calvary for us
00:45:02.37\00:45:06.62
"on our behalf, so
that we might become
00:45:06.65\00:45:10.95
the righteousness of God," how?
00:45:10.98\00:45:15.60
"In Him," in Jesus.
00:45:15.63\00:45:17.07
And my friend,
that's how it works.
00:45:17.10\00:45:19.25
That's why I said
that-- as we got--
00:45:19.28\00:45:21.28
we got started in this,
our righteousness must exceed,
00:45:21.31\00:45:24.32
far exceed that of the
scribes and the Pharisees
00:45:24.35\00:45:26.26
and 99.9% is not gonna do,
00:45:26.29\00:45:28.75
it is absolute 100% perfection
00:45:28.78\00:45:34.72
which is an impossibility
for us of ourselves
00:45:34.75\00:45:37.90
but when we accept
Jesus who is absolutely,
00:45:37.93\00:45:42.41
fully and completely perfect
00:45:42.44\00:45:47.27
we receive perfection, don't we.
00:45:47.30\00:45:54.01
Receiving Jesus and the
life of Jesus we receive
00:45:54.04\00:45:57.41
the perfect life of Jesus
and that starts substitution,
00:45:57.44\00:46:02.82
He takes our sins by faith,
00:46:02.85\00:46:04.96
we embrace Him as our Savior.
00:46:04.99\00:46:06.88
We embrace His perfect
life and God looks upon us
00:46:06.91\00:46:12.14
as if we were
perfect through Jesus.
00:46:12.17\00:46:15.39
That's how it
works. That's how it works.
00:46:15.42\00:46:19.43
That's an interesting
phrase. That is how it works.
00:46:19.46\00:46:23.81
And the only way that it works.
00:46:23.84\00:46:25.44
So, it's never
you know, try harder,
00:46:25.47\00:46:27.44
try be a little bit
better, try to improve here,
00:46:27.47\00:46:29.77
try to improve this
over here in your life.
00:46:29.80\00:46:32.00
Of course we want, you know,
00:46:32.03\00:46:33.46
if we were happy
about our lives of sin
00:46:33.49\00:46:35.68
we wouldn't be
motivated to come to Jesus,
00:46:35.71\00:46:37.34
it's not that we
want to remain there,
00:46:37.37\00:46:40.11
but we know that it's
not by trying to change it
00:46:40.14\00:46:43.08
which we cannot do
that we get to the end point
00:46:43.11\00:46:46.70
which is our salvation.
00:46:46.73\00:46:48.59
It's not by our
changing, it's by allowing Jesus
00:46:48.62\00:46:54.25
as we give ourselves to Him
to take control of our lives
00:46:54.28\00:46:58.04
and for Him to work it out in us
00:46:58.07\00:47:01.44
and it's that process by
which we become like Him.
00:47:01.47\00:47:05.32
I know I'm throwing a lot
at you, but you can handle it.
00:47:05.35\00:47:10.10
Got to get this right.
00:47:10.13\00:47:14.35
You can
understand this I know this,
00:47:14.38\00:47:16.64
you can understand
this intellectually
00:47:16.67\00:47:18.56
and yet consciously or sub more,
00:47:18.59\00:47:21.16
more often subconsciously
yet be relying on something
00:47:21.19\00:47:25.56
that we must do.
00:47:25.59\00:47:29.30
It's important to get
it our understanding right,
00:47:29.33\00:47:33.22
because it can reach
down into your subconscious.
00:47:33.25\00:47:35.74
So we are never relying upon us,
00:47:35.77\00:47:38.55
we're not relying upon
us, who are we relying on,
00:47:38.58\00:47:43.09
we don't rely upon
us we rely upon Jesus.
00:47:43.12\00:47:47.17
That's the point
that we are getting at.
00:47:47.20\00:47:49.66
So, are you following me?
00:47:49.69\00:47:50.82
Are you with me at this point?
00:47:50.85\00:47:52.63
Second Corinthians 5:21
it is a marvelous thing,
00:47:52.66\00:47:55.67
it takes the
burden of the law from us
00:47:55.70\00:47:59.34
and Jesus has assured us that
He is gonna take care of it all.
00:47:59.37\00:48:02.71
Romans 5:17 the
New Testament page 122,
00:48:02.74\00:48:06.57
122 Revelation-- Romans 5:17.
00:48:06.60\00:48:10.03
I've been in Revelation
too much in recent nights.
00:48:10.06\00:48:14.80
Romans 5:17.
00:48:14.83\00:48:18.90
Notice again, how many
times have we been into Romans?
00:48:18.93\00:48:23.86
It's really one of-- it's
probably my favorite book.
00:48:23.89\00:48:27.17
It's actually in a
ladder and we miss little but,
00:48:27.20\00:48:29.51
anyway here it is
Romans 5:17, it says,
00:48:29.54\00:48:32.06
"For if by the
transgression of the one,
00:48:32.09\00:48:34.83
death reigned through the one,"
00:48:34.86\00:48:37.03
talking about Adam
as the head of the race
00:48:37.06\00:48:39.54
"much more those who
receive the abundance of grace"
00:48:39.57\00:48:42.91
receive the abundance of grace
00:48:42.94\00:48:44.72
"and of the
gift of righteousness
00:48:44.75\00:48:48.42
will reign in life
through the One, Jesus Christ."
00:48:48.45\00:48:51.29
That which God requires of us
00:48:51.32\00:48:53.90
again that absolute perfection,
that absolute, you know,
00:48:53.93\00:48:56.80
100% purity and righteousness
00:48:56.83\00:48:59.35
that which God requires of us,
00:48:59.38\00:49:02.77
He gives to us
as a gift in His son
00:49:02.80\00:49:07.54
and when we receive
Jesus Christ by faith
00:49:07.57\00:49:10.13
we are embracing that
absolute perfect life, right.
00:49:10.16\00:49:16.84
That's how it works.
00:49:16.87\00:49:17.90
We call this theologically
righteousness by faith
00:49:17.93\00:49:22.47
and the opposite is legalism
righteousness by my works.
00:49:22.50\00:49:29.70
Don't go there
because it never works
00:49:29.73\00:49:32.67
and those who do go
there find themselves
00:49:32.70\00:49:35.47
soon or later they realize
how frustrating that experience
00:49:35.50\00:49:38.45
really is when you
are trying to measure up
00:49:38.48\00:49:42.31
and that's part
of what we give up.
00:49:42.34\00:49:44.73
And then Romans 3 the
New Testament page 121.
00:49:44.76\00:49:49.25
Romans 3:21, 22.
00:49:49.28\00:49:52.91
Oh, we might as well
read the whole book, right.
00:49:52.94\00:49:57.17
Because it does, it
deals with these issues.
00:49:57.20\00:49:59.72
Right on through
particularly chapter eight
00:49:59.75\00:50:02.41
and sometimes just read from
Romans one through chapter eight
00:50:02.44\00:50:05.81
it just really puts a
lot of things together.
00:50:05.84\00:50:07.88
Romans 3:21, 22 where it says,
00:50:07.91\00:50:11.74
"But now apart from the Law
00:50:11.77\00:50:14.51
the righteousness of
God has been manifested,
00:50:14.54\00:50:17.65
being witnessed by
the Law and the Prophets."
00:50:17.68\00:50:20.77
And that manifestation
of the righteousness of God
00:50:20.80\00:50:23.44
apart from the Law
is the manifestation
00:50:23.47\00:50:25.68
of the righteousness
in the person of Jesus
00:50:25.71\00:50:29.30
and He lived out
that perfect life
00:50:29.33\00:50:31.01
upon this planet,
down on our level.
00:50:31.04\00:50:33.89
It's been manifested in
the living example of Jesus.
00:50:33.92\00:50:38.68
It says verse 22, "Even
the righteousness of God
00:50:38.71\00:50:43.45
through faith in Jesus Christ
for all those who believed."
00:50:43.48\00:50:49.70
Okay.
00:50:49.73\00:50:51.61
So, the law bears testimony
00:50:51.64\00:50:55.68
to this
righteousness, it is codified.
00:50:55.71\00:50:59.58
But again the point here
00:50:59.61\00:51:00.88
is it has been manifested
in the person of Jesus.
00:51:00.91\00:51:06.07
He is the embodiment
of the righteousness,
00:51:06.10\00:51:12.23
that is required of us and
then that comes to us as a gift.
00:51:12.26\00:51:16.93
And so we attain
true righteousness
00:51:16.96\00:51:19.09
by accepting Jesus who is again
00:51:19.12\00:51:21.19
the manifestation of God's
righteousness in human flesh.
00:51:21.22\00:51:24.40
Our standing with
God is not dependent
00:51:24.43\00:51:27.13
or based on how good we
are but on how good He is.
00:51:27.16\00:51:32.69
And that would be something
00:51:32.72\00:51:34.26
we're really getting
again into our thinking.
00:51:34.29\00:51:37.69
Philippians 3,
there was a Pharisees
00:51:37.72\00:51:39.92
who did get any
bold witness of it.
00:51:39.95\00:51:41.72
The New Testament
page 155, Philippians 3:4.
00:51:41.75\00:51:46.42
You know, he had been there,
00:51:50.35\00:51:51.50
he had been in this
self made, self righteousness
00:51:51.53\00:51:55.45
that was so typical of
the scribes and the Pharisees
00:51:55.48\00:51:58.14
and telling the Damascus
rode in that blinding light,
00:51:58.17\00:52:01.41
He saw one that was beyond words
00:52:01.44\00:52:06.07
afterward transformed his life.
00:52:06.10\00:52:09.05
And here it is
beginning with verse 4,
00:52:09.08\00:52:10.71
"Although I myself"
00:52:10.74\00:52:12.47
Paul says, "might have
confidence even in the flesh.
00:52:12.50\00:52:15.40
If anyone else has a mind
to put confidence in the flesh,
00:52:15.43\00:52:18.45
I far more," and notice
what he is talking about
00:52:18.48\00:52:21.73
when he talks about
putting confidence in the flesh.
00:52:21.76\00:52:23.80
He's talking actually
about some very religious things
00:52:23.83\00:52:26.12
as you look at verse 5,
"Circumcised the eight day."
00:52:26.15\00:52:29.58
That was a sign of
the communal relationship.
00:52:29.61\00:52:32.51
That's what that
circumcision was.
00:52:32.54\00:52:35.21
"Of the nation of Israel,"
00:52:35.24\00:52:36.59
man, he has the
right spiritual pedigree,
00:52:36.62\00:52:39.99
"of the tribe of
Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews,
00:52:40.02\00:52:42.75
as to the Law, a Pharisee."
00:52:42.78\00:52:44.81
He had made it.
00:52:44.84\00:52:46.73
So he thought.
00:52:46.76\00:52:50.84
Verse 6 "As to zeal, a
persecutor of the church,
00:52:50.87\00:52:53.49
as to the righteousness which
is in the Law, found blameless."
00:52:53.52\00:52:57.30
So He thought but,
notice that word contrast.
00:52:57.33\00:53:02.24
"But whatever
things were gain to me,
00:53:02.27\00:53:05.54
those things I have counted
as loss for the sake of Christ."
00:53:05.57\00:53:09.02
And when he saw Jesus he began
to gain a total new perspective
00:53:09.05\00:53:14.24
as well happened in
as it does happen to us.
00:53:14.27\00:53:18.24
We began to see
things as it really are.
00:53:18.27\00:53:25.21
"More than that," verse 8,
00:53:25.24\00:53:26.88
"I count all
things to be loss in view
00:53:26.91\00:53:28.89
of the surpassing value of
knowing Christ Jesus my Lord,
00:53:28.92\00:53:33.56
for whom I have
suffered the loss of all things,
00:53:33.59\00:53:36.40
and count them but rubbish
so that I may gain Christ."
00:53:36.43\00:53:40.72
Everything just seems in
comparison to be rubbish.
00:53:40.75\00:53:44.32
And it was.
00:53:44.35\00:53:46.63
Those games that scribes
and Pharisees were playing
00:53:46.66\00:53:49.00
my friend, they were
just a bunch of rubbish.
00:53:49.03\00:53:51.90
It wasn't really,
when we come down to it,
00:53:51.93\00:53:54.05
it was really nonsense.
00:53:54.08\00:53:56.99
And not of one of them
would be in the kingdom
00:53:57.02\00:53:58.72
unless they went through
the experience of this Pharisee
00:53:58.75\00:54:02.22
and not one of us will
be there in the kingdom
00:54:02.25\00:54:05.27
unless we have a
similar experience
00:54:05.30\00:54:07.55
as Paul found in Jesus Christ
00:54:07.58\00:54:09.99
and the surpassing
value of knowing Christ Jesus.
00:54:10.02\00:54:17.67
Verse 9 "And
may be found in Him,
00:54:17.70\00:54:19.08
not having a righteousness
of my own derived from the Law,"
00:54:19.11\00:54:22.55
that is from
keeping the commandments
00:54:22.58\00:54:24.41
"but that which is
through faith in Christ,
00:54:24.44\00:54:26.46
the righteousness which comes
from God on the basis of faith."
00:54:26.49\00:54:31.23
There it says it.
00:54:31.26\00:54:33.18
I now we've been talking
about the Ten Commandments
00:54:33.21\00:54:35.23
in this series of, haven't we.
00:54:35.26\00:54:37.87
We talked about the
fourth commandment the Sabbath
00:54:37.90\00:54:39.89
but my friend,
there is a reason why
00:54:39.92\00:54:42.10
in the midst of all of the
subjects we've been looking at
00:54:42.13\00:54:45.01
but I come in this one
and in part it is to say,
00:54:45.04\00:54:48.16
yes, the
commandments are important.
00:54:48.19\00:54:49.58
We have transgressed the
law, that's why we are sinners,
00:54:49.61\00:54:52.36
that's why Jesus had
to come and die for us.
00:54:52.39\00:54:56.20
But I also want to
make it clear biblically
00:54:56.23\00:54:58.64
we do not establish
our standing with God
00:54:58.67\00:55:02.06
through keeping
the commandments.
00:55:02.09\00:55:04.59
Remember, I spoke about
this keeping the commandments
00:55:04.62\00:55:07.86
is never the
means of our salvation,
00:55:07.89\00:55:10.99
it's the evidence of a saving
relationship with Jesus Christ.
00:55:11.02\00:55:15.77
Keeping the commandments it
says, it's always the evidence.
00:55:15.80\00:55:19.75
Because I tell you only the one
00:55:19.78\00:55:21.09
that knows Jesus
can keep His commands.
00:55:21.12\00:55:23.81
So, it's not that we don't
believe in the commandments
00:55:23.84\00:55:26.61
and that we don't
believe in keeping them
00:55:26.64\00:55:28.61
we just know that
if us it is impossible,
00:55:28.64\00:55:31.00
so never go beyond that.
00:55:31.03\00:55:32.75
That's impossible, forget it.
00:55:32.78\00:55:35.17
Yeah, it's impossible
but in the relationship
00:55:35.20\00:55:39.56
Jesus, remember
Philippians 2:13,
00:55:39.59\00:55:42.31
it is God who is at
work in you, both to real
00:55:42.34\00:55:46.25
and to do according
to His good pleasure.
00:55:46.28\00:55:50.53
And remember we are
talking about the deeds,
00:55:50.56\00:55:52.39
well just by our deeds the deeds
reveal who possess the heart
00:55:52.42\00:55:58.16
and the obedience follows.
00:55:58.19\00:56:01.50
It is the fruitage of
the relationship, it's that.
00:56:01.53\00:56:09.11
That's why 1 John 2:3,
00:56:09.14\00:56:12.04
it's one of my favorite passages
in this regard where it says,
00:56:12.07\00:56:15.30
"By this we know that
we have come to know Him,
00:56:15.33\00:56:17.87
if we keep His commandments."
00:56:17.90\00:56:20.38
And again it's the evidence
that we come to know Jesus,
00:56:20.41\00:56:23.38
it's not the
means of our salvation.
00:56:23.41\00:56:26.12
There is an old Indian
Chief, I'm Indian but destroyed.
00:56:26.15\00:56:28.26
There is a old Indian Chief that
constantly was talking about
00:56:28.29\00:56:32.14
how much he loved Jesus,
how much Jesus meant to him.
00:56:32.17\00:56:35.56
And finally somebody asked him,
00:56:35.59\00:56:37.24
you know, why you
always talking about Jesus?
00:56:37.27\00:56:40.98
And at that he stood down
and gathered up some sticks
00:56:41.01\00:56:44.49
and some little bit of grass
00:56:44.52\00:56:46.83
and he made a
little circle out of it
00:56:46.86\00:56:48.82
and he found a
little caterpillar near by
00:56:48.85\00:56:51.50
and he put it
into the middle of that
00:56:51.53\00:56:54.00
you know, that round
00:56:54.03\00:56:56.00
you know, with all of
the sticks and grass stuff
00:56:56.03\00:56:58.42
and he lit it on fire.
00:56:58.45\00:57:01.53
And that little caterpillar
as that fire began to grow,
00:57:01.56\00:57:05.70
that caterpillar was
trying to find the way out.
00:57:05.73\00:57:08.10
He went from one side to
the other looking desperately
00:57:08.13\00:57:11.38
for a way out as
the fire was increasing.
00:57:11.41\00:57:15.83
And finally in desperation
that would found itself
00:57:15.86\00:57:18.88
in the middle of this
that little caterpillar
00:57:18.91\00:57:22.55
just reached up as
high as it could, the heat,
00:57:22.58\00:57:26.09
it was feeling the
intensity of the heat.
00:57:26.12\00:57:29.10
And at that point that
Indian Chief reached out
00:57:29.13\00:57:33.32
and brought that
caterpillar out of the fire
00:57:33.35\00:57:35.98
and he said, that's
what Jesus did for me.
00:57:36.01\00:57:41.87
That's why I talk
about Jesus all the time.
00:57:41.90\00:57:45.20
And my friend, that is
what Jesus has done for you
00:57:45.23\00:57:49.66
and that's what
Jesus has done for me.
00:57:49.69\00:57:54.68
He is the center point
of all truth, isn't He.
00:57:54.71\00:57:57.57